Date
10-2019
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EdD)
Chair
Jerry Woodbridge
Keywords
Alternative Education, Alternative Learning Center, Online Learning, Personalized Learning, Self-regulation, Student Success
Disciplines
Education | Educational Leadership | Educational Methods
Recommended Citation
Clay, Heather Amanda, "Factors Contributing to the Success of Students in an Alternative Learning Center with an Online Curriculum: A Multiple Case Study" (2019). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 2227.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/2227
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to discover the factors which contribute to the success of students in alternative learning centers with online curriculums in Central Virginia. The main theory guiding this study was Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory as it proposes that learning occurs in social environments through an interaction with people, the environment, and behavior. Self-regulation theory was also used as it posits that learners are active participants in the learning process. The central question guiding this study was: What factors contribute to the success of students in an alternative learning center with an online curriculum in Central Virginia? Purposeful sampling coupled with criterion sampling was utilized to procure three cases, who were students of an alternative learning center for one semester or longer and made improvements in behavior and/or grades. These three students along with their parents, teachers, and administrators from the school sites were included in the study. Data in this qualitative multiple case study was collected through interviews, document analysis, and graphic representations from participants. A cross-case synthesis technique was used to analyze the three cases.
