Date
8-29-2025
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration (PhD)
Chair
Richard Segovia
Keywords
EMS education, innovative programming, higher education leadership, rural education, social cognitive theory, transcendental phenomenology
Disciplines
Educational Leadership
Recommended Citation
Berge, Nichole S., "Leading Change: A Phenomenological Study of Higher Education Leaders Implementing Innovative Emergency Medical Service Programs for Rural Students" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7416.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7416
Abstract
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to describe the lived experiences of education leaders in supporting the implementation of innovative programming in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) education for rural students. The theory guiding this study is Bandura’s social cognitive theory (1986), as it explores how cognitive, behavioral, and environmental factors influence the implementation of such programming. The central research question guiding this study is: What are the lived experiences of higher education leaders implementing innovative EMS programming for rural students? The methodology for this study is a transcendental phenomenological design, sampling higher education leaders involved in EMS education. The data collection methods for this study include qualitative questionnaires, individual interviews, and focus groups conducted through email and online via Microsoft Teams. Detailed analysis following the modified van Kaam method discussed by Moustakas (1996), are used to identify key themes and patterns in the participants' experiences.
