Date of Award
12-2022
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
School of Education
First Advisor
Dane Joseph, Ph.D.
Second Advisor
Marc Shelton, Ed.D.
Abstract
This research aimed to improve student satisfaction and wellbeing in an International Baccalaureate (IB) program, located in the US Virgin Islands, through the implementation of an improvement science dissertation in practice (ISDiP). The study utilized a framework of Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) over the course of a 90-day improvement cycle. A networked improvement community (NIC) met throughout the cycle to develop a shared understanding of the problem of practice and context, develop a theory of improvement, collect data related to that theory, and make adjustments based on that data.
The NIC identified four primary drivers they believed would result in the desired increase in student satisfaction and wellbeing. Those drivers included consistent and effective communication aligned to shared values, choice, empowerment, autonomy, and agency for students, modeling of shared values, life balance, and wellness by faculty, and an increased sense of belonging through relationship building, making connections, and building authentic community. Each of these drivers led to improvement ideas that ultimately shaped the implementation of The Wednesday Program at the international school where the study took place.
Results from both qualitative interview and survey data as well as quantitative survey data indicated a marked increase in student satisfaction and self-reported levels of wellbeing after the implementation of The Wednesday Program.
Recommended Citation
Fisher, Michael, "Improving Student Satisfaction and Wellbeing in an International Baccalaureate Program: An Improvement Science Study" (2022). Doctor of Education (EdD). 197.
https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/edd/197