The following comparative case studies explored the applicability of servant leadership within the US military and how such leadership style contributes to commitment and retention of civil service employees. The research took place in a US Army post in Germany and in a US Air Force Base in Florida. Retaining civilian employees and raising their…

This dissertation explores how four pre-service teachers (PSTs) came to define and understand intercultural competence (ICC) during a short-term student teaching abroad program. In this exploratory, collective case study I highlight the participants' voice by analyzing their definitions of ICC before, during, and after their experience in Germany…

This dissertation analyzes attitudes and perceptions of regiolects regarding the Magdeburg, Berlin, Leipzig and Standard German. Consultants listened to four recordings--one in each linguistic variety--and answered questions. The questions opened with the consultants' personal connection to each variety and opinions of the variety itself before…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lifeworlds of low-income, single student mothers in two contrasting welfare regimes, the United States and Germany, to understand how their individual experiences as students and as mothers at the micro-level were shaped by policies regarding childcare and financial support at the…

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementations are expensive, time-consuming, and often do not lead to the expected outcome of integrated IT systems. Many German universities are implementing ERP systems as Campus Management Systems (CMS) and a solution to any problem, need, or requirement the organization has. This exploratory case study…

Teachers worldwide are adapting to meet educational needs caused by increased immigration. Germany has many immigrant students and ranks high in international education. This case study investigated experiences of English-speaking native-born German educators in Germany's public primary schools when responding to refugee and immigrant students.…

This study traces the first year experiences of six international exchange teachers employed in three public and charter schools settings from three districts in two southeastern states. Interviews with these teachers from China, Germany and Colombia, and with their school and district leaders enabled me to produce a narrative of how international…

The Bologna Process and German higher education reforms over the past decade have created significant waves of change at German universities. This case study focuses on the enduring impact of both the Bologna Process and German higher education reforms on how professors experience their work and define their roles during the winter term 2011-12 at…

This case study investigates the selection of partner institutions for international joint degree programs at the graduate level utilizing Knight's (2008) challenges to the development of such partnerships which are: Academic Alignment, Mobility and Language concerns, and Recognition and Legitimacy concerns. This study focuses on the criteria used…

Badminton is a growing sport with a limited amount of expertise both in players and coaches so attempts are being made to extend the expertise internationally. The purpose of this study is to gain an understanding of coaching expertise in badminton because such an understanding might have implications for a more general understanding of expertise,…

There has been a sharp rise in study abroad participation over the last few decades (Institute for International Education, 2011), which can largely be explained by the rise of short-term study abroad programs. While there is much to be gained from participation in such programs, mid-length and year programs may offer the greatest benefits for…

This dissertation investigates the media's portrayal of the linguistic situation of the predominantly Turkish migrant communities in Germany by analyzing data gathered from films, television clips, interviews, radio clips and the Internet, paying specific attention to the vowel systems of each speaker. I observe that the most salient aspect in…

German language teachers are gaining increased access to smart classrooms and digital technologies that offer teachers and students greater access to authentic cultural and language materials and enable more student target language communication. Teaching with technology changes the teaching and learning environment in many ways. Little is known…

The influence of English on German has been an ongoing subject of intense popular and academic interest in the German sphere. In order to better understand this language contact situation, this research project investigates anglicisms--instances of English language material in a German language context--in the German hip hop community, where the…

Companies and schools in different types of market economies face a dilemma. Public schools are performing poorly at a time when companies need better skilled employees to compete globally. The trend toward greater participation of companies in the public schools is a consequence of this dilemma. It poses the question: "What are the…