Digital Commons Network^™

An Autoethnography Of A Doctoral Student’S Identity Development Through Exposure To Short-Term Study Abroad., Cheri L. Hatcher

Adult Education Research Conference

This is a reflective autoethnographic study about my short-term study abroad (SSA) experiences as a doctoral student in a US-based adult education program.

Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis To Advance Critical Adult Education Research Through Social Movement Learning, Will Frankenberger

Adult Education Research Conference

This paper aims to explore how the interpretative phenomenological analysis can support the advancement of qualitative research within the field of critical adult education and social movement learning.

A Literature Review Of Geographic Representation In Adult Education Research, Angela Kissel

Adult Education Research Conference

The purpose of this literature review is to determine how adult education research is geographically represented by topic and population in three adult education journals from 1998 through 2023.

Combating Chronic Absenteeism: A Practical Approach To Improving Attendance In A Mid-Sized Virginia School Division, Alissa Fraser, Caroline Goddard, Brian Raska, Michael Sidebotham

Doctor of Education Capstones

Chronic absenteeism poses a significant public health challenge in the United States, impacting educational outcomes and student well-being. This research explores strategies to address chronic absenteeism within Client Public Schools (CPS) before and after the COVID-19 pandemic (2015-present). Using a mixed-methods approach, the study integrates a literature review, quantitative analysis of CPS attendance data, and qualitative insights from focus groups and interviews. Findings reveal disparities among student groups, increased absenteeism post-pandemic, and multifaceted barriers to attendance, including school-related challenges and non-school-related factors. The study underscores the necessity for a unified strategy to track attendance data, consistent implementation of the Multi-Tiered …

Enhancing College Students’ Eaccessibility In Higher Education: Transfer Students And Transfer Admissions Counselors' Perspectives, Sevinj Iskandarova, Margaret F. Sloan

Georgia Journal of College Student Affairs

There is a paucity of research on institutional e-accessibility and transfer-credit-software adoption. This paucity poses a challenge in understanding how these technologies impact college students and professionals. Drawing on connectivism theory and Karp and Fletcher's (2014) and Kezar's (2013) three-way approaches (changing-in-advice, institutions, and students' willingness to use technology tools) investigate how technology product adoption affects students' and transfer admission counselors' experiences during the transfer process. This study, conducted at a public institution in the mid-east Atlantic region, utilized a convergent-parallel mixed-methods design to assess students' and professionals' perceptions of transfer credit evaluation products. Results indicate that an e-transfer system …

Methodologizing Transnationality: Relational Writing As Collective Inquiry, Sun Young Lee, Minhye Son, Taeyeon Kim, Jin Kyeong Jung, Soo Bin Jang

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

How can we take transnationality as a space of in-betweenness to generate new possibilities, moving beyond geographically bounded spans between countries? This article presents five authors’ collective inquiry on transnational positionalities, which we practiced through the relational, transformative, and reflective writing of the self in a community space. We staged the collaborative writing into two processes: the emergent process of thematic writing and the relay writing. Interweaving “I” and “we” voices that cannot be captured through categorical thinking, our collaborative quest resists normative identity politics, proposing writing as a method of collective inquiry for the nuanced understanding of the transnationality …

Leveraging Leadership To Retain Early Career Teachers In Stafford County Public Schools, Christopher Gannon, Caroline Canning, Andrew Hoyt, Lauren Johnson, Thomas Mcauley

Doctor of Education Capstones

Stafford County Public Schools requested an evaluation of their current support of Early Career Teachers (ECTs) with one to three years experience, and its potential impact on retention efforts. They stamped this request with urgency, noting the COVID-19 pandemic and teacher pay as two driving factors, specifically, impacting retention of teachers within their first three years. Our Capstone team sought a deeper understanding of the following issues in three research questions: 1) types of support across their division and within their school buildings, 2) the impact of current practices of support, and 3) division-wide considerations for enhancing current systems of …

Positionality In The Politics Of Education: Mapping The Strategies And Constraints Of Education Reformers, Jose Eos R. Trinidad

Interdisciplinary Studies Faculty Publications

The success and failure of education reform policies often depend on the strategies of reformers. This article suggests a framework to understand the positionality of reformers, as they vary in their strategy (i.e., technical vs. relational) and focus for change (i.e., process- vs. outcomes-focused). Using the case of individuals who initiated new data systems in Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York City, the study discusses four groups of reformers: Engineers privilege efficient technical fixes that may be resisted by people on the ground. Capacity-builders focus on empowering schools but may lead to variable successes. Framers research and disseminate ideas to reframe …

Being A Leader: Exploring Generation Z Students’ Conceptualizations Of And Engagement In Leadership In College, Zachary G. Birch

Dissertations of Practice

Colleges and universities have always helped students learn leadership skills. As Generation Z college students began to enter institutions of higher education, there had been a noted shift in how they were engaging in traditional leadership organizations. This phenomenological research examines the essence of how Generation Z thinks about and gets involved with leadership on campuses. This study interviewed eight participants from across the United States, talking about how they think about the concept of leadership and why they choose to engage. What was discovered in this research as a phenomenon noted as the “Four Commitments to Student Leadership.” These …

Faculty Perceptions And Integration Of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy In Programs Designed For Adult Learners, Jennifer Mattingly

Dissertations of Practice

Enrollment in colleges and universities has become increasingly diverse and with the looming demographic cliff, many institutions have turned more attention to the adult learner population. However, the diversity of the adult learner has often been overlooked, including in research about how culturally responsive pedagogy is incorporated into adult learning models. The purpose of this case study was to learn about how faculty in adult learning degree programs perceive and integrate culturally responsive pedagogy into their teaching practices. The case site was a department that offers degrees specifically designed for adult learners at a small, private liberal arts institution located …

An Analysis Of K-8 School Transportation: Understanding The Need, Gauging The Effectiveness, And Defining Best Practice, Leeann D. Taylor

Dissertations of Practice

School transportation plays a critical role in schools, helping students gain access to their education and school sponsored extracurricular activities each day. This study examined the history, need, and future of school-provided transportation in efforts to establish the components of a tool by which districts can gauge the effectiveness of current transportation practices. To organize the research, data, and final framework in the most meaningful way, the final product was divided into three individual papers.

Paper 1 reviews the existing literature reviewed the history, significance, and anticipated developments in the field of school transportation. Paper 2 curates the results of …

Learning To Lead With An Equity Lens: A Case Study Of A Principal Residency Program, Maurice L. Davis

Dissertations of Practice

School districts throughout the United States are challenged with the plague of educator turnover. In particular, building principals are exiting school buildings causing gaps in system consistencies leading to negative perceptions of school culture and decreases in student achievement. Universities are working to assess and redevelop principal preparation programs (PPPs) to support principals and the skill sets needed to be successful within schools today. By increasing the skill of a building principal to lead using an equity lens and developing theories of action to address the frustration initiated by urban school working conditions, principals may develop a greater sense of …

The Personal Is Political: School Board Members’ Motivation For School Governance, Andrew Lobdell

Dissertations of Practice

Understanding the motivation behind school board members' governance is crucial for ensuring the effectiveness of public schools. This research aims to analyze the motivations of five newly elected board members and compare them with past research on governance and motivation. The leadership qualities of school superintendents also impact governance and can influence board members' motivations for running and serving their communities. Similarly, board members' motivations can affect how superintendents lead their districts and prioritize different topics. The research is divided into three papers. Paper 1 reviews existing literature and is organized into three distinct sections that explore school board governance, …

"It’S Hard To Be An Enemy Of Student Success”: A Qualitative Case Study Of A Cultural Shift Towards Student Success, Lisa R. Lawless

Dissertations of Practice

Literature on how colleges change is limited and theoretical in nature. The purpose of this qualitative case student was to explore how Retention University changed their culture and norms to increase student persistence and retention. Data was collected with semi-structured interviews with 16 participants at a large, public university in the southeast. Four primary themes emerged from data: (1) leaders play an important role in fostering organizational change; (2) leaders need to be strategic about how they foster change; (3) leaders need to consider how organizational contexts might hinder change; (4) and value the people and process. Implications for further …

Sel Walkthroughs: Promoting Practices That Foster Social And Emotional Learning, Garrett Podgorski Dr.

Dissertations of Practice

The concept of social and emotional learning (SEL) has been around Illinois since the early 2000s and a part of legislation for schools to implement since 2003. This dissertation focuses on the extant data of 483 observations from the Municipal Nashville Public School (MNPS) SEL walkthrough tool, which was utilized to investigate SEL implementation in select Illinois schools. Data were collected in the South Cook County area of Illinois.

This dissertation provides a review of literature in the areas of SEL that should be taught in K-12 schools and provides an in-depth review of best practices for utilizing walkthrough observations …

Lived Experiences Of Latino/A/X Students At Emerging Hispanic Serving Institutions In The Midwestern United States, Elizabeth Depew

Dissertations of Practice

LIVED EXPERIENCES OF LATINO/A/X STUDENTS AT EMERGING HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTIONS IN THE MIDWESTERN UNITED STATES

There are a growing number of Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) and emerging Hispanic Serving Institutions (eHSI) across the United States (Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, 2013a, 2013b, 2022). Because many HSIs and eHSIs are either formerly or still also Predominantly White Institutions (PWI), historical policies and practices within institutions of higher education do not routinely consider the lives of Latino/a/x students. In addition, HSIs are not required to have any portion of their mission dedicated to the advancement of Latino/a/x students as part of …

Examining Onboarding Practices In School Settings: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective, Gabriel Medina

Dissertations of Practice

This dissertation examines the onboarding practices implemented in several schools within a district and their impacts on teacher retention and the culture and climate of the schools. The theoretical lens of self-determination theory was used to determine areas of strength and growth of onboarding with respect to the three basic human psychological needs of autonomy, belonging, and competence. Drawing on this theory, the research aimed to reveal how onboarding practices support or hinder fulfillment of these basic psychological needs in a school setting. By examining how teachers perceive their onboarding experiences, the study sheds light on the relationship between the …

Older And Wiser? Relative Age And College Course Failure, P. Wesley Routon, Jay K. Walker

Economics Faculty Publications

A student's relative age in their schooling cohort has been shown related to several measures of academic and labor market success. Here, we focus on a singular outcome: the probability of college course failure. Even within a sample constrained to students with traditional academic progression and who completed their college degree program, we find evidence relatively younger students were more likely to fail courses. The estimated impact is larger for males, minorities, and those with less academic success before college. Statistical significance remains constant across the parental income distribution. Students within the sample represent over 600 colleges and universities across …

Unwritten Ground Rules Of School Choice: Excavating Capital As A Regulator Of Access To Educational Goods, Jason E. Saltmarsh

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

District leaders in school choice contexts tend to overlook the many hidden costs of selecting schools in terms of mobility, time, liquidity, and labor. Meanwhile, a body of literature on school choice policies and cultural, social, and political capital shows that middle-class parents use the resources they possess to get the school access they want. In this study, I critically examine the complex interplay between school choice policies and forms of capital. This analysis extends our empirical understanding of the political dimensions of families’ school choices—the way parent resources, relationships, and strategies determine “who gets what, when, and how” (Laswell, …

Mc Means Mentor The Child: Examining School-Based Hip-Hop Clubs For Youth Empowerment, Leadership Development, And Capacity For Change, Daniel Wolford

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

This dissertation examined the relationship between students in a school-based hip-hop club and their ability to develop leadership capabilities through club activities. This study followed a hip-hop club at an urban high school in the Midwest to better understand how hip-hop spaces impact youth participants. The participants included four current members of the club and three alums, all of whom were African American. This study used qualitative methods through heuristic inquiry to understand the phenomenon of hip-hop clubs. Data collection methods included session notes, musical creations, semi-structured interviews, and a Microsoft Teams group chat. Additional heuristic data was collected through …

Navigating Emotional Discomfort In Developing Equity-Driven School Leaders: A Conceptual-Pedagogical Framework, Taeyeon Kim, James Wright

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

Abstract

Background: Given that K–12 schools necessitate leaders who can advance equity and justice, preparation programs in higher education institutions have prioritized the development of eq-uity-oriented school leaders. However, there has been relatively limited exploration of peda-gogical approaches that equip educational leaders to navigate adverse emotional responses and utilize their discomforting emotions as a source of transformation toward equity-oriented principles. When negative emotions are suppressed and/or unexplored within leadership de-velopment programs, adult learners will likely miss crucial opportunities for personal growth and transformative change.

Purpose: This theoretical article aims to enhance and expand existing scholarship on the ped-agogies …

The Impact Of Financial Wellness On Student Success, Holly Hamilton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For many traditional-aged students, college can be their first major financial undertaking. Along with navigating the task of funding a college education, traditionally aged students may face additional financial challenges while entering adulthood. This financial responsibility can cause added stress for students and have a bearing on their financial wellness. This study explored the impact of financial wellness on students' abilities to succeed in college. Through the exploration of four financial wellness measures, financial self-efficacy, financial socialization, financial strain, and financial optimism, the researcher sought to first understand the relationships among the various wellness measures and then to determine what …

Effects Of Exergaming On Health And Fitness Outcomes For Students With Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis, Jordan Mauch

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

While research on VR gaming and Exergaming is in its infancy, both are interventions that have demonstrated positive results such as promoting physical activity participation and positive attitudes towards physical activity in children and adolescents. Exergaming has also been shown to be effective in increasing physical activity in children, and children with disabilities may find exergaming to be an enjoyable alternative to traditional physical activity due to increased accessibility and the focus on both gross and fine motor skills. In studies of VR and/or exergaming with participants with cerebral palsy and autism spectrum disorder, researchers reported increases in motor function …

Stereotypes Of A Black Man Misunderstood: The Experiences And Development Of Black Men With Bipolar Disorder On College Campuses, Gerron Scott

Theses and Dissertations

Black men graduate from universities at a lower rate compared to other groups. Students with disabilities also graduate at a lower rate. When the two groups intersect, the results can be disastrous. Black men with bipolar disorder face a host of problems on college campuses. From a lack of sense of belonging to trouble in class, they struggle to stay afloat in college. The purpose of this study was to document the experiences and development of Black men with bipolar disorder on college campuses. A grounded theory approach was used in this study. Grounded theory was chosen because it leads …

The Experiences Of Women College Presidents While Leading Through An Institutional Crisis: The Perceived Successes And Failures Of Crisis Communication Strategies, Madison Marie Speck

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This multi-site case study explored the uncommonly discussed yet organic intersection between the study of crisis communication and the study of crisis leadership and in turn, what it means in the context of a college presidency. This study has a unique focus on women presidents at small, private colleges and the ways in which they communicate with various stakeholders during a crisis environment. The research is guided by Boin’s Model of Crisis Leadership which guides and assesses crisis leadership performance; however this study introduces nuances to the framework that are suggested as a result of the findings; most of which …

Centering Equity Within Principal Preparation And Development: An Integrative Review Of The Literature, Meagan S. Richard, Shelby Cosner

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Throughout the globe, there is growing attention being paid to issues of equity and efforts to produce more equitable student learning outcomes in schools, and much of the scholarship internationally has begun to center school leaders as key drivers of more equitable conditions. Indeed, in the United States, persistent inequities in education have highlighted the need for K-12 principals who can effectively support diverse students. Effective leader preparation and development, particularly with a focus on equity, is crucial, as it equips school leaders with the knowledge and skills to create inclusive and equitable learning environments. U.S.-based research highlights that high-quality, …

Conflict, Crisis, And Controversy In Schools: Critical Literacy For Educational Leadership Response And Responsibility, Charles L. Lowery

Journal of Educational Controversy

In this article, I operationalize the concept of critical literacy for educational leaders facing conflict, crisis, and controversy in PK12 schools. Specifically, an emphasis is placed on political, moral, cultural, and spatial-temporal literacies. School leaders can develop these habits of criticality to shape unconventional and nuanced responses that are better suited for leading schools as democratic spaces in a politically polarized and socially divided society. Just as readers learn to decode and comprehend written texts to become literate, critically literate educational leaders are equipped to decode the cultural texts of contentious situations and comprehend the meaning of critical incidents through …

From Elementary School To Doctoral Education: An Autoethnographic Journey, Gwendolyn D. Dailey

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Every child has a right to education, and their skin color should not determine their education quality. However, since the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education (1954), it has been proven that race continues to matter in the success and failure of education (Delgado & Stefancic, 2001). The persistent achievement gaps between students of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as the disparities in access to high-quality educational opportunities, demonstrate how race and ethnicity shape the educational experiences of students of color (Stanford Center for Education Policy Analysis, 2012). Unfortunately, stories such as Ruby Bridges of New …

The Finnish Line: An International Teacher Exchange Program, Anthony Marano

West Chester University Master’s Theses

This delve into the educational landscape of the United States and Finland uncovers areas of potential growth in the United States with the incorporation of the Finnish Model. By examining first hand experiences inside the Finnish education system, this study proposes a program that could bring international developments in academics, and overall happiness into our domestic education system. First will be presented the position and philosophy from which this thesis will be approached. This will help to prove relevance when viewed through this specific and critical lens. Next, will be a brief historical overview of the systems in question and …

2024 Merc Annual Report, David Naff, Jesse Senechal, Paula L. Ogston-Nobile

MERC Publications

This is the annual report of the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) in the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University for the 2023-2024 academic year. It includes vignettes depicting MERC activities in the past year that align with each of its five principles: research, relevance, rigor, multiple perspectives, and impact. It concludes with a discussion of MERC's commitment moving forward.