Secondary Education Commons^™

Career Readiness Indicators In High School Influenced By Leaders In Alabama, Kevin J. Wieseman

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study investigated how educational leaders conceptualize and influence Career Readiness Indicators (CRI) in Alabama high schools. As Alabama places increasing emphasis on College and Career Readiness (CCR), this research explored how leaders’ lived experiences affect initiatives designed to prepare students for postsecondary achievement. Drawing on Transformational Leadership Theory and Distributed Leadership Theory, the study examined leadership practices associated with work-based learning, soft skills development, academic preparedness, and career-readiness outcomes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with educational leaders from Alabama school systems recognized for exemplary CCR performance. Data were analyzed using a phenomenological approach to identify shared leadership experiences and …

Middle School Students' Initial Ideas And Their Connections In Proportion Word Problems, Carrie Ann Lawton

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation study, I sought to identify the initial ideas that middle school students had when approaching Multiple Batches and Variable Parts proportion word problems, as well as the connections they made among those initial ideas. I conducted semi-structured individual and paired interviews with 13 sixth- and seventh-grade students at the end of their school year. I then used the Knowledge-in-Pieces theoretical perspective to identify knowledge resources that the participants accessed when approaching the tasks, prior to any intervention on my part.

Through my analysis, I identified 18 initial ideas that the middle school students employed when solving the …

Understanding Interculturality And Enacting Culturally Based Pedagogies: A Mixed Methods Study Of In-Service World Language Educators In Secondary Classrooms, Heather L. Sandy

Theses and Dissertations

This research study explored the relationship between an understanding of interculturality and culturally based pedagogies among world language teachers. The study examined the relationship between language teachers’ upbringing, their development of intercultural competence, and their self-efficacy in culturally responsive teaching practices. It addressed a practical knowledge gap concerning the intersection of interculturality and culturally based practices, specifically among secondary education teachers of Spanish and Mandarin Chinese in the United States.

The data sources focused on the qualitative aspects of interculturality, culturally based teaching practices, and world language pedagogy, with quantitative results to enhance qualitative data. The qualitative data collection included …

Teacher Perceptions Of Best Teaching Practices For Improved Student Outcomes In An Alternative School Setting, Chasity Clark

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This dissertation explores the experiences and professional perspectives of educators working in urban alternative school settings and examines how they foster positive outcomes for marginalized youth. Although alternative education is frequently characterized as a punitive “last resort,” this study highlights its potential as a setting for transformative resilience, student empowerment, and innovative teaching practices. Guided by social constructivism, transformative learning theory, and critical pedagogy, the study employed a qualitative design involving two rounds of semi-structured interviews and a focus group with 11 educators. Analysis of the data resulted in six integrated themes: psychological safety as a prerequisite for agency, self-efficacy …

A Narrative Analysis Of Equity-Focused Cs Educators: A Multiple Case Illustration, Aleata Hubbard, Jen Tsan

Journal of Computer Science Integration

Background and Context. Equity-focused CS teaching is often prescribed as a solution for addressing disparities in K–12 CS participation and disengaging student experiences. However, adopting such an orientation can be challenging as it pushes educators to shift their teaching beliefs, identity, and practices. Objective. This study examines how the personal and professional experiences of four high school CS teachers influenced their paths to becoming equity-oriented practitioners. We illustrate variation in these developmental trajectories and advance theory building around equity-focused CS teacher identity development. Method. We utilized a multiple-case narrative inquiry approach, collecting data through in-depth, semi-structured interviews that included a …

Brewing Black Girl Magic: From Hush-Toned Kitchens To Educational Spaces: A Narrative Inquiry Into The Inherited Wisdom, Radical Resilience, And Professional Becoming Of Black Women, A Three-Paper Dissertation, Sheryl Patterson-Coulibaly

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how racialized and gendered expectations shape the professional experiences of Black women in predominantly white educational spaces. Drawing on a three-article format, this study investigates how Black women navigate institutional conditions that depend on their labor yet fail to provide adequate support. Grounded in Black Feminist Marxist Thought and emerging Black Womanist Theory, the study centers the emotional, relational, and spiritual dimensions of Black women’s labor, extending traditional analyses of work, leadership, and resilience.

Of Fire and Fabrication: A Systematic Review on the Myth of Strength and Erasure of Black Women in White Educational Spaces reveals that …

An Examination Of The Impact Of School Context And Socioeconomic Status On Agency And Creative Productivity In Gifted High School Students, Elizabeth Bronson

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

This explanatory sequential mixed methods study investigated gifted high school students’ perception of the agency afforded them within school settings, and the relationship between these perceptions and their creative productivity. A sample of 140 students was drawn from a population of 966 identified gifted high school students. These students were contacted via their parents and asked to complete the Agentic Engagement Scale (AES) questionnaire which provided gifted high school students’ perceptions of the agency afforded at school. No significant differences in perceived agency were found across demographic variables, including socioeconomic status and school type. Of the respondents, 10 students were …

Comics In The Classroom: Social Science Teachers' Lived Experiences With Comic Art In Instruction, Robert W. Mcintosh

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

This qualitative descriptive phenomenological study explored secondary social science teachers’ lived experiences with comic art in classroom instruction. Existing research suggests that comic art, including comic books and graphic novels, can support student engagement, content understanding, visual literacy, and critical thinking; however, less is known about how teachers experience and make decisions about using comic art in social science education. Framed by Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Social Cognitive Theory, the study treated comic art as a representational instructional technology and examined how teacher confidence and the context of their experience shaped its use. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews …

Suspended Futures: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Black Adult Males Affected By Exclusionary Discipline, Tamara Jones

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Black males continue to experience exclusionary discipline at disproportionately high rates in American schools, often resulting in academic disruption and long-term educational and social consequences. While existing research had extensively documented disciplinary disparities, less attention had been given to how Black males interpret and make meaning of these experiences over time. This hermeneutic phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of Black adult males who experienced exclusionary discipline during their secondary school years and examined how they now make sense of those experiences in adulthood. Grounded in Critical Race Theory and Social Cognitive Theory, the study focused on participants’ perceptions of …

Artifact Centered Interdisciplinary Instruction Supports Secondary Student Learning In Chemistry History And Engineering, Rachel Sparks White, Kristie S. Gutierrez, James K. Ferri

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Secondary STEM instruction often remains organized in disciplinary silos, limiting opportunities for students to apply Concepts across domains incoherent, authentic contexts. This mixed methods implementation study examined Convergence Research in STEM and Tradition (CReST), an Artifact centered interdisciplinary curriculum model designed to connect chemistry, world history, and engineering through a shared instructional context. In this implementation, Italian frescoes served as a boundary object anchoring a six-day sequence on mural materials, deterioration, and restoration. The sequence integrated targeted concepts in inorganic chemistry (e.g., the lime cycle and thermal processes), renaissance era historical contacts and the engineering design process within tasks related …

The Teacher Shortage Crisis: How Workplace Relationships Influence Retention, Attrition, And The Education Labor Market, Jeremy Brooks

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study took a closer look at how high school teachers perceive the ongoing teacher shortage, with particular attention to how workplace conditions and the broader school climate impact whether they choose to stay in the profession. Special focus was given to teachers in their first five years, a group especially vulnerable to early attrition. As the conversation around teacher turnover grows louder, this research seeks to better understand what’s driving teachers’ decisions from their own perspectives, not just policy data or administrative assumptions.

The study used a basic qualitative research design, relying on one-on-one, in-depth interviews to gather insights …

The Relationship Between State-Level Career And Technical Education (Cte) Policies And Secondary Student Enrollment In Construction, Manufacturing, And Health Sciences Cte Programs, Brittany A. Kitterman

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Across the United States, employers in construction, manufacturing, and healthcare report ongoing difficulty filling positions. These shortages have been driven by an aging workforce, increased demand, and high rates of retirement. Compounding these shortages, Federal investments such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the CHIPS Act have further increased demand. Career and Technical Education programs are well positioned to support workforce development and help close workforce shortages, but access and participation remain limited. Supported by Federal Perkins funding, states have enacted CTE policies to increase access and enrollment in CTE programs aligned with high-demand industries such as construction, …

Gender Inequality In Afghanistan's Public Schools: Provincial Disparities Amid Historical And Political Change, 2002-2021, Enayatullah Nasir

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation examines the persistence and spatial concentration of gender-based educational inequality in Afghanistan's public school system from 2002 to 2021–– a period spanning post-2001 reconstruction, the expansion of the Republic era, and the reversal under the second Taliban regime. Despite substantial international investment and two decades of repeated commitments to gender parity, access to and progression through public schooling remained profoundly uneven across the country’s thirty-four provinces. The Gender Parity Index values differ sharply between provinces, and those with the lowest overall enrollment tend to exhibit the widest gender gaps. Existing scholarship has concentrated on the national level, obscuring …

Reading Between The Lines: Representations Of Dyslexia In Young Adult Literature, Carli B. Gauvin

Honors Theses and Capstones

While dyslexia affects upwards of 20% of the population, this learning disability is not commonly brought up in young adult literature. This lack of representation negatively impacts those with dyslexia, who often fail to find themselves in the books they read, and readers in general, who are given fewer opportunities to gain insight into the learning disability. Young adult books that do discuss dyslexia can be at risk of portraying the learning disability in an unfavorable light, which can make dyslexic readers feel undervalued in society and can introduce misconceptions about dyslexia to all readers. It is crucial to analyze …

Integrative And Contextual Instructional Models For Strengthening Scientific Literacy In Primary And Secondary Education (2020–2025): A Systematic Literature And Bibliometric Review, Jihan Salsabillah Misel, Eko Handoyo, Ellianawati Ellianawati, Bambang Subali

Jurnal Pendidikan Sains

Improving students’ science literacy remains a persistent challenge in schools. Although studies since 2020 examine strategies to enhance science literacy, no synthesis has compared integrative models across levels. This review addresses that gap through a PRISMA-based Systematic Literature Review of 1,518 records, with 24 studies included and supported by VOSviewer mapping. Findings show that Problem-Based Learning, STEM-based learning, and the RADEC model are the most effective approaches, while Differentiated Instruction, Flipped Classroom, and Project-Based Learning strengthen reasoning and scientific attitudes. These results offer guidance for classroom implementation and inform policy on teacher training and curriculum design within the Merdeka Curriculum.

Effect Of Real Quest Outdoor Learning On High School Students Climate Literacy, Siti Aisah, Abdul Hakim, Puardmi Damayanti

Jurnal Pendidikan Sains

This study investigates the influence of the Real Quest Outdoor Learning (ReQOL) model, which encompasses knowledge, attitudes, and behavior, on the climate literacy of high school students. A quasi-experimental design was performed with a non-equivalent control group; thus, a sample consisting of an experimental class (n = 34) and a control class (n = 32) was used. A one-way ANOVA test was used to test the differences between pretest and post-test scores at a 0.05 significance level. The basic knowledge on climate in the experimental group increased significantly (sig < 0.001), while the change in attitudes and behaviors was insignificant (sig = 0.339 and sig = 0.447, respectively). The fact that attitude and behavior did not improve significantly during the experiment can be justified by the existing Adiwiyata programme in schools. These findings indicate that the ReQOL model is a good way to help students understand climate issues better. Adding discovery-based outdoor learning to science classes has the potential to make students more aware of environmental issues and lay the groundwork for the development of responsible behavior. This underscores the scientific contribution and educational importance of the development of climate literacy within the curriculum.

The Impact Of Work-Based Learning Experiences On Post-Secondary Readiness, Barbara A. Kain

Student Scholarship

The primary goal of secondary education is preparing students for post-secondary success in an evolving global economy. Work-Based Learning (WBL) serves as a critical bridge between academic instruction and real-world application, yet participation rates remain low, particularly for marginalized student populations. This educational leadership project examines the impact of WBL on post-secondary readiness, addressing the disparity between federal policy mandates, such as the Carl D. Perkins Act, and actual student access.

Through a review of current literature, the project highlights the benefits of WBL regarding student persistence and economic mobility, while identifying structural barriers such as transportation and limited community …

Beyond The Episode: A Case For Serial Literacy In Efl Education Classrooms, Julie Intveen, Tim Illigens

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Serial storytelling, characterized by its interplay of vertical (episodic) and horizontal (long-form) narrative structures, offers a unique opportunity for media literacy in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education. This paper argues for the development of a serial literacy framework, a concept that expands traditional film literacy models to accommodate the distinct demands of serialized narratives. By using Inventing Anna (Rhimes, 2022) as a case study, the study explores how serial storytelling fosters engagement with themes of identity construction, ethical ambiguity, and transmedial storytelling. This paper elaborates on serial literacy, considering its implications within foreign language learning contexts. The study …

Not Always Welcomed, Lavaughn Wesley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This qualitative dissertation explores the systemic barriers faced by adjudicated and long-term suspended youth during their reentry into the public school system, focusing on a local urban community in Pennsylvania. Through the lens of Institutional Complexity Theory, this study examines how interagency disconnection, implicit bias, inequitable disciplinary practices, and inadequate support structures contribute to the marginalization of historically underserved students, particularly Black youth, students with disabilities, and those from low-income households.

The research is driven by two central questions:

(1) What are the barriers for adjudicated youth during the reentry process?

(2) How can the home school reentry process …

A Mixed-Methods Study On The Relationship Between Athletic Coaching Effectiveness, The Coach-Athlete Relationship, And Student-Athlete Academic Outcomes, Tabithia Graves, Angeline Hale, Megan Holloway

Student Scholar Symposium

With discussions about education focused on student achievement and school accountability, it is important to understand what factors influence student persistence and success in a variety of environments, including school athletics. Student athletes are expected to dedicate significant time to their sport while also maintaining academic expectations. The researchers of this mixed-methods study seek to explore the relationship between coaching effectiveness, the coach-athlete relationship, and student-athlete academic outcomes. Through the lens of established motivational theories, this study examines how coaches’ autonomy-supportive behaviors can impact student-athletes' intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Specifically, the study investigates whether motivation from athletic coaches relates to …