Multimedia-Based Interventions To Improve Science Learning Outcomes For Deaf Students At Wangsel Institute For The Deaf., Cheten Tshering Mr., Tshering Wangchuk

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Efforts have been made to ensure inclusive learning opportunities for all students, including those from diverse backgrounds. One key strategy to enhance children’s learning and academic performance involves the thoughtful selection and application of instructional tools tailored to meet learners' specific needs. This study examines the impact of multimedia-based instruction on science achievement among deaf students at Wangsel Institute for the Deaf in Bhutan. Using a quasi-experimental design, the research compared pretest and post-test results between a control group and an experimental group. Data analysis included descriptive statistics (t-test) and ANCOVA. The findings indicated a statistically significant differences (p = …

Relational Healing: Survivors Of Sex Trafficking And Their Experiences Of Connection, Disconnection, And Growth, Claudia G. Interiano-Shiverdecker, Devon E. Romero, David J. Thompson, John J. J. S. Harrichand

Department of Counseling Scholarship and Creative Works

In this interpretive phenomenological analysis, we interviewed 10 women to make meaning of their lived experiences of sex trafficking and mental health challenges and how relational dynamics influenced their healing and sense of self. Our analysis revealed four themes: (a) central relational paradox, which described internalized shame and mistrust due to relational ruptures as a result of trauma and inadequate trauma-informed care; (b) disconnection and disempowerment, attending to survivor protective withdrawal mechanisms and how counselor misattunement created cycles of disconnection and invalidation; (c) fluid expertise, where survivors emphasized that healing occurred when counselors embraced a collaborative, respectful stance, honoring client …

Programs Of Support For Wardship Experienced Students: Exploring Program Directors' Expectations And Experiences Through A Bioecological Framework, Adalheid Faith Crum

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this research is to explore the expectations and experiences of program directors of campus support programs which center wardship experienced students. This research question guided the current study: What expectations and experiences influenced program directors’ development and reform of a wardship-centered campus support program? This inquiry applies Ürie Bronfenbrenner’s Person–Process–Context–Time (PPCT) bioecological model. Semi-structured interviewing was utilized for this case study. In this research, six directors of campus support programs centering wardship experienced students were interviewed. Additionally, this work employs content analysis of twenty-eight National Research Collaborative for Foster Alumni and Higher Education (NRC-FAHE) publications, introducing fourteen …

Preparing Students For What Comes Next: A Qualitative Study Of District Approaches To Postsecondary And Career Readiness, Amanda C. Pelsor

Dissertations of Practice

PREPARING STUDENTS FOR WHAT COMES NEXT: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF DISTRICT APPROACHES TO POSTSECONDARY AND CAREER READINESS

This qualitative study examines how Illinois school districts support students’ readiness for postsecondary success and career planning and exploration. Despite longstanding state and federal efforts to improve college and career readiness, many students continue to face challenges after high school, including lack of workforce readiness, underpreparedness for postsecondary education, unclear career pathways, and difficulty navigating complex transitions. Using semi-structured interviews, this study explores how districts conceptualize and implement career readiness frameworks, the ways readiness work is embedded within district systems, and the barriers …

Analyzing Educators’ Roles In Preparing Students For Civic Engagement In Arkansas Communities, Mia L. Hastings

2026 Honors Symposium

Young adults ages eighteen to twenty-nine make up a large portion of the voting age population but historically participate in elections at lower rates. Although most students take at least one high school civics course, civic education often emphasizes the memorization of governmental facts rather than preparing students with the skills needed for active civic participation. This gap highlights the need to examine how educators can better prepare students for meaningful civic engagement. The purpose of this study is to examine how educators prepare students for civic engagement in Arkansas communities. The study defines practical strategies educators can implement in …

Transition From High School, Children's Health School Services

School Guides

Parent guide about the transition from high school.

Transition From High School (Spanish), Children's Health School Services

School Guides

Parent guide about the transition from high school. Translated into Spanish.

Entry Requirements As Predictors Of Early Academic Success And Student Performance In Undergraduate Occupational Therapy Education, Eileen Du Plooy, Daleen Casteleijn, Denise Franzsen, Gopika Ramkilawon

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The selection process for health sciences programs such as occupational therapy is complex, involving a combination of academic and non-academic selection criteria as entry requirements. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of entry requirement variables on academic performance during the first and second year of an undergraduate occupational therapy program in South Africa. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was utilized, and the sample included 129 first- and second- year occupational therapy students. Data was collected retrospectively through educational data mining of university records and institutional dashboards. The variables analyzed included National Senior Certificate Grade12 (NSC12) grades (Mathematics, Life Sciences, …

Adolescent Cyberbullying And Polysubstance Use: Unpacking Sex Differences, Maggie K. Richardson, Osayande Agbonlahor, Joy L. Hart, Meman Diaby, Delvon T. Mattingly

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

The rise of social media platforms has heightened cyberbullying among adolescents, closely tied to negative mental health outcomes. Substance use, including alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco, also remains a significant concern for this population. This study examines the relationship between cyberbullying and substance use, exploring potential sex differences in these associations. We analyzed data from the 2021 Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES) (n = 6,740 students in grades 9–12). We used multinomial logistic regression models to assess the relationship between past-year cyberbullying and current patterns of substance use (exclusive, dual, and poly), adjusting for sociodemographic factors, screen time, and mental …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Perceptions Of Professional College Consultants Regarding The History And Future Of College Acceptance Inequity, Kimberly A. Spencer

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

While inequities in college admissions processes in the United States have long been discussed, there have been seismic changes in policies during the last decade with increased competition for limited spots, significant cultural and political shifts affecting higher education, and the effects of the pandemic all further contributing to what has become a very complicated process. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to explore the perceptions of professionals working as Independent Educational Consultants counseling students through the college admissions process to gain insight into how the system is functioning for all students from those working closely with both …

Implementing Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support For School-Based Mental Health Services: An Explanatory Case Study Of An Elementary School, Laura Acker

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative explanatory case study examined how school-based mental health services (SBMHS) are implemented within an elementary school’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and sensemaking theory, the study examined how educators and school-based professionals interpret and enact their roles in supporting student mental health within educational contexts. Data were collected through interviews with five MTSS team members and analyzed using a combination of deductive and inductive coding. Results showed that mental health implementation is not a fully integrated system of supports but rather a process shaped by roles and relationships influenced …

“They Don't Care If I'M Here Or Not”: The Impact Of Exclusionary Discipline On Black Boys In Elementary Schools, Arielle Gulley

DSW Capstone Projects

Disproportionate and exclusionary school discipline practices continue to affect African American boys as early as elementary school, with significant implications for their mental health, academic engagement, and long-term educational trajectories. This capstone project examines how racially biased discipline contributes to disparities in belonging, emotional well-being, and student-teacher relationships, and advances the need to reframe discipline as a site of mental health intervention rather than punishment.

The systematic literature review synthesizes peer-reviewed research to examine the relationship between exclusionary discipline and mental health outcomes among African American boys in elementary settings, with particular attention to patterns emerging in early educational environments. …

Intersectionality Of Race And Disability: The School Counselors' Role In Policy Reformation, Jenna M. Alvarez, Rachel Saunders, Vanessa Sinclair, Stephanie Smith-Durkin, Emily Goodman-Scott

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

The United States K-12 education system is riddled with inequities within the intersection of race and disabilities; relatedly, the school counseling literature also demonstrates a similar gap in the literature. As a result, through three case illustrations highlighting the unique experiences of historically marginalized students of color with disabilities, we illustrate the multiplex intersection of race and disability and how a school counselor can utilize leadership, advocacy, and social justice for systemic change. Further, the three cases are structured through the ADDRESSING framework, to systematically consider the complexities of identity, overlapping cultural influences, and the connections to practice (Hays, 2022). …

(Re) Imagining Workplace Mindfulness, Jarica D. Garner

Theses and Dissertations

School counselors are First-Responders as the role and responsibilities continue to increase and the needs of the school community changes. Diversity has notably increased within the last century in school settings. While, the impact of the COVID-19 crisis has shed light on the gaping and persistent inequities faced by marginalized school communities, the heightened racial crisis of 2020 serves as an additional impact to the students within vulnerable communities. School counselors are expected to support students in navigating the impact that these crises bring. The demand for school closure forced students to shift to online platforms. The intersection of the …

Associations Between Traumatic Life Events And Substance Use Among Black Men Who Are Incarcerated, Jasmine K. Jester, Brittany Miller-Roenigk, Paris B. Wheeler, Danelle Stevens-Watkins

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

The current study examined associations between traumatic life events, current and lifetime importance of mental health and substance use treatment, and crack cocaine use among 201 Black men who were incarcerated and nearing community reentry. Results indicated age, sexual trauma and lifetime importance of drug treatment were significantly associated with an increased likelihood of crack cocaine use. Substance abuse treatment in correctional settings should consider culturally tailored assessment and treatment for history of unaddressed sexual trauma among Black men who are incarcerated and use crack cocaine.

"I'M Going To College": Protective Factors Shaping The College-Going Identity Of Prospective First-Generation College Students Of Color, Joseph M. Williams, Yakob Lemma, Nina R. Schoonover, Morgan Rustia, Ben Allen

Journal of College Access

A college-going identity reflects a mindset in which individuals view college as a realistic, attainable, and desirable goal. It is characterized by the belief that higher education is a vital part of one's educational journey and is accompanied by a strong aspiration to earn a degree. For students from low-income and marginalized backgrounds, this identity serves as a critical protective factor, buffering against systemic inequities, resource limitations, and low expectations that often shape their educational experiences. This qualitative study examines the protective factors shaping the college-going identity of prospective first-generation, low-income middle school students of color (N = 17). Centering …

Reframing Narratives, Reclaiming Futures: Antiracist School Counseling And Black And Brown Girls In Stem, Renae D. Mayes, Lia D. Falco, Shontell Zenon, Dequindre Hughes, Yijia Chen, Lydia Ross, Medha Dalal

Journal of College Access

Black and Brown girls often have educational experiences that stifle their career aspirations, especially in STEM fields. These experiences can be exacerbated by educators who misunderstand and refuse to recognize their STEM potential, thus limiting their opportunity to build STEM identities. School counselors can disrupt these experiences through antiracist practices that cultivate homeplace and joy for Black and Brown girls to heal and grow while working to address harmful policies and practices. In this paper, authors discuss how school counselors can specifically use antiracist school counseling practices to support Black and Brown girls in STEM as a part of multi-tiered …

Brief Report: Naloxone Decline Among African American Kentuckians, Rayven Peterson, Mona Goggins, Destin L. Mizelle, Brittany Miller-Roenigk, Candice Hargons, Danelle Stevens-Watkins

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Opioid-involved overdose fatalities among African Americans continue to rise. The current study examines African Americans who reported use of opioids in the past 6 months and declined overdose education and free naloxone.   Method: Eligible participants included African American Kentuckians who used opioids in the past 6 months and consented to a larger study examining their opioid use. This paper qualitatively explored their reasons for declining overdose education and naloxone using an adjusted and inductive application of structural tabular thematic analysis.   Results: Out of 588 participants, 70 (12%) declined naloxone: the most cited reason for declining naloxone was already possessing …

Exploring Pathways To Persistence And Self-Efficacy Among Historically Underrepresented Community College Students: A Mixed Methods Action Research Study, Sharmy Rene Davis

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

Research indicates that postsecondary institutions have struggled to retain historically underrepresented college students. These students continue to experience lower levels of persistence and college self-efficacy compared to their peers (Monjaras-Gaytan & Sánchez, 2023).

This dissertation is a mixed methods action research study that identified the academic challenges historically underrepresented college students face. This study focused on diagnosing the problem, engaging in multiple Reconnaissance phases, and using those findings to plan a contextually responsive intervention.

Findings indicate that historically underrepresented college students may benefit from enhanced academic support, stronger advising relationships, and greater opportunities to build peer connections. The findings of …

Bridging The Gap: Strategic Leadership For Student-Centered Advising And Retention At A Community College, Dina Abdul Rahman, Wenjun Chi, Katelynn Jarrells, Janet Ping

Doctor of Education Capstones

Community colleges serve as the most accessible gateway to higher education for millions of Americans, yet persistent dropout rates continue to undermine both student opportunity and institutional mission, particularly for first-generation students, students of color, adult learners, working students, and those experiencing financial precarity. This dissertation in practice examined high dropout rates at Delaware County Community College (DCCC), a multi-campus institution serving diverse communities across Delaware and Chester Counties in Pennsylvania. Guided by improvement science and grounded in critical pragmatism, Team RISE partnered with DCCC's Student Affairs division to investigate the systemic roots of student attrition and retention to develop …