Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Role Of Professional Development In Reviving The Passion Of Teaching: A Case Study, Brandi Renee Cook

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to examine professional development as a means of restoring passionate teaching for in-service K-12 teachers at Cresthill Public Schools (CPS). The theory guiding the study was the Learning-Oriented Leadership Model, as it explores how professional development fosters continuous teacher growth and retention. The central research question for the study was: How do teachers describe the ways professional development may help them stay in the profession? The study utilized a qualitative case study design. A purposive sample of 15 teachers who participated in required professional development was selected. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, …

Early Childhood Music Education By Formal Design: Idea To Experience, Ladislao D. Prado

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Academic readiness, measurable growth, and reflective transferable knowledge are hallmarks of a successful music classroom. Yet sound pedagogical and curricular practices are the catalyst for achieving this success. Across the U.S., music programs are thriving in settings where these themes coalesce, save for one: the early childhood music program. At present, no comprehensive music program frameworks exist for this learning environment. Thus, this study aims to identify gaps in early childhood music education literature and national pedagogical and curricular practices, determine why formal music instruction is deficient for this demographic, and examine ways to address this learning community’s needs. As …

Fan Perceptions Of Dynamic Ticket Pricing In Professional Sports: The Impact Of Transparency, Incentives, And Demographics, Joshua Greer, Nicholas Zoroya

The COSMA Journal

Abstract

Dynamic Ticket Pricing (DTP) has become a widely implemented strategy in professional sports, allowing organizations to adjust ticket prices based on demand fluctuations. While DTP optimizes revenue generation for teams, its impact on fan perceptions, purchasing behavior, and loyalty remains a crucial consideration. This study examines the influence of age, gender, pricing transparency, and promotional incentives on fans’ perceptions of fairness, trust, and purchasing decisions within a dynamic pricing model.

A total of 57 participants completed a survey assessing their attitudes toward DTP. Key areas of analysis included perceived fairness, willingness to pay for high-demand games, trust in pricing …

Benefits Of Informal Practical Experiences As A Central Teaching Method In A Literature Of Adolescents Course, Jillian Harpster

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This portfolio includes the course context and organizational format of a junior-level required course for pre-service secondary English teachers. Formatting and context information include teaching methods and course materials. As a central teaching method of the course, students are required to attend a practicum that is additional to their observational practicum (sophomore year) and their clinical practicum (senior year). In this way, the praxis of the coursework and the informal practicum serve as an intentional moment of praxis, while also scaffolding students towards their senior year practicum and beyond (student teaching, early career teaching). Ultimately, the argument of the portfolio …

A Qualitative Study Of The Impact Of Racial Segregation On The Schooling Of One African American Family, Leatre Y. Cooper

Masters Theses (Archived)

This qualitative case study examines the impact of social, economic, and racial biases, that Black students experienced in the United States public school system, focusing on the author's three generational journey. The author's experience highlights the challenges of racialized residential segregation stemming from city-wide redlining practices in New Orleans, which kept Black people geographically isolated from employment opportunities and exposed them to risks to their well-being, crime, and violence (Bloom, 2014; Englund, 2022; Platt, 2019; Seicshnaydre et al.,2018). Despite the tremendous progress made by the Civil Rights Movement and federal and state policies aimed at addressing these inequalities, housing segregation …

A Seat At The Schoolhouse Table: Reimagining Education Through Afrofuturist And Womanist Theory, Natasha M. Capers

Student Theses

“A Seat at the Schoolhouse Table: Reimagining Education Through Afrofuturist and Womanist Theory” critically examines how curriculum, even when well-intentioned, can perpetuate harm by excluding the lived experiences of marginalized communities—especially Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQIA+ students. Using a real middle school immigration assignment given to the author's son as a case study, this capstone deconstructs the structural biases embedded in curriculum design and proposes a radical reimagining through the liberatory lenses of Afrofuturism and Womanism. Blending scholarly inquiry, personal narrative, and community-based interviews, this project offers a restructured assignment that centers joy, identity, and speculative storytelling as tools for educational …

Beyond The Exam Score: An Examination Of The Kenyan Education System, Its Reforms, Inefficiencies, And Impact On Individuals And Society At Large, Olivia M. Pederson

Honors Projects

In Kenya, secondary education plays a decisive role in shaping students’ university and career opportunities as well as their social mobility. The national exam, Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), acts as a key gateway to higher education and employment. The quality and accessibility of education for Kenyan youth, however, has been impacted by systemic inefficiencies ranging from underfunding and disparities in resource allocation to an exam-centric curriculum. This study takes a qualitative approach, using both purposive and convenience sampling to gather data through a questionnaire sent to university students and adults that have graduated from a Kenyan secondary school. …

Fostering Critical Thinking In The World Language Classroom, Madeline Sossi-Jones

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

In education, the lack of critical thinking (CT) in students has become increasingly evident in classrooms of all contents. There are a multitude of factors that have contributed to this issue over the last ten years, so just one is not solely to blame. This study examines the prevalence of a CT deficit in world language classrooms. Data from Integrated Performance Assessments (IPAs) and classroom observations proposed a need for students to increase their CT skills in the Spanish language. The study consisted of 21 students in a Spanish 2 course in grades 9-12 throughout 6 weeks. The research analyzed …

Teaching Engaging Grammar Instruction In The High School English Classroom, Emily A. Erlbacher

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

Grammar is a fundamental component in the content area of English Language Arts. Having a strong foundation in grammar is a critical stepping stone to writing clearly and communicating with success. Despite its importance, grammar is historically not the most engaging topic for high school students. My study, consisting of a seven week action plan involving the ninth graders in an English Language Arts classroom, sought to recognize this disengagement and work to combat it in order to improve students’ writing capabilities. More specifically, the purpose of my action research was to evaluate different grammar instructional strategies recommended in existing …

Notetaking Reimagined: The Impact Of Combining Text And Visuals For Effective Learning, Sarah J. Mussetter

Art 895 Research Papers

This Mixed-Methods Narrative Case Study examines previous research on the effects of visual/ illustrative notes and their effect on knowledge coding, retention, and retrieval processes. It adds to current research in the form of a case study of a high school advanced photography course in Livingston, MT and the effect that adding visuals to notetaking practices affects student performance and memory throughout the semester. This study also proposes a method of introduction to visual notetaking that can be implemented in classrooms regardless of subject matter.

The Role Of School Leadership In Promoting And Supporting Cultural Diversity And Inclusion In The Classroom: A Grounded Theory Approach, Matuor Dot Alier

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This study addresses the pressing issue of how school leadership influences the promotion and support of cultural diversity and inclusion within classrooms. Despite growing demographic diversity in educational settings, many schools fail to adequately prioritize cultural inclusion, leading to inequities in educational opportunities, social isolation, and discrimination for students from diverse backgrounds. School leaders are uniquely positioned to create inclusive environments, yet there remains limited research on how they implement and sustain effective diversity practices. This qualitative study explores the experiences and strategies of school leaders who have successfully fostered inclusive educational environments. Grounded in a constructivist paradigm and employing …

The Art Of Building Belonging Through Student Voice And Choice: Liberating Learning And Creating Community In Catholic Schools, Rich Hill

Doctoral Dissertations

This is a study of students’ voices, choices, and experiences. Its purpose is to examine the barriers and opportunities for building belonging in Catholic schools. The research is a contribution to the positive work of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging currently taking place in various Catholic school contexts. It is also a response to specific issues that continue to permeate students’ curricular experience, such as the silencing of voice, the lack of choice, untapped educational agency, and the exclusion of their authentic identities. The study is designed to learn directly from students’ own lived experiences, their testimonies, and their artwork. …

Musical Language And Communication: Students Connect Music Streams To Literacy, Mathematics, Science, And Movement, Kelly Collier

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation discusses how music and literacy claim many of the same skills, ways music may be used as a motivational tool to help promote strategies for skill development, and how teachers working in teams have the innovation to generate strategic learning. By combining music symbolism with the literacy curriculum, one can create a set of elementary school lessons that integrate musical melody with the facets of literacy, mathematics, science, and movement to formulate beneficial opportunities for student engagement and learning. Students cultivate learning by using the elements of rhythmic literacy, such as identifying beat values in conjunction with their …

Elevating Education: Leveling Up Individual Learning Plans, Maximum Mgrdich-Ararat Sirabian

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This three-article dissertation investigated the effectiveness, implementation quality, and automation of Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) in promoting college and career readiness. Article 1 analyzed High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 data and found that ILPs did not significantly guide course alignment. Article 2 examined ILP implementation across Nevada high schools, revealing inconsistent quality, limited standardization, and few culturally responsive practices. These findings informed the creation of a new high-quality ILP framework. Article 3 employed a convergent parallel mixed methods design to assess an automated ILP prototype based on this framework. Participants in the automated group reported significantly higher scores in …

Balanced Artistry: Integrating The Methods Of Michael Chekhov And Body Mapping For The Versatile Singing Actor, Olivia Yokers

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This document explores the integration of movement-based techniques in vocal performance training by focusing on integrating Michael Chekhov’s acting method and Body Mapping. It examines how these methodologies enhance expressive freedom, technical efficiency, and injury prevention in singers. By providing a framework for performers to embody characters with greater authenticity, this document contextualizes exercises from both Body Mapping and Chekhov’s technique through an interdisciplinary approach that enhances student achievement of technical vocal and acting proficiency. Synthesizing principles from Body Mapping, such as inclusive awareness and the dynamic points of balance, with key elements of Michael Chekhov’s acting technique, including crossing …

Individual Differences Matter: Examining The Relationship Between Transfer Students’ Identity And Social Presence In Online Learning, Le Quanda L. Boldin-Cole

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study investigates the relationship between transfer students’ perceptions of identity and their social presence within online learning environments, addressing a gap in research on this underexplored population. Drawing on Erikson's (1968) psychosocial development theory and Marcia's (1966) identity status model, the study explores how identity formation influences both the perception and manifestation of social presence in the online learning environment. A sequential explanatory design (Creswell & Poth, 2025) was employed, combining quantitative data from a web-based survey on identity status and social presence perceptions, followed by content analysis of students' discussion posts to examine social presence indicators. The findings …

Empowering Nurses, Enhancing Mobility: A Qi Initiative Using Plof And Clof To Promote Patient Ambulation, Kaela Nguyen

Master's Projects and Capstones

The quality improvement project involves the intervention of implemented mobility educational flyers about the mobility tools, Clinician Reported Level of Function (CLOF) and Patient Reported Level of Function (PLOF) and aims to increase patient mobility post surgery. The quality improvement project was conducted in two medical surgical units in a San Francisco hospital. To address unmet mobility goals, during change of shift, in-services on the educational flyers about the mobility tools (CLOF and PLOF), were utilized to provide education about the importance of mobility, how to utilize the mobility tools, and correctly document ambulation. More than twenty flyers were posted …

Exploring Arabic, Russian, And Spanish Native Language Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Flipped Classroom Model Through The Lens Of The Technology Acceptance Model (Tam2), David I. Daoud

Doctoral Dissertations

The flipped classroom has become increasingly popular across various educational settings over the last two decades. In the flipped classroom model (FCM), the teacher spends less time on traditional in-classroom activities like lecturing and giving tests, which are instead assigned as homework, and more time on hands-on learning. Although research has shown the FCM is effective in a variety of learning settings, little is known about native language teachers' perceptions of the FCM. This study explored the perceptions of 41 native Arabic, Russian, and Spanish foreign language instructors regarding the FCM at a college-level language institution. The study aimed to …

Learning To Talk And Listen In Elementary Social Studies: Exploring A Third-Grade Teacher’S Decision To Use Classroom Talk For Community Building, Jane C. Lo

Democracy & Education

With mounting polarization in the political arena and media sources, trust of one’s neighbors and of teachers are facing increasing strain in the United States. Furthermore, teachers continue to struggle with how to teach high-quality, nuanced, social studies, especially in the elementary setting, where time and resources for social studies has been depleting for decades (e.g., Fitchett et al., 2014; Heafner, 2018). Within this context, this study presents a case of a third-grade teacher who chooses to use discursive talk as a way to support high-quality social studies and to build community in her classroom. Findings suggest that classroom talk …

Productive Discussion Across Political Differences: Understanding Students’ Experiences With Comfort And Discomfort Within Structured Discussions Of Public Policy Issues, Gregory E. Mcavoy, Paula Mcavoy, Rachel Waltz, Emily Grace

Democracy & Education

This study investigates the effectiveness of two pedagogical strategies—deliberation and debate—in fostering productive political discussions among high school students, with a focus on overcoming affective polarization. Paying attention to students’ comfort, engagement, and willingness to participate, this study employs a mixed-method approach using data from surveys, observations, and interviews with students participating in a civic immersion program in Washington, DC. Using deliberative theory and the concept of “productive classroom discussion across political differences,” the research explores the extent to how students perceive each strategy as productive, as well as their experiences of comfort and productive and unproductive discomfort. Additional attention …

Fostering Open-Minded Political Engagement Through Online Interscholastic Discussions: Toward Reducing Affective Political Polarization, Brett L. M. Levy, Alina Lewis

Democracy & Education

This study explores how political discussions among diverse youth can support students’ open-minded political engagement. For this study, we collaborated with two teachers to adapt and enact instruction aimed at supporting students’ discussion of controversial issues across political, geographic, and cultural boundaries. During an instructional unit exploring various ways to strengthen our election system, students engaged in discussions with their classmates and with peers from another school via an online video discussion board. We collected data through observations and interviews. Our findings indicate that the instruction enhanced students’ understanding of their political bubbles and their motivation to engage in boundary-crossing …

Beyond “Yelling At Them”: Exploring The Impact Of A Political Simulation In Polarized Times, Jeremy Stoddard, Jais Brohinsky, Jason A. Chen, Derek Behnke, M. Shane Tutwiler, Janice Robbins

Democracy & Education

This paper explores how PurpleState, a political simulation designed to foster skills and knowledge for informed civic participation, develops students’ abilities to counter or resist the effects of political polarization and partisanship. Throughout the simulation, which has been implemented in Virginia and Wisconsin, students are asked to analyze, reason with, and communicate using evidence on a state policy issue (e.g., gun control) with a particular focus on local context. They are also asked to reflect on how what they are learning helps them understand the political information environment and their role in it. Student participants from focus groups (n=32) consistently …

Joy In Lifelong Learning: An Introduction To Planning For Learning Disabilities In Museum Education, Elaine L. Davis

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

For over a century, the role of museums as learning institutions has been considered alongside that of schools. However, special education practices are rarely adapted for museum education, requiring educators in museum contexts to undertake extra work to accommodate those with learning disabilities. This thesis used Qualitative Comparative Analysis and Textual Analysis to review pedagogical white papers and academic research on museum programs aimed at neurodivergent audiences. The findings were used to create a professional development guide for museum educators at a range of different types of museums.

Science Of Reading Professional Development: The Perceptions Of Secondary Teachers In Arkansas, Teresa R. Moka

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

ABSTRACT SCIENCE OF READING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: THE PERCEPTIONS OF SECONDARY TEACHERS IN ARKANSAS

Teresa R. Moka

The study addresses the critical issue of low literacy proficiency among secondary students in Arkansas, where National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data reveals declining reading scores. Despite scientific consensus on reading instruction, many teachers lack professional development in evidence-based reading strategies, particularly at the secondary level. Although Arkansas secondary teachers have received initial Science of Reading (SoR) professional development from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the perceptions of secondary teachers regarding SoR professional development is not well documented. The purpose …

A Case Study Of Ungrading On Student Learning In Higher Education, Brooke M. Creviston

Honors Thesis

This qualitative case study investigates the impact of ungrading in higher education at University A (pseudonym). The participants included seven students and three professors actively involved in ungraded courses. Positive outcomes are reported by both students and professors. Student participants felt that ungrading offered them more ownership in learning and less fear of making mistakes because they could apply feedback to improve their work rather than simply receiving numeric scores. The interviewed professors shared that ungrading allowed them to hold meaningful conversations with their students and helped them develop intrinsic motivation with academic material. Overall, in comparison to traditionally graded …

From Fables To Facts: Discovering The World Through Stories And Science, Lucille Helen Vanek

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

From Fables to Facts: Discovering the World Through Stories and Science examines the integration of narrative storytelling and hands-on scientific exploration as a means of cultivating environmental literacy, ethical reflection, and sustained engagement with the natural world. Grounded in environmental philosophy, aesthetics, and ethics, the project draws on theoretical insights from Holmes Rolston III, Marcia Muelder Eaton, Allen Carlson, Arnold Berleant, and C. Thi Nguyen to develop a multidimensional model of education that unites imagination, cognition, and participatory experience. Implemented in diverse Montana community settings—including libraries, early learning centers, science museums, and faith-based organizations—the program paired fables, parables, and literary …

Storytelling: A Natural Mnemonic, Hailey Stephens

Honors Theses

The present study explored the effectiveness of storytelling as a teaching method in enhancing memory performance for educational material compared to traditional lecture-based instruction. Memory plays a crucial role in learning, and effective teaching strategies should facilitate information encoding, retention, and retrieval. Storytelling, an ancient yet often overlooked pedagogical tool, has been shown to engage students emotionally and cognitively, making presented content more memorable. In the present study, participants were randomly assigned to either a storytelling-based instruction group or a traditional lecture group. Both groups received instruction on the ASSURE Model and were tested immediately after the lesson and again …

Book Review: Creating Inclusive Libraries By Applying Universal Design: A Guide By Carli Spina, Hannah P. Martin

School of Information Student Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Integrating Positive Psychology And Spirituality To Foster Meaning And Well-Being In Older Adults, Crystal Morris

Adultspan Journal

This perspective article explores the integration of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) and spirituality in therapy to foster meaning and well-being in older adults. It highlights exercises such as the positive introduction, positive legacy, character strengths, mindfulness, mindful-based yoga, and a manifestation prayer journaling. The interventions presented are tools to support older adults that may experience depression, difficult life transitions, and the search for renewed meaning. Therapists who integrate PPIs and spirituality into therapy can promote a holistic, non-pathological approach to treatment.

Benefits And Applications Of Learning With Virtual Reality, Michael W. Timm

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Education is a fundamental pillar of society. It equips students for employment and interpersonal relations. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a transformative technology in the field of education. The aim of this paper is to synthesize existing research in order to determine the benefits of utilizing virtual reality in a variety of education settings, such as K-12 classrooms, universities, and workplace training. This paper observes significant benefits of virtual reality in constructivist and experiential learning, gamified learning, and tailored practice. This analysis also finds that virtual reality is advantageous for educational accessibility, particularly for absentee students and impoverished students. …