Digital Commons Network^™

Models Of Care In Higher Education: Comparing Integrated And Standalone Approaches To Student Mental Health, Tevia Q. Strand

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

This qualitative study examines how the organization of campus mental health services—integrated, co-located care versus standalone counseling centers—shapes college students’ awareness, access, stigma/privacy, and engagement. Semi-structured interviews with five Midwestern undergraduate women (n = 5) explored perceptions of visibility, ease of use, barriers, and improvement ideas. Transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Themes included confusion about entry pathways, visibility-related stigma, and the salience of faculty/peer bridges to services. Students generally preferred integrated models, citing privacy through co-location, normalization, and easier warm handoffs; some noted that standalone centers can feel more specialized yet risk heightened visibility depending on location. Findings …

Redefining Rural School Leadership In The Post-Pandemic Era: Lessons From Covid-19, Brennan Kent

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally reshaped educational leadership, especially in rural school settings where leaders confronted unique resource constraints, geographic isolation, and heightened community interdependence. This conceptual study reexamines rural educational leadership in the post-pandemic era through a synthesis of findings from Author’s (2023) dissertation, The Rural Education Leadership Experience Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, and current leadership theory. Drawing on the McREL Balanced Leadership Framework alongside adaptive and servant leadership models, the analysis identifies four interrelated dimensions that define post-pandemic rural leadership: communication as community cohesion, relationships as infrastructure, adaptive leadership as necessity, and well-being as a leadership priority. These …

Reclaiming My Story: A Freirean Framework For Surviving Trauma And Transforming Recovery Into Liberation, Carl Bryan

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

This white paper explores trauma recovery through the lens of Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1970/2018), framing healing as an act of critical consciousness and liberation rather than passive survival. Using the author’s lived experience of stalking, manipulation, and emotional abuse as a case study, it reimagines recovery not as a return to normalcy but as a dialectical process of reclaiming narrative agency, reconstructing identity, and transforming pain into purpose. Drawing upon Freirean concepts of conscientização (critical consciousness), dialogue, and praxis, the paper outlines a model for survivors to move from internalized oppression toward empowerment and social transformation.

A Case Study Of Faculty Composition And Workload In Sport Management Programs At Small-To-Medium-Sized Colleges And Universities, Joshua Greer, Nicholas Zoroya, Aimee T. Vlachos, Alan Ledford

The COSMA Journal

Sport management has transitioned from its origins in physical education to an established, business-oriented academic discipline, prompting new questions about how faculty composition and workload shape program delivery in resource-constrained contexts. This case study investigates faculty structures, instructional variety, and workload in sport management programs at small- to medium-sized U.S. colleges and universities, as defined by the Carnegie Size & Setting Classification. A mixed-methods survey of faculty (n = 61) was analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis. Quantitative results indicated that core courses are primarily taught by full-time faculty, with most programs relying on one to three full-time …

When You Can't Get A One-Shot, Try A One Off, Chereeka Garner, Katy Miller, Renee Cole Montgomery

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

One of the challenges facing librarians is getting exposure to students to teach information literacy skills. Faculty engagement with the library can vary greatly, with many faculty simply not having available class time to allow librarians in the classroom. As a possible alternative means of connecting with students, an Extra Credit Hub was created. This hub is an easily located, visible resource for faculty to share potential extra credit activities with students.

The Hub, which is a standalone Canvas course, includes a number of activities related to key information literacy skills, such as:

• Recognizing bias, misinformation, and disinformation
• Critical thinking …

Exploring The Role Of Occupational Therapy In The Delivery Of Trauma-Informed Services To Hospital-Based Clients Ot, Frank Czuba

Journal of Applied Disciplines

Hospitalization can traumatize clients and impact overall health outcomes, leading to increased hospital readmission rates and resulting in a negative impact for both clients and providers. Limited information exists regarding how hospital-based occupational therapists evaluate and address trauma, even though incorporating trauma-informed principles into professional practice can enhance the occupational therapy process. The study explored the comprehension and perceived significance of trauma-informed tenets among occupational therapists delivering services in hospital-based settings. A quantitative research study with an exploratory design was implemented to explore how occupational therapists (OT) understand and utilize trauma-informed practices with their clients in a hospital setting. An …

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Use Of The Language Essentials For Teachers Of Reading And Spelling (Letrs) Professional Development Training, Colette Burgess

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) professional development course has been participated in by educators across the United States. The LETRS training focuses on research-based methods and the science of reading. The five components of the science of reading guide the LETRS course. These components include phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives and experiences of teachers from West Virginia schools who participated in the LETRS professional development course as a cohort. This study examined the questions: What are the perceptions of K-5 educators in implementing …

An Analysis Of The Impact Of Cognitive Writing Strategies On High School Writing Scores In A Suburban Tennessee District, Bethany A. Wilson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) writing assessment revealed that only 27% of eighth and 12^th graders are proficient in writing. The federal No Child Left Behind and Every Student Succeeds Acts have put pressure on schools to demonstrate proficiency on reading and math tests, leaving minimal time for instruction in other subjects, including writing. In addition to the pressure of standardized testing, teachers also find themselves underprepared to teach writing and overwhelmed by the demands of large teaching loads. While researchers have reported benefits associated with cognitive writing strategies since the 1960s, instructional demands have prevented …

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 …

Merger Crisis Role-Play: Organizational Behavior In Action, Jyro B. Triviño

Leadership and Strategy Faculty Publications

To advance professionally, students must be prepared to navigate dynamic and contentious organizational environments by articulating their varied views, protecting their personal and professional intentions, anticipating challenges, and then fostering consensus. This paper addresses a high-stakes, multi-round immersive role-play simulation of a company merger in an undergraduate Organizational Behavior course. Grounded in the core pillars of experiential learning, adaptive leadership, and organizational sensemaking, this classroom exercise places students in a pre-set, realistic post-merger leadership team facing immediate business challenges. Compared to traditional case studies, this method requires students to demonstrate real-time organizational behavior competencies, providing a powerful platform for negotiation …

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 …

Southern Adventist University Undergraduate Catalog 2025-2026, Southern Adventist University

Catalog, Undergraduate

Southern Adventist University's undergraduate catalog for the academic year 2025-2026.

Chronic Absenteeism In Long Island Secondary Schools: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Post-Covid-19 Trends And Professional Perceptions, William M. Gibbons

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Recent educational research studies have shown that an alarming number of students are chronically absent from school, a trend that is occurring both nationwide and in New York State. While this number had been slowly increasing before the COVID-19 pandemic, it has accelerated significantly following the pandemic. This increase in chronic absenteeism is also prevalent across Nassau and Suffolk County high schools; there has been a large increase in the percentage of students who are chronically absent in high school since the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts warn that this increased number can lead to multiple negative consequences for students, including social …

From Silos To Systems: A Conceptual Framework For Workforce Aligned Oral Health Education, Meghan Bastin

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Poster Session Papers

In the current U.S. educational system, becoming a dentist follows a few prescriptive pathways.  Learners typically complete an undergraduate degree before entering time-intensive doctoral training.  This results in only 3-4 years of direct professional education embedded within an eight -year process, while learners accumulate significant financial investment in their education.  With the average cost of graduate-level dental education alone exceeding $300,000 and new federal borrowing limits likely to further constrain access, there is an opportunity to explore alternative ways of structuring oral health education.

This poster presents a conceptual, system-level framework that explores a perspective in which oral health education …

Investigating The Viability Of Fully Online Asynchronous Physics Instruction In Formal Education, Clifton W. Massey-Noel

Physics Dissertations

In this dissertation we present results from two consecutive investigations into the fully online asynchronous modality in Physics Education. We first discuss the efficacy of a fully online asynchronous section of Modern Physics held in Fall 2024. The asynchronous section is compared with four prior partially-flipped sections of the same class, two of which were held in-person, and two of which were held synchronously online. Results suggest that all three modalities can be made to be about equally as effective. We also discuss the efficacy of a fully online asynchronous section of Calculus-Based Introductory Mechanics held in Fall 2025. The …

Objective Assessment In Experiential Learning Contexts, Lily M. Brutger

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Experiential learning is widely recognized as a powerful approach to education; however, empirical evidence demonstrating its effectiveness remains limited. This gap in the literature is due less to the value of experiential learning itself than to the challenges of assessing learning within experiential contexts. Drawing on the foundational experiential learning theories of Kolb (1984) and Joplin (1981), as well as contemporary research on assessment validity and practice, this paper examines the relationship between assessment and experiential learning. It argues that purposeful, objective assessment is essential for maximizing student learning and supporting the credibility of experiential education. The paper synthesizes current …

A Qualitative Study Of Spanish Speaking Latino/A Teachers And Their Impact On Spanish Speaking Latino/A Students, Catherine Bennett Nwosu

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Despite the rapid growth of Spanish speaking students in U.S. schools, Spanish speaking educators remain underrepresented in the teaching workforce. This qualitative study examines the perceived impact of Spanish speaking educators on Spanish speaking students and families. Guided by Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Latino/a Critical Theory (LatCrit), this study explores how language, identity, and lived experience shape educators’ practices within school communities. Data was collected through focus group interviews with four Spanish speaking educators working in public schools in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States serving Spanish speaking students. Thematic analysis revealed that Spanish speaking educators serve as …

Teaching Kitchen Safety Using A Modified Coach In The Kitchen Curriculum Paired With Behavioral Skills Training Procedure With Young Adults With High Functioning Autism, Ryan Michael Groeneweg

Dissertations and Theses

Few intervention studies address the needs of young adults with high‑functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as they transition toward adulthood. This study used a single‑subject multiple‑baseline design across participants and skills to evaluate the effects of a modified Coach in the Kitchen curriculum paired with Behavioral Skills Training (BST) on the acquisition of kitchen safety behaviors. Three adults with high‑functioning autism were taught task‑analyzed steps for safe use of a kitchen peeler, knife, and hot liquids. Instruction incorporated modeling, rehearsal, feedback, prompting, and strategies for generalization and maintenance. Performance was measured as the percentage of safety steps correctly completed during …

Developing Collaboration And Community Through An Online Virtual Modality: Participatory Action Research, Jennifer Reed

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This action research study examined educators’ perceptions of collaboration and community within a virtual professional learning community and investigated how participation influenced collaborative actions over time. The study also compared the needs and goals of secondary and postsecondary educators participating in a shared VPLC model. Grounded in the Community of Inquiry and Online Collaborative Learning theoretical frameworks, this study addressed a growing need for effective, flexible professional learning structures that support collaboration across educational contexts. Data were collected from six educators, including three secondary and three postsecondary instructors, through pre- and post-administration of the Professional Learning Community Assessment–Revised, recorded virtual …

Competitive Dance And The Adolescent’S Body: Considering Pedagogical Approaches To Teaching Competitive Dancers, Catri E. G. Barba

Dance (MFA) Theses

Diving into the past and researching for the future, this thesis explores the development and perpetuation of hyper-sexualized adolescent bodies through the competitive dance scene. Drawing on dance theorists, educational theorists, and embodied research (i.e., the author’s body archive), this thesis explores how the competition gaze is performed for and by a capitalist patriarchy. Specifically, this thesis critically reflects on the author’s career as a young competitive dancer in the greater Los Angeles, California, area during the 1990s and 2000s, as well as a competition dance instructor and K-12 educator for two decades, and how those personal experiences have shaped …

Evaluation And Impact Of 4th Grade Writing Instruction And Intervention, Sasha R. Smith

Education Theses and Dissertations

The implementation of Texas's redesigned State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) introduced extended constructed response (ECR) items that required students to demonstrate reading comprehension through written responses. At the study site, fourth-grade students consistently demonstrated stronger reading comprehension than writing performance, revealing a gap in their ability to communicate understanding using evidence-based written responses. The purpose of this Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice was to evaluate the implementation and impact of a systems-based instructional intervention designed to improve fourth-grade students' performance on constructed response writing tasks through increased instructional coherence and explicit writing instruction. This embedded mixed-methods case …

The Impact Of Leadership Skills On Pbl Group Dynamics, Jaime W. Burke Hicks

Education Theses and Dissertations

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice examined the role of intentional leadership instruction in addressing persistent challenges in Project-Based Learning (PBL) group dynamics within a middle school setting. The Problem of Practice centered on students’ inconsistent demonstration of leadership behaviors, including communication and accountability, which limited the effectiveness of group work despite prior exposure to PBL structures. This study was conducted at a university-affiliated public charter school in East Texas, where PBL serves as a core instructional model.

Guided by an Improvement Science framework and structured through a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle, this study employed a mixed-methods embedded design to evaluate …

Using Provided Guided Notes In Coordinated Introductory First-Year Mathematics Courses, Jennifer L. Huber

Mathematics Dissertations

The goal of this study is to investigate how standardized guided notes shape instructional practices and student engagement in coordinated introductory first-year college mathematics courses at a large public university. The researcher explored three multi-section introductory mathematics courses with overlapping learning objectives. Each course required students to purchase a student workbook as part of the instructional materials for the class. The instructors taught primarily from the workbook containing guided notes created by a former coordinator of the course. The researcher used a mixed-methods approach. Instructors and students participated in surveys, class observations and provided class meeting notes. Instructors shared additional …

A Descriptive Study Of Culturally Responsive Practices In Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports (Pbis) In West Virginia Elementary Schools, Janna Rae Coleman

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This descriptive mixed-methods study examined elementary teachers’ implementation and perceived effectiveness of culturally responsive practices within existing Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) systems in a West Virginia school district. Guided by Leverson et al.’s (2021) Culturally Responsive PBIS (CRPBIS) framework, the study explored five components of culturally responsive practice: identity, voice, supportive environment, situational appropriateness, and data for equity. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 86 elementary teachers using the researcher-developed Culturally Responsive Practices in Existing PBIS Survey. Findings indicated that teachers reported frequent implementation and perceived effectiveness across all five components, with the supportive environment receiving …

Designing Faculty Standards For Technology Integration In Higher Education Institutions: A Design-Based Research Study, Helen Crompton, Diane Burke, Christine Nickel

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This design-based research study responds to the call from scholars, organizations, and institutions to address the gap in scholarly knowledge regarding the lack of technology standards for faculty in higher education. These standards cover the three areas of faculty workload: teaching, research, and service. Conducted over two iterative macro cycles, this unique study engaged 114 participants, including faculty from a range of disciplines and institutional types, accreditation organizations and coordinators, and education and technology organizations. The outcome is a framework comprising six faculty standards; Instructor, Coordinator, Leader, Researcher, Learner, and Contributor. Each outcome is accompanied by practical indicators that support …

Exploring K-2 Teachers’ Perspectives Around Screen Time In Blended Learning Classrooms, Cameryn Lee Ronspies

Dissertations and Theses

The integration of digital technologies in primary education has transformed instructional practices, yet the use of screen time in K-2 classrooms remains a debated issue. While prior research has examined the effects of screen time on children’s development and learning outcomes, little is known about how teachers themselves make decisions regarding its use in the classroom. This study explores how K-2 teachers in blended learning environments navigate the complexities of screen time. Despite debate among researchers, few policies exist to guide teachers in regulating the quality and duration of screen use, leaving teachers to make complex decisions independently. Grounded in …

Learning Design To Advance Human-Ai Collaboration In K-12 Education, Wing Sha Chan, Jinhee Kim, Seongryeong Yu, Rita Kay Detrick

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This chapter explores key components for designing effective Human-AI Collaboration (HAC) in K–12 education, addressing the current lack of theoretical and conceptual frameworks for structuring and implementing HAC in teaching and learning. It examines four essential areas: curriculum design, student and teacher–AI interaction, learning environments, and the evolution of HAC over time. The chapter introduces the concept of HAC in K–12 contexts, highlighting how humans and AI can leverage each other's strengths through co-evolutionary processes that foster mutual learning and collaboration. It reviews current HAC practices in schools and discusses their contributions to both teaching and learning. Finally, it presents …

From Deference To Dialogue: How International Gtas From High Power Distance Cultures Adapt To U.S. Classroom Dynamics, Deborah Akua Afi Appiah

Theses and Dissertations

International graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) from high power distance cultures play a significant role in undergraduate education at U.S. universities, yet they face challenges that go well beyond language proficiency. Coming from educational backgrounds where teacher authority is unquestioned and hierarchical, these GTAs must navigate American classrooms that operate on fundamentally different assumptions, where authority is earned rather than assumed, informality is the norm, and students expect to question, negotiate, and be personally known by their instructors. The present study examined how eighteen (18) international GTAs from seven (7) high power distance countries perceived and adapted to these differences while …

10 Years Of The Hive: Successes, Challenges, And Lessons For Designing Creative Learning Hubs In Higher Education, Celine Bernhardt-Lanier

CMC Senior Theses

College students are often told to be “innovative” and to prepare themselves for a rapidly changing job market. Yet, most institutional learning environments are built for everything but that, focusing on efficiency, mastery, and content delivery. The Hive, formerly known as the Rick and Susan Sontag Center for Collaborative Creativity, pushes against this reality in higher ed. Founded ten years ago and nestled in a corner of East 7th Street in Claremont, California, the Hive brings together students, faculty, and staff through workshops, classes, skillshares, and events that are centered around making, reflecting, and collaborating. Drawing on eight semi-structured …

Factors That Impact K-6th Grade Teachers’ Sense Of Self-Efficacy: A Mixed Methods Study, Becky A. Eckburg

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Although there have been efforts to narrow the "achievement gap," research shows that the academic achievement levels of students in low socioeconomic school settings are likely to be significantly lower than the academic achievement levels of students in higher socioeconomic school settings (Babayiğit et al., 2021; Rahman et al., 2024). Studies also show that teachers have a significant impact on their students' growth, no matter what their academic setting may be (Petek & Pope, 2023), and that collective teacher self-efficacy is a significant factor in positive student achievement (Hattie, 2008). If targeted professional development could support teachers' self-efficacy, student achievement …