Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Parent-Educators In Pursuit Of Stability And Growth In The Early Education Workforce, Britney N. Patrick

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Early childhood educators who are also parents represent an important yet understudied population within workforce development research. This qualitative narrative inquiry explored the lived experiences of early childhood educators who are also parents as they navigated workforce development programs, parenting responsibilities, and organizational practices in pursuit of career advancement and economic stability. Guided by work-family border theory (Clark, 2000) and ecological systems theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979), the study examined how parenting responsibilities shaped engagement in workforce development opportunities and influenced professional trajectories over time.

Twenty-two early childhood educators who were also parents participated in virtual semi-structured interviews lasting approximately 60 to …

Barriers Or Bridges? Analyzing The Role Of Admissions Criteria In Shaping Access To Law School, Meghan Donnelly

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Law school admissions processes play a pivotal role in shaping access to the legal profession, yet their reliance on standardized metrics such as the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and undergraduate grade point averages (GPAs) continues to raise concerns about equity. This study examines how admissions evaluation practices influence access to law school and explores alternative approaches that may better support equitable outcomes.

Using a mixed methods approach, this study draws on the experiences and perspectives of law school applicants and law school admissions professionals to assess perceptions of equity, accessibility, and opportunity within the law school admissions process. Particular …

Education Journey: A Phenomenological Investigation Of The Lived College Experiences For Black Women Ages 20–39, Marsha Natalie Tucker-Scott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study focused on the lived college experiences of Black female students aged 20-39 in the New York Metropolitan area, drawing on Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory to examine how cultural context, social interaction, and community expectations shaped their academic engagement and development. Using in-depth interviews, focus groups, and journal prompts with ten participants from local communities and churches, the study found that race and social expectations exerted a more profound influence on participants’ academic journeys than gender or age. Their narratives affirmed the value of hermeneutic phenomenology and intersectionality in understanding Black women’s experiences in higher education, particularly as they …

Using Children’S Books To Promote Recovery And Resilience In Students With Trauma, Tyler Anderson

Graduate Teacher Education

This Capstone Paper investigated how trauma affected learning in the classroom and how narrative-based interventions to support students facing adversity. The two dovetailed to show how children’s literature could be used as a tool for supporting students facing adversity. A comprehensive review of the existing literature was conducted that sought to answer the question: What are the potential impacts of trauma on learning, and how can children's literature that explores trauma be used to foster resilience and recovery in students who have experienced adversity? Research on the impact of trauma on learning and research on children’s literature often existed separately. …

Skills, Challenges, And Career Outcomes: A Quantitative Study Of Early-Career Experiences In Research Administration, Jennifer Juliet Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

Research administration as a field lacks clearly defined entry pathways, with many professionals entering through indirect routes. These conditions contribute to variation in early-career experiences and may influence long-term outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine how entry pathways and skills at entry relate to early-career challenges in research administration, and how those challenges are associated with career dissatisfaction.

This study used a quantitative, cross-sectional design. Data were drawn from the U.S. subset of the Research Administration as a Profession (RAAAP-3) survey. Key variables included entry pathways, skills at entry, early-career challenges, and career dissatisfaction. Findings indicate that …

Exploring Servingness Through Pedagogy: A Critical Case Study Of An Hispanic Serving Institution, Yemin Sánchez

Theses and Dissertations

This critical ethnographic case study advances current understandings of what it means to teach at an Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and how faculty enact servingness within an HSI enrolling high indices of Latin@/Hispanic students. Drawing on decolonial, culturally sustaining and liberatory pedagogical frameworks, this study interrogates how constructs such as Hispanic, Latin@/Latinx, or coloniality shape the pedagogical conditions under which faculty operate. Using pláticas with ten faculty members, this research study demonstrates servingness is not a technique or an institutional designation, instead, it is a fluid and deeply humanizing ecology with five mutually reinforcing dimensions: Servingness as Relational Praxis, Servingness …

Simulation Culture And Organizational Readiness In Social Work Education: Examining Faculty Perspectives., Kate Whitney

Doctor of Social Work Capstone Projects

Despite the growing emphasis on simulation-based learning (SBL), faculty perceptions of organizational readiness for this approach in social work education remain understudied. This exploratory mixed-methods study examined faculty readiness across two CSWE-accredited programs using the Simulation Culture Organizational Readiness Scale (SCORS) and qualitative open-ended questions (𝑁=21). Findings revealed modest and uneven readiness across both programs, with full-time faculty reporting significantly lower readiness scores than adjunct and part-time faculty. Qualitative data identified critical needs for foundational dialogue on SBL principles, strategic institutional investment, and targeted faculty development. Participants also expressed concerns regarding the pace of adoption and potential conflicts with the …

Artificial Intelligence Adoption Among Future Journalism And Mass Communications Professionals: A Tam-Based Approach To Students’ Generative Ai Adoption Intent, Chinwendu P. Akalonu

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes industries, journalism and mass communications professions are slowly adapting to these technologies. This study employs the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and AI-TAM frameworks to examine predictors of AI adoption intent among college students preparing for careers in the field. Survey results reveal that perceived usefulness, trust in AI output quality, organizational requirement, ethical awareness, and certain sociodemographic factors such as race predict AI adoption intent. Additionally, the study highlights differences in adoption intent among students in different subfields of mass communication, including journalism, advertising, and public relations. It underscores the importance of expanding traditional TAM-based …

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 …

Nevertheless, She Persisted: An Examination Of The Lived Experiences Of Single Mother College Students And The Factors That Drive Motivation And Persistence, Amy N. Migura

Theses & Dissertations

How single-mother college students find the motivation to persist toward achieving their college degrees is an underexplored phenomenon in the current literature. This qualitative study used an interpretive phenomenological analysis approach to explore the lived experiences of single-mother college students and the things that motivate them to persist. Participants described their personal challenges counteracted by the ways in which they were able to persevere. Findings of this study identified both a positive and negative component of the factors that impacted their motivation to persist, along with providing a closer look at the way the participants set and achieved goals.

Understanding Educators’ Experiences With Chronic Student Absenteeism In Rural High Schools In Southwest Virginia: A Phenomenological Study, Tina Louise Dean

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand educators’ experiences and the influences chronic absenteeism has on low-income rural high school students in Southwest Virginia. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s social cognition theory on learning, which develops through interaction and modeling. The central research question was, “How do teachers describe their experiences with chronic student absenteeism in rural high schools in Southwest Virginia?” A hermeneutic phenomenological design was used, and the researcher focused on 10 educators from rural high schools in southwest Virginia who had experienced student chronic absenteeism and/or truancy. Data for this study was collected …

A Quantitative Examination Of School Psychologists And The Relationships Between Work-Life Balance, Burnout, And Turnover Intentions, Brittany Leigh Storti

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research for the past twenty-five years has documented that there is a national shortage of school psychologists across the United States. It is vital to study the magnitude of school psychologists working in the educational field and the impact of work-life balance has on burnout and turnover intentions. The study surveyed 75 school psychologists who work in a brick-and-mortar, hybrid, and virtual setting across the United States to compare the relationships and to determine if there is a difference between turnover intentions based on work setting. A moderation analysis and an ANOVA determined that the research failed to reject the …

Leveraging Usage Of Ai In Education: Knowledge, Attitude And Behavioral Analysis On Students, Bipllab Roy, Purnendu Bikash Acharjee, Rohit Kumar Sharma, Ruptaheen Kramsapi, Shruti P

Northeast Journal of Complex Systems (NEJCS)

The paper explores the possible advantages and drawbacks of artificial intelligence (AI) on sustainability, with an emphasis on using AI to positively achieve SDGs. The study finds a significant vacuum in the literature on the association between knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards the use of AI tools and techniques in education and demographic characteristics (sex, age, education level, area of study, and city of origin). The purpose of this research is to close this knowledge gap and advance our understanding of how these demographic factors affect the integration of AI in educational environments. The study specifically aims to comprehend how …

Familiarity Moderates Education Level Of Stigma For Professional Efficacy Of Treating Mental Illness, Jason J. Burrow-Sanchez, Shawnda Schroeder, Thomasine Heitkamp, Brian Urlacher, Sharon Cook, Paula Bennett, Carolina Corrales

Indigenous Health Faculty Publications

Background: About one in five adults in the United States experience any mental illness (AMI) whereas 14.2 million experience serious mental illness (SMI). The perception of stigma among these individuals can be associated with care seeking behavior and treatment adherence.

Purpose: Two factors that mitigate stigma are familiarity with someone experiencing AMI/SMI and general level of education. Heretofore, these factors have not been tested together to determine if familiarity moderates the relation between level of education and stigma of professional efficacy for treating mental illness.

Methods: In fall 2020, an online survey in the state of Utah measured 1,300 adults’ …

Evaluating The Impact Of Reflex Math On Mathematics Achievement In Elementary Schools: A Quasi-Experimental Study In South Texas, Kasey Juarez

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative, quasi-experimental study examined the impact of Reflex Math, a gamebased instructional program focused on building math fact automaticity, on the achievement of Grade 3-5 students in a South Texas public school district. The study compared a 2023 intervention group that used the program from August to December with a 2022 comparison group that did not. The intervention’s effectiveness varied by grade level, with Grade 3 students showing the most positive gains, no significant effect in Grade 4, and a slight negative difference in Grade 5. Results showed statistically significant, though modest, gains in mathematics achievement among students who …

College Student Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Resilience Through The Eyes Of Transition, Andrew Dies, Juliann Sergi Mcbrayer, Pamela Wells, Antonio P. Gutierrez De Blume, Summer Pannell, Mary Josephine Carney

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

This research focused on the role that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) play in the lives of today’s college students and how protective factors may increase a student’s level of resilience. This study examined participants’ levels of resilience, what ACEs they experienced prior to entering college, and what role protective factors played in mitigating the impacts of ACEs on resilience levels. Results indicated that older students scored higher in resilience than their younger counterparts. The findings indicated protective factors coupled with resilience play a role in the success of college students. Implications for practice suggest institutions of higher education should examine …

Reasons Teachers Of Color Leave The Field Of Education In A Suburban School Division In Virginia, Arianne Hayes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher retention remains a persistent challenge in the field of education, with teachers of color (TOCs) experiencing disproportionately higher attrition rates compared to their White counterparts while affect schools nationwide, particularly in high-need areas. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate why TOCs left their teaching positions in Virginia. This study was grounded in job demands-resources theory and focused on the significance of the demands and available resources within a workplace. For this basic qualitative design, eight former TOCs that had at least 3 years of experience in a suburban district in Virginia participated in semi structured interviews. …

Becoming Adults: Immigrant And Second-Generation Dominican Youth In The U.S., Evelyn Fernández-Ketcham

Publications and Research

This study offers new evidence on the question of developmental studies, particularly in relation to the stage that covers the transition to adulthood. The publication at hand provides strong added value by introducing new demographic groups, new scenarios, and new methods to examine the Dominican youth experience.

Nontraditional Students Enrolling In Online Education: Assessing Outcomes And Barriers To Success, Kua Vang

Master's Projects

Online education has significantly reshaped how colleges and universities define and evaluate academic achievement. In March 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the U.S. government enforced social distancing regulations that affected operational continuity for higher education institutions. The need to transition from traditional classroom instruction to online was unavoidable. Institutions were not prepared, however, and their shortcomings in providing high-quality online learning for students were exposed. The inadequacy can be due to higher education institutions decade-long mindset of seeing online education as a less credible alternative. As a result, institutions are more eager than ever before to invest …

The Americans With Disabilities Act And Academic Library Workers, Katie Quirin Manwiller

Educational Leadership & Higher Education Administration Faculty Publications

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) established the legal requirement for equal access to employment for disabled Americans, but the processes for inclusion established by the law are rarely discussed in the workplace. This chapter will outline the requirements under Title I of the ADA for employment related to discrimination in the workplace and reasonable accommodations. Crucially, it provides practical recommendations for navigating these processes to help disabled academic library workers advocate for themselves and others. Lastly, it provides tips for library supervisors on how to creative inclusive environments that go beyond the bare minimum of accessibility required by the …

Career Resources And Securing Quality Work: Graduate Perspectives, Denise Jackson, Claire Lambert, Matalena Tofa, Ruth Bridgstock, Ruth Sibson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Empowering graduates to secure quality post-graduation employment is a key goal for higher education institutions and their students. University support in developing career resources may aid transition to work by enhancing social support and networks, fostering a strong sense of professional self, promoting career self-management, and instilling career confidence. Yet there lacks empirical understanding of these resources and the role they play, including how they interrelate, how they vary by personal characteristics, and how they are developed. This study examines how graduates fare in the labour market, characterises their career resources, and explores the relationship between career resources and graduate-level …

How Does Health Professions Student Engagement Differ Across Campuses In A Synchronous Multi-Campus Learning Environment?, Satera Nelson

Theses & Dissertations

Student engagement is positively associated with academic achievement, student satisfaction, and retention. In synchronous multi-campus learning, students learn simultaneously while physically located at several campuses throughout the state. This educational model is one way to address the rural health care shortage, as many students who study at rural campuses tend to stay in rural areas to practice. Student engagement is crucial to ensuring that students at rural campuses have a comparable learning experience and to help those students feel like they are a valued part of the class. The purpose of this study was to evaluate health professions student and …

Comparison Of Machine Learning Packages In R: An Application With Open Dataset, Daniel O. Oyeniran

Chinese/English Journal of Educational Measurement and Evaluation | 教育测量与评估双语期刊

Machine learning has become a prominent approach for prediction in many fields of endeavor, including education. Python and R have become leading software while different packages have been developed for the purpose of carrying out machine learning analysis with differences in functions in R. This paper explored the functional and empirical differences of two major machine learning packages in R to estimate metrics. This comparative study provides a comprehensive guide for leveraging machine learning packages in R, facilitating informed decision-making, and advancing the adoption of effective methodologies in data-driven research and application. Findings in this study ensure that researchers make …

Parenting With Grace, Eva Nelson Cole

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Parents are often caught off guard by the upheaval of adding children to their lives. Feelings of guilt, shame, isolation, and depression can arise when parents are faced with the demands and stressors that come along with having children. Studies have shown that children who have distressed parents endure lasting negative outcomes that can extend into the primary school years (Mihelic et al., 2018). Educating parents and giving them some awareness about what to expect can make a real difference. To have these conversations, I created a two-part parenting workshop for new parents at Parents’ Place in Pacific Grove, CA. …

Curriculum Inquiry To Strengthen Teacher Preparation For Supporting Multilingual Learners In Rural Settings, Christiana K. Kfouri, Marjorie W. Rowe

The Rural Educator

Multilingual learners (MLs) represent a substantial, growing segment of the PreK–12 population, including in rural areas. Several forces contribute to the increase of ML students in rural schools (e.g., immigrant labor, refugee crises). As we undergo a major cultural shift from a society that was (misguidedly) viewed as monolingual to one that is now undoubtedly multilingual, many teacher education programs have not sufficiently transformed how they prepare educators for linguistic and cultural diversity. Rural teachers indicate that teacher preparation does not include effective strategies and resources instrumental to meeting the cultural, linguistic, and academic needs of MLs. Moreover, educators may …

A Phenomenological Study Of Special Education Teacher Self-Efficacy For English Learner Instruction, Emilie Louise Jacumin-Simmons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of special education teachers (SETs) who instruct English learners (ELs) at secondary public schools in the Southeast. In this research, SETs instructing ELs were generally defined as SETs responsible for the instruction of ELs with or without disabilities. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy. The qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of 11 SETs who teach in secondary public school districts in the southeastern United States. Data collection consisted of Teacher Self-Efficacy (TSE) Scale surveys, teacher reflections on their …

Eliminating Barriers For English Language Learners In Gifted And Talented Programs In The U.S., Melissa Dabbs

Graduate Teacher Education

This paper investigated the underrepresentation of English Language Learners (ELLs) in Gifted and Talented (GT) Programs in K-5 settings across U.S. states. Nationally, only 1.5% of ELLs are enrolled in GT programs, with several states below that average (OELA, 2021). Schools often rely on achievement tests as a basis for recommending students for GT programs, usually during 2^nd grade (Coronado & Lewis, 2017). However, several factors, including the fairness of evaluation tools used, may preclude or exclude a student from being considered for GT programs. Other factors include what definitions and guidelines were used to determine giftedness, specifically …

Demographic Study Of College Of Sciences At University Of Nevada, Las Vegas, Laura Seo, Nastasija Damjanovic, Angelica Amansec, Aika Dietz, Monika Neda

Spectra Undergraduate Research Journal

In the United States, STEM-related industries are among the fastest-growing. Our study examines the enrollment of students in the College of Sciences (CoS) and the demographics of the student bodies in both undergraduate and graduate programs from 2010 to 2021 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Using the method of least squares, a polynomial fit model was used to find trends as well as to calculate enrollment predictions for the years 2025 and 2030. Our results demonstrate that, currently, the UNLV CoS is male dominant in the graduate program and female dominant in the undergraduate program. However, female …

Voices From The Marginalized: The Experiences Black Employees Have On Search Committees And The Role Of Institutional Racism, Jacqueline Drummer

Theses and Dissertations

The history of Black people across the globe is marred by structural racism created by colonialism. Structural racism is deeply embedded in the American culture and academia is not excluded from this phenomenon. The research demonstrates that the problem of racism is not only prevalent in four-year academic institutions but also exists in two-year colleges. Our academic institutions are a microcosm of the broader society whereby we bring our worldviews, biases, and beliefs with us into the workplace. When these views are negative towards marginalized groups, actions can be adverse and impact the experiences of these demographics. My qualitative single …

Empowering Achievement: Investigating Leadership, Agency, And Access For First-Generation College Students, Antonia Marcelle Pettit

Education | Master's Theses

This research demonstrates that first-generation college students excel when they can be open to new spaces, people, and experiences and have access to robust support systems and the necessary resources to build solid personal self-efficacy. The intentionality behind this research is grounded in students finding their agency and self- efficacy to become strong and confident leaders within their communities and future workplaces. One of the theoretical frameworks this research touches on is Vince Tinto’s interactionalist theory of student persistence, which identifies the importance of academic and social integration in higher education students. All six participants in the study were in …