Digital Commons Network^™

(Trans*)Gressing Discourse: Producing And Disrupting Normativity In Education For Trans* Students With Dis/Abilities, Meagan Meredith

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

This dissertation investigates how political rhetoric, education policy, and educational community member discourse construct, circulate, and contest meanings about trans*ness and dis/ability in K-12 public schools. In doing so, the study examines how meanings about normativity are discursively produced and disrupted for students living at this specific intersection. Grounded in a trans* methodology, this study performs a critical discourse analysis through a rhizomatic reading of policy texts, political rhetoric, and publicly available stakeholder discourse. This work responds to a gap in the literature that fails to understand the complexities experienced by trans* students with dis/abilities, particularly in hostile school climates. …

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 …

Supporting Sustainable Art Education: How School Structures Influence Creativity, Michelle Schutz

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how structural conditions within schools influence sustainable teaching practices in visual arts education. Specifically, it explores how class schedules, preparation time, and administrative support shape teachers’ ability to implement creativity-centered instruction aligned with the demands of artistic learning. Drawing on a qualitative synthesis of existing research on instructional time, organizational structures, and educational leadership, this study identifies key patterns in how school systems support or constrain meaningful visual arts instruction. Findings indicate that structural factors, rather than individual teacher characteristics, play a central role in shaping instructional quality and sustainability. Limited instructional time, fragmented scheduling models, insufficient …

Ai Literacy Frameworks In Secondary Cte: Supporting The Next Generation Of The Workforce, Reagan Kaylee Montross

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this literature review is to understand how generative AI (GenAI) is impacting the future employment of high school students at the forefront of the most significant technological, cultural, and educational shift of this generation. It examines five AI literacy frameworks relating to secondary education. These frameworks each emphasize the importance of educating students in AI literacy and provide educators with a structure for integrating AI skills. Among the frameworks reviewed, those published by the United States Department of Labor and the OECD place greater emphasis on applied practices, while the AI4K12 and KAT frameworks emphasize how AI …

Should The Illiberal Arts Be Servile In A Classical Christian Education, Nadine B. Kong Mrs.

Master of Arts in Classical Studies

The purpose of this thesis is to research the role and position of the illiberal arts in a classical Christian education (CCE).  The current climate of growth for CCE makes it a fitting moment to consider what bearing the illiberal arts should have on paideia formation.  To answer this question, the historical context of CCE and the illiberal arts is presented.  This leads to a complex issue around the various imprecise terms and historical attitudes surrounding the illiberal arts.  Some synonymous terms have demeaning connotations: ‘servile arts’ or ‘illiberal arts,’ and others less negative, such as ‘common arts’ or ‘mechanical …

The Impact Of Somali Parental Involvement On Elementary Education In Minnesota: Opportunities And Challenges, Abdiqani Abdullahi Elmi

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This qualitative study examines the challenges faced by Somali-American parents in Minnesota regarding involvement in their children's education, particularly during elementary school. The elementary level is a critical stage for students' learning and a foundational pillar for both academic development and social integration, making parental involvement during this stage especially important. However, immigrant families, specifically Somali-Americans, face significant challenges that impede their ability to participate actively in their children's educational journey. This qualitative phenomenological research investigated barriers that might stem from limited formal education, low English proficiency, cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic challenges. The methodology used in this research is …

Barriers To Creativity: Addressing Anxiety And Self-Doubt In Secondary Visual Arts Students, Wenlai Fang

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adolescence is a crucial stage for self-development and creativity development. During this period, middle school students will experience creative anxiety and self-doubt about creative expression in multiple dimensions. To help students manage the uncertainties inherent in the creative process and build confidence and resilience, this study, based on Rhodes' (1961) 4P creativity framework (Person, Process, Press, and Product), systematically investigated the obstacles to the development of adolescent creativity and identified teaching intervention measures for fostering a supportive creativity ecosystem.
This study demonstrated that the development of adolescent creativity is a result of multi-faceted and multi-dimensional interactions from the 4P creativity …

Effects Of Tech-Based Self-Monitoring And An Interdependent Group Contingency On Group Engagement, Ariana K. Hefter

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

This study evaluated the effects of a class-wide self-monitoring (SM) intervention delivered via the I-Connect app and paired with an interdependent group contingency, on whole-group engagement in a general fourth grade classroom. Participants included 23 students during a 30-min instructional period. The researcher measured group engagement using momentary time sampling (MTS) with planned activity check (PLACHECK) with a fixed rotation schedule in 30-s intervals and recorded the percentage of students on-task per session. A withdrawal (ABAB) design was used to examine the effects across the baseline and intervention phases. Results indicated a slight increase in group engagement during the intervention …

How Teachers Learn Strategies To Support Students With Individualized Education Programs Through The Use Of Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support, Behrose Foroughi

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation study captured how teachers learn strategies to support students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) through the use of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). In the MTSS framework, Tier 1 serves approximately 80–85% of students with high-quality evidence-based core instruction (e.g., science of reading curriculum, social emotional curriculum); Tier 2 serves approximately 10–15% with targeted small-group interventions (e.g., data-informed small-group math/reading groups, check-in/check-out behavior programs); Tier 3 serves approximately 5% with intensive individualized support (e.g., Orton-Gillingham reading intervention groups, individualized behavior plans). Special Education is a separate, legally mandated service outside the tiers for students with identified disabilities under …

An Exploration Of Academic Help-Seeking Among Postsecondary Students: Differences By Gender And Ethnicity, Stephanie Greenquist-Marlett, Linda Bol, Claire Consadine, Courtney Hill

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Students often struggle to employ effective learning and study strategies in postsecondary settings that challenge their academic success. These struggles can be amplified depending on student characteristics like gender and ethnicity. One way to improve their success is an awareness they may need help and how to most productively use this help. We sought to understand students’ patterns of help-seeking behaviors as well as whether these patterns differed by gender and ethnicity. The researcher-developed Academic Help-Seeking Inventory (AHSI) was designed to measure academic help-seeking. Participants were 249 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at two East Coast public universities. An exploratory …

Generative Ai Professional Development Program For Higher Education Instructors, Sheena Bahra

Dissertations

As technology progresses and brings enhanced forms of artificial intelligence (AI), such as generative AI (Gen AI), it continues to affect education by introducing opportunities and challenges in its application to higher education teaching. Advances in technology can make instructors reluctant to use applications, leading to missed learning and skill-development opportunities for higher-order thinking skills. This study investigates how AI professional development (PD) training can influence higher education instructors’ willingness to use Gen AI in the classroom. This study employed a qualitative instrumental case study design informed by an exploratory lens. The study investigated instructors’ use of Gen AI 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 …

Mission Critical: A Mixed-Methods Study On Strengthening The Ninthgrade Trajectory For At-Risk Students, Jennifer A. Skitromo

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Many adolescents experience difficulties during the transition to high school, which increases the risk of lower academic achievement, higher absenteeism, and behavioral challenges. This mixed-methods Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice examined how educators at the HSI, a Grade 6–12 magnet school in the Northeastern United States, addressed adult practices that hinder students’ transition to ninth grade. Nine educators participated in an eight-week student-centered meeting protocol designed to strengthen collaboration and support ninth-grade students at risk of falling off track toward on-time graduation. Quantitative data included partial-interval observations of participant engagement, pre- and post-test results from the adapted Teacher Collaboration Assessment, …

Enhancing Paraprofessional Self-Efficacy And Skill: The Impact Of Trauma-Informed Professional Learning On Support For Middle School Students With Disabilitie, Betsy Jean Paddock

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice explored the impact of a seven-week professional learning series on trauma-informed practices for paraprofessionals and certified educators supporting Students with Disabilities (SWDs) at Smithville Middle School. Grounded in Adult Learning Theory, Transformative Learning Theory, and Trauma Theory, the study employed a mixed methods design to examine changes in participants’ self-efficacy, trauma literacy, and professional collaboration. Quantitative data were collected through pre- and post-surveys using the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) and the Trauma Literacy Survey (TLS), while qualitative data were gathered through reflective journals and focus group discussions. Quantitative results revealed statistically significant …

Exploring The Impact Of The Video Game Model On Classroom Climate In A High-Achieving High School, W. Michael Mclachlan Iii

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

This mixed-methods Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice explored the impact of a six-week professional learning series on the Video Game Model (VGM) on classroom climate in a high-achieving high school. The study measured teacher perceptions of the VGM on student achievement goal orientation, student engagement, and teacher well-being. Using the VGM framework rooted in the neuroscience of motivation, the change idea included six high school English teachers attending focus groups and implementing five VGM lessons. In this convergent mixed-methods study, the researcher merged quantitative data from pre-test and post-test teacher questionnaires with qualitative data from focus group field notes, exit …

Rise: Renew, Inspire, Strengthen, And Empower: A Healing-Centered Affinity Space, Elba Llantin-Cruz

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) examined the benefits of a healing-centered affinity community for educators from racially and culturally underrepresented groups in Connecticut. A low rate of educators of color (EOC) impact student achievement and engagement outcomes. Higher attrition rates due to toxic working conditions, microaggressions, and invisible labor negatively impact EOC’s sense of belonging and professional growth. Using the Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) and a qualitative case study methodology, the researcher implemented a six-week healing-centered professional learning affinity space with four educators who identified as Black or Latina to foster belonging, connections, and well-being while …

Completing The Circle: Consultee-Centered Group Consultation As Professional Development To Improve Restorative Practices Implementation In A Middle School, Sara A. Tennyson

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

This mixed-methods Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) examined the impact of consultee-centered group consultation on educators' knowledge and the frequency of implementation of Restorative Practices (RP) in a middle school setting. Participants included 17 educators with various roles at a suburban middle school in the mid-Atlantic United States: Nine participated in the consultee-centered group consultation, and eight did not. The researcher administered pre- and post-surveys to both groups and examined the results using descriptive statistics. The researcher conducted participant surveys, recorded group consultation sessions, and analyzed journal entries to form qualitative themes. Quantitative findings indicated that the participant group …

Curriculum, Assessment, & Learning Materials Lab Renovation: A Space For Pre-Service Teachers, Joanna L. Neel Dr., Vandy C. Dubre Mrs.

Presentations and Publications

Pre-service teachers increasingly require access to current instructional materials, test-preparation resources, and hands-on manipulatives to meet rising state expectations and certification demands. This article presents a case study of the multi-year renovation of a School of Education resource room at a mid-sized regional university in the south-central United States. Through a sustained partnership between an Education Faculty member and the Education Librarian, the space evolved from a cluttered storage area into a structured, student-centered Curriculum, Assessment, and Learning Materials Lab. The narrative outlines the historical context, redesign process, cataloging system development, collection weeding, student worker training, and ongoing assessment plans. …

The Relationship Between Culturally Responsive Teaching (Crt) Training, Teachers’ Children’S Book Choices, And Perceptions Of Censorship In Kuwait, Norma Gina Lombardi Sciarra

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teachers who are culturally responsive use classroom materials that reflect their students' ethnicities, traditions, and values. Western teachers have access to diverse books and classroom tools. They have the agency to choose materials that support the curriculum. However, when Western educators work abroad, they must adapt their teaching methods and tools to local norms. Working abroad may require censoring or omitting information and content they believe in and support. As a result, teachers may feel dissonance or conflict when censoring. Censoring may impact their ability to teach comprehensively. Little research examines the relationship between culturally responsive teaching (CRT), perceptions of …

The Relationship Between Principals' Servant Leadership And The Retention Of Mid-To-Late-Career Elementary Teachers In Minnesota Public Schools, Teresa Widen

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teacher attrition, particularly among experienced educators, significantly impacts school stability and student outcomes. This quantitative study examined the relationship between mid-to-late-career elementary teachers’ perceptions of their principals’ servant leadership behaviors and their own retention decisions within Minnesota public schools. Grounded in servant leadership theory, the research also explored whether perceptions of leadership varied significantly based on teacher gender or teaching position. Utilizing a non-experimental, correlational design, data were collected via an online survey administering the Servant Leadership Scale and the Turnover Intention Scale (TIS-6). The final sample consisted of 410 experienced elementary teachers. Data were analyzed using JASP employing descriptive …

A Quantitative Analysis Of The Relationship Between Mentoring And Professional Development Outcomes Of Public Senior High School Teachers In Ghana’S Central Region, Frank Ayim

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study examined the relationship between mentoring and teacher professional development among public senior high school teachers in Ghana’s Central Region. Although mentoring is widely promoted as a strategy for strengthening instructional quality, limited empirical research has investigated how specific dimensions of mentoring influence in-service secondary teachers within Sub-Saharan African contexts. Grounded in social cognitive theory and adult learning theory, this study addressed that gap by differentiating among structural participation in mentoring, duration of mentoring involvement, and mentorship participation intensity. A correlational research design was employed using validated instruments measuring mentoring engagement, instructional effectiveness, and classroom management. Data were …

Phonetic Attrition As An Outcome Of L1-L2 Phonetic Interaction: Effects Of L2 Exposure In Arabic-English Bilinguals, Dema Smadi

Linguistics & TESOL Dissertations

This dissertation investigates how length of second language (L2) exposure shapes the phonetic relationship between the first language (L1) and the L2 in adult Arabic-English bilinguals. Focusing on the production of voiced stops /b/ and /d/, the study examines how L1 Arabic and L2 English interact within a shared phonetic system and how this interaction develops as a function of increasing L2 exposure. Building on the Speech Learning Model and its revised version (SLM, SLM-r), the study adopts a relational perspective in which L1 and L2 are not treated as independent systems, but as dynamically interacting components of a shared …

Improving Early Detection And Response To Clinical Deterioration Among Nurses Through Competency-Based Interventions, Courtney E. Miller

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Problem: Clinical deterioration among hospitalized patients remained a significant contributor to preventable morbidity and mortality, often due to delayed recognition and response in general care settings (Choi et al., 2025; Chung & Jung, 2024).

PICOTS: For registered nurses working on a general level of care inpatient hospital unit (P), how did a competency-based training program bundle incorporating didactic educational intervention of learning how to use technology, machine learning (ML) based early warning system (EWS) of trends and patterns to identify at risk patients, and low-fidelity simulation-based education (SBE) (clinical readiness to improve confidence with education and coaching) (I), …

Basc-3 Adolescent Version For American Indian / Alaska Native (Ai/An) Adolescents With Learning Difficulties: Identifying Comorbidities, Benjamin L. Shannon

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Deficiencies in cultural sensitivity among popular psychological assessment instruments can have significant consequences for diverse test takers, leading to inaccurate diagnosis, treatment planning, and intervention. The present study aimed to explore possible differences in mean raw scale scores between an AI/AN adolescent sample and BASC-3 SRP-A and TRS-A normative sample data, as well as to establish preliminary evidence to suggest an increased prevalence of social/emotional dysfunction for AI/AN adolescents diagnosed with multiple specific learning disabilities (SLDs). Archival BASC-3 SRP-A and TRS-A data, collected from students and teachers at a residential school for American Indian / Alaska Native (AI/AN) adolescents from …

Culturally Responsive Retelling Practices In Fourth Grade, Jennifer L. Ippolito

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This action research study examined whether culturally appropriate, relevant materials could improve fourth-grade students' retelling skills. The study implemented four well-structured strategies over a nine-week intervention, involving fifteen students (five males and ten females) from an Indigenous reservation. The primary goal was to improve their retelling scores, which would, in turn, enhance their overall reading scores. Beginning-of-year data showed that students struggled to achieve passable reading scores, with retelling as a primary hindrance. Students were strategically paired to build reading skills and encouraged to collaborate effectively to improve comprehension, fluency, and retelling. Data were collected throughout the nine weeks using …

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). …

Family, Stability, Mentors & Money: Student Definitions Of Success, Arturo Caldera

CMC Senior Theses

This research takes a deep dive into the factors shaping marginalized communities’ educational experiences, particularly for low-income Latino students from migrant backgrounds navigating public schooling spaces. Across sixteen qualitative interviews, participant narratives reveal how a systemic lack of resources at the institutional, interpersonal, and structural levels undermines the quality of support students receive and shapes their academic trajectories. Grounded in student-centered practices and informed by scholarship in multicultural education, Chicanx/Latinx studies, feminism, and psychology, this study contributes to ongoing efforts to move beyond deficit-based frameworks and instead recognize the cultural wealth, knowledge, and resilience students bring from their homes and …

The Impact Of Teachers’ Roles As Boundary Crossers And Boundary Objects In Post- Covid Composition Instruction, Tammie Marie Pierce

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined secondary English Language Arts (ELA) teachers’ perceptions of rapid technology integration and its influence on composition instruction and cognitive load in physical, digital, and hybrid spaces. Grounded in theories of boundary crossing and the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, the study conceptualized teachers as both boundary crossers, navigating instructional spaces, and boundary objects, serving as the support tools for their students’ transitions into digital composition. Data were collected from five ELA teachers in a rural school district through surveys, individual interviews, and questionnaires, and analyzed using a two-phase coding process. Findings indicate that teachers perceived …

Improving Retention Rates Of Teachers Through Analysis Of Second-Career Educators, Colton Perry Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher retention rates have been an issue in education for decades. New teachers continue to leave the field at an alarming rate, despite research and attempts to improve their retention. This study focuses on the population of second-career educators and their reasons for remaining in the field at a higher rate than traditional teachers (those who enter the field directly out of college). The researcher’s focus is to determine which experiences and skills gained by second—career teachers in their previous careers result in them experiencing lower rates of attrition once entering education. A qualitative study will be conducted using semi-structured …

Evaluating Rate Of Perceived Exertion And Heart Rate In High School Weight Training Students For Assessing, Enhancing, And Maintaining Health-Related Fitness, Nicholas Searcy

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods study evaluated the relationship between rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and heart rate (HR) among high school weight-training students during circuit training sessions. The purpose of this study was to determine whether RPE could serve as a practical method for gauging moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among high school weight-training students while allowing students to assess and enhance their health-related components of fitness. Participants were high school students enrolled in weight-training classes who completed upper- and lower-body circuit training sessions over a 4-week period, or a total of 16 school days. RPE was self-reported using Borg’s CR10 …