Digital Commons Network^™

Middle Grades English Language Arts Teachers’Experiences Of Care: A Narrative Case Study, Kathleen Rose O’Farrell

Theses and Dissertations

This narrative case study examined how four middle grades English Language Arts (ELA) teachers enacted care in a suburban Northeastern U.S. middle school. Drawing on interviews, classroom observations, instructional artifacts, and notes, the study developed narrative portraits to examine how care was experienced and enacted within daily instructional practices. Guided by Nel Noddings’s (2013) care theory and Geneva Gay’s (2018) culturally responsive care framework, the study explored how teachers sustained meaningful and equitable instruction amid post-pandemic academic, social-emotional, and technological shifts. Findings revealed care as the instructional foundation, making equitable and meaningful literacy learning possible with three interrelated dimensions: trust, …

Multi-Tier Systems Of Support: A K–12 Case Study, Christopher Foster

Theses and Dissertations

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) has emerged as a widely adopted framework intended to address student academic and behavioral needs through tiered intervention systems and data-informed decision making. While many school districts have implemented MTSS frameworks, variability in implementation across grade levels and school contexts continues to affect the consistency and effectiveness of these systems. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the implementation of MTSS across the K–12 continuum within a public school district in the northeastern United States. The study explored three central areas: the structural features supporting MTSS implementation, stakeholder perceptions of MTSS effectiveness, …

Teacher And Administrator Perspectives On Participation In Professional Learning Communities And Their Impact On Collective Teacher Efficacy: A Multi Case Study, Maria Kambourakis

Theses and Dissertations

Urban educators face ongoing challenges in establishing collaborative cultures that effectively maximize student achievement. To address this research problem, this qualitative case study investigates how teachers and administrators perceive their participation in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and how these perceptions shape Collective Teacher Efficacy (CTE). Grounded in Bandura’s social cognitive theory of collective efficacy and DuFour’s PLC framework, the research explores how structured collaboration enhances educators' shared beliefs in their ability to positively impact student learning. The researcher employed a qualitative case study design involving eight teachers and two administrators across two non-public, urban K-8 schools in Brooklyn, New York. …

Embracing Pluralism In Catholic Schools: Administrative And Faculty Perspectives On Multiculturalism In Education, Gerard J. Buckley

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative, nonexperimental study examined faculty and administrative perspectives on multiculturalism in Catholic schools across New York State. Archived New York State Education Department (NYSED) data were analyzed to identify student race/ethnicity enrollment trends in Catholic schools from 2013 to 2025, alongside survey data measuring Catholic school educators’ perceptions of multiculturalism. Survey participants included faculty and administrators from seven dioceses across New York State. Data were analyzed using ANOVAs and multiple regression. The study addressed two primary areas: changes in racial/ethnic enrollment over time and differences in educator perceptions on multiculturalism based on demographic and professional factors. Findings showed a …

The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On Higher Education Enrollment, Shonna L. Jones-Washington

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of AI-driven chatbot technology on the progression through the undergraduate admissions funnel, including application, admission, and enrollment, and to explore how AI outreach intensity predicts these outcomes while addressing potential disparities across student subgroups. The study involved 24,141 data records, including both domestic and international undergraduate applicants to St. John’s University for the Fall 2025 semester. The study found that AI interaction was associated with higher admission rates (83.0% vs. 75.7%) but revealed no significant relationship between AI usage and final enrollment rates. Quantitative analyses, including chi-square tests, binary logistic …

Understanding Motivations And Health Outcomes Of College-Aged Triathletes During Covid-19: A Mixed-Methods Study, Patrick Wilson, Eddie Hill, Justin Haegele, Xihe Zhu

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

A triathlon is a multi-sport event that consists of three simultaneous events: swimming, biking, and running. This sport has experienced significant growth in the past few decades, with colleges and universities now participating. This exploratory mixed-methods study examined the motivations and perceived health benefits of college triathletes during the COVID-19 pandemic, using the Means-Ends of Recreation Scale and the Perceived Health Outcomes of Recreation Scale (N = 29), as well as semi-structured interviews (N = 4). Results indicate no difference in motives or health outcomes between male and female survey respondents. The thematic analysis of open-ended interview questions highlighted lived …

Enhancing International School Implementation Capacity: Supporting Contextualized Learning At An International Baccalaureate School In China, Christopher J. Hayden Iv

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

International schools allocate substantial resources to implement progressive curricular innovations; however, the advantages offered by these developments are contingent on their effective execution within classroom settings. This mixed methods action research (MMAR) study examined the implementation of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Global Context (GC) Strategy in the Middle Years Programme (MYP) at an international school in China and asked how the school might strengthen its capacity to enact this and similar innovations. Following a sequential MMAR design, a reconnaissance phase combined a whole-staff survey (n=87) with qualitative interviews to diagnose the individual, organizational, and contextual factors shaping implementation. Analyses identified …

Are Multiple-Choice And Open-Ended Assessments Consistent In Predicting Science Achievement? Multivariate Multilevel Evidence From Chinese Students And Schools, Quan Wu

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

A multivariate multilevel model was developed and applied to secondary data from a large-scale science assessment of Grade 8 students in China to examine the consistency between multiple-choice and open-ended formats of assessment in predicting science achievement at the student and school levels. The sample included 44,534 students from 159 schools across two regions. Multivariate multilevel results indicated a moderately positive consistency between the two formats at the student level and a strongly positive consistency at the school level; these consistencies were stable across regions and did not depend on student and school characteristics. The findings have important practical implications …

Effects Of Yoga And Mindfulness On Emotional Regulation, Behavior, And Teacher Burnout, Sara E. Smith

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

This dissertation comprises three studies that examine the effects of physical activity, yoga, and mindfulness interventions on students' emotional regulation, behavior, and academic outcomes in rural Kentucky schools. These studies as a whole contribute to understanding how movement-based and mindfulness practices can enhance social-emotional and academic well-being in schools.

The first study describes the effects of classroom-based physical activity on student achievement and social-emotional well-being. Forty-five elementary students participated in a 6-week intervention with two 7-minute movement breaks per day. Results indicated statistically significant improvements in Reading (t(44) = 2.55, p < .001, d = .38), Math (t(44) = 4.63, p < .001, d = .69), and social-emotional competence (t(44) = 3.67, p < .001, d = .55). These findings demonstrate that brief, structured physical activity can meaningfully enhance academic and emotional outcomes when implemented by classroom teachers.

The second study shows the effects of a five-week …

Exploring High School Students’ Learning Interests And Information Sources On Viruses And Covid-19, Sahar Alameh, James W. Keck, Elizabeth Loh, Lin Xiang, Scott M. Berry, Anna G. Hoover, Abigail Knapp, Savannah Tucker

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Faculty Publications

This study investigates high school students’ health-information seeking behaviors related to COVID-19 and viruses in a rural area of the south-central United States, and how these behaviors relate to students’ knowledge, perceptions, and learning interests. Survey data were collected from 83 students in Spring 2023, during the post-pandemic period, as part of a STEM and public health unit. Drawing on frameworks from Health Information-Seeking Behavior and student interest, the study examines students’ COVID-19 information sources, how these sources relate to their knowledge about viruses and their perceptions of COVID-19, and the specific topics about which they were most interested in …

A Historical Case Study Of The Effects Of The Coordinate Interagency Partnership Regulating International Students (Cipris) System And The Student Exchange Visitor Information System (Sevis) On Foreign Students Coming To The United States For Higher Education From 1990 To 2008, M. Ann Livingstone

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

The United States has welcomed foreign scholars and students since 1774, but their numbers increased dramatically after World War I, and again after World War II, as America became a world power leader and interest in the United States and its educational system and technological developments grew internationally. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) was set up to oversee immigrants, visitors, and nonimmigrants who included students and diplomatic staff and families. This study deals with the changing laws and responsibilities of the INS during the period 1990 to 2008 to track foreign students in higher education, specifically with the introduction …

Digital Technologies And Calculus: Students’ Peaks And Pits, Ricela Feliciano-Semidei, Kevin A. Palencia Infante, Alcibiades Bustillo-Zarate

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Understanding calculus students’ perspectives can provide valuable insights into their learning needs and help develop strategies to enhance persistence in STEM programs. Numerous studies have shown that the use of digital technologies (DT) influences student engagement, motivation, and mathematics achievement. In this project, we explored students’ perspectives on using DT in calculus. We interviewed eight calculus students from a midwestern doctorate-granting institution in the United States and used thematic analysis informed by the didactical tetrahedron, accounting for internal and external factors that may influence the teaching and learning process. Students reflected on their use of technology, identifying various benefits, including …

Organizational Causes Of Chronic Absenteeism: Unpacking The Conditions For Learning To Increase Regular Attendance, Melissa Glover

Educational Leadership Professional Doctorate Dissertations

This study employed an improvement science methodology, using plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles of improvement, to address the persistent problem of chronic absenteeism within the Gateway School District, where annual absentee rates hovered around 45% and were historically 10% higher for students with disabilities compared to their nondisabled peers. The leadership team engaged in a thorough review of parent and student perceptions of school and aligned findings with Chang’s (2019) conditions for learning framework to pinpoint actionable areas for growth. These findings were then organized into a theory of action using a driver diagram approach. This foundational work led to the identification …

The Effectiveness Of 3d Printing Project-Based Learning In Developing Future Skills And Academic Passion Among 10th Grade Students In Physics, Asma Abdullah Alshabnuti, Salim Khamis Al Harmali, Sulaiman Mohammed Al-Balushi

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The study aimed to explore the effectiveness of 3D Printing Project-based Learning in developing future skills, according to the Omani Future Skills Framework, and academic passion among 10th-grade students in physics in the Sultanate of Oman. A quasi-experimental research design was used, with a control and experimental group. The sample consisted of (114) male and female students. The Study instruments were the Future Skills Classroom Observation and the Academic Passion Scale, to gather data. Findings showed statistically significant differences in favor of the experimental group in most of future skills, except in flexibility and adaptation skill. The effect size of …

Text Messaging Programs To Support Family Literacy Practices: A Scoping Review, Lennie Barblett, Leanne Lavina, Nicola Johnson, Caroline Barratt-Pugh

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Using bulk digital text messaging has been shown to be effective in many different fields such as health program interventions and supporting parents/carers. Evaluations of these interventions indicate positive changes in practice; however, it appears the potential of digital messaging through short message services (SMS) have not been fully taken advantage of in early childhood education. This scoping review using Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) approach investigates the current practices of text messaging programs to support families in the development of preschool aged children’s language and literacy learning. Searches of five databases identified 16 articles that fitted our criteria. Results indicate: …

2026 Document For Faculty And Staff Scholarship Spring Soirée, Kara Schleck, Diana Symons

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

No abstract provided.

Machine-Learning- And Iot-Based Approach For Predicting Water Quality Using Data Classification And Explainable Ai Technique, M. Samir Abou El-Seoud, Omar H. Karam 2, Hosam El-Sofany 3

Computer Science

Maintaining water quality is crucial for both public health and environmental sustainability. This study proposes a machine-learning- (ML-) and Internet-of-Things- (IoT-) based approach to water quality prediction that utilizes explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) and data classification techniques. The proposed approach integrates IoT devices to enhance real-time data collection, facilitating continuous monitoring and early anomaly detection. Ten different ML classifiers—Decision Trees, K-Nearest Neighbors, XGBoost, Naïve Bayes, Logistic Regression, AdaBoost, Random Forests, Support Vector Machines, Voting, and Multi-Layer Perceptron—were evaluated to find out which one works best for predicting water quality. We used three distinct approaches for feature selection: analysis of variance …

Balancing Inquiry Based Learning And Direct Instruction, Sharon Liu , '26

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

No abstract provided.

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Artificial Intelligence And Its Impact On Student Learning, Ranging From Understanding, Originality, Motivation, Problem-Solving, And Resilience, Joseph Whelan

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming education, challenging traditional notions of how learning should be structured in schools. Although research on educational AI remains limited, its influence on student learning is already evident. On a daily basis, educators observe the impact artificial intelligence has on five specific areas of student learning: being, understanding, originality, motivation, problem-solving. and resilience. Using a mixed-methods approach, with descriptive research using surveys with free-response questions, the study aimed to examine how the five student characteristics are affected in the classroom daily through the integration of artificial intelligence into student learning. Teachers participated in a survey …

From Curiosity To Code: Using Ai As A Tool For Phenomenon-Based Chemistry Teaching, Allie M. Chambers

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In recent years, there has been an increased emphasis on integrating phenomena-based learning into science classrooms. This instructional approach engages students with real-world events that make scientific concepts more understandable and gives the students a personal connection to their education. However, implementing phenomena-based instruction proves to be a challenge to novice and veteran educators alike.

This project explores, through the lens of an education student, the struggle of implementing phenomena events. Starting with reflections on how lessons can be revised/ constructed to involve a phenomena event and a personal comparison of the difficulty of integrating these events without and with …

Proceedings Of The Eleventh Annual Indiana Stem Education Conference: Stem Journeys, William S. Walker Iii, S. Selcen Guzey

Indiana STEM Education Conference

The Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual Indiana STEM Education Conference are edited by the Center for Advancing the Teaching and Learning of STEM (CATALYST, https://www.education.purdue.edu/catalyst/) at Purdue University. The theme for the 2026 conference is STEM Journeys, celebrating the multiple pathways and experiences that advance student learning in STEM education.

Renewable Energy Innovation: A Mathematics-Driven Integrated Stem Approach For K-12 Classrooms, Humphrey Chinenye Ochulor, Dayat Hidayat

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This research brief presents Renewable Energy Innovation (REI) as a mathematics-driven Integrated STEM (iSTEM) approach for engaging upper elementary and middle school students to design, analyze, test, and refine solar cars and wind turbines through mathematical modeling (MM) and problem solving (PS). Research suggests that renewable energy activities support students’ abilities to design systems, quantify variables, construct multiple representations, and refine mathematical models to clarify relationships between energy output and design features. Positioning mathematics as the driver in REI iSTEM engineering design contexts aligns with the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and foregrounds mathematics as a primary organizing discipline …

Stem Integration Through Environmental Data Analysis For Real-World Problem Solving, Abigail Erskine

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Integrating authentic, environmental-based data can make STEM instruction more meaningful. As part of a broader high school STEM curriculum, I designed a lesson that connects mathematical and statistical concepts, technology, and environmental data through environmental data analysis to develop real-world problem solving. Using local deer mortality data, I examined how descriptive statistics and data interpretation could reveal population and ecological patterns. Designing with real data highlighted how mathematics can serve as a lens for understanding environmental issues and promote connections across STEM disciplines. This research brief focuses on the instructional design and reflection as the lesson designer.

Centering Learners' Voices: Mapping As A Tool For Visuospatial Reasoning In Mathematics, Maria Eloisa C. Nuguid

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Visuospatial reasoning considers visual imagery and the dynamics of space rooted in learners’ lived experiences. Mapping is an example of a visuospatial task where learners interact with and represent their environment. The research focuses on children’s experiences with mapping tasks in the context of informal science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) education.

An Analysis Of Ohio's Advanced Quantitative Reasoning Course, Ethan A. Douglas

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Beginning in about 2018, The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce partnered with the Ohio Department of Higher Education and the Ohio Math Initiative to create a mathematics transition course to provide high school students with a class that could prepare them for a college entry-level mathematics course if they had not previously earned a remediation-free score. This course was titled “Mathematical Modeling and Reasoning” and has since been named, “Advanced Quantitative Reasoning” (AQR) and has become an Algebra II equivalent course where students can receive their final math credit to graduate. This study looked to compare students in Algebra …

Designing Classroom Routines To Reduce Math Anxiety: A Growth Mindset And Productive Struggle Toolkit For Middle Schoolers, Heather Carey

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Math anxiety is an evident barrier to the success of students in middle school mathematics which often leads to decreased confidence, lower achievement overall, and avoidance of more challenging tasks. Research in mathematics education advocates that the instructional approaches that are more grounded in growth mindset and productive struggle can positively influence students’ attitudes toward learning and their engagement with solving more complex problems.

This project examines how researched-based strategies can be rendered into practical classroom applications. Using a qualitative design-based approach, this study integrates math anxiety, growth mindset, and productive struggle existing literature to inform the development of instructional …

Transforming Florida Chemistry Education: Exploring Information Literacy Strategies From Singapore, Han N. Le

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study explores the applicability of Singapore’s information literacy (IL) strategies within Central Floridian higher education environments. Singapore’s national IL framework, supported by its Ministry of Education, integrates information and communication technology (ICT), professional development, and lifelong learning initiatives through a standardized, systemwide approach. In contrast, IL instruction in the United States is largely decentralized, often limited to one-time sessions or elective courses. To investigate the feasibility of adapting Singapore’s practices, surveys were distributed to faculty and librarians across Florida’s twelve public universities, yielding responses that highlighted varying levels of IL integration, limited institutional support, and minimal professional training related …

A Systematic Literature Review Of The Possible Negative Impacts Of Overconsumption Of Mass Media And Technology On Elementary-Aged Members Of Generation Z (1997–2012) And Generation Alpha (2013–2024), Ashya Y. Warren

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis explores the possible negative impacts of overconsumption of mass media and technology on the elementary-aged members of Generation Z (1997-2012) and Generation Alpha (2013-2024). This research is aimed at establishing the relationship between excessive and uncontrolled exposure to digital media and cognitive, emotional, social, behavioral, and academic difficulties at a critical period of child growth. The purpose of this systematic literature review can be explained by the author's experience with technology overuse and professional interests as a future teacher, who should be prepared to help promote healthy childhood and development. The systematic literature review was based on peer-reviewed …

Green Energy Innovation As A Theme For Integrated Stem Curriculum In K-8 Out-Of-School Learning, Humphrey Chinenye Ochulor, Paul Asunda, Swagata Sarkar, Comfort Temitope Aje, Deepanshu Gupta

Indiana STEM Education Conference

In this project, we developed a theme of Green Energy Innovation (GEI) for K-8 integrated STEM (iSTEM) out-of-school learning that includes scientific concepts, engineering design, mathematical measurement, and data collection. Anchored in engineering design (English, 2016), the researchers designed a curricular unit that included simple and complex solar car models. The researcher-designed solar car prototypes serve as STEM kits that support students’ iSTEM-based engineering design activities.

Exploring The Role Of Dialogue In Student Development And Knowledge Generation, Alison Warren

Indiana STEM Education Conference

In classrooms where students are given the space to engage in dialogue, ask questions, and negotiate ideas, science learning comes to life. Providing opportunities for students to negotiate ideas publicly, through dialogue, then privately, through writing has the potential to maximize student idea generation. Although dialogue is widely recognized as important for engagement and communicating ideas, it has also been framed as an epistemic tool. However, the role of dialogue as a sense-making process or epistemic tool, and its relationship to other forms of language, remains under-explored. This study addresses this gap by investigating the role of dialogue and how …