Exploring The Temporal Dynamics Of Gaming-The-System And Self-Regulated Learning Behaviors Within A Game-Based Learning Environment, Cameron E. Marano

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Consistently monitoring and regulating cognitive and metacognitive skills during learning is difficult. As a result, game-based learning environments (GBLEs) have been designed to provide richer learning experiences. They foster self-regulated learning (SRL) skills and offer a way to study learners' interactions within complex environments. Although SRL in GBLEs has been widely studied, large gaps remain. For example, it is unclear how improper or maladaptive regulation in GBLEs signals gaming-the-system, in which learners manipulate features to avoid authentic learning. This phenomenon is widely studied in intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs). Limited research has examined how and when both gaming-the-system and SRL behaviors …

Teoría Y Creatividad. La Literatura Como Herramienta Educativa En El Aprendizaje Moderno De Textos Clásicos En El Idioma Español, Isabel D. Simon

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

In the following master’s thesis, literature is studied as an educational tool in the modern learning of classical texts in the Spanish language from both theoretical and creative perspectives. The theoretical framework to be used is based on the hermeneutic theory of Jean Grondin. The study is divided into three chapters, each focusing on a different literary piece. First, the medieval period is examined through Poema de Mio Cid (Cantar de Mio Cid) of anonymous authorship. In the second chapter, the Golden Age is analyzed through Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes. In the closing …

What Novice Educators Find Supportive, Robin M. Bossinger

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teacher shortages have increased in the past two decades, creating greater emphasis on recruitment, talent development, and retention efforts for educational leaders. Novice educators feature prominently in these considerations. A teacher’s first years can be extremely challenging, and induction, the professional learning experiences specific to early career professionals, is often considered the answer. Despite the seeming ubiquity of induction, there is much variability in interpretation, enactment and outcomes. While it is generally accepted that some induction is better than no induction, new teachers deserve more intentionally designed support.

This study sought to reexamine assumptions about induction, adding to the literature …

Fostering Reading: Review Of A College Bridge Program For Deaf And Hard Of Hearing High School Students, Cara Wilmot

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods formative program evaluation examined the reading component of a summer College Bridge Program (CBP) designed for high school students who are deaf and hard of hearing (d/Dhh). Persistent disparities in reading outcomes among d/Dhh students have been linked to differences in language access, communication access, and opportunities to receive specialized instruction. Using the Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) evaluation model, this study evaluated how the CBP identified and addressed students' reading needs, implemented evidence-based instructional practices, and supported reading development through a three-week summer program.

Participants included 45 d/Dhh high school students from 12 southeastern states, as well …

Implementing Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support For School-Based Mental Health Services: An Explanatory Case Study Of An Elementary School, Laura Acker

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative explanatory case study examined how school-based mental health services (SBMHS) are implemented within an elementary school’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and sensemaking theory, the study examined how educators and school-based professionals interpret and enact their roles in supporting student mental health within educational contexts. Data were collected through interviews with five MTSS team members and analyzed using a combination of deductive and inductive coding. Results showed that mental health implementation is not a fully integrated system of supports but rather a process shaped by roles and relationships influenced …

A Study Of The Impacts Of Infusing Data Analysis And Research In An Interdisciplinary Environmental Economics Course, Sean P. Macdonald

Publications and Research

This paper explores the impacts of introducing quantitative literacy skills in an interdisciplinary Environmental Economics course typically taught as an issues and policy course without a quantitative component. The study examines the effects of infusing an engaging, student-selected data collection and analysis assignment on students' quantitative reasoning skills, as well as their interest in and attitudes about data analysis and quantitative information. Using data gathered from a set of pre- and post-assessment questions designed to measure changes in quantitative reasoning skills and attitudes, the findings point to significant attitudinal impacts, gains, but smaller, insignificant gains in quantitative reasoning skills.

Exploring Job Stressors And Burnout Among Core Faculty In Entry-Level Physical Therapist Education Programs: A Convergent Mixed Methods Study, Jj Ferguson, Adam Fritsch, Jodi L. Young

Health Professions Education

Purpose This study explored burnout among core faculty in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs, identifying its most prevalent aspects and key organizational correlations. Methods A convergent parallel mixed-methods design integrated quantitative data from the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Educators Survey and the Areas of Worklife Survey with qualitative data from semi-structured interviews. Data were collected concurrently, analyzed independently, and merged during interpretation. Quantitative analyses used multiple linear regression, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Results Eighty-one faculty completed the survey and 20 participated in interviews. Emotional exhaustion emerged as the most prevalent burnout dimension, with 51.9% reporting moderate to high levels. …

Professional Identity Development Among Nursing Students: The Impact Of Structured Reflective Practice, Abdelmonim El Fadely, Kamal Takhdat, Charaf-Eddine Ahraiba, Rahma Bouali, Sabah Selmaoui, Boujemaa Agorram

Health Professions Education

Purpose This study aimed to assess the impact of a structured reflective practice intervention on the development of professional identity among nursing students. Method A mixed-methods design was adopted. The intervention, based on guided reflective practice, was implemented with a voluntary sample of 58 participants. The evaluation relied on a quasi-experimental quantitative approach using the Macleod Clark Professional Identity Scale, with a comparison group and both pre-test and post-test measurements. A qualitative component was also included to explore the dimensions of the studied concept in greater depth. Results Quantitative findings showed a statistically significant difference between the post-test means (p < 0.001), indicating that the reflective practice intervention had a positive effect on the experimental group compared to the control group. The qualitative results further illuminated students’ reflections, which were organized into ten themes corresponding to the study’s conceptual framework: professional knowledge and skills, values and ethics, the nursing role, leadership, professional self-image, social image of the profession, sense of belonging, identification with role models, theory–practice integration, and career choice. These dimensions provided a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of professional identity, capturing the complexity of the concept. Conclusion These results support the integration of reflective practice as a pedagogical approach to fostering the construction and development of a positive professional identity. Professional identity, as a rich and multidimensional concept, goes beyond the process of professionalization—it represents its ultimate achievement.

Exploring Engagement With The Ecoschools Platform: An Interactive Display Board Exploratory Evaluation, Kaitlyn E. Ashmore

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study explores strategies to enhance engagement with EcoSchools Canada, an online sustainability platform used across Canada. Through an exploratory case study involving two Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) schools, the research evaluates the effectiveness of interactive tools such as an Interactive Display Board (IDB) and action cards in fostering student engagement, self-efficacy, and action competence in sustainability initiatives. Through examining user experiences and feedback from Eco-teams and staff, the findings aim to identify if and how these interventions serve as valuable complements to EcoSchools activities. Although not a standalone solution, these tools facilitate deeper involvement when integrated within …

Children's Peer Selection In Stem: The Influence Of Gender, Ethnicity, And Disability, Meagan Girard, Kim P. Roberts

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The present study examined how children’s peer selection in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) may be influenced by gender, ethnicity, and physical disability. Sixty-four children (ages 6-12) from elementary schools in Southwestern Ontario completed three tasks: a simulated peer selection task, an attribution of ability task, and a stereotype belief questionnaire. In the peer selection task, participants were repeatedly asked to select one peer from a set of AI-generated photographs showing children who differed by gender (male, female), ethnicity (White, Black, East Asian), and physical disability status (able-bodied user vs. nondisabled). The Peer Selection Task was based on the …

The Impact Of Synchronous And Asynchronous Preference On The Performance Of Distance Learning Students, Christopher A. Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Distance learning is a growing part of education. The transition to distance learning was underway at higher education institutions, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced institutions of all types to rapidly transition to distance learning. The technology that was adapted during this emergency distance learning remained in the classroom once normal instruction resumed. This quantitative study examined two aspects of distance learning technology in education. The study examined student preference for either synchronous or asynchronous instruction through the framework of expectancy theory. Students who were more familiar with the course material were hypothesized to have a higher expectation of success and …

Credit For Prior Learning, Advising, And Equity: A Framework For Faculty Development, Amy Danzo, Matthew Bergman, Melissa Moon

Journal of Excellence in College Teaching and Learning

Credit for prior learning (CPL)—which includes credit-by-examination, portfolio assessment, and credential-to-credit crosswalks—has demonstrated positive effects on persistence, time to degree, and affordability, with disproportionately large benefits accruing to historically underserved learners. Yet CPL often remains peripheral in advising and faculty practice, limiting its equity impact. Guided by critical theory and feminist poststructural epistemology (FPE), this quantitative study investigates the barriers that advisors perceive when recommending CPL at a four-year regional public university with an established CPL catalog. A campus-wide survey (n = 42) captured advisor characteristics, frequency of recommending specific CPL pathways, and perceived obstacles. Descriptive statistics and nonparametric comparisons …

Contractual Democracy From Statehouse To School Board: Shifts In Legislation And School Board Authority In Kentucky, Hannah M. Edelen

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

School boards have long been regarded as a cornerstone of American democracy, providing local governance over public education. While considerable scholarship highlights the increasing involvement of state and federal governments in education, relatively few studies examine with specificity how legislatures shape the local authority of these governance structures. This study investigates how the Kentucky State Legislature has influenced the authority of local school boards over three legislative sessions (2020–2022) and how board members perceive their evolving role. Using a multi-method approach and conceptualized in principal-agent theory, this research contributes to understanding how legislatures shape the governing responsibilities of school boards …

Emotional Support Friends: Creating Social Impact Through Art And Polite Humor, Kenyari Gil Rosario

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

This thesis aims to provide new imagery to the conversation of mental health and neurodivergence. It does this through forms of soft sculpture, digital paintings, marker drawings, and community murals. Inspired by the practices of Keith Haring, iconographic characters are used to portray common struggles and coping habits of mental conditions in an endearing light. With the goal of social impact, this project is affiliated with the non-profit organization Providing Autism Links and Support (P.A.L.S). This partnership has given the community an opportunity to share their compassion through art and donations and uses art as a means of social impact …

Re-Viewing Children’S Relations With Waste Through Commoning, Worlding And Inheriting, Mindy Blaise, Annette Nykiel, Jane Merewether, Stefania Giamminuti

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Feminist environmental educators have been calling for new ways of dismantling traditional separations such as nature–culture for reconfiguring human–environment relations. The Common Worlds Research Collective is an interdisciplinary research network made up of educators and researchers that conduct feminist and anticolonial pedagogical and methodological work concerned with more-than-human worlds. This visual essay takes inspiration from the inventive ways the Common Worlds Research Collective are thinking and practising with concepts. This visual essay introduces commoning, worlding and inheriting as concepts for rethinking practice. It shows how re-viewing photographic documentation taken of a waste project with young children and educators opens up …

2026-2027 Graduate Catalog, Morehead State University. Registrar's Office.

Morehead State Catalog Archive

2026-2027 graduate catalog for Morehead State University.

2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog, Morehead State University. Registrar's Office.

Morehead State Catalog Archive

2026-2027 undergraduate catalog for Morehead State University.

Methodological Insights And Trends: Participatory Positioning Of Children And Youth In Visual Art Education Research, Angela Eckhoff

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Participatory research methods have a focus on facilitating research processes that engage with participants and, as such, aim to promote individual voice, facilitate richer reflection and dialogue, and enable the articulation of participants' unique experiences. To explore the degree to which participatory practices are enacted in visual art education research, the present study critically examines the agentic positioning of children and youth in school‐based, visual arts experiences through a systematic, methodological literature review. Findings from this review serve to ground proposed recommendations for the inclusion of supportive research practices that carefully attend to the unique considerations that arise during participatory …

Debt Decisions: The Effects Of Paying For College In The United States With Student Loans, Kim E. Bullington, David J. Thomas, Minghui Hou, William L. Nuckols, Dennis E. Gregory, Joshua L. Howell, Kaycee L. Bills, Amy-Leah Joaquim

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Student loans have increasingly become a burden on individuals. This qualitative analysis explores how structural inequities and financial literacy gaps influence US student loan borrowers’ decisions to finance postsecondary education. The study highlights racial and economic disparities, examining participants’ reflections on debt aversion and systemic barriers to equitable access. We asked why participants took out federal student loans, asked about their decision processes when taking on debt, whether participants took any action to reduce accumulated debt, and if they’d made any discoveries about their decisions to take on student loan debt. After coding and a thematic analysis, five themes and …

It Makes Me Feel Dysphoric: Transgender And Non-Binary Students’ Perspectives Of Gendered Grouping Practices And Curriculum Provision In Secondary School Physical Education In England, Shaun D. Wilkinson, Dawn Penney

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study foregrounds the voices of transgender (trans) and non-binary students in a large-scale mixed-methods investigation of gendered grouping practices and curriculum provision in secondary school physical education (PE) in England. Theoretically, the research brought together an interdisciplinary framework for educational inclusion and the trans inclusion staged model to pursue conceptualisations and expressions of inclusion that disrupt cisnormative policies and structures. A survey of 14 co-educational secondary schools generated data from 36 students who identified as trans (n = 18) or non-binary (n = 18). The findings revealed that most trans (n = 16) and all non-binary students expressed preferences …

Embodying Policy Work: An Exploration Of Contexts, Actions And Meanings Towards New Possibilities For Physical Education Teacher Education (Pete), Victoria Evans, David Aldous, Dawn Penney

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This theoretical paper presents a heuristic framework that is directed towards transformative thinking and practices in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE). The research focus and direction, embodying policy work, applies and extends Bernstein’s concepts of the pedagogic and corporeal device to offer new directions for inquiry and explore the considerations these raise for PETE professionals and their practices. The paper affirms the importance of policy work in PETE, while recognising a need for more nuanced and critical understandings of the complex interrelationships between contexts and actions, and the potential meanings generated and ascribed to different forms of policy work and …

Let’S Make The Change: Addressing The Knowledge Gaps And Building Confidence In Teaching Aboriginal Perspectives For Pre-Service Teachers, Sarah Booth, Libby Jackson-Barrett, Mary Anne Macdonald, Renae Isaacs-Guthridge, Sian Bennett

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Teaching Aboriginal perspectives and Aboriginal students by non-Indigenous teachers can feel daunting; however, this need not be the case. This study focuses on two frameworks that can be used to motivate pre-service teachers to feel more confident in teaching Aboriginal perspectives even when starting with trepidation in this area. To explain further, this study explored the impact an Aboriginal Contexts in Education unit had on pre-service teachers’ readiness to teach Aboriginal students and Aboriginal curriculum. Through two frameworks pre-service teachers were exposed to a range of Aboriginal perspectives through Aboriginal educators, authors, and resources, and spoke of their appreciation of …

Send Us Your Children: Toronto’S Growing Market Of Private Schools For International Secondary Students And Why It Is Concerning, Olivia Johnston, Roopa Trilokekar, Sue Winton, Laura Perry

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The number of private secondary schools that cater to international students is increasing rapidly, especially in the Canadian city of Toronto. Previous studies about international students in public schools have uncovered several concerns, but little is known about these largely unregulated, for-profit private schools. We had created a dataset of all private secondary schools in Toronto (n = 370), and in the process noticed a high volume of schools explicitly targeting international students (n = 174). Thus, a qualitative document analysis of the websites of schools was conducted to explore this market further. Our final analysis uncovered 138 ‘schools of …

Students’ Experiences Of Living With Adhd At University: A Meta-Ethnography, Maree Mestichelli, Elisa Pepall, Thuy Tran, Mandy Stanley, Amy Cairns, Therese A. O’Sullivan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

While the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among university students varies depending on the population studied, it has been estimated at approximately 16%. University students with ADHD may find that the condition affects their academic performance, social interactions, and well-being. This meta-ethnographic review synthesizes findings from 25 qualitative studies to explore the lived experiences of university students with ADHD. The studies, published between 2000 and 2023, were predominantly conducted in the United States with sample sizes ranging from 4 to 135 students. Students came from a broad range of academic disciplines and included undergraduates, recent graduates, and attendees …

A Systematic Review Of Children’S Digital Funds Of Knowledge In Early Childhood Education And Care: Beginning The Conversation, Jess Hardley, Lennie Barblett, Maria Enriquez-Watt

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Children's ‘funds of knowledge’ (FK) offer a strengths-based approach to recognising how children contribute to the curriculum. Growing up in a postdigital world, young children's lives are enmeshed with digital technologies. Yet the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector remains hesitant to embed digital experiences in play and learning. While the concept of ‘digital fund of knowledge’ (DFK) has been explored in primary and secondary education, it remains underexamined in ECEC. This systematic review of four databases identified seven studies spanning Europe, Australia, the USA, Malta, Sweden and Finland. These highlight challenges including limited educators' understandings of children's DFK, …

Beyond Compliance: Transformative Co-Design For Gender-Based Violence Prevention In Higher Education, Narelle Lemon, Christina Gray, Jason Goopy, Lisa Holmes, Bec Ball, Melissa Perry, Elisa Fear

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study examines how university staff and students experience transformative learning through voluntary participation in a gender-based violence (GBV) prevention programme that transcended compliance-oriented approaches. While universities increasingly rely on mandatory modules that fail to create sustainable change, this research investigates whether self-nominated participation and co-design pedagogy can foster genuine transformation and voice development among participants from diverse disciplinary backgrounds. A qualitative multi-method design examined eight university students (aged 18–24) at an Australian university through pre-post focus groups, observational field notes, and artefact analysis. Participants voluntarily engaged in workshops co-designing peer-focused social media prevention messaging. Inductive thematic analysis identified patterns …

Crafting The Inspirational Teacher: Governing Through Affect As Policy Response To Teacher Recruitment In Australia, Saul Karnovsky, Brad Gobby, George Variyan, Andrew W. Wilkins, Antonio Olmedo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

As policymakers address a teacher attrition crisis, this paper examines how the Australian policy response mobilises affect to address and manage teacher recruitment. Drawing on affect theory and governmentality, we analyse a case study–the Australian Government’s Be That Teacher campaign–as a policy instrument that seeks to cultivate among would-be-teachers desirable feelings and aspirations aligned with state priorities. Our analysis shows how a sentimental and idealised figure of the ‘inspirational’ teacher is mobilised as a form of affective governmentality through two interconnected dynamics: (1) the construction of teaching as emotionally fulfilling and morally meaningful work through narratives of inspiration, care, and …

Making Room For ‘Feelings’: What's At Stake For The Theory Of Practice Architectures?, George Variyan, Brad Gobby

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper responds to Thelin, K. [2024. What about feelings? Elaboration on and consideration of the theoretical construct of emotions in practice and practice architectures. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 1–14] intriguing proposal that the theory of practice architectures (hereafter TPA) would benefit from an augmentation to its oft-repeated analytical mantra of ‘sayings, doings and relatings’ by adding the notion of feelings. Thelin's work is motivated by the increasing realisation amongst adherents that TPA has thus far been relatively silent on how emotions mediate practice. As such, there are ongoing efforts to think through the place of emotions in …

Noongar Culture, Arts Learning, And Wellbeing Literacy In Early Childhood: A Case Study Of The Song Room’S Deadly Arts Early Years Program In Western Australia Government Primary Schools, Jason Goopy, Narelle Lemon, Megan Mcpherson, Libby Jackson-Barrett, Jacqueline West

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This report presents findings from a case study examining how The Song Room's Deadly Arts Early Years program supports wellbeing literacy in early childhood education through engagement with Noongar culture, arts, and storytelling at Western Australia government primary schools. Conducted on Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar at Huntingdale Primary School and Orelia Primary School, the research was co-designed with Indigenous and non-Indigenous teaching artists, school communities, and The Song Room.

The study adopted wellbeing literacy — the capability to understand and intentionally use language about and for wellbeing across contexts — as its theoretical framework. Creative arts-based methods, including draw and tell …

Beyond Assumptions: What Students Really Think About School Wellbeing Programs, Amanda Madden

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The study examined students’ perceptions of effective components in school-based wellbeing programs, addressing a critical gap where adolescent voices are absent. Data was gathered through a questionnaire, individual interviews, and focus groups conducted with 36 Year 12 students across three independent co-educational schools in Western Australia. Thematic analysis identified seven key components essential for effective wellbeing programming: targeted content providing respite from academic pressures, engaging and relatable presenters, strategic timing, developmental appropriateness, meaningful measurement, genuine teacher engagement, and authentic incorporation of student voice. Students valued practical, non-academic content and expressed scepticisms about teacher-delivered programs. Timing emerged as a previously underexplored …