Digital Commons Network^™

Navigating Barriers: The Career Challenges Of Chinese Non-Stem Graduates In The U.S. Job Market, Dilin Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the career challenges faced by Chinese international graduates from non-STEM fields as they transition from U.S. higher education to the job market. While prior research has largely focused on STEM graduates who benefit from favorable visa policies and high labor demand, limited attention has been given to non-STEM students navigating structural, cultural, and social barriers to employment. Guided by the intellectual capital framework—which encompasses human, cultural, and social capital—this study examined how Chinese non-STEM graduates experience and respond to these barriers within the intersecting contexts of immigration policy, labor market expectations, and cultural adaptation.

Five …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Atlas Assessment Levels And Asboa Instrumental Ensemble Concert Assessment Ratings, Daniel Cooper

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

This study investigated the relationship between two key forms of school accountability that relate to secondary instrumental music programs. A thorough review of relevant literature was conducted to establish a framework for analyzing how ATLAS achievement levels may predict ASBOA concert assessment ratings of bands and orchestras in Arkansas. A quantitative approach was used via a binary logistic regression to interpret the impact of ATLAS achievement levels and SES, as defined by free and reduced lunch percentages, on an ensemble's likelihood of earning a superior or non-superior rating at region concert assessment. Results found statistically significant relationships for the predictive …

The Effects Of Extracurricular Activities On Academic Achievement, Attendance, And Discipline On Hispanic Students In One Northwest Arkansas Junior High School, Michael Jennings

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

Academic achievement and school engagement of Hispanic students are persistent concerns in the United States education system. Research has indicated that extracurricular activities can mitigate some of these concerns; however, limited research has examined their effects specifically among Hispanic students. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of extracurricular activities on academic achievement, attendance, and discipline among junior high school Hispanic students. In this study, archival data from two consecutive academic years were obtained for Hispanic students in a public school district in Arkansas, United States.

Academic achievement was measured using state-standardized test scores; attendance was measured …

Teacher Shortages In Arkansas Rural School Districts: Employed Teacher’S Perceptions Of The Impact On Their Effectiveness, Carloss Guess

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

ABSTRACT

TEACHER SHORTAGES IN ARKANSAS RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS: EMPLOYED TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE IMPACT

ON THEIR EFFECTIVENESS

Carloss Guess

Teacher shortages in rural school districts remain a persistent challenge that affects instructional quality, teacher workload, and professional sustainability. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how teachers in rural Arkansas perceive the impact of staffing shortages on their instructional roles, workload, and professional well-being. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 K–12 teachers representing elementary, middle, and high schools and across varying career stages. Interview transcripts were analyzed using an inductive qualitative approach and the constant …

Debriefing In Emergency Departments And Intensive Care Units To Combat Compassion Fatigue, Madison N. Chiolino

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

Compassion fatigue can be associated with nurses working in increased stressful environments such as the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Emergency Room (ER).  There is a gap in healthcare facilities, where structured interventions like debriefing tools are not implemented to address compassion fatigue. The purpose of this study was to determine if implementing a debriefing tool in areas where nurses are placed in high stress scenarios such as the intensive care unit and emergency department can aid in combating compassion fatigue. A piloted quantitative pre-and post-survey intervention design was used. Data was collected using the ProQOL 5 and PEARLS debriefing …

Barriers, Beliefs, And Brilliance: African American Males Perceptions Of Academic Success, Cara C. Bowie

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

This phenomenological study looked at the lived experience and perceptions of academically successful African American male students in Riverbend County, Arkansas.  With the help of the Critical Race Theory (CRT) and a phenomenological orientation, the research aimed to address the research question: What aspects of the educational systems do academically successful African American male students identify as most influential and impactful in their success?  Brookhaven High School was purposely chosen, with ten participants having a minimum 3.0 GPA.  The main data collection tool was semi-structured interviews, and Moustakas (1994) transcendental phenomenological analysis approach was used to determine textual and structural …

African American Male Administrators’ Perceptions Of Leadership Expectations At The Secondary Level, Dimitri D. Williams

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

The underrepresentation of African American male administrators at the secondary level in public education, paired with racialized leadership expectations, demands a deeper examination of their lived experiences. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the perceptions that came from the lived experiences of African American male administrators at the secondary level, with particular focus on their various leadership journeys, perceived expectations, and identity construction within predominantly Caucasian spaces. This study is rooted in Critical Race Theory and the conceptual frameworks of double consciousness, code-switching, tokenism, and impostor syndrome. This study investigated how race influences leadership expectations, professional advancement, and daily administrative practice. …

Prematurity And Special Education: Raising Awareness Of The Connections Between Preterm Births And Special Education, Nadia R. Corder

Honors Theses

In this thesis, the goal was to find the link, if any, between prematurity and special education, with regards to probability of special education and outcomes, and to create a means of professional development for not only special education teachers about prematurity risks and effects on students but also parental education about the possible procedures of their child’s education. This is accomplished through the organization of infographic pamphlets for parents and an online professional development presentation. Both these formats are compliant to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility parameters. A literature review was conducted to achieve this goal using …

Service-Learning In Adapted Physical Activity: Student Experiences With And Without Course Integration, Courtney Jost, Nicole Fiscella Nicole Fiscella, Roxanne Bahn-Bales, Tze-Hsuan Wang, Jennifer Beamer, Jennifer Taylor, Willie Chun Wai Leung

Educational Practices in Kinesiology

Service-learning is widely used in adapted physical activity/education (APA/APE) courses to enhance student learning through community engagement. However, limited research has explored how the presence or absence of an APA/APE course influences students’ perceived learning, confidence, and engagement in inclusive physical activity settings. This quasi-experimental, cross-sectional study examined how course-enhanced and purely experiential models of a university-based APA service-learning program, PA PALS, shaped undergraduate students’ experiences. Students (N = 58) participated; 41.4% (n = 24) were concurrently enrolled in an APA/APE course (course-enhanced group), while 58.6% (n = 34) participated as volunteers (purely experiential group). A validated …

Ai-Enhanced Feedback Loops In Physical Education Teacher Education: Using Chatbots And Brisk Ai To Support Reflection And Instructional Growth, Nikki Hollett, Sheri J. Brock

Educational Practices in Kinesiology

Educating physical education teachers to deliver effective online and hybrid instruction presents unique challenges. Instructors cannot observe preservice teachers live in a gymnasium, and real-time feedback is impossible. When dozens of students submit micro-teaching videos, the traditional feedback cycle breaks down. This teaching and learning resource presents a practical, scalable model to address these constraints through integration of two accessible AI tools: Brisk AI for automated video analysis and custom-designed AI chatbots for guided reflection. Through this approach, preservice teachers record short lessons, receive immediate automated feedback on their teaching behaviors, engage in chatbot-guided metacognitive reflection, and revise and reteach …

Learning Through Play: The Effects Of Play-Based Instruction On Literacy Development, Jherica Goodgame

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the role of play-based learning in early literacy development, emphasizing its impact on student engagement, executive functioning, and overall academic success. Drawing from research and personal experience, it argues that play is not separate from learning but a critical component of it. This thesis also highlights the benefits of play for diverse learners and examines the challenges teachers face in implementing play-based instruction. It provides numerous examples of play-based instruction practiced in a real classroom setting with 17 students who are varying from early kindergarten to late kindergarten levels. This thesis seeks to demonstrate the importance of …

Gendered Politics Of Pictures: How Images In A Pakistani English Textbook Homogenize Female Identities, Liaquat Ali Channa

The Qualitative Report

This qualitative multimodal analytical study draws upon Kress and van Leeuwen’s ideas about pictures and problematizes textbooks of English that supposedly teach only English in Pakistan. It aims to understand the identities of an adult female as shown in the images of an English textbook. It uses Foucault’s theories of discourse and discursive formation, and a Vygotskian sociocultural view of the development of consciousness. By following Braun and Clarke (2006, 2019), all the pictures of the My English Book 4 are first analyzed thematically. Later, O’Toole’s (1994) method of analyzing pictures is employed for a detailed examination of a representative …

Exploring Grounded Theory In Educational Research: Literature Review, Reflexivity, And Conceptual Development In Doctoral Research, Huidan Niu

The Qualitative Report

My article explores the application of grounded theory in educational research, focusing on the literature review process, reflexivity, and conceptual development. I address common misconceptions about grounded theory, especially for novice researchers, and advocate for its use as a comprehensive methodology rather than solely as a data analysis tool. Drawing on my doctoral research experience, I argue that grounded theory offers a valuable framework for fostering theoretical sensitivity and independence, making it particularly suitable for educational research. Through detailed examination, I offer novice researchers practical strategies for navigating the methodological complexities of grounded theory and for contributing conceptually robust and …

Building Ai Literacy Through Assessment Practices In Physical Education Teacher Education, Rebekah A. Johnson

Educational Practices in Kinesiology

The classroom resource presented provides an instructional approach designed to enhance both course outcomes and artificial intelligence (AI) literacy in undergraduate physical education preservice teachers. Implemented in a full-semester, in-person Assessment in Physical Education course, the project engaged students in learning to develop effective AI prompts, critically analyze AI-generated outputs, and apply these tools to design a standards-based assessment plan. Designed for undergraduate students with foundational knowledge of assessment and pedagogy, the project incorporated scaffolded tasks, guided discussions, and structured reflections to support AI integration through experiential learning. In approximately 30 minutes per week throughout the semester, students explored how …

An Analysis Of Web-Based Languange Learning On Students Speaking Anxiety, Alfi Syahrina, Zarfina Yenti, Monalisa Monalisa

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

This study explores the use of Duolingo as a web-based language learning tool and its influence on students’ speaking anxiety at MTs Nurul Falah Kota Jambi. Speaking anxiety remains a significant affective barrier in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning, particularly in traditional classroom settings where students often experience communication apprehension, fear of negative evaluation, and test anxiety. Employing a qualitative case study design, this research involved approximately 15 students who had used Duolingo for at least six weeks, along with one English teacher for triangulation. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations and analyzed using thematic …

Nature As The Foundation: A Shift In Pedagogy, Mary Moroney-Fernandez

The Cicadian

Somewhere in the United States right now, a child is sitting beneath fluorescent lights while the world outside continues without her. This paper argues that her confinement is not accidental, but rather theoretical. Examining the divergent frameworks of Friedrich Fröbel and Jean Piaget, it traces how American public schooling absorbed a vision of learning organized around cognitive individualism while displacing Fröbel's relational vision of child and nature. Drawing on reflection, historical analysis, and research, this paper contends that lasting reform requires confronting the foundational assumptions that built the classroom in the first place.

Challenges And Innovations In Tennis Coach Development: International Insights From Practitioners Across Continents, Miguel Crespo, Rafael Martinez-Gallego, Christine Nash

Journal of Coach Development

Tennis is a global sport with effective coaches being essential to the continued appeal, therefore the work of the coach developers within the International Tennis Federation (ITF) is crucial. This research examined the work and aspirations of coach developers in tennis using in-depth interviews with 10 ITF coach developers. Subsequently, we developed detailed pen portraits of two ITF coach developers at different levels of experience and engagement in order to highlight any differences in work, objectives or ambition. Findings from coach developers revealed three themes: support from ITF; barriers to learning; making learning less traditional. The pen portraits added further …

So All Students Learn And Thrive: An Improvecrit Analysis Of A School’S Multi-Tiered System Of Supports, Rebekah Kang

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) is an integrated K-12 educational framework that addresses the needs of all students in a systematic way by focusing on prevention and the implementation of evidence-based practices (California Department of Education, 2023). The “Guide to Implementing California’s Multi-Tiered System of Support” (Orange County Department of Education, 2023) promotes the maxim “All Means All” which paints a picture of schooling where all students are receiving the supports they need to learn and succeed. However, critical MTSS researchers have argued that MTSS failed to address the needs of all students, especially students of color, because it did …

The Impact Of The Science Of Reading Initiative On Reading Test Scores Among Rural Elementary Students In Arkansas, Julie A. Ferguson

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

This study examines changes in reading achievement among rural elementary students in Arkansas following the statewide implementation of the Science of Reading initiative. Beginning in 2019, Arkansas required educators in kindergarten through sixth grade to receive training in evidence‑based literacy practices emphasizing phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Despite these efforts, rural districts continue to face challenges related to staffing, access to professional development, and instructional resources, raising questions about whether statewide reforms have produced measurable improvements in reading outcomes.

Using a quantitative, longitudinal, quasi‑experimental design, this study analyzes ACT Aspire reading assessment data collected from rural Arkansas schools …

Exploring The Impact Of Ungrading On Student Engagement And Motivation In A First-Year Composition Class, Mary B. Gruis

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This study investigated the association between student engagement, motivation, and self-efficacy in college-level writing-intensive courses using an ungraded approach. Motivated by disillusionment with traditional grading methods and inspired by texts on equitable grading and culturally responsive teaching, the researcher explored how ungrading could foster deeper learning and equitable educational practices. Grounded in Bandura’s (1997) self-efficacy framework, this qualitative case study examined the lived experiences of first-year composition students at a two-year institution. Data collection included student interviews, student reflections, and an instructor interview. The analysis revealed themes aligned with self-efficacy, engagement, and motivation, suggesting that ungrading positively impacted students' perceptions …

Building Preschool Teacher Confidence In Understanding Student Accommodations By Implementing The Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support (Mtss) Framework, Heather Briese

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Abstract

The overall goal of this paper is to highlight the crucial role that educators have with student development. Educators' knowledge and the ability to implement High-Leverage Practices (HLPs), Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs), and providing the Mutli-Tiered Systems of Support  (MTSS) are essential for student growth through effective student accommodations. This paper will examine how these practices can be implemented to support students in both academics and socially-emotionally. In order for early childhood educators to be successful in providing student support they need to have a comprehensive understanding of High-Leverage Practices (HLPs), Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs), Mutli-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and …

Expertise First: Reflections On Informal Artificial Intelligence Mentoring In An Asynchronous Nursing Faculty Community, Anna Liza D. Villena Phd, Rn, Fnp-Bc

Journal of Online Mentoring

The integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) into higher education has arrived faster than the support structures designed to help faculty navigate it. This article reflects on one faculty member’s experience providing informal AI integration mentoring to nursing colleagues at Walden University, a fully asynchronous online graduate nursing program, where clinician-educators with deep disciplinary expertise often struggled to recognize that expertise as an asset in their interactions with AI tools.

Drawing on Rogers’ (2003) diffusion of innovations theory, the article describes the mentoring approach that emerged from practice, the central insight that faculty are not failing to integrate AI because …

Countering Negative Language Attitudes: Adopting A Critical Multidialectal Approach To Language Teaching, Farah Ali, Kristen Terry, Rebecca Pozzi, Chelsea Escalante, Tracy Quan, Xinye Zhang

Global Language Studies Faculty publications

Language attitudes have been recognized as an important area of study in sociolinguistic research (Evans & Preston, 2023; Preston, 2013), and the consequences of prescriptive ideologies and negative attitudes toward non-privileged varieties extend to language instruction. These ideologies regard certain uses of the language as unacceptable if they diverge from what is considered the “standard” variety, established through linguistic imperialism and a colonial heritage (Benaglia & Smith, 2022) and perpetuated by linguistic authorities. Adherence to a prescriptive perspective without questioning its ideological and discriminatory function leads to the reproduction of a “deficit perspective”, in which those who use alternative varieties …

Uncertain Roads, Resilient Journey: At The Intersection Of Love, Wealth, And Undocumentedness Lies A Critical Examination Of Career Development Challenges And Aspirations, Daniel Caballero

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Undocumented college students in the United States graduate with degrees in hand, but face a labor market that, for many, remains legally inaccessible. Despite growing enrollment across higher education institutions, this student population continued to navigate career development in the near minimal institutional support designed for their specific circumstances. This qualitative study examined how career services at small private liberal arts colleges responded to the needs of undocumented students, particularly those without Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA; Napolitano, 2012), as they navigated career development during and after college (Kantamneni, Dharmalingam, et al., 2016; Kantamneni, Shada, et al., 2016; Morales …

The Impact Of Hearts For The Homeless On Students At The University Of Mississippi, Ellie Menszer

Honors Theses

Hearts for Homeless (H4H) is an international organization that works to help one of the most vulnerable populations for cardiac disease, the homeless, due to the lack of access to health care and information. At the University of Mississippi, H4H is a registered student organization that volunteers weekly at the Oxford Community Market (OXCM) to provide free blood pressure screenings and heart health information. H4H helps the community while also providing students with hands-on patient care experience. The goal of this research is to determine how volunteering with H4H impacts students at the University of Mississippi. A literature review informed …

Prematurity And Special Education: Raising Awareness Of The Connections Between Preterm Births And Special Education, Nadia R. Corder

Honors Theses

In this thesis, the goal was to find the link, if any, between prematurity and special education, with regards to probability of special education and outcomes, and to create a means of professional development for not only special education teachers about prematurity risks and effects on students but also parental education about the possible procedures of their child’s education. This is accomplished through the organization of infographic pamphlets for parents and an online professional development presentation. Both these formats are compliant to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility parameters. A literature review was conducted to achieve this goal using …

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (Ai) To Strengthen Mtss Within Catholic Schools, Kaitlin D. Reichart, Adam B. Lockwood, Jessica Pizzute (Kukura)

Education: School of Education Faculty Publications and Other Works

Many Catholic schools face resource challenges that result in limitations surrounding the implementation of multi-tiered systems and support (MTSS). Artificial intelligence (AI) offers a potential tool for Catholic schools to strengthen systems of support. This article provides a conceptual analysis regarding opportunities for AI to strengthen core components of MTSS, such as identifying evidence-based interventions, developing progress monitoring tools, analyzing student data, and facilitating personalized instruction. The article also discusses the challenges and limitations of leveraging AI within Catholic schools, specifically when supporting staff and students. Although the article is focused on US contexts, there are conceptual implications that may …

Perspective On Speech Therapy, Aac Devices, And Community Support: A Case Study Of A Caregiver Of An Adult With Down Syndrome, Ella Harris

Honors College Theses

For someone with a disability such as Down syndrome (DS), they often present with deficits in speech and language. These individuals typically require a caregiver for their physical, mental, and social needs, and their caregiver also often serves as their primary communication partner. This study explored caregiver perspectives on how they facilitate communication including their experiences with speech therapy services, augmentative and alternative communication, and community communication supports. A caregiver of an adult with DS participated in a structured interview to discuss their experiences as a caregiver for an individual with complex communication needs. The data from the interview was …

Perceived Principal Influence Tactics And Early-Tenure Teacher Status, Vanessa Perez-Peterson, Christopher Benedetti

School Leadership Review

Teacher staffing stability remains a persistent challenge for schools, particularly during the early years of teachers’ placement. This study examined whether teachers’ perceptions of principal influence tactics were associated with early-tenure status, defined as 0–3 years at their current campus. Guided by influence tactics theory, a quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed using survey data from 167 certified teachers in Southeastern Texas. Participants completed the Influence Behavior Questionnaire–General (IBQ-G), and composite indices of noncoercive, soft-coercive, and hard-coercive tactics were included in a logistic regression model, along with teacher and principal demographic variables. None of the three influence-tactic categories was significantly associated …

Mind Over Measure: The Role Of Self-Care Practices In Mitigating Mental Health Strain Among K-12 Educators, Jerry Burkett, Ryan Hulla

School Leadership Review

Teacher mental health is a critical concern in K-12 education, with high rates of burnout demanding effective protective strategies. This study investigated the relationship between five dimensions of teacher self-care (Physical, Psychological, Emotional, Spiritual, and Professional) and overall mental health outcomes, while specifically exploring differences between elementary (K-5) and high school (9-12) educators. A sample of K-12 teachers completed the Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5) and the Self-Care Inventory. Correlational analysis found that all five self-care dimensions were significantly and positively associated with mental health, with Professional Self-Care demonstrating the strongest link (r=.48, p