Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Autistic Children’S Play Cycles Using The Play Cycle Observation Method (Pcom), Eleanor C. Mugford, Pete King

International Journal of Playwork Practice

The Play Cycle Observation Method (PCOM) enables researchers to observe and record the process of play based on the theory of the Play Cycle. While the PCOM has been used with both video footage and in real-time observation of neurotypical children, it has not previously been applied with neurodivergent children. This study involved ten one-hour naturalistic PCOM observations with nine autistic children during play sessions. The results demonstrated variability in play processes, with several styles of play behaviour observed, including differences in how play was initiated, sustained, and terminated. The findings both corroborate and challenge strands of the existing literature …

A Systematic Review Of Puppetry-Based Social Skills Interventions For Children With Disabilities, Yilin Shen, Jasmine Begeske, Fan Cao

Journal of the Arts and Special Education

Children with disabilities often require explicit social skills instruction. Underdeveloped social skills can impact a child’s ability to form relationships, communicate effectively, and navigate social situations. Puppetry has emerged as a promising and multifaceted tool for social skills instruction for children with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to systematically appraise the quality of the existing literature and summarize the characteristics of puppet-based social skills interventions for children with disabilities. Suggestions are given for future social skills research involving puppetry.

Theater Is My Life: Creating Inclusive Spaces In Community Theater For Youth With Disabilities, Julie L. Stuckey, David Ray G. Miranda

Journal of the Arts and Special Education

This practitioners' guide provides 10 strategies for creating inclusive theater programs for youth with disabilities. The suggestions are based on experiences the author gained working with ACORN youth players. ACORN is an inclusive community theater that provides performance opportunities for all youth, but especially those with mental health struggles or high-incidence disabilities. Strategies focus on the different stages of theater production: planning, auditions, rehearsals, and performances.

We Are Each One Second Away From Being Someone Else's Patient, Paul B. Freeman Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Editorial

Socio-Informed Policing: Applying Bourdieu To Mandatory Police Reform Training, Neil T. Shelton El

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Contemporary U.S. police reform policies rely on officer training as a primary mechanism to address issues of law enforcement legitimacy and accountability. Yet, despite legitimacy-based curricula such as procedural justice, research indicates that this training struggles to produce durable changes in police practice. This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to examine officers’ perceptions of mandated reform-oriented training. Drawing on Bourdieu’s theory of practice, the study conceptualized police training as a sociological process shaped by habitus, forms of capital, and the policing field. Data were collected from six officers in a large urban police department to examine how they internalize, …

The Relationship Between Culturally Based Mentoring And Academic Persistence In African-American And Latino Male Community College Students, Corey M. Williams

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Men of color, particularly African American and Latino males, continue to experience disproportionately low rates of persistence and degree completion in community colleges. While prior research has often focused on individual deficits, less attention has been given to the institutional conditions and relational supports that shape student success. This study examines how culturally grounded mentoring influences persistence, student involvement, and overall student success among men of color in a community college context. Grounded in Tinto’s theory of student persistence and Astin’s theory of student involvement, this qualitative phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of participants engaged in a structured mentoring …

Edu 40 Field Work Seminar, Tonya L. Johnson

Open Educational Resources

The syllabus for EDU 30 contains a course description, course objectives, course readings divided by week and links to OER textbooks and ZTC readings.

The Effectiveness Of The Fishbowl Strategy Int Eaching Mathematics On Developing Creative Thinking For Fourth Grade Students In Basic Education In Dhofar Governorate, Sabah Abdalla Elsayed, Najawa Said Al-Hatmi

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The fishbowl technique improves the sharing of ideas in a structured conversational environment, adding depth and excitement to creative thought; it further promotes active observation and a secure discussion atmosphere, fostering the development of innovative solutions among learners, therefore; the current research aims to investigate the effectiveness of the Fishbowl strategy as one of the active learning strategies in teaching mathematics to develop creative thinking among fourth-grade students in basic education in Dhofar Governorate. An experimental approach with a quasi-experimental design was applied, where a sample consisting of two groups was selected: an experimental group (which studied using the Fishbowl …

The Lived Experiences Of Master's Level Counselors In Professional Counseling Association Leadership, Catalina R. Kraft

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Leadership and advocacy are essential for all counselors (Lewis, 2022; McKibben, 2016; Paradise et al., 2010; Sweeney, 2022). However, within research and professional counseling associations, there appears to be a bias in which counselor educators are the expected, default leaders within the counseling profession (Burns, 2015; Kleist, 2018; Speciale & Goodrich, 2020). While counselor educators may have experience as counselors, they primarily work in academia, so their experiences do not authentically represent the needs of professional counselors. Counseling leaders need to represent and understand the people they serve: counselors. Therefore, this study sought to understand the lived experiences of master’s …

Exploring The Physical Education Experiences Of Blind And Visually Impaired Hispanic Multilingual Learners In Integrated Settings, Sheyla G. Martinez-Rivera

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Although students with visual impairments (VI) are increasingly placed in integrated physical education (PE) classes (U.S. Department of Education, 2023), the embodied experiences of those who also identify as multilingual learners (MLs) and as Hispanics remain largely unexplored. This retrospective qualitative study examined how these students experience integrated PE during their K-12 education, focusing on how language and disability identities shaped their participation. Participants included seven Hispanic students, all MLs, and identified under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as blind or visually impaired. At the time of the study, participants were between 18 and 33 years old and …

The Leadership Lens: A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Sensemaking Experiences Of School Leaders Implementing Virginia's New Standards Of Accreditation And Accountability, Paul M. Wilson Jr.

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This phenomenological study exposes the complex cognitive and organizational processes school leaders navigate as they translate high-stakes state mandates into localized action. By examining the implementation of Virginia’s revised Standards of Accreditation and Accountability (SOA), this study challenges the prevailing managerial paradigm that views policy implementation as a linear, mechanical execution of directives. Instead, grounded in sensemaking theory and SDT, this research conceptualizes implementation as a situated and interpretive act shaped by leaders’ prior experiences, beliefs, and psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Using a qualitative phenomenological design, data were collected through semi structured interviews with 12 school and …

Bug-In-Ear ECoaching To Enhance Parents' Use Of Embedded Learning Opportunities With Preschool-Age Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Aeshah Alturki

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The increasing prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has heightened the need for effective communication interventions. Parents are key partners in intervention and, with appropriate support, can serve as effective intervention agents. However, parents often require ongoing support to implement evidence-based practices. The purpose of this study was to experimentally evaluate the effects of online Bug-in-Ear (BIE) eCoaching on parents’ fidelity of embedded choice-making during family routines with their preschool-aged children with ASD. This study also examined the generalization and maintenance, children’s communicative responses, and parents’ perceptions of the intervention. A single-subject nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across two parent–child dyads …

Modeling Early Indicators For Success In An Associate Degree In Nursing Program, Joseph D. Moss

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Persistent nursing workforce shortages across the United States have increased the importance of Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) programs as primary entry points into the profession. Community colleges prepare a substantial portion of the nursing workforce; however, attrition within ADN programs limits the number of graduates entering practice. Understanding factors associated with academic performance and program completion is essential for strengthening nursing education pathways and supporting workforce development. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine early academic and sociodemographic factors associated with successful completion of an ADN program at a suburban community college.

Guided by Becker’s Human Capital …

Profiles Of Science Students’ Achievement Emotions: An Exploration Of Motivational Antecedents And Persistence Outcomes Over Time, Arianna White-Levatich

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This is a longitudinal study focused on the importance of students’ beliefs and emotions for their persistence in science majors. The primary goals of this study are threefold. First, to examine how undergraduate science students’ academic achievement emotions combine into profiles across two time points in the context of introductory Chemistry and Biology Courses. Second, to examine how students’ beliefs and perceptions of belonging relate to profile membership and to the likelihood that students will transition between profiles of emotions over time. Third, to evaluate how emotion profile membership and transition are related to students’ intentions to pursue science and …

Paraeducators' Implementation Fidelity Of Functional Communication Training Following An Intervention Package Of Behavior Skills Training And ECoaching, Autumn M. Alexander

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

My first purpose of this study was to determine if an intervention package of Behavior Skills Training (BST) and eCoaching was effective in increasing and maintaining paraeducator implementation fidelity when implementing Functional Communication Training (FCT) with students with multiple disabilities. Second, I sought to measure the effectiveness of FCT on three students’ challenging behavior and a functional communicative response (FCR). Third, I collected information from paraeducators and teachers about the perceptions of the training methods and FCT for practical usage in the classroom. I used a multiple-probe research design across three paraeducator and student dyads and demonstrated that the intervention …

Effects Of Cross-Language Instructional Design On Foreign Language Learners' Cognitive Load: Approaching The Redundancy Principle Of Multimedia Learning, Leonor Mendiola Adams

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Because conceptualizations of cognitive resources play a critical role in determining the effectiveness of instructional design (Greeno, 2011; Greeno et al., 1996; Mayer, 2011, 2019), this study explores the effects of cross-language instructional design on learners’ perceived intrinsic, extraneous, and germane cognitive load content corresponding to content complexity, instructional presentation demands, and depth of understanding and schema construction, respectively.

Grounded in the redundancy principle of the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, this research further investigates whether the principle operates differently when learners’ native language is strategically incorporated into foreign language learning contexts. According to the cognitive theory of multimedia learning, …

The Implications Of The Midyear Departure Of Residence Directors In Housing And Residential Life, Chelsea Titus

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

High attrition rates among entry-level student affairs professionals have been documented for decades, yet little research has examined the implications of midyear departures within housing and residential life. Residence directors serve as live-in professionals responsible for crisis response, student conduct, staff supervision, and community development. When a midyear departure occurs, the disruption extends beyond the vacancy and affects supervisors, colleagues, and residential communities. The problem addressed in this study was the organizational and supervisory impact of midyear residence director departures. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to examine the factors contributing to midyear departures and to explore how …

Exploring The Way Up: Career Paths, Challenges, And Resilience Among Women Leaders In Higher Education, Angela M. Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Women represent the majority of students and faculty in higher education students in higher education in the United States, yet they remain underrepresented in executive leadership positions. Women pursuing these roles encounter unique challenges, and institutions have increasingly recognized the value of mentoring and sponsoring women who aspire to leadership. Guided by Kumar’s CR8 resilience theory, this qualitative descriptive study explored how women leaders in higher education in the United States describe their career pathways to leadership, the challenges they encounter, and the impact of mentoring/sponsoring in developing their resilience for career progression. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 women …

Bridging The Divide: Exploring Stigma And Enhancing Belonging For Online Faculty In Higher Education, Stephanie L. Wanamaker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Online faculty in higher education experience stigma and negative perceptions regarding online education in academia. Despite the rapid growth and success of online education, negative perceptions and stigma have not evolved at the same pace as the success of online institutions. Many online faculty members frequently experience skepticism, criticism, and marginalization from their residential counterparts within their academic communities. As a result of these experiences, online faculty are experiencing a reduced level of belonging, contributing to increased levels of burnout, poor satisfaction, and struggles with professional identity. Despite these experiences, little is known about the problem or how online faculty …

How Can Learning Management Systems Positively Impact Student Engagement In Online Courses?, Jerald P. Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The topic of this dissertation is learning management systems, specifically Canvas. Research has proven that student engagement is a strong factor in student achievement in both online and inperson courses. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a deficit in instructors’ ability to acquire and maintain student engagement in online courses. This study details why this problem exists and how instructors have successfully addressed it in higher-level online courses. The primary purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to examine how learning management systems, specifically Canvas, can increase student engagement in online courses in higher education. Qualitative research was the chosen paradigm for …

Identifying The Barriers Bilingual Parents Face In The Special Education Process, Miranda Leah Hernandez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increasing parental involvement in the special education process means parents, teachers, and school administrators can unite to educate the children. The problem that the researcher identified was that emergent bilingual families struggle to become meaningful participants in their children’s individualized education plans. This was a qualitative case study that identified the barriers that bilingual parents face within the special education process and the recommendations from bilingual parents on how to help them become more meaningful members of their child’s individualized education plan. The population within the research included bilingual families with children in the greater Houston, Texas area who have …

Evolving Humanity: Educational Leadership And Research In A Technological Age, Winona State University, Matthew G. Howard, Kari J. Johns, Peter Johnson, Kateri J. Johnson, Kelly Muller, Kate Glogowski, Niesha Conley, Sara Welch, Kristin E. Brendt, Cody B. Henrichs, Lance Davis, Kate Macdonald, Jody Shong, Oscar Uribe Mardones, Stacy L. Schilling, Allison R. Grainger, Kristen Fenlason, David E. Kline, Rachel Nihart, Rebecca R. Simataa, Steven M. Baule

Education Doctorate Books

The essays in this book are selected from Winona State University (WSU) doctoral students as part of the 2025 summer  WSU Doctoral Residency course. The residency course is a core portion of the WSU Education Doctorate Program.

Quote from the back of the book:

Our Doctoral students and doctoral graduate faculty are community members sharing experiences, asking questions, exploring our world, celebrating successes, and learning from missteps. We build and reconstruct our community as we learn, but never forgetting the end goal. We are together on this journey. This is the exciting part of learning. - Rhea Walker, Professor, WSU …

See These Great Speakers And Their Programs At Annual Session!, David Foe

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This feature highlights the speaker lineup and curriculum for the 2026 MDA Annual Session in Grand Rapids. The program offers diverse continuing education tracks for the entire dental team, including pediatric dentistry, oral pathology, risk management, and practice growth strategies. Notable speakers include clinical experts, legal professionals, and motivational keynotes. The document also explains the transition to a simplified registration system using one-day or full conference passes, allowing attendees more flexibility to choose sessions on-site without pre-registering for individual courses.

Rooted In Wonder: Cultivating A Connection To The Environment Through Nature-Based Learning In Central Mexico, Mikaela Tennis

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Children are spending less time outdoors and feeling increasingly disconnected from the natural world. This reduced exposure and lack of interaction limits opportunities to form early connections with nature, which have lasting benefits into adulthood. Nature-based learning approaches have been proven to increase a sense of nature connectedness, which in turn strengthens one’s environmental attitudes and behaviors while supporting mental health and well-being. To address limited access to nature-based learning experiences in Central Mexico, this capstone draws from research on nature connectedness, nature-based learning, and nature center design to answer the question, How can a nature-based learning center be designed …

An Informal Environmental Education Curriculum To Help Learners Reconceptualize The Idea Of The “Wild”, Kimber Hendrix

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Philosophers posit that the “wild” is something often portrayed as elusive, dangerous, or out of reach. Research indicates that exposure to outdoor environments can yield positive outcomes. This project is designed to take learners into a specific outdoor environment and utilize Restorative Justice and Coyote Mentoring Techniques in order to assist them in reconceptualize their idea of “wild”. This project evolved into a ten-lesson curriculum designed for fourth- to sixth-grade learners, but it could be adapted for learners of any age. The curriculum is designed to take place in a consistent outdoor setting so that learners can build a relationship …

Home And School Connection: Enhancing Middle School Literacy Through Family Involvement, Katherine Loveless

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

With continued declines in literacy rates within the United States and a notable lack of parental involvement within a middle school student’s educational journey, this capstone project looks to address both issues with a single project around middle school literacy nights. By means of an in-depth review of timely and relevant literature this capstone addresses the barriers that are frequently encountered for literacy based events such as rivaling expectations for involvement, socioeconomic barriers, scheduling conflicts, and language barriers. Through the development of this project, a resource-based website was created for event hosts, school leadership, and parents to rely on to …

Building Teacher Capacity To Support Newcomer Multilingual Learners In Upper Elementary Classrooms, Grace Getchell-Ochoa

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

As classrooms become more linguistically diverse, many teachers are working with newcomer multilingual learners and questioning how best to support their learning and engagement. This capstone project explored the question: How can a web-based resource platform enhance teachers’ knowledge and practices for interacting with and engaging newcomer multilingual learners in upper-elementary classrooms? The purpose of this project was to create a practical and accessible resource that helps bridge the gap between research and classroom practice. This project was influenced by research on language development, structured student interaction, and culturally and linguistically responsive teaching (Alvarez et al., 2023; Umansky et al., …

How Can Professional Development Be Designed To Better Equip Teachers To Support Multilingual And Immigrant Students Emotionally, Socially, And Academically In U.S. Elementary Schools?, Safiie Seitaptiieva

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project examines how professional development can better support teachers working with multilingual and immigrant students in elementary classrooms. Research highlights that culturally responsive teaching, inclusive curriculum design, and social-emotional learning are essential for improving student engagement and academic success in diverse learning environments, and this project draws on these frameworks to explore how educators can create more equitable and effective instructional practices. The study uses a qualitative approach, combining a review of existing research with professional classroom experience in the United States, and focuses on strategies such as adapting instruction, building meaningful relationships, and creating accessible learning environments …

The Impact Of Growth Mindset On Student Confidence And Performance In Mathematics, Micaela Büching

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Many educators frequently hear their students claim they are simply not a “math person.” This common phrase reflects a fixed mindset that can strongly impact a student's academic journey. This capstone project addresses the research question: In what ways does a growth mindset framework impact student confidence, effort, and academic performance in mathematics? A comprehensive literature review revealed that while growth mindset is a powerful tool for equity, successful implementation requires a shift in teacher beliefs and the integration of growth-oriented pedagogical strategies into daily classroom practice. In response, a three-part professional development series was designed for K–5 educators, focusing …

From Viewing To Thinking: Developing Learner's Critical Thinking Skills By Engaging In Philosophical Discussions Through Films, Andrew Barnhart

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone presents the idea that having learners discuss philosophical ideas that have been introduced to them through films and readings, with films serving as the primary vehicle for introducing those ideas, has the potential to help them think critically. Philosophy helps learners to logically reason, which leads them to critically think. However, the research found that if educators over-rely on textbooks, it may cause learners to become passive learners who do not critically think about the ideas they are learning. To remedy this, the project created for this capstone is a guidebook that helps educators use film, primary literary …