Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Culturally Responsive Leadership Practices Among Female Leaders In Title I Schools: Strategies For Enhancing Student Success, Tara K. Indar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The academic achievement gap between White students and diverse student populations remains a persistent and prominent disparity in schools across the United States. While this issue affects schools nationwide, it is particularly significant in Title I schools, where many students from diverse, lower-socioeconomic-status backgrounds are served. Although a substantial body of literature examines this gap and highlights the positive impact of culturally responsive leadership, there remains a limited understanding of which specific practices are most effective in improving students’ academic outcomes. This study explores the perceptions of female school leaders in Title I schools regarding the strategies they believe contribute …

Teacher Perceptions On Optimizing Instructional Practices For English As A Second Language Instruction, Molly Elizabeth Davis

Student Theses and Dissertations

The rapid growth of English learners (ELs) in middle schools across Northwest Arkansas has intensified the need for instructional practices that effectively support English language acquisition while promoting equitable academic outcomes. Despite the presence of district-level English as a Second Language (ESL) policies, inconsistencies remain in how instructional practices are implemented at the classroom level. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to examine middle school teachers’ perceptions of instructional practices that optimize ESL instruction, explore the alignment between teacher practices and district policy, and identify challenges educators face in implementing effective strategies. Guided by Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural …

Internships As A High-Impact Practice: A Phenomenological Study Of Hbcu Student Experiences With Soft Skills, Michelle Bennett Simmons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe soft skill development gains through high-impact practice internship experiences for Black students at an HBCU in the Mid-Atlantic United States. The theory presented informed and supported the focus of inquiry was Kolb’s experiential learning theory. This theory served as the theoretical framework for the study to answer the following central research question: What are the lived experiences of HBCU Alpha University students who participate in HIP internships? Participants included 10 Black students at Alpha University who completed an internship. The participants were selected using purposeful sampling. Data was collected through …

Exploring Teacher Experiences And Readiness In Supporting Twice-Exceptional Students: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Jennifer D B Melvin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the perceived preparedness for the responsibility for the educational experiences of twice-exceptional students at public schools in Western Georgia. Twice-exceptional students, who are gifted and have disabilities, face unique challenges in academic achievement and social-emotional well-being due to asynchronous profiles and unmet needs. While evidence-based strategies exist to support twice-exceptional learners, appropriate training for teachers is imperative to ensure these approaches are implemented effectively. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s social cognitive theory, as it posits that there is a connection between personal factors, behavioral patterns, and the environment …

Recommendations For Improving Soft Skills Training In The Career And Technical Education Curriculum At Sumter Career And Technology Center In South Carolina, Walter Robertson Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to improve soft skills training in the Career and Technical Education curriculum at the Sumter Career and Technology Center in South Carolina. The problem was that 8% of the Sumter Career and Technology Center's students participating in work-based learning opportunities, apprenticeships, or internships lack the soft skills required by participating employers. The rationale for this study was that it is critical to improve soft skills training in the curriculum at Sumter Career and Technology Center to improve students' performance in work-based learning opportunities to boost employer confidence and lead to permanent future employment opportunities …

Recommendations To Improve Career And Technical Education Online Instruction Practices At A Community College In The United States Of America, Thomas Matthew Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to provide recommendations to improve career and technical education online instruction practices at a community college in the United States of America. The problem was that career and technical education online instruction practices are inadequate at a community college in the United States of America. The reasoning for this study was to improve students’ preparedness for vocational careers by incorporating online instruction as a complement to traditional classroom instruction. Improving online instruction practices can improve a student’s self-efficacy. The central research question was how can career and technical education online instruction practices be improved …

The Effect Of Project-Based Learning Model On Entrepreneurship (Pjbl-E) With A Deep Learning Approach On Students' Problem-Solving And Cognitive Skills, Ricce Oktasari, Irwandi Irwandi, Siti Darwa Suryani

Jurnal Pendidikan Sains

This study aims to examine the effect of the Entrepreneurship-based Project Based Learning (PjBL-E) model integrated with a pedagogical Deep Learning approach on students’ problem-solving skills and cognitive learning outcomes in biology learning. The novelty of this study lies in the integration of entrepreneurship values and pedagogical deep learning principles into Project Based Learning to create contextual and meaningful learning experiences. Entrepreneurship integration encourages students to develop innovative products, identify real-world problems, and apply biological concepts in practical and socio-economic contexts. Meanwhile, the pedagogical Deep Learning approach promotes reflective thinking, conceptual understanding, critical analysis, and the ability to connect theory …

The Effect Of Discovery Learning Model On Students’ Critical Thinking Skills In Biology Learning At Sman 1 Dampelas, Umiyatul Rahma, Mursito S. Bialangi, Amalia Buntu, Fatma Dhafir, Raya Agni, Gamar B. N Shamdas

Jurnal Pendidikan Sains

Critical thinking skills are essential in biology learning; however, many classroom practices remain teacher-centered, limiting students’ opportunities to engage in higher-order thinking processes. Although previous studies have reported the potential of Discovery Learning to enhance critical thinking, evidence regarding its effectiveness in secondary biology education remains limited, particularly in the context of Indonesian high schools. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effect of the Discovery Learning model on students’ critical thinking skills in biology learning at SMAN 1 Dampelas. A quasi-experimental study employing a nonequivalent control group design was conducted with 48 Grade XI science students, consisting of 24 …

K–3 General Education Teachers’ Experiences On Their Roles In Supporting English Language Learners, Sylvia Pollard-Ware

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Being Desi At School: Exploring The Racialized School Experiences Of South Asian American Youth, Prabha Kaundinya

Dissertations

Schools in America have been central areas for racialization, and as an immigrant, racial-ethnic minority population, South Asian American (SAA) students have been subjected to a variety of racialization processes (S. J. Lee et al., 2017; Rice, 2017, 2019; Subedi, 2013). However, what is known about SAA educational experiences is often based on celebratory stereotypes that proclaim their uniform success while neglecting attention towards the diversity of their needs (including academic, social-emotional, or mental health needs; Saran, 2015; Ngo & Lee, 2007; P. Patel & Patel, 2017; Pedraza & Guillaume, 2023; N. Sharma et al., 2020). This dissertation uses a …

The Effects Of Miscarriage On African American Men, Serita E. Baysmore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to describe the lived experience of African American men who have endured the loss of a child through miscarriage. Schlossberg’s transition theory, developed in 1981, was used to identify how men work through their grief by focusing on how they enter into, move through, and move out of the transition. By centering the descriptions on lived experiences, semi-structured interviews were utilized with African American men from a North Texas church, which boasts a predominantly African American population, and by word of mouth. After completion of the interviews, the data were analyzed according …

Trading Podiums: Transitioning From Teaching Secondary Band To Teaching Secondary Orchestra In Eastern South Carolina, Troy M. Murray

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative, explanatory case study examined the musical attributes band teachers need to successfully teach string orchestra students in eastern South Carolina. This information is critical due to the high number of orchestra teachers who are non-string instrumentalists in that region of the state. Of the 28 orchestra teachers in South Carolina’s Region 5 orchestra division, 14 of the teachers performed primarily as wind or percussion instrumentalists. This study sought to understand the challenges teachers face when transitioning from teaching secondary band to secondary string orchestra in eastern South Carolina. Despite the parallels in music reading and repertoire selection between …

Analysis Of Student’S Critical Thinking Skills In Science Learning : A Gender-Based Analysis, Evi Elisanti, Larassati Larassati

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

The lack of studies on the development of critical thinking skills based on students' gender and the limited thinking processes demonstrated by male and female students in science classes. The purpose of this study is to analyze students' critical thinking skills in science learning: a gender-based analysis. The research sample subjects were 4th grade 107 class V students in one of the public elementary schools in the city of Surakarta. This type of research used descriptive statistics and inferential statistics to analyze the data. The novelty of this study broadens the perspective that gender differences are not a matter of …

The Readiness Reset: Sleep, Stress, And Pain Management For Tactical Performance, Lauren Fried

Tactical & Occupational Performance Conference

Tactical professionals operate in high-demand environments where sleep disruption, chronic stress, and persistent pain are often normalized, but these factors significantly affect readiness, resilience, and long-term performance. This session explores how sleep, stress, and pain interact at the physiological and neurological levels to influence decision-making, recovery, injury risk, and operational effectiveness in first responders and military personnel.

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how nervous system regulation, circadian rhythms, and pain perception affect both physical and cognitive performance under stress. Drawing on current research and applied human performance principles, this session highlights practical, field-applicable strategies that tactical professionals and …

A Culturally Responsive Campus Learning Community: Stories About Professional And Personal Growth, Maria I. Iturbide, Amy E. Sprowles, Kimberly Vincent-Layton, Seth Bradley, Steven T. Margell

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Although collegiate enrollment for students of diverse identities has steadily increased over the last five decades, their college graduation rates have not increased proportionally. Culturally responsive educational environments allow students to leverage their cultural wealth to achieve their academic aspirations. To create a culturally responsive campus culture, educators’ pedagogy must value culture in thinking, feeling, learning, and the communication of ideas. This article explores the ability of a professional learning community approach to cultivate in educator participants the personal and professional shifts required to create a culturally responsive educational environment. We analyzed qualitative data from 10 open-ended questions through an …

Extracurricular Video Game Use And Academic Achievement: A Systematic Literature Review, Christina Hartman, Theo Makanoa, Lucas Thoms, Aidan Lowry, Kaleb Chandler

English Student Research

A good deal of research exists on the relationship between student use of video games outside the classroom and academic achievement. Our systematic review aims to identify what patterns exist across research conducted in the last 20 years. We examined 62 research studies that dealt with academic achievement and extracurricular video game use and found that most studies identify a negative association between the two. However, this isn’t the case for all students. We identified three important variables (the amount of time spent playing video games, the time of day or week spent playing, and the age of the students) …

Pinnlab: An Interactive Dashboard For Teaching Data-Driven Parameter Estimation In Differential Equations Using Physics-Informed Neural Networks, Mohan J. Parthasarathy, Padmanabhan Seshaiyer

CODEE Journal

Undergraduate instruction in ordinary differential equations (ODEs) is typically organized around the forward problem: finding solution trajectories when the governing equation and its parameters are known. In scientific practice, however, inverse problems are often more relevant, requiring unknown parameters to be inferred from noisy observations while assessing whether a proposed model is consistent with the data. We introduce PINNLab, an open-source MATLAB dashboard designed to help undergraduate students explore inverse modeling through physics-informed neural networks (PINNs). PINNLab presents PINNs as a complementary data-driven framework that connects differential equations, optimization, empirical data, and scientific machine learning. The instructional sequence is organized …

Innovation Hubs In Mountain West Cities, 2025, Cason Noll, Sean Curry, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Economic Development & Workforce

This fact sheet presents data on 20 innovation-dense Mountain West cities across Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The CommercialCafe report, “Santa Clara, Berkeley & Tempe Lead Among Western Innovation Hubs,”  uses 15 indicators to rank 63 western cities for innovation hub activity across three categories: employment and talent, education, and business activity.

Ignatian Pedagogy For Engaged, Reflective, And Inclusive Learning: New Insights On A Treasured Tradition, Jennifer Tilghman-Havens, Jennifer Loertscher, David Green, Kerry S. Von Esch

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

Ignatian pedagogy is the philosophy and methodology for teaching and learning that evolved from the wisdom accumulated from 500 years of Jesuit education. The Ignatian approach views education as a collaborative process that transforms students and teachers, preparing them for moral and ethical action in the world. While the core values of Jesuit education have remained constant, the changing demographics within our Jesuit communities and among the faculty and staff of our institutions offer an opportunity to celebrate its many intersections with peer-reviewed research on effective pedagogical approaches that center students and foster justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. In this …

Worldbuilding, Brent Ryan Bellamy

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

Entry for special issue, 'Keywords for Value and Culture'

Substantialism, David Janzen

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

Entry for special issue, 'Keywords for Value and Culture'

Gestation, Savannah Whaley

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

Entry for special issue, 'Keywords for Value and Culture'

Exhaustion, Corbin Hiday

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

Entry for special issue, 'Keywords for Value and Culture'

Content I, Marie Claire Middlemiss Sanazaro

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

Entry for special issue, 'Keywords for Value and Culture'

Compression, Ruth Jennison

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

Entry for special issue, 'Keywords for Value and Culture'

Open Classroom Climate And Democratic Education: Implications For Research And Practice. A Response To "Reassessing The Open Classroom Climate In Civic Education: Insights From 60 Studies", Luke J. Rapa

Democracy & Education

An open classroom climate has numerous benefits for school-aged youth, and it plays an important role in school-based democratic and civic education efforts. After highlighting the strengths of Knowles and Chamberlain's review, I add to their contribution by enumerating several implications for contemporary open classroom climate research and practice. I suggest researchers and practitioners: (a) embrace pluralism in open classroom climate pedagogy and instructional contexts; (b) explore mechanisms driving associations between open classroom climate and outcomes of interest; (c) incorporate developmental theory; and (d) better account for contextual-ecological and measurement considerations. I also reflect briefly on open classroom climate research …

Nurturing Engaged Citizenship In Kindergarten: An Exploration Of Teacher Beliefs And Practices, Daria Smirnova, Ilene R. Berson, Michael J. Berson

Democracy & Education

This study explores how kindergarten teachers foster civic engagement in young learners as part of a larger multi-case study on civic education in kindergarten classrooms serving low-income students in the Southeastern United States. Five teachers were interviewed using video elicitation techniques, which involved using video clips to prompt discussion and reflection. Findings indicate that teachers educate for civic engagement within the personally responsible and participatory paradigms of good citizenship (Westheimer & Kahne, 2004) and intuitively align their beliefs and practices with the Educating for American Democracy principles (EAD, 2021). Their efforts include modeling citizenship, fostering collaborative learning and community building, …

The Flight Of The Purdue Owl: An Institutional History, Harry C. Denny, Vicki R. Kennell, Garrett I. Colón

The Founders Series

The Flight of the Purdue OWL: An Institutional History chronicles both the widely known Purdue OWL website and the lesser-known but much-celebrated on-campus writing center. Purdue University is renowned for its world-class STEM curriculum as well as its intercollegiate athletics. The university also receives considerable attention, however, for the OWL website, which is one of the most used educational resources in the world. The on-campus OWL is also a highly regarded collegiate writing center. This book tells the history of how the Purdue OWL grew out of decades of faculty working with students and their desire for a laboratory where …

Building Bridges: The Reference Interview As A Mechanism For Social Capital In School Libraries, Jessica M. Lilly

Learning Hub

Building Bridges: The Reference Interview as a Mechanism for Social Capital in School Libraries

Abstract

School librarians occupy a unique position within schools, interacting across all stakeholder groups and serving as a conduit between students, teachers, administrators, and the broader learning community. This article examines the reference interview not merely as a transactional information-retrieval tool but as a relational practice through which school librarians generate, sustain, and distribute social capital. Drawing on the foundational theories of Putnam (2000), Coleman (1988), and Bourdieu (1986), and on the reference transaction model grounded in Jesse H. Shera's foundational work (Coleman et al., …

2026-06-15 Message From The President, Morehead State University. Office Of The President.

Staff Congress Records

Message sent on June 15, 2026 by the President to the campus community regarding modified hours, upcoming dates of importance, Board of Regents meeting summary, and campus personnel announcements and updates.