Digital Commons Network^™

How Gender Differences Influence The Presentation, Diagnosis, And Lived Experience Of Females With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Casey A. Vanyo

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition with a highly variable presentation influenced by gender. Historically, autism research has focused primarily on males, contributing to the under recognition and misdiagnosis of girls, women, and gender-diverse individuals. Women engage in camouflaging behaviors to align with social expectations, which can mask autistic traits and contribute to higher levels of anxiety, depression, and emotional exhaustion. This thesis examines how gender shapes the presentation, diagnosis, and lived experiences of autistic females. It explores differences in diagnostic practices, mental health outcomes, and access to support. Findings suggest that current frameworks often fail to capture …

Should The Illiberal Arts Be Servile In A Classical Christian Education, Nadine B. Kong Mrs.

Master of Arts in Classical Studies

The purpose of this thesis is to research the role and position of the illiberal arts in a classical Christian education (CCE).  The current climate of growth for CCE makes it a fitting moment to consider what bearing the illiberal arts should have on paideia formation.  To answer this question, the historical context of CCE and the illiberal arts is presented.  This leads to a complex issue around the various imprecise terms and historical attitudes surrounding the illiberal arts.  Some synonymous terms have demeaning connotations: ‘servile arts’ or ‘illiberal arts,’ and others less negative, such as ‘common arts’ or ‘mechanical …

A Descriptive Study Of Culturally Responsive Practices In Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports (Pbis) In West Virginia Elementary Schools, Janna Rae Coleman

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This descriptive mixed-methods study examined elementary teachers’ implementation and perceived effectiveness of culturally responsive practices within existing Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) systems in a West Virginia school district. Guided by Leverson et al.’s (2021) Culturally Responsive PBIS (CRPBIS) framework, the study explored five components of culturally responsive practice: identity, voice, supportive environment, situational appropriateness, and data for equity. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 86 elementary teachers using the researcher-developed Culturally Responsive Practices in Existing PBIS Survey. Findings indicated that teachers reported frequent implementation and perceived effectiveness across all five components, with the supportive environment receiving …

Game-Based Learning For Asynchronous Ai Literacy Course: Approach To Improve Students' Cognitive, Behavioural, Affective, And Ethical Learning Of Ai, Jinhee Kim, Guang Yang, Wing Sha Chan, Xi Lin, Yukyeong Song

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Educators in higher education face persistent challenges in scaling AI literacy across disciplines and helping novice learners understand abstract AI concepts. Although research on game-based learning (GBL) reports mixed outcomes, few studies have examined its large-scale use in mandatory, asynchronous AI literacy courses for diverse undergraduate populations. Addressing this gap, this study investigates a scalable GBL-based AI literacy course delivered to 4898 first-year undergraduates across disciplines. Using a mixed-methods design with 311 valid pre- and post-survey responses and 20 interviews, the study evaluates students' cognitive, behavioural, affective, and ethical learning of AI. Quantitative results show significant improvements in overall AI …

Mythology Of Whiteness: Constructing Black Girls As A Bully, Kathleen O'Brien, Pamela Twyman Hoff

Faculty Publications - College of Education

This analytical essay uses data from a qualitative study by O’Brien (2017) that explored the social construction of bullying. O’Brien interviewed 16 high school students enrolled in alternative and college-preparatory high schools. Although the study did not focus specifically on Black girls, their narratives surfaced a distinctly different story—one that exposed how whiteness, intersectional power, and cultural ways of knowing construct Black girls as quintessential bullies in schools. This re-analysis explores how Black girls are cast within the mythology of whiteness as archfoes—not merely as disruptive, but as symbolic antagonists whose existence threatens the normative order of whiteness …

The Impact Of School Climate On Student Achievement, Tonia L. Schiro

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This literature review explores the relationship between school climate and student achievement by examining research from education, psychology, and school improvement literature. School climate encompasses many aspects of the educational environment, including perceptions of safety, the quality of relationships among students and staff, levels of engagement, and students’ sense of belonging within the school community. The review investigates how these factors contribute to academic success and influence students’ overall educational experiences. Findings across the literature consistently demonstrate that positive school climates are associated with higher levels of student achievement, stronger engagement, improved attendance, and greater social-emotional well-being. The review also …

The Impact Of Somali Parental Involvement On Elementary Education In Minnesota: Opportunities And Challenges, Abdiqani Abdullahi Elmi

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This qualitative study examines the challenges faced by Somali-American parents in Minnesota regarding involvement in their children's education, particularly during elementary school. The elementary level is a critical stage for students' learning and a foundational pillar for both academic development and social integration, making parental involvement during this stage especially important. However, immigrant families, specifically Somali-Americans, face significant challenges that impede their ability to participate actively in their children's educational journey. This qualitative phenomenological research investigated barriers that might stem from limited formal education, low English proficiency, cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic challenges. The methodology used in this research is …

The Role Of Mentorship In Women’S Pathways To Senior Superintendency Positions In K–12 Public Education, Tara Falasco

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although women comprise the majority of the K–12 workforce, they remain underrepresented in senior superintendency leadership positions, a disparity attributed to systemic and social factors such as implicit bias, gender stereotypes, limited access to professional networks, and inequitable mentorship and sponsorship structures that restrict advancement opportunities. Mentorship is widely recognized as an important factor in women’s pathways to senior roles; however, women often report less access to advocacy-oriented sponsorship than men, leaving those in building-level leadership (e.g., principals, assistant principals) facing barriers—such as limited access to networks, implicit gender bias, and work–life balance challenges—when seeking senior superintendency positions. This phenomenological, …

Decision-Making Consistency In Mtss And Special Education: Implications For Equity And Student Outcomes, Alyson Renee Reeves

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) are widely used to guide early intervention and data-based decision making in schools; however, variability in how educators interpret data and apply decision-making frameworks may influence student access to interventions and special education services. This study examined decision-making practices within MTSS and special education systems, with particular attention to eligibility determination, reevaluation, and dismissal processes. Drawing on existing research related to MTSS implementation, equity in special education, and professional judgment in data interpretation, this study explored how educators interpreted student data and applied decision-making criteria within Minnesota school systems. The purpose of this research was …

Barriers To Creativity: Addressing Anxiety And Self-Doubt In Secondary Visual Arts Students, Wenlai Fang

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adolescence is a crucial stage for self-development and creativity development. During this period, middle school students will experience creative anxiety and self-doubt about creative expression in multiple dimensions. To help students manage the uncertainties inherent in the creative process and build confidence and resilience, this study, based on Rhodes' (1961) 4P creativity framework (Person, Process, Press, and Product), systematically investigated the obstacles to the development of adolescent creativity and identified teaching intervention measures for fostering a supportive creativity ecosystem.
This study demonstrated that the development of adolescent creativity is a result of multi-faceted and multi-dimensional interactions from the 4P creativity …

Using Behavioral Skills Training To Teach And Promote Generalized Self-Instruction For High School Students With Intellectual Disability, Elise J. Slavey

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

This study presents findings from a multiple probe design that evaluated the effects of Behavioral Skills Training (BST) as a method of teaching an increase in self-instruction in completing vocational tasks for individuals with intellectual disability. The research included three U.S. high school students with intellectual disability and the data were analyzed across conditions. Throughout the intervention of BST, generalization sessions were conducted alongside. All participants acquired self-instruction for the skill acquisition targets. However, only one participant was able to generalize self-instruction to novel vocational tasks. Results and suggestions for future research regarding generalization for self-instruction and procedure reliability data …

Evaluating Dosage Within A Rapid Caregiver Coaching Model, Emma L. Lovell

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Rapid caregiver coaching models are designed to increase caregiver implementation of naturalistic language strategies while prioritizing feasibility for both families and providers. Participants of the current study were caregivers with young children (ages 1-4) with expressive language delays and autism risk or diagnosis. The current study took place in families’ homes and examined whether a predetermined number of brief coaching and feedback cycles was sufficient to produce clinically meaningful improvements in caregiver strategy use. Target behaviors for caregivers included play-based imitation and expansion, responsive language input, and structured teaching episodes designed to expand child communication. Results were variable but demonstrated …

Effects Of Tech-Based Self-Monitoring And An Interdependent Group Contingency On Group Engagement, Ariana K. Hefter

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

This study evaluated the effects of a class-wide self-monitoring (SM) intervention delivered via the I-Connect app and paired with an interdependent group contingency, on whole-group engagement in a general fourth grade classroom. Participants included 23 students during a 30-min instructional period. The researcher measured group engagement using momentary time sampling (MTS) with planned activity check (PLACHECK) with a fixed rotation schedule in 30-s intervals and recorded the percentage of students on-task per session. A withdrawal (ABAB) design was used to examine the effects across the baseline and intervention phases. Results indicated a slight increase in group engagement during the intervention …

Evaluating The Effects Of Abbreviated And Full-Length Training Formats On Implementation Of Embedded Instruction Practices, Hannah Elizabeth Keene

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of an abbreviated training package and full-length behavioral skills training (BST) on staff implementation of embedded instruction (EI) procedures in a university-affiliated inclusive early childhood center. A nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across participants was used with four student workers in inclusive preschool classrooms. The initial intervention included a package of didactic instruction and in-vivo modeling. Full BST was planned for participants who did not reach mastery criteria following the brief training.

The primary dependent variable was participant fidelity of EI implementation, and the secondary dependent variable measured the rate of …

Engaging Elementary Music Students Through Multisensory Teaching In A Kodály-Inspired Classroom, Chelsea Taylor

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Multisensory teaching is an instructional approach that is increasingly implemented in general education classrooms. Although it has been widely studied in special education settings and in the teaching of reading skills, it has not been extensively examined within music education. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of multisensory instruction on student engagement, comprehension, and retention of concepts in my elementary music classroom. Through Kodály-inspired lessons that challenged students to audiate pitches while kinesthetically building a pentatonic scale, notate music on textured surfaces, and play games that incorporated simultaneous sensory input, these lessons intentionally integrated visual, auditory, …

Students-Generative Ai Interaction Patterns And Its Impact On Academic Writing, Jinhee Kim, Sang-Soog Lee, Rita Detrick, Jialin Wang, Na Li

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Considering both the transformative opportunities and challenges presented by generative AI (GenAI) in academic writing, effectively integrating GenAI into the academic setting becomes a significant need requiring prioritization. Yet, there is limited understanding regarding the nature of interactions between different types of students, what behavioral patterns students exhibit during a student-GenAI interaction (SAI) on a given task, and how these different SAI patterns relate to the actual writing task performance. This study, therefore, aimed to identify SAI patterns of academic writing tasks depending on students’ level of AI literacy and examine the differences in academic writing performance between the identified …

Designing Faculty Standards For Technology Integration In Higher Education Institutions: A Design-Based Research Study, Helen Crompton, Diane Burke, Christine Nickel

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This design-based research study responds to the call from scholars, organizations, and institutions to address the gap in scholarly knowledge regarding the lack of technology standards for faculty in higher education. These standards cover the three areas of faculty workload: teaching, research, and service. Conducted over two iterative macro cycles, this unique study engaged 114 participants, including faculty from a range of disciplines and institutional types, accreditation organizations and coordinators, and education and technology organizations. The outcome is a framework comprising six faculty standards; Instructor, Coordinator, Leader, Researcher, Learner, and Contributor. Each outcome is accompanied by practical indicators that support …

Foreword, Pedagogical Innovations In Computer Science Education, Helen Crompton

STEMPS Faculty Publications

[Introduction] Computer science education sits at a defining moment. Across schools and universities worldwide, computing is no longer a niche discipline reserved for a select few. It is a foundational literacy that shapes how learners understand the world, participate in society, and imagine their futures. At the same time, the rapid pace of technological change, particularly in artificial intelligence, data systems, and intelligent tools, has placed unprecedented pressure on educators to rethink not only what we teach, but why and how we teach it. This book arrives precisely when such reflection is most needed.

Exploring K-2 Teachers’ Perspectives Around Screen Time In Blended Learning Classrooms, Cameryn Lee Ronspies

Dissertations and Theses

The integration of digital technologies in primary education has transformed instructional practices, yet the use of screen time in K-2 classrooms remains a debated issue. While prior research has examined the effects of screen time on children’s development and learning outcomes, little is known about how teachers themselves make decisions regarding its use in the classroom. This study explores how K-2 teachers in blended learning environments navigate the complexities of screen time. Despite debate among researchers, few policies exist to guide teachers in regulating the quality and duration of screen use, leaving teachers to make complex decisions independently. Grounded in …

Decline Of Male Enrollment In Higher Education, Oscar Valenzuela

Theses and Dissertations

The study examined the decline in male enrollment and completion in higher education, aiming to identify the reasons for the decline and to propose possible solutions. Using a qualitative phenomenological design, the study employed semi-structured interviews to collect data from males aged 18 to 40. The findings indicate that numerous factors contribute to why males are not enrolling in or completing higher education, and reveal key thematic groups, including Early Work Life, Home Life, Support Systems, Challenges, and Choices and Decisions. These results suggest that cultural background, socioeconomic status, and gender norms affect the decisions males make concerning higher education. …

Learning In The Wild: A Discourse Analysis Of Literacy Practices And Educational Outcomes In Montana’S Youth Climate Activism, Tyler Moore

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This thesis examines youth climate activism in Montana as a site of literacy practice, civic learning, and critical climate engagement. Focusing on the University of Montana Climate Response Club, the study asks how youth climate activists use literacy practices to interpret climate issues and participate in civic action, and how those practices reflect elements of critical climate literacy. The study defines critical climate literacy as a set of socially situated practices through which young people read, interpret, question, and respond to climate change as both an environmental issue and a civic problem shaped by power. Rather than treating climate literacy …

Bilingual Teacher Advocacy, Agency, And Leadership: A Model For Teacher Education And Professional Development, Grace Jue Yeon Kim, Zhenjie Weng, Jingyi Zhu

Faculty Journal Articles

Research has examined bilingual teachers’ work and their

experiences through the theoretical lens of teacher advocacy,

teacher agency, and teacher leadership. This research synthesis

analyzes the current research on the three frameworks in bilingual

education and examines how they intersect. Bilingual teachers

advocated for educational change to address the needs of

emergent bilinguals. Despite various context-specific constraints,

bilingual teachers agentively created bilingual spaces for

linguistically diverse students. Furthermore, bilingual teachers

actively took up leadership roles, demonstrated increased

consciousness, and developed leadership identities. Through this

exploration, this paper proposes a model that integrates the three

frameworks for bilingual teacher education and …

From Community College To Degree: Examining The Success Of Undocumented Community College Transfer Students, Carmen Celina Macias Limon

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative dissertation explored the academic trajectories of 31 undocumented Latinx students in California who began their postsecondary education at community colleges and graduated from 4-year institutions. Guided by the undocumented community of trust model, which integrates Yosso’s (2005) community cultural wealth framework, Coleman’s (1994) theory of trust, and the newly introduced concept of alliance capital, this study examined how students leveraged seven forms of capital (i.e., aspirational, familial, navigational, social, resistance, linguistic, and alliance) to overcome educational barriers. It also examined the factors that shaped undocumented community college students’ willingness to trust and disclose their immigration status. Using a …

How Teachers Learn Strategies To Support Students With Individualized Education Programs Through The Use Of Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support, Behrose Foroughi

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation study captured how teachers learn strategies to support students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) through the use of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). In the MTSS framework, Tier 1 serves approximately 80–85% of students with high-quality evidence-based core instruction (e.g., science of reading curriculum, social emotional curriculum); Tier 2 serves approximately 10–15% with targeted small-group interventions (e.g., data-informed small-group math/reading groups, check-in/check-out behavior programs); Tier 3 serves approximately 5% with intensive individualized support (e.g., Orton-Gillingham reading intervention groups, individualized behavior plans). Special Education is a separate, legally mandated service outside the tiers for students with identified disabilities under …

“We’Re All In The Struggle Together”: The Experiences Of First-Generation Graduate Students During Covid-19, Rebecca Stallworth, Danielle E. Maurici-Pollock, Jade Obler, Rachel A. Starr

Publications

This study explores the experiences of first-generation graduate students (FGGS) during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically the positive and negative impacts of the pandemic on their learning experiences and their implications for the design of online graduate programs that foster a sense of belonging.

An Exploration Of Academic Help-Seeking Among Postsecondary Students: Differences By Gender And Ethnicity, Stephanie Greenquist-Marlett, Linda Bol, Claire Consadine, Courtney Hill

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Students often struggle to employ effective learning and study strategies in postsecondary settings that challenge their academic success. These struggles can be amplified depending on student characteristics like gender and ethnicity. One way to improve their success is an awareness they may need help and how to most productively use this help. We sought to understand students’ patterns of help-seeking behaviors as well as whether these patterns differed by gender and ethnicity. The researcher-developed Academic Help-Seeking Inventory (AHSI) was designed to measure academic help-seeking. Participants were 249 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at two East Coast public universities. An exploratory …

The Role Of Education In Reducing Social Inequality: A Systems-Level Analysis Of Socio-Technical Infrastructures And Policy Governance, Aisling O'Shea, Batzorig Dashnyam, Ximena Quintanilla

Women's & Gender Studies Faculty Publications

Social inequality remains one of the most persistent challenges to global systemic stability, threatening the robustness of democratic institutions and economic sustainability. Education has long been theorized as the primary mechanism for social mobility and the mitigation of disparate life outcomes; however, its role within modern socio-technical infrastructures is increasingly complex and often contradictory. This paper provides a comprehensive systems-level analysis of the relationship between educational architecture and social stratification. By examining the structural trade-offs inherent in contemporary pedagogical deployment, the research evaluates how institutional governance, digital infrastructure, and policy mandates either facilitate or hinder the reduction of inequality. The …

The Acquisition Of English Proficiency By English Language Learners In The Elementary Grades: An Event History Analysis, Elisabete Sousa

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

It is important that educators develop a deeper understanding of the process by which English Language Learners (ELL) acquire English proficiency. This hypothesis-generating event history study followed 285 Grade K-5 ELLs in a suburban public school district in New York State. Its longitudinal component used Kaplan-Meier techniques to provide a descriptive foundation and then conducted discrete-time event history analyses using binary logistic regression to create parametric life tables, analyze the effects of dual-language instruction and other factors, and estimate transition times between proficiency categories and overall. The cross-sectional component employed ordered logistic regression to analyze selected effects on classification into …

Offerings.Program_Scan23, Fcrh Honors Program

Exhibit '75 Years of the Honors Program

The booklet depicts the offerings of the Honors Program, as originally provided by the Fordham Office of Admissions.

Generative Ai Professional Development Program For Higher Education Instructors, Sheena Bahra

Dissertations

As technology progresses and brings enhanced forms of artificial intelligence (AI), such as generative AI (Gen AI), it continues to affect education by introducing opportunities and challenges in its application to higher education teaching. Advances in technology can make instructors reluctant to use applications, leading to missed learning and skill-development opportunities for higher-order thinking skills. This study investigates how AI professional development (PD) training can influence higher education instructors’ willingness to use Gen AI in the classroom. This study employed a qualitative instrumental case study design informed by an exploratory lens. The study investigated instructors’ use of Gen AI in …