Digital Commons Network^™

Trans* Student Experiences In Higher Education, Megan Chaffee, Deborah King

New York Journal of Student Affairs

This paper reviews literature on trans* students' experiences in higher education, examining their obstacles and institutional approaches to inclusion. The study investigates challenges regarding chosen names and pronouns, access to facilities, extracurricular involvement, and the impact of increasing anti-trans* legislation. Despite growing visibility, trans* students continue to report harassment, discrimination, and a decreased sense of belonging. The paper explores current Title IX interpretations and recommends that higher education administrators develop inclusive policies, enhance professional development, and create supportive campus environments that foster trans* students' academic success and overall well-being.

Exploring The Visibility Of Mission, Vision, And Values In Allied Healthcare Education, Matthew Vraa

Journal of Innovation in Health Sciences Education

Introduction: This study investigated the visibility and accessibility of mission, vision, and values statements on websites of entry-level allied health care programs (occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology). The primary objective was to determine the ease of locating these statements on program websites and how their visibility varies by program characteristics.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 300 randomly selected accredited programs (100 per profession) across the United States. Each program’s website was evaluated to determine the visibility and accessibility of its mission, vision, and values statements, defined by their presence within two clicks of the homepage. …

An Assessment Of Basic Needs Insecurities In Grand Valley State University Residence Halls, Matthew Bristol

Masters Theses

Basic needs insecurity scholarship in higher education consistently highlights the need to provide more and better support to students. Little research has been done to address basic needs insecurity in residence halls, and this study is the first to use the #RealCollege survey to evaluate basic needs insecurity among residential students. I use the results of the survey tell the story of what it is like for Grand Valley State University students to face basic needs insecurity while living on campus, to assess what resources participants use to secure their basic needs and offer recommendations for improved support offerings to …

Perspectives Of Black Male Administrators On Gaining Administrative Roles At Community And Technical Colleges, Marcusantonio Gunn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed in this study is that there is a low number of Black male administrators at community and technical colleges (CTCs) throughout the United States, despite widespread organizational practices of adopting diversity and equity policies, implementing mentoring programs, and providing professional development. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore Black male administrators’ perceptions of hiring barriers and their recommendations to improve the professional pathway to employment at CTCs. Guided by critical race theory in education, data were collected through semistructured interviews with eight Black male administrators who are serving or have served in …

Improving Equity In Financial Aid Policy For Students With Disabilities, Ryan S. Wells, S. Kate Farmer, Morgan D. Woroner

Journal of Student Financial Aid

Disabled college students face significant barriers to degree completion, including systemic inequities in financial aid policies. This Issue Article investigates financial aid policies that unfairly limit aid to disabled students, at times forcing them to choose between maximizing their financial aid and the recommended accommodations to which they have a legal right, such as a reduced courseload. We highlight how current policies, including Pell Grant proration, Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements, and lifetime funding caps, create financial and administrative burdens that disproportionately affect disabled students. By examining federal and state-level policy responses, we identify both promising practices and persistent gaps …

Addressing Psychosocial Barriers To Participation In People Experiencing Homelessness: An Occupational Therapy Workshop, Preston Bender, Steven M. Gerardi, Lacey Spark

Summer 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Despite the occupational therapy (OT) profession's emphasis on holistic, person-centered care, many OT practitioners and students report feeling a lack of self-efficacy and preparedness to navigate the complex psychological, social, and systemic barriers that hinder occupational participation in people experiencing homelessness (PEH). This capstone project aimed to address the perceived unpreparedness among clinicians through the creation of an 8-hour interactive educational workshop aligned with Experiential Learning Theory. The content is grounded in the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) and informed by the Bridging the Transition from Homelessness: A Social Justice Framework (BTTF), trauma-informed care (TIC), harm reduction, and diversity, equity, …

The Frequency Of Academic Advising: A Quantitative, Predictive Study On Postsecondary Second-Year Student Satisfaction, Angelia M. Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, predictive correlational study was to examine the relationship between student satisfaction with academic advising, the frequency of academic advising activities, and the type of postsecondary institution (community college or public university). This study is important in providing valuable context for re-evaluating how academic advising efficacy is assessed and structured in postsecondary institutions. Through convenience sampling of second-year community college and public university students, data was collected via a self-paced online survey of 110 participants. In addition to demographic information, the survey incorporated the Academic Advising Inventory to measure student satisfaction with academic advising. Multiple linear …

Barriers In Trauma-Responsive School Implementation: A Study Exploring And Comparing Rural, Suburban, And Urban Districts In Indiana, Allison L. Makowski

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Trauma responsive practices are a type of educational practice currently being utilized in our schools. Our students come to school every day with some type of trauma which is a negative event that a child experiences. Types of traumatic experiences could be in the form of a natural disaster, car accident, or some type of abuse. The current study examined barriers that schools experience when implementing trauma responsive practices. The schools were examined further to investigate whether or not there were differences in barriers in rural, suburban, and urban school districts in the state of Indiana.

Ua21 What's New, Wku Institutional Equity

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter created by and about the Office of Institutional Equity.

• Demir, Ena. A Message from the Executive Director
• Training Opportunities: Stay Informed & Engaged
• Understanding Title VI
• Student Accessibility Center Joins the Office of Institutional Equity
• Need Workplace Accommodations?
• Web Accessibility Regulations
• Relevant Information
• Stop Campus Hazing Act
• Meet the Team

The Relationship Between A School Psychologists Workplace Stressors To Their Home Life Functioning, Trevor Burns

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

School psychologists face increasing professional demands due to rising caseloads, paperwork requirements, and staffing shortages, which contribute to elevated levels of occupational stress. Although prior research has examined job-related stress within the profession, little attention has been given to how these stressors may impact practitioners’ personal and home lives. The purpose of this study was to examine how occupational stress experienced by school psychologists relates to stress experienced in their home lives. A total of 176 practicing school psychologists from across the United States completed an anonymous online survey, which included the School Psychologist Distress Inventory (SPDI) and a newly …

An Examination Of Teacher Perceptions Of Middle School Behavior Management And Intervention, Raechel Brianne Roberts

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that behavior management and intervention is a complex experience in school settings. Middle school students, in particular, must contend with physical, social, and educational changes and responsibilities, which may impact their behavioral responses and relationships with their teachers. The literature suggests that teachers often report that there are limitations to support for behavioral management in regards to pre-service training, access to research-based practices, and barriers to successful intervention implementation. The purpose of this qualitative study was to privilege the lived experiences of middle school teachers and their needs for working with students with challenging behaviors. The study included …

The Impact School Leaders Have On Special Education Teacher Retention: A Cross-Case Analysis Of Two Elementary School Leaders, Nancy S. Bowers

All Dissertations

School leaders shape school culture and job satisfaction, impacting teachers’ decisions to remain or exit schools. The demand for special education teachers has continued to increase. I studied the impact school leaders have on increasing special education teacher retention by answering the following research question: How can school leaders increase the retention rates of special education teachers? This qualitative case study was guided by two theoretical frameworks, transformational leadership theory and critical disability theory, which informed the research design. I conducted the research at two public elementary schools in a suburban community in South Carolina. The findings revealed school leaders …

Perceptions Of First-Year College Students On Respect In The Classroom During Their High School Career, Jane Adele Bailey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the influence of teacher respect on classroom climate, student- teacher relationships, and academic performance. Through interviews with college students reflecting on their high school experiences, this research identifies specific teacher actions and communication that foster respect in the classroom. By identifying what respectful communication and actions are through the interviews, teachers will be able to use these in their classrooms.

Six themes were identified by the participants lived experiences. They are: teacher demeanor, social interaction, attitude, emotional support, instructional management and facilitation, and listening. The results gave specific actions and communication, in the eyes of the participants, …

An Exploration Of Factors Influencing Sophomore-Year Persistence At A Regional Institution In Southern Appalachia, Jonathan W. Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative and interpretative phenomenological study was to explore factors that participants identified as playing roles in their persistence through their sophomore years at a regional university located within Southern Appalachia. Research on second-year retention efforts is far lacking compared to first-year retention efforts. Reflecting the heavy emphasis placed on the first year, there is also more research on first-year retention. However, students can feel a sharp decline in support entering sophomore year, making that just as critical of a transition. Student retention has been emphasized in higher education since its inception, as an institution’s goal in …

Guide For Teaching Faculty 2025-2026, Coastal Carolina University

Guide for Teaching Faculty

The intention of the Guide for Teaching Faculty is to ensure that all faculty members have the requisite knowledge about University policies, procedures, and services to effectively carry out their instructional assignments.

Deaf Faculty Members’ Experiences In Higher Education Institutions, Stephanie Proctor Horvath

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Deaf faculty members bring diverse perspectives to higher education, yet their experiences remain underexplored in academic research. The critical first year of teaching can shape their career experiences, revealing both opportunities for growth and systemic barriers. The purpose of this study was to understand deaf faculty members’ experiences, focusing on their transition into academic roles, the accommodations provided in their workplaces, and the challenges they faced. This study employed a qualitative phenomenological design, utilizing semi-structured interviews with 15 Deaf faculty members, whose teaching experience ranges from 1 to 30 years. In the reflexive thematic analysis and AI-coding of this data, …

Internal Funding Newsletter, Academic Year 2024-2025, Office Of Research And Creative Activity, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Internal Funding Newsletters

The University of Nebraska at Omaha is committed to educating people of the world and the Office of Research and Creative Activity is proud to contribute to UNO?s exceptional education, groundbreaking research, and the life-long success of students and alumni. UNO innovates for the public good through pragmatic and impactful research and discovery. This year's programs provided over $750,000 in awards for students and faculty. These projects included recording a new album of music for a saxophone, flute, and piano trio, understanding college campus bicycle theft, studying student perceptions of the difficulty of organic chemistry concepts, evaluating a therapy program …

Learning English On The Border: Identities, Investment, And Imagined Futures In El Paso, Texas, Jennifer Lyn Mansour

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study explores how adult English language learners living along the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas experience language learning, identity formation, and social positioning within a bilingual community. Drawing on Norton's (1995, 2013) theoretical frameworks of identity, investment, and imagined communities, the research investigates three central questions: (1) How does the relationship between English learners and the social world of a bilingual community on the U.S.-Mexico border impact their ideas about their possibilities for the future? (2) How does the use of English construct worlds that are different from those constructed in their first languages, and do learners …

Tree-Based Differential Item Functioning Detection Methods: Exploring Their Performance In Diverse Measurement Scenarios, Nana Amma Berko Asamoah

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite the availability of numerous methods for detecting differential item functioning (DIF), the continued development and evaluation of innovative, data-driven approaches remains essential. Tree-based methods, in particular, represent a significant advancement in DIF detection. Unlike some traditional techniques, they can simultaneously screen multiple variables for DIF without discretizing continuous variables, and do not require the pre-specification of focal and reference groups; capabilities that are especially valuable in today’s diverse and multifaceted assessment contexts. However, research systematically examining the performance of these methods under realistic measurement conditions is limited. This dissertation, in three simulation studies, critically examines the robustness and practical …

Exploring The Impact Of Generative Ai To Mitigate Educator Burnout, Katie E. Acevedo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined how sixth–12th grade educators at a single-gender public school in West Texas perceived the role of generative AI in reducing workload, minimizing stress, and supporting professional autonomy. The study focused on concerns related to teacher burnout and the time demands of instructional and noninstructional responsibilities, exploring how emerging technologies might offer practical relief. The study aimed to understand how educators use generative AI tools and identify both the benefits and challenges associated with their integration. Framed by job demand-resource theory, connectivism, and heutagogy, the research explored how generative AI can function as a job resource, …

From First-Generation To Flourishing: Exploring The Influence Of Academic, Social, And Deeper Life Interactions In Higher Education, Melissa Jean Overton

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Despite comprising half of all undergraduate students (RTI International, 2024) and being widely studied in higher education literature, first-generation students experience many barriers to success and are less likely to graduate than continuing-generation students (Engle & Tinto, 2008; Fry, 2021; Kezar et al., 2023). Social science and higher education scholars have identified flourishing, the presence of complete mental health and holistic well-being (Keyes & Haidt, 2003), as an important outcome of higher education beyond more traditional success metrics, with the thought that flourishing promotes success in other areas.

This study explored how first-generation students’ academic, social, and deeper life interactions …

Toward More Challenge-Engaging Stem Students: A Narrative Inquiry Into Student Persistence In The Face Of Failure, Stephanie R. Fahey

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) postsecondary graduates greatly contribute to advances in technology and research, and STEM fields promise graduates careers with positive long-term outcomes. Many postsecondary students initially choose STEM majors; however, less than half of those students graduate with a STEM degree. High STEM attrition is a problem that continues to vex educators and researchers. One attributable factor to high STEM attrition is students adversely reacting to initial academic failure in challenging STEM educational contexts. However, there are a lack of studies that investigate the individual experiences of students who persist despite academic failure to better understand …

Reflection On The ‘Power Of Us’ Conference: How Mainstream Schools In England Offer Provision To Children With Special Educational Needs (Sen), Grace H A Cooper

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

The majority of children in England with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) are educated within mainstream schools. Due to the broad range of needs of children, it is essential that mainstream schools are provided with adequate funding, preparation and training to ensure that the inclusion of every child is achievable and expected. Furthermore, sometimes schools feel that they cannot offer ample provision to give every child an equitable access to learning and therefore they are directed to SEND schooling – can a mainstream school be considered inclusive if they cannot support all children? This article will consider these arguments …

Breaking The Cycle Of Burnout In Financial Aid, Ashlee Thayer

Masters Projects

The purpose of this project is to explore the causes and effects of burnout in financial aid staff and what potential strategies could be implemented to support staff experiencing burnout. Lack of work-life balance and increased work-related stress are a few causes of burnout seen throughout the literature. The intention of this project is to create a workshop that provides managers and directors with the necessary tools to identify the sign of burnout in their employees and provide the necessary support to mitigate the effects of burnout. Addressing and preventing burnout in financial aid staff will increase staff retention and …

The Evolution Of Schooling: From Industrial Obedience To Techno-Autonomy, Seb Taylor, Ron Roberts Ii

Digital Laboratory: Publisher of Internet Journal

This paper examines the enduring architecture of the American education system as a mechanism designed for compliance, not creativity. Rooted in 19th-century industrial logic, the structure of schooling, its physical design, time constraints, and assessment methods, has remained largely static despite seismic cultural and technological shifts. Through historical analysis and contemporary critique, this work interrogates the persistence of standardized methods, institutional prestige, and top-down instruction as barriers to meaningful learning and value creation. Drawing from interdisciplinary research and live case studies, including Alpha School’s AI-powered, mastery-based model, the paper advances the concept of techno-education: a student-centered paradigm informed by feedback …

14-Year Retrospective Review Of Audiology Graduate Admission Data: Comparative Analysis With Other First Professional Health Programs, Alyssa R. Needleman, Patricia A. Gaffney, Erica B. Friedland, Josiah Alamu

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Demographic and cognitive data on students entering audiology programs is incomplete, and there is a lack of comparison among audiology students and those entering other first professional health (FPH) programs. This paper is the first of a multi-part series to provide evidence into the characteristics of the typical audiology student and their graduate outcomes. This is valuable for improving recruiting, admissions, retention, and success rates of audiology programs. A comprehensive descriptive analysis of admission criteria was performed for students who entered the NSU Doctor of Audiology (AuD) program over the last 14 years. Additionally, NSU admissions data was compared …

From Perception To Retention: The Influence Of Campus Culture And Climate On Teacher Attrition, Stephany D. Brown

Education Theses and Dissertations

This improvement science dissertation in practice investigated the influence of leadership support, collaboration, and recognition on teacher attrition. The study occurred over the course of two years on two suburban secondary campuses, in neighboring independent school districts. Voluntary participants included certified teachers, administrators and counselors. The two-phase, Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles involved the collection of quantitative and qualitative data emphasizing teacher perceptions through surveys and focus groups to evaluate campus culture and climate before and after implementation of the intervention. Phase two incorporated the targeted intervention; focused on public recognition of teachers within the school setting; specifically examining whether public recognition …

A Cancer Education Needs Assessment: Informing Middle-Aged Female Patients About The Relationships Between Obesity And Women’S Health Concerns In The Reproductive System, Breast, And Endometrial Health, Batul Mirza

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Obesity significantly impacts women’s health, particularly among middle-aged women, by increasing the risk of hormone-sensitive cancers such as breast, endometrial, and reproductive system cancers. This study examines the educational needs of this demographic group regarding obesity-related cancer risks and explores effective intervention strategies. Obesity-induced mechanisms – hormonal imbalances, chronic inflammation, and insulin resistance – drive cancer susceptibility, emphasizing the need for targeted health education. The study employs a qualitative design, which includes interviews with subject matter experts (SMEs) and surveys of middle-aged women. The goal is to assess awareness, perceived barriers, and preferred learning methods. Findings suggest that with many …

A Comparative Case Study Of Mentoring Practices By National Board Certified And Non-Certified Teacher Mentors, Bethany Mcclure

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

As preservice teacher candidates engage in field experiences that shape their development of teacher identity, it is important to examine their perceptions of the mentoring process. This study explored how preservice teacher candidates construct their own knowledge about mentoring as a process, as well as explored the perceptions of mentor teachers, both National Board Certified, and non-National Board Certified, as they facilitated the learning and growth of their mentees. Many prior studies on the mentoring process exist, however, a gap in the literature that was identified and explored through this study included the impact that National Board Certified Teachers have …

What Can We Learn From The High School Math Reform Efforts In California, Georgia, And Oregon? A Policy Analysis, Yanira Vazquez

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

Using publicly available data sources, this policy analysis examined how three states—California, Georgia, and Oregon—approached high school mathematics reforms to address questions regarding what prompted these states to revise their high school math standards and course pathways; how their approaches to reform were similar or different; and what other states could learn from their methods.

Individual state cases were developed, focusing on content standards, course pathways, and graduation requirements. A cross-case study was created to compare reforms from the three states.

While all states aimed to reform high school mathematics to address equity issues and offer options aligned with students’ …