Digital Commons Network^™

Negotiating Disability Stigma In Undergraduate Students With Academic Accommodations, Demetruis Leonard, Pietro A. Sasso

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

To understand how undergraduate students diagnosed with a disability who receive academic accommodations negotiate stigma, this phenomenological qualitative study was conducted at a midwestern private university using Gibson's (2006) Disability Identity Development Model. Findings from this study of six undergraduates receiving academic accommodations suggest they qualified for reasonable accommodations to guarantee equal access and mitigate the impact of their diagnosed ADHD, depression, and/or anxiety and were granted academic accommodations such as extended time for testing and assignments. These students also used family, friends, and peers to support the navigation of the negative stigma of being perceived as “lazy” or “taking …

Comparing Gpas Of First-Time Students Based On Admissions Decision Date, John M. Adkins

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

With the upcoming demographic shift, higher education administrators are aiming to enroll and retain as many students as possible. With this increased focus on enrollment and retention, a question that can be asked is whether students admitted late (two weeks prior to the start of the full term) will be less academically successful after their first full academic year? To study this question, the first-time, full-term cohorts for the fall 2020, 2021, and 2022 were obtained from Georgia Southern University. The data collected were the admissions decisions and registration dates, fall term GPA, spring term GPA, and cumulative GPA. The …

Where You Work Still Matters: A Content Analysis, Catherine E. Gonzalez, Ramona Meraz Lewis, Brianne Steele

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

This qualitative content analysis examines institutional differences in student affairs work through 234 articles from JCSD and JSARP (2006-2023). The study explores the relevance of Hirt's (2006) original framework and identifies emerging themes. Findings reveal research imbalances across institutional types and growing attention to diversity, equity, inclusion, and Professional Competencies. Gaps exist in reward structures, career transitions, and research on institutional fit. Implications for scholarship, graduate preparation, and practice are discussed.

Factors That Impact K-6th Grade Teachers’ Sense Of Self-Efficacy: A Mixed Methods Study, Becky A. Eckburg

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Although there have been efforts to narrow the "achievement gap," research shows that the academic achievement levels of students in low socioeconomic school settings are likely to be significantly lower than the academic achievement levels of students in higher socioeconomic school settings (Babayiğit et al., 2021; Rahman et al., 2024). Studies also show that teachers have a significant impact on their students' growth, no matter what their academic setting may be (Petek & Pope, 2023), and that collective teacher self-efficacy is a significant factor in positive student achievement (Hattie, 2008). If targeted professional development could support teachers' self-efficacy, student achievement …

Gender Inequality In Afghanistan's Public Schools: Provincial Disparities Amid Historical And Political Change, 2002-2021, Enayatullah Nasir

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation examines the persistence and spatial concentration of gender-based educational inequality in Afghanistan's public school system from 2002 to 2021–– a period spanning post-2001 reconstruction, the expansion of the Republic era, and the reversal under the second Taliban regime. Despite substantial international investment and two decades of repeated commitments to gender parity, access to and progression through public schooling remained profoundly uneven across the country’s thirty-four provinces. The Gender Parity Index values differ sharply between provinces, and those with the lowest overall enrollment tend to exhibit the widest gender gaps. Existing scholarship has concentrated on the national level, obscuring …

Entry Requirements As Predictors Of Early Academic Success And Student Performance In Undergraduate Occupational Therapy Education, Eileen Du Plooy, Daleen Casteleijn, Denise Franzsen, Gopika Ramkilawon

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The selection process for health sciences programs such as occupational therapy is complex, involving a combination of academic and non-academic selection criteria as entry requirements. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of entry requirement variables on academic performance during the first and second year of an undergraduate occupational therapy program in South Africa. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was utilized, and the sample included 129 first- and second- year occupational therapy students. Data was collected retrospectively through educational data mining of university records and institutional dashboards. The variables analyzed included National Senior Certificate Grade12 (NSC12) grades (Mathematics, Life Sciences, …

Coaching-Based Leadership Communication In Higher Education Hybrid Work Environments, Lisa Erck

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how coaching-based leadership (CBL) communication practices were associated with participants’ perceptions of communication, collaboration, and engagement within a hybrid higher education work environment. Grounded in constructivist leadership theory (CLT), CBL, and action research (AR), the study explored how intentional shifts in leader communication behaviors influenced team interactions over time. Using a qualitative AR design, I partnered with a higher education administrative leader and their team in a hybrid setting. The participant group included the leader and their direct reports. Data were collected across iterative AR cycles through semistructured interviews, observational data, and participant reflection journals. Data analysis …

Empowering Equity: Latinas In Leadership – Navigating Work-Life Balance In The Post-Pandemic Era, Teresa Excinia

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explored the lived experiences of Latina leaders as they navigated how cultural expectations influenced work–life balance in the post-pandemic era. The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped workplace dynamics, blurring boundaries between professional responsibilities and personal life. For Latinas, these challenges were compounded by cultural expectations that shaped their roles both at home and in the workplace. The purpose of this study was to understand how Latina leaders managed the dual pressures of balancing career demands with cultural and familial obligations. Using Testimonio as the methodological framework, this study captured the voices and narratives of Latina leaders across industries, offering an …

Extracurricular Activities' Influence On High School Students' Academic Achievement, Michael Jones Jr

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This quantitative study investigates the relationship between participation in extracurricular activities and academic achievement among high school students, as measured by Grade Point Average (GPA). This study uses a cross-sectional research design to analyze GPA data from Greenbrier High School in Evans, Georgia. Greenbrier is a part of the Columbia County School District and serves approximately 2,000 students. Historical data were collected from 2024-2025 school records and analyzed using t-tests and ANOVA to compare the impact of ECAs on academic achievement. The study analyzed differences in academic performance based on (a) participation versus non‑participation in ECAs, (b) the type of …

An Ethical Analysis Of International Graduate Student Workers' (Igsws) Employment Vulnerability, Adeola F. Oladeji

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

International graduate student workers (IGSWs) occupy a distinctive position within U.S. higher education as students, employees, and temporary visa holders. Their academic progress, financial support, and legal authorization to remain in the United States are often closely intertwined, creating dependencies that heighten their vulnerability to exploitation, unequal treatment, and institutional power imbalances. Although previous scholarship has documented these challenges from empirical, legal, and policy perspectives, comparatively little attention has been given to universities' ethical responsibilities toward IGSWs.

This dissertation examines how U.S. higher education institutions should fulfill their ethical responsibilities to international graduate student workers. Grounded in Dewey's pattern of …

Emotional Labor, Well-Being, And Community Care In Student Conduct Administration, Tiffany M. Shierling, Kelly A. Burlison

College of Education Faculty Publications & Presentations

This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined emotional labor, stress, and coping among student conduct administrators (SCAs). SCAs work in emotionally intensive, high-stakes environments that require balancing student development, institutional risk management, and legal compliance. Despite clear parallels to other helping professions, the emotional toll of student conduct work remains underexamined. Grounded in self-compassion theory and resilience theory, this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined the emotional labor demands, stressors, and coping strategies experienced by SCAs in higher education. Quantitative (n = 101) findings revealed strong relationships among stress, burnout, and anxiety, while individual self-care practices offered limited protection without institutional support. …

Understanding Faculty Perceptions Of Shared Governance At A Four-Year Public University: A Case Study Of The University Of Ghana, Patrick Amponsah

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative single-case study was to explore how faculty at the University of Ghana perceive and experience shared governance, how it is practiced institutionally, and what outcomes they associate with it. Although shared governance is widely promoted as a democratic and collegial model of decision-making in higher education, its implementation remains underexamined. The study interviewed twelve (12) full-time faculty members who worked at the University of Ghana. Thematic analysis revealed ten interrelated themes, including structured participation with limited influence, shared governance as an opportunity for faculty input, and the presence of both collaborative attitudes and formal committee …

Student Loan Debt And Higher Education Disruptions During Covid-19, Arielle Kuperberg, Danny Turkson, Joan Maya Mazelis, Katherine Fredricks, Anurag Pant

Journal of Student Financial Aid

We collected and analyzed a survey of 1,018 undergraduate students enrolled at a public regional university in Spring 2021, examining pandemic disruptions to education, living situations, and finances in the first year of the pandemic, and their relationship to loan presence and reports of taking out more loans as a result of the pandemic. Over half of students had student loans, and over one-third of them reported that they increased loan debt due to the pandemic. Results revealed pandemic-related academic and financial disruptions increased student debt for some. Students with loans were also more likely to have moved out of …

Impacts Of The Besse Scholarship On College Attendance: An Evaluation Of A Rural Scholarship Program, Andrew M. Mertig, Julie Dilling, Wayne Thompson, Jennifer Flatt

Journal of Student Financial Aid

The rising costs of higher education have presented challenges for many students, particularly in rural areas where access to free-tuition programs has been limited. This cross-sectional study investigates the impact of the Besse Scholarship program, a rural guaranteed scholarship fund, on college attendance among students from Butternut High School. Targeting graduates between 1993 and 2022, the study employed convenience sampling and online surveys, with 120 respondents representing 21.4% of the eligible population. Results indicate that the Besse Scholarship motivated students to pursue higher education and provided significant financial relief. Eligibility for the scholarship was found to be positively associated with …

A Return To Relevance: The National Association Of Student Financial Aid Administrators From 2012 To 2017, Saralyn Mckinnon-Crowley, Jacob P. Gross

Journal of Student Financial Aid

This paper delves into the historical narrative of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) from 2012-2017, focusing on its operational evolution, policy advocacy efforts, and the changing landscape of financial aid programs. It discusses key developments within NASFAA, such as the shift from a committee structure to a task force model, to enhance operational efficiency and member engagement. Furthermore, the document discusses NASFAA's strategic initiatives, including NASFAA University (NASFAA U) and the AskRegs Knowledgebase, as well as the pivotal role NASFAA played in the move to the use of prior-prior year for the Free Application for Federal …

Coaching Undergraduates, A Conceptual And Practical Guide, Anna Carissa Rozzo

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version of this introduction here.

The overall aim of this paper is to provide a holistic orientation to the practice of person-centered coaching while providing tangible methods that faculty and advisors in higher education may be able to integrate into their professional practices. This conceptual paper explores the theoretical and practical intersections of coaching and teaching, presenting a flexible modality to support student-centered learning. The author provides readers with general guidance and templates for goal setting, problem solving, and assessment that practitioners may adapt to their own contexts.

Relationship Between Principal Instructional Leadership And Students' 21st Century Skills Performance On The National Achievement Test (Nat), Mark – Jhon R. Prestoza, Niño D. Naldoza

PUP Education Review

This study aims to examine the relationship between principal instructional leadership behaviours and students’ performance in key 21st Century Skills, as measured by the National Achievement Test (NAT). The sample was selected using a stratified random sampling method, encompassing public schools within the region. The final study group consisted of 11 principals and 327 teachers across various educational institutions, with a total of 670 teachers in the region. To assess principal instructional leadership behaviours, the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) was employed, while students’ performance in problem-solving, information literacy, and critical thinking was measured using the NAT results. Data …

A 4d Analysis Of Appreciative Inquiry:Evaluating Its Applicability And Effectivenessin Bvs Colleges’ Administrative Management, Sheillo D. De La Cruz

PUP Education Review

This study explored the applicability and effectiveness of the Appreciative Inquiry (AI) approach in the administrative management of BVS Colleges, utilizing the 4D framework (Discovery, Dream, Design, Destiny). Employing a descriptive survey design, the research utilized a survey questionnaire to collect data from both teaching and non-teaching staff. It aimed to assess the perceived levels of applicability and effectiveness of AI across the four phases of the 4D framework, and to determine if significant differences existed between the perceptions of teaching and non-teaching staff. Additionally, the correlation between the perceived applicability and effectiveness was analyzed. The results indicated a high …

We Built This: Redesigning Higher Education From The Ground Up While They Try To Burn It Down, Shawntay King, Juanita E. Marquez, Keisha Rembert, Jolene Taylor, Thera Tilmon

SPACE: Student Perspectives About Civic Engagement

Our text, We Built This: Redesigning Higher Education from the Ground Up While They Try to Burn It Down, examines how recent federal policy shifts, particularly the 2025 Dear Colleague letter and the Project 2025 educational platform, function as deliberate acts of deconstruction. These measures threaten to dismantle equity infrastructures in higher education while intensifying the erasure of Black women’s labor, leadership and legacy in the academy. Through Critical Policy Analysis and Black feminist thought, we argue that these policies operate simultaneously as blueprint and wrecking ball, systematically unraveling decades of progress and constraining the very communities that have sustained …

Innovation-Motivated Education (Ime): From “Trap Of Excellence” To “Fusion Of Exceptional”, Quanshui Zheng

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The “Needham Question” and “Tsien Hsue-shen’s Inquiry” jointly reveal a deep-seated structural contradiction—the “trap of excellence”: while traditional educational paradigms excel at mass-producing excellent talent that conforms to existing standards, they systemically suppress the emergence of exceptional geniuses capable of pioneering “new continents”. Confronted with the strategic goal of “building China into an education, science & technology, and talent powerhouse by 2035” and the transformative changes brought by AI technology, driving the reconstruction of educational paradigms and evaluation systems has become an urgent national strategic imperative. Based on sixteen years of practical exploration at Tsinghua University’s Tsien Excellence in Engineering …

Examining Aba Classroom Paraprofessional Training Methods In New Jersey, Melina Campos

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

In recent years, paraprofessionals have become an integral part of educational teams, particularly in classrooms supporting students with disabilities (Giangreco et al., 2010). Their role has been crucial in ensuring that students received necessary academic and social support. This study evaluated the training provided to paraprofessionals in New Jersey, specifically those working in applied behavior analysis (ABA) classrooms. By surveying paraprofessionals on training that they receive and assessing how training influenced their self-perceived knowledge and skills, the study offered insight into how well-prepared these educators felt to support students with disabilities. A total of 57 participants completed the survey. When …

Holistic Support And Development: Collaboration Between Residence Life And Faculty On Short-Term Education Abroad Programs, Kendra Sherman

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Short-term education abroad programs are designed to increase students’ intercultural competencies, expose them to new cultures and languages, prepare them for future employability, and further their academic development (Castiello-Gutiérrez & Gozik, 2022; Yao, 2021). While education abroad programs may result in strong benefits for students, they are not without their challenges when it comes to facilitating and managing them. Both the faculty who lead these programs and the students who participate in them face challenges respective to their experiences abroad. Many researchers emphasize collaboration between student affairs and academic affairs to alleviate these challenges, but no one office is identified …

What We Can Learn From Comenius About Why We Educate, David I. Smith

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

As we wrangle repeatedly over the purposes of schooling and who gets to define them, what might we gain by taking a moment to listen to a thoughtful voice from a place and time not defined by our own mix of prejudices? I invite you to listen to such a voice, one speaking from a different era amid different anxieties and in a different idiom yet addressing questions that remain pressing. It is a voice shaped by a lifetime of educational engagement and reflection in the constant shadow of violence, yet, to the last, invested in the pursuit of delight. …

From Incomplete To Impactful—Finalizing Unfinished Nursing Projects In Nart And Polypharmacy For Lasting Improvement, Paula Thanh Nhat Pham, Armine Lianna Chamichyan, Anastasia Yerofeyeva, Stelene Alexis Tragus

Master's Projects and Capstones

This quality improvement project addressed the problem of incomplete or unsustained clinical initiatives at a long-term care facility by introducing Kotter’s Change Model, an evidence-based framework designed to support and sustain lasting improvements in clinical practice. Within the context of a religious-based residential community for older adults with complex chronic needs, the objective was to strengthen the facility’s capacity to implement and sustain change more effectively. By using two previously unfinished initiatives, the NaRT triage tool and Polypharmacy management process, the project applied Kotter’s model to evaluate how structured change strategies can improve staff engagement, leadership alignment, and long-term project …

How The Advisor-Advisee Relationship Contributes To Black Student Success At Pwis, Renata Denise Roberts

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explores how the advisor-advisee relationship contributes to Black student success at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). Black student enrollment and retention at PWIs continue to decline, especially with national efforts to cut DEI measures. Previous research highlights that engagement and institutional support are critical to persistence and graduation; however, limited literature exists on how academic advising relationships can impede or contribute to Black student outcomes in these environments. Viewing from the lens of Black students’ perceptions, this study examines how the academic advising experience can foster trust and contribute to academic achievement for Black students or impede their …

Expanding Epilepsy Representation: On Education And Awareness, Aliyah Wise

Honors Projects

The present-day American public education system has evolved to try to teach young students about more cultures and people of different lifestyles. However, despite these reforms to push for an inclusive education system, there is still minimal effort to teach students about disabilities and the people who live with them. As a student living with epilepsy, I have observed a lack of education or conversation about this disability. The purpose of this research project is to ask: How does miseducation on epilepsy contribute to harmful stereotypes and lead to real issues for people living with this disability? How should neurotypical …

School And District Leaders’ Understanding Of Technology Organizations’ Cyber Business Practices, Jayejaye Johnson

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Educational technology (EdTech) interoperability throughout cyberspace provides the financial opportunity to collect and sell student privacy information in digital learning environments, challenging school leaders to govern schools and keep children safe. School leaders provide the resources, funding, planning, decision making, and administration for EdTech cybersecurity practices and policies, yet little is known about what public school leaders understand. A quantitative study was designed using primary data collected from an online survey. Four research questions guided this study: What are the differences in cybersecurity practices and policy response scores (1) between male and female school leaders; (2) among leaders with different …

Neuroadaptive Return On Investment In Education: A Critical Review Of Eeg And Eye-Tracking For Decision Optimization, Piper Hutson, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

This article advances a critical synthesis of a proposed neuroadaptive return on investment framework that integrates electroencephalography and eye-tracking into educational decision systems. The analysis situates neuroadaptive ROI within scholarship on neurodiversity, engagement, and adaptive learning, arguing that process-level indicators of attention, cognitive load, and persistence merit inclusion alongside conventional outcome metrics in investment models. Methodological scrutiny examines construct validity for neural and gaze indices, requirements for multimodal fusion, calibration across heterogeneous learner profiles, and threats to internal and external validity in classroom contexts. Evidence from pilot implementations suggests feasibility for real-time pacing, friction-point detection, and targeted resource triage, although …

Anatomy Of Authority: Dissecting The Rare Species Of Women Deans, Marlana K. Beck

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the lived experiences of women physician medical school deans, aiming to understand the factors that influence their career pathways and the challenges they face in achieving and maintaining leadership roles in academic medicine. Despite the increasing number of women entering the medical profession, there remains a significant gender disparity in leadership positions, particularly in the role of medical school dean. This study addresses the gap between the growing number of women physicians and the disproportionately low number of women in senior academic leadership roles. The research is grounded in feminist and role congruity theories, which provide a …

Navigating Upstream: How Medical Educators Strategize The Unfamiliar During Their Transition Into A Leadership Role, Sarah Williams

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

As the medical field grows more complex, the need for medical educator leaders has increased, driving the integration of leadership training into medical education to help manage an increase in administrative challenges. In U.S. medical schools, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) standards require faculty to fill high-ranking leadership roles who must balance academic and administrative duties. Medical educators in these leadership roles must manage the tensions between teaching, research, patient care, and administrative responsibilities. Although leadership programs designed for medical educators exist, as well as faculty development opportunities, educators consistently express a lack of training as they transitioned …