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Expanding Access: A College Access Model For English Learners, Amanda Blackwell Mcleod Aug 2025

Expanding Access: A College Access Model For English Learners, Amanda Blackwell Mcleod

Theses and Dissertations

As one of the fastest-growing student populations in K -12 schools, English Learners (EL)s remain significantly underrepresented in postsecondary education. Barriers such as academic preparedness, financial constraints, and sociocultural factors hinder their access to postsecondary education. However, by developing targeted strategies to assist ELs in accessing and completing college, institutions can address these challenges and ensure a more diverse and sustainable student body in the face of declining enrollment. Effective models for helping EL students access college include family engagement, early college exposure, peer mentorship, and student-centered advising. By assisting ELs in accessing college, institutions can strengthen their enrollment efforts, …


Unboxing The Black Box: Graph-Based Interpretability In Transformer Models, Ramak Nassiri Aug 2025

Unboxing The Black Box: Graph-Based Interpretability In Transformer Models, Ramak Nassiri

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis introduces a novel interpretability framework for transformer encoder models by hypothesizing that their internal embedding updates define a state transition system. We propose that transformers implicitly learn token-to-token influence dynamics, which can be analyzed using graph-theoretic methods. To validate this, we construct transition graphs from embedding changes and rank token importance using the PageRank algorithm. We develop two transformer models from scratch: a self-supervised model that incorporates serotype tokens to learn contextualized embeddings, and a supervised model initialized with these embeddings. Cosine similarity analysis of their token influence patterns reveals strong structural alignment, with values exceeding 93%. This …


Assessing Trends In Snap-Authorized Food Retailer Participation And Temporary Losses Using Historical Retailer Data, Adam Nathan Aug 2025

Assessing Trends In Snap-Authorized Food Retailer Participation And Temporary Losses Using Historical Retailer Data, Adam Nathan

Theses and Dissertations

This study provides descriptive statistics for the universe of SNAP-authorized food retailers in the United States between 1996 and 2023 including the number of SNAP-authorized retailers over time as well as the frequency and duration of temporary lapses in SNAP authorization for the average retailer. Results are presented at different geographic levels, by urbanicity, by store type, and by dollar versus non-dollar stores. This study also provides a methodology for achieving these results that can be used by future researchers to utilize the key dataset, the Historical SNAP Retailer Locator dataset (HSARL). Several issues are present in the HSARL data …


Augmenting Healthcare Communication: Context-Aware Ai Frameworks For Clinical Decision Support And Automated Summarization, Subash Neupane Aug 2025

Augmenting Healthcare Communication: Context-Aware Ai Frameworks For Clinical Decision Support And Automated Summarization, Subash Neupane

Theses and Dissertations

Healthcare communication is plagued by fragmented medical knowledge, patient misunderstanding of care plans, and clinician burnout from documentation burdens. These inefficiencies cost the U.S. healthcare system over $300 billion annually due to preventable nonadherence and administrative waste [47, 19]. While Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology like Large Language Models (LLMs) offer potential solutions, existing systems fail to deliver personalized, context-aware guidance or automate documentation without sacrificing accuracy. This dissertation addresses these gaps through three novel context-aware AI frameworks such as MedInsight, ClinicSum, and ClinicDuo. MedInsight leverages a multi-source context augmentation approach to synthesize patient centric medical responses by integrating Electronic Health …


Spawning And Rearing Techniques For Improved Production Of White Crappie (Pomoxis Anularis), Matthew E. Nichols Aug 2025

Spawning And Rearing Techniques For Improved Production Of White Crappie (Pomoxis Anularis), Matthew E. Nichols

Theses and Dissertations

White Crappie (Pomoxis annularis) is a popular species, commonly propagated in hatcheries to support fisheries and supplement natural populations during cyclical declines. However, limited information exists regarding the effects of extended broodstock holding periods (>4 weeks), which are critical for enhancing flexibility in hatchery practices. Furthermore, rearing larval-to-juvenile crappie in outdoor ponds would greatly benefit from optimized fertilization and stocking densities to improve growth and survival rates. Additionally, dietary preferences during early life stages remain poorly understood, yet are essential for maximizing production efficiency. This study found holding broodstock for > 6 weeks can significantly reduce fertilization percentages. We also …


Markov Chain Monte Carlo Techniques– Innovations In Lifetime Data Analysis And Missing Value Imputations, Tobias Omondi Oketch Aug 2025

Markov Chain Monte Carlo Techniques– Innovations In Lifetime Data Analysis And Missing Value Imputations, Tobias Omondi Oketch

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation develops scalable Bayesian solutions for two critical challenges in modern data analysis: modeling failure times and imputing missing biological data. First, we introduce an adaptive semi-parametric MCMC framework for Weibull lifetime modeling, addressing the lack of conjugate priors and multidimensional sufficient statistics. Using hierarchical modeling and the No-U-Turn Sampler (NUTS) in STAN, we evaluate 24 prior combinations across 72 simulated datasets. The method yields robust parameter estimates under increasing and decreasing hazard rates and proves effective in predicting prostate cancer patient survival. Second, we assess imputation strategies for high-throughput proteomics data, where missingness distorts signal integrity. We compare …


Motivating Factors Leading To Job Satisfaction Of Teacher Assistants And Their Perceptions Of Such, Jon Oswalt Aug 2025

Motivating Factors Leading To Job Satisfaction Of Teacher Assistants And Their Perceptions Of Such, Jon Oswalt

Theses and Dissertations

This research study investigated the role perceptions, motivating factors, and perceptions of job satisfaction from the perspective of elementary teacher assistants. While key in the field of education, research focused on the position of teacher assistant is lacking, suggesting the need for a critical view of the role. A qualitative study was designed to examine the key components of the perceptions of job satisfaction, the motivating factors leading to it, and the perceptions of the position through the lens of the teacher assistant. Five elementary teacher assistants from a single school in a southern state participated in semi-structured interviews. Key …


An Evaluation Of The Mississippi 4-H/Ffa Replacement Beef Heifer Development Contest, Lindsey V. Pansano Aug 2025

An Evaluation Of The Mississippi 4-H/Ffa Replacement Beef Heifer Development Contest, Lindsey V. Pansano

Theses and Dissertations

The Mississippi 4-H/FFA Replacement Beef Heifer Development Contest began in 2008 to provide youth with a contest to showcase their managerial skills relating to beef cattle. This study examined the impact of contest participation on development of life skills, technical skills, and choice of occupation. Youth and parents/guardians reported slight to moderate improvement in life skills. The same groups also agreed that technical skills were improved through contest participation. While most youth did not consider the contest to impact their choice of occupation, all indicated that they are currently involved in the beef cattle industry as adults. Overall, these results …


Timber Price Trends, Transmission, And The Impact On Loblolly Pine Plantation Management In The United States South., Samjhana Panthi Aug 2025

Timber Price Trends, Transmission, And The Impact On Loblolly Pine Plantation Management In The United States South., Samjhana Panthi

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed the impact of pine timber price trends on optimal rotation age and price transmission relationship in the timber market in the US South. Price trends and volatilities were incorporated into discounted cash flow analyses to determine stochastic optimal rotation age. The results revealed that negative price trends reduced the optimal rotation age and maximum land expectation values compared with the base case of the Faustmann model's constant timber prices. Also, I performed a vertical price transmission study for the US South pine timber market using a Smooth Transition Autoregressive (STAR) model. Price transmission was linear in the …


Developing Site Index Curves And Exploring Growth Efficiency Variation In Longleaf Pine Planted On Marginal Agricultural Land In Georgia, Usa, Jabryan Pegues Aug 2025

Developing Site Index Curves And Exploring Growth Efficiency Variation In Longleaf Pine Planted On Marginal Agricultural Land In Georgia, Usa, Jabryan Pegues

Theses and Dissertations

With the relative success of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), there is a considerable amount of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) trees planted on marginal agricultural land, with little to no guides for productivity management. This study was conducted in four distinct age classes of longleaf pine plantations at The Jones Center at Ichauway in Southwest Georgia, USA. Most of these stands were commercially thinned in 2014 and some were impacted by Hurricane Michael in 2018. I developed site index equations to represent growth trajectories of these stands while incorporating growth starting from ground level. Additionally, the concept of tree-level …


Drought Resilience Of Cowpea During Vegetative And Reproductive Stages, Sujan Poudel Aug 2025

Drought Resilience Of Cowpea During Vegetative And Reproductive Stages, Sujan Poudel

Theses and Dissertations

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is an important leguminous crop. Exposure to drought can lead to significant reductions in yield and quality. Designing strategies to mitigate the effects of drought requires a comprehensive understanding of how trait variability influences resilience at various crop growth stages. Three experiments were conducted to assess the response and resilience of various cowpea genotypes under control (100% irrigation) and drought (50% irrigation of control for 14 days) conditions during the vegetative (nodulation initiation - V2, and peak branching - V4) and reproductive (flowering - R1, and seed fill - R4) stages. The short-term drought impacted …


Unraveling Quantum Properties Of Novel Two-Dimensional Systems Using A First-Principles Approach, Binod Regmi Aug 2025

Unraveling Quantum Properties Of Novel Two-Dimensional Systems Using A First-Principles Approach, Binod Regmi

Theses and Dissertations

We used first-principles density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of an oxygen crystal in a copper slab, a ferrimagnetic electride with highly tunable magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE), and the Fermi surface analysis of different kagome metal phases. The Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) exchange-correlation functional was used in the Vienna ab initio simulation package (VASP) for all these calculations. Because of dimensionality reduction, the electronic properties of copper change significantly at the two-dimensional (2D) scale due to whichwe observe more reconstruction in the geometry of the Fermi surface. Dimensionality reduction also influences charge transport. Moreover, we present …


Feed-Based Strategies To Improve Poultry Production Efficiency, Anna Kathryn Riggs Aug 2025

Feed-Based Strategies To Improve Poultry Production Efficiency, Anna Kathryn Riggs

Theses and Dissertations

The poultry industry continues to make significant strides in efficiency and innovation, particularly through advancements in nutrition. This thesis explores two key areas within broiler nutrition that are essential to supporting sustainable, cost-effective poultry production. First, the potential of a next-generation exogenous carbohydrase enzyme blend containing beta-mannanase and endo-glucanase is investigated when supplemented into reduced-energy, all-vegetable diets based on corn, soybean meal, and corn distillers dried grains with solubles in male broilers over a 42-day grow-out period, including processing (Chapter II). Second, the thesis examines the use of modeling strategies such as cubic, quadratic, kernel and smoothing spline to predict …


The Effectiveness Of Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports (Pbis) In Title I Secondary Schools, Robyn Rush-Grace Aug 2025

The Effectiveness Of Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports (Pbis) In Title I Secondary Schools, Robyn Rush-Grace

Theses and Dissertations

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is grounded in behaviorist theories, particularly Skinner's operant conditioning, which suggests that positive reinforcement can shape behavior over time. PBIS uses a tiered system to address student behavior, providing universal support for all students (Tier 1), targeted interventions for students who need more support (Tier 2), and intensive, individualized interventions for the few students who exhibit the most significant behavioral challenges (Tier 3). The literature on PBIS generally supports its effectiveness in reducing office discipline referrals, suspensions, and expulsions, as well as improving student behavior and overall school climate. Research specific to Title 1 …


Raspberry Cultivar Evaluation Trial In Mississippi, Apphia Santy Aug 2025

Raspberry Cultivar Evaluation Trial In Mississippi, Apphia Santy

Theses and Dissertations

Raspberries (Rubus idaeus) are valued for their flavor, appearance, and nutritional quality. This study evaluated 26 raspberry cultivars over two seasons (2023 and 2024) in Mississippi under a 50% shade-covered system, using organic and conventional fertilization in 7-gallon containers. Cultivars included floricane- and primocane-fruiting types. Data collected included harvest timing, yield, berry weight, soluble solids content (°Brix), titratable acidity, total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC). Results showed cultivar differences in yield, berry quality, and antioxidant levels. In 2023, conventionally fertilized plants produced higher yields; in 2024, fertilizer had no impact. Late-season harvests had elevated phytochemicals. ‘Prelude,’ ‘Nova,’ …


Profitability Of No-Till And Cover Cropping For A Corn-Soybean Rotation In The Mississippi Delta Region, William Arthur Sims Aug 2025

Profitability Of No-Till And Cover Cropping For A Corn-Soybean Rotation In The Mississippi Delta Region, William Arthur Sims

Theses and Dissertations

Adverse weather is a significant source of risk for agricultural producers that could potentially be mitigated by no-till and cover cropping practices. This study examined the viability of conventional tillage, cover cropping, and no-till agriculture in the Mississippi Delta by simulating a corn-soybean rotation over a 40-year time period under observed and drought weather conditions, and two prominent soil types in the region using the ALMANAC Crop Modeling Software. On average, a no-till, no cover crop system resulted in the highest profits under both soil types and weather conditions examined. Cover cropping led to higher yields in observed weather conditions …


Site Formation Processes And Lithic Analysis Of The Swag Site (38al137), John Nathan Shores Aug 2025

Site Formation Processes And Lithic Analysis Of The Swag Site (38al137), John Nathan Shores

Theses and Dissertations

Archaeologists working in the American Southeast have limited ability to contribute to the debates regarding the human colonization of the Americas because relatively undisturbed, well stratified, Paleoindian sites with datable material are rare (Miller 2016:712). The archaeological sites in the Allendale-Briar Creek Paleoindian quarry complex along the Savannah River near Martin, SC have produced sites that contain datable archaeological deposits (Anderson et al. 2016; Waters et al. 2009). One such site, the Swag Site, located in Allendale County, South Carolina, is within the Allendale-Briar Creek Paleoindian quarry complex (Goodyear 2018; Goodyear and Charles 1984; Miller et al. 2016; Oscarson et …


Plant, Pollinator, And Bird Communities In Working Landscapes Across The Southeastern United States., Craig Andrew Sklarczyk Aug 2025

Plant, Pollinator, And Bird Communities In Working Landscapes Across The Southeastern United States., Craig Andrew Sklarczyk

Theses and Dissertations

The southeastern U.S. is a hot spot for biodiversity, yet we continue to see losses in numerous species and their important ecosystem functions and services. Because private working landscapes are widespread and important to the southeastern U.S. and Mississippi’s economy, we must ensure we are conserving species on these private lands as well. In this project, We examined two groups of taxa, bird and bee communities, each which perform vital ecosystem functions in two of the most spatially dominant systems (working pine forest and row-crop agriculture) in Alabama and Mississippi. We examined bee communities in set-aside hardwood forests at different …


Confirmatory Factor Analysis Of The Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised: Short Form In College-Attending Emerging Adults, Lydia Stanhope Aug 2025

Confirmatory Factor Analysis Of The Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised: Short Form In College-Attending Emerging Adults, Lydia Stanhope

Theses and Dissertations

Psychopathy research stems from the work of Dr. Hervey Cleckley, whose research aided in providing the foundation for psychopathy assessments currently utilized in the field. Several researchers used Cleckley’s framework to further home in on characteristics that are central to psychopathy. Among the primary researchers who adapted the characteristics into their own measures are Robert Hare, Paul Frick, and Scott Lilienfeld; the work of these researchers is what helped lead to the creation of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised: Short Form (PPI-R: SF). The current study aimed to confirm the two-, three-, and eight-factor models from previous versions of the measure …


Assessing Species Status And Genetic Diversity In The Tombigbee Darter (Etheostoma Lachneri), Caroline Nicole Teal Aug 2025

Assessing Species Status And Genetic Diversity In The Tombigbee Darter (Etheostoma Lachneri), Caroline Nicole Teal

Theses and Dissertations

The Tombigbee Darter (Etheostoma lachneri) is the sole member of the snubnose subgenus Ulocentra endemic to the Tombigbee River Watershed of Mississippi and Alabama. Etheostoma lachneri is a species of greatest conservation need, due to suspected population decline since 1994 (Suttkus et al., 1994). To assess the persistence and genetic variability of E. lachneri, a population survey at 40 historical sites in Mississippi was performed. Results showed that 12 out of the 40 sites did not have E. lachneri present. Genomic analyses were conducted for populations across the species range using ddRADseq, revealing the possible complex of three species. To …


Estimating Reliability Of Electric Vehicle Charging Ecosystem Using Principle Of Maximum Entropy, Himanshu Tripathi Aug 2025

Estimating Reliability Of Electric Vehicle Charging Ecosystem Using Principle Of Maximum Entropy, Himanshu Tripathi

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses the challenge of estimating electric vehicle (EV) charging system reliability against unpredictable threats like cyberattacks and extreme weather, where traditional methods fail. We utilize the Principle of Maximum Entropy (PME), a statistical tool that provides unbiased risk estimates using limited information. Applied to the EV charging ecosystem, our case study shows how PME models stress factors to predict failures and optimize maintenance. This approach extends beyond EVs to other complex systems with scarce data, such as smart grids or healthcare devices. By linking uncertainty directly to reliability, PME offers a universal method to improve decision-making under unpredictable …


Optimizing Osb Quality: Assessing The Influence Of Beta-Cyclodextrin With Essential Oil Treatments, Ethan Garrett Turo Aug 2025

Optimizing Osb Quality: Assessing The Influence Of Beta-Cyclodextrin With Essential Oil Treatments, Ethan Garrett Turo

Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the mechanical and dimensional performance of oriented strand board (OSB) panels treated with beta-cyclodextrin-essential oil compounds, including betacyclodextrin-only, beta-cyclodextrin-trans-cinnamaldehyde, beta-cyclodextrin-thymol, and betacyclodextrin-nickel. OSB panels were produced using a proprietary spraying system and Dieffenbacher press and tested according to ASTM standards for internal bond strength, modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR), water absorption, and thickness swelling. Results showed that beta-cyclodextrin-trans-cinnamaldehyde enhanced MOE and MOR, while beta-cyclodextrin-thymol significantly improved internal bond strength. Beta-cyclodextrin-nickel demonstrated strong performance in both mechanical strength and water resistance. However, 24-hour submersion results indicated that water resistance may be surface limited. All treatments …


Non-Thermal Dbd Plasma-Induced Co₂ Capture And Conversion To Value Added Chemicals, Chinwendu Theresa Umeojiakor Aug 2025

Non-Thermal Dbd Plasma-Induced Co₂ Capture And Conversion To Value Added Chemicals, Chinwendu Theresa Umeojiakor

Theses and Dissertations

Electrified CO2 conversion via nonthermal dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) plasma presents a promising pathway for integrating renewable energy into the carbon cycle, addressing the dual challenges of CO2 reduction and sustainable fuel generation. In this research, DBD plasma technology was integrated with a sorbent material and/or catalytic materials for CO2 desorption and conversion. Specifically, with Ni/Al2O3 as the catalyst, we investigated CO2 splitting (CO2 to CO and 0.5O2) and hydrogenation (CO2 and H2 to CO and H2O) under adiabatic and subcooled conditions. We find that CO2 splitting shows higher efficiency than hydrogenation, particularly at relatively lower power inputs. While CO2 hydrogenation …


An Examination Of Potential Occupational Horizons And Site Integrity Through Site Formation Processes At Aklis, St. Croix, Jesse Weaver Aug 2025

An Examination Of Potential Occupational Horizons And Site Integrity Through Site Formation Processes At Aklis, St. Croix, Jesse Weaver

Theses and Dissertations

The Aklis Site, located in the Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge on St. Croix, contains both an artifact-dense shell midden and numerous human burials actively eroding into the Caribbean Sea. Here I examine the records and collections from the site through the lens of site formation theory to ask: (1) Are there detectable occupational horizons within the midden?; (2) To what extent have cultural and non-cultural transforms affected the integrity of the midden? and; (3) If detected, are these occupational horizons of sound enough integrity to allow for future radiocarbon dating that might clarify culture chronology for the greater West …


Bridging Physics And Machine Learning: Physics-Informed Neural Networks (Pinn) For Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing (Waam) Thermal Prediction, Haiye (Justin) Xie Aug 2025

Bridging Physics And Machine Learning: Physics-Informed Neural Networks (Pinn) For Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing (Waam) Thermal Prediction, Haiye (Justin) Xie

Theses and Dissertations

Over the past decade, additive manufacturing (AM) has gained substantial use in industry and research. It is a promising alternative to traditional subtractive and casting manufacturing. AM not only saves time and materials but can also construct intricate structures within components for specific purposes. Wire-Arc Directed Energy Deposition (WA-DED) is one of the additive manufacturing technologies that offers a high extrusion rate of metal wire materials to fabricate near-net-shape metal components. Accurate temperature control is crucial for controlling the microstructure of metal components fabricated through the AM process. Machine learning has the ability to analyze real-time sensor data, such as …


From Gametes To Genes: Genetic Quality Assessment Of Anuran Cryopreserved Spermatozoa And Derived Embryos, Trinity Isabella Kassuhn Aug 2025

From Gametes To Genes: Genetic Quality Assessment Of Anuran Cryopreserved Spermatozoa And Derived Embryos, Trinity Isabella Kassuhn

Theses and Dissertations

Sperm cryopreservation is an important tool within the suite of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) as it enables long-term storage of genetically valuable gametes. However, knowledge of the diagnostic criteria for assessing sperm quality and the genetic consequences of using cryopreserved sperm in amphibians is limited. This gap has raised concerns in captive breeding and reintroduction programs regarding the potential impact that cryopreserved sperm and the derived embryos may have on a population. The thesis aims to investigate how sperm cryopreservation affects the genetic material in both sperm and resulting embryos, with implications for in situ and ex situ amphibian populations. …


Spatial Variability Of Heat Mortality Rate Relationships In Arizona At Primary Care Area Level, Ria Mukherjee Aug 2025

Spatial Variability Of Heat Mortality Rate Relationships In Arizona At Primary Care Area Level, Ria Mukherjee

Theses and Dissertations

Heat Mortality Rates (HMR) in Arizona (AZ) are one of the highest in all of US. The HMR association with environmental, socioeconomic, demographic, and occupational factors has been widely investigated to inform mitigative policy. This study employed linear and spatial models- Ordinary Least Square (OLS), Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) and multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR), across AZ at Primary Care Area (PCAr) level to identify important spatial trends in HMR relationship. Results indicated a significant global association between heat mortality and environmental variables and the elderly population aged 65 and older. In contrast, the working age group between 54 and …


Mapping Renewable Energy Opportunities: Increasing Rural Energy Resilience In Mississippi Through Extension And National Program Insights, Kaitlyn Brooke Gordon Aug 2025

Mapping Renewable Energy Opportunities: Increasing Rural Energy Resilience In Mississippi Through Extension And National Program Insights, Kaitlyn Brooke Gordon

Theses and Dissertations

There has been an increased interest in renewable energy opportunities in Mississippi in recent years but limited educational material on this topic and a lack of knowledge among residents on various renewable energy options. Therefore, the main objectives of this study were to 1) conduct a comprehensive review of renewable energy educational resources and 2) increase knowledge of renewable energy in youth through the development of a new statewide Extension program. The environmental scan resulted in 45 usable responses from 117 potential participants, and programmatic details were received for 54 Extension programs or other forms of educational material. Evaluation results …


The Role Of Community Preparedness In Influencing Migration After Natural Disasters, Caren Mwange Aug 2025

The Role Of Community Preparedness In Influencing Migration After Natural Disasters, Caren Mwange

Theses and Dissertations

Natural disasters like hurricanes have become more costly over the years; therefore, it is crucial to understand how to mitigate the effects of natural disasters and make communities resilient. Migration responses often reflect the resilience of communities to shocks. However, the extent to which community preparedness influences migration remains underexplored. This study investigates the role of community preparedness in influencing migration after Hurricane Harvey, which struck Louisiana and Texas in 2017. A Difference-in-Differences methodology is used to assess whether community preparedness influenced migration following Hurricane Harvey. Migration is influenced by Hurricane Harvey, but certain community preparedness measures reduce the decline …


Mentorship In Music Education: Crafting A Supportive Path For New Teachers, Stephen P. Fields Aug 2025

Mentorship In Music Education: Crafting A Supportive Path For New Teachers, Stephen P. Fields

Theses and Dissertations

Attrition rates among new secondary music educators is an ongoing problem. Many new music educators leave the profession in their first five years with many doing so between years two and three. This project examined the difficulties faced by new secondary music educators and how involvement in a structured mentorship program can aid in their growth and development. Bandura's (1977) social learning theory and Kolb's (1984) experiential learning theory was used in the creation of the practitioner’s manual. Three research questions were addressed in this study: (1) What challenges do early career music educators face and how can a structured …