Pilot Study Of The Barriers To Exercise Adherence And Motivation (Beam) Questionnaire For Adults With Osteoarthritis, Haley Ciara Hughes

Dissertations

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic condition affecting over 33 million adults in the United States (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2024). While exercise is one of the leading, non-pharmacological treatments for OA (Zhang et al., 2008), patients often struggle to meet physical activity guidelines, increasing their risk of lifelong disability, falls, and dependence (Wallis et al., 2013). Researchers in physiotherapy have struggled to identify effective, individualized treatments to improve exercise adherence for patients with OA that maintain long-term effects (Ezzat et al., 2015); an area behavior analysts could offer insight and guidance. Behavior analysts have developed indirect functional …

Exploring The Perceived Impact Of Instructional Coaching On K-12 Staff In A Midwestern State Region, Viloshinee Murugan

Dissertations

This study looked at how K–12 educators in one Midwestern state region perceived the impact of instructional coaching on their instructional practices. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine how the type and frequency of coaching predicted the educators’ self-reported improvements in instruction. 307 educators who had participated in instructional coaching within the past five years completed the survey measuring three coaching types, content-focused, pedagogical-focused, and data-focused, and the frequency of one-on-one coaching interactions. Descriptive analyses identified the prevalence of each coaching type and the ways that the educators rated their growth, while a multiple regression tested the …

Factors Shaping Data-Based Decision-Making: The Role Of Self-Efficacy, Anxiety, And School Culture In Mississippi’S State Tested Subjects, Cymone E. Bradford

Dissertations

This quantitative study examined the factors influencing Mississippi state-tested teachers’ engagement in data-based decision-making (DBDM). The purpose of the study was to explore how self-efficacy, anxiety, and school culture shape teachers’ experiences using data to guide instruction. A researcher-developed instrument measuring four constructs self-efficacy in data interpretation, anxiety related to DBDM, self-efficacy and engagement in DBDM, and school culture and DBDM was administered to Mississippi teachers of state-tested subjects. Descriptive statistics, a one-way ANOVA, correlation analysis, and multiple regression were used to analyze the data.

Results revealed significant differences in demographic characteristics of age and frequency of data use when …

Exploring Internship’S Role In Non-Virtual Social Capital Development: A Gen Z Student Perspective, Christina M. Galli

Dissertations

Gen Z students often complete internships as they prepare to enter the workforce (Maloni et al., 2019; Shtembari & Elgün, 2023). However, because the population relies heavily on digital technology to develop social relationships, Gen Z students may not have the social skills to develop non-virtual social capital (Fernandez et al., 2023; Henry & Shannon, 2023; Osorio & Madero, 2024). Existing research focuses on Gen Z individuals as students (Maloni et al., 2019; Pichler et al., 2021; Shtembari & Elgün, 2023). However, existing literature lacks specifications about Gen Z students’ strategies for gaining non-virtual social capital through internship experiences. This …

Exploring Hiring Managers’ Strategies For Recruiting Diverse Educators In A Southeastern State, Keisa K. Davis Ma

Dissertations

This dissertation examined the strategies applied by hiring managers within one state in the southeastern United States to recruit diverse teachers. The purpose of the study was to explore hiring managers’ experiences and knowledge of minority teacher recruitment. The primary research question for this study was: What strategies do hiring managers in the school district under study find most effective in overcoming barriers to recruiting minority educators, and how do they measure their success? Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, and thematic coding was used to arrive at emerging themes, patterns, and perceptions. The findings revealed that while hiring managers …

Language Learner Literature: A Mixed Methods Study, Esmeralda Mora

Dissertations

This dissertation, Language Learner Literature: A Mixed Methods Study, by Esmeralda Mora, Ed.D., of National Louis University, specializing in Curriculum, Advocacy, and Policy, investigated the impact of shifting a Midwest high school world language department from a traditional, grammar-focused model to a proficiency-based approach centered on Language Learner Literature (LLL). Employing a Modified Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Design, the study first analyzed longitudinal AAPPL proficiency scores from 1,134 high school students (2020–2025) using T-tests and Multiple Linear Regressions to establish measurable outcomes (the "what"). This quantitative phase demonstrated significant and consistent gains in expressive skills (Writing and Speaking) post-LLL implementation, …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Fully Immersive Esol Elementary Program: A Mixed-Methods Study, Equitia D. Armour

Dissertations

With the enrollment of students who are English Language Learners (ELL) steadily rising across the United States, this research sought to understand how immersive models support both language acquisition and academic achievement. This study examined the effectiveness of a fully immersive English Speaker of Other Languages (ESOL) program in one elementary school. The purpose was to identify the qualities of successful ESOL programming, and the conditions needed for sustained growth. The primary research question for this study was: What are the qualities of a successful fully immersive ELL elementary program? Using a mixed-methods design, data were drawn from surveys, interviews, …

Evaluating The Perceptions, Barriers, And Impact Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports (Pbis) In Grades K-12, Serena Sowin

Dissertations

Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is designed to promote positive behaviors and prevent behavioral challenges. Despite widespread adoption, implementation fidelity, especially at Tier 2 and Tier 3 levels, remains inconsistent, impacting students who require the most intensive support. This study was conducted in one middle school. The purpose of the program evaluation was to investigate the perceptions of, and barriers to, PBIS implementation, with a specific focus on evaluating the impact on student behavioral and disciplinary outcomes, identifying the training and support provided to educators, and examining how data are used to drive decisions. Overarching research questions assessed educator …

A Design-Based, Qualitative Study On Professional Learning Communities For Standards-Based Instructional Planning, Kathryn Noelle

Dissertations

The study used the design thinking process to ground the work in empathy, allowing the researcher to determine teachers’ needs and create a working prototype to support teachers with understanding grade-level standards. The research examined how participating in a Professional Learning Community (PLC) could support teachers in using grade-level standards for instructional planning. The study was conducted online and included certified third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade teachers from three urban school districts in Missouri. The researcher facilitated the PLC, leading discussions and sharing resources and supports to deepen teachers’ understanding of grade-level standards. Data were collected using pre- and post-surveys, exit …

Motor And Phonic Tic Severity And Its Relationship To Social, Emotional, And School Functioning In Children With Tourette Syndrome From The Caregivers’ Perspective, Courtney C. Thompson

Dissertations

Abstract

Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by motor and phonic tics that is frequently associated with functional impairments. The present study examined the relationship between motor and phonic tic severity, comorbid conditions, academic accommodations, and the social, emotional, and school functioning of children with TS. Caregiver data were collected on tic severity, comorbid conditions, social, emotional, and school functioning, academic accommodations, and grades. Overall, social, emotional, and school functioning fell within the moderate range, with school functioning positively associated with social and emotional functioning. Phonic tics were linked to social functioning, whereas both motor and overall tic …

Program Evaluation Of The Effects Of Principals On The Success Of Charter School Dropout Prevention High Schools, Rachel Maldonado

Dissertations

The role of school principals in dropout prevention high schools is critical to enhancing federal cohort graduation rates. This study examined how principals in one dropout prevention high school organization influenced graduation rates. The purpose of this research study was to investigate the perceptions of stakeholders (including principals) on the relationship between principal influence in dropout prevention school success, as measured by federal cohort graduation rates, and to identify the strategies the principals used. Overarching research questions were developed to determine stakeholders' perceptions regarding the effectiveness of principals and their impact on the success of dropout prevention high schools. This …

Immersive Learning In Action: A Qualitative Case Study Of High School Teachers’ Experiences With Prisms Learning In Science And Mathematics, Hilary A. Cassidy

Dissertations

The use of virtual reality (VR) in the secondary STEM educational space is increasing as costs to access VR technology decrease. There is a current lack of research supporting the efficacy of virtual reality use in the secondary space to improve student success criteria, particularly for specific VR-based instructional products like Prisms. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of Prisms VR curriculum from the teacher perspective, with specific attention to student engagement, conceptual understanding, and instructional practices. The goal of the study was to contribute to existing research about the paradigm shift toward active student participation …

Preschool-To-Kindergarten Transition For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kristin Claire Duncan

Dissertations

The transition from preschool to kindergarten leads to changes for students and their families regarding services, providers, and environments. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how primary caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) perceived the transition from preschool to inclusive kindergarten. This study focused on the concerns, barriers, and experiences caregivers encountered throughout the transition process. By understanding caregivers’ perspectives, the study aimed to identify ways to improve kindergarten transition practices for future families. Based on existing literature, areas in need of investigation included the following: (a) how success of preschool-to-kindergarten transition impacts changes to …

The Coping Of Special Education Directors In The Western United States, Emily Mrazek Jones

Dissertations

The special education director in a school district has a wide-reaching role. Directors rely on extensive knowledge of educational law, instruction, child development, employee supervision, school finance, and more to positively impact the education of students with disabilities. Due to the extensive nature of the role, the practice of special education administration has been found to be stressful, and many practitioners experience burnout. Thus far, research has explored the nature of the role, the reasons for special education director stress, and directors’ preferences on surveys of positive coping strategies, but has not stepped back to ask the directors how they …

Culturally Responsive Functional Communication Training For Asian Families: A Single-Subject Design Study, Guofeng Shen

Dissertations

Children with disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID), frequently experience challenges related to social communication and are at increased risk of exhibiting challenging behaviors (CBs), particularly when they lack effective means to express their needs and desires. Functional communication training (FCT) is an evidence-based intervention shown to reduce CBs by teaching functional communication skills. However, limited research has explored the use of culturally responsive adaptations of FCT (CRFCT), particularly in the context of training parents from culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse backgrounds. This study addressed this gap by examining the effects of culturally responsive FCT …

Exploring The Use Of Culturally And Linguistically Responsive Practices Within The Multi-Tiered System Of Support (Mtss) Framework When Supporting Students With Disabilities At A Dual Language Immersion School, Sylvia Simmons

Dissertations

The integration of culturally and linguistically responsive practices (CLRP) within the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework has been recognized as a promising method for improving learning opportunities for diverse students. However, little to no research has been conducted on the intersection of CLRP within the MTSS framework to support students with disabilities in dual language immersion schools (DLI). This lack of research has posed challenges for educators seeking effective strategies to support diverse learners with disabilities in such settings. Therefore, the purposes of this qualitative case study were to (a) explore how a dual language immersion school utilizes the …

Student Engagement In High School Mathematics Blended Learning Classrooms, Therese A. Rinehart

Dissertations

Engagement is a student’s interest, participation, and motivation in the learning process and is a cornerstone of success in the classroom. The COVID-19 Pandemic overturned the traditional classroom, making the task of fostering engagement nearly impossible. Although pandemic-related research has largely focused on mental health and academic achievement, less attention has been given to instructional models promoting engagement in remote learning environments. Self-directed learning (SDL) is one model offering students digital autonomy and access to teachers and peers. This study examined the longitudinal data of student perceptions of their engagement through the COVID-19 Pandemic at an alternative high school and …

Using The Time We Have: Exploring Collaborative Instructional Planning For 8th Grade Georgia Studies In A Title I School, Bambara Timmerman

Dissertations

Teacher collaboration in middle schools is often emphasized in educational research and policy, yet content-specific collaboration, specifically for Georgia Studies (GAS), remains underexplored. This participatory qualitative case study explored how middle school GAS teachers perceive the influence of collaborative planning on their self-efficacy, the obstacles they face when attempting to collaborate, and what they perceive would foster a culture that supports ongoing collaborative planning. Grounded in constructivist theory, including social learning theory, situated learning, and social constructivism, this study focused on teachers in a rural Title I middle school. Data collection included demographic questionnaires, interviews, observations, document analysis, and researcher …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Administrators, Teachers, And School Personnel With Justice-Involved Students, Kandra Cosby

Dissertations

This hermeneutic phenomenological research study examined the experiences of six educational professionals, including administrators, teachers, and support staff, as they supported justice-involved students in their reintegration into traditional public schools. The study was based on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, Hirschi’s social control theory, and Glasser’s choice theory. Semistructured interviews were used and revealed six themes: (a) fighting systems while trying to serve students, (b) relationships as safety nets, (c) protecting students from the stigma of judgment, (d) fighting bureaucratic silos, (e) philosophy wars in action, and (f) seeing the whole child. The findings indicated successful reintegration was less connected to …

Teacher Leadership And Specially Designed Instruction: A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Teacher Leaders And Special Education Teachers In Elementary Settings, Tangie M. Rahming

Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of teacher leaders and special education teachers as they implemented Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) in elementary school settings. Despite SDI being a federally mandated component of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), research consistently shows wide variation in how teachers interpret, deliver, and sustain SDI in real classrooms. Limited professional development, inconsistent coaching structures, and varying understandings of SDI across schools contribute to persistent gaps in implementation fidelity. To address these challenges, this study explored how teacher leaders support SDI implementation and how special education teachers make meaning of their instructional …

A Phenomenographical Study Of Rural Teacher Retention Before, During, And After The Covid-10 Global Pandemic, Stacey Lb Collins

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This phenomenographical study investigated rural teachers’ perceptions regarding their decisions to remain teaching in rural areas, with attention to experiences before, during, and after the COVID-19 global pandemic. The research was guided by two questions: (1) What experiences do rural teachers perceive impact their decision to remain teaching in rural school systems before, during, and after the COVID-19 global pandemic? and (2) How do rural teachers perceive the role of school administrators in retaining teachers in rural systems, before, during, and after the COVID-19 global pandemic? Participants were teachers who served in rural districts prior to, during, and after …

Civics Teachers’ Perceptions Of Disciplinary Literacy Strategies That Use Primary Sources: A Case Study, Whitney Williams

Dissertations

This study has been designed as a case study to examine teachers’ perceptions of document-based strategies when combined with primary sources as pedagogical tools. The participants were ninth grade civics teachers. Semi-structured interviews, focused observations, and artifact collection were the sources of collected data. As the researcher, my constructivism guided this study through the lens of Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory (SCT). Therefore, the participants’ perception will be interpreted through SCT concepts such as personal influences, behavioral influences, and environmental influences. Findings show a handful of disciplinary literacy strategies that occurred most often across all participants. Teachers valued an emphasis …

Peer Mentoring And Teacher Collaboration: A Case Study Of Practices And Self-Efficacy In A Rural Title I School, Whitney Ensley

Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined how peer mentoring influences teacher self-efficacy at a rural elementary school in southeastern Georgia. Using Bandura's self-efficacy theory and Wenger's communities of practice framework, the research investigated how teachers engage in mentoring relationships and how these practices contribute to professional growth.

Semi-structured interviews and reflection journals were conducted with ten elementary teachers representing diverse experience levels (1-21+ years) and grade levels. Findings revealed that meaningful peer mentoring occurred primarily through informal, trust-based relationships within grade-level teams rather than formal programs. Teachers engaged collaboratively in lesson planning, data analysis, and problem-solving.

Results demonstrated that peer mentoring …

The Interplay Between Structure And Teacher Agency In The Detracking Of Algebra 1: A Qualitative Case Study, Kristine Norris

Dissertations

This single qualitative case study examined how detracking Algebra 1 at Mountainview High School (pseudonym) restructured the course’s rules and resources and how teachers exercised agency in response. Guided by Giddens’ structuration theory and Weis and Fine’s critical bifocality, the study explored how institutional structures both shape and are reshaped by teacher action within broader systems of inequality. Participants were seven Algebra 1 teachers involved in the first two years of detracking. Data was gathered using semi-structured interviews and analysis focused on two research questions: (1) In what ways did detracking alter the structures of Algebra 1 courses, and (2) …

Teacher Perceptions Of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy In High School Social Studies Classrooms: An Ethnographic Case Study, Sheronda L. Hardy

Dissertations

Historically, scholarly research regarding the education of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) has been written through a deficit lens. Research that acknowledges positive learning experiences and outcomes is limited. This qualitative ethnographic case study aims to contribute to the growing body of social studies literature that offers insights into the need for asset-based pedagogies, such as Gloria Ladson-Billings' Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP), as well as the impact that this framework has on BIPOC student populations. By exploring the perceptions of high school social studies teachers regarding CRP, teacher preparation programs, and professional development, this study of five teacher …

Imagine The Peace: Exploring The Intimacy Of Imagined Intergroup Contact In Kosovo, Eric Manley

Dissertations

Peacebuilders have utilized positive intergroup contact in various settings to help groups encounter each other. I implemented three different intimate imagined contact scenarios in Peja, Kosovo with Albanian and Serb participants. I conducted this research to understand how multiple intimate social settings could impact individuals’ encounters with the outgroup during each imagined scenario, thus gathering better operationalization efforts regarding intimacy and imagined contact. Using written responses, interviews, and one-year follow-up interviews, the café and workplace scenarios created a positive experience for most participants, and while half of participants had a positive experience with the fiancé scenario, many more had negative …

Teaching For Global Ecological Citizenship: A Case Study Of Rural Teachers’ Experiences And Practices, Sarah L. Tennyson

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to examine the experiences and practices of rural educators incorporating global ecological citizenship education into the social studies classroom. The systematic themes of social studies education in the past must evolve with the diversity of the classroom. Traditional themes taught must become more globally relevant, including ecological citizenship, the responsibility of citizens to sustain and participate in global ecological issues. One on one interviews with four rural Georgia educators along with artifacts they provided were examined for themes related to two research questions. How do rural educators adapt their instructional strategies to …

Raise Your Digital Hand – Multilingual Learner Student And Teacher Perceptions Of Live Digital Feedback, Naveed Khan

Dissertations

Teachers of Multilingual Learners (MLs) must support students with varying English proficiency as they work toward meaningful academic progress. One promising support is live digital feedback, which can be multimodal—written, typed, drawn, or audiovisual—and serves as an added scaffold as MLs work within their zone of proximal development (ZPD). This qualitative case study examined ML student and teacher perceptions of live teacher and peer digital feedback in one-to-one (1:1) classrooms, grounded in sociocultural theory, effective feedback, and multimodality. The research questions focused on the types of feedback provided by teachers and peers and how ML students—both recipients and peer helpers—and …

Breaking Barriers For Student Success: Leading In Challenging Times, Lisa Marie Dewey

Dissertations

This study explores how Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) directors in one Midwestern state understand and lead equity initiatives in K–12 public education. The purpose of the study was to examine how DEI leaders make sense of their roles and the challenges of sustaining equity work within complex and often politicized systems. Using a basic qualitative methodology, the research examined how personal identity, sociopolitical context, and organizational structures shape DEI leadership. Critical Race Theory (CRT) framed the study, centering race, power, and systemic inequity in participants’ experiences.

Seven DEI directors participated in semi-structured interviews. Three key themes emerged. First, participants’ …

Existence, Difference, And The Nigerian Woman: A Feminist Praxis Beyond Patriarchy, Hannah Yemisi Ajewole

Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the postcolonial condition of Nigerian woman through a critical philosophical engagement with feminist theory, focusing particularly on Simone de Beauvoir’s existentialism and Irigaray’s ethics of sexual difference. It interrogates the historical processes through which gender became the basis of hierarchy in the Nigerian society, arguing that colonial and patriarchal override precolonial forms of relationality—marked by dual-sex relationship and age-based hierarchies—into rigid, male-dominated structures of authority and representation. Drawing also on Oyèrónkẹ́ Oyěwùmí’s critique of western gender epistemologies, the work contextualizes the Nigerian woman’s experience within a broader matrix of colonial imposition, cultural displacement, and epistemic violence. This …