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Illuminating Trauma & Resilience In Educational Spaces: Expanding Narratives To Promote Historical And Critical Civic Empathy At Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, Chakakuan Johnson, Linda Nance, Byron Witherspoon

Dissertations

Abstract

The 1957 desegregation crisis at Little Rock Central High School marked a defining moment in the Civil Rights Movement and continues to symbolize the broader struggle for racial equality. This dissertation examines equity in educational spaces through a four-truth lens that was first articulated by the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission and explores forensic, personal, social, and healing truth. Using Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site (CHSC) and park interpretation as the focal point, our qualitative research study used reflexive thematic analysis to examine oral interviews, onsite observations, and various documents and artifacts, and to illuminate …

Remote Home Blood Pressure Monitoring For Management Of Hypertension, Kathleen M. Oliphant

Dissertations

Remote home blood pressure (BP) monitoring has the potential to improve patient engagement and adherence with the prescribed treatment plan for managing hypertension. This DNP project examined the effects of daily remote BP measurement using transmission of biometric data through a Bluetooth-equipped device paired to participants' smartphones. The clinical management of a chronic condition such as hypertension is a long-term process, but the findings of this DNP project supported the empirical evidence showing that remote BP monitoring improves patient outcomes.

Grounded Leadership: A Look Into California Community College Mid-Level Leaders, Vicki Hou

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed-method study was to identify and describe what exemplary California Community College mid-level leaders do to maintain their physical, emotional, intellectual, social, vocational, and spiritual health based on the six dimensions of Rosen’s healthy leader model.Methodology: This study employed a purposive sampling method to select 15 mid-level leaders from two California community college districts. Data collection involved two instruments: the Stay Grounded Survey, administered to all 15 participants, and semi-structured interviews conducted with a subset of five participants. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics including mean scores, frequency distributions, and standard deviations. Qualitative …

Leveraging Cultural Agility In K-12 Public Educational Organizations: A Phenomenological Study Of How Superintendents Coach Other Leaders, Curt Eichperger

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological analysis was to identify and describe how California K-12 public school superintendents use culturally agile task management competencies while coaching other leaders in their organization.Methodology: This phenomenological study identified and described the culturally agile task-management competencies that 12 California Central Coast Superintendents employ to navigate the complex and ever-evolving public educational landscape. Participants were purposively selected based on specific criteria. The researcher served as the primary instrument of data collection, conducting semi-structured interviews with participants. The data was analyzed and coded to identify themes and subsequent findings. Findings: This study identified eight key findings …

A Qualitative Study Utilizing The Design Thinking Process To Structure And Organize For Small Group Reading Instruction In Third, Fourth, And Fifth Grade, Ashlee Utt

Dissertations

Having educated and knowledgeable classroom teachers in reading instruction is a key tool in changing the dynamics of the struggling readers in schools. Being able to lead reading instruction in both whole and small group ensures students are able to learn and build reading strategies and skills to be implemented during whole group and independent time, where text is utilized with grade-level expectations. Utilizing explicit small group instruction can have a positive effect on student achievement and success. Research has shown that “guided reading makes it possible for students to effectively process an appropriate text every day, expanding their reading …

Bridging The Skills Gap: A Design Thinking Mixed Methods Approach To Workforce Readiness, Bernetta Matory–Sylvester

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Giftedness In A Post-Secondary Environment: Academic, Social, And Affective Results And Recommendations, Justin Villet

Dissertations

The field of gifted education has been present in America since the early 20th century (Jolly, 2009). After scholars developed a list of gifted characteristics in the 1950s, the concept of giftedness became far more controversial (Terman & Oden, 1959). Over the last 75 years, gifted education in America has gone from a shining star to complete ambiguity, owing partially to politics and partially to decentralized process (Ford, 2013; Gallagher, 2015; Hodges et al., 2018). This study included an examination of the gifted experience from the secondary to post-secondary environments. The researcher examined various qualitative and quantitative secondary data, including …

The Roots Of Our Food: Relationships Are The Seeds Of Care-Based Food Heritage, Nicole E. Post, Raena D. Parsons, Adrian Boone

Dissertations

The purpose of this co-authored, general qualitative research

study was to examine food relationships between individuals,

communities, and Earth. We explored the concept of relational food

systems pertaining to engagement ideas at EarthDance Organic Farm

School and Hawai’i Institute of Pacific Agriculture. Our research

furthers understanding about how to engage people, individually and

collectively, with the land to inspire action. We argue that care-based

relationships can inspire action, helping individuals reconnect with

their food heritage by engaging with land, community, and self.

Heritage site leaders in food systems who center interconnectedness

create places where relationships between people, land, and food …

A Four-Truth Exploration Of Memory, Social Connection, And Belonging In Fairground And Tower Grove Parks In St. Louis, Missouri, Kenya D. Womack, Adeola N. Adewale, Marie E. Boesch, Gelene M. Strecker-Sayer

Dissertations

Historic racism supported practices such as redlining, discriminatory zoning, and racial steering that separated people and determined the flow of resources and investment into neighborhoods. Communities continue to experience the long tail effects of historic patterns of racism. That is, historic inequities influence the opportunities that residents have to connect with each other and thrive in urban areas. Urban neighborhood parks have the potential to bridge social divides and bring a community together. This basic qualitative research study examines two contested heritage sites in St. Louis, Missouri: Fairground Park, a park in a Black neighborhood that has been historically disinvested …

Into The Language Barrier: Analysis Of The Debates Of Charles Taylor And Jürgen Habermas With Concentration On The Importance Of Philosophy Of Language, Tom Crosby

Dissertations

Jürgen Habermas (b. 1929) and Charles Taylor (b. 1931) are two of the most important philosophers of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Throughout their lengthy bodies of work, spanning from the 1960s and continuing today, they were frequent interlocutors, and often responded to one another’s theories and arguments. They also engaged in direct debates in edited volumes to which they both contributed, including Communicative Action: Essays on Jürgen Habermas's The Theory of Communicative Action (1991), Multiculturalism (1994), and The Power of Religion in the Public Square (2011). The goal of this dissertation is to catalogue and analyze Habermas …

"The Divine Light Illuminates The Intellect:" The Role Of Divine Illumination In The Theology Of Meister Eckhart, John Marshall Loving

Dissertations

This dissertation is a study on the epistemological theory of divine illumination in the works of Meister Eckhart (c. 1260 - 1329 CE). Illumination, first asserted by St. Augustine, is the theory that the human intellect is incapable of achieving epistemic certainty regarding what it sensorily receives. To gain this certainty, the mind is reliant upon illumination, wherein the sensed object is known by the mind through the light of that object's divine idea, which also serves as its ontological principle. Divine illumination was the dominant epistemology in Christian thought for centuries until it began to lose its influence in …

Maternal Access For Depression In Rural Environments, Simone Parlier

Dissertations

Significance –As many as 25% of birthing persons experience postpartum depression (PPD) within the first year after childbirth making this one of the most common postpartum disorders. PPD is prevalent, incapacitating, and treatable. The first step is identifying those at risk. Rural birthing persons are understudied, and may have unique predisposing characteristics as well as geographic challenges for optimal detection and treatment of PPD. Purpose -The long-term goal is to improve the health of rural families. Using The Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms, the purpose of this descriptive, cross-sectional research was to describe the prevalence of PPD in rural birthing persons …

Exploring Latinx Students' Experience With School Connectedness: A Hybrid Thematic Approach To Deductive And Inductive Analysis, Maria Olivia Mendez

Dissertations

This qualitative study aimed to deepen the understanding of school connectedness experienced by Latinx high school students. Specifically, the researcher sought to explore how Latinx students described their connection to school during their high school years. Additionally, to examine whether their experiences aligned with the social and ecological structures outlined in the theoretical model supporting adolescent connectedness to school. If there is alignment, in what ways did it manifest? If not, how did the experiences differ? The study had two primary objectives: (a) to gain insight into how Latinx students experienced school and their sense of connection through their narratives, …

St. Louis, Missouri’S Gayborhood And Washington, Dc’S Black Lives Matter Plaza: Revealing The Healing Potential Of Resistance Stories That Are Grounded In Place, Ryan R. Lindsay, Lotte I. Lent, Ackesha J. Patrick

Dissertations

Oppressed people resist, even when facing severe consequences for doing so. At the core of systemic oppression—genocide, slavery, racism, and sexism—is a drive to control and dehumanize. Resistance, however, can serve as a powerful act of rehumanization. From enslaved individuals fleeing plantations to LGBTQ+ individuals risking arrest to gather in mid-20th-century bars, resistance reclaims power and autonomy under oppressive regimes. This study applies South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) “four truths” framework—comprising forensic, personal, social, and healing truths—to the interpretation of contested heritage sites. We argue that sites commemorating resistance hold transformative potential for individual and community healing. Using …

Evaluating Depression In Adults Undergoing Substance Abuse Treatment: A Program Evaluation Of Intensive Outpatient Program, Chidochomoyo E. Zvirawa

Dissertations

Problem: Depression and substance use disorders (SUDs) frequently co-occur, complicating recovery outcomes. Despite screening recommendations, depression remains underdiagnosed in many SUD treatment settings.

Methods: This mixed-methods program evaluation examined depressive symptoms among adults in an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8). Depression screenings were conducted at intake, four weeks, and eight weeks. Eight participants meeting inclusion criteria were assessed. Data included demographics, treatment engagement, and PHQ-8 scores.

Results: PHQ-8 scores significantly declined from baseline (M = 11.75, SD = 6.52) to eight weeks (M = 5.13, SD = 5.05), t(7) = 2.76, p = .028, indicating …

The Clinical Utility Of Measuring Emotion Dysregulation In Autistic Youth, Monica S. Trevino

Dissertations

Autistic youth experience disproportionately high rates and severity of emotion dysregulation, which is linked to behavioral challenges, psychiatric comorbidities, familial stress, and increased emergency service and hospitalization use. Despite its clinical significance, emotion dysregulation in autistic youth remains relatively understudied and misunderstood, partly due to the lack of standardized assessment tools and limited research on its heterogeneity within autistic populations. In the present study, structural equation modeling was used to 1) validate the Emotion Dysregulation Inventory (EDI) and assess measurement invariance in a diverse sample and 2) explore associations among emotion dysregulation, autism symptoms, and related child and family characteristics, …

Investigating The Effects Of Brief Video Interventions On White Undergraduate Students’ Racial Attitudes, Alyssa Powers

Dissertations

In this experimental study, a pretest posttest between-groups design was utilized to investigate the efficacy of two brief multicultural educational video interventions in improving the colorblind and affective racial attitudes of White undergraduate students. Ninety-eight self-identified White undergraduate students from a large, Midwestern university were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (a) viewing a video on the pervasiveness of individual racism and White privilege in the United States (True Colors); (b) viewing a video on institutional racism in the United States (Segregated by Design); (c) viewing a study tips video as the neutral control condition. Participants’ colorblind and affective …

A Design Based, Mixed Method Study On Evaluating Traditional Grading Practices And The Implications For Mastery Learning And Educational Equity In A Midwestern School District, Christina Kirchner

Dissertations

“Grades are an essential currency of our schools. Schools, colleges and employers use grades to determine many important, and in some cases, life-altering decisions-college admission, financial aid and scholarships, athletic eligibility, promotion, retention, awards, and supports” (Feldman, 2018, p. 3). Grading is not addressed in teacher preparation programs, or within professional development during teachers’ careers; teachers have chosen their own way to grade guided by their own personal experiences, uninformed of research or best practice. Using a human centric, design-based approach, the researcher identified multiple discrepancies with grading practices among the K-12 school organization. Within the discrepancies, other issues were …

The Correlation Between Depression And Gendered Racism Among Black Women, Charmagne M. King

Dissertations

Black women face unique challenges related to intersecting racial and gender-based discrimination, often referred to as gendered racism. Previous research has indicated this form of oppression may significantly affect mental health, particularly depression. However, few studies have examined how gendered racism interacts with racial identity and demographic factors (e.g., age, marital status, geographical location) to predict depressive symptoms. Using a sample of 164 self-identified Black women, this study investigated the correlational relationship between gendered racism and depression among Black women and examined how gendered racism, racial identity, and key covariates (age, marital status, and geographical location) predict depressive symptomatology. The …

A Phenomenological Qualitative Study Of Sense Of Community In An Inner-City Parochial School: Expanding The Seats At The Table., Mary Andree Darnall

Dissertations

St. Angela’s School is an elementary school in the Austin area of Chicago. This phenomenological qualitative study examined Sense of Community (SOC) at St. Angela’s, operationalized as “The feeling that St. Angela School is welcoming, psychologically and physically safe, that I matter, I am respected, and that I belong.” As an inner-city, parochial school, St. Angela’s has seen extensive changes in the neighborhood and the student population, both in ethnicity and enrollment. The last two principals requested a study of its SOC to identify solutions as diminished enrollment and teacher turnover have threatened its continued existence.

Thirty-three individuals …

Identifying Success Characteristics Of First-Generation College Students: A Framework For Early Intervention In K-12 Education., Christopher Harmon

Dissertations

This dissertation examines how K–12 educators can better support first-generation college students by identifying the characteristics that promote success and developing early interventions using Wagner et al.’s (2006) 4 C’s model: Competencies, Conditions, Culture, and Context. Guided by Michael Quinn Patton’s Utilization-Focused Evaluation (UFE), it closely investigates how factors such as family background, academic preparation, finances, and social support shape first-generation students’ capacity to persist and excel in college. The research draws on interviews with first-generation doctoral students, offering a detailed, first-hand account of their educational journeys from early schooling through advanced degrees. Notably, the findings highlight the importance of …

Building Bridges: Union Efforts To Address Stress Among Educational Staff, Theodore Michael Hamilton

Dissertations

This mixed-methods study examines the relationship between administrative support and educator stress and burnout in a post-COVID unionized school district. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, and the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, the study surveyed 102 educational professionals and conducted semi-structured interviews with union delegates. Quantitative findings revealed that 75% of staff worked beyond contracted hours, and 63% assumed additional unpaid responsibilities. Lower levels of perceived administrative support were significantly correlated with higher burnout and greater intent to leave the profession. Qualitative thematic analysis identified key stressors, including inconsistent administrative communication, escalating student …

An Assessment Of Youth Perceptions Of Youth Employment Initiatives And Attachment To Community As Determinants Of Migration Decisions Among The Youth In Keta Municipality Of Ghana, Fortune S. Zaglago

Dissertations

Youth migration from rural to urban areas in Ghana, particularly to cities like Accra, Tema, Kumasi, and Takoradi continues to rise, despite ongoing efforts to improve youth employability and reduce urban influx. This study examined the extent to which youth attachment to community and participation in employment initiatives predict migration intentions. Guided by the network, sense of community, neoclassical, and empowerment theories, the research employed a mixed-method correlational design. Data was collected from 249 participants, including 109 youth employment initiative participants, 126 non-participants, and 10 agency staff through surveys, as well as interviews with 4 heads of agencies. Quantitative data …

The Battle Is Not Ours!: The Impact Of Racial Battle Fatigue On The Career Trajectory Of Black Women Administrators At Predominantly White Institutions, Tonishea M. Jackson

Dissertations

This qualitative narrative inquiry examines the impact of Racial Battle Fatigue (RBF) on the career progression of Black women administrators at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). While RBF has been studied extensively among students and faculty, there has been little research exploring its influence on Black women leaders who navigate both racial and gendered power structures in organizations where they are often underrepresented and unsupported. Grounded in the theoretical framework of Intersectionality, this study explores one primary research question: What is the relationship between RBF and the career paths of Black women administrators at PWIs, including the stages in their careers …

Bridging The Gap: Exploring The Intersection Of Formal Mental Health Services And Informal Social Supports In Bipoc Communities, Patrice D. Patton-Campbell

Dissertations

Despite growing awareness of mental health disparities, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities continue to face significant barriers in accessing culturally responsive mental health care. This dissertation explores the intersection between formal mental health services and informal social supports such as family, religious institutions, and community networks to understand which systems are more trusted, accessible, and effective for BIPOC individuals. Grounded in Urban Liberation Psychology and guided by decolonial and culturally responsive care frameworks, this qualitative study draws from focus groups and interviews with 33 participants, including both community members and service providers from the Chicagoland area and …

Narratives Of Latina Teacher Candidates On Subtractive Schooling Experiences And Their Language Identity, Joao Goebel

Dissertations

The subtractive nature of bilingual education in the United States has long impacted the language identities of Latinx students. Despite being raised in multilingual environments, many are schooled in systems that devalue their home languages and prioritize English-only instruction. This study explored how these dynamics influenced Latina teacher candidates’ perceptions of their own bilingualism and professional identities. The purpose of the study was to examine how Latina teacher candidates understood and constructed their language identities in the context of their K–12 and higher education experiences. The study used narrative research centered on four Latina teacher candidates enrolled in an undergraduate …

The Heart Of The Defense: Exploring The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence, Cultural Competence, And Client-Centered Lawyering In Public Defense, Cherise Burdeen

Dissertations

This dissertation explores the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI), cultural competence, and client-centered lawyering (CCL) within the public defense system. Using a mixed-methods design, this study analyzed quantitative data from 96 White public defenders and qualitative data from a focus group of 7 experienced public defense trainers. Because of the disparate racialized impact of the criminal legal system and anti-Blackness as a foundational component of the United States, cultural competence was operationalized as antiracism. Pearson correlations revealed significant, positive relationships between EI and CCL, r = .483, p < .001; antiracism and CCL, r = .356, p < .001; and EI and antiracism, r = .225, p = .027). Regression analyses indicated that EI significantly predicted both antiracism (β = .225, p =.027) and CCL (β = .483, p < .001), and that antiracism independently predicted CCL (β = .260, p =.004). A combined model including both EI and antiracism accounted for 29.7% of the variance in CCL scores, R² = .297, p < .001. Qualitative findings revealed that CCL and cultural competence are often viewed by attorneys as intuitive or already mastered, yet training on these skills typically provokes emotional dysregulation and resistance. The qualitative and quantitative analysis resulted in the Emotion-First Praxis Theory (EFPT), which posits that EI is a prerequisite for antiracist and client-centered practice, and that if contextualized in antiracist work, emotionally developed White facilitators should work with White people, to prepare them for the kinds of collaborations needed to ensure tangible results. Recommendations are offered to improve antiracism work in and beyond public defense systems. Future research should validate the CCL measure with clients, expand sampling, and empirically test EFPT in diverse settings.

Traditional Institutions As Change Agents: Understanding Cultural Norms And Practices Promoting Gender-Based Violence In Nigerian Communities, Titilayo Ogunbambi

Dissertations

Traditional institutions in Nigerian communities hold a strong cultural foundation and significantly influence cultural norms and practices. Due to the increasing need for effective community-based approaches in addressing social and health problems on a global scale, we explore the attitudes and behaviors of traditional institutions as custodians of cultural customs and norms related to gender-based violence (GBV) and examine their potential role in ensuring community safety. By addressing harmful gendered norms and practices, traditional institutions could become key agents of change, promoting meaningful social transformations. This study explores the dynamics cultural norms and practices play in community safety, emphasizing the …

Narratives Of Jewish American Public School Educators Amid Rising Antisemitism Post October 7, 2023, Cassandra Schwartz

Dissertations

This study investigated how Jewish American public school educators are responding to rising antisemitism post-October 7, 2023. While research exists on global antisemitism, the experiences of Jewish educators within the unique context of American public schools represent a significant and under-explored gap in academic literature. A qualitative narrative research approach, grounded in critical theory, was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with eight Jewish American public school educators and analyzed thematically. The findings revealed participants’ experiences of a heightened sense of fear and silence from colleagues and institutions, leading to feelings of isolation and being unsupported. Critically, this study …

Land Access As Liberation: A Qualitative Study On Faith, Food, And Farming Of Urban And Rural Black Land Stewards In The United States, Dominique Edwards

Dissertations

Since 1920, Black farmers in the United States have held less than 2% of the nation's farmland, a direct result of race-based discriminatory policies embedded within federal, state, local, and county-level institutions (Daniel, 2013). Structural barriers—ranging from exclusionary lending practices by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the systematic dispossession of land through legal loopholes, heirs’ property laws, and violent racial terror—have contributed to this staggering decline in Black land ownership (Gilbert et al., 2002). The erosion of Black agrarian landholdings intensified in the latter half of the 20th century, as government programs, civil rights legislation, and technological advancements, …