Education Commons^™

The Effects Of Bullying Victimization And Bullying Perpetration On Academic, Social, And Emotional Self-Efficacy Among Adolescents, Amber Crenshaw

Theses and Dissertations

Bullying remains a persistent challenge in schools and has been linked to diminished perceptions of capability across multiple domains. This quantitative, cross-sectional study examined how bullying victimization and bullying perpetration relate to domain-specific self-efficacy, academic, social, and emotional, among students in grades 4-12 in the southern United States. Students (N = 81) completed the Adolescent Peer Relations Instrument (APRI-BT) measuring victimization and perpetration across verbal, social, and physical behaviors. Students also completed the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children (SEQ-C) measuring domain-specific self-efficacy. Analyses included descriptive statistics, internal consistency estimates, bivariate correlations, and hierarchical multiple regressions. Moderation by parental education and socioeconomic …

Barriers To Higher Education In Mississippi Prisons: A Systematic Literature Review And Policy Analysis, Ashley Elizabeth Weathers

Theses and Dissertations

Higher education in prison reduces recidivism and improves reentry outcomes, yet Mississippi’s prison education programs remain underdeveloped due to financial constraints, policy challenges, and systemic barriers. While national research on prison education is expanding, Mississippi-specific policy evaluations remain limited. This capstone employs a desk-based research methodology, integrating a systematic literature review and policy analysis to examine these challenges. The study synthesizes recent research on the impact of prison education, funding limitations, and policy frameworks, addressing a critical gap in state-specific policy evaluation. The policy analysis evaluates Mississippi’s correctional education policies and funding mechanisms, using Southwest Mississippi Community College’s (SMCC) Prison …

The Need For Policy Pathways To Phone-Free Schools: A Desk-Based Analysis For A Rural K-12 District, Kelsey Upton

Theses and Dissertations

This capstone project addresses the growing concern over mobile device use in secondary schools by analyzing the implications of implementing a comprehensive mobile device restriction policy. While many schools maintain cell phone policies, inconsistent enforcement reduces their effectiveness, leading to ongoing challenges such as decreased student attention, diminished face-to-face interactions, and increased mental health concerns. Guided by the Adapted Policy Analysis Triangle Framework, this study uses a qualitative, desk-based policy analysis approach to examine existing literature, district policy documents, and publicly available case studies of schools that enact mobile device restriction measures. The analysis evaluates how such policies are designed, …

Building From The Ground Up: Informing Inclusive Curriculum Design Through Qualitative Inquiry: Development Of An Early Childhood Curriculum For Children In Mississippi, Alicia Deaver

Theses and Dissertations

Curriculum is a vital component of high-quality early care and education programs. Barriers such as cost, limited education and training, and restricted access to materials often make it difficult for many programs to adopt or implement developmentally appropriate curricula. Effective curriculum implementation relies on individualization and cultural responsiveness to be fully inclusive of children of all abilities. This study addressed the formative and summative processes of the My Mississippi Adventures project, a curriculum developed for use by early childhood educators throughout the state. The curriculum was designed with direct input from early childhood educators to address the unique challenges faced …

Examining Relationships Among Teachers’ Perceptions Of School Climate And Culture And Their Sense Of School Belonging, Kimberly D. Lathan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationships among teachers’ views of school climate and culture and their sense of belonging within a Mississippi school district. Using a quantitative survey research design, data were collected from 99 teachers during the 2024–2025 school year through the School Climate Survey and the School Belonging Scale Survey. The researcher sought to determine whether differences in the teachers' perceptions of their schools’ climate and culture and their sense of belonging existed by gender and grade span, as well as whether significant relationships existed among the constructs of their schools’ climate and culture …

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 …

How Are Teacher Leadership Characteristics Defined?: Investigating The Development Of Leadership Identity, Role Clarity, And Administrative Support, Anna C. Daher

Theses and Dissertations

The research study investigated how graduates of a teacher leadership preparation program perceived their development as teacher leaders, the factors that supported or hindered their leadership practices, and how their lived experiences aligned with the Teacher Leader Model Standards. The mixed method qualitative research study was designed to examine how teacher leaders make meaning of their growth and enactment of leadership while remaining in classroom roles. Eighteen graduates of a teacher leadership preparation program at a public university in Mississippi completed a survey on their leadership development and current roles. Of those, six participants representing diverse educational backgrounds, experience levels, …

Enhancing Leadership Development For Faculty And Staff At Community Colleges, Christopher L. Haralson

Theses and Dissertations

Community colleges serve as critical gateways to higher education and workforce advancement, yet many lack formal leadership development programs tailored to their unique missions and operational challenges. This capstone project explores the need for and proposes the design of a comprehensive leadership program for community colleges, addressing three guiding questions: (1) How can community colleges build institutional support for leadership development programs? (2) In what ways can leadership programs increase faculty and staff engagement to improve student success? (3) How can structured leadership programs serve as foundations for succession planning within college administration? A desk-based research methodology was employed, anchored …

Bridging The Gap: Enhancing Novice Teacher Retention Through Logistical And Administrative Support, Denise Fleurette Harrel

Theses and Dissertations

This project examines the challenges novice teachers encounter and how structured support systems impact their job satisfaction, effectiveness, and retention. The review focuses on administrative and logistical support, highlighting gaps between teacher preparation and classroom realities that contribute to high attrition (Falk, 2017; Koca, 2016). Key challenges include insufficient time management training, inconsistent expectations, and limited district or school-level support (Fantilli & McDougall, 2009), all of which are intensified by the demands of navigating modern classroom technologies (Philipsen et al., 2019). The literature review centers on teacher perceptions to clarify what constitutes effective logistical and administrative support (Banerjee et al., …

What Makes A Good Leader? Ms Lili: Mississippi Library Leadership Institute, Anita L. Winger

Theses and Dissertations

What is leadership? The goal of this research is to develop leaders, but what does that mean? It is true that leadership is needed at every level in an organization, and a leader does not need to be at the administrative level of the organization but can lead from any role and any level in the organization. Everyone has their own style of leadership that needs to be developed. The research explored different styles and theories of leadership and focused on implementing a Character Strength-based framework of leadership. Through this research, identified topics will be presented to participants in the …

Exploring The Potential Of Artificial Intelligence To Improve The Journal Peer Review Process, Eliza Fanny Bondah

Theses and Dissertations

Academic publishing depends on the peer review process to guarantee quality, scholarly rigor, and credibility, but the traditional peer review system receives mounting criticism because of its inefficient operations, biased judgments, and irregular standards. This study explores how artificial intelligence (AI) can improve journal peer review systems to solve a variety of issues, including reducing reviewer exhaustion, minimizing bias, improving consistency, and accelerating the review process. Current literature shows AI as a promising yet controversial solution, which may provide structured feedback with improved consistency and efficiency. Our study examined 52 human reviews together with 26 AI-generated reviews from EdTechnica--An Open …

Exploring Adjunct Faculity Member Acceptance To Learning Management Systems When Transitioning To Online Course Instruction: A Traditional Case Study, Maryelizabeth Mcardle

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, the typical college student wearing a university sweatshirt and holding a backpack has evolved to include a rising population of adult learners returning to college (Morris, 2020). According to the Educational Advisory Board, adult learners are defined as students aged 25 and older (Morris, 2020). Of the approximately 20 million students enrolled in a degree-earning program in 2019, nearly 6.5 million were adult learners (Morris, 2020). The purpose of this qualitative case study is to understand adjunct faculty members' experiences, which led to positive intentions to use and actual usage of the LMS when assigned to instruct …

Finding Black Joy: Understanding How Black Students Are Seen, Affirmed, And Nourished In Expanded Learning Opportunities., Jamila Mosley

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how Black students experience Black joy within expanded learning opportunity (ELO) programs and how those programs are structured to nurture that joy. It is guided by the central research question: How do Black students describe the ways in which an expanded learning opportunity program fosters their joy through experiences of being seen, affirmed, and nourished? Using an instrumental case study design at two secondary schools, the study draws on semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and observations of students participating in robotics, debate, Sister Circle, cheer, basketball, and creative writing. Data were analyzed through multiple cycles of coding, first …

Beyond Binaries, Bridging Divides: Centering Identity, Resistance, And Educational Justice Along The Texas-Mexico Border. A Critical Autoethnography Of Underrepresented Intersectionality, Invisibility, And Transformation In Education, Alexander Hernandez

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation employs solo autoethnography and counter-storytelling to examine how intersecting identities, queer, neurodivergent, bilingual, and fronterizo, shape lived experiences within U.S. educational spaces along the Texas–Mexico border. Grounded in Critical Race Theory as a historical foundation and guided by the braiding logic of Intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989), the study integrates Latino Critical Race Theory (LatCrit), Disability Critical Race Studies (DisCrit), and Queer Theory to analyze how race, language, ability, and sexuality converge within systems of schooling.

Using memory-work, poetic autoethnography, and narrative vignettes as primary data, the dissertation traces how educational institutions discipline identity through racio-linguistic policing, behavioral surveillance, and …

The Lived Experiences Of School Counselors, Job Burnout, And The Blurred Lines Of The Profession, Cecilia Angelica Gomez

Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological qualitative study explores the lived experiences of school counselors during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on job burnout, role ambiguity, and the blurred lines of the profession. Through semi-structured interviews with practicing school counselors, the study identifies common themes including role overload, manifestations of burnout, coping and resilience strategies, and the impact of administrative support. Findings highlight the systemic factors contributing to counselor stress and the importance of self-care, peer collaboration, and role clarity for counselor well-being and student outcomes.

Exploring Factors That Contribute To The Success Of Latina Superintendents In South Texas, Juanita D. Ybarra-Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID 19 pandemic brought forth many new challenges to the K-12 public schools. Superintendent turnover rates reached concerning levels in Texas and nationwide. This study explored the relationships between Latina superintendent’s success and the superintendents’ experiences with the school board, the community, their own health and safety and experiences related to maintaining superintendents’ role. Success is defined as a participant who acquired the superintendent role and maintained it for at least three years. Participants in this study were selected from Hispanic female superintendents within the Region One Education Service Center (ESC) in South Texas who had acquired and remained …

Voices Of Resistance: Multilingual Identity Formation Through Translanguaging In Dual Language Bilingual Education, Fernando W. Milmo

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explored how students navigated their evolving multicultural and multilingual identities in a setting with varying emphases on English and Spanish in the context of a fourth-grade dual language classroom where the teacher employed translanguaging pedagogy. This study is grounded in a theoretical framework that integrates decolonial, raciolinguistic, and translanguaging perspectives. The study examined students' perceptions of linguistic hierarchies and the ways they utilized their full linguistic repertoires to negotiate meaning, identity, and a sense of belonging. This study included pláticas as a culturally grounded narrative method, classroom observations, and interviews, and used a qualitative case study …

Deep Community Engagement: Faculty Responsiveness Perspectives At A Hispanic Serving Institution, Joseph Coppola

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative, narrative inquiry investigates how experienced faculty members embody and enact responsive pedagogical practices at a community college Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Despite generational poverty and low degree attainment among Latine students, institutions face mounting pressure from deficit-mindedness and political mandates that threaten educational equity and resources for HSIs. This research sought to answer: How do community college faculty teaching at a Hispanic Serving Institution exhibit attributes of responsiveness?

The theoretical framework utilized the core tenets of Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy and integrated models from Gloria Ladson-Billings (culturally relevant pedagogy), Geneva Gay (culturally responsive teaching), Django Paris (culturally sustaining pedagogy), …

A Qualitative Case Study: Exploring Distributed Leadership In Instructional Leadership Teams, Martha Reyna Perez

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explored the role of distributed leadership within Instructional Leadership Teams (ILTs) at the elementary level, using Beckhard’s (1972) GRPI framework— Goals, Roles, Processes, and Interpersonal Relationships—as a lens. Conducted as a qualitative case study at Rio Vista Elementary in Lone Star Independent School District, the research examined how ILTs functioned in the context of post-pandemic education, focusing on collaboration between administrators and teacher leaders. Guided by Spillane’s (2006) distributed leadership theory, the study addressed three questions: the lived experiences of ILT members, shifts in teacher leadership and organizational conditions, and perceived impacts on student outcomes. Findings showed that …

A Qualitative Case Study: Exploring Distributed Leadership In Instructional Leadership Teams, Martha Reyna Perez

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explored the role of distributed leadership within Instructional Leadership Teams (ILTs) at the elementary level, using Beckhard’s (1972) GRPI framework— Goals, Roles, Processes, and Interpersonal Relationships—as a lens. Conducted as a qualitative case study at Rio Vista Elementary in Lone Star Independent School District, the research examined how ILTs functioned in the context of post-pandemic education, focusing on collaboration between administrators and teacher leaders. Guided by Spillane’s (2006) distributed leadership theory, the study addressed three questions: the lived experiences of ILT members, shifts in teacher leadership and organizational conditions, and perceived impacts on student outcomes. Findings showed that …

Educators’ Perceptions Of Mental Health Services For Middle School Students In A South Texas District, Norma Araceli Cabrera

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study is to examine teachers' and administrators' perceptions of school-based mental health services in one school district in South Texas. Within-case sampling was utilized to select the participants. The study examines educators' perceptions of the availability and effectiveness of mental health services for middle school students. Middle school is a period of intense social development, during which students strive to navigate peer relationships. Middle school children, aged 12-14, also undergo emotional development as they manage intense emotions, develop self-awareness, and learn to cope with stressors related to school, friends, and self-identity. Studies found that …

The Lived Experiences Of School Counselors, Job Burnout, And The Blurred Lines Of The Profession, Cecilia Angelica Gomez

Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological qualitative study explores the lived experiences of school counselors during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on job burnout, role ambiguity, and the blurred lines of the profession. Through semi-structured interviews with practicing school counselors, the study identifies common themes including role overload, manifestations of burnout, coping and resilience strategies, and the impact of administrative support. Findings highlight the systemic factors contributing to counselor stress and the importance of self-care, peer collaboration, and role clarity for counselor well-being and student outcomes.

A Study Of Preferred Modality Of Education And Perceptions Of Academic Success Of Post 9/11 Student Veterans, Jason R. Wakefield

Theses and Dissertations

Veterans are pursuing higher education at increasing rates due to the benefits available upon separation or retirement from military service. Many choose online programs for flexibility, while others prefer traditional, in-person instruction. Regardless of modality, student veterans often face significant challenges completing their degrees. “When student veterans first enter college, they must transition to the overwhelming, independent, and fast-paced lifestyle of a college student” (Semer & Harmening, 2015). While online learning may contribute to these difficulties, other factors also hinder success.

Colleges and universities continue to explore why student veterans struggle to complete their programs, yet underlying issues may distort …

Navigating Cultural And Professional Identities: A Study Of Hispanic Women's Experiences In Aerospace Internship Programs, Jennifer Becerra

Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study investigated how Hispanic women navigated cultural identity and professional development during National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) internship programs, examining the role of culturally responsive mentoring in supporting retention. The research question was, How do Hispanic women in aerospace-internship programs navigate the intersection of cultural identity and professional development as they transition from academic science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs to aerospace careers, and what role does culturally responsive mentoring play in supporting their retention?

Using Anzaldúa’s nepantla concept, Duncan-Andrade’s critical-hope theory, and Ladson-Billings’ culturally relevant pedagogy as theoretical frameworks, in this study, I employed semistructured …

Connections On Manifolds: A Modern Approach To Classical Differential Geometry, Jed Allen Wilshire

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to connect modern differential geometry concepts to the classical differential geometry study of surfaces, specifically spheres. This thesis will cover the topics of Riemannian manifolds, tangent spaces, vectors, vector fields, the connection of Levi-Civita, the Christoffel symbols, and Riemannian curvature. Each concept will be demonstrated on the well known unit sphere manifold.

The Relationship Between Perceived Transactional Distance, Cultural Values, And Online Instruction Among Higher Education Students: A Quantitative Analysis, Judith Kay Guetzow

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative survey research study examines potential correlations and influences on the learning of students enrolled in online classes at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). The study specifically investigates whether transactional distance (TD) as conceptualized in Michael G. Moore’s Transactional Distance Theory (TDT), and cultural values such as power distance (PD), uncertainty avoidance (UA), and collectivism (CO) as defined in Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory, are associated with, and impact the learning experiences of online students. The analysis primarily centers on students’ perceived transactional distance and their self-reported cultural orientations.

Investigating The Impacts Of Facial Gestures On Global Participants’ Perception Of The Speaker, Perception Of The Message, Emotional Responses, And Engagement During Video Conferencing, Hanan Mohammed Alghamdi

Theses and Dissertations

Facial expressions play a crucial role in shaping communication and emotional understanding during virtual interactions. This study investigated how facial expressions influence participants’ perceptions of the speaker, perceptions of the message, emotional responses, and engagement during video conferencing across diverse cultural contexts. A hybrid experimental design was implemented using self-administered questionnaires to collect quantitative data and examine cause-and-effect relationships. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three facial-expression conditions Positive (smiling and joyful), Negative (angry or nervous), or Neutral (expressionless) and viewed speakers representing three ethnic backgrounds: White American, Black American, and Middle Eastern. Using a seven-point semantic differential scale, …

Influence Of Peer-Led Team Learning In Students’ Chemistry Self-Efficacy, And Academic Achievement In General Chemistry Courses, Hector Leal

Theses and Dissertations

One of the most perplexing issues facing peer cooperative learning is dealing with student motivation and goal orientation. Sometimes the students who could most benefit from the positive effects of peer learning are the ones least likely to participate due to fear of exposing their academic weaknesses to others or even to themselves (Arendale, 2020). Exploring the complexity of student motivation is being carefully studied amongst elementary and secondary education student populations. However, this important construct is often ignored in the study of postsecondary education in general, and the provision of learning assistance, particularly at the college level. My purpose …

Factors Influencing Teacher Professional Autonomy And Career Satisfaction: The Effects Of Unrealistic Professional Expectations Surrounding Student-Centered And Technology Implementation Tropes, Karla Gabriela Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

The research problem is to investigate to what extent unrealistic professional expectations stemming from a predominant emphasis on the tropes of student-centeredness and technology integration impact teachers’ experiences of professional autonomy and career satisfaction. The purpose of this study is to find out what factors impact teacher autonomy and career satisfaction while also considering how teachers can be effectively supported to improve these areas. Utilizing a narrative inquiry approach, this qualitative study will be held in the Rio Grande Valley and will analyze interviews of both current teachers and teachers who have recently left the profession. Therefore, this study will …

Design And Evaluation Of Gamified Kahoot Modules For Improving Engagement And Conceptual Understanding Of Introductory Physics Students, Yaritza Villarreal

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the effectiveness of gamified learning modules in enhancing the engagement and conceptual understanding of introductory physics students. The first phase of this study focused on the design and development of gamified learning modules for selected topics in introductory physics. The modules were developed by integrating principles of Backward Design, following an escape-room theme with interactive scenarios, and incorporating classic game elements (e.g., points and leaderboards).

The second phase examined the effectiveness of the gamified Kahoot modules using a pretest-posttest control-group design. Sixty-eight (68) students were equally randomly assigned to the control and experimental groups. The experimental group …