Education Commons^™

A Comparison Of School Index Score And Per-Pupil Spending Of Four School Environments, Elizabeth Ann Springer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study examined the relationship between school environment and both school index scores and per-pupil spending across four distinct public school types in Michigan: in-person district schools, in-person charter schools, virtual district schools, and virtual charter schools. The primary purpose was to explore whether significant differences exist in the school index scores and per-pupil expenditures among these school environments, with particular attention to virtual schools, which remain underrepresented within educational policy research. Initial analysis using MANOVA was supplemented with non-parametric testing due to violations of normality assumptions. Findings indicate significant differences in both spending and school index scores across …

Motivational Factors Affecting Female Students' Choice Of Stem And Non-Stem Majors At Us Universities, Buthaina Ruyyashi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study is the persistently low enrollment of female undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors within U.S. universities. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between female undergraduate students' choice of STEM versus non-STEM majors and their motivational factors, as measured by the Motivations Influencing Course Choice (MICC) survey. The study was grounded in social cognitive career theory, which emphasizes the role of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and personal goals in academic decision-making. The analysis assessed the predictive power of career aspiration, interest, helping, and loafing in determining major …

Teachers’ Perceptions On Implementing Iready To Support Elementary Mathematics Instruction In Georgia, Cassandra Denise Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study was that a significant number of 3rd to 5th grade students score below grade level on the mathematics portion of the Georgia Milestones assessment within a Georgia School District, despite the training and implementation of iReady. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore 3rd to 5th grade teachers’ perceptions of their successes, challenges, and suggestions for implementing iReady in their mathematics instruction. The study was grounded in Chomsky’s concept of competency-based education, which asserts that as long as students can progress at their own pace, the majority of students will achieve competency …

The Lived Experiences Of African American First-Generation Higher Education Students In The Artificial Intelligence Chatbot College Admissions Process: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Felecia M. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of African American first-generation higher education students as they navigate the AI chatbot college admissions process at universities throughout the United States. The theory guiding this transcendental phenomenological study is Rawl’s theory of social justice, as it explained the equal distribution of social values such as wealth, income, opportunity, and liberty. Van Manen's thematic analysis is used to explore the lived experiences and perspectives of the participants. The central research question for this study was, “What are the lived experiences of African American first-generation students who use …

Exploring The Decision-Making And Implementation Process Of Culturally Responsive Leadership Practices In Predominantly Native American Schools: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Christine Fitzgerald

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the decision-making processes of principals when implementing culturally responsive leadership practices in schools with predominantly Native American populations. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, this study frames the influences on decision-making behaviors through a social systems framework. A decolonizing framework for Indigenous evaluation was employed, recognizing Indigenous ways of knowledge creation and understanding. This qualitative study answers the central research question: What are the decision-making experiences of K-12 principals when implementing culturally responsive leadership practices in schools with high Native American populations? Purposeful criterion sampling was used to select eight …

The Influence Of School Closing Mandates On Student Performance During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Case Study, Cody Ryan Ratliff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this embedded single case study was to describe the lack of student needs support during the COVID-19 pandemic for parents of middle school students at a county board of education in West Virginia. (Chiwona et al., 2020; Devereux et al., 2020; Dunn et al., 2020). The theory guiding this study was Abraham Maslow’s (1943) theory on the hierarchy of needs, which demonstrated an impact on student performance. This qualitative single-case study utilized an embedded approach. The central research question this study aimed to answer was to describe how a lack of necessary resources affected students during the …

Use Of Single Bout Exercise On Symptoms Of Burnout In Secondary Teachers, Robert A. Campos

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Increased levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout among educators within the United States educational system have contributed to elevated attrition rates and diminished student outcomes. This study investigates the effects of single-bout exercise sessions on reducing of burnout, specifically emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of personal achievement among secondary public-school teachers. Using the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Educators Survey (MBI-ES), this correlational study used a repeated-measures design in which 36 secondary teachers participated in a control (no exercise), aerobic exercise, and anaerobic exercise sessions. Pre- and post-exercise session scores were analyzed to evaluate the immediate effects on burnout elements. Findings …

Growth Mindset Moving From Poverty To Success: A Phenomenological Study Examining The Lived Experiences Of Adults Raised In Poverty, Hermalinda Brown Bolton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of overcoming the stigma associated with childhood poverty to become academically successful for adults in the Southwest region of the United States. This study attempted to answer the question: What are the lived experiences of academically successful adults who have overcome the stigma of childhood poverty in the Southwest region of the United States? The participants were recruited through a social media platform, and 10 individuals participated in the research. The theory guiding this study was Carol Dweck's growth mindset theory. The growth mindset theory explains how …

A Qualitative Study On Retention And Engagement At A Private Historically Black College And University Among First-Year African American Students From Rural Communities, Miquelle Latoine Fields

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how the intersection of rural culture and race influences the lived experiences of first-year African American students at a private Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Moustakas's theory on phenomenological research methods, based on Husserl's transcendental phenomenology framework, guided the study. The research focused on how cultural context intersects with the lived experiences of first-year African American students from rural areas. It examined how this diversity affects their retention and engagement at a private HBCU. The central research question was: How do the lived experiences of first-year African American college students …

Emotional Intelligence Of Educators And School Climate Ratings In Title I K–8 Schools In The Southeast United States, Kristen A. Hunt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to understand the impact emotional intelligence of teachers and administrators has on school climate for students in a Title I K–8th grade schools in the southeast region of the United States and to determine if years of teaching experience moderates this relationship. The theories guiding this study are Bandura’s social cognitive theory and Solovey and Meyer’s theory of emotional intelligence. Bandura’s social cognitive theory explains the relationship between people, their behavior, and the environment. The theory of emotional intelligence by Solovey and Meyer relates to social intelligence by being of the belief that emotional …

Novice Middle School Music Teachers’ Perspectives On Preservice Preparation In Title I Schools: A Case Study, Christopher M. Burns

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although considerable research addresses the unique needs of middle school learners and teaching music in low-income schools, there are insufficient studies that provide insight and strategies for teaching music in high-needs settings. Likewise, music teacher preparation programs leave gaps in preparation for prospective music educators, unaware of the challenges of teaching middle school music in a high-needs community. Novice music educators experience challenges that are often unaddressed in undergraduate programs. Experienced music educators with advanced degrees can also feel underprepared to teach in low-income schools. Music educator programs lack content that helps prospective music educators become change agents who can …

Growth, Maturation, And Selection Of Elite Youth Ice Hockey Players, Ryan Podell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Maturity status may influence the selection of elite youth ice hockey teams in the United States. Assessing biological maturity status could provide insight into the prevalence of maturation related selection biases. Thus, the purpose of this study was to establish normative maturity status ranges, determine if maturity or relative age effect selection biases existed, and compare levels of agreement between methods to predict maturity status for elite youth ice hockey players in the United States. Part one of this study assessed the biological maturity status and birth months for 126 athletes, ranging 9-16 years of age, from an elite youth …

Burned: A Phenomenological Study On Educator Burnout Within Self-Contained Classrooms, Nyausha West-James

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of self-contained special education educators who have experienced burnout in Ozark County in Georgia. The social cognitive theory guided this research. The social cognitive theory can be supported by teaching new behaviors and encouraging educators to participate in behaviors that support self-efficacy. Self-efficacy can support teachers in managing their emotions and reducing educator burnout. The central research question was what are the lived experiences of self-contained special education educators who have experienced burnout? Although there was data that provided evidence on burnout, there was a lack of …

Immersive Learning In Higher Education: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Jamel R. Pittman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of implementing immersive learning technologies in virtual environments for higher education faculty at Coastal Bay University. Guided by constructivist learning theory, which emphasizes the construction of knowledge through firsthand experiences, this study explored how faculty designed and implemented immersive learning environments to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. Data were collected through interviews, journal prompts, and a focus group with faculty from various disciplines. The findings revealed that immersive learning technologies enhanced student engagement, promoted critical thinking, and facilitated the real-world application of knowledge. Faculty participants also highlighted …

A Quantitative Examination Of School Psychologists And The Relationships Between Work-Life Balance, Burnout, And Turnover Intentions, Brittany Leigh Storti

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research for the past twenty-five years has documented that there is a national shortage of school psychologists across the United States. It is vital to study the magnitude of school psychologists working in the educational field and the impact of work-life balance has on burnout and turnover intentions. The study surveyed 75 school psychologists who work in a brick-and-mortar, hybrid, and virtual setting across the United States to compare the relationships and to determine if there is a difference between turnover intentions based on work setting. A moderation analysis and an ANOVA determined that the research failed to reject the …

Performance-Based Assessment In Refugee Esol Programs: Fostering Real-World Readiness Through Discussions And Presentations, Abdul Mutashobya, Elise Holcomb

MITESOL Journal: An Online Publication of MITESOL

A Performance-Based Assessment (PBA) framework designed to enhance the communicative competence and real-world readiness of adult refugee learners in an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program is described. Grounded in sociocultural and communicative language teaching theories, this approach intentionally blurs the lines between instruction and assessment, using authentic tasks like collaborative discussions and presentations to foster practical skills. The theoretical rationale for PBA is followed by a description of the instructional context and the specific techniques used, including scaffolding strategies, self-assessment and rubric development. Reflecting on the implementation, we share the successes, such as increased learner confidence and …

August 5, 2025 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Consequences Of The Double Empathy Problem Within The Clinical Environment: A New Model For Neuroinclusive Care, Sofia Jimenez

Theses and Dissertations

As diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rise, the neurodiversity and autistic self-advocacy movements have challenged traditional deficit-based clinical models and called for more inclusive, affirming approaches to care. Recent research disputes the long-held belief that autistic individuals have deficits in perspective-taking, revealing that miscommunication between autistic and neurotypical individuals results from mutual misunderstanding, a concept known as the double empathy problem (DEP; Milton, 2012), with the triple empathy problem (TEP) extending this framework to healthcare settings. Our study investigates the consequences of the DEP and TEP within clinical environments, focusing on interactions between neurotypical speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and adult …

Lakota Plant Lesson Connecting Science And Culture For 2nd Graders, Jade M. Jupackal, Larry Browning, Matt Miller, Jiyul Chang, Srinivas Janaswamy, Lydia Yellow Hawk, Jessica Larson, Michael Prate, Madhav P. Nepal

iLEARN Teaching Resources

In this lesson, 2nd graders will learn about how the Lakota people use plants and why these plants are special. They will also discover the important parts of a plant—roots, stem, leaves, flowers, and seeds. Students will engage in activities like coloring, drawing, and exploring real plants found in schoolyard to help them understand each plant part and its function. This culturally responsive lesson blends science with experiential learning and emphasizes plant-people relationships. By the end, students will complete an art-based assessment to demonstrate understanding.

“I Laughed Along For Years But Hated It Inside:” Understanding Nuance In Peer Teasing Experiences Using A Thematic Analysis, Naomi C.Z. Andrews, Molly Dawes Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Introduction

Peer teasing is ubiquitous, yet ambiguous in nature. Despite recent attempts to delineate and clarify differences in teasing experienced as playful versus harmful, there remains overlap and complexity in these interactions. In the current study, we present a conceptual model of teasing, which includes many nested features that dynamically interact within a teasing episode. Using this conceptual model to guide our work, the goal of the current study was to use qualitative inquiry to bring further conceptual clarity to the overlap between teasing that is experienced as playful versus harmful.

Method

Using semi-structured interviews, we asked university students ( …

Helping Families Learn About Social Emotional Learning, Madalyn Ross

Masters Projects

Having developmentally appropriate social-emotional skills is an essential component of a growing child, yet many children lack the social-emotional skills necessary to be successful in the classroom. Families play an important role in the development of a child, but research shows that there are significant gaps in the knowledge and use of social-emotional learning (SEL) that families have. This project explores the importance of family involvement and knowledge surrounding SEL by looking at certain aspects that hinder SEL growth, such as trauma and excessive screen time, and aspects that help children excel in SEL development, such as teacher education and …

Perspectives On Career Advising At A Large Private Religious Institution, Lane Toshio Muranaka

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the role of career advising at Brigham Young University (BYU), a faith-based institution where professional guidance focuses on spiritual development and purpose-driven learning. Through qualitative interviews with career advisors across various disciplines, the research explores how advisors define student success, integrate faith into their advising practices, and support students in aligning their career aspirations with personal meaning and the university's religious mission. Grounded in the belief that holistic education fosters lifelong success, BYU emphasizes the development of the "total person," including moral and spiritual dimensions. Findings reveal that student success is not solely measured by employment outcomes …

Supporting Young Learners With Disabilities In Inclusive Classrooms: A Toolkit For General Education Teachers, Emily M. Raleigh

Masters Projects

Many young elementary students with disabilities often experience difficulty maintaining engagement in their learning and managing their emotions in general education classrooms. These challenges can have a negative influence on their ability to interact with their peers, develop foundational academic skills, and feel a sense of belonging. At the same time, many general educators report a lack of effective training, strategies, and confidence in implementing supports to students with disabilities, particularly in the areas of self-regulation and engagement. This project responds to this issue through the creation of a visual support toolkit developed for use in inclusive early elementary classrooms. …

Students Lack Effective Collaboration Skills, Robin E. Vanderwel

Masters Projects

It has been seen through field experience and through research that students lack the ability to effectively learn through collaboration. The research has shown that there tends to be a lack of authentic learning when using collaboration projects/activities because students do not possess the skills that are needed to collaborate effectively. The ability to collaborate needs to be explicitly taught through modeling and scaffolding. This project examines research on the importance of collaborative learning and the required skills that students need to be successful. The project used research to develop a professional development session that allows teachers to see the …

“Asking For Help Feels Like A Weakness”: Factors Shaping First-Year Students’ Expectations Of Stem Course Office Hours, Jeremy L. Hsu, Grace Holick, Rebecca M. Green, Elaine Benaksas Schwartz, Melissa Rowland-Goldsmith

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Office hours are one of the most ubiquitous resources for students in STEM courses. However, there has been only limited work examining what students think of STEM course office hours, and we are not aware of any past work that has examined (1) how students perceive STEM course office hours upon entering college, and (2) how these perceptions change over time and the factors that shape these perceptions and expectations of what will occur in office hours. Here, we utilize a longitudinal series of surveys to capture first-year students’ perceptions and expectancies for office hours at the beginning of …

Asset And Deficit Thinking: Ed.D. Students’ Perceptions And Preferences Around Their Instructors’ Feedback, Rebecca R. Simataa, Jordan O'Connell, Kateri Johnson, Christopher Dufault

Essays in Education

This study investigated cohort-based Ed.D. students’ perceptions and preferences related to deficit and asset-based instructor feedback. The researchers collected data from 28 current Ed.D. students through a survey based on Henderson et al.'s (2016) Feedback for Learning questions. While students generally perceived feedback as asset-focused, they expressed a need for more growth-oriented, individualized responses. Additionally, male participants significantly perceived more asset-based feedback than females, suggesting that demographic alignment between instructors and students may influence perceptions around feedback. Implications suggest that Ed. D. faculty can enhance feedback practices by choosing transactional or transformative approaches based on students' needs and preferences, offering …

Pre-Service Teachers’ Development Of Four C Skills In Early Field Experiences Through Reflective Writing, Weihsuan Lo, Deborah Romero

Journal of Educational Research and Innovation

This longitudinal trend research study (Creswell & Guetterman, 2019) investigates how pre-service teachers (PSTs) in a K-12 licensure program that includes a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) added endorsement develop the 4Cs (creative thinking, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration) through reflective writing during early field experiences. The study involved five PSTs who submitted three reflective journals during the 2020-2021 school year and nine PSTs who participated in an online virtual focus group. Compared to the 2019-2020 school year, where PSTs observed in-person classes, the shift to online learning in 2020-2021 resulted in maintained Analytic skills (M = 39.40) and increased …

Understanding Hispanic Cultural Strengths Through Parents’ Voices: Insights For Interdisciplinary School Personnel, David Moran, Johana Rocha, Kristy Carlisle

Journal of Human Services Scholarship and Interprofessional Collaboration

Examining the strengths of Hispanic cultural values among K-12 school students is a generally understudied concept, and from their parents’ perspective specifically. This study sought to take a qualitative approach toward the exploration of Hispanic parents’ perspectives on how their cultural values promote strengths within their school-aged children. Hispanic parents (N = 8) participated in bilingual (i.e., Spanish and English) focus groups, with the results providing content that can inform culturally responsive prevention and intervention strategies to support the roles of interdisciplinary school personnel who regularly interact with the children. Findings pointed to (a) interaction with peers and school …

Parliamentary Procedure Interactive Notebook: Newly Revised, P. Troy White, Amie Carter

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

An interactive notebook for teaching fundamentals of parliamentary procedure. Over 120 pages of content to help teach correct principles of this critical organizational management skill. P. Troy White is a Professional Registered Parliamentarian and a Certified Parliamentarian, ensuring that the content included follows the 12th Edition of Robert's Rules of Order.

Football Films & Videos, 1979-2006, Athletics Department.

University Archives Finding Aids

No abstract provided.