Education Commons^™

Strategies Black Male Students With Social Anxiety Use To Persist And Succeed At Rural Community Colleges, Gwendolyn F. Houston

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Social anxiety, one of the more common types of anxiety, has been linked to poor concentration, impaired performance, and lower academic achievement (BlackDeer et al., 2021; Derakshan & Eysenck, 2009; Leigh et al., 2021). This study addresses the questions: “How do Black male students with social anxiety at rural community colleges in the Southeastern United States handle both academic and non-academic challenges and cope with these stressors?” and “How do Black male students with social anxiety navigate barriers during their journey at rural community colleges in the Southeastern United States, and what strategies do they use to manage these obstacles?” …

Evaluating The Motivations Of Participants In Online Equine Extension Courses, Sarah Vos

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Traditional program evaluations emphasize participant demographics, knowledge gain, behavior change, and program impact. However, evaluating participant motivation can provide addition insight into why participants enroll in extension programs and help explain participant engagement and persistence throughout a program. The purpose of this study was to evaluate participant motivation in two online equine extension courses and examine potential relationships between motivation, demographics, and course delivery method, and describe participant engagement in Virtual Horse Judging Camp (VHJC). This cross-sectional study utilized convenience sampling of participants in two online equine extension courses, Horse Adult Leader Training and Educational Resource (HALTER) and VHJC. The …

Iniciativas Transfronterizas Informe De Border Fellows 2025-2026, Elise Free Ma, Tori Luna Ma, Jonathan De Vicente Encarnación Mtro., Yolanda Viridiana Chávez Flores Dra., Korina Odet Cortés Uribe Dra., Jessie Valcin, Cristina Solano Díaz, Etienne Mulumeoderhwa Mufungizi Dr.

Kroc IPJ Research and Resources

El Informe Border Fellows 2025–2026 documenta seis proyectos comunitarios realizados en la región Tijuana–San Diego en el marco del Programa Border Fellows del Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice. Desde la academia, la sociedad civil y el sector público, las y los fellows abordaron retos distintos atravesados por un mismo contexto: el tráfico de armas y la violencia armada contra mujeres y personas LGBTQIA+; la violencia juvenil y el riesgo suicida en una secundaria pública; la discriminación en una preparatoria federal con más de 4,300 estudiantes; la capacidad organizativa y los derechos lingüísticos de comunidades indígenas en Baja California; el …

Cross-Border Initiatives Border Fellow Report 2025-2026, Elise Free Ma, Tori Luna Ma, Jonathan De Vicente Encarnación Ma, Yolanda Viridiana Chávez Flores Phd, Korina Odet Cortés Uribe Edd, Jessie Valcin, Cristina Solano Díaz, Etienne Mulumeoderhwa Mufungizi Phd

Kroc IPJ Research and Resources

The 2025–2026 Border Fellows Report documents six community-led projects carried out across the Tijuana–San Diego region under the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice's Border Fellows Program. Working in academia, civil society, and the public sector, the fellows addressed distinct challenges shaped by a common context: firearms trafficking and armed violence against women and LGBTQIA+ people; youth violence and suicide risk in a public middle school; discrimination in a federal preparatory school serving more than 4,300 students; the organizational capacity and language rights of Indigenous communities in Baja California; academic accompaniment for Haitian adolescents excluded from formal schooling; and intercultural …

Multispecies Weed Detection Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles And Deep Learning Object Detection Models In Utah Forage Crop Corn Field, Utsav Bhandari

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Weeds cost global agriculture over $32 billion annually and reduce crop yields by nearly one-third. Current weed control relies heavily on spraying herbicides uniformly across entire fields, leading to herbicide-resistant weeds, environmental harm, and increasing costs for farmers. A smarter approach is detecting weeds from the air and spraying only where they are present. This could dramatically reduce herbicide use while protecting crop yields. This thesis developed a complete system for identifying weeds in corn fields using drone-captured images and artificial intelligence. Working in commercial forage corn fields in Cache Valley, Utah, high-resolution aerial images were collected and used to …

Reciprocal Teaching With Emergent Bilingual Students: Promoting Academic Reading Strategies And Fostering Hope, Lorissa K. Nelson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Many students struggle with reading comprehension, and research shows that low literacy skills in a student’s first language can unfortunately lead to lower rates of university program completion, regardless of the language of instruction. When students feel empowered and confident in their ability to achieve their academic goals, they are much more likely to take ownership of their learning. In fact, students who actively demonstrate hopeful thinking and behaviors are consistently more successful in their academic journeys.

My research explores how we can better support these high school students— specifically concurrent enrollment (CE) students—by examining the impact of Reciprocal Teaching. …

Comparing Error Correction Strategies In Discrete Trial Training For Children With Autism, Rachael Litchford

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often require structured, evidence-based teaching methods to promote skill acquisition. Discrete Trial Training (DTT) is one such approach widely used in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to teach skills through repeated learning opportunities. However, limited research has compared the efficiency of specific error correction procedures within DTT. This study examined the comparative effectiveness of two error correction strategies, Active Student Response (ASR) and Model-Only, when acquiring tacting skills for children ages 2-10 with ASD. An alternating treatments design (ATD) was used to evaluate each strategy’s impact on skill acquisition, as measured by the percentage …

Using A Prerequisite Skills Assessment To Identify Effective Communication Modalities For Mand Training, Christine White

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Many children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) need support to learn how to communicate their wants and needs. This study examined three different ways to teach children to request preferred items or activities: using sign language, exchanging pictures, and speaking. We compared how three children learned each communication method to determine whether their existing skills influenced which method was most effective. No clear relationship was found between children's existing abilities and how well they learned each communication method. These findings suggest that selecting the most effective communication approach may require considering each child's individual strengths and learning history rather than …

A Comparison Of The Effectiveness Of Teacher-Led And Student-Supported Variations Of The Good Behavior Game, Patrick Wells

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This project examined the effectiveness of two variations of the Good Behavior Game (GBG) intervention: the traditional teacher-led and a student-supported variation. The traditional intervention has been shown to be an effective intervention for reducing disruptive classroom behaviors. Despite its effectiveness, proper implementation does require additional effort from the teacher—effort that may better be directed toward improving instruction. A student-supported variation of the intervention has the potential to reduce the effort required of teachers who wish to implement the intervention in their classroom. We utilized a nonconcurrent, multiple baseline design with alternating treatment to compare the effectiveness of both versions …

Impact Of Chronic Stress And Nutrition On Functional Connectivity And Neural Networks In Young Kichwa Children From The Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest, Matthew L. Cook

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Early childhood is a critical period for brain development. Positive and negative experiences during this time can have lasting effects on learning, health, and well-being. However, most research on children’s brain development has been conducted in wealthy, industrialized nations, leaving important gaps in our understanding of how children develop in other cultural and environmental contexts.

This study examined brain development in Indigenous Kichwa children living in two rural communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest. The goal was to better understand how chronic stress and nutrition may influence a child’s developing brain during early childhood. Children participated in noninvasive brain assessments …

Cultural Humility In Motion: A Graduate Student Hybrid Immersion In Self- And Other Awareness Through Dance, Emily Jeanne Slater

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Universities bring together people from many different backgrounds, identities, and experiences. Yet university spaces often focus on mind-centered and discussion-based learning and overlook how the body plays a role in education. When education ignores the bodily experience of learning, students lose opportunities to reflect, connect, and make meaningful change in their lives and communities. To address this gap, this dissertation designed and implemented a learning experience for graduate students that creates space from them to examine their own assumptions, engage across differences, and share in inclusive practices. The learning experience draws on and advances cultural humility theory, which understands self-awareness, …

Light & Faith: August 2026, Taylor University

Light & Faith

No abstract provided.

The Weight We Carry: An Arts-Based Narrative Screenplay Of Academically Successful African American Male Students, Freddie Mcgee

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine, understand, and creatively represent the stories of African American male college students from low-income backgrounds who were raised by single parents and were academically successful. Guided by the overarching research question — What are the stories of academically successful African American male college students from lowincome homes who single parents raised? — The study sought to understand how participants navigated institutional racism and systemic barriers while achieving academic success, and how they resisted deficit-based stereotypes and expectations in higher education.

This study employed a critical, arts-based, qualitative narrative inquiry approach grounded in …

Empowering Voices: Latino Family Engagement In Bilingual Early Literacy Library Programs, Jovayra Cabrera

Education Doctoral

Latino children often enter kindergarten with uneven access to early literacy experiences, and families play a central role in their early learning. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Latino families who participated in bilingual early literacy library programs with their young children (ages 0–5) in a public library system in a major metropolitan area in a northeastern state. Eight Latino parents and caregivers completed semi-structured interviews, conducted in English or Spanish, that were analyzed through bracketing, horizontalization, and the development of textural and structural descriptions and a synthesized essence. Analysis produced six …

Quality Versus Qualified: Head Start Program Leaders’ Perceptions Of The Characteristics And Traits Of High-Quality Early Childhood Educators In New York State, Tracy L. Persaud

Education Doctoral

The purpose of this study was to examine how leaders in New York State Head Start programs perceive the interpersonal traits and characteristics that define a high-quality, early childhood educator working with children from ages 3 to 5 years old. While formal qualifications, such as degrees and certifications, remain as requirements for employment, leaders may rely on interpersonal and dispositional qualities to distinguish effective early childhood educators in practice. Guided by credentialism theory, this study explored how leaders define teacher quality beyond credentials and how these perceptions shape hiring, evaluation, and professional support decisions. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews …

Effective Leadership Practices For Administrators In High-Poverty Rural Elementary Schools, Rhonda Underhill

Education Doctoral

The purpose of this study was to examine potential solutions for high-needs rural elementary school leaders to improve academic outcomes for students from low-income families. Students from low-income families in rural elementary schools continue to underperform academically compared to their non-economically disadvantaged peers. Students should not reach adulthood with the same income inequalities they had when they entered school. Solutions are needed to find ways for school administrators to reverse this trend. The study used the New York State Education Department (2018) Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education (CR-S) Framework to examine effective leadership practices from the perspectives of school leaders in high-achieving, …

Paraeducator Perceptions Of Teacher-Supervisory Behaviors And Their Effects On Paraeducator Retention, Alexis M. Graham

Education Doctoral

Paraeducators are leaving their positions at alarming levels, leaving teachers, students, and schools vulnerable. The exploratory, cross-sectional, correlational survey study examines the relationship between paraeducator perceptions of teacher-supervisor leadership behaviors and retention, as well as the factors contributing to turnover. Full range leadership theory (FRLT) and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) are used to describe leadership behaviors. The study used a survey design advertised to a paraeducator Facebook group, which included the MLQ rating scale, a closed-response item on intent to leave, and an open ended question on intent to leave. Data was analyzed using statistical and correlational analyses, as …

Critical Constructivism And Alaana Interpreter Identity: A Narrative Analysis Qualitative Study, Kamil Gerald

Education Doctoral

The purpose of this study was to explore and illuminate the lived experiences of African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, and Native American (ALAANA) sign language interpreters (SLIs) within interpreter education programs (IEPs) and the interpreting field. American Sign Language (ASL), the dominant sign language taught in IEPs across the United States, has been shown to overshadow Indigenous Sign Languages (ISLs), a phenomenon often referred to as “ASL colonialism.” Critical constructivism served as the foundational framework in this narrative analysis qualitative study to examine how ALAANA SLIs navigated, resisted, and reimagined their professional identities amid limited exposure to ISLs. Semi-structured interviews were …

Investigating Factors Contributing To A Decrease In Throughput For A Finger Lakes Ny Emergency Department: A Quantitative Descriptive Approach, Edward Charles Englerth Iii

Education Doctoral

Emergency Departments (ED) serve as both the front door to hospitals and as safety nets within their communities. This dissertation examines ED visits from 2018 to 2024 at a single community hospital to assess trends across three critical time periods related to the coronavirus disease Pre-COVID, COVID-19 (pandemic), and post-COVID-19. The study identified shifts in patient volume and operational performance in the ED. Specifically the study showed a statistically significant decrease during the COVID-19 period compared to the pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 periods. The mean daily pre-COVID-19 census (M = 125.43) decreased significantly during the pandemic (M = 107.57) and in …

Perceived Professional Investment Differences And Learning Modality Preferences Between Generation X And Millennial Managers In Nonprofit Organizations, Raul Antonio Pereles Jr.

Education Doctoral

This study examines generational differences between Generation X and Millennial nonprofit managers in perceived employer investment in professional development and preferred learning delivery modality. Grounded in Knowles' (1980) theory of andragogy, the study addresses two research questions using a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design. A sample of 66 nonprofit managers (35 Generation X, 31 Millennial) from a major northeastern U.S. metropolitan area completed an online survey using the Professional Development Short Scale (PDSS; Mourão et al., 2014) and a ranked-preference measure of learning modality (in-person, hybrid, virtual). Results indicated no statistically significant difference between Generation X (M = 5.85, SD = …

Bridging The Theory-Practice Gap: A Delphi Study Of Faculty Composition In New York State Superintendent Preparation Programs, Michael A. Tromblee

Education Doctoral

The 2021 closure of the Indian Point nuclear power plant eliminated approximately one third of a New York State school district’s revenue, producing a fiscal crisis that exposed a gap between what superintendent preparation programs teach and what the role demands. Grounded in Situated Learning Theory, this study examined whether the faculty composition of superintendent preparation programs, specifically the balance between practitioner faculty and academic faculty, was associated with graduates' perceived readiness, job satisfaction, and career longevity.

The study used a two-round modified Delphi design with an expert panel of 12 sitting New York State superintendents, 10 of whom completed …

Measuring Administrative Hiring Confidence Of Music Teachers In The Context Of Shallow Hiring Pools, Aaron M. Strum

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify and measure the confidence of K-12 administrators in hiring music faculty. This study also aimed to analyze administrators’ perspectives and confidence in key stages of the hiring process, including defining job expectations, posting, advertising, interviewing, and selecting highly specialized music teachers in K-12 settings. Confidence of K-12 administrators can be gauged through their understanding of how well an applicant aligns with the specific needs of the school’s program. Three research questions guided this investigation: (1a) How confident are K-12 administrators in their understanding of music teaching pedagogy when interviewing music teacher candidates …

Why They Stay: A Qualitative Study Of Experiences Of Veteran Low-Incidence Self-Contained Special Education Teachers Who Remain In The Profession, Jessie Leyden

Dissertations

Persistent shortages of special education teachers in the United States have intensified the need to understand not only why some educators leave, but why others choose to stay. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the experiences of veteran special education teachers working in low-incidence, self-contained classrooms who choose to remain in the profession. With a particular focus on the factors that contribute to their retention beyond the first three years, the study involved a sample of ten low-incidence, self-contained teachers from a variety of states across the country. Using semi-structured interviews, the study explored how these …

Black Women Science Teachers’ Contextual Knowledge Shapes Technology Integration To Support Culturally Responsive Teaching In Secondary Science Classrooms, Ashley M. Thomas

Dissertations

The number of Black and Brown high school students entering college to study science and technology majors is declining. Because they encounter shared intersectional experiences in the science and technology fields, Black women have a unique connection with their students that builds on teaching practices grounded in culturally responsive teaching (CRT). The mixed methods study was bounded to one school district that had a CRT initiative and provided training to its teachers. The study used a pre-validated survey regarding the perceptions of CRT in a technology-supported learning environment and identified the tools and practices Black female science teachers (BFSTs) use …

Implementing Mindfulness Practices To Support Student Self-Regulation: A Qualitative Study Of Elementary Teacher Experiences, Shana Orr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore elementary teachers’ lived experiences of the implementation of mindfulness practices to support self-regulation in students. Although mindfulness practices have increasingly been incorporated into elementary classrooms, limited qualitative research has examined teachers’ experiences implementing these practices and their lived experiences of student engagement. While there is research on the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) competencies, the focus on schoolwide implementation of mindfulness strategies expand the literature to close a gap on elementary school teachers’ experiences implementing mindfulness practices in Tennessee.

A …

Teachers’, Teacher Assistants’, And Classroom Aides’ Perception, Knowledge, And Implementation Of Orton-Gillingham, Doreen Sisolak

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined teachers’, teacher assistants’, and classroom aides’ perceptions, knowledge, and implementation of the Orton–Gillingham approach to reading instruction. A mixed-methods design was employed, incorporating quantitative survey data (N = 37) and qualitative interview data (N = 9). Descriptive statistics indicated generally low levels of perception, knowledge, and implementation among participants. One-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) were conducted to examine differences based on instructional setting, years of experience, and level of Orton-Gillingham training. Results revealed statistically significant differences in knowledge and implementation by training level and years of experience, whereas no significant differences were found in perceptions across groups. …

Ai, Market Place Trends, & Job Search Strategy, Juan Santillan

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

This presentation examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping the labor market, workplace expectations, and job search strategies. It explores the changing nature of work in the age of AI, including the automation and augmentation of workplace tasks, the growing importance of AI literacy, and the increasing value of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, and other human-centered skills. The presentation also considers emerging AI-related career opportunities and changes to entry-level work as routine tasks become increasingly automated. In addition, it provides practical strategies for using AI throughout the job search process, including professional branding and networking, researching prospective employers, reviewing and …

Ai-Powered Personal Branding: How To Use Ai Intentionally To Pursue A Fulfilling Career, Tra Mai (Camellia) Hoang

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

This presentation explores how students at different stages of their career development can use artificial intelligence intentionally to build a strong personal brand and pursue fulfilling career opportunities. It examines personal branding from beginner through expert levels and demonstrates how AI tools can support career exploration, resume development, job and internship searches, professional networking, interview preparation, and portfolio building. The presentation introduces practical applications of tools such as Google AI Studio, Gemini, and Claude, including an AI-powered resume match builder, interview coach, and portfolio builder. Through tutorials, case studies, and activities, participants learn how AI can complement career advising and …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Mentoring Experiences Of Black Women Faculty At Public Hbcus, Leona Quatena Mcgowan

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Despite increases in the representation of women in academia, Black women remain significantly underrepresented, accounting for approximately 4% of full-time faculty in postsecondary institutions. This lack of representation contributes to intersecting challenges, including experiences with racism, sexism, and limited access to mentorships in higher education. Previous studies have established that mentoring aids in the success and retention of faculty, but there is limited research examining how Black women faculty experience mentoring within public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived mentoring experiences of Black women faculty employed at public …

Autistic Students' Experiences With Hybrid Flexible Instruction In Higher Education: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study, Tracey Nicole Barr

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

During the twenty-first century, autistic learners have enrolled in colleges and universities in greater numbers; however, the majority of research focused on their experiences in higher education has found them to be less academically successful than their neurotypical peers. The academic skills that autistic students bring to higher education are often tempered by social, emotional, and self-regulative challenges. The body of research focusing on autistic learners’ experiences in higher education is currently limited and focused primarily on fully in-person and online course models. No extant research has focused on autistic students’ experiences with hybrid or blended course models.

This interpretive …