Education Commons^™

Breaking Barriers: An Educator's Pursuit To Provide Equity In Student Achievement, Christina L. Korsun

Dissertations

There is a sense of urgency to address the widening achievement gaps among minority students, students with disabilities, and English-language learners. This makes immediate school action necessary to create a more equitable learning environment. Without strategic interventions, including improved teacher retention efforts, stronger student support systems, and effective leadership, these challenges will continue to hinder student success and overall school performance. The purpose of this project is to find solutions for schools to institute to narrow the achievement gap by ensuring all students receive the support needed to succeed. Schools can respond to the learning gap by promoting equitable learning …

Roshit Niraula Honors Portfolio, Roshit Niraula

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Roshit Niraula's Honors Portfolio captured in May 2025.

Ursinus Magazine, Spring 2025, Robyn E. Hannigan, Steve Thomas, Jennifer L. Post-Whisted, Brad Drexler, Alyssa Kratz, Connor Donohue

Ursinus Magazine, 1995–Present

Students named campus sustainability champions • It's On Us grant awarded • APEX to redefine the student journey • Trustee appointments • New academic offerings • Scholarships awarded for study abroad • Gordon Ramsay spotted at Cafe 2020 • Voices soar in the Big Easy • Exploring the world • New graduate partnerships • Ursinus joins Cost Transparency initiative • Ursinus voted a 2025 "Philly Favorite" • Alumni Awards celebrate outstanding achievement • Class of 2025 embracing joy and awe • Faculty research • Defender of the deep • Delivering a dream • Where art meets architecture • The new …

Aging-Related Hearing Decline And Resting State Networks, Cassidy S. T. Ellsworth

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study investigated the effects of age-related hearing decline on functional networks using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). The main objective of the present study was to examine resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) and graph theory-based network efficiency metrics in forty-nine adults categorized by age and hearing thresholds to identify the neural mechanisms of age-related hearing decline. RsFC within key brain networks and auditory-related brain regions, including the default mode network, salience network, dorsal attention network, and primary auditory cortices, was assessed using region-of-interest (ROI)-based and graph theory approaches. Functional metrics, such as rsFC strength and global and local efficiency, …

Music And Word Learning In Children Diagnosed With Developmental Language Disorder, Rebekah G. Sweeney

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Purpose: This study investigates whether incorporating music into vocabulary interventions improves rate of learning and retention of words in children with developmental language disorder (DLD). Emerging literature continues to show the plentiful benefits of music as a tool for intervention in many settings, including the world of speech pathology (Levitin, 2024). However, it is also evident that there is a connection between struggling with language, and struggling with musical elements, such as rhythm and pitch perception, particularly in children with DLD (Boorom et al., 2022; Kreidler et al., 2023). This study seeks to tease out if music is an effective …

Investigating Child-Informed Considerations For Animated Picture Symbols Representing Emotion For Aac Use In Children With Asd, Hannah Kitsmiller

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Development of emotional competence is an important area of consideration when supporting individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Emotional competence includes skills related to identifying and communicating about one’s emotions. Individuals who use AAC may struggle to develop strong skills in emotional competence. One potential barrier to developing emotional competence may be access to symbols that facilitate understanding of the represented emotion. Emotions are abstract and challenging to represent in visual symbols. Additionally, evidence suggests individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may have visual perceptual differences when viewing faces. Current emotion symbols are often depicted using isolated facial …

The Reality Of Transformation: A Case Study Of An American Community College Implementing Holistic Student Supports, Calie Marie Holden

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation examines the implementation of Holistic Student Supports at a community college that served as an early adopter of this approach, providing insights into the decade-long process of transformational change. Against the backdrop of community colleges' ongoing efforts to improve completion rates, this study investigates how one institution navigated the implementation process, made necessary adaptations, and sustained reform efforts over time. Through document analysis, semi-structured interviews, and a focus group, this study documents the evolution of this initiative from its inception in 2010. Kotter's Eight-Step Change Model frames the analysis, which confirms the model's applicability and extends it by …

How Do School-Level Dynamics Impact Mainstreaming Practices In American Schools?, Natalie M. Watson

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

How do school-level dynamics impact the everyday experiences of students with disabilities, compared to their abled peers? Extant research has mostly focused on the experiences of individual students with disabilities, and their teachers. We know far less about how school-level dynamics shape students’ experiences. Historically, American schools formally separated students with and without disabilities, though the specific mode varied over time -- ranging from explicit institutionalization to segregation in special education programs. At least since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, efforts to educate students with disabilities alongside their abled peers in mainstreamed settings have increased …

Everyday Storytelling: The Function, Meaning, And Impact Of College Student's Storytelling And Storylistening, Sophie K. Richards

Department of Communication Studies: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The current study investigated the stories that 102 college students heard and told through the course of a 1-day diary study with surveys administered at four timepoints. Investigated through the perspective of the small story framework (Bamberg & Georgakopoulou, 2008), everyday talk (Goldsmith & Baxter, 1996) and Communicated Narrative Sense-Making (CNSM) theory (Koenig Kellas, 2022), participants reported about the stories that they heard and told throughout their day, as well as completed self-report measures of well-being. The study aimed to understand the characteristics of everyday stories, the functions they serve, the meanings they hold, and their impact on well-being. Participants …

Giving Voice To Student Grief: Using Community-Based Participatory Research To Develop And Pilot A Translational Storytelling Intervention For Bereaved College Students, Cassidy Rae Taladay-Carter

Department of Communication Studies: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this dissertation was to employ community-based participatory research (CBPR, Wallerstein et al., 2018) methods to attend to a pressing issue in the community. In partnership with one local grief center, we identified the need for enhanced grief support for current emerging adult undergraduate students in our area. Nearly 50% of U.S. emerging adults enrolled in four-year residential universities experience the death of an important figure (Cox et al., 2015; Cupit et al., 2021), at a time when they are developing important facets of their narrative identity. Without the coherence and meaning structures provided by narrative identity, students …

The Impact Of Provider Communication On Treatment Adherence In Patients With Hypertension And Diabetes, Trey Carlson

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Current research cites effective provider communication as an important factor in improving treatment adherence and the health outcomes of patients. This study examines the effect of provider communication on treatment adherence in patients with chronic illnesses with a specific focus on hypertension and diabetes. Provider communication was measured using patient satisfaction surveys and treatment compliance was measured as the percentage of hypertensive and diabetic patients with a blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg and hemoglobin A1C levels below 9%. A one-way MANOVA revealed that provider communication had no significant impact on the combined treatment compliance variables for hypertension and diabetes (Wilk’s …

Advanced Screening For Intimate Partner Violence To Prevent Adverse Pregnancy And Maternal Outcomes, Emilia R. Valdez

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Background: Intimate Partner Violence experienced by pregnant individuals contributes to adverse pregnancy outcomes and maternal health. A mother’s exposure to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) can affect their ability to carry a healthy pregnancy to term (38 – 40 weeks gestational age) and places them at risk for comorbidities including; Preterm birth, Intrauterine Growth Restriction, Low Birth Weight/ Small for Gestational Age, Premature Rupture of Membranes and Miscarriage. The incidence of IPV screening is not accessible to all pregnant individuals due to healthcare providers lack of education, time constraints in the workplace, bias and discomfort towards IPV. The implementation of …

Successes And Challenges Of College Readiness Curriculum For First-Generation Students, Erin Simmons

Educational Studies Student Papers and Posters

A raising issue in education is the prevalence of first-generation college students and their ability to succeed in institutional spaces. First-generation college students are defined as the first individual in their immediate family to go to college and complete a BA degree. First-generation students differ from continuing generation students in that continuing generation students have a parent that has attended a 4-year institution and completed a BA degree. The difference in rather or not a student is the first to graduate from college is a significant predictor of their success and can present many additional barriers. These barriers include access …

Exploring The Matriculation And Resource Utilization Of African American Students With Hidden Disabilities In The Health Sciences, Kimberly Houston

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Introduction. Learning disabilities result from genetic and neurobiological factors that alter brain function, such that cognitive processes related to learning are affected. Hidden disabilities can be defined as a non-apparent chronic condition that interferes with a person’s activities of daily living. While learning disabilities may be hidden, there are non-learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, autism, depression, fibromyalgia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. While all races/ethnic groups have persons within their population who are disabled, African Americans are at a double disadvantage due to race and disability status. Therefore, the intersectionality of race and disability status among African American students in …

A Journey Into Hybrid Play Space Approaches Within An Urban Context, Ross William Podyma Mr

International Journal of Playwork Practice

This paper explores the development and implementation of a hybrid play space approach at Normanton Park, in Derby, UK. It examines the integration of playwork and forest school principals within a free, open-access play environment, focusing on the role of adults in facilitating child-led play. The paper analyses the synergies and tensions between these approaches, considers the contributions of other organisations providing environmental opportunities for young people, and reflects on the application of these models in contexts of urban deprivation. It argues for the value of hybrid models in maximising inclusivity and accessibility while fostering children’s creativity, resilience, and connection …

Identifying Personality Factors Of Female Adolescents Most Susceptible To Anxiety And Addiction To Social Media, Kevin Cristadoro

Education Doctorate Dissertations

This dissertation explores the relationship between personality traits, anxiety, and social media addiction in adolescent females, with the goal of developing a low-cost screening tool for early identification. It integrates psychological theory (Maslow, Erikson, Gilligan, Vygotsky) with media theory (McLuhan, Postman) and postmodernist critiques by Guy DeBord and Jean Baudrillard. DeBord’s society of the spectacle and Baudrillard’s hyperreality offer a lens through which digital engagement is seen not as a supplement to real life, but as a simulation that can displace authentic connection—heightening anxiety and dependency on virtual validation.

The dissertation also touches on Breland’s concept of instinctive drift as …

Speed-Coaching As A Pedagogical Practice: Decision-Making And Priorities Among Successful Speed Coaches, Dillon R. Martinez

Education Doctorate Dissertations

This study employed a three-round Delphi study technique to identify key elements in speed development coaching by surveying 106 qualified coaches, including certified professionals, championship-winning coaches, facility operators, and NCAA strength-and-conditioning specialists. This study explored five critical domains: nonnegotiable elements of speed development, decision-making factors for teaching priorities, effective teaching methods, environmental influences, and coaching philosophies. The results revealed a significant emphasis on technique/mechanics and maximum velocity exposure as foundational speed development elements, with notable differences between elite-level and lower-level coaches. Elite coaches demonstrated more sophisticated measurement approaches through systematic data collection, advanced technical assessment tools, comprehensive performance metrics, and …

April 2025 Library & Learning Newsletter, Minnesota State University, Mankato. Library & Learning Dean’S Office Communications Team

Library & Learning Newsletters

PDF version of the April 2025 (Volume 3, Issue 6) Library & Learning Newsletter.

Institutionalizing Normality: Disability, Productivity, And Higher Education, Ashley Dirzis

Student Theses

This thesis examines how capitalism and neuronormative domination shape the structures and values of academic institutions, affecting faculty, students, and research subjects alike. By privileging productivity, conformity, and efficiency in the pursuit of income, universities often marginalize those who diverge from normative standards of thinking, behavior, and embodiment, particularly disabled individuals. Drawing on Marta Russell’s Disability and Capitalism and the shaping of disability by capitalist systems, Robert Chapman’s notion of the "Empire of Normality" and Jay Dolmage’s concept of the retrofit from Academic Ableism, this paper analyzes how academia reinforces ableist norms. It explores the realities and barriers that …

News From Uab Libraries, 04 2025, Uab Libraries

UAB Libraries News

No abstract provided.

Graduate School Blog - April 2025 Volume 1, Cynthia Haynes

UofM Grad School Blog

The April 2025 UofM Graduate School Blog highlights a month full of events, stories, and celebrations, beginning with Dr. Deborah Tollefsen’s personal graduate school journey, shared during the “Is Graduate School Right for Me?” virtual workshop an inspiring narrative of resilience, mentorship, and finding purpose through education. This edition also spotlights Graduate Student Appreciation Week, featuring a robust lineup of events such as a virtual town hall, resume and job market workshop, student social and awards ceremony, study session, and social dinners all designed to support, celebrate, and connect the UofM graduate student community. With opportunities to hear from …

“Seeing Someone Like Me Succeed Made Me Believe I Could Too!”: Evaluating The Big-Sib & Little-Sib Mentorship Program At Swarthmore College, Lina Verghese , '25

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

This thesis evaluates the Bio Big Sib & Little Sib Mentorship Program in Swarthmore College’s Biology Department, a student-led initiative supporting racial/ethnic minority and first-generation, low-income (FLI) students. Launched in 2021, the program pairs upperclassmen with underclassmen to offer guidance, build community, and affirm student identity within a predominantly white, elite academic environment. Using a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative interviews and survey data, this study examines the program’s effectiveness and long-term impact on student belonging, academic navigation, and identity development. Findings reveal that the program has become a vital support structure, helping participants access the “hidden curriculum” and fostering emotional …

Spoken Melodies: A Black Languaging Ela Curriculum, Taylor Gray , '26

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

No abstract provided.

Challenges In Higher Education For Latino U.S - Born Children Of Undocumented Immigrants, Lupita Gomez Benitez

Senior Theses

Latino native-born children of undocumented immigrants in the United States occupy a unique position within American society. They are citizens by birth and therefore, entitled to all the rights of a regular citizen. However, society does not treat them as such due to their parents' legal status. This paper analyzes the barriers that these students face during the higher education process, specifically in South Carolina. The study uses a review of existing literature and qualitative interviews to uncover some of these challenges and why these students do not ask for help. The findings suggest that these students do have certain …

Education As Cultural Diplomacy: Examining International Student Experiences At A Public University In The Southeastern United States, Sydney A. Wilson

Senior Theses

This thesis explores how the lived experiences of undergraduate international students at a public university in the Southeastern United States (US) reflect and contribute to the practice of cultural diplomacy. While the existing literature on international education as an instrument of soft power tends to focus on overtly state-sponsored programs such as the Fulbright, this study is centered around exchange students specifically participating in independently coordinated partner programs. Drawing on influential political science figures such as Joseph Nye and Milton Cummings’ conceptualization of the terms ‘soft power’ and ‘cultural diplomacy,’ this research highlights the important role informal and interpersonal interactions …

College Students And Families Navigate Recovery From Alcohol And Other Drugs, Leah Pylate, Alisha M. Hardman, Lori Staton, Laura Downey, Joe D. Wilmoth

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

Rural universities provide unique opportunities for public health services. For some college students, the environment may threaten a person’s recovery from a substance use disorder, yet navigating college, relationships, and recovery is manageable through supportive initiatives funded by higher education. This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews to gather a family system perspective on the recovery process from alcohol or other drugs. Recruited through a southern university-sponsored Collegiate Recovery Program, interviews were conducted with 5 individuals in recovery and 14 of their family members. The findings of this exploratory study suggest that families need support in different ways, including building a …

Successful Career Construction In The Fourth Industrial Revolution: Young Graduates In The Uae, Ayman Ahmed, Sami Mejri, Nada Rabie, Stephen Wilkins

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Student Inclusion In Least Restrictive Environment, Kelley Colling

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

When writing Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), the least restrictive environment (LRE) is typically defined as the general education classroom. However, this may not be held for all students. This research explores how LRE placement impacts academic performance and social engagement among students with disabilities. Through quantitative data collection and a descriptive research design, the study questions the assumption that inclusive practices are always the best approach. The findings indicate a statistical correlation between the amount of time spent in general education and the frequency of behavioral issues among students with disabilities. Specifically, data show that students exhibited more behavioral problems …

Promoting Positive Peer Relationships For Students With Disabilities, Anna Cramm

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Students with disabilities often encounter significant barriers when it comes to building positive peer relationships in inclusive classrooms, leading to feelings of isolation and negatively impacting their academic performance and social well-being. This paper seeks to address these challenges by exploring effective teaching strategies aimed at fostering positive interactions among students with disabilities and their peers. Through a comprehensive literature review and classroom observations, the research focuses on identifying practical, readily implementable methods that educators can use in their everyday teaching practices without the need for extensive resources or specialized training. Key strategies such as cooperative learning, social skills training, …

Effects Of Trauma On Brain Development And Learning, Jodie Subbert

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Early childhood trauma significantly impacts brain development, particularly in the areas of language processing and executive functioning. This inquiry-based research explored how trauma influences students’ attention, engagement, and emotional regulation in early learning environments. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of trauma on learning and literacy development and to identify trauma-informed teaching strategies that support academic success in young learners. Data collected through reflective journaling, classroom observations, and teacher discussions revealed that students affected by trauma often struggle with emotional regulation, focus, and task engagement. However, the implementation of trauma-informed practices, such as consistent routines, emotional …