Education Commons^™

Benefits Of A Hybrid Learning Environment On Work-Life Balance, Thomas Robert Anez

Dissertations and Theses

This study explores the impact of hybrid learning on the work-life balance of graduate-level students, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges associated with this evolving educational model. Hybrid learning offers flexibility, enabling students to balance academic responsibilities with professional and personal commitments. Many students benefit from reduced commuting time, asynchronous learning options, and the ability to tailor their schedules to fit their needs. However, the study also reveals challenges, including difficulties in maintaining clear boundaries between work, school, and personal life, and the potential for increased workload perception and burnout. Through a qualitative, phenomenological approach, this research captures the lived …

Comparisons Of The Effects Of White Noise And Classical Background Music On Student On-Task Engagement During Work Cycles In A Lower-Elementary Montessori Class, Lee Ellis

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This study compares the effects of classical and white noise background music, played during in-class work cycles for lower elementary students (grades 1-3) at a Montessori school in Pennsylvania. I aim to measure academic on-task engagement and overall classroom behavior. I will observe and record notes on their progress when there is no background sound, white noise, or classical music playing. Research has shown that introducing different sounds to the background of a classroom can positively affect student focus and retention of information (Levitin, 2006; Williams, 1961). Manipulation of sound or music played in the background can have a sizable …

Graduate Program Survey Report 2024-2025, Ishika Singh

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Contents:

Graduate College Staff --- 03
Graduate Degrees Awarded Summer 2024 - Spring 2025 --- 04
Survey Methodology --- 09
Respondent Demographics --- 10
Principal Activities After Graduation --- 11
Activities Participated in at UNI --- 13
Comparison Between 2032-2024 and 2024-2025 --- 14
Reasons For Attending UNI --- 15
Academic Experience --- 16
Comparison of Academic Experience From 2021-2024 --- 18
Financing Graduate Education --- 20

Connecting Classrooms To Communities: A Practical And Effective Guide For Involving Community Development Practitioners In Graduate Seminars, Michael Hendricks

Faculty Publications – Politics and Government

This article examines the pedagogical impact of a strategically structured guest speaker series in a graduate-level community development seminar. Drawing on four cohorts of qualitative student feedback and utilizing an inductive thematic analysis, the study explores how guest speakers influence student learning, professional development, and civic engagement. Findings reveal that guest speakers effectively bridge theory and practice, enhance classroom engagement, and foster critical thinking, career exploration, and long-term civic involvement. Students reported that interacting with diverse professionals helped clarify real-world applications of course content and inspired volunteerism, internships, and employment opportunities. The paper also identifies conditions that enhance the effectiveness …

The Role Of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners: Addressing The Shortage And Its Implications For Healthcare, Isabel Mary Mccarthy

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) are registered nurses specifically trained to perform forensic examinations and provide medical and emotional support to sexual assault victims. Many nursing programs lack formal education on SANE practices, which can hinder students' preparedness to address such cases in their future careers.

Method: A mixed-methods, three-phase approach to evaluate the effectiveness of a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) training module within the Dominican University of California Nursing Program. 40- 60 nursing students will be separated into two separate community health classes with one given module in SANEs nursing and the other not. Both classes …

Social Class, Cultural Capital, And Public School Art Education, Yiwen Wei

Journal of Social Theory in Art Education

This article delves into the often-overlooked issue of social class in visual art education. While art education is crucial for sustaining artistic traditions and cultural practices, the validation of certain art forms within educational systems significantly influences students’ perceived values of art and culture. This article explores the intricate interplay between social class, cultural capital, and art education in U.S. public schools. The goal is to enhance class consciousness among art educators, advocating for educational equity and cultural sustainability. The article presents a theoretical framework through a comprehensive review of existing scholarship on social class in U.S. art education. A …

Lived Narratives Of Educators: Emotional Intelligence For Dei In Early Adolescent Classrooms, Colette Bozek

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This study explores how teachers with high Emotional Intelligence (EQ) integrate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles into their instructional practices in early adolescent classrooms. Using narrative inquiry, the research examined the lived experiences of seventh- and eighth-grade educators in the Crestview Heights District (pseudonym), who were nominated for their emotionally responsive and inclusive teaching approaches. Through classroom observations and semi-structured interviews, the study captured how EQ-based strategies—such as self-regulation, empathy, storytelling, and culturally responsive pedagogy— shape classroom climates and influence student engagement, emotional development, and academic resilience. Findings revealed that educators with high EQ not only fostered safe and …

¡Adelante Mujer!: Testimonios Of Chicana And Latina High School Principals, Blanca Rocio Esquivel

CGU Theses & Dissertations

As the Latinx student population in U.S. public schools grows incrementally, equitable representation in school leadership remains disproportionately limited. Despite accounting for over 25% of high school enrollments nationwide, Latinas hold only around 4-6% of public high school principal positions (NCES 2022). This lack of proportional leadership representation restricts a school system’s capacity to provide optimized culturally responsive environments, benefiting Latinx youth. Furthermore, it limits advancement opportunities for aspiring Chicana and Latina leaders despite research confirming their effectiveness in spearheading academic improvements. While past scholarship has broadly explored facilitators and barriers for women educational leaders, few studies specifically document the …

Postsecondary Enrollment Demand-Gap Estimation Model: Projecting The Postsecondary Demand-Gap For California By 2035, Manish Ranjan Shrivastav

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The postsecondary education system in California has been under the pressure of expansion by the means of opening a new campus for several years. The Legislative Analyst’s Office has been recommending whether to open new campus or not as a part of its mandate. In 1990, it recommended opening up of one campus of CSU, however, its projections grossly underestimated the future demand. In 2017, the LAO in its report recommended that given the demand projections there is no need for a new campus. The study commissioned by the Chancellor’s office of California State University also made the same recommendation. …

What Did Independent Study Do For Me? Perspectives Of Latine Graduates Of A California Independent Study High School Program, Monique R. Escobedo

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The independent study model in K-12 education has rarely been studied as an opportunity to meet the needs of diverse learners who require access to education outside of the traditional school day and brick and mortar settings (Anderson & Amesse, 2022). This multimethod study (Cram & Mertens, 2016) explores the experiences of 15 Latine graduates of an independent study high school that serves four counties in southern California. The study takes a critical approach both theoretically and methodologically to understand how the independent study model as carried out at the school site met the intersectional needs (e.g. cultural, linguistic, geographic, …

Pre-Apprenticeship As A Lever For Workforce Equity: A Quantitative Study Of Non-Traditional Adult Learners In California, Joseph Stark

CGU Theses & Dissertations

A pre-apprenticeship is a short-term, structured training program that prepares individuals with the skills, experience, and support needed to enter and succeed in a registered apprenticeship. Nationally, and in California, pre-apprenticeship programs are posited as a key equity strategy to increase access and opportunity for populations who have experienced historical barriers to successful participation in registered apprenticeship programs. However, there is limited empirical research on this topic, especially in a statewide context involving non-traditional adult learners enrolled in California adult school settings. Nontraditional adult learners are typically over the age of 25, with multiple barriers to completing education goals. Nontraditional …

Community Impact Of School Closure: Implications For Access To Socially Valued Resources And Services In An Urban Community, Gary Pierson

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This phenomenological single case study explores the lived experiences of community members in Central Bay, California, as Central Bay High School faces the prospect of consolidation or closure. Drawing on in-depth, semi-structured interviews and document analysis, the study examines how the potential loss of a longstanding educational institution affects community access to socially valued resources and services, such as extracurricular programs, health services, safe gathering spaces, and pathways to postsecondary education. The research investigates the multifaceted impact of school closures on the well-being and resilience of residents, highlighting the emotional, social, and economic challenges encountered during the decision–making process. Special …

The Impact Of Llms Usage On Learning Outcomes For Software Development Students: A Focus On Prompt Engineering, Mohammed Owaidh Aljohani

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This study investigates the impact of large language model (LLM) usage, specifically ChatGPT, on student learning outcomes in programming education. The research adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative survey data from students and qualitative interviews with instructors. The study addresses three research questions: (1) the effect of LLM usage on undergraduate students' learning outcomes, (2) the influence of prompt engineering skills on this relationship, and (3) instructors' perceptions on these relationships. Quantitative data were collected from 159 students across two Saudi universities using a structured online survey with sections covering demographic information, LLM usage, self-reported programming understanding, and prompt engineering …

Social Capital Of Urban School Counselors The Differences In Social Capital Between Counselors From Elite High Schools And Counselors From Public High Schools; And How That Capital Benefits Student Access To Selective Colleges, Candyce Simpson

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This study analyzed the differences in social capital between counselors from elite high schools in comparison to counselors from urban public schools and examined how that capital benefits student access to more selective colleges. Urban schools that serve more low-income population of students need support that appears to be commonplace to their counterparts at more elite high schools. Urban school counselors are considered a primary source of information, and they may not know what they do not know regarding college knowledge. The college application process is tedious; it can be characterized as a full-time job when persisting through the application …

Humility In Practice: Examining The Ethical Alignment Of Evaluator Values And Reporting, Darrel Skousen

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Despite evaluation's professed commitments to the values of equity, cultural responsiveness, and community partnership, one overall question remains unexamined: do evaluation reports reflect the values evaluators claim to hold as a profession? This study addresses this question by operationalizing and assessing evaluator humility; a concept frequently mentioned in evaluation ethics literature but rarely examined systematically in evaluation practice. Drawing from intellectual humility, cultural humility, virtue ethics, and evaluator competency frameworks, this study defines evaluator humility as an intentional, ongoing commitment to self-awareness of one's limitations, openness to learning, respect for others' expertise, and critical examination of power dynamics in evaluation …

A Study Of The Parental Decision To Homeschool, Leonard Cheung

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This phenomenological qualitative study provides context and understanding of why parents choose to homeschool their children using Rational Choice Theory as the framework. As of 2024, while there is quantitative data that breaks the reasons why parents homeschool down into several categories, scholars often criticize these data for being poorly done because these studies lack context. There have also been many qualitative studies that investigate certain reasons why parents homeschool, but almost all of them do not use a decision-making framework nor were they studying the decision-making process on why parents choose homeschooling. The literature has shown that parents homeschool …

Employment Preparedness Through The Collegiate Experience, Barnaby F. Peake

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Obtaining a college degree is more than the culmination of an educational experience today; studies indicate that two-thirds of jobs require a postsecondary education or specialized training beyond high school. College graduates expect their studies to provide the necessary training to enable them to be successful in the workforce. However, employers report that college students are underprepared in many important career competencies. This study aimed to determine if college is delivering on the promise of career preparedness and to uncover what experiences help students develop career competencies by asking recent alumni to reflect on their collegiate experience and identify what …

Writing As Survival: Uncovering How Students Understand Antiracist Writing Assessment Practices In The Community College Composition Classroom, Jason Torres-Rangel

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The theory and practice of antiracist writing assessment ecologies (Inoue and Poe, 2020) emerged as a way to address and counteract the white, middle-class language norms that have dominated ethnically and linguistically diverse writing classrooms since at least the 1960s. Though social-justice and equity-focused teaching practices have emerged to empower ethnically and linguistically diverse students, writing studies scholars have observed the notion of Standard English or “academic language” still persists and privileges white, middle-class ways of languaging (Greenfield, 2011; Elbow, 2012; Inoue, 2014; Baker-Bell, 2020). At best, students of ethnically and linguistically diverse backgrounds learn they must code-switch for writing …

Helping Students Help Themselves: An Intervention To Facilitate Campus Food Pantry Use At A Public University, Kianna D.G. Valoa

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Estimates of student food insecurity at California’s public universities range from 42–47%. This study conducted at a public university in California investigated the impacts of an intervention on increasing campus food pantry use by increasing students’ knowledge of the pantry and reducing cognitive barriers. A sample of enrolled students (N=11,400) were randomly assigned to be in either the partial intervention (n=3,800), full intervention (n=3,800), or control (n=3,800) group. The partial intervention group received a postcard in the mail and an email invitation to complete the post-test survey online. The full intervention group received the pretest survey, a postcard, and the …

Teacher Self-Efficacy And Resilience With Multilingual Learners: A Rural Secondary Story, Ellen Kae Horowitz

CGU Theses & Dissertations

An educator’s effectiveness is critical for multilingual learners’ language learning and graduation. Educators of multilingual learners can be assessed for their self-efficacy and resiliency through their pre-service academic background, classroom practice, and community bonds, factors which have been studied by education researchers in California schools. However, there is limited research on educators of multilingual learners who serve rural secondary school sites. While there is a growing number of multilingual learners in rural sites, there is an invisibility of multilingual learners and the educators who serve them in education policy. This study explores the factors that rural Californian secondary educators from …

Calvin University Commencement Speakers (1983-2025), Calvin University

University Events

No abstract provided.

Newcomers: A Selected Annotated Bibliography For English Learner Research, Policy, And Practice, Center For Equity For English Learners

Annotated Bibliographies

Newcomers: A Selected Annotated Bibliography for English Learner Research, Policy, and Practice is comprised of 32 annotations from recent and seminal literature regarding the education of foreign-born students and families who have recently arrived in the United States, often referred to as Newcomers. These annotations build on the annotations regarding Newcomers in CEEL’s 2022 annotated bibliography, Ensuring Equity and Excellence for English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography for Research, Policy, and Practice (Center for Equity for English Learners, 2022) to include publications from 2022-2025. This selected annotated bibliography serves as a resource for researchers, policymakers, educators, and advocates who are working …

English Learners With Disabilities: A Selected Annotated Bibliography For English Learner Research, Policy, And Practice, Center For Equity For English Learners

Annotated Bibliographies

English Learners with Disabilities: A Selected Annotated Bibliography for English Learner Research, Policy, and Practice is comprised of 21 annotations from recent and seminal literature regarding English Learners (ELs) who are dually identified as students with disabilities. These annotations build on the annotations regarding ELs with disabilities in CEEL’s 2022 annotated bibliography, Ensuring Equity and Excellence for English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography for Research, Policy, and Practice (Center for Equity for English Learners, 2022) to include publications from 2022-2025. This selected annotated bibliography serves as a resource for researchers, policymakers, educators, and advocates who are working for equity and excellence …

Designated Eld: A Selected Annotated Bibliography For English Learner Research, Policy, And Practice, Center For Equity For English Learners

Annotated Bibliographies

Designated ELD: A Selected Annotated Bibliography for English Learner Research, Policy, and Practice is comprised of 19 annotations from recent and seminal literature regarding designated English Language Development (d-ELD). These annotations build on the annotations regarding designated ELD in CEEL’s 2022 annotated bibliography, Ensuring Equity and Excellence for English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography for Research, Policy, and Practice (Center for Equity for English Learners, 2022) to include publications from 2022-2025. This selected annotated bibliography serves as a resource for researchers, policymakers, educators, and advocates who are working for equity and excellence for English Learners.

The contributors provide a comprehensive selection …

Research-Practice Partnerships: A Selected Annotated Bibliography For English Learner Research, Policy, And Practice, Center For Equity For English Learners

Annotated Bibliographies

Research-Practice Partnerships: A Selected Annotated Bibliography for English Learner Research, Policy, and Practice is comprised of 17 annotations from recent and seminal literature regarding research-practice partnerships between universities and districts and schools. These annotations build on the annotations regarding university and district partnerships in CEEL’s 2022 annotated bibliography, Ensuring Equity and Excellence for English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography for Research, Policy, and Practice (Center for Equity for English Learners, 2022) to include publications from 2022-2025. This selected annotated bibliography serves as a resource for researchers, policymakers, educators, and advocates who are working for equity and excellence for ELs.

The contributors …

Bilingual Teacher Preparation: A Selected Annotated Bibliography For English Learner Research, Policy, And Practice, Center For Equity For English Learners

Annotated Bibliographies

Bilingual Teacher Preparation: A Selected Annotated Bibliography for English Learner Research, Policy, and Practice is comprised of 21 annotations from recent and seminal literature regarding the preparation of preservice teachers preparing to be bilingual teachers. These annotations build on the annotations regarding bilingual teacher preparation in CEEL’s 2022 annotated bibliography, Ensuring Equity and Excellence for English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography for Research, Policy, and Practice (Center for Equity for English Learners, 2022) to include publications from 2022-2025. This selected annotated bibliography serves as a resource for researchers, policymakers, educators, and advocates who are working for equity and excellence for ELs. …

Assessment: A Selected Annotated Bibliography For English Learner Research, Policy, And Practice, Center For Equity For English Learners

Annotated Bibliographies

Assessment: A Selected Annotated Bibliography for English Learner Research, Policy, and Practice is comprised of 18 annotations from recent and seminal literature regarding the assessment of English Learners and Multilingual Learners. These annotations build on the annotations regarding assessment in CEEL’s 2022 annotated bibliography, Ensuring Equity and Excellence for English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography for Research, Policy, and Practice (Center for Equity for English Learners, 2022) to include publications from 2022-2025. This selected annotated bibliography serves as a resource for researchers, policymakers, educators, and advocates who are working for equity and excellence for ELs.

The contributors provide a comprehensive selection …

College, Career, And Course Access: A Selected Annotated Bibliography For English Learner Research, Policy, And Practice, Center For Equity For English Learners

Annotated Bibliographies

College, Career, and Course Access: A Selected Annotated Bibliography for English Learner Research, Policy, and Practice is comprised of 13 annotations from recent and seminal literature regarding educational practices that impact the opportunities available to English Learners’ (ELs) in secondary schools and beyond. These annotations build on the annotations regarding college, career, and course access in CEEL’s 2022 annotated bibliography, Ensuring Equity and Excellence for English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography for Research, Policy, and Practice (Center for Equity for English Learners, 2022) to include publications from 2022-2025. This selected annotated bibliography serves as a resource for researchers, policymakers, educators, and …

Untimely, Uneven, Combined: Translator's Introduction, D. Bret Leraul

Faculty Contributions to Books

No abstract provided.

La Declaración De Munster Sobre Los Principios De Ética De La Investigación E Integridad En La Investigación (Spanish), Ingenium

Dissemination

INGENIUM es una alianza de diez instituciones de educación superior de diez países europeos. Esta Universidad Europea busca permitir que cada miembro de la red ofrezca programas de estudio y cualificación de alta calidad con componentes digitales que se comparten dentro de la Alianza INGENIUM.

En las instituciones de educación superior está cobrando una importancia creciente la promoción de buenas prácticas de investigación en todos los aspectos de la investigación12, incluyendo desde la investigación fundamental hasta la investigación aplicada y la transferencia. La ética de la investigación (EI) y la integridad de la investigación (II) sustentan la actividad y la …