Education Commons^™

Spanish-Speaking Interpreters’ Perspectives: How Latinx Immigrant Caregivers Navigate The Special Education Process, Lizeth B. Tomas Flores

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The study examined the experiences of Spanish-speaking interpreters working with Latinx immigrant caregivers during the special education process, their perspectives on how caregivers and the IEP professional committee members participate in the process, aiming to gain a better understanding of how Latinx immigrant families navigate the special education process. Interpreters play a crucial role in the special education process for families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, as they facilitate the transmission of information between caregivers and special education teams. Interviews were conducted with six special education interpreters in a southwestern suburban school district in the United States. A qualitative …

An Examination Of The Effects Of School-Based Experiences On High-Achieving Black Female High School Students Using Photovoice 2.0, Kameron R. White Mcdaniel

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

This study used a youth-led participatory action research inquiry and Photovoice 2.0 methodology to investigate the school-based experiences of seven high-achieving black female students across two public high schools. The objectives of the project were to explore how high-achieving Black high school girls perceived their academic identity within their school setting, and to determine any school and/or classroom contextual factors that affected these participants' school-based learning experiences and outcomes. The demographic makeup of each school was also evaluated through qualitative analysis to consider if it served as a moderating variable in participants’ reported school-based experiences. It is through gained insight …

The Impact Of Whiteness Among Black College Students' Racial Identity, La'quida Reneé Smith

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Although the impact of racism is well-documented in both conceptual and empirical research on the experiences of Black college students, some scholars have pointed out that many of the negative, race-based experiences these students face on college campuses extend beyond overt acts of racism (e.g., individual racism, institutional racism; Gusa, 2010; Hargons et al., 2022; Ingram & Wallace, 2019; Le et al., 2020; Smith et al., 2011; Tyler et al., 2022). Whiteness has been identified as an overt factor shaping the lived experiences of Black individuals (Leonardo, 2009; Matias, 2016; Tyler et al., 2022) and is, therefore, believed to impact …

Land Without Marks: In Memory Of Ecu Mt Lawley, Di Gan

ECU Books

In 2026, as ECU opens its new Perth City campus, the old Mt Lawley campus will cease to be, following its 55 years of existence since 1970. Photobook 'Land without Marks' gathers passing glimpses of ECU Mt Lawley in its final 8 years, through the eyes of a long-term staff member and photographic artist. Captured on 35mm film and smart phone.

Out Of The Woods: Mount Lawley Teachers College, The First Decade 1970 - 1980, Glen Phillips, Sybe Jongeling, John Renner, John Sherwood

ECU Books

This book focuses exclusively on the visions and contribution of Robert (Bob) G.Peter, the first Principal, appointed to build a radically new teachers’ college, the first new tertiary institution in Australia since the end of WWII.It covers the first decade or so of the College,1970-1979.The story describes how Bob Peter based his visions on modern educational thought and practices and how he enthused his selected foundation staff to work with public works department architects to incorporate these new ideas in the design and building of this new tertiary institution.

How Can Educators Distinguish Special Education Accommodations/Modifications From General Education Differentiation To More Effectively Support All Learners, Olivia R. Nelson

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teachers often use the terms differentiated instruction, accommodations, and modifications, but research shows that these words are not always understood or used correctly. This thesis reviews current studies to examine how these differences affect teaching decisions, teamwork between general and special education teachers, and students’ access to grade-level learning. The literature shows that when definitions are unclear, teachers may provide the wrong type of support or lower expectations, which reduces students’ opportunities to learn challenging material. The review also points to the need for a common language, better teacher preparation, and continued collaboration. Understanding the differences among these supports is …

Light & Faith: January 2025, Taylor University

Light & Faith

No abstract provided.

Adolescent Male Perspectives’ On Civic Engagement: A Pilot Study On Youth Conceptualization Of Citizenship And Social Participation In Southern Trinidad, Cherisse M S Bovell

Dissertations and Theses

This pilot study examines the understanding of civic engagement among socio- economically disadvantaged adolescent males in the Anglophone Caribbean, a critically under- researched population. This inquiry is necessitated by acute observations of the structural inequalities embedded in Trinidad and Tobago’s merit-based education system and the resultant disparity in learning outcomes. This thesis project is part of a larger study, and focuses on chapters1-3. There is limited understanding of marginalised male youth political perspectives in the Caribbean region. Therefore, only assumptions can be made on the potential impacts of inadequate civic instruction on these individuals and their communities. To identify best …

Integrating Sustainable Practices Into Lean Engineering: Applying The Engineering For One Planet Framework In Manufacturing Engineering Technology Education, Dalya Ismael, Vukica M. Jovanovic, Murat Kuzlu, Charles Lowe, Lisa Bosman

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

A growing number of manufacturers are recognizing significant financial and environmental benefits from adopting sustainable business practices. Sustainable manufacturing refers to the production of goods through processes that are economically sound, minimize environmental impact, and conserve energy and natural resources. Lean engineering, a comprehensive approach to decision-making and leadership within manufacturing organizations, has proven effective in driving sustainable practices. Key strategies include waste elimination, value identification, value stream mapping, flow creation, pull system establishment, and continuous improvement. Both lean manufacturing and sustainability share a common focus on minimizing waste. Lean principles address seven types of waste: transport, inventory, motion, waiting, …

Using Quanser Platform To Introduce Engineering Technology Students To Autonomous Vehicles, Otilia Popescu, Logan Beaver, Murat Kuzlu, Krishnanand Kaipa

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The area of autonomous vehicles is not new, but the latest advances in various technologies gave it a new boost in the last decade and it keeps growing in interest. However, undergraduate curricula rarely include courses specific to this area, which is considered mostly an interdisciplinary graduate field. While various programs introduce students to the background needed to understand and approach the field, specific work on autonomous vehicle projects is left for extra curriculum activities or student clubs, and eventually for senior (capstone) projects. This paper presents the work of a team of electrical engineering technology students on an autonomous …

Differential Equations' Coverage In Circuits And Heat Transfer Courses In An Engineering Technology Curricula, Otilia Popescu, Orlando Ayala

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Differential equations are at the core of any undergraduate engineering as well as of science programs. While a course in differential equations is required by any engineering degree, it is not a requirement for engineering technology programs, which usually require mathematics up to calculus I. This paper discusses the undergraduate engineering technology curricula, focusing on how differential equations are taught to engineering technology students and how they are covered in the programs. In particular, the paper will discuss the treatment of differential equations in electrical circuits and heat transfer courses.

Rural Realities Unveiled: Non-Certified Teachers’ Experiences And Perceptions Of Scripted Literacy Curriculum In K-5 Classrooms, Amillia Woolfork

Theses and Dissertations

The persistent shortage of certified teachers in rural school districts has led to an increased reliance on non-certified teachers NCTs to deliver literacy instruction. To support these educators, many districts have implemented scripted curricula, which provide structured lessons and instructional materials. However, limited research exists on the experiences of NCTs using scripted curricula and their impact on their teaching practices and self-efficacy. This qualitative exploratory case study examines the perceptions and lived experiences of non-certified literacy teachers in rural elementary schools who utilize scripted curricula. Guided by Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory and Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, this study examined how NCTs …

Local Roots, Global Minds: Student Entrepreneurship Through Exploration And Community Connections, Madison Stracke, Becky Haddad, Matt Kreifels

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

What if students could see themselves not just as learners but as future business owners, community leaders, and innovators? That was the idea behind Local Roots, Global Minds, a hands-on semester project designed to connect students to their communities while helping them explore real-world career paths.

In a rural Nebraska high school, students weren’t just studying plant science. They were brainstorming business ideas, talking to local professionals, and thinking critically about their community needs, which in turn allowed them the opportunity to see how a future in their agricultural-based community could be accomplished.

Local Roots, Global Minds was a Work-Based …

From A Child's Perspective: A Qualitative Study Of Elementary School Student Engagement, Deanna J. Springstead-Gonzalez

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Abstract

Background and Purpose. This study sought to investigate child engagement from the children's perspective, aiming to understand better what they perceive as factors that facilitate or constrain their academic engagement in classrooms. By centering children's voices, this research challenges traditional views of students as passive recipients of education, instead recognizing them as active participants with valuable insights into their learning experiences. This work builds on the frameworks proposed by Shirley and Hargreaves (2021) and Lawson and Lawson (2013) that utilize socio-ecological theory to better understand those factors impacting children’s learning experiences.

Method. The study was conducted at an elementary …

Challenges In Financial Prosperity: Cutback Management And Bounded Rationality In New York State School Districts, Moontae Hwang

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The Great Recession posed unexpected fiscal challenges for public sector entities, particularly small and mid-sized organizations such as school districts, which operate with limited revenue flexibility and constrained managerial capacity. While the recession was a macroeconomic event, which could be an exogenous shock to state and local governments beyond their control, state and local policy responses played a critical role in shaping its long-term effects on local public services. Scholars have emphasized the importance of long-term perspectives among policymakers and public managers to sustain the quality of public services during crises. However, the heightened uncertainty of the recession also constrained …

"Can We See How It Works?" The Interactions Among Teacher, Student, And Content At A Living History Museum, Stacy E. Ward

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Today’s students need to be critical consumers of information. To that end, a thoughtful social studies curriculum provides students an opportunity to gain content knowledge and to practice thinking skills. However, elementary teachers, especially primary grade (K-2) teachers, often do not possess the skills and content knowledge to teach rich historical content and thinking skills. Teachers can partner with museum professionals and access museum content in this endeavor. Living history museums, immersive museums that interpret multiple buildings, trades, and heritage breed animals, hold the potential to be a strong partner for primary grade students, who are only 5-, 6- and, …

Student And Teacher Perceptions Of Student Capabilities And Their Relationships To Learning Experiences In A High-Poverty Rural School, Amanda J. Zullo

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Background and Purpose. This study was designed to identify, delineate, and explain the significant factors contributing to high school students’ relatively better graduation outcomes in a high-poverty rural region in New York State. Emphasis was placed on identifying key characteristics of the relationships between students’ and teachers’ perceptions of student capabilities and the qualities of student learning experiences. This study drew upon secondary data from a two-phase study of positive outlier schools identified as having significantly better graduation rates than other schools with similar demographic profiles. Informed by Mindset Theory and Authentic Learning Theory, the study examined how personal, social, …

School Contexts And The Construction Of Literacy Practices And Identities Among Middle School Students Of Color, Eugene K. Gyekye

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation investigates how middle school students of color construct and negotiate their literacy identities within an urban public school's institutional, classroom, and online contexts. The study is situated at Oakville Middle School, a culturally and linguistically diverse setting that reflects the complexities of adolescent literacy education in contemporary urban environments. The research explores how students' literacy practices are shaped by their interactions with school structures, pedagogical approaches, peer dynamics, and digital platforms and how these experiences influence their development as literate individuals.

The study responds to the persistent challenge of educational inequity, particularly the disconnect between students' cultural identities …

The Senior International Officer: A Sociological Perspective On The Development Of A Higher Education Profession, Mohammad Mansoor Khan

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Internationalization of higher education institutions in the United States has progressed rapidly since World War II. The pace and specifics of this internationalization vary by institution. However, there are some shared characteristics including, but not limited to, increase in student mobility, both inward and outward, exchange of scholars, cross-border research, and internationalization of the curriculum. This increased the institutional administrative burden and necessitated the centralization of internationalization activities under a single administrative unit and led by an individual capable of providing leadership at their institution in the area of higher education internationalization. This individual is recognized as the Senior International …

Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis Of Single-Case Experimental Design Data: A Comparison Of Bayesian And Restricted Maximum Likelihood Estimation, Yukang Xue

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Two-stage individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis can be used to synthesize intervention effects from single-case experimental design (SCED) studies with multilevel modeling. However, various challenges exist at both stages, including standardizing the intervention effect size, accounting for autocorrelation, and estimating the between-study and between-case variances. While both restricted maximum likelihood estimation (REML) and Bayesian estimation can be used to estimate model parameters, REML has been more commonly applied despite the potential advantages offered by Bayesian methods. Moreover, no methodological studies have focused on Bayesian estimation in the context of meta-analysis of SCED studies, let alone when IPD meta-analysis (often recommended …

Jedi Mind: Student And Teacher Perceptions Of Justice, Equity, Diversity, And Inclusion, Jessica W Coles Gray

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This study uses the Panorama Equity and Inclusion Survey as a measurement tool to examine the perceptions of equity and inclusion among teachers and students in a K-12 educational setting. Grounded in critical race theory, this research employs a QUANT-CRIT mixed methods approach to illuminate systemic inequities and amplify the voices of historically marginalized groups. A review of the existing literature reveals persistent disparities in educational experiences and outcomes for students and teachers of color, underscoring the need for a dual focus on both quantitative patterns and qualitative narratives. The study addressed two primary research questions: (1) What are teachers’ …

Author-Centered Approaches In Ela Instruction: A Multiple Case Study Of Secondary English Teachers, Jennifer M. Lockhart Mchugh

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Literary authors are often neglected in secondary ELA (English Language Arts) literary instruction. Teachers are unsure how to teach about the author and how much time to spend on establishing the context for the text when the goal is to “cover” a variety of literary texts as part of a planned curriculum during the school year. Acknowledging the role of authors’ intentions as well as their experiences and aesthetic decisions in the production of literature may provide new entry points into literary texts for students. This multiple-case study of secondary English teachers and their high school students in a “bounded …

The Effects Of Mindfulness On Chronic Pain In Children And Adolescents: A Systematic Review, Sophie Parks

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Mindfulness and mindfulness-based interventions have become increasingly popular in recent years. Typically, mindfulness-based interventions and their effects on mental health and/or adult populations have been explored in the literature. Limited research has been completed looking at mindfulness’ impacts on other facets, including chronic pain symptoms. Additionally, some research has been conducted to analyze mindfulness and its effects on school aged children and their day-to-day functioning with promising results. In this systematic literature review, mindfulness interventions and their effects on children and adolescents who experience chronic pain were explored. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework was …

Effects Of Actualized Language Policy On Ukrainian Stability, 1989-2022, Dawn Hersey

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation seeks to generate a new perspective of the complicated relationship between actualized policy and stability through looking at Ukraine’s language policies and stability in a mixed manner approach that includes both primary and secondary sources. Russia justified its irridentist activities through claiming to protect Russian nationals within Ukraine’s borders: language policies within Ukraine appear to be a trigger for Russian antagonism. Neither Russian irridentism nor Ukrainian nationalism are being considered as right or wrong in this dissertation: the intent is to highlight trends, patterns, and perceptions in alignment with Ukrainian language policy. This dissertation does not present a …

Etsu Today - Winter 2025, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU Today [magazine]

It is no exaggeration to say that Appalachia is one of the most vibrant and complex regions in America. Often overlooked, underestimated, and misunderstood, Appalachian communities are both incredibly resilient and uniquely vulnerable. The rugged and ancient mountain range for which the region is named inspires a deep connection to the land that is increasingly uncommon in modern society. A place of breathtaking, rough-hewn beauty, Appalachia has long inspired poets and artists who have cultivated a profoundly soulful artistic legacy. Far from the homogeneous stereotype often portrayed in the media, Appalachia is home to a vibrant culture, history, and experience …

(Art) Education In The Afterlife Of Massive Resistance: Constructing, Capturing, And Commodifying Racialized Disability In Virginia’S Student Assignment Practices, 1956-1966 And Present Day, Jenna E. Gabriel

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores discursive functions of disability in pupil placement decisions in Massive Resistance Virginia, the relationship between disability and race that was constructed through these moves, and how these relationships surface in the reflections, perceptions, and pedagogy of a practicing art teacher, Nathan, who works at Arts High School (AHS), a Virginia specialty center high school. Under the umbrella of the Discourse Historical Approach, which relies on multiple, interdisciplinary data sources to explore how discourses evolve, I connect a robust archival analysis of historical data collected in the records of Virginia’s Pupil Placement Board (746 boxes, 1956-1966) with present-day …

Psychometric Evaluation: Extending The Reliability And Validity Of The Teacher Attribution Measure For Early Elementary (Tam-Ee), Kerensa R. Nagle

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher attributions of student challenging behavior have the potential to influence teacher-student relationships. However, the literature on teachers’ attributions of challenging behavior is sparse and lacks measurement standardization. This limits the replicability and generalizability of research findings. To determine if teacher attributions of student challenging behaviors influence teacher-student relationships, a measure demonstrating a specific score reliability and validity profile is needed. The present study evaluated the item- and scale-level score reliability and validity of a measure of teacher attribution of student challenging behavior, the Teacher Attribution Measure for Early Elementary (TAM-EE; Nemer, 2019), within a sample of teachers (N …

A Mixed Method Case Study Of Leadership For Change: Authentic Transformational Leadership In A Local Baptist Church, Hui Sun

Theses and Dissertations

This convergent parallel mixed methods case study explores how a local Baptist church navigated organizational change during and after the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of authentic and transformational leadership. Grounded in organizational leadership and open systems framework of organizational change, the study examined two primary hypotheses: (1) RBC demonstrated an authentic transformational leadership paradigm in its change processes since 2020, and (2) this paradigm significantly and positively influenced perceived leadership effectiveness.

Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with six leaders (three pastors, one minister, one staff leader, and one deacon) and 11 raters (five lay leaders, five congregants, …

Foster Care Students And Their Success In Academic Achievements In School, Kirsten Nassiff

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide better training and resources for teachers working with students in foster care who have experienced multiple foster care placements, and to assist them in achieving academic success.

The researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with six educators and staff at an alternative school that has the highest number of students in foster care, located in this school district. Using Braun and Clarke’s six steps for Thematic Analysis, each transcript was coded with the assistance of MAXQDA, and themes were developed.

An analysis of the data revealed that educators and staff do not receive adequate communication …

I Can’T, I’M On-Call: The Psychological Effects Of On-Call Duty On Graduate Assistants In Residence Life, Dyjerlynn T. Peter

Masters Theses

Graduate Assistants (GAs) face various demands such as conducting research, completing coursework, holding assistantships, and other personal responsibilities. GAs working in housing and residence life (HRL) departments face unique challenges, especially those who serve as crisis responders for students who live on-campus. This study examines the mental health challenges faced by graduate assistants in housing and residence life who live on-campus and serve in on-call roles at higher education institutions. It explores the effects of vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and burnout, offering key findings, trends, and recommendations while sharing personal stories of GAs balancing on-call duties with graduate studies.