Adult and Continuing Education Administration Commons^™

A Comparative Analysis Of Professional Development Perceptions Among Baby Boomer, Generation X, Millennial And Generation Z Teachers, Lynsey R. Reynolds

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

ABSTRACT

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PERCEPTIONS AMONG BABY BOOMER, GENERATION X,

MILLENNIAL AND GENERATION Z TEACHERS

Lynsey Ratzlaff Reynolds

This quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional survey study examined differences in perceptions of professional development among Baby Boomer, Generation X, Millennial, and Generation Z secondary teachers employed in one northwest Arkansas school district. Using the researcher-developed Teacher Professional Development Perceptions Survey, data were collected from N = 145 certified secondary teachers in grades 6–12 during February 2026. Four research questions guided the study, each concerning a distinct construct: perceived relevance of professional development to instructional practice, perceived efficiency of professional development …

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence For Transformative Education: Challenges And Recommendations, Papia Bawa

Journal of Research Initiatives

The sheer force with which GPT models are inundating business, education and economic fields speaks to its ability to not only transform the ways in which we interact and act but also disrupt these ways. This systematic literature review applies the PSALSAR method to synthesize findings from 72 articles on AI applications in education, emphasizing its transformative potential across various domains. AI is transforming personalized learning by customizing content and feedback to individual needs, addressing challenges like data privacy and ethical concerns. It enhances administrative efficiency through automation and data-driven decision-making, improving institutional performance while managing biases and maintaining human …

Bridging Gaps In Data Utilization: An Evaluation Of The Rural Utah Data Symposium, Paul A. Hill

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Rural Utah Data Symposium, an event designed to address data-driven decision-making among rural leaders. The symposium features expert-led presentations on the rural economy, healthcare, housing, mobility, broadband, and wellbeing. Data were collected through an online exit survey with a 67% response rate (n = 35). Attendees rated presentation quality, learning outcomes, and overall satisfaction. Findings show high ratings and positive learning outcomes, demonstrating the symposium’s value in empowering informed decision-making. Recommendations include increasing interactivity among attendees, broadening content scope, and expanding statewide representation to further support data utilization in rural Utah.

Human-Centered Leadership Coaching For School Redesign & Career Connected Learning, Monica White

Bank Street Education Center

Focusing on the Bank Street Principal Innovation Fellowship’s first cohort, this report examines how coaching supported principals as they implemented FutureReadyNYC, the district’s career-connected learning initiative. Through case studies of four principal-coach pairs, the report identifies an emerging leadership coaching model—including key principles, practices, and outcomes—that contributed to meaningful school-level progress and offers insights for school systems seeking to use coaching to strengthen principals’ capacity to lead complex change.

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

Evaluating The “What’S Up Down South” Economic Summit: Accelerating Growth And Expanding Impact, Paul A. Hill

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

This study evaluates the effectiveness of the 2025 What’s Up Down South economic summit, a platform for regional economic development. Data were collected through an online exit survey with a 30% response rate (n = 176), incorporating quantitative ratings and open-ended feedback to assess learning outcomes and program quality. The evaluation examined attendees’ perceptions of keynote and breakout sessions, overall satisfaction, and suggestions for improving the event. Findings indicate that the summit delivered valuable economic insights and programming while citing opportunities to improve speaker diversity, event logistics, and data collection. These insights will guide future planning to sustain the summit’s …

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence In Education To Drive Cross-Sector Innovation, Brent Terwilliger, John Faraca

Publications

As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes educational practices, particularly in technical fields such as uncrewed systems, robotics, and aviation/ aerospace, its integration raises promise and complexity. This exploratory study features an investigation of the impact AI tools adoption has on instruction, curriculum support, and workforce preparation, with a focus on online learning environments. Drawing from pilot survey data across aviation and aerospace education stakeholders and hands-on evaluation of AI video production platforms, findings reveal diverse applications, perceived benefits, and critical concerns, including ethical, pedagogical, and institutional challenges. Additionally, the analysis explored how AI-enabled education intersects with broader industry and government innovation …

Understanding And Engaging In Equity Work: A Phenomenological Action Research Study Of Community College Esol Instructors, Emily E. Packer

Dissertations

Community colleges (CCs) are regarded as accessible and affordable pathways to higher education and financial mobility, offering significant potential to promote educational equity (Fink et al., 2023). These institutions enroll the largest number of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students in adult education; however, CC ESOL students face lower rates of degree completion and transfer compared to their non-ESOL peers (David & Kanno, 2021; Fink et al., 2023; Raufman et al., 2019). While research has examined factors contributing to low CC ESOL student persistence and interventions to improve overall CC student outcomes, research on specific efforts to support …

Teacher Retention And The Future Of Learning: Alarming Concerns About Preparing The Next Generation Of Citizens, Dejuanna M. Parker, Barbara D. Holmes

Journal of Research Initiatives

Research is robust in detailing the various reasons teachers leave the profession. There is scant literature on why teachers stay and what should be done to improve teacher retention. Teacher retention is a primary concern nationally and internationally. The inability to retain teachers has resulted in a teacher shortage and significantly affects student learning. Sorenson and Ladd (2020) This study yielded three emergent themes related to integral factors of teacher retention: changing attitudes on administrative support, workplace collegiality, and persistence of passion and purpose. Recommendations offered include encouraging administrators to leverage the passion and commitment of the educators to create …

First-Gen Latinx/Afro-Latinx And Complex: Keeping Resilient Responses On Shuffle, Tibisay I. Hernandez

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This qualitative study examined the racialized experiences of first-generation Latinx and Afro-Latinx students in higher education. Fourteen participants engaged in pláticas, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups to reflect on how their identities, race, and institutional dynamics shaped their collegiate journeys. The study examined how these students navigated both personal and institutional settings, revealing the emergence of tensions around belonging, authenticity, and cultural responsibility in everyday interactions. Using Latino Critical Race Theory (LatCrit) alongside Multidimensional Identity Negotiation Theory (MINT) and Co-Cultural Communication Theory (CCCT), this study developed an emergent framework—the Resilient Response Model—to better understand how students respond to complex identity …

A Qualitative Study Of Iranian Efl Teachers’ Perceptions Of A Digital Diversified Education, Seyed Mohammad Reza Marvasti Zadeh, Azizollah Dabaghi Varnosfadrani Advarnosfadrani, Mohammad Amiryousefi

The Qualitative Report

Because Iran is a country of learners of diverse languages, socio-economic classes, genders, and ages, digital diversified education seems appropriate to address needs in English language education. However, there is a notable gap in research on teachers’ perceptions about this type of education. To fill this gap, this study aimed to investigate the perspectives of Iranian teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) regarding a diverse digital education. Data were collected via an open-ended survey with 30 EFL teachers, both male and female, who were selected through convenience sampling. Analysis revealed several key themes, including the utilization of diverse …

Cultural Advocacy And Teachers Of Color, Torine Champion, Linda Wilson-Jones

Journal of Research Initiatives

Teachers of color face marginalization and microaggressions that their White counterparts do not have to face. African American teachers experience microaggressions pathologizing their cultural values and communication styles, cultural/ethnic insensitivity, an ascription of their intelligence, and being treated as second-class citizens) that are hurtful, undermining, and disparaging (Brown, 2019). Asian American teachers face gendered, racial, and sexualized expectations on their campuses (Endo, 2015). A study of Latina bilingual teachers revealed that they felt alienated from their colleagues, had larger workloads, and did not have access to support (Amos, 2016). Teachers of color experience inequalities, microaggressions, and marginalization that impact their …

Assessing Leadership Efficacy Of Department Heads: A Study Of Faculty Perceptions At Two Historically Black Colleges And Universities In The Southeastern United States, Demissie L. Karorsa, Monica E. Allen

Journal of Research Initiatives

Transformational leadership (TL) is a leadership approach that inspires followers and encourages their effective engagement to contribute adequately to organizational goal achievement. By inspiring followers to pursue and attain exceptional performance levels, TL accrues high follower satisfaction in their jobs and with their organizations (Asencio, 2016; Banks et al., 2016; Barnett, 2017; Bass & Riggio, 2006). This study examined faculty perceptions/ratings of transformational leadership behaviors of their department chairs at two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the southeastern United States.

A thorough examination of the data collected revealed that the faculty rated idealized attributes (IA) the highest (x̄=2.80, …

Hbcu Faculty Job Satisfaction: Implications For Effective Higher Education Leadership, Demissie Karorsa, Monica E. Allen

Journal of Research Initiatives

Studies show that the success of organizations typically depends on the extent to which leaders promote their employees' job satisfaction and commitment (Kouzes & Posner, 2007). As a result, employees' job satisfaction has received significant attention from business leaders and researchers (Belias & Kouestelios, 2014; Cakmak et al., 2015; Hesli & Lee, 2013; Seifert & Umbach, 2008). Most businesses recognize that enthusiastic, committed, and satisfied employees add value by enhancing customer satisfaction and retention, increasing productivity, and working toward the long-term success of their organizations (Choi, 2016; Cook, 2008). This survey sought to understand Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) …

Continuing Legal Education For The Newly Barred Attorney: A Law School’S Responsibility For Generation Z In The Workplace, Adrian Carpenter-Mckinney

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Analyzing Common Mistakes In First-Year Medicine Faculty Students’ Paragraph Writing, Pervaiz Yaseeni, Fahim Rahimi, Fareed Sahil

Journal of Research Initiatives

Academic writing is a salient skill for medical students all over the world. Academic writing starts with composing effective paragraphs, laying the foundation for students' advancement in writing during college. This study investigated common mistakes in English paragraph writing committed by the first-year medical students of the Medicine Faculty at Kabul University of Medical Sciences. Additionally, it measured the challenges that Medicine Faculty students tackled in paragraph writing. This quantitative study was conducted through an action research design. The data were collected from 52 medical students, and their work was analyzed using the developed rubrics. The data were analyzed in …

Borderland Voices: Exploring The Educational Journey Of Transfronterizx Students, Families, And Educators For Enhanced Engagement And Empowerment, Sobeida Velazquez

Dissertations

Transfronterizx students and their families cross the U.S.–Mexico border for academic, economic, social, cultural, and linguistic reasons. Socioeconomic disparities, deportation, and work have propelled some families to live in Mexico and enroll their U.S.-born children in U.S. schools to provide more socioeconomic opportunities in the United States. Educators of transfronterizx students are uniquely tasked to work with these nontraditional students. Moreover, transfronterizx students and their families have distinct needs in U.S. schools; as such, there is a need for further research on the transfronterizx experience in the U.S. K–12 system. This qualitative narrative inquiry study aimed to understand the experiences …

Black School Leader Truth: How Black School Leader Epistemology Influences Liberatory Mindset Development In Their Staff, Orpheus Williams

Dissertations

Black students in the United States have consistently been denied access to empowering, culturally affirming, and responsive learning experiences in the traditional public system. The epistemological and pedagogical beliefs embedded in a liberatory mindset can subvert this pattern of disempowerment (Shujaa, 1998). Black school leaders (BSLs) who understand the systemic and institutional pressures Black children may face and have to overcome, having undergone similarly racialized experiences in school, are uniquely placed to create liberatory spaces for Black students by recruiting and developing these liberatory mindsets in their staff. This instrumental case study used qualitative research methods of front-porch pedagogy (McTighe …

Subjective Experiences From The College Remedial Student, Deborah A. Quinones

Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to write individual narrative stories about the subjective experiences of six students who entered college and had to take at least one remedial course their first semester. A subjective experience refers to the emotional and cognitive impact of the personal account of an experience (Subjective Experience, n.d.). The participants, including the researcher, were students who entered college for the first time without the minimum requirements for college enrollment; therefore, each was considered a remedial college student. The students were required to take remedial courses in math, writing, and /or reading before taking any credit …

Assessing Higher Order Thinking In The New Jersey Social Studies Standards For Grades K-8 By Using Artificial Intelligence (Ai), Connie Sanchez

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

New Jersey consistently ranks as one of the top-performing states in the country when it comes to education. Most recently, it was ranked third in the nation. A look at the state standards in any subject shows the state works diligently to vertically align standards while also challenging students in order to better prepare them for the future and to be able to live in a global society. It is evident in looking at the New Jersey Department of Education’s standards that the planning they do is performed with an eye toward the future. The social studies standards are no …

Prison Walls To College Halls- How To Win With The Most Challenging Students, Floyd D. Lyles

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Prison Wall to College Halls- How to WIN with your most challenging students is about teaching educators about how to work with at-risk, and challenging students. I believe all students need a champion. Are you a champion for every kid in your building? I will teach you the winning formula and how to be successful with the most challenging, difficult students. You must be Willing to Invest your time and Never give up.

Can High School Gpa Predict College-Level Course Success At Community Colleges?, Joseph M. Bergman

Dissertations of Practice

ABSTRACT

CAN HIGH SCHOOL GPA PREDICT COLLEGE-LEVEL COURSE SUCCESS AT COMMUNITY COLLEGE?

Joseph M. Bergman, Ed.D.

Department of Counseling and Higher Education

Northern Illinois University, 2024

Xiaodan Hu, Director

In an effort to find a more convenient, lower-cost college readiness measure to increase access to college-level courses for more students without increasing student stress and sacrificing student success, Aurum Community College piloted the use of high school GPA as a college readiness measure while continuing to use the established standardized placement exam. Based on the placement measure used, this quantitative study examined student success in an introductory college-level composition course, …

Healing Racial Trauma From Public School Systems, Lisa Y. Collins

Journal of Research Initiatives

Oregon needs Black educators in the K-12 public school system. In 35 school districts throughout the state, the number of students of color has risen by over 40% in recent years (Oregon Chief Education Office, 2019). The number of educators of color in the state is under 10%. The number of Black educators is even lower. Research has shown that Black educators improve all students' academic, cultural, and social aspects, especially Black students. Nationally, Black educators were impacted by the Brown v. Board of Education ruling. At that time in history, Black communities fought for civil rights as they experienced …

Associations Between Multicultural Distress, Academic Achievement, And General Stress Among Racial/Ethnic Minority College Students At A Minority-Serving Institution, Alexandra O. Gil, Franklin Dickerson Turner, Aaron A. Gubi

Journal of Research Initiatives

This study explored the relationship between multicultural distress and general stress symptoms and the academic achievement of college students attending a Minority-Serving Institution (MSI). Research suggests that students who identify as being from a racial or ethnic minority background are likely to experience multicultural distress. Such students are believed to be at greater risk of experiencing mental health and academic challenges. Many contend that being in a diverse learning setting serves as a protective factor, shielding racial/ethnic minority students from some degree of distress and thereby promoting mental health and academic well-being. In contrast, other research findings suggest that multicultural …

How Doctoral Students In A Formal Leadership Program Conceptualize Followership: A Mixed-Methods Study, Katy J. Johnson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this exploratory mixed-methods study was to determine how doctoral students in a formal leadership program conceptualize followership. The methods used to conduct this analysis included distributing a Qualtrics (released in August 2022) survey and conducting one-on-one interviews with a sample of degree-seeking doctoral students within a formal leadership program. The researcher collected quantitative and qualitative data addressing students’ followership style, leadership attitudes and beliefs, and perceptions of followership. These data were analyzed concurrently using a triangulation design. A total of 67 students completed the survey, and seven students were interviewed. The findings revealed that the participants employ …

Improving Workers’ Effectiveness When Working With Unhoused Individuals, Danika J. Bralek

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

When volunteering with individuals without housing, volunteers may not know what to expect or how to act when assisting this population. Without proper preparation, these volunteers may end up further marginalizing the population they are working with, putting themselves in danger, or failing to assist these human beings. When volunteers know more about how to assist these individuals in need, they can properly manage each client’s case and assist them in receiving proper aid. In order to address preparedness for volunteers working with these vulnerable populations, I have created an instructional video addressing proper rapport building, understanding needs and correct …

Nursing Faculty Perceptions Of Stress, Coping, And Intent To Leave The Profession In The Ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic: A Quantitative Study, Lynlee Morgan

Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted all of society to varying degrees; this impact was especially true in higher education due to an overnight transition to distance learning and incessant pivots to meet new guidelines and overcome obstacles. Nursing faculty were significantly impacted due to the responsibility of producing safe, qualified, competent practitioners to provide care in the clinical setting. The limitations in or exclusions from clinical experiences combined with the fact that faculty were managing personal concerns and had never encountered these unprecedented conditions exacerbated the challenge of preparing new nurses. This study was critical due to the faculty role and …

知源育利用のガイド, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Learning, Teaching, & Researching Optimization

知源育を応用するための様々な角度からのヒントを学ぶことができるガイドです。実勢んをしながら、時々このガイドを参照することで、より高いレベルでの実践が可能になるでしょう。

A Conceptual Exploration Of Anti-Fragility In The Context Of Confucian Heritage Culture Education, Alwyn Lau

Journal of Research Initiatives

It is a common but not unrealistic stereotype of Asian students that educational success is a matter of personal identity and status. As such, achieving distinctions in as many subjects as possible (the popular target of becoming a ‘straight A’ student) is usually a non-negotiable objective nurtured by both parents and educators. Such an obsessive pursuit of academic excellence produces both laudable outcomes (e.g. the tendency of Asian students to outperform their counterparts) as well as dangerous ones (e.g. worrying rates of mental health problems). This theoretical paper hopes to apply the concept of anti-fragility developed by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, …

A 5-Week Personalized Training Workshop To Assess And Evaluate Faculty Members Teaching Online, Felix O. Quayson, Christopher Zirkle

Journal of Research Initiatives

The authors developed the Skills of Inquiry (SoI) model accompanied by a logic model to assess and evaluate faculty members teaching online. The Skills of Inquiry is based on faculty members’ abilities to understand the online environments, skills development pertaining to online teaching, and acquisition of specific online skills. The Skills of Inquiry model was used to personalize a 5-week workshop training and development module specifically for faculty members teaching online. The training workshop is effective in training faculty members to acquire specific online teaching skills through customized and individualized professional development learning. The training is a self-paced asynchronous online …