Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

From Deference To Dialogue: How International Gtas From High Power Distance Cultures Adapt To U.S. Classroom Dynamics, Deborah Akua Afi Appiah

Theses and Dissertations

International graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) from high power distance cultures play a significant role in undergraduate education at U.S. universities, yet they face challenges that go well beyond language proficiency. Coming from educational backgrounds where teacher authority is unquestioned and hierarchical, these GTAs must navigate American classrooms that operate on fundamentally different assumptions, where authority is earned rather than assumed, informality is the norm, and students expect to question, negotiate, and be personally known by their instructors. The present study examined how eighteen (18) international GTAs from seven (7) high power distance countries perceived and adapted to these differences while …

Unlocking College Potential: The Role Of Student Expectations And Non-Cognitive Skills In College Success, Gema Zamarro, Malachi Nichols, Julie Trivitt, Rian Djita

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

Attending college is a significant human capital investment, but only about 60 % of those who start college will have a completed degree six years later. This makes identifying the skills associated with college success an important policy concern. We surveyed over 1100 entering college freshmen, majoring in business and engineering at a public university in the US, and combined this information with administrative data to create a comprehensive data set that, in addition to the usual academic performance data, cognitive ability measures, and demographics, also included measures of non-cognitive skills, personality traits, student expectations about college grades and performance …

General Practice Training In Australia National Report On The 2025 National Registrar Survey, Rebecca Taylor, Leyna Clarke, Michelle Hsien

Higher education research

The General Practice National Registrar Survey (GP NRS) is an annual, national survey of GP registrars training in Commonwealth funded training programs. This includes the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program, the Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS) and Rural Generalist Training Scheme (RGTS). This survey is part of the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s (the Department) monitoring and quality improvement activities. The information collected in the GP NRS can be used to assure the quality of training provision in the program, enables continuous improvement and allows responses to be benchmarked nationally. From July 7 to August 18, 2025, the …

Integrating Goal-Setting Into An Urban Community College Developmental Mathematics Course: A Multi-Perspective Learning Experience, Tamie S. Dickson

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Developmental mathematics (DM) students often encounter systemic and contextual obstacles in higher education. Low self-efficacy, math anxiety, multiple external demands, and pervasive gaps in prerequisite knowledge can all undermine the strategic behaviors needed to manage the academic environment independently. Although DM reforms are widely researched, the literature lacks a firsthand perspective on the daily processes students apply as they assume control over their learning. This qualitative action research study investigated the integration of intentional goal-setting into a recently redesigned one-level pilot DM course at an open-access, urban community college. The practitioner-researcher created the PATHway framework—rooted in Zimmerman’s (2000) three-phase Self-Regulated …

The Benefit Of Qualified English Language Teachers In Non-English-Speaking Countries, Tina M. Allen-Abulhassan

Journal of English Learner Education

Abstract

This study explores the impact of qualified English language teachers on English Language Learners (ELLs) in their home countries, assessing how English language instruction can enhance their preparedness for higher education in Western universities. The need for effective English language education is underscored by the scarcity of qualified ESL instructors, which leaves L2 learning ill-equipped for academic success. Utilizing Vygotsky’s social development theory, particularly the Zone of Proximal Development, this research examines the role of social interactions with qualified native speakers in fostering language proficiency and academic achievement. The literature review highlights significant barriers ELLs face, including inadequate teaching …

Exploring Student Thriving: A Comparative Analysis Of First-Generation And Continuing-Generation Undergraduate College Students At A Private, Faith-Based University, Melissa A. Maisenbacher

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

This quantitative study explored the thriving of first-generation undergraduate students enrolled full-time at a mid-sized, private, faith-based, open-enrollment university in the southeastern United States. Using the validated Thriving Quotient™ instrument, this research measured thriving across five domains: engaged learning, academic determination, positive perspective, social connectedness, and diverse citizenship, along with three subscales: spirituality, sense of community, and institutional integrity. The study compared thriving perceptions of first-generation college students (FGCSs) and continuing-generation college students (CGCSs) to determine if generational status influenced students’ experiences of thriving. Despite documented challenges faced by FGCSs—including financial stress, limited familial guidance, and lower academic preparedness—this study …

Framework Integration In Academia: Moving From Theory To Practice, Lori B. Doyle, Kara S. Bratton, Timothy Young, Catherine Webb, Cari A. Chittick, Heather L. Vezner, Rebecca A. Stanton, Tanya M. Tarbutton

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

Character education has been a point of focus and research in K-12 education dating back to the 1990s. The work of integrating a character-forward framework in higher education is now considered a beneficial and impactful practice. One university has successfully completed the initial work of integrating a servant leadership framework in the School of Education using an approach in line with the community of practice model. The authors of this paper work together and have each played a key role in not only the early stages but the ongoing phases associated with maintaining and improving. This theory-to-practice article begins with …

Career Advising Utilization: A Quantitative Archival Analysis Of Student Engagement Across Academic Levels And Colleges At A Southeast University, Edward Raimundi Iii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative ex-post facto study examined patterns of career advising utilization at a large, R1 public university in the southeastern region of the United States. Institutional advising data from the 2023–24 advising year was utilized to identify usage patterns across different demographics such as college affiliation and academic level. The descriptive stats from the archival data were used to measure topic distributions, undergraduate–graduate usage by college, and contact engagement. The sample size included over 35,000 students with 10 different college affiliation labels. Significant differences across advising usage in the different colleges were found during the study. Undergraduate students had higher …

Like Playing Plinko: A Conceptual Framework For Student Financial Aid Communication, Alyssa Takatori, Karla A. Weber-Wandel, Z.W. Taylor

Journal of Research Initiatives

The process of applying for and receiving student financial aid is an incredibly complex process involving multiple stakeholders (students, institutions, parents, counselors), levels of information (federal, state, institutional, personal), and modes of communication (print, email, text message, social media, phone calls). Moreover, first-generation students, low-income students, and students of color are most likely to struggle with the financial aid application and awarding process, further marginalizing these students. To date, research has examined how complicated the financial aid process is, how to identify financial aid communication issues, and how to remediate financial aid communication to render it simpler and more intuitive …

​​Alumni Voices: Uk Graduates, Global Influence​, Alexander Towne, Sladana Krstic

Higher education research

The Alumni UK network offers a unique opportunity to understand the perceptions, behaviours and influence of international alumni of a UK education. This report interrogates the second round of the British Council’s Alumni Voices longitudinal study data conducted online between November 2024 and January 2025. In total there were 3,094 participants in the survey from 123 countries. 892 of these were the same respondents from Round 1 (this same survey being administered in 2023–2024). This report focuses on two key areas that highlight the benefits of international alumni to the UK: advocacy for the UK and UK education; and alumni …

Cultivating Resilience In The Anthropocene: Evaluating A Gssw Ecological Justice Curriculum, Windy Selig

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This Dissertation in Practice evaluated the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) Ecological Justice Pathway to examine how resilience is conceptualized and cultivated within the curriculum. Grounded in a constructivist paradigm and guided by an ecological justice framework, this evaluation explored the pedagogical and curricular strategies designed to prepare social work students for the emotional, ethical, and professional demands of practicing in the Anthropocene—a time marked by ecological degradation, climate crisis, and compounding social inequities.

Through qualitative methods, including faculty interviews and curriculum document analysis, the evaluation identified both explicit and implicit components that foster student resilience. …

Uncertain Futures, Unfinished Journeys: The Complex Realities Of Belonging Among International College Women Of Color In The U.S., Matheeha Majeeth

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This study explored the complex and personal lived experiences of International College Women of Color (ICWOC) as they navigated the complexities of developing of a sense of belonging within their U.S. higher education institution (HEI). Guided by Kimberlé Crenshaw’s theory of Intersectionality (1991,1989) and Strayhorn’s College Student Sense of Belonging theory (2012), this research study used an interpretive phenomenological approach to explore how racism, ethnocentrism and misogyny shaped the ICWOC participants’ academic and social journeys in their U.S. HEIs. Through individual, semi-structured interviews with the participants, this study revealed that belonging was not simply about institutional access or inclusion. It …

Belonging And The Lived Experiences Of Underrepresented Occupational Therapy Students, Daniel Cezar Da Cruz, Angela Murphy, Zara Mahmood

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Belonging has been explored in research in higher education with a focus on student engagement or performance and the impact of psychological aspects on individuals' learning. Few studies focused on underrepresented occupational therapy students’ belonging. Our research aimed to explore the lived experience of occupational therapy students regarding belonging at university. This phenomenological study was conducted with six occupational therapy students from the United Kingdom who volunteered to participate in semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was carried out through Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA). Three themes were constructed: Theme 1: Representation and belonging - “I was the only non-white person in the …

A Comparison Of Service Needs For Face-To-Face To Online Programs, Ali Ardalan, Roya K. Ardalan, G. Steven Rhiel

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

Higher education institutions strive to gain a competitive advantage over similar programs offered by other institutions. A criterion for comparing programs is the quality of service. The definition of quality from the customer's view is "fitness for use," which incorporates the value generated by the product. Each learner may evaluate programs differently from other learners. It is impossible to develop a unique standard for program quality that is defined by a specific set of factors and specific level for each of these factors. This study presents an extensive set of factors that may affect learners' satisfaction. Higher education administrators should …

Research Methodology Education In Europe: A Multi-Country, Cross-Disciplinary Survey Of Current Practices And Perspectives, Silke Kniffert, Ivan Buljan, Flavio Azevedo, Peter Babinčák, Lucija Batinović, Thomas Rhys Evans, Sara Garofalo, Christopher Graham, Lucianne Groenink, Malika Ihle, Milosav Klugar, Lucia Kočišová, Michal Kohút, Nikolaos Kostomitsopoulos, Seán Lacey, Anita Lunić, Ana Marušić, Thomas Nordström, Charlotte R. Pennington, Daniel Pizzolato, Ulf Toelch, Marta Topor, Miro Vuković, Michiel R. De Boer

Publications

Background

Research methodology education aims to equip students with the foundational knowledge of robust scientific practices, emphasizing deep understanding of scientific inquiry, integrity, and critical thinking in research practice. A literature review reveals that the observed diversity in research methods course design and instruction stems from a lack of consensus about the essential foundations required to critically engage with, design, and execute research in education. This is further compounded by a limited pedagogical innovation. However, no study has yet investigated how research methodology is taught and perceived across European universities. The objective of this study is to examine practices and …

Relaciones De Las Competencias Docentes Con El Bienestar En Docentes De Ciencias Empresariales Bajo La Modalidad A Distancia En Una Universidad Privada En Colombia, Camilo Ernesto Aguirre Martínez

Theses and Dissertations

El propósito de esta investigación consistió en determinar las relaciones de las competencias docentes con el bienestar en docentes de Ciencias Empresariales bajo la modalidad a distancia en una Universidad privada de Colombia. El estudio buscó identificar las relaciones entre las competencias docentes y el bienestar psicológico, el bienestar subjetivo y el bienestar social, cuáles de esas relaciones predominan, así como la identificación de cuáles elementos de estos tipos de bienestar contribuyen con el desarrollo de las competencias docentes.

El enfoque de la investigación fue el empírico analítico o cuantitativo, el diseño fue no experimental y su alcance fue de …

Student Perceptions Of Campus Facilities And Their Impact On Educational Experience, Steven W. Greenwood

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the perceptions of undergraduate students regarding campus facilities at a picturesque academic institution located in Northern California and explores how these perceptions impact their educational experiences and outcomes. Despite the significant role of physical and technological infrastructure in shaping educational environments, student voices are often underrepresented in the capital renewal process. This study aims to fill this gap by employing a qualitative research approach grounded in empowerment theory and using participatory methods, such as photovoice and semistructured interviews. It underscores the importance of student involvement in facility planning and renewal processes and introduces the research objectives, theoretical …

Navigating Complexity In Sustainability And Climate Action: Comparing Participatory Action Research And Developmental Evaluation In Higher Education, Elizabeth J. Cook, Fiona Boyle

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate how sustainability and climate action are integrated in higher education through collaborative researchmethodologies. Specifically, it addresses the challenges encountered by those using participatory action research (PAR) and suggests developmental evaluation (DE) as a potentially suitable alternative participatorymethodology in certain contexts.

Design/methodology/approach: A comparative analysis of PAR and DE is conducted, highlighting their strengths and limitations in sustainability and climate action initiatives within higher education. Philosophically grounded in pragmatism, the study draws on existing literature to clarify the theoretical foundations and practical implications of both methodologies, focusing on their application in complex, dynamic environments.

Findings: …

A Predictive Correlational Study Of The Relationship Between Two-Year College Faculty Participation In Professional Development And Career Commitment, Faculty Leadership, And Professional Service Activities, Deborah Josey Burks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this predictive correlational non-experimental study was to examine the relationships between faculty participation in professional development, and career commitment, faculty leadership, and engagement in professional service activities. The predictor variable was faculty professional development and criterion variables were career commitment, faculty leadership, and engagement in professional service by faculty employed within two-year colleges in the southeastern United States. This study contained a convenience sample of 76 faculty employed at two-year colleges within a system of colleges. Data was gathered utilizing the combined self-reported Career Growth Opportunity Measure (Adams, 1999), the Teacher Leadership Inventory [TLI] (Angelle & DeHart, …

Course Registration Practices At A Jesuit University: Practicing Critical Hope To Address Barriers To Access And Belonging, Corey Knadler, Laura Diaz Martinez, Annmarie Caño, Kirk R. Anders, Yolanda Gallardo, Nancy L. Staub

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

Solidarity and critical hope support faculty and staff who wish to accompany students, read the current reality of their experience, and imagine new practices that can rectify injustices and promote access and belonging. Here, we describe an example of this praxis by responding to student concerns about injustices in a course registration process. With some exceptions, undergraduates at this institution register for classes according to their earned college credits. At first glance, this meritocratic system shows care to students by recognizing their hard work. However, our analysis shows that it also discriminates against underserved groups of students. Using 10 years …

General Practice Training In Australia: National Report On The 2024 National Registrar Survey, Rebecca Taylor, Leyna Clarke, Michelle Hsien, Ali Radloff

Higher education research

The General Practice National Registrar Survey (GP NRS) is an annual, national survey of GP registrars currently training in Commonwealth funded trainings programs which include Australian General Practice Training (AGPT), Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS) and Rural Generalist Training Scheme (RGTS) programs (prior to 2024, it was only carried out with AGPT registrars). It collects information via an online questionnaire about GP registrar satisfaction, experience and future career plans. It also collects information about GP registrars’ demographics and training contexts and other aspects of their training experience. This survey is part of the Department of Health and Aged Care’s (the …

The Impact Of Oer’S Continuous Improvement Cycles On Students’ Performance: A Longitudinal Analysis Of The Rise Framework, Daniela Castellanos-Reyes, Sandra L. Carmago Salamanca, David Wiley

Entrepreneurship Faculty Research

Open educational resources (OER) have been praised for revolutionizing education. However, practitioners and instructors battle keeping OER updated and measuring their impact on students’ performance. Few studies have analyzed the improvement of OER over time in relation to achievement. This longitudinal study uses learning analytics through the open-source Resource Inspection, Selection, and Enhancement (RISE) analysis framework to assess the impact of continuous improvement cycles on students’ outcomes. Panel data (i.e., performance and use) from 190 learning objectives of OER of an introductory sociology course were analyzed using a hierarchical linear model. Results show that more visits to an OER do …

The Effect Of Modality On Spirituality Outcomes In Theological Higher Education, Johnnie H. Peyton

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this research study was to examine differences in perceptions of spirituality outcomes between online and in-person students taking theology courses at a Christian liberal arts college in the Midwestern United States. Using a validated instrument, the Religious Education Survey (RES), 71 students were surveyed. A one sample t test was used to evaluate the statistical significance of mean perceptions of spirituality between the online and in-person students. The difference in mean score perceptions of spirituality between online and in-person students was not statistically significant, and the null hypothesis was retained. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used …

In Kinship With The World: Developing A Novel Instrument To Assess Human-Nature Relational Values, Kimberly Post

Educational Studies Dissertations

In the nascent field of human-nature relational values, there is a growing body of literature suggesting their transformative potential in sustainability education. The ability to analytically distinguish relational values from other valuations can both inform pedagogical approaches and help to identify how people understand and value their relationships with the living and more-than-living biospheric inhabitants. To address this need, an overarching question was posited: Can a relational values-specific assessment instrument be designed and validated for use in post-secondary sustainability education? Through a survey of the literature, thematic analysis of validated human-nature connection instruments, and multi-method qualitative research, a pilot instrument …

Investigating Mixed Effects Random Forest Models In Predicting Satisfaction With Online Learning In Higher Education, Jiaqi (Jackie) Shi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One of the many impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the increasing prevalence and accessibility of online education. This trend has also introduced challenges for students, instructors, and institutions. This study examines factors affecting online course satisfaction, focusing on individual, instructor, and institutional level characteristics with clustered, separated train and test datasets across two terms. This study compares Hierarchical Linear Model (HLM), Non-clustered and Clustered Random Forest (RF & MERF) models to understand these impacts. This intention is to provide a comprehensive framework comparing traditional HLM with the latest developed MERF models while delving into the effectiveness of RF …

U.S. Undergraduate Test-Optional Policies For International Applicants During The Covid Pandemic: An Exploration Of Admissions Webpages, Sugene Cho-Baker, Guangming Ling, José Sotelo, Olasumbo Oluwalana

Chinese/English Journal of Educational Measurement and Evaluation | 教育测量与评估双语期刊

Although the adoption of test-optional policies (TOPs) has risen, there is little research documenting the types of TOPs (e.g., test-blind, test-optional) utilized across higher educational institutions, particularly for international applicants, who have been traditionally required to submit additional application components (e.g., proof of English language proficiency [ELP]). Using the content of undergraduate admissions webpages from 518 U.S. 4-year universities, the current study examined how standardized test policies are implemented in admissions for international applicants. We found that only 2.5% of the institutions explicitly required ACT/SAT scores, whereas 43.1% stated ACT/SAT scores as optional requirements for admissions. Some institutions provided unclear …

Sustainable Development Goal 4.B In The Pacific – A Pilot Study For Monitoring Tertiary Education Scholarships For Development, Amanda Haddow, Daniel Edwards, Lorissa Hazelman

Global education monitoring

United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. SDG 4 includes 10 targets, of which Target 4.b aims to expand higher education scholarships for developing countries. Target 4.b leverages the benefits of international education to support countries in achieving SDG 4. For host and sending countries, the exchange of students across borders shares the societal benefits produced by tertiary education (knowledge, information, innovation) (Perna et al., 2014). The modality of scholarships broadens access to high-quality tertiary education in areas necessary for locally-led development and provides opportunities …

The Impacts Of The Higher Education Expansion On Education Quality In China : Evidence From Shenzhen University, Yousong Lun

Lingnan Theses (Doctoral degree)

Within the expansion of higher education in China, education quality should be considered into the process of reform and establishment, which is highly related to the resources of faculty and performances of management. It is crucial that universities sustainably conduct diverse academic research and meet the needs of community. Faced with the policy reform and opening up, China has more opportunities on cooperating with oversea education institutions and taking in overseas management system. This research explores the general quality assessment on higher education and the solution to balance the needs of domestic society and the growth of international education competitiveness, …

Applying An Intersectional And Multi-Systemic Level Approach To Adei Institutional Assessments In Social Work Higher Education, Diana A. Melendez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Institutional Anti-racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ADEI) tools and assessment models are needed to support schools of social work in demonstrating compliance with the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). This study develops a new tool and model for ADEI institutional assessment in social work higher education using a collaborative, intersectional and multi-systemic level approach. The primary aim of the project was to develop and test a new tool to gather and document experience(s) of coloniality within a social work higher education institution, from multiple stakeholders’ perspectives, as a usable model of ADEI …

Defining Experiential: Higher Education Educator Perspectives On Experiential Education Criteria And Experiential Learning Forms, Paul Gaszak

Dissertations

In the field of experiential education, there is a general understanding that concepts and definitions of experiential education and experiential learning differ by individuals, departments, organizations, and institutions. The purpose of this quantitative descriptive research study was to gather the perspectives of individual experiential educators across higher education (n = 121) on what they perceive to be experiential education’s criteria and what forms of educational methodologies qualify as experiential learning forms. The findings demonstrated inclusive perspectives regarding both criteria and forms, such as receptiveness to experiential education being able to occur within classrooms, in short durations, and without third-party participation. …