Visual notetaking has gained prominence in education due to its benefits in capturing information effectively. However, there is limited research on the neural and cognitive mechanisms involved in this way of taking notes. Therefore, to fill this research gap, this within-subject experimental study aimed to use an electroencephalogram (EEG) to…

Preparation of new graduate nurses is more important now than ever given the current state of health care. The pandemic has caused online nursing education to be a permanent content delivery modality across all degree programs. Best practices for e-learning only address course organization, instructional materials, learner interaction, course…

This dissertation explores the institutionalization of sustainability studies within undergraduate programs in the United States, investigating its implications for interdisciplinary structure, faculty expertise, and curriculum focus. It specifically examines how sustainability studies differentiates itself from the established field of…

Countless studies have shown the positive effects that critical curricula such as ethnic studies courses and culturally responsive instruction can have on student populations. Yet, the narrative of teachers and their respective journeys engaging in these practices remains an understudied topic. The following qualitative case study examined the…

Research is needed for us to be able to understand how Women of Color make meaning of their experiences in women's studies, especially Black women, whose experiences have not always been centered within women's studies (Elfman, 2009). Furthermore, it is important to distinguish Women of Color from Black women when investigating their lived…

This study serves to collate and evaluate measures of self-directed learning (SDL), with the goal of guiding the measurement and discussion of SDL. Used in a variety of settings, many applications of SDL have been proposed, but a consistent definition has yet to be formulated. Despite the lack of a cohesive definition, several tools exist to…

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the educational approaches utilized to professionalize undergraduate/post-secondary digital media students into their preferred industries. A secondary aim of this research was to highlight the process of professional identity exploration undertaken by digital media students as they progress…

Physics education research to date has predominantly focused on the undergraduate level. This has left critical avenues of research in graduate education relatively understudied and has motivated much of my research. Numerous studies across the education research landscape have analyzed undergraduate admissions practices, but few have critically…

The extant literature on regret as motivation for behavior presents inconclusive results, collectively. While it has often been agreed that regret motivates reparative action, most studies from the past 14 years indicate that regret may motivate either detrimental actions or, more commonly, no action at all. There also appears to be no published…

This dissertation presents the results and outcomes of an effort to design educational tools and curriculum to improve student learning in introductory programming courses. The work was conducted at the University of California, Merced (UC Merced), situated in the Central Valley of California, and home to a diverse student population. The findings…

This qualitative study utilized a constructivist grounded theory approach to understand how rural students engaged with people in their home community as it related to before, during, and after their study abroad experience and what impact that engagement had on their experiences. Participants included 15 students who self-identified as being from…

This dissertation addressed the underrepresentation of African American women attaining doctoral degrees at universities across the nation. It also explored the McNair Scholars Program, and the role the program played in preparing African American female students for graduate school and completion of the doctoral degree. In line with the…

This study explored the influence institutional cultures and structures have on a university's internationalization strategy. It also accounted for the roles external forces, such as government policies and geopolitics, play in shaping internationalization strategies. The comparative case study between the United States, England, and Sweden were…

Researchers have known for several years that when a child is reading below proficiency by the end of third grade, it is likely the child will continue to struggle learning to read through the child's academic career (Dickinson & Porche, 2011; Wasik & Hindman, 2011). Yet, the problem of children falling below third grade reading…

It is well documented in literature that student teachers must become self-regulated learners to be effective teachers. As self-regulated learners, teachers can pass these vital skills to their students. The aim of this study is to determine if my self-regulated learning awareness and development (SRLAD) intervention which focuses on teaching…