The field of adult learning theory, or how adults learn, has exploded in recent years yielding increased knowledge and awareness of how adults learn. While preachers do have a wide variety of ages in their congregations, most of the people they preach to are adults. This dissertation looks at preaching and adult learning theory and what the…

Knowledge of scientific principles and practices is vital to creating informed citizens. At its core, science helps create citizens who question the why and how of things, while also increasing knowledge of the world and beyond. Humans by nature are curious and thrive when they are engaged in learning that relates to real-world situations relevant…

Project based learning (PBL), a well-known pedagogical approach, is becoming more widely recognized for creating and sustaining student engagement and motivation in 21st-century learning while improving academic achievement. Teachers support this hands-on, collaborative approach and see it as beneficial for students of all learning modalities, but…

This study aimed to explore Cooperative Learning theories and practice by examining the relationships among three aspects: Experience, Practice and Perceptions. The data were from interview records from eight science teachers. As a student-centered active pedagogical trend, cooperative learning has become part of one of the most effective and…

This study focused on the impact of socioeconomic status through the experiences of telecommute workers from a healthcare insurance provider. The aim of the study is to analyze the influence these factors impose on personal growth in the job role of a telecommuting worker through the eyes of Texas telecommute workers in the healthcare industry.…

Career and Technical Education (CTE) is vital in students' secondary education, vocational skills, and college, career, and military readiness. To determine how CTE affects students' success, Texas CTE teachers were asked about their perceptions of CTE elements to determine how secondary education students are experiencing fundamental knowledge…

Hybrid learning models in healthcare education often present challenges related to reduced cognitive and social presence. This study explores the impact of intentional grouping of students, using Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) scores, on cognitive and social presence in a hybrid Doctor of Occupational Therapy program. Over four…

How can teachers engage students in participatory civic education in a state like Texas where education policy is interfering with the Rights of the Learner by refusing to allow educators to support students in becoming active participants in vital democratic processes? Texas Senate Bill 3, passed in 2021, prohibits teachers from directly…

"The Ballad of Proxima-B" is an educational RPG that promotes learning and collaboration. Students contribute to world-building and game mechanics, creating fictional worlds and characters, including a dystopian Earth, the planet Proxima-B, and alien races. The game incorporates constructivist, constructionist, and Dynamic Systems Model…

As community colleges create or enhance their online learning programs, campus leaders must find ways to make these experiences equitable for all students, so that everyone has a fair chance at success. Colleges are using a wide array of innovative strategies to do this. These methods include designing online courses with inclusion in mind,…

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States in early 2020. With it, came a range of concerns, panic, and scrambling for "quick fixes," as families learned to navigate rapid and sometimes confusing pandemic changes. Thirty million Americans were under- or uninsured at the start of the pandemic, so both preventive measures and access to…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the adult students' perceptions of Game-Based Learning's mitigation of math anxiety in a STEM math course at a mid-sized university in Southeast Texas. The participants in this study included 11 students who identified as adult learners with math anxiety taught by the researcher in a STEM…

This study investigates the impact of a STEM field trip on engagement in STEM learning and interest in STEM among students at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Texas. Using Kolb's (1984) experiential learning model as a theoretical framework, the research explores how engaging, hands-on activities during the field trip enhance…

Policymakers and educational leaders across state and federal agencies have invested considerable effort in identifying how schools can both mitigate and exacerbate student absenteeism. Despite extensive research into school-level characteristics and programs, there remains a notable gap in understanding the impact of classroom-level factors on…

Researchers have reported that participation in agricultural education reinforces STEM concepts. The use of projects is common in agricultural education. However, the foundational understanding of certain tenets of project use is not clear. A quasi-experimental study was conducted to test the effects of project authenticity on learning. AFNR…