Since 2010, gamification, a concept and practice, gained attention in academic research. Results of its effectiveness were mixed and often lacked the use of grounded models or frameworks. Dichev et al. (2019b) proposed the existence of demotivational factors and highlighted two distinct sets of motivational drivers--one linked to game elements and…

Research indicates that higher education students with strong Emotional Intelligence skills achieve greater academic and extracurricular success, yet very few universities offer educational programs to develop, support, and sustain Emotional Intelligence (EI). The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to explore the lived…

Despite the need for a diverse science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce, Women, Black, Latinx, and Native Americans have been historically excluded and continue to be underrepresented in STEM in the United States (National Center for Science & Engineering Statistics, 2023; National Science Board, 2021). While there…

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) pose few barriers to enrollment and are typically free of charge to those that take them. Unlike enrollment in traditional, for-credit learning experiences, learners may persist or drop out of MOOCs at will with few consequences. This dissertation is an exploratory study meant to identify factors associated with…

The purpose of this study was to examine the Problem of Practice (POP) to determine if and how creating an Esports extracurricular program could potentially benefit and impact academic performance and attendance among high school students. The Dissertation in Practice (DIP) investigated how providing a daytime program could engage and motivate…

This research was intended to find the reasons for limited parent involvement at two different Elementary schools within the same district in the Mid-Atlantic region. Parent involvement is known to be a valuable means to bridge any achievement gaps, motivating students to be more successful. If the main reasons for limited participation by parents…

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to explore teacher perceptions of the influence of reductions in athletic activities/opportunities on student outcomes and engagement in school. Six teachers that met the study's criteria were anonymously selected to share their experiences teaching and interacting with students at a high school that…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of undergraduate students engaged in political activism. The research question "How do undergraduate students who attend universities describe political activism, engagement, and acceptance on campus?" was used to guide the data collection process. A basic qualitative…

This qualitative research study investigates the perceptions of internships by seven students enrolled in a liberal arts program at an urban four-year R1 research institution; the study aims to understand why these students elected to participate in internships for academic credit when they are not required--moreover, it explores how…

This study explored the literacy engagement of Hispanic rising seventh grade adolescents during a summer literacy program. Using a participatory social justice mixed methods design (Creswell & Plano-Clark, 2018), students' voices were used to design and refine an instructional model proposed to increase their level of engagement in literacy…

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the rapid implementation of online learning in California's 9-12 public schools, necessitating an examination of administrators' perceptions of this new educational landscape and its impact on student engagement. This qualitative dissertation explored how administrators perceived the effectiveness of online learning in…

Chinese international undergraduate student experiences at U.S. higher education institutions are often hidden within the larger monolithic narrative of "international students" as a whole. The existing research on the on-campus involvement experiences of Chinese undergraduate international students is relatively minimal particularly in…

Community colleges have historically faced significant challenges in retaining students, particularly from underserved populations. While extracurricular activities like athletics have been shown to enhance student engagement and persistence, the specific impact of athletic participation on retention and sense of belonging among diverse student…

Student engagement and participation in resources geared toward improving STEM student success and postgraduate planning is important in higher education. This study was a qualitative exploratory case study of undergraduate STEM students at New Jersey City University (NJCU), a public, Hispanic-serving and minority institution located in Jersey…

The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis was to understand how first-generation college students have experienced involvement in college during the pandemic at a New England University. Astin's (1999) theory of student involvement served as the theoretical framework for the study as it focuses on the interconnected relationship…