The United States is experiencing a shortage of STEM workers, with many students leaving the pipeline before attaining a career in STEM. STEM education researchers have identified factors at the high school and college level that contribute to attrition, but earlier life events remain underexplored. In this work-in-progress paper, we examine…

This study aimed to conduct an in-depth analysis of post-traumatic growth experiences based on the perception of mothers with children with special needs in primary school. As a qualitative research method, the phenomenological design was used because the study focused on how the participants made sense of this growth process. Eight volunteer…

Background: Given its ability to exacerbate health inequities through its disproportionate impact on low-income communities, the need exists to better understand factors that influence substance use among adolescents. Moreover, given its multi-etiological nature, preventing adolescent substance use requires addressing intrapersonal, interpersonal,…

This study examines the COVID-19 shift to online instruction and its impact on a charter school system (CSS) 3rd-10th grade students' academic achievement through the lens of noncognitive factors. We recruited 693 students and utilized qualitative and quantitative analyses. We found that students' NWEA math and ELA scores continued to increase…

A new leadership model is needed in all organizations. In response, The Affect-Centered Transformational Leadership Model came about. The new model resulted from a doctoral student's participation in a leadership course, and continued dialogue with its professor. Ultimately, the new model reached the stage of needing to be operationalized. A…