Statistics & data science are growing, rapidly evolving, and increasingly important for an informed citizenry in a data-saturated world. In this dissertation, I address two central questions: (1) who is taking statistics? and (2) what are statistics courses teaching? I estimate that 920,000 US students take statistics in high school each year,…

Many students throughout the country disengage from the traditional high school model, and all students who graduate from high school do not necessarily acquire the skills required for postsecondary success in college or careers. This action research study sought to examine and develop a competency-based model of curriculum and assessment that…

Students who have a disability are at risk for criminal justice involvement. Such involvement can lead to negative outcomes during their elementary, middle, and high school years. Furthermore, the negative consequences associated with criminal justice involvement for students with disabilities can extend well into adulthood. The aim of this…

American politics today is the culmination of historical, political, social, geographic, and economic events that have significantly impacted this country. Over the last year, America and the world have been tested to political, social, and economic extremes not seen in over a century because of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Both the 2020…

Intended as a convenient and cost-efficient way for students to earn their first college credits while still in high school, dual-credit, or concurrent enrollment, is transforming many first-year writing (FYW) programs. Many institutions emphasize that dual-credit courses are the same as traditional college courses, yet "[dual-credit] tends…

This dissertation study examined the factors that influence the ability of math faculty at a local community college to implement a new intermediate algebra for statistics course designed to improve the math remediation pathway. A gap analysis framework was used to identify the knowledge, motivation and organizational influences found in the…

College algebra continues to cause a barrier for students seeking a college education. Many institutions require students who are less academically prepared to enroll in a remedial course before entering college algebra. This process is costly and time prohibitive to students; adding financial burden to the already present academic barrier that is…

By the end of the nineteenth century, the momentum for the idea of a more practical education better suited to life in a modern, technological world brought the first educational reform movements in the nation. Concurrent reform efforts at the state and national levels influenced both the historical development of Earth science education and the…

This three-article dissertation includes a book proposal and two articles. First, in the book proposal I tell the story of collaboratively designing and teaching a practice-based teacher education course called "Studio" with secondary English and History teacher candidates. This book provides examples of curriculum and clear and…

The purpose of this qualitative, bounded case study was to understand how the specific medium of iTunes U facilitated a high school global collaboration experience for participating teachers and students in Philadelphia, PA, USA and Amsterdam, Netherlands and the academic, social, and emotional benefits participating in such a unique experience…

International mindedness is a recent and evolving research topic in language education and other fields because of its significance in promoting global relations, ethical leadership, intercultural understanding, global engagement, and world communication. This study explored the conceptions and practices of international mindedness of four English…

Effective writing skills are important for success in college, work, and for society. Although there is little argument about the importance of communication skills, there is more debate about whether or not students and graduates are actually attaining these skills. An examination of the impact of completing the college composition course on…

The increasing prevalence of K-12 students with mental health disorders is of great concern because research has shown that these children are at increased risk for academic failure. Accordingly, this study explored two intersecting fields of study - school mental health (SMH) and education administration, first examining the literature on the…

Computing occupations are among the fastest growing in the U.S. and technological innovations are central to solving world problems. Yet only our most privileged students are learning to use technology for creative purposes through rigorous computer science education opportunities. In order to increase access for diverse students and females who…

Peruvian students at both the elementary and the secondary level have shown poor results in evaluations of mathematics achievement in recent years. In addition, research has found that teachers are not implementing the curriculum as expected; traditional practices of teaching are still present in classrooms. These problems have driven a school…