This study addressed the following research questions: 1) What is the effect of differentiated gamified instruction on the cognitive engagement of ninth grade students in the unit of plant and animal systems? 2) What is the effect of differentiated gamified instruction on the behavioral engagement of ninth grade biology students in the unit of…

In the instructional design field untrained instructional designers are creating educational content. In these instances, the content is created by subject matter experts. This growing subset of experts is known as instructional designers-by-assignment (DBAs). DBAs are prevalent in the equestrian education field. Unfortunately, in equestrian…

Since 1984, many animal science postsecondary institutions had incorporated experiential learning into courses and programs, including equine programs. Even with the incorporated experiential learning, equine experts were finding students postgraduation were substandard with equine technical skills experiences. Although many studies had addressed…

Researchers determined if trained facility dogs impacted school climate by looking at three elementary schools within a single state in the Southeastern United States. This phenomenological, qualitative study used interview data to research educators' lived experiences and the use of facility dogs in elementary schools to include the perceptions…

Researchers determined if trained facility dogs impacted school climate by looking at three elementary schools within a single state in the Southeastern United States. This phenomenological, qualitative study used interview data to research educators' lived experiences and the use of facility dogs in elementary schools to include the perceptions…

This mixed-methods research study focuses on students', teachers', and parents' perceptions of the influence therapy dogs in schools can have on reluctant readers' attitudes about reading and motivation to read at school and at home as well as exploring changes in the participants' oral fluency. Eight student participants read to our school…

Humane education (HE) is a specialized niche in higher education and adult learning. HE provides a curricular framework positioning environmental ethics, animal protection, human rights, media literacy, culture, and change processes as the nexus for understanding and inspiring social change. Research-derived experiences illuminating how educators…

Recent educational studies have shown increasing lack of interest and participation of youth (ages 10-14 years old) in various STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields in the U.S. The decline in the number of youth choosing to study STEM fields in higher education and the resulting lack of STEM professionals in the society…

The overall purpose of this study was to capture the relationships made during the Campus Canines Program, an animal-assisted activity program, at the University of Pittsburgh. Meaningful social relationships create greater educational satisfaction. These social relationships are an important piece to creating and sustaining student involvement,…

The purpose of this study was to examine the knowledge, skills, and dispositions enabled for elementary school participants in two summer herpetology programs, one in North Carolina and one in Florida. An additional purpose of this study was to examine the normative scientific practices in which participants engaged and to describe how these…

According to No Child Left Behind, teachers must consider alternative teaching strategies to improve student achievement. The use of a facility dog as an instructional enhancement is an innovative teaching approach that deserves further research. The theoretical framework for the study was human-animal bond theory, which postulates that…

To protect and conserve the Earth's biodiversity and ecosystem services, it is important not only to understand and conserve species and ecosystems, but also to instill an understanding and appreciation for biodiversity and ecosystem services in the next generations of both scientists and citizens. Thus, this dissertation combines research into…

Literacy acquisition is imperative to successful academic progress and to successful participation in our society. Students with identified learning disabilities are often among those who struggle to acquire literacy skills. The following dissertation shares the results of a reading intervention study in which nine students with identified…

This dissertation examined natural selection in westslope cutthroat trout ("Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi") and undergraduate learning in the subject area natural selection. Translocation--moving individuals to a new habitat to establish, re-establish or supplement a population--is a crucial management strategy for cutthroat trout. One of…

Understanding the function of every gene in the genome is a central goal in the biological sciences. This includes full characterization of a genes phenotypic effects, molecular interactions, the evolutionary forces that shape its function(s), and how these functions interrelate. Despite a long history and considerable effort to understand all…