Principals are regularly expected to navigate and lead in contexts of complex change. While professional learning is often seen as a key lever for change, there is minimal research regarding principal professional learning in change contexts and even fewer studies making explicit connections between professional learning and change. This…

This qualitative phenomenological study employs a phenomenological approach to investigate the lived experiences of veterans returning to higher education. It aims to explore and understand the experiences and difficulties faced by veterans as they reintegrate into college education. Thematic analysis is used to analyze qualitative data,…

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…

Too often, the racial diversity conversation is perceived as an issue for people of color rather than one that also profoundly impacts White people. The power of whiteness often reflects its invisibility, particularly embedded into the culture of Christian colleges. This study was a hermeneutic phenomenology of diversity professionals addressing…

This study builds on education abroad, global citizenship, and short-term travel programs literature by examining students' experiences traveling on short-term programs overseas in the Global Majority. The term Global Majority, in this study, is defined as regions worldwide that have historically seen low student participation rates for academic…

This case study examined how participating in a formal leadership development program impacted the development of leader identity for community college leaders. An examination of the program curriculum and materials, program facilitator interviews, participant surveys, focus groups, individual participant interviews, and participants' program…

The purpose of this dissertation was to experiment with qualitative research methodologies while exploring the complexities of doctoral education, research practices, philosophies of inquiry, and other topics intersecting with(in) educational scholarship. My vision for this work was fueled by postmodernist critiques of humanist education,…

The qualitative study examined the mental health aspects of marginalized elementary school students in addition to constructing and implementing a culturally responsive and sustaining mindfulness program to observe if there were improvements regarding emotional regulation and awareness. To achieve this, I constructed a culturally responsive and…

This qualitative phenomenological research study aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions middle school English Language Arts educators held concerning the implementation of one-to-one portable Chromebooks. Additionally, this research study sought to provide insight into how one-to-one portable Chromebooks are integrated into teaching and…

Higher education as a baby boomer brings mental, physical, and economic adjustments, concerns, and insecurities. Additionally, life delivers unexpected challenges and barriers which can cause hardships requiring various types of motivation. Fortunately, there are also catalysts which can contribute toward successes. Literature from four major…

The importance of culturally responsive pedagogy has gained prominence in the last few decades. Educational leaders have a significant impact on student outcomes and, as such, it is important that leaders are culturally responsive to meet student needs. The purpose of this study was to use qualitative case study methodology to gain a better…

Supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is an explicitly stated goal of many mathematics departments across the country, and addressing ongoing disparities in outcomes and experiences within undergraduate mathematics is a shared responsibility among undergraduate mathematics community members. Despite the prevalence of ideological,…

Research suggests that individuals learn best when they are involved in an experience through active learning (Bonwell & Eison, 1991; Michael, 2007; Seglem & Bonner, 2016). One of the current issues in education is that many learning environments are unengaging and only encourage students to take a passive role (Slavich & Zimbardo,…

This dissertation, "A Need to Teach Differently: Storied Experiences of Transformative Educators in Nigerian Special Education," explored the narratives of educators who have significantly impacted the special education landscape in Nigeria. The study aimed to highlight the motivations, challenges, and transformative practices of these…

Many high school students with disabilities receive instruction in a cotaught classroom. Despite the consistent implementation of this service delivery model, students with disabilities are inconsistently demonstrating content mastery in ELA and math on end of course assessments. The goal of this multiple case study was to identify barriers to,…