In addition to supporting students' diverse academic needs, educators are tasked with helping students' social-emotional needs (Briesch et al., 2020). This is especially true in urban school districts with high-risk populations (Evan & English, 2002). While educators attend to students' social-emotional needs, they are also being exposed to…

In higher education, sense of belonging has been linked to improved outcomes such as retention and academic achievement (e,g., Pittman & Richmond, 2007). Previous research has also identified participation in learning communities and campus residency as interventions which improve sense of belonging for students in this context (e.g., Solanki…

This mixed-methods study explored the relationship between teacher academic optimism and personalized professional learning in a rural Appalachian elementary school in southeastern Ohio. Twenty K-5 educators participated, with pre/post-surveys utilizing the Teacher Academic Optimism Scale-Elementary (TAOS-E) yielding quantitative data. Six…

This mixed-methods study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the technology-embedded scientific inquiry (TESI) model on teachers' and students' scientific inquiry abilities and digital learning technologies fluency to enhance science education learning outcomes. The TESI framework guided the construction and execution of this study. The…

Integrating Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) into introductory STEM courses at the university level has been recognized as important in increasing persistence in STEM. A significant area of attrition from the STEM pathway, however, occurs during secondary school when student interest in STEM rapidly declines. In this study,…

Community colleges have long focused on preparing graduates for well-paid careers in middle-skill jobs, playing an important democratizing role in American society. Community colleges enroll 47% of the total students enrolled in undergraduate studies in the United States (Bers & Schuetz, 2014, p. 1). This systematic review examines the…

The current study examined the impact of a pre-matriculation social belonging intervention on the academic achievement of incoming first-time, full-time college students at a four-year public university in the Midwestern United States utilizing a secondary analysis of existing data. The theoretical framework was viewed through the lens of…

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore the possible relationship between parental incarceration and the outcomes, frequency of participation, motivations, challenges, and supports of college students with incarcerated parents. The study was conducted at an unnamed academic institution with individuals enrolled in a four-year degree…

Intercollegiate student-athletes face rising stress and pressures which challenge their well-being and mental health, and sometimes with alarming concerns. Over the years, supportive services and resources specifically available to student-athletes have not evolved at the same pace as student-athlete needs. Also, barriers and stigmas hinder…

Living learning communities in higher education involve students living in a shared residence space and a faculty or staff member leading various activities. These communities have been shown to help students transition to and retain in higher education, promote higher grade point averages, and provide peer support. However, only a limited number…

In educational contexts, students often self-select into specific interventions (e.g., courses, majors, extracurricular programming). When students self-select into an intervention, systematic group differences may impact the validity of inferences made regarding the effect of the intervention. Propensity score methods are commonly used to reduce…

The opportunity gap between Black and Brown students and their White counterparts in math performance is present in our middle school math classrooms. This opportunity gap creates an urgent need for educators to prepare middle school math teachers with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to build the math content and math identity of…

This pilot study was designed to rigorously test, using randomization, a parent-to-parent advocacy mentorship program for parents of children with ASD within a low-income, mostly Latino population. The study design includes randomization to a parent IEP advocacy mentorship or to receive the program materials after intervention. Specifically, this…

Acceleration is one of the best-supported interventions available to gifted education practitioners internationally. However, the acceleration program in Saudi Arabia is still highly fluid and could benefit from additional revision. The purpose of this research was to explore Saudi stakeholders' perceptions regarding their lived experiences with…

For the purposes of this study, criteria for non-traditional students were: adults ages 25 and older, race/ethnicity, gender, entry date or transfer to a community college in Middle Tennessee during fall 2015 through summer 2021, and Pell/Grant eligibility. The problem is that non-traditional students have lower completions than traditional…