This mixed methods study examines the creativity of Black girls as they learned to code virtual environments in an afterschool program. The afterschool program, West Philly Tech Camp/Black Girls in Computing was a nine-week program in which students learned to code a virtual chatbot using Python. The program's design was guided by culturally…

In this dissertation, I argue that web development can play a pivotal role in developing computational thinking as well as provide a stepping stone to an advanced mastery of computation. The preceding literature has extensively examined not only how learners practice computational thinking with a wide array of programming languages, but also how…

This dissertation examines the epistemological moves made by Washington State University undergraduates in their general education course writing and during two impromptu writing assessment exams administered by the WSU writing program. It builds from previous interview-based research on epistemological change (Perry, 1998; diSessa, 1993;…

Classical mechanics challenges students to use their intuitions and experiences as a basis for understanding, in effect to approach learning as "a refinement of everyday thinking'' (Einstein, 1936). Moving on to quantum mechanics (QM), students, like physicists, need to adjust this approach, in particular with respect to the roles that…

The climate, being a complex system, is difficult for people to understand. If better education is to be designed to improve the public's understanding of the subject, educators must be aware of the prior knowledge that students bring with them to the classroom since it is through that prism that people make sense of the world. As such, the aim of…

Peer-to-peer bullying negatively impacts over 20% of school-aged children annually. While much literature exists on bullying on school premises, peer-to-peer bullying outside of the classroom is still relatively understudied. Despite states' implementation of antibullying legislation, peer-to-peer bullying has continued in schools and other areas…

Gun violence on college campuses has gained the attention of campus leaders, leading to an active shooter policy and procedure development and implementation. There was little awareness within the campus leadership of a college in the Southeast United States on the college's active shooter policy and procedures. Guided by Coomb's crisis management…

This study explored the narrative of new Philadelphia Police recruits' experiences within a training program that used storytelling techniques to positively influence their knowledge and assumptions about social justice and fairness. Prior research has suggested that storytelling can be an effective way to engage learners in understanding…

This qualitative study was designed to gain insight on Jewish leaders' conceptualizations and access to IDEA funding for their parentally placed private school children when Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) is not at issue. Additionally, this study explored the various ways Jewish leaders aid and advocate for these students. The current…

Under federal guidelines, parents of school-aged children with hearing loss are required to attend an individualized education program (IEP) meeting on behalf of their child. However, it remains unclear how prepared hearing parents are to oversee development of IEPs that guarantee their children the best educational outcomes, as well as how much…

Despite decades of research supporting family engagement's benefits on children's social, emotional, behavioral, and academic development (Hill & Tyson, 2009; Jeynes, 2012; Patall et al., 2010; Sheridan et al., 2010), teachers are not always adequately prepared to work with families (Chavkin & Williams, 1988; Epstein & Sanders, 2006;…

The purpose of this study was to discover how three person teams use game templates (trivia, role-play, or scavenger hunt) to socially construct knowledge. The researcher designed an experimental Internet-based database to facilitate teams creating each game. Teams consisted of teachers, students, hobbyist, and business owners who shared similar…

In 2010, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Organization mandated that all its schools, including Diploma (DP) schools, adhere to the collaborative planning and reflection requirements, which emphasized the importance of integrating its theory of knowledge (TOK) core component into all disciplines. Many schools officials and educations in Amman…

Regular education teachers are sometimes at a disadvantage when required to instruct learners with a visual impairment or other special needs in the classroom. A problem exists with reduced support and training for regular education teachers responsible for meeting literacy needs of students with visual impairment. The purpose of this qualitative…

The answer to effective formal principal preparation reform across the nation has been to adopt and implement the "Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium" (ISLLC) standards, which in most instances begins with graduate program courses and field training within higher learning institutions. Close adherence to Standard 5, a…