This dissertation explores the lived experience of transformation in mentor-coaches trained and certified through the Center for Mentoring, Coaching, and Leadership Development (CMCLD). The CMCLD describes its training as a transformational process in which mentor-coaches adopt a listening mindset that becomes a lifestyle change. This dissertation…

Many U.S. higher education institutions invest significantly in diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ)-oriented professional development (PD) to help faculty develop knowledge and skills for serving diverse student populations. However, evidence is mixed regarding the effectiveness of DEIJ PD in helping institutions make progress on…

There is a large gap between minority representation in the field of dietetics and the United States population, and nutrition students need advanced cultural competence training in preparation for future work with diverse populations. Universal recommendations for delivering and evaluating cultural competence training in nutrition programs are…

This qualitative study aimed to understand how student teachers reflected on their teaching practice during their student teaching semester and their perceptions on using reflection as a tool to develop their teaching practices. One hundred and twenty-four written and oral reflections by fifteen student teachers were analyzed to categorize their…

Online teacher professional development (oTPD) has gained momentum globally as a mode of teacher professional development (Dede et al., 2009; Lieberman & Mace, 2010), appealing to teachers who prefer the convenience of online learning and/or the autonomy of self-paced learning. With oTPD gaining traction, especially in this climate of COVID-19…

African American science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students' lack of transformative learning experiences at predominantly White universities negatively affect their degree completion. When these students do not feel accepted or have a sense of belonging in predominantly White majors and campuses due to sociocultural and…

Student reflection plays an essential role in service-learning projects to help students prepare for their service, process their experience, and reevaluate their experience to gain new understanding and appreciation. However, instructors encounter various challenges when integrating reflections into service-learning. Given the wide variety of…

While Americans gave $471 billion to nonprofits in 2020, according to Giving USA, little is understood about the factors that contribute to the learning of philanthropy. The study's purpose was to examine how donors to institutions of higher education (IHE) acquire a philanthropic disposition, by asking the following research question: How do…

The aim of this action research study is to link research to action in order to meet individual learner needs through the creation of collaborative inquiry based teams that seek to provide equitable learning experiences through differentiated instructional practices. Key findings include the results of the primary goal of this study, which was…

This study was conducted to reveal how and why teacher self-efficacy developed by bridging the theoretical instruction of teacher education program coursework to the real-world enactment of specific classroom management strategies. Low teacher classroom management self-efficacy has been correlated with early teacher attrition, perpetuating the…

Health disparities are differences in health outcomes that result from social, economic, and political inequalities that disproportionately impact Black and Indigenous people of color (BIPOC) at an alarming rate. Implementing health disparities topics early in educational programs proves beneficial for informing, equipping, and engaging future…

This three-article dissertation explores Learning by Evaluating (LbE), an educational approach that enhances student learning through the process of assessing and providing feedback on peer work. Leveraging principles of comparative judgement, students evaluate pairs of exemplars side-by-side to determine which is better and provide a rational for…

This qualitative, phenomenological study addressed the research question: What is the nature of the learning experiences of leadership coaches that lead to coaching competency? With the increasing recognition of leadership coaching as a meaningful leadership development experience (Allen & Hartman, 2008; Maltbia, Marsick, & Ghosh, 2014;…

At least one element of second language teacher education (L2TE) permeates contextual differences: reflection. Farrell (2012) suggests that the terms "reflection" and "reflective practice" are now mandatory terms used within in L2TE program curricula. Teacher learners (TLs) commonly engage in reflective assignments such as…

The 21st Century workforce must be flexible, adaptable, and innovative to stay competitive in today's fast-paced, ever-changing job market. Organizations play an important role in supporting the professional growth of its employees by offering various kinds of formal and informal professional development opportunities. While formal learning may be…