This study examined ways in which participation in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) influenced aspects of learners' achievement motivation and decisions to enroll in a master's degree program by offering low-cost and low-commitment ways to sample the learning experience. Participants in this study (n = 197) were enrolled in two MOOC courses…

This dissertation presents three separate essays. The first two essays explore the gender wage gap and its dynamics in urban China from 1995 to 2018. The first chapter decomposes the gender wage gap based on the observed wage for workers with a precise measure of the hourly wages. The first chapter examines the observed average gender wage gap in…

The purpose of this longitudinal qualitative study was to follow the progression of participants of a teacher residency program from admission to completion of their fourth year of teaching. During this 18-month program students were enrolled in master's level classes along with spending a year in residency at the secondary level. The residency…

Research on trauma continues to expand, building on the work of scholars, practitioners, advocates, and survivors over the past one hundred years (Courtois & Gold, 2009; Herman, 1997; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2014; Webber et al., 2017; Zarse et al., 2019). The considerable existing literature on trauma, and…

Despite efforts of faculty in Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) programs focused on social justice/Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) to provide equitable educational experiences for their students, studies on these programs have shown that students of color continue to face racialized experiences in the classroom (Harris & Linder,…

Practical problems can emerge when new academic programs are developed. If program development decisions are driven primarily by desires for enrollment growth and revenue generation, new programs may be created without clear connections to institutional missions or organizational core competencies. Additionally, introduction of new academic…

Ethics, and its application in academe and society, is a subject of tremendous importance. Ethics education and courses of study are the foundations for developing ethical public servants, educators, researchers, and leaders. Ethics, while universally recognized as important, is not universally integrated into college curricula, few colleges take…

The development of online program options in higher education has prompted the discussion of how well the modality fits the nature of social work education and the Council on Social Work Accreditation (CSWE) educational standards. To examine the relationship between online education and social work education, this research study focused on…

This narrative-based qualitative research investigated the distinct journeys of eight cross-cultural artists (four artists from South Korea and four artists from China). Utilizing a variety of theoretical frameworks surrounding cross-cultural research, this dissertation examined current discussions on cross-cultural challenges and their…

This mixed methods explanatory sequential design study explored how classroom experiences in a student affairs assessment, evaluation, and research (AER) course impacted student competency development in AER. Three research questions were addressed: Does graduate students' perceived AER competency change from pre- to post-course? Are changes in…

Mental health impacts on college campuses are on the rise. According to the National College Health Assessment, students reported increased depression and anxiety symptoms that overwhelmed their studies. Recent studies show that 1 in 6 undergraduates felt too depressed to function, 1 in 5 felt overwhelming anxiety, and 1 in 15 seriously considered…

Although there are a significant number of Saudi females pursuing graduate degrees in Saudi Arabia and abroad, few studies have examined their educational experiences. This qualitative multi-case study examines the educational experiences of ten Saudi females who graduated with a master's degree in an English language related field in two…

When transitioning to higher education, students need to develop the skills to become self-regulated learners capable of setting their own learning goals and planning and monitoring their learning. Self-regulated learning and academic performance have been shown to positively correlate with effective time management and study skills. There are…

Social work education is an academic discipline that prepares students to support individual, family, and community wellbeing, and to advance policies for social equity. Despite the increasing use of online education for social work, many social work faculty believe that online Master of Social Work (MSW) programs do not adequately prepare…

This study analyzed the effect that shifts in the U.S. News & World Report rankings have on input variables such as admitting grade point average (GPA), percentage of students taking the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), average incoming GMAT score, acceptance rate, tuition rates, average student debt, the proportion of students with…