Once research questions are posed, researchers must answer many a priori questions regarding research design before analysis can be performed and any conclusions can be made, including sample selection criteria, data collection method, model specification, analysis and estimation technique. The choices made by researchers along this forking path…

This paper explores how the charter school sector evaluates the success of specialized education programs in order that the Nature School can learn from these best practices and develop its own framework. The researcher conducted in-depth interviews with five evaluation experts and eight diverse charter school authorizers overseeing a significant…

Higher education faculty who teach online can face numerous challenges in providing optimal experiences for their students. Besides their potentially limited instructional design expertise and understanding of how to optimize technology to support learning, faculty may have difficulties in finding ways to make themselves be perceived as real…

This case study was conducted to develop a proposal comprised of best practices for institution-wide implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in higher education. The analysis of data collected from interviews with individuals from institutions endorsed by the Center for Special Technology (CAST), the founding organization of UDL,…

Multilevel modeling is commonly used with clustered data, and much emphasis has been placed specifically on the multilevel linear model (MLM). When modeling clustered ordinal data, a multilevel ordinal model with cumulative logit link assuming proportional odds (i.e., multilevel cumulative logit model) is typically used. Depending on the research…

Modern-day educators often share a sense they lack voice and agency with school administration. A classic example is curriculum development, where third-party designers develop uncontextualized curricula, and teachers then must implement the design even if inefficient and ineffective. What happens if this identical situation occurs at the program…

In education, there is often a disconnect between theory and practice. Urban school counselors must balance the reality of their daily work with the standards set by the ASCA National Model (2019), widely regarded as the benchmark for K-12 school counseling best practices. This study aimed to describe urban school counselors? perceptions of their…

The ability to effectively manage learning design projects, consult with stakeholders (such as sponsors, subject matter experts, and learners), and direct projects to completion is a vital part of an instructional designer's role. Although the need for project management education and experience is reiterated in the literature and in…

Special education team members have shown an inability to write rigorous individualized education program (IEP) goals that meet students' needs. Researchers have focused on special education team members' ability to write IEP goals, and the phenomenon continues to be a vital concern. This basic qualitative study was conducted to examine the…

There are many concerns from early childhood educators regarding allowing children to use technology, pointing to the adverse effects of screen time and barriers such as lack of resources. To support advocating CT in early childhood settings using technology, this dissertation proposes solutions and resources for early childhood educators by…

Purpose: Share a comprehensive examination of best practices used to institutionalize a successful long-term secondary education co-teaching program. Methodology: An intrinsic case study of a single urban school site in the Southern California area, bounded in time from program inception through the study time period. Findings: (a) Two visions…

This qualitative study examined the impact of parental engagement on academically high-performing high school students and the perceptions administrators and parents have on the school-parent partnership. Participants were parents and administrators of students in four large urban, Title I high schools within a large independent school district in…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the landscape of Competency-Based Education in institutions of higher education, and how these institutions have successfully implemented a new model into their existing structures. Interviews were conducted to explore the rationale, implementation strategies, and challenges at institutions…

Competency-based education (CBE) degree programs have grown significantly over the course of the past few years. Within the field of CBE, experts have differing views as to what elements are most critical to a high-quality CBE program. The purpose of this Q methodology study is to determine what models of CBE programs emerge from an investigation…

Academic advising has been researched and linked to student retention and completion in numerous studies. New state initiatives, legislative funding pressure, and financial aid changes have increased pressure on accurate, timely, and intrusive advising to increase timely graduation and student success. As academic advising played a vital role in…