Imagination--broadly defined here as narratives individuals construct about experience and possibility--is integral to helping people understand their lived experiences. In the context of teacher education, imagination is an indispensable dimension of developing one's self-conception as a teacher, and of defining what is and is not acceptable…

This descriptive case study is a qualitative investigation into the perceptions of tenth grade students who experienced a ninth-grade transitional model high school academy within a large PreK-12 suburban school district. Specifically, this study provided the opportunity to examine the success of one Ninth Grade Academy, identify areas of concern…

In the United States, the majority of high school graduates are not academically prepared for the rigor of postsecondary education or equipped with the skills necessary to enter the workforce (American College Test [ACT], 2012; Barnes & Slate, 2010; Conley, 2007a, 2007b). Often blamed for this lack preparation are inconsistent linkages between…

A participatory action research project involving social workers as stakeholders from high schools and the local community college in Nassau County, New York, provided the basis for an inquiry that addressed the effectiveness and implementation of clinical social work practice with Black male students transitioning to community college from high…

Statistics on the number of students who leave high school underprepared for postsecondary education, and have to take remedial coursework upon entrance to college vary, but, unfortunately, for at least the last 10 years, these statistics have remained high. This study examined the effectiveness of one transitional high school math curriculum…

The purpose of this mixed method design study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a middle college high school in providing the academic success of its alumni students by exploring their educational outcomes and perceptions of readiness and transition. The participants in the study were middle college high school staff who consented to…

This study examined the impact of grade-span configuration on the academic achievement and attendance of sixth-grade students. Because of the conflicting results in the extant literature, it was not known if and to what extent there was a difference in sixth-grade student achievement and attendance rates between students who attend a K-8 versus a…

For youth with disabilities, transitioning from school to work and adult life often means overcoming multiple social, academic, and environmental constraints that may present as roadblocks to meeting society's expectations of 'successful transition' (Lehman, Clark, Bullis, Rinkin, & Castellanos, 2002). According to the United States Department…

In the context of the nursing and faculty shortages, recommendations have been made to increase the number of highly educated nurses who are qualified to teach. A lack of nursing faculty has been reported at all levels of education. Because the majority of nurses enter into practice with an associate degree, the professoriate at the associate…

College completion has become a national priority in the United States. Before students can graduate from a college or university, however, they must survive their first year in higher education. The retention of out-of-state freshmen is a major piece of the larger college student retention puzzle due to recent national enrollment trends and the…

This qualitative intrinsic case study explored the institutionalization of a Transition and Postsecondary Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) grant-funded program into a public four-year university in the Midwestern U.S. The study employed an ecological framework, and analyzed interview data from program stakeholders and…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the transitional experiences of foster youth college students. The study explored how foster youth experienced moving into, moving through, and moving out of the college environment and what resources and strategies they used to thrive during their college transitions. In addition, this study…

The study of student transfer has been researched since the inception of the community college. It was not known how community college students interested in transfer and community college administrators perceive the transition into a four-year institution. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how transfer-interested…

The transition from 8th to 9th grade, from middle school to high school, is considered one of the most challenging experiences in an adolescent's life. Ninth-grade transition programs, often referred to as freshman academies, have been developed and implemented over the last decade to address the needs of 9th grade students. The purpose of this…

This dissertation encapsulates a qualitative study that explores the identification and educational experiences of Third Culture Kids living abroad. A Third Culture Kid (TCK) is an individual who has spent a significant part of their developmental years outside of their parents' culture and country of nationality. This study specifically examines…