Jewish summer camps must hire quality counselors each year. Staff retention is crucial to achieving the mission of Jewish camping; the challenge is that it is often a struggle to retain counselors for more than one to two summers. This study aimed to understand and increase counselor retention for young Gen Z staff, ages 18-22, beyond one to two…

Research studies suggest that professional development would better prepare the 84% White teaching force to serve diverse classrooms. Schools have begun providing professional development with desired outcomes of better serving their diverse student body. This research study focused on educators who received summer camp-style immersive…

High levels of teacher self-efficacy are positively correlated with more job satisfaction, less burnout, and a greater commitment to the profession, however sources of teacher self-efficacy outside of teacher preparation programs are rarely examined. Because formal teacher preparation programs and alternative teacher certification pathways account…

This study investigated middle school students' Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy, focusing on cognitive and affective dimensions with regard to learning about AI. Fourteen middle school students participated in a five-day summer camp. They engaged in a project-based AI literacy program with hands-on activities, data collection and modeling,…

This dissertation examines the impact of outdoor learning, including constructivist theories on student development in natural resource curricula. It highlights the importance of experiential, hands-on learning that connects students with nature. This approach challenges traditional methods by exploring active participation and sensory-rich…

American summer camps employ over one million individuals every summer. However, little research has been conducted evaluating the experiences and outcomes for the camp staff. In particular, research efforts have done little to examine the subset of staff members working in formal leadership positions at summer camps. Often college-aged emerging…

This dissertation examines the impact of Skyhawks Sports Academy camps on youth participants' social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies using an intrinsic case study approach. The study utilizes both quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data were gathered through SEL competency surveys administered on the first and fifth days of…

This was an exploratory sequential, mixed-methods study that answered two research questions related to how campers defined the camp experience and how exposure to these experiences can be measured. The research questions were divided into two corresponding phases. The first phase employed youth participatory, grounded theory research methods to…

Spiritual development plays a vital role in young people's psychological health and wellness, and spiritual awareness is beneficial in developing morals and coping strategies when dealing with real-life situations (Lee et al., 2020). A lack of scholarly literature addressing the spiritual growth of Egyptian youth involved in evangelical camps and…

This case study (Stake, 1995) investigated children's learning experiences in a media-inspired summer camp. The purpose of the study was to explore how educational media can be used to extend children's learning experiences "across" the screens (television, mobile, tablet) and "beyond" these screens through hands-on maker…

Several studies have focused on how in-person informal CS learning programs like summer camps and after-school programs impact Black girls' intent to persist in Computer Science; however, virtual informal CS learning programs remain to be studied. This mixed-methods study uses Intersectional Computing and Social Cognitive Career Theory to examine…

This critical historical narrative sought to understand how secondary and postsecondary educators can best engage community partners in providing access to a college education--and the opportunities associated with it--for students who have been systemically excluded. Based on extensive archival research and 21 oral history interviews with Upward…

This dissertation research used an embedded qualitative case study research design to investigate a single educator's actions in teaching Black youth engineering and computing in a culturally appropriate and accessible manner. Historically, the engineering discipline has preserved and upheld Eurocentric standards for how learners should think and…

Interest development is a topic that has fascinated and puzzled educators since the 20th century. Despite decades of research and important advances in the field, questions remain about interest and its relationship to learning. In particular, given the pervasiveness of technology in our daily lives, it is essential to understand how interest…

This dissertation investigated an affective curriculum intervention's effectiveness in resolving underachievement. The intervention was first implemented at a summer program with 20 students and four camp counselors. Inductive analysis of qualitative data indicated that most participants had positive perceptions of the model. Descriptive analyses…