In the realm of agricultural development, the pursuit of sustainability stands as a paramount objective, necessitating an integration of multifaceted expertise from diverse disciplines. Amidst this pursuit, understanding the perspectives of professionals in both the realms of economy and biology becomes imperative, serving as a cornerstone for…

It is well recognized and codified into law that families are an important part of early childhood evaluations; how families are included in evaluations in practice is less clear. To learn about family involvement, a nationally distributed survey focused on early childhood professionals' (n = 1,118) use of family-centered practices before, during,…

In this Dissertation in Practice (DIP), the lived experiences of professional women who have chosen to leave their jobs in higher education in Indiana are explored. The purpose of the qualitative phenomenological study is to communicate the essence of their lived experiences with leadership development in Indiana higher education. The aim is to…

In this qualitative study, we aimed to explore the challenges of providing services and supports for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families from the perceptions of professionals and parents of children with ASD. We classified the results of the study into three key categories including shortcomings in the management of…

This doctoral action research dissertation is coauthored as a qualitative three-article dissertation; each article leverages a different qualitative approach to the research. Article 1 focuses on the existing depth of literature regarding higher education faculty and their practice of social justice within their roles. Article 2 is a critical…

This study examined the perceptions and lived experiences of student conduct hearing officers relative to the frequency and challenge of student concerns they observe in their roles on small, private college campuses. Using a framework of systems theory and perception theories to inform the work, as well as decades of existing literature, the…

This paper explores the definition of value in healthcare and discusses the main challenges and opportunities in hospital operations management through semi-structured interviews. The participants included seven professionals working in hospitals and two experts with research experience on the theme. On average, they had ten years of experience in…

The fast-changing world of work has justified the need for contemporary, accessible and inclusive models of lifelong guidance, underpinned by principles of social justice and equity, that meet a range of needs, and have the ambition of leaving no one behind. While guidance provision is widely available across most education systems, guidance for…

This dissertation explores the field of deaf interpreting and discusses essential issues, including career barriers, mentorship, and certification. It looks at the tenacity and willpower of deaf interpreters, emphasizing the reasons and networks of support that have allowed them to work for a long time. Studies demonstrate the valuable role deaf…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of eight female safety professionals who have advanced in leadership roles. Participants selected represented a pool of highly experienced and qualified female safety professionals. Data were collected through interviews, document collection, and a…

School attendance is linked with the expectation that the students do their homework at home after their lessons at school. For most students, 'at home' refers to the family context. For those young adolescents who do not grow up in their original families but in residential youth care, the latter is particularly relevant when it comes to doing…

This paper describes the results of qualitative and exploratory research into the transition to and experiences of the working world of graduates from a Chilean technical-professional higher education institution, whose student body is mainly made up of first-generation higher education students. The study includes eight in-depth and six group…

Although American Sign Language (ASL) education for second language (L2) or additional language (Ln) learners in postsecondary education has increased rapidly over the past four decades, not much is understood about the field. The scholarship of ASL education is relatively new, and little is known of the perspectives of ASL professionals in ASL…

Train-the-trainer programs are an effective method for improving educators' content knowledge and pedagogical skills. They also offer a way to reach more educators than by traditional professional development models. This manuscript shares the results of a retrospective study conducted with a cohort of informal science educators who participated…

The problem addressed in this study is the underrepresentation of professional staff in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at West Coast community colleges. Although DEI efforts have mainly focused on faculty, professional staff have been overlooked, potentially leading to decreased engagement and feelings of undervaluation. This…