This study looked to determine if being classified as a Cinderella Story team in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, also known as March Madness, led to a statistically significant change in NCAA Division I men's basketball spending for that team's respective institution one, two, and three years after being labeled. The purpose of…

Physics education researchers have called for a shift from traditional laboratory (lab) instruction to labs that focus on the development of experimental skills. Although research has demonstrated the efficacy of such reformed labs, much work remains to determine what these labs can and should teach students and how best to achieve these goals.…

Hmong adolescents face many challenges during high school, particularly college and career readiness. School counselors are trained professionals who can help. This transcendental phenomenology study explored the lived experiences of six Hmong adolescents and how they make sense of college and career lessons in a group work format over six weeks.…

In 2021 the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA) jointly published recommendations for higher educational professionals on the future of fraternity and sorority life. Among these recommendations was a focus on the communication between campus leaders and students…

This study sought to address the dearth in literature on South Asian fraternities and sororities by exploring the ways in which Desi/South Asian students in Asian American Greek-letter organizations (AAGLOs) experience belonging at AANAPISIs. While Accapadi's (2005) seminal study found that Desi/South Asian fraternities and sororities create…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the specific experiences and program characteristics that students, faculty, and staff experience in the living-learning communities. This paper summarizes the findings of a program evaluation inclusive of a survey and interview protocol on the student, faculty, and staff experiences in living-learning…

The following dissertation study will evaluate how, if at all, does participation in the La Comunidad de Latnios (LCL) small group improve the perceptions and high school experiences with regards to post-secondary options for Latino students. Focus groups were evaluated and discussed, and recurring themes were considered to understand how Latino…

Debriefing is a key component of simulation that promotes development of students' reflective processes. Instructor-led debriefing (ILD) is considered the gold standard; however, research conducted over the past decade demonstrates the negative effects of anxiety on student reflection during ILD. Nursing students' experiences with ILDs have been…

Knowledge sharing practices in post-secondary settings create pathways for better academic achievements, improved communication skills and interpersonal skills, as well as facilitate an appreciation for understanding different perspectives. Crowdsourcing has long been a part of education with students teaching one another through open-idea…

International students experience cross-cultural difficulties as they seek to adapt to U.S. campuses. Past research has indicated that residence halls can have both positive and negative impacts on students' educational experiences. Employing a qualitative phenomenological approach, this study explored the lived experiences of 13 international…

This dissertation investigates the effect of observational learning in crowdsourcing markets as a lens to identify appropriate mechanism(s) for sustaining this increasingly popular business model. Observational learning occurs when crowdsourcing participating agents obtain knowledge from signals they observe in the marketplace and incorporate such…

Human Computation methods such as crowdsourcing and games with a purpose (GWAP) have each recently drawn considerable attention for their ability to synergize the strengths of people and technology to accomplish tasks that are challenging for either to do well alone. Despite this increased attention, much of this transformation has been focused on…

Difficulties in social skills are generally considered defining characteristics of High-Functioning Autism (HFA). These difficulties interfere with the educational experiences and quality of life of individuals with HFA, and interventions must be highly individualized to be effective. I explore ways technologies may play a role in assisting…

In today's connected world, the reach of the Internet and collaborative social media tools have opened up new opportunities for individuals, regardless of their location, to share their knowledge, expertise, and creativity with others. These tools have also opened up opportunities for organizations to connect with new sources of innovation to…

This dissertation utilized critical incidents methodology to examine participants' endorsement of twelve primary growth factors during a Master's level group counseling class. Additionally, the study examined whether some factors are more salient than others at each stage of development (i.e., forming, storming, norming, performing) as defined by…