Organizations interested in increasing their user experience (UX) capacity lack the tools they need to know how to do so. This dissertation addresses this challenge via three major research efforts: 1) the creation of User Data Spectrum theory and a User Data Spectrum survey for helping organizations better invest resources to grow their UX…

This qualitative case study was designed to investigate mentors and mentees and their relationships in a formal group-mentoring program. Results and findings were expected to contribute to the literature on how to best support future new faculty and senior faculty careers by providing data on the opinions of those who participated in the mentoring…

This research explored the knowledge, skills, and strategies early childhood teachers possess related to implementing curriculum and authentic assessment. Research suggests that early educators rate their knowledge of curriculum and authentic assessment and their implementation of both as excellent. Despite these self-reported, high levels of…

In Professional Learning Communities, educators collaborated and focused on ways to improve student learning. Teacher practice was one key component for improving student learning and was the focus of this study. Through the use of a collective case study, the researcher examined how teacher practice was affected through the implementation of…

Teachers face new challenges when they teach a more rigorous mathematics curriculum than one to which they are accustomed. The rationale for this particular study originated from watching teachers struggle with understanding mathematical content and pedagogical practices. Mathematics coaches can address teachers' concerns through sustained,…

As district- and school-level leaders face increasing pressure from federal, state, and local accountability mandates there has been increased dependence on using and analyzing student data to help improve student performance. While the reporting of disaggregated data by student subgroup confirms that achievement gaps exist, it does not provide…

Effective professional development for school principals is crucial to the successful administration of schools, especially during periods of change resulting from policy mandates. The Louisiana Legislature has passed legislation in an attempt to reform education in the state. During this same period, the Board of Elementary and Secondary…

Data visualizations designed for academic scientists are not immediately meaningful to everyday scientists. Communicating between a specialized, expert audience and a general, novice public is non-trivial; it requires careful translation. However, more widely available visualization technologies and platforms, including new three-dimensional…

The focus of this research is the conflicted nature of the lived experience of public community college academic department chairs. In many colleges, department chairs are faculty chosen by colleagues and/or administration. Once selected, chairs assume supervisory responsibilities. The duality of this colleague-supervisor role has the potential…

The purpose of this study was to determine how teacher perceptions of data and use of data-driven instruction affect student performance in English language arts (ELA). This study investigated teachers' perceptions of using data in the classroom and what supports they need to do so. The goal of the research was to increase the level of knowledge…

The purpose of this study is to explore and describe the process of alliance creation and maintenance between U.S. institutions of higher education and enterprises in Hong Kong. The methodology is a qualitative case study in which administrators from U.S. universities offering programs in Hong Kong and administrators from organizations in Hong…

This qualitative study elicited key themes in an attempt to understand the nature and essence of the career advancement experiences of a select group of African American male community college presidents. Research was conducted through a "culturally sensitive" research design (Tillman, 2002) that contained four elements: "culturally congruent…

Professionally developed and freely accessible through the Internet, scientific data maps have great potential for teaching and learning with data in the science classroom. Solving problems or developing ideas while using data maps of Earth phenomena in the science classroom may help students to understand the nature and process of science. Little…

The study uses qualitative methodology to understand the "nature" of spiritual experiences that resemble self-realization or oneness, and the linguistic structures and representational knowledge used to comprehend and communicate such an experience. It draws upon Habermas' theory of communicative action to explain the nuances of communication as…