The problem investigated in this study was the trend of decreasing student retention of first-year, degree-seeking college students at an independent community college located in northeastern New Mexico. The purpose of the study was to examine the association between student retention and program utilization. The research question was to determine…

Research demonstrated peer-to-peer mentoring provides advanced or experienced undergraduate students the opportunity to play a significant role in impacting an individual's leadership values, especially values of citizenship, commitment and collaboration (Hirsh et al., 2021). The action research study explored the expansion of peer mentor…

This three-manuscript dissertation in practice used improvement science as the methodological approach of disciplined inquiry into a problem of practice--the discrepancy of male and female participation in engineering design-based (EDB) courses and clubs in Starr School District. Manuscript 1 centered around diagnosing the problem and delved into…

Peer education programs in higher education conduct peer educator training; however, there is minimal empirical evidence supporting the structure and evaluation of peer educator training. The problem addressed by the present study was the inconsistencies in and scant assessment of university peer educator training and implementation. Ineffective…

This qualitative, phenomenological study examined undergraduate peer mentors' perceptions of the mentoring roles and their perceived student learning through their mentoring experiences. The participants' experiences were connected to the sociocultural theory of learning and self-determination theory. The study revealed four themes from peer…

Burnout is experienced for many reasons, such as prolonged exposure to stress. This can present in three stages being emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal unaccomplishment. Many educators experience different stages, pathways, and types of burnout throughout their career. This is unfair to teachers as most enter the profession to…

This study's purpose was to determine whether the use of course-embedded learning assistants compared to sections that did not use course-embedded learning assistants in intermediate algebra courses impacted student performance at a community college. The sample was composed of 5,738 students who were enrolled in an intermediate algebra course…

Using Q methodology, this study examined the patterns of how counselor educators prioritized the use of flipped learning tenets when teaching counseling courses. Participants ranked flipped learning tenets resulting in the development of two teaching profiles. One teaching profile prioritized the co-creation of a learning culture centered on…

Science identity can be described as the part of oneself that relates to science, and is made up of four components: competence, performance, recognition, and interest. Science identity is important because students who have a strong science identity tend to persist longer in STEM majors and are more likely to attain a scientific career…

The Human-focused Facilitation (HFF) program was evaluated to provide evidence of the effectiveness of the processes used to build facilitator knowledge, skills, and dispositions. This study used an explanatory sequential, mixed-methods design to analyze data from Human-focused Facilitation participants and a focus group that did not participate…

Research indicates that too often the newest teachers do not receive the support and development they need to serve their students well, especially in the hardest-to-staff schools in the highest poverty communities. The purpose of this modified case study was to examine the perceptions of whether, what, and how early career teachers learned from…

Educators nationwide are receiving training through Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling® (LETRS®), a program rooted in a structured literacy that encompasses all five essential components of literacy recommended by the National Reading Panel (NRP, 2000): phonemic awareness, phonics skills, fluency, vocabulary, and…

Skilled and Technical Science Educators (STSEs) enter the teaching field with little to no practical training. This lack of experience produces educators who need professional learning opportunities that draw upon their past knowledge and provide them with a community in which they can learn. The support these educators require extends beyond…

Students' experiences transitioning from high school to university during their first year are fundamental to their integration and academic progress in higher education; it can determine their success, including completing their degree. This study examined university students' perceptions regarding their experience in a first-year experience…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of student diversity and inclusion training on the overall climate of a school. The study was a quasi-experimental quantitative study that compared school climate prior to and after the implementation of student diversity and inclusion trainings. During this study, two types of diversity and…