Natural language contains a variety of means for expressing possibilities consistent with what is known. Particularly well-studied among them are the epistemic modal auxiliaries "might" and "must": (1) a. Ann: "Where is Peter?" b. Mary: "He {might/must} be in his office." There is broad agreement that…

Software powered by artificial intelligence (AI) is used widely in the United States in education as a tool for teaching, administration, student assessment, and other purposes. Curriculum delivery, tutoring, support for students with disabilities and resource allocations are some of the applications of the technology. The normative, ideological,…

Using narrative inquiry, this study investigated the lived experience of embodied cognition--the integrated emotional and intellectual functions "of" cognition--in transformative learning in the context of a disorienting dilemma. These two fundamental "conscious" experiences of embodied cognition are preceded by three…

In this dissertation, I utilize the post-structural philosophy of Gilles Deleuze and Fe´lix Guattari as a lens for investigating the proof process. Deleuze and Guattari were both post- structural philosophers who, like many in this tradition, troubled traditional notions related to stable identities, meaning, language, and mathematics. For…

In this three-paper dissertation, I examine three seemingly unconnected historical philosophers--Locke, Cockburn, and Kant--on questions concerning moral knowledge, human nature, and moral development. In the first chapter, my focus is on Locke's peculiar claim that a demonstrative science of morality is possible, and I address an interpretive…

This dissertation discusses the gestures produced by students as they learn about the inorganic chemistry topic of symmetry and group theory. Also included is an overview of the development and implementation of a symmetry and group theory laboratory activity, as well as an investigation seeking to promote gestural mimicry and uncover design…

The question as to where ethical philosophy ought to end and oratory begin was an abiding interest for the rhetorician-philosophers of Antiquity. This study considers the relationship between the two now distinct disciplines in the theory and practice of Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, and the United States, through the lens of transformative…

The notion of a teacher is an archaic, dynamic, and diverse concept that is embedded in and therefore revealed in the various complex and coexisting cultural and national contexts, ways of teaching and learning, and the entanglements with beings in multiple worlds. However, under the fundamental impacts of westernization, coloniality, and…

The post-pandemic classroom dealt with not only the mental health struggles of educators and students, but also the technological and virtual learning dependence in a time ridden with misinformation. At this time, it was important to not only consider the purpose and intent of science education as a learning experience, but also pedagogical…

This dissertation examines the possibilities and anxieties that attend a notion haunting Western thought since at least Kant--that reality itself is a revisable construct, a kind of collective game with social and physical rules that simultaneously delimit and solicit radical interactivity. Investigating experiments in the gamification of reality…

The purpose of this project was to train the congregation in biblical theology for the purpose of evangelism at River Valley Community Church in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Chapter 1 summarizes the context of the church, the rationale behind the project, as well as the goals of the project. Chapter 2 explains the biblical basis for the project focusing…

COVID-19 exacerbated a pre-existing and well-documented mental health crisis on college campuses in the United States. During COVID-19, more college students than ever before in recorded history reported feelings of anxiety and depression, among other mental health issues. There are myriad possible causes for the decline in mental health among…

Social educational robotics literature indicates robots have entered the education domain with positive benefits for the learner. A key question remains: what is the lived experience of student interaction with social educational robots in the education environment? This study employed a qualitative phenomenological methodology to investigate the…

This research was a three-article dissertation with two integrative literature reviews and one case study that examines the perception of career and technical education (CTE) among Black American communities with an in-depth look at the philosophies of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B Du Bois. There is a tremendous skills gap in the nation and an…

Leadership theories and their application to various leadership positions is a heavily researched field. Specific research has been conducted examining leadership theories of both middle level and senior level leaders individually (Amey et al., 2020; Eddy and Mitchell, 2017; Hernandez and Hernandez, 2014. However, an examination of leadership…