Many information technology professionals are isolated within their own companies or work with a limited number of experts in their specific domains (Jenkins et al., 2020). This phenomenon, known as professional isolation, occurs when professionals have limited access to collaborative opportunities in the workplace (Kutoane et al., 2023).…

Within the last five years, more than two-thirds of the United States have passed state laws specific to dyslexia, yet there is very limited empirical research that investigates the voices of parents and/or caregivers (Woodcock, 2020). While the science of reading is at the forefront of conversation in education and legislation in Florida and…

There has been extensive media coverage on the negative effects of Emergency Remote Learning (ERL) on students. Though many reports address academic concerns, the focus of the media attention has persistently been the social and emotional repercussions of isolation and physical distance in academic settings. The reports are often based on…

Our nation's 16,800 school districts spend billions of dollars a year on professional development. The best professional development is a critical need. Many educators enter teaching underprepared, especially in our communities of concentrated poverty. However, in reality, professional development often reflects our most anachronistic practices,…

Academic advising is one of the few ways that institutions of higher education exert influence on student success and retention, though the organizational conditions that promote these outcomes are not well understood in the literature or in practice. Nor is it clear how advisors come to understand their role and associated expectations. This…

According to the United States Department of Education, 42.4% of postbaccalaureate students participated in online distance education during Fall of 2019. These numbers increased because of the COVID-19 pandemic of March 2020. The pandemic not only created a severe social and economic disruption, but it also disrupted all levels of education. This…

Parasocial Relationships can mirror social relationships, particularly to individuals in isolation. Student Affairs practitioners were enormously impacted by the conditions of the Great Distress Era (the period that included the COVID-19 restrictions, racial violence and protests in response, political unrest). Many engaged in parasocial…

With the rising costs and social implications of attending higher education, the importance of student success and degree completion has taken on even more weight in recent years. Something that can derail these important elements is the implementation of a restrictive sanction due to the impact they have on a student's personal and social…

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to better understand the spiritual care experience and describe perceptions about how spiritual care received via a campus minister impacts spiritual well-being for undergraduates at an urban, Midwestern Catholic university. To explore this question, five undergraduate students…

This dissertation examines the relationship between the physical isolation of online graduate students and their self-efficacy, motivation, and help-seeking. The theoretical frameworks underpinning the study were Knowles's adult learning theory and Zimmerman's self-regulation theory. While there have been studies about student isolation in online…

Promoting positive relationships among young children is an important step towards improving their long-term social and academic outcomes. Children who have low rates of interactions with peers, who are identified as self-isolating, and who demonstrate other internalizing behaviors are at-risk for poor social and academic outcomes and therefore,…

As interest in Dual Language Immersion programs continues to grow in North Carolina, the hiring of international teachers has increased tremendously. These international teachers often have not had the experience or training to address the needs of the students they are serving. In addition, pedagogical challenges such as working with diverse…

This three-phase study explored the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of a Mental Health podcast program for college students. Phase I used a needs assessment to understand (a) the number of days impacted by MH concerns, (b) behaviors and coping strategies, (c) contributing factors, and (d) ways MH impacts students. Students between the ages…

During a global pandemic, another pandemic of loneliness impacted undergraduate college students and influenced the way members of the 18-25-year-old population lived and learned throughout a time of intentional distancing. Additionally, the insurgence of loneliness impacts members of the 18-25 age group in startling rates. This qualitative case…

International students in a Japanese university struggled with issues of loneliness, lack of belonging, and feelings of not mattering. These issues inhibited their ability to form friendships with domestic students. This study sought to investigate causes and find actionable solutions to international student social networking issues. Participants…