This dissertation is composed of three studies linking general education astronomy to student performance, course-taking, graduation, and identity. The first study examined demographic and academic predictors of astronomy performance among a cohort of N=1,909 community college students enrolled in astronomy courses in a large suburban community…

The purpose of this qualitative document review study is to investigate the potential gaps between which skills and competencies students are learning in associate degree accounting programs at community colleges in the Minnesota State College system and what employers are seeking in entry-level accounting position applicants in Minnesota. For the…

Colleges face growing pressures to maintain or enhance the quality of what they offer while being challenged to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse range of students. Staff in higher education face the challenge of supporting students to feel they belong and are valued. The co-creation of teaching and learning is one model in which we may be…

Despite efforts to increase representation among those enrolled, earning degrees, and working in the computing and technology industry, women across races/ethnicities and People of Color more broadly remain underrepresented in the field. Fortunately, extant literature has found that psychosocial factors like computing identity can help broaden…

The problem addressed in this study is the underrepresentation of professional staff in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at West Coast community colleges. Although DEI efforts have mainly focused on faculty, professional staff have been overlooked, potentially leading to decreased engagement and feelings of undervaluation. This…

This study explored predictors of community-based providers' adherence to MATCH, a modular cognitive behavioral therapy for children and adolescents. Provider-reported adherence to MATCH was measured using three increasingly strict criteria: (1) "session content" (whether the session covered MATCH content consistent with the client's…

In the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) classroom, speaking is a relatively marginalised learning activity, often employed merely to facilitate transition between activities which prioritise communication skills deemed more important. A significant consequence of this privation is limited practice in situated discourse. This paper presents a…

A significant majority of faculty at U.S. colleges and universities believe that character is an important aim of university education, but many do not know how to support students in developing their character. This article presents a mixed-methods study that examined the effectiveness of two cross-disciplinary communities of practice (CoPs) in…

The theoretical framework of communities of practice (CoP) is often used for framing research into online communities. However, there is an absence of measures and empirical work that evaluates knowledge-sharing within such communities. This represents a substantial gap in our understanding of informal learning for diverse people and in the case…

Peer response writing groups support faculty in their development as scholarly writers around the globe. Nevertheless, little is known about feedback provision inside these groups. This work analyses written and oral comments in a faculty writing group to determine how feedback progressed as meetings developed. Results indicate that participants…

It is crucial that academic institutions offer support to their increasingly diverse student bodies. LGBTQIA+ students often report negative experiences in relation to campus climate and treatment. The aim of this qualitative research was to explore the experiences of LGBTQIA+ students who attend(ed) a collaborative (staff and student),…

To better understand the critical early years of teaching and teacher identity development, this study explored the mathematics teacher identity of two early career middle school mathematics teachers and the influence of their working communities on its development. Emel and Berk graduated from the same reform-oriented teacher education program…

In recent decades, researchers and land managers have seen steadily increasing numbers of outdoor adventure recreation (OAR) participation. Social and community support have long been topics in outdoor recreation literature. The following study aimed to further explain to what extent social and community support and well-being occur because of OAR…

Quality service learning and community engagement (S-LCE) in higher education involves faculty and staff working alongside community members and students for mutual benefit. We investigate explanations, motivations, and intentions of faculty that contribute to the sustained commitment for S-LCE work. Researchers conducted semi-structured…

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to define pracademia and conceptualise it in relation to educational contexts. This paper contributes to and stimulates a continuing and evolving conversation around pracademia and its relevance, role and possibilities. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is a conceptual exploration. It draws upon existing and…