As the number of international students in higher education continues to grow, so do concerns regarding systemic obstacles, discrimination, and social isolation that can impede students' academic success. Peer mentorship has been shown to support graduate students through academic socialization and achievement in higher education (Lorenzetti et…

This phenomenological study aims to illuminate Black men's academic experience in undergraduate education during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Specifically, what is the academic experience of Black men in undergraduate education during the COVID-19 pandemic within the United States? The intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic on the…

Black women have a unique process in forming their identities, because of the subordinated status of both their racial and gender identity. Black women in America have urged American society at large to understand the complexity and multidimensionality of the Black woman identity, due to issues of inequality being addressed through a single axis…

This dissertation explores the perceptions of student-teacher relationships among students with emotional disabilities held by general and special education teachers in inclusive and self- contained settings. This research explores how teacher groups perceive these student--teacher relationships within both learning environments and to what extent…

The study of school climate has yielded the ability to identify and address tangible methods for building positive relationships between faculty and administration (Hoy et al., 1991). It is necessary to enable educational institutions to understand values and norms, engage in shared perceptions, determine causal relationships, and appreciate…

Previous research indicates that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer plus (LGBTQ+) students feel marginalised and discriminated against in physical education (PE) and that teachers play a crucial role in establishing openness towards sexual and gender diversity in schools. Despite these findings, there is a lack of research that focuses on…

Understanding publication trends on topics pertaining to LGBTQ+ students within school psychology literature is necessary to reveal areas of limited research as well as to identify evidence-supported school-based strategies for this student population. Students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, plus (LGBTQ+)…

Context: In this scoping review, we examine the knowledge base concerning positive mental health studies for students in vocational education and training (VET). The VET student population embraces approximately 30-52% of secondary school students in the Nordic countries, and 40% of the global student population. The risk of early school leaving…

This study focuses on the personal experiences and contexts that influenced the racial awareness of three White bilingual teachers. Using Bourdieu's theories of habitus and field and discourse analysis as a framework, this study sought to understand: (1) how and which contexts contributed to a White teacher's understanding of racial constructs…

This phenomenological qualitative study describes students' experiences and counter-stories of school climate and how school climate matters for their academic achievement in an urban school district. The study uses a critical race perspective to help understand contextual influences on school climate. Data were collected through eight focus group…

This retrospective quasi-experimental design research compared student achievement of students in two active learning environments. One is referred to as Student Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-Down Pedagogies (SCALE-UP), and the other is referred to as traditional classroom environments. Student final course grades of physics…

The purpose of this basic qualitative, interpretative study was to explore the relationships among blended learning classrooms, communities of inquiry, and student engagement in secondary grades in Tennessee. I conducted this study using the Communities of Inquiry framework to find a deeper understanding and gain insight into Tennessee public…

Personalized Learning Environments (PLEs) are student experiences where the pace of learning and the instructional approach are optimized for the needs of each student. Standards-aligned learning objectives, instructional approaches, and instructional content (and their sequencing) may all vary based on learner needs and interests. Learning…

This dissertation investigated how expansive framing can foster an inclusive and empowering learning environment for minoritized students in first-year seminars that focus on composition. This paper is especially important for those who teach and support minoritized students who often face crises of faith about belonging at primarily white…

School districts historically approached conflict-resolution from a zero-sum perspective: suspend students seen as disruptive and potentially harm them, or avoid suspensions and harm their classmates. Restorative practices (RP) -- focused on reparation and shared ownership of disciplinary justice -- are designed to avoid this trade-off by…