In response to decreasing motivation in high school math classrooms, teachers are transforming classrooms with various instructional techniques. Traditional math instruction relies on direct instruction and memorization of content, processes, and skills. Teachers are transitioning to more constructivist student-led approaches. Utilizing multiple…

In the United States, Hmong Americans rank low in academic performance and are among the poorest ethnic groups (Lor, 2017; Ngo & Lee, 2007; S. Xiong & Lam, 2013; C. Y. Vang, 2012). The lack of success in education has contributed to their underrepresentation in graduate school (Budiman, 2021; Ngo & Lee, 2007; S. Xiong & Lam, 2013).…

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenology study is to explore the perspective of entrepreneurial educators in Southeast Louisiana who teach students in grades 9-12, related to how their entrepreneurial experiences have influenced their pedagogical approaches. There is a gap in our knowledge and understanding of how the lived experiences of…

Most American children from age three to eighteen spend around 165 days per calendar year and eight hours daily in a school building. During this time, they unknowingly build relationships with peers, teachers, custodians, counselors, and anyone else occupying these buildings with them. The problem addressed by this study was the lack of positive…

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been a hot topic since OpenAI released ChatGPT in late 2022. Predictions on how ChatGPT will affect education have ranged from fears of rampant cheating and job displacement in many career fields to glowing predictions of a future with personalized learning for all students through AI-powered tools. People are…

Foreign-funded language and culture institutes exist on U.S. campuses beyond Confucius Institutes (CIs)--Chinese government-funded centers established by the Chinese Communist Party to extend the reach of Chinese language and culture and to enhance worldwide opinion of China through offering classes in Mandarin Chinese and highlighting positive…

This dissertation is a two-part study comparing U.S. and Chinese teachers' beliefs and noticing patterns. The overarching question for this study is: "How does culture influence what mathematics teachers believe and notice?" This project seeks to investigate this central assumption: there are distinctly "Western" and "East…

Veterans in the United States generally favor community colleges as an option. Although community colleges serve the most significant number of veterans, there is little research on the transitional experiences of female veterans (Wheeler, 2012). This narrative study utilized semi-structured interviews to discover and shed light on three women's…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify decision-making factors from parents of Southeast Rural School District (SRSD) who chose to transfer their children to one of 14 cyber charter schools within Pennsylvania amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This research study utilized a phenomenological design, consisting of qualitative electronic…

This qualitative study examined the experiences of faculty members who have participated in cross-racial mentoring experiences at four-year public universities. This study explored faculty members' experiences and the impact of race on the relationship. Mentoring was an avenue that positively impacted the trajectory of the mentees' careers. This…

Academic mentoring relationships are frequently identified in the literature as important components of the learning experience; however, little research investigates how mentor-mentee relationships form and the effects of the relationships on learning. This study builds upon traditional mentoring theory, Cognitive Apprenticeship Theory, and other…

The purpose of this study was to assess the level of student socially responsible leadership behavior (SRLB) within one urban Historically Black College/University (HBCU) through the lens of the "Social Change Model" of leadership development of college students. A secondary purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of…

Latinx students already constitute the largest minority group of students graduating from the United States secondary school systems and projections show the Latinx population continuing to increase between now and 2036 (WICHE, 2020). Both in the United States overall, and within the Appalachian Region, the increase in the Latinx population and…

This study applies latent profile analysis to identify profiles of adolescents differentiated on levels of relational aggression (RAgg), self-esteem, and narcissism. To understand the social aspects of these profiles within the adolescent peer context, we compare them to their reported social goals of dominance, popularity, and intimacy. Greek…

In many dance competitions in North America, performances of sexualized choreography have become normalized. One result is that bodies of girl dancers are increasingly constructed as sexual objects. Sexual objectification is highly problematic for the development of girls' self-identities, body image, psychological health, and overall wellbeing.…