In this paper, I examine an implementation of "gracious space" and its influence on student learning. "Gracious space" is a facilitation model for group meaning-making that promotes vulnerability and connectedness, "a spirit and a setting where we invite the 'stranger' and embrace 'learning in public'". The course in…

The aim of this study was to determine how participation in a community service project impacts entry-level OT doctoral (OTD) students at different time points in their education. This study employed a mixed-method, prospective cohort design. The Community Service Attitudes Scale (CSAS) is an instrument to measure college students' attitudes about…

Emerging research indicates an immense burden on children and families related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study uses data from semi-structured interviews and focus groups with early childhood service providers (n=19) to demonstrate the pandemic's impact on families with very young children and early childhood services in two high-need…

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many districts sought digital learning solutions to recover from learning loss, improve equity, and prepare for future interruptions. With this paper, we aim to provide information to policymakers and legislators regarding the value of resources needed to successfully implement comprehensive digital learning…

For far too long in California, remedial courses in California Community Colleges meant costly barriers to student success. Fortunately, recent legislation -- Assembly Bill 705 signed into law in 2017 -- requires these colleges to eliminate remedial courses and instead use research-backed strategies like corequisite support to help students…

Student pre-departure preparation has been identified as essential if study abroad programs involving work-integrated learning are to deliver the numerous benefits they intend, while mitigating the many risks they involve. However, little is known about what preparation is provided to the academic and professional staff who implement these…

The authors of this article represent an interdisciplinary team that includes a literacy teacher educator, a high school economics teacher, a community-based math educator, and a math teacher educator. Responding to the needs and building from the strengths of the local community, we co-designed with youth a community-based FLE workshop that…

The national need for workers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is continuously growing. The National Science Foundation has called "for a focus on STEM education" in response to the deficit in the workforce (Hagedorn & Purnamasari, 2016, p. 146). Attrition rates of STEM majors are a concern with…

This article presents the National Rural Education Association's Rural Research Agenda 2022-2027. In order to determine rural stakeholders' perspectives of research priorities, data collection included 328 surveys, six focus groups with 43 participants, and nine interviews with rural education practitioners, leaders, and policymakers. From a…

This qualitative narrative inquiry study explored the lived experiences of African American boards of trustees within community colleges around race, barriers, and influencers. Research reveals an underrepresentation of racial diversity among community college boards of trustees that fails to emulate the racial and ethnic diversity of their…

Belonging has been studied for decades with many researchers concluding that humans have an inherent need to belong. Although each person's level of need to belong differs, it is a deeply rooted human motivation that impacts a person's feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Individuals develop a sense of belonging when they feel connected to others.…

The purpose of this phenomenology case study was to examine what motivated formerly incarcerated Black males to complete their community college degree and what best supported them on their educational journey. This study offers in-depth insight into a multifaceted situation and informs community college administrators, state policy and statute…

The Red Clay Consolidated School District (RCCSD) grapples with sustainable transformation within historically low-performing schools, evident through recurrent identification by the Delaware Department of Education. This research utilized a quantitative research methodology, where descriptive statistics analyzed the research survey data collected…

This mixed methods study compared the Community of Inquiry (CoI) presences and student performance between two course sections in a course -- HyFlex vs. online asynchronous. The CoI presences show participants' perception of three important elements -- teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence in a computer-mediated course…

In 2017, the California State Legislature and governor adopted new law that fundamentally disrupted the long-held practice of remedial (or developmental) education in the California Community Colleges (CCCs). The law, Assembly Bill 705, was preceded by earlier reforms that changed how colleges could place students into remedial education, or basic…