I present a comprehensive view of mentoring experiences of undergraduate students and faculty members in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In CHAPTER 1 I describe a brief outline of this dissertation. In CHAPTER 2, I present an interpretative phenomenological analysis of the lived experiences of former STEM undergraduate…

U.S. educational institutions are rooted in classist, privileged, and sexist ideologies, leaving women, especially women of color, inadequately supported in their pursuit of higher education. Higher education has been influenced heavily by and primarily created for Anglo males, creating systemic barriers for women and people of color. The purpose…

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to understand the relationship between teachers' self-efficacy and teachers' attitudes and perceptions towards cooperative learning strategies in an online setting. This study also intended to understand the relationship between teachers' attitudes and perceptions towards cooperative learning strategies…

The interior lives of teachers have come into focus during the last three years of school in a global pandemic. The ways that teachers' lived experience impacts the choice to become a teacher, the way they approach their training, the choices they make in the classroom and ultimately who they are as a professional are defined by who they are and…

School security is an issue faced by all school districts. Some school districts in the state of Missouri made the decision to arm members of their staff to provide an additional layer of defense. This qualitative study looks at the lived experiences of PK-12 school staff members who carry a concealed weapon for Shield Solutions. The participants…

This qualitative case study was designed to collect and analyze the perceptions of youth who experienced foster care regarding their campus involvement experiences at Missouri higher education institutions. This study is designed to understand this population's experiences and evaluate their challenges and successes as they navigate the…

Higher education institutions in the United States are experiencing a paradigm shift in two areas. First, in response to the high prices of textbooks, there is a shift from traditional textbooks to Open Educational Resources (OERs). Second, the growing presence of International Undergraduate Students (IUSs) on college campuses is shifting the…

Virtual simulation has become prevalent in healthcare education. Much evidence proves that virtual simulation is an effective training tool for nursing training in western countries. However, its application in Hong Kong nursing education is still developing. The insufficiency of knowledge impedes the development of virtual simulation in Hong Kong…

The goal of this qualitative study was to explore students' perceptions of trauma following the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as their perceptions of trauma-sensitive practices that are in place at their school to promote resilience and family engagement. The researcher sought to understand what ways, if any, students felt the pandemic contributed…

Pearson's Learning Foundations describe the optimal conditions for learning and reflect the learner experience Pearson hopes their products will create. Pearson does this by incorporating the Learning Design Principles. Each of the Learning Design Principles goes into detail about a key principle, supporting product design and marketing by…

This study, the first of its kind uses Black Feminist Thought as a framework to explore and investigate how Black women at Ivy League graduate schools of education make meaning of thriving. There are limited studies that center the voices of Black women at Ivy League graduate schools and there are no studies that look specifically at Ivy League…

Work-based learning (WBL) is a form of education that combines classroom learning with practical work experience. This approach is becoming increasingly popular as it helps students develop a range of skills employers highly value, such as communication, teamwork, problem solving, and leadership. This professional practice dissertation (PPD)…

Dual enrollment continues to expand nationally, allowing high school students the opportunity to enroll simultaneously in college courses while earning credits toward graduation requirements. Despite the positive outcomes of dual enrollment, African American males remain underrepresented and less likely to participate. The problem addressed in…

The discourse on cost of attendance (COA) at American colleges and universities is ambiguous and complex. The literature around COA labels it as the 'sticker price' to attend college but categorization in this manner often negates the true application and meaning of this term. COA also accounts for living allowances (or indirect costs) to help…

It is essential to include all individuals who can contribute to research, education, and society, especially those from diverse backgrounds and abilities. Yet dis/abled graduate students have been ignored in institutional policies, departmental practices, instruction, advising, and research. Responding to this gap in knowledge, I explore the…