For decades, evaluators have noted that it is difficult for stakeholders to accept negative evaluation results (Carter, 1971; Taut & Brauns, 2003). There is a need for additional research on evaluation to better understand when and why stakeholders reject negative or critical evaluation findings. Drawing on social identity theory (SIT), the…

The COVID-19 pandemic led to lockdown throughout the world beginning in March 2020. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) students we removed from school and other activities out of the home, spending more time at home with family who may or may not accept them. When in school, school counselors act as advocates for all…

Homesickness is a complex phenomenon that operates on a spectrum and impacts individuals' psychological, cognitive, and physical functioning. Sufferers experience a preoccupation of home and a strong desire to return home. In higher education, homesickness among first-year students has been linked to a higher risk of dropping out of school,…

Thousands of undocumented students are enrolled in post-secondary education institutions across the nation and continue to encounter challenges in accessing the resources and support for an equitable transition into these institutions. The goal of this qualitative case study was to explore the experiences and knowledge gaps of Strategic Enrollment…

Following the social turn in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) in the 1990s (Block, 2003), researchers have increasingly focused on the emic perspective of learners. As a result, identity, subjectivity, and agency have come to the forefront in SLA research. In an effort to afford learners the means to negotiate meaning more freely and to position…

One of the defining features of callous-unemotional (CU) traits is a lack of distress or care about performance in important activities or the negative effects of one's behavior on others. However, recent research has found a significant relationship between CU traits and loneliness, suggesting individuals with elevated CU traits may be aware of…

In this dissertation I explore the collaborative practices of three participants: two paraprofessionals and one music teacher. Using social capital as the theoretical framework, I analyzed the ways in which the participants networked with others to gain resources for expressive action. In order to more fully understand the social structures that…