This dissertation study was designed in response to the focus in schools on test scores and accountability, which has increasingly impacted students' experiences in schools as well as art education curriculum and pedagogy. In this study, I responded to and aimed to disrupt the neoliberal culture of public schools in my high school art classroom by…

Contemporary research pertaining to the experiences of flow in education is scarce and that which does exist in the literature often focused on the teacher-student relationship. The purpose of this qualitative, interpretive, phenomenological approach (IPA) study was to examine the lived experiences of secondary school counselors as related to…

Adolescence is characterized by a multitude of challenges, namely ones concerning mental health and wellness. To address this problem, many schools have implemented mental health programs based on campus. While the progress of school-based mental health programs has been explored and documented, there is a gap in the literature about the audience,…

The purpose of this action research study was to assist students coping with the pressures of attending a high achieving school by devising and implementing a seven-week mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) to raise overall student well-being. Additionally, it was hoped that the students would use the mindfulness techniques as positive coping…

Students and workers require self-regulated learning (SRL) skills to meet the demands of the 21st century. These learners need to be actively engaged in learning by creating successful strategies for themselves directed toward specific goals. Many students, however, are not currently actively engaged in their learning and are thus ill-prepared for…

The purpose of this intrinsic qualitative case study was to understand the meaning-making experiences and experienced-based decision making that occur among middle school girls while playing the tabletop role playing game Dungeons & Dragons through the online videoconferencing platform zoom. table-top games have been played in some form for…

In this dissertation an integrated intervention in high schools is proposed for students with anxiety that combines CBT and yoga methods. The development of this program was derived from a critical review of the literature on CBT and yoga programs in high school that aim to reduce anxiety in students. Thirteen studies that used CBT programs and…

Educators today face challenges beyond the scope of College Preparation Programs, with problems never before experienced. To study an opportunity for reducing burnout and support teachers will be beneficial for our educational community and student achievement. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of…

The purpose of this study was to determine effects of implementing metacognitive practices on the engagement of students in secondary mathematics courses. The study was guided by two primary inquiry questions that focused on the current implementation of metacognitive practices in the mathematics courses as well as the perceived change in student…

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how LGBTQ secondary public school administrators in California use the dimensions of centered leadership to find and create opportunities for connection, mentorship, career advancement, and joy at work. Theoretical Framework: A conceptual model that incorporated the…

Students come to their high school physics classroom with experiences and knowledge that can be used to help explain physics concepts, but those experiences may not fully align with the scientifically accepted science concept. When there is a misalignment between a student's prior knowledge and the scientifically accepted concept a misconception…

The mental health crisis is on the rise, and adolescents are reporting higher levels of anxiety and depression. High school students' academic achievement, engagement, and hope for goal attainment are decreasing due to their mental health. The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) on high school…

This study focused on automaticity, or the choices we make without conscious thought. Specifically, the study examined how math teachers improved their understanding of the practice and evolution of culturally responsive teaching by analyzing the lived experiences and metacognition of practicing middle school teachers as they assess student work…

High school students' lack of coping skills can be detrimental to their wellbeing, which has created a need for interventions in the educational system. A review of the literature provided evidence supporting the feasibility and effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for adolescents. This study examined if and to what extent a difference…

This study investigated how a self-regulated learning intervention, implemented within a personalized learning environment, affected students' self-regulation, self-efficacy, and academic achievement at a middle school. The personalized learning environment in this study was two self-paced units within middle school seventh grade math classrooms.…