In 2023, the value of a college education is being questioned. Because information is readily available, we Google what we want to know, type a query or phrase into ChatGPT, press the enter key, and then a multitude of answers become accessible. However, in this age of technology, online access, and Artificial Intelligence, could self-directed…

As Hawai?i's population continues to diversify, it is increasingly necessary to move away from traditional mathematics teaching methods. This dissertation outlines the development and impact of a framework that weaves together place-conscious, culturally responsive, and critical ethnomathematics education. Specifically, the study examined: (1) the…

Although Hawai'i suffers from a chronic teacher shortage similar to the rest of the country, there are variables that make Hawai'i's dilemma unique. Between 2015-2020, there were over 1,000 teaching positions unfilled, with more than a third of positions being specific to special education (HIDOE Employment Reports, 2015-2020). In 2019, the…

This qualitative study was a life history multiple case study investigating the issue of student retention at community colleges in Hawai'i using oral interviewing as a primary method of data collection. The purpose of the current study was to investigate what role motivation played in a student's decision to persist at a community college in…

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of mainland college students, graduates of a unique Hawai'i high school, to identify factors that influenced higher education persistence. Students not persisting at college, a problem for students and higher education institutions is defined for this study as a student that did not return…

Filipino students in Hawaii, like other ethnic minority students, continue to face academic struggles. Yet, there are few studies that have looked at the root of this issue for Filipino American students. While past research have focused on interventions through "culturally appropriate" instruction and multicultural curriculum, the…

Today's expanding global society has caused changes in the needs of the workforce as well as the level of skills and education required by various jobs across the United States. While the number of jobs demanding a post-secondary degree increase, the U.S. output of college graduates has not kept pace. A previous leader in secondary and tertiary…