While enrolling in a college for a degree is still considered to be more of the expectation than the rule in households across the United States it is facing public criticism regarding its overall cost versus long-term benefits. This has prompted researchers to reevaluate practices in higher education to determine ways in which post-secondary…

This study examines equitable grading practices in secondary mathematics from the student perspective. Youth participatory action research (YPAR) provided a vehicle for high school students to investigate equitable grading, research impacts grading had on their collective, and develop solutions to inequitable grading. It provided opportunities for…

This research advocates for content integration and literacy-based practices in the world of reading and mathematics education, as well as the connection to outside sources that can either positively or negatively impact learning. More importantly, this research explored the connection to literacy and mathematics instruction as it pertains to…

The field of comparative and international education has followed methodological trends in social science research since the merging of the "twin" field after World War II. With increase in the use of mixed methods research about three decades ago, comparative and international education journals and scholars have worked rigorously to be…

This dissertation retells the history of women's studies from a global perspective, challenging traditional U.S. and Eurocentric narratives about this emerging interdisciplinary field. Beginning with questions about why women's, gender, and sexuality studies has incited backlash across a range of cultural and geographic locations, this study draws…

This study examined the lower enrollment of Black students in graduate programs compared to their enrollment in undergraduate programs. In today's climate with the recent Supreme Court case rulings and the enrollment cliff, recruiting Black students is both challenging and incredibly important. To address this problem, the study explored how a…

In this state, one constant that students with disabilities have experienced has been the lack of accessibility to the high-stakes standardized test, the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS). The purpose of this Action Research study was to investigate and improve the access, to MCAS testing for students with disabilities in…

The school accountability system in the Dominican Republic (DR) involves the use of several national assessments, the reporting of such data, and the training of principals on how to use such data as part of school improvement efforts. While this type of indicator accountability system does not include specific consequences, there is still…

Advocates for inclusive diversity with equity, access and accountability (IDEAA) are often torn between individual-level change and institutional-level change processes. Similarly, antiracist scholarship spans individual-level and institutional-level efforts towards antiracism. In discipline-based education research (DBER) in microbiology…

The purpose of this action research study was to explore how peer-led virtual environments could help doctoral students of Northern New England University's accelerated online doctoral program in Educational Leadership to increase writing productivity and overcome writing blocks. A goal of this research project was to create and implement a…

Institutional Title IX processes fail to adequately address harms and needs which result from campus sexual misconduct, leaving many students dissatisfied. The purpose of this action research study was to investigate this problem within a specific university community and consider how to aim for improvement. Through surveys, interviews, and a…

With the challenges facing principals today, the question of how best to support new principals in meeting these challenges remains. The leadership abilities of new school leaders matter more today than ever with increasing accountability and additional responsibilities. The focus of this study was to determine participants' perceptions of the…

Accountability policies (i.e., "No Child Left Behind" and "Race to the Top") in education over the last two decades have produced a culture of fear and anxiety, undermined teacher autonomy over curriculum and instruction, and pressured teachers to focus on raising student test scores, resulting in a narrowing of the curriculum.…

The era of educational accountability and high-stakes testing has often caused schools to react by frequently changing reading curriculum, with the quest of increased student achievement and attainment of rigorous standards. While curriculum changes may appear to be well planned and purposeful toward the goal of school improvement, changes that…

A strong focus has been placed on accountability for the educational process and the achievement of all students. This has put tremendous pressure on teachers, as well as school administrators, superintendents, and school board members, to seek innovative ways to increase student achievement and to ensure that effective teachers are in all…