This study seeks to investigate curricular trends in MOOCs and institutional participation in the development of MOOC courses. The study is framed utilizing the theoretical lenses of academic capitalism and isomorphism--particularly Riesman's conceptualization of a "snake-like procession" of isomorphism in American higher education lead…

Occupational Therapists (OTs) are tasked with making effective clinical decisions to maximize client outcomes. There is, however, a dearth of evidence regarding if, how, and when changes in clinical decision-making occur during the OT education process. This research report presents the outcomes of a quantitative study examining changes in…

This mixed-methods study explored the relationship between teacher academic optimism and personalized professional learning in a rural Appalachian elementary school in southeastern Ohio. Twenty K-5 educators participated, with pre/post-surveys utilizing the Teacher Academic Optimism Scale-Elementary (TAOS-E) yielding quantitative data. Six…

This mixed-methods study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the technology-embedded scientific inquiry (TESI) model on teachers' and students' scientific inquiry abilities and digital learning technologies fluency to enhance science education learning outcomes. The TESI framework guided the construction and execution of this study. The…

Relatively little research has considered how tasks are performed and experienced by students in different types of classrooms. Research shows that innovative classroom designs can lead to higher levels of cognitive engagement, connections between form and meaning, and more diverse forms of input (Schmidt, 1990; Svalberg, 2012) and are…

The purpose of this quasi-mixed methods study was to explore how African American males' psychosocial factors impacted their motivation to pursue a postsecondary education and if differences existed between the demographic variables and external psychosocial factors of African American males who pursued a postsecondary education and those who did…

In recent years, schools have begun seeking new ways to support students who are encountering barriers to success, specifically addressing academic and behavioral challenges that emerge in the classroom setting. Instruction in social-emotional learning (SEL) has emerged as a potential solution for students struggling with self- and…

Social emotional learning and the impact it has on academic achievement has been studied. The focus on previous research was tier one social emotional learning. This study researched the affect tier two social emotional learning has on academic achievement for targeted students identified as having a need for tier two social emotional learning. A…

This research study investigated the use of action learning teams to improve collaborative professional development in the writing center setting. The study utilized a mixed methods design, with data collected through a quantitative 5-point Likert-type survey and focus group interviews. Participants were university writing tutors. Nine tutors were…

In New Jersey and nationwide, legislative efforts require that schools refocus on teaching social emotional skills in order to meet the holistic needs of students and prevent bullying. However, with an ever-growing list of school requirements, no additional instructional time, and little guidance on how to teach social emotional skills, schools…

Traditional undergraduate students fall in an age range known as emerging adulthood, a development stage of life characterized by freedom and exploration in pursuit of understanding one's identity. This is an important developmental process because a failure to discern this identity and what one finds meaningful can be associated with numerous…

In response to the main federal K-12 law, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the teacher education program standards, teacher education programs have tried to address social and emotional learning (SEL) content in their curricula. Adding information on SEL alone may not be enough to overcome the shortenings of many existing early childhood…

As students continue to experience low test scores on national civics assessments, it is important to identify curriculum which can increase their civic capabilities. This is especially true for the quickly growing Hispanic population, which suffers a civic achievement gap. The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental nonequivalent…

The primary question for this dissertation was: Does online professional development increase novice itinerant Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments' (TVI) efficacy for assessing learning and literacy media for students with multiple disabilities including visual impairments? The literature suggested novice TVIs might experience low…

Communication breakdown among healthcare providers is a major contributing factor in healthcare errors that could lead to serious patient harm. The ability to convey patient information accurately and promptly is pivotal in order for healthcare providers to make informed care decisions. However, pre-licensure nursing students rarely have…