The present study investigates the influence of multidimensionality on linking and equating in a unidimensional IRT. Two hypothetical multidimensional scenarios are explored under a nonequivalent group common-item equating design. The first scenario examines test forms designed to measure multiple constructs, while the second scenario examines a…

Higher levels of student achievement are required to meet the needs of a changing workforce. The effect increases in education spending have on student learning gains among algebra students in Florida was unknown. Most research on per-pupil funding and student achievement is qualitative and measures opinions on the long-term effects of increased…

This study employed quantitative methods to analyze survey results related to the heutagogical learning preferences of undergraduate students in the United States. Heutagogy, an emerging theory focused on a self-determined and student-led approach, has shown positive benefits associated with 21st-century skills and high-level learning necessary to…

An examination was conducted to explore the relationship between socially mediated artifacts (SMA), perception of high school experience, and academic performance to examine the impact of social mediation on an individual's academic performance. This investigation was based on a Vygotskian psychology perspective of social mediation. According to…

Unfortunately, Black people in America are considered structurally futureless (Lothian 2018), meaning the Black population is disadvantaged across social and governmental systems making their future outcomes less favorable than their white peers. Yet, Black people continue to invest in their own futurity, imagining a way forward. Current…

In this thesis, I use a combination of simulations and empirical data to demonstrate that a small set of structural and functional principles - the basic tenets of predictive coding theory - succinctly accounts for a very wide range of properties in the language processing system. Predictive coding approximates hierarchical Bayesian inference via…

Each year excessive alcohol use costs the United States (US) economy $250 billion and results in 95,000 deaths. Binge drinking is a form of excessive alcohol use and accounts for over 70% of these statistics. High-intensity drinking (HID), an extreme measure of binge drinking, is operationally defined as drinking twice the gender-specific binge…

While language aptitude and motivation are considered to be important contributors to second language (L2) attainment, two major gaps in the past research have been (1) a lack of nonlinear models stemming from a naive and tacit assumption that learning outcomes are linearly related to their predictors, and (2) a lack of unified and integrative…

Individuals with vision loss must be able to be safe and independent in their home and community. According to the American Foundation for the Blind, over 10 million Americans are coping with vision impairment or blindness. Technology has opened the doors for most individuals including individuals that are blind or visually impaired making the…

This quantitative non-experimental correlational study aimed to understand why secondary principals leave their position. Principal exiting culture is detrimental to schools and students. If specific factors that impact principal retention can be brought to light, policies, and procedures can be implemented to help combat the exiting culture.…

Research indicates that teacher performance is a critical focus for school districts, administrators, and teachers. Pre-service teacher preparation, teacher retention, job satisfaction, mentoring, continuous feedback, and onboarding support for new teachers are all factors that influence teacher performance (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond,…

This dissertation examines the way novice social studies teachers learn to support multilingual learners in their social studies classes. I take a critical lens to practice-based teacher education (PBTE) to understand the decisions novice teachers make as they support multilingual students in their content classes. In this way, I bridge…

This thesis investigates the choice between reflexive pronouns (e.g., "herself") and personal pronouns (e.g., "her") in the expression of subject coreference in English locative prepositional phrases. A persistent puzzle for syntactic theories of pronoun licensing, commonly known as binding theories, it has long been observed…

Employee turnover remains a critical factor for organizations to understand to reduce financial and operational risks. High turnover can severely reduce confidence in the workplace, and it is a primary challenge for supervisors to address. The problem that is addressed in this study is the negative financial and operational implications that…

Personality has been found to have significant connections to language. Ranging from impacting narrative style, to informing expectations about others based on linguistic factors such as accent, personality affects both language comprehension and production (Oberlander & Gill, 2004; Van den Brink et al., 2012). However, research in this area…