The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the perceptions of selected CTE directors regarding policies, practices, and procedures in West Virginia. Specific CTE components investigated included philosophy and rationale, structure, curricula, partnerships, evaluation, challenges, and future goals. Purposeful and snowball sampling…

For years, higher education institutions have sparingly utilized the services of contingent instructors. However, a new faculty majority, known as contingent instructors, are now teaching on these campuses. Their employment is contingent upon student enrollment, institutional budgets, and managerial discretion. Some consequences have emerged…

Although the body of research about LGBTQ+ students in higher education is growing, little is known about the experiences, success rates, persistence, and graduation rates of sexual minority community college students. Researchers studying this population frequently cite a lack of available data that would assist in exploring the experiences of…

Standards-Based Grading is being implemented in every corner of education. Schools that take on this type of implementation progress through an extensive change in mindset. With any extensive change, it is preferable that the outcomes match the effort put in. This qualitative research examined the perceptions of four elementary classroom teachers…

This dissertation expands upon previous studies on the leadership practices of school principals leading successful schools, focusing on a leader in public higher education. This study follows the actions of Leader X, chosen as the case-study subject and who, through intentional leadership practice, is attempting to shift the course of a public…

There is an emerging need to better understand how orientation practices and strategies affect a sense of belonging for new faculty members, especially the growing number of adjunct faculty hired at community colleges throughout the U.S. each year. Establishing an orientation process for newcomers helps to ensure that new members are better able…

Many states throughout our country are faced with hiring teachers who are not certified and do not have any prior teaching experience. There are various factors contributing to states hiring alternatively licensed teachers: low teacher pay, demands of teaching, and a decline in individuals entering traditional teacher training programs at colleges…

Schools in the United States often times replicate the heteronormative beliefs of the American culture which can make these institutions feel isolating and unsafe for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) community. Historically, schools were places that reinforced heterosexuality and gender conforming norms. Despite…

This research addresses the problem of low math achievement of middle school students through the use of a Growth Mindset intervention and related strategies. While the research on Growth Mindset interventions and strategies show positive results in controlled settings, there is a need to better understand Growth Mindset implementation from the…

This qualitative study, utilizing the case study method, sought to address the issues associated with the lack of institutionalization of service-learning practices on college campus by describing the institutionalization of service-learning practices at a Baptist-affiliated college. The study describes the development and institutionalization of…

Teachers' instructional practices fundamentally shape students' classroom experiences. However, it is still unclear what patterns of instructional practice are related to specific classroom goal structures, and how momentary changes in classroom goal structures affect students' momentary cognitive engagement in high school science.…

The Southern Regional Education Board established the Technology Centers That Work (TCTW) in 2007. Since that time, the TCTW has sought to help Career and Technical Centers (CTCs) improve both the academic and technical skills of their students. By integrating academic concepts in the context of Career and Technical Education (CTE), learners…

The current context of education, with an emphasis on high stakes testing and curricular mandates, is affecting motivation in schools (Au, 2007; Barksdale-Ladd & Thomas, 2000; Ryan & Brown, 2004; Supovitz, 2009). It is important to study the relations between teaching in such contexts and teacher and student motivation. The purpose of this…

The purpose of this single, intrinsic, evaluative case study was to examine the problem of nontraditional transfer student completion at a private, religious-based, doctoral degree-granting, moderate research university in North Carolina. The following research questions guided the study: (a) How do institutional policies, procedures, and…

The purpose of this position paper was to study professional development, specifically looking at teachers' practices. After problems with a recent charter renewal for a small charter school and conversations with teachers and administration, professional development arose as an area that needed improvement. A model for professional…