This dissertation study seeks to better understand two main ideas around institutional advancement in higher education: the knowledge and evidence that informs practice and the structures and systems that are set up for the sharing of this knowledge and evidence within and across these organizations. I use a conceptual framework based on…

Performance measurement and research are key components of the operations of philanthropic organizations (both grant-making [GM] and grant-seeking [GS] organizations)--particularly those in the higher education subsector. Both conventionally and historically, performance measurement and research practices have been portrayed as rational tools that…

There is a significant body of literature showing improved student outcomes in higher education STEM courses when evidence-based instructional practices (EBIPs) are used. Despite this, traditional, lecture-style instruction remains the primary means of instruction in these courses. However, given the situation of the sudden shift to online…

The problem of gender inequality has been a persistent and unresolved issue in social and professional life in the United States of America and globally. The implications of the problem for higher education proved to be omnipresent, including women's underrepresentation in leadership positions, gender-based discrimination cases, sexual harassment,…

Missing values that fail to be appropriately accounted for may lead to reduced statistical power, biased estimators, reduced representativeness of the sample, and incorrect interpretations and conclusions (Gorelick, 2006). The current study provided an ontological perspective of data manipulation by explaining how statistical results can…

The growing availability of technology-based tools and methods to support learning have challenged traditional norms at institutions of higher education. Colleges and schools of pharmacy in the United States operate under the expectation of delivering degree programs via contemporary and evidenced-based instructional methods. The purpose of this…

Global competence (GC) has become a crucial skill for students in higher education and has been prioritized in talent development objectives at colleges and universities in China, especially in the context of globalization. However, concerns have been voiced that the extensive exposure to global culture and values through mass media may lead to an…

Recently, professional learning communities (PLCs) have been advocated as a promising approach in higher education (Eaker & Sells, 2015) for faculty development that can improve student learning outcomes and help students graduate with demonstrable skills, yet the field is still lacking in research on this phenomenon within higher education…

Research has found that women remain underrepresented in occupational leadership roles and face barriers well before entering the workforce that inhibit career advancement. This is an important problem to address at the college level because pre-career interventions can help mitigate gender disadvantages and promote future leader development and…