Algorithms may be better at prediction than humans in a variety of contexts, but they are not perfect. A deeper understanding of the ways in which educators use and question algorithmic advice within their professional domain is needed. Educators are a particularly unique professional group, in comparison with the other groups studied in the…

Usage-based theories of language development underscore the importance of children using language to learn language. Few investigations have applied usage-based theories to dual language learners (DLLs), who comprise a growing share of children attending early education programs in the U.S. Three studies were carried out to investigate the role of…

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the lived experience of administrators at a Christian higher education institution during the COVID-19 crisis. The theoretical framework used for this study was revolutionary change theory (RCT). Qualitative data was gathered from structured interviews with executive…

At the molecular level, chemical processes involve the rearrangement of atoms in space and time. Students often struggle with visualizing the 3D spatial characteristics of molecules and transition states, as well as recognizing the dynamic nature of chemistry. Both visual spatial skills and representational competence should be explicitly trained…

This quantitative study sought to determine the efficacy and mindset perceptions of current school leaders and teachers within public high schools. This study highlighted a discrepancy in efficacy and mindset among educators for each other. Firstly, school leaders feel they make a difference, but teachers do not hold the same level of belief in…

Teacher retention is a foundational issue and schools have historically struggled to retain teachers. Previous research indicates that teachers leave the profession at high rates before year five of teaching expertise. Lack of teacher retention contributes to instability and lack of trust in school districts. This secondary data study explores…

As the number of traditional-aged college students has declined, competition has risen. Admission counselors, who are responsible for recruiting entering students, bear the brunt of this challenge. Nowhere is recruitment more important than at tuition dependent institutions, where revenue from student charges is the financial lifeblood. These…

The three research papers completed and compiled to make up this dissertation explore the relationship between social presence and social construction of knowledge in asynchronous online discussion forums in higher education courses in the instructional technology field. Paper 1 is a literature review of the interaction analysis model (IAM)…

Educational Data Mining (EDM) is an emerging field that aims to better understand students' behavior patterns and learning environments by employing statistical and machine learning methods to analyze large repositories of educational data. Analysis of variable data in the early stages of a course might be used to develop a comprehensive…

Effective teachers are those who create a classroom climate which meets the needs of the students (Darling-Hammond, 2009; Hart & Hodsen, 2004). In an attempt to identify preservice teachers who can create this type of classroom, Missouri added a workplace inventory, the Missouri Educator Profile (MEP), to their required battery of teacher…

Predicting learning and human behavior in general is a challenging endeavor. Machine learning driven predictive modeling have been an increasingly popular means to understand disparities in student performance. With more than a handful of approaches to predictive modeling, the current literature of predicting learning is plagued with issues such…

The purpose of this convergent mixed method study was to determine whether or not there is a difference in the perceived and actual financial literacy scores of millennials. Exploring the following research questions and hypotheses helped to expand knowledge around actual financial literacy and several other characteristics, including perceived…

Climate scientists agree that (a) human activity is a significant driver of recent climate change, and (b) climate change is a danger to humanity. However, the general public accepts the former point, but rejects the latter. Thus, climate experts and the general public diverge in their understanding of the relationship between humans and climate…

There are two important premises at the core of the American democracy: inclusion and dissent. Focusing on the premise of democratic dissent, the overarching goal of this study is understanding how colleges may encourage desirable civic outcomes. This dissertation is proceeds in an alternative format, containing three distinct manuscripts. Chapter…

Science self-efficacy is critical to the achievement and participation of students in science. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors (age, attitudes towards math, school climate, school rigorous expectations, and the number of advanced math and science courses taken) contributing to science self-efficacy in an Early College High…