In response to the Affordable Care Act of 2010 and the changing health care needs of the 21st century, the Institute of Medicine recommended that 80% of the registered nursing (RN) workforce should have their baccalaureate degree or higher by the year 2020. The College of Nursing at Washington State University (WSU) offers an accredited, online…

One of the most complex student populations are those whose first language is not English. As such, multilingual learners (MLLs) are often disproportionately referred to special education. Educators cultivating equitable practices for MLLs is imperative, given many educators do not have adequate training or knowledge. Drawing on social learning…

The intersecting issues that this study addresses are the lack of engagement in civic opportunities for underserved youth and the environmental injustices that disproportionately impact marginalized populations. To address these issues, the purpose of this youth participatory action research (YPAR) investigated how a high school science teacher…

The digital age has profoundly changed the film industry and how consumers are able to access media. To foster language development, this mixed methods study takes advantage of this technological progress and investigates how an audiovisual media-based curriculum can be designed for and implemented in an intermediate German language course. In…

Secure Information Systems (SIS) design paradigms have evolved in generations to adapt to IS security needs. However, modern IS are still vulnerable and are far from secure. The development of an underlying IS cannot be reduced to "technological fixes" neither is the design of SIS. Technical security cannot ensure IS security.…

This action research qualitative phenomenological case study investigated a relationship between one MidWestern Non-Denominational/Church of Christ church and a public elementary school. The purpose was to discover how church-school partnerships can initiate relationships that result in support of the partnering school. The phenomenological…

Language should not be a hurdle for English language learners in mathematics. The participatory action research study focused on how first-grade teachers identified, planned, and implemented discourse strategies to support English Language Learners in math instruction. To do so, I engaged three teachers who were English Language Learners as…

This action research case study explores the impact of a culturally and socially diverse Advanced Placement Chemistry curriculum on student and teacher experiences. This study emerged due to my lack of multicultural teaching practices, which limited meaningful connections for students of diverse backgrounds. Once aware of this deficiency, I…

Background: The Dogwood Mountain School System (DMSS) faces the challenge of trying to address the apparent drop-off of female student interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and increase female student interest and engagement in STEM. Purpose: The purpose of this action research study was to understand how individual…

The purpose of this action research was to evaluate the effect educational robotics have on the programming comprehension and motivation of preservice teachers. Computer science is increasingly being integrated into K-8 curricula across the country. However, there are few teachers trained to teach basic computer science concepts. Core subject…

Although education continues to be a pathway for social mobility, disparities remain in post-secondary attainment for traditionally marginalized populations such as the half-million youth in foster care (Children's Bureau, 2016). Due to multiple personal, social, and system barriers, only 46% of foster youth will earn a high school or GED diploma,…

Student teachers in their final year of college preparation enter a profession that is facing a severe shortage and an alarming rate of attrition. Novice teachers, those with five or fewer years of experience, are faced with myriad challenges that makes retention a problem for the colleges preparing them, the school districts that hire them, and…

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore how and why educators who conducted an action research project to satisfy the completion requirements of an online early childhood education graduate program continue to use action research to inform practice and create social change in educational settings. The theoretical framework incorporated…

This action research project occurred to assess the effectiveness of the continual learning process, a philosophy described by W. Edwards Deming. The study took place at a small, U.S. Midwest Lutheran school, conducted as a positive response to a teacher survey indicating the study's need. Five of the central concepts of this philosophy were that…

This practitioner action research study explored features of NGSS-based pedagogies to improve secondary education student engagement, critical thinking, and collaborative problem-solving. It examined ways that constructivist pedagogies might encourage students to understand science by putting their skills and knowledge into practice as young…