Who are talented and gifted (TAG) students and how do we meet their unique needs in the elementary school setting? The body of literature clearly articulates the unique intellectual, social and emotional needs and characteristics of TAG students. Additionally, the literature supports the implementation of differentiated teaching strategies and…

This dissertation describes and analyzes the work of a semester-long teacher research study of inquiry-based and reflective teaching and learning strategies and their impact on students' preparation for future learning. I explore relevant scholarship on knowledge transfer, classroom ecologies, and student agency to set the stage for a discussion…

Shifting demographics show America rapidly diversifying, yet research indicates that an alarming number of diverse students continue to struggle to meet learning outcomes of collegiate mathematics curriculum. Consequently, recruitment and retention of diverse students in STEM majors is a pervasive issue. Using a sociocultural perspective, this…

Cultural resource centers have been an ongoing and integral component to creating a more welcoming campus climate for Students of Color since its establishment in the 1960s. While the racial dynamics may have changed, many of the challenges Students of Color faced on predominantly White campuses have not. Interestingly, cultural resource centers…

After events in 2010, students at the University of California at San Diego staged a series of protests to address the social climate of the campus, and differences in retention rates between historically underrepresented students and other students on the campus. This study addresses the complexity of retention by comparing reality--students'…

STEM Schools purport to prepare students to learn and work in the 21st Century by providing students with innovative learning experiences through the interdisciplinary integration of science, technology, engineering, and math (Tsupros, 2009). Advocates of STEM and innovative school models argue that the traditional school system does not and…

This qualitative case study asked the participants to reflect on their own learning experiences as a result of the instructional practices employed by the instructor to create an improved learning environment for students. The research investigated student perceptions of their learning via classmates' produced tutorials and how viewing the…

Despite the research of the 20th and 21st centuries, the ability to sustain voice in our adolescent females continues to present a concern. This qualitative study in educational and literacy research uncovers an educational framework that can strengthen the voice of adolescent females by using non-traditional methods and female preferred learning…

This study was a grounded theory investigation of the LatinoJustice PRLDEF LawBound participants. The research was conducted using the grounded theory method developed by Glaser and Strauss (1967) and Glaser (1978, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2005) to discover an explanatory theory directly from the data. The discovery of the…

This dissertation explores the experiences of culturally diverse interactions and learning in adult cohorts. A cohort is defined as a group of students who enter a program of study together and complete a series of common learning experiences during a specified period of time (Saltiel & Russo, 2001). There is much research on the general use,…

The need for principals to have the time and tools to focus on instruction and student learning has continued to intensify. At the same time, the incongruence between what principals want to do instructionally and have time to do, creates dire consequences for school leaders and their work in making a difference in schools regarding staff and…

Noting the prevalence of sexual violence at American Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), this study aims to inform discourse on college women's post-assault experiences and perceptions of the institution. Using a feminist, post-structuralist framework, this study examines the narratives of 26 traditionally-aged college women who…

This study involved examination of the processes employed in tailoring fourth-grade reading instruction to increase levels of student motivation. A participatory action research approach was utilized to design and conduct reading instruction that fourth-grade students perceived to be motivating. The reading instructional program was designed using…

Understanding the professional identity of senior-level undergraduate business students may shed light on the rampant unethical acts of business managers in industry. Business education is the largest segment of undergraduate majors, constituting more than 20% of students in four-year institutions, year after year. To explain the professional…

Boys who sing in school are often marginalized, taunted, sometimes called "gay." What if "singer" is someone's whole identity, and that person also happens to be gay? This autoethnography (Ellis, 2004) is a story of the education and development of such a singer and how, within this context, a voice teacher with an empowering…