The conceptualization of normal in schools is problematic. It mediates perceptions about ability, achievement and behavior. Normal implies a hierarchy, naturalizing the idea that some students can achieve better than others. This practice places the blame on the student by locating the problem within the child while failing to consider ways to…

It is generally believed that Western culture's emphasis on thinness is responsible for the presence of eating disorders and body image dissatisfaction. However, Asians living in Western societies who are more acculturated to Western values have shown fewer body image and eating problems than their less acculturated Asian peers, while those who…

First generation Latino college students are under-performing and continue to have the lowest levels of educational attainment relative to other groups in the United States. This study utilized a positive deviance theoretical framework to uncover the challenges faced by first generation college students, as well as the strategies used to achieve…

Strides at the federal and state levels are being made to improve the overall climate for gay rights and relationships across the country. However, despite greater acceptance, legislative victories and visibility of gay rights and relationships, homophobia is still widespread in American society (Fone, 2000; Jenkins, Lambert, & Baker, 2009;…

Students with reading problems (RP) exhibit low self-concept in academic and global areas as the result of repeated academic failure and perceived negative feedback from teachers, parents, and peers. Students with RP are also known to experience higher rates of depression in comparison to their normally-achieving (NA) peers. This study explored…

Black male student-athletes are entering the California community college (CCC) system at an unprecedented rate. CCCs have become a repository for Black males that have aspirations of competing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I member institutions. This historically disenfranchised subgroup of students is required…

The Rhode Island Department of Education determined that 56% of high school juniors in public schools are not meeting mathematics performance standards. If a student is not proficient in school, then his or her ability and desire to continue education are diminished, raising the chances of drop out. Hispanic students have the highest dropout rate…

This study used a social presence construct derived from the Community of Inquiry (COI) framework, with cohesive, affective, and interactive components, to explore online discussion in an Advanced Placement course for rural high school students. The COI is based on the underlying theoretical framework of social constructivism, where interaction is…

The 2004 amendment of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) required major changes for schools in educating students with disabilities. For teachers, this act brought new challenges to the general education classroom. Guided by the conceptual frameworks of Moustakas and Cresswell, this phenomenological study examined the attitudes…

This qualitative case study examined the ways in which one rural Midwestern high school and its surrounding community responded to increased diversity. The purpose of the study was to explore how teachers, administrators, school staff, and community members in the district understood the character of the community's demographic changes and the…

This phenomenological study sought to address the overarching research questions: What are the costs and benefits of participation in Division I college sports? How does participation in Division I college sports prepare student-athletes for life after college? A qualitative methodology was selected to provide richer data than that which could be…

This project replicated a previous study by Simons, Bosworth, Fujita, and Jenson (2007) examining the existence of an athletic stigma on a university campus. For this investigation, the researcher adapted the original instrument and surveyed 252 athletes on a comprehensive Midwestern NCAA Division II university campus. The survey provided both…

The purpose of this transformative mixed methods study was to examine the school happiness of upper elementary students in three Connecticut urban demonstration schools. The study examined the differences in students' happiness based on ethnicity, gender, and their interaction. It also investigated the factors that affect students' happiness in…

For decades there has been an on-going debate regarding whether or not retention is the best strategy to use for students who are not meeting academic success--whether determined by a test, grades, or standards. Much of the research has indicated that little is gained academically over time by retaining students, but even more significant are the…

Global outsourcing of information technology functions has become a major tool used by organizations to increase or maintain competitive market positioning. One often overlooked in determining an organization's level of success from outsourcing is the negative impact on the behavioral and emotional well-being of surviving employees, often referred…