This dissertation examines the digital game-based learning experiences of historically underserved students in their elementary mathematics classes. Using the Digital Math Game-Based Experience Framework, I describe their experience in terms of the mathematical proficiency gains, cultural models of high functioning digital math game players, and…

This study examines the factors that influence the academic and social adjustment of international students at public higher education institutions in New York State, within both the City University of New York (CUNY) and State University of New York (SUNY) systems. The Achieved Sample was comprised of 503 participants. Five aspects of adjustment…

This study sought to understand how women entrepreneurs learn to become entrepreneurs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The KSA's context has a significant impact on the manifestation of entrepreneurial learning (EL) processes and the development of entrepreneurial identity. However, no previous studies on women's entrepreneurial learning and…

This qualitative research study applies feminist standpoint theory and community cultural wealth to investigate the individual and institutional factors that underrepresented minority and first-generation women graduate students report as having contributed to their gaining access to and navigating through their graduate STEM degree programs.…

Despite the increasing number of individuals taking computer-based tests, little is known about how examinees perceive computer-based testing environments and the extent to which these testing environments are perceived to affect test performance. The purpose of the present study was to assess the testing environment as perceived by individuals…

Asian Americans are becoming the fastest growing minority group, and enrolling at community colleges at a faster rate compared to 4-year institutions. In Nebraska, they represent approximately a quarter of the community college student population, comprise 2.3% of the state's population, and 7% of the state's workforce. Despite their increasing…

A student's college experience includes relationships that they establish at the two-year or four-year university that they attend (Strayhorn, 2012). The purpose of this study is to identify personal and institutional characteristics of transfer student-athletes that have significant associations with sense of belonging. In addition, the study…

Leaders of a nationally accredited, for-profit, higher education institution were interviewed in this basic qualitative study to explore their perceptions of how they strategically responded to challenges stemming from a period of turbulence. A purposively selected sample of 390 nationally accredited, career-oriented for-profit HEIs experienced an…

The moral reasoning development of college freshmen was investigated over the course of a semester. Participants were tested at the beginning of the semester and at the end of the semester and were either in a course that required active engagement in critical thinking (e.g. perspective-taking, reflection) about social and political issues or in a…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to utilize a comprehensive 9-16 dataset to quantitatively examine which pre-college credit programs are the most significant predictors of college achievement as defined by college GPA, first to second year retention, time to degree and graduation date. A qualitative analysis was conducted, which via the…

Heavy drinking among college students has been identified as a major public health concern in the United States. While research on college drinking is extensive, it is almost exclusively focused on white non-Hispanic populations, with minimal attention to ethnic minority groups--particularly the Hispanic college student. The aim of this study was…

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) were once considered lifelong disorders, but recent findings indicate that some children with ASDs no longer meet diagnostic criteria for any ASD and reach normal cognitive function. The current study examined social functioning in 24 of these individuals (ages 8-21), called 'optimal outcome' (OO), who did not…

As scrutiny of teacher effectiveness increases, there is a greater call for multiple instruments to measure teacher effectiveness and provide robust feedback to support teacher growth and development. Student perception surveys, questionnaires completed by K-12 students about their teachers, have increasingly been used to evaluate teachers and…

This qualitative study explored the shared experiences of 7 collegiate women in positions of leadership who perceived their strengths do not align with gender norms. Participants shared experiences through written and oral interviews, and the researcher utilized strengths philosophy and the Status Incongruity Hypothesis as theoretical lenses, and…

Precision medicine refers to the delivering of customized treatment to patients based on their individual characteristics, and aims to reduce adverse events, improve diagnostic methods, and enhance the efficacy of therapies. Among efforts to achieve the goals of precision medicine, researchers have used observational data for developing predictive…