A growing subset of the United States community college student population are students who are parents. Parenting students contend with dividing their time and attention between the demands of parenting responsibilities, other life tasks, while being a student -- forming an intricate web of external factors that create barriers to their…

The problem addressed by this study was the minimal community college baseline data regarding faculty use and attitudes of universal design principles, known as inclusive teaching strategies, and the relationship to faculty years of teaching experience. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to assess faculty use and attitudes of…

In the United States, community colleges have served diverse student populations, including students of color and students with disabilities. While these colleges are celebrated for their access and affordability, student success is not guaranteed. As educators work to continuously improve course and program completion, students' sense of…

Understanding and navigating college rules, resources, and expectations is a considerable barrier for students accessing and transitioning to college (Conley, 2007; Williams, 1996; Hooker & Brand, 2010; Ardoin, 2013; Sheppard, 2012). To improve students' acquisition of pertinent, time-sensitive information, many institutions have implemented…

This qualitative case study pursued to describe the different strategies Mexican American adult students in a local community college used to graph function transformations. Participants in the study were purposefully selected using a criterion sampling to ensure participants were atypical, above average students between the ages 18-22, and had a…

The study explores the faculty, staff, and student perceptions of how leadership decisions impacted Odessa College, a Texas community college, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Community colleges in Texas have experienced a decrease in enrollment in recent years. The pandemic exacerbated the problem, as evidenced by the further drop in enrollment in…

The purpose of this mixed methods action research study was to determine the effectiveness of a gender-responsive early childhood teaching workshop for community college practicum students. The problem addressed in this research is a lack of competency (knowledge, skills, and behaviors that support positive gender identity development in young…

The purpose of this study is to analyze community college Hispanic-Serving Institutions (CC HSIs) to identify the structures of serving for Latinx students within their college and district. A critical case study analysis (Merriam, 1998, Pasque et al., 2017 Yin, 2018) was performed within one district of California's Central Valley region through…

The University of Hawai'i (UH) is among the many colleges and universities worldwide taking steps to integrate Indigenous people, cultures, and histories into its structure, policies, and institutional culture to close achievement gaps and empower Indigenous scholars and their communities. As one of ten campuses in the UH system, Leeward Community…

Background: Thriving in associate degree nursing students has not been well studied. Nursing students frequently describe their education as very stressful. When self-care and stress management are inadequate, students' well-being is adversely affected, adversely affecting patient care. Objective: This study examined whether creative thinking by…

Community colleges have a long-standing history of providing higher education to countless individuals who might not otherwise have been offered access. Research demonstrates that faculty members wield an abundance of power in fostering sense of belonging within their classrooms (Byrd, 2016; Carales et al., 2019; Danowitz, 2011; Eagen &…

Community colleges have a long-standing history of providing higher education to countless individuals who might not otherwise have been offered access. Research demonstrates that faculty members wield an abundance of power in fostering sense of belonging within their classrooms (Byrd, 2016; Carales et al., 2019; Danowitz, 2011; Eagen &…

Current literature addressing the challenges English learners in community colleges face is limited. While research examining Black, Indigenous, and People of Color encompasses aspects of being an English learner, little research has focused on what makes this demographic unique, their language ability. The purpose of this study was to identify…

In this dissertation, I present readers with three studies about the ways in which science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research experiences impact undergraduate learning, perspectives, and academic/career activities. In the first two studies I focus on this topic by investigating the ways in which undergraduates were impacted…

The low academic learning outcomes and persistence rates among students starting in developmental mathematics at community colleges are concerning. Improving the teaching and learning of developmental mathematics is imperative. This Action Research study aimed to investigate and improve developmental mathematics students' low retention rate and…