Career and Technical Education (CTE) exists for those students who want to enter the world of work sooner rather than later; who wish to learn from teachers who are experts in their field, whether in class settings and internships and/or apprenticeships. CTE practitioners in suburban settings, whether they are teachers or administrators, have not…

This descriptive, qualitative case study investigated how three high school teachers in non-STEM subject areas developed integrated STEM (iSTEM) pedagogies for conventional classroom lessons in a high-technology makerspace. The school in focus adopted a STEM teaching policy that required all teachers to implement iSTEM teaching in the school's…

This dissertation explored the challenges and adaptations made by educators and service providers in creating an inclusive virtual learning environment for students with special needs, particularly focusing on the experiences of educators working with deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students. Grounded in the identified gaps in the literature, the…

This dissertation investigates the interplay between the implicit knowledge that learners have of a nonnative language and their processing of that language, examining two types of relative clauses (RCs) in English: gapped RCs (e.g., "the man that they hired") and resumptive RCs (e.g., *"the man that they hired him").…

There has been much written on the topic of higher education in America. All facets from formation to expansion to experimentation to controversial issues in institutions of higher education have been discussed and dissected. However, one of the most compelling higher educational topics is the emergence and development of the junior college. This…

Institutions of higher education have identified online programs as a top innovation strategy, but lack of faculty buy-in has been cited as a major challenge to launching them. In addition, leaders have identified issues of organizational culture, such as the lack of supportive leadership and a risk-averse mindset, as key barriers to their…

To meet the national and international call for creative and innovative engineers, many engineering departments and classrooms are striving to create more authentic learning spaces where students are actively engaging with design and innovation activities. For example, one model for teaching innovation is Innovation-Based Learning (IBL) where…

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to reshape how organizations operate, working from home has become more prevalent. While working from home is not new, organizations face unique challenges in fostering an inclusive virtual work environment. This modified qualitative case study was designed to explore with a group of 20 organizational leaders…

This study was an action research study that explored teacher's beliefs about student engagement and their role in student engagement through the development of a professional development innovation, the Transforming Student Engagement Professional Development program. This professional development program innovation was designed to lead…

The purpose of this qualitative single-case study was to investigate how a partnership between a rural community college in New Jersey and a manufacturer of emerging optics equipment reflected the regional networked innovation system, a type of regional innovation system. This single case study provided a comprehensive overview of the perceptions…

As higher education faces challenges in low enrollment, soaring prices, and individuals who question the need for a degree, these institutions must transform into flexible-minded and innovative centers of excellence. The purpose of this study is to explore how empathetic and collaborative practices inherent in design thinking methodologies can…

Digital media and advancements in learning technologies have dramatically reshaped the landscape of K-12 education. By 2018, 96% of public schools had the infrastructure required for digital learning. This dissertation evaluates how augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies are integrated into K-12 education, focusing on…

This Dissertation in Practice (DiP) on Human Resource Development was conducted to investigate the establishment and implementation of a new position within a postsecondary workforce innovation department. This position was developed during the COVID-19 epidemic to cater to lower socioeconomic communities with lower post-secondary education…

Public institutions of higher education have seen mandatory state budget cuts for more than 20years, with each year's cut being larger than the previous. These statewide education cuts have affected academic libraries in a major way, resulting in purchasing cutbacks, decreased subscription renewals and cancellations. These drastic cuts in library…

Most school districts lack a coherent, actionable strategy for improving teaching and learning across the system. Current instructional improvement strategies enacted in many districts could best be described as hire and hope, where districts focus on hiring great teachers and then hope those teachers will develop themselves. During the 2021-22…