This mixed-methods study was conducted to identify the effects of participation in the Governor's Early Literacy Foundation (GELF) summer pilot reading program on students' academic performance and reading motivation over 2 years. Data from rising first- through third-grade students and teachers in 37 public school districts across the state of…

This mixed-methods study was conducted to identify the effects of participation in the Governor's Early Literacy Foundation (GELF) summer pilot reading program on students' academic performance and reading motivation over 2 years. Data from rising first- through third-grade students and teachers in 37 public school districts across the state of…

As standardized testing becomes more prevalent, the urgency of allocating a designated time for children to play has diminished. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the amount of play children receive and standardized test scores in conjunction with the variable of anxiety. The population used consisted of…

The narrative of first-generation, low-income students (FGLI) has a long, and often complicated tradition in the history of American higher education. FGLI students experience challenges in postsecondary retention. FGLI students are rapidly enrolling in higher education, but they are dropping out of college at alarming rates. Over 4.5 million FGLI…

This four-article dissertation is about fostering learning relationships online during the COVID-19 pandemic with undergraduate teaching fellows and adolescent learners enrolled in a summer enrichment program (SummerSpark). I, along with six undergraduate students (teaching fellows), created a "relational learning community" (RLC) to…

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the differences in the academic outcomes of first-year academically underprepared TN Promise-eligible college freshmen who participated in a college bridge program. A comparative research design was applied to existing data, including first-semester GPA, first-semester credit completion rate,…

Background: Youth from low-income, racially and ethnically diverse families are at increased risk for academic challenges and nutritionally inadequate diets. Summer programs offer an opportunity to foster interest and engage students in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) education while addressing summer learning loss.…

This study set out to determine whether there was a relationship between teacher efficacy and a standard treatment protocol. Teachers participated in a pre and post survey to measure their confidence level in Leveled Literacy Intervention, the literacy program and their literacy knowledge, before and after implementation over a summer reading…

Informal STEM educators, teaching in out-of-school environments, have few opportunities for professional development. These educators often have widely varied professional backgrounds and areas of expertise, which can lead to rich opportunities for learning with and from other informal STEM educators in the context of professional learning…

Guided by Dynamic Systems Theory (DST) and multidimensional perspectives on individual differences (IDs) in instructed second language (L2) learning (e.g., Larsen-Freeman, 2014; Sun & Zhang, 2020), this longitudinal mixed-methods study focuses on three conceptually different categories of L2 learners' IDs: working memory (WM), motivation, and…

Black male teachers comprise less than two percent of the teachers of color in education nationwide and even fewer than that teach in special education. There exists a paucity of research literature on the "invisible tax" placed upon them via the nuanced responsibilities, lived experiences, identities, and needs of Black male special…

Math proficiency rates are strikingly low for children from high poverty communities. Therefore, it is urgent to find solutions that help them develop basic math skills. Given theoretical considerations about math learning, a potentially promising option is to target children's cognitive engagement. In this study, I investigate a program that was…

This dissertation examines the social process of language study abroad in a multilingual West African setting, paying attention to how language learners mobilize multiple linguistic resources to navigate the superdiverse linguistic landscape and the ideologies that drive their practices. Study abroad is generally believed to be an ideal space for…

This study investigates how the phenomena of vocational discernment is experienced by faculty members who have participated in Collegium's summer colloquy. Through this research, the researcher contributes to the literature and discussion regarding mission in Catholic higher education, faculty development, and the role of lay faculty in Catholic…

This study investigated the difference in specific internship program outcomes of undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) work-integrated learning (WIL) experiences as a function of the length of the experience. The study employed analysis of archival data representing a sample of over 1,000 undergraduate STEM students who…