The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how teachers perceive the influence of extrinsic/hygiene and intrinsic/motivation support strategies in improving teacher retention in rural, under-resourced schools in Arizona. Frederick Herzberg's Two Factor Theory of Motivation was the primary theory guiding the study. Data…

Academic advising is one of the few ways that institutions of higher education exert influence on student success and retention, though the organizational conditions that promote these outcomes are not well understood in the literature or in practice. Nor is it clear how advisors come to understand their role and associated expectations. This…

This qualitative case study investigated the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) by sixth-grade teachers in diverse educational settings within the Central Valley of California. The research focused on identifying the practical successes and ongoing challenges faced by educators in elementary and middle school…

This doctoral dissertation explores the perceptions of diversity leadership by department chairs in engineering and computing in higher education and their role in creating social change. Using a qualitative research design, this study explores the lived experiences of department chairs who are tasked with leading diversity and inclusion efforts…

Nothing is consistent but change, and that yields true to the educational landscape in the United States of America. Wlodkowski and Ginsberg (1995) stated, "Any educational or training system that ignores the history or perspective of its learners or does not attempt to adjust its teaching practices to benefit all its learners is contributing…

Children in under-resourced schools are often subjected to a "pedagogy of poverty," in which their school days consist primarily of independently completing worksheets and preparing for assessments. By contrast, children in more affluent schools often experience engaging, hands-on learning opportunities. This discrepancy is identified as…

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional K-12 education worldwide, forcing a rapid shift to emergency remote teaching and learning. This dissertation utilizes a three-article approach and investigates the multifaceted impact of the pandemic on urban charter high school students and their principals in under-resourced communities. The first…

Years of teaching experience have long been taken as an important indicator of teacher and school quality in primary and secondary schools. However, research on the effects of teacher years of experience on student outcomes has shown mixed results. To investigate the source of variation causing these mixed results, this study examined a broad…

The study examined the difficulties encountered by parents of children with ASD in rural communities in Nigeria. The lack of sufficient healthcare facilities and proficient practitioners in rural locations hinders the availability of early intervention services. The cultural beliefs and misconceptions surrounding ASD exacerbate stigma,…

This qualitative collective case study sought to explain rural public elementary school teachers' feelings of self-efficacy and burnout when managing student behaviors, their perceptions of student behaviors, why these perceptions exist, and strategies used, if any, that may result in increased feelings of self-efficacy and/or decreased feelings…