This dissertation surveys the development of the Hawaiian higher educational system in the 19th century Hawaiian Kingdom as a strategy of Hawaiian leadership in promoting and protecting Hawaiian independence. This analysis revisits a Hawaiian educational history canon that overwhelmingly credits missionaries and foreigners as imposing an…

Higher education culture is steeped in institutional identity and ties to history. But what happens when that history is challenged, and an institution must change its name? While a merger was not initially intended for Kearney State College, merging into the University of Nebraska system was the only way to reflect the change and growth that…

Throughout history, dance has been regarded as an act of rebellion. This art form has persisted to become a means for the common person to demonstrate impassioned objections to issues from racism and religious oppression to communism, plastic waste, and human trafficking. As early as the plantation era, dance has provided a means of physical…

This dissertation explores the transregional impacts of the 1949 Chinese communist revolution on diasporic Chinese students and scholars in Cold War Asia and Asian America. It argues that higher education was a key site of contestation in the U.S.-China Cold War tensions of the 1950s, where American efforts to contain and isolate communist China…

In this study on educational change in Pennsylvania from 1790 to 1838, I reexamine the history of how the state established its common school system, the predecessor to the state's public school system. In doing so, I identify a series of three leaders, argue that poverty was the primary catalyst for educational reform, and explain the nature of…

To this day, Columbia College maintains one of the most robust liberal arts curricula among the tertiary education landscape, an institutional decision that has been both lauded and denounced by students, professors, and cultural critics alike. As this dissertation examines, high tensions from all angles largely stem from the Core Curriculum's…

"The Forgotten Classrooms: Uncovering the Educational Experiences of Japanese American Students During World War II" explores the impact of forced evacuation and internment on the academic and social development of Japanese American students. This study delves into the unique challenges faced by Japanese American students during a time…

This dissertation seeks to answer the question: what were the social and cultural effects of Rudolf Flesch's thoughts and writings on late 20th-century American literacy education? The purpose is to provide an understanding and articulation of the cultural and educational ramifications of Rudolph Flesch's books "Why Johnny Can't Read and What…

This dissertation examines the response of a group of educators to a state mandate to integrate computational thinking (CT) into all levels of the curriculum. It explores the historical development of CT and its significance within the broader context of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education, emphasizing the rapid growth and…

Understanding the details of how scientific breakthroughs and discoveries emerge from prior work, knowledge, and collaboration is fundamental to science history. Traditional methods of collecting such relevant information and transforming it into rich narratives have existed since the inception of the scientific method. These typically involve…

William Allen High School (WAHS) was once a pillar of success. From a growing student body to a successful vocational wing, the high school was the epicenter of the district and the city for over a century. Today, however, WAHS evokes a different image. Between 1960 and 2020, WAHS evolved from a predominately White and high-achieving institution,…

Histories of the American community college have largely overlooked the humanistic education movement of the mid-20th century. This historiographical gap obscures leaders' ideological commitment to their institution's diverse mission during an era of rapid community college expansion. Advocates and critics of community colleges have consequently…

This dissertation project used an interpretivist qualitative research design to study how the right-to-read claim made by seven teenagers attending Detroit public schools in 2016 reflects, addresses, or describes contemporary discussions about educational access. Using situational analysis (SA) as a theory/method, the entirety of the claim…

This dissertation delves into the profound impact of the Second Great Awakening on American higher education and its enduring social consequences. Examining the period from the late eighteenth century to the mid-nineteenth century, the research uncovers the core belief that drove the Awakening--that America and its citizens were chosen for a…

In 1955 a private, Christian higher education institution began with a unique and distinct Pentecostal foundation. Part of the mission was to perpetuate the faith and belief systems of the Assemblies of God denomination. The institution was simultaneously attempting to sustain the denomination's growth through the training of young people while…