The purpose of this project was to create a systematic, spiritual formation plan for Central Christian School that strategically integrates the Bible curriculum into the chapel programming of the school and connects it to the home. The project involved a three-part strategy consisting of statistical testing of surveys, classroom-type observations,…

A qualitative research with multiple methods, which investigates the phenomena of language shift and sustainment it of one Dine´ family. A Dine´ father was interviewed. The mother tongue should still be use at home however, the Navajo language is taught at school. I spent eighty plus hours interviewing the Dine´ father. I spent countless hours of…

Students in the United States missed more than 11 million school days in the academic year 2017-2018 due to out-of-school suspensions. Research has shown that suspension has adverse short- and long-term consequences, such as lower academic achievement and lower graduation rates. With school suspension affecting approximately one-third of students…

This applied dissertation was designed to better understand the experience of having a sibling with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Research has historically focused primarily on parents of individuals with ASD and their perceptions of how siblings were impacted; however, there was a lack of adequate research where information was obtained from…

Multivariate count data is ubiquitous in many areas of research including the physical, biological, and social sciences. These data are traditionally modeled with the Dirichlet Multinomial distribution (DM). A new, more flexible Dirichlet-Tree Multinomial (DTM) model is gaining in popularity. Here, we consider Bayesian DTM regression models. Our…

Children learn words in a social environment. In my dissertation, I examine how caregivers' social cues facilitate young children's word learning in settings that mirror their typical, dynamic learning environments. In Chapter 1, I overview prior work examining how social cues may support word learning, focusing on possible mechanisms underlying…

Learner variability presents an enormous challenge for teachers and schools. Even as early as kindergarten, incredible learner diversity exists in terms of children's early learning experiences, especially in mathematics. Research has shown that this variability begins in the home environment, where parents and caregivers have the biggest impact…

This narrative study explores the experiences of five college students who were formerly involved with foster care. This study explores the ways former foster youth students tell stories of trust built or trust broken with adults before and during college. The data analysis revealed themes that add to the body of research by providing a clearer…

Children at the intersections of language learning, racialization, and dis/ability status experience systems of power in a very particular way. This manuscript amplifies the experiences of bilingual nonspeaking children and their families to upend the notion of educational and medical professionals as the primary experts in the learning process.…

The International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum provides students with ample academically demanding learning experiences at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. A full continuum of IB offerings from 3-years-old to 12th grade at a southern school has not increased the percentage of graduates with IB diplomas as expected. This mixed…

Education is ever changing, and the prevalence of online learning is increasing. Schools across the nation are providing more online learning experiences to allow families flexibility and comfort in the learning process, which also allows learning to continue no matter the circumstance. The present research study provides solid evidence of best…

Almost 5.5 million young children with working mothers spend more time in family child care (FCC) than any other form of care in the U.S. FCC providers play a critical role in child development for infants and toddlers. Yet, research on FCC is lacking, particularly on providers, despite the national child care crisis. To fill this gap, my…

Although function-based treatments have been proven to decrease challenging behavior, it is unclear whether these results translate to socially significant outcomes. In fact, researchers rarely analyze what happens outside the highly controlled setting in which behavior analytic sessions typically occur. In our first study, we used a changing…

The purpose of this study was to identify malleable practices in the homes of Spanish-speaking toddlers prior to school enrollment. This was achieved by examining daily activities and routines and the role older siblings played in these interactions to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the home language and literacy environment and…

The purpose of this study was to serve to understand the conflict academic advisors who identify as mothers face while they provide advising services to their institution and student population while simultaneously also meeting their family demands. The conceptual framework of the study was developed using Biddle's (1970) role theory, specifically…