Action research is a form of research with the goal of improving standards of practice. In this thesis, action research was used to address practical issues within experimental methods for hypertension research and interventions for STEM education, including through defining the problem to be addressed, implementing a solution, assessing impacts,…

Given that the majority of college courses are staffed with instructors who have little, if any, teaching experience (Boysen, 2011), research has called for more innovative approaches to providing teaching development opportunities for graduate student instructors (GSIs) (e.g., BrckaLorenz et al., 2020; Chew et al., 2018). The purpose of this…

This teacher-action research project explores using critical contemplative pedagogy in an upper elementary classroom setting to determine how youth media practices can be informed with combined critical media literacy instruction and contemplative exercises. Analysis of students' media production and deconstructions reveal promising outcomes for…

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a valuable open educational resource for people around the world. Although they have been published for over a decade, there has not been a consistent means by which to evaluate their quality or establish whether they are meeting the needs of learners. This action research study sought to understand…

The number of teachers entering the profession through alternative teacher licensure pathways has increased dramatically in the last 10 years. The preparation these teachers receive can vary widely, making specially designed novice teacher induction programs crucial for their success. This professional practice dissertation examined the…

The goal of this action research was to bring awareness of the first-generation community college identity and acknowledge that this identity has many layers. It is important community colleges across the state use the information provided in this action research to be well-informed on how to better support first-generation students. This…

The lack of job-embedded professional learning for instructional leaders is detrimental to the efforts to transform teaching and learning to be student-centered. The purpose of this Action Research study was to investigate and improve the job-embedded professional learning for instructional leaders to support the transformation of teaching and…

This study aimed to investigate the reasons for low enrollments in a related teacher preparation program alongside seemingly high attrition rates among instructors in the field of teaching English to adults and determine if any solution could be found to encourage people to not only enter the field but persist in the career. A review of current…

This action research study explored crucial components of play-based learning through a researcher created survey and through an analysis of six elementary and six secondary teacher participant responses. The study also investigated maker education through analysis of a portion of survey results from fourteen university students through a study…

The research team in a small undergraduate social work education program explored the implementation of antiracist best practices for pedagogy and practice, utilizing transformational learning and critical race theories to guide and inform this action research study. The research team sought to explore the impact on the faculty, students, and…

Disparities, bias, and inequities persist between girls and boys as the result of gender inequities in schools (Sadker & Sadker, 1994). In this participatory action research (PAR) project, I investigated how educators and educational leaders promote gender equity in an international elementary school. The project took place in the elementary…

Work-based learning (WBL) is a form of education that combines classroom learning with practical work experience. This approach is becoming increasingly popular as it helps students develop a range of skills employers highly value, such as communication, teamwork, problem solving, and leadership. This professional practice dissertation (PPD)…

This doctoral action research dissertation is coauthored as a qualitative three-article dissertation; each article leverages a different qualitative approach to the research. Article 1 focuses on the existing depth of literature regarding higher education faculty and their practice of social justice within their roles. Article 2 is a critical…

This action research addressed three primary questions: 1) Does developing the EI of school leaders improve staff job satisfaction? 2) Does developing the EI of school leaders enhance the school climate? 3) Does developing the EI of school leaders lead to increased student achievement? Pre- and post-intervention surveys were conducted using the…

The Internet is poised to open access to higher education for students no matter where they live. However, many students still live in places where barriers keep them from getting and staying connected to online coursework. These barriers include power outages, high internet data costs, and lack of computers or smartphones. BYU-Pathway Worldwide's…