This participatory action research (PAR) dissertation study investigates the implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles by community college faculty in first-year writing courses to support students with learning disabilities at a New Jersey community college. Through a collaborative approach involving faculty as active…

This thesis collects three essays on applied microeconomics. The first essay proposes an econometric framework to study the role played by course-assignment mechanisms in shaping the learning outcomes observed in higher-education institutions. Particular emphasis is placed on the existence of student-professor match effects in the production of…

This study examines the phenomenon of plagiarism and impersonation in online course assignments. Technological advancements, coupled with lower costs and accessibility, have made online courses and programs a practical option for higher education students. Unfortunately, the increasing online enrollment and advancing technology have allowed an…

With the advent of ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence (AI) tools, students have a new instrument that can create writing samples for them, making it easy to violate academic integrity. A constructivist grounded theory multiple-case study was conducted to address faculty perceptions of ChatGPT as a tool for learning and teaching instead of a…

This study examines a pedagogical method known as transparent assignment design, or TAD, intended to make course assignments more accessible for students. The research related to TAD in higher education offers promising results, yet there is still much that is unknown about the implementation and impact of TAD. The study utilizes action research…

This narrative inquiry study explored the transformational learning experiences of students who attended Christian colleges and universities in the United States. The problem addressed in this study is the need for Christian colleges and universities to identify what constitutes and contributes to the transformative experiences conveyed by…

Writing proficiency has become a common student learning outcome at all types of higher education institutions across the United States. However, despite the consistent popularity of Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) over the last few decades, most two-year institutions still have no formalized WAC program or training, and programs that are…

This study explored the adoption level of a specific plagiarism detection software by college professors in a classroom environment. As universities and colleges struggle with the issue of plagiarism and maintaining high standards of integrity, technology tools have been created and provided to assist faculty in identifying if a student has…

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed the way of life for people and businesses around the world. Institutions of higher education and their constituents are no exception. As the pandemic began, colleges and universities moved their operations and teaching modalities online. The emergency shift to remote learning and operating has put a…

The purpose of this practitioner-based self-study was to examine critical race pedagogy (CRP) in online course instruction and design. This was a qualitative study that used narrative inquiry and grounded theory methodological approaches to explore my Africana literature courses taught in an asynchronous online instructional mode of delivery…

This is a study of how and why secondary and postsecondary educators use professionally produced narrative nonfiction audio podcasts in class activities and assignments. From survey and interview data, I found that educators use the podcasts in following five ways: as prompts for student responses, as exemplars of how to compose texts or engage in…

This experimental study reviewed the efficacy of a new classroom tool known as the Showcase Assignment. This assignment reduces public speaking anxiety in the public speaking classroom. This assignment asked students to pick a talent (poetry reading, singing, etc.) that is important to them in some way, give a brief description of what their…

The purpose of this study is to understand characteristics and outcomes of instructional tasks used to support preservice secondary mathematics teachers (PSMTs) in learning about equity in secondary mathematics methods courses. This study focuses on five instructional tasks from four purposefully chosen teacher education programs. These activities…

Writing is a critical proficiency for academic and career success, but a significant number of students enter higher education underprepared for the academic writing expectations awaiting them. Due to immense sociocultural barriers, linguistically-diverse college (LDC) students, in particular, may find college writing challenging. Complicated…

Although considerable attention has been directed at improving the quality of students' writing, the investigation and definition of "good writing" has remained primarily within the realm of the normative and prescriptive. Social scientists and humanists often clash over the definition of valid and reliable writing assessment, as well as…