In the first part, we investigate Birman, Ko, and Lee's left canonical form of a braid and give a new diagrammatic approach. We use the left canonical form to characterize almost strongly quasipositive braids. In the second part, we investigate students' confidence in mathematics and problem solving skills. Every math instructor has heard students…

This dissertation in practice (DIP) uses a quantitative survey research design to understand the impact of the teacher education program (TEP) at Nebraska Wesleyan University (NWU) on preservice teachers' cultural proficiency growth. This research is important because the racial and ethnic diversity of the nation's public school student population…

The proposed work focused on the development and feasibility of a project aiming to introduce college readiness skills to youth who were in the foster care system in order to increase their perception of self-efficacy in an educational setting. With this increase in self-efficacy, foster youth who are generally disadvantaged when attaining and…

The purpose of this action research study was to build a community of support through mentorship for Latino male students. This work aimed to build on existing research around ways to support the disappearing men impacting the higher education system. The study focused on building a community of students and alumni from a state university, with…

The research problem it is not known if and to what extent the difference exists in self-efficacy and self-reported academic performance for first-generation college students and continuing-generation college students in the United States. The purpose of this quantitative comparative study is to determine if and to what extent the difference…

This qualitative dissertation explored the barriers and self-efficacy of Black first-generation college (FGC) students from low socioeconomic areas of South Los Angeles, California. The information presented explored their hurdles and how their self-efficacy affects their capacity to acquire a college degree. An FGC student is someone whose…

With the surge of the academic disengagement of secondary African American students in the United States, there have been numerous attempts at recapturing students' engagement in school. When African American students disengage in school, they are at a greater risk of adverse educational outcomes, which potentially impacts the students, their…

This dissertation explores the perceptions of African American male students regarding mentoring programs at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). It evaluates the impact on career planning, academic performance, and self-efficacy. Using a causal-comparative mixed-method research design,…

This study examined the read-aloud accommodation benefits for students with disabilities (SWD) and students without disabilities (SWOD). In this study, researchers recommend ways in which to remove encumbrances faced by SWD in reading comprehension. In general, research has shown that both SWD and SWOD have met some degree of success from the…

Students and workers require self-regulated learning (SRL) skills to meet the demands of the 21st century. These learners need to be actively engaged in learning by creating successful strategies for themselves directed toward specific goals. Many students, however, are not currently actively engaged in their learning and are thus ill-prepared for…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) strategies upon English language learners' (ELLs) self-efficacy and academic performance in the mathematics classroom. Being able to face academic challenges, while maintaining a high level of motivation and enjoyment in mathematics is…

Despite increasing undergraduate enrollment, Asian Americans remain disproportionately underrepresented in leadership positions across professional fields. This highlights the importance for higher education institutions to critically examine their role in preparing students for both personal growth and navigating career pathways beyond the…

Middle school offers an entryway onto the path of college readiness. However, many practitioners and researchers have focused their efforts on high school students. Remaining is a population of potential college-going students, whose opportunities to prepare for college at an earlier stage are overlooked because middle school is not viewed as the…

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) based careers have increased exponentially in the last couple of decades. However, STEM interests and career pursuits have declined, creating a divide. Experts have looked to STEM education to bridge the gap. This systematic literature review examines the influence of STEM on elementary student…

The purpose of this research study was to uncover any patterns of experiences provided in teacher preparation programs that pre-service elementary teachers perceive as helpful in boosting confidence before student teaching. There is a lack of experiences known to improve teaching self-efficacy, or the belief in oneself to perform a learned skill…