In graduate evaluation education, research has shown that theory to practice is overshadowed by a focus on practical methods which results in evaluation education tension and a tenuous understanding of evaluation theory to practice when evaluators complete their graduate studies. Little is understood about evaluation theory to practice from…

This study explores the possibilities and tensions that emerged when preservice teachers integrated both the science of reading and a culturally sustaining framework when learning about and teaching reading comprehension. Utilizing a constructivist grounded theory methodology, this research draws on data from interviews, student coursework…

The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to explore the experience of student learning outcomes assessment among four midlevel student affairs managers to gain a deeper understanding of the phenomenon of change readiness to engage in assessment practices. This study sought to address the theory-practice gap in student affairs…

This dissertation examines the connection between policy that guides student conduct process and the application of student development theory. Using multi-case study analysis, four conduct administrators at land grant universities were interviewed to understand the ideals and motivators that guide their practice as they facilitate the conduct…

This qualitative, interpretive study examined the following three research questions: (a) How do lay leaders at Jesuit institutions of higher education understand Ignatian social justice? (b) What elements of Ignatian formation were most salient for lay leaders' personal and/or professional transformation? and (c) How do lay leaders at Jesuit…

This teacher-as-researcher case study explores pre-service and novice teachers' experiences with graphic novels and has them consider how these can be used for literacy skill improvement and develop content knowledge. The foundation for this study is rooted in research on teacher preparation while addressing academic literacy standards in…

To bridge the practice gap between academic nurse training programs and workforce entry, hospital administrators have implemented nurse residency programs, designed to foster the experiential learning required for the development of new graduate nurse competency. These structured orientations to professional practice have varied in content design…

This action research study aimed to integrate simulation-enhanced interprofessional education (Sim-IPE) into the undergraduate clinical laboratory science (CLS) program curriculum. The undergraduate CLS curriculum was comprised of didactic coursework and hands-on learning experiences in the student laboratory. This traditional CLS curriculum model…

Community College Written Communication 1 (ENC) instructors encounter complex challenges when attempting to teach writing skills to diverse student populations. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to explore the perceptions of full-time community college ENC faculty and determine the instructional strategies they use to…

With the rapid development of tourism in China, various economic sectors such as agriculture, sports, food and beverages, cultural heritage, and outdoor adventure have become integrated into the tourism industry. China's tourism industry has changed and these changes now require tourism practitioners to adapt. Chinese universities must also adapt…

With the rapid development of tourism in China, various economic sectors such as agriculture, sports, food and beverages, cultural heritage, and outdoor adventure have become integrated into the tourism industry. China's tourism industry has changed and these changes now require tourism practitioners to adapt. Chinese universities must also adapt…

The number of students from ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse backgrounds in K-12 public education settings has increased in the past two decades. However, 80% of teachers in public schools are White and middle-class, which does not mirror the student population. Even though higher education prepares teachers to be culturally…

This dissertation consists of three chapters covering applications within Matching Theory. In the first chapter, we study the decentralized college admissions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), where students submit their applications to each college separately, and colleges use a ranking based on weighted centralized test scores. Unlike the…

Paramount to both academic success and success in life is the ability to read. Faced with the arduous task of teaching this process, teachers must be knowledgeable of reading theories and pedagogies. Although the theory-to-practice gap is a valid concern that has been researched in many professions, more needs to be known about how novice teachers…

The purpose of this dissertation was to experiment with qualitative research methodologies while exploring the complexities of doctoral education, research practices, philosophies of inquiry, and other topics intersecting with(in) educational scholarship. My vision for this work was fueled by postmodernist critiques of humanist education,…