This study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of student engagement in online learning by exploring the effects of salient online learning environment conditions on student engagement and the motivational pathways through which they affect engagement. Survey data were collected from 351 undergraduate students enrolled in various online…

This dissertation is an invitation into our beloved biology classroom. Weaving hermeneutic phenomenology and critical participatory teacher action research, this study investigated self as teacher and two cohorts of student participants in a high school biology experience utilizing an 'Aina Aloha praxis. Articulating my ongoing 'Aina Aloha praxis,…

Background: Engineering has its own unique disciplinary culture that establishes norms and ideals. Many of these norms and ideals are centered on White, masculine, heteronormative constructs, which tend to presuppose able-bodiedness. Students with disabilities in engineering must navigate spaces that contain inherent social and physical barriers.…

While the United States (U.S.) and Canada share features in their secondary education systems (e.g. proportion of immigrants), these nations have differences (e.g. linguistic ). Given the primacy of Canada over the U.S. vis-à-vis science literacy [as measured by the Programme International for Student Assessment (PISA)], underlying differences in…

The study explores how multicultural education instructors use transformational leadership to establish "brave space" as a foundation for critical conversations about identity. Establishing brave space within education courses is essential to facilitating pre-service teachers' understanding of social justice; yet, little research exists…

To what extent do active learning spaces foster students' development of collaboration skills, a set of highly sought-after competencies in today's workforce? This case study highlights the novel use of a survey specifically designed for recent alumni to attempt to identify and quantify important attributes of these learning environments…

As big data algorithm usage becomes more ubiquitous, it will become critical for all young people, particularly those from historically marginalized populations, to have a deep understanding of data science that empowers them to enact change in their local communities and globally. In this study, we explore the concept of critical machine…

This article examines the impact of course modality on student evaluation of courses and professors. Data were collected through the "Student Perception of Instruction" end of course rating form at the University of Central Florida (UCF), which contains nine items and maintains student anonymity. The findings indicate that while course…

This study asks, "How do instructors successfully engage students in learning about controversial issues of race without hitting the common tripwires of low trust, stereotyping or racial microaggressions?" To address this question, I conducted a study of two courses on race that were focussed on difficult issues, yet were consistently…

Scholars have devoted increased attention in recent years to students identified as twice-exceptional (2e), those who have a concurrent federally recognized disability while also identified as gifted. However, there has been little if any study of how the lived experiences of teachers who themselves are identified as 2e inform their practices with…

The postsecondary landscape for autistic youth is changing, with increased opportunities in education and employment. However, autistic youth still face higher disengagement rates than other disability groups. The Center on Secondary Education for Students with Autism (CSESA) was a multisite study examining high school programming in 60 schools…

This study explores factors influencing teacher self-efficacy among preservice teachers and principal candidates. Through qualitative focus groups, findings highlight the significance of relationship building, social-emotional learning, and support systems in enhancing preservice teacher confidence, emphasizing the principal's role in fostering a…

A qualitative study was conducted in a secondary school to evaluate student learning processes and outcomes by examining their inquiry questions, journals, and maker artifacts in a curriculum-based maker learning environment supported by the Guided Inquiry Design (GID). Thirteen 8th-grade students in a suburban middle school in the southwest of…

This qualitative, grounded theory research study explored the impact of school environment on racial identity among 36 elementary school students of color. The use of an expressive-arts-based questionnaire allowed for rich description of participants' racial identity perception. Findings yielded three themes: racial identity awareness, racial…

The proliferation of digital software is an increasingly accepted part of everyday life in higher education in the United States. While this software affords some opportunities, it can create confusing experiences for students as well. In this paper, I ask how might increasingly complex digital ecosystems in higher education shape the contours of…