Current literature reveals the importance of expanding the educational toolchest to include teaching through games. Game-based learning has been extensively studied, underscoring a human need to have fun while learning. This research project focused on the development of "Paved Paradise: A Tiny House Ecovillage Board Game," that could…

While public outrage in response to excessive force is appropriate and understandable (e.g., Rodney King), there are also use-of-force instances which may be misconstrued as excessive by civilians due to a lack of understanding of the law, policies, and procedures for police use of force (UOF). This can lead to negative perceptions of police…

The California Community College system serves over 121,000 students with dis/abilities who are both historically underrepresented and disproportionally impacted for success outcomes. Research indicates that dis/ability perceptions influence college stakeholders, impacting outcomes for this student population. Beyond the Cover...Living Books is a…

Antiracist teacher education in the United States has largely been situated within university-based teacher education programs over the last thirty years. This body of research documents the struggles and possibilities of preparing race-conscious educators who engage in antiracist practices that support diverse student populations. Despite this…

The role that religion plays in the lives of humans is complex, contradictory, and deeply impactful. According to Allport (1979), religion has a paradoxical function in that it can either combat or contribute to prejudice. A meta-analysis by Hall, Matz, and Wood (2010) found a significant correlation between being deeply religious and having…

This dissertation explores the experiences of disabled students in higher education and strategies for creating more accessible learning environments. Despite increasing enrollment, disabled students remain marginalized in diversity efforts, with current approaches focusing on individual accommodations rather than systemic barriers. The research…

This dissertation explores the experiences of disabled students in higher education and strategies for creating more accessible learning environments. Despite increasing enrollment, disabled students remain marginalized in diversity efforts, with current approaches focusing on individual accommodations rather than systemic barriers. The research…

Mediocre science achievement and poor STEM graduation rates have prompted educators to reexamine their traditional focus on factual memorization and seek more effective instructional strategies. One such reform-oriented instructional practice is argumentative discourse. Argumentative discourse is student-driven, reasoned argumentation to promote…

Due to a lack of training on disabilities and special education for general education teachers on the island of St. Maarten, teachers are unable to successfully educate individuals with disabilities. Teachers are unable to develop or run special education programs; and students with disabilities do not always have the opportunity to learn with…

It is well documented that children who identify as a sexual minority or as gender-non-conforming are at an increased likelihood to experience adverse events and risk factors that can make it difficult to function in the community, home, and school environments. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning, intersex, or asexual (LGBTQIA+)…

The premise of this project was to determine if superintendents in the state of Missouri were aware of implicit bias and if districts were providing training to the administration, faculty, and/or staff to mitigate implicit bias in the classroom and thus, help all students maximize their learning. This was accomplished by constructing and…

The general public harbors misconceptions about mental illnesses; particularly, auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs). Misconceptions about the causes, dangerousness, and treatment of mental illnesses constitute barriers for treatment. The purpose of this study was to examine whether a neurobiological refutation text was more effective than a…

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of an educational intervention on attitudes and knowledge of emergency department (ED) nurses toward the older adult patient and their intentions to change their care behaviors toward this population in the emergency department. This study focused on: a) the effect of an educational intervention…

Recent data from a cross-national assessment, the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), place the United States performance in mathematics at 38 out of 71 countries (OECD, 2016)--one clear indication of the ongoing need for the improvement of mathematics education. This improvement relies, in part, on improving undergraduate…

Technology is causing our world to change quickly. As a result, there has been a push to teach 21st century skills. This shift has caused school districts to increase expectations of teachers to use digital technologies to help student learning. To prepare teachers for the instructional shift, schools have increased opportunities for professional…