Research and interest in trauma-informed pedagogy have grown substantially. Trauma-informed pedagogy includes knowledge of trauma symptoms, associated behaviors, and environmental and instructional trauma-informed strategies. Various scales measure attitudes and experiences with trauma-informed practices; however, the literature suggests a lack of…

The majority of studies about mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) have been conducted in the US, with little research on MKT being performed in the Middle East. Accordingly, this study contributed to the cross-national MKT literature by translating, adapting, and validating a novel US teacher knowledge instrument for use in Kuwait. Both…

This dissertation includes two independent research projects, one in astronomy education research and the other in planetary science/astrophysics research. In the first research effort, we investigate college students' conceptual and reasoning difficulties on the topic of planet formation pre-instruction. Through an analysis of over 1,000…

The need to create assessment literate and assessment confident teachers is increasing (Popham, 2009; 2011). Research has revealed that teachers are not well trained to use assessment in the classroom and are poorly trained in standardized testing (Zhang & Burry-Stock, 1997; Zhang & Burry-Stock, 2003). The purpose of this study was to: (1)…

There is a pervasive need for school systems to empirically and reliably assess the data literacy and data use skills of their educators (Ingram et al., 2004). With the federal government holding states and school districts accountable for student achievement and the increased emphasis of high stakes testing in schools, it is also critical to be…

Recognition that adverse events are a significant cause for morbidity and mortality has led to a rise in global efforts to improve patient safety. Adaptations are needed in healthcare institutions and at the educational preparatory level for all healthcare providers. One change surrounds the significance of patient-centered care, an important…

This dissertation is developed around two studies created with the goal of describing and quantifying current educators' knowledge and perceptions of reading assessment and subsequent data-based instructional decision making. Unique to the field, a critical component of this study is an emphasis on educators' development of "data…

This study was designed to investigate the predictive relationships of creative problem-solving attributes, which comprise divergent thinking, convergent thinking, motivation, general and domain knowledge and skills, and environment, with mathematical creativity of sixth grade students in Thai Nguyen City, Viet Nam. The study also aims to revise…

The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to assess probation officers knowledge levels of offenders with intellectual disabilities by utilizing a synthesis of subject matter analysis technique and a comprehensive review of literature. This study was conducted in two phases. The first phase was devoted to establishing the knowledge…

The nutrition environment in schools can influence the risk for childhood overweight and obesity, which in turn can have life-long implications for risk of chronic disease. This dissertation aimed to examine the nutrition environment in primary public schools in California with regards to the amount of nutrition education provided in the…