Public health involves the organized efforts of society to prevent disease, prolong life, and promote health. These efforts are exemplified through partnerships across various public and private sectors, including academia, which are crucial in addressing complex public health challenges. An academic health department (AHD) is a formal partnership…

The practice problem for this DNP project was the lack of confidence of eight nurse managers at the project site in implementing alternative staffing models to meet increased inpatient care demands during times of patient surges. The purpose of this DNP project was to provide an education module to nurse managers at the project site to enhance…

Research-based multi-text strategies (MTC) comprised of two-step verification, discrepancy-induced, cognitive-affective engagement, and reading as problem-solving models may assist students in furthering their reading comprehension in this Internet-based society. The purpose of this statewide quantitative study of principals in Title I elementary…

Humanity is dependent on the natural world for its resources and for human health and well-being. A growing population and unsustainable human activity, though, are having adverse impacts on Earth systems. Research shows that meaningful, systemic environmental education (EE) programs are essential for public schools to ensure that all learners…

Although decades of research attest to the importance of vocabulary teaching and learning, and recent research points to principles of effective vocabulary instruction, the small number of studies on actual classroom practice suggest that teachers continue to use the least effective approaches, often focusing on memorization of definitions.…

The American School Counselors Association National Model (ASCANM), developed by the American School Counselors Association (ASCA), serves as the framework that governs the roles of all school counselors. In particular, the ASCANM provides guidelines that school counselors should follow to ensure they perform in the counseling roles that enhance…

This dissertation explores how Black doctoral students navigate their educational journeys, even when faced with systems that limit their potential. The study delves into how these students tap into their unique cultural assets to confront and surmount barriers to their success. The dissertation's primary focus lies in understanding and…

This dissertation aimed to advance the field of biology education in several ways. First, we aimed to demonstrate if, and to what extent, student-generated conceptual models can be used on summative assessments to accurately assess student understanding of gene expression. Next, we described patterns of changes students make to conceptual models…

Prior research on Indiana secondary science teachers', students', and parents' behavioral intentions towards teaching and learning about climate change is inadequate. Therefore, this study investigated the following four research questions: RQ1. What are secondary science teachers', students', and parents' perspectives on teaching and learning…

The purpose of this critical autoethnographic study was to explore, (a) the role that race played in shaping my responses to demographic changes in the public school district that I served, (b) how I could use this new understanding to improve my practice as an educational leader, and (c) how my research and experience could serve as a model for…

I have developed a Feminist-Humanities model for social justice education that demonstrates pedagogical potency for building students' capacity for transformative social change. This dissertation presents the model, describes its theoretical framework, assesses its impact on student learning, and considers what the findings can offer to social…

The research presented in this dissertation describes a series of studies characterizing and assessing undergraduate chemistry students' knowledge related to the epistemic nature of scientific models and modeling. Engaging in authentic scientific practices, for instance, developing and using scientific models, has been identified as an important…

This quantitative correlational study dives into the heart of understanding the significance of model fidelity for implementing school threat assessment teams. The target population was instructional staff and threat assessment team members from schools in Dutchess, Putnam, and Westchester Counties in New York State that use the Comprehensive…

Literature on problematic absenteeism in children and adolescents is diverse and dispersed across multiple disciplines, as it has long been a multifaceted and vexatious concern for psychologists, educators, and researchers (Kearney & Bates, 2005). Unfortunately, the investigation of problematic absenteeism from such diverse perspectives over…

Cognitive diagnostic models can uncover students' mastery of multiple fine-grained skill attributes or problem-solving processes. A number of studies have applied cognitive diagnostic models to detect students' knowledge mastery in mathematics and language testing. However, few studies focus on cognitive diagnostic assessment in K-12 science…