The estimated prevalence of neurodivergent (ND) conditions is approximately 15-20% of the population in the United States (Doyle, 2020; Maenner et al., 2023). ND students are increasingly enrolling in mainstream colleges and universities (Bakker et al., 2019) but report that they are not receiving adequate support on campus (Dexter et al., 2024;…

Purpose: The aim of this project is to determine if the development and implementation of an independent living skills workshop would improve the perceived competence of unhoused youth in performing independent living skills. Methods: The Casey Life Skills Short Assessment was used as a pre-test and post-test. It was found that unhoused young…

In a rural Georgia school district, the multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) framework has been formally implemented and facilitated by system-level coordinators for a 4-year period. As the 2021-2022 school year started, the district began the process of transitioning the leadership of the MTSS process to individual school-level teams and…

Education is a constantly evolving field that requires continuous professional development. While policymakers continue to implement school reforms, many of them depend on teachers' ability to learn and improve instruction to increase student learning. Teachers have a double role in educational reforms by being simultaneously subjects and objects…

The problem addressed in this study was that online training designers experience barriers when implementing evaluations to assess knowledge transfer after 3-6 months. This qualitative exploratory case study aimed to explore online training designers' experiences and perceptions regarding the barriers faced when working with project stakeholders…

This project investigates the effectiveness of the Digital Discipleship Model at Zoe Ministries in enhancing online engagement among its predominantly Black congregation. Prompted by the digital divide seen during COVID-19, particularly among older members, the initiative centered on a six-week digital literacy workshop via Zoom and Zoe's Virtual…

The escalating challenges faced by educators highlight the urgent need to understand factors influencing their wellbeing. Teachers in the United States education system are stressed, burnt out, and leaving the field in unprecedented numbers (Sparks, 2022; Camera, 2022; Zamarro et al., 2021; Dabrowski, 2021; Hill-Jackson et al., 2022). It is…

This dissertation consists of three essays focused on policies that hold the potential to reduce gender and socioeconomic gaps in the developing world. The first two chapters focus on higher education while the last chapter focuses on STEM gender gaps during primary school. Chapter 1 looks at the impacts of new transportation infrastructure on…

Educators throughout the United States report high levels of mental distress, anxiety, depression, and stress and difficulties with physical health. Educational systems have limited ability to address the well-being of faculty and staff in primary and secondary schools. Existing interventions are not always adequate and often do not reach the…

The purpose of the quantitative study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention by comparing the improvement in knowledge and attitudes of older adult and caregiver participants in South Carolina. Orangeburg County, a rural area in South Carolina, ranks 8th in the nation for Alzheimer's disease prevalence, according to…

This dissertation investigates the efficacy of LitFit, an innovative reading workshop program, in enhancing the reading skills and habits of male high school students in a rural setting. The study addresses the critical issue of lower reading proficiency among male students, a demographic that has historically received limited attention in English…

Youth houses in Morocco are public institutions that focus on the integration of Moroccan youth in the social and economic fabric of society. The Moroccan Ministry of Youth and Sports made evaluation a pivotal component of its 2030 vision. Yet, it does not involve any mandates for internal evaluations. Given the fierce competition for grants and…

Two dissertation recitals and a piano pedagogy workshop were given in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctoral of Musical Arts in Piano Pedagogy and Performance at the University of Michigan. The first dissertation lecture recital, "Afro-Cuban and Brazilian Dances," was presented in McIntosh Theatre on…

The predominant method for ministry formation in the contemporary church consists of a course of study in a Bible college or seminary. While this has been and will continue to be an effective method for theological education, it does not work for everyone called to ministry. Some people for financial or practical reasons cannot follow this path.…

Parents of gifted adolescents often face unique challenges in supporting their children's social and emotional learning (SEL). The purpose of this mixed methods action research study was to examine (1) As a result of a SEL parent workshop series, what changes were observed in: (a) Parental knowledge of SEL? (b) Parental self-efficacy in supporting…