This qualitative, interpretive study examined the following three research questions: (a) How do lay leaders at Jesuit institutions of higher education understand Ignatian social justice? (b) What elements of Ignatian formation were most salient for lay leaders' personal and/or professional transformation? and (c) How do lay leaders at Jesuit…

This qualitative grounded theory study updated the framework, including a definition, of Appreciative Administration. Bloom et al. (2013) first introduced the concept of Appreciative Education in a "New Directions for Student Services" article. Appreciative Education's framework is harnessed by the power of the organizational development…

Higher education is an industry that is facing several challenges. Preparing the student/customer with the skills necessary to be successful in the workplace is a serious concern. The education industry also has to follow stricter regulations from both the Department of Education and the accrediting agencies governing the institutions (Benchley,…

In recent years, external pressures on higher education institutions, including uncertain funding, rising cost of operations, a hyper-competitive environment, and changing student demographics have created new challenges for colleges and universities to respond to as the economic, technological, and political landscape around them change with…

This mixed methods dissertation explores the application of critical media literacy pedagogy in higher education. A review of the scholarly literature found that there are five hypothesized outcomes of a critical media literacy education: student engagement, empowerment, civic engagement, critical awareness of media, and adoption of a social…

This qualitative study explored faculty members' and senior level administrators' views of intelligence studies, communities of practice, and learning approaches. A focus group interview, individual interviews, and a review of documents were the sources of data for the study. Themes emerging from the investigation were strategies to connect…

Several longitudinal reports predicted a potential crisis in the nation's community college system: a leadership gap due to a sizeable number of retirements of presidents and other high ranking college leaders. First reported at the beginning of 2000, the gap continues to grow, and recent research highlights the continuing trend. In the near…

Traditionally, dental education is divided into two phases: pre-clinical and clinical education. The pre-clinical phase of dental education includes the assimilation of theoretical topical knowledge in addition to the completion of simulated exercises. Upon completion of and demonstration of competency in their pre-clinical courses, students begin…

Many researchers have examined the factors that affect student success in college, and some have generated conflicting results when exploring the role of various student characteristics on success in higher education settings (Baker & Velez, 1996). In addition, others have raised concerns about the lack of a strong reliance on theory in much…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the degree to which John Dewey's experiential theories were embedded in leadership preparation curricula in departments of leadership and college student personnel administration at universities in the Midwestern United States. John Dewey, who is considered to be America's greatest philosopher, defined…

Within the past few decades, university-industry research centers have been developed in large numbers and emphasized as a valuable policy tool for innovation. Yet little is known about the heterogeneity of organizational structure within these centers, which has implications regarding policy for and management of these centers. This dissertation…

The objective of this research is to ground the reputation construct in theory and to explore the formation of reputation through beliefs about the university and attitude toward the university. Additionally, it will allow for analysis of the consequences of reputation, specifically behavioral intentions, which has received limited attention in…

Effective teacher preparation programs in higher education are crucial to the development and retention of future professionals. Therefore, these programs must offer learning experiences that reflect the relationship between theory and practice. This study evaluated the significance of self-esteem as a framework to assess the theory and practice…

The purpose of this study was to develop an instructional theory for using a class wiki to support collaborative learning in higher education. Although wikis have been identified in theory as one of the most powerful emerging technologies to support collaborative learning, challenges have been revealed in a number of studies regarding student…

This dissertation examines what graduate teaching assistants believe about teaching and learning a foreign language based on their prior experiences. Additionally, it examines how TAs' beliefs develop as they begin teaching and how their classroom practice is subsequently shaped. The participants were five first-year TAs in three different foreign…