This study examined how background knowledge activation impacted reading comprehension. Comparisons were made between discussion-based background knowledge activation, paired informational text background knowledge activation, and a control group. One-way ANOVAs discovered significant differences between the discussion group and the control group…

Kuh and colleagues (2008) use the term "high-impact practices" (HIPs) to describe co-curricular programs that are particularly effective in advancing student learning. The original list of HIPs does not include campus employment, which McClellan et al. (2018) argued should be added. According to the results from the 2019 NASPA survey…

This narrative inquiry study explored how emerging elementary educators perceived their understanding of mathematics learning and teaching as they became elementary educators. The study considered how past experiences influenced emerging educators' frames of reference as they began to teach elementary mathematics. Methods consisted of individual…

Transfer student capital encompasses the knowledge, skills, and experiences that transfer students acquire before transitioning to a new institution from their previous ones, communities, and cultures. This capital plays a crucial role in shaping their academic and social transition, identity development, and overall success in the new…

The use of the audio medium (e.g., audiobooks and podcasts) is proliferating in everyday and educational contexts. Yet, research investigating text processing in audio compared to the more commonly used print medium is limited in scope. Specifically, the research so far has majorly focused on younger learners or English language learners,…

Widely accepted as a foundational course within health professions education, anatomy is often taken at the beginning of the health professional curriculum and students are expected to be prepared for the rigors of the course. Anatomy preparedness, evaluated in this study, has been defined as matriculating into a graduate or professional anatomy…

This research delves into the attitudes, perceptions, and motivations of student-athletes enrolled in Intermediate Algebra courses. It focuses on the distinct challenges they encounter in juggling academic and athletic responsibilities at a southeastern university in the United States. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study gathered…

College student leadership development is a commonly stated learning outcome in U.S. higher education including doctoral education. This dissertation study examines the leadership development of international doctoral students in Education at a U.S. university using a socialization lens. I employed a phenomenological qualitative inquiry and…

The manuscripts in this collection expand the current research on the experience of undergraduate science students with virtual reality laboratories. A systematic literature review and synthesis involving 21 peer-reviewed empirical articles (2009-2018) revealed a dearth of theoretical and methodological approaches exploring VR Labs, which centered…

Latinx students are making educational gains; however, disparities persist for traditionally marginalized groups. Informed by LatCrit and using Yosso's Community Cultural Wealth model, this study highlights the disparities and societal inequities that Latinx students face while illuminating their cultural assets. Twenty Latinx college students…

Equally as important as growing the body of human knowledge through scientific discoveries and analysis is relaying this information to the general public in a digestible manner to establish a scientifically literate society. This dissertation approaches the multifaceted issue by combining an in-depth study of brown dwarf binary atmospheres with…

Many community college students are enrolled in basic mathematics courses that are equivalent to high school mathematics courses. Students from developmental mathematics courses at a Midwest community college completed a questionnaire and were interviewed to find themes in their learning past and perspectives on mathematics classes. These students…

In the past thirty years, new technologies and communication systems have shaped social practices, literacy learning, and ways of interacting with texts in profound ways. However, scholarship in the dawn of the digital age neglects large-scale glimpses of people's important literacy memories. Deborah Brandt's (2001) influential Literacy in…

Student reflection plays an essential role in service-learning projects to help students prepare for their service, process their experience, and reevaluate their experience to gain new understanding and appreciation. However, instructors encounter various challenges when integrating reflections into service-learning. Given the wide variety of…

Since the creation of the GI Bill, military veterans have had a significant effect on higher education. As U.S.-lead conflicts OIF and OEF conclude and more veterans separate from service, institutions of higher education are seeing increased numbers of service members utilizing education benefits and enrolling in college. Veterans who transition…