This applied dissertation was designed to provide an understanding of the perspectives of former online physical education high school students and how participation in the course affected their ability to be active post-high school and their knowledge of fitness concepts. A phenomenological design was used to guide the study's investigation.…

This study investigates how classified staff across one school district are experiencing communication from the district's school leaders. Classified staff are essential personnel in terms of school districts achieving their overall educational goals. Their roles in the district are mediated through communication with district leaders, however,…

Background: Verbal bullying is often reported by students. However, little is known about the exact things that bullies say to students or the immediate emotional reactions elicited by verbal bullying. Objective: This study examined verbal bullying to determine what specific taunts are used in bullying, how students feel when they hear these…

Caregiver-mediated interventions for young autistic children are increasingly considered standard of care. These interventions share two sets of components: strategies to improve children's communication, behavior, and development; and procedures to coach caregivers to implement those strategies. To date, no review has examined how caregiver…

Background: There is an established link between depression and drug use among adolescents. This relationship holds true for Hispanic youth, for whom familial relationships are especially impactful toward health outcomes. Purpose: Our purpose was to examine the relationships between family functioning and adolescent and parent depressive symptoms,…

The developmental, characteristics and educational competencies of students who need special education are developing slowly in compared to their agemates. This is because their expressive language is different. In order to overcome these challenges, assistive technologies can be used under the supervision of the teachers. In this paper, a person…

HyFlex learning environments have been meeting the unique needs of students and institutions for nearly 20 years. However, it was the pandemic that gave HyFlex its widespread acceptance and application. Literature suggests that HyFlex may now be considered part of the new norm in education and therefore, further study is needed on how it affects…

Feeling loved by one's parents is critical for children's health and well-being. How can such feelings be fostered? A vital feature of loving interactions is reciprocal self-disclosure, where individuals disclose intimate information about themselves. In a proof-of-concept experiment, we examined whether encouraging reciprocal self-disclosure in…

Purpose: This grant-funded research utilized conversational agents (CAs), specifically Alexa Flash Briefings, to deliver supplemental audio content across educational settings, expanding the online learning environment of graduate students, residency teachers and mentors. The study aimed to determine the perceived usability of Flash Briefings and…

In this series, we explore technology-related themes and topics. The series aims to discuss and demystify what may be new areas for some readers and to consider their relevance for English language teachers. This paper explores the potential applicability of ChatGPT--a generative, text-based artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot--to ELT. It offers…

COVID-19 vaccination rates remain lower among adolescents compared with adults. Youth participatory action research (YPAR) offers opportunities to inform youth vaccine communication at the local and population level. However, few studies have integrated systematic health communication research with YPAR. In the current study, a diverse team of…

Online learning has provided pathways for access to flexible educational experiences, but can also feel isolating and impersonal, lacking authentic relationships with instructors and peers. Centering the discussion of humanizing distance education through the lens of three core pedagogical components of teaching and learning (i.e., instruction,…

Recognizing that online teaching and learning is placed within an environment where neither the teacher nor the student has complete-control is the first step to actioning capabilities towards a humanized environment. The tool that is typically used in higher education, the learning management system (LMS), has a design that constrains learning…

Risky sexual behaviors in adolescence continue to be a social problem that impacts individuals, families, and communities across the United States. Previous research showed that parents who actively talk with their adolescents about sex and intimacy topics reduce their likelihood of engaging in these behaviors. Still, less is known about what…

Homelessness is a global social justice concern. Social work staff at homeless shelters have high turnover and burnout rates, and have little to no experience with the homeless population. In this study, a professional development training on self-awareness was given to social work staff using social justice theory, a disaster resilience education…