The role of mathematical modelling pertains several disciplines, both STEM and non-STEM, and various fields: education, academy, work, everyday and social life. Despite its importance, it is not uncommon to see university students facing difficulties with the use of Mathematics to create models, even when mathematical entities that play a role in…

Language is a quintessentially human trait. Many decades of neurolinguistic research provided evidence of neural structures which specialize in complex linguistic and cognitive processes supporting human communications. Because the world is multilingual, (Crystal, 2010; de Bot, 2019) a prominent question related to brain processes supporting…

Contextual learning experiences using integrated STEM, agricultural sciences (AgS), and mathematical modeling (model eliciting activities [MEAs]) can be a powerful approach to engage students from urban areas in STEM literacy, career exploration, and community awareness. This three-study dissertation contributes to: (1) an innovative framework for…

Determining which students are at-risk of poorer outcomes -- such as dropping out, failing classes, or decreasing standardized examination scores -- has become an important area of both research and practice in K-12 education. The models produced from this type of predictive modeling research are increasingly used by high schools in Early Warning…

In educational contexts, students often self-select into specific interventions (e.g., courses, majors, extracurricular programming). When students self-select into an intervention, systematic group differences may impact the validity of inferences made regarding the effect of the intervention. Propensity score methods are commonly used to reduce…

Decades of research have elucidated the practices associated with effective professional development (PD) for educators, yet evidence suggests that school practices in the United States do not regularly meet these criteria, and even when they do, they may not have the desired effect on student outcomes (Darling-Hammond et al., 2017; Didion et al.,…

Colleges have increasingly turned to predictive analytics to target at-risk students for additional support. Most of the predictive analytic applications in higher education are proprietary, with private companies offering little transparency about their underlying models. We address this lack of transparency by systematically comparing two…

Introductory mathematics courses at postsecondary institutions simultaneously function as gateways and gatekeepers to degrees and careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) for historically minoritized and marginalized students. While these courses provide access to higher education, they also thwart student STEM pathways…

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…

Calling on Ryan & Deci's (2000) Self-Determination Theory framework, the author sought to explore the relations among writing program faculty collegiality in their work (i.e., teaching, research/scholarship, and service), their job satisfaction in teaching writing courses in postsecondary settings, and their sense of self-efficacy for that…

This paper draws lessons from the Read like a Champion (RLAC) program implemented in Suva, Fiji, which engaged elite sporting individuals in literacy activities at schools. A qualitative case-oriented study was utilized, drawing on Esser and Vliegenthart's (2017) practical steps in analyzing comparative data to consider lessons from RLAC in…

Injury by firearm is now the leading cause of death in children in the U.S.. Effective injury prevention requires first defining the problem and identifying risk and protective factors before implementing prevention strategies. There is no comprehensive source available to define firearm injuries, especially at the local level. We propose a local…

This research aims to evaluate the Inspirational School Program using the CIPP (Context, Input, Process, Product) model, focusing on providing insights and recommendations for enhancing its effectiveness and sustainability. Data collection methods in qualitative descriptive research include interviews, observation, and documentation. The study's…

The purposes of this study were to explore students' learning performance, knowledge construction, and behavioral patterns in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) online discussions with/without using Form+Theme+Context (FTC) model guidance scaffolding in visual imagery education. In the online learning activities, the control group…

Background: Adolescent girls are at an increased risk of low physical activity and the associated health consequences. Girls Can Move!, an after-school intervention guided by social cognitive theory, was designed to increase physical activity. Purpose: To examine the feasibility and initial effectiveness of Girls Can Move! Methods The 8-week…