This dissertation measures and describes the factors that impact doctoral student persistence. Using a mixed methods cases study design, I analyzed institutional student record data, survey data on caregiving responsibilities, and data from semi-structured interviews with PhD students at a STEM-focused, public research university in the American…

Within the school setting, students identified as having emotion regulation impairment (ERI) are at particularly high risk for negative academic and personal outcomes. These students often need additional support with mental health. Unfortunately, there are several barriers to providing evidence-based interventions in schools, including time and…

The integration of educational technology is pivotal in enhancing classroom instruction. School administrators must possess a clear vision and the necessary skills to leverage emerging technologies effectively (Yu & Prince, 2016). This mixed methods research study explores trends, challenges, and experiences related to educational technology…

The purpose of this qualitative interview study was to explore the lived experiences of K-12 education leaders who serve as the technology leaders charged with leading their schools' implementations of adaptive learning technologies for mathematics. This study was positioned at the intersection of technology leadership, standards-based teaching…

COVID-19 pandemic impacted the world dramatically and how communities and societies behaved. The purpose of this study was to explore lecturers' perspectives on emergency remote teaching, not only from technology-prone lecturers but encompassing contributions from disparate academic fields, which brought assorted experiences into the data. The…

First-generation college students are underrepresented within honors programs and colleges, and their retention and persistence rates lag far behind their continuing-generation peers. Students in honors programs and colleges have higher retention and persistence rates than non-honors students. The best practices within honors have shown to include…

The focus of this research study was factors affecting Historically Black College and University (HBCU) instructional technology implementation. The problem that the study addressed was that HBCUs were slower at technology adoption than non-HBCUs, which could impact how prepared HBCU students may be for the digital workforce. The purpose of this…

This study explores the math identities and teaching practices of six female educators in Los Angeles. Through in-depth interviews, the study finds that math identity is a complex intersection of multiple identities, representation is important for encouraging female students to pursue STEM fields, and the Common Core standards provide a valuable…

This qualitative content analysis study explored how women of color in college presidencies in the United States exhibit their leadership style and values in their publicly available leadership communications. Public leadership communication includes, but is not limited to, speeches, announcements, website materials, articles, and public…

This qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was based on the problem statement; it was not known how some doctoral students pursuing their online doctoral program, overcame negative life events or setbacks to complete their doctoral program. The study examined doctoral completion from the angle of an added layer of complexity resulting…

This study represents North Carolina community college student experience with food insecurity. Two-year students have a wide variety of challenges as they make their way to finishing a credential. One such challenge, hunger, has always been a component; awareness and discourse have not. The purpose of the research is to understand the narratives…

Culturally relevant pedagogy aims to build on students' individual and cultural experiences and to allow diverse populations opportunities to access a generalized curriculum. The purpose of this action research study was to create a culturally relevant teaching framework to integrate curriculum texts and evaluate for effectiveness. The…

The primary goal of this research is to examine New York State's humane education mandate, Section 809 of the Education Law; specifically, its history, barriers, and possible implementation solutions to achieve statewide elementary school compliance. It explores the educational system and its role in school compliance with the mandate. In…

Despite rising enrollment for first generation college students (FGCS) and Hispanic FGCS, there is a disparity in college graduation rates across the United State compared to other groups. FGCS and Hispanic FGCS have historically been faced with more factors that disrupt higher education success. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the…

An increasing number of autistic students attend U.S. universities, and higher education must meet their support needs. Existing literature frames research using a medical model of autism and is limited surrounding how autistic students form academic and social bonds during their first-year transition. This qualitative study examines 13 autistic…