This dissertation introduces and employs the HERC model, a novel conceptual framework developed to critically analyze the intricacies of town-gown relationships during a boundary-spanning crisis. Situated in Tucson, Arizona, the study delves into the nuanced communication dynamics of two key higher education institutions: The University of Arizona…

The value of school libraries is well-established, with reviews and studies worldwide highlighting the impact on children and young people's academic achievement and literacy outcomes. Yet, it is still not a statutory requirement for schools to have a school library or school library system. As such, there are no official figures as to the number…

Understanding the experiences of Indigenous students, especially Indigenous men is crucial to their academic journeys within higher education. Indigenous men walk similar journeys to other students when we arrive on college campuses, choosing to pursue higher learning and reimagine new futures for ourselves and to help our families, communities,…

This paper sought to investigate the accessibility of Digital Access Centres as a resource for Unisa Students needing to access services away from campus. The Digital Access Centres are available in open-distance e-learning institutions like Unisa in a quest to reach students. Unisa regional computer labs are always fully packed with students…

Just decades ago, the internet was an entirely new concept, but it's become second nature for billions of people and is now embedded into daily life across the world. While the internet is old news, there are recent technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), and the cloud that have gone from niche, specialized roles in the global…

The purpose of this study was to determine how placement, professional development, and the years of experience of special education teachers impacted the standardized test scores of special education students. This was done by comparing the type of placement of students, mainstream (80+% of the day), co-teaching, separate classroom (100%) and…

The increasingly pervasive special education teacher shortage has become a crisis in the United States, warranting immediate attention to minimize negative impacts on students with disabilities. More specifically, all efforts to mitigate the shortage by strengthening the special education teacher pipeline should be explored. One population of…

Separation anxiety symptoms are frequent among preschool-aged children, but it is also a possible gateway for diagnosis of separation anxiety disorder. Early maternal employment after childbirth can increase the risk for the development of separation anxiety symptoms. From an economic perspective, however, securing employment is one effective…

This study employs descriptive qualitative analysis to explore the experiences of eight Mexican American veterans utilizing Veterans Affairs education benefits to pursue baccalaureate degrees. Participants were recruited in Southern California at two California Community Colleges and three California State Universities. The findings suggest that…

Numerous students across the United States are observed as being disengaged and bored in several of their learning experiences. Similarly, innumerable students also self-report being bored and disengaged. Over 40% of South Carolina (SC) students in Grades 3-8 report being compliant, disengaged, or mixed in all three domains (behaviorally,…

The teacher is key to reforming K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for all students (Powell et al., 2018) in the United States, and a catalyst for a competitive workforce and economic development. Reports based on Free or Reduced-Price Lunch (FRPL) and percent schools offering STEM courses, along with FRPL and…

How do cultural heritage scientists and art conservators identify pigments and other painting media in a decorated object or painting, preferably without taking samples that could potentially damage the artwork? A major emphasis in the characterization, authentication, and conservation of works of art and cultural heritage objects is the use of…

A transformation in teaching and learning happens when students move from being consumers to creators of knowledge. While there is a growing body of research available on the use of open education resources by faculty and students, there is comparatively little research available with regards to open pedagogy (OP) in higher education. The few…

School finance equity is an essential component of educational equity. In an equitable system, public schools receive funds to provide a high-quality education for all based on the needs of students, not on the property wealth of communities. Funding inequity also disproportionately affects students of color. Districts serving the largest…

Education finance shapes what is possible in every school in the country. And finance equity is a critical step toward enabling other forms of educational equity for students who are underserved in under-resourced schools. But in too many states, the system of funding for schools remains inequitable, inadequate, and opaque to all but a few. Even…