Attention to mixed methods studies research has increased in recent years, particularly among funding agencies that increasingly require a mixed methods approach for program evaluation. At the same time, researchers operating within large-scale, rapid-turnaround research projects are faced with the reality that collection and analysis of large…

There are gaps in the literature between implementation research and organizational learning describing how local school systems successfully implement initiatives that change practices within school sites. Until recently, there has been a pattern for federal and state policies to overlook the role of the local school district in impacting school…

Students have always faced the challenge of focusing their wandering minds. Today, the ubiquitous presence of technology makes this task more difficult. This study sought to help students harness their attention in the face of distraction using Zimmerman's model of self-regulated learning (SRL), mindfulness practice, and the Pomodoro Technique for…

The study represented an examination of the factors influencing students' ability to successfully graduate from postsecondary institutions and whether this differs between high school equivalency credential earners and high school diploma earners. The study has clarified a predictive relationship among type of high school credential and graduation…

The purpose of this research was to investigate to what extent an immersive-field-study experience influenced fifth-grade students' connection to nature. Two instruments were used to collect data: Connection to Nature Index (CNI) obtained pre- and postfield study and students' field journals with prompts. The coding of the journals was based on…

Cognitive variables have been the primary indicator of academic and professional success used to process degree applications in many admissions departments. Cognitive variables are numerically based markers such as grade point average and test scores. Although cognitive variables are essential in determining qualified candidates in graduate…

Few studies have been conducted in postsecondary settings on self-advocacy training programs designed to assist students with disabilities (SWD) in developing their self-advocacy skills. Likewise, little is known of the SWD officers' view of the importance of self-advocacy training at the university level. Grounded in self-determination theory…

Coaching is an effective practice that affects teacher and learner outcomes; however, instructional coaches (ICs) must be trained in the fidelity of the implementation. New technology provides an opportunity for new virtual coaching methods. The purpose of this exploratory case study is to explore coaches-in-training (CITs) perspectives of their…

The Competency-based Education (CBE) Collaborative was developed in 2012. Ten school districts initiated CBE implementation as part of the Collaborative. With CBE implementation in Iowa only occurring for a few years, very little information is available. The purpose of this qualitative dissertation in practice case study is to examine and analyze…

"The Leader in Me" (Covey, 2008) is an approach to fostering social and emotional learning that has been adopted by more than 3,000 schools across the globe, but which has received relatively little empirical attention. Grounded in the seven habits from Stephen Covey's (1989)" The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People", the…

Though a primary purpose of K-12 education in the United States is to prepare students to meet the economic demands of the country, there is currently a major shortage of workers to fill the open positions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This shortage is only expected to grow in the coming decade unless a…

All human beings possess within them implicit and explicit theories which they use repeatedly throughout their lives to explain a wide array of experiences (Tracey & Morrow, 2017). In education, teachers use their theories about reading and learning to read to inform nearly every aspect of their instruction. These belief systems develop over a…

The global marketplace, with its complexity, immediacy, and ubiquitous disruptions places almost impossible demands on its leaders and its leadership ranks. For many years, a top, perennial contender for the "what keeps CEOs up at night" list has been a severe lack in both the quantity and quality of effective leaders. The war for talent…

The study used a sequential explanatory mixed methods research design to examine the motivational and behavioral factors that underlie underrepresented female Ph.D. students' decisions to enroll and persist in STEM-related fields. Quantitative survey data were collected using the Motivated Student Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) along with five…

It is widely known that students who come from low socio-economic status backgrounds, receive fewer opportunities in their early years of life when compared with those from high socioeconomic status settings. Children from these contexts get lower achievement in reading tests than children from wealthier status. This study intends to contribute to…