A local community college was experiencing poor retention rates among African American students, an issue that has challenged community colleges across the United States. To improve this group's retention, college administrators instituted a mentoring program; however, they later indicated a need to better understand which mentoring strategies…

This research study explores the impact that school district provided professional development has on teacher buy-in for social and emotional learning (SEL). At the time of this study, the literature on social and emotional learning focuses on the impact it has on students and on the impact, it has on academic programming. Literature examining the…

Therapy dogs are a valuable tool for students in the school system. The literature indicates therapy dogs are a supportive tool, from the perspective of teachers, students, parents, counselors, and the community, for mental health, social and emotional and academic needs. Research has provided evidence that principals and superintendents have the…

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of newly hired social studies educators currently employed in varying high schools throughout the State of Illinois. Specifically, this study sought to explore newly hired social studies teachers' perceptions of their teacher preparation program, and how…

Student teaching can be one of the most important experiences pre-service teachers have during their teacher preparation program. This study sought to examine and enhance how mentor teachers impact student teacher development during the final clinical teaching experience. Its purpose was to improve the clinical teaching practice for both mentors…

This study explored how a poverty simulation experience influenced educators' social empathy levels and educational practices. More specifically, twenty-nine educators' levels of social empathy were measured using the Social Empathy Index (Segal, Wagaman, & Gerdes, 2012) in a pre/posttest design. Influences on educational practices were…

In August 2022, the Department of Education announced that, to address the heightened risk of delinquency and default caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it would provide up to $20,000 of student loan debt relief to borrowers who met certain income thresholds. Borrowers eligible for this relief were to receive up to the full $20,000 in relief if they…

School counselors are change agents, leaders, supporters, and advocates who address the social-- emotional, academic, and career needs of their students. School counselors must be multiculturally competent to meet the needs of all their students. Developing multicultural competence is a complex and ongoing process that includes gaining awareness,…

The merit of narrative film methods to support participatory approaches and professional development has been increasingly demonstrated by research in several fields and education. However, the use of digital storytelling and other film methods in evaluation remains largely unchartered territory. This article provides a case study of a digital…

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) programs have proliferated significantly in recent years and they are finding their way into different educational and therapeutic purposes. This systematic review aims at analyzing the virtual reality and augmented reality programs designed to promote the development of social skills in individuals…

This study examines the cost effectiveness of two interventions for disruptive behavior problems: First Step Next (FSN), a school-based intervention, and a multicomponent intervention that combined FSN with a home-based intervention, homeBase (hB). Analyses were based on findings from a large-scale comparative efficacy trial in the United States…

Children are being introduced to organized sports programs at younger ages today. The first experience sets the stage for how they may view their physical competency and acceptance within a group. In these experiences, frequently, the coach is a well-intended parent who may not have any background in coaching or physical education training. Dr.…

Background: Group singing for people with Parkinson's disease (PD) is an established intervention not only to improve voice and speech difficulties but also for emotional and social benefit. Less is known about the experiences of group singing on the couple--the person with PD and their spouse or partner together--and studies have not specifically…

This article describes a training course grounded in positive leadership theory for experienced online doctoral mentoring faculty. It includes theoretical underpinning as well as a description of required readings and weekly assignments.

Individuals with a history of gang membership face unique difficulties when transitioning out of gang participation and to alternative work. This transition can be of personal and social benefit but requires support to ensure that it is successful. Unfortunately, vocational supports for former gang members often overlook the psychological…