This dissertation examines socialization practices in the academy in three separate studies. The first study considers the general absence of women in mainstream undergraduate curriculum and examines the influence of introducing women exemplars into an undergraduate political psychology course that is not identified as "Women's Studies." The…

Study of the language and literacy skills of individuals with Down syndrome (DS) has evolved over the past thirty years. Despite these advances, little research has explored the process of reading by incorporating an authentic text (i.e. storybook). This information is pertinent to assist in the understanding of language and literacy and the…

The goal of this study was to describe what motivates adult women enrolled in a community college to pursue higher education. Utilizing profile analysis and multiple regression analyses, this study investigated the extent to which gender, English as a first language, and age predicted the seven factors of the Education Participation Scale (A-form)…

This study examined potential differences between modern and postmodern teaching styles and students' perceived levels of motivation and engagement, using Christian high school Bible teachers and their students. Twenty-four teachers were categorized as either modern or postmodern in style using a Teaching Style Inventory (TSI). These same teachers…

Part-time faculty members represent the majority of faculty at public two-year postsecondary institutions. Utilizing part-time faculty enables two-year institutions to control their instructional costs and maintain scheduling flexibility. However, part-time faculty are diverse in regards to their employment preference, some prefer part-time…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the role of touch in the parental experience of having an infant in the NICU. Using a narrative analysis methodology, the researcher interviewed six parents who currently had infants in the NICU. Both mothers and one father were interviewed. Infant ages ranged from 24-28 weeks gestation and all…

Preparation for a career in the field of public relations (PR) is based on a set of unique core competencies typically found in liberal arts. Though PR professionals rarely gain business degrees, they acquire knowledge, skills, perspectives, and strategies well-suited to executive-level positions in business. Additionally, managerial positions in…

In this study, I examine what happens when institutional partnerships between schools and universities and classroom partnerships between adults and students are viewed as being situated within multiple, interconnected, shifting systems of networks. Using a feminist framework, I raise questions about what "partnering" means as I specifically…

The purpose of this study is to delve into, and further understand, the perceptions of higher education administrators when they experience having to simultaneously balance the issues of campus safety and student privacy. The research surveyed approximately 900 (with 147 returns) administrators who self-identified as having a role in incidents of…

A recent phenomenon in higher education is the emergence of the virtual university. Some observers have attributed its emergence to globalization and technological innovation. This dissertation study is about one particular instance of the virtual university phenomenon, the African Virtual University (AVU). The AVU initiative was launched with…

This dissertation examines an understudied group according to the American Council on Education: the tenure-track early career faculty (ECF). The focus is on the culturalization, socialization, academic culture, and emergent themes discerned from ten semi-structured interviews with tenure-track ECF. This qualitative bounded system case study…

Much recent research has described the development of innovative functions of "like" as a discourse marker ("'Like' they're trying to be discreet about it") or discourse particle ("Maybe it's 'like' a girl thing") and as a quotative marker ("He's 'like' 'I don't want to work until later'"). Comparatively little is known about how speakers acquire…

This study has tackled the thorny problem of closing the Student Achievement Gap (SAG) in California's elementary schools. To address that problem, an "Integrated" form of educational leadership called Transformational Instructional Leadership (TIL), a form grounded in "best practices" of Transformational and Instructional leadership, was…

Increasing diversity in education necessitates the incorporation of diversity-related curricula to assure student learning and development. Responding to the diverse needs of students improves learning and development for all students, which in turn fosters inclusive environments in education. Avoidance of conflicts sparked by differences…

This research compares differences between standardized test scores in problem-based learning (PBL) classrooms and a traditional classroom for 6th grade students using a mixed-method, quasi-experimental and qualitative design. The research shows that problem-based learning is as effective as traditional teaching methods on standardized tests. The…