Latino males are the least likely to attend, persist, and attain a baccalaureate degree compared to other male groups in higher education. Moreover, they tend to have the lowest degree aspirations of any major race or ethnic group (Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009; Driscoll, 2007; Swail, Cabrera, & Lee, 2004; Laanan, 2000; Kao & Tienda, 1998). To…

This project examined the practices of professional development in one Lebanese private higher education institution. The purpose of this project was to identify faculty perceptions regarding their professional development in order to clarify the areas in which improvements are needed. After extensive reading, the topic was identified and a…

Public education reform designed for K-12 and higher education exists to transform teaching and learning within the United States in order to graduate today's student. One specific initiative on the federal, state, and local levels is the implementation of Chinese language programs. Some of the Chinese language programs in the K-12 education…

This dissertation articulates a writing pedagogy based on a theory of "intermodality" to help writing instructors navigate the affordances and challenges of multimodal composition. Drawing from recent discoveries in neuroscience about how the brain makes meaning, I situate this pedagogy of intermodality--literally, "between the…

Alcohol use is a serious public health concern plaguing universities across the country. Drinking patterns, however, often form before the college years. This retrospective study explores the drinking patterns of 443 first- and second-year college students who violated their university's substance use policies and were mandated to a…

The number of individuals being diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased over the past 10 years. As the incidences of this disorder continue to increase, so does the need for general education teachers to understand the benefit of implementing visual inclusive teaching strategies for students with autism. A qualitative…

Speakers of stigmatized varieties are often judged as less educated and less competent than speakers of prestigious varieties. This can have profound effects on speakers' academic achievement and language assessment in schools. Linguists' efforts to destigmatize AAVE have included providing commentary in media outlets, publishing…

Research reveals that many teachers express a discomfort about teaching writing; moreover, there is growing evidence that professional learning communities can have a positive impact on teacher learning and performance. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the relationship between teachers' involvement in a professional…

University honors programs emerged in the 1920s, growing to over 1,000 programs in existence today. Honors programs provide enhanced educational opportunities to students who excel academically. University honors students are experts who effectively apply metacognitive knowledge, strategies, and experiences to enhance academic behavior. Although…

Social challenges tear at the fabric of the African American family, revealing complexities that identify a de facto leader, the African American woman. She exists in a chasm of overt circumstances which heavily influences her successes. The purpose of this study is to identify factors that motivated seven female African American community college…

The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) has invested time and money developing standardized achievement test score reports designed to give teachers data about each of their students' levels of mastery of particular concepts in order to differentiate their instruction. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which…

Concerns over fiscal and personal appropriateness for public retirement pensions have become prevalent within conversations throughout the United States. However, with some important exceptions (e.g., DeArmond and Goldhaber, 2010) limited research has focused upon perceptions of teachers who receive these pension plans. As such, the purpose of…

Learner motivational constructs of self-efficacy, self-regulation, and goal orientation in predicting successful student performance in online courses were explored. Thirty-three undergraduate students from the online courses Introduction to Educational Technology and Introduction to Education completed sections of the Motivated Strategies for…

The multiracial population is noted as one the fastest growing populations in the United States. This growth and need for providing a campus climate of inclusion for all students has implications for colleges and universities in their recruitment, retention, satisfaction, and graduation of multiracial students. The purpose of this study was to…

This study examined the effectiveness of interactive whiteboards on student engagement. Perceptions from 108 middle school students and one middle school teacher were analyzed to answer the research question: What are the perceptions of middle school students and one middle school teacher regarding student engagement during lessons using an…