Many colleges and universities are engaged in developing enrollment strategies in higher education that focus on student retention. Using concepts based on Astin's (1993) theory of involvement and Tinto's (1975) theory of social interaction, this study focused on how participation in recreation center activities is related to the academic success…

This dissertation is both an autobiographical and collaborative exploration of the complexities experienced by Indigenous women in their academic journey. But more than that, the entire study was conducted in ways that are in accordance with Traditional Indigenous worldview, Indigenous Storytelling/Oral Tradition and the role of women in…

The study investigates the relationship between ethnicity and performance in selected AP courses for years 2001, 2005, and 2010. Data was collected from College Board annual reports for all 51 states and for subject groups Mathematics, Sciences, and Languages. Results show the evidence that there is significant achievement gaps among male and…

The research presented in this dissertation studies and describes how technical standards, protocols, and application programming interfaces (APIs) shape the aesthetic, functional, and affective nature of our most dominant mode of online communication, the World Wide Web (WWW). I examine the politically charged and contentious battle over browser…

The purpose of this program evaluation was to examine the influences of the Link Crew Transitional program upon transition to ninth grade and the promotion of the developmental assets of bonding to school, safety, caring school climate, and positive peer influences. The research design for this evaluation was qualitative. Focus groups were…

Video-based eye tracking techniques have become increasingly attractive in many research fields, such as visual perception and human-computer interface design. The technique primarily relies on the positional difference between the center of the eye's pupil and the first-surface reflection at the cornea, the corneal reflection (CR). This…

Likert response scales are widely used in the social sciences, typically to measure attitudes and personality. This study seeks to understand the optimal number of categories to include in a Likert scale measuring attitudes. Therefore, the author examined four versions of an attitude measure, the Religious Motivation Scale, ranging from a 4- to…

This case study examined the pedagogical practices of four teachers of one public elementary school whose mission seeks to nurture and maintain democratic habits for participation in a democratic society. Historically, public schools have been charged with the duty of preparing young minds to live within in a democratic society and as such this…

The goal of all schools is providing optimum education for every student, yet across the United States that goal is reportedly not met. Parental involvement and engagement are the key explanatory factors in students' academic success, as shown in multiple research projects. However, few researchers have emphasized or developed guidelines on how to…

Student affairs professionals in higher education are expected to provide leadership in many ways on their campuses. Obtaining a more complete picture of the leadership characteristics of the profession is therefore important in informing those in the profession who provide continuing professional development programming and for those who teach in…

No single relationship in a school district has a greater impact on successful education than that between the school board and superintendent (Kowalski, 2006). The purpose of this study was to examine and compare perceptions of South Dakota public school superintendents and board presidents regarding collaboration practices for communicating…

Helping teachers to effectively use culturally relevant instructional practices can help the educational community close the literacy gap for African American males. This study examines effective secondary English teachers and their high achieving African American male students. Using critical race and sociocultural theories as a conceptual…

The size and dynamism of the Web poses challenges for all its stakeholders, which include producers/consumers of content, and advertisers who want to place advertisements next to relevant content. A critical piece of information for the stakeholders is the demographics of the consumers who are likely to visit a given web site. However, predicting…

Research is beginning to demonstrate that sophomores are unique in their academic and developmental needs, yet little is known about how college sophomores' satisfaction with their collegiate experience influences their persistence decisions. This study utilized logistic regression to predict college sophomores' persistence based on student…

Teaching and learning have been a focus of professional development for community college faculty, yet little is known about the impact of professional development on the instructional practices of part-time community college faculty. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the impact of sustained professional development on the…