This quantitative study was developed to determine the influence tactic used most often by teachers in a small college classroom. It was hypothesized that the rational persuasion tactic, which is defined as "using logical arguments and factual evidence to persuade the target". (Fu & Yukl, 2000, p. 252) would be the most commonly employed tactic by…

Bayesian statistical inference within structural equation modeling was used to examine the influence of hypothetical constructs on the successful persistence of college freshmen to degree completion. The affects of three latent variables: (a) academic capital; (b) cultural capital; and, (c) social capital were compared between White/Caucasian…

This study holistically explores the experiences of two Latino/a undergraduate freshman pursuing or interested in pursuing STEM majors as they engage in an Emerging Scholars Program (ESP) Calculus I workshop; a mathematical community of practice recognized for assisting culturally diverse student groups in realizing mathematical success. The study…

Graduate teaching assistants are common fixtures on college campuses, and their roles encompass a wide range of duties, including supervising labs, working alongside mentors, and teaching a variety of beginner courses to students. It is common practice in the field of composition and rhetoric, for example, to employ second year master's students…

This dissertation revisits subject island effects (Ross 1967, Chomsky 1973) cross-linguistically. Controlled acceptability judgment studies in German, English, Japanese and Serbian show that extraction out of specifiers is consistently degraded compared to extraction out of complements, indicating that the Condition on Extraction domains (CED,…

In an effort to curtail the loss of Catholic identity at universities and colleges, Pope John Paul II issued a papal document in 1990, "Ex Corde Ecclesiae", which addressed this issue. The U.S. Bishops responded by issuing the "Application of Ex Corde Ecclesiae for the United States" in the year 2000. The purpose for the document is stated in the…

Almost 70 years after Abraham Harold Maslow suggested in his 1943 work, "A Theory of Human Emotion", a child's need to feel safe in order to thrive (Maslow, 1943), educational communities, still embracing his insight, find themselves continuing to grapple with how to keep children safe-from one another. The bulk of educational research focused on…

The purpose of this descriptive study was be to determine if there were differences in the implementation of professional learning communities components between elementary and secondary teachers and administrators. This study examined the relationship between demographic characteristics and teacher implementation of professional learning…

The purpose of this study was to better understand how an online, multimedia case study method influenced students' motivation, performance, and perceptions of science in collegiate level biology classes. It utilized a mix-methods design including data from pre- and post-test, student surveys, and focus group interviews to answer one primary…

The following study was conducted using a mixed-methodology study design. The purpose of this study was to determine if a focused school renewal plan would increase student achievement at Rural Elementary. In order to accomplish this goal, baseline research data was gathered using the What Works in Schools Online Survey (Marzano, 2003) to…

In career development research with racial/ethnic minorities, researchers have examined the cross-cultural validity of existing career constructs and theories, as well as culture-specific constructs such as acculturation. There has also been an increase in the examination of contextual variables, such as culture and race, in Asian American career…

The purpose of this study was to investigate four research questions concerning the impact of co-teaching on general education students educated within a classroom inclusion model. General education students who received instruction during their 10th-grade year in a co-taught language arts or mathematics class were compared with other 10th-grade…

Social integration in community is especially important for individuals with disabilities well-being. Although individuals with disabilities reside within the community's physical environment, they are often marginalized in the social environment. This may be the result of individuals with disabilities residing in physical environments that…

The lack of effective reading programs for middle school students has become a focal point for many school systems. Previous research in this area has been focused on elementary grade levels (1st through 5th), but few studies have explored the impact of reading interventions for adolescent students. The purpose of this study was to examine the…

In 2006, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell unveiled the Classrooms For the Future (CFF) technology initiative. The stated outcome of the program was to provide a vehicle for high school reform which transforms Pennsylvania's schools into a more engaging atmosphere that equips students with the necessary skills for the 21st century. The study…