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This dissertation presents a qualitative case study investigating the influence of cognitive coaching on elementary international teachers within a southeastern school district. Guided by four research questions, the study delved into the experiences and perceptions of international teachers participating in cognitive coaching sessions, aiming to elucidate the influence of this professional development approach on instructional practices, classroom management, communication/language barriers, and the delivery of instruction. Through in-depth semi-structured interviews, data were collected and analyzed to address the research questions. Findings revealed that cognitive coaching strategies play a pivotal role in enhancing instructional practices, fostering effective classroom management techniques, overcoming communication/language barriers, and refining the delivery of instruction among international teachers. Participants articulated a deepened awareness of their internal thinking processes associated with cognitive coaching, highlighting its role in facilitating reflective teaching practices and empowering them to adapt instructional strategies to meet diverse student needs. Furthermore, the study uncovered both similarities and differences in the cognitive coaching needs of international teachers from various countries and sponsoring agencies, underscoring the importance of tailored professional development approaches to address diverse cultural and educational backgrounds. Additionally, international teachers identified specific areas where they perceive a need for additional support beyond cognitive coaching, including cultural competency training, language proficiency development, and resources for navigating administrative procedures. Overall, this dissertation contributes to a nuanced understanding of the influence of cognitive coaching on the professional growth and support needs of elementary international teachers. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Mental health issues among college students are increasing, and a better understanding of the issues may lead to more effective solutions. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore mental health culture at a college setting for first-year students by exploring communication methods used by students. Ajzen's theory of planned behavior was the theoretical framework that guided this study. Data were collected from personal artifacts shared by 12 participants followed by interviews to explore their mental health experiences, perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors. The findings from coding and thematic analysis were put into context by participant definitions of mental health, anxiety, and depression. Five themes emerged: (a) Community culture; (b) mental health stigma; (c) toolbox; (d) counseling services; and (e) mental health and student learning. Implications for positive social change may include improving the culture surrounding mental health issues and potentially optimizing the learning environment on college campuses. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

During times of climatological crisis, leadership is a crucial component of postsecondary education administrators' arsenal, specifically regarding their ability to execute strategies in action plans aimed at restoring the normal operations of institutions. This comparative case study aimed to examine how strategies in crisis leadership plans were implemented in Puerto Rico's higher education system, focusing on the experiences of key administrators in two higher education units who managed the response to the impacts of the 2017 Hurricane Maria. The conceptual framework for this investigation was grounded in Blanchard and Hersey's situational leadership theory and Bass's transformational theory. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 higher education administrators from two academic units who led strategies to restore the everyday operations of their institutions in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Data analysis was implemented through the grouping and categorization of codes with shared relationships obtained through qualitative analysis software. The key findings show that Puerto Rican higher education administrators leading the response to Hurricane Maria implemented multiple leadership styles to promote trust and security, used multifaceted crisis communications strategies, emphasized the value of resilience and security in risk and issues management, and adapted their institutions to be hubs for peace and support through community engagement. The results of this study emphasize the role of higher education in driving social change by adopting diverse leadership styles that enhance trust and security, thereby transforming institutions into community-focused centers of peace and support that are well-equipped to navigate climatological challenges with sustainable and innovative strategies. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

To increase student completion, community college leaders have focused on the implementation and sustainability of organizational change efforts, particularly guided pathways, since 2015. Although researchers have studied many different change efforts and types of change in higher education, the focus of this research was on describing guided pathways change through the perceptions of those leading the change effort. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand U.S.-based, public, nonbaccalaureate-granting community college pathways project leaders' perspectives of guided pathways organization change. Drawing upon Kezar's (2018) change macro framework theory on how colleges change, I further sought to understand how project leaders managed the ongoing change process using the subtheory of organizational learning. The research questions were: (a) How do community college guided pathways project leads describe implementing and sustaining organizational change, specifically guided pathways? and (b) How do community college guided pathways project leads use concepts from organizational learning in implementing and sustaining guided pathways? Data were collected via semistructured interviews from 16 pathways project leaders with a variety of titles and from colleges of varying sizes and geographic locations that participated in either a national- or state-based guided pathways institute model. The findings suggested guided pathways leads perceived that (a) reflection, both internal self-reflection and reflecting with others; (b) engaging with stakeholders, including engaging those internal to the campus and external college stakeholders, in the change effort; and (c) communication, both campus-wide communication and the guided pathways language used, mattered when implementing and sustaining guided pathways organizational change. Based on participant responses, Kezar's (2018) tenets of organizational learning were also found to matter to varying degrees when implementing change in their college. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Children learn more effectively when parent-teacher engagement is high and homeschool communication and collaboration are optimal. The problem addressed in this study was a lack of parent-teacher engagement in two Title I primary schools within a charter school system located in a rural area of the Southeast. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore primary teachers' perspectives on parent-teacher engagement in a rural Title I charter school system in the Southeast. Epstein's parental involvement model and Vygotsky's social constructivist theory formed the conceptual framework. Research questions focused on teachers' perspectives on parent-teacher engagement and strategies encourage this. Purposeful and snowball sampling were used to recruit 12 teachers at a Title I charter system primary school with 3 or more years' experience, fully certified, with a bachelor's degree. Semistructured interviews were conducted face-to-face and audio recorded. Thematic analysis was completed using Braun and Clarke's six-step approach. Four themes emerged from the data: (a) parents engage using their communication, collaboration, decision-making, and volunteering skills; (b) parent-teacher engagement is affected by community, culture, and socioeconomics; (c) teachers use parental involvement programs, teacher support, and school resources to increase parent-teacher engagement; and (d) teachers use students' culture and home visits to engage parents. In Title I charter schools, understanding parent-teacher engagement dynamics from the teachers' perspective is valuable for designing educational interventions. Policymakers may use these findings to promote positive social change, influencing policies and practices that enhance the educational experiences for students and foster stronger parent-student engagement. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Nothing is consistent but change, and that yields true to the educational landscape in the United States of America. Wlodkowski and Ginsberg (1995) stated, "Any educational or training system that ignores the history or perspective of its learners or does not attempt to adjust its teaching practices to benefit all its learners is contributing to inequality of opportunity" (p. 26). While studies have been conducted on educator preparation and its correlation to student academic achievement, the use of qualitative narrative inquiry on administrator and teacher perception to determine the gap between professional development conceptualization and implementation has yet to be extensively researched. This dissertation examined whether school administrators and teachers felt equipped to implement culturally relevant teaching practices in their urban classrooms and school environments. It uses critical race theory and culturally relevant teaching as the guiding theoretical frameworks to analyze the narratives of three principals and nine high school teachers working in a large urban school environment. The data from this dissertation was derived from participants' narratives gathered in one-on-one, semi-structured interviews and focus groups. These themes emerged: cultural consciousness, transparent communication, safe space creation, district initiative alignment, and insufficient preparation/ resources. Findings indicate that educators often do not see how the district equity mission aligns from a top-down structure and that a safe space for educators to collaborate is essential when implementing culturally relevant teaching practices. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This quantitative correlational study delves into the perceptions of Black students regarding the marketing and communications of four-year private universities and their impact on students' intent to persist to graduation. With a backdrop of declining college enrollment and graduation rates for Black students, this study examines the correlation between institutional marketing and communications and key psychosocial constructs--self-efficacy, well-being, and sense of belonging--which mediate the relationship between students and their educational engagement. Through an analysis of survey data, the study identifies distinct perceptions between Black and white students concerning institutional efforts and assesses the influence of these efforts on student engagement and outcomes. The findings reveal that while institutional marketing shows no significant correlation with self-efficacy, well-being, and sense of belonging, institutional communication holds a positive correlation with these constructs and thereby, with students' sense of belonging, choice of institution, and their intent to persist. The study confirms the Kahu et al. (2017) conceptual framework of student engagement, underscoring the importance of self-efficacy, well-being, and belonging as pivotal for a student's intent to persist. Furthermore, the research highlights the significant role that institutional communication plays in shaping student outcomes, advocating for a conscious effort by university and college administrators to foster an inclusive and supportive environment through their messaging. This study contributes to the understanding of the structural influences within higher education that affect Black students' educational experiences and outcomes, offering implications for policy and practice in institutional marketing and communications. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This qualitative study examined how elementary school leaders from K-5 schools in eastern New York addressed contextual factors in implementing and sustaining professional learning communities (PLCs). Senge (1990) posited structures need to be in place to create and facilitate collaborative communities. A complementary position presents organizational learning as a social process that is affected by contextual factors such as organizational structure, information, communication, and control processes, but that in turn affects the way individuals learn (Hedberg, 1981; Pawlowsky, 2001; Simon, 1991). Drawing on Senge's learning organizational (LO) theory, this research explored leaders' views on organizational structures, information, communication, and control processes in relation to PLCs. The study revealed that time is the greatest constraint for PLC implementation and sustainment, and contractual limits to school-day structures pose challenges to allocating adequate time for teacher learning. Staffing shortages are another key restraint, limiting teacher availability to participate in PLCs via released time during the school day. Despite these obstacles, PLCs optimize these limited resources by creating efficient structures in support of teacher collaboration and communication. The findings underscore the need for policymakers to support school leaders and teachers in creating more opportunities for collaboration and learning, moving beyond reactive educational reform initiatives focused on accountability measures. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

In English as a lingua franca (ELF) communication, in which English is used as a common language among interlocutors of different first languages, successful communication often features communication strategies that enhance mutual understanding and relationship management. Although prior research suggests that including such strategies in English language instruction could be beneficial for intercultural communication in English, few empirical studies have investigated the effects of ELF strategy instruction. The unfortunate result is a lack of evidence-based guidance for practitioners who may wish to include communication strategies in ELF-informed instruction as a means of meeting their learners' real-world communicative needs. This dissertation study developed and investigated the effectiveness of instructional materials and assessment instruments for teaching six communication strategies that have been reported in ELF descriptive literature. This sequential mixed-methods study employed a quasi-experimental design to examine the effects of the pedagogical intervention. Forty-three users of ELF for academic purposes (ELFA) at a university in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, participated in the study--28 experienced the intervention and 15 acted as a control group. Effects were measured in terms of participants' ability to identify and understand communication strategies in discourse (receptive skills), their overall ELF communicative competence including the use of communication strategies (productive skills), attitudes towards ELF and standardized Englishes, and self-reported transfer of communication strategy learning to authentic communication outside the classroom after the intervention. The results of three pre-posttests demonstrated significant improvement in the experimental group's receptive skills, some improvement of productive skills among experimental participants with low productive pretest scores, and no meaningful changes in language attitudes. Two participants who demonstrated large gains on the receptive posttest were interviewed to explore their self-reported transference of strategy learning to their real-life communication. The interviews revealed inconsistent transfer and complex relationships among their perceptions of ELF communication strategies, attitudes towards ELF and standardized Englishes, relationships with different interlocutors, including the cultural background of the interlocutors, and their transfer of strategy learning. The findings provide guidance for instructors, curriculum developers, and test designers who aim to provide ELF-informed instruction. The findings also highlight important directions for future research in this area. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Rooted in relational philosophies, restorative practices (RP) in schools are initiatives that seek to provide alternatives to exclusionary discipline. Restorative conferences (RC), in particular, aim to repair harm and reintegrate youth following a conflict. Despite abundant theorizing about conference benefits and hypothesized mechanisms of change, there is not enough evidence to support these claims. This study addresses knowledge gaps about RC acceptability, student perspectives on successful conference characteristics, and the socio-demographics of RC participants. Furthermore, this study examined students (e.g., conference participants vs. suspended students) to understand the degree to which RCs are linked to positive correlates of school climate and to explore the potential of conferences to serve as protective mechanisms. This mixed-methods study drew on survey data from 1,259 students from 9 schools in a large U.S. Northeastern school district serving students from low-income neighborhoods in 2018-2019. Students were categorized into four groups based on whether they experienced (1) suspension without RC participation, (2) RC participation without suspension, (3) both RC participation and suspension, and (4) neither RC participation nor suspension. Aligned with study hypotheses, there were no differences between non-disciplined students and RC participants' perceptions of adult and peer support, fair treatment across race/ethnicity, and self-reported social-emotional skills. This suggests that RCs may encompass elements of a non-stigmatizing, harm-reduction model, in which students contending with less serious conflict remain connected to adults and perceive fair treatment similarly to their non-disciplined counterparts. Yet, non-suspended RC participants were only slightly higher than suspended students' perceived adult support and fairness, trending toward a significant difference. Notably, the groups did not differ on perceived peer support or self-reported social-emotional competencies. Finally, suspended students with RCs, relative to suspended students without RCs, did not report higher positive perceptions of school climate and social-emotional competencies. Thus, these findings suggest that RCs were not associated with a compensatory or sufficiently reparative process for students experiencing the adversity of exclusionary discipline. In a similar vein, although most students' qualitative responses about RCs were positive, a substantive group held mixed perceptions, indicating that students see both benefits in conferences and room for improvement. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Career and technical education (CTE) has existed for over a century involving several legislative transformations, including a name change, to create a positive reputation in the educational community. Although these transformations have deconstructed some negative perceptions, it has caused a lack of awareness among parents and students. This awareness problem guided this concurrent multistrand mixed method action research study looking to increase familiarity, understanding, and interest in CTE programs at a comprehensive high school. Looking through the lens of critical constructivism, a nested youth participatory action research intervention was implemented where CTE students (i.e., student-researchers) were tasked as change agents to create a public service announcement to increase their peers' familiarity, understanding, and interest in CTE. In a quantitative survey, coconstructed with student-researchers, familiarity showed a significant increase (t[subscript 39] = 7.60, p < 0.05). During the intervention, qualitative data were collected and several themes emerged including students understanding the value of CTE when immersed in CTE and CTE having a concrete value that engages students in the classroom and beyond. Recommendations from this study included exposing students to the benefits of CTE early and often and the positive effect student agency has in raising familiarity with CTE programming. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

A disproportionate number of preservice elementary teachers exhibit high levels of math anxiety (Reid et al., 2018). Not only does this inhibit their ability to understand mathematical concepts, but it also negatively impacts their pedagogical approach to math (Beilock & Maloney, 2015; Reid et al., 2018). Teachers who experience math anxiety encounter challenges when it comes to effectively explaining concepts, including the appropriate use of mathematical vocabulary. The use of mathematical language, which includes content specific vocabulary, holds significant importance in shaping students' comprehension of concepts (Riccomini et al., 2015). However, the relationship between math anxiety and correct usage of mathematical vocabulary is a relatively unexplored area. This research used a mixed-methods approach to explore the role of mathematical discourse in enhancing the content knowledge of community college preservice teachers, facilitating their acquisition of mathematical vocabulary, and mitigating math anxiety. Surveys were used to evaluate preservice teachers' level of math anxiety and their beliefs about the importance of using correct vocabulary when explaining concepts. Data were gathered both before and after students completed a mathematical content course for early childhood and elementary education. Interviews with the course instructors were used to ascertain the degree to which discourse was used as a way to strengthen preservice teachers' math vocabulary and conceptual understanding. The findings revealed a decrease in math anxiety as students' content knowledge increased and confidence in their ability to use mathematical vocabulary grew. Students who found both the course and mathematics challenging exhibited a higher degree of math anxiety by the conclusion of the course. Furthermore, students found the class discussions in which they practiced using mathematical vocabulary invaluable for increasing their content knowledge and preparing to explain concepts to their future students. Findings from this research can be used to inform teacher educator programs on the effectiveness of incorporating discourse to increase preservice teachers' mathematical vocabulary and content knowledge and indirectly affect their math anxiety. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Nontraditional college students comprise a growing majority of college students with a unique set of needs and some of the highest attrition rates. Collaborative learning practices, such as peer review of writing, have been linked to improvement in students' academic, social, and professional skills necessary in the 21st century, global market. They are also linked to decreased feelings of isolation, fostering peer relationships, and contributing to a reduced attrition rate for the nontraditional student. Several studies show that peer review benefits can be corrupted by negative social factors, including lack of trust and psychological safety. Previous research also distinguishes between benefits of anonymous, online peer review over face-to-face peer review since the blind nature of online learning reduces social issues of lack of trust and psychological safety that can negatively impact the results of face-to-face peer review. The strictly online, anonymous setting, however, does not allow for students to practice a bona fide, live, social interaction, the very sociocultural learning theory grounding peer review, which considers students' interactions with peers vital to scaffold and contextualize learning. What teachers are doing to establish a trusting and psychologically safe environment in the remote-synchronous peer review of writing task, and how first-year, nontraditional students experience those variables, is an under-investigated topic. This study uncovers the communicative strategies teachers use to establish a trusting and psychologically safe environment and how first-year, nontraditional students experience trust and psychological safety during remote-synchronous peer review of writing. A report of findings, a discussion, and recommendations follow. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

An opportunity gap exists in the United States school system where students of color score lower on standardized tests and have fewer opportunities than their white counterparts. Culturally Relevant Education (CRE) theory attempts to close this gap, and is defined by Gloria Ladson-Billings (1995) as Pedagogy that rests on three criteria or propositions: (a) Students must experience academic success; (b) students must develop and/or maintain cultural competence; and (c) students must develop a critical consciousness through which they challenge the status quo of the current social order (p. 160).In short, CRE is the use of culture, rigor, and critical consciousness for students of color to achieve success in the classroom. This dissertation in practice examined the use of CRE in classrooms at a Colorado high school. A case study was developed through interviews, observations, and collecting lesson plans from teachers in each of the core subjects to identify and analyze how CRE is perceived and used in these classrooms. Relationships, diversity, intention, and administrative support were themes that emerged from the data that correlate to CRE framework created from the work of Ladson-Billings and Gay. Additionally, the themes of communication, disposition, student engagement, assessment and teacher accountability were present in this study but not prominent in the literature. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study utilized performance improvement theories, models, tools, and techniques to investigate why a new Instructional Design and Technology (IDT) Bachelor of Science program at a comprehensive university was experiencing low enrollment. The program was recently launched based on thorough research in the job market that indicated a high demand for candidates with a bachelor's degree in IDT; however, the program was only meeting approximately 50% of its targeted enrollment. Human Performance Technology was used as the conceptual framework for this dissertation in practice. The study included a review of relevant literature and extant data relative to the problem of low enrollment. Additional data was collected through interviews and focus groups with various stakeholders. The study included multiple phases of analyses to understand the gaps and root causes. The study revealed root causes relating to a lack of awareness about the program and corresponding career opportunities for graduates. Organizational communication interventions of developing a message campaign, multimedia content, and a social media strategy were employed and evaluated. Preliminary evaluation results indicated that the interventions were highly effective at improving the root causes related to a lack of awareness about the program. A confirmative evaluation plan to measure the long-term impact of the interventions is included in this study. From an organizational perspective, the study has implications at the program, department, college, and university levels. The study has implications for any higher education institution experiencing an issue with low enrollment in a program. The findings of this study are transferable and scalable to almost any organization that needs to raise program awareness. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The study investigated school-to-family communication efforts to improve daily attendance among economically disadvantaged students at the R Elementary School (pseudonym). Research questions during this study included to what extent does a 6-week school-to-family communication initiative impact student attendance rates and what are the existing organizational factors and communication measures that have contributed to high absenteeism among economically disadvantaged students? The attendance intervention incorporated three main parts: the researcher assigned members of the R School Mental Health Team to communicate with economically disadvantaged families with high rates of absenteeism when students were absent from school; created an attendance spreadsheet to track attendance updates; and led attendance meetings to discuss attendance measures with the members of the R School Mental Health Team. The researcher utilized a mixed methods study which included tracking data through a shared attendance spreadsheet, utilizing the W Public Schools (pseudonym) student information system, and distributing a pre and post-family survey and reflection form to collaborators and participants at the end of the intervention period. The attendance rate among fourteen students who participated in the intervention increased by 2% and the pre-survey and post-survey data indicated a slight improvement in family perception of daily attendance communication. Given the limited sample size and slight rate of improvement in student attendance rates, more research is needed in the areas of school-to-family communication in regard to student attendance. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a shift in education that necessitated that teachers adapt how they educate and communicate with their students. Previous researchers examined general education teachers' experiences transitioning to online teaching but did not establish how alternative teachers and the at-risk students they taught were affected. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the transformative learning experiences of secondary alternative teachers from the South Atlantic region of the United States who shifted from face-to-face to virtual instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Twelve semistructured interviews were conducted with alternative educators in the South Atlantic region of the United States who taught immediately prior to and during the pandemic. The data were analyzed using a priori coding, open coding, and axial coding. A spreadsheet was used to code, create categories, and analyze themes. Four themes arose from the analysis of data: Students experienced academic and socialemotional learning loss, teachers adapted relationship-building techniques with students, students did not prioritize academics during the pandemic, and teachers implemented technology and real-world adaptations into their curriculum. Findings indicated that participants experienced transformative learning when they engaged in critical thinking and discourse to adapt lessons and communication strategies for students during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, a lack of technology hindered some participants because they were ill equipped to engage in transformative experiences. This study is significant in that it has the potential to bring about positive social change for alternative teachers who struggle to meet the needs of their at-risk students when virtual learning is required. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Professional standards of practice for Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs) urge them to enhance institutional functions while leveraging education to build institutional capacity, but CDOs experience varying outcomes in their work. The current literature is limited with respect to how CDOs facilitate diversity learning and development experiences for professional staff in higher education. Adult learning theory argues for the implementation of intentional practices intended to drive developmental learning for adults: contextualizing the educational experience for learners, designing and delivering learning experiences that center the learner, and using assessment to provide relevant learning experiences that meet learner needs. However, it is not known through research how CDOs integrate adult learning principles into diversity education practices for professional staff. This qualitative study explored how CDOs facilitated developmental learning for professional staff as a part of institutional capacity building efforts. Eight CDOs from the northeast United States (US) were interviewed for this study. This study had three main research questions: 1) How is diversity and the value of diversity work communicated with the professional staff units? 2) What are the diversity-based developmental approaches of CDOs when working with professional staff units? and 3) How are CDOs assessing their diversity-based developmental activities with professional staff units? Adult learning theory (Hansman, 2001; Hill, 2020; Mezirow, 1978), Williams' (2013) Strategic Diversity Leadership Compass (SDLC) model, and Flash's (2015) Multicultural Competence in Student Affairs Organization (MCSAO) model served as the study's conceptual frameworks. Themes within the findings provide an understanding of key factors for how CDOs 1) communicate with professional staff, 2) implement learning activities, and 3) administer assessment practices. The study's implications center on how CDOs approach learning and development, how institutional leaders support their efforts, and how contextual variables influence their work. Recommendations for practice include enhancing professional training and career preparation for CDOs, enhancing resource and implementation planning, and increasing access to assessment tools and practices. Recommendations for the profession include professionalizing the CDO career track with attention to foundational knowledge and skills. Future research is needed for development of evidence-based learning models and assessment practices for CDO-led professional staff development in higher education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]