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Current trends in today’s secondary education level lean towards a shortage of certified teachers and educators in all subject areas. As public and private school administrations devise new incentives and plan to recruit individuals to the field of education, preservice educator requirements and university curriculum demands continue to discourage and prevent aspiring educators from not only becoming fully certified but also continuing the journey of the teacher preparation and certification process. This qualitative research study will focus on Louisiana’s music teacher certification preparation practices within its universities and the effects of failure to successfully pass the Praxis II: Music Content Knowledge exam on future music educators. Additionally, it will show the impact of having non-certified music professionals teaching music/band in public schools in Louisiana. The purpose of this study is to thoroughly investigate the issue of Louisiana’s certified music educator shortage and offer research to improve preservice music educator preparation practices to increase the number of certified music educators within Louisiana music schools and programs. Multiple music educators and preservice music educators who have acquired certification through the means of a Louisiana music education curriculum or are currently seeking certification through the means of the State of Louisiana music teacher certification standards will be interviewed. Additionally, Louisiana’s university music curriculum requirements will be analyzed, and previous topic research will be utilized for the purpose of substantiality and reference.

This research study focuses on exploring the parental struggles that parents of children with disabilities go through when trying to access special education for their children in the educational system of Kenya. The study documents the perspectives of parents through analysis of data anchored within their struggles and experiences as they navigate the system of education to access quality education for their children with disabilities. Based on a phenomenological approach, the study focuses on a sample of eight parents of children with disabilities. Hogan’s (2019) Social Model of Disability and Medical Model of Disability help frame the study within the discussion of the experiences of parents of children with disabilities. The findings of this study are presented through specific themes, describing the personal challenges and experiences of these parents followed by an analysis of the same themes. These findings underscore systemic challenges in special education, cultural and societal attitudes and educational outcome and well-being issues faced by parents and their children with disabilities.

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to examine counselor perceptions of life experiences on clinicians remaining in the counseling field. The theory guiding this study is self-efficacy as it relates to clinicians’ positive experiences that supported them in counseling over time. In total, 10 state-licensed mental health counselors participated in semi-structured interviews with the researcher. The data collected was analyzed for common themes from all interviews. The common themes included the following: personal trauma, intrinsic motivation, faith, community building, theoretical application, and enjoyable activities. Counselors should engage in more positive activities to increase longevity in counseling.

The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to explore the perceptions of school climate as influenced by the implementation of a school-wide house system for staff and students. The theories guiding this study were Maslow’s theory of motivation and the theory of self-determination. The central research question for the study considers ways in which stakeholders, faculty, and staff implement a house system with the goal of creating a positive school climate. The intrinsic case study was situated at a middle school in southwest Virginia that had fully implemented a school-wide house system, and the sample consisted of five 8th graders, four staff members, and one administrator. The data collection incorporated an examination of physical artifacts, as well as individual interviews and journal prompts. An established survey given at the site was examined, but no quantitative analysis of the survey was done. The analysis of the data included transcription, and the development of patterns, themes, and codes. Data analysis also included observations, generous reading, summaries, and analytical memos. Cross-examination of themes and codes was also used, and logic models were used to help portray collected data. Finally, data was synthesized, and trustworthiness, credibility, transferability, dependability, confirmability, and ethics were considered. Five themes emerged from data analysis including holistic learning experiences, optimal learning environment, effective implementation of educational initiatives, cultivating a supportive community, and strategic alignment for sustainable progress. The data analysis and thematic findings suggest the implementation of a house system may increase positive perceptions of school climate.

The purpose of this study was to add to the dated literature by evaluating police patrol officers' perceptions of juvenile offenders. This study assessed the perceptions of police patrol officers, n=132, from various police departments in the United States. The quantitative design used a survey with responses measured on a four-point Likert scale. SPSS was used to perform a one-way ANOVA to test four hypotheses that predicted differences in individuals' perceptions of juvenile offenders due to their years of experience as a police patrol officer, education level, gender, and age (Hal- Ha4). One-way ANOVA results provided statistical support for only Ha3, which predicted that there is a relationship between police patrol officers' gender and their perceptions of juvenile offenders. Female police officers (M = 2.82, SD = 0.46, n = 22) reported significantly more favorable perceptions of juvenile offenders on average than their male counterparts (M = 2.45, SD = 0.39, n = 106); [F (1, 126) = 15.03, p < 0.001; d = 0.11].

The purpose of this study, “We Don’t Talk About Influence: An Analysis of Disney’s Encanto & Its Influence on Viewers’ Perceptions of Colombian Culture,” was to analyze the way Colombian culture is presented in Disney’s Encanto as well as to determine whether viewers of Encanto learn and develop a favorable view of Colombia and Colombian culture after watching the film. In this qualitative research study, 20 participants completed two questionnaires, which were used to determine their perceptions of Colombian culture prior to and after watching Encanto. The collected data was analyzed through the lens of the communication strategy of entertainment-education. This research bridges the current gap in the literature concerning the examination of how Colombian culture is perceived based on an artifact that accurately depicts the culture. This study contributes to the current base of literature in the areas of intercultural communication, entertainment-education, and movies as a form of communication. The findings of this study indicate that Disney’s Encanto did contribute to a favorable viewer perception of Colombian culture.

The purpose of this qualitative collective case study is to explore the perceptions of Black parents of middle school children concerning parental involvement in a Northeastern U.S. inner-city district. The theory guiding this study is Epstein's Parental Involvement Theory, which defines types of involvement: parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision-making, and collaborating with the community. This qualitative research study used a case study approach. This case study occurred in a Northeastern inner-city district. Participants in this study were 12-15 Black parents of middle school children in a northeast U.S. inner-city district. The researcher collected data through individual interviews, focus group interviews, and document analyses. Additionally, the researcher conducted data analyses based on Creswell by using coding, memoing, analyzing transcriptions from interviews, and analyzing notes. The data showed that the majority of Black parents of middle school children perceived parental involvement as important and beneficial, but some parents lacked time due to their busy schedules. Overall, parents’ perception of their involvement was impacted due to their role of parenting at home, communication with their child, and partnership with the school in shared decision-making.

There is an overrepresentation of African American youths at every stage of the juvenile justice system in America, from initial interaction with criminal justice to sentencing and imprisonment. This quantitative correlational study aimed to study the perceived racial discrimination of incarcerated African American juveniles by correctional officers. Statistics indicate that African Americans have a higher probability of offending and incarceration than their White counterparts. Some juveniles are serving long-term sentences, which may go well into adulthood. This study offers general knowledge on what experiences juvenile offenders go through, what promotes such experiences, and how these experiences can affect the population of interest. First, the results of this study may play a significant role in informing the criminal justice system of the United States on reforms to improve the criminal justice system of the United States to ensure desirable outcomes. The researcher used a correlational research design to describe correctional officers' perceived racial discrimination against incarcerated African American juveniles. The population of interest in this study comprises juvenile correctional officers with work experience of at least one year or above. The researcher selected a sample size of one hundred correctional officers using snowball sampling. The researcher administered a research survey through email to correctional officers working in juvenile facilities within New York State. The data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The researcher used the Pearson’s correlation coefficient test to measure the statistical relationship between correctional officers’ perceptions of discrimination and race and between correctional officers’ perceptions of discrimination and years of experience.

The purpose of this study was to explore higher education faculty’s perceptions of factors that influence dynamic decision-making when choosing opportunities for student engagement in asynchronous online courses. More specifically, this study sought to understand how faculty in higher education perceived these factors to prevent and facilitate dynamic decision-making when designing instructor presence, student-to-student collaboration, and student-to-academic content engagement opportunities in asynchronous online courses, as Garrison et al. (1999) suggest, for a community of inquiry. There has not been much focus on the dynamic decision-making of online instructors in higher education and a call to continue exploring factors that influence dynamic decision-making processes has been made (Stefaniak et al., 2021). The overarching questions of this study were (1) What factors do higher education faculty perceive to influence dynamic decision-making when choosing opportunities for student engagement in asynchronous online courses, and (2) How do faculty in higher education perceive these factors to prevent and facilitate dynamic decision-making when choosing opportunities for student engagement in asynchronous online courses? This qualitative study explored faculty’s perceptions through digitally simulated scenarios in the form of vignettes and provides insight into how faculty in higher education perceive factors that influence dynamic decision-making when choosing opportunities for student engagement in asynchronous online courses. Through a reflexive thematic analysis, the findings suggest organizational norms and policies, and personal factors associated with asynchronous instructors are interconnected and influence dynamic decision-making.

Delivering healthcare to Muslim refugee patients in a healthcare environment necessitates a profound understanding of their cultural and religious beliefs. The healthcare provider faces intricate hurdles in facilitating effective communication due to the diverse social, cultural, migration, and religious backgrounds within this population. Moreover, bridging the healthcare communication gap often involves grappling with gender-specific expectations aligned with how patients perceive healthcare delivery. To effectively navigate these challenges and enhance patient-provider communication, it is essential for providers to comprehend cultural norms, be well-versed in religious values and restrictions, and grasp the significance of self-care practices and connections to traditional and cultural healing approaches. The primary goal of this study was to expand on the knowledge about Muslim refugee women’s healthcare experiences in the US, their perceptions of interpersonal clinical interactions with their providers, and the influence of those experiences and perceptions on their self-care. Methods included qualitative analyses of the patient-provider communication experiences and perceptions, religious and cultural influence on self-care, and concepts emerging from the narratives of 10 Muslim women refugee patients. Analysis of the narratives led to explain the challenges patients faced in managing their health, communicating with healthcare providers, fostering a connection with their faith (Allah), and dealing with health conditions. The study provides a narrative that shifts power to Muslim women refugee patients and their agency of mentioning the need for healthcare providers to possess a broader understanding and knowledge of refugee communities' healthcare requirements. Further discussion of the analysis led to the creation of the Refugee Women Coordinated Centered Care Model which addresses the intercultural barriers and bridges the communication gap to provide cultural safety and self-empowerment to Muslim refugee women to practice culturally and religiously appropriate self-care methods.

The purpose of this exploratory case study was to explore nontraditional community college students' experiences with student support services, their connectedness to the institutions, and their overall satisfaction with the institution. Tinto’s integration framework guided this study to test connectedness and its association with student retention rates. The central research question for this study was: What are nontraditional community college students' perceptions of their overall satisfaction with the institution? The study was conducted at Waynesboro Community College in Waynesboro, NC. The purposeful sample size selected included 10 nontraditional students as research participants. The triangulation of data collection methods used in this study consisted of an interview, journal prompts, and a questionnaire. The data also included field notes and memos were also analyzed by finding commonalities in categories through coding, common themes, and phrases that were synthesized to address the research questions using exploratory analysis. Results indicated that nontraditional students do not feel connected to their institution and need support services that are unique to their needs. Four themes were identified in this study: 1) nontraditional student connectedness is not strong within the college, 2) nontraditional students need additional student support services, 3) nontraditional students with strong academic relationships are satisfied with their college experience, and 4) nontraditional students have personal factors that challenge their success in college. The sub-themes identified are nontraditional students need more knowledgeable and consistent faculty members and they have personal responsibilities that affect their success and need more social interaction in and out of the classroom.

Views about what defines addictiveness, what symptoms are attributable to such a state, and what objects may be addictive continue to change and be debated. However, only three prior quantitative studies have focused on the perceptions of what symptoms indicate addictiveness, all of which used diagnostic criteria and focused on a narrow range of objects. Therefore, this dissertation aimed to 1) understand what is meant when individuals refer to something as addictive, 2) understand whether the object being discussed changes the perceived meaning of addictiveness or the amount of distress expected, and 3) understand which factors may be correlates of the above perceptions. Results from a qualitative study (N = 1,123) suggested eight themes, and 18 subthemes, of potential indicators of addictiveness, which slightly resembled diagnostic criteria. These responses were translated into a Perceived Addictiveness measure to allow for better understanding of these perceptions. Using undergraduate (N = 155) and national (N = 500) samples, factor analyses showed a consistent three-factor structure for the 24 presented objects in terms of Levels of Addictiveness: Recognized Addictions, Technological objects, and Sexual objects. Correlation and MANCOVA analyses revealed variability regarding which Indicators of Addictiveness were perceived to suggest the addictiveness of objects and object categories, impacted by multiple demographics. Overall, these results show that the type of object considered affects which indicators suggest addictiveness, and religiousness and personal addiction experience often affect this relationship. As such, researchers, clinicians, and policymakers should be aware of biases related to perceptions of addictiveness in their work, be thoughtful about their use of this term, and take time to better understand the nuances in these perceptions.

This study explored faculty members’ perceptions of students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at a public four-year institution of higher education. As previous researchers suggest, the number of children aged six to seventeen identified with autism spectrum disorder in public schools increased by approximately 90% between 1994 and 2006 (Zager et al., 2013). As a result, the number of students on the autism spectrum who are entering college has grown exponentially over the past few decades. Therefore, it is imperative to continue to expand our knowledge of how faculty members ensure that students with autism spectrum disorder engage in their learning, interact with the course material, and connect with fellow classmates. Although previous studies have addressed various aspects of the learning needs of students with invisible disabilities (Gunn & Delafield-Butt, 2016; Schindler & Kientz, 2013; Hewitt, 2011; Scott & Gregg, 2000; Rush, 2011; Morrison, Sansosti, & Hadley, 2009), there is a need for additional research with a specific focus on students on autism spectrum disorder. Key findings from this study examine how faculty members’ personal experiences with disability can influence their classroom environments, as well as how they overcome challenges brought about by a lack of specificity in student accommodation letters. This study lends itself to future research in understanding how disability is perceived locally (in the classroom) as well as globally (within society).

Background: Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) program is an effective non-pharmacological intervention for patients with COPD. It aims to improve quality of life, exercise capacity, and lung function. PR has been shown to reduce mortality and morbidity rate. To enhance COPD management strategies, it is essential to examine students' perceptions toward PR programs to determine the need for the implementation of educational courses about the effectiveness of PR programs. This study would also be considered one of the initial steps in developing a pulmonary rehabilitation education course in the curriculum of all healthcare programs at Georgia State University. Purpose: was to assess the perceptions of various enrolled healthcare students at a large urban university. Methods: The data used for this study were collected from three different healthcare programs at GSU using a convenience sample. Data were collected through a self-administered survey consisting of 38 questions on a 5-point Likert- type scale evaluating the perceptions. The survey was examined for face validity by respiratory therapy educators from GSU. Data was analyzed using the statistical program of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: A total of 178 participants from three programs. The majority of respondents were respiratory therapy students (43.3%); followed by physical therapy (39.9%); occupational therapy (16.9%). The study findings revealed there were differences in the perception of students regarding pulmonary rehabilitation. There was a significant difference in positive perceptions between students who had experience attending PR programs and those who did not (p=0.043). There were no differences found among students in familiarity with PR programs (p=0.060). Finally, there were no differences in the perception of students regarding the factors that could influence COPD patients' decisions not to participate in the PR programs. Conclusion: Healthcare students value and have a positive perception toward PR. The results of this study support the idea of the implantation of PR courses throughout the healthcare program curriculum. Healthcare students felt that they had an important role in PR programs, but barriers to participating and assisting in PR included their own lack of knowledge and clinical experience. They considered that there should be more teaching on pulmonary rehabilitation and that these should feature in both the curriculum and clinical. Further studies with a higher number of participants and different institutions are recommended.

Many educational systems around the world insist on applying an English Only Policy (EOP) when teaching the English language at universities without addressing their contextual needs. In Saudi Arabia, this problem leads to reduced satisfaction among faculty regarding students’ English level (Alharbi & Alqefari, 2022; Alkhairy, 2013; Alqahtani, 2020; Alsaawi, 2019; Alshammari, 2022; Altale & Alta’ani, 2019; Alzahrani, 2019; Elyas & Picard, 2010). However, the new educational transformation promised by Saudi Vision 2030 (2016) supports the Arabic language as a mother tongue for Saudis, English as an important language, and the teaching of critical thinking to respond to current global economic challenges. This creates a space for adopting translanguaging practices in English language classrooms by helping learners access their linguistic repertoire to understand, think, communicate, and learn the language (García, 2009). Recent studies at Saudi universities on faculty perspectives on translanguaging are limited in terms of context, participants, and methodology (Alahdal, 2020a; Alharbi & Alqefari, 2022; Alqahtani, 2022; Altale & Alqahtani, 2020; Alzahrani, 2019). Therefore, this qualitative case research examined the perspectives of six Saudi and international faculty members regarding translanguaging at a Saudi university. It answered the question: What are the perspectives of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) faculty at a Saudi university toward translanguaging, and why? Following the theoretical framework of sociocultural and translanguaging theories (Vygotsky, 1978; García & Li Wei, 2014), the study utilized interviews, focus group discussions, and field notes to collect the data. The thematic analysis (Stake, 1995) showed a positive position among faculty members regarding translanguaging. They called on decision-makers to empower them to participate in making pedagogic decisions according to students’ needs. Importantly, translanguaging could support the educational transformation of Saudi Vision 2030 through its pedagogic practices and its ability to support learners’ critical thinking. Moreover, faculty reported low awareness of translanguaging, which would require increasing their awareness of its systematic adoption. The study concludes with implications and suggestions for further research and teaching policy modifications to include translanguaging when teaching English in the classroom.

The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus, EMR) was once widespread in the lower Great Lakes basin but now exists in scattered and isolated populations. The Matthaei Botanical Gardens (MBG) population in Ann Arbor, Michigan, represents one of the few remaining healthy populations. Given the EMR's threatened status under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) due to habitat loss, anthropogenic disturbances, and indiscriminate killing leading to population declines, protection is paramount. This study aimed to gather information on the status of the EMR population at the MBG. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine continued EMR presence using a validated survey technique at a selected historic population site (MBG), (2) survey residents' attitudes and awareness toward the EMR around the MBG residential area, (3) understand the distribution of EMR near MBG, (4) develop educational materials for the residents. I conducted visual encounter surveys at five search areas to determine whether the snakes were present and evaluated the search areas for potential hibernacula. The field surveys confirmed the presence of EMRs at MBG in three of the five search areas, with the greatest number of EMRs observed in Area 2. I also developed a questionnaire and distributed it over mail with accompanying educational materials to 306 residents living near the MBG property. Results indicated that the distribution of the EMR population extends beyond property boundaries and into the MBG surrounding neighborhoods. A significant proportion of respondents had favorable attitudes toward the EMR than unequivocal adverse attitudes. Moreover, more than half of the respondents acknowledged the importance of rattlesnakes in the ecosystem. However, there is still a need for more progress in education and communication efforts to correct mistaken beliefs and reduce heightened risk perceptions about the EMR

Articles and videos on social media are major sources of misinformation. Yet there is another commonly viewed media form users encounter daily influencing their decisions and perceptions… memes. Applying the tenets of Fuzzy Trace Theory (FTT), I sought to identify how memes effectively portray the underlying meaning of information to social media users (i.e., “the gist”). Articles like those covering news topics displayed on Facebook News Feed were created to show no bias towards a topic. Memes were found on Facebook that corresponded to the topics of each article, either refuting or supporting the article’s topic. Participants were randomly assigned to either a control group that viewed no memes, positive meme group which viewed memes in support of the articles, or negative memes that refuted the articles. Results indicate negative memes refuting information are more effective at influencing a viewer’s decisions and perceptions of certain topics. Results also suggest that it is neither an individual image nor text within a meme influencing viewers. Rather, it is the juxtaposition of image and text forming a complete meme that influences an individual’s decision and perceptions. Overall, memes appear to afford individuals inferences that they later use during decision-making and perception tasks.

En 1973, la Cour suprême des États-Unis légalise, dans la décision Roe v. Wade, l’accès à l’avortement sur l’ensemble du territoire. Bien que la décision originale visait l’abolition de l’accessibilité différenciée de l’avortement selon le positionnement géographique des femmes, les décisions subséquentes de la Cour ont réintroduit cette différenciation en octroyant plus de pouvoirs aux États, leur permettant alors d’adopter des mesures visant à restreindre ou protéger le droit. Aujourd’hui, le positionnement géographique des femmes est perçu comme déterminant dans l’accès à l’avortement. Or, les études portant sur la perception et l’expérience de l’accès à l’avortement accordent rarement une attention aux réalités des femmes latino-américaines, qui représentent pourtant 25% des avortements obtenus annuellement. S’appuyant sur une recherche terrain auprès de 83 femmes résidant dans quatre États des États-Unis, la présente thèse aborde la perception et l’expérience de l’avortement chez les femmes latino-américaines. La thèse pose la question suivante : Comment les variations des restrictions à l’avortement dans les États étasuniens affectent-elles la façon dont les femmes latino-américaines qui y résident perçoivent et vivent leur accès aux soins de santé reproductive, en particulier l’avortement ? Ancrée dans une analyse géopolitique intersectionnelle, nous postulons que le positionnement géographique est important, mais que l’analyse territoire-pouvoir-corps doit aborder les marqueurs identitaires des corps – l’origine ethnoculturelle, la langue, la religion, l’éducation, le statut socio-économique et le statut migratoire – afin de comprendre les subtilités de la relation des femmes à l’accès à l’avortement. _____________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : avortement, Latino-Américaines, perception, santé reproductive, États-Unis, intersectionnalité, géopolitique

A decline in students’ motivation and engagement in learning can manifest in several ways including apathy towards classroom tasks, disruptive behaviour, and absenteeism and, if continued over time, school dropout. As such, student engagement is recognised as being key to students’ academic success. Student engagement is a complex and multidimensional construct with researchers yet to agree on a single universal definition. Early studies into student engagement focused discussion around behavioural compliance or physiological connection to learning. Following this, were definitions linked to active learning, emotional involvement and participation. However, more recent research extends this notion to explore and understand the difference between student compliance and student engagement leading towards conversations around agency. While much research exists to attempt to understand the concept of student engagement, a gap exists in the literature to better define what engagement looks like from the teacher’s perception- particularly in the primary school years (Prep to year 6). Underpinned by sociocultural and social cognitive theories, this study used phenomenography as a methodology to seek the perceptions of student engagement from primary school teachers. From the literature regarding student engagement, the study identified three research questions in which to guide the study. These questions focused on what student engagement was according to the teacher participants and how they engaged students through the strategies they used. The study also sought to explore the challenges that teachers proposed which influenced their success in using these strategies. [...]

This qualitative multiple-case study aimed to explore pastors’ perceptions of strategic leadership at churches in Virginia. This researcher sought to understand the strategic leadership of pastors with mission and purpose ways of growing thriving churches. This research defined strategic leadership as “the capacity to learn, change, and have managerial wisdom” (Boal & Hooijberg, 2001, p. 515) based on the Strategic Leadership Theory (Finkelstein & Hambrick, 1996). Declining church membership, attendance at services, or even closures is alarming (Felicetti, 2021), and this research may help churches facing such problems. A rationale for this study was to explore pastors’ viable avenues that may help improve church membership or attendance at services for others growing God’s Kingdom. Christian universities train individuals who are: Champions for Christ (Liberty University); Strengthened for lives of purpose, services, and leadership (Pepperdine University). Some individuals plant and grow various membership-size churches in the United States. Why do some churches grow extremely large numerically, and others do not? What are pastors’ perceptions of strategic leadership for the church regarding membership growth and attendance at church services? This researcher conducted a study at 11 purposively selected churches to try to answer these questions and others. Within the population, 19 participants through face-to-face interviewing provided essential data. The analyzed data revealed five themes as beneficial for how pastors may improve church strategies to grow thriving churches. This study’s strategic leadership data analysis allowed for advancement to the leadership study field of churches and Strategic Leadership Theory.

Despite the designation of music as a core subject by federal and many state education policies, instructional time for elementary music classes is disproportionately less than that allocated to other core subjects. The perceptions held by parents of elementary school children may indicate the extent to which elementary general music education is valued by the public, affecting the allocation of instructional time. At present, no research exists examining the views held by parents concerning the designation of music as a core subject and its role in a well-rounded education. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions held by parents pertaining to music education, which may affect the allocation of time and comprehensive curriculum in elementary general music classes. This qualitative phenomenological study analyzed responses collected from parents of elementary school students via open-ended questionnaires and focus groups. Questions gauged support for the designation of music education as a core subject, perceived effects of music education on academic achievement, and the ways in which parents defined “well-rounded education.” Responses were analyzed to investigate beliefs maintained by elementary school parents. Findings may inform advocates of music education as to levels of existing support, areas for targeted advocacy, and opportunities to increase music instructional time and resources. Implications for the field of education may include curricular reform and adjustments to instructional allocation across all subject areas.

This research explores the value of secondary packaging of luxury items and its impact on consumers’ post-purchase experience. Using a mixed methods approach, this research employed three studies to better understand this topic. First, qualitative in-depth interviews were completed with Gen Z luxury consumers who had kept their packaging after acquiring a luxury brand item. From these interviews, three overarching themes of secondary packaging emerged: packaging is considered to be an extension of self and an art form, packaging tells a long-lasting story, and five types of actions (i.e., keep, display, store, reuse, and throw away) are taken by consumers when it comes to their luxury brand packaging. Next, several luxury and non-luxury brands were pre-tested to confirm that respondents viewed Dior and Prada as equally luxurious, and Old Navy as distinct (i.e., non-luxury). An online experiment with a hypothetical gifting scenario and a between-subjects design was employed (1) to measure price assessment of three layers of secondary packaging associated with luxury vs. non-luxury brands, (2) to determine the type of post-purchase actions with packaging, and (3) to discover the respondents’ social media sharing behavior as pertaining to the different levels of secondary packaging. Moderating effects of luxury sensitivity, need for status, and product status consumption were also tested. Though the experiment found there was not a significant difference in dollar valuation among the three levels of secondary packaging, luxury secondary packaging did hold value for consumers. Consumers are more likely to post images of secondary packaging on social media for luxury brands than non-luxury brands. None of the moderating effects were found to have a significant effect between packaging layer and price. This research represents a start to understanding an important and understudied area of post purchase consumption of secondary packaging for luxury brands and how Gen Z luxury consumers interact with packaging.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the education of school-aged children in the United States. Schools were suddenly shut down and virtual learning became heavily utilized. Students who were in early elementary school (kindergarten through second grade) when the pandemic began may have been particularly negatively affected by online education because this is a time of important social and academic growth that is difficult to acquire in an online environment. Thus, the current research project involved interviewing nine 3rd or 4th grade teachers and fifteen parents of 3rd or 4th grade students about their perceptions of how the pandemic impacted and continues to impact their students and children. Specifically, on how the child’s academic skills in math and language arts were affected, as well as their social skills when communicating with peers and adults. Upon analysis, the results showed differences in perceptions between parents and teachers on how children were affected by the pandemic. Parents believed that their children were more negatively affected socially than academically. On the other hand, teachers held strong negative views of the pandemic’s academic and social effects on students. On a positive note, both parents and teachers were hopeful that children will continue to be resilient and will not show enduring negative social or academic consequences. Longitudinal research is needed to continue analyzing the lasting effects of the pandemic on children’s development and to further understand parents’ and teachers’ points of view.

Colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) is an underutilized healthcare screening that can be lifesaving. The research is a phenomenological approach to a qualitative methodology, to address the scarce research of healthcare leaders’ perceptions of the impact of social risk factors to CRCS rates within a large healthcare organization in the Midwest. The research question is: What is the perception of social risk factors from healthcare leaders toward CRCS uptake at a major healthcare organization in the Midwest? This qualitative study examines a collection of data extracted from an electronic web-based survey instrument directed toward healthcare leader participants of varying demographics and backgrounds who were provided an upfront social risk factor definition of: Housing stability status, transportation access, food supply, employment, education level, and literacy level. The study assesses how healthcare leaders in the current healthcare environment feel about these social risk factors and if they perceive them as affecting CRCS completion. Study findings help bring awareness to the medical community of employers, payers, healthcare providers, and health systems, which will become literature to support ambulatory practice workflow optimizations. Improvements would involve implementation of new training as well as resources for providers, staff, and patients. Based on the results, organizational change may occur, if financial incentives are available to pay providers for the extra time spent addressing non-clinical social risk on top of other medical assessments.

The purpose of this case study was to examine African American high school students’ perceptions surrounding potential student loan debt burden and its perceived influence on the decisions to enter HEIs. The purpose of this study stems from the current status of student loan debt as a significant factor in the decision-making process for potential higher education students as well as current students and those who have graduated. The central research question of this study was what are African American high school student perceptions of student loan debt, student loan debt burden, financial aid, and how are those perceptions influencing decisions toward HEI attendance? The research used a descriptive case study methodology and data collection included structured interviews, focus groups, and document analysis. Interviews, document analysis, and a focus group occurred with 10 African American high school students in order to gain further understanding of student perceptions. Participants were selected from a rural high school and ranged from the tenth grade up to graduating seniors. I aimed to discover and gain understanding of the significance of influence perceptions of student loan debt burden has on higher education institution decision-making in African American high school students. It was found that potential student loan debt was an influence on the higher education decision-making process for African American high school students. Students expressed concerns with potential debt burden and perceived potential student loan debt to be a significant factor in the decision making process.

This dissertation involved summarizing and critically evaluating principals’ views on students who have been traumatized and the treatment these students receive as a result of these perceptions. The main focus was to ascertain whether administrators’ upbringing has a mediating effect on the treatment of students being educated in an urban community. The central question focused on the views and perceptions of building leaders raised in urban, suburban, or rural areas and the impact of their perception of urban students who have experienced trauma. Sub-questions were designed to uncover the relationship between the building administrator’s life experiences and perceptions of disciplinary practices, the labeling of students needing special behavioral education, and the leader’s satisfaction while working with these students. The study was designed to determine whether implicit bias or negative perceptions affect administrators’ thoughts on suspensions, expulsions, arrests, and educational success. thoughts on suspensions, expulsions, arrests, and educational success. A quantitative research study using a survey was conducted to gather information from the administrators on their perceptions concerning discipline, special education, and career satisfaction. The results showed there were significant discrepancies between urban-raised administrators and their suburban counterparts.

Purpose: The purpose of this integrative literature review was to (a) examine the experiences and perceptions of newly graduated nurses (NGNs) and their nursing managers upon their transition to practice during the COVID-19 pandemic and (b) recommend strategies to improve clinical competency in onboarding NGNs. Method: The Whittemore & Knafl (2005) methodology framework guided this review. This approach allowed for the inclusion of both qualitative and quantitative data, providing an efficient method of gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data that presented a comprehensive understanding of the problem of examination. Results: The perceptions of NGNs and their managers demonstrated two main themes: educational deficiencies and emotional aspects. Educational deficiencies fell under several subthemes: academic practice gap, difficulties with onboarding, and issues in direct relation to COVID-19. Similarly, several sub-themes arose from the emotional aspect, including: feelings of anxiety/fear/depression and feelings of being overwhelmed. The strategy recommendations that came forth from the pandemic fell under three main themes; providing NGNs with a supportive/accepting culture, educational structure/support courses, and a combination of educational and emotional support. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated already existing clinical deficiencies noted in NGNs furthering the academic practice gap at a time when practice-ready NGNs were most needed. However, the pandemic also brought about many positive recommendations, such as the inclusion of support courses to fine-tune needed skills and emotional support both during and out of working times that can help lead to a smoother transition to professional practice for NGNs.

Anthropogenic drivers of climate change are altering the nature of fires globally. Hotter, drier and windier weather conditions are contributing to lengthening of fire seasons and making ignitions easier in many parts of the world, including Canterbury, New Zealand. The looming threat of increasingly destructive wildfire events highlights the need for further research into wildfire management. One tool that has the potential to reduce or stop the spread of wildfire is green firebreaks. To understand which plant species are good candidates for green firebreaks, we empirically test their flammability, i.e. their capacity to ignite and sustain a fire. However, there is generally a lack of information of flammability on plant species found in agricultural landscapes. Additionally, flammability is potentially affected by plant physiology and phenology changes throughout the year, though again research on this is scarce. Filling these research gaps will benefit rural landholders, iwi, governments and ultimately assist with reconfiguring rural landscapes. While it is vital to produce such information it is also important to ensure such information is reaching those who need it. Hence, it is necessary to understand the perceived fire risk of rural landholders in Canterbury. This will help in indicating whether plant flammability research will be taken up and how to create science communication strategies which are effective and efficient. This dissertation intends to address both of these knowledge gaps by testing the shoot flammability of common agricultural pasture, crop and weed species that are found in agricultural landscapes in Canterbury, New Zealand across different times of the year and also investigate the perceptions that Canterbury rural landholders have towards fire risk on their properties. The results showed that lucerne (Medicago sativa) was consistently the least flammable species, whereas wheat (Triticum aestivum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) were consistently the most flammable species. Half of the species tested did vary in flammability across sampling periods throughout the year, while the other half did not. This suggests that species- specific plant flammability research is critical when assessing the suitability of species for green firebreaks. The species identified as being low in flammability year round were: lucerne (Medicago sativa), white clover (Trifolium repens), cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium); these would be good candidates for green firebreaks in agricultural landscapes. The survey found that the mean annual fire risk rating of rural landholders did not change across system type (dairy, cropping, or sheep and beef) or land type (flat, rolling-moderate hill country, steep). Furthermore, the mean annual fire rating was similar across all rural landholders, most consistently being scored as moderate risk. Of the sheep and beef farmers, the seasonal annual fire risk rating did not change across land type and showed consistent trends across each season with fire risk perceived to be highest in summer and lowest in winter. This suggests that as fire risk is perceived similarly across system and land type of the surveyed farmers, plant flammability research can be communicated in a streamlined approach to stakeholders, with relevant changes made where necessary (e.g. certain plant species will be grown in some systems more commonly than others). My study has identified species that are good candidates for green firebreaks and that rural landholders are aware of fire risk on their properties, with the seasonal risk rating of sheep and beef farmers coinciding with the fire season in New Zealand. Overall, this will help to redesign agricultural landscapes and take appropriate precaution at times of the year where fire risk is higher than others, depending on the system type.

Background. Effective HIV treatment and pre-exposure prophylaxis can drastically reduce the risk of acquiring HIV and prevent most future transmission, but these advances are not accessible to many who could most benefit from them. Advances in use of molecular sequence data to inform prevention efforts, paired with supportive interventions, have the potential to identify clusters of rapid HIV transmission and focus prevention resources toward areas of highest need. Although molecular cluster detection has been successfully used in other areas of public health, advocates for people with HIV have raised concerns about the application of this approach because of HIV criminalization, stigma and marginalization, and consent issues. Purpose. The primary purpose of this study was to describe the perspectives of Black and Hispanic/Latino same gender-loving men and genderqueer persons with experience in the field of HIV prevention about molecular HIV cluster detection. Additional goals aim to understand the ethical frameworks underlying these perceptions, and to document participants’ suggestions to improve implementation of molecular HIV cluster detection and response. Methods. This qualitative research study gathered information from ten key informants via semi-structured individual interviews, using a standard interview tool, to better understand existing opinions and beliefs in HIV prevention and advocacy communities. Data were coded using an inductive thematic analysis with Dedoose version 9.0. Results. Participants had varied levels of experience with this work, but all understood basic concepts including the potential value of this work to focus HIV prevention to communities with the greatest needs. Participants expressed a variety of perspectives. Concerns included HIV criminalization, stigma and marginalization, and informed consent. Suggestions included increasing transparency through additional community engagement and communication, and addressing HIV criminalization, stigma, and marginalization. Conclusions. Public health agencies need to better understand and address concerns about molecular HIV detection. Increased community engagement and communication around this work can help address issues of perceived lack of transparency and mistrust. Communication should include the rationale for conducting public health surveillance activities in the absence of informed consent, as well as health department data protections and local criminalization policies and practices.

ABSTRACT The school leader and teacher have the greatest impact on student success. The level of self-efficacy and level of preparedness is of the utmost importance for educators and students alike. This study investigated the perceptions of educators in the belief of whether they were adequately prepared to teach in a high poverty school. The participants, educators from four school districts, completed a survey based on their perceptions of their own level of self-efficacy and preparedness to work in high poverty schools. The results of this study are aimed at impacting educator preparedness to better understand how to best support students who live in poverty. The analysis through descriptive statistics and correlation analyses indicated an overall perception that educators felt well-prepared with limited supporting evidence to work in high poverty schools in the K-12 setting in the areas of student learning and engagement including curriculum and pedagogy, differentiation, and assessment. Educators felt a moderate level of self-efficacy, which indicated a need for professional learning in how to best support students in the high poverty setting in terms of problem solving when issues arise in the classroom. The implications of practice for this study indicated a need to ensure educators’ perceptions of preparedness to work in a high poverty school are at a high level and educators need to have a high level of self-efficacy to have a positive impact on student success. Future research should be conducted to pinpoint specific areas of need within student learning and engagement in order to determine how to best develop professional learning. Additional research should be conducted to determine if teachers with higher levels of self-efficacy and perceptions of preparedness are correlated to the leadership style of the school leader in place. Additional research should also be conducted to determine what specifically makes the educator feel a higher level of self-efficacy in the high poverty setting.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are a significant and necessary component of American higher education and should be treated and perceived as such. However, this has not been the case. Despite their lengthy track record of making significant contributions toward the advancement of Black people, HBCUs have faced discrimination. Additionally, despite their accomplishments, they have been subjected to heavy criticism in the media, suggesting there are some misconceptions about their value and relevance. This study investigates the beliefs people hold about colleges, how systemic racism and social pressure affect those beliefs, and the effects those beliefs have on social and educational outcomes.Using a bio-demographic questionnaire, individual semi-structured interviews, and two activities that resulted in files for document analysis, this study explored how systemic racism and social pressure influenced how 20 Black students (10 who attended predominantly white institutions and 10 who attended HBCUs) were socialized to perceive HBCUs compared to predominantly white institutions (PWIs). It also investigated where these beliefs came from and their social and educational effects. To ground the research, the study used The Cycle of Socialization, two tenets of Critical Race Theory (CRT), and introduced and applied a new theory, "The Cycle of Perception Formation." Several significant findings emerged. First, results indicated very different perceptions of HBCUs compared to PWIs among the participants. Although individuals were socialized to regard PWIs as discriminatory and unconcerned about the well-being of their students, they were instructed to see HBCUs as welcoming environments where they could connect with others, receive care, and feel included regardless of their race. Furthermore, people regarded HBCUs as challenging settings regarding finances, facilities, and academic standards, while they saw PWIs as establishments with superior financial backing, resources, majors and employment prospects. However, these beliefs did not always align with participants' experiences. In addition, findings also indicated respondents were more familiar with and had greater involvement in PWIs. This finding was primarily due to HBCUs being overlooked in-school when students were discussing which colleges to attend. Moreover, the findings indicated that participants’ perceptions of educational institutions were significantly influenced by various socialization factors. These factors included the influence of other individuals, mass media, social media platforms, the participants' surroundings, systemic racial discrimination, and societal expectations. Lastly, the findings showed participants placed the most value on five factors when forming their perceptions of a collegiate institution: the institution's display of concern for students' well-being; the institution's standing regarding academics, social life, finances, and racial issues; the institution's capability to fulfill the individual needs that were the most important to participants; the institution's environment; and the participants' personal connection to the college. The study is important because it makes several potential theoretical, methodological, and literary contributions. First, it contributes to the very limited literature on student perceptions. In addition, it offers a new theoretical application of Critical Race Theory, proposes a new theory, "The Cycle of Perception Formation", and employs a mixed-multimethod research design that incorporates activities into qualitative interviews. The study is significant because negative perceptions of HBCUs have called into question their relevance and value. This situation is concerning because HBCUs play a significant role in advancing opportunities for Black and low-income students. Any threat to their existence could pose a danger to the Black middle class, and limit Black and low-income populations’ social mobility and advancement. This research can be valuable for identifying how negative perceptions are perpetuated. In addition, it is significant for enrollment and recruitment, as it sheds light on how students perceive institutions and provides them with opportunities to emphasize positive perceptions and address their negative ones. To address the issues highlighted, the study's implications call for students, parents, and teachers to critically evaluate the suitability of a college, the process of selecting a college, and the messages conveyed about different colleges. These evaluations can help prevent misunderstandings and ensure the college selected is the best option for each student. Finally, it urges lawmakers, educators, and the broader society to reflect on the impact that messaging about colleges has on students and academic institutions.

Sexual violence is an issue every college in America must work to prevent. Critical race scholars such as Derrick Bell may argue sexual violence can be viewed through a lens of race because racism is ordinary and not aberrational (Crewe, 2021). Historical context can affect the perceptions racialized groups or populations have when discussing sexual violence, like Black students for example. Historically, Black men have been socially connected to hypersexuality and criminality (Baker,1998). This may affect how Black men view peers accused of sexual violence. Black women, however, have a history of being met with skepticism or disbelief when they disclose experiencing sexual violence (Brubaker & Mancini, 2017). Studies show the majority of rapes are intra-racial (Koch, 1995; Wheeler & George, 2001). Thus, how sexual violence impacts Black communities is important to explore. This study examines the following questions: (1) How do Black men perceive rape allegations made by Black women against Black men? (2) What impacts those perceptions? To answer both questions, I conducted a study where participants were presented with a hypothetical scenario. The scenario contained a hypothetical intra-racial occurrence of sexual violence in which a Black woman alleged a Black man assaulted her. Using inductive coding, I analyzed the interview findings using intersectionality and cultural betrayal trauma theory (CBTT). In analyzing the findings of 14 interviews conducted, I looked for perceptions Black male participants had of sexual assault allegations made against Black men made by Black women. Fourteen participants, who were enrolled in college at the undergraduate level at a predominantly white institution (PWI) in California, were involved in this study. Data was collected via virtual semi-structured one-on-one interviews. Findings revealed Black men had a myriad of perceptions about intra-racial sexual violence on Black communities. They were supportive of the survivor in the hypothetical scenario and identified key elements of the survivor’s dismissal as well as barriers to her disclosure of the assault. Participants also believed their Black male peers would have mixed reactions to the scenario, with some supporting and affirming the survivor, and others dismissing and invalidating the survivor’s experience. Participants noted the differences in such responses to scenarios included upbringing, media influences, reputation, lack of institutional trust, and other factors. Practical suggestions included an institutional change within the university setting to acknowledge elements of consent, coercion, victim-blaming, and other elements of rape culture outside of explicit conversations about sexual violence. This included revising particular Title IX orientations, creating courses to highlight these elements within their curricula, hosting culturally relevant workshops for mandated reporters, as well as Title IX officers and university police departments specifically, as well as implementing taskforces to strategically implement these suggestions. Suggestions also included incorporating newsletters to outline how sexual violence impacts different minoritized groups and incorporating more minoritized group resources into national sexual violence college prevention reports. Some also suggested incorporating restorative justice models within colleges & universities for students to establish systems of pressure to hold institutions accountable for making requisite changes to address sexual violence concerns on campus. Suggestions for future research include exploring the relationships between Black men and institutional agents (i.e., Title IX officers and police officers), Black men’s perceptions of intra-racial sexual violence allegations at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Black men’s perceptions of intra-racial sexual violence allegations at higher education institutions across the United States beyond just the West Coast, Black women’s perceptions of intra-racial sexual violence, as well as perceptions of intra-racial sexual violence experienced in other racial/cultural groups.

Teacher education programs strive to promote social justice and critical thinking among candidates. However, limited attention is given to ableism and disability rights. This study investigates how special education teacher candidates discuss disabilities and the future of students with developmental disabilities, as well as their motivation to work in the field. Ten candidates from an urban Hispanic-serving institution participated in semi-structured interviews. The findings highlight a lack of experiences beyond the classroom and emphasize the need for a critical framework and disability studies perspective in teacher preparation programs. Addressing these gaps can enhance the understanding and support provided by future special education teachers to individuals with diverse needs.

Youth sex trafficking is often an invisible crime, with victims hiding in plain sight, and identification wrought with challenges. Identification requires some understanding of what youth sex trafficking is, how trafficking victims might be encountered, what to look for when such encounters occur, and how to respond to assess risk and begin to intervene. Whether professionals and laypersons, both groups that may interact with victims, possess this understanding is largely unknown. The overarching goal of this dissertation is to provide much-needed knowledge relevant to identifying youth victims of sex trafficking. Study one evaluated frontline medical professionals’ (e.g., emergency and first-responders) ability to recognize situations highly suggestive of trafficking that they are likely to encounter in their jobs. Results suggest that general recognition of risk is high but recognition of trafficking specifically is low, and some professionals feel that their job only requires they address immediate medical concerns not broader needs of potential minor victims. The second study also focused on medical professionals, but did so from the perspective of survivors, who described how interactions with such professionals unfolded during their victimization. Findings highlighted varying levels of miscommunication and feelings of being judged by medical professionals among the survivors, who further reported that these feelings shaped their comfort with and willingness to disclose victimization to medical professionals at that time. Finally, the third study examined laypersons’ perceptions of trafficked minors, both in terms of whether laypersons recognized sexual exploitation and how much responsibility they placed on victims of different ages and genders. Recognition of crime occurrence was better with younger rather than older victims, regardless of gender, with older victims being more likely to be considered at least partly responsible. The studies, in combination, have significant potential to impact policy and practice, particularly in relation to improving outcomes for victimized and vulnerable youth.

Abstract The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore teachers’ perception of the impact of the switch to emergency remote teaching on students with disabilities during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, as well as the factors that helped or hindered their academic and social-emotional achievement levels and motivation. A secondary goal of this study is to add to the literature on strategies to improve the outcomes of students with disabilities in an online/virtual learning environment. An interview protocol that included semi-structured, open-ended questions was used to capture the perceptions of 15 special education teachers. Rich qualitative data were gleaned from interviews. After careful analysis of interview transcripts, three themes emerged, which influenced the study’s conclusions: (a) teacher preparedness and its impact on students, (b) the social and emotional impact on students and staff, and (c) the strategies for improving future online instruction for students with disabilities (SWDs). All but two teachers felt they were prepared for the transition to emergency remote instruction. There were variations in teacher experiences across the board, and everyone agreed that the experience affected their mental state. Each educator reported a commitment to working more efficiently should another rapid and abrupt switch to online learning occur. This research has implications in the areas of online education program funding, online curriculum development and implementation, online instruction and assessment procedures, educator qualifications, and training.

Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. To address this, many organizations employ diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) programs to aid in managing the impact of increasing prevalence. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the impact of two Upstate South Carolina DSMES programs on several process and outcome measures for adults with diabetes, while also identifying current primary care provider DSMES knowledge and perceptions in an Upstate South Carolina health system. This dissertation found inconclusive results on the impact of DSMES on PCP utilization, retinal exam screening, nephropathy attention, HDL, LDL, TC, and TG. DSME was found to reduce A1C and BMI over time. Additionally, providers were found to be lacking knowledge of the appropriate times to refer individuals to DSMES. Providers sought bilateral, closed-loop communication from DSMES teams. In general, further studies should determine if these results hold with a larger sample size. Additionally, primary care providers should be further educated on how, when, and whom to refer to the service. While national DSMES programs should aim to further incorporate primary care providers in the program.

This phenomenological qualitative study explored the perceptions and experiences of a group of U.S. public schools, kindergarten through fifth grade teachers, certified in general education with experience teaching inclusion--a federally mandated practice requiring schools to educate students both with and without disabilities in the same classroom. Much of the literature surrounding inclusion focuses on the perceived benefits of the program and children with disabilities' legal rights. The literature has a limited number of references describing the perceptions and experiences of teachers who are required to provide the educational services necessary for inclusion in the classroom. In this study, 35 participants answered survey questions about inclusion. Ten of the respondents additionally participated in follow-up interviews, providing nearly ten hours of dialogue and sharing narrative accounts of perceptions and experiences. The finding indicated that all participants verbally expressed support for the concept of inclusive education. However, with deeper probing, no participant relayed a positive personal account from teaching inclusion, yet, every participant identified multiple problems and/or experiences.

The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify which factors may predict the perception of family and consumer sciences curriculum (FCS) programs by administrators and school counselors. The study was centered around Kurt Lewin’s Gatekeeper theory, in which an individual or group acts as a gate through which information passes. Principals and school counselors were chosen as the sample for this study because of their role as gatekeepers in a school, deciding which programs are offered and which information is conveyed to students. A Likert-scale survey was sent to all Virginia public high school principals and school counselors. Data analysis followed a predictive correlational design, utilizing a multiple regression statistical analysis. There were four predictor variables, region of Virginia, gender, total years of experience, and knowledge of FCS content as measured by the Value of FACS in Public schools Survey; with a criterion variable of perception of FCS. Knowledge of FCS content was the only predictor variable that can predict both an administrators’ and school counselors’ perception of FCS. A multiple regression was used for statistical analysis. The linear combination of the four predictor variables indicated there was a significant relationship related to an administrator’s and a counselor’s perception of FCS. Overall results from the survey indicated both administrators and counselors have a generally positive perception of FCS. Recommendations for future research included replication in Virginia due to the low number of responses for a more accurate picture. It is also recommended to add district level staff, including but not limited to: CTE coordinators and directors, director/superintendent of student learning, etc. Decisions made by stakeholders in these positions also act as gatekeepers in an indirect way to FCS programs compared to administrators and school counselors.

Abstract Researchers have turned to human values as predictors for people’s attitudes toward immigrants. Value- based studies may be effective in producing attitudinal and behavioral changes toward immigrants, as people can be receptive to universal values. The current study compared differences between human values (e.g., benevolence, universalism, power, and achievement) on people’s perceptions toward immigrants. A total sample of 250 participants was collected for the current study. Each participant was randomly assigned to one group (control group, universalism value prime, benevolence value prime, power value prime, or achievement value prime). All participants were given a demographics questionnaire, followed by a task priming value saliency, a manipulation check, and lastly a questionnaire which assessed their perceptions towards immigrants. One-way ANOVAs among the value groups (achievement, benevolence, power, and universalism), along with planned contrasts, revealed no statistically significant differences between any of the value groups, across the composite scale and subscales (realistic and symbolic threat). Post Hoc LSD tests revealed that those who identified as White were much more likely, on average, to perceive immigrants as threats compared to Blacks and Hispanics, suggesting differences in perception from an ethnic background.

The aim of this qualitative research study was to examine parents’ perceptions of the effectiveness of synchronous and asynchronous online learning at an urban/suburban elementary school during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second goal of this research study was to add to the literature on online learning models through gathering valuable information regarding synchronous and asynchronous online instructional models. The following 3 major themes emerged during the data collection phase of this study: quality of instruction, parental support, and student motivation. Parents overwhelming believed that the quality of instruction was far superior in fall 2020 when the school employed a live synchronous learning model. Students were also more motivated and interested in school when taught under said model. By contrast, when the school was using an asynchronous learning model in spring 2020, parents reported that they had to provide a much higher level of support. Out of the 15 parents interviewed, 14 of them believed that the live synchronous model was much more effective than the asynchronous model.

The integration of technology into the classroom transforms curriculum design and instructional methods. Research suggests that the perspectives of teachers and students are not always in agreement regarding the influence of classroom integrated technology on learning motivation. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to determine if there is a significant difference in how teachers perceive the influence of technology integration on student learning motivation based on teacher gender, teacher weekly hours of computer use, and teacher years of teaching experience. The study used the Teacher Attitudes toward Classroom Computing Scale to collect data from 238 4th- and 5th-grade rural schoolteacher participants from low-socioeconomic areas to determine teachers’ views of student motivation when using classroom integrated technology. A one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze teacher perceptions of students’ motivation using classroom integrated technology, teacher gender, teacher weekly hours of computer use, and teacher years of teaching experience. Results indicated no statistically significant difference in 4th- and 5th-grade rural schoolteacher perceptions of the influence of classroom integrated technology on student motivation based on teacher gender, teacher weekly hours of computer use, and teacher years of teaching experience. Since teachers provide the classroom instruction and make decisions regarding the integration of classroom technology, further studies regarding the integration of classroom technology and teacher perceptions of student motivation to use technology may improve knowledge delivery and student performance.

Artist Marcel Duchamp once said, ``The painter is a medium who doesn’t realize what he is doing. No translation can express the mystery of sensibility, a word, still unreliable, which is nonetheless the basis of painting or poetry, like a kind of alchemy" (Moffitt, 2012). Just as there is a puzzling aspect of creating art or writing poetry, the aesthetic quality of mathematical proofs is a mysterious and ill-defined concept. Like many other subjective terms, it can be difficult to reach a consensus on what elegance means in a mathematical context. In this thesis, I try to better understand faculty and graduate students’ perceptions of elegance in mathematical proofs. To do this, I conducted an international cross-case analysis that involved participants from three groups: graduate students studying mathematics in the United States, graduate students studying mathematics in Ghana, Africa, and research faculty of mathematics in the United States. My goals in this thesis were to learn how participants perceive elegance in proofs, better understand how participants’ perceptions of elegance compare to their perception of other constructs, such as surprise, creativity, and rigor, and determine which proof constructs our participants seem to value most. I gathered data from each group and compared these three goals amongst all three groups.

This descriptive study explored the perceptions of Ohio agriscience education teachers on mental health wellness in their schools. This study will specifically focus on agricultural education teachers’ perceptions, roles, and impacts of their program on student mental health wellness. The purpose of this study of this study is to explore School Based Agricultural Education teacher’s perceptions of mental health among their agricultural education students. Participant data were collected from Ohio School Based Agricultural Education teachers who are currently teaching in the pathway AO Agribusiness and Production Systems. The results indicated that schools do not go beyond supporting the student within school, including their family and community, and that most teachers believe in supporting student mental health wellness. The results also indicated that teachers perceive students’ mental wellness improving because of their agricultural education program. However, conflicting views were found in agricultural education teachers identifying and supporting mental wellness. Future research should seek to explore data related to mental health wellness in other pathways in agricultural education, explore how teacher education programs prepare preservice teachers to manage mental health wellness in their classrooms, explore if years of teaching experience correlates with comfort level of managing student mental health wellness in classroom, and what additional resources schools need to promote mental health wellness. The results of this study should be used in teacher preparation programs and professional development events with school district and agricultural education associations.

Context: Running is extremely popular sport because of its accessibility, but due to its repetitive nature running-related injuries (RRIs) are extremely common. Adult runners were found to hold misconceptions about factors that contribute to the risk of sustaining an RRI; however, it is unknown what factors adolescent runners perceive to influence the risk of sustaining an RRI. The purpose of this study is to assess the perceptions of adolescent runners on the influence of footwear, training habits strength, and stretching on RRIs. Objective: To determine the perceptions of adolescent runners on factors that contribute to RRIs. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Online. Participants: 303 long-distance runners ages 9-19. Intervention: Participants completed on online survey containing 94 questions (21 questions discussed) about factors that contribute to RRIs such as footwear, training habits, strength, and stretching. Main outcome measures: Descriptive statistics of questions pertaining to footwear, training habits, strength, and stretching. Results: Most adolescent long-distance runners believed that shoes with less cushioning (n = 223 [73.8%]), milage of ≥ 300 miles (n = 170 [56.1%]), milage of ≥ 500 miles (n = 231 [76.2%]), transitioning to a new type shoe (n = 153 [50.5%]), increasing weekly running distance by more than 10% (n = 214 [85.9%]), running up hill (n = 103 [56.3%]), running downhill (n = 177 [82.3%]), training more moths per year (n = 117 [53.9%]), and running on hard surfaces (n = 233 [91.0%]) will increase their risk of sustaining an RRI. Shoes with more cushion (n = 232 [76.6%]), wearing comfortable shoes (n = 213 [70.3%]), cross-training (n = 235 [85.1%]), summer/preseason training (n = 206 [81.1%]), having strong legs (n = 248 [81.9%]), having a strong core (n = 196 [64.7%]), static stretching before (n = 191 [63.3%]) and after a run (n = 258 [90.4%]) and dynamic stretching before (n = 273 [85.4%]) and after (n = 144 [47.8%]) a run reduced their risk of sustaining an RRI. Conclusion: Adolescents’ perceptions of how factors influence running-related injuries are not fully supported by the literature.

Objectives: Teledentistry is an innovative health care delivery platform that can potentially improve oral health outcomes and access. The purpose of this study was to predict teledentistry utilization intentions of U.S. adults.Methods: This mixed-methods, cross-sectional study surveyed 899 participants from two independent samples in August and September 2021: Minnesota State Fair attendees and ResearchMatch. Data were analyzed using univariate analysis and multiple linear regression. Qualitative responses were coded using UTAUT constructs. Results: Univariate analysis showed statistical significance between each construct with BI (P < 0.0001). Multiple linear regression revealed statistical significance between PE and SI with BI (P < 0.0001). Qualitative responses corroborated quantitative results and revealed a lack of teledentistry knowledge. Conclusion: Participant BI was significantly associated with PE and SI. The general lack of knowledge suggests that intervention designs building on PE and SI could help develop educational or marketing strategies to increase teledentistry uptake.

The study of race and public perceptions of the police has been a staple of policing research in the United States since the 1960s. Reinvigorated periodically by events that enhance public scrutiny of police-community relations, researchers have continuously investigated the nature and extent of racial differences in public perceptions. Collectively, these studies can be viewed as comprising a research paradigm—that is, an implicit body of intertwined theoretical and methodological beliefs directing scientific inquiry—that encourages scholars to examine the factors underlying discord between the police and the Black communities they serve. This research provides an important foundation for understanding police-race relations. However, it is also characterized by several limitations that constrain understanding of Black Americans’ perceptions of the police. Most notably, the focus on a small set of perceptual domains has precluded the consideration of the full breadth of thoughts, values, and experiences of Black Americans as they relate to the police. In this vein, this dissertation seeks to examine the “other side of the coin.” Using a 2017 national-level survey of Black Americans’ perceptions of inner-city policing in the United States (N = 1,000), this dissertation assesses Black Americans’ empathy towards the police and perceptions of the service-orientation of White police officers alongside other traditional measures, including confidence in the police, perceptions of differential treatment, and preference for police activity. As such, this dissertation provides the opportunity to explore the complexity of Black Americans’ perceptions of the police. Additionally, the use of a large, national sample facilitates the examination of the magnitude of and variation in Black Americans’ perceptions of the police across multiple domains. The analyses highlight the nuances in Black Americans’ perceptions of the police. Black Americans were found to perceive differential treatment by the police, to express difficulty in seeing the perspectives of police officers in instances involving the use of force and racial bias, and to report limited support for police activities that uniformly target inner-city community residents. Simultaneously, however, Black Americans expressed concern for the safety and well-being of officers, reported confidence in the police to do their job well, and indicated a preference for police activity to address known problems of crime and disorder. Notably, multivariate models of variation in Black Americans’ perceptions suggest substantial consensus in these views with differences produced primarily by individuals’ prior contact with the police. Collectively, these findings highlight the rationality of Black Americans’ perceptions of the police, with perspectives aligning with long-standing academic and public policy discussions on the balance between police effectiveness and police equity. Attaining this balance will require the continued tracking of police practices and the assessment of Black Americans’ views of those practices. The findings emphasize the importance of integrating questions in these assessments that are designed to capture nuances in Black Americans’ thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Indeed, without consideration of the “other side of the coin,” police agencies risk relying on truncated representations of Black Americans’ perceptions to inform their practices.

The practical sense of business in female entrepreneurship as it relates to the concept of intrinsic and extrinsic creative behaviors of female entrepreneurs working in the United States is the main focus of this study. The field of female entrepreneurship is growing with the participation of women with or without full-time jobs in standard employment, with or without formal business education, and with or without equal access to financial resources compared to their male counterparts. This study aims to capture the definition of success and how female entrepreneurs perceive success. Utilizing convenience sampling, this qualitative study conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 successful female entrepreneurs in a major Midwest metropolitan area. With dual roles in work and family, the female entrepreneurs engage in a role of chaotic business management and self-branding with a quest for work/life balance. Their pursuit of a lifestyle business brings about a direction of working within an area of great interest, commonly called a passion. This passion allows for exploring what the female entrepreneur enjoys and a quest to produce a profit from that inspiration. Emergent themes resulting from this study are definitions of success, pandemic challenges, entrepreneurial credibility, social networking, business investment, brand management, creativity, innovation, profit design, and authentic leadership. One core result of this qualitative study is a theory called female entrepreneurial design. The female entrepreneur creates an organizational life unique to her personal style and business brand through personal self-care and professional investment.

Perceptions, or the ways in which people think and feel about environments and phenomena around them, are important for understanding health behaviors and outcomes. Crisis events, or significant changes in a person’s life that cause disruption to their wellbeing, may impact both perceptions and health behaviors and can be experienced individually or collectively. In particular, unexpected crises have implications for long-term health and wellbeing, especially if these crises are chronic or recurring. This work examines perceptions and stress in the context of two crisis situations: residential instability, or frequent change in address; and the COVID-19 pandemic. The first of these crises represents an event experienced by a household, or sometimes a community, while the second was felt across the world(a collective crisis). This dissertation examines the association of these crises with perceptions of healthy food environments (Chapter 2), perceptions of COVID-19 vaccine safety, risk, and benefits (Chapter 3), and perceptions of benefits experienced from a government cash transfer program (Chapter 4). The second chapter uses survey data to examine whether residential instability associates with changes in individual perceptions of healthy food environments. Here, results showed that while perceptions of the food environment were predictive of dietary quality, residential instability was not associated with a change in perception. The third chapter uses qualitative case study methodology to examine the characteristics of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and acceptance among low-income Black pregnant and postpartum women and Community Health Workers. Community Health Workers represent a trusted source of health information and are essential for bridging information gaps about the COVID-19 vaccine with Black pregnant and postpartum women. The fourth chapter seeks to understand the influence of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act payments on financial and general stress among Black pregnant and postpartum women. This chapter shows considerable heterogeneity in the benefits experienced from the payments, depending on other stressors and resource barriers burdening the women. These chapters illustrate the extent of heterogeneity in experiences of crisis and stress, and how perceptions play pivotal roles in some areas (vaccine uptake) and weaker roles in others (i.e., residential instability).

This paper looks into the undergraduate residential student perceptions of the on-campus public safety department at Rowan University. The goal of this study is to analyze the following research questions: a) what the perceptions of the residential undergraduate students towards on-campus police departments at Rowan University are, b) how students' perceptions at Rowan University affect their desire to file reports when necessary, and c) what the recommendations for the on-campus police department are to improve their relationship with the campus community. The study utilized a survey sent through Qualtrics to 5180 undergraduate residential students in February 2022. There was a total of 132 responses. Of this only 81 individuals completed the survey to completion. The conclusion of this was that students rated the services above average in most categories given, including overall perceptions in relation to efficiency, helpfulness, and level of care/support. Overall though it was indicated that students would like more opportunities to learn about the services provided and have more officers in visible locations.

Troll messages and campaigns are part of contemporary social movements backlash (Khan, 2020). So, this study aims to understand trolling of a contemporary social movement i.e., #MeToo movement. Precisely, this study probes how audiences perceive trolling of #MeToo that they encounter. To respond to this question, I conducted in-depth interviews of 22 research participants whose ages ranged from 22-63. Built on data analysis, three important categories of perceptions of trolling emerged. They are, i) trolling as dialogic- engaging in dialogue and discussion, ii) trolling as discursive closure – used to suppress the voices of victim/survivor and #MeToo movement, and iii) trolling as enigmatic- difficult to understand as sexual assault is a complex situation. The first two categories are contrasting in their views as one is considered valuable while the other is considered detrimental to #MeToo. The third category participants pointed out about the complexities of sexual assault/harassment situations and could not adequately interpret the purpose of trolling. It is also important to note that most of the participants (five out of seven) who viewed ‘trolling as dialogic’ were men. Whereas most of the participants (six out of seven) who viewed ‘trolling as discursive closure’ claimed to be an activist or activist ally. So, based on the first two categories of perceptions of trolling and the dimensions of gender and advocacy that play into these perceptions I argue that trolling is perceived as an inherent part of online interaction informed by power struggle due to conflicting personal, political, or social opinions. This perception of trolling is indicative of polarization of social media and perhaps enables the sectarian animosity on these networking sites. And trolling therefore, can be designated as a political problem of the modern society.