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Research has recognized that a student's culture plays a role in how they experience an online learning environment, and many higher education institutions are challenged by retaining and graduating historically underserved students identified as a "success gap". For historically underserved students -- defined in this study as students of color, first-generation college students who are the first in their families to attend college, and students from a low-income household -- gaining access to, retaining in, and matriculating to post-secondary education can be a challenge. One factor to include in the assessment of the "success gap" is the increasing number of racially and ethnically diverse students, first-generation college students, and low-income students enrolling in online classes and programs. By acknowledging the presence of learners' diverse cultural backgrounds, instructors, instructional designers, and "designers-by-assignment" (DBAs)--an impromptu instructional designer--can systematically incorporate cultural values throughout the design and development process. There is a growing concern from DBAs, such as faculty and student support staff in higher education, to address the success gap of diverse students through more inclusive online learning design. Since the instructional systems design field has not been able to produce a more situated framework or consistent strategies for inclusive online learning and culturally sustaining instructional strategies, this study will explore the expertise of higher education administrators who are culturally inclusive subject matter experts (SMEs) and DBAs--specifically staff who work with the Ronald E. McNair Scholars program--to identify key attributes of inclusive online learning environments and culturally sustaining instructional strategies for higher educations' increasingly diverse student population. Since McNair Scholar staff are DBAs and SMEs in inclusive education and support of historically underserved populations, they could benefit from implementing instructional design models in their online learning environments. This exploratory multiple-case study uses the Culturally Sustaining Instructional Design model as a conceptual framework to investigate how and why DBA administrators in higher education incorporate inclusive strategies into their instructional design practices. The six major themes and culturally sustaining strategies found in the data include creating a space for authentic learning, creating access to learning materials, selecting an inclusive instructional approach, creating a network of support, clarifying expectations, and being flexible. Analysis also found that there were contextual factors and desired outcomes that influenced the DBAs' decisions to implement culturally sustaining instructional strategies. Finally, four thematic categories were discussed by the participants when discussing how they assessed their instructional strategies: Engaging with the Feedback Loop, Observing Changes in the Scholar, Measuring the Scholar's Learning, and Issues Identified with Assessing Effectiveness. Finally, I describe implications of my findings for each major theme found for culturally inclusive strategies: Space, Access, Instructional Approach, Network of Support, Expectations, and Flexibility. Working with first-generation college students, students from low-income backgrounds, and underrepresented minority students in higher education, McNair DBAs modeled culturally sustaining instructional strategies by making systematic decisions to implement inclusive online learning environments. This study contributes culturally sustaining strategies to the literature that are popular among McNair DBAs. Ultimately, the success gap will minimize if all online learning environments are intentionally designed for the inclusion of diverse students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Within U.S. public schools, achievement is not equal. Some groups of students have historically achieved greater academic success than others. There have been two major federal initiatives aimed at education reform over the last twenty years. These reforms have had either little or no effect towards creating equitable achievement among all students. One major feature missing from these federal education policies is social-emotional learning (SEL). Students who participate in SEL benefit in many ways, including improved social skills, higher school engagement, and increased academic achievement. SEL is an important component that complements rigorous academic learning. It also provides students with strategies for dealing with strong emotions, such as anxiety, frustration, and joy that occur during the school day. In addition to daily emotions at school, SEL also provides students, who have recently returned to in-person learning, with strategies to manage any stress or trauma associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Jefferson Elementary School (pseudonym) has two SEL curriculums. The primary curriculum is TRAILS to Wellness and the supplementary curriculum is MindUP. During the study period of October 2022 to January 2023, Students at Jefferson experienced lessons from the primary curriculum, TRAILS to Wellness. Teachers did not cover the MindUP lessons, but they did include some of its components, such as mindful breathing and utilization of a break space. Ethnographic data show that students benefited from the TRAILS to Wellness curriculum. The primarily Latinx population had success frequently discussing their emotions and learning specific strategies through movement. Initial data show that the animal characters used primarily in the K-2 curriculum, however, causes some confusion and further study in this area is warranted. Interviews of students and teachers show that Latinx students have also gained social-emotional skills. In the areas of self-awareness, students more accurately identify their emotions and utilize more specific language to describe how they are feeling. Students are also better at self-management as they have specific strategies that they use during the school day to deal with strong emotions. Data for social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making is less conclusive. Approximately half of the students interviewed reported skills in these areas, but data from teachers is more limited. In terms of academic achievement, data showed that students reported using their SEL strategies during academic instruction, which puts them in a better position to succeed academically. Additionally, some students reported higher engagement with school. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

A departmentalized classroom setting allows educators to focus their time on one content area, thus mastering their knowledge and craft in that subject area. However, many elementary school teachers are trained to be generalists who spend the entire year with one group of students, commonly referred to as self-contained classrooms. The problem addressed in this study is that through departmentalized instruction, many elementary educators are required to teach subject areas, such as literacy, in which they are neither specialized nor highly efficacious, resulting in less effective literacy instruction for students. The purpose of this case study is to explore nonspecialized (generalist) elementary educators' perceptions of how working in a departmentalized setting plays a role in shaping their self-efficacy in implementing literacy instruction. The theory guiding this study was Bandura's self-efficacy theory. This study was implemented using a qualitative instrumental case study design. Eleven educators without an English language arts content specialization certification participated in the study. Eleven one-on-one interviews were conducted, and seven of the 11 participants also attended a focus group. Interviews were conducted virtually, recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Data was coded and categorized using thematic analysis to answer the following research questions: how does a departmentalized setting play a role in the development of non-specialized elementary educators' self-efficacy beliefs for teaching literacy across content areas, and how do non-specialized elementary educators' self-efficacy beliefs for teaching literacy play a role in shaping their literacy implementation across content areas. The results from this study indicated a need to improve the quality of feedback and support administrators provided to educators, increase the quality of professional growth opportunities associated with teaching literacy across content areas, and establish a culture of collaboration. The findings in this study support the recommendation that administrators should provide effective feedback, administrators should support a culture of collaborative learning among educators, and quality professional development can enable teachers to expand their knowledge and practice. Future researchers should conduct their research with a different demographic, a larger sample size while strategically targeting a regional area similar to this study, or educators with a literacy background or different parameters for their experience level. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study aimed to analyze the lack of emotional intelligence in school-age children and how it affected them socially and academically in the school setting. Students with low EI could not recognize their emotions and how to deal with them properly, which caused social skill delays and low academic performance. The participants in the study were fourth-grade students in one elementary school. Participants completed a pretest before implementing social-emotional learning strategies and a posttest once treatment was complete. The Researcher used the EasyCBM Reading Proficient assessment to measure reading comprehension. The Emotion Expression Scale for Children was used to measure students' emotional intelligence. The Matson Evaluation of Social Skills for Youngsters was used to measure students' social skills. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The study was conducted to explore the influences of parenting styles on racial identity and academic achievement of biracial children in the Southeastern region of the United States. Despite the apparently growing number of Black and White biracial children, little research existed regarding the interactions with parents in the home lives and schools of these children. This basic qualitative study used the analysis of content to discover, describe, and understand parental perceptions of parenting styles and influences of parents of biracial children, specifically Black and White. Qualitative research allowed active participants to clarify and make sense of their own life experiences and perspectives. A convenience sample was obtained by posting flyers on information boards at stores, libraries, and social media sites. For the purpose of seeking an understanding, data was obtained through semistructured, open-ended, and conversational interview questions that were presented to seven interracial couples (14 participants) with Black and White biracial school-age children (5-23). The analysis of data uncovered themes by using open-coding. To assist with the organization of data, the software program NVIVO 10 was used. Results demonstrated that authoritative parenting was associated with higher levels of high academic achievement and identity development of biracial children, specifically Black and White. The study enhanced the knowledge base regarding the parenting style of parents with biracial children, specifically Black and White. Future studies may explore parenting styles on the academic achievement and identity development of parents who are from different racial backgrounds with biracial children. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This phenomenological study was designed to investigate the coping strategies of teachers with dyslexia. Six middle and high school teachers from three different states in the US Midwest and South were interviewed. Interview data were analyzed for consistent themes and emergent details. Findings indicated that teachers with dyslexia employ a number of strategies to mitigate their disability, they often utilize their childhood experiences as dyslexics to help their students, and that they believe they have increased levels of empathy for their struggling learners. For school and district personnel, the findings suggest that there are steps that can be taken to support teachers with dyslexia to help them further cope and minimize the effects of their disability. These steps include implementing professional learning opportunities to help teachers with dyslexia, providing teacher mentors, and considering appropriate accommodations to address work expectations. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This intervention mixed methods study used a quasi-experimental design to investigate the effects of an after-school book club on third-grade boys' reading achievement, attitudes, and preferences. During the 2015-2016 school year, seven third-grade boys from a South Texas elementary school attended an after-school book club in their school library as an alternative to traditional after-school tutoring. The nine-week book club was designed to motivate reading by incorporating the five components of internal reading motivation: perceived control, interest, self-efficacy, involvement, and social collaboration. In addition to reading and discussion, the book club also included adult male guest readers and a service project where participants self-selected books to purchase and add to the school library collection. Quantitative data were collected before and after the intervention in the form of reading assessments and motivation-to-read surveys. These data suggested that the book club intervention had a statistically significant positive impact on the participants' overall reading achievement. Qualitative findings gathered through voice-recorded interviews and video-recorded book-club meetings revealed positive changes in the participants' attitudes toward reading and reading preferences. Additional qualitative findings support prior research studies that suggest a social environment and collaboration can contribute positively to reading motivation. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Higher education institutions play an important role in the transmission of cultural capital which often emphasize the knowledge and skills that help students persist. Cultural capital is defined as the knowledge an individual develops over time from socialization that inform cultural skills and characteristics. According to the literature, providing low-income first-generation college students with the cultural capital valued in higher education supports their ability to persist toward earning a degree. Therefore, the researcher investigated which aspects of cultural capital among low-income first-generation African American female students utilized to help them persist through their freshmen year of college at a predominately White institution (PWI). Through qualitative research, individual interviews were conducted were students described characteristics of embodied cultural capital as helping them persist. All the students mentioned learning about college and how to navigate through college from their connection with advisors or positive peer relationships with members in their organizations. Furthermore, all the students referenced characteristics of institutionalized cultural as contributing to their college persistence. From their perspective either a parent or family member helped them persist in college. Moreover, all the students referenced accessing characteristics of objectified cultural capital by either accessing college resources on campus, accessing fine art material, or participating in cultural activities within or outside the college environment. However, no student stated the materials or these experiences helped them persist in college. Based on these findings, student participants identified embodied cultural capital as the key aspect of cultural capital identified by student participants as helping them persist through their freshmen year of college at a PWI. The researcher provided practical implications for college access leaders, school counselors, college counselors and advisors, to help bridge the gap between high school and college to support underrepresented students as they persist through college. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

"Language for Learning" ("LL") is an oral language curriculum that uses Direct Instruction (DI) methodology. DI is well researched, but only limited studies exists on the use of "LL" with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study used a multiple baseline research design, across four, four-year-old participants, to measure the effects of "LL" on the language development of young children with ASD. This study also measured the generalization of learned skills to the narrative language of the participants. Finally, changes in the participants language microstructure were analyzed throughout the study. A researcher-created acquisition probe was used to measure language skills taught in three tracks in the "LL" curriculum. A weekly narrative story retell was used to calculate two measures of language microstructure, and assess generalization of three language structures taught through "LL." "LL" instruction was systematically introduced across participants in a step wise fashion, over time, and effects on the dependent variables were measured. Results indicate that the curriculum increased accurate performance on the researcher-created "LL" acquisition probe. An increase in copula use was found in the language samples of three participants immediately after "LL" instruction was introduced, but these increases were not maintained throughout the study. Pronoun use in the language samples of three participants decreased during the intervention phase. Finally, while some changes in language microstructure were observed, a functional relationship could not be established between these changes and "LL" instruction. Limitations of the study and implications for future research are discussed. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between scheduling and first-year-high-school students' exam scores on the South Carolina Algebra I End-of-Course (EOC) assessment. The study compared existing empirical data from two southeastern high schools from the same school district using 4 X 4 block schedules from 2011-2014 and modified block (A/B) schedules from the years 2014-2016. The study results included Algebra I EOC exam scores from the 3 years each school was on a 4 X 4 block schedule and for the 2 years each school employed a modified (A/B) block schedule. South Carolina Algebra I EOC exam scores for first-time ninth grade students from these high schools were collected and analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used to report sample sizes, means, as well as standard deviations for each of the independent variables. Descriptive statistics were also reported for data from 2011-2016 regarding gender, ethnicity, and SES. A regression analysis was conducted to compare and analyze the mean differences of SC Algebra I EOC exam scores of students on 4 X 4 block schedules and modified (A/B) block schedules. In addition, the regression analysis was utilized to assess the relationship between SC Algebra I EOC exam scores and 4 X 4 block and modified (A/B) block scheduling. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

An equitable predictor of academic success is needed as nursing education strives toward comprehensive preparation of diverse nursing students. The purpose of this study was to discover how Sedlacek's (2004a) Noncognitive Questionnaire (NCQ) and Duckworth & Quinn's (2009) Grit-S predicted baccalaureate nursing student academic performance and persistence in the junior year, when considered in conjunction with academic variables such as previous college GPAs and the SAT. Three cohorts of junior year nursing students (N = 150) answered the survey, and their academic records were combed for previous college GPAs and SAT scores. After the junior academic year, these variables were regressed on junior year student grade point averages and persistence in the major (dependent variables) to determine predictors of academic success among this student group. Findings indicated that previous college GPAs were the most predictive of junior year success. These results impact the practice of nursing education in several ways, and lead to suggestions for further research. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the achievement of south Texas public school fifth grade students participating in gifted and talented programs compared to the achievement of fifth grade students not participating in gifted and talented programs in the areas of reading and math to determine if any differences exist. The study also investigated student achievement of males and females and students identified for free/reduced or full price lunch who were also participating in gifted and talented programs to determine if any differences are present in achievement levels. The researcher collected achievement data from fifth grade students' State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness math and reading exams. Data analysis results indicate that there are significant differences between students who participate in gifted education programs and those who do not; however, there were not significant differences when percentile scores were analyzed for the gifted education program participants when gender and socioeconomic status were examined. For all results, a negligible effect size was present; indicating the gifted education program had a minimal effect on the scores for the students participating in the program. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Students in the United States continue to struggle with fraction mastery despite the fact that understanding fractions is essential for further progress in mathematics (NAEP, 2008). This research project investigated the potential of using high-press mathematical discourse (Kazemi & Stipek, 2008) to investigate fourth graders' emerging understanding of fraction magnitude. Fraction magnitude refers to the measurement quality of the fraction, or how much of a given unit the fraction represents. Students who understand the properties of fraction magnitude have demonstrated a more promising trajectory for fraction mastery and for success in algebra (Fuchs et al., 2014; Schneider, Grabner, & Paetsch, 2009; Siegler, Fazio, Bailey, & Zhou, 2012). This study investigated fourth graders' reasoning about the measurement construct of fractions that emerged during a whole-class teaching experiment (Lamberg & Middleton, 2009; Lamberg, 2007; McKenney & Reeves, 2013). Students participated in solving tasks which involved fraction magnitude, measurement, and density. Design research methodology was used to carefully analyze the learning ecology (Cobb, Confrey, diSessa, Lehrer, & Schauble, 2003). The domain specific understanding of fraction magnitude was investigated using flexible design revisions based on student work and discourse which emerged during the unit. This was used to produce a fraction magnitude unit reflecting an actual learning trajectory of fourth grade students (Lamberg & Middleton, 2009; McKenney & Reeves, 2013). An instructional unit based on developing fraction magnitude and measurement understanding was created and used in this study. The developed unit incorporated research-based findings on using the measurement construct for instruction (e.g., Fuchs et Al., 2014: Schneider et al., 2009; Siegler et al., 2012) as well as research based curriculum, such as the Rational Number Project (Behr, Cramer, Harel, Lesh, & Post, 1979). Data was collected from each teaching episode. The lessons were video recorded, student work was documented and analyzed, and teacher/researcher interviews, as well as student interviews, were recorded, transcribed, and evaluated. An iterative design was implemented in which the data collected from one lesson informed changes made in the following lesson. The purpose of the iterative design was to test emerging theories and hypotheses of what was being understood and observed (Gravemeijer & Cobb, 2006; Lamberg & Middleton, 2009). The teaching experiment provided insights into students' reasoning during fraction magnitude tasks and how episodes of whole class mathematics discourse supported both teacher insight and student understanding. The realized learning trajectory along with mathematical mindset norms that emerged are documented. Implications for curriculum development and teaching fraction magnitude are discussed. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Parental involvement is integral to promoting a high quality school environment. A lack of parent involvement is a problem that currently exists in an urban, public elementary school in Texas. This issue is important because once the parents increase their engagement, the home school relationship can be improved. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate how pre-kindergarten parents at the study elementary school perceive parent involvement and how principals and teachers at the school can help parents improve their involvement. This study is based upon Epstein's theory of 6 types of parent involvement. This study examined parents' perceptions of the role of parental involvement in children's education and the strategies that schools may use to boost parental involvement. Over the course of the 9-month school year, individual interviews were conducted with 14 parents whose children attended the prekindergarten program at this school in Texas. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes. Parents considered their involvement to be important and appreciated receiving school information through phone conferences, newsletters, and an online portal. Parents also reported that health issues, time restraints, and busy work schedules were obstacles to being more involved. Recommendations for improving parental involvement included parent workshops on academic strategies and programming that is scheduled after school to accommodate parents' schedules. This study could contribute to positive social change by encouraging parental involvement at the study site. Additionally, this study could enhance positive social change by encouraging the educational sector to focus on building effective school/family partnerships. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study gathered information about disability services providers' knowledge, experiences, and practices in providing accommodations for postsecondary students with traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study surveyed disability service providers employed in a junior/community college system and one four-year institution in a southeastern state. Results revealed that the population reported adequate experience (one to five years) in the provision of accommodations for students with disabilities; also, they reported similar levels of work experience for students with traumatic brain injury. Participants also reported having received education related to traumatic brain injury derived from both coursework and continuing education. Participants reported higher levels of comfort and competency in meeting with and providing accommodations for students with milder forms of TBI and the lower levels of comfort and competency in meeting with and providing accommodations for students with severe levels of TBI. Participants indicated the need for more information on TBI, secondary effects and co-morbidities, appropriate accommodations, and other topics related to the provision of services and supports for students with TBI. Results suggest that participants are prepared and open-minded professionals: well-educated and experienced providers of accommodations and related services for students with TBI whom they serve. Participants indicated a desire for additional education and training to maintain high professional standards and job performance. Results confirm that expert knowledge, combined with experience developed over time, enable disability services professionals to meet best practices in the provision of accommodations to postsecondary students with TBI. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This dissertation focuses on the growing role of private, for-profit Independent Educational Consultants (IECs) in the college application process. Over the past two decades, an "admission industrial complex" of commercial enterprises designed to help students strategize about admissions and give them information about colleges has arisen. Some components of the complex, such as test preparation coaches and IECs, can also be categorized as forms of "shadow education," or private educational opportunities that exist outside of schools and largely benefit economically advantaged students. Use of such services features prominently in the intensive parenting strategies of upper middle class parents. This dissertation answers questions about whether IECs contribute to social stratification or mobility. To look at the influence of IECs on a micro level, a close focus is trained on interactions, tensions, and expectations that exist within familial and IEC-client relationships. Particular attention is paid to how families make the decision to hire an IEC, how they go about the selection process, and the reasons for why they are satisfied IEC with services. Data were gleaned from interviews with IECs based in eastern Massachusetts, IEC clients (including parents and students), interviews at a privately-funded organization that provides college counseling and mentorship to disadvantaged students, and observations at a conference of the Independent Educational Consultants Association. Data analysis was informed by an inductive "grounded theory" approach. Results show that clients highlight IECs' role as mediator, matchmaker, and personal assistant and downplay the role of IECs in using "connections" and "secret strategies" to facilitate admission as popularized in the mass media. While it does not seem like IECs play much of a role in the social mobility of the typical affluent IEC student, an examination of the IEC industry does highlight many of the ways in which socioeconomic advantage functions in the college admissions arena and may extend this privilege into adulthood and maybe even into the next generation. The IEC industry is only one contributing factor to the reproduction of privilege for affluent youths, but it appears that the impact on mobility could be more significant for disadvantaged students who receive pro bono IEC services. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

More than half of the Native American population has migrated to cities during the last 30 years resulting in a higher percentage of American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) youth growing up in urban areas than those of their parents' generation. The survival of the American Indian is no less a miracle when combining staggering statistics of poor health, lowest per capita incomes, and highest rates of infant mortality with educational outcomes that predict more than half AI/AN students will drop out. Students are at a disadvantage when the culture of their school is foreign or it marginalizes their cultural backgrounds. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of 20 Indigenous students between the ages of 18-28 who attended urban public schools in three cities in northeastern Ohio, a non-reservation state. The research questions explored a range of factors that may influence the perceptions, feelings, and beliefs of the participants with the central question being; how do young AI/AN students describe their urban public school experiences? Data analysis revealed three major themes concerning social, cultural, and individual teacher issues with several sub-themes emerging highlighting pervasive issues such as, bullying, alienation, learning difficulties, and overt racism. Interpretations of the data from the surveys and narratives resulted in three main recommendations: (a) increasing cultural competency of educational leaders and practitioners reflective of local ethnic and cultural environs, (b) maintaining critical support to local urban Indian centers, and (c) enhancing a model of teaching that enables personal connections with American Indian students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this study was to develop a research-based model for designing and deploying instructional narratives based on principles derived from narrative theory, development theory, communication theory, learning theory and instructional design theory to enable adult learning and retention and the effective transfer of that retained learning to practice (performance contexts). Findings from these five areas were used to identify elements to inform the development of a model for the design and deployment of instructional narratives. An instructional narrative is a narrative expressly designed for the purpose of enabling learners to alter their perspective, make decisions, take action, and acquire particular capabilities leading to a change in behavior. This research study examined narrative in terms of its use as an instructional modality. A modality addresses the manner in which information is encoded for transmission. This design and development research study used three interrelated literature reviews to build the conceptual framework to address the problem, develop the model to operationalize the conceptual framework, and to formatively review and internally validate the model. The result of this study is a research based model for designing instructional narratives that can be applied in higher education and organizational settings to enable learning, retention and transfer to practice (performance contexts). The model contains four steps: "Describe", "Operationalize", "Tailor", and "See". Each step contains three elements. "Describe" identifies the "audience", the "content to be learned" and the "environment". This output of this step is used by the teller (instructor/facilitator) to adapt the content (contextualize through story) for the audience (learners/listeners). The "Operationalize elements of "roots", (prior knowledge), "significance", and the story "beginning, middle" and "end" are used to build the story. The story is adapted during the "Tailor" step through teller actions to "own, practice" and "tell" the narrative. During the final step, "See" the learners/listeners, "imagine, reflect" and "discuss" the narrative. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Domestic transracial adoption has sparked more controversy than any other type of adoption. For the purposes of this study domestic transracial adoption is defined as European American parents adopting African American children. Many of the studies completed are contradictory and fail to control for variables that affect the outcome such as age of placement. In addition, the goal of many studies has been to prove or disprove the success of transracial adoption practices. Much of the research has been completed with the adoptive parents or with adoptees in childhood and adolescence. There is a gap in the literature with adult adoptees who have lived the experience. This phenomenological study sought to understand the experiences of African American adult adoptees who were raised by European American parents in rural areas of New England. These adoptees were placed with their adoptive families by the age of one and were interviewed for this study in their early 20s. Through in-depth interviewing the eight participants in this study were asked to describe their experiences in the areas of family, school, and community while growing up. The participants revealed a strong sense of belonging and connectedness to their parents, communities, and schools. They appeared to have been protected from the realities of racism early in life in their rural communities, but this also created isolation from same-race individuals. The parents did not deny or minimize racism, and they made attempts to prepare their children for societal racism. The parents clearly supported their children when incidents occurred at school and for the most part school officials sent a clear message racism would not be tolerated. The participants could have benefited from being with other individuals of African American heritage. A stronger emphasis placed on developing relationships with multiracial families and/or families of color could have help with this isolation. Although there were concerns cited, the findings of this study suggest that overall the participants are doing well. From the participant interviews, recommendations for school and mental health counselors, adoption agencies, and parents were developed. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of the quantitative research study was to determine if participation in the Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) led to significant differences in the math and reading/language arts scores on the West Virginia Educational Standards Test 2 (WESTEST 2), between students who participated in the program compared to students who were not in the program. This study focused on the efficacy of academic intervention programs, and was intended to build on research in this area. The one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) data analysis technique was used. For the level of significance, an alpha level of 0.05 was set as the criterion. Pre-existing data was collected from the 2009-2010 academic school year. The sample size consisted of 336 students in GRADES 9, 10, and 11. Students were matched based on grade, gender, race, and grade point average earned at the end of their eighth grade year. In other words, the comparison group was matched by grade, gender, race, and grade point average of at least a 3.0 or above. The results from hypotheses one and two reflect that female and male students who participated in the program had a statistically significant difference in math and reading/language arts. Hypotheses three indicated that minority group female students (African American) had a statistically significant difference in math, but not in reading/language arts. Hypotheses four, five, and six indicated that there was a statistically significant difference in the reading/language arts scores of White female, minority group male (African American), and White male students, but not a statistically significant difference in the math scores White female, minority group male (African American), and White male students. For hypotheses three, four, five, and six the trend was in favor of the intervention services these students received from the program. The results from the additional statistical analysis found that there was a statistically significant difference in math and reading/language arts of the entire sample of 168 African American, White, Hispanic, and Asian male and female students who participated in the program as compared to the 168 African American, White, Hispanic, and Asian male and female students who were not in the program. This indicated that there was strong evidence that the Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) had a significant positive impact on the math and reading/language arts scores of all 168 African American, White, Hispanic, and Asian male and female students who participated in the program as compared to the 168 African American, White, Hispanic, and Asian male and female students who were not in the program. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Student resiliency refers to the ability to succeed in school regardless of unpleasant circumstances, such as poverty or abuse, and can be measured by the degree of presence of the following components: a sense of well-being, motivation, ability to set goals, development of strong relationships or connections, and stress management (Close & Solberg, 2007). Resiliency has been strongly linked to moral, cognitive, and spiritual development as well academic success, in students (Hanson & Kim, 2007). A growing number of studies have been conducted regarding the development of resiliency through social-emotional learning (SEL). The premise of SEL programs is that students can be taught how to become more resilient and therefore more successful. This study was conducted to identify the effectiveness of an intensive, brief SEL curriculum, the Discovery Program, on self-ratings of social-emotional assets and resilience of at-risk students at Victory High School, an alternative high school in Freedom County School District 1 (FCSD1). A total of 90 students in three cohorts began the Discovery Program in spring and summer of 2011. Of the 90 students beginning the program, only 45 students completed it. The Success Highways' resiliency inventory, a 108 item computer generated self-reporting assessment, was administered to students on the first and last days of the Program. The Success Highways pre- and post-assessment measured the following resiliency constructs: Importance of School, Confidence, Connections, Stress, Well-Being, and Motivation. The constructs were measured on a five-point Likert Scale. At the end of the program 35 student and 4 teacher interviews were conducted to explore their perceptions of the success of the program. Analysis of the pre- and post-assessments indicated significant increases in the constructs "Confidence" and "Importance of School" from start to end of the program. When comparing pre-assessments of students who completed the program with those who did not, students who dropped out of the program rated the constructs "Importance of School" and "Well-Being" significantly lower. Students who completed the program increased their overall resiliency score over the timeframe of the program but the increase was not significant. Analysis of the interview data indicated that the majority of the students perceived they benefited from the program. Teachers also indicated they believed the program was beneficial in increasing student resilience. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 have directly contributed to an increase in students receiving inclusive specialized instruction within the general education classroom setting. To accommodate these students, many schools have implemented the practice of co-teaching, or pairing a special educator with a general educator, to service both special and general education students. The purpose of this case study was to investigate which aspects of co-teaching teachers deemed critical to the practice of co-teaching, and consequently how the practice of co-teaching can be improved. The qualitative, single-case study was designed to analyze perceptions of teachers around co-teaching in an inclusive classroom where students with special needs and skills are included in the general education setting. Data was obtained through survey, semi-structured interviews and a focus group. Fullan's (2008), and Hargreaves & Shirley's (2009) organizational and educational change theories guided the research questions for this qualitative case study. 1. How do teachers perceive the effectiveness of co-teaching? 2. How may co-teaching be improved? Key words: Co-teaching, collaboration, inclusion, communication, team teaching [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Scope and Method of Study. This qualitative study used heuristic phenomenology and involved 20 interviews at 3 different sites, 2 focus groups, formal and informal observations, and the analysis of various artifacts including photos, drawings, and documents. Findings and Conclusions. Third culture kids are a diverse group of individuals who spent at least a portion of their developmental years (from birth-18 yrs.) in a country other than the one listed on their passport as home. These individuals reported experiencing challenges when repatriating including those associated with Erikson's stage 5, identity formation vs. role confusion, and stage 6, intimacy vs. isolation, and Kubler-Ross' five stages of grief. Upon repatriating to attend university, these challenges appear to intensify. Participants related struggling with identity, feelings of isolation, frustrations with cultural misunderstandings, feelings of "not fitting in," living a paradoxical existence, being hidden immigrants, struggling with language, committing cultural faux pas, not understanding the currency, not having transportation, no place to go during holidays, homesickness, anger, depression, relationships, and inability to put down roots. Participants also expressed hope for the future, pride in their independence, not being afraid to take risks, open-mindedness, accepting, and a desire to help others. Many related feeling "stuck" in Erikson's stage 5, or one of Kubler-Ross' stages of grief, unable to progress toward acceptance. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA) and the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) supported the notion that the baccalaureate degree should be the entry-level degree for the dental hygiene profession. There was also clear evidence that there was a national shortage of baccalaureate-earned-minimum dental hygiene educators. Fourteen Florida dental hygiene program directors (seven state college, seven community college) completed a survey to obtain data on the status of dental hygiene faculty shortages in Florida and perceptions on possible future educational needs for faculty. This study examined whether there were any differences in responses according to institutional setting. All three null hypotheses were rejected due to there being no statistically significant differences in all fourteen Florida dental hygiene program directors' responses to the survey. (Full text of this dissertation may be available via the University of Florida Libraries web site. Please check http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/etd.html) [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study examines the proposed Reliability Generalization (RG) method for studying reliability. RG employs the application of meta-analytic techniques similar to those used in validity generalization studies to examine reliability coefficients. This study explains why RG does not provide a proper research method for the study of reliability, including describing how reliability is not a singular metric but a family of coefficients that are not interchangeable, along with other issues, such as sample and test administration. This research used Monte Carlo simulations designed to illustrate how the same instrument, administered repeatedly, can result in different reliability coefficients and to show that variation in reliability coefficients is due to sampling error; results illustrate that the reliability of a test will vary across test administrations based on the size and composition of the sample and how the sample was selected (randomly versus non-randomly). [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

A study examined the effects of increased academic requirements for high school graduation on enrollment trends in public secondary vocational education programs in Washington since 1983. Vocational directors of 211 school districts that had increased graduation requirements since 1983 were surveyed through questionnaires. Results indicated that although high schools varied in the number of requirements for graduation, adequate time was available for taking vocational education subjects. Over 36 percent of the time remaining during the high school years could be devoted to elective options outside of the core requirements. Cross-crediting was evident in nearly 66 percent of the school districts. Where academic classes, enrollment, or expansion increased, 40 percent of the school districts also experienced decreases in vocational program enrollments. When enrollment did increase in both academic and vocational areas, more teachers were hired. However, hirings were in the proportion of three academic teachers to one vocational teacher. All academic areas had large increases in student enrollment. Business and office education showed an extremely high increase in student enrollment, but home and family life and agriculture had a decrease in course offerings. (The survey instrument and correspondence are appended.) (YLB)

A study was conducted into the effect of varying levels of aeration and temperature on the reduction of sugar and production of alcohol in Muller Thurgau grape juice by selected yeast strains. In addition, an assessment of the suitability of combining aeration with anaerobic fermentation to produce a reduced alcohol wine with acceptable colour and taste was undertaken. Of seven yeast strains which had shown promising results at reducing sugar levels in either apple juice or orange juice, three; Pichia stipitis, Candida tropicalis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, individually produced significant alcohol reductions when fermented at 30 °C under controlled aeration. By combining short-term controlled aeration, to reduce the sugar content of the grape juice, with anaerobic fermentation using an active dried wine yeast, wines with acceptable taste and 25 to 30% less alcohol were produced. These wines did, however, exhibit the deep golden colour indicative of oxidation.

Part I deals with the supra-specific classification of the subfamily Cyperoideae (excluding the tribe Rhynchosporeae) on a world-wide basis. It involves a broad survey of comparative exomorphic and endomorphic characters, with an analysis and synthesis of all available information from the literature. Many microscopic features of the leaf, culm, glume; hypogynous perianth bristle, stamen, style, stigma and fruit have been examined, many of them for the first time. Most of these features, together with the already known characters commonly used in the classification of genera in the subfamily Cyperoideae, have been employed to form the basis of the supra-specific classification presented here. The two large Linnaean genera, viz: Scirpus and Cyperus, have been split into a number of small, natural genera. Four distinct taxa, previously included in Scirpus a.l., are for the first time accorded generic status, though formal generic names have not been given to 3 of these. These 3 unnamed genera have been temporarily called Genera A, B and C. Cyperus, in the restricted sense used here, is found still to be partly unnatural, but further studies are needed before attempting to change its circumscription. Of the 47 genera adopted in this work, 25 are monotypic and/or geographically restricted; the rest being widely distributed. The maximum concentration of species and genera is found to occur in the tropics. Formal taxonomic treatments have been given to all the 47 genera in the conclusion, except for those genera which were not personally investigated; for the latter only keys for their identification and appropriate literature references have been given. An informal tribal and subtribal grouping has been proposed to accommodate the narrower, more natural genera adopted, since the limits of the traditional tribes Cypereae and Scirpeae no longer stand. New nomenclatural combinations, as well as the list of species and citation of voucher specimens studied anatomically, have been given in Appendices. Part II deals with the revision of the entire subfamily Cyperoideae as it is represented in the area covered by the Flora of Turkey (Davis 1965-). 47 species representing 21 genera are found in this area. This number includes taxa either seen by me or accepted from reliable records in the literature. Descriptions, synonymy, habitats, specimen citations on a grid basis, notes on the variability of Turkish species, and a key for their identification have been included in this account. Two new taxa have been discovered, for which English diagnoses have been given. Finally, an attempt has been made to explain some of the apparent disjunctions in the distribution of certain species in Turkey.

Up to 70% of modern humans experience problems with their third molars, whether it is failure of proper eruption (impaction) or not erupting at all (agenesis). Thus, it is a commonly used example for explaining why humans are still evolving and the relevance of evolutionary medicine. Agenesis dates back to at least early Homo erectus, and is seen with greater frequency during the evolution of later Homo. However, there are currently few data that support any of the three hypotheses (agenesis as selection against impaction, developmental delay, and the probable mutation effect) proposed to explain the evolution of agenesis and impaction. Furthermore, while most researchers associate changes in the physical properties of food with an increased frequency of third molar pathologies, it is unclear whether these changes took place during the advent of agriculture, the beginning of industrialization or both. Considerable variation exists among modern human populations in the rate of agenesis and impaction, but there are inconsistencies in reports of how modern variation partitions among sex, population, and morphological traits. Thus, this study first aims to explain modern variance in agenesis and impaction, then to use morphological data to assess how the third molar pathologies of four different populations from Serbia, Egypt, Japan and SE USA changed with the adoption of agriculture and the beginnings of industry. This will lead to an understanding of the evolution of third molar agenesis and impaction that will help understand the evolutionary origins of an important condition affecting modern humans. First, we aimed to consolidate all available data on worldwide third molar agenesis frequencies, with a particular emphasis on exploring the factors leading authors to find contradictory results for the demographic and morphological predictors of this anomaly. A total of 12,376 studies were originally identified, then narrowed down to 1,312 for title/abstract screening. Based on our inclusion and exclusion criteria, we selected 92 studies, containing 100 effect sizes and 63,314 subjects, for systematic review and meta-regression. The worldwide rate of agenesis was found to be 22.63% (95% CI: 20.64%-24.76%), though the estimates ranged from 5.32% to 56.0%. Our subgroup analyses revealed that females are 14% more likely to have agenesis of one or more third molars than males and that maxillary agenesis was 36% more likely than mandibular agenesis in both sexes. Further, we found that having agenesis of one or two molars was most common, while agenesis of three molars was least common. Finally, we found large differences among agenesis frequency depending on geographic region. This information is expected to be of use not only to clinicians and patients but also to policy makers, given the implications for third molar extraction protocols. Next, we performed a meta-analysis to synthesize the abundant existing literature on third molar impaction frequencies worldwide. A total of 7,936 records were originally identified, then narrowed down to 864 for title/abstract screening. Based on our inclusion and exclusion criteria, we selected 49 studies, containing 83,484 subjects, for systematic review and meta-regression. The worldwide rate of impaction was found to be 24.40% (95%CI: 18.97%-30.80%), though the estimates ranged from 3.08% to 68.60%. Our subgroup analyses revealed that mandibular impaction was 57.58% more likely than maxillary impaction, while we did not detect any difference in impaction frequency between males and females. In addition, we found that mesioangular impaction was most common, followed by vertical impaction, with distoangular and horizontal impaction less frequent. Further, we found that having impaction of one or two third molars was most common, while impaction of three or four third molars was least common. Finally, we found small differences among impaction frequency depending on geographic region. Given the rich debate surrounding third molar treatment policy, understanding demographic and morphological differences in impaction rates is an important first step in assessing appropriate treatment protocols. Finally, we applied the results of these analyses to explore the evolutionary origins of third molar agenesis and impaction. Humans are unique in having high frequencies of pathological third molars, including impacted molars that fail to erupt and agenesis, or missing, molars. Many researchers attribute an increased prevalence of third molar agenesis and impaction to highly processed modern diets. Three competing hypotheses exist to explain the evolution of third molar agenesis: 1) agenesis as the result of selection against impaction, 2) agenesis as developmental delay, and 3) the probable mutation effect. These hypotheses, however, remain untested. Here we test these hypotheses using data from four populations sampled before, during and after the transitions to agriculture and two populations before, during, and after the transition to industry. We found the selection against impaction hypothesis contributed to the rise in third molar agenesis at the end of the industrial transition, but impaction remained at such low frequencies during the agricultural transition that this mechanism is unlikely to have been a causative force. Furthermore, we found a negative relationship between dental arch space and third molar agenesis in the industrial transition, but a positive relationship between these two variables in the agricultural transition. Overall, these data suggest that two different mechanisms influenced the prevalence of human third molar agenesis: one operating since the time of Homo erectus and one with much more recent origins., Human Evolutionary Biology