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Introduction: Empathy is an essential trait for nursing. Empathy as a construct consists of a cognitive and affective domain. The construct is associated with decreased clinician burnout, reduced stress, and improved patient-centered care. Nursing education has recognized the clinical benefits of empathy and has implemented various educational interventions to foster empathy in students. Although there is evidence that nursing students' empathy can be improved through training, little research has been completed to identify if students' baseline empathy level affects their benefit from training. There have also been few studies that attempt to discover what domain of empathy is developed from participation in educational interventions. This study aimed to understand how nursing students' baseline empathy level affected their experience with a simulation, how students expressed their empathic responses after participating in a simulation experience, and whether there was a relationship between empathy level and empathic experience. Methods: A mixed-methods study consisted of 82 undergraduate nursing students who participated in a simulation from the patient's viewpoint. The Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Professions Student (JSE-HPS) captured empathy quantitative data one week before and immediately following the simulation. A hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was performed on the pretest JSE-HPS data to identify baseline empathy levels. Qualitative data were gathered using open self-debriefing questions. A two-way ANOVA was performed between the empathy level and the change in the JSE-HPS score. A chi-squared test for independence assessed for associations between qualitative themes and level of empathy determined. Results: The HCA revealed two clusters representing a high empathy group (n=47) and a low empathy group (n=35). The low empathy group had significantly higher empathy (p < 0.001), while there was no change (p=0.149) in the high empathy group following the training. Qualitative analysis revealed four themes: appreciating the patient's perspective, self-other awareness, personal distress, and empathic concern. The chi-square revealed no relationship (p=0.193) between empathy level and their empathic response. Conclusion: Students identified as having low empathy at baseline significantly benefited from empathy training, while high empathy students did not have a change. Students demonstrated cognitive and affective empathetic responses to the simulation regardless of baseline 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.]

The shutdowns of the COVID-19 global pandemic offered academic institutions a world-wide experiment in online learning, whether they or their faculty were prepared to do so. This study investigated the influence of training and resources on faculty perceived self-efficacy to design online courses. To investigate this phenomenon, faculty perceptions of and experiences in online learning prior, during, and after the COVID-19 global pandemic were documented to identify concepts in perceptions, the four sources of Albert Bandura's (1977) theory of self-efficacy--mastery experience, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion, and physiological arousal, and faculty perceived self-efficacy. Faculty perceptions toward online learning were used to determine how their views influenced their participation in online learning activities throughout each time period of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Positive and negative perceptions contributed to understanding how faculty beliefs impacted their engagement in online learning activities. Faculty perceived self-efficacy was captured through reflections upon their self-efficacy to design effective online courses based upon their online learning experiences. Connections were made to determine the influences on faculty perceived self-efficacy prior, during, and after the pandemic through their engagement in the four sources of self-efficacy. This qualitative study interviewed eight faculty in full-time teaching roles from various accredited, public higher education institutions across the United States who all shared the experience of teaching prior, during, and after the COVID-19 global pandemic. It was anticipated that training and resources would have a greater impact on faculty perceived self-efficacy; however, it was not a prevalent source of self-efficacy. The pandemic created uncertainties and impacted perceptions, disrupting the influence of the proactive measures of self-efficacy sources. Negative perceptions emerged as resistance to online learning which prevented faculty from willingly participating; however, their positive perceptions toward online learning, considered the self-efficacy source physiological arousal, helped reduce resistance. The findings also illustrated the intricacy in the development of faculty perceived self-efficacy, indicating the importance of supporting faculty to engage in online course design and considering their individualism and unique needs to develop their self-efficacy to design online courses. This dissertation concludes with implications for institutions and recommendations for future 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.]

Belief in psychological misconceptions, especially those regarding brain function and learning (i.e., neuromyths), hinders students' decision-making and learning. This necessitates conceptual change. Using an experimental design, this dissertation examined whether a utility value instructional induction (UVII) facilitated conceptual change. Participants (N = 61) were assessed on their neuromyth endorsements and then randomly assigned to a UVII or control condition, with the UVII condition participants primed to think about experiences with and benefits of acting according to a utility value before reading refutation texts. Finally, participants were again assessed on their neuromyth endorsements. Participants were also assessed on comprehension and motivational beliefs (i.e., expectancies for success, utility value, interest) throughout the study. Paper one reports that the UVII did not affect comprehension or conceptual change. However, type of neuromyth was associated with conceptual change. Also, students' accuracy and confidence judgements reflected poor metacognitive calibration. Paper two reports that, as utility value or interest increased, conceptual change increased. However, motivational beliefs did not moderate the effect of the UVII on conceptual change. Therefore, the UVII did not affect conceptual change. Also, according to prior research, other refutation-based interventions do not eliminate and only sometimes reduce psychological-misconception endorsement. Thus, paper three applies the theory of conceptual change, which has been primarily used for relatively socio-politically neutral topics such as physics, to five pernicious misconceptions pertinent to education. In doing so, these misconceptions are classified according to their form of prior incorrect knowledge to inform the selection of educational practices to refute these misconceptions. [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.]

Between the decades of 1970 through 1999, there were major shifts in higher education in New Jersey. Utilizing a grounded theory approach this dissertation created a database of legislation, hearings transcripts, and education reports. Searching this database for commonly used terminology, this dissertation was seeking a pattern in language use that could demonstrate the incursion of neoliberal economic terminology into the way high education was discussed during these years. A grounded theory exploration, this dissertation does not claim to have achieved a proven connection between the language shift and decisions made by education leadership. All it can demonstrate is that there is a linguistic shift including very specific terminology. Demonstrating that there is such a pattern in the over 3,000 documents reviewed lays out the theory that this incursion exists. Thoughtful insights into the use of language as it impacts higher education, this dissertation highlights the way linguistic shifts can change attitudes and therefore outcomes. [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.]

Sexual violence on college campuses is a significant concern, with research indicating that approximately one-third of female students and one-tenth of male students may experience it during their college years. The risk is higher for college women nationwide, and the impact on physical and mental health is substantial. Studies often highlight high-risk groups, such as collegiate athletes, whose culture may contribute to risk factors like hypermasculinity and supportive rape myth attitudes. Research shows that male athletes exhibit higher rates of sexually violent behaviors compared to non-athletes, emphasizing the need for targeted prevention training for this specific population. The concern over sexual violence on campuses is not just a national problem, it is a problem on this NCAA Division II southern institution. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of bystander intervention training when given by a peer versus given by a staff member to be able to provide the most effective training possible to student-athletes. This quantitative study assessed the effectiveness of bystander intervention training delivered by peers versus staff members. The student-athlete participants completed surveys before and after the training to assess changes in intentions related to bystander intervention and the relatability of facilitators. Three key takeaways include participants in both the staff- and peer-led groups started with similar baseline knowledge, a notable positive shift occurred during the training, and there was no statistically significant difference in perceptions of the facilitator between groups. The study emphasized the need for ongoing evaluation and regular training redesign to sustain its impact. The results offer insights for this NCAA Division II southern institution, which will guide future training approaches. Future research should focus on a variety of facilitators to determine if the results are replicated. This document concludes with stakeholder insights, plans for disseminating the research results, and the study's limitations. [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 active engagement of parents in the educational experiences of their children has been suggested to support high academic achievement for the children. In the project setting, an urban elementary school, educators were struggling to find effective strategies to promote family involvement in their children's education. The purpose of this qualitative project study was to investigate family perspectives on family involvement strategies and potential barriers at the project setting and to determine new effective strategies to help them become more involved in their children's education. The conceptual framework for the project is Epstein's (2009) framework for parental involvement which explains how schools can work with families and communities to help families stay informed and involved in their child's education. The study sample was identified using the purposeful sampling technique and comprised 18 family members--parents and/or guardians--of children in grade levels K-5. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The study found the key barriers to family involvement to be ineffective family-school communication, language barriers, poverty, low level of parental education, and low opportunities for parental participation in decision-making and volunteering within and for the school. Strategies for addressing these barriers and improving family involvement were identified based on Epstein's (2009) typology of family involvement. The study's findings have implications for addressing the barriers to family involvement and creating a change in attitude and practice among teachers so that families feel respected and can participate more in school activities. The findings will also contribute to the empirical literature on family involvement in children's education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Service-learning as a form of experiential learning has been used on college campuses to help provide students with a transformational experience and ultimately make them better citizens. The outcomes of service-learning that are well documented and studied are often, higher rates of student civic engagement, responsibility, academic achievement increases, and great openness to diversity. With much of the literature focused on the positive benefits, it is imperative for research to look at both the positive and or negative outcomes within service-learning. The discourse over whether service-learning could potentially have a negative impact on a student's racial attitudes needs to be addressed if service-learning is to be the transformative experience it is promoted as. This quantitative study used pre- and post-surveys with Color-Blindness Racial Attitudes Scale (CoBRAS) to identify any change, positive and or negative, of the racial attitudes of the students that participated in service-learning courses. Making service-learning courses more inclusive, which takes into account for all outcomes, by offering more research into the conversation, was the ultimate aim of this study. [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 longitudinal, qualitative study traced changes in nursing students' professional identity (PI) development from pre-college through college and examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their PI development. Adopting a developmental-contextual approach (Ford & Lerner, 1992), the study explored the PI development of ten final-year nursing students from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds enrolled in a traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. From this perspective, PI emanates from the continuous interactions between the developing person (multidimensional) and the changing, multilevel context(s) over time. This approach called for a change-sensitive and diversity-sensitive longitudinal design to capture changes over time and within the individual. Participants' narratives revealed four distinct types of PI in nursing, each with its own developmental trajectory influenced by a multitude of factors. These trajectories reflected diverse perspectives on the nursing profession and the qualities desired in nurses. Throughout their BSN programs and clinical rotations, participants experienced increasing clarity and confidence in their roles, shaped by their evolving understanding of nursing through relevant experiences. The study highlights the importance of considering both personal characteristics and external influences, such as motivations and initial exposure to nursing, in understanding the development of PI. Additionally, the findings underscore the differential impact of the pandemic on nursing students' identities, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach to studying PI development and its implications for nursing education and practice. [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 research on the religious experience of international students is limited. This study explored international undergraduate female students' narratives on the importance of religion and spirituality in their international sojourn. Using a narrative case study, I interviewed six students (three Christian and three Hindu students) to discuss the importance of religion/spirituality in their lives in a new country. I also explored the changes in the student's religious identity, beliefs, and practices after coming to a new country. Finally, I studied the students' suggestions on how American universities can support their religious and spiritual needs. This study adds to the limited research on this topic. The findings will help universities and university counseling centers better serve international 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.]

Racism, racial inequity, and racial violence, including micro-aggressions (slurs and fearful glances) are endemic in modern American society. Finding ways to eliminate or at least mitigate racism and racial violence is important, not only for public safety but also to ensure equality, fairness, and social harmony among every stratum of American society. The purpose of this study was to determine if teaching positive psychology in Boston, Massachusetts (MA)-area university college classrooms helped improve race relations. The primary research question involved determining factors that create racism and racial violence in society. The second research question was about if an education policy that includes positive psychology can be a useful strategy for reducing racism in a Boston, MA-based public university. A qualitative survey among 40 randomly-selected college students was administered. The survey was used to measure beliefs about racial views, aggression, micro-aggressions, educational levels, compassion, and whether participants had knowledge of positive psychology. Data were coded using thematic analysis. Results showed most participants were more accustomed to thinking positively. In addition, they reported they experienced racial slurs and other subtle racism (such as seemingly harmless jokes) that, if internalized, would later be expressed as racial slurs. Most participants believed racism was inherent in races other than their own. Positive social change is possible if education policy includes positive psychology that encourages racial and social harmony. [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 what specific experiences and activities teacher education program graduates attributed to developing perspective transformation regarding culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP). The study examined the perceptions of Oregon TSPC approved teacher education program graduates from 2020-2023 across four different universities. The study employed a mixed methods explanatory sequential study using the Learning Activities Survey (King, 1997), which included a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews. Analyses included descriptive statistics and chi-square tests of significance for the survey and in-vivo first cycle and pattern second cycle coding for the interviews. The study found participants attributed the following learning activities were statistically significant to developing perspective transformation regarding CRP: (a) reflection exercises, (b) assigned readings, and (c) class activities. Additional findings suggest there are opportunities to further support graduates in applying CRP through building further cultural competence and supporting preservice teachers in moving beyond a static definition of CRP. [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.]

Mathematics is the language and foundation for the science, engineering, and technological fields that define and enhance our lives in the 21st century. Proficiency in math requires problem solving, logical reasoning, and critical thinking skills that are essential to success in college, the workplace, and everyday life. Unfortunately, math has also proven to be a difficult subject to teach well in schools in the United States. Students who excel in the subject are likely to do well in college and the workforce, while those who do not may well be left out of many opportunities that support satisfying and successful lives. The need for students to perform well on standardized math tests often causes schools to narrow their curriculum to only what will be tested and to rely on traditional methods of instruction that involve lectures, worksheets, and tests to cover all the material. Too often, the result is that students become less engaged in the lessons and less likely to enjoy learning math. This study attempted to determine whether the use of project-based learning in a middle school math class would increase students' engagement in the lessons and improve their attitudes toward learning math while still covering required content. Working in cooperative groups, students carried out their own investigations involving data collection, analysis, and presentation of findings. Changes in student attitudes and engagement levels were determined through student surveys, researcher observations, and focus group interviews, and the results were used to make policy recommendations for the school district. [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 three-manuscript dissertation in practice used improvement science as the methodological approach of disciplined inquiry into a problem of practice--the discrepancy of male and female participation in engineering design-based (EDB) courses and clubs in Starr School District. Manuscript 1 centered around diagnosing the problem and delved into research on creating EDB spaces and curricula that were more inclusive to females. Manuscript 2 described the implementation of an intervention using a Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle to test a theory of improvement. This mixed-method study analyzed the changes in engineering attitudes among female middle school students before and after an EDB intervention that included social aspects, peer mentors, and 3D printing. Girls (n = 22) and boys (n = 12) in the Peer Leader/ Buddy Program participated in a six-week in-school intervention where they used the engineering design process to make an end-of-the-year gift for their buddy. Participants (N = 34) took the S-STEM survey and engaged in semi-structured interviews (n = 4) before and after the intervention. Key findings included: "An intervention with 3D printing, social interaction, and peer mentors improved engineering efficacy amongst middle school females; putting effort into making a prototype to express their relatedness to others was a positive experience for female students; participants showed a pattern of viewing engineers as someone who creates a product with a purpose." Manuscript 3 offered recommendations to enhance female attitudes toward engineering, including starting engineering education in elementary school, gearing engineering experiences toward the interest of females, and pushing EDB experiences into pre-existing groups. [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.]

Throughout my career as an elementary music educator, I constantly sought ways to decenter myself as the instructor and make space for student agency and independence to flourish. However, my efforts over 10 years were rooted in Western Eurocentric thought. Where I thought I was creating a more egalitarian environment, my Whiteness shielded me from the ways that I perpetuated racial injustice in my classroom. The purpose of this autoethnographic inquiry was to interrogate my career-long journey from teacher-directed instruction towards informal, self-directed, play-based music education through the lens of critical Whiteness scholarship (e.g., Applebaum, 2016; Bradley, 2007; DiAngelo, 2018; Matias, 2016a), to: (a) locate where I perpetuated Whiteness and where, if at all, I disrupted it; (b) connect my personal stories to theories of Whiteness and trends in education and music education to understand the insidious nature of Whiteness more deeply; and (c) revise and reimagine my stories as examples of more emancipatory and racially just elementary music education. I embraced the act of writing as a primary means of inquiry for my study. I used artifacts (i.e., lesson plans, photos, videos, archived emails, and documents) to create a career timeline. I wrote vignettes to capture my memories. Simultaneously, in the form of imagined emails between myself as a scholar and myself as a practitioner, I embraced a rhizomatic approach to knowledge creation through Jackson and Mazzei's (2023) "thinking with theory" to plug the vignette data into various concepts from the Whiteness scholarship to discover new insights into my Whiteness and how it manifested throughout my career. I synthesized the findings to identify patterns in my perpetuation of Whiteness, for example (but not limited to) colonization of minds, thinking in binaries (right/wrong, good/bad), racist assumptions, White saviorism, appropriation of Native American and African music's, aesthetic perfectionism rooted in Western European classical music notions of aesthetic beauty, White fragility and other strong emotional reactions to Whiteness, various discursive moves to avoid thinking about my Whiteness, and a bravado facade I would wear to save face when questioned about my Whiteness. I found a paradox in my attempts to foster a more egalitarian classroom and allocate power to my students. On one side, I challenged traditional notions of classrooms and teacher authority (rooted in Whiteness). However, on the other, my interventions often used Whiteness logic, rendering many of my attempts to transition from a teacher- directed to student-directed classroom not a fundamental disruption of the Whiteness but a perpetuation of it. I still believe in this project and think children should have agency over their music education. This dissertation has taught me that, due to the insidious nature of Whiteness, any attempt I make--as a White man--at fostering emancipatory education must include a thorough interrogation of Whiteness lest I perpetuate the very thing I am looking to dismantle. [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.]

Teacher attrition has been a problem for many years and is continuing to grow at an alarming rate. The National Center for Education Statistics is estimating a shortfall of a million teachers by 2028. This can negatively impact student growth as school districts are forced to overfill classrooms to compensate for the teacher shortage. This purpose of this study was to better understand how COVID-19 affected teachers and teacher attrition. The target population was teachers in the United States who taught prior to and during COVID-19. The sample size of 106 participants was met. The theoretical frameworks guiding this study were Herzberg's Theory of Motivation and the Cognitive Transactional Model of Stress. This study used a quantitative methodology and retrospective design to examine how stress and job satisfaction changed over the two points in time and if stress and job satisfaction are correlated. Schutz and Long's Teacher Stress Inventory was used to determine how teachers felt prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results indicated a significant change in stress, a non-significant change in job satisfaction, and a positive correlation between stress and job satisfaction. Recommendations for practice are training on positive coping mechanisms, increasing motivation, and lessen stress and workload when possible. Future research should include a larger study and could show how exercise or other positive coping mechanisms can be incorporated into the teacher workday to lessen stress and decrease attrition. [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.]

Impending teacher shortages are a major concern in K-12 education. One potential way to grow the pipeline of new teachers is dual enrollment (DE) Teachers for Tomorrow (TfT) programs, which expose students to teaching careers and allow them to earn high school and college credits simultaneously. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the impact of TfT programs on participants' attitudes toward the teaching profession, which in turn could influence their later career choices. The findings are contextualized through Ajzen's (1991) theory of planned behavior (TPB), which posits that attitudes toward a behavior are a major determinant of the decision to engage in that behavior. A time-series design was employed to measure the attitudes of a sample of 27 enrollees three times over the course a school year, using similar forms of a survey designed for the South Carolina Center for Teacher Recruitment and Retention. The findings of the study indicated there were small, statistically nonsignificant improvements in student attitudes toward entering the teaching profession, their beliefs in their ability to earn a degree in education, and many specific facets of teaching. Supplemental findings included evidence that students' decisions to enroll in the course were only slightly influenced by either the influence of people close to them or the ability to earn college credit, and none of the specific aspects of teaching surveyed contributed significantly to their overall attitudes toward becoming teachers. Although the study did not provide convincing evidence of the value of DE TfT programs, a number of recommendations for further research and actions for practitioners and policymakers are suggested based on the findings. [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.]

Addressing the social and emotional learning of students can lead to increased social and emotional functioning, improved classroom and school behavior, and increased academic performance. This study investigated the effectiveness of a social and emotional learning (SEL) intervention program in a middle school in central Georgia. The study utilized a mixed methodology and examined the effects of a semester long SEL intervention program called Second Step. The participants in the study consisted of 60 7th-grade students between 11 and 13 years of age who were enrolled in a health education course for the second semester at ABC Middle School. Descriptive statistics and paired-sample t-tests were used to test the hypotheses of this study with the scientific approach and gather quantitative data. Qualitative data were collected from pre- and post-intervention surveys and open-ended questions from five participants to understand a more in-depth look into the rationale behind their survey answers. The study's results revealed a significant disparity between students' pre-training and post-training perceptions of their classroom and school. From the findings of this study, it can be inferred that the positive difference in students' perceptions of their classroom and school after participating in the Second Step. The study's results indicated a reduction in disciplinary referrals after students participated in the Second Step, although this reduction was not statistically significant. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating social and emotional learning interventions into the school curriculum while suggesting the need for further exploration of enhancing classroom behavior outcomes. [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.]

College students face many stressors and are at-risk of poor mental health and wellness outcomes. The global COVID-19 pandemic, increasing prevalence of childhood adverse experiences, and engagement in health-risk behaviors have amplified these concerns. Students need access to supports to cope with stress, regulate emotions, and help them to "bounce back" from these stressors now more than ever. This study investigated the outcomes of a 10-week skills-based wellness and resilience undergraduate course. Amid the onset of a global pandemic, this study examined change in emotion dysregulation, psychological capital, and health-risk behaviors from the beginning to the end of Spring quarter 2020 for students enrolled in this course. Results indicated significant improvements in psychological capital from pre to post intervention, suggesting efficacy for universal interventions targeting resilience skills. Implications of these findings, limitations, and directions for 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.]

In the last two decades, mindfulness has permeated sport, exercise, and performance psychology (SEPP). Mindfulness research in SEPP primarily focuses on the efficacy of manualized protocols on various outcomes related to performance and wellbeing; how athletes understand this complex construct, though, is largely unexplored in the literature. Additionally, some researchers suggest that the potentially paradoxical adoption of mindfulness in Western psychology may be contributing to limited outcomes, low engagement in, and poor adherence to mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). In addition, the exploration of self-compassion as a mechanism for change through mindfulness practice has increased in recent years, making it an important component to consider. The purpose of the present study was to investigate what college student-athletes (SAs) expect to gain from participating in a MBI, how they understand the concepts of mindfulness and self-compassion, and how these expectations and understandings change from beginning to end of an intervention. Intervention supported shifts in understanding were viewed through a constructivist-interpretivist lens. Individual interviews (n= 42) were conducted with all SAs on an NCAA DII swim team at the beginning and end of a 7- week MBI. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed multiple levels of change across members of the team, indicating that expectations may be tied to outcomes, and understanding may be a limiting factor for perceived outcomes. Results provide some evidence that SA expectations and understanding of mindfulness and self-compassion may be related to ambiguity caused by the blending of traditional Eastern mindfulness with Western psychological interventions. [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.]

Mindfulness- and Acceptance-based interventions (MABIs) are being used with increasing frequency with sport participants. Research suggests that such interventions may promote sport performance and impact performance-relevant factors, although the current quality and quantity of research is low. Specifically, questions about intervention engagement (i.e., dosage), potentially impacted by stage of change and attitudes toward sport psychology, need clarification. The present study utilized a multi-method, quasi-experimental longitudinal design with female- and male- identified NCAA collegiate athletes to investigate the effects of an MABI. Specifically, one NCAA Division II team (n = 16) and three NCAA Division III teams (n = 43) from two universities in the Appalachian region engaged in 6-week Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement (MSPE) interventions during their offseason or pre-season training period. Two teams served as the primary treatment group while two others served as the nonrandomized waitlist control group; they were all assessed on measures of flow, psychological distress, mindfulness, emotion regulation difficulties, satisfaction with life, readiness to engage in mindfulness practice, attitudes toward sport psychology, and subjective ratings of performance and enjoyment. Mindfulness dosage was also measured throughout and following the intervention. Compared to controls, initial MSPE participants reported reductions in depressive symptoms and emotion regulation difficulties, and improvements in self-rated sport performance; at 6-week follow-up, initial MSPE participants reported significant increases in mindfulness and sport enjoyment, in addition to sustained reductions in emotion regulation difficulties. Though pre-intervention readiness did not predict changes across the intervention, higher post-intervention readiness classification was associated with improvements in mindfulness, life satisfaction, and sport enjoyment. Higher post-intervention readiness was also associated with significantly more engagement (i.e., dosage), though neither dosage nor attitudes toward sport psychology demonstrated evidence of moderation on the relationship between readiness and outcomes. These data suggest that readiness may impact engagement in MABIs, though it is still unclear whether there are indirect effects of dosage and attitudes toward sport psychology on outcomes in MABIs with athletes. [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.]

Prevention of sexual violence is of vital importance, especially on university campuses where sexual violence occurs at particularly high rates. Universities are federally required to implement prevention programming, but little is known about retention over time. In addition, research has not analyzed the relationship between sexual violence prevention programming and the campus culture at a particular university. Using a mixed methodology that utilizes survey data, qualitative interviews, and content analysis, this dissertation explores four research questions through a case study at an American university. First, the role of theory in current sexual violence prevention programming is determined -- specifically, social learning theory, situational crime prevention, and the elaboration likelihood model of attitude change. Next, differences in retention of key program concepts between groups are explored. Then, participant understanding and use of consent is compared to university policy. Last, current programming strategies are compared to student perceptions of university dating and party culture. This dissertation concludes with recommendations for sexual violence prevention programming at this university and beyond moving forward. [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 California Community College system serves over 121,000 students with dis/abilities who are both historically underrepresented and disproportionally impacted for success outcomes. Research indicates that dis/ability perceptions influence college stakeholders, impacting outcomes for this student population. Beyond the Cover...Living Books is a dis/ability awareness event that has been held annually for 6 years at a southern California community college. Through a phenomenological lens, this study explored the experiences of college stakeholders who attended at least one dis/ability awareness event and examined the event's efficacy using a theoretical framework based on David Kolb's 4 stages of experiential learning. This qualitative study revealed a wide range of views about dis/ability and the potential for applying experiential learning theory to positively impact dis/ability perception in higher education. This study's findings suggest that to carry out the United Nations and World Health Organizations global imperatives to improve the lives of individuals with dis/abilities, as well as the California Community College Chancellor's Office mandate to increase success outcomes for historically underrepresented students, institutions of higher learning must challenge the dis/ability perceptions that instructors bring to the classroom, that administrators bring to decision-making tables and that staff bring to front lines of student 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.]

The problem that was addressed in this study was underrepresented minorities' low interest in pursuing computer science as a profession. The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study was to measure underrepresented youth's attitudes toward computer science. The issue remains a pressing challenge in the U.S. This study explored the disparity in interest among underrepresented minority youth, an issue contributing to the national shortage of skilled computer science professionals. Guided by the expectancy-value theoretical framework, this quantitative, quasi-experimental study assessed the impact of a computer science learning intervention on attitudes toward the discipline among these youth. Approximately 200 underrepresented minority youth from the United States, aged between 11 and 15 were invited to participate in the computer science learning intervention. Of this, there were 57 pre-test responses, and 46 post-test responses. Of those submitted, the pre/post-test data could be matched for 36 participants. After removing participants with missing data, the final sample included 33 participants. The research questions focused on the extent to which the intervention affected two dimensions of computer science attitudes: self-efficacy and outcome expectancy. Repeated measures MANOVA and ANOVA were employed to analyze the data. Significant elevations in self-efficacy and outcome expectancy post-intervention were observed (p < 0.001). Moreover, the enhancement in self-efficacy was found to be consistent with the growth in outcome expectancy over time (p = 0.648), suggesting the intervention had a comparable effect on both dimensions. These findings underscore the potential of hands-on computer science activities in positively influencing attitudes of underrepresented minority youth toward computer science. In light of these results, it is recommended that stakeholders prioritize such targeted interventions, especially those infused with cultural relevancy and imposter syndrome mitigation strategies, critical for increasing underrepresented minorities' interest in computer science. They help to instill a sense of confidence and belongingness in computer science among underrepresented minority groups. Collaborations between government agencies, educational institutions, industries, and community entities are encouraged to create a supportive ecosystem fostering sustained computer science interest among underrepresented minorities Future research directions include probing the lasting effects of these interventions and examining their applicability across diverse age brackets and educational backdrops. [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.]

As short-term study abroad programs increase in popularity and number at community colleges, it is vital to examine the effect on the faculty who lead these programs. The purpose of this research study was to explore how community college faculty who lead short-term study abroad programs perceive personal learning including social and cultural factors and how they apply any change in perspectives to their non-study abroad courses. At the community college level, faculty-led short-term study abroad courses play a key role in addressing the growing importance of intercultural competence within undergraduate education. Despite the critical role that faculty play in higher education internationalization processes, there exists a vast gap in the literature on the impact of leading study abroad programs (Bista, 2016). In this interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) study, 10 community college faculty who have led short-term study abroad programs were interviewed using semi-structured open-ended questions via Zoom or telephone to explore their experiences and perceived development of social and cultural learning. The research focused on the impacts of meaningful social and cultural experiential learning for community college study abroad leaders and any subsequent contributions to instructional internationalization efforts in the classroom. When the identified problem is complex or under-researched, IPA is a particularly useful method to investigate how participants make sense of their experiences. As a dual form of analysis, visual methodology was employed to analyze artifacts and photographs supplied by the participants. This study offers valuable contributions to the limited literature that exists for the community college faculty experience during and after leading these programs. The analysis revealed leading a study abroad program to be a complex undertaking employing a wide range of interpersonal skills, teaching tactics, and flexibility. The participants indicated their experiences enriched their personal and professional identities and development and enriched their efforts to internationalize their non-study abroad classes. Three main personal experiential themes (superordinate themes) emerged describing the lived experiences of the faculty leaders. These were, "professional identity: what I do/leadership role," "personal identity: who I am," and "bringing it home: faculty as change agents/connecting who I am with what I do.". [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.]

There is a significant need for young people to advance their education and prepare for science, engineering, math, and technology careers in agriculture. The Supervised Agriculture Experience (SAE) is a requirement of all high school students enrolled in agriculture education courses in Connecticut. SAE bridges the knowledge and skills developed in the agriscience classroom to career application. Successful SAE projects must extend beyond the traditional production agriculture and placement projects to secure student interest in agriculture careers. In 2015, the National Council for Agriculture Education identified the need to make SAE project-based learning more relevant and contemporary. It expanded the type of project and experience that qualified as an SAE project. Teachers cited a lack of time, resources, and familiarity with the newer SAE model, as factors that interfere with SAE facilitation. Previous research concluded that Professional Learning Communities (PLC) that engaged teachers in the change process were effective in school improvement. This research study identified the impact of agriscience teacher involvement in Professional Learning Communities on student engagement in SAE. Teachers participated in eleven PLC meetings to review data and develop instructional materials and strategies to engage all students in considering the value of SAE. This study reviewed changes in students' perception of SAE and hours logged into the online computer data system, the Agriculture Experience Tracker (AET), and found that students were more likely to value their SAE, cite specific soft skills developed through their SAE, and log 150 hours into AET after completing the instructional activities created by the PLC. Teachers reported that the PLC provided time to review data, collaborate and develop instructional materials that made SAE more relevant and valuable for all 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.]

This dissertation investigated the learning required for individuals to onboard into self-managing organizations (SMOs). Using a qualitative case study approach, 15 participants from various SMOs were interviewed to gain insight into their experiences. In addition, data were collected from a document review and focus group. The study found that: (a) Formal learning enabled a quick grounding in the basic mechanisms of self-management. (b) All participants faced challenges applying the principles and practices of self-management in practice. (c) All participants had to learn to shift their mindsets in order to successfully participate in self-management. (d) Transitioning into self-management was a nonlinear process that unfolded over time. For many participants, it began years before they joined an SMO and continued even after their formal onboarding period was completed. (e) Formal training supported instrumental learning, while mindset shifts were more supported by informal learning. An analysis of these findings led to four primary conclusions. First, an organizational model cannot transcend the capabilities of its members. Second, a new relationship with self, others, and the organization required new ways of thinking and being. Third, formal and informal learning experiences amidst a supportive social context enabled this holistic transformation. Fourth, self-management is a team sport and is therefore likely only able to be learned with and through a group. The study recommended building a learning environment and supporting new members' learning journeys to facilitate a successful transition into self-management. [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 research examined how a Digital Escape Room (DER) about accessibility contributed to the potential change of faculty behavioral intentions toward developing accessible online course content. This paper describes the design of the DER and a pilot study of its initial implementation that consisted of two phases, (1 a usability test with 3 participants to identify challenges and allow for adjustments to the DER before entering the next phase of the pilot study and (2 a qualitative study to collect participants perceptions on their DER experience. The design of the DER incorporated constructs of both the Integrated Behavior Model and the Integrated Design Framework. Also, each clue aligned with a WCAG guideline and principle. The clues are intentionally inaccessible to create scenarios where the participants must try to learn from the inaccessible content. During phase one, the researcher conducted online observations of each conveniently selected participant during the usability test via Zoom, followed by an online debriefing interview. The usability testing data was analyzed to determine what design issues to fix ahead of phase two. In phase two, a purposive snowball technique was used to find participants for the study. Semi-structured elicitation interviews were conducted with 13 participants who could project their varying years of teaching experience, online learning, and content creation into their reflections on the phenomenon. The data collected from the elicitation interviews were transcribed and analyzed to uncover major themes. The data revealed that the participants found the game fun, engaging, and challenging. Some participants stated that their frustration made them feel as though they could empathize with learners with disabilities in an online classroom. Twenty-three percent of the participants were able to escape despite the accessibility challenges. More than half of the participants reported that their desire to develop accessible content increased after the DER experience. [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.]

Current literature reveals the importance of expanding the educational toolchest to include teaching through games. Game-based learning has been extensively studied, underscoring a human need to have fun while learning. This research project focused on the development of "Paved Paradise: A Tiny House Ecovillage Board Game," that could teach individuals how to live on the planet with minimal impact while they simultaneously designed a tiny house ecovillage. Intended to be used in multiple settings (education, governmental agencies, nonprofits, and families), the board game taught basic requirements for sustainable living. Pre- and postgame survey comments and audio recordings during gameplay documented the gameplayers' current knowledge regarding ways to live sustainably, exposed their strong drive to compete and marginal compassion toward houseless individuals. For many, the game revealed a need to collaborate and support others in order to complete the game successfully--a parallel to succeeding in current real-life efforts at change. Preliminary gameplay data, collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealed the strengths and weaknesses of the game design, as well as in attitudes toward change and expressing compassion for fellow humans. With further revision, testing, and expansion to a wider audience, the board game has the potential to provide greater understanding of the means to address climate change and drive positive transformation in local neighborhoods. Includes Supplemental Materials available in ProQuest: Summary Spreadsheet for the Game Design (Appendix B), Game Directions and Links (Appendix C), and "Paved Paradise" 3-D Booklet (Appendix D). [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.]

Climate change is a defining challenge that is impacting the globe, associated with harsher weather, increasing temperatures, and increased landfills. The problem addressed in this dissertation research study is understanding how to engage individuals to adopt environmental attitudes. Environmental education is known to support pro-environmentalism, but it is unknown what components of the education program have the biggest impact for environmental attitudes and engagement. For this dissertation research project, a quasi-experimental design was used to compare environmental training types that included gamified and traditional training. The aim of this study was to understand if there were statistically significant main effects or interactions of training on environmental attitudes for preservation and utilization. Another aim of the study was to understand if levels of engagement were significantly different for gamified versus traditional training groups. Data were collected using the Environmental Attitude Inventory survey to evaluate change in environmental attitudes, and self-report data were collected on engagement with training materials. There were 98 participants to study environmental attitudes and engagement, divided evenly across both training groups. All participants in both groups completed a 10-day online training. A two-way MANOVA was used to analyze environmental attitude changes and engagement levels between the two training groups. There were no statistically significant results for main effects, interactions, or changed environmental attitudes. There were no statistically significant results when analyzing engagement levels between training groups. Future research is suggested to study the influence of prompting and response effort to understand impact on environmental attitudes or engagement. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Elementary teachers are expected to teach all relevant material in all areas of the curriculum to their students. Even after completing excellent teacher preparation programs, these teachers often have little confidence teaching mathematics. In fact, many of these teachers have negative feelings toward mathematics from their own classroom experiences. These negative views impact the way teachers present mathematics lessons to their students. Studies show that when teachers are given positive experiences in mathematics, they are more confident and better prepared to teach mathematics to their students. This work offers a possible way to rectify elementary teachers' low self-efficacy in mathematics by offering effective professional development. Using teachers' prior experiences to design and implement a professional development opportunity, this three-phase study shows that teachers can increase their self-efficacy in mathematics so that they feel prepared to teach students in an elementary classroom. [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.]

Recently, theory and research have supported collective psychological capital (cPsyCap) as a core construct linked to positive outcomes at the group and team level. However, to date, little attention has been given to cPsyCap emergence, or development, through training interventions. To fill this gap, this mixed-methods study involved first validating an evidence-based Collective Psychological Capital Intervention(cPCI) within 20 teams (175 participants) comprised of law/non-law professionals and a wait-list control group of n = 175 used as a comparison. In addition, this research aimed to better understand how cPCI participant attitudes and beliefs changed, if at all, as related to care of self and others, and lastly, how the development of cPsyCap impacted how cPCI participants responded amid active volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) contexts (active shooter, on-duty death of a colleague, off-duty suicide, and threat of job loss/furlough). The results of this research validated the efficacy of the evidence-based cPCI, confirming that cPsyCap can emerge or develop through intervention. In addition, rich qualitative data capstoned these findings by detailing the lived experiences of cPCI participants and teams and how their increases in cPsyCap positively changed their attitudes and behaviors towards self and other care, as well as their ability to respond amid active VUCA contexts. [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 was a qualitative study of the influence of Research Experiences for STEM Educators and Teachers (RESET) on a teachers' classroom practices and identities. RESET is a year-long professional development and research experience for teachers supported through the Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP). This research study inductively analyzed 88 surveys, 15 interviews, and 36 participant journals from middle and high school STEM teachers in the United States who participated in the RESET program to identify the components of pedagogy, community of practice, unit plan development, research experience, and exposure to STEM scientists and researchers that may have influenced a change in classroom practice or identity. Teachers reported their practice was considerably influenced (41%) or somewhat influenced (41%) by participation in the RESET program. This influence decreased over time and increased with the number of times the teacher participated in the program. The laboratory research component was the most influential in changing teachers' classroom practices. In decreasing order, the other influential components were STEM unit plan development (78% of teachers implemented the lesson they developed), pedagogy, community of practice, and STEM career exposure. Looking at the data over time, the farther away teachers got from their time in the RESET program, the less it influenced their classroom practice. The more times teachers participated in the program, the more likely they reported their teaching practice had been considerably changed. Participation in the program did not change a teacher's identity into a researcher. However, it gave the teachers more confidence in the classroom and in interactions with their peers. [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.]

Research suggests that the cultural homogeneity of Christian college campuses presents challenges for people of color to navigate. White cultural norms influence attitudes about race. The way people at an institution talk about race reflects the institution's campus racial climate. The purpose of this study was to explore how members of a Christian college, associated with a formal process of reviewing racism on campus, talk about race. This case study, conducted at a small, private, Christian university was about the relationship between race-talk (Sue, 2005), campus racial climate (Hurtado et al., 1998) as well as identifying religious forms of race-talk. Through observations and interviews participants dialogued about race in order to create change on their campus. Results from the study indicate that administrators, staff, faculty, and students described a culture where silence about race perpetuated racism and where participants wanted to talk about Whiteness as a system of oppression. Implications for research, theory, and practice are discussed, including ways in which members of colleges can participate in sense-making process to discuss racism on their campus. [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 research study explores the impact that school district provided professional development has on teacher buy-in for social and emotional learning (SEL). At the time of this study, the literature on social and emotional learning focuses on the impact it has on students and on the impact, it has on academic programming. Literature examining the impact of professional development on buy-in for social and emotional learning is very limited at this time. The findings of this research may assist district-level and school-level administrators determine the best way to introduce and implement professional development process for teachers. Moreover, by fine tuning the professional development process, students and teachers will directly benefit due to the successful implementation of a social and emotional learning curriculum. Based on the overall research on social and emotional learning, students are more successful in school when they can manage their own emotions, understand and take the perspective of those around them and make choices that are socially sound (Weissberg et al., 2015). These are the main social and emotional skills that are covered by SEL programs and the need to focus on these areas may be more important than even due to the impact of technology on students' learning and interpersonal skills (Osher et al., 2016). In addition, an issue brief by the Pennsylvania State University and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, indicated that individuals with strong social and emotional skills not only have improved academics in schools, but also have better outcomes when it comes to employment and "lower chances of substance abuse, antisocial behavior and relationship problems" (Jones et al., 2017, p. 3). With literature showing that social and emotional learning has a positive impact on students in multiple ways, it's important that school districts begin to implement initiatives that provide social and emotional skills for students. During implementation, it is important to understand how teachers' beliefs and attitudes will influence the adoption, sustainability and impact of any social and emotional programing that is implemented in a school system (Van Huynh et al., 2018). While professional development has shown to be beneficial to help implantation, it has not been identified if it also helps to change teacher beliefs and attitudes. Doing so would help to garner teacher buy-in for social and emotional learning, thus making these initiatives last long into the future. [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 qualitative exploratory case study was to explore how executive leaders and faculty in "The College" located in a region of Ontario, Canada describe their perceptions of academic integrity processes and the experiences leading to underreporting of academic integrity incidents (AIVs). The study aimed to understand the participants' perspectives on reporting AIVs to improve the academic violation experience and to understand the underreporting of incidents at a college in Canada. A purposive sample of five executive leaders and 10 faculty at "The College," answered nine semi-structured, open ended interview questions through Zoom audio platform. The data collected through the interview, policy and process documents, and educational resources were analyzed through QSR NVivo 14 for categories, codes and themes. Thematic analysis revealed five major themes with minor sub-themes: (1) changes in perceptions of the college community, (2) strategies needed to uphold AI, (3) increased support for policy and process, (4) expectations causing barriers to reporting, and (5) needing educational resource assistance. The recommendations for practitioners and leaders are first, to increase faculty self-efficacy and motivate AIV reporting through additional needed resources improvements, with increases to support structures such as the AI Team and Peer Mentors. Second, educating students and upfront discussions on the importance of AI must be added to the AIV process to work towards changes in negative perceptions that have led to underreporting and job insecurity. Implementing these recommendations will assist with encouraging faculty reporting AIVs and upholding the reputation of the programs at "The 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.]

This study aimed to understand graduate-level Elementary Preservice Teachers' (EPST) mathematical dispositions before, during, and after a graduate elementary math methods course taught through a rehumanizing, ambitious and equitable math teaching framework. In this study, EPSTs' dispositions included four constructs: math anxiety, math teaching anxiety, math self-efficacy, and math teacher self-efficacy. To fully understand the nuance and complexity of teacher education and EPSTs' mathematical dispositions, I looked at both the EPSTs' and the instructors' perspectives. I investigated EPSTs' dispositions through a modified multi-methods, sequential, and phenomenological lens. For the instructors' perspectives, I conducted a qualitative self-study. EPSTs were part of one teacher preparation program in a medium-sized western private university. All 18 EPSTs were enrolled in one elementary math methods course co-taught by two instructors: the author of this dissertation and her advisor, Dr. Brette Garner. Results show that a four-credit ten-week elementary math methods course statistically significantly decreased EPSTs' math anxiety, math teaching anxiety, and math teacher self-efficacy. The results for self-efficacy were more nuanced. 11 EPSTs' self-efficacy results increased, but not at a statistically significant level. Additionally, the qualitative data enhanced the narratives of the positive evolutions of the EPSTs. Results of the self-study, support the claim that the course was taught through a rehumanizing, ambitious and equitable lens. Within this teaching lens, we created four math teacher educator design principles that can be applied and modified for other teacher educators' courses. These course design principles had an overwhelmingly positive impact on EPSTs and will begin to break the cycle of dehumanization for students in elementary math classrooms. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Professional training for language instructors needs to be more accessible and high-leverage in order to meet the growing demand for proficient users of Chinese, Korean, and Japanese languages. More specifically, teachers of these languages need exposure to effective teaching methods designed to meet the language-specific needs required to help learners achieve higher language proficiency. One such teaching approach is called Comprehension-based Instruction (CBI). CBI is a collection of language teaching approaches and practices that, according to researchers, is based on the idea that observing language in use, through listening, reading, or seeing language signed, is necessary for language development to occur. Studies suggest learners who learn through CBI have increased language proficiency compared to learners learning through many other methods. However, despite the growing evidence in support of CBI approaches, few instructors of Chinese, Korean, and Japanese languages have the opportunity to learn about CBI. One way to expose more language instructors to CBI is through online teacher professional development (oTPD) training. This Design-Based Research (DBR) study aimed to design and evaluate an oTPD training program for Chinese, Korean, and Japanese language teachers that focused on teaching CBI. The purpose of the study was to gain insight into the characteristics of an oTPD training that led to desirable mediating processes and outcomes. The study drew on Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) and followed three DBR design stages: alpha, beta, and gamma. Participants in each design stage consisted of expert reviewers and teacher participants. The results of this study suggested that the Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) model was an effective model for an oTPD training, the participants valued learning alongside similar-language teachers, and there was a significant change in teachers' practice and ability beliefs from participating in this oTPD training. This study generated an ELT-based design model for future oTPD trainings. Overall, the insights gained from this study have provided support for the importance of using DBR to design and evaluate online learning environments. Recommendations for future research using DBR include designing online learning environments with the ELT-framework and adopting this study's design model to develop and evaluate oTPD trainings. [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.]

Classroom access to technology such as a computer or the Internet does not guarantee a high-level of integration of technology by the teacher or application by the student. Tools that could be used to increase student creation or personalized learning opportunities may instead be used by the teacher at lower levels of use that replace non-technological tools. The purpose of this action research was to implement and evaluate the impact of technology-focused personalized professional learning on participants' use of and attitudes towards classroom technology. It attempted to show that modeling technology integration in professional learning opportunities for educators could have a positive change on how participants used technology in the classroom. It also sought to demonstrate that a focus on technology integration models through professional learning opportunities for educators could shift participants attitudes and beliefs towards technology in the classroom. A final area of research was to explore how such personalized professional learning opportunities changed the personalized learning opportunities offered by participants in the classroom. It took place at a large public high school in a suburb north of Atlanta. This action research followed a concurrent mixed-methods study design, collecting both qualitative and quantitative data. Upon completion of a pre-study survey sent to all teachers at a single high school, 10 participants were purposefully selected from across all core content areas. Qualitative data was collected through classroom observations and focus-group discussion, as well as the pre-study survey. Quantitative data was collected through the same pre-study survey and classroom observations. Once baseline data was collected, participants learned more about models for evaluating classroom technology use and personalized professional learning, coupled with opportunities for implementing their new knowledge in their classroom or participating in personalized professional learning opportunities. At the end of the study innovation, post-study data was collected through the same pre-study data points. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Quantitative data analysis suggested changes in participant views of five barriers to use of classroom technology, as well as changes in the ways that participants and their students used classroom technology. However, the results of these findings were inconclusive. Qualitative data were analyzed using inductive analysis. The analyses revealed major themes related to classroom technology use, teacher attitudes towards technology, and personalized learning. The data analysis also served to help answer the research questions and guide recommendations for technology-focused professional learning and implications for future research. Results from the research will be shared with participants and the school, as well as being published when and if possible. [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 Mixed-Method Action Research study aimed to implement an extended Project-Based Learning professional development series with middle school science teachers. The professional development series took place during the teachers' Communities of Practice, offering them high-quality support, active participation, and content-specific conversations. The study collected data on: (a) changes in teachers' attitudes toward in-district professional development, (b) teachers' perceptions of students' 21st-century skills, and (c) changes in science teacher self-efficacy. Findings from this study add to the growing body of research indicating the need to offer teachers content-specific, supportive, and extended professional development opportunities. Additionally, the findings of this study indicate that teachers using Project-Based Learning in middle school science classrooms perceived an increase in their students' use of 21st-century 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.]

One of the most significant barriers to changing instructional practices is teachers' mindsets and beliefs about teaching and learning mathematics. This study identifies a promising new type of video club professional development that supports teachers in examining their instructional practices and mindsets. This form of professional learning is an important addition to the field due to educators and researchers are just beginning to understand more about how mindset mediates and filters belief systems that impact how instruction is implemented. The purpose of this convergent parallel mixed-methods study is to provide a deeper understanding of how the experience of engaging in video club professional development relates to teachers' mindsets, beliefs, and reflections on instructional practices. Three sources of data were analyzed: a survey, video transcripts of collaborative discussions, and written reflections. These study results extend the current video club research by including established teachers and instructional coaches. Patterns and trends emerging from this mixed method study indicate that engaging in professional development designed with repeated opportunities to (re)examine mindsets, reflect on instructional practices, and collaborate with peers causes changes in teachers' mindsets. This study adds that changes in mindsets and instruction are more likely to occur if teachers can collaboratively reconcile how new instructional strategies align with their current mathematics beliefs and mindsets. Adding a mindset component to professional development may be a promising approach to assist teachers in refining their instructional practices while examining and resetting their mindsets and beliefs. [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 mixed methods study examined how preservice teachers developed awareness and beliefs about design features and academic language features when choosing and evaluating digital math games for English language learners. The overarching research question for this study was, "How do preservice teachers develop awareness and beliefs about design features and academic language features when choosing and evaluating digital math games for English language learners (ELLs)?" During the study, 21 elementary preservice teachers participated in online learning modules about design features and academic language features in digital math games. During the modules, preservice teachers chose and evaluated three digital math games for ELLs based on their awareness of the design features and academic language features in the games. Preservice teachers completed a pre- and post-belief survey, a pre- and post-evaluation rubric, two module reflections, and participated in semistructured interviews. I analyzed qualitative and quantitative data by identifying common themes among open-ended responses on the surveys and evaluation rubrics, module reflections, and responses to the semi-structured interviews. I then used frequency tables to count the themes that emerged and visualized the frequency counts using bar graphs. I then examined the changes in beliefs from pre- to post-surveys and scores from pre- to post- evaluation rubrics. Finally, I compared the results from these analyses to examine how the qualitative and quantitative results agreed or disagreed. Results showed a positive change in preservice teachers' beliefs about using digital math games to enhance mathematics instruction for ELLs after they participated in the learning modules. Results also showed an increase in preservice teachers' awareness of design features and academic language features. This indicates that using the learning modules, and the opportunity to choose and evaluate the digital math games, supported a positive impact on preservice teachers' beliefs and awareness of design features and academic language features. [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 present study examined the effectiveness of a curriculum-embedded, asynchronously delivered gratitude intervention with a first-year college student sample. Hypotheses included that the gratitude intervention would lead to decreased levels of depression, anxiety, and stress and increased feelings of gratitude and psychological wellbeing/flourishing. Furthermore, race, gender, and college generational standing were examined for their moderating effects of the gratitude intervention on the same outcome variables. Participants self-selected into two sections of an Introduction to Psychology course, with 72 participants engaged in the gratitude intervention and 97 in the control condition. Gratitude activities lasted five weeks, including a video presentation on gratitude, Count Your Blessings, Gratitude Letter, and Three Good Things. Participants in both conditions completed pre- and posttest measures for depression, anxiety, stress, gratitude, and wellbeing. Repeated measures ANOVA and independent-sample t-test were conducted to compare how the two conditions changed between pre and posttest. Participants in the gratitude intervention reported a statistically significant decrease in depression but not anxiety or stress compared to the control group participants. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in pre- and posttest change in the feelings of wellbeing or gratitude. Except for the interaction between gender and stress, race, gender, or college-generation status had no significant moderating effect on any outcome variables. Study strengths, limitations, and implications for future research and practice 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.]

This dissertation of practice considers the dynamics of identity development of in-service educators and the intersection of their educator role with their other identities in service of orienting toward an anti-racist praxis. The problem of practice addressed centered the theory that educator identity is socially constructed, and identity may influence how educators replicate inequity in the US education system. This dissertation of practice supposed that if centers of learning engage in dialogic models, then exploring identity (gender, race, and educator role) at the individual level could be leveraged to examine and critique practices, policies, and systems for more equitable outcomes for students historically marginalized. Dialogic models, within the context of this dissertation of practice, are defined as structured opportunities for conversations, where specific topics are explored. The intervention included professional development on identity, a protocol to structure dialogue with educators, and reflections from the school leader on leading equity work. This mixed methods dissertation of practice incorporates quantitative survey data and qualitative information from open-ended questions and researcher memos. Findings from the study include how educators understood their identities and their interpretation of the importance of identity exploration. Recommendations include the importance of time allocation for dialogic practices, support for education leaders who engage in this work, and the need for more research with educators of various identities to reimagine educational systems that center the needs of students and communities of color. [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.]

Antiracist teacher education in the United States has largely been situated within university-based teacher education programs over the last thirty years. This body of research documents the struggles and possibilities of preparing race-conscious educators who engage in antiracist practices that support diverse student populations. Despite this body of scholarship, there has been limited research in this area with school-based teacher education through inservice professional development (PD). Yet, there has also been an increase in antiracist and race-forward PD for teachers in schools in recent years. In turn, this study analyzes the curriculum of antiracist PD in New York City schools over the last ten years (2012- 2022), seeking to understand the possibilities and tensions. Using qualitative and visual arts-based educational research methods, I interviewed 28 teachers, school leaders, and PD facilitators. In doing so, I found that the PD curricula across NYC schools largely made room for (a) building educators' knowledge of structural racism, (b) individual reflection, and (c) changing the student-facing curriculum to be antiracist. However, there were two tangles, or complicated points of tension and contradiction. The first tangle was most visible when one looked at educators' relationships, especially given the dominance of the carceral paradigm in schools. The second tangle highlights the tension between individual teachers and school institutions, wondering who is responsible for enacting antiracism in schools. I ultimately contend that it is not just antiracist PD that is needed in schools, but abolitionist PD. [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 Sonoran Desert is a magical place full of beauty and wonder. With an increase each year in the number of new families calling Arizona their home, so also comes an increase in pre-conceived notions of the dangers of the Sonoran Desert. Dangers such as plants, animals, and weather conditions can cause fears in families. Though these fears are valid, understanding different ways to stay safe and engage with nature in the Sonoran Desert is critical to building future generations of adults that value the natural world. Current literature does not address the Sonoran Desert and Arizona as a space to engage in nature play. The current action research study builds on the literature to offer new perspectives on nature play in the Sonoran Desert. A mixed-methods approach was used to assess caregivers' perception of safety, risk, and benefits of nature play in the Sonoran Desert. The intervention utilized the social media platform, Instagram, to administer the intervention content. Results from this study suggest that even though participants were already engaged in nature play, their perceptions of risk, safety, and benefits of nature play in the Sonoran Desert changed positively or were reinforced. The analysis expands the current literature on risk, safety, and benefits of nature play. [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 was an action research study that explored teacher's beliefs about student engagement and their role in student engagement through the development of a professional development innovation, the Transforming Student Engagement Professional Development program. This professional development program innovation was designed to lead participants through the stages of transformative learning theory and used the community of inquiry framework as the lens through which to explore student engagement strategies. A mixed-methods action research design was used to explore how participants transformed their feelings, beliefs, and assumptions around their online student engagement practices as they designed their online classroom as a community of inquiry. Pre/post Teacher Self Efficacy and Community of Inquiry surveys were used as well as a Learning Activities Survey and Interview. Study documents included calendars of training and agendas, participant journals, and my research memos. Participation in the Transforming Student Engagement Professional Development program resulted in significant changes in the participants' beliefs about student engagement, what their role in student engagement is, and their understanding and use of the Community of Inquiry framework as a lens through which to implement student engagement strategies. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

"Statement of the Problem": Almost half of children in the United States have been exposed to childhood trauma (McIntosh, 2019). Discipline practices in many schools are often ineffective with and inappropriate for students who have experienced trauma. For example, students who are disciplined in traditional ways often continue to exhibit the same negative behaviors, because punitive discipline and zero tolerance policies do not address the deep-rooted issues that students who have experienced trauma are dealing with (Dotson, 2019). Another problem caused by traditional discipline approaches is that students who have been suspended even once are more likely to drop out, less likely to go to college, and more likely to go to prison (Honsinger & Brown, 2019). It is vital for schools to provide trauma-impacted students what they need to deal with their trauma (Dotson, 2019). As part of this, schools need to implement approaches that are proactive instead of reactive. Also, school personnel often lack the knowledge needed to use trauma informed practices when dealing with students who have behavior issues. Thus, school personnel need professional development and professional learning communities to help them understand and implement trauma informed practices and culturally responsive practices (Beitz et al, 2020; Frieze, 2015).Students with higher trauma exposure exhibit more negative behaviors. Working to make changes with individuals who have experienced trauma takes time as they are working through a lot of obstacles (Baez et al, 2019; Frieze, 2015). While there is research that shows what long-term effects trauma has on students, there is less high-quality research on the effects of trauma informed and restorative justice practices on students. Further, not all schools and school personnel have the resources and training to implement large-scale trauma informed programs, and research on a smaller scale and less resource-intensive efforts is minimal. This study will be helpful for school administrators, teachers, and support staff who can work to use trauma informed practices in reaching students and helping those students deal with their trauma so that they can be successful in school and in their future. "Purpose Statement": The purpose of this study was to explore the design and implementation of a small-scale trauma informed practice training to guide a change in the mindset and practice of a small group of teachers towards a trauma informed approach to discipline with their students. "Research Questions": The central question was: How can I effectively design and implement a small-scale trauma informed practice training for a small group of teachers in my district? Sub-questions were: (1) What kind of feasible small-scale training program can I design and implement with very limited resources? (2) To what extent does the mindset of the teachers change pre- to post-training? (3) To what extent do teachers shift their practices after participating in a trauma informed practice training? (4) How do teachers experience implementing trauma informed practices with their students? (5) Do teachers like participating in the trauma informed training? To what extent do teachers feel the trauma informed practices are meaningful and helpful for their students? It is important to gain insight into how teachers respond to a trauma informed practice training and how they will address student behavior so that we are able to implement a form of discipline that is appropriate and effective for all 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.]

Conventional folk wisdom insists study abroad is an inherently valuable educational experience for young people. While traditional study abroad programs were typically a semester or a full year in duration, short-term study abroad programs of only a couple weeks are now the most common type of sojourn abroad. Problematically, evidence is mounting that the so-called "immersion assumption," the thrust of which is that being abroad leads to intercultural development, and which seems to permeate the administrative ethos of a majority of study abroad programs internationally, is a poor assumption indeed (Vande berg et al., 2012). Moreover, my review of the empirical literature on study abroad suggests to me that instrumentation used to measure intercultural development, much of which was popularized during the era when longer term study abroad was the norm, might not be as well-suited to the era of short-term study tours. Finally, very little research at the intersection of short-term study abroad, intercultural development, linguistic proficiency, and personality has been produced--particularly in the Japanese context. This study had three purposes. The first purpose was to establish evidence that short-term sojourns abroad can impact an aspect(s) of intercultural development in Japanese undergraduate students (N = 203) from two universities in western Japan. The second purpose was to explore how L2 English proficiency, speaking self-efficacy, and aspects of personality might promote or inhibit intercultural development for Japanese sojourners. The third purpose was to examine sojourner reflective journal entries and interview transcripts in order to explain the findings. To execute this study, I used an embedded correlational design in which pre-post-sojourn Intercultural Effectiveness Scale (IES) scores and cross-sectional pre-departure predictors (TOEIC, New Vocabulary Levels Test (NVLT), self-efficacy, and Big Five personality markers) were analyzed through the application of Welch's t-tests and multiple regressions. Qualitative data were analyzed in order to explain the quantitative findings in greater detail and to ensure sojourner experiences abroad are given voice in the study. The results of this study indicated the following. First, sojourners scored statistically significantly higher than non-sojourners on Intercultural Effectiveness Scale Global Mindset at posttest. There was no significant difference between these groups on any other Intercultural Effectiveness Scale construct at posttest. This suggests that study tours positively contribute to the development of intercultural effectiveness, particularly in terms of knowledge acquisition. Second, none of the individual differences included in this study (extraversion, agreeableness, openness, linguistic proficiency, or self-efficacy in communication) demonstrated any significant predictive association with changes in Intercultural Effectiveness Scale scores pre- to post-sojourn. Third, study tour programs that included explicit opportunity for sojourners to engage with host nationals were4 associated with statistically significant changes in Intercultural Effectiveness Scale Relationship Interest at post-sojourn. Finally, qualitative analyses provided limited explanation as to why the Intercultural Effectiveness Scale constructs of Global Mindset and Relationship Interest changed pre- to post-sojourn. While FACET scores for sojourner reflective journals were positively correlated with Intercultural Effectiveness Scale Relationship Interest at post-sojourn, the content of the journals was idiosyncratic and no discernable pattern between the content of the journals and changes in Intercultural Effectiveness Scale scores was found. Case studies of eight sojourners further exemplify the complexity of trying to establish explanation(s) for why some sojourners' Intercultural Effectiveness Scale scores increase, decrease, or remain unchanged. Several theoretical and pedagogical implications are drawn from this study. Theoretical implications relate primarily to the capacity for study tours to contribute to Japanese government goals of developing global human resources, a degree of support for the much-maligned immersion assumption, and my findings that individual differences did not demonstrate any capacity to predict sojourner change in intercultural effectiveness pre- to post-sojourn. Three pedagogical implications of these findings first include the necessity for study abroad administrators and educators to acknowledge that immersion abroad is beneficial to sojourners only insofar as it helps them increase their knowledge about their host culture. Second, with greater pedagogic intentionality, particularly in the form of structuring study tours to include extensive opportunities for contact with host nationals, is critical if students are to grow beyond the simple knowledge domain. Finally, reflective practices are highly valuable but, as the results of this study show, Japanese sojourners are likely to need substantial scaffolding and a clear imperative to reflect within a set framework and on subject matter that transcends the superficial. [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.]

Emerging and transforming innovations carry with them new ways of conceptualizing literacy practices in the classroom. As the technology revolution forges ahead and permeates the elementary school setting, teachers must consider how they talk about and model digital literacy practices. Digital literacy goes beyond merely operating technology tools and devices. It includes the cognitive and social processes that take place when reading, writing, and communicating in digital spaces and with digital tools. To understand the integration of digital literacies into the classroom, we must better understand how teachers develop digital literacy competencies and dispositions through focused and intentional professional learning experiences. This qualitative, multi-analysis design explored how elementary teachers who engaged in a professional learning experience made sense of digital literacies and how that thinking manifested through their language. The dissertation aimed to inform our understanding of inservice teachers' conceptions of digital literacy and digital literacy professional learning experiences. I analyzed existing data from the institute (e.g., survey data, interview data, video transcripts, institute texts, and participant artifacts) to examine how teachers acquire and use a specialized professional language associated with digital literacies. Through a multi-analysis approach, the data highlight findings related to quality digital literacy professional learning, the acquisition of a specialized language as an outcome of professional learning, and the importance of design, structure, and activities related to professional learning. [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.]

Museums have long been known as an exciting, educational field trip for teachers and students, however, they have the potential to be more. Aside from field trips, some museums offer a range of resources for teachers including professional development sessions. This study followed a sample of classroom teachers as they completed a three-part workshop on Project Based Learning in order to determine in what ways does museum-based professional development change (a) Teacher perceptions of museum resources and (b) Teacher utilization of museum resources within their classroom, as well as what aspects of the museum-designed professional development experience did teachers find most effective in impacting their own teaching. The Experiential Learning Theory and an Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action (AIDA) effect model were used to evaluate how perceptions changed before and after the museum-designed experience. Overall, the trustworthiness of the informal educators and their resources increased, as well as teacher utilization of the resources since participation. Some of the aspects that teachers reported as most effective included their willingness to engage because of their overall enjoyment of the experience. Teachers also emphasized that these workshop sessions enhanced their current teaching practices, and did not simply replace them. [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.]