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Exploring what skills and practices new college-level career and technical education instructors believe are important to teach : a multiple case study.
Full text linkHigh school career and technical education (CTE) programs and technical colleges across the United States rely on industry experts to instruct and share their vast knowledge of the industries in which they work. However, many industry experts have little training focused on how to be effective instructors. Planning and preparation of instruction, development of curriculum, creating a supportive learning environment, engaging the students in instruction, and classroom management are some skills that usually do not come naturally. New CTE instructors who struggle with these tasks often become frustrated and face higher attrition rates.
The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore what instructional practices and skills Utah technical college instructors directly from industry believe are required to teach undergraduate and secondary students. The participants of this study included five first-year and second-year instructors at public technical colleges in the state of Utah. I selected Bandura’s (1977) self-efficacy theory as the theoretical framework for this study and collected data using a questionnaire, one-on-one interviews, and journal entries. I uncovered six key findings in this study. First, the CTE college-level instructors believe it is important to develop patience and empathy as they begin teaching undergraduate and secondary students. Second, the CTE college-level instructors believe it is important to focus on the needs of the individual students as they begin teaching undergraduate and secondary students. Third, the CTE college-level instructors describe the importance of mastery experience as they transition from industry to higher education. Fourth, the CTE college-level instructors described how their transition from industry to instruction was made easier based on opportunities to gain vicarious experience from other instructors. Fifth, The CTE college-level instructors believe that social persuasion through training opportunities enhances their self-efficacy. Finally, The CTE college-level instructors described the challenges of transitioning from industry to higher education and its impact on their emotional and physiological state. This study has implications for new CTE instructors technical college administrators, and policymakers
Perceptions of citizenship through civic action : a qualitative case study of personally responsible, participatory, and social justice-oriented citizenship in 6th and 7th graders.
No full textMany adolescents in the United States lack meaningful opportunities to develop civic understanding because social studies instruction has been deprioritized in schools. National data show that most middle school students score below proficiency in civics, and research highlights how the lack of authentic civic learning experiences limits students’ ability to see themselves as contributors to their communities. This issue is especially visible in public schools where social studies is often reduced or removed from the curriculum. As a result, students are left without structured opportunities to explore local issues, participate in collaborative problem-solving, or reflect on systemic challenges affecting their communities’ lives.
This qualitative case study examined how 6th and 7th grade students at a public charter school perceived personally responsible, participatory, and social justice-oriented citizenship following their active involvement in a short-term, civic-focused take-action project. Westheimer and Kahne’s (2004) typology of civic identity provided the theoretical framework for the study. I gathered data through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and civics project planning documents. The analysis combined a priori coding with open coding, enabling both predetermined and emerging themes to be identified. Cross-referencing data from all three sources increased the trustworthiness of the findings and offered a comprehensive understanding of the participants’ perceptions.
This study had three key findings related to the participants’ perceptions of personally responsible, participatory, and social-justice-oriented citizenship. The findings showed that students began to see their roles in the community through small, intentional acts of personal responsibility. They valued teamwork in addressing local issues and demonstrated a growing understanding of systemic barriers and the importance of sustainable solutions. These results indicated that even brief, structured civic learning experiences can foster student agency, empathy, and critical thinking in middle school settings with limited formal social studies instruction. The implications of this study highlight opportunities to integrate civic learning into literacy classes, establish platforms for student voice, and align school policies to promote civic engagement. These implications extend to charter middle school leaders, literacy teachers, and students. Future research might explore how ongoing civic projects contribute to adolescents’ long-term civic identity development
"Sense of community as responsibility" in the U.S. East Coast community engagement field with African American adult "altruism born of suffering" survivors : a case study.
No full textAdult African American trauma survivors demonstrating altruism born of suffering (ABS) frequently encounter exclusion within their community-based organizations because of systemic social biases (Crenshaw, 1991; Waller et al., 2022), posing significant challenges to their efforts (Nowell & Boyd, 2014). Although some trauma survivors interact with others through ABS—an inclination for compassion and community engagement (Staub & Vollhardt, 2008; Vollhardt, 2009), trauma survivors also face discrimination (Fukushima et al., 2020; Marte, 2021). Furthermore, African Americans and older persons in the United States face workplace prejudice (Fekedulegn et al., 2019). Therefore, adult African American ABS-identifying staff in the community engagement field may experience marginalization by others. Neglecting the marginalization of adult African American ABS-identifying staff in the community engagement field may perpetuate this issue in this overlooked population. Gaining an understanding of biases pertaining to adult African American ABS-identifying staff gives insight about their choices to interact with others in their community.
Through a qualitative single case study with embedded units, I focused on the stories of four participants in one urban Pennsylvania city. These adult African American participants, aged 50 to 69, worked in community engagement organizations. Furthermore, these four participants self-identified with the positive trauma outcome altruism born of suffering (Staub & Vollhardt, 2008; Vollhardt, 2009). I used the sense of community as responsibility framework (SOC-R) (Boyd & Nowell, 2017; Nowell & Boyd, 2010, 2014) to frame the research question. I asked, how do adult African American ABS-identifying staff in the U.S. East Coast community engagement field perceive sense of community responsibility in their work experiences? I used a qualitative questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, and a reflective journal to gather participant data.
I noted key findings and implications to aid recommendations for the target audiences of the case study. The data revealed five key themes and related implications to inform four target audiences. Through the findings, implications, and recommendations, readers may consider improved organizational practices relevant to the study sample
Get involved! : a single case study examining how co-curricular involvement establishes a sense of community for Generation Z students at a liberal arts college.
No full textLow retention rates and decreased enrollment are rampant concerns in higher education. A confluence of factors impacts retention and enrollment. Much of the existing literature focuses on at-risk populations, academic-based interventions, and overall student engagement in retention. Less research exists on the specific relationship between co-curricular activities and retention. The purpose of this single case study was to examine how Gen Z students at a small liberal arts college establish a sense of community through co-curricular involvement.
I conducted interviews and a focus group using unique protocols designed in alignment with McMillan and Chavis’s (1986) sense of community theory to explore participants’ co-curricular experience during their first year at college. These interviews and the focus group led to valuable insights into the role of student activities for the study’s participants. Findings from this study indicated that student activities contributed to the participants’ sense of community in college. The six key findings from the participants were: (a) involvement built connections that strengthened students’ desire to return to school, (b) involvement influenced personal growth, (c) involvement allowed participants to meet new people with shared goals and values, (d) activities were joyful for students, (e) co-curricular involvement led to social momentum, and (f) the main barrier to participating in student activities was scheduling challenges. The first four findings aligned with McMillan and Chavis’s (1986) theory, and the last two emerged from the data.
These findings have implications for first-year students, student activities professionals, and researchers. The key recommendation for first-year students is to prioritize student involvement as a key aspect of their college experience. Recommendations for student activities professionals include communicating the benefits and outcomes of involvement to students and campus partners to increase participation in co-curricular activities and positively impact overall retention. Further research should be conducted to better understand the relationship between co-curricular student involvement and retention
A qualitative single case study exploring Black male student self-efficacy at a private faith-based Massachusetts high school.
No full textMany Black male students who attend private high schools in the United States experience a lack of sufficient resources, support, and representation within the student and faculty population (Bolgatz et al., 2020). These experiences of Black male students can contribute to their overall academic self-efficacy, positively or negatively (Bandura, 1977). The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore Black male students’ perceptions of how they use self-efficacy to shape their private faith-based high school academic experience.
I conducted a qualitative single case study that included data from five Black male participants ranging from Grades 9–12 at Park High School (PHS). Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire, a semi-structured individual interview, and a focus group with all of the participants together. I used Bandura’s (1977) self-efficacy theory to shape the study through the four major components: performance accomplishment, social persuasion, vicarious experience, and physiological state. There were four major findings about the academic experience of Black male students at PHS, which led to four implications for different key groups. Finding 1: Black male students in private high schools need positive past academic experiences to believe they can be successful. Finding 2: Black male students in private high schools respond well to positive peer pressure and teacher feedback. Finding 3: Black male students in private high schools benefit from positive academic experiences shared by family members and peers, which can guide and support their own academic journeys. Finding 4: Black male students in private schools have negative experiences with diversity issues. As a result of these findings, I recommended professional development for high school teachers, targeted strategies to increase student and faculty diversity for high school administrators, active engagement in their students’ lives for parents and guardians, and continued research on the experience of Black male students in private schools for researchers
Why now : a quantitative analysis of barriers influencing a delay in treatment-seeking behavior for adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
No full textObsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) disrupts daily life through intrusive obsessions and time-consuming compulsions. Although effective treatments exist, many individuals delay accessing care for years after diagnosis, worsening outcomes and increasing risks for comorbidities, functional impairment, and suicide. Despite increasing attention to mental health access, few quantitative studies have explored OCD-specific barriers in U.S. adults. This study aimed to identify the personal, structural, and stigma-related barriers that influence treatment-seeking behavior among adults with OCD.
Guided by the capability, opportunity, motivation, and behavior model (Michie et al., 2011), I conducted a cross-sectional survey using the Barriers to Access to Care Evaluation scale (BACE; Clement et al., 2012). A total of 104 adults with a self-reported OCD diagnosis completed an anonymous online survey. Mood’s Median results showed no statistically significant difference in BACE v3 scores between those who sought treatment within one year of diagnosis and those who delayed treatment (p = .254), though participants who delayed treatment reported slightly higher median scores (Mdn = 1.83; range, 1.27–3.90). A logistic regression revealed that stigma (p = .027) and structural barriers (p = .010) statistically significantly predicted delayed treatment, while knowledge (p = .204) and attitude (p = .702) barriers did not. A point-biserial correlation revealed that knowledge barriers were significantly correlated with longer time to treatment (rpb = .306, p = .002). The Mann-Whitney U test found non-White participants reported higher overall BACE v3 scores (M = 2.02) than White participants (M = 1.70), but the difference was not statistically significant (p = .112).
These findings suggest that stigma, structural obstacles, and knowledge deficits are key contributors to delays in OCD treatment, while personal attitudes may play a less prominent role. While non-White participants reported higher average barrier scores than White participants, this difference did not reach statistical significance, suggesting that racial or ethnic disparities in perceived barriers may exist but were not conclusively demonstrated in this sample. Professionals can utilize this data to screen for these barriers, provide targeted psychoeducation, and enhance care pathways. Policymakers and researchers should prioritize efforts to reduce systemic inequities and improve mental health literacy. This study offers an evidence-based foundation for designing interventions that promote earlier access to care and reduce disparities in OCD treatment
Exploring new horizons : a qualitative multiple case study on veterans’ perspectives of psychedelic-assisted therapy for depression.
Full text linkVeterans of the United States military face disproportionately high rates of depression, post-traumatic stress, and relational challenges following service. While traditional treatments such as pharmacotherapy and talk therapy are widely available, many veterans report limited engagement, poor outcomes, or dissatisfaction with conventional care models. Recent interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) has emerged as an alternative approach with potential to address not only symptoms but also deeper issues of moral injury, identity loss, and systemic disconnection. However, little is known about how veterans perceive the effects of PAT across different domains of their lives or how those changes unfold within broader environmental contexts.
This qualitative multiple case study explored how four U.S. military veterans diagnosed with depression described the influence of PAT on their internal and external environments. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, the study investigated how participants experienced change across the ecological layers: microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem. I collected data through semi-structured interviews and participant questionnaires, and I analyzed them using a theoretical coding approach with a priori categories based on the ecological model. The purpose of the study was to explore the lived experiences of veterans who completed PAT and to understand how they perceived changes in identity, relationships, and systemic engagement.
Findings revealed that participants experienced internal transformation, including emotional regulation, reconnection to self, and spiritual realignment. These changes initiated ripple effects across their family systems, professional identities, and cultural belief structures. Participants described strengthened interpersonal bonds, reevaluation of institutional affiliations, emergence of existential meaning, and a reauthoring of past life narratives. A central theme was the tension between personal change and stagnant external environments, highlighting the need for systems capable of supporting sustained reintegration. The study’s findings suggest that PAT facilitates multidimensional healing and may serve as a critical catalyst for personal and social transformation among veterans with depression. I identified implications for clinicians, healthcare administrators, program developers, and researchers who seek to understand and support whole-person change in post-service veteran populations
Learning from students : an inquiry into Charles Spearman’s research agenda.
No full textCharles Spearman is somewhat of an enigmatic figure in psychology’s history. While most historians of psychology agree that he made notable contributions, there is no consensus about the research agenda from which Spearman's contributions originated. Since typical methods for studying a researcher's agenda are likely to provide relatively limited information in the case of Spearman, we approached the problem differently. Under the reasoned assumption that the student research projects he guided would manifest his agenda, we examined the content of those projects. What emerged from our inquiry is a research agenda that appears broader and more complex than what is often presented in modern history of psychology texts. We discuss some implications of our findings as well as some possible future directions for historical inquiry into Spearman
Conflicts, border politics, and ideologies : a qualitative case study of school board member perceptions about their influence on student achievement in rural Louisiana.
No full textAlthough school boards set the conditions of teaching and learning in public K–12 schools, many school board members have a limited understanding of the leadership practices required to foster student achievement. They receive limited training and often rely on their superintendent to remain informed about policies, practices, and accountability measures related to student achievement. When school boards prioritize strategic, student-centered plans and practices over other needs, their districts experience higher levels of student performance. However, in small, tight-knit communities characterized by geographic isolation, resource scarcity, and social interconnectedness, the experience of rurality often shifts focus away from academic interests. The purpose of this study was to explore how school board members in rural Louisiana perceived the influence of micropolitical factors—specifically conflict, border politics, and ideology—on their leadership practices, and how those practices, in turn, affected student achievement. To achieve this purpose, I conducted a qualitative single case study using Achinstein’s (2002) micropolitical framework as a guide for the design and analysis. I recruited school board members from rural school districts in West Florida and Acadiana parishes with at least one full year of school board experience to participate in the study. I collected data from all participants using open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. This study yielded five key findings. Most participants experienced micropolitical conflict as a productive component of empowered leadership, and most promoted border politics defined by belonging, dialogue, and bridge-building. The participants also expressed ideology-avoidant views about students, but they described ideologies that embraced transformation and growth in themselves and other board members. Despite robust descriptions of how their leadership practices influenced the business side of their districts, they excluded student achievement from the influence of their leadership practices, and they described many of their leadership practices and experiences as extensions of their rurality. These findings have implications for rural school board members, superintendents, school board associations, and researchers regarding board leadership practices, training topics, and rural experiences
Search for boosted Higgs boson decays to a pair of spin-0 particle in the 4b final state.
No full textThis dissertation presents a new technique in calibration, efficiency estimation, and uncertainty calculation of 4-body AK8 jet taggers, as well as the training and assessment of ParticleNet mass decorrelated regressors, then outlines their usage in the search for boosted Higgs boson decays to a pair of spin-0 particles in the b¯bb¯b final state using CMS Run 2 data. The spin-0 particle mass examined in this analysis ranged from 11 –62.5 GeV. The Higgs production mode considered was gluon-gluon fusion. Both the calibration and analysis is performed on data from proton-proton collisions at the center of mass energy of 13TeV, collected in 2016-2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 f b−1. Lastly, the dissertation also describes the study on using statistical tests and machine learning techniques in anomaly detection for the Compact Muon Solenoid Data Quality Monitoring