Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2022, Educational Leadership

Through a critical phenomenological approach, this study captured the lived experiences of directors in the Ohio Private Academic Libraries (OPAL) consortium and their responses to dual pandemics, the COVID-19 pandemic and the pandemic of racism. Individual qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten OPAL directors to examine their roles as leaders in times of upheaval. Findings indicate that the pandemics amplified challenges in emotional and practical ways. Directors contended with emotional labor marked by ambiguity and burnout. Practical challenges (staff reductions, enforcing safety protocols, and the Great Resignation) further impacted morale. Racially just, equitable systems encourage workplaces defined by compassion, autonomy, and respect. Thus, directors must prioritize antiracism actions to dismantle white supremacy and racial capitalism in their libraries.

Committee: Meredith Wronowski (Committee Chair); Miriam Matteson (Committee Member); Thomas Oldenski (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Leadership; Higher Education; Library Science

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2006, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects:

Bachelor of Arts (BA), Ohio University, 2024, Sociology

This thesis searches to find what the most influential factors on the development of political morals and motivations are for Generation Z students at Ohio University. In 2024, there are over forty states that have legislation in the process of becoming law, or already signed into law, that aim to restrict Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives or limit academic freedoms in some way. America is sorely lacking the research and literature on what is shaping the political mindsets of today's youths; literature that is essential in protecting academic freedom. This research study utilizes a survey and quantitative analysis to discover if students at Ohio University believe that going to college is making this generation more liberal or if outside factors such as climate change and social media are more influential than traditional education. The findings of this study indicate that study participants do not believe that traditional education is the most influential factor in the development of their political ideology. They instead look to current events, social media, and friends to shape their ideals. Further, this study proves that students at Ohio University value diversity in thought and the opportunity to have complex meaningful discussions within the classroom and therefore they are not supportive of academically limiting legislation such as Ohio's Senate Bill 83.

Committee: Dr. Paula Miller (Advisor) Subjects: Political Science; Sociology

Ed.D., Antioch University, 2023, Education

The objective of this dissertation was to explore how the principles of culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) can inform the design of a junior high school curriculum to enhance science learning by providing meaningful learning experiences to all students. The transformative paradigm provided a framework used as a lens to emphasize the importance of understanding the social, cultural, and historical context in which individuals and communities are situated. CSP and Backward Design Model were applied to develop a curriculum for a sheltered science literacy elective class for below grade level readers. The purpose of using CSP in the curriculum design was to create a more inclusive and culturally sustaining learning environment that would support students in developing strong science literacy skills. Project–based learning (PBL) was used with CSP to allow for flexibility and creativity in project designs that give students the opportunity to explore and experiment with different ideas and approaches in the learning environment. The California Department of Education's descriptions for effective use of CSP in a classroom was incorporated into the curriculum to be used as an assessment tool measuring the effectiveness of the curriculum. The implications of this curriculum development suggest the effectiveness of CSP on science literacy and its connections enhance student performance in science. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA: Antioch University Repository and Archive, https://aura.antioch.edu/ and OhioLINK ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu/

Committee: Michael Raffanti Ed. D. (Committee Chair); Emiliano Gonzalez Ph. D. (Committee Member); Heather Curl Ed. D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Curriculum Development; Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Theory; Literacy; Multicultural Education; Pedagogy; Teacher Education; Teaching

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2019, Higher Education (Education)

The ideal college campus provides a supportive, inclusive atmosphere for all students, enabling them to challenge their beliefs, extend their understandings, and engage in meaningful learning and knowledge production – inside and outside of the classroom. However, even on a single campus, students do not share uniform perceptions regarding the support and inclusivity of their campus environment (Smith, 2015). Students who identify with historical marginalized groups regularly report a lower sense of belonging and a less inclusive climate than their privileged peers (Hurtado, Alvarez, Guillermo-Wann, Cuellar, & Arellano, 2012). Students' sense of belonging is integral to student success and it is increasingly understood to be tied to social identity, particularly for students who identify with a minoritized group (Strayhorn, 2019; Vaccaro & Newman, 2016). Sense of belonging is also closely related to a student's perception of various campus environments. Students' most immediate experience with campus environments is via the components of campus in which they regularly interact (Strange & Banning, 2015) and an important component of the residential campus environment is the informal learning space - the places outside of the classroom in which students choose to do their studying and academic work (Painter et al., 2013). Using a critical constructivist lens and an ecological development framework, in this basic qualitative research, I explore the relationship between a diverse group of undergraduates' experiences in informal learning spaces (or study spaces) and their sense of belonging. The findings indicate that students' navigation of study spaces can be related to their minoritized identities and describe how the participants navigate campus study spaces when experiencing uncertainty around belonging. Factors such as peer anxiety, peer motivation, study space exploration, gendered spaces, group avoidance, and disciplinary identity all played a (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Laura Harrison M. (Committee Chair); Peter Mather (Committee Member); David Nguyen (Committee Member); Emmanuel Jean Francois (Committee Member) Subjects: Higher Education; Library Science

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2018, Communication Studies (Communication)

This dissertation examines the differences of discourses-in-use regarding the topic of faculty diversity among faculty and administrators at Ohio University. I conducted a study of the rhetoric of faculty diversity at OU, exploring administrative statements about faculty diversity, such as the OUFSHI (Ohio University Faculty Staff Hiring Initiative) on the President's webpage, and the webpages of the Office for Institutional Equity, the Office for Diversity and Inclusion, and Human Resources. In examining these public statements of OU administration regarding faculty diversity and hiring practices, I sought to discover how administration was framing the concept of diversity, and the type of mandates in place for faculty search committees to use in screening applicants and choosing interviewees. I found that OU administration primarily conceptualized diversity as women and people of color, and these were the underrepresented groups that search committees were encouraged to target in their recruiting and hiring practices. In addition to examining the online resources, I conducted interviews with three administrators, one each from Diversity and Inclusion, Institutional Equity, and Human Resources. To examine the discourses of faculty, I conducted 25 interviews with OU faculty members, asking them to describe their ideas of how OU administration understood faculty diversity, and how they themselves understood it and engage in discourse about it. The resulting data revealed that a number of OU faculty were either unaware of how administration framed the idea of faculty diversity, or they were aware but had concerns about administration's commitment to creating a truly diverse culture at OU. Faculty expressed concerns that targeted hiring practices might not result in the hiring of the most qualified candidate, and that other contributors to diversity, besides race and sex, were being overlooked. The results of my data collection and analysis are presented as respo (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Laura Black Dr (Advisor) Subjects: Communication

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2017, College of Education

This dissertation addresses approaches to closing the achievement gap for urban public high schools. High school graduation rates have been increasing, both nationally and in Ohio; however, this is not the case for all students. The problem addressed in this research is that graduation rates of African-American and Hispanic students in Ohio were not increasing at the same rate as those of White students within the past decade. The literature review indicated that poverty was not always a predictor of lack of academic success. Through qualitative case study methodologies, this research explored how three urban public schools in Ohio made significant gains in improving the graduation rate of African-American and Hispanic students. Eighteen individuals were interviewed during the course of this study and their testimonies show that instructional strategies, academic interventions and building strong relationships with students were important in closing the achievement gap. The findings of this research include specific strategies and approaches that led to increased graduation rates. Additionally, this study provided participants, including African-American and Hispanic students, their parents, community leaders, and educators, an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns, and make valuable recommendations on how to continue to improve the education of underperforming African-American and Hispanic students in Ohio. The personal experiences of the participants in this study may help other public school district educators in the nation serving similar ethnic groups, gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities to closing the achievement gap.

Committee: Harold E. Wilson PhD (Committee Chair); James Olive PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Judy Alston PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: African Americans; Educational Leadership; Hispanic Americans; Multicultural Education; Secondary Education

Master of Science (MS), Wright State University, 2016, Leadership Studies

Diversity and mentoring are becoming important areas of study in leadership and educational disciplines. While some steps have been taken to conceptualize or delineate how these disparate elements function in higher education, there has been little research into how and where they intersect, namely, when mentoring dyads are comprised of individuals from diverse cultures. In this paper, the researcher shares her discoveries on how a cross-cultural academic dyad works in contemporary settings. She discusses the role of perceptions, expectations and actions–some of the essential ingredients of effective cross-cultural mentoring– which could be utilized as a guide for further study and/or practice. The qualitative case study is based on Kram's (1985) four phases of the mentoring relationship and Lechuga's (2011) four faculty roles. The author then discusses how these integrated elements fuel positive cross-cultural mentoring interactions.

Committee: Suzanne Franco Ed.D. (Committee Chair); Noah Schroeder Ph.D. (Committee Member); Ada Cencki Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Cultural Resources Management; Education; Educational Leadership; Organizational Behavior; Personal Relationships

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2014, EDU Teaching and Learning

The study sought to examine how I, a teacher researcher, implemented a culturally relevant writing pedagogy in my first grade classroom, that integrated the funds of knowledge of my students and their families (Gay, 2002; Ladson-Billings, 1994, 2001; Moll at al., 1992). The particular goals of this study were to examine: how I learned about the funds of knowledge of my students and their families (Moll at al., 1992); how my teacher pedagogy changed and how the roles of my students changed; and finally, to examine how my role as a teacher researcher impacted the relationships with my professional colleagues and administrators within my school. The implications of this research for my own teacher pedagogy, for current practitioners, and for teacher education, indicate that by engaging in the process of inquiry with an ethic of care, changes to teacher pedagogy will result, specifically when implementing culturally relevant pedagogy (Noddings, 2005, 2012). The result of implementing a culturally relevant writing pedagogy with an ethic of care, that integrated the funds of knowledge of my students and their families, was the growth and academic achievement the students demonstrated. In addition to that growth I myself changed as a teacher researcher and the students’ roles changed. As I engaged in practitioner inquiry I developed the ability of “how” to implement culturally relevant pedagogy in my classroom.

Committee: Laurie Katz PhD (Advisor); Patricia L. Scharer PhD (Committee Member); David Bloome PhD (Committee Member); Mollie Blackburn PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Early Childhood Education; Education

Master of Arts, Miami University, 2009, Psychology

Drawing on Tinto's (1975, 1987, 1993) interactionalist model of student attrition, this survey study examined students' cultural differences from dominant graduate communities, integration in graduate programs, and attitudes towards educational persistence. Cultural differences were assessed by a measure of cumulative diversity, which summed students' number of memberships across traditionally underrepresented demographic groups. Integration was assessed by measures of advisor/mentor satisfaction and sense of community in the graduate program. Data from 330 doctoral students in APA-accredited clinical psychology programs showed that cumulative diversity had different effects by sex. Whereas cumulative diversity was unrelated to integration or persistence-related attitudes for women, it was related to less favorable integration and persistence-related attitudes for men. Integration, particularly sense of program community, was an important predictor of persistence-related attitudes for both genders. Sense of program community mediated the relationship between cumulative diversity and persistence-related attitudes for men only. Implications for student retention are discussed.

Committee: William Stiles Ph.D. (Advisor); Margaret O’Dougherty Wright Ph.D. (Committee Member); Elisa Abes Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Health Education; Minority and Ethnic Groups; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2005, Psychology

This study was designed to examine the cultural competency level of one rural, Midwestern high school. In order to determine the competency of the school, its staff and students were asked to fill out questionnaires. The questionnaires asked the subjects about the types of activities they participated in, the cultural competency of their school's curriculum, the cultural competency of their school's programming, and their personal perspective regarding diversity issues. It was hypothesized that minority subjects (i.e. women, persons of color, and persons with health impediments), senior students, and persons with a lower income than others would be more sensitive to and involved in minority initiatives. Unfortunately, there was an insufficient amount of participants of color to uncover significant results for this population. However, within the staff population, significant results were found related to health impediments. Within the student population significant results were found supporting this study's hypotheses regarding the sex, grade level, and health variables. The construct validity of the instruments used in this study is supported by the relationships that were found among them. Over half of the staff believed the school in general and specifically the school's textbooks were culturally sensitive. The school's staff also displayed attitudes that were embracing of diversity. The majority of the staff, however, did not believe that their school's programming or activities reflected a culturally competent school. While over half of the students agreed that their school in general and the school's textbooks specifically were culturally sensitive, the majority of the students believed that their school's programming and activities did not reflect a culturally competent school. Unfortunately, over half of the student population in this study did not possess attitudes that embraced diversity. The aspects of a cultural competent school are discussed in this wor (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Mia Biran (Advisor) Subjects: Psychology, Clinical

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2007, Leadership Studies

The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationships between demographic characteristics, academic climate perceptions, and retention plans of 103 tenured and tenure-track faculty of color at 11 four-year predominantly White public universities in Ohio. The 59-item Faculty Retention Questionnaire was administered online and assessed perceptions of the academic climate defined by six variables (job satisfaction, social climate, faculty-student relationships, role conflict, role clarity, and retention). Demographic characteristics were also measured (e.g., racial/ethnic background, gender, age, sexual orientation, country of origin, institution type, academic discipline, marital status, with/without children, and tenure status). Likert-type scales, multiple choice, and open-ended questions measured employment values and intent to stay in current position. Of the 725 surveys distributed, 103 were submitted, yielding an overall response rate of 14%. Critical Race Theory (CRT) framed this study. Correlational results indicated that job satisfaction was significantly related to and highly important to the retention variable. Analysis of variance revealed that U. S. born faculty of color are more likely to be retained than non-U. S. born. Forward multiple regression analysis identified job satisfaction as the sole predictor of retention with job satisfaction only accounting for 23% of variance in retention. Further regression analysis identified social climate, role clarity, and role conflict as factors that best predict job satisfaction. Conclusions from the study raised larger questions regarding job satisfaction: (1) Does job satisfaction mean something different to faculty of color than it does to mainstream faculty? (2) Do faculty of color perceive job satisfaction as part of their social/cultural experience? (3) Is job satisfaction a part of the dual reality that is inherent in people of color through the identification of being a member of an und (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Rachel Vannatta (Advisor) Subjects: