Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2024, Educational Administration

To build a safe and supportive community in school climates, we first need to prevent bullying through healthy relationships and safety procedures, which will begin in the classroom. My theory is to start early on in school settings such as Kindergarten. I hope to build a plan to ensure an autonomous mindset that gives students, teachers, and staff a pure and wholesome thought process. This thinking will take some years to develop a nuanced expression. During this starting phase of Kindergarten, I hope to broaden the opportunity for students in elementary school to be role models for students of the same age and younger; this begins with weekly training for them. The design is that this learning will transition into the middle school setting to facilitate a bridge in learning about the middle school student climate. The design continues to bridge students' transition into high school, hoping to eliminate bullying in the high school climate. The mindset structure is the tool to reduce and eliminate bullying, with a nuanced mindset to pivot from daily bullying in school settings. The intent is for this process to govern higher education and into future employment. This is a small piece of the planning process and implementation process with the management of a programmatic solution to building safer school environments.

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), University of Findlay, 2024, Education

Aims: This study investigated itinerant teacher's personal views regarding competency related to delivering special education services to preschool children with disabilities in an inclusive setting by using a consultative model. Demographics: The study comprised forty-two females and one male itinerant from all over Ohio. Among the participants, forty-two identified as White, with one Hispanic person choosing to partake. Methodology: To collect quantitative and qualitative data, an online survey with fifteen closed-ended and one open-ended question was distributed to itinerant teachers in Ohio. During the survey development, specific Likert-type scale components were selected from the Performance Indicators for Early Childhood Education Specialists (PIECES) self-assessment. Analysis: The quantitative data from the fifteen closed-ended questions was analyzed by individually comparing the response frequency on each item. The participants' answers were copied and pasted into a Word document to analyze the open-ended question. Part of sentences or entire sentences were highlighted and then color-coded to generate codes. Each set of codes was turned into themes, then explained by utilizing in vivo coding, which focused on including a few of the participant's quotes as examples to capture their voice and experiences. Implications: The analysis indicates that, regardless of their background or experience, itinerant teachers perceive themselves as capable and confident in implementing the consultative model within inclusive preschool settings. With proper training and support from administration, consultants, and consultees in inclusive settings can establish constructive working relationships and collaborate on actions that continually benefit students with disabilities. Recommendations: Future research to gather more in-depth quantitative and qualitative information concerning the consultative model from itinerant and general education teachers is recommended.

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2024, Educational Administration

There are five developmental areas: gross motor, fine motor, communication, adaptive behavior, and social-emotional. If social-emotional skills are delayed, all other developmental areas are negatively impacted. Preschool-aged students are incapable of kindergarten readiness if they have a delay in social-emotional development as it impacts their ability to gain and retain academic knowledge. An integrated public preschool in Ohio expressed concern of increased delays in social-emotional skills following the COVID-19 shutdown. Staff noticed an increase in classroom disruptions and emotional dysregulation. To counteract this, the social- emotional program, The Zones of Regulation, was adapted and implemented throughout the preschool environment. Through the theoretical framework of street-level bureaucracy and a bottom-up approach, this qualitative participatory action research study examined the staffs' perspectives on the ease of implementation and effectiveness of the adapted version of The Zones of Regulation. The data that was collected and analyzed revealed that, in the opinion of the participants, the building-wide implementation of this program was successful and improved classroom management. Areas of the program that need improvement were revealed and an action plan was developed.

EDD, Kent State University, 2024, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

Children begin forming ideas about race and difference at a very young age. In their review of field literature, Gaias et al. (2021) shared that “children's racial prejudice and awareness of racial categories has been found to emerge around age 3” (p. 273). ECE is an important time to address topics of difference and bias with young children. Anti-Bias education (ABE) is a framework that has been utilized in Early Childhood spaces to address bias with young children and adults (Derman-Sparks et al., 2020). This qualitative research study examined teachers' perceptions of ABE and the ways that they utilized ABE in their classrooms. It also explores the impact of professional development on those perceptions and practices. The theoretical framework and design for this study were both centered around social constructivism. This research utilized a two-part professional development experience where participants completed a pre-survey, four online modules on ABE, one focus group session, and two post-surveys. Within this study, teachers expressed value in connecting with other educators. Teachers also expressed excitement about potential and continued use of ABE but were also nervous about correct implementation. Through their responses, the use of children's literature to facilitate discussions around difference and bias was evident as well as teachers needing concrete actionable steps to navigate ABE. The findings also suggest the importance of school administrative support in teachers' pursuits of a diverse curriculum, and school environment as well as the need for teacher support in implementation of ABE from all stakeholders.

PHD, Kent State University, 2024, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences

Program-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PWPBIS), an early childhood extension of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), is a multi-tiered system of supports that has shown promise in fostering the social, emotional, and behavioral development of young children in preschool settings. The literature indicates that positive stakeholder perceptions of PBIS/PWPBIS may contribute to its overall success in early childhood and K-12 settings (Odom et al., 2005; Sugai et al., 2000). Given the gaps in the literature identified by this researcher associated with understanding stakeholder perceptions regarding social validity, barriers, and facilitating factors related to implementing PWPBIS across tiers, the purpose of the current qualitative study was to explore teacher and administrator perceptions of social validity, barriers, and facilitating factors associated with Tier 1 and Tier 2 implementation of PWPBIS within an urban early childhood program. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis of survey and focus group data were used to report the experiences of teachers and administrators as well as compare and contrast the information provided by participants in each group. Findings suggest that teachers and administrators generally view the goals and outcomes of PWPBIS as socially valid across Tier 1 and Tier 2. Their satisfaction varied due to barriers such as inconsistent implementation, lack of staff buy-in, and time constraints. Successful implementation was facilitated by external support from a county-level agency, consistent implementation, and observing positive impacts of supports on students. Implications for research and practice within the field of school psychology are discussed to inform future practice.

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2024, Leadership and Change

This dissertation project used an interpretivist qualitative research design to study how the right-to-read claim made by seven teenagers attending Detroit public schools in 2016 reflects, addresses, or describes contemporary discussions about educational access. Using situational analysis (SA) as a theory/method, the entirety of the claim comprises the situation of the social phenomenon being studied, not the people. This research combines critical race theory (CRT) with Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems and uses situation analysis to map historical discourses to conduct a study that examines the history of a present situation of inquiry as presented by this question: How does the 2016 right-to-read claim made by high school students in Detroit, Michigan reflect, address, or describe contemporary discussions about educational access? The study collected data to allow me to construct a prosopography that articulates an answer to the question that claims access to literacy is a public school policy right. Because situational analysis (SA) is designed to open research data to aspects of a circumstance that may have been overlooked, marginalized, or silenced, I was not certain the research results would answer this exact question. Additionally, critical theory and SA were used to conduct this qualitative research, examining historical data that addresses the right-to-read claim as a Foucaultian programmatic social problem. As such, it seeks to understand the complexities of recurring and historically situated education practices that limit actualizing U.S. education policies that embrace access to basic literacy skills as a human right. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, Educational Studies

Traditionally, preschool-age children are encouraged to explore the world around them to construct a meaningful worldview. Although important, exploration is no longer admirable when behavior begins to arise. Despite the commonality of preschool behavior, there is an unspoken limit or expectation that is crossed that leads to concerns. There has been a surge of research that highlights concerns of expulsion in early childhood settings, however, there is limited research on how early childhood teachers learn to adopt knowledge and practice to address behavior. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the professional development practices of early childhood educators using Bandura's Social Learning Theory to increase Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) and decrease preschool expulsions in early childhood settings. A phenomenological study was conducted to investigate teachers' perspectives on professional development practices. Qualitative results indicated that early childhood teachers were unprepared to address challenging behavior and desired professional development tailored to their needs. The intention is to identify whether a call to action is warranted for early childhood professionals and policymakers to enhance their awareness and knowledge of professional development practices to address expulsion rates in preschool settings and their impact on development.

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2022, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: School Psychology

Early literacy skills are key indicators of later reading success. Without the development of these prerequisite skills during early childhood, children are at risk for reading difficulties in elementary grades and beyond. By third grade, the gap between expected reading performance and actual reading proficiency is extensive and remains into eighth grade. Therefore, preventative and responsive services in early childhood education addressing early literacy skills can support both positive academic and behavioral student outcomes. Dialogic reading (DR) is an evidence-based intervention that targets early literacy skills like oral language, vocabulary, and print concepts. DR involves one or more students and an interventionist discussing information from a book including pictures and text. The interventionist prompts the student to provide information, provides feedback, and models an elaboration on the student's response. Although research suggests DR has the potential to impact the early literacy skills of young children, intervention fidelity must be maintained for the intervention to be effective for students. To improve intervention fidelity for DR, supports such as intervention scripts or checklists can be provided to practitioners and interventionists. This manuscript reports on two single case design studies conducted in an early childhood setting that together examined (a) the effects of intervention supports on the intervention fidelity of teachers performing interventions, and (b) student reading outcomes when teachers accessed DR intervention supports. Study 1 focused on intervention scripts and an intervention checklist on intervention fidelity using an alternating treatment design. Findings indicated that both supports equivalently increased teachers' (N = 4) intervention fidelity, though the teachers preferred using a checklist. Study 2 examined the effects of the intervention supports and subsequent increased intervention fidelity on student readin (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Education (EdD), Ohio University, 2023, Educational Administration (Education)

This study explored the Deming System of Profound Knowledge as a method of leadership and management in K-8 education. The study focused on the process of acquiring and understanding Deming's teachings as they related to the principalship and educational leadership. Using autoethnography as methodology, I leverage personal qualitative data and related educational leadership literature to present my personal journey of becoming an educational leader who practices Deming's System of Profound Knowledge as their primary method for leading and managing a school. Upon reflection and analysis, I found W. Edwards Deming's System of Profound Knowledge practical and valuable as a leadership method in today's schools. Though the mastery of Deming's teachings was a long, complex process, it greatly improved my leadership practice. The findings highlight essential knowledge and skills required to understand and practice the System of Profound Knowledge. It connects educational leadership and Deming's method and recommends further research.

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2023, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Educational Studies

While much attention has been focused on the benefits of the home literacy environment to young children's literacy development and the importance of the mother-child interactions within this space prior to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in January 2020 (Neuman et al., 2018; Senechal & LeFevre, 2002, 2014), little research has been conducted on the impact of the pandemic on the role of working mothers in the home literacy environment. This dissertation presents an interpretative phenomenological analysis exploring how working mothers of preschool-aged children describe the pandemic's impact on their role in the home literacy environment and how family literacy experiences change during the pandemic in this context. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, videorecording, field notes, and journaling. The analysis resulted in five superordinate themes, including: working mothers' roles in the home literacy environment, barriers to their role fulfillment, their focus on both time and development in their family literacy practices, beliefs about and influences of family literacy practices, and the interactions and materials that comprised their experiences with their children in the home literacy environment in the pandemic context. Recommendations are made for future research focusing on the connection between role and practice in the home literacy environment, the exploration of the impact of practices with others in the home beyond mothers, technology as a literacy practice, and the optimal frequency of engagement in literacy practices.

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

The lived experiences of both students and teachers impact the classroom environment and there is undoubtedly a cultural influence on these experiences. As role models and leaders of the classroom, teachers have a duty to increase awareness of their own cultures as well as the cultures of their students. This study focuses on teacher perceptions of cultural competence and the impact on student relationships, classroom practices, and the school environment. Focus groups and a phenomenological approach were utilized to gather qualitative data from educators across the United States. A desire to develop cultural competency, a want for curricular integration of such, and a need for enhanced training through system wide initiatives to promote development of cultural competence emerged as themes.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2022, Curriculum and Instruction (Education)

This dissertation explored the systemic factors influencing learners' technology outcomes in a teacher preparation program, specifically addressing technology fluency and the ability to integrate technology into instruction. Using a combination of grounded theory and qualitative program evaluation, this study identified the scope, contexts, and systems of influence and control that have an impact on technology skills development for teacher candidates. Using backward design, this study mapped the learning experiences of teacher candidates, identifying key contributors of technology skills development within the program. Using this analysis, a conceptual framework outlining the flow of systemic influences was created, and a data collection tool was developed to quantify the technology fluency and disposition of program faculty. These tools can be used to identify and evaluate a teacher preparation program's technology outcomes, and evaluate the technology abilities of program staff. Through qualitative interviews, this tool was used to identify the overall temperament toward technology within the program and identify areas in which improvements could be made. Recommendations were made for the specific program in the final chapter.

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2022, Leadership and Change

Children benefit from engagement in early education and care (ECE) programs that support their learning and development while also providing a point of connection to critical resources for their families. For children from economically disadvantaged families, the lack of access to high-quality ECE results in a persistent achievement and opportunity gap (Garcia & Weiss, 2015). A significant portion of ECE occurs in home-based early learning environments, also known as family child care (FCC) programs, which play a critical role in supporting children from low-income and immigrant families (Layzer et al., 2007; Porter et al., 2010). Unfortunately, this sector of ECE has seen declining numbers of licensed caregivers over the past decade, due to increased regulatory requirements, low pay, competing commitments, low professional status, and working conditions involving long days in isolation from colleagues or peers (NSECE Project Team, 2016; Tuominen, 2003; Stitou et al., 2018). Using grounded theory methodology, this study explored the lived experience of successful FCC educators, examining the impact of professional identity, intentionality of practice, and management of competing demands on educators' efficacy, psychosocial well-being, and job satisfaction. The stories shared by educators in this study underscore the value of maintaining and supporting this sector of the ECE ecosystem. The findings provide a deeper understanding of the conditions and social processes that allow FCC educators to be effective and thrive in their work. This insight is the key to retaining high-quality programs, recruiting new professionals into the field, and developing strategies to support and strengthen FCC programs that serve young children and their families. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

BA, Oberlin College, 2022, Economics

The United States lags far behind other developed countries in terms of preschool provision and access. Because subsidized preschool effectively serves as childcare for enrolled students, preschool policies have ramifications in the labor market; namely, whether or not parents return to work after having children. This paper investigates the only two state-wide universal pre-k programs in the country, those of Florida and Vermont. I use a synthetic controls approach in order to address the impact these programs have had on maternal labor force participation rates in each state. I find that while Vermont's pre-k policy may have produced a significant increase in maternal labor force participation, the results from Florida's policy are insignificant. This outcome suggests that differences in how the policies have been implemented drive whether or not the policy has meaningful impacts on mothers' decisions to rejoin the labor force. Vermont offers more full-day options than Florida, although both programs are only free for half-day provision; additionally, Florida offers programming for children ages 4 and up, while Vermont offers programming for children 3 and up. Finally, I suggest other routes to explore which may aid pre-k policies in making it more accessible for mothers to return to work: these include more targeted programs, more full-day options, and subsidized (rather than free) provisions.

MAE, Otterbein University, 2022, Education

The purpose of this study is to present an early intervention curriculum incorporating Project-Based Learning (PBL) and opportunities for play. The project aims to answer the questions: What does a Project-Based Learning curriculum model look like in high quality early childhood special education? and How does PBL curriculum work in conjunction with play? The created curriculum answers these questions based on a review of research and guidance from three theoretical frameworks: a Vygotskian Tools of the Mind approach (Bodrova & Leong, 1996), implementation of PBL in early childhood (Lev et al., 2020) and the early intervention Building Blocks framework (Sandall et al., 2019). Early learning standards and differentiation strategies are embedded throughout the curriculum's high-quality early learning environment set up, sample daily schedule, lessons for daily routines, lessons for rotational small group play centers, and four-week PBL unit. The proposed curriculum is designed for inclusive early learning settings (ages three to six years old) for peers and students who qualify for preschool special education services under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2022, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Educational Studies

Societally speaking, early childhood education has not been deeply understood or respected from a developmental standpoint. Stereotypes of early childhood teachers and misinformation regarding how children learn pervade, leading to confusion about what quality looks like in early childhood classrooms. The underlying premise for this study is that the environment, the child, and the teacher are not mutually exclusive entities, but are connected, dynamic, and interrelated. The focus is on the role the physical environment plays in learning and explores why the environment exists as it does, highlighting the critical and active role teachers play. The aim of this study was to articulate the developmental needs of children and the pedagogical values that underpin the decisions that go into designing effective early learning environments, while lifting the voice of expert teachers in shaping the landscape of early childhood care and education. A complex line of reasoning led to the design, implementation and analysis for this study. The line of reasoning is as follows: 1) children are impacted by their environments (socio-cultural theory), 2) children deserve to spend their time in well-designed spaces that support their learning and development (self-determination theory), 3) teachers moderate this experience for children (ecology of schooling; affordances), 4) as so, teachers must take a critical, reflective approach to ensure optimal contexts for all children (dispositions, reflective practice, critically conscious professional), 5) there is much to be learned from expert teachers with regard to the environment and the pedagogical values that underpin their practice, hence the need for the voice and expertise of teachers within the realm of research (Educational criticism; participatory practitioner research). Through the lens of Eisner's (2017) educational connoisseurship and criticism and the use of photovoice as a participatory method in education, fi (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2022, Educational Studies

The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature relating to stress management interventions that have been implemented on teachers in urban settings. A total of 44 relevant experimental studies were found that were conducted in the United States and 14 of those articles were conducted in urban settings. The articles were analyzed by location, sample characteristics (e.g., demographics), grade level, experimental design, data collection methods, intervention components, outcomes measured, and major findings. Findings showed that a majority of the studies were conducted in the Northeast in elementary schools. Samples consisted mainly of white females with varying levels of experience. Half of the studies did not specify whether or not the teachers were general education or special education teachers or both and the ones that did were done on general education teachers only. Regarding research methods, a majority of the studies used a true experimental pretest/posttest control group design and quantitative data collection methods. Most of the interventions used were already existing structured programs that integrate a variety of mindfulness-based components and various instructional strategies. The most common outcome measured related to teacher mental health (e.g., stress, burnout, depression, anxiety, etc.) and other outcomes included efficacy, teacher and/or student classroom behavior, mindfulness practices, physical health, and emotion regulation. Overall, the studies showed positive impacts of the stress management interventions. Limitations of this study, recommendations for future research, and implications for practice are discussed.

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2021, Medicine: Clinical and Translational Research

Objective: To understand parental beliefs and motivations around early (0-6 months) shared reading using qualitative methods. Methods: Parents of infants <9 months old and who had started shared reading (“readers”) and those that had not (“non-readers”) were purposefully recruited and participated in one-on-one semi-structured interviews virtually. In total 21 parents were interviewed: 12 readers and 9 non-readers. These interviews were transcribed, and thematic analysis was used to elicit common themes both from the readers, non-readers, and overlapping themes. Results: In total, 9 themes were interpreted. Both non-readers and readers knew the importance of early shared reading, and saw how “Reading impacted development”. In addition to this theme, 2 other overlapping themes were elicited: “Learning starts at home” and “Important themes in books”. Four themes emerged from the readers group: “Relational Health and reading”, “Positive feedback loop of reading”, “`It works'”, and “2 for 1 shared reading”. Finally, we interpreted one theme in the non-readers cohort, “Barriers to initiating reading”. Conclusion: The valuable insight gained through hearing directly from parents regarding their beliefs and motivations around early shared reading will improve the anticipatory guidance provided to parents, as well as give insight into the immense barriers some parents face. This is an important first towards increasing the number of parents who are reading to their infants.

Specialist in Education (Ed.S.), University of Dayton, 2021, School Psychology

Children born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) and In Utero Drug Exposure (IUDE) may experience delays that can impact cognition, motor skills, speech and language, attention and behavior development. Furthermore, children born with NAS are more likely to be referred for evaluation and subsequently qualify for special education when compared with non-exposed peers. This quantitative study involved an evaluation of existing visual motor and receptive/expressive language data from birth to 24 months for 106 children born with NAS and IUDE. Results indicated that these children had significant deficits in visual motor scores and receptive and expressive language scores. Significant differences in visual motor and language scores were found between the NAS & IUDE and IUDE only groups. Children in the IUDE only groups had lower scores on visual motor and language assessments; the IUDE only group demonstrated a significant positive rate of change.

Master of Fine Arts, Miami University, 2021, Art

Thousands of children are adopted both domestically and internationally every year. Many of these children come from institutional or foster care and suffer from complex trauma, abuse and neglect, which negatively affect their transition and attachment with their adoptive families (Van Der Kolk, 2005). If left untreated, these effects can last into adulthood, impairing a person's ability to form secure relationships throughout their lives (White, 2014). The purpose of this research is to explore the use of virtual play—especially play therapy—to help adopted children in Pennsylvania work through these past traumas so they can form healthy attachments with their adoptive families. As a result, treating complex trauma in these children requires treatment that addresses the whole child: 1) safety, 2) relationships and 3) self-regulation and management (Purvis, 2013). Up until this point, most interventions are behavioral-based and revolve around the caregiver and family, such as attachment parenting and Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) training (Chobhthaigh, 2019). However, few studies focus on adopted children and their use of play, and no studies have been published that revolve around the use of virtual play to treat adopted children with trauma.