The number of students interested in pursuing STEM in post-secondary institutions is on the decline. This is due to several factors, one being a lack of effective and innovative science enrichment (summer or after-school) programs for high school students (Baran et al., 2019; Kong et al., 2014). While traditional lecture-based science courses effectively communicate theoretical knowledge, concerns have been raised regarding their ability to maintain students’ interest in science and the lack of practical application of the learned technical information (Kong et al., 2014). Using social cognitive theory as a foundation, this quantitative study evaluated the efficacy of pre-college life science research immersion programs that changed modality as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The primary research question is to determine if the delivery methods of the university-based, pre-college life-science research immersion programs (in-person, online, and hybrid) as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic affected the efficacy of the instruction. Findings reveal nuanced impacts of instructional methods on student outcomes, highlighting the importance of tailored approaches grounded in social cognitive theory. This study underscores the significance of early engagement in research and the role of diverse instructional methods in fostering students’ interest and proficiency in STEM fields.

In the current climate of accountability that characterizes public higher education in the U.S., policymakers rely heavily on institutional performance outcome measures such as retention and graduation rates for the purpose of evaluating the instructional effectiveness of colleges and universities. In recent years, criticism based on such performance outcomes has been leveled at these institutions as regards their heavy reliance on part-time adjunct faculty. Critics have argued that these outcomes show that part-time adjuncts teach less effectively than full-time permanent faculty, and therefore do not deliver value for the government funding allocated to the institutions that employ them.

Much of the existing research about the teaching effectiveness of part-time adjunct faculty relative to full-time permanent faculty, however, is characterized by inconsistent findings. Many of these studies rely on student performance and behavioral outcomes to measure instructional effectiveness. It can be argued that, in general, the outcome-oriented approach to assessing instructional effectiveness is inadequate, because it does not take into account the environmental circumstances that act as inputs to the educational process and impact faculty’s ability to teach effectively. A balanced assessment of instructional quality requires examination of these inputs, particularly the ways in which government and institutional policies and practices influence instructors’ teaching practices, as well as assessment of institutional or student performance outcomes.

This dissertation describes a mixed methods study that examines and compares the reported teaching practices of full-time and part-time community college faculty; assesses the degree to which these practices align with or diverge from the principles associated with the Chickering and Gamson (1987) Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education construct; and employs the Bronfenbrenner (1986) Ecological Model as a framework for exploring how the environmental factors that shape faculty’s day-to-day professional experiences influence their teaching practices. Important findings of this study include the fact that full-time faculty employ progressive teaching methods to a greater extent than part-time faculty; that part-time faculty feel excluded from the community of their school or department; and that institutional policies and practices that limit part-time faculty access to teaching-related resources can inhibit their implementation of effective teaching methods.

Underrepresented minority students (URMs) make up only about a third of undergraduate students enrolled in post-secondary institutions and are further underrepresented in STEM fields. In the United States, only 12% of doctoral degrees conferred in STEM fields are awarded to underrepresented minority groups. This study aimed to understand the factors that contribute to the retention of URM students’ in doctoral programs, specifically in STEM fields, to degree completion, directly from the students' perspectives. By investigating URM students’ experiences related to perceived levels and types of support during their doctoral programs, this study contributes to the body of knowledge regarding URM graduate student persistence using a “whole-self” framework approach. Different levels and types of support have been shown to impact URM students’ persistence and completion of degree in higher education including multi-faceted institutional supports, social and emotional support, and personal supports. This study explores how the “whole-self” framework helps understand the students’ experiences with the different types of support, and how those experiences impact the retention, persistence and successful degree completion of the racially diverse student. Through the experiences of three individual URM students in STEM doctoral programs this study provides key insights into possible areas of focus for institutions and doctoral programs who aim to improve the experiences of their URM student population. The three most prevalent areas of focus across all three cases include mentorship coupled with the recruitment of more URM faculty, financial support, and access to academic success programs. Institutions and programs who prioritize the support of URM students and all students can have the biggest impact by addressing students' needs using the “whole-self” framework. Although the areas of focus can each be acted on separately, institutions and programs will have limited impact on supporting the “whole student” if efforts and resources are only concentrated in one area. Programs and institutions will have the greatest impact in improving how URM students experience their doctoral program by acting in all the areas of focus, recognizing that these three areas are interconnected.

Keywords: diversity, doctoral training, higher education, race, self-efficacy, sense of belonging, social integration, STEM, support, URM, whole-self framework

Since the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) era many program improvement schools were prescribed Professional Learning Communities (PLC) professional development as a corrective action by their respective Local Education Agency (LEA). Despite the adoption and implementation of many corrective action measures (including PLCs) recommended by LEA’s, the achievement gap persists in the majority high school campuses nationwide. Millions of dollars have been invested in the PLC method of collaboration with little systematic success in closing the achievement gap in standardized test scores, A – G requirements and college admission. There may be plenty of other factors contributing to the lack of improvement (i.e. instruction, grading practices, assessment of learning, interventions, attendance, student discipline, etc.) – but to what degree is the investment in Professional Learning Communities contributing (or not contributing) to this? Dufour & Eaker (1998, 2003, 2008) argue that schools with PLCs that are not improving student achievement is attributed to them not implementing the prescribed methodology with fidelity. However, could there be other reasons? A review of the literature identified gaps in the research that could provide other reasons: objective assessment of PLCs, as well as PLC autonomy and PLC trust. This cross - case study used a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design (Creswell, 2013) to analyze teacher perceptions of PLC fidelity, PLC autonomy and trust from two school sites in San Diego with similar student demographics, from the same school district, but with different trending student achievement results. Survey, interview, and field observation findings from this study suggested that Bayside High School and Parkview High School have similar PLC procedures, logistics and generally follow the Dufour & Eaker (1998; 2004) PLC model with fidelity. However, the findings also suggested that PLCs at Bayside High School have more autonomy and trust than PLCs at Parkview High School. The difference in PLC autonomy and trust could be one explanation for the difference in student performance. Additional findings also suggested that internal relationships, motivation, and vulnerability factors could be impacting PLC performance and student achievement at both sites.

Educators and policymakers envision high school mathematics as vital in the pursuit of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) professions and a way to cultivate a deep appreciation of mathematics in society. With two such significant aspirations, there is advocacy for expanding the traditional course offerings in high school mathematics to include courses such as Discrete Mathematics Project Collaborative (DMPC) and Introduction to Data Science (IDS). Research on non-traditional high school mathematics courses has mostly focused on pathways, content, and pedagogy. This mixed methods case study expands our understandings by examining the perceptions and experiences of students enrolled in the DMPC and IDS course at two separate California high schools. Classroom observations, student focus groups, one-on-one teacher interviews, and a student survey were collected and analyzed using the analytical framework of self-determination theory, which posits competence (self-efficacy), autonomy (agency), and relatedness (a sense of belonging) are essential for positive motivation and meaningful learning. Three significant findings unite the DMPC and IDS case studies. Students in these two courses (a) perceive themselves as connected within a community of learners; (b) experience curiosity and creative freedom, unlike previous mathematics courses they may have completed; (c) use the words fun and easy in complex ways to describe their experiences. These findings have important implications as interest greatly increases to expand high school mathematics pathways and to implement the DMPC and IDS courses in more high schools statewide and nationally.

In 2013, California adopted the Next Generation Science Standards for California Public Schools, Kindergarten through Grade Twelve (CA NGSS), which set the stage for how science should be taught in every school throughout the state. Since the NGSS represent a change in how science instruction should be delivered, many teachers are now facing the difficult task of understanding these new ideas, identifying how their current instructional practices align with the NGSS, and translating and implementing these new practices in their classrooms. However, changing teacher instructional practices is not accomplished quickly or easily because teachers bring a variety of knowledge, beliefs, and experiences to standards-based reform efforts. As a result, when educational change is required, educators do not all respond the same way. Therefore, using a conceptual framework that drew upon literature on teacher sensemaking and policy interpretation in education, this mixed-method study investigated teachers’ experiences as they translated the NGSS into their own practice. This study centered on the perceptions and experiences of 37 secondary science teachers in two different high school districts in San Diego County. Based on survey and interview responses, findings from this study suggested that teachers were starting to develop some common language and understanding around the NGSS. Moreover, teachers had some understanding and knowledge of the instructional practices associated with the NGSS, which in turn was initiating changes in classroom practice. But teachers were less confident about their skills and knowledge regarding science and engineering practices and how to use the NGSS performance expectations to assess student learning. Additional findings also indicated that teacher beliefs, emotions, networks, and school contextual factors affected how teachers made sense of the NGSS.