The Department of Educational Leadership, Curriculum, and Special Education prepares the school leaders and special education faculty of tomorrow by offering graduate degrees and certificates in over ten specialized areas. Students are encouraged to participate in the pursuit and dissemination of the results of educational research.
Theses/Dissertations from 2024
An Analysis of Factors Influencing the Success of Dual-Enrollment Students Through the Perspectives of Faculty and Counselors, Starlett Mack
Enhancing Students' Motivational Capacities in Music Classrooms Through Gamification of Curriculum, Nikita Mamedov
A Phenomenological Exploration of Educators’ Perspectives on Social-Emotional Learning Instruction and Their Supporting Role for the Guidance Counselor, Cristen Skylar McBride
The Impact of COVID-19 On Higher Education Enrollment, Samuel Tanner McKnight
Do Student Achievement Scores Differ for Those Taught by Teachers with High Emotional Intelligence as Compared to Low Emotional Intelligence?, Carlos Daniel Mock
Effect of Social Impact Project on Student Motivation, Engagement, and Achievement, Jayna Lise Moffit
Family Engagement: Barriers, Perceptions, And Responsibilities, Carla Jean Singleton Narlesky
Diversity Management as a New Organizational Paradigm: Leading With Cultural Intelligence (CQ), Meghry Nazarian, Ibrahim Duyar, and Mohamed Alhosani
Examining the Influence of Students’ Mental Health Problems on Their Social and Emotional Health: Perspectives of Counselors and Mental Health Therapists in a Post-Pandemic World, Brandi Leigh Newsom
Exploration Of Secondary Co-Teachers' Shared Experiences Co-Teaching Students with a Reading Disability: A Phenomenological Study, Tiffany Parie Parie
What Fine Arts Teachers in Public High Schools Report the Quality of Their Programs: A Narrative Analysis, Zachary Perry
A Mentor's Effect on Beginning Teacher Self-Efficacy, Emily Alison Peters
A Phenomenological Case Study of High School Administrator Perceptions of Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, Kimberly Renee Pittman
Impact of Career and Technical Education (CTE) on Adolescent Literacy in the Mississippi Delta, Shawana Lee Powell
Examining The Influence of Teacher and Student Variables on Teachers’ Levels of Self-Efficacy, Rachel Pugh
Technology Use within a Charlotte Mason Liberal Education: A Phenomenology Study on Critical Thinking, LueCrecy Ragan
Socioeconomic Status and Stereotype Threat: Does Stereotype Threat Associated with Low Socioeconomic Status Impact Academic Performance, Gwendolyn Rains
Education of Grandchildren within Skipped-Generation Households: Challenges and Experiences Influencing Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Myra ann Randolph
Examining The Influence of Principals’ Servant Leadership Practices on Teachers’ Perceived Stress in Elementary Schools, Jennifer Ann Rankin
Retention Of Female Sophomore Students Who Participate in Recreational and Wellness Program, Angie Jane Reay
The Perceptions of Experienced Teachers on Administrative Support in Rural Classrooms and the Implications on Teacher Retention, Mitchell Reed
The Influence Of K-12 Stem Education on The Retention of Black Women Stem Majors in Texas Higher Education Institutions, Brittany Shallyne Reid-Phillips
Influence Of Teachers’ Secondary Traumatic Symptoms on Teacher Attrition in Low Socioeconomic Status Schools, Danielle Ryan Reilly
Novice Teachers: Thriving In Urban Turnaround Schools, Lacee Rodgers
Project-Based Learning and Its Impact on Student Engagement, Well-Being, and Learning Outcomes: A Study of Teachers’ Perspectives., Stefania Rubino
Exploring the Relationships Between Policy, Instructional Time, and Instructional Practices in Elementary Science Classrooms, Amanda Sciarpelletti
Reducing Math Anxiety in Middle Level Students Through Mastery-Based Learning, Jonathan Scrivner
Community College Advisors’ Perceived Levels of Self-Efficacy Providing Career Counseling to Students in Alabama, James Eric Sewell
Perceptions Of English Learner Success Among Hispanic Students in English Learner Programs: A Case Study, Reagan Le'Ann Shoemaker
Student And Principal Perceptions on Social Pedagogy for Immigrant Students, Jennifer Shure
The Exploration of a New Accelerated Radiology Program and Its Preparation of Students Entering the Healthcare Field: A Phenomenology Study, Christina Lynn Smith
A Quantitative Investigation of Teacher Personality on Teacher-Student Relatedness, Student Intrinsic Motivation, and Academic Performance, Nickie P. Smith II
Increasing College Retention and Access for Disadvantaged McKinney-Vento Students by Exploring Disproportionate Entitlement to Collegiate Resources, Quincy Samuel Smith
The Integration of African American History into State History Curriculum Standards: Examining the Commonwealth of Virginia, Roxanne Souma
Building Productive Relationships With Differing Personalities Among Middle School PLC Group Members, Jennifer L. Spiegel
A Quantitative Study on The Association Between Ace Groups and Experiences Beyond High School, Sara Erin Strohm
The American View on Global Education in Curriculum and Its Necessity for Entering the Workforce, Alison Taylor
Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions of Standardized Testing and Preparation with Students’ Different Abilities and Classroom Instructional Strategies: A Case Study, Manoj Karikode Thomas
An Analysis of Arkansas Alternative Learning Placement Characteristics, Corey Throckmorton
Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Academic, Behavioral, And Emotional, Success of Elementary School Children, Marsha Wallace
School-To-Prison Pipeline: The Importance of Teachers’ and Administrators’ Perceptions of their Social Bonds with Students, Garrett Whitley
An Examination of Credit Accrual and Graduation Rates Through the Modalities of Instruction in An Online Learning Environment, Jennifer L. Wilkinson
Influence Of Professional Learning Communities on Teachers’ Stress: A Case Study, Jason Young
Theses/Dissertations from 2023
Effective Standards-Based Grading Protocol in High School Chemistry, Matthew Jon Balcom
Examination Of Montessori Training: Experiences of People of Color in Public and Charter Montessori Schools, KaLinda Bass-Barlow
Teachers’ Perspectives on Qualities of An Effective Instructional Leader: A Phenomenological Study, Lindsey Renee Bohler
Examining The Influence of Access to District Provided Prekindergarten on First Grade Students’ Academic and Social Emotional School Readiness, Jennifer Brooks
Arkansas Novice Teachers’ Perceptions of Preparedness in Relation to Self-Efficacy Within Classroom Management, Curriculum and Instruction, And Communication with Families: A Phenomenological Study, Margaret A. Campbell
Effectiveness of One-To-One Device Programs on Academic Achievement for Students from Lower Socioeconomic Backgrounds, Nathaniel D. Craig
Crisis In South Carolina: A Phenomenological Study Examining Teacher Attrition Through the Experiences of Educators Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Kimberley Kristin Devers
Answering the Call of Revolutionary Love Through Literature: A Collaborative Autoethnography Framed in Toni Morrison's Beloved, Shekema S. Dunlap and D'Andrea N. Wright
Analyzing the Influence of Perceived Administrative Support on Teachers’ Affective Organizational Commitment and Job Satisfaction, Caroline R. Gilbert
Understanding How High School African American Males Articulate their Experiences of Mattering and Marginality at School to Teachers and Administrators, Tiffany LeShunda Gipson
Special Education Teachers Leading Paraprofessionals: A Phenomenological Study of How Special Education Teachers Develop Leadership Skills, Ellen Elizabeth Langley
Examining the Effects of Best Practice Designs and Professional Training of Personalized Learning Programs on Closing Achievement Gaps, Nancy Renee Lively
Exploring Teachers’ Perceived Sense of Efficacy on Black Student Achievement in Reading for Grades 5–8, Bryan David Lowe
Teachers’ Perceptions on Effective Strategies to Retain Black Ninth-Grade Students, Jackie Lanette McFarland
Impact Of Work Based Learning on Employability Skills of High School Students, Kelli Dawn McGaha-Martin
Arkansas K-2 Teachers’ Perceptions of the Science of Reading: A Case Study, Heather L. Nutt
The Impact of Trauma on the Behavior and English Language Arts Performance of Middle-School Black Boys in an Urban Setting, Thelma A. Ramsey Bryant
Technology’s Impact On K-12 Educators: Correlations Between Technostress and Burnout Among Rural High School Teachers, Jason Keith Reeves
The Influence of a Teacher Education Program on Preparing Future Teachers to Meet the Needs of Diverse Learners, Kellie Riggs
Examining Strategic Supports for Students with Executive Dysfunction Transitioning to Postsecondary Education: A Qualitative Study, Desiree Rutter
The Perceived Preparedness of Elementary General Education Teachers Serving Students with Special Needs, Rachel Lauren Schmidt
Pressin' On: Leadership From the Black Female Imposter's Perspective, Topeka Small Singleton
Classroom Management Efficacy: A Quantitative Analysis of The Sources of Efficacy, Melony M. Smith-Wellington
Alaskan Educator Perceptions of Preparedness to Identify Diverse Gifted Learners: A Phenomenological Study, Heather J. Stewart
Principal Perspectives of Professional Development on their Growth and Self-Efficacy: A Phenomenological Study, Melinda J. Stewart
Examining The Value of Active Recess Blocks: Its Effect on Student Academic Achievement and Behavior, Morgan Paige Taylor
Reshaping Education in Memphis: A Single Case Study of Turnaround Districts in An Inner-City Neighborhood, Edrika S. Thigpen
Accountability Measures and the Instructional Measures that Promote Student Achievement in Low Socioeconomic Status Students, Shanna W. Vaughan
A Phenomenological Study of Social Networking Sites and Their Influence on the Collegiate Expectations and Experiences of Generation Z, Kellen A. Washington
Influence of Organizational Constraints, Principals' Authentic Leadership, and Teachers' Coping Strategies on Teachers' Psychological Well-Being, Jennifer Renee Watkins
The Four-Day School Week as A Path for Principal Attraction and Retention: Perceptions of Elementary Principals in Missouri, Laura E. Weber
Examining The Influence of Teachers’ Emotional Intelligence on their Retention: A Case Study, Monica Ann Wilhelm
The Influence of Math Fact Automaticity on The Algebra I End-Of-Course, Daniel Shane Williams
Theses/Dissertations from 2022
Arkansas Secondary Administrators’ Perspectives of Co-Teaching to Deliver Special Education Content: A Phenomenological Study, Anmity Gale Bruton
Carrying a Double Load: A Black Woman Doctoral Student's Experience of Decolonizing Educational Leadership Research, Shekema S. Dunlap
Perspectives of Arkansas Professional Educator Pathway (ArPEP) Program Candidates and Site Facilitators, Mary Frances Lowrey
A Phenomenological Study of the Impact of COVID-19 on Colleges and Universities in the United States, Erin D. Lynn
A Case Study on the Consolidation of Two Schools in the Arkansas Mississippi River Delta, Chad Williams Martin
Implementing The Steam Concept Through Project-Based Learning at an Intermediate School: A Case Study, Grace Ann Petersen
School Counselors Supporting the Needs of Homeless Students, Camille Sterrett
K-6 Teacher and Parent Perceptions of Face-to-Face versus Virtual Instruction During the COVID-19 Pandemic, David Russell Young
Theses/Dissertations from 2021
The Impact of Career and Technical Education on Student Enrollment in Higher Education in Arkansas, Tameka Chanta Anderson
Arkansas Teachers’ Perception of Factors That Influence Attrition in Their Profession, Lori A. Edgin
The Impact of School Resource Officers on the Education of Youth in Arkansas, Pamela Shultz Henderson
Perceptions Of the Mckinney-Vento Act Liaisons in Arkansas Public School Districts, Judy Renee Holaway
The Impact of Synthetic Vs. Analytic Phonics on Students’ Reading Skills in An Independent School Setting: A Case Study, Kathleen Foster House
Job Satisfaction Levels Among Adjunct and Full-Time Faculty in Arkansas Community Colleges: A Comparative Analysis, Donald Jacob Hutchinson
A Comparative Analysis of Advisor and Advisee Perspectives of Advising Programs at Four-Year Public Universities in Arkansas, Melissa Carol Jackson
A Comparative Study of Retention Policies in American Community Colleges and Four-Year Universities, Ali Khalil
The Writing Center Directors’ Management Characteristics and Perceived Writing Center Challenges at Public, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUS), Sheena T. Meadows
Changing Of the Guard: Exploring Adult Learners' Experiences in Higher Education Online Degree Programs at Traditional Non-Profit Universities, Nikesha Nesbitt
Impact Of One-To-One Technology on High School Students’ Act Aspire Reading Scores, Karla Ann Tarkington
