Action research (AR) is a form of systematic inquiry by which practitioners address their own problems of practice. Professional development (PD) is a means by which teachers contribute to school improvement and student achievement. Too little research has gathered the qualitative perceptions of former participants in action-oriented professional learning programs, particularly in the realm of single-sex independent schools. This study’s goal, therefore, was to gain insight into how teachers recall experiencing action research as professional development. Two evaluation questions guided the study: (1) To what degree does the Saints Action Research Program reflect an effective model of professional development as evidenced by each of the five levels of Guskey’s model for evaluating professional development? (2) What are the perceptions of program alumni and the instructional leadership team regarding the advantages and limitations of participating in the Saints Action Research Program? To answer both questions, I generated data from four sources: (a) a participant survey, (b) semi-structured participant interviews, (c) a document review process of participant research briefs, and (d) a group interview with the instructional leadership team. Collectively, their experiences revealed that they practice action research as a multi-step process. However, the process is not ongoing, nor does it account for student learning outcomes. Instead, action research is time-consuming because the program requirements do not sufficiently differentiate based on participant needs. Ultimately, these findings offer strong support for discontinuing the current iteration of the evaluand; fill a qualitative gap in action-oriented teacher-led projects; and offer facilitators of professional development insight into how these teachers understand and practice action research as professional development.

Student veterans (SVs) represent a diverse and understudied sample of the college student population. Educational institutions are attempting to ascertain actions required to facilitate SV success on their campuses. The purpose of this study was to analyze a sample of the SV population at Ivy League institutions to understand the SVs’ engagement, academic resource use, and non-academic resource use. This dissertation examined the frequency of use of specific resources provided by institutions and their effect on SV grade point average (GPA) and feelings of inclusion. This cross-sectional quantitative research dissertation created a unique survey instrument to ascertain the answers to four specific research questions. A total of 183 respondents participated in the study, and statistical tests were conducted on raw data collected. Chi-square analysis was conducted between the SVs and the national data of traditional college students to identify statistically significant differences in collaborative learning and student-faculty interaction. Differences in collaborative learning were found in “explain[ing] course material to one or more students,” “prepar[ing] for exams by discussing or working through course material with students,” and “work[ing] with other students on course projects or assignments.” SVs reported at a higher level that they “sometimes” engaged in these activities. In terms of student-faculty interactions, the SV sample yielded significant differences in “talk[ing] about career plans with a faculty member” and “work[ing] with a faculty member on activities other than coursework” compared to national comparisons. Again, SVs reported higher responses of “sometimes” compared to their national peers. One-on-one interactions with faculty members and remedial skills programs were academic supports used by SVs that had moderate correlations with self-reported GPA. Yet, this correlation did not have a large coefficient (only 0.011) when a multiple regression model was conducted. This dissertation also measured the use of non-academic supports and their relationship with feelings of inclusion. Most veterans reported feeling included on campus (78.7%). Engagement with the educational benefits resource officer showed to be moderately correlated with feelings of inclusion. A binary logistic regression model revealed that use of this specific resource yielded a 15.5% higher chance of inclusion. This dissertation also asked the respondents to report requested resources they wish to be provided by their institution. Qualitative research coding methods were utilized to create frequency counts of these responses. Generally, responses indicated that most SVs did not request additional resources provided by their HEI; however there was evidence of a desire for a (a) Student Veterans Resource Office, (b) creation of student veterans groups, and (c) further remedial academic skills programs. As a result of the present study’s findings, campus leaders can better focus their resources to improve the GPA and feelings of inclusion in the SV population: encouraging collaborative learning, increasing student-faculty interaction, maintaining efforts to process educational support programs provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and creation of both remedial academic training and student veteran resources offices are all courses of action to take. With the number of SVs attending higher education on the rise, colleges and universities will need to adapt current practices to refine services to best SVs on campus.

Mississippi leads the nation in tornado deaths per unit area. Previous risk assessment studies have indicated a connection between housing type and fatalities but have focused only on a national scale. The purpose of this study was to provide a local scale risk assessment for Mississippi. Each county?s individual tornado risks were combined with US Census county housing data for each decade from 1960-2000. The study found that the comparable risk to life and property is highest in Harrison County and Hinds County, but with proper shelters and community planning this risk would be mitigated.

The Mississippi Student Progress Monitoring System (MSPMS) was developed for the Mississippi Department of Education to be used to monitor student progress on the state framework which constitutes the curriculum for each course taught in Mississippi schools. This study was designed to investigate teachers’ perceptions of the implementation and use of the MSPMS. Research question 1 was to determine if the various independent variables of age, level of education, years of experience as an educator, level of school where teaching, perceived level of computer and/or technology comfort, perceived level of computer and/or technology experience, subject area taught, number of MSPMS tests created, number of MSPMS tests given, amount of support provided, whether program works, and importance of information gained from MSPMS made any difference in teachers’ perceptions of the implementation and use of the MSPMS; and research question 2 was to determine whether the teachers’ perceptions and the various independent variables had any significant relationships. Research question 3 looked at teachers’ attitudes toward MSPMS. There were no statistically significant differences among the dependent and independent variables. Findings for research question 2 showed that there were no statistically significant correlations among the dependent and independent variables. However, correlations among the independent variables revealed statistically significant relationships between age and years of experience, subjects taught and school level taught, technology experience and level of education, and subjects taught and number of tests given. Examination of the response frequencies for situations in the vignettes for research question 3 revealed that teachers reported feeling more frustrated than anything else when confronted with adversities with the technologies or the MSPMS. All of the findings in this study are limited to a rural Mississippi school district using MSPMS.

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