Each month, Drexel School of Education doctoral students present research
related to their dissertations at our Doctoral Student Colloquium. One Drexel
University School of Education PhD student and one EdD student present their
research before an audience of Drexel students, faculty and professional
staff. Listed below are the names of each student, the title of their project,
supervising professors and a link to a brief on their research.
Katie Mathew
May 7, 2021
"The Influence of Feedback on Creativity and Beliefs About Creativity"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Jennifer Katz-buonincontro
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Sasha Ortiz, EdD
May 7, 2021
"How High-Achieving First-Generation STEM Students Persevere and Succeed in College: A Mixed Methods Study"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Alonzo Flowers
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Yiyun "Kate" Fan
April 2, 2021
"Education Networks on Twitter in COVID-19"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Aroutis Foster
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Van Truong, EdD
April 2, 2021
"Bridging the Gap Between Urban Adolescent Females of Color and STEM: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Alonzo Flowers
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Kathlyn Elliot
March 5, 2021
"Preventing Violent Extremism through Education"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Kristy Kelly
Read Research Brief [PDF]
David Mattson
February 5, 2021
"Media Analysis of News Articles during COVID-19: Renewal, Continuity and Cultural Dimensions of Creative Action"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Jennifer Katz Buonincontro
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Kelly DiPietro-Edwards
February 5, 2021
"A Phenomenological Exploration of High School Teachers’ Perspectives on Collaboration and Implementation of Practice in the Context of College and Career Readiness Framework"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Sheila Vaidya
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Kimberly Sterin
January 15, 2021
“How can we make it equitable?”:
The Critical Role of School-level Business Administrators in Managing School Resources
Supervising Professor: Dr. Ayana Allen-Handy
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Maria Toglia
January 15, 2021
"Examining the Impact of one Professional Development Program in Structured Literacy on Teacher Knowledge: A Quasi-experimental Study"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Lori Severino
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Katrina Struloeff
December 4, 2020
"Leadership without Boundaries:
Exploring Career Pathways of Women* in Higher Education Administration"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Alonzo Flowers
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Kenneth Jones, EdD
December 4, 2020
"How Higher Education Forgot about Non-Traditional Aged Black Men:
Narratives from Non-Traditional Aged Black Men During the College Application Process"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Alonzo Flowers
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Jeffrey Archibald
November 6, 2020
"A Multisite Case Study of the Alignment of Institutional Change Strategies And Culture for Guided Pathways Reform Implementation in California Community Colleges"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Deanna Hill
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Janel Dia
November 6, 2020
"Building Bridges Between Multilingual Families and Urban Schools; A qualitative case study"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Vera Lee and Dr. Kristine Lewis Grant
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Christopher Fornaro
October 2, 2020
"STEAMing ahead with teamwork: Transferring administrative support to a
virtual setting due to COVID-19"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Alonzo Flowers
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Christine Galib, EdD
October 2, 2020
"A Phenomenological Study: Exploring High School Students’ Experiences
Earning an Entrepreneurship Diploma in an Entrepreneurship Education Secondary
School Program"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Joyce Pittman
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Gregory Wurth, EdD
May 1, 2020
"Leader/Follower Relationship of Academic Administrators at a Southern
Comprehensive University Undergoing Consolidation: A Mixed-Methods
Investigation"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Joy Phillips
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Alysha Meloche
May 1, 2020
"Know Your Artist: Factoring Artist Identity into Aesthetic Responses to
Art"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Ayana Allen-Handy
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Monique Woodward
April 10, 2020
"Facilitating Creative Processes while Learning to Code
and Design Virtual Reality Environments"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Aroutis Foster
Read Research Brief [PDF]
William Green, EdD
April 10, 2020
"A Phenomenological Study: Exploring Chinese Junior High School
Students’ Lived Experiences and Perceptions of Using Game-based
Technology to Learn English in an English as Foreign Language Classroom in
Shanghai, China (EFL-C)"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Joyce Pittman
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Brian McCommons
March 6, 2020
"Uyghur refugees in higher education in the U.S.: Trauma and adaptation
challenges"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Rebecca Clothey
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Anthony Batts
March 6, 2020
"A mixed methods study: Exploring non-academic factors that impact
literacy development for minority students enrolled in advanced placement
courses in an urban high school"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Joyce Pittman
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Ague Mae Manongsong
February 7, 2020
"Mentoring Approaches of Minoritized Women: Insights from Administrative
Leaders in Higher Education"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Rajashi Ghosh
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Karen Britt, EdD
February 7, 2020
"Teaching Business Writing at the Community College: Improving Writing
Skills"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Joyce Pittman
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Mark Petrovich
January 10, 2020
"Learning by Making: Investigating Students' Identity Exploration Using
Environmental Science and Art"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Aroutis Foster
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Jackie Murphy
January 10, 2020
"Exploring the Effects of an Open Access Mindfulness Course on Online
Graduate Student Persistence, Stress, and Mind Wandering: A Mixed Methods
Explanatory Sequential Study"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Kristen Betts
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Amanda Reinsburrow
December 6, 2019
"Doing Math: A Case Study of 5th Grade Students Development in Math and
Literacy Through Their use of Centers"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Valerie Klein
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Christopher Holland, EdD
December 6, 2019
"Educators' Dualistic Perceptions of Leadership Styles during PreK-12
Independent School Accreditation Review Processes"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Kristy Kelly
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Mikhail Miller
November 1, 2019
"Using Technology and Collaboration with STEM Professionals to Enhance
Students’ Self-Efficacy and Interest in STEM"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Christopher Wright
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Brian Delaney
October 4, 2019
"Will the Real Non-Traditional Students Please Stand Up: An Integrative
Literature Review"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Kristen Betts
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Renaldo Scott, EdD
October 4, 2019
"Impact Of Please ASK on ESL Student Comprehension Of The English Article
System Before Proper Nouns: A Phenomenological Study"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Joy Phillips
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Ague Mae Manongsong
May 10, 2019
"Mentoring and Intersectionality: Exploring Lived Experiences of
Successful Minority Women Education Leaders"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Rajashi Ghosh
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Carlene Reid
May 10, 2019
"Child Care Center Directors' Perceptions of their Efforts to Create
Inclusive Environments in a Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS):
A Phenomenological Study"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Constance Lyttle
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Mark Petrovich
May 3, 2019
"Tracking STEM Interest Development Through a Play-Based Informal
Learning Experience"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Aroutis Foster
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Lydia Svetkovich
May 3, 2019
"The Impact of Response to Intervention/Multi-Tiered System of Supports
for Literacy on Student Outcomes in a Pennsylvania Elementary School: A
Quasi-Experimental Cohort Study"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Lori Severino<
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Angel Royal
April 12, 2019
"Evaluating the Impact of Economic Disadvantage on Specific Disability
Identification in Elementary School Students: A Grounded Theory
Study"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Janet Sloand
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Rasheda Likely
April 12, 2019
"#MediaMatters: Examining the Nature of Science in Children's Animated
Movies"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Christopher Wright
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Shadi Dini
March 1, 2019
"Pragmatic Competence of Bilinguals: An Interface of Education,
Computational, and Neuro Linguistics"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Penny Hammrich
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Charlotte Brickhouse
March 1, 2019
"The Voices of Leaders: A Qualitative Examination of Urban Principals'
Perspectives Regarding the Reintegrating of Students with Emotional
Disturbance Back in the School Community"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Constance Lyttle
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Brian Delaney
February 1, 2019
"How Journalism and Mass Communication Schools Prepare and Support
Instructors to Teach Online: A Multiple Case Study"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Kristen Betts
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Amanda Reinsburrow
December 7, 2018
"Understanding Current Math Teacher Perceptions of Literacy and its Role
in their Classrooms"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Valerie Klein
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Nicolette DiPietro, EdD
December 7, 2018
"A Phenomenological Study: Exploring College Students' Experiences and
Perceptions About Adjuncts' Teaching Styles"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Joyce Pittman
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Alysha Meloche
November 2, 2018
"Picture After Picture: A Mixed Methods Study on Instructional Practices
in Art History"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Jen Katz Buonincontro
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Stephen Flemming
November 2, 2018
"Exploring African American Men's Characterizations of their K-12
Teaching and Learning Experiences in a Large Urban School
District"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Joyce Pittman
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Hamideh Talafian
October 5, 2018
"Increasing STEM Career Awareness and Identity Exploration in a Space
Summer Camp"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Penny Hammrich
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Jessica Quinter
May 4, 2018
"A Case Study: Exploring Mindfulness Practices in Pennsylvania Elementary
School Settings"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Joyce Pittman
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Tamara Galoyan
May 4, 2018
"Uncovering Pedagogical Beliefs and Practices in Higher Education Through
a Lens of Mind, Brain, and Education Science"
Supervising Professors: Dr. Kristen Betts and Dr. Penny Hammrich
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Alia Ammar
April 6, 2018
"Evaluation of a Summer Literacy Camp for Struggling Readers"
Supervising Professors: Dr. Lori Severino and Dr. Mary Jean Tecce DeCarlo
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Hope Fuss
April 6, 2018
"Principals' Perceptions of Changing the Age=Grade Traditional Model of
Schooling"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Joyce Pittman
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Amanda Barany
March 2, 2018
"Exploring Identities and Patterns of Participation in Virtual
Environments"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Aroutis Foster
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Rebecca March
March 2, 2018
"A Qualitative Case Study: Exploring Parents' Support Needs When an
Adolescent with Autism Spectrum Disorder is Preparing to Transition to
Adult Services"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Joyce Pittman
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Lindsay Mitchell
February 2, 2018
"Parent Involvement in Early Childhood Education and its Impact on the
Development of Early Language and Literacy Skills: An Exploration of on
Head Start Program's Parent Involvement Model"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Vera Lee
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Hamideh Talafian
February 2, 2018
"Teachers' Views Toward Integrating Visual Technological Simulations in
Teaching Science: A Case Study in Urban Planning"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Penny Hammrich
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Traci Dennis
January 12, 2018
"A Second Chance: A Phenomenological Study of African American Student
Perceptions of Urban Secondary Alternative Schools"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Ayana Allen
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Leona Donaldson
January 12, 2018
"Comparing Engineering Labs for Organizational Analysis from Global
Perspective"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Penny Hammrich
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Barbara May
December 1, 2017
"Mixed Methods Design: Examining Secondary Teachers' Perceptions about
the Efficacy of First Year Implementation of the Collins Writing Program
on Students' Academic Performance on State Mandated Tests"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Joyce Pittman
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Magdalene Moy
December 1, 2017
"Exploring Portals and Participation in Europa Universalis' Affinity
Spaces"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Brian Smith
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Jennifer Gaudioso
November 3, 2017
"Perceptions of School Principals on Participation in Professional
Learning Communities as Job-Embedded Learning"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Mary Jean Tecce DeCarlo
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Katelyn Alderfer
November 3 2017
"Teacher Activism and Social Media"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Kristy Kelly and Dr. Brian Smith
Read Research Brief [PDF]
William Ryan
October 6, 2017
"University-Community Partnerships as Learning Organizations: A Case
Study"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Kristine Lewis Grant and Dr. Jamie Callahan
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Rasheda Likely
October 6, 2017
"Developing a 4D Curricular Unit for Middle School Students: Combining
Next Generation Science Standards with Career Awareness"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Nancy Songer
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Nicole Hall
May 5, 2017
"Supporting Nurses to Speak Up for Patient Safety"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Valerie Klein
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Elaine Perignat
May 5, 2017
"Examining Pedagogical Beliefs About Teaching for Creativity: Converting
STEM to STEAM Classrooms"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Jennifer Katz Bounincontro
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Carol Stanford
April 7 2017
"Barriers to Substance Abuse Treatment for Nurses"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Kathy Geller
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Tamara Galoyan
April 7, 2017
"Transdisciplinary Approach to Transfer of Learning"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Kristen Betts, Dr. Penny Hammrich
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Linda Gaines, EdD
March 3, 2017
"Web-Based Technology Integration and Student Engagement in a Fully
Online Graduate Program"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Kristen Betts
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Mollie Gambone
March 3, 2017
"An Expansive Learning Model to Explore Teachers' Collaboration for
Student Success"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Kristy Kelly
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Tara Parr, EdD
February 3, 2017
"A Brain-Targeted Teaching Framework: Modeling the Intended Change in
Professional Development"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Kristen Betts
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Anthony Matranga
February 3, 2017
"Mathematics Teachers Professional Development: A Virtual Boundary
Encounter"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Jason Silverman
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Shawnna Thomas-El
January 6, 2017
"Unveiling Perceptions Held by Community Residents of an Academic
Institution in Their Midst"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Ayana Allen
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Kristine MacDonald
January 6, 2017
"Factors Positively Influencing Persistence and Program Completion for
Nontraditional Students Enrolled at a For-Profit Postsecondary
Institution"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Jennifer Adams
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Jessica Cellitti
December 2, 2016
"Teachers’ Perspectives on Failure: Impact on Classroom
Interactions"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Jason Silverman
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Melinda Johnson
December 2, 2016
"The Influence of Workplace Spirituality on Work Stress in University
Employees"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Ken Mawritz
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Amanda Barany
November 4, 2016
"Negotiating Identities through Peripheral Participation"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Aroutis Foster
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Shannon O’Neill
November 4, 2016
"Preparing Special Education Teachers in Low-Incidence Populations
– The Teachers’ Perspectives"
Supervising Professor: Dr. William Lynch
Read Research Brief [PDF]
Jonan Donaldson
October 7, 2016
"Conceptualizations of Learning and the Every Student Succeeds
Act"
Supervising Professor: Dr. Brian Smith
Read Research Brief [PDF]