College of Education and Human Development
PhD Dissertations - Summer 2015
July 30, 2015
Photo by Alexis Glenn, George Mason University.
Congratulations to the 16 doctorate students in the PhD in Education program at George Mason University who are graduating in Winter 2015.
Each successfully defended their dissertation during the fall semester as part of the final requirements for receiving a doctoral degree.
The PhD in Education program at Mason is one of the largest in the country, and is notable for its individualized, interdisciplinary, and experiential approach as well as the depth of guidance provided by faculty advisors. The program features advanced professional study in 16 concentration and specialization areas.
Directed by Professor Anastasia Kitsantas, the PhD in Education program is offered through the College of Education and Human Development.
| Doctoral Student | Dissertation Title | Committee Chair |
| Kimberly Avila | Adult-Onset Visual Impairment: Perspectives That Affect Willingness to Travel and Safety | Michael Behrmann |
| Alexis Battista | A Comparative Analysis of How Skills-Based and Scenario-Based Simulations Support Learning with EFAST Ultrasound as an Exemplar Skill | Anastasia Kitsantas |
| Alexander Britt | Improving the Comprehension of Students with Significant Developmental Disabilities: Systematic Instruction on the Steps for Completing and Using a Graphic Organizer | Anna Evmenova |
| Hollie Chessman | Student Affairs Administrators and Well Being: Examining Time in Field, Position Level and Factors That Have the Strongest Relationship to Well Being | Jaime Lester |
| Joseph DiPietro | Leveraging Educational Design Research to Develop and Refine a Blended Professional Development Intervention | Brenda Bannan |
| Jeffrey Freels | Exploring the Utility of Twitter as a Tool for Formal Content-Based Learning in the Community College History Classroom | Kelly Schrum |
| Michael Frye | The Effect of Adolescent Perceptions of Relatedness to Parents and Peers on Perceived Academic Competence | Anastasia Kitsantas |
| Tamara Genarro | Parents as Teachers: Toward Improving the Print Handwriting of Adolescents with Autism | Michael Behrmann |
| Thad Jamieson | Changes in Elementary Mathematics Teachers’ Understanding of Cognitive Demand: When Adapting, Creating, and Using Mathematical Performance Tasks | Margret Hjalmarson |
| Christine McElwee | Preservice Special Education Teachers’ Perceptions of What Influences Their Appropriation of University Coursework Knowledge and Skills During the Clinical Teaching Internship Experience | Kelley Regan |
| Julie Mendoza | Second Generation Palestinian American School Experiences: Emerging and Conflicting Identities | Ilham Nasser |
| Mariya Nikolayev | Improving Preschoolers’ Theory of Mind Skills With Digital Games: A Training Study | Kevin Clark |
| Melissa Pierczynski | Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions of Using Digital Technologies in Literacy Instruction | Gary Galluzzo |
| Shantha Preston-Smith | A Comparison of Perceptions From High School Students With and Without Disabilities About Their Science Co-Teaching Experiences | Margaret King-Sears |
| Samantha Spinney | Effects of Participation in Immigration Activism on Undocumented Students in Higher Education | Joseph Maxwell |
| Dustin Wright | Fiscal Effort and Educational Efficiency in Virginia During the 2012-2013 Academic Year | Scott Bauer |
Congratulations also to the doctorate students who successfully defended their dissertations in Summer 2015 and will be participating in Mason's Winter Graduation on December 19.
» See PhD Dissertations - Summer 2015
» See PhD Dissertations - Spring 2015
About CEHD
George Mason University's College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) includes two schools: the Graduate School of Education, one of the most comprehensive education schools in Virginia, and the School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism. CEHD offers a full range of courses, certificates, and degree programs on campus, online, and on site to more than 4,000 students each year. CEHD is fully accredited by NCATE, and all licensure programs are approved by the Virginia Department of Education. George Mason University, located just outside of Washington, DC, is Virginia's largest public research university.
For additional information:
- CEHD Communications: cehdnews@gmu.edu
- PhD in Education: cehd.gmu.edu/phd
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