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We introduce the "Whitehead complex", a one-complex associated to a finite regular cover of the rose and show that it is connected if and only if the fundamental group of the associated cover is generated by its intersection with the set of elements in proper free factors of the fundamental group of the rose. The Whitehead complex admits an action of the outer automorphism group of the fundamental group of the rose by isometries if the associated cover corresponds to a characteristic subgroup. We prove that the Whitehead complex of the rose has infinite diameter and is nonhyperbolic, implying it is not quasi-isometric to the free splitting complex or the free factor complex. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The current study involved the development, scaling, and validation of a new, brief, strength-based measure of children's ecological support, as rated by their parents. The scaling and validation of the Child and Youth Ecological Assets Scale--Parent Form (C-YEAS-P) took place through two studies. The first study involved 500 parents who were administered 32 pilot items for the C-YEAS-P. Once the data were collected, the measure was scaled with half of the sample (n = 250), resulting in a 12-item measure. A series of single-group confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were conducted using the second half of the sample to compare a three-factor model with two competing models, a one-factor model and a three-factor model with a higher-order factor. In addition, composite reliability estimates were calculated to examine the internal consistency of the scales. In the second study, 25 parents completed the new, 12-item C-YEAS-P and the Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scale (SSIS-RS) to evaluate evidence for convergent and discriminant validity of the C-YEAS-P scores. Pearson product moment correlations were computed between the three C-YEAS-P scale scores and the SSIS-RS Social Skills and Problem Behavior scale scores. The results of the first study supported a three-factor structure for the C-YEAS-P. In addition, the scores of each C-YEAS-P scale demonstrated excellent composite reliability. The SSIS-RS Social Skills scale scores provided good evidence for the convergent validity of the C-YEAS-P scale scores; however, the SSIS-RS Problem Behaviors scale scores provided mixed evidence for the discriminant validity of the C-YEAS-P scale scores. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The magnitude and scale of current threats to ecosystems requires interdisciplinary approaches to both science and training. For example, urbanization has resulted in increased runoff from communities into coastal habitats, necessitating work across the marine-terrestrial interface. This runoff holds myriad pollutants which can impact vulnerable ecosystems, such as coastal rocky reefs. I evaluated two pollutants in domestic runoff, nitrogen-based nutrients and glyphosate-based herbicides, and their effects on rocky intertidal biodiversity and ecosystem health. Biweekly measurements were taken from runoff-affected tidepools, runoff-unaffected tidepools, drain sources, and the ocean to assess levels of both nutrients and glyphosate at our Southern California field site. Further, I experimentally added nutrients to tidepools and dosed the green seaweed "Ulva" sp. with glyphosate to determine the extent of effect these pollutants would exert on the ecosystem. In chapter 1, I showed that nitrate + nitrite concentrations varied over time, with runoff-affected tidepools exhibiting significantly higher concentrations than control tidepools. Internal nitrogen concentrations in "Ulva" correlated positively with nitrate + nitrite concentrations, and total grazer biomass increased with higher internal nitrogen in "Ulva." Experimental nitrogen additions enhanced "Ulva" cover compared to control pools. In chapter 2, I showed elevated glyphosate concentrations exceeding EPA safe drinking-water limits in the field, with substantial pH reductions observed at low glyphosate concentrations. These findings indicate that increased nutrients lead to bottom-up effects on nutrient cycling, and that reduction in pH associated with glyphosate has the potential for appreciable reduction in local pH. My findings underscore the need for regulatory consideration of these pollutants in coastal management, especially in protected areas, to mitigate risks to marine ecosystems and human health. However, environmental challenges, such as polluted freshwater runoff, are global in both scope and scale. Interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches to research can be used to better address these complex issues, and in chapter 3, I describe a graduate training program that centers these approaches. The Ridge 2 Reef National Science Foundation Research Traineeship Program was developed to provide transferable and cross-disciplinary training to graduate students of various academic backgrounds. The program was successful in improving the communication skills, career knowledge, and understanding of global perspectives in research of the trainees. The interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches to training were also successful in increasing trainee confidence and preparedness for environmental career paths. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Background: This dissertation examines the pervasive influence of the white and colonial imaginary in shaping educational narratives that promote neoliberal success and capitalism, impacting the minds of successive generations. Contemporary youth perceive these narratives as detrimental, contributing to racial violence, climate-induced displacement, and ecological degradation. The growing disillusionment among young people calls for a shift towards cultivating authentic, responsible, and reciprocal narratives prioritizing critical eco-relational significance and fostering sustainable futures (Fowler, 2023; Vamvalis, 2022; Han, 2022; Whyte, 2018). The design research shared in this dissertation not only illuminates the intricate eco-relational brilliance and radical care exhibited by some of our youngest geologists, engineers, scientists, and critically conscious citizens, but it also unveils liberatory trajectories for teacher (un)learning and pedagogical commitments associated with anti-racist and anti-colonial approaches to science education. This work serves as an offering and an encouragement to embrace boldness, bravery, and a committed rogue approach against racism and coloniality in education. Methods: The dissertation employs Design-Based Implementation Research (DBIR) (Penuel et al., 2011), guided by social practice theory (Bell et al., 2012; Lave & Wenger, 1991), and an In-relations methodological practice (Tachine & Nicolazzo, 2023) animated by Indigenous eco-critical and critical race theory. The collaborative design research was conducted within a network of elementary school, kindergarten to sixth grade educators across a suburban school district. Educators participated in a 15-month professional development initiative designed in accordance with the Social Focus Framework (Sanchez, 2024) to build capacity for anti-racist and anti-colonial education. This involved a network of teachers participating in critical learning as a collective and in grade-level teams involved in co-designing curriculum and iterative implementation. Ethnographic, artifact-based, and interview data was analyzed through critical ethnographic methods involving participant-observation, interpretive analysis and coding of student and teacher artifacts and teacher interviews, and theory-driven focused coding of student interaction. Findings: The dissertation is structured into three papers, each addressing different aspects of the research. In Paper 1 (Chapter 2), I document the diverse learning pathways of elementary teachers engaged in anti-racist and anti-colonial education. The findings reveal that teachers' engagement in sensemaking, critical meaning-making and situated actions varied significantly, influenced by dimensions of whiteness such as innocence, ignorance, saviorism, and arrogance. Teachers who adopted a "rogue settler diligence" approach showed significant progress in anti-racist and anti-colonial teaching practices, highlighting the developmental nature of critical teacher learning. In Paper 2 (Chapter 3), I present a case study focused on a second-grade student who exemplifies the potential for young learners to engage in eco-relational caring practices during a geology unit. The student's end-of-unit presentation underscores the importance of nurturing relational epistemologies (Bang et al., 2018) to support speculative (re)worlding in socio-ecologically precarious times. In Paper 3 (Chapter 4), I follow third-grade students prioritizing multispecies justice, anti-racism, and anti-coloniality in a science unit. The students' development of just worlding engineering design principles illustrates their capacity to envision and advocate for radically caring and sustainable futures. Contributions: The dissertation offers several design principles for transforming education, as well as fields of science and engineering: (1) Teacher (Un)Learning Pathways Towards Antiracist and Anticolonial Science Education: Analysis of teacher learning pathways highlights the developmental nature of critical teacher learning, emphasizing the need for sustained, reflexive, and rigorous professional development to counter white supremacy and coloniality; (2) Honoring Kindred Relationality as Design Priority: Prioritizing relationality in curriculum design fosters radically caring approaches in science and engineering education, aligning with children's inherent eco-relational perspectives; (3) Critical Liberatory Presencing of Multispecies, LandAirWaterStars, and Rights of Nature: Integrating diverse ecological perspectives disrupts human supremacy narratives, promoting interdependent thriving; (4) Transparency and Humility as Valued Design Stance: Emphasizing transparency and ethical curiosity in scientific inquiry challenges traditional power dynamics, fostering a more inclusive and collaborative scientific community; and (5) Resistance and Refusal as Valued Design Practice: Encouraging children's principled resistance and refusal to harmful actions cultivates liberatory learning environments and responsible, ethical STEM education. Overall, the research highlights the potential of young learners to contribute to a more equitable and sustainable world and offers insights into how district-level initiatives can support such transformative educational practices. This dissertation ultimately affirms the crucial role of education in shaping a just and caring future, guided by the eco-relational brilliance and radical care of young learners. The work shows that this was only possible across a school district through a sustained, coherent, and critical approach to shared teacher learning and support of situated actions related to instructional practice that enacted anti-racist and anti-colonial approaches. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) is an enterprise which impacts the social and economic standing of communities globally. ECEC quality, accessibility, innovation and sustainability have been considered in a wide body of research. However, there was a gap in research when considering non-traditional (specifically, nature immersion) ECEC, and the respective leaders of such schools. The study explored the lived experiences of ECEC global leaders of nature immersion programs, who were working in South Korea, Finland, Canada, Sweden and the United States of America, or as many of these countries as possible. This study discovered how such organizational leaders reflected on their preparation, examined their leadership competencies, analyzed their leadership beliefs, and explored how ecopsychological wellness was influenced through nature immersion education, impacting ECEC innovation and sustainability in a global education market. This study utilized a qualitative research method, with a qualitative transcendental phenomenological research design. The primary instrument used in this study was a semi-structured interview, utilizing a Framework Matrix for Interview Questions (Appendix B). Two theoretical frameworks were applied, Authentic Leadership Theory and the Ecopsychological Theory, which allowed the ECEC leaders to examine their leadership competencies and explore their ecopsychological wellness of working in nature immersion environments. I began with purposeful sampling, contacting a known Forest School leader. This first contact then generated snowball sampling, which generated ten participants for this study, residing in Canada and in the United States. Research participants qualified for this study if they meet the following criteria: (1) had worked or were currently working as a director, or an organizational leader of a nature immersion ECEC program, and (2) were fluent (speak and read) in English. This exploration highlighted the lived experiences of non-traditional (nature immersion) ECEC global leaders, it hopefully added new insights to the global sustainability of ECEC programs, prepares future ECEC leaders in assuming director positions globally, and most importantly, it inspired high-quality care and development of children on a global platform. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Environmental stewardship and leave no trace educational programming promote a message of "nature/wilderness/outdoors" for all while also urging recreationists towards specific, responsible (i.e. permitted), and voluntary behaviors in outdoor public spaces. Yet notions of nature and wilderness, as well as the strategies employed to manage and protect the environment, are value-laden and often reveal specific ontological and epistemological stances. This research focuses on interviews with seasonal environmental educators and reveals complexities and tensions underlying an understanding of nature as both "for" and in need of protection "from" people. This critical case study (Hancock & Algozzine, 2017) employs critical discourse analysis through a curriculum and critical whiteness studies lens to explore how environmental stewardship educators: a) narrate their understandings of their work; b) position themselves and others; and c) consider the social and material consequences of their work in relation to leave no trace education and their notions of diversity within the research context. Findings revealed consistent use of an environmental stewardship discourse by participants, who positioned themselves and others in relation to one's motivations, roles, and perceived impacts on the environment; and a discourse of authority and power in relation to how one can and should behave in the research context, what authority is and who has the agency to wield it. This research offers new insight into the work of seasonal stewardship educators as nuanced, dynamic, ambiguous, and socially influential, rather than solely focusing on the environmental outcomes of their work. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

STEM literate citizens are needed to fill the STEM jobs within the United States and to be active members of society economically, personally, and democratically. One way to develop STEM literate citizens is by implementing a STEM Learning Ecosystem (SLE). SLEs are an initiative founded in 2015 that bring together cross-sector partners to collaboratively design and deliver connected and coherent STEM learning experiences for students. This instrumental qualitative case study focused on the actions of SLE leaders by asking the question: What are the practices exhibited by SLE leaders in guiding their SLE? Data was collected from five participants via a semi-structured interview. Data analysis indicated three main findings: SLE leaders' practices vary, SLE leaders' actions vary based on the structure of their SLE, and there are common practices among the SLE leaders that can be combined into five overarching themes. Using Bolman and Deal's (2017) four-frame model, the study looked to understand how the SLE leaders conduct their practices. The analysis revealed that SLE leaders' practices align to all four frames and numerous frame combinations. This study's results indicated SLE leaders could be classified as brokers and collaborative leaders. As such, SLE leaders could benefit from differentiated training in how to be an effective broker and collaborative leader and how to think systemically. Any further research that focuses on the SLE leaders' practices and the effect of those practices on the SLE members and/or SLE functions, effectiveness, and/or influences would be advantageous to this body of literature. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The threat of climate change makes it increasingly important for biologists and the public to understand how organisms respond to temperature. The Metabolic Theory of Ecology (MTE) predicts that temperature should affect organism performance, with implications for species interactions and ecosystems that span disciplines including mathematics, chemistry, and biology. Temperature strongly impacts parasitic diseases of ectothermic hosts, with important implications for diseases of humans and wildlife. It is thus vital to examine metabolic responses of hosts and parasites to temperature in research laboratories and classroom education. I used MTE-based models to describe thermal responses of the pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and its amphibian hosts (Notophthalmus viridescens, eastern red-spotted newts). I measured newt breath rate and oxygen consumption (Chapter 2), as well as Bd zoospore swimming speed and critical thermal maximum (Chapter 3), to parameterize MTE-based models of host and parasite thermal performance. I conducted a controlled-temperature Bd infection experiment with newts collected from different latitudes (Chapter 4). In all three experiments, I also used temperature shifts to test for thermal acclimation effects. I hypothesized that newts and Bd would exhibit beneficial acclimation, but that Bd would acclimate to a new temperature faster because of its smaller mass and faster metabolism. I found little evidence of thermal acclimation effects on host performance, but my results suggested that the Bd either shows no acclimation or very rapid (< 3 minutes) acclimation responses. I also combined scholarship of research with scholarship of learning by developing an online teaching lab activity that introduces students to MTE-based thermal models by contrasting thermal responses in humans versus frogs (Chapter 5). I conducted a controlled experiment to compare learning outcomes for the online versus the face-to-face version of the activity (Chapter 6). Results varied, but students generally achieved similar learning outcomes in both versions of this activity. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Scholars have advocated for more environmental education (EE) within elementary preservice teacher education through science methods courses as elementary preservice teachers have consistently demonstrated limited environmental literacy. This is critical as environmental issues continue to threaten our world, preservice teachers must demonstrate the environmental literacy needed to teach our youngest students about the impacts of these problems on communities. The goal of this qualitative case study was to explore how four preservice teachers who engaged in a semester of EE demonstrated environmental literacy and reflected on instructional practices that aligned with the Ambitious Science Teaching instructional framework that was implemented during the science methods course. In-depth interviews with four preservice teachers, along with an analysis of their written work during the semester, revealed that they drew on their own funds of knowledge to demonstrate knowledge and a sense of concern about environmental issues and the impact they have on communities in different ways. However, preservice teachers mainly showed individualistic ideas about these problems and were reluctant to take action within the community to address them. This research also suggests future instructional approaches to strengthen preservice teachers' environmental literacy to best prepare them to engage their future elementary students in EE, helping our youngest learners understand more about the world around them. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Farmed animal sanctuaries provide lifelong care to formerly farmed animals. Many strive to educate their community about farmed animals and promote more compassionate lifestyles, such as veganism. Important to this is cultivating empathy and concern for the well-being of individual farmed animals. Essential to well-being is agency, which is the capacity of a living being to engage with their environments and to make choices for themselves. Farmed animals outside of sanctuaries have had their agency systematically suppressed and denied. Sanctuary educators can bring awareness to this and inspire alternative, agency-centered relationships with not only farmed animals but all living beings. To aid in this endeavor, this practice-based dissertation included the development of a resource guide for sanctuary staff and volunteers about recognizing, supporting, and teaching about the agency of farmed animals in sanctuary education. Following Stephen Brookfield's (2021) Materials Development Dissertation outline, this paper describes the inspirations for creating these materials and the development process in detail. This process included inviting scholars and practitioners to review the materials and offer feedback, which is shared in this paper. This paper also reports on how the materials will be disseminated to have the most impact on the field. There is also discussion on the broader implications of this work in countering oppression and facilitating more equitable and compassionate ways of coexisting with all beings. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The world faces an imminent environmental crisis, highlighting the role of effective Environmental Education (EE) in cultivating an environmentally literate society capable of making informed decisions regarding individual and collective environmental actions. A primary goal of EE is the promotion of pro-environmental behaviour, a complex outcome to assess. Research has established that nature connectedness serves as a crucial predictor of pro-environmental behaviour. However, most EE research has focused on nature connection outcomes for typically developing people, leaving significant gaps in our understanding of diverse ways of knowing and being. This study aims to bridge this gap by exploring how young people with intellectual and/or developmental impairments experience nature connectedness during a nature-emersed environmental education experiences that is integrated into their curriculum. Employing a phenomenological case study approach, this research centers the voices of people with intellectual and/or developmental impairments. Four participants with varying intellectual and/or developmental impairments engaged in the study, utilizing data collection methods including photovoice interviews, biophilia interviews, observations, and journaling. Phenomenological psychological analysis was employed to determine the essential structures of nature connection. It was found that nature connectedness includes elements of self-discovery, personal growth and the expression of values and beliefs, and that nature connectedness is a human-nature relationship that both empowers and validates. Through sequential enthymeme analysis of narratives and thematic analysis, four themes were described that describe the ways in which the participants in this case study connected with nature. Those themes include: Aesthetic experiences of nature; Knowledge of nature and self; Risk taking, recognition and management; Social bond building, skills and isolation. The findings of this study corroborate many conclusions drawn from studies investigating nature connectedness in typically developing people, such as the interplay between social, personal, and values and beliefs aspects of personal development and nature connection. The work has implications for methodological approaches to understanding the lived-experiences of people with intellectual and/or developmental impairments, and for the design and implementation of nature-emersed education experiences for all members of society. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This mixed methods case study dissertation research aimed to examine specific characteristics of general education teachers (non-arts-based, non-gifted-education-based) related to how teachers foster creative classroom ecologies in their traditional classroom environments. The targeted characteristics involve two dimensions potentially related to fostering creative classroom ecologies: 1) levels of nine creativity-supporting behaviors (evaluation, flexibility, frustration, independence, integration, judgment, motivation, opportunities, and questions; Cropley, 1995; Soh, 2000), and 2) measures of intrinsic motivational factors as elements of self-determination theory (competence, autonomy, and relatedness; (Reeves et al., 2018; Roth et al., 2007). These dimensions were collected via quantitative online surveys (Phase One) with 25 public middle school teachers. Clustering techniques guided the statistical analysis of patterns found in the survey responses. In Phase Two, eight of the 25 teachers were interviewed using a semi-structured format and a card-sorting task to uncover contextual factors to deepen the quantitative results. Phase One and Two were integrated to create profiles relative to such creativity. Implications, applications for pre- and in-service teachers, and recommendations for future research addressing fostering creative classroom ecologies are also discussed. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]