Join a Team

 

Do you want to join a team? Please see the list of project ideas below and click on them to learn more. If you are interested in joining a research team, contact with the team leaders.


Project Title: (Where and) Why Scripted Curriculum? Probing the Geographic Distribution and Rationale for Adoption of Scripted Curricula in Franklin County Schools

 

Primary Research Aim: To identify schools within Franklin County that use scripted curriculum, analyse their demographics with regard to student characteristics and teacher turnover, and interview school leaders regarding the rationale for adoption of these varieties of curriculum.

Abstract: While a moderate degree of research literature exists regarding scripted curriculum, most of the claims made within the extant discourse, while intuitively appealing, are weakened by lack of empirical verification. For instance, while Ede (2006) claims that scripted curriculum is used disproportionately in schools serving low income and minority students, a claim that is widely cited in later research, she fails to cite any empirical data to validate this assertion. Furthermore, while several qualitative studies addressing the effects of scripted curricula on teachers suggest that the adoption of these instructional materials de-professionalize and demoralize teachers, there has yet to be a study that considers the link between the adoption of scripted curricula and teacher turnover. This study seeks to address these (and other) gaps in the literature in order to determine whether a critique of scripted curriculum is merited and on what grounds it may be made. Our objectives are to survey schools within Franklin County to determine those that use any variety of scripted curriculum and compare the demographic characteristics and teacher retention of schools and districts that adopt these curricula to those that do not. Furthermore, we intend to perform in-depth interviewing of school leaders that have adopted scripts in order to determine the motivations and discourses that supported their decisions.

Contact the Research Team: Julie Fitz (fitz.49@osu.edu), Alex Nikolaidis

Our Team is Looking For:

GIS Specialist

Familiarity with Geographic Information System mapping technology

Quantitative and/or Mixed Methods Specialist

Able to help design survey instrument and analyze data

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Project Title: Documenting the Intersectionality of Students with Disabilities from Low-Income Backgrounds in Higher Education

 

Primary Research Aim: The primary research aim of this project is to document the histories of students with disabilities from low-income backgrounds at OSU. This will help fill a gap in the literature with regards to this particular demographic. The team will also conduct interviews with participating individuals that will help our team understand the intersectionality of the two attributes noted in an effort to find how institutes of higher education throughout the U.S. can accommodate this specific population.

Abstract: It is the hypothesis of the researchers involved with this study that students with disabilities from low-income backgrounds experience a distinct set of barriers and anxieties that prevent them from degree completion at a university. As noted, the literature concerning students with disabilities in higher education often fails to take into account other intersectionalities, including race, gender, income, etc. We have chosen to intersect the disability issue with low-income backgrounds as we believe that these two attributes engage each other in a disastrous way. Students from low-income backgrounds may be unaware of the accommodations a university could provide for both physical as well as mental disabilities. Likewise, these students are often first generational eluding to a lack of educational capital. Students from middle-income backgrounds often have access to a variety of resources which are unavailable to students from our demographic. To compound the issue, multiple studies show that person’s with disabilities from low-income communities, experience their disability in a unique way, which is compounded by limited knowledge of available resources to help accommodate the specific disability. It has also been observed through prior research that the literature concerning students with disabilities in higher education often centers on middle-income students. Our study will fill in the gaps created by this disparity in an effort to ensure the success of these students.

Contact the Research Team: Paul Gregor (gregor.32@osu.edu)

Our Team is Looking For:

Disability Studies Student

Someone with an interest in students with disabilities

Qualitative Methodologist/Ethnographer

Someone well poised to consider all questions related to our methodology

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Project Title: L1 Chinese Students Attitudes toward Native and Non-native English Speakers

 

Primary Research Aim: The aim of the study is to examine L1 Chinese students attitudes toward Native and non-native English speakers. 80 to 100 L1 Chinese students will rate native and non-native speakers of English on 5 personality traits and 5 teaching-related traits. The findings may inform our understanding of L1 Chinese students attitudes toward Native and Accented English. The findings may shed some light on the role of accent in shaping students’ attitudes toward instructors.

Abstract: The study will use a matched-guise experiment to evaluate L1 Chinese speakers’ attitudes toward a native and non-native speaker of English. Our goal is to survey 80 to 100 undergraduate Chinese students. The students would listen to two anonymous recordings of a native and non-native speaker of English. Additionally, two non-guises, distractors, will be included in the study to ensure the validity of the findings. These will be 2 different recordings of foreign language speakers. All 4 speakers will be of the same gender and within the same age range. We intend on having structured and semi-structured interviews with a few participants. We hypothesize that L1 Chinese speakers will rate the Native English speaker higher than the accented English speaker both in personality and teaching-related traits. The study will inform our understanding of Chinese students’ perception of the role of accent in teaching. Furthermore, central to our investigation is the issue of diversity and how the students’ attitudes toward two forms of English may reflect their conception of diversity in an educational setting.>

Contact the Research Team: Mustapha Chmarkh (chmarkh.1@osu.edu), Tiffany Sheng, Jingyi Zhu, Xian Zhang, Leslie Moore (Faculty Mentor)

Our Team is Looking For:

Doctoral Student, GTA

Sociolinguistics, ESL, Second Language Studies

Graduate Student

 Diversity in Education

Graduate Student

Psychology

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Project Title: Estimating the Impact of Expulsions, Suspensions, and Arrests on Average School Proficiency Rates in Ohio

 

Primary Research Aim: This study will investigate how exclusionary punishments affect average school proficiency rates of four racial groups (Asian, Hispanic, Black, and white) in mathematics and reading in Ohio’s public schools—specifically, the effect of single out-of-school suspensions, multiple out-of-school suspensions, school-related arrests, and expulsions under zero tolerance, on Ohio’s public elementary, middle, and high schools disaggregated by race.

Abstract: Student removal became an increasingly utilized form of discipline since the implementation of zero-tolerance policies during the early 1990s. Evaluative studies have consistently found negative relationships between student removal and academic success. Majority of cases regarding student removal are for minor and non-violent offenses and literature in this field suggests that teachers’ biases and cultural misreadings widen racial disparities in school discipline and academic performance. Our study estimates the effects by exploiting within-school and between-district variation in the proportion of
suspensions, student arrests, and expulsions that can explain schools’ mean proficiency rates of Asian, Hispanic, Black, and white students over a three-year academic period. All of Ohio’s public elementary, middle, and high schools with valid information and data are included in this analysis (both charter and traditional).

Contact the Research Team: Alexis Little (little.515@osu.edu), Michael Leonard, Christopher Yaluma

Our Team is Looking For:

Qualitative Researcher

We are seeking people with knowledge of and expertise in qualitative methods in school settings

Theoretical Researcher

We are seeking people with knowledge of and expertise in utilizing diverse theoretical
frameworks

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Project Title: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Mapping Linguistic Landscapes in Education

 

Primary Research Aim: This project aims to create a digital, collaborative map that visually displays the multilingualism of Columbus, OH. This will be used as a pedagogical resource in the creation of a cross-curricular unit designed to raise students’ critical thinking.

Abstract: Linguistic Landscape (LL) continues to emerge as a visual ideology and lens through which to examine the relationship between specific signs and their meanings in social contexts. The study of the presence of language on display fosters critical cultural and linguistic awareness, and scholars continue to
recognize the pedagogical potential of LL study in language classrooms. However, pedagogical implementation beyond language classrooms has been limited. This interdisciplinary research project aims to use the development of a Linguistic Landscape digital map as a foundational resource in the creation of a cross-curricular unit designed to promote students’ higher-order critical thinking skills. Utilizing a mixed-method approach, photographic evidence will be collected to investigate the occurrence, regional distribution, function, and production of multilingual signs represented in Columbus, OH. Teachers spanning the fields of science, mathematics, social studies, and language will collaborate to develop a unit that bridges school and community through the in-depth exploration of visual and inherent ideological representations found in LLs. The learning objectives of this cross-curricular Linguistic Landscape unit lie in four dimensions: 1) Development of critical research skills/modes of inquiry, 2) Awareness of forms and functions of language, 3) Employment of quantitative analysis skills, and 4) Promotion of equity and social justice.

Contact the Research Team: Bethany Martens (martens.54@osu.edu), Xinyue Lu, Mario Martinez Garcia, Joshua Peri

Our Team is Looking For:

Math Education Student

Ability to create a 7-12 math lesson as part of an interdisciplinary unit

Science Education Student

Ability to create a 7-12 science lesson as part of an interdisciplinary unit

Educational Policy/Social Studies Student

Ability to create a 7-12 social studies lesson as part of an interdisciplinary unit

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Project Title: Investigating the Potential for Creating a STEM Micro-credential for Ohio K-12 Educators

 

Primary Research Aim: The project would evaluate what schools would need/prefer/value in a STEM micro credential that would be added to teacher licenses, and present the
findings to the Ohio Department of Education for possible implementation.

Abstract: The Ohio Department of Education has considered creating a micro-credential for teachers to add to their licenses, but efforts have stalled due to lack of focused vision and opportunity. We would like to evaluate what current STEM teachers have done in terms of professional development, find out what
schools and administrators would need and like to see in such a micro-credential, and investigate what the ODE would need to implement such a microcredential. We will research this by talking to other states, STEM research groups, current STEM teachers and STEM school administrators, as well as the STEM leadership group at ODE. The STEM leadership group at ODE has expressed interest in the results of this study for potential implementation.

Contact the Research Team: Brandon Aigner (aigner.5@osu.edu), Lindsay Burns, Mary Beth Smith

Our Team is Looking For:

Education Policy Member

Someone who has or is studying Education Policy, how it works, and how change happens in the field

Qualitative Methodologist

Someone who can help answer questions related to our methodology as well as help with data
coding and analysis

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Project Title: Community-Based Exercise and Dietary Behavioral Weight Management Intervention for Breast Cancer Survivors: A Single-Arm Pilot Trial

 

Primary Research Aim: The primary research aims of this single-arm, pilot intervention trial are to: 1) determine the feasibility of delivering a community-based, comprehensive lifestyle weight management intervention to 20 overweight or obese breast cancer survivors; 2) explore preliminary efficacy of the evidence-based lifestyle intervention for producing meaningful improvements in select clinically-relevant anthropometric, fitness, functional, and patient-reported outcomes in breast cancer survivors.

Abstract: Recent evidence suggests that over 65% of breast cancer (BC) survivors are overweight/obese heightening the risk for BC recurrence, chronic disease, and all-cause mortality. These findings emphasize the importance of implementing lifestyle weight management (LWM) interventions in the treatment of BC survivors and the challenge of successfully promoting weight loss/management across the cancer care continuum. Recommendations from the American Society of Clinical Oncology posit that a critical aspect of treating obesity in cancer survivors is demonstrating that effective LWM interventions can be implemented in the community. Unfortunately, community access to comprehensive, cost-effective, evidence-based LWM interventions for BC survivors remains limited and, to date, no trials have directly examined this community-based LWM approach in BC survivors. This pilot trial is designed to determine the effects of a community-based LWM intervention on body composition, physical function, and quality of life in overweight/obese BC survivors. Participants will engage in personalized exercise and group-based behavioral counseling sessions for a span of 6 months that will be held at the Philip Heit Center in New Albany. At the completion of this pilot trial, we expect to have successfully determined the feasibility of delivering a community-based LWM intervention to BC survivors and evaluated its efficacy for producing meaningful improvements in key clinical and patient reported outcomes.

Contact the Research Team: Marcy Haynam (haynam.26@osu.edu), Brian Focht, Carla Miller, Danielle King

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Project Title: Valuable and Vulnerable in a “Globalized” World: International Graduate Students’ Voices and Participation in U.S. Classrooms

 

Primary Research Aim: The primary aim of this proposed study is to investigate how international graduate students (IGSs) engage in mixed cultural classrooms and to understand their socioemotional needs and concerns regarding their classroom participation in oral discussions. This study seeks to bring the voices and concerns of these underrepresented students to the fore. By doing this, we hope their needs will be taken into consideration by policy makers, administrators, teacher educators, and domestic students.

Abstract: In the process of globalization, U.S. universities have attracted a large number of international students with diverse sociocultural and educational backgrounds. However, international graduate students (IGS) are underrepresented in educational research (Geelhoed, Abe, & Talbot, 2003). Indeed, in the current U.S. political climate, international student research is not being prioritized and as a result, educators are feeling challenged to accommodate their needs in their classrooms. By documenting IGS voices and examining their socioemotional needs, stakeholders can be better informed about a part of a demographic that contributed $39 billion to the U.S. economy last year (Morgan & Penfield, 2018). The purpose of this research, therefore, is to look at IGS’ classroom participation in mixed cultural classrooms, their concerns with regards to participation in oral discussions, and their socioemotional needs. Through this study, we aim to bring their voices and concerns to the fore and by doing this, we hope their needs will be taken into consideration by educators, administrators, and policy makers. We also hope that we present ways and strategies through which instructors can create inclusive classroom discussions. The findings of this research will benefit teachers in higher education, teacher training programs, policy makers, and the students themselves.

Contact the Research Team: Susan Ataei Masjedloo (ataei.2@osu.edu), Zhenjie Weng, Joanne Vakil, Nathan Helsabeck, Mollie Blackburn-Primary Investigator

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Project Title: Separate But Equal: Diversity Issues in Higher Education and Intercollegiate Athletic Administration

 

Primary Research Aim: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between institutions of higher education and collegiate athletic departments as it pertains to diversity challenges associated with operating in a White-dominated industry.

Abstract: Despite previous efforts from institutions of higher education and businesses to address issues pertaining to a lack of diversity, negative perceptions of race-relations and issues of diversity within these institutions of higher education remain prevalent (Moshiri & Cardon, 2019). Issues pertaining to racerelations and diversity apply to both the institutions of higher education as well as other critical stakeholders within the academy, such as the athletic department. Previous research into this topic has considered diversity initiatives which have been implemented by administration through various approaches such as establishing strategic goals (Harper, 2007), reaching out to under-represented communities (Gasman, 2016) and organizational diversity training (Bell, Connerly, & Cocchiara, 2009). However, these approaches have had mixed results (Moshiri & Cardon, 2019). Further research is needed to examine the relationship between institutions of higher education and collegiate athletic departments in order to critically analyze the practices and approaches which these two main stakeholders take for implementing and addressing diversity. Utilizing the theoretical frameworks of Critical Race Theory and Organizational Theory, this study seeks to utilize a mixed-methods approach which critically examines the relationship between institutions of higher education and collegiate athletic departments for the purpose of creating specific interventions enhancing diversity.

Contact the Research Team: Carter Rockhill (rockhill.7@osu.edu), Jonathan Howe

Our Team is Looking For:

Quantitative/Mixed-methods Specialist

Experience with distributing and analyzing surveys

Higher Education Administration Specialist

Knowledge of administration and policies within higher education

Athletic Administrator

Former or current athletic administrator with knowledge of the college system

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Project Title: Enhancing The Functionality of an Effect Size Calculator to Account for More Statistical Analyses

 

Primary Research Aim: Our goal is to improve the functionality of a popular online effect size calculator. The calculator allows researchers to compute effect sizes alongside confidence intervals as part of a statistical workflow. We will increase the number of analyses and effect sizes the calculator computes. Currently, the calculator resides on a free (and slow) online server. Hence, we will place the calculator on a web server that is fast enough to compute effect sizes for computationally challenging analyses.

Abstract: Quantitative methodologists recommend that researchers report effect sizes to quantify the direction and magnitude of the relations under study (e.g. Cumming, 2014). However, popular statistical packages, such as IBM SPSS, do not return several commonplace effect sizes. A member of our research team created an effect size calculator (https://effect-size-calculator.herokuapp.com/) to help applied researchers compute effect sizes and confidence intervals (using the approach of Smithson, 2001) for common statistical analyses. The calculator is now a helpful resource for many applied researchers, as evidenced by its place on the first page of Google search results for the term: effect size calculator. Moreover, the next edition of an introductory statistics text for the behavioral sciences will recommend the calculator as a tool for researchers (Hahs-Vaughn & Lomax, in press). However, there are opportunities to improve the calculator. Our team of researchers will increase the number of effect sizes and analyses the calculator supports. Our team will be interdisciplinary so as to account for use cases in fields that analyze quantitative data. Additionally, the calculator is currently hosted on a free web service that limits the calculator’s performance. Hence, the calculator can only perform simple analyses. We will require funding to place the calculator on a faster web server so as to remove current limits on the potential of the calculator to support researchers in their work.

Contact the Research Team: James Uanhoro (uanhoro.1@osu.edu), Ann A. O’Connell (Faculty Mentor)

Our Team is Looking For:

Multiple Quantitative Social Scientists

Experience analyzing and reporting analyses of quantitative data; including but not limited to Ed
Psych, HDFS, HESA, Ed Policy

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Project Title: Academic Socialization and Support of Black Graduate Womxn in EHE

 

Primary Research Aim: The inquiry will explore how EHE’s Black graduate womxn (BGW) experience holistic development, academic socialization, and sense of belonging through intragroup relationships that also function as coping strategies. The study will (a) focus on strategies that Black womxn use when in community with each other, and (b) explore how the use of intentional identity-specific interventions impacts BGW’s academic experiences. The study will also compare experiences of EHE’s BGW with those not in EHE.

Abstract: Black womxn have obtained 69.8% of master’s degrees and 6.6% of doctoral degrees amongst all Black students in higher education (NCES, 2016). Although Black graduate womxn (BGW) successfully matriculate through their programs of study, more research is needed to explore their challenges in navigating predominately white institutions (PWIs). BGW experience: racism and sexism from peers; exclusion and isolation; and messaging to suggest that they do not belong in academe (Apugo, 2017; Souto-Manning & Ray, 2007). Socialization is important for graduate students as they acclimate to their academic fields (Weidman, Twale, & Stein, 2001). Yet, existing socialization models (re)produce dominant white ideologies that fail to represent BGW’s experiences. Resulting, BGW are both absent from socialization literature, and marginalized within their fields of study (Collins, 1986). However, BGW realize positive growth through mentorship, peer support, and campus spaces that center them and Black cultural norms (e.g., Alexander & Bodenhorn, 2015; Grant & Ghee, 2015; Patton, 2009; Watt, 2003). This project has three aims: 1) investigating how BGW in EHE navigate their academic programs; 2) exploring how BGW’s specific socialization needs can be holistically supported through participation in a year-long intervention; and 3) assessing intervention effects, compared to BGW outside of EHE. The researchers will offer implications/ recommendations for supporting BGW who navigate PWIs.

Contact the Research Team: E Alexander (alexander.979@osu.edu), Tiffany Steele, Jessica Jorge, Kristyn Goodwin, Lori Patton Davis (Faculty Mentor)

Our Team is Looking For:

Data Collectors

Have experience in qualitative methods – oral, written, participatory, etc. – in or outside of college settings. Be comfortable with speaking to people they do not yet know, facilitating sessions, and reflexivity.

Data Analysts

Have experience in qualitative analysis softwares, and a willingness to expand their repertoire of methods.

Writers

Be self-directed and comfortable with drafting, editing, and finalizing IRB proposals, reports, academic papers, proposals, and conference presentations.

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Project Title: Effects of Class-Wide Function-based Intervention Teams and the Good Behavior Game on Children’s Classroom Behavior

 

Primary Research Aim: The first purpose is to see the effects of CW-FIT and the GBG on disruptive behavior of children in elementary school. A second purpose is to compare the effects of CW-FIT (positive-reinforcement based) and the GBG (which includes response cost) on disruptive behavior. The third purpose is to compare the effects of CW-FIT and the GBG on social interaction among students.

Abstract: One common challenge teachers of children with disabilities face is classroom management. In applied behavior analysis (ABA) individualized curriculum is developed for each student. However, Maggin et al. (2012) showed that group contingencies are effective in addressing challenging behavior in
general education classrooms. In interdependent group contingencies, all the members of the group must meet criteria to receive the reward. Research has been done using two types of interdependent contingency, Class-Wide Function-Based Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) and the Good Behavior Game (GBG). They have each shown their strength in reducing disruptive behavior, but they have not been compared to see which intervention works better when applied alternatively. We would like to test which of the two interventions is teacher-friendly so that it can benefit students. The purpose of the study is to evaluate and compare the effects of CW-FIT and GBG interventions on the disruptive behavior of children in elementary school. Initially, the implementer/experimenter will implement the intervention and once the disruptive behavior is reduced the intervention will be taught to teachers. Teachers will report their preferences as a measure of social validity.

Contact the Research Team: Dhwani Parikh (parikh.216@osu.edu)

Our Team is Looking For:

Data Collectors

Primarily I would be implementing the intervention. I would be requiring data collectors. Individuals in education, school psychology, or related fields and have experience working with children are preferred collaborators. Even if data collectors are not familiar with school settings or have limited prior experience working with children, they can be trained.

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Project Title: Choreographing a Dance to Demonstrate Abstract, Microscopic Phenomena Involved in the Thermodynamics of the Water Cycle

 

Primary Research Aim: The aim of this project is to get middle school students moving, make the abstract microscopic concept of condensation concrete, and to increase
student levels of engagement through choreographed dance.

Abstract: Literature suggests that even pre-service teachers struggle conceptualizing condensation. In a research study to address the difficulty in understanding the processes of evaporation and condensation, pre-service teachers were guided through a series of workshops utilizing a thermal camera (Samuelsson, 2019). The visualization method employed assisted learners in developing an understanding of thermal energy transfer during evaporation. However, the same could not be said of condensation. This observation is consistent with my eighteen years of experience teaching the content standard of thermal energy transfer during the water cycle in a seventh-grade science classroom. The purpose of this project is to make the microscopic concept of condensation concrete for students through choreographed dance. This study will seek to determine if physical movement can elucidate a process otherwise invisible to students. Additionally, it will strive to get kids moving per the recommendation of the US Department of Health and Human Services which encourages adolescents to participate in an hour or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily to promote health and wellness. Physical activity has been shown to improve cognition, which leads to the question, will movement lead to increased ability to conceptualize condensation? A third dimension evaluated during this study of middle school students is whether or not a lesson grounded in movement leads to increased levels of engagement.

Contact the Research Team: Laura Blue (blue.35@osu.edu)

Our Team is Looking For:

Department of Kinesiology

Physical Education/Exercise Science

Department of Teaching and Learning

Dramatic and Arts-based Research, Teaching, and Learning

Department of Teaching and Learning

STEM (Physics/Math)

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Project Title: To Specialize or Not to Specialize: Perspectives from Parents and Coaches

 

Primary Research Aim: The purpose of this study is to assess how parents and coaches of youth athletes perceive early sport specialization versus diversification and subsequent outcomes, factors influencing these perceptions, and how attitudes and subjective norms impact the intention to influence an athlete’s sport participation. By gaining insight on how parents and coaches are informed about ESS and diversification, a more holistic understanding of the educational resources available to them can be established.

Abstract: Early sport specialization (ESS) is defined as participation in intensive organized sports training and/or competition for greater than eight months per year, at the exclusion of other sports, for children 12 years of age or younger (LaPrade et al., 2016). To date, scholarship has primarily focused on studying ESS with regards to the athletes, placing considerable focus on burnout, overuse injuries, and skill development (Baker et al., 2009) with less attention on the influence of external social agents. However, many parents and coaches strive for a competitive advantage and believe ESS is the best method for developing athletes, despite this belief lacking empirical support (Gould & Carson, 2004; Popkin et al., 2019). The aim of this study is to gain insight on how parents and coaches are informed about ESS and diversification, and how this knowledge may subsequently influence youth athletes and their decision to specialize. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews will be conducted with parents and coaches of youth athletes to explore the essence of how coaches and parents influence the trajectory of youth athletic pursuits. Results of the study will identify how key stakeholders are informed about ESS and diversification in youth sport, identify gaps in educational resources, and establish a foundation for academic findings to be more effectively communicated and translated to youth sport stakeholders.

Contact the Research Team: Shea Brgoch (brgoch.2@buckeyemail.osu.edu), Ashley Ryder, Obidiah Atkinson, Leeann Lower-Hoppe (Faculty Mentor).

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