2024 KWB Research Summit Summary
Theme: Rise of the Scholar-Practitoner
As with all our previous conferences, the 2024 Knowledge Without Boundaries (KWB) 11th annual conference was yet another dynamic forum this year for presenting research and recognizing achievements.
This year's event explored the innovative possibilities for advancing the value prospects of research relative to industry practices, scholar-practitioner engagement, and ever-evolving research concerning pivotal societal issues. The theme for this year's 2024 conference was "Rise of the Scholar-Practitioner," where we had the chance to hear about a wide array of research presenter's explorations into this topical theme.
Below you will find a recap of the 2024 conference with a collection of stats concerning this year's summit, including videos from main-stage events, and a downloadable PDF from our Keynote speaker, Dr. Jan Cardwell. We will also be producing a new issue of the Phoenix Scholar operiodical led by Dr. Kimberly Underwood that is a collection of abtracts from the conference and other post conference items.
Conference Attendance Overview: Insights and Trends
Below are videos that capture all mainstage events from the 3 day conference which include keynotes, special guests, and hosts. We, however, do not record presenter videos. All presenters will instead be recognized in a special edition of the Phoenix Scholar focused on KWB 2024.
Day 1 Mainstage events
Day 1 was the opening of the Summit and included a short introduction by Dr. Rodney Luster, followed by a presentation from Dr. Hinrich Eylers, Vice Provost of the College of Doctoral Studies, who gave a retrospective look at all the conferences from their inception to now, alongside some stats on the centers themselves, as well as the evolution of the research conducted within the centers. The audience also heard from Dr. Jan Cardwell, author and national speaker, in what was a riveting and motivating keynote address that truly set the tone of the first day. There were 35 research presentations that flowed thoughout the day that brought in some dynamic subject matter.
Anthony Di Meo and Anastasia Metros: The Decision Making of OMERS Pension Managers: A Descriptive Case Study
Jill Van Allen: The Lived Experiences of Emergency Preparedness of Public Elementary Schoolteachers: A Narrative Inquiry
Joanne Principe: Scholar-Practitioners Rising from the Ashes Like Phoenixes by Overcoming the Impact of the Perfectionism Mindset
Aaron Kenneston, Arnetra Arrington, and Susan Fereee: Exploring Educational Implications and Strategies of Using ChatGPT in Courses at an Online Higher Education Institution
LauraAnn Migliore: Application of Machine Learning and Generative AI to Create Systematic Literature Reviews Using a Technical Action Research Approach
Octavia Quarles: Thrive in a Brave New World: The Role of AI and Possible Channels of Impact and Growth
Joanne Vázquez de Príncipe: Third Culture People Evolving Management and Leadership Post-Pandemic: An Applied Multicultural Industrial and Organizational Psychology Perspective
Alisa Fleming: Examining Leadership Styles as Predictors of Workplace Bullying
Ela-Joy Lehrman, Martha Zepeda, and Tiffany Lemmen: Women in Leadership in Higher Education: A Systematic Review
Robert King, James Traylor, and Mark Guberman: Exploring Perceived Equitable Access to AI by Online Higher Education Students
Phillip Davidson: The Delphi Technique: Human vs. Artificial Intelligence
Karen Johnson, Janice Terrell, and Anne Moore: Empowering Education: Faculty Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence for Student Support: A Qualitative Exploratory Case Study
Marlene Blake, Jessica Flores, and Adrian Allen: Creating Connections to Build Belonging and Social Capital for Students of Color in Higher Education
Joshua Epps and Debra Tucker: Exploring African American Males' Perceptions of Wellness in High School: An Exploratory Case Study
J. Medgar Roberts and Leqawn McDowell: Challenges and Resilience: Black Male Educators’ Experiences with Colleagues
Carl Beitsayadeh, Pamayla Darbyshire, and Gergana Velkova: The Intricate Web of Online Learning: Self-Directedness, Collaboration, Isolation, and Student Success in Higher Education
Fern Entrekin: Integrating a Wellness Discussion into a Course for Adult Students
Josh Valk, Estefania Lujan, and Destanie Smith: Instructional Strategies for Statistics in Higher Education: A Qualitative Mixed-Design Study
Sai Raghav, Michelle Reeves, and Ion Jauregui: Role of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Effectiveness in Mechanistic Organizations
Tiffany Campau and Anastasia Metros: Leader Access to Organizational Supports That Build Leader Content Knowledge: A Qualitative Participative Research Study
Judith Sugg: A Collaborative Approach to Identifying Organizational Values
Michelle Chambers: Aspiring Teacher Leader of Color Cohort: Using the Constructs Transformational Resistance and Emotional Resilience
Priya Tahiliani: Understanding the Tenure and Turnover of Superintendents of Color: An Exploratory Case Study
Yvette Beavers and Jamie Swisegood: Pushing the Boundaries: Dismantling Barriers in K-12 Education by Reinforcing the Need for Culturally Responsive Education
Lisa Langford, Scott McCalla, and Alfreda Goods: Knowledge Transfer and Practical Application: Bridging the Gap Between Scholars and Practitioners
Mark McCaslin: Practicing Healthy Leadership
Pamayla Darbyshire: What Does Scholar-Practitioner Mean to You Personally? How Do You Apply the Concept?
Joy Taylor: Invisible Labor: An Examination of the Perceptions of Moms in the Workplace
Jessica Flores and Marlene Blake: Mothers’ Plights to Protect their Children and the Impact on Workplace Performance
Hannah Lowe: Lessons for Trauma Counselors from the Story of Pandora's Box
Marlene Blake, Roxanne Williams, and Elizabeth Young: ACCESS Faculty Researchers Use AI to Analyze Data
Jessica Sylvester, Chelsea Thomas, and Mary Elizabeth Smith: Identifying and Activating Student Foundational and Advanced AI Skills
Louise Underdahl, Danielle Kish, and Pamayla Darbyshire: Retaining Non-Traditional Online Students
Sandra Sessoms-Penny, Joy Taylor, and Patricia Battson: Building Belonging through Social Capital in the Workplace
William Kerstetter, Cynthia Simon, and Gilbert Franco: Breaking Barriers: A Study of the Impact of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives on Gender Disparities in the Workplace
Juana Lang and Lucinda A. Hines: Can Leaders’ Grit Spread Organizational Toxicity?
Lori Kameya Davey: Correlation Between Compensation and Employee Motivation Among Healthcare Industry Representatives: A Quantitative Regression Study
Lucinda Hines and Daniel Smith: Reflections on Educating Patients on Value-Based Healthcare to Improve Clinical Outcomes
Subas Nandy: Do the Indicators of Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in China and India Show Signs of Improvement? A Comparative Study Over a Decade
Mansureh Kebritchi, Tony Taylor, and Alan Raveling: Creativity, Productivity, and Large Language Models: Student and Instructor Perceptions of the Co-Creation Process in Doctoral Dissertation Research
Joy Hughes: Policy Implementation for the Ethical Obligation of Organizational Domestic Violence: A Delphi Study
During the conference, Dr. Janice Cardwell bestowed a surprise gift to our conference attendees. The book, written by our esteemed guest speaker, entitled, Empowering Self-Concepts for Self-Leadership is a powerful element of the author's approach and philosophy to all things, including research. All KWB Summit attendees can access Dr. Cardwell's book below as a gift from her to all of us!
Download your free copy of Dr. Cardwell's book below.
Day 2 Mainstage events
Day 2 was yet another fantastic day as our own University of Phoenix President, Chris Lynne, alongside our moderator Dr. Kimberly Underwood, introduced Day 2 and the second year's institution of the President's Award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging within the Summit conference. President Lynne announced the 2024 winners in the morning mainstage events and it was exciting to see the various categorical recognitions, alongside watching the honorees accept their prestigous awards. Awards went to the following:
For Research: Drs. Marlene Blake, Adrian Allen, Patricia Battson, Jessica Flores, Sandra Sessoms-Penny, Joy Taylor, and Kimberly Underwood from their research entitled, How higher ed leaders can help students of color thrive by building belonging, based on a mixed-methods study examining "student belongingness."
For Scholarship: Dr. Jacquelyn Kelly and team: Destigmatizing the receipt of accommodations by using character personas based on work in a general education and nutrition courses. The work focused on decreasing student stigmas for receiving accommodations and improving student familiarity on how to receive an accommodation.
For Dissertation: Dr. Suzanne Gonzales: Dissertation research focused on Early childhood educator perspectives and LQBTQ+ image picture book use: an exploratory case study."
Day 2 contained 20 professional research presentations conducted in sessions 13-19.
Jennifer Carriere, Laura Pipoly, and Anthony Bennett: Supporting Online Adjunct Faculty: A Crucial Exploratory Case Study of an Online Higher Education Institution
Beth Putnam and Joann Kovacich: Turning Knowledge Into Actionable Practice: Physicians, E-Learning, and Plant-Based Nutrition Continuing Medical Education (CME) Outcomes in Daily Medical Practice
Teresa P. Sappington and Catherine Lalley: Where Have All The Rural American Hospitals Gone?
Martha Zepeda and Marylyn Hagerty: How Online Nursing Faculty View Civility in the Online Classroom: A Qualitative Study
April LaFontaine and Charles H. Elliott: Can Training Reduce Emergency Department Nurse Burnout?: A Qualitative Exploratory Case Study
Suzanne Gonzales and Debra Tucker: Early Childhood Educator Perspectives of LGBTQ+ Imaged Picture Book Use: An Exploratory Case Study
Tristan Hunter: Teacher Leadership in K-12 Schools: Using Teachers to Drive School Improvement
June Cade: Child-Centered Pedagogy: Guided Play-Based Learning for Preschool Children with Special Needs
Suchitra Veera: How Firms Leverage Technology for Digital Transformation: Obtaining Strategic Insights on Emerging Trends Though a Content Analysis of Annual Reports
Dorothy Kiliu-Pence and Herman van Niekerk: Organizational Empowerment and Job Satisfaction
Marlene Blake and Christine Marquis: Recommendations to Support Workplace Wellness Using the EMPower CARE Scorecard
Audrey Neylon: Expert Consensus on Detecting and Preventing Fraudulent Medicare Claims: An E-Delphi Study
Edward Dillenschneider: Leadership Effectiveness and Parental Influence Indicators in Local Faith-Based Charitable Organizations
Christopher Wilson: The Path to Procurement Equity: A Case Study
Les H. Huffman, Monica Ponndee, and Donald Munday: Emotional Intelligence Strategies Used by Emergency Dispatch Leaders: A Qualitative Case Study
Jaime Davis: Communication and Leadership: Does Style Matter?
Zoila Broncano, Michael Twigg, and Crystal Lupo: Andragogical Framework In Professional Development: Teacher Practice and Professional Growth Impact
Jane Schumacher, Lilia Santiague, and Nichole Bell: Inclusive Leadership: Understanding Ourselves to Understand Others
Melinda Kulick, Leonidas Maganares, and Jessica Sylvester: Transforming Higher Education: Harnessing Generative AI for Student Engagement
J. Medgar Roberts: Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: Shaping the Future of Career Opportunities
Day 3 Mainstage events
Day 3 provided another exceptional conference day led by Dr. Mansureh Kebritchi who kicked off the main-stage events and moderated alongside Dr. Eylers for the 2024 Dissertation of the Year Awards.
Dissertation of the Year Winners
This year's awards were exciting, with some great dissertations recognized. Awards were presented to:
- DM/DBA DOY 2024 Winner: Mikel Yost
- EDD DOY 2024 Winner: Ramey Benfield
- DHA DOY 2024 Winner: April LaFontaine Johansen.
We also were able to hear from each of these recipients about their dissertation in a formal summary that was insightful and riveting. You can learn more about them in the video above. Day 3 followed with sessions 20-23, where attendees garnered wisdom and insights from 12 additional research presentations as part of the outstanding cadre of awesome presentations this year.
Louis Daily and Brian Sloboda: Using ChatGPT to Convert From Harvard to APA 7 Style
Hannah Lowe: Q Methodology Made Simple
Roxanne Williams and Jessie Cheng: You Want Me to Change What?
Beth Putnam and Joann Kovacich: So, You Have Taken an Online Course, Now What?: Lessons Learned From Physicians Taking an E-Learning Plant-Based Nutrition Certification Course
Sherrye Smith: Scaffolding Learning for Scholar-Practitioner Success
Antoinette Dziedzic and Cathy Lalley: Mind Mapping Your Way Through the Dissertation
Karen Johnson and Michelle Susberry Hill: Understanding the Dunning-Kruger Effect and Imposter Syndrome among Scholar-Practitioners
Louise Underdahl, Rheanna Reed, and Deb Foland: Fostering Career-Readiness in Students and Graduates
Joanne Principe: The Evolution of Human Resources Management Impacting Rising Scholar-Practitioners in Multigenerational Workplaces
Marlene Blake, Patricia Akojie, and Craig Mello: Effective Engagement Strategies in Virtual Learning: A Qualitative Modified E-Delphi Study
Janice Cardwell and Patricia Munson: Conceptualizing Scholar-Practitioner Leadership for Workplace Engagement: A Podcast Interview Segment
LaTasha Bibbs and Nicole Aenchbacher: Examining the Impact of Structure Triage Education on ESI Categorization: A Quasi-Experimental Quantitative Study
2024 Summit Stats
This year's summit was well attended. This was our biggest so far with both registered and unregistered attendees. Below is a tally of all attendees [unique visitors] for the event as acquired from Eventbrite and Zoom statistics for the conference.
Below are a few of the notable vitals captured from this year's KWB Summit!
Top 10 states represented
There were many countries and states represented at this years event. Among the top 10 were Texas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
Across the world
- Canada
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- Caribbean
- South Africa
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Philippines
- Nigeria
- Mexico
- Japan
- Jamaica
- Ghana
Additionally, 109 states or provinces were represented amongst the spanse of registrant attendees.
How guests identified themselves:
There were so many different professions represented this year. Professionals from every corner of life. Below is a quick look at how each attendee identified themselves as a professional.
Many of our attendees work for various institutions and agencies that include places like the following: University of Virginia Credit Union, KAAB Continuum LLC, Harper College, South Orange Maplewood School District, Northside Hospital, Schneider Family Farms, T-Mobile, Saddleback College, Hayward Unified School District, Destiny Early Childhood Consulting, ComPsych, Versant Health, California Cosmetic Medical Institute, Colorado House of Representatives, Clarke University, Department of Veteran Affairs, University of Alaska, Universal Surgical Partners, Sacramento City Unified School District, Florida Gulf Coast University, Federal Government, University of Mid-Florida, DeSales University, McHenry County College, Asher College, US Army, Sawyer Police Department, University of Virginia, University of Texas, Georgetown University, Reynolds Community College, Reynolds College Richmond Virginia, University of Prince Edward Island, Caribbean Graduate School of Theology, Research Corporation/University of Hawaii, Tougaloo College, Veterans Health Administration, Ochsner Health System, New York University, New York City Department of Education, United States Postal Service, Northern Light Maine Coast Hospital, Ministry of Education-Jamaica, Merrill Lynch, Defenese Health Agency, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Kings County Hospital, California Intercontinental Universiyty, Baker College, American College of Cardiology, Internal Revenue Service, Humana, and many more.
- Executive Director
- President
- Chief Technology Officer
- Chief Officer
- Financial Industry Leader
- Director
- Educator
- Professor
- Secondary school professional
- Middle School Professional
- Principal
- IT Analyst
- Vice President
- Healthcare professional
- Life Coach
- Sales
- Law Enforcement
- Cybersecurity
- Behavioral Health
- Military
- Human Resources
- Religious Leadership
Comments on the conference
Attendee- “Attending the 2024 Knowledge Without Boundaries Summit provided me with valuable research insights and knowledge”
Presenter- “The Summit was an inspiring and impactful experience for my team and me. Presenting on the role of emotional intelligence in leadership effectiveness in mechanistic organizations provided a unique opportunity to engage with leaders, innovators, and peers who are equally passionate about advancing the field. The summit’s atmosphere of collaboration and the insightful discussions it fostered truly enriched our understanding and reinforced the vital role of emotional intelligence in shaping effective leadership.”
Presenter- "KWB 2024 with its theme of 'Rise of the Scholar-Practitioner' was very relevant to the research topic that I presented to my colleagues at the University. I received insightful feedback from other scholars/practitioners who participated in the same sessions that I presented in."
On behalf of all of us in the College of Doctoral Studies and the leaders of the Research Centers, we thank you for a wonderful event and already look forward to next year's conference!
WE WILL SEE YOU AT NEXT YEAR'S EVENT!