In CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

Acknowledgments As the journey of my dissertation writing process is approaching an end, I would like to express my gratitude to the people who supported and encouraged me to make my dream of becoming a Ph.D. a reality. I especially want to thank my family for bearing with me and supporting me unconditionally. They never complained about me spending a long time in school and being away from home. Instead, they are proud of me and always listened to my frustrations. I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to my confidant, who is also my best friend: thank you very much for encouraging me to obtain my doctoral degree. There were times in this journey that I wanted to give up, but you believed in me and told me that I could handle the challenges. Even though you did not understand much about my research, you often listened to me talking about it. I am also thankful for my dear friends who were there to support me, spend time with me, and help me go through challenging times. Without you, I would not have walked this path successfully. Many special thanks are extended to my committee members: Dr. Paul Miller, Dr