Doctoral Candidate Brochure: Courtney L. Cruz
Doctoral Dissertation Defense
of
Courtney L. Cruz
For the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Special Education
DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF AN ONLINE SELF-DETERMINATION TRAINING MODULE FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER CANDIDATES
June 23, 2026
1 p.m.
Meeting ID: 293 863 325 876 356
Passcode: JW2nK7Jf
Development and Evaluation of an Online Self-Determination Training Module for Early Childhood Teacher Candidates
The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate an online self-determination (SD) training module with a focus on self-advocacy (SA) for early childhood teacher candidates (TCs). Research has shown that SD and SA are associated with positive educational and life outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Despite their importance, TCs often receive limited opportunities to develop SD and SA skills themselves and limited preparation to foster these skills in young children with disabilities.
Participants included a panel of experts who reviewed the training module and 20 TCs who completed the module and provided feedback. The training consisted of two parts. Part One focused on helping TCs better understand and apply SD and SA in their own lives, while Part Two focused on preparing them to foster these skills in young children with disabilities.
Results indicated that TCs reported increased knowledge, confidence, and preparedness related to SD and SA. They also demonstrated greater awareness of their own strengths, goal-setting practices, and self-advocacy skills for personal and professional growth. In addition, TCs reported stronger beliefs regarding the importance of teaching SD and SA and identified new ways to promote autonomy and self-advocacy in inclusive classrooms.
Overall, findings suggest that intentional instruction in SD and SA through an online training module may strengthen teacher candidate preparation and better equip future educators to support these skills in inclusive early childhood settings. Implications for teacher preparation programs, curriculum design, and future research are discussed.
91心頭利 the Candidate
Courtney L. Cruz
M.S. Early Childhood Education
Youngstown 91心頭利 University, 2014
B.S. Early Childhood Education
Mount Vernon Nazarene University, 2004
Courtney Cruz is a Senior Lecturer in the Primary/Primary Intervention Specialist Program at Youngstown 91心頭利 University, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in teacher preparation and special education. She has more than 10 years of teaching experience in grades 1-3 where she served children with exceptionalities and their families.
Courtney is passionate about mentoring teacher candidates and preparing future educators to create inclusive classrooms where all children can thrive. Her research interests include self-determination (SD), self-advocacy (SA), and teacher preparation. Through her research, she has developed a deeper appreciation of SD as a lifelong journey and believes that both educators and students benefit from intentional opportunities to grow in SD and SA skills. She is committed to building educators capacity to cultivate these skills in their own personal and professional lives while fostering them in the students they serve.
Through her teaching, research, and service, Courtney is committed to empowering educators and students to become confident self-advocates and active participants in their educational journeys.
Doctoral Dissertation Committee
Co-Directors
Ching-I Chen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Early Childhood Special Education
School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences
Sanna Harjousla-Webb Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Early Childhood Special Education
School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences
Outside Program Area
Adam Lockwood, Ph.D
Associate Professor
School Psychology
School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences
Sonya Wisdom, Ph.D.
Professor
Science Education
School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences
Graduate Faculty Representative
Karla Anhalt, Ph.D.
Professor
School Psychology
School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences