School Farms And Stem: Using Institutional Resources To Promote Deeper Learning, Catherine Clare Knowlton

Food Systems Master's Project Reports

Given the structural problems in education laid bare by the recent pandemic, we as a community of educators need to re-evaluate goals for secondary science education. Specifically, classrooms and course content must evolve to become more socially responsive, inclusive, and interdisciplinary. Agricultural education is a demonstrably effective way to boost STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) comprehension as well as SEL (social-emotional learning) skills building. In this study, I use qualitative interview methods to assess current agricultural coursework at independent schools around New England. Results show intriguing themes stemming from designing and implementing farm-based courses, although there are logistical barriers …

The Diffusion And Adoption Of Precision Agricultural Technologies And Practices In Six Selected Southern States, Patterson Perez Hilaire

Theses and Dissertations

Precision agriculture continues to be prevalent within row-crop production. The purpose of this study was to investigate the adoption status of precision agricultural practices among selected row-crop (soybean, wheat, corn, cotton, peanuts, and rice) producers in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Seventy-four percent of row-crop producers surveyed in this study had adopted precision agricultural practices in their farming operations. Eighty-three percent of respondents indicated they were using automated GPS technology such as autosteer, 66% were using manual guidance such as lightbar, 63% variable-rate prescription map, and 34% auto-sprayer boom section or nozzle control. The primary source for receiving …

A Descriptive Study On The Perceived Barriers To Academic Progression From Lpn To Rn, Rebekah B. Snyder

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

The significance of seamless academic progression has been emphasized in the nursing profession for more than a decade. A significant amount of research has been conducted on the transition from registered nurse (RN) to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) prepared nurse in order to identify potential barriers to progression: yet a significant literature gap exists for the transition from licensed practical nurse (LPN) to RN. The purpose of this quantitative descriptive study was to identify what perceived barriers practical nursing students and recent practical nursing graduates identify as potentially hindering academic progression to a registered nursing program. Data …

Strengthening The Southern Nevada Workforce Pipeline, Katie M. Gilbertson

Student Papers / Brookings Minor Culminating Projects

Workforce development has been a keystone in the discussion of economic diversification of Las Vegas for decades. The leisure and hospitality industry is the lifeline for the Southern Nevada economy due to the reliance on tourism as the city’s main economic driver. The leisure and hospitality industry requires physical labor and more face-to-face customer interaction than other employment sectors. Thus, these jobs often do not require high educational attainment, but rather sharp soft skills like effective listening, nonverbal communication, and negotiation strategies. While these are valuable traits, the lack of educational attainment within the leisure and hospitality workforce suppresses employees’ …

Design Of A Freight Transportation Outreach Curriculum, Breanna Stoesz

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

This project is centered around finding a solution to the shortage of truck drivers within the freight industry. Specifically, this project aims to lessen this shortage by ensuring potential future drivers are aware of the benefits of the industry and are encouraged to consider this career path for themselves. By producing an engaging and educational freight transportation curriculum for middle and high school students to go through in outreach programs, these students would have an increased likelihood of joining the trucking profession and encourage others to become informed about the profession as well. In addition to the direct driving role, …

Examination Of Experiential Phenomena Influencing Culinary Educators’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Danny Babin

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study aimed to explore the theory of expert teaching by comparing culinary educators at the secondary and postsecondary levels based on their varying levels of experience. Experience for culinary educators included pre-service teacher training, in-service teacher training, professional industry experience, and teaching experience. The primary goal of this descriptive phenomenological study was to examine the impact professional experience has on culinary educators’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Distinctions in PCK include collective PCK, personal PCK, and enacted PCK. PCK theory has been an integral part of educational research for over three decades; it has been studied, refined, and implemented into …

Innovative Behavior; Raising Awareness For Creative Behavior In Education To Cultivate An Innovative Approach In Vocational Education., Jeanette Janine Matser

Creative Studies Graduate Student Master's Projects

_{Innovative Behavior; Raising Awareness for Creative Behavior in Education to Cultivate an Innovative Approach in Vocational Education.}

The development of a rubric for innovative behavior in teachers is related to encouraging the status of creativity in the innovation process. It is powerful to use feedback to create a more creative approach in schools, it helps teachers to think creatively and how to cultivate a more innovative approach in the classroom. It creates and structures conversations among teachers interested in teaching and assessing creativity.

This project presents a background and the development of a rubric and a complimentary booklet to self-test …

Collaboration Between Secondary Special Education Teachers And Community Rehabilitation Service Providers: A Focus Group Analysis, Tabitha L. Pacheco, Robert L. Morgan, Michelle C. Mcknight-Lizotte

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Collaboration by professionals across agencies has been identified as a research-based practice associated with successful post-school outcomes for students with disabilities. Succesful post-school outcomes include community employment, postsecondary education (such as involvement in two- or four-year college programs), and independent living for young adults with disabilities. Vocational rehabilitation counselors, special educators, and community rehabilitation providers (CRPs) must collaborate to increase the probability of successful outcomes, particularly given the advent of Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS). Five core areas of Pre-ETS include: (a) job exploration counseling, (b) work-based learning experiences, (c) counseling, (d) workplace readiness training to develop social skills and independent …

The Influence Of A Compressed Semester On Student Performance In A Career And Technical Course, Michael W. Hazzard

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Business and Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Science by Michael W. Hazzard on April 21, 2022.

Developing Regional Extension Programs And Research Tools For Beekeepers, Sheldon Brummel

Dissertations and Student Research in Entomology

The body of work presented in this thesis describes the development and structure of the Regional Great Plains Master Beekeeping training program, which started in 2019, serves 1500+ beekeepers across five Midwest states (IA, KS, MO, NE, WY), and is supported through local partnerships and beekeepers. This chapter also discusses the leadership structure and aspects I developed for program advancement and long-term sustainability, such as incorporating mentorship and volunteer service goals as well as requiring independent projects to become a certified Master beekeeper. Independent projects may focus on research or teaching goals but must illustrate the candidate’s ability to apply …

The Manufacturing And Engineering Partnership Program: An Examination Of A Partnership Between Manufacturing And Cte, Laura Schoenborn-Preuss

Dissertations

Manufacturing is struggling to find people to fill open positions in the various career opportunities they represent. The skills gap or skills needed by manufacturers has caused challenges in filling those open positions. Adding to this dilemma is that student interest in these careers has reduced, with the focus being on obtaining college degrees right out of high school. Due to these changes, manufacturing and education are partnering in ways to increase student interest and fill open positions.

This study is looking to better understand one such partnership and how the activities students’ experience influence their career decision making. The …

Oral History: A Tool For The Elementary And Middle Classroom, Jessica Keiser

Senior Honors Theses

Modern historical instruction requires educators to cover broad expanses of history and prepare students for standardized testing. In the push to meet state standards and cover the vast curriculum in short periods of time, many educators have begun to teach to the textbook. Much to the detriment of students, this educational practice has favored periodization and content quantity over the development of crucial historical skills. Rather than adhering to popular education trends, teachers can consider implementing oral history projects within their elementary and middle school classrooms. Oral history is a methodology that employs first-hand accounts to teach about key historical …

The Music Bluetooth Controller: An Intersection Between Technology And Music, Lydia Wu

Senior Honors Theses

The modern musician faces a new challenge: how can technology be used to enhance a performance? This thesis documents the development of a Bluetooth remote controller that will aid today’s performing musicians by interacting with a digital display (e.g., an iPad) to flip musical score pages remotely. At its core, while mimicking a Bluetooth pedal (the current industry standard), this device attaches to the musician’s hand. In its pilot stages, the device has been referred to “MBC” (Music Bluetooth Controller).

Bars To Bridges: Culturally Responsive Education Advocacy, Micaella Flores, Christine Otto

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

We'll explore tangible ways to advocate for BIPOC students who've experienced educational disruptions. We’ll discuss the methods and model The Bars to Bridges Program uses to successfully transition justice involved youth into their academic settings and maintain engagement in education.

Psychosocial Reserve Capacity, Family Background And Selection Of An Educational Path – A Longitudinal Study From Finland, Paulyn Jean A. Claro, Leena Kristiina Koivusilta, Mari-Pauliina Vainikainen, Arja Rimpelä

Graduate School of Business Publications

Finnish students start academic or vocational track in upper secondary education at age 16 years. Track placement is based on grades, but family background and psychosocial resources may have influences. Using 2014 survey data of Grade 9 students in Helsinki Metropolitan area linked to the Joint Application Registry data as of 2017, we fitted two-level, sex-stratified, generalized structural equation models to determine how reserve capacity (academic self-efficacy and social support), family background, and the comprehensive schools predict track placement. Adjusting for the effect of grades, low reserve capacity and disadvantaged family background increased probabilities of vocational track and non-placement of …

The Underrepresentation Of Women In Building Trades Programs And Careers: Perceptions Behind The Educational And Career Decision-Making Process, Ethel J. Clayton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Women may perceive barriers when considering educational and career options in predominately male-dominated STEM-focused (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programs and settings. This qualitative, phenomenological study, emphasizing the social cognitive career theory, explored women’s perceptions that influenced the decision-making process to pursue nontraditional educational paths and careers in career and technical education fields such as architecture and construction while considering gender-associated challenges, culture and racial-ethnicity, and career and technical education stigma. Six adult female participants (three students and three leaders) responded to semistructured questions within a focus group and one-on-one interviews via telephone conferencing. A thematic analysis process using …

An Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods Study Of Phronetic Administrative Competencies In Experienced Student Ministry Practitioners, Tripp Atkinson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

While the impact of a healthy student ministry in the local church is culture-shaping and eternally significant, many churches are not experiencing success in this ministry area. Among the many challenges modern student ministry face, a high turnover rate and perceived lack of competence among student ministry professionals contribute to this lack of sustained fruitful ministry (Devries, 2008). In many cases, the lack of competence is a primary contributing factor to the turnover. While a number of studies have identified the necessity of student ministry professionals possessing sound administrative competencies in sustaining success, a significant gap in the literature exists, …

Assessing Awareness And Competence Of Best Practices In Synchronous Online Instruction During The Covid-19 Pandemic For Clemson Cooperative Extension Professionals, Christopher J. Eck, K Dale Layfield, Catherine A. Dibenedetto, Jacqueline K. Jordan, Sarah O. Scott, Weatherly Thomas, Michelle Parisi, Thomas Dobbins

The Journal of Extension

Traditional delivery of Extension programming changed overnight in March 2020, when the COVID-19 outbreak forced switching traditional methods to virtual delivery. Extension professionals across South Carolina quickly adapted to online delivery. Concerns over instructor preparedness to use online tools, including functions to assure accessibility, did arise. Findings from this non-experimental, descriptive research study suggested Extension professionals used online tools (primarily Zoom). The majority were not comfortable using many of the features that would enhance instruction, including polling, file transfer, and live-streaming media platforms. Additionally, Microsoft Word and PowerPoint skills to assure accessibility for clientele were lacking.

From A Bag Lunch To A Buffet: A Case Study Of A Low-Income African American Academy’S Vision Of Promoting College And Career Readiness In The United States, Edward C. Fletcher Jr., Erik M. Hines, Donna Y. Ford, James L. Moore Iii

Journal of College Access

The purpose of this research study was to examine the ways in which stakeholders at a low-income, predominantly African American STEAM academy implement initiatives that support the college and career readiness of their students. We found that a shift in leadership efforts to ensure that academy students were prepared to be both college and career ready provided equity and access to a quality and individualized curriculum through the implementation of career academies. As a result, stakeholders believed that students were more included, valued, and engaged in the school.

Breaking Down Barriers: A Culturally Responsive Career Development Intervention With Racially Minoritized Girls Of Color, Marsha L. Rutledge, Philip B. Gnilka

Journal of College Access

Career development and professional identity remain critical areas that need addressing for young girls of color. Currently, racial-ethnic minorities continue to face disparities educationally and economically. Girls of color, in particular, are subjected to "double jeopardy" as they navigate a world still ridden with racial and gender discrimination. These barriers and other social and environmental factors have negatively impacted career self-efficacy, resulting in a lack of appropriate career decision-making. Through a lens of social justice and advocacy, school counselors can act as an ally and provide culturally appropriate interventions that address these issues. Career interventions based on the specific needs …