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Análisis Sociolingüístico De Una Hispanohablante En Harrisonburg, Virginia/Sociolinguistic Analysis Of A Spanish Speaker In Harrisonburg, Virginia, Tessa Adams

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

Los patrones dialectales de hispanohablantes nativos quienes saben inglés como un idioma segundo han sido un foco para académicos lingüísticos por mucho tiempo. El estudio presente compara las experiencias de una hispanohablante nativo biligüe de Harrisonburg, Virginia, con patrones de voz que son común en otras investigaciones más amplias. Utilizando un formato de entrevista estructurado y un análisis hecho como en un caso práctico, la escritora muestra que que los rasgos lingüísticos de “Mirabel” alinea con aspetos claves de escolaridad existente mientras probando como una excepción a otras tendencias establecidas.

The dialectical patterns of native Spanish speakers who know English …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Collaboration Between School Psychologists And Board-Certified Behavioral Analysts, Taylor Bronaugh

Department of Graduate Psychology - Graduate Student Scholarship

The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of communication styles brought on by distanced learning and its effect on collaboration for school psychologists and Bord Certified Behavioral Analysts (BCBAs). Prior studies have addressed collaboration habits between these school-based professionals. The current study aims to analyze the impact that COVID-19 had on these practitioners’ collaboration habits and to investigate their current communication and collaboration habits. A mixed methods locally developed anonymous survey was created and used for data collection. Participants were recruited through social-media groups and via word-of-mouth sharing. 20 school-based practitioners shared their perceptions and experiences with …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Collaboration Between School Psychologists And Board-Certified Behavioral Analysts, Taylor J. Bronaugh

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of communication styles brought on by distanced learning and its effect on collaboration for school psychologists and Bord Certified Behavioral Analysts (BCBAs). Prior studies have addressed collaboration habits between these school-based professionals. The current study aims to analyze the impact that COVID-19 had on these practitioners’ collaboration habits and to investigate their current communication and collaboration habits. A mixed methods locally developed anonymous survey was created and used for data collection. Participants were recruited through social-media groups and via word-of-mouth sharing. 20 school-based practitioners shared their perceptions and experiences with …

Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Pedagogy In Art Education, Amelia Guido

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This thesis explores the implementation of Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed (ECTI) ecosystem in art education. With the increasing levels of anxiety and depression among adolescents and the growing emphasis on social-emotion learning (SEL), this study sought to address the ways art education may benefit students socially and emotionally. However, through research, an understanding and a need for an equity-centered education was formed. While SEL practices place emphasis on utilizing the social and emotional skills-based core competencies, ECTI education focuses on addressing trauma and systemic inequities to create supportive and inclusive learning environments.

The literature review encompasses an understanding of trauma and its …

The Lived Experience Of Counseling Students In Natural Disaster, Amy M. Sirocky-Meck

Dissertations, 2020-current

After natural disaster, survivors may experience moderate to severe signs and symptoms of emotional distress which may subside or worsen as time passes (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2022). Adults pursuing higher education when natural disaster strikes experience an additional array of unique issues which may exacerbate symptoms of emotional distress (Wilkinson et al.,2013). To create and improve curricular and co-curricular structures that meet the needs of their students, educators in many health and mental health disciplines can draw from a variety of quantitative and qualitative studies, particularly those focused on how their disciplines’ students navigate the experience …

Emerging As A Scholar-Advocate Amid The Covid-19 Pandemic, Isabelle Hoagland

International Journal on Responsibility

No abstract provided.

'Shad' Never Made Them Happy: Pandemic And A Dis-Abling Educational System - Case Of Iran, Negin Hosseini Goodrich, Abouzar Samiei

International Journal on Responsibility

As the pandemic began, Iran quickly faced the worst outbreak in the Middle East during the winter of 2020. Traditional schools were consequently transferred to an online education without implementing appropriate adaptations, and restrictive policies of low-speed Internet and censorship negatively affected the quality of online education. The situation became even worse for Iranian students with disabilities. The Ministry of Education designed a new application, named Shaad (means happy), which was and remains inaccessible for people with disabilities. This qualitative research study explores the educational challenges of the Iranian students with disabilities during the pandemic. The authors argue physical and …

Cripping And Deafening Covid-19- Re-Framing A Pandemic In Higher Education, Wendy S. Harbour

International Journal on Responsibility

This article looks at ways institutions of higher education (IHEs) can use the models of disability, disability studies, and Deaf studies to “crip” and “Deafen” their response to COVID-19. A review of previous epidemics and pandemics, including yellow fever, the 1918 influenza epidemic, polio, and HIV/AIDS disease, disability, and Deafness. Health services, counseling centers, and disability resource centers expanded over time, and IHEs still rely heavily on them for health, disability, and Deaf concerns. By cripping and Deafening COVID-19 responses, higher education can use a more holistic view of the pandemic, making illness, mental health, disability and Deafness the responsibility …

The Translation Of Inclusion/Acceptance, Accessibility, And Empathy With Online Community Engagement, Jessie C. Feng

VA Engage Journal

Service-learning at Virginia Commonwealth University traditionally involves students performing community service to address community needs, coupled with guided reflection for holistic growth. In the spring of 2020 in-person courses were suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic, necessitating a transition to online classes. This study aimed to determine if online service-learning provided the same benefits as in-person experiences, focusing on students' perceptions of inclusion/acceptance, empathy, and accessibility. Online surveys were administered to students enrolled in service-learning courses during the semester. Results showed reduced levels of support compared to Fall 2019, but increased social activism and awareness. The study noted that remote …

Implications Of Inclusive Postsecondary Education Programs (Ipses) On Quality Of Life For Young Adults With Intellectual Disabilities, Sarah K. Eggleston

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

Students with intellectual disability (ID) who are aging out from qualifying for special education services through the public school system often encounter difficulty in the transition to early adulthood. While students with disabilities in Virginia have access to employment and transition services to aid them in seeking job placement, some students with ID still carry aspirations of going to college like many of their peers without disabilities. College is an experience that allows emerging adults to gain independence, social skills, pivotal identity development, and opportunities to explore academic and professional interests, while increasing their qualifications for more competitive employment. In …

Analyzing Motivation And Sense Of Belonging Belonging In Cs1 Review Sessions, Cory Longenecker

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

The Computer Science Department at James Madison University has a Teaching Assistant program which aims to help students succeed in early-level Computer Science courses. Part of this program is a review session, the Fourth Hour, which provides students extra help on the concepts taught each week in class. Historically, attendance at this review session has been low. Because of this, the study aimed to increase attendance by motivating students through interventions, primarily offering quiz retakes to students who attended. Additionally, this study looked at the reported sense of belonging for participants who attended.

We made three conclusions from survey data …

Student-Led Success: Improving Attendance And Learning At Fourth Hour Review Sessions, Andrew C. Gilbert

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

This research continues the work of Gilbert et al. [1] by translating the “Fourth Hour” review session materials from Java to Python, keeping the focus on common misconceptions in the literature, continuing to use Peer Instruction (PI), and addressing two issues in the previous study: low attendance and short-term learning outcomes during the session. [2] The “Fourth Hour” is a review session designed to support students taking CS1 who may have missed class or need to review the previous week’s material. This review session is an hour long and is offered twice a week with the same material so more …

Representation Is Everything: The Impact Of Diversity In Literature On The Racial Identity And Psychological Safety Of Black Youth, Zaakirah B. Fulani

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

This study addresses the issue of U.S. schools often acting replicating the same racist/discriminatory practices that play out on a national level, resulting in school being an unsafe environment for Black and other REM students. A lack of psychological safety in schools, according to research, can lead to decreased academic achievement and engagement, feelings of stress and anxiety, and a negative school experience. This study proposes that using culturally relevant texts in curriculums can enhance psychological safety for Black students in order to cultivate safe school environments for REM students. Using an analysis of qualitative data from focus group discussions …

Juggling Between Two Full-Time Jobs: Work-Life Balance Experiences Of Working Mothers In Kosovo And The United States, Elona Gashi

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This qualitative research study sought to explore the working mothers’ work life balance experiences in Kosovo and the United States. Specifically, it aimed to explore within the life, work, and sociocultural contexts of these experiences. There were six working mothers interviewed in total, three from Kosovo and three from the U.S. The findings of this study showed that each of the contexts consisted of two major themes. Self-care and child-care themes emerged as essential to participants’ life context experiences. The nature of the work and workplace support themes emerged as crucial to participants’ work context experiences. And lastly, gender norms …

From One Tired Black Student To Another: The Understanding Of Blackness In Non-Formal Spaces, Kenique Brown

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Black students all over the world are at a disadvantage. They are misunderstood and oppressed. Black students do not receive an adequate intentional education in traditional educational spaces. Non-formal educational spaces have been supportive to Black students since slavery. Non-formal spaces have provided a space for Black people to feel seen and learn in a safe space. In this phenomenological qualitative study, four female Black Zambian gap-year students within a non-formal educational space were interviewed individually to describe the impact of a non-formal space on their understanding of Blackness. Through individual, semi- structured interviews, and additional data from the researcher’s …

Linguistically Responsive Practices Of Science Secondary School Teachers In Rwanda: A Qualitative Case Study, Clemence Mukabalisa Mbabazi

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This qualitative case study examined how science teachers in Rwandan secondary schools linguistically support their students. The study was conducted virtually on Zoom through two rounds of interviews with three science teachers at a secondary school in the East of Rwanda. The primary research question examined the strategies used by these teachers to linguistically support their students. Through individual interviews with the science teachers, the participants were able to share their perspectives and experiences on students' multilingual abilities, the use of English as an instructional language, especially after the transition from French, and the relationship between students' language proficiency and …

Living Between Two Worlds: Learning About High School Immigrant Students’ Experiences In The United States: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study, Xixellonje Nebihu

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This phenomenological qualitative research study examined the experiences of two immigrant high school students in terms of adaptation, integration, academic performance, and challenges they encountered in U.S. schools. These participants have been in the United States for three years and come from Jordan and Honduras. Semi-structured interviews and the researcher’s journal served as the study’s primary data sources. Two interview sessions were conducted with the participants at their school. The findings revealed that a variety of elements, including school support, such as counselors and the option to select courses, teacher support, and a diverse student body had a positive impact …

The Effectiveness Of Using Behavior Specific Praise Versus General Praise For One Elementary-Aged Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Angie Slusar

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The purpose of this study was to look at the effectiveness of general praise (GP) versus behavior specific praise (BSP) on increasing on-task behavior and decreasing the behavior of hitting in an elementary-age child with autism spectrum disorder. The researcher conducted a single function functional analysis to confirm that hitting was maintained by access to adult attention. The researcher used an alternating treatment design to compare GP and BSP as behavior change interventions. The researcher observed an educator working one-on-one with an elementary-aged child with autism. In each condition, the educator gave the praise that corresponded with the condition, to …

‘If They Laugh They Will Love The Learning’: Experiences Of The Use Of Humor By Adult Education Practitioners In Egypt And The United States, Mohamed Serry

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This qualitative research studied the experiences of adult education practitioners from Egypt and the United States with the usage of humor. The problem was that humor is a commonly used communication and education tool, yet it is not studied enough within adult education contexts. The sample included three participants from Egypt and three from the United States. All six had adult education experiences in different contexts, including educational interventions in nonprofits, manufacturing contexts, and corporate office settings. The study aimed to determine the positive and negative results of humor on adult learners, also the practitioners' needs for a better usage …

“I Like People… Who Are Like Me:” Attitudes Of Southern White Conservative Males On Diversity, Kevin Patrick Schell Jr.

Masters Theses, 2020-current

In America, racism, discrimination, and white supremacy are systemic. In the South, this is seen more prominently given its history of intolerance. Leading to diversity training being ineffective towards Southern white conservative men in society and at the workplace. This research study aims to understand Southern white conservative men’s attitudes toward diversity to inform diversity training practitioners on better training methods. It also sought entry points and a path forward in diversity training for this demographic. Focus group studies were done with four individuals in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Data was collected and analyzed. It was found that their …

Higher Education Vulnerability: An Assessment Model, Daniel A. Finseth

Dissertations, 2020-current

In the face of declining enrollments and increasing accountability and expectations, private colleges and universities will be facing greater internal and external pressures to deliver higher quality education at a lower cost. In this environment, multiple stakeholders are focused on institutional sustainability. To address these concerns, it is important to understand whether there are leading indicators that may aid in the anticipation of institutional decline. While there is a body of work addressing institutional metrics that serve as predictors of higher education financial viability, there has been little emphasis on complex organizational dynamics. This integrated mixed methods study employed grounded …

Leading A Community Promise: A Mixed Method Study Exploring The Dynamics Of Adaptive Leadership And Student Success, Elizabeth M. Narehood

Dissertations, 2020-current

The purpose of this study is to gain greater understanding of the dynamics between adaptive leadership strategy and the success of community college students. A strategic alliance formed between a community college and a college promise non-profit organization provides the complex environment to explore these phenomena. The establishment of a “Future Center” on the community college campus serves as the adaptive focal point of the study. The study’s theoretical framework is based upon the interaction of two perspectives: the ecological model of student development (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) and adaptive leadership theory (Heifetz & Laurie, 1997). Study design utilized a three-phased exploratory …

Developing And Establishing Validity Evidence For A Measure Of Situational Leadership In An Outdoor Leadership Context, Guy B. Debrun

Dissertations, 2020-current

Discussions of what it means to be an effective outdoor leader are common in outdoor education literature (Smith & Penny, 2010). Research has identified core competencies, conceptual frameworks, and course curricula for effective leadership. However, the criteria upon which judgements are made about leaders lack clarity (Smith & Penny, 2010). Furthermore, very little is documented, and few evaluation instruments exist to evaluate outdoor leader effectiveness (Phipps et al., 2005). The lack of instruments is problematic for four reasons: (1) it hampers efforts to create recognized outdoor leader certifications, (2) it impedes efforts to demonstrate the value of outdoor leadership program …

Observing How College Students Process Culturally Responsive Test Items, Chris R. Patterson

Dissertations, 2020-current

Typical approaches to test and item development are rooted in the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing. Culturally responsive and antiracist assessment practices are two new processes that challenge the typical process noted in the Standards, incorporating critical race theory and cultural responsiveness into the item development process. Given these two approaches are relatively new, there is minimal research on how test takers process and comprehend test items created using these approaches.

This dissertation modified multiple-choice test items through the lenses of cultural responsiveness and antiracism to create two sets of item types (diversity-infused and sociopolitical consciousness; DI and …

Reevaluating Student Engagement: Exploring And Applying Alternative Assignments In Higher Education Undergraduate Applied Saxophone, Anthony S. Cincotta Ii

Dissertations, 2020-current

Undergraduate applied saxophone study revolves around the conservatory model. This inflexible model, often referred to as a master-apprentice relationship, can create an instructor-centric power dynamic which does not address the needs of the modern student. A classroom where the power lies so heavily with the instructor can stifle student engagement and can create a sense of disenfranchisement. In this setting, students have limited input on their assignment selections. While curricula have evolved with regards to being more culturally diverse, relevant, and inclusive, the approach that educators use to deliver the material has remained largely unchanged. There is limited research on …

Culturally Responsive Strategies To Support Multilingual Learners, Liz Shanks, Mackenzie Weakland

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

Teachers must develop pedagogical practices to meet the needs of the growing number of multilingual learners in K-12 classrooms. Our inquiry- based research study analyzed ways that teachers can implement pedagogical strategies that are culturally responsive to multilingual learners. Thematic analysis of recent academic studies, class observations, and an interview with a language specialist affirm a set of culturally responsive instructional practices in the classroom that lead to the academic success of multilingual learners. These practices included teacher attitudes, translanguaging, and thinking routines to assist in English language acquisition. K-12 teachers, administrators, and community leaders working with multilingual learners can …

Intergenerational Trauma In The Developing Student And Interventions Used, Malea G. Laquihon

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

The purpose of this review was to identify studies that focus on supporting students with intergenerational trauma (IGT) and the interventions used to minimize the effects of this type of trauma. To do this, we conducted a systematic literature review that identified 16 articles addressing IGT and its impact on school-age children or their parents. In the results of this systematic review, the authors of 12 studies reported the interventions had a positive impact on the participants in their studies. Limitations of the current review, the literature base, and implications for future research are presented.

Strategies To Aid Multilingual Learners In Academic Language Acquisition In Elementary Science And Mathematics Classes, Mikayla Grumbacher, Sophia Sladic

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

This qualitative inquiry research study surveys academic language acquisition strategies for teachers of multilingual learners in elementary science and mathematics classes. We paired readings of recent peer-reviewed journal articles with video observations of three elementary school teachers and an interview with a Director of English as a Second Language for a county in Virginia. Thematic analysis helped us identify similar strategies across the different studies, classroom observations, and interview. Our findings suggest that utilizing sensory and interactive supports are especially helpful strategies for teachers seeking to help multilingual learners in academic language acquisition.

Using Professional Expectations To Improve Research And Reading Behaviors With Pre-Professional Health Students, Carolyn Schubert, Jennifer Walsh

Libraries

Scaffolded information literacy interventions to teach students about evaluating health information as a faculty-librarian partnership.

Teaching materials available at https://www.projectcora.org/assignment/critical-reading-strategies-dietetics-students

The Transformative Potential Of Mid-Term Grades & Feedback For Student Success, Danielle Maxham, Tatjana Titareva, Paul E. Mabrey Iii, Kenn Barron, Sam Prins

Student Success & Enrollment Analytics

Midterm grades and feedback have the potential to positively impact equitable student success and retention. What if instead of treating midterm grades as one-way opportunities for summative feedback, midterm grades were framed as opportunities for two-way formative feedback. At James Madison University, this Spring 2023 research project piloted an alternative midterm grade and feedback system with 10 faculty across three colleges. The intervention included a mandatory part A that included transparent communication about the role of midterm grades in the specific class at the semester’s start and an optional part B which had the student submit their perceived midterm grade …