Digital Commons Network^™

Plas 439: Organic Farming And Food Systems Faculty-Led Inquiry Into Reflective Scholarly Teaching Benchmark Portfolio, Christian Stephenson

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

Organic Farming and Food Systems is a senior and graduate level course for students in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture. This course was previously offered but has been significantly modified as I have taken on responsibility for the course. Goals for the course include student comprehension of the methods of organic and regenerative farming and the impacts of those methods on economic, environmental, and social sustainability. An additional goal is to build student competency in the evaluation of primary, secondary, and tertiary information resources and critical thinking surrounding issues in food production. Assessment for the course was through diverse …

Middle School Administrator And Instrumental Music Teacher Perceptions Of The Danielson Framework For Teaching Observation Tool, Kimberly Hunt Hirschmann

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite continuous efforts to develop teacher observation and evaluation frameworks, one-size-fits-all evaluation tools may not be adequate for an instrumental music classroom. Since implementing the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in 2015, teacher evaluation has shifted from a high-stakes accountability model to models focused on feedback and professional growth. One popular model is the Danielson Framework for Teaching (FFT), which is utilized across all disciplines, including music. The current study proposes to fill a gap in the literature regarding the utility of the FFT to contribute to teachers' professional growth. This transcendental phenomenological study examines the perceptions of middle school …

Comparing Online And Traditional Assessment Practices In Middle School Mathematics, Maxwell Krueger, Kathy Enger

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers across the world have been forced to explore different modalities of assessment, many of them virtual. Now that many of the most restricting policies for schools due to pandemic have been lifted, the use of these virtual assessments remain. Due to the recent nature of their use though means that not many studies have looked into the implications of these assessments on students let alone middle school students. This study aims to help fill in some of the gaps in this research. In this study, students will take one of two assessments …

Learning Stories As Assessment For Liberation, Helen Frazier

Occasional Paper Series

This paper illustrates the transformative power of learning stories as an alternative approach to in early childhood assessment. The author uses examples from her own classroom to demonstrate the use of formative assessment to foster attachment, pluralism and creativity.

Vmed 531: Introduction To Animal Welfare A Faculty-Led Inquiry Into Reflective Scholarly Teaching Benchmark Portfolio, Amy Walton

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This benchmark portfolio documents course design, student learning, and reflection of teaching methods for VMED 531 Introduction to Animal Welfare. This one credit hour course provides an overview of animal welfare topics and assessment through a veterinary medical lens. Participants are first year veterinary students that have been accepted into Professional Program of Veterinary Medicine (PPVM). This course creates a foundational knowledge base regarding animal welfare topics and fosters critical thinking with how veterinary treatments, surgeries, and animal-use practices influence animal welfare. The ability to utilize critical thinking skills and science-based evidence to create a sound solution is essential regarding …

Data Driven Instruction In Teaching Poetry Analysis To Advanced Placement Literature And Composition Seniors, Andrea Reyes

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The goal of the poetry unit was to enhance students’ written ability by analyzing a variety of poetic literature to answer advanced placements practice prompts. I used the following research-based instructional strategies: homework and practice, nonlinguistic representations, and cooperative learning. I used the following research-based assessment strategies: essay writing, Quizizz, exit ticket, and topic, evidence, and analysis responses. The standards that the unit addressed are: LA.12.RP.2 Analyze the development and interaction of literary elements such as characterization, setting, and plot, and how they contribute to the meaning of the work as a whole, LA.12.V.2 Interpret an author’s use of figurative, …

The Professional Roles And Functions Of School Psychologists In Alternative Vs Traditional Education, Staci C. Ballard

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Alternative Education Settings (AES) are unique environments that serve students whose educational and/or social-emotional needs are not being met in traditional schools. Students frequently enter AES with a range of mental health diagnoses, previous traumas, and behavioral/academic challenges. AES also serve many students from systemically marginalized and oppressed backgrounds, who are placed in these settings at higher rates than privileged peers. Considering these patterns, it becomes critical that AES provide effective student support, rather than serve simply to contain students based on disciplinary factors and convenience.

School psychologists, with training in mental health and education, are well-positioned to provide these …

Evaluating The Intersection Of Continuous Growth And Assessment In The Field Of English As A Second Language, Madison Johnson

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This teaching portfolio contains a compilation of the author’s personal teaching experiences and research interests while in the Master of Second Language Teaching (MSLT) program at Utah State University (USU). The sections of this portfolio highlight collaboration with current USU professors in the field of teaching English as a second language and the author’s personal experiences working in a second-grade elementary school classroom as well as teaching English in a community education setting. Much of the mentioned research focuses on the subfield of second language assessment. This is an area of interest to the author as an area for personal …

Defining Best Practices And Validation For Curriculum Mapping, Hannah Smith, Jesse Chittams

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

The alignment of curriculum content with standards is a quality improvement measure used to identify gaps or overlaps in academic content. Curriculum mapping results, while commonly used, are rarely reported. Undergraduate faculty mapped 11 courses in a single timepoint using a web-based curriculum mapping tool. Quantitative results were calculated and compared to defined client needs categories. A validation analysis was performed by mapping one course in triplicate. Faculty feedback following the exercise was obtained by online survey. Three client needs categories were determined to be marginally out of range in the initial analysis of the quantitative mapping data. The curriculum …

A Basic Investment In Mercy: Problematizing Assessment In The Basic Course, Kate Swartz

Basic Communication Course Annual

This essay addresses the assessment aspect of the Basic Course; namely, it problematizes our reliance as instructors on traditional grading schema that interfere with our students’ best interests. I address this problem with a mercy-centered approach that uses an ungrading assessment method. In doing so, I acknowledge potential issues with this approach as well as argue for its expanded use as a merciful, beneficial way to provide feedback.

Assessment ‘Responsabilities’ In The Basic Course: Evaluating Public Speaking Rubrics, Miranda N. Rouse

Basic Communication Course Annual

Procedures and practices that are ableist in the educational system have been long overlooked. Speakers having differing abilities than neurotypical or able-bodied individuals is often not something that is considered in basic course assessment tools. This is important to address because although there are institutional policies and procedures in place to help students with differing abilities, instructors of public speaking have the autonomy or power to determine how such accommodations will affect the speech grade determined by the assessment tool. Power relations are significantly complicated in educational settings when strict hierarchies are imposed, and when instructors abuse their authority, which …

The Inclusion Of Classroom-Related Dispositions In Teacher Evaluations, David K. Griffin

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

This paper examines various approaches to evaluating the classroom teacher and discusses the inclusion of dispositions in the evaluation process. A random sample of 150 teachers were asked to complete an online survey focusing on the inclusion of dispositions in their formal evaluations. They were asked to report what specific dispositions were evaluated, and if the specific dispositions were operationally defined. A summary of their responses to the survey items is discussed.

Comparing Cognitive Theories Of Learning Transfer To Advance Cybersecurity Instruction, Assessment, And Testing, Daniel T. Hickey Ph.D., Ronald J. Kantor

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

The cybersecurity threat landscape evolves quickly, continually, and consequentially. This means that the transfer of cybersecurity learning is crucial. We compared how different recognized “cognitive” transfer theories might help explain and synergize three aspects of cybersecurity education. These include teaching and training in diverse settings, assessing learning formatively & summatively, and testing & measuring achievement, proficiency, & readiness. We excluded newer sociocultural theories and their implications for inclusion as we explore those theories elsewhere. We first summarized the history of cybersecurity education and proficiency standards considering transfer theories. We then explored each theory and reviewed the most relevant cybersecurity education …

Speech And Language Errors In An 8-Year-Old Spanish-English Bilingual Speaker: A Case Study, Alaniss Heredia

LSU Master's Theses

Despite the growing population of Spanish-English bilingual speakers with developmental language disorders and speech sound disorders (SSD) in the United States, there is limited research on assessment for this population. Research suggests that the linguistic environment in which the Spanish-English bilingual speakers are brought up should be considered when assessing and treating this population since the Spanish-English bilingual population is diverse. One result of such environments is differences in degrees of language exposure. For example, a child can be exposed to two languages but have more exposure in one than the other. This might lead to better proficiency in one …

Information Literacy Across The Curriculum: A Faculty Professional Development Program, Jaime Corris Hammond

Instructional Design Capstones Collection

Information literacy is a set of skills that encompass conducting research, evaluating sources and authority, and ethically using information. While information literacy as a concept has existed for 50 years, higher education has struggled to meaningfully incorporate it into college curricula. The concept of “across the curriculum” instruction, most notably Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC), empowers faculty to incorporate skills outside of their discipline to increase learning. This information literacy program uses the concept of “across the curriculum” instruction, an American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) High Impact Practice, to incorporate and contextualize these skills in a variety of …

Application Of A Risk Assessment Framework To Evaluate Organizational Capacity In Extension, Lendel K. Narine, Andree' Walker Bravo

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This brief report outlines a risk assessment conducted at Utah State University (USU) Extension in 2023. The report provides a discussion on the need, value, and use of risk assessments. It also presents an adaptable methodological framework for conducting risk assessments in Extension and an overview of the risk assessment results. Results show the highest risk to USU Extension is related to recruitment and retention of employees, while other noteworthy risks include internal conflicts and low employee morale. The results of the risk assessment will be used to inform strategic planning in Extension. We recommend periodic risk assessments to ensure …

Assessment Of Professional Counseling Dispositions: A Content Validity Analysis, Patrick R. Mullen, Jacob Joseph, Kaitlin Jones Hinchey, Morgan Walker, Jennifer Niles

Teaching and Supervision in Counseling

Counselor educators evaluate the professional counseling dispositions of trainees throughout their development within training programs. There have been few consistent articulations of professional dispositions as many programs and measures define them differently. In our study, we developed the Assessment of Professional Counseling Dispositions (APCD) and performed a content validity study of the measure. Our findings provide evidence for the content validity of the APCD. We discuss these findings, their implications, and future research using the measure.

Teaching And Learning In Stem With Computation, Modeling, And Simulation Practices, Alejandra J. Magana

Purdue University Press Books

Computation, modeling, and simulation practices are commonplace in the STEM workplace, yet formal training embedded in disciplinary practices is not as standard in the undergraduate classroom. Teaching and Learning in STEM With Computation, Modeling, and Simulation Practices: A Guide for Practitioners and Researchers gives instructors a handbook to ensure their curriculum bridges the gap between the classroom and workplace by equipping students with computational skills and preparing them for a rewarding career in STEM. Grounded in theory and supported by fifteen years of education research at the undergraduate level, this book provides instructional, pedagogical, and assessment guidance for integrating modeling …

Exploring The Experiences And Practices Of Midwestern High School English Teachers, Melea Shimkus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem under study was that in a state in the midwestern United States, there was a disparity in reading scores between secondary schools of similar demographics. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the strategies and approaches used by secondary teachers whose students’ reading achievements exceeded those of other students. Shulman’s pedagogical content knowledge and Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy were used as the conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected from one-on-one interviews with 10 participants and analyzed with open coding. The findings indicated how to combine content and pedagogy; feeling efficacious about teaching had …

Osces’ Impact On Occupational Therapy Student Learning: Insights From Second- And Third-Year Focus Groups, Craig R. St. Jean, Karin Werther, Mary R. Roberts

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) are widely used in health programs to assess clinical skills. We present results of a qualitative study investigating occupational therapy students’ perceptions of OSCEs’ impact on their learning and readiness for clinical practice.

Method: Six second and six third year students in the University of Alberta’s Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program were interviewed in separate focus groups. Independent reviewers applied thematic analysis to the focus group transcripts to identify, analyze, and report themes in the data.

Results: Five themes were constructed from the data: from learning to action, transition …

Chief Diversity Officers And The Process Of Culture Change Within Higher Education Professional Staff Units: A Qualitative Study On Cdo-Led Learning & Development Efforts, Amarildo "Lilu" Barbosa

Educational Studies Dissertations

Professional standards of practice for Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs) urge them to enhance institutional functions while leveraging education to build institutional capacity, but CDOs experience varying outcomes in their work. The current literature is limited with respect to how CDOs facilitate diversity learning and development experiences for professional staff in higher education. Adult learning theory argues for the implementation of intentional practices intended to drive developmental learning for adults: contextualizing the educational experience for learners, designing and delivering learning experiences that center the learner, and using assessment to provide relevant learning experiences that meet learner needs. However, it is not …

Instructional Decision Making In A Gateway Quantitative Reasoning Course, Deependra Budhathoki, Gregory D. Foley, Stephen Shadik

Numeracy

Many educators and professional organizations recommend Quantitative Reasoning as the best entry-level postsecondary mathematics course for non-STEM majors. However, novice and veteran instructors who have no prior experience in teaching a QR course often express their ignorance of the content to choose for this course, the instruction to offer students, and the assessments to measure student learning. We conducted a case study to investigate the initial implementation of an entry-level university quantitative reasoning course during fall semester, 2018. The participants were the course instructor and students. We examined the instructor’s motives and actions and the students’ responses to the course. …

Critical Analysis And Guidelines For Improving Models For Assessing Ethical And Civic Competence In Service-Learning, Paloma Redondo-Corcobado

Revista Española de Pedagogía

No abstract provided.

Threshold Concepts In Quantitative Reasoning, Judith Canner, Jennifer E. Clinkenbeard

Numeracy

The idea of “threshold concepts” has been used to identify discipline-based concepts that are critical to that academic area. Threshold concepts are often difficult for students to assimilate in a meaningful way but, once done, can be powerful for the learner. In general, threshold concepts are 1) transformative to learner thinking; 2) bounded by the discipline; 3) integrative with other concepts; and 4) irreversible once understood (Meyer and Land 2003). This paper presents five threshold concepts in quantitative reasoning (QR) developed by transdisciplinary faculty workgroups that may be applicable for non-mathematics disciplines as well. They are as follows: 1) QR …

"I’Ll Wait Zero Seconds": Faculty Perspectives On Serials Access, Sharing, And Immediacy, Rachel Elizabeth Scott, Anne Shelley, Chad E. Buckley, Cassie Thayer-Styes, Julie A. Murphy

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

This study explores how faculty across disciplines access and share scholarly serial content and what expectations they have for immediacy. The authors conducted twenty-five in-depth, semi-structured interviews with faculty of various ranks representing all Illinois State University (ISU) colleges. The findings, presented in the words of participants and triangulated with data from local sources, suggest that faculty use a variety of context-specific mechanisms to access and share serial literature. Participants discuss how they use library services such as databases, subscriptions, interlibrary loan, and document delivery, coupled with academic social networks, disciplinary repositories, author websites, and other publicly available sources to …

In Search Of More Mature Uses Of Data: Problematizing Education And Poetry, F. Todd Goodson

Educational Considerations

Alex Romagnoli’s article in this issue, a discussion of the use of quantitative metrics in education and baseball, provides a thoughtful discussion the limitations inherent in those metrics as well as ways they can be enhanced to provide more useful information. This manuscript extends Romagnoli’s manuscript with specific illustrations of the ways grade point averages can be interpreted in context along with a call for a much more nuanced approach to data by policy makers and decision makers.

Hitting For Average: Educational Assessment, Unidimensionality, And The Connection To Baseball Hitting Statistics, Alex Romagnoli

Educational Considerations

The traditional points system and subsequent Grade Point Average (GPA) in education perpetuates an evaluation of academic performance which reflects arbitrary weighting of assignments and/or assessments. As such, GPAs which are calculated using a traditional points system are not unidimensional in their design. The baseball batting and slugging percentage, which serves as established metrics for performance evaluations among baseball players, better reflects unidimensionality. In essence, this paper puts forth an analysis and discussion which posits that baseball batting average and slugging percentage can serve as an example for how unidimensionality can become more prevalent in educational assessments, especially as it …

An Exploration Of Teacher Perception And Practices Of Using Assessment Data To Improve Achievement Of Equity Student Groups, Laurie Mazelin

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

While utilizing assessment data has been a pervasive practice in educational reform for decades, and teachers are expected to use assessment data to improve instruction, little is known about how the practice of requiring teachers to review test data affects their perception of effectiveness in addressing the learning gaps of student groups. This qualitative phenomenological research study used open-ended, semi-structured interviews to help better understand how the expectations of teachers analyzing and integrating assessment data translates into teacher instructional practice and self-efficacy. This study aimed to explore the shared experience of teachers required to participate in collaborative planning centered on …

Assessing Writing - What Doesn't Work, But Is Used Anyway, Andrew P. Johnson

Elementary and Literacy Education Department Publications

This is an excerpt from my book, Johnson, A. (2024). Being and becoming teachers of writing: A meaning-based approach. Routledge. It should be out in March/April of 2024.

https://www.routledge.com/Being-and-Becoming-Teachers-of-Writing-A-Meaning-Based-Approach-to-Authentic/Johnson/p/book/9781032355726

The Song Of Life: Listening To Self, Others, Nature, And God (The Divine), E. James Baesler

Communication & Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

“Listening to the SONG of Life” is a pedagogical framework that conceptualizes listening as a multi-sensory experience in four contexts: Self, Others, Nature, and God/Goddess (the Divine). L-SONG (Listening-SONG) is an instrument developed to measure student learning in four contexts during a listening course.