Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding Civic Engagement Through The Perspective And Experiences Of Mixed-Status Latinx Students In Higher Education, Alexandra Alcantar

Honors Capstones

This paper captures the perspectives and experiences of eight Latinx college-aged students from mixed-status families related to civil engagement. This paper identifies varied definitions of civic engagement and shows that students’ experiences within their mixed-status families and their academic experiences shaped how they understood their level of civic engagement and informed their career paths. The eight oral history interviews conducted as part of this project show that most of the participants consider their level of political involvement as insufficient. Interviews reveal an understanding of “civic engagement” that exists on an evolving spectrum of participation. Participants shared that work responsibilities and …

Responding To Chatgpt’S Impact On Higher Education Landscapes: Using Digital Initiatives To Support Undergraduate Information Literacy And Research Skills, Jayati Chaudhuri, Lettycia Terrones

Digital Initiatives Symposium

ChatGPT and AI technologies present novel and unforeseen challenges to the academic community, ushering in an intriguing era where the distinction between plagiarism and academic integrity can become less clear for many students. In response, the Cal State LA University Library created three new digital initiatives published on traditional and social media teaching platforms to help students understand how to avoid plagiarism and their use of ChatGPT in higher education. In the fall of 2023, librarians developed a new module focused on ChatGPT in higher education. The module enhanced the existing “Understanding and Avoiding Plagiarism” self-paced Canvas student tutorial, which …

Towards Accessible Futures: Re-Imagining Space And Inclusion In Higher Education, Cecelia Kaufmann

Geography Honors Projects

Since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), an increased number of people with disabilities have participated in higher education, yet their experiences continue to differ from their able-bodied peers. This thesis considers these differences utilizing Dolmage’s academic ableism, Foucault’s theory of Biopower, and Lefebvre’s theory on the Production of Space. This research shows how physical infrastructure and levels of power reproduce instances of academic ableism. Utilizing a case study of a private college in Minnesota, this research draws on interviews with stakeholders, offering guidance to correct the broader social and physical exclusions created that people with disabilities encounter in higher …

Predatory Inclusion In Higher Education: Labor And Financial Exploitation At A Predominantly White Institution In The Era Of Neoliberal Multiculturalism, Maia N. Pedrosa

Sociology Honors Projects

In the summer of 2020, racial justice movements that emerged in response to the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin passionately decried the systems and institutions at fault and complicit in still perpetuating racial discrimination towards Black people, as well as Indigenous and other People of Color (BIPOC). As a response to these racial justice demands, college institutions pushed for diversity in their student body and across college affairs in order to appear like they were effectively responding to student demands. However, this fight against racial inequality and inequity began long before during …

Exploring The Interrelationship Between Anxiety, Academic Apathy, And Avoidance In Community College Students, Katey R. Leverson

Education Doctorate Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate aspects of mental health and the approaches students take when coping with stress. Specifically, this study sought to understand the interrelationship between anxiety levels, feelings of academic apathy, and the use of avoidance coping strategies. Students from seven public, two-year colleges within a Midwest college and university system served as this study’s sample. Data collection took the form of a non-experimental self-report structure and included the use of three empirically established and valid measures: The Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Bresso’s Academic Burnout Questionnaire, and the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS). …

Teaching Ai Literacy Through Library Frameworks, Christopher M. Jimenez

Works of the FIU Libraries

This poster presents a comprehensive exploration of the integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) with the Association of College and Research Libraries' Frameworks for Information Literacy. It seeks to shed light on the implications and considerations of incorporating generative AI within the framework of information literacy, focusing on key concepts such as authority, information creation, value, research as inquiry, and scholarship as conversation.

Within the context of generative AI, questions arise regarding the credibility of AI-generated information. This poster delves into the factors that influence authority in information resources and examines how generative AI compares to traditional sources of expertise. …

Continuing The Legacy: Navigating Grief And Loss While Pursuing A Degree, Sharon Lewis, Hope Charles, Nivischi Edwards

National Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference for Research, Action, and Change

A 2013 study found 74.8% of Black girls graduated high school, while only 37.6% of the Black females in early adulthood were enrolled in college (Kalu, 2022). The added pressure of navigating grief while also endeavoring higher education only exacerbates that statistic. Learning to process grief healthfully is a useful lesson to ensure one’s ability to thrive during their grief.

Experiences Of Female Academic Leaders In Higher Education: A Case Study In Cairo, Amina Sabour

Theses and Dissertations

Such as in many contexts, the gender gap in higher education leadership persists universally. Women are still underrepresented despite the contributions they demonstrate in leading higher education institutions. This study aims to contribute to the area of research in this regard by exploring the experiences of female academic leaders in Cairo, Egypt. It specifically highlights the challenges these women face, and how they manage to overcome it. Using a qualitative approach to deeply explore the phenomenon, ten interviews were conducted with female leaders at the American University in Cairo. Looking through the lens of intersectional feminism, under the umbrella of …

Student Perspectives On Returning To In-Person Learning Modalities, Lance K. Tulloch

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Following the pandemic-induced shift in educational modalities from in-person to online, the calls for a return to “normalcy” or in-person learning guided institutional policy making and culture more broadly. This study is an initial step towards tracking and interrogating this shift and the artifacts brought into view at Western Washington University. A quantitative survey and two rounds of qualitative focus groups and interviews were performed in order to assess student perspectives on this transition or 'return' to in-person learning. The resulting code, FIRBO, calls attention to Folk Knowledge, Interaction, Resources, Barriers, and Openness. These themes highlight and interact with a …

Stories Of Dismantling Whiteness In Social Work Educational Spaces, Jeanean Mohr

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Social work and higher education are rooted in systems of racism and exclusion and continue to operate as racialized spaces. As the social work profession grapples with its past and calls upon social work educators to support efforts to undo structural racism, paying attention to what is happening in educational spaces is essential. In this study, I examined the stories and tensions of White Social Work faculty engaged in efforts to dismantle whiteness in their classrooms, departments, and universities. Using narrative inquiry, I interviewed nine White faculty from different universities representing five regions across the United States. I explored their …

Examining The Mental Health Experiences Of Lgbtq+ Identifying Muslim Students In Ontario’S Post-Secondary Institutions, Bushra Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This qualitative study explores the unique mental health experiences of Ontario’s LGBTQ+ Muslims in post-secondary settings. The study looks at how LGBTQ+ Muslim students’ mental wellness (i.e., sense of belonging, feeling affirmed in their intersecting identities of being Muslim and belonging to LGBTQ+ community) is affected as they try to navigate systemic barriers and make space for themselves in various settings (i.e., academic, LGBTQ+ affirming spaces, Muslim-specific spaces, student services) on campuses in Ontario, Canada. The study sample consists of four LGBTQ+ identified Muslim students across post-secondary institutions in Ontario and participants discussed their emotional, mental, and sense of belonging …

Incarcerated To Educated: The On-Campus Experiences Of College Students Post Incarceration, Taylor Comer

Masters Theses

As reentry rates continue to climb in the United States, more individuals with felony convictions on their criminal records will be looking to obtain post-secondary education to make themselves more marketable in the workforce. The purpose of this narrative study was to examine the experiences of three individuals that pursued higher education after being released from prison. It was determined that the criminality of these individuals had minimal impact on their experiences in higher education, and that there are other components of their identity that have a heavier influence on their likelihood of success. The other components of their identities …

Recommendations For Generation Z Civic Engagement On College Campuses, Grace A. Edwards

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Because there is little existing research specifically about Generation Z civic engagement in higher education in the United States, comparisons must be made with research about different generations’ voting and civic engagement patterns, specifically Millennials, since they share many similarities with Gen Z, and Gen Z civic engagement in different countries. This, paired with survey data and statistics about Gen Z civic engagement, provide a strong foundation for this project. To supplement this literature review, interviews with industry professionals were held to learn more about the environment of Gen Z civic engagement on college campuses. From these different sources of …

The [Dis] Advantage Of Studying Higher Education (He) With Dyslexia, Keith Murphy

Journal of Franco-Irish Studies

Contemporary discourse and literature surrounding dyslexia is often dominated by notions of disability, deficit, lack, vulnerability, and social expectancies around achievement in education. This paper explores that when students identify dyslexia as a limitation, it becomes a barrier to successful learning and has a negative effect on their identity, which impacts them socially and academically, leading to vicissitudes, voice suppression and what I term, academic imprisonment. Accepting dyslexia as an integral part of the self and viewing it through a prism of difference as opposed to a deficit, are emerging themes for students with dyslexia to help achieve, while studying …

Adapting Interteaching To A Hybrid Format: A Framework For Implementation, Carmen Farrell

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version of this article here.

In the world of higher education, expectations of college-level instructors have shifted significantly in the last few years due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Instructors were required to be more flexible than ever before, oftentimes across different modalities. This essay models an evidence-based teaching method, interteaching (IT), that was originally created for use in a traditional face-to-face classroom and suggests an adaptation of that method for a hybrid classroom. The theoretical framework of IT is explained and an adaptation of IT for hybrid classrooms is provided with a specific college-level course …

“No One’S Hearing Me”: A Grounded Theory Case Study Of One University's Institutional Discourse And Women Staff Perceptions Of Campus Climate, Lorianne Crowder

Student Theses

This qualitative case study explores the relationship between institutional discourse and women staff perceptions of campus climate at one public university. Through a critically informed grounded theory approach, findings revealed how ambiguous institutional values functioned as empty signifiers which, while aimed at creating the image of inclusivity, were subject to various interpretations that may have fostered conditions for the dismissal of care ethics and relational knowledge expressed by women staff. Embedded hierarchies also persisted, shaping recognition of women staff along gendered, racialized, and professional lines. Despite exclusionary discourse cultivating climates of epistemic marginalization, women staff exhibited agency through connection and …

An Empowerment Evaluation Of Colorado Mountain College’S Mountain Scholars Program Via Latino Alumni Aspirational Goals And Outcomes, Laura Anne Bruch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative inquiry evaluated Colorado Mountain College’s (CMC) in-house Mountain Scholars Program (MSP) via semi-structured interviews with five of its Latino alumni. This study’s assets-based social justice/transformative philosophical framework included David Fetterman’s methodological empowerment evaluation and Tara Yosso’s conceptual community cultural wealth (CCW) theory. This dissertation in practice examined the gap in literature with regards to an in-house student support services program evaluation that partners with the community and focuses on Latinos’ aspirations and aspirational outcomes. I wanted to be a worthy witness to the student demographic group at CMC, as well as at most American postsecondary institutions, considered the …

New Education Policy 2020 And Online Education, Shaveta Arora

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

In India's education system, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 offered a number of key reforms. The NEP-2020 initiatives at the heart of online education are the subject of the current study. The article explains how the strategy promotes the creation and distribution of excellent digital material for primary secondary and postsecondary education.

The Mentoring Experiences Of Mid-Level Leaders In Higher Education As They Relate To Leadership Development, Adam Ek

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to describe the mentoring experiences of mid-level leaders in private non-profit higher education as it relates to their leadership development.

Methodology: This phenomenological study identified and described the mentoring experiences of 15 mid-level leaders in private non-profit higher education in California as they related to leadership development. Respondents were chosen based on specific criteria, snowball sampling, and finally convenience. The researcher collected data and coded the data for themes based upon frequency counts.

Findings: Examination of the qualitative data from the 15 mid-level leaders in Private, Non-Profit Higher Education yielded 10 …

National Education Policy 2020 And Changing Role Of Libraries, Yashwant S. Chaudhari Mr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The present paper attempts to determine the National education policy 2020 and the role of libraries and information centers. However, these prospects have not been revealed clearly in NEP. However, libraries with quality collections of digital resources must communicate quality education. According to NEP 2020, several educational levels will be introduced, including fundamental education, preparatory education, middle education, secondary education, under-graduation, post-graduation education stage, Research Stage, and Lifelong learning stage. NEP has emphasized the significance of libraries in a number of areas, including the preservation of national heritage and the promotion of reading culture. Additionally, through practicing fixed librarianship, library …

Feel The Burn(Out) And (Mom)Guilt Of Doctorate Programs Amongst Latina Mothers: A Testiomonio Reflection, Judyann Armijo

Theses & Dissertations

Research Focus. This research aims to explore the experiences of Latina mothers residing in San Antonio, Texas, using testimonios as a form of data collection; asynchronous interviews were completed to obtain the participants' experiences as they journeyed through their respective doctoral programs. Through this qualitative study, the research provided an in-depth analysis to understand the relationship between motherhood, academia, and culture in relation to advanced degrees. In this study, LatCrit served as the leading theoretical framework, allowing the researcher to understand the obstacles the participants underwent not only as doctoral students but also as the other critical roles in …

The Unstoppable Rise Of Ai: An Interview With Dr. John Sanford, Spencer Burrows, And Anna Birchler, Brandon Powell, Spencer Burrows

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

AI can both help and hurt the education field (higher education and secondary education). Despite Hollywood’s depiction of artificial intelligence solely in the form of killer death robots decades into the future, AI is much more versatile - and far more dangerous - than any killer robot could be. As artificial intelligence develops at a breakneck pace, its effect on our society will increase exponentially.

Rebranding Originality For The Age Of Ai, Jason Gulya

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

"Originality" has been a longstanding focal point within the college classroom, with students being encouraged to embrace creativity and boldness. The traditional view of originality, relying solely on one's wit and imagination, has lost its effectiveness in the present era. The concept of learning has undergone a significant transformation, no longer resembling the isolated ivory tower of the past where individuals would immerse themselves in books, hoping to be inspired. Instead, modern learning has become more social and collaborative. Students compare and contrast class material with online resources, engaging in conversations, both in person and virtually, to solidify their understanding. …

Learning That Matters Is Messy: Experiments Revealing Hidden Potential In Higher Education, Ryan Derby-Talbot

Turning Toward Being: The Journal of Ontological Inquiry in Education

Why are some learning experiences so profound that they alter our worlds, whereas others don’t end up sticking at all? The author investigates this question in the context of undergraduate education, recounting several educational experiments that highlight subtle but powerful aspects of the student learning experience. By exploring a different approach to teaching a math course, an alternative framework for academic specialization instead of traditional majors, and a radical approach to designing new institutions, an encounter with the hidden, ontological dimension of learning becomes possible. Accessing the ontological experience of the learner opens up new possibilities for meaningful, deep, and …

Ontological Inquiry: The Absent Heart Of The University, Drew Kopp

Turning Toward Being: The Journal of Ontological Inquiry in Education

After defining and outlining the three movements of ontological inquiry, the author makes the case that ontological inquiry is rhetorical education at its best, concluding that making such inquiry central to the mission of the university may contribute to responding effectively to the complex of crises that academia and the world currently faces.

User Feedback On The Elements Influencing The Efficiency Of Resources, Services, And Facilities Offered By Higher Education Institutions' Libraries, Ramakrishna Kona

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study examined User feedback on the elements influencing the efficiency of resources, services, and facilities offered by higher education institutions' libraries. This study distributed 1164 questionnaires and received responses of 1030, the overall response percentage is 88. The survey found that the response rate varied between 71 and 100 among teachers, 68 and 91 percent among research scholars, and 84 and 95 percent among postgraduate students. The study found that the majority of students visit the library once a week. The study reveals that the majority of the users (nearly 96%) responded positively and expressed their view that the …

An Analysis Of The Rising Xenophobia Against Asian Americans In The U.S. And Higher Education Regarding The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Shiqian Zheng

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

This paper analyzes the cause of anti-Asian hate, the rising xenophobia against people with Asian origins, as well as the vaccine distribution and governmental leadership. By conducting a short case study on universities’ leadership during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States, this paper contributes to the literature regarding Asian Americans overall, as well as to the literature on approaches to a public crisis on hate crime in higher education in the United States.

Black Women And Theoretical Frameworks, Laschanda Johnson

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

Despite the upsurge in the number of woman students as well as novice faculty /administrators, there are still too few women leaders to inspire the shifting demographics. The growing number of female undergraduate students in most parts of the world has created the erroneous perception that gender equality in higher education has been attained. While women's contribution to higher education has increased, the attainment of leadership positions is practically unknown from the global perspective. Given that higher education is becoming a more complicated global enterprise, gender equality in leadership is not only an issue of impartiality but also a need …

A Scoping Review Of Acceptance And Commitment Therapy In Higher Education, Sarah Caimano

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a transdiagnostic intervention that holds promise in improving well-being across various contexts. The current scoping review aims to examine the literature on the use of ACT interventions in higher education to improve aspects of student well-being and academic outcomes. Chapter 2 summarizes the results of the review and includes 34 peer-reviewed empirical research articles that applied ACT interventions with higher education students. Online and in-person interventions were both widely used and found to be effective. Though these outcomes are promising, nearly half of the articles reviewed provided insufficient detail to allow for replication and …

Affirmative Action Is A Successful Policy For Diversity In College Graduation, Amy Lutz, Pamela R. Bennett, Rebecca Wang

Center for Policy Research

Affirmative action in higher education has become an active arena for policymaking and legal challenges in the United States. A question frequently raised about affirmative action is whether racial and ethnic minority students who benefit from affirmative action are successful in the academically demanding context of selective colleges. Using data from the Educational Longitudinal Study, the authors analyzed racial-ethnic differences in cumulative GPAs for White, Black, and Latino students who were high school seniors in 2004 and subsequently attended selective colleges and universities. Results show that Black and Latino students were more likely to graduate from selective colleges than White …