Digital Commons Network^™

Creating Inclusive And Equitable High School History Classrooms Through Critical Pedagogy And Cultural Democracy, Hex L. Rahm, Leah Nillas

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

The field of history education is undergoing revisions and decolonization, creating a space for diverse perspectives within the curriculum. These changes are an ongoing topic of debate, although teachers who embrace social justice contend that the diverse approach to history provides students with the opportunity to see themselves represented and valued in the curriculum while also promoting inquiry and dialogue. This self-study seeks to explore how cultural democracy and critical pedagogy can be integrated into a high school history classroom. Cultural democracy emphasizes the intersection of culture and power, particularly in how narratives are formed. Similarly, critical pedagogy is a …

Effects Of Curricular Integration Of Students’ Identities, Reanne B. Rivera, Leah A. Nillas, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

The curricular integration of students’ cultural identities is a critical component of maximizing students’ learning as educators bridge their students’ lived experiences and cultural backgrounds to their learning (Ladson-Billings, 1995). Another component of students’ identities entails their learning styles. When students’ preferred learning styles are implemented into the classroom they showed higher levels of academic achievement and engagement (Lauria, 2010). A final component of students’ identities explored in this classroom research includes students’ interests. Engagement is learning when students’ choices and interests are considered for their learning (Beecher & Sweeney, 2008). The significance of this research project is to analyze …

Teacher Feedback On Student Work: The Impacts Of Assignment Feedback On The Quality Of Student Work And Motivation, Ashley L. Cook, Leah Nillas, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

The quality, frequency, and delivery style of feedback given to students by their teachers is crucial to the motivation and sense of belonging displayed by students. The purpose of this research was to strengthen my [the researcher’s] abilities as a teacher and grader through examination of the relationship between the quality of teacher feedback and the motivation and sense of belonging displayed by students. In this research, feedback is defined as written or verbal commentary in response to a student’s written work and/or verbal participation in class. This study combined analysis of published research and the conduction of personal research …

Women, Stem, And Gender Differences In Higher Education Attainment, Amber Gauthier

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Discussions and investigations of gender differences in earnings and human capital have seen a resurgence recently, specifically as they relate to women in Science, Technology, Math, and Engineering (STEM). Previous research, including my own, has uncovered inequality in earnings. Here, using data from the U.S. Current Population Survey, I examine the relationship between gender and (i) earning a professional certification; and (ii) pursuing graduate education: both means of career advancement and economic mobility. Simple ordinary least squares indicates women are less likely than men to obtain a professional certification, though this effect disappears in the presence …

Complete 2019 Program, Illinois Wesleyan University

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Program and schedule of events for the 30th Annual John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference.

The Effects Of Gender Norms On Hiv Contraction And Treatment In The Hispanic-American Population, Madeline Gibson

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has received significant attention in recent years due to the stigma of having the disease and the potentially fatal prognosis. Though the virus does not discriminate between groups of people in a biological manner, certain ethnic groups in the United States suffer from higher rates of transmission and lower rates of treatment. Among these groups is the Hispanic population, which accounts for 25% of HIV cases despite comprising only 17% of the US population. HIV is transmitted through contact with blood or sexual contact with infected persons. Cultural beliefs of the Hispanic population, such as machismo …

Exploring The Contributing Factors To Labor Market Assimilation Outcomes Across Refugee Groups In The United States, Lily Chang

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Upon arrival in the United States, refugees suffer from a substantial disadvantage in the US labor market when compared to economic immigrants and natives. However, over time, labor market assimilation occurs for refugees as their employment outcomes improve, but the degrees and rates of assimilation vary greatly among refugee groups. This paper aims to analyze why some refugee groups perform worse than others in the US labor market when human capital differences have been accounted for. This paper has two foci; firstly, it looks at how the quality of source country human capital and its transferability to the host country …

The Role Of Social Integration And Anti-Immigration Attitudes In Motivating Support For Brexit, Olivia Heffernan

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Right-wing populism has experienced a surge in popularity among advanced democracies around the world. The success of right-wing populism has changed the course of history for the United Kingdom, which will become the first state to ever leave the European Union due to the success of Brexit. Recent research has identified several potential grievances that have motivated support for right-wing populism. The first theory points to the economic grievances that result from the economic displacement that accompanies modernization. The second theory emphasizes cultural grievances, with those that feel their traditional values have been challenged and displaced taking part in a …

Efficacy Of Group Counseling On Students’ Social Skills, Cameron Earley

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Social skills are defined as any competence that facilitates interaction and communication with other individuals where social rules and relations are created, communicated, and changed in verbal and nonverbal ways. Factors such as family, school, or integration into social groups can affect the development of students’ social skills. Through group counseling, students can not only gain a sense of community among peers, but also begin in developing important social skills that can be carried throughout adulthood. The purpose of this literature review is to provide useful insights into the role of group counseling to develop students’ social skills, as well …

Complete 2018 Program, Illinois Wesleyan University

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Program and schedule of events for the 29th Annual John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference.

Keynote Address: "What Transpires Now: Transgeder History And The Future We Need", Susan Stryker

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

The 2017 keynote address presented by special guest Susan Stryker, Associate Professor of Gender and Women's Studies at the University of Arizona. Professor Stryker is also the Director of the Institute for LGBT Studies, founder of the Transgender Studies Initiative, and holds a courtesy appointment as Associate Professor in the Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Arizona. She is the author of many articles and several books on transgender and queer topics, most recently Transgender History (Seal Press 2008). She won a Lambda Literary Award for the anthology The Transgender Studies Reader (Routledge 2006), …

Are You My Venus In Fur? Masochism In German Literature And Film Through A Deleuzian Lens, Kristen Anderson, Adam Woodis, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Mother Goddesses And Subversive Witches: Competing Narratives Of Gender Essentialism, Heteronormativity, And Queerness In Wiccan Ritual And Theology, Carly Floyd, Meghan Burke, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Wicca is typically recognized as a feminist and queer-friendly religion embraced by many women and LGBTQ+ people. While women are undoubtedly emphasized positively, however, I argue that much of the focus is in fact a form of benevolent sexism, coming out of an essentialist understanding of women’s nature being nurturing, intuitive, and emotional. The resulting heteronormativity and its procreative focus can create an exclusionary environment for gay men and women as well as for transgender and genderfluid or non-binary individuals. My research utilizes ethnographic participantobservation of a local Wiccan coven and semi-structured qualitative interviews with Wiccans and Pagans from across …

The Effects Of Social Media On Body Image, Danielle Di Cristofano

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Student Attitudes Toward Housework, Xingchen Wang, Meghan Burke, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

The College Campus Sexual Assault Problem: A Gender Socialization Analysis, Paige Buschman, Meghan Burke, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Committee Thanks And Introduction, Illinois Wesleyan University

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Complete 2017 Program, Illinois Wesleyan University

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Program and schedule of events for the 28th Annual John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference.

Keynote Address---"'The Boy Who Was A Girl": Nature, Nurture And The 13th Century Maiden Knight, Regina Psaki

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Gina Paski is the Giustina Family Professor of Italian Language and Literature in the Department of Romance Languages at the University of Oregon. She received her Ph.D. in Medieval Studies at Cornell University in 1989. professor Psaki has published criticism on the translations of medieval misogyny. In 2014 she published a collaborative history with Gloria Allaire entitled The Arthur of the Italians: The Arthurian Legend in Medieval Italian Language and Culture. Her current project is The Traffic in Talk About Women: Misogyny and Philogyny in the Middle Ages, a study of writing in praise and blame of women …

Gender Preference For Music Proximity, Zachary Silver, Shaun Schaefers, Joseph Plazak, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Oral presentation abstract.

It Takes A Latina Candidate, Melissa Guzman, Kathleen Montgomery, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Oral presentation abstract.

“Little Brothers” By Agniia Barto: Gender And Ideology In Soviet Era Picture Books, 1920s-1930s, Boryana Borisova, Marina Balina, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

In the early 1920s, Soviet children’s literature was to provide the blueprint for becoming model citizens of this newly formed society. It became the precursor to the new two-fold ideological discourse: depicting life of Soviet children as paradise, while condemning children’s hardship and exploitation of their less fortunate counterparts abroad. Such educational and ideological tendencies are prominent in Agniia Barto’s poem, “Little Brothers” (1928), as it visually and textually represented the theme of internationalism, which was to nurture and shape a feeling of unity in struggle, as well as compassion toward the fates of foreign children. I will explore the …

Beyond The Literary Canon: Incorporating Young Adult Literature Into The Classroom, Rebekah Smith, Leah Nillas, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Engaging students in literature is an extremely important aspect of instilling a lifelong love of reading, but this is difficult in a world where Facebook is more enticing than an old, battered copy of a book for school. Classic books from the Literary Canon are becoming outdated and less beneficial in the classroom. By incorporating more contemporary Young Adult Literature into the classroom, students can gain the skills necessary for success with standardized testing while increasing their interest in reading. This self-study was conducted to evaluate students’ perspectives on the literature and self-selected adolescent titles. Collected data included whole class …

Complete 2016 Program, Illinois Wesleyan University

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Complete program and schedule of events for the 26th annual John Wesley Powell Research Conference.

Anxiety Sensitivity, Stress, And Problematic Drinking Behaviors Among College Students, Kathryn Bulandr, Marie Nebel-Schwalm, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

The association between excessive alcohol use and adverse consequences among college students has been extensively researched over the past several decades. More specifically, heavy drinking in the college population has been linked to severe violence, accidental injuries, sexual assault, poor classroom performance, and psychological impairment (Pedrelli et al., 2010). To successfully limit these adverse consequences, it is important to understand the main risk factors that lead to excessive alcohol use. Anxiety sensitivity (AS) and stress have been separately identified as risk factors for problematic drinking (Stewart et al., 1999; Zvolensky et al., 2004). Additionally, a theory of motivational use of …

A Comparison Of United States And Chinese Societal Views On Corporal Punishment, Kirili Stauch, Charles Spingwood, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Views on punishment differ from one society to another. What is viewed as culturally acceptable in one society may be frowned upon in a different society. In order to understand these differing views, it is crucial to place them within the context of societal norms. It is important to distinguish each society’s definition of corporal punishment. Once a set definition is established within the cultural context, interviews can be used as case studies. These interviews provide an insider perspective on the subject, allowing for a deeper understanding of views on corporal punishment.

Complete 2015 Program, Illinois Wesleyan University

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Complete program and schedule of events for the 26th annual John Wesley Powell Research Conference.

Strategische Spracherfahrung: Die Verbindung Zwischen Erfahrung Von Sprachlernenden Und Erfolgreichen Sprachlernstrategien, Hannes Zetzsche

Undergraduate German Research Conference

Diese Studie untersucht Sprachlernende und versucht zu beobachten, welche sprachlernenden Strategien sie benutzen. Die Studie untersucht insbesondere, ob es eine Verbindung gibt zwischen dem Lernstil von Sprachenlernenden und der Zeit, die die Sprachlernenden mit dem Sprachstudium verbracht haben. Um diese Frage zu beantworten, analysiert die Studie drei Personen, die Spanisch lernen. Alle drei haben unterschiedlich lange mit der Sprache verbracht und wurden entsprechend verschiedenen Sprachebenen ausgesetzt. Alle drei haben unterschiedliche Familienverbindungen zur Sprache: eine Person sprach eine Mischung von Spanisch und Englisch in ihrer Familie und studierte ein Semester in einem spanischsprechenden Land, eine andere Person sprach nie zuhause, verbrachte …

Shakespeare's Madwomen: How Elizabethan Theatre Challenged The Perception Of Mental Afflictions, Hannah Dhue, Dani Snyder, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

I would like to write about the perception of madness in Elizabethan England. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet will serve as my primary text and I will carefully examine Ophelia. However, it is my intent to use other works from the same era, perhaps even more examples from Shakespeare, to support my points.

Currently my research questions are as follows:

How did the theatrical representations of mad characters – particularly young women – in Elizabethan England reflect the perception of mental diseases and disorders at the time? To what extent were those representations serving as political comments? Were they typically in women …

Understanding Attitudes Towards Interracial Relationships Among College Students, Nicole Pierce, Meghan Burke, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

The number of interracial couples in the United States remains low in today’s society. This study uses qualitative interviews and quantitative survey data from Illinois Wesleyan students to investigate the motivations, perceptions, and experiences of those who are currently, or were previously, in an interracial relationship. I also explore the attitudes of those who have not dated interracially, and the media’s impact on perceptions of interracial couples. I find that those who dated interracially did not see race as a deciding factor, but instead focused on personality, cultural similarities and differences, and appearances. Many students saw religion, peer and family …