Education Commons^™

Intentional Conversations: Co-Creating Global Family, School, And Community Engagement Research, Emily Markovich Morris

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

As part of the Brookings Scholar Lecture Series, Brookings Mountain West presents a lecture titled "Intentional Conversations: Co-Creating Global Family, School, and Community Engagement Research" by Brookings fellow in global economy and development, Emily Markovich Morris. The more that families, schools, and communities work in partnership, the more students and schools have the support needed to thrive. This lecture explores a school and community-based research study representing education institutions in 14 countries across 6 continents. The project identifies beliefs held by families, educators, and students on the purpose of school, and global barriers to family, school, and community engagement. Surveys …

A Bibliometric Analysis Of The Teacher Leadership Scholarship, Hui-Ling Wendy Pan, Peter Wiens, Abigail Moyal

Teaching and Learning Faculty Research

Research reviews contribute to understanding the evolution and trends of studies and guide future studies. Since no science mapping was provided to reveal the citation patterns and the research structure of teacher leadership (TL), we conducted a bibliometric review of 704 documents (1964e2021) in Scopus. We found that the academic area as a social field within which authors using English as a working language were more vocal. Meanwhile, university ranking rendered the swift advancement of international visibility in Asian scholars this decade. Additionally, we portrayed influential authors and documents in TL and the intellectual structure and topical foci of TL.

Strengthening The Southern Nevada Workforce Pipeline, Katie M. Gilbertson

Student Research

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’ …

Social Justice Leadership: Coming To Know Another Possibility Through Autoethnography, Jacob D. Skousen

Educational Psychology, Leadership, and Higher Education Faculty Research

Traditional notions of learning, teaching, schooling, and leading, contribute to the inequity and injustice found in schools. In this study, autoethnography was used as a process and product to explore one leader’s journey opening and leading a new “alternative” school as the school’s principal. These experiences create the backdrop of a larger narrative about public schooling and leadership. The findings, expressed through narrative, demonstrate that schools do not have to beget oppression, and school practices, framed in social justice, can create the needed environment and culture to develop liberatory praxis.

Educational Attainment Of Same-Sex And Opposite-Sex Dizygotic Twins: An Individual-Level Pooled Study Of 19 Twin Cohorts, Keith E. Whitfield, Numerous Authors, See Full List Below

Office of the President Faculty Publications

Comparing twins from same- and opposite-sex pairs can provide information on potential sex differences in a variety of outcomes, including socioeconomic-related outcomes such as educational attainment. It has been suggested that this design can be applied to examine the putative role of intrauterine exposure to testosterone for educational attainment, but the evidence is still disputed. Thus, we established an international database of twin data from 11 countries with 88,290 individual dizygotic twins born over 100 years and tested for differences between twins from same- and opposite-sex dizygotic pairs in educational attainment. Effect sizes with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated …

Win Or Lose: Residential Sorting After A School Choice Lottery, Andrew Bibler, Stephen B. Billings

Economics Faculty Publications

We examine residential relocation and opting out of the public school system in response to school choice lottery outcomes. We show that rising kindergartners and sixth graders who lose a school choice lottery are 6 percentage points more likely to exit the district or change neighborhood schools (20% to 30% increase) and make up 0.14 to 0.35 standard deviations in average school test scores between lottery assignment and attendance the following year. Using hedonic-based estimates of land prices, we estimate that lottery losers pay a 9% to 11% housing price premium for access to a school with a 1 standard …

Internalizing Symptoms As Predictors Of School Absenteeism Severity At Multiple Levels: Ensemble And Classification And Regression Tree Analysis, Mirae J. Fornander, Christopher A. Kearney

Psychology Faculty Research

School attendance problems are highly prevalent worldwide, leading researchers to investigate many different risk factors for this population. Of considerable controversy is how internalizing behavior problems might help to distinguish different types of youth with school attendance problems. In addition, efforts are ongoing to identify the point at which children and adolescents move from appropriate school attendance to problematic school absenteeism. The present study utilized ensemble and classification and regression tree analysis to identify potential internalizing behavior risk factors among youth at different levels of school absenteeism severity (i.e., 1+%, 3+%, 5+%, 10+%). Higher levels of absenteeism were also examined …

Smorgasbord Of Research, Kimberly Barchard

Psychology Faculty Research

The oft-quoted advice to “Follow your passion” is little help to people who have no particular interests or too many. However, if you want to do research, you need to pick one or more specific topics to study. I myself am interested in many research topics and have a tendency to take on too many projects and feel overwhelmed. I’ve met several students who have the same issue. I’ve also met students who weren’t sure where their interests lay and who waited for inspiration to strike rather than diving in.

Research Methods For Education With Technology: Four Concerns, Examples, And Recommendations, Daniel B. Wright

Educational Psychology, Leadership, and Higher Education Faculty Research

The success of education with technology research is in part because the field draws upon theories and methods from multiple disciplines. However, drawing upon multiple disciplines has drawbacks because sometimes the methodological expertise of each discipline is not applied when researchers conduct studies outside of their research training. The focus here is on research using methods drawn largely from psychology, for example, evaluating the impact of different systems on how students perform. The methodological concerns discussed are: low power; not using multilevel modeling; dichotomization; and inaccurate reporting of the numeric statistics. Examples are drawn from a recent set of proceedings. …

School Readiness Profiles And Growth In Academic Achievement, Qianqian Pan, Kim T. Trang, Hailey R. Love, Jonathan Templin

Educational & Clinical Studies Faculty Research

The purpose of this research was to identify the presence of different school readiness profiles and to determine whether profiles could differentially predict academic growth. The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study: 2010-11 (ECLS-K: 2011) public data set was used, and participants were 14,954 first-time kindergarteners. The age of entering kindergarten ranged from 44.81 to 87.98 months with a mean of 76.13 months. In Study 1, a six-dimensional construct of school readiness was used: health, self-regulation, social and emotional development, language development, cognitive development, and approaches to learning. Results revealed 41 profiles with the top six school readiness profiles covering 85% of …

A Qualitative Study On Parental And Community Stakeholder Views Of The Link Between Full-Day Kindergarten And Health In Southern Nevada, Courtney Coughenour, Jennifer Pharr, Maxim Gakh Jd, Mph, Sheila Clark, Prescott Cheong

Public Health Faculty Publications

Studies show that children who attend full-day kindergarten (FDK) experience both academic and developmental benefits compared to children who attend half-day programs. Sectors outside of health, such as education, can have important intended and unintended impacts on health. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand perceptions of parental and other stakeholders in Southern Nevada (USA) about the education–health link, and to understand priorities regarding how FDK access could affect health. Two 90-minute focus groups were conducted with 14 adult stakeholder participants representing parents, current and former teachers, and community members. Transcripts were analyzed using conventional content analysis. Eight …

Research Mentoring And Scientist Identity: Insights From Undergraduates And Their Mentors, Rachael D. Robnett, Paul A. Nelson, Eileen L. Zurbriggen, Faye J. Crosby, Martin M. Chemers

Psychology Faculty Research

Background Mentored research apprenticeships are a common feature of academic outreach programs that aim to promote diversity in science fields. The current study tests for links between three forms of mentoring (instrumental, socioemotional, and negative) and the degree to which undergraduates psychologically identify with science. Participants were 66 undergraduate-mentor dyads who worked together in a research apprenticeship. The undergraduate sample was predominantly composed of women, first-generation college students, and members of ethnic groups that are historically underrepresented in science. Results Findings illustrated that undergraduates who reported receiving more instrumental and socioemotional mentoring were higher in scientist identity. Further, mentors who …

Evaluation Of Innovative Medical School Facilities And Consultant Recommendations, Tripp Umbach

Lincy Institute Reports and Briefs

In August 2018, The Lincy Institute1 retained Tripp Umbach2 to provide consultation to evaluate and identify best practices for medical school facilities and development models as the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) and the community embarks on the development of a home for the UNLV School of Medicine. To complete this assignment, Tripp Umbach completed a comprehensive process involving secondary data analysis and actively sought and received input from stakeholders including leadership at The Lincy Institute, UNLV School of Medicine, previous Tripp Umbach clients, leading design professionals with experience developing medical schools, and potential donors to the proposed project. …

Understanding Teacher Turnover In Two Charter Schools: Principal Dispositions And Practices, Dana L. Bickmore, Margaret Mary Sulentic Dowell

Educational Psychology, Leadership, and Higher Education Faculty Research

US charter schools experience higher rates of teacher turnover than traditional public schools. The purpose of this study was to examine charter principals’ professional dispositions and practices that might contribute to teacher turnover. Specifically we asked – How do charter school principal professional dispositions and practices affect school working conditions and impact teacher commitment to remain or leave a charter schools? The study design was an embedded three-year case study of principal leadership in two charter schools. Data sources included principal and teacher interviews, school observations, and artifacts. Themes were derived from two constant comparative analyses, one of principal dispositions, …

Five Years Of Video-Based Assessment Data: Lessons From A Teacher Education Program, Peter D. Wiens, Matthew D. Gromlich

Teaching and Learning Faculty Research

Teacher education programs are under considerable pressure to evaluate their effectiveness in training new teachers. Over the last several decades there have been repeated calls for more systematic research on preservice teacher preparation programs. One institution has heeded this call, using the Video Assessment of Interactions and Learning (VAIL: Jamil, Sabol, Hamre, & Pianta, 2015) to annually assess teacher noticing of teacher student interactions in preservice teachers. While there was no significant difference in first-test and last-test VAIL scores, VAIL scores were shown to be related to final college GPA. Additionally, there was a difference in student effort on the …

A Multi-Method Investigation Of Literacy And Language Practices In Mexican Early Childhood Programs, Laura M. Justice, Gloria Yeomans-Maldonado, Jorge Gonzalez, Alain Bengochea, Anita Mccormick

Educational & Clinical Studies Faculty Research

This study was designed to examine the literacy and language development processes and practices used in Mexican preschools. Participants were 18 early childhood teachers from three schools selected to represent the range of available programming. Research methods included focus groups, teacher questionnaires, and classroom observations. Results suggested that classrooms mostly had narrative books with few other genres, and that displaying the alphabet and children’s names were common practices. Teachers indicated a strong reliance on bottom-up instructional approaches and direct skill instruction. These findings contribute to our understanding of preschool literacy and language practices of Spanish-speaking children living in Mexico.

Applying An Infomation Literacy Rubric To First-Year Health Sciences Student Research Posters, Xan Goodman, John Watts, Rogelio A. Arenas, Rachelle Weigel, Tony Terrell

Library Faculty Publications

Objective: This article describes the collection and analysis of annotated bibliographies created by first-year health sciences students to support their final poster projects. The authors examined the students’ abilities to select relevant and authoritative sources, summarize the content of those sources, and correctly cite those sources. Methods: We collected images of 1,253 posters, of which 120 were sampled for analysis, and scored the posters using a 4-point rubric to evaluate students’ information literacy skills. Results: We found that 52% of students were proficient at selecting relevant sources that directly contributed to the theme, topic, or debate presented in their final …

Design Considerations For Education Scholars Interested In Complex Systems Research, Gwen C. Marchand, Jonathan C. Hilpert

Educational Psychology, Leadership, and Higher Education Faculty Research

As complex systems approaches to research gain a foothold in educational research, educational researchers may be faced with unique study design challenges. Studies that do not target appropriate levels of analysis or do not capture variable change over time at a fine enough granularity run the risk of missing complex, dynamic, and emergent properties that are the hallmark of complex system behavior. By taking into account context, multiple levels of analysis, and change over time complex systems approaches generate evidence for dynamic processes in education. This paper draws upon three example areas from educational psychology to illustrate important design considerations …

Professional Judgment Study Report, Augenblick, Palaich, And Associates (Apa)

Lincy Institute Reports and Briefs

This report summarizes the Professional Judgment (PJ) Study conducted by Augenblick, Palaich, and Associates (APA) for the Lincy Institute at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). The Institute commissioned the PJ study as part of a review of Nevada’s school funding system. The review called for studies like this one to update the 2006 Nevada education funding adequacy study. This current study is an adequacy study examining the base cost and adjustments needed for students in Nevada to meet state standards. In the early 1990s, states began to implement Standards-­‐Based Reform in education. By implementing Standards-­‐Based Reform, states set standards …

Professional Judgement Study Report Summary, Augenblick, Palaich, And Associates

Lincy Institute Reports and Briefs

This report summarizes the Professional Judgment (PJ) Study conducted by Augenblick, Palaich, and Associates (APA) for the Lincy Institute at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). The Institute commissioned the PJ study as part of a review of Nevada’s school funding system. The review called for studies like this one to update the 2006 Nevada education funding adequacy study. This current study is an adequacy study examining the base cost and adjustments needed for students in Nevada to meet state standards. In the early 1990s, states began to implement Standards-­‐Based Reform in education. By implementing Standards-­‐Based Reform, states set standards …

Walking Box Ranch Custodianship Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending January 10, 2013, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• UNLV provides stewardship of Walking Box Ranch (WBR) by providing a caretaker who oversees the property, facilitating use of the property by researchers and educators, developing a use and research policy for the property, and coordinating these activities with BLM and in accordance with TNC restrictions.
• UNLV currently addresses security issues for the property through the presence of the caretaker and two Metro Officers who reside on the property in two recreational vehicles.
• UNLV continues to work with BLM, supplying content for interpretation at the future Walking Box Ranch museum.
• BLM and UNLV visited the ranch on December 5th to …

Walking Box Ranch Custodianship Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending October 10, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• UNLV provides stewardship of Walking Box Ranch (WBR) by employing a caretaker who oversees the property, facilitating use of the property by researchers and educators, developing a use and research policy for the property, and coordinating these activities with BLM and in accordance with TNC restrictions.
• UNLV currently addresses security issues for the property through the presence of the caretaker and two Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers who reside on the property in two recreational vehicles.
• UNLV continues to work with BLM, supplying content for interpretation at the future WBR museum.
• BLM visited the ranch on 7/05/12 and again …

Walking Box Ranch Custodianship Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending July 10, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• UNLV provides stewardship of Walking Box Ranch (WBR) by providing a caretaker who oversees the property, facilitating use of the property by researchers and educators, developing a use and research policy for the property, and coordinating these activities with BLM and in accordance with TNC restrictions.
• UNLV currently addresses security issues for the property through the presence of the caretaker and two Metro Officers who reside on the property in two recreational vehicles.
• UNLV continues to work with BLM and Condit, supplying content for interpretation at the future Walking Box Ranch museum.
• BLM visited the ranch on July 5 to …

Walking Box Ranch Planning And Design Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending July 10, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• BLM informed UNLV that after investigating a concession contract as the appropriate BLM document for the future operating partner, they have concluded that an operating agreement is the preferred document and they are proceeding to complete such an agreement as soon as possible.
• Following a visit to the ranch with BLM, UNLV has completed temporary repairs to ranch house windows, which should mitigate deterioration of the ranch house from water
• UNLV participated in a one-half day meeting with BLM to review Condit’s Extended Content Package #1. As a result of the lack of progress by Condit, UNLV was requested to …

Walking Box Ranch Custodianship Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending April 10, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• UNLV provides stewardship of Walking Box Ranch (WBR) by providing a caretaker who oversees the property, facilitating use of the property by researchers and educators, developing a use and research policy for the property, and coordinating these activities with BLM and in accordance with TNC restrictions.
• UNLV currently addresses security issues for the property through the presence of the caretaker and two Metro Officers who reside on the property in two recreational vehicles.
• UNLV continues to work with BLM and Condit, supplying content for interpretation at the future Walking Box Ranch museum.
• BLM and UNLV visited the ranch on February …

Walking Box Ranch Planning And Design Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending April 10, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• BLM informed UNLV that the type of operating plan that was identified in June, 2011 as the appropriate instrument for future operations, and which was to have been completed by May 2012, prior to beginning construction, would not work for BLM. BLM informed UNLV that they are now considering a concession contract as the appropriate BLM document for the future operating partner.
• BLM and UNLV visited the ranch for a day to examine the continuing deterioration of the ranch house from water, and to discuss how to address this on-going problem. The group reviewed damage owing to water coming into …

Living The Future 2012: Educational Role Of Libraries, Jennifer L. Fabbi, Jeanne Brown, Anne E. Zald, Steven Hoover

Library Faculty Presentations

No abstract provided.

Walking Box Ranch Custodianship Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending January 10, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• UNLV provides stewardship of Walking Box Ranch (WBR) by providing a caretaker who oversees the property, facilitating use of the property by researchers and educators, developing a use and research policy for the property, and coordinating these activities with BLM and in accordance with TNC restrictions.
• UNLV currently addresses security issues for the property through the presence of the caretaker and two Metro Officers who reside on the property in two recreational vehicles.
• UNLV is working with new BLM employees Glen Marsh and Audrey Asselin to address continuing deterioration of the ranch house. UNLV has suggested to BLM that they …

Walking Box Ranch Planning And Design Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending January 10, 2012, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• UNLV’s President Smatresk has reiterated his commitment to the WBR project and has further committed full funding for IT and security costs.
• UNLV participated in a one-half day meeting with BLM to discuss the future WBR operating agreement between BLM and UNLV; UNLV participated in a 1.5 day meeting to review the 100% Design drawings.
• UNLV continues to wait on BLM for direction on how to mitigate the continuing deterioration of the ranch house.
• Weather station research continues and has produced the following this past quarter. 1) Ground-source heat pump (GSHP) Vs Photovoltaic (PV) technology: A detailed analysis comparing these …

Walking Box Ranch Custodianship Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending October 10, 2011, Margaret N. Rees

Walking Box Ranch

• UNLV provides stewardship of Walking Box Ranch (WBR) by providing a caretaker who oversees the property, facilitating use of the property by researchers and educators, developing a use and research policy for the property, and coordinating these activities with BLM and in accordance with TNC restrictions.
• UNLV currently addresses security issues for the property through the presence of the caretaker and two Metro Officers who reside on the property in two recreational vehicles.
• Visits to the ranch this quarter included: Dr. Diedra Clemente, history professor for UNLV, visited the ranch to determine research possibilities for students in the history department …