Education Commons^™

Embedded Support In The College Writing Classroom: A Teaching Reflection On Late Pandemic Pedagogy For Trio Students In An Intensive Transitional Summer Course, James P. Austin, John Gavin Iv

Pedagogy and the Human Sciences

In this teaching reflection, the authors discuss their experiences as professor and embedded support for an intensive summer college writing course for incoming undergraduates participating in a TRIO program. The reflection considers the contextual factors making this cohort of students vulnerable, including the relationship between family income level and pandemic-era learning loss. The authors devised a pedagogy to "flip" the classroom, allowing students to write deeply during long class sessions, and delivered intensive, layered support at the point of writing to accelerate progress through challenges in writing development.

Building Resilient Higher Education Communities: Lessons Learned From Pandemic Teaching, Christian Williams, Carmen Veloria, Debra Harkins

Pedagogy and the Human Sciences

The COVID-19 pandemic has left many educators grappling with uncertainties about the future of higher education while feeling exhausted from the stress and pressure to deliver quality education in unprecedented ways. While learning to incorporate new technology into remote, hybrid, and flipped classrooms, educators also find themselves responding to the psychosocial needs of students more than ever before. Yet the lack of established promising practices coupled with limited training and support on how to support students’ emotional well-being creates confusion and self-doubt. This conceptual article explores teacher experiences of teaching during a pandemic, missed opportunities, and highlights the need to …

What Works For You: Engaging With Antiracism Resources Within A College Setting, Grace Chitam

Community Engagement Student Work

Higher education is often fondly described as the great equalizer. Society has ingrained the idea that if one is able to get to college and earn their degree, they can pave better outcomes for themselves post-graduation. While that may be true for some, this notion oversimplifies how challenging the college experience is, particularly for students of color and other marginalized backgrounds. This project examined how the burden students of color bear of battling racism in its every-day forms on top of their student responsibilities undermines their success. A two-hour workshop was held which endeavored to familiarize participants with antiracism education, …

Transforming Higher Education: Responding To The Coronavirus And Other Looming Crises, Michael Mascolo

Pedagogy and the Human Sciences

Higher education is being deeply challenged by the coronavirus. The immediate threats of the coronavirus come at the heels of an existing panoply of problems that already threaten higher education as we know it. These include, of course, the looming enrollment crisis, the high cost of higher education, intractable student debt, the corporatization of education, limited learning on campus, and a general loss of faith in higher education among many sectors of the nation. How are colleges and universities to respond to these challenges? This paper calls upon colleges and universities to consider the need for structural transformation in order …

Introduction To The Special Issue On Teaching During The Coronavirus Pandemic, Mary Beth Medvide

Pedagogy and the Human Sciences

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Here They Are, Send Them: An Evaluation Of The Send Program At Merrimack College, Jordan T. Mason

Community Engagement Student Work

The purpose of this study was to gather a deeper understanding of the SEND Program at Merrimack College. This program evaluation sought to determine if the SEND Program was meeting its short-term outcomes for the program. The current literature highlights the important and significant aspects of alternative break/global service-learning programs as they can provide great educational experiences for students. A survey was sent out to a cohort of alumni SEND participants to gather their perspectives of the program. Overall, the survey respondents noted positive responses of their experiences in this program, indicating that they had some level of a positive …

Why We Gatta Be Da Poorest?: Disrupting The Cycle Of Poverty For Single Mothers In The Bahamas By The Assessment Of Their Needs And The Mapping Of Community And Educational Institutions Resources, Philadenrin Russell

Community Engagement Student Work

The purpose of this research study is to explore the barriers and needs of Bahamian single mothers to obtaining higher education. A needs assessment survey was administered via social media and 78 single mothers responded. Human services and educational institutions practitioners were also interviewed to understand their perspective of the needs and to map the resources currently available for single mothers in the Bahamas. The research assume that limited financial resources, lack of child care, lack of transportation, limited access to resources and lack of family support would have been the main barriers found. Nevertheless, the results showed that Bahamian …

Poverty Through Simulation: Examining Concerns With Affordable Housing In Relation To The Cycle Of Poverty, Emily Mccaffrey

Community Engagement Student Work

This social justice-based project used evaluated the level of understanding that students of Endicott College had regarding poverty within the United States. This project provided a space for students to communicate with each other using discussion questions about poverty to guide the conversations. All students were given the chance to participate in an online simulation during class that provided them with an opportunity to live in someone else's shoes for thirty days, after losing their housing. This project was conducted with one traditional class setting while the other was conducted completely online using an online platform provided by Endicott. The …

“I Can’T Believe I’M In Charge”: How Zlotkoswki’S “Students As Colleagues” Model Prepares Bentley University Service-Learning Students For Civic Leadership, Brian Shea

Community Engagement Student Work

Business schools exhibit a remarkable ability to produce graduates who are exceptionally analytical; however, these students have been shown to lack sensitivity to the impact of actions taken in the workplace, in communities, and in society. Service-learning is a method that has been proven to instill stronger ethics in business students. Bentley University, a business school in Waltham, Massachusetts, models its Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Center after the “Students as Colleagues” framework championed by its founding Director, Dr. Edward Zlotkowski (2006). By employing this approach, Bentley positions its undergraduate students as leaders in social impact initiatives, thereby preparing these students …

Making The Case For Faculty And Staff Diversity And Inclusion Training At Merrimack College, Nicole Williams

Higher Education Student Work

Diversity and inclusion training is essential for long-term success and sustainability of an organization, especially institutions of higher education (Cocchiara, Connerley, & Bell, 2010; Cunningham, 2012). This capstone investigates the necessity and benefits of diversity and inclusion training, as well as effective training structures to contextualize the resulting curriculum model. This curriculum addresses an underlying institutional leadership gap at Merrimack College where faculty and staff are not adequately trained or provided with sufficient opportunities to engage in diversity and inclusion training. Feminist Standpoint Theory (Collins, 1997) and Transformational Learning Theory (Mezirow, 2000) provide the theoretical grounding to establish this foundational …

Me And The Devil Was Walkin' Side-By-Side: Demythologizing (And Reviewing) The Cambridge Handbook Of Service Learning And Community Engagement, Dan W. Sarofian-Butin

Education Faculty Publications

Review essay of The Cambridge Handbook of Service Learning and Community Engagement, Corey W. Dolgon, Tania D. Mitchell, & Timothy K. Eatman (Eds.)
Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2017.

Factors Supporting The Leadership Of Women Of Color In Higher Education, Local Politics, And The Nonprofit Sector, Kayla J. Bynum, Paula Gomez Stordy

Higher Education Student Work

Women of color (WOC) are underrepresented in leadership roles within the fields of higher education and the nonprofit sector. The purpose of this study is to learn about the experiences of WOC who have achieved leadership roles in their professional fields. The collective experiences of women of color leaders will inform best practices for WOC who are pursuing professional leadership roles or professional mobility. These best practices will be beneficial for WOC, as well as employers who have the power to create a culture which supports the leadership of diverse WOC. It is essential for their leadership to inform best …

Development Of A Graduate Level Faculty Led Study Abroad Course, Chelsea Levine

Higher Education Student Work

As the world becomes more globalized, society must create ways to adapt to these changes. One result is more internationalization at the higher education level (Mckenzie, Lopez & Bowers, 2010). Internationalization includes recent efforts to increase study abroad participation for graduate students. This exploratory study sought to understand best practices for the creation of a faculty led study abroad course in a higher education Master’s degree program. Topics of research included preparatory travel logistics, coursework to maintain academic rigor, and outcomes as it relates to personal and professional growth. Faculty leaders from across the U.S. who lead their own courses …

Assessment Of Chinese International Graduate Students’ Experience Working With Agents, Haozhe Yu

Higher Education Student Work

In the past fifteen years, the numbers of Chinese international students have increased rapidly across the United States in all types of institutions of higher education (Farrugia & Bhandari, 2015). This study explores the experience of Chinese international graduate students working with study abroad agents in China. In this qualitative semistructured interview study, seven Chinese international students were interviewed. Students were asked x, y and z about their experience working with agents; several challenges of Chinese international students, including finding college information, Internet limitations, language barriers and limited time, and lack of knowledge of the application process. Based on the …

Assessing The Role Of Academic Advisors In Retention Of International Students, Shreelekha Girish

Higher Education Student Work

The retention of international students should not be viewed as the responsibility of only international student advisors on the college campus. Instead, as suggested by Mamiseishvili (2012), it should become a joint responsibility of a broader campus community, including faculty, academic advisors, English language program staff, and student affairs professionals. Inspired by these ideas, this qualitative research study focused on international students' experiences during their advising sessions with their academic advisors at a four-year, post-secondary private institution in Massachusetts. The study was conducted by interviewing ten international students from different majors. This research explored the necessary information and resources international …

Phoning It In? Examining Pre-Employment Phone Interview Procedure In Higher Education, Paul J. Antonellis Jr., Danielle Flam

Organization Studies and Analytics Faculty Publications

In the United States, the employment screening process for hiring full-time faculty in higher education involves the vetting of curricula vitae, phone interview(s), and/or campus visits (Cardeiro, 2010; Shively, Woodward, & Stanly, 1999). The purpose of this research was to examine the phone interview procedure at one institute of higher education, and from there, formulate a systematic phone interviewing procedure that could be put to use at this particular university.

After conducting a review of relevant literature, the researchers engaged in action research that utilized qualitative data of 10 participants who took part in the pre-interview, professional development intervention, and …

First Year Experience: How We Can Better Assist First-Year International Students In Higher Education?, Zi Yan, Patricia Sendall

Organization Studies and Analytics Faculty Publications

While many American colleges and universities are providing a First Year Experience (FYE) course or program for their first year students, those programs are not often customized to take into account international students’ (IS) unique challenges. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, this study evaluated a FYE course that was customized for IS in a college setting. Nineteen IS and eight domestic students (DS) who attended FYE classes completed a survey; 18 of the 19 IS were interviewed. Overall, the FYE class was successful in terms of helping IS to familiarize themselves with academic resources and expectations, understanding American culture, making …

Public Debate Format For The Development Of Soft Skill Competency In Computer Science Curricula, Christopher S. Stuetzle

Computer Science Faculty Publications

We present a method for incorporating soft skill development into a traditional computer science curriculum through the use of a public debate format. The debate format forces participants to practice public speaking, active listening, teamwork, research and preparation, and critical thinking, as well as having the less obvious benefit of contextualizing the material taught in the classroom by introducing contemporary, real-world debate topics. This work presents an example of the incorporation of public debates in an upper-level human-computer interaction class, including a discussion of student feedback, and suggestions for adopting the debate format to other upper-level courses and its perceived …

“Can I Major In Service-Learning?” An Empirical Analysis Of Certificates, Minors, And Majors, Dan W. Butin

Education Faculty Publications

This article examines the rise of programs in higher education that award certificates, minors, and/or majors in service-learning. Using Vaughn and Seifer (2008) as a foundation, this study documented and analyzed a total of 31 academic programs that had service-learning at its academic core. Findings from this study suggest that there is indeed a coherent (though far from stable) “field” of service-learning. Moreover, the findings suggest that the strength and structure of a program is strongly dependent on its status; that is, there is a deep dividing line between certificate programs and minors and majors. This has implications for how …

Dynamic Diversity In A Catholic Augustinian College, Joseph T. Kelley

Religious & Theological Studies Faculty Publications

This article shows how Merrimack College’s Catholic heritage and Augustinian tradition provide intellectual and spiritual resources for the college to fulfill its educational responsibility to prepare students for virtuous citizenship in a religiously and culturally pluralistic society. It uses four major Vatican documents and several foundational Augustinian ideas to elaborate principles useful for the guidance of Merrimack’s academic community and the direction of its campus culture. The article concludes with Merrimack’s “Statement of Augustinian Values for Higher Education” as an expression of its distinctive mission in American higher education.

Book Review: Negotiating Social Contexts: Identities Of Biracial College Women By Andra M. Basu, Susan B. Marine

Education Faculty Publications

Review of Andra M. Basu's Negotiating Social Contexts: Identities of Biracial College Women. Charlotte: Information Age Publishing, 2007.

Book Review: Challenged By Coeducation: Women's Colleges Since The 1960s By Leslie Miller-Bernal & Susan L. Poulson, Susan B. Marine

Education Faculty Publications

Review of Leslie Miller-Bernal & Susan L. Poulson's Challenged by Coeducation: Women's Colleges Since the 1960s. Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press, 2006

Casting A Critical Glance At Teaching “Critical Thinking”, Michael Decesare

Sociology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Saving The University On His Own Time: Stanley Fish, Service-Learning, And Knowledge Legitimation In The Academy, Dan W. Butin

Education Faculty Publications

Review Essay of Stanley's Fish's book Save the World on Your Own Time,
NewYork, NY: Oxford University Press, 2008

The Limits Of Service-Learning In Higher Education, Dan W. Butin

Education Faculty Publications

This article takes a critical look at the attempted institutionalization of service-learning in higher education. It asks whether service-learning can become deeply embedded within the academy; and if so, what exactly is becoming embedded. Specifically, this article suggests that there are substantial pedagogical, political, and institutional limits to service-learning across the academy. These limits, moreover, are shown to be inherent to the service-learning movement as contemporarily theorized and enacted. The article concludes by reframing some of the grounding assumptions of service-learning to position it as a disciplinary field more suited for becoming genuinely embedded within higher education.

Disciplining Service Learning: Institutionalization And The Case For Community Studies, Dan W. Butin

Education Faculty Publications

This article argues that the service-learning field has been pursuing the wrong revolution. Namely, service learning has been envisioned as a transformative pedagogical practice and philosophical orientation that would change the fundamental policies and practices of the academy. However, its attempted institutionalization faces substantial barriers and positions service learning in an uncomfortable double-bind that ultimately co-opts and neutralizes its agenda. This article argues that a truly transformative agenda may be to create a parallel movement to develop an “academic home” for service learning within academic “community studies” programs. This “disciplining” of service learning is the truly revolutionary potential of institutionalizing …

Special Issue: Introduction Future Directions For Service Learning In Higher Education, Dan W. Butin

Education Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.