Education Commons^™

The Impact Of Soft Skills Training On Guest Satisfaction In The Hospitality Industry, Lawrie Colaco Mr

Culminating Experience Projects

The hospitality industry has become immensely fast-paced, and prioritizing guest satisfaction levels has been one of the main objectives. While hard skills such as technical expertise and operational proficiency are important aspects which are required by the hospitality staff, soft skills also play a pretty significant role. Soft skills enable the staff to be adaptive and communicative, it raises their empathy levels and teaches them to control their emotions and perform under stressful working environments. The importance of soft skills in this sector cannot be overemphasized, not only does this help with harbouring a positive attitude among the employees but …

Visions Of A Captured Mind: Using Expressive Film Techniques To Convey The Experience Of Liberty Deprivation As A Neurodiverse Individual, Sam H. Grant, Ken Fero

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

In this article, I make the case for the use of expressive film techniques to convey the emotional, or affective, experience of neurodiverse people who have been subjected to liberty restricting practices and policy. I do this by discussing my own experience with film practice as a man living with autism, presenting a broader philosophical case for how artistic modes of communication can close affective and social divisions between neurodiverse and neurotypical people, explaining why it is the cinematic techniques I advocate for are uniquely suited to neurodiverse people, and then I showcase some of my own work as a …

How Do We Get These Kids Reading? Supporting Readerly Identity In Secondary English Classrooms, Jenelle Williams, Jay Haffner

Michigan Reading Journal

In this article, we aim to clarify the specialized purposes for reading in secondary English language arts (ELA) classes. We will suggest ways ELA teachers can help build (or repair) students’ readerly identities while also ensuring they graduate with the necessary skill sets to transfer their knowledge into further studies, careers, and lifelong pleasure reading.

Blended Genres: Pairing Picturebooks And Poems Across The Curriculum, William P. Bintz

Michigan Reading Journal

Abstract

This article reports on an action research project conducted by a teacher educator in literacy education as part of a graduate course entitled Reading and Writing across the Content Areas. The purpose of the project was to actively engage graduate students, all of whom were pre-service and in-service teachers, in a course-related project in which students developed and implemented blended genres across the curriculum. It begins by situating blended genres within the traditional notion of paired text as a curricular resource and instructional strategy to support the process of intertextuality. It provides a brief overview of the course-related …

Safeguarding Learning Before, During, And After Emergency Remote Teaching, Carol Ann Paul, Lisa Reason

Michigan Reading Journal

This qualitative study explores 25 elementary educators’ experiences after Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) and examines the role of technology and face-to-face (f2f) interactions in the literacy classroom. Teachers in the study found substantial learning lags and extreme difficulty getting students reacclimated back into the classroom postpandemic. While they found technology to be adequate for differentiation and instant feedback, they noted the importance of f2f interaction for building relationships, social and emotional learning (SEL), reading, language, and fine motor skills. Aligned with Duke and Cartwright’s (2021) Active View of Reading Model, the study’s results advocate integrating SEL and literacy instruction, along …

Supporting Students’ Social-Emotional And Literacy Development With Read-Alouds, Allison Phillippe

Michigan Reading Journal

Literacy practices involving children’s literature, such as interactive read-alouds, are one way to integrate transformative SEL and literacy to simultaneously support children’s academic and social-emotional education goals. While there is plenty of evidence that supports social-emotional learning (SEL) and literacy integration, more research is needed to explore approaches that integrate transformative SEL aimed at fostering more equitable learning enviornments and providing suggestions for teachers to replicate this type of instruction in their own classrooms. In this article, I describe my researcher-practitioner collaboration with a fifth-grade teacher to design a justice-oriented approach to integrate SEL and literacy called Read Alouds for …

Best Practices And Resources In Reading Comprehension For Multilingual Learners, Pamella Moura

Michigan Reading Journal

This article investigates different interventions that can support multilingual learners with their reading comprehension needs. It aims to provide kindergarten through 5^th grade teachers with evidence-based practices that may support reading comprehension outcomes for multilingual learners. These practices employ different practical strategies teachers can implement in their daily reading and writing routines to support multilingual and monolingual students with reading difficulties which may support their reading comprehension skills. This article emphasizes the needs of strategy development in reading comprehension so multilingual learners can employ these practices independently, over time. Strategies include explicit instruction of predictions, summaries and questioning, developing …

How To Select Diverse Picture Books To Share In Elementary Classrooms, Amy Davis

Michigan Reading Journal

The purpose of this paper is to share the benefits of using diverse picture books, selection recommendations for teachers, and provide a sample of how to review both the illustrations and text of the diverse picture books: “A Gift From Abuela” by Cecilia Ruiz and “Tía Fortuna’s New Home: A Jewish Cuban Journey” by Ruth Behar.

Supporting Admitted Students, Preventing Academic Jeopardy, Bridget M. Baehl

Culminating Experience Projects

The academic success of incoming students has been a growing concern for colleges and universities. The number of students ending up in academic jeopardy has been skyrocketing. While universities have support for academic success, the resources must be more utilized. These supports also tend to work in silos instead of functioning as a community support. This project explains the demographics of college students and the types of support that these students would best benefit from. To adequately support students who the universities are at the most significant risk of failing, colleges need to expand their support services. In response to …

Enhancing Academic Support Through A Comprehensive Training Program On Advising Adult Students In Higher Education, Nicole Von Oesen

Culminating Experience Projects

With an increase in the adult student population within higher education, literature continues to show that university academic advisors often lack the proper tools to make the transition for adult students easier. Moreover, the literature reveals that a transition program set in place for adult students can help make the transition into higher education smoother. Adult students endure a multitude of barriers when entering or returning to higher education. Therefore, the purpose of this project is to examine the personal and educational barriers adult students face, while also exploring how academic advisors and universities can be better prepared for adult …

Strategies In Improving The College Graduation Rate For African Americans, Vernon Thomas

Culminating Experience Projects

Research has shown that African American college students have a difficult time in transitioning and navigating at predominately white institutions. African American students needs differ from other race and ethnicities at universities, making educational achievement a complex journey. Learning how to transition and navigate through a predominantly white institution can be a troubling task, but through the help of a peer mentor, the process can be made easier. This project explores the graduation gap for African American college students, as well as strategies to help improve the support of African Americans graduation rate. The desired outcome of this project is …

Faculty Learning Community: Advancing Faculty Academic Advising Pedagogy, Linda Jean Raynard

Culminating Experience Projects

Within higher educational institutions faculty may serve in a faculty advising role. The quality of faculty advising conversations can impact student’s sense of mattering and support to campus leadership, community, and beyond. Faculty, however, have competing priorities and a lack of pathological training that has prevented them from investing deeper in advising practices. Students may then miss important opportunities to initially connect with campus leaders about their curricular and co-curricular development. To better operationalize academic advising practices for faculty to use in their everyday student conversations, a faculty learning community is suggested to aid. The Faculty Learning Community: Advancing Faculty …

Study Of The Lack Of Student Ability To Repair Relationships Among School Peers, Brittany M. Parker

Culminating Experience Projects

Social-emotional skills and student relationships have been researched for years, yet there are still school systems who seek to punish students when they have conflict instead of teaching them the way to manage their emotions. To learn in school is to be social, there cannot be one without the other. In order for students to do their best learning, it is important for them to be able to handle conflict in a healthy way and repair peer relationships. This project examines the benefits of teaching social-emotional skills, in addition to implementing a peer mentoring program in an effort to equip …

Helping Early Readers With Dyslexia, Jessica Kathleen Klooster

Culminating Experience Projects

Dyslexia is a common learning disability that is difficult for educators to understand. Misconceptions and misinformation have led to teachers and schools lacking in identification, resources, and support that can be provided to children with dyslexia – specifically young children. This project examines the research of the adverse effects of dyslexia, lack of teacher knowledge regarding dyslexia, the identification of young children who may have dyslexia, and the best intervention practices for these children. In general, many teachers hold misconceptions about dyslexia, which prevents children who have the disability from receiving early intervention. The purpose of this project was to …

An Examination Of Traditional Literature Engagement In High School Ela Classrooms, Brian Wiggins

Culminating Experience Projects

This project addresses the problem of student disengagement with traditional literature in high school English classes. Many students struggle to find relevance and engagement with canonical texts that are often centuries removed from their modern lives and experiences. This project aims to bridge this gap by integrating more contemporary literature alongside traditional texts to foster greater student interest, comprehension, and development of critical literacy skills. This project is grounded in theories that place emphasis on student choice, sociocultural relevance, and critical analysis of texts. It also recognizes the importance of aligning ELA curricula with Common Core standards while promoting reading …

Social-Emotional Learning In Early Childhood, Darcy L. Logan

Culminating Experience Projects

According to research, many students exhibit problematic behavior within the classroom. These problematic behaviors can disrupt the academic school day. Teachers are reporting more instances of anger, anxiety, lack of impulse control, and oppositional defiance in their students (Aksoy, 2020). The rates of suspension and expulsion for children under five are alarmingly high. To help struggling students, teachers need better support and resources. Providing these resources can help students develop appropriate social skills and succeed academically. This project aims to provide teachers with the necessary support required to enhance social-emotional learning in their classrooms. Research has shown that problematic behavior …

Anti-Bullying Prevention: The Importance Of Identifying Risk Factors And Effective Interventions And Programs, Emma R. Pritt

Culminating Experience Projects

Bullying is a complex public health concern, with Research suggesting that prevention is dependent on school and local demographics. Bully victimization is also heavily associated with students who have adverse childhood experiences. Additionally, Research supports the use of positive behavior supports and interventions as well as the involvement of the greater community to prevent bullying. Forest Hills Public Schools has yet to adopt this Research within their policies and anti-bullying programs. They also do not offer professional development regarding this topic. This project addresses current anti-bullying prevention curriculum, programs, and interventions while also considering the impact that adverse childhood experiences …

Students’ Traumas Impact On Academic Achievement, Taylor L. Lincoln

Culminating Experience Projects

The purpose of this project is to provide a curriculum on trauma informed teaching that can be used within all classrooms. With the trauma increase teachers have seen in students; it is important for schools to understand what trauma is and how to handle it in the classroom settings. The research will help determine the most common reasons that students have trauma and find beneficial ideas and solutions to help students and teachers dealing with trauma in the classroom. The data collected will then be used to create a professional development that will be used to help educate all school …

Making Study Abroad Accessible For First Generation College Students, Nicolette J. Nelson

Culminating Experience Projects

This project examines the barriers first-generation college students face when studying abroad and what support services can be provided to mitigate those barriers. An intensive review of the literature revealed that many barriers hinder FGCS from studying abroad. A few that will be covered include financial constraints, familial support, and knowledge about studying abroad. The intentions of this project are to create a first-generation-centered study abroad presentation that will be a culmination of explaining different opportunities FGCS have when studying abroad, the resources there to support FGCS in their endeavors, and how studying abroad can positively impact FGCS. I also …

Predominantly White Teacher Education Programs Are Stifling Black Preservice Students’ Teaching Experience: Now What?, Jasmine N. Wilson

Culminating Experience Projects

scholarship theorizes and discusses Black preservice teachers’ experiences in predominantly White teacher education programs as stifling. While many studies have explored ways to improve Black students' experiences in teacher education, few studies have sought to adapt Historically Black Colleges and Universities’ (HBCU) successful strategies to produce and retain Black teachers. In this project I have two goals. My first goal is to highlight the neglect and inequity that Black preservice teachers face in predominantly White teacher education programs. My second goal is to ensure that faculty members in teacher education programs effectively support and prepare Black preservice teachers for long …

College Success Bootcamp 101 (Csb101): A Summer Support Program For First-Year First-Generation College Students Navigating The Transition To College, Leticia Lopez Leon

Culminating Experience Projects

The first-year transitional period of community college students is a pivotal time for determining students' persistence and retention in higher education, particularly for first-generation college students (FGCS) who are the first in their families to pursue higher education. FGCS often belong to underrepresented racial or ethnic groups and may come from low-income backgrounds (Lopez, 2016). Although community colleges are enrolling 40% of first-year FGCS, these students are four times more likely to drop out early on compared to their White peers (Beard et al., 2023; Lopez, 2016; Suzuki et al., 2012). The “open access” mission of community colleges has oftentimes …

Addressing Mental Health Challenges In Graduate Education, Obed A. Boateng

Culminating Experience Projects

Graduate students face a multitude of stressors that can negatively impact their mental health and wellbeing, including academic pressures, work-life balance issues, and financial strains. However, minimal attention has been focused the needs of graduate student population, and existing support are limited. More so, student affairs professionals and practitioners (SAPPs) often engage and interact with graduate student. Yet, many SAPPs who are interested in helping address graduate students’ mental health needs lack sufficient training to effectively support graduate students experiencing mental health challenges. The purpose of this project is to develop and implement a comprehensive training program to equip SAPPs …

Adaptability Of A Vertical Transfer Student, Dylan Barron

Culminating Experience Projects

Due to the growing population of transfer students, institutions need to prepare the proper resources to mitigate the feeling of transfer shock. This project explores literature pertaining to transfer students and what resources are offered that can either make this transition smooth or rough. Creating a day-long orientation to promote the resources that different offices offer, as well as providing peer mentors to share their knowledge of the institution. To ensure thorough assessment of the acquired knowledge of transfer students in this program and to determine any necessary program adjustments, surveys are conducted.

Creating Inclusive Environments For Students With Disabilities Within Civic Engagement Programming, Phillip D. Brzezinski

Culminating Experience Projects

The rate of participation in civic engagement programming among students with disabilities remains low on US college campuses, despite the rate of enrollment of students who identify as disabled increasing (Manikas et al., 2018). This is likely due to the stigmatization associated with disabilities that leaves students with disabilities feeling excluded and without the resources to assist in overcoming the obstacles they face (Aquino & Bittinger, 2019). Because students with disabilities are feeling discouraged to participate in civic engagement activities on college campuses, they are missing out experiences that have been shown to benefit students in academic and professional development, …

A Workship Cirriculum For Student Loan Debt, Cion Swoope

Culminating Experience Projects

For many college students, taking out student loans is a necessary step towards higher education, yet it often leads to accumulated debt that can seem insurmountable. This project intends to investigate the implications of student loan debt, such as homeownership, household debt, and other life goals, and educate borrowers on the potential repercussions. Using Becker's (1993) Human Capital theory, I will examine the investment logic behind student loan borrowing, framing debt as a calculated risk for future gain. This project also uses Crenshaw's (1989) Intersectionality theory to extend beyond the scope of the average borrower and highlight the demographic groups …

Getting Involved: Navigating Rural Student Supports In Higher Education, Lucy Karpukhno

Culminating Experience Projects

Rural students face unique challenges in navigating opportunities to find community and access support in higher education, despite these opportunities being critical to success. Factors such as geographic isolation, limited resources, and unfamiliarity with campus environments can exacerbate these challenges, highlighting the need for tailored interventions to enhance rural student outcomes in higher education. Getting involved on campus and having a sense of belonging has long been cited as important facets to promoting student success. This project seeks to develop a targeted orientation program with informative presentations, inclusive social events, and hands-on opportunities to experience a variety of clubs and …

Helping First Year Residential Students Transition To The Collegiate Environment, Jenna N. Mazurek

Culminating Experience Projects

The purpose of this project is to address the barriers faced by first-year residential students while making their transition from high school to college. Transitioning to a new environment can be overwhelming, so making sure first-year students feel prepared is an important part of the acclimation process. To make the acclimation period easier, first-year students should make sure they are aware of campus resources, and make sure they have a strong support network. The intervention for this problem is a first-year experience program set at Grand Valley State University called the Becoming a Laker Program. This program is designed to …

Addressing The Teacher Shortage: School-Sponsored Alternative Teacher Certification Programs, Briana Renee Pepke Herr

Culminating Experience Projects

The ongoing teacher shortage in America has created an unprecedented demand for high-quality educators. To address this challenge, the establishment of school-sponsored or company-sponsored alternative certification programs is necessary. These partnership initiatives should involve assigning school or company employees as coaches to candidates, facilitating bi-weekly in-person and online coaching sessions to enhance instructional practices, and offering constructive coursework feedback. The primary objective is to equip aspiring alternatively certified teachers with essential skills, ensuring they are highly qualified while receiving ongoing support. This project highlights the need for school-sponsored alternative certification programs in producing highly qualified teachers capable of meeting the …

Overcoming Bias In Standardized Testing, Paul Riebe

Culminating Experience Projects

The current state of education is one where student and teacher’s futures are dictated by the outcomes of standardized tests, which are inherently biased against students of color. The purpose of this project is to examine the bias in these tests to determine what exactly these biases are, and train teachers to better prepare their students to overcome these biases. For this project, I chose literature that examined the biases found in standardized testing through a number of different topics such as the effect on teacher attrition, the bias found in standardized testing, educational inequity and the meaning of intelligence. …

A Comprehensive Approach For Addressing E-Cigarette Use In High School Students, Michael Ebbert

Culminating Experience Projects

The prevalence of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use among youth has increased at an alarming rate. More teenagers are falling victim to the adverse physical and mental effects of e-cigarette use despite the attempted implementation of various prevention and intervention programs. Teenagers are influenced to use e-cigarettes by their peers, social media, and e-cigarette advertisements. Schools and parents need to work together to end the teenage e-cigarette use epidemic. The comprehensive e-cigarette prevention program will seek to increase the knowledge of e-cigarettes, raise awareness of the harms of nicotine addiction, and build positive peer support influences. The overarching objective of this …