Education Commons^™

Identification Of Unsuccessful Students In General Chemistry, G. Robert Shelton, Joseph M. Simpson, Diana Mason

All Faculty Scholarship

The Networking for Science Advancement (NSA) team collected data from multiple general chemistry courses at nine universities within a broad geographic setting in a majority-minority US state. Data include diagnostic scores on the Math-Up Skills Test (MUST), quantitative literacy/quantitative reasoning (QL/QR) quiz, along with student demographics, and overall course grades. From these data the team determined how automaticity skills in procedural arithmetic and quantitative literacy and reasoning can be used to predict success in lower-division chemistry courses. By expanding this dataset, we extended our investigations to discover what characterizes successful and unsuccessful students in general chemistry, first and second semesters …

Predictability Of The Must (Math-Up Skills Test), Diana Mason, G. Robert Shelton

All Faculty Scholarship

In the USA for the most part, completion of a first-semester general chemistry (Chem I) course lays the foundation deemed necessary for understanding second-semester general chemistry (Chem II) topics. Successful completion of Chem I and II gives students permission to progress to organic chemistry I (O-Chem). A series of studies undertaken by the NSA (Networking for Science Advancement) Texas team began in 2016. Texas is one of five majority-minority states in the USA and hosts a significant Hispanic population. The purpose of this research line is to evaluate the influence of basic arithmetic automaticity (what students can do without a …

Considering Time: Practical Applications For Supporting Students With Disabilities In Hispanic Serving Institutions, Eric J. Lopez, Gavin W. Watts, Mariya T. Davis

Special Education Faculty Publications

Time is a concept often spoken and written about, but rarely identified as an asset for individuals with disabilities, particularly in Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI). The following discusses how systems and processes are impacted by time. The article further focuses on practical applications associated with time in supporting students with disabilities transitioning and acculturating to HSIs.

The Importance Of Faculty Mentorship In Higher Education, Ashley Martinez, Rafika Islam, Julianne Ramirez

Student Research Symposium 2023

Faculty mentorship can have an impact on a student's academic performance and career exploration in higher education. Several studies have highlighted the stressors that can hinder students from pursuing higher education, including the gap between themselves and their peers. However, data has supported that many of these concerns are not only addressed by faculty support but oftentimes are resolved by the increased opportunities these mentorships provide. Faculty mentoring programs, such as the Faculty Advising Program, offer students the consistent guidance and resources needed to thrive during their time in college. The data presented for our poster is from our own …

‘How Are You Doing?’: College Instructors’ Relationships And Communication With Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Gavin W. Watts, Mariya T. Davis, Eric J. Lopez

Special Education Faculty Publications

The Higher Education Opportunity Act has increased the number of postsecondary education programs established to assist individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) in attending college. With the development of these new programs, there is an ever-present need to assess the interactions and necessary strategies to support students with ID in higher education. As college instructors are the primary instructors within these settings and programs, the current study explored this population’s perceptions and experiences related to instructing, communicating, and developing effective relationships with students with ID in their coursework. In-depth interviews were conducted with six college instructors working with students with ID …

"The Change Was As Big As Night And Day": Experiences Of Professors Teaching Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Gavin W. Watts, Eric J. López, Mariya T. Davis

Special Education Faculty Publications

Since the inception of the Higher Education Opportunity Act in 2008, there has been an increase in the number of post-secondary education institutions in the United States that have established inclusive postsecondary programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities to attend college and achieve higher levels of employment. Previous studies have investigated the development and outcomes of these programs, however, less has been explored related to professors' experiences and perceptions regarding this unique student population, particularly within Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI). The current study focused on professors teaching inclusive courses within a new Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Program at a HSI …

Focused On Pedagogy: Qr Grading Rubrics For Written Arguments, Ruby Daniels, Kathryn Appenzeller Knowles, Emily Naasz, Amanda Lindner

Marketing Faculty Publications

Institutional assessments of quantitative literacy/reasoning (QL/QR) have been extensively tested and reported in the literature. While appropriate for measuring student learning at the programmatic or institutional level, such instruments were not designed for classroom grading. After modifying a widely accepted institutional rubric designed to assess QR in written arguments, the current mixed method study tested the reliability of two QR analytic grading rubrics for written arguments and explored students’ reactions to the grading tools. Undergraduate students enrolled in a business course (N = 59) participated. A total of 415 QR artifacts from 40 students were assessed; an additional 19 …

How Getting Friendly With Bacteria Can Promote Student Appreciation Of Microbial Diversity And Their Civic Scientific Literacy, Davida S. Smyth, Simon Chen, Gina Sompanya, Molly Metz, Theresa Conefrey

Biology Faculty Publications

ePortfolios are digital repositories where students can curate papers, projects, and reflections from individual or multiple courses across the disciplines and in a variety of formats to showcase their learning. This transparent and portable medium, which enables students to document their knowledge and abilities for assessment and career development, has been recognized by the American Association of Colleges and Universities as one of 11 high-impact practices. Using tailored rubrics, student assessment of learning gain surveys, and end-of-course exam questions, this study demonstrates how an ePortfolio assignment can be used in microbiology courses taken by majors and nonmajors to measure student …

Systematic Literature Review Of Experiences And Supports For Students With Asd Post Hoc: Findings Regarding Diversity And Implications For Research And Educator Preparation, Eric J. Lopez, Mariya T. Davis

Special Education Faculty Publications

The following post hoc analysis examines cultural and/or linguistic information from a previous systematic literature review of 24 studies investigating demographic information, encounters, assists and suggestions of study participants enrolled in post-secondary education institutions with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The analysis and discussion of results appeal for the need to not only include and focus on diversity but to refocus on cultural consciousness. Implications and future directions for research and for educator preparation programs are proposed.

Self-Determination Skills: Building A Foundation For Student Success, Mariya T. Davis, Ingrid K. Cumming, Julie D. Southward

Special Education Faculty Publications

Among different transitions that happen in a young person’s life, transition to adulthood can be one of the most challenging. The new post-school environment requires increased self-determination, including self-awareness, self-advocacy, self-management, and other important skills that help one function as an independent adult. Because it takes time to develop and nurture self-determination skills, it is important to begin early and continue infusing self-determination into various aspects of instruction. Discussed in this article are SCORE strategies for embedding self-determination skills into classroom settings. Multiple tools and resources are provided to aid with the selection and application processes. A vignette is offered …

Perceptions And Experiences Of First-Generation College Students, Gavin W. Watts, Theresa Garfield, Mariya T. Davis

Special Education Faculty Publications

The experiences of first-generation college students (FGCS) can guide the development of effective practices for supporting and retaining these students. Open-ended interviews with 10 FGCS produced themes related to challenges and strategies for success. Applied thematic analysis identified barriers in school, home, and work settings, including a lack of knowledge of administrative processes, financial stress, instructor communication, and familial support. Strategies and needs of FGCS included developing social supports, time management skills, clear and explicit communication, and acknowledgment and reinforcement of academic successes. Findings align with previous research showing FGCS to be underprepared and under-supported in applying for, enrolling in, …

Let All Voices Be Heard: Creating An Engaging And Inclusive Asynchronous Qr Classroom, Ruby Daniels, Kathryn Appenzeller Knowles

Marketing Faculty Publications

With the shift to remote teaching, many instructors used Zoom for synchronous work. However, this presented issues (fatigue, turning cameras off, inequitable technical hurdles) that motivated quantitative reasoning (QR) instructors to look for asynchronous alternatives. A common technique has been text-based online discussions, which can be difficult for students to find engaging. This mixed method study (N = 41) describes an inclusive video alternative, specifically for teaching QR and quantitative fluency skills, which was piloted in two asynchronous sections and one hybrid section of the same course. Students posted their video responses, watched their classmates’ videos, and wrote short …

Pay It Forward: Realizing The Promise Of Oer For The Next Generation Of Learners, Kimberly S. Grotewold, Karen Kohler, Elisabeth M. Krimbill

Library Staff Publications

Using Open Educational Resources to Promote Social Justice explores the opportunities and challenges of moving the discussion about open educational resources (OER) beyond affordability to address structural inequities found throughout academia and scholarly publishing. OER have the potential to celebrate research done by marginalized populations in the context of their own communities, to amplify the voices of those who have the knowledge but have been excluded from formal prestige networks, and to engage students as co-creators of learning content that is relevant and respectful of their cultural contexts. Edited by academic librarians with experience advocating across campus, Using Open Educational …

A Question Of Affect: A Queer Reading Of Institutional Nondiscrimination Statements At Texas Public Universities, Sarah Dwyer

English Faculty Publications

Grounded in my embodied experiences as an openly-queer faculty member at a Texas public university and drawing from Sara Ahmed’s work on affect and institutional diversity, I argue that nondiscrimination statements at Texas public universities are affective objects which serve as straightening devices on the queer bodies that they affect, even as they purport to and often do protect them. The goals of my critique are twofold: 1) to support the work of those tasked with writing revisions to these policies by offering a few practical suggestions to allow for greater enforcement of the nondiscrimination practices that these policies espouse; …

Psychological Assessment And Testing, Leslie A. Miller, Ruby Daniels

Marketing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Teachers’ Preparedness And Professional Learning About Using Educational Technologies During The Covid-19 Pandemic, C. Lorraine Webb, Karen Kohler, Rebekah E. Piper

Reading Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted education at multiple levels over the last ten months. One common thread that has remained is the online learning and meeting platform for teachers, students, administrators, and families. This study reports on a survey of 560 K-12 educators across one southernmost part of a south-central state who shared their levels of preparedness during the transition to virtual learning in the Spring of 2020/amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Data analysis revealed that educators continued to focus on professional development during the summer of 2020 in preparation for the new academic year. Additional analysis showed that participants’ self-efficacy …

Cohesion: Uniting Reading And Writing!, Erika Warnick, Elaine Ramzinski, Tasha A. Vice

Reading Faculty Publications

The purpose of this text, or should we say guide, is to help all students in English composition classes - whether stand-alone or coupled with reading courses - understand the connections and the cohesive aspect of reading and writing. The authors used their own years of teaching both reading and writing, for all levels in college, to explain concepts in a straightforward and clear manner for students. The goal is that this becomes a resource - a FREE resource – students can return to time and time again when they have questions or need a refresher even after their English …

Linkedin Blunders: A Mixed Method Study Of College Students’ Profiles, Ruby Daniels, Sara D. Pemble, Danille Allen, Gretchen Lain, Leslie A. Miller

Marketing Faculty Publications

Although a significant need exists for college students to market their job skills effectively to potential employers, no prior research systematically analyzed the quality of information included in college students’ LinkedIn profiles. This study used a marketing framework to evaluate the effectiveness of information in LinkedIn profiles posted by current and former community college students. The mixed method study analyzed 340 publicly available LinkedIn profiles for students who reported attending 89 community colleges in the United States. The results suggest many college students may not understand how to use a LinkedIn profile to market their skills to potential employers. Key …

Leveraging Linkedin: How Can Educators Help College Students Market Themselves?, Ruby Daniels, Mark Dempsey

Marketing Faculty Publications

To successfully transition from college to career, community college students must be prepared to sell their skills to potential employers. LinkedIn, the world’s leading professional networking website, provides college students and graduates with an affordable platform to promote their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Unfortunately, students often do not know how to communicate a unique value proposition in their LinkedIn profiles. In response, the National Convergence Technology Center (CTC), based in Collin College, developed a 30-minute webinar to train community college educators about how to avoid common mistakes in LinkedIn. High interest in the webinar as well as responses to a …

Transition To Adulthood: Preparing Students With Specific Learning Disabilities, Mariya T. Davis, Theresa Garfield

Special Education Faculty Publications

With early student‐centered transition planning and interagency collaboration efforts, schools can be better equipped to prepare students with specific learning disabilities for effective transition to post‐school environments.

A Systematic Review Of Firsthand Experiences And Supports For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Higher Education, Mariya T. Davis, Gavin W. Watts, Eric J. López

Special Education Faculty Publications

As students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are increasingly enrolling at institutions of higher education, their new experiences and offered supports impact their success in this realm. The current review extends previous syntheses of literature related to support systems for students with ASD in higher education, as well as their first-hand experiences.

Cinder And Soul: The Biography Of A Historically Significant African American School In Dallas, Texas, Vicki G. Mokuria, Diana Wandix-White

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

This paper provides an approach for social studies education that includes investigative research into an old school building that has traditionally served predominantly African American children, along with a narrative inquiry into the experiences of one of that school’s former students. We offer a unique approach to experiential global citizenship education, in conjunction with an exemplar of this kind of social studies research. The first half of this paper is a “building biography” of N. W. Harllee School, followed by memories of Dr. Njoki McElroy, who attended Harllee as a young child. In the US, African American life is often …

Summary Of Performance Portfolio: Supporting Post-Secondary Transition For Students With Learning Disabilities, Mariya T. Davis, Julie D. Southward

Special Education Faculty Publications

Students with disabilities, including those with learning disabilities (LD) experience difficul-ties transitioning to post-school environments. A Summary of Performance (SOP) document,provided to students with disabilities during their final year of high school, may serve as aplatform for requesting access to services from post-secondary service providers and conse-quently improve students’success in adult life. However, a SOP portfolio may help specialeducators effectively bridge services offered in high school and post-secondary settings andensure smooth transition experiences for students with LD. This article outlines how specialeducators can use the SOP portfolio as part of comprehensive transition planning to helpengage students with LD in the …

Project Search: Analysis Of Employment Outcomes For Students With Disabilities Across Two Districts, Mariya T. Davis, Ingrid K. Cumming, Nicole M. Park, Carl J. Sheperis

Special Education Faculty Publications

Rehabilitation professionals have a major focus on competitive employment, which is a central component of adult life that provides not only economic benefits, but also a social network and enhanced self-esteem. The employment gap for individuals with disabilities has remained consistently high despite concerted efforts to provide access to quality job readiness training and a simultaneous increase in awareness of the value of diversity in the workforce. This study examined the outcomes of Project SEARCH, an employer-based transition program for young adults with disabilities that promotes partnerships among the school and community by utilizing a unique collaborative approach that brings …

Care, Control, And Color: A Conversation About Disparities In School Disciplinary Practices, Diana Wandix-White

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Disciplinary practices teachers use in their classrooms frequently result in life-altering consequences for students who are historically marginalized and struggling to meet normalized standards of academic success. Research suggests teachers often lack the skill needed to connect with students, manage their classrooms, and administer corrective action that is equitable, reasonable, and effective without being excessive and detrimental to the student’s future. This disconnection and lack of judgment is frequently attributed to 1) the cultural mismatch that exists between the majority U.S. teacher who is a young, White female, and the growing diverse population of students; 2) teachers’ deficit view of …

Care And Value-Creating Education Put Into Action In Brazil: A Narrative Inquiry, Vicki G. Mokuria, Diana Wandix-White

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

This narrative inquiry highlights the experiences of self-identified Soka educators in a PreK-12th grade school in São Paulo, Brazil, as well as volunteers through a program called “Soka Education in Action.” Through their narratives, the role of care in value-creating education is explored as a critical aspect of education that supports students’ academic and personal growth and development, as well as educators’ professional identity and self-actualization. This study clarifies the essential qualities of Soka educators as understood and articulated by practitioners in the field. The narratives shared by study participants illuminate Soka education as a catalyst that fosters global citizenship …

Summary Of Performance: Bridging The Transition From High School To Post-Secondary Education For Students With Sld, Julie D. Southward, Mariya T. Davis

Special Education Faculty Publications

Transition for students with disabilities has been the focus of educational policies for several decades. Still, students with disabilities, including those with a specific learning disability (SLD), continue to experience difficulties transitioning to post-school environments, particularly post-secondary education (PSE). The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA, 2004) requires schools to provide a Summary of Performance (SOP) to students receiving special education services during their final year of high school. Although the SOP must include recommendations for helping students meet their post-secondary goals there is little guidance leading to inconsistencies across states. The purpose of this article is to review …

Exploring The Literacy Leadership Practices Of Literacy Teacher Educators, Laurie A. Sharp, Roberta D. Raymond, Rebekah E. Piper

Reading Faculty Publications

Literacy teacher educators must actively engage as literacy leaders who are advocates for literacy, continuous professional learners, and responsive leaders. However, the literature base for literacy leadership is narrow and does not specifically address literacy teacher educators. To address this research gap, the current study explored current literacy leadership practices of literacy teacher educators and challenges they encounter during their literacy leadership pursuits. Using a survey research design, quantitative and qualitative data were collected among 65 experienced literacy teacher educators affiliated with university-based teacher preparation programs located in the South Central United States. Quantitative data were tabulated and reported as …

Increasing The Literacy Knowledge Of Teacher Candidates: Why Service-Learning Matters, Ramona T. Pittman, Theresa Garfield, Rebekah E. Piper

Reading Faculty Publications

Educator preparation programs seek to provide teacher candidates with authentic learning experiences that support the learning process, and one means is to engage teacher candidates in service-learning. Elementary schools are tasked with improving the literacy outcomes of struggling readers, and community-based programs focused on literacy, seek to improve the literacy achievement of its’ citizens. This work explores how an educator preparation program collaborated with a community-based organization to provide elementary, struggling readers with 1:1 literacy instruction via teacher candidates from the local university. The aim is to showcase the process, procedures, and benefits of universities partnering with local PK-12 schools …

University-Based Teacher Residencies In Texas: Advanced Clinical Training For Preservice Candidates, Val Hill-Jackson, Diana Wandix-White, Taylor Gilley

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Teacher education residencies are an innovative but underutilized clinical teaching practice. Perhaps the reason that university-based teacher preparation programs (TPPs) do not employ residencies more broadly may be due to the lack of clarity about what they are and how they add value to the clinical teaching experience. To address this issue, we begin this article with a brief history of teacher residencies. Second, a typology is offered to help demystify the teacher residency as a type of advanced field experience. We demonstrate the similarities and differences between traditional clinical teaching and a residency for TPP, and then frame the …