Education Commons^™

Book Review Rural Education In America: What Works For Our Students, Teachers, And Communities, Sunshine L. Brosi, Marilyn M. Cuch, Spencer Spotted Elk, Julie Stevens, Gustavo A. Ovando-Montejo

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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Book review of Marietta, G. & S. Marietta. (2020). Rural Education in America, What works for our students, teachers, and communities, Harvard Education Press. Statewide faculty teaching in rural Utah review this book and focus on actions to meet the specific needs of their demographic of rural students in rural communities. The reviewer’s reflections on the book developed from a Spring 2022 Empowering Teaching Excellence Learning Circle led by the primary author.

Adapting Interteaching To A Hybrid Format: A Framework For Implementation, Carmen Farrell

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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In the world of higher education, expectations of college-level instructors have shifted significantly in the last few years due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Instructors were required to be more flexible than ever before, oftentimes across different modalities. This essay models an evidence-based teaching method, interteaching (IT), that was originally created for use in a traditional face-to-face classroom and suggests an adaptation of that method for a hybrid classroom. The theoretical framework of IT is explained and an adaptation of IT for hybrid classrooms is provided with a specific college-level course …

Introduction For Fall 2023 Issue, Jason Olsen

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version of this introduction here.

An introduction to the Fall 2023 issue of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence.

Full Issue: Journal On Empowering Teaching Excellence, Volume 7, Issue 2, Fall 2023

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

The full-length Fall 2023 issue (Volume 7, Issue 2) of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version (with downloadable EPUB format) here.

The Fall 2023 issue presents research and guidance on topics related to educational adaptation. The first article by C. Farrell describes an adaptation of the interteaching method to the hybrid delivery method. The second article by C. C. Loose and R. Jagielo-Manion describes a study of modules on personalized learning to preservice teachers and its impact on their comfort level and preparation to implement personalized learning in their classrooms. The third article by B. …

“It’S Not Always Poor Decisions”: Shifts In Business Student’S Attitudes Toward Poverty After Completing Spent, Jessica M. Parks

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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This Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) study examined whether undergraduate business students reported having different attitudes towards poverty after completing SPENT. SPENT is an open-access, digital poverty simulation offered through Urban Ministries of Durham. The author used the Reflexive Thematic Analysis approach (Braun & Clarke, 2006) to analyze 17 student reflection papers. The students were enrolled in an introductory finance course at a small teaching institution in the Southwest. The student reflection paper prompts were based on the four-phase Experiential Learning Model (Kolb, 1984). The author constructed four themes about …

Promoting Student Reflection Through Reflective Writing Tasks, Elena Taylor

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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Reflection is a necessary component of learning. Through reflective assignments and tasks, students are given opportunities to evaluate their learning and analyze strategies they use while acquiring and applying course material. Reflections also help students assess and think deeply about the information presented in class and thus better retain it. Through reflecting on their learning, students are also given the opportunity to formulate goals for future improvement. Reflective tasks can be implemented in any classroom, and writing is a powerful tool to do that. This article describes several writing tasks that …

Crisis Meets Opportunity: Empowering Faculty When Returning To The Higher Education Classroom​, Nicole Luongo, Michael Finetti, Kimberly Case, Jay Garrels, Renee Evans

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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This article presents information surrounding how the COVID-19 crisis can lead to opportunities for empowering growth in faculty course development and delivery. The authors show how higher education instructors have implemented remote teaching experiences they used during the pandemic to create engaging learning opportunities for students as they are returning to the higher education classroom. The article explores innovative ideas for communication and instruction, equity issues, and inclusive practices. The authors address the overall changing higher education climate and share their personal experiences transitioning from teaching in a face-to-face setting to …

On Becoming Online Educators: Developing Hybrid Learning-Centered Pedagogy, Rachel Toncelli Edd, Leila Rosa Phd

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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Recent global events pushed in-person learning to online formats. As K-12 teachers struggled with shifting from in-person to online teaching while adapting and adjusting instruction, and higher education prepared to do the same, two faculty members in a TESOL teacher preparation program joined forces to question assumptions about online teaching, reflect on praxis, and revisit pedagogy and practices through a critical autoethnographic study. Building from adult constructivist learning theory and collegial inquiry, the researchers utilized the pandemic as a stage for innovation and an opportunity to study their own ability, as …

A Participatory Exercise In Developing Syllabi With Adult Learners, Laneshia Conner, V. Nikki Jones, Jason P. Johnston

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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Transformative participatory approaches in education are positioned to challenge traditional models where instructors bear all responsibility for knowledge creation and learners are passive recipients of knowledge. The promotion of participatory learning and critical pedagogy is essential to helping professionals seeking to understand oppressive structural barriers and employing strategies to dismantle these structures. This article describes a participatory approach undertaken to guide learners through an exercise to co-create syllabus content in a graduate social work course. Learners identified three themes, concerns, fears, and problems, related to the course material. Learners were also …

Introduction For Spring 2023 Issue, Nichelle Frank

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version of this introduction here.

An introduction to the Spring 2023 issue of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence.

Full Issue: Journal On Empowering Teaching Excellence, Volume 7, Issue 1, Spring 2023

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

The full-length Spring 2023 issue (Volume 7, Issue 1) of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version (with downloadable EPUB format) here.

The Spring 2023 issue presents research and guidance on topics related to student self-reflection, participatory learning, and returning to the in-person learning following the COVID-19 pandemic. The first article takes a critical approach to understanding pedagogy with adult learners by involving students in the creation of course syllabi as a way to challenge ideologies related the roles of instructor and students. The second article blends research and narrative to explore how the experiences of …

Changes In Obstacles To Learning During The Covid-19 Pandemic For University Students And Recommended Solutions, Becky Williams, Sunshine L. Brosi

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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The COVID-19 pandemic caused disruptions to student learning from K–12 to universities and continues to manifest negative effects on students. To better understand the challenges our students face and how those obstacles have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we surveyed our undergraduate ecology students who ranked obstacles to learning they experience in technology, learning environment, and economic security. The majority of respondents report conditions have worsened since the onset of the pandemic. Surveys identified the largest challenges on average were being unfamiliar with technology, using a smartphone or tablet for …

Student Stories Of Online Learning, Carrie Lewis Miller, Michael Manderfeld

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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Instructional designers at a Midwest university piloted a survey based on the Quality Matters general standards asking students about their online course experience prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students were asked to indicate whether they experienced a specific course design element and whether they considered that element to be important to their learning experience. Follow-up interviews with some participants were also held. Data from the survey indicated students perceive their online course experience to be good based on course design elements they encountered. Implications for providing additional faculty development programming based …

Jete Fall 2022 Introduction, Jason Olsen

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version of this introduction here.

An introduction to the Fall 2022 issue of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence.

Full Issue: Journal On Empowering Teaching Excellence, Volume 6, Issue 2, Fall 2022

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

The full-length Fall 2022 issue (Volume 6, Issue 2) of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version (with downloadable EPUB format) here.

The Fall 2022 issue presents research and guidance on topics related to reflective practice and learning. The first article examines the impact of the SOAP Notes tool on teaching, learning, and instructor reflection. The second article provides guidance for faculty on how to collect, explain, and showcase their efforts in a teaching portfolio. Article three shares the findings of a student survey to identify students' experience with the design elements found in the Quality …

Introduction, Jason Olsen

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version of this introduction here.

An introduction to the Spring 2022 issue of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence.

Book Review Of 99 Tips For Creating Simple And Sustainable Educational Videos By Karen Costa, Jason Olsen

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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Book review of Costa, K. (2020). 99 Tips for Creating Simple and Sustainable Educational Videos. Stylus Publishing. This article discusses Costa’s book from the perspective of both experienced asynchronous instructors and those thrust into different delivery methods due to education challenges created by the pandemic.

Transforming Curriculum: A Process For Implementing Problem-Based Learning In A College-Level Course, Morgan Robertson, Marla K. Robertson

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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Transforming curriculum by implementing Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in the college-level classroom helps students internalize the concepts of a course, improve their critical and reflective thinking skills, learn to problem-solve using questioning, and ultimately construct a better understanding of course concepts in a personally relevant way. This article introduces a process for implementing PBL in a college-level course. Each of the four main ideas in PBL, motivation, collaboration, reflection, and facilitation, are addressed with a particular focus on the role of the educator in designing and implementing PBL in the classroom. An …

Full Issue: Journal On Empowering Teaching Excellence, Volume 6, Issue 1, Spring 2022

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

The full-length 2022 Special Issue (Volume 5, Issue 3) of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version (with downloadable EPUB format) here.

The Spring 2022 issue begins with research that explores the perceptions of pre-service teachers relative to learning mathematics and science, with suggestions for how findings can impact curriculum and further research. The focus on pre-service teachers continues with research into their sense of self-efficacy with instructional technologies and whether specific techniques increase comfort level with technologies. Next, researchers explore the products that Generation Z students value most in their learning of a second language, …

Improving Performance Through Strategic Teaching Documentation: The Continued Importance Of Seldin, Miller & Seldin’S "The Teaching Portfolio" In The Face Of A New Reality, Antje Graul

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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Book Review

Seldin, P., Miller, J. E., & and Seldin, C. A. (2010) The teaching portfolio: A practical guide to improved performance and promotion/tenure decisions. John Wiley & Sons.

416 pages. Available in hardback ($), paperback and digital format ($)

Keywords: teaching, teaching documentation, teaching portfolio, tenure, promotion

Editorial: We're Going Remote!?! A University's Tale Of Two Cities, Robert Wagner

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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The COVID-19 global pandemic created a dichotomous construct for higher education between delivery formats and maintaining quality pedagogy. The variables and obstacles seemed, at times, insurmountable but, Utah State University's team rose to the occasion. In this op-ed, Robert Wagner discusses the resilience and commitment shown by USU's instructors, staff, and students as they navigated, and continue to navigate, this unprecedented event.

Enhancing Technology-Based Distance Education Delivery Using Collaborative Team-Teaching Methods, Susan Egbert, Sean Camp

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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Present pandemic-related circumstances have created unique challenges for educators and students alike. Information and communication technology (ICT) based team-teaching and collaborative course design can effectively mitigate feelings of isolation and disconnection, and enhance student engagement within a remote education context. This article presents a theory-driven framework and ‘how-to’ practical strategies for utilizing team-teaching methodology through web-based delivery platforms. Content focuses on student participation and active learning, curriculum- and technology-related issues, and challenges inherent in synchronous web-based course delivery.

Student And Instructor Perceptions Of Online Teaching Related To Covid-19: The Need For Reflective Practices, Mary Bowne, Melissa Wuellner, Jessie H. Hendricks, John Howard

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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Although online learning has been in existence for over 20 years, not all instructors have been trained to teach online or had the desire to teach online. The recent COVID-19 pandemic quickly changed typical face-to-face instruction and disrupted the current educational system by requiring all college courses be delivered online, either asynchronous or synchronous using various software platforms. This paper investigated both instructors’ and students’ perceptions of faculty online teaching preparedness as well as their thoughts related to various technological resources and issues that arose during this time period. Results indicated …

Covid Anxiety And Stress In Higher Ed (Cash), Letitia Bergantz, Christopher E. Curtis

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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College is a time of increased stress and anxiety. The current changes in attendance and methods of instruction due to COVID-19 have demonstrated even higher levels of stress, anxiety, and mental health issues. Tailoring interventions to the specific needs of a campus community has been proposed as an appropriate means to the current crisis. This study identifies the mental health needs of students at a rural college as they pertain to the effects of the pandemic.

Questionnaires collected data from college students (N=33) at Athens State University, a rural university in …

Using ‘How To …’ Videos In Feedforward Practices To Support The Development Of Academic Writing, Sally Quinn Dr

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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The transition to Higher Education is full of new challenges for students not least the challenge to develop a style of writing expected within one’s discipline of study at the HE level. Feedback on students’ assessments can be one way that guides students to focus on the aspects of their writing that they should aim to improve at different points of their study but often students report difficulty in understanding markers’ comments and exactly how to improve on these skills. We developed a library of 27 five minute ‘How to…’ videos …

Full Issue: Journal On Empowering Teaching Excellence, 2022 Special Issue (Vol. 5, Iss. 3)

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

The full-length 2022 Special Issue (Volume 5, Issue 3) of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version (with downloadable EPUB format) here.

The Missing Course: An Introduction To College Teaching For Graduate Instructors, Jocelyn M. Cuthbert, Aubrey Rogowski, Michael N. Vakula, Juliana Aguilar, Kenna Kesler

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

A book review of David Gooblar’s book, The Missing Course: Everything they Never Taught You About College Teaching.

Using Online Genres To Promote Students’ Audience Awareness, Elena Taylor

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Writing assignments that students complete in university courses are typically designed for evaluation and grading by the instructor, who, therefore, acts as the sole reader of student written work. However, most written genres students would--and do--encounter in the world beyond the classroom are composed for diverse audiences who influence writers’ text construction considerably. Because most students will be likely to write for multiple audiences as part of their career or future academic endeavors, it is crucial for them to develop a sense of audience awareness as an indispensable rhetorical concept that shapes composing processes. Writing online presents a great opportunity …

Small Changes For A Big Impact: A Review Of Small Teaching Online: Applying Learning Science In Online Classrooms By Flower Darby, Julia M. Gossard

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

A review of Flower Darby’s 2019 Small Teaching Online: Applying Learning Science in Online Classrooms. This article provides a narrative review of Darby’s work and the “small teaching approach,” focusing on the practical skills that Darby provides for the online classroom. Comments are gleaned from the author and two learning circles (one sponsored by USU and another independent) on the book.

About This Issue Fall 2021, Jason Olsen

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

The 10th issue of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence wastes little time pointing out that the world of teaching has changed. Rather, it shares relevant examples of strategies teachers and administrators have used to increase the effectiveness of their modern teaching environments.