Education Commons^™

The Development And Initial Validation Of An Empathy Scale For Higher Education Instructors, Jennifer R. Bridenbaugh

Dean's Leadership Council Library Research Prize

The relationship between a teacher and student can be an important part of student success, especially for students of higher education. One factor that may influence student outcomes is the level of empathy a teacher may demonstrate toward a student. Empathy is an important part of interpersonal relationships as it promotes a feeling or understanding of another’s emotions through taking on a different perspective. Empathy can also produce a response leading to altruistic behavior. According to some theoretical models the prosocial characteristic of empathy contributes to the social emotional competence (SEC) of a teacher or instructor. The higher the SEC …

Research Space At Public R1 Universities In The Mountain West, 2021, Zachary Billot, Jesse Fager-Larsen, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Higher Education

This fact sheet reports data on research space square footage for public R1 universities in five Mountain West States: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. This fact sheet includes national rankings of public R1 universities in the Mountain West states based on total square footage and reports square footage for individual research disciplines for the two public R1 universities in Nevada: the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR).

2024 Merc Annual Report, David Naff, Jesse Senechal, Paula L. Ogston-Nobile

MERC Publications

This is the annual report of the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) in the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University for the 2023-2024 academic year. It includes vignettes depicting MERC activities in the past year that align with each of its five principles: research, relevance, rigor, multiple perspectives, and impact. It concludes with a discussion of MERC's commitment moving forward.

Tu-Net: A Strategic Alliance For Open Research: Libraries And Research-Associated Offices Collaborating To Support Open Research, Frances Madden, Lindsay Dowling, Seán Lacey, Johanna Archbold

Other

This year's theme is ‘Where is RMA Going? The Future of RMA in a Rapidly Changing World'. Read more about the EARMA Conference topics.

New challenges for RMAs are appearing every day across the research ecosystem and RMAs are expected to adapt and absorb. Artificial intelligence, academic freedom and integrity, Open Research, education and innovation, professionalisation and broadening of the profession, EDI, these and many others are transforming the ‘traditional’ role of the RMA.

Understanding The Virginia Literacy Act, Candace Bechtold, Kimberly Bridges, David Naff, Joan A. Rhodes, Valerie Robnolt, Tara Davison, Suzanne Alexandre, Michael Crusco, Karli Johansen, Amber Butler, Allison Yandle, Jennifer Askue-Collins, Jean Samuel, Sharrie Merritte, Regina Frazier

MERC Publications

This research and policy brief from the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) offers an overview of the Virginia Literacy Act. It is structured to explore the following questions: 1) What are the recent trends in reading achievement in Virginia? 2) What are the policy implications of the VLA for Virginia school divisions? 3) What does the research say about Science of Reading (SoR)? 4) What core instructional programs are approved to meet the VLA? It concludes with a series of key takeaways and recommendations.

Swosu Research And Scholarly Activity Fair 2024, Swosu Office Of Sponsored Programs

SWOSU Research and Scholarly Activity Fair Programs

On behalf of the members of the University Research and Scholarly Activity Committee (USRAC) and the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) - Welcome to the Thirty-Second SWOSU Research and Scholarly Activity Fair! There are 61 poster presentations and 10 oral presentations involving over 100 student and faculty researchers, writers, presenters, artists, collaborators, and faculty sponsors encompassing activities from the SWOSU Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry & Physics, Engineering Technology, Kinesiology, Language & Literature, Mathematics, Music, Parks and Recreation Management, Pharmacy, Psychology, and Social Sciences.

Doctoral Dissertation Progress, Larry Starr, Phd

School of Business Faculty Papers

Writing a doctoral dissertation in the Thomas Jefferson University School of Business is conceived to be a complicated but linear and sequential endeavor within a well-structured and orderly context. The implication of this is that progress is made by completing a list of measurable goals based on the structure of a dissertation such as a literature review or description of research methodology. These goals are listed by doctoral candidates at the start of each semester in which writing takes place, then assessed by the faculty advisor at the end. According to the Graduate Student Handbook, failure to meet the goals …

Supporting Meaningful Learning Experiences With Button-Operated Robots In Early Childhood Settings, Jacob Hall, David J. Mulder

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Bringing together recent research on button-operated robots in early childhood settings and developmentally appropriate practices, this chapter details strategies for the integration of robots. Educators are encouraged to design and implement robotics experiences that are intentional, active, constructive, cooperative, and authentic (Howland et al., 2012). To achieve these aims, educators should embed challenges within play-based activities and empower children to set and achieve their own goals. Additionally, educators can support children’s active engagement by selecting a button-operated robot that gives clear feedback and by offering just-in-time support as children address errors in their programs. For constructive learning, educators should prompt …

Co-Teaching With Multilingual Learners: Key Themes From Emerging Research, Maria Dove Ed.D., Andrea Honigsfeld Ed.D.

Faculty Works: EDU (1995-2023)

This article presents a review of the major themes that have emerged in over a decade of research conducted by the authors and others on the practice of co-teaching for multilingual learners (MLs) in K-12 English language development (ELD) programs. It highlights six major themes from research and documentary accounts that focus on how teachers engage in a collaborative instructional service delivery for MLs. The authors review each of the major themes and relate them to best practices for the successful implementation of Integrated English as a New Language (ENL) instruction in New York State.

Chapter 14- The Mentoring Program As A Research Project, David Law, Nicole Vouvalis, Andy Harris, Jim Lamuth

Making Connections

Chapter 14, “The Mentoring Program as a Research Project,” helps stakeholders, program coordinators, and researchers distinguish the differences and similarities between program evaluation and program research. If stakeholders choose to include program research, they will need approval from their university’s institutional review board (IRB). Therefore, the second section of this chapter helps stakeholders navigate the IRB. The third section of this chapter describes how theoretical frameworks, operational definitions of mentoring, and methodological designs factor into mentoring programs that contain research. While all formal mentoring programs in academia should include theoretical frameworks, operational definitions, and sound methodology, many do not. The …

Chapter 2- Recognizing Mentoring Program Identity And Applying Theoretical Frameworks For Design, Support, And Research, Mark J. Hager, Kim Hales, Nora Domínguez

Making Connections

Mentoring programs in academic settings take multiple forms depending on the population being served, the context in which they develop, and the purpose and outcomes to be achieved. This chapter identifies critical variables in choosing a solid theoretical foundation for designing effective mentoring programs and interventions in academia.

This chapter specifically addresses four clusters of theoretical frameworks that include psychosocial supports for mentoring, mentoring as a learning partnership, mentoring as career support, and developmental network theories that can be applied to careers.

This chapter is broken into four distinct sections. The first section outlines the process of identifying key components …

Chapter 17- Mentoring Redesigned To Attract Entry-Level Students, Timothy Schroeder, Tara S. Hackel, Yadéeh E. Sawyer

Making Connections

Competitive and highly structured mentoring relationships between undergraduate students and professional researchers are often life-changing. However, such mentoring programs often have rigid qualifications and attract students who are already advanced in their educational and professional planning. The University of New Mexico (UNM) developed a program to shift the paradigm to attract entry-level students for whom “professional research” was still a new and daunting concept. By pairing these students with engineers and scientists at the Air Force Research Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratory, UNM was able to engage students in structured, low-stakes mentoring that helped shape their current understanding of research, …

Online Doctoral Candidate Preparedness For Practical Matters Associated With Their Dissertation Research: A Phenomenology, Grace Michele Baker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the dissertation research preparation and IRB-review experience of online doctoral candidates attending a medium-sized university in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The theory that guided this research was Knowles’ theory of adult learning, which addresses how and why adults learn and why they choose to do so. The chosen design was transcendental phenomenology, which is used when the purpose of a study is to describe a phenomenon, and this is accomplished by collecting information about the phenomenon from a group of individuals who experienced it. The sample pool …

School Of Culinary Arts & Food Technology, Tu Dublin Newsletter - Spring Edition 2023, James Murphy

Other resources

The School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology, TU Dublin, Spring Newsletter captured the many events, research, awards, significant contributions and special civic and community activities which the students and staff members of the school across our (3) three campuses have successfully completed up to the Spring period of 2023. The successful completion of these activities would not be possible without the active and on-going support of the 'INSPIRED' friends of Culinary Arts (school supporters), our school's industry association supporters and our school's fantastic academic, laboratory assistants, technical support and administrations teams across our (3) three TU Dublin campuses in …

A Pluriversal Model For Equity In Family And Youth Stem Identity Research Praxis, Remy Dou, Heidi Cian

Department of Teaching and Learning

In this paper presentation, we present how we (re)consider and take into account the consequentiality of both our own (as researchers) and our participants’ onto-epistemological beliefs in relation to STEM and STEM contexts, particularly attending to the relationship between these beliefs and identity development through an ethico-political praxis centered on notions of equity as a pluriverse.

Obligations, Obstacles, And Opportunities: Conducting Research As A Laboratory School Teacher, Amanda Frasier, Heidi Campbell, Lisa Reis, Holley Ziglar

ETSU Faculty Works

Excerpt: "Scholars have documented that when John Dewey formed an experimental university-based school in Chicago in 1896, he intended that research be a component of laboratory schools (Camp-Mayhew et al., 1936; Durst, 2010). However, the realities of teaching and the bureaucratic structures of higher education present obstacles to engaging in meaningful empirical work. Additionally, the majority of laboratory schools have converted from their original form as public, university-based institutions of innovative teaching and research to private, tuition-based institutions or to public facilities attended primarily by the children of university faculty (Whitman, 2020). However, there are examples of laboratory schools that …

Economic Evaluation Of Teacher Induction Programs: A Report, Jonathan D. Becker, Elisa Tedona, Matthew Togna

MERC Publications

Research shows that teacher induction programs can be effective as measured by a number of outcomes. However, research also shows that teacher induction programs vary greatly from one district to another. Furthermore, there is no research that examines teacher induction programs with respect to costs and benefits. Educational leaders and stakeholders do not need to wait on formal institutional research to do such an economic evaluation.

This report, in combination with a How-to-Guide, the Teacher Induction Program Cost Matrix and the Teacher Induction Program Benefit-Cost Workbook, comprises a toolkit designed to allow school and district leaders to conduct …

May Usd Shine For A Thousand Years!, Srinivasan Ragothaman

Creative Work

This is a poem penned by the author on his retirement from USD service, after 32 years as a faculty member at the USD Beacom School of Business.

The Landscape Of Advanced Coursework Participation: Understanding Disparities And Intersectionality, Chin-Chih Chen, Chris Parthemos, David Naff, Erica Ross, Virginia Palencia, Beth Fowler, Andrea Herndon, Beverly Fludd-Flanagan

MERC Publications

This population-based study explored students' participation in advanced coursework in elementary schools (gifted/talented programs), middle schools (Algebra I+), and high schools (Advanced Placement) to address enrollment equity. The study identified demographic disparities and the intersectionality of multiple identities to achieve two research aims: 1) to explore how advanced course-taking varies by student demographics, and 2) to understand how disparities in advanced course-taking vary by student demographics and intersectional identities. The findings indicate that disparities in advanced course-taking are related to students’ race, ethnicity, disability status, English learner (EL) status, socioeconomic status, as well as the intersection of these variables. The …

Addressing School Bullying Since The Onset Of Covid-19: A Merc Research And Policy Brief, David Naff, Morgan Meadowes, Kim Dupre, Alicia Gaston, Fatemah A. Khawaji, Christina Tillery, Makeba Lindsay D'Abreu, Lauren Powell, Deanna Fierro

MERC Publications

Among the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic is a shift in the nature and intensity of school bullying, perhaps symptomatic of the rapid changes and stressors that PK-12 students have endured since 2020. In this MERC research and policy brief, we explore how school bullying has changed since the onset of COVID-19 as well as research-based strategies for how educators and division leaders can best respond to it. The brief answers the following questions: 1) What is the nature of school bullying since the onset of COVID-19? 2) Which students have been particularly impacted by bullying since the pandemic? …

School Division Policies Related To Suicide Prevention And Response, David Naff, Fatemah A. Khawaji, Morgan Meadowes, Jill Flynn, Meg Sheriff, Lauren Powell, Lisa Gwyn, Tameka Burroughs, Jean Samuel

MERC Publications

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among youth age 10-19, and is an increasing concern in the wake of COVID-19. K-12 schools are crucial spaces for offering mental health support to students, and can implement policies to help prevent suicidal thoughts and behaviors. This MERC research and policy brief focuses on education policy related to suicide prevention and response. It is structured to answer five questions: 1) What are recent trends in youth suicide? 2) What does research show about school division policies that are effective in suicide prevention and response? 3) What policies in Virginia and …

Strategies For Addressing Chronic Absenteeism In The Post-Pandemic Era, David Naff, Fatemah A. Khawaji, Morgan Meadowes, Kim Dupre, Zehra Sahin Ilkorkor, Jill Flynn, Jean Samuel, Christina Tillery, Meg Sheriff

MERC Publications

Although chronic absenteeism has been an enduring concern in PK-12 schools, it has doubled since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. To explore strategies for addressing this issue, this MERC research and policy brief answers five questions: 1) What are trends in chronic absenteeism pre and post-pandemic?, 2) What factors contribute to chronic absenteeism and which student groups are particularly vulnerable? 3) What are the connections between chronic absenteeism and other student outcomes? 4) What strategies are effective in reducing chronic absenteeism?, and 5) What are policies at the state and school board level intended to help address chronic absenteeism? …

Economic Evaluation Of Teacher Induction Programs: A Toolkit How-To Guide, Jonathan D. Becker, Elisa Tedona, Matthew Togna

MERC Publications

Research shows that teacher induction programs can be effective as measured by a number of outcomes. However, research also shows that teacher induction programs vary greatly from one district to another. Furthermore, there is no research that examines teacher induction programs with respect to costs and benefits. Educational leaders and stakeholders do not need to wait on formal institutional research to do such an economic evaluation.

This how-to guide, in combination with a comprehensive report, the Teacher Induction Program Cost Matrix and the Teacher Induction Program Benefit-Cost Workbook, comprises a toolkit designed to allow school and district leaders to …

Bringing An Equity Lens To Eos Research: Report Of Workshop Findings And Outcomes, Shan Zuidema, Katharine Duderstadt, Kalle Matso, Lindsey Williams Dr, Alexandra R. Contosta, Harlan Spence, Paula Kozlowski

Earth Systems Research Center

On April 25, 2023 the JEDI-EOS group sponsored a workshop entitled Bringing an Equity Lens to EOS Research at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) in the Piscataqua Room at the Holloway Commons. The stated goal of the workshop was to synthesize and coordinate UNH’s efforts on geoscience topics impacting the health and well-being of under-served communities locally and regionally. The workshop welcomed approximately 35 participants primarily from the University of New Hampshire, but with representation from the NH Conservation Law Foundation, US Geological Survey, and NH Department of Environmental Services. A keynote address was provided by Dr. Daniel Faber …

Balancing The Benefits And Risks Of Ai Large Language Models In K12 Public Schools, Jesse Senechal, Eric Ekholm, Samaher Aljudaibi, Mary Strawderman, Chris Parthemos

MERC Publications

With artificial intelligence (AI) models rapidly emerging, the potential implications for K12 education are imminent. To illuminate the potential impacts on public schools, this MERC research brief answers the following questions: 1) What is AI? What are AI large language models? How do they work?, 2) What are the implications of large language models for teaching and learning?, 3) What are the main concerns with the use of AI large language models? What are the concerns for use within public schools?, 4) What are the considerations for school district policy on AI large language models?, and 5) What are the …

Adolescent Thc Usage In Virginia: Post-Legalization Challenges And Strategies For Schools, David Naff, Meg Sheriff, Jill Flynn, Marzia Farhana, Kris Herakovich-Curtis, Gerron Scott, Fred Gatty, Priyadarshini Pattath, Diane Williams, Kiana Bradford, Reena Desai, Lauren Powell, Lisa Gwyn

MERC Publications

Recreational marijuana was legalized for anyone over the age of 21 in Virginia in 2021. This research and policy brief explores evidence of the impact of such legalization on Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) usage in PK-12 aged youth, including smoking, vaping, edibles, and dabbing. It addresses the following questions: 1) What are the recent trends in marijuana usage among PK-12 aged youth? 2) What are the impacts of THC usage in schools, particularly after legalization? 3) How can schools and school systems effectively respond to THC usage? 4) What are relevant federal, state, and school division policies that guide responses to youth …

Emerging Issues And Innovations In Public Pk-12 Education: Implications For Strategic Planning, David B. Naff, Lisa Gwyn, Fred Gatty, Tara Willging, Marzia Farhana, Jill Flynn, Cammie Justus-Smith, Jean Samuel, Alexander Campbell, Ciana Cross, Jamie Nervil, Michael L. Schad

MERC Publications

This research and policy brief from the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) explores emerging issues and innovations that PK-12 school districts should consider when engaging in strategic planning. It includes a discussion of peer reviewed literature related to how PK-12 school districts engage in strategic planning, a thematic analysis of strategic plans across Virginia (as well as the largest school districts in the United States), and an exploration of Google trends related to prominent topics in PK-12 education over the previous five years. It explores the following questions: 1) How do PK-12 school systems engage in strategic planning?, 2) What …

2022 School Of Culinary Arts And Food Technology Newsletter - Winter Edition, James Murphy

Other resources

The School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology, TU Dublin, Winter Edition Newsletter captured the many events, research, awards, significant contributions and special civic and community activities which the students and staff members of the school have successfully completed up to the Winter period of 2022. The successful completion of these activities would not be possible without the active and on-going support of the 'INSPIRED' friends of Culinary Arts (school supporters) and our school's industry association supporters. If you would like to support our school and the next Generation of Food, Culinary and Horticulture students, contact us at e: scaft@tudublin.ie

Understanding Contemporary Postsecondary Parental Academic Involvement: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Research Inquiry, Dennis Allen Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenology was to describe the experiences of college students who encounter negative parental academic involvement. The central question was, what are first- and second-year college students’ experiences with negative parental academic involvement? The theory guiding this study was the Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler (1995) parental involvement theory designed to analyze parents’ participation in a child’s education. The background includes the historical, social, and theoretical foundations warranting this study and the researcher’s motivations and philosophical assumptions. The participants were 14 first- and second-year students attending a community college, a public university, and a private university. Data collection …

Research Attitudes, Practice And Literacy Among Kenyan Palliative Care Healthcare Professionals: An Observational, Crosssectional Online Survey, Ra Powell, Z Ali, Nancy Gikaara, Qanungo S, Es Melikam, Kb Cartmell

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: While research is needed to advocate for implementation of global agendas to strengthen palliative care, healthcare professionals’ research literacy must improve to bridge the gap between evidence and practice. A resurgent focus on North-South power disparities, means attention should also focus on understanding low- and middle-income countries’ local agency to implement palliative care research agendas.

Methods: An observational, cross-sectional online survey among Kenyan palliative healthcare professionals currently working at any of the palliative and hospice care organizations operational during January – December 2019, using descriptive statistics.

Results: Among the 93 survey respondents, participants were mainly nurses (50.54%; n=47). Regarding …