Education Commons^™

Developing Stem Identity Of Nez Perce Students: Identifying Entry-Level Competencies For Forestry And Fire Management, Raymond A. Dixon, Karla Eitel, Yudi Zhu

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

The purpose of this study was to identify the competencies that are required for entry-level forestry and fire management technicians. The strategy is a part of a larger goal to develop the STEM identity of Nez Perce students through the integration of relevant competencies in middle and high school curriculums. The DACUM process was used. Through this groupware process, nine experts from the Nez Perce Natural Resources produced a competency profile consisting of 12 duties and 79 tasks, along with general knowledge and skills, attitudes, tools, and future trends. Findings indicate that the experts view relevant cultural competencies as central …

Preparing Students For A Bright Outlook: Survey Of The Preparation Of High School Counselors For Advising On Technician Careers, Sarah L. Ferguson, Benita Kluttz-Drye, Katrina A. Hovey

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

This paper details a survey study of high school counselors’ awareness of and comfort with advising students in technician/technologist careers. The survey focused on careers designated as Bright Outlook by the US Department of Labor to explore familiarity with these careers, the effectiveness of the current career advising process, and recommendations on additional support or resources. Results indicate participants were more familiar with technician/technologist careers in health and medicine than those in engineering or other areas of science. Counselors acknowledged the importance of familiarity with a career in the career advising process, but communicate a number of challenges they face …

The Influence Of Sense Of School Community On Korean Students’ Life Satisfaction And Comparison Of Sense Of Community For Students’ Gender And High School Specialties, Hwachoon Park, Sangsoo Lee

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

The purpose of this study was to compare the sense of community of South Korean high school students as measured by a Korean version of the Sense of Community Index 2 (KSCI2) and examine the effect of two factors of the KSCI2, reinforcement of needs and influence, on students’ life satisfaction as measured by the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). A total of 375 Korean high school students provided usable data from three vocational high schools specializing in agriculture, electronics and engineering, and business and marketing, and one Meister high school specializing in automotive. Descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way …

Problems Faced By Secondary Technology Education Novice And Veteran Teachers, Sally E. Arnett-Hartwick, John Cannon

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

The purpose of this study was to examine the challenges faced by secondary technology education (TE) teachers in Illinois. Specifically, the study sought to identify and categorize a list of challenges encountered during their first years in the TE profession as well as challenges that veteran TE teachers are facing in their current teaching assignment. Seventy-three TE teachers completed an online questionnaire. Twenty-six challenges were identified and of the top five challenges, only three, equipment, funding, and understanding what TE is were identified as a continuous challenge at each career stage. Knowing the challenges identified by TE teachers at different …

Service Learning, Thanh Nguyen

Second-Year Seminar Posters (COE 202)

Helping the community through service.

The Experience Of Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder During The Transition To Middle School, Hannah M. Berry

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The transition to the middle school setting from elementary school has been the subject of research for decades as data shows a decline in academic success, socio-emotional health and motivation for students. There is a lack of research based transitional programs to support the needs of students at this time, specifically those with special needs. Though the name and specific criteria for students with ADHD has shifted, the impact this neurological disability has on students and learning is comprehensive. Symptoms of this disorder reach and affect each part of the student and their school experience, as well as those around …

My Voice Matters: A Telling Case Study Of Student Voice In Institutional Governance, Eboni Monique Caridine

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Higher education institutions are complex institutions that are often difficult to navigate. Additionally, the policies and procedures that govern these institutions have the potential to exclude the student's voice. Understanding the power relations and hierarchical structures that exist within the institutions presents another difficult avenue to navigate for students. It is imperative that institutions understand their role in educating students to be civic-minded individuals with the cognitive ability to assist in making informed decisions.

Several scholars (Brubacher & Rudy, 1968; Vaccaro & Covert, 1969; Crane, 1969; McGrath, 1970; Morison, 1970; Baldridge, 1971; May, 2010) describe a time where student input …

Illuminating Unsung Americans Sung As A Musical Staple Within American Culture, Richard Leon Hodges

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The book Unsung Americans Sung was first published in 1944 by the Handy Brothers Publishing Company. With over 30 contributors and edited by William C. Handy, this book explores the great abolitionists of the eighteenth century and the climate of Negro culture during that moment in time. The book includes poetry, illustrations, children’s songs, choral works, scenes from major works, and art songs. Handy was not only offering his opinion of the Negro of the time, but he was creating a book that would add these freedom fighters and generational torchbearers into the archives of every American. Sadly, this glimpse …

Governance Practices Of A Private Non-Profit System Of Higher Education, Taylor Hough

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

System Governance in higher education has long referred to state level administration of multiple diverse public campuses under the public’s authority. Recent years have shown the development of similar multi-campus systems that remain under private control. Contrary to the for-profit trend seen in American higher education, these new private systems are categorized as non-profit entities that theoretically emphasize the public good of higher education. Furthermore, the growth and expansion of these private non-profit systems transcend state boundaries while pursuing diverse goals. The proposed line of research will seek to answer the following research questions: How does the Touro College and …

Health Literacy Intervention For Low Income Uninsured Population, Laura Larson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Health literacy (HL) requires basic skills in writing, reading, numeracy, and communication all within a health context (Berkman et al., 2011). HL is a critical element for individuals to take an active role in managing their health. The National Assessment of Adult Literacy found only 12% of adults had a “proficient” HL level. Hispanics were found to be at greatest risk for lower HL than all other ethnic groups (Kutner, Greenberg, Jin, & Paulsen, 2006). Low HL can lead to poor health outcomes including: decreased utilization of preventative services, difficulty in managing chronic conditions, and increased disparities in access …

College Student Depression: An Examination Of Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Gender And Sexual Orientation Diversity, And Help-Seeking Willingness, Sharon Jalene

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Depression is a serious illness characterized by persistent low mood, reduced cognitive capacity, and fatigue. Although treatable, depression is the leading cause of disability and ill-health worldwide and a significant contributor to suicide, the second leading cause of death for young Americans. In any given two-week period, 8.1% of adults in the United States had moderate to severe depression (2013-2016). The rate of depression for females was twice that of males and compared to the majority, sexual and gender minorities (SGM) were at a threefold risk. Furthermore, evidence suggests that depression incidence is three times higher in college students than …

Exploring The Utility Of Mindfulness In The Elementary School Classroom, Sarah M. Wells

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Current evidence supporting the efficacy of mindfulness training in the K-12 setting is quite limited. In addition there is a lack of theory that is committed explicitly to explaining how a direct mindfulness-achievement effect might appear. This study builds a promising foundation for helping address this gap in the existing literature. Framed within the context of a limited source model of self-regulation, academic achievement and perceptions of third, fourth, and, fifth graders participating in a 3-week mindfulness training program were examined across variables of executive control, and emotional regulation. Mindfulness training produced observed emotional and cognitive benefits, including increased executive …

Motivation And Gesture In Foreign And Second Language Development: A Sociocultural Study Of Chinese Learners Of English, Lixian Tian

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation study investigated motivation as related to goal-directed activity and gesture awareness as well as their interplay in second and foreign language development in different English as a foreign language (EFL) and English as a second language (ESL) contexts. This study included four groups of Chinese learners of English. The first EFL group consisted of college students in China learning English without intention of studying abroad (G1) and the second EFL group in China included Chinese learners of English who were learning English to prepare to study abroad (G2). Participants in the first ESL group were living and studying …

Motivation And Online Information Literacy Instruction: A Self-Determination Theory Approach, Francesca Marineo

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Information literacy skills, including critical thinking and problem-solving skills, are imperative for academic, personal, and professional success. Unfortunately, many students graduate only to be more daunted than ever by the vast amount of information available to them and increasingly rely on convenience over quality in their information-seeking behaviors. This study hoped to address this by increasing students’ motivation for engaging in an online information literacy module. Using self-determination theory (SDT) from the field of motivation, motivationally-supportive modules were designed to support students’ feelings of autonomy and competence and ultimately grades on their final research assignment. Experimental conditions included providing relevance, …

Project 150, Edith Garibay

Second-Year Seminar Posters (COE 202)

Project 150 addresses the issue of youth homelessness in the Clark County School District. Project 150 currently serves more than 6,000 disadvantaged high school students at 58 schools in Southern Nevada.

Exploring Transitions Back And Into College: Stories Of Adult Women, Laura Bennett

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Women are juggling multiple roles such as mother, wife, partner and employee that could

intensify a complex transition process to a new role of college student (Lin, 2016; Noll, Reichlin, & Gualt, 2017; Veney, O’Green & Kowalik, 2012). The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe a transition process of women to a role of college student a to understand why they might not graduate. Sociocultural theory embedded within Schlossberg’s transition model assisted with understanding the transition process of moving-in, moving-through, and moving-out. A qualitative research design was employed to describe this complex transition process and to answer the …

Factors That Influence Nontraditional Adult Learners' Online Course Persistence: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Study, Millicent D. Braxton

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Historically, the typical first-year college student was an 18-year-old high school graduate still living at home. However, today’s college students are frequently older adults pursuing higher education in record numbers and for a myriad of reasons. In fact, these older students are nontraditional adult learners (NALs), and they are the new majority student population (NCES, 2012). Nontraditional adult learners are identified as a student 25-years and older, entering college for the first time or re-entering college after a gap in their education. Additionally, NALs prefer to enroll in online courses because of the convenience and flexibility of online learning. However, …

Large Group Video Modeling: Increasing Social Interactions In An Inclusive Head Start Classroom, Jennifer Margaret Buchter

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Social skills are associated positive academic and well-being outcomes across the lifespan, especially for individuals with disabiliites (Carter, Sisco, Chung, & Stanton-Chapman, 2010; Hirsh-Pasek, Golinkoff, Berk, & Singer, 2009; Lifter, Mason, & Barton, 2011; Rubin, Bukowski, & Laursen, 2009). Without instruction, children with disabilities often have social skill delays that result in social isolation and peer rejection (Barton, 2015; Goldstein, English, Shafer, & Kaczmarek, 1997; Gresham, 1982; Nelson, McDonnell, Johnson, Crompton, & Nelson, 2007; Rogers, 2000; Travis, Sigman, & Ruskin, 2001). Direct and explicit instruction, not only for the targeted child but also for their peers, is required to support …

Assessing The Long-Term Effects Of A Cultural Immersion Experience On Nursing Practice, Karen H. De La Cruz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Cultural immersion has been identified as a preferred method of teaching cultural competence in undergraduate nursing education. Multiple qualitative and quantitative studies have shown that baccalaureate nursing students enjoy international learning experiences and, based on self-efficacy evaluations, feel they have increased cultural competency following immersion experiences. However, there is little evidence to indicate concepts learned during undergraduate cultural competency course work is retained or integrated into nursing practice after leaving the milieu of academia.

To inform future cultural competency educational efforts, I conducted a qualitative phenomenological study to provide a baseline of evidence regarding the impact of a cultural immersion …

Implications Of An Iterative Design Experiment In Transcendental And Polynomial Functions Within A Flipped Classroom, Aaron Boyd Harris

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study explores an iterative design research experiment of a flipped mathematics classroom over the span of five curricular units involving big ideas of transcendental and polynomial functions. Transcendental and polynomial functions involve an algebraic, analytic, and graphical approach to the concepts and procedures of exponential, logarithmic, power, cubic, quadratic, linear, and rational functions. The Compleat design research methodology (Middleton, Gorard, Taylor, & Bannan-Ritland, 2008) was used to explore a series of instructional sequences that an instructor implemented in a flipped classroom while teaching big ideas of transcendental and polynomial functions.

The experiment occurred over the course of a sixteen-week …

Beyond Right Or Wrong: The Influences Of Thinking Disposition And Item Difficulty On Student Behavior During High-Stakes Testing, Kristina Lindquist

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A hallmark of clinician decision making is the ability to know when to make quick decisions and when decision making should be slowed to account for complicating factors. Throughout the physician training process, multiple choice test items are used to assess student knowledge however, these items do not assess the process used by a student to arrive at the answer choice. If an important characteristic of decisions in clinical practice is timing, then decision timing could be an important consideration for medical school assessments. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to investigate factors that may affect the amount of …

University Methodist Church, Michael Malikian

Second-Year Seminar Posters (COE 202)

Helping the community through service.

Project 150: High School’S Tough Enough, Korina Czajka

Second-Year Seminar Posters (COE 202)

Project 150 addresses the issue of youth homelessness in the Clark County School District. Project 150 currently serves more than 6,000 disadvantaged high school students at 58 schools in Southern Nevada.

Centering Preservice Teachers Of Color Through Culturally Relevant Critical Teacher Care: A Critical Race Transformative Convergent Mixed-Methods Analysis, Tara Joann Plachowski

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The reproduction of white supremacist culture in schools continues to marginalize Students of Color in a variety of implicit, explicit, and systemic ways. As teachers are the one of the key arbiters of school culture, teacher education presents itself as a vital locus in need of critical inquiry and radical change. A diverse teacher workforce not only helps to disrupt the direct effects of racism on Students of Color, but also prepares all students for successful democratic participation in a diverse global society (Sleeter, 2011). This study of teacher education examines the teacher demographic diversity gap within a College of …

Creative Self-Efficacy: Students In General Education, With Learning Disabilities, And With Gifts And Talents, Jennifer Elaine Smith

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Creative self-efficacy is the belief in one’s own ability to be creative. It is a component of creativity and is vital for future success. Within the construct of creative thinking, four areas of creative thinking (i.e., fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and originality) have been suggested.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception of creative self-efficacy in third, fourth, and fifth grade students in general education, with learning disabilities, and with gifts and talents in terms of fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and originality. Along with educational sub-type and grade level, an exploration of the relationship of gender and ethnicity were …

Implementing A Heart Failure Education Program For Bedside Nurses In The Acute Care Setting, David L. Morrow

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Heart failure is a chronic disease in which a weakened heart is no longer able to deliver adequate blood flow to supply the body with needed oxygen and nutrients. Heart failure is the most common reason for hospitalization in the United States for patients age 65 and over, accounting for over 1,000,000 hospital admissions annually. Due to the chronic nature of this debilitating condition and associated symptoms, patients discharged from the hospital with a diagnosis of heart failure are at high risk for readmission. Effective self-care behaviors have been shown to reduce readmissions and improve quality of life for these …

The Crossing, A Christian Church, Victoria Pierce

Second-Year Seminar Posters (COE 202)

Helping the community through service.

Teacher Training And Teaching Practice: The Case Of Niger’S English As A Foreign Language Teachers, Peter Wiens, Elena Andrei, Annie Chou, April Smith, Billa Anassour

Teaching and Learning Faculty Research

There continues to be a debate as to the role and value of educator preparation programs throughout the world. This paper examines self-report data of the instructional language learning methods of Nigerien English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers. This study sought to understand what instructional methods EFL teachers are using in their classrooms and if there is any connection between instructional methods and teacher training. All EFL teachers in Niger were surveyed to answer these questions. Teachers used a variety of instructional methods based on their preservice training; however, these differences were contained to teachers in their first five …

Unlv Top Tier Focus - Academic Health Center Theme/Goal, University Of Nevada, Las Vegas

Focus on Top Tier 2.0

No abstract provided.

The Causes And Consequences Of Student Discipline Disparities, Jon Valant

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

As part of the Brookings Scholar Lecture Series, Brookings Mountain West invites you to a lecture titled "The Causes and Consequences of Student Discipline Disparities " by Fellow in Governance Studies, Brown Center on Education Policy, Jon Valant. Students of color and students from low-income families are suspended or expelled from school at much higher rates than their white and non-poor peers. This lecture presented data on discipline disparities. It considered explanations such as discrimination in how schools punish students and whether majority-minority and majority-white schools approach discipline differently. This discussion is placed in the context of local, state, and …