Education Commons^™

Meet Me In The Middle: A Scoping Review On Understanding Adolescent Needs In Climate Communication, Gwendolyn Monica Hoff Anderson

Master's Projects and Capstones

The greatest effects of climate change are likely to be felt by youth. Young people are disproportionately affected by climate change due to their critical developmental stage and lack of power, and they experience both higher severity and prevalence of mental health issues related to climate change. Strong emotions have long been recognized as potential catalysts for action, or they may lead to paralyzing feelings of being overwhelmed. Climate communication is a critical tool to spark climate concern and encourage action. Activism, in turn, may help youth manage their anxiety about climate change. This scoping review examines emerging evidence on …

Preparing To Engage Migrant-Origin Students Through Culturally Responsive Teaching: A Handbook For Teachers, Grayson E. Briggs

Master's Theses

Students of migrant-origin currently represent approximately 25% of the total student population in the United States. As immigration to the U.S. continues, the proportion of migrant-origin students in public schools is only expected to grow. Despite the growing representation of migrant-origin youth amongst the K-12 student population, current schooling approaches have not expanded to address the diversifying needs of the student population. Because public school systems are struggling to adapt to the needs of migrant-origin students, these students’ educational attainment is suffering. The presence of implicit bias, microaggressions, and stereotypes in all aspects of schooling is a significant factor that …

Uncorking The Speaking Skill: Wine And Prosody In Conversation, Efren Antonio Serra

Master's Projects and Capstones

Although the skill of speaking is necessary for attaining basic interpersonal communicative skills (BICS), most traditional second language acquisition programs base their pedagogy and curriculums on lexis and grammar of the written form and phonology/phonetics. The purpose of this project is to demonstrate how to effectively adapt content-specific material for developing the speaking skill at community colleges with adult students who are interested in pursuing a career in the wine industry as a sommelier. Courses for becoming a sommelier or a server in the wine industry are traditionally offered at community colleges under the culinary arts and hospitality management programs, …

Desde El Suelo: Resources For Anti Colonial And Abolitionist Educators In Puerto Rico, Jazdil Poupart-Feliciano

Master's Projects and Capstones

“Desde el Suelo” is a set of resources, activities and reflections created for educators looking to name, understand and heal from the systemic harms experienced in our schooling in order to interrupt these cycles and better support children, youth and ourselves in our liberation. For Puerto Rican educators, this process begins with the understanding that any system created with the goal of expanding the u.s. empire through racist occupation and epistemicide can never be reformed into promoting freedom or social justice. Pulling from abolitionist teaching and critical pedagogy, inspired by historical struggles for Black liberation across the diaspora and in …

Beyond Carceral "Solutions": Using Transformative Human Rights Education In Domestic Violence Prevention, Alli E. Rios

Master's Projects and Capstones

Domestic violence is a choice a person makes to gain and exert absolute power and control over another person. Unfortunately, the predominant structure for addressing domestic violence - the criminal justice system - is rife with problematic social and structural constructs, like patriarchy, white supremacy, and neoliberalism, which are themselves rooted in issues of power and control (Acheson, 2022). The influence of these factors, which are largely defined by exploitative hierarchies, helps to explain why domestic violence remains prevalent. To more effectively address and prevent domestic violence, research suggests that comprehensive policy and curricular reform are necessary on multiple levels …

People, Not Headlines: Teaching English To Ukrainian Refugees, Katherine Gardiner

Master's Projects and Capstones

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24th, 2022, thousands of Ukrainians have fled their home country, many resettling in English-speaking countries. Ukrainian refugees bring with them many strengths; however, the challenges of surviving in another country on top of the language barrier and the trauma they may carry must be carefully considered and given special attention by instructors of refugees. The purpose of this project is to address the lack of English teaching material for the increasingly growing population of Ukrainian refugees in North America. The handbook is informed by current pedagogy on community building, promoting self-efficacy and …

When Culturally Responsive Practices Meet Social-Emotional Learning: A Guide For Educators, Sharon Ju-Ting Cheng

Master's Projects and Capstones

Many educators hope to give their students quality and well-rounded education while balancing all the contents they need to learn. Social-emotional learning (SEL) and culturally responsive teaching, however, are two areas that teachers seem to struggle with (Stark et al., 2021). Teachers have encountered situations where it was difficult for them to support their students due to the cultural differences between the teacher and student (Heineke & Vera, 2021). This lack of professional development in the culturally responsive aspect is concerning.

The shortfall of training leads to failure to apply these practices into schools. For newcomer students, who are usually …

Implicit Bias In Nursing: Raising Awareness, Fostering Change, Jeanette C. Sandoval

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Abstract

Background: Extensive research evidence demonstrates that implicit bias can lead to differential treatment of patients based on race, gender, weight, age, income, language, and insurance status. Evidence-based interventions that couple implicit bias mitigation with therapeutic communication skills can contribute to the delivery of equitable care.

Local Problem: Implicit bias in healthcare occurs when unconscious behavior that is not favorable to the patient population served perpetuates unequal treatment and contributes to poor healthcare outcomes.

Methods: Knowledge of implicit bias in the nursing staff was assessed through a validated and reliable survey tool before and after participation in an online LMS …

Reducing 30-Day Heart Failure Hospital Readmissions Through The Implementation Of A Telehealth Education And Screening Program, Madison Geib, Jo Loomis, Maria (Dupi) Gomez Cogan

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Heart Failure (HF) is a difficult disease to manage. It requires knowledge on weight monitoring, diet, exercise, medications, and symptom management. With this difficulty, there is a high incidence of HF patient readmissions into the hospital, especially in the first 30-days after discharge, showing that patients are not well equipped to manage their HF on their own at home. A review of the available literature found that some of the most common reasons for readmission include poor discharge planning, a lack of continuation of care, as well as a lack of education and adherence to their medications (Mathew & Thukha, …

Final Report: Oer Textbook For Core A2 Courses, Cathy Gabor, Leigh Meredith

USF OER Faculty Grant

This report provides an overview of the project completed with OER grant funds received from USF’s Gleeson Library in 2021. Our OER project was to create a textbook that would reduce costs for students in USF’s current Core A2 classes, including RHET 120, 250, 295 and HONC 132. It was also intended to provide a “multimodal” (writing, speaking, digital) approach to composition to reflect best practices and pedagogical innovations in the teaching of composition and communication. This report will cover the specific plan for the OER, what was accomplished, what assessment efforts were undertaken, and areas for further development. Findings …

Effects Of Teaching Argument To First-Year Community-College Students Using A Structural And Dialectical Approach, Sharon Radcliff

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure to what extent an experimental method of teaching argument incorporating elements from both Toulmin’s (2004) structural approach and Walton’s (2013) dialectical approach effects first-year college students’ ability to write strong arguments. This experimental instruction used critical questioning as a strategy in building a strong argument, incorporating alternative viewpoints, and creating a dialogue between claims and counterclaims, backed logically by verifiable evidence from reliable sources.

Using the Analytic Scoring Rubric of Argumentative Writing (ASRAW; Stapleton & Wu, 2015) that includes the argument elements of claims, data, counterclaim, counterclaim data, rebuttal claim, and rebuttal …

Through Critique And Beyond: Speculative Fiction As A Tool Of Critical Pedagogy, Syd Thorne

Master's Projects and Capstones

This field projects centers around the issue of hopelessness among teachers and students and examines the genre of speculative fiction as a potential tool for cultivating critical hope in the classroom and as an asset to critical pedagogy. Utopian pedagogy and critical pedagogy make up the theoretical framework of this research and project development. The research explores the use of speculative fiction in three areas: activism and identity, student engagement, and utopian performance. The review of the literature demonstrates that the use of speculative fiction in the classroom has the potential to engage students in conversations about social justice and …

The Role Of Aesthetics In Classroom Design: Implications For Engagement And Equity, Giuliana Barraza

Master's Theses

The desire for achieving greater equity in education has been a prevalent topic of research, with many studies indicating that the current education system in this country is designed in a way that exacerbates initial inequities and has a negative impact on student motivation and engagement (EOCD, 2012). While existing scholarship mostly discusses equity and engagement through the lens of curriculum and instruction, the power of physical classroom environments and aesthetic elements present in those environments is less explored. With student populations becoming more diverse, there is a greater need for new tools for teachers to utilize in pursuit of …

Seeking Universal Education: From Singapore’S Educational Success, Gulnar Rzayeva

Master's Projects and Capstones

According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, education is considered a fundamental human right. However, this right is not accessible for every child. Not all education systems are capable of providing quality education. There are various reasons behind this issue. Based on the OECD and PISA records, Singapore has a successful education system with multiple ethnicities and religions. This study intends to discover some characteristics of Singapore's education system and the feasibility of achieving similar success in other practices. In the methodology part, based on a literature review on the education policy and the education system of Singapore, content …

Seeking Universal Education: From Singapore’S Educational Success, Gulnar Rzayeva

Master's Projects and Capstones

According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, education is considered a fundamental human right. However, this right is not accessible for every child. Not all education systems are capable of providing quality education. There are various reasons behind this issue. Based on the OECD and PISA records, Singapore has a successful education system with multiple ethnicities and religions. This study intends to discover some characteristics of Singapore's education system and the feasibility of achieving similar success in other practices. In the methodology part, based on a literature review on the education policy and the education system of Singapore, content …

Queering Beyond Pronouns: The Necessity Of Indigenizing Learning Communities, Gillian Imazumi-Hegarty

Master's Projects and Capstones

Learners who do not see themselves reflected in schooling face mental health, social and academic hardships. While centring marginalized identities and pursuing efforts to queer learning spaces is vital, it cannot end with attention to gender and sexuality. In order to best serve learners and community members, learning environments must commit to indigenizing as well. This paper culminates in a handbook which seeks to provide best practices for engaging with learners and holding space, as well as includes a sample curriculum and resources for further development. This handbook is focused for educators on unceded ancestral Ohlone Lands, and centres the …

Reading With Mission: Creating And Implementing A Mission- And Student-Centered Undergraduate Admission Reading Process, April Crabtree

Ignatian Colleagues Program

The purpose of this project is to create a comprehensive reading guide that provides context of and guidance in approaching applications centered on Mission and Values. This reading guide reimagines a mission-centered and Jesuit- focused review of the undergraduate admission application. Key components of the new reading guide including an outline of USF’s Mission and Enrollment Goals, frameworks on accompaniment and positionality, educational privilege and implicit bias. In addition, this guide rests on a social justice platform of gender affirmation, inclusive sexuality,

and anti-racism. Throughout the guide, there is a continued commitment to cura personalis as well our team’s keystones …

Using Contextualized Materials To Teach English Grammar, Jingyi Yang

Master's Projects and Capstones

Grammar learning is the foundation of language learning. Despite its importance, many ESL adult learners consider grammar learning a challenging part, and the effectiveness of grammar instruction has been evaluated low. This is because of inappropriate teaching approaches and the lack of contextualized learning materials. Inappropriate teaching approaches include traditional PPP (Presentation, Practice, Production), which hinder the effectiveness of research-based teaching approaches. Decontextualized and meaningless grammar forms are additional underlying challenges of grammar learning. This field project uses task-based language teaching (TBLT) as a theoretical framework. The three literature review themes explore the importance and challenges of grammar, grammar instruction …

An Online Self-Directed Learning Module For Regional Stroke Survey Success, Winchell Rodriguez Kuttner

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

The lack of a standardized education for stroke coordinators focusing on The Joint Commission (TJC) standards and requirements in preparation for the stroke program disease-specific care (DSC) certification survey every two years has led to undue added stress prior to survey. The development of tools and resources has been identified to address the current educational gap in stroke coordinator orientation. This project addressed the gap by creating an online, self-directed learning module to assist the stroke coordinators in knowledge acquisition of the stroke standards and requirements.

A stroke coordinator plays a critical role in stroke care delivery. An educational module …

Promoting 21st-Century Learning: Online Collaboration Through Design Thinking Framework For Today's Esl Students, Hande Yildiz

Master's Projects and Capstones

Learners of the 21st-century engage and learn differently than ever before. Policymakers and teachers are now challenged to makeshift into the 21st-century education model and adapt their approaches to better prepare the students for the future work world. 21st-century ESL classrooms should reflect this learning model through a more engaging, collaborative, and student-centered approach. Collaboration and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills are vital in 21st-century learning. Research shows that ESL learners can benefit from collaborative activities and the use of technology improves students' language reception and production. However, due to the lack of understanding of the paradigm shift in …

Competent And Confident: Empowering English Language Learners Through Pronunciation Instruction, Faith Pellas

Master's Projects and Capstones

Compared to other language skills such as reading, writing, listening, and speaking, pronunciation is often neglected in ESL and TESOL curriculum planning and material design. Moreover, many English language teachers lack training in pronunciation instruction, therefore these techniques are not often addressed in class. Learning pronunciation is a top priority for many English language students because it enables them to communicate clearly, have better opportunities, and integrate well into Anglophone communities. The literature review discusses second language acquisition and the determining factors of accented and non-accented speech. It also addresses accent discrimination and the obstacles English language learners (ELLs) face …

Health Ambassadors: A Model For Engaging Community Leaders To Promote Better Health, Sandra Torres

Master's Projects and Capstones

Obesity continues to be a growing epidemic in the United States. Individuals who live in low-income communities’ face inequities in areas that continue to have adverse and long-lasting consequences. These consequences can extend from economic conditions, social support, and a lack of access to healthy eating choices and physical activity, all of which contribute to higher obesity rates. It is essential to increase opportunities for change in low-income communities and provide ongoing recommendations to policymakers to allocate resources where it is needed. This paper aims to examine a Health Ambassador model in low-income communities tailored to residents in public housing …

Supporting Our Troops In Higher Education: Veteran Admissions Training Program, Steven Delgado

Master's Theses

An overview of a Veteran Admissions Training Manual for a California State University campus.

An Effective Method Of Teaching English: A Handbook For English Teachers In China, Zichen Cai

Master's Projects and Capstones

Along with the significance of learning English has been emphasized by Chinese government for more than thirty years, more and more Westerns who mostly came from the U.S and England were welcomed to teach English in China. However, most of them are not qualified to teach, and they are not well-prepared before teaching according to author’s observation, which make students lose their interest in learning English eventually. Moreover, these foreign ESL teachers follow the activities and exercises in the textbook step by step while teaching, which is very dull and monotonous. In the literature review, the factors that might influence …

Self-Directed Learning Practices In Esl: How Beginning Adult Latinx English Language Learners Can Increase Learning Outcomes, Jessica Parisi

Master's Projects and Capstones

This field project investigates the self-directed learning (SDL) practices that could increase learner outcomes in English language acquisition for beginning adult English language learners (ELLs), and presents on a website designed for the learner, the practices and local resources to engage them. Non-credit English as a second language (ESL) courses in community colleges in the San Francisco Bay Area have high enrollment and low levels of advancement, especially beginning levels. Latinx adult ELLs face unique challenges that contribute to their low rates of advancement, including linguistic isolation, and work and home duties that often prevent learners from attending classes the …

Taming Test Anxiety About Multiple-Choice Questions In Academic-Track Esl Students: A Test-Taking Skills Workshop Series, Lori Selke

Master's Projects and Capstones

Test anxiety among students at all levels is a well-documented phenomenon. Academic English learners, however, such as those who enroll in for-credit academic classes in California community colleges, face issues specific to their situation. Most notably, these students are often unfamiliar with the multiple-choice question (MCQ) test format, which is common in the United States but not as frequently utilized in in other countries. Students thus lack knowledge of the specific strategies and approaches that can help them successfully complete an assessment offered in this format. Both test anxiety and cultural unfamiliarity with assessment formats can prevent students from exhibiting …

Using Graphic Novels To Teach English And American Culture In Japanese Middle Schools, Jenna Pollack

Master's Projects and Capstones

English proficiency in Japan has historically been lower than other Asian countries despite students learning English as a core subject beginning in elementary school. To help address this, Japan has brought thousands of assistant language teachers (ALTs) from native English-speaking countries through both government and private companies to help teach English and promote foreign cultural exchange. These teachers often experience cultural misunderstandings and microaggressions from both colleagues and students yet must continue to respectfully teach culture as cultural ambassadors. The purpose of this project is to design a handbook that guides ALTs working with middle school students in how to …

Using Sitcoms In Esl/Efl: A Handbook For Using Friends In The Classroom, Elif Konus

Master's Projects and Capstones

English learning has become the most significant objective throughout the world for learners of English as a second language (ESL) and foreign language (EFL). Unfortunately, most learners do not have a chance to learn the language in English-speaking countries. In most ESL and EFL classrooms, teachers have solely adapted their teaching method through textbooks even though there are numerous teaching techniques to support learners’ language process. Considering the fact that we live in an age of constant change of technology in which students’ attention spans have been shortened, students might lack engagement and motivation in learning English through solely textbook-adapted …

Centering Community Voices Through Children's Literature: Co-Authoring An #Ownvoices Picture Book For The Maine Migrant Education Program, Melanie Shelton

Master's Theses

Since its inception, the field of migrant education has been characterized by a tension between honoring the subjectivity of migrant families and positioning them as victims. This same tension exists in the analysis of children’s picture books that depict the daily lives of migrant farmworkers. In response to Eve Tuck’s (2009) call for a moratorium on damage-centered research in the field of education, this report describes the collaboration process between a representative of the Maine Migrant Education Program and a migrant

farmworker and her family to write, illustrate, and present an autobiographical picture book. Las aventuras, travesuras, y peligros del …

Cultivating Hope, Weaving Peace: Colombian Educators Building Pathways To Teach About The Armed Conflict, Laura Vesga Villalba

Master's Theses

Communities affected by conflict require additional educational support in order to adequately reflect on their situation and learn peacebuilding skills. Research is needed to examine how peacebuilding education is being approached through an intergenerational lens, to address the trauma that is carried throughout generations and the healing and reconciliation that may be brought about through successful critical peacebuilding education programs. The purpose of this study is to analyze the formal and informal educational approaches to teaching about the armed conflict in Colombia. The research methodology for this study was phenomenological research conducted through semi-structured interviews. Results illustrated that educational approaches …