Education Commons^™

The University Education Model Collection 2024: “A University Way Of Being”, Fionnuala Darby, Shaun Ferns, Barry J. Ryan

Group Reports

The University Education Model (UEM) revolutionises our approach to education; this approach is grounded in transformative learning opportunities and experiences for all. The UEM is central to the TU Dublin Strategic Intent, which itself is informed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and in the case of the UEM, SDG 4 Quality Education. Embedding the UEM into our practice, processes and culture will empower TU Dublin to cater for the largest number of diverse learners, producing the most sought after, digitally literate, graduates.

The central focus of UEM are our learners, grounded in the three components that comprise the …

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.

Changes In Teacher Salaries Under The Arkansas Learns Act, Gema Zamarro, Andrew Camp, Josh Mcgee, Taylor Wilson, Miranda Vernon

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

• The LEARNS Act:
• Increased the state’s minimum teacher salary from $36,000 to $50,000,
• Guaranteed all teachers a minimum raise of $2,000, and
• Removed the minimum teacher salary schedule and relaxed other salary schedule requirements in state law.
• Before LEARNS, starting teacher salaries in almost all school districts were below the new minimum salary of $50,000.
• The average entry-level teacher salary for those holding a bachelor’s degree was about $38,000, with 39% of districts paying the pre-LEARNS minimum salary of $36,000.
• Starting teacher salaries under LEARNS are now more equally distributed, with minimal variation across districts.
• This school year, 97% of …

Student And Faculty Diversity At Public Research Universities In The Mountain West, Maryam Raja, Riley Ruff, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Higher Education

This fact sheet examines data on student and faculty diversity at public research universities in the Mountain West region. This fact sheet examines data from a New America report by Olivia Cheche which explores data on the 106 R1 (Research Very High) universities in the U.S. as designated by Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Understanding The Implications Of Work Based Learning For Students Pk-12 School Systems Institutions Of Higher Education And Hosting Organizations, David Naff, Amy Corning, Meleah Ellison, Albion Sumrell, Zehra Sahin Ilkorkor, Jennifer Murphy, Ciana Cross

MERC Publications

This literature review by the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) and Institute for Collaborative Research and Evaluation (ICRE), in partnership with the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP) and State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) explores work-based learning and its implications for PK-12 institutions, institutions of higher education, and hosting organizations (e.g. employers). The report also provides background information about the foundations of work-based learning and concludes with a series of recommendations for practice, policy, and future research related to work-based learning. There is also an accompanying podcast episode where report authors discuss the key takeaways with …

The Irony Of Accountability: How A Performance-Inducing Policy Reduces Motivation To Perform, Jose Eos R. Trinidad

Interdisciplinary Studies Faculty Publications

Although sociological and organizational studies have focused on the influence of quantification on behavior, the author focuses on quantification’s increasingly important consequences on well-being and motivation. Using the case of U.S. education, which has long relied on accountability policies, the author finds that attendance at schools with high-stakes accountability predicted lower student self-efficacy, that is, decreased task motivation and resilience as well as increased fear of failure—salient for low-income, urban, and public schools. These associations, however, did not spill over to social and life satisfaction dimensions of well-being. Taken together, these findings suggest the irony of accountability, where data used …

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 …

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 …

Teacher Salaries In The Mountain West, 2019 - 2021, Corryn Richardson, Joshua Padilla, Hira Ahmed, Zachary Billot, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

K-12 Education

This fact sheet examines state-level data of teacher salary benchmarks from the National Education Association, a labor union representing public school teachers and other education faculty in the U.S. Data are presented on average teacher salaries, average teacher starting salaries, and teacher pay penalties in the Mountain West (Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah).

Qa Manual 2022 - 23, Cct College Dublin

Quality Assurance Manuals

The Quality Assurance Manual for CCT College Dublin, September 2022

A Missing Link: Exploring The Connection Between School Climate And Teacher Retention, Christine Lynn Whitt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative correlational study examined the strength of the correlations between school climate and teacher retention in rural, low-income elementary schools in North Carolina. In addition to identifying the overall relationship of school climate to teacher retention, this study examined the relationships between the overall climate factors (autonomy, community, induction, shared leadership, responsibility, and recognition) and teacher retention. Utilizing data from the North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey (NC TWCS), 150 teachers were surveyed. Teachers included in the data collection were identified as working in low-income and rural schools, serving pre-kindergarten to fifth grade. Existing data was requested from school …

Teaching During A Pandemic: Novice K-12 Teachers Tackle Existing And Unprecedented Challenges, Sarah French, Caitlin Stewart, Derek Meyers

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

This survey-based study explores the ways Covid19 has added to the existing challenges faced by novice teachers by introducing brand new stressors and exacerbating previously identified challenges during the 2020-2021 school year. We have sought to identify what kinds of support were in place for new teachers during Covid-19 and how these were received by beginning educators. What did they find comforting and useful? In what work contexts did teachers feel supported? By whom? What were teachers’ preferences for intervention and support?

Association of Teacher Educators (ATE) 2022 Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL from February 11-16, 2022

The Dean’S Racial Justice Curriculum Challenge, S Civjan, Erin Baker, Samantha Wojda, Promise Mchenga, Nick Tooker, Esha Uddin, Hannah Wharton, Sophia Chang, Lia Ciemny, Jacqueline Thornton, Wayne Burleson, Paula Rees

Publications

This Work in Progress paper will present the College of Engineering Dean’s Racial Justice Curriculum Challenge. This challenge tasks all faculty in the college to use their engineering problem-solving skills to develop creative ways to incorporate issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and racial justice in every class we teach. The challenge was inspired by our students, who requested a greater connection between the technical content of classes and real world issues, in particular the role engineers play in either fostering inclusive solutions or contributing to the propagation of inequities. The intent is to engage faculty in the development of new …

Cct Quality Assurance Manual September 2021, Cct College Dublin

Quality Assurance Manuals

The Quality Assurance Manual for CCT College Dublin, September 2021

The Novice Assistant Principal: Support Needs In The Transition To The Administrative Role, Alyssa Nicole Maestas

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Novice assistant principals are expected to be ready to serve as key leaders in a school from the first day of their appointment as a school administrator. Research has shown that the role of assistant principal is multi-faceted, the pace of the job is unrelenting, the level of responsibility is overwhelming, and the number of new tasks encountered is daunting (Barnett, et al., 2012; Craft et al., 2016). This study examined how novice assistant principals experienced support as they transitioned into the administrative role. The researcher used a phenomenological research design for the collection of data. The results indicated that …

Pennsylvania Principals’ Describe Their Work, Examined Through The Theory Of Transformational Leadership, Shannon O'Donnell

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Being raised in a district composed of rural and suburban communities and later spending years teaching in urban and suburban school districts, I was able to define one key factor: successful students had one or more significant adult who provided them with meaningful guidance and support. For many, a classroom teacher and the experiences, mentorship, and compassion they provided happen to be that significant factor that changed the lives. I observed that as a classroom teacher, individuals are only responsible for designing instruction and activities, and regularly interacting with 20-30 students on a consistent basis. I felt that as an …

Education And Anti-Semitism, Jay. P. Greene, Albert Cheng, Ian Kingsbury

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

Many people believe that intolerance, in general, and anti-Semitism, in particular, are a function of ignorance, and the solution is education. We see evidence of this whenever concerns about intolerance or anti-Semitism become more salient. Proposed solutions frequently feature improved Holocaust education or expanded diversity, equity, and inclusion training. As two religious leaders recently urged, “The only thing that will truly halt the rise of anti-Semitism in America is education” (Stanton & Marcus, 2019). Profiles of anti-Semites tend to feature rural whites or urban minorities, but they are almost always from low-educational backgrounds. Well-educated people tend to feel secure in …

Digital Equity In The Time Of Covid: Student Use Of Technology For Equitable Outcomes, Joy Washington, Andrea Woodard, Jonathan D. Becker, Joan A. Rhodes, Andrew Harris, Oscar Keyes, David B. Naff

MERC Publications

This issue brief is the third and final in a series published by the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) addressing digital equity in K-12 schools. It examines research regarding students’ use of and outcomes related to technology. Research finds that inequities exist in use and outcomes for students based on gender, language, ability, race, SES and other sociocultural factors. Based on these inequities, theoretical and practical recommendations are discussed.

Raw And Pure Education In The Society, Iwasan D. Kejawa Ed.D

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

What does education mean to individuals in the world today? Education is a way one can attain or improve his or her ability to lead and survive in the society of ours. Without educational training of the mind, it may be impossible to realize the importance of adaptability of living in the environment. Without education, It may also be difficult to embellish the use of both the mental and physical attributes possessed by individual beings.

What really is education? Education is the training of the mind to perform desire functions or to perpetuate the modality of obtaining an end or …

Analyzing Advanced Placement (Ap): Making The Nation's Most Prominent College Preparatory Program More Equitable, David Naff, Mitchell Parry, Tomika Ferguson, Virginia Palencia, Jenna Lenhardt, Elisa Tedona, Antionette Stroter, Theodore Stripling, Zoey Lu, Elizabeth Baber

MERC Publications

This report from the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) explores research related to Advanced Placement (AP) courses through an equity lens. It answers five questions: 1) What are AP classes? 2) Who enrolls and succeeds in AP classes? 3) Why do disparities in AP matter? 4) What factors contribute to disparities in AP participation and performance? 5) What policies and practices help to address disparities in AP access, enrollment, and performance? The report comes from the MERC Equitable Access and Support for Advanced Coursework study.

Facts And Trends Regarding Performance And Funding Of K-12 In Kentucky, John Garen

Institute for the Study of Free Enterprise Working Papers

Kentucky’s K-12 experienced an 80% in increase in per pupil funds, after inflation, from 1990 to 2019. However, there have been only modest changes in its nationally-administered test scores, and no increases in the past decade. Moreover, per pupil funding seems to exceed that of all but the most exclusive private school tuition. Just over one-half of public funds goes directly to instruction and most funds to local schools come from Frankfort. Scoring on Kentucky’s own student assessment tests, the K-PREP, are higher than that of the comparable nationally-administered tests. Also, K-PREP shows improvement, while the other tests do not. …

S3e1: How Have Maine Schools Dealt With The Pandemic?, Ron Lisnet, Catherine Biddle, Maria Frankland

The Maine Question

Last spring, when the Coronavirus caused major shifts in how schools educated children, Catherine Biddle, Maria Frankland, and students from the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development did some research. They explored how schools were managing and communicating decisions to families. One of the researchers’ goals was to identify best practices for educators to use during the pandemic, or any other large disruption.

Strategies For Equitable Access: A Discussion On Public School District Enrollment, Lisa A. Gooden

Presentations and Speeches

Presentation prepared for the Equity Oriented Strategic Planning Committee for Kansas City Public Schools. Discussion includes an analysis of current practices and outcomes, potential future goals, and annotated examples of enrollment strategies employed by school districts in the United States designed to foster equitable access.

Reducing Out-Of-School Suspension In Title I Middle Schools: An Applied Study, William Thomas Hatten

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Out-of-school suspension is a growing concern in the United States education system and affects students at the three Title I schools in the Central School System at a particularly high frequency. The purpose of this applied study was to solve the problem of high-frequency out-of-school suspension for three Title I middle schools in the Central School system and to formulate a solution to address the problem. A multi-method design was used, consisting of both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The first approach was structured interviews with two administrators from each school. The second approach was the analysis of archival data using …

Strategies For Equitable Access: Identifying Benefits And Strategies For Creating Integrated Public Schools, Annotated Examples Of Current School District Enrollment Practices, And Resources For Further Exploration, Lisa A. Gooden

Faculty Works

Prepared for the Equity Oriented Strategic Planning Committee for Kansas City Public Schools. Includes a summary of the benefits of integrated schools, strategies for creating equitable schools, annotated examples of current practices employed by public school districts in the United States to foster equitable access to education, and list of links to additional resources for further reading.

Reasons For The Theory-Practice Gap In Education Administration, Gary Houchens, Ysuf Badavan, Nuray Kisa

Educational Administration, Leadership, and Research Faculty Publications

The theory-practice gap can be defined as "a failure to apply or to relate the concepts, ideas and theories to professional conditions". The aim of this research was to explore the reasons for the theory-practice gap in the field of educational administration. Participants included 380 school administrators working in primary, secondary and high schools and 57 researchers working in different higher education institutions in Ankara. The views are collected through the questionnaire with two different forms, namely Reasons of Theory-Practice Gap in the Field of Educational Administration developed by the researchers. Data were interpreted by percentages, frequency distributions and chi-square …

Being Global Means More Than Traveling Around The Globe … So, What Does It Mean?, Corinne Brion

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Being global means more than traveling around the globe. Being global means having a culturally proficient mindset. Having a culturally proficient mindset involves celebrating and advocating for diversity and being willing to face our own conscious and unconscious biases while also accepting the fact that some of us are born privileged. I know I was born in and with privileges. I accept that I have biases because of cultural and familial values and beliefs.

This reflection is a product of teaching a course for future school leaders on diversity in schools, my own educational and leadership journey, and my passion …

Navigating School Choice With Racial/Economic Privilege, Lisa A. Gooden

Presentations and Speeches

A presentation created for parents/caregivers navigating school choice in Kansas City. Includes a discussion on critical consciousness, disparities in Kansas City schools, school choice, school assessment, White cultural supremacy norms, the benefits of integrated schools to students and communities, and strategies for families choosing integrated schools.

Supporting Student Mental Health During And After Covid-19, David Bryant Naff, Shenita Williams, Jenna Furman, Melissa Lee

MERC Publications

This report by the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) in the VCU School of Education offers a rapid review of research about supporting student mental health as they return to school during COVID-19. It pulls from literature on natural disasters like hurricane Katrina, the psychological impacts of quarantine, and emergent research on the mental health impacts of the Coronavirus. The report is structured to answer three overarching questions: 1) Why is it important to address the mental health needs of students in schools? 2) How can we expect COVID-19 to impact the mental health of students? 3) What are some …

Developing A Strategy To Vitalize Volunteering For Successful Community Service In Korean Churches: Focusing On The Korean Baptist Church Of Blacksburg, Daijoong Park

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Volunteering is a practical method of community service which is an essential ministry of the church’s mission as the salt and light of the world. In order for a church to fulfill its mission of community service, the volunteer work of church members should be activated. However, many church members are still not participating in community service, and some volunteers have difficulty in continuing their volunteer work due to the lack of volunteer management for volunteering properly. The purpose of this study is to develop a viable volunteer management process to vitalize volunteering for community service of a church properly …