Education Commons^™

Student Nutrition Access Center: Impact Analysis 2019, Amanda M. Hagman, Hayden Hoopes, Nelda Ault-Dyslin

Publications

Introduction: Access to nutritional food items is crucial to student well-being, which in turn is crucial to student success. Student success emerges from “the amount of physical and psychological energy that the student devotes to the academic experience” (Astin, 1984). Campus nutrition programs help students eliminate food security issues so that they can devote more energy to the academic experience. However, creating efficient and convenient nutrition programs requires that administrators understand the complexities of their implementation, their effect on specific student segments, and their effect on decisions to either persist at or leave an institution. This report explores the impact …

Identifying Faculty And Peer Interaction Patterns Of First-Year Biology Doctoral Students: A Latent Class Analysis, Soojeong Jeong, Jennifer M. Blaney, David F. Feldon

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Faculty and peer interactions play a key role in shaping graduate student socialization. Yet, within the literature on graduate student socialization, researchers have primarily focused on understanding the nature and impact of faculty alone, and much less is known about how peer interactions also contribute to graduate student outcomes. Using a national sample of first-year biology doctoral students, this study reveals distinct categories that classify patterns of faculty and peer interaction. Further, we document inequities such that certain groups (e.g., underrepresented minority students) report constrained types of interactions with faculty and peers. Finally, we connect faculty and peer interaction patterns …

Co-Design Of An Orchestration Tool: Supporting Engineering Teaching Assistants As They Facilitate Collaborative Learning., Luettamae Lawrence, Emma Mercier

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

This paper describes a design-based implementation research (DBIR) project, focused on the co-design and implementation of an orchestration tool for teaching assistants (TAs) in required engineering classes. Building on our collaboration with the engineering department, we identified a need for a tool that provides insight into groups to help TAs intervene in realtime. This paper presents two phases of our iterative co-design process. The first phase includes the initial design of the tool from design workshops with TAs. The second phase focuses on a 16-week implementation of the orchestration tool and reports on interviews with TAs to understand how they …

21st Century Teenagers And Young Adults Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing: Outcomes And Possibilities, Jean S. Moog, Amanda M. Rudge 3730756

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

The purpose of this study was to document demographics, characteristics, and long-term outcomes of teenagers and young adults who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) and who all attended the Moog Center for Deaf Education for preschool and/or a portion of elementary school. Data were obtained via an online survey that was designed to assess educational, personal, and professional outcomes of individuals who were currently in high school and beyond. Survey questions were about the lives of these individuals after leaving the Moog Center. Participants included 108 individuals who were DHH, ranging from 15 to 32 years of age. …

The Innovation Delta: A Model For Collaborative Decision Making, Mitchell Colver

Publications

In a fast-paced, high reward professional environment, it is easy to engage in haphazard, if not well-meaning, solution seeking. While there are many resources that aid the decision-making process, it is all too common to fall back on our own perceptions and biases as an exclusive decision-making tool, leading to ill-formed solutions.

The Innovation Delta reminds the decision maker to rely on at least three sources of information to triangulate on a viable solution: personal Reflection, formal and informal Evaluation practices, and Emulation of others who have already discovered solutions that may be appropriate.

Communicating Computational Concepts And Practices Within High School Students’ Portfolios Of Making Electronic Textiles, Debora Lui, Justice T. Walker, Sheri Hanna, Yasmin B. Kafai, Deborah A. Fields, Gayithri Jayathirtha

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Portfolios have recently gained traction within computer science education as a way to assess students’ computational thinking and practices. Whereas traditional assessments such as exams tend to capture learning within artificial settings at a single point in time, portfolios provide more authentic opportunities to document a trajectory of students’ learning and practices in everyday contexts. Furthermore, because communication itself has been defined as an important computational thinking practice, portfolios give students a place to practice this skill in the classroom. In this study, we report on the implementation of a digital portfolio with a class of 21 high school students …

“Get Tough!”: A Case Study On The Development Of The Sport Ethic In Youth Lacrosse, Ross Budziszewski

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

While participation in youth sport is often linked with positive psychosocial and physical outcomes (Holt et al., 2017), this context can also cultivate ideals that lead to the development of unethical beliefs as well as unsafe sport practices (Al-Yaarbi & Kavussanu, 2017). The sport ethic is described as the deviant overconformity by an athlete to fit societal expectations of a sport’s high-performance culture (Hughes & Coakley, 1991). Strong beliefs in the sport ethic can lead to moral disengagement, antisocial behavior, and viewing sport like warfare (Shields, Funk, & Bredemeier, 2015). Although the sport ethic has been examined in competitive adult …

Exploring The Impact Of Positive Peer Views Of Girls On School Engagement In Middle School Girls, Christine E. Hansen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study focused on the types of messages female middle school students receive about their gender from their peers. Specifically, it looked at microaggressions, which are sexist messages from peers, and microaffirmations, which are positive and affirming messages from peers. There were four goals of this study. First, to check if the Students Affirming Girls in Middle School scale (SAG-MS), a scale created for this study, could consistently measure microaggressions and microaffirmations. Second, to look at the relationship between when girls experience puberty and microaggressions and microaffirmations. Third, to measure any differences in the number of microaggressions and microaffirmations girls …

The Use Of A Values Affirming Intervention: Does It Impact Math Scores And Semester Grade Point Averages In A Student Support Services Population, Amy L. Debruler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

College students who are from low income families, have disabilities, or are the first in their family to attend college are more likely to struggle socially and academically in a college setting. Promoting college graduation within these disadvantaged populations is critical for increased life wellness. Previous researchers studied to see if when students wrote about their personal beliefs if it would lead to higher levels of academic confidence and better academic performance (as measured by grades). This study expanded upon those previous studies to look specifically at whether a values-affirming writing intervention provided to at risk students in a federally …

Do Booster Emails Improve Learning Transfer Among Parenting Professionals?, Benjamin C. Stout

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Parenting professionals play a key role in helping parents have a positive influence on their children, which is why it is important to ensure that professionals have and use research-based information and materials. Using data from 96 parenting professionals from Utah and Missouri, who completed a 4-hour Strong Parents, Stable Children training, we examined the effects (at 2-months post training) of reflective reminder emails on parenting professionals’ utilization and learning transfer of training materials. Results from independent samples t tests show that participants who received “booster” emails at 1-week and 1-month post training shared some information and some materials with …

The Picture Of Smartphones At School Is Not A Dire One And The Picture Of Student Competence Is A Bright One, Victor R. Lee

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

In the United States, where I am based, one would get the impression that smartphones are a dangerous drug. Adults worry about smartphone addiction, the correlation of depression with smartphone usage, and an excess amount of screen time (e.g., Elhai, Levine, Dvorak, & Hall, 2016; Duke & Montag, 2017; Škařupová, Ólafsson, & Blinka, 2017). News headlines appear about technology moguls who will not allow their own children to have their own mobile device despite they themselves being the leaders in smartphone products and services. This then evokes guilt and causes anxiety for all the other American adults who are not …

Student Loan Borrowers: Who Figured Out Student Loan Monthly Payments Prior To Taking Out Student Loans?, Emily Shaffer, Sierra Walters

Student Research Symposium

Student loan debts are fast growing in the U.S. Individuals who are considering taking out student loans need to be fully aware of the choices they will make. Using data from the 2015 National Financial Capability Study (NFCS), this study examined the association between financial capability and student loan decisions among borrowers, while focusing on how the association differs across age groups (age 18-34, 35-54, and 55+). The study sample included 7,491 student loan holders. In the study, 51.4% of student loan holders are age 18-34, 20% of those age 35-54, and 11.7% of those age 55+. The descriptive results …

Preservice Agriculture Teacher Attitudes Toward The Education Of The Gifted, Olivia Hile

Student Research Symposium

Agriculture classes are heterogeneous in ability level, and agriculture teachers have the responsibility of teaching a wide range of students but it is unclear how much preservice teacher training undergraduates receive regarding gifted students in their future classrooms. Preservice agriculture and technology engineering education teachers were surveyed using Gagné and Nadeau's (1991) Opinions About the Gifted and their Education questionnaire on a 6-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 6 = strongly agree), as well as additional questions to assess their preservice teacher education program. When asked if their Education of Students with Disabilities course (SPED 4000) addressed teaching …

An Exploration Of Kindergarten Students' Use Of Perspective And Computational Thinking, Joseph S. Kozlowski, Hannah Evans, Lise E. Welch

Student Research Symposium

Computational thinking (CT) is a research topic that has garnered increased interest, however investigation of CT amongst early childhood populations is sparse. Recent research suggests that coding toys present beneficial CT learning opportunities for young students. The purpose of this study is to explore 1) kindergarten students' first- and third-person perspectives as they interact with coding toys, and 2) the influence of these perspectives on kindergarten students' CT skills. Four kindergarten students, aged 4-5, participated in five, 30-minute tasks with a Code-a-Pillar robot. The video-recorded final task in this series of five tasks was the main data source for this …

Coding To Develop Early Mathematical And Computational Thinking In Kindergarten: A Case Study, Lise Welch, Joseph Kozlowski, Hannah Evans

Student Research Symposium

An emerging method of integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in elementary settings is through the use of coding robot tasks. These coding robot tasks have the potential to enhance elementary students' mathematics learning and computational thinking (CT) skills. Research documenting how CT skills develop in young children is limited. The purpose of this case study is to examine one student's progression of mathematics and CT skills as they engage in tasks with a coding robot. This investigation documents the progression of a 5-year-old kindergarten student who attends a small, private elementary school. The student and a peer participated …

Effects Of Discussion Strategies And Learner Interactions On Performance In Online Mathematics Courses: An Application Of Learning Analytics, Ji-Eun Lee

Student Research Symposium

In higher education, a widely used online instructional method to enhance learners' engagement, presence, and achievement is asynchronous online discussions. Yet studies demonstrating their effectiveness, especially in high-failure rate courses like mathematics, remain elusive. The objectives of the study are to investigate 1) what online discussion strategies are associated with positive student performance, 2) to what extent do different structures designed into online discussions impact the kinds of learner interactions, and 3) what types of learner interactions are associated with positive student performance. In particular, by applying a set of text mining and data mining techniques (e.g., Classification and Regression …

Changes In Attitude Towards Science Among College Students In A General Education Life Science Course, Michelle Burrows

Student Research Symposium

General education science courses are often required in higher education in fulfillment of a general science requirement for a degree program. However, students may have negative attitudes toward science when they do not perceive a connection with their degree, career goals, or their everyday life. Students' negative attitudes toward learning science can decrease their desire to further their science knowledge (Gogolin & Swartz, 1992). Because a basic understanding of science is important to function and make informed decisions in society, it is imperative that we recognize ways to improve students' attitudes toward science. Students enrolled in a breadth level life …

Suicide Prevention In Secondary Schools, Justin Vance

Student Research Symposium

To aid teachers with intense time constraints, the following summary includes the bolded, most important points in the paper Thank you for caring about your students; by doing more than just teaching your content, you will change lives and may save some Teachers are not responsible for student suicide; we carry enough responsibility already Genuine, assertive communication of confidence and support fosters the safe environment needed Improvements to how we view and speak about suicide can help reshape how young people think about it As young men lose what they care about in pursuit of popular disinterest they lose what …

Parenting Classes For Aces Prevention, Melissa Wells

Student Research Symposium

This presentation will be an in progress report of my Spring 2019 URCO grant project Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can impact a person's life dramatically. However, the number one protective factor for preventing negative outcomes of trauma is by having a stable trustworthy adult in a child's life. The purpose of this study is to help local parents in Richmond, UT learn additional effective parenting strategies that support bonding ties and parent success in interacting with their children as well as prevent unnecessary stress in the family. In addition, we are looking for recurring patterns that indicate which parenting strategies …

Konaway Nikka Tillicum Native American Youth Academy: Cultural Identity, Self-Esteem, Academic Optimism, Tammie Barrett

Student Research Symposium

Through using a Positive Youth Development framework and culturally based education program, Konaway Nikka Tillicum Native American Youth Academy aspires to mentor and prepare Native youth through high school and on to higher education. This community-based participatory research partnership investigated cultural identity, self-esteem, and academic optimism of Native American youth attending the academy. The variables examined were found to be significantly related to one another and to have increased significantly from baseline to post-intervention. Additionally, none of the measured factors were predictive of participants overall GPA at baseline. Lastly, the relationship between cultural identity and academic optimism appeared to be …

Automaticity Of Place Value Processing In Dual Language Immersion Second Graders, Emily Speed

Student Research Symposium

Differences in levels of numerical system transparency in Mandarin Chinese and English may affect how children learn and process two-digit numbers. Mandarin has a very transparent system in which the spoken and written system map precisely onto the base-10 structure in a predictable and regular pattern. In contrast, English has an irregular number system; historical sound changes have created irregularities in number-naming through the -teen and decade numbers that make it difficult for young children to learn to count and process two-digit numbers. Typically, English-speaking children up to about age 9 or 10 use decomposed sequential processing, in which two-digit …

The Spouse's Perspective Of Agricultural Education As A Career, Nicole Hopkins

Student Research Symposium

The national shortage of agricultural education teachers is an urgent concern because it results in less students prepared to seek careers in agriculture and other STEM disciplines. Factors including the excessive demands placed on agriculture teachers have contributed to teacher turnover. These demands often spill over into other life domains, such as the family. Since individuals in the family domain can exert an influence on career decisions of their loved ones, it is important to understand the influence of the agricultural education profession on perceptions and work-family conflict of the agriculture teacher's spouse or partner (henceforth spouse). Additionally, job satisfaction …

Whose Responsibility Is It? A Statewide Survey Of School Librarians On Responsibilities And Resources For Teaching Digital Citizenship, Abigail L. Phillips, Victor R. Lee

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

In 2015 the Utah State Legislature passed H.B. 213, “Safe Technology Utilization and Digital Citizenship in Public Schools,” mandating that K–12 schools provide digital citizenship instruction. This study presents an exploratory endeavor to understand how school librarians in a state that adopted digital citizenship legislation engage with digital citizenship instruction and their perceptions of a school librarian’s role in providing this instruction. We conducted a statewide survey of Utah school librarians, including questions focusing on digital citizenship resources used, current instruction within the school, and inquiries about improvements to current instruction. School librarians expressed a desire to be more involved …

Identification And Transformation Difficulty In Problem Solving: Electrophysiological Evidence From Chunk Decomposition, Zhonglu Zhang, Yu Luo, Chaolun Wang, Christopher M. Warren, Qi Xia, Qiang Xing, Bihua Cao, Yi Lei, Hong Li

Psychology Faculty Publications

A wealth of studies have investigated how to overcome experience-based constraints in creative problem solving. One such experience-based constraint is the tendency for people to view tightly organized visual stimuli as single, unified percepts, even when decomposition of those stimuli into component parts (termed chunk decomposition) would facilitate problem solving. The current study investigates the neural underpinnings of chunk decomposition in creative problem solving by analyzing event-related potentials. In two experiments, participants decomposed Chinese characters into the character’s component elements and then used the base elements to form a new valid character. The action could require decomposing a “tight” chunk, …

Student Involvement & Leadership Center: Impact Report Spring 2015 To Fall 2018, Erik Dickamore, Amanda M. Hagman, Spencer Bitner, Nathan Laursen, Mitchell Colver

Publications

Leadership and involvement programs are an integral part of the student experience on University campuses. Volunteers and scholars within leadership and involvement serve their peers by providing rewarding events that unify the student body. Volunteers and scholars also benefit through opportunities for personal exploration and growth. Working with SILC allows students to serve and lead in a unique way. This report explored the association between student participation in leadership and involvement programs, and student persistence to the next term at Utah State University. METHODS: Students participation was captured by rosters across all SILC programs. Students who had a record of …

Connecting With Computer Science: Electronic Textile Portfolios As Ideational Identity Resources For High School Students, Mia S. Shaw, Deborah A. Fields, Yasmin B. Kafai

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

The development of student identities—their interests in computer science, perceptions of the discipline, and sense of belonging in the field—is critical for broadening participation of underrepresented groups in computing. This paper reports on the design of portfolios in which two classes of high school students reflected on the process of making electronic textile projects. We examine how students expressed self-authorship in relation to computer science and how the use of reflective portfolios shaped students’ perceptions of computer science. In the discussion we consider how reflective portfolios can serve as ideational resources for computer science identity construction.

Equitable Engagement In Stem: Using E-Textiles To Challenge The Positioning Of Non-Dominant Girls In School Science, Kristin A. Searle, Colby Tofel-Grehl, Janet Breitenstein

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

This paper examines how working with sewable, programmable electronics embedded in textiles (e-textiles) impacted the self-perceptions and actions of two middle school girls from non-dominant communities as they navigated their place within science class. Using analytic induction (Erickson, 1986), we explore the phenomena around their experiences and the influence of their teachers’ perceptions. Findings indicate that the personalizable nature of e-textiles created a meaningful opportunity for students to engage in science class in a new way.

Does A Brief Mindfulness Training Enhance Heartfulness In Students? Results Of A Pilot Study, Myriam Rudaz, Thomas Ledermann, Michael P. Twohig, Michael E. Levin

Psychology Faculty Publications

(1) Background: There is robust evidence that mindfulness trainings enhance mindfulness as operationalized in Western psychology, but evidence about their effect on aspects of heartfulness is sparse. This study seeks to test whether a brief mindfulness training enhances heart qualities, including self-compassion, gratitude, and the generation of feelings of happiness.

(2) Methods: Eighteen students enrolled in a mindfulness training that was offered as part of an interdisciplinary class. The training consisted of five training sessions and four booster sessions of 45 minutes each over the course of nine weeks. Mindfulness was measured with the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form (FFMQ-SF) …

Next Steps For Training And Education In Professional Psychology: Advancing The Science And Expanding Our Reach, Debora J. Bell, Jennifer L. Callahan, Georita M. Frierson, Theodore R. Burnes, Susan Lynn Crowley, Stephen R. Mccutcheon

Psychology Faculty Publications

As TEPP’s new editorial team begins their term, the authors discuss their vision for the journal as a forum for thoughtful conceptual examination and sound empirical investigation of current issues in health service psychology (HSP) education and training. The editorial team articulates three primary goals for the journal, including (1) engaging the broad training community in sharing its best conceptual and empirical work relevant to the varied levels, settings, and areas of education and training in HSP; (2) advancing the science of education and training through strong empirical research; and (3) expanding our emphasis on the sociocultural context in which …