Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Mobile Learning And Cognition, Helen Crompton, Diane Burke

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

The rise of mobile learning in schools during the past decade has led to promises about its power to extend and enhance student cognitive development – for example, by providing greater pedagogical opportunities for students (Mifsud, 2014). However, others claim that mobile devices are most often used to support traditional pedagogical approaches whereby students only passively consume content (Cochrane & Antonczak, 2014; Frohberg, Goth & Schwabe, 2009; Rushby, 2012). As schools invest resources in providing students with opportunities to use mobile devices as tools for learning, it is important to critically examine their use in practice.

Program Evaluation In Doctoral-Level Counselor Education Preparation: Concerns And Recommendations, Christopher A. Sink, Gergory Lemich

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Within the context of intentional collaboration between doctoral-level program evaluation and counselor educators, this article addresses the need for advanced training in program evaluation for preservice doctoral-level counselor education (CE) students. To determine the current level of evaluation training provided to doctoral students attending a nationally accredited CE program, 81 institutions and their program websites and accompanying materials were analyzed. Approximately 25% of these graduate programs appeared to provide a modest level of training. Over 50% of these units did not fully identify what program evaluation preparation was required or offered to students. Recommendations to enhance the program evaluation component …

Building Resilience In New And Beginning Teachers: Contributions Of School Librarians, Rita Reinsel Soulen, Lois Diane Wine

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Building beginning teachers' resilience may contribute to increasing teacher retention in the early years, in turn improving student academic achievement. School librarians contribute to developing teaching skills by mentoring new teachers. This qualitative study of first to third year teachers and school librarians investigated the contributions that school librarians made in building resilience of beginning teachers through a focus group of new teachers and interviews of school librarians. Findings show that school librarians may contribute to early career teacher resilience, especially during the first days of school, by encouraging perseverance, providing nourishment and empathy, and offering the library as a …

Sexual Violence Victimization, Mental Health, And University-Based Health Service Use Among College Females, Julie E. Stoner

Health Services Research Dissertations

Females between the ages of 18 and 24 consistently experience higher rates of sexual violence compared to females in any other age group (Sinozich & Langton, 2014). Approximately one in five college women experience sexual violence victimization (SVV; Krebs, Lindquist, Berzofsky, Shook-Sa & Peterson, 2016) during the academic year. Among undergraduate female students, 23.1% are victims of sexual violence due to physical force, violence or incapacitation (Cantor et al., 2015). Sexual victimization has been associated with several short- and long-term psychological health consequences, accounting for enhanced symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and suicide risk (Basile, Smith, Breiding, Black & Mahendra, …

Examining Effective Collaboration In Instructional Design, Melissa Sue Ferguson

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The purpose of this study was to examine the application of teamwork in instructional design to determine the frequency by which coordination, decision making, leadership, interpersonal skills, adaptability, and communication are applied in real-world instructional design teams. Instructional designers found on the social media network, LinkedIn, were asked to voluntarily complete the 36-item Teamwork Skills Questionnaire, which was distributed and returned electronically. Descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation were calculated using Microsoft Excel.

The most frequently applied teamwork skills in instructional design teams were interpersonal skills (M = 3.57) and communication (M = 3.26). Each of the six skills …

Evidence, Standards, And School Librarianship: Prevailing Policies, Promising Methods, And Progress On A Research Agenda, Barbara Schultz-Jones, Sue C. Kimmel, Marcia A. Mardis, Faye R. Jones, Shana Pribesh, Laura Pasquini

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Guided by the question, "What are the implications of national educational evidence standards for school librarianship research?," prevailing U.S. evidence-driven educational policies are examined to identify implications for school librarianship research; promising methods to contribute to building this evidence base are explored; and finally, progress on a long-term research agenda designed to enable school librarianship researchers to contribute evidence to educational policy is reviewed. As promising methods are explored, an actionable agenda is proposed that school library researchers can undertake to participate in a causal research environment.

Autism And The Academic Library: A Study Of Online Communication, Amelia Anderson

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Increased prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses within the general population is reflected in the growing number of college and university students with ASD. This exploratory study used an unobtrusive qualitative content analysis design to explore the experiences of students with ASD in academic libraries. It seeks to understand their questions and concerns, as well as their experiences in using the library and library resources. Using the social model of disability studies, this study allows for voices of students with ASD to be presented in their own words, not through the perceptions of parents, caregivers, faculty, or staff. ©2018 …

An Exploration Of Practicum Students' Experiences Of Meaning-Making Through Altruism, Debra Paige Lewis

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Finding meaning in one’s work as a counselor has been demonstrated as an important step in the development of altruism, an essential component of counselor effectiveness. Previous studies in counselor education-related research involving program outcomes focus on the core skills of counseling such as knowledge, skill building, self-appraisal and self-efficacy. Yet little investigation has concentrated on the internal rewards of the clinical experience, such as the meaning found in or the altruism development derived specifically from the practicum or internship. This dissertation research took a phenomenological approach to explore the meaning-making and altruism development of counselor education practicum students providing …

School Connectedness And Academic Success, Keyondra Michelle Wilson

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Using data collected from the Portsmouth Needs Assessment (2017) in Portsmouth, Virginia, this study focused on examining the relationship between school connectedness and academic success. The purpose of the study was to examine how aspects of school connectedness affects academic success. School connectedness was measured by examining self-report data regarding students’ sense of belonging, sense of culture and ethnic acceptance, classroom participation, and extracurricular activities. Academic success was measured by students’ self-reported grades and how often did they think that they would use the materials that they learned in the future. The results indicated that a student’s sense of belonging …

When Silence Screams: An Examination Of Reporting Behaviors Among Sexual Assault Victims On Hbcu Campuses, Natasha Robinson

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

According to National Sexual Violence Resource Center (2015), 20% to 25% of college women experience a completed or attempted rape victimization during their college career, but less than 5% of college women file a report with law enforcement (Fisher, Cullen, and Turner 2000). Prior literature indicates that student characteristics/background, alcohol use, and affiliation with Greek life influence students’ chances of being sexually assaulted as well as victim decisions to report. Current research on campus sexual assault victimization and students’ decisions to report has neglected Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) but seem to show that minorities are less likely to …

Exploring The Variant Experiences Through Which Racial/Ethnic Minorities Select Art Therapy As A Career, Mary Ritchie Roberts

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

This study implemented a phenomenological approach to the inquiry of the career decisions of racial/ethnic minorities leading to selection of art therapy as a career. Gottfredson’s Career Theory was used to design interview questions to elicit the perspectives of ten racial/ethnic minority members about their career choice of art therapy. This study used post-intentional phenomenological qualitative coding of data to understand the decisions and contributing factors to racial/ethnic minorities selecting a career in art therapy. The findings suggest factors including: personal characteristics, interests, personal and professional beliefs, cultural beliefs, influential people, social contexts, experiences, and encounters contributed to racial/ethnic minority …

Creating The Fleet Maker - Lessons Learned From The First Series Of Workshops On Maker Concepts For Active Duty Personnel, Karina Arcaute, Michel Albert Audette, Vukica Jovanovic, Anthony Dean, Dipankar Ghosh

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The US Navy has supported research related to the 3D printing or Additive Manufacturing area for more than 20 years. More recently, efforts like the Print the Fleet initiative and Marine Makers are exploring ways to design and create solutions to future problems with the possibility of reducing maintenance costs, increasing equipment readiness, and improving combat effectiveness. The Creating the Fleet Maker project is an effort supported by the Navy and Marine Corps Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education, Outreach and Workforce Program of the Office of Naval Research. It examines the concept of making in order to develop skills …

Incorporating Diegetic Elements To Increase Engagement In Games For Engineering Education, Katherine Smith, Yuzhong Shen, Anthony W. Dean

VMASC Publications

One of the difficulties in developing educational games is maintaining player engagement. This engagement is critical for games to provide effective learning experiences. One way to increase engagement in games is to limit interruptions during game play. In educational games, this can be accomplished by incorporating learning or problem-solving elements diegetically. Diegetic elements are those that are part of the game scene. With this in mind, a series of games for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education has been developed focusing on content in courses that are prerequisites to the engineering curriculum. These games cover topics in pre-calculus, calculus, …

The “Trump Effect?” Challenges To The United States Hegemony In Higher Education Cross-Cultural Exchange: A Case Study Of International Students At Old Dominion University, Raven Alexandra Showalter

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Scholars and politicians today fear that international student enrollment at U.S. institutions of higher education may be declining. While some attribute potential enrollment decline to domestic politics, others believe that globalization may be allowing student flows to diversify across many nations, thus limiting the U.S.’s share of students and soft-power influence. To assess the extent to which U.S. hegemony in cross-cultural higher education is being challenged, I trace the origins of educational exchange at Western colleges and universities from their earliest incarnations in the Medieval Era to the present. I also draw a parallel between the Bush administration after 9/11, …

Instructional Designer Awareness And Application Of Strategies To Manage Cognitive Load, Justin A. Sentz

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

This study examined how practicing instructional designers manage cognitive load in a standardized scenario as they select and implement instructional strategies, message design, content sequencing, and delivery media within various domains with learners at different levels of expertise. The study employed a quasi-experimental, mixed methods design to gain insight into how practicing instructional designers perceive their awareness of strategies to manage cognitive load and implement those strategies within a standardized design scenario. The research design involved the collection of quantitative data from the participants during an initial web-based questionnaire and a second collection of both quantitative and qualitative data as …

Investigating Application Of The Self-Explanation Learning Strategy During An Instructional Simulation, Paul Michael Macloughlin

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Computer-based simulations effectively support the acquisition of scientific knowledge when combined with a guided learning approach. Active learning drives complex cognitive processes that enable the integration of new information with existing knowledge. The iCAP (Interactive, Constructive, Active, Passive) Framework provides a conceptual model to describe different types of active learning. Computer-based simulations fit neatly within this framework. Similarly, self-explanation is a generative learning strategy that fits within this framework. Promoting self-explanation using instructional prompts is an effective method for driving application of the strategy. This study compared three combinations of self-explanation prompt and learner activity (closed prompts – overt activity, …

Punishment As Pedagogy: An Exploration Of The Disciplinary Alternative School, Kaitlyn J. Selman

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

As school districts across the US attempt to reduce their reliance on exclusionary punishment—and declining suspension and expulsion rates are heralded as signs of success—understanding the complexities of education and carcerality remains an urgent matter. Through a critical content analysis of a number of sources, including existing historical and ethnographic research, code of conduct handbooks, school websites, news articles, and data reports, this dissertation foregrounds an institution that is framed as an “alternative” to exclusionary punishment, yet is motivated by the same carceral logics that have long-haunted the school’s practice of managing students.

Chapter I introduces relevant literature on disciplinary …

The Effect Of Emotive Content On Knowledge Acquisition And Ethical Sense Making Using An Ill-Structured Case Example, Tina M. Souders

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Social workers encounter ethics related challenges on a daily basis. These real-world problems are incredibly complex and can produce intense emotional reactions. The use of ill-structured case examples as an instructional strategy to teach ethical lessons is well-supported in the literature, however, case examples often lack an emotional or affective component. Given the importance of crafting cases for learners, more research is needed to better understand how to construct and present case examples to enhance learning outcomes, specifically related to the influence of emotive content. This study was conducted to assess the effect of emotive content on knowledge acquisition and …

Institutionalizing Resilience In Us Universities: Prospects, Opportunities, And Models, Morris Foster, James O'Donnell, Mark Luckenbach, Elizabeth Andrews, Emily Steinhilber, John Wells, Mark Davis

ODU Articles

[From Introduction]

The United States is taking a largely region-specific approach to addressing challenges posed by climate change, in contrast with national and international approaches in most of the rest of the world. In locations such as Hampton Roads, New Orleans, and coastal Connecticut, the impacts of climate change tend to be addressed as they become locally evident rather than as part of a larger anticipatory national plan. Given that regional focus, universities can play a unique role in how the United States responds to the challenges of a changing climate. Universities can be knowledge brokers positioned outside or across …

Using Mobile Devices To Facilitate Student Questioning In A Large Undergraduate Science Class, Helen Crompton, Stephen R. Burgin, Declan G. De Paor, Kristen Gregory

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Asking scientific questions is the first practice of science and engineering listed in the Next Generation Science Standards. However, getting students to ask unsolicited questions in a large class can be difficult. In this qualitative study, undergraduate students sent SMS text messages to the instructor who received them on his mobile phone and via Google Glass. Using observations, coding of texts, and interviews, the researchers investigated the types and level of questions students asked and the perceptions of the instructor and TAs on how the messages were received. From the findings of this study, it is evident that students asked …

Development And Validation Of The College Mental Health Perceived Competency Scale, Michael T. Kalkbrenner, Christopher A. Sink

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

College counselors provide training to their campus constituents on various mental health issues, including the identification of warning signs and the referral of students to appropriate resources. Though extensive information on these topics is available in the counseling literature, college counselors lack a psychometrically sound screening instrument to support some of these educational efforts. To meet this need, the present researchers developed and validated the College Mental Health Perceived Competency Scale (CMHPCS). Based largely on self-determination theory, the measure appraises college student and faculty members’ perceived competence for supporting student mental health. Reliability and construct validity of the CMHPCS are …

Mobile Learning And Student Cognition: A Systematic Review Of Pk-12 Research Using Bloom’S Taxonomy, Helen Crompton, Diane Burke, Yi-Ching Lin

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

The rise of mobile learning in schools during the past decade has led to promises about the power of mobile learning to extend and enhance student cognitive engagement. The purpose of this study was to examine trends to determine the cognitive level students are involved in within mobile learning activities. This systematic review involved an aggregated and configurative synthesis of PK-12 mobile learning studies from 2010 to 16 and used Bloom’s Taxonomy as a theoretical framework for categorizing the cognitive level of student activities. Major new findings include that students are involved in activities at all six levels of Bloom’s …

Listening To The Song Of Life: An Autoethnographic Account Of Teaching An Undergraduate Listening Course, E. James Baesler

Communication & Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

A new approach to teaching the listening course at the undergraduate level provides opportunities for students to experience the SONG of life. SONG is an acronym for listening to the whole of life in the contexts of Self (e.g., discerning inner wisdom), Others (e.g., connecting with feelings and needs), Nature (beholding the beauty of nature), and God (e.g., discovering and connecting with the divine). A rationale and description of the new listening course is provided followed by a chronological autoethnographic account of teaching/learning the SONG of life using the four contexts as verses of the SONG with twenty undergraduate students …

Human Services Identity Development: Exploration Of Student Perceptions, Narketta Sparkman-Key, Anthony J. Vajda, Ne'shaun J. Borden

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Helping students to develop a strong professional identity is an essential function of human services education. The literature on professional identity development shows that new professionals have long term success when they feel connected to the profession and are competent in their ability to perform their assigned roles and duties. Although there is a large body of literature related to professional identity development, there are gaps in the literature related to professional identity development among human services professionals. This qualitative study used an exploratory grounded theory approach to learn about professional identity development of senior human services students from a …

Delving Into The Specificity Of Instructional Guidance In Social Media-Supported Learning Environments, Tian Luo

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Aim/Purpose: This study investigates the variations in student participation patterns across different types of instructional activities, learning modes, and with different instructional guidance approaches. In the current study, different variables, modes of learning (guided versus unguided), and types of guidance (social versus cognitive) were manipulated in a series of microblogging-supported collaborative learning tasks to examine to what extent and in which aspects instructional guidance affects the effectiveness and student perception of microblogging-supported learning.

Background: Despite the overwhelming agreement on the importance of instructional guidance in microblogging-supported learning environments, very few studies have been done to examine the specificity of guidance, …

The Researchers' Perspective: For And By The Community: Processes And Practices From The Development Of National School Library Standards, Elizabeth A. Burns, Marcia A. Mardis

STEMPS Faculty Publications

In this study, we describe the innovative and rigorous phased process used to compose the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) National School Library Standards (AASL, 2018). We begin by recounting previous standards iterations and compared their development processes to the most recent process used during the development of the AASL Standards. After we detail the development timeline and process phases, we conclude with implications for best practices in standards development for school librarians, professional leaders, and practitioners.

Aligning Information Literacy Assessment With Metacognitive Strategies, Kirsten Hostetler, Tian Luo, Jill E. Stefaniak

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Despite the popularity of metacognitive research, and the inclusion of similar concepts in professional guidelines, librarians have not incorporated metacognitive tools into their assessment strategies. This systematic literature review found (1) metacognitive assessments can act as a learning aide in encouraging higher-order thinking; (2) metacognitive assessments can be effective measurements under proper conditions with experienced learners; and (3) librarians have limited options when selecting assessment tools even as the demand for demonstrating the library’s value to stakeholders is increasing. The paper concludes with gaps in the literature and areas for future directions.

Building Of Causality: A Future For School Librarianship Research And Practice, Marcia A. Mardis, Sue C. Kimmel, Laura A. Pasquini

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The article discusses the future trends in school librarianship and its impact on professional practice. Topics discussed include the research study conducted by Colorado Study and funded by the American Association of School Librarians, along with how to respond to the changes technology has brought in engaging learners.

School Librarian As Inquisitor Of Practice: Reimagine, Reflect, And React With The New Standards, Elizabeth Burns

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The article focuses on the National School Library Standards offering entry points for school librarians wanting to execute reflection in their regular practice. Topics discussed include modeling self-reflection for learners, impact practice for student improvement and monitoring the professional growth.

A Platform For Voice And Identity: School Library Standards In Support Of Ya Urban Literature's Transformative Impacts On Youth, Sabrina Carnesi

STEMPS Faculty Publications

In this qualitative study of collaboration between an eighth grade English teacher and school librarian, 14 urban youth from a suburban city in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States were interviewed on the impact they experienced from a yearlong study with young adult literature reflective of their lived experiences. Steeped in the language of social justice and inclusive of the American Association of School Librarians’ Standards for the 21st Century Learner (2009) and International Federation of LibraryAssociations’ School Library Guidelines (2015), an analysis of findings bring attention to the impact highly effective partnerships have on implementing literature discussion circles …