Adult and Continuing Education Commons^™

Student Centered Language Teaching: A Focus On Student Identity, Rachel Mano

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

This portfolio is a compilation of essays that describe what the writer has come to see as essential topics in second language acquisition. It begins with a professional environment piece, and then a teaching philosophy statement focused on student identity and interaction in the classroom. This is followed by an essay on observations of teaching. The next two sections focus on pragmatic resistance among advanced learners and the importance of preparing learners for peer interaction. The portfolio concludes with an annotated bibliography outlining the main concepts associated with Communicative Language Teaching, a method that is commonly employed in second language …

Exploring (Mis)Alignments Between First-Year Students’ Expectations And Experiences, Matthew G. Meyers

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Understanding what expectations first-year students have for their first semester of college can help university faculty, staff, and administrators have a better understanding of how to best provide support and resources that meet the needs of their students and lay the necessary foundations for their academic and social success early on. Unfortunately, many students report a variety of social, academic, personal, and environmental experiences that do not fully match their expectations. The purpose of this study was to examine what expectations and experiences first-year college students had about their first semester and how they interpreted both alignments and misalignments between …

Developing A Bachelor’S Level Creativity Course Outline Through An Understanding Of Neuroscience, Juliette M. Ripley-Dunkelberger

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

This project documents the creative process of developing a bachelor’s level basics of creativity course. Through conversations with instructors who teach creativity courses, learning models and approaches in adult education, and analysis of lower division student’s needs, the course focus was established as a basics of creativity course based in an understanding of the neuroscience of creativity. Learning goals, objectives, activities, and assessments were developed for lower division students.

Mental Health Burden Among College Students During Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study, Jeffrey Bao Truong

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is a significant public health issue and has negatively burdened the general population’s health, though assessment among vulnerable groups remain limited. The present study aimed to evaluate the mental health burden of the COVID-19 pandemic among college students.

Method:This study utilized a cross-sectional approach. Courses across multiple departments were used to collect data in order to ensure a diversity of majors. All statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 28 with p <.05 denoting significance.

Results: A total of 98 study participants were included in analyses. Among study participants, 32%reported feeling their mental health worsened due to COVID-19 …

Perceptions Of Teachers & Parents On Creativity In Schools: A Business Solution To Support Student Creativity Through Adult Training, Keriann Armusewicz

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Using research on the perceptions of creativity from parents and teachers, a business proposal is developed to support student creativity in schools through adult training. Perceptions of creativity vary greatly for teachers and are more consistent for parents. One possibility for this is that there is much more research about teacher perceptions than parent perceptions for this topic. One consistent finding across both populations is that when an adult has higher self-efficacy for creativity they are better able to identify and support creativity in others. Thus, a business plan has been developed to increase personal creativity in teachers and parents …

Fostering Creativity In Education Including Natural Environments: A Course On Creativity For Children In Colombia, Tatiana Ortiz-Pradilla

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

This project is a contribution to the field of creativity and education. The project aimed to connect the research-based knowledge on how natural environments enhance creativity and put it in the service of creativity education for children. The main objective was to design a prototype of a course outline of a continuing education course on creativity that leverages the knowledge of the connection between creativity and natural environments for children between 7 and 12 years old in Medellín, Colombia, South America.

Addressing Imposter Syndrome Among First-Generation College Students, Ana Gomez Salvatierra

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The transition to college may be challenging for first-generation college students (FGCS). FGCS are individuals whose parents did not have the opportunity to pursue their bachelor's degrees. Therefore, FGCS may not have enough knowledge of the expectations of college. As a result, they may experience imposter syndrome, family achievement guilt, and not have enough social support to guide them through their college journey. This capstone paper focuses on the experiences of FGCS who have encountered imposter syndrome, family achievement guilt, and how social support can provide them with the reassurance that they do belong in the spaces they are in. …

Targeting Inflammation In Heat-Stressed Wethers Improves Growth And Efficiency And Alters Body Composition: A Brief Exploration And Application Of Extension Principles, Micah Samuel Most

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The objective of our first study was to determine how administering anti-inflammatory dexamethasone and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-rich fish oil affects growth efficiency and body composition in heat-stressed finishing lambs. Commercial wethers were randomly assigned to be fed under heat stress (35-40 ℃) or thermoneutral (19 ℃, n = 10) conditions for 30 d, and controls were pair-fed to eliminate differential feed intake. Heat-stressed wethers were randomly assigned to receive clinical-dose dexamethasone IM injections every 72 h, twice daily fish oil capsule oral boluses, or placebos. Heat stress decreased (P < 0.05) growth and efficiency, but dexamethasone and fish oil supplementation recovered these performance measures. Heat stress also decreased (P < 0.05) predictive body composition metrics that were at least partially improved by administration of dexamethasone and fish oil. Proximate analyses of muscles showed that heat stress decreased (P < 0.05) percentage of protein and increased (P < 0.05) percentage of intramuscular fat, neither of which was improved by dexamethasone or fish oil. Immunohistochemistry revealed that heat stress decreased (P < 0.05) myoblast differentiation and muscle fiber size, but anti-inflammatory supplementation recovered differentiation only. Plasma IGF-1 concentrations were not different among groups throughout the study. These findings demonstrate how heat stress-induced inflammation contributes to impaired growth, efficiency, and body composition observed in heat-stressed feeder lambs. However, targeting inflammation with dexamethasone or fish oil recovers many of these deficits.

The Cooperative …

Students' Perceptions Of Foreign Professors At A Historically Black College And University (Hbcu), Caleb D.E Butiko

Dissertations (2016-Present)

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of gender, teaching styles, student cultural awareness, professor’s accent, and ethnicity on students’ perceptions of foreign professors at a Historically Black College and University. Multiple regression was used for the analysis of this study. The predictor variables were analyzed through a pilot study to ensure that they were related to the dependent or criterion variable, as required of multiple regression models. Two hundred students participated in this study, during the Fall semester of 2021. All the subjects completed a questionnaire on students’ perceptions of foreign professors. The results revealed that …

Analyzing Carroll’S Model Of School Learning, Degree Of Learning, In Adult Basic Education, John Kelly

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined Carroll’s Model of School Learning (MSL) on adult basic education (ABE). The study's central question was, “Does Carroll's MSL account for additional variance in TABE 11 or 12 scores beyond instructional time after controlling for age?” A non-experimental cross-sectional design was employed to explore the fiscal year 2019–2020 dataset (n=99) from Arkansas ABE centers to show how instructional time and MSL account for variation in adults’ post-test reading scores. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were run to predict the correlation between MSL and the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) Reading score. The results show that MSL is …

Pronunciation Classes For Intermediate English Learners In The Literacy Program, May A. Her

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Monterey County Free Libraries is a public government organization that provides a wide range of resources and services for residents of Monterey County including a Literacy Program that serves 52 learners who are eligible to participate in this capstone project. The macro problem that this project is related to is the increasing number of immigrant residents who do not have access to equal educational opportunities in Monterey County. The micro problem is that learners who have participated in the Literacy Program are not confident with their English pronunciation even after their initial tutoring sessions conclude. This project provided an educational …

Intervention Program To Ease The Transition Out Of High School, Marissa Sareñana

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

“At-risk” youth are more likely to drop out of school and less likely to pursue higher education than their counterparts, hindering their economic future. This project was implemented at Learning for Life Charter School (LFLCS), an alternative 7th-12th grade school for at-risk youth. The project included conducting various readiness assessments and an education intervention designed to increase seniors’ level of preparedness for life after graduation. Seniors met individually with social work interns to identify a post-graduation plan, formulating short and long term goals. Once students formulated their post-graduation plans, they were guided on the necessary requirements to transition into their …

Making Meaning Of The Shared Experience Of Participants In An Undergraduate Lgbtq+ Mentorship Program, Brendan Corbett Csaposs

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the ways in which LGBTQ+ students at the University of Miami make meaning of their shared experiences in the LGBTQ+ Mentorship Program that the university offers, in order to explore ways in which higher education institutions might consider better supporting this key group of students. This study draws upon a variety of theories of sexual identity development, building on the work of Rosario et al. (2011) in looking at the ways that students make meaning of their sexual identity based on self-identification, association with the larger community, and engagement in a …

Experiential Learning Through Participatory Action Research In An Interdisciplinary Leadership Training Program, Jessica L. Franks, Stephanie D. Baumann, Marvin So, Angela M. Miles, Jorge M. Verlenden, Teal Benevides, Mark Crenshaw, Stephen Truscott, Daniel Crimmins

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Background: Experience in multidisciplinary collaboration among healthcare providers, leaders in public health, and educators is essential to effectively address the diverse needs of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families.

Purpose: We describe three participatory action research (PAR) projects from an interdisciplinary training program, which used experiential learning to enhance leadership competencies and promote inclusive services. Trainees report their leadership growth as providers and advocates for children with I/DD using experiential learning through PAR.

Approach: Trainees discuss their engagement with organizations serving children with I/DD and ways that experiential learning supported leadership skill development, …

Curiosity, Motivation, Autonomy, And Lifelong Learning In Education And The United States Marine Corps, Cynthia Malmquist

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

Curiosity, intrinsic motivation, and autonomy-supportive teaching all promote lifelong learning in both the classroom and Marine Corps. Humans are all born with curiosity. Children inherently practice forms of intrinsic motivation. Most would agree that they do not like being micromanaged - they enjoy a sense of freedom when completing tasks. Despite this, many students learn in a controlling environment and many Marines work under controlling leaders. Though a large amount of time is spent on learning through the first 18 years of life, lifelong learning does not come naturally and is not commonly practiced. The research and ideas discussed below …

The Transfer Equity Program A Plan To Increase Baccalaureate Attainment For Students Of Color, Knodel M. Knodel

Masters Projects

The primary goal of a higher education institution is to provide students with a quality education and help them obtain a bachelor’s degree. By earning a bachelor’s degree this provide an opportunity of a social mobility. The racial institutional stratification in higher education continues to be problematic for underrepresented students and their baccalaureate attainment goals. This issue is important to address, for students of color who start at a community college and transfer to a degree granting institution. The project will explain institutional barriers that students of color face in their post- secondary transition. The project will offer specific services …

Dnp Final Report: Mission Cyborg: An Ebp Project Integrating Hybrid Learning In An Undergraduate Nursing Course, Mary A. Thomas

DNP Final Reports

In modern times it is an expectation of students that technology be incorporated into how they receive their education. The COVID-19 pandemic brought to light how pure reliance on traditional face-to-face (F2F) learning can be detrimental to student learning. Many institutes of higher education had already implemented hybrid/blended learning prior to the pandemic and saw no difference in their NCLEX-RN pass rates. This evidence-based practice project gathered, reviewed, and synthesized evidence in order to determine if implementing different teaching strategies would maintain or improve student performance on both unit exams and end of course exit exams.

Thinking Matters Poster - Applying Udl In Online Courses, Mike Matis

Thinking Matters Student Research Symposium

The Universal Design for Learning framework offers a synthesis of 40 years worth of discovery in the fields of education, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience. UDL describes itself as a framework that can be used by educators to create inclusive learning environments that acknowledge the inherent variability in all learners. This mixed-methods, exploratory study investigates the application of UDL in two post-secondary online courses. It examines and portrays the instructors of the courses involved as learners through a series of interviews; explores the process of applying the UDL framework to modify a portion of their courses they are unhappy with; and …

Managing Mental Health Risks On Short-Term Study Abroad Programs: A Faculty Development Approach, Katherine A. Hoffswell

Masters Projects

Over the past several decades, the increase in college students participating in study abroad programming has coincided with the increase in students reporting issues with their mental health. Faculty directors who lead short-term study abroad trips are responsible for creating a safe environment that supports student health, wellbeing, and learning while abroad. However, literature suggests that many faculty directors feel unprepared to address issues with student mental health as they facilitate their programs. This project seeks to improve faculty director competency and confidence regarding mental health risk management abroad through the creation and implementation of a virtual professional development series. …

Keeping In Touch While Sheltering In Place: A Comparative Case Study On The Complex Emotions Experienced By Older Adults When Introduced To Icts And Video Conferencing Services, Marisa Susan Soltz

Dissertations and Theses

Currently, COVID-19 poses a threat to the US and the rest of the world, which has created the need for many people to establish physical distance from others. This need for physical distance is perhaps most important for those most vulnerable to COVID-19, which includes the older adult population. Through this time of physical isolation, most people need to keep in touch with each other while sheltering in place. Advances in digital communication have offered new avenues to help people maintain communication, and these advances have made the lives of many easier and more efficient. These new avenues for communication …