Educational Methods Commons^™

Documenting Teaching Excellence: Applying Universal Design For Learning (Udl) In Communication Courses, Shihua Brazill

Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences Articles

This chapter begins by defining UDL and explaining how it serves both as a guide for course design and a framework for documenting teaching excellence. These sections are organized around the three core UDL principles: multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation, and multiple means of action/expression. The chapter then explores how each principle can be implemented in communication courses. Drawing from examples across face-to-face and asynchronous online formats, it demonstrates how UDL supports student success and fosters equity. Finally, it addresses implementation challenges and discusses the broader implications of UDL for rethinking effective student-centered pedagogy across disciplines.

Layers Of Influence: Examining Teacher Experiences In The Selection And Implementation Of Multicultural Texts In Secondary English, Marine Feron Leabeater

Curriculum and Instruction (Ed.D.) Dissertations

This qualitative collective case study explored high school English teachers’ experiences selecting, planning with, and teaching using multicultural texts. Existing research highlights the benefits of culturally centered theories and models of teaching, and high school English teachers’ first-hand experiences in navigating the systems within which they work while implementing these practices provide valuable first-hand accounts to contribute to research. This study focused on the experiences of high school English teachers as they selected, planned with, and taught using multicultural texts within their complex layers of influence, framed by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. In semi-structured interviews, teacher participants shared their lived …

“My School Makes Even The Smallest Students …. Feel Included And Happy To Be There” Student Perspectives On Inclusion., Charles Ag Kemp, Umesh Sharma, Louise Mclean

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The objective of this study was to examine student perspectives on what inclusion means to them and what students believe to be critical school based inclusive practices. The study utilised a mixed method approach to collect data from a sample of 40 Year 9 and Year 10 students from a small school in rural Victoria.  Qualitative data were analysed using a three-stage process of thematic analysis.  Students emphasised that inclusion could be enhanced when relationships are prioritised, school environments are more participatory, when teachers know what students need to be successful, and, when teachers actively monitor and encourage the engagement …

Understanding The Challenges And Satisfaction Among The Medical Professional Preceptors, Cornelia Ko

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This study evaluates the Penn Medicine Family Medicine Clerkship program through a mixed-methods approach, exploring the challenges and factors influencing the satisfaction of medical professional preceptors when precepting students. A quantitative survey with 54 preceptor participants reveals the top challenges preceptors face: workload, conflicts with patient care, and limited clinical space. Despite this, there is strong support for the program, with 89% of preceptors enjoying the role and 85% expressing willingness to continue to precept for the next three years. Finally, data analysis shows no statistical correlation between preceptor motivation with gender, ethnicity, age group, years of serving, or total …

Bridging Language Barriers: How Secondary Teachers Support English Language Learners In The Classroom, Mason Daniel Smith

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

English Language Learners (ELLs) represent a growing student population in U.S. secondary schools, yet many educators feel underprepared to support their unique needs effectively. This mixed-methods study examines how Pennsylvania high school teachers approach the teaching of ELLs, focusing on their self-efficacy, instructional decision-making, and strategies for fostering an inclusive classroom community. Using an exploratory sequential mixed methods design, data was collected through surveys from a limited group of 40 high school educators followed by in-depth interviews with three participants. Findings revealed that while teachers express a strong desire to support ELLs, they often experience uncertainty and frustration due to …

Transforming Partnerships: Developing A Model For Experiential Learning In Honors, Grace Troupe, Tamy Burnett

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Although the collaboration between the University Honors Program (UHP) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) and UNL's Center for Transformative Teaching involves several elements, this essay focuses on one element with significant impact: the development of curricular components and co-curricular programming facilitating students’ engagement with experiential learning. Experience-based education is learning that occurs through direct, hands-on experiences such as internships, research, education abroad, and teaching practicums. When UNL moved toward requiring experiential learning for all undergraduate students, the partnership between UHP and CTT was transformational in facilitating UHP’s building on its existing framework for experiential learning and thus serving as …

Exploding The Silos: How Honors And Cetl Collaboration Can Transform Faculty Development, Christine Larson, Evren Celik-Wiltse, Kevin Sackreiter, Rebecca C. Bott-Knutson

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

The Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) at South Dakota State University (SDSU) developed the Faculty Fellows program in the fall of 2018 to provide faculty in each academic college with a peer mentor who would offer tailored professional development opportunities.

Professional Development Through Teaching In Honors: An Elon University Workshop, Mike Carignan, Lynn R. Huber, Deandra Little, Tom Mould

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Describes the Teaching in Honors Workshop, an annual, multiday event held at Elon University.

Incorporating Faculty Development Workshops At James Madison University, Fawn-Amber Montoya, Felix Wang

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Since there are no permanent faculty positions, the honors college at James Madison University has created an environment where faculty teaching honors courses can come together to share their vision of an honors education and the strategies and practices to manifest these ideals in their respective classrooms. Accordingly, the honors college began hosting annual faculty workshops in May 2021 to create a community of faculty members. During the past three years, these workshops have created opportunities for faculty to interact with each other to discuss what an honors education is, how to create safe spaces for students, and how to …

Transitive Pedagogy In Creative Teaching: The Lived Experiences Of K–6 Teachers Who Intentionally Adapt For Creativity, Rebekah Marie Andersen

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

Creative pedagogy in the K–6 classroom is being increasingly recognized as an essential tool for increasing student engagement, practicing critical thinking, and fostering higher-order learning. However, research gaps in creative pedagogy are contextualized accounts of teacher thinking, planning, and enactment of strategies for student creativity. This study explored the lived experiences of teachers as they constructed and enacted creative lesson adaptations and how they identified and supported creative behaviors in students. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed, involving semi-structured think-aloud and stimulated recall interviews with five K–6 teachers who consistently adapt instruction to promote student creativity. Findings revealed that; (a) …

Impact Of Web-Based Activity Breaks On Child Physical Activity And Time Off-Task: A Pilot Study, Holly R. Huddleston, Vaughn W. Barry, Dana K. Fuller, Sarah J. Adams, Jennifer L. Caputo

Funded Scholarship

Objective: Classroom activity breaks (ABs) have physical and cognitive benefits, although effectiveness of Web-based ABs remains unexplored. The purpose of this study was to assess impacts of three-minute Web-based AB on physical activity (PA) and time off-task in second graders (N = 38).

Methods: This quasi-experimental design was implemented in a primary school setting. The SenseWear Armband assessed PA and a modified Behavioral Observation System in Schools assessed time off-task. Children participated twice in four conditions: control (CON), non-active breaks (NAB), one active break (1AB), and two active breaks (2ABs). Breaks entailed physically active or meditation GoNoodle videos.

Results: Number …

Should Students Pull The Plug?: How Ai Redefines Creativity In The Classroom, Labiba Hassan

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examines how artificial intelligence (AI) tools, specifically ChatGPT as a tutor for students (ChatGPTt), reshapes creativity in the classroom. Does AI undermine or enrich creativity by altering its relational and self-disclosive dimensions? Engaging with Lindsay Brainard’s critique that AI erodes creativity by disrupting human connection and self-expression, I argue for a redefinition of creativity as a dynamic process sustained by emotion, intention, novelty, risk, and spontaneity — conditions adaptable to AI-mediated contexts. The paper challenges the premise that creativity depends on interpersonal connection, showing that self-disclosure can emerge through meaningful engagement with external systems, such as ChatGPTt. By …

Training Module And Assessment Strategy For Light Microscopy Skills Training In A Research Environment, Kristopher E. Kubow, Joseph A. Harsh

Faculty Scholarship

Training in specialized techniques and instrumentation is an important component of undergraduate and graduate education. While such training can occur in formal lab courses, it also occurs as students engage in research. Although training in a research lab setting is typically informal, implementing evidence-based practices from the classroom would be beneficial, particularly for learning complex techniques and instruments, for example, light microscopy. Using advanced microscopes for research is more complicated than using teaching microscopes in a course. In addition, microscopes are easy to misuse because they will generally always produce an image even if that image is suboptimal, misleading, or …

Fortifying Nuclear Security: Cultivating Vigilance Culture Among Personnel For Enhanced Prevention And Response, Sabariah Kader Ibrahim, Sonia Naz

International Journal of Nuclear Security

A vigorous nuclear security culture is crucial in preventing the theft and sabotage of nuclear material. It requires vigilance from all employees because relying solely on closed-circuit television systems and security personnel is insufficient to deter potential threats. Employee attentiveness plays a vital role in recognizing and preventing suspicious activities. However, achieving a strong security culture is challenging because of the lack of incidents in some facilities, leading to employee complacency.

This paper highlights the pivotal role of personnel in the success of nuclear security measures, emphasizing the need for a proactive and vigilant mindset among staff. Through the analysis …

Modern Classical Christian Education?, Donna Lybarger

Master of Arts in Classical Studies

This thesis asks if the ancient tradition of classical education is an education method for the modern world. More specifically, this thesis questions, how might classical education methods be implemented for the acquisition of wisdom in the modern world? The literature review gives a brief history of classical education from the Greeks, and a history of why classical education is again a topic of conversation in the modern world. The three stages of classical education, the trivium, is explained. Classical Christian education is defined noting the method remains the same, but the difference is the nuances of the virtues of …

Expanding Education Skills: Case Study And Content Creation For Theatre Educators At Um, Ren E. Shepherd

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

A love of theatre does not spring into the hearts of people from thin air. It is not something given by the universe, but something cultivated through years of going to performances, researching late at night, and the guidance of theatre educators. Despite the influence of Theatre Educators, they are largely overlooked when considering theatre professionals and their training. This lack of oversight is a nation-wide issue, but by focusing on just the University of Montana, there is a chance for greater understanding and change at a local community level. By employing academic research, surveys of UM faculty and students, …

Technology Integration In Online Feminist Pedagogy, Xinyue Ren

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Feminist pedagogy refers to a liberatory way of teaching to develop democratic and transformative learning experiences in which students can be empowered to make a social change (Grissom-Broughton, 2020). Previous research showed that feminist pedagogy was often used to guide course design and development in various disciplines, such as music, art, language, and environmental education (Cannizzo, 2021; Grissom-Broughton, 2020; Jespersen, 2014; Springgay & Zaliwska, 2017). For example, in music education, instructors increased the representations of multicultural voices in course materials and applied in-depth discussions and essays as learning assessments to develop critical and reflective thinking among students. In a feminist-oriented …

Doctoral Student Supervisors' Experiences With Broaching Race And Race-Related Issues, Judith Wambui Preston, Gülşah Kemer

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

In this descriptive phenomenological study, we explored 13 doctoral student supervisors’ experiences with broaching race and race-related issues in supervision with counselors-in-training. Three themes emerged: the function of broaching; self-perceived attributes affecting broaching; and experiences of programmatic support and challenges. We discussed practical and research implications with study limitations.

Ai And Positionality:A Guide For Learning Communities, Emese Ilyés

Open Educational Resources

This practical guide helps educators thoughtfully integrate AI tools while preserving what matters most—student voice and agency. Drawing on research with students navigating AI in higher education, it offers concrete activities and frameworks that position technology as an assistant rather than a replacement for authentic expression. Through adaptable classroom strategies and qualitative approaches, educators across disciplines will discover how to create learning environments where students recognize the value of their unique perspectives in an age of artificial intelligence.

Theatre Education At The University Of Montana: Providing Innovative Solutions To A Complex Problem, Natalie Renk

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This paper is part of a larger project that aims to provide solutions to assimilate the University of Montana’s theatre education program with those across the United States by providing budget conscious innovations. The focus of this paper will be the creation of two methods courses: THTR 438: Content for Secondary Theatre Education and THTR 439: Skills for Theatre Education, this paper discussing the former. The latter was designed by my research partner, Ren Shepherd. This course would offer comprehensive coverage of theatre practitioners, both historical and modern theatrical texts, hands on design and budgeting experience, as well as teaching …