Other Education Commons^™

“Our Hands Are Tied”: How State Educational Diversity Laws Affect Iowa Public Educators And How Educators Respond, Lydia Berns-Schweingruber

Honors Program Theses

In May 2023, Iowa passed Senate File 496, which restricts public educators from sending students social-emotional learning surveys, requires public educators to inform parents when students request a pronoun change, and bans any books depicting a sexual act from public schools (Iowa Legislature 2023). Iowa and other states’ recent educational diversity laws are part of a broader history of public school censorship. This study examines how state educational diversity laws affect Iowa public educators and how educators respond. This paper draws on data from eight interviews with Iowa public teachers, administrators, and counselors. The findings show that state educational diversity …

That’S Not In My Position Description: A Discourse Analysis Of Sbae Migratory Context, Becky Haddad, Jonathan Velez, Josh Stewart, Haden Botkin

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

While the choice to move to a new school is personal, many play a role in justifying that choice for the mobile teacher. These justifiers—or influencers—make up the socializing network for teachers (in this case, SBAE teachers) in new settings. Our study outlined how mobile SBAE teachers rationalize the choice to change schools and validate career moves. We used a positioning theory approach to discourse to give migrators (teachers who change schools) and influencers a voice. Positioning theory allowed us to situate migrators as they reflected on their choice to change school districts, and influencers as they recounted their …

A Foundation For Transformative Learning Practices In Higher Education, Michelle Meyer

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Higher education institutions in the United States have an ongoing rhetoric of claiming that they offer students educational experiences that build skills and prepare them for a career. However, reports from employers and students indicate that many schools are struggling to do so, and research imperative skills like critical thinking have wide construct definitions that can be difficult for institutions to work with. Transformative learning theory (TLT) is a theoretical practice and pedagogy that could support institutions by providing both a pedagogical foundation of what should occur in a classroom and a series of steps for what transformative learning looks …

Success Of Achieving Student Learning Objectives: Compressed Vs. Traditional Courses, Irene Miller, Timm Bliss

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Institutions of higher learning are offering varying course modalities to accommodate the changing needs of students. Notably, institutions of higher learning are offering an increasing number of compressed courses to meet student demand and remain competitive in higher education. The increase in the number of compressed classes presents the challenge of ensuring that similar academic rigor and breadth of knowledge are maintained in comparison to the traditional 16-week semester. The purpose of this research study was to determine if students enrolled in off-campus classes with compressed schedules are receiving a similar quality of instruction and achieving the equivalent student learning …

Weatherford: Undergraduate Catalog 2024-2025, Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Undergraduate Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Graduate Catalog 2024-2025, Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Graduate Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Perceptions About Catholic High School Athletics, Kevin J. Calkins

Journal of Catholic Education

In the largest survey to date on Catholic school identity in athletics (49 U.S. States, n = 2273), administrators, counselors, and teachers responded to a survey about the perceived value of interscholastic athletics, school support of athletics, the contribution of coaches to school mission, Catholic identity in athletics, and the importance of the school’s athletic director and coaches to have a mission orientation. The results of the study indicate that administrators, counselors, and teachers have positive perceptions of Catholic high school athletics. Teacher perceptions differed more than administrators and counselors based on their age, gender, and religion. At least one …

Faith And Stem Education: A Path To Mutual Elevation In Catholic Schools, Michael Szopiak, Matthew Kloser

Journal of Catholic Education

Amidst increasing religious disaffiliation, often due to a perceived tension between faith and the STEM disciplines, Catholic schools provide critical opportunities for young people to recognize how these domains can be mutually elevating. The field, however, lacks guidance as to how this integration should occur in practice. This conceptual paper first provides an overarching framework for how aspects of the Catholic tradition, like Scripture and the Catholic social tradition, can shape traditional educational domains of STEM teaching and learning. Secondly, we provide a heuristic of three criteria for deeply engaging students at the interface of the Catholic faith and the …

Increasing Parent Faith Engagement At A Parish School, Grace Mazza Urbanski

Journal of Catholic Education

Increasing faith engagement among Catholic school shareholders is a priority for school leaders. Catholic school communities can learn from this year-long project with a parish school. Sacred Heart Parish School serves approximately 300 K3-8th grade students. Like many parish schools, Sacred Heart sees a growing number of parents disengaged with the faith life of the parish and school, despite 98% of them being registered parishioners. The parent population enjoys robust and regular social activities, but report they are uncomfortable or uninterested in faith activities. The mission of Sacred Heart Parish School is to nurture “children’s growth in the Catholic faith,” …

Teacher Faith Formation As Response To An “Existential Crisis” In Catholic Schools: Western Canadian Superintendents’ Perspectives, Matt Hoven, Dean Sarnecki, Eugenia Pagotta-Kowalczyk

Journal of Catholic Education

The shortage of teachers who can strongly identify with the religious mission of Catholic schools is at the point of an “existential crisis,” according to a system leader in Catholic schools in Western Canada. Drawing upon exploratory interviews completed with ten chief superintendents (who oversee large school districts), this paper reveals that while school districts offer various forms of faith formation regulating the personal lives of teachers amidst divergences between Church doctrines and social trends is complicated. Because the complexity of teacher faith formation is incredibly difficult to address, we discuss three key areas to renew the state of affairs: …

Augustinian Composition Pedagogy And The Catholic Liberal Arts In The Time Of Generative Ai, Gavin F. Hurley

Journal of Catholic Education

This article proposes a theoretical basis of Augustinian composition pedagogy by tracing the symbiotic relationship between writing and knowing found within St. Augustine’s Letters, The Trinity, Soliloquies, and Confessions and connecting them to modern writing-to-learn composition pedagogies. Given today’s trying times of generative AI, this article argues that Catholic schools revitalize the writing arts in a manner proposed by Augustine—that is, to enrich inward contemplation and outward love for others. In embracing such philosophy of writing and applying it across the disciplines, Catholic schools can enrich their distinctively Catholic liberal arts mission—and ward off dangers found in …

The Sound Of Silence: The Significance Of Nurturing Spirituality, Self-Transformation, And Academic Excellence In Augustinian Schools, William R. Driscoll

Journal of Catholic Education

This article examines silent reflection within the context of Augustinian Catholic schools. Tracing the rich lineage of Augustinian spirituality, it explores how cultivating interiority serves as a transformative practice that fosters spiritual growth, nourishes a deeper understanding of self and others, and compliments academic inquiry. Through a synthesis of theological, educational, and psychological perspectives, this article illuminates the multifaceted benefits of integrating silent reflection into the educational ethos of Catholic schools. Emic descriptions from students, teachers, and leaders provided insights into silent reflection programming designed to enrich the holistic development of students.

Music And Perceived Stress: An Investigation Into The Effects Of Music On Chemistry Students' Perceived Stress Levels, Alice Young, Eric Malina

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Music has long been a prevalent intervention when trying to lower stress in certain populations (Thoma et al., 2013). This study aimed to explore the possible usefulness of music as an intervention for students experiencing stress in the chemistry laboratory setting. Students in general chemistry laboratories were surveyed regarding their stress at the ends of periods in which music was or was not played in their laboratory classes. While the results were not statistically significant, mean stress scores did lower in those groups where music was played. Further research into this topic should focus on type of music, the effects …

January 2024 Bulldog Alumni & Friends News, Kari Jones, Garrett King

Bulldog Alumni & Friends News

January 18 SWOSU Alumni Music Mixer, Tulsa. SWOSU Music Mixer Tulsa – SWOSU Foundation.

February 15 &16 SWOSU Jazz Festival, www.SWOSUJazz.com

March 18-22 Spring Break

April 5 Friends of Crowder Lake Dinner & North Family Endowed Lecture

April 6 Crowder Lake Opening Day

April 15 Dobson Bulldog Golf Classic

Equipping Middle School Teachers With Culturally Responsive Pedagogy In Teaching Computer Science Through Professional Learning: A Longitudinal Case Study, Xintong Bausch

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) is an effective way to foster equitable and meaningful computer science (CS) learning experience for historically marginalized students. This dissertation study employed longitudinal data to investigate five middle school teachers’ development of CRP understandings and enactments over many years participating in the CS Pathways Research Practitioner Partnership (RPP) project. Grounded in conceptual change theory (knowledge-in-pieces perspective), the study explored the five teachers’ CRP conceptual change trajectories as indicated by their definitions and enactments of the pedagogy over time. From the epistemological perspective, the findings presented how teachers reflected, refined, and revised their naïve knowledge of CRP …

A Mixed Methods Study Of Efficacy And Digital Learning Competencies For School Administrators In A Rural North Carolina District, Stephanie B. Harrell

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods research study was to determine the efficacy of digital learning competencies for school administrators in a rural eastern North Carolina district. The study had four research questions that were answered through a survey and a focus group. The survey had 44 quantitative items that participants chose from a 4-point Likert scale and two open-ended questions. A total of 20 administrators from District A completed the survey. A focus group with four participants was conducted following the closing of the survey to gain a better understanding of the results from the survey. Previous research in …

An Investigation Into Perception Of The Correlation Between The College People Attend And Their Long-Term Happiness, Gary F. Madvin

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study investigated perceptions about the correlation between the college people attend and long-term happiness. Its inquiry into whether college graduates believe where they go to college affects the chance for long-term happiness is a response to the growing concerns of high school students who are anxious about acceptance into an elite undergraduate college. There is substantial literature demonstrating that graduates of elite schools earn more money and professional success than graduates of standard schools (Rumberger & Thomas, 1993). At the same time, there is evidence that individuals who attend a lower tier school while having similar characteristics to those …

Enhancing Planetary Well-Being Through "With-Ness" Pedagogy In Social Emotional Learning: Critical Theoretical Engagements, Lynsey Helen Mori

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Leveraging the researcher’s unique diverse cultural and educational background, this dissertation explores integrating social emotional learning (SEL) within an innovative pedagogy of “with-ness” (PoW) towards planetary well-being in educational settings. The overarching purpose is to redefine educational strategies through SEL and PoW to advance planetary well-being in tertiary contexts. As such, this dissertation critically engages with three published articles authored during the researcher’s doctoral tenure to highlight transformative SEL practices that are fundamentally attuned to ecological consciousness. Informed by critical theory, feminist perspectives, and process philosophy, the hermeneutic circle reflects on these articles to address complex 21st-century challenges educational systems …

“Just Holding That Space”: Using Culturally Relevant Pedagogy To Create Counterspaces For Black College Students In Aanapisi/Hsi Classrooms, Nicholas B. Lacy, Yea-Wen Chen, Damariyé L. Smith

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Black college students continue to face the specter of anti-Blackness which creates additional barriers to success and flourishing in higher education. This study investigates how instructors in higher education can provide racial equity to Black students in AANAPISI/HSI classrooms through counterspaces. We use culturally relevant pedagogy to investigate the experiences of 21 Black college students at an AANAPISI/HSI to understand better how higher education instructors can utilize counterspaces, places where Black college students can challenge dominant discourses and create a collegial learning environment. We identified three counterspace themes: (1) Mitigate Eurocentric Pedagogy, (2) Employ Black and Critical Scholarship, and (3) …

"So Sorry Your Grandma Died. Get That Paper In.”: Graduate Teaching Assistants' Experiences Of Student Grief In The Communication Classroom, Jessica Cherry, Carly Densmore

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are faced with managing how to respond to student disclosures of grief in the classroom but often lack grief training from their universities when these instances occur. Good and Mad grief, and Critical Grief Pedagogy (CGP) are the frameworks for which this study is positioned. Through interviews with GTAs in the United States, we explore their experiences when engaging with student grief disclosures and revealed three main themes: regulations and boundaries, transactional exchanges in institutions, and the classroom being a human space. We also discuss how GTAs use CGP to manage these interactions. We further suggest …