Secondary Education Commons^™

Social Emotional For Secondary English Language Learners, Summer E. Wallace

ASPIRE 2026

A presentation about Social Emotional Learning (SEL), it's importance, and how to implement it in the classroom. Specific considerations are included for secondary English Language Learners. Parts of lesson plans created for this population of students on the topic of SEL are included, as well, to show how this type of instruction can be effectively implemented in the classroom.

A Comparative Analysis Of Professional Development Perceptions Among Baby Boomer, Generation X, Millennial And Generation Z Teachers, Lynsey R. Reynolds

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

ABSTRACT

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PERCEPTIONS AMONG BABY BOOMER, GENERATION X,

MILLENNIAL AND GENERATION Z TEACHERS

Lynsey Ratzlaff Reynolds

This quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional survey study examined differences in perceptions of professional development among Baby Boomer, Generation X, Millennial, and Generation Z secondary teachers employed in one northwest Arkansas school district. Using the researcher-developed Teacher Professional Development Perceptions Survey, data were collected from N = 145 certified secondary teachers in grades 6–12 during February 2026. Four research questions guided the study, each concerning a distinct construct: perceived relevance of professional development to instructional practice, perceived efficiency of professional development …

When How We Teach Is What We Teach: Teacher Educators As Instructional Models For Novice Teachers, William Waychunas

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Teacher education programs have struggled to overcome the apprenticeship of observation, or the tendency for preservice teachers (PSTs) to replicate the traditional or problematic forms of teaching from their K–12 experience. However, the field tends to assume that PSTs draw only on instructional models from K–12, overlooking higher-education instructors such as professors, other faculty, and teacher educators as sources of pedagogical inspiration and guidance. This study uses data from a longitudinal investigation tracing the development of nine secondary social studies teachers to focus on how the modeling and demonstration of practice within coursework by teacher educators shaped PSTs’ understanding, impressions, …

Bringing Worlds Together: How Social Studies Teachers Make Content Meaningful, Harley A. Payne

Honors College Theses

Secondary educators in social studies classes face the challenge of maintaining the attention of dozens of students during instruction, often on content that seems irrelevant or unimportant. Educators must find ways to emphasize that the content their students are disinterested in is useful and crucial for their development into adults. Research suggests that bridging the gap between the classroom and the real world improves classroom engagement (Cooper, 2014; Tagliaferro, 2012). Students who are engaged and exert more effort in class derive academic benefits, such as placement in advanced pathways and increased test scores (Carbonaro, 2005). Civics education and the inclusion …

Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status And Academic Motivation Among Nigerian Students, Yueh Hui Kao

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

This study examines the relationship between Nigerian students’ socioeconomic status (SES) and their overall academic motivation. It also investigates whether significant gender differences exist in students’ academic motivation. Using a quantitative descriptive correlational design, a total of 200 high school students were initially selected through convenience sampling from a private high school in Ibadan, Nigeria. A total of 173 valid responses were included in the final analysis. Students’ SES was assessed using an adapted Socio-Economic Classification Scale and treated as a continuous variable. Academic motivation was measured using the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS-C28). In this study, an overall academic motivation …

Bibliometric Mapping Of Problem-Based Learning In Primary Science Education, Lintang Auliya Kurdiati

Jurnal Pendidikan Sains

The field of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in primary science education has expanded rapidly over the past decade, yet it remains fragmented and lacks full structural and intellectual coherence. Scholarly collaboration patterns, thematic evolution, and the interconnections among research topics are still insufficiently understood. This study employs a Systematic Literature Network Analysis (SLNA) approach, integrating a PRISMA-guided systematic literature review with bibliometric network analysis, to examine 146 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2015 and 2025 and indexed in Scopus. VOSviewer and Biblioshiny were used to map co-authorship networks, keyword co-occurrence, citation linkages, and thematic clusters. The findings reveal increasing structural centralization …

Motivational Systems In Education That Encourage Academic Achievement & Student Leadership, Hannah A. Lockhart, Angela Elsass

2026 Honors Symposium

This research examines how school-based motivational systems influence academic achievement, student engagement, and leadership development in K–12 educational settings. Grounded in contemporary motivational theory, the project explores motivation as a multidimensional construct shaped by autonomy, competence, relatedness, and belonging. Using an expanded review of literature as the primary methodological framework, the research synthesized 97 scholarly sources retrieved through multiple academic databases, including the University of Arkansas Libraries system, and integrated qualitative insight from a semi-structured professional interview with educator Ron Clark. Findings suggest that intentionally designed motivational systems, including schoolwide frameworks that foster belonging, recognition, and student agency, have a …

Reimagining Productive Struggle In Secondary Mathematics: Introducing The Instructional Feedback For Inclusive Struggle Framework, Totrina L. Mosley

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Abstract

This conceptual study introduces the Instructional Feedback for Inclusive Struggle (IFIS) framework, a model designed to address inequities experienced by learners with disabilities in compressed-pacing mathematics classes (CPMC). Although accelerated formats such as the 4x4 instructional block schedule are intended to deepen engagement, research shows that opportunities for sense-making, reflection, and productive struggle are often limited due to time constraints (Allen Queen et al., 1997; Cooke, 2023; Young et al., 2024). IFIS responds to these challenges by integrating three foundational theories: Vygotsky’s (1978) Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), which emphasizes cognitive support; Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which foregrounds …

Strengthening Students' Political Thinking Skills By Researching The Annexation Of Texas, Rebecca Macon Bidwell, Jeremiah Clabough

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

The unit plan in this manuscript uses best practices from the C3 Framework published by the National Council for the Social Studies and Wayne Journell’s ideas about political thinking to engage students in discussion of the politics leading to the nomination of Governor James K. Polk as the Democratic Party nominee for president in the U.S. 1844 presidential election. Students explore the impact of candidates’ views of the annexation of Texas during this election as well as the influence of President Jackson on the nomination process in the Democratic Party. Ultimately, the election pitted Governor James K. Polk, the dark …

Hitler Must Be Killed: A Wwii Case Study, Jeffrey Byford, Presley Shilling, Alisha Milam

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Social studies education during the 1960s experienced an educational renaissance known as the new social studies movement. Over 50 projects were funded by the National Science Foundation or private corporations to interject a student-centered curriculum into K-12 classrooms during this period. Nearly 60 years later, can student-centered decision-making activities be used in an era of high-stakes testing and planned curriculum? This article attempts to rekindle students' interest in decision-making and discussion by exploring elements in Moral Reasoning: The Value of Life from the Harvard Social Studies Project (HSSP). The activity called "Hitler Must Be Killed" helped students bring the content …

Reimagining Civic Readiness: Middle School Teachers’ Definition And Perceptions Of The Importance Of Civic Readiness, Razak K. Dwomoh

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This article examines how middle school social studies teachers define “civic readiness,” how teacher motivation shapes civics instruction, and why middle-level civics is integral to engaged citizenship. The paper presents teachers as “curricular instructional gatekeepers” and argues that civic readiness (preparedness/willingness) differs significantly from civic competence (mastery) in terms of meaning, scope, and outcomes, proposing a four-staged pathway from readiness to engagement, then development, and finally to competence. It further provides an overview of three interrelated concepts (academic readiness, college readiness, and career readiness) to juxtapose civic readiness within the larger literary discourse. The …

The Impact Of Future Business Leaders Of America (Fbla) On High School Students And Leadership Development, Thomas Michael Robert Ray

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University by Thomas Michael Robert Ray on April 1, 2026.

The Impact Of Social Emotional Learning On Chicanx Students And Their Educators, Alesia Renee Camacho

Chicana and Chicano Studies ETDs

My research on the impact of social emotional learning on Chicanx students and their educators aims to analyze how the planned implementation of a carefully curated curriculum centering on the students’ culture and lived experiences makes for a better overall experience. For this study, I use the interpretive paradigm as it allows me to explain how education can serve as a tool to illuminate the injustices that students and their families face in their lives and, in turn, how these injustices are addressed in Ethnic Studies courses. Chicana/o/x Studies scholars have long advocated for utilizing students’ knowledge, experiences, perspectives, and …

What Keeps Teachers: A Systematic Review Of Induction And Early-Career Teacher Retention In Rural Schools, Bobbie Jean Mcdonough

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

Teacher retention remains a persistent challenge in United States education, particularly in rural K–12 public schools. This systematic review synthesized empirical research on induction and early-career teacher retention in rural United States settings published between 2000 and 2025. Guided by a postpositivist framework and aligned with PRISMA 2020 standards, 56 studies met inclusion criteria following structured database searches and multi-stage screening. Findings across the included studies indicate that retention was most consistently associated with induction, mentoring, professional learning, responsive leadership, collegial relationships, and teachers’ integration into their school and community, with no single support appearing sufficient in isolation. Across research …

Leading The Charge: A Qualitative Descriptive Study Exploring How Public Middle School Principals Perceive And Enact Their Role As Advocates For School-Based Mental Health, Tanya Irby Tucker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent mental health concerns have increased significantly during the middle school years, requiring school leaders to expand their role in supporting students’ social, emotional, and psychological well-being. Although schools are uniquely positioned to deliver comprehensive mental health services, how public middle school principals perceive and enact their role as advocates for school-based mental health services remains underexplored. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how public middle school principals perceive and enact their role as advocates for school-based mental health services. Guided by social cognitive theory (SCT), this study examined how personal beliefs, behavioral practices, and environmental …

Transformative Leadership In Action: A Narrative Study Of Principals’ Influence On Students’ Achievement, Staci Taylor Fullmighter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This narrative inquiry examined how principals in low-performing high-minority urban schools use transformational leadership to improve academic outcomes. The purpose of this research was to describe principals’ leadership behaviors that are perceived to positively influence academic achievement among students who identify as minority and low socioeconomic status and are attending or have attended urban school districts with high concentrations of the identified population. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with principals, and narratives were studied to identify trends across their experiences. Four themes emerged: (a) trust and shared accountability, (b) encouraging creativity and risk-taking, (c) communicating shared goals, and (d) …

Understanding Educators' Perspectives On Universal Design For Learning In Co-Taught Elementary And Middle School Classrooms, Biancha Dipaola

JWU Dissertations & Theses

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework that encourages educators to proactively identify and address any potential barriers to learning before a lesson or concept is taught. UDL’s inclusive framework offers strategies for enhancing student engagement, representation, and action and expression, yet research on educators’ perspectives on UDL and its implementation in co-taught classrooms is limited. The literature identifies the lack of educator knowledge on neuroscience (Lopes et al., 2022), inadequate professional development (Chu et al., 2020), and systemic challenges such as common planning time and administrative support (Zhang et al., 2024) as barriers to implementing UDL, but …

Emotional Intelligence Of Early College High School Juniors, Donna M. Besant

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University by Donna M. Besant on March 31, 2026.

Beyond The Pipeline: First-Generation College Students’ Community Cultural Wealth And Stem Degree Pathways, Douglas Havard, Zahra Gholami, Jue Wu, Danette Y. Martinez, A. J. Balatico, Lara Perez-Felkner

Education Faculty Articles and Research

This study examines how first-generation college students (FGCS) and continuing-generation college students navigate STEM pathways by modeling four sequential milestones in the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09): high school graduation, college enrollment, STEM major selection, and STEM degree completion. Guided by Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth framework, we use survey-weighted sequential logistic regression to estimate stage-specific associations between academic preparation, psychosocial resources, and institutional context, conditional on prior attainment. Results reveal distinct generational patterns of STEM progression. For FGCS, rigorous high school mathematics preparation exerts a powerful influence on high school completion, while later-developing math self-efficacy and science identity …

Tech Trekker, Erika Marti, Yania Avila

Community Engagement Expo Research Posters

We are a team of faculty and students in STEM fields who are dedicated to providing cutting-edge technology to teachers and students in Las Vegas and nearby communities.

Our Mission: Our primary mission is to increase student exposure to and engagement in modern science and engineering tools in order to encourage students into high-demand STEM fields.