Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching Commons^™

Innovating Education Through Design Thinking: A Case Study Of Problem-Solving Educators, Matthew Pimental

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This study aimed to identify methodologies and practices that enable innovation to thrive in the public education system. Design thinking (DT) was selected for examination given its demonstrated ability to: (a) make people and teams more innovative , (b) change institutional cultures to be more creative and solution-oriented, and (c) create conditions necessary for innovation to thrive within established organizational structures. This intrinsic case study explored the experiences of a group of educators who used design thinking to innovate solutions to the intractable problems they faced. Participants in this study were teachers and administrators who received training in DT, and …

Exploring Collaborative Professionalism As A Means Of Virtually Supporting Rural Teachers, Martha Inouye, Ana K. Houseal, Clare Gunshenan, Angus Mcreynolds, Mark Perkins

The Rural Educator

Thirty percent of US teachers work in rural schools where geographic isolation and lack of peers can make it difficult for them to engage in collaborative professional relationships with colleagues. Facilitated professional development can be used as a way to build these networks. Using a situative perspective in which teachers are viewed as experts and agents in their own professional learning and by capitalizing on the rapid increase in understanding and use of video conferencing in 2021, the research team developed an open-enrollment, co-designed series of workshops for rural teachers in the intermountain West. The team was interested in how …

Supporting Students Who Are Deafblind To Increase Their Access To The General Education Curriculum Through Trained Interveners: A Mixed Methods Study, Ira Padhye

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods research study was to identify the educational trends of children and young adults who are deafblind and identify strategies to improve the outcomes through interviews of nationally qualified interveners who have received training in deafblind specific strategies. Secondary data from the 2017-2021 National Center on Deafblindness and interview transcripts were used for data analysis and then integrated to identify the supports students who are deafblind should access. Trends in age of identification, primary eligibility category, school settings and access to state standardized assessments showed a plateau and displayed no significant improvement in educational outcomes. Nationally …

An Educator’S Reflection On The Importance Of Embodiment, Imagination, And Liberation, Ashley N. Gibson

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

This reflection piece offers an interpretation of the years 2020-2021, through the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic and the racial awakenings in the US. Writing at the intersections of race, gender, and religion, this piece is part essay, part spoken word, and part treatise. The ultimate call to action is threefold; we must lean into embodiment as a habit for living, use our imaginations, and seek liberation for ourselves and one another if we are to hope for a better future. While many aspects of life now seem bleak, there is hope if we consider these three principles for …

Prioritizing Prosocial Behavior For Preschool Children: How Are Parents Affecting Psb Development?, Deborah Zupito

Doctorate in Education

Scholars and Early Childhood Education (ECE) professionals acknowledge the critical nature of prosocial behavior (PSB) skills in the lives of preschool-aged children. Research specifies that children lacking PSBs are socially and academically disadvantaged. Studies have shown that 30% of preschoolers exhibit negative emotional/social behavior, and 80% of preschool educators report negative social behaviors (NSBs) adversely affecting their jobs. It is well-researched that a child's earliest experiences shape social and emotional behaviors, explicitly parenting and the home environment; however, less research exists about parents' knowledge and perception of their role relating to PSB development in their child's life. This qualitative case …

Cultivating Authentic Leaders: Toward Conceptual Coherence And Sustainable Practice, Yoshie Tomozumi Nakamura, Elizabeth Nutt Williams, Lori Pyle, Steven E. Grande

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

The purpose of this paper is twofold. One is to better understand the contested construct of authentic leadership and its cultivation and practice. The other is to offer a conceptual framework for practicing sustainable authentic leadership. Based on a review of authentic leadership literature with a focus on its sustainability, we introduce a conceptual framework through a lens of an ecological model to capture the dynamics of individual and systems perspectives. Practicing sustainable authentic leadership is not a simple act; rather authentic leaders need to embrace paradoxes to navigate today’s complex systems and to find new ways to create positive …

Navigating Acculturative Stress: A Guide For Supporting Newcomer Students In California Esl Classrooms, Daniela Lopera Ruiz

Master's Projects and Capstones

Acculturation has been widely studied as a post-migration phenomenon that individuals face when coming in contact with their new recipient culture and environment. The different experiences, tasks, and requirements that newcomers must endure upon arrival may lead to their suffering prolonged periods of discomfort. This moderate, intermediate, or acute feeling of uneasiness is defined as acculturative stress. In it, the continued exposure to stressors such as adjusting to a new culture, rules, behavioral patterns, a second language, finding housing, and obtaining an education and employment can lead to trauma. This field project has been designed to provide educators and allies …

Advisement Challenges And Opportunities In Pre-Service Teacher Education: Insights Into The Experiences Of Diverse Pre-Service Teachers, Latasha Casterlow-Lalla

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Effective pre-service teacher educator programs are among the most important components in preparing the nation’s next generation of educators. Today’s educators collectively work to support the diverse cultural, linguistic, and social needs of students through the unprecedented demands of a transitioning school system. This dissertation examined the components of advisement challenges and opportunities as an impact on the preparation of pre-service teachers in Northern New Jersey. The study explored the influence of approaches available to pre-service teachers in the areas of program structure, a variety of support services, and the role of the advisor-advisee relationship to discover whether such programs …

An Autoethnograpy Of A Baby Boomer In Higher Education: Challenges And Catalysts For Change, Deborra Finlan

Theses & Dissertations

Higher education as a baby boomer brings mental, physical, and economic adjustments, concerns, and insecurities. Additionally, life delivers unexpected challenges and barriers which can cause hardships requiring various types of motivation. Fortunately, there are also catalysts which can contribute toward successes. Literature from four major elements were the focus in this study: motivation, adult learning, challenges, barriers, and catalysts. Theorists and theories included Vroom’s expectancy theory of motivation with the added factor of cost, and Ryan and Deci’s theory on self-determination; Mezirow’s transformative learning and Knowles’s self-directed learning; Cross’s theory on educational barriers—situational, dispositional, and institutional; and Cobb’s social support …

The Value Of Early Field Experiences In Teacher Preparation, Byron Keith Mckay

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between a preservice teacher’s early field experiences and ratings given by their cooperating teachers during student teaching. Educator preparation programs have long been tasked with providing quality education to future teachers as they prepare them for a career in the P-12 classroom. Part of this preparation happens in P-12 classroom settings, where preservice teachers observe and interact with students and professional teachers. These early field experiences, which help prepare them for student teaching and the P-12 classroom, are required for teacher preparation program accreditation. This research investigates how changes in the educational environment related to …

Understanding The Role Of Faculty Advising In Graduate Allied Healthcare Profession Programs As Practitioners Transition To Professor, Lillie Marie Barnett Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individuals in allied healthcare professions continue to see growth in all areas, including clinical practice and higher education. Leaders at the university level, alongside leadership within allied healthcare accreditation bodies for disciplines like athletic training, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology, maintain the need to grow the professions through master’s and doctoral degree programs. With the growth, many working practitioners move from clinical practice to academia with little to no experience or understanding of higher education and all the responsibilities of the job. This quantitative research study used a purposive sampling of allied healthcare professionals across the United States …

Oru Faculty Ethos & History - Spirit-Empowered Life - Faith & Learning, Bill Buker, Daniel D. Isgrigg, Wiliam Ranahan

Academy Resources

New faculty are introduced to being Spirit-Empowered. What does Spirit-Empowered mean, and why is it important, as a University, faculty member, and educator? Dr. Ranahan (Chair of Biology and Chemistry Dept.) begins with modeling how he integrates faith into a short lecture on sound, light, and neural paths. Dr. Isgrigg (Director of the Holy Spirit Research Center) lectures on how ORU as an institution has progressed since its inception through church history as a Spirit-Empowered university. Dr. Buker (Chair of the Seminary) lectures about how we as disciples of Jesus Christ can abide in Him and experience His fruitfulness in …

Bridging The Gap Between Academia And Industry: A Program Evaluation On University-Industry Collaboration, Lan Reneé Amboy-Biller

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A significant amount of money is spent on professionalizing the workforce. At the same time, there is limited research on the effectiveness of academic-to-industry corporate partnerships as an innovative solution for meeting workforce development objectives. This exploratory study evaluates an existing University of South Florida industry partnership to identify characteristics of a sustainable university-to-industry model. The program has operated over the last nine years, providing degree completion programs for industry employees. This program evaluation includes an analysis of stakeholders, advisors, mentors, and participants’ perceptions. The evaluation findings identified key factors of consideration required when establishing and operating a University-Industry partnership. …

From Practitioner To Scholarly Practitioner: Exploring The Perceptions Of Edd Students "Becoming", Caridad M. Gibson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Doctoral students who engage in a Professional Doctorate of Education degree program (EdD) are expected to experience a transformative shift from practitioner to scholarly practitioner. Through their engagement in the EdD program, they enter as practitioners, who become equipped to transfer and reintegrate their knowledge within their practice and field, and through this transformative process, they become scholarly practitioners. The EdD becoming represents the critical learning events, dialogues, and reflections experienced by doctoral students. Researchers have conducted studies to examine various aspects of the EdD degree including the credibility of the degree, the effectiveness of programmatic elements, rigor within programs, …

Thank You To Our 2021-2022 Reviewers, Paul B. Freeman Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Thank you 2021-2022 Reviewers!

Book Review: Applied Concepts In Vision Therapy 2.0, Paul B. Freeman Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Press LJ, Taub MB, Schnell PH. Applied Concepts in Vision Therapy 2.0. Santa Ana: Optometric Extension Program; 2022, $159.00, 543 pages, Paperback, ISBN: 9780929780542

Ischemic Cranial Nerve Iii Palsy: Diagnosis, Management, And Follow-Up, Brittney M. Brady Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Background: Acquired cranial nerve III palsies (CN3P) can be ischemic in nature due to underlying vasculopathy, trauma, or by compressive damage due to aneurysm or tumor. In most cases, neuroimaging is completed to rule out a life-threatening etiology. This case outlines an acute oculomotor palsy due to ischemic microvascular disease with the appropriate diagnostic testing, treatment, and follow-up course.

Case Report: A 67-year-old African American female presented with complaints of a drooping left eyelid and intermittent diagonal diplopia. She had a known diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Entering visual acuity was 20/25-1 in the right eye (OD) and …

Occult Adenocarcinoma Presenting As Presumed Periorbital Cellulitis, Kirk Halvorson Od, Jonathon Thomas Od, Jennifer Prunty Od, Omaya H. Youssef Md, Mba

Optometric Clinical Practice

Background: Orbital tumors are uncommon entities seen by optometrists. They may initially present as common, benign conditions, but if not appropriately diagnosed can lead to devastating results.

Case Report: This case report demonstrates an atypical presentation of adenocarcinoma that was initially diagnosed as preseptal cellulitis. The patient in this case was ultimately referred for imaging and biopsy to reveal the correct diagnosis. Despite treatment, this patient died about 1 year after his clinical presentation.

Conclusion: The detection of orbital tumors and the subsequent management of patients with orbital tumors can be challenging. When considering orbital tumors as a possible diagnosis, …

Diagnosis And Excision Of A Solitary Trichoepithelioma, Leonid Skorin Jr., Do, Od, Ms

Optometric Clinical Practice

Abstract

Background: Solitary trichoepithelioma is a rare benign tumor of hair follicle origin. Although trichoepithelioma has a predilection for the face and neck, it is not usually found on the eyelids. It has similar clinicopathological features to basal cell carcinoma. Surgical excision and histopathologic analysis is helpful for correct diagnosis.

Case Report: A 59-year-old Caucasian female presented with a raised, reddish oval mass on the right lower eyelid. The mass had telangiectatic blood vessels on its surface, was non-pigmented and slightly umbilicated. It was in close approximation of the eyelid margin causing distortion and poor apposition of the lid to …

A Reactivation Of Ocular Toxoplasmosis During Pregnancy, Brett Garee Od, Ms, Sarah Dieter Od, Pete Liette Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Background: Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite estimated to affect over 500 million people worldwide. The feline is the definitive host for the parasite and infection may be acquired or congenital via maternal transmission. Humans may acquire the infection by ingestion of raw or undercooked meats and vegetables, contaminated water, or exposure to infected cat feces. The infection is often benign, self-limiting, and asymptomatic for humans, but potentially life threatening to infants or the immunocompromised patient.

Case Report: A 22 year-old Caucasian female, pregnant at 12 weeks gestation, presented to the optometry service with acute symptoms of hazy vision …