Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Queer Kids In The Country: Challenges, Resources, And Queer Cultural Capital Of Rural Lgbtqia+ Youth, Michelle L. Page

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

This qualitative study investigates the experiences of rural youth who identify as LGBTQIA+. Both rural young people and LGBTQIA+ youth are less likely to pursue higher education and more likely to report negative experiences in their schools and communities. Rural LGBTQIA+ youth face different challenges than do urban and suburban queer youth; therefore, different resources and strategies must be unveiled, developed, and employed in an effort to support rural LGBTQIA+ young people. This study explicates the challenges and assets of rural queer youth, finding that such young people continue to experience challenges in their schools and communities, particularly around identity …

Hive Minds And Communities Of Practice: A Reflection On Implementing A Casual Peer Community Of Practice, Cathy Stephens

Staff Scholarship - Australia & Dubai

Wenger’s (1998) Communities of Practice theory proposes that knowledge is constructed socially, within communities which share knowledge domains and mutual goals. These communities act as common spaces where knowledge is negotiated and professional identities are formed. While a sense of belonging is pivotal to learner success and engagement, learners in online spaces can experience scarcity of informative social interactions. In this reflective essay, I examine the implementation of a pilot project to facilitate informal communities of practice within an online design course, and utilise observations and informal student feedback to interrogate the effectiveness of the pilot and enable future refinements.

Humanizing Online Learning Through Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: Preserving Cultural Identity And Human Connection In Digital Spaces, Michael Mills

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

The rapid shift to online and hybrid learning environments has highlighted the need for culturally responsive pedagogical approaches in digital spaces. While much research has explored culturally responsive teaching in traditional classrooms, less attention has been paid to how these principles can be effectively translated to online learning environments. This article examines how culturally responsive pedagogy can be meaningfully integrated into online learning spaces through intentional course design, assessment practices, and community building. Drawing from existing literature on culturally responsive teaching, online learning, and digital equity, this paper provides a framework for educators to create more inclusive and culturally sustaining …

Understanding Technology Integration Through Hermeneutic Interpretation: A Study Of Faculty Experiences At An Hbcu, Jill Ardley, Tamara Smith-Moyler, Keesha M. Kerns, Beatrice Darden-Woody, Priscilla Spencer, Ronald White

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

This study explores how six education faculty members in the School of Education at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the southeastern United States interpret and implement instructional technology instruction through a hermeneutic theoretical lens. Grounded in the HBCU’s School of Education vision statement, the research investigates how faculty members’ understanding of human learning behaviors shapes their pedagogical choices within School of Education courses. The qualitative analysis revealed three key themes: (1) Technology as a Tool for Equity and Inclusion, (2) Alignment with the School of Education Vision, and (3) Student-Centered, Practice-Oriented Use of Technology. Rather than employing …

Multimedia-Based Interventions To Improve Science Learning Outcomes For Deaf Students At Wangsel Institute For The Deaf., Cheten Tshering Mr., Tshering Wangchuk

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Efforts have been made to ensure inclusive learning opportunities for all students, including those from diverse backgrounds. One key strategy to enhance children’s learning and academic performance involves the thoughtful selection and application of instructional tools tailored to meet learners' specific needs. This study examines the impact of multimedia-based instruction on science achievement among deaf students at Wangsel Institute for the Deaf in Bhutan. Using a quasi-experimental design, the research compared pretest and post-test results between a control group and an experimental group. Data analysis included descriptive statistics (t-test) and ANCOVA. The findings indicated a statistically significant differences (p = …

Empowerment Pedagogy: A Mixed Methods Grounded Theory Approach To Developing A Pedagogical Framework For Empowering Middle School Aged Students, Henry James Bryant

Educational Studies Dissertations

The current state of adolescent well-being in “post-COVID” America demonstrates a need for widespread intervention to aid students in coping with trauma and mental health issues. In a review of the literature, feelings of empowerment have been found to be antithetical to feelings of trauma. Moreover, the benefits of empowerment in terms of adolescent mental health, academic achievement, and behaviors are well documented. However, strategies designed to impact students’ feelings of empowerment have not been well established, and programs that are presently offered are often inaccessible due to cost, public opinion, and a need for whole school adoption. In this …

The Characteristics Of A University And Urban Elementary School Partnership Project: Interventions That Impact Teacher Self-Efficacy And Their Emerging Social Network, Susan R. Cusack

Educational Studies Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to re-analyze and extend findings established by the 2011 – 2015 evaluation of a university partnership with an urban elementary school in the northeast region of the United States. While the original evaluation examined multiple domains related to the impact of the partnership’s effects on these elementary school teachers, my research will narrow and deepen the study of two domains: Teacher Self-Efficacy and Social Networks, both socio-affective variables that change over time. This research is grounded in theories related to teacher self-efficacy, social networks in education, and the emergence of a robust community of …

Transformative Experiences In A Community College Theatre Program: A Study Of Students' Growth Through A Pedagogy Of Caring, Karen J. Oster

Educational Studies Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This research examined the transformative impact of participation in a community college

theatre program on students’ sense of belonging, confidence, and personal growth. Using a

multiple case study design informed by portraiture methodology, the study focused on five

students who took part in a semester-long production of The Rocky Horror Show. Data were

collected through in-depth interviews, field observations, the researcher’s reflective journaling,

and a pre- and post-semester self-esteem survey to investigate how theatre engagement shaped

students’ social and personal experiences. The program fostered a pedagogy of care emphasizing

mentorship, individualized attention, and the cultivation of a supportive …

Complexity Mindsets, Complex Flow, And More: A Qualitative Grounded Theory Study On The Phenomenon Of Practitioners Working Within Complex Social Systems, Emma D. Stellman

Educational Studies Dissertations

This qualitative grounded theory study addressed gaps in the literature regarding the application of complexity theory to complex social phenomena (CSP), for which no straightforward solutions or simple interventions exist. While complexity theory has played an important role in groundbreaking innovations in quantitative fields such as medicine, engineering, and finance, its application remains limited in human-centered developmental domains including education, social work, and healthcare. Using a grounded theory design informed by phenomenological approaches, this study examined the lived experiences of a group of six CSP practitioners, each of whom participated in two individual, semi-structured video interviews. Interview data were analyzed …

From Automation To Imagination: Empowering Student Creativity In The Digital Age, Annie Yon

New Jersey English Journal

In today’s digital age, literacy extends beyond traditional reading and writing to encompass collaboration, multimodal communication, and the ability to create meaning through diverse media. As AI becomes more integrated into education, we must reconsider its impact on student thinking, work ethic, and writing, while redefining meaningful writing and assessments. Rather than relying on traditional five-paragraph essays, projects like literary magazines that blend writing with multimodal components showcase how educators can prioritize creativity, expression, and personal reflection. This approach ensures that even in the age of AI, students continue to create and engage in ways that are authentically their own.

Beyond Black And White: Embracing Every Hue Through Words, Stories, And Unapologetic Truths, Darius M. Phelps

New Jersey English Journal

Literacy shapes how students interpret and engage with the world, yet traditional education often compartmentalizes it. This article explores racial literacy and poetry as transformative, interdisciplinary tools for critical inquiry and identity formation. Grounded in scholarship and practical strategies, it calls for reimagining literacy instruction as empowerment across disciplines and lived experiences.

Moving Beyond Reading And Writing: Incorporating Historically Responsive Literacy Into Literacy Instruction In Content Area Classrooms, Andrea Lemahieu Glaws

New Jersey English Journal

This article describes the practices on teacher educator used to incorporate a historically responsive literacy framework into a disciplinary literacy course offered for pre-service teachers. This article begins with an overview of disciplinary literacy and Dr. Muhammad’s historically responsive literacy framework. Following, this article describes three assignments that the teacher educator used within her classroom to support pre-service teachers across multiple content areas in making connections between HRL and their content area discipline. These three assignments include: lab reflections, curriculum analysis, and mini-lesson facilitation. Connections to implications beyond teacher education are made.

Promote, Partner & Mentor: Research At Liberty University, Mark Hamilton

Faculty Publications and Presentations

How can you be involved with faculty and student research at Liberty University? Promote your own research through LU Faculty SHARE (the faculty research platform). Partner with Liberty University Journals, encouraging student submissions. Mentor students in the research process.

Objectives

At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Promote your own Research through LU Faculty SHARE 
• Use LU Faculty SHARE to list your own articles, posters, and presentations.

• Partner with Liberty University Journals 
• Serve as an advisor, or editor of an existing journal.
• Create a new journal by completing an interest form and application for a new …

Development Of A Structured Inquiry-Based Heat Transfer E-Module To Encourage Elementary School Students' Critical Thinking Skills, Chintia M. P Ati, Alvin J. Hano

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

The study is undermanned by the students' lack of critical thinking skills and the lack of digital learning media. The purpose of the study is to produce credible, pragmatic, and effective e-modules to improve critical v-grade thinking skills. The study USES model development methods Lee and Owens, 2004. The 36 student classes vs. SDN oesapa small 2 mussels are traveling in kalor transfer content during the full term of year 2021-2022. Analysis shows that an e-module effectively enhances the student's critical thinking skills. Critical n-gain thinking skills by 0.7201. The conclusion that structured e-modules effectively promote critical thinking skills. This …

Threads Of Empathy: An Integrative Model Of Empathy In The Schools, Arthur J. Clark, Tara M. Simpson

Journal of Human Services Scholarship and Interprofessional Collaboration

Empathy has a distinctive and evolving history in education for cultivating human relationships and engendering mutual understanding. Within a school setting, empathic engagement is essential for the social and emotional development of children and adolescents. From an educational perspective, literature from multiple disciplines and specialties illustrate innovative practices to harness empathy in the classroom and beyond. The representative initiatives hold promise for developing an integrative model of empathy within a school or a school district through a program involving interprofessional collaboration.

Interview With Orca Award Winner Reuben Rieke, Unl Chemistry; Discoverer Of Rieke Metals, Mark Griep, Reuben Rieke

UNL ORCA Interview Series

Emeritus Prof. Reuben Rieke was awarded the ORCA in 1995. Reuben was born in Fairfax, Minnesota. Something in his youth must have sparked an interest in science because he traveled 100 miles east to The University of Minnesota where he earned a bachelor’s in chemistry. Next, he earned a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin, and did postdoctoral work at the University of California Los Angeles. In 1977, after about 11 years as a faculty member in the chemistry department at the University of North Carolina, he joined UNL as a full professor of chemistry. I’ll share two remarkable facts …

Automating Academia: Implications Of Genai Use In Doctoral Research And Online Mentoring, Cheryl Burleigh, Andrea M. Wilson

Journal of Online Mentoring

This study critically examines the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), specifically ChatGPT, in the development of doctoral dissertation proposals, highlighting both its potential and its ethical implications. Through a content analysis of a dissertation proposal created using ChatGPT, the study investigates how GenAI supports structural organization, academic writing, and citation formatting while exposing significant concerns related to fabricated references, methodological misalignment, and diminished scholarly rigor. Although GenAI accelerates the proposal-writing process, its outputs often lack the depth, coherence, and originality expected at the doctoral level, thereby threatening the integrity of academic research. Findings reveal that GenAI-generated content may deceive …

A Model For Artificial Intelligence (Ai) Literacy Education: Reflections On Teaching Graduate-Level Teacher Education Courses, Hyunjin Jinna Kim

International Journal of Transformative Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

This practice-oriented self-study examines the development of an artificial intelligence (AI) literacy education model grounded in my reflective teaching practices and journey in graduate-level teacher education courses. As AI tools become increasingly embedded in educational and everyday technologies, both teachers and learners often remain unaware of the algorithms, data ethics, and biases that shape AI-driven systems (Ghallab, 2019; Ng et al., 2022). Recognizing that many teachers and teacher candidates responsible for educating the next generation have a minimal understanding of AI tools’ limitations and the ethical risks involved in AI use, I drew on my own experiences and knowledge as …

Collaborative Autoethnographic Reflections On Genai In Higher Education: A Cross-Disciplinary Perspective, Xuexue Yang, Wen Wen, Yan Lang, Shiyi Chen

International Journal of Transformative Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

This study seeks to examine and understand the role of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and its influence on higher education through an autoethnographic approach. Through collective reflection on the observations and practices of four faculty members in a medium-sized public university, this study offers insights into the discourse on GenAI and its educational and cultural implications. The study’s conceptual framework integrates the New Literacies with the Micro-Meso-Macro levels, guiding four faculty members’ reflections, perspectives, and practices on AI use. Data sources include focus group interviews and journals. Findings show the four faculty members' varying levels of understanding and knowledge about …

Teaching Numeracy For Social Justice: Educational Equity, Esther Isabelle Wilder, Crystal C. Rodriguez, Caterina Shost, Eduardo Vianna, Frank Wang

Numeracy

The special collection, “Teaching Numeracy for Social Justice: Educational Equity,” focuses on how quantitative reasoning (QR) can function as a vehicle for equity, empowerment, and democratic participation. Building on a longstanding tradition that treats numeracy as inseparable from social justice, these contributions highlight how progressive pedagogies (e.g., active learning, authentic research, and equity-oriented assessment) have the potential to broaden access for students historically excluded from quantitative fields. The studies span a variety of conceptual frameworks, introductory and advanced quantitative instruction, and interdisciplinary applications, showcasing how inclusive QR practices can build confidence, agency, and real-world understanding. These articles demonstrate that when …