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Recent Trends In Medical Education To Sustain An Effective Practice - A Systematic Review, Sharon Pricilla Jeevan Kumar Leela Ms., Amtuz Zehra Dr, Ayesha Siddiqhha Mukthar Ms

International Journal of Health and Allied Sciences

Learning processes in medical practices in medicinal schools put more emphasis on the hard sciences than they do on developing soft skills like empathy and communication. For this reason, the medical humanities emerged to provide a "different" take on the creative process. Medical ethics, the doctor-patient relationship, clinical research, mental illness, and professionalism are just a few of the topics that have been utilized to discuss in medical school. A strong connection between classroom learning and clinical experience is crucial for medical school graduates. Students graduating from a medical program are expected to have experience with patient care, clinical procedures, …

Guidance And Lessons Learned For Instructors Seeking To Add Video Creation To Their Skill Set, Wendy A. Swenson Roth

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version of this introduction here.

Videos have entered the classroom, whether for online asynchronous courses or as supplementary information in synchronous classes. COVID-19 accelerated the pace of online and video learning but left instructors with little time to explore the optimal use of this technology. Nonetheless, videos are here to stay, raising questions about what unique choices faculty must make when implementing them and what new skills are required as videos become additional content delivery sources. The following article provides implementation guidance and lessons learned for instructors seeking to add video creation to their skill set.

Design, Implementation, And Reflection From An Interdisciplinary Course In Museum Studies, Brenna L. Decker

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version of this introduction here.

In Spring of 2023, I developed a special topics course titled Collection Material Handling to introduce students to museum management using Utah State University collections on the Logan, UT campus. The cross-listed upper-level course brought 16 USU students together from two disciplines: anthropology and natural sciences. The publication details how I used various learning theories to guide the creation of course content and how I structured and implemented activities in the classroom and in the collections. Examples of worksheets, activities, student feedback, and recommended improvements to assignments are provided. I encourage …

Learning A Little Bit Harder: The Intersecting Experiences Of First-Generation And Single-Mother College Students, Natalie Lecy, Elizabeth Hendrix, Brian A. Droubay

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version of this introduction here.

This study examines the experiences of nine first-generation, single-mother college students, focusing on these intersecting, double-jeopardy identities. Participants’ difficulty navigating college varied; contributing factors included family background, social capital, the type of college attended, and whether they established a mentor. The following themes were established: 1) realizing college is an option, 2) caught between two worlds, 3) college wasn’t designed for us, 4) economic barriers, and 5) disparities in social capital. Our findings indicate colleges were unprepared to meet the unique challenges faced by this group. We present recommendations for the …

Full Issue: Journal On Empowering Teaching Excellence, Volume 9, Issue 1, Spring 2025

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

The full-length Spring 2025 issue (Volume 9, Issue 1) of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version (with downloadable EPUB format) here.

The issue includes five articles addressing challenges in higher education: faculty-student interactions with Generation Z students, experiences of first-generation single-mother college students, implementation of an interdisciplinary museum studies course, guidance for creating educational videos, and a book review on resistance to change in higher education. The journal emphasizes practical strategies for effective teaching, inclusivity, and innovative approaches to pedagogy across various educational contexts.

Professional Alliance For Learning And Support (Pals): A Pilot Career Development Educational Program For Administrative Support Personnel In Healthcare Research, Ebonie R. Hatfield, Humberto Shaw, David P. Farris, Ronald Abraham, Dzifa Duose, Chad M. Middleton, Veronica Garza, Celia Garcia-Prieto, Ignacio I. Wistuba, Rama Soundararajan

Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly transformed the healthcare research landscape, staging unprecedented challenges for administrative research-support personnel. While career programs and retention benefits have emerged to support frontline healthcare workers facing health concerns, burnout and employee-turnover, many “classified”/administrative support staff in research departments who experience similar challenges remain without adequate structured support. This lack of structure has impacted job satisfaction, career-progression and talent retention within this crucial sector.

Recognizing the critical importance of addressing this training gap for the benefit of the broader research enterprise, the Interdisciplinary Translational Education and Research Training (ITERT) Core at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center …

A Curriculum To Foster Self-Management Through Morning Meetings, Emily Auld

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone is to create a curriculum for morning meetings that foster self-management skills in 5th grade students. I have created a four-week curriculum that addresses self-management skills for students in 5th grade, although, this curriculum can be easily adjusted to fit the needs of students in younger grades. This curriculum was created using the research I have outlined in my literature review. Additionally, this curriculum uses The Collaborative for Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework guide my curriculum.

Project-Based Learning To Promote Reading And Writing Skills And Student Engagement In Fourth Graders, Anne E. Eichhorn

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project was to incorporate project-based learning (PBL) into instruction alongside of a teacher directed curriculum while promoting literacy skills and social studies content. The literature review discusses what PBL is, its history, various frameworks, and benefits and challenges. The frameworks focused on in this project include the Buck Institute for Education’s (n.d.) Gold Standard PBL, High Quality Project Based Learning’s (2018) A Framework for High Quality Project Based Learning (HQPBL Framework), Duke’s structure (2014) along with Battelle for Kids (2024) twenty-first century skills. A new framework was developed to create a PBL curriculum alongside the scripted …

Impact Of Professional Development On Teacher Perceptions Of Culturally And Ethnically Diverse Students, Stephanie Kirk Mcmillan

Curriculum and Instruction (Ed.D.) Dissertations

Deficit thinking is when we view another as having less potential based on preconceived notions defined by our backgrounds and, oftentimes, society. A predominantly White teaching force is encountering more cultural and ethnic diversity in their classrooms than ever before. Professional development for teachers is historically beneficial and promotes change in teaching and pedagogy. This study utilized a mixed-methods methodology that examined the effects of professional development on teachers’ knowledge and skills as they pertained to culturally responsive teaching. Descriptive statistics and t-tests were used to test the study's questions. This study surveyed teachers before and after a professional development …

An Inquiry-Based Interdisciplinary Social Studies Unit On Libraries Around The World In A Second-Grade Classroom: A Curriculum Development, Emma G. Weinman

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

This project explores inquiry-based learning and project-based learning. My specific interest in interdisciplinary, inquiry-based instruction stemmed from professional development received, and from an overarching initiative to move towards this type of instruction within the school building that I work. The curriculum developed provides a two-week lesson sequence that can be implemented within a second-grade classroom. The lesson sequence is inquiry-based, and provides opportunities for students to communicate, collaborate, create, and think critically throughout the learning process. This curriculum is interdisciplinary in nature and is designed to meet second-grade Ohio social studies standards, as well as standards in other areas. The …

The Multilingual Book Club Model: Engaging Multilingual Learners In Bilingual (Spanish-English) Graphic Novel Book Clubs To Acquire Language And Vocabulary, Maureen L. Flanagan

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

This project explores the importance of using translanguaging to support multilingual learners in predominantly English speaking classrooms. The main intent is to provide an engaging curriculum that provides culturally responsive material for multilingual students whose home language is Spanish. The project explores seminal research in second language acquisition and the importance of vocabulary instruction. It also acknowledges the importance of the Book Club Model

Disciplinary Literacy In Preschool Classrooms, Mckenna Beam

Graduate Teacher Education

The research questioned the potential impact disciplinary literacy may have on academic growth in early childhood classrooms and considered how preschool teachers can implement developmentally appropriate practices focusing on disciplinary literacy to support academic readiness skills. Schools emphasize a need for early intervention in the math and literacy domains to combat the academic achievement gap, but Chapin (2006) recognized a need for early intervention in the science and social studies domains as well. With this knowledge in mind, specific developmentally appropriate methods for integrating science, social studies, music, and art instruction in preschool classrooms were highlighted. Systemic methods of implementing …

High School Students Experiences With Competency-Based Education: A Study In Student-Centered Learning, Sarah Stout

Doctorate in Education

In this dissertation, I examined how high school students experienced the phenomenon of competency-based education (CBE) and how that impacted their overall view of high school educational systems. Rooted in personalized learning, CBE focuses on mastery of learning versus time spent, performance-based assessments, and rigorous competencies made up of educational standards. While most notably utilized in higher education and trade schools, CBE is making its way in public school systems in the U.S. Current literature looks at the adult perspective of CBE, but the student perspective is missing. This study was guided by a conceptual framework that first acknowledges education …

Representation Of Autism Spectrum Disorders In Realistic Fiction For Children And Young Adults Over The Past 20 Years, Jane E. Kelley, Yun-Ju Hsiao, Brenda L. Barrio, Teresa A. Cardon, Madeline G. Joyce

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

In our study, we analyzed 147 contemporary realistic fiction children’s and young adult books that feature characters with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We compared these representations with current statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For each book, we examined the character demographics, the main character, the author’s background, and representation prevalence. Our findings revealed a significant increase in the portrayal of characters with ASD over the past decade. There has also been a rise in the number of characters with ASD serving as the main protagonists in stories. We delved into the implications of gender, race, and …

Leveraging Ownership To Prosper From Failure, Rodney G. Thomas

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain an understanding of the phenomenon of leveraging ownership to prosper from a failure experience through the lenses of principals who have experienced a situation where they failed. Research questions included the perception of the determining aspects, how ownership manifested as a coping method, the belief in leveraging ownership to improve outcomes, and what principals can learn about themselves when finding success after failing. Principals matching the criteria of working in Indiana and Michigan and having a failure experience were chosen for this research study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the principals …

Exploring The Efficacy Of The Comprehensive Institutional Model (Cim) In A Post-Covid-19 Hyflex Higher Education Environment: An Instrumental Case, Pamela Mccray

Theses & Dissertations

This instrumental case study examined the efficacy of the comprehensive institutional model, a pre-existing conceptual framework addressing the challenges of HyFlex teaching and learning in the post-COVID-19 environment at one private university in South Texas. The model was constructed using longitudinal data from a two-year pilot study (2021-2023) and focused on improving teaching effectiveness, investing in instructional technology and infrastructure, supporting graduate students’ academic needs, and executing institutional sustainability actions across three stakeholder groups: administrators, faculty, and graduate students. The study also addressed key gaps in the literature, including the lack of tested HyFlex models in real-world settings. A qualitative, …

Elementary Writing Intervention Implementation Status, Thomas John Petré Wills

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite decades of focus, U.S. students' writing abilities remain below grade-level expectations, highlighting persistent gaps in instructional support and systemic challenges within public education. Barriers include limited instructional time, inadequate teacher preparation in evidence-based writing practices, insufficient resources, and a lack of structured interventions for struggling writers (Applebee & Langer, 2011; National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2012). This study employed survey methodology to examine how teacher self-efficacy, classroom supports, and systems-level factors such as response to intervention (RTI) practices influence the implementation of evidence-based writing instruction in grades two through four. A national sample of elementary school teachers completed …

The Impact Of Graphic Organizers On Argumentative Writing For Ell Students, Ashley Van Beek

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research project explored the effect that graphic organizers had on argumentative essays written by English Language Learners (ELLs) in a secondary English class. The research participants were nine Junior and Senior ELLs with varying levels of English proficiency. Students wrote a pre-assessment argumentative essay without a graphic organizer, and then later wrote a summative argumentative essay with the help of a graphic organizer designed by the researcher. The researcher compared their pre-assessment scores to the summative assessment scores, which showed both a neutral and positive correlation between using a graphic organizer and improving in score. Findings of the …

Effect Of The Sequencing Of Instruction On Students’ Perceptions Of Engagement And Learning, Ingrid Etherton

Master of Education Program Theses

Inquiry-based learning has become a hallmark of science education, in part through the introduction of the Next Generation Science Standards. Research has shown inquiry and direct instruction are effective and essential components of student learning; however, effective implementation of these strategies requires intentional sequencing and understanding of student cognition and motivation. This action research project sought to investigate the relationship between the sequence of inquiry and direct instruction and students’ perceptions of their learning through inquiry. The results of this study indicate that inquiry activities are effective for student learning and interest in the content; however, further research is needed …

The Digital Incorporated Worker Narrative: A Mixed Methods Study Of Digital Capital, Work Selection, And Outcomes In The Fourth Industrial Revolution, Tracie King

Dissertations

Digital technology permeates society and industry, making digital-ready workers necessary for firms of all sizes as a firm seeks competitiveness in the market (Bergson-Shilcock et al., 2023; de Ruyter et al., 2018; Gorski et al., 2022; Karaboğa, 2023; Kim et al., 2017; Qureshi Zia, 2019). Firms seeking digital-ready workers face a complex digital divide that creates a worker shortage (Bergson-Shilcock et al., 2023; Karaboğa, 2023; Qureshi Zia, 2019). This study aims to describe workers' work selection, work experience, and outcomes in a complex digital society.

Most digital divide research focuses on the individuals excluded from owning, accessing, and having skills …

Elevating Educators: The Role Of Sponsorship In Fostering Teacher Engagement, Recognition, And Retention, Justin Mitchell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Teacher burnout and attrition have become pressing concerns in education, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. The demands on educators have increased, yet systemic supports have often remained stagnant, leading to disengagement and decreased participation in extracurricular activities. This study examined the role of teacher sponsorship of extracurricular activities in fostering teacher engagement, recognition, and retention within a rural Title I middle school. Using an improvement science framework, this research explored how teachers’ involvement in extracurricular activities impacts their connection to the school community and whether targeted interventions such as professional learning communities and recognition initiatives can enhance teacher participation and …

Effective Best Practices In Social Studies Education: Empowering Students Despite Institutional Barriers, Shelbie A. Merriweather

Curriculum and Instruction Undergraduate Honors Theses

Social Studies has remained a prevalent feature of the curriculum taught in the United States education system since the start of the 20th century as society became concerned with teaching children to be active citizens in their communities, and has evolved to integrate the development of critical and historical thinking skills that will enable students to analyze historical events and figures to generate a historical narrative (Coleman, 2021; Smith et al., 1995). The lack of standardized tests centered around social studies has meant that legislation like No Child Left Behind limits the funding provided to social studies as opposed to …

All Clear For Virtual Simulation In Transition To Practice, Stephanie Barrett Msn, Rn, Onc, Rebecca Riznyk Msn, Rn, Cne, Npd-Bc

Posters

The goal of this innovative project was to increase new graduate nurses’ comfort with emergency management, improve communication with the interdisciplinary team, and provide a valuable and engaging experience in a TTPP at a large health care system

“Proving Our Worth”: Discourses Of Teacher Evaluation In Literacy Coaching, Carolyn S. Hunt, Deborah A. Macphee

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

There is increasing evidence that literacy coaching is an effective method for supporting teachers’ professional development. At the same time, teacher evaluation systems have intensified in response to reform initiatives, raising questions about what happens at the intersection of teacher evaluation and coaching. Despite the potential of coaching to promote deep reflection and professional growth, discourses of teacher evaluation can disrupt teacher-coach relationships if accountability is privileged over professional learning and coaches are positioned as experts who judge and report on teachers’ performance. The purpose of this study was to explore how dominant discourses of teacher evaluation influenced the professional …

Differentiated Instruction For Students With Special Needs: “How Can We Better Equip Students, School Systems, And Society For Differentiated Instruction For Students With Special Needs In Career And Technical Educational Environments?”, Mikala A. Highsmith

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Career and Technical Education (CTE) plays a vital role in preparing students for the demands of the modern workforce by providing essential knowledge, technical skills, and industry-recognized certifications. As the number of students with disabilities, including neurodivergent learners, continues to rise, CTE programs face increasing pressure to adopt innovative, inclusive educational practices. Integrating creative teaching strategies and leveraging technology are now critical tools in addressing diverse learning needs that promote effective classroom management and enhance student engagement. Moreover, CTE programs emphasize the development of professional competencies, workforce protocols, and transferable skills that strengthen students’ employability across industries. This paper examines …

Famílias Indigenas Entre Mundos: Standing In Pachakuti, Living In Chi’Xi Within The Constellation Of Their Comunidad De Saberes, Ymasumac Marañón Davis

Dissertations

To be Indigenous is to be la luz del mundo, to stand in your light and spread your sunrays, no matter winds or clouds of colonization that strive to dim you. This qualitative study explored ways Indigenous Latine families negotiate a sense of place within onto-epistemological realities and their home culture of learning and Western education. This research is desire-based (Eve Tuck, 2009), creating our own project of modernity, grounded in one Indigenous family’s experience within their Andean community. Drawing from Critical Latine Indigeneities Framework (Blackwell et al., 2017) and Chicana Feminist Epistemologies (Bernal, 1998), using an Entre Mundos methodology, …

Virtual Reality And Nursing Education: A Randomized Control Trial Of The Effectiveness Of Virtual Reality As A Simulation Modality, David R. Haigh

Dissertations

Virtual Reality (VR) is an emerging technology being utilized in educational and professional training in fields such as engineering, heavy industry, and the military. VR also has the potential to be utilized in pre-licensing nursing education; however, nursing programs have been slow to adopt VR as a simulation modality to train pre-licensed nurses in clinical skills. As such, there is a lack of research on the effectiveness of VR training in critical skills that nurses will utilize in clinical settings. This research is vital because utilizing VR as a training tool can reduce the time and cost of preparing nurses …

Pre-Kindergarten Teachers' Perceptions Of Teaching Early Literacy Skills Incorporating The Science Of Reading, Sarah Dunn Cheek

Ed.D. Dissertations

Since every student has the right to receive a high-quality education that fosters reading proficiency, researchers have conducted considerable research on the most effective ways to teach students to read for many years. Researchers highlighted the importance of literacy instruction based on the science of reading. Still, there was a gap in the research on this type of instruction in pre-kindergarten classrooms. The purpose of my qualitative, interpretive study was to explore East Tennessee pre-kindergarten teachers’ perceptions of their abilities to implement science of reading-based literacy instruction and how these teachers were implementing this instruction in their classrooms. After collecting …

An Exploration In Using Aesthetic Creative Modalities In Professional Supervision, Linda Young

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project examines the integration of aesthetic and creative modalities into professional supervision, traditionally dominated by conversation-based methods. Drawing on over thirty years of experience in education, ministry, and supervision, it addresses the need for more creative, diverse, expressive, and reflective tools to be used in professional supervision practice. The study proposes a theoretically and theologically grounded curriculum to equip supervisors in postgraduate training with creative approaches that enrich learning, insight, and practice within the evolving landscape of professional supervision in Australia.

2025 Nsu Graduate Commencement Program, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Commencement Programs

May 9, 2025

• Barry and Judy Silverman College of Pharmacy
• Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine
• College of Dental Medicine
• College of Optometry
• Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences

May 15, 2025

• Shepard Broad College of Law
• Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine