Digital Commons Network^™

Teaching The Grateful Dead, Happenings, & Spontaneous Pedagogy, Ryan Slesinger

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

To teach a course on the Grateful Dead I developed a praxis I call “spontaneous pedagogy” that pairs academic rigor with flexible curriculum details to enable creativity and engagement among students in a truly studentcentered classroom. The pairing of spontaneous pedagogy with the Grateful Dead course worked well because the subject emphasizes improvisation, which initially inspired and—during the course—paralleled my praxis. I had developed this praxis previously, implementing it each semester from 2007 to2010 for one Composition II unit on definitional arguments entitled, “The Nature of Reality.” Students were asked to define what they consider as real and apply that …

Using Computational Thinking To Explore And Support Equity And Social Justice, Leslie Keiler, Sherone Smith-Sanchez, Zena Cooper, Natasha Cox-Magno, Lisa Dunn-Lockhart, Kara Hudon, Clare Pawson, Xin Bai

Publications and Research

Brief summary of presentation, suitable for inclusion in our conference program.

We explore the experience of teacher candidates who went to schools much like where they are preparing to teach. We investigate the implementation of Computational thinking-based (CT) learning experiences and examine the social justice implications. We investigate the impacts on their thinking about social justice and the faculty’s reflections on CT integration.

Exploring How Funds Of Knowledge Is Utilized Among Teacher Educators In A Teacher Preparation Program Focusing On Arts Integration And Language Diversity, Gabrielle H. Pretto Ph.D

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

In our current educational climate, teaching for social justice has become increasingly difficult. Teacher educators are faced with certification rules that prioritize test scores over teaching ability, scripted curriculums, and the limited understandings about differences related to culture, class, and race. This study examined how social justice teachings were sustained and enhanced through a Funds of Knowledge (FOK) learning approach. Case study was utilized and guided by the following research questions: (1) What are the FOK of teacher educators participating in the TEALi program? (2) In what ways are the FOK of teacher educators integrated or utilized in their university …

A Guide To Assignments For Open Pedagogy And The Seven Principles For A Culturally Responsive, Inclusive And Anti-Racist Curriculum, Gina R. Foster, Wynne Ferdinand, Michael Schoch, Bruce Shenitz, Jacob Moses, Florentina Lonati, Atharva Orpe

Open Educational Resources

As we identify and nurture the pedagogies that align our students’ understandings and our own on their learning and pre-professional needs, many of us find ourselves weaving together elements from various teaching models in place of relying on a sole framework, such as problem-based learning (PBL) or Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Our selection and application of these concepts and strategies manifests our current beliefs as well as our experiential lessons to date. These include teaching and learning and also social justice, evidence-based research, and our understandings of who we are as both human beings and instructors. At John Jay …

Designing Student-Created Podcast Projects: Tips For Busy Instructors, Jessica Zbeida

TxDLA Journal of Digital Learning

Student-created podcasts have become popular assignments across higher education, yet many instructors need support to design projects that truly engage learners. This paper provides tips for developing student-created podcasts, both as formative and summative assessments.

Pity The Poor Reader, Charles H. Haddad

School of Communication and Journalism Faculty Publications

I conceived my book “Pity the Poor Reader” as an un-textbook, an irreverent “Elements of style.” Like Elements, it’s designed to complement textbooks. Pity is concise, memorable and portable. Under 300 pages, Pity serves as an aspiring writer’s keepsake. Concision lies at the heart of Pity. The key concepts of writing well are distilled into irreverent, memorable lines and axioms. Many of them are organized as lists that are easily printed and taped to a wall or a computer. Indeed, in testing the book with my university students, I’ve found that many of them did print out its list of …

Pity The Poor Reader, Charles H. Haddad

School of Communication and Journalism Faculty Publications

I conceived my book “Pity the Poor Reader” as an un-textbook, an irreverent “Elements of style.” Like Elements, it’s designed to complement textbooks. Pity is concise, memorable and portable. Under 300 pages, Pity serves as an aspiring writer’s keepsake. Concision lies at the heart of Pity. The key concepts of writing well are distilled into irreverent, memorable lines and axioms. Many of them are organized as lists that are easily printed and taped to a wall or a computer. Indeed, in testing the book with my university students, I’ve found that many of them did print out its list of …

The Impact Of Oer’S Continuous Improvement Cycles On Students’ Performance: A Longitudinal Analysis Of The Rise Framework, Daniela Castellanos-Reyes, Sandra L. Carmago Salamanca, David Wiley

Entrepreneurship Faculty Research

Open educational resources (OER) have been praised for revolutionizing education. However, practitioners and instructors battle keeping OER updated and measuring their impact on students’ performance. Few studies have analyzed the improvement of OER over time in relation to achievement. This longitudinal study uses learning analytics through the open-source Resource Inspection, Selection, and Enhancement (RISE) analysis framework to assess the impact of continuous improvement cycles on students’ outcomes. Panel data (i.e., performance and use) from 190 learning objectives of OER of an introductory sociology course were analyzed using a hierarchical linear model. Results show that more visits to an OER do …

Connecting Compassion: Empathy's Role In Stem And Literacy Integration, Leah R. Cheek, Vinson Carter, Michael K. Daugherty, Christian Goering

Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Publications and Presentations

Empathy, an unsung, yet critical element of learning, can be strategically interlaced with literacy instruction and engineering design to create a rich and authentic learning experience for students. Integrated STEM education rests on the promise of engaging students and providing deep understandings through the intentional practice of delivering science and math content through the application of technology and engineering skills. Using children's literature to activate empathy and design thinking can help students become better problem-solvers, critical thinkers, and caring members of society. Empathy facilitates a deeper connection to the human experience, ensuring that solutions not only meet the design requirements, …

The Implementation Of Stream In Mathematics Classrooms In Abu Dhabi Primary Schools: Prospects, Priorities, Processes, And Problems, Nadeia Rashed Alalawi

Dissertations

This study shed light on implementing science, technology, reading and writing, engineering, art, and mathematics (STREAM) in mathematics classrooms in Abu Dhabi primary schools. The study aimed to explore mathematics teachers’ views on the prospects, priorities, processes, and problems of the implementation of STREAM in their classrooms. The study employed qualitative methods to collect and analyze data to support the findings using interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. Fifteen in-service mathematics teachers were interviewed to explore their views about the application of STREAM in their classrooms regarding prospects, priorities, processes, and problems (4 Ps). Then, three of them were observed …

L&D On-Ramps And Off-Ramps For The Mobility Workforce: A Blueprint For Knowledge Ecosystem Formation In The Fourth Industrial Revolution, Tyler Reeb, Barbara Taylor, James Reuter

Mineta Transportation Institute

After a yearlong consensus study, this report presents a blueprint with implementation tools and strategies for CSULB and other CSU campuses to adopt a knowledge ecosystem model in higher education. By conducting talent pipeline pilots for internship preparation activities and related survey and focus group research, the research team found near universal support for pursuing university-industry partnerships. Faculty identified extracurricular activities, experiential learning opportunities, and guidance on further education as their top three priorities when mentoring students in professional development. There was, however, a paradoxical perception among faculty about what universities provide in terms of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) …

A Geriatric Interprofessional Education Workshop: A Mixed Method Study, Patricia Watford, Meghan Hall, Colleen Hergott, Wanda Jirau-Rosaly, Shilpa Brown, Elena Wood, Nicole Rockich-Winston

Journal of Applied Disciplines

Interprofessional healthcare teams are essential for meeting the needs of our older population. To prepare for interprofessional collaboration, educational programs should offer opportunities for interprofessional education. We created a four-hour geriatric interprofessional workshop addressing cognition, macular degeneration, dysphagia, home safety, fall risk, and pharmacotherapy to examine student perceptions of working in interprofessional teams and their attitudes toward geriatric patients. Participants included 189 second-year medical (MD) students, 41 first-year occupational therapy (OT) students, and 36 second-year physical therapy (PT) students. We utilized a sequential explanatory mixed-method approach. Data analysis comprised descriptive statistics, paired t-tests for the pre/post surveys, and inductive content …

Exploring Pre-Service Teachers' Experiences With Emerging Technologies In Secondary Education: A Phenomenological Study, Richelle M. Decuir

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research was an investigation of the role of emerging technologies in preparing pre-service teachers to engage with secondary learners effectively. A phenomenological approach was utilized to explore how instructional design models and constructivist learning theories shape technology training in two Southeastern public universities. The research was focused on pre-service teachers' experiences developing digital competencies, integrating instructional design, and utilizing emerging technologies in educational settings. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and demographic surveys to understand the participants’ perspectives comprehensively. The study findings revealed that while pre-service teachers recognize the value of technology in enhancing student engagement and supporting personalized …

Enhancing Writing By Increasing Metacognitive Skills Through Socratic Seminars In A High Poverty Middle School Social Studies Classroom: An Intrinsic Case Study, Kirsten Hickingbottom

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to better understand the role metacognitive skills play within classroom settings to increase students’ writing through Socratic Seminars. A predominant question guided this study: Can improving student metacognition through the repetitive use of questioning techniques in Socratic Seminars lead to improved writing skills? This question, along with four additional research questions guided the research. There is a need for more activities that promote metacognition due to its correlation with academic achievement, critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and perceived self-efficacy (Keus, 2020). The significance of this study was to examine a method of …

University Students Speak Out: Suggestions To Improve The Move To Emergency Remote Education, Pauline Howes, Justine E. Pettigrew

Faculty Articles

The 2020 COVID-19 crisis forced universities to make a dramatic shift to emergency remote education (ERE). While the urgency of the pandemic is gone, schools continue implementing ERE, but more often on a short-notice, short-term basis in response to various situations. This research examines students’ suggestions for improving university transitions to ERE and applies them to post-pandemic use of ERE. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to analyze responses to an open-ended survey question answered by 2,751 students at a large Southeastern U.S. university. Responses identified main concerns as Grades and Grading (38%), Better University and Instructor Preparation (23%), Improved Learning …

Understanding The “L” In Cslp Within The Literacy Conundrum, Julia Lynch, Andrea Perrone

Michigan Reading Journal

Rooted in culturally relevant pedagogy, culturally sustaining literacy practices (CSLP) focus on equity in education (Gay, 2000; Ladson-Billings, 1995; Paris, 2012). Our view of CSLP emphasizes integrating the arts into literacy instruction to leverage students' cultural assets, stimulating their cognitive processes and recognizing literacy's interdisciplinary role in learning. As we align literacy practices with state standards, high-stakes testing, and research-based methods, it's crucial for educators and society to embrace them. Traditionally, literacy instruction has prioritized written language, creating hierarchical structures that lead to learning gaps and inequitable opportunities. An arts-based CSLP framework addresses these issues by ensuring literacy includes diverse …

Full Issue

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

The First Latinx Graduation, Maria Nevarro

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

Mi Historia Cómo Latina, Jovanna Herrera

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

What Being Bilingual Is To Me, Alexa Martinez

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

How Can An Oyster Reveal The Stories Of A Place?, Ariel Cornett, Delandrea Hall, Kathryn L. Haughney, Cynthia C. Massey, Amanda Wall

Teaching Social Studies in the Peach State

This inquiry leads students through a place-based investigation of oysters. Students will learn how artifacts, such as oysters, have the potential to reveal the stories of a place. Oysters are connected to the 4,000 year human history of Ossabaw Island that spans many cultural groups including, but not limited to Indigenous People, Enslaved People, and Genesis Project Members. These human inhabitants used oysters in a number of ways to sustain their physical bodies, structures, and connection to the land and waterways. Visible influences of the oyster can be observed on Ossabaw Island today.

Teaching Literacy: The Intersection Of Social Studies And Language Arts Through Integration, Christopher D. Moore, Jennifer Shiers, Pamela Mccabe, Jeremy Nix

Teaching Social Studies in the Peach State

Social studies education has always been an important component of K-5 education; however, as dedicated, content-specific instructional time has steadily decreased over the past two decades to give more time to mathematics and specifically English Language Arts, literacy scores have also decreased. Partnering ELA and social studies in the K-5 space allows for students to build their background knowledge in social studies, while increasing their literacy by using instructional resources connected to social studies during the ELA block, and then teaching social studies thinking skills during devoted social studies class time.

Revealing The Stories Of A Place: Designing Curricula On An Island, Ariel Cornett, Delandrea Hall, Kathryn L. Haughney, Cynthia C. Massey, Amanda Wall, Kania Greer

Teaching Social Studies in the Peach State

Ossabaw Island is a Georgia barrier island, accessible solely by boat and protected from development through a public-private partnership between a foundation and the state. This site has the potential to serve as a primary resource for inspiration, education, and lifelong learning. Our study illuminates how one pre-service teacher (PST) and six teacher educators (TEs) experienced an immersive site visit to this local learning environment. We highlight the importance of experiencing places first-hand and using sources (e.g., oral histories) to make content connections. Additionally, the immersive site visit experience allowed us to collaboratively brainstorm place-based curricular units.

The Legacy Of Oscarville: Using Critical Participatory Action Research And Learning Teaching As An Interpretive Process To Sustain A Placeless Place, Leah Panther, Kristie Smith, Mary Mitchelson, Robert Bonner Jr.

Teaching Social Studies in the Peach State

The history of Oscarville, Georgia, nestled within the Lake Lanier region of North Georgia, remains both known and unknown, existing as a significant yet elusive part of local lore and historical retellings. This article delves into the innovative approach of a place-based critical participatory action research program, "Historicizing Oscarville," which engaged teacher candidates and educators in exploring the obscured history of Oscarville. The narrative uncovers the complex layers of settler colonialism, slavery, racial cleansing, and subsequent erasure that characterize Oscarville's past. By employing the framework of Learning Teaching as an Interpretive Process (LTIP) within a place-based education model, the project …

Defining Leadership: Insights Into The Lead Program, Emma Wilson

Professional Learning Day

No abstract provided.

Differentiation Demystified, Dr.Anderson Trimm, Dr. Mary Zuidema

Professional Learning Day

No abstract provided.

Creating Art In Ai, Joyce Symoniak

Professional Learning Day

No abstract provided.

Ai Leadership In 9-12 Education: Research, Ethics, Pedagogy, And Entrepreneurship, Dr.Eric Rettberg, Dr.Ashwin Mohan, Tami Armstrong, Charity Freeman, Steve Goldblatt

Professional Learning Day

No abstract provided.

Exploring Teachers' Perception And Use Of Whole Brain Teaching: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Tiffany Amber Jay-Claycomb

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenology study was to understand Whole Brain Teaching (WBT) through the experiences and perceptions of teachers who utilize this system in the United States. The theory guiding this study was George Miller’s information processing theory, which identified how information is attained, stored, and retrieved, a foundation of the WBT system. This study attempted to answer the central research question: What are the perceptions of classroom success for teachers who use WBT systems? This qualitative hermeneutic phenomenology research focused on WBT teachers across the United States, contacted through an online platform. Data collection consisted of interviews, …

Collaborative Professional Development Featuring Innovative Curriculum Materials, Cory Callahan

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Here I synthesize two research investigations (Callahan, 2018, 2019) that comprise a continuing line of inquiry into the potential of innovative curriculum materials and sustained collaboration as a professional development program to help in-service teachers understand and implement a complex model of social studies instruction. This article features an original innovative curriculum material and specifically explores the question: To what degree can a collaborative professional development program featuring innovative curriculum materials help social studies teachers understand and implement a powerful social studies approach? Findings suggest the professional development program and its innovative curriculum materials helped teachers promote substantive pedagogical thinking …