Digital Commons Network^™

Addressing The Disparity: Examining The Barriers To Success For Economically Disadvantaged Students In Advanced Placement, Brittany Culbreath

Curriculum and Instruction (Ed.D.) Dissertations

There are perceived barriers that impede students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who are identified as academically qualified for Advanced Placement coursework but do not enroll. Additionally, students from low socioeconomic backgrounds experience barriers to achievement while taking AP classes. These limitations impede students’ ability to perform optimally in a rigorous academic environment. The level of access students from low-SES backgrounds have once they enter AP courses is crucial. Equity can be an issue if there are barriers that need to be addressed for students and teachers. In terms of AP courses, existing gaps in the research need to be filled …

Helping Students Understand The Complexity Of Ecological And Environmental Issues Through Use And Creation Of Environmental Impact Statements, Jessica Amacher, Desirae Klimek

Professional Learning Day

When discussing environmental issues, threats to ecosystems, and potential solutions, students tend toward a simplified view of these issues and how to fix them. To enrich their understanding of the complexities of these problems and the potential for real-life solutions, we developed a unit in which students create Environmental Impact Statements. This framework encourages students to consider the diverse perspectives of stakeholders in a specific ecosystem and to propose feasible and effective solutions.

Build Your Own World!, Sarah Robertson, Felicia Maxa

Professional Learning Day

You will be introduced to an activity that allows you to create a unique planet and learn about earth and space science in the process! In making your planet, you will use knowledge of formation, plate boundaries, landforms, weather, climate, wind currents, and more. You will sketch out planetary details and create a raised relief map that shows aspects of your planet. If you love Earth Science and project-based learning, this is the session for you. Bring a pencil and a positive attitude!

Examining The Nexus Of School Leadership And Teacher Retention: A Phenomenological Study, Melvina A. Murray

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the influence of school leadership on teacher retention for public school teachers at Helam Public School District. The phenomenon of the influence of school leadership on teacher retention encompasses various interconnected factors that significantly affect the decision of teachers to remain in or leave the profession. The historical, social, and theoretical context of teacher retention were highlighted in the introduction. The theory guiding this study was the transformational leadership theory. The central research question aimed to understand the school leadership experiences of retained public school teachers at Helam Public School District. …

Science Across The Elementary Curriculum, Cora E. Fields

Undergraduate Theses

Science has increasingly become marginalized in the United States today. This is largely due to educational reforms and movements placing an emphasis on standardized testing and mastery of math and reading exclusively. This focus stems from initiatives such as the Back-to-the-Basics movement (1980s), the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) (2001), and the development of the Common Core standards (2010), which prioritize data collection and test results over the hands-on experiences and inquiry-based learning that good science education gives. Because of this, many of our students are not receiving consistent, meaningful access to science instruction. This limits their engagement with …

Toward A Critical Pedagogy Of Assessment Integrating Social Studies Education: The Proposed Socio-Critical Assessment Integration Framework (Scaif), Caroline O. Alordiah, Regina Arisi

Journal of Research Initiatives

The Socio-Critical Assessment Integration Framework (SCAIF) and its consequences for social studies education are examined in this study. The results emphasize the advantages of developing inclusive learning environments, encouraging comprehensive evaluation procedures, encouraging applicability to the real world, and giving students agency by allowing participation in the evaluation process actively. Teachers can promote social justice, question prevailing narratives, and foster critical discourse in the classroom using a critical pedagogy lens. Student learning outcomes are improved by authentic assessment activities that reflect real-world problems and demand that students use their knowledge in meaningful ways. Inclusive learning settings respect student diversity, encourage …

Ucf Pegasus Plan - 1st Grade - Maps & Globes, Cecilia Nuss, Mackenzie Luley, Jessenia Diaz, Alyssa Arnott, Miranda Howley

Pegasus Plans: Social Studies Unit Plans for Florida Teachers

During this unit, students will explore and create various maps and globes through multimedia resources, Hands-on activities, and assessments. The daily lessons cover topics such as a compass rose, cardinal directions, map titles, and physical features on maps and globes. By the end of this unit, students will be able to identify key elements and locate physical features of maps and globes. Through the use of songs, hands-on activities, games, books, and class discussions, students will be engaged throughout the unit.

National Assessment Program Civics And Citizenship 2024 : Technical Report., Kate O'Malley, Renee Kwong, Dulce Lay, Jorge Fallas

Civics and Citizenship Assessment

This report describes the procedures and processes involved in the conduct of the National Assessment Program – Civics and Citizenship (NAP – CC) 2024. The report is divided into chapters covering: the assessment framework and instrument design, item development, test design, scoring student responses, the student questionnaire, student background information, sampling and weighting, data collection procedures and data management, and scaling procedures. The report include an extensive collection of tables and figures.

Culture Of Disease: A Historiographical Review Of The Black Death, Jack Bamford

History - Master of Arts in Teaching

I. Synthesis Essay ………………………………2

II. Document Selection ………………………. 22

III. Textbook Critique…………………………...32

IV. Original Textbook Entry…………………... 36

An Ounce Of Prevention: Counselor And Health Teacher Perception On Substance-Abuse Prevention Curricular Effectiveness, Amanda Jill Knight

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study examined middle and high school health teachers’ and counselors’ perceptions of the effectiveness of skills-based substance use prevention curricula as a means of reducing the prevalence of student substance use/abuse. A mixed-methods, nonexperimental research design was incorporated to discern these teachers’ and counselors’ views on the extent to which students were able to acquire specific alcohol and other drug (AOD) refusal skills after their participation in a skills-based drug prevention education curriculum. These skills were identified and approved by the Ohio Association for Health and Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance.

Analysis of the collected data using SPSS v29 …

Perceptions Of Fidelity, Urgency, And Challenges In Dei Implementation: Insights From Long Island Teacher Union Presidents, Shirley M. Pincay

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

This study examines the fidelity, urgency, and challenges of implementing the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education (CR-SE) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Framework as the NYSED DEI policy in Long Island public school districts. The New York State Board of Regents developed the CR-SE and DEI Framework to promote inclusivity and cultural awareness in educational settings, encouraging districts to adopt practices that affirm and support students from diverse backgrounds. Using a qualitative approach, incorporating a survey and a virtual semi-structured interview, data was collected from Teacher Union Presidents across various Long Island school districts. Key variables included levels of urgency and fidelity …

Southern Adventist University Undergraduate Catalog 2024-2025, Southern Adventist University

Catalog, Undergraduate

Southern Adventist University's undergraduate catalog for the academic year 2024-2025.

The Impact Of Gender On Literacy Engagement, Perception, And Academic Practice In Grades 3–12, Dennis John Wickes Jr.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Gender disparities in literacy persist across the globe, shaping academic and career opportunities in profound ways. Despite advances in educational research and interventions, boys continue to trail their female counterparts in literacy from an early age, and this gap persists. The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in students’ self-perception, academic practice in literacy-based tasks, and enjoyment of these activities. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed. Participants included students in Grades 3–12 from international sites in the United States, the Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, recruited through convenience and purposive sampling based on site access and …

Secondary Educators’ Perspectives About The Influence Of Artificial Intelligence As An Instructional Tool In Secondary Education, Frank Nuara

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) rapidly transforms various sectors of society, its implications for secondary education have become increasingly influential. This qualitative dissertation explores how educators in secondary education institutions on Long Island, New York, perceive the influence of Artificial Intelligence as an instructional tool. While Artificial Intelligence offers promise in enhancing lesson planning, differentiation, and teacher efficiency, as an instructional tool into the classroom. The influence of artificial intelligence as an instructional tool also raises significant questions related to student engagement, cognitive development, educational equity, and teacher preparedness. The purpose of this study was to examine these perceptions in order …

An Edifying Honors Collaboration, Rebecca C. Bott-Knutson, Jonathan D. Kotinek, Hedi M. Appel, Joy L. Hart, Paul Knox, Andrea Radasanu, Daniel M. Roberts, Timothy J. Nichols, Leigh E. Fine, William L. Ziegler, Mary Bryk, Susan Sumner, Rachael Budowle, Kaetlyn Cordingly, Graham E. Bastian, Noah Roerig, Adam Stroud, Keith Garbutt

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

In this chapter, we describe how one honors collaborative was formed, how it functions, and how it continues to evolve. For members of this collaborative, it has been an extraordinary professional journey with edifying impacts as we have been instructed, improved, and enlightened by our involvement.

Our collaborative emerged as a space to engage with colleagues across the nation with the common goal of better preparing honors students to tackle the grand challenges we face as a society (Appel et al., 2023). It comprises a network of honors leaders from 14 universities representing a variety of land-grant, Historically Black Colleges …

Where Honors Education And Faculty Development Meet: Front And Back Matter, John Zubizarreta, Victoria M. Bryan

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Front and back matter

Where Honors Education and Faculty Development Meet [NCHC Monograph Series], John Zubizarreta and Victoria M. Bryan, editors

Lincoln, Nebraska, United States: National Collegiate Honors Council, 2025

Includes:

Front and back covers

Table of contents

Acknowledgments

Foreword, Victoria Mundy Bhavsar and Suketu P. Bhavsar

Introduction, John Zubizarreta and Victoria M. Bryan

About the authorsAbout the NCHC Monograph Series

List of NCHC monographs and journals

NCHC publications order form

From the back cover:

This volume contains an assorted collection of theoretical and practical essays that demonstrate the value of collaborations between honors programs or colleges and faculty development, …

Empowering Honors Education: A Joint Initiative For Teaching Excellence And Curriculum Enhancement, Alexandra Bitton-Bailey, Ryan Z. Good, Gabriela Hamerlinck, Melissa L. Johnson

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Honors leaders should consider faculty development partnerships as outlets for not only communicating instructional opportunities to a wider audience but also broadening teaching opportunities for faculty in departments that are not always represented and for faculty in non-tenure-track as well as tenure-track lines. An ongoing partnership with a faculty development group can also help honors leaders stay aware of teaching with new technologies, manage emergent trends in the classroom such as the use of artificial intelligence, contribute to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, and provide an outlet for reflection about honors instruction. The CTE-Honors partnership at the University of …

Building Place-Based Experiential Learning Into The Honors Curriculum At Ohio University, Geoffrey L. Buckley, Nicole Finnicum, Michelle O'Malley, Jennifer Bowie, Yolonda Youngs

Honors in Practice Online Archive

Observing the demand for interdisciplinary experiential learning opportunities post-COVID, authors present a place-based curriculum in honors. Workshop-style special topics classes provide students with an immersive and flexible learning environment, energize faculty, and engage alumni and community partners. Coursework, fieldwork, internships, and study abroad opportunities all contribute to the development of an informed and engaged citizenry. Authors address challenges in funding, access, and equity, and they suggest ways these challenges might be met.

Honors In Practice, Volume 21, 2025: About The Authors, National Collegiate Honors Council

Honors in Practice Online Archive

About the authors, Honors in Practice, volume 21 (2025).

Playing Hardball With Soft Money: A Qualitative Analysis Of K-12 Administrators' Experiences In The Esser Era, Mairead K. Barrett

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This interpretive qualitative study aimed to understand K-12 administrators' experiences with the Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) during its funding period and fiscal cliff. The study was guided by one research question: What were the perceptions and experiences of K-12 administrators during the ESSER funding window and its subsequent fiscal cliff? The study employed surveys and semi-structured interviews for data collection. Eight building administrators completed the survey, and nine district administrators were surveyed. The results of the building administrators were inconclusive in finding clear themes. The data collected from district administrators representing seven districts uncovered the following …

Flags As Symbols Of Place: Unpacking Geographic Meaning And Identity In Student Flag Designs, Carlos A. Morales-Ramirez

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Flags have been around for centuries; however, vexillology, the study of flags, was not officially coined until the 1960s. Despite this, there is still a need for more scientific and empirical research. Using qualitative arts-based research (ABR) methodology, this study investigates the creative journey of students in an undergraduate geography course as they design a flag for a place of their choosing. Students were asked to interpret the concept of ‘place’ through their flag designs while also incorporating flag design principles. The results showed that participants selected places tied to themes such as hometown, family, love, memories, and culture often …

Where Honors Education And Faculty Development Meet, John Zubizarreta, Victoria M. Bryan

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs

Development is a contradictory terrain, as seen in the persistence of multiple and conflicting goals, uneven and unequal outcomes, and varied definitions and approaches to teaching and learning in higher education. How might universities support faculty development as a process rather than as isolated educational events? This collection highlights inherent complexities and challenges in sustained professional development and presents new ways of supporting faculty and designing curricula to encourage learning-centered teaching, experiential learning, collaborative undergraduate research, progressive forms of assessment, and other dynamic, inspiring forms of instruction. Engaging in interdisciplinary thinking ranging from Education and Education Policy, Biochemistry, Philosophy, Environmental …

Beyond The Bin: Transforming Relationships With Waste Through A Collaborative Inquiry-Based Environmental Education Curriculum, Kaylee V. Morris

Pitzer Senior Theses

This thesis presents Beyond the Bin, a collaborative inquiry-based environmental education curriculum designed to transform how young learners understand and interact with waste. Motivated by the limitations of current downstream waste education—focused primarily on consumer behavior and individual disposal practices—this project argues for an upstream approach that identifies the underlying cause of these prevalent systems of disposability. Grounded in environmental education theory, affective learning, and ecological literacy, the curriculum encourages students to rethink waste as a material with creative potential rather than something to discard. Through creative engagement, experiential learning, and community-based initiatives, the curriculum fosters collaboration between students, teachers, …

Mathematical Drought: The Impact Of Insufficient Instructional Resources In Middle School Math Education, Artia N. Alston

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This research analyzed and examined the impact of resource quality and availability within middle school math instruction within a selected school district. The VRIO framework explored how value, rarity, imitability, and organization influence instructional effectiveness and resource allocation. Collecting data through interviews and questionnaires from teachers and administrators helped to identify gaps in professional development, technology access, and instructional materials. The study revealed the disparities in resource allocation that have contributing factors such as school demographics, external financial support, and funding mechanisms. This examination identified a misalignment between available resources and instructional math needs affecting student performance. These results underscored …

Success Is A Journey, Not A Destination: The Student Library Assistants Of Georgia (Slags) At G. W. Carver School In Richmond Hill, Georgia, 1960-1968, Christopher C. Elkins

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examines two chapters of Black education in Georgia that have been largely ignored in the study of curriculum and educational history, namely the George Washington Carver School located in Richmond Hill, Georgia and the Student Library Assistants of Georgia (SLAGS) that existed statewide in many Black schools. G.W. Carver School, built in 1939 and funded by automaker Henry Ford, is mentioned briefly in multiple works that either relate to Ford or cover the general history of Richmond Hill. Utilizing oral history and archival documents, this study emphasizes the significant contribution the SLAGS program made to students at G. …

Peace Education: Exploring Educational Possibilities, Erica Ferrer Ariza

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Peace Education is a growing field of study that includes different approaches to understanding and promoting peace, conflict resolution, and social justice. Peace education can be a strategic area for societies that have experienced various forms of direct or indirect violence as is the case of Colombia, South America, which has undergone prolonged periods of violence and internal conflict. Considering that peace is contextual and should be defined and decided on by the people involved in the target context, this work aims to illuminate how a peace education process can be experienced by teachers and students and the forms it …

Harmony Or Discord? A Study On The Alignment Between National Objectives And Reformed Social Studies Textbooks In Egypt, Lina Yehia

Theses and Dissertations

Education systems, in many parts of the world, have served as a channel for communicating national goals to students, and Egypt has not been an exception. This study examines how public textbooks effectively align with equipping future generations of Egyptians to fulfill the nation’s development policy goals set for 2030. Utilizing a qualitative research design, this study employed textbook and document analyses of the published national policy goals of the current administration, along with the most recently reformed social studies textbooks of Grades 4, 5, and 6, a product of EDU 2.0. Based on an analysis of national documents, the …

Ai In Education: Teaching, Learning, And Thinking With Machines, Mary Strawderman, Jesse Senechal, Eric Ekholm, Jason Vest, Moe Greene, Dawn Johnson, Daniel Case, Oscar Keyes, Yaoying Xu, Robert Godwin-Jones, Kait Donahue, Kim Elmore, Haley Hendershot, Amy Corning, Paulina Guerrero, Samaher Aljudaibi, Justin Thurston

AI in Education: Teaching, Learning, and Thinking with Machines

This collection from the Humanities Research Center (HRC) Digital Technology in Education (DTE) working group arose from questions around how rapidly emerging generative AI tools are reshaping teaching and learning in K-12 and higher education. The contributions, loosely organized around ethics, policy, and practice, adopt a humanities lens to probe how generative AI and other emerging digital technologies impact human values, experiences, and social structures, surfacing their philosophical, ethical, cultural, and societal implications for schooling. From the perspectives of practitioners and interdisciplinary scholars, the pieces showcase various dimensions of AI's creative potential in education, while also questioning its limitations and …

Stirring Up Foxfire: Rekindling Personal Passion For Teaching Through Storytelling, Frank E. Bird Iii

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

STIRRING UP FOXFIRE: REKINDLING PERSONAL PASSION FOR TEACHING THROUGH STORYTELLING.

by

FRANK BIRD III

Under the Direction of Robert Lake

ABSTRACT

There are two guiding questions for my dissertation and research. The first question pertains to the Foxfire program, a teaching program that originated in Rabun County, Georgia. What is Foxfire? Foxfire is many things. It is a glowing fungus in the mountains of North Georgia. It is fifty-plus years of publishing the Foxfire magazine, a high school class for fifty years, an approach to teaching, a museum, an intern program for high school students, and so much more (Smith, …

Perceptions Of Agricultural Careers In African American School-Age Students Implications For Public Health Workforce, Brittany M. Prince

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study evaluated a six-week enriched agricultural education curriculum on African American students’ knowledge and perceptions of agriculture and agricultural careers in two selected populations. The study aimed to expand awareness about agriculture and diverse agricultural career opportunities in an effort to reduce perceived stereotypes. The study employed a pre-post-test design, implemented at one middle school and one high school that were intentionally selected based on their population demographics. Participants included 108 students across both schools, with the majority identifying as African American. Data analysis included paired-sample t-tests and One-Way ANOVAs and revealed statistically significant increases in knowledge for middle …