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Bridging The Abyss: Reclaiming Spirituality In Academic Knowledge Production, Neil Boland

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

Over recent decades, Western academia has shown a growing interest in spirituality, accompanied by methodological innovations and epistemological expansion. Nevertheless, spiritual inquiry continues to be subtly subordinated to scientific rationalism, with Western science often presiding as gatekeeper over what is considered legitimate knowledge. Drawing on Boaventura de Sousa Santos’ concept of abyssal thinking, this article argues that spiritual and experiential forms of knowing remain largely relegated to the far side of an epistemic divide, valued only insofar as they can be reframed within scientific norms. Despite increasing institutional recognition of spirituality in fields such as education, psychology, and medicine, …

The Thousand Mysteries That Bind Us: The Multiverse As Spiritualverse And The Holism Of Mystery, Giovanni Rossini

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

While we exist historically within evolving worldviews, we live amid the paradoxical necessity of mystery; one shared by scientists and non-scientists, theologians and atheists, and artists and philosophers alike. A thousand mysteries bind us with their imperative presence. While pre modern astronomers pondered the mysterious randomness of the night sky, today our sense of cosmological awe is fuelled not only by its randomness, but by a new scientific theory that says multiple skies inhabit the creation. The multiverse — a thesis emerging from cosmological science, wherein parallel worlds are posited to coexist — augments mystery. In this paper, I explore …

Editors’ Introduction, Kathleen R. Kesson Dr., Susan H. Edgerton, Jing Lin

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This is the introduction to the Special Issue

Fast-Track Ode: A Student-Centered, Game-Based Summer Differential Equations Course, Chamila D. Malagoda Gamage

CODEE Journal

This article describes a student-centered and game-based redesign of an Elementary Differential Equations course taught during a six-week summer session. In this compressed setting, students had to move through the standard course content quickly while still developing procedural fluency, conceptual understanding, and confidence with applications. To support these goals, the course used real-time feedback tools, collaborative problem solving, applications connected to students' fields, and mathematical games. The paper describes the course context, major activities, implementation details, and student feedback. Student responses suggest that the activities were well received and helped students stay engaged, participate regularly, prepare for exams, and see …

Designing Inclusive Stem Curricula: A Design-Based Study Of Teacher Learning And A Queer Inclusive Framework, Kyle Nolting

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education has historically marginalized queer identities, shaping inaccurate curricula and fostering unwelcoming classroom environments. To address this, my research uses design-based research to investigate the design of queer-inclusive STEM curricular resources. I partnered with in-service secondary STEM teachers amidst a series of professional development courses to co-create curricular resources. My research is grounded in queer theory, using a Gender Inclusive Framework to collaboratively develop inclusive design principles. My findings revealed a strong desire by teachers for more authentic and fluid representations of gender and sexuality in STEM curricula, particularly beyond the biological science discipline. …

The Development And Validation Of Gains-Id, A Guidebook For Adapting Intervention Sessions For Students With Intellectual Disability, Kayla Mccreadie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Targeted interventions can equip students with intellectual disabilities (ID) with essential academic skills that support positive post-secondary outcomes. However, the lack of interventions specifically designed for this population creates barriers to equitable education. Until more interventions are developed, educators may benefit from resources that help adapt evidence-based practices to meet the needs of students with IDD.

The first manuscript introduces GAINS-ID (Guide for Adapting INtervention Sessions for Intellectual Disabilities). Based on best practices and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), the guide offers examples of adaptations to various intervention components—such as time, materials, environment, …

Remixing Dialogue: A Case Study On Perceptions Of Hip Hop Pedagogy In A Professional Learning Course, Kelly J. Thelen

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This qualitative case study examines how teachers’ decision-making and professional autonomy shift while participating in a Hip Hop Pedagogy Professional Learning course supported by structured FIXIT (Lo & Wachter, 2023a, 2023b, 2023c, 2023d; Wachter & Lo, 2024) game-facilitated dialogue in a rural, culturally and linguistically diverse Midwest community. Grounded in Freire’s (1970) Critical Pedagogy, Ladson-Billings’ (1995) Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (Paris and Alim, 2017), and Adult Learning Theory (Knowles et al., 2005), the study explores the reclamation of agency by teachers in a time of constrained creativity and educator autonomy shaped by strict policy environments, an emphasis on …

Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion: A Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Phenomenological Study, Paul Bagsby Iv

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of K–12 STEM teachers as they cultivated inclusive and diverse classrooms in alignment with culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP). Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of learning guided the study. Purposeful sampling with maximum variation was used to recruit 10 secondary STEM teachers from public schools in Riverside County, Southern California. Data were collected through individual interviews, focus groups, and journal prompts and were analyzed using Colaizzi’s method. Seven themes emerged: CRP as an embedded and intentional practice; CRP as difficult but necessary work; student ownership as engagement; student reactions as …

Exploring The Motivations Of Undergraduate Sport Management Students, Kyle J. Brannigan, Tyler J. Hajek

The COSMA Journal

This study explored the motivations of undergraduate sport management in four university programs. Convergent mixed-methods research through the theoretical framework of Self-Determination Theory was incorporated with an adapted questionnaire of the Academic Motivation Scale and semi-structured interviews through Thematic Analysis. Ninety-six surveys with nine interviews were deemed usable across four regionally focused, vocationally minded, and accessible universities. Overall, students reported higher levels of extrinsic motivation than intrinsic motivation. The findings suggested intrinsic motivation to know and extrinsic motivation through regulation for identification scored highest with the participants. No significant differences were found between classes and ethnicities. However, male students experienced …

The Role Of Parents In Supporting Student Learning At Home, Lindsey M. Deblaay

Masters Projects

This study addresses the pedagogical disconnect between modern, inquiry-based mathematics instruction and traditional caregiver support structures. While caregiver involvement has proved to be helpful in student achievement, systematic barriers that limit family’s capacity, parent self-efficacy and their willingness to use learning strategies at home, the perception of the parent role of caregivers in their child’ s education makes it difficult. The curriculum prioritizes conceptual number sense and critical thinking rather than rote standard algorithm, so it has created a barrier in parent support among caregivers with these instructional shifts. It diminishes parent self-efficacy particularly in fifth grade. The project features …

Exploring The Effectiveness Of A “How-To-Teach” Book Club For Preservice Teachers, Rina Bousalis, Eden Greene, Robyn Klein, Abigail Woods, Isabella Mandoeng

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

As teacher training programs continue seeking ways to prepare their preservice teachers to teach, many have turned to “how-to-teach” books written by veteran teachers, viewing them as a valuable source that could offer teacher candidates additional support. This study, which developed from the idea of creating a book club with instructors and members of a university’s future educators’ organization, used a qualitative textual analysis approach to explore concepts that emerged from how-to-teach books, how participants’ perceived those concepts, and how the books benefited participants. The study revealed that although authors’ perspectives often conflicted with participants’ beliefs, the authors’ engaging activities …

Improving Bench Work Competence Through Qr Code Based E-Lkpd Featuring Sop Video And K3 Safety Checklist, Firman Muhadi Saputra, Marsono Marsono, Imam Muhtarom, Mingchang Wu

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

This study examines the use of a QR Code-based E-LKPD integrated with SOP videos and a K3 safety checklist in improving vocational students’ bench work competence. A pretest–posttest control group design was applied to 63 tenth-grade machining students at SMKN 1 Jenangan Ponorogo in the 2025/2026 academic year selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using performance assessment observation sheets and written tests. The results show that both groups achieved the competent category, with the experimental class obtaining a slightly higher mean score (80.22) than the control class (77.07), However the independent t-test results indicate that the difference is not …

Comparative Analysis Of Artificial Intelligence (Ai) Implications For Active Learning And Assessment At Various Curricular Levels Of Stem And Health Sciences In Developed Versus Underprivileged Countries, Vinay Munlapudi, Santanu De

FDLA Journal

Today’s all-pervasive emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) necessitates a comprehensive evaluation of its role in education, especially for occupational disciplines in health sciences and STEM. AI has reshaped student learning and instructors’ navigation of the evolving, post coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) global academic landscape. This study aimed at encapsulating evidence-based AI implications for student-centered, active learning and assessment at various curricular levels of science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and health sciences education in developed versus underprivileged or less developed countries. An extensive, scoping review of 65 recent, scholarly publications was conducted over six months through diverse search engines (PubMed, Google …

Navigating Digital Transformation: Students’ And Lecturers’ Perceptions And Experiences Of Online Teaching In South African Higher Education, Precious Dube, Yolisa Madolo

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

The digital transformation of higher education has reshaped teaching and learning practices, but experiences in South African universities remain diverse because of differences in technological access, digital readiness and institutional support. This systematic literature review aimed to examine students' and lecturers’ perceptions and experiences of online teaching and learning in South African tertiary institutions. The review employed studies retrieved from Google Scholar, ERIC, Scopus, and Web of Science. A total of 1253 studies from across the globe were identified and screened using Covidence, resulting in 21 South African studies meeting the inclusion criteria. The selected studies were analysed thematically to …

Ábreme La Puerta Y Entraré: Utilizing Hip Hop Pedagogy To Build Community For English Learners With Disabilities, Ebony Nicole Perez, Georgina Rivera-Singletary

Journal of the Arts and Special Education

English Language Learners (ELL) with disabilities face complex educational experiences due to their limited English-speaking ability, coupled with their unique learning challenges. Often, they are viewed from a deficit rather than an asset perspective, leading them to feelings of isolation and marginalization. Providing opportunities to engage in transformative learning experiences, ELL students with disabilities can experience a sense of belonging and empowerment in educational endeavors. Hip-hop can offer dynamic opportunities for ELL students with disabilities by creating an inclusive, affirming space that validates diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Through Hip-hop cyphers, rap battles, and collaborative songwriting, students can grasp new …

Focus Daily: Jase Special Issue On Hip-Hop, Disability, And The Continuing Evolution Of Arts-Based Pedagogy In Special Education (Side B), Jonte C. Taylor

Journal of the Arts and Special Education

Hip-hop has long served as an educational tradition, emerging from the Bronx as a cultural response to systemic inequities that fostered identity, critical consciousness, creativity, and community through its core elements of emceeing, DJing, breaking, graffiti, and knowledge of self. In this second special hip-hop issue of the Journal of the Arts in Special Education (JASE) and building on the initial 2025 JASE special issue, this collection advances hip-hop pedagogy beyond an engagement strategy by positioning it as a culturally inclusive framework that supports academic achievement, identity affirmation, and meaningful participation for students with disabilities. The contributing scholars explore how …

The Effects Of Using Hip-Hop Song Lyrics During Instruction For Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Jonte C. Taylor, Millie Rodriguez

Journal of the Arts and Special Education

Hip-hop pedagogy has emerged as a culturally responsive instructional framework designed to increase student engagement, identity affirmation, and academic achievement by incorporating elements of hip-hop culture into classroom instruction. Despite growing interest in hip-hop-based education, limited empirical research has examined its effectiveness for students with disabilities, particularly students identified with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). This study investigated the effects of using hip-hop song lyrics during English language arts instruction to teach literary devices to three secondary students with EBD using a single-case multiple-baseline-across-participants probe design. Three comparison students receiving traditional textbook-based instruction were also included. Dependent variables included instructional …

Mathematics Anxiety And Academic Performance In Mathematics, Bradley Vandermissen

Masters Projects

Mathematics anxiety represents a psychological barrier that negatively impacts student academic performance and self-efficacy across all educational levels. Many secondary mathematics students experience physiological stress, self-doubt, and reduced working memory efficiency when encountering mathematical tasks, often leading to disengagement or an over-reliance on artificial intelligence (AI as a learning shortcut rather than an educational tool. Despite the widespread nature of this issue, educators frequently lack the formal training and practical pedagogical strategies necessary to identify, manage, and alleviate mathematics anxiety within their classrooms. Rooted in Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, this project addresses the underlying cognitive and biological components of mathematics …

Investigating Factors That Affect Students' Help-Seeking Strategies In A University-Level Foundational Mathematics Course, Randall I. Haws

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Quantitative literacy, or the ability to understand and use mathematical information, is an important skill developed in college. However, required math courses can be a major obstacle for many students, and those who struggle to complete them are more likely to leave school without earning a degree. Understanding why some students seek help while others do not is key to improving student success.

This study explores how students in a university-level foundational mathematics course (college algebra) seek help and what factors influence their use of available support services. A total of 118 students completed a survey about their help-seeking behaviors, …

Teachers’, Teacher Assistants’, And Classroom Aides’ Perception, Knowledge, And Implementation Of Orton-Gillingham, Doreen Sisolak

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined teachers’, teacher assistants’, and classroom aides’ perceptions, knowledge, and implementation of the Orton–Gillingham approach to reading instruction. A mixed-methods design was employed, incorporating quantitative survey data (N = 37) and qualitative interview data (N = 9). Descriptive statistics indicated generally low levels of perception, knowledge, and implementation among participants. One-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) were conducted to examine differences based on instructional setting, years of experience, and level of Orton-Gillingham training. Results revealed statistically significant differences in knowledge and implementation by training level and years of experience, whereas no significant differences were found in perceptions across groups. …

Measuring Administrative Hiring Confidence Of Music Teachers In The Context Of Shallow Hiring Pools, Aaron M. Strum

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify and measure the confidence of K-12 administrators in hiring music faculty. This study also aimed to analyze administrators’ perspectives and confidence in key stages of the hiring process, including defining job expectations, posting, advertising, interviewing, and selecting highly specialized music teachers in K-12 settings. Confidence of K-12 administrators can be gauged through their understanding of how well an applicant aligns with the specific needs of the school’s program. Three research questions guided this investigation: (1a) How confident are K-12 administrators in their understanding of music teaching pedagogy when interviewing music teacher candidates …

From Gatekeeping To Opportunity: Authentic Assessment In Natural Resources Education, Aradaryn Marsh

All Dissertations

Assessment practices play a central role in shaping how students engage with learning, demonstrate understanding, and participate in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Despite increasing calls for more inclusive and professionally relevant educational practices, undergraduate STEM assessment remains heavily dominated by traditional examinations emphasizing memorization, speed, and standardized performance. These concerns may be particularly important within Natural Resources (NR) education, a field that requires students to integrate scientific knowledge with communication, collaboration, and applied problem-solving. This dissertation explores authentic assessment within undergraduate NR education through a multi-phase investigation examining assessment prevalence, student experiences, racially marginalized (RM) student perspectives, …

Use Of Active Learning In The Teaching Of The Veterinary Science Course, Cary Rita

All Dissertations

Agricultural education is rooted in active learning, where students develop skills and learning opportunities through hands-on experiences on classroom farms, greenhouses, and even school-based grooming salons. Recent policy and funding revisions have shifted the measures of success in agricultural education programs towards the number of students earning industry-based certifications. This shift has led to the adoption of a test-focused curriculum, often provided by the company offering the certification exam. While the certification-aligned curriculum provides strong content for veterinary knowledge, the problem is that it is often at the expense of hands-on learning. Balancing active learning while also preparing the students …

Growing Our Own Garden: The Implementation Of Cross Curricular And Cross Grade Level Teacher Rounds To Increase Professional Learning Individualization And Feedback, Logan Greene

All Dissertations

Educators are constantly faced with balancing the demands of teaching and professional learning expectations from their districts. Concurrently, administrators are routinely prevented from providing adequate feedback for classroom instructional practices with observations instead focused upon generic and formulaic checks for classroom activities. This results in a gap of intentional professional learning and growth for educators.

The idea of instructional rounds sought to provide teacher-to-teacher feedback for educators to grow their practice together. The original theory focused on groups of teachers operating under a school or district goal of improvement. Instructional rounds have shown positive effects for teacher happiness and student …

Secondary Biology Teachers’ Understandings Of Growth Mindset, Kathryn Chapman

Dissertations

This case study investigates how high school biology teachers understand and apply growth mindset principles in their daily instruction. Using surveys, semi‑structured interviews, and focus groups, the study examines how biology teachers interpret mindset, how they attempt to enact it, and how curriculum demands shape their efforts. Findings show that teachers’ beliefs about intelligence strongly influence their feedback, expectations, and instructional decisions. Teachers described biology as a subject in which struggle is highly visible, emotionally charged, and often tied to students’ prior knowledge, making mindset work both necessary and challenging. Results also indicate that students’ mindsets are shaped by broader …

Student Motivation In Social Studies Classes At The Public Museum High School: A Dissertation, Benjamin Kruid

All Dissertations

Students tend to behave differently in different classroom settings. Many factors contribute to the change in behavior, including motivation. Research suggests a tendency for student motivation to decrease as students move from elementary to middle to high school. However, motivation in students is not uniform and is dependent on factors like the subject, and time of day, for example. This dissertation examines student motivation in social studies classes at a public high school in Michigan using Situated Expectancy-Value Theory (SEVT) as a framework for understanding motivation, and student impulsiveness as understood through the lens of Delay Discounting (DD). This research …

The Impact Of Mentoring: Professional Growth, Reflection, And Retention In Secondary Science Education, Summer M. Landreth

All Dissertations

Teacher attrition threatens the stability of the U.S. education system, with science teachers experiencing particularly high turnover rates. While research has primarily focused on early-career teachers, less is known about the factors influencing mid-career and veteran science teachers’ decisions to remain in or leave the profession. This study explored mentoring student teachers as a potentially transformative experience for cooperating teachers, offering opportunities for professional development, identity development, and enhanced retention. Guided by Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory, the study examined how mentoring may function as a productive experience that prompts critical reflection, revitalizes pedagogy, and reconnects teachers with their professional purpose. …

From The Band Hall To The Classroom: A Qualitative Study On Curriculum Design In Successful Texas Bands To Support Student Success, Amy R. Bennett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Texas band programs have captured national attention for student achievement. This qualitative study examined curricular elements shared among perennially successful Texas band programs to explore whether these practices could inform curriculum development in other academic settings to support student success in indicators such as student academic achievement, behavior, and attendance. The data collection phase consisted of semi-structured interviews with fine arts administrators, campus administrators, and band directors associated with school districts of multiple perennially successful band programs. Through thematic analysis, collaboration and observation emerged as themes that influenced curriculum development among the participants; a focus on student experience, written curriculum, …

Developing A Learner-Centered Teaching Routine, Hyeeun Jang

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This paper shares my story of developing, from Fall 2022 to Spring 2025, a learner-centered teaching routine for my undergraduate mathematics courses. I use four steps: an opening question, a short mini lecture about meaning, structured small group work, and a short end-of-class exit check, at times supported by quick visuals in Mathematica and, when useful, Python. Instead of relying on extended traditional lectures, the routine emphasizes collaborative problem solving and invites students to articulate and check their reasoning together. I used this routine mainly in my elementary statistics classes, but also in calculus and linear algebra. The evidence I …

Criteria For Determining The Level Of Media Literacy Development Of Students In The Summative Assessment System, Bakhtiyor Kadirov, Dilnoza Kadirova, Rashid Omanov, Anvar Allamurodov, Asqar Kholturayev

Journal of Media Literacy Education Pre-Prints

The integration of digital technologies into education necessitates how students’ media literacy is developed and assessed. High school students require skills in critical thinking, digital content evaluation, and the identification of manipulative information.This study examines the effectiveness of summative assessment in measuring media literacy skills and explores the impact of an artificial intelligence-based digital platform enriched with augmented and virtual reality modules. An empirical design was employed involving 120 students from five schools assigned to control and experimental groups. The experimental group engaged with AI-supported media literacy platform over a ten-week period. Data were collected through pre- , post-tests, summative …