Digital Commons Network^™

Embracing Diversity In Higher Education: Teaching A Driven And Determined Approach, Melvin Jackson, Adriel Adon Hilton, Kevin Mcclain

Journal of Research Initiatives

Diversity and inclusivity are two must-teach components that the academy needs to incorporate into its curriculum to enrich student experiences. Due to globalization, technological advances, and norms, societies are becoming more homogenous. Institutions of higher learning should prioritize teaching diversity and inclusion with a driven and determined approach to prepare students better personally and professionally.

Disrupting Pedagogy: High School Students Making Sense Of The Flipped Learning Instructional Videos, Celeca A. Sukra

Journal of Research Initiatives

Technology has impacted every aspect of modern culture, including education. The influx of educational technology in schools presents opportunities to explore ways to engage students in the learning process fully. Although students may enjoy using technology in their daily lives, it is necessary to carefully consider how these students make sense of technology in the learning environment. Using the theoretical framework of constructivism, this Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) aimed to understand and describe the lived experiences of three students using technology to learn in a flipped classroom at a New York City public charter high school. The significant findings reveal …

The Impact Of Teacher Preparedness And Professional Development On Fourth-Grade Students' Science Achievement, Craig L. Mayo, Faye Bradley

Journal of Research Initiatives

Science scores among US fourth-grade students have declined compared to their international counterparts in recent years. Recent results show that teachers are the most impactful influence on student success and accountability. Teacher preparedness and professional development are two key areas that serve as indicators of providing relevant and essential information for students' success. A correlational quantitative study was conducted to assess the relationship between teacher preparedness and professional development on fourth-grade students’ science achievement. The TIMSS 2019 data were secured from the Boston College, TIMSS, and PIRLS International websites. The data was evaluated using the SPSS 27 Hierarchical Linear Regression. …

Embedding Grief And Loss Training Across Cacrep-Core Areas In School Counseling Programs, Katherine M. Wood, C.Missy Moore, Jolie Ziomek-Daigle

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Each year, millions of school-aged children and teens experience grief and loss (Judi’s, 2023). This conceptual article describes the impact of grief and loss on school-aged children and the need to integrate grief and loss training into CACREP-accredited programs through the eight-core CACREP areas. Using Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory, the authors will highlight how counselor educators can infuse content to address grief and loss with preservice school counselors holistically across the various systems surrounding the student in each CACREP core area.

Best Practices For English Learners With Disabilities In Us Schools – A Systematic Review, Samiratu Bashiru, Jennifer E. Smith

Journal of English Learner Education

This systematic review investigated best practices for enhancing academic achievement among English Learners with Disabilities (ELDs) in US schools. By examining 17 peer-reviewed articles and comparing them to the CEC 2014 Quality Indicators, the study identifies significant practices, including culturally responsive methods, technology integration, evidence-based strategies, addressing service delivery challenges, and improving assessment tools. This review has limitations related to inconsistent terminology and highlights the need for standardized language and continued research. It recommends integrating culturally responsive practices, leveraging technology, and refining inclusive assessment tools. This review provides educators, policymakers, and researchers insights, emphasizing ongoing teacher development and policy alignment …

Exploring Teacher Leadership’S Effect On Teacher Burnout: Does School Rurality Make A Difference?, Jiangang Xia, Sam Butler

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

In literature, both teacher leadership and teacher burnout have been heavily studied. However, it is unknown to what extent teacher leadership makes a difference in teacher burnout, and whether school rurality makes a difference in between. This study fills the research gaps by conceptualising teacher leadership from both instructional and non-instructional dimensions and applying a quantitative method to large-scale national data. Findings revealed that (a) rural teachers presented higher levels of teacher leadership practices; (b) rural and non-rural teachers presented the same levels of burnout; and (c) both instructional and noninstructional dimensions of teacher leadership practices helped reduce teacher burnout …

The Effect Of Gameplay On The Creative Self-Efficacy Of Educators In Hypothetical Classroom Management Situations, Weihsuan Lo, Erin C. Wachter, Chelsea R. Miller

Journal of Educational Research and Innovation

In an ever-changing emotional, psychological, and physically developing world of education, it is important for educators to adapt creative skills to meet learners' needs. It is paramount for educators to develop creative skills to meet the needs of their learners and demonstrate effective classroom management. There is a gap between preservice teacher preparation and the reality of the day-to-day demands of educators. Game-based learning can provide a measure to fill that gap by providing a simulated experience for preservice teachers to encounter possible challenging scenarios. This concept of educational gameplay uses interactive learning that can improve the classroom response to …

Playing To Grow. Roundtable Interview On Games, Education, And Character, Owen Gottlieb, Matthew Farber, Paul Darvasi

Articles

In this roundtable interview moderated by Paul Darvasi, lecturer at the University of Toronto and co-founder of Gold Bug Interactive, Owen Gottlieb and Matthew Farber discuss research and practice at the intersection of religion, character education, and games in schools. Gottlieb is an associate professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology, founder and lead faculty at the Initiative in Religion, Culture, and Policy at the MAGIC center, and founder and director of the Interaction, Media, and Learning Lab at RIT, where he specializes in interactive media, learning, religion, and culture. Farber is an associate professor of educational technology and coordinator …

Critically Analyzing The Meanings Of “Critical” Media Literacy, W. James Potter

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This study provides a critical analysis into how authors of publications about critical media literacy express what they mean by the term. The use of multiple strategies to examine the degree to which these authors exhibit a sharing of meaning led to the conclusion that there are far more differences than commonalities across definitions of critical media literacy. The implications of this conclusion raise important questions about the value of a literature where authors seem to express so many different meanings for the concept that they use to label their common concern.

Media Literacy Education For Parents: A Systematic Literature Review, Alicia Haywood, Sabrina Sembiante

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This systematic literature review examines emergent approaches toward media literacy education for parents. Method guidelines for review originated from the 2020 update of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The review sample consists of twelve studies, six originating in the United States, and six from other parts of the world. Findings include: (a) assessments of parent needs, interest in media literacy education, and receptiveness to learning, (b) integration of media literacy education with parental mediation instruction toward positive, healthy child development and socialization - shifts attention from reactive management of media effects to issue prevention …

Media Literacy Policy In Morocco: A Strategic Milestone Missing, Abderrahim Chalfaouat, Karim Essoufi

Journal of Media Literacy Education

In the digital age, diverse walks of human life have reconfigured profoundly. In the Moroccan society, digitalisation plans and the skyrocketing numbers of internet users necessitate coping literacy policies. While several community initiatives have been taken to improve the quality of media literacy, they, as bottom-up efforts, cannot suffice to meet the needs of the whole Moroccan population. Rather, the absence of a central, nationwide, cross-sectoral media literacy policy significantly challenges the effective coordination of official strategies and community initiatives in media education. This article investigates current practices in media literacy in Morocco. Using document analysis, it delves into data …

Teaching Critical Race Media Literacy Through Black Historical Narratives, Christine Mcwhorter, Tiffany Mitchell Patterson

Journal of Media Literacy Education

On the 400th anniversary of American enslavement the New York Times (NYT) 1619 project launched an interactive digital experience including a popular podcast centering the contributions and narratives of Black Americans. This study sought to understand how HBCU students responded to learning Black music history through what we term a “pop culture podcast.” This study explored the ways in which this particular podcast could support the development of Critical Race Media Literacy (CRML) based on a media discourse at a Historically Black College/University (HBCU). This study employed survey research and focus group discussions with HBCU students in two courses. The …

Lessons Learned: Using Faculty Learning Communities To Foster Pedagogical Skills And Cultivate Community, Caitlin Brez, Linda Behrendt

Perspectives In Learning

Academic expertise has traditionally served as the measure of faculty’s effectiveness in the classroom. Twenty-first century changes in the landscape of higher education have brought the need for sound pedagogy as a foundational tool in the college classroom. Faculty learning communities (FLCs) are an effective method to facilitate the development of pedagogy, which, in turn, has shown to have a direct effect on student success and graduation rates. This article examines the experiences of two faculty members at a Midwestern university who developed a 10-week inter-disciplinary FLC that was offered over 5 semesters, as well as participant feedback.

A Preliminary Investigation Into The Impact Of A First-Year Stress Management Seminar, Lisa B. Smith, Mary E. Ignagni

Perspectives In Learning

Research reveals that high stress levels in undergraduate students may negatively impact their emotional and physical well-being. Short-term approaches to introducing stress management on college campuses have been explored. The purpose of this preliminary study was to determine whether a first-year stress management seminar course helped students reduce their stress a year after completing the course, identify which stress management skills students preferred, and assess the effectiveness of specific teaching techniques on student learning. Participants included students enrolled in two sections of a first-year stress management course. A survey was administered in 4 waves during the 2020 to 2021 academic …

How Do Staff And Families Perceive The Effects Of After School Programs On The Overall School Experience?, Selena Alonzo

Masters Theses (Archived)

No abstract provided.

Building Community, Competency, And Creativity In Calculus 2: Summary Of A Pilot Year Of Project Implementation, Jennifer Beichman, Candice R. Price

Feminist Pedagogy

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, instructional modes at our institution moved to fully online and remote, then fully online but on campus, and back to in-person learning in fall 2021. To combat perceived issues in student engagement, we piloted using group projects in place of exams at the natural content break points in Calculus 2.

Evaluating Principal Effectiveness: A Review Of The Literature, Jerry Burkett

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

The evaluation of a campus principal can be a challenging process due largely to the complicated factors that exist to capture an accurate assessment of a principal’s leadership effectiveness. Generally, principal evaluations are conducted by district-level officials who often do not have the time or the resources to observe campus principals on a regular basis. Further, principal evaluation systems (PES) are designed to improve the practice of principals (Clifford & Ross, 2012; Davis, Kearney, Sanders, Thomas, & Leon, 2011; Fuller & Hollingworth, 2014a; Fuller et al., 2015), and there has historically been an acknowledgment that these evaluations do not always …

The Virtual Counseling Transition And Its Influence On School Counselor Self-Efficacy, Tara Hornor, Lee A. Westberry

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine school counselors’ experiences transitioning to virtual counseling during the Covid-19 pandemic, the factors influencing their sense of confidence, and successes and challenges associated with the transition to virtual counseling. Study participants characterized the transition to virtual counseling as challenging and reported the process decreased their self-efficacy. Participants identified four salient categories of challenges associated with the transition to virtual counseling, including difficulty maintaining accountability and contact with students, decreased work/life balance, diminished sense of connection with students, and lack of preparation to conduct virtual school counseling. Successes resulting from the transition …

Title: Assessment Of Student Perception Regarding Clinical Training In Undergraduate Dental Programs Using Clin Ed Iq., Sanaa Ahmed, Samira Adnan, Syed Mahmood Haider

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose. Clinical training is essential part of the dental curriculum. Both clinical environment and Teachers are essential factors which affect the acquired clinical skills. The objective was to assess the perceptions of dental students regarding their clinical training. Methods. This mixed method study using Clin Ed IQ questionnaire was conducted on Dental students graduating from both Private and Public sector institutes of Karachi. The questionnaire had four sections, the first three based on various aspect of clinical training, with responses based on 5-point Likert scale. Section four had open-ended items about dental curriculum. Results. For responses of 220 participants related …

Student Athletic Therapists' Knowledge Of Pain-Relieving Medications: A Nationwide Study, Jackie Vandertuin, Dalya Abdulla, Stephanie Lowther, Joshua Collins

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Misuse of pain-relieving medications (PRMs), including opioids, is high among injured athletes. Athletes are increasingly relying on PRMs and as a result, it is likely that student athletic therapists (SATs) have managed athletes who have misused PRMs and may have potentially missed important symptoms placing athletes in harm. While dispensing PRMs is not within the scope of practice of the SAT, recognition and referral are. Previous research has found that SATs feel ill prepared to recognize PRM misuse and feel tremendous pressure to provide correct health information to the athlete. The purpose of this study was to expand on …

Examining Teacher Leadership: Phenomenology Of The Perceived Challenges Of Being A Teacher Leader, Noelle H. Green

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning Infographics

Today’s school leaders recognize that one person, mainly the principal, cannot adequately address the needs of all members of the school community. Many principals rely on teacher leaders to lead alongside them to further school improvement, knowing that the traditional way of thinking of school leadership as being the sole role of the principal is no longer effective or efficient. While K-12 teachers typically have a strong background in child development, psychology, and pedagogy, many lack experience in leading and facilitating adults and have little background in adult learning theory.

The purpose of this research is to determine how K-12 …

The Effects Of A Shared Vision Of Teacher Leadership On Classroom Teachers’ Instruction, Tiffany L. Bockelmann

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning Infographics

Many models of instructional teacher leadership exist in schools with various outcomes for teachers. The aim of this illustrative case study was to understand systemic alignment in a formal teacher leadership system and how this alignment impacted instructional change. This dissertation was framed by three research questions: 1) How do the rationales of teachers, teacher leaders, and administrators regarding teacher leadership in their school align? 2) How does the coherence of a system of leadership impact classroom teachers’ abilities to engage with formal teacher leaders? 3) How does the coherence of a system of leadership impact classroom teachers’ abilities to …

Ethnographic Research Of The Impact Of Catalyst Strategies On The Engagement And Relationships Within The Classroom For 6th Graders Versus 2nd Graders In General Education, Casey Poland, Rene Beaird, Amber Keller, Sara Kubicek

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This 2023 study focused on the effectiveness of the Catalyst Approach to classroom management in a second-grade versus sixth-grade classrooms in the same district. The Catalyst Approach is a comprehensive classroom implementation model that includes strategies for getting attention, engaging students, setting up for success, and supporting success. Whole group strategies are emphasized in this approach to aid in building a productive classroom environment (Burns & Brinkman, 2018). Our focus with this study was threefold: to see how the Catalyst Approach affected classroom management, how the Catalyst Approach affected relationships within the classroom environment, and how the Catalyst Approach compared …

An Analysis Of How Teaching Through Invention And Consolidation Phases Affects High School Students’ Understanding Of Algebraic Concepts And Beliefs About Mathematics, Cally Simanski

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This quantitative study used a pretest and posttest quasi-experimental design to investigate how students’ understanding of algebraic concepts compared when they were taught using invention and consolidation phases or traditional direct instruction. It also explored how students’ beliefs and attitudes toward mathematics were affected by learning through invention and consolidation phases through a survey with a Likert scale. The study took place during the 2022-2023 academic year in the Intermediate Algebra II course at a mid-size public high school in Minnesota. The researcher had two sections of the course and taught one through direct instruction and the other through invention …

Re-Thinking Education For Sustainable Development: Key Learning Insights From The Sdsn Usa Transformative Education Summit 2023, Radhika Iyengar, Sumie Song, Deepak Sridhar, Wendy M. Purcell, Ann Nielsen, Iveta Silova, Matthew A. Witenstein, Wen-Wen Tung

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This paper summarizes key learning insights from the 2023 U.S. Summit on Transformative Education organized by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network USA. Over 400 members from higher education institutions, non-governmental organizations, think tanks, students, and teachers, joined the online event held February 23-25. The Summit created a bridge between social justice issues with an historical lens and sustainable development. Learning insights include those shared by session speakers, dialogue among participants during thematic conversations and regional networking forums, comments made by attendees on session Jamboards and the Zoom Chat function, and post-Summit feedback. A high-level thematic review was undertaken to cluster …

Letter From The Editor In Chief, Jeffrey Lee

Transform

The TRANSFORM journal is a space for leaders, mentors, researchers, and practitioners of transformational leadership to be seen, heard, and valued; it is a place for making connections. Relationship-building is central to transformational leadership at all levels of an organization; this fundamental truth is a trending topic in literature. Otherwise, however, leadership can be an isolating experience.

As an ethnographer, I believe the best way to launch an academic, peer-reviewed journal is to do what I do best: storytelling. I want to share my thoughts on transformational leadership through a story in the form of a letter to my younger …

Synergizing Occupational Science And Occupational Therapy: Designing An Integrated Foundations Course For Health Education, Natalie A. Perkins, Guy Mccormack, Anne Dunlea

Pacific Journal of Health

The Occupational Therapy Department at University of the Pacific embarked on a tailored initiative to reshape the occupational therapy foundations course for entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) students. Collaboratively designed and co-taught by the first and second authors, experienced occupational therapists in both clinical and academic realms, alongside the third author, a seasoned occupational scientist with a rich background in instructing graduate and undergraduate professionals, this innovative course aligns with the program's biopsychosocial philosophy.

The primary objective of this course was to provide students with an expansive perspective on the fundamental role of occupation in human life. Various assessment methods …

Imagination Grasping Reality: An Ignatian Foundation For Critical Hope In Jesuit Education, Susan Haarman

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

As public faith in higher education faces an all time low, the need for hope to both infuse and be a product of our institutions of higher learning is paramount. Rather than a simple hopeful optimism, Henry Giroux conceptualized critical hope - an educated hope that will form students capable and willing to view themselves and the world through a critical lens and then imagine new ways of proceeding that serve the public good and honor human dignity. Jesuit education, at its best, is rooted in expressions of critical hope with a world-affirming commitment to depth of thought and imagination …

Comparative Curricular Study Of Undergraduate Music Education Programs At Ohio Public Institutions, Benjamin Jenkins

Honors Projects

Music Education programs must fulfill numerous requirements to receive approval from multiple accrediting bodies. At the national level institutions must meet the standards set forth by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). In Ohio, programs must also follow requirements from the Ohio Department of Higher Education. This study examines undergraduate music education degree requirements from twelve public institutions in Ohio. It discusses how each university fulfills NASM requirements and to gain insight into how they balance the requirements of multiple accrediting bodies.

Empowering All Learners: The Role Of Cultural Responsiveness In Elementary Literacy Education, Meghan Claire Arbury

Masters Projects

Instructional strategies used by teachers impact student literacy performance. Students’ literacy skills can improve when teachers incorporate culturally responsive teaching practices that are also high-quality in nature. There is a particular need for these methods to be adopted in elementary classrooms in order to make learning accessible and equitable for diverse learners. Literacy skills are highly social and students’ backgrounds experiences are pivotal connections around which knowledge and understanding are constructed. In the Northwest Michigan region, as well as nationwide, performance disparities among cultural groups are reflected in literacy achievement data (“Grades 3-8,” n.d.), solidifying the need for change to …