Digital Commons Network^™

Harnessing The Power Of Ai In Honors: Equipping Students To Leverage Tools Effectively, Lindsey Roberts, Jesse Roberts

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Rapid advancements of AI and its permeation across disciplines are driving its inclusion in higher education curricula in order to maximize graduate employability. AI education in honors must go beyond practical workplace readiness to include creative and critical engagement with the technology (e.g., understanding its conceptual foundations, domain-specific applications, and implications for ethics and governance). Without these essential components, the imparted knowledge of AI may age poorly and leave honors graduates ill-prepared to ethically and responsibly use artificial intelligence.

Understanding And Addressing Mental Health In Honors Programs, Gavin D. Hood, Katherine H. Tennis

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Evidence of psychological experiences unique to high-achieving students is examined, revealing prominent themes relating to student mental health including academic identity, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, burnout, and overcommitment. These themes are explored in the context of program feedback from honors students gathered through focus group meetings as part of the program review process. Strategies for reframing failure, normalizing self-care, fostering supportive community, and engaging in nonacademic self-exploration are included. The article closes with suggestions for programmatic interventions that directly address these concerns among high-achieving students. While most honors programs are not positioned to engage in clinical interventions, they can take small …

Generative Ai And The Honors Thesis: A Rhetorical Framework For Gai Policy, Pedagogy, And Equity, Sean Chadwick

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

This article offers a rhetorical framework for understanding how honors students engage with the capstone thesis following the emergence of generative AI (GAI) tools. Author reviews the nature of the honors thesis and analyzes some rhetorical models for thinking about GAI and literacy before offering a heuristic framework identifying four interdependent skill categories—writing, social, executive, and subject matter—that shape students’ thesis work. Drawing on findings from an interview study, this framework clarifies how GAI tools interface with existing thesis practices and pain points, allowing honors practitioners to better articulate our values, evaluate use cases, and craft GAI-informed policy. As a …

Motivational Factors Influencing Honors Student Attrition: An Expectancy–Value Perspective, Nina Marijanović, Naomi Rowland, Morgan Flanagan, E. Myo Zin, Megan Bailey

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

This study investigates the motivational factors underlying student withdrawal from an honors college using expectancy-value theory (EVT) as a guiding framework. Drawing on qualitative analysis of self-reported withdrawal forms (n = 1,110) collected between 2018 and 2023 at a midsize public university, authors identify the core drivers of attrition across three constructs of EVT: expectancy (belief in one’s ability to succeed), value (perceived benefits of participation), and cost (perceived burdens or tradeoffs). Findings indicate the most common motivations as value-related concerns, including misalignment with academic goals or career trajectories. Cost-related factors, such as workload demands, scheduling conflicts, and financial …

Journal Of The National Collegiate Honors Council (2025) 26(1): Front And Back Matter

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Front and back matter for the Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council (2025) 26(1).

Stress Related To Traumatic War Events Caused By The Israeli Aggression On The Gaza Strip And Its Relationship With Identity Resilience Among Palestine Polytechnic University Students, Mohammad Khallaf Arjan, Khalid Ibrahim Qtoof

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The study aimed to identify the prevailing mindset (deliberative-implemental) among university students and its ability to predict their positive thinking, as well as to determine whether there were statistically significant differences in mindset (deliberative-implemental) according to gender and faculty variables. To achieve the study objectives, data were collected using two research instruments: the Deliberative-Implemental Mindset Scale, which consists of two dimensions— deliberative mindset and implemental mindset—and the Positive Thinking Scale, which includes 25 items distributed across five dimensions: optimism and general satisfaction, emotional regulation and emotional intelligence, acceptance of others and personal responsibility, forgiveness and self-acceptance, and love of learning …

The Reality Of Including Preventive Education Concepts To Reduce Risks And Crises In Social Studies Textbooks In The Sultanate Of Oman For Grades (3-12), Saif Nasser Al-Maamari, Awadh Al-Nassri, Muna Rashed Al-Na'aimi

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The study aimed to identify the reality of including preventive education concepts to reduce risks and crises in social studies textbooks for grades from the third basic to the twelfth for post-basic education in the Sultanate of Oman. Use the descriptive analytical approach by following the content analysis method. The study included all social studies textbooks scheduled for the academic year (2023-2024). A list of preventive education concepts for risk and crisis reduction was prepared, which included five areas: concepts (causes, effects, prevention, recovery, management), which included (143) sub-concepts. Based on it, a comprehensive content analysis card was designed. After …

Marital Satisfaction And Its Relationship To Psychological Well-Being Among Married Female Students In The Kingdom Of Bahrain, Sami Almahjoob

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The current study aimed to explore the relationship between marital satisfaction and psychological well-being among a sample of married female students in the Kingdom of Bahrain, where the study sample consisted of (200) married students, they were selected by the available method, and the study tools were the Marital Satisfaction Scale (prepared by the researcher), and the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale (Ryff, 1989). The results of the study found that the level of marital satisfaction and subjective well-being of the study sample members was average. In addition, the study revealed a positive statistical significance correlation between marital satisfaction and subjective …

A Family Counseling Program To Enhance Cyber Psychological Security Among Couples Using Social Media Networks In Gaza Governorates, Abdullah Abdulhadi Alkhatib

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a family counseling program in improving cyber psychological security among spouses who use social media networks in the Gaza Strip. A quasi-experimental approach was adopted, involving a sample of 40 spouses divided into two groups: an experimental group of 20 spouses and a control group of 20 spouses, ensuring homogeneity between them in terms of cyber psychological security levels. The study utilized the Cyber Psychological Security Scale, developed by the researcher, which included dimensions such as cyber psychological awareness, self-protection and privacy empowerment, cyber challenge management, cyber psychological safety, cyber psychological and …

Ethical Ai Use And Classroom Integration Training Modules, Daniel Boudon

Open Educational Resources

This project focuses on developing comprehensive training modules to equip students and faculty with the knowledge and skills necessary to ethically and effectively use AI tools in academic settings. The training consists of interconnected modules that cover a wide range of topics, including the ethical use of AI, evaluating AI-generated content, integrating AI tools into curriculum design, and creating AI-enhanced classroom activities. Additional modules emphasize fostering digital literacy, staying updated with AI advancements, and collaborating on best practices for AI in education.

Designed for flexibility, the modules cater to diverse academic disciplines, making them suitable for undergraduate and graduate courses, …

Integrating Elementary Computer Science And Mathematics Instruction: One Size Does Not Fit All, Umar Shehzad, Jody Clarke-Midura, Mimi Recker

Publications

This paper presents a model, the double integration model, for integrating Computer Science (CS) and mathematics in upper elementary instruction. Fifth-grade students (n=1,037) participated either in the double integrated model (Condition 1; integrated in both CS and Math instruction) or integrated lessons only in CS instruction (Condition 2). After each lesson, students rated their enjoyment, perceived ease, and perceptions of CS-math connections. Multilevel analyses revealed that Condition 1 students reported significantly more positive perceptions and stronger CS-math connections of the lessons than Condition 2 students. Girls in Condition 1 responded more positively than boys on enjoyment and connection items, and …

The Level Of Compulsive Digital Hoarding Among Students At Yarmouk And Sultan Qaboos Universities And Its Relationship To Some Variables, Ali Saleh Jarwan, Rami Abdallah Tashtoush

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The study aimed to identify the level of digital compulsive hoarding among students at Yarmouk University and Sultan Qaboos University, and to determine whether there were statistically significant differences based on variables such as gender, college, and university. To achieve the study's objectives, The Compulsive Digital Hoarding Scale, prepared by Helmy and Hanfy (2023), was applied to a sample of (1037) male and female students. The data were statistically processed by calculating the arithmetic means, standard deviations, and conducting a Multivariate Three-Way Analysis of Variance (Three-Way MANOVA). The results showed that the level of digital compulsive hoarding among students was …

The Impact Of Rubric-Based Feedback On Efl Writing Proficiency: Exploring Revision Skills And Learning Transfer, Ahmed Abdelraheem Elyan

Theses

This study explores how rubric-based feedback influences the writing development of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, with a particular focus on their revision practices, learning transfer, and the challenges they face with cognitive overload. The research was carried out in a high school context in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), aiming to understand the real impact of structured feedback on students’ writing performance.

Twenty Arabic-speaking students participated in the study, completing four essay writing tasks over eight weeks. These included a pre-test, two feedback-supported drafts, and a post-test. Their essays were assessed using an analytic rubric designed to …

Designerly Skills: An Educational Design Research Study On K-5 Teacher-Designers N Trauma-Informed Technology-Enhanced Learning Environments, Kristin Marie Herman

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

This study explored how K-5 teachers exhibit designerly skills when creating trauma-informed, technology-enhanced learning environments. While teachers have long been recognized as designers, asset-based research on their specific designerly skills, particularly in trauma-informed digital spaces, remains limited. Using an educational design research (EDR) approach focused on research-for-interventions, this study examined which skills teachers consider essential and how these skills manifest in course designs supporting student belonging.

The study employed a multi-method qualitative approach over 12 months, following 23 K-5 teachers and administrators engaged in designing Canvas courses. Data collection included reflective discussion boards, design studio sessions, individual think-aloud protocols, and …

The Level Of Reading Pedagogical Knowledge Among First Three Grades Female Teachers In Jordan, Mohammed Ali Alkhawaldeh, Ahed Ahmad Al-Abood

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The aim of this study was to investigate the level of reading pedagogical knowledge among first three grades female teachers in Jordan, and determine whether there are statistically significant differences in their knowledge level attributed to variables of qualification, years of experience, and enrollment in the RAMP course. To achieve the objectives of the study, the descriptive method was followed. The study sample consisted of (295) first three grades female teachers from schools affiliated to the Directorate of Education in Jerash Governorate. To achieve the study's objectives, the researcher prepared an objective situational test consisting of (32) multiple-choice questions, equally …

The Prevalent Mindset Pattern (Deliberative-Implemental) As A Predictor Of Positive Thinking Among University Students, Susan Rasim Khalil Arafa, Thaer Ahmad Ghbari

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The study aimed to identify the prevailing mindset (deliberative-implemental) among university students and its ability to predict their positive thinking, as well as to determine whether there were statistically significant differences in mindset (deliberative-implemental) according to gender and faculty variables. To achieve the study objectives, data were collected using two research instruments: the Deliberative-Implemental Mindset Scale, which consists of two dimensions— deliberative mindset and implemental mindset—and the Positive Thinking Scale, which includes 25 items distributed across five dimensions: optimism and general satisfaction, emotional regulation and emotional intelligence, acceptance of others and personal responsibility, forgiveness and self-acceptance, and love of learning …

Exploring The Impact Of Language Modeling Integration In Classroom Assessment Scoring System (Class) On Language Teaching And Learning In Pre-K Settings: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Teacher-Child Relationships And Interactions, Joy Lee Hernandez

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

This descriptive research study utilizes a mixed methods design to explore the impact of integrating language modeling into the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) on teachers' perspectives on language teaching and learning. Additionally, the study analyzed teacher-child interactions in Pre-K settings in Southeast Virginia, U.S.A.

Observations were conducted in eleven (11) classrooms using the Pre-K CLASS, a key instrument for assessing the quality of teacher-child interactions across domains such as Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support, which includes Language Modeling. The CLASS tool was supplemented with detailed notetaking to capture both quantitative scores and qualitative nuances of interactions. This …

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Ipa): Reflections On Navigating Uncertainty In Design, Brandi R. Watts

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Uncertainty is a state of tension and unresolved conflict that can drive the design process. The purpose of this study, an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), was to explore the designer experience of navigating uncertainty. The goal was to describe, interpret, and situate how designers make sense of moving through uncertainty by prompting them to deeply reflect on moments of uncertainty from past, complex design projects. Four themes emerged from the researched data related to uncertainty, identity, creation, and empathy. In addition, unexpected findings revealed three particularly interesting uncertainty navigation strategies, including biding time, gleaning knowledge, and choosing sidework. These unexpected …

Constructivism Made Easy Using The Consider, Construct, Confirm Learning Cycle, Timothy E. Goodwin Ed.D

Essays in Education

Shifting from didactic, teacher-led instruction to a student-centered, constructivist classroom is often a daunting task for teachers. The Consider, Construct, Confirm Learning cycle is a framework for teachers to organize their planning—be it individual lessons, units of study, or whole courses. The CCC Learning Cycle framework shifts the format of a typical lesson from didactic instruction leading to short-term renting of knowledge through memorization, to student-centered, lived experiences resulting in students owning their new knowledge.

Reading The Players: Developing Critical Consumers Of Sports Media, Katie Dredger, Katherin Garland, Crystal L. Beach

Virginia English Journal

Sports media is ubiquitous, and English Language Arts (ELA) teachers can use topics around current sporting activities and events in the classroom to engage readers and to teach skills of critical media literacy. Serving as a primer on critical media literacy, this article, grounded in educational theory, gives practical and easily accessible texts and creative lesson ideas to spark engagement, build community, encourage collaboration and foster achievement in secondary ELA classrooms.

The Lived Experiences Of Teachers Teaching High School Students With Learning Disabilities In An Online Learning Environment: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Michael John Ekers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to discover the shortfalls in professional development and training of online teachers as it pertained to students in high school with learning disabilities receiving their accommodations in an online learning environment in a mid-Atlantic school district. The theory guiding this study was the connectivism theory, introduced by George Siemens, as it described the overall framework for knowing how to learn, which remained the focal point of this study. What have online high school general education and special education teachers experienced in professional development or training to provide accommodations to students with learning …

The Experience Of Military Personnel Who Participate In College Programs: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Sunday Lacella Wright

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The focus of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the motivational influences that drove military personnel to participate in college programs while serving in one of the United States military branches, viewed through the lens of expectancy theory. While historical contexts highlight shifts in military education towards broader skill sets beyond combat proficiency, contemporary motivations remain underexplored. The researcher drew from expectancy theory to uncover motivational influences that shaped military members' engagement in higher education. The research addressed the central question: What are the motivational influences that drive military personnel to participate in college programs while serving actively …

Curricular Development With Adaptive Leadership In Instructional Design, Juhong Christie Liu Ph.D., Andrea H. Adams

Libraries

This paper presents the implementation of an adaptive leadership framework for instructional design (ID) services that support curricular development and faculty collaboration/consultation. Transitioning from a passive responsive norm to the advocacy of intentional design, one instructional design department examined the processes, experiences, and phased outcomes of adaptive leadership. The results include proactive anticipation of ID projects and consultations for emerging technologies and pedagogies, clearly articulating and fulfilling ID recruitment and talent management needs with sustainability, adapting decision-making processes for partnership and project cycles, and promoting transparency for accountability. The efforts of ID services in supporting faculty and curricular development have …

Towards Active Learning Practice: A Theory To Practice-Led Model. Part 1: Principles Of Student-Centred Learning, Strutts Psyridis

Staff Scholarship - Australia & Dubai

This monograph explores Active Learning as a student-centred pedagogical model that bridges theory and practice in screen education. It examines constructivist approaches, metacognition, and situated learning, arguing for performative, embodied teaching methods. The paper highlights tensions between traditional instruction and experiential learning, proposing adaptable frameworks for enhancing engagement, autonomy, and transferable skills.

Towards Active Learning Practice: A Theory To Practice-Led Model. Part 3: Engagement, Motivation And Classroom Management, Strutts Psyridis

Staff Scholarship - Australia & Dubai

Part 3 of this continuing series on Active Learning examines engagement, motivation, and classroom management within active learning environments, arguing that meaningful engagement is performative, designed, and context-dependent. Drawing on creative industries, intrinsic motivation theory, flipped classroom models, and digital pedagogies, it proposes that effective teaching integrates facilitation, structure, and adaptive strategies to sustain learner agency, participation, and deep learning.

Construct Validity, Test-Retest Reliability, And Inter-Rater Objectivity Of The Swimming Competence Assessment Scale (Scas), Jon Sundan, Håvard Lorås, Monika Haga

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This study aimed to investigate the construct validity, test-retest reliability, and inter-rater reliability of a newly developed and comprehensive instrument for assessment of children’s swimming competence. The Swimming Competence Assessment Scale (SCAS) consists of six consecutive test items (entry, swim on front, surface dive, float, swim on back and exit) that aligns with the Norwegian curricular standard of swimming competence. The exploratory factor analysis retained a unidimensional model, supporting one underlaying statistical dimension with acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.79). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) between test and retest ranged from .84 to .98, and .97 for the total score. Strong …

Water Orientation Skills And Basic Safety And Swimming Skills Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kelle L. Murphy, Min Liu

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Drowning is the leading cause of death among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study examined water orientation (i.e., comfort level), water safety, and beginning swimming skills of individuals with ASD of ages ranging from 3 to 13 years using the Aquatic Orientation Checklist (AOC) (Kilian et al., 1984). Data were collected during consecutive Fall and Spring semesters. A total of 23 children (n = 15 boys; n = 8 girls) volunteered for the study. Lessons were conducted twice a week for 10 weeks continuously and each lesson was 45 minutes in length. Overall, the swimming program had …

The Perceived Benefits Of And Barriers To Open-Water Swimming: A Mixed-Methods Examination, David Elliott Ph.D, Mark A. Christie Ph.D

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This study set out to determine the perceived benefits of, and barriers to, open-water swimming (OWS). Adopting a mixed-methods approach, six hundred and sixty-five open-water swimmers responded to an online survey consisting of the Exercise Benefits and Barriers Scale (EBBS) and a series of open-ended questions. Data from the EBBS revealed the strongest perceived benefits to be ‘Psychological Outlook’ and ‘Life Enhancement.’ In terms of barriers, those presented in the EBBS received low ratings with only ‘Physical Exertion’ considered as being somewhat problematic. Content analysis performed on the open-ended responses showed social aspects, mental well-being, and connection to nature as …

Evaluation Of Online Information On The Cold Shock Response To Accidental Immersion In Cold Water, Adam Wilson, Heather Massey, Clare M. Eglin

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Many of the UK open water accidental deaths have been attributed to the initial responses to cold water immersion (CWI) collectively known as the cold shock response (CSR). The aim of this study was to analyse the publicly available internet information on CWI and CSR for accuracy and quality compared to the ‘gold standard’ published, peer-reviewed research. Seventy-eight webpages which provided information in English on unexpected CWI and CSR were evaluated. Webpages were accessible, widely available, and had appropriate readability scores. Webpage accuracy was suboptimal including only presenting on average 10 (range 3-16) CSR components out of 19. Quality of …

A Preventionist Framework For Reducing Drowning: A Case For Parenting Interventions, Miriam G. Clark, Linda Quan, Patricia Chamberlain

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Drowning is preventable but still claims the lives of over 300,000 people worldwide every year. The purpose of this theoretical review paper is threefold: 1) discuss the theoretical framework for a multi-faceted system of prevention; 2) discuss the importance of parenting, a crucial area where current drowning prevention research is falling short in this multi-faceted approach; and 3) discuss how evidence-based practices from psychosocial parenting research could be used to create drowning prevention interventions that support parents to implement water safety practices in their families. Practical ideas for integrating psychosocial parent interventions with drowning prevention knowledge are discussed. Such interventions …