Digital Commons Network^™

Inspiring Multilingual Children To Explore The Natural World Using Nature-Based Literature, Jennifer Hill, Deborah Wheeler

Journal of English Learner Education

Nature-based learning has become more popular in the United States since COVID-19, and incorporating nature-based learning including books about the natural world aligns with children’s natural curiosity, and desire to actively explore through play. Indeed, nature-based learning has many benefits ranging from supporting child development, promoting social-emotional well-being, and creating an inclusive learning environment for multilingual students. Reading nature-based literature and providing access to nature-based literature is a holistic methodology teachers should include in their classroom. This paper highlights the benefits of nature-based learning and provides a variety of topics and resources teacher can utilize.

Cultivating Connection: A Culturally Responsive Mental Wellbeing Curriculum For Latine Youth In Santa Cruz County, Suzzy Landeros

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Latine adolescents experience high rates of stress, depression, and stigma surrounding mental health, in part due to limited access to culturally responsive support and safe spaces for connection. The purpose of this internship project was to develop and implement a trauma-informed, culturally responsive, mental wellbeing curriculum to address barriers related to stigma, limited culturally responsive support, and disconnection, while supporting emotional awareness, connection, and use of grounding strategies among youth. The project was implemented through United Way Santa Cruz County in partnership with Watsonville High School and Soquel High School and served high school-aged youth. Development of the curriculum included …

From Our Stories, To Our Streets (Osos), Jennifer Lopez

Student Publications

Youth traffic safety persists as a critical planning challenge and public health concern in New Mexico, where pedestrian fatality rates consistently rank among the highest in the United States (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NTSA, Governors Highway Safety Association, GHSA, 2023; Baca, 2025). Students (children), due to their daily interactions with roadways, whether when they walk, bike, ride transit, or drive/get driven to and from school, are among the most vulnerable groups within the transportation system (Ferenchak, N. Wesley, M., 2017. For many students in Albuquerque, the commute to or from school is one of the most dangerous parts of …

Las Voices: The Impact On Black Young Males In A Critical Mentorship Program In The Las Vegas Valley, Sean C. Tory

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In America, Black young males face an enormous amount of pressure regarding their social and racial identity. They battle with racial macro/microaggressions, stereotypes, racism, and socialization from various industries and systems. The community organization, King of Jewels, has been able to adopt effective strategies to help Black young males navigate these issues through critical mentorship. This paper will first demonstrate the importance of critical mentorship, Black Racial Identity Development, and will then outline the steps necessary to fill the gaps found in mentorship and Black Racial Identity Development literature. This qualitative study investigates the use of critical mentorship (CM) and …

Building Swimming Skills In A Community Based Program For Black Youth: An Evaluation, Tyler Lennon Md, Mph, Ashley Hayes Mph, Leonardo Barrera Mph, Amy Hill Ms, Mph, Andy Miner, Michelle Macy Md, Ms

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Black youth in the United States disproportionately experience fatal drowning at rates up to five times higher than their white peers. Eliminating these inequities requires new approaches that address historical and structural barriers of learning to swim. The objective of this study was to evaluate the three-week long swimming component of a community-based discovery program to empower Black youth in Evanston, IL. Participants were Black youth ages 8-10 years enrolled in summer 2023 and 2024. Swim skills were assessed by instructors using the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Water Competence (PSPWC). Caregiver surveys, collected post-intervention, also assessed perceived changes in swim …

Chronic Illness Education 2025: Pediatric Depression And Anxiety: Hope Through Healthcare, Andreas Mozny, Arjan Goenaga Castillo, Audrey Millar, Ebony Williams, Griffin Lotze, Haytham Al-Qasmi, Kamontip Jongnarangsin, Tricia Jain

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

The Day You Begin: A Case Study Of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy In Early Childhood Classrooms, Kim Shelton

Dissertations

Culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) has garnered growing attention in early childhood education due to its potential to cultivate inclusive and equitable learning environments for increasingly diverse student populations. This qualitative case study examines how early childhood educators perceive and implement CRP in classrooms with high concentrations of immigrant and culturally diverse students. Additionally, it explores the perceived impact of these practices on instructional effectiveness, classroom climate, and teacher-student interactions.

Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. Thematic analysis yielded four central findings: (1) teachers’ understandings of CRP varied considerably, with some demonstrating strong intentionality and others …

A Qualitative Study Of The Impact Of Racial Segregation On The Schooling Of One African American Family, Leatre Y. Cooper

Masters Theses (Archived)

This qualitative case study examines the impact of social, economic, and racial biases, that Black students experienced in the United States public school system, focusing on the author's three generational journey. The author's experience highlights the challenges of racialized residential segregation stemming from city-wide redlining practices in New Orleans, which kept Black people geographically isolated from employment opportunities and exposed them to risks to their well-being, crime, and violence (Bloom, 2014; Englund, 2022; Platt, 2019; Seicshnaydre et al.,2018). Despite the tremendous progress made by the Civil Rights Movement and federal and state policies aimed at addressing these inequalities, housing segregation …

A Seat At The Schoolhouse Table: Reimagining Education Through Afrofuturist And Womanist Theory, Natasha M. Capers

Student Theses

“A Seat at the Schoolhouse Table: Reimagining Education Through Afrofuturist and Womanist Theory” critically examines how curriculum, even when well-intentioned, can perpetuate harm by excluding the lived experiences of marginalized communities—especially Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQIA+ students. Using a real middle school immigration assignment given to the author's son as a case study, this capstone deconstructs the structural biases embedded in curriculum design and proposes a radical reimagining through the liberatory lenses of Afrofuturism and Womanism. Blending scholarly inquiry, personal narrative, and community-based interviews, this project offers a restructured assignment that centers joy, identity, and speculative storytelling as tools for educational …

Full Issue - Excelsior, V17-1

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

No abstract provided.

The Intersection Of Lgbtq+ Identity And Disability: A Need For School Based Support, Jospeh A. Hogan

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

Grounded in intersectional theory, this article explores the experience of LGBTQ+ students with disabilities. LGBTQ+ students with disabilities experience higher levels of bullying, harassment, suicidal ideation and other challenges in school. Post-school outcomes also reveal negative realities. Schools need to ensure that support is provided to students living at the intersection of LGBTQ+ identity and disability. Implications for school leaders, educational professionals, and educator preparation programs are discussed with recommendations for improving outcomes.

Program Curricula For Preparing Medical Professionals On Early Childhood Mental Health, Socio-Emotional Development, And Adverse Childhood Experiences In Primary Care Settings: A Phenomenological Study, Jesutomilola O. Olayemi

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Primary care settings serve as the frontline for addressing the holistic well-being of individuals and particularly for children, they play a pivotal role in shaping early childhood experiences. Pediatric primary care physicians are pivotal in addressing the scarcity of mental health resources for children aged zero to five. There is limited knowledge regarding the competence of pediatric primary care providers in providing developmentally appropriate mental health care in early childhood. Therefore, this phenomenological study examined how early childhood mental health, social-emotional development, and adverse childhood experiences and their related screening practices were integrated into the curricula for preparing prospective pediatric …

Families Engineering Together In Communities And At Home: Facilitation Guide, Amber Simpson, Adam V. Maltese, Peter Knox, Jungsun Kim, Jing Yang, Sawsan Werfelli, Kelli Paul, Monika Mayer

Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership Faculty Scholarship

In this publication, we present a program that serves as a bridge between families and learning environments of all kinds, and provides a pathway for engineering design to be incorporated into the everyday lives of families and kids. Supporting families in their home environment, the program offers a fun and approachable introduction to thinking about engineering and bringing these concepts to life. Conversation and engagement between children and caregivers is so important during elementary school years - this program encourages families to think about, discuss, and experience engineering in a fun and accessible way in their home and community environments. …

Early Childhood Teachers' Experiences In Collaboration Practices Related To Developing Professionally: A Qualitative Case Study, Linda Alston-Morgan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine early childhood teachers’ experiences in collaboration practices to support teacher professional development in three early childhood schools in Central New Jersey. The theory guiding this study was social cognitive theory by Bandura (1986), which focuses on learning through observations and social interactions. Bandura’s theory aligned with the study and revealed how collaborative opportunities are utilized as an approach to help teachers learn from each other and develop professionally. However, specific activities underlying the professional development of teachers during the collaborative sessions need more exploration. The research included data regarding early …

Academy-Based Learning: The High School Education You Wish You Had, Marion Ramos

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focuses on the impact of high school academies on student success. This is important because high school academies provide students with cross-curricular experiences related to a specific pathway or field they are interested in. An evidence-based argument is offered that high school academies provide specialized programs catering to students' interests and career aspirations. These academies provide students with a comprehensive and challenging curriculum that enhances their academic performance and prepares them for college and career readiness. By focusing on a particular subject or field, students receive a high-quality education that fosters their skills and knowledge in a …

A Call For Digital Citizenship Curriculum In Early Childhood Education, Jenna K. Ladd, Joel J. Traver

Essays in Education

Accessibility of information (factual or fabricated), social interconnectedness, and more of our daily lives being lived in the digital world has created challenges and opportunities for children and families around the world. As a result, there exists an emerging need for families with children aged birth-to-five to receive education and support through standards-based digital citizenship curriculum to navigate living online. Several models of digital citizenship curriculum have been created for the K-12 education to provide education and guidance for teachers, administrators, and parents of older children. Thus, we call for the development and implementation of standards-based digital citizenship curriculum in …

Navigating Acculturative Stress: A Guide For Supporting Newcomer Students In California Esl Classrooms, Daniela Lopera Ruiz

Master's Projects and Capstones

Acculturation has been widely studied as a post-migration phenomenon that individuals face when coming in contact with their new recipient culture and environment. The different experiences, tasks, and requirements that newcomers must endure upon arrival may lead to their suffering prolonged periods of discomfort. This moderate, intermediate, or acute feeling of uneasiness is defined as acculturative stress. In it, the continued exposure to stressors such as adjusting to a new culture, rules, behavioral patterns, a second language, finding housing, and obtaining an education and employment can lead to trauma. This field project has been designed to provide educators and allies …

Stories From Islita Libre: Digital Spatial Storytelling As An Expression Of Transnational And Immigrant Identities, Jennifer Kahn, Daryl Axelrod, Matthew Deroo, Svetlana Radojcic

Occasional Paper Series

In this essay, we examine the relationship between students’ spatial literacies of their neighborhoods and communities and their transnational identities, the latter which have complex, broad spatial and temporal dimensions. Over four months, we, a team of university researchers, led a series of instructional activities with a class of racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse first- and second-generation immigrant students in an 11th grade introduction to research course. Here, we document the ways in which students learned about various data sources for inquiry to create digital, layered map-based stories about the factors that shape their (and others’) immigrant experiences in their …

Critical Awareness, Reflection, And Action In Head Start Leadership: A Critical Consciousness Case Study Of Head Start Leaders, Christopher Pearce Agudelo

Dissertations and Theses

Diverse families with preschool-aged children are at an enhanced risk of marginalization in the United States. Whether they are of a different race, level of ability, gender, or socioeconomic background, they need early childhood leaders and educators who can focus on caring for their children. In this exploratory qualitative study, I conducted five open-ended interviews with Head Start education managers--a similar position to a preschool Director or a K-12 Principal. The objective was to understand better how Head Start Education Managers attend to equity and inclusion via critical awareness, critical reflection, and critical action. I utilized the three-element construct of …

Competency-Based Social Work Education: 25 Years Of Innovation & Leadership, Zoë Breen Wood, Marjorie N. Edguer, David L. Hussey, Mark Chupp, Grover C. Gilmore, Paul M. Kubek

Faculty Scholarship

The white paper chronicles the 25-year history of one graduate school of social work’s efforts in competency-based curriculum innovation. The authors argue that curriculum change is organizational change and share their experiences with a variety of curriculum assessment, design, and delivery efforts. Beginning with the development of the first social work competencies (labeled Abilities), pioneering efforts in assessment and holistic curricular design and delivery are reviewed. A new, one-semester, social work generalist curriculum is introduced. Emphasis is placed on the importance of developing a competency-based curriculum that is integrated both horizontally and vertically and that engages the social work student …

Disabled Lives And Pandemic Lives: Stories Of Human Precarity

Occasional Paper Series

The idea for Carol Rogers-Shaw’s essay began in April 2020, six weeks into the initial COVID lockdown, at her Zoom-based PhD dissertation defense. Carol’s dissertation brought together a narration of her life as a person with a disability and her work as a high school teacher of students with identified disabilities, conceptualized and reconceptualized through the lens of critical disability studies.

On Turning Tables, Hubris, And Humility: Reflecting Upon Carol Rogers-Shaw’S “Disabled Lives & Pandemic Lives: Stories Of Human Precarity”, David J. Connor

Occasional Paper Series

What can be learned about the pandemic through the lens of disability, and conversely, what can we come to know about disability through the Covid-19 pandemic? Rogers-Shaw contemplates these reciprocal questions in a highly original essay that is wide in scope. After thinking about how to best describe the experience of reading her work, the word “wondrous” came to mind, as the essay is both delightful and powerful. Why? Because she examines and explores what has recently concerned many of us in education, that is, the pandemic’s impact upon the lives of both teachers and students with and without disabilities. …

Disabled Lives & Pandemic Lives: Stories Of Human Precarity, Carol Rogers-Shaw

Occasional Paper Series

In this article, I pay particular attention to four concerns that have come to the fore in startling ways for people worldwide during the pandemic. These include building empathy and community through the struggle to manage the fear of death, acceptance of disappointment and frustration, recognition the importance of being in tune with one’s body, and living with chronic grief. Drawing on stories from my life as a teacher and as a person with a disability, I hope to provide readers with both a way to reflect on the ongoing existential and practical concerns raised by the pandemic, and to …

Open Education Faculty Panel, Jenny Ceciliano, Lindsey Wilkinson, Staci Martin, Norma Cardenas

Open Education Week 2022

Many faculty at PSU have been involved in the Open Education movement. This panel of PSU faculty members discusses how Open Education has affected their teaching practice and how Open Education relates to equity and inclusion.

Our panelists are:

• Jenny Ceciliano, Senior Instructor II of Spanish/Coordinator of First-year Spanish, World Languages and Literatures
• Lindsey Wilkinson, Associate Professor, Sociology
• Staci Martin, Assistant Professor of Practice, CYFS Practicum Coordinator Child, Youth, and Family Studies, School of Social Work
• Norma Cardenas, Assistant Professor of Practice Child, Youth, and Family Studies, School of Social Work

Educating Elementary Students About Nutrition: An After-School Club Curriculum, Morgan Gurwell

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This creative project was created to serve as a 10-week afterschool club curriculum for 3rd-5th graders to teach them about nutrition and healthy eating patterns. The goal of the program is to help kids establish a foundation for healthy eating that they can utilize throughout their lives, potentially reducing their risk of developing chronic diseases as an adult. Information presented during the program is a representation of the key components of the USDA MyPlate and the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The curriculum aims to teach these concepts by breaking down the different food groups, reading nutrition facts labels, and …

Spiritual And Religious Meaning Making In Language And Literacy Studies: Global Perspectives On Teaching, Learning, Curriculum And Policy, Mary M. Juzwik, Robert Jean Leblanc, Denise Dávila, Eric D. Rackley, Loukia K. Sarroub

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

Purpose—In an editorial introduction essay for the special issue on Religion, Literacies, and English Education in Global Dialogue, the editors frame papers in the special issue in dialogue with previous scholarly literature around three central lines of inquiry: How do children, youth and families navigate relationships among religion, spirituality, language and literacy? What challenges are faced by language and literacy teachers and teacher educators around the globe who seek to respond to diverse religious and spiritual perspectives in their work? And what opportunities do teachers seize or create toward this end? How are developments of language and literacy theory, …

Using Communities Of Practice To Support At-Home Gospel Learning From A Release Time Seminary Classroom, Nicholas A. Davis

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

This mixed-methods action research study examines the effect of communities of practice on the development of home-centered gospel learning activities from the perspective of twelve release-time Seminary teachers for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from October—December 2021. Beginning in 2019, leaders of Seminaries and Institutes began to implement a Churchwide initiative to encourage home-centered, Church-supported gospel learning. Although Seminary leaders have made several systemwide adjustments, teachers have commonly made minimal adjustments to support this approach. Throughout the mixed-methods study, participants learned about the importance of this home-centered gospel learning approach, in addition to principles of design thinking …

From Jersey Shore To Ap Lit Teacher, Ashley Gerstle

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

As part of the National Collegiate Honors Council’s (2022) collection of essays about the value of honors to its graduates (1967–2019), the author reflects on the personal and professional impacts of the honors experience.

My undergraduate experience was mundane, average, and boring. I excelled academically, a little too easily. I could skip the readings and ace my classes half asleep. It was a normal experience for me to write entire papers an hour before the due date and receive As. In one instance a professor publicly recognized me as having written the best paper in the entire class. I beamed …

School Leaders’ Assessment Of Teachers’ Preparedness For Culturally Responsive Teaching, Victoria Maria Siliunas

Dissertations

Societal and school inequities continue to be highlighted via widening achievement gaps that adversely impact historically marginalized groups of students and their communities. An acknowledgement of the importance of developing teachers who are prepared to work with students of culturally differing identities from their own in the day-to-day work of teaching has inspired a shift in language and practice from a more general multicultural approach to a culturally responsive teaching methodology in which a purposeful inclusion of the ethnic and cultural backgrounds of students is prioritized. Addressing challenges schools face related to cultural difference between teachers and the students they …

The Role Of Federal And State Policy In Addressing Early Childhood Achievement Gaps: Parent Perceptions And Student Outcomes Related To 21st Century Learning Centers Programming In The United States, Heather P. Williams

Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

As policymakers and school communities work to address underlying causes of achievement gaps and access to quality early childhood education, this study considers the use of 21st Century Community Learning Centers to address early childhood education needs on western U.S. state, Idaho. The study sought to understand the relationship between federal and state policies related to out-of-school opportunities to enhance early childhood education. Utilizing data from a statewide evaluation of Idaho’s 21st Century Learning Centers, the study examined 92 centers providing after school, before school, or summer programs in grades preschool through the third grade to predominately at-risk children. Data …