Digital Commons Network^™

Navigating Autism: Parent Experiences With Coping And Service Connection, Hilary Drew, Amber Moodie-Dyer, Jill A. Hoffman, Dawn Anderson-Butcher

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

This presentation shares findings from a qualitative study exploring the experiences of parents of youth and young adults with ASD and service providers. Themes from interviews and focus groups are discussed. The presenters explore the implications of the study for providing services to individuals with ASD in relation to research, policy and practice.

Tell Us More: Reading Comprehension, Engagement, And Conceptual Press Discourse, Dot Mcelhone

Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study examines interactions between teachers and students during reading comprehension instruction to determine how certain patterns of teacher-student talk support student comprehension achievement and reading engagement. The central focus of the study is conceptual press discourse, a pattern of teacher response that includes requests for evidence, examples, clarification, and elaboration. Hierarchical Linear Modeling analysis of data from 21 fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms (495 students) indicated that in classrooms where teachers more frequently used discourse patterns that reduced conceptual press, students demonstrated weaker comprehension and engagement outcomes.

Twenty-Somethings In The Classroom And Counseling Office: Understanding Emerging Adult Counseling Students, Joel A. Lane

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Recent trends in many counseling training programs have reflected a proliferation of students entering graduate school directly after completing an undergraduate program. This proliferation has resulted in an increase in the number of emerging adult counseling students. Emerging adulthood is the term used to describe the ages of 18-25, and is unique in that individuals in this age group identify subjectively with aspects of both adolescence and adulthood without fully identifying with either. Lacking a crystallized adult identity poses unique challenges for these students, particularly with regard to developing professional identity and self-efficacy. While many emerging adults view these challenges …

Family Aided Community Treatment As An Intervention For The Treatment Of Early Psychosis: A Proof Of Concept Study, Ryan P. Melton

Regional Research Institute for Human Services

Major psychotic disorders are one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, having severe impacts on the people who suffer from the conditions, their families and society. There is evidence that if these conditions are identified and treated early, the prognosis is improved. The purpose of this study is to produce findings related to the use of year long trial of family aided community treatment (FACT) with individuals who are experiencing a first episode psychosis as defined by the SIPS. Using a proof of concept design with multiple repeated measure t tests, this study focused on first-episode psychotic disorder participants …

Mentoring Counselor Education Doctoral Students To Teach Basic Counseling Skills, Erin E. Binkley, Joel A. Lane, Sarah Eikelberg

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

As doctoral students in the field of Counselor Education prepare to become faculty members, engaging in supervised teaching experiences are both helpful and necessary to their development. In this presentation, two doctoral students and one faculty member will discuss their experience with mentoring as a tool for developing skill in teaching. In this mentoring relationship, the two doctoral students co-taught the Basic Counseling Skills course with the faculty member, and were mentored in areas of teaching, supervision, governance, and student evaluation. Experience of the mentoring process and development of teaching skills will be discussed by both the faculty member and …

Enhancing Instruction For English Learners In Response To Intervention Systems: The Pluss Model, Amanda K. Sanford, Julie Esparza Brown, Maranda Turner

Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper proposes a model of effective instruction and intervention for English Learners (ELs) within a Response to Intervention (RTI) framework. First, we review literature on effective instruction for ELs and how RTI can address the needs of these students. Then, we describe the PLUSS model, which integrates research on effective instruction for ELs, tiered models of support, and teacher practices. The model includes the following elements: Pre-teaching critical vocabulary; Language modeling and opportunities to use academic language; Using visuals and graphic organizers; Systematic and explicit instruction; and Strategic use of native language and teaching for transfer. Finally, we provide …

A Proposal Request For A Native American Task Force On Student Success At Portland State University, Cornel Pewewardy

Global Diversity and Inclusion Publications and Presentations

This is a proposal request for a Native American Task Force on Student Success by the Director of Native American Studies Cornel Pewewardy.

An Exploration Of Fiscal Resources And Systems Needs Related To Autism Spectrum Disorder Services And Supports In Ohio: Fiscal Analysis And Parent/Caregiver Interview Results, Dawn Anderson-Butcher, Hilary Drew, Amber Moodie-Dyer, Jill A. Hoffman

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

In order to advocate for policies that align and leverage funding streams in service to the needs of families and individuals affected by autism spectrum disorders (ASD), the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio (ESCCO) and the Center for Systems Change at the Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence disorders (OCALI) commissioned the College of Social Work at The Ohio State University to conduct a fiscal analysis of ASD funds and to explore parent / caregiver perceptions of the ASD service delivery system in Ohio. There were two purposes of this work:

• To identify federal and state funding streams …

Reconstruction: Meltdown In The Midst Of Beauty, William A. Parnell

Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Part of a special issue on early childhood education and phenomenology, this paper explores the author's growing self-awareness while obtaining his graduate degree. While completing his dissertation, he engaged in studio experiences, active listening, interviews, collaboration sessions and reconstructed his beliefs and attained formal education.

Idocument: How Smartphones And Tablets Are Changing Documentation In Preschool And Primary Classrooms, William A. Parnell, Jackie Bartlett

Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

The article discusses the use of smartphones and other digital technology devices in early childhood education as a means of documenting students' daily progress and integrating it into online portfolios. It addresses the benefits of including parents in education through educational blogs and other online resources. The authors suggest tips for effective digital documentation and mobile technology usage. Other topics explored include interpreting children's learning, reaffirming children as learners, and addressing the limitations of handheld technology.

The Learning Gardens Laboratory: Teaching Sustainability And Developing Sustainable Food Systems Through Unique Partnerships, Heather Burns, Weston Miller

Educational Leadership and Policy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Garden-based education programs at the Learning Gardens Laboratory (LGL) in Portland, Oregon, have been developed in a partnership between Portland State University and Oregon State University in order to advance the development of sustainable food systems and sustainability education. Learning gardens serve as rich sustainability learning sites due to their ecological and sociocultural benefits, and provide a hands-on way for students to engage in interconnected issues and begin to participate in solving complex problems. At LGL there is an understanding that developing sustainable food systems also requires teaching and learning practices that reflect the goals of sustainability education. Our primary …

Data To Action: Freshman Retention Project, Mirela Blekic, James Ofsink, Sukhwant Jhaj, Dan Fortmiller, Rowanna L. Carpenter, Paloma Harrison, Martha Dyson, Becki Ingersoll, Becky Sanchez, Robert Mercer, Amanda Nguyen, Louise Mcdonald

University Studies Assessment Research

About 10% of freshmen students who are admitted in fall do not transition to winter term and about 15-20% of the students who complete their freshmen year do not return the following fall. In addition, students who have major concerns about financing their education and students who are not sure about their plans (as identified in FRINQ Prior Learning Survey) tend to leave at a higher rate. Similarly, students with HS GPA below 3.0 and conditionally admitted students tend to leave at a higher rate. Finally, about 80% of the students who indicate (in the FRINQ End-of-Year Survey) they are …

4 Inches Of Living Soil: Teaching Biodiversity In The Learning Gardens–A Photo-Essay, Dilafruz R. Williams

Educational Leadership and Policy Faculty Publications and Presentations

In Learning Gardens and Sustainability Education: Bringing Life to Schools and Schools to Life, Williams and Brown (2011) place living soil at the center of the discourse on sustainability education. One of the seven principles that guides their pedagogy of learning gardens is: valuing biocultural diversity. This photo-essay of elementary students in K-8 schools, explores how 4 inches of soil in the learning gardens can teach about life’s diversity. The author urges humble attentiveness to that which is below our feet seemingly hidden and unnoticed yet teeming with life.

A Narrative Conceptualization Of The Imposter Phenomenon: Implications For Supervisors Of Beginning Counselors, Joel A. Lane

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Imposter Phenomenon, characterized as a sentiment that one is incompetent despite overwhelming contradictory evidence, is perhaps the most significant challenge that counseling students face as they begin their practicum experiences. Individuals experiencing this phenomenon are unable to internalize evidence of their competence. They believe that their successes can be attributed to luck, and feel that fraudulence is the primary reason for their having progressed to the point of the practicum experience. An inability to see one’s counseling abilities as competent can negatively impact his or her work in multiple ways. Supervisors of these counseling students are in a unique …

Sustainable Activism: The Hanford Nuclear Reservation, Laura Feldman

Leadership for Sustainability Education Comprehensive Papers

This is a proposal for a community/university partnership which would integrate education and activism, "Sustainable Activism" into the PSU sustainability curriculum. This collaboration would provide students and community members with the opportunity to share expertise and resources in addressing the dangerous transportation and storage of nuclear wastes in our bio-region. Through place-based, participatory learning activities, such as a nuclear pilgrimage to Hanford, we will renew and celebrate our relationship with the ecosystems and communities along the Columbia River, and begin to heal the sacrificial landscape that is Hanford.

Teaching 21st Century Skills: Voices From The Field, Andrew Kitchenham

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

This article presents an overview of the 21st century student characteristics based on the professional literature. It then outlines specific pedagogical techniques that can be used to improve literacy in school-aged children. It also includes specific examples of these techniques used in North American classrooms.

Revisiting Teacher Leadership: Perceptions Of Teachers And Principals, Suzanne Harrison, Ginny Birky

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover perceptions of teachers and principals regarding teacher leadership. The researchers investigated how selected Oregon teachers and administrators defined teacher leadership, as well as how they perceived roles, characteristics, and qualities of teacher leaders. Four themes emerged from the results: collaboration, interpersonal relationships, managing the work, and teaching and learning. Results showed that teacher leaders often acted in a collaborative environment and expected colleagues and administrators to be collaborative. Developing and maintaining positive relational skills were of importance, particularly related to caring and serving, as well as the dispositions of honesty, empathy, …

A Co-Inquiry Into What Matters Most In Written Reflections:A Co-Inquiry Into What Matters Most In Written Reflections: Helping Students Integrate Cognition And Affect, Jody Bault, Ray Wolpow, Carmen Werder

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

Twenty-first century teacher education places increased emphasis on collaborate evaluation of student work. This study provides the voices of a graduate student in teacher education, the professor teaching a literacy methods course, and a university writing instruction support director as they endeavored to develop a rubric to help pre-service secondary teachers improve their reflective writing. Discussion and short essays, guided by that same rubric, provide conclusions on the part of the co-inquirers about the importance of considering both thoughts and feelings in assessing reflective writing and conducting co-inquiry.

Career Coaching Across The Curriculum: Enhancing The Career Competencies Of The 21st Century Learner, Mark W. Slomp, Kerry B. Bernes

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

This article examines the effectiveness of a pilot project offered by members of the Faculty of Education at the University of Lethbridge entitled, ―Career Coaching Across the Curriculum: Integrating Career Development into Classroom Instruction‖. It explores whether this pilot project effectively prepares pre-service teachers to integrate career education into curriculum. It also explores whether this pilot project contributes to the attainment of important career development competencies for students in the Kindergarten-Grade 12 educational system.

Enhancing Rural Internships: Considering The Post-Intern Voice, Edwin Ralph, Keith D. Walker

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

A lingering issue that has faced rural-practicum planners across all the professions relates to enhancing the overall quality of rural internships. In this report, the authors address a key facet of this subject by considering the viewpoint of post-interns regarding their own rural practicum experiences. The authors compare the perspectives of a recent group of Education post-practicum students regarding the quality of rural internships with findings from previous research related to the subject. The post-interns participating in the present study recently completed their 16-week extended practicum in rural schools in one Western Canadian province. They submitted written responses to questions …

Because It’S A Girl Cake!:Because It’S A Girl Cake!: Fostering Dialogue About Gender Identity In Elementary Classrooms, Niko Wacker, Amy E. Ryken

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

In this documentary account, a kindergarten teacher and teacher educator describe our efforts to explore how young children think and reason about gender expression in and beyond the classroom. We describe our ongoing collaboration to develop a framework for teacher-initiated and student-initiated conversations about gender, which often result from students’ spontaneous remarks and questions about gender norms. We explore the question, How can educators create relevant and engaging learning opportunities to invite young learners to discuss gender norms within the classroom? In this paper we share kindergartners’ conversations about gender and three examples of their writing about this topic. We …

Promoting Cross-Cultural Competence And Awareness In Teacher Education: Toward The Integration Of Western And Non-Western Perspectives, Stephen Woolworth, Vidya Thirumurthy

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

Calls for culturally competent teachers persist amidst the ongoing diversification of the P-12 student population (Aud et al. 2010), continued racial homogeneity of the teacher workforce (Boser, 2011), chronic academic achievement disparities between majority and minority student groups (Vanneman et al., 2009), and persistent racial disproportionality in school discipline practices (Losen et al, 2012). In an effort to encourage and promote cross-cultural competence and awareness, we describe a graduate seminar we designed and taught around the integration of western and nonwestern perspectives on cognition, development and learning. We share a number of insights gained from the seminar experience and conclude …

Life Changing Events For Students: An Initial Exploratory Study, Michael A. Rousell

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

The purpose of this exploratory study was to discover under what conditions teachers’ comments create transformative moments for students. This study shows that emotional arousal, frequently triggered by surprise, appears to be a catalyst for the spontaneous and profound restructuring of a student’s personal schema or worldview. Our brains evolved to respond to emotionally intense challenges rapidly and reflexively. These challenges are instantly processed by the brain’s innate, stress-driven, conceptual, problem-solving system. Our reflexive brain system is organized to accept the most expedient solution, not necessarily the best one. It’s thus quite vulnerable to making impetuous responses that may generate …

It Hurt Big Time: Understanding The Impact Of Rural Adolescents’ Experiences With Cyberbullying, Robin Bright, Mary Dyck

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

In the 21st century, the growing use of online technologies has challenged parents and educators to understand the concerns and issues faced by adolescents with cyberbullying both in and outside the school context. The purpose of this study was to examine rural adolescents‘ experiences with cyberbullying in Canada. The participants included 1752 adolescents who attended 16 schools in rural Alberta. The 73-item online questionnaire included the following question: If you have ever known someone to be bullied, been a target of bullying, or ever bullied someone using online communication please describe the situation(s) and what happened as a result. Youth …

The Schools Ain’T What They Used To Be And Never Was – 21st Century Schools, Learners, And Teachers, Colleen Kawalilak, Jim Paul

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

This writing presents our views, as university teacher educators and scholars, concerning some issues pertaining to the readiness of contemporary Canadian education to move forward, well, with confidence and competence, into the mid-21st Century. We posit that all which is possible, educationally, lives in the give and take between Canadian education‘s geo-political, economic and linguistic past, the current functioning of contemporary schools as contested learning and teaching sites, and the increasing impacts of globalisation. We draw from guiding adult education principles in support of an enriched and expanded commitment to teacher professional development as a pathway to sustainable education reform.

Motivation In The Portland Chinuk Wawa Language Community, Abigail Elaina Pecore

Dissertations and Theses

Throughout the world, languages are becoming extinct at an alarming rate. Perhaps half of the 6,000-7,000 languages worldwide will go extinct in the next 50-100 years. One of these dying languages, Chinook Jargon or Chinuk Wawa, a language found in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, is in the process of being revitalized through the concerted efforts of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde (CTGR). Reasons to revitalize endangered languages often seem irrelevant to our modern daily lives, and revitalizing these languages is a difficult process requiring much dedication, commitment, and persistence. In light of this significant struggle, understanding …

Investigating The Reggio Emilia Study Tour Experience: From Conversation To Insights, William Arthur Parnell

Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Taking early childhood Master's students on a Reggio Emilia Study Tour leads to making meaning of anticipatory and after-experience reflective narrative-episodes. These narrative episodes are constructed around the phenomena of anticipating the trip as well as reflecting on the experiences during and after the study tour. The experiences are then analyzed collaboratively among researchers and participants through informal discussions. Themes in each narrative episode are explored through the written narratives and then conclusions are drawn. Anticipatory themes include eagerness to see, desire to witness the image of the child in the everyday, and a concern about adopting the Reggio approach …

Giving Voice To The Peace And Justice Challenger Intellectuals: Counterpublic Development As Civic Engagement, Tom Harry Hastings

Dissertations and Theses

"Let knowledge serve the city" reads the golden letters on a pedestrian bridge just 200 feet from my faculty office in Neuberger Hall at Portland State University. Public peace scholarship might allow knowledge to help the polis by keeping it out of war via changing the national discourse toward a strong and informed peace analysis. Educators have an uneasy relationship to public scholarship and mainstream media have a nervous attitude toward public peace intellectuals. Institutions of higher learning are also often either unaware or uncomfortable with a public promotion of a positive peace platform. Academic writing and research is hard …

Shaping The Future Past: Finding History, Creating Identity In The Kwan Hsu Papers, Lisa Chere' Donnelly

Dissertations and Theses

Dr. Kwan Hsu was neither a superstar nor a celebrity. Her name does not come up in conversations about important contributors to her field of biophysics nor is she instantly recognizable for her contributions to Portland State University's international program or the state of Oregon's business ties with China. Yet she was a contributor, a cog-in-the-wheel, at the very least, in all of these areas and more. She was a peripheral member of a well-known Chinese family, but few in the United States know of or perhaps have interest in, but otherwise, she had no great connections or family ties …

Transformed Through Relationship: Faculty And Community Partnersgive Voice To The Power Of Partnerships, Seanna M. Kerrigan, Vicki L. Reitenauer

University Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Since the 1990s, hundreds of institutions of higher education have developed community-university partnerships through community-based learning initiatives in order to enhance student learning and strengthen our communities. These partnerships are often built upon ideals of reciprocity and synergy, yet there has been a dearth of rich qualitative assessment to describe the nature of these relationships, the roles played by all of the constituents in these relationships, and the impact that these relationships have on students, faculty, and community partners. This study engaged 10 faculty and their corresponding community partners to document their partnership practices and the impact of these practices …