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.

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 …

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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.

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 …

The Ethical Implications Of Bartering For Mental Health Services: Examining Interdisciplinary Ethical Standards, Joel A. Lane

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

The present paper discusses literature concerning the practice of bartering for counseling, psychological, or social work services in lieu of traditional monetary payment. The author contrasts the language concerning the practice of bartering found in the respective ethical codes for each profession, and presents literature describing both risks and potential benefits of bartering arrangements. The primary risks of bartering include liability concerns and the potential for harmful or exploitive dual relationships. The primary benefits are that bartering makes mental health services available to those who cannot afford traditional fees, and allows for a culturally relevant compensation method for those whose …

Secondary School Students’ Lack Of Mathematics Understanding, Masomeh Jamshid Nejad

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

A study was conducted to investigate the influence of pupils’ beliefs on their performance in problem solving. Twenty-seven students from Grade 8 participated in this study. The findings showed that there is a positive correlation between participants’ belief, some subscales of belief and participants’ performance in problem solving. Further research was then suggested. A study was conducted to investigate the influence of pupils’ beliefs on their performance in problem solving. Twenty-seven students from Grade 8 participated in this study. The findings showed that there is a positive correlation between participants’ belief, some subscales of belief and participants’ performance in problem …

Improving Student Engagement With 21st Century Learning Practices, Thelma M. Gunn, Maurice Hollingsworth

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

There is sufficient evidence to support the importance of adaptive student engagement with respect to improved school behavior, academic achievement, and high school completion rates. Students who are more engaged exhibit high levels of adaptive attention, cognition, and behaviour as well as create social, physical, and intellectual resources (i.e., Appleton, Christenson, & Furlong, 2008; Fredrickson, 2001). A three-year study designed to investigate and track student engagement and academic achievement with Grade 9 and 10 students has demonstrated that 21st century instructional practices have the potential to improve students’ perceptions of community, orientation to school, and in particular, their academic strategies.

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 …

The Efficacy Of Inquiry-Based Learning In Undergraduate Physiology, James Depaepe, Tracy Campion

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

Lecture, where learning is passive, remains a prevalent instructional method of teaching content. Contextualized approaches like Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) where students are more actively engaged remains less common. For 25 years the literature has supported contextualized approaches. Nevertheless, recent papers have claimed IBL to be an unguided approach that has produced content knowledge deficits. Therefore, we tested whether undergraduate physiology content could be learned using IBL. Four groups of undergraduates (mean ages=23, N=60) took a ten-week physiology course using IBL. A content valid pretest and posttest measured content knowledge. A one-way ANOVA indicated no significant differences within or between groups …

Collaborating To Teach Research Methods In Education, Todd Milford, Catherine Etmanski

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

The purpose of this paper is to describe a pedagogical collaboration between two research methods instructors in a Faculty of Education in Canada. Both instructors represent different paradigms in the classic quantitative vs. qualitative dichotomy in that they were trained in vastly different ways and have tended to approach their research along these same lines. However, despite these differences the paper explores how they each viewed this as a potential limitation in their methods teaching and how through crossing over to each other’s classrooms were able to both expand their own understanding as well as offer a more balanced and …

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 …

The Importance Of Professional Dispositions: A Survey Of Diverse Teacher Educators, Kelly M. Benson, Naomi Jeffery Petersen

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

Dispositions are undisputedly crucial for teaching success and academic achievement, but what are they and which ones are most important for candidates to develop before student teaching? Can we identify, define, influence or assess dispositions for a common language among all stakeholders in teacher education? In order to find out if stakeholders from 30 certification areas share common definitions of essential teacher dispositions, and whether their range of opinions can be reduced to major constructs, we surveyed faculty and staff in 30 NCATE-accredited certification programs housed in three colleges of a large public comprehensive university. This article presents the qualitative …

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.

Physical Activity During Full-Day And Half-Day Kindergarten, Lauren Talley, Ryan Cook, Patti-Jean Naylor, Viviene Anne Temple

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

The aim of this study was to compare the physical activity levels of children during fullday and half-day kindergarten. Of the 47 children who participated in this study, 22 (girls = 50%) attended full-day kindergarten and 25 (girls = 40%) attended half-days. Actigraph activity monitors were used to assess physical activity and sedentary behavior of the children. We found that children were more active during full-day kindergarten. The rates of light-intensity physical activity were significantly higher during full-day kindergarten. However, levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were quite low, and efforts to promote MVPA would be beneficial.

Teacher As Researcher: An Essential Component Of Teacher Preparation, Kimberly Hill Campbell

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

This article provides a brief synthesis of research findings from studies of teacher education programs that include attention to teacher research. It then details findings from a study of beginning teachers who learned about and conducted teacher research in their preservice M.A.T. program. Surveys and follow-up interviews show that these beginning teachers (2-6 years in the field) utilize a variety of research strategies, and the data from their classroom inquiry informs and sustains their work. Teacher research is more than just a requirement of their teacher preparation program; it is an essential habit of their classroom practice.

Points Of Leverage: Navigating Tensions Between Socio-Culturally Relevant Teaching And Accountability Pressures, Kathryn Mcintosh Ciechanowski

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

This qualitative study explores how an elementary teacher navigated tensions between accountability and bilingual learners‘ needs. Questions included: How did a teacher employ students‘ socio-cultural resources in content areas? How did accountability shape use of resources? What are points of leverage—i.e., promising instructional practices to be further developed and harnessed—to meet student needs? Findings show how Ms. Montclair briefly connected to students‘ resources, focusing on making content comprehensible, transmitting information, staying on pace, and practicing testing. Although familiar with project-based and family/community-oriented learning, accountability measures impacted instruction. Yet promising instruction integrates socio-cultural resources to promote innovation and meaning.

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, …

What Matters Is Mutual Investment And Evidence-Based Dialogue: Designing Meaningful Contexts For Teacher Learning, Amy E. Ryken, Fred L. Hamel

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

How might teachers be supported as professional learners, in activities and conversations that assist, rather than distract from, the complex work they do each day? In this article we describe a public school/university partnership model designed to support practice-oriented communication among educators– where professionals from various roles, institutional affiliations, and experience levels, communicate together about the details of their teaching. We outline the principles behind our approach and describe the specific practices we use to promote communication that engages teachers’ pedagogical thinking. We share how teachers’ own practice can become a centerpiece of professional development, and how authentic questions and …