Digital Commons Network^™

Searching For Animal Evidence: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Ian Vedbraaten

OER Materials

The goal of this assignment was to design an immersive, place-based learning experience that helps pre-service teachers engage with primary sources connected to the history and culture of their region’s environment. In collaboration with the MSUM Regional Science Center, students visited the science center and went on a nature walk to examine animal evidence. They will analyze this evidence to learn about why animals do certain things. An example of this is why animals burrow underground.

Animal Survival: Place Based Lesson Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Clara Paleen

OER Materials

The goal of this assignment was to design an immersive, place-based learning experience that helps preservice teachers engage with natural phenomena at the Minnesota State Moorhead Regional Science Center. Place based learning is to establish the connection between the classroom and the local community/environment. The natural phenomenon focused on is how animals survive the different seasons in Minnesota.  Students will be on a phenomenon walk to develop their own curiosity and wonderings.

Effects Of Constant Time Delay Using Multiple Acquisition Exemplars On The Generalization Of Self-Instruction To Complete Vocational Tasks For High School Students With Intellectual Disability, Anna Norby

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

This study presents findings from a multiple probe design that evaluated the effects of constant time delay with multiple acquisition exemplars on the acquisition and generalization of self-instruction to complete vocational tasks for high school students with intellectual disability. The research included three high school students with intellectual disability, and data were analyzed across baseline, intervention, and generalization conditions. Instruction targeted the use of self-instruction procedures embedded within vocational tasks, with multiple exemplars incorporated during acquisition to promote stimulus generalization. Participants were screened using a set of pre-arranged vocational tasks to identify existing skill levels and determine appropriate instructional targets, …

Becoming Art Itself: A Study On The Generative Logic And Discursive Structure Of Disability Art Incubation Institutions, Gonghui Lu

MA Theses

This study employs “Becoming” as its core analytical concept to examine how disability art incubation institutions operate at the intersection of contemporary art history and social systems as mechanisms that continuously generate both art and subjectivity. Building on Deleuze’s philosophy of becoming and Guattari’s notion of the rhizome, the study constructs a generative model linking art, institutions, and discourse. Through comparative analysis of international cases, it discusses the shift in disability art from a representational logic to a generative logic, and the dynamic oscillation between deterritorialization and reterritorialization within institutional practices. The study argues that disability art should not be …

Audio-Visual Essay Assessment In Initial Teacher Education: An Exploration Of Pre-Service Teachers’ Experiences, Kristina Turner, Andrea Ng

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Assessment in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) plays an important role in shaping Pre-Service Teachers’ (PSTs) understanding of assessment in their future classroom practices. While research highlights the value of authentic and multimodal assessment in higher education, little is known about the use of audio-visual essay assessments within ITE. This qualitative interpretive study explored PSTs’ experiences of completing an audio-visual essay assessment in an Australian undergraduate ITE course. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 PSTs and analysed using an inductive qualitative thematic analysis informed by Saldaña’s two-cycle coding framework. Three themes were identified: initial apprehension and overcoming challenges, advantages …

Research-Based Learning For Pre-Service Teachers’ Meta-Reflexivity: Insights From English Language Teacher Education In Türkiye, İrem Çomoğlu, Eda Ceylan, Eda Akgün-Özpolat, Kenan Dikilitaş

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Drawing on Cramer et al.’s (2023) framework for meta-reflexive teacher education, we conducted a case study to examine how research-based learning (RbL) helps pre-service teachers (PSTs) develop meta-reflexivity. The data was collected in an undergraduate course in Türkiye where 81 PSTs engaged in RbL through developing, explaining, and exploring their pedagogical puzzles (PPs). Analysis of data from written reflections and class recordings generated themes indicating that PSTs began to adopt a meta-reflexive stance through a set of research and reflection practices involved in their puzzle exploration processes. The study suggests that RbL may be a promising approach for fostering PSTs’ …

Perceptions Of Georgia Elementary School Administrators Toward Elementary Agricultural Education, Addie Tucker

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Elementary agricultural education (EAE) is a growing component of K-12 agricultural education, yet limited research exists on how school leaders perceive its value. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of Georgia elementary school administrators regarding the implementation and value of EAE programs. Specifically, this study examined elementary principals’ and district superintendents’ views on the benefits, effectiveness, and value of EAE. A descriptive research design was used. Georgia elementary principals and district superintendents with active EAE programs during the 2025-2026 academic year were surveyed in the fall of 2025. The sample consisted of 18 principals and 18 …

Identifying The Knowledge And Skills That Students Enrolled In Agricultural Systems Technology Degree Programs Need: Perspectives From University Faculty, Jerry Blake Kennedy

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

National trends have highlighted the need for a knowledgeable, skilled workforce in advanced agricultural systems. University-level Agricultural Systems Technology (AST) undergraduate degree programs and closely-related degree programs are vital to equipping the agricultural workforce with the knowledge and skills needed to support the industry. Ensuring that AST curricula are relevant and appropriate is vital to equipping undergraduate students in such programs with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the modern agricultural workforce. This study sought to identify the essential knowledge and skills needed by undergraduate AST degree program students from the perspectives of university-level faculty across the …

Exploring Pedagogical Content Knowledge Of Experienced Teachers In Agricultural Animal Reproduction: A Grounded Theory, Amanda Wooditch

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Teaching agricultural animal reproduction requires a specialized integration of scientific content knowledge and instructional strategies, conceptualized as Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). While PCK has been widely studied in other disciplines, research on its development and application in agricultural education has been limited. This qualitative study utilized grounded theory methodology to explore the PCK of experienced high school agriculture teachers in Georgia as they taught animal reproduction.

Twenty educators, each with a minimum of eight years of classroom experience, participated in the study through semi-structured interviews, lesson artifacts, and memos. Analysis, guided by Gess-Newsome’s (2015) Model of Teacher Professional Knowledge and …

Influences On Student College-Major Decision And Satisfaction Rate Among Students In The School Of Agriculture, Danielle Shafer

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence students to choose agriculture majors and agriculture careers and measure the level of satisfaction with their major based on these influences. There are many factors that influence students to choose a major in college and college-major satisfaction. These influences and satisfaction with major may have an impact on a student’s decision to choose a college career path. Some of the influences mentioned in studies are family, friends, educators, extension programs, clubs, financial, and recruitment efforts. The degree to which each of these influence students may depend on the …

Comprehensive Postsecondary Transition Planning For Students With Intellectual Disability In Florida, Sonia Y. Clark-Rosier

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the impact of early transition planning on parents’ postsecondary expectations for their child with an intellectual disability and to examine the benefits of planning, particularly when considering higher education opportunities. This study also probed the factors that contribute to the development of self-efficacy in special education teachers facilitating comprehensive transition planning. Schlossberg’s transition theory, with its four S’s—situation, support, self, and strategies—served as the theoretical framework. The data collection methods were document analysis, focus groups with special education teachers, high school teachers, and parents, and researcher observations. Seven themes emerged to …

The Economic Impact Of The Georgia Young Farmers Association On Georgia's Economy, Robert E. Bodiford Iii

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Agriculture is Georgia’s largest economy, generating billions of dollars annually. Sustaining this sector requires ongoing investment in human capital through education, training, and leadership development. While research has extensively examined youth agricultural education, limited attention has been given to the economic contributions of adult agricultural education programs. The Georgia Young Farmers Association serves as a primary provider of structured adult agricultural education in the state, offering continuing education through meetings, farm tours, workshops, and leadership development activities. The purpose of this study was to estimate the economic impact of the Georgia Young Farmers Association on Georgia’s economy[BL1] . The …

Buffalo River: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Ryanna Thorson

OER Materials

This submission presents a place-based curiosity walk lesson designed to engage 5^th-grade students in investigating how the Buffalo River shapes the land and supports like through processes such as water flow, erosion, deposition, and riparian ecosystem interactions. Using the bridge as a safe observation platform, the lesson engages students in documenting seasonal indicators such as snowmelt runoff, rising water levels, sediment movement, and ice breakup; phenomena that parallel Minnesota’s long-standing practice of tracking lake “ice-out” dates. By integrating scientific observation with Indigenous ways of knowing, the lesson emphasizes the ecological and cultural significance of understanding river cycles and …

Winter 2026, Southwestern Oklahoma State University Office Of Institutional Advancement And Alumni

Echoes from the Hill

From The Interim President

Fellow members of the SWOSU Community,

I have been grateful for the opportunity to serve Southwestern Oklahoma State University for nearly three decades. As the Spring 2026 semester gets underway, we welcome the opportunity to pause and reflect on what we have learned—and what we continue to achieve together.

The bonds formed among our students, faculty, and staff as we deliver high quality, affordable programs of instruction and training are deep and enduring. The Southwestern Spirit—marked by friendly cooperation, thoughtful inquiry, and hard work—gives SWOSU a distinctive strength and instills in our graduates a lasting sense …

Spring/Summer 2026, Southwestern Oklahoma State University Office Of Institutional Advancement And Alumni

Echoes from the Hill

From The President

SWOSU Community,

SWOSU is 125 years old this year, and 2026 has been an exciting year here on the Hilltop! We are gearing up for a great Fall Semester!

This issue of Echoes highlights the wonderful time we had in the Spring when our students, faculty, and staff joined donors, alumni, dignitaries, and community leaders from throughout Oklahoma and beyond for the dedication of the Jerry & Margaret Hodge Center for Pharmacy & Rural Health. The Center represents an innovative private-public partnership that will enable our university to graduate more healthcare professionals to meet the workforce needs …

A Proposal For Cal Poly Humboldt Spanish Language Family Orientations In Order To Increase First-Gen Latine Student Matriculation And Retention, Xelha B. Puc

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

First-generation college students, defined as those whose parents did not complete a 4-year degree, face distinct challenges when pursuing higher education. Although all first-gen students face significant barriers to success, additional aspects of student identity can further impact their access to institutional support and resources. This project addresses the particular needs of first-generation Latine undergraduate students, who may face additional challenges related to language barriers, limited access to institutional knowledge, financial barriers, and cultural expectations. While existing research highlights the disparities students of this population face, less attention is given to the critical role family support can play in shaping …

Nourishing Roots: Supporting Indigenous Food Education In School Gardens, Tatiana Marina Patino Madriaga

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This project asked: How can a school garden at Hoopa Valley Elementary support Indigenous food education, student well-being, and relational learning? To explore this question, I designed and implemented a garden classroom and facilitated hands-on garden and culinary workshops with students.

The garden was planned in September, built in October, and had plants in the ground by November. Over the course of the project, I facilitated four workshops, one Earth Day community event, and weekly garden classes. Approximately 350 students participated in the garden in some capacity, reflecting broad, school-wide engagement.

Methods included participant observation, documentation of student engagement, and …

Social Justice In The Linguistics Classroom, Reed Blaylock, Miranda Mccarvel, James A. Berry, Evan D. Bradley, Emily Graham, Jill Hallett, Sarah E. Hercula, Lisa Morgan Johnson, Kahdeidra Monét Martin, Ebi Poweigha, Md. Abusalah Sakender, Allison Taylor-Adams

Education and Child Study: Faculty Publications

In the current political and social climate, diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice initiatives in higher education face pushback and at times abolition. Educators within the field of linguistics face a paradox: vulnerability of the classroom versus the fundamental duty to promote linguistic and social justice. This organized session aimed to support community and coalition building, helping linguists build capacity to engage in the work of linguistic and social justice through their teaching. The session was structured into four areas: diversity and inclusion, justice and equity, resistance and response, and lifelong learning and engagement. The first session introduced strategies for decentering …

University Of Central Florida Graduate Catalog, 2025-2026, University Of Central Florida

UCF Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Objective Assessment In Experiential Learning Contexts, Lily M. Brutger

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Experiential learning is widely recognized as a powerful approach to education; however, empirical evidence demonstrating its effectiveness remains limited. This gap in the literature is due less to the value of experiential learning itself than to the challenges of assessing learning within experiential contexts. Drawing on the foundational experiential learning theories of Kolb (1984) and Joplin (1981), as well as contemporary research on assessment validity and practice, this paper examines the relationship between assessment and experiential learning. It argues that purposeful, objective assessment is essential for maximizing student learning and supporting the credibility of experiential education. The paper synthesizes current …

The Relationship Between Program Staffing And State-Level Student Outcomes In Georgia School-Based Agricultural Education Programs, Taylor Ogle

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the number of agriculture teachers employed in Georgia high school agricultural education programs and selected indicators of program success. Specifically, the study investigated the relationship between the number of agriculture teachers and first-place state-level competitive success in Career Development Events (CDEs), Leadership Development Events (LDEs), proficiency awards, Georgia State FFA Degrees earned, and student participation in state-level FFA leadership positions. A quantitative, correlational research design was utilized for this study. Data was collected from Georgia FFA records. Agricultural education programs within the state of Georgia served as the unit …

Monarch: Old Dominion University Magazine, Victoria Bourne (Editor)

Monarch Magazine

Spring/Summer 2026 issue of Monarch, the Old Dominion University Magazine.

Subtitled: Honoring a HEROIC Monarch

The Fellowship Of A Shared Classic Story, Sarah Moss

The Voice

No abstract provided.

A Family Legacy Lives On In The Mouw House, Sarah Moss

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Dordt's Mission Is For You Too, Kaysha Steiger

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Leaders Are Learners, Sarah Moss

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Pwatem: An Anthology Of Literature And Art (2026)

Pwatem (Poictesme), 2006-

Pwatem is an anthology of literature and art from undergraduate students at Virginia Commonwealth University. Pwatem publishes poetry, prose and art of all kinds from talented undergraduate students of all majors.

The Second Little Book Of Joy: More Ways To Infuse Delight Into Teaching And Learning, Eugene Korsunskiy

Dartmouth Scholarship

This is the second volume in a growing collection that started as The Little Book of Joy: Tiny Ways to Infuse Delight Into Teaching and Learning ( https://digitalcommons.dartmouth.edu/facoa/4352).

This second volume presents 36 new practices authored by educators and students for bringing joy into our classrooms.

As teachers, we know that a joyful learning environment helps students thrive. We know that fun is an important catalyst of-not a distraction from-the rigorous work of teaching and learning. A growing body of research supports this intuition, showing that joy helps with focus, creativity, problem-solving, teamwork, perseverance in the face of challenges, …

Wild Rice Life Cycle: An Integrated Science, Social Studies, And Ela Lesson, Rhett Zima, Lily Deming

OER Materials

This lesson is designed to deepen students’ understanding of wild rice, a plant native to Minnesota, by integrating life science concepts such as structure, function, life cycles, and seed dispersal with prior knowledge from English Language Arts and Social Studies. Using the 5E instructional model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate), students participate in a structured, inquiry-based learning experience. They begin by connecting to prior knowledge and generating questions, then investigating the life cycle and growth patterns of wild rice through hands-on exploration. As students build their understanding, they analyze how the plant’s seed dispersal supports its survival and reproduction. …

Playing With Fire: A Phenomenological Study Of Burnout Among Career And Technical Education Teachers And Factors That Fuel The Dilemma, Kaye C. Harris

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers who self-identified as having suffered from burnout. While burnout in education is a commonly researched topic, burnout related to CTE is underrepresented but relevant due to an increasing emphasis on the need for skills-based training. This study sought to understand the internal and external factors that contributed to teacher burnout and how shame, gaslighting, and toxic positivity influenced professional identity and emotional well-being. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to conduct 14 personal interviews and a follow-up focus group consisting of six participants. Findings indicated that …