Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Academic Librarians Self-Perceived Teaching Attitudes And Practical Culturally Responsive Teaching (Crt) Strategies In Library Instruction, Jocelyn Castillo

Theses and Dissertations

As campuses continue to see an increase in students from various backgrounds, there is an interest in academic librarianship to explore the use of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) strategies in library instruction. Guided by self-perception theory, this quantitative study examined the relationship between the teaching attitudes of academic librarians and the years of teaching experience, and identified practical CRT strategies in library instruction particularly in undergraduate minority serving institutions in the United States. The teaching attitudes of academic librarians were measured using a modified version of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) capturing specific teaching tasks relevant to teaching …

Identifying At-Risk Readers: The Role Of Advanced Nonsense Word Fluency Probes In Early Literacy Screening, Lindsay K. Mcdermott

Theses and Dissertations

Early identification of reading difficulties is critical for improving literacy outcomes. Nonsense word fluency (NWF) assessments are widely used to evaluate early decoding skills, yet traditional consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) probes may not fully capture students’ decoding abilities. This study examines whether an advanced NWF probe incorporating consonant blends and digraphs better predicts oral reading fluency (ORF) than the traditional CVC-based probe. Using a correlational design, first-grade benchmark data will be analyzed to compare the predictive strength of correct letter sounds, whole words read, and blending status across both probes. Grounded in the Simple View of Reading and Kilpatrick’s Phonological-Core Deficit Hypothesis, …

An Analysis Of The Impact Of Cognitive Writing Strategies On High School Writing Scores In A Suburban Tennessee District, Bethany A. Wilson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) writing assessment revealed that only 27% of eighth and 12^th graders are proficient in writing. The federal No Child Left Behind and Every Student Succeeds Acts have put pressure on schools to demonstrate proficiency on reading and math tests, leaving minimal time for instruction in other subjects, including writing. In addition to the pressure of standardized testing, teachers also find themselves underprepared to teach writing and overwhelmed by the demands of large teaching loads. While researchers have reported benefits associated with cognitive writing strategies since the 1960s, instructional demands have prevented …

Educational Interventions In The Midst Of Reforms: Strategic Initiatives To Foster Change, Mary Oluga

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

East African education systems face continuous volatility driven by global demands, regional integration, and systemic shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper analyzes the Foundations for Learning (F4L) project, a multi-country professional development initiative for Teacher Educators navigating mid-project shifts from Certificate to Diploma qualifications and the adoption of Competency-Based Curricula (CBC). Utilizing a qualitative case study design triangulating policy analysis, stakeholder dialogue, and primary interviews (N=92), the study explores how project fidelity was maintained amidst radical transitions. Anchored in Adaptive Management and Resilience theories, the findings reveal that while policy volatility and human resource instability posed significant risks—including …

Confessions Of A Beginning Dutch Learner, Kristin Lems

Faculty Publications

I have studied, taught about, and learned new languages throughout my lifespan. In fact, it has been the very core of my teaching career.  Now, I have the humbling experience of testing those truths against a new enterprise:  learning Dutch.  I spent last summer in the Netherlands, pursuing family roots and acquiring what Dutch I could.  I took no formal classes but did attend a free dropin class at the local library, where - believe me - I was the lowest learner in the lowest group! Here are some of my insights, from notes taken during that summer:

A Formative Assessment Of Traditional Undergraduate Students’ Use Of An Ai Learning Platform In Stem Courses, Dane C. Joseph, Rick Muthiah

Faculty Publications - College of Education

A small to midsized university supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education by partnering with a reputable online learning company to provide students and faculty access to artificial intelligence powered textbook problem sets and chatbots. An in-house formative assessment study was conducted in Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 to understand how traditional undergraduate students engaged with the platform. Quantitative results suggests that the general population did not utilize it as much as initially expected. Qualitative findings imply that students might have preferred alternative platforms like ChatGPT, though this may have had nothing to do with the company itself. Overall, …

Virtual Reality In Education: A Thematic Literature Review, Aleksandra Mbuyi

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This literature review combines findings from approximately 40 academic papers on virtual reality in education for readers to gain a broad, structured, and organized understanding of the topic without having to read each of the 40 papers. While researchers define VR in slightly different ways, most definitions focus on VR's ability to create digital simulations of real or imagined environments (Makransky & Lilleholt, 2018). The review is organized around nine themes: conceptualization of VR, pedagogical foundations, instructional design, learning outcomes, learner experience, disciplinary applications, technological constraints, ethics and inclusion, and emerging trends. The findings suggest that VR shows the most …

Visual Word Recognition And The Role Of Diacritics: Evidence From Arabic Vowelization., Maram Alharbi

Linguistics & TESOL Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the role of vowelization diacritics in Arabic visual word recognition and their contribution to early stages of lexical processing. Across writing systems, diacritical marks differ in their functional role and in whether they are part of letter identity, raising fundamental questions about how such features are encoded during word recognition. Arabic provides a particularly informative testing ground for these questions: vowelization diacritics in this language carry rich phonological information yet are systematically absent from the texts that skilled readers encounter daily. This interaction between the linguistic value of vowelization and its near-total omission in naturalistic reading positions …

Process Over Product With Labor-Based Grading, Ti Macklin, Nicole Brun-Mercer

Boise State University Publications and Presentations

Many instructors adopt a process approach to writing, assigning multiple drafts and offering feedback for revision; they nonetheless maintain that ultimately a student must receive a grade based on the instructor-determined caliber of the final product in order to maintain high academic standards. This traditional grading system can be demotivating, increase anxiety, discourage creativity and risk-taking, and unleash linguistic bias. In contrast, labor-based grading focuses on effort and improvement and can result in greater student engagement, innovation, and growth. This article explains labor-based grading, illustrates its use in an L2 first-year writing class, and suggests ways to adopt it in …

Prediction Of Psychological Alienation From Psychological Capital Among Mothers Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder In The Sultanate Of Oman, Azhaar Saif Saud Al Basami, Muna Abdullah Al-Bahrani, Ali Mahdi Kazem

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The aim of the current study is to examine the prediction of psychological alienation through psychological capital, while also measuring the levels of psychological capital and psychological alienation among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder.”. The study applied a descriptive predictive methodology and the sample consisted of 432 mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder, who were accessed using the convenience sampling method. The Psychological Capital Scale developed by Luthans et al. (2007) and the Psychological Alienation Scale developed by Dean (1961) were used in this study.The study found several results, including the low level of psychological capital among …

Dataset: The Impact Of External Resource Use On The Validity Of Score Interpretation For A Biology Concept Assessment Administered Out-Of-Class, Tiffany J. Burgess, Crystal Uminski, Gia Alicea, Brian A. Couch

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Instructors use concept assessments to gauge student knowledge and guide course improvement. Many instructors experience time and logistical constraints around administering these assessments in class. For this reason, administering concept assessments outside of class can help increase feasibility. While previous studies have cautioned that the use of external resources (e.g., internet, course notes, peers) in the out-of-class setting may inflate assessment scores, the extent to which undergraduate students access various resources when completing concept assessments is unknown. The current study uses two survey question formats to better understand whether students engage with external resources when taking a biology concept assessment …

A Discrit And Anticapitalist Approach To Resisting Hustle Culture And Practicing Slow Education Through Book Club Professional Development, Angela Zhang

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This thesis highlights hustle culture as a significant issue that impacts education today. While the concern stemmed from a personal experience with so-called burnout, the term “hustle culture” is used to emphasize the systemic nature of the overwork, burnout, and exhaustion that teachers and students face, particularly the intersections of capitalism and ableism. When tracing the history and current manifestations of hustle culture, it becomes clear that educational institutions, policies, practices, and interactions play a major role in normalizing, perpetuating, and romanticizing hustle culture as the pathway to individual success and wealth in a capitalist system. In reality, hustle culture …

Experiences Of Marginalization At The Intersection Of Race, Ethnicity, And Disability In Higher Education, Nora L. Portillo

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Black and Latine college students with disabilities navigate higher education at the intersection of racism and ableism, yet their experiences remain underexamined. Autism and ADHD are particularly underrepresented in research and public discourse; moreover, unlike other disability categories in which students of color are overrepresented, Black and Latine children are less likely than white children to be accurately identified, and both disabilities are often framed around white prototypes. Guided by Disability Critical Race Theory, the present exploratory qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with ten undergraduates identifying as Black and/or Latine and with ADHD and/or on the autism spectrum attending a …

The Efficaciousness Of Generative Ai For Integrated Stem Planning And Its Impact On Stem Teacher Self-Efficacy, Julie Ann Olson

Dissertations and Theses

With evolving workforce needs, global challenges, and national science education initiatives calling for STEM instruction with purposeful connections between the four domains, there is a need for methods to support educators facing the challenges this pedagogical approach presents. Challenges may weaken teachers' self-efficacy, potentially reducing the probability that an integrated STEM (I-STEM) pedagogy would be sustained in the classroom. There is limited research addressing how generative artificial intelligence (GAI) has been used for I-STEM lesson development, combined with its effects on I-STEM teaching self-efficacy (SE) grounded in social cognitive theory. This study investigated how GAI influences I-STEM teaching SE, when …

Walk To Learn Structured Literacy Model: Teacher Perceptions Using The Lippitt-Knoster Model For Managing Complex Change, Blake A. Hand

Dissertations of Practice

Low reading proficiency in urban districts highlights an urgent need for effective instructional systems, but research on the "Walk to Learn" (WTL) model remains sparse. This study addresses the knowledge gap regarding how teachers perceive large-scale school-wide shifts to structured literacy using WTL. The study examined teacher perceptions of implementing a differentiated WTL literacy model using the Lippitt-Knoster framework for managing complex change. This qualitative case study involved interviews with 12 certified educators at an urban elementary school. Data was analyzed using thematic coding to align findings with the components of the change management framework. Teachers perceived the implementation as …

Geoscience Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale (Geomses) For Majors-Level Undergraduates: Psychometric Data, Michael Coe, Rory Mcfadden, Beth Pratt-Sitaula, Eric Baer

Science Education Resource Center (SERC)

Self-efficacy is often investigated as a key attitudinal component of academic persistence and performance, and self-efficacy surveys can serve in research models as efficient and non-threatening assessment tools to augment or substitute for achievement or performance measures. The Geoscience Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale (GeoMSES) builds on prior work in measurement of self-efficacy for mathematics by focusing specifically on students’ capacity to apply mathematical skills to typical problems encountered in majors-level undergraduate geoscience courses or in professional geoscience settings. The scale was developed as part of program evaluation research for a set of learning modules designed to augment existing geoscience curricula. In …

Teaching Safety Skills To Young Adults With Intellectual Disabilities In A School Setting, Nicole Freeman

Dissertations and Theses

his study was designed to determine the effectiveness of using Behavior Skills Training with or without In-situ Training to teach responding to a simulated toxic substance in young adults with intellectual disabilities in a school setting. Simulated safety skills were measured using a task-analysis of independently identifying, avoiding, and reporting the simulated toxic substance to a qualified adult (i.e., teacher, caregiver, classroom support provider). The task analysis of the identification, avoidance, and reporting was an attempt to quantify independent self-help skills on the part of the participants. The measurement procedure was consistent with previous research conducted on similar safety skills …

2026 Intersession Catalog, Illinois Math And Science Academy

Intersession Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Optic Neuritis, Children's Health School Services

School Guides

Educator guide about how to support students with optic neuritis.

Long-Term English Learners: Listening To Student Perceptions To Improve A School District’S English Language Learner Program, Arturo Lomeli

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This Improvement Science Dissertation (ISDiP) strengthens program improvement by elevating student voices to hear perceptions about instructional practices that support Long-term English Learners (LTELs). Despite meeting State and Federal mandates, the district was identified as a transformation district as English Language Leaners (ELLs) performed below their peers in state achievement metrics. In 2023-24, LTELs made up 41% of the district’s ELL population compared to 21% in Oregon. This study sought to identify instructional strategies that students perceive supported their linguistic and academic success.

To uncover which instructional strategies are most effective, this study utilized an exploratory sequential mixed-method design embedded …

How Elementary School Principals Equitably Support Mexican Indigenous Students Using The Cultural Proficiency Essential Elements, Veronica Hernandez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and describe how elementary principals used the essential elements of cultural proficiency (i.e., assessing culture, valuing diversity, managing the dynamics of difference, adapting to diversity, and institutionalizing cultural knowledge) to provide equitable access for Mexican Indigenous students in California. A second purpose was to identify what elementary principals recommended as best practices for implementing the essential elements of cultural proficiency. Methodology: This ethnographic qualitative research study utilized the elements of cultural proficiency to identify and describe the practices of California elementary school principals in equitably supporting Mexican Indigenous students. Using …

A Qualitative Case Study On Pacific Northwest K-12 Christian School Administrators’ Perceptions Of Critical Thinking As Part Of Their Schools’ Missional Fulfillment, Shawn Lorenzen

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This qualitative case study examined how K–12 Christian school administrators in the Pacific Northwest perceived critical thinking (CT) as part of their schools’ missional fulfillment and the extent to which those perceptions aligned with school mission statements and related missional outcome documents. Guided by a conceptual framework focused on administrator perceptions of CT and the missional language of institutional documents, the study used multiple sources of evidence, including open-ended surveys, document analysis, and follow-up interviews. The bounded sample included Christian schools in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho affiliated with ACSI, ACCS, and/or SCL in which CT appeared in public mission-related language. …

Reflective Observations Of Instructional Approaches In Job Coaching: A Personal Perspective On Student-Centered Strategies For Students With Disabilities, Cailey R. Piekarski

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project is a reflective case study exploring my personal experiences as a job coach for students with disabilities at Total Education Solutions. The research focuses on my own observations, interpretations, and emotional responses while alternating between student-centered and teacher-directed instructional approaches during workforce readiness sessions. By journaling daily, I will analyze how I perceive student engagement, task completion, and session flow under different coaching styles. The consistent student group, task structure, and session format will allow for focused, qualitative reflection without collecting any student-specific data. The study aims to deepen my understanding of instructional decision-making in real-world coaching settings …

Helping The Helpers: Addressing Burnout In Mental Health Providers In Schools, Julianna Calapai

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Burnout is a significant challenge for many in the helping professions, particularly those who support others to create positive change. One field where this is acutely felt is education-related occupations. While research has examined how stress impacts teachers, less is known about how burnout affects mental health providers working in schools. These professionals face increased challenges, including role confusion, limited control over workloads, and empathy burnout. This Intervention Science Dissertation in Practice employs a mixed-methods design to address burnout among school-based mental health providers by creating a community of practice (CoP). The CoP incorporated the sense of coherence and socio-ecological …

Session C: You’Re Using Ai – But Is It Actually Making You More Productive? Research, Thoughts & Tips, Julie Darling

Learning Together at the Forefront of Change: GenAI Summit 2026

In this interactive workshop, we'll review current research about worker productivity using AI, examine prompting techniques for determining chatbot strengths and weaknesses, and we will explore several generative AI tools from a lens of productivity. Topics covered will include lateral prompting, daisy chaining, different generative modalities, and challenging the idea that productivity is paramount.

Do Algorithms Dream Of Electric Muses? Teaching Creative Writing In The Age Of Generative Ai, Anna Leahy

English Faculty Articles and Research

In Philip K. Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? androids are given a psychological test to confirm they are not human before killing them. The story’s end suggests that humans will treat a seemingly harmless android as authentically as a human even when humans are aware the android is not human. Students use tools like ChatGPT, which function as autocomplete on steroids, to produce text using probabilistic relationships among words, and instructors can’t always tell the difference between average student writing and Gen AI text. In creative writing classes, instructors might use thinking for oneself as a central …

Data Culture's Influence On Instructional Change And Continuous School Improvement, Sara Guth

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The use of data for decision making and taking an evidence-based approach to instruction has been the gold standard for schools and their continuous improvement efforts for many years in elementary education. The system of military-connected schools is no different. This unique system has taken steps to support the development of a data culture in its schools to include providing clear guidance in its Blueprint for Continuous Improvement, designating weekly release time for students so that educators may engage in Focused Collaboration time, and designing structures and resources to support teams with this practice such as the Focused Collaboration …

Adaptation In The Tallgrass Prairie: The Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel, Katherine Sikorski

OER Materials

The goal of this lesson was to design an immersive, place-based learning inquiry for students to observe and learn about animal adaptations influenced by the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. By exploring the MSUM Regional Science Center, students engage with the natural phenomenon of camouflage, specifically analyzing how the physical traits of the Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel and the Prairie Pocket Gopher are influenced by their environment. Through a combination of hands-on "phenomenon walks" and argumentative journaling, this lesson empowers students to construct evidence-based arguments regarding how survival is tied to habitat-specific traits.

Shooting Star Flower: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Ava Bauch

OER Materials

The lesson plan engages fourth-grade students in a hands-on field experience at the MSUM Regional Science Center located in Moorhead, Minnesota focusing on the Shooting Star flower with the scientific name Dodecatheon meadia. Aligned with Minnesota Science Standard 4L.4.1.1.1, the lesson emphasizes how environmental conditions influence the traits and survival of living organisms. Students begin by observing an image of the flower and generating questions and predictions to spark curiosity. Then explore the natural environment to locate the plant and record observations about its surroundings, structure, and survival strategies. Through guided discussion, students learn how the Shooting Star adapts to …

Butterflies: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Cacee Danielson

OER Materials

This submission presents a 4th grade science inquiry lesson that is focused on the life cycle of a butterfly. The lesson is designed to challenge students to use hands-on learning, field-based investigation, in which they get to observe, sketch, and record observations like physical characteristics, and observations about their habitat.  Students will observe how butterflies interact with plants and their surroundings. Throughout the lesson, students are expected to make observations and collect evidence of things that they notice. These activities give students a challenge to interpret, collect and analyze data, draw and write, and its giving them more of an …