Digital Commons Network^™

Engagement Of Secondary History Social Science Teachers With Professional Development: A Phenomenological Study, Suzanne Paulazzo

Dissertations

Secondary social science teachers tend to feel disengaged and frustrated with their professional development (PD) experiences. They also feel that recommended meaningful practices appear to be time-consuming, require extra hours of preparation, and rely heavily on collaboration. Using phenomenological methodology, the dissertation research investigated secondary social science teachers' perceptions of their roles as educators, their professional growth, and their motivations for engaging in professional development opportunities. Nine male and one female teacher participants from a History-Social-Science Department in an urban public school in Northern California participated in an interview. This study addressed the following research questions: How do teachers perceive …

Church Survivability: A Qualitative Study On Planters’ Leadership Development Role In Southern Baptist Texas Convention Planting, Alton R. Mckinley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Since the pandemic, there has been an accelerated decline in church membership, and within groups of young adults, there are alarming trends that raise concern for the direction of the church. Wang (2022) wrote that the decline is about 10 percentage points between 2019 and 2021 for those under age 35 and those 65+, but only four percent for the middle-aged group. This increased decline in attendance can be addressed by developing leaders who are well-equipped to handle many issues and problems simultaneously. Many secular leadership development concepts will help leaders become more efficient and practical. Winston (2018), in his …

What Happened To The Creative In The Creative Curriculum?, Lacey Peters, Mark K. Nagasawa, Maria Mavrides Calderon, Abigail Kerlin, Helen Frazier, Beth Ferholt, Erica Clarke Yardy, Margie Brickley, Alisa Algava

Straus Institute for Thriving Children & Families

This empirically-grounded commentary questions the basis for New York City Public Schools’ (NYCPS) adoption of the Teaching Strategies products—the Creative Curriculum (CC) and Teaching Strategies GOLD—as the mandated curriculum and assessment systems for early childhood education (ECE) programs administered by the New York City Public Schools. In an analysis shaped by our hybrid positionalities as early childhood educators, parents, policy makers, and researchers, we argue that this decision is a local case of neoliberalism’s simultaneous narrowing of educational quality and a transfer of public funding into private hands under the guise of the free market. Our commentary, …

Improving Multilingual Competence In Higher Education: An Integrated Framework For Parallel Learning Of Two Foreign Languages, Aiym Kontek, Albina Dossanova, Galiya Kulzhanbekova

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The study aims to create a comprehensive framework for the effective organization of parallel teaching of two foreign languages in higher education in Kazakhstan, accounting for linguistic, psychological, didactic, and technological aspects.

Methods: We used theoretical (modeling, analysis, and generalization) and empirical methods (pedagogical experiment, testing, questionnaires, and methods of mathematical statistics) in the research. An original structural and content model of parallel learning was developed, including interrelated blocks for the integrated formation of speech activity skills and a lexico–grammatical base in each of the languages. The effectiveness of the proposed model was confirmed during the pedagogical experiment, which …

Intentional Innovation: Strategies To Increase Engagement For A Hybrid Faculty Group, Sheri Pickover, Allison Arnekrans, Pamela Sickinger, Mary Katherine Wright

Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision

The proliferation of online education has increased the need to examine how to foster an ongoing culture of community, support, and engagement for faculty, specifically remote faculty. This article describes a single case study example of how one Midwestern counselor education program leveraged online platforms and intentional community building strategies to successfully integrate remote core faculty into all aspects of departmental processes. This article describes specific strategies and provides recommendations for other remote programs to consider.

Screening For Bullying In A Middle School Setting, Paige Bernau

Dissertations

Problem: Bullied youth are two and a half times more likely to experience depression and three times more likely to experience anxiety and suicidal ideation than their peers (Li et al., 2024). Schools represent a key access point for mental health support and treatment for youth (Duong et al., 2020). Despite this, schools typically do not have formal bullying screening integrated into student support services.

Methods: This program evaluation used a descriptive, observational design to evaluate a bullying screening program in a suburban middle-school. This program used the California Bullying Victimization Scale (CBVS) to assess for bullying victimization (BV) followed …

Integrated Advanced Education Supports Future Registered Dietitian Nutritionists’ Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy In Practice, Crystal C. Douglas, Simone Camel

Journal of Dietetic Education

Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness of graduate-level breastfeeding and lactation management education that includes didactive and active learning components on future RDNs’ knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy. Design: A pre-and post-test design, utilizing a 41-item pre-intervention survey, learning modules, and a 35-item post-intervention survey. Setting: Three U.S. public universities located in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Participants: Graduate-level dietetic internship students. Intervention: Four advanced education modules (2 didactive; 2 active learning) developed by Registered Dietitian Nutritionists. Main outcome measures: Gains in breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy to assist with breastfeeding education and problem-solving using validated and newly developed survey items. Analysis: Descriptive statistics, …

Boricua En La Luna: An Ethnographic Case Study On The Spatializations Of Puerto Ricans In New Mexico, Neritza Díaz Cruz

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

This ethnographic case study investigates the spatializations of Puerto Ricans in New Mexico, a state where the community is small, dispersed, and often invisible. The purpose of this study is to examine how Puerto Rican identity is shaped, expressed, and contested across New Mexican spaces. Drawing from critical spatial theory, this study investigates how broader structures such as language ideologies become spatialized in the everyday lives of five Puerto Rican adults living in the Albuquerque area. Data was gathered through interviews, observations, and participatory mapping. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data with a focus on how lived, perceived, …

A Narrative Study Of How Secondary School Teachers Experience Generative Ai Writing Tools In The English Language Arts Classroom, Nick Brodell

Doctor of Education (EdD)

With the presence of artificial intelligence (AI) programs such as ChatGPT commonplace in secondary English language arts (ELA) classrooms, scholars and practitioners are both curious and skeptical about the technology’s ability to help students improve their ELA skills. Teachers have been using tutoring software and Web 2.0 technologies for decades, yet AI writing tools offer new functionalities. Teachers and administrators have experiences engaging with the benefits and burdens of the technology, and scholars of composition pedagogy, ITS (intelligent tutoring systems), and ML (machine learning) have theories about students using it for skills acquisition and practice. This study collected and analyzed …

Artificial Intelligence In Stem Education: A Transdisciplinary Framework For Engagement And Innovation, Cristo Leon Ph.D., James Lipuma Ph.D., Xavier Oviedo Torres

STEM for Success Resources

This peer-reviewed article, Artificial Intelligence in STEM Education: A Transdisciplinary Framework for Engagement and Innovation by Cristo León, James Lipuma, and Xavier Oviedo-Torres, published in Frontiers in Education, examines how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming STEM education through a transdisciplinary lens. Based on a systematic review of 41 scholarly studies (2020–2025), it analyzes AI integration in STEM classrooms, focusing on learner agency, adaptive assessment, and ethical challenges such as algorithmic transparency, equity, and inclusion. Guided by a Transdisciplinary Communication (TDC) framework and grounded in PRISMA protocols, the study applies tools like Nvivo, Excel, and VOSviewer for thematic coding and …

The Effect Of Using Some Geographical Map Skills On Achievement Among Eleventh Grade Students - Literary Track Ministry Of Education And Higher Education In The State Of Qatar - Nasser Bin Abdullah Al Attiyah Secondary School For Boys - Social Studies Department - Academic Year 2019-2020, Bilal Al-Bayer

Al Jinan الجنان

This study aimed to measure the level of skills in reading and understanding geographical maps and assigning them of the Eleventh Grade Literary Track students at Nasser bin Abdullah Al-Attiyah Secondary School for Boys in the book "Geography", where a pre-skill test consisting of 30 questions was built to measure the level of students in reading and understanding geographical maps. After determining the school in which the experiment will be applied, the Eleventh Grade Literary Division (5), which consists of 28 students and which the researcher taught, was chosen. The data used was analyzed through the T-test to process the …

مدى تضمين أولوية البيئة والموارد الطبيعية برؤية عُمان ٢٠٤٠ في كتب الدراسات الاجتماعية للصفوف (٥-١٠). The Extent Of The Inclusion Of Environment Priority And Natural Resources In Oman Vision 2024in Social Studies Textbooks For Grades (5-10)., سيف ناصر المعمري, وفاء محمد معوض عبد العال

Association of Arab Universities Journal for Education and Psychology

هدفت الدراسة إلى استقصاء مدى تضمين محتوى مناهج الدراسات الاجتماعية للصفوف (5-10) في سلطنة عمان لأولوية البيئة والموارد الطبيعية التي تضمنتها رؤية عمان ٢٠٤٠؛ ولتحقيق ذلك اعتمدت الدراسة المنهج الوصفي في تحليل مناهج الدراسات الاجتماعية للصفوف من (5-10)، ولجمع بيانات الدراسة تم استخدام بطاقة تحليل تضمنت الأهداف السبعة للأولوية المذكورة، التي تشمل (26) مؤشرًا بجانب، خمس وحدات تحليل، استخلصها الباحثون وهي تمثل البنية المعرفية للمحتوى كالأمثلة، والخصائص أو السمات والإشكاليات، والإحصاءات. وخلصت نتائج الدراسة عن تضمن الأهداف السبعة لأولوية البيئة والموارد الطبيعية في مناهج الدراسات الاجتماعية للصفوف (٥-١0)، وقد تصدر الهدف السادس "طاقة متجدِّدة ومصادر متنوعة وترشيد الاستهلاك لتحقيق أَمْنِ …

مستوى مقروئية نصوص مقرر (الفلسفة والعلوم الإنسانية) للصف الثالث الثانوي في الجمهورية العربية السورية. Readability Level Of Texts In The (Philosophy And Humanities) Curriculum For The Third Secondary Grade In The Syrian Arab Republic, أمين شيخ محمد

Association of Arab Universities Journal for Education and Psychology

هدف البحث إلى تحديد مستوى مقروئية نصوص مقرر (الفلسفة والعلوم الإنسانية) للصف الثالث الثانوي في الجمهورية العربية السورية، ومعرفـة الفـروق المعنوية بين درجات تطبيقهم تبعاً لمتغيرات النوع الاجتماعي، والمحافظة، ونوع الموضوع. اعتمد البحث المنهج الوصفي التحليلي، وتكونت عينة البحث من (274) طالباً وطالبة من مدارس مديريتي تربية دمشق وريفها، واستخدم اختبار كلوز مقروئية نصوص عينة البحث التي تكونت من (7) نصوص موزعة على موضوعات الفلسفة وعلم النفس وعلم الاجتماع.

وقد أظهرت نتائج البحث: أن مستوى مقروئية نصوص مقرر (الفلسفة والعلوم الإنسانية) للصف الثالث الثانوي في الجمهورية العربية السورية كان ضمن المستوى الإحباطي، كما أظهرت نتائج البحث وجود فرق دال إحصائياً …

Enhancing Rural Teacher Training Using The Internet Backpack: Broadband Policy Implications, Jane Appiah-Okyere, Danielle Smith, Lee W. Mcknight

The Lender Center for Social Justice

This article examines how the Internet Backpack can enhance rural teacher training, with a focus on the broadband policy frameworks required to sustain its adoption. It highlights education policy in the context of digital equity.

Bridging Tradition And Technology: Ai As A Catalyst For Heritage Preservation And Humanities Research, Kholoud Ghaith

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

It is an empirical study examining how AI can be the driving force for cultural heritage and humanities conservation. As the AI tools that digitize, analyze, and conserve cultural resources have become in recent years, they have led to digital transformations in machine learning, digital twinning, and natural language processing. These technologies answer the industry's most challenging problems, such as the loss of historical material, access restrictions to heritage sites, and the labor-intensive nature of traditional conservation techniques. In implementing AI in heritage, institutions can document more accurately, keep records predictively, and offer more interesting public experiences via rich digital …

Dr. Alison Krӧgel Faculty Spotlight, Rachel Jaeger

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

An interview with Dr. Alison Krӧgel of the University of Denver's Department of Spanish Language, Literary & Cultural Studies.

Voices Of Black Leadership: Town-Gown Relationships And The Black Community, Dave A. Louis, Kenzalia Bryant-Scott, Teranda J. Donatto

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This study explores the perspectives of 27 Black community leaders from Black communities in the United States about town-gown relationships in their communities. Utilizing the responses of the participants, a basic thematic analysis was conducted, and participants’ findings discussed. Emergent themes included issues of mistrust, division, desire for community improvement, and the positive relationships with Black colleges and universities. The researchers offer suggestions to university administrators, community engagement coordinators, and institutions about their approach to create meaningful and collaborative partnerships with Black communities.

Community Members’ Perspectives On A Community-Engaged Process For Supporting Vibrant Greenspaces In Detroit, Alysha D. Matthews, Guilherme Hebling Costa, Karl Erickson, Karin A. Pfeiffer, Amber L. Pearson, Benjamin V. Dougherty

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Greenspaces provide several well-being (Dinnie et al., 2013) and psychosocial benefits (Addy et al., 2004). Community-engaged research affords community partners a voice in the project (Cushman et al., 2004). This study assessed Detroit community members’ perceived benefits of and suggestions for engaging with the community to support greenspaces. Through qualitative analysis, a three-step process for community-engaged planning was revealed. Findings highlight strategies that involve community members in this process to enhance community engagement and well-being.

Grounded Leadership: A Look Into California Community College Mid-Level Leaders, Vicki Hou

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed-method study was to identify and describe what exemplary California Community College mid-level leaders do to maintain their physical, emotional, intellectual, social, vocational, and spiritual health based on the six dimensions of Rosen’s healthy leader model.Methodology: This study employed a purposive sampling method to select 15 mid-level leaders from two California community college districts. Data collection involved two instruments: the Stay Grounded Survey, administered to all 15 participants, and semi-structured interviews conducted with a subset of five participants. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics including mean scores, frequency distributions, and standard deviations. Qualitative …

Etsu Today - Summer 2025, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU Today [magazine]

Forever ETSU: A Legacy That Lives On.

Honoring the lifelong bond that sustains our mission and shapes our past, present, and future.

Since our founding, East Tennessee State University has been deeply connected to the communities we serve, rooted in service, guided by shared values, and committed to improving the quality of life for the people of this region and beyond. More than a century later, this mission not only endures but thrives, thanks to your unwavering support. The strength of our university community continues to propel ETSU forward. We are growing enrollment, expanding academic offerings, and earning national recognition …

Summer 2025, Augustana College, Rock Island Illinois

Augustana Magazine

No abstract provided.

Seeding Science: Exploring Impacts From Interdisciplinary Project-Based Learning Experiences On Preservice Teachers Science Teaching Self-Efficacy, Kathryn Ruth Madden

Theses and Dissertations

Early childhood and elementary education preservice teachers often report having limited firsthand experiences in constructivist, inquiry-based science instruction. This can be a factor in contributing to nervous or anxious feelings about teaching science to young learners. To address this critical problem, this study explored the impact of interdisciplinary project-based learning (PBL) experiences on preservice teachers' selfefficacy. The study extended over six weeks of the preservice teachers' science methods courses. The early childhood participants engaged in interdisciplinary PBL by designing and exploring schoolyard gardens. The elementary participants investigated the local saltmarsh ecosystem focusing on the plants and animals. The PBL experiences …

Evidence-Based Shared Agendas For Scholarship On Teaching With Primary Sources: Reflections On A Bibliometric Analysis, Jen Hoyer, Anne Bahde

Publications and Research

This article explores how scholarship about teaching with primary sources (TPS) has evolved over time and what future directions past work might suggests. Using bibliometric analysis and visualization tools, we examined how TPS work has grown; what fields and disciplines focus on this work; key themes and issues; and what scholarship has been influential to the field. These insights led to reflections on disconnects across the field, considerations for publishing about TPS, and the potential of pedagogical standards and guidelines. Finally, this article concludes with recommendations on how this analysis points to possibilities for shared education, space, conversation, and products.

Influence Of Field Trips On Adolescent Environmental Stewardship: Examining The Role Of The Dominant Social Paradigm, Gita Bhushal, Meghann Smith, Pankaj Lal, Neeraj Vedwan

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Promoting environmental stewardship among youths is crucial for inspiring collaborative, multi-generational actions to tackle long-term environmental challenges. This research study explores the impact of an environmental education (EE) field trip, which highlighted wastewater management and renewable energy technology, on high school students using the revised new ecological paradigm (NEP) scale as a key metric in a pre-post survey, which uses traditionally pro (NEP) and anti (dominant social paradigm, DSP) conservationist statements to measure beliefs towards the environment. When applying the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (null hypothesis t = 0, no change) to the series of environmental stewardship action questions “___ is …

Uni Impact: Faculty/Staff Scholarly Publications And Featured Awards Newsletter, V3i1, 2024, Rod Library. Research & Sponsored Programs. Uni Foundation. University Of Northern Iowa.

UNI Impact: Faculty/Staff Scholarly Publications and Featured Awards Newsletter

Highlights the scholarship, research, and other scholarly work produced by University of Northern Iowa faculty, students, and staff.

This issue covers the period of January - June 2024.

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

Monarch Magazine

Summer 2025 issue of Monarch, the Old Dominion University Magazine.

Subtitled: GLOBAL IMPACT: Monarchs Make a Difference by Land and by Sea

Project-Based Learning Vs Traditional Teaching Methods, James Kingsley

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This study explored how teachers compare Project-Based Learning (PBL) with traditional teaching methods in elementary classrooms. Many schools today still rely heavily on lectures, worksheets, and test-based instruction, which can leave students feeling disconnected and unmotivated. This research began with the problem that students often lose interest in learning when it feels disconnected from the real world. The purpose of this study was to better understand teacher's perspectives on PBL and whether they believe it increases student engagement, learning, and life skills. Using a mixed-methods survey with both multiple choice and open-ended questions, the study gathered responses from elementary educators …

Immersing Historical And Contemporary Indigenous Literature Into Middle School Reading And Writing Workshops, Connor Lynch

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This paper examines literacy and Indigenous literature through the guiding question ; What are the merits of infusing and integrating Indigenous literature in middle school reading and writing workshops in order to address state standards in representing perspectives and identities of historical and contemporary Dakota and Anishinaabe people? Through review of research literature and curriculum development methodology, this capstone concludes that Indigenous literature integration has positive impacts on student critical thinking development, cultural competence, analytical skills, and educational justice while successfully meeting legislative compliance requirements. By re-emphasizing Dakota and Anishinaabe perspectives in curriculum, students engaging with authentic Indigenous literature can …

Infusing Dakota Values And Indigenous Pedagogies Into Secondary Social Studies Curriculum, Lily Fox

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project was very meaningful for me both professionally and personally. There was a lot of growth as a researcher, teacher, and person; this growth is reflected in the project as well. I chose Dakota values to be regionally conscious of students that may be in the classroom and their cultures. The project itself shows how Indigenous pedagogies can be applied to content that may not appear to be Indigenous-related. The unit covers the emergence of trade on a global scale (700-1500CE) in a ninth grade world history classroom. Using Understanding by Design’s backward planning model as well as a …

A Comparative Case Analysis Of Rural Science Teachers’ Experiences With Professional Learning, Loraine Glidewell, Jennifer Jacobs, Anna-Ruth Allen, William Penuel, Abraham S. Lo

The Rural Educator

This article presents a comparative case analysis of three U.S. rural science teachers who participated in an online course focused on designing assessments aligned with the Framework for K–12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Data from surveys, designed assessments, classroom observations, and interviews were used to investigate and compare these rural teachers’ experiences before, during, and after the course. This article describes the variations among rural science teachers in their local teaching contexts, relevant prior experiences, and how they engaged in and learned from professional development. The case study teachers entered the course with differences in …