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January 27, 2026 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Surviving Staten Island: Black Women’S Narratives Of Resilience, Motherwork, And Embodied Trauma, Jazmin Rivera

Student Theses

This oral history dissertation centers the experiences of six Black women who had formative experiences navigating hostile school and community-based settings on Staten Island during the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s. Guided by a conceptual framework that draws on Black orality, Black feminist thought, and endarkened feminist epistemology, this study demonstrates how Black women were required to cross geographic and social boundaries to survive hostile conditions in Staten Island communities and schools. Findings from this study highlight Black women’s use of community cultural wealth to inform their survival strategies and resilience. At the same time, their experiences indicate the potential …

Thinking Otherwise With Children In Cities: A Storying Approach To Co-Researching With Children And Teachers, William A. Parnell, Sally Guyon

Leadership, Learning and Counseling Faculty Publications and Presentations

This Children in Cities research project examines an approach to storying research that foregrounds collaborative meaning-making between educators and young children in their city. Through exploring how educators and young children might “think otherwise” about teaching, learning, and participation with history, Place noticing and entanglements between humans, more-than-human, and non-humans, three stories and a metaphor surface in the data. Drawing on three stories, metaphor is employed as an analytic and integrative device to deepen interpretation of lived experiences. Central to the methodology is a democratic orientation that seeks to reduce hierarchical boundaries, engaging children aged 3–5 as co-researchers in the …

Educational Design Models In Transition: A Comparative Review, Tofan Stofiana, Yeti Mulyati, Andoyo Sastromihardjo, Dadang Sunendar

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

A persistent gap between educational theory and classroom practice underscores the need for methodological approaches that are reflective, participatory, and context responsive. This study provides a comparative review of four major educational design models, including research and development (R&D); Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation (ADDIE); design-based research (DBR); and educational design research (EDR), to examine their theoretical orientations and contemporary applications. A systematic literature synthesis and bibliometric mapping were conducted on 80 peer-reviewed journal articles indexed in Scopus between 2020 and 2025. The findings reveal that ADDIE remains the most frequently applied framework due to its procedural clarity and …

Procedure To Evaluate Artificial Intelligence (Ai) Output For Educational And Clinical Tasks, Lynn Gilbertson, Cody Marie Busch, Jon Spike, Kaitlin Demoss, Jae Thompson

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

As generative artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more ubiquitous and accessible, there is a call to promote awareness, implementation, and evaluation skills among AI users. Free AI platforms offer unprecedented opportunities to transform how education and healthcare tasks are approached. However, a process for evaluating AI output has yet to be standardized. The current study implemented a structured process for guiding graduate and undergraduate students through critical evaluations of various AI platforms, promoting students' critical thinking and career readiness.

Assessing Learning In Simulation Learning Experiences In Graduate Programs For Speech-Language Pathology: A Phenomenological Study, Robyn Walker, Casey Ozaki

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

The purpose of this study was to use qualitative inquiry to explore how faculty assess student learning in clinical simulation-based learning experiences (SBLEs) used to demonstrate clinical competence in graduate programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders: Speech-Language Pathology (CSD). The following research questions were addressed: How do faculty experience the assessment of learning in SBLE? In what ways do faculty assess student learning in SBLE specifically designed to meet clinical competency standards? What, if any, effect has the COVID-19 pandemic had on the use of SBLE and assessment of student learning used to address clinical competency standards? A total of …

The Indispensable Role Of The Sister Disability Agencies: Safeguarding Progress And Enhancing Outcomes Through Collaboration, Lesley Cottrell, Susan Given, Christina E. Wiseman

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

This manuscript emphasizes the critical importance of having a Disability Network of services—including University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs), State Councils on Developmental Disabilities, and Protection & Advocacy organizations - in promoting systemic innovation and improved outcomes for individuals with developmental disabilities. Highlighting a case study from West Virginia, where collaboration between West Virginia University’s Center for Excellence in Disabilities, Disability Rights of West Virginia, and the West Virginia Developmental Disabilities Council has resulted in cost-effective, sustainable improvements, this paper underscores the urgent need to protect and expand these programs amidst current policy threats. The evidence underscores that …

Increasing Participation Through Online Focus Groups With Adults With Intellectual Disabilities, Emily L. Cary, Chris A. Taylor, Susan Havercamp, Andrea Witwer

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

The aim of this study was to develop and describe methods on how to conduct virtual focus groups with adults with intellectual disability. Using a community-engaged research approach, adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities helped develop virtual focus group methods. We report on the implementation of these methods through an illustrative application of applying these adaptations to virtual focus groups with 13 adults with intellectual disability in a study assessing their perspectives on mental health therapy.

This work resulted in several adaptations that can enhance inclusivity of focus group research to individuals with intellectual disability. Adaptions broadly included: involving guardians …

Training On "Learn The Signs. Act Early." In Head Start And Early Head Start Shows Ineffective Without Supporting Implementation Policy, Kayla Livingston, Mary O'Donnell, Kate G. Barlow

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Early identification and intervention for children with developmental delays improves child outcomes, yet many children are not monitored, screened, or identified early despite its effectiveness. The relationship between the use of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” developmental monitoring program and referrals to intervention services is not well understood. This study investigated how “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” implementation practices within Massachusetts’ Head Start and Early Head Start agencies correlated with the rate of referrals to intervention services. Researchers utilized a non-experimental quantitative design. Secondary data on referral rates from Head Start and Early …

Educating Medical Trainees On Mental Healthcare And Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Andrea Palmieri, Joan B. Beasley, Micah Peace Urquilla, Jennifer Mclaren

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Many children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience mental health conditions and commonly receive treatment with psychotropic medications. Prescribers often overuse these medications in children with IDD, who are frequently treated with polypharmacy and antipsychotics, a trend that continues into adulthood. Medical trainees receive little training regarding the IDD patient population. This paper describes the development and evaluation of an evidence-informed, easy-to-use training curriculum. The 6-hour training establishes a foundation for medical trainees regarding the treatment of mental health conditions in people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD-MH) as part of an integrated health, interdisciplinary treatment approach. …

Sjsu Erfa Board Minutes, November 3, 2025, San Jose State University, Emeritus And Retired Faculty Association

SJSU ERFA Minutes

SJSU ERFA Executive Board Minutes

November 3, 2025

Interview With Orca Award Winner Pill-Soon Song, Unl Chemistry; Photochemist And Photobiologist, Mark A. Griep, Pill-Soon Song

UNL ORCA Interview Series

Dr. Pill-Soon Song was born in Osaka, Japan. When he was 13 his family moved back to Korea. Something in his youth must have sparked an interest in science because he enrolled at Seoul National University where he earned a bachelor’s and master’s in agricultural chemistry with an emphasis on biochemistry. Next, he earned a doctorate from the University of California at Davis and did postdoctoral work at Iowa State University in Ames with David Metzler. In 1987, after about 21 years as a faculty member in the chemistry department at Texas Tech University, he joined UNL chemistry as chair …

Lanthorn, Vol. 60, No. 10, January 26, 2026, Grand Valley State University

Volume 60, August 4, 2025 – April 20, 2026

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

Executive Leadership Education For Every Emergency Medical Services Professional : A Qualitative Study, Joseph D. Danao Ii

Student Dissertations

The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) profession faces numerous challenges in maintaining sufficient capacity to provide frontline medical care amid increasing demand for its services from government officials and the public. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to explore the experiences of EMS professionals on how the lack of executive leadership education impacts their careers and the viability of their organizations. The problem is that EMS professionals widely lack the executive-level leadership education needed to thrive in their professional careers and ensure the viability of their EMS organizations (Basnawi, 2023; Naidoo et al., 2015). The research questions are developed …

Advanced Qualification Program Assessments In Aviation Higher Education: A Theoretical Framework, Jorge L. D. Albelo Ph.D., Victor M. Fraticelli Rivera Ph.D.

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

This study investigates the integration of an Advanced Qualification Program (AQP)-centered approach into aviation higher education, aiming to refine assessment methods and enhance the educational experience of future aviation professionals. Guided by research questions exploring the strengths, limitations, key characteristics, and potential improvements of AQP-centered assessments, the study reveals a strong consensus among students and faculty. The AQP model, traditionally an alternative to conventional pilot training under 14 CFR Parts 121 and 135, offers a structured, industry-relevant framework emphasizing clear evaluation processes, multilevel knowledge and skill assessments, and high academic performance. Findings indicate that effective AQP assessments balance theoretical knowledge, …

Dual Credit Enrollment And First-Year Undergraduate Experience In Texas: Insights From A Mixed Methods Study, Summer Pannell, Jennifer D. Goddard

School Leadership Review

There has been considerable expansion in the availability of dual credit coursework, however, there is still a lack of understanding regarding how effective these programs are in equipping students for success in post-secondary education (Struhl & Vargas, 2012). This study used a mixed-methods approach to explore the relationships between various components of dual credit programs and the experiences of first-time undergraduate students. The results of a hierarchical multiple regression indicated a statistically significant relationship between the modality of dual credit coursework and students’ first-year undergraduate GPAs but not between the setting of the two factors. Further, the results did not …

Effects Of Student Response System In University Foundation Courses – Excerpts From A Doctoral Study, Grace M. Tuttle

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

This paper is an excerpt on the author's doctoral study titled “Effects of Student Response System in University Foundations (UF) Courses.” This quasi-quantitative study explored the effects of iClicker technology on students’ academic performance based on final course grades, participation, and attendance in university foundation courses. This study evaluated data from 7,812 participants between spring 2017 to autumn 2019. The logistic regression analysis showed that for students in the clicker group, the odds of earning a final grade of A or B increased by a factor of 1.28 for each one standard deviation increase in participation z-score, controlling for other …

Educating With Chronic Health Conditions During And After A Pandemic: A Narrative Study Of Experiences, Job-Related Stressors, Mental Health, Wellbeing And Coping Strategies Among Black Female Educators, Shawnee Stanfield Blake

Student Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative, narrative research study explored the experiences lived by black female educators with chronic health conditions during and after the Covid-19 pandemic in the Southeastern region of the United States. These educators provided continued instruction in a central Jackson, Mississippi school district and a Georgia school district in the central Atlanta metropolitan area. The investigation during this body of work focused on how black female educators with chronic health conditions were impacted both personally and professionally. The research also centered on how these educators employed coping strategies. Candidates endured fear, stress and continued impact on their health. To subject …

A Case Study Of Why Mid-Career Teachers Stay In Education, Rachael E. Wilcox

Student Theses and Dissertations

The qualitative case study examined the lack of knowledge about a teacher's decision to stay in the profession, during a post-COVID time period, within St. Louis, MO metropolitan public schools, by answering three research questions: RQ1: What are the factors that mid-career teachers describe that influence their decisions to stay in the education profession despite the threats of burnout and other challenges? RQ2: How have individual retention factors impacted mid-career teachers’ decisions to stay in the profession despite difficulties? RQ3: How do mid-career teachers respond to working conditions in the education field? The study discovered four findings related to why …

The Educational Leadership Trajectories Of Black Gay Males: A Narrative Inquiry, Abidemi Omowale Kayode

Student Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines the educational leadership trajectories of Black gay men (BGM) working in K-12 public schools. These BGM navigate identity-centered marginalization from school systems. Their leadership development is shaped by structural barriers, exclusive frameworks, and cultural expectations whether visible or invisible. This study addresses the scant literature in educational leadership around intersecting racial and sexual identities, and how this omission contributes to exclusionary and discriminatory trauma for BGM. These inequities are supported by heteronormative adult cultures, interpersonal dynamics, and policy. The consequences of these inequities are both political and professional as well as psychologically harmful and deeply personal. …

Teacher Retention In West Tennessee: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study, Valeria Louise Walters

Student Theses and Dissertations

Teacher attrition is a problem that results in inequities for students in urban contexts. This study investigated factors associated with teacher retention and compared these relationships between urban and suburban school districts using Mason and Matas’s Four Capital Theoretical Model of Teacher Retention. Using a cross-sectional, quantitative research design, data was collected through a survey distributed to 124 teachers in urban and suburban school districts in West Tennessee. Descriptive, correlational, comparative, and logistic regression analyses were used to examine the relationships between retention outcomes, teacher mindset, and four subdomains of school climate: collegial leadership, achievement press, institutional vulnerability, and professional …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Motivational And Influential Strategies Of Their Principals, And That Effect On Teacher Retention, Carl Henry Semler

Student Theses and Dissertations

Teacher Perceptions of the Motivational and Influential Strategies of Their Principals, and that Effect on Teacher Retention This study explored the connections between perceived principal motivational and influential leadership strategies and their impact on teacher retention. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 highly-qualified grades 9-12 teachers to gain insight through their perspectives of the experiences of principal leadership and how it influenced job satisfaction and teacher retention in culturally-diverse schools. Transformational Leadership Theory and Critical Race Theory were selected as the guiding framework for this study, which was best applied to comprehend the nature of the alignment between perceived principal …

Preparation Of Novice Teachers In Special Education, Shayna Miles

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the perceptions of ten novice special education teachers regarding their preparation for teaching in public school classrooms. Using Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) theory as a lens, the research reveals a mixed sense of preparedness among participants, who generally felt knowledgeable about core subject areas yet struggled to apply this knowledge effectively in practice. Key gaps were identified in their training, particularly concerning technical skills related to Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices and communication and collaboration with other educational stakeholders. Participants expressed challenges in accessing practical assessments and highlighted the need for further training in managing classroom …

Perceptions Of Mentoring Relationships And Novice Teacher Self-Efficacy And Attrition, Renee Dunwoody

Student Theses and Dissertations

A study of over 400 new Level 1 licensed teachers in New Mexico found that mentorship relationships directly correlate to a teacher's self-efficacy and their likelihood of leaving the profession. The study surveyed traditionally trained and alternative licensure teachers employed in New Mexico and in their first 3 years of teaching. The results revealed that teachers who had high-quality relationships with their mentors, as scored on the Leader- Member Exchange 7 Questionnaire, had a stronger belief in their own self-efficacy and were less likely to consider leaving the teaching profession. In contrast, teachers who rated their mentors highly on the …

Relationship Between High School Science Olympiad Participation And Declaration Of A College Stem Major, Gregory Lee Spiegel

Student Theses and Dissertations

Science Olympiad is a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) competition open to middle school and high school students across the United States. Students that participate in Science Olympiad have the opportunity to explore and learn about cutting edge STEM topics in an atmosphere that promotes teamwork and opportunities to challenge themselves as they compete against other schools. This quantitative correlational study examined the relationship between participation in the Science Olympiad program and the decision to pursue a STEM-related major in college. Prior Science Olympiad participants were asked about their participation in Science Olympiad in secondary school and their current …

A Qualitative Exploration Of The Factors Influencing The Academic Experiences Of African American Division I Collegiate Athletes In Mississippi, Deshannon Smith

Student Theses and Dissertations

African American collegiate athletes make up a large percentage of Division I athletic programs in Mississippi, particularly in high-revenue sports such as football and basketball. Despite access to strong coaching, facilities, and support services, African American collegiate athletes graduate at lower rates than their peers. The problem addressed in this study was the consistently low academic achievement among African American collegiate athletes in Division I athletic programs in Mississippi. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to investigate the lived experiences that contributed to the academic achievement of African American collegiate athletes in Division I athletic programs in …

College Preparedness: Exploring Faculty Perceptions Of First-Year Students’ Literacy Skills Transitioning From High School, Shanell Glass Bailey

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study explores faculty perspectives on the literacy skills of incoming freshmen at small community colleges in southern Mississippi, where literacy challenges affect student success. The problem addressed is the preparedness of freshmen in reading and writing, which impacts their academic performance and development through college. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of faculty who teach entry-level English courses and to identify the support students need to succeed in literacy. Constructivist learning theory served as the guiding framework, emphasizing the ways prior knowledge, active engagement, and social interaction influence how students construct meaning …

Planning And Implementing A Doctor Of Physical Therapy Degree Program: A Case Study, Allison Nicole Young

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions, challenges, and lessons learned by administrators, faculty, and staff who were involved in the development of a new Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program. This study was conducted at a private, non-profit institution in the southern United States. Faculty and administrators who are often tasked with planning and developing new programs demonstrate excellent clinical expertise and experience; however, they sometimes lack experience in higher education leadership. This leaves faculty with limited guidance and support for navigating accreditation, curriculum design, and assessment practices. This gap in the literature highlights …

The Adverse Mental Health Effects Caused By Acculturative Stress And Its Influence On First- And Second-Year Immigrant Students In The United States, Sara Sparks

Student Theses and Dissertations

Relevant literature points out the adverse effects of acculturative stress, particularly on the mental health of immigrants. Recent studies also emphasize that immigrant students are academically behind their U.S.-born, native English-speaking peers. However, few studies explore how the adverse mental health effects of acculturative stress influence immigrants’ academic performance. This gap in literature is significant given the academic disparities. Applying Berry et al.’s (1987) acculturative stress conceptual framework, as well as Sirin et al.’s (2019) framework on the mental health outcomes caused by acculturative stress, research was conducted focusing on factors that cause acculturative stress, its mental health implications, and …

Change Management In Higher Education: The Role Of Non-Academic Staff In The Change Process., Scott Robert Kuttenkuler

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of non-academic staff regarding preparedness and response to significant institutional change within higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guided by Kotter’s (1995, 2012B) Change Model, the study examined how non-academic personnel perceived leadership effectiveness, readiness for change, and resistance to change amid an unprecedented disruption that reshaped higher education operations worldwide. Fifteen non-academic staff members employed at two-year colleges in the South-Central United States participated in semi-structured interviews designed to elicit in-depth, descriptive accounts of their experiences. Participants represented four primary functional areas—front-facing support, information technology, facilities …