Digital Commons Network^™

Northern Illinois University’S Child Development And Family Center “Diversity Bookshelf” Audit, Marinelle Ortega

Honors Capstones

A classroom bookshelf diversity audit allows students to find “mirrors, windows, and glass sliding doors” in the books they choose to read. This metaphor means students will find their identities reflected in books (mirrors), learn about other’s identities (windows), and finally, be put into other perspectives (glass sliding doors). In this diversity audit, a selection of 100 books at the Child Development and Family Center at Northern Illinois University were read and analyzed. Findings showed diverse representation for race, ethnicity, and family type. However, showed a need for books containing content with religion, disability, and linguistic diversity, as most books …

Welcoming Spaces: Parent Leadership And Early Literacy As Community-Based Co-Regulation Supports, Lauren S. Dake

Masters Projects

Many young children exhibit challenging behavior in early childhood settings, often as a response to high levels of stress in their home and community environments. This applied master’s project presents Welcoming Spaces, a parent-led initiative developed to support children’s emotional development, caregiver well-being, and early literacy through informal, community-based experiences. In response to concerns about rising dysregulation and reduced access to supportive environments, the project offers portable play areas hosted by parents at events such as school functions, library gatherings, and local festivals. These spaces include calming sensory activities and opportunities for shared reading, while also providing caregivers with …

U-Glide Program Fall 2025, Unf Office Of Undergraduate Research, Unf Graduate School

Undergraduate – Graduate Learning, Inquiry, and Distinctive Experimentation (U-GLIDE) Symposium Programs

No abstract provided.

Propuesta Curricular Para La Asistencia Médica Bilingüe Orientada A La Concordancia De Lenguas Y La Interpretación Médica En Español, David Sanchez-Jimenez, Noemi Rodriguez, Justin Harnandan, Margarita Perez, Melissa Garcia

Publications and Research

Resumen: El presente trabajo describe el proceso para establecer una especialización secundaria bilingüe centrada en la comunicación y la interpretación médica en una universidad de Estados Unidos designada como Institución al Servicio de los Hispanos. Este nuevo título universitario brindará a los estudiantes bilingües de español e inglés especializados en el área de la salud la oportunidad de mejorar sus destrezas comunicativas para convertirse en competentes profesionales de la salud concordantes de lengua.

Abstract:This paper details the process to establish a new bilingual academic minor in health communication and medical interpretation at a United States university designated as a Hispanic-Serving …

Expressive Language And Behavior, Bethany J. Butler

Masters Projects

Research has revealed the importance of language and its correlation with behavior. Although language and behavior are both forms of communication, this project explores young children and their relationship with society. Honing in on the essential importance of efficient expressive language to be able to participate in society. Looking at common barriers that may hinder the language process. Exploring Maslow and his hierarchy of needs, and understanding that the basic needs have to be met before having the ability to learn. In summary, the project focused on how to support the increase in language in different stages.

Finding Black Joy: Understanding How Black Students Are Seen, Affirmed, And Nourished In Expanded Learning Opportunities., Jamila Mosley

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how Black students experience Black joy within expanded learning opportunity (ELO) programs and how those programs are structured to nurture that joy. It is guided by the central research question: How do Black students describe the ways in which an expanded learning opportunity program fosters their joy through experiences of being seen, affirmed, and nourished? Using an instrumental case study design at two secondary schools, the study draws on semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and observations of students participating in robotics, debate, Sister Circle, cheer, basketball, and creative writing. Data were analyzed through multiple cycles of coding, first …

Job-Related Factors Affecting Special Education Teachers In The Pk-12 Classrooms Technology Proficiency: A Predictive Correlational Study, Kreshonya Porter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this predictive correlational study was to determine if a linear combination of job-related factors could predict special education teachers’ technology proficiency. The study is critical because teachers’ technology proficiency in a special education setting directly impacts students’ inclusivity, engagement, productivity, and achievements in the classroom. This study adds to the literature regarding special education teachers’ technology proficiency by examining specific job-related factors (experience, educational level, amount of technology-related professional development training, frequency of technology use, specialty, and job placement). The participants for this study were drawn from the population of special education teachers employed in pre-K through …

Comparing Modern Band And Traditional Band Methods: A Mixed-Quantitative Study Of Note-Reading And Improvisation Competencies Among Secondary Music Students, Dennis John Manson Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Music directors should determine how pedagogical trends to support student-centered engagements utilizing modern methods and popular music in public schools compare to traditional practices in secondary bands. Current research suggests students should engage in culturally relevant repertoire and quality ensemble experiences. Existing studies, however, should measure the efficacy of alternative music programs concerning music literacy, self-expression, and how they compare to traditional band methods. Investigating both methods is necessary to discover common techniques and how differences in pedagogical standards may influence one another. Guided by experimental research, the following mixed quantitative study features a quasi-experimental and a correlational design to …

A Predictive Correlational Study Of The Relationship Between Faculty Leadership Styles And Teacher Communication Orientation In Jamaica’S Higher Education System, Zandy Uriel Elliott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study examined the extent to which faculty leadership styles, gender, and years of experience predict teacher communication orientation, specifically assertiveness (TCO-A) and responsiveness (TCO-R), among higher educational institutions in Jamaica. Grounded in communication theory and leadership frameworks, the study explored how faculty leadership express themselves and respond to others. Data were collected from 216 faculty members using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) and the Sociocommunicative Orientation Scale (SCO). Descriptive analyses indicated that participants’ mean responsiveness scores were slightly higher than assertiveness scores across all years-of-experience categories, with many displaying traits consistent with an “Amiable” to “Expressive” communication profile …

Exploring Secondary Educators’ Experiences Of Implementing Linguistic-Based Mathematics Instruction For English Language Learners: A Phenomenological Study, Adrian Pearce Martin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of veteran educators with implementing linguistic-based instructional practices for English language learners (ELLs) in the secondary mathematics classroom. The theory guiding this study was Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory as it pertains to language and learning development through social exchanges with people, things, and events in a collective environment. This qualitative study took a hermeneutic, phenomenological approach which allowed the lived experiences of educators to be described, along with an interpretation of their instructional experiences with ELLs in the mathematics classroom to be made. The setting for this research was two …

Linguistic, Academic, And Cultural Experiences Of High School English Language Learners And Sustaining Cultural Pedagogies: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Tina G. Wyatt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the linguistic, academic, and cultural challenges faced by English language learners at a suburban high school in Texas. At this stage in the research, English language learners were defined as students enrolled in a Texas public high school in a suburban town living in America for no more than four years with little to no English language proficiency, no access to multicultural classrooms, limited instruction from culturally and linguistically trained teachers, and a foreign school environment. The theory guiding this study was Byram’s critical cultural awareness theory, as it aided …

Anti-Racist Practices Are Always The Answer: Fixing The Gap In Literacy Instruction For Black And Brown Students, Natalie Sticht

Soaring: A Journal of Undergraduate Research

Disparities among Black and White students in reading proficiency are stark. Specifically, these disparities can be seen by comparing the average test scores of RCSD, a racially segregated public school district, and that of all of New York State. This disparity is hugely important because literacy skills are the cornerstone of education. Along with literacy being necessary in the field of education, it is essential in the fields of communication and neuroscience. A potential solution to this problem is by integrating multiple dialects of English into English classrooms, namely African American Vernacular English [AAVE] and other dialects that students speak …

The Impact Of Structured Debates On Developing Speaking Proficiency In English Language Learners: A Case Study With 2nd Year Students In The Course Of English Language Skills 4, Trendeline Haliti

International Journal of Business and Technology

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of debates as a pedagogical tool in English language education. This study investigates the impact of structured debates on developing speaking proficiency in English language learners, specifically focusing on second-year students enrolled in the course "English Language Skills 4." Utilizing the Lincoln-Douglas format, the research examines how debates enhance fluency, accuracy, and linguistic complexity in speaking and not only. Data collection methods included direct observation during the debates and analysis of reflection letters written by the students post-debate. These reflection letters provided insights into the students' perceptions of how participating in the debate affected …

Pathways To Possibility: A Multilingual Perspective In Community Colleges, Alex Matson

Master's Projects and Capstones

Community Colleges (CCs) play a vital role within both their local communities and the broader American educational system. This study examines the role of the community college, with particular attention to its English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs, and the structural dynamics of public funding. Despite the recognized significance of community colleges, the allocation of public funding, distinctly for ESOL programs, continues to reflect structural imbalances. Although research demonstrates the significance of community colleges in widening learning opportunities for marginalized students, critical pedagogy reminds us that educational access remains structurally unequal.

Emerging research indicates that the transformation of placement …

Sa Madaling Sabi: Rebyu Ukol Sa Plain Language, Ariel U. Bosque

Dalumat: Multikultural at Multidisiplinaryong E-Journal sa Araling Filipino

Layunin ng rebyu ng literaturang maisakasaysayan ang plain language (PL), matalakay ang mga global na praktika nito, at masarbey ang ambag ng mga Pilipinong iskolar sa larangan. Makikita sa dulo ng rebyu ang sintesis ng mga natuklasan at direksiyon para sa kalagayan ng PL. Mauugat ang kasaysayan ng PL mula sa mga pagsisikap na gawing malinaw ang teknikal na pagsulat noong ika-16 siglo hanggang sa patuloy na pagsigla nito sa iba’t ibang panig ng daigdig. Kabilang naman sa mga prominenteng praktika ng plain language sa ibang bansa ang: Klarspråk (Sweden), Le Langage Clair (France), Lenguaje Claro (Spain), Leichte Sprache at …

A Curriculum For Teaching English-Speaking Fluency, Jue Xia

Master's Projects and Capstones

This field project intends to apply theories of second language acquisition to practical implementations. The purpose of this project is to design a curriculum that teaches speaking fluency to low level English literacy English as a Second Language (ESL) learners. The theoretical frameworks it uses are Stephen Krashen’s Input Hypothesis Theory (Brown 2014, p.288), Barry McLaughlin’s Attention-Processing Model (Brown 2014, p.292), Lev Vigotsky’s Sociocultural Theory (Brown 2014, p.295). Fink’s (2003) Integrated Course Design model gives important insights when designing the curriculum. In the project, the author developed three themed units to teach speaking skills. In each unit, three modules are …

Elementary Reading Teachers’ Experiences Implementing Individualized Instruction, Laura E. Ellis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Second-grade through fourth-grade teachers face challenges associated with implementing individualized reading instruction to address learning differences. A deeper understanding of teachers’ experiences can help inform future educational policies targeting educators who instruct struggling readers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of elementary reading teachers who use individualized instruction to support diverse learners. The study was grounded in Tomlinson’s model of differentiated instruction, which served as the guiding conceptual framework. Using a basic qualitative design, this study’s central research question explored elementary teachers’ experiences with individualized instructional practices. Data were collected through open-ended semistructured interviews with …

Ctrl + Alt + Inner Speech: A Verbal–Cognitive Scaffold (Vcs) Model Of Pathways To Computational Thinking, Daisuke Akiba

Publications and Research

This theoretical paper introduces the Verbal–Cognitive Scaffold (VCS) Model, a cognitively inclusive framework which proposes the cognitive architectures underlying computational thinking (CT). Moving beyond monolithic theories of cognition (e.g., executive-function and metacognitive control models), the VCS Model posits inner speech (InSp) as the predominant cognitive pathway supporting CT operations in neurotypical populations. Synthesizing interdisciplinary scholarship across cognitive science, computational theory, neurodiversity research, and others, this framework articulates distinct mechanisms through which InSp supports CT. The model specifies four primary pathways linking InSp to CT components: verbal working memory supporting decomposition, symbolic representation facilitating pattern recognition and abstraction, sequential processing enabling …

Leveraging Student Data To Assess, Inform, And Develop Teachers Capacities, Nathan D. Koerber, Kenneth J. Fasching-Varner

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

This quantitative study analyzed 47 survey responses to gauge in-service, pre-licensed teacher, and paraprofessional perceptions of cultural competency. Participants responded to the Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society’s Cultural Competence Self-Assessment Checklist (Alpha = 0.7) to explore their awareness, knowledge, and skills in cultural competency. Moreover, through the application of Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) as a theoretical framework, this study highlighted how these perceptions related to culturally responsive teaching and provided several implications for their future preparation to further develop their cultural competency through the tenets of CRT. The analysis identified participant unfamiliarity with privilege and its impact, as well as …

In-Between Spaces: First-Generation College Immigrant Experiences, Silvina Alamo Sousa-Ransford

Dissertations and Theses

It is human nature to seek a sense of belonging, acceptance, and community. College students also share this desire for connection in higher education, but some face more barriers and challenges. This study examined the experiences of first-generation college students who are also immigrants. The goal was to understand how to best support students in college, including through academic advising, at a four-year research university in the Pacific Northwest. To gain insight into the students' experiences, I interviewed participants using narrative qualitative methods guided by the framework of sense of belonging and analyzed the data utilizing Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Model. The …

Preparing Teachers To Seek Out Student Voice: Grounding The Work In Critical Consciousness, Stephanie Mg Herb

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

Seeking out student voice is a powerful and beneficial practice that requires teachers to be thoughtful and intentional. While students may feel validated when teachers respond to their input, soliciting student voice can also be harmful if not done carefully. It is necessary to use a critically conscious lens when soliciting student voice and responding to their input and feedback to best support students with historically marginalized identities. Teachers must be prepared to seek out multiple perspectives, deeply listen, and take critical action in response to the information that the students provide. By doing so, teachers can create empowering learning …

Bridging Boundaries: Integration Of Culturally Relevant Resources, James D. Ware, Evan W. Stokes

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

This qualitative study examines the impact of culturally relevant resources on student engagement, motivation, and academic achievement in a language arts classroom. Since school curricula are increasingly scrutinized for their ability to reflect the historical and cultural diversity of student populations, this study investigates how integrating culturally relevant pedagogy can enhance learning outcomes. The study explores the student impact of blending culturally relevant teaching materials with traditional educational frameworks to foster a more inclusive and equitable classroom environment. By analyzing student feedback from a writing-intensive English course that utilized culturally relevant resources, the study seeks to provide insights into how …

Once Upon An Early Writing Experience: Connecting Memory With Literacy Instruction In Pre-Service Teacher Education, Jue Wang, Jingru Lu

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

Through a narrative-based case study design, this research connects pre-service teachers’ early writing memories with their studies in writing instruction to explore how multi-layered and multi-faceted writing experiences across time and space influence teaching beliefs and practices. This article invites audiences to vicariously experience these pedagogical encounters, reflect on journeys to becoming writing teachers, and shed light onto the implications of teaching early writing. Comic artifacts and interview data were collected from nine pre-service teachers who learned to teach early writing/language arts in a four-year public university in the Inland Northwest. Based on the participants’ comics and narratives, four themes …

Teachers’ Perspectives On Text Selection In A Time Of Book Bans And Censorship, Natalie Sue Svrcek, Kathleen Colantonio-Yurko, Henry "Cody" Miller

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The last 4 years of headlines describing the various book bans and curricular gag orders happening in the United States serve as an important context for P–12 teachers’ daily work. This article describes the findings from a qualitative survey that sought to understand what influences P–12 teachers’ text selection for teaching and for inclusion in their classroom library in the aforementioned context. Teachers reported stakeholders who held decision-making power as well as which stakeholders were influential in their text selection. Three overarching themes emerged from teachers’ most influential factors in their text selection: social and communal influences, literary content and …

An Introduction To The Ai Special Issue And A Modern Framework For Ai In Sport Management, Jun Woo Kim, Vitaly Ford

Journal of Applied Sport Management

This paper introduces the special issue while also exploring the theoretical foundations and practical applications of AI in sport management, guided by Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach (Russell & Norvig, 2021). The manuscript examines AI’s evolution from rule-based systems to large language models (LLM)–driven intelligent agents and classifies the technology into five major subfields—machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, reinforcement learning, and AI agency. Using real-world sport industry examples and recent academic research, this paper presents a modern taxonomy of AI’s role in sport management, articulates managerial implications, and outlines future research directions necessary for sustainable and ethical integration …

Orientation Or Disorientation? A Critical Content Analysis Of Refugee Cultural Orientation Curriculum., Amanda Jean Lacey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cultural Orientation (CO) is a free, legally mandated, multi-session program intended to provide refugee newcomers ages 18-65 with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to integrate and achieve self-sufficiency in the United States. Despite occurring at a critical time in the resettlement process, there has been almost zero scholarship analyzing the content or efficacy of domestic CO curriculum. This dissertation addresses that gap by performing a Critical Content Analysis (CCA) on The Road Ahead (TRA), the de facto official CO curriculum promoted through the Cultural Orientation Resource Exchange (CORE). Framed by a postcolonial perspective and informed by the …

Exploring Teacher Beliefs And Perceptions About Teaching Reading, And Self-Efficacy For Implementing Reading Instructions, Richmond Osei Amakye

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reading proficiency among learners at the elementary school level remains a national concern despite several decades of research, investments, and policy reforms aimed at improving literacy outcomes. The Science of Reading (SoR) framework, grounded in decades of interdisciplinary research, emphasizes explicit, systematic, and evidence-based instruction across five core components — phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. This study examined elementary teachers’ beliefs about teaching reading, perceptions of the SoR, and self-efficacy in implementing reading instruction. Quantitative data were collected from teachers in west-central Indiana via an online survey that measured their beliefs about teaching reading, perceptions of SoR, self-efficacy …

“I Was The Only One Who Was Alone:” The Impacts Of Covid-19 Pandemic On International Students In U.S. Higher Education, Lawrence Ejiofo

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international students. The study focused on their academic, racial, emotional, psychological stress and trauma experiences. The student participants interpreted these experiences through their lens and backgrounds as international students. They expressed the feelings of desertion and abandonment during the pandemic. The findings showed that the impacts sustained and endured by international students during the COVID-19 pandemic were real, painful, disturbing, and emotional. The image created of the US and other first world countries in the 21st century was very damaging and showed failure of leadership management. It had been more …

Pathways To Progress: Understanding Gender Gaps Across Life Stages In The Asean Region, Debbie Wong, Jacqueline Cheng, Elizabeth Cassity, Jeaniene Spink, Payal Goundar, Jeffery H. Marshall

International Education Research

The ASEAN region continues to grapple with some of the world’s most pronounced disparities in educational outcomes. Addressing foundational learning gaps and promoting equity and inclusion for girls, women and marginalised groups remains a central priority in both educational improvement and labour market reform agendas regionally and internationally. This report presents new insights into the factors shaping human development outcomes for girls, women and marginalised groups in the ASEAN region. It supports the priorities under the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI), which aims to reduce development disparities among ASEAN member states. Grounded in case studies from the newer ASEAN member …

The In-Between: Poetic Counter-Narratives Reimaging The Canon, Yisheika Lawrence

Dissertations

This qualitative, arts-based study examined how tenth grade students in a rural early college Multicultural Literature course engaged with and reinterpreted canonical texts through poetic counter-narratives. Grounded in culturally responsive pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 1995), culturally sustaining pedagogy (Paris & Alim, 2017), and poetic inquiry (Faulkner, 2019), the study explored how students from marginalized backgrounds used poetry to articulate identity, resist erasure, and construct belonging within an academic context that often privileges dominant cultural narratives.

Data sources included 22 student poems, five semi-structured interviews, four end-of-unit reflections, and researcher memos. Analysis used a triangulated approach: qualitative coding in ATLAS.ti, computational text analysis …