Digital Commons Network^™

Interview With Orca Award Winner David Forsythe, Unl Political Science; International Human Rights, Mark A. Griep, David Forsythe

UNL ORCA Interview Series

Prof. David Forsythe was awarded the ORCA in 1982. He was born in North Carolina and earned a bachelor’s in political science from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem. Next, he earned a master’s and doctorate in Politics from Princeton University in New Jersey. In 1973, he joined UNL as an associate professor of political science and was soon promoted to full professor. In 1993, he became chair of his department and received the Charles J. Mach Distinguished Professorship of Political Science. He has authored, co-authored, or edited about 30 books on was International Human Rights, Law, and Politics, and has …

The Current - Volume 36 Issue 8, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of 5g-Enabled Resource Allocation For Smart Led Streetlight Infrastructure, Ahmed Hassebo, Yasser Hassebo

Publications and Research

The proliferation of 5G networks facilitates high-speed, low-latency communication essential for the advancement of smart city infrastructure. This research investigates the performance of 5G enabled connectivity for smart LED streetlight systems, focusing on resource allocation strategies between mission-critical and latency-tolerant services. Utilizing MATLAB simulations, the study evaluates network slicing and scheduling algorithms through key performance indicators (KPIs) including throughput, end-to-end delay, and Packet Error Rate (PER). The proposed framework integrates dynamic scheduling mechanisms—analogous to LTE uplink protocols—to optimize energy efficiency and data responsiveness across large-scale urban lighting deployments. Empirical results indicate that 5G Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC) effectively supports real-time …

Does Concurrent Completion Of A Computer Task Interfere With Talking? Comparing Younger And Older Adults, Emma Simpson Hymas

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the impact of a computer-based divided attention task on spoken language and compares the impact between younger (18–30 years) and older (55–82 years) adults. Sixty adults participated in a speaking task and two computer tasks which varied in difficulty. The Level 1 computer task involved highlighting each instance of the word “the” and the Level 2 computer task involved highlighting each instance of the word “the” while also underlining each instance of the word “a”. Each task was completed alone and then two computer tasks with different levels of difficulty were completed concurrently with a procedural discourse …

From The Editors..., Thomastine Sarchet-Maher

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

Call For Manuscripts, Thomastine Sarchet-Maher

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

The Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities is a peer-reviewed, open access, multi-disciplinary online journal with an international focus. We publish articles that reflect the best of research and practice related to inclusive science education, including works submitted by science and special education researchers, teacher educators, and teachers. Interesting topics have included innovative curricular ideas, instructional adaptations, research-based modifications, best practices, and management strategies in science education. JSESD adopts the philosophical perspective that all students can achieve in science, and that science benefits from the full participation of all students.

Interview With Orca Award Winner David Hage, Unl Chemistry; Drug-Protein Interactions, Mark Griep, David Hage

UNL ORCA Interview Series

Prof. David Hage was awarded the ORCA in 2018. He was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and earned a bachelor’s in chemistry at the University of Wisconsin in La Crosse. Next, he earned a doctorate from Iowa State University and did postdoctoral work at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. In 1989, he joined UNL as an assistant professor of chemistry and quickly rose through the ranks. He has won many awards and, for the past 13 years, has been the James Hewet University Professor of Chemistry. Allow me to share some remarkable facts about Dave before we get into …

Curriculum For A Two Semester Calculus Course Specializing In Life Science And Data Science, Patrick Mcclain

LSU Master's Theses

Traditionally, introductory calculus has been designed for engineering and physics students, often leaving students majoring in data science or life sciences with a curriculum that lacks professional relevance and is overly reliant on problems that focus on computational fluency. This thesis proposes a two-semester sequence, called MATH 153X and MATH 154X, specifically tailored for the Louisiana State University (LSU) Dual Enrollment program and university-level data science and life sciences majors. By integrating modern computational tools—such as symbolic calculators and artificial intelligence (AI) tools—the proposed curriculum shifts the pedagogical focus from procedural symbolic manipulation toward conceptual literacy.

Through a series …

Secondary English Teachers’ Perceptions And Experiences With The Ela Guidebooks Curriculum: A Phenomenological Study, Bodie Dufrene

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

As standards-based curriculum reforms expand across the United States, school districts have increasingly adopted scripted curricular materials to promote coherence across classroom practice and strengthen alignment to standardized assessments. Within Louisiana, efforts to align English instruction to the Common Core State Standards manifested in the creation of the ELA Guidebooks curriculum by the Louisiana Department of Education. Guidebooks provides teachers with sequenced units of instruction organized around a central novel, explicit directions, pacing guidance, and cumulative writing tasks aligned to central unit questions. This qualitative study explored how secondary (i.e., grades 6-12) English teachers perceived and described their experiences implementing …

Exploring Geometry Teaching And Learning Through Self-Study, Linnea Kallebo Ms., Ayse Ozturk

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Self-study is a powerful tool for improving teacher effectiveness, particularly in mathematics instruction where misconceptions can significantly impact student learning. This self-study examines my evolving understanding of geometry concepts and common student misconceptions encountered during a teaching geometry course. Through reflection, peer discussion, and analysis of misconceptions, this study reveals how examining both my own learning and students’ thinking can inform self-adjustment of teaching strategies. Findings highlight the importance of building new geometry concepts on mastered ideas and pairing self-study with evaluation of student responses to improve instructional decision-making.

Self-Study In Learning And Teaching The Pythagorean Theorem, Julia Podolskiy, Ayse Ozturk

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Old Dominion University undergrad student Julia Podolskiy performed self-study research on learning and teaching the Pythagorean Theorem. The poster provides purpose, methods, results, and future directions on how Julia Podolskiy's knowledge on the Pythagorean Theorem has improved over the course of a semester and how she plans to implement the theorem to her teaching.

Pre-Service Teacher Perceptions, Katie Swart

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

Several studies over the past five decades have shown that when families are involved in their child's education, it improves academic achievement (Barger et al., 2019). Beyond academic achievement, family and community engagement is also associated with better behavior, increased attendance and graduation rates, social skills, and mental health (Hiatt-Michael, 2001). Educator preparation programs (EPPs) can play a vital role in shaping pre-service teachers' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and values (Darling-Hammond & Baratz-Snowden, 2007). Moreover, researchers claim that teachers' beliefs are among the most important predictors of their classroom behaviors and practices (Buchanan et al, 1998; Vartuli, 1999). As such, pre-service …

Using Constructivist Practices To Build Preservice Teachers' Understanding Of Personalized, Competency-Based Learning, Lindsay Yearta, Lisa Harris, Julia Wilkins, Christine Lotter

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

As teacher educators, we have always been certain of the active, iterative nature of learning, and we strive to facilitate experiences that allow our preservice teachers to learn in robust, authentic ways. When, three teacher educators from three universities situated in a southeastern state and one education associate from a state department of education, started working together in the fall of 2022 with the desire to help our preservice teachers better understand personalized, competency-based learning (PCBL), we knew how important it would be to center our learners and, in doing so, facilitate active, reflective learning experiences for them...

Highlighting Leadership Competencies On Principal Practices In A Rural School District, Shannon Goodacre, Jeremy Watts

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

The purpose of this research was to describe how high school principals in rural, high-performing high schools in Fee County Schools practice leadership to promote a positive school environment. The emphases on high-performing schools and a rural school district are inclusive to why these leaders were chosen. Assuming the leaders who influence the learning environment in these schools could be considered experts, the researchers endeavored to understand what these experts notice about their leadership methods that positively affect the learning environment. The goal of the study was to determine what skills high school principals employ to promote a positive learning …

Using Concept Maps And Reflective Narratives As Authentic Assessment Of Readiness For Inclusive Classrooms, Jeremy Lopuch, Christopher O'Brien, Debra Lockwood, Sequita Lipscomb

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

The purpose of this study was to continue a line of inquiry into the usefulness of quantitative and qualitative analyses and interpretations of concept maps for assessing preservice teacher candidates' knowledge of inclusive teaching. Specifically, there is little published data on the qualitative analysis of concept maps measuring instructional knowledge and skills associated with teaching in inclusive classrooms. Using a convenience sample of 13 teacher candidates enrolled in a teacher education program, participants were asked to create a concept map of their knowledge about students with disabilities and a reflective narrative statement on the first and last day of the …

Full Issue: Volume 19, Number 1, Winter 2025, Judith Collazo, Suzanne Horn

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This file contains the full issue of TEJSC, including front matter, table of contents, editorial notes, and articles.

Pre-Service Teachers’ Academic Success: Paying Attention To The Importance Of Basic Literacy Skills For Future Teachers, Nan Li, Jada Williams

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

The A-Nation-at-Risk report in 1983 shocked the nation. This report was an open letter to the American public. "America as a nation is at risk and that our once unchallenged preeminence in commerce, industry, science, and technological innovation is being overtaken by competitors throughout the world" (Park, 2022, p. 9). An important reason was that American students lagged behind the P-12 students of other nations in the third international literacy competition. The U.S students were ranked lower than 40 other nations.

Teacher Retention: Supporting New Teachers, Kathy Sobolewski, Amanda Butler, Jennifer Zakrzewski

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

Our nation is undergoing a severe shortage of teachers. According to Think Impact, K-12 classroom teachers are the most burned out in comparison to every other profession, with about 40% of teachers leaving the education field in the first five years (Craft, 2024). Starrett et al. (2023) identified school factors such as dissatisfaction with the school administration, work-life balance, and school discipline problems as reasons for teachers to choose a second career. The researchers also found that class size and limited autonomy are strongly associated with emotional exhaustion, thus contributing to teachers exiting the field...

Technology In The Classroom: Opportunity Or Obstacle?, Amariya Benson, Kinzly Cohen, Gretchen Whitman

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

The issue of technology in the classroom holds much significance because technology is continuing to advance at a rapid pace. As it is being woven more and more into the fabric of classroom learning, its impact is becoming increasingly profound. This growing integration needs to be studied because it brings up significant questions regarding the most effective ways to support and enhance the learning process with each new digital advancement...

Full Issue: Volume 18, Number 2, Spring 2025, Judith Collazo, Suzanne Horn

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This file contains the full issue of TEJSC, including front matter, table of contents, editorial notes, and articles.

Literacies Practices In The Disciplines, Emily Skinner

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

Building on Conley's (2014) work, I conducted an inquiry with disciplinary specialists across the college campus to learn about disciplinary literacies and to create a corpus of resources to use in my teaching. I interviewed disciplinary faculty in math, English, science, and history. I then edited 30-60 minute interviews down to 12-15 minute videos focused on what I determined would be most helpful to preparing middle grades and secondary teachers. Students viewed and then connected teaching strategies they had learned about in the course to the literacy practices of the disciplines. Their final project was a narrated digital presentation video …

Full Issue: Volume 18, Number 1, Fall 2024, Suzanne Horn, Judith Collazo

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This file contains the full issue of TEJSC, including front matter, table of contents, editorial notes, and articles.

Building Individual Relationships With Students In Today's Classrooms, Kelley Mayer White, Katie Swart

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

Research has documented associations between high quality teacher-child relationships and children's social skills, self-regulation, and school readiness (Baker et al., 2008; Nguyen et al., 2020; Spilt et al., 2018). High-quality relationships are often defined as those in which the teacher and child experience a sense of closeness. Closeness is characterized by positive interactions, open communication, and warm feelings between teachers and children (Mashburn & Pianta, 2006). In contrast, children in teacher-child relationships regarded as high in conflict often perform poorer academically, are less engaged in learning, and report liking school less (Baker, 2006; Furrer & Skinner, 2003; Hamre & Pianta, …

Advancing Equity In Stem Education: A University, K-12 School District 61 Collaboration To Engage Sixth-Grade Students In Computing Activities, Michiko B. Mcclary, Deirdre Morrison Wells, Kamilah Brown

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This mixed-methods study aims to determine whether participation in a computer science program positively impacts middle school students' attitude toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and interest in STEM-related careers. Nineteen sixth-grade students from underrepresented populations in the STEM field consisting of 17 African Americans, one Latino, and one White female attending a rural, Title I middle school participated in the study. Computing lessons were taught by undergraduate interns majoring in computer science, middle-level mathematics and science teacher education, and secondary mathematics teacher education attending a small, private, four-year liberal arts, historically black college, or university. Survey results and …

Expert Roles Reconsidered: What Was Learned About The Mentor/Intern 4 Experience During A Global Pandemic, Courtney Clayton, Kristina Peck, Christy Irish, Melissa Wells, Janine Davis

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

In the early months of 2020, the United States was hit with a pandemic of global proportions. Schools, including universities, were forced to close all on-campus activities. The campus where we teach was no exception. Therefore, our interns (student teachers) went from face-to-face classroom internships to virtual internships. Over the summer, we decided to examine how virtual instruction impacted our interns' year of student teaching, knowing that instruction at all schools for their internship year was going to start virtually, and, for the foreseeable future, be virtual. We focused on our mentor teachers' perceptions of what their interns were experiencing …

Full Issue: Volume 15, Number 2, Summer 2022, Judith Collazo, Christine Leblanc, Timothy Lintner

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This file contains the full issue of TEJSC, including front matter, table of contents, editorial notes, and articles.

Roadblocks To Retention In Teacher Education Programs, Tamara Pack, Tod Kenney, Carol Hoyle

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This study reviewed student performance outcomes of two cohorts of preservice teacher candidates to identify the factors that contribute to attrition in a university teacher preparation program. A quantitative analysis of Grade Point Averages (GPAs) suggests that low grades in general education courses may negatively impact a candidate’s self-efficacy towards completing the high stakes testing requirement of the Praxis Core exam and therefore serve as early indicators. Proactive measures to address systemic roadblocks are shared.

Now I Know Someone With A Disability: Using Fiction To Help General Education Preservice Teachers Understand The Inclusion Classroom, Suzanne Horn, Cheryl Morgan, Annette Heim

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This case study reports on a general education, preservice teacher book club. The club read young adult literature in which the central character had an intellectual disability. Although all fears were not alleviated, general education preservice teachers reported a higher comfort level about teaching in inclusive classrooms after seeing life through the eyes of their fictional character. Getting to know their character gave them a level of exposure to a disabled person with a disability they may have been too uncomfortable to explore with a “real” person. With this new understanding, preservice teachers had a context in which to share …

Science Teaching Self-Efficacy: Experiential Learning For Middle Level Preservice Teachers, Michiko Mcclary, Hershell N. Proctor-Walden, Nathan Chaplin Iii

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

The study aim was to determine whether participation in an experiential learning activity had an impact on preservice teachers' science teaching self-efficacy. Four preservice middle level mathematics and science teachers attending a small, private, four-year liberal arts, historically black college or university participated in the study. They attended a one-week STEM institute facilitated by subject matter experts to investigate and practice STEM pedagogical strategies. We used a mixed-methods design incorporating quantitative (pre-post survey comparisons) and qualitative data (reflection essays and a focus group) to examine the impact of participating in an experiential learning activity on preservice teachers' preparation to teach …

Learning To Think Fast And Slow: The Impact Of A Cognitive-Based Curriculum For An Introductory Education Course, Austin M. Hitt Ii

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

The purpose of this article is to present a cognitive based framework for teaching an introductory secondary education course. In order to make the content applicable to preservice teachers in diverse content areas, the course was presented using the conceptual lens of cognitive science. Specifically, the curriculum was related to the System I / System II dual cognitive processing model. The model explains the two ways or systems that humans think about the world around them. One system, System I, effortlessly produces intuitive, often emotion-laden thoughts. System I is the default thinking system and is used to resolve routine, everyday …