Digital Commons Network^™

Adverse Childhood Experiences: The Effect On Students' Social And Academic Success, Leslie Ray

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Adverse childhood experiences are defined as potentially traumatic events that occur before the age of 17 and include experiences such as violence or abuse in the home, substance abuse or mental health problems of a direct caretaker, neglect, incarceration of a parent, divorce, and other events that can negatively affect a child's sense of safety and stability in their home. These adverse experiences are commonly referred to as ACEs, and research has shown a direct link between a child's ACEs score and chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance abuse problems in adulthood. Research has also shown that these experiences …

Trauma-Informed Practices And Their Effects On Student Performance And Behaviors, Ashley Roberts

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Trauma occurs when a young child experiences an event that causes actual harm or poses a serious threat to the child's emotional and physical well-being. The research shows that there are many factors that influence a child's life and can cause a child trauma. Many children exposed to trauma will experience difficulties with coping, building relationships, self-regulation, lack of social skills, difficulties with peers; many will develop PTSD. Educators and parents alike are looking to trauma-informed practices for the benefit of all children. This literature review will explain the importance of these practices and how they affect children's behavior and …

How Can Incorporating An Animal Based Curriculum Into An Elementary Classroom Help Promote Social/ Emotional Development?, Stephanie Stickney

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this project was, how does incorporating an animal based curriculum into an elementary classroom help promote social/ emotional development? This project describes a teacher’s journey in implementing an animal based curriculum in the hopes of promoting social/ emotional development. The purpose of this project is to examine the effect that having animals into a classroom environment can have on students in regards to their social/ emotional development. This project describes the challenges, struggles, and opposing views on having animals in a classroom as well as the successes and highlights from an animal based classroom.

Songs And Salamanders: Investigating The Relationship Between Music And Environmental Education, Walker Nyenhuis

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Environmental education and creative arts such as music have complemented each other for many years. This capstone project investigates the relationship between the two disciplines by asking the question: How can environmental educators use music to increase students’ understanding of the natural world? Focusing on the professional development of environmental educators and other informal educators is important because these individuals will have many opportunities to promote connection between students and the natural world throughout their careers. Musicians and songwriters such as the Banana Slug String Band and Joe Reilly provide invaluable examples of musical experiences that both inform and entertain …

Sustainable Agriculture Curriculum For 9th-12th Graders, Michaela Gallup

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

According to the research conducted by Ziska, L. H. climate change and the agricultural industry’s fates are tightly tied. As the effects of climate change continue to worsen, food production will become more challenging. Inorder to help address these issues, this curriculum will introduce student to the causes of climate change, how climate change and agriculture impact each other, evaluate agricultural technologies that could help diminish the effects of climate change, and finally have students propose solutions to agricultural and climate related issues in their communities. The pedagogical practices used in this curriculum is a combination of traditional teaching styles, …

It Takes One To Know One: Authentic Learning And Multiple Literacies In A 100 Level, Technical Writing Classroom, Matthew Sterner-Neely

Theses and Dissertations

At Ciudad Community College (pseudonym) and across the Colorado Community College System, the course competencies for Technical Writing I (ENG 131) have more than tripled to accommodate ENG 131 as a guaranteed transfer course equivalent to ENG 121: English Composition I. Unfortunately, this has had the effect of increasing the workload for students, and the increase in competencies plus the struggle that students already had in meeting course competencies demanded the need for an intervention. The purpose of this convergent, mixed methods, action research study was to examine the effects of authentic learning on the competency levels of technical writing …

Gold & Blue, Summer/Fall 2021, St. Mary's University- San Antonio, Texas

Gold & Blue

This is the Summer/Fall 2021 edition of Gold & Blue which is St. Mary's University's official school publication.

Climate Change Education Through A Social Justice Framework: A Necessary First Step Towards Solving The Climate Crisis, Leah Owen-Oliner , '22

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

No abstract provided.

The Power Of Translanguaging In American Schools, Tasneem Rattansi

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The concept of teaching English as a second language or multilingualism is something that the country has grappled with since the time of colonization. As we have become more aware of the globalization in our world, it has become quite evident that the basis of many of the theories and research conducted has a level of monolingual bias and is geared towards a system that is more fitting to what is known as monolingual norms. As more understanding is gained, the American education system is learning about translanguaging, an asset-based concept that is a heteroglossic ideology holding bilingualism to high …

The Power Of Language And Its Integral Role In Lgbtq+ Inclusion In Education, Jay Carr

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Abstract

Carr, J. (2021). The Power of Language and Its Integral Role in LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Education Language plays a central role in our daily lives; it is through language that we name, identify, and differentiate everyone and everything in our world. It is through language that dominant, heteronormative discourses have been established surrounding gender and sexuality. Heteronormativity positions heterosexual and cisgender (identifying with the sex / gender assigned at birth) identities as normal and natural, while excluding and oppressing LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer / questioning, + other non-conforming identities) individuals. Despite a heavy push for ‘diversity’ and …

A Profile Of Sophomore Inquiry Students Fall 2021, Portland State University. University Studies Program, Rowanna L. Carpenter

University Studies Assessment Research

In order to better understand the students who enroll in Sophomore Inquiry (SINQ) courses and begin to identify areas where they may need support, University Studies (UNST) began collecting and compiling data on these students. This report presents a profile of SINQ students from Fall 2021. It presents an overview of all students enrolled in SINQ during Fall 2021 and then summarizes information from the Prior Learning Survey. It is organized around three areas that contribute to student success: academic preparation and concern; financial and physical wellbeing; and connectedness to campus.

With Due Respect For Humanity: Engaging Affectivity Through Simulation In Catholic Seminary Formation, Marie Diane Pitt-Payne

Dissertations (1934 -)

Since 1992, Catholic seminaries have approached the education of future priests through a lens of four areas of formation: intellectual, human, pastoral, and spiritual. Although human formation is considered foundational in the formation process, it has not been effectively integrated into seminary curriculum. The language of integral personalism was introduced into the formation landscape by Pope John Paul II, but this anthropology has not sufficiently informed seminary pedagogy. There is a still a subordination of the affective sphere in seminaries, particularly in intellectual formation. Medical schools have developed a pedagogical method that inserts real emotion into the educational process. This …

#Blackfemaleteachersmatter: The Experiences Of Three African American Female Teachers Who Left The Classroom During Their Induction Years, Ashlye Victoria Wilkerson

Theses and Dissertations

This study captured the lived experiences of three African American, female classroom teachers who left the profession within three years of beginning their careers. The main goal that led this research was to center the perspectives of African American women in the conversation about teacher retention, turnover, and attrition percentages that plague the field of education. The primary questions that guided this study were: (1) “What can be learned from the life stories of former African American female teachers who left the teaching profession from South Carolina public classrooms during their induction years?”, (2) “What do their life stories reveal …

Smc Fact Book 2021-2022, Saint Mary's College Of California

SMC Fact Book

No abstract provided.

The Holistic Self-Care Learning Experience Of Rn-To-Bsn Students: A Phenomenological Study Of Meaning And Value, Elaina C. Mahlan

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The health of the nursing workforce is a critical aspect of high-quality health care and community health promotion, but extensive research indicates that too many nurses neglect selfcare and suffer negative health outcomes. While nursing education must provide self-care learning experiences to improve the health of nurses, the value and influence of a learning experience must be interpreted from the learner’s point of view. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to elicit the personal value that RN-to-BSN students ascribed to a self-care learning experience within a holistic nursing course at a public university. The holistic nursing paradigm offers a …

Effective Implementation Of Blended Learning, Carla Macumber

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This literature review depicts the current reality of blended learning in schools and the systems that will need to transform in order to fully implement technology into the daily school experience. Since technology is an integral part of society, schools are tasked with how to create and implement curriculums that include aspects of online learning. Moving from traditional education to a new blended learning approach brings about challenges for both teachers and administrators. Teachers must learn to understand new technologies and how to utilize them to teach with 21st Century skills in mind. Administrators need to lead districts through new …

African American Teachers' Experiences Of Becoming A Teacher In Ohio: A Case Study, Feon M. Battiste

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been a hiring discrepancy in the recruiting and hiring process of African American teachers in Ohio (Stein, 2019). The purpose of this descriptive case study was to explore African American teachers’ experiences of becoming teachers in Ohio and their suggestions for improving the hiring process. Five research questions guided the study: (a) What were African American teachers’ lived experiences of becoming a teacher in Ohio? (b) How do African American teachers perceive the obstacles and catalysts of becoming and remaining teachers in Ohio? (c) How do African American teachers view diversity in the teaching force? (d) What policies …

Middle And High School Experiences That Lead First-Generation College Students To Select A Stem Major, James A. Byrum

Theses and Dissertations

Careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields are increasing but the number of qualified individuals to fill these positions are not meeting the demand. One way to increase the number of qualified STEM employees is to garner the interest of students from underrepresented groups in the STEM fields. One of these underrepresented groups are first generation college students (FGCS). Understanding what experiences led FGCS to pursue a degree in a STEM field may help attract more students to STEM and help meet the demand of filling future STEM jobs.

In this study, FGCS in the Opportunity Scholars Program …

The Role Of The School-Based Speech-Language Pathologist In The Identification, Assessment, And Remediation Of Dyslexia In Secondary Students, Lisa Marie Alves

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods action research study was to increase the awareness and knowledge of secondary school professionals on dyslexia, including the role of the school-based speech-language pathologist. Two research questions guiding the quantitative data collection centered on the impact of a PowerPoint dyslexia training on the participants' knowledge and attitudes about dyslexia in the schools. In addition, two qualitative research questions guided the study involving the participants’ perceptions of the role of speech-language pathologists in a dyslexia protocol, and how to implement a dyslexia protocol in secondary-level schools. The results of the study indicate that the training …

Hiv-1 Transcription Elongation By Tat-Mediated Recruitment Of P-Tefb, Elizabeth Griggs

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Over 38.0 million people live with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as of 462019. HIV hijacks the host's cellular machinery to replicate its viral DNA and transcribe the corresponding RNA. HIV-1 transcription relies on both cellular and viral transcription factors for proper regulation. The viral transcriptional activator Tat is a primary regulator. Transcription activation and elongation is controlled through the interaction of Tat with Positive Transcription Elongation Factor b (P-TEFb), a cellular transcriptional activator. The focus of this paper is 1) an in-depth understanding of the interaction between P-TEFb and Tat in HIV transcription, and 2) a review of recent …

How To Effectively Reach Farmers And Assist Them In Reaching Their Precision Management Goals, Courtney Nelson

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Precision and digital agriculture have been popular buzz words floating around the last several years. These broad terms cover a plethora of topics including GPS ear tags for livestock, soil moisture probes, and aerial imagery. With such a wide number of technological advances at their fingertips, it can be overwhelming for farmers to know where to start.

A study conducted by Purdue University in 2019 took a deeper look at data and software usage across 800 farms larger than 1000 acres (DeLay et al, 2020). Their research revealed that over half of farmers who don’t use farm data or software …

Identity Before Production: An Analysis Of Female Asian Representation Within Screenwriting, Kim Larkin

Postgraduate

This thesis investigates how representation and self-representation are constructed in screenplays. Film scholarship has primarily focused on the constructions of identities by examining the exhibited film product. The screenplay, which forms the foundation of the film text, is rarely examined for its impact on issues of representation and self-representation. Nelmes and Selbo’s ‘Women Screenwriters: An International Guide’ only addresses representation twice and does not reference self-representation within its 900 pages (Nelmes & Selbo, 2015).

Feminist film criticism of cinema has been heavily critical of the patriarchal male gaze in response to positioning women within film. The works of De Lauretis …

Learning Opportunities 2021/2022, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy

Course Catalogs

The graduation requirements of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy are established by the IMSA Board of Trustees. Each semester students must take a minimum of five academic courses (2.5 credits) for a letter grade (not Pass/Fail) not including Fine Arts, Wellness, SIR, Internship, and Independent Study. Students may enroll in a maximum of nine courses each semester including academic courses, Fine Arts, Wellness, SIR, Internship, and Independent Study. The College and Academic Counselor approves enrollment for students in all courses and experiences. Only courses taken for a letter grade will count towards graduation credit.

Helping High School Students Succeed Academically By Meeting Their More Basic Needs, Karen Eyler Martin

Theses and Dissertations

In this action research, I seek to show the connection between breakfast consumption and student academic achievement. Students skip breakfast for a variety of reasons, including not allowing enough time and not having enough resources for it. Others eat what they can obtain, including snack foods that are highly processed. In addition, school districts have gotten away from making their meals from scratch, and instead, use a third-party catering service that often serves food that is cheap and easy to heat up, which often means it is highly processed and does not have the same nutritional content as whole foods. …

Inquiry-Based Teaching In A Secondary English Classroom, Jennifer L. Norman

Theses and Dissertations

Teaching and learning need to move away from a transactional model found in a traditional classroom to support the growth of 21st century skills and abilities. Inquiry-based teaching is a model that places the student at the center of instruction and allows the teacher to facilitate and guide learning. The classroom fueled by inquiry is a classroom that (a) breaks free from the traditional and transactional model to promote connections to past knowledge and build new understandings, (b) allows students to direct their own learning, and (c) promotes moments of self-reflection and metacognition. The purpose of this study was to …

Task-Based, Learner-Centered Language Instruction: Educational Innovation In An Adult Foreign Language Program, Clayton D. Leishman

Theses and Dissertations

This study involved educational innovation and implementation of a task-based, learner-centered curriculum within a foreign language program. The concerns-based assessment model (originally proposed by Hall et al., 1973, and further developed by Hall & Hord, 1987; 2011) was used to investigate the degree to which language instructors adopted the innovation. An adapted form of the concerns-based assessment model’s levels of use focused interviews and instructional artifacts were used to measure the level of implementation of the task-based approach. Analysis of the data identified categoricalchanges as instructors implemented the new curriculum. The category of sharing revealed higher levels of use due …

Unf Journal Fall 2021, University Of North Florida

UNF Journal

A university periodical for alumni and friends of the University of North Florida.

Establishing Trauma-Informed Practices Within The Early Learning Environment, Daria M. Castor

Selected Honors Theses

Nearly half of US children have experienced one or more types of serious trauma with rates continually increasing. Early childhood educators get a first-hand encounter with childhood trauma as it affects the learning and behavior of young students. Young children process their trauma differently whether that be through behavioral issues or a withdrawn demeanor. Building strong, positive relationships with students and creating a safe learning environment are practical methods used by educators when working with traumatized young learners, however there is much more to be done to best meet the needs of these students. This thesis emphasizes the detrimental effects …

Understanding The Educational Landscape: A Comparative Study Of Public, Alternative, And Montessori Models, Elizabeth Dykens

Selected Honors Theses

This thesis intends to demonstrate the relevance and significance of alternative education within today’s educational climate. First, the literature review traces the historical backdrop of the American public school system and the founding fathers’ original purposes for education. It explores the shifts in policy and pedagogy that have led to current models and methods of education. Then, the literature review focuses on alternative educational philosophies, with an emphasis on the Montessori Method, and why they not only address the critiques of the public system but also better align with a child’s nature and development. The study backing this thesis lays …

Fall 2021 Fast Facts, Georgia Southern University

Student Enrollment Infographics (2017-2022)

No abstract provided.