Digital Commons Network^™

A Comparison Of Specialized And General Orientation Courses For Community College Students, Heather R. Sorrell

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the effect of specialized orientation courses on community college student academic achievement and retention. The study utilized a quantitative design and compared the outcomes of specialized orientation courses to a more generalized orientation course. Due to the lack of previous research, there was little to suggest either a positive or a negative influence on student success measures for a targeted, specialized version of orientation courses. The study found that achievement outcomes did not differ between specialized orientation courses and general orientation courses. The study did find retention differences based on the type of orientation course completed. Students …

The Greenbook, Faculty Handbook, 2024-2025, Marshall University Academic Affairs

The Greenbook

This book has been published for the faculty of Marshall University for the specified period of time. This book was created by Academic Affairs and is for the period of 2024-2025.

Music Education In The Urban Classroom: Issues Of Equity And Access, Lakeisha Walker

Theses

Music education in urban classrooms plays a crucial role in shaping students' overall development and academic success. The field of music education is not immune to the challenges of equity and access that exist in urban settings. It is essential to address these issues to ensure that all students have equal opportunities to participate in music programs and reap the countless benefits that come with them.

The importance of this topic in the field of music education cannot be overstated. Research has shown that students who participate in music programs demonstrate improved academic performance, enhanced cognitive skills, and increased creativity. …

Adopting Trauma-Invested Practices, Strategies, And Interventions, Tara F.K. Lynn

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The aim of this school improvement plan is to implement professional development by raising trauma awareness, developing a trauma-invested lens, and implementing trauma-invested practices, strategies, and interventions across all elementary school environments. Existing literature emphasizes the prevalence of trauma among children and its adverse effects on their well-being and academic performance. National, State of Iowa, and Iowa County, Iowa data indicates a rise in traumatic childhood experiences, proving the need for increased professional development. Many educators and administrators do not understand the effects of trauma on the emotional well-being, brain growth, and learning of students with trauma and how to …

Online Teaching And Learning At Chinese Universities During Covid-19: Insiders’ Perspectives, Youliang Zhang, Yidan Zhu, Tongjie Chen, Tongfei Ma

Journal of Global Education and Research

During attempts to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic in China, higher education programs shifted their traditional educational models to online models. This paper aimed to explore how Chinese universities organized online teaching and learning during the pandemic. It investigated the factors affecting the implementation of online teaching and provided policy recommendations for improving the quality of education in the post-pandemic period. The primary data for this study came from in-depth interviews with nine students and five teaching and administrative staff at eight major universities in mainland China. Literature was obtained in both English and Chinese from January 2020 to …

Sacred Heart University Magazine, Volume 5, Issue 2, Sacred Heart University

Sacred Heart University Magazine

No abstract provided.

Exploring How Rural Schools And Communities Influence The Academic Journeys Of College Students In Stem Majors, Elise J. Cain, Anne Valauri, Jennifer R. Perry, Aliyah Deloach

The Rural Educator

An incongruence exists between the growing job opportunities in rural areas and the educational opportunities provided to rural students, especially in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Positive change is possible, however. As one means to tackle this complex issue, this study sought to understand the perceptions and experiences of students who graduated from rural high schools and pursued STEM majors in college as exemplars of rural students who pursued postsecondary education in STEM disciplines. This phenomenological study explored how college students in STEM majors perceived their rural schools and communities as influencing their academic journeys. Rather than focusing …

Putting Creative Thinking At The Core Of The English School Curriculum: An Exploratory Study, Sladana Krstic

Assessment and Reporting

Across much of the world, in more than 20 educational jurisdictions, the ability to think creatively is seen as a core aspect of what it is to be a successful learner today and, consequently, it has been included within various national curricula (Taylor et al., 2020). In England this is not yet the case, despite strong arguments being made for creative thinking being a core part of the curriculum in the Durham Commission on Creativity and Education (2019). In 2023 Rethinking Assessment and ACER UK conducted an exploratory study to examine the feasibility of integrating creative thinking into five subjects …

School-Wide Policies To Support Ell Students With Lgbtqia+ Identities, Camille Verly

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

My research question is What school-wide policies can be implemented to support ELL students with LGBTQIA+ identities? LGBTQIA+ high school students face a myriad of challenges in achieving full integration within academic and school culture. These challenges are especially pronounced for students from an English Language Learner (ELL) background, who may also grapple with language barriers and cultural differences. This intersectional group is at higher risk of marginalization, and as such, they are in particular need of holistic support within their educational environment. This project is the development of a comprehensive website designed to serve as a resource for all …

Teacher Identity Development Through Critical Self Reflection, Kelly Holmin

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Many educators struggle daily to balance the many facets of their teacher identity, encompassing their personal and professional lives, as well as how they are portrayed in the media and political realm. This along with the other demands of the job can often lead to teacher identity conflict. While teacher identity conflict is a necessary component to growth throughout one's career, lack of support through these challenges can create frustration, stress, and ultimately cause educators to leave the field altogether. This paper explores the research question: How can educators engage in critical self reflection to overcome conflicts in their teacher …

Climate Change Education For Student Agency, Katie Kirschbaum

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

While there is no single solution to climate change, climate change education has been identified as a key component. This capstone paper and the unit plan developed for this capstone project seek to answer the research question: How can a biology curriculum that incorporates climate change science, impacts, and solutions foster a global citizenship mindset and pro-environmental behaviors in high school students? The literature review covers dimensions of global citizenship, defines climate change education, identifies what influences pro-environmental behavior, and discusses adolescent development as it relates to pro-environmental behavior. The resulting ten-lesson unit plan is designed for high school teachers …

Ocean Literacy: Understanding The Importance Of Sharks In Marine Ecosystems, Nicole Mueller Januário

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The ocean covers about 71% of our planet’s surface and provides us with food and marine resources. It regulates global climate and weather patterns, and acts as a climate change carbon sink yet remains largely unprotected. A restorative human-ocean relationship is urgently needed to combat the negative impacts of humanity and climate change and support marine biodiversity. Sharks, one of the oldest fish species and apex predators, play a crucial role in maintaining a balanced marine ecosystem and healthy ocean. However, sharks are threatened by climate change and illegal, unregulated, unreported fishing and finning. A radical behavior change is also …

Experiential Gardening For Environmental Literacy And Food Systems Awareness, Adam De Leeuw

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

School and community gardens have a rich history from the late 19th Century to the present, which includes the voices of Agassiz, Greene, Dewey, Washington Carver, Du Bois, and Montessori. This history spans the periods of school gardens from ‘nature study,’ the School Garden Army, Victory Gardens, the Tbilisi Declaration, and Garden-based learning. The purpose of this capstone project was to answer the following question: What are the individual lessons needed in a curriculum to support and connect experiential school and community garden programs for K-2 youth to serve as effective educational tools for environmental literacy and food systems awareness? …

How Can Urban Nature-Based Preschools Partner With Churches To Support Each Other?, Sarah Sinclair

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Nature-based preschools are increasing exponentially across the United States. These preschools combine best practices in early childhood education with place-based environmental education. Nature is the unifying theme of nature-based preschools, with programs spending a significant amount of time outdoors learning in, with, and about the natural world. Many nature-based early childhood educators are seeking to create urban nature-based preschools to reach children and communities with little access to green spaces or natural habitats. Urban nature-based preschools thus require locations that have attached green space or can access public green space easily. In most states of the U.S., these preschools must …

Using Zombie Literature To Build Skills In Responding To Real Events For High School Students, Sarah Olson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project seeks to enhance student engagement in English language arts through zombie literature, bridging fiction and reality by exploring the question How can zombie literature be used in high school language arts curriculum to discuss and process real-world issues and events? It examines research on fiction's societal impact and horror's ability to boost student interest. The curriculum, adaptable for all high school levels, guides students in connecting fictional narratives to real-life experiences. By exploring the intersection of zombies, literature, and society, the project aims to create a more engaging and relatable learning experience for students.

The Integration Of Ipads In Secondary Schools: Improving Students’ Writing Proficiency And Learning Achievement During The Note-Taking Process, Josephine Borchert

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this study was: To what extent does the integration of iPads in secondary school classrooms impact students’ writing proficiency and learning achievement, especially during the note-taking process? The topics reviewed in the literature include the difficulties students face with writing, how poor writing skills impact overall proficiency as well as learning achievement, and the various methods of note-taking, starting with the pen-and-paper method leading to digital note-taking. The website created for the project focuses on informing teachers about different writing strategies and note-taking methods to help students increase their writing skills during the note-taking process. …

The Influence Of Student-Teacher Relationship Quality On Educational Outcomes For Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Cassidy Ann Spradlin

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The purpose of this dissertation study was to examine the associations between student-teacher closeness, student-teacher conflict, and educational outcomes (i.e., academic, social, and behavioral outcomes) for students with elevated symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Positive student-teacher relationship quality is linked to educational success and has been found to be inversely related to adverse outcomes in the general population. Previous research has examined differences in student-teacher relationship quality for students with ADHD, but the association between student-teacher relationship quality and educational outcomes is not well understood for students with ADHD. This dissertation study examined the association between student-teacher relationship quality and …

Improving Students’ Sense Of Belonging At School: A School Improvement Plan, Madison Alvarado

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Robust research proves the importance of students' sense of belonging at school and its correlation to academic achievement, positive behavior choices, and a student's overall well-being. This school improvement plan was created to implement strategies that will lead to a significant increase in students' sense of belonging at school. The plan includes incorporating professional development that provides educators with a well-rounded understanding of what a sense of belonging entails, along with structures to help increase it in the students they support. The plan also introduces a student program designed to boost students' positive interactions and, thus, increase their sense of …

Diversifying The ‘Hsi Bubble’: Black And Asian Women Faculty At Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Elena M. Venegas, Jacqueline B. Koonce, Lorenza Lancaster, Julissa Bazan, Adriana Garza

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

This qualitative case study explored the experiences of seven Black and Asian women faculty at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). The unique experience of each woman is shared in this paper. Three themes highlight the interconnectedness of participant experiences. The first theme indicated that these Black and Asian women faculty operated in unsupportive microclimates within their HSIs. Secondly, participants communicated a need for representation within the ‘HSI bubble.’ Finally, our participants felt as though their HSIs needed to exercise greater intentionality in terms of truly serving their student populations. Amongst the implications of this research is a better understanding of the experiences …

Volume 33, Number 2, Summer/Fall 2024, Office Of Communications, Illinois Wesleyan University

Illinois Wesleyan University Magazine, 2018-present

VOLUME 33 | NUMBER 2 | Summer/Fall 2024

ON OUR COVER:

President Sheahon Zenger poses for a portrait in the Bates & Merwin Reading Room on the fourth floor of The Ames Library. The room hosts a collection of award-winning books in honor of IWU's former president Minor Myers jr.

18 Discoveing Home, As a career university administrator with a long record of success and optimism for the future of liberal arts, Sheahon Zenger has been appointed the 21st president of Illinois Wesleyan University.

22 Browadway Reunion, More than a decade after last performing together at IWU, Bry Parham '07 …

“In My Blood”: External Factors For International Stem Postdoctoral Scholars’ Career Decisions, Kathryn J. Watson, Sylvia L. Mendez

Journal of Global Education and Research

This instrumental case study (Stake, 1995) explores the external factors that influence international science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) postdoctoral scholars in the United States to pursue a career in STEM. Interviews with 20 international STEM postdoctoral scholars were analyzed deductively to shed light on their unique backgrounds and experiences. Three themes emerged: (a) parents were highly encouraging, (b) a love of science was nurtured in school, and (c) they were eager to engage in and promote scientific innovation. These findings illustrate the ways in which family, schools, and community influence the STEM career trajectories of international postdoctoral scholars.

Meta-Narrative Review Of Gender Portrayal In Disney Movies For Young Children And Its Pedagogical Implications, Xuan Jiang, Linlin Zhang, Diana Rivero, Brittany Torres

Journal of Global Education and Research

Many of Disney movies have been criticized for perpetuating traditional gender stereotypes which constrain opportunities for children at large. Its recent characters have also incurred heated discussions on gender portrayal. Moreover, stereotypes of gender roles, developed early on, can exert an immediate impact on individuals’ behaviors and utterances and a long-term impact on individuals’ perceived options academically, professionally, personally, and socially. Recognizing the significance of this matter, this paper employed a meta-narrative review to collect and conceptually and empirically synthesize previous literature on the impact of Disney movies on young children’s gender awareness. Through an academic database search, 49 articles …

Student Perceptions Of Integrated Stem Education In A High School Geometry Class, Alyssa Noland

Dissertations

Integrated Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) education provides students with opportunities to solve integrated real-world problems. Integrated STEM instruction aims to develop 21^st-century skills in students and promote interest in STEM subjects through authentic real-world tasks. Student perceptions can help educators and administrators to understand the benefits and constraints of integrated STEM instruction. This qualitative case study was designed to understand student perceptions of integrated STEM instruction and student perceptions of the value or applications of mathematics. The situated STEM learning and social constructivism theoretical frameworks guided the design of the lessons and methods of the study. High …

The Effects Of Implementing The 7e Learning Cycle Model On Cloud To Promote Science Communication And Writing Ability Among High School Students Under The Ministry Of Higher Education, Science, Research And Innovation, Sujika Ngamsa-Ard

Journal of Education Studies

This research aims to: 1) study the science communication and writing abilities of high school students after learning through the 7E learning cycle model on a cloud platform, and 2) compare the science communication and writing ability of students before, during, and after learning through the 7E learning cycle model on a cloud platform. The samples consisted of 30 tenth-grade students at a university demonstration school selected using purposive sampling.The research instruments included lesson plans utilizing the 7E learning cycle model on a cloud platform, and science communication and writing ability assessment forms. The collected data were analyzed using arithmetic …

The Moderating Role Of Perseverance And Determination In Action In The Context Of Self-Efficacy And Life Satisfaction Of Sportspeople With Mobility Impairment, Natalia Segiet, Krzysztof Gerc

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Introduction: The article assumes the biopsychosocial model of disability and refers, inter alia, to the assumptions of the concept of empowerment, which recognizes the fact that practicing sports by people with disabilities creates favorable conditions for strengthening resources and developing skills. An attempt was made to develop a model that verifies the moderating importance of mental resilience in the aspect of experiencing a sense of effectiveness and life satisfaction in sportspeople with mobility impairment. Material and method: The research conducted in an encrypted online manner involved 58 people (31 able-bodied sportspeople and 27 sportspeople with physical disabilities). The following tools …

Relative Age Effect At Men’S Volleyball World Championships Over Time, Marcin Śliwa, Mariusz Buszta, Jerzy Sadowski

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Introduction: Relative age effect (RAE) in sport is extensively described in the literature. However, there is scarcity of data on how to avoid problems in the talent identification process and, consequently, how to avoid dropping out or losing a potential volleyball talent. The aim of the study was to carry out a retrospective analysis of RAE at Men’s U-19 and U-21 World Championships as well as Men’s World Championships over the last 12 years and to investigate possible differences in quarterly age distribution depending on anthropometric features, geographical regions the teams under study came from as well as their performance …

Assessment Of Postural Stability Of 14-Year-Old Girls Training Volleyball, Robert Walaszek, Wiesław Chwała, Katarzyna Burdacka, Marcin Burdacki, Paweł Kurowski

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Introduction: Measurements of postural stability are carried out for the prevention of injuries and for rehabilitation of athletes who have sustained traumatic injuries. The aim of the study was to assess postural stability measured in static and dynamic conditions in 14-year-old girls, of whom some were training volleyball, and some were not. Materials and Methods: The study involved a group of 30 girls aged 14, attending volleyball classes. This group was compared with the control group (n = 30) of girls of the same age who regularly participated only in regular physical education (PE) classes. The tests were conducted twice. …

The Transgenerational Transmission Of Physical Attractiveness Perceptions: Role Of Parents' Physical Activity And Nutrition Habits In Modelling Body-Focused Health Attitudes And Body Shape Perception In Five-Year-Old Offspring, Agata Kamionka, Mariusz Lipowski, Sebastian Lizińczyk, Urszula Sajewicz-Radtke, Bartosz Radtke, Ariadna Łada-Maśko, Dariusz Olszewski-Strzyżowski, Małgorzata Lipowska

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Introduction: Observing parents’ body-focused behaviours during middle childhood is one of the initial ways in which children model their perceptions of pro-health attitudes and their connection to physical attractiveness. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between parents' health behaviours, their appearance, and the perceptions of adult body types (skinny, medium, obese) by their five-year-old children. Moreover, the role of gender in the above relationship for both children and parents was also examined. Materials and methods: This study participants were 680 families with five-year-old children (330 girls). Participation was limited to the moth-er-father-child triad. The Beauty and Health Scale, Healthy …

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session ,June 27, 2024, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

• Acceptance of the Agenda
• Approval of the Minutes (April 25, 2024 Meeting)
• Remarks by the Chair of the Board
• Remarks by the President
• Updates by the Faculty Senate President
• Updates by the Western Student Association President
• Western Michigan University Employee Graduates
• WMU’s Investment in the Future – Academic Tenure and Promotion
• Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items

• Resolution: Trustee Dr. William F. Pickard’s Leadership Legacy
• Academic Tenure and Promotion
• Student Room, Board, and Apartment Rates 2024-2025
• Tuition and Required Fee Rates Fall 2024
• General Fund Budget, Fiscal Year 2024-2025
• Five Year Capital Outlay Master Plan
• Lease Agreement with Formosa …

Faithful Stewards, Sarah Moss

The Voice

No abstract provided.