Digital Commons Network^™

The Influence Of Faculty Mentorship On Graduate Student Development Through The Lens Of Self-Efficacy, Connor Lynn Ferguson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This exploratory sequential mixed-methods case study explores the relationship between perceived self-efficacy and faculty mentorship with biomedical sciences graduate students. The intent of the study was to understand the extent at which faculty mentorship contributes to self-efficacy development in the population of biomedical sciences doctoral students enrolled at a mid-Atlantic R1 institution. Data collected consisted of a survey assessing perceived self-efficacy and mentoring, interviews and documents. Data analysis explored themes related to the perceived academic and professional development of the students through their responses. The research highlights the significance of the mentor-mentee relationship and influence of the mentor on the …

Four Lessons To Build Upon: A Study Of Postsecondary Composition Classroom Curriculum, Tucker D. Nielsen

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Soft skills in technical professions may be valued by employers, but post-secondary students engage with a dichotomy arguing against the blend of soft and hard skills. This study utilized activities with LEGO® bricks to determine how plausible kinesthetic learning methods are within university composition classes. Four in-class activities based on the class’s four core assignments were spread across the Spring 2024 semester at Michigan Technological university. Through written reflections, lists, posters, and photos of students’ builds, students practiced and demonstrated engagement with identified composition and critical thinking skills.

Two criteria (Audience Expectations and Genre Expectations, were not demonstrated as clearly …

Energy Content Of Acorns Of Shinnery Oak (Quercus Havardii) In The Diet Of Scaled Quail (Callipepla Squamata) In Southeastern New Mexico, J.L. Hunt, M.E. Grilliot, T.L. Best, D. Lozano-Lopez, E.R. Neilson, I.C. Castillo

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Shinnery oak (Quercus havardii) is a deciduous, low-growing shrubby tree that is a dominant plant in large areas of grassland in western Oklahoma, the Texas Panhandle, and eastern New Mexico. Acorns of the plant are important food items for many wildlife species, including scaled quail (Callipepla squamata), mourning doves (Zenaida macroura), and endangered lesser prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus). We analyzed the energy content of acorns of shinnery oak obtained from the crops of scaled quail collected from plains-mesa sand-scrub in Lea and Eddy counties, New Mexico. Acorns were removed from crops and dried for 48 hours at 60°C to remove moisture …

A Study Of Inhibition Development In Young Children, Ai Thi Thanh Hoang

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Child inhibition can be learned consciously and unconsciously, and it is highly dependent on the quality of interaction with adults (i.e., parents and teachers). However, little is known about the impact of teachers’ emotional management and sensitivity on the development of inhibition skills among students in early childhood classrooms. This dissertation takes an integrative approach to explore whether teacher-child relationship and teacher self-efficacy have a bidirectional connection and how they work to impact child inhibition, directly and indirectly. The present research utilizes the large nationally represented Early Childhood Longitudinal Study 2010-2011, sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics in …

University Biology Classrooms As Spaces For Anti-Racist Work: Instructor Motivations For Incorporating Race, Racism, And Racial Equity Content., Nicole L. Scheuermann, Candice Idlebird, Sayali Kukday, Vance J. Mccracken, Rachel E. Bradley, Heather E. Bergan-Roller

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Science is often portrayed as a meritocratic endeavor, but university biology programs exhibit high rates of student attrition, particularly among students of Color, despite similar interest and aptitude for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as White students. Culturally relevant pedagogy is associated with student persistence in STEM. One way to practice culturally relevant pedagogy in biology courses is to engage students in discussions of race, racism, or racial equity. Guidance exists to help instructors incorporate race-related topics into the biology curriculum, but the reasoning behind the decision of whether to adopt this practice is not well characterized. Understanding instructors’ …

Biology News 2024, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Biology.

Biology News

Contents:

Letter from the Department Head --- 2
Bolton Award Winner --- 3
Goldwater Scholarship Winner --- 3
Purple and Old Gold Award Winner --- 3
Faculty News Roundup --- 4
New Hires --- 6
UNI Botanical Center --- 7
Alumni Information Request --- 7
Support Our Programs --- 8
Floyd Fellowship Award Winner --- 8

A Survey Of Strongyle Nematodes In New England Dairy Goats, D.J. Richardson, E.M. Wray, D. Watters, U. Hanif, E. Jalbert, E. Thompson, G. Trajkovic, A.R. Sirois, N. Pilotte

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The paucity of information concerning the occurrence of strongyle nematodes in New England dairy goats prompted a survey of 241 dairy goats from throughout New England. Of the 241 goats examined using the McMaster technique, 104 (42.7%) were infected with strongyles with a mean intensity (+ SE) of 369.7 + 45.8 eggs per gram. Subsequent molecular examination of 50 random samples from these goats revealed a prevalence of 88% infection specifically with Haemonchus contortus. Haemonchus contortus is the most important internal parasite of sheep and goats, exerting a crushing economic burden on the livestock industry worldwide due to lowered milk …

Inservice Needs Of Selected Arkansas Agriculture Teachers Related To Precision Agriculture, Henry O. Akwah, Donald M, Johnson, George W. Wardlow, Cengiz Koparan, Aurelie Poncet

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this study was to determine selected Arkansas school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers’ perceptions of the importance, ability to teach, inservice needs, and barriers relative to incorporating precision agriculture (PA) into their programs. A non-probability sample (n = 44) of teachers participating in an introductory PA workshop completed the survey. Teachers rated each of the  PA competencies as being above average or high importance but rated their ability to teach each competency as being none or below average. When competencies were grouped into seven PA topics, teachers had inservice needs for each topic with mean weighted discrepancy …

Oe@Kcc: Crash Course In Open Education, Shawna M. Brandle

Open Educational Resources

These slides cover a very fast introduction to open education for Kingsborough faculty and staff.  They are full of lots of links to helpful resources, so please use/adapt this however you like!

Different Visions From Biosview: A Brief Report, Lucas N. Potter, Xavier-Lewis Palmer

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

In this collaborative research endeavor at the intersection of biological safety and cybersecurity for BiosView labs, the authors highlight their engagement with a diverse student cohort. The chapter delves into the motivation behind collaborations extending beyond traditional academic research environments, emphasizing inclusivity. The meticulous examination of student demographics, including gender, self-reported ethnicity, and national origin, is detailed in the methodology. A student-centric approach is central to the exploration, focusing on aligning teaching and management styles with unique student needs. The chapter elaborates on effective teaching methodologies and management practices tailored for BiosView labs. A dedicated section emphasizes the purpose of …

Mapping With The Land: Co-Developing A Cumulative Impact Monitoring And Land Stewardship Framework With Sambaa K’E First Nation, Northwest Territories, Canada, Michael S. Mcphee

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Across the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada, Indigenous populations are striving to achieve effective environmental protection, whilst navigating complex methods, policies, and research relationships within co-management contexts. This thesis seeks to identify how differing cultural systems, environmental change, and fractured partnerships may be unified to align with the needs of the Sambaa K’e First Nation (SKFN), a remote Dehcho Dene community. Indigenous methodologies guided co-development of research questions with SKFN leadership which yielded objectives a) develop a GIS-based method to manage, organize and mobilize cultural and environmental data; b) develop a new stewardship monitoring procedure so that users can apply the …

From The Invisible Man To Cozy Closets: Gender Diverse Student Narratives In Ontario Catholic Schools, Yvonne Runstedler

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In the province of Ontario, Catholic schools have public funding from the Ministry of Education and ecclesial oversight from the local Catholic diocese. Transgender students who attend these schools experience both governmental spaces and religious ones. The inherent secular and theological tensions responsive to Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Transgender, intersex, Asexual, and other queer-identities [2SLGBTQIA+] students are the overarching contexts of this study. While many Catholic school boards have completed publicly-facing acts of inclusion for 2SLGBTQIA+ students, such as raising the Pride Flag in June in recent years, there is a scarcity of literature responsive to how transgender students make …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Ableist Microaggressions, Jennifer M. Cook, Melissa Deroche, Lee Za Ong

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

The phenomenon of microaggressions is well established within the counseling literature, particularly as it relates to race, ethnicity, gender, and affectual orientation. However, research related to disability or ableist microaggressions is still in its infancy, so counseling professionals have limited information about experiences of disability and ableist microaggressions. The purpose of this qualitative content analysis was to describe participants’ self-reported experiences with ableist microaggressions. Participants (N = 90) had a diagnosed disability and the majority (91.11%) identified as having two or more nondominant identities beyond their disability. We report two categories and 10 themes. While participants were part of …

Promoting Understanding Of Three Dimensions Of Science Learning Plus Nature Of Science Using Phenomenon-Based Learning, Maryam Saberi, Noushin Nouri

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications

The utilization of phenomenon-based learning (PhBL) for science instruction remains limited despite its alignment with the goals outlined in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS; NGSS Lead States, 2013) due to the lack of exemplary materials and inadequate training opportunities for teachers. The aim of this article is to illustrate the steps of the PhBL method by providing an exploratory learning experience as it was implemented in a preservice setting. In this study, we provide an innovative perspective by illuminating how this kind of instruction can be used as a context to explicitly discuss the three dimensions of learning (i.e., …

Distal Urogenital Anatomy And Epithelial Morphology In The Male Cajun Chorus Frog, Pseudacris Fouquettei (Anura: Hylidae), S.E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

I examined the microanatomy of the distal urogenital system in male Cajun Chorus Frogs (Pseudacris fouquettei) from a small sample (n = 6) collected in central Arkansas in March 2018 and February 2023. Specifically, my primary objectives were to investigate the following: (1) the paired Wolffian (urogenital) ducts caudally from the kidneys to their merging with the urodeum of the cloaca, (2) the structure of seminal vesicles (if present), and (3) the epithelial morphologies among the distal urogenital tract, the posterior alimentary canal, and cloaca. My histological analysis confirmed the presence of ampullae (sperm storage structures) as mid-duct expansions of …

Use Of Google Earth Streetview To Evaluate Nesting By The Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon Pyrrhonota) In Lowlands Of Eastern Arkansas, With Reports Of New Records, R. Tumlison, Z. Autrey

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) typically construct their mud nests under the overhangs of cliffs. However, construction of concrete bridges and overpasses has provided suitable nesting structure in the last few decades. As the number of such nesting sites have increased, the breeding range also has expanded. We evaluated the use of Google Earth Streetview as a means of cheaply harvesting data regarding nesting distribution. The gourd-shaped nests of Cliff Swallows were easily discernible via available imagery, and we were able to document previously unreported nest sites of this species in 6 counties in eastern Arkansas (5 from imagery, 1 from …

Rapid Expansion Of The Limpkin Aramus Guarauna Across Anglo-America, A. Alam, R. Kaddoura, J. Jackson, R. Kannan

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We quantitatively document and describe the recent rapid expansion of the Limpkin Aramus guarauna across Anglo-America (United States and Canada). Using data downloaded from eBird (www.eBird.org), we present graphs showing the explosive growth in reports of number of individual birds and frequencies in checklists for this species in several parts of Anglo- America outside Florida (its traditional Anglo- American range). We also provide geographic progression maps to illustrate the expansion through time (2013-2023) and furnish qualitative information on foods consumed by the bird in new areas, based on a survey of 274 images uploaded by citizen scientists in eBird. Possible …

Gvsu Press Releases, 2024, Grand Valley State University

University Press Releases, 1961-Present

A compilation of press releases for the year 2024 submitted by University Communications (formerly News & Information Services) to news agencies concerning the people, places, and events related to Grand Valley State University.

Early Childhood Educators’ Perceptions, Attitudes, And Beliefs On Use Of The Modern Classrooms Project: A Case Study, Christina Arriagada

All ETDs from UAB

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how early childhood educators perceive the use of Modern Classrooms Project (MCP) in their classrooms. MCP is an instructional model that promotes blended, self-paced, and mastery-based learning with ties to constructivist teaching ideals. Data were collected using a teacher interview, observations, and the review of teacher resources such as lesson plans and student learning paths. Previous research found MCP was effective at the secondary level. Findings of this study showed that early childhood educators found MCP to be an effective instructional model to use in their classrooms. I identified three themes: …

The Role Of Information Communications In The Educational Environment Of Higher Education Institutions, Nataliia Shetelia, Fedir Apshay, Oksana Telep, Yaroslav Ahiy, Valerii Maslov

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

In a rapidly evolving world with advancing technology and digital tools, understanding the role of information communications in higher education has become highly relevant. This study aims to determine the impact of information communications on the educational process and student communication and proceeds from the need to understand this impact in the context of the growing digitalization of society. The research objective was accomplished through the utilization of an analytical approach, involving the examination of available data and relevant literature in the field. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed to analyze the data, enabling the formulation of impartial conclusions …

Performance And Perception Disparities In Blended Learning Across Varied Vocational Academic Backgrounds, Yujie Cao, Azhan Abdul Aziz, Wan Nur Rukiah Mohd Arshard

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

With rising popularity of vocational education in China, the study investigates how academic backgrounds influence vocational students’ perceptions and learning outcomes in a blended SketchUp course, guided by Blended Learning framework and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Quantitative data from 71 undergraduate and 71 junior college interior architecture students was analyzed using statistical methods, including descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and t-tests. The analysis showed no significant differences between academic groups in academic achievements, but differences in several perceptions, suggesting equitable learning experiences in the blended course. Tutorial videos may have contributed to personalized pacing, reducing variations among learners. Applying TAM to …

A Systematic Review Of K-12 Cybersecurity Education Around The World, Ahmed Ibrahim, Marnie Mckee, Leslie F. Sikos, Nicola F. Johnson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper presents a systematic review of K-12 cybersecurity education literature from around the world. 24 academic papers dated from 2013-2023 were eligible for inclusion in the literature established within the research protocol. An additional 19 gray literature sources comprised the total. A range of recurring common topics deemed as aspects of cybersecurity behavior or practice were identified. A variety of cybersecurity competencies and skills are needed for K-12 students to apply their knowledge. As may be expected to be the case with interdisciplinary fields, studies are inherently unclear in the use of their terminology, and this is compounded in …

Theorizing Mathematical Proof As Becoming: A Deleuzio-Guattarian Investigation, Joshua P. Case

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this dissertation, I utilize the post-structural philosophy of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari as a lens for investigating the proof process. Deleuze and Guattari were both post- structural philosophers who, like many in this tradition, troubled traditional notions related to stable identities, meaning, language, and mathematics. For Deleuze, sense and meaning is not the result of a sterile, transcendent effect or condition that is associated with propositions and states of affairs. Rather, it is the result of a material production that emerges from the world and that has independence from language and the mind. I apply this framework to …

On Confidence And Sense Of Belonging In Cybersecurity Students: Analysis & Prediction, Sadaf Amna Sarwari

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In recent years, there has been a rapid expansion of cybersecurity programs across higher education institutions in response to the widening skills gap in the cybersecurity job market. This study adopts quantitative and qualitative approaches to identify factors influencing West Virginia University (WVU)’s LANE Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering (LCSEE) students’ confidence and sense of belonging in the cybersecurity field. The results are based on data collected from surveys administered to LCSEE students in April 2022 and April 2023. The responses were analyzed using descriptive & inferential statistics and logistic regression techniques. Additionally, the 2023 data was utilized …

Queering Primary Initial Teacher Education, David Rhodes, Matt Byrne, Jason Boron

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This research was designed to raise awareness, access and understanding of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, asexual/aromantic and others who sit outside of the heteronormative binary (LGBTIQA+), inclusion for pre-service educators studying in Bachelor of Education (Primary) and Master of Teaching (Primary) ITE courses in one Australian university. The project involved the production of three video resources intended for inclusion in existing teacher education units. Whilst originally conceptualized as ’bite-sized‘ resources intended for use by pre-service educators, initial survey data from academic staff indicated the need to first develop the collective understanding of primary education LGBTIQA+ inclusion for the …

What’S Agape Love Got To Do With It?: Teaching With Courage, Passion, And Compassion In A Rural Elementary School In North Georgia, Jhanna Bryson

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explores the crucial role of love in teaching, specifically focusing on the content of a rural elementary school in North Georgia. Drawing on qualitative research and personal experiences of the author, as well as other teachers at the same school, this study examines how love, manifested through courage, passion, and compassion, can significantly impact teaching practices and positively influence student outcomes in challenging educational settings. Theoretically my dissertations draws upon three bodies of literature such as critical pedagogy, (e.g. Darder, 2007, 2009, 2015, 2016, 2018; Freire, 1987, 1998, 2000, 2019; Giroux, 2010, 2018; hooks, 1994, 2001), radical love, …

Training Underrepresented Minority Students For Careers In Public Health Leadership – Public Health Leaders Fellowship Program, Jigsa Tola

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Shortage and lack of diversity in the United States public health workforce is well documented and remains a challenge to meaningfully improving the health of the population. Although the diversity of the public health workforce has implications for access, care quality, and career opportunities in low-income communities, there is no strong mechanism by which minorities are trained to replenish the workforce. Morehouse College’s Public Health Leaders Fellowship Program (MC-PHLFP) is a cooperative program with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to train undergraduate students for careers in public health leadership.

Purpose: The purpose of this research is …

White Woman In A Black Barbershop: Examining Racial Literacy Through Epistemic Curricula Spaces, Megan Paulk

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The following study is an autoethnography of the researcher, a White Mother of a Black Family (WMOBF). Follow her journey as she examines her racial literacy through the construction of Season Two of her podcast White Women in a Black Barbershop, where she is conversing with three other WMOBF who geographically grew up in the same small town in Maryland. The podcast analysis method is introduced as a method of data collection and analysis. The results of the study are the creation of eight epistemic curricula spaces. These spaces contain movement, are not linear, and are not accessible to all. …

Their Country: Black Women, Three Chords, And The Truth, Dmetri J. Smith

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Country music has long overlooked and at times outright erased the contributions of people of African descent. The past and present contributions of Black women are particularly ignored. Country music— a racially contested space centered in Nashville, Tennessee— is imbued with themes referencing the “good ole days” that were dangerous times for anyone who was not White, male, cisgender, and heterosexual. The genre has only become slightly more welcoming to those who are not part of the dominant class. And yet, there are Black women who feel called to use country music as their storytelling medium. My research shows …

Curriculum, Knowledge, And Power: A Critical Race Approach To Content Analysis Of Social Studies Textbooks, Eliza G. Ray

Honors Theses

This study uses Critical Race Theory (CRT) as a theoretical framework to examine the portrayal of the U.S. Revolutionary War in three 5th grade social studies textbooks approved by the state of Florida’s curriculum standards. Textbooks have been a focal point for political debate, most recently influenced more by politicians than by educators. A qualitative rubric was developed to evaluate the textbooks, examining the extent to which they include a CRT telling of the Revolutionary War. This rubric was informed by the tenets of CRT in educational research as described by Solorzano and Yosso (2002). Consistent themes arose from the …