Digital Commons Network^™

“I’M So Hungry”: Assessing Stem Sensemaking Through Data-Informed Writing, Bailey Nafziger, Alesia Mickle Moldavan, Katie Brkich

Elementary & Special Education: Faculty Publications

To engage elementary learners in the complex task of STEM sensemaking, teachers must entice and inspire learners to ask questions, explore, and communicate their findings. This article shares a 5E/3D lesson designed and taught in our elementary science methods courses to model how preservice teachers can integrate literacy and mathematics into a science investigation for STEM sensemaking. We modified a traditional lesson on bird beak adaptations to have a differentiated, interdisciplinary writing component justified by data. We discuss why data-supported literacy is a non-negotiable in science education reforms and how teachers can differentiate tasks to make scientific writing more approachable …

Clicking From College To K-12 Schools: Engaging Preservice Teachers With Technology, David Marlow, Pamela Wash, Jeannie Chapman, Timothy Dale

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This article details the classroom use of personal response systems in four different disciplines. It highlights the versatility of these systems, the effect on student learning and how their use in college classrooms may influence preservice teachers in their future classrooms.

Language Development In Military-Affiliated Children: The Role Of Parental Absence, Jenna K. Walton

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University by Jenna K. Walton on March 23, 2026.

Problematizing The Critical Dimensions Of Whiteness With Educational Leaders, Lerita Yvette Cavness

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This action research examines whether and how whiteness is “weaponized” by a P-12 educational leader, the impact whiteness has on their identities, and whether engagement with Critical Whiteness Studies (CWS) will increase pro-equity behaviors. The research employs a layered mixed-methods approach, and a deductive analysis triangulation plan framed by the Critical Dimensions of Whiteness Model (CDWM). This N-of-1 case study included a four-phase intervention workshop series and one post interview. The findings identify how one educational leader engaged in the selfweaponization of whiteness. The findings identify that CWS supported by the CDWM is a disruptive but healing path to awareness …

Redefining Online Education: Integrating A Quality Assurance Rubric Process In A Community College Setting, Judy K. Howell

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education At Morehead State University by Judy K. Howell on Kentucky March 20, 2026.

The Evolution Of Science And The Transformation Of Human Understanding: Toward A Generative Framework Of Learning And Reality, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Spiritual Proficiency

This essay argues that the development of science can be understood not as linear accumulation, but as a sequence of structural transformations in human understanding. Such a view aligns with a generative framework in which knowledge is not passively received or merely constructed, but emerges through dynamic interactions that reorganize cognitive and experiential structures. By situating this framework within the history of science, we can better understand both the nature of scientific progress and its indispensable role in human development.

Learning As Becoming: A Restored Gospel-Based Reinterpretation Of Scientific Discovery And Human Growth, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Spiritual Proficiency

For many educators of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, a persistent dissonance exists between the secular textbooks we utilize and the restored truths we cherish. Traditional science often presents the universe as a closed, material system where learning is merely the acquisition of data. However, as we align our academic pursuits with the light of the Restored Gospel, we discover that scientific inquiry is not independent of spiritual growth. Rather, it is a primary mechanism through which we experience a fundamental shift in our very nature—moving from "knowing" to "becoming."

“I’M So Hungry”: Assessing Stem Sensemaking Through Data-Informed Writing, Bailey Nafziger, Alesia Mickle Moldavan, Katie Brkich

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

To engage elementary learners in the complex task of STEM sensemaking, teachers must entice and inspire learners to ask questions, explore, and communicate their findings. This article shares a 5E/3D lesson designed and taught in our elementary science methods courses to model how preservice teachers can integrate literacy and mathematics into a science investigation for STEM sensemaking. We modified a traditional lesson on bird beak adaptations to have a differentiated, interdisciplinary writing component justified by data. We discuss why data-supported literacy is a non-negotiable in science education reforms and how teachers can differentiate tasks to make scientific writing more approachable …

Reshaping Library Programming For Graduate Students Through Strategic Partnerships And Adaptation, Brian Vetruba, Caroyn Bishoff, Kate Peterson

Transforming Libraries for Graduate Students

In the wake of Covid-19, support structures dedicated to graduate student success at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMN) underwent dramatic shifts. Centralized in-person events for graduate students were discontinued, departmental identities strengthened, and library outreach responsibilities were reshaped by institutional changes, including a reduction of library staff. This panel examines how academic libraries can adapt and innovate with decreased capacity to meet the diverse needs of graduate students. Panelists will share strategies for expanding campus partnerships and sustaining and scaling initiatives that equip graduate students – especially first-year, international, and BIPOC students – with essential research skills and …

The Level Of Physical Activity And The Feeling Of Stress In Difficult Life Situations Among Refugees From Ukraine, Bartosz Gondek, Iwona Bonisławska, Milena Lachowicz

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Russia's attack on Ukraine in February 2022 started the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II. In the face of danger, crowds of civilians decided to leave their homes and escape, among others, to Poland in search of shelter. Materials and methods: The research was conducted on groups of refugees from Ukraine who registered in the first days of the war in Sopot and Pruszcz Gdanski. The refugees came from Kharkov, Mariupol, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and western Ukraine (not involved in hostilities). People from the war zone areas mostly came with only hand luggage. The respondents were divided …

Development Of Addie-Based Transformative Learning Technology Textbooks Oriented Towards Stylistic Analysis Of Novels For Pbsi Students: Testing Validity, Practicality, And Effectiveness, Ariesty Fujiastuti, Denik Wirawati

Bahasa dan Seni: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Pengajarannya

The rapid advancement of digital technology over the past decade has significantly reshaped the higher education landscape, requiring students to develop critical, reflective, and adaptive thinking skills aligned with transformative learning principles. Despite this shift, the implementation of technology-supported transformative learning remains constrained by the limited availability of instructional resources that systematically integrate cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions of learning transformation. Addressing this gap, this study aimed to develop a Transformative Learning Technology textbook grounded in the ADDIE instructional design model and oriented toward stylistic analysis of novels. The textbook was designed to serve as a systematic, relevant, and practical …

20260316: College Of Education, 1923-1990, College Of Education And Professional Development

Guides to University Archives

These items include materials from the College of Education and Professional Development at Marshall University from 1923-1990. Items were received in the 1990s and were processed in 2026 and include notable information from the College of Ed. Items include a Curriculum Analysis Report for various departments on campus; correspondence from various deans and faculty on campus; the Autism Center in 1984; National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education reports from the 1970s; and information on The Schools of Fayette County, WV. Please download the finding aid for more information.

From Answers To Understanding: Bridging The Gap Between Multiple-Choice And Open-Ended Questions, Kathleen A. Siren

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Assessment is central to effective teaching, and the structure of exam questions significantly influences both learning and instruction. Multiple-choice (MCQ) and short-answer (SAQ) questions are widely used and frequently studied, each offering distinct advantages and limitations for formative and summative assessment. This study examined a modified multiple-choice format, multiple-choice questions with explanation (MCQwE), for which students selected an answer and briefly explained their reasoning. Designed to combine the efficiency of MCQs with the diagnostic value of open-ended responses, MCQwE were implemented in an undergraduate speech science course and compared to traditional MCQs and SAQs in terms of student performance. Findings …

Embodied Transcendence: Psychedelics And The Evolution Of Moral Abstraction, Emanuel Jas

Journal of Conscious Evolution

This paper explores the role of psychedelics in the context of evolutionary brain development and the conceptual capacity for moral realism. Drawing on theories from evolutionary anthropology, neuroscience, and moral philosophy, the first part provides a brief overview of human evolution and brain expansion. From here, recent empirical data from the neurosciences is assessed on the effect psychedelics have on the brain, along with speculations on the role of psychedelics in our hominoid evolutionary history—specifically, the capacity for phenomenologically rich, conscious, subjective experiences that are incredibly vivid and real. This imaginative capacity for transcendence and disembodiment could enable the realization …

A Distributed Model For Undergraduate Education In Environmental Remote Sensing: Increased Student Interest In Science And Sense Of Science Identity And Belonging, Gregory R. Goldsmith, Monae Verbeke, Jeremy Forsythe, Joshua B. Fisher

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

"We present results from a new open-access course in satellite remote sensing of the environment that uses evidence-based, active learning pedagogy to train the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists The course, called Observing Earth from Above, teaches students how to access, visualize, and communicate satellite remote sensing data from NASA’s ECOSTRESS instrument to address a variety of environmental challenges. The resources focus on follow-along tutorials for students and also include recorded lectures and interviews with remote sensing scientists."

Development Of A Problem-Based Learning Model Assisted By The Interactive Canva Application To Improve Critical Thinking And Collaboration Skills Of Fourth Grade Elementary School Students, Fitri Dwi Utami, Heris Hendriana, Galih Dani Septyan Rahayu

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Penelitian ini dimotivasi oleh rendahnya kemampuan berpikir kritis dan kolaborasi siswa kelas empat sekolah dasar yang disebabkan oleh pembelajaran konvensional dan kurangnya penggunaan media pembelajaran interaktif. Studi ini bertujuan untuk mengembangkan model Pembelajaran Berbasis Masalah (PBL) yang dibantu oleh aplikasi interaktif Canva yang layak dan efektif untuk meningkatkan kemampuan berpikir kritis dan kolaborasi siswa. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah model Penelitian dan Pengembangan (R&D) Borg & Gall yang meliputi tahapan analisis kebutuhan, perencanaan, pengembangan produk, validasi ahli, revisi produk, dan uji lapangan. Subjek penelitian terdiri dari 21 siswa pada uji terbatas, 30 siswa pada uji luas, dan 60 siswa pada …

From The Classroom To The Computer, Tina S. Herzberg, Laura M. Hooks

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This article investigates the increased use of technology to provide distance education within the School of Education at the University of South Carolina (USC) Upstate. Interestingly, graduate education programs have been receptive to distance learning and now offer various courses each semester via distance education. This has allowed the university to provide flexibility and attracted graduate students throughout the Upstate region. Currently, there is a need for faculty in undergraduate programs at USC Upstate to explore if and how methodology courses could be developed as distance education courses while maintaining academic integrity.

School-Based Human Service Professionals’ Perceptions Of The Relationships Between Black Families And Southern Schools, Vanessa Faye Barnhill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The experiences that Black parents had in school have been found to influence how they view and interact with schools and the challenges and barriers related to their child’s education attainment. It is important to understand school-based human service professionals’ perceptions about the relationship that Black families have with Southern schools and suggestions these professionals have about promoting better communication and understanding with Black families. The purpose of this qualitative generic study was to examine school human service professionals’ perceptions about the relationship that Black families have with schools and to gather suggestions about how they could promote communication and …

The Grizzly, March 12, 2026, Renee Washart, Alex Zelaya, Nico Yanzaguano, Claudia Tracy, Andrew Mihniak, Sophia Kumar, Hadley Whitman, Erin Ewing

Ursinus College Grizzly Newspaper, 1978 to Present

We Didn't Start the Fire (in New Hall) • Disability Day of Mourning at Ursinus College • Alumni Graduate Student Panel: Health Sciences • All-Recovery: What Does it Mean to Get Sober in College? • New Spades Club Shares, Teaches, and Tournaments! • Snow Days: Are They Only Fun for Students? • Bears Basketball Finishes Up Successful Season • Women's Lacrosse Winning Big to Start the Season

March 2026 Graduate Council Minutes, University Of Nebraska At Kearney Graduate Council

Graduate Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

Infusing Indigenous Knowledge Into Eurocentric Educational Systems In Sub-Saharan Africa: A Hermeneutical Phenomenology, Assane Ba Faye

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of participants from Mills Elementary School and the Kao-Kao School District (pseudonyms) regarding the integration of pre-colonial traditional pedagogies into post-colonial Eurocentric education systems in sub-Saharan Africa. The guiding theory for this research is Jean Piaget’s constructivist theory, which emphasizes active learner involvement and knowledge development based on prior experience. The main research question asks: What are the lived experiences of community members at Mills Elementary School and the Kao-Kao School District (pseudonyms) concerning the effects of incorporating Indigenous pedagogies into Eurocentric education systems in sub-Saharan Africa? …

Undergraduate Science Writing Performance And Perceptions Following An Online Guided Writing Module, Amanda Gunlefinger, Hannah Smith, Jeffrey Klemens, Nanette Tomicek

College of Life Sciences Faculty Papers

Undergraduate students often struggle with scientific communication, particularly in writing clear and concise lab reports. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a multi-section Anatomy and Physiology laboratory course to examine patterns in student writing performance and perceptions of science writing following the implementation of an online guided writing module. The module, developed in Nearpod integrated with Canvas, provided task-specific instruction and embedded questions with immediate feedback focused on authoring a results section for a lab report assignment. Student enrolled during the 2024 implementation term who completed the module (n = 278) demonstrated higher lab report writing scores compared to …

A Quantitative Quasi-Experimental Study To Determine The Effectiveness Of Ufli And Iready Interventions For Third Grade Struggling Readers, Vada Kehrer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study was to determine whether there is a significant difference in the growth in reading proficiency among third-grade struggling readers receiving different reading intervention programs: the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) or i-Ready curriculum-based interventions. The study is important because the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has reported a concerning decline in literacy rates, particularly among students with dyslexia. The persistence of decline in reading proficiency stresses the urgent need for effective reading interventions. This study contributes to the existing literature on reading intervention programs for struggling readers. The sample included …

A Quantitative Causal-Comparative Study Of The Effect Of Dynamic Versus Static Visualization And Gender On Middle School Teachers' Mathematics Anxiety, Daniel Kobina Lindsay

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to determine if there is a significant difference in teachers' mathematics anxiety on the effect of instruction-based dynamic versus static visualization and gender among teachers in middle schools. This study is critical because it addresses policies and pedagogical practices that address mathematics anxiety among middle school teachers. The gender of teachers and the medium of instructional delivery play a crucial role in assessing these teachers' engagement and achievement in the United States educational system. The sample (n = 293) was composed of teachers, divided into groups based on their instruction method and …

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Cognitive Overload In Manufacturing Engineers During Online Training In An Industrial Environment, Sarah J. May

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore experiences of cognitive overload among engineers in manufacturing during digital training in industrial environments. Engineers in manufacturing manage substantial physical and cognitive demands in order to maintain safe and efficient industrial environments. In addition to these responsibilities, engineers are often expected to engage in digital training within active work settings, frequently without physical or cognitive separation from job-related tasks. A qualitative research design was employed, with data collected from 10 participants and analyzed through triangulation and thematic coding. Data collection methods included a qualitative questionnaire, individual interviews, and a letter-writing …

Examining The Effect Of Enhanced Retrieval Practice With Or Without Artificial Intelligence On Task Value And Self-Efficacy Of College Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Duane N. Stutzman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental study was to determine if a significant difference exists in college students perceived task value and self-efficacy when using different forms of retrieval practice enhanced with or without artificial intelligence. This study is important because task value and self-efficacy may have an impact on student motivation and engagement; therefore, the study adds to the literature demonstrating that retrieval practice can help improve active, rather than passive learning. The sample was composed of 140 undergraduate students enrolled in a hybrid health science course at a large university in the Midwest. After participants completed their assigned …

Exploring The Perceived Influence Of Exposure To Secondary Trauma On Educators: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Katina M. Perry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the influence of secondary trauma on educators who work with students residing in low-income urban communities. Secondary trauma was generally defined as the emotional response that occurs when individuals are indirectly exposed to the traumatic experiences of others. The theory that guided this study was Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping, as its emphasis on the interplay between an individual’s perceived psychological stress, coping, and cognitive appraisals was resourceful for educators exposed to student trauma. The central research question that guided this study was “How does secondary …

Measuring What Matters: Specifications Grading And Latin* Students’ Mathematics Identity, Luis Miguel Fernández, Mayra Ortiz Galarza, Cristina Villalobos, Martha Asare

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

This study examined Specifications Grading, an alternative grading system emphasizing clearly defined learning outcomes and revision, and mathematics identity among 846 Latin* Calculus I students at a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Mathematics identity, comprising competence/performance, recognition, and interest, was measured at the beginning and end of the semester. Repeated-measures analyses indicated stable competence/performance and recognition alongside declines in interest. Specifications Grading was associated with increased mathematics identity, and multilingual students experienced smaller declines than their peers overall.

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Este estudio examinó la calificación por especificaciones, un sistema de evaluación alternativo que enfatiza resultados de aprendizaje claramente definidos y oportunidades estructuradas de revisión, …

2026 April 8 - Undergraduate Curriculum Council Minutes, Undergraduate Curriculum Council, East Tennessee State University

Undergraduate Curriculum Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

Reexamined Costs: A More Comprehensive Evaluation Of Economic Growth In Michigan’S Teaching Of High School United States History, Kelsee Hyble

Masters Projects

The Michigan Department of Education social studies standards were crafted with the primary goal of promoting “the knowledge, skills, intellectual processes, and dispositions required of people to be actively engaged in fulfilling their responsibility of civic participation” (Michigan Department of Education, 2019, p.3).  The “Purpose of Social Studies” section goes on to explain that, “As members of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world, young people need to learn how to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good” (Michigan Department of Education, 2019, p.3). While the standards provide an accurate explanation of how the United States …