Digital Commons Network^™

Department Chair: Perceived Training Needs, Holly M. Clifford

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 Holly M. Clifford on March 18, 2026.

System-Level Drivers For The Adoption Of Evidence-Based Practices In Schools, Marijne Medhurst, Jen Jackson, Pru Mitchell, Romany Manuell

School and system improvement

This report outlines strategies that education system leaders can use to support the adoption of evidence-based teaching practices within schools, recognising the importance of teaching quality to lift student outcomes. It is based on an adapted systematic review of available evidence conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) for and in collaboration with the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO). The report begins by identifying considerations or approaches that system leaders can apply to selecting strategies to support schools, to ensure that they are culturally reflexive, aware of contextual enablers and barriers, and aligned with the approaches evident in …

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.

Utilizing School-Based Extracurricular Activities: An Embedded Single Case Study On How An Urban School District Combats Community Violence, Justin Errol Conyers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this single-embedded case study was to understand how school-based extracurricular activities (SBEAs) were utilized to combat community violence among students in an urban school district. Social learning theory guided the study, providing a framework for examining how participation in extracurricular activities influenced students’ behaviors and attitudes through the modeling and reinforcement of positive social interactions. The central research question asked: How were school-based extracurricular activities utilized to model and reinforce behaviors that combat community violence among students? This qualitative study employed a single-embedded case study design. The sample consisted of teachers and administrators from one urban school …

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

Undergraduate Curriculum Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Experiences Of Physically Challenged Students Enrolled In Path-Fit Courses: A Case Study, Princess Jhoarn A. Sarael, Shermina C. Yusop, Jessel A. Lapinig, Chandelyn C. Linto, Vanessa Lynne C. Seville

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This qualitative case study explores physically challenged students’ experiences in PATH-fit courses within Philippine higher education, investigating their challenges and adaptive strategies. Through in-depth interviews with five students and two instructors in Pagadian City, researchers uncovered significant barriers, including exercise difficulties, physical discomfort, and social exclusion that profoundly impacted course participation. Despite facing substantial obstacles, students demonstrated remarkable resilience by developing innovative coping mechanisms such as proactive instructor communication, creative alternative activity engagement, and strategic leveraging of written assignments. Employing Resiliency Theory, the research challenged conventional disability perspectives, emphasizing that students’ true potential lies in psychological flexibility and problem-solving skills …

Provost’S Media Report October 10, 2025 – February 15, 2026, Une Office Of The Provost

UNE Provost's Reports

Report of UNE media appearances during the period of October 10, 2025 through February 15, 2026. Prepared for the Academic, Student, and Research Affairs Committee Provost’s Report, March 2026.

Digital Maker Education In Project-Based Learning Through Design For English As A Second Language Skills Development, Pratima Rani Banick

Journal of Research Initiatives

This study investigated the effectiveness of integrating a Maker Education (ME) approach within the PLT design, assisted by Computer-Mediated Tools (CMT), in enhancing the reading skills of Grade 10 ESL learners (aged 15–16) in an online ELT setting. Motivated by the growing need to foster creative and critical thinking and to address learners' lack of interest in traditional approaches to teaching academic reading, the study adopts an experimental design. Students were divided into two groups—a control group (n = 10) and an experimental group (n = 10)—using random sampling. The control group received instruction using the conventional teaching approach, while …

The Campaign For Motivation: Comparing Tabletop Role-Playing Game Running With Classroom Instruction, Arpit Bawa

Journal of Research Initiatives

Motivation is a cornerstone of effective teaching and learning, influencing student engagement, satisfaction, and academic performance. This descriptive case study examines Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TRPGs) as an underutilized pedagogical approach in higher education and compares the motivational processes involved in TRPG game running with those in classroom instruction. Leveraging the mere exposure effect (Zajonc, 1968), the study proposes that faculty unfamiliar with TRPGs can lower perceived barriers to adoption by identifying familiar motivational elements shared with classroom teaching. The study draws on self-determination theory, motivational frameworks, and case study methodology to analyze structural parallels between TRPG game mastering and instructional …

Braving Ai In Tertiary Education: Generative Artificial Intelligence And Chatbots In Civics, Magdalena Brzezinska

Journal of Research Initiatives

This article explores tested strategies for the responsible and inclusive use of text- and video-generating artificial intelligence (GenAI) and educational chatbots in university classrooms, with a focus on foreign language learners, including students from refugee and migrant backgrounds. Drawing on case studies from WSB Merito University in Poznan, Poland, the author presents methods for integrating AI in civics education in a culturally relevant and equitable manner, emphasizing the importance of responsible technology use. The strategies discussed are adaptable to various tertiary education settings and aim to enhance global skills, foreign language proficiency, AI literacy, and visual literacy among college students. …

Pennies In The Bank: Building Background Knowledge, Brooke Lee Webster

Journal of English Learner Education

Abstract

Across the United States, teachers are met with stringent time requirements that may not align with the needs of the students inside the classroom. This paper explores the efforts of condensing and prioritizing in a diverse classroom. Through a reflective narrative of teaching comprehension to emerging bilingual students, this paper presents a structure that leverages morning meetings and discussion as prongs for maximizing the benefit of students within limited instructional minutes. Tasks that build competence, confidence, and connection cycle to foster the environment that students need to thrive. Additionally, this paper investigates the role of building background knowledge in …

Supporting English Language Learners: A Comprehensive Guide For Long-Term Success, Yana Shifrina-Piljovin

Journal of English Learner Education

Abstract

This literature review provides a thorough examination of the various multifaceted challenges encountered by Long-Term English Language Learners (LTELLs) in educational settings. It critically analyzes the effectiveness of current support systems and instructional strategies, synthesizes relevant recent research findings, and offers targeted recommendations aimed for educators and policymakers striving to improve educational outcomes for LTELLs. The review evaluates the efficacy of existing support frameworks and teaching methodologies, synthesizes contemporary research findings, and presents actionable recommendations for educators and legislators to enhance the learning outcomes of these students.

Supporting English Language Learners LTELLs) in classroom settings requires a deep understanding …

Are Testing Accommodations Helping Or Not? A Review Of English Learner (El) Accommodations On Standardized Tests, Cole Forbes

Journal of English Learner Education

This paper examines and critiques English Learner (EL) testing accommodation policies. They have been ineffective at increasing test scores and accessibility. The policies have mandated that EL students participate in high-stakes assessments with accommodations, and sometimes without them. The purpose of the accommodation is to create an even playing field for all test-takers, so that no subgroup is put at a disadvantage, which would compromise their scores and lead to misclassification of students. Laws and Acts such as the Bilingual Education Act of 1968, No Child Left Behind, and the Every Student Succeeds Act have updated and mandated a more …

Differentiated Instruction For Multilingual Learners: A Thematic Analysis Of Research And Practice, Mohsine Bensaid, Jiayuan Jiang

Journal of English Learner Education

Differentiated instruction (DI) is widely promoted as a means of supporting diverse learners, yet its enactment for multilingual learners (MLs) remains uneven and under-theorized in mainstream classrooms. This study examines how DI is conceptualized and implemented to support MLs by attending to learners’ linguistic, cultural, and academic profiles. Using reflexive thematic analysis, this qualitative synthesis examines 20 peer-reviewed empirical studies published between 2010 and 2024 in English-medium K–12 contexts in the United States, with particular attention to elementary settings when specified. Analytic interpretation was supported by practitioner-based reflection functioning as an interpretive lens rather than a separate data source. Four …

A Quasi-Experimental Study On The Effectiveness Of Achieve3000 On The Reading Comprehension Scores Of Ells With Ld, Paula P. Fields

Journal of English Learner Education

The purpose of this quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study was to determine if a significant difference existed in the comprehension scores of secondary English Language Learners with learning disabilities after treatment. The problem addressed is that a significant correlation exists between English language learners and learning-disabled students’ low reading proficiency scores and student achievement, leading to decreased graduation rates. Schema theory served as the theoretical foundation of this research because when the appropriate schema is activated, it helps increase comprehension. The research question guiding this study was: Is there a significant difference between the reading comprehension scores of high school English language …

Reading Comprehension Interventions For Multilingual Learners With Disabilities: A Systematic Review, Sariya Shabnam, Jennifer E. Smith, Samiratu Bashiru

Journal of English Learner Education

Multilingual learners with disabilities (MLWDs) face substantial barriers to reading comprehension given the intersecting challenges of language acquisition and disability (Artzi et al., 2022; Frates et al., 2024). Students with disabilities often need explicit, strategy-based instruction with modeling, guided practice, and scaffolding (Frates et al., 2024; Wawire et al., 2024; Moura, 2024). When learners are also multilingual, interventions must be linguistically accessible and responsive to diverse cognitive profiles (Moura, 2024; Sarisahin, 2020). MLWDs comprise 15.8% of English learners in U.S. public schools (NCES, 2024), yet research on effective comprehension interventions remains limited; most studies treat multilingual learners or students with …

Institutionalizing A Culture Of Respect For Teaching And Professional Faculty, Laura E. Sponsler

Higher Education: Faculty Scholarship

The University of Denver has made great strides in improving faculty work and culture with the creation of full time non-tenure track lines – the Teaching and Professional Faculty. In 2015, DU’s faculty senate and Board of Trustees approved and created professional pathways with promotion, longer term contracts, and defined responsibilities for Teaching and Professional Faculty. Compared to other universities and colleges, our current strengths include multi-year contracts, participation and leadership in university governance, opportunities for advancement and promotion, and collegiality amongst faculty members.

This white paper serves to examine the institutionalization of these lines and the current status of …

The Minutes Of The Marshall University Graduate Council Meeting, February 27, 2026, Marshall University Graduate Council

Graduate Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

Consequences Of Time Poverty Due To Work Intensification: Lived Experiences Of High School Teachers, John Manning, Lisa Reason

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

This qualitative study sought to explore teachers’ lived experiences with work intensification in a public high school. Apple’s teacher work intensification thesis was used as a framework to evaluate how organizational conditions, time poverty, and job demands contribute to increasing complexity in teachers’ work as well as how they mediate their own responses to it. The research explored the lived experiences of 10 public high school teachers as they managed their perceived feelings of time poverty alongside increasing job demands. Data was collected through interviews, reflective journals, and a qualitative survey. Analysis strategies included in vivo coding, horizontalization, triangulation, and …

20260209: Dr. Kelli Johnson's Donation, 1952-2025, University Libraries

Guides to University Archives

These items include materials from University Libraries at Marshall University from 1952-2025. Items were received in 2026 from Dr. Kelli Johnson within the University Libraries and include notable materials about various campus events, such as the MU Textbook Affordability Committee (2022), the Dr. Carter G. Woodson Dinner Honoring Dr. Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress (2018), Greater Huntington Wall of Fame 2024 Induction Ceremony, June Harless Center 25 Years Celebration (2025), Hooding Ceremony for Grad Students (2025), Marshall vs. Morris Harvey (1952), and WV's Experience in Civil Rights with Eve Faulkes (2024). Please download the finding aid for a full list …

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes Feb 6, 2026, A-State Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

White Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions Of Faculty Of Color, Jeffrey Cross

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Despite decades of initiatives that promote the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education, the percentage of faculty who identify as people of Color still remains low. Experiences of discrimination and marginalization from White faculty colleagues and White students has been commonly reported by faculty of Color. While studies have examined these experiences from the faculty perspective, research addressing White students’ experiences with faculty of Color has been sparse. The purpose of this study was to examine White undergraduate students’ perceptions of faculty of Color at predominately White institutions and how these students understand the influence of racial …

Social Media Monitoring And The Admissions Process: A Study Of College Admissions Officers' Use Of Social Media In Undergraduate Application Review, Rachel Karpeles

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

This study explored the evolving role of social media in college admissions, focusing on the perceptions and practices of admissions professionals following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision on Affirmative Action. The research, utilizing a descriptive design, employed a 31-question anonymous survey administered to a convenience sample of 532 admissions representatives. The findings directly contradict the public and media narrative by revealing a profound paradox: while social media monitoring is not a widespread professional practice, its impact on admissions outcomes for a notable portion of applicants is demonstrably significant.

The study found a majority of respondents believe evaluating applicants based …

Human-Centered Leadership Coaching For School Redesign & Career Connected Learning, Monica White

Bank Street Education Center

Focusing on the Bank Street Principal Innovation Fellowship’s first cohort, this report examines how coaching supported principals as they implemented FutureReadyNYC, the district’s career-connected learning initiative. Through case studies of four principal-coach pairs, the report identifies an emerging leadership coaching model—including key principles, practices, and outcomes—that contributed to meaningful school-level progress and offers insights for school systems seeking to use coaching to strengthen principals’ capacity to lead complex change.

A Phenomenologically Informed Study Of Black Male Preservice Teachers’ Lived Experiences: Professional Socialization, Social Representation, And The Redesign Of Teacher Education For Equity, William A. Anders

Student Theses

This qualitative research explores the experiences of Black male preservice teachers in New York City’s teacher education programs. To examine the underrepresentation of Black male preservice teachers, the research employs Critical University Studies and Critical Race Theory to investigate the institutional barriers they face. Using semi-structured interviews with seven participants and reflexive thematic analysis, the findings revealed six paramount themes: Pathways in Teaching, Representation and Identity, Experiences in Teacher Education, Racial Bias and Institutional Challenges, the Role of Mentorship and Support Networks, and Teaching Philosophy.

Participants described the challenges that Black male preservice teachers face, including isolation, economic hardships, unsuitable …

Humanity Is Evolving Its Consciousness: The Role Of Archetypal Energies As Guides During An Unfolding Weeding Out And Alignment Process, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

Humanity is evolving its consciousness at individual and collective levels.  Given these seemingly tumultuous times, as of this writing (January 2026), to make such a statement may sound like a strange thing to say.  However, I suggest that if you are alive today and if you are reading these words, these are the very times for which you were born—to assist Humanity as it evolves its consciousness with your unique gifts, whatever they may be.  That is, this period of our individual and collective human being-ness may be characterized as an unfolding period of weeding out and alignment with the …

Exploring The Perspectives Of Afl Teachers On Teacher Development Needs, With Reference To The Level Of Professional Experience, Fathiyya Refky Abdelwahhab

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the perceptions of teachers of Arabic as a Foreign Language (AFL) regarding their training needs, with an attempt to examine whether those needs might vary according to the level of teaching experience. It also examines the views and reflections of AFL teachers about their training experiences; highlighting perceived strengths, weaknesses, and preferred training formats. The teaching competence examined in this study are based on the Cambridge Framework (n.d.) and the British Council CPD (1) Framework (2016). The key areas surveyed are Learning and the Learner, Teaching and Assessment, Arabic Language in the Classroom, Arabic Language Knowledge and …

About The Contributors

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

No abstract provided.

Latisha King: Queer Confusion, Aggression, And Correction, Hannah Bollin

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

Latisha King was a 15-year-old biracial and transgender student at E.O. Green Junior High who was shot and killed by one of her peers on February 12, 2008. Latisha’s untimely death was followed by a court case during which she was blamed for her own murder due to her gender identity and sexual orientation. Through a thematic analysis of scholarly work alongside public media sources surrounding the case, this study argues that the transphobia that Latisha faced in her classroom was continued in the courtroom and media. More specifically, this article argues that the classroom, murder trial, and public media …

Multimedia-Based Interventions To Improve Science Learning Outcomes For Deaf Students At Wangsel Institute For The Deaf., Cheten Tshering Mr., Tshering Wangchuk

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Efforts have been made to ensure inclusive learning opportunities for all students, including those from diverse backgrounds. One key strategy to enhance children’s learning and academic performance involves the thoughtful selection and application of instructional tools tailored to meet learners' specific needs. This study examines the impact of multimedia-based instruction on science achievement among deaf students at Wangsel Institute for the Deaf in Bhutan. Using a quasi-experimental design, the research compared pretest and post-test results between a control group and an experimental group. Data analysis included descriptive statistics (t-test) and ANCOVA. The findings indicated a statistically significant differences (p = …