Digital Commons Network^™

Technology-Enhanced Professional Development For Early Literacy: A Comparative Study Of Online Teacher Learning Models In Kenya, Constanza Uribe-Banda

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Growing recognition of early literacy as essential for lifelong learning, along with evidence that teachers’ mastery of foundational literacy instruction influences student outcomes (Darling-Hammond et al., 2017; UNESCO, 2020), has led to increased investment in teacher professional development. Despite these efforts, many educators face significant challenges in accessing high-quality training, particularly in resource-constrained settings where geographical barriers and limited institutional support persist. This is especially true in rural Kenyan communities, where teachers often work in under-resourced schools with unreliable electricity and internet connectivity yet bear responsibility for laying critical literacy foundations. The present study examines the potential to deliver effective …

How Have Teacher Candidates Learned To Use Evidence? A Systematic Review Of Research, J. S. Beck, D. R. Riddle, J. J. Morgan, H. Whitesides, N. Brown

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

The purpose of the current manuscript was to provide a systematic review of the literature regarding how preservice teachers learn to use evidence to evaluate student learning. To that end, we operationalize the terms data literacy for teachers, data-driven decision making, and assessment literacy before outlining the methods of our systematic review. Our review produced 36 relevant articles situated within the United States. Based on these articles, we describe how teacher candidates learn to use data including relevant interventions and instructional methods. We also expand on the types of research methods used in these studies. We conclude with implications for …

Block Schedules In Virginia Schools: Purposes, Outcomes, And Policy Considerations, David Naff, Meleah Ellison, Jamelle Simmons, Xun Liu, Martin Darby, Crystal R. Bell, Shelby Garofalo, Obed Boateng, Wendy Rodgers, Audrina Farrar, Karli Johansen, Mysia Perry, Maggie Szydlowski, Fatemah A. Khawaji, Katherine Urban

MERC Publications

When schools and divisions choose a daily schedule structure to follow, it is important to consider its purpose and potential impacts on students, educators, and families. The purpose of this MERC research and policy brief is to inform the work of school division leaders and school board members making decisions about whether to adopt or continue the use of block scheduling in middle and high schools. It explores the following questions:

1. What are block schedules and where are they used?

2. How are school schedules related to student outcomes and educator quality?

3. What policies at the federal, state, …

From Enrollment To Graduation: How Social Support Shapes Latino Educational Trajectories In Minnesota, Erick Heaney

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Latino students represent the fastest-growing racial/ethnic group in the United States, yet their post-secondary completion rates remain significantly lower than those of other student populations. This study explores the educational trajectories of Latino students in Minnesota, focusing on the role of social support networks in shaping persistence and attainment. The research identifies peer and family support as the strongest predictors of Latino students' confidence to graduate (p < .001), underscoring the central role of close personal networks in persistence. Findings suggest that while financial and structural barriers continue to hinder success, culturally responsive support systems can positively influence degree attainment. Although centered on Minnesota, the study offers broader implications for higher education policy and practice, highlighting the importance of targeted interventions and institutional accountability in addressing equity gaps. Strengthening support for Latino students is essential to advancing educational and economic opportunity nationwide.

Exploring The Experiences Of Collegiate Black Female Student-Athletes From A Phenomenological Perspective, Deja L. Jackson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Collegiate Black female student-athletes at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) face a unique experience as they navigate the complex intersections of race, gender, and sports while striving for academic and athletic success. Their encounters with racism, discrimination, and marginalization remain largely underexplored. This research provides findings from a transcendental phenomenological study that examined the lived experiences of these athletes. The goal was to understand how racism, discrimination, and marginalization impact these student-athletes both individually and in context sport. Grounded in social constructivism and informed by Black Feminist Thought and Intersectionality Theory, the study involved semi-structured interviews with eight current and former …

Experimenting With Diffractive Analysis Practices While Walking-With River: Audiowalking And Micromapping, Vanessa Wintoneak

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper shares how a river-walking project in early childhood education created and experimented with two practices diffractively as an effort to do research differently. The year-long study, situated in Western Australia, explored river-child relations while walking with Derbarl Yerrigan/Swan River and was interested in decentring the human and attuning to more-than-human relations through situated practices. Using a feminist environmental framework this project took a non-representational approach to analysing data through two intra-related diffractive concepts: re-turning and re-membering. These concepts grounded the two practices, audiowalking and micromapping, and helped to shape the various forms of experimentation for a diffractive approach …

Risky Topics In Health Education: Enacted Content When Students With Migration Backgrounds Meet Swedish Health Education, Mikael Quennerstedt, Annica Caldeborg, Dean Barker, Valeria Varea

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

School health educational content often entails different subject areas and a variety of topics that students are supposed to learn, and when taught in diverse classrooms, potentially positions students as at-risk. Using vignettes in interviews with migrant students in Sweden, the study focuses on views of the content of health education in relation to different ways that health as risk is enacted. Four aspects of risk were identified: (i) risk as content in health education and risky, including topics such as nutrition, stress, smoking, and pollution; (ii) risk as content in health education but not so risky, including topics such …

Outdoor Adventure Education For Adolescent Social And Emotional Wellbeing: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Michael J.A. Down, D. Picknoll, T. Edwards, F. Farringdon, G. Hoyne, B. Piggott, M. C. Murphy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study examines the effects of OAE on adolescent social and emotional wellbeing and their contributors. Intervention studies (single or multi-arm) assessing the effects of OAE on wellbeing were included. Meta-analysis was conducted on outcomes of interest, and the Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB) Tool assessed RoB in multi-arm studies. Four studies assessed within-group change (n = 368), and six assessed between-group change (n = 1,143). Findings indicate significant between-group improvements in resilience, self-esteem and social belonging when OAE was compared to no intervention, but no self-efficacy and overall wellbeing changes were observed. Studies were at high risk of bias, …

2025 Conference Program, Georgia Southern University

SoTL Commons Conference

2025 Conference Program

2025 Merc Annual Report, David B. Naff, Jesse Senechal, Paula L. Ogston-Nobile

MERC Publications

This is the annual report of the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) at Virginia Commonwealth University for the 2024-2025 academic year. It includes vignettes depicting MERC activities in the past year that align with each of its five principles: research, relevance, rigor, multiple perspectives, and impact. It concludes with a discussion of MERC's commitment moving forward.

Virginia Literacy Act Expansion: Implications For Middle Schools, Candace Bechtold, Joan A. Rhodes, Valerie J. Robnolt, David B. Naff, Kendall Hunt, Jan Collins

MERC Publications

This MERC research and policy review focuses on expansion of the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) to include support for middle school students across the Commonwealth. It explores three questions:

1. What were trends in middle school literacy prior to the VLA expansion?
2. What state policies exist for middle school literacy achievement?
3. What does research say about literacy intervention at the middle school level?

It concludes with a series of key takeaways and recommendations for middle school literacy policy and practice.

Student Perceptions Of Campus Facilities And Their Impact On Educational Experience, Steven W. Greenwood

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the perceptions of undergraduate students regarding campus facilities at a picturesque academic institution located in Northern California and explores how these perceptions impact their educational experiences and outcomes. Despite the significant role of physical and technological infrastructure in shaping educational environments, student voices are often underrepresented in the capital renewal process. This study aims to fill this gap by employing a qualitative research approach grounded in empowerment theory and using participatory methods, such as photovoice and semistructured interviews. It underscores the importance of student involvement in facility planning and renewal processes and introduces the research objectives, theoretical …

The Impact Of Stem Self-Efficacy And Sense Of Belonging On Academic Performance For Students Of Color In Introductory Stem Courses, Danyelle Nichole Stokes

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The study explores the interplay between STEM identity development, race and gender in relation to academic performance in STEM at the beginning of post-secondary education. Statistical analyses of this study included descriptive statistics, independent sample t-tests and a multiple linear regression. The quantitative results indicated no statistically significant differences in self-efficacy and sense of belonging scores between White students and students of color. However, participants’ open-ended responses warranted a holistic examination to look for qualitative differences in the STEM identities of students of color and White students. The findings supported existing literature on disparities in support, inclusion and access to …

Am I As Effective At Identifying Emotions As Artificial Intelligence? A Comparative Study Of Emotional Recognition, Traci R. Grove, Alexandra T. Lucas, Maryann Martin, Cathleen M. Deckers, Lulu Sherif Mahmood, Nicole Danaher-Garcia, Mark W. Scerbo, Suzan Kardong-Edgren, Janice C. Palaganas

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background

Learning conversations, or dialogues aimed at deepening understanding and reflection, are deeply influenced by emotions. Effective communication is influenced by emotional intelligence - the ability to recognize, understand, and manage both one’s own and others’ emotions. While advances in artificial intelligence (AI) offer new tools for emotion recognition, these technologies still struggle with accurately interpreting subtle and culturally diverse emotional expressions, sparking debate about their reliability and effectiveness. This article provides a comparative analysis of human versus AI recognition of emotions during an end-of-course reflective learning conversation.

Methods

Emotions during a structured post-conference debriefing were analyzed and coded by …

A Teacher’S Guide To Building And Maintaining High-Trust Relationships In An Ungraded Classroom, Elisabeth Maria-Asti Wennerth

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation addresses a persistent problem in secondary education: the misalignment between traditional grading systems and equitable, humanizing learning. While alternative assessment movements (e.g., ungrading) are gaining momentum, many implementations falter not for lack of techniques or strategies but for lack of trust between teachers and students, among peers, and across school–family partnerships. Guided by the central research question, How can a teacher’s resource guidebook be designed to support high school educators in adopting ungrading practices that build and maintain high-trust relationships?, this design-for-practice study synthesizes literature and theory to produce a modular practitioner guide. The conceptual framework integrates relational …

Mothers, Social Capital And Children’S Physical Literacy Journeys In Rural Australia, Kate Mccreery, Dawn Penney, Ruth Jeanes

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In rural communities in Australia, the provision of sport and physical activities for children almost exclusively relies upon parents and their ability to access and contribute to facilities, funding, volunteers, and administration. This paper brings Putnam’s social capital framework to Whitehead’s conceptualisation of physical literacy as a journey to offer original insight into children’s sport participation and the opportunities arising for physical literacy development in rural communities in Australia. Changes in sport participation in Australia and directions in sport policy set an important context for the project, which is located in a small rural community in Western Australia. It was …

Student Centers: The Intersection Of Campus Ecology And Sense Of Community, Caitlyn A. Wine

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Student centers are more than physical structures as they function as dynamic environments that serve as the hearthstone of campus, providing spaces for students to gather, connect, and engage. However, their role in fostering students’ sense of community remains underexplored. Grounded in campus ecology theory, this study explored whether time spent in the student center and specific forms of interaction predicted students’ sense of community. A quantitative survey design was employed, the Student Center and Sense of Community Intersection Survey (SCSCIS), to assess student center usage and perceived sense of community. Results indicated that time spent in the student center …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Students’ Ict Skills For Online Assessments (Naplan): Influences And Impact, Cindy Carboni, Susan Main

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This convergent mixed-methods study investigated Australian teachers’ perspectives on the computing competencies required for online National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). A total of 107 teachers completed surveys examining how socio-educational backgrounds and classroom practices shape students’ readiness for high-stakes online assessments. Quantitative analysis revealed significant associations between socio-educational advantage and students’ proficiency in seven essential NAPLAN ICT online skills, including typing, navigation, and on-screen manipulation. Qualitative findings highlighted teachers’ concerns about limited exposure to computing tools and insufficient practice time, which many believed hindered student performance in online assessments. Teachers also noted that inequities in skill development …

Relaciones De Las Competencias Docentes Con El Bienestar En Docentes De Ciencias Empresariales Bajo La Modalidad A Distancia En Una Universidad Privada En Colombia, Camilo Ernesto Aguirre Martínez

Theses and Dissertations

El propósito de esta investigación consistió en determinar las relaciones de las competencias docentes con el bienestar en docentes de Ciencias Empresariales bajo la modalidad a distancia en una Universidad privada de Colombia. El estudio buscó identificar las relaciones entre las competencias docentes y el bienestar psicológico, el bienestar subjetivo y el bienestar social, cuáles de esas relaciones predominan, así como la identificación de cuáles elementos de estos tipos de bienestar contribuyen con el desarrollo de las competencias docentes.

El enfoque de la investigación fue el empírico analítico o cuantitativo, el diseño fue no experimental y su alcance fue de …

Vcu And The 2025 Virginia Course Materials Survey, Abbey Childs

Scholarship about Open Education

In 2025, VIVA distributed an updated Virginia Course Materials Survey. Its goal was to build on the first iteration of the survey, providing updated data for the areas explored in the original survey, along with new data to address the changing open and affordable landscape in Virginia. The 2025 survey aimed to answer the following questions:

1. What is the impact of course material costs on educational equity among Virginia students?

2. What course content materials do students find to be most beneficial to their learning?

3. What barriers are presented to students due to course material costs and how can those barriers …

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She Speaks: Amplifying Women's Voices For Wellbeing, Narelle Lemon

Reports accepted as research outputs

Executive Summary

The SheSpeaks project successfully transformed how 223 Western Australian women understand and practice self-care, demonstrating  that targeted wellbeing literacy interventions can create lasting change  in women’s relationship with their own wellbeing. Funded by the Women’s Grants for a Stronger Future program, this innovative initiative combined evidence-based workshops with authentic podcasting to challenge the pervasive cultural narrative that positions women’s self-care as selfish  or impossible.

Facilitating On-Task Behavior In Physical Education For Learners With Asd Through Special Interest Modified Materials: Antecedent-Based Intervention, Gary Smith

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are affected in the areas of social skills, communication, and restrictive and repetitive behaviors that can lead to barriers in accessing physical education (PE). School-based PE helps children learn how to develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to live physically active lifestyles. The purpose of this current study is to implement an antecedent based intervention using special interest materials to increase on task and engagement in learners with ASD in PE activities. The intervention showed modest to minimal improvements in on-task behavior and performance for two of the three participants, with high variability and …

How Did The Covid-19 Pandemic Affect The Educational Level Of Students, Measured By The Act?, Davey A. Reed, Davey A. Reed

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES), chronic absenteeism, and ACT performance among Alabama’s 4A public high schools, with a particular focus on how these factors evolved before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing a longitudinal design, the research examined data from four academic years: 2019 (pre-COVID) and 2022, 2023, and 2024 (post-COVID). Data were obtained from the Alabama State Department of Education’s public report card portal and included ACT composite scores, school-level SES data, and chronic absenteeism rates. Schools were anonymized to ensure confidentiality and grouped into SES categories (Low, Mid, High) for comparative analysis. A combination …

First-Gen Latinx/Afro-Latinx And Complex: Keeping Resilient Responses On Shuffle, Tibisay I. Hernandez

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This qualitative study examined the racialized experiences of first-generation Latinx and Afro-Latinx students in higher education. Fourteen participants engaged in pláticas, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups to reflect on how their identities, race, and institutional dynamics shaped their collegiate journeys. The study examined how these students navigated both personal and institutional settings, revealing the emergence of tensions around belonging, authenticity, and cultural responsibility in everyday interactions. Using Latino Critical Race Theory (LatCrit) alongside Multidimensional Identity Negotiation Theory (MINT) and Co-Cultural Communication Theory (CCCT), this study developed an emergent framework—the Resilient Response Model—to better understand how students respond to complex identity …

Retention Rate Of The Human Performance Course In Flight Training, Ahmet Uğur Avcı, Erdinç Ercan

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Pilots are obliged to accurately assess a situation that poses a risk to flight safety and take the necessary corrective action. The theoretical knowledge in flight training is essential to accomplish this. The objective of the study is to ascertain the retention rate of the human performance (HP) course and to determine the necessity of refresher training. Sixteen questions were prepared for pre- and post-tests about the atmosphere, hypoxia and hyperventilation, barotrauma, and spatial disorientation. After completion of the pre-test, participants were instructed to watch the online training video covering the same HP subjects, and finally, a post-test was administered …

Persistent Reading Deficiencies In Early Education, William Steven Reed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study investigated early reading teachers’ perceptions of the instructional practices they use to identify early elementary student reading proficiency, including unique challenges they face when addressing the development of early reading skills. The researcher investigated eight first and second grade teacher classrooms during the 2023–2024 school year through collective interviews, observations, and related school data. The researcher performed a qualitative analysis of the collected data to reveal varying themes that support recommendations to reduce persistent reading problems among early elementary students. Using purposeful sampling to select licensed, experienced participants, the insights of eight early elementary reading teachers …

The Impact Of The Implementation Of The Interconnected Systems Framework (Isf) On Educators, Kayla Jones

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Amid growing concerns around teacher retention and educator job satisfaction, this study explored how system-level frameworks, particularly the Interconnected System Framework (ISF), could influence key teacher outcomes. While the ISF has been widely associated with improved student outcomes, this research investigated its potential to enhance educator experiences, focusing on working conditions, retention rates, and school climate. Quantitative analysis revealed that schools implementing the ISF or PBIS reported significantly more favorable working conditions and school climate compared to non-implementing schools. Although teacher retention rates did not significantly differ across implementation types, notable variability within the non-implementing group suggests a need for …

Assessing Stress, Anxiety, And Burnout In Undergraduate Veterinary Technology Students, Dean Ann Daughaday-Provine

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Academic stress, anxiety, and burnout can negatively impact the mental health and well-being of students pursuing degrees in veterinary medicine. This quantitative study was designed to investigate the effects of academic stress, anxiety, and burnout on undergraduate students enrolled in Veterinary Technology programs. This study gained critical insight from current students transitioning through a rigorous curriculum of standards designed by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The AVMA Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA) has established standards, outlined in policies and procedures, to ensure the quality of assessments and enhancements in veterinary education within accredited Veterinary Technology programs.

The Role Of Faith-Based Adult Education In Black And Marginalized Communities, Brian Jones

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine how faith-based and strengths-based adult education programs impact the cognitive well-being, life purpose, and socioeconomic outcomes of Black, and marginalized adult learners. The research seeks to understand the lived experiences of participants, motivations, and barriers to inform more inclusive and effective adult education practices. Additionally, the study aims to understand what impact these organizations are having on the self-efficacy, socioeconomic outcomes of Black and marginalized students, while looking to align areas for improvement. While the study uses quantitative methods to answer research question, the focus of questions bring insight that would …

Challenging Behaviour In The Early Years: Investigating Teacher Perceptions, Gillian Anne Smith

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

An upward national trend in challenging behaviour amongst young children in Australian schools has prompted widespread concern and garnered frequent media scrutiny. Scholars have established that child-teacher relationships are central to understanding and mitigating challenging behaviour; however, exploration of teacher perceptions of children’s challenging behaviour in the early years has been limited. This study aimed to address this gap by investigating how early childhood teachers perceive and respond to young children’s challenging behaviour in Western Australia’s Kindergarten to Year 2 settings. The research was grounded in Attachment Theory and Ecological Systems Theory, highlighting the relational and environmental factors influencing teacher …