Digital Commons Network^™

Flipped Classroom For Linear Algebra At Undergraduate Level, M. Thulasidas

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In this article, we describe our experience in developing an undergraduate Linear Algebra course tailored to highlight its relevance and applicability in Computer Science. Over the course of three years, the course transitioned from a traditional direct-instruction format to a flipped-classroom design, resulting in positive student learning outcomes. This article covers the course design philosophy, its syllabus, learning objectives, and the incorporation of both quantitative and qualitative student feedback in shaping the course. Furthermore, the article shares the insights gleaned from our experience, which can serve as best practices for instructors aiming to deliver a successful Linear Algebra course for …

The Grader: A Grading Assistant For Lab Tests And A Teaching Tool, M. Thulasidas, David Lo

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This article presents the design and implementation of the Grader, a grading assistant application deployed for a Web Application Development course at our school. The Grader is equipped to handle various logistical aspects of lab tests, including file management, consistent application of rubrics, and auto-grading of questions with test cases. Additionally, it incorporates heuristic rules to detect cheating attempts. We anticipate that the Grader will find widespread utility in programming courses where lab tests serve as summative assessments. Developed within the same programming environment taught in the class, the Grader also serves as a pedagogical tool, demonstrating to students a …

Ai-Proof Your Assignments, Sarah Vital

Staff Works

No abstract provided.

Experiences Of Vertical Transfer Students In The Department Of Biological Sciences With The Transfer Credit Process: A Phenomenological Study, Laura Love

All Dissertations

The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to highlight the experiences of undergraduate STEM vertical transfer students. Through the lens of Schlossberg’s Transition Theory, this study sought to better understand how students make sense of the transfer credit process and which support structures facilitated their understanding. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using qualitative methods with eight biological sciences and vertical transfer students currently enrolled at a large public four-year land-grant research institution in the Southeast United States. All participants had successfully transferred from one of 16 technical colleges within the state. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, three themes were identified. This …

Creating An Evaluation Instrument For Governing Board Chairs At Institutions Of Higher Education, Kristi Shackelford

Dissertations, 2020-current

The goal of this mixed methods study was to design an instrument that evaluates the board chair of an institution of higher education’s governing board chair using criteria identified by current and former board members as contributing most to their perceived success as a leader, according to fellow board members. The assessment would provide feedback on the work of the board chair, providing a metric for accountability and guidance for continuous improvement.

The study uses a three-phase exploratory sequential design, using social construction as a theoretical framework. Qualitative data was collected through a literature review and semi-structured expert interviews, then …

Vmed 531: Introduction To Animal Welfare A Faculty-Led Inquiry Into Reflective Scholarly Teaching Benchmark Portfolio, Amy Walton

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This benchmark portfolio documents course design, student learning, and reflection of teaching methods for VMED 531 Introduction to Animal Welfare. This one credit hour course provides an overview of animal welfare topics and assessment through a veterinary medical lens. Participants are first year veterinary students that have been accepted into Professional Program of Veterinary Medicine (PPVM). This course creates a foundational knowledge base regarding animal welfare topics and fosters critical thinking with how veterinary treatments, surgeries, and animal-use practices influence animal welfare. The ability to utilize critical thinking skills and science-based evidence to create a sound solution is essential regarding …

Disability Services As Related To Higher Education Leadership: An Exploratory Study, Tara Wade Franklin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the past three decades, the number of students with disabilities (SWD) attending postsecondary institutions has increased, yet their completion rates remain significantly lower than those of students without disabilities. This mixed methods exploratory study investigates the role of provost leadership in supporting disability services and understanding the needs of SWD in higher education. The study focuses on Texas higher education institutions, examining the relationships between provosts and directors of disability services. Data collected through the e-survey with open-ended questions primarily came from directors of disability services. Quantitative analysis of Likert scale items explored domains such as leadership, collaboration, consultation, …

Lincoln's Carnegie Library: A History Of Community And Philanthropy, Emily Blomstedt

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Nebraska received 69 Carnegie libraries from the Carnegie foundation between 1899 and 1922. The first and most expensive Nebraska Carnegie library was granted to Lincoln in December 1899, after a fire destroyed Lincoln’s previous library. Lincoln’s main Carnegie library served the community between 1902 and 1960 before it was torn down in 1961 to build the present-day Bennett Martin library. This thesis explores the 60-year history of Lincoln’s Carnegie library, how it connects to national trends surrounding Carnegie libraries, and the role community and philanthropy played in the development of Lincoln’s public library system. These themes are examined through a …

An Inductive Analysis Examining Factors Contributing To Student Attrition In Introductory College Chemistry Courses And Proposed Solutions., Zephaniah Daniel Greenwell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A grounded theory study was conducted to investigate possible methods for reducing the number of “D”, “F”, or “W” grades (DFW rate) in the 1st semester general chemistry course. Classroom observations conducted over the 2022-2023 school year resulted in a 17 questions survey that was distributed in both the fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters with 157 total student responses. While these surveys were being collected, an interview protocol was developed for students and instructors, who have experience teaching or taking an introductory chemistry course. These interviews were conducted in the early spring 2024 semester. Ten undergraduate students, six graduate …

Automatic Grading Of Short Answers Using Large Language Models In Software Engineering Courses, Nguyen Binh Duong Ta, Yi Meng Chai

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Short-answer based questions have been used widely due to their effectiveness in assessing whether the desired learning outcomes have been attained by students. However, due to their open-ended nature, many different answers could be considered entirely or partially correct for the same question. In the context of computer science and software engineering courses where the enrolment has been increasing recently, manual grading of short-answer questions is a time-consuming and tedious process for instructors. In software engineering courses, assessments concern not just coding but many other aspects of software development such as system analysis, architecture design, software processes and operation methodologies …

Benefits Of Alternative Assessment For College Students’ Academic Success And Mental Well-Being, Calista Gabriel

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Assessments play an imperative role in evaluating a student’s knowledge within the classroom. Traditionally, educators have relied on traditional assessments to measure students’ comprehension of course material. However, in contemporary education, there has been a shift towards alternative assessments for a variety of reasons. This senior capstone research project examines students’ and professors’ perspectives and how alternative assessments could affect them. Through the use of literature review, surveys with professors and students, and interviews, the findings underscore the importance of integrating alternative assessments in educational practices, not only for enhancing students’ academic success, but also for nurturing their mental well-being.

Food Literacy And Applying Learnings Towards English Literacy, Andrew Wirtz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Food Literacy promotes the way people should consciously think about the food we ingest on a day-to-day basis. This paper explores how teachers can positively teach students how to be literate when it comes to food and how students can apply these learnings towards their English subject matter skills. This paper also explores how children from all economic backgrounds seek out highly processed foods (such as fast food) which are filled with various chemicals and additives, which in turn, can affect students' performance within the classroom in an negative manner.

Efficacy Of Virtual Reality-Based Simulations In Training Aviation Maintenance Technicians On Maintenance Procedures, Gayatri Anoop

All Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic forced institutions of higher education (IHEs) to halt in-person classes and transition to online platforms. Given the intricate process of adapting hands-on experiments to the online environment, this transition seemed particularly challenging for Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine (STEMM) labs. The abrupt nature of this transition added to the difficulties, given that the IHEs were inadequately prepared for seamless continuity during the pandemic. In the first phase of this project, a literature review was conducted to understand the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on education. Specifically, the review explored the challenges that institutions of higher education faced, …

Digital Literacy, Attitudes Toward E-Learning, And Task Value Roles In College Students’ Distance Learning Self-Regulation, Husnul Muasyaroh, Lucia R.M. Royanto

Psychological Research on Urban Society

The increased adoption of distance learning in higher education, which was especially evident in urban areas during the COVID-19 pandemic, underscores the crucial role of self-regulated learning (SRL) skills. Although previous research demonstrated positive correlations between learner factors and SRL in distance education, a research gap exists in understanding the mediating and moderating roles of specific factors. This study addresses this concern by examining the relationship between digital literacy and SRL as mediated by attitude toward e-learning with task value as a moderator. The study recruited 538 college students (aged 17–25 years) from 10 public universities. Digital literacy was measured …

Volume 122, Number 5 - Tuesday, April 30th, 2024, Saint Mary's College Of California

The Collegian

No abstract provided.

The Minutes Of The Marshall University Graduate Council Meeting, April 29, 2024, Marshall University Graduate Council

Graduate Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

The Special Education Process: A Step-By-Step Guide To Understanding Your Rights And The Significance Of Parent Involvement In Your Child’S Educational Process., Juweria Haji

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

This project explores the challenges faced by parents with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds in navigating the special education system, particularly the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process. It highlights barriers, such as language obstacles, lack of cultural sensitivity among educators, and parents' unawareness of their legal rights, which can lead to inadequate services for their children. The project's significance lies in empowering parents to actively participate in and advocate for their children's educational needs, thus fostering a more inclusive and effective special education program. This project aims to provide strategies and resources to enhance parents' understanding of the IEP process. …

A Curriculum Development For Writing A Personal Narrative In A French Immersion 5th Grade Class., Aliou Sall

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

The purpose of this curriculum development project was to address the need of more writing in elementary French immersion school in grade five French class through the fusion on the writing workshop and the ECRI model (Reasoned and Coherent Writing in Immersion). The writing workshop is proven to work in schools teaching students writing in L1 and the Ecri model was developed by teachers who are experienced in teaching in an immersion setting to help students write in L2. A new framework was developed based on those two frameworks above to support fifth graders in a French immersion school to …

Sr 23-24-44 Cc, Marshall University Faculty Senate

Recommendations

No abstract provided.

Linking Reactive Nitrogen Species Within The Vadose Zone With Surface Irrigation, Kaitlyn Richards

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This study investigated the relationship between irrigation methods and the mobilization of nitrogen in the vadose zone, focusing on soil properties, water dynamics, and nitrogen species distribution. Data collected from dryland and pivot-irrigated soil cores reveal distinct patterns in water content, bulk density, soil texture, pH, conductivity, and nitrogen concentrations. Results indicated that water content has a major influence in nitrogen availability and microbial activity. Nitrate-N and ammonium-N concentrations varied between dryland and pivot soils, with notable disparities observed. In dryland soils, nitrate-N concentrations varied widely across depth intervals, with notable accumulation in deeper layers, while ammonium-N concentrations exhibited a …

Leadership Experiences Of Athletics Directors In Faith-Based Small College Departments: A Phenomenological Study, Michael Teague

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the leadership experiences of intercollegiate athletics directors at faith-based, small colleges and universities throughout the United States. The theory guiding this study was Hersey and Blanchard’s situational leadership theory, as it explores how leaders can most effectively lead and engage their employees given unique circumstances and how those types of leaders are found within the faith-based, small college and university intercollegiate athletics departments. The central research question in this study is: How do athletics directors describe their leadership experiences in a faith-based, small college intercollegiate athletics setting? The phenomenological research using …

April 26, 2024 Minutes, Swosu Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

The Experiences Of Low-Income Students Focusing On An Online Learning Environment In Southwest Georgia: A Hermeneutical Phenomenology, Jayda M. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study is to understand the experiences of low-income students in an online learning environment and how they are socially and academically integrated at an institution in southwest Georgia. Tinto’s 1997 revised student integration model and theory on how institutions must socially and academically integrate students to improve students’ persistence is to guide this research. The participants for this study are ten low-income students who participated in the data collection tools, which are surveys, focus groups, and individual interviews. The participants expressed their experiences, barriers, social and academic integration, and persistence in an online learning …

Second April 2024 Faculty Senate Packet, University Of Nebraska At Kearney Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Packets

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Course Modality On Student Satisfaction And Academic Outcomes At A Liberal Arts College During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Suhua Dong

Institutional Research Staff Publications

Using student self-reports on a survey and objective records of academic achievement, I examined the effects of course modality on student satisfaction and academic outcomes at a selective liberal arts college in spring 2021. I compared three groups of undergraduates (N = 729) based on their predominant course modality: Online-Class Group, Residential Blended Learning Group, and Residential In-Person-Class Group. After controlling for gender, race/ethnicity, class level, and socioeconomic status, course modality demonstrated significant main effects on all three satisfaction variables and sense of connection a student felt to the institution. The Online-Class Group reported the lowest satisfaction with level of …

Future-Ready Teaching: Embracing Ai In Basic Communication Courses, Dious Joseph

Basic Communication Course Annual

In a time when technology is being quickly incorporated into everyday life, artificial intelligence (AI) has taken on a significant role in education (Ocaña-Fernández et al., 2019). AI's ability to revolutionize society holds great promise for redefining human-machine communication (HMC) in the context of education (Edwards & Edwards, 2017). In basic communication courses, where foundational skills are taught and enhanced, AI introduces challenges and opportunities that warrant reexamining present teaching approaches. The present document envisions the significance of integrating artificial intelligence across educational platforms, including Blackboard and Canvas, by embedding AI technologies directly into these systems. This approach contrasts with …

Promoting Critical Deliberation: Bridging Civic Engagement And Social Justice In The Basic Course, Jennifer Y. Abbott, Jordin Clark, James Proszek

Basic Communication Course Annual

With increasing threats to democracy, we call for communication educators to renew and re-examine their commitment to advancing civic engagement in the basic course. Given recent scholarly criticism that civic engagement pedagogies falsely present democratic practice as neutral or apolitical and reinforce the status quo, we set an agenda for basic course instructors to re-envision civic engagement through a more critical and equity-oriented approach. To aid that effort, we present a Critical Deliberation speech assignment that challenges student groups to prepare a 20–25-minute informative presentation about a public controversy and then lead their classmates in a 25-minute deliberative discussion. In …

Assessment ‘Responsabilities’ In The Basic Course: Evaluating Public Speaking Rubrics, Miranda N. Rouse

Basic Communication Course Annual

Procedures and practices that are ableist in the educational system have been long overlooked. Speakers having differing abilities than neurotypical or able-bodied individuals is often not something that is considered in basic course assessment tools. This is important to address because although there are institutional policies and procedures in place to help students with differing abilities, instructors of public speaking have the autonomy or power to determine how such accommodations will affect the speech grade determined by the assessment tool. Power relations are significantly complicated in educational settings when strict hierarchies are imposed, and when instructors abuse their authority, which …

Beyond Delivery, Toward Interpretation: Examining How Students Use Feedback In The Introductory Communication Course, Drew T. Ashby-King, Melissa A. Lucas, Lindsey B. Anderson

Basic Communication Course Annual

Feedback is a foundational communicative aspect of the teaching/learning processes in introductory communication courses as students seek to improve their presentational speaking skills throughout the term. Drawing on 1,673 qualitative questionnaire responses, this paper explores how students used and interpreted instructor feedback. Through our thematic analysis of a randomly selected subset of 335 responses, we identified two tensions in how students used and interpreted instructor feedback: (1) feedback as a process vs. a product and (2) feedback as integrated into the course structure vs. a justification for a grade. Theoretically, this research extends Feedback Intervention Theory by highlighting the importance …

Microgravity Aeroponics System Project, Andrew W. Diddle

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science and Engineering at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science by Andrew W. Diddle on April 22, 2024.