Digital Commons Network^™

Textbook Cost And Interactivity: Comparing Equity Outcomes And Student Perceptions, Brandilynn J. Villarreal, Kimberly N. White, Kimberly Vincent-Layton, Alice Zhang, Francesca Messina, Christopher W. Harmon

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Significant equity gaps in introductory STEM courses create barriers in the STEM pathway. The current study investigated the impact of equitable access to course resources in the form of different e-textbooks in an introductory chemistry course. The purpose of the study was to determine if the use of a free textbook and/or the use of an interactive textbook enhances students’ academic performance, especially among students from marginalized backgrounds. We analyzed equity data for 199 general chemistry students. Overall, the pattern of course equity gaps suggests there was a positive impact of implementing a free textbook on students’ grades, with the …

“Asking For Help Feels Like A Weakness”: Factors Shaping First-Year Students’ Expectations Of Stem Course Office Hours, Jeremy L. Hsu, Grace Holick, Rebecca M. Green, Elaine Benaksas Schwartz, Melissa Rowland-Goldsmith

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Office hours are one of the most ubiquitous resources for students in STEM courses. However, there has been only limited work examining what students think of STEM course office hours, and we are not aware of any past work that has examined (1) how students perceive STEM course office hours upon entering college, and (2) how these perceptions change over time and the factors that shape these perceptions and expectations of what will occur in office hours. Here, we utilize a longitudinal series of surveys to capture first-year students’ perceptions and expectancies for office hours at the beginning of …

Asset And Deficit Thinking: Ed.D. Students’ Perceptions And Preferences Around Their Instructors’ Feedback, Rebecca R. Simataa, Jordan O'Connell, Kateri Johnson, Christopher Dufault

Essays in Education

This study investigated cohort-based Ed.D. students’ perceptions and preferences related to deficit and asset-based instructor feedback. The researchers collected data from 28 current Ed.D. students through a survey based on Henderson et al.'s (2016) Feedback for Learning questions. While students generally perceived feedback as asset-focused, they expressed a need for more growth-oriented, individualized responses. Additionally, male participants significantly perceived more asset-based feedback than females, suggesting that demographic alignment between instructors and students may influence perceptions around feedback. Implications suggest that Ed. D. faculty can enhance feedback practices by choosing transactional or transformative approaches based on students' needs and preferences, offering …

Parliamentary Procedure Interactive Notebook: Newly Revised, P. Troy White, Amie Carter

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

An interactive notebook for teaching fundamentals of parliamentary procedure. Over 120 pages of content to help teach correct principles of this critical organizational management skill. P. Troy White is a Professional Registered Parliamentarian and a Certified Parliamentarian, ensuring that the content included follows the 12th Edition of Robert's Rules of Order.

Rethinking Empowerment: Financial Self-Efficacy In First-Generation College Students, David Steadman

Masters Projects

Financial wellness difficulties have increasingly been found as a trend found amongst college students in research, as loans increase and student aid decreases, research is needed to understand new approaches to financial wellness and improving this problem within higher education. This project explores financial wellness and the need for wellness support amongst first-generation college students, as they continue to face unique wellness challenges in education at disparate rates. Specifically, it focuses on Financial Self-Efficacy (FSE) as a mediating factor of financial wellness, instead of a traditional focus on purely financial literacy. Grounded in Albert Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, the First-Generation Financial …

Transgressive Body, Open Mind, And Perceptive Spirit For Nurturing Soul: A Reflection On Teaching To Transgress, Akie F. Wenk

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

In this reflection essay, I discuss my journey into the liberatory pedagogy bell hooks champions. As a foreign-born Japanese woman, who speaks English as her second language, being in the classroom itself can be seen as a transgressive act. Positioning myself as an educator who strives to creates an environment that is liberatory for me and my students, I discuss my specific experience and relationship to theories surrounding critical feminist pedagogy and how I practice these theories in my own classroom.

Investigating The Use And Acceptance Of Information And Communication Technologies By University Faculty In Liberia And Its Implications To Sub-Saharan Africa, Michael K. Gray

Dissertations

This descriptive, non-experimental, correlational quantitative study examines the relationship between components of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), and Human Capital Development (HCD) in determining the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) among university faculty in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). With the increasing importance of ICT in educational transformation across developing regions like SSA, understanding the underlying factors that influence ICT acceptance is essential for effective policy and implementation strategies. The researcher surveyed 336 university faculty in Liberia using a questionnaire designed to capture perceptions related to TAM constructs (perceived usefulness …

Graduate School Of Engineering And Management Academic Catalog 2025-2026, Graduate School Of Engineering And Management, Air Force Institute Of Technology, Walter F. Jones

AFIT Documents

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Black Faculty On First-Year Black Student Retention, Sense Of Belonging, And Racial Identity At Historically And Predominantly White Institutions, D'Andrea L. Williams

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The presence and engagement of Black faculty members in higher education can significantly impact Black students' college experience in their first year, especially at historically and predominantly White institutions. Emphasizing the importance of representation mentorship and relationship building, this study stresses the importance of Black faculty in fostering a sense of belonging, strengthening racial identity development, and contributing to the retention rates of Black college students during their freshmen year. On campus, Black students face the challenges of a campus climate plagued by racism, unfair expectations, mistreatment, microaggressions, and discrimination. Representation matters, and the sharing and affirming of those experiences …

Uni Impact: Faculty/Staff Scholarly Publications And Featured Awards Newsletter, V3i2, 2024, Rod Library. Research & Sponsored Programs. Uni Foundation. University Of Northern Iowa.

UNI Impact: Faculty/Staff Scholarly Publications and Featured Awards Newsletter

Highlights the scholarship, research, and other scholarly work produced by University of Northern Iowa faculty, students, and staff.

This issue covers the period of July - December 2024.

Characterization Of Undergraduate Biology Instructors’ Goals And Strategies For Implementing Quantitative Reasoning, Anum Khushal

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Quantitative reasoning (QR) is the application of mathematics and statistics to real-life and scientific contexts. It is essential for understanding complex biological phenomena and analyzing large datasets in both academic and professional settings. In response to the growing demand for QR skills, biology educators and researchers have engaged in curricular reforms and education research. This qualitative study explores how undergraduate biology instructors integrate QR into their teaching using a framework informed by pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and QR. The study involved 21 biology faculty from various U.S. institutions who intentionally incorporated QR in their instruction. Data was collected through semi-structured …

Artificial Intelligence On Campus: Revisiting Understanding As An Aim Of Higher Education, Jamie Herman, Henry Lara‐Steidel

Prindle Faculty and Staff Publications

AbstractThe launch of the powerful generative AI tool ChatGPT in November 2022 sparked a wave of fear across higher education. The tool could seemingly be used to write essays and do other work without students putting in the effort expected of them. In this paper, Jamie Herman and Henry Lara‐Steidel posit a way of addressing the concerns over ChatGPT and increasingly powerful generative AI tools in the classroom by first examining what exactly, if anything, widespread AI use undermines in education. That question, they argue, is logically prior to the question of what to do or how best to embrace …

Climate Change Denial Messages As Post-Truth, David H. Kahl Jr., Ahmet Atay

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Post-truth messages are hegemonic forms of communication intentionally designed to create false narratives that perpetuate power and marginalize others. These messages make differentiating fact from fiction difficult. Students are especially susceptible to believing and internalizing post-truth messages due to their high level of interaction with social media and the neoliberal period in which they have been raised. One type of post-truth message that has become especially prevalent is climate change denial messages that advance a neoliberal agenda. This article will apply tenets of critical communication pedagogy (CCP) as a means by which to recognize messages that deny climate change as …

The Earliest University Of Nebraska Graduate Degrees, 1886-1909, Mark A. Griep

Mark A. Griep Publications

This list of the earliest graduate degrees awarded by the University of Nebraska (NU) in Lincoln was assembled to learn about the university’s research activity that preceded its admission to the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU) in 1909.

Light & Faith: August 2025, Taylor University

Light & Faith

No abstract provided.

University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga Faculty Handbook, 2025 August 1, University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga. Office Of Academic Affairs, University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga. Faculty Senate

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Faculty Handbooks

Governance, policies, guidelines, services, and resources managed by and for the faculty at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Internal Funding Newsletter, Academic Year 2024-2025, Office Of Research And Creative Activity, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Internal Funding Newsletters

The University of Nebraska at Omaha is committed to educating people of the world and the Office of Research and Creative Activity is proud to contribute to UNO?s exceptional education, groundbreaking research, and the life-long success of students and alumni. UNO innovates for the public good through pragmatic and impactful research and discovery. This year's programs provided over $750,000 in awards for students and faculty. These projects included recording a new album of music for a saxophone, flute, and piano trio, understanding college campus bicycle theft, studying student perceptions of the difficulty of organic chemistry concepts, evaluating a therapy program …

An Evaluation Of Key Components Of Natural Resource Camps, Undergraduate Persistence And Success In Natural Resources, Brandy Bishop

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the key components that connect natural resource camps, undergraduate persistence, and overall success through gainful employment within the natural resource industry. The aim of this study was to assess early interest and attitudes towards natural resource career pathways and how education interventions shape students’ career outcomes thus leading to overall success. A longitudinal mixed method design was used combining Conservation Careers Camp survey data (n = 39) with institutional records for Forestry majors (n =655) in the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus. Quantitative data was analyzed through …

Reimagining Education With Ai, Margherita Pagani, Steven M. Miller, Jerry Wind

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This chapter examines AI’s transformative potential in education, focusing on Generative AI (GenAI) and Large Language Models (LLMs) while at the same time emphasizing the importance of grounding and guiding AI efforts with learning science and education research findings. It synthesizes analyses and expert recommendations, highlighting opportunities like personalized learning and enhanced teacher productivity, alongside challenges such as over-reliance on AI. Practical steps for instructors include adopting a question-first approach, utilizing AI for personalized feedback, designing AI-enhanced learning experiences, fostering critical thinking, and ensuring ethical AI use. The chapter concludes with strategic recommendations for leveraging AI to sustainably improve educational …

'Managed Hearts’ In Helper-Education: Gender Non-Binary Helper-Educators’ Experiences Of Emotional Labor, Jordan Pearce

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The unique experiences of people who identify with a gender beyond the binary paradigm dominant in the Global West are not well understood. The literature provides little insight into the experiences and perspectives of these individuals in a variety of contexts, including in their workplaces. As various social movements collide, they bring amplified attention to the mental health of marginalized communities and to workers, as well as the dynamics of modern work environments, and the specific needs of certain individuals doing certain types of work. The current study explored the experiences of gender non-binary individuals (GNI) working as helper-educators engaged …

Practicing In The Laboratories Of Democracy: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Of How Political Science Faculty Use Simulations With Community College Students, James Stewart Shifflett

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Political science faculty members have often used simulations to promote civic engagement and build political efficacy in students. However, the use of political simulations with community college students has not been studied as extensively as it has with their four-year counterparts. Through the interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) methodology, this study examined the experiences of nine political science faculty members who use simulations with community college students to understand how instructional designers might better support their civic engagement and design efforts. Faculty members who participated in the study use simulations as constructive social interactions; as comprehensive learning experiences integrating preparation, facilitation …

Defining And Addressing Student Unprofessional Behaviors From The Physical Therapy Clinical Instructors’ Perspective, Michele "Shelly" Lewis, Nicole Biltz, Moyo B. Tillery, Jamie Dunlap Coates, Tracy Ellison, Elsa M. Drevyn

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Developing professional behaviors is an integral part of health professional education. Despite physical therapy education programs’ efforts to assist student physical therapists in developing professional behaviors before entering the clinic, some students still struggle with professional behaviors during clinical education experiences. Literature describing unprofessional behaviors in the clinic and providing guidance for clinical instructors to assess and address professional behavior issues is scarce. This study was conducted to investigate the type of unprofessional behaviors student physical therapists display during clinical education experiences and to describe successful and unsuccessful strategies used by clinical instructors to address challenging behaviors. Method: A …

Effect Of Parental Support On Learning Engagement In Mathematics Online Learning Environment: The Mediating Role Of Online Self-Regulated Learning Strategies, Malathi Letchumanan, Sharifah Kartini Said Husain, Ahmad Fauzi Mohd Ayub

Higher Learning Research Communications

This study examines the effects of parental support on learning engagement and the mediating roles of self-regulated learning (SRL) in mathematics online learning environments. A sample of 112 undergraduate students from the mathematics departments of two public universities in Malaysia participated in the study. We analyzed the data using descriptive analysis and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), and the study findings indicate that parental support significantly predicts online self-regulated learning (OSRL). In addition, OSRL is a significant predictor of students’ engagement. The results also suggest that OSRL fully mediates the relationship between parental support and learning engagement. However, …

Predicting Success On The National Physical Therapy Examination For Graduates Of A Physical Therapist Assistant Program: A Correlational, Logistic Regression Study, Wendy Renee Powers Mcnall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, predictive, correlational study was to assess if practice examinations and self-efficacy influence first-attempt passing scores on the National Physical Therapist Examination for physical therapist assistants. This study is important because, upon graduation from an accredited program, graduates must pass a rigorous national examination to obtain licensure to practice. Concurrently, accreditation standards require physical therapist assistant programs to maintain licensure examination pass rates of 85% for program graduates. With the high-stakes examination affecting the future of graduates and program accreditation status, effective preparation and assessment tools mutually benefit stakeholders. The study utilized binomial logistic regression to …

Investigating The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Academic Performance Among Non-Traditionally Aged Undergraduate Students, Joseph Anthony Giandonato Iv

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to determine a relationship between physical activity (PA) participation and academic performance (AP) among non-traditionally aged undergraduate students (NTAS), aged 25 and older, which represents one of the fastest growing enrollment segments at higher education institutions within the US. The sample (n = 167) was constituted of undergraduate students aged 25 and older enrolled at a large private university located in the Southeastern US for two consecutive academic terms. Data collection was comprised of disseminating a modified version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF) accompanied by a brief demographic …

The Decision-Making Process In Student Conduct: A Qualitative Study, Kupenda Palmer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study was to understand the perspectives and experiences toward decision-making for student conduct administrators at various institutions in the Midwest and Northeast regions. The theory guiding this study is Westaby’s behavioral reasoning theory, as it explains the relationship between decision-making and reasoning for leaders. The central research question for the study is: How do student conduct administrators make decisions concerning student conduct matters? This study adopts a qualitative approach grounded in constructivist philosophy to understand how Student Conduct Administrators (SCAs) make decisions regarding student misconduct. A case study design was chosen to explore the …

July 18, 2025 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

July 17, 2025 Minutes, Swosu Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Need Frustration And Poor Mental Health Among Collegiate Athletes: The Indirect Role Of Ruminative Thinking, Alanni N. Brown, Adrian J. Bravo, Stimulant Norms And Prevalence 2 (Snap2) Study Team

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

Vulnerability to negative mental health outcomes (i.e. anxiety and depression) among DI collegiate athletes may best be understood using Self Determination Theory (SDT) and the framework that need frustration impairs autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Need frustration may also relate to negative mental health symptoms via higher ruminative thinking, known to relate to both need frustration and poor mental health. The present study tested these two path models (i.e., SDT need frustration components [autonomy, relatedness, competency]-->rumination facets [problem-focused thoughts, counterfactual thinking, repetitive thinking, anticipatory thoughts]-->mental health problems (one for depression and one for anxiety as outcomes) among 341 collegiate …

Examining Weight Bias Attitude Changes After Exposure To A Brief Photovoice Assignment, Gretchen L. George, Hillary L. Roberts, Kristin Rose, Madison Clemens, Kate G. Burt

Journal of Dietetic Education

Weight bias is present among pre-health professional students (e.g., nutrition, dietetics, nursing, physical therapy, medicine). Educators need support and guidelines about how to enhance learning through engaging assignments while also meeting accreditation requirements. This pilot study examined the impact of an innovative weight bias assignment using photovoice and reflection within existing nutrition education courses, measured through pre-post assessments from the Fat Attitudes Assessment Toolkit. While not all subscales showed significant change, improvements in the Fat Acceptance and Attribution Complexity Composites suggest these methods may be effective in shifting attitudes about fatness. Further research is needed to assess the long-term impact …