Digital Commons Network^™

Tutors To Teachers: Benefits Of Peer Education For Future Educators [Poster], Ryan Wagner

Graduation with Distinction Posters

Like many other professions, teachers are required to obtain a four-year degree before they can begin their careers, but most teacher education programs aren’t perfect, and can have some very important weaknesses. Peer Education while immensely valuable to the students peer educators serve, also has many benefits for the educators themselves that can translate into increased preparedness for teaching when teachers are finally ready to enter their own classroom for the first time.

The Symbolic Capital Of The Neoliberal University, Chad Lavin

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

The paper examines the concerns about the enduring value of liberal education in the broader context of a shift from a liberal to a neoliberal society. While so much literature on “the neoliberal university” tends to characterize neoliberalism as a hostile force invading the sacred space of the university, the knowledge comprising neoliberalism is in large part the product of research coming out of universities. Using the concept of symbolic capital to explore the role of university researchers in developing and consecrating neoliberal ideas, the paper argues that even in this era of heightened skepticism toward experts and expertise, university …

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 …

Reimagining The Onboarding And Mentoring Needs Of California Community College Counseling Faculty: An Ecological Systems Approach Using Narrative Inquiry, Philip Lantz

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Despite California community college counseling faculty having unique roles on their campuses due to their faculty status and their proximity to students, there is a lack of research related to the experiences of counseling faculty and how they can be supported by local and statewide leaders to best meet the needs of the diverse student populations that are currently being served within the California community college system. This qualitative research study utilized narrative inquiry to examine the current onboarding and mentoring experiences of California community college counseling faculty to evaluate both best practices as well as institutional gaps that negatively …

Defining Best Practices And Validation For Curriculum Mapping, Hannah Smith, Jesse Chittams

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

The alignment of curriculum content with standards is a quality improvement measure used to identify gaps or overlaps in academic content. Curriculum mapping results, while commonly used, are rarely reported. Undergraduate faculty mapped 11 courses in a single timepoint using a web-based curriculum mapping tool. Quantitative results were calculated and compared to defined client needs categories. A validation analysis was performed by mapping one course in triplicate. Faculty feedback following the exercise was obtained by online survey. Three client needs categories were determined to be marginally out of range in the initial analysis of the quantitative mapping data. The curriculum …

Gathering Nuanced Data For Understanding Student Withdrawals, Beverly Wood, Emily Faulconer, Darryl Chamberlain

Publications

This white paper argues that the current system for collecting data on student withdrawals at their university is inadequate. The current withdrawal form lacks detail and makes it difficult to understand the reasons why students leave courses. This is a problem because it hinders efforts to improve student persistence (completion of courses).

Key Points:

• The university's strategic plan emphasizes student experience, enrollment management, and academic excellence. High withdrawal rates undermine these goals.
• Researchers developed a research-based nuanced framework for understanding withdrawal reasons.
• The current withdrawal form offers limited options for students to explain why they are withdrawing; the current form …

Ethical Considerations In Implementing Ai Technologies In Higher Education, Marcia Bennett

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

Over the last few years, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a dominant topic of conversation in the media and business world. Higher education institutions are learning to embrace the role of AI, specifically in online learning environments. As higher education institutions rely heavily on technology, leaders cannot avoid addressing concerns presented by AI. More specifically, online higher education institutions must consider the benefits and challenges presented to educators and learners. The purpose of this paper is to examine the implications of artificial intelligence in online higher education institutions and explore solutions for agile and adaptive policies to navigate the evolving …

Chimes: April 22, 2024, Calvin University

Chimes

Boer resignation fallout leaves students looking for answers by Savannah Shustack

Biology department oversees controlled burns on campus by Maya Oeverman

Pandemic continues to affect student performance by Nolan Cowan

Stepping into new roles: Tyler VerMerris and Ethan VanOrman on becoming leaders by Ashley Hamons

Bruce Dice Mineralogical Museum celebrates expanded meteorite exhibit by Liana Hirner

Michael VanWoerkom: Calvin grad, founder and CEO of aerospace company by Jacob Westra

Track and Field head coach prioritizes community building by Savannah Shustack

Return of spring arts festival increases student morale by Ethan Meyers

Understanding The Use Of Mobile E-Books Among Mathematics Postgraduates, Malathi Letchumanan

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The main objective of this study is to understand the factors that encourage the use of mobile ebooks among mathematics postgraduate students.

Method: This study employed a qualitative case study approach. Eight mathematics postgraduate students from the algebra research group participated in the study. Data were collected via interview and analyzed by using constant comparative analysis.

Results: Utilitarian, cognitive, affective, social norm, and content qualities were the main factors influencing the use of mobile ebooks among the participants.

Conclusions: Mobile ebooks are easy to use and provide a meaningful platform to find information. In addition, the mobile ebook …

Second April 2024 Academic Affairs Minutes, University Of Nebraska At Kearney Academic Affairs Committee

Academic Affairs Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

In What Ways Do Perceptions By Faculty, Students, And Advisors In An Urban University Contribute To Undergraduate Student Success?, Carla Jordan

Dissertations

This study employs a mixed-methods approach to explore perceptions of academic advising among faculty, advisors, and undergraduate students at an urban university in the Midwest, focusing on its implications for student success. Utilizing Creswell’s research design framework, the research integrates quantitative and qualitative data collection methods to understand the relationship between academic advising and student outcomes.

Informed by Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, the study examines how beliefs, behaviors, and environmental factors shape academic experiences and success. It employs the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) from George Kuh’s student engagement framework as a quantitative tool to measure student engagement and …

2024-04-18 Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Faculty Senate meeting minutes from April 18, 2024.

“Don’T Call On Me!”: Mediating Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Mathematics Anxiety In A Problem-Based Classroom, Christina Koehne, Wenyen Huang, Nataly Chesky

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

This study aims to understand the ways in which problem-based teaching in a mathematics content course can alleviate pre-service elementary school teachers' mathematics anxiety. The significance of this work is to help increase the content and pedagogical knowledge of mathematics education, as outlined in STEM policies. Using a mixed method approach, the teachers-researchers explore what methods, procedures, and other perhaps unknown variables, helped pre-service elementary teachers decrease their mathematics anxiety during two mathematics content courses. The findings illuminate five major themes the authors discuss, which are illustrated by rich descriptions of students’ narratives and interviews. Given the importance of mathematics …

Teachers' Experiences Of Using Play And Al's Pals To Teach Socio-Emotional Skills Through Coaching Support Models, Deborah Tamakloe, Elizabeth Powers, Alisa Landis, Lori Mccracken

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

Interactive teaching strategies provide opportunities for engaging children in discussing difficult concepts such as socio-emotional wellbeing and wide range of ideas about their social and personal lives. However, few studies have explored preschool teachers’ efficacy of using coaching through ‘Play and puppetry programs as approaches to developing children’s emotional regulation, socio-emotional learning and wellbeing. This paper reports on a “Labyrinth Project” aimed to gain in-depth understandings of preschool teachers’ experiences and perspectives pertaining to their efficacy of using play and puppetry as tools to promote children’s emotional learning and development. The results showed that despite early challenges with the use …

Message From The President

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

No abstract provided.

Preliminary Terrestrial Palynological Re-Investigation Of The Type Coon Creek Lagerstatte, Tennessee, Usa, Ethan R. Lung, Keira J. Patton, Michael A. Gibson, Jack Garrett, Joshua Ratliff, Alan Youngerman, Mark Puckett, Alyson Brink, Thomas Byl, Masayuki Utsunomiya, Krostina F. Gardner, Jean M. Self-Trail, Jennifer M.K. O'Keefe

2024 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

The type locality for the Campanian Coon Creek Formation, located in McNairy County, Tennessee, is a well-known lagerstatte, with exceptionally preserved marine invertebrate and vertebrate remains in shallow shelf sediments. At the time of deposit ion, the type locality was located in an embayment proximal t o t he eastern margin of the Appalachia province that experienced alternately cool- and warm-water conditions, likely due to currents from both the Western Interior Seaway and Tethys. While marine in their entirety, the sediments contain significant quantities of terrestrial palynomorphs, especially near the top of the section and thus provide a snapshot of …

Acid Rain: A Levelup Experience In Math 442, Grant Amshoff, Emily Blevins, Hannah Phirman, Josh Qualls, Will Tidwell

2024 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

Acid rain has been an ongoing issue in the world since developed countries began producing emissions on a large scale. Acid rain is defined as having an average pH of 4.2-4.4, while "clean" rain is defined by the EPA as having a pH of 5.6 (Figure 1). Locations that have a history of lower pH of precipitation are places that also have higher emissions-cities with high incidence of industry, factories, mines, cattle farms, etc. As much as 70% of emissions are caused by burning fossil fuels.

Geoscience Archivism - Saving Morehead State's Collections One Rock At A Time, Miles Terry, Zachary Strait, Shelby Turner, Hayden Elmore, Caitlyn Gregory, Oliver Laiben, Jen O’Keefe

2024 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

Geoscience Collections at Morehead State University have not properly been organized or sorted since the Lappin Hall renovations in the mid-1990's. The collections were initiated by John C. Philley in 1960, James Chaplin 1961 and the collections card catalog developed by Jules DuBar when he arrived in 1967. Maintenance of the catalog appears to have ceased in 1981 when DuBar left the university. Specimens collected between 1981 and 1992 often have card-stock labels, but do not appear in the collection catalog. In recent decades, many of our cataloged samples have been lost and/ or damaged because of improper storage. Most …

Forest Fire Spread: A Levelup Experience In Math 442 Advanced Mathematical Modeling, Ismael Zeidan, Hadley Cytron

2024 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

Wildfires present a significant threat globally, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of their spread dynamics for effective mitigation. This project employs mathematical modeling to delve into wildfire diffusion mechanisms. Through the lens of mathematical models, this research aims to unravel the underlying principles driving the spread of wildfires. This poster investigates the relationship between mathematics and fire propagation, offering a perspective of how mathematical principles unveil the order within the seemingly random spread of wildfires. By fostering a deeper understanding of these mathematical intricacies, this research contributes to the understanding of precision and reliability of wildfire predictions, providing valuable insights for …

2023-2024 Program And Abstracts Celebration Of Student Scholarship, Morehead State University. Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program.

2024 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

The 2023-2024 Program and Abstracts for the Celebration of Student Scholarship at Morehead State University held on April 17, 2023. A Showcase of Student Research, Scholarship, Creative Work, and Performance Arts.

Martian Aerial Drone: An Exploratory Study For Flying A Scientific Drone On Mars, Jacobo Matallana, Jaden Yates, Michael Combs, Nathan Fite

2024 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

The purpose for this project is to construct the design and development of a specialized drone created for Martian atmospheric data collection. The structural part of the drone prioritizes lightweight yet durable materials. Through in-depth design and simulation, the structural integrity of the drone was optimized to ensure the most reliable performance. In tandem with structural considerations, the electrical part of the drone prioritizes sensor calibration to provide accurate and reliable data collection for scientific analysis as well as stabilization software for the drone itself while flying. Algorithms and code were meticulously developed to enable the drone to remain horizontal …

Detecting The Level Of Scrap Metal Discard From Cnc Machines Using Capacitive Sensors, Isaac Vanderpool, Gunnar Gross, Ollie Uusikartano, Tyler Ward, Kouroush Jenab, Jorge Ortega-Moody

2024 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

A CNC machine is a machine comprised of a motorized and maneuverable tool and platform that are controlled by a computer according to specific inputs. Our machine are a metal mill (which cuts into metal pieces form the top) and a metal lathe (which cuts into metal pieces from the side). Attached to each of these machines is a waste bin that holds discarded metal and debris from that machines. This bin fills up often and quickly and if it isn't cleared out regularly and cause a build of metal scraps inside the machine and resulting in major malfunctions.

Meteorology Misconceptions Held By Students In General Education Earth Science College Course, Kaitlyn Nelson, Wilson Gonzalez-Espada, Jen O'Keefe, Mmd. Golam Kibria

2024 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

This study identified to what extent weather misconceptions persisted after 48 students enrolled in ESS 102 (a gen-ed earth science class at Morehead State University) completed the course, measured by their performance on a recently created Survey of Meteorology Concepts (SMC), completed as a pre- and post-test. By examining participant data using psychometric statistics, survey data will also be used to validate the SMC. The research questions are:

• What weather misconceptions are prevalent among the participants?

• To what extent completing ESS 102 increases weather content knowledge and decrease misconceptions?

• What questions in the SMC are, statistically, the …

Building A Strategic Framework With A Sustainability Lens At Wcu, Stefanie Schwalm

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Dr. Stefanie Schwalm, WCU Associate Provost for Accreditation, SRPS Spring '24 4/17: "Building a Strategic Framework with a Sustainability Lens at WCU."

Alumni Perceptions Of Formative Feedback During The Dissertation Process While Pursuing A Doctoral Degree In Biomedical Science At A Historically Black College And University: A Phenomenological Study, Shontell M.N. Stanford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to discover through the perceptions and lived experiences of biomedical research Ph.D. alums who earned their terminal degree at a southern regional Historically Black College and University (HBCU) if the formative feedback they received impacted their dissertation process. Guided by Bandura’s social learning theory and it’s suggestions of how behavior cultivated by a mentor’s actions and feedback changes the mentee’s behavior and can mature into self-efficacy. This study sheds valuable insight through the lenses of this phenomenological qualitative research methodological strategy of one-on-one interviews, questionnaires, and document reviews. The findings not only uncovered …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Teachers When Enrolled In An Asynchronous Certification Program: A Phenomenological Study, Sara R. Allen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of teachers when enrolled in an asynchronous pre-service educator certification program. This study was guided by John Keller’s theory of motivation, as it explained the motivational factors that influence the Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction (ARCS) model for teachers who have completed an asynchronous educator certification program. A qualitative hermeneutical phenomenology design was combined with snowball and convenience sampling to enroll 10 participants from a school district in the Midwest. Responses from semi-structured individual interviews and a focus group with five participants were collected, and program description letters were obtained from all participants. …

Exploring The Writing Center's Role On At-Risk Students' Self-Efficacy And Writing Performance: A Phenomenological Study, Lacey Sipos

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the beliefs and attitudes regarding at-risk higher education students’ experiences with using their institution’s writing center services at a public state university in the Northwestern United States. The research was a transcendental phenomenological approach that used psychologist Moustakas's methodical data analysis procedures and guidelines to construct descriptions that captured the essence of the lived experiences of at-risk students who participated in the study. Bandura’s self-efficacy theory provided the theoretical framework for this study. Previous research continues to examine multiple factors that may contribute to at-risk student populations' underutilization of …

Planning, Outcomes, Oversight: A Linguistic Analysis Of New Jersey Statutes And Reports From 1970 To 1999, Sharon E. Mccann

Theses and Dissertations

Between the decades of 1970 through 1999, there were major shifts in higher education in New Jersey. Utilizing a grounded theory approach this dissertation created a database of legislation, hearings transcripts, and education reports. Searching this database for commonly used terminology, this dissertation was seeking a pattern in language use that could demonstrate the incursion of neoliberal economic terminology into the way high education was discussed during these years. A grounded theory exploration, this dissertation does not claim to have achieved a proven connection between the language shift and decisions made by education leadership. All it can demonstrate is that …

What Students Have To Say On Data Privacy For Educational Technology, Stephanie Choi

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

The literature on data privacy in terms of educational technology is a growing area of study. The perspective of educators has been captured extensively. However, the literature on students’ perspectives is missing, which is what we explore in this paper. We use a pragmatic qualitative approach with an experiential lens to capture students’ attitudes towards data privacy in terms of educational technology. We identified preliminary, common themes that appeared in the survey responses. The paper concludes by calling for more research on how students perceive data privacy in terms of educational technology.