Digital Commons Network^™

Whiteness: Six Stages Of Identity Development, Ann Roemer

Empowering Teaching Excellence Conference

Multicultural inclusion cannot exist in our North American schools without educators acknowledging that many of us live like snowflakes in a white bubble. This presentation includes the social concept of race, the characteristics of whiteness, and Ruth Helms' stages of white identity. Come with curiosity and an open mind.

Embracing Where We Are: Insights Into Students' Engagement With Ai, Jennifer Grewe

Empowering Teaching Excellence Conference

Many different opinions (with the occasional anecdotal experience thrown in) exist amongst faculty as to how the students are engaging with AI and what their perceptions and attitudes are regarding AI. Using their best judgements and these opinions, faculty make different choices about curriculum and course policies that impact how they teach and the student experience within their courses. As teaching faculty, it can feel as if we are attempting to navigate an overwhelming landscape when it comes to making these decisions about AI within courses. The current presentation will explore data collected from this last academic year with students …

The Virtue(S) Of Courage In Teaching, Michael Otteson, Mike Ashfield, Brittany Gentry, Rachel Robison-Green

Empowering Teaching Excellence Conference

Across many traditions of thought, courage is understood as a virtue of character. But while we may default to thinking of it as a virtue of the individual, especially that of the warrior or soldier, it is an excellence that serves us well in many walks of life, including teaching, and it is a virtue of communities as well as individuals. Therefore, in this information session, USU's assistant professors of philosophy will discuss some of the more challenging or intimidating topics tackled in their classrooms and share strategies, tactics, and logistics for encouraging student success in these campaigns.

Revisiting The "Old Ways": Re-Incorporating Oral Examinations Into Upper Division Courses, Stephen Vangeem

Empowering Teaching Excellence Conference

While some courses embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) and even incorporate it into classwork and assignments, this presenter took the sudden prevalence of AI as an opportunity to pivot away from the traditional final term paper and revisit the European tradition of oral examinations as an end-of-semester Capstone. This presentation will outline one approach to gauging cumulative comprehension in the social sciences through oral examination

The Courage To Support Student Communication Of Assignments: Integration Of A Late Work Explanation Form Over Two Semesters, Jessie Koltz

Empowering Teaching Excellence Conference

This session will discuss the implementation of utilizing a "Late Work Explanation Form" to support student communication between the student(s) and the instructor when unexpected events happen or when a student is not able to complete all required assignments on time. The session will discuss the integration of the "Lake Work Explanation Form," where communication to students from the instructor states: This form is intended to support communication between us for the course you are enrolled in this semester when life happens to allow you the opportunity to submit assignments late. De-identified data and results will be addressed relating to …

Championing Success: Empowering Student-Athletes For Academic Excellence, Jeremiah Sievers, Cree Taylor

Empowering Teaching Excellence Conference

USU student-athletes are incredible in their sport, they are also amazing in the classroom and a key part of what makes us unique. As instructors seek to make USU a place where all students feel like they belong and can be successful, we need innovative, courageous instructors who are willing apply equity-minded practices into their course design. Among our student-athlete population exists the diversity of experience that will help enrich the Aggie experience for all students. Our student-athletes represent a variety of life experiences: international students, students of color, LGBTQ+ students, students who are parents, and students who are working …

Unleashing Potential: Strategies For Online Learners To Conquer Procrastination And Maximize Engagement, Maria Givler, Nikki Kendrick, Lacie Peterson

Empowering Teaching Excellence Conference

As the landscape of education continues to evolve, the shift towards online learning has become more prevalent. While online courses offer flexibility and accessibility, it also presents unique challenges, with one of the most common hurdles being procrastination. In the absence of traditional classroom structures and weekly deadlines, students may struggle to manage their time effectively. This session aims to address the critical issue of procrastination in online learning environments and explore innovative strategies to enhance student engagement. We will delve into the development of tools and techniques that empower learners to stay on track, maintain motivation, and successfully achieve …

Courageous Student-Teacher Dialogue On Ai: Cultivating Environments Of Respect, Jared Colton, Clayton Brown, Beth Buyserie, Gabriele Ciciurkaite, Marta Halaczekiewicz, Jeannie Johnson

Empowering Teaching Excellence Conference

This interdisciplinary panel, representing five departments from the CHaSS AI Working Group, will discuss policies and pedagogical approaches for navigating uncertainties with generative AI challenges. This informational session highlights issues in relation to USU’s academic integrity policies and procedures, as well as students' rights and educational benefits. The session also focuses on creating productive learning conversations with students in order to cultivate productive AI use, prevent AI misuse, and respond with care when AI has been possibly misused. Our panelists will discuss the following questions:How can teachers frame classes' (and my pedagogy) to establish productive expectations around AI usage? What …

Human Capital At Home: Evidence From A Randomized Evaluation In The Philippines, Noam Angrist, Sarah Kabay, Dean S. Karlan, Lincoln Lau, Kevin M. Wong

Education Division Scholarship

Children spend most of their time at home in their early years, yet efforts to promote human capital at home in many low- and middle-income settings remain limited. We conduct a randomized controlled trial to evaluate an intervention which encourages parents and caregivers to foster human capital accumulation among their children between ages 3 and 5, with a focus on math and phonics skills. Children gain 0.52 and 0.51 standard deviations relative to the control group on math and phonics tests, respectively (p<0.001). A year later effects persist, but math gains dissipate to 0.15 (p=0.06) and phonics to 0.13 (p=0.12). Effects appear to be mediated largely through instructional support by parents and not other parent investment mechanisms, such as more positive parent-child interactions or additional time spent on education at home beyond the intervention. Our results show that parents can be effective conduits of educational instruction even in low-resource settings.

Inservice Teachers' Experiences In Intercultural Competence Professional Development, Kathryn Mcclintock, Heng-Yu Ku

Journal of Educational Research and Innovation

The study explored eight inservice K-12 teacher participants’ experiences in intercultural competence activities and the cultural knowledge and self-knowledge they attained from participating in intercultural competence professional development. Data collection occurred through artifacts, reflection journals, and interview methods. The two themes that emerged for attaining cultural knowledge perceived by the teacher participants were (1) identifying commonalities and (2) understanding how the environment shaped them. The two themes that emerged for attaining self-knowledge perceived by the teacher participants were (1) identifying one’s values and principles and (2) recognizing cultural influences on biases. Finally, recommendations for integrating intercultural competence into teacher training …

Course Correction: Examining 2020’S Middle Level Teacher Education Through A Critical, Antiracist Lens-A Collaborative Self-Study Of Teacher Education Practices, Kristie W. Smith, Kristina N. Falbe

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

The work of teacher education in a 2020’s context is challenging and filled with opportunity. With a diversifying P-12 student body (Love, 2020; Pitts, 2019) and the confluence of social, political, and educational factors (Nieto & Bode, 2018), the complexities of teacher education are vast and fluid. In a historical moment that has included teaching in a time of pandemic, national reckonings over race and injustice, and explicit legislation to guide teaching about social history (Kelly et al, 2023), effective middle level teacher education is multifaceted. It calls for the development of teacher candidates skilled in creating school environments that …

Inquiry Into Equity Practice In A “White Space”: Student-Led Discussions And Academic Discourse, Caran Mullins

Journal of Practitioner Research

In this study I used teacher inquiry to explore how to better engage my Black and Brown elementary students in student led discussions that could enhance academic discourse. The research questions driving my work emerged at the intersection of my beliefs and commitment to creating an equitable learning environment. Specifically, I wanted to know: (1) How do I scaffold my minority students to increased participation in academic discourse?, (2) How might these scaffolds support their development of metacognition, reading comprehension, and deeper critical thinking?, And (3) How do these scaffolds contribute to student feelings about their voice and place in …

Utilizing Centers For Teaching And Learning To Support Dual Enrollment Educators, Teresa Focarile, Christine Denecker

CTL Teaching Gallery

Across the country, many states are expanding their support for and implementation of Dual Enrollment programs, seeing them as opportunities to encourage students to go on to college–particularly those who historically might have had less opportunity and/or encouragement. As these programs expand, so does the need for professional development for the educators who teach this widening and increasingly diverse student population. As documented in several studies, educator professional development is critical to the quality and equity of Dual Enrollment courses; however, research has shown that training for these educators is not always timely, consistent, or robust. To address this challenge, …

Improving Educator Readiness To Support Student Mental Health, Anna Dabrowski, Michelle Hsien, Tamara Van Der Zant, Syeda Kashfee Ahmed, Amy Berry, Maya Conway, Yung Nietschke

Wellbeing

This project used a mixed-method approach to understand educator readiness to support student mental health across early childhood, school based, and tertiary settings. The study features educators and relevant support staff working with children, adolescents, and adults in formal learning settings. Relevant experts such as mental health care workers, youth wellbeing support staff, counsellors, psychologists, and other professionals involved in education settings were also invited to take part in the study. Three research questions guided the focus of the study: How does educator anxiety and worry impact on their ability to support student mental health? To what extent are educators …

Sweating The Small Stuff: Exploring Consequence Assignments And Academic Outcomes In A No-Excuses Charter Network, John G. Stevens

Theses and Dissertations

Schools utilize a range of consequences to maintain order and safety. Some employ zero-tolerance policies accompanied by exclusionary tactics like suspension (Martinez, 2009; Muschert et al., 2014). Suspensions are criticized for their disproportionate assignment to students who are Black, male, assigned an IEP, and receiving lunch assistance (Cholewa et al., 2018; Skiba et al., 2002), as well as their deleterious associations with academic achievement (Chu & Ready, 2018; Morris & Perry, 2014; Noltemeyer et al., 2015). Charter schools espousing a no-excuses philosophy often adopt a “Sweat-the-Small-Stuff” (STSS) approach focused on correcting minor (mis)behaviors to prevent more egregious ones (Whitman, 2008). …

Radical Co-Teaching: How Building Relationships Creates Radical Co-Teaching Partnerships, Meagan L. Serrano

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study analyzes the development of co-teaching relationships in K-12 classrooms in New York City. More than half of all teachers in New York City will be placed in co-taught classrooms, but they are not directly instructed on how to co-teach–and the relational aspects of co-teaching are largely ignored. This study uses New York public school teacher insights and experiences to understand what really goes into building strong co-teaching partnerships. Using a grounded theory framework for analysis, the research project examines the aspects of successful co-teacher relationships from the co-teacher perspective. The goal of this project is to understand how …

The Perceptions Of Teachers’ Beliefs And Attitudes On Technology Integration: A Suburban Middle School Case Study In The South-Central United States, Trina Lashell Valdez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Schools have been increasingly challenged with preparing students via technology based on changing standards for students achieving academic success. However, technology integration has barriers, often including teachers’ beliefs and attitudes associated with integrating technology in their classrooms. Therefore, in this qualitative case study, I attempted to understand better the perceptions of teachers, administrators, and professional support staff at Model Middle School about teachers’ beliefs and attitudes regarding technology integration and how to use this knowledge to inform teacher professional development. Data collection consisted of semistructured interviews of teachers, administrators, and professional support staff at Model Middle School via the Zoom …

Comfort In The Role: The Core Of Positive Veteran Teachers, Sarah Jefferson, Christina Gray, Geoffrey Lowe

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Teacher career trajectory studies have identified a small group of positive veteran teachers who have maintained an ongoing enthusiasm for and commitment to teaching. Research into teacher career trajectory frameworks suggests that comfort in the role remains a core tenet in supporting their sense of professional identity. While studies have identified this, there is little research into the subtleties of this tenet and how this helps these positive veteran teachers remain committed to teaching. This article reports on the qualitative findings about comfort in the role in sustaining positive veteran teachers’ commitment to teaching. Further, the article points to key …

I Think I Can, I Think I Can’T: Design Principles For Fostering A Growth Mindset In The Early Years, Fiona Boylan, Lennie Barblett, Marianne Knaus

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

“I think I can, I think I can’ puffed “The Little Engine That Could.” The American folktale taught the value of optimism and hard work reflecting a growth mindset belief about abilities. A growth mindset positively impacts academic achievement, motivation, and children’s agency for learning. Few studies have explored how early childhood teachers can develop children’s growth mindsets. We report on a study that developed design principles to assist early childhood teachers to foster a growth mindset in children in early childhood classrooms at one school in Western Australia using design-based research. Two iterations of the principles were designed and …

Get Fit! With Math And Lit: A Pilot Program Of Physical Activity, Mathematics, And Literacy With Middle Grades Students Through Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Christine L. Craddock, Brittany Pinkerton

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

In an afterschool program at a university literacy center, we piloted the integration of physical activity with multimodal mathematics and literacy exercises. We aimed to incorporate the three tenets of culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) including academic success, cultural competence, and critical consciousness with middle grades participants by utilizing a sports-based youth development model (SBYD), Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR). Participants participated in 30-minute sessions bi-weekly over two months, which included reflective discussions and journaling to begin and end activities, respectively. Participants were invited to suggest activities during sessions and interact cooperatively with facilitators and peers. They also engaged in …

Exploring Critical Reflection On Science Teachers’ Experiences: A Qualitative Inquiry, Kamal Prasad Acharya Dr., Pushp Raj Bhatt Mr., Milan Acharya

The Qualitative Report

In this study, we explored how university science education teachers recognize essential turning points and how teachers from Tribhuvan University-Faculty of Education (TU-FOE) reflect on their career growth. We also investigated their understanding of teaching and learning in science education programs at TU-FOE. The study builds on a qualitative inquiry into the strategies by employing critical discourse. In-depth interviews were conducted to collect the information, and the information was analyzed through a thematic-critical lens. The results indicate that critical reflection on practice can be the first step toward articulating and documenting knowledge. The study reveals that the science education teachers …

Teacher Candidates’ Engagement In Practitioner Inquiry Within An Equity-Centered Initial Teacher Preparation Program: Illuminating Equity’S Presence And Pitfalls, Lauren Weisberg, Blake Beckett, Nancy Fichtman Dana, Michelle Commeret, Rachel Silva

Journal of Practitioner Research

Growing numbers of initial teacher preparation programs are incorporating practitioner inquiry into clinical field experiences due to its proven capacity to empower educators and learners. To uphold practitioner inquiry’s tradition of interrogating the current culture of pedagogy, scholars advocate for an equity-centered approach to inquiry in these programs. We investigated the efficacy of such an approach by exploring how equity manifested, and was threatened, in teacher candidates' inquiries in an equity-centered program rooted in the cross-pollination of Universal Design for Learning and culturally sustaining pedagogy. Our findings indicate that while equity-centered teacher preparation programs have potential in nurturing teacher candidates’ …

The Impact Of Social Emotional Learning And Trauma Informed Care On Teacher Well-Being And Capacity In The Classroom., Kathleen Kelley Michalowski

Theses and Dissertations

Educators and students have encountered significant challenges, including illness and loss within their families due to events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Traumatic events, like disasters, can greatly disrupt a community's functioning, resulting in widespread losses that surpass the community's ability to cope. Trauma-informed care (TIC) acknowledges that individuals are likely to have a history of trauma and aims to respond appropriately to minimize the likelihood of further trauma. By implementing trauma-sensitive routines and promoting social-emotional learning (SEL) for both students and educators, we can offer them more opportunities for success and emotional growth. It's important to recognize that educators' …

The Naked Truth Of My Voice: Surveying The Soul Of An Aspiring Educator From Dusk To Dawn: An Arts-Based Auto-Criticism Inquiry, Siddharth Maan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is based on auto-criticism, a new qualitative inquiry that combines educational criticism and arts-based research. It focuses on my own experiences as an aspiring educator who struggles with stuttering and public speaking anxiety. The study aims to describe, interpret, evaluate, and thematize my experiences of dealing with public speaking anxiety and stuttering before, during, and after classroom teaching. In addition, this dissertation highlights the potential contributions of auto-criticism as a methodology to qualitative research and higher education. I utilized journaling to document data. Photos and music were also used to enhance the understanding of my lived experiences and …

Undergraduate Students’ Experiences And Perceptions Of Foreign Language Education, Miho Hamamoto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, the enrollments of undergraduate and graduate students in language courses other than English have been continuously decreasing in recent years. Previous research proves that there are diverse benefits that learning a language offers, and it is evident that language education is crucial in this globalized world. However, many universities and colleges in the United States are eliminating foreign language programs, which can deprive students of a crucial opportunity to engage in language learning. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore undergraduate students’ experiences and perceptions of foreign language education, and the study was guided …

Principal Agency 50 Years After The Lau Decision: Building And Sustaining Bilingual Education Programs For Asian Languages, Kevin M. Wong, Zhongfeng Tian

Education Division Scholarship

This study examined how three champion principals of Asian language dual language bilingual education (DLBE) programs—Cantonese, Korean, and Mandarin—in California have navigated the oscillating language-in-education policies after the Lau decision. We explored principals' various roles through a lens of agency in a social justice leadership framework, specifically considering the opportunities and challenges for agentive leadership from three different phases: foregrounding and engaging, planning and implementing, and evaluating and sustaining. Findings demonstrate that the success of DLBE programs goes beyond the overarching language policies that supposedly enable bilingual education; rather it hinges on the bottom-up commitment, collaboration and resilience of principals, …

Promoting Emergent Literacy In Preschool Through Extended Discourse: Covert Translanguaging In A Mandarin Immersion Environment, Robin E. Harvey, Kevin M. Wong

Education Division Scholarship

Rich oral language practices, including the opportunity and ability to participate in cognitively and linguistically challenging extended discourse, are foundational to early literacy development. To meet children’s needs in their first exposure to the languages of schooling, educators may engage students in extended discourse multilingually. The current study focuses on student-centered translanguaging conversations to examine strategies that preschool teachers employ to support young children’s emerging bilingual and biliteracy development in a Mandarin immersion preschool serving primarily nonheritage learners of Mandarin in the United States. Findings indicate that, despite the school’s Mandarin-only policy, teachers engaged in covert translanguaging practices to extend …

A Critical Realism Epistemological Informed Case Study: Special Education Teacher Retention In Urban And Suburban School Districts In Minnesota, Jill Bachmann Dr

Doctorate in Education

Special education teachers play a pivotal role in school districts across the country. Special education students benefit from teachers who are knowledgeable in their practice, dedicated, and able to meet their needs, regardless of their abilities. High turnover rates among special education teachers have significant implications for the quality of education provided to students in special education and the overall functioning of schools. Despite decades of research in the area, retention of special education teachers continues to plague districts.

Utilizing a critical realism epistemological approach, this qualitative research study provides an overview of the challenges associated with special education teacher …

Teacher Implementation Profiles: A Response To Top-Down Mandate Of Movement Integration, Zack Beddoes, Jeanne Barcelona, Darla Castelli

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

This study examined teacher implementation practices to meet a state mandate requiring 135 minutes of student physical activity (PA) weekly. Teachers were required to implement a video-based movement integration (MI) program. Using an embedded mixed-methods design, provider characteristics of 42 teachers and the organizational capacity of six schools were developed from interviews, surveys, observations, and artifacts. Data analysis revealed three teacher profiles (a) Dynamic Experientialists, (b) Coachable Constructivists, and (c) Cautious Behaviorists, and three school profiles (a) Whole Child Approach, (b) Grade Level Champions, and (c) Back to Basics. Findings suggest that school, teacher, …

Member-Reported Benefits Of Three Alabama Educator-Focused Professional Organizations, Meredith L. C. Sides

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Professional organizations can play an important role in the lives and work of educators. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore Alabama educators’ experiences with membership in statewide professional organizations and to determine what benefits, if any, members feel their organizations provide them. Four main benefits that respondents identified were community, broadening of knowledge and practice, leadership opportunities, and personal growth.