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Arts & Humanities News, Georgia Southern University

Arts & Humanities: News & Publications (2009-2023)

• Honors for Two Foreign Languages Faculty, Students
• 40 Under 40 Alumni List Released

Deanotes, College Of Science And Technology, Armstrong State University

College of Science & Technology Dean's Notes (Archived)

No abstract provided.

My News

My News (2014-2020)

• This month in MyNews...

The Effects Of An Experiential Service-Learning Project On Residential Interior Design Students’ Attitudes Toward Design And Community, Lilia Gomez-Lanier Dr.

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

This mixed research methods study explores whether project-based service-learning projects promote greater learning than standard project-based projects and whether introduced earlier into the curriculum promotes a greater student understanding of the world issues affecting their community. The present study focused on comparing sophomore and junior residential interior design courses that had project-based service-learning assignments. Both undergraduate sophomore and junior courses developed standard design project assignments in the first half of the academic semester and a project-based service-learning assignment in the second half of the academic semester. Collection of research participants’ perceptions was through pre and post surveys and course-required reflection …

Voices From The Field, Lina B. Soares

Georgia Educational Researcher

This research study sought to determine the impact from participation in a practicum field experience on teacher candidates’ perceived professional dispositions for effective teaching. A further intent was to describe what teacher candidates perceived to be the necessary professional dispositions for effective teaching as they reflected on their experiences in their particular preparation contexts. A mixed-methods sequential explanatory design was used to examine and understand the development of dispositions from pre-service teachers’ perspectives. The participants consisted of seventeen middle grade undergraduate students who completed over 200 hours of field experience while attending a mid-size university in the Southeastern region of …

Unrealistic Optimism In The Pursuit Of Academic Success, Rich Lewine, Alison A. Sommers

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Although the ability to evaluate one’s own knowledge and performance is critical to learning, the correlation between students’ self-evaluation and actual performance measures is modest at best. In this study we examine the effect of offering extra credit for students’ accurate prediction (self-accuracy) of their performance on four exams in two semester-long classes on Personality. The courses emphasized the role of self-awareness. Despite these motivational interventions and performance feedback, there was minimal change in accuracy over the semester; a large proportion of students remained unrealistically optimistic about their performance in the face of evidence to the contrary. Moreover, inaccurately inflated …

Factors Associated With Faculty Use Of Student Data For Instructional Improvement, Marilla D. Svinicki, Kyle Williams, Kadie Rackley, Anke J.Z. Sanders, Lisa Pine, Julie Stewart

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Much is being said in education about the value of adopting data-based or analytics approaches to instructional improvement. One important group of stakeholders in this effort is the faculty. “In many cases, the key constituency group is faculty, whose powerful voice and genuine participation often determine the success or failure of educational innovations, especially those that involve pedagogical and academic change” (Furco & Moely, 2012, pg. 129). This paper reports the results of an exploration of factors that influence faculty to consider or reject using analysis of student data to improve instruction based on social cognitive theory. Self-efficacy, value of …

Student Impressions Of Syllabus Design: Engaging Versus Contractual Syllabus, Mary-Jon Ludy, Tim Brackenbury, John Wm Folkins, Susan H. Peet, Stephen J. Langendorfer, Kari Beining

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

This study compared student impressions of a text-rich contractual syllabus to a graphic-rich engaging syllabus. Students enrolled in sections of an undergraduate introductory nutrition course viewed either a contractual or engaging syllabus and completed a survey regarding their perceptions of the course and instructor. Students perceived both types of syllabus positively, yet the engaging syllabus was judged to be more visually appealing and comprehensive. More importantly, it motivated more interest in the class and instructor than the contractual syllabus. Using an engaging syllabus may benefit instructors who seek to gain more favorable initial course perceptions by students.

This study compared …

Students’ Experiences With Community In An Open Access Course, Stephanie J. Blackmon, Theresa A. Cullen

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Online open access courses have become regular offerings of many universities. Building community and connectedness is an important part of branding and success of such offerings. Our goal was to investigate students’ experiences with community in an open access course. Therefore, in this study, we explored the sense of community of 342 participants in an open access chemistry course. We found that participants did not rate a sense of community as important to them, and did not report feeling very connected to the online course. We will discuss opportunities for building community features in such courses in the future.

Empirical Study: Mentorship As A Value Proposition (Mvp), Doreen Sams, Rosalie Richards, Robin Lewis, Rebecca Mcmullen, Jennifer Hammack, Larry Bacnik, Caitlin Powell

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Greater access to college education, owed in part to technology and globalization, increases opportunities for students to prepare and thrive professionally. Undergraduate education must offer pedagogies of engagement to meet needs of the competitive global workforce and post-baccalaureate programs requiring advanced research and analytical skills. Many universities and colleges recognize the critical need for undergraduate engagement in research and participation in professional world experiences to cultivate aptitudes required in the 21^st century. Using a triangulation inquiry methodology, this empirical study contributes to the research on undergraduate research mentorship pedagogy by assessing its merits operationalized across multiple disciplines at a …

Retention Of Text Material Under Cued And Uncued Recall And Open And Closed Book Conditions, Jeffrey S. Nevid, Yea Seul Pyun, Brianna Cheney

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Evidence supports the benefits of effortful processing in strengthening retention of newly learned material. The present study compared two forms of effortful processing, uncued (free) recall and cued recall, under both open and closed book conditions, on both immediate and delayed (one-week) test performance. Participants read a section of a child psychology text and then completed either an uncued recall task in which they typed as much information as they could recall, or a cued recall task, in which they typed answers to study questions. Recall was conducted under open versus closed book conditions. No differences between cued and uncued …

The Effects Of Inquiry Project-Based Learning On Student Reading Motivation And Student Perceptions Of Inquiry Learning Processes, Sarah A. Johnson, Josh Cuevas

Georgia Educational Researcher

Inquiry-based learning approaches have been promoted as an instructional method for students at all levels. An inquiry approach requires students to discover or construct knowledge through relevant activities and personal investigations. Due to the student driven nature of inquiry learning, it is reasonable to believe that students will become more motivated to read and to engage in critical thinking after participating in the inquiry approach. This quantitative study observes the effects of inquiry project based learning (PBL) on reading motivation and students’ perceptions of higher order thinking processes in a middle school language arts classroom. By comparing inquiry project based …

Teacher And School Characteristics: Predictors Of Student Achievement In Georgia Public Schools, Alisande F. Mayer, Ellen W. Wiley, Larry P. Wiley, Dianne C. Dees, Simmie A. Raiford

Georgia Educational Researcher

Student achievement of fifth-grade students in 106 Georgia public schools in CRCT reading and mathematics was examined as a function of five characteristics of teachers and schools. The five independent variables used as predictors of CRCT scores were Title I status, teachers’ education level, teachers’ average years of experience, class size, and computer to student ratio. Designation as a Title I school was the strongest predictor of student achievement. When compared to non-Title I schools, Title I school status resulted in a higher percentage of students meeting CRCT standards in both reading and math and a lower percentage of students …

Hopscotch Building: A Model For The Generation Of Qualitative Research Designs, Iván M. Jorrín Abellán

Georgia Educational Researcher

In this article we describe the process followed in the creation of the “Hopscotch Model,” a tool to help novice researchers thoroughly design qualitative research studies while learning the philosophical underpinnings of this particular form of research. The model helps to incorporate the theoretical background behind any qualitative study, as well as the intrinsic complexity of the multiple technical procedures that could be followed within the many different traditions in the field. Hopscotch is supported by an easy to use web-tool that drives potential users through the design of qualitative studies. In this article we describe the phases followed to …

A Hopeful Pedagogy To Critical Thinking, Mark C. Nicholas, Miriam Raider-Roth

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Elements of what we are calling a “hopeful pedagogy” emerged when faculty reflected on the question - Do you think your current approach to develop CT in students is successful? Faculty across disciplines and institutions used the word “hope” to characterize the outcome of their efforts. While attempting to disentangle the “hopeful pedagogy”, we found answers in (a) how faculty defined CT in disciplinary and non-disciplinary contexts; (b) a misalignment between faculty and institutional approaches to CT; (c) a disconnect between faculty and their own approaches to CT, and (d) logistical and curricular issues within general education programs that placed …

Becoming A Scientist: Using First-Year Undergraduate Science Courses To Promote Identification With Science Disciplines, Chloe Ruff, Brett D. Jones

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

In this qualitative study, we examined how two professors (a physicist and biochemist) of first year college students perceived their students’ development of identification in biochemistry or physics and how they actively supported this development. The professors described students who entered college with different levels of domain identification and different expectations for their college science experience depending upon whether they were in a biochemistry or physics major. Although neither professor was familiar with research related to the concept of domain identification, their beliefs about their students’ identification and academic support strategies generally aligned with the Osborne and Jones (2011) model …

Five Eagles Named Preseason All-Sun Belt In Coaches Poll, Georgia Southern University

Athletics: News & Publications

• Five Eagles Named Preseason All-Sun Belt in Coaches Poll
• The Eagles open their season Sept. 3 against Savannah State

Arts & Humanities News, Georgia Southern University

Arts & Humanities News

• Psychology Professor Interviewed by WJCL

College Of Behavioral And Social Sciences News, Georgia Southern University

College of Behavioral & Social Sciences: News & Publications (2012-2022)

• Psychology Professor Interviewed by WJCL

Arts & Humanities News, Georgia Southern University

Arts & Humanities: News & Publications (2009-2023)

• Psychology Professor Interviewed by WJCL

My News

My News (2014-2020)

• Georgia Southern University welcomes Jaimie Hebert, Ph.D., as 13th president
• Wherever life takes you
• Georgia Southern Multimedia Development Center wins Emmy® Award for Best Live Audio
• Daniel J. Cox, Ph.D., to serve as founding chair of the Department of Manufacturing Engineering
• Georgia Southern faculty continue excellence in 2016
• Georgia Southern student films featured at Cannes

The Effect Of A Nutrition Intervention On Parents Living In A Rural Georgia Community, Regina Elliott-Walker, Dawn M. Hayes, Emeka Oraka, Rashunda Lewis, Andre Leon

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Childhood obesity is a concern for public health organizations. Nearly one in four children living in rural communities are obese, and children living in rural Georgia communities are no exception. For rural communities, prevention efforts are needed to address challenges to reducing childhood obesity. The objective of the present effort was to increase the knowledge of parents in a rural community of the benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption and other healthy options.

Methods: The “We Can Energize Families” curriculum, developed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute was implemented in a rural Georgia community. Pender’s Health Promotion …

The Free State Of Jones, Lyn Milner

Wraparound South (Archived)

No abstract provided.

Newsroom, Georgia Southern University

Newsroom (2006-2023)

• Georgia Southern University welcomes Jaimie Hebert, PH.D., as its 13th president

Domestic Violence Intervention For Latino Families: Baseline Program Evaluation Data, Jacque-Corey Cormier, Nancy Nava, Charmaine Mora, Rebecca Rodriguez

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: In the United States, Latino families affected by domestic violence (DV) often face unique challenges influenced by changing ecologies and personal/political histories. Caminar Latino is Georgia’s first and only comprehensive DV intervention program for Latino families. The program is geared towards helping family members begin their journey towards non-violence. The purpose of this evaluation is to better understand how Caminar Latino is benefiting families within the program. Baseline data of interest included perceptions of power in the relationship among family members and whether mothers and/or youth had safety plans.

Methods: A longitudinal, quasi-experimental research design was utilized to collect …

Community Preparedness: Expanding Existing Partnerships With Academia To Build Resilience Through Experiential Learning, Nina Cleveland, Mark Palen

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Sustainability and mitigation in preparedness after grant money is gone has suddenly become a hot topic in the public health emergency preparedness world. By the same token, funding provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for individual preparedness initiatives has not had the desired mitigation impacts. The question becomes, are there alternative approaches that reach more individuals to build a culture of preparedness in communities? One solution involves the leveraging of academic and regional public health partnerships with their Medical Reserve Corps Units (MRC), to train college students in individual preparedness. The purpose of this study is to …

Screening For Developmental Delay In Georgia’S Family Shelters: Formative Evaluation Of A Quality Improvement Initiative, Marvin So, Luisita G. Agbayani, Mariel K. Gutierrez, Josef T. Griffins

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Children in families experiencing homelessness are at elevated risk for cognitive, motor, speech, and other developmental delays. Given the prevalence of family homelessness in Georgia and across the U.S., investigating the feasibility of implementing developmental screeners while families are in shelters is warranted.

Methods: Three pilot shelters were selected for the development and implementation of Quality Improvement (QI) Teams, who used Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) Cycles to make progress towards universally screening children for delay. We employed a formative evaluation to (1) characterize screening rates and shifts in shelter as a result of QI initiatives, and (2) identify barriers and facilitators …

Assessment Of The Building Collaborative Research Capacity Model: Bridging The Community-Academic Researcher Divide, Tabia Henry Akintobi, Donoria Evans Wilkerson, Kirsten Rodgers, Cam Escoffery, Regine Haardörfer, Michelle Kegler

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Community–based Participatory Research (CBPR) can be challenging when community leaders and academic researchers have not previously co-led research or worked together with established rules guiding their relationships, roles, and respective functions. The objective of this investigation was to assess the processes and outcomes of the Building Collaborative Research Capacity Grant Program, sponsored by the Community Engagement Research Program of The Atlanta Clinical and Translational Science Institute and designed to foster CBPR.

Methods: Four competitively selected community-based organizations (CBOs) participated in capacity-building workshops designed to build research skills and receive technical assistance to plan a pilot study with academic researchers. …

Assessment Of Distress, Unmet Needs, And Receipt Of Care Plans Among Cancer Survivors In Georgia, Cam Escoffery, Angie Patterson, Nancy M. Paris, Logan Kirsch, Cassiopeia Frank, Jean O'Connor

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Cancer survivors have distinctive healthcare needs. The Survivorship Working Group of the Georgia Cancer Control Consortium conducted an assessment to understand the physical, psychological, practical, and spiritual needs of adult cancer survivors; patient perceptions regarding patient-provider communications; and their perceived need for services.

Methods: In 2014, a convenience sample of Georgia cancer survivors completed a paper or online survey about the presence of and distress associated with unmet physical, emotional, spiritual, and practical needs, and receipt of assistance in those areas. They were also asked about receipt of cancer treatment and survivorship care plans.

Results: Survivors were primarily female, …

Integrating Food And Language Nutrition To Reach Georgia’S Children In Early Care And Education Environments, Jean O'Connor, Chinwe Ejikeme, Maria Fernandez, Kia Powell-Threets, Audrey Idaikkadar, Christi Kay, Emily Anne Vall, Kimberly Ross, Brenda Fitzgerald

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Educational attainment and health are mutually reinforcing outcomes. Good health supports children in the achievement of academic milestones, such as grade-level reading, and is associated with higher socio-economic status, longer life expectancy, and lower lifelong chronic disease. Improving health outcomes and increasing the potential for high educational attainment is necessary for reducing disparities, improving population health, and reducing morbidity. Early childhood and associated settings present opportunities to address lifelong health.

Methods: To guide the development of programs to reach large numbers of children, we reviewed the literature associated with interventions during early childhood to promote healthy food consumption patterns …