Digital Commons Network^™

Front Matter

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

No abstract provided.

Sex Differences In Competitiveness In Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (Mmorpgs), Robert O. Deaner, Lucretia C. Dunlap, April Bleske-Rechek

Open Access Publishing Support Funded Articles

Sex differences in the use of competitive tactics have been well established. Although many factors may contribute to these sex differences, according to social role theory (SRT), stereotypes and expectations about men's and women's typical social roles are crucial. We addressed the potential impact of social roles by studying massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), a setting where individuals represent themselves with avatars and thus enjoy the opportunity to compete without regard to the typical expectations and behaviors associated with men's and women's roles. We surveyed players via MTurk (63 women, 191 men) and Reddit (166 women, 1,326 men) regarding …

Bittersweet, Riley Magnuson

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

No abstract provided.

Enacting Disciplinary Literacy Instruction: Essential Practices In Action, Darin B. Stockdill, Stacie B. Woodward

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

In this paper, we will explore elements of the Essential Instructional Practices for Disciplinary Literacy: Grades 6-12 , a statewide initiative in Michigan designed to support exactly this kind of teaching. In particular, we will discuss key instructional implications of the Essential Practices for both social studies and ELA instruction and highlight important commonalities and distinctions across these two content areas. We provide concrete examples of these practices in action as we share activities and reflections from a curricular project we undertook with US History and ELA teachers called Equitable Futures. In this initiative, teachers engaged their students in inquiry-driven …

Back Matter

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

No abstract provided.

Literacy As A Civil Right In The Past, Present And Future: Disciplinary Literacies As An Act Of Advocacy, Liberation, And Community-Building, Rosalyn Shahid Ph.D, Melissa A. Brooks-Yip

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

The Essential Instructional Practices for Disciplinary Literacy in the Secondary Classroom were presented to the educational community in 2016; in this article, we look back at history and ahead to classroom instruction to present the evolution of the purpose and practices of disciplinary literacies. By examining literacy as a civil right throughout history and the creation of the Essential Instructional Practices for Disciplinary Literacy, a path is revealed for educators to collaborate, differentiate professional learning, and implement classroom practices to engage students with content knowledge to foster real and relevant literacies for life.

Listening To Neurodiverse Voices In The Workplace, Lewis Burton, Vicki Carss, Ricardo Twumasi

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

Neurodivergent individuals face many challenges in the workplace, job application process, recruitment process and in the work environment. This qualitative study aimed to gain insight into the experiences of neurodivergent individuals and some of the barriers faced in these domains at work. Twenty-one neurodivergent individuals took part in semi-structured interviews. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to give voice to interviewees first-person lived experience. Six superordinate themes were highlighted in this study: ‘External Perceptions of Neurodiversity’, ‘Identity Degradation”, ‘Self-Identity’, ‘Organisational Obstacles’, ‘Neurodiversity Empowerment’, and ‘Language Regarding Neurodiversity’. This study found that neurodivergent individuals are impacted by the inaccurate stereotypes and assumptions …

Note From The Editors: On Family, Robert Rozema, Christopher Bass

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Learner & Instructor Expectations On L2 Online Motivation, Sara Kate Simon

Masters Theses

Post-pandemic L2 learning is a landscape of new challenges and opportunities for language learning. One of these challenges is maintaining learner motivation in an online environment. Motivation plays a crucial role in L2 learning success, which requires educators to better understand how to support learner motivation, a focus that had not yet been widely researched for the online environment. This study begins to address this gap in research by examining the relationship between learner and instructor perspectives in online L2 classrooms and learner motivation. Using a survey instrument to measure learner perceptions of four variables; class design, teacher presence, and …

Call For Proposals

Michigan Reading Journal

No abstract provided.

Teacher Of Literature And Literacy: Rethinking Secondary English Language Arts, Jenelle Williams, Laura Gabrion

Michigan Reading Journal

This article aims to explore the complexity of instruction in secondary English Language Arts (ELA) classes, addressing the role of teacher identity, educator preparation programs, equity and access, and the role of the Essential Instructional Practices for Disciplinary Literacy in the Secondary Classroom. We suggest that there is a possibility to attend to both teaching literature and literacy within middle- and high-school ELA classrooms and provide a vision for working toward this balance.

The Stance, The Text, And The Talk: Three Components Of A Critical Race-Oriented Interactive Read Aloud, Rebecca Witte

Michigan Reading Journal

The flexible structure of an interactive read aloud (IRA) provides a platform to address issues of race for those educators who have the desire, but may not know how or where to start. Using a visual of a three circle diagram, the paper illustrates the importance of aligning a critical racial stance, the text, and the talk together to maximize student learning. One text, Can I Touch Your Hair? (Latham & Waters, 2019) is highlighted as a model to show the possible convergence of the three components. In addition, the author notes the importance of reflexivity and provides suggestions on …

“What To Learn Next?”: An Interview With Julie Coiro, Julie Coiro, Troy Hicks

Michigan Reading Journal

No abstract provided.

Full Issue: Volume 54, No. 2

Michigan Reading Journal

No abstract provided.

Resiliency In The Shadows Of The Ivory Tower: Examining The Strategies Utilized By Undocumented Students To Succeed In Higher Education, Estefany Paniagua-Pardo M.Ed

Masters Theses

Undocumented students experience uniquely distinctive barriers in their pursuit of postsecondary education. The purpose of this study was to explore the ways in which undocumented students make meaning of their lived experiences by examining the various dimensions of their educational journey outside of the broader legal and political context. The study specifically highlighted undocumented student stories to investigate the strategies used by individuals to survive, persevere, and navigate institutions of higher education. Rooted in Yosso’s (2005) Community Cultural Wealth Model, this qualitative study used semi-structured interview methodology to unveil the ways in which undocumented students utilize numerous and intersecting forms …

Supporting English Language Learners: Preparing Content Area Teachers To Promote Academic Achievement Among Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Learner Populations., Molly K. Roesler

Masters Projects

Teachers throughout the United States continue to be ill-prepared to support the evergrowing English Language Learner (ELL) population. ELLs often experience less academic achievement than their non-ELL peers. One factor in this academic gap is the amount of preparation content area teachers receive. Content area teachers are not sufficiently prepared to teach ELLs because of the lack of training they receive in Second Language Acquisition theories and strategies. This project examines what the research has identified as negative factors that result in lack of teacher preparation, and how to address these factors. Additionally, the project examines what the research highlights …

Practicing Organizational Care: Using Human-Centered Approaches To Facilitate Change In Your Library, Meghan Musolff, Annie Bélanger

Presentations

Most traditional change management practices seek to mitigate risk. They focus on process and implementation over listening, compassion, and healing. By using human-centered change methodologies and approaches, we will explore ways to tailor change efforts in ways that honor the individuals and the organization. We will consider how to engage in a change that harnesses the strengths of the team, making space for voices to be heard.

Obtaining And Retaining Men In Higher Education, Shelby Hanselman

Masters Projects

Men have historically outnumbered women in higher education until recent years. Research shows that women are not only more likely to enroll in college, but also are more likely to complete a degree than men. Increasing literature works to explain the potential factors that aid in explaining the gender gap in higher education. As college enrollment continues to decline, it is crucial to provide men with the interventions needed to guide their success. This project describes a semester-long educational program for first-year college men with the goal to educate them on male identities, barriers, and the skills needed to be …

How Sense Of Belonging Impacts Student Retention: Examining The Experience Of First-Generation Latino/A/X Students Attending Pwis, Maria R. Raab

Masters Projects

Latinx students’ admission rates have increased in most recent years however, Latinx

students still have the lowest degree attainment compared to other ethnic/racial groups (Rodriguez et al., 2021). Research reveals sense of belonging has an impact on retention for first- generation Latino/a/x students attending Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). Latinx students gain sense of belonging through the support of their peers, faculty, and the institution’s commitment to providing safe campus spaces. The primary purpose of this project is to understand the challenges first-generation Latinx students face and where institutions can provide resources like peer mentor programs to close the degree attainment …

Linguistically And Culturally Responsive Teaching For Ll In The Mainstream Classroom: Planning Tools And Other Classroom Resources, Emily L. Macarthur

Masters Projects

An increasingly diverse student population, including English Language Learners (LL), are continuing to integrate into U.S. schools in recent years. Without the proper training and tools, teachers are struggling to meet the needs of LL in the classroom. This project argues for the inclusion of linguistically and culturally responsive teaching methods and curriculum choices for implementation in a mainstream classroom. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Literacy Shifts call for LL to meet the same rigorous standards as their Native English-speaking (NES) peers, and so the planning tools and other resources described in this project reflect the CCSS’ focus on …

Wgs/Aaa 343: Black Feminist Thought Oer Curation, Chealsye Bowley

Curated OER Collections

This OER curation is an annotated bibliography of prospective OER for the GVSU course WGS/AAA 343: Black Feminist Thought, assembled by request from the instructor.

Embracing Familismo Within The Latinx Population At Community Colleges, Elle E. Bowman

Masters Projects

Research indicates Latinx students are disproportionality attending community colleges, yet graduation and transfer rates for Latinx students attending this institution type are dismal. Literature indicates that Latinx students' sense of belonging in the higher education setting can be cultivated by feeling connected to peers and family, feeling connected to their culture, and minimizing the number of academic and cultural stress factors. Latinx students arrive on campus equipped with strengths and experiences that have given them the ability to persist and survive in the face of oppression and racial hostility. Community college orientations and programming can be designed to celebrate and …

Increasing Academic Achievement Through Reading Motivation And Strong Family Partnerships, Megan Hubbard

Masters Projects

Research has shown that reading motivation has a significant impact on the academic achievement of students in elementary school and beyond. This project explores the importance of reading motivation and the factors that influence it in elementary aged students. Students need access, choice, and challenge in their reading materials to be engaged and experience success in reading, which in turn leads to increased motivation. Additionally, families play a major role in influencing a student’s reading experiences. Consequently, family literacy is a key aspect that impacts student motivation. Educators must utilize students’ families by creating on-going, strong partnerships that celebrate literacy …

Building Stronger Student-Teacher Relationships Through A Mentorship Program To Increase Student Reading Achievement, Emily Nicholas

Masters Theses

Research has shown that students learn best when their teachers know and understand them. When there are strong student-teacher relationships in place, reading achievement improves. In the following project, teachers will be part of a yearlong mentorship program at their school to improve student-teacher relationships in their classrooms. Teachers that are struggling to build positive student-teacher relationships will be the mentees and they will be paired with staff members who have already established strong, positive relationships with their students and will act as their mentors. The program will have three main components: cultural competence training, community connection and classroom library …

Cultural Competence In The Care Of Muslim Women Patients, Ayah Ayesh

Honors Projects

Delivering high-quality care to female patients of the Muslim faith requires knowledge of the differences in cultural and spiritual values. Important differences include diet, ideas of modesty, privacy, and touch restrictio. Globally, Muslims represent substantial portions of society and remain the fastest-growing religion in the world. The Muslim faith encompasses several ethnicities with diverse views regarding illness and healthcare. As a result, the care of Muslim patients provides challenges for many non-Muslim healthcare providers. The Islamic faith can influence decision-making, family dynamics, health practices, risks, and the use of healthcare. This paper describes the care of Muslim patients taking into …

Faith-Based Public Foundations: Identifying The Field And Assessing Its Impact, Allison K. Ralph, Brad R. Fulton, Samuel Allen

The Foundation Review

Charitable activity is a core tenet of most faith traditions, and many charitable organizations have a religious identity. However, little is known about the prevalence and scale of faith-based foundations, and how they differ from secular foundations.

This article identifies the field of public foundations, differentiates between faith-based and secular foundations, and compares their characteristics by analyzing Form 990 data. An analysis of these data estimates that 24% of all public charities operate as foundations and that 17% of public foundations are faith-based. These findings are used to generate first-ever estimates for the entire field of public foundations.

This analysis …

Holding Space For Voice: Using Powerful Questions And Appreciative Inquiry Conversations To Understand Values And Needs, Annie Bélanger, Preethi Gorecki

Presentations

Change management is often process-centered instead of people-centered. People are centered when we focus on what is good. Appreciative Inquiry’s strengths-based, positive approach to organizational change allows leaders and facilitators to re-center individuals’ voices.

Appreciative Inquiry helps people move toward a shared vision for the future by engaging others in considering what is good, what could be, what should be, and how to co-create the future. It can foster equitable processes that decenter whiteness and deficit-mindset. Powerful conversations connect thoughts and feelings, result in new ideas, develop new perspectives and understandings, and have an increased potential for action. Developing conversations …

The Rice Theory Of Culture, Thomas Talhelm

Online Readings in Psychology and Culture

The rice theory of culture is the idea that rice farming societies developed into more interdependent, tight cultures in response to the demands of the plant. Farming in general is an interdependent subsistence style, but traditional paddy rice farming was starkly different from other major crops like wheat, corn, and potatoes. Paddy rice required twice as much labor per hectare as wheat farming. Farmers responded by creating customs to share labor. Paddy rice also depended on irrigation systems to flood and drain the fields. Once farmers controlled water, they now had to coordinate how much water each farmer got, when …

Implicit Motives Across Cultures, Jan Hofer, Athanasios Chasiotis

Online Readings in Psychology and Culture

In recent years, methodological and substantial progress has been made in the field of cross-cultural studies on implicit motives. We propose that cross-cultural studies on implicit motives are indispensable to understand universal and culture-specific variations in individuals’ mental processes and behavior. It is assumed that implicit motives represent the first motivational system to be shaped in a human being’s ontogeny and that they have far-reaching consequences for individuals’ development, their feelings and actions in everyday life across different cultural groups. Applying psychometrically sound measurements cross-culturally, researchers have revealed a number of universal relationships between implicit motives and psychological and behavioral …