Digital Commons Network^™

The Activity Of Abstraction In Physical Chemistry Problem Solving And Instruction, Jessica M. Karch

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Productive problem solving, concept construction, and sense making occur through the core process of abstraction. Although the capacity for domain-general abstraction is developed at a young age, the role of abstraction in increasingly complex and disciplinary environments, such as those encountered in undergraduate STEM education, is not well understood. Undergraduate physical chemistry relies particularly heavily on abstraction because it uses many overlapping and imperfect mathematical models to represent and interpret phenomena occurring on multiple scales. To reconcile these models, extract meaning from them, and recognize when to apply them in problem solving requires processes of abstraction. This dissertation aims to …

Let's Play A Story: Early Educators' Experience Implementing Story Drama With Support From Coaching, Amanda Wiehe Lopes

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

While imaginative play, music, movement, and the visual arts are established components of the curriculum in early childhood education (ECE), teacher-guided story drama, or “improvised role play stimulated by a story” (Booth, 2005, p. 8), is an underutilized arts-based practice that supports children’s early literacy skills, creativity, and enjoyment of learning. There are numerous practitioner books and resources about the benefits of and strategies for how to incorporate storytelling, dramatic play, theater, and creative dramatics into the early learning environment (Bolton & Heathcote, 1999; Booth, 2005; V. Brown & Pleydell, 1999; Carleton, 2012), however, there is little research examining the …

Non-Governmental Organizations And Rural Development In Andhra: Challenging Or Reinforcing Social Hierarchies?, Anusha Chaitanya

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

This research examines how non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working on rural development in Andhra are structured to challenge or reinforce existing hierarchies in the society based on caste and gender, by focusing on NGO leadership. The right to equality as a fundamental right in the Constitution of India recognizes forms of inequality based on caste and gender. This right is significant to note because while most studies on NGOs focus on poverty as the central problem in a neo-liberal state (Dempsey, 2009; Fisher, 1997; Mercer, 2002; Tembo, 2003), they remain incomplete without considering socio-economic factors. These factors not only affect the …

The Learner’S Engagement And Mobile Learning Environment: A Proposal Of An Integrated Model, Zakariya Belkhamza

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

The emergence of mobile technology has changed the way humans behave and act. Learning behavior is an essential aspect that required investigation regarding this technology. Since its inception, mobile technology in the learning context has yet to receive enough attention. The idea of employing the least effort or least energy to fulfill a need is a crucial notion in mobile learning. The lazy user model illustrates that the user selects a fulfillment based on the identified user need, user state, and overall effort related to the use of technology. According to the model, the user will most often choose the …

Challenges Affecting Teaching-Learning Processes In Multi-Grade Classes: A Comparison Of Pre-Pandemic And Peri-Pandemic Periods, Muhammed S. Akdas, Mahmut Kalman

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

The purpose of the present study is to explore challenges faced by classroom teachers in multi-grade classes from a comparative perspective of pre-pandemic and peri-pandemic processes. The qualitative case study was employed as the research design. Nine classroom teachers working in multi-grade classes in a district of southeastern Turkey were recruited using the criterion-based sampling technique. Three focus group interviewing sessions, three teachers in each session, were carried out to gather data. The researchers utilized a semi-structured interview protocol including eight open-ended questions. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The themes produced were categorized as challenges before the pandemic, challenges …

Learning Efl Online Through Blogger And Flipgrid In Higher Education: A Collaborative Project In Times Of Pandemic, Montserrat Iglesias

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

A methodological online approach for learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in a higher education context is presented in this paper. The pedagogical experience is described and examined following a mixed-methods approach based on bibliometric analysis, content analysis, and categorization. The participants were a group of undergraduate students (n=17) at CETT Barcelona School of Tourism, Hospitality and Gastronomy, from the University of Barcelona (Spain), who had to switch to virtual learning due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown. They were required to work on a collaborative project arranged in four stages using a …

Intercultural Development In Preservice Teacher Study Abroad, Jon Simmons

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

International teacher education study abroad programs have been proposed as a way to instill intercultural competence in pre-service teachers and help them consider their own cultural identity and the cultural identities of their students. Yet, questions remain about the effectiveness of these programs. This study aims to examine how international teacher education study abroad programs designers consider intercultural competence development. In this review, 14 studies centered on pre-service teacher education with a focus on international experiences for US students are analyzed in order to discover how international teacher education study abroad programs define, describe, and measure intercultural competence in their …

An Entrepreneurship Innovative Curricular Module For Non-Business Students, Ponmalar N. Alagappar, Payam Ansari, Logaiswari Indiran

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

With growing popularity of start-ups and entrepreneurial businesses in various sectors and the government's support towards graduate entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship education for non-business disciplines has been expanding in higher education institutes. To infuse entrepreneurial skills among non-business students, entrepreneurship education should be more specific and discipline-based. The relevant medium in the teaching and learning process is a module, which is a resource that contains materials, methods, limitations, and evaluation systematically arranged to best capture the student’s interest. In this paper, we will describe an innovative curricular model that was tested in developing an entrepreneurship module for students of social sciences. The …

Socio-Intercultural Entrepreneurship: A Case On A Postgraduate Program In Economics And International Business Of An Indigenous University, Ernesto Guerra-Garcia, Jose G. Vargas-Hernandez

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

This article presents a critical approach to the proposal of socio-intercultural entrepreneurship. The concept of cultural and social entrepreneurship and that which has been as a product of neoliberalism is limited, so a framework analysis is necessary to improve the understanding of socioeconomic realities. Through an exploratory and analytical research methodology, a review of pertinent literature and the exemplification of the specific case of a postgraduate program in economics and international business at the Universidad Autónoma Indígena de México, it is concluded that socio-intercultural entrepreneurship presents a theoretical and methodological frame that allows entrepreneurs to have a major perception of …

A Deconstructive Reading Of Intercultural Education Of Teachers’ And School Leaders’ Narrative In Italy, Giambattista Bufalino, Gabriella D’Aprile

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

As a result of the recent influx of immigrant students, intercultural education has become a significant field of interest in Italy. Despite the fact that many educational projects have a well-established rhetorical and ideological approach, the term “intercultural” has become a generic term that has been loosely defined and poorly implemented. On that basis, this article offers a deconstructive reading of a qualitative study conducted in Sicilian schools as part of a European intercultural education project. The study sought to learn more about how cultural diversity representations influence teachers' educational and ethical actions when working with migrant students. We used …

A Qualitative Study Of Perceptions Of The Residents Of Sidon, Lebanon Regarding The Economic Effect On Sidon With Reference To Repatriation Of The Palestinian Refugees, Raja El Majzoub, Karen Howells

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

From 1948 onwards, hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees settled in Lebanon, in both United Nations camps and private accommodation. Until today, various peace initiatives have taken place to solve this humanitarian crisis, to no avail. The Palestinians in Sidon have integrated into Lebanese society, become intertwined into the community, as both entrepreneurs and employees. Considering the "right of return" for Palestinian refugees, the consequences of the repatriation of the refugees needs to be considered. In this context, this research aims to understand the perceptions of the residents of Sidon on what they believe will happen to the economy of …

Almost Speechless: Representations Of Womanhood And Female Voices In Turn­-Of-­The-Century American Novels, Carmen Sylvia Smith

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In this dissertation, I close read four turn-­of-­the-­century American novels by Henry James, Kate Chopin, Charles Chesnutt, and Willa Cather to analyze how the voices and silences of fictional women characters work to disrupt cultural ideals about womanhood. Examining which aspects of the characters’ identities are expressed in direct dialogue and which traits are conveyed to the reader through narrative devices reveals how cultural ideals about womanhood restrict women’s self-­expressive autonomy and work to exclude female voices from the public sphere.

Chapter One examines Henry James’s The Bostonians (1886) and how erotic rivals Olive Chancellor and Basil Ransom compete to …

Getting Our Act(Ivism) Together: Understanding And Fostering Secondary And University Teacher Advocacy Collaborations, Nicole E. Green

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Given the deleterious effects on students and teachers caused by ever-expanding neoliberal approaches to K-16 English Language Arts and literacy education policy, this dissertation argues effective policy advocacy and reform absolutely depends on collaborations among secondary ELA and postsecondary composition and English education teacher-scholars. Borrowing from the traditions of participant action research, this project traces the experiences of a small group of secondary and postsecondary English educators across the span of a 16-month collaborative advocacy project. By examining a range of data including recordings of group meetings, interviews, and written reflections through the lens of activity theory, this study seeks …

Employing A Parallel Corpus-Based Approach In Teaching Semantic Prosody And Collocational Behavior To Arabic Efl Learners, Alhassan Abdullah J Alzahrani

Linguistics & TESOL Dissertations - Archive

This dissertation is intended to investigate if, and to what extent, a web-interface parallel corpus known as Reverso Context can assist Arabic EFL learners in addressing two aspects of word knowledge: semantic prosody and collocational behavior. A convergent mixed method design is adopted in this study in which one group of undergraduate L1 Arabic students are asked to do a pretest that is followed by a pedagogical intervention over the course of three 3-hour sessions and then a posttest is administered again with the same group of students. The posttest is followed by a one-on-one interview with the students and …

Student And Teacher Perceptions Of College Readiness In Myanmar: A Mixed Methods Approach, Mark A. Speckien

Dissertations

The number of students transferring from Myanmar to universities in Western society has increased rapidly in the past decade. Understanding the perceived readiness of these stakeholders may have substantial implications for student success as they make the transition. The purpose of this explanatory mixed methods study was twofold. First, to explore and explain Myanmar-based 11th and 12th-grade student, alumni, and teacher perceptions of student readiness to transition to a postsecondary educational setting in a Western country. Second, to provide recommendations for improving the college and international readiness skills of students making similar transitions. For research question one, the quantitative portion …

Into The Unknown: Exploration Of Search Engines' Responses To Users With Depression And Anxiety, Ashlee Milton

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Mental health disorders (MHD) are a rising, yet stigmatized, topic. With statistics reporting that one in five adults in the United States will be afflicted by a MHD in their lifetime, researchers have begun exploring the behavioral nuances that emerge from interactions of these individuals with persuasive technologies, mainly social media. Yet, there is a gap in the analysis pertaining to a persuasive technology that is part of their everyday lives: search engines (SE). Each day, users with MHD embark on information seeking journeys using SE. Every step of the search process for better or worse has the potential to …

An Exploration Of The Nature Of Social Interactions Between Preschool Students With Diverse Social-Emotional Skills During Engineering Activities, Gurupriya Ramanathan

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Peer interactions are a significant part of school experiences and influence children’s adjustment to school, however preschool students with and at-risk for disabilities are found to display a unique trajectory of social development, often requiring intentional instruction in social skills. A variety of interventions have been designed to support these students; however, they target foundational skills such as inviting peers to play and taking turns with materials, leaving a gap in the research on more complex social skills such as collaboration and joint problem-solving. The engineering design process (EDP) is a cyclical method that students follow to collectively build a …

Power And Agency In Teachers' Digital Writing Feedback: A Virtual Education Environment, Alicia Kelley

All Dissertations

This multiple case study explored how adolescents and their teachers in a virtual education environment navigated the process of teachers’ digital writing feedback and its accompanying power dynamics. The study addressed a need in literacy research to understand how digital writing feedback functions in virtual schools due to concerns related to lower standardized test scores in reading among virtual schools (Fitzpatrick et al., 2020) and large increases in virtual school enrollment in recent years (Center for Research on Education Outcomes, 2015). This move toward virtual learning was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic (Farrow et al., 2020). The study’s theoretical framework …

Black And Indigenous Theoretical Considerations For Higher Education Sustainability

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Enabling Sustainable Development By Embedding Tongan Knowledge Into University Science Curricula

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Cultivating Enduring And Reciprocal Relationships In Academia: An Indigenous Mentor- Mentee Model

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Indigenous Women In Science: A Proposed Framework For Leadership, Knowledge, Innovation, And Complexity, Tracy Woodroffe, Ruth Wallace, Kathy Guthadjaka, Johanna Funk, Elaine L. Maypilama, Sarah Ireland, Renee Adair, Robyn Ober, Samantha Armstrong, Anne Lowell, Kellie Pollard

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Indigenous engagement in tertiary education has been contentious in Australia for many years. This was brought sharply into focus with the 2012 review into higher education, which highlighted a lack of parity for Indigenous Australians. One of the solutions to a lack of parity in participation could be the concept of a dual academy. A dual academy approach to higher education would incorporate both Indigenous and Western knowledge systems equally. Conversations and thinking about Indigenous participation and engagement in higher education led to an opportunity to coordinate a series of workshops. These workshops, conducted in Darwin, Alice Springs, and Galiwin’ku …

Examining Novice Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Preparedness To Teach Culturally Diverse Students, Robin D. Small

Education Doctoral

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to examine the perceptions of novice teachers' preparedness to teach culturally diverse students using Bell's (1995) critical race theory and Freire's (1970) critical pedagogy theoretical frameworks. These theoretical frameworks are consistent in sharing tenets that recognize racial and social injustices as they pertain to education. This study focused on the personal experiences of novice teachers who volunteered to participate in the study. The participants in this study completed the Graduate School of Education teacher education program located in the northeastern region in a Catholic private college. Through eight semi-structured interviews, the study …

Indigenous Science Network Bulletin - August 2021

Indigenous Science Network

In this edition of the bulletin, we present another collection of items related to First Nations peoples and their science for an audience of teachers, scientists and interested community members from across the globe.

Speech-Language Pathologists’ Knowledge, Confidence Levels, And Practice Patterns With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury In The Schools, Jessica Munson

Master's Theses

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) play a key role in serving children with cognitive-communication disorders in both medical and school settings. However, there remains little evidence regarding school-based SLPs’ service delivery for children following concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and how they rate their confidence, knowledge, and skills providing these services. The purpose of this study was to examine knowledge, confidence levels, and practice patterns for providing services to pediatric students with mTBI among school-based SLPs. A 43- item survey was developed to assess current concussion knowledge, and to allow for comparison to previous and future surveys on knowledge, confidence, …

Investigating The Utility Of Ultrasound Visual Biofeedback In Voice Instruction For Two Different Singing Styles, Kristen Smith

Master's Theses

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential utility of incorporating real-time visual biofeedback using ultrasonography to teach important concepts of vocal pedagogy to voice students. Exploration of innovative teaching tools, such as ultrasound visual biofeedback (U-VBF) in singing instruction, may contribute to bridging the gap between voice science and pedagogy by providing alternative ways to improve students’ kinesthetic awareness, clarify complex topics in voice physiology and acoustics, and create a common dialogue between different professionals specializing in voice. The primary research questions addressed in this study were: (a) To determine the current knowledge and attitude among …

Application Of Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning In Libraries: A Systematic Review, Rajesh Kumar Das, Mohammad Sharif Ul Islam

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

As the concept and implementation of cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning has become relevant, academics, researchers and information professionals involve research in this area. The objective of this systematic literature review is to provide a synthesis of empirical studies exploring application of artificial intelligence and machine learning in libraries. To achieve the objectives of the study, a systematic literature review was conducted based on the original guidelines proposed by Kitchenham et al. (2009). Data was collected from Web of Science, Scopus, LISA and LISTA databases. Following the rigorous/ established selection process, a total of thirty-two articles were …

Simultaneous Bilinguals’ Comprehension Of Accented Speech, Sita Carraturo

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

L2-accented speech recognition has typically been studied with monolingual listeners or late L2-learners, but simultaneous bilinguals may have a different experience: their two phonologies offer flexibility in phonological-lexical mapping (Samuel and Larraza, 2015), which may be advantageous. On the other hand, the two languages cause greater lexical competition (Marian & Spivey, 2003), which may impede successful L2-accented speech recognition. The competition between a bilinguals’ two languages is the oft-cited explanation, for example, as to why bilinguals underperform monolinguals in native-accented speech-in-noise tasks (Rogers et al., 2006). To investigate the effect of bilingualism on L2-accented speech recognition, the current studies compare …

Implementation Of Technology In The Foreign Language Classroom, Bashar Farid Al Saadi

All Theses And Dissertations

The domain of foreign language learning (FLL) is critical to modern education because it allows learners to integrate with the global community in a meaningful way and offers a multitude of advantages to graduates and professionals (Akbar, 2015; Hampel, 2015). The intersection of technology implementation in foreign language education was this study's central area of interest (Carrio Pastor, 2016). This study sought to examine technology implementation in foreign language (FL) classrooms within the context of higher education. The study examined the views, opinions, and beliefs of FL educators about the role of technology in FL education and possible obstacles to …

Estimating Homophily In Social Networks Using Dyadic Predictions, George Berry, Antonio Sirianni, Ingmar Weber, Jisun An, Michael Macy

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Predictions of node categories are commonly used to estimate homophily and other relational properties in networks. However, little is known about the validity of using predictions for this task. We show that estimating homophily in a network is a problem of predicting categories of dyads (edges) in the graph. Homophily estimates are unbiased when predictions of dyad categories are unbiased. Node-level prediction models, such as the use of names to classify ethnicity or gender, do not generally produce unbiased predictions of dyad categories and therefore produce biased homophily estimates. Bias comes from three sources: sampling bias, correlation between model errors …