Digital Commons Network^™

Holistic Approaches To State School Grading Systems, Darryl Bond Denhalter

Theses and Dissertations

The United States education system has experienced an evolution of school accountability systems that has led to changes and variation in state school grading systems. This study shows that the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015, a recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, provides greater autonomy to individual states in evaluating and reporting school accountability than in preceding years and provides opportunities for states to implement a more holistic or well-rounded approach to school grading. ESSA policy and this study encourages states to choose to evaluate schools more holistically by implementing a wider …

Strategies For Equitable Access: Identifying Benefits And Strategies For Creating Integrated Public Schools, Annotated Examples Of Current School District Enrollment Practices, And Resources For Further Exploration, Lisa A. Gooden

Faculty Works

Prepared for the Equity Oriented Strategic Planning Committee for Kansas City Public Schools. Includes a summary of the benefits of integrated schools, strategies for creating equitable schools, annotated examples of current practices employed by public school districts in the United States to foster equitable access to education, and list of links to additional resources for further reading.

Washed Away: Native American Representation In Oklahoma Museums And High Schools, 2000 – 2020, Catherine E. Thompson

Graduate Masters Theses

Each state in our union has a unique history and story as it plays into the formation of the United States; one of the unique and historically relevant narratives to United States is that of Oklahoma. The state of Oklahoma has gone through a multitude of changes over the last several centuries. Unfortunately a significant part of the history that has made Oklahoma so singular continues to be overlooked by the public and through education. Native Americans were forced off their ancestral lands and moved to Oklahoma. The state was then developed through a series of federal acts and invasive …

Assessing Community Needs: City Of Toledo And Lucas County, Ohio, Jim Robey, Stephen Biddle, Don Edgerly, Marie Holler, Brian Pittelko, Claudette Robey, Kathleen Bolter, Tom Schorgl

Reports

At the core of issues in Lucas County and, in particular, the City of Toledo is poverty. While this does not necessarily provide an “Aha!” moment, current conditions that contribute to being economically disadvantaged in many areas of the city and county affect not only current residents but will also affect future residents—without meaningful and targeted interventions. It is beyond the scope of the Toledo Community Foundation, or any single institution for that matter, to unilaterally address the range of issues presented in this study. Remedying these issues must be accomplished through the coordination and leveraging of resources, including public, …

Undergraduate Student Experiences Of Publishing Biomechanics Research, Stuart A. Mcerlain-Naylor

ISBS Proceedings Archive

The aim of this study was to investigate student experiences of publishing undergraduate research in biomechanics. Twenty-five individuals with experience of publishing peer-reviewed undergraduate biomechanics research completed an online survey regarding their perceived benefits and their level of involvement in various aspects of the research process. Areas of the greatest and least perceived benefits and student involvement were identified. Correlations suggested numerous beneficial effects of relatively low student involvement, more likely related to the concurrent greater supervisor involvement. Staff should make informed decisions regarding their level of involvement in each aspect of the research process rather than simply focusing on …

Education, Inclusive Growth And Development In Nigeria: Empirical Examination, Emmanuel Onwioduokit

Bullion

Fundamental changes in the intellectual and social stance of any society have always been preceded by educational renaissance. This paper investigates the role of education in achieving and sustaining economic development in Nigeria. Abstracting from the theory, the paper examines education in Nigeria, its enhancing, including comparative analysis with selected African countries and its connection with economic development. The ARDL model was adopted to examine both the short run and long run relationships between education and development proxied by HDI and education and economic growth within the context of inclusive growth model. Evidence from the estimated long run ARDL model …

Towards Health Equity In Connecticut: The Role Of Social Inequality And The Impact Of Covid-19, Kelly Davila, Mark Abraham, Camille Seaberry

Reports

In January 2020, the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was reported in the United States, with Connecticut recording its first case by March 8. As of the time of writing, tens of thousands of Connecticut residents have tested positive for the illness, and thousands have died, with the true number of affected individuals likely being much higher. Early data indicate that Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities are experiencing disproportionately higher rates of infection and serious complications. In Connecticut, Black and Latino individuals have died at higher age-adjusted rates than white individuals, and nursing home residents account for more than half …

The Ocean Lifeguard Intervention Continuum: A Cognitive Aid For Surf Lifeguard Education, William A. Koon, Ryan M. Gates, Shane Scoggins, Paul Andrus, Jack A. Futoran

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Ocean lifeguards are constantly engaged in beach risk analysis, required to efficiently evaluate a variety of environmental and other factors quickly in order to triage and prioritize who needs help. Teaching these skills is a challenge for introductory training programs. We sought to improve new lifeguards’ understanding of the interaction of various risk components in the beach environment and aid decision-making related to when a lifeguard should intervene in a situation. We developed a two-part cognitive aid for introductory ocean lifeguard education depicting individual and interacting elements of a beach goer’s risk of drowning or injury and the process by …

Adolescent Girls Initiative–Kenya: Endline Evaluation Report, Karen Austrian, Erica Soler-Hampejsek, Beth Kangwana, Nicole Maddox, Yohannes Dibaba Wado, Benta Abuya, Valsa Shah, John A. Maluccio

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Early pregnancy is a challenge for girls in Kenya that often has immediate effects on their educational opportunities, future implications for their social, health, and economic outcomes, and negative impacts on their children. For girls to achieve well-being in early and late adolescence, no single-sector intervention—whether education, health, wealth creation, or prevention of violence—will be adequate. The Adolescent Girls Initiative–Kenya (AGI-K) delivered multisectoral interventions to over 6,000 girls aged 11–15 in two marginalized areas of Kenya: the Kibera informal settlement in Nairobi and Wajir County in Northeastern Kenya. These interventions were carried out for two years (2015–17) and comprised a …

Documenting Desire: Addressing The Educational Needs Of Undocumented English Learners, Alejandra Sofia Torres

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

While research on motivation in second language acquisition is copious and the interest in undocumented youth within the education field is growing, there is a need to closely examine the intersection of being both undocumented and an English Learner (EL) and how this intersection often limits ELs, especially those in underserved schools. Using ethnographic methods, this dissertation documents the educational experiences of thirty-one Spanish-speaking ELs in a predominately of color, urban, working-class high school in the southeastern United States. EL participants were ages fourteen through twenty with varying non-citizen immigrant statuses. Semi-structured interviews and field notes were collected during the …

Teaching The Empire: Education And State Loyalty In Late Habsburg Austria, Scott O. Moore

Central European Studies

Teaching the Empire explores how Habsburg Austria utilized education to cultivate the patriotism of its people. Public schools have been a tool for patriotic development in Europe and the United States since their creation in the nineteenth century. On a basic level, this civic education taught children about their state while also articulating the common myths, heroes, and ideas that could bind society together. For the most part historians have focused on the development of civic education in nation-states like Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. There has been an assumption that the multinational Habsburg Monarchy did not, or could …

A Tale Of Two Cities, Maybe Three A Look At Financial Literacy And Economic Development In Three Mississippi Cities: Fulton, Clarksdale, And Oxford, Kellie Reed Cleveland

Honors Theses

This paper explores the backbones of economic growth and how the backbones influence economic development in three cities in Mississippi. It further seeks to promote education in financial literacy throughout the state to create a base for individuals to further their financial education, create small businesses, or to simply be a knowledgeable citizen. The research sifts through backbones such as population health and small & big business influence, to explore how financial literacy influences daily life and the catalyst for businesses to start and grow. The Mississippi cities Fulton, Clarksdale, and Oxford are studied more in-depth through photos of the …

Developing A Continuing Education Program For Tribal Land Professionals, Nichlas Emmons

i.e.: inquiry in education

This paper explores the process of developing a continuing education program for tribal land professionals working in tribal land offices across the United States. Born from discussions surrounding the need to professionalize careers in tribal land offices, the National Tribal Land Association developed a certification program for land office staff and tribal citizens interested in careers in tribal land offices. This program consists of 12 courses ranging from beginning/foundation courses to advanced/applied courses in land management and planning, land acquisition, general realty, and real estate practices and procedures.

Inequality In Ethnic Representation In Secondary-School Literature Textbooks And National Examination In Vietnam, Anh Nguyen

Honors Projects

This essay studies the dynamic between ethnic minorities and majority in the Vietnamese education system. By examining the appearance and representation of ethnic minorities in national literature curriculum, textbooks, and examinations, the analysis reflects the government's perspectives regarding the “appropriate” portrait of ethnic minorities' heritage and relationship with the majority. The study finds that Vietnamese education framework and content comply with the national construct of a Vietnamese identity across ethnicities. The state determines educational materials and selectively permits only aesthetic, politically benign, and Kinh-like narratives of ethnic minorities’ cultures, many written and/or chosen by Kinh authority rather than the ethnic …

Finding Voice From The Inside: How Postsecondary Education Impacted Perceptions Of Higher Education For Long-Term Incarcerated Juveniles, Gregory Barraza

Education (PhD) Dissertations

There is a gap in the literature with regard to postsecondary opportunities for incarcerated youth. Minimal research and curriculum design are rarely available for the purpose of improving juvenile postsecondary correctional education thereby limiting recidivism rates of students in the juvenile justice system. The pilot program in this study attempted to provide a complete and comprehensive university program for long-term incarcerated juveniles to get them on track to obtain a bachelor’s degree. This dissertation addresses the high school experiences, including the School to Prison Pipeline and the academic experience to provide background information, justifying the importance of creating postsecondary academic …

Learning To Leave: Filipino Families And The Making Of The Global Filipino Nurse, Yasmin Y. Ortiga

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This chapter investigates how this process of reconfiguring the “social” plays out in the context of the Philippines’ labor export system and pervasive culture of emigration. Focusing on the case of Filipino nursing graduates seeking to work overseas, this chapter discusses how the success of the Philippines’ labor-brokering process relies on individuals who can take on the responsibility of transforming themselves, mainly through education and training, into desirable workers for future employers. While the migration literature had largely framed emigration as an individual aspiration and project, this chapter demonstrates how families subsidize the Philippine state’s labor export system by taking …

Soil Quality Tests For Classroom Use, Kathleen Thompson

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Soil analysis can traditionally be carried out by professional labs for a certain price, but this price adds up quickly when running many samples—as is often the case when pursuing a research question. Price is of particular concern in the classroom setting, where funding for student research can be limited.

This project examines several commercially produced soil test kits that are capable of testing a soil’s pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium; parameters which are of primary importance for plant growth. The project provides an overview of each kit’s contents and properties, a scientific assessment of their precision and accuracy, and …

An Investigation Of The Impacts Of Traditional, Virtual, And Hybrid Biological Laboratories On College Students’ Achievement And Motivation To Learn Biology, Shavonda Jackson

Dissertations

Virtual courses function in a different manner than traditional courses, therefore they require teaching methods and assessment techniques geared specifically to maximize this learning experience. Internet-based learning and distance-education are no longer new concepts in the science field. Because of this, many collegiate biology programs have created courses that can be taken virtual or hybrid. A number of experimental studies have had great influence in terms of the effects and impacts of educational technology in relation to virtual laboratories.

However, not many studies emphasize the impact of hybrid laboratories on student achievement or assess students’ motivation to learn in a …

"History Of Nebraska Club", Allison Metschke, Hailey Just

Honors Program: Expanded Learning Clubs

This club is designed to educate young kids on the history of Nebraska. Topics cover a wide variety of ideas, including: the Oregon Trail, Native Americans, teepees, tribes, clothing, buffalo, Chimney Rock, Homestead National Monument, how Nebraska became a state, and general information about Nebraska.

Writing Systems As A Reflection Of Ancient Societies, Sarah M. Gripshover

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the writing systems of two ancient societies: the Latin alphabet as a writing system within the Roman Empire and the hieroglyphic writing system within the Maya city-state. This thesis first situates writing as a technology and explains the common uses of writing systems in modern contexts, before turning to an examination of the past. Next, basic literary patterns—including estimated literacy rates, education patterns and opportunities, types of documents, and themes within writing—are examined within the context of both societies. After evaluating these literary patterns, as well as the social, political, and economic organization of both societies, this …

Health Care And Plains Native Americans: Striving Towards A Culturally Competent Medical School Curriculum, Benjamin M. Jacobs

Honors Thesis

My honors thesis will explore the curriculum at the USD Sanford School of Medicine (SSOM). I plan to examine the curriculum for cultural competence and diversity education, specifically on Native (American Indian/Alaskan Native) peoples. My primary goal is to increase the educational importance the Sanford School of Medicine places on the culture of all groups, especially, Native peoples. My topic is important because diversity and inclusion are essential parts to creating a unified team. Furthermore, this topic is especially relevant here in South Dakota due to the number of Native peoples in the state. South Dakota has the fourth highest …

Leading Rural Nurse Academic Progression, Cynthia Jean Larsen

Dissertations (1934 -)

Higher levels of nurse education have been associated with improved patient outcomes and lower healthcare costs. Members of rural populations are vulnerable, having poorer outcomes than urban inhabitants on a number of health indicators. Rural nurses are more likely than urban nurses to enter practice with associates degrees. Hence, academic progression is important for rural nurses and for the health of rural patients and communities. Rural nurse leaders work to promote the academic progression of rural nurses. Grounded theory methodology was used in this study to describe the concerns of and the actions taken by nurse leaders in the promotion …

Juxtaposing Primary- And Intermediate-Elementary Trade Books’ Historical Representation Of Amelia Earhart, Rachael A. Burkhardt

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Amelia Earhart can be used in the classroom not only to interest students but can also be used to cover Common Core State Standards (CCSS), National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) framework, and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). When teaching Amelia Earhart, textbooks, trade books, and primary sources can be used, however one must be careful with the misrepresentations each resource can portray. To look at what is misrepresented, omitted, and included within primary and intermediate grade level trade books, 32 books were scrutinized. The trade books being analyzed were found to have some historically representative and misrepresentative elements …

Exploring The Political Styles And Strategies Used By Successful Women Classified Managers In Educational Agencies, Colleen Stanley

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to discover and describe the political styles of successful women classified managers within California’s central coast region who advanced from middle management to top-level management level positions within an educational agency. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to explore and understand the political strategies that they perceived enhanced or hindered their ability to be promoted.

Methodology: This phenomenological study captured the stories of classified women managers’ lived experiences as they successfully advance in their careers to high-level management positions within an educational agency. A sample size of 15 …

Floyd Collection (Mss 689), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 689. Field books, 1851-1929, containing Warren County, Kentucky surveying notes recorded by John B. Floyd as well as some Warren County land records related to the Floyd family. Educational material from Jesse A. Floyd, Jr. relating to his teaching career in Warren County. A travel journal kept by Hubert and Alleyne Robinson during their trip to the western United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Proceedings Of The Cuny Games Conference 6.0, Robert O. Duncan, Joseph Bisz, Christina Boyle, Kathleen Offenholley, Maura A. Smale, Carolyn Stallard, Deborah Sturm

Publications and Research

The CUNY Games Network is an organization dedicated to encouraging research, scholarship and teaching in the developing field of games-based learning. We connect educators from every campus and discipline at CUNY and beyond who are interested in digital and non-digital games, simulations, and other forms of interactive teaching and inquiry-based learning. These proceedings summarize the CUNY Games Conference 6.0, where scholars shared research findings at a three-day event to promote and discuss game-based pedagogy in higher education. Presenters could share findings in oral presentations, posters, demos, or play testing sessions. The conference also included workshops on how to modify existing …

Brain Drain In The Mountain West, Ember Smith, Caitlin Saladino, William E. Brown

Economic Development & Workforce

This Fact Sheet highlights the effects of major shifts in geographic mobility patterns of highly-educated citizens in the Mountain West (Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado). The phenomenon, dubbed “brain drain” by experts, is characterized by the out-migration of a group of highly-educated people. “Brain gain” describes the opposite: when a location attracts highly-educated people. Several states are keeping and welcoming more highly-educated adults, while other states are rapidly losing talent. This migration pattern has important implications for social, political, and economic issues facing the country.

A Posthumanist Pragmatism: Rereading Tomboys, Aaron Martin, Spurthi Gubbala, Marissa J. Huth, Sarah M. Johnson, Amanda Romaya

Cultural Encounters, Conflicts, and Resolutions

Gender has often dictated the roles and responsibilities that individuals are expected to fulfill. Societies in general still adhere to a strict gender binary system, and have largely been either intolerant of or, at minimum, uncomfortable with those who break from such a system. The tomboy figure has been the recipient of societal judgement for what has been interpreted to be a subversion of and deviance from traditional gender norms, and this has played out in a variety of ways. For instance, literary depictions of the tomboy—as the manifestations of the dominant cultural attitude—have captured both the aversion to as …

Doolin: History And Memories, Kevin M. Griffin, Kevin A. Griffin, Brendan J. Griffin

Books / Book chapters

This book is about growing up in Doolin, County Clare, Ireland in the 1940s. It is based heavily on the author’s memories and recollections, reinforced and supported by historical and archival research. Contained herein are a variety of stories and memories, tales and yarns, all documenting a way of life that is now only found in the folklore and historic records of ‘old Ireland’.

The selection of episodes and experiences is eclectic, based on memory and reminiscences, chats with friends and family and all is blended with detailed historical investigation. Our overall aspiration is that this book will help to …

2020 Children's Story Cards, Tsos

TSOS Interview Gallery

Arif: "I like being in school again."

Norina: "We laugh a lot but I also worry."

Nooda: "I came on a boat. It was a big boat!"

Madina: "I just want to live in a safe place..."

Shurangez: "Sometimes we didn't feel safe at school."

Alex: "I'm from Nigeria. Coming to Italy was very difficult-very, very difficult, a real struggle."

Danial: "I want to be a useful person and follow my dreams."

Firoz: "I am 13 years old and I am worried about my family."

Ali: "Ali lived in Afghanistan. One day while walking to school a bomb exploded near …