Digital Commons Network^™

Sustainable Campus Landscapes In The United States And China: A Comparative Analysis, Zhaofang Zhang, Jing Zhou, Deanna Schmidt, Kathleen Garland

The Geographical Bulletin

This paper explores landscapes of sustainability. Universities across the world have incorporated sustainability into their curriculum, research, infrastructure operation, and resource management. However, campus landscapes are relatively unexplored assets to promote university sustainability. As the physical embodiment of university values as well as an enduring legacy, campus landscapes offer the potential to integrate sustainability into the fabric of universities for generations to come. The paper presents findings from an empirical study of two universities: China T hree Gorges University, Yinchang City, Hubei province, China, (CTGU) and the University of Houston, Clear Lake, Texas, United States (UHCL). The research utilizes landscape …

Student Experiences With Self-Determination And Agency: Centering Disabled Voices Through Photovoice, Rebecca Boineau Smith Hill

Theses and Dissertations

Young adults with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) are less likely than young adults without disability to be employed, enrolled in postsecondary education, or live independently after high school (Lauer & Houtenville, 2017; Newman, et al., 2011). Self-determination, or the freedom to act as the primary causal agent in one’s life (Palmer & Wehmeyer, 1998), is a well-documented component of enhanced quality of life (Shogren et al., 2017) and a predictor of postschool success (Mazzotti et al., 2021; Test et al. 2009) for students with disabilities. People with IDD are less self-determined than their nondisabled peers, and often less self-determined …

Institute Of Enslavement: Enslaved Lives At South Carolina College, Jill Found

Theses and Dissertations

“Institute of Enslavement: Enslaved Lives at South Carolina College” argues that enslaved people used the structure of the school, their own knowledge, and connections to other individuals and institutions to negotiate the terms of their enslavement. It examines how enslaved people on campus influenced their daily lives to the best of their abilities, in ways that were similar and different to other forms of enslavement. “Institute of Enslavement” considers how the unique structure of enslavement on a college campus, with multiple potential masters creating inconsistent authority for the school officials over enslaved people, created opportunities as well as moments of …

Exploring School Of Education Faculty Emotion, Attitudes, And Experiences Related To Student Mental Health, Jesse Mossholder

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

Student mental health concerns among adolescents and young adults are continuing to rise (Reis et al., 2023, Ashoorian, 2018; Burns et al., 2017; Davies et al., 2016). The purpose of the present study was to explore teacher preparation faculty perceptions of student mental health concerns. The author adapted Stine Ekorne’s (2016) Perceived Competence Scale to score each participant's perceived competence, responsibility, and emotions related to addressing student mental health concerns. The 27-item Qualtrics questionnaire was distributed to faculty and academic staff in the School of Education at a midwestern public university. Participants were recruited through email. Participants included tenured and …

Acquisitions Unit Annual Report 2023-2024, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Annual Report of the Acquisitions Unit, University Libraries, University of Rhode Island for FY2024. Covers personnel, work flow, special projects, and serial, monograph, and e-resource acquisitions. Supplemental files include data on library materials expenditures by a number of variables as well as important working documents from the year.

The Lived Experiences Of Educators Leveraging Educational Technology And Connectivism For Fostering Academic Achievement In Higher Education: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Cynthia T. Plueger

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of educators at public universities in the southern region of the United States who leverage educational technology to enhance student engagement and improve academic achievement through the application of connectivism principles in learning environments. This study was guided by the connectivism theory, which highlights the significance of interconnected networks, contemporary knowledge, and the interrelatedness of information in digital higher education learning environments. The central research question was: How do educators at public universities in the southern region of the United States describe their lived experiences with leveraging …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Mentees Involved In A University Transfer Program In A Two-Year Technical College: A Qualitative Case Study, Jason Ray Whiteside

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the lived experiences of mentees involved in a University Transfer program in a two-year technical college. The theory guiding this study is Bandura’s (1986) social cognitive theory. Bandura postulated that learning occurs in the social context through observing and emulating a mentor (model), thus creating the opportunity for the mentee (observer) to acquire new practices and skills. The study consisted of 10 mentees who participated in individual interviews and focus groups and maintained a reflective journal to share their personal experiences with their assigned peer mentor during the mentorship. The …

Grounded In Liquidity: Writing And Identity In Third Space, Alicja Syska, Carina Buckley, L Heggie

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

This paper argues that writing for publication has the potential to support the creation, negotiation, and stabilising of the professional identities of third space (Whitchurch, 2013) practitioners in higher education. Caught in the impermanence and unpredictability of ‘liquid life’ (Bauman, 2005), third space opens up unique opportunities in writing that afford its practitioners a means of building and sustaining identity. Third space expands academic writing beyond its normative constraints, creating a tension between the apparent permanence and solidity of writing and the liquidity that allows for the negotiation of meaning andidentity. As such, writing, particularly for dissemination, provides third space …

Navigating The Academic Labyrinth: Describing The Landscape Of Women Faculty In Hospitality Higher Education, Kelly A. Way, Clarissa Mason, Betsy Garrison

Human Development and Family Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to describe faculty women’s perspectives of the workplace environment in hospitality higher education. Design/methodology/approach

Female faculty members in hospitality (n = ∼50) completed an online survey about their beliefs about women’s experiences, advancement characteristics the glass ceiling and gender equity. Findings

Respondents concurred that being self-directed, assertive and a risk-taker were essential; leadership is the most important characteristic for advancement and the glass ceiling is prevalent and prominent. It may be assumed that the milieu of academia would be free or freer of the glass ceiling, but research, including this study, suggests otherwise. …

Understanding The Internationalization Of Higher Education In The Context Of The War In Ukraine: Critical Conversations From Kazakhstan

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

Special Issue

Full Issue 16(3)

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Antiracism In Higher Education: An Integrated Psychological Perspective, Rhea E. Nesbitt

Dissertations, 2020-current

Antiracism is a complicated and important term with prominent, influential voices claiming that systemic equity and the reconfiguration of white identity are the central solutions to eradicating American racism. Within the profound sociocultural effects of the existing antiracist rhetoric, there is vagueness, conflict, and incoherence. Language serves as a fundamental aspect of human experience, facilitating individual meaning-making and comprehension. Effective communication hinges on the ability to articulate subjective experiences and justifications clearly, a challenge evident in discussions surrounding antiracism. Despite advocating for antiracism as crucial and unending work, scholars recognize significant hurdles, including unclear responsibilities for implementation and entrenched structures …

Student Perceptions And Academic Performance When Taught With Multiple Active Learning Methods In A High Enrollment Undergraduate Human Physiology Course, Kate Ireton Walker

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

When instructing very large groups of students in science, it can be difficult to engage all students in the content and measure their understanding. A major unaddressed challenge in science instruction is how specifically to design and implement strategies that engender active learning particularly in high-enrollment undergraduate courses. Active learning, which represents a diverse set of strategies, may include student engagement as part of instruction through discussions, active movement, and application (Bernstein, 2018; Cavanagh, et al. 2016; Michael, 2006 & Wilke, 2003). This study was designed to provide data addressing the gap in the literature regarding how the continual implementation …

Exposing The Pervasive Culture Of Whiteness At Predominantly White Institutions: A Narrative Analysis Of White Deans Of Students' Understanding And Role In Responses To Campus Racial Incidents, Jennifer Helen Reid

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Deeply embedded in U.S. higher education institutions is a culture of whiteness that benefits white students, staff, faculty, and administrators through racist policies, structures, and cultural norms designed to uphold whiteness. This culture not only minimizes the presence of racism, but also is pervasive on college campuses, where administrators often fail to recognize blatant racism and treat ongoing campus racial incidents as isolated events. Despite the frequency of racial incidents, campus responses are typically ineffective, failing to address the underlying institutional practices that reinforce white supremacy and further harm those affected. This study explored the experiences of white deans of …

Introduction To 16(3) 2024 And Special Issue: The Effect Of The Russia-Ukraine Conflict On International Mobility And Internationalization In Post-Soviet Eurasia And Beyond, Rosalind Latiner Raby

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Education In Exile As A Hope-Making Practice: The Case Of Russian Higher Education Projects

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

Special Issue

Jacks Of All Hats: Role Complexity, Ambiguity, And The Experiences Of Short- Term Study Abroad Faculty

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

U.S. Undergraduate Test-Optional Policies For International Applicants During The Covid Pandemic: An Exploration Of Admissions Webpages, Sugene Cho-Baker, Guangming Ling, José Sotelo, Olasumbo Oluwalana

Chinese/English Journal of Educational Measurement and Evaluation | 教育测量与评估双语期刊

Although the adoption of test-optional policies (TOPs) has risen, there is little research documenting the types of TOPs (e.g., test-blind, test-optional) utilized across higher educational institutions, particularly for international applicants, who have been traditionally required to submit additional application components (e.g., proof of English language proficiency [ELP]). Using the content of undergraduate admissions webpages from 518 U.S. 4-year universities, the current study examined how standardized test policies are implemented in admissions for international applicants. We found that only 2.5% of the institutions explicitly required ACT/SAT scores, whereas 43.1% stated ACT/SAT scores as optional requirements for admissions. Some institutions provided unclear …

Integrating Research-Based Indicators Of Emergent Biliteracy Teaching Practices For Emerging Bilingual Learners, Julia Guadalupe Cuevas Guerra

Human Development and School Services Faculty Publications

This research explored how bilingual teachers of young Dual Language Leaners ages 0-3 integrated Reyes and Azuara’s (2008) Ecological Model of Emergent Biliteracy in their classrooms to foster bilingualism, biliteracy, and academic success. Dual Language Learners are the fastest-growing population of young children in the country that speak a language other than English. As so, the early childhood workforce must integrate the Ecological Model of Emergent Biliteracy for emergent biliteracy development and equitable emergent biliteracy teaching practices to support the natural biliteracy development of young Spanish-English Dual Language Learners. Qualitative data was collected through interviews and observations and were analyzed …

From Classroom Interaction To Academic Success: Tracing The Mediating Role Of Effective Communication In Faculty-Student Dynamics, Nadia Dahmani, Wael Ali, Mohammed Aboelenein, Mohammad A.K. Alsmairat, Mursal Faizi

All Works

This paper aimed to determine the impact of faculty communication style, student proactiveness, and academic discipline on student academic performance and student-faculty relationship quality in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) higher education context. This study also aimed to contribute to the literature by verifying the mediating impact of communication effectiveness between the selected factors. Using a cross-sectional survey design, the study sample comprised 193 university students, and it was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results revealed that academic discipline and the professor’s communication style enhanced communication effectiveness, whereas student proactiveness had a minimal effect. The …

The Perceptions Of Tennessee Public School Case Managers On Individualized Education Program Transition Planning And Their Role In Preparing 12th Grade Students For Postsecondary Education Disability Services, Robert A. Bartles

Ed.D. Dissertations

Few students with disabilities applied for postsecondary education disability services and, as a result, had lower graduation rates from four-year colleges than their non-disabled peers. The purpose of this qualitative, interpretive study was to discover the perceptions of Tennessee public high school case managers regarding IEP transition planning and to discover their role in preparing 12th grade students with disabilities for postsecondary education disability services as minimal literature existed on the topic. I discovered four themes from coding questionnaire responses of 13 study participants. Most case managers (85%) relied on direct student input to create transition goals and perceived IEP …

Does Deviating From Agile Principles Have An Impact On Project Success In North Carolina Higher Education Institutions?, Douglas A. Stanley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Agile software development projects are over three times more likely to succeed than waterfall projects, but 58% of agile-led projects are unable to satisfy the timeline, budget, and customer (Standish Group, 2020). This quantitative correlational study examines if a relationship exists between deviating from the 12 agile principles outlined in the Manifesto for Agile Software Development (Beck et al., 2001) and the perceived level of success for agile software development projects within North Carolina higher education institutions. The general problem addressed by this study is the failure of organizations adhering to agile principles resulting in unsuccessful software development projects. Using …

E-Gaming: An Active Learning Pedagogy For Engaging Learners In A Private University In Karachi, Pakistan, Laila Akber Cassum, Syeda Sadia Fatima

School of Nursing & Midwifery

There is a radical shift in teaching and learning pedagogies to engage the learners in healthcare profession. It was a tough challenge for Pakistani educators of an esteemed university to motivate and assess the learners for concept absorption and critical reasoning using creative approaches. Teaching and learning styles have changed fundamentally from conventional teacher centred to inquiry-based student-centred approach. Classroom teaching in recognised nursing and medical institutes in Pakistan have transformed to blended and entirely online methodologies with the integration of diverse active learning strategies. The educators grapple to engage the millennials and to encounter this, gaming technological platform was …

Sustainable Development Goal 4.B In The Pacific – A Pilot Study For Monitoring Tertiary Education Scholarships For Development, Amanda Haddow, Daniel Edwards, Lorissa Hazelman

Global education monitoring

United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. SDG 4 includes 10 targets, of which Target 4.b aims to expand higher education scholarships for developing countries. Target 4.b leverages the benefits of international education to support countries in achieving SDG 4. For host and sending countries, the exchange of students across borders shares the societal benefits produced by tertiary education (knowledge, information, innovation) (Perna et al., 2014). The modality of scholarships broadens access to high-quality tertiary education in areas necessary for locally-led development and provides opportunities …

Open Educational Resources In Higher Education, Teisha Robertson

Alabama Libraries

Open Educational Resources (OERs) are materials such as books, articles, videos of lectures, and other resources provided to students free of charge. The increase in textbook costs has caused students to depend upon OERs. OERs are excellent teaching resources for students and instructors because they are free or low-cost and easy to adapt to instructor curricula. Furthermore, they can help students from low-income families save money. This paper will discuss the importance, challenges, and benefits of open educational resources in higher education institutions.

Satellite Campus Enrollment: A Qualitative Investigation Of Enrollment Preferences Of The Post-Traditional Student, Alexis K. Wood

Dissertations

For many, the “American Dream” involves earning a college degree. This degree promises a brighter professional and personal future and an improved overall quality of life. The steps taken to achieve this dream are graduating from high school, heading straight to college, graduating with that bachelor’s degree, and moving forward in the “perfect” career. While this step-by-step process seems natural to most, the reality is that in the fall of 2022, 69.2 percent of high school graduates entered the workforce, opting to pursue that degree much later in life ("College Enrollment," 2023). Researchers refer to this type of student as …

Enhancing Adult Learner Success In Higher Education Through Decision Tree Models: A Machine Learning Approach, Emily Barnes, James Hutson, Karriem Perry

Faculty Scholarship

This article explores the use of machine learning, specifically Classification and Regression Trees (CART), to address the unique challenges faced by adult learners in higher education. These learners confront socio-cultural, economic, and institutional hurdles, such as stereotypes, financial constraints, and systemic inefficiencies. The study utilizes decision tree models to evaluate their effectiveness in predicting graduation outcomes, which helps in formulating tailored educational strategies. The research analyzed a comprehensive dataset spanning the academic years 2013–2014 to 2021–2022, evaluating the predictive accuracy of CART models using precision, recall, and F1 score. Findings indicate that attendance, age, and Pell Grant eligibility are key …

“I Know How Much He Cares For Our Learning”: Moral Life In University Elt Classrooms, Leila Tajik, Seyyed Abdolhamid Mirhosseini, Mahsa Kashkooli

The Qualitative Report

In Iran’s higher education English language teaching (ELT) context, we explored the moral nuances embedded in two conversation courses offered to undergraduate students majoring in English Literature at one of the branches of the Islamic Azad University (IAU) in Tehran. We collected data through classroom observations, field notes, and semi-structured individual and focus group interviews. Our content analysis revealed a range of moral values embedded in significant incidents, which we categorized into five themes: (a) relations, (b) rules and regulations, (c) assessment, (d) curricular substructure, and (I) culture. These themes were further subcategorized into more specific concepts that emerged from …

Assessing Higher Education's Role In Personality Formation Using Neutroalgebra, Jean Pierre Ramos-Carpio, Oscar José Alejo Machado, Jesús Estupiñán Ricardo, Angel Braulio Martinez Vasquez

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

This study examines the role of higher education in personality formation, highlighting its influence on the development of critical thinking, autonomy in decision-making, social skills, and creativity. While there is a favorable influence in these areas, the data also highlight limitations in developing problem-solving skills and cementing ethical and moral ideals. Emotional management has a neutral influence, whereas social awareness and citizenship reveal modest improvement, suggesting a need for increased attention on building civic involvement. The study proposes the use of neutroalgebra and neutrosophic theory to more accurately assess these abstract dimensions. Future work could explore the use of other …

Learning The Landscape: An Active And Applied Lesson On Landscape Ecology For General Ecology Courses, Erin G. Rowland-Schaefer, Brianna Negrete Mcginley, Heather E. Bergan-Roller

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Landscape ecology is an important subtopic of ecology. As a field, it is inherently interdisciplinary and provides opportunities to teach not only content, but transferable ecological and geographical skills. Given the broad spectrum of topics in general ecology courses, landscape ecology is often relegated to a single lecture or not covered at all, meaning that there is a need for concise, effective lesson content for teachers. Here, we present an adaptable, active lesson on landscape ecology that can be implemented to help address this gap and support student engagement and the application of content knowledge to local systems. Students are …