Digital Commons Network^™

2025 F1rst Look, Nova Southeastern University

First Look

No abstract provided.

Where Honors Education And Faculty Development Meet, John Zubizarreta, Victoria M. Bryan

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs

Development is a contradictory terrain, as seen in the persistence of multiple and conflicting goals, uneven and unequal outcomes, and varied definitions and approaches to teaching and learning in higher education. How might universities support faculty development as a process rather than as isolated educational events? This collection highlights inherent complexities and challenges in sustained professional development and presents new ways of supporting faculty and designing curricula to encourage learning-centered teaching, experiential learning, collaborative undergraduate research, progressive forms of assessment, and other dynamic, inspiring forms of instruction. Engaging in interdisciplinary thinking ranging from Education and Education Policy, Biochemistry, Philosophy, Environmental …

How Inclusive Are Degree Programs In Operations Research And Analytics In The U.S.?, Michael P. Johnson Jr., Tayo Fabusuyi, Elham Hesari, Salina Chu

Public Policy and Public Affairs Faculty Publication Series

Academic programs in colleges and universities in the United States have increasingly embraced principles of equity and inclusion to support student success and diversity within professions. Innovations in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in university programs require baseline data on students, faculty and administrators, curricula, and programmatic support. A review of data shows that underrepresented groups in the US workforce have limited visibility in operations research and analytics. A review of DEI-related research reveals some relevant insights including a gap in studies specific to operations research and analytics.

To provide evidence in support of DEI initiatives in OR/analytics, we describe …

Exploring The Impact Of Generative Ai Chatgpt On Critical Thinking In Higher Education: Passive Ai-Directed Use Or Human-Ai Supported Collaboration?, Nesma Ragab Nasr, Chih-Hsiung Tu, Jennifer Werner, Tonia Bauer, Cherng-Jyh Yen, Laura Sujo-Montes

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Generative AI is weaving into the fabric of many human aspects through its transformative power to mimic human-generated content. It is not a mere technology; it functions as a generative virtual assistant, raising concerns about its impact on cognition and critical thinking. This mixed-methods study investigates how GenAI ChatGPT affects critical thinking across cognitive presence (CP) phases. Forty students from a four-year university in the southwestern United States completed a survey; six provided their ChatGPT scripts, and two engaged in semi-structured interviews. Students’ self-reported survey responses suggested that GenAI ChatGPT improved triggering events (M = 3.60), exploration (M = 3.70), …

Challenge-Based Learning: The Case Of Future Business Events Industry Leaders In Asia, Man Fung, Stephanie Lee

Department of Hospitality and Business Management

Purpose – This study explores the application of Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) in preparing students for the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) industry in Asia. Using the AFECA Asia MICE Youth Challenge 2024 as a case, it investigates how CBL fosters student engagement, critical thinking and leadership, addressing the gap between academic training and industry needs. Design/methodology/approach – A mixed-methods approach was used, combining survey data from 36 students and reflections from participants and coaches. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative responses were thematically examined using Clarke and Braun’s (2013) six-step method to assess CBL’s impact on …

2025-2026 Course Catalog, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of The Registrar

University of Montana Course Catalogs, 1895-2024

An annual catalog of courses and course descriptions offered at the University of Montana.

Examining Educational And Career Transition Points Among A Diverse, Virtual Mentoring Network, Erika L Thompson, Toufeeq Ahmed Syed, Zainab Latif, Katie Stinson, Damaris Javier, Gabrielle Saleh, Jamboor K Vishwanatha

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Given the differences in trajectory for under-represented minorities in biomedical careers, we sought to explore how a virtual mentoring program, the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN), and its platform (MyNRMN), may facilitate transitions in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) pipeline. The purpose of this study was to describe how the size of an MyNRMN member’s mentoring network and level of engagement correlate with academic and career transitions. We examined MyNRMN platform user data from March 2020 to May 2021 (n = 2993). Logistic regression estimated the odds of a career or academic transition related to NRMN …

Sealing The Deal: A Case Study Of A Private, Southeastern, Regional College’S Student Onboarding Practices, Alicia R. Gaston, Kristen Meyer, Tyler Ogden, Jennifer Perkinson, Casey Yocum Michaels

Doctor of Education Capstones

Each year, higher education institutions offer support to new, incoming students through an onboarding process that requires dedication and collaboration across multiple departments. Offering streamlined guidance and clear communication throughout the onboarding process is essential to ensure incoming students understand action steps without becoming overwhelmed with new terminology, processes, and environments. This explanatory case study is set to understand the current communication practices and technology use across onboarding departments at Brightside College – also referred to as Brightside or BC (pseudonym). The research team aimed to understand Brightside's onboarding staff's perspective of current processes and practices. With emphasis on the …

Research Methodology Education In Europe: A Multi-Country, Cross-Disciplinary Survey Of Current Practices And Perspectives, Silke Kniffert, Ivan Buljan, Flavio Azevedo, Peter Babinčák, Lucija Batinović, Thomas Rhys Evans, Sara Garofalo, Christopher Graham, Lucianne Groenink, Malika Ihle, Milosav Klugar, Lucia Kočišová, Michal Kohút, Nikolaos Kostomitsopoulos, Seán Lacey, Anita Lunić, Ana Marušić, Thomas Nordström, Charlotte R. Pennington, Daniel Pizzolato, Ulf Toelch, Marta Topor, Miro Vuković, Michiel R. De Boer

Publications

Background

Research methodology education aims to equip students with the foundational knowledge of robust scientific practices, emphasizing deep understanding of scientific inquiry, integrity, and critical thinking in research practice. A literature review reveals that the observed diversity in research methods course design and instruction stems from a lack of consensus about the essential foundations required to critically engage with, design, and execute research in education. This is further compounded by a limited pedagogical innovation. However, no study has yet investigated how research methodology is taught and perceived across European universities. The objective of this study is to examine practices and …

Editorial: Ai's Impact On Higher Education: Transforming Research, Teaching, And Learning, Alyse Jordan, Ashley L. Dockens, Natalia Anastasia Pierson, Xinyue Ren

STEMPS Faculty Publications

[Introduction] This Research Topic provides a comprehensive examination of how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming higher education. The collected studies reveal several interconnected themes that illuminate both the opportunities and challenges of AI integration in academic settings. This editorial summarizes these themes and articulates their significance for the future of higher education.

Disparities Between Reported And Actual Study Habits And Perceptions Among First Year Occupational Therapy Graduate Students, Melisa P. Kaye, Marcella Mccollum, Sydney Hanzalik

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Studying for exams forms a significant part of the occupational therapy graduate school experience. While successful completion of exams is a central focus for students, little time is devoted to explicitly teaching new graduate students how to most effectively study. Instead, when they enter their occupational therapy programs, students experience a steep learning curve, and often rely on previous habits or trial and error to discover the most efficacious study strategies. The purpose of this study was to examine the study behaviors, habits, and beliefs of new graduate students to gain insight into the prevalence of use of various study …

‘Like A 6-Year-Old Dropped On Mars Without Parents’: Faculty Members’ Intercultural Competence And Cultural Adaptation In The Uae, Mustafa Aydogan, Esra İzmir, Hana Shahin

All Works

This study examines the intercultural competence and sociocultural adaptation of international faculty members (IFMs) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a highly multicultural educational setting. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study explores IFMs’ adaptation experiences and the impact of multicultural teaching training. Quantitative analysis of 167 IFMs revealed a significant relationship between intercultural competence and sociocultural adaptation, with training enhancing both. Participants from Muslim or Arab backgrounds adapted better, emphasizing the role of cultural familiarity with the host culture. Qualitative findings from 14 interviews identified five key themes: (a) UAE’s diverse environment, (b) cultural distance, (c) language and communication challenges, …

Faculty Of Arts And Sciences Prospectus 2026, Faculty Of Arts And Sciences

The Aga Khan University Prospectuses and Brochures

• Message from the Pro Chancellor
• Message from the President
• Message from the Dean
• About AKU
• About the Faculty of Arts and Sciences
• About the Programme
• Core Curriculum
• Interdisciplinary Majors
• Experiential Learning
• Senior Capstone
• Message from the Director of Undergraduate Studies
• Explore Our Majors
• Asian and Middle Eastern Studies – Career Pathways
• Environmental Studies – Career Pathways
• Philosophy, Politics, and Economics – Career Pathways
• Social Development Studies – Career Pathways
• Courses at a Glance
• Message from the Associate Dean – Research
• The Design Laboratory (D-Lab)
• FAS Library
• Hallmarks of FAS Graduates
• Student Testimonial
• Student Testimonial
• Applying to the FAS
• Fees and …

Cultivating Mindsets Of Persistence: Experiences Of Undergraduate Women Students In Stem Programs At A Public Research University, Etina Qirjo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

In the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), women's representation is disproportionately low across high school, higher education, and professional sectors. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the factors influencing the persistence of undergraduate women STEM students at a public university by identifying available resources, uncovering obstacles and investigating their personal experiences. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews with a sample of 12 female participants enrolled as undergraduates in STEM majors at a public university. The research design chosen for the study was qualitative, focusing on stories from women’s experiences that provide an understanding of what …

Encouraging Self-Regulation In An Online University Course For Preservice Teachers: An Intervention Study, Karen T. Arnesen, Charles R. Graham, Heather Leary, Alison I. Mcmurry

Faculty Publications

Although self-regulation (SR) has long been seen as an important educational concept, we know little about how to foster it in higher education online student populations. This research addresses this need by introducing an SR intervention into a preservice teacher course. The 30 students who participated used an intervention consisting of weekly student goal setting and self-reflection. Using data collected from a self-regulation survey, weekly reflections, final exam reflections, and interviews, all but one student indicated that the process of setting a goal weekly and especially reflecting on their actions during the week increased their self-regulation abilities. More than half …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experience Of Gay White Men In Mid-Level Student Affairs Leadership Roles, S. Craig Mourton

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the lived experience of mid-level student affairs leaders who identify as cisgender, gay, White, and male in order to further understand the multidimensionality of embodying both privileged as well as marginalized identities. Four participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide and the resulting transcripts were analyzed utilizing the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) perspective. Experiential themes that emerged from the analysis of the individual cases as well as across the cases include unintended pathways into the field of student affairs, experiences of challenging heterosexual male supervisors and the preference for women supervisors, …

Understanding Supervisory Practice And Development In The Pre-Hdr Space: An Ethogenic Approach, Jenny Martin, Alison Owens, Sara Bayes, Paul Tofari, Claire Lynch, Nicola Brown, Benjamin Mountford, Ellen Warne

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This article addresses the lack of support for new supervisors in the pre-Higher Degree Research space, including undergraduate honours and postgraduate capstone projects. The research provides an inter-faculty perspective on the needs of pre-HDR students and supervisors, informing an online professional learning resource to address the problem. Concepts from ethogenic social psychology were used to theorise supervision as a complex practice involving two analytically distinct domains of human behaviour: the expressive and practical domains. Semi-structured focus group interviews with alumni and supervisors from Education, Arts-Humanities, and Health Sciences provided data for a needs analysis and to stimulate deliberation amongst the …

Perceived Professional Identity Formation And Influencing Characteristics Among Speech Pathology Students, Abigail Lewis, Denise Jackson, Dawn Bennett

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

While professional identity formation (PIF) is an important facet of employability and becoming a health professional, there has been little research on PIF among speech pathology (SP) students. This single group, cross-sectional study explored perceived PIF among SP students at a large, urban, Australian university selected via stratified sampling from a four-year undergraduate program. Using an established online self-assessment tool to measure perceived employability, the study reports on seven related constructs relevant to PIF. The self-assessment has previously been found to have strong validity and reliability and the subset used in this study likewise had strong validity and reliability. There …

Educator Professional Subjectivities In Gamification: Knowing, Being And Doing, Natalie-Jane Howard, Elizabeth J. Cook

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Gamification has emerged as a prominent innovation in contemporary education, yet its influence on the enactment of educators’ professional subjectivities remains underexplored. As such, little is known about how online gamification applications like Kahoot shape the dynamic ways educators perceive, understand and enact their professional selves within higher education contexts. Adopting a tripartite framework of knowing (epistemological), being (ontological) and doing (praxiological), this qualitative study employed visual-elicitation interviews and remote observations with ten lecturers at a Middle Eastern college. The analysis revealed three key themes shaping educator subjectivities: creating and sharing quiz content; conforming with institutional culture; and infantilizing students …

A Case Study Using The Transparency Framework And Artificial Intelligence To Promote Effective Writing And Student Success In A Writing-Intensive Course, Elizabeth A. Brown, Maria Kronenburg, Ashlee Steeley, Diana Tagbor

Health Behavior, Policy & Management Faculty Publications

Program evaluation data suggest that undergraduate students struggle with writing in a clear and concise manner and appropriately citing. Faculty implemented the plan-do study-act cycle to pilot the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) project framework and to explore the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and discuss approaches to using AI, along with the TILT framework, in a writing-intensive course to identify the pros and cons of using ChatGPT in an online classroom. The TILT framework reinforces adult learning by helping students clearly understand the assignment's purpose and establish a clear relationship between assignment and students' professional lives. Faculty encouraged …

A Comparison Of College Readiness Among Adult And Traditional-Age College Students, Oxana Rosca

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation examines age-based differences in college readiness by comparing newly enrolled adult undergraduates (age 24 and older) with traditional-age undergraduates at two public institutions: a large online university serving primarily working adults and a residential research university serving primarily younger students. The study uses secondary data from 5,447 incoming students who completed the Diagnostic Assessment and Achievement of College Skills (DAACS) Reading and Mathematics assessments between May 2022 and May 2023. The primary goal was to test whether adult and traditional-age students differ in reading and mathematics readiness after adjusting for background characteristics.

Multistage bifactor and unidimensional two-parameter logistic …

Implementation Of Project-Based Instruction In Statistics Higher Education Courses, Jennifer A. Daddysman

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Project-based instruction is an instructional methodology based in constructivism that aligns with recommendations from the American Statistical Association for teaching statistics, including incorporating real-world data and examples, collaboration, and scaffolding (GAISE College Report ASA Revision Committee, 2016; GAISE Steering Committee, 2024; Krajcik & Blumenfeld, 2005; Tishkovskaya & Lancaster, 2012). This study examined current use of project-based instruction in United States higher education courses in statistics and the supports for and challenges to implementing this type of instruction.

This study used qualitative research methodology in the integrative pedagogy and diffusion of innovation frameworks. Voluntary response surveys were distributed via two sections …

Understanding Perceptions Of Lived Transition Experiences Of Supplemental Instruction Leaders At A Historically Black University, Cecil Wayne Mayhall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand perceptions of lived transition experiences for supplemental instruction (SI) leaders at a large public historically Black research university in the Southeastern United States. Using the transition theory of Schlossberg et al. as a theoretical framework, this study attempted to answer the central research question: How do supplemental instruction (SI) leaders at a large public historically black research university in the Southeastern United States perceive their lived transition experiences? Sub-questions attempted to address participants' perception of the situation, self, support, and strategies when moving in, through, and out of, the SI …

Full Issue: Journal On Empowering Teaching Excellence, Volume 8, Issue 2, Fall 2024

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

The full-length Spring 2024 issue (Volume 8, Issue 1) of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version (with downloadable EPUB format) here.

The Fall 2024 issue presents practical ideas and prompts for those who teach at colleges and universities in a variety of disciplines. Articles ways to use popular culture (in this case, reality TV) to teach higher-level concepts; strategies for adapting Lesson Study techniques for preservice teachers; and a review of McNair et al.'s 2022 book on creating student ready colleges.

The Promise Of Lived Experience: Assessing Race And Merit After Sffa, Taonga Leslie, Claire Comey

Northwestern Journal of Law & Social Policy

70 years after Brown, students of color remain underrepresented in U.S. colleges and universities and in professions like law, medicine, business, and academia, which, in turn, drives inequitable social and economic outcomes. Recent Supreme Court decisions threaten to further exacerbate this inequity by preventing schools from considering race when making admissions decisions and shaping their classes. This article contends that by placing greater emphasis on applicants’ experiences of race, admissions officers can more accurately assess merit, improve services to disadvantaged communities, and achieve the pedagogical benefits of diversity. The article situates the lived experience approach within a well-established tradition permitting …

Sel For Well-Being And Equity In Higher Education, Colleen Conley, Deborah Donahue-Keegan

Psychology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The understood overarching purpose of higher education is to prepare students, typically young adults, with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate, thrive in, and be contributing members of society (Hurtado, 2019). In this time of unprecedented cross-sectoral complexity and volatility on a global scale, institutions of higher education must consider a more expansive set of learning and competency outcomes (Gopalan et al., 2022). This paradigm shift is essential given the alarming rise in mental health challenges on college and university campuses, deep polarization, and an increased demand for prosocial skills in workplaces across sectors (Dermody et al., 2022; Padurean …

Predicting Students At Risk Of Dropping Out In The College Of Medicine At Mohammed Bin Rashid University Of Medicine And Health Sciences. A Machine Learning Approach To Understand Attrition Factors Over The Past Seven Years, Moza Sulaiman Al-Zaabi

Theses

This master’s thesis investigates student attrition within the College of Medicine at Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) by applying the CRISP-DM methodology to analyse a dataset of 19 variables and around 2,000 records from Student Admission and Academic Performance sources. Although the dataset was relatively small, several machine learning models were developed to predict students at risk of dropping out, including Logistic Regression, Decision Trees, Support Vector Machines (SVM), and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). Of these models, the ANN model, particularly when combined with Principal Component Analysis (PCA), achieved the highest performance with an accuracy …

Strategizing Education Amid Crisis: A Case Study On Transforming Higher Education During The Covid-19 Pandemic [Academia Journals Hidalgo], Michelle Lorette Llado-Wrzos, Cristo Leon Ph.D.

STEM for Success Resources

The COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented challenges to higher education, disrupting traditional teaching methodologies and requiring institutions to adapt rapidly to ensure continuity of learning. This case study examines how a leading STEM-focused public research university navigated these challenges, leveraging strategic planning, technological innovation, and adaptive leadership to sustain its mission. The study highlights the institution’s transition to online learning, the implementation of blended modalities, and the operational adjustments safeguarding its community while maintaining educational excellence. Drawing on insights gained during the pandemic, the institution revised its strategic plan for 2025, incorporating goals for digital transformation, sustainability, and improved quality of …

Pacific Magazine 2024, University Of The Pacific

Pacific Magazine and Pacific Review

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Present And Preparing For The Future In Collegiate Esports, Marc C. Dearmond

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

While esports continues to grow as a varsity sport across higher education campuses, new programs are being built focusing on esports as a field of study. However, more research is needed about how esports programs are being administered on college campuses and how these programs are being measured for success. This three-article dissertation focuses on esports at the collegiate and undergraduate levels. The first study is a literature review focused on topics of research available for reading assignments in an online program based on the esports ecosystem as defined by Anderson et al. (2018). It contains an examination of current …