Digital Commons Network^™

Hearing All The Colors: Stories Of Engagement From Teachers' Perspectives, Carolyn Allison

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study documented four high school English II End of Course teachers' stories about student engagement in the classroom. Students of color, in particular, have been maligned for underperformance on state-mandated tests. Instead of focusing on the despairing headlines and data, this study focused on how teachers follow the state standards and district curriculum guides to increase success. The teachers' authentic voices on student engagement shine through their stories. Student engagement is not a one-size-fits-all scenario which these teachers prove.

The teachers' stories served as the data for this study. The data was viewed through the lens of …

Utilizing Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices In The Classroom, Lindsey Nicole Finley

Theses and Dissertations

This research study aimed to address the impact of teaching concepts of culturally responsive pedagogy on teachers’ understanding of their implicit biases. Additionally, it examined the impact that professional development training utilizing culturally responsive teaching (CRT) methods have on teachers working with multilingual learners (MLs). The research questions were: (1) What is the impact of teaching concepts of culturally responsive pedagogy on teachers' understanding of their implicit biases? and (2) What is the impact of intentional, ongoing professional development utilizing CRT methods for teachers working with multilingual learners? This study used a theoretical framework of culture centered pedagogies such as …

Rethinking The Philosophy Of Religion: Toward A Better Relationship Between Religion And Science, Jovino De Guzman Miroy

Budhi: A Journal of Ideas and Culture

This paper rethinks the philosophy of religion by asking what it can learn from the less antagonistic and more dialogic relationship between science and religion. Greater heterogeneity amongst student beliefs requires that the philosophy of religion become pluralistic. Moving beyond antagonism, the task of the philosophy of religion is to improve the relationship between religion and science for the better. The paper also probes what it means to study religion scientifically. The reform of the philosophy of religion proposed here means that the field shed its apologetic nature, but continue its project of reason-giving for a synthesis of religious experience. …

Enhancing Student Engagement For African American Students In High School English Through Culturally Responsive Teaching, Dominique Leonardo Woodard

Student Theses and Dissertations

Culturally responsive teaching is essential in ensuring that teaching and learning allows all students to feel seen and heard thus giving them a voice to have in their educational experiences. This qualitative case study aimed to explore teachers’ perceptions of culturally responsive teaching (CRT). In this exploration, the study focused on teacher knowledge of CRT, curriculum and materials that reflect CRT, and instructional strategies teachers perceived engaged CRT. This study lends itself to the theoretical framework of culturally responsive teaching (Geneva Gay) and culturally relevant pedagogy (Gloria Ladson-Billings). These frameworks guided the study in understanding what is needed from teachers …

Teaching Transcription For Social Justice In Linguistic Anthropology, Thea R. Strand, Michael Wroblewski

Anthropology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The careful transcription of socially-occurring speech can be usefully incorporated into undergraduate classes in linguistic anthropology through in-class practice, discussion, and, especially, as a formal assignment. Teaching transcription—a key method for professional linguistic anthropologists—is particularly effective for engaging students in active learning of key disciplinary principles, as well as promoting critical (self-)awareness of, and reflection on, sociolinguistic practice. As students’ written reflections on transcription assignments show, teaching close transcription contributes to deepened understandings of the fundamental characteristics and complexities of human speech, the key roles language plays in social interaction and inequality, and how they might apply these lessons toward …

“Honey, Life Is Just A Classroom:” Using Taylor Swift As A Pedagogical Tool For College Composition, Liz Thomae

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

As educators, we confront the challenge of cultivating a deeper understanding of writing in an age obsessed with utilitarianism, instant gratification, and pragmatism. Students come into our classrooms inundated with these messages of utility and often find subjects within the humanities, especially first year writing, boring and unhelpful. Especially with the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) use in our classrooms and society at large, we as pedagogues have our work cut out for us. I propose a pedagogical approach that bridges students' interests with essential writing skills by integrating Taylor Swift's music into the composition classroom. Swift's evolution as …

Negotiation, Expression, And Microlanguage: The Processes Of Student Welfare And Identity In High School English Language Arts Classrooms, Jencarlos Feliciano-Ponce

Master's Projects

In this study, I will explore negotiation and expression as processes that educators can utilize (or continue to intentionally engage with) to empower the student body of the current high school English classrooms to counteract current pressures and negative trends in ELA. Negotiation and expression are not topics that should be explored in only a single ELA unit, either. The small moments that students experience with language, culture, and power all culminate to the processes explored in this research study; they guide English educators in their lesson instruction, curriculum design, and student engagement. By managing negotiation and expression as undercurrents …

A Curriculum Development Study: Crafting And Teaching Curricula For Ell Students In China, Kayleigh Kearsley

Curiosity

When teaching English Language Learners (ELL), it is important to understand the best practices and tools available to teach these students effectively and engagingly. In this curriculum development study, I examine and utilize effective and engaging practices for teaching ELL students and offers ten lesson plans taught to a native Chinese speaker that reflect the implementation and development of these practices. Research consisted of both practical and theoretical sources concerning critical pedagogy for teaching ELL students. An understanding of students’ background shapes an understanding of language transfer, thus providing a more tailored teaching approach (Rigby, 2004). The scaffolding of lessons …

Creating New Points Of Access: How Integrating Black Acting Methods Strengthens The Western Theatre Canon., Darrin Edward Dispenza-Mosley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Western acting techniques have historically disregarded the contributions and techniques of black and non-Western performance to the detriment of black actors. This disregard has created barriers for black actors when engaging in what has now become standard theatre training. This training is enforced by implementation of acting techniques in academia that favor codified techniques of Eurocentric acting. Despite black acting techniques being codified and taught within the black community and academia, outside of a few historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), predominately white academia has implemented valuable training methods that black/African American Acting techniques can offer. By looking at American …

Building Bridges And Breaking Barriers: Instructional Videos For Intercultural Communication, Morgan M. Lankford

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

I've created instructional YouTube videos focusing on Intercultural Communication. My goal was to make academic material/learning accessible to the general public. I have completed the background research, the script writing and editing, the filming and video editing, and it has been a learning curve. However, I’ve been able to translate academic information in such a way that more people can understand it and learn from it. As people watch these academic videos, they will not only learn facts and terms about intercultural communication, but more importantly they will learn how to be more understanding people. They will learn to be …

Antidote, Sinicization, And Discipline Construction: Reading Hongbing Ge’S Theories Of Creative Writing Scholarship, Zhiyuan Chen, Weidong Liu

Journal of Creative Writing Studies

Review of Hongbing Ge, editor. Theories of Creative Writing Scholarship. Chinese Higher Education Press, 2020. 167 pages.

Engagement In Generalist Social Work Practice: Exploring Conceptual Theory And Textbook Pedagogy, Alice C. Fischer

Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

Social work has a distinctive orientation to engagement that sets it apart from other helping professions. Engagement occurs both at the beginning and throughout every stage of social work practice with client systems. Despite its inherent and almost synonymous nature with social work practice, the profession has found it challenging to establish a theoretical conceptualization of engagement in social work or a definition of engagement in social work.

This study explored existing literature to establish a construct of engagement and a description of its underlying concepts, variables, and attributes. The construct informed the development of a methodology for comparing how …

Ethical Ai Use And Classroom Integration Training Modules, Daniel Boudon

Open Educational Resources

This project focuses on developing comprehensive training modules to equip students and faculty with the knowledge and skills necessary to ethically and effectively use AI tools in academic settings. The training consists of interconnected modules that cover a wide range of topics, including the ethical use of AI, evaluating AI-generated content, integrating AI tools into curriculum design, and creating AI-enhanced classroom activities. Additional modules emphasize fostering digital literacy, staying updated with AI advancements, and collaborating on best practices for AI in education.

Designed for flexibility, the modules cater to diverse academic disciplines, making them suitable for undergraduate and graduate courses, …

Teaching Legal Analysis Through The Lens Of Second Language Pedagogy: A Consciousness-Raising Approach, Marta Baffy

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Storytelling As Research Methodology And Pedagogy: Connecting The Researcher And Practitioner Through Narrative Inquiry, David Wolff

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

The most effective teachers are reflective teachers. Reflective teachers are curious about their pedagogy and their impact on student learning and often seek out opportunities to formalize their reflective process and share their stories about their teaching practices. Teachers’ knowledge is founded in their stories of experience (Ciuffetelli et al., 2011). The author positions themselves as the researcher in this autoethnographic narrative inquiry, or self-study. As the researcher, they use the narrative inquiry methodology to study themselves and explore the learning process of using storytelling in their Social Studies methods course in a Teacher Education program while exploring the research …

Gatekeeping As An Online Adjunct Clinical Instructor In Counselor Education, Bernadet Dejonge, Deborah J. Rubel, Yun Shi

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Abstract

This interpretative phenomenological analysis study examined how adjunct instructors teaching online clinical counseling courses experienced gatekeeping in the context of the university system. The research question was: How do online, adjunct instructors teaching master’s level clinical counseling courses experience their university interactions as a part of gatekeeping? The participants described five experiential themes. These were: a) Balancing marginalization in the system with advocacy for the profession; b) Maneuvering through dependency on the system in gatekeeping; c) Finding consultation while navigating gatekeeping interactions; d) Managing the intensity of clinical courses; and e) Navigating the steep learning curve of learning how …

Fostering Undergraduate Research A Practice-Based Approach, Muireann Okeeffe, Tim Kovar, Robert Tully, Ruth Harris, Sue Norton, Emma Obrien, Deirdre Mcgrath Mcgrath, Rachelle O'Brien, Evin Mccarthy, Liam Mcglynn, Ceri Almrott, Connell Vaughan, Aija Freimane, Con Kennedy, Jesús Urda, Pearl O’Rourke, Clare Bell, Deirdre Kennedy, Sinead Mcdonald, Robbie O Connor

Compendium

This Compendium has its origins in the Undergraduate Practice-Based Research Community of Practice (CoP) established as an outcome to a Faculty of Arts & Humanities Teaching and Learning symposium that highlighted the importance of practice-based learning, including research, at undergraduate level.

The examples in this Compendium describe research that is focused on active-learning goals that help in creating a richer learning experience for students, assisting them to become more capable and effective learners across a range of disciplines in the Arts and Humanities.

Thirteen cross-disciplinary case studies are presented in this compendium that seek to both contribute to this …

Exploring Students’ Feedback Literacy Through Asynchronous Writing Center Tutoring Sessions: A Mixed-Methods Study, Bobby Pelphrey

Theses and Dissertations

MLLs face linguistic and cultural complexities when engaging with writing feedback; however, writing center practices often follow monolingual models. This study examines how MLLs develop and apply feedback literacy—the ability to seek, interpret, and use feedback—compared to their non-MLL peers in asynchronous writing center consultations. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, the study integrates survey data from the Feedback Literacy Behavior Scale (FLBS) (N = 532; n = 146 MLLs, n = 386 non-MLLs) with qualitative case studies. The survey measured feedback-seeking behaviors, sense-making strategies, emotional regulation, and feedback application, while case studies used think-aloud protocols, semi-structured interviews, and revision analysis. …

Peak Teaching: Exploring And Fostering Sacred Experiences In University Classrooms, Charles Burack

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Supporting the spiritual growth of college and university students with diverse backgrounds and orientations is both important and challenging. It is important not only because spirituality is a crucial dimension of human life but also because the majority of students at both private and public schools want their teachers to address spiritual issues in the classroom. A powerful way to address spirituality is to explore and foster sacred experiences in university classrooms. Sacred experiences include religious, spiritual, mystical, transcendent, numinous, and peak experiences as well as many other nonordinary experiences. The author offers guidance to educators on how to: 1) …

The Path From Acceptance To Adoption For Linguistic Innovations Dealing With Gender In The Language Classroom, Juan Carlos Acevedo Fontecha

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the factors influencing the acceptance, rejection, or adoption of gender inclusive and gender-non-identifying forms among language users. The study draws on responses from 25 students in a linguistic class to evaluate innovations in English and from 23 instructors of Spanish to evaluate innovations in Spanish. Participants took part in a survey designed to evaluate existing forms endorsed by the United Nations, and gender-non-identifying forms, such as the -e morpheme in Spanish or singular they in English, promoted by community-generated guides. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed side by side to better understand the participants’ reasoning regarding these …

Effectiveness Of Multimodal Communicative Practices In Higher Artistic Education: An Analysis Of Contemporary Approaches, Mariia Tkach, Alla Kozyr, Mykhailo Mymryk, Nadiia Holubytska, Iryna Khomych

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

The relevance of the study is driven by the fact that in today’s world, higher education is increasingly oriented towards interactivity and the utilization of various resources. The aim of this article is to explore various aspects of multimodality and formulate key communicative practices in higher artistic education. Addressing the stated problem is based on theoretical methodology, including methods such as surveys, analytical approaches including historical and hermeneutic analysis, comparative methods, and systematization. Research findings demonstrate that multimodality effectively enriches the learning process, fosters critical thinking, and deepens understanding of subjects. Digital technologies contribute to enhancing students’ technological literacy, preparing …

Race Into The Future: Counselor Educators' Experiences Training With An Antiracist Pedagogy, Darita Rose Grays

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explores the role of counselor educators in incorporating an antiracist pedagogy to prepare counselors-in-training to work as culturally competent counselors with all clients, with emphasis on marginalized groups. The research examines the lived experiences of counselor educators, focusing on how their personal and professional journeys influence their approach to integrating antiracist teaching strategies in counselor education programs. It highlights the critical need to address and acknowledge racism within counselor training while emphasizing the importance of developing an antiracist identity among both educators and trainees. The study further explores the potential of antiracist pedagogy in fostering a more inclusive, …

Gaming The System: A Study Of The Effect Of Simulation-Gaming On The Performance Of First-Year Writing College Students, Jen L. Justice

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explores the impact of digital simulation-gaming on the writing performance of first-year college students enrolled in Northern Illinois University’s First-Year Composition (FYC) program. Using the video game Minecraft as a development platform, the study engaged students in a semester-long simulation where they acted as employees of the NIU admissions office tasked with creating a digital campus map to attract and support students. The project aimed to investigate whether simulation-based learning could enhance students' motivation, foster real-world connections in their writing, and improve academic performance compared to traditional composition courses.

The study involved 115 students across five sections of …

Implementing Information Literacy Practices In Curriculum, Ongelle Schroeder

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This literature review explores the value of integrating information literacy instruction into existing curricula, with a focus on collaboration between faculty and librarians. As students face an overwhelming volume of information, equipping them with the skills to navigate, evaluate, and use sources effectively is increasingly essential—especially in course that require source-based writing, research, and critical analysis. The review highlights key approaches and resources to support educators in embedding information literacy into instruction. While this literature review was written for the contexts of ENG 101 and COMM 100/102, its themes are applicable to a wide range of teaching contexts.

Teaching Cuba In Georgia Today, Eric Kartchner

The Coastal Review

This essay details a college professor's approach to teaching a course on Cuban history and culture. The professor's pedagogical choices were influenced by Ada Ferrer's book, Cuba: An American History, and José Antonio Bowen's work on fostering independent thinking. The syllabus covered pre-Columbian Cuba, Spanish rule, the wars of independence, the Castro era, and significant cultural aspects like music and religion. The course emphasized multiple perspectives and encouraged student-led research, challenging preconceived notions about Cuba's complex relationship with the United States. The professor aimed to promote critical thinking and understanding through student-driven inquiry.

Pedagogical Idealism, Race, And The Specter Of Africa In Josefina Aldecoa’S Historia De Una Maestra And Donato Ndongo’S Las Tinieblas De Tu Memoria Negra, Parker Lawson

Funded Scholarship

This article examines two contemporary Spanish novels, Josefina Aldecoa’s Historia de una maestra (1990) and Donato Ndongo’s Las tinieblas de tu memoria negra (1987), to assess the status of pedagogical idealism and experimentation with particular attention to Equatorial Guinea. Where previous scholarly attention to Aldecoa’s novel focuses on the protagonist’s credentials as a progressive pedagogue, this article draws attention to Gabriela’s etapa guineana to argue that the text cripples under the weight of postcolonial analysis as regards race, religion, class, and language. Drawing the novel into comparison with Ndongo’s text, the article argues that Spanish colonial pedagogy flattened, or sought …

Multidisciplinary Collaboration For The Integration Of Ai In Slavic Languages And Literatures: The Learning Lab Model, Anna Ivanov

Russian Language Journal

The Learning Lab at Harvard University's Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning employs graduate students as Media and Design Fellows (MDFs) to support innovative pedagogy in their departments. Over the last few years and in its Summer of AI, the Learning Lab has explored AI and its applications and implications in education. As such, the Lab, its staff, and its MDFs have developed and run well-structured, intellectually rigorous learning opportunities for many departments. For the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, the Learning Lab used AI in language and literature workshops. This paper presents a few case studies of …

Jumping Pens And Historical Vertigo: Teaching Cavendish In The Twenty-First Century, Anne M. Thell

ABO: Interactive Journal for Women in the Arts, 1640–1830

"Jumping Pens" considers "historical and epistemological vertigo" as a useful pedagogical rubric for teaching the works of Margaret Cavendish (1623-73) in contemporary university classrooms. Specifically, it looks back across more than a decade of teaching Cavendish in diverse settings in order to show how exciting this author can be for students who are just starting out in the discipline of literary studies. As this essay argues, Cavendish can make us all better, more self-aware instructors, while also developing critical and historical acumen in our students.

Expressive And Epistemic Pedagogies: A Blended Approach To Voice Development, Raquel Esma Haddad

English Department Theses

As contemporary basic writing courses lean on Current Traditional texts that emphasize the inductive nature of thought in its relation to truth, this thesis explores expressivist and epistemic pedagogical approaches complemented by metacognition in their contribution to the development of voice with respect to student disengagement due to a disconnect in the understanding of writing for the academy in the basic writing student. The elements of the expressivist methodology as embodied in Writing with Power by Peter Elbow and the epistemic in Facts, Artifacts, and Counterfacts by Dave Bartholomae and Anthony Petrosky each contribute to the research of this thesis …

I'M Just Me: The Rhetorical Study Of Veterans’ Experiences Of Academic Labels In College Classrooms, Taylor Weeks

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This project seeks to provide a glimpse into the impact of academic labels on student veterans via the student veterans' own voices. This project reflects on and builds from previous research projects that involve transition theories and pedagogical theories in the field of writing studies as well as veteran studies that involve student veterans. Through a locally situated multi-case study qualitative approach using questionnaires and interviews, I examine to what extent do academic labels have on student veterans from the student veterans’ own voices. Finally, I offer implications of this project for writing instructors, administrators, and future researchers involving student …