Education Commons^™

Spring 2023 Notes From The Stacks, Central Washington University

Notes from the Stacks: CWU's Library Newsletter

Newsletter from James E. Brooks Library at Central Washington University.

Active Collections, Passive Collecting: Revitalizing Library Displays To Diversify Collections & Increase Student Engagement, Erin A. Sulla, Wendy Lee Spaček, Bridgette Flamenco, Elizabeth Kuykendall

Library Scholarship

After a year of limited outreach and collection development activities due to COVID, staff and librarians at one university revitalized their library displays to both address gaps in the collection and increase student engagement with monographs. By activating the collection through monthly themed displays, librarians have increased holdings related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, thus improving representation on the shelves. Participants will discover how active displays that incorporate both academic and recreational holdings can serve a dual purpose as collection development and outreach activities, making the most of limited funds for monograph acquisitions. Attendees from academic and public libraries should …

Revisiting Prejudiced Polygons: Adapting A Familiar Activity During A Time Of Unknowns, Anne M. Ho, Jaime J. Mccauley, Tara T. Craig

Journal of Math Circles

This article describes the design process behind various iterations of Prejudiced Polygons, a Math Circles activity about segregation. In particular, we frame our discussion around two guiding principles from User Experience (UX) Design in thinking about the interconnected components of a Math Circles session, which includes all the people, the physical or virtual setting, the technology, and the world context. Additionally, we describe how we think about developing a “low floor" and “high ceiling" for math content, social issues content, as well as technology and access.

“Part Of Something Larger Than Myself”: Lessons Learned From A Multidisciplinary, Multicultural, And Multilingual International Research Team Of Academic Women, Kristina S. Brown, Tricia M. Farwell, Sara Bender, Alpha A. Martinez-Suarez, Stefani Boutelier, Agata A. Lambrechts, Iwona Leonowicz-Bukała, Pipiet Larasatie

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Bringing our collective experiences of past collaborations through a virtual connection, we created an international research team of 16 multidiscipline, multicultural, and multilingual academic women called “COVID GAP” (Gendered Academic Productivity) to explore the ongoing challenges and effects of COVID-19. Identifying as insider researchers, we engaged in a two-phase, primarily qualitative research project to better understand the lived experiences of academics during the pandemic. Our past individual experiences with cooperative research informed our roles and responsibilities and how we organized and communicated. This article is a reflection of how COVID GAP has refined our collaborative process in response to an …

Higher Education And Food Access: A Case Study Of Food Access Initiatives And Their Community Impact, Rebecca Wheaton

All Master's Theses

Food security issues are being prioritized across college campuses and among student communities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. While basic needs services are typically available on campuses, there is still a discrepancy between availability and accessibility. Ellensburg, Washington, has vulnerable food-insecure populations, including Central Washington University (CWU) students, whose access issues involve not only social, cultural, and political dimensions, but also practical considerations like transportation, distance to grocery stores, and affordability of food resources. A central concern of this research is to understand food as constitutive of different forms of symbolic, cultural, and economic capital following Bourdieu’s Theory …

Sink Or Swim? Transitioning Academic Library Outreach In Times Of Covid-19, Lauren Wittek, Maureen Rust

Library Scholarship

This practical article explores the challenges and unexpected benefits discovered when a public regional academic library transitioned its engagement and outreach efforts to a fully online format. The onset of COVID-19 presented a need for a radical change to Central Washington University Libraries’ events and social media communication. While adhering to the core principles of library outreach and engagement, the library has shifted the modality and types of programming offered to meet safety guidelines. Online event assessment, promotion, and engagement will also be discussed.

Using Free And Open Source Software To Teach University Gis Courses Online: Lessons Learned During A Pandemic, Sterling Quinn

Geography Faculty Scholarship

During the remote learning necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, university GIS students did not always have home access to the kinds of software and hardware that they would ordinarily get in their on-campus lab facilities. In this situation, the free and cross-platform nature of FOSS opened the door for some students to continue their GIS education uninterrupted. In this article, I describe how one university allowed students to choose FOSS such as QGIS, PostGIS, and GeoDa as alternatives to proprietary software in upper-division GIS coursework. These were used to teach techniques such as point pattern analysis, visibility analysis, hydrological modeling, …

No Textbook Cost General Education Pathway: An Effort To Increase Retention At Central Washington University, Maura Valentino, Geri Hopkins

Library Scholarship

Purpose

This study aims to describe a project that aims to give students a choice to complete their general education requirements without purchasing a textbook.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 26 faculty, teaching in the new general education curriculum, at Central Washington University were given stipends to eliminate expensive textbooks and use free to the student resources such as open educational resources (OER) or library resources. The data was collected on student savings and student and faculty satisfaction with the program.

Findings

Many paths were created through the general education curriculum, so a student may easily finish these requirements without purchasing a …

Dual-Axis Solar Tracker, Bryan Kennedy

All Undergraduate Projects

Renewable energies, and fuels that are not fossil fuel-based, are one of the prolific topics of debate in modern society. With climate change now becoming a primary focus for scientists and innovators of today, one of the areas for the largest amount of potential and growth is that of the capturing and utilization of Solar Energy. This method involves using a mechanical system to track the progression of the sun as it traverses the sky throughout the day. A dual-axis solar tracker such as the one designed and built for this project, can follow the sun both azimuthally and in …

Literacy: The Shape Of Something Possible, Miles Caudesch

Student Published Works

This article discusses the author's experience utilizing library resources to bond with a student as a substitute special education paraprofessional.

Is A Library Department Chair Essential?: The Development Of The Library Department Chair At Central Washington University, Julia Stringfellow

Library Scholarship

The combined position of University Archivist and Library Department Chair in the James E. Brooks Library at Central Washington University (CWU) in Ellensburg, Washington is unique and draws cu- riosity as to what other academic libraries have department chairs and what is their specific area of librarianship. This article provides a review of literature on the responsibilities of department chairs and their vitality, as well as publications specifically referencing library department chairs. A compar- ison of the CWU library department chair to another library faculty chair in the Orbis Cascade Alli- ance is also provided. The history of the chair …

More Than Fun And Games: Changing Library Perceptions Through Outreach Efforts, Maureen Rust, Elizabeth Brown

Library Scholarship

Academic libraries are beginning to devote more resources to library outreach as a means of conveying the unit’s relevancy to its campus constituents. Various methods of outreach include student engagement activities, embedded librarian liaisons within campus-wide departments, community programming, often in partnership with other campus units, and increased library instruction in University 101 courses. How effective are these methods of heightening the library’s campus profile? Does the return on investment warrant the resources expended on these programs? This study investigates campus perceptions of the target library. Since instituting its formal embedded librarian program in 2013, hiring two tenure-track faculty specializing …

Residential Solar In Washington State, Sam Pfeifer

All Master's Theses

Electricity generated through residential solar provides a low carbon source of electricity. However, diffusion of residential solar remains low across the United States. Growing this diffusion takes an understanding of localized uptake trends, which can focus policy and business efforts to help increase residential solar market penetration. This is the first research to investigate residential solar uptake in Washington State and to examine environmental education as a potential driver of residential solar uptake. Through a snapshot analysis which considers environmental, economic, education, and cultural variables the present research fills this gap. Triangulated results include mapping of variables, ordinary-least squares multiple …

The Impact Of Mindfulness On Student Success, Casey D. Nightingale

All Master's Theses

As schools are adopting the whole child approach, it is important to examine how the approach impacts academic success. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a school-based mindfulness curriculum on student reading scores and classroom engagement. Using a multiple baseline design, this study examined the rate of improvement in reading scores and academic engagement in elementary students receiving a mindfulness curriculum. The curriculum was introduced in addition to the regular curriculum in 15-minute lessons twice a week. Rate of improvement was examined utilizing curriculum-based measures, while student engagement was evaluated through classroom observation methods. This …

Just World Beliefs, Identity Development, And Social Justice Advocacy Of Counselor Trainees, Sara Rundlett

All Master's Theses

This was the first study exploring the relationship between the belief in a just world, identity development, and social justice advocacy (SJA). A mixed methods design was conducted using a nationwide sample of ninety-seven counselor-in-training participants. Hypotheses included positive correlation between identity development and SJA, negative correlation between belief in a just world and SJA, and negative correlation between belief in a just world and identity development. Results were not significant but provided implications for future research and counselor training programs.

Saving The Stratton:The Fate Of The Sheldon Jackson College Library Collection, Ginny Blackson, Mattias Olshausen

Library Scholarship

On June 29, 2007, Alaska’s oldest educational institution, Sheldon Jackson College, ceased operations without notice. The closure left an uncertain future for the college’s students, faculty, staff, resources, and buildings including the Stratton Library and the over 48,000 items housed within. The Library’s collection not only contained the college’s academic collection, but it also housed two rare book collections, historical photos and plate glass negatives, as well as the archives documenting the school’s 128-year history. This article will track the relocation and current status of the Sheldon Jackson College archives and C.L. Andrews rare book collection.

Students' Perceptions Of Schooling: The Path To Alternate Education, Liane C. Pereira, Jennifer Lavoie

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Policies governing education in North America have given schools the responsibility of meeting the needs of a diverse student population, including those with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD). To balance their need for individualized programs with their right to inclusion in schools, students with EBD may be placed in alternate programs within a mainstream school setting. However, little is known about student experiences leading to this placement or their experiences in these programs. The purpose of this study was to explore youth’s perceptions of the factors that influenced their being placed in an alternate program for students with EBD. Six …

Examination Of The Relationship Between Caesarean Section Births And Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Breea M. Rosas

All Master's Theses

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, a neurological disorder characterized by inattentive and hyperactive behaviors, has become increasingly more prevalent (CDC, 2010). Recent research has found associations between this disorder and Caesarean section births (Amiri et al., 2012; Juarez et al., 2008). The current study examined the relationship between C-section birth and self-reported symptoms of ADHD by college students on the Internal Restlessness Scale (Weyandt et al., 2003). Results of the study indicate a significant difference in mean ratings of ADHD symptoms between C-section and vaginally born participants (t = 3.683, p < .000). The current study supports previous findings of a relationship between C-sections and ADHD.

Life Adversity, Social Support, Resilience, And College Student Mental Health, Joshua Mello

All Master's Theses

This study investigated how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), current college student hassles, and perceived social support relate to college student resilience. This study also explored how ACEs, current college student hassles, perceived social support, and resilience relate to college student mental health. A sample of 507 students from a public university in Washington State completed an online study which consisted of surveys operationalizing each variable. The results showed that current college student hassles and perceived social support significantly predicted resilience. Current college student hassles, resilience, and perceived social support also significantly predicted mental health. The study revealed that ACEs had …

Wage Distribution Impacts Of Higher Education Faculty Unionization, Charles S. Wassell Jr., David W. Hedrick, Steven E. Henson, John M. Krieg

Economics Faculty Scholarship

The literature on the effects of unions on the distribution of wages at the macroeconomic and inter-industry levels has given little attention to the effects at the firm level. At the same time, research on collective bargaining impacts in higher education has focused on the overall wage level rather than on the distribution of salaries. Using panel data on individual faculty members, we find faculty unionization to be associated with a significant flattening of the wage distribution across academic disciplines. This has implications for why faculty might choose to unionize, even in the absence of an overall wage premium.

Intentional Recruiting: Using Business Intelligence, Data Mining, And Predictive Analytics To Identify Characteristics Of Those Students Who Enroll, And Graduate; In Support Of University Enrollment Management, Stephanie L. Harris

All Master's Theses

Using business intelligence (BI) and archival data from a division II, public comprehensive, university in Washington State, the researcher identified specific characteristics of those students who enrolled, persisted and completed to undergraduate degree attainment. These characteristics created an applicant profile to be used in future enrollment management activities for intentional recruiting, while the predictive models for enrollment and completion inform administration to improve tuition revenue planning and budgeting, and to forecast future enrollment yield.

Obtaining Cultural Competency Skills: Perceptions From Supervisors In Higher Education, Veronica Gomez Vilchis

All Master's Theses

A program evaluation was done on the supervisor training at Central Washington University to obtain the perceptions of supervisors on cultural competency. Eighteen supervisors were interviewed. The results demonstrated supervisors’ support of incorporating cultural competency as part of their professional development. However, supervisors indicated the current supervisor training does not give them tools to interact effectively with diverse populations. Implications for including cultural competency skills for supervisors in higher education are discussed.

Academic Self-Efficacy, Coping, And Academic Performance In College, Mehjabeen Khan

Student Published Works

This study serves as a pilot study for a possible future study including the same variables. The purpose of the pilot study was to find a relationship in the college academic setting between academic self-efficacy, stress coping skills, and academic performance. Sixty-six undergraduate students, 17 male and 49 female, from a university in northwestern United States participated in the study. Stress was measured using the COPE Inventory (Carver, Scheier, & Weintraub, 1989). Self-efficacy was measured using the Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (Chemers, Hu, & Garcia, 2001). Academic performance was measured using the participants’ college GPA. Academic Self-Efficacy and the Planning subscale …

Building An Online Data Management Plan Tool, Michele Reilly, Anita R. Dryden

Library Scholarship

Following the 2011 announcement by the National Science Foundation (NSF) that it would begin requiring Data Management Plans with every funding application, the University of Houston Libraries explored ways to support our campus researchers in meeting this requirement. A small team of librarians built an online tool using a Drupal module. The tool includes informational content, an interactive questionnaire, and an extensive FAQ to meet diverse researcher needs. This easily accessible and locally maintained tool allows us to provide a high level of personalized service to our researchers.

Integration Of School Psychology And Neuropsychology: An Inquiry, Megan Colleen Moerke

All Master's Theses

A state level survey was conducted to examine interest regarding the integration of a neuropsychological perspective into school psychology practice among practicing school psychologists in Washington State. Potential respondents were contacted through e-mail and invited to participate in the original survey developed by the author. The 25 question survey sought to answer questions regarding neuropsychological training, attitudes and beliefs toward the incorporation of a neuropsychological perspective, current professional practices, interaction with neuropsychologists through referral and consultation, and potential barriers to the incorporation of a neuropsychological perspective. A total of 433 school psychologists completed the online survey for an approximate response …

Gender, Masculinity, Femininity And Help Seeking In College, Heath Marrs, Ellen A. Sigler, Robyn D. Brammer

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

The current academic performance struggles of college men is gaining increasing research attention (Sax, 2008a, 2008b), but few studies have explored the possible impact of gender-related attributes such as masculinity and femininity on academic help-seeking behaviors and academic performance. In this study of 567 college undergraduates, students who classified themselves as androgynous on the Bem Sex-Role Inventory were more likely to engage in academic help-seeking behaviors than those classified as male sex-typed, female sex-typed, and undifferentiated. No significant differences were found for academic performance. These results highlight the importance of exploring the potential influence of gender-related constructs on academic behavior …

A Primer On Profit Maximization, Robert Carbaugh, Tyler Prante

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Business

Although textbooks in intermediate microeconomics and managerial economics discuss the first-order condition for profit maximization (marginal revenue equals marginal cost) for pure competition and monopoly, they tend to ignore the second-order condition (marginal cost cuts marginal revenue from below). Mathematical economics textbooks also tend to provide only tangential treatment of the necessary and sufficient conditions for profit maximization. This paper fills the void in the textbook literature by combining mathematical and graphical analysis to more fully explain the profit maximizing hypothesis under a variety of market structures and cost conditions. It is intended to be a useful primer for all …

Incorporating Accreditation Into Strategic Planning In Academic Libraries: A Look At Nine Libraries In Washington State, Daniel Canncasciato

Library Scholarship

Accreditation for universities and colleges is a milestone achievement. Failing an accreditation review can have a dire impact on an institution. A successful accreditation process should be a major goal of all involved at the institution, as it brings with it a validation of that institution. The academic library is included in accreditation reviews, so library personnel should plan to succeed in the process. The purpose of this article is to investigate whether such planning is evident or explicit in the mission and planning documents of nine academic libraries in Washington State.

The Migration Of People: A Model Application Exploring Washington State History, Jamie Nicole Hartman

All Graduate Projects

One of the things that makes Washington State a culturally competent and perceptive place to live is its deep history and appreciation of the migration of its' people. This project is designed to serve as a model and resource for upper elementary school teachers that are seeking to integrate the migration of people into their Washington State History curriculum. A sample inquiry-based curriculum for upper elementary school students "The Migration of People" is offered as a depiction of exceptional classroom practice. Student roles, activities, and assessment methods are portrayed, along with thier connection to core curriculum content and the Washington …

Race, Class, And Whiteness In Gifted And Talented Identification: A Case Study, Kathleen Barlow, C. Elaine Dunbar

Anthropology and Museum Studies Faculty Scholarship

What began fifteen years ago as a volunteer effort to promote desegregation via a gifted and talented magnet school has become a case study analyzing inequalities in the identification of young children for gifted and talented services. We use Cheryl Harris’ (1993) argument that “whiteness” is a form of property that creates and maintains inequalities through the conjoining of race and class. We show how gifted and talented status meets the criteria of white property interests and is defended by recourse to law and policy. Efforts to improve identification of students for gifted services reveal that the implicit operation of …