Education Commons^™

Scaffolding Strategies That Benefit And Support Adult English As A Foreign Language Reading Comprehension: A Literature Review, Walkiris Mejia Ortega

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The poor reading proficiency and the lack of reading comprehension strategies have been a major flaw for adult university learners in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts, particularly in the case of English majors at the School of Foreign Languages in the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Research has shown this reading gap can be improved through suitable instructional strategies and assistance referred to as scaffolding. The purpose of this literature review was to investigate how beneficial scaffolding is for EFL adults´ reading comprehension, which scaffolding strategies prove effective in supporting EFL reading comprehension, and how those …

Examining The Relationship Between Student Age And Modality Choice In A Community College’S New Student Orientation Program: A Preregistered Study To Examine The Assumption Of Self-Directed Learning, Amy L. Foree

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Understanding and navigating college rules, resources, and expectations is a considerable barrier for students accessing and transitioning to college (Conley, 2007; Williams, 1996; Hooker & Brand, 2010; Ardoin, 2013; Sheppard, 2012). To improve students’ acquisition of pertinent, time-sensitive information, many institutions have implemented mandatory new student orientations (NSO). Orientations provide information such as academic policies and procedures, institutional expectations, campus resources, and financial aid assistance. They also allow students to meet faculty, staff, and other new students. By providing these resources, institutions acclimate students to their new environment. Although colleges realize that new student orientations support students’ success, they …

From The Arab World To The United States Of America: The Wellness Of Arab Graduate Women Studying In The U.S., Mariam Mostafa

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The pursuit of higher education symbolizes a profound and transformative journey, particularly for international students who embark on the path of studying abroad. This dissertation undertakes an in-depth exploration of the well-being of Arab women pursuing their graduate studies in the United States (US), emphasizing four crucial dimensions of wellness: social, mental/emotional, physical, and financial well-being. Employing a qualitative research methodology, this study delves into the multifaceted experiences of this specific student population and investigates how these experiences impact them. Through a series of interviews and rigorous qualitative analysis, we illuminate the distinct challenges and opportunities that Arab graduate students …

The Art Of Detailing: An Exploration Of Watercolor, Torrey Tracy

TFSC Publications and Presentations

Second Annual University of Arkansas Teaching and Learning Symposium: Sharing Teaching Ideas

Department of Interior Architecture and Design, Fay Jones School of Architecture

Special thanks to Cat Wallack, Architectural Records Archivist, Mullins Library and Reagan Walters, Bachelor of Interior Design, 2021

The Impact Of Frequent Student-Faculty Interaction On Repeater Students, Shanda Hood, Josh Girshner

TFSC Publications and Presentations

Second Annual University of Arkansas Teaching and Learning Symposium: Sharing Teaching Ideas

Data show that half of all students who have dropped/failed Survey of Calculus or Finite Mathematics at the University of Arkansas will drop/fail again. These students face a lack of motivation and a fair amount of anxiety toward mathematics. To make connections and create an environment in which they are comfortable discussing any issues with the professor, repeater students were asked to meet with the professor to complete a personalized academic improvement plan. This plan establishes the need for regular contact with the instructor and should increase the …

Using Digitally-Based Recording Techniques To Manage Large Datasets In Real Time, Jessica Kowalski

TFSC Publications and Presentations

Second Annual University of Arkansas Teaching and Learning Symposium: Sharing Teaching Ideas

Managing digital data is a critical part of any archeological investigation or research project. Students in the 2023 University of Arkansas Archeological Field School learned how to record digital data in real-time using iPads in conjunction with an inventorying database designed for the Arkansas Archeological Survey.

Fostering Grit In The University Student, Hope Ballentine, Diana Dunbar

TFSC Publications and Presentations

Second Annual University of Arkansas Teaching and Learning Symposium: Sharing Teaching Ideas

In the preeminent work on grit, Duckworth et al. (2007) first defined grit as “perseverance and passion for long term-goals.” Evidence is overwhelming that grit is a predictor of success in various arenas of life, often when no other valid predictors can be identified. Grit was the only statistically significant predictor of both academic and clinical success in an Australian study of over 2000 university students (Terry & Peck, 2020). Both job satisfaction and performance are improved with increased grit (Cho & Kim, 2022). Clear evidence that a …

Arcgis Storymaps Facilitates Student Learning, Daniela D'Eugenio, Guillermo Pupo Pernet

TFSC Publications and Presentations

Second Annual University of Arkansas Teaching and Learning Symposium: Sharing Teaching Ideas

As a tool that allows for the creation of a geospatial multimedia story, ArcGIS StoryMaps facilitates students’ learning both inside and outside of the classroom. This interactive software offers students the opportunity to express their understanding of an input and elaborate upon it in original and personal ways using various sources. In this presentation, we will illustrate how ArcGIS can be used successfully in an advanced Italian language class to engage students with a fable by Somali-Italian acclaimed writer Igiaba Scego, Prestami le ali. Examples of scaffolded …

Preparing Bsw Social Work Students For Social Justice Advocacy, Christiane Long, Joy Patton, Amy Ward

TFSC Publications and Presentations

Second Annual University of Arkansas Teaching and Learning Symposium: Sharing Teaching Ideas

Dr. Long is a Visiting Assistant Professor in Social Work here at the University of Arkansas, while Dr. Patton is at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, TX and Dr. Ward is at East Central University in Ada, OK.

There is no denying that the social work profession has a long history of social justice advocacy. However, advocacy and political action were not necessarily a focus in social work education, leaving social work graduates feeling inadequate to advocate on a broader, macro level (Haynes & …

I Would Have Never Thought Of That On My Own: Using Peer Feedback To Motivate And Shape Pre-Service Teachers’ Critical Thinking, Alexandra Vasile, Alexandra Anton

TFSC Publications and Presentations

Second Annual University of Arkansas Teaching and Learning Symposium: Sharing Teaching Ideas

The presentation reports the results of implementing a peer review feedback strategy in an elementary education program. To prepare teacher candidates for field experiences, the program uses coursework such as projects. We examine the awareness and perspectives of preservice teachers (n = 38) to providing and receiving feedback from their peers on their project ideas, and - in particular - their motivation and readiness to assimilate peer feedback. Data includes initial and final project ideas, answers to reflective questions, and the peer feedback each participant received.

The study …

Making Language Learning Meaningful And Fun With Collaborative Projects, A. Louise Cole

TFSC Publications and Presentations

Second Annual University of Arkansas Teaching and Learning Symposium: Sharing Teaching Ideas

Collaborative learning requires students to actively engage with others, typically fellow students, to achieve a common goal (Nokes-Malach et al, 2015). The form of this collaboration may vary from prescriptive, teacher-facilitated activities to more open-ended and reflective projects. Within the L2 classroom, students work toward language proficiency. The current World-Readiness Standards for Language Learners evaluate linguistic abilities in speaking, listening, reading, and writing but also require that students develop cultural competencies and understanding. In this vein, Oxford posits that within a collaborative learning framework, the notion of community …

You Can Learn A Lot From Fake Data: Reverse Engineering Data As A Means To Analysis, Action & Learning, Jeff Bean

TFSC Publications and Presentations

Second Annual University of Arkansas Teaching and Learning Symposium: Sharing Teaching Ideas While not a formal discipline, “reverse engineering” can yield opportunities for students to experience a compressed end-to-end (e2e) life cycle of projects that leverage human factors such as perception, cognition, and macro-factors such as organizational culture or situational context to improve operations performance, safety, or other organizational outcomes.

As the process of project proposal, approval, and execution can often take months (or longer!), we simply do not have the time or resources to conduct “real” experiments. To give the benefit of e2e projects, students are asked to create …

The Perceived Needs Of First Responders To Identify And Support Sex Trafficking Victims: A Case Study, Raja Kumar

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have found that sex trafficking in the 21st century is a growing human rights atrocity. This qualitative case study investigates law enforcement professionals’ perceived needs as first responders to identify and support sex trafficking victims. Specifically, this study examines resources, training, and support that they perceive to be critical to their success. The primary research question that guides this study is what do first responders need to identify and support sex trafficking victims? To answer this question, the following sub-questions facilitate the inquiry: A) What resources do law enforcement professionals need to identify and support victims of sex trafficking? …

Examining The Experiences Of Adult Learners In A First-Year Seminar Course At A Tennessee Community College, Michell Ivey

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of adult learners in a first-year seminar course at Columbia State Community College, located in middle Tennessee, to determine if the content of the course has an impact on the learners’ adjustment to college. With the statewide initiative to reach a goal of 55% of the state’s population having a postsecondary credential, a push has been made to focus on adult learners to help the reach this goal. Understanding and addressing the adjustment needs of adult learners is necessary to aid retaining adult learners through completion. The first-year seminar course …

A Narrative Research Study On How Brazilian Women Executives Build A Sense Of Community And Belonging When Transferred To The United States, Silvia Regina Siqueira

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

According to the American Immigration Council (2021), 14 percent of the United States population is foreign-born. Immigrants have enriched American culture and enhanced our influence in the world. People feel a need to belong and have an inherent desire for deep, lasting, and meaningful connections (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). Research suggests that humans are fundamentally and pervasively motivated by a need to belong and the desire to form and maintain enduring interpersonal attachments (Allen, Kern, Rozek, McInerney & George, 2021). These authors also define immigrants’ sense of belonging in terms of how they make sense of their social identification with …

Generating An Alternative Thesis Pathway: Critical Reflection Of Coursework And Internships, Kendele Kramer

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Since internship experiences are recognized as high impact educational practices and the honors thesis is designed to be a gateway to work beyond the typical undergraduate degree, I helped develop a pathway for BENG honors students to use critical reflection to develop an honors thesis related to internship and class experience. Then, I wrote about my own experiences to serve as an example for future BENG students who want to pursue this pathway.

My objective for this example thesis was to describe the value of my engineering and technical internships and coursework and how they have shaped my future career …

Doctoral Students' Experiences Of Community Of Practice In A Hybrid Cohort-Based Program: A Case Study, Celeste Avery

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Graduate enrollment in the United States is increasing. With the advent of the cohort learning model and online delivery methods, adult learners now have greater access to higher education. The cohort learning model, which is based on elements of Community of Practice, has been shown to provide learners with a sense of community while also having a positive impact on retention. In a hybrid cohort-based learning model, many institutions provide the convenience of both online and face-to-face classes. Doctoral student attrition remains high, ranging from 40-50% across all programs, with rates as high as 70% in Education programs. The purpose …

Arkansas Teachers' Grading Practices And Implications, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Josh B. Mcgee

Policy Briefs

In this brief, we assess current grading practices in Arkansas. We find teachers’ grading practices are inconsistent across the state. We suggest districts assess their grading practices and provide ongoing professional development opportunities for teachers to reflect on their grading practices.

A Glimpse Into Arkansas Teachers’ Grading Practices 2022-23, Sarah Morris, Sarah C. Mckenzie

Arkansas Education Reports

This case study assesses the current, self-reported grading practices among Arkansas teachers. We distributed a Teachers’ Grading Perceptions survey in November, 2022, and we conducted semi-structured interviews with teachers and principals in January-February, 2023. We gathered both quantitative and qualitative data from the teacher survey, and we used interviews to collect themes for current grading practices in Arkansas’s schools. We generated a grading equity scale from the survey questions, verified by a reliable alpha coefficient = 0.83, and we use this in a multivariate regression to explore teacher characteristics and their likelihood of favoring grading equity practices. We collected themes …

Technology And Care To Promote Students' Success, Adnan Alrubaye

TFSC Publications and Presentations

Join the Wally Cordes Teaching and Faculty Support Center for an informal conversation about teaching with the February Cordes Chairperson, Dr. Adnan Alrubaye. Alrubaye teaches courses in both the poultry science and biological sciences departments, and he serves as the associate director for the cell and molecular biology graduate program. He teaches multiple sections of the General Microbiology course, with courses sizes ranging between 30 and 400 students. Alrubaye’s topic will be about tools he uses to provide the best learning experiences for students to help them achieve their learning goals. His philosophy when it comes to working with students …

Course Re-Design: What’S New On Campus, Jim Gigantino, David Jensen, Kathryn Zawisza

TFSC Publications and Presentations

In a session designed to impact how you think about designing your classes, Dr. Jim Gigantino, Interim Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, will lead a discussion of the new modes of delivery that will be available on campus and some information about the mixed mode pilot that will be undertaken in the fall of 2023.

Dr. David Jensen, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, will discuss a course he designed to be taught in a mixed mode form and share how he has been using the materials the last couple of semesters. He will provide examples from his class along with …

Showcasing Your Teaching For Promotion And/Or Tenure, Richard Cassady, Samantha Robinson, Jackie Wiersma-Mosley, Christopher Shields

TFSC Publications and Presentations

Have you heard stories about the stress of trying to apply for promotion and/or tenure? Do you know that faculty are required to show the quality of their teaching? This first of its kind session is appropriate for tenure track faculty and teaching faculty in the professorial ranks. It is designed for faculty considering promotion and/or tenure in the coming years. Attendees will see the guidelines with various items and examples provided on how to effectively showcase teaching. Faculty will also receive tips that can be started now to plan for preparation of the packets either for the current year …

Informal Education Experiences Of Black Women-Owned Healthcare Small Businesses In Mississippi, Timothy E. Lampkin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Small businesses are critical to the economic success of the United States, and several states, such as Mississippi, have a strong reliance on small business development. Through small, individually owned businesses, the overall economy is enhanced, and the quality of life for many is improved. A growing trend within the small business community is private ownership by Black women. This population segment has dramatically grown in their presence within business ownership, and it is necessary to describe elements of their success. The proposed research focuses on informal education as an enabler of this small business success. Informal education is a …

Advisor-Student Communication In Preparation For Online Education, Jennifer Clare Hoelzeman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The University of Arkansas System eVersity was established in 2014 by the University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees. More than 80% of the student population at the institution is non-traditional, with time or location restrictions that prevent participation in on-campus degree programs. eVersity Engage is a required orientation course completed by all students before enrolling at eVersity. Engage is intended to introduce students to institutional policies and resources, set student expectations for online learning at the institution, and provide the foundation for academic success as an online student. After completing Engage, students schedule an appointment with their Academic Success …

Adult Students’ Willingness To Communicate In The Esl/Efl Language Classroom: A Literature Review, Lisa N. Moreno

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to survey the literature on what hinders and promotes willingness to communicate in the English /Foreign language classroom. Twenty-five articles published between 2017-2022 were evaluated in this study. The review of literature concentrated on foreign language students who are studying in a higher education setting or adults who are studying English in a Literacy Center setting. Findings indicated that the student’s psychological state played a major part in a student’s willingness to communicate. This includes self-efficacy, anxiety, emotions, trust, and motivation. A student’s involvement in the learning process determines a student’s ability to communicate. …

The Relationship Between Grit, Perceived Social Support, And Educational Gains In The Adult Basic Education Classroom, Jennifer D. Shearon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Adult Basic Education (ABE) is a critical part of the educational landscape in the United States; its aim is to improve the basic reading, writing, and numeracy skills of the very diverse population of adults in America who lack proficiency in these skills, and more often than not, a high school graduation credential (U.S. Department of Education, 2021a). Each program year, federal funding for ABE state administrated programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA, 2014) is tied to percentages of participants who make measurable skills gains (MSGs). One type of MSG is Educational Functioning Level (EFL) gains, which …

A Case Study Examining Women In Leadership At A College Of Osteopathic Medicine, Sloane Gibson Kelley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, the founder of osteopathic medicine, actively promoted gender parity in the field from its inception, at a time when few medical schools accepted women into their programs, and even fewer all-female medical schools existed (Quinn, 2017; Simpson & Weiser, 1996). Although an almost equal number of male and female students are enrolled in osteopathic medical schools, men far outnumber women in positions of leadership. While the data for the number of women deans and department chairs at osteopathic medical schools does not exist, research by the Association of American Medical Colleges (2021) showed that 24% of …

Perceptions Of Beginning Secondary Alternatively Licensed Family And Consumer Sciences Teachers In Kansas: A Case Study, Jennifer S. Snell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alternatively licensed Career and Technical Education teacher licensure programs have become a more conventional process for licensing new CTE teachers. Evidence from recent research supports that alternatively licensed teachers have a much greater teacher turnover rate than traditionally licensed teachers. This study focused on Family and Consumer Sciences education, which is part of the umbrella of CTE. There is limited research on new teacher training that specifically supports beginning alternatively licensed secondary FCS teachers in Kansas. This qualitative study examined the experiences of novice alternatively licensed secondary FCS teachers in Kansas who transitioned from the workforce with no previous teacher …

Prediction Of Radiography Certification Examination Scores Using Astin’S Input-Environment-Output Model, Deanna Barymon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Numerous health profession fields, including radiology, have attempted to identify predictors of success on their respective credentialing exams. This preregistered study seeks to determine if available academic performance measures may predict radiography national certification examination scores and help educators identify students for remediation and support. The study will use the Astin Input-Environment-Output Model, which ascertains that student outcomes are a result of what they bring into an academic program and the environment experienced during the program. The non-experimental retrospective study will look at the 2018 to 2021 Arkansas State University radiography cohorts. Multiple regression will be used to determine if …

Understanding Perceptions Of Graduating Seniors From Rural Schools On Higher Education: A Preregistered Study, Desiree Denise Brake

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case (preregistered) study is to interview rural young Americans, deeply explore how they think about higher education as they prepare for life beyond high school, and analyze how those views and perceptions translate into barriers or motivators to its pursuit. Rural Americans feel less optimistic about their financial futures, find it more difficult to find a job in their communities, and believe their children will have a lower standard of living than their parents when they reach their parents’ age (Morin, 2016). Rural students are more likely to graduate from high school than their urban …