Education Commons^™

From Crossing Campus To Crossing Continents: Faculty, Chair, And Global Partner Perspectives On An International Sabbatical, Emily Faulconer, Beverly L. Wood, Stephen George-Williams

Publications

A sabbatical – a period of paid leave granted to faculty for research or study - is a construct in higher education that has experienced ebbs and flows in its favorability, though there are persistent arguments that it is important for research-active faculty (Pietsch, 2011). Early career faculty are focused on achieving tenure as this is high stakes at most institutions. Once tenure is achieved, the next goalpost is full professor. The day-to-day responsibilities of faculty can distract from and dilute efforts aimed at strategic planning, long-term planning, and reflection necessary to achieve this level of promotion. So it follows …

Sportsmanship Attitudes As A Moderator Of The Relationship Between Team Identification And Spectator Aggression Attitudes, Andrew Rudd, Sarah Stokowski

Publications

The National Collegiate Athletic Association has long been concerned with the prac­tice of sportsmanship. However, frequent displays of spectator aggression at collegiate sport events demonstrates a grave contradiction. Fans level of team identification is considered a key influence on spectator aggression. Alternatively, sport marketers have found that team identification plays a vital role in fan consumption (e.g., tickets and merchandise). In the interest of reducing aggressive fan behavior without damp­ening the sport managers' need for highly identified college sports fans, we sought to assess how spectator sportsmanship attitudes might serve to moderate the relationship between team identification and spectator aggression …

Narrative World Building: Creative Applications For Gamification In Study Abroad, Ashley Lear

Publications

This study examined a cohort of 12 study abroad participants taking a course on video game topography and narrative in Salamanca, Spain, to determine how inhabiting and co-creating narrative worlds as part of the coursework might impact the experiences of the students inside and outside of the classroom as they engaged in mandated and optional cultural engagement activities, such as museum tours and excursions to historical sites. Students completed two gameful learning activities: 1) they co-created their own narrative game world in a group game proposal assignment drawing upon research from storytelling through game environments, and 2) they created independent …

Deep Change Theory: Implications For Educational Development Leaders, Caitlin Martin, Elizabeth Wardle

Publications

While chapters 1 and 2 explore the promise of theoretical frameworks for making conceptual change that leads to innovative action around teaching and learning in higher education, they also point out the challenges to this kind of work as teams of faculty strive to lead change in their programs and departments after completing the program. To summarize our claims thus far: one of the goals for the HCWE Faculty Writing Fellows Program is to empower faculty who participate to return to their departments to make programmatic changes—changes they identify as central to their work and values and program culture. The …

Does Removing Quizzes Impact Student Performance In An Online Course?, John Griffith

Publications

Data for 295 college online introductory statistics students were examined to determine if removing four module (weekly) quizzes impacted student performance on a cumulative exam. In this research, student performance was not significantly impacted by the removal of the quizzes. The difference in the exam mean score earned by the group of students who did not take quizzes was less than 0.8 of a point lower than the exam average for students who took the quizzes prior to the exam. Withdraw rates significantly declined from 5 percent to 1 percent. Results of this study support the idea that course designers …

Science Assessments As A Learning Opportunity: Feedforward With Multiple Attempts, Emily Faulconer

Publications

Feedback best practices support timely, high-quality feedback with application opportunity. Multiple attempts on assessments support learning gains. A learning management system can be used to automatically provide feedback for application on a future assessment attempt. Current research has not thoroughly investigated the student impacts or opinions on this combined strategy. In this study, students took a second attempt 46% of the time, scoring an average of 10.1% higher on their second attempt. More than 60% of students who failed their first attempt completed a second attempt. Students perceived the feedback as useful in preparing for their second attempt. Future research …

Metrics In Group Work, Emily Faulconer

Publications

Collaborative Learning, asynchronously online

• Critical Thinking
• Tech Literacy
• Communication
• Ethics
• Cultural Literacy
• Info Literacy

Student Understanding Of Kinematics: A Qualitative Assessment, Andrew Cashman, Tom O'Mahony

Publications

In engineering, kinematics is widely regarded as a fundamental topic with the literature agreeing that students possess a wide range in understanding of the topic. This study aims to take a second-order approach by understanding and exploring the qualitatively different ways in which students approach solving kinematics problems. Phenomenography was used to collect data through ten semi-structured interviews with early-stage mechanical engineering students. Following data analysis, four distinct categories of students’ approaches were identified; unstructured, framing the problem, strategic, and conceptual. It was found that these categories could be arranged in a hierarchy and were also supported by secondary epistemic …

In-Person Prehealth Advising: Impact Analysis Spring 2017 To Fall 2020, Alasdair Ekpenyong, Mykel Beorchia

Publications

At Utah State University, some of the advising department’s efforts specifically focus on preparing students for study in health professions graduate school. Students considering a career in the health sciences meet with an advisor who has been trained on the nuances of preparing for health professions graduate school.

This report explored the association between in-person prehealth advising participation and student persistence to the next term.

Online Prehealth Advising: Impact Analysis Spring 2017 To Fall 2020, Alasdair Ekpenyong, Mykel Beorchia

Publications

At Utah State University, various online, Canvas-based advising programs complement the traditional in-person advising program. The online prehealth advising service assists students who are considering health professions graduate school.

This report explored the association between online prehealth advising participation and student persistence to the next term at Utah State University.

Safety As A Criterion For Faculty Evaluation, Emily Faulconer

Publications

Faculty evaluations, whether for annual review, promotion, contract renewal, tenure, or other purposes, commonly cover three broad areas—teaching, scholarship, and service—with weighting that can vary based on the institution, college, department, and individual. Many faculty, especially in STEM fields, have teaching, research, and service roles that come with chemical, physical, or biological hazards. These faculty members would not likely deny safety as a responsibility. In these roles, faculty may be asked to teach safety concepts, supervise or perform work with instrumentation, manage chemical wastes, or prepare paperwork required under OSHA’s Laboratory standard (e.g., standard operating procedures).

Aviation English Assessment And Training, Robert Fowler, Elizabeth Mathews, Jena Lynch, Jennifer Roberts M.A.

Publications

Due to a significant global increase in demand for air travel, there has been a corresponding increase in demand for ab initio flight training. Thousands of international flight students seek admission to collegiate aviation programs in the United States and Canada every year. These international flight students come to the United States and Canada because flight training is nonexistent in their native countries. In fact, flight training in most of these countries is impossible due to airspace restrictions and onerous regulations. If there is flight training available in these countries, the cost is usually prohibitive compared to the cost in …

Engaging In Scholarly Activities: Conferences & Publication, Emily Faulconer, Amy Riordan

Publications

Scholarly activities have key characteristics.

• Intellectually rigorous
• Expands disciplinary knowledge or creative expression
• Documented
• Validated by the relevant community of professionals

Let Natural Learning Arise!: Optimizing Organizational Learning Through A Customized Leadership Development Program, Robin A. Roberts

Publications

This paper examined a tiered leadership development program (LDP) designed to optimize natural organizational learning.

Connections Impact On Student Persistence: Impact Report Spring 2015 To Fall 2018, Amanda M. Hagman, Heidi Kesler, Matt Sanders, Mitchell Colver

Publications

Connections is Utah State University's (USU) first-year seminary. A primary objective of Connections is student persistence. It is designed to help students become learners. While being a learner is not synonymous with being a college student, it aligns students’ expectations with what is required to succeed in college and at USU. This impact report explores the influence of Connections participation on student persistence to the next term. Participation in Connections is associated with a 1.4% increase in persistence to the next term. The positive impact of Connections is increasing with strategic programmatic changes.

Passport Experience: Impact Analytics Fall 2014 To Fall 2018, Amanda M. Hagman, Nate Jensen, Lisa Simmons, Janet Anderson, Erik Dickamore

Publications

Utah State University (USU) dedicates substantial resources to support student transition to higher education. The Passport Experience cuts across all university domains to support early student participation in curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular activities. Students are invited to attend a variety of events, when milestones are reached, students are rewarded. Persistence is a primary objective of the Passport Experience. The Passport Experience helps students develop an increased awareness of campus events, broad their engagement in the university experience, and become more involved in the University community. This report explores the association between the Passport Experience and students’ persistence toward graduation. METHODS: …

How Do Usu Students Use University Support Services?, Amanda M. Hagman, Meghan Lewis, Kristi Swainston, Mitchell Colver

Publications

The central mission of USU is to be one of the nation’s premier student-centered universities. This is accomplished by fostering academics and offering opportunities to expand students’ vision of the world around them through co- and extra-curricular activities. These auxiliary activities are designed to support academic achievement and to engage students in meaningful opportunities to practice and enhance their personal and professional well-being. This analysis describes how students are using co- and extra-curricular services. It investigates the most salient student-facing programming in supporting student retention.

Writing Fellows: Impact Analysis Fall 2015 To Spring 2019, Amanda M. Hagman, Julie Foust, Erik Dickamore, Hayden Hoopes

Publications

The Writing Fellows program strategically places high performing writing mentors in courses with rigorous writing requirements. Writing Fellows work with each student in a course by reviewing their writing and offering mentoring to improve their written communication skills. Persistence is a secondary objective of the Writing Fellow program. As such, an impact evaluation on persistence should only be used as part of an evaluation of the influence of the Writing Fellows program on student wellbeing. This impact evaluation on student persistence found that students in courses with a Writing Fellow experienced a significant increase in persistence to the next term …

Writing Center: Impact Analysis Fall 2014 To Fall 2018, Amanda M. Hagman, Kendall Becker, Susan B. Andersen, Star Coulbrooke, Erik Dickamore, Jasilyn Heaps

Publications

The Utah State University (USU) Writing Center is dedicated to empowering students to express their knowledge and ideas in writing. Their approach promotes academic inquiry, critical thinking, and expressions of diversity. While research and evaluation suggest that the Writing Center significantly impacts student academic performance, the impact on student persistence is not yet clear. This report explores the association between USU’s Writing Center and students’ persistence toward graduation. METHODS: Students’ Writing Center use was captured through student log-ins at writing appointments. Students who had a record of using the Writing Center were compared to similar students who did not have …

New Student Orientation: Impact Analysis Fall 2017 To Spring 2019, Amanda M. Hagman, Jacob Van Den Akker, Erik Dickamore, Lisa Simmons

Publications

The transition to university represents a major life change more incoming students. To facilitate this transition, USU adopted a phased-orientation system that provides students information justin- time for use. Currently, Module 3 can be completed either in-person or online. This analysis explores both the impact of the phased-orientation modules and the impact of completing Module 3 online verse in-person on student persistence to the next term. METHODS: First students who completed Module 3 online were compared to students who completed Module 3 in-person. Next students who completed all 5 modules were compared to students who only completed the required modules. …

Fraternity & Sorority Life: Impact Analysis Spring 2016 To Fall 2019, Erik Dickamore, Paige Eidenschink, Amanda M. Hagman

Publications

Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) is a valued part of the USU community It connects students with leadership and philanthropic opportunities throughout their time at university. Many students cite their time spent associated with FSL as one of the biggest contributing factors of their university experience. METHODS: Student’s membership in a FSL is recorded each semester on rosters. These rosters were used in identifying which students participated in FSL. Students were compared using prediction-based propensity score matching. Students who participated in FSL were matched with non-participating students based on their persistence predication and their propensity to participate. FINDINGS: Students were …

Usu Stars! Gear Up: Fall 2018 To Spring 2019, Erik Dickamore, Amanda M. Hagman, Doug Reiter, Jim Dorward, Mitchell Colver

Publications

Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) is a federally funded program designed to prepared secondary students for college. USU has received several of these competitive grants to work with middle and high school students throughout Utah. This analysis explores how GEAR Up students utilized services. Use patterns were regressed on college enrollment. METHODS: Latent profile analysis (LPA) is a powerful tool for uncovering common response patterns across multiple continuous variables. Following the LPA, the common response patterns were regressed on post-secondary enrollment. FINDINGS: The latent profile analysis exposed 4 well-defined use patterns across the GEAR UP …

The Future Of International Education: Why Agility Is Now Integral To Strategic Planning, Aaron Clevenger, Elaine Meyer-Lee

Publications

Based on my experience, agility is truly based on the principles of resiliency. Resiliency is an approach to sustainability that focuses on building capacity to deal with disasters, unexpected changes and/or shifts to our daily routines.

● Kampala, Uganda example shows mild disruption, poor maintenance, and insufficient infrastructure creates a lack of resiliency.

At Embry-Riddle, hurricanes are the norm.

Pueblo Pequeño, Infierno Grande: Shifting The Burden Of Latinx Spanish Teacher Retention In The Rural South, Cornelia V. Okraski, Stephanie M. Madison

Publications

This study explored the experiences of five Latinx Spanish teachers who worked in schools in rural North Carolina and South Carolina. Using data from 25 semistructured interviews and publicly available school/community demographic information, this qualitative multiple‐case study sought to answer the following questions: (a) How do Latinx Spanish teachers in the rural South perceive experiences that help or hinder retention? (b) In what ways are Latinx Spanish teachers navigating their role as advocates for linguistic and cultural diversity in their rural schools and communities? Findings showed that participants were constantly balancing the benefits and challenges of their work in a …

First & Second Cycles Final Report For: Educational And Workforce Development Through Creation Of Programs In Transportation To Generate Future Careers For Our Students In Navajo Nation Region, Gholam Ehteshami

Publications

Navajo Technical University (NTU) in New Mexico, has made a partnership with the Tran-SET regional center at Louisiana State University, LSU. We have provided learning and training the Native American students in transportation-related Industries to some of STEM students at NTU through these partnerships opportunities. The program was designed and supported by Native American students from high school to STEM undergraduate students. The program was implemented accordingly with four main components: (1). Selected eligible and interested Native American student to paid summer internships to the field and facilities of transportations industries and participate in research summer at LSU. (2). Directed …

Aggie First Scholars: A Quality Workforce Initiative For Promoting First-Generation Student Success, Amanda M. Hagman, John Louviere, Heidi Kesler, Mykel Beorchia, Lisa Simmons, Mitchell Colver

Publications

Introduction: First-generation students lag behind continuing-generation peers in terms of graduation rates and average time to graduation. This phenomenon has been extensively studied in higher education with the intent of closing the gap seen between generational statuses. Utah State University provides services to support first-generation students. In the 2018/2019 academic year, USU initiative a full-kit initiative to help first-generation student participate in several proven first-year student milestones. This report explores the impact of full-kit use of services and the individual impact of each service on first-generation student persistence. METHODS: Students who self-identified as first-generation on their USU application were invited …

Aggie Recreation Center Impact Report Fall 2015 To Spring 2019, Amanda M. Hagman, Erik Dickamore, Daniel Lawrence, Mitchell Colver

Publications

Recreation facilities are an integral part of the university community. The Aggie Recreation Center is a place that helps foster a well balanced student. The ARC provides students with a myriad of opportunities for recreation, exercise, and community that can support students on their academic journey. This report explored the association between ARC facility use and student persistence to the next term at Utah State University. METHODS: Students recreation center use was captured with entry log-ins as students entered the facility. Students who had a record of using the facility were compared to similar students who did not have a …

Student Nutrition Access Center: Impact Analysis 2019, Amanda M. Hagman, Hayden Hoopes, Nelda Ault-Dyslin

Publications

Introduction: Access to nutritional food items is crucial to student well-being, which in turn is crucial to student success. Student success emerges from “the amount of physical and psychological energy that the student devotes to the academic experience” (Astin, 1984). Campus nutrition programs help students eliminate food security issues so that they can devote more energy to the academic experience. However, creating efficient and convenient nutrition programs requires that administrators understand the complexities of their implementation, their effect on specific student segments, and their effect on decisions to either persist at or leave an institution. This report explores the impact …

Preventing A Boondoggle: Assuring A Short Term Research Abroad Activity Is An Educative Experience, Kelly George, Aaron D. Clevenger

Publications

At Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, an annual short-term, research abroad non-credit program was created in 2012 as a core component of the undergraduate research initiative that achieves learning outcomes in a meaningful way. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Exploratory Advising Impact Report: Spring 2016 To Spring 2019, Amanda M. Hagman, Mykel Beorchia, Stephanie Hamblin, Mitchell Colver

Publications

Academic advising performs a pivotal contribution to student success by providing information about univeristy expectations and avenues towards graduation. Exploratory student advising has the additional task of supporting students in major selection. This analysis investigated the relationship between academic advising and student persistence for exploratory students to better understand the impact of current advising practices. METHODS: Exploratory academic advisors met with an average 53% of exporatory students each semester. Students with a record of meeting with an academic advisor were compared to similar exploratory students who did not. Students were compared using prediction-based propensity score matching. Students who met with …