Education Commons^™

Improving The Success Of Non-Traditional Students In An Introductory Computing Course, Christine F. Reilly, Laura M. Grabowski, Gustavo Dietrich

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

This Work in Progress Research to Practice paper presents a redesign of an introduction to computing course at a public, minority serving institution in the United States with a majority of non-traditional students. The course redesign was motivated by the desire to improve the success of the students in this course and in the major. Active learning during class and required attendance were the major components of the course redesign. The course policies included flexibility for the occasional absences that are expected with non-traditional students. A comparison of student performance in the experimental and control sections indicated that the requirement …

Introducing Global Citizenship In Language Teacher Education Through The Un’S Sustainable Development Goals, Ramsés Ortín

Writing and Language Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

The present chapter describes a pedagogical intervention administered in an undergraduate ESL teacher training program. The purpose of this pedagogical innovation was to train future language teachers to incorporate Global Citizenship related objectives into their future practice by using the United Nation’s Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) as reference. Pre-service teachers (N = 10) taking part in this study participated in a three-phase training in which they were first introduced to the topic, then, asked to apply the discussed approach to the design of language learning materials, and finally, they completed a reflection task. The analysis of the last task …

Enhancing Student Learning Of Global Warming Through Reflective Writing, Liang Zeng, Guang Zeng

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

The National Academy of Science has published studies showing strong scientific evidence that global warming is caused by human consumption of fossil fuels, yet recent surveys have shown young adults in the U.S. are disengaged or disagree with this fact. Accordingly, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) published learning objectives to educate the world population on global warming and renewable energy by 2030. In this paper, we introduce a reflective writing activity physics educators can employ to foster a deeper understanding of global warming in introductory college physics and physical science courses, without overloading their teaching time.

The Limitations Of Being A Good Antiracist, Pauli Badenhorst, Jenna Min Shim

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications and Presentations

In this paper, we take up our shared antiracist identity aspirations as teacher educators and investigate how complex racialized emotions generated in interracial encounters trouble the idealized object of a good antiracist identity. Utilizing redirected antiracist psychoanalytic method to parse stories created through collective memory work, persistent emotional defenses that diminish an ability to dismantle oppressive racist structures, both internal and external, are uncovered and theorized. Later, contrary to some transmissive curricular and pedagogical texts and discourses that prioritize resolve, the contours of a relational antiracist curriculum and pedagogy that welcomes and integrates ambivalent, ambiguous emotional dilemmas present and inevitable …

High School Students’ Reasons For Disliking Mathematics: The Intersection Between Teacher’S Role And Student’S Emotions, Belief And Self-Efficacy, Jair J. Aguilar

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications and Presentations

The study presented here depicts the reasons for high school students to have a negative attitude toward mathematics. The students were asked to rate mathematics in comparison to other subjects like history, physics, or computer science. In addition, they were asked about their attitude, beliefs, and motivations toward mathematics. To this end a convergent parallel mixed-method approach was implemented using a questionnaire that combines open-ended, closed-ended (e.g., forced ranking scale, or multiple and single responses), and liker-scale items. One of the main reasons for student’s reluctancy toward mathematics is their lack of understanding and self-perception of low content knowledge, which …

The Role Of The School District In High-Performance Title One Schools In South Texas, George Padilla, Roberto Zamora, Federico Guerra

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

A mixed research study was designed and conducted to identify effective characteristics of high-performing, high-poverty schools. Four South Texas Title 1 schools identified as High Performing Schools by the Texas Education Agency in 2016 were selected for the study. To be selected, these schools were also required to meet or exceed a set of criteria applied by the researchers. An effective school model, comprised of eleven characteristics and school processes, was developed based on a synthesis of effective school research and served as the theoretical framework for the study. The characteristics include Culture, Leadership, Instruction, Improvement, Home and Community Relations, …

Mario “Mike” De La Fuente: Died A Longhorn Legend, Rene Torres

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications and Presentations

Mario de la Fuente was born in 1909 in Mexico, the twelfth child of a prosperous rancher and merchant. His early life was disrupted by the Mexican Revolution, forcing his family to flee to Mexico City and later to the United States, where they faced poverty and racism. Despite these challenges, Mario excelled in academics and sports, particularly baseball, at Del Rio High School and later at the University of Texas. He became the first Mexican to earn a baseball scholarship at UT and led his team to multiple championships. After a brief professional baseball career, he returned to Mexico, …

Historias Americanas: Implementing Mexican American Studies In K-12 Social Studies Curriculum In The Rio Grande Valley, Maritza De La Trinidad, Stephanie Alvarez, Joy Esquierdo, Francisco Guajardo

Mexican American Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

This essay contributes to the growing literature on Mexican American Studies in K-12 within the broader field of Ethnic Studies. While most of the literature on the movement for Ethnic Studies within Texas and across the nation mainly focuses on the impact of Ethnic Studies courses on students’ academic success, this essay highlights a professional development program for K-12 social studies teachers in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas entitled Historias Americanas: Engaging History and Citizenship in the Rio Grande Valley, funded by a federal grant. This essay provides an overview of Historias Americanas, the objectives and structure of …

Lesson Plan, 5th Grade, Johana Reséndez

Symposium Summer 2021

TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills): 6A, 6E

Lesson objective(s): 1. Student will research origin of name. 2. Student write “All about Me” in journal. 3. Student will create a book all their information.

Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner needs: Students will be able to utilize dictionary, pictures and work in pairs.

Understanding Student Learning Pathways In Traditional Online History Courses: Utilizing Process Mining Analysis On Clickstream Data, Matt Crosslin, Kimberly Breuer, Nikola Milikic, Justin T. Dellinger

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose

This study explores ongoing research into self-mapped learning pathways that students utilize to move through a course when given two modalities to choose from: one that is instructor-led and one that is student-directed.

Design/methodology/approach

Process mining analysis was utilized to examine and cluster clickstream data from an online college-level History course designed with dual modality choices. This paper examines some of the results from different approaches to clustering the available data.

Findings

By examining how often students interacted with others, whether they were more internal or external facing with their pathway choices, and whether or not they completed a …

Empowered Stakeholders: Female University Students’ Leadership During The Covid-19-Triggered On-Campus Evictions In Canada And The United States, Haorui Wu, Marla Perez-Lugo, Cecilio Ortiz Garcia, Frances Gonzalez Crespo, Adriana Castillo

Public Affairs and Security Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

The study of disaster-specific leadership of female university students has been largely neglected, especially during on-campus emergency eviction and evacuation. Based on the COVID-19-triggered, on-campus evictions across Canada and the United States, this cross-national partnership examined the out-of-province/state and international female university students’ leadership during the entire eviction process. Through in-depth interviews, this study revealed the female university students’ leadership behaviors during three stages: (1) pre-eviction: their self-preparedness formed an emotional foundation to support others; (2) peri-eviction: their attitude and leadership behavior enabled them to facilitate (psychologically and physically) their peers’ eviction process; and (3) post-eviction: they continued to support …

(Re) Actualizing Culturally Sustaining Read Aloud Practices: Enriching Latinx Bilingual Learners’ Literacy Development, Isela Almaguer

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Focusing on culturally sustaining literacy practices, I sought to conceptualize the integration of culturally rich literature as inclusionary practices for the reading and literacy development of Latinx bilingual learners. It is forecasted that by 2036, Latinx students will make up a third of the nation’s 3 to 17 year old learners - our school age population (US Census Bureau, 2010). Recognizing the importance of engaging with culturally sustaining read alouds and the value in learners seeing themselves reflected in the stories allows for increased opportunities for engagement in the literature used in the read alouds. I steadfastly advocate for asset-based …

Lesson Plan, U.S. History, 11th Grade, Bernice Barrón

Symposium Summer 2021

TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills): Economic and Social development of a region. 28B Analyzing information by applying absolute and relative chronology through sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause- and effect relationships, comparing and contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations, making predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing conclusions.

Lesson objective(s): 1.Analyze the factors that let to the economic development of the Lower Rio Grande Valley. 2.Describe the Labor, technology, crops, and demographics that were used to develop agriculture in the region. 3.Describe how the moniker "The Magic Valley," was used to attract investors willing to farm in the Rio Grande Valley. …

Lesson Plan, U.S. History, U.S. Government, 11th Grade And 12th Grade, Arnoldo Mendoza

Symposium Summer 2021

TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills): 6B: analyze the westward growth of the nation, Manifest Destiny • 6C: explain the causes and effects of the US Mexican War and its impact on the US

Lesson objective(s): 1. Analyze the significance of the Battle of Palo Alto. 2. Examine the reason why did the US Forces use that route to go to Fort Texas. 3. Compare and contrast Mexican artillery and US artillery

Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner needs: PowerPoint, Maps, Primary Sources, Video, Textbook

Unidad Didáctica, Geografía Universal, Noveno, Ernesto Martínez

Symposium Summer 2021

Competencias y Aptitudes Esenciales del Estado de Texas (TEKS, por sus siglas en inglés): 5A: analizar cómo se relaciona el carácter de un lugar con sus elementos políticos, económicos, sociales y culturales. 14C: analizar los factores humanos y físicos que influyen en el control de territorios y recursos, conflictos/guerras y relaciones internacionales de naciones soberanas como los Estados Unidos.

Objetivos de la lección: 1. El alumno describirá la formación histórica de la frontera sur de Texas durante el período de la guerra entre los Estados Unidos y México. El alumno identificará los detalles de la Batalla de Palo Alto que …

Lesson Plan, Ap Human Geography, 9th Grade, Jennifer Torres Olmeda

Symposium Summer 2021

TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills): History 1A - Analyze significant physical features and environmental conditions that have influenced the past and migration patterns and have shaped the distribution of cultural groups today. History 2A - describe the human and physical characteristics of the same regions at different periods of time to analyze relationships between past events and current conditions. Geography 6B - explain the processes that have caused changes in settlement patterns, including urbanization, transportation, access to and availability of resources, and economic activities.

Lesson objective(s): 1. TLW connect industrialization in the RGV with the prevalence of Latino culture …

Lesson Plan, Mexican American Studies, U.S. History, 9th-12th Grade, Alberto Guerrero

Symposium Summer 2021

TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills): 4A,B; 6A; 8A,D; 9A,D

Lesson objective(s): 1. Analyze the impact of the Corrido on border culture and folklore 2. Describe and analyze how the Corrido retells a particular event or course of events and reflects the points of view or bias of its author. 3. Synthesize historical information and personal accounts to create an oral history.

Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner needs: PowerPoint presentation, Film “The Ballad of Gregorio Cortes”, audio of some Corridos from the border region that deal with border issues like discriminations by parties on both sides of the border, …

Lesson Plan, World History/United States History/Government, 10th, 11th & 12th Grade, Carla Pérez Valdez, San Juana Granado, Graciela Alonso

Symposium Summer 2021

TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills): WH: 1D; 7B,F; 8A USH: 3B; 25C GOVT: 11 ECO: 3BC

Lesson objective(s): 1. Students will understand the connection between cultural-social family gatherings to the emergence of the cattle industry as a major big business/industry. 2. Students will examine the impact of cattle ranching from Spanish colonization to rise of American big business. 3. Students will examine the supply and demand of beef within the cattle ranching industry

Lesson Plan, U.S. History, 8th Grade, Rolando Pineda, Ernesto Martínez, Juan C. Vega

Symposium Summer 2021

TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills): 8.6C-Causes and Effects of the Mexican-American War 8.29A- Primary sources on James K. Polk 8.29C-Maps and timeline of the Annexation of Texas, Mexican-American War, & Mexican Cession 4C demonstrate an understanding of the influence of one language and culture on another

Lesson objective(s): 1. Students will need to understand the causes of the Mexican-American War 2. Students will need to analyze the dispute of the Texas boundary of Rio Grande River versus Mexico's claim of the Nueces River from Treaty of Velasco. 3. Students will be able to identify political boundaries of the United …

Lesson Plan, Social Studies, 2nd Grade And 3rd Grade, Claudia Olivo Mchale, Veronica Mancha, Mary Ruiz

Symposium Summer 2021

TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills): History(C) explain how people and events have influenced local community history. (5) Geography. The student uses simple geographic tools such as maps and globes. The student is expected to: (A) interpret information on maps and globes using basic map elements such as title, orientation (north, south, east, west), and legend/map keys; and (B) create maps to show places and routes within the home, school, and community. (6) Geography. The student understands the locations and characteristics of places and regions in the community, state, and nation. The student is expected to: (A) identify major landforms …

Lesson Plan, Social Studies, 2nd Grade, Araceli Bolado, Iris San Miguel

Symposium Summer 2021

TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills): 2.6: Geography. The student understands the locations and characteristics of places and regions in the community, state, and nation. The student is expected to: (A) identify major landforms and bodies of water, including each of the continents and each of the oceans, on maps and globes. 2.7: Geography. The student understands how physical characteristics of places and regions affect people's activities and settlement patterns. The student is expected to: (A) describe how weather patterns and seasonal patterns affect activities and settlement patterns (B) describe how natural resources and natural hazards affect activities and settlement …

Lesson Plan, World History, 6th Grade, Josie Herrera

Symposium Summer 2021

TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills): HISTORY TEK, WAR & ECONOMY TEK

Lesson Objective(S): 1. TLW Analyze and Explain The Cause And Effect Of Vietnam War. 2. TLW Utilize The Letters of Freddy Gonzalez and Make Inferences of His Two Tours In Vietnam.

Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner needs: Group or shared paired with extra time.

Lesson Plan, World Geography, 9th Grade, David Quiroz

Symposium Summer 2021

TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills): 113.43 c 1) History. The student understands how geography and processes of spatial exchange (diffusion) influenced events in the past and helped to shape the present. The student is expected to: (A) analyze significant physical features and environmental conditions that have influenced the past and migration patterns and have shaped the distribution of culture groups today; (2) History. The student understands how people, places, and environments have changed over time and the effects of these changes. The student is expected to: (A) describe the human and physical characteristics of the same regions at different …

Lesson Plan, Social Studies, 3rd Grade, Lucía Pérez

Symposium Summer 2021

TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills): 3.1a, 3.3a,3.5a. 3.17a&b&e, 3.18a&c

Lesson objective(s):

1.The students will learn about the events that lead to the Mexican American War. 2.The students will learn about the local battles that took place in the Mexican American War and their result. 3.The students will create a timeline to show the local battles which took place in the Mexican American War.

Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner needs: Search information about the war. They may also be given the information. Students can be given a timeline they may organize in chronological order. Students may choose to act …

Lesson Plan, World Geography, 9th Grade, Kayla Jaramillo

Symposium Summer 2021

TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills):

W.G. 6 (A) locate and describe human and physical features that influence the size and distribution of settlements. W.G. 6 (B) explain the processes that have caused changes in settlement patterns, including urbanization, transportation, access to and availability of resources, and economic activities. W.G. 7 (B) explain how physical geography and push and pull forces, including political, economic, social, and environmental conditions, affect the routes and flows of human migration; W.G. 21(A) analyze and evaluate the validity and utility of multiple sources of geographic information such as primary and secondary sources, aerial photographs, and …

Lesson Plan, World Geography, 9th Grade, Ernesto Martínez

Symposium Summer 2021

TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills): WG.5(A) analyze how the character of a place is related to its political economic, social and cultural elements WG.14 (C) analyze the human and physical factors that influence control of territories and resources, conflict/war and international relations of sovereign nations such as the United States

Lesson objective(s): 1. TLW will describe the formation of the South Texas Border during the period of the Mexican American War 2. TLW identify the details of the Battle of Palo Alto that led to the formation of the South Texas border region 3. TLW explain the significance of …

Lesson Plan, World History, 6th Grade, Sylvia Rodríguez

Symposium Summer 2021

TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills): 2A, 2B, 19B, 21BCD

Lesson objective(s): 1. TLW analyze and explain the cause and effects of the Vietnam War. 2.TLW analyze and explain the letters of Freddy Gonzalez and how he played a part in the Vietnam War.

Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner needs: The teacher will make individual copy of graphic organizer to each student. The teacher will give extra time to accommodate certain students. The teacher will allow group work and partner work.

Unidad Didáctica, Estudios Mexicoestadounidenses, Historia De Los Estados Unidos, Preparatoria, Alberto Guerrero

Symposium Summer 2021

Competencias y Aptitudes Esenciales del Estado de Texas (TEKS, por sus siglas en inglés): 4A,B; 6A; 8A,D; 9A,D

Objetivos de la lección: 1. Analizar el impacto de los corridos en la cultura fronteriza y su folclor. 2. Describir y analizar cómo los corridos relatan un acontecimiento en particular o historia, y cómo ésta refleja las opiniones o inclinaciones del autor. 3. Sintetizar la información histórica y los relatos personales para elaborar un documento de historia oral.

Diferenciación de estrategias para necesidades específicas de un estudiantado diverso: Utilizar una presentación de PowerPoint, la película La balada de Gregorio Cortéz, así …

Unidad Didáctica, Historia Universal, Sexto, Sylvia Rodríguez

Symposium Summer 2021

Competencias y Aptitudes Esenciales del Estado de Texas (TEKS, por sus siglas en inglés): 2 (a); 2 (b); 19 (b); 21 (b), (c), (d)

Objetivos de la lección: 1. El alumno estudiará y explicará las causas y efectos de la Guerra de Vietnam. 2. El alumno estudiará y explicará las cartas de Freddy González y su papel en la Guerra de Vietnam.

Diferenciación de estrategias para necesidades específicas de un estudiantado diverso: El docente proporcionará una copia individual del organizador gráfico a cada alumno. El docente ofrecerá tiempo adicional. El docente permitirá el trabajo en grupo y en pareja.

Unidad Didáctica, Historia De Los Estados Unidos, Octavo, Rolando Pineda, Ernesto Martínez, Juan C. Vega

Symposium Summer 2021

Competencias y Aptitudes Esenciales del Estado de Texas (TEKS, por sus siglas en inglés): 8.6 c) causas y efectos de la guerra entre los Estados Unidos y México, 8.29 a) fuentes primarias sobre James K. Polk. 8.29 c) mapas y cronogramas de la anexión de Texas, la guerra entre Estados Unidos y México y la cesión mexicana. 4 c) comprensión de la influencia que ejercen los idiomas y culturas sobre otras.

Objetivos de la lección: 1. Los alumnos comprenderán las causas de la guerra entre Estados Unidos y México. 2. Los alumnos analizarán la disputa de la frontera entre Texas …