Education Commons^™

A Phenomenological Study Of The Educational Needs Of Military-Connected Students Transitioning From Military Connected Schools To Non-Military Connected Schools, Dale John Wertman Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the needs of military-connected (MC) students transitioning from MC schools to non-MC schools. The research helped to understand the transition of former MC students from MC to non-MC schools. The theory guiding this study was Schlossberg’s transition theory, which is modeled from analyzing human adaptation to transition. The central research question guiding this study was, “What are the shared lived experiences of MC students who transitioned from MC schools to non-MC schools?” The design of this research was a transcendental phenomenological approach to gain a textual description of the essences …

2024 Merc Annual Report, David Naff, Jesse Senechal, Paula L. Ogston-Nobile

MERC Publications

This is the annual report of the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) in the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University for the 2023-2024 academic year. It includes vignettes depicting MERC activities in the past year that align with each of its five principles: research, relevance, rigor, multiple perspectives, and impact. It concludes with a discussion of MERC's commitment moving forward.

Understanding The Virginia Literacy Act, Candace Bechtold, Kimberly Bridges, David Naff, Joan A. Rhodes, Valerie Robnolt, Tara Davison, Suzanne Alexandre, Michael Crusco, Karli Johansen, Amber Butler, Allison Yandle, Jennifer Askue-Collins, Jean Samuel, Sharrie Merritte, Regina Frazier

MERC Publications

This research and policy brief from the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) offers an overview of the Virginia Literacy Act. It is structured to explore the following questions: 1) What are the recent trends in reading achievement in Virginia? 2) What are the policy implications of the VLA for Virginia school divisions? 3) What does the research say about Science of Reading (SoR)? 4) What core instructional programs are approved to meet the VLA? It concludes with a series of key takeaways and recommendations.

Supporting And Sustaining Equitable Steam Activities In High School Classrooms: Understanding Computer Science Teachers’ Needs And Practices When Implementing An E-Textiles Curriculum To Forge Connections Across Communities, Deborah A. Fields, Yasmin B. Kafai

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

While the last two decades have seen an increased interest in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) in K-12 schools, few efforts have focused on the teachers and teaching practices necessary to support these interventions. Even fewer have considered the important work that teachers carry out not just inside classrooms but beyond the classroom walls to sustain such STEAM implementation efforts, from interacting with administrators to recruiting students and persuading parents about the importance of arts and computer science. In order to understand teachers’ needs and practices regarding STEAM implementation, in this paper, we focus on eight experienced computer …

A Phenomenological Study Of Contexts Of Parent Responsibility For Middle School Student Achievement, Benjamin F. Erskine

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to describe lived experiences of parents of middle school students who are engaged in their children's educational achievement as stakeholders within the overlapping spheres of influence. Eighteen participants were selected from three middle schools in a school district in central Delaware. The central research question is: What lived experiences motivate parents of middle school students to engage in their children's educational achievement as stakeholders within the overlapping spheres of influence? Research sub-questions deal directly with the participants' understanding of the theory guiding this study, Epstein's theory of overlapping spheres of influence, as …

Texas School Social Workers: Who And Where Are They?, George Padilla, Velma D. Menchaca, Astrid Gandaria

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

School social workers have a long history in American education and much research is needed to better understand their role and impact in schools. Texas schools employ one of the highest numbers of school social workers in the country, but there is also little to no research related to their demographics, working conditions, or effectiveness. Only one recent study on Texas school social workers was found in the research literature. This report analyzes Texas state reports, available to the public on the internet or by specific request from the Texas Education Agency, to develop a descriptive and exploratory overview of …

Administrator Feedback To Teachers, Regina Frazier, Candace Wilkerson, Jacquie Cioffi, Patrick Simmons, Makeba Lindsay D'Abreu, Thea Racelis, Amanda Simmons, Melissa Yancey, Deanna Fierro, David B. Naff

MERC Publications

This brief from the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) curates peer-reviewed scholarship as well as state and school board policies in Virginia related to administrator feedback to teachers. It explores the following questions: 1) What is the purpose of administrators providing feedback to teachers? 2) How do administrators typically provide feedback to teachers? 3) How do teachers typically receive feedback from administrators? 4) What are research-based strategies for administrators to provide productive feedback to teachers? It concludes with key takeaways and recommendations for how administrators provide feedback to teachers.

The Landscape Of Advanced Coursework Participation: Understanding Disparities And Intersectionality, Chin-Chih Chen, Chris Parthemos, David Naff, Erica Ross, Virginia Palencia, Beth Fowler, Andrea Herndon, Beverly Fludd-Flanagan

MERC Publications

This population-based study explored students' participation in advanced coursework in elementary schools (gifted/talented programs), middle schools (Algebra I+), and high schools (Advanced Placement) to address enrollment equity. The study identified demographic disparities and the intersectionality of multiple identities to achieve two research aims: 1) to explore how advanced course-taking varies by student demographics, and 2) to understand how disparities in advanced course-taking vary by student demographics and intersectional identities. The findings indicate that disparities in advanced course-taking are related to students’ race, ethnicity, disability status, English learner (EL) status, socioeconomic status, as well as the intersection of these variables. The …

Addressing School Bullying Since The Onset Of Covid-19: A Merc Research And Policy Brief, David Naff, Morgan Meadowes, Kim Dupre, Alicia Gaston, Fatemah A. Khawaji, Christina Tillery, Makeba Lindsay D'Abreu, Lauren Powell, Deanna Fierro

MERC Publications

Among the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic is a shift in the nature and intensity of school bullying, perhaps symptomatic of the rapid changes and stressors that PK-12 students have endured since 2020. In this MERC research and policy brief, we explore how school bullying has changed since the onset of COVID-19 as well as research-based strategies for how educators and division leaders can best respond to it. The brief answers the following questions: 1) What is the nature of school bullying since the onset of COVID-19? 2) Which students have been particularly impacted by bullying since the pandemic? …

School Division Policies Related To Suicide Prevention And Response, David Naff, Fatemah A. Khawaji, Morgan Meadowes, Jill Flynn, Meg Sheriff, Lauren Powell, Lisa Gwyn, Tameka Burroughs, Jean Samuel

MERC Publications

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among youth age 10-19, and is an increasing concern in the wake of COVID-19. K-12 schools are crucial spaces for offering mental health support to students, and can implement policies to help prevent suicidal thoughts and behaviors. This MERC research and policy brief focuses on education policy related to suicide prevention and response. It is structured to answer five questions: 1) What are recent trends in youth suicide? 2) What does research show about school division policies that are effective in suicide prevention and response? 3) What policies in Virginia and …

Strategies For Addressing Chronic Absenteeism In The Post-Pandemic Era, David Naff, Fatemah A. Khawaji, Morgan Meadowes, Kim Dupre, Zehra Sahin Ilkorkor, Jill Flynn, Jean Samuel, Christina Tillery, Meg Sheriff

MERC Publications

Although chronic absenteeism has been an enduring concern in PK-12 schools, it has doubled since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. To explore strategies for addressing this issue, this MERC research and policy brief answers five questions: 1) What are trends in chronic absenteeism pre and post-pandemic?, 2) What factors contribute to chronic absenteeism and which student groups are particularly vulnerable? 3) What are the connections between chronic absenteeism and other student outcomes? 4) What strategies are effective in reducing chronic absenteeism?, and 5) What are policies at the state and school board level intended to help address chronic absenteeism? …

Instructional Design With A Language Lens: Preparing Educators For Multilingual Classrooms, Amy J. Heineke, Wenjin Guo, Luke Carman, Mctighe & Associates

Education: School of Education Faculty Publications and Other Works

Classrooms are more diverse than ever before with increasing numbers of multilingual students who are developing English proficiency while simultaneously being expected to learn and perform in English in literacy and the content areas. In the context of the United States, previous efforts to prepare teachers for the heterogeneous population of students have led to simplified curriculum that limits children’s equitable access to rigorous disciplinary learning. This chapter probes one project’s efforts to build capacity in schools by holistically preparing educators across grades and disciplines to provide equitable instruction for students labeled as English learners. Using a framework that added …

Balancing The Benefits And Risks Of Ai Large Language Models In K12 Public Schools, Jesse Senechal, Eric Ekholm, Samaher Aljudaibi, Mary Strawderman, Chris Parthemos

MERC Publications

With artificial intelligence (AI) models rapidly emerging, the potential implications for K12 education are imminent. To illuminate the potential impacts on public schools, this MERC research brief answers the following questions: 1) What is AI? What are AI large language models? How do they work?, 2) What are the implications of large language models for teaching and learning?, 3) What are the main concerns with the use of AI large language models? What are the concerns for use within public schools?, 4) What are the considerations for school district policy on AI large language models?, and 5) What are the …

Adolescent Thc Usage In Virginia: Post-Legalization Challenges And Strategies For Schools, David Naff, Meg Sheriff, Jill Flynn, Marzia Farhana, Kris Herakovich-Curtis, Gerron Scott, Fred Gatty, Priyadarshini Pattath, Diane Williams, Kiana Bradford, Reena Desai, Lauren Powell, Lisa Gwyn

MERC Publications

Recreational marijuana was legalized for anyone over the age of 21 in Virginia in 2021. This research and policy brief explores evidence of the impact of such legalization on Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) usage in PK-12 aged youth, including smoking, vaping, edibles, and dabbing. It addresses the following questions: 1) What are the recent trends in marijuana usage among PK-12 aged youth? 2) What are the impacts of THC usage in schools, particularly after legalization? 3) How can schools and school systems effectively respond to THC usage? 4) What are relevant federal, state, and school division policies that guide responses to youth …

Barriers And Challenges For Visually Impaired Students In Pe - An Interview Study With Students In Austria, Germany, And The Usa, Sebastian Ruin, Justin A. Haegele, Martin Giese, Jana Baumgärtner

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

Physical education (PE) is an important part of school education worldwide, and at the same time, almost the only subject that explicitly deals with body and movement. PE is therefore of elementary importance in the upbringing of young people. This also applies to children with visual impairments. However, existing findings on participation and belonging in PE as well as on physical and motor development reveal that this group of children and adolescents is noticeably disadvantaged in this respect. Against this background, this paper aims to explore fundamental barriers and challenges across different types of schools, types of schooling, and countries …

A Systematic Literature Review Of Between-Class Ability Grouping In Australia: Enduring Tensions, New Directions, Olivia Johnston, Becky Taylor

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Ability grouping of students into separate classes within a school can be called ‘between-class ability grouping’. This practice has persisted in Australia despite evidence that it is socially inequitable and does not improve academic outcomes. A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature about between-class ability grouping in Australia from 2012-2022 reveals only N=28 papers that meet the inclusion criteria. These papers are critiqued and synthesised into four main findings that characterise Australian research about between-class ability grouping from 2012-2022. The findings reveal a lack of substantive inquiry with most studies having limited scope and drawing on outdated or overly generalised data. …

Responsive, Adaptive, And Future-Centred Leadership In Response To Crisis: Findings From Australia, Fiji, And New Zealand, Michelle Striepe, Pauline Thompson, Sylvia Robertson, Mohini Devi, David Gurr, Fiona Longmuir, Adam Taylor, Christine Cunningham

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruption to education and highlighted the importance of effective leadership during times of crisis. This paper considers the impact of the pandemic on school leaders in Australia, Fiji, and New Zealand. A secondary analysis of data from five interpretivist, qualitative studies was conducted. The aim of the study was to investigate the similarities and differences between the leaders’ experiences across school settings, states/provinces, and countries. Our findings place renewed importance on understanding the role of schools within the community and the vital role school leaders play in helping schools respond to volatile and dynamic …

Using Texts As Mirrors: The Power Of Readers Seeing Themselves, Amy J. Heineke, Aimee Papola-Ellis, Joseph Elliott

Education: School of Education Faculty Publications and Other Works

In schools across the country and world, students enter classrooms with rich diversity in backgrounds, identities, and experiences. They speak hundreds of different languages, come from countries around the world, espouse nuanced cultural and gender identities, and have an array of abilities and interests. But texts in school and classroom collections continue to reflect the so-called mainstream with primarily White, English-dominant, cis-gendered characters without disabilities. Efforts have emerged on social media to encourage resources with relevance to children's lives, but teachers often struggle to make the case for their use in instruction. In this article, we provide a framework for …

School Teachers And Principals’ Experiences During Covid-19 In Pakistan, Azra Naseem, Mirat Al Fatima Ahsan, Sohail Ahmad, Tasneem Anwar, Razia Fakir Mohammad

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, educational activities were disrupted globally. In Pakistan, schools were also closed, and though some schools had started teaching online, the staff (including principals and teachers) and students' readiness for education during the pandemic remained unexplored. An internet-based survey was conducted to explore the experiences of the teachers and principals during the lockdown. The survey included both open-ended and closed-ended questions. Responses were collected from respondents in different parts of Pakistan, with the majority coming from Sindh and coming from both the private and public sector. While the respondents from private schools reported that …

Society Dilemma Of Computer Technology Management In Today's World, Iwasan D. Kejawa Ed.D

School of Computing: Faculty Publications

Abstract - Is it true that some of the inhabitants of the world’s today are still hesitant in using computers? Research has shown that today many people are still against the use of computers. Computer technology management can be said to be obliterated by security problems. Research shows that some people in society feel reluctant or afraid to use computers because of errors and exposure of their privacy and their sophistication, which sometimes are caused by computer hackers and malfunction of the computers. The dilemma of not utilizing computer technology at all or, to its utmost, by certain people in …

Gatekeepers, Guides And Ghosts: Intermediaries Impacting Access To Schools During Covid-19, Michelle Striepe, Christine Cunningham

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This article reflects on the effect of gatekeepers, guides and ghosts on gaining access to research participants and field sites. Using a critically reflective approach, we examine our role as researchers and the roles of intermediaries in the process to access schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings show how gaining access is a non-linear process that is influenced by the agency of researchers and intermediaries at different contextual levels. Our analysis probes past research on gatekeepers, develops the emerging research on the role of guides and advances current understandings by introducing the concept of ghosts. Given the lack of …

Curriculum Adoption In U.S. Schools: An Exploratory, Qualitative Analysis, Sarah E. Pinkelman, Kristen R. Rolf, Trenton Landon, Ronnie Detrich, Carrie Mclaughlin, Amy Peterson, Michelle Mcknight-Lizotte

Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling Faculty Publications

The process of adopting curricula and programs in U.S. schools is an understudied topic. Given the importance of selecting evidence-based and contextually relevant programs that meet the needs of the school, additional research to examine this process is critical. In this exploratory investigation, we conducted semi-structured interviews with ten building-level and ten district-level school administrators to learn (a) how they identify needs for a new program and (b) the perceived factors that influence decisions in selecting a program to adopt. Qualitative data from interview transcripts were analyzed through thematic analysis as outlined by Braun and Clarke (3(2):77, 2006), and saturation …

Teacher Retention Policy Coherence: An Analysis Of Policies And Practices Across Federal, State, And Division Levels, Andrene Castro, Adria Hoffman, Jonathan D. Becker, David Naff, Peter S. Willis, Andy Kane

MERC Publications

As part of a larger MERC study, this report provides an overview of federal, state, and regional policies and practices relevant to teacher retention. Using key informant interviews and document analysis, the report addresses the following research questions: What teacher retention policies exist at the federal, state, and local levels? How are these policies structured at the state level and local levels? How do teacher retention policies vary across MERC divisions? Following the findings, the report presents recommendations for policy and practice.

Schools, Separating Parents And Family Violence: A Case Study Of The Coercion Of Organisational Networks, Sue Saltmarsh, Kay Ayre, Eseta Tualaulelei

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper considers how complex family circumstances such as parental separation, custody disputes and family violence intersect with the organisational cultures and everyday practices of schools. In particular, we are concerned with the ways that coercive control–a strategy used predominantly by men to dominate, control and oppress women in the context of intimate partner relationships–can be deployed to manipulate and coerce the organisational networks of schools into furthering abusive agendas. Informed by cultural theory and research from sociology of education, legal studies, criminology and family violence, we show how what we term the ‘coercion of organisational networks’ (CON) both relies …

Ece 302 Children, Families, Communities, And Schools In Sociocultural Contexts—Birth To Grade 6, Lisa Cavallero

Open Educational Resources

Topics covered in this course include: home, school, and community influences, family diversity, roles and experiences of families, early learning, special needs, protecting children, influences of the home and community, working with families.

This course outline includes:

• all assignments for the course (link to assignments packet).
• links to lecture slides
• instructor notes
• additional resources

Note: users will be prompted to make their own copy of documents when clicking on links to Google Docs and Google Slides.

Cell Phones And Schools: A Merc Research Brief, Jesse Senechal

MERC Publications

This MERC research brief explores the following questions:

What are examples of district-level cell phone policies? What are the arguments and evidence for and against restrictive cell phone policies? What are the legal issues connected to student cell phone use?

Gentry, Martha Beck "Mattie" (Spangler), 1862-1940 (Mss 733), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

MSS Finding Aids

Finding aid for Manuscripts Collection 733. Journal, 1878-1880, of Mattie (Spangler) Gentry, Covington, Kentucky, chronicling her attendance at Lexington’s Hamilton Female College and at boarding school in Orléans, France; also her journal, 1889-1898, recording her life as a music teacher and her courtship and marriage. Includes photographs and a letter to Mattie in France from the president of Hamilton College (Click on "Additional Files" for typescript).

The Attitude Of Staff Members With Regards To Trauma-Informed Care In A High School In Arizona, Deanna Aljean Iverson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study analyzes the attitudes and beliefs with regards to trauma-informed care, of certified staff members at one public high school, in a public school district, in the southeast valley of Phoenix, Arizona. Previous studies have demonstrated that the attitudes of certified staff members have had a large impact on the implication and effectiveness of trauma-informed care within schools. The certified staff members went through several trainings to increase their trauma-informed readiness, help them identify struggling students, and build trauma-informed strategies when working with students. The relationship between these trainings and the overall attitude of certified staff requires further research …

The Effectiveness Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports (Pbis) In Schools, Jennifer L. Van Otterloo

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Negative student behaviors are increasing in schools today (Molly et al., 2013). When students engage in problem behaviors, they are more likely to fall through the cracks and their educational gap increases. Therefore, something needs to be done in school systems to decrease these problem behaviors. PBIS is an implementation framework that is designed to improve academic and social behavior outcomes for all students (Sungai & Simonsen, 2012). The purpose of this literature review is to explore the effects of PBIS on student behavior and ways to implement PBIS successfully. Overall, research shows that when PBIS is implemented correctly and …

School-Based Restorative Justice: Lessons And Opportunities In A Post-Pandemic World, Gabriel M. Velez

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected schools and the people within them. The move to remote schooling forced practitioners of school-based restorative justice to adapt and innovate, as theory and practice had almost exclusively focused on in-person instruction. In this paper, I first review some of the challenges, adaptations, and lessons during the pandemic. I then argue that restorative justice in schools offers new and unique potential to address needs of educational communities and the students, educators, and staff within them as in-person instruction returns. Specifically, I suggest it could contribute to rebuilding social connection and community, bolstering mental health, …