Education Commons^™

Editorial: Insights In Leadership In Education: 2022, Margaret Grogan

Education Faculty Articles and Research

"This collection of articles provides an overview of educational leadership as we emerge from the pandemic crisis into a divisive era characterized by political unrest, social and cultural upheaval, and persistent economic hardship. Across the globe, leaders in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions are faced with the challenges of making up for student learning loss during the pandemic, educator burn out, parental and community concerns about curriculum content, mental health issues and the impact of artificial intelligence on education. Education leaders are taxed with meeting these challenges with scant resources in a conservative policy climate that favors traditionalism at the …

Collaboration In East Africa: A Contextualised Approach To Defining The Construct, Claire Scoular, David Alelah Otieno

Assessment and Reporting

Collaboration has been highlighted internationally as a key skill for learning, working, and living in the twenty-first century. However, to teach it well, enhance its performance, and measure its growth, it is essential to have a clear and consistent definition of the skill. There are a number of frameworks that describe collaboration in a way that is meaningful to learning and growth. Despite some differences across frameworks, it is clear there is a common core set of contributing subskills. This suggests that collaboration is of global interest, and that there are components that transcend national or cultural specificities. Notwithstanding, definitions …

Improving Teacher Retention Within Archdiocese Of Washington Schools, Denise M. Ball

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied study was to solve the problem of teacher retention for the Archdiocese of Washington Schools and to design training to address the problem. Specifically, this study solicited input from teachers to help define and or identify (1) the need for teacher retention, (2) what type of school environment they work in, and (3) how a school environment affects teacher retention. Individual teacher and focus group interviews were conducted, and a survey was utilized for data collection and analysis. The measurement instruments captured data on target teachers regarding school environment/climate and job retention, specifically, years in …

Improving Collaboration: A School Improvement Plan, Jennifer Trimble

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The inspiration for this school improvement plan was seeing the need in my school building for departmentalized PLC collaboration following the MTSS framework. Research findings show that PLC collaborations following an MTSS framework provide teachers and students with many beneficial supports that increase student learning and teacher knowledge. Informed y a literature review, this school improvement plan creates a departmentalized PLC collaboration that follows an MTSS framework within the school setting.

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Collaboration Between School Psychologists And Board-Certified Behavioral Analysts, Taylor Bronaugh

Department of Graduate Psychology - Graduate Student Scholarship

The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of communication styles brought on by distanced learning and its effect on collaboration for school psychologists and Bord Certified Behavioral Analysts (BCBAs). Prior studies have addressed collaboration habits between these school-based professionals. The current study aims to analyze the impact that COVID-19 had on these practitioners’ collaboration habits and to investigate their current communication and collaboration habits. A mixed methods locally developed anonymous survey was created and used for data collection. Participants were recruited through social-media groups and via word-of-mouth sharing. 20 school-based practitioners shared their perceptions and experiences with …

Early Childhood Teachers' Experiences In Collaboration Practices Related To Developing Professionally: A Qualitative Case Study, Linda Alston-Morgan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine early childhood teachers’ experiences in collaboration practices to support teacher professional development in three early childhood schools in Central New Jersey. The theory guiding this study was social cognitive theory by Bandura (1986), which focuses on learning through observations and social interactions. Bandura’s theory aligned with the study and revealed how collaborative opportunities are utilized as an approach to help teachers learn from each other and develop professionally. However, specific activities underlying the professional development of teachers during the collaborative sessions need more exploration. The research included data regarding early …

Understanding The Role Of Parent-Teacher Communication In Motivating Elementary School Students: A Case Study, Brittany Rose Powers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multiple case study was to understand parent-teacher communication and its role in motivating students in elementary school. The work was guided by the following central research question and two sub-questions: CRQ) How do parent-teacher relationships motivate students? SQ1) How does a met or not met basic need dictate the motivational outcomes of students? SQ2) How do elementary school students perceive the role of parents and teachers in their motivation to learn? A qualitative research design was used to gather individual experiences and participants’ perspectives. The multiple case study design allowed many participants to share varying perspectives …

Improving Reading Interventions: A School Improvement Plan, Rachel Harmelink

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This paper examines the use of reading instruction interventions in an elementary school in Northwest Iowa. Whereas the school excels at providing regular assessments, including universal screeners, educators there have struggled to adequately meet the reading needs of their students as reflected on FAST, MAP, and Panorama data. This school improvement plan provides professional development training in response to intervention (RTI) procedures along with continual support and collaboration throughout the school year to assist teachers in confidently serving all learners and helping them reach their fullest potential as readers.

Co-Teaching With Multilingual Learners: Key Themes From Emerging Research, Maria Dove Ed.D., Andrea Honigsfeld Ed.D.

Faculty Works: EDU (1995-2023)

This article presents a review of the major themes that have emerged in over a decade of research conducted by the authors and others on the practice of co-teaching for multilingual learners (MLs) in K-12 English language development (ELD) programs. It highlights six major themes from research and documentary accounts that focus on how teachers engage in a collaborative instructional service delivery for MLs. The authors review each of the major themes and relate them to best practices for the successful implementation of Integrated English as a New Language (ENL) instruction in New York State.

A Phenomenological Study Of The Shared Responsibility Experiences Of Secondary Co-Teachers, Stuart Brady

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe co-teachers’ experiences regarding shared instructional responsibility in North Georgia secondary schools. Shared responsibility is generally defined as both teachers perceiving each other as co-equals in instructional responsibility and that neither teacher perceives the other as the subordinate or primary teacher in the co-taught classroom. The frameworks that guided this study is sociocultural theoretical framework, as developed by Vygotsky extended in recent co-teaching literature and Howlett and Nguyen, and teacher belief theory, developed by Parajes and adapted for co-teaching research by Kim and Pratt, which is supported by Bandura’s social cognitive theory. …

Transforming Collaborative Collection Development And Pedagogical Practice: Connecting Art And Special Collections To Authentic Student Learning, Rebecca Fitzsimmons, Heather Koopmans

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

This presentation discusses the intersection of collaborative collection development and pedagogical practice, specifically detailing how the creation of a new collection of Renaissance-era art prints in a university special collections department has transformed and blossomed into a multifaceted research opportunity for students. This print teaching collection became a central resource for the creation of an advanced print history course that engaged students in deep art historical research and professional development as they created and launched an original exhibition and accompanying digital publication including works from the print teaching collection. Throughout this process, students gained an understanding of both individual and …

Secondary Teacher Experiences In Professional Learning Communities: A Phenomenological Research Study, Tiphani Jo Morris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological research study was to describe secondary mathematics, science, English Language Arts (ELA), and social studies teachers’ experiences with PLCs at Central Texas secondary schools. Using Wenger’s (1998) social theory, the study answered the central research question: What are the lived experiences of secondary mathematics, science, ELA, and social studies teachers involved in PLCs in Central Texas? The sub-questions included: What collaborative experiences do secondary teachers have during PLCs? What professional learning experiences do secondary teachers have during PLCs? The setting included two middle schools and one high school located in Central Texas. The sample …

Origami Club - A Gateway Into The Art Of Self Expression, Minjae Song, Noah Vincent Rachwitz

Honors Expanded Learning Clubs

The Nebraska Honors Program's Origami Club is an engaging platform for 3rd-5th graders that uses the fascinating Japanese art of origami to create a rich, interactive learning environment. Under the guidance of experienced instructors Minjae Song and Noah Rachwitz, and supplemented with YouTube tutorials, the club facilitates a captivating journey from simple projects to complex designs, skillfully developing each student's creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving capabilities. Each session is planned meticulously to ensure an immersive experience, starting with anticipation-building project reveals and culminating in the production of personal origami masterpieces. As a hands-on club, students are encouraged to question, explore, assist …

Student Inclusion In The Least Restrictive Environment, Jennifer Grossman

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This school improvement project explores student inclusion in the general education environment. Inclusion is an important topic in schools and is important to discuss. Inclusion is defined and explained. This school improvement project will explore the problem, leadership assistance, differentiated instruction, and implementation of inclusion in the least restrictive environment. Inclusion is imperative to student success in the inclusive environment. An analysis of inclusion suggests students with varying abilities be included in as much of the general education environment in order to succeed in social and academic domains. Results of inclusion in the general education environment indicate that students with …

Conscious Discipline For Parent, Amber Brown

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Conscious Discipline is a universal comprehensive program combining social-emotional wellbeing into our everyday lives by enhancing the social-emotional skills of administrators, teachers, students and families. Collaboration is the key for Conscious Discipline to be effective. In order to change others, we must first change ourselves. This program uses evidence-based research to help overall improvement for all people involved. It has been known to be a traumainformed approach to learning about ourselves in others to the best of our ability.

The Importance Of Data Privacy And Security During Emergency Remote Learning, Emma Antobam-Ntekudzi

Publications and Research

The COVID-19 pandemic forever changed the world. The virus’ rapid spread forced federal and local governments to enact quarantine mandates. On March 11, 2020, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2022) announced COVID-19 as a pandemic. Two days later the United States declared an official nationwide emergency. Institutions were required to shut down and persons deemed non-essential participated in quarantine. Remote working became the standard, thus affecting all aspects of individual lives and institutions, especially education. Primarily in-person universities and colleges across the world scrambled to address the COVID-19 health concerns, comply with local shutdown rules, and attempt …

Implicit Bias Mask: Pioneers And Physicians, Kassim Salami, Anastasia Goldbaum, Simran Brar, Austin Kim, Cole Sabinash, Gabrielle Cowen

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Implicit Bias Mask: Motivation, Sidney Caudell, Alyssa Fabrizio, Elnaz Guivatchian, Nikolas Minanov, Nico-Luis Ayala, Joshua Rayham

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Bridging Communities Of Practice: Cross-Institutional Collaboration For Undergraduate Digital Scholars, R.C. Miessler, Clinton K. Baugess, Kevin Moore, Courtney Paddick, Carrie Pirmann

All Musselman Library Staff Works

At Bucknell University and Gettysburg College, an increasing focus on supporting creative undergraduate research as intensive, high-impact experiences has resulted in both institutions implementing library-led digital scholarship fellowships for their students. Gettysburg’s Digital Scholarship Summer Fellowship began in 2016, and Bucknell’s Digital Scholarship Summer Research Fellowship in 2017.1 While academic libraries have emerged as leaders on college campuses for digital humanities (DH) services, the programs at Gettysburg and Bucknell are distinctive in their structured curricula, a focus on independent student research, and the development of a local community of practice. Each program situates undergraduate research in the field of digital …

E Pluribus Unum: Increasing A Shared Understanding Of Mission At Marine Corps University, Edward Greiner, Kirstin Pantazis, Christopher Reid, Dominick White

Doctor of Education Capstones

E PLURIBUS UNUM: INCREASING A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF MISSION AT MARINE CORPS UNIVERSITY

By Edward Greiner, Kirstin Pantazis, Christopher Reid, and Dominick White

A capstone project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Department of Educational Leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2023.

Capstone Chair: Beth E. Bukoski, Ph.D., Department of Educational Leadership

Mergers between higher education institutions present unique challenges to creating and maintaining a shared understanding of mission. Additionally, professional military education institutions with civilian faculty and staff must blend military and civilian cultures in the workplace. …

Unmet: The Undergraduate Experience Of Basic Need Insecurity At An Uncommon University, Michelle C. Bair, Rachelle V. Blackwell-Stegall, Sara E. Rafuse, Ra’Meer J. Roberts, Sara E. Weinstein

Doctor of Education Capstones

Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU) Dean of Students office submitted a Request for Assistance with needs related to food and housing insecurity and lack of basic funds for students. To address this request, a doctoral Capstone team conducted a problem and context analysis, literature review, student focus groups, and an internal survey of departments. The goal was to explore the undergraduate experience of unmet needs and to identify gaps and overlaps in basic needs support and services already provided at VCU. Findings suggest that students do not know the resources available to them through the Dean of Students office, that students …

Collaborating With Employers: Tips For Successful Partnerships, Jaclyn Camden

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

While supporting students in getting a job is important, support doesn’t stop once the student gets a job. Once students are hired, it is necessary to provide on-the-job support through job coaches or staff that provide on the job support. In addition to supporting students, a key component of job coaching is supporting employers. This resource explains the various roles of job coaches and tips on how to build collaborative partnerships with employers.

Preparing Undergraduates For The Post-Pandemic Workplace: Teams Of Education And Engineering Students Teach Engineering Virtually, Kristie S. Gutierrez, Jennifer Kidd, Min J. Lee, Krishnanand Kaipa, Orlando Ayala

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

When schools and universities across the world transitioned online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ed+gineering, a National Science Foundation (NSF) project that partners engineering and education undergraduates to design and deliver engineering lessons to elementary students, also had to shift its hands-on lessons to a virtual format. Through the lens of social cognitive theory (SCT), this study investigates engineering and education students’ experiences during the shift to online instruction to understand how they perceived its influence on their learning. As a result of modifying their lessons for online delivery, students reported learning professional skills, including skills for teaching online and …

A Model For Children’S Digital Citizenship In India, Korea, And Australia: Stakeholder Engagement Principles, Emma Jayakumar, Kylie Stevenson, Harrison See, Yeonghwi Ryu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This white paper communicates research activities and findings investigating digital safety and digital citizenship through multistakeholder collaborations in three countries—India, South Korea, and Australia. Performed by an Edith Cowan University-based research team from the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, supported by the LEGO Group, this research additionally responds to many recent policy and practice reviews arguing for institutional and policy engagement in the Asia Pacific (APAC) that build children’s digital safety, literacy and citizenship. These include the UNESCO data-driven report, Digital Kids Asia Pacific (DKAP): Insights into children’s digital citizenship (UNESCO, 2019), an earlier UNESCO review of …

The Lived Experiences Of General Education Teachers' Consultative Interactions With Special Education Team Members: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Meredith Kearney Auscavitch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe general education teachers’ lived experiences of consultative interactions with special education team members in an urban school in New England. Information regarding desired outcomes of consultation as well as general education teacher-identified outcomes was explored. The theory that guided this study was the collaboration theory identified by Lee Vygotsky, which details the benefit of collaboration with others to gain knowledge of a task or process using a partnership to support a deeper understanding. A sample of 10 general education teachers provided their perspectives on consultation with special education team members. …

"But I'M Not An Engineer"...Collaboration Between A Librarian And An Upper Division Project-Based Engineering Program, Heidi J. Southworth, Rebecca Bates, Robert Sleezer

Library Services Publications

Since 2013, a librarian at Minnesota State University, Mankato has collaborated with faculty and students in an upper division project-based engineering program. While having several years of experience in university libraries plus advanced degrees in history, the librarian had a limited background in science, engineering, and technology, and lacked a formal engineering degree. At first glance, this match may appear to be a recipe for failure. Indeed, in those first few years, the librarian’s angst about the missing engineering degree caused many sleepless nights of worry and concern. However, there came a time when the words “but I am not …

"But I'M Not An Engineer"...Collaboration Between A Librarian And An Upper Division Project-Based Engineering Program, Heidi J. Southworth, Rebecca Bates, Robert Sleezer

Library Services Publications

Since 2013, a librarian at Minnesota State University, Mankato has collaborated with faculty and students in an upper division project-based engineering program. While having several years of experience in university libraries plus advanced degrees in history, the librarian had a limited background in science, engineering, and technology, and lacked a formal engineering degree. At first glance, this match may appear to be a recipe for failure. Indeed, in those first few years, the librarian’s angst about the missing engineering degree caused many sleepless nights of worry and concern. However, there came a time when the words “but I am not …

Law School News: Dr. Fauci Calls On Rwu Graduates To Preserve 'Truth Justice, Diversity And Equality' 05/20/2022, Jill Rodrigues, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Life of the Law School (1993- )

No abstract provided.

Librarian And Faculty Conversations About Information Literacy: A Pilot Study On Communication Across Disciplinary Boundaries, Carolyn B. Gamtso

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The purpose of this pilot study is to discover how academic instruction librarians discuss the concept of information literacy with faculty colleagues outside the library and information science field; how they negotiate shared meanings of the term; and what pedagogical actions result from these conversations. The researcher interviewed a purposive, convenience sample of three early-career ILI librarians employed at private colleges in the Northeastern United States to ascertain their perspectives on the quality and nature of their conversations with faculty members about information literacy. The researcher used the theoretical framework of Etienne Wenger’s dimensions of boundary processes to interpret the …

Parents' Experiences Of Teacher Support Related To Their Child's Individual Education Plan: A Phenomenological Study, Linda Hester Henderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to examine parents’ experiences of the support they receive from their children’s teachers when those children have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and attend public-school preschools. For this study, described support is defined as emotional, instrumental, or informational assistance, along with appraisal received from others during times of need. The theoretical framework for this study is Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler’s model of parental involvement and Epstein’s parent involvement model, which identifies six types of family involvement. These theories fall under Bronfenbrenner’s overarching ecological systems theory. The study includes 10 participants chosen through purposeful sampling. …