Education Commons^™

Analyzing Flying Chameleons: Using Autoethnography To Explore Change In The Female Educator, Leslie Pourreau

Faculty and Research Publications

What is a chameleon in the world of education? What defines her professionally, personally, and why? In this autoethnography, I explore the chameleon metaphor for meanings and implications in my personal and professional identity as a female educator by seeking answers to questions stemming from Mitchell and Weber (2005): Just who do I think I am? Just who do I think I am? Just who do I think I am? Just who do I think I am? I analyzed my own autobiographical journals using the four-part Listening Guide (Gilligan, Spencer, Weinberg, & Bertsch, 2003) coupled with theme-based family coding to …

Engaging Fyc Students With Quality Work Design, Candace Deal

Master of Arts in Professional Writing Capstones

Students learn at deeper levels when engaged with their work; however, engaging students in writing is one of the biggest challenges all composition teachers face. This qualitative study asked Kennesaw State University students to describe the work in English 1101 and English 1102 that they found meaningful and engaging. The data collected was then aligned with research about engaging students in grades K-12 based on the work of Phillip Schlechty. Results from this study reveal that many of the same engagement qualities identified by Schlechty have application in the FYC classroom for engaging students and improving learning.

"We're Not Ready For Huck Finn": An Important Story Struggles To Be Told, Harrison Long

Faculty and Research Publications

What happens when one controversial text meets another in performance? How do diverse audiences from rural and metropolitan areas respond to powerful yet provocative material? The Kennesaw State University Department of Theatre&Performance Studies set out to explore just that with its Frederick Douglass/Huck Finn Arts Education Initiative. The project was called Splittin' the Raft, a dramatic adaptation of Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as interpreted by ex-slave and abolitionist Frederick Douglass. This ambitious production toured seven North Georgia communities, ranging from inner city schools to rural mountain towns. The production employed "epic theatre" strategies to inspire a new understanding …

The Triple Double: Racially Ambiguous Afro-Latino Identities In America, Yen Rodriguez

Master of Arts in American Studies Capstones

Historically, racial identities in the United States of America have operated on a binary platform of ethno-racial consideration. In turn, this system has classified most racially ambiguous members of society into categories that fail to acknowledge the complexity of their ethnic and racial identities. These pre-determined classifications have lasting effects on the accessibility of opportunities and the social spaces available to ethno-racially unidentifiable members of society. These groups of racially ambiguous Americans, however, challenge the efficacy of an 'either/or' binary system. This piece outlines a learning community for first year students, exploring the ethno-racial ambiguity of Afro-Latino identities in America. …

The Effect Of Smartmusic On Student Practice, Brian Duane Nichols

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to document the use of SmartMusic Interactive Practice Software and its effect on practice habits and motivation. The 12-week study measured participant practice time using paper practice charts and the online grade book/practice chart in SmartMusic Interactive Practice software. In addition, an 11-question Likert survey was administered pre and poststudy to measure students’ reactions and motivations to practice. Participants (N=38) were randomly assigned to either the SmartMusic group (SM, n=19) or the Contact Control group (CC, n =19). Data from an Independent Samples t test measuring group practice time indicate a significant difference between …

Perceptions Of Blended Learning: A Case Study On Student Experiences In An Advanced Placement Macroeconomics Course, Daniel A. Gagnon

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to use a case study design to examine the impact of a blended learning instructional model on students in an Advanced Placement (AP) Macroeconomics course. Using an instrumental case study design, the researcher investigated blended learning and students’ perceptions of their own interactions with the materials as well as perceptions of overall performance in the course. The study also used grade point averages (GPA), LMS Usage Reports, and AP exam scores to triangulate with the interview data. The key factors influencing the students’ views were discussed, an enhanced model of blended learning was proposed, …

A Case Study Examining Teacher Responses To Principal Feedback Of Class Observations, Sean Kelly

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership Dissertations

Four teachers from each of the four major academic disciplines: Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and English Language from a suburban high school in the Southeastern United States participated in a study which examined teacher responses to principal feedback of class room observations. Each of the 16 teachers were observed on three occasions and provided feedback. Teachers were also interviewed using a semi-structured questioning format and asked to keep a journal during the study.

Findings of the study demonstrated that teachers who participated in the study most often responded to principal feedback of class observations by changing behaviors, considering changing behaviors, …

Training The Foot Soldiers Of Inquiry: Development And Evaluation Of A Graduate Teaching Assistant Learning Community, Kimberly Linenberger, Michael C. Slade, Elizabeth A. Addis, Emily R. Elliot

Faculty and Research Publications

As part of a Howard Hughes Program for Innovation in Science Education grant at Iowa State University, a series of interdisciplinary graduate teaching assistant learning communities (TALC) were developed. The purpose of these communities was to create an environment to facilitate teaching assistants' pedagogical development and training to enhance the implementation of inquiry experiences in the undergraduate laboratories. The TALC evaluated in this study were held for two consecutive semesters and included teaching assistants who facilitated multi-week course-based research experiences in their respective STEM courses. Topics discussed during the TALC were based on the teaching assistants' concerns related to teaching …

Reducing Cheating Opportunities In Online Test, Dale Varble

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Abstract

This paper focuses on reducing cheating opportunities of online test assessment. Increasing use of online test in all course presentation formats (online, blended/hybrid or facilitated) has elevated faculty concerns of cheating. Efforts by educators to reduce cheating have been ongoing and with some success but, as the results of a study reported here more is needed.

Two sections of a course, one online and one onsite were offered the same semester, with the same instructor, syllabus, textbook and tests. The online students took all tests online. The onsite students took all exams online except the last two tests and …

Community Practice Social Entrepreneurship: An Interdisciplinary Approach To Graduate Education, Monica Nandan, Manuel London, Terry C. Blum

Faculty and Research Publications

The rapidly changing global environment for community practice social workers (CPSWs) has challenged these practitioners to devise innovative intervention strategies. Some practitioners are utilising community organising, community planning, community development and policy practice intervention strategies simultaneously to create sustainable changes and are unwittingly, or purposefully, acting as social entrepreneurs. This article delineates similarities between community practice social work and social entrepreneurship – orientation and behaviours – and introduces the concept of community practice social entrepreneurship (CPSE). The authors propose interdisciplinary venues to teach graduate students in social work and in other disciplines skills for practicing as community practice social entrepreneurs.

Mathematical Tasks And The Student, David Clarke, Heidi Strømskag, Heather Lynn Johnson, Angelika Bikner-Ahsbahs, Kimberly Gardner

Faculty and Research Publications

Mathematics Education has at its core a conception of the mathematical performances that represent the aspirations of the mathematics classroom and curriculum. These performances are constituted through teacher and student participation in the activities stimulated by mathematical tasks selected by the teacher for the realization of an instructional purpose. In this nexus of activity, intention, interpretation and consequence, the mathematical task occupies a central place. This Research Forum provides an opportunity to explore and reflect upon the role that mathematical tasks play in the achievement of the goals of the international mathematics education community. Further, consistent with current curricular and …

The Role Of A University Archives In Producing A History Of A Core Curriculum, Laura M. Sinclair, Anne A. Salter

Georgia Library Quarterly

During an annual alumni weekend celebration, librarians at a liberal arts college rely heavily on the university’s archival collection to produce a robust exhibit on the university’s history. The 2014 exhibit focused on the unique academic program, known as the Core Curriculum. The history produced for this exhibit depended on documents from the 1940s to the 1990s, including university publications, papers, and project reports created by faculty members. Starting with one publication, The Oglethorpe Book, the variations on and reactions to this sole document provide a paper trail of historical significance in defining and redefining a college core program. The …

Graduates' Reflections On An Online Doctorate In Educational Technology, Julia Fuller, Mary Risner, Laura Lowder, Barry Bachenheimer, Mark Hart

Faculty and Research Publications

In recent years online education doctorates have become more prevalent to accommodate the growing need for distance academic preparation. Due to the newness of these degree programs, there is a dearth of information in the literature on learner perspectives of effective online teaching and learning strategies. The authors of this paper are recent graduates of the online Doctor of Education program in Educational Technology at the University of Florida. They convey their own experiences using supporting research and the three components of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, )-social, cognitive, and teaching presence-to examine this online …

An Analysis Of Future Coaches’ Emerging Dispositions On Social Justice: The Wooden Effect, Brian Culp

Faculty and Research Publications

This qualitative study explored the extent to which an archetype presented through a non-fiction text could impact aspiring coaches’ (AC’s) dispositions regarding social justice. Forty-three aspiring coaches at a Midwestern university enrolled in a foundations class that presented issues related to inequity were studied. Analysis of student journals indicated changes in AC’s philosophies regarding social justice, an appreciation for the perspectives of underrepresented groups and emergent critical perspectives when examining sport processes. Results of the study imply that a focus on democratic education and constructivism in coaching preparation programs may be of benefit. A means by which praxis of this …

Using Marketing Research And Positioning Techniques To Create Imc Campaigns For Private, Charter, Or Public Magnet Schools, John M. Mcgrath Ph.D.

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This article describes how two common tools of consumer marketers, marketing research and positioning analysis, were used to promote enrollment at a private elementary school that draws students from across district lines. The case study uses literature in the relevant fields to follow the process from the development, methodology, and results of the marketing research study to their inclusion in a positioning analysis and map of the school’s perceived strengths and weaknesses, to the final integrated marketing communications (IMC) campaign that resulted.

2014 - The Nineteenth Annual Symposium Of Student Scholars

Symposium of Student Scholars Program Books

The full program book from the Nineteenth Annual Symposium of Student Scholars, held on April 17, 2014. Includes abstracts from the presentations and posters.

Elearning Cost Analysis Of On-Premise Versus Cloud-Hosted Implementation In Sub-Saharan Countries, Joel Samson Mtebe, Roope Raisamo

The African Journal of Information Systems

The cost of acquiring, managing, and maintaining ICT infrastructure is one of the main factors that hinder educational institutions in Sub-Saharan countries to adopt and implement eLearning. Recently, cloud computing has emerged as a new computing paradigm for delivering cost effective computing services that can be used to harness eLearning. However, the adoption of cloud computing in higher education in Sub-Saharan countries is very low. Although there are many factors that may influence educational institutions to adopt cloud services, cost effectiveness is often a key factor. Far too little is known on how much the use of cloud computing can …

Gjr Volume 37 Number 1 Spring 2014, Lina Soares, Christine Draper

The Georgia Journal of Reading Archive

The Georgia Journal of Reading's Spring 2014 issue includes:

Message from the Editors by Lina B. Soares and Christine A. Draper (pg. 4)

President’s Page by Loleta Sartin (pg. 5)

Quantum Shifts by Gerald Boyd (pg. 6)

Literacy Coaching: Providing Leadership and Support for the Next Generation of Teachers by Katie Stover and Crystal Glover (pg. 8)

Significance of Prior Knowledge Activation: A Close Look at a Bilingual Kindergarten Student’s Response to a Poem by Alma Stevenson (pg. 14)

The Effect of Explicit Instruction with Writing Conventions Among Preservice Teachers by Laurie A. Sharp (pg. 18)

Tacky and a Tambourine: …

Collaborative Literacy Work In A High School: Enhancing Teacher Capacity For English Learner Instruction In The Mainstream, Felice Atesoglu Russell

Faculty and Research Publications

As more English learners (ELs) are included in mainstream content classrooms at the secondary level, the need to understand how teachers collaborate to meet the particular instructional needs of ELs is essential. This paper presents findings from a qualitative case study that investigated the collaborative work that engaged a group of literacy teachers over the course of a school year in one culturally and linguistically diverse high school. The ongoing collaboration of the mainstream language arts teachers and English-as-a-second-language (ESL) teachers is examined, including the role of an EL facilitator/ESL teacher in supporting teacher professional learning and inclusion. The contributions …

Targeting Point Of Need To Increase Traffic To Library Resources, James C. Miller

Georgia Library Quarterly

This paper examines the effect of creating LibGuides tailored to a student’s point of need and focuses on their potential to boost usage of library resources. In this study, LibGuides were designed for specific assignments and introduced to students during library instruction sessions. Pre- and Post-LibGuide web traffic suggested that LibGuides increased web traffic to library resources. This article suggests that library resources should not only provide sources for assignments but also assist a student through the stages of completing an assignment. As a corollary benefit, creation of assignment-specific LibGuides also increased collaboration and discussion between faculty and librarians.

Laboratory: Where Science Becomes Art, Amy Norton, Madeline Carpenter, Colton Weeks, Jae Lim

P-12 Lesson Plans

This is group of lessons for K-12 art classroom is connected to the artists in the ZMA exhibition Laboratory, on view November 14, 2014 - February 21, 2015. The exhibition worked to demystify artistic practice by revealing parallels between art and scientific research and methodology. These associated lessons include scientific concepts and principles paired with art.