Education Commons^™

How To Become A Teacher, Linsey Riggins

Scholars Week

A list on how to become a teacher in an easy eight step program using inspiration from education students and current teachers.

James Baldwin's Classroom And What He Can Teach Us About Queer Representation, Matthew Callahan

Scholars Week

James Baldwin writes about the importance of the representation of race in school classrooms in his essay A Talk to Teachers. Baldwin's discourse surrounding the representation of race in schools can be extended to the queer community and the importance of representation in the classroom of these marginalized communities. Combining Baldwin's essays and fiction with educational research, I plan on highlighting the importance of representation of marginalized communities in the classroom and the role that educators play in ensuring that all students feel seen in the classroom.

Crack-Ers (Crack Riddles Applying Cybersecurity Knowledge - Escape Room Scenario), Benjamin Acuff

Posters-at-the-Capitol

CRACK-ERS (Crack Riddles Applying Cybersecurity Knowledge - Escape Room Scenario) is a unique, beginner's level CTF game with riddle-based challenges on various cybersecurity topics. The game is driven by an adventure story-based escape room format. Existing literature indicates that traditional CTFs pose challenges for beginners with no cybersecurity background. The novelty of CRACK-ERS lies in its non-traditional design as an unplugged CTF with an adventure scenario-driven script, encouraging participants to solve cybersecurity-related riddles. CRACK-ERS targets beginner-level learners, fostering teamwork, explorative research, cybersecurity problem-solving, and riddle-cracking skills. Prior cybersecurity educational research notes limited instances of escape room-style CTF games and fewer …

Motivations Driving Video Research Podcasts: Impact On Value And Creation Of Research Video Presentations, My Doan, Anh Tran, Na Le

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to better understand the role and impact of video research podcasts in bridging the gap between academia and the general public, especially concerning the challenges of accessibility and comprehension of scholarly research.

Methods: A 10-question survey was administered to evaluate the effectiveness, utility, and acceptance of video recordings in research presentations. The survey also aimed to gather insights into the motivations, challenges, and benefits of using video podcasts for research dissemination. Results were then analyzed using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model.

Results: There were 102 respondents …

Athletic Recruitment Analysis In Higher Education, Landon Palmer

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Since athletic programs are often viewed as the front porch of the higher education institutions, recruiting talented student-athletes is vital and challenging task under the unreasonable demand of high performance, limited and decreasing budget, and dwindling student enrollment. Additionally, the increasing use of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and transfer portal across the nation have made administrators and coaches worried about their effect on recruitment and program retention. These practices make the recruiting process even more competitive. Through the responses of 106 student-athletes of a regional state university in Eastern Kentucky, the researchers identified respondents’ perception concerning these newly …

Effects Of Clinical Competency In Nursing Students Following The Implementation Of Student-Led Learning, Cori E. Hack, Jacob N. Hicks

Scholars Week

Research and supporting evidence represent a gap identified in didactic learning between students and faculty. This gap shows emotional factors of the nursing curriculum that may suggest negative impacts on nursing students, but also improvements that can be made to increase students’ clinical competency levels. By adhering to strict definitions of student-led learning theory and clinical competency, we were able to create concrete evidence with measurable data that can contribute to the elimination of this gap in learning. Upon inspection of past text, we identified a need for further research on this topic to bring awareness and encourage this method …

Pathways To Educational Attainment For Latinx Students, Elizabeth Guadarrama, Socorro Zaragoza, Abbey Poffenberger, Jose Juan Gomez-Becerra Jr

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The achievement gap for the educational attainment of underrepresented populations has been the subject of study for decades. According to the Kentucky School Report Card data for school year 2018-2019, the Latinx community has an achievement gap rate of 42.0% with differences of -19.1% compared to White (non-Hispanic) students. Therefore, it is essential to find pathways to close the educational attainment gap and achieve equity. In this poster, I will research best practices for improving diverse student performance and educational opportunities, including the recruitment and retention of diverse educators and staff. A research report by the Learning Policy Institute states …

Emotionally Unavailable: A Comparison On The Ability Of Children With Developmental Language Disorders To Interpret Emotions In Humans And Inanimate Objects, Savanna B. Gullett, Jade Robinson

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is a neuro-developmental condition that emerges in early childhood and can persist into adulthood, manifesting as a variety of symptoms that can be significantly different in each individual. It has an estimated prevalence of 7.58% and is nearly 7 times more common in children than autism spectrum disorder (McGregor, 2020). As a population, individuals with DLD are at risk of facing significant issues in associating areas of language, including reading comprehension, problem-solving abilities, and social skills. Professionals have noticed emotional disconnect amongst individuals with DLD, leading to the proposition that those with DLD may have a …

Exploring The Challenges Of Biracial & Multiracial Latino/As In The U.S., Kaitlin Coyle, Abbey Poffenberger, José Juan Gómez-Becerra, Socorro Zaragoza

Posters-at-the-Capitol

This research project aims to inform about the challenges that biracial/multiracial Latino/as face growing up in the United States. The U.S. has historically maintained a monoracial view of race, in contrast to Latin America, which embraces “mestizaje,” or “race-mixing,” and the existence of races of multiracial individuals. These differing views of race have presented unique challenges for Latino/as who identify as more than one race in the U.S., including experiences of monoracism/racial essentialization, assimilation, microaggressions, discrimination, and the chameleon effect. Many also go through unique biracial/multiracial identity development and may experience an identity crisis. This research project provides a brief …

Title: Implementing And Evaluating A Farmer's Market Incentive And Nutrition Education Program For Families With Children, Raven Barleston, Kendra Oonorasak, Tammy Stephenson, Makenzie Barr

Posters-at-the-Capitol

1 in 6 children face food insecurity and experience limited access to healthy foods in Kentucky. The Power of Produce (POP) Club is a farmer’s market incentive and nutrition education program for families with children aged between 3 and 14. This project is a 10-week pilot study in Lexington, Kentucky and it aims to improve fruit and vegetable consumption by engaging children in the local food system through educational activities, interactions with farmers, and exposure to new local fruits and vegetables through taste-testing. Every week, each child engaging in POP Club activities received a $2 farmer’s market voucher that can …

C2c Stem Collaboration, Mary Andrea Parish, Angela Renee Rowe, Annette Hines, Hannah Elizabeth Brewer

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Campus to Classroom is a STEM collaboration effort brought about by the brainstorming and continued efforts of Ms. Angela Rowe (MSUTeach), Ms. Annette Hines (Talent Search), MSUTeach STEM Ambassadors, and MSUExplore (MSUTeach student group).

The goal is an educational, collaborative partnership with cross-campus departments and both pre-service and in-service teachers, with a main focus on students from underserved population and communities.

Continued steps will be planned to develop a multi-level partnership with the end goals of increased usage of project-based instruction, incorporate research that increases STEM knowledge/skill, and encourage career exploration while building bridges from “campus and classroom”.

Incorporate Art Standards In Kindergarten Curriculum, Christina Mattocks

Scholars Week

No abstract provided.

Entertainment Media Perceptions Of Minorities In Young Adult Adaptations, Kynnadie Bennett

Scholars Week

This is an exploration of stereotypical and racist portrayals of minorities, specifically African-American, Latinx, and Native American communities, in film and television in the past and how that has affected representation in film adaptations of young adult literature. Young adult literature is one of the highest-selling genres in literature, purchased by both young adults and actual adults. In recent years, young adult literature has been adapted into film and television series and while representation has improved since the early years of entertainment history, there are still problems in the industry: many of the stereotypes remain, some minorities lack representation, and …

Education Reporters And Trauma-Informed Interviewing, Mallory Hlava

Scholars Week

No abstract provided.

Student Perceptions Of Academic Effort In Applied Science Courses, Ragan Harris

Scholars Week

Student Perceptions of Academic Effort in Applied Science Courses: A Pilot Study

Ragan Harris

Dr. Priscilla Maghrabi

Dr. Brenda Reeves

Applied Health Sciences

Many applied science programs such as exercise science include prerequisite courses in the basic sciences to provide students with knowledge of foundational principles as well as provide transfer pathways from biology. However, when students begin exercise science coursework, their perceptions are that these courses should be easier, expecting lower effort and higher academic grades. These mismatched perceptions often lead to academic frustration. To determine the validity of the perceptions of high vs. low academic effort and academic …

Inclusive Ensembles: Differentiating For The Singer On The Autism Spectrum, Natalie Wilkins

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Exceptional children belong in music classrooms. Music ensemble directors need to overcome complex challenges to meet the goal of inclusion because ensembles often contain a mixture of ages, grades, social and intellectual development stages, musical skills, and a wide variety of diverse learning needs. This study focuses on how a choral ensemble director may create an inclusive environment for students on the Autism Spectrum.

This study reviewed current research on creating inclusive rehearsal environments. Analysis revealed varied methods for differentiation including modified/adapted scores that make use of color-coding, personalized parts, and symbolic notation; choral ensemble formats, such as self-contained choirs, …

Russian Language Use In The United States: Demographics And Implications, Julie Brock, Sadia Zoubir-Shaw

Posters-at-the-Capitol

As a large nation covering 1/9 of the Earth’s surface, Russia and its language necessarily draw linguistic attention. Between the time of the Russian Revolution (1917) until now, Russian speakers (both from Russia itself and former Soviet territories) immigrated to the United States in four or five waves. Russian is currently identified as one of the world’s Critical Languages, according to the U.S. State Department. U.S. Census data indicate that Russian language spoken in respondents’ homes increased by 393% between 1980-2010, with just under a million people speaking Russian in their homes in 2011. English language use among this population …

A Brain-Friendly Approach To Music Literacy, Taylor Davis

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The purpose of this study was to explore how the brain processes information, stores it in long-term memory and then applies that knowledge to teaching music in a classroom/rehearsal setting. We observed how the working memory, the system responsible for processing information from short-term and long-term memory can function with greater efficiency. We observed how the number of items available for processing in the working memory may be increased through a process identified as “chunking.” Chunking is when short patterns, or bits of information, are combined to form longer sequences. When applying these brain-friendly learning concepts to music, the instructor …

Head Start And Internalizing/Externalizing Behaviors, Camila Ferreira

Scholars Week

Children who attend Head Start program are impacted in externalizing/internalizing behaviors, and many other areas. The abstract explains how the study analyzes these impacts, and how temperament and parental involvement also play a role in behaviors.

Finding A Balance Between Exploratory And Preparatory Services, Megan Gullett

Scholars Week

The Tennessee Promise is a last-dollar scholarship program offering tuition subsidies to eligible state high school graduates that pursue an associate's degrees at one of the participating institutions. The program has inadvertently resulted in fewer traditional-aged students beginning their collegiate journey at four-year colleges and universities. Functional units like career counseling have seen the impact of Promise shift service demands from exploratory- to employment preparatory-centered, as the needs of junior-level transfer students differ from those of traditional-aged freshmen. The presenters conducted a multi-site case study to explore how Career Counseling administrators at three private liberal arts and four public-assisted, regional …

Oral History In A Journalism Course: Sharing Stories And Reporting News About Public Education In Kentucky, Rochele Rosa

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Oral history as a method of gathering information is nothing new. However, in journalism, the method is gaining acceptance as a new, enriching way to report news, showing how issues and topics impact people.

The Murray State University JMC 397 Reporting for Print Media class recorded community oral history as part of an intensive focus on education reporting in fall 2017. Although many facets of the education “beat” were explored, students devoted much of the semester investigating and reporting the issues and challenges facing public education in Kentucky, from the K-12 to higher education levels. For the project to become …

Paws-Abilities, Taylor Davis, Madelyn Day, Kendall Dulaney, Jordanne Howard, Cierra Monroe, Jordan Tapp

GSP at Murray State University

PAWS-abilities is our non-profit business idea. Our goal for PAWS-abilities is to provide a safe environment for local stray dogs and rehabilitate them to become service or therapy dogs in the future. The trainers will be local inmates who have passed a strict screening process to ensure the safety of all who are involved. The inmates will be supervised by licensed, professional dog trainers who specialize in service and therapy training. We plan to partner with several local organizations, businesses, and veterinarians to place the service dogs with their new families and to promote the health of the dogs at …

Guardians Of Knowledge: Redefining Libraries, Carlee Cash, Libby Hagan, Maddie Klumb, Heyna Suit, Spencer Thompson, Crystal Williams

GSP at Murray State University

Since their founding in ancient times, libraries have been a cornerstone of society, playing a key role in creating informed citizens that participate in and uphold societal values. In Kentucky, libraries serve to increase literacy rates, strengthen community ties, and provide resources to the public. However the traditional library is facing difficulties staying relevant in the modern, technological age. In order to survive, libraries in the future need to evolve and return to their beginnings as centers of learning and innovation.

The Future Of Libraries, Eli Best, Lauren Cravens, Mia Derks, Lillian Eells, Kelly Mattingly, Johnathan Tobbe

GSP at Murray State University

In the past decade, research has repeatedly shown a decrease in state funding for libraries and consequently a lowered interest in preserving libraries as a part of society. This has caused a lack of emphasis on community outreach and education as a whole. In order to remedy these problems, our class has spent the past few weeks brainstorming multiple ideas such as programs that should be included in libraries, more appealing library decor, and an architectural design that would enhance the opportunity for growth and discussion while still preserving the sense peace and tranquility that a library should provide. To …

Technical Training And Readiness University For The Disabled, Wyatt Wells, Robby Draper, Claire Kleum, Zach Farrell, Dahra Lambert, Vishaal Balamurugan

GSP at Murray State University

Technical Training and Readiness University (TTRUD) is a school for the disabled that would equip them with the 21st century skills needed for them to excel in the workforce. Skills include those such as technical skills, how to handle social encounters in the workplace, and basic training to be prepared to function for the job field they want to enter. To qualify, the applicant must be on disability, and would go through a thorough application process. TTRUD would be a non-profit organization and would rely mostly on donations, grants, and other government funding. We also plan to collaborate with any …

Engaging Rural Students In A Community Project, Jennie B. Cottrell

Scholars Week

eaching art that is relevant to the students and the area one finds themselves working in can sometimes prove to be a challenge. Students and their interests in subject matter can vary depending upon their surroundings. I will share ways teachers can cater instruction towards rural students. Sometimes students in rural areas are in need of a better understanding of art and the importance it holds within the world today. Art is a cultural experience. It is an eye opener to social situations and has functions in fashion, dance and even food. I will conclude with sharing a unit plan, …

Libraries Of The Future, Caleb Hodges, Andrew Littlefield, Emma Mitmesser, Deborah Myers, Sydney Rogers, Colleen Scott

GSP at Murray State University

Libraries have been the source of innovation throughout human history. People today do not understand the importance of libraries and the resources they can provide to a community or society. This causes libraries to not receive the appropriate funding to support both their programs and new literary materials. The inspiration for libraries of the future is derived from the trends that will attract the citizens of tomorrow. Libraries will be more involved in the community and provide the public with accessible technology. Our ideas to improve libraries will gain the public’s interest and keep the fire of knowledge alive. Some …

Red Alert, Jake Breunig, Priyadashini Chandrashekhar, Trey Gilliland, Landon Hammons, Jeff Mollman, Emma Topp

GSP at Murray State University

Red Alert is an app using voice recogni3on so people can call for help. The app is similar to “Hey Siri” present in iPhones and the Cortana feature in Androids. When a person uses his or her first preset keyword, the phone’s voice recogniton software accesses the app, which starts an audio recording, and when the second keyword is used, the app alerts the police. The primary consumer for Red Alert is high school to middle-aged women, with a secondary focus on those who live in urban areas. The technology exists, so the only needed recourse is programming. The risks …

Photovoice Of Obesity On Murray State University's Campus, Karley Wray, Melissa Godby

Scholars Week

The issue we decided to discuss on campus using Photovoice was obesity. Obesity is becoming a very big topic that we all need to start focusing on. Obesity is defined as having a BMI at or above 30. This is becoming more common with our cultural change. We are becoming more fast food eaters and are not exercising as much as we should. It is even getting worse on college campuses. We all knew of what was called the freshmen 15, but now it is becoming a four year 15. It is becoming more common for college students to become …

The Importance Of Hand Washing On Regional Campus, Katelynn R. Dowdy

Scholars Week

Hand washing is when you wet your hands under warm water, add soap and rub hands together for 20 seconds or longer, rinse, dry with paper towel, and finally turn off running water with that paper towel you just dried your hands off with. Hand washing is something that helps prevent the spread of germs that lead to illness. This is a health problem that could anywhere and everywhere in the community, but I specifically looked into the Paducah-Murray regional campus.

Photovoice is a process where members of a community take pictures that give some insight on what they believe …