Education Commons^™

The First-Generation Latinx Experience And How Families Hold The Key To Retention, Yasmin Acosta

First-Generation Symposium

Drew University’s new initiative Launch is designed to prepare students/future leaders with the skills necessary to adapt to a changing workforce in the 21st century. Our goal is to help our students create a purpose-driven life plan in line with their interests, skills, and values, and the confidence to put this plan into action. Launch consists of a 1-credit mandatory course for first-year students that includes a selfassessment piece, three guaranteed immersive experiences, professional and identity/intercultural development, mentor relationships with peers, alumni, staff, faculty, and community members and the creation of a career plan e-portfolio. Launch also includes Career and …

What About The "Others"? Addressing Class-Based Microaggressions And Supporting Fgli Students At Penn, Hatef Alavi

First-Generation Symposium

First-Generation and/Lower income students are often seen as the “others”, which is a terminology that was used by Ronald Takaki to refer to anyone who is not White and comes from low socioeconomic status (Takaki, 2008). Over the past three decades, college enrollment for first-generation students have increased and it continues to rise. However, higher education institutions are still experiencing higher attrition and lower retention and graduation rates in relation to this population (Blackwell & Pinder, 2014). Some contributing factors to this issue are lack of parental support, absence of knowledge on how to navigate the higher education system, financial …

An Overlooked Piece Of First-Gen College Success: Overcoming Past Traumatic Experiences, Dr. Angelle Richardson, Dr. Dyron Corley

First-Generation Symposium

Transitioning to higher education is a challenge for most first-generation students; however, it can be even more challenging for those who have experienced past trauma. Up to 85 percent of young people report being exposed to a traumatic event before entering college. Often, educators who are not trained to recognize trauma responses can miss signs when they appear in their students. This can create distance in the student/educator relationship. This workshop session will help educators recognize signs of and triggers for trauma so that they can better serve the students in their care. Using the principles of the Sandy Blume’s …

Put Some "Respeck" On The Respect Of The First-Gen Student Experience, Dr. Dyron J. Corley, Dr. Dana C. Kemery

First-Generation Symposium

First-generation students bring various experiences and understandings to the educational environment that can enrich the overall experience for students, faculty, and staff members. Although this student population has meaningful past experiences to share, they often do not know how to capitalize on those experiences or how the experiences align with ultimate college success. As educators, we often miss the mark focusing on the task of being a “student” versus building on the strengths learners already have within them. It is easy to view and interact with these learners from a deficit mindset, negating the abilities they already have. At Rutgers-Camden, …

Two Generations Of First-Gen Stories: What Has Changed And What Has Not, Rosaria Pipitone, Ma, Cdfi, Tommy Choi

First-Generation Symposium

Tommy Choi is a Biology major at Rowan University, a Resident Assistant, and an IWS worker at the Office of Career Advancement. Rosaria Pipitone is the Associate Director of Career Readiness at the Office of Career Advancement. Both are bilingual, first-generation students who come from different cultural backgrounds. Together, they share their stories of navigating the education system and the world of work from a first-generation standpoint.

Positing Strength: Shifting Perspective & Focus On Low-Income, First-Generation Students' Experiences, Ricky Urgo, Richard Jones

First-Generation Symposium

This presentation explores and celebrates the strengths of students who find themselves at the merger of being first generation and low income identities, and the role of having staff members who've either lived the experience or seek to embrace students living this truth. Considering the increase in students with these identities on campus nationally (33% of students on average), it behooves us to shift perspectives away from deficits and celebrate the skill sets that students bring to our campuses. Using Yosso's (2005) Community Cultural Wealth Model, this presentation seeks to highlight the strengths students bring to our campuses and the …

How To Figure Out College (When You're Family Can't Help You), Stephanie Abraham

First-Generation Symposium

In this presentation, I will talk about my own experiences as a first generation high school graduate and college student. Specifically, I will address the lack of support in high school, difficulty of applying for and finding financial aid, and the problem of "time" during undergraduate preparation. I will offer some advice for first generation students and faculty; however, I will also offer a strong critique of the structure of the United States’ university system, which must be changed to offer equal and equitable support for all people who want to attend a university or college.

The Resilience And Success Of Adult College Students Who Have Been Impacted By Parental Incarceration, Sandra Joy, Phd, Lcsw, Mikenzie Lord, Sunovia Scudder

First-Generation Symposium

Given the increased attention in recent decades to the national crisis of mass incarceration, the children of incarcerated parents have also been receiving increasingly more attention. Researchers have found that the children of those who have been incarcerated, are also paying the price of their parent's sentence. With the odds set against them, there are children who are resilient and have "beat the odds." On Rowan University's campus, there is a student group, Youth Empowerment Program, who have been impacted by parental incarceration at some point in their lives. With the disenfranchisement their parents face, they have also faced challenges …

Piecing It Together: The Puzzle Of The First-Generation Identity Crisis, Bareeq Barqawi

First-Generation Symposium

After first enrolling in college, comparatively more first-generation students drop out than their non-firstgeneration peers before earning a degree. Although first generation students are gaining access to college, the support structures created within these institutions may fall short to address the psychological needs and deep-seated issues they face. How can we better understand these experiences and what can we do to help guide them through these phases? Using the “culture shock” framework, this session will review the four stages of “culture shock” and the way they correlate directly to the firstgeneration student experience. The four phases to be discussed are: …

The Benefits Of Examining Multicultural Literature With A Critical Lens In Elementary School, Nicole Stamato-Pasaniello

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the ways second grade students respond to multicultural literature when using a critical literacy approach. Three different multicultural text were chosen that contained familiar and unfamiliar social and cultural topics for students to discuss in a literature circle setting. Their conversation, questions, and connections to the literature were studied and analyzed for trends and evidence of change in students' beliefs and cultural and social competence.

What Happens When Emergent Readers Use Talk And Reader Response Journals To Comprehend Text?, Sarah E. Wint

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine what happens when emergent readers use talk and reader response journals during interactive read-aloud experiences. Student-teacher interviews, audio recorded conversations, student work and notes in a teacher researcher journal were all analyzed to determine if using talk and reader response journals led to a deeper understanding of text and impacted motivation and engagement in the classroom. The data was also analyzed to determine which teacher behaviors foster a stronger understanding of text. Findings were that using dialogue and writing in reader response journals can lead to a deeper understanding of text and …

Organizational Factors That Contribute To The Persistence Of Two-Year Transfer Athletes At Division I Four-Year Institutions: A Multiple Case Study, Mensah Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

This multiple case study identifies the organizational factors that contribute to the persistence of two-year transfer athletes at two Division I four-year institutions in the Northeast Region Conference. This study utilized both quantitative and qualitative approaches as well as Berger and Milem's (2001) theoretical framework of organizational behavior and student outcomes to 1) identify the most prevalent two-year transfer athlete experiences; 2) find out how the most prevalent experiences, at each institution, contribute to their persistence and 3) identify the organizational dimensions two-year transfer athletes perceived as contributing to their most prevalent experiences. The findings showed that athletic experiences were …

"It Goes Both Ways" : How White Teachers View And Respond To Culture In The Diverse Classroom, Danielle Martin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how white teachers in a diverse school district view, respond to, and bridge cultural differences in the classroom. A pre-question, survey, audio recorded discussions, notes in a teacher research journal, and a post question were all analyzed to determine how four white, female teachers incorporated culture into the classroom as well as their receptiveness to culturally sustaining pedagogy. Findings were that these four teachers had a rudimentary understanding of culturally sustaining pedagogy prior to the study and while they made attempts to include culture in the classroom, these attempts were limited and …

The Effects Of Movement Breaks In The Classroom On Reading, Kelly A. Simon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of an increase in physical activity in the classroom on (a) the on-task behavior of special education students and (b) the reading comprehension scores in a READ 180 classroom. The aim of this study is to identify teaching strategies that impact the behavior and academic success of students with special needs. Five sixth graders, three males and two females, with learning disabilities participated in the study. A single-subject ABAB design was used. During the baseline phases, students did independent reading and a reading comprehension assignment without movements immediately beforehand. During …

Direct Instruction In Blending And Segmenting Phonemes, Stephanie D. Minosse

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how third grade special education students' reading abilities were affected after receiving direct instruction in phoneme segmentation and blending. During the study students spent an average of two weeks practicing segmenting phonemes and another two weeks blending phonemes utilizing various activities. The last weeks of the study focused on applying the skills into actual reading situations. The study showed benefits in various areas including the utilization of manipulatives in relation to phonemes. Students were also positively impacted directly after receiving the direction instruction and practice activities, as there was an increase in …

On The Field Of School Choice: Conversations Capturing White Middle Class Maternal Privilege: A Case Study, Jill Tabachnick Levi

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the results of high school choice in a small community through the experiences of White Middle class mothers. In capturing the conversations of these mothers I aimed to make explicit the implicit structures of power inherent in the school choices of this small community. Using a Bourdieusian framework I was able to document ways that the White Middle Class strategize within these structures for their own gains. I was also able to document the ways that these structures advance these strategies often at the expense of those in subordinate positions, and in this country subordinate positions are …

Third Grade Students Collaborate And Construct Meaning Using New Literacies, Amanda Marie Mazzella

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to study how students collaborate and construct learning using new literacies to understand literature. Specifically, this study investigated how responding to literature digitally shapes students' responses and what students perceive to be effective forms of collaboration. Surveys, interviews, students' constructed responses, anecdotal notes, and a teacher research journal were all analyzed and coded for emerging themes. The findings show that responding to literature digitally can increase classroom efficiency, student engagement, and student motivation. Online discussions also provided opportunities for students to effectively communicate and increased their ability to collaborate. As the study progressed, it …

Is There A Relationship Between Having Residency Application Personal Statements Reviewed By The Library's Editing Service And Medical Students' Match Into Their Preferred Residency Specialty?, Lisa Price, Jamie L. Pelley

Libraries Scholarship

Objectives: This study investigates whether there is a relationship between Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine's fourth-year medical students' acceptance into their preferred specialty for residency and their submission of the Personal Statement portion of their residency application for review/edit by the Library's editing service. We hope that our results will aid other institutions which may be considering whether to provide a similar service.

Methods: This case-control study reviews Match records for the years 2018 and 2019 (the years for which data was available) and compares the Match rates into the preferred residency specialty of those who submitted their Personal …

The Image 2020, Lydia D’Ambra, Rosemary Braude Esposito

Yearbooks

Rowan University yearbook for the Class of 2020; 177 pages

Contents: Student Life p. 4, Homecoming p. 14, Year in Review p. 20, Class of 2020 p. 24, Faculty and Staff p. 86, Athletics p. 106, Sports Clubs p. 134, Greek Life p. 154, SGA Clubs and Organizations p. 158, Commencement 2019 p. 168, Letter from the Editor p. 175.

Editor: Lydia D’Ambra; Advisor: Rosie Braude Esposito

An Innovative Editing Service For Medical Students, Lisa Price

Libraries Scholarship

Background: The Library serves students, staff and faculty of the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine and related Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Students face the daunting yet crucial tasks of preparing Personal Statements for residency, scholarship and other applications. Students and residents are also encouraged to seek publication opportunities. We recognized a need for proofreading and editing assistance, and one of our librarians had the background and experience to provide such a service.

Description: We developed a flyer announcing available services and distributed it within the library, at student and residency orientations, committee meetings and other appropriate campus events. …

Exploring Librarians’ Teaching Roles Through Metaphor, Andrea Baer

Libraries Scholarship

As librarians’ instructional roles continue to evolve, metaphor can be a powerful tool through which to reflect on and at times to reframe librarians’ evolving educational roles and pedagogical approaches, as they consider beliefs and assumptions about teaching and learning and about their unfolding work and identities. This article explores this potential by examining professional documents on librarians’ teaching, discussing empirical research on metaphor as a tool for teacher development, examining metaphors that librarians have sometimes used to describe their pedagogical work, and sharing the author’s experiences facilitating a librarian workshop on metaphor and librarians’ teaching roles.