Education Commons^™

Making Group Work Work: Constructing Groups And Assignments Based Around Relevant Assessments To Increase Student Success, James Altman

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Helping college students get the most out of their talents, is challenging even without the ongoing uncertainty of the post-Pandemic landscape. Shyness, lack of comfort with the subject matter, and fear of having their ideas dismissed, can all keep students from expressing their ideas as fully as they, and we, would like. This can lead to non-completion or plagiarism of assignments. In group settings, it can lead to one student “taking over” the project, or the rest of the group “pushing it off” on one member. Constructing groups and/or assignments based around relevant assessments, namely Myers-Briggs and “The Six Working …

Focus On Top Tier 2.0: Community Partnerships, University Of Nevada, Las Vegas

Focus on Top Tier 2.0

UNLV has been an integral part of the growth of Southern Nevada, and our efforts on campus and beyond seek to enhance our communities and make them better. UNLV is proud to have earned the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement, an important milestone on our journey that demonstrates the highest standard of recognition. This designation affirms our efforts as our faculty, staff, students, and alumni embrace the power of partnerships for the public good.

High School Environment In The Clark County School District, Oscar Canale, John David Reyes, Asia Sunga, Jay Tumanan

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Our group was interested in analyzing the high school public education system in the Clark County School District. As Las Vegas residents, it is important to know how the schools in our city are being affected, especially since many of us went to school here. It is also detrimental to know as it could potentially be the schools of our future children and generation. We took data from the 2017-2018 school year and decided to model the total index score of each high school based on four different variables. Chronic absenteeism is defined as the percentage of students in the …

Teaching How To Recycle Through The Medium Of Virtual Reality, Nathan Kassai

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Students, especially children in elementary and middle school, have difficulty focusing and or absorbing information from their courses. The problem lies in the scarcity of hands-on/interactive elements in classrooms as most lectures contain topics most students would be interested in but are presented in a monotonous way. To properly educate and inspire students to work on improving their academic knowledge, alternative educational mediums must be sought. Such mediums like Virtual and Augmented Reality allow students to interact with virtual objects to learn more about a wide variety of subjects, hence increasing their engagement and enjoyment in any particular topic. The …

Focus On Top Tier 2.0: Research, Scholarship, And Creative Activity, University Of Nevada, Las Vegas

Focus on Top Tier 2.0

UNLV is proud to be designated a Carnegie R1 institution, and our focus is framed broadly to include not only research, but scholarship and creative activity, speaking to the depth and breadth of programming we offer. We seek to increase innovation and excellence in research, with multiple interdisciplinary opportunities that further support scholarly and creative activity. Our efforts enhance student engagement opportunities and align program experiences with strategic career pathways.

Focus On Top Tier 2.0: Student Achievement, University Of Nevada, Las Vegas

Focus on Top Tier 2.0

Student Achievement involves undergraduate, graduate, and professional student success as we focus on outcomes and opportunities for students at all levels. Our efforts are aligned with workforce development, which is referred to as Career Development and Progression. The work we do is vital as we educate students that are prepared for success in their personal, civic, and professional lives.

The Void Of Covid: Cmhs, Sabrina Basharyar

Second-Year Seminar Posters (COE 202)

This poster attempts to provide information on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on local high schools in Las Vegas, specifically Cimarron-Memorial High School. Findings include chronic absenteeism, phone usage, and engagement levels.

Focus On Top Tier 2.0 - Unlv Health, University Of Nevada, Las Vegas

Focus on Top Tier 2.0

UNLV Health seeks to create a healthier Nevada by caring for our communities and by driving the future of healthcare; it will transform the way that care is delivered in Southern Nevada. UNLV's five health science schools (Medicine, Dental Medicine, Public Health, Nursing, and Integrated Health Sciences), along with programs in behavior and mental health, are working together utilizing a model of comprehensive care where those who seek care are provided with a range of highly trained healthcare providers in a single visit.

A Comparative Analysis Of Community College Governance In The Mountain West And Policy Proposals For Nevada, Peter Grema

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Purpose of Research: 1) To explore the role of community colleges in workforce development. 2) To understand the current structure of higher education in Nevada. 3) To compare Nevada's community college governance and administration to neighboring Mountain West states (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah). 4) To offer policy recommendations for updating Nevada's workforce development capacity for its community college system. 5) To present findings to Nevada policymakers during the AB450 Study Committee period.

A Study Of Improvement In The User Experience Of Unlv's Campus Safety Mobile Application, Mayra Carrera, Mustafa Diallo, Cecilia Garcia-Leon, Khristine Le, Kristine Monsada

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

In 2019, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), reported an average of 28,000 crimes on college campuses across the United States. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) has taken measures to address campus safety through their app, RebelSAFE. However, there is little research showing how effective such apps are in aiding students through emergencies. This study aims to evaluate the usability of RebelSAFE through usability testing and surveys.

Inservice Middle School Teachers' Understanding Of Views Of Nature Of Science (Vnos), Merika Charupoom, Emily Carter, Yasmeen Hernandez

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

What is a misconception? A view or opinion that is incorrect based on faulty thinking or understanding. Misconceptions may originate from personal experience, imprecise language, lack of examples and non-examples in concept formation, media representation of phenomena, errors in logic, and textbooks. Often occurs from the inconsistency in science curriculums among instittuions and education systems.

Effects of Misconceptions: Gap in knowledge/understanding that is taught from teacher to student; Decrease in the academic success of students.

Nevada is ranked 49th in educational attainment, 42nd in school quality, 46th in best school systems in America.

One way to help us understand whether …

Closing The Racial Gap: The Lack Of Diverse Faculty At The University Of Nevada, Las Vegas And University Of Nevada, Reno, Olivia K. Cheche

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

How does faculty racial diversity compare to student racial diversity at UNLV and UNR? How do faculty salaries affect this diversity? What policy recommendations can be implemented to attract more racially diverse academics to UNLV and UNR?

Mojave Desert Children's Picture Book, Kaesee Bourne

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

Why the Mojave? Climate Change in the Mojave; Animals reaching thresholds; Current picture books available.

Correctional Spending And Sexual Violence In State Prisons, Suzanne Lara

Undergraduate Research Symposium Lightning Talks

Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA). Nevada PREA Coordinator Marissa Pons. Sexual Violence: Nonconsensual behavior or act of sexual nature by Staff to an Incarcerated individual. Attempted, Completed, Threatened, Requested.

Focus On Top Tier 2.0: Social Justice, Equity, And Inclusion, University Of Nevada, Las Vegas University Of Nevada, Las Vegas

Focus on Top Tier 2.0

Social Justice, Equity, and Inclusion is a stand alone core area to further enable action and ways to measure our progress. Metrics provide baseline data for faculty and staff, based on the 2019 Great Colleges to Work For survey. This survey has recently been administered and will provide insight as to how we can continue to improve our culture. In addition, metrics focused on student responses (National Survey of Student Engagement; Student Satisfaction Inventory) are included with the complete metrics.

Focused And Autonomous Writing Through Objects, Yvonne Houy

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Objects—carefully curated—help focus discussions and knowledge explorations, and become the basis of student-centered scholarly writing when Object-based learning (OBL) is combined with structured research writing assignments using the Cornell Notes questions in a Google form.

Educators cannot eliminate distractions but can encourage focus and attention (Lang, Distracted, 2020, 1-24). I propose using curated objects to focus student attention: Such object-based learning (OBL) allows students to engage holistically with otherwise abstract facts, figures and frameworks (Chatterjee and Hannan, 2016). Combining OBL with structured active note taking, such as through the Cornell note taking method, “can lead to efficient study practices, better …

Utilizing Asynchronous Video Discussions, Amanda Pasinski

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Providing students with a way to communicate face-to-face with each other during online classes can be a struggle. Asynchronous text-based discussion posts and synchronous video discussions have unique limitations. Asynchronous video discussions may integrate the benefits of both, while addressing their limitations. Instructors can utilize the free third-party app FlipGrid to create simple, low-stakes video discussion assignments. Flipgrid integrates with Canvas and works with mobile and desktop devices; students can use the mobile app or their computer’s microphone and camera to create and customize videos.

Accreditation Woes: Thinking Outside The Box For Program And Course Assessment Design – Competency And Outcome Rubrics In Canvas, Nicole Espinoza

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Using competency-based rubrics and proper assessment design in course, program, and/or university levels allows for an instructor and administration to see the level of knowledge attainment for student, course, or full program. This poster will showcase how a degree program approached assessments with a new lens - using Canvas rubrics and outcomes. It will showcase the piloted program data for the MHA program. Even though this data is specific to a graduate degree program, this assessment design can be used by all individuals, courses, and programs!

Focus On Top Tier 2.0: Socio-Economic Development, University Of Nevada, Las Vegas University Of Nevada, Las Vegas

Focus on Top Tier 2.0

Socio-economic development leverages our strengths at UNLV. Our efforts engage industry and align faculty and student initiatives. We not only support and further our research mission, but we are an incubator for ideas. Such innovation drives entrepreneurship and economic development.

Unlv Top Tier Focus: Community Partnerships, University Of Nevada, Las Vegas

Focus on Top Tier 2.0

Community Partnerships seeks to leverage our resources for public good to advance the university and the communities we serve through developing strong partnerships that are mutually beneficial, promoting the value of the university, and enriching the intellectual and cultural vitality of the valley.

Evaluating Approaches To Improve Written English Language Learners In Civil Engineering, David James

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Summary of class content and pedagogy, observed results of Common English writing problems observed in UNLV BS Civil Engineering CEE. 498 Senior Design class, and interventions for the next time the class is offered

Automated Grading Tools For Compter Programming, Ed Jorgensen

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

This teaching practice addresses automated grading tools for computer programming assignments. Similar tools are in use at UNLV for other disciplines (e.g., TurnItIn). This is the first use of automation specifically for grading computer programs. This tool was initially applied to first and second programming courses (CS 135, 10 sections and CS 202, 8 sections) in Fall 2021.

Online Teaching Of Program Planning & Evaluation, Manoj Sharma

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Program Planning & Evaluation (PBH 440-1001) offered by the School of Public Health at University of Nevada, Las Vegas was taught asynchronously online by Manoj Sharma to undergraduate students (primarily from public health) in Spring 2021 (n=34). This course is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to systematically develop, implement, and evaluate health-related programs, services, and interventions. The specific teaching techniques that were used in teaching this course were organizing the entire course in Canvas and making it available from day 1, recording all lectures beforehand in Panopto, utilizing cases studies in modules, embedding journal articles …

Guided Research-Informed Notetaking, Julian Kilker

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Structured note-taking is useful for courses—particularly online courses—that expect students to closely read texts and integrate them into their research. This flexible and reconfigurable practice encourages students to take notes about texts using Google Form prompts. Faculty can efficiently review notes to assess students’ engagement with texts and adjust class meetings and assignments.

This practice extends Cornell’s Notes system originally created by Walter Pauk. I use Google Forms to create structured prompts, and use Google Sheets to review, organize, and distribute student notes.

Improving Active Learning Through Advanced Teaching Practices On An Online Course, Jin Ouk O. Choi

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Since the outbreak of the COVID, there has been a great need to advance learning experiences and opportunities for students when the courses are taught remotely. To address the need, the author incorporated the teaching strategies learned from the Culturally Relevant & Responsive Teaching (CRRT) fellows program supported by the NSF TRANSCEnD project. In Fall 2021, the author implemented multiple new teaching techniques and strategies in the CEM453-653 course, delivered entirely online. The specific teaching practices and technologies are: 1) Delivering lectures both live (synchronous) and recordings (asynchronous); 2) Using adaptive technology (Mentimeter & WebEx Poll) with real-time feedback; 3) …

It’S So Complex! Active Learning Strategy For Teaching The Autonomic Nervous System And Referred Pain, Jessica Immonen

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

This poster highlights the use of an active learning tool to draw the course of action potentials in autonomic nerves. The diagrams used offer a simplified and novel breakdown of ANS targets.

Set The Tone With An Inclusive Syllabus, Alison Sloat

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Inclusive and equity-minded syllabi help welcome students, set positive and encouraging tones on the first day of class, and improve the chances of success for all.

Research Skills: Identifying Peer-Reviewed Scientific Articles, Catherine Brotman, Sharon Jalene

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Students entering into college are exposed to a variety of new academic experiences, challenges, and expectations. Of these, developing proper research skills is one of the most difficult yet essential skills for students to master. Specifically, identifying and differentiating between primary and secondary research along with being able to properly reference and cite scientific articles. During Assignment 2, students in the Kinesiology Milestone class, KIN 350, learn how to search for peer-reviewed scientific articles using the UNLV library website. Students are then required to identify types of articles (e.g., original research and literature reviews) and their components (i.e. abstract, introduction, …

Unlv Teaching And Technology Model, Nicole Hudson, Ted Weisman

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

The teaching practice is UNLV's Online Teaching and Technology Model which incorporates asynchronous and synchronous learning opportunities.

Learning Retention Through Glossary Development, Haroon Stephen

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

The teaching practice is to engage students in glossary development. It is adopted to increase student learning retention of civil engineering terms. Learning retention is the process of transferring new information into long-term memory. This teaching practice was implemented in two courses during summer and fall 2021. The benefits of this practice were assessed using a post-semester survey. The survey responses revealed that this teaching practice increased understanding of the technical terms of 87% of the respondents and increased conceptual understanding of 83% of the respondents.