Education Commons^™

Chinese International Students’ Classroom Behavioral Engagement In Canadian Classes: A Qualitative Study Of Master’S Business Students’ Silence, Bohui (Hollie) Liu, Clayton Smith

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

As numerous Chinese international students (CISs) are pursuing their master’s learning at Canadian universities, there is a growing interest in studying the factors and complexities that influence their academic achievement and classroom learning adaption during their learning at Canadian universities. This research investigated how master’s business CISs adapted to Canadian classes and strategies promoting CISs’ in-class engagement from CISs’ and teachers’ perspectives. Ten participants volunteered to participate in this study. The results reveal that most business CISs did not actively and spontaneously engage in classroom interactions. The influential factors to their engagement are various, including language proficiency, cultures, classroom environment, …

Exploring Andragogical Content Knowledge And The Implementation Of Andragogical Principles In Literacy Facilitation Among Adult Literacy Facilitators In Nigeria, Emmanuel D. Mabayoje, Sunday A. Itasanmi

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

This study investigated adult literacy facilitators andragogical content knowledge and how andragogical principles are implemented as well as professional development needs of the literacy facilitators in Nigeria. The study adopted a quantitative research approach and the participants of the study consisted of 120 adult literacy facilitators in Oyo State, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire consisting of 4 domains (demographic data, andragogical content knowledge, use of andragogical principles, and training needs) was used as data collection instrument. Data collected from the study were analysed using mean, standard deviation and chi-square. Results revealed that literacy facilitators’ andragogical content knowledge is high and the …

Fostering Ecological Awareness And Inclusion Through Narrative Pedagogy: Insights From The ‘Eco-Narrations’ Projects, Giambattista Bufalino, Gabriella D’Aprile

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

The paper presents The Eco-Narrations: Educational Care Atelier, an innovative collaborative initiative between the University of Catania and the Municipality of Ragusa. The project integrates narrative pedagogy into education to advance ecological awareness and social inclusion. From June to December 2023, the initiative offered a comprehensive training program to over 100 educators across kindergarten, primary, and lower secondary schools, blending theoretical sessions with practical workshops. Central to the program were eco-narrations, which employed ecological storytelling to deepen knowledge, foster emotional engagement, and promote inclusion. The project enhanced teachers’ abilities to address ecological and social issues while cultivating a collaborative …

Application Of The Hattie And Timperley Power Of Feedback Model With Graduate Teacher Education Students, Judy R. Wilkerson

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Student feedback is a crucial part of learning and improvement. The Hattie and Timperly (2007) model have been identified in the literature as the most useful feedback model evolving out of the literature on feedback and formative assessment prompted by the seminal Black and Wiliam (1998) study. The model consists of three questions: Where am I going? (feed-up), How am I going/doing? (feedback), and Where am I going next? (feed-forward). The combination of these three questions establishes a process for preparing the student with an advance organizer (the goal or student learning outcome), an assessment of actual performance, and a …

Advances In Global Education And Research: Volume 5, Waynne B. James, Cihan Cobanoglu, Muhittin Cavusoglu

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

This is the fifth volume of the Advances in Global Education and Research Book Series.

ISBN 978-1-955833-12-7

The following chapters are included in the the fifth volume of the Advances in Global Education and Research Book Series.

• Elevating the online learners’ experience by cultivating social presence in the online learning environment
  • Lori Doyle and Tanya M. Tarbutton
• The role of family in Chinese students’ English language learning and key suggestions
  • Bohui (Hollie) Liu and Jia Wei
• The World Bank's new approach to human capital model and education
  • Ozlem Kucuk and Cihan Cobanoglu
• Training in ecological thinking: Narrative practices for educational …

Ethical Intelligence: Responsible Ai Integration In Challenge-Based Learning, Seden Dogan

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

The paper explores the ethical integration of AI in Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) within higher education. CBL fosters critical thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and real-world problem-solving. AI enhances CBL by providing personalized learning, adaptive problem-solving, and real-time feedback. However, ethical concerns—such as algorithmic bias, data privacy, faculty roles, and governance—must be addressed. The paper proposes a framework for responsible AI integration, emphasizing inclusive access, data ethics, human-AI collaboration, governance, interdisciplinary co-design, iterative ethics, and digital literacy. AI can augment learning, improve scalability, and enhance faculty roles, but risks like inequity, over-reliance, and weak accountability must be mitigated. The framework ensures AI aligns …

Bridging The Digital Divide In Developing And Developed Countries: A Meta-Analysis, Jessie King, Eric Gotte

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Global school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a universal shift towards technology-augmented education. This transference of learning platforms revealed both the potential and the challenges of implementing digital tools for learning worldwide. This meta-analysis examines the digital divide between developed and developing countries and how this divide disrupts the learning for students with disabilities, those living in poverty and extreme poverty as well as for those who live in remote areas. It concentrates on how technology has been used to surmount educational disparities, predominantly within the marginalized groups of students with disabilities, individuals in poverty, and those living in …

Navigating Education In Island Spaces: Insights From Italian Minor Islands, Giambattista Bufalino

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Education in Italy’s minor islands exists at the confluence of geography, culture, and policy, where the experience of insularity shapes not only the material conditions of schooling but also the foundations of learning itself. These islands, defined by their liminality and interdependence, face pedagogical constraints imposed by centralized curricula, which often fail to reflect the embedded knowledge systems, ecological particularities, and socio-cultural rhythms of insular life. This study critically examines how minor island schools mediate the tension between standardization and locality, leveraging place-based education (PBE) as a means of pedagogical resistance and cultural preservation. Through a documentary analysis of Piani …

Using The Intercultural Development Inventory To Measure Intercultural Development For A High-Impact Global Community Engagement Program, Jennifer Crystle, Megan W. Moran, Diana G. Venskus

Journal of Global Education and Research

High-impact practices (HIPs) in higher education, such as global community engagement programs, enhance student learning and lead to increased levels of civic involvement among graduates. However, it is unknown if participation in a global community engagement/service-learning program affects the development of cultural competence. The purpose of this study was to determine if student and faculty participation in a two-week community engagement/service-learning program in Guatemala would result in intercultural development measured using the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) tool. Participants were recruited from a graduate physical therapy education program in the U.S. and completed a pre- and post-trip IDI. Data analysis revealed …

A Python Pipeline For Rapid Inversion Of Gravity Data Aimed At Early Career Researchers: Application To The Lost River Fault, Idaho, Bradford C. Mack

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Gravity data and modeling can be used to create a 3D view of basin and fault geometries, a valuable tool for seismic hazard assessment. Additionally, access to a high-speed, easy-to-use modeling workflow will enable more researchers to supplement their work with a new method and allow students to be exposed to modeling earlier in their academic careers. The primary goals of this work are to create a widely usable 3D gravity and basin model, to create an introduction to modeling teaching module for undergraduate geology students, and to apply the model to the northernmost two segments of the Lost River …

Linking Education And Work: Understanding The Influence Of Community Schooling Models On Student Pathways, Takiyah N. Dixon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the integration of work-study programs, mentorship, and support systems at Cristo Rey Tampa Salesian High School (CRTSHS) and their role in preparing underrepresented students for post-secondary education and professional careers. Utilizing a case study methodology, this research centers on an in-depth analysis of a single participant's experience, which provides a qualitative insight into the impacts of these educational components. The study examines how the school's work-study program equips students with practical skills, how mentorship shapes their academic and personal development, and how support systems contribute to their readiness for higher education and employment.

The data for this …

Additive Value Of A Reinforcer Preference Assessment In Elementary Classroom Group Contingencies, De'vohn J. Roman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Disruptive behavior in elementary classrooms can hinder students' academic engagement and overall learning experience. This study examined the effectiveness of using a student-selected reinforcer preference assessment in a positive variation of the Good Behavior Game, a widely implemented classroom management strategy, in general education elementary classrooms. The study's purpose was to determine whether student-selected reinforcers led to better outcomes compared to teacher-selected reinforcers, by examining the intervention's effects on academic engagement and disruptive behavior. The methodology involved a single-case research design and an alternating treatment design, which were employed to answer the research questions. Findings revealed the benefits of integrating …

Reflections On The Teacher Evaluation Process: Experiences Told By K-12 Teachers, Trinicia S. Murphy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In education, it is essential for stakeholders like district leaders, teachers, and government officials to collaborate and create a plan of action that would support K-12 instruction. Collaborations as such have been used for decades by policymakers and researchers to express philosophies, values, and beliefs about education to make improvements and/or push for change. Therefore, the educational system will continue to evolve with current and upcoming research findings. For example, evaluating teachers effectively has been one of the most controversial topics in education. According to Boyd (1989), teacher evaluations were constructed to measure teachers’ competences and promote professional development. Today, …

Secondary Teacher Perceptions And Practices Of Intercultural Communicative Competence Development In Online Intercultural Exchanges, Paige L. Roland

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Secondary level world language programs in the United States lack efficient infusion and assessment of intercultural communicative competence in the curricula. When a learner acquires a new language, they also shape their personal identity and expand their ability to successfully interact cross-culturally, thus the need for culture and language to be understood as interdependent components of the bigger whole is evident (Liontas & Siegel, 2019). While there are extensive research theories and studies regarding models of assessment for various competences underlying intercultural communicative competence (e.g., communicative competence, idiomatic competence, sociolinguistic competence) throughout the decades, little research is available which utilizes …

Moral Of The Story: Secondary Language Arts Teachers’ Perceptions Of Students’ Moral Intelligence, Sadia Fauzia Zaman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The literature review reveals a gap in secondary English Language Arts (ELA) teachers’ perception of students’ moral intelligence (MI). While many character education studies examine the student perspective, this study contributes to the limited research on secondary ELA teachers’ perceptions of students’ moral intelligence and how it can be cultivated. This dissertation addresses that gap by collecting and analyzing ELA teachers’ lived experiences and perceptions of students’ MI, as well as exploring how ELA teachers and schools can support students’ moral development by integrating moral and ethical topics into instructional practices. This qualitative study used narrative inquiry to gather interview …

Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Incorporation Of An Ecojustice Framework In An Undergraduate Stem Integration Course, Rita G. Ortiz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Environmental education across the K-12 science curriculum lacks critical examination of human and ecological relationships, particularly in relation to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. While the Next Generation Science Standards include environmental topics within their disciplinary core ideas and many schools offer environmental science courses, this gap can be addressed in teacher preparation programs, particularly for those teaching younger students. Ecojustice centers on socioecological topics by addressing cultural assumptions we, as humans, live by in relation to natural systems. Ecojustice education is a critical pedagogy that engages learners about social issues related to our current ecological crisis. This …

Development And Initial Validation Of The In-The-Moment Asynchronous Student Engagement Questionnaire (Itmaseq) In Higher Education, Elif Topsakal

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the development and initial validation of the In-The-Moment Asynchronous Student Engagement Questionnaire (ITMASEQ), designed to measure undergraduate student engagement—emotional, cognitive, and behavioral—in asynchronous online learning environments. The study responds to the growing need for dynamic, in-the-moment assessments of student engagement, a construct critical to understanding academic success and retention, particularly in online education.

The ITMASEQ included a total of 25 questions: Five contextual questions (study day, study place, company during the study, primary online activity, type of primary online activity), eight emotional engagement questions (enjoyment, feeling calm, anxious, focused, distracted, etc.), seven cognitive engagement questions (interest, …

Flexible Docking Method Development For Computer-Aided Drug Design, Luke C. Warrensford

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Modern drug discovery, the process of identifying or developing novel therapeutic compounds to treat a disease, increasingly relies on computational methods to make the process faster and more efficient. One of the most useful tools in the computer-aided drug design toolbox is molecular docking, the simulation of a protein-ligand complex to determine ligand binding affinity. The results from molecular docking help inform the overall drug discovery process on which compounds have more potential to be potent inhibitors, thus saving time and resources during the later and more expensive stages of drug discovery. Two important considerations of modern docking methods are …

Advanced Magnetic Sensing Technologies For Enhanced Biodetection And Healthcare Monitoring, Kee Young Hwang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The development of biosensing systems that leverage the unique properties of magnetic nanoparticles and the high sensitivity of magnetic sensors for detecting biomolecules and cancer cells has been an active area of research. However, challenges remain in detecting and differentiating the magnetic signals of biomarkers made from nanoparticles that have similar sizes but distinct magnetic properties. Additionally, overcoming the reduction in detection sensitivity caused by non-magnetic coatings on magnetic nanoparticles remains a key hurdle. Concurrently, there is a pressing need to develop advanced magnetic sensor technologies that can enhance existing healthcare monitoring systems and enable more precise, real-time diagnostics.This dissertation …

Understanding The Impact Of Cultural Competency Development On College Students Through Experiential Learning: A Study Of An Honors High-Impact Course, C. H. Kevin Lee

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore how students develop cultural competency through participation in an experiential learning-embedded college course. Existing literature often addresses career readiness, student success, cultural competency, and faculty-student affairs collaboration as distinct areas of research. However, while students may engage with diversity best practices as leaders or through diversity-related courses, bridging the gap between curriculum and competency development remains a critical area for ongoing discussion.

This study focused on a course I designed on Korean culture and identity, which provided an overview of topics such as history, politics, cuisine, music, and current events. The …

Navigating Critical Incidents As Black Women Assistant Principals In Title I Charter Schools: A Narrative Inquiry, Marsha T. Henry-Lewis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The racial discipline gap and the school-to-prison persist despite contemporary discourse, legislation and trending best practices implemented to reduce exclusionary discipline and its related consequences. However, school leaders are often faced with critical school discipline events, that based on predetermined consequences, end with students being excluded from school. For my study, critical incidents needed not be major incidents, but they hold some level of significance in the lives of those involved. This study examined how Black women assistant principals experienced critical school discipline incidents while they worked in Title I charters schools in Florida. Narratives were captured during individual interviews …

Foundations Of Music Education: Creativity, Curriculum, And Terminal Degrees, Charles Edwin Patterson Iii

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This collection of articles includes three concepts centered on critical areas within music education: (1) creativity and the creative personality, (2) curriculum development with a focus on orchestral string teaching, and (3) the historical evolution and current status of doctoral programs in music education in the United States. These three articles are correlated through their shared focus on enhancing the field of music education by examining the essential elements that shape practices by students, teachers, mentors, etc. Together, they explore how creativity, curriculum approaches, and advanced training programs in music education contribute to a holistic and adaptive music education framework …

“Who Am I?”: Novice Teachers Making Meaning Of Their Intersectional Teacher Identity, Kerrijo E. Ellis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how marginalized and/or minoritized novice teachers make meaning of their teacher identity. An integrated theoretical framework informed this study using Hong et al.’s (2024) conceptualization of teacher identity, Crenshaw’s (1989) intersectionality, and Collins & Bilge’s (2020) definition of intersectionality. Utilizing the photovoice methodology, four focus groups were conducted with a purposeful sample of five novice teachers who identified as marginalized (i.e., gender, disability, LGBTQIA+) and/or minoritized (i.e., ethnic and/or racial minority). Using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2023), I identified three themes: (1) Why I Became a Teacher, which included …

Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Level Of Preparedness To Support Students Who Encounter Adverse Childhood Experiences, Lanicia P. Marshall

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to explore preservice teachers’ perceptions of their preparedness to support students who have been exposed to or/are currently encountering adverse childhood experiences. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a form of trauma and are very likely to occur among students. Due to students spending a significant amount of time in classroom settings, teachers are the first to identify possible issues that can interfere with academic performance. The present study was built upon the few studies that have focused on preservice teachers and their perceptions of preparedness to support students experiencing ACEs. Data were collected using an online survey …

Comparing National Benchmark Quantitative Literacy Paper-Based Tests Scores With Its Computer-Based Counterparts, Robert N. Prince

Numeracy

One of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic was the rapid shift to replacing traditional, paper-based tests with their computer-based counterparts. In many cases, these new modes of delivering tests will remain in place for the foreseeable future. In South Africa, the National Benchmark Quantitative Literacy (QL) test was impelled to make this rapid shift. While test-makers attempted to ensure comparability between the computer-based and paper-based versions, some scholars have questioned the efficacy of these efforts. The International Test Commission (2005) declared that the equivalency of test scores obtained from computer-based and conventional paper-based testing should be established to ensure …

Preparing Children For Kindergarten Readiness: Early Childhood Teachers’ Goals And Practices, Julie Chappell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Literature in the field of early childhood education suggests that standardization and the accountability movement in the United States has changed the way that teachers approach kindergarten, resulting in less play and more teacher-directed activities. This pedagogical shift causes challenges for early childhood educators striving to promote developmentally appropriate, play-based and child-centered approaches to learning for young children while preparing children for the expectations of kindergarten. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain an understanding of prekindergarten teachers’ views about their role in preparing children for kindergarten. The study was guided by two research questions: How do prekindergarten …

Six-Year College Graduation Status For High School Students Participating In An Upward Bound Program, Raymond Upward Cabrera

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the impact of high school academic indicators and participation in the federally funded Upward Bound program on college graduation rates for first-generation, low-income students. Specifically the extent to which participation in the federally funded TRIO Upward Bound program and related factors—high school GPA, course rigor, program involvement, gender, race, and college type—predict 6-year college graduation rates for first-generation, low-income students. Using stepwise logistic regression analysis on data of 163 students in an Upward Bound program in the Southeast, the results show that students with higher GPAs, active engagement in the program, and females were significantly more likely …

Monsters, Multiplicities, And Liminal Experiences In Doctoral Education: Fabulation As Research Methodology, Anna V. Gonzalez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to experiment with qualitative research methodologies while exploring the complexities of doctoral education, research practices, philosophies of inquiry, and other topics intersecting with(in) educational scholarship. My vision for this work was fueled by postmodernist critiques of humanist education, frustrations with the methodological status quo pervasive in educational research, and deep concerns about the unsustainability of performance-focused teaching and learning.

The logic I follow in this project is simple: if we—researchers and academics—are to contribute solutions for challenges and ongoing crises in our world, then we must start thinking relationally and in ways more complex …

A Contexted Learning Experience: Instructional Strategies For Effective Teaching For Primary And Intermediate Students From Diverse Ses Environments, R. Suzanne Legg

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The aim of my three-article dissertation was to investigate the methods employed by effective teachers to promote academic progress among all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Each article addressed perspectives on effective teaching strategies aimed at closing the opportunity gap from three different contexts. These contexts were 1) a focus group consisting of primary teachers, 2) a focus group consisting of intermediate teachers, and 3) personal reflections from observations of both focus groups pertaining to COVID-19. Recent scores from the Programme for International Student Assessment (OECD, 2023) revealed a growing disparity in academic achievement between students from higher socioeconomic …

An Analysis Of The Learning Activity System Of An Elementary Education Program For The Development Of Social And Emotional Competence In Preservice Teachers, Lisa Sheldon Brown

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods descriptive case study examined how a public research university's elementary education teacher preparation program develops social and emotional competence (SEC) in preservice teachers. Using Engeström's Expansive Learning Theory framework, the study analyzed the tools and mediating artifacts within the program's learning activity system, specifically focusing on activities known to develop SEC. Through semi-structured interviews with 18 instructors and comprehensive document analysis, the study found that SEC development is extensively integrated throughout the program's coursework and field experiences. Three primary types of SEC development activities were identified: self-reflection/self-awareness, active listening, and collaboration. The study revealed a significant correlation between …