Education Commons^™

The Shocker, Grand Valley State University

The Shocker

Literary publication collecting writings and art from the Thomas Jefferson College "Make-It" program and via student submission.

Exploring Postsecondary Opportunities In Grand Valley State University Charter Schools, Kiel Mcqueen, Jakob Panzer, Grand Valley State University

CSO Research Reports

High school students participating in postsecondary opportunities – dual enrollment (DE), Early Middle College (EMC), Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) – are more likely to graduate, enroll at a postsecondary institution, and receive an associate degree within six years of finishing high school (Berger et al., 2014). Students participating in postsecondary programs have also been shown to have higher grade point averages as college freshmen and graduate from two- and four-year institutions at higher rates than comparable peers (Jones, 2014). Locally, participating in DE or EMC programs is correlated with higher four-year graduation rates and college degree attainment (Michigan …

University Libraries Personnel Policy Committee (Ulppc) Response To The Ulfa - Racism Impact Statement, Annie Bélanger, Patrick J. Roth, Emily Frigo, Gayle Schaub, Kim L. Ranger

Library Reports and Communication

No abstract provided.

Mental Health Of University Nursing Students: A Literature Review, Mackenzie Carpenter

Honors Projects

This paper explores the ongoing issue of mental health, specifically in nursing students. In addition to maintaining good academic status through exams, assignments, and papers, nursing students must also endure the stressful environment of a clinical setting. Through summarizing research and drawing overall conclusions, this paper examines the contributing and alleviating factors to poor mental health in this population. Data was obtained from studies published from 2017 to 2023 in the CINAHL database, and 11 studies were retrieved from a data collection process to be included in this review. Multiple studies show a low deviation in mental health levels, healthy …

Analysis Of Disability Support Resources At Grand Valley State, Calle Faerber

Honors Projects

In order to receive support and accommodations in postsecondary education, students must self-report their disability to the institution they attend. Due to this policy, there are many barriers that students may face in their pursuit of these services. Barriers include fear of negative perceptions of disabilities by faculty or peers, negative perceptions of accommodations, and lengthy documentation requirements. This study aimed to determine the potential barriers for students at Grand Valley State University (GVSU) and what the university is doing to address these barriers. In this study, a total of 28 undergraduate students at GVSU were surveyed and one staff …

Examining Teachers’ Perceptions Of School Working Conditions: Analysis Of Fall 2022 School Operations Survey, Kiel Mcqueen, Grand Valley State University

CSO Research Reports

In November 2022, the Grand Valley State University (GVSU) Charter School Office (CSO) partnered with Basis Policy Research (Basis) to administer the annual School Operations Survey. The survey solicits teachers’ perceptions on school culture and climate, school leadership, faculty commitment and responsibility, school resources and time use, and parent/guardian engagement. This research brief examines results from select GVSU schools meeting reporting requirements.

Oa And Oer In Education And The Knowledge Market: Presentation And Workshop Materials, Jillian Beckwell

Honors Projects

Are you interested in being able to access reliable information, research, images, and more online without running into a paywall or fee? Are you interested in accessing online textbooks and other class materials without having to spend a single dollar? With Open Access and Open Educational Resources, these scenarios are possible. This presentation will discuss Open Access materials and Open Educational Resources, and their role in educational spaces and within the different Knowledge Market services.

Exploring Graduate Student Mental Health And Service Utilization By Gender, Race, And Year In School, Mikhila N. Wildey, Meghan E. Fox, Kelly A. Machnik, Deborah Ronk

Peer Reviewed Articles

Objective: The current study explored differences in mental health problems, services utilization, and support of graduate students by gender, race/ethnicity, and year in school.

Participants: Participants consisted of 734 graduate students from a large, Midwestern university.

Methods: Graduate students answered a series of questionnaires in fall 2021 assessing their mental health, services utilization, and perception of services.

Results: Women (vs men) and participants in their second year and beyond (vs first year) reported greater mental health problems, negative impact of the pandemic, and more services utilization. White (vs non-White) participants reported greater negative impact of the pandemic, greater services utilization, …

Examining The Continued Impact Of The Pandemic On Student Achievement In Gvsu Charter Schools - Year 2 Report, Kiel Mcqueen, Grand Valley State University

CSO Research Reports

In December 2021, Basis Policy Research (Basis) released a report examining the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student achievement in Grand Valley State University (GVSU) charter schools. Findings revealed students made achievement gains in math and reading in 2021 but at a lower rate as compared to prior years. Furthermore, Basis researchers found that students’ achievement in spring 2021 was lower compared to the pre-pandemic period; achievement in spring 2021 was between 8 to 18 percentile points lower than spring 2019, with larger declines in math as compared to reading.

This report continues examining the impact of the …

Establishing Open Teaching Tools: A Faculty Journey With Open Educational Resources, Genevieve B. Elrod Phd, Rn, Ocn, Susan M. Strouse

Peer Reviewed Articles

Nursing faculty strive to engage students; however, many may have competing priorities that reduce their available time to produce high-quality lessons. Novice faculty facing role transition, some without formal preparation as educators, may be especially susceptible to these time constraints. Open educational resources (OER), educational materials openly licensed for free access and use, are growing rapidly and can play a role in filling this gap. Specifically, open teaching tools are a subset of OER that can help meet this faculty need for engaging lessons with limited resources. Open teaching tools are teaching resources rather than student-learning resources. They allow expert …

Fostering Data Literacy Teaching With Quantitative Data In The Social Sciences, Dylan Ruedinger, Daniella Miriam Cooper, Samantha Minnis, Gayle Schaub

Scholarly Papers and Articles

Quantitative literacy is an essential twenty-first century skill that universities are heavily invested in teaching to students. The social sciences play an important role in these efforts because they attract students who might otherwise avoid data and mathematically oriented courses and because they ground quantitative reasoning in political and social contexts that resonate with undergraduates. However, pedagogical best practices for social science instructors have been slow to emerge and the support needs of instructors and students remain difficult to discern. Ithaka S+R’s Teaching Support Services program explores the teaching practices and support needs of collegiate instructors. Our most recent project …

The American Dream In Crisis: How Student Debt Impacts The Educational Experiences Of Black Students, Jessie N. Webb

McNair Scholars Manuscripts

In a society riddled with inequities, student debt can be viewed as a crisis for which long term solutions are a necessity. For Black students, student debt has detrimental effects on their overall college experience, including negative implications on their economic status, academic performance, emotional/mental well-being, as well as inhibiting social/civic engagement. This research will highlight the financial disadvantages that Black students undergo, which leads to an oppressive cycle of student debt and limits social mobility. With the stressors of student debt, Black students lose out on engaging socially with peers, as well as having enough time to focus on …

Investigating Best Practices For Engaging Chemistry Students In Online Learning, Megan Smith

Student Summer Scholars Manuscripts

This project investigated two online delivery methods to identify how to best support student learning. Students were grouped based on chemistry background and took part in one of two content lessons appropriate to their experience. These two content groups were then divided based on delivery method: asynchronous or synchronous. Participants completed a pre- and post-test around the lesson, with only content delivery method differing within groups; asynchronous students watched a video lecture, while synchronous students participated in a real-time lecture online. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. While student test scores improved pre-post, no statistical significance was seen in …

Examining How Early Career Teachers’ Experiences In Gvsu Schools Inform Future Plans, Kiel Mcqueen, Grand Valley State University

CSO Research Reports

Studies have suggested that between 20 to 40 percent of teachers leave the profession in their first five years (Darling-Hammond & Sykes, 2003; Gray & Taie, 2015; Ingersoll 2003). Turnover tends to be higher in urban districts and schools serving students from historically marginalized communities. Increased teacher turnover is particularly problematic given the growing evidence that attrition harms schools, teachers, and students (Boyd, Lankford, Loeb, & Wyckoff, 2005; Ronfeldt, Loeb, and Wyckoff, 2013). The pandemic could intensify this problem given that the number of teachers reporting frequent job-related stress, symptoms of depression, and interest in careers outside of education have …

Engaging Identity And Positionality In Designing Library Subject Guides: The Landscape Of Sovereign Tribal Nations And Lgbtq+ Peoples, Kim L. Ranger

Presentations

We can engage tribal nations and LGBTQ+ peoples while acknowledging that we cannot speak to their experience. We’ll discuss teaching the knowledge of diverse peoples and providing resources without appropriating their cultures, along with the boundaries between respecting unique perspectives and heritage versus appropriation.

We will engage the question of how identity and positionality influence the ways we design asynchronous instructional materials. We’ll discuss the characteristics of positive design principles regarding diverse groups.

The Case For Oer As The Advancement Of Knowledge/Creative Expression, Amber Dierking, Matt Ruen, Steven Schlicker

Library Reports and Communication

The nature of scholarly and creative activity, at Grand Valley State University and across the higher education sector, is rapidly evolving. Amidst this ongoing transformation, the characteristics of OER – free access plus permission for adaptation – empower Grand Valley’s teacher-scholars to share their expertise with a global audience and simultaneously remove barriers to education for Lakers.

This memo, submitted for consideration by the University Academic Senate at GVSU, argues that the creation of OER can demonstrate several of the forms of scholarly activity described by Boyer (1990) as well as the criteria established for the Advancement of Knowledge or …

Creating A Generalized Michigan School Constitution, Kurstin K. Frank

Honors Projects

Educational theories in the past have attempted to define, arrange, and design education to benefit society, institutions, and students of all ages. The conversations surrounding those educational theories, however, have consistently neglected to include those that the structures, policies, and purpose of education will benefit the most: the students. This research project was devised to include student voice within the conversations surrounding educational theories through the construction of a Generalized Michigan School Constitution. By delving into those theories of education, the researcher was able to dissect the five most common theories and beliefs within education to be able to decipher …

Exploring The Teacher Workforce In Grand Valley State University Charter Schools, Kiel Mcqueen, Jakob Panzer, Grand Valley State University

CSO Research Reports

Diversifying the teacher workforce needs to be a priority for developing a more equitable public education system. Students of color represent the majority of students in United States public schools but are instructed by a teacher workforce that is approximately three-quarters White (NCES, 2021). This reality is problematic given that demographic mismatches between students and teachers can influence disparities in academic outcomes (Grissom et al., 2015). Prior research indicates that assignment to a same-race teacher significantly increases Math and Reading achievement of Black and White students (Dee, 2004) and promotes more personal effort, happiness in class, and feeling cared for …

2021-2022 Michigan Council Of Charter School Authorizers (Mccsa) Annual Report, Bay Mills Community College, Central Michigan University, Detroit Public Schools Community District, Eastern Michigan University, Ferris State University, Grand Valley State University, Lake Superior State University, Northern Michigan University, Oakland University, Saginaw Valley State University

CSO Related Reports

No abstract provided.

January 2022 Report: Examining Teachers’ Perceptions Of School Working Conditions: Analysis Of Fall 2021 School Operations Survey, Kiel Mcqueen, Grand Valley State University

CSO Research Reports

In November 2021, the Grand Valley State University (GVSU) Charter School Office (CSO) partnered with Basis Policy Research (Basis) to administer the annual School Operations Survey. The survey solicits teachers’ perceptions on school culture and climate, school leadership, faculty commitment and responsibility, school resources and time use, and parent/guardian engagement. This research brief examines results from select GVSU schools meeting reporting requirements.

Gvsu Press Releases, 2022, Grand Valley State University

University Press Releases, 1961-Present

A compilation of press releases for the year 1961 submitted by University Communications (formerly News & Information Services) to news agencies concerning the people, places, and events related to Grand Valley State University.

The Connection Between Pre-Literacy Development And Parent Use Of Strategies, Jhay-Lah Kennell

Honors Projects

The topic of this senior project is to research and develop strategies that parents of preschoolers can use to facilitate development of pre-literacy skills. The outcome will be a set of facilitation strategies embedded in a children's book focusing on phonological awareness skills. Additional, the book includes a method for training parents to use strategies to help their child(ren) develop skills regarding rhyming and blending. The book will be annotated with the specific parent coaching ideas. Overall, the children's book will include a developmentally appropriate storyline with underpinnings of the rhyming and blending skills of phonological awareness. The book will …

Dangerous Associations: Racializing Urban Communities And The Influence Of One Critical Service-Learning Course To Disrupt Racist Ideological Habits, T.J. Stockton

Peer Reviewed Articles

This study examined pre-service teachers’ initial perceptions of urban communities and schools. Furthermore, it explored whether engaging in critical service-learning coursework incorporating an anti-racist curriculum disrupted the mechanisms that perpetuate racist ideological habits and associations. The narrative analysis deconstructed 12 participants’ reflective essays using a critical race theoretical lens. The overall findings revealed that the participants experience urban communities through racist associations and ideologies promoting white supremacist thinking. The critical service-learning course did influence the perceptions of the participants. However, findings suggest that a single critical service-learning course is insufficient to prepare pre-service teachers with the anti-racist pedagogies necessary for …

December 2021 Report: Examining The Continued Impact Of The Pandemic On Student Achievement In Gvsu Charter Schools, Kiel Mcqueen, Grand Valley State University

CSO Research Reports

In March 2021, Basis Policy Research (Basis) released a report examining the impact of COVID-19 pandemic-related school closures on student achievement in Grand Valley State University (GVSU) charter schools. Findings revealed adverse effects from the pandemic were concentrated in math; achievement in fall 2020 was between 2 to 12 percentile points lower than the previous fall, with differences in math achievement greater in grades three through five. Basis researchers also found that students made gains in both math and reading; however, math growth was lower since the onset of the pandemic as compared to a typical year.

This report continues …

University Libraries Faculty Assembly - Racism Impact Statement & Dean's Response, Maya Hobscheid, Samantha Minnis, Annie Bélanger

Library Reports and Communication

Racism and white supremacy culture have a profound impact on nonwhite faculty in higher education and throughout the tenure and promotion process. This document is intended to acknowledge the impact of racism on the tenure and promotion process in general as well as in our specific context of Grand Valley State University (GVSU) Libraries. It is not intended to be comprehensive of everyone’s lived experiences or of the effects of racism on all.

Wrt 150: Strategies In Writing Oer Curation, Chealsye Bowley

Curated OER Collections

This OER curation is an annotated bibliography of potential OER for the high-enrollment Strategies in Writing course at GVSU, and is based on a sample of syllabi rather than for a specific instructor.

Ithaka S+R: Teaching With Data In The Social Sciences, Gayle Schaub, Samantha Minnis

Scholarly Papers and Articles

In the Winter of 2021, Grand Valley State University (GVSU) joined 20 other institutions to participate in an Ithaka S+R study to understand the instructional and technical support needs of social science faculty using data in their courses. Each participating institution served as a research site with a local team of researchers. This report outlines the methodology, findings, and recommendations for instructional faculty, librarians, and administrators.

Modern Languages, Modern Learning: Tandem Language Programs In K-12 Education, Sarah Cremin

Honors Projects

The following essay will discuss research on the benefits and drawbacks of implementing intercultural exchange by means of Tandem language learning programs in K-12 Schools. One promising outlet to foster global communication and internationalization of learning is Tandem language learning. Authors María Vassallo and João A. Telles share the following definition: "Foreign language learning in-tandem involves pairs of (native or competent) speakers whose aim is to learn each other's language by means of bilingual conversation sessions." The focus of this research is to evaluate the appeal, effectiveness, utility, and reliability of these online programs in the context of today's classrooms.

A Regional Case Study: Effective Administrator Feedback To Inform Teacher Performance, Richard M. Vandermolen, Catherine L. Meyer-Looze

Peer Reviewed Articles

In 2013, the Michigan Department of Education required all public school districts to adopt a state-approved evaluation system. The Department’s rationale for this change was to increase teacher accountability and thus to improve student achievement. Because schoollevel administrators are responsible for implementing district policy and acting as the primary evaluators of teacher performance, the authors conducted a study to identify the type of administrator feedback principals give in observations and evaluations. In this 3-year study, evaluation data were collected from random districts within a rural Michigan Intermediate School District and analyzed for average total score and manner of feedback. Three …

Compassion Fatigue In Students Completing Fieldwork, Darcy Walker

Honors Projects

This project was completed for students who are entering or actively completing fieldwork in the helping professions. It includes a pamphlet, annotated bibliography, and reflective essay. The pamphlet includes information on the signs of secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue, as well as ways to prevent and combat them. The annotated bibliography summarizes and analyzes the importance of the sources used to complete the pamphlet. The reflective essay is an honest account of the author's own struggles with secondary traumatic stress and burnout, and the process of combating them while simultaneously completing this project.