Education Commons^™

Bison: Place Based Walk Lesson Plan For Msum Regional Science Center, Gerald Melin

OER Materials

This lesson plan describes a curiosity walk at the MSUM Regional Science Center where fifth-grade students investigate why bison are considered a keystone species in the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Through observations, field journals, and evidence collection, students explore how bison influence prairie grasses, wildflowers, insects, birds, and other organisms. The lesson aligns with Minnesota science standards by helping students examine ecosystem interactions, organism survival, and the movement of matter within the environment. Students engage in inquiry-based learning through guided observations, discussion, and the creation of a Prairie Connections Map that demonstrates relationships within the ecosystem. By incorporating Indigenous Ways of …

Badgers: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Mitchell Bartell

OER Materials

The goal of this assignment was to design an immersive, place-based learning experience that helps preservice teachers connect with the local environment of the MSUM Regional Science Center through the study of badgers. This lesson uses inquiry-based learning through hands-on exploration, observation, and questioning. They investigate the physical characteristics of badgers, how they use their burrows, and how they interact with other organisms and their surrounding environment. This lesson encourages curiosity and critical thinking skills to deepen students’ understanding of how badgers adapt to their habitats and contribute to the ecosystem.

Developing A Framework To Enhance Medical Student Well-Being: A Cross-Sectional Study Exploring The Interplay Between Stress, Resilience, And Quality Of Life, Omayma Hamed, Elshaimaa Ahmed, Lamiaa Mohsen, Patricia S. Sexton

Health Professions Education

Purpose: Medical training imposes significant stress on students, often leading to burnout, anxiety, and/or diminished quality of life (QoL). Resilience has been identified as a critical factor in mitigating these challenges. However, there is limited research examining how stress and resilience interact to shape QoL in undergraduate medical students. This study expands upon Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Model of Stress and Coping by introducing a synthesized framework that integrates resilience as both a mediator and moderator of stress, advancing the understanding of these relationships.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 194 first- and second-year medical students at a private …

Letter From The Dean, Jeff Edwards

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Instructions For Authors, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Crossing The Theory Threshold: The Pedagogical Potential Of Generative Artificial Intelligence In Educational Research, Amanda Burbage, Jennifer L. Styron

EVMS School of Health Professions Faculty Publications

Purpose

This paper presents findings from an educational research graduate course in which generative artificial intelligence (AI) was incorporated to strengthen learners' understanding of threshold concepts related to theoretical frameworks. Medical and health professionals often struggle with the transition from a clinical role into the educational research role.

Methods

The study posits that the use of generative AI will help learners understand and apply theoretical frameworks beyond a superficial level, furthering their understanding, constructing new knowledge, and strengthening their ability to develop sound educational research studies. Journal and AI transcripts were analyzed for 37 participants.

Results

Open-ended codes were grouped …

Black-Capped Chickadees: Place-Based Lesson Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Elisabeth Mulcahy

OER Materials

This place-based learning plan is designed for fifth-grade students to explore the Black-capped Chickadee and its relationship with the environment at the MSUM Regional Science Center. Through a curiosity walk, students will observe natural habitats, identify possible food sources, and investigate how energy moves through an ecosystem. Students will record observations in field journals and create a labeled model showing how energy travels from the Sun to plants and eventually to chickadees. The lesson follows the 5E Instructional Model to encourage questioning, exploration, and critical thinking. This learning experience is significant because it allows students to connect science concepts to …

Alpacas: An Evaluation Methodology For No- Or Low-Cost Course Materials, Heather Leonard

Publications

Evaluating no- or low-cost course materials is a key concern for those supporting affordable learning initiatives. This article will review the current needs of researchers in no- or low-cost course material, the methods currently available to guide them, and a new method I have designed to specifically address needs that current methods cannot. This method, ALPACAS (Apt, License, Provenance, Accurate, Currency, Authority, and Sources), combines insights from several other well-known methods to assist librarians, course designers, and instructors in finding appropriate no- or low-cost course materials. For each item in ALPACAS, I will break down why it is important and …

Longnose Dace: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Madison Tillman

OER Materials

This lesson will be used to help students create connections with specific traits of the Longnose dace and why the traits are beneficial for their environment. This lesson uses the 5E model and should be used at the MSUM Regional Science Center to help provide real-life examples and encourage inquiry.

Silver Leaves On The Prairie: Investigating What Prairie Sage Needs, Taylor Lau

OER Materials

In this place-based lesson, fifth-grade students investigate a living prairie sage (Artemisia ludoviciana) plant, native to the Moorhead, Minnesota area, during a curiosity walk at the MSUM Regional Science Center. Aligned to Minnesota benchmark 5L.1.2.1.3, students collect at least three pieces of evidence, including measurements and observations of sunlight and soil, to show that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water. Using the 5E model, students connect their findings to photosynthesis and Van Helmont’s willow experiment, then write a claim, evidence, and reasoning response about the conditions prairie sage needs to grow …

Coaching For Emotional Resilience And Reflective Growth: Applying The University-Based Coaching Framework In Pre-Service Teacher Supervision, Dana L. Morris

Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Teacher preparation is an emotional as well as a cognitive process in which pre-service teachers must develop both reflective judgment and the emotional resilience needed for demanding instructional contexts. This study examined how university-based supervisors enacted the relational spaces of the University-Based Coaching Framework (UBCF) and how these enactments shaped pre-service teachers’ emotional and reflective development. Drawing on qualitative analysis of coaching discourse among three supervisor-preservice teacher pairs, the comparative case study identifies distinct coaching identities that emerged from supervisors’ patterned relational moves. These identities corresponded to varying intensities of UBCF space enactment and produced differential pathways through a reflective-motional …

Gvsu Undergraduate And Graduate Catalog 2026-2027, Grand Valley State University

Course Catalogs, 1963 - Current

Grand Valley State University 2026-2027 undergraduate and graduate course catalog. Course catalogs are published annually to provide students with information and guidance for enrollment.

Ucf Center For Community Schools Research Citations, Ucf Center For Community Schools

Community Schools Research

This scholarship examines community school implementation, partnerships, student and family outcomes, organizational conditions, and the broader systems that support community-centered approaches to education. By connecting research with practice, UCF CCS seeks to deepen the evidence base and advance knowledge that can inform educators, practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and community leaders.

This collection provides an evolving resource for exploring the research behind community schools and the lessons emerging from their implementation across Florida and beyond.

Research Brief: Developing Confident Professionals: Exploring Preservice Teachers’ Self-Efficacy After Attending Their First Professional Conference, David Wolff, Scott Klimek

OER Materials

This study focused on a convergent parallel mixed-methods study which explored how undergraduate preservice teachers perceived professional self-efficacy during their first conference, the Minnesota Rural Education Association’s (MREA) Greater Minnesota Education Summit. The Greater Minnesota Education Summit highlights successful programs and practices in rural education across Minnesota. The Future Educator Workshop (FEW) was a subcomponent during the summit which gave aspiring teachers opportunities to build resumes, practice interviewing, network with school leaders, and engage in conference sessions, helping them prepare for the teaching profession.

Pre- and post-conference surveys measured changes in self-efficacy. Autophotography paired with photo elicitation allowed participants to …

Policy Snapshot : Health Insurance Trends Among Child Care Educators, Sara Amadon

Straus Institute for Thriving Children & Families

This brief compares the health insurance status of child care educators in 2019 and 2024—spanning the COVID-19 pandemic and preceding 2026H.R.1’s implementation—to highlight shifting coverage patterns and state-level solutions to safeguard this essential workforce.

"No Shame In My Game": Rethinking Academic Probation In College As Transformative, Kathryn Callahan

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of college students and/or alumni who were on academic probation at some point during their undergraduate studies. All participants in this study are or were enrolled at a small, private, faith-based institution, where they experienced academic probation. This study was guided by Bronfenbrenner’s (1979, 2007) Ecological Systems Theory and Macia Baxter-Magolda’s (1992, 2001, 2006, 2009, 2012) Self-Authorship Theory, to learn how participants’ lived experiences can inform the design and improvement of institutional support programming that promotes student growth, development and retention. Twelve current or former students who experienced academic probation at some …

You Are Your Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams: A Journey Beyond The Lens Blueprinting The Influence And Impact Of Media And Podcast Pedagogy On Black And Brown Creatives In Higher Education And Beyond, Diamond N. Morgan Dr.

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Explores the influence and impact of media and podcast pedagogy on Black and Brown creatives (BBC) in higher education. Grounded in Critical Race Theory (CRT), the Black Creative Educational Experience (BCEEs) framework, and the conceptual lenses of sociological and public podcasting, this study examines how podcasting functions as a transformative pedagogical and sociocultural tool for storytelling, identity development, creative expression, and community building within collegiate environments. Utilizing a convergent parallel mixed methods design, the study integrates quantitative survey data from 65 participants with qualitative focus group discussions to provide a holistic understanding of participant experiences across personal, professional, academic, social, …

Why Is It Always The Boys?: Evaluating Disciplinary Issues Within The Classroom, Brian P. Lynch

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This thesis explores the concept of discipline in the classroom and the overrepresentation of male students in disciplinary action.  American public schools are nearly equally represented with male and female students, yet disciplinary action is taken far more frequently toward male students.  Throughout the course of this paper, a history of disciplinary action in America is relayed.  Psychological and social factors are acknowledged to explain the differences of actions in the classroom between male and female students.

To best impact students in the classroom and relieve the overrepresentation of male disciplinary issues, a community program should take place throughout the …

Teaching For Autonomy: Helping Young Students Define, Create, And Fight For A Better World, Riley Mcgowan

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

I define an Autonomous Student as a learner detached from the capitalist mindset, who learns not just to reproduce the working world but to better themselves and the future. A learner who is independent, flexible, civically engaged, connected with their community, and has their own idea of success that is not tied to the school or the economy. A learner who can uncover injustice and knows how to fight back. As it is currently set up, the education system in the US does not work toward creating autonomous students. Instead, the focus is on reproducing society as it is and …

What We're Not Allowed To Teach: The Epistemic Suppression Of The Null Curriculum In American Formal Education, Monica Zheng

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This thesis explores the history and impact of the null curriculum, which Eisner (1994) defines as "what schools do not teach" (p. 97). The null curriculum often contradicts the messages that the dominant white-supremacist patriarchy has indoctrinated into the explicit curriculum into the curriculum that American formal education uses, especially with the advent of high-stakes standardized testing. In order to overthrow this capitalist system, teachers must feel safe teaching the null curriculum. This thesis makes the case that internal reform of the American formal education system is not enough to create this liberated learning experience, and an external, full …

Challenging The Status Quo: An Autoethnographic Inquiry Into Critical Pedagogy And Social Justice, Andrea Williams

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This autoethnographic study explores the transformative journey of rethinking pedagogical practices through the lens of critical and spiritual pedagogy on behalf of a larger project for social justice. Drawing from Paulo Freire’s foundational work on critical pedagogy, alongside the insights of Zenju Manuel on decolonization and Yitzhak Bentov’s spiritual frameworks, this research examines how personal storytelling, and reflective practices can foster educational transformation. Embedded within traditional educational settings, I critically reflect on how empathy, both as a cognitive and affective process, catalyzed change in my pedagogical approach and challenged colonial legacies within the classroom. The study situates itself within the …

Reimagining Occupational Justice Beyond Anthropocentrism: A Humane Education Approach To Occupational Therapy Education, Macy Sutton

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Occupational therapy positions itself as a holistic, justice-oriented profession, yet many of its theories, practices, and educational standards reflect Eurocentric values and assumptions. Even occupational justice, the disciplinary concept specifically concerned with advancing a more just world, is steeped in coloniality. Critical scholars have increasingly critiqued particular oppressive structures embedded in the field, such as ableism and white supremacy; however, anthropocentrism remains largely unchallenged. In the occupational justice literature, anthropocentrism operates primarily through omission; that is, animals are absent from most scholarly works. This gap is significant because anthropocentrism contributes to prejudice, oppression, and discrimination not only toward animals and …

Post-Secondary Participation And Graduation, Syeda Kashfee Ahmed, Ian Teo, Amanda Haddow, Daniel Edwards

Higher education research

This systematic review examines systems and institutional policies impacting Higher Education (HE) and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sectors globally. Specifically, it seeks to address the impact of access, participation, retention, and graduation policies, and support the development of the UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report 2026 by responding to equity and inclusion challenges, and alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 4 targets.

Setting Standards For Engineering Writing. Supplementary Information [Data], Hidden For Review

Higher education research

We present an approach to defining minimum standards of written communication for engineering graduates based on the evaluation of writing samples by industry personnel. Communication skills are widely recognised as core graduate capabilities; however, universities often lack explicit, evidence-based standards aligned with industry expectations. This study applies the borderline group method of empirical standard setting to elicit judgement from industry professionals who supervise graduate engineers. Participants evaluated samples of student writing in two common engineering genres, technical report executive summaries and emails, using dichotomous acceptability judgements supported by evaluations of structure, content and expression. We present a validated framework, supported …

Fear, Uncertainty, And The Chilling Effect: A Case Study Of Organizational Racialized Omission, Annie Jones

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Florida passed House Bill 7 in 2022 and Senate Bill 266 in 2023, both policies that restrict how race and racism are discussed and taught in the public higher education setting. Although scholars of race and racism contend that colorblind ideology drives the “new racism,” the U.S. is experiencing a resurgence in similar curriculum bans explicitly based on topics related to race and racism. With these trends has emerged a need to understand how explicitly racialized policies fit within the “new racism” framework. Using Victor Ray’s Theory of Racialized Organizations, this study analyzes how colorblind ideology and racialized threat are …

Belonging And Academic Success In A Bilingual Classroom For Latinx Students At Illinois State University, Alejandro Enriquez

Faculty Publications – Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

[In lieu of abstract, first paragraph is replicated here]

In May 2020, Illinois State University published a heartwarming human-interest news story about a recent Latine graduate. The alumna, a mass communication major, had landed a broadcasting job in one of Chicago’s regional television stations, and the goal of the story was to celebrate her success. In telling the story of the success, however, the article stated that “When she was 13 and spoke no English, her family packed up their life in their native Colombia and immigrated to the Chicago area for new opportunities.” In time, the story went on, …

Addressing The Void Of Ai Policies In Education For Students With Specific Learning Disabilities, Mikyung Shin, Fatmana Deniz, Latesha Watson, Cynthia Dieterich, Kathy B. Ewoldt, Friggita Johnson, Jennifer E. Kong, Sun Hee Lee, April Whitehurst

Faculty Publications - College of Education

The purpose of this study was to identify the current state of artificial intelligence (AI) policies in U.S. education and propose actionable recommendations through large language model–based topic modeling and Delphi surveys. Out of 12 policy documents released between 2015 and 2025, only two documents (National Center for Learning Disabilities, 2024; W.A. v. Clarksville/Montgomery County School System, 2024) specifically addressed learning disabilities. Policy documents addressing topics such as AI-driven risk assessment, data protection, legal risk management, and ethical guidelines covering other disabilities and general AI in education policy were provided as baselines that could be discussed and validated through …

Elementary Teachers’ Perspectives On Science Of Reading Mandates: A Q Methodology Study Of Autonomy And Cultural Responsiveness, Gui Ying Annie Yang-Heim

Faculty Publications - College of Education

This study examines elementary teachers’ perspectives on Science of Reading (SoR) mandates, with particular attention to tensions between instructional autonomy and cultural responsiveness. Using Q methodology, 26 elementary literacy teachers sorted 48 statements reflecting beliefs about literacy instruction, assessment, and equity. Factor analysis with varimax rotation yielded 3 distinct factors, with significant loading set at ± 0.37 (p <  .01). The resulting factor structures reveal differentiated viewpoints regarding the perceived benefits and constraints of SoR-aligned policies. While some teachers emphasized the value of structured, skills-based instruction for supporting early reading development, others foregrounded concerns about reduced professional autonomy and the marginalization of culturally responsive and contextually grounded practices. Post-sort interviews were analyzed alongside factor arrays to support interpretation and to clarify how teachers articulated the reasoning underlying their rankings. The findings indicate that teachers’ responses to SoR mandates are not uniformly oppositional or compliant but reflect nuanced negotiations among policy expectations, professional judgment, and commitments to equity. By integrating quantitative patterning with qualitative interpretation, this study contributes methodologically to Q research in education and substantively to ongoing debates about prescriptive literacy reforms and culturally responsive teaching.

Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions Of Ai- And Human-Generated Feedback On Lesson Plans, Gui Ying Annie Yang-Heim, Xi Lin

Faculty Publications - College of Education

This study examines the role of AI peer reviewers in evaluating preservice teachers’ guided reading lesson plans at a U.S. university. A quasi-experimental design compared two groups: one receiving traditional human peer reviews and another using ChatGPT as a peer reviewer. Data sources included peer review reports and student survey responses. Grounded in the Zone of Proximal Development and effective feedback literature, the study investigates how AI feedback influences critical thinking and engagement during lesson planning. It also explores preservice teachers’ attitudes toward AI versus human feedback. The findings demonstrate both the advantages and disadvantages of AI-generated feedback which provides …

Rethinking Literacy, Datafication, And Racial Power In Access Is Capture: How Edtech Reproduces Racial Inequality, Anne C. Holdren

Faculty Publications - College of Education

No abstract provided.