Education Commons^™

A Large Language Model-Based Academic Advising Assistant For Engineering Technology Students, Murat Kuzlu, Vukica M. Jovanovic, Katherine Smith, Otilia Popescu, Adel El-Shahat, Ryan Cotton, Kayla Marie Seegers, William Austin Henderson

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

In recent years, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based solutions, particularly Large Language Models (LLMs), have been applied to a variety of domains, such as energy, finance, transportation, healthcare, and education. Among these domains, education has become increasingly popular due to strong interest among educators and students. This study proposes an academic advising assistant system that uses LLMs to help Engineering Technology (ET) students plan their course load based on their educational history, departmental course offerings, and personal constraints, such as their preferred semester course load. The proposed LLM-based academic advising assistant system maintains a database of students' course histories and upcoming course …

Artificial Intelligence (Ai) In Educating Next Generation Of Engineering Technology Students, Adel El-Shahat, Murat Kuzlu, Vukica M. Jovanovic, Katherine Smith, Abdullah Al Mamun, Otilia Popescu

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming education, particularly for electrical engineering technology (EET) students, by presenting adaptive learning, immediate responses, and unconventional tools. Therefore, this paper proposes investigating modern learning to employ AI in educating future electrical engineering technology students. Firstly, the paper explores how to shape AI knowledge for EET students, supplying them with hands-on skills in AI tasks, clarifying coding, data analysis, and AI ethical usage. Then, as educators, what are the efficient AI tools to utilize in teaching, such as tailored tutoring, automated code assessment, AI-driven design/simulation, lecture dictation, and smart content creation? Key tools, for instance, Google …

Using A Study Journal To Support Class Engagement And The Development Of Entrepreneurial Mindset Habits, Otilia Popescu, Dimitrie C. Popescu

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Engineering Technology programs were historically introduced to support non-traditional students and offer college pathways for students working and having already a developing career. This is even more true in the current academic environment, with a large percentage of students enrolled in engineering technology programs being either fully or part-time employed, active or retired military, and at different stages in their lives, usually with families to care for. Often, non-traditional students attend classes online, either synchronously or even more often asynchronously, due to their schedule constraints. Course instructors regularly face schedule or time management constraints from the students’ side, and they …

Wip: Arduino-Based Pbl To Foster Entrepreneurial Mindset, Nathan Q. Holland, Vukica M. Jovanovic

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

This work-in-progress paper examines a semester-long project-based learning initiative begun in an introductory engineering course during the Fall 2025 semester. The project aims to enhance students' hands-on experience by integrating information literacy, the engineering design process (EDP), and an entrepreneurial mindset (EM) [1]. The objective is to boost student confidence in teamwork, technical problem-solving, and application of skills, preparing them for future courses in their discipline. Students in this introduction to engineering course received an Arduino Uno R3 Controller board kit and additional sensors. They were tasked to develop a device addressing engineering in the medicine challenge of their choosing. …

Appendices A, B, C, D, & E For "In Their Own Words: Qualitative And Quantitative Analyses Of What Students, Staff, And Faculty Say About Vertical Transfer", Alexandra W. Logue, Vita Rabinowitz, Kerstin Gentsch, David Wutchiett, Barbara Condliffe, Sophia Sutcliffe, Yoshiko Oka, Stephanie Abbeyquaye, Rhina Torres, Nayeon Yoo, Kyle Du

Publications and Research

Deposited here are the Appendices (A, B, C, D, & E) for an article to be published in 2026 in Journal of Postsecondary and Student Success. The abstract of this article is:

This research analyzed higher education constituencies’ statements about vertical transfer (student transfer from community to bachelor’s colleges). Data consisted of both focus group excerpts involving dozens of students, staff, and faculty, and of answers to open-ended survey questions completed by thousands of students and faculty. Results were generally consistent using both qualitative (topic identification) and quantitative (bigram frequency and sentiment analysis) analyses. The results were also compared …

Teacher Perceptions Of School Leadership: Trust, Fairness, And Support As Predictors Of Student Achievement, Kevin Hub, Trevor Smith

Journal of Excellence in College Teaching and Learning

This descriptive, nonexperimental quantitative study examined the relationship between staff–leadership working conditions and student achievement variables in Kentucky high schools. This research makes use of extant data from the Impact Kentucky Working Conditions Survey for the 2023-2024 school year. The researchers particularly studied the correlation between teacher perceptions of trust, fairness, and support from principals and student achievement in the Kentucky Summative Assessment (KSA). Teacher perceptions of working conditions were generally favorable, though trust and perceptions of school leadership emerged as weaker areas. Correlation analyses indicated only weak, nonsignificant associations between leadership working conditions and student achievement variables at the …

New Hampshire Tcap, Riley Lane

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Reading Between The Lines: Representations Of Dyslexia In Young Adult Literature, Carli B. Gauvin

Honors Theses and Capstones

While dyslexia affects upwards of 20% of the population, this learning disability is not commonly brought up in young adult literature. This lack of representation negatively impacts those with dyslexia, who often fail to find themselves in the books they read, and readers in general, who are given fewer opportunities to gain insight into the learning disability. Young adult books that do discuss dyslexia can be at risk of portraying the learning disability in an unfavorable light, which can make dyslexic readers feel undervalued in society and can introduce misconceptions about dyslexia to all readers. It is crucial to analyze …

Phonetics And Orthography In French: A Proposal For A New Course, Kyara A. Crespo Gutierrez

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Creating A Positive Learning Environment In A Math Course For Preservice Teachers, Kien H. Lim, Hilda Y. Sotelo

Departmental Papers (Math)

This study examines how a mathematics instructor cultivated a positive learning environment in a synchronous online course for 23 preservice teachers. Guided by self-determination theory, growth mindset, and mathematical caring, the course integrated high-cognitive-demand tasks, collaborative problem solving, flexible policies, and motivational supports. Data sources included reflection logs (Likert-scale items and open-ended responses) and a focus group; the instructor’s reflexive self-study informed result interpretation. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests indicated significant gains in students’ sense of inclusion and trust, though some instructor- related ratings declined late in the semester. Qualitative findings emphasized students’ appreciation for flexibility, encouragement, and growth-oriented feedback. Despite time …

Equity In Coastal Resilience: A Framework For University Engagement In Community-Based Projects, Juita-Elena (Wie) Yusuf, Jennifer L. Whytlaw, Marina Saitgalina, Ogechukwu N. Nwandu-Vincent, Khairul A. Anuar, Thomas Allen, Joshua Behr

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

As communities face intensifying climate hazards, it is vital to strengthen resilience in ways that explicitly prioritize social equity. This study examines how higher education institutions can better support government, nonprofit, and community partners in advancing equity-centered coastal resilience in the U.S. Utilizing a qualitative research design, we analyze discussions among researchers and practitioners during a three-day workshop. We present a framework derived from a thematic analysis of breakout group transcripts from a three-day national virtual workshop involving 113 researchers and practitioners. The analysis identified four core themes: the necessity of aligning projects with community-defined priorities; the foundational role of …

The (Non) Numeric Truths Behind College And Career Aspirations: A Quantcrit Analysis Of The Precarious Pathways For Secondary Students Of Color, Norma A. Marrun, Danielle Mireles, Jori S. Beck, Christine Clark

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This article explored the college and career choices of 963 students across six urban secondary schools in a large public school district in the Southwestern United States. A Quantitative Critical Race Theory, or QuantCrit, analysis was applied to expose the false narrative of number neutrality and the systemic racism that belies it. Findings demonstrate how the myth of meritocracy through education (as ‘the great equalizer’) is perpetuated when educators hold onto racist and ableist beliefs about who can pursue college, and ignore the structural disadvantages underlying the college and career aspirations of students of Color juxtaposed with the reality of …

Methodological Insights And Trends: Participatory Positioning Of Children And Youth In Visual Art Education Research, Angela Eckhoff

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Participatory research methods have a focus on facilitating research processes that engage with participants and, as such, aim to promote individual voice, facilitate richer reflection and dialogue, and enable the articulation of participants' unique experiences. To explore the degree to which participatory practices are enacted in visual art education research, the present study critically examines the agentic positioning of children and youth in school‐based, visual arts experiences through a systematic, methodological literature review. Findings from this review serve to ground proposed recommendations for the inclusion of supportive research practices that carefully attend to the unique considerations that arise during participatory …

Participatory Approaches To Understanding Collaborative, Child-Initiated Play: Children's Agency, Social Negotiation, And Identity Construction On The Playground, Angela Eckhoff

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Children's play in schools is often tightly controlled, shaped by adult beliefs and concerns about safety and appropriateness. Play in school settings can reflect expected school norms and follow rules set by adults, but free play also allows for rough, risky, mischievous, and subversive actions. This research, guided by an affordance framework, examines spontaneous, child-initiated outdoor free play to understand how children navigate and reinterpret the boundaries of play. Using critical naturalistic inquiry and participatory methods, the study data includes children's videography that captures dynamic interactions and shifts in agency among peers, go along interviews that track boundary negotiations in …

'I Want To Learn Biology And Preserve My Culture' Testing The Efficacy Of A Culturally Relevant And Context Specific Approach, Umar Adam, Musa Adekunle Ayanwale, Hafsat Mustapha, Sakibu Olajide Saibu, Tunde Owolabi, Adekunle Ibrahim Oladejo

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Background

The dominance of Western-inspired teaching methods and instructional materials has contributed to cultural erosion in African schools. In response, increasing attention has been directed toward culturally responsive approaches to decolonising science education. One such approach is the Culturo-Techno-Contextual Approach (CTCA), which enables African students to conceptualize science as culturally embedded knowledge, integrated into their everyday experiences and practically relevant to their lived realities.

Purpose

This study examined the potency of the CTCA in enhancing students' achievement in the biology topic of variation, which is widely regarded as conceptually challenging.

Sample

The study involved 105 Senior Secondary II students from …

Artifact Centered Interdisciplinary Instruction Supports Secondary Student Learning In Chemistry History And Engineering, Rachel Sparks White, Kristie S. Gutierrez, James K. Ferri

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Secondary STEM instruction often remains organized in disciplinary silos, limiting opportunities for students to apply Concepts across domains incoherent, authentic contexts. This mixed methods implementation study examined Convergence Research in STEM and Tradition (CReST), an Artifact centered interdisciplinary curriculum model designed to connect chemistry, world history, and engineering through a shared instructional context. In this implementation, Italian frescoes served as a boundary object anchoring a six-day sequence on mural materials, deterioration, and restoration. The sequence integrated targeted concepts in inorganic chemistry (e.g., the lime cycle and thermal processes), renaissance era historical contacts and the engineering design process within tasks related …

Supporting Teacher Candidates' Conceptions Of Equitable Mathematics Teaching: Using Exposure And Experience In Elementary Mathematics Methods Courses, Amanda Mohammad Mirzaei, Ethan P. Smith

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Elementary mathematics methods courses may provide a lever to help support teacher candidates in their trajectory to becoming equitable mathematics teachers. To support the rising generation of mathematics teachers, mathematics teacher educators (MTEs) must critically analyze approaches to equity within and across teacher preparation programs. This study investigates an elementary mathematics course centering equitable mathematics teaching and learning (EMT), rather than isolating or using it as a supplementary aspect. We consider a framework of the teacher learning trajectory (Turner et al., 2012) where teacher candidates learn initial practices, make connections, and then incorporate these practices into their teaching. We extend …

Becoming A Self-Study Researcher: Learning Method Through Practice, Brandon M. Butler, Andrew J. Collins, Jim F. Leathrum, Christopher J. Lynch

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Calls for methodological innovation in qualitative research often assume that researchers can readily adopt new approaches once they are introduced. Yet adoption presupposes learning, and far less attention has been given to how scholars come to understand and enact unfamiliar methodologies, particularly those that challenge entrenched assumptions about rigor, evidence, and researcher positioning. This study examines how three engineering faculty members learned self-study of professional practice through participation in a facilitated, collaborative inquiry. Using self-study as both methodology and site of investigation, we analyzed reflective journals, recorded dialogues, and analytic artifacts to examine methodological learning as it unfolded in practice. …

Leveraging Virtual Reality And Haptics To Teach Surgical Skills: A Usability Study On Retropubic Midurethral Slings, Lauren Siff, Ginger S. Watson, Jerome Dixon, Moshe Feldman, Franklin Bost, Philippe J. Giabbanelli

VMASC Publications

Traditional methods to learn soft-tissue surgical procedures rely on cadaver labs or patient-based learning, which are costly and geographically limited, and raise ethical questions. Virtual reality (VR) with haptic feedback offers a scalable alternative, but most current platforms emphasize bone-based rather than soft-tissue procedures learned by feel. We developed a VR+haptic simulation for preoperative training of retropubic midurethral sling (MUS) surgery. This study examines the usability of this platform with thirteen expert urogynecologic surgeons and subsequently makes improvements (e.g., in haptics) to evaluate the platform with twelve trainees based on the NASA Task Load Index for workload and a UTAUT-informed …

Challenging Stem Learning Spaces: The Paradigm Of Contemplative Traditions As The Bedrock Of Creativity And Healing, Raaghav Pandya, Christopher Emdin

Publications and Research

As the post-pandemic classroom and pedagogy evolve to remedy oppressive norms, young people’s mental health and alienation has taken front stage (Rahmani & Zitouni, 2022). Traditional STEM learning spaces often teach inquiry as a linear, non-deviated approach to problems about self and nature (Hrisa & Psillos, 2022). Furthermore, because our classrooms often strip students and educators of their inherent creative abilities through constant assessments, improvement scales, and market-driven expectations, classrooms cease to become places of healing (Pandya, 2021). Eastern wisdom traditions and their associated philosophies provide a unique pedagogical lens that emphasizes a deep inquiry into self, empathy, and creativity …

Rethinking Dfw In Gateway Mathematics: Preserved, Disrupted, And Dissipated Momentum Pathways To Student Retention, John Alan Nunnery, Charles Mathies

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

This study examines how disaggregated first-year mathematics outcomes, including failure, low-passing grades, course withdrawal, and no attempt at a credit-bearing mathematics course, are associated with second-year retention at a large, diverse, urban public university. The study extends academic momentum theory by positing and operationalizing preserved (marginal passing), disrupted (failure or withdrawal), and dissipated (non-enrollment) as qualitatively distinct momentum states rather than a single condition. Using a segmented binary logistic regression model with more than 26,000 first-time, full-time students across ten entry cohorts (2012–2021), we estimate differences in retention by mathematics outcome, course type, and cohort context. Results show a pronounced …

Teachers' Perspectives On Inclusive Education For Children With Special Needs, Abakah Francis, Ava-Gay Annakaye Morgan, Emmanuel Ogheneovo Sodje, Francis Dugbartey, Gabriel Lagbel, Okezie Chika Chibundu

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Inclusive education is widely recognized as a key approach to ensuring equitable access to quality education for children with special needs, requiring teachers to possess adequate knowledge, skills, and supportive resources. In the Nigerian context, particularly in private schools, gaps in teacher training, limited resources, and insufficient institutional support continue to hinder the effective implementation of inclusive education practices. This study investigates teachers' perspectives on inclusive education for children with special needs in Nigerian private schools. The primary purpose is to assess teachers' understanding of inclusive education, their familiarity with effective teaching strategies, and their preparedness to implement inclusive practices. …

The Presidential Address To The Association For Career And Technical Education Research: Cte Research Ecosystem Growing Scholars And Workforce Capacity, Michelle E. Bartlett

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Career and Technical Education (CTE) research has advanced knowledge, strengthened communities, informed policy, and expanded pathways to opportunity for decades. As ACTER begins a new chapter, we are invited to imagine the future of our field beyond a linear pipeline. We can embrace a view of CTE research as a living ecosystem that grows talent, supports collaboration, and sustains discovery over time. This presidential address emphasizes three priorities for that future: applied research that reaches practice, mentorship that nurtures the next generation of scholars, and partnerships that ensure knowledge becomes action. By centering learners and communities in our work, we …

Infusing Authenticity Into A Service-Learning Program: Examining Long-Term Impacts On Professional Development, Mohan Yang, Jonathan Harbor, Belle Li, Jacqueline Nikiema

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Purpose

The employability of postgraduate students remains a critical concern in higher education, as postgraduate programs, particularly at the doctoral level, traditionally focus on disciplinary and research competencies. This leads to a lack of adequate preparation for employment, especially for non-academic roles. This study examines the long-term impacts of an authentic service-learning program on trainees' professional lives, with a particular emphasis on academia. This addresses the need for insight into the long-term impacts of initiatives that enhance postgraduate programs with opportunities for students to acquire transferable competencies prior to entering employment.

Design/methodology/approach

We adopted a narrative inquiry approach to investigate …

Debt Decisions: The Effects Of Paying For College In The United States With Student Loans, Kim E. Bullington, David J. Thomas, Minghui Hou, William L. Nuckols, Dennis E. Gregory, Joshua L. Howell, Kaycee L. Bills, Amy-Leah Joaquim

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Student loans have increasingly become a burden on individuals. This qualitative analysis explores how structural inequities and financial literacy gaps influence US student loan borrowers’ decisions to finance postsecondary education. The study highlights racial and economic disparities, examining participants’ reflections on debt aversion and systemic barriers to equitable access. We asked why participants took out federal student loans, asked about their decision processes when taking on debt, whether participants took any action to reduce accumulated debt, and if they’d made any discoveries about their decisions to take on student loan debt. After coding and a thematic analysis, five themes and …

An Ethnographic Study Of First-Generation Alumni At Dartmouth College: Perspectives From Alumni, Faculty, Staff, And Administrators, Brittney A. Roden

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

First- generation college students (FGCS) often face challenges adapting to the academic and social environments of elite institutions like Dartmouth College. Lacking familial experience in higher education, they must decode unspoken institutional norms, contributing to stress, social isolation, and barriers to accessing institutional support. This study examines how FGCS experience academic pressure, social belonging, and engagement with campus systems, and how these shape their personal and professional trajectories. Drawing on participant-generated audio diary journals with alumni, qualitative interviews with faculty and staff, and a review of existing literature, this research highlights the interplay of academic stress, coping strategies, cultural capital, …

Hands-On: Integrating Active Learning Into An Upper Extremity Occupational Therapy Elective, Jennifer Radziak, Katie Jones, Kelsey Picha

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

In an effort to provide students with advanced clinical practice skills, several occupational therapy elective courses were developed. The current article describes an educational innovation that involved an in-person elective course for graduate second year Master of Science in Occupational Therapy students that focused on the upper extremity. The course was team-taught, promoted active learning, and used unique activities to engage students in the learning process. Relevant evidence-based practice literature and clinical guidelines were incorporated into the course to teach students about the treatment of upper extremity conditions. The active learning strategies implemented in the course included fresh donor dissection, …

Iuse: A Gamified Virtual Learning Platform For Connected Vehicle Applications To Enhance Undergraduate Transportation Education, Tianyu Shen, Di Yang, Kai Sun, Hong Yang, Kun Xie, Mansoureh Jeihani

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Emerging transportation technologies are rapidly reshaping transportation systems and industry practice. However, most transportation undergraduate curricula still emphasize foundational topics such as geometric design, travel demand forecasting, pavements, and soil properties, typically delivered through lecture-centric instruction. While these subjects remain essential to the discipline, they do not fully reflect the pace of technological change or provide sufficient opportunities for experiential learning with modern tools and data. This gap limits students’ exposure to CV concepts and their ability to translate theory into practice.

Focusing on a key emerging technology, connected vehicles (CVs), this paper bridges the above gap by introducing a …

Visual And Rhetorical Analysis Practices In The Sociology Classroom: A Focus On “Zombie” And Derry Girls, Kate Antosik-Parsons, Ann Johnson, Danielle Nielsen, Diane Sabenacio Nititham

Journal of Excellence in College Teaching and Learning

The purpose of this article is to provide a lesson that uses readily available and relatable popular media to address contemporary social issues and ongoing global concerns. Using sociological theories and rhetorical analysis, our three-day activity, “Public Art, Place, and Global Conflict” introduced students to The Troubles, the ethno-national conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted from the late 1960s to 1998. We taught visual media analysis to identify multidimensional social dynamics in the protest song and music video “Zombie” by Irish band The Cranberries (1996), and two episodes of the TV show Derry Girls (2018-2022), a teen sitcom by Lisa …

“I Don’T Always See A Future For Me Here”: Oppressive Political Pressures On Lgbtq+ College Students’ Well-Being, Jodi Linley, Olivia M. Copeland, Kathleen J. Buell, Cindy Ann Kilgo, Megan Pendleton, Alex C. Lange, N F. Tennessen

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

In recent decades, colleges have broadly supported LGBTQ+ students. Now, institutions have shuttered LGBTQ+ initiatives in response to political pressures, with little consideration for the effects on students. This study answers the question, what current policy factors do LGBTQ+ college students describe as affecting their well-being, and in what ways? We analyzed 426 responses from a multi-institution study of LGBTQ+ students. By and large, students feel anxious and fearful as they navigate the current climate. Our analysis illustrated numerous factors, from the President and his administration to states and general emboldened violence, and the real and potential consequences of those …