Education Commons^™

Volume 32, Number 1, Spring 2023, Office Of Communications, Illinois Wesleyan University

Illinois Wesleyan University Magazine, 2018-present

VOLUME 32 | NUMBER 1 | Spring 2023

ON OUR COVER:

Tim Pritts ’91, as a senior trauma surgeon and the chief of general surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, helped save the life of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin.

14 Saving Damar After Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo Bills’ 24-year-old safety, suffered sudden cardiac arrest in the middle of a livebroadcast NFL football game, IWU alum Tim Pritts ’91 was in the operating room where Hamlin's life was saved.

18 A Life of Change President Georgia Nugent is traveling the country to meet alums in 2023. She gave …

Reaching Rural Students With Resources And Enrichment-Focused Learning In The Summer Months, Kathrina M. O'Connell

The Rural Educator

This promising practice describes the summer programming transformation at a rural, Title I school. After eliminating barriers to education and remediation overtones, the school now provides free transportation, meals, and books for all participants and engages them in research based, enrichment focused literacy learning. The program’s first year experienced a 746% increase in registration, 34% increase in retention, and 18% increase in attendance. Similar registration and participation numbers were reported in years two - four, with reading growth demonstrated in all four summers. Both students and their parents reported increased engagement and motivation to read in the summer months. Results …

A Systematic Review Of Research On Race In Rural Educational Scholarship Since 2001, Timberly L. Baker, Joy Howard, Amy Swain

The Rural Educator

This systematic review of literature on race in rural educational scholarship addresses the research question: 1) How are race and racism typically represented (defined, discussed) in rural education literature? a) What factors have been explored at length in regard to race and racism? b)Where are the predominant gaps in the research literature? In answering these questions we reviewed literature published in three rural education journals from 2001-2022 and used a systematic approach to the data collection, extraction, and analysis. The overall findings about race yielded four themes: Race as– descriptor, located within a racial hierarchy, socially constructed, and an element …

Anti-Queer Policy & Rural Schools: A Framework To Analyze Anti-Queer Policy Implementation In Rural Schools, Clint Whitten, Courtney Thomas

The Rural Educator

No abstract provided.

Understanding Rural Communities: Crafting Local Inquiries As Praxis For Pre-Service Ela Students In Teaching Composition, Cathie English

The Rural Educator

This study focused upon a sequence of three inquiry assignments with pre-service teachers (PSTs) in English language arts in an advanced composition and theory methods course. Place conscious and critical literacy scholars argue for a deeper understanding of rural lifeways and note the deficit or lesser than assumptions associated with rural communities and the need to develop a critical rural literacy to address the specific needs of rural educators as well as address the long-standing stereotypes. This study’s purpose was to determine if these inquiry tools can be used to teach PSTs a critical literacy that can be applied in …

Co-Existing With Covid-19: Language Teacher Resiliency In Rural Schools, Kelly Moser, Tianlan Wei

The Rural Educator

Language educators were unprepared for emergency remote language teaching (ERLT) due to lack of training in online pedagogy and negative perceptions of online instruction, and the rural community of language educators have been challenged in unique ways. Using the intersections of content (language teaching), space (rurality), and context (pandemic) as the theoretical framework, this comparative survey study aimed to investigate rural Mississippi language teachers’ beliefs and practices to ERLT in comparison to their counterparts nationwide. Two independent samples, one consisting of 94 Mississippi language teachers and the other consisting of 255 national K-12 language teachers, responded to our electronic survey …

There’S Land Between Us: Rurality In The Northern Great Plains, Jarrett D. Moore, Louise M. Yoho

The Rural Educator

While there is a significant body of educational literature addressing the character and needs of rural communities in the Appalachian and southern regions of the US, there is a need for a better understanding of rural communities outside of this region. Existing literature focused on US rurality revolves around four main themes: the rural idyllic, isolation and deficits, rural identity, and community. The voices, experiences, and needs of future teachers of the Northern Great Plains are missing from this dominant narrative and this study begins to address this gap. This qualitative study is based on data collected from 16 semi-structured …

A Look Into The Physiological Impacts Of Childhood Cancers And Modeling Of Tumor Growth Rate, Erica Steiner, Kimberly Hansen, Marissa Stanton

Honors Theses

Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases present in the world. Children have different reactions to diseases and treatments; thus, it is important to study those reactions specifically in children. Knowing how children are impacted by these factors can be helpful in diagnosis and treatment of cancer. I performed this study by researching the different types of cancer I was interested in and using MATLAB to code for and simulate a growth curve of a brain tumor. I found that there are many different physiological impacts of different cancers in children. As for the modeling, I was able to get …

Identity (De/Re-)Construction: A Shifting Scale Of Identities Moving Abroad And Its Teaching Implications, Matthew Francis

MA TESOL Collection

Language learners who relocate voluntarily to different countries where their native tongue is not the primary spoken language, often uncover and learn aspects of who they are, that is, their identity and user agency. Through personal experience relocating, I intend to share the phenomenon of identity de/re- construction being immersed in another language and culture, moving in between my ‘original’ home country and the ‘new home,’ all while not being able to experience both former and latter identities at the same time (physically). This study will explore what I coin as an ‘identity spectrum’ through first person narratives (interviews) to …

Farmer-Centered Pesticide Risk Reduction Education In Senegal: A Novel, Participatory Approach, Mary L. Halbleib, Berit Dinsdale

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education

As pest pressures continue to intensify across Sub-Saharan Africa, many smallholder farmers are increasing their use of pesticides, including highly hazardous options, to meet the market demands for high-quality fresh produce. Many of these farmers, however, have not had access to pesticide risk reduction training or have participated in programs that have not enabled them to protect themselves and their families. Given the risks posed by dried and invisible though still toxic pesticide residues, new forms of information and realistic learning strategies are required. This study combined the innovative Adaptive Learner-Centered Education (ALCE) approach with the Farmer Field School (FFS) …

Exploring How School Choice Affects The Distribution Of Educational Resources In Ramsey County Minnesota, Craig Wiltzius

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated how school choice affects resource distributions, mainly the socio-economic status of students, and the potential impact this has on equity in Minnesota’s education system. The literature review outlines the origins and history of school choice and discusses court cases related to school choice in Minnesota. The literature review explores the benefits of competition in an educational marketplace and also examines how school choice sorts students. Additionally, the literature review considers the importance of socio-economic status to educational outcomes. The research methodology was quantitative and involved graphing the distribution of socio-economic status as measured by the percentage of …

Measuring The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Minnesota Superintendents: “We Did Our Best While We Weren’T At Our Best”, Ann Ertl

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Ertl, A. (2023). Measuring the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Minnesota Superintendents: “We did our best while we weren’t at our best” This dissertation explores the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Minnesota superintendents and contributes to the literature on the pandemic’s impact on education. By employing a statewide survey and grounded theory approach, the research investigates the lived experiences of superintendents during the pandemic and addresses gaps in understanding the specific effects on this group. The central research question focuses on how two years of the pandemic influenced the day-to-day work of Minnesota superintendents. The study’s findings highlight …

When You Look Into The Mirror And See Nothing: Psychic Disequilibrium And Its Relationship With Impostor Phenomenon In Hmong Women Leaders In The United States, Mai Nhia Xiong-Chan

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Xiong-Chan, M. (2023). When You Look into the Mirror and See Nothing: Psychic Disequilibrium and its relationship with Impostor Phenomenon in Hmong Women Leaders in the United States.

Hmong have made considerable educational and socio-economic strides in the United States, post immigration after the Vietnam War. This has been achieved through significant challenges such as language, culture, discrimination, poverty and racism. This phenomenological study focuses specifically on Hmong women leaders in the United States and, through qualitative research, examines how psychic disequilibrium and impostor phenomenon have impacted their journeys. Using thematic analysis this study focused on the following research questions: …

Sacred Heart University Magazine, Volume 4, Issue 2, Sacred Heart University

Sacred Heart University Magazine

Highlights: Act II, SHU Community Theatre -- SHU's Tribal Land Acknowledgement raises the bar on facing the past -- Five puppies are being raised and trained as service dogs by Sacred Heart students -- SHU in Dingle brings nursing students like Sydney Varone '24 face to face with a different culture and a different method of nursing -- In Word and Deed: Sr. Pat Daly was a friend of the Earth, and everyone on it -- Protecting What's Yours: SHU provides a free estate planning service to alumni -- Social media is us ... and that's the problem, by Bill …

"Freedom Is Not Enough...": Affirmative Action And J.D. Completion Among Underrepresented People Of Color, Jason M. Scott, Paige Wilson, Andrea Pals

AccessLex Institute Research

In Fall 2022, the Supreme Court heard arguments regarding the future of affirmative action in higher education. Initially, affirmative action policies were adopted to give equal opportunity to communities who have been and continue to be harmed by discriminatory systems and practices. As we wait for the Court’s decision, it is crucial to understand how existent affirmative action bans impact underrepresented people of color’s (uPOC) graduate/professional degree attainment. Data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Center for Reproductive Rights is analyzed to determine whether affirmative action bans decrease the proportion of uPOC completing …

Protecting Diversity: Can We Afford To Throw Out Grutter Before Its Expiration Date?, Jason M. Scott, Paige Wilson, Tiffane Cochran, Andrea Pals

AccessLex Institute Research

With landmark affirmative action decisions pending from the United States Supreme Court in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina, this paper examines whether the educational benefits that flow from diversity acknowledged in Grutter v. Bollinger (2003) persist twenty years later in a law school context. Using data from the American Bar Association (ABA), the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Law School Survey of Student Engagement (LSSSE), we model law school campus diversity as a predictor of attrition, predicted law school GPA, and first-time bar …

In Their Own Words: Student Mental Health In Rural, Low Socioeconomic High Schools, Jason E. Hughes, Jonathan D. Ulmer, J. Spencer Clark, Brandie Disberger, Gaea Hock, Jason Ellis

The Rural Educator

The purpose of this research paper was to highlight the factors students and school staff identify as contributors to mental health issues students attending rural, low socioeconomic high schools experience and the specific mental health issues they witness most. A collective case study was conducted in four rural high schools, two in Kansas and two in West Virginia. Field work at each school involved observations, document collection, and semi-structured focus group interviews with students and school staff. The factors identified as contributors to poor student mental health were pressure, technology, home life, bullying, and stigma. Anxiety, stress, depression, lack of …

College Of Graduate Programs And Honors Studies Newsletter - April 2023, College Of Graduate Programs And Honors Studies, Wright State University

College of Graduate Programs and Honors Studies Newsletter

A seven page newsletter created by the College of Graduate Programs and Honors Studies at Wright State University. This newsletter includes a upcoming events, message from the dean, and more.

Community College Students’ Awareness Of Their Reading And Writing Proficiency, Martha Paulina Campusano Rojas

Dissertations

Student’s low reading and writing proficiency in higher education has been the subject of a large body of research (e.g., Bahr, 2011; Bailey, 2010; Carlino, 2005, 2010, 2012; Flink, 2017; Jaggars, 2014 Pacello, 2014; Perin, 2011; Perin et al., 2013).The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how students in a first-year developmental Spanish course at the Dominican community college think of the connection between their reading and writing abilities and their performance in both their current and future undergraduate courses. The study also explored how these students view the importance of the developmental course and how they understand …

The Effects Of Inservice Science Teachers’ Self-Efficacy On Science Achievement Using The 5e Model Of Instruction., O'Tessa Nicole Pelham

Theses and Dissertations

Science achievement has been a major focus in our educational system. While several learning models effectively increase science achievement, the nation is still not progressing adequately. A gap in the literature shows the need to find the effects of teachers’ self-efficacy, specifically with in-service science teachers. A pretest-posttest, non-equivalent control group, quasi-experimental research design was used in Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 to find the effects of in-service science teachers’ self-efficacy on science achievement, using the 5E Instructional Model. The study included 38 in-service science teachers who rated items on the pretest/posttest STEBI-A. Teachers in the experimental group consisted of …

Chemistry Learning Through Culturally Responsive Transformative Teaching (Crtt): Educating Indonesian High School Students For Cultural Sustainability, Yuli Rahmawati, Alin Mardiah, Elisabeth Taylor, Peter Charles Taylor, Achmad Ridwan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), culture provides the transformative dimension for ensuring the development process of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As one of the key drivers in the implementation of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, culture ensures a people-centered and context-relevant approach that cuts across a range of policy areas and, thus, in the context of quality education promotes the development of human resources for cultural and environmental sustainability. It is in this context that we report on a study aimed at developing students’ cultural identity and supporting the …

Introduction And Table Of Contents, Mary Rodriguez

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education

The Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education is the official refereed publication of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education (AIAEE). Its purpose is to enhance the research and knowledge base of agricultural and extension education from an international perspective.

A Phenomenological Pre- And Post-Reflective Comparison Of Graduate Student Intercultural Competence From Agricultural Service-Learning Experiences, Kim E. Dooley, Catherine E. Sanders, Leslie Edgar

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education

The purpose of this study was to determine growth in intercultural competence after graduate students participated in an international service learning (ISL) experience. One method for developing intercultural competence is service learning, where students apply learning in real-world settings through a cycle of action and reflection. This study used an interpretative phenomenological analysis related to the lived experience of eight graduate students who participated in two intensive ISL projects in Timor-Leste or Guatemala. Results included the student point of view (emic) narrative as an ethnographic crafted profile for each participant to demonstrate the process of intercultural competence development across individual …

Professional Learning Community Conflicts And Teacher Leader Conflict Management From Multiple Stakeholder Perspectives, Amanda B. Dunn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative, phenomenological study examined the nature of conflict within professional learning community (PLC) collaborative groups and the teacher leader’s management of the conflict from the teacher, teacher leader, and administrator perspective at suburban secondary schools. Purposive, criterion sampling based on job title and having at least one year of experience at a PLC campus qualified participants to capture the phenomenon’s characteristics. Semistructured interviews of three administrators, four teacher leaders, and two teachers were recorded and transcribed before an initial round of open coding. After analyzing open codes, the data were analyzed using closed coding, which established common themes. The …

The Impact Of Social-Emotional Team Huddles On Educational Leaders' Wellbeing: An Improvement Science Study, Jennifer Lambie Patterson

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Teachers and administrators have been leaving the education industry with nearly half of educators hired living within their first five years in the classroom. Burnout and stress contribute most significantly to the high attrition rates. One research-based strategy that has been deemed impactful is creating a culture of wellness and establishing trusting relationships in the workplace. These relationships may be achieved through engagement structures, inclusive environments, and strong leadership attributes that foster one-to-one connections. The method researched in this improvement science in practice methodology is the implementation of bi- monthly team huddles with a department of education administrators. Included in …

Demystifying Preservice Teacher Reflective Thinking: A Systematic Literature Review, Joan Flora

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This systematic literature review responds to the need for research on clarity of what reflective thinking practice is and in determining the value of that practice for preservice teachers. While much has been written about preservice teacher reflective thinking, few studies have explored empirical research on the processes that inform and shape preservice teachers’ reflective practice. This study examines the existing literature to discern common themes in the diverse definitions of reflective thinking. This study also examines diverse frameworks that help teacher educators guide, analyze, assess, and measure the quality of preservice teacher reflective thinking. This study helps inform education …

Using Online Video Observations And Real Time, Peer Reflective Analysis Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Pedagogy In A University Teacher Preparatory Program For Preservice Teachers, Adrian E. Cortes

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This research aimed to understand the impacts of using online video observations and real-time peer reflection to teach and address culturally responsive teaching in a Pacific Northwest university’s teacher preparatory program. Six active university students enrolled in a university’s new teacher preparatory program (i.e., preservice, new teacher candidates) actively participated in all areas of this study (i.e., nonrandom sampling) and provided both quantitative and qualitative data. Study participants completed self-evaluative pre- and post-surveys in a research group session. Surveys were built using the ready 4 rigor framework (Hammond & Jackson, 2015) and the four areas of culturally responsive teaching as …

A Conceptual Analysis And Variable Identification Study Of First-Language Attrition, Neil Edward Cantrall

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Children who grow up hearing and speaking one language and then begin learning another often experience first-language (L1) attrition. Existing research presents different theories regarding the process and the contributing factors of L1 attrition. However, the theories and factors are often dispersed throughout the literature with little coherent presentation. This makes it difficult for researchers and some practitioners to model L1 attrition with other variables properly. This study merged conceptual and content analysis through literature reviews to identify the relevant and essential variables that play a role in L1 attrition. I reviewed 54 textual sources which presented information or studies …

An Evaluation Of Social Emotional Learning Curricula And Their Effect On 4th Grade Students' Emotional Regulation, Jared Larson

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This study evaluated the effectiveness of Sanford Harmony and Adventure Based Counseling (ABC) interventions on the emotional regulation of 4th-grade students. Students were not randomly selected in this study, and pre and postassessments were measured using an Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Results indicated both interventions had a positive effect on participants’ emotional regulation. Further, the Sanford Harmony and ABC intervention were found to be successful in improving emotional regulation. These improvements helped with regulating oneself, dealing with trauma, helping with relationships, and solving problems. Implications for counselors and educators include recommending both interventions as a means to improve students’ emotional regulation. …

An Implementation Evaluation Of Social And Emotional Skills Curricula In A Cohort Model, Lancelot Falcon

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) evaluates the implementation of social and emotional learning (SEL) lessons to address SEL challenges for 9th grade students attending WC High School (pseudonym). WC High School is one of four comprehensive high schools in Eugene, Oregon. A networked improvement community (NIC) composed of district leadership, school administrators, and teachers used the “collaborative for academic, social, and emotional learning” (CASEL) framework to develop and provide lessons supporting SEL throughout the academic year. The NIC created these lessons to give students opportunities to improve self-management, growth mindset, self-efficacy, and social awareness by implementing periodic tasks …