Education Commons^™

Virtual Reality & Cybersecurity, Jonathan T. Hunnacutt, Honesty Beaton, Juan D. Guzman-Duran

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This poster includes how it was created, what we learned, and why it is useful. This project is a collaboration with the Cybersecurity Institute and Technology Incubator (CITI). Our team is developing a virtual reality version of CITI to support a hands-on learning space for information technology and cybersecurity education both in person and online.

Understanding Microsoft's Qubit, Alexander Escobedo, Eric Deyo

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

In this presentation, we attempt to understand the device that was recently developed by the Microsoft Azure Quantum group that creates, manipulates, and measures qubits using Majorana Zero Modes (MZM).

The Impact Of Socioeconomic Status On Student Achievement, Justin Kress

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This capstone research project explores the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and student achievement in English/Language Arts (ELA) at North Linn Middle School in rural Iowa. The study investigates how economic disadvantage, measured through Free and Reduced Lunch eligibility, influences student performance on standardized assessments such as aReading, CBMR (FastBridge), and ISASP. Utilizing both quantitative and qualitative data, the research identifies consistent achievement gaps between low-SES students and their peers, with the widest disparities occurring in upper middle school grades. In addition to assessment data, reflective journals and teacher observations were used to contextualize trends and inform possible instructional interventions. …

Ibl To Increase Curiosity, Creativity And Critical Thinking, Ryan Mclnroy

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

In the contemporary educational landscape, students face challenges due to a lack of essential skills needed to navigate the complexities of the 21st century, traditional educational practices have chosen to prioritize memorization and standardized testing over experiential learning. This research aims to investigate the potential of Inquiry Based Learning (IBL) strategies to increase creativity, critical thinking, and curiosity among secondary art students. Additionally, the study will look at how the implementation of IBL can enhance student engagement and motivation. By centering the study within a secondary school art classroom, the research focuses on the implementation of a structured inquiry-based project, …

Improving Preschoolers' Number Sense Using Counting Collections And Ten Frames, Ashley Gellings

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Recently, literacy has received considerable attention in education, often overshadowing mathematics instruction. This inquiry-based research study investigates the impact of counting collections and ten frames on improving preschoolers' number sense to determine if it can serve as an effective Tier 1 instructional strategy for younger learners. After reviewing the literature, the researcher decided on a Tier 1 instructional change to support further growth in number sense. Research indicates that students who master counting and cardinality skills by the end of preschool are more likely to succeed in future mathematics. While there is no specific information to determine the correct type …

Strategies For Reducing Violent Behavior In The Classroom, Barbara Lynne Jacobson

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Violence in classrooms remains a significant concern in schools across all grade levels globally. Existing research highlights the detrimental effects of such behavior on both students and educators, contributing to elevated teacher stress and increased attrition rates (Ferguson, 2024). Students exposed to violence may exhibit school avoidance, decreased academic performance, and psychological challenges (Ferguson, 2024). This school improvement project seeks to identify effective, evidence-based strategies teachers can use to reduce violent behaviors, thereby fostering a more positive classroom environment. Grounded in a comprehensive literature review, an in-depth study was conducted in a public kindergarten classroom in rural Iowa. Findings from …

Increasing Student Engagement In The Preschool Classroom, Kimberly Anderson

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Schools have a lot to worry about. In the classroom, engagement is a critical element that should be addressed more often. When students are not engaged, educators could start seeing more behavior problems. Research has shown that students who are engaged tend to have better test scores and grades. This study aims to investigate/research how to instruct/teach early childhood students and to get them more engaged in the classroom. Based on a literature review on classroom/school climate, preschool special education, strategies/interventions in preschool classrooms, and preschool interactions/engagement, I used different instructional groups as well as different teaching strategies to collect …

The Impact Of Incorporating Social And Emotional Learning Programs In The Classroom, Abby Pederson

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Pre-K Attendance On Academic Achievement, Elizabeth Spinsby

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This study investigates the impact of pre-kindergarten (pre-K) attendance on academic achievement in literacy and math among students in grades K–2 at a private Catholic school. Data were collected from standardized assessments, comparing students who attended school-based pre-K to those who did not. Results show a statistically significant advantage in literacy for pre-K attendees at the beginning of kindergarten, particularly in the 2024–2025 cohort. However, these academic benefits tend to diminish over time, with no consistent significant differences observed in higher grades. The findings highlight the importance of early childhood education in providing an initial academic boost, though sustaining these …

The Effect Of Smaller Classroom Settings On Behavioral Outcomes For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd), Erika Mull

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is increasingly prevalent among children worldwide and presents significant challenges in educational settings due to differences in behavior, communication, and social-emotional regulation. These differences can lead to unexpected and disruptive behaviors, such as aggression, refusal, and elopement, which impact students’ academic success and social interactions. Research has explored various strategies, including early interventions, teacher support, accommodations, and individualized education plans (IEPs), to support students with ASD. However, traditional classrooms with less structure can exacerbate these challenges. This inquiry-based research examines the impact of smaller classroom settings on the expected behaviors of students with autism, specifically focusing …

The Effects Of Technology Use In The Classroom Relating To Student Achievement And Engagement, Tayler Nickell

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Technology has made vast improvements in recent years which in turn has trickled into the education system making classrooms switch from traditional learning to learning with the use of technology. Research has shown that there are both advantages and disadvantages to using technology in the classroom. This study aims to find the right balance for technology use with both students and teachers while focusing on student achievement and engagement during their school careers. The researcher read through various scholarly journal articles relating to the topic of the effects of technology on student achievement and engagement. Based on the research, a …

Carnegie Foundation For The Advancement Of Teaching: Elective Classification For Community Engagement 2026 Re-Classification, Andrew Sexton

Morehead State College Histories

A report published by the Morehead State University Carnegie Committee that applied for reclassification by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching for the campus' community engagement program in 2025.

Patricia A. Tomson Center For Violence Prevention Spring 2025 Newsletter, University Of Northern Iowa. Patricia A. Tomson Center For Violence Prevention.

Patricia A. Tomson Center for Violence Prevention Newsletter

Contents:

--- Central College Train the Trainers
--- Spring 2025 MVP Train the Trainers
--- MVP Student Leadership Summit
--- Dan Marburger MVP Advocacy Award Ceremony
--- Iowa High School Athletic Association's Conference Connections
--- Oelwein Hearts Diversity Night
--- UNI College of Education's 2025 Social and Emotional Learning Conference
--- Iowa Healthiest State Initiative Conference
--- SAAM Panel Event
--- Tomson Scholars

Csbs Kudos, Spring 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Social And Behavioral Sciences.

CSBS Kudos

Contents:

--- Faculty Accolades
--- CSBS Awards
--- Promotions
--- Retirements: Robert Dise; Carolyn Hildebrandt
--- Scott Peters talks civics education on "Iowa Press"
--- Kelli Snyder receives Iowa Athletic Trainers' Society Educator of the Year Award
--- Nancy Kertz named to 2025 Great Iowa Nurses
--- Bill Henninger receives Fulbright U.S. Scholar award for spring 2025
--- A legacy of leadership
--- UNI Center for Civic Education hosts naturalization ceremony
--- PATCVP hosts inaugural Dan Marburger MVP Advocacy Awards
--- UNI public health students earn top honors at national competition
--- UNI expands access to offer Master’s in History …

Grand Valley Magazine, Vol. 24, No. 2, Spring 2025, Grand Valley State University

Grand Valley Magazine

Grand Valley Magazine is a quarterly publication about Grand Valley State University produced by University Communications since 2001.

How Are We Preparing Australian And Aotearoa New Zealand Teachers To Be Health Promotors? Examining Physical Activity, Sleep And Sun Safety In Initial Teacher Education, Joseph J. Scott, Alexandra P. Metse, Bronwen M. Mcnoe, Sally Blane, Sharyn Chin Fat, Justine Osborne, Nicky Muir

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Issue Addressed: While physical activity, sleep and sun safety (PASS) have been identified as important modifiable health behaviours and schools and teachers have been identified as vital for health promotion and primary prevention; little is known about how initial teacher education programs across Australia and New Zealand (NZ) are preparing future teachers to deliver PASS-related curriculum. This study investigated teacher educators' insights on their programs and their graduate's preparedness to plan and teach PASS education. Methods: Teacher educators (n = 98) from Australia and NZ completed a 30-item electronic survey. Quantitative tests were used to explore differences in the data. …

I Really Try To Model Good Practices: Reflecting On Journal Article Publication From Mid-Career, Margaret K. Merga, Shannon Mason, Julia Morris

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Publishing research in scholarly journals takes up much time and energy for many academics, and the early career phase may be particularly challenging, as researchers navigate the processes and politics of academic publishing for the first time. We previously explored these challenges as early-career researchers in a collaborative autoethnographic study in 2018. Now, 6 years later, we have once again reflected on our shared and divergent experiences, this time from our positions as mid-career researchers, socialised into the world of scholarly publishing and with longer histories of success and failure in scholarly publication. Our critical discussions revealed a continued commitment …

A Review Of The National Partnership For Student Success (Npss) Voluntary Quality Standards: A Resource For Community-Based Organizations In Southern Nevada, Benita R. Brooks, Omolola A. Odejemi,, Carolina Clavel, Amy Wolfe

National Institute for the Advancement of Education (NIAE)

This literature review examined how three nonprofits—Saga Education (high-impact tutoring), MENTOR (high-quality mentoring), and Communities In Schools (wraparound/integrated student supports)—aligned their programs with the National Partnership for Student Success (NPSS) Voluntary Quality Standards. By leveraging empirical research and data analysis, these organizations have developed evidence-based practices that improve academic outcomes, enhance student well-being, and create more supportive learning environments. The review evaluated the impact of each program on student outcomes, offering insights into how research-driven approaches in tutoring, mentoring, and wraparound student support contribute to student success. The NPSS initiative and its Voluntary Quality Standards provide a comprehensive framework for …

Testimonios Of Antiracist School Social Workers: Advancing Professional Equity And Updating The School Social Work Model, Leticia Villarreal Sosa, Christy Mccoy, Laurel E. Thompson, Stephanie Ochocki

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

During a modern era of rising white nationalism and racial reckoning, the opportunity to reimagine the national model for school social work practice was explored in partnership with practitioners, scholars, researchers, and leaders of the profession. It sparked a parallel process of engagement that required the critical analysis of the systemic and structural racism impacting not only our educational communities, but also the historical influences shaping the school social work profession. Like the many antiracist efforts that have come before, the revision process was impacted by a pervasive culture of white supremacy, yet what emerged was an equity-centered model to …

Uni Science Education Update Conference, Save The Date Flier, Spring 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. Science Education Program.

Science Education Update Conference Documents

No abstract provided.

Preservice Teachers’ Experiences With Critical Self-Reflection As A Means For Identifying Resistances To Becoming Culturally Competent: A Phenomenological Study, Susan Elaine Huff

Dissertations

Preservice teacher programs have been charged with finding ways to make programming more multiculturally inclusive due to the student population in K-12 public schools across the United States becoming increasing racially, culturally, or ethnically more diverse each year. The majority of current educational research surrounding multicultural education, explores the limited diversity in teacher education programs, understanding the cultural competency of the current teachers, and investigating discrepancies within current classroom application. There is little research that considers how preservice teachers use critical self-reflection as a tool for working with diverse student populations during clinical work in their program. Therefore, the purpose …

The Power Of Pre-Reading Skills, Amy Vandermeer

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Early primary students can struggle with pre-reading skills, and this struggle leads to a lack of reading development as they enter primary grades. Research reveals that factors such as working memory and disorders such as dyslexia influence children's reading development, yet strategies such as orthographic mapping and embodied learning can improve their pre-reading skills. Research has also shown that pre-reading skills are correlated with later reading abilities. This study aims to describe the characteristics of pre-reading skills and explain the impact of pre-reading skills on later reading abilities. Based on a literature review on the impact of pre-reading skills, assessment …

Meta-Analysis Of Proven Effective Teaching Strategies To Increase On-Task Behaviors In Preschool Students, Mandalyn Westphal

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

On-task behavior of students, defined as time that students actively engage in learning, is one of the forefront objectives that comes to mind when teachers think of efficient teaching and classroom management. However, as simple as it may seem to achieve this objective, many classroom teachers struggle with ways to increase or maintain the amount of time students in the classroom remain on task - and, in turn, decrease the amount of off-task or problem behaviors by their students. This meta-analysis seeks to provide strategies to augment preschool students’ on-task behaviors based on a review of evidenced research studies found …

The Power Of Predictability: Examining The Impact Of Structured Routines On Behavior And Attentiveness In Early Childhood Education, Brittany Peters

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This study examines how structured routines impact preschoolers' attentiveness and behavior in a small-town classroom with a diverse student population, including ELLs and children with IEPs. The research uses observations, teacher interviews, and parent surveys to examine how routines shape engagement, transitions, and self-regulation. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study integrates qualitative and quantitative data to explore how these routines influence engagement, transitions, and behavioral development. The study gathers data through systematic observations, structured behavioral assessments, semi-structured teacher interviews, and parent surveys, providing insights from multiple perspectives. Drawing on the principles of practitioner inquiry (Fichtman-Dana & Yendol-Hoppey, 2020), the study …

2025 Spring Nutshell, Morehead State University. Institutional Research & Analysis.

Office of Institutional Research & Analysis Publication Archive

Spring 2025 issue of the Nutshell.

2025-04-01 Caudill Connection, Morehead State University. Caudill College Of Arts, Humanities And Social Sciences.

Caudill Connection

Caudill Connection newsletter for April of 2025.

Agricultural Producers’ Perceptions Of A Regional Extension Agent System, Kimberly Kester-Post, John Rayfield, Dan B. Croom, Paula Burke, Zackary Williams, Brooklyne M. Wassel, Shanna Reynolds, Joshua G. Fuder, Robyn Stewart

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Cooperative Extension in the United States plays a pivotal role in disseminating research-based knowledge to the public. This study investigates the impact of a regional Extension agent system on agricultural producers’ perceived access to Extension resources in Georgia. This research combines quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Results reveal that Georgia agricultural producers strongly prefer locally stationed Extension agents for direct and personal communication. The study indicates that a regional agent system would limit perceived access to Extension resources, potentially leading producers to opt for private scouting services. Participants expressed concerns about restricted access under a regional system. The findings …

Reading Between The Lines: Examining The Literacy Preparation And Classroom Realities Of Teachers Of Color, Dr. Cathy D. Kea, Fanica Young, Joy Banks, Annette Teasdell

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This study examines the importance of literacy preparation in educator preparation programs (EPPs). Specifically, the authors examine the need to merge literacy practices with culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogies to increase reading outcomes for diverse students with disabilities. This article reports on a survey that was distributed to 18 dually prepared teachers of color to explore their collective literacy preparation experiences. The participants were graduates of a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). The findings indicate that regardless of the institution’s location, EPPs, including those at HBCUs, should be intentional about addressing topics related to diversity. For early career educators …

Pathways To Progress: Policy-Driven Innovation And Community Building In Early Childhood Integrated Education, Hallie Caddy, Rachael Flynn, Annie Insana, Cathy Eschete

SPARK Symposium Presentations

The presentation outlines Belmont University's efforts to transform early childhood education through an innovative integrated teacher preparation program and the development of a new preschool. It discusses the changing landscape of Tennessee’s early childhood education policies, including new licensure endorsements that blend early childhood and special education. Belmont aims to address challenges such as teacher shortages and accessibility while aligning with the university’s mission of serving diverse communities. Key strategies include understanding community needs, anchoring initiatives to the university’s mission, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, and leveraging critical resources. The university is preparing to launch its integrated early childhood education program …

Otterbein Towers Spring 2025, Otterbein University

Towers Magazine

Around the 'Bein; Brandon Koons '94, MAT'98, P'23: Coach, Role Model, Author; The Otterbein Advantage; Become Here: Graduating Seniors are READY; Forever Friends: The Cardinal Legacy; Coalition for the Good of Otterbein; Philanthropy; Alumni Matters; Class Notes.