Education Commons^™

From Access To Application: Exploring The Depth Of Technology Integration In Rural And Non-Rural Schools, Rebecca M. Laible

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines how geographic disparities influence the integration of educational technology in rural Illinois high schools. Through interviews with a technology specialist from a rural district and a curriculum director from a non-rural district in Illinois, the research explores differences in access, instructional use, and systemic support. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) Ecological Systems Theory and DiGironimo’s (2011) Three Dimensions of Technology, findings show that while both districts value technology, rural integration tends to focus on access and functionality, while non-rural schools more often embed technology into inquiry-driven instruction. These results highlight the need for context-sensitive approaches that consider …

The Effects Of Singing In Music Therapy Sessions On Vocabulary Acquisition With Children With Asd, Yeim Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often struggle with language acquisition and maintaining engagement during learning activities. While music therapy has shown promise in supporting communication and behavior in children with ASD, few studies have focused on its effect on vocabulary acquisition, particularly in comparing different types of music interventions like singing and non-singing approaches.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore how singing, as a method used in music therapy, affects vocabulary acquisition in a child with ASD. Three research questions guided this study: (1) How do singing and non-singing programs influence receptive vocabulary acquisition in a child with …

Transformative Social Emotional Learning Practices And Instructional Engagement In The Kindergarten Classroom, Lisa Skelly

Theses and Dissertations

The kindergarten teachers at Catalina Elementary School have identified a crucial issue: their students' inability to self-regulate is impeding their learning and classroom engagement. The kindergarten team engages in ongoing professional learning with a focus on transformative social emotional learning. The teacher team explores whether on-going professional learning based in transformative social emotional core competencies impacts their direct instruction of transformative social emotional standards. Teachers further support implementation of the transformative social emotional core competencies using structured play-based activities. Following the on-going professional learning sessions, the teacher team would craft a whole group lesson and select an activity to embed …

Language Ideologies In Coloniality Contexts: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Of Efl Teachers’ Experiences And Perceptions On The Use Of Learners’ Language Repertoire As Assets For Teaching And Learning, Kountiala J. Some

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I examined how dominant language ideologies in language politics and policy shape the professional identity development and pedagogical practices of five English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in Burkina Faso. The study sought to understand how these ideologies influence teachers’ beliefs and perceptions of multilingual pedagogical approaches, as well as possible pathways for deconstructing them to promote student-centered practices. The participants’ accounts revealed that their academic and professional identities were largely shaped by the belief that home languages hinder proficiency in French and English. They recalled with remorse their elementary school experiences, where speaking native languages …

Growing Through The Questions: Studying Sticking Points To Strengthen Commitments To Socially Just English Language Arts Teaching, Kaitlyn P. Blake

Theses and Dissertations

This teacher-research study explores sticking points that emerge in my high school English language arts (ELA) classroom as a way of aligning my practice with my socially just ELA teaching framework, especially in my early career years. Using qualitative methods to focus on my classroom interactions with students, two specific sticking points emerged as significant to my learning. Although I initially interpreted these sticking points as being between the students and me, my analysis revealed that the sticking points were actually a result of my socially just framework being challenged by my own enactment of it. Learning to reframe these …

The Role Of Ethnic-Racial Centrality On Exposure To Microaggressions And The Mental Health And Academic Success Of Second-Generation Latiné Adolescents, Lisette Munoz

Theses and Dissertations

People holding racially minoritized identities are frequently subjected to racial-ethnic microaggressions, a form of everyday racism and discrimination. Acculturative stress and microaggressions have a direct impact on immigrants' mental health (Gee et al., 2007; Finch & Vega, 2003; Hovey, 2000). The increase in conservative immigration policies has led to increased anti-immigrant sentiments and microaggressions (Sissoko & Nadal, 2021). The impact of microaggressions can detrimentally affect psychological and physiological wellbeing, as well as academic performance and cognitive function (Solórzano & Pérez Huber, 2020). Because of their experiences with discrimination, Latino children may become more aware of biases in their social interactions …

Improving Student Behavior And Safety On Bus Route 40 Through A Team-Based Climate Intervention, Kathleen M. Lopez Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

Student transportation is a daily yet often overlooked component of school climate, safety, and equity. This Dissertation in Practice (DiP), aligned with Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) principles of inquiry, collaboration, and continuous improvement, examined how a structured, team-based intervention could improve student behavior and bus climate on Bus Route 40 at Pinecrest Primary School. Guided by improvement science principles and grounded in a commitment to equity, the study applied a 90-day Plan–Do–Study–Act (PDSA) cycle to test and refine strategies aimed at fostering safety, belonging, and accountability among students. The intervention organized students into color-coded teams that earned …

The Effects Of Training And Peer Coaching On The Fidelity Of Explicit Instruction On Social-Emotional Learning In Early Childhood Education, Ashley A. Strausbaugh

Theses and Dissertations

The current study investigated how training and peer coaching could improve fidelity of explicit instruction practices in early education teachers for social-emotional learning. Three teams of preschool teachers were trained in the use of explicit instructional practices and paired up to provide coaching in these practices during the intervention. The training and coaching were based on the model by Dunst et al. (2019), which identifies that providing training that includes elements of information, demonstration, practice opportunities, coaching and feedback increases the likelihood of moving knowledge to practice. A multiple baseline design was used to investigate fidelity of explicit instruction for …

From Likes To Enrollment: How Social Networking Sites Shape College Decision-Making, David Hermann

Theses and Dissertations

This study applied Chickering and Reisser’s seven vectors of student development (1993), MacMillan’s existential framework (2009), and Chickering and Gamson’s principles for good practice in undergraduate education (1999) as guiding theoretical and conceptual frameworks. These perspectives informed the analysis of voices from young adults in rural communities and explored how recently graduated high school students perceived their use of social networking sites (SNSs) in the college search and decision-making process. I developed five overarching themes from the qualitative data: 1) informational role of social media, 2) visual media and campus impressions, 3) authenticity, peer influence, and human connection, 4) frustrations, …

Preschool Developmental Play And Autism, Michelle Brooks Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

This school improvement project applies the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) model to explore strategies to increase peer engagement among preschool students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in a developmental playroom setting. Play is a cornerstone of early childhood development, fostering cognitive, social, and emotional growth. However, children with ASD often encounter challenges in engaging with play environments due to social communication difficulties and sensory processing differences. Grounded in Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, this project adopts a Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention (NDBI) framework to facilitate peer interactions and enhance engagement in inclusive play settings.

The intervention focuses on guiding …

Building Student-Teacher Relational Trust Through The Promotion Of Student Voice Initiatives, Scott Scherquist

Theses and Dissertations

This Dissertation in Practice investigated how student voice initiatives can strengthen student–teacher relational trust within an urban Pre-kindergarten through eighth grade (PreK-8) school serving a predominantly Black student population. Grounded in Khalifa’s (2018) Culturally Responsive School Leadership framework, the study implemented a 90-day cycle of inquiry focused on a three-part pathway intervention: the establishment of a Student Voice Committee, professional development on culturally responsive practices, and Student Consultation for School Change. A convergent mixed methods design was employed, combining two administrations of the 5Essentials Survey with pre- and post-intervention interviews of students and teachers. Findings revealed disparities between student and …

From Columbia To Usc, Palestine Will Be Free: Capturing The Palestinian Student Narrative, Deena Ata

Theses and Dissertations

In 2024, student groups across colleges organized encampments demanding their institutions cut financial and academic ties with Israel and the Israeli military, a call rooted in resistance to the ongoing occupation and violence against Palestinians. These student-led actions were met with harsh retaliation from university administrations and state authorities, including graduation deferments, suspensions, censorship, and arrests. Clear attempts to silence dissent and suppress Palestinian solidarity. This study centers the voices of Palestinian college students by examining their lived experiences and counter-narratives in the face of backlash, anti-Palestinian rhetoric, and institutionalized acts of disenfranchisement. Their stories reveal how repression of pro-Palestine …

Savior To Ally: Exploring White Students' Decisions To Major In Social Work Through The Lens Of White Saviorism, Amy S. Dennison

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored how white students chose social work as a major and how white savior ideology reinforced or challenged students’ choices. The study contributes to a gap in the literature regarding white saviorism and social work education. Using a phenomenological approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews from five undergraduate social work students at one Midwestern state university. Transcripts were analyzed thematically using Moustakas’ data analysis for phenomenology framework. The findings revealed that participants chose social work because of an intent to help others, as well as a desire for their work to have a meaningful impact. White …

Black Adolecent Girls' Perceptions Of Dress Code Violations, Pat A. Carpenter

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the experiences of Black adolescent girls at Wellington Middle School (pseudonym) regarding dress code policies and the disciplinary actions associated with their attire. Through the analysis of disciplinary data, qualitative interviews, and a review of relevant literature, the research aimed to uncover potential racial biases within dress code policies and their enforcement. Preliminary insights indicated that such measures may contribute to broader patterns of racial discrimination and inequity in the education system, impacting the academic and social development of these students. The study goals were to emphasize the need for policy reforms and advocate for the development …

Examining The Impact Of Conceptual Mathematics Instructional Practices On Middle School Achievement For Low-Income Public-School Students, Tracy L. Donath

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation in practice investigates the persistent decline in mathematics proficiency between the fourth and fifth grades, particularly among low-income compared to high-income students in a large, urban public school district in central Illinois. Using Mintrop’s Cycle of Inquiry and the CPED framework in a 90-day intervention, seven fifth-grade teachers implemented small group lessons designed to build students’ conceptual understanding of grade level mathematics. This data-driven intervention encouraged the teachers to use a variety of manipulatives and visual representations to improve students’ mathematics proficiency on four grade level Common Core standards. Data collected through classroom pretests, posttests, and exit tickets, …

Enacting Change In Student Support Services To Meet The Needs Of Evolving Student Demographics, Justin Schuch

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the change management leadership strategies employed by Chief Student Affairs Officers (CSAOs) to address the needs of an increasingly diverse student population at midwestern institutions of higher education. The change management leadership strategies employed by seven CSAOs to address the mismatch between the increasing diversity of college student populations and the institutions’ readiness to meet these students' diverse needs were drawn from using in-depth interviews, review of enrollment data, and institutional planning documents. The three research questions guiding this study yielded four major themes. The first theme is related to how CSAOs identify areas for development …

Turning The Page On Toxic Friendships: How Stories Can Transform Female Friendships, Ericka Renee Bush

Theses and Dissertations

Relational aggression, subtle behaviors such as gossip, exclusion, and social manipulation, can significantly undermine female students’ sense of belonging, peer relationships, and engagement in school. At Sinclair Intermediate School, Illinois 5Essentials Survey data revealed a sharp decline in peer relationship scores among female students, along with evidence gathered through student interviews, analysis of bullying report forms, and observation from an SEL lesson. This Dissertation in Practice investigates how a targeted intervention, Turning the Page on Toxic Friendships: How Stories Can Transform Female Friendships, can strengthen female peer relationships through bibliotherapy. Grounded in Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate principles and …

The Story Of Yosef And The Pharaoh: A Masterclass On Empowerment Of An Autistic Person, Dr. Liliya T. Bakiyeva Wheatcraft

Touro Law Review

No abstract provided.

An Eye-Tracking Study Of Gaze Guidance And Visual Integration Effects On Attention, Learning, And Instructor Social Presence, Sonny Rosenthal, John Komar, Vanessa Simin Ho

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This study used the gaze-cueing effect and split-attention principle to study the impact of gaze guidance and lecture recording format on attention, knowledge retention and instructor social presence. The authors analysed data from 250 participants in a mixed factorial experiment with eye-tracking, self-reported instructor social presence and a delayed knowledge measure as dependent variables. Results showed that when the instructor looked at the slide content, participants spent more time looking at it (η2p = 0.044), but instructor social presence decreased (η2p = .040). The strongest decrease occurred when the content and instructor’s image were separated in a picture-in-picture video (η2p …

Embracing Ai In Higher Education: Redefining Teaching And Learning In The Digital Era, Najem Tala, Leila Halawi

Publications

This research explores the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education, focusing on its ability to address emerging challenges and revolutionize teaching practices. We critically assess the current educational landscape, evaluate AI's role as a catalyst for educational reform, and examine implementation challenges. Our analysis emphasizes the evolving impact of AI on personalized learning, student engagement, and administrative efficiency and contributes to the growing body of literature on educational technology. The discussion highlights both the opportunities and limitations of AI in education, pointing to critical areas that remain underexplored.

Exploring Winnie-The-Pooh For Florida's Resiliency Standards And Social-Emotional Learning Dimensions To Create Literature-Based Activities For The Primary Classroom, Madison R. Simonds

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis is to examine the intersections between the Florida Resiliency Standards and the social-emotional dimensions established by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), as reflected in A. A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh. Through an analysis of key traits within the text, this study explores how children’s literature can serve as an effective tool for fostering social-emotional learning in the primary classroom. By integrating SEL principles with literary instruction, educators can strengthen students’ emotional awareness, interpersonal skills, and resilience. Additionally, this thesis presents a series of instructional activities designed to support teachers in incorporating Winnie …

Teachers' Use Of Food Rewards In The Classroom Environment, Mckenna Fiore

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Food rewards are defined in terms of the value of a food to the individual at the time of ingestion. In classrooms, teachers may use food rewards to encourage academic achievement and appropriate classroom behavior (Hoffman et al., 2009). The use of unhealthy food rewards increases children’s desires for sweets and nonnutritive foods, which can pose risks for health and obesity-related outcomes, compared to healthier alternatives. Different characteristics, such as teaching style, classroom structure, teaching efficacy and teaching eating behavior, can be related to teacher’s use of different types of rewards. The goal of this study was to investigate the …

Antisocial Behavior Among Students In Florida School Districts And Their Associated Disciplinary Approaches: A Cross-Lagged Panel Design, Kaylee A. Salt

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that antisocial behavior is a major problem for all those involved in school environments. Additionally, despite the prevalence of using harsher punishments in response to such behavior, these practices may present more negative rather than positive consequences. The aim of the current study was to explore antisocial behavior in schools and the disciplinary approaches used in response to such behavior. Using disciplinary data reported for public schools in 67 districts of the state of Florida, the prevalence of antisocial behavior incidents was compared to the prevalence of other, drug-related incidents. A cross-lagged panel model determined whether a preference …

Leaving It All Behind: A Storied Experience, Brandi Sheree Wynne Winfrey

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) professionals are experiencing an unprecedented time as conservative politicians and legislators work to dismantle DEI in higher education. In 2022, Florida became one of the first states to introduce and enact anti-DEI legislation. Few studies have examined or investigated the lived experiences of DEI professionals currently living in the midst of this experience. The purpose of this narrative inquiry was to capture and restory the lived experiences of DEI professionals employed at public Florida universities during the introduction and enactment of anti-DEI legislation. Five co-composers contributed their stories of experience as data to this narrative …

Examining Student And Faculty Perspectives On Hidden Curriculum In Computing Education, Joseph R. Teahen

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Hidden curriculum (HC) consists of the assumed behaviors, cultural norms, and collective knowledge that students are expected to know, but never taught. Knowledge such as version control tools, interview and resume skills, and self-regulation can fall into the HC. HC exists in a specific institutional and individual context and can change over time, making it hard to address and examine.

My thesis work is situated around uncovering and addressing HC in computing education. In this thesis I will present relevant background about HC and computing related HC, present my previous work on the College of Computing Resource Hub and the …

Procedural Skills Gaps And Ultrasound Training In Saudi Medical Interns: A Cross-Sectional Survey, Rajkumar Rajendram, Abdullah Abdulrahman Alshamrani, Waleed Khalid Jarwan, Afnan Ali Alghamdi, Arif Hussain

Health Professions Education

Purpose: Medical internships lay the foundation for physicians' careers. While the scope of medical practice has broadened, the emphasis on procedural skills remains crucial. However, concerns persist regarding the adequacy of current internship training programs, particularly in the context of the increasing importance of ultrasound-guided procedures (UGPs). This study aims to assess the perceived relevance of procedural skills training and identify skill gaps among medical interns at our institution.

Aim: To assess medical interns' perceptions of the relevance of procedural skills training, with a specific focus on ultrasound guidance and to identify skill gaps within the internship program at our …

The Students’ Conceptions Of Assessment (Scoa) Instrument: A Validation Study In Medical Education Context, Diantha Soemantri, Nadia Greviana, Najila Ramadhina

Health Professions Education

Purpose: To validate the Students’ Conceptions of Assessment (SCoA) instrument for the medical education context as a tool to examine Indonesian medical students’ conceptions of assessment in general before its implementation.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted to validate the translated SCoA instrument. The original 45-item instrument was translated to Indonesian with some modifications. The study was conducted on a total of 308 preclinical and clinical participants in two public medical schools: Universitas Indonesia and Universitas Udayana.

Results: The samples were found to be suitable for exploratory factor analysis, as indicated by a high Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin value (0.949) and a significant …

“Globes" Module (Guiding Learners Towards One Health, Biodiversity, And Environmental Stewardship): Catalyzing Synergies To Advance Leadership And Scholarly Engagement With One Health In Under Graduate Medical Education, Krishna Mohan Surapaneni

Health Professions Education

Background: The concept of One Health addresses the interconnected health of humans, animals, and the environment, offering a critical framework for tackling complex health challenges. However, gaps in the integration of One Health principles into medical education limit the ability of future healthcare providers to operationalize this knowledge in practice. The "GLOBES" module (Guiding Learners towards One health, Biodiversity, and Environmental Stewardship) was designed to bridge these gaps, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3, 13, 14, 15) to promote holistic and interdisciplinary healthcare education. Methods: The "GLOBES" module was developed with 22 competencies across ten categories, incorporating case-based learning, …

The Power Of Emotional Design In Whiteboard Animation: Enhancing Student Cognition And Engagement, Nora El-Tantawy

Health Professions Education

Background: Whiteboard animation is growing as a teaching tool, particularly in the medical field, because of its potent capacity to engage students and make complex concepts simpler to comprehend. These animations use simple drawings to explain complex ideas in a clear, engaging way. They are unique not only because of their visual appeal but also because of the way they are designed to emotionally engage students. Emotional design includes designing learning experiences that motivate, engage, and interact with learners in addition to presenting information. Discussion: This review discusses the use of emotional design in whiteboard animation and its implications for …

Culture Of Disease: A Historiographical Review Of The Black Death, Jack Bamford

History - Master of Arts in Teaching

I. Synthesis Essay ………………………………2

II. Document Selection ………………………. 22

III. Textbook Critique…………………………...32

IV. Original Textbook Entry…………………... 36