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Unl Emeriti And Retirees Association Newsletter, Spring 2019

UNL Emeriti and Retirees Association: Newsletters and Other Materials

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Emeriti and Retirees Association Newsletter, Spring 2019

Leap Conference Schedule At A Glance

LEAP Conference Materials

No abstract provided.

Cs4autism: Supporting Neurodivergent Students In Computer Science Pathways Beyond High School, Darlene Bowman

Open Educational Resources

Students on the autism spectrum are increasingly participating in computer science (CS) education at the K-12 level. However, the transition from high school to postsecondary education, employment, or technical training remains a significant challenge.

This resource provides educators, counselors, and program coordinators with practical strategies to support autistic students as they navigate pathways in computer science beyond high school. It emphasizes inclusive practices, structured supports, and strengths-based approaches aligned with neurodiversity.

Teaching Context Analysis Assignment, Tamara M. Roose

Teacher Education and Technology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Beyond Sequencing: Curriculum As Organizational Practice In Housing & Residence Life, Matthew M. Inman

Master of Education, Student Affairs Independent Study Projects

This study considers the factors influencing curriculum development in student affairs,  with a particular focus on housing and residence life contexts. Grounded in a constructivist and  interpretive framework, this qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with student  affairs professionals engaged in curricular work. Data was analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s  (2006) six-phase thematic analysis process to identify patterns in participant meaning-making.  Analysis shows that curriculum development is shaped by a set of interrelated organizational  dynamics, including tensions between flexibility and structure, the role of language in facilitating  understanding across staff roles, the influence of leadership and human resource capacity, and  the …

Who Is A Champion Teacher? A Comparative Longitudinal Analysis Of Teacher Practices In Teacher Professional Development Programmes In East Africa, Jane Rarieya, Esther Kibga, Omari Abunga, Fredrick Mtenzi, Nyagwegwe Wwango

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

This comparative mixed-methods study defines and profiles the “champion teacher” by synthesising primary longitudinal and cross-sectional data from two complementary teacher professional development (TPD) initiatives implemented across East Africa (Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda): the long-term, pre-service teacher-oriented Foundations for Learning (F4L) programme and the short-course, in‑service teacher Strengthening Education Systems East Africa (SESEA) programme. The champion teacher construct is operationalised through a Champion Teacher Index (CTI) comprising three integrated domains: head (cognitive pedagogical knowledge), hands (psychomotor instructional practice), and heart (affective, leadership, and gender-responsive dispositions). Quantitative analysis revealed statistically significant longitudinal differences between the programmes. F4L teachers demonstrated higher mean …

Developing Gender-Responsive Teaching Materials To Empower All Learners, Nyagwegwe Wango, Jane Rarieya

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

Inclusive and gender-responsive education is widely recognized as essential for equitable learning outcomes, yet limited empirical attention has been given to the role of teaching materials as practical instruments for advancing inclusion in foundational learning contexts. This paper examines how inclusive and gender-responsive teaching materials are developed, used, and sustained in early years and primary education, drawing on evidence from the Strengthening Education Systems East Africa (SESEA) project and the Foundations for Learning (F4L) longitudinal studies in East Africa. Using a qualitative synthesis of evaluation reports, classroom observations, and interviews, the study analyzes teachers’ understanding of inclusive materials, material adaptation …

The Impact Of Sense Of Belonging And Christian Identity On Retention Intentions At Evangelical Christian Colleges And Universities, Corey R. Ross

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Navigating Faith, Race, And Belonging: A Qualitative Study Of Students Of Color At A Private Christian University, Eunice Hong

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

From Discipline To Discipleship: Reframing Student Conduct As Spiritual Formation In Christian Higher Education, Andrew Degroot

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

The Problems With Sin, Steve Beers

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Reviewed: How We Break: Navigating The Wear And Tear Of Living, Jacob Banks

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Corey Ross, Eunice Hong, Steve Beers, Andrew Degroot, Rebecca Crowder, William Buhrow, Aundrea Paxton, Hannah Acquaye, Jacob Banks

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

An Exploration Of Spiritual Loneliness And Spiritual Well-Being And Friendship In Christian College Students, Rebecca Crowder, William Buhrow, Aundrea Paxton, Hannah Acquaye

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Backlash: How Racial Justice In Higher Education Is Being Trumped By Politics, Aaron N. Taylor

AccessLex Institute Research

This article discusses contemporary social and political backlash to racial justice and how it has overshadowed and flouted higher education antidiscrimination law and principles of racial justice. The first three parts chart the evolution of U.S. Supreme Court precedent in higher education affirmative action cases. Part I interrogates the Court’s fallacious detachment of affirmative action from its racial justice origins in Defunis and Bakke. Part II discusses how the Grutter majority tacitly departed from Bakke, using the vague concept of critical mass to seemingly empower schools to engage in affirmative action as a racial justice tool. Part III explains how …

Back To Basics: The Benefits Of Children’S Literature In Higher Education, Max A. Bufkin

Honors Projects

The historic undervaluing of children’s literature has resulted in little research or application of the genre in higher education. However, what research is available has shown that engaging with children’s literature as an adult can have many benefits, including better mental well-being, understanding of multicultural perspectives, and enhanced critical thinking skills. Due to patriarchal ideologies over who can and cannot engage with literature, as well as the work of children’s literature critics, the genre has been marginalized from much debate and discussion. Through student-centered learning and group reading sessions, college students from nearly every discipline can learn to utilize and …

Let’S Dance!: A Community Partnership Fostering Movement, Connections, And Inclusion, Michelle J. Cook, Michele Dunleavy, Carrie A. Payne, Sarah E. Whitney, Matthew Levy, Jack M. Mcbride, Ella Garrity

Journal of the Arts and Special Education

Despite the many documented physical and social benefits, dance is frequently not accessible to individuals with and without disabilities. We share an inclusive dance community partnership called Let’s Dance! that was developed to foster movement, connections, and inclusion. To increase awareness and inclusive dance opportunities, this community partnership involved (a) a workshop on inclusive dance practices for preservice teachers and (b) a community-based inclusive Let’s Dance! dance event. Following a review of the literature outlining the benefits of dance and the barriers that need to be dismantled to make dance more inclusive for students of all abilities, we share inclusive …

Artful Instruction: Making Art Accessible For Individuals Who Are Blind Or Have Low Vision, Bradley J. Czaplewski

Journal of the Arts and Special Education

This review critically examines Artful Instruction: Making Art Accessible for Individuals Who are Blind or Have Low Vision (Bettes et al., 2024), a comprehensive guide aimed at art educators working with students who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision. The book’s central thesis emphasizes the artistic process over the final visual product, fostering self-expression, confidence, and independence among visually impaired learners. The authors integrate the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) framework to highlight the development of critical life skills alongside artistic development. This review discusses the book’s broad coverage of diverse art media, the thoughtful inclusion of technological adaptations to …

Does Age And Reading Activity Predict Children’S Engagement In Grandparent–Grandchild Zoom Sessions?, Breanne E. Dunn

Honors Thesis

As the digital world continues to advance, interactions that once took place in person are increasingly occurring online. Although a substantial body of research has documented the benefits of shared reading for children under six, far less is known about how these experiences and reading development unfolds in digital contexts. This study examines how structured book reading during video chat supports joint visual attention (JVA; sharing attention with another person on an object) between children (18 months to 6 years old) and their remote grandparents. The proportion of successful grandparent-initiated JVA bids throughout three different activity conditions, baseline (control), matching …

"Staged” Discussion (Activity), Lytton Smith Ph.D.

School of Arts & Sciences

This activity was developed by SUNY Geneseo Professor Lytton Smith during the spring 2026 semester.

Learning Objectives

• To help students identify their own ‘default’ or habitual behaviors in teamwork settings
• To help students name and value alternative behaviors they will try out in future teamwork settings.
• To disrupt establish power dynamics within the classroom in order to allow different voices and learning styles to emerge as contributors in the second half of a semester (when patterns can have become ingrained: the same voices start the conversation each discussion, etc.)

Final Project: Nutrition And Human Disease, Sam Newberry Ph.D.

School of Arts & Sciences

This assignment is made up of a series of smaller assignments that were developed by SUNY Geneseo Professor Sam Newberry during the spring 2026 semester.

Learning Objectives

• Identify and demonstrate understanding of audience needs
• Identify nutritional issues associated with human disease
• Clear communication of information via an Infographic
• Proper utilization of scholarly sources of information

Mock Interview & Peer Feedback (Assignment), Mccaffrey Brenna Ph.D.

School of Arts & Sciences

This assignment was developed by SUNY Geneseo Brenna McCaffrey during the spring 2026 semester.

Learning Objectives 

• Identify the skills and preparation required for strong job interviews
• Understand the importance of thoughtful and clear communication with peers
• Practice giving constructive feedback on another person’s performance
• Reflect on receiving constructive feedback and integrating feedback into future behavior

Anth 322: Anthropology Of Borderlands (Syllabus), Jennifer R. Guzmán Ph.D.

School of Arts & Sciences

This syllabus was developed by SUNY Geneseo Professor Jennifer Guzmán during the spring 2026 semester.

Course Learning Objectives

By participating in this course, you will:

• Gain familiarity with anthropological literature concerning borders, migration, immigration enforcement, and the U.S.-Mexico border
• Explore historical and current immigration policies and their impacts on communities across the borderlands and throughout the Americas
• Learn from people directly affected by migration, including migrants and others who live in the borderlands, and with advocates for migrant justice
• Build connections with people and organizations that are working on humanitarian and migrant justice issues.
• Think critically and intersectionally about solutions …

Career Futures Lab (Activity), Claire Gravelin Ph.D.

School of Arts & Sciences

This activity was developed by SUNY Geneseo Professor Claire Gravelin during the 2025/2026 academic year.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this activity, students will be able to:

1. Compare and contrast how different disciplinary orientations approach the same problem, recognizing the value of multiple ways of knowing.
2. Explain what sustainability means in the context of at least one career field or industry of personal interest, including at least one concrete way it is changing how professionals in that field work.
3. Articulate their preferred way of approaching complex problems (their “lens”) and connect that orientation to the way sustainability demands are …

Expl 188: Exploring Geneseo: A First-Year Exploration Course For Undeclared Students(Syllabus), Claire Gravelin Ph.D.

School of Arts & Sciences

This syllabus was developed by Professor Claire Gravelin during the 2025/2026 academic year.

Intended Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will:

• Develop and strengthen the academic skills needed to thrive in college – including study strategies, time management, goal setting, and growth mindset.

• Understand yourself as a learner and a future professional, including your strengths, values, and interests.

• Explore a range of academic disciplines and career paths, and understand how the arts, sciences, humanities, and social sciences each approach real-world problems.

• Engage with our course theme – the Future of Work – through multiple …

Clinical Psychology: Related Careers Library Guide Evaluation Activity, Whitney Brown Ph.D.

School of Arts & Sciences

This assignment was developed by SUNY Geneseo Professor Whitney Brown during the spring 2026 semester.

Learning Objectives 

• Describe clinical psychology as a discipline & distinguish it from related helping professions. 
• Identify career paths of interest to investigate further. 

Congressional Reform Project, Hanna Brant Ph.D.

School of Arts & Sciences

This assignment was developed by SUNY Geneseo Professor Hanna Brant during the spring 2026 semester.

Learning Objectives

• Describe and analyze the legislative process of the United State’s Congress;
• Identify the internal and external factors that influence legislative behavior;
• Critically analyze arguments concerning the appropriate role and powers of the legislature;
• Interpret social science research on the behavior of legislators;
• Evaluate policy strategies for advancing a legislative agenda; and
• Collaborate and communicate with peers on contemporary legislative issues and challenges.

Career Readiness In Developmental Biology Module, Travis Bailey Ph.D.

School of Arts & Sciences

This set of activities were developed and modified by SUNY Geneseo Professor Travis Bailey in the spring 2026 semester.

Presenting Yourself As A Historian: Career Preparation Assignment, Justin Behrend Ph.D.

School of Arts & Sciences

This assignment was developed by Professor Justin Behrend during the Fall 2025 semester.

Learning Objectives

• Students will prepare materials befitting a professional in the discipline.
• Students will evaluate their strengths in relation to the provided job posting.
• The class will provide critical feedback to improve students’ cover letters and CVs.

Biol 454: Developmental Biology (Syllabus), Travis Bailey Ph.D.

School of Arts & Sciences

This syllabus was developed by SUNY Geneseo Professor Travis Bailey in the spring 2026 semester.

Learning Outcomes-Students will:

• Understand the methods scientist use to explore the genetic, cellular, and tissue control of development.
• Compare and contrast developmental strategies of model organisms.
• Read primary literature critically and explain strengths and weaknesses.
• Test hypotheses with self-designed experimentation, measurement and data collection, evaluation of evidence, and employment of mathematical analysis.
• Relate discoveries from model animals to human conditions.
• Communicate findings orally and in writing.
• Integrate multiple bodies of knowledge with their personal experience by asking meaningful questions about real-world problems
• Apply skills, theories, …