Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

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 …

Mars Sample Return Earth Entry System Uncertainty Analysis, Michael D. Squire, Victor Cabrera, Eric Christiansen, Alan Jenkin, Kevin Hoffman, Quincy Mckown, Peter Parker, Glenn Peterson, Bruno Victorino Sarli, William P. Schonberg, Katie Steward, Brian Tulaba, Joel Williamsen

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Spacecraft designers and operators use micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) risk assessments to predict the probability that an MMOD particle impact will cause a critical failure to their systems. An important aspect of MMOD risk and associated requirements is the treatment of uncertainty, often difficult to quantify, or even estimate, for many elements of MMOD risk. This paper describes recent efforts to estimate uncertainties in inputs to the MMOD risk assessment process for a portion of the planned Mars Sample Return (MSR) campaign. The uncertainty bounds developed were used to examine their effect on overall mission MMOD risk.

Digital Stories Of Resilience: A Case Study Of Urban Community College English Learners, Patricia George Hunter

Journal of English Learner Education

This study utilizes a qualitative case study approach to learn how project-based, digital storytelling (DST) voices the resilience of post-secondary English language learners (ELLs) attending a minority-serving, open-access, community college in New York City. Along with many studies that have examined the usefulness of DST in oral production, this research investigates whether project-based digital storytelling enhances students’ understanding of academic content related to resilience and conventional composition. Narrative inquiry (NI) research technique is the basis of the digital story project in an English as a Second Language (ESL) course. In this case, the study relies on observations and artifacts to …

Educative Leadership Of Curriculum Development Reconceptualized As Leadership Of Personal, Group, Institutional And System Learning, Reynold Js Macpherson

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

This paper reconceptualizes educative leadership as leadership of learning, integrating advancements in curriculum development, epistemological diversity, and ethical imperatives within a holistic pragmatic framework.

Leadership of learning positions leaders as facilitators of dynamic educational ecosystems that align curriculum goals with pluralistic epistemologies, practical solutions, and contextual relevance. Recent curriculum trends—such as personalized learning, competency-based education, cultural responsiveness, and socio-emotional learning—reflect an embrace of constructivist and critical approaches, emphasizing inclusivity and adaptability.

Holistic pragmatism strengthens these developments, advocating for curriculum designs that are theoretically sound and practically relevant, fostering co-construction of knowledge through active engagement.

Organizational development (OD) theory enriches this …

Evaluating Pulmonary Tuberculosis Knowledge Deficits Among Nursing Students In The United States, Jamie Lynn Woo

Nursing | Student Research Posters

The healthcare field consistently faces patients with a wide range of diseases and illnesses. Pulmonary Tuberculosis is an infectious lung disease with established tools to prevent, detect, and treat it. Yet, there has been a significant rise in cases within the past year. Amidst this troubling situation, it is crucial that all healthcare workers, nursing students, and nurses in particular, are properly educated on caring for TB patients. This research proposal aims to determine if there are TB treatment knowledge gaps among nursing students in the United States by conducting a 20-question survey utilizing the Likert Scale. If results show …

Developing Problem-Solvers: Cultivating A Scientific Way Of Thinking In Early Learners, Sarah Oeltjenbruns, Matthew J. Weyers, Maya Fogarty, Bryan Matera

Essays in Education

Adopting a science mindset in the early education years is critical for supporting critical thinking, curiosity, and systematic inquiry in students, setting a foundation for lifelong learning and problem-solving. This mindset, which values continuous learning and persistence, enables students to approach challenges across disciplines with a scientist’s curiosity. Through approaches like the Socratic method, problem-based learning, and hands-on activities, educators can enhance students' critical thinking and collaborative skills. By creating opportunities for inquiry-based learning, such as entry events, the See Feel Think Wonder protocol, and the Question Formulation Technique, teachers cultivate curiosity and guide students toward self-directed exploration. For example, …

Service-Learning As An Institutional Commitment To Its Mission And Identity, Genejane Adarlo, Urduja C. Amor, Agnes Garciano, Juliet Q. Dalagan

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Service-learning, a widely adopted teaching method in Catholic higher education, provides students with opportunities to address social justice issues. This is why many Catholic higher education institutions have implemented strategic reforms to incorporate service-learning into their mission and identity. However, further research is required to explore how institutionalizing service-learning can deepen institutional practices and goals. Hence, this case study examined the rationale and approach of a Catholic higher education institution in the Philippines in institutionalizing service-learning. Key administrators from this higher education institution participated in focus group discussions. The thematic analysis of the verbatim transcripts revealed that institutionalizing service-learning was …

Reflective Practice Of Early Career Teachers: Identifying And Mitigating Major Instructional Challenges, Saheeh Shafi

Journal of Global Education and Research

This paper employs a qualitative descriptive research design to determine how early career teachers (ECTs) use reflective practices to identify and mitigate major instructional challenges in the context of Bangladeshi higher education. A questionnaire was given to 20 ECTs working in different universities to collect data on their reflective practices related to instructional challenges. Analysis of the responses of the ECTs to the questionnaire via thematic analysis revealed three major challenges: (a) inadequate logistic support, (b) diversity of students and pedagogical context, and (c) inadequate comprehension of the students. Solutions to these challenges include (a) three levels of collaboration, (b) …

Exploring The Interplay Among Effort, Motivation, And Self-Efficacy In High School Mathematics And Act Math Achievement, Katrina Lightsey

Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between high school students' attributions of effort, motivation, and self-efficacy as they relate to ACT math scores. Despite the important role of standardized tests in determining college admissions, there has been little research conducted to determine how students feel about these attributions and how they relate to math grades and ACT scores. A total of 52 juniors and seniors from local high schools participated in this study, which was conducted over the summer through voluntary participation following email invitations. The study was designed to measure students' self-reported effort, motivation, and self-efficacy using a survey instrument. …

"Don't Put Me Here To Meet A Quota": A Qualitative Descriptive Study Of Black Male Teacher Retention, Latresha Drummond

All Dissertations

The national teacher shortage has reached a fever pitch and can be accurately described as a crisis. Teacher vacancies in South Carolina (SC) have reached an all-time high since the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and advancement began tracking the teacher shortage in 2001. Further, the phenomenon surrounding the exodus of Black teachers is understudied. Currently, no agency or organization tracks demographic turnover among the teacher workforce in South Carolina.

I utilized a qualitative descriptive design informed by an improvement science framework to identify motivating factors for teacher mobility among current and past Black male educators in SC public schools. …

21st Century Community Learning Centers: Program Evaluation Evidence From Texas, Rosilyn Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Texas afterschool programs strive to enhance academic performance and meet students' needs, yet gaps in program quality persist. This study evaluated 21st Century Community Learning Centers’ performance in reading, math, GPA, attendance, in-school suspension, and engagement, both within these categories and against program goals and demographics. Theoretical frameworks used in this study include the logic model, social justice theory, and cultural relevance theory. This quantitative study utilized a nonexperimental and secondary data research design which utilized five statistical tests: the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, One-Way repeated ANOVA, Spearman Correlation, the Independent Samples t-Test, and the Mann-Whitney U Test. Results showed that …

A Qualitative Study Of Iranian Efl Teachers’ Perceptions Of A Digital Diversified Education, Seyed Mohammad Reza Marvasti Zadeh, Azizollah Dabaghi Varnosfadrani Advarnosfadrani, Mohammad Amiryousefi

The Qualitative Report

Because Iran is a country of learners of diverse languages, socio-economic classes, genders, and ages, digital diversified education seems appropriate to address needs in English language education. However, there is a notable gap in research on teachers’ perceptions about this type of education. To fill this gap, this study aimed to investigate the perspectives of Iranian teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) regarding a diverse digital education. Data were collected via an open-ended survey with 30 EFL teachers, both male and female, who were selected through convenience sampling. Analysis revealed several key themes, including the utilization of diverse …

Their Stories, Our Testimony: A Narrative Inquiry Into The Remote Teaching Experiences Of Community College Clinical Nurse Educators During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Catherine E. Fenner

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

This narrative inquiry explored the lived experiences of clinical nurse educators who taught at community colleges during the COVID-19 global pandemic, contributing to the growing body of literature about what nurses endured during the pandemic. The pandemic and the ensuing havoc it caused occurred when the profession faced significant staffing shortages. In the early months of 2020, when the virus was spreading rapidly, many states issued stay-at-home orders requiring nursing programs to pivot to remote learning platforms. Teaching hands-on skills, communication techniques, and time management strategies through virtual and remote pedagogy was a time of confusion for nurse educators, who …

Examining The Use Of Embedded Generative Strategies With Graphic Organizers To Improve Science Achievement Of Students With Learning Disabilities, Gamze Karaer, Macid A. Melekoglu, Brian Hand

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Students with learning disabilities have difficulty in science literacy because of the extensive amount of abstract concepts in comprehending science content. An adapted alternating treatments design with an extended baseline was used to compare the effectiveness and efficiency of graphic organizers (GOs) enhanced with predicting-observing-explaining (POE) (Module-I) and GOs without POE (Module-II) on science achievement of six middle school students with learning disabilities. Results indicated that both procedures were effective to improve performance on all dependent variables for all participants. However, the result of efficiency data showed that Module-I seemed to be more efficient across four students in terms of …

Scholar Perspectives On The Impact Of A Scientific Community Program For Neurodivergent Undergraduate Stem Scholars, Dylan Sullivan, Fernando Zavala, Derek Hidalgo, Jacob Stolle, Rebecca Matte, Christin B. Monroe

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Despite the adaptive strengths and unique problem-solving skills demonstrated by neurodivergent (ND) individuals, they remain underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. High unemployment rates among individuals with disabilities emphasize the need for addressing barriers to entry and persistence in the workforce. This study introduces a program designed to enhance opportunities for neurodivergent STEM scholars with financial needs, supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The program involves: 1) a weekly cohort course to engage in professional development, 2) use of the Birkman Method® survey to help scholars identify and communicate strengths, fostering self-awareness and growth, and 3) …

Exploring How Funds Of Knowledge Is Utilized Among Teacher Educators In A Teacher Preparation Program Focusing On Arts Integration And Language Diversity, Gabrielle H. Pretto Ph.D

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

In our current educational climate, teaching for social justice has become increasingly difficult. Teacher educators are faced with certification rules that prioritize test scores over teaching ability, scripted curriculums, and the limited understandings about differences related to culture, class, and race. This study examined how social justice teachings were sustained and enhanced through a Funds of Knowledge (FOK) learning approach. Case study was utilized and guided by the following research questions: (1) What are the FOK of teacher educators participating in the TEALi program? (2) In what ways are the FOK of teacher educators integrated or utilized in their university …

Athletic Trainer Emergency Management Skill Assessment Via Low Fidelity Simulation, Jaclyn B. Arduini, Jennifer L. Volberding

Journal of Sports Medicine and Allied Health Sciences: Official Journal of the Ohio Athletic Trainers Association

Introduction: Athletic training education requires the inclusion of emergency management (EM) best practices, however the Board of Certification (BOC) does not mandate any continuing education (CE) past Emergency Cardiac Care (ECC). With EM best practices continuing to change there is potential for a large knowledge gap to develop in practicing athletic trainers (ATs) who do not chose to engage in EM CE. The purpose of this study was to identify knowledge gaps in practicing ATs’ EM skills via low fidelity simulation. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in an educational laboratory setting involving twenty-two ATs (age 36.7±10.8 years; 13 males, …

Ua45 Registrar Updates, Wku Registrar

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter created by and about the WKU Registrar's office.

Dedication: Keith Garbutt, Linda Frost

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Special issue on forum on student mental health, dedication to Keith Garbutt, Dean of the Honors College at West Virginia University.

Guest Editor's Introduction, Linda Frost

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Guest editor's introduction to volume 25, issue 2 of the Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council (Fall/Winter 2024), special issue: Forum on student mental health.

About The Nchc Monograph Series

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

About the National Collegiate Honors Council monograph series.

About The Authors [Jnchc 2024, 25(2)]

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

About the authors of volume 25, issue 2 of the Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council (Fall/Winter 2024); special issue: Forum on student mental health.

Front And Backmatter [Jnchc 2024 25(2)]

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Front and back matter for volume 25, issue 2 of the Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council (Fall/Winter 2024); special issue: Forum on student mental health.

Note From The Incoming Editor, Amy Mecklenburg-Faenger

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Note from the incoming editor in journal 25, issue 25 of the Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council (Fall/Winter 2024); special issue: Forum on student mental health.

Journal Of The National Collegiate Honors Council (Fall/Winter 2024) 25(2): Whole Issue

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Contents

Editorial Policy, Deadlines, and Submission Guidelines

Dedication to Keith Garbutt, Linda Frost

Guest Editor’s Introduction, Linda Frost

Note From the Incoming Editor, Amy Mecklenburg-Faenger

FORUM ESSAYS ON “STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH”

Face-to-Face: A Sociologist Looks at College Students’ Mental Health, Maureen Kelleher

Out of the Cave: Technology and the Importance of Community to Learning and Mental Health, Richard England

Fostering Relationships with Faculty, Peers, and Parents to Support Undergraduate Honors Students’ Mental Health, Allison A. Buskirk-Cohen and Alicia N. Shenko

Honors Is More Than a Grade: Removing the Experiential Ceiling in Honors, Justin L. Rheubert, Marisa Prisco, Paige A. …

Out Of The Cave: Technology And The Importance Of Community To Learning And Mental Health, Richard England

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

This essay draws upon Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” to examine student use of personal electronic devices and emphasize the value and power of conversation in learning communities. Observing the isolation that often characterizes the five minutes prior to class time, the author considers the psychosocial challenges to building classroom community in a technological age. Literature review provides ample testimony on how emergent technologies contribute to social fragmentation, emotional instability, and pedagogical hurdles. Noting current smartphone bans in K–12 education, the author acknowledges similar challenges to tertiary education, suggesting that individualized “caves” of ubiquitous personal (and highly personalized) technology are …

Fostering Relationships With Faculty, Peers, And Parents To Support Undergraduate Honors Students’ Mental Health, Allison Buskirk-Cohen, Alicia N. Shenko

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Honors students are typically high-achieving, academically motivated individuals. Confronting the stressors of emerging adulthood makes them particularly vulnerable to heightened levels of anxiety, depression, and stress surrounding their performance and support networks. This essay blends developmental theories and research with personal reflection to underscore the importance of nurturing relationships among students and faculty, peers, and parents for promoting student well-being. Authors advocate honors programs and practitioners facilitate positive social interaction, appropriate parental involvement, and personal development. Strategies, such as smaller class size, non-traditional assessment, extracurricular engagement, and familial support, can help create caring communities within honors. Authors suggest that prioritizing …

Honors Is More Than A Grade: Removing The Experiential Ceiling In Honors, Justin L. Rheubert, Marisa Prisco, Paige A. Grum, Abby L. Kalkstein

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

The stress created by academic pressure may prevent honors students from exploring curricula beyond that required by their majors. Challenged with additional workload and extracurricular requirements, students in honors often confront added stress caused by a desire to perform favorably in all academic pursuits. This pressure may result in hesitancy to explore new ideas, nurture curiosity, or break free from the rigors of a defined program of study—the opposite of what honors pedagogy and practice purport. This essay presents the process of converting a weighted grading system to pass/fail in an effort to provide students with opportunities for academic exploration …

You Are Not Alone: An Innovative, Collaborative Approach To Student Wellness And Mental Health In Honors, Sheryl Ford, Joshua Stockley

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

This essay presents an innovative, proactive solution to the growing mental health needs of honors students. Authors discuss the ways in which one program at a large public university revised curriculum, created programming, and formed strategic partnership with the university’s Marriage and Family Therapy Program to understand and address student mental health in honors. Acknowledging a growing national trend of depression, anxiety, and suicide among college students, authors posit that dynamic outreach and dialogue with students about their struggles with assignments, activities, and academic expectations can create effective strategies for nurturing student development and well-being.

Charting A Course For Belonging: Creating An Honors Mindfulness Learning Community, Kristy Spear, Gayathry Prabhakaran

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

In today’s post-pandemic world, a sense of belonging within and in the larger relational world is something that many people struggle with, particularly those individuals leaving home to enter college. Socially engaged mindfulness can connect individuals with their breath, thoughts, emotions, and one another to promote and support well-being. This essay presents a programmatic overview of a Mindfulness Learning Community (MLC) in honors. Created for incoming first-year students (N = 31) to aid in their transition to college life, the multi-semester academic, social, and experiential-based learning community aims to teach honors students the psychological and physiological value of mindful practice, …