Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Teaching Creatives To Be A.I. Provocateurs: Establishing A Digital Humanist Approach For Generative A.I. In The Classroom, Joshua A. Fisher

Tradition Innovations in Arts, Design, and Media Higher Education

This case study examines the implementation of OpenAI's Generative AI (GenAI) in a graduate interactive storytelling course at Ball State University in Spring '23. Adopting a Posthumanist perspective, the course treated GenAI as a synthetic collaborator to bridge technical disparities among the students, enhancing their characters, dialogue, and visual production. Students also used the tool to help understand complex technical documentation. However, while the approach led to overall success, the case study proposes a shift towards Digital Humanism for a more balanced, ethical integration of GenAI in the classroom. This perspective prioritizes human creative agency over computational creativity, encouraging students …

Purposeful Stem Integration In School-Based Agricultural Education Programs, Christopher J. Eck, Kristopher Rankin Iii, J. Shane Robinson

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

The emphasis for STEM integration in school-based agricultural education (SBAE) classrooms is imperative, resulting in a need for teacher educators to generate a positive view on the integration. Specifically, SBAE teacher aspirants need to be prepared to deliver relevant agricultural curriculum grounded in STEM. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the content knowledge and interest in STEM-related careers for secondary students enrolled in SBAE programs in [State]. Pre-service SBAE teachers from [University] were charged with delivering a sustainable bioenergy unit of instruction to their students. This study resulted in a statistically significant improvement in students’ STEM knowledge as …

21st Century Skills Required In Eswatini's Higher Agricultural Education Curriculum, Zanele Muntu Gule Ms, Edwards A. Alademerin Prof, Marietta P. Dlamini Prof

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

The skills gap between agricultural education graduates from the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) and what employers are searching for is growing. Literature informs that this is mostly owing to the world's rapid changes, with ICT serving as the primary change engine, necessitating new sets of abilities from graduates as well as up-to-date teaching and evaluation methodologies in higher education institutions. These demands prompted the researchers to first establish the set of 21^st century skills that UNESWA graduates must acquire in order to thrive and participate fully in today's market. The study's purpose, therefore, was to develop a set of …

Shaping Supervised Agricultural Experiences In Rural American Schools: Support, Supervision, And Culture, Eric D. Rubenstein, Andrew Thoron, Taylor D. Bird

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Over the years, examination of barriers to the development and implementation of Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs has gained traction. This has led the profession to investigate the relevance of SAE. In the conducted studies, the profession continually notes that SAE remains a foundational component and perhaps the only distinguishing difference between school-based agriscience education (SBAE) and other Career and Technical Education programs or specialty courses that tie in a student leadership organization. While collecting evidence of perceived barriers of SAE implementation is important, at some point the question must be asked: What is right with student SAE programs in …

Pathways To Credentials: Does The Timing Of Earning An Industry Certification In High School Influence Postsecondary Educational Outcomes?, Elizabeth Glennie, Erich Lauff, Roger Studley, Ben Dalton

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Earning industry certifications helps people prepare for jobs in a range of careers. Doing so in secondary school may help students prepare for college as well. Using administrative data on two cohorts of first-time 9^th graders in Florida, we examined whether earning a certification was associated with postsecondary enrollment and degree attainment and whether the timing of the certification influenced that relationship. Earning a certification in high school prepared students for success in both 2-year and 4-year colleges. However, the patterns of certifications and college enrollment and degree attainment differed based on when students earned the certification. For early …

Evolving Scientific Vocabulary And Language In Middle School Classrooms: Babbling And Gargling On The Way To Scientific Understanding, Merryn Cole, Thomas Ryan, Jennifer Wilhelm

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

While scientific vocabulary is important, it can often become problematic for students. Sometimes, those words can become a barrier to participation or act as a gatekeeper to success in the science classroom. Under the Next Generation Science Standards, middle school students are expected to model Earth-Moon-Sun motions to explain Moon phases, eclipses, and seasons (NGSS Lead States, 2013). Using a phenomenography lens, we investigated the ways in which students seeing the Moon in nature and related classroom experiences translate into a mental model of lunar phases and how vocabulary is used to communicate these models. Eighth-grade students from three urban …

Instruction, Identity, And Inclusivity: What Can Teacher Preparation Programs Learn From Gay Male Teachers In The South, Joseph R. Jones

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

Abstract: In this article, the author discusses a qualitative research study that examined southern gay male teachers’ beliefs about the intersectionality of sexuality, gender identity, and pedagogy in secondary classrooms. For this discussion, three important themes emerged from the data analysis: instruction, identity, and inclusivity. The study utilized individual unstructured interviews, unstructured focus group interviews, classroom observations with field notes, and a research journal. The findings offer suggestions for teacher preparation programs to consider when preparing teacher candidates for the profession.

Why Ask That? Low Stakes Questions Build Engagement, Van Whaley

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

A few low-stakes questions during the term build engagement, encourage persistence, and can improve learning outcomes.

During labs, students work together to learn Anatomy & Physiology… plus answer these Engagement Booster Questions.

The Need
Students need to meet classmates. After two years of online-only education, returning to in-person labs is a new experience many students find uncomfortable and challenging.

The Existing Resources
Students in the same lab have several similarities that include enrolling in the same lecture section, similar schedules, the same completed prerequisites, similar majors, and career aspirations.

The Goal
Building engagement between students should help more students complete …

Violin Performance Influences Of Fritz Kreisler, Walter Daniel White

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study explores elements contained or implied in the question of what can the modern performer of violin literature learn and apply from the life, creative output, and career of Fritz Kreisler, a successful performer and composer of a past era. It is now the twenty-first century, and Fritz Kreisler, who lived from the final quarter of the nineteenth century beyond the first half of the twentieth century continues as a name widely recognized and associated with excellence in violin performance. His name is legendary among violinists, and he left a lasting legacy in the compositions that he created for …

Cutting As A Literacy Practice: Exploring The Fractured Body, Desire And Rage Through Queer And Trans*+ Youth Embodiments, Bess Van Asselt

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

By attending to the ways in which cutting manifests in the life histories of three queer and trans*+ youth of color, I argue that cutting is a literacy practice. I focus on the life histories of three youth, Jay, Harper and Sam, who have different experiences, reasons for, and reactions to their cutting. With each story, we learn something new about the act and how it pushes us to the brink of literacy pedagogy. Jay’s narrative forces us to reckon with youth who refuse to or cannot maintain their bodily integrity. Harper’s story brings to the fore the violence of …

What Counts As Rigor When Rigor Counts?: Increasing Intentionality In Teacher Education, Derek Riddle, Chyllis E. Scott, Leann G. Putney

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

Debates regarding the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs continue to persist. The level of rigor in teacher preparation programs and the ability of teacher educators to prepare candidates for the challenges persist in the educational climate. In higher education, rigor has been well-defined, but the understanding is limited, specifically rigor in preparing new teachers. This study undertook a telling case approach to explore student and faculty perceptions of rigor in a teacher preparation course. This research “leans in” to the criticism of rigor by exploring how teacher preparation programs can match the rigor and demands of the profession and to …

Why Computing? Motivations And Mathematics To Pursue Postsecondary Cis Education, Anthony M. Perry

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Computing and information sciences (CIS) careers in the United States are expected to grow faster than the average occupation between 2019 and 2029 and educational requirements for these positions span subbaccalaureate and baccalaureate degrees. Despite secondary curricular interventions, the population of people who pursue CIS pathways are not diverse by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or gender. This study applies situated expectancy-value theory to investigate the motivational factors which influence the decision to pursue postsecondary CIS degree programs for students in the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (n = 18,730). Prior CIS experiences are associated with increased odds of declaring …

Developing Vocal Agility Of Light Lyric Coloratura Soprano Voices Through The Neglected Repertoire Of French Opéra Comique, Valentine Baron

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This document explores light lyric coloratura soprano roles in the French opéra comique genre through an analysis of seven arias and their impact on the development of vocal agility. The opéra comique genre was popular at the beginning of the eighteenth century, but declined to disappear from the stage at the end of the nineteenth century. Despite the opéra comique’s influence on many other vocal genres, the genre is today neglected. Opportunities for singers to improve and practice challenging coloratura in this repertoire are limited. The two most famous arias from the genre which are the Doll Aria and Juliette’s …

Strengthening The Southern Nevada Workforce Pipeline, Katie M. Gilbertson

Student Research

Workforce development has been a keystone in the discussion of economic diversification of Las Vegas for decades. The leisure and hospitality industry is the lifeline for the Southern Nevada economy due to the reliance on tourism as the city’s main economic driver. The leisure and hospitality industry requires physical labor and more face-to-face customer interaction than other employment sectors. Thus, these jobs often do not require high educational attainment, but rather sharp soft skills like effective listening, nonverbal communication, and negotiation strategies. While these are valuable traits, the lack of educational attainment within the leisure and hospitality workforce suppresses employees’ …

Math Identity Experience Of College Students In Developmental Courses: The Effects Of Chronological Multicultural Mathematics, Jonah Shulman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The present grant funded study by the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects investigated the effects of a chronological multicultural mathematics (CMM) framework on math identity and math achievement of student participants enrolled in two virtual post-secondary developmental math courses (N=9). The students were selected due to an inability to pass previous developmental courses or the placement exam to earn entrance into credit bearing math courses. An exploratory mixed methods case study utilized interviews, reflections, surveys, classwork, and grades to arrive at conclusions. Student participants were exposed to supplemental additions to the curriculum that provided elements of past (founders and …

A Multiple Case Study: Exploration Of The Writing Instruction Practices Of Veteran High School English Teachers, Victoria Lindemann

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The gift of literacy can be the greatest equalizer in a society or used as a weapon to marginalize. As writing instructors, it should be our job to help our students find their voice – to give voice to the voiceless (Friere, 1970). More research must uncover the influences beyond the classroom and how those influences inform veteran teachers’ decisions about their writing practices and instructional designs, specifically on how teachers engage students in writing. It is the writing of our thoughts and ideas that shares a piece of ourselves with the world around us.This study explored how experienced English …

Online Teaching Of Program Planning & Evaluation, Manoj Sharma

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Program Planning & Evaluation (PBH 440-1001) offered by the School of Public Health at University of Nevada, Las Vegas was taught asynchronously online by Manoj Sharma to undergraduate students (primarily from public health) in Spring 2021 (n=34). This course is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to systematically develop, implement, and evaluate health-related programs, services, and interventions. The specific teaching techniques that were used in teaching this course were organizing the entire course in Canvas and making it available from day 1, recording all lectures beforehand in Panopto, utilizing cases studies in modules, embedding journal articles …

Establishing Program Standards To Meet The Needs Of Postsecondary Trade And Industrial Education, Beno Rubin, Michael F. Kosloski Jr., Roberto Loya

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

The focus of this study was to develop standards that can be used for establishing and assessing high-quality postsecondary trade and industrial programs. A four-round Delphi technique was used to generate consensus regarding program standards. The panel of experts, comprised of postsecondary administrators of trade and industrial programs, was used to determine which program standards should guide the development and assessment of high-quality trade and industrial education programs. The result was a list of 17 standards and descriptions. The standards included Academic Integration, Advisory Committee, Curriculum, Employer Feedback, Faculty Qualifications, Meaningful Employment, Placement Rates, Program Design, Program Review, Safety, Soft …

21st-Century Skillset Perceptions Of Students In An Information Technology Career Academy Compared To Those At A Comprehensive School, Edward C. Fletcher Jr., Amber D. Dumford

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

In this study, we compared the perspectives of students’ 21st-Century competencies (critical thinking and communication, applied learning, and intrapersonal and interpersonal skills) based on participating in an urban magnet information technology (IT) career academy compared to a traditional, comprehensive high school. We utilized propensity score matching to match academy and comprehensive high school learners on various demographic variables. The propensity score matching resulted in 299 matched pairs (n = 598). Using the matched groups, we ran linear regression models to investigate the relationship between school participation and students’ perceptions of their 21^st-Century skill attainment. We found that …

Divergent Values: A Family Critical Race Theory Analysis Of Families Of Color And Their Perceptions Of Teachers And Teaching As A Profession, Norma A. Marrun, Marcela Rodriguez-Campo, Tara J. Plachowski, Christine Clark

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

In seeking strategies for diversifying the U.S. public school teacher workforce, education policymakers and teacher education programs need to meaningfully consider input from the families of PK-12 Students of Color. Using a Family Critical Race Theory (FamilyCrit) analysis, this article examines the educational experiences and related perspectives of Families of Color about teachers and the teaching profession. Findings reveal that Families of Color perceive teaching as a form of caring and teachers as extended family members. Families of Color wrestled with a divergence of values in encouraging their children to pursue their passions, while concomitantly confronting economic injustices. Findings challenge …

Developing The Key Constructs Of Career Literacy: A Delphi Study, Kesha S. Valentine, Michael F. Kosloski

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Career literacy is a concept that is often misunderstood, yet it is something that can be developed to enhance youth’s potential for career readiness and career growth. This study sought to determine the knowledge and skills required for career literacy and to identify the optimal time to acquire these skills. A four-round Delphi study was designed and implemented to determine such skills and the ideal corresponding time of acquisition for each. The research indicated a final list of 50 skills and knowledge, all of which fall under the categories of functional, interactive, and critical skills a student needs to be …

Listen Like Thieves - Using Pop Music To Teach Literary Analysis, Foster Engagement, And Build Positive Relationships, William Visco

Far West Popular Culture Association Annual Conference

It has been said that teachers are some of the greatest thieves in the world, stealing ideas and altering them to fit their classes. A resource that is being "stolen from" and increasingly used in classrooms is that of pop culture. I have found that one of the most easily accessible forms of pop culture to use effectively and efficiently is that of popular music. Popular music spans generations and connects millions. I’ll discuss the benefits of connecting curriculum to pop music in order to enrich classroom lessons, enhance student's ability to do literary analysis, and actively engage students while …

Mid-Semester Reset: Approaches For Student Self-Assessment, Self-Efficacy And Support, Paige W. Johnson Ed.D.

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

A full college semester, like any long-term project, benefits from periodic reflection, and reconfiguration to make it to completion successfully. This is the thinking behind creating a mid-semester reset framework for first-semester students aligned with lessons on health and wellness. Students asked to reflect on themselves personally, each class during the semester and create an actionable plan was useful in helping to find their power, remember and reconfigure their motivations and see what they're doing right and well as what they can improve.

Entry-Level Workplace Competencies Needed By Graduates Of A Community College Agriculture Program: A Midwest Case Study Using The Delphi Technique, Blake Colclasure

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Community colleges have a strong history of providing vocational education and occupational training to meet changing workforce demands of local industries. In the Midwest, agricultural industries have expressed an expanding need for middle-skilled workers with postsecondary, prebaccalaureate credentials. The 21st century agricultural landscape has changed as a result of the need for efficiency and sustainability, and resulting emergent agricultural technologies. Community colleges will be integral to establishing a qualified agriculture workforce for entry-level, middle-skilled positions. This study utilized a modified Delphi approach to identify entry-level workplace competencies needed by graduates of a community college agriculture program. Delphi panel experts represented …

The Effect Of Asynchronous Versus Synchronous Online Course Delivery On Hesi Scores And Student Engagement For Rural Pre-Licensure Nursing Students, Susan Luke Belliston

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Since nurses are the primary providers of direct patient care in the United States, a shortage in any community can impact the quality of health care available. Rural areas were among the first to be affected by the current nursing shortage. Further challenges to the rural nurse supply include a lack of access to nursing education, particularly baccalaureate education.Both distance and online education options allow for the increased reach of higher education to rural areas. Existing nursing education literature focuses on graduate nurse education and baccalaureate completion education. The pre-licensure nursing student is mostly absent from the existing literature concerning …

Influence Of Curricular Organization On Cognitive Load And Student Performance In Online Learning Environments, Michael Wilder

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of curricular organization on student cognitive load and student performance in online learning environments. The findings of this study contribute to the development of usable instruction design principles for online education.

This research study used the lens of cognitive load theory to examine how online course organization affects student learning. A review of the literature included the elements of cognitive architecture that have been measured in prior studies, various methods in which cognitive load has been measured, and the basic requirements for measurement of cognitive load in instructional research.

A …

Using The Critical Mathematics Pedagogical Framework To Teach Adult Basic Education Learners: A Transformative Convergent Parallel Mixed Methods Study, Matthew D. Gromlich

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The goal of this study was to design and implement curricula in the Adult Basic Education classroom that aligned to the Critical Mathematics Pedagogical Framework. Specifically, this study assessed if ABE students’ mathematics anxiety and mathematics self-efficacy ware affected by curricula that aligns to the Critical Mathematics Pedagogical Framework. Using a transformative convergent parallel mixed methods study, this study showed that students taught using CMPF-based lessons specifically reflected on their own attitudes towards mathematics self-efficacy, mathematics anxiety, number positioning, and the need for societal change around mathematical concepts. Both quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed to highlight student reflections and …

A Combined Approach To Evaluating Student Engagement In A Virtual Laboratory Environment, Aster Sigel

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study measured student engagement with galvanic skin response (GSR) using a one group randomized pretest–posttest design in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning environment to develop effective intervention strategies for engaging students in STEM learning experiences. Student engagement is a multi-dimensional interrelated construct, consisting of emotional, behavioral, and cognitive components, and varies in different subjects and learning environments. Student engagement in higher education is associated with academic achievement, retention, and graduation. In this study, the emotional, behavioral, and cognitive engagement data of 30 college students were obtained using self-report surveys, observation and physiological data, which was recorded …

Training Design Enhancement Through Training Evaluation: Effects On Training Transfer, Elham Arabi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With recurring changes in the society, in terms of economy and technology, companies need to ensure that their human capital is aligned with these transformations in order to sustain in a competitive industry. To date, organizations view training as a requirement to increase their employees’ efficiencies and productivity, and reduce their attrition rates. Despite investment in employee training, research shows a lack of transfer of learning to job and as a result minimal return on investment. This issue is due to many barriers, but can be addressed by learning professionals. Poor learning design and training evaluation practices have been identified …

Change Of Venue: An Exploratory, Multistage Evaluation That Examines The Impact Of Change Based On The Shared Experiences Of The Toe Tag Monologues, Lisa Ann Baaske

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study determined how Vision Theatrical Foundation addresses the needs of troubled and traumatized local youth. I wanted to see if their services and interventions had an impact and if that impact resulted in a change and/or an improved quality of their lives. In addition, I wanted to see if the impact improved mental health literacy. This is a mixed-method, convergent, multistage, process and impact evaluation. An exploratory process evaluation was conducted on the organization utilizing SAMHSA’s Process Evaluation to Monitor Program Implementation (SAMHSA, 2018), which assesses five key questions about the program. The strengths and weaknesses of the organization …