Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Journal Of The National Collegiate Honors Council, Volume 15, Number 2, Fall/Winter 2014 (Complete Issue)

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Forum on Rubrics, Templates, and Measurable Outcomes in Honors

Joan Digby

Annmarie Guzy

Beata M. Jones and Catherine M. Wehlburg

Giovanna Walters

Ce Rosenow

research essays

Kim Andersen and Gary Thorgaard

Heather C. Camp

Jay Trucker

Deborah Engelen-Eigles and Janice Levinsohn Milner

Stereotype Threat–Based Diversity Programming: Helping Students While Empowering And Respecting Faculty, Isis Artze Vega, Leslie Richardson, Adrienne Traxler

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

As college student populations grow increasingly diverse, centers for teaching and learning are often charged with promoting inclusive teaching practices. Yet faculty cite many affective barriers to diversity training, and we often preach to the choir. These challenges led us to seek alternate routes for diversity programming, and stereotype threat has become the centerpiece of our endeavors. This chapter describes stereotype threat and related interventions, outlines our efforts, and offers evidence of its surprising impact. It also identifies the features of stereotype threat that appealed to faculty, led them to make pedagogical changes, and inspired them to spread the word.

Measuring The Promise: A Learning Focused Syllabus Rubric, Michael Palmer, Dorothe Bach, Adriana Streifer

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

To enrich the resources for measuring the impact of educational development work, we have created a rubric to assess the degree to which a syllabus achieves a learning orientation. The rubric provides qualitative descriptions of components that distinguish learning focused syllabi and uses a quantitative scoring system that places syllabi on a spectrum from content focused to learning focused. It is flexible enough to accommodate a diverse range of levels, disciplines, institutions, and learning environments, yet nuanced enough to provide summative information to developers using the tool for assessment purposes and formative feedback to instructors interested in gauging the focus …

Reflections On The State Of The Scholarship Of Educational Development, Deandra Little

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Introduction to volume 33, number 1 of To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development from 2014 by managing editor Deandra Little of Elon University.

Peer Collaboration: Improving Teaching Through Comprehensive Peer Review, Shelley L. Smith

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This article includes a brief rationale and review of the literature on peer review of teaching (PRT). Based on that literature review, it offers a proposal for an optimal formative review process that results in a teaching portfolio that would reflect a faculty member’s efforts and successes in a critically reflective PRT process, and contributes to ongoing teaching improvement. It then looks at potential areas of faculty resistance and concern and offers a discussion of potential strategies to overcome those concerns.

Emotion In The Classroom: An Update, Janine Bowen

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Fourteen years ago, POD member Edward Vela drew attention to the role of emotion in learning. In particular he emphasized the need for faculty to express positive emotions in the classroom. Since then researchers continue to measure the effectiveness of positive emotion in student learning but the field of emotion in the classroom has expanded since Vela's essay. The purpose of this article is to not only update Vela's citations on emotion and learning but to provide a broader perspective on the topic and assist faculty developers. Ashkanasy's five level model frames the discussion.

Mapping Classroom Interactions: A Spatial Approach To Analyzing Patterns Of Student Participation, Sophia Abbot, Alison Cook Sather, Carola Hein

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This article explores how mapping patterns of student participation in classroom discussion can both illuminate and complicate the dynamic relationships among identity, physical position in the classroom, student engagement, and course content. It draws on the perspectives of an undergraduate in the role of pedagogical consultant, a faculty member who worked in partnership with that student, and the coordinator of the program through which this collaborative exploration unfolded. The authors provide multiple angles of vision on the impetus behind, approach to, results of, and interdisciplinary possibilities of mapping classrooms and offer recommendations and cautions regarding the use of mapping.

Tracing The Evolution Of Educational Development Through The Pod Network's Institute For New Faculty Developers, Michele Dipietro

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Educational development is a unique professional field in that it is not defined by content taught in a single degree that qualifies individuals to be in it. The resulting heterogeneity in newcomers’ knowledge and skills is addressed in different ways by different national networks. Since 1997, the POD Network has held a biennial Institute for New Faculty Developers, geared toward socializing new professionals into the field. An analysis of the evolution of the Institute, therefore, focused on understanding how educational development has represented itself to newcomers, can chronicle the trajectory of the field and generate conversations about its future.

Long-Term Trends Of Participation In Physical Activity During Adolescence With Educational Ambition And Attainment, Frances Jillian Priesmeyer

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Insufficient physical activity is a serious concern for the youth of this nation. In 2008, more than one third of children and adolescents could be classified as either obese or overweight (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). Poor nutrition and lack of physical activity are two major factors contributing to this epidemic. A physically active lifestyle during youth not only improves physical health, but has also been shown to improve emotional health, behavior, and academic performance. It is important that this area of research is continued and expanded so appropriate educational policies that support the health and well-being of …

The Supporting Effects Of High Luminous Conditions On Grade 3 Oral Reading Fluency Scores, Michael S. Mott, Daniel H. Robinson, Thea H. Williams-Black, Susan S. Mcclelland

Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Publications - Archive

The universality of the impact of daylight is a common thread that defines humanity. Day light affects us in a variety of ways –visually, psychologically and biologically. Artificial lighting research has explored ways in which artificial lighting may substitute for daylight and enhance human health and wellbeing. Recently, a study by Mott et al. 2011 found that the usage of high intensity, yet glare free lighting, (referred to as Focus light setting) during reading instruction increased grade 3 students’ oral reading fluency (ORF) scores, a key index of reading comprehension. The current study further explored the effect of Focus lighting …

"We Gotta Change First" : Racial Literacy In A High School English Classroom, Holly Hungerford-Kresser

Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Publications - Archive

Students need more opportunities to learn how to respond to and counter forms of everyday racism. This qualitative study addresses that need by investigating how one peer-led group engaged in dialogue about issues of race in regards to an eleventh-grade Language Arts assignment. A racial literacy perspective framed our analysis of three small group conversations. Findings suggest that dialogue in the small group fostered opportunities for students to engage in the following elements of racial literacy: a) hear and appreciate diverse and unfamiliar experiences; b) facilitate problem-solving with the community; and c) create opportunities to talk about race.Students need more …

Modeling Science And Faith Integration May Be More Powerful Than Words. Reflections On "The Study Of Science In Catholic Higher Education In The United States: A Modern Nuisance?", Thomas Plante

Psychology

In "The study of science in Catholic higher education in the United States: A modern nuisance?", Fr. Cunningham offers a thoughtful and engaging commentary on the history and state of science education in Catholic universities in the United States, carefully weaving history, science, and even politics in a seamless and multilayered manner. But before offering reflections on what he said in his paper, I'd like to make a few comments on who he is which, at the end of the day, might be actually more important.

The Paradox Of Increasing Both Enrollment And Graduation Rates : Acknowledging Elephants In The Ivory Tower, Sean W. Mulvenon, Daniel H. Robinson

Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Publications - Archive

The argument is made that increasing enrollments and graduation rates cannot occur while maintaining academic standards. Several U.S. universities are attempting to increase their enrollments to counter the financial difficulties created by a reduction in state support. These same universities are also under growing pressure from their state legislatures to increase four-year graduation rates and make degrees more affordable. In this essay, we describe how some universities and programs are attempting to meet both of these goals by lowering academic standards.

Cultivating Primary Students’ Scientific Thinking Through Sustained Teacher Professional Development, Roxanne Greitz Miller, Margaret Sauceda Curwen, Kimberly A. White-Smith, Robert C. Calfee

Education Faculty Articles and Research

While the United States’ National Research Council (NRC 2012) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS 2013) advocate children’s engagement in active science learning, elementary school teachers in the US indicate lack of time to teach science regularly because of (1) school and district pressure to focus on English language arts and mathematics assessment scores in response to the country’s No Child Left Behind (2001) mandates; (2) a lack of preparation in teacher science content knowledge; and (3) a lack of science professional development opportunities. In response to these needs and focusing on the primary (Kindergarten–first–second) grade levels, the Project SMART …

Con Respeto: A Conceptual Model For Building Healthy Community-University Partnerships Alongside Mexican Migrant Families, Miguel Zavala, Patricia A. Pérez, Alejandro González, Anna Díaz Villela

Education Faculty Articles and Research

In this paper we grapple with the question of how healthy community and university partnerships can be formed in order to support migrant students’ access to higher education. Employing autoethnographic and narrative research, and drawing from our work within the context of the migrant family conference at California State University, Fullerton from 2011 to 2013, we outline a conceptual model for building healthy partnerships. The first section of this paper offers a general overview of the literature on community-university engagement and collaboration as well as provides background information about the migrant farmworker community. The next section puts forward a new …

The Effect Of Mediated Immediacy Upon State Motivation And Cognitive Learning In An Online Lesson, Gary K. Hughes

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

The role of teacher immediacy and its impact upon student learning within the traditional classroom has been established within the instructional communication discipline in the past 30 years. In recent years, with the advent of computer-mediated distance education (i.e. online courses), some researchers have attempted to apply the same theories and measures of concepts without making the distinction between actual teacher behavioral indicants of immediacy and student perceptions of immediacy, nor recognizing that there may be a different number of variables involved between a single lesson presented online and an entire course presented over a period of time. Building upon …

The “Outsider/Insider” Assignment: A Pedagogical Innovation For Teaching Cross-Cultural Understanding, Angela Garcia

Natural & Applied Sciences Faculty Publications

In this paper, I describe an innovative assignment for teaching undergraduate students cross-cultural understanding. The Outsider/Insider assignment simultaneously teaches facts about cultural difference and skills for managing cross-cultural encounters. Briefly, the assignment is to write two short papers, one in which the student describes a situation in which he or she was the outsider, and the other a situation in which he or she observed a newcomer to a group where that person was an insider. The paper begins by reviewing previous research on cross-cultural interaction and its relevance for pedagogy, and describing the course, its goals, and the “Outsider/Insider” …

Engaging Multiple Teams To Design A Blended Learning Course, Monica W. Tracey, Tamme Quinn Grzebyk

Administrative and Organizational Studies

In the following design case, a blended learning program was designed and developed for parents interested in improving their parenting skills with their children. Numerous design teams developed the program, consisting of both synchronous live events and asynchronous web-based instruction. Teams were comprised of novice students, professors, and expert designers. This design case explores the design space and design decisions made in light of varied and unique stakeholder involvement. It also illustrates the products developed.

Laboratory: Where Science Becomes Art, Amy Norton, Madeline Carpenter, Colton Weeks, Jae Lim

P-12 Lesson Plans

This is group of lessons for K-12 art classroom is connected to the artists in the ZMA exhibition Laboratory, on view November 14, 2014 - February 21, 2015. The exhibition worked to demystify artistic practice by revealing parallels between art and scientific research and methodology. These associated lessons include scientific concepts and principles paired with art.

The Relationship Between The Level Of Acculturation In American (English-Speaking) Culture And Language Proficiency In Arabic Among Adolescents, Ahmed B. Elsayed

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LEVEL OF ACCULTURATION IN AMERICAN (ENGLISH-SPEAKING) CULTURE AND LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY IN ARABIC AMONG ADOLESCENTS

by

AHMED ELSAYED

August 2014

Advisor: Dr. Sharon Elliott

Major: Curriculum and Instruction

Degree: Doctor of Education

The purpose of this study is to describe the relationship between acculturation and Arabic language skills in Arab American youth in a community center setting. Seventy Arabic speaking students at the age of 13 through 17 in a Midwestern state were selected on a non-random sampling basis to participate in this study. Three main measures were used to collect data: (1) Student Demographic Survey, …

A Mixed Methods Study Of Shared Epistemic Agency In Team Projects In An Online Baccalaureate Nursing Course, Suzanne Hayes

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study explores the role of instructional design in the development of shared epistemic agency (SEA) when RN to BSN nursing students collaborate to complete a team project in an online course. Paavola & Hakkarainen's (2005) trialogical model of learning is used to design a learning activity where teams create a shared knowledge object, a co-authored patient interprofessional care plan to support group knowledge creation. The study addresses the following research questions:

Program Articulation And Management, Gillian Lord, Christina Isabelli

Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Boys And Csa Prevention: Issues Surrounding Gender And Approaches For Prevention, Laura Scholes, Christian Jones, Michael Nagel

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Freda Briggs (2007), a leader in the field of child protection in Australia continues to raise concerns about the vulnerability and victimisation of boys that she believes is substantially under-recognised. She argues that boys have not been well supported by child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention programs with child protection curriculum not yet developed to meet the special needs of boys. Briggs (2007) advocates for school-based child protection programs that address issues relevant for boys. This paper responds to these concerns and explores some of the complexities inherent in issues associated with boys and CSA including boys’ perceptions of abuse, their …

The New Australian Curriculum, Teachers And Change Fatigue, Jessica Dilkes, Christine Cunningham, Jan Gray

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

A new national curriculum has recently been implemented across Australia. This paper reports on a case study of a regional Western Australia government school as they re-wrote and taught the phase one learning areas: maths, English, science and HASS. Results showed what it is like to work in an environment where continual change is not only expected, but also seen as best practice. Cynical, realistic and even enthusiastic teachers suffer change fatigue after years of rapid and continual curriculum change.

The research traces back the reasons why teacher change fatigue might occur using Intuitive Inquiry (Anderson & Braud, 2011) as …

Supporting The Transference Of Knowledge About Language Within Teacher Education Programs, Lisl Fenwick, Michele Endicott, Marie Quinn, Sally Humphrey

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Teacher education is effective when pre-service teachers are able to transfer knowledge from content areas to practice. This study investigates the extent to which curriculum and assessment designs, along with teaching practices, supported pre-service teachers to transfer knowledge gained about language from a first-year course into a second-year course on planning for effective learning in diverse contexts. Questionnaires and discourse analysis of assessment tasks provided insight into the extent to which the strategies designed to support transference succeeded. The findings indicate that transference of language knowledge occurs when this goal permeates curriculum and assessment design, as well as teaching practices.

The Honors Thesis: A Handbook For Honors Directors, Deans, And Faculty Advisors, Mark Anderson, Karen Lyons, Norman Weiner

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs

Writing the honors thesis is arguably the most rewarding undertaking of a student’s undergraduate educational experience, the capstone for honors work as well as undergraduate studies. A thesis or creative project in a discipline introduces students to the world of scholarship and professional activity in a way that no single course, either semester-long or even year-long, can. In-depth work—whether a laboratory experiment, as it might be in the sciences; hands-on research or experience, as it might be in the social sciences or pre-professional fields; intensive analysis unearthing ideas or following new lines of thought, as it might be in the …

The Influence Of The Emotional Intelligence Management Curriculum To Improve College Students’ Intrapersonal And Interpersonal Skills To Impact Leader Behavior And Team Performance Effectiveness, Cindy Register Love

Dissertations

There is a growing emphasis in institutions of higher learning to produce sustainable and competitive graduates who possess relevant personal competencies for career success. Emotional intelligence skills can provide the competitive edge for graduates to be successful int heir industry of choice. Integrating emotional intelligence into higher education can potentially shift the learning environment and increase specific personal competencies. This study aims to investigate the influence of an emotional intelligence intervention to improve college students’ intrapersonal and interpersonal skills to impact leader behavior skills and team effectiveness. The research looked specifically at students’ skills from three dimensions (intrapersonal,interpersonal, and leadership) …

The Relationship Between Student Perceptions Of Satisfaction Of Social, Teaching, And Cognitive Presence With Asynchronous Communication Tools For Online Learning In A Region V Community College, Torie L. Jackson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As a commonplace medium for instructional content in community colleges, the use of online courses is prevalent in higher education and is expected to continue to grow. While online classes offer a number of benefits to students, drawbacks of online education also exist. Because participants in an online classroom are not physically present together, they rely on communication tools to allow for interaction and collaboration. This study addressed the relationship between community college student perceptions of satisfaction of the use of asynchronous communication tools and community college student perceptions of satisfaction of social, teaching, and cognitive presence in a Region …

Cheating In Business Online Learning: Exploring Students' Motivation, Current Practices And Possible Solutions, Martonia Gaskill

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

Cheating has been an area of concern in educational institutions for decades, especially at the undergraduate level. A particular area of concern is the increasing reports of the rise of cheating behaviors and the perceived cheating potential in online learning. As online learning continues to grow and become an integral part of education, concerns exist regarding academic integrity due to anonymity and the isolated nature of online learning. The purpose of the current study was to analyze cheating behaviors in an online environment, and determine students’ perceptions and motivation towards cheating. Another aim was to understand how and why online …

Information Literacy Skills As A Critical Thinking Framework In The Undergraduate Engineering Curriculum, James E. Van Loon, Heather L. Lai

Library Scholarly Publications

Information Literacy (IL) instruction embedded into the engineering design curriculum can provide a framework for the development of critical thinking skills which are essential for students to master to solve open-ended engineering problems. At Wayne State University, a lecturer in biomedical engineering (BME) and a science librarian are collaborating in an ongoing effort to integrate IL instruction into the BME undergraduate design curriculum. The paper will provide a vision and rationale for integrating IL instruction into the engineering design curriculum, and discuss aspects of the Wayne State effort to effect this integration. A review of the place of critical thinking …