Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Becoming Anything: Stem Cells And The Power Of Analogy, Sarah O’Leary-Driscoll, Dr. Jessica Amacher, Academics

Professional Learning Day

How does a single cell become a heart, a neuron, or skin? In this session, we will explore stem cells and cell differentiation through analogy-based modeling. No prior knowledge necessary! Participants will work through a hands-on analogy that makes gene expression familiar and concrete. Then we will discuss other examples, and consider what makes analogies effective and where they break down. Come to learn the fascinating science of how we each develop; leave with a powerful teaching strategy you can use in any discipline.

Everyone Play Nice: A Brief Intro To Game Theory, Dr. Zack Conley, Outreach

Professional Learning Day

What happens when your best choice depends on what everyone else does? Join us for an interactive session, where we will explore game theory through different activities and simulations. When is it better to be selfish and when is it better to work together?

Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (Cerp), Angie Shoener, Student Affairs

Professional Learning Day

Learn about your role in the event of a cardiac emergency on campus and how to respond. The Cardiac Emergency Response plan will be explained to faculty and staff. Then you will participate in a practice drill. The session will finish with an evaluation and feedback from the practice drill.

Gauging The Evolving Needs Of Residential Students, Amber Lange, Mission & Impact, Dr. Katie Berger, Student Affairs

Professional Learning Day

What if IMSA faculty and staff could offer advice to higher education administrators about the evolving needs of residential students we have noticed while they are living here with us? Well this is your chance! Dr. Katie Berger and Amber Lange hope to lead this discussion at the annual conference for Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and want your input. Join us for a brief discussion about what evolving needs you have seen in recent years here at the Academy.

Ai Beyond The Screen: Exploring Physical Ai, Tami Armstrong, Public Affairs, Dr. Ashwin Mohan, Ai Center

Professional Learning Day

What happens when AI moves beyond the screen and interacts with the physical world? Last year, Dr. Ashwin Mohan worked with a group of IMSA sophomores to explore Physical AI and develop hands-on activities using simple, low-cost tools. In this interactive session, participants will experience their work firsthand and learn how AI can learn from feedback and adapt. No coding or technical background is required: Just curiosity about AI, student innovation, and hands-on learning.

My Travels, Experiences, And Teaching Possibilities, Dr. Lee Eysturlid, Academics

Professional Learning Day

No abstract provided.

What’S Happening At The Chicago Hub?, Frank Kadri, Outreach

Professional Learning Day

Are you curious about what’s going on at IMSA’s newest hub location? After just one year, IMSA is already making an impact in Chicago. Chat with Chicago Hub manager Frank Kadri about what’s happening, and more importantly, what’s to come, including building a navigation app/website for STEM activities, experiences, partners, and providers that pairs with school selection for elementary and high schools across the city.

Budget Basics, Brien Martin,Business Office

Professional Learning Day

An overview of budgeting in general, explaining what budgets are used for, how they may be built, suggestions for managing a budget (or multiple budgets), and an overview of the IMSA budget process, which is being revised and revamped as we head into FY2028

Building Culture: The Calaverita Engineering Challenge, David Hernandez

Professional Learning Day

In this session, we will explore the cultural significance of “Calaveritas” (sugar skull), an important artistic element of “Día de los Muertos” in Mexican culture. Visitors will investigate the engineering design and production process used to create decorative “Calaveritas”, exploring materials, structure, aesthetics, and manufacturing techniques. Through the design process, participants will create their own “Calaverita” while connecting culture, art, engineering, and technology to understand how traditional designs can inspire modern creative production.

Make It Matter: Designing Meaningful Professional Learning, Cassandra Armstrong, Lindsey Herlehy

Professional Learning Day

You know your content. You have an idea. Maybe you even have a slide deck. But how do you turn that expertise into a 60-minute professional learning experience that educators will actually find valuable? This session will guide participants through the process of designing, preparing, and facilitating a professional learning session-- particularly for Institute Day. We'll explore what makes professional learning engaging and useful, consider how to move beyond "sit and get," and use a simple planning framework to turn an idea into an actionable session. Participants will have time to work on their own Institute Day proposal and leave …

Interactive Review Of Imsa’S Emergency Operations Plan, Stefan Bjes,Campus Safety

Professional Learning Day

Emergency preparedness relies on collective confidence and clear communication across departments. This session serves as a "work in progress" collaboration to present IMSA’s refreshed Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and workshop the best strategies for communicating these protocols to the broader staff body. Participants will explore core components of the plan—spanning severe weather, facility emergencies, and campus safety threats—while actively testing how to make these procedures engaging, accessible, and actionable for everyone on campus.

Ai Agents, Dr. Phadmakar Patankar, Academics

Professional Learning Day

No abstract provided.

Beyond The Sign-Out: Reaching Across Imsa, Courtney Caruthers , Student Affairs

Professional Learning Day

REACH: a sign-out system and MUCH more! This session explores why IMSA is implementing REACH, how it supports Residence Life operations, and where its impact intersects with Academics, Student Affairs, families, and other campus partners. Participants will see how REACH can connect people, processes, and information to strengthen student support, while exploring what we are learning through implementation and where opportunities for greater collaboration may exist.

Engaging In And Chaperoning Imsa Experiences, Brandon Ducoing, Emma Wilson Parker, Student Affairs

Professional Learning Day

IMSA’s student experience extends beyond the classroom, and adult presence plays an important role in making those experiences meaningful. This session will explore how faculty and staff can engage with students through events, activities, traditions, and other experiences. We’ll discuss what it means to be an effective chaperone, how to support student independence while maintaining appropriate supervision, and ways faculty and staff can get involved in experiences like CLASH of the Halls.

From Classroom Community To Civic Community: Three Activities For Social Studies Teachers And Teacher Educators, Sonia Janis, Samantha Hand, Hyelin Kim

Teaching Social Studies in the Peach State

In politically uncertain times, social studies educators must cultivate classrooms where students feel valued, develop trust, take intellectual risks, and engage substantively with controversial issues and difficult histories. Drawing on our implementation of three community-building activities in a spring 2026 social studies education course, we describe how pre-service teachers (PSTs) experienced these activities as opportunities for relationship-building, identity exploration, and collaborative learning while preparing to teach difficult histories to local eighth-grade students. Each activity is paired with adaptations for middle and high school settings, including suggestions that attend to technology, student privacy, and diverse forms of expression. Community-building is an …

Grandma's Hands, Eric Rand

Teaching Social Studies in the Peach State

The purpose of this collaborative community based cookbook project is to archive personal memories, recipes, and experiences that contribute to the story of America. Educators are positioning students to become local historians by interacting with elders in their families or communities retrieving lost or unknown narratives regarding the different dishes. This manuscript provides educators with detailed teacher notes through 4 phases to help them and students work through the semester on the project building on additional knowledge learned through traditional course work. Students will use technology like voice recorders, and graphic design platforms to ground their finished product. Moreover educators …

Enhancing Vocational Milling Machine Learning Through Powerpoint Hyperlink-Based Interactive Media, Ilham Bayu Haliludin, Marsono Marsono, Yayi Febdia Pradani, Yuli Panca Asmara

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

The advancement of educational technology has led to the development of innovative learning media to improve student engagement and learning outcomes. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of PowerPoint Hyperlink-based interactive learning media for milling machine material. The research employed the Research and Development (R&D) method using the 4D model, consisting of the Define, Design, and Develop stages. The research subjects were 20 tenth-grade students of the Machining Engineering Department at SMK Muhammadiyah 1 Kepanjen. The research instruments included expert validation sheets, questionnaires, pretest-posttest assessments, and documentation. Data were analyzed descriptively, while the effectiveness of …

Occupational Therapy Student Perceptions Of Sexuality And Intimacy Education: A Cross-Sectional Study, Jennifer H. Barnett, Amanda K. Giles

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Sexuality and intimacy are meaningful activities within the scope of occupational therapy (OT), encompassing valued roles and occupations that contribute significantly to a person’s health, well-being, and identity. Despite acknowledgement of their importance, many occupational therapists overlook these areas during routine assessment and intervention because of feelings of insufficient knowledge, comfort, and confidence. This study used a cross-sectional design to electronically survey 149 occupational therapy doctoral (OTD) students across their first, second, or third year of education to determine their perceptions of sexuality and intimacy education. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data were analyzed via codebook …

The Use Of Case-Based Experiential Learning With First-Year Occupational Therapy Students: A Two-Year Pilot Study, Michelle Jackson

Journal of Applied Disciplines

Background: Understanding and applying biomechanical principles to participation in functional activities is vital to occupational therapy (OT) education. Exposure to such principles underlying prosthetic use and occupational engagement related to lower extremity (LE) limb loss provides opportunities to better understand these concepts as well as the role of OT with this population.

Method: An experiential learning framework was used to develop a three-phase, case-study-based pilot project, completed with first-year graduate-level OT students from two cohorts (n = 26, n = 31).  At the conclusion of the project, an anonymous Likert-style survey and a reflection assignment were completed by all students. …

Permission Granted? Navigating Ai Use In Graduate Speech-Language Pathology Education, Megann Mcgill, Ana Rivera Rodriguez, Alayna Townsend, Kelly Roy, Christine Fiestas

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly generative AI (GenAI), is transforming higher education and raising important questions about its role in graduate professional training. Speech-language pathology (SLP) programs face the dual challenge of preparing students to engage with AI technologies that are increasingly present in clinical and academic environments while also safeguarding academic integrity, ethical practice, and skill development. This tutorial paper describes the development and delivery of a one-hour, synchronous virtual AI training created for graduate students in a hybrid online Master of Science in SLP program at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. The …

Middle School Teachers' Lived Experiences Using Culturally Responsive Pedagogy To Promote Equity: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Doris A. Dapaah

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of using culturally responsive pedagogy to promote equity among students of color for middle school teachers in an inner-city school district in New York. The theory guiding this study was culturally responsive pedagogy, as it emphasized recognizing learners’ diverse backgrounds and experiences to promote academic achievement for all students in schools with diverse populations. The central research question was: What were the lived experiences of middle school teachers as they engaged in using culturally responsive pedagogy in their classrooms? The study included 10 middle school teachers …

A Systematic Review Of Cipp Model Implementation In Educational Program Evaluation: A Comparative Study Of Türkiye And Indonesia, Zahid Zufar At Thaariq, Memet Karakuş, Fatma Altun

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: This study compares CIPP (context, input, process, product) evaluation model implementation in educational programs across Türkiye (Turkey) and Indonesia through a systematic literature review. Despite structural similarities as Muslim-majority countries, no comparative research has examined how national contexts shape CIPP application in both settings.

Methods: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a Scopus search yielded 25 empirical studies (seven from Türkiye and 18 from Indonesia) analyzed using directed content analysis and comparative methods.

Results: Findings reveal two contrasting national patterns: (1) Türkiye’s “systematic formalism,” characterized by structured processes, standardized methodologies, and European Union policy …

Fmea Reveals Ppe Noncompliance As The Priority Grinding Machine Accident Risk In An Indonesian Vocational School Workshop, Salman Fawwas Albaihaqi, Marsono Marsono, Imam Muhtarom, Mingchang Wu

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) in vocational school workshops represents an urgent priority given that students interact directly with high-risk equipment such as grinding machines, yet often demonstrate low compliance with safety protocols. This research aims to identify failure modes on grinding machines in SMKN 1 Jenangan workshop and formulate evidence-based risk control recommendations. A quantitative descriptive approach using Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) was employed, involving 10 purposively selected respondents (practical instructors and technicians). The research instrument was validated using Content Validity Index (CVI) by three experts in occupational safety and mechanical engineering. Results identified 15 failure modes …

Expanding Ai Literacy: The 5cs Of News Literacy In The Era Of Generative Ai, Seth Ashley, Adam Maksl, Paul Cook

Journal of Media Literacy Education Pre-Prints

This article adapts the 5Cs framework of news literacy—context, creation, content, circulation, and consumption—to media environments shaped by generative artificial intelligence. We argue that prevailing discussions of AI literacy overemphasize technical or functional competencies while underemphasizing the social, cultural, political, and communicative systems in which AI operates. Drawing on previous research, we define AI literacy as knowledge of the technical, social, and ethical dimensions of AI-mediated content production, distribution, and consumption, along with the critical capacities needed to exercise agency within those processes. We show how the 5Cs can be reinterpreted for generative AI environments and integrate pedagogical implications for …

The Effects Of Restorative Practices On Student Behavior And School Climate: A Case Study, Victoria Smith, M.A.T., Donna Governor, Ph.D, Carlise Womack-Wynne, Ed.D

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

Schools have been seeking alternatives to punitive discipline measures. As an alternative, restorative practices offer healing, community, and relationships. This case study examined a middle school that had been implementing restorative practices since the 2019–2020 school year, three full years at the time of study. A mixed-methods design was used in order to investigate whether the implementation of restorative practices had resulted in a decrease of student misbehaviors and an increase in staff perceptions of school climate. Staff were interviewed (n = 19) and surveyed (n = 44). A thematic analysis was conducted on the interview data, and …

Using Scenario-Based Generative Ai In A Social Studies Methods Course, Timothy Lintner, Ellis Reeves

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly transforming the landscape of educator preparation. This shift is especially evident in social studies. As emerging technologies like AI reshape how social studies is taught and learned, it is essential to incorporate them into course design and student outcomes. Simply put, we must ensure that the next generation of social studies educators can effectively use AI to create real-world, scenario-based learning experiences that foster inquiry and encourage student action-taking. This article examines how AI-supported, scenario-based learning was strategically integrated into a secondary social studies methods course at the University of South Carolina Aiken. From concept …

‘There Is No Continuity’: Assessment Of Pre-Service Teachers' Ability To Analyse Historical Sources In Two Ghanaian Public Universities, Anitha Oforiwah Adu-Boahen

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

The paper examined student-teachers’ understanding of change and continuity in History. Using a convergent parallel mixed method approach, one hundred and thirty-five (135) student-teachers from two public universities examined images depicting classroom settings in Ghana’s educational system from different periods. Respondents were expected to show and explain the continuities and changes in the different periods in Ghanaian history. They were to focus on the disparities in ‘change’ and ‘continuities’ in classroom settings in the Ghanaian educational system over time. Again, student-teachers were expected to transform their knowledge of these changes into historical understanding by writing an interpretation from the sources. …

Using The Past To Better Understand The Present: Contextualizing Today’S History Wars, For Ourselves And For Our Students, Bonnie Laughlin-Schultz

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This essay considers our contemporary moment in the context of the long history of the so-called "history wars" in the United States. It identifies four historical moments with ties to the present, and makes use of primary documents to discuss each time period. It also considers the ways in which historical activists such as Frederick Douglass and W. E. B. Du Bois advocated for honest history in the past, and the ways in which we might argue for nuanced historical thinking in the present. Teachers may find the documents of use for their own classrooms, and a brief appendix at …

Call To Submissions, Cinde Wollenberg

Virginia English Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Creating A Sense Of Belonging For Immigrant And Refugee Students, Emma L. Johnson

Virginia English Journal

This review examines Creating a Sense of Belonging for Immigrant and Refugee Students, by Mandy Manning, Ivonne Orozco Sahi, Leah Juelke, and Sarahí Monterrey, which explores strategies to foster inclusive classroom communities that support newcomer and multilingual learners. The authors argue that belonging is foundational to students' academic success and outline personal anecdotes that influenced the authors' instructional methods. This review considers the book's key themes: community-building practices, culturally sustaining pedagogy, and the role of schools in supporting students navigating displacement and resettlement. It evaluates the text's anecdotal evidence as support for expanding the ELA curriculum to better serve …