Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

‘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 …

Race, Identity, And The Classroom: How Young Adult Literature Can Help Students And Teachers Explore Belonging In The School Environment, Madyson A. Mcray

Virginia English Journal

Contemporary classrooms are not necessarily reflective of the curriculum written to support them. Classroom demographics have shifted and student populations are more diverse. Because of this, the implementation of dominant white-narrative curricula has become ineffective in keeping students engaged with the material. Teaching “the classics” becomes irrelevant when students cannot see themselves represented in the text. Young adult literature, however, allows students to relate their own experiences to the text to engage more deeply in content. This paper examines four novels: New Kid by Jerry Craft, This is My America by Kim Johnson, The Secret Battle of Evan Pao by …

Again And Again Of “Never Again”: Teaching Holocaust And Genocide Literature In Ela, Sarah J. Donovan

Virginia English Journal

This article explores the evolution of genocide education in the secondary ELA classroom, tracing how foundational Holocaust literature has expanded into a broader, transnational framework of global witness. Drawing on two decades of teaching experience, the author argues that while the Holocaust canon remains essential to genocide education, contemporary classrooms also require literature that helps students engage ongoing and intergenerational atrocities in places such as Rwanda, Ukraine, Sudan, and Gaza. The article examines how teachers can thoughtfully adapt established literacy structures—such as rhetorical reading, literature circles, and response journals—into practices of ethical witnessing that center critical empathy, harm, healing, and …

Decreasing Barriers To Learning: Understanding Cognitive Load In The Modern Classroom, Rory Cantwell

Virginia English Journal

This article applies Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) to investigate current classroom uses of technology and how these may support or hinder student learning. First, the article explores the current understanding and application of CLT. Then, focusing on cell phone and laptop computer use, it examines how current evidence surrounding the most prevalent educational technologies may suggest strategies for classroom technology use. The article concludes by offering implications for current practitioners, including a decision tree educators can use to determine situational classroom technology usage.

Moving Forward In Education, Reese Whitlock, Hannah-Evette Burruss, Kiley Mccleary

Virginia English Journal

This article examines the growing presence of artificial intelligence in secondary English Language Arts classrooms and argues that educators must approach AI integration through a human-centered framework. While technological advancements continue to reshape literacy instruction, the role of teachers as guides and relationship-builders remains essential. Drawing on educational research and classroom examples, the article explores how tools such as generative AI and audiobooks can support student learning when used intentionally rather than as replacements for critical thinking or teacher involvement. The discussion highlights concerns surrounding overreliance on AI, including diminished writer’s voice, reduced cognitive engagement, and ethical issues such as …

From Pack Horse Librarians To Large Language Models: Grounding Ai Literacy In Appalachian Place And Community, Amanda Biviano, Anna Marie Rayne, Paige Hubbard, Maya Alvarez, Brooke Stiles, Isabella Giocondo

Virginia English Journal

As artificial intelligence reshapes literacy education, teachers face the challenge of preparing students to engage critically with new technologies while honoring the cultural and community knowledge they bring to the classroom. This article proposes a critical, place-based pedagogical framework rooted in rural Appalachian literacy traditions as a means of guiding students toward reflective engagement with AI — particularly large language models (LLMs). Drawing on the theoretical foundations of Freire's critical pedagogy, Giroux's cultural literacy framework, and place-based education, we examine historical Appalachian literacy practices as models for resisting the standardizing and dehumanizing tendencies of AI-generated writing. We then outline a …

A Media Literacy Approach To Ai In Secondary Ela, Matthew Korona

Virginia English Journal

The rapid integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) into academic, civic, and personal contexts requires students to develop the skills and dispositions necessary for ethical and critical engagement with AI‑mediated texts. While AI literacy is often framed as a technical competency associated with computer science, this paper argues that secondary English language arts (ELA) classrooms are uniquely positioned to support AI literacy through media literacy practices. Drawing on constructivist pedagogy, existing research on media literacy and AI literacy, and the Virginia English Standards of Learning, the article presents a framework that aligns core media literacy competencies with human–AI interaction. To …

Letter From The Editor's Desk, Cinde Wollenberg

Virginia English Journal

No abstract provided.

Academics’ Experiences Of Integrating Open Educational Resources Into Study Guides In Sri Lankan Distance Education, W.M.A.P. Sandamini Fernando, Fareed Mohamed Nawastheen

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Open educational resources (OER) can provide additional learning materials for distance education students. However, limited research has examined academics’ experiences of using OER in distance teacher education study guides. This study examined academics’ perceptions and experiences of integrating OER into the study guides of the Postgraduate Diploma in Education programme at a university offering open and distance education in Sri Lanka. The study used a survey design with 30 purposively selected academics involved in developing courses for the programme. Data were collected through a questionnaire containing 25 items rated on a five-point scale and three open-ended questions. The responses were …

Development Of An Ai-Based Assessment Analytics Model For Transformative Teacher Professional Education, Didah Nurhamidah, Muhammad Ridhwan, Nuryani Nuryani

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Transformative Teacher Professional Education (PPG) requires an assessment system that not only produces scores, but is also able to map competency achievements, identify risks, and provide data-driven follow-up recommendations. This research aims to develop  an artificial intelligence-based assessment analytics model  to support the monitoring of academic development and intervention of PPG UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta students. The research uses a Research and Development approach with the ADDIE model which includes the Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate stages. Data was obtained through needs analysis, document review, interviews, observations, expert validation, system tests, user questionnaires, and assessment data in the form …

Beyond Intent: Teacher Capacity, Opportunity To Learn, And The Persistence Of Math Equity Gaps In Tennessee (2000-2025), Soso Dede

The Journal of the Research Association of Minority Professors

For a quarter-century (2000–2025), Tennessee pursued mathematics reforms aiming for equity, yet stark racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps endure. Framed by Opportunity to Learn (OTL) and Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT), this study investigates the intersection of equity, teacher capacity, and policy. By synthesizing assessment data, program evaluations, policy documents, and research literature, this study reveals that systemic OTL inequities—disparate access to quality instruction, adequate resources, and teachers possessing strong MKT—are primary drivers of these enduring gaps. Such inequities deny marginalized students a fair chance at mathematical proficiency. The interplay between OTL and MKT is critical: inadequate OTL constrains knowledgeable …

“None Of Them Use Facebook Anymore, It’S Just For Us, Internet Dinosaurs” Czech Media Education Teachers And Social Media, Karolína Šimková, Ana F. Oliveira, Annamária Neag

Journal of Media Literacy Education Pre-Prints

In today’s digital age, media education teachers are expected to be at the forefront of guiding young people through the complex digital world. This study aimed to explore how media education teachers’ personal and professional engagement with social media shapes their teaching practices in Czech primary schools (teaching pupils aged 11–15). Through 17 semi-structured interviews, we delved into teachers’ social media use, classroom discussions, and pedagogical approaches to media education to identify the distinct attitudes these teachers hold toward social media. The study shows that Czech media education teachers’ diverse strategies for integrating social media into their curriculum are primarily …

Guided By Innovation: A Phenomenological Study Of Virtual Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions Of Generative Artificial Intelligence Integration, Lisa M. Berry

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of elementary virtual teachers who integrate generative artificial intelligence (GAI) tools in their pedagogical practices at a large elementary virtual school. Participants were purposively sampled because those in the specified virtual school program provided relevant, experience-based insights and allowed the researcher practical, feasible access (Creswell & Poth, 2018). The participant sample for this study consisted of virtual elementary teachers who taught students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 teachers. The researcher followed Creswell and Poth’s (2018) data analysis spiral to systematically …

Building A Mini Medical School: An Evidence-Based Framework For Health Science Education Outreach, Alexandra S. Hausmann, Shirley F. Delair, Liliana P. Bronner

Medical Student Summer Research Program

No abstract provided.

Engl 426: Editing And Production Workshop (Syllabus), Lytton Smith Ph.D.

School of Arts & Sciences

This syllabus was developed by SUNY Geneseo Professor Lytton Smith for the fall 2026 semester.

Course Learning Outcomes

1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of editing practices, including manuscript review and selection, and correspondence with contributors.
2. Students will show proficiency at a variety of practical aspects of publishing such as copyediting, proofreading, layout, creating advertising, and soliciting work from SUNY writers and artists.
3. Students will demonstrate knowledge of contemporary literary journals.
4. Students will show ability to work collaboratively.

Risk Management In Financial Intermediaries (Assignment), Jyothsna G. Harithsa Ph.D.

School of Business

This assignment was developed by SUNY Geneseo Professor Jyothsna G. Harithsa for the fall 2026 semester.

Learning Objectives

• Students will strengthen their knowledge in accounting and finance topics, based on what they learn in the classroom.
• Students will learn how to use data analysis tools, learn to work with large amounts of data, be exposed to data extraction and data enhancement techniques, and will apply intuition to explain results.
• In alignment with NACE competencies, students will sharpen their intuitive reasoning skills, exhibit professional behavior, learn the tools and techniques that could help them in the workplace (using Excel, report writing, …

Data Storytelling Team Project, Byeong-Hak Choe Ph.D.

School of Business

This team project was developed by SUNY Geneseo Professor Byeong-Hak Choe for the fall 2026 semester.

Learning Objectives

• Develop a focused and researchable question that can be answered with data.
• Import, clean, filter, summarize, and reshape data in ways that support a clear analytical purpose.
• Use descriptive statistics and visualizations to identify patterns, trends, comparisons, or anomalies.
• Create a coherent data story that connects the question, evidence, and takeaways for an audience.
• Design readable, visually effective slides using color-blind-friendly figures and clear annotations.
• Work productively as a team by dividing tasks, coordinating decisions, and contributing equitably.
• Deliver a concise professional …

Defining Teacher Envelopment: A Non-Aristotelian Approach To Meta-Practices In The Philosophy Of Teacher Education, Rob Blom

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

The late Jonathan Neufeld argued that redefining teacher development required meta-practices, yet he never defined what these meta-practices were. To define them rigorously requires grounding teacher cultivation practices within coherent structures of truth capable of withstanding philosophical scrutiny—a challenge intensified by post- truth discourse that flattens epistemological depth in secularised educational theory. This paper advances a theory of teacher envelopment to complement conventional teacher development through identifying mindfulness and discernment as foundational meta-practices grounded in non-Aristotelian systems. The framework rests on three interrelated concepts: (1) truth paradigms encompassing contemplative, articulatory, and embodied dimensions; (2) epistemological depth as extensional practices that …

No Mud, No Lotus: Ways To Metabolize Suffering, Heesoon Bai, Heather Williams, Renata Cueto De Souza, Mel Voulgaris, Charles Scott, Anna Rumjahn, Avraham Cohen, Zuzana Vasko Dr.

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This paper builds on the foundation of mainly Buddhist and existential contemplative philosophies a theoretical and practical framework for understanding and working with suffering as a transformational setting for human development and maturation. The authors propose that the first step in this path of transformation is radical acceptance of suffering as fundamental “truth” about human life, which could re-orient us from the usual mindset of avoidance, denial, dismissal, moralizing, or aggressive elimination of suffering. The next step in this reorientation is seeing suffering as containing valuable “nutrients” for human development and maturation, just as, analogically speaking, mud can grow lotus …

Hear My Voice As Who I Am: Theorizing The Essence Of Poetry In Holistic Global Citizenship Education, Shue-Kei Joanna Mok

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

Poetry as an imaginative language art has long been perceived as the core of humanity, the foundation of human advancement (Arnold,1880; Rorty, 2007). By composing, critiquing, and sharing/performing poems, not only does the process enrich and deepen one’s relationship to oneself, understanding and reflecting on the contextual, historical, cultural, social, and creative backgrounds of the poems and poets allows one to have greater connections with the broader environment across temporal, spatial, and social dimensions with human and non-human beings.

This paper first frames the core concepts and values of global citizenship from a Confucius perspective to emphasize the significance of …

Contemplative Pedagogy, Mindfulness And Reflection In Teacher Education, Karen O. Ragoonaden Dr., Leslie Shayer

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This study explores the intersections of contemplative pedagogy, mindfulness practices and reflection in education. Contemplative pedagogy and mindfulness practices were introduced to three cohorts in teacher education, in graduate education, and in professional development education. This pedagogy and the practices provided a time, a place and a community to engage in personal and professional reflections about teaching and learning. The themes identified in this study demonstrated that engaging in contemplative pedagogy in a nine-week mindfulness course provided increased opportunities to reflect on self-awareness, on wellbeing and on the professional practice of education. The qualitative results of this study indicate that …

Language For Learning: Examining Teacher Language In Reading Instruction, Madeleine Mejia, Amber Bechard

Journal of Research Initiatives

Teacher language plays a key role in literacy instruction because it shows what educators notice about students’ reading, how they interpret performance, and what they see as important for learning. However, common instructional phrases can sometimes reflect assumptions about what students know or can do or miss important parts of reading development. This article looks at teacher language as a way to reflect on these assumptions, especially when teaching students with dyslexia or those who are bilingual or multilingual. Using research on literacy development, teacher knowledge, classroom talk, and humanizing teaching, the article introduces the Language for Learning Tool. This …

Digital Learning And Digital Literacy: Conceptual Distinctions, Theoretical Frameworks, And Educational Implications Across The Educational Continuum, Simone Elias, Linda Wilson-Jones, Richard Brutti

Journal of Research Initiatives

The terms digital learning and digital literacy recur frequently in educational policy and institutional discourse. Yet peer-reviewed scholarship shows they are conceptually distinct constructs operating at fundamentally different levels of analysis. This article examines the theoretical foundations, definitional genealogies, empirical interdependencies, and grade-band and postsecondary manifestations of both constructs across the full educational continuum, from kindergarten through Grade 12 and into undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral education. Drawing on literature across leading educational technology journals, the article argues that digital learning constitutes a pedagogical modality, the structured, technology-mediated environment through which instruction is delivered.

In contrast, digital literacy is a multidimensional …

Cambodian American Literature, Thatiana So

Asian and Asian American Studies Program Student Scholarship

Independent Study Project

This course examines Cambodian American literature through memoirs, novels, poetry, and graphic narratives that explore the lasting effects of the Khmer Rouge genocide, forced migration, refugee resettlement, and cultural adaptation in the United States. Through works by Bunkong Tuon, Anthony Veasna So, Vichet Chum, Putsata Reang, Loung Ung, Maya Cheav, and Tian Veasna, students investigate themes of memory, trauma, resilience, family obligation, identity formation, language, queerness, and belonging. Throughout the semester, students consider how storytelling preserves cultural memory and connects personal narratives to larger historical experiences. By engaging with Cambodian American voices across multiple genres, students gain …

Reframing Dissertation Committee Practice: A Student-Centered Conceptual Framework For Doctoral Education, Roberto Victor Rodríguez Rivera

Journal of Research Initiatives

Dissertation committees play a key role in shaping the direction, pace, and outcomes of doctoral study, but their function as a unified structure for guidance and judgment is not well understood. Although research covers supervision, examiner feedback, ethics, power, and dissertation examination, these topics are often studied separately. This article brings together both foundational and recent research to rethink dissertation committees as academic structures that adapt their support, oversight, ethical practices, and evaluation throughout the dissertation process. The article makes three main contributions: it clarifies how committee practice is conceptually fragmented, reviews research on supervision, feedback, ethics, and examination, and …

Owning The Mission: Reconciling The Past, While Implementing The Science Of Reading In An Education Preparation Program, Paula J. Adams

Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education

This reflective inquiry examines the first year of a two-year initiative to more explicitly align an established educator preparation program with the Science of Reading (SoR). Situated within a small private university in New York State, the article considers implementation as both curricular revision and institutional change. The process included faculty professional learning, curriculum mapping, alignment of student learning outcomes, revision of common course assessments, development of SoR-aligned models of candidate work, and consideration of clinical experiences. Particular attention is given to tensions that emerged around policy fatigue, academic freedom and responsibility, differing professional cultures, candidates’ prior experiences with literacy …

Access In Teaching Stem Subjects To The Blind, Ashley E. Neybert

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

There are still many gaps in the literature regarding the difficulties faced by instructors of students who are blind and low vision and who teach Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) subjects. We surveyed 26 K-12 STEM teachers about accessible materials they are aware of versus which accessible materials they use in their classrooms, their thoughts on how common challenges identified in the extent literature affect them in their teaching, and their perspective on how much extra time may be required for blind and low vision students (if any) to effectively learn STEM subjects.