Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Development And Initial Validation Of The Mindful Self-Regulated Learning Scale (M-Srls), Sarah Wolff

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Modern mindfulness is a catch-all term. Just exactly what it looks like within the context of education and how it is taught vastly varies. As such, program fidelity and integrity is questioned. Here a definition of mindful self-regulated learning is proposed and the Mindful Self-Regulated Learning Scale (m-SRLS) is developed. This includes item generation and development, systematic testing of item performance, scale dimensionality, convergent and divergent validity, measurement invariance across groups and subgroups, and scale reliability over a series of five pilot studies and five primary studies using independent samples. The resulting m-SRLS is a context specific measurement tool that …

Meeting, Moving, Mastering - A Text Analysis Of The Aesthetic Attractions Of 'Wild Swimming', Dagmar Dahl, Åsa I. Bäckström

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Why are people fascinated by swimming in nature? This article addresses the aesthetic experiences of wild swimming as expressed by five wild swimming authors in their books. Drawing from aesthetic philosophy, we analyze the ways in which the appeal of wild swimming is described on three levels: the allure of water in the environment, the sensory encounter between water and the body, and the experience of moving in water. Furthermore, with reference to Seel’s concept of nature aesthetics (1996), the experience of wild swimming is analyzed in terms of contemplation, correspondence, and imagination. We can conclude that the special intensity …

In This Issue (14:1), Stephen J. Langendorfer Ph.D.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

In This Issue 14:1 introduces and overviews the research and education articles and position statement associated with the first issue of the fourteenth volume of the International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education.

Aquatics For Individuals With Disabilities: An Analysis Of Publication Trends, Susan J. Grosse

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This study investigates the published literature in the field of aquatics with disabilities; more specifically, it examines literature published during the most recent two decades, 2000 through 2019. Considerations include the content focus of published articles relating to aquatics with disabilities, distribution of articles over the specified time period, publication opportunities for authors, barriers as well as enhancements to development of literature in the field, and summary recommendations.

Which Stroke Next? All Strokes Next! Part Two: Strokes For Intermediate And Advanced Swimmers, Robert Keig Stallman, Ebbe L. Horneman, Nils O. Vikander, Alexander Mwaipasi, Bente W. H. Laakso, Haakon - Paavo L. Nysted, Toni Ongala

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The primary goal of this two-part project is to answer the rhetorical question of which strokes should be taught first, and which later (Langendorfer, 2013, Stallman, 2014a). As you have seen in Part One, we emphasize (as have many others) the need for a firm foundation before any stroke is introduced. When the learner is ready for propulsive motor competencies, there is no stroke which suits all as their first. In Part One we explored the “beginning strokes” all of which are candidates for any given learner’s first stroke. We also argued that after mastering their very first stroke the …

Towards A Globalised Vision Of Aquatic Competence, Rita F. Pinto, Juan Antonio Moreno Murcia

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Human interaction with the aquatic environment has always taken different forms to meet the needs of pleasure, survival, therapy or performance. The diversity of existing aquatic spaces presents itself as a challenge, due to their variety, dynamism, unpredictability and unrepeatable conditions. These factors potentiate an infinite number of possibilities for human response in interaction with the aquatic environment, with aquatic competence being the one that will be able to sustain all types of interaction. Thus, the aim of the proposal has been to present a new approach to the contextualisation of aquatic competence. After a literature review on the concept …

Revisiting The Metaphorical Concept Of “No Strokes First - All Strokes First”: Part One - Beginning Strokes, Robert Keig Stallman Ph.D., Alex Mwaipasi, Ebbe Laakso Horneman, Nils Olof Vikander, Bente Wäinösdatter Horneman Laakso, Haakon-Paavo Laakso Nysted, Toni Ongala

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The aim of this article is to address the familiar question “Which swimming stroke should be taught first?” The discussion is usually focused on breaststroke versus crawl. Provoked by these naïve discussions of which stroke should be taught first (as if stroking equals swimming, which it emphatically does NOT), the question was answered metaphorically in an earlier article “No Stroke First – All Strokes First” (Stallman, 2008a). Here in Part I we identify and describe six strokes, all of which might be a candidate for any learners ‘very first’ stroke. We describe them as beginning strokes. Having identified and learned …

Arkansas Teachers' Grading Practices And Implications, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Josh B. Mcgee

Policy Briefs

In this brief, we assess current grading practices in Arkansas. We find teachers’ grading practices are inconsistent across the state. We suggest districts assess their grading practices and provide ongoing professional development opportunities for teachers to reflect on their grading practices.

Selling Graduation: Higher Education And The Loaning Of Liberation, Annie Pocklington, Elizabeth J. Flanagan, Christopher Bodenheimer Knaus

Essays in Education

While the costs to attend college continue to rise exponentially, a bachelor’s degree is held up as required for economic stability within the U.S. and across the globe. With drastic disparities in earning potentials after graduation reduced by racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, ableism, and related structural disparities, the value of a degree continues to be questioned, especially for historically marginalized communities. As the loan industrial complex continues to profit off of students, President Biden has offered $10,000 in student loan relief for some borrowers, though this action has been blocked by federal courts and is currently on hold. Whether Biden’s …

Is Microethnography An Ethnographic Case Study? And/Or A Mini-Ethnographic Case Study? An Analysis Of The Literature, Rebecca Y. Bayeck

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Selecting the research approach that addresses the research question is often challenging for novice researchers. However, getting a better understanding of the research approaches available in the field, is likely to help novice researchers identify and choose the research approach that fits their situation. In this paper, we discuss microethnography, ethnographic case study, and mini-ethnography case study in order to show that these approaches may have similarities but are different. The author hopes that this discussion will help researchers get a better understanding of these approaches and dissipate the confusion that may exist.

Submission In Response To The Teacher Education Expert Panel Discussion Paper, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Shaping educational policy

This submission in response to the 2023 Teacher Education Expert Panel Discussion Paper argues that improving teacher quality requires a system-wide, career-long approach to teacher education rather than a narrow focus on initial teacher education (ITE) programs. While supporting rigorous ITE standards, evidence-based content, robust assessment, and consistent accreditation, ACER contends that teacher preparation must be understood within a broader continuum encompassing recruitment, induction, mentoring, professional learning, career progression, and retention. Drawing on Australian and international research, the submission highlights the importance of supportive workplace conditions, structured early-career support, and coherent professional pathways to strengthen teacher workforce sustainability and effectiveness. …

Job Stress Moderates The Effects Of A Mindfulness Intervention On Early Childhood Teachers' Emotion Dysregulation, Emily J. Starr

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Addressing the current crisis of early childhood (EC) teacher turnover is essential for supporting the development of young children. Teacher attrition remains a concern for policymakers globally, and in the United States, early childhood teachers frequently cite job stress and lack of support as reasons for leaving the field. For over 40 years, researchers who study childcare have been concerned about the consequences of work-related stressors. Even if these stressors do not result in turnover, EC teachers’ psychological well-being may be impacted, leading to increased emotion regulation difficulties and more frequent negative teacher-child interactions. Young children’s emotional development is significantly …

An Exploratory Study Of Aquatic Walking On Symptoms And Functional Limitations In Persons With Knee Osteoarthritis: Part 1, John M. Coons, Brandon Grubbs, Vaughn W. Barry, Ryan T. Conners, Sandra Stevens

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This paper represents Part 1 of a study that explored the effects of an underwater treadmill (UT) walking program on pain and function in adults with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). The Western Ontario & McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), numerical rating scale (NRS), timed up-and-go (TUG), and 10-m walk were assessed in 6 adults (62.7 ±14.2 years) who participated in an 8-week (3x/wk) UT walking intervention based on the Arthritis Foundation’s Walk With Ease (WWE) program. Walking pace was self-selected, and walking duration of each session was increased from 10 to 45 minutes throughout the study. Knee pain and function were …

An Exploratory Study Of The Effects Of Aquatic Walking On Function And Muscle Activity In Knee Osteoarthritis: Part 2, John M. Coons, Brandon Grubbs, Conor Theiss, Vaughn W. Barry, Sandra Stevens

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This paper presents Part 2 of a study that investigated the effects of an 8-week (3x/week) underwater treadmill (UT) walking intervention on knee osteoarthritis (KOA) outcomes in 6 adults with KOA (62.7 ± 14.2 years). The Knee Outcome Survey (KOS) for activities of daily living and muscle activity during a 10-m walk and a 20 cm step down were measured before and after the intervention. The following KOS measures improved after the UT walking program (p < 0.05; g > 0.8): stiffness, swelling, weakness, walking, going up stairs, going downstairs, kneeling on the front of the knee, squatting, and sitting with the …

The Halliwick Concept: Practical Applications, Susan J. Grosse

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The Halliwick Concept has become a very popular method for use by professionals involved in instructional swimming and in therapeutic aquatics. Through a detailed look at the principles of Halliwick, this article expands on Halliwick theory by detailing applications of Halliwick to specific population groups. The practicality of implementing Halliwick methodology with and for individuals experiencing a variety of limiting challenges, both physical and cognitive/sensory, are discussed. Hints for success- oriented implementation are provided. For those unfamiliar with the Halliwick Method background resource material is included.

Exploring The Relationship Between Job Satisfaction And Teacher Retention Among Rural And Urban Elementary School Teachers In Kentucky, Whitney Shannon Wilson, Edris Barnette Humphrey

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University by Whitney Shannon Wilson and Edris Barnette Humphrey on April 12, 2023.

Connecting Beliefs, Mindsets, Anxiety, And Self-Efficacy In Computer Science Learning: An Instrument For Capturing Secondary School Students’ Self-Beliefs, Luis Morales-Navarro, Michael T. Giang, Deborah A. Fields, Yasmin B. Kafai

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Background and Context

Few instruments exist to measure students’ CS engagement and learning especially in areas where coding happens with creative, project-based learning and in regard to students’ self-beliefs about computing.

Objective

We introduce the CS Interests and Beliefs Inventory (CSIBI), an instrument designed for novice secondary students to learn by designing projects (particularly with physical computing).. The inventory contains subscales on beliefs on problem solving competency, fascination in design, value of CS, creative expression, and beliefs about context-specific CS abilities alongside programming mindsets and outcomes. We explain the creation of the instrument and attend to the role of mindsets …

The Effects Of Family Size And Birth Order On Students' Social Emotional And Cognitive Development, Mary Watson

Honors Projects

This project sought to analyze and understand the differences in student’s cognitive and social emotional development based on their number of siblings (also referred to as family size) and birth order. To accomplish this, a 130-question survey was created and emailed to approximately 125 teachers. 27 survey responses were received, which is a response rate of approximately 21.6%. The response data was categorized by only child, oldest child, youngest child, child with one or two siblings, child with three or four siblings, and child with five or more siblings. Though the responses were varied, the data showed that oldest children …

Journey Of Realization And Adaptation Through Auto/Ethnography: A Shift To Transformative Educational Research, Tara Paudel, Bal Chandra Luitel, Niroj Dahal

The Qualitative Report

This reflective paper explores Tara's doctoral research journey of realization and adaptation in auto/ethnography as a transformative research methodology. While reflecting on Tara’s journey, the auto/ethnographic paper emphasizes cultural perspectives, interpreting one's own experiences, thoughts, actions, and behaviors relating to society and culture. Likewise, auto/ethnography investigates and associates an individual's confrontation within specific educational, societal, and cultural contexts. With this ethos, the paper demonstrates how Tara, a mathematics teacher and doctoral student, encountered and observed auto/ethnography and discovered it as a path to transformation as a paradigm shift in transformative educational research by connecting lives and research (Dahal et al., …

A Par Reflection: The Power Of Teacher Voice, Anna Marie Warren

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teacher voice is missing in systemic change. This PAR study explored some of the barriers in education today that prevent teachers from using their voices and the leadership skills needed to empower teachers to use their voices in change processes. The study was implemented on two secondary school campuses with two teams of PAR researchers. Data were collected using a triangulation of PAR forms, journal reflections, and Likert surveys. While identifying barriers hindering teachers from using their voice, the qualitative study also aimed to provide a platform where teachers could express and use their voice to cause change in their …

The Educational Experience Of Children In Foster Care, Autumn Brueckmann

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Children in foster care face a myriad of challenges in educational development. Conducting a phenomenological study, the researcher interviewed eight foster parents licensed in the state of Florida regarding the educational experiences of children in foster care. From the holistic perspective the data set provided, the researcher described the educational experience of children in foster care using the five themes: challenges, meeting needs, deficiencies, support systems, and behaviors of foster parents. Though children in foster care face many challenges, community members such as foster parents and case managers work to meet the needs of children in care. However, because of …

The Usage And Impact Of Act 1240 Teacher Licensure Waivers In Arkansas, Sarah C. Mckenzie

Policy Briefs

Act 1240 of 2015 allows Arkansas school districts to petition for waivers allowing for the employment of teachers who are not licensed under the standard procedures of the state. Since the program’s inception in the 2016-17 school year, the number of teachers employed under Act 1240 waivers has increased, with the Arkansas Department of Education reporting 836 teachers hired using Act 1240 waivers in 69 districts during the 2021-22 school year. This represents approximately one quarter of the districts within the state, but only approximately 2 percent of the nearly 40,000 teachers employed last year.

Using publicly available data from …

The Predictive Validity Of The Gre Across Graduate Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis Of Trends Over Time, David F. Feldon, Kaylee Litson, Brinleigh Cahoon, Zhang Feng, Andrew Walker, Colby Tofel-Grehl

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

This meta-analysis assesses the predictive validity of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) across outcome variables, including grade point average, for graduate students. In addition to aggregate effects, this paper also assessed changes in observed effects over time as related to increasing diversity in the graduate student population and as a function of gender and racial/ethnic composition of study samples. Framed using a lens of critical whiteness, this analysis examined n = 1,744 individual effects across k = 208 studies. Overall, 61.6% of reported effects were nonsignificant (i.e. no predictive value of GRE scores on student outcomes). Further, the magnitude of …

A Quantitative Investigation Of Athletic Roster Management Impact On Enrollment And Retention At Naia Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Nathan M. Cochran

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University by Nathan M. Cochran on March 20, 2023.

Assertiveness As A New Strategy For Physical Education Students To Maintain Academic Performance, Jusuf Blegur, Aniq Hudiyah Bil Haq, Muya Barida

The Qualitative Report

Serious problems occur in social life. In several cases in Indonesia, students often abuse their group collectivity and social relations with disciplinary behaviour such as following peer persuasion to spend much time hangout so that students neglect to manage study time, complete study assignments, and even be absent from lectures.. However, other students have managed to control unproductive social relations (persuasion to hang out during class hours, inducement not to do coursework, and others) to stabilize their academic performance with assertiveness. This explore student assertiveness strategies. At the same time, they were projecting strategic assertiveness protocols to maintain their academic …

Exploration Of Motivations For Adopting A Four-Day School Week Or Year Round Calendars: Evidence From Arkansas, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Josh B. Mcgee, Kate Barnes

Policy Briefs

This brief provides an overview of the motivations for Arkansas school districts adopting a four-day school week or year-round calendar. In addition to examining these motivations, this brief provides an overview of the districts adopting non-traditional calendars and policy recommendations for districts and communities considering changing calendars.

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Students' Academic Performance: The Case Of The University Of Ghana Business School, Joseph Ofori Acheampong

Political Science Student Research

The unruly consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak have hamstrung higher education institutions. This study aims to investigate the perceived impact of COVID-19 on student learning and academic performance through a qualitative approach. In-depth semi-structured interviews with 30 purposively chosen informants were used. The results indicated that 70% of students perceive a paradigm shift in their learning experience before and after COVID-19. It was discovered that their sociodemographic characteristics influenced 60% of students, and 57% were influenced by their parent's socioeconomic status, which influenced their academic achievements during the COVID-19 outbreak. The findings revealed that 63% of students had faced numerous …

Does Publicness Matter? A Mixed Method Analysis Identifying And Measuring Institutional Contributions To State Goals For Public Higher Education, Sophia Laderman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

States founded, control, and fund public postsecondary institutions because higher education helps meet state goals. Public institutions of higher education provide considerable public benefits to states, but these benefits have not been systematically measured. As a result, public conversations about the broad value proposition of higher education do not center the public benefits produced by institutions. Using a framework of empirical and realized publicness, this exploratory sequential mixed-methods study used content analysis of state agency mission and vision statements to identify state goals for public higher education. Quantitative measurements of institutional contributions to common state goals for higher education were …

The Real-Time Classification Of Competency Swimming Activity Through Machine Learning, Larry Powell, Seth Polsley, Drew Casey, Tracy Hammond

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Every year, an average of 3,536 people die from drowning in America. The significant factors that cause unintentional drowning are people’s lack of water safety awareness and swimming proficiency. Current industry and research trends regarding swimming activity recognition and commercial motion sensors focus more on lap swimming utilized by expert swimmers and do not account for freeform activities. Enhancing swimming education through wearable technology can aid people in learning efficient and effective swimming techniques and water safety. We developed a novel wearable system capable of storing and processing sensor data to categorize competitive and survival swimming activities on a mobile …

Challenge-Based Learning & Steam Curriculum, Diana Lockwood

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

STEAM education is being integrated into elementary schools as a way to engage more students in creativity, hands-on learning, and problem-based learning also referred to as Challenge-Based-Learning (CBL). This article focuses on elementary educators’ curriculum design for STEAM and presenting students with open-ended questions phrased as a challenge as a way to raise student interest and achievement (DeJarnette, 2018; Hunter-Doniger, 2018). When students received challenges to solve, they felt more open to sharing their ideas since there was more than one potential right answer (DeJarnette, 2018; Drake, 2012). When implementing CBL, teachers act as facilitators using a constructivist approach as …