Other Education Commons^™

Barriers And Opportunities For Evidence-Based Practice: Curriculum Changes In Fieldwork And Classroom In Social Work Education, Anwar Najor-Durack

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to consider perceptions held by social work faculty and agency-based field instructors to incorporate EBP into social work student classroom and field placement experiences. This study identifies perceptions of social work faculty and field instructors about EBP, determines the extent to which social work faculty and field instructors incorporate and use EBP; and considers how organizational leadership and/or technology supports influence adoption and utilization of EBP. The population for this study included all full-time social work faculty members employed by three large public universities in southeast Michigan (Michigan State University [MSU], University of Michigan …

Examination Of Dispositions And Practices In Diversity: The Impact Of A Teacher Education Course Promoting Culturally And Responsive Pedagogy, Deuslene Leite Bastos

Wayne State University Dissertations

Assimilation ideology guiding teachers and policy makers to mainstream immigrant children into the American schools has prevailed in spite of pluralists' efforts for reform schools to provide more opportunities for culturally and linguistically diverse students. Research shows a need to change assimilation driven policies and practices which are harmful to students into a reconstructivist ideology that has shown to be more conducive for the application of culturally responsive teaching. Teacher education courses aimed to prepare teacher candidates for diverse classrooms have shown limitations due to abundant focus on theory or lack of elements in course work that are known to …

Preparing Pre-Service Teachers To Teach African American Students Using The Culturally Relevant Pre-Service Teacher Intervention Model, Juanita Bey, Susan Blunck, Leontye Lewis, Terence Hicks

Faculty Working Papers from the School of Education

African Americans experience varying disparities including racial discrimination and cultural discontinuities, which are manifested in public school classrooms. Hence these students struggle academically and are less likely to attend college. This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness a Culturally Relevant Pre-Service Teacher (CRPT) Intervention Model for pre-service
teachers. Qualitative methods were used alongside the Cross Racial Identity Scale to respond the effectiveness of CRPT Intervention Sessions. Results indicated that pre-service teachers gained a more in-depth understanding of relationship between their identities within the context of their cultural experiences and all pre-service teachers applied some culturally relevant teaching strategies.

Developing A Paradigm Model Of Youth Leadership Development And Community Engagement: A Grounded Theory, Lindsay J. Hastings, Leverne A. Barrett, John E. Barbuto, Jr., Lloyd C. Bell

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

This grounded theory study explored the impact of community engagement on how youth leaders develop. A paradigm model illustrating this developmental process is presented, which includes the conditions that empowered the youth to engage in their community, the strategies used by the youth and the adults in their work together, the conditions that helped/hindered those strategies, and the resulting outcomes. Results of the analysis indicated that individual connections, common sentiments, and being asked to engage were identified as the most salient causal conditions. The action taken by the youth and adult respondents mobilized those individual connections and common sentiments into …

Objective Physical Activity And Sleep Characteristic Measurements Using A Triaxial Accelerometer In Eight Year Olds, Susan Ann Harrington

Wayne State University Dissertations

Background: Secular trends demonstrate that young children are less active and sleep less. Inequity in an individual's energy balance is known to have poor health outcomes. Academic achievement, academic behavior, and weight status are proxy indicators for health and psychosocial outcomes in this study. Current guidelines in place for sleep and physical activity in childhood are the result of data collected in the form of self-reports. Quantification and qualification of physical activity dimensions and sleep characteristics are essential not only for the purpose of clearly establishing parameters but also for the intent of verifying optimal health outcomes and evaluating interventions …

Boys' Masculinities In Three Adventure Physical Education Classes, Amy Tischler

Wayne State University Dissertations

The diminished state of youth health in the United States has been a rising concern over the past few decades (Fahlman, Dake, McCaughtry, & Martin, 2008; Krebs, Baker, & Greer, 2003). Headlines across the nation declare that children in the United States are getting heavier and most point to a lack of physical activity as the cause (Wechsler et al., 2004). Understanding adventure physical education might help to create physical education programs that captivate students so much so that they look forward to participating rather than enacting task avoidance strategies. In fact, physical education might empower students to be physically …

Teaching English Language Learners In Mainstream Science Classrooms: Teacher Practice And Educational Opportunity, Carlotta Dorothy Schroeder

Wayne State University Dissertations

Equal educational opportunity for English language learners (ELLs) has been a goal of the public educational system in the United States. Language policy reforms have increasedaccountability in order for schools to improve student achievement and measure the progress of ELLs. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires assessment and accountability. In this study, the number of ELLs has increased significantly at the high school level and school district as a whole.

Along with the changing demographics, the findings reveal a district-wide policy of equalizing educational opportunity through equal treatment. Language policies provide critical decisions about how to measure what …

Art Education: The Learning Connections Derived From A Creative Artistic Experience, Pamela Ann Woods

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

ART EDUCATION: THE LEARNING CONNECTIONS DERIVED FROM A CREATIVE ARTISTIC EXPERIENCE

by

PAMELA ANN WOODS

May 2011

Advisor: Dr. Karen L. Tonso

Major: Curriculum and Instruction

Degree: Doctor of Education

This study investigated the school experiences of art students in a Commercial Art program. This qualitative study advances an argument for recognizing arts students' dismissed voices, as they seek an audience where their views, talents, and career choices are respected. This argument grows from 1) a critique of standards-based policy (when it goes too far), 2) a discussion of the importance of arts education for student success and, 3) …

Pace 9/11 Oral History Project, Maria T. Iacullo-Bird, Ellen Sowchek, Jennifer Thomas

Cornerstone 2 Reports : Community Outreach and Empowerment Through Service Learning and Volunteerism

No abstract provided.

Laser Cutting Informatics, Charlotte Becket

Cornerstone 2 Reports : Community Outreach and Empowerment Through Service Learning and Volunteerism

No abstract provided.

Listening To Students: Building Bridges, Shira Klein, Magalí Armillas-Tiseyra, Alexis Kuerbis

History Faculty Articles and Research

“Cross-disciplinary” has become a buzzword in academia. Here we offer a student-based perspective on the benefits of cross-disciplinary discussion, based on our experience in New York University’s Graduate Forum. Founded ten years ago by Catharine Stimpson, then dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS), the forum brings together graduate students across the university to present their research to each other. This cross-disciplinary discussion has taught us to build bridges between fields and people. By describing how this experience has enriched our work, we hope to inspire other institutions to initiate similar programs.

Once a month, ten doctoral …

Mainstream Teacher Attitudes Toward English Language Learners, Cristina Gonzalez Dekutoski

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze data from practicing mainstream K-12 teachers currently enrolled in graduate courses at a large, urban, Midwest university regarding four categories of their attitudes toward English language learners: (a) inclusion of ELLs, (b) the second language acquisition process/language and language learning, (c) modification of coursework, and (d) ESL professional development. Though studies on teacher attitudes toward ELLs remain sparse, research on this topic is important for two reasons. First, as the rigor of grade level curriculum increases ( i.e. high school graduation requirements, state MEAP testing, NCLB) understanding complexities of ELLs …

The Relationship Between Functional Health Literacy Of African American Veterans And Nonveterans And Their Ability To Read And Comprehend Medical Information For A Chronic Illness, David Stephen Points

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there were differences between male African Americans who have served in the military and those who are not veterans in their ability to read and comprehend medical information for a chronic illness prevalent among African Americans, such as type 2 diabetes. The participants included 92 African American men of whom 44 were veterans and 48 were nonveterans. The participants were drawn from fraternal organizations and churches in a large metropolitan area located in the Midwestern part of the United States. The Short Test of Health Literacy Assessment (STOFHLA), a knowledge questionnaire, …

Faculty Development Beyond Instructional Development: Ideas Centers Can Use, Mary Deane Sorcinelli, Tara Gray, A. Jane Birch

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Most faculty development programs focus on the faculty member as teacher. However, faculty seek support in many areas, including orientation, mentoring, scholarly writing, time management, career advancement, leadership, and service. Research and practice also suggest that faculty and facuity development programs benefit from an integrated approach to professional development. This chapter fills a gap in faculty development practice by suggesting ways that centers can create programming that goes beyond instructional development, thereby supporting a more expansive range of faculty work.

Next Generation @ Iupui: A Leadership Development Program For Faculty Of Color, Megan M. Palmer, Julianna V. Banks, Joshua S. Smith, Sherree A. Wilson

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Next Generation @ IUPUI is an intensive one-year leadership program designed to develop the leadership potential off acuity of color. The program expands the pool off acuity who are ready to assume leadership positions. In addition to addressing higher education administration theories and trends, participants receive individualized coaching and mentoring to develop a broad network of peers.

There Was Something Missing: A Case Study Of A Faculty Member’S Social Intelligence Development, Tamara Rosier

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Some faculty members seem to lack the social intelligence or relational skills needed to successfully “read” and respond to their students. This chapter describes the process of developing social intelligence skills in one faculty member. During a series of ten coaching sessions, there was demonstrable change in the faculty member’s behavior and a self-reported increase in his social intelligence skills. The findings of this exploratory study suggest that social intelligence can be developed, and it has the potential to have a positive effect on teaching practices and faculty success.

About The Authors, Volume 29 (2011)

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

About the editors and authors of volume 29 (2011) of To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development.

Preface, Volume 29 (2011), Judith E. Miller

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Preface to volume 29 (2011) of To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development, by Judith E. Miller of University of North Florida.

Acknowledgments, Volume 29 (2011)

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Acknowledgments for volume 29 (2011) of To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development, by Judith E. Miller of University of North Florida.

Taking Stock: Contemplating North American Graduate Student Professional Development Programs And Developers, Dieter J. Schönwetter, Donna Ellis

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

A two-stage study was conducted to identify key competencies in graduate student development programs at Canadian and U.S. institutions. Once thirty-nine key competencies were identified, developers of graduate students were asked to rate the importance of each competency in their programming, the extent to which each competency was explicitly taught, and their own confidence in the training received to help teach these competencies. One key finding suggests that numerous potential gaps exist in the training of those who deliver graduate student development programs, which organizations such as the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education can help to address.

Growing A New Generation: Promoting Self-Reflection Through Peer Observation, Allison Boye, Micah Meixner

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Many faculty developers understand the value of self-reflection in effective teaching and aim to cultivate the practice in their programming. However, many instructors regard peer observation as punitive or evaluative in nature and overlook how the practice can promote thoughtful self-reflection by the observer. This chapter outlines a model of group peer observation that supports introspection and community, thereby transforming that negative perception. We discuss how the process promotes cross-disciplinary open-door teaching and reflective practice in teaching improvement and how faculty developers from institutions and programs of all sizes can help nurture that growth.

Support Needs Of University Adjunct Lecturers, Sarah M. Ginsberg

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Little is known about the support needs of the part-time instructors on university campuses, despite the fact that they represent more than 50 percent of the instructors teaching in higher education. This study of adjunct lecturers investigated their support needs and their preferences for receiving support. Results indicated that adjuncts wanted information about their students and effective teaching methods beyond lecturing. They expressed frustration over the fact that there was no systematic approach to information sharing, particularly with the tenure-track faculty in their programs. They evenly favored resources provided either electronically or face-to-face.

Cross-Domain Collaborative Learning And The Transformation Of Faculty Identity, James B. Young

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This chapter addresses how faculty from disparate backgrounds collaborate in interdisciplinary learning communities and how this cross-domain collaboration leads to a tangible change in identity. Faculty enter learning communities playing the more common roles of expert and teacher, but they leave taking on the additional roles of novice, learner, and knowledge integrator. The experience of cross-domain interaction is both rewarding and transformative for faculty as they are well equipped to communicate across the disciplinary landscape and gain a rhetorical awareness that is an invaluable ingredient for learning community participation.

Professional Conversations: A Reflective Framework For Collaborative Development, Peter Shaw, Bob Cole

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

A small team of faculty and faculty developers at the Monterey Institute of International Studies launched a professional development initiative by adapting Edge’s (1992, 2002) framework of cooperative development into a model they labeled the professional conversation. This structured interaction involves a speaker exploring a topic of professional and personal significance through the facilitation of an understander. The details of the model are presented, along with heuristics for practicing the two roles. Assessment data indicate that the struggle to master the model is judged worthwhile for community building, professional development, and, unexpectedly, pedagogical practice.

The First Day Of Class: How Should Instructors Use Class Time?, Sal Meyers, Brian C. Smith

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Students and instructors rated first-day class satisfaction and completed scales assessing the time that instructors spent on introductions, course policies, procedures, and course content. For students, interest on or before the first day, and for faculty, excitement and confidence in students’ abilities, strongly predicted satisfaction on the first day. Student and instructor satisfaction also were positively associated with time devoted to hows and whys, content, and introductions. Findings contradict previous empirical studies of student satisfaction but are consistent with faculty development recommendations.

Evolution Of A Peer Review And Evaluation Program For Online Course Development, Cynthia L. Adams, Dianna Z. Rust, Thomas M. Brinthaupt

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

The faculty peer assistants (FPAs) program combines a mentoring and peer review process for initial online faculty course development and subsequent course revision. An FPA mentors colleagues during course design and conducts peer reviews when the courses are complete. The program incorporates a peer review and evaluation form that outlines course standards and guides the faculty course developer, the peer reviewer, and the department chair. Feedback about the program from department chairs, faculty course developers, and FPAs was uniformly positive.

Social Capital And The Campus Community, Andrew N. Carpenter, Linda Coughlin, Susanne Morgan, Christopher Price

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Investigating colleges’ and universities’ social capital through its five dimensions—civic engagement, norms and trust, collective action, bonding capital, and bridging capital—provides a powerful way of thinking about organizational and faculty development. Four very different institutions of higher learning have promoted their organizational development through efforts that build social capital. We seek to inspire additional application of and research into this topic by demonstrating that confronting the complexities of social capital within diverse campus communities can help faculty developers understand those communities with greater nuance and in ways that improve their ability to design and implement development initiatives.

The Ta Consultant Program: Improving Undergraduate Instruction And Graduate Student Professional Development, Mikaela Huntzinger, Paul Mcpherron, Madhumitha Rajagopal

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Graduate students, particularly at research-oriented universities, are well prepared for future research careers, but they often lack knowledge or training in other aspects of academic life. A teaching assistant consultant program was created to improve the professional development opportunities for campus teaching assistants and provide a community of practice in which graduate students pursue teaching interests, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and service. We offer recommendations for creating similar programs and conclude by recommending the development of communities of practice to create opportunities for graduate students to improve their teaching skills.

Ready Or Not? An International Study Of The Preparation Of Educational Developers, Nancy Van Note Chism

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This report of an international survey of educational developers describes their entry-level background knowledge and skills for the work of educational development, how they obtained them, and their recommendations on helping prepare new entrants to the profession. Respondents reported that their experiences rendered them moderately prepared for some tasks and less prepared for others, notably consultation. The results can inform increased professionalization of educational development through more systematic preparation of future educational developers.

Toward A Scholarship Of Faculty Development, Mark Potter

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This chapter critically examines the scholarship of faculty development. Using a typology adapted from one developed to understand the scholarship of teaching and learning, I reflect on the primary currents identifiable in the literature. Much of what is published in the field of faculty development consists of descriptions of the development and assessment of particular programs. One approach that is largely missing is the metastudy or review of prior studies that can serve to preserve the findings of scholar-practitioners.