Scholarly Works, School of Education

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https://hdl.handle.net/10919/23745

Research articles, presentations, and other scholarship

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 231

Addressing Social Determinants of Mental Health to Improve College Access, Enrollment, and Retention
Mushunje, Rumbidzai; Dockery, Natese; Lin, Mickey; Johnson, Kaprea; Toole, Kristen; Henry, Sarah M.; Gantt-Howrey, Alexandra (2023-12-05)
Addressing non-medical factors that adversely impact mental health, wellness, and academic persistence is important to increasing access to college for vulnerable college students. This systematic review synthesized 63 articles on interventions to address college student SDOMH challenges. Researchers found that SDOMH themes were addressed in intervention studies at different rates, specifically, healthcare access and quality (n = 27, 42.3%), education access and quality (n = 24; 37.5%), social and community context (n = 11; 17.4%), economic stability (n = 3; 4.7%), and neighborhood and built environment (n = 1; 1.6%). Implications for higher education stakeholders conclude.
Trauma-Competent Approaches for Supporting Rural Students of Color
Henry, Sarah M.; Jones, Debra; Hughes, DeQuindre; Dawkins, Ang'elita (East Carolina University, 2023-10-27)
Rurality is a context, often overlooked by research and society, where trauma exposure is a prevalent feature in many young people’s lives. Rural Students of Color experience trauma at higher rates compared to rural White students. In turn, school systems must respond with trauma-competent systems of support to build protective factors for students. The purpose of this article is to discuss the history and modern trauma-informed practices and ways to begin shifting our mindset and language to better support rural Students of Color by understanding the historical and present contexts and trauma that influence their experiences. Furthermore, this article will highlight the needs of Students of Color in rural spaces as well as applications for trauma-competency within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) model. Strategies for building connectedness and implementing anti-racist social-emotional learning will be identified. Additionally, implications for rural school leaders, school counselors, and school-based mental health professionals, and further research will be discussed.
School counseling prevention programming to address social determinants of mental health
Johnson, Kaprea F.; Kim, Hyunhee; Molina, Citlali E.; Thompson, Kaleb A.; Henry, Sarah M.; Zyromski, Brett (Wiley, 2023-05-13)
Social determinants of mental health (SDOMH) are conditions in which students live that significantly contribute to their mental health challenges. School counselors can utilize the Advocating Student‐within‐Environment (ASE) theoretical lens as a liberation approach to strengthening students’ capacity to overcome persistent adversity while addressing root causes of systemic oppression through policy change and advocacy at the school, community, and national levels. School counselors can use increased personal awareness of the oppressive nature of SDOMH and the bidirectional approach offered by ASE to influence systems and students through preventative programming and proactive advocacy to affect institutional change. This study provides school counselors with an overview of ASE as a theoretical foundation for addressing SDOMH in schools.
Conducting Ethical, Antiracist School-Based Research
Zyromski, Brett; Shrewsbury-Braxton, Sarah; Johnson, Kaprea; Henry, Sarah M.; Lee, Sangeun; Clemons, Krystal; Saunders, Rachel; Shaikh, Afroze (Routledge, 2023-07-31)
Educational research is conducted within an oppressive educational system, steeped in White, Eurocentric norms rooted in racism. To counter this oppressive approach to research, we critically examine historically oppressive research approaches and provide strategies for conducting strong, ethical, antiracist research that exposes inequity while illustrating practices that benefit all students, especially those from racially marginalized populations.
A Review of Strategies to Incorporate Flexibility in Course Designs
Barua, Lumbini; Lockee, Barbara B. (Springer Nature, 2024-08)
While the movement for flexibility in higher education can be traced back to the first corresponding courses in the 18th century, the recent pandemic has led to an unprecedented demand for flexible learning, particularly in higher education settings. This review of the literature delves into the evolution of flexible course design and defines flexibility as a multifaceted concept encompassing time, place, content, pace, and pedagogy, with learner autonomy situated at the core. This review explores the key components of flexible course design, including both pedagogical and logistical aspects, and their implications for developing a learner-centered approach to enhancing engagement and motivation. By synthesizing the current literature, this review highlights strategies to incorporate flexibility in course design through content adaptation, pedagogical modifications, assessment diversification, and adjustments in time, place, and pace of course offerings and learning. This review underscores the significance of flexible course design in light of the rapidly diversified learner demographic and their changing needs emphasizing the necessity of further research on flexibility for building more empathetic and adaptable learning environments.
Understanding family-level decision-making when seeking access to acute surgical care for children: Protocol for a cross-sectional mixed methods study
Hall, Bria; Tegge, Allison; Condor, Cesia Cotache; Rhoads, Marie; Wattsman, Terri-Ann; Witcher, Angelica; Creamer, Elizabeth; Tupetz, Anna; Smith, Emily R.; Tokala, Mamata Reddy; Meier, Brian; Rice, Henry E. (PLoS, 2024-06-24)
Background There is limited understanding of how social determinants of health (SDOH) impact family decision-making when seeking surgical care for children. Our objectives of this study are to identify key family experiences that contribute to decision-making when accessing surgical care for children, to confirm if family experiences impact delays in care, and to describe differences in family experiences across populations (race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, rurality). Methods We will use a prospective, cross-sectional, mixed methods design to examine family experiences during access to care for children with appendicitis. Participants will include 242 parents of consecutive children (0–17 years) with acute appendicitis over a 15-month period at two academic health systems in North Carolina and Virginia. We will collect demographic and clinical data. Parents will be administered the Adult Responses to Children’s Symptoms survey (ARCS), the child and parental forms of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) survey, the Accountable Health Communities Health-Related Social Needs Screening Tool, and Single Item Literacy Screener. Parallel ARCS data will be collected from child participants (8–17 years). We will use nested concurrent, purposive sampling to select a subset of families for semi-structured interviews. Qualitative data will be analyzed using thematic analysis and integrated with quantitative data to identify emerging themes that inform a conceptual model of family-level decision-making during access to surgical care. Multivariate linear regression will be used to determine association between the appendicitis perforation rate and ARCS responses (primary outcome). Secondary outcomes include comparison of health literacy, ACEs, and SDOH, clinical outcomes, and family experiences across populations. Discussion We expect to identify key family experiences when accessing care for appendicitis which may impact outcomes and differ across populations. Increased understanding of how SDOH and family experiences influence family decision-making may inform novel strategies to mitigate surgical disparities in children.
Opening doors to empathy: Using picture books as pathways to compassion
Fortune, Donna J. (Iowa Council of the Social Studies, 2024-07-20)
Sensory figures are one strategy that can be implemented by teachers to cultivate and promote empathy with and for others. Teachers who implement picture book read alouds that include strong and well-developed characters promote sensory and evocative imagery through diverse texts and give students a pathway for understanding and building compassion for others. Many children’s books are designed specifically to promote empathy by exploring diverse perspectives, emotions, and experiences and, when coupled with the development of a sensory figure, actively engage students in stepping into the shoes/lives of another person/character. This teaching strategy provides teachers with a bridge to give students an entrance for exploring a more empathetic stance on the road to becoming a more informed global citizen.
Validating a measure of motivational climate in health science courses
Jones, Brett D.; Wilkins, Jesse L.; Schram, Ásta B.; Gladman, Tehmina; Kenwright, Diane; Lucio-Ramírez, César A. (Springer Nature, 2023-08-02)
Purpose: The aim of the study was to examine the validity evidence for the 19-item form of the MUSIC Model of Academic Motivation Inventory (College Student version) within health science schools in three different countries. The MUSIC Inventory includes five scales that assess the motivational climate by measuring students’ perceptions related to five separate constructs: empowerment, usefulness, success, interest, and caring. Background: The 26-item form of the MUSIC Inventory has been validated for use with undergraduate students and with students in professional schools, including students at a veterinary medicine school, a pharmacy school, and a medical school. A 19-item form of the MUSIC Inventory has also been validated for use with undergraduate students, but it has not yet been validated for use with medical school students. The purpose of this study was to provide validity evidence for the use of the 19-item form in heath science schools in three different countries to determine if this version is acceptable for use in different cultures. If validated, this shorter form of the MUSIC Inventory would provide more differentiation between the Interest and Usefulness scales and could reduce respondent fatigue. Methodology: Cook et al’s practical guidelines were followed to implement Kane’s validity framework as a means to examine the evidence of validity through scoring inferences, generalization inferences, and extrapolation inferences. Students (n = 667) in health science schools within three countries were surveyed. Results: The results produced evidence to support all five hypotheses related to scoring, generalization, and extrapolation inferences. Conclusions: Scores from the 19-item form of the MUSIC Inventory are valid for use in health science courses within professional schools in different countries. Therefore, the MUSIC Inventory can be used in these schools to assess students’ perceptions of the motivational climate.
Understanding Teacher Preparation of the Past: The Student Teaching Block in Agricultural Education
Price, Tyler J.; Ferand, Natalie K.; Sewell, Emily A.; Coleman, Bradley M. (Advancements in Agricultural Development, 2023-08-14)
The preparatory experiences leading up to student teaching vary greatly. Understanding the evolution of the student teaching block can provide key guidance on what is needed for the student teacher of today and the student teacher of tomorrow. A historical narrative approach was used to understand the student teaching block as it has been developed and implemented historically in agricultural education. Six semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants who were current faculty at the rank of Professor in agricultural education and had been involved in agricultural education for at least 25 years. Four themes emerged through our analysis: (a) origins, (b) purpose and philosophy, (c) structural elements of the block, and (d) limitations and forward-thinking. Based on the findings, the purpose of the block as it relates to the agricultural education profession is to provide an intensive, immersive experience to prepare soon-to-be student teachers in an environment that provides an opportunity for practice and reflection before entering the classroom. It is recommended that periodic check-ins or seminars with student teachers be done to ensure they can reflect, share experiences, exchange ideas, discuss best practices, and learn from each other as they experience student teaching.
Structural Impediments Impacting Early-Career Women of Color STEM Faculty Careers
Woods, Johnny C.; Lane, Tonisha B.; Huggins, Natali; Leggett Watson, Allyson; Jan, Faika Tahir; Johnson Austin, Saundra; Thomas, Sylvia (MDPI, 2024-05-28)
Women of Color faculty continue to experience many challenges in their careers, especially in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. As such, more research is needed that considers structural issues inhibiting their success. Using structuration theory and critical race feminism as a conceptual framework, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 19 faculty and administrators in STEM departments at higher education institutions to investigate their perceptions of structural impediments impacting early-career Women of Color STEM faculty careers. Our findings revealed the need to establish policies that are clear, documented, and transparent. Additionally, incremental approaches to tenure and promotion evaluations should be reconsidered, especially when this approach may position Women of Color faculty to appear as if they are underperforming, when the opposite may be true. Furthermore, as higher education institutions endeavor to diversify the professoriate, this study is significant in enabling institutions and STEM departments to be aware of systemic issues confronting them to make significant inroads in retaining and advancing Women of Color faculty in these disciplines.
Whiteboarding: A Tool to Improve CS1 Student Self-Efficacy
Chapin, John; Bowen, Bradley (ACM, 2023-12-05)
Many students struggle in Introductory Computer Science (CS1) and fail or drop out of the class. A lack of CS self-efficacy - the belief that the individual can complete a task - is frequently the cause of this failure to succeed in CS1. Solutions have been proposed to improve student self-efficacy in CS1. Unfortunately, a lack of self-efficacy in CS1 classes is still a problem. This study examines a pedagogical tool, whiteboarding, and its effect on student perception of self-efficacy during the programming problem-solving process for novice programmers. Whiteboarding refers to students using whiteboards during the CS problem solving process. Focus group sessions, researcher notes, and memos were used to collect qualitative data. The whiteboarding intervention was conducted in two AP CS A classes during the first four weeks of the year. Seventeen 10th-grade students participated in the focus groups. Three focus groups of four students and one focus group of five students were conducted at the end of the intervention. These findings indicate that whiteboarding can be a vital tool that increases student self-efficacy by improving their success at programming activities, increasing collaboration and feedback, and providing an active, positive learning environment that holds students accountable for their work. The themes that emerged from the focus group sessions were: Engagement with the Problem, Engagement with Others, and Engagement with the Environment. Teaching success in the CS1 classroom requires student self-efficacy. This study highlights a teaching pedagogy that CS1 educators can implement to increase student self-efficacy.
Windows, mirrors, and doors into Mexico: Children’s literature reflecting Mexican and Mexican-American Voices
Pennington, Lisa K.; Fortune, Donna J. (Texas Council for Social Studies, 2021-07-01)
Exploring the role of instructional leaders in promoting agency in teachers' professional learning
Robertson, Dana A.; Padesky, Lauren Breckenridge; Thrailkill, Laurie Darian; Kelly, Avia; Brock, Cynthia H. (2023-12-22)
This qualitative study used structural analysis of conversational episodes and content analysis to examine how two instructional leaders fostered teacher agency and collaboration in planning ongoing structures and content during a yearlong professional learning experience in one elementary school. Framed within a theory of agency, we found a merging of insider and outsider knowledge in the interactions between university partners and the two leaders of the English language arts leadership team that occurred across time, that agentive discourse was topically coherent among the leadership team as a collective group, and that the collective group maintained reflective and forward-looking common professional learning goals. We argue that meaningful professional development contexts position all participants in ways that value and trust their individual contributions and prompt them to act agentively to meet individual learning goals while maintaining a focus on the school’s collective goals.
Disrupting single narratives through the power of story
Allen, Amy E.; Kavanagh, Anne Marie; ni Cassaithe, Caitriona (Information Age Publishing, 2023-12)
Historical narratives and place-based education as a catalyst for social change
Allen, Amy E. (Information Age Publishing, 2023-12)
A critical examination of Lewis and Clark’s expedition to the west
Allen, Amy E. (Information Age Publishing, 2023-12)
A Portrait of Rural Social Studies Teachers (and their students): Demographics and Implications for Professional Development
Allen, Amy E.; Williams, Thomas O.; Hicks, David (2023-12)
In this study, we first provide a snapshot of key demographics and characteristics of social studies teachers in a rural setting based the 2017-2018 National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) restricted use data file from the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), administered by the Institute for Education Sciences (IES). Second, we look at some key implications based on specific insights from the data, including recognition of the change happening in the demographics of rural communities and a need for sustained PD about teaching students with diverse identities.
Pre-service teachers' understanding of sacrificial listening as a pedagogical framework
Allen, Amy E.; Engelhardt, Mason; Stewart, Carey (Routledge, 2023-10-26)
Listening is necessary for effective learning. Unfortunately, outside of comprehension tasks, listening is rarely emphasized as a key component of classroom instruction. This study considers a specific type of listening, sacrificial listening, theorized to help to bridge cultural, political, and religious divides by emphasizing understanding and unfamiliar voices. In this qualitative, arts-based research study, found poetry is used to investigate preservice teachers (PST) understandings of sacrificial listening as a pedagogical tool, including their consideration of its key components and applications to practice in the elementary classroom. While PST do appear to understand the power of sacrificial listening in reducing misunderstandings between unfamiliar voices, findings from this study also confirm what is already known about teacher education: there is an explicit need for teacher educators to intentionally work with PST on how to take an abstract theory and apply it to practice in concrete ways.
“We don’t know enough about it”: Student Perceptions of Judaism as a Race, Religion, or Ethnicity
Allen, Amy E. (Taylor & Francis, 2023-05-11)
This study was designed to explore elementary students’ existing religious literacy about Judaism alongside how they respond to a series of lessons about Judaism that utilize a picture book text set and discussion-based teaching strategies. Participants in the study were third-grade students at a private Christian school in the South. Data was collected via recorded observations, analytic memos, field notes of the recorded observations, and student work. Results indicate that students entered the unit with little to no religious literacy about Judaism. Through participation in the lessons, students gained religious literacy about the Jewish religion, thinking critically about Judaism in relation to their own religious beliefs. They also responded in ways that indicate a humanizing connection between the students and the culture they are investigating.
Instructional Designers as Organizational Change Agents
Bond, Mark Aaron; Lockee, Barbara B.; Blevins, Samantha (Educause, 2023-10-31)
Systems thinking and change strategies can be used to improve the overall functioning of a system. Because instructional designers typically use systems thinking to facilitate behavioral changes and improve institutional performance, they are uniquely positioned to be change agents at higher education institutions.

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