Scholarly Works, School of Education

Permanent URI for this collection

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

Research articles, presentations, and other scholarship

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 270

Industry 4.0’s Artificial Intelligence – A Blessing and a Nightmare for the Workforce
Mukuni, Joseph Siloka (IntechOpen, 2025-12-01)
The nature of work has been changing since the invention of machine tools during the First Industrial Revolutions in the mid-1700s. In recent years, advancements in technology have accelerated the rate of change in work, particularly with the onset of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is also referred to as Industry 4.0. One of the notable fruits of Industry 4.0 is artificial intelligence (AI). It has come as a blessing to industry because of its tremendous contribution to improved productivity. Industry is now able to produce more for less with more precision, thanks to advancements in technology that have brought about AI. For the workforce, AI can be seen as a blessing to the extent that it is a tool that makes work light. This has the potential to lower labor costs because work that needs to be done by many people can be done by fewer people. However, artificial intelligence is also a nightmare because of its potential to threaten job security, workplace safety, and worker well-being. This chapter discusses the advantages of AI, the challenges that it poses (including ethical issues, fears of the unknown, alienation, worker safety, and job insecurity), and the pedagogical implications of AI (including reskilling, adoption of strategies for lifelong learning, experiential learning, holistic learning, and multidisciplinary learning). The chapter also recommends that workforce development institutions should adopt learner-centered pedagogical approaches which foster experiential learning, prepare learners for lifelong learning, and facilitate acquisition of soft skills (such as communication, problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking).
Design, Development, and Formative Evaluation of a Hybrid Remote Quantum Laboratory Supporting HBCU Partnerships
Clark-Stallkamp, Rebecca; Reis, Nikita (Springer, 2024-06-01)
Quantum information science and engineering are expanding and scaling worldwide. As government and industry push to expand quantum applications around the world, education institutions scramble to train the next generation of quantum-aware engineers in the Quantum pipeline. However, as educational institutions seek to expand the pipeline, not all learners have access to Quantum training or equipment. Quantum laboratories, an expensive component of STEM education, often remain exclusively accessible to institutions with affluence and funding, thus creating systemic barriers for underrepresented learners to the Quantum pipeline. This design-based case study describes the three-year design and development of a hybrid remote online Quantum laboratory in partnership with historically black colleges and universities across the US with the goal of expanding access for underrepresented learners to Quantum training. The study describes the prototypical design, development, and formative evaluation of the prototype's iterations and reflects on design decisions made resulting from formative feedback during the design process.
Let’s do COVID: cultural orientation in online education—via instructional design
Al Amri, Kamla; Johnson, Alicia Leinaala (Springer, 2025-11-01)
This literature review investigates the role of cultural diversity in instructional design within online learning environments. Through a structured review of literature from 2010 to 2023, including seminal works and recent studies, this research examines how culture is defined, researched, and implemented in instructional design. The review was guided by five research questions exploring: definitions of culture in instructional design literature, research approaches to studying culture, implementation in the instructional design process, differences in cultural considerations before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and challenges arising from cultural diversity. Key findings reveal an evolution from static to dynamic definitions of culture in instructional design. While theoretical frameworks for implementing culture in instructional design have matured, practical application remains challenging. The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed both innovations and setbacks in cultural considerations for online learning design. Persistent challenges include creating materials accessible across diverse populations, addressing socioeconomic barriers, and overcoming resource constraints in evaluation practices. This review contributes to the field by synthesizing current knowledge about cultural considerations in instructional design while identifying significant gaps in research and practice. Findings can inform more effective approaches to incorporating cultural considerations in instructional design, particularly in increasingly diverse online learning environments.
Examining the elements of culturally relevant pedagogy captured and missed in a measure of high-quality mathematics instruction
Thomas, Casedy Ann; Berry III, Robert Q.; Sebastian, Rose (Springer, 2024-10-01)
Mathematics instruction is not race or culture neutral. For students who have been historically marginalized in mathematics classrooms, high-quality mathematics instruction, instruction that helps students build conceptual understanding, on its own might not be enough to disrupt inequities. These students might also need instruction that is culturally relevant, with teachers who demonstrate cultural competence, build critical consciousness, and support student learning. Our goal in this study was to understand which components of culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) are captured and which are missed in a typical U.S. framework of high-quality mathematics instruction. To find the overlaps and gaps, we analyzed the mathematics lessons of three elementary teachers through both the lens of CRP and the Mathematics-Scan, a mathematics observation tool. We found the strongest overlap between the two frameworks in the patterns of strengths and weaknesses in the teachers' lessons. When the teachers were delivering high-quality instruction, they were also often supporting students' learning or showing cultural competence. When the teachers were delivering lower quality instruction, they were also often missing opportunities to enact CRP. At the same time, key elements of CRP including linguistic support for students, high expectations, critical consciousness, and nuances within cultural competence, were missed by the high-quality instruction framework. High-quality instruction was the foundation for CRP in the teachers' classrooms, but CRP was more than just high-quality instruction. We conclude with recommendations for increasing the alignment between the frameworks and implications for international educators also grappling with equity in their own frameworks of mathematics instruction.
It’s Time: Evidence-Based Strategies to Improve Student Listening in the College Classroom
Fortune, Donna J. (Taylor & Francis, 2025-01-01)
Active listening is a critical skill for college student success, yet digital distractions increasingly hinder students’ ability to engage fully in classroom discourse. This article builds upon Funk and Funk (1989) foundational work on listening skills by adapting their framework specifically for higher education contexts. Drawing on recent scholarship in contemplative practices (Barbezat and Bush 2013), active empathetic listening (Bletscher and Lee 2021), and strategies for managing distraction (Lang 2020), this article presents evidence-based approaches for improving student listening in college classrooms. The three-part framework—building classroom community, managing digital distractions inclusively, and implementing purposeful listening practices—offers practical strategies that foster deeper engagement, critical thinking, and meaningful dialogue. Emphasis is placed on the research-supported practice of structured dyadic exchanges as a method to build listening stamina and skills transferable beyond academic settings.
The Impact of Computational Labs on Conceptual and Contextual Understanding in a Business Calculus Course
Spencer-Tyree, Brielle; Bowen, Bradley D.; Olaguro, Modiu (Springer, 2024-08-19)
This study investigates the impact of computational labs on students' conceptual understanding of calculus in a one-semester Business Calculus course. The computational labs integrated Jupyter Notebook as the modeling tool. Using the Calculus Concept Inventory, quantitative analysis was performed to measure differences in conceptual knowledge between a control and experimental group based on whether the student engaged in computational labs compared to traditional classwork. Qualitative analysis was conducted to understand student perspectives about the value of participating in computational labs during the course. The qualitative data involved student reflections at the end of each lab experience. Although the quantitative analysis did not produce statistically significant results, the qualitative analysis revealed the students perceived the computational labs as beneficial regarding their understanding of the content and practical applications of the material. Notably, the students reported the labs offered a unique way to solve problems, allowed for connections to real-life mathematical situations, and helped to visualize calculus concepts. This paper describes the research project and offers practical applications of computational labs in Business Calculus courses, as well as suggestions for future research.
"We're Controversial by Our Mere Existence": Navigating the U.S. Sociopolitical Context as TQ-Center(ed) Diversity Workers
Kannan, Kalyani; Oliveira, Kristopher; Feldman, Steven; Catalano, D. Chase J.; Duran, Antonio; Pryor, Jonathan T. (MDPI, 2025-09-29)
In the face of escalating sociopolitical hostility toward diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, trans and queer (TQ) center(ed) diversity workers in higher education are navigating increasingly precarious professional landscapes. This study explores the lived experiences of TQ-center(ed) diversity workers through a general qualitative design informed by participatory action research (PAR). Drawing on the concept of “burn through,” critiquing the role of institutions in the exhaustion of practitioners, and the theory of tempered radicalism, describing the fine line diversity workers must navigate to advocate for change within oppressive systems, we examine how these practitioners persist amid institutional neglect, emotional labor, and political antagonism. Findings from interviews with eight participants reveal three central themes: the systemic nature of burn through, the protective power of community, and the multifaceted role of liberation in TQ-center(ed) diversity work. Participants described both the toll and the transformative potential of their roles, highlighting community as a critical site of resistance and renewal. This study contributes to the growing literature on TQ advocacy in higher education and underscores the need for institutional accountability and collective care in sustaining liberatory futures.
Deep Approaches to Learning, Student Satisfaction, and Employability in STEM
Kapania, Madhu; Savla, Jyoti S.; Skaggs, Gary (MDPI, 2025-08-29)
This study examines the link between deep approaches to learning (DAL) and undergraduate senior students’ employability skills and perceived satisfaction in STEM fields in the United States. DAL, comprising higher-order (HO) and reflective/integrated (RI) learning constructs, enhances the understanding of real-world applications and promotes reflective thinking about individual ideas in broader contexts. HO activities focus on analyzing, synthesizing, and applying new information in practical scenarios such as internships, classroom discussions, and presentations. RI activities involve integrating existing knowledge with new ideas. The efficacy of DAL in improving student outcomes including employability and satisfaction skills was investigated using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), which included a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to measure observed variables associated with the four latent factors (HO, RI, student satisfaction, and employability skills), followed by structural analysis to explore the relationship between these latent factors. Data from 14,292 senior students surveyed by the National Study of Student Engagement (NSSE) in 2018 were analyzed. The results indicated a significant positive effect of DAL on students’ satisfaction and perceived employability skills, underscoring its importance in higher education for STEM students. These findings can guide higher education institutions (HEIs) in focusing on DAL activities for meaningful learning outcomes and enhanced critical thinking.
The Formative 5: Everyday assessment techniques for every math classroom [Book review]
Olaguro, Modiu (2024-03-06)
Refutation text offers mixed effects on Nigerian preservice teachers' use of the representativeness heuristic
Olaguro, Modiu (2024-11-09)
This study enlisted a refutation text to foster conceptual change among 71 preservice teachers of mathematics education in situations that might elicit the use of the representativeness heuristic. Statistically significant differences were found between respondents’ pre- and post-tests, with more than half exhibiting normative reasoning after prior use of the heuristic. Analysis of their written explanations revealed differential patterns in their reasoning across two effect categories. Implications for misconception research and practice are discussed.
From Holidays to Heritage: A Critical Content Analysis of NCSS Notable Trade Books about Religion
Allen, Amy E.; Hansen, Christian; Yates, Libby (2025-04-24)
A Portrait of Rural Social Studies Teachers: Demographics and Implications for Professional Development
Allen, Amy E.; Williams, Thomas O.; Hicks, David (American Educational Research Association, 2024-04-11)
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 potential 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.
Building on Existing Theories of How Teachers Learn: Preparation, Commitment, Relationship, and Agency
Allen, Amy E. (2025-07-15)
Despite the promise of discussion-based pedagogy in fostering democratic habits and critical thinking, classroom discussion remains underutilized in elementary social studies. This qualitative case study investigates how three elementary teachers learned and implemented discussion strategies introduced through a series of professional development (PD) sessions. Framed by theories of personal and personal practical knowledge, the study explores the relationship between teacher learning and practice. Drawing on interviews, classroom observations, and analytic memos, four interrelated factors emerged as critical to teacher uptake: preparation, commitment, relationship, and agency. Findings illustrate that teachers’ prior experiences, perceived control, and levels of support significantly influenced whether and how PD learning was integrated into instruction. Rather than assuming a linear relationship between exposure and implementation, this study emphasizes the complex and relational nature of teacher learning. It highlights the importance of sustained, content-specific PD grounded in trust, reflection, and contextually responsive mentorship. Ultimately, this research contributes to our understanding of how in-service teachers translate PD into practice and underscores the unique opportunities and challenges of fostering authentic discussion in elementary social studies classrooms.
Zambian Teachers’ Perceptions About Schools’ Preparedness to Integrate Entrepreneurship Education Into the 2023 Curriculum
Mukuni, Joseph Siloka; Libingi, Petros Kaluwe; Samanenga, Marvin Anthony (Allied Business Academies, 2025-07-09)
In 2023, the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) revised its curriculum framework to, among other things, promote entrepreneurship education by integrating it into other subjects at primary and secondary levels. This study sought to determine Zambian teachers’ perceptions about the preparedness of schools to implement the integration of entrepreneurship education as stipulated in Zambia’s new curriculum of 2023. The following questions drove the study: a) How familiar are teachers with the concept of entrepreneurship education? b) To what extent are schools prepared for the integration of entrepreneurship education into the curriculum? c) What suggestions do teachers have for effective integration of entrepreneurship into the curriculum? The study was based on a mixed-method design using electronic questionnaires, focus groups, and lesson observations. The population sample was 115 teachers of various teaching subjects, with a wide range of years of teaching experience. The data collected were from both male and female teachers. The findings of this study seem to suggest that schools and teachers were not quite ready because of issues relating to teaching- learning materials, facilities, teachers’ content knowledge in Entrepreneurship, pedagogical knowledge, and the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Zambia. Despite these challenges, teachers welcomed the new emphasis placed on entrepreneurship education and it was in that spirit that they made the suggestions presented in this paper.
Secondary school students’ perceptions of entrepreneurship education and career options in Zambia
Mukuni, Joseph; Libingi, Kaluwe Petros; Samanenga, Anthony Marvin (Academic Journals, 2025-05-22)
The central question of the study was “What are Zambian secondary school students’ perceptions of entrepreneurship and career options?” Quantitative data were collected using a Google form to collect students’ career options from 113 secondary school respondents and focus group discussions involving 40 students were used to determine in-depth students’ perceptions concerning the concept of entrepreneurship and students’ likelihood of considering entrepreneurship as a career option. In addition to stating their career preferences, students made some suggestions regarding how future curriculum reforms could make schooling more effective in preparing students for their future as formal sector employees or as self-employed entrepreneurs.
Integrating sacrificial listening and children's literature
Allen, Amy E.; Engelhardt, Mason (2025-06-15)
Sacrificial listening is the practice of listening attentively to unfamiliar voices and adjusting one’s own interpretations to adapt to what a speaker (or, in some cases, a text) is saying. This ongoing act promotes “listening for understanding” rather than focusing on “listening to respond.” Sacrificial listening can be used to frame instruction through its application as an underlying framework. When implemented as part of social studies instruction strategies, including read-alouds and group discussions, sacrificial listening can assist students in developing positive relationships with peers, promote a high level of understanding of other perspectives, and reduce bias in active listening. One key way this can be achieved is by applying its ideas and tenets to the selection and reading of children’s literature books. In this article, we provide examples where the framework of SL might be paired with specific children’s literature books to help students build empathy, reconsider the interconnectedness of people and the world, and think critically. We also provide questions that can be used to guide discussions about literature situated in a sacrificial listening frame.
Discourse Within the Interactional Space of Literacy Coaching
Dunham, Valerie; Robertson, Dana A. (MDPI, 2025-06-04)
Reviews of literacy coaching show positive outcomes for teaching and learning, yet also that coaching’s impact varies widely, especially at increased scale. Thus, some scholars argue the quality of coaching interactions may matter more than broad coaching actions (e.g., co-planning, observing). Situated within Habermas’s notion of “public sphere”, we used discourse analysis to examine video-recorded pre- and post-interviews, coaching meetings, and coach retrospective think-aloud protocols of a literacy coach and elementary school teacher who described their partnership as “successful”. We examined participants’ values expressed about coaching; how each participant positioned themselves, each other, and the coaching context; and the nature of the coach–teacher discourse therein to answer the following question: what occurs in the interactional space between a coach and teacher when engaged in coaching meetings? We found four categories of values focused on participatory choice, their sense of connectedness, knowledge development, and their approach to working with/as a coach. Further, participants’ positionings signified agency for both the coach and teachers in the interactional space. While bracketing and leveraging their own authority, the coach’s language choices promoted teachers’ agency within the interactional space, providing insight into how language functions to shape the “public sphere” of coaching interactions.
Storying the FEW Nexus: A Framework for Cultivating Place-Based Integrated STEM Education in Rural Schools
Scherer, Hannah H.; Azano, Amy Price (MDPI, 2025-06-13)
When education in STEM, social science, and the humanities are disconnected from each other and from place, it is inauthentic and nonresponsive to the lived experiences of people and communities. In rural spaces, the Food–Energy–Water (FEW) Nexus, a framework for problem solving and decision-making around these central resources, is salient because of the concentration of FEW resource production and extraction present. Storying the FEW Nexus is an interdisciplinary pedagogical framework that is theoretically rooted in a critical pedagogy of place and socio-ecological systems. Storying the FEW Nexus brings together these two related but distinct frameworks, calling attention to the need for relevant, place-based, and rural-focused narratives within STEM instruction. Developed for K-12 learners in rural places, Storying the FEW Nexus positions STEM knowledge and skills as resources that, alongside local narratives, are vital to the sustainability and viability of communities with unique and intertwined environmental justice histories and current realities. The FEW Nexus is leveraged to support rural learners in developing sustainable solutions to local socio-ecological systems issues. In this conceptual paper, we review the literature base supporting this integrated approach, describe the framework within the context of these aims, and make suggestions for researchers and practitioners.
Report of the American Psychological Association’s Board of Scientific Affairs Task Force on Promotion, Tenure, and Retention of Faculty of Color in Psychology
Azmitia, Margarita; Martin, Michelle Y.; Blue, Shawn; Bookwala, Jamila; Johnson, Marcus Lee; Perez, Marisol; Pham, Andy; Shear, Paula (American Psychological Association, 2025-06-05)
Recruitment, promotion, tenure, and retention of faculty of color remain significant challenges in academia. Despite an increasingly diverse population, the representation of faculty of color in tenure-track and senior faculty positions remains disproportionately low. Structural barriers, including bias in hiring and faculty evaluations, misalignment between academic culture and cultural values, unequal distribution of service labor, and limited access to mentorship and leadership opportunities, continue to hinder the advancement of faculty of color across academic ranks. This report summary from the American Psychological Association’s “Task Force Report on Promotion, Tenure, and Retention of Faculty of Color in Psychology” examines these systemic issues. It provides actionable recommendations for institutions to foster an equitable academic environment. Key strategies include enhancing recruitment efforts, implementing transparent and equitable tenure and promotion policies, addressing bias in evaluation metrics, and strengthening mentorship and retention initiatives. Additionally, the report emphasizes the importance of recognizing nontraditional scholarship, ensuring fair distribution of service responsibilities, and supporting leadership development for faculty of color.
The Power of Storytelling: Creatively Facilitating Conceptual Change in the Classroom
Rose, Mackenzie S.; Johnson, Marcus Lee (2025-05)
Conceptual knowledge encompasses understanding the interrelationships among multiple pieces of information. Misconceptions of these interrelationships illustrate the need for effective educational strategies to facilitate conceptual change, with the goal of facilitating changes in learner understanding to appropriate, accurate, and complete concepts. Strategies, such as refutation texts, have proven effective in addressing science misconceptions, yet there is a prominent gap in research on conceptual change in nonscience subjects and the use of storytelling to facilitate such change. Storytelling, presented in a range of educational subjects, invites learners to engage in social discourses and problem-solving exercises. Prompted by classroom storytelling practices, creativity, flexibility, and high levels of motivation support learners in approaching ambiguous or complex instructional material as well as promote abstract conceptualization. Despite storytelling’s oral tradition, diverse formats using technology and digital platforms position storytelling as a multidimensional, multidisciplinary pedagogical strategy for conceptual change.

Browse

Recent Submissions