Scholarly Works, School of Education
Permanent URI for this collection
Research articles, presentations, and other scholarship
Browse
Recent Submissions
- Serving the Underserved Amid COVID-19: The Case of a Virtual, Culturally Responsive Summer Engineering CampLane, Tonisha B.; Vomvoridi-Ivanovic, Eugenia; Cain, Leia K.; Willis, Selene; Ahmad, Salam; Gaines, Jonathan (Purdue University, 2023-01-23)The societal disruptions due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic are well noted, especially in the context of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Absent a concerted effort to sustain hands-on learning opportunities in STEM amid the crisis, the consequences of COVID-19 may exacerbate existing inequities and racial disparities among youth of color further stratifying the STEM fields. In the current study, we applied a mixed-method descriptive case study design, using online learning theory and culturally responsive pedagogy as our conceptual framework, to describe how participants experienced this camp, held online due to disruptions of COVID-19, in the southeastern region of the USA. We also share findings from the implementation of a justice bots project, which enabled participants to connect social justice and engineering. Participants included middle school youth, undergraduate engineering students, and in-service math and science teachers. Data sources entailed focus groups, pre-post surveys, observations, and artifacts. Our results indicated that participants experienced gains in their communication skills, positive changes in attitudes toward STEM for middle school youth, established meaningful connections, and enhanced their technical knowledge. Middle school youth reported enjoying the online summer camp environment, though they had experienced more than a year of education online. Undergraduate engineering students asserted that it was challenging to communicate coding and other technical knowledge virtually but having to do so strengthened their capacity to teach others while honing their own competencies. Lastly, in-service math and science teachers reported a better understanding of the connection between engineering and social justice based on their experiences in the camp. We conclude this article with implications for engineering education.
- Examining relationships that matter: A qualitative study of Black women in doctoral educationLane, Tonisha B.; Patterson-Stephens, Shawna M.; Perez, Ebony; Pierre, Devona Foster (Texas A&M University Libraries, 2022-05-31)The purpose of this study was to explore how and why various relationships bolstered the success of Black women doctoral students by contributing to their motivation and persistence in graduate education. Using the voices of 14 Black women doctoral students within the United States and community cultural wealth as a theoretical lens, this qualitative study sought to examine the nature and importance of supportive relationships that existed during their graduate studies. Findings from this study revealed that family served as a motivator for enrollment and degree completion, a sounding board during trying times, and a space for processing the doctoral experience. Friends and professional associations transmitted various forms of social capital, and mentors served as advocates and facilitators of professional socialization. Additionally, social media played a significant role in helping Black women establish networks when there was limited visibility of or access to other Black women in their graduate programs. From this study, academic programs may be able to glean which aspects of these different relationship types (e.g., family, friends, mentors) matter and develop mechanisms for incorporating them into the experiences of Black women (and other minoritized groups) in doctoral programs.
- “That Cross-Curricular Business”: The Engineering Design Process in Mathematics and Science ClassroomsVomvoridi-Ivanovic, Eugenia; Lane, Tonisha B.; Cain, Leia K.; Ahmad, Salam; Willis, Selene; Gaines, Jonathan E. (Nova Southeastern University, 2024-01-13)The engineering design process (EDP) is one tool teachers can use to facilitate STEM integration. As part of a larger three-year longitudinal research project regarding engineering identity development among middle school youth in a summer robotics outreach program, this study aims to understand teachers’ willingness to incorporate engineering design in their classrooms through an exploration of their perceptions of the EDP, its applications to their subject matter and classroom context, methods of enacting the EDP, and perceived challenges to and supports for doing so. We conducted a qualitative case study and drew our results from focus groups and semi-structured interviews with eight teacher participants. Participants were successful in describing the EDP and its cyclical nature. However, classroom enactment of the EDP was predominantly indirect and often used to solve non-subject-specific classroom problems. Direct enactment was limited to projects already part of the existing curriculum. Issues with instructional resources, lesson planning, time, and student background were the EDP enactment barriers most frequently noted, while supports described were all responses to the identified barriers. The EDP offers a promising way to integrate engineering with math and science. However, additional support is needed for more meaningful classroom enactment of the EDP.
- How Do Alternatively and Traditionally Certified Beginning Workforce Development Teachers Feel About Their Preparedness?Bowen, Bradley D.; Williams, Thomas O. (2024-08-14)Retaining highly qualified teachers is critical since about 40% of teachers leave within the first four years. Over the past few decades, there has been a rise in alternatively certified Development, which has the highest percentage of teachers that enter the profession through alternative certification. However, there is a debate on whether or not a teacher entering the profession through an alternative pathway is as effective as a teacher certified through a traditional pathway. One of the critical factors in determining teacher effectiveness is how prepared a beginning teacher feels when entering the classroom. To identify how these beginning teachers perceive their preparedness when entering the classroom, this study analyzes self-reported data from the 2015-2016 National Teacher and Principal Survey to compare the perceived preparedness of alternatively and traditionally certified teachers. The results show that within the field of Workforce Development, traditionally certified teachers felt statistically significantly more prepared to enter the classroom than alternatively certified teachers. Also, within the individual constructs of Workforce Development, traditionally certified teachers felt statistically significantly more prepared in six of the ten areas. By better understanding the level of perceived preparedness of beginning Workforce Development teachers from both alternative and traditional certification pathways, teachers can be better supported to increase their effectiveness in the classroom.
- How the Introduction of Content Relates to Performance in a Middle School Modeling and Simulation EnvironmentBowen, Bradley D.; Peterson, Bryanne (2024-03-01)Modeling and simulation activities are common in secondary technology and engineering education classrooms. Virtual simulations are used to integrate engineering design into classroom instruction. The quality of a student’s final virtual design depends on their ability to apply the knowledge they have learned during the lesson. When applying what they learned to the virtual design, a student may reach the limit to which the theoretical knowledge can be applied. At this point, students may resort to other problem-solving processes to improve the design, such as trial and error. The activity in this study is a bridge-building project where the students use virtual modeling software to design a truss. This study measures the performance outcomes of students introduced to the content in different formats to determine how the introduction of knowledge impacts their performance within a virtual simulation. Data was collected through the simulation program and a statistical analysis was used to compare the efficiency of truss designs of students initially introduced to the engineering content to those students not originally introduced to the engineering content. The results of the statistical analysis show that students with more exposure to the content at the beginning of the activity have significantly better performance outcomes in the initial designs. However, students that receive less content initially can perform equally well if given enough opportunities to engage in the simulation activity.
- Pre-service teachers’ self-assessed proficiency for working with struggling readersSigmon, Miranda; Fortune, Donna J. (2021-03-01)Pre-service educators should enter a classroom confident in their ability to deliver literacy instruction for all learners. To determine pre-service educators' level of understanding and confidence in implementing effective early literacy instruction, this study used the 15 principles for working with struggling readers created by McCormick and Zutell (2015) to analyze preservice teachers' perceptions of their ability to teach reading. The mixed method study includes data collected through an online survey using Likert scale and open-ended items. This article details the results of pre-service educators' self-assessments after they completed an early literacy methods course. Results indicate that the two lowest rated principles include enlisting parental involvement and letting research guide instruction.
- Bridging disciplines - Driving change: Promoting classroom activism by utilizing picture books and the inquiry design model in educator preparation programsFortune, Donna J.; Pennington, Lisa K.; Tackett, Mary E.; Horst, Paige (Kentucky Council for the Social Studies, 2024-12-15)Embedding inclusive strategies and practices into Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs), can ensure that future social studies teachers are well-equipped to create dynamic, inclusive, and empowering learning environments for all students. The Inquiry Design Model (IDM) provides a framework for encouraging social studies preservice teachers to explore activism and social change through the lens of children’s picture books. Such inquiry is essential for promoting equity, enhancing learning outcomes, and fostering critical thinking and empathy, while also preparing teachers for diverse classrooms and for meeting legal and ethical obligations to provide inclusive education for all students.
- Wobble and transcending the challenges of novice teachersJansky, Timothy; Stewart, Trevor Thomas (2024-06-03)This paper explores a novice teacher's experiences and challenges in order to discuss the importance of supporting new teachers. We examine the new identity that novice teachers take on as they enter the workforce, requiring them to bring two competing worlds into dialogue with one another. By highlighting the moments of struggle and uncertainty that one new teacher encountered, the paper calls attention to the need to support new teachers and help them transcend the persistent problem of isolation in the teaching profession. This article identifies how teacher educators can help prepare teacher candidates and novice teachers to respond to challenges.
- Addressing Social Determinants of Mental Health to Improve College Access, Enrollment, and RetentionMushunje, 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 ColorHenry, 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 healthJohnson, 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 ResearchZyromski, 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 DesignsBarua, 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 studyHall, 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 compassionFortune, 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 coursesJones, 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 EducationPrice, 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 CareersWoods, 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-EfficacyChapin, 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 VoicesPennington, Lisa K.; Fortune, Donna J. (Texas Council for Social Studies, 2021-07-01)