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Measuring the Impact of a Stem Career Awareness Intervention Event: Middle School Parents’ Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior Toward Stem Career Awareness Levels
Full text linkThe number of STEM careers is projected to double within the next ten years. The U. S. STEM educational system is not producing enough qualified employees to meet the demand of vacancies. Majority of interventions on improving STEM education have been conducted at the elementary and high school levels. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of a STEM career awareness workshop, as an intervention, on middle school parents’ knowledge of attitude towards, and behavior related to STEM careers. This study found a significant change in middle school parents’ knowledge and behavior toward STEM career awareness, while their attitudes remained the same
Exploration Into The Professional Experiences of African American Male Principals Serving Suburban Schools.
Full text linkABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to examine the social capital and lived experiences of African American male administrators in suburban schools in Texas. With the nation’s most academically credentialed and professionally experienced teachers being African American male teachers (Fenwick & Akua, 2013), those who become principals assume the position with more years of experience as a PK–12 classroom teacher than their White peers (Fenwick & Akua, 2013). However, since the Brown vs. Board of Education decision in 1954, the national average of African American male principals has not exceeded 15%. This study employed a qualitative design to gain better insights and a deeper narrative of eight African American male principals and their experiences in suburban school districts.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight principals with three to 20+ years of experience from seven different school districts in Southeast Texas. This exploration was conducted by asking questions about: (a) perceived barriers, (b) strategies to assist, (c) the influence of race, and (d) perceived importance of mentorship.
From the participants’ responses, African American male principals must overcome multiple barriers on their journeys to principalships in suburban school districts. However, strategies formulated to overcome these obstacles, combined with personal experiences as African American men, cultivate leadership styles that enable them to interact and connect successfully with all stakeholders.
By its nature, social capital is the relational piece of individual interactions (Leana & Pil, 2006). Leaders use that social capital to transform into other reliable forms of capital when improving efficiency (Tipurić, 2022). As the African American male principals worked through the various stages of the process, they moved from being the recipients of someone else’s social capital to delivering or sharing their own social capital with others
Educator Personality Traits and Collaboration Skills
Full text linkTo be in accordance with Special Education Law, schools must include students with IEPs in the general education classroom to the maximum extent possible. Professionals who work with students who receive special education services are required to collaborate on a regular basis. Collaboration among individuals across special education service delivery can have many contributing factors. There are several benefits and barriers to collaboration in education. Personality traits of the individuals who often collaborate can contribute to positive or negative collaborations. This study examined teacher collaboration and how it relates to personality. In particular, the study looked at the relationship between the personality traits of educators and their perceptions of their collaboration skills. Analysis revealed that there are specific personality traits that are associated with higher indications of collaboration skills. Analysis of the qualitative data revealed educators’ perceptions of their collaborative relationships along with what they perceive are the benefits and barriers to collaboration
The Impact of Corequisite Algebraic Models on Students' Intrinsic Motivation
Full text linkIn the state of Texas, college students who place below academic readiness in mathematics are required to take a corequisite course. A corequisite algebra course combines a developmental course with a college algebra course. Students that place into developmental education are often students of color, low-income, and/or first-generation. The different structural components of an algebraic corequisite course have been shown to support at-risk populations by supporting different psychological needs. By operationalizing the theoretical framework of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the levels of autonomy, relatedness, and competence, as they relate to intrinsic motivation, are examined in both the seven-hour a week corequisite algebra course and a three-hour a week non-corequisite algebra course at a two-year serving institution located in Houston, Texas. Utilizing an explanatory mixed method approach, the results from the quantitative phase determined, regardless of the algebraic model, that there is a significant relationship between the three psychological needs within SDT and intrinsic motivation. However, upon deeper investigation, there is also a significant difference in the three psychological needs within SDT and intrinsic motivation amongst the different algebraic models with the corequisite algebra group having the larger combined psychological need and intrinsic motivation. There was not a significant difference found amongst the participating ethnic/racial groups within each of the algebraic models. The finding within the qualitative phase, collected through individual interviews utilizing text messaging, indicates that students with all three psychological needs met had higher frequencies of intrinsic motivation language. Students in the corequisite algebra course reported more positive outcomes in and out of academia. The mixed method approach showed a relationship among the themes. These results reflect the literature, which indicates that when the three psychological needs within SDT are met, a person’s natural intrinsic motivation will be positively correlated, and higher levels of well-being will be observed
School Professionals’ Current Role in Human Trafficking Intervention
Full text linkHuman trafficking is recognized as an egregious human rights violation across the globe. One major issue that hinders the sufficient eradication of the problem is inadequate victim identification, prevention, and intervention. Many important professionals that often interact with victims (i.e., doctors, police officers, teachers) tend to overlook the role they play in victim prevention, rescue, and restoration. Among frontline stakeholders, school professionals are identified as an essential group that need to be engaged in anti-human trafficking efforts. Based on Theory of Planned Behavior by Icek Ajzen, Ph. D., the current cross-sectional study sought to measure and examine the relationship between school professionals’ attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intention, and behaviors pertaining to human trafficking intervention through path analyses. It was hypothesized that intention will account for the relationship between anti-trafficking intervention behaviors and attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. 163 school professionals participated in the current study. The results showed that subjective norms significantly predicted intentions. Additionally, the path analyses showed that The Theory of Planned Behavior model was not an overall good fit for the current data, however, the indirect effect of subjective norms on intervention behaviors through intentions was significant. Overall, this study highlights the importance of human trafficking trainings for school professionals to increase their attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intentions, and engagement in anti-trafficking intervention behaviors
The Role of Health Beliefs and Pain Experience in Choice of Pain Management Technique
Full text linkThe complexity of pain experience has been studied for the past few decades. Although there are many studies that examine pain experience and therapeutic techniques to manage pain, there is little research that has been conducted on factors that influence individuals’ decisions to engage in particular pain management strategies. The current study will use the Health Belief Model (HBM) and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to examine the impact of social factors on engagement in pharmacological (over-the-counter and prescription), psychological, physical, health management, and other types of pain management techniques. Participants (n = 565) completed an online survey that measured pain experience and beliefs about pain management interventions. The first aim of the study was to identify whether there were differences in pain strategies used based on demographics, pain experience, and health belief variables. The second aim of the study identified whether demographics, pain experience, and health belief variables predicted the type and frequency of pain management techniques used. Crosstab analysis and six multiple linear regressions were used to test the aims of the study. Results indicated reported differences between type of pain management technique used by differing demographics, pain experiences, and perceptions of pain threat. Further, pain intensity, perceived effectiveness of pain management intervention, and the TPB composite variable significantly predicted frequency of engagement in pain management strategies. This study is one of the first to explore the biological, psychological, and social factors that impact decisions to engage in specific pain management strategies. Further research is necessary to fully understand these mechanisms
The Relation Between Parental Locus of Control and Willingness to Implement Behavioral Parent Training Strategies
Full text linkThough there is significant empirical support for the efficacy of Parent Management Training (PMT) in reducing disruptive behavior, successful outcomes are largely dependent on parental use of strategies outside of sessions. Parental locus of control (PLOC) is an important parenting variable that may influence a key treatment acceptability variable: parents’ willingness to implement PMT strategies. Parents with external PLOC are less likely to believe they are able to change the child’s behavior and have lower parental self-efficacy. In this study, 86 parents of children, ages 2-12, with disruptive behavior watched brief videos detailing six PMT strategies (child-directed interaction, effective commands, praise/positive attention, ignoring, time out, and removal of privileges) and rated their willingness to implement each strategy. The data suggest that PLOC predicts parental willingness to use PMT strategies, above and beyond the influence of child age, child gender, and disruptive behavior severity. Overall willingness to implement the PMT strategies presented was significantly and inversely correlated to PLOC, indicating greater externality of PLOC is related to lower willingness to use strategies. Notably, the relationship between willingness and PLOC differed across individual strategies. Proactive PMT strategies were significantly and inversely correlated with PLOC, but reactive PMT strategies were not. External PLOC may be a greater barrier for proactive PMT strategies than for reactive PMT strategies because of the proactive strategies’ misalignment with external PLOC-related beliefs. Results of the study have implications for the individualization of PMT based on parent beliefs such as PLOC, as well as the analysis of PMT as a composite treatment in future research
Algebraic Nonuniformity Correction for Hexagonal Pixelated Images
Full text linkInfrared imagers, especially in the mid and long infrared range, notoriously have a
problem with fixed-pattern noise, also known as non-uniformity, in their sensors. The
sensitivity required for infrared sensors is prone to certain physical conditions that
normally don’t substantially affect the visual spectrum. In the past, many methods in
image processing have been used to mitigate the non-uniformity, including algebraic non
uniformity correction (NUC) methods. Recently there have been studies showing the
advantages of using hexagonal pixels instead of traditional, rectangularly sampled pixels.
Hexagonal based algebraic NUC algorithms have been shown promising for mitigating
noise better overall. In this work, algebraic NUC methods were explored for hexagonally
sampled images via simulation, and NUC performance results were compared to those of
the traditional NUC methods that have already been widely used
Understanding Perceptions of Aggression
No full textAggression and assertiveness are frequently exhibited in competitive sports, yet fans and referees at times may struggle to distinguish between them. Previous research suggests that factors such as uniform color can influence perceptions of aggression, but little is known about the role of gender and race in shaping those perceptions. This research extended the work of Frank and Gilovich (1988) by examining how gender and race influence perceived aggression, emotional control, and general likability of men and women basketball players. Study 1 investigated perceived aggression of a woman athlete compared to a man athlete when displaying identical behaviors. Study 2 investigated perceived aggression of a Black woman athlete compared to a White woman athlete. Both studies utilized a between-subjects experimental design in which participants read and evaluated identical news articles that varied only by the gender or race of the athlete being described. Participants’ perceptions of aggression and emotional control were assessed. Contrary to both hypotheses, no statistically significant differences were found based on gender (ps > 0.09) or race (ps > 0.17) on perceptions of aggression. These null effects may suggest that the link aggression has with gender and race is different than anticipated. Limitations and considerations for future research are discussed
Why do Black Men Leave the Classroom? Exploring Perceptions of Black Male Educators that have Left the Teaching Force
Full text linkBlack male educators represent approximately 2% of teachers in American public schools. The pathway for Black male students to become educators is filled with both hope and challenges. From their schooling experiences to their time in the classroom, Black men confront the harmful effects of American history—often without adequate support. This study applies the African American Male Theory (AAMT) to explore the perspectives of Black male educators who have left the teaching profession but remain engaged in Afrocentric community healing. Participants were connected through a community platform that fosters social sculpture and utilizes art to empower individuals. Semi-structured interviews were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis to examine the experiences of five participants. Six key themes emerged: (a) personal growth and healing, (b) disruptors of adverse patterns, (c) vulnerability, fetishization, and care, (d) polarizing experiences and stereotypes, (e) community and healing, and (f) implications of misunderstandings. These themes were examined within an ecological systems model for Black male educators in K-12 education. The study’s findings provide valuable insights for future research on Black male educators and offer recommendations to improve K-12 education ecosystems to better support their retention. Additionally, the results can inform policies aimed at reducing harmful stereotypes in K-12 education, particularly those affecting Black male educators