Georgia Southern University
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Combating Chronic Absenteeism through Parent Engagement
No full textThis action research project examines the impact of targeted parent and teacher collaboration on chronic absenteeism at a charter school. In efforts to increase family engagement and to improve student participation and learning, the project includes professional development designed to equip teachers and families with best-evidence practical, relationship-based strategies to build positive school-home connection. As part of action research, the project planned and implemented a series of research-based intentional interventions such as student self-check-in system, family engagement events, and teacher training. For impact assessment of the interventions on student performance and family engagement, mixed-methods design was used including interviews, surveys, observations, and records-analysis for data collection and analysis. Through the intentional, targeted interventions, teachers and families worked together to create a more supportive and accountable learning environment. The findings highlight the transformative potential of what happens when a community works together and affirm the importance of ongoing school-home collaboration to sustain meaningful positive change in student participation and learning
A Preliminary Exploratory Study of the Emergence of Nontraditional Presidents at Four-Year Colleges and Universities
No full textHigher education in the United States is at a pivotal crossroads, shaped by political pressures, economic shifts, public scrutiny, and rapid technological advancement. These forces are reshaping the traditional role of university presidents, giving rise to a new wave of nontraditional leaders from sectors outside of academia. This study will explore the evolving landscape of higher education through a historical and comparative lens, tracing the origins of higher education globally, and examining the selection, roles, and effectiveness of traditional and nontraditional presidents at four-year, degree-conferring institutions in the U.S. The study will explore the shifts from academic stewardship to corporate-style management while seeking to gain deeper insight on how university presidents/chancellors manage the competing tasks of delivering institutions that produce financial sustainability, political challenges and responding to heightened public accountability.
Using a mixed-methods approach, this research will analyze selected factors and variables influencing decision-making and evaluate how different leadership backgrounds influence institutional outcomes. The study will explore gaps in the research on both traditional and nontraditional leadership models and how these leadership styles ensure the future stability and relevance of American higher education
From Combat to Campus: Understanding Grief and Resilience Among Veteran Students in Higher Education
No full textGrief is an often-overlooked dimension of student well-being in higher education, particularly among nontraditional populations such as veteran students. This study explores how veterans experience and navigate grief within academic environments following their transition from military to civilian life. Drawing on trauma-informed and resilience frameworks, the research examines grief as both a personal and communal process shaped by military culture, identity loss, and campus belonging. Using a qualitative design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with veteran students enrolled at a southeastern public university. Data were analyzed using deductive content analysis to identify themes related to definitions of loss, expressions of grief, and coping strategies. Preliminary findings reveal that veteran students experience grief through multiple layers—loss of comrades, identity, and structure—while demonstrating significant resilience and purpose-driven coping. Yet, cultural norms of stoicism often hinder emotional expression and peer connection. The study underscores the need for grief-informed and trauma-sensitive practices within higher education, including faculty training, veteran-specific counseling, and community spaces that validate emotional experiences. By centering veterans’ narratives, this research broadens understandings of student development and highlights grief as a critical but underrecognized factor in persistence and well-being
Cultivating Teacher-Researchers: Embedding Qualitative Inquiry in Undergraduate Elementary Education
No full textUndergraduate research is a high-impact educational practice that highlights the importance of providing research experiences to students in all disciplines. However, the past experience reveals that it has been most widely used in quantitative science disciplines as opposed to qualitative majors (LEAP). In attempt to connect key concepts of elementary education to our students’ interests and questions, we created a series of opportunities that involve our students in the first steps of developing their identity of teachers as researchers through planning, implementing, and presenting their qualitative research to a community of educators. As juniors, in PLC groups, students develop a research question that they investigate in their field placement schools, collect and analyze data, read and review related literature, and present their findings at professional conferences. We organize a mini-conference open to the GCSU College of Education community where students present their studies and receive feedback from their peers and professors. Having processed feedback, they move to presentations at the state and regional levels. As a result of the experiences, students gain understanding of importance of research for teaching practice; learn to collaborate, and develop a sense of excitement of becoming a part of the profession and an advocate for their interests
Theorizing Socially Validated Knowledge: Narratives, Power, and Epistemic Recognition
No full textThis presentation conceptualizes the epistemically legitimate dimensions of narrative as socially validated knowledge. This work offers a critical theorization that centers the political and pedagogical significance of narratives within educational research. By tracing the historical and theoretical evolution of narrative inquiry, the study situates socially validated knowledge within an epistemological intersectionality framework and articulates its role in advancing social justice in education. The guiding question of this project is: What role do critical narratives play in fostering epistemic recognition and resisting institutional marginalization? I argue that the radical power of socially validated knowledge lies in its ability to challenge dominant epistemologies and inspire transformative action. Narratives are not merely research tools; they are political instruments that foster epistemic recognition and serve as acts of resistance against marginalization. This theorization contributes to current discourses on epistemic justice by affirming the centrality of lived experiences and culturally grounded ways of knowing in shaping equitable educational practices
Demystifying Welfare Dependency: The Emergence of Women as The College-Educated Workforce Majority
No full textIn 1994, a book entitled *The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life* was published. The authors, psychologist Richard J. Herrnstein and political scientist Charles Murray, argued that there is a “cognitive elite” and that race determines intelligence. They suggested these claims justified significant changes in public policy, particularly welfare. Two years later, in the 1996 Presidential Election, welfare reform was among the top three issues facing America. Many political leaders and media outlets portrayed recipients of AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) as abusers of the system, perpetuating the misconception that they were responsible for depleting the national budget. On August 22, 1996, President Bill Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, which ended AFDC and replaced it with TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant). This change was accompanied by powerful yet false public narratives, most notably the stereotype of the “welfare queen,” targeting Black women as the face of fraud and dependency. Contrary to these portrayals, research showed women used benefits for their intended purposes—housing, education, and basic needs. These developments highlight how racialized stereotypes shaped welfare reform debates and continue to influence how poverty, gender, and policy are framed
Empowering Voices: A Prop-Based Approach to Theater Therapy for Students with Disabilities
No full textThe technical side of theater, particularly the use of props, offers significant benefits for students with intellectual disabilities. Because props are tangible objects, they provide a concrete way to engage with abstract theatrical concepts. Working with props helps to develop crucial skills like fine motor control, problem-solving, and organization. Students can improve hand-eye coordination by handling small items, enhance critical thinking by exploring how a prop can be used to tell a story, and learn responsibility by managing props for a scene.
Beyond these practical skills, using props is a form of theater therapy that provides emotional and social benefits. It’s a safe, low-pressure way for students to explore emotions and different characters, which can boost confidence and encourage imaginative play. This process also fosters collaboration and teamwork, as students must communicate to ensure props are ready for the stage. The sense of pride from seeing their prop used on stage is a powerful tool for building self-image and a connection to the creative process
Inequities of Professional Development Funds Among Residence Life Professionals
No full textProfessional development is a cornerstone of staff growth, yet access to funding remains inequitable across institutions. This quantitative study analyzed professional development funding for residence life professionals at 656 colleges and universities. To do so, archival data from the 2023 Horowitz Live-in/on Report and the 2021 Carnegie Classifications were utilized to compare differences between variables. This session will explore the methodology of this study and the findings that found disparities in professional development funding for college administrators. These inequities have an impact on the growth, morale, and retention of college administrators. The findings revealed an average of $900 in annual professional development funds, though funding varied greatly by region, institutional type, salary, and enrollment size. For example, public institutions offered higher funding than private ones, while larger campuses offered greater funding than their smaller counterpart. These disparities highlight a “resource-rich get richer” dynamic that exacerbates inequities in professional development funding and raises concerns about burnout, attrition, and professional stagnation. Using human capital theory as the theoretical framework, this session highlights how investing in professional development funding can strengthen practitioner retention and enhance the work these professionals do with college students
My Camera Is My Weapon: Visual Storytelling, Hip Hop Pedagogy, and Youth Empowerment Through the Lens
No full textMy Camera Is My Weapon is a media literacy and storytelling program developed by a large, culturally based nonprofit dedicated to preserving Hip Hop culture. Designed for youth in urban communities, the program uses photography and videography as tools for counterstorytelling, allowing students to document their lived experiences, express their multiple identities, and challenge dominant narratives. Rooted in culturally sustaining pedagogy, Hip Hop education, and social justice frameworks, this initiative empowers students to become critical observers and creators within their communities. This session will introduce participants to the core structure of the program, highlight student-created visual work, and include a brief hands-on activity focused on framing and visual storytelling. Presenters will explore how technology integration, combined with identity-centered approaches, can transform classrooms, afterschool spaces, and museum-based learning environments into platforms for authentic expression and civic engagement. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for using media and the arts to elevate youth voice, build critical consciousness, and create more inclusive, culturally responsive learning spaces
Beyond the Crown: Hair, Identity, and the Politics of Professionalism for Black Women School Leaders
No full textSeventy years after Brown v. Board of Education, Black educators remain underrepresented in K–12 leadership, and recent rollbacks in diversity, equity, and inclusion have deepened systemic inequities. This study examines how hair operates as a racialized and gendered site of identity negotiation for Black women school leaders who must navigate Eurocentric standards of professionalism while striving to lead authentically. Using a phenomenological case study design, we conducted a virtual focus group with six Black women educational leaders enrolled in graduate programs at a southeastern university. Guided by the Ecology of Black Women School Leaders Framework, which integrates Intersectionality, Black Feminist Thought, and Ecological Systems Theory, we analyzed transcripts and chat data thematically. Four themes emerged: (1) external and internal pressures to conform to dominant beauty norms; (2) the emotional and physical toll of managing those expectations; (3) the labor of educating others about Black hair; and (4) affirmation and empowerment through natural hairstyles. Findings illuminate how family expectations, institutional culture, and societal norms converge to shape leadership identity. The study calls for inclusive definitions of professionalism and leadership preparation that affirm Black women’s authenticity and cultural expression in educational settings