Wichita State University: Electronic Journals Hosted by University Libraries
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Storytelling and Safe Places: An Interview with Printz Honor-Winning Writer Lisa Fipps
Full text linkAuthor Lisa Fipps appeared as the featured speaker at the Literature Festival held on the campus of Washburn University in fall 2022. During this interview, discussion ranged from the impact of winning a Printz Honor to the influence of her background in libraries and journalism to the challenges and benefits of writing for an audience of young readers. The interview focuses on the prominent role of safe places and storytelling in Fipps’ debut verse novel Starfish (2021); following the interview, the article explores these same themes in her second verse novel And Then, Boom! (2024). In her books and in this interview, Fipps explores the reasons why young people need to count on having safe spaces in their lives to help them deal with a difficult and challenging world, and she explores the important role that storytelling can hold in the lives of her protagonists as well as her young readers.
The Support Services Listicle
Full text linkThe author describes a “listicle” writing activity in which students write about campus support services in a “five things you should know” format in order to share with their classmates. This fosters a sense of audience as well as a connection to the campus
Examining the Influence of Coaching Competencies on Coach Leadership Styles: A Hierarchical Multiple Regression Approach
No full textNumerous studies have demonstrated that coach leadership styles are vital for athletes’ training success and game outcomes. Coaching leadership influences sports results, and previous research emphasizes the most effective coaching behaviors. Despite the acknowledged importance of coaching skills in effective sports leadership, little research has explored how coaching competencies relate to specific leadership styles. To address this gap, this study identifies key coaching competency factors linked to democratic and autocratic leadership. The research examines Ghanaian university (collegiate) athletes’ perceptions of coaching skills and their coaches’ behavioral traits. Data were collected from 308 athletes involved in college sports in Ghana. Findings showed that athletes regard motivation and game strategy as critical coaching competencies shaping their perceptions of their coaches’ democratic and autocratic leadership. While technique competency was essential for democratic leadership, it was not for autocratic leadership. Character-building skills were not a significant factor for either style. Coaching education programs, such as those in college athletic departments, can use these insights to guide professional leadership development, enhance core competencies, and foster effective coaching leadership
Social Anchor of the Pelican State: Intangible Benefits and Economic Impact of the Superdome
No full textAbstract: The Louisiana Superdome has had tremendous impact on the Gulf Coast region since it’s opening in 1975. With the region, the Superdome has had to adjust to potential economic, social, and infrastructural changes alongside natural disasters by opening as a shelter of last resort during hurricanes. The total direct economic impact from stadium operations was estimated to $934.28 million during the first ten years of operations of the stadium from 1975 to 1984. It important to analyze how much this facility has economically impacted the region in the first ten years of operations as well as social impacts. As the NFL’s New Orleans Saints prepared to play in their first game in the Superdome post-Katrina in 2005, Chris Rose, a former columnist in the Times-Picayune, stated, “The Superdome, for the past year, an icon of our national disgrace, is now a cause for celebration. The Superdome is the most visible building on our city’s skyline. Its durability is our durability” (Rose, 2006, para, 2)
Closing the Word Gap: Morphological Instruction Across Middle and High School Classrooms
Full text linkThis literature review examines the effectiveness of explicit morphological instruction in improving vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension for middle and high school students. Socioeconomic disparities in early language exposure contribute to a significant word gap, limiting students’ ability to access complex academic texts. Morphological instruction—focused on teaching roots, prefixes, and suffixes—provides students with strategies to analyze unfamiliar words and build word consciousness. Research supports the use of derivational morphology to strengthen comprehension, especially for English learners and struggling readers. The review draws on two theoretical frameworks—atomistic and abstractive—to explain how students process word structure. Evidence suggests that embedding morphology within meaningful literacy tasks leads to improved outcomes. Instructional recommendations include prioritizing high-utility morphemes, integrating vocabulary across content areas, and supporting teachers through professional development. Despite time constraints and the need for foundational training, morphology-based instruction offers a high-leverage approach to addressing literacy gaps and promoting academic equity.
Legacy in Action: How Event Legacies Fuel Community Development and Supportive Behavior
Full text linkThis study examines the multidimensional relationship among social impacts, knowledge of legacy, and the intention to support hosting future large-scale sports events. Only limited research has explored how the perceived legacies influence stakeholders’ behaviors, particularly considering the mediated role of knowledge about the legacies from hosting a large-scale sports event. To assess the relationship, factors of legacies derived from social exchange theory reflect both positive and negative social impacts and knowledge of legacy is conceptualized and developed from existing studies. The results suggest that knowledge of legacy significantly mediates the relationship between perceived social impacts and community support for hosting future large-scale sports events. In particular, understanding the legacy of past events diminishes the negative perception of economic costs associated with the future support of hosting large-scale sports events in the community. On the other hand, community development is crucial in directly enhancing support for hosting future events. The findings of this study can serve as valuable insights for prospective communities and event administrators to establish an effective and successful planning process by providing a clear rationale to utilize various managerial and communicational strategies to cultivate the understanding of event legacies toward hosting future events
Sound Foundations: Strengthening Reading Development through Phonological Awareness and Phonics Integration
Full text linkPhonological awareness and phonics are critical components of early literacy development, serving as foundational skills that support decoding and reading comprehension. This manuscript explores the integration of phonological awareness and phonics through explicit, systematic instruction. It highlights the importance of transitioning students from recognizing and manipulating sounds to connecting these sounds with written symbols. Using evidence-based practices, educators can effectively address diverse student needs, ensuring all learners build a strong foundation for reading. Practical applications, such as tailored lessons and activities, are provided to guide educators in fostering successful literacy outcomes. 
Show Me a Sign: Young Adult Book Review
Full text linkThe author reviews the middle grade novel Show Me a Sign (2020) by Anne Clare LeZotte, providing a summary, character analysis and arguing for its accessibility to middle school readers
Segmenting Major League Baseball Teams by Attendance: A Multilevel Analysis of Determinants Across Clusters
No full textThe study examines determinants of game-day attendance in Major League Baseball (MLB) by classifying teams based on their seasonal average attendance and analyzing how established predictors operate within each attendance segment. Using data from all 30 MLB teams across the 2006–2017 regular seasons (N=29,056), the analysis proceeded in two stages. First, using cluster analysis, the study identified four attendance-based groups that reflected distinct market and performance profiles. Second, three-level hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) evaluated the effects of economic, demographic, game-attractiveness, and residual-preference factors on single-game attendance within each group. Results revealed meaningful differences across clusters. High-attendance teams were less sensitive to opponent characteristics and more influenced by structural factors such as stadium capacity and home team performance. Lower-attendance teams showed stronger responses to visiting team quality, star players, game uncertainty, and local market conditions. Group-specific patterns also emerged for rivalry games, weekend scheduling, and seasonal progression. Findings demonstrate the value of segmenting MLB teams according to historical attendance patterns and highlight the utility of multilevel modeling for analyzing sport consumption. Results provide practical implications for MLB organizations seeking to tailor marketing strategies, improve scheduling decisions, and enhance fan engagement across diverse market environments