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Expanding Anatomy Academy in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area: A Service Learning Project to Improve Childhood Health through Supplemental Educational Sessions
No full textChildhood obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States, with approximately 18.5% of US children presenting with obesity. High levels of obesity are less common in higher income communities, but increasingly more prevalent in lower income communities. Currently in Clark County, Nevada, more specifically in lower socioeconomic communities and Title I schools within the Las Vegas area, there is an opportunity to educate students about the components of a healthier lifestyle to provide children with the tools to improve their health. Anatomy Academy (AA) is an eight-week health education program that was created to teach fourth and fifth grade students about the various structures and functions of the human body, as well as the importance of living a healthy lifestyle in order to address the obesity epidemic. This service-learning project aimed to expand the reach of the Anatomy Academy program to more schools in the Las Vegas area in an effort to educate more underserved students about anatomy, physiology, and healthy lifestyle choices. Secondary aims included teaching fourth and fifth grade students about anatomy, physiology, and the components of a healthy lifestyle, as well as providing opportunities for professional growth to the physical therapy (PT) students administering the program. This service learning project delivered the program in two Title I elementary schools near University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), facilitated by UNLV PT student mentors and undergraduate kinesiology volunteers. Weekly sessions focused on seven body systems and included interactive activities designed to foster physical activity and engagement, with guidance provided by student mentors to enhance learning and ensure a seamless delivery of material. The program successfully expanded from two classrooms to five total classrooms over the course of three semesters. Additionally, student physical therapists reported personal and professional growth, which was measured through their application of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) core values throughout the program, as highlighted in post-program reflections. While no conclusions on the effectiveness of the AA program can be made from this service-learning project, the program provided valuable benefits for all stakeholders involved. Therefore, efforts should continue to be made to expand AA further, in subsequent years, to additional classrooms and schools in the Las Vegas Valley
Realizing And Practicing Teaching as A Calling: Narratives from Black Women Teachers in Urban K-12 Public Schools
No full textResearch and scholarship frequently ignore and dismiss the unique experiences and perspectives of Black women teachers. They bring with them a unique angle of vision through various race, gender, cultural, and historical intersections that inform their spirituality-based pedagogy and outlook while providing instruction in urban public schools.The purpose of this qualitative dissertation study is to examine the narratives and amplify the voices of Black women K-12 teachers in urban public schools to address how they realized teaching as a calling. Teaching as a calling is more than simply a job and source of income for these teachers. Understanding of this concept further explains how these teachers feel the passion to be present for their students and communities in urban public schools. Therefore, how, if at all, teaching as a calling informs retention and what sustains these Black women teacher participants/narrators is also addressed. The study utilizes narrative inquiry research. This study engages the interrelated framework of Black Womanist Theology and the epistemological standpoint of Womanism, a term that is drawn from the theoretical perspective of black feminism, but possesses its own distinctions. Consequently, the study explores the following questions: 1) How have Black women teachers in urban K-12 schools come to realize teaching as a calling? 2) How, if at all, has teaching as a calling aided retention and what sustains Black women teachers in urban K-12 schools? Through Teaching as a Calling timelines and semi-structured interviews, four Black women K-12 teachers shared intimate and detailed narratives that are social, spiritual, and personal for how teaching as a calling was realized. The timelines and interviews also reflected how, if at all, teaching as a calling aids retention and what sustains the teacher participants in their urban K-12 school settings. The findings within this study emerged four themes: (1) Prophetic and Spiritual Affirmation, (2) Pouring into “Our Kids” and the Community, (3) We’re Present for Ourselves and “Our Kids,” and (4) Support Us to Retain Us
School Leadership’s Impact on Teacher Turnover Post Covid-19
No full textThis qualitative dissertation involved investigating the pivotal role of school leadership in shaping teacher turnover and support in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was situated within the broader context of educational challenges, where teacher retention remains a critical concern. The pandemic introduced unprecedented disruptions to the education system, underscoring the need to understand how school leadership practices influence teacher retention and support in this new landscape. The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally transformed the teaching profession, impacting every aspect of educators’ careers as evidenced by responses across the structural, human resource, political, and symbolic frames. Structurally, educators had to rapidly adapt to new formats and safety protocols reflecting dramatic shifts in daily routines. On the human resources front, the emotional toll of the pandemic was significant; teachers described setting personal boundaries to prevent burnout. Politically, resource allocation and policy inconsistencies further complicated the work environment. Symbolically, the loss of physical interaction, such as hugs and high-fives, redefined teacher identity and the emotional climate of the classroom. Collectively, these themes highlight that effective leadership, characterized by consistent support, transparent communication, flexibility in decision-making, and genuine care is crucial for maintaining teacher satisfaction and retention during times of crisis. The interplay of these structural, emotional, political, and symbolic factors underscores the vital role leadership plays in ensuring that educators feel valued, secure, and empowered to continue their work, even under the most challenging circumstances
Exploring the Processing of Objects, Settings, and Global Properties in Natural Auditory Scenes
No full textOur auditory system has a remarkable ability to make sense of complex environments, allowing us to identify what we are hearing and where sounds come from. This process of auditory scene analysis is essential for situational awareness, decision-making, and effective communication in daily life. While much is known about how listeners segregate and identify individual sound sources (e.g., voices), less is understood about how global properties of a scene (e.g., openness, naturalness) contribute to perception. This dissertation examined how object- and setting-level information in natural auditory scenes are processed, and whether they rely on distinct or overlapping mechanisms. In Experiment 1, participants listened to 200 scenes of varying durations (1, 2, or 4 sec) and listed the setting (e.g., park) and objects (e.g., dog bark, wind, birds chirping) they heard in each scene. Overall, object identification was more accurate and benefited more from longer scene durations than setting identification. Different low-level (pitch, frequency) and mid-level (spectrotemporal patterns) acoustic features predicted performance across the two tasks, suggesting that distinct but potentially interacting mechanisms support object and setting perception in natural scenes. In Experiment 2, participants completed separate forced-choice object and setting identification tasks during electroencephalography recording. Although no significant differences in neural activity were observed between tasks, the spectral complexity of scenes modulated the P2 event-related potential, indicating that processes relevant to both object and setting identification share a sensitivity to acoustic features at a mid-level stage of processing. Together, these findings suggest that object and setting identification may rely on partially overlapping mechanisms. Understanding how the auditory system integrates both object- and scene-level information offers insights into real-world listening and can inform the development of more effective artificial intelligence systems and hearing assistive devices for navigating complex environments
School Absenteeism in Children with Disabilities: An Analysis of School Climate and Academic Mindset
No full textStudents with disabilities (SWDs) are more likely to be chronically absent than general education peers (Anderson, 2021; Gee, 2018, U.S. Department of Education, 2016). Etiology for SWDs is complex with influencing factors spanning multiple ecological levels, but bolstering protective factors for SWDs may address attendance disparities. Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) models have the potential to address absenteeism in SWDs via school-wide preventative and/or intervention efforts (Tier 1 & 2) aimed at increasing or decreasing influencing factors in students with disabilities. School climate and academic mindset may influence students with disabilities’ attendance. The purpose of the present study was to inform equitable and inclusive MTSS models by identifying influencing factors on school absenteeism for SWDs. The study aimed to (1) identify school climate and academic mindset factors that were linearly related to chronic absenteeism in students with disabilities and (2) identify differences in school climate and academic mindset variables between students with and without disabilities across age groups
Artificial Intelligence, Accessibility, and Inclusion
No full textWhile forms of artificial intelligence have existed for decades, the rapid growth of generative AI specifically in recent years has expanded opportunities to support individuals with intellectual and physical limitations and make learning environments more inclusive. Early applications, such as AI-generated captions, opened doors for greater content accessibility. Today, large language models (LLMs) add more responsive and interactive capabilities that extend into higher education and beyond. These include course design support, accessibility assessment, social skills training, personalized learning, responsive image captioning, and art collection access. This evolution demonstrates AI’s growing role as a tool for inclusion, independence, and equity
Helping Students Frame Their Educational Experiences
No full textWhat separates a good instructor from a great instructor? One crucial aspect of a great instructor is their ability to help students frame their educational experiences. This framing assistance occurs for both good and challenging student experiences. Instructors play an important role in helping students understand their educational experiences. An instructor may not recognize that they have such a role. We encourage instructors to be intentional about their role in students’ framing.https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/btp_expo/1214/thumbnail.jp
No More Deer in the Headlights: Interview Practice With AI
No full textEver had a student (or been the student) who froze like a deer in headlights during an interview? Been there. Whether it’s for a job, graduate school, or a conversation with a potential mentor, high-stakes interviews can spark panic. This teaching practice introduces AI-powered mock interviews to give students—both traditional and adult learners—a low-pressure space to prepare. Using AI, students rehearse: Informational interviews Job interviews Graduate school and assistantship interviews
Why it works: Students receive meaningful, low-stakes practice and instant feedback on tone, clarity, and content. They can revise, retry, and gain confidence with each round. This approach also supports responsible and effective AI use—an important skill as students transition into the workforce or graduate programs.https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/btp_expo/1221/thumbnail.jp
Teaching With Roleplaying Games
No full textRoleplaying Games (RPG) offer a uniquely dynamic teaching practice. Educational RPGs invite students to roleplay as historical figures or character types navigating complex scenarios. My students have roleplayed as golden age hip hop artists, presidential campaign teams, and citizens debating for/against Maya Lin’s proposed Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1980. Any scenario is possible! The length of these games can span from one class period to an entire semester. It just depends on your objectives.https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/btp_expo/1209/thumbnail.jp
Low Wage Workers in Mountain West States, 2024
No full textThis fact sheet presents 2024 data on low wage workers in the five Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The 2024 Oxfam America report, “The Crisis of Low Wages: Who earns less than 17 per hour in Mountain West states, as well as disparities in low-wage earnings by gender and race across the region