The LAIR at East Texas A&M
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An Examination of Rising Teacher Attrition in Texas and What Inspires Teachers to Stay
No full textOne of the most significant and prevalent problems in the educational system in the United States is the alarming rate at which proficient, skilled, and qualified teachers leave their profession after a few years of employment. The common explanations for this trend include ineffective leadership in learning institutions, poor working conditions, negative student–teacher relationships, and flawed school cultures that do not value and respect professionals. A review of the literature focusing on this issue established that school administrators could enhance teacher retention and decrease turnover by creating a culture where all educators feel valued and respected. Notably, such conditions provide a feeling of satisfaction and motivate teachers to embrace their profession. The review is fundamental in examining teacher attrition and retention rates and exploring what can be done to increase retention and reduce turnover rates. Its primary aim was to determine the factors that prompt teachers to leave or stay in their practice. The major sections of this literature review include the concepts of teacher attrition and retention, what makes instructors leave their profession, school culture and how it impacts teacher attrition and retention rates, and teacher retention strategies. Data from past studies were primarily utilized to examine the originality, causes, and factors related to teacher attrition and retention. The review implied that poor school cultures are the cause of the high turnover rates in the educational sector. The implications and significance of this study are that educational facilities should change or implement new and practical measures that will appreciate and motivate instructors for their noble roles in the education sector
Investigation of Photostability and Molecular Properties in Perylene Diimide (PDI) Derivative Films by Relative Quantum Yield and FTIR Measurements
No full textPerylene diimide (PDI) has been extensively studied due to its high fluorescence quantum yield, optoelectronic properties, and flat-conjugated structure, which enable efficient charge transport and light absorption. This study investigates the photostability and quantum yield behavior of PDI-C3, PDI-C5, PDI-C8, and PDI-C13 thin films through intense laser beam illuminations. Using a 447 nm laser, emission spectra were recorded to analyze the luminescence stability under prolonged exposure. Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR- FTIR) spectroscopy was conducted pre- and post-experiment to assess structural modifications due to laser exposure. This study provides insights into the role of molecular packing in PDI photostability, offering potential advancements in organic electronic applications
How Text Length Moderates the Effectiveness of Stop-and-Jot Strategy on Reading Comprehension
No full textSelf-regulated learning strategies (sometimes called metacognitive strategies) are practices used by students to enhance learning. The effectiveness of these practices has been widely researched, establishing robust strategies, such as retrieval, and less effective strategies, such as highlighting or rereading (Dunlosky et al., 2013). Students and teachers alike are often unaware of the current research, however, and may use strategies ineffectively. A common reading comprehension strategy being taught even in early elementary school is a generative chunking strategy colloquially dubbed stop and jot (SAJ). It involves stopping after each paragraph and “jotting” a summarizing phrase in the margin. The purpose is threefold: to improve attention while reading, to improve comprehension, and to create notes that may be referred to later. The empirical evidence for whether these purposes are achieved by SAJ is somewhat lacking. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of SAJ on reading comprehension in texts of different lengths. Undergraduate university students were assigned to either a SAJ group (short or long passage) or the No-Writing (NW) control group (short or long passage). The SAJ groups received basic instructions to use the SAJ strategy while reading. A general comprehension measure was taken for each group to establish baseline comprehension a priori. Additionally, participants rated their familiarity with the passage content post hoc. It was hypothesized that groups would perform similarly for short passages due to less need for long term memory storage; however, no significant effect of passage length was found. It was further hypothesized that the SAJ Long group would perform higher in comprehension as compared to the Control Long group due to strategy use. However, no significant effect of strategy use was found. These findings support the claim that summarization is a low-utility strategy that may only be useful in specific contexts (Dunlosky et al., 2013)
Trauma and the School Counselor: The Lived Experiences of Black or African American Students
No full textSchool counselors are essential in helping students succeed throughout their educational journeys. Many students experience trauma while in school, particularly Black or African American students. Although there is substantial research on school counselors’ perceptions and how they respond to student needs and circumstances, there is limited research on how students perceive their counselors and whether they feel supported during and after traumatic experiences. Using a qualitative phenomenology research design, this study aims to explore the lived experiences of Black or African American students who have faced trauma and the support they may or may not have received from their certified school counselors
The Voice of Experience: Trauma Counselors’ Perceptions and Recommendations for Counselor Training Programs
No full textThe purpose of this study was to explore the personal narratives of experienced trauma counselors and draw from their experience and recommendations for counselor training programs. The prevalence of trauma exposure in the general population is between 70% and 90% and the impact of that exposure contributes to even higher rates in clinical populations (Benjet et al., 2016; Feriante & Sharma, 2023; Magruder et al., 2017). Exposure to traumatic events can negatively impact mental health and physical health, and yet, there is a deficit in counselor training in trauma and its impact (York et al., 2024). Insufficient training increases the potential for clients to be misdiagnosed, receive less effective treatment, and increases the risk of re-traumatization and puts counselors at higher risk of vicarious trauma and burnout (Giodorno et al., 2016; Lanier & Carney, 2019; York et al., 2024). Developing trauma-informed counselors is vital to upholding ethical standards of the profession and helping protect future clients and counselors from harm (Benjet et al., 2016; Feriante & Sharma, 2023; Magruder et al., 2017; York et al., 2024). While counselor education programs have identified the limitations in trauma training, minimal research has investigated how to address the lack of training. In this qualitative phenomenological study, the researcher investigated the experiences and recommendations of trauma counselors regarding training for future counselors. The framework of the current qualitative study was guided by a phenomenological approach and a social constructivist paradigm. Moustakas’ descriptive phenomenological approach was used for data analysis to explore the research questions: What are the lived experiences of counselors providing trauma counseling? What potential contributions to counselor trauma training can be gained from their lived experiences? What are the recommendations of experienced trauma counselors for the counseling profession? The voice of experience of trauma counselors can make valuable contributions to the preparation and education of future counselors (Horesh & Brown, 2020)
Design and Evaluation of a Project-Based Workshop for Introductory AI Education
No full textArtificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging technology that has become an integral part of the everyday lives of people. As AI continues to play a vital role in the computer science (CS) industry and becomes increasingly accessible to everyday users, there is a growing need for approachable and engaging methods to introduce AI to undergraduatestudents. This thesis presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of a game-based AI workshop, structured as a hands-on, project-driven learning experience in which students with little to no prior AI experience engage with AI concepts through interactive development in Python. The primary computational contribution of this thesis is the development of structured, game-based projects that demonstrate how AI techniques can be effectively integrated into interactive applications. To assess student motivation and engagement, this thesis uses the MUSIC Model of Academic Motivation Inventory (MUSIC Inventory), a validated instrument that is used to measure students’ motivation and engagement in learning environments. As such, the MUSIC Model serves not only as a design framework but also as a valuable evaluation tool for studying student engagement in CS education
Using a Spiral Intervention to Lessen the Mathematics Achievement Gap in An Ap® Precalculus Classroom: A Mixed Methods Study
No full textThe purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed-methods research study was to measure the effectiveness of a spiral intervention given to high school students who were enrolled in an AP Precalculus course that aids students in the long-term memory of procedural and declarative knowledge to increase mathematics academic achievement. Literature involving mathematics achievement through the use of cognitive load theory and constructivism was discussed along with several types of interventions that aid with the transfer, recall, and retention of mathematics knowledge and skills through the use of worked examples. Two phases of data collection was conducted where Phase I involved the collection of assessment scores through the use of an AP Precalculus Practice Exam. Phase II involved implementing the spiral intervention that includedstudent artifact observations as a way to gauge learning regarding knowledge and skills. An open-ended survey was given after students sat for the posttest. The results of this study are discussed along with implications and recommendations for future research
Leading for Equity: Exploring Leadership Practices for Increasing Academic Outcomes of Marginalized Students
No full textEvidence of extreme disparity among culturally diverse students’ learning outcomes dates to Coleman’s (1968) study. Despite reconstructed educational reforms over the last half century to address this educational achievement gap—from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, to the current Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015—the educational achievement gap between culturally diverse students and White students persists (Hung et al., 2020). Using culturally responsive pedagogy as the guiding theoretical framework, this researcher examined how campus leaders (a) developed teacher capacity through professional development and (b) leveraged the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS) growth model to accelerate learning for historically marginalized students. The findings of the study reveal that campus leadership is central to advancing the academic success of historically marginalized students through equity-driven beliefs and practices. Leaders consistently defined equity as differentiated support responsive to students’ socioeconomic, racial, linguistic, and ability-based needs, emphasizing inclusivity, belonging, and data-informed decision making to close learning gaps. Professional development was most effective when sustained, collaborative, and explicitly centered on culturally responsive pedagogy, though its implementation varies across campuses depending on leadership priorities and local resources. Finally, leaders strategically leveraged T-TESS as a growth model, aligning its dimensions with culturally relevant teaching goals and using it to provide feedback, guide reflection, and strengthen teacher practice. Collectively, the findings highlight that when campus leaders intentionally embed equity into belief systems, professional learning, and evaluation processes, they create school environments that more effectively support the academic success and engagement of historically marginalized students
Marked Neural Temporal Point Process for Network Packet Characterization
No full textWith the advancement of digital technologies, cyberattacks have become increasingly sophisticated, posing serious threats to personal privacy, national security, and organizational infrastructure. As modern cyber threats grow in complexity and intelligence, traditional network security approaches are proving insufficient. Existing detection methods often rely on complete connection information, making it difficult to identify attacks in time, or depend on packet payload inspection, which is limited to unencrypted traffic and raises privacy concerns.To address these limitations, this study proposes a novel multi-class classification approach for cyberattack detection by introducing a Marked Neural Temporal Point Process (MNTPP) model that integrates deep learning techniques with Temporal Point Process (TPP) theory. Unlike conventional methods, the proposed model characterizes network flows by analyzing only inter-packet arrival time and packet sizes, enabling practical and efficient early detection with minimal packet information. The MNTPP model captures temporal dependencies and patterns through inter-packet arrival time and leverages packet size as a mark to provide additional information for flow characterization. Experiments on real-world network traffic traces demonstrate its effectiveness in early attack detection, outperforming advanced deep sequence models such as bidirectional LSTM and sequence-to-sequence
Smartphone Usage: The Impact on Face-to-face Communication Skills of Students in College
No full textFor this generation, technology has been a part of their lives since birth, but how it has affected their communication skills is still up for debate. Being able to communicate efficiently and effectively is a core skill every employee entering the workforce needs; however, understanding how to develop those communication skills is critical for the future of this generation and their success while in college. This study examines the impact of smartphone usage on face-to-face communication skills among Generation Z college students, focusing on both social and academic effects. They have never known the world without the lens of technology, so understanding its impact on their face-to-face communication is critical for their success in and out of the classroom. The research aims to uncover students’ smartphone communication preferences, usage patterns, and effects on interpersonal skills. Much of the current literature is quantitative in nature, whereas this study is qualitative, giving a comprehensive understanding of the usage and its effects. Data collection was done via semistructured interviews with five Generation Z undergraduate students at a small, urban, public university in the southern United States. The displacement hypothesis served as the theoretical framework to analyze the motivations behind smartphone use