The LAIR at East Texas A&M
Not a member yet
7179 research outputs found
Sort by
A Qualitative Study of the Leadership of Texas Community College Library Deans in a Changing Environment
No full textThere is little literature on what community college library deans must do to transform the community college library into an integral part of modern community colleges. Using a qualitative approach, this study examines the roles and responsibilities of an effective leader in a community college library. Semi-structured interviews with six Texas community college library administrators resulted in ten themes interpreted through both activity theory and transformational leadership theory. The findings from this research show that participants believe that the most significant tension in modern community college libraries is the need to focus more on students. In addition, the participants believed that growing library staff competencies and improving communication with staff were important responsibilities for the library administrator. The themes uncovered in this research indicate that the community college library is not completely dissimilar from studies of 4-year institutions, however there are roles and responsibilities unique to the community college library. The implications of this study include notable differences between how leaders are effective in 4-year academic libraries and in community college libraries. Future research should include large-scale quantitative studies of this topic
Improving Fertility While Synchronizing Estrus in Beef Heifers When Feeding MGA
No full textMelengestrol Acetate (MGA) is used to suppress estrus in cattle and is used to synchronize estrus. However, when fed to beef cattle during the absence of a corpus luteum, a transient progesterone producing organ after ovulation, the dominant follicle is unable to regress becoming persistent resulting in decreased fertility of the oocyte. In this study, two treatment protocols were designed to test if administering GnRH, a hormone used to induce ovulation resulting in the formation of a corpus luteum at the beginning of the MGA feeding will prevent fewer persistent follicles and improve the fertility of the ovulation immediately following MGA removal. Heifers were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment protocols, MGA administered for 7 days (7d-MGA) or 14 days (14d-MGA). On day 0 for both treatment groups, all of the heifers were administered GnRH intramuscularly to induce ovulation. Transrectal ultrasound was performed on all heifers using Sonosite Edge Portable Sonogram Machine to assess ovarian status and follicular development and dynamics. Presence of a corpus luteum and characteristics such as follicle size(s) and numbers were recorded. Heifers were then fed to receive 0.5 mg/head/day orally. On day 7, heifers assigned to the 7d-MGA treatment group were administered PGF2alpha to lyse any potential corpus luteum and received Estrotect heat patches to aid estrus detection before being relocated to a separate pasture where they were exposed to fertile bulls for natural breeding. This was repeated on day 14 to all heifers assigned to the 14d-MGA treatment group. On day 71, both the 7d-MGA and 14d-MGA treatment groups were palpated to confirm pregnancy diagnosis. This experiment was done twice with 32 heifers in the first repetition and 14 in the second. The first repetition took place in the summer (June & August 2022), with the second taking place in the winter (January & March 2023). No pregnancy difference (p = 0.67) was observed between 7d-MGA (14/23; 61%) and 14d-MGA (12/22; 55%). A successful protocol designed from this research study could be beneficial in creating optimal breeding efficiency by implementing tighter calving windows and reducing labor/costs when utilized by beef cattle producers
A Qualitative Study: The Lived Experiences of First-Generation African American Women Doctoral Students
No full textThere has been a continuous increase in higher education enrollment of first-generation college students. This is a positive pattern, but what is concerning, is the plethora of research regarding obstacles that these students encounter, including college acceptance and degree completion (Roksa et al., 2018; Ishitani, 2006). While 30% of doctoral candidates are first- generation students, there is a void in the literature of their voices regarding their doctoral experiences (Roksa et al., 2018). First-generation doctoral students face even more daunting challenges than first-generation undergraduate students, such as lengthy timeline to graduation, financial hardships, negative experiences in academia, lack of preparedness, and lack of access to funding opportunities (Davis, 2012). As a result, these students often drop classes, leave college, and do not persist to degree attainment. The statistics are even lower for African American students who have many external and opposing demands. While there is research that focus on African American women doctoral experiences (Baumgartner & Johnson-Bailey, 2010), a deficit exists in studies that investigate factors that impact their persistence, retention, and degree completion. This qualitative study will describe the lived experiences of first-generation African American women doctoral graduates and their perceptions about how personal and campus factors influenced their persistence and degree completion. The research design will capture the personal experiences of the participants within the study and help to answer the research questions: How did first-generation African American women who graduated from a doctoral program view themselves as doctoral students? How did the institutional practices in which they participated define their in-school and out-of-school identities? How do first-generation African American women doctoral graduates describe their ability to navigate and combat intersecting oppressions to persist in their environment? How do African American women’s intersecting identities, particularly their gender and race, impact their academic experiences and what was their perception of this impact? How do first-generation African American doctoral graduates describe the obstacles and supports they received while pursuing their degree, and what was their perception of those experiences? The sample size will consist of first-generation African American women graduates. The data collection methods that will be utilized in this study will be semi-structured interviews. The interview questions will be open-ended, and data will be analyzed to reveal emerging themes. The study will conclude with the researcher\u27s summary and discussion of the findings, conclusions, implications of the study, and recommendations for further research based on the findings of this study. This study will contribute strategies that can positively impact the success of first-generation African American women graduate students, under-prepared college students, especially low income, and minority groups
The Role of District Leadership in the Revitalization and Burnout Prevention of Principals: An Interpretive Case Study
No full textSchool principal demands, compounded by increased accountability and insufficient support, significantly contribute to principal burnout and adversely affect educational leadership and institutional efficacy. This interpretive qualitative case study examined the role of district leadership in mitigating principal burnout within a Texas school district. The district was selected based on a district-wide implementation of The Breakthrough Coach training to enhance principal job satisfaction and well-being. The methodologies included the National Center for Education Statistics questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, publicly available data, and a researcher’s journal to explore the impact of district policies and leadership practices on principal well-being and effectiveness. Participants included five principals and a district leader who responded to research recruitment communications. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts and questionnaire responses indicated that district practices significantly shaped principals’ experiences of burnout. Findings highlighted the importance of district leadership explicitly defining and implementing policies to support principals in facilitating work-life balance and reducing job stress through continuous relevant professional development, workload management, tailored resource allocation, and individualized leadership support. The study’s theoretical framework drew on theories of sensemaking, job demands-resources, and dualistic models of passion, leadership style, and emotional intelligence and highlighted how district leaders can apply these theories to mitigate burnout. This research underscores the necessity of district-level interventions in sustaining principal health and suggests that similar strategies could benefit other educational settings facing high turnover and burnout rates
Exploring Campus Leaders’ Experiences with Instructional Rounds: An Interpretive Qualitative Study
No full textThis basic qualitative study gains the perspectives of elementary campus administrators who utilize the structure of instructional rounds on their campus. Instructional rounds are when a team of educators participate in classroom observations, collect data, and debrief based on a problem of practice. The work focuses on the instructional core, which consists of the student, teacher, and content centered around the task. Although previous studies on its use exist related to connections, culture, and feelings of belonging with new teachers, there is a need for additional empirical evidence for using instructional rounds to build capacity in schools. This interpretive study explores administrators’ experiences of how use of this protocol influences their instructional leadership and helps them build capacity for teaching and learning on their campus. Framed by Mitchell and Sackney’s (2000, 2011) capacity-building theory, the scope of the study includes campus administrators’ experiences building personal, interpersonal, and organizational capacity through the phenomenon of instructional rounds. The data was categorized into 21 themes, arranged into 7 broader categories, including leadership, capacity building, instructional impact on the organization, practices to leverage, and recommendations for sustainability, among others.The research findings summarize that the leader must be both a visionary and instructional leader, a culture builder that cultivates trust and safety among staff, and a facilitator of learning by providing in-depth, ongoing training through structured professional learning around a problem of practice. As reported by campus administrators, instructional rounds build capacity through self-reflection, PLC discussions, vertical alignment, campus-wide collaboration, and using non-evaluative data for collective improvement. Although there are challenges associated with rounds, there are many benefits based on suggested approaches for administrators to leverage, such as authentic conversations, data-driven processes, and recommendations for sustainability, such as narrowing the focus and scaling. The study\u27s findings synthesize perspectives and experiences of elementary campus administrators related to rounds used for capacity building and school-wide improvement of teaching and learning
The Lived Experiences of Gifted Black Males In Gifted/Talented and Advanced Academic Courses: A Study of the Intersectionality of Race, Gender, and Academic Programming Through Narrative Inquiry
No full textEnsuring equity of access and impartial opportunities that appropriately meet the needs of all high-ability learners remains an elusive goal and a pervasive problem—a problem which specifically affects the education of Black children today, especially Black males (Anderson, 2020; J. Davis et al., 2019; Ford et al., 2023; Grissom & Redding, 2016; Siegle et al., 2016). Black males are the least represented population in gifted and talented (G/T) and advanced academic education programs, and research on their lived experiences is limited (Ford et al., 2023). The purpose of this narrative inquiry qualitative study was to explore the perceptions and lived experiences of academically gifted Black males who have recently participated in gifted and talented and advanced academic courses such as Advanced Placement (AP), dual credit, and International Baccalaureate as part of their G/T services. Special emphasis was placed on the intersection of being Black, male, and academically gifted in an attempt to grasp the unique perspectives of this special population and how they made sense of their personal and social worlds as participants in gifted and advanced academic programs, which are often predominantly White and largely taught by White teachers. The researcher collected interview data from five academically gifted Black males who had participated in G/T and advanced academic programming as part of their G/T services within the last seven years. Major themes regarding the participants’ overall experiences that emerged from the data included developing a scholar identity and having pride in their academic accomplishments as well as a lack of representation in the class demographics and the school curriculum. Two subthemes that emerged from the lack of representation were feeling pressured to speak on behalf of their race and experiencing a limited sense of belonging. In addition, a lack of psychological safety, experiencing double-consciousness and code-switching, and managing stereotype threat were three significant themes that surfaced as challenges faced by the participants. Lastly, the data revealed that having familial support, perseverance and resilience, and effective teachers all contributed to the participants’ success in predominantly White gifted and talented and advanced academic programs
Affirming Culture and Cultural Identity in the Bilingual/ESL Classrooms
No full textIn Texas and throughout the United States, the increasing linguistic diversity within educational settings necessitates the expansion of bilingual and ESL programs. Approximately 5 million school-age children in the U.S. are identified as English learners, and many more are raised in non-English-speaking households. This represents about one-quarter of all K-12 students in the U.S., amounting to nearly 18 million children, most of whom have immigrant parents (Mitchell, 2020a). The urgency to address their needs is amplified by concerns that prolonged school closures could worsen the challenges faced by this demographic, which already includes heightened risks of homelessness, hunger, and educational difficulties. Notably, native Spanish speakers constitute around 75% of the English learner population in the country (Mitchell, 2020b)
Examining Mechanical Property Differences in Concrete with Natural and Synthetic Fiber Additives
No full textThe rapid growth of Natural Fiber Laminate (NFL) innovation is a direct response to environmental challenges, positioning these materials as superior alternatives to synthetic fiber composites. This paper delved into the outcomes of an extensive experimental study investigating the influence of sisal fiber (SLF), banana fiber (BF), and glass fiber (GF) on the mechanical and microstructural characteristics of concrete. The water absorption curves were established for sisal fiber concrete (SLFC), banana fiber concrete (BFC), and glass fiber concrete (GFC). Furthermore, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) observations were conducted to perform microanalysis and failure analysis of the tested specimens. The results revealed significant improvements in the concrete containing fibers compared to its counterpart in fiber-free concrete. For mixtures with a water-to-binder (W/B) ratio of 0.3, the most optimal mix (GF-30-135) showed improvements in compressive strength, flexural strength, and splitting tensile strengths by 4.13%, 8.93%, and 10.10%, respectively. On the other hand, for W/Bof0.4, mix GF-30-135 showed improvements of 5.05%, 8.55%, and 11.60%, respectively. Furthermore, as the fiber content increased, microscopic analyses revealed a weakening of the bond between the fibers and the rest of the matrix, contributing to the deterioration of the mechanical properties
Finite Element Analysis and Optimization of the Rotational Stiffness of Semi-Rigid Base Connection under Simultaneous Moment and Tension
No full textThe base connection is flexible, not fully pinned/fixed, implying a nonlinear moment rotation relationship. This deviates from a linear response, where rotation is not directly proportional to the applied moment. Numerical investigations using the commercial software ABAQUS were conducted to analyze the steel base plate connections. The finite element (FE) models were verified against previous experimental results. Moreover, numerical findings of a comprehensive parametric investigation were conducted. The studied connections were examined with different configurations, including variations in the diameter, spacing, and number of the anchor bolts; the thickness of the base plate; and the applied axial force. The current study aims to use numerical results combined with the whale optimization algorithm (WOA) and classical genetic algorithm (GA) to derive a formulation for the moment–rotation (M-θr) relationship. The distinctive aspect of this formulation is that it aims to simulate the nonlinear rotational behavior exhibited by flexible base connections under combined moment and tension loads, while also considering various parameters such as bolt number/diameter and plate thickness. The findings indicate that the WOA is capable of obtaining an optimal equation for accurately simulating the M-8r relationship. This underscores the ability of the WOA to effectively address the complexity of the problem and provide a reliable equation for predicting the rotational behavior of such connections. Consequently, the WOA method can be utilized to calculate the rotational stiffness at H/150, offering valuable support for engineering design processes
Fatigue Characteristics of Steel–Concrete Composite Beams
No full textFatigue in steel–concrete composite beams can result from cyclic loading, causing stress fluctuations that may lead to cumulative damage and eventual failure over an extended period. In this paper, the experimental findings from fatigue loading tests on composite beams with various arrangements are presented. Fatigue tests were performed up to 1,000,000 cycles using four-point loading, encompassing various ranges of shear stress at a consistent amplitude. Additionally, the effects of external post-tensioning and the strength of the shear connection were investigated. Static tests were run until failure to assess the enduring strength of the specimens subjected to fatigue. The cyclic mid-span deflections, slippages, and strains were measured during the testing. Based on the experimental findings, it was found that the damage region that the shear studs caused in the concrete slab, which resulted in a reduction in stiffness within the shear connection, grew as the loading cycles increased, leading to an increase in residual deflections and plastic slippages. Controlling the longitudinal fatigue cracks in the concrete slab was largely dependent on the strength of the shear connection between the steel beams and concrete slabs. Moreover, the applied fatigue loading range affected the propagation and distribution of fatigue cracks in the concrete slab. The strains in different parts of the composite specimens were significantly reduced by applying the external post-tensioning. With no signs of distress at the anchors, the tendons displayed excellent fatigue performance