The LAIR at East Texas A&M
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Examining the Effect of the Effective Schools Framework Grant on Rural and Urban Campuses
No full textSince the adoption of school accountability and campus ratings, some campuses have failed to meet performance goals. At the state level, campuses are identified as failing based strictly on STAAR (State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness) performance. Campuses can also fail to meet federal accountability based on the underperformance of a specific subgroup of students over multiple years. This mixed-methods study examined the influence of professional development and year-long coaching and implementation support for campus instructional leaders and teachers participating in the Effective Schools Framework Grant on student achievement as measured by the STAAR test. This research used Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory and the Change Management Theory as its theoretical framework. This study examined 6 years of STAAR performance data and semi-structured interviews with seven case managers who provided professional development and implementation coaching and support. Only rural and city/urban campuses awarded in the first cohort of the ESF Grant were studied in this research
An Interpretative Qualitative Inquiry into Teachers’ Experiences of Organizational Factors and Campus Leadership Actions that Foster Teacher Leadership
No full textTeacher leaders are essential to the success of the educational organization and student achievement. While much of the existing literature on teacher leadership defines the roles and identifies key traits or inventories of teacher leaders, it often overlooks the influence of extrinsic motivators and the support provided by school leadership teams, and the relationship of teacher leadership with organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). This study explores the interplay between organizational conditions, leadership actions and their impact on teacher leadership (TL). The purpose of this qualitative interpretative study was to explore how teachers perceive campus factors that contribute to their teacher leadership roles, the actions of campus leaders that influence their leadership, and how they learn about teacher leadership. Using interpretive qualitative methods, I sought to understand the meanings participants hold about campus leadership teams and organizational factors shaping their OCBs and teacher leadership behaviors. Data were gathered through virtual semi-structured interviews with 8 high school teachers from schools in South Texas. Analysis was conducted concurrently with data collection, using both inductive and deductive coding cycles to identify themes. These findings revealed organizational factors and campus leader actions that fostered teacher leadership. Eight themes emerged in response to the first research question regarding organizational factors, 12 themes for the second question on campus leader actions, and 5 themes describing how teachers learn about teacher leadership
Working Memory Capacity, Stereotype Threat, and Women in Mathematics
No full textLower-level mathematics courses continue to be a gatekeeper for college success, preventing many students from completing their degree. According to T.R. Bailey, et al. (2015), only 16% of students placed into a developmental math course had subsequently completed a credit math course after three years. Racial and ethnic minorities are overrepresented in these courses, have lower completion rates (Bahr, 2010; T Bailey, et al., 2010), and are also affected by math-related stereotype threat, under the stereotype that they are lower-performing (Nguyen & Ryan, 2008). Women, meanwhile, are labeled by another stereotype to be lower-performing in math, and while they make up almost half of the workforce, they only represent about a quarter of the STEM workforce (Christnacht & Martinez, 2021). The purpose of this study was to determine whether stereotype threat affects accuracy and response time while controlling for individual differences in working memory capacity. This study focused specifically on the connection between WMC, known to be associated with mathematical ability, and stereotype threat in women in the math domain. The degree to which these students are affected by this threat may be moderated by their WMC. Women college students via the participant pool were recruited to complete a math task and a working memory task. I did not find significant effects of stereotype threat on response time; and Bayesian analysis supports the null in this case. However, I did find reverse significant effects on accuracy, with lower difference in high demand problems versus low demand problems, for the stereotype threat group. Working memory capacity did moderate this effect, according to a moderation analysis
Trajectory-Driven Intelligent System for UAV Location Integrity Checks
No full textUnmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are now widely used across different industries, and concerns about maintaining location integrity have become more significant to ensure secure deployment and management. Many studies have addressed this issue by applying hardware sensors, cryptographic techniques, and machine learning (ML) methods. However, most of these approaches place their focus on GPS signal-related data, such as jamming and noise. In this study, we propose an alternative method that examines movement patterns based on sequential flight records. Instead of depending on isolated signal-specific data points, our approach evaluates location accuracy by tracking updates across the entire flight trajectory. To accomplish this, we define a set of attributes that represent aerial vehicle movements effectively over time. Additionally, we introduce a deep sequence analysis method implemented using either a recurrent neural network (RNN) or a Transformer architecture with a backend classifier. The results from extensive experiments confirm the reliability of our trajectory-based approach, demonstrating classification performance of up to 98.9% with false positive rates kept below 1%, even without referencing GPS-specific information
Training Data Augmentation with Images Embedded with Vector Fields
No full textOne critical stage in machine learning is the training phase, where the model learns to perform a specific task based on training data. The quality and quantity of training data significantly affect the model performance. However, in some situations, training data may be insufficient. To remedy such a situation, data augmentation approaches use existing small dataset to generate artificial data samples which process similar properties as the original samples. In this way, by uniting the two sets, the original and the generated, an augmented training data set is created. It improves the classification statistics of the machine learning classifier. In our approach, we generate new sets using the original one, where we embed vector fields (VFs). For this purpose, we apply an existing VF generator to embed VFs into images. We validate the new data augmentation approach using three public image databases, COIL 100, Fashion MNIST and Digit MNIST, and classify them using a Convolutional neural network (CNN) model. The results demonstrate that the augmented training databases outperform the classification trained with the original data set only
Margins in the Media: Race, Gender, and British Indian Immigrant Relationships in Early Twentieth-Century U.S. Print Media
No full textThis thesis investigates societal perceptions of gender and race in the United States during the early twentieth century, through the observation of the discussion of British Indian immigrant marriages to white, Mexican, and African American women in the early twentieth-century newspapers. Print media outlets often depicted these unions through racial and gendered rhetoric that criminalized their behaviors. This thesis demonstrates that print media sources reported on the social and legal hurdles these couples faced and the ways news outlets attempted to enforce social norms regarding immigration, race, and gender. This thesis examines various newspapers as primary sources from Southwest regions of the United States, including Texas, Arizona, California, Utah, and Oklahoma. The selected publications provide a window into the complexities of relationships between British Indian immigrants and white, Mexican, and African American women. It becomes apparent that the attempted narrative did not fit the lived experiences of the actors involved in the publications. Instead, participants typically often took on opposite roles
The Normal Stages of Embryological Development for the Northern Bobwhite Quail (\u3ci\u3eColinus virginianus\u3c/i\u3e)
No full textThe Northern Bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) is an iconic umbrella species of ecological, economic, and cultural importance that is declining rapidly due to habitat loss and fragmentation, intensive agriculture, and agricultural chemicals, which are exacerbated by climate change. One of the primary limitations in evaluating the factors contributing to the Northern Bobwhite’s population decline is the absence of comprehensive and standardized stages for its normal embryonic development, resulting in a significant gap in our understanding of its developmental biology. The objective of this study was to chart the normal stages of development for Northern Bobwhites, including descriptions of morphological and structural development. During one laying season, 1000 Northern Bobwhite quail eggs were incubated at 37.5°C in 60% relative humidity (RH) for ~23 days. During this period, eggs were opened and observed to document embryonic development. The morphological characteristics of the embryo were measured ~7 months after preservation, including the blastoderm diameter, anterior angle of the nostril to the tip of the beak, and the length of the wings, tarsus, middle toe, total beak, total foot, and embryo length itself. This research presents the first comprehensive documentation of the normal developmental stages of the Northern Bobwhite, providing a standardized embryological timetable for future research; however, measurements should be interpreted with caution due to potential distortion from specimen preservation methods
Teachers’ Perceptions of Ability Grouping in Early Literacy as Supported by Instructional Leaders: A Qualitative Study
No full textThis descriptive qualitative study explored rural third-grade teachers’ perceptions of ability grouping as a strategy for differentiating literacy instruction in southwest Arkansas public schools. Guided by Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), the study examined how teachers’ beliefs, behaviors, and environmental contexts interacted to shape grouping practices. Semi-structured Zoom interviews were conducted with five purposefully selected teachers, and transcripts were member-checked and analyzed in MAXQDA using Saldaña’s multi-phase coding process of open, descriptive, pattern, and axial coding. The findings revealed that teachers’ perceptions were shaped by lived experiences and formal training. Participants described how observing student outcomes and refining routines over time strengthened their instructional confidence and led them to view grouping as a useful, though flexible, strategy for supporting literacy growth. Teachers also emphasized perceptions of equity and fairness, noting efforts to rotate groups, use neutral labels, and maintain high expectations for all students. These perceptions extended to classroom management, as small-group settings were described as improving instructional flow and reducing off-task behavior. Teachers’ perceptions further reflected the influence of environmental conditions. Leadership expectations, encouragement, and informal guidance were viewed as supportive of grouping, while time pressures, limited resources, pockets of scarce paraprofessional support, and generic professional development were often perceived as barriers. Taken together, these findings illustrate how teacher perceptions directly shaped both the implementation and sustainability of ability grouping practices. The conclusions underscore that improving differentiated literacy instruction in rural schools requires acknowledging teachers’ perceptions are reflected in their professional practices. Their voices point to the need for clear leadership expectations, dedicated instructional time, targeted materials, and professional development that is practical and context-specific. By aligning supports with the realities teachers describe, instructional leaders and districts can foster more equitable, responsive, and sustainable grouping practices that meet diverse student needs and advance literacy achievement
Current Trending Topics in Bilingual Education
No full textResearchers have analyzed the results of the What’s Hot, What’s Not in Literacy surveys over the past two decades to increase literacy priorities and possible impacts. However, there is a lack of research in the field of bilingual education. Topics such as bilingualism, multiculturalism, social justice, biliteracy, minority representation, family engagement, culturally responsive pedagogy, college readiness, and 21st-century skills have not been as highly rated as in the past, yet these should warrant more attention to assist bilingual students better. The purpose of this study was to describe the current trending topics in bilingual education. Bilingual experts, teachers, and students were surveyed to analyze the most popular topics in bilingual education during 2023-2024 and compare the results to the trending topics in 2020-2021, 2021-2022, & 2022-2023
Couple in Period Costume
No full textA black and white negative of people in period costume to celebrate the centennial of East Texas State University.https://lair.etamu.edu/scua-univ-photos-browse-all/2687/thumbnail.jp