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Facing the Crises of Higher Education: Reflections on a State University’s Experiment with TILT
Get PDFFacing the Crises of Higher Education:
Reflections on a State University’s Experiment with TIL
A Mixed Methods Study of Faculty Perceptions and Self Assessments of Constructivist Teaching Methods at a Regional University in the State of Georgia
Get PDFThe study, A Mixed Methods Study of Faculty Perceptions and Self-Assessments of Constructivist Teaching Methods at a Regional University in the State of Georgia” examined the self-assessments and perceptions of faculty at a regional university in the State of Georgia. The study followed a sequential mixed-methods study with three phases of the study, namely, a quantitative ‘descriptive’ phase, a qualitative ‘bounded case study’ phase, and a mixed-methods phase in a joint display table. The purpose of this sequential mixed methods study was to examine the understanding and implementation of constructivist teaching practices by faculty in their classrooms at a regional university in the State of Georgia. The study consulted a wide range of past literature pertaining to constructivist teaching practices in higher education. The findings of the study will be complementing the body of knowledge of constructivist teaching practices in higher education. Faculty participation was an important factor in this study to bring out their perspectives on constructivist teaching practices in their classrooms. The study involved 34 faculty for the self-assessment survey questionnaire and 12 faculty (out of 34) for the semi-structured interviews. The scores on the survey instrument “the Constructivist Learning in Higher Education Settings Scale (CLHES)” were analyzed using the SPSS 28.0 version. Semi-structured interviews were conducted through the Zoom platform and the interview perceptions were recorded by Audacity 3.0.4 voice recording tool. The transcribed transcripts were analyzed by using the NVivo qualitative data analysis tool. From the open codes and the sub-codes, eight themes were categorized namely, 1. Knowledge construction, 2. In-depth learning, 3. Authenticity, 4. Multiple perspectives, 5. Prior knowledge, 6. Teacher-student interaction, 7. Social interaction, and 8. Cooperative dialogue. A mixed methods joint-display table was used to integrate and present the results obtained from the quantitative and qualitative viii phases. Methodological data triangulation helped to increase the validity of the study by assessing the implementation of constructivist teaching methods in three different phases. The findings of the study support an understanding and implementation of constructivist teaching practices in the classrooms by faculty in their classrooms at a regional university in the State of Georgia
Improving the Academic Success of Technical College Students with Disabilities: A Multisite Descriptive Case Study
Get PDFStudents with disabilities in higher education have lower retention and graduation rates than students without disabilities. While postsecondary administrators are attempting to meet the needs of students by implementing necessary reforms, barriers remain like issues with disclosure, transition planning, and faculty knowledge. This present qualitative descriptive case study sought to explore the instructional practices that were implemented by technical college educators to accommodate students with learning challenges, including students with disabilities, utilizing the Universal Design for Learning framework to determine which current technical college faculty instructional accommodations practices intersect with or diverge from Universal Design for Learning principles. The participants were a purposeful sample of 12 full-time technical college faculty members from six technical colleges in a southern state with at least five years of teaching experience at the postsecondary level and had worked with at least one student with a disability. Data were collected in three phases through the Universal Design for Learning Checklist, Semi-structured Interviews, and Document Analysis of course syllabi. Frequency counts and thematic analysis were utilized to analyze the data. This qualitative research has implications for identifying consistent and best instructional practices that positively impact the academic achievement of college students with disabilities. The findings indicated that technical college faculty have been implementing Universal Design for Learning instructional strategies, both intentionally and unknowingly, in an attempt to provide equitable access to all students regardless of ability and that technical college students can benefit from the implementation of Universal Design for Learning principles into college courses. The findings also implied that professional development training can become a vital aspect of instructors\u27 improvement programs to enlighten them about strategies that are available to improve their work with students with disabilities
The Effect of Social Stratification on College Students\u27 Academic Performance & Progress
Get PDFThe purpose of this quantitative correlational research study is to understand the variables of social stratification, academic performance, and academic progress and how those variables affect a student’s decision to drop out of college. The researcher selected participants for this study from the database at a 4-year private HBCU located in the northern part of Jacksonville Florida. Many students enrolled in college encounter outstanding tuition balances that threaten their ability to obtain adequate housing and remain actively enrolled in college. The researcher explored social stratification as measured by high school Title I status, academic performance as measured by overall institutional grade point average, and academic progress as measured by academic standing. The data collection method for the study is from a purposive sampling of undergraduate students from a Title I high school. On a national average, college students and college graduates owe a staggering 1.4 trillion dollars in student loan debt. The public concern about student loan debt has increased; there has also been an increase in the number of college students facing housing insecurities linked to a growing population of homeless individuals in the United States. Consequently, many undergraduate students that attend 4-year colleges still have almost $11,000 in unmet needs after utilizing student loans, grants, and other scholarships. This study will contribute to the literature on the factors that influence retention and progression in college
Columbus State University Honors College: Senior Theses, Fall 2023/Spring 2024/Summer 2024
Get PDFThis is a collection of senior theses written by honors students at Columbus State University during the Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Summer 2024 semesters.
Titles:
- What does it Mean to be Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence? , by Campbell Eubanks
- An Attempt to Resolve the Age of the Sub-Mineral Bluff Unconformity: Extracting Zircon from the Marble Hill Hornblende Schist , by Sabrina Fisher
- An Investigation into Splicing Variation and Expression Patterns of Insulin-Like-Peptide (ILP4) Within the Drosophila Genus , by Zachary Griffith
- An Exploratory Study of the Effects of Bis-Substituted Triazolium Bromide Salts on the Proliferation of WI-38 Lung Cells and H-1299 Lung Cancer Cells , by Rakaiya Martin
- From Victorian Doubt to American Deconstruction: Exploring Faith Crises Across Time and Geography , by Bailey Melton
- Sacred Screens: Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, and Islam in Popular Culture , by Arianna Poveda
- A Phytochemical Analysis of Secondary Metabolites in Eupatorium Serotinum , by Elise Snow
- Reducing Mortality among African American Mothers Related to Postpartum Hemorrhage by Implementing Early Education and Risk Assessments , by Don\u27ya Truesdale
- Girl, Interrupted: A Second Wave Literary Feminist Criticism Analysis , by Eli Woodshttps://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/honors_theses/1005/thumbnail.jp
Delivering Computer-Based Training Within State Prisons
Get PDFInternet-connected devices are ubiquitous, and our built environment allows us to tap into formerly impossible solutions. As our world increasingly depends on technology to operate, one demographic cannot gain exposure to internet-connected devices or web-based educational programs: incarcerated individuals. The Department of Justice reports that 5 out of 6 State Prisoners are arrested and returned to prison within nine years of their initial release. Research shows that education is a pathway to reducing the U.S. prison population. Individuals who participated in any educational program are 43 percent less likely to return to prison.1 Prisons in the United States often partner with local organizations to provide job training and certification to incarcerated individuals, but few offer technical-vocational skills. Many programs rely exclusively on a partnership with a local college or lack the knowledge base to teach computer networking. By utilizing Docker containers to provide secure and isolated computer-based training, currently incarcerated individuals can increase their education beyond teacher-led classroom instruction. Providing computer access in prison presents significant security and accessibility challenges. The NIST Risk Management Framework implements proven cyber security access frameworks that help prevent unauthorized use. This study shows that combining robust cyber security frameworks with isolated Docker containers running the ToyNet learning suite helps break the cycle of recidivism among individuals incarcerated across the United States
Can TILT Be Used to Teach Study Tactics? A Case Study in a Biology Classroom
Get PDFRecently, there has been a movement encouraging instructors in higher education to use the Transparency in Teaching and Learning (TILT) framework when designing assignments. This framework helps instructors clarify their expectations and evaluation criteria. Making assignments more transparent may result in greater student success. However, it is less clear how this framework can be applied to classes that use exams as a main method of assessing student learning. One option might be to use a TILTed assignment to introduce students to learning tools to improve their studying. I did this by giving students in an introductory biology class an assignment to construct a concept map prior to their first exam. This intervention did not result in students performing better on the exam when compared to the performance of prior classes without the intervention. One assignment may not have been enough to train students in concept mapping or to convince them of the utility of concept mapping as a learning technique
Maybe I Shouldn\u27t Have Worn Such High Heels Examining Self-Presentation Expectations for Corporate Women Using Communication Theory of Identity
Get PDFThe present study examines how corporate women use self-presentation in the workplace to communicate professionalism. The study utilizes Communication Theory of Identity (CTI) to consider the self-presentation experiences of corporate women. CTI identifies four identity layers: personal, relational, enacted, and communal, which interact and influence each other as individuals attempt to define themselves. Through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with corporate women, the present study found the following results: women often receive communication regarding self-presentation standards from peers rather than formal policies, self-presentation expectations have become more casual and diverse, women still encounter challenges resulting in the need to (re)negotiate their identity, and corporate women often experience personal-enacted identity gaps as a result of self-presentation expectations. This study contributes to the growing collection of academic literature that seeks to better understand the experiences of corporate women’s gendered marginalization in the workplace
Teachers’ Perceptions of the Implementation of Differentiated Instruction with Grade 3 Students in a School District in Central Georgia
Get PDFIt is a promotional requirement for grade 3 students to pass the Reading Georgia Milestones Assessment. Teachers are also expected to implement Differentiated Instruction (DI) with their students. The problem addressed in the study was to examine third grade teachers’ perceived effectiveness of Differentiated Instruction with students who must pass the Reading Georgia Milestones Assessment. The purpose of this bounded, case study was to describe teachers’ perceptions of implementing DI with grade 3 students in a school district located in central Georgia. The research paradigm that was used in this study was qualitative. This study included semi structured interviews of 10 third grade, general education teachers and document analysis. A thematic analysis of the data collected was performed and provided insight into the participants’ perceptions of the implementation of DI with third grade students