Search

With businesses increasingly prioritizing data-driven decision making, the demand for business analysts is high and expected to grow. In response, many universities and institutions have developed courses and programs related to business analytics to prepare more graduates for careers in this field. Business analytics programs and educators consistently strive to achieve a high level of student learning success, ensuring competence in working in the business analytics field after graduation. In this study, we aim to examine key factors influencing student learning in business analytics, focusing on performance expectancy and satisfaction. We examined specific factors, including personal interest, career relevance expectancy, learning effort, and perceived course structure effectiveness, from perspectives related to both students and instructors. A research model was developed and empirically tested. The results showed that all factors significantly influenced both perceived academic performance and learning satisfaction. Additionally, personal interest and career relevance expectancy could significantly impact learning effort.

In the seminal work "But What Is Urban Education?" from 2012, Richard Milner proffered a typology to better represent urban spaces as conceptions of urbanization's evolution. The typology consists of three descriptors, to which each highlights the manner in which population density influences the availability of resources to support culturally diverse learners: urban intensive (large spatially dense cities), urban emergent (large suburbs and mid-sized cities), and urban characteristic (smaller suburbs and some rural areas). In the present study, we used a cited reference search strategy to locate and retrieve 319 articles citing the Milner article. Then, through quantitative content analysis, we characterized the prevalence and utilization of the typology in educational research. Our results indicate that researchers have used Milner's urban typology to frame urban settings and contexts (n = 227). Moreover, the citation of the typology has consistently increased each year from 2012 to 2020. The majority of authors citing the typology have accepted it as a suitable framework to describe the urban characteristics of their study. Several authors have identified limitations and constraints related to the typology and have adapted, expanded, or rejected the typology. We provide implications to support theory development and empirical evaluation in urban educational spaces.

Objective: Assess university students' SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence and mitigation behaviors over time. Participants: Randomly selected college students (N = 344) in a predominantly rural Southern state. Methods: Participants provided blood samples and completed self-administered questionnaires at three timepoints over the academic year. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated from logistic regression analyses. Results: SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence was 18.2% in September 2020, 13.1% in December, and 45.5% in March 2021 (21% for those with no vaccination history). SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence was associated with large social gatherings, staying local during the summer break, symptoms of fatigue or rhinitis, Greek affiliation, attending Greek events, employment, and using social media as the primary COVID-19 information source. In March 2021, seroprevalence was associated with receiving at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccination. Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was higher in this population of college students than previous studies. Results can assist leaders in making informed decisions as new variants threaten college campuses.

Teachers of color are critical for improving students' educational experiences and outcomes, especially for students of color. Yet, more than 80% of special education teachers (SETs) in U.S. public schools are white. Thus, we examined how the ethnoracial diversity of the SET workforce changed over time, from 2012-2021, in relation to the increasingly ethnoracially diverse population of students with disabilities. Analyzing multiple waves of several nationally representative datasets, we found that any growth in the number of SETs of color nationally is wholly insufficient to keep pace with growth in the population of students of color with disabilities. With growing ethnoracial disparities between the SET workforce and the population of students with disabilities, race-evasive recruitment and retention initiatives are not justifiable. Instead, coordinated, race-conscious policies and practices are needed across policy, teacher education, and in-service school districts, to foster a SET workforce that is representative of the student population.

Purpose: This paper aims to examine a co-produced initiative implemented at the University of the West of England, UWE (UWE) between September 2022 and April 2023. The student-led project (Climate, Conversations and Cake: The 3C's) addressed environmental and climate crisis awareness through monthly gatherings where, in partnership, students, academic staff and professional personnel gathered to share food, engage in conversations and partake in joint activities. Design/methodology/approach: This paper draws upon a mix of student and staff feedback, gathered through surveys and written/verbal reflections, to explore the value and impact of this project. Findings: The project received two UWE student Union awards for teaching sustainability and for student welfare, and was a finalist in the UK and Ireland Green Gown Awards. The 3C's provided a platform for emotional expression by fostering a safe and supportive environment and encouraged students to reflect, share, apply and deepen their learning experiences in an informal setting characterised by compassion and empathy. This paper highlights the importance of developing supportive and compassionate pedagogical practices which recognise and normalise climate concern. Originality/value: The findings contribute to the growing body of literature on co-produced projects within higher education institutions, showcasing the potential of such initiatives to encourage meaningful engagement and empower students in addressing the pressing challenges of climate crisis. In addition to providing an evidence base for the value of such initiatives, through outlining the specifics of this student-led project, a framework that can be used by other institutions to develop their own initiatives is offered.

Increasing evidence highlights the role of disrupted circadian rhythms in the neural dysfunctions and sleep disturbances observed in autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. However, the causality and directionality of these associations remain unclear. In this study, we employed a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization framework, leveraging genome-wide association study data from the UK Biobank (n = 85,670) and FinnGen (n = 377,277). Genetic variants served as instrumental variables to infer causation, and objective accelerometer-derived metrics identified circadian rhythm and sleep genetic instruments. The results showed that the timing of the most active 10 h was significantly linked to higher odds of autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Independently, higher sleep efficiency predicted a lower risk of autism spectrum disorder, while attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder was linked to an increase in nocturnal sleep episodes. Heterogeneity and sensitivity analyses confirmed these findings. Our study establishes causal links between circadian alterations and autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, distinguishing the independent and protective role of sleep efficiency in autism spectrum disorder from circadian rhythms. In attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, however, disrupted sleep appears as a consequence, not a cause. These insights highlight divergent interactions with sleep factors in autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, laying the groundwork for tailored therapeutic strategies that recognize the distinct influences of sleep quality and circadian rhythms in each disorder.

Introduction: An innovative undergraduate helping skills course where students learn, practice, and apply a problem management model with a peer volunteer on a non-clinical issue across three supervised helping meetings is presented. Statement of the Problem: Undergraduate helping skill courses are typically offered as in-class role-plays. This course goes beyond role-plays and provides an authentic helping experience with an out-of-class peer volunteer. Literature Review: Literature supports an argument for deeper learning by extending the typical process of role-play-based helping skill learning to the application of skills to support a peer with a genuine issue. Teaching Implications: Lecture, in-class skills practice, and supervision with the instructor facilitates student capacity to work with a non-classmate peer volunteer. Instructors closely oversee student work in and outside of class to provide an ethical, structured, non-professional helping experience. Conclusion: We highlight here the constructivist and mastery underpinning of an undergraduate helping skills course. Along with instructor feedback, student learning and growth are facilitated by students' own reflections of the helping process with their peer volunteers. Student helpers describe the course as impactful. Course resources are available in open materials.

Background: More students with a bachelor's degree in psychology are seeking graduate studies, though many lack knowledge about the admission process. Objective: We created a brief educational presentation to increase student knowledge of the application process, positive outcome expectations for obtaining a master's degree in psychology, and intention to apply. Method: We recruited N=55 undergraduate psychology majors at a public university in Texas. We randomly assigned participants to either a 52-min written or video version of the educational presentation. Results: Repeated measures analysis of variance revealed that participants increased their positive outcome expectations for a master's degree in psychology and increased their perceived knowledge of the application process. Our qualitative content analysis revealed improvements in participants' objective knowledge of what to include in a curriculum vitae and personal statement, who to ask for a letter of recommendation, and what resources exist for funding graduate school. Conclusions: Professors could consider using evidence-based, brief educational presentations in mentoring undergraduate students on career goals including graduate study in psychology. Teaching Implications: Additional training may be required to help educational professionals to incorporate evidence-based career planning during key stages of students' undergraduate psychology study.

After a sharp decline associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, 2023 marked two consecutive years of increase in the number of freshman and high-school dual enrollees, with under-18-year-olds driving a disproportionate share of this growth. The rising importance of this latter student group presents new opportunities for colleges as well as underappreciated challenges rooted precisely in the high-school locale of concurrent Dual Enrollment courses. While some known stumbling blocks to effective college-level instruction for high school students are inherent in the age and lower maturity levels of the dominant age cohort, others stem from matters beyond the control of students and instructors, such as different academic policies and environments of the two governing educational institutions or even the federally mandated Internet-filtering across the K-12 system. Based on first-hand observation and supported by surveys of students enrolled in the Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) course entitled PLS 135 (U.S. Government and Politics), including from my own high school, home district (Loudoun County Public Schools), and two neighboring Virginia public-school systems, this paper offers one instructor's perspective on the unique features and challenges of teaching college-sponsored classes in the high-school building.

There are many rewards associated with teaching in public schools, but there are also several challenges such as understaffing, limited resources, overcrowded classrooms, and underpaid employees. All of these issues combined often lead to burnout and mental health concerns among public school teachers, particularly those in urban settings. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, literature regarding teachers' psychological distress has increased in a general sense; however, there remains limited exploration of a potential increase in job-related mental health concerns of urban teachers after the onset of COVID. Therefore, in this study we compare the 2018 (pre-COVID) and 2020 (early-COVID) results of the North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey in order to answer whether there has been a change in the psychological distress of urban school teachers in North Carolina since the onset of COVID. Based on the findings, we offer recommendations to key stakeholders in an effort to better support the health and outcomes of K-12 urban school teachers as they continue adapting to the ever-expanding and ever-evolving implications of COVID.

The learning environment for students is affected by factors inside and outside of the classroom. Research denotes the relationship between students' learning environment and teachers' satisfaction with their job. Job satisfaction for teachers consists of several interpersonal, classroom, and school factors known as teacher working conditions (TWCs). Few studies attempt to understand TWCs and job satisfaction for teachers in an urban school district; which is of particular importance as approximately 20% of teachers in the U.S. instruct in urban environments. This study analyzes teacher responses from an annual TWCs survey through a principal component analysis and hierarchical multiple regression. Results indicate that teachers' satisfaction with campus school culture and ratings of campus behavioral response were positively associated with job satisfaction. As learning environments across the U.S. continue to require highly qualified teachers, this research underscores how one urban school district was able to retain teachers and keep their teachers satisfied with their job. This study contributes an initial conceptualization of urban TWCs and the importance of school administrators' addressing of these to maintain high job satisfaction.

Although HIV rates are statistically stable, meaning the number of new acquisitions has remained relatively flat, the impact of the epidemic is uneven. Black women between the ages of 13 and 34 are more likely to acquire HIV, suggesting intervention during college is an ideal HIV mitigation strategy. Moreover, far too few Black women who could benefit from biomedical interventions have them or know about them. In this piece, I explore the current landscape and context of HIV and the college environment for Black women, revealing the social, cultural, and epistemic need to restory and better nuance the HIV crisis. I elucidate how and why the college context is a particularly vital space for HIV-related health equity and the possibilities for transformation through teaching, research, practice, and policies around HIV and Black women.

Decades of research has demonstrated the power of growth mindsets (i.e. belief in the malleability of the qualities of humans) to shape people's ways of making sense of their socio-cultural reality and influence their ways of thinking about and acting towards change. Yet, research which connects mindsets with climate action or sustainability behavior remains scarce. This study explores the association between mindsets and climate action among European young people. Our findings, based on statistical analyses of survey data from Tampere (Finland), Genoa (Italy), Galway (Ireland) and Bristol (United Kingdom) (N = 1,814), indicate that growth mindsets about persons and groups are associated with some dimensions of climate action.1 However, the results also showed that the dimensions of climate actions are understood in slightly different ways in different countries, possibly because of contextual differences. Developing and researching locally adapted approaches to cultivate growth mindsets in climate change education is recommended.

People who hold multiplicistic (multiplist) epistemic beliefs about science tend to believe that scientific knowledge is always subjective and that varying opinions on a scientific matter are equally valid. Research suggests that multiplist epistemic beliefs may be maladaptive and lead to a radically subjective view of science. Little is known about the association between such beliefs and mistrust in science/scientists and the tendency to believe in misinformation. The aims of this study were to examine: (a) the degree to which multiplist epistemic beliefs about science are associated with COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs and science-related conspiracy beliefs, (b) the degree to which trust in science mediates the association between multiplist epistemic beliefs about science and conspiracy beliefs, and (c) the extent to which COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs and science-related conspiracy beliefs are associated with compliance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines. Participants were 210 undergraduate students attending a Hispanic-serving institution located in a large city in the southern U.S. Path analysis results indicated that multiplist epistemic beliefs about science were positively associated with science-related conspiracy beliefs after accounting for fundamentalism and conservatism. Moreover, trust in science mediated the positive association between multiplist epistemic beliefs about science and COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs. Finally, belief in COVID-19 conspiracies was negatively associated with COVID-19 prevention guideline compliance.

This report presents a new parent-rated outcome measure of insomnia for children with autism spectrum disorder. Parents of 1185 children with autism spectrum disorder (aged 3-12; 80.3% male) completed the first draft of the measure online. Factor and item response theory analyses reduced the set of 40 items to the final 21-item Pediatric Insomnia Autism Rating Scale. In this online sample, Pediatric Insomnia Autism Rating Scale mean was 21.8 ± 15.0 (range 0-63; coefficient alpha = 0.94). Item response theory results indicated excellent reliability across a range of scores. Next, we conducted a telehealth assessment of 134 children with autism spectrum disorder (aged 3-12; 73% male). In this clinical sample, Pediatric Insomnia Autism Rating Scale mean was 28.9 + 14.62 (range 0-61; coefficient alpha = 0.93). Pearson correlations of Pediatric Insomnia Autism Rating Scale with the PROMIS Sleep Disturbance and the modified Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire was 0.74 for each. This was significantly higher than correlations of parent-rated disruptive behavior, hyperactivity, repetitive behavior, and anxiety measures (range 0.29-0.59)--supporting convergent and divergent validity. Parents of 63 children completed the Pediatric Insomnia Autism Rating Scale three times over 4 weeks. Intraclass correlation was excellent (0.88) over three time points. Pediatric Insomnia Autism Rating Scale is a valid dimensional measure of insomnia in autistic children that produces reliable scores.

Background: There has been significant focus in the past decade on reducing admissions to assessment and treatment units for people with intellectual disabilities experiencing mental health or behavioural concerns. This has included the development of intensive support functions of National Health Service Learning Disability services to bolster community support and treatment for people at risk of admission. However, in recent years, there has been increased consideration of service development to include rehabilitation functions which would aim to proactively provide medium-term additional input to individuals with a complexity of need. This input would aim to improve future trajectories and support the individuals to remain living a good life in their own community. This review focuses on community and in-patient approaches to meeting a complexity of need. Method: A scoping review was carried out according to established best practice guidelines. Papers returned from the search were screened by the following inclusion criteria (a) Models or Outcomes of Rehabilitation; (b) Intellectual Disability Population; (c) Sample being 18 or above and (d) longer than short-term stay/treatment, defined as 6 months or longer; and (e) Mental health and/or behaviour complexities. The search was conducted in electronic databases CINAHL, PsycInfo, Medline, Embase and Social Policy & Practice. Here, 3790 articles were initially identified and 27 were ultimately included in the review. Findings: There are few studies evaluating rehabilitation for people with intellectual disabilities and mental health or behavioural concerns. There was some evidence that accessing assessment and treatment inpatient provision resulted in clinical improvements. Some studies demonstrated initial evidence that longer term rehabilitation was beneficial as a step-down from inpatient care. Some key principles were identified in terms of rehabilitation approaches: the need for person-centred creative approaches, suitable staff training, focus on building skills, and a focus on increasing quality of life. Conclusion: There are some indicators of what good rehabilitation services might comprise for people with an intellectual disability, who have rehabilitation needs. However, far more research and guidance are required in this area. In particular, it is unclear whether rehabilitation is best provided within an inpatient or community model, and further detail is required about optimal components of such rehabilitation.

Young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) on college campuses are vulnerable to exclusion and a lack of social participation. However, peers can provide meaningful supports to young adults with IDD in the area of social/communication skills. The purpose of this study was to enhance the conversation skills of four young adults with IDD (ages 22-23) during their regular lunch breaks on a university campus. The dependent variable was percent of conversational engagement during 10-min audio recorded sessions as measured using partial interval recording procedures. Typically developing peers served as peer coaches and provided structured or natural supports. Experiment 1 used an alternating treatments design to compare the effects of peer coaching alone vs. peer coaching + goal setting with two adjacent baseline conditions and a final student-choice condition. Results for Experiment 1 indicated peer coaching alone and the additive effects of goal setting was more effective than natural supports only. Experiment 2 used a withdrawal design to compare the effects of young adults with IDD speaking with fellow classmates with disabilities vs. peers without disabilities. Participants in Experiment 2 demonstrated higher levels of conversational engagement when speaking with peers without disabilities in a natural manner. Social validity of the different peer-mediated interventions was overall high for all participant types as reported on questionnaires and exit interviews. We provide implications for practice and suggestions for future research related to peer-mediated interventions for young adults with IDD on college and university campuses.

This study investigates the perceived benefits to industry experts who engage with academics to co-create higher education learning resources. Academics are increasingly impelled to involve industry experts in learning and teaching to ensure that curriculum is authentic and relevant and prepares students for future professional careers. While benefits to students are well established by prior research, individual-level research into industry experts' motivations to contribute to higher education is scant. When approached to co-create authentic learning resources for postgraduate students, industry experts expressed motivations which focused on three areas: desire to maintain valued relationships with academics or the university, desire to improve the student experience by developing innovative learning resources to bridge the gap between theory and practice and desire to build and promote their profession. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with nine human resource management industry experts identified that the benefits of co-creating learning resources went beyond their stated motivations to include unanticipated benefits which can be explained by the professionalism literature. We outline a taxonomy of benefits for industry experts engaging in co-creating authentic learning resources: students, the professional self, the professional community and the organisation. The implications are that universities and academics may draw on these broader benefits to encourage industry experts to participate in higher education learning resource development. The study provides insights into the potential for industry experts to engage in professional self-reflection by contributing to higher education teaching and learning.

The author examines the therapeutic value of puzzles for adults during two major crises in the United States, the Great Depression of the 1930s and the COVID-19 pandemic of the early 2020s. Each period saw a huge surge in jigsaw puzzling throughout the country, she finds, and in both cases people turned to home-based leisure activities, either for financial reasons or because of lockdowns. Contemporary accounts from the two periods form the basis for the discussion. In both cases, the surge in puzzling reflected both the demand by consumers and the relatively easy entry of new small-scale producers into this area of playthings. Advertising played a major role, too, via premiums given to purchasers of consumer products in the 1930s, and more recently through social media and the Internet.

We conducted a comprehensive, systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of the BSCS 5E Instructional Model--and its related variants--on science, math, and motivation outcomes. The 5E Instructional Model is a framework for delivering STEM instruction that is based on constructivist learning theory; it has been used throughout the U.S. and other countries, particularly in Turkey. Despite its wide usage, no comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of 5E and related models has yet been conducted. Our search and screening procedures yielded 61 randomized controlled trial studies, estimating 156 effect sizes; 70% of studies met WWC standards with or without reservations. We found that the 5E instructional model resulted in improved science outcomes (g = 0.82, 95% CI [0.67, 0.97]), but a large amount of heterogeneity requires some caution (t = 0.56). We explored numerous explanations for the effect heterogeneity and provided practical recommendations.

The study aims at professional development directed towards finding new pathways in education for and in sustainable development. In this study, we consider how primary teachers from two schools in Gothenburg, Sweden, experience the forest and the urban area as potential learning environments. This study focuses on teachers' perceptions (understanding) and experiences (emotional) of two places, the urban area, and the forest. To make visible teachers' relationships with the urban area and the forest, we use collage inquiry as a research method to stimulate teachers' reflection, conversation and writing about the forest and urban area. Primary teachers from three schools in Sweden participated in the study and made collages The collage inquiry brought out their emotions, perspectives, and curiosity about the forest and the urban area described in three themes; "temporarily situated," "place dependent" and "emotionally connected." Knowledge of teachers' perceptions and experiences ensures opportunities to deepen the ability to teach technology beyond the classroom. To bridge between biology and technology and compare ecological and technological systems constitutes a possible basis for continued work and development of teaching for sustainable development.

Constructs of social justice has become an increasingly prevalent area of interest in the field of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD). In fact, competencies related to social justice are required program content per the Council of Academic Accreditation in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. This study's purpose was to describe and evaluate an online, introductory course designed to address such concepts. Students' perceptions of (a) the concept of social justice, (b) program content, and (c) program usability were examined. Undergraduate students from two universities completed the program, and a sample of students provided data about their perceptions during pre-program and post-program semi-structured interviews. Using a qualitative design (i.e., thematic analysis) the authors identified themes reflected in the data. This data revealed that the students had little to no prior experience with social justice yet were motivated to learn more about the topic due to perceptions that the topic is important to the field. Analysis of the program content and usability revealed that the students perceived an increase in knowledge and self-awareness. Outcomes show that the program holds promise and supports further study to evaluate program impact on students' attitudes and beliefs.

Speech-language pathology graduate admission committees frequently try to identify candidates who will succeed academically and clinically in graduate school while ensuring career readiness. This retrospective study focused on graduate admission criteria and student academic and clinical outcomes for eighty students who completed a graduate program in speech-language pathology from 2016 to 2020. Statistical analysis was used to determine if relationships existed between traditional admission criteria and students' academic and clinical outcomes. This study found the objective admission variables (i.e., undergraduate GPA and GRE scores) significantly correlated with academic outcomes. Specifically, undergraduate GPA (uGPA) correlated to graduate GPA (gGPA), and the GRE scores correlated to Praxis speech-language score. No correlation was found between non-cognitive (objective) admission criteria and student academic or clinical outcomes.

Cooperative Extension is in a unique position to address health and wellness concerns across the country, particularly in rural areas with local Extension services. One innovative model, the Health Extension: Advocacy, Research, and Teaching (HEART) Initiative, unites Extension, community organizations, and community members in collaborative activities to address the complex, multifaceted components of substance use disorder. The model utilized a multidisciplinary team and community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach with evidence-based practices to increase Extension's abilities to guide and tailor programming to local needs and to create significant impacts. Cooperative Extension's long history of engagement in the community, with state and federal linkages, creates a trusted source for partnering on behavioral health crises. This multidisciplinary team model increased Cooperative Extension's scope and capacity to respond to substance-related disorders and can be replicated in other areas.

Workplace shortages are a top concern for schools in times of calm and even more troubling in times of stress. Burnout is especially widespread in stressful situations of disrupted learning, trauma, and discord (e.g., Diliberti & Schwartz, 2022; Thomas et al., 2019). In the wake of the pandemic, educators struggled to deal with the stressors on their own (IES, 2022). It became clear that schools could no longer work in isolation. Moving forward in the wake of the pandemic required an intentional shift in purpose from isolated classrooms to interconnected partnerships with families and communities. In the path to recovery, educators rediscovered the value of shifting beyond the schoolhouse to engage in partnerships with the greater community. Lessons learned indicate that schools were more likely to make the shift to partnerships happen when they welcomed the wisdom of families, embraced external supports, and collaborated to expand local community resources for healing and recovery.

There was a period in U.S. history when Black teachers were heavily employed within the educational workforce and were leading examples of excellence (Anderson, 1988). Black teachers, teaching within their communities, were able to directly impact their students' achievement and behavior while also reinforcing shared family values. As a result of the ramifications of implementing Brown v. Board of Education and strategies aimed at pushing Black teachers out, there has been a decrease in the presence of Black educators in the United States. This decline caused a ripple effect that is being felt throughout today's classrooms nationwide. Still, this topic requires more recent investigations of the data to determine if Black teacher attrition is current or a phenomenon of the past. This study examined Texas' teacher workforce data from the Texas Education Agency, highlighting the teacher demographics and identifying if there was an increase or decrease in Black teachers between 2011 and 2017. From the descriptive analysis, the researchers found that for most campuses based on urbanicity types, there was an increase in the average number of Black female and male teachers on campuses. Although racial congruency between the number of Black students and teachers appears to still be in the distant future, notably, campuses across Texas have implemented measures to draw Black teachers to their campuses.

As technology integration advances, higher education institutions (HEIs) are experiencing varying degrees of digitalization of their systems, processes and services. This qualitative study explores the status of technology integration and the digital infrastructure of five higher education institutions within the Caribbean. It seeks to answer three questions: i) what is the level of digitization in the institutions' systems? ii) what is the status of technology integration in the teaching-learning processes in the institutions? iii) what types of digital infrastructures are in place to support the institutional functions? The analysis of the data reveals advances in the digitalization of a number of areas including communication processes, administrative processes, the student life cycle processes and in teaching and learning. This study provides important insights into the evolving landscape of digitalization of higher education within the Caribbean, and should serve to inform policy and practice in this important area.

Effective student feedback can have a significant influence on student motivation, learning and performance. However, feedback practices can be difficult to implement, thereby inhibiting the potential of feedback for student learning. Despite numerous attempts to improve the quality of feedback and student feedback literacy, difficulties persist, including disparate perceptions and expectations between teachers and students, while consistency, effectiveness and timeliness are often cited as areas requiring improvement. This review evaluates the key challenges faced by tutors in delivering student feedback and examines several approaches to delivering more effective student feedback. These include the principle of feedforward, a modified praise, question and revise (PQR) system referred to as the WWW system, directive versus facilitative feedback, dialogue as feedback, peer review, formative versus summative, constructive alignment and the use of digital and AI technologies. These approaches are evaluated in the context of effective feedback processes that influence student motivation, engagement, self-reflective learning and performance. These feedback approaches are further discussed in relation to the challenges faced by teachers and students in contemporary higher education, highlighting areas where further research may be needed.

This article uses the Stephen Crane story "The Open Boat" (freely available on the American English website) as an anchor text to demonstrate how teachers can apply Raphael's Question-Answer Relationship (QAR) technique to a text that students might be assigned to read. The article includes numerous examples and tips that teachers can use to adapt the technique to other texts as a way to enhance student engagement and interest in reading.

This study examined the experiences of elementary education teacher candidates in a servicelearning literacy methods course in which they were placed in two public school settings-- one urban elementary school and one urban laboratory school. This was teacher candidates initial field experience in elementary classrooms. Teacher candidates explored various aspects of literacy assessment and instruction, particularly ways to assess students and use assessment results to screen students, monitor students' progress, and provide effective instruction. Candidates reflected regularly on their practice and participated in discussions with classroom teachers, peers, and university faculty. The research was conducted using a mixed methods design which included analysis of a survey and nine critical reflections. Findings indicated that teacher candidates' service-learning experiences provided opportunities to engage in teaching and reflect on practices while connecting with their school communities. Teacher candidates described the impact from their work in the classroom, exposure to schools and student populations that were previously unfamiliar to them, and participation in a servicelearning model that focused on critical reflection.

Physical education classrooms reflect a range of learners, movers, and abilities. Incoming physical educators report lacking confidence and knowledge in their ability to create inclusive lesson plans. Many undergraduate and liberal studies students are required to take one adaptative physical education pedagogy course; thus, incoming educators tend to lack an array of instructional tools to ensure all students are participating in activities and engaging with peers. The goal of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is for teachers to use a range of strategies by removing barriers to learning and giving students opportunities to experience physical education to the best of their ability. Physical educators have the foundational tools; they just need to envision using those tools differently. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how, by combining the physical education and UDL frameworks, educators can implement an inclusive lesson with a skills rubric and a summative assessment.

As institutes of higher education (HE) strive to meaningfully address diversity, equity, and inclusion in practice, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides a relevant and timely framework for course design to support all learners. Using UDL as an instructional design framework, educators can proactively address learner variability and reduce barriers for students in HE environments. This self-study describes how UDL experts applied a process of UDL design to their courses. The best practices were identified across three phases: (a) a literature review to identify UDL-aligned practices used by HE instructors, (b) individual and collective reflection on UDL-based practices by the UDL experts, and (c) application of UDL to three HE courses delivered in different formats. The practice brief presents a comprehensive overview of various strategies that HE instructors can use in their courses, in alignment with the three UDL principles.

This study aimed to identify whether gender differences exist related to the motives, expectations and preparedness of students entering accounting studies at a South African university. A questionnaire was used to gather the data from a sample of first-year students and t-tests were employed to identify differences in findings between gender groups. The findings indicate that gender differences exist in the motives for studying and for choosing to study accounting, in particular with females indicating a stronger desire to gain a better understanding of themselves, while males appeared more confident of succeeding in the programme and scoring marks at the top of the class. Identifying and understanding gender differences is expected to have implications for teaching and learning which can further reduce gender imbalances in the profession. The study is of particular interest to academics, professional bodies and universities educating students in the field of accounting, which has historically been perceived to be a male-dominated profession.

This narrative qualitative study explored how sorority members negotiated their identities within systems of hegemony with their student communities. Sorority members used women's empowerment discourse to rationalize how they consumed alcohol, engaged in frequent consensual sexual relationships, and navigated relationships with fraternity men and across their campus sorority/fraternity communities. Implications for practice included harm reduction, sex education, and supportive policies.

Transnational Higher Education has become more prevalent and an option that many international students seek. International students choose online education through United States universities for a plethora of reasons including the perceived high quality of US universities, the flexible modality of online education, and the associated reduced costs. This study seeks to examine the perceptions and experiences of international students residing in Qatar as they progress through a United States university's online (hybrid of synchronous and asynchronous) master's degree principal preparation program in Educational Leadership. This phenomenological qualitative study surveys international student candidates at the completion of the program to ascertain their experiences of receiving an advanced degree from a university in the United States. The candidates represent a variety of countries, yet work as teachers in various types of schools in Qatar. This study should add to the growing research of transnational education and help to provide a better understanding of international student insights.

The following article recommends Texas high school English teachers to select "All the Pretty Horses" (McCarthy, 1992), the critically acclaimed, best-selling novel by Cormac McCarthy, as a reading option for students. Set in rural Texas and Mexico, "All the Pretty Horses" provides an engaging reading experience that would likely connect to the lives of many Texas high school students. In addition to the rural setting and bilingual dialogues, the novel offers relatable teenage characters with diverse cultural, socioeconomic, and linguistic backgrounds similar to the diverse student populations in Texas schools. The novel also addresses developmentally appropriate themes including independence, identity, and career. Likewise, students with various reading levels will be able to comprehend the text. The present article discusses how "All the Pretty Horses" is an example of a relevant, accessible, and high-interest text for adolescents. In addition, the article provides high school teachers with suggestions for meaningful literacy activities that correspond to Boardman and colleagues' (2008) five central components of adolescent literacy.

In theory, collaboration is a key component of education in Aotearoa New Zealand. In practice, however, cross sector collaborative relationships are not so easily established or maintained, even when collaboration is 'mandated' through government policy. This research explores the perspectives of nine teachers from one Kahui Ako/Community of Learning (Kahui Ako), who discussed the successes and challenges they experienced when collaborating across sectors. With commitment to collaborative work, the research participants were able to cross the borders that exist within and extend beyond the education sectors, exploring exciting new frontiers of leadership and learning. The teachers' experiences were analysed using a social learning theory lens, highlighting the complex nature of cross-sector collaboration. It is hoped this research will support other education communities to evaluate the effectiveness of their own collaborative endeavours.

Transferable skills are embedded within assessments throughout Higher Education such as organisation, timekeeping and working as part of a team (during groups assessments) amongst some of the skills. Despite this, there is little evidence to suggest that students are fully aware of the importance of reflective practice upon their personal development as a possible transferable skill. In this study, we aimed to assess if and what students understood by the term 'reflective practice', and whether they identify its practice and benefits within their studies and for their potential future careers. Quantitative data, was collected during the first teaching block of the 2021-2022 academic year using specific reflective based questions in a paper-based questionnaire, with results indicating that students who undertook our foundation route, which instilled reflective practice-based assessments were more used to reflective practice than standard degree entry students, and emphasised skill development through reflection; confidence to tackle new task (38%), time management (25%), effective communication (25%) and prioritising tasks (13%). The data also suggested that across all levels of our degrees, students preferred to reflect once feedback of an assessment was received (60%) and after personal tutor meetings (43%), meaning, we as an institution should adapt our practice to develop this further. Embedding reflective practice early in a student's educational curriculum, could therefore enhance how students approach their course, by providing them with key reflective based skills which they can transfer to their journey within Higher Education and their career.

Fieldwork is an integral phase of occupational therapy education, bolstered by a small but growing evidence base. A broad understanding of the state of that evidence base is necessary to inform the directions for future growth. The purpose of this work was to establish the current state of occupational therapy fieldwork literature, map that literature to recognized criteria for educational research, and identify gaps in the existing literature. Authors followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines to conduct a mapping review of articles with a primary focus on fieldwork education of occupational therapy (OT) or occupational therapy assistant (OTA) students in United States (Accreditation for Occupational Therapy Education)-based programs. Mapping criteria included level of education [OT, OTA], level of fieldwork [Level I, Level II], and categories of the AOTA "Education Research Agenda -- Revised" (2018). Sources included four databases (Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, ERIC, PubMed) and one additional journal (Journal of Occupational Therapy Education). A total of 1,619 articles were identified, with 67 articles meeting inclusion criteria. The 67 included articles disproportionately focused on Level II OT fieldwork (53%, n=36), with sparse representation of Level I OTA fieldwork (1.5%, n=1), and addressed only two categories of the Education Research Agenda (2018; 80%, n=54). Level I fieldwork, occupational therapy assistant programs, and large swaths of the association's Education Research Agenda (2018) were dramatically (or completely) underrepresented in fieldwork education research, suggesting important priorities for the immediate future of occupational therapy fieldwork education.

This paper describes a qualitative study that examined the lived experience of 50 English language instructors who transitioned from in-person teaching to online instruction during the COVID pandemic of 2020. The purpose of this study focused on the contrast between systematic online English language teacher preparation and rapid migration to identify strategies that can facilitate sudden shifts in instructional contexts. The data that was collected through snowball sampling with an anonymous Qualtrics survey revealed that during this rapid transition, instructors struggled with learning the technological pedagogy skills, establishing connections with their students, implementing assessment practices, and organizing student interactions. After a description of the findings, the article concludes with implications for teacher education for online English language instruction.

Feedback is indispensable if the potential gains of formative assessment are to be realised in the classroom. Therefore, this explanatory sequential mixed methods study sought to describe the feedback content and process of 1088 Jamaican secondary school teachers in general before exploring the practices of 32 teachers of English. Data analysis showed that teachers predominantly gave summative feedback, delivered orally and to the whole class for efficiency and to address the most frequent student errors. The findings imply that formative assessment implementation can be improved by including information on where students are, where they are going, and how they can get there in teachers' feedback. In the Jamaican context, the learning function of assessment, not the grading function, must be emphasised.