ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Beyond Scavenger Hunts and Guided Expeditions: Rethinking Interdisciplinary Majors and 21st Century Liberal Education
Author: Monson, Renee A.
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Interdisciplinary Approach,Majors (Students),General Education,Liberal Arts,Undergraduate Students,Alignment (Education),Outcomes of Education,College Programs,Integrated Curriculum,Public Policy,Student Experience,Student Educational Objectives,Curriculum Design

Interdisciplinary undergraduate programs have grown dramatically in recent decades, but they are vulnerable to cuts given various stakeholders' calls for greater accountability in higher education. Assessing the outcomes of interdisciplinary majors presents an array of challenges, including how to describe and categorize patterned variation in the place and purpose of disciplines in interdisciplinary programs. Knight, Lattuca, Kimball, and Reason's (2013) typology conceptualizes this variation in terms of curricular features and staffing of interdisciplinary programs, and asserts that stronger programs are marked by less reliance on disciplinary courses and faculty whose lines are in disciplinary departments. We argue that another important source of variation is the approach taken to interdisciplinary education: how the program connects disciplines (e.g., via integration or juxtaposition) and what the program aims to foster (depth, breadth, or specific skills). Attending to these aspects of variation in interdisciplinary programs improves the Knight et al. framework insofar as it permits investigation of which combinations of interdisciplinary approaches, curricular design, and staffing might best foster particular educational aims. We demonstrate the utility of this improved framework by applying it to a recently completed external review of an interdisciplinary program at a liberal arts college (ours). We offer some suggestions for how to align different approaches to interdisciplinary education with an institution's general curriculum, the major's curriculum, and program staffing.
The Impossibility of Witnessing and the Imperative to Listen: Teaching Trauma in an Interdisciplinary Classroom
Author: Schulz, Jennifer
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teaching Methods,Trauma,Interdisciplinary Approach,Novels,Poetry,Drama,Reading,Writing (Composition),Student Research

This article will describe how I have integrated my work as a psychotherapist specializing in trauma and as a literature professor in an interdisciplinary course on Trauma Narrative in which I explore with my students how literary texts (novels, poetry, and plays) and clinical discourses (e.g. the &quot;Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,&quot; psychological theories, and research studies) can inform and challenge each other as we seek to understand the lived experience and meaning of trauma. Current interdisciplinary theories of trauma that revise the doctor/patient relationship into witness/testifier implicate us in this class as witnesses of trauma testimony. Indeed, these literary, clinical, and theoretical works force us to ask the very fundamental questions: What assumptions do I bring to a literary text/individual that mediate my response to either? How does this text/individual interrupt these assumptions and challenge me to new ways of listening? How does this text/individual change me? Following a description of the course, I will discuss how we can foster meaningful integrative research projects with our students as we ask them to encounter the limits of their own understanding of the suffering of others, or, at times, their own jarring identification with this suffering. How can teaching toward interdisciplinary integration call us to witness our students as they discover the ways in which their reading, writing, and research call them to witness &quot;themselves&quot; anew? And what are the unique challenges of engaging in this work when the focus is trauma?
What Color Is the Interdisciplinary?
Author: McCormack, Brian
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Interdisciplinary Approach,Color,Epistemology,Philosophy,Theories,Religious Factors,Ambiguity (Context)

Color has been considered as a special problem in several disciplines, notably art and music, but also philosophy and literature. Given that color is also a central feature of some scientific thought (think of Newton and the color spectrum, for example), the question &quot;What color is the interdisciplinary?&quot; seems to be a golden opportunity to investigate the interdisciplinarity of color. My question, which follows from Michael Taussig's similar anthropological question, &quot;What color is the sacred?&quot; points to important issues about the nature of interdisciplinary thinking. Rather than merely posit an answer such as, for example, &quot;interdisciplinarity is red,&quot; we would do well to think through those issues. The question is novel not only because it invents the nominal adjectival form of &quot;interdisciplinarity&quot; as &quot;the interdisciplinary&quot; (as in &quot;the sacred&quot;), but also because it approaches interdisciplinarity with a hint of both reverence and irreverence. Giorgio Agamben's take on &quot;the sacred&quot; and Walter Benjamin's understanding of color figure into my response to the question. Agamben explains the importance of the &quot;profanation&quot; of the apparatuses of &quot;the sacred.&quot; And Benjamin's ideas about the color of experience establish the basis of an answer to our question: the rainbow.
Continuing Professional Education and Collaborations between University Faculty and Agricultural Education Teachers
Author: Webb, Randy C.
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Agricultural Education,Vocational Education Teachers,College Faculty,Secondary School Teachers,Faculty Development,Teacher Collaboration,Curriculum Development,Professional Continuing Education

The call for agricultural education programs to integrate more rigorous scientific and technology driven content has left many secondary agricultural education teachers unprepared (Baker, 2015). New content that addresses the changes in the agricultural industry has required secondary agricultural teachers to seek continuing professional education. This case study examined one secondary agricultural education program and how the teachers in that program have taken advantage of continuing professional education opportunities to change local program content. The study shows that through collaborations with the faculty at the university and the secondary agricultural education teachers, continuing professional education can drive the changes needed to design and develop a relevant agricultural education program. It is through collaborations that the participants in this study connected continuing professional education with curriculum development, to focused on student needs and the expectations for their success after leaving the secondary program. Finally, the rigorous local program's content has emerged from the small group discussions and one on one experiences of the teachers in this program collaborating with faculty at the university. It is through these unique continuing professional education experiences that teachers built a network that keeps them abreast of changes in the industry and provides an avenue for their lifelong learning experiences.
Deterrents to Service-Learning&apos;s Use as a Method of Instruction in the Preparation of Agricultural Education Teachers: The Beliefs and Intentions of Teacher Educators
Author: Roberts, Richie
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Barriers,Service Learning,Teaching Methods,Agricultural Education,Teacher Educators,Beliefs,Intention,Teacher Behavior,Teacher Characteristics,Course Descriptions,Teaching Experience,Classroom Environment,Time Management

Service-learning (SL) appears to have influenced school-based, agricultural education (SBAE) since its early inception. And current trends suggest the method may be gaining increased interest in the discipline. However, little is known about the role that agricultural education teacher educators' beliefs and intentions play in deterring SL's use as a method of instruction in the preparation of agricultural education teachers. This study's purpose, therefore, was to understand teacher educators' normative and control beliefs as well as their intentions regarding SL as a method of instruction. Participants reported that barriers existed at the classroom level, which influenced their intentions. SL teaching experience was also found to have a negative and statistically significant (p &lt; 0.01) relationship with agricultural education teacher educators' beliefs about the challenges they associated with using the method. It is recommended that future research explore diffusion methods that could stimulate more widespread adoption of SL by teacher educators of agricultural education.
Do They Believe They Can Communicate? Assessing College Students&apos; Perceived Ability to Communicate about Agricultural Sciences
Author: Norris, Shannon L.
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Students,Agricultural Education,Communication Skills,Employment Qualifications,Job Skills,Program Effectiveness,College Faculty,Teaching Methods,Reflection,Outcomes of Education,College Readiness,Career Readiness,Writing (Composition),Critical Thinking,Thinking Skills,Student Attitudes

Meeting the demands of a proficient scientific workforce depends on students' communication skill preparation. To describe students' self-perceptions of their communication skills, we surveyed 315 students in Texas A&amp;M University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Participants noted they were most proficient in their ability to listen effectively and least proficient in asking effective questions. Each communication skill characteristic showed a statistically significant difference before and after college engagement, but we found no statistically significant difference in the overall communication scores of students. Therefore, we recommend: 1) interviewing employers to understand their perceptions of entry-level employees; 2) investigating when students transition from false sense of confidence to actual confidence; 3) conducting a longitudinal study to investigate students' perceptions of communication skills throughout their college experience; 4) evaluating faculty's communication teaching methods across disciplines; and 5) investigating the influence of self-reflection on students' attained communication skills. Conducting such studies could lead to stronger connections between the academy and the industry, especially as faculty strive to align their teaching with needs of the industry.
On the Intersection of Interdisciplinary Studies and Argumentation Studies: The Case of Inference to the Best Explanation
Author: Laursen, Bethany K.
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Interdisciplinary Approach,Persuasive Discourse,Inferences,Pattern Recognition,Logical Thinking,Inquiry,Imagination,Models,Dialogs (Language),Perspective Taking,Data Analysis,Forestry

This article aims to convince readers of the value of intersecting the scholarship of interdisciplinarity with the field of argumentation studies. The interdisciplinarity literature has not much engaged with the vehicle that carries interdisciplinary learning, languages, and locutions: the argument. On the argumentation studies side, despite the diverse interests of these scholars, not many have studied how reasoning proceeds in interdisciplinary inquiries. To aid bridge-building from both sides, I use the example of interdisciplinary abductive reasoning to show how the two fields can benefit from each other. The article proceeds as thin, comparative case studies thickened by theory. By analyzing two extended cases of inquiry cast in Douglas Walton's argumentation terms, I argue Walton's model is necessary but not sufficient for understanding and dealing with the unique challenges of interdisciplinary abduction. I propose, instead, we add the PEPR model (Pattern Recognition, Explanation Imagination, Pattern Matching, and Reporting) to help us focus on the data to be explained while we lean on Walton's model to understand the people doing the explaining. I conclude argumentation studies and interdisciplinary theory can be mutually enlightening.
Factors Influencing Socially Responsible Leadership Development in College of Agriculture Students
Author: Kovar, Kristin A.
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Social Responsibility,Leadership,College Students,Agricultural Education,Student Leadership,Student Participation,Volunteers,Social Change,Gender Differences,Leadership Training,Service Learning

The purpose of this study was to examine factors impacting college student leadership development within a college of agriculture at the University of Missouri. This study employed descriptive relational survey methods to examine the impact of involvement factors (participation in organizations, community service and leadership education) on college student leadership development. The target population was all junior and senior students in the College of Agricutlure, Food and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri (N=1,124). Out of the calculated sample size (n=287), 107 participants completed the online instrument (37.3%). In the examination of the leadership outcomes, the greatest mean was reported for the outcome of commitment and the lowest mean was reported for the outcome of change. Most students were involved with two to five different organizations during their college career. A majority (92.5%) of the students reported that they have engaged in community service during their college career, although 44.9% of respondents did not participate in community service on a regular basis. Students responded as being involved in one to two short-term leadership education programs, but no long-term leadership education programs. Eight separate linear regression models were analyzed to determine the impact of involvement factors on the development of socially responsible leadership.
Identifying the Characteristics of an Effective Agricultural Education Teacher: A National Study
Author: Eck, Christopher J.
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Agricultural Education,Vocational Education Teachers,Teacher Characteristics,Teacher Effectiveness,Human Capital,Needs Assessment

The educational landscape in America is changing every day. The need for effective teachers, especially those in agricultural education, remains a high priority. This national study sought to identify the human capital (i.e., education, training, skills, and experiences) necessary for effective school-based agricultural education teachers. The modified Delphi approach consisting of awardwinning agricultural education teachers, state staff, and National FFA Board of Directors in the 2017 calendar year was used to collect data. Three rounds of data collection resulted in 58 characteristics, across eight different categories, reaching consensus of agreement. Panelists agreed unanimously on 28 items. The top-rated item was, &quot;understands student needs.&quot; The eight categories emerging from the data included: Instruction, FFA, SAE, Program Planning, Balance, Diversity and Inclusion, Professionalism, and Personal Dispositions. Personal Dispositions (n = 14) and Instruction (n = 14) were the two themes generating the greatest numbers of items. SAE (n = 1) was the category with the least amount of items generated. The results of this study serve as a call to action for a balanced program and personal life, refrain from working extra hours, and limiting one's involvement in the community as a leader.
Mathematics Efficacy and Professional Development Needs of Tennessee Agricultural Education Teachers
Author: Dossett, Jason
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Agricultural Education,Mathematics Instruction,Faculty Development,Teacher Effectiveness,Self Efficacy,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Expectation,Program Effectiveness,Secondary School Teachers

School-based agricultural education programs are recognized as contributors to teaching contextualized mathematics and supporting STEM education. This study examined the mathematics teaching efficacy and professional development needs of Tennessee school-based agricultural education teachers related to teaching contextualized mathematics. Tennessee agricultural education teachers were moderately efficacious in Personal Mathematics Teaching Efficacy and Mathematics Teaching Outcome Expectancy, and this may negatively impact the teaching of mathematical concepts found in Tennessee's agricultural education curricula. Also, similarities and differences were found in the teachers' professional development needs based upon mathematics teaching efficacy. Future research should seek to discover factors impacting the development of mathematics teaching efficacy among school-based agricultural education teachers. We also recommend professional development related to teaching contextualized mathematics be tailored to the different needs of teachers by states or regions.
Assessment of Co-Creativity in the Process of Game Design
Author: Romero, Margarida
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Game Based Learning,Design,Cooperative Learning,Preferences,Teamwork,Self Evaluation (Individuals),Creative Activities,English (Second Language),STEM Education,Graduate Students,Student Developed Materials,Rural Schools,Subcultures,Ambiguity (Context),Student Projects

We consider game design as a sociocultural and knowledge modelling activity, engaging participants in the design of a scenario and a game universe based on a real or imaginary socio-historical context, where characters can introduce life narratives and interaction that display either known social realities or entirely new ones. In this research, participants of the co-creation activity are Malaysian students who were working in groups to design game-based learning resources for rural school children. After the co-creativity activity, the students were invited to answer the co-creativity scale, an adapted version of the Assessment Scale of Creative Collaboration (ASCC), combining both the co-creativity factors and learners' experiences on their interests, and difficulties they faced during the co-creativity process. The preliminary results showed a high diversity on the participants' attitudes towards collaboration, especially related to their preferences towards individual or collaborative work.
A Survey of OER Implementations in 13 Higher Education Institutions
Author: McGreal, Rory
Date: 2019-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Open Educational Resources,Community Colleges,Universities,Canada Natives,Foreign Countries,Program Implementation,Teacher Collaboration,School Holding Power,Access to Education,Affordances,Cost Effectiveness,Barriers,Educational Innovation

Institutions in many jurisdictions are in the process of implementing Open Educational Resources (OER). This short paper is based on a report commissioned by Contact North/Contact Nord as part of their Pockets of Innovation series to better understand the impact of OER implementations at diverse institutions. The investigation looks into 13 different OER implementations at the postsecondary level: three community colleges and one university. Four are in the United States; three universities and one Indigenous college in Canada; and five international universities--in Africa, the Middle East, South America, and Southeast Asia. The format of the investigation followed a standard five-point inquiry model: (1) Opportunity; (2) Innovation; (3) Benefits; (4) Challenges; and (5) Potential.
Research on Virtual Education, Inclusion, and Diversity: A Systematic Review of Scientific Publications (2007-2017)
Author: Fermín-González, Marlene
Date: 2019-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Inclusion,Diversity,Online Courses,Educational Quality,Equal Education,Educational Trends,Instructional Design,Educational Opportunities,Educational Research,Curriculum Development,Culturally Relevant Education

This article covers a topic related to increases in the existing heterogeneity of the university student population, specifically in virtual learning environments. There is a growing concern for offering training alternatives that include all students. As the first step in a line of research related to quality, equity, and inclusion in e-learning, we aim to identify emerging trends in research on inclusive virtual education (IVE) at the higher education level and how inclusion is conceptualized. Our goal is to provide ideas on future research topics and raise issues for further exploration. This research was conducted through a systematic review of articles published in the last decade in the WOS and Scopus databases. Upon reflection, we suggest the need for inclusive e-learning educational designs with greater emphasis on human diversity in all of its complexity. By doing so, we may be able to contribute to increasing the equality of educational opportunities and overcoming the barriers that restrict the access, continuity, and successful exit of the entire student population, regardless of their individual learning needs.
Strategies to Assist Distance Doctoral Students in Completing Their Dissertations
Author: Lim, Janine
Date: 2019-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Doctoral Dissertations,Academic Persistence,School Holding Power,Distance Education,Student Responsibility,Social Networks,Readiness,Communication Skills,Interpersonal Communication,Feedback (Response),Trust (Psychology),Humor,Academic Support Services,Time Management,Computer Software,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Doctoral Students

Completing doctoral dissertations is difficult work and may be harder for distance students physically separated from institutional and collegial supports. Inability to complete independent research contributes to doctoral student attrition. Factors impacting completion include institutional factors, student characteristics, and supervisory arrangements (Manathunga, 2005). This paper shares proactive strategies used by a Midwestern university in the United States to support distance doctoral students. Strategies and technology tools are described that (a) cultivate a shared culture of responsibility and commitment, (b) increase effective communication between researchers, and (c) grow departmental and institutional services and technologies for faculty and students. This paper suggests the use of a specific framework to help students develop a shared culture of responsibility. This framework encourages students to discuss their social network, as well as teaches students how to manage their split life by using a tool which evaluates a student's readiness for the dissertation process and maps out where dissertation skills and knowledge are developed throughout the program. Strategies for effective communication include availability, effective feedback, trust, and humor. Services and technologies provided to build capacity include the use of online and library resources, campus-wide use of research software, writing and research services, and department supports and processes to promote student research. These mechanisms for accountability, mentoring, training, and trust increase the likelihood of success.