The Cowl - v.78 - n.23 - May 1, 2014

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Volume 78 - No. 23 - May 1, 2014. 32 pages

The Leadership Catalyst: A New Paradigm for Helping Leadership Flourish in Organizations

This thesis codifies a leadership paradigm that was born out of my experience as a naval officer, a corporate manager, and a director in a non-profit program and is informed by my study of leadership over the last 30 years—culminating in my completion of the Organizational Dynamics program. The basis for my model is a declaration that a good leader is someone who develops, creates, or otherwise inspires leadership abilities or improved performance in others—a leadership catalyst. My premise is that by becoming leadership catalysts, people can become force multipliers in their organizations by helping to exponentially improve the organization’s leadership capability. In a chemical solution, the catalyst creates a reaction that enables the original materials to become more than they are capable of becoming by themselves. Likewise, a person who is being a leadership catalyst enables others to become more than they are capable of becoming by themselves. My model melds concepts from neuroscience, cognitive psychology, ontology, and even quantum physics to describe how a person can become a leadership catalyst by being mindful, connected, intentional, generative, and heretical. Each of these five components represents particular intentions by the leader and serves as a guide for the leader to be authentic, generous, and effective at producing results

What Role Does Humor in the Higher Education Classroom Play in Student-Perceived Instructor Effectiveness?

ABSTRACT WHAT ROLE DOES HUMOR IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION CLASSROOM PLAY IN STUDENT-PERCEIVED INSTRUCTOR EFFECTIVENESS? Stephen Paul Halula Marquette University. 2013 Everyone has had college instructors who they thought were excellent and those who were not. In pondering what attributes might have made the difference between these groups, the idea of humor came to mind, setting the researcher on course to study the research question What role does humor in the higher education classroom play in student-perceived instructor effectiveness? A qualitative approach to acquiring data was chosen. An entry-level history class led by a college instructor at a major Midwestern university known for his sense of humor was selected. Nine students were given a survey on instructor effectiveness; five of the survey respondents were chosen for a series of three, 30-45 minute interviews to discuss the research question topic, i.e., the role humor plays in the higher education classroom. The goal was to hear what students actually had to say about the importance of humor in their classrooms. In reviewing the extant literature, it was found that many books and dissertations wrote about humor and education but were typically anecdotal and prescriptive in nature with little or no research backing. While studies about humor and education could be found, a large number of them were concerned with primary and secondary school settings. Of all the studies a very small number of these listened to the voice of the student. As a majority of the extant literature focused on a lecture-based, teacher-centric, large-classroom educational paradigm, this study chose that model as well as a basis for analysis to be able to be able to compare and contrast findings and data points with this literature. A number of studies showed affirmatively the link between humor and education, pointing out that that humor helps create a learning-conducive environment helping students retain classroom subject matter, i.e., learn better. The results of the survey and interviews aligned with a majority of the extant literature that humor did indeed play an important role in the efficacy of their instructors by creating this learning-conducive environment, where the atmosphere was less stressful, where questions could be asked without fear, and information would be better and longer retained

Teaching is like engineering: my living educational theory

The traditional view of scientific progress is that human understanding of the world is contiguous and cumulative, with both theories and concepts ‘improving’ incrementally through gradational change. Thomas Kuhn’s (1962) The Structure of Scientific Revolutions challenged this traditional view by arguing, on the contrary, that scientific progress is made through leaps and bounds, when “the earlier results of science [are] rejected, replaced, and reinterpreted by new theories and conceptual frameworks” (“Scientific Progress.”, 2020). Stated simply, scientific progress is revolutionary, not evolutionary. History is seemingly no different. Indeed, although it is often said that history is written by the victors, human understanding of the past is always under threat, as new data are revealed, for example, ideologies and cultural hegemonies change, or scientific developments in other academic disciplines emerge. [...] This context statement documents my historical journey through the Doctor of Professional Studies by Public Works process. The logic is largely chronological in nature, but doubtless some historical revisionism has crept into my narrative. [...

THE IMPACT OF RECESS ON CHILDREN’S SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, CLASSROOM BEHAVIORS, AND TEACHER PEDAGOGY: AN EXPLORATORY CASE STUDY OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AT PLAY

Recent reports have stated that schools across the United States have been reducing recess so that more time can be spent in the classroom. There has been little research to prove that more time in the classroom and less recess equals better academic outcomes for children. The purpose of this study was to discover the impact recess on elementary school students’ social competencies, emotional development, classroom behaviors, and teachers’ pedagogy and instructional practices. The elementary school is in a suburban district in United States. It has a population of 457 students. The population is culturally diverse with 10% of the students receiving English as a Second Language. The percentage of students with disabilities is 16%, and 43% of students are socioeconomically disadvantaged. Twelve teachers participated in interviews. Students were observed during various recess breaks over five sessions. The researcher took notes regarding social interactions, communications, and play behaviors. The sample size for assessing classroom behaviors prior to and following recess consisted of 30 first-grade students. The results of this study validate the value of recess and play experiences for children. The study of classroom behaviors exposed the reality that students were more focused and less fidgety following a recess break. Teachers’ responses revealed that recess was valuable for students’ social, emotional, academic, and physical development. It also revealed that teachers feel better about their pedagogy as a result of being permitted to implement recess breaks in between sustained instruction. The literature review provided evidence that block time and more time in the classroom with minimal breaks for students is poor practice and a detriment to proper child development. Research has indicated that recess is essential for children’s social, emotional, creative, and cognitive well-being (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2013; Barros, Silver, & Stein, 2009). Children’s experience, however, varies widely from school to school. Future research should focus on the differences in recess mandates from state to state and the social, emotional, and academic outcomes of children

LEARNING AN ETHICS OF COMMITMENT: A SCHOLARLY PERSONAL NARRATIVE ABOUT CREATING A COMMUNITY AND FAMILY OF CHOICE

Using a Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN) methodology, this study began as an exploration of marriage and its impact on lesbian identity, community, and relationship. What ultimately emerged was a study that considered how living a life excluded from the cultural context of legal marriage prompted learning an ethics of commitment and creating a community and family of choice. Personal story provided perspective and lesbian, feminist, and queer theories provided an initial framework for analysis. In addition, theories of community and relationship informed reflections moving from specific to general. This study is based on the views of one lesbian living and loving, beginning in the closets of the 1970s through the current day of marriage expansion. Marking a moment in civil rights history to legalize same-sex marriage, the study found that lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and queer people, despite current differences about the rationality of pursuing legal marriage, have created love and family throughout their lives. Through personal experiences, many have consequently discovered universal principles about commitment, community, and family even without marriage. Though important and symbolic of broader “acceptance,” a focus on marriage with its social benefits is not enough to achieve full equality and civil rights for sexual minorities. Further lesbian, gay, and queer reflections and interpretations are needed to add to the lessons and ethics of commitment of this lesbian and continue expanding equality within the larger cultures and communities

Are All These Elementary Assessments Necessary? Phenomenological Study of Standardized Assessments in the Elementary School Setting

All children warrant a rich, meaningful public education that prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities, and challenges that await them as contributing members of a democratic society and a global economy. Based on testing calendars, teacher testimonials, and applied research from other state and local mandated testing studies, this study found that the length of time students spend taking and preparing for the test is extensive. CBS News (2015) noted between 20-25 hours are spent by each student taking standardized assessments, according to a comprehensive report of 66 of the nation’s large-city school districts by the Council of the Great City Schools. Standardized assessments measure about 2.3% of the classroom period for the regular eighth-grader in public school. Between pre-K and 12th grade, administrators removed 112 mandatory standardized exams

Dissolving boundaries among applied disciplines: a narrative study of transdisciplinary collaboration during a charrette

2021 Spring.Includes bibliographical references.Charrettes have a long history of use in medical, architectural, and planning professions. An extensive literature search found little application of the charrette model implemented to advance, support, and identify transdisciplinarity (TD) research, transdisciplinary teaming models (TDM), transdisciplinary learning (TDL) supporting transformative learning (TL) among participants. This study highlighted differing approaches among teams as they navigated ideation and proposed solutions advancing comprehension among students of applied disciplines and how each approached, negotiated, and solved community-based problems. I implemented a TDM charrette to address TDL in educational settings. This two charrette case study implemented 1) an exploratory investigation joined a competition to create a high school of the future in underserved Montbello, Colorado, and 2) a proposal to renovate and develop a historic homestead on a working cattle ranch and wildlife reserve to support a multi-generational educational program, in Sedalia, Colorado. Charrettes included college students from architectural design, construction management, education, environmental sciences, and fish and wildlife. High school students were joined by POs from education, business and ranching professions, artists, and authors. Participants were challenged to create programs using site attributes. Charrette's culminated with team project proposals shared with invited stakeholders. Using Hall's four-phases of TD team based experiential learning and Kolb's Learning Style Models I used visual narrative and a sustainability lens to reflect and incorporate participant experiences and outcomes. Findings identified how students experienced charrettes, how they interacted with other disciplines, participant observers (PO)/facilitator observers (FO), and project stakeholders. TDM emphasized the importance of self-reflection revealed by mutual learning of transferable solutions, synthesis of results, and the visibility and relevance to problem solving. Outcomes showed how participants explored, described discipline knowledge; how shared skills shaped and influenced information sharing, leading to transformative learning (TL). Key findings identified knowledge derived from multiple modes of inquiry gained from TDL addressed problems, contributed to transferability. Challenges identified recruitment of participants from more than three disciplines. This study described and shared how participation advanced knowledge production and integration to solve unstructured problems. The TDM charrette supported TDL and knowledge production that bridged solution oriented approaches among participants leading to TL