An Engineering Journey: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study of African-American Engineers\u27 Persistence

This transcendental phenomenological research study examined the perspectives and lived experiences of African-American female engineers related to the factors that led to their persistence to enter, persist through, and remain in the field. The study was guided by four research questions: (a) How do K-12 experiences shape African-American female engineers\u27 decisions to enter the STEM field? (b) What persistence factors motivated African-American female engineers to enter the engineering profession? (c) What are the factors that shape African-American female engineers\u27 persistence to progress through postsecondary engineering programs? (d) How do professional experiences shape African-American female engineers\u27 persistence in the field? Cognitive interviewing techniques were used to validate data collection instruments. Interviews, focus groups, and timelines were used to collect data aimed at capturing the essence of the phenomenon of African-American engineers\u27 persistence. The data was analyzed using Moustakas\u27 (1994) phenomenological data analysis methods. The findings indicated that early academic experiences and achievement shaped participants\u27 decision to enter the engineering field. Environmental factors, intrinsic motivation, support systems motivated participants to persist through postsecondary programs and to enter the engineering field. Further research is needed to examine the early academic experiences that encourage African-American females to enter engineering. In addition, research is needed to examine the barriers that lead to attrition of African-American females in engineering

Evaluating the Need for Return-to-Learn Concussion Protocols in High School Student-Athletes: An Integrative Review

Over a million high school students are estimated to sustain at least one sports-related concussion annually. Unfortunately, over a third of these student-athletes suffer from post-concussion syndrome, which leads to the question of whether student-athletes are allowed proper time to heal after a concussion or if more can be done to optimize concussion recovery. Proper and optimal recovery post-concussion encompasses both physical and cognitive rest. While concussion management has traditionally focused on the physical aspects of recovery, emphasis has shifted to the cognitive impacts of concussions. There is literature to support that cognitive rest is vitally important, if not equally important, as physical rest after a concussion. Cognitive rest is essential for healing the brain and speeding up recovery post-concussion, while increased cognitive activity post-concussion is associated with longer recovery. Return-to-learn protocols and methodical reintroductions of students into the academic setting are equally vital to allow the brain to recover from sports-related concussions as physical rest and return-to-play protocols. This review’s key focus and purpose is to assess the literature to support suggestions for practice change that involves a mandatory, structured return-to-learn concussion protocol

Teachers\u27 Perspectives On School Bullying: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to describe the K-12 teachers\u27 perception of school bullying, prevention, and effective coping approaches in the Southeastern region. The central phenomenon of the study focused on K-12 teachers\u27 perspective of bullying. The theory guiding the study was social cognitive as it related to observing individuals through the lens of lived experiences, social interactions, modeling, and self-efficacy. The methodological approach conducted in this study consisted of a qualitative phenomenological design. The phenomenological design validated this approach as it enabled stakeholders such as teachers to address the (i.e., social-emotional, verbal/physical, self-esteem, and poor academic) effects that bullying has had on victims and/or those that bully. The study was conducted with 12 participants with at least 3 or more years of teaching experience in K-12 grades. Triangulation was a resource utilized to collect concise data in this qualitative study through individual interviews, journal prompts, and letter-writing prompt. The three identified themes that arose from the data analysis were as follows: professional development training, isolation, and children\u27s mental health

High Risk Minority Student Retention Model: A Collaborative Program for Black Students

The High Risk Minority Student Retention Program (HRMS) was developed to enhance Black student retention at a large urban Ohio university

НАВЧАННЯ З МУЛЬТИМОДАЛЬНИМИ ТЕКСТАМИ КРІЗЬ ПРИЗМУ КРИТИЧНОЇ ГРАМОТНОСТІ В КОНТЕКСТІ КЛАСУ АНГЛІЙСЬКОЇ МОВИ ЯК ІНОЗЕМНОЇ

This article explores the role of critical framing in selecting and using multimodal texts in an English as a Foreign Language classroom to engage students in the larger world and shed light on human experiences and contemporary global issues. Specifically, we invite educators to explore language and literacy practices using multimodal texts that can provide opportunities to examine implicit and explicit biases and power relations in the portrayal of global and cultural issues. We ground this discussion of cultural responsiveness in addressing pertinent contemporary issues using multimodal texts in critical literacy and multimodal semiotics within an English as a Foreign Language classroom context.У цій статті досліджується роль критичного фреймінгу у виборі та використанні мультимодальних текстів у класі англійської мови як іноземної, щоб залучити студентів до більшої спільноти та пролити світло на людський досвід і сучасні глобальні проблеми. Зокрема, ми запрошуємо викладачів досліджувати практичне використання мови та грамотності за допомогою мультимодальних текстів, які можуть надати можливість дослідити приховані та явні упередження та відносини влади у зображенні глобальних і культурних проблем. Ми обґрунтовуємо це обговорення культурної залучення у вирішенні актуальних сучасних проблем, використовуючи мультимодальні тексти в критичній грамотності та мультимодальній семіотиці в контексті вивчення англійської мови як другої

Sociability, Social Isolation, and Social Interaction During the First Months of COVID-19 Pandemic : a Qualitative Analysis of Brazilian, Finnish, and American Adults

The social distancing imposed by the pandemic transformed how people interact with others, and little is known about how it has impacted new ways of sociability and if culture influences this process. This is a qualitative study exploring changes in the configurations of social interactions and the resources for sociability that adults in Brazil, the USA, and Finland have developed during the initial stage of quarantine. A total of 95 participants (ages between 20 and 60) experiencing social isolation either living alone or with their partners (without children) completed online questionnaires about their interactive experiences. The questionnaire was composed of multiple choices, addressing the frequency, types, and length of social interactions before and during the pandemic, and open questions focusing on the participants’ experiences on online interactions during the pandemic. Frequencies were analyzed through a paired-sample t-test, and open-ended responses were thematically analyzed. Results revealed, first, that social isolation did not represent a significant change in the composition of the participants’ social network, but family bonds became the main connection during the period, and other sources of social interaction were kept due to the possibility of interaction through virtual means. Although the frequency of social interactions reduced, their significance increased. Second, virtual environments reframed social interactions, influencing individual’s bodily perceptions such as differences in attentional demands, communication processes, and awareness of their own image, and the interaction itself. Third, cultural values seemed to influence the way participants signified their interactive experiences. This study suggests that although virtual environments changed the ways interactions happen, virtual encounters were essential for maintaining participants’ social networks.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Gratitude Moments as Predictors of Self- and Other-Orientation Indicators in a Racially/Ethnically Diverse Sample of US Young Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Scholars posit that gratitude may enhance other-oriented beliefs and behaviors and dampen self-oriented ones through a cycle of upward generativity. We examined associations between gratitude as an indicator of self-orientation (i.e., materialism and entitlement) and other orientation (i.e., connection to nature; attitudes, beliefs, and conversations about social justice; prosocial behavior) in the US youth across six months as moderated by race/ethnicity and gender. Specifically, Study 1 evaluated the psychometric performance of the gratitude moments scale in a more racially and ethnically diverse sample than that included in the original scale development. In study 2, we evaluated pre-registered hypotheses among the youth who completed surveys in October 2020 and again in January 2021 (n = 812). These hypotheses tested (1) whether there were ethnic/racial differences in the measure of children’s gratitude; (2) whether there were reciprocal associations over time between children’s gratitude and indices of self and other orientation; and (3) whether these reciprocal associations varied as a function of youth race/ethnicity and gender. The results of study 1 found that the gratitude moments scale demonstrated high reliability and validity in racially/ethnically diverse young adolescents (n = 89). Using moderated nonlinear factor analysis in study 2, we found only one difference in how the gratitude moments scale performed as a function of race/ethnicity or gender. In cross-lagged panel models, gratitude moments did not predict subsequent self- and other-orientation indices, though youth with lower social justice attitudes and greater prosocial behavior showed increases in later gratitude moments. Prosocial behavior was more strongly and consistently related to self- and other-orientation indices than gratitude. These findings are consistent with models of prosocial behavior as a catalyst for the development of additional forms of other-oriented beliefs, attitudes, and actions that may underlie the development of an other-oriented purpose

COVID-19 Life Events Spill-Over on Family Functioning and Adolescent Adjustment

We examined US parent and youth perceptions of how life events, both positive and negative, associated with COVID-19 resulted in changes in family and youth functioning. Families (n = 105, 80% white, 48% male, and 87% mothers) completed surveys during the pandemic (May to July 2020) and 3 years prior (for youth ages M = 10.6, SD = 1.17 and M = 13.6, SD = 1.19). Declines in youth, though not parent, report of open family communication, parental support, and family satisfaction were found. Declines were associated with various domains of pandemic-related stress in parent report, though positive life events served as buffers. Pre-pandemic family functioning also predicted pandemic stress. Spillover effects in turn impacted youth functioning. The current findings shed light on how experiences of the pandemic are linked with family functioning and have implications for how to support families during this time

Paraprofessional Library Conference

Presented by Dr. Juanita Midgette Spence, Director of Library Services, ECSUMary Jordan, Technical Services Librarian, ECSUCynthia Horne Wise, Circulation Librarian, ECS

African American Librarians: A Survey Conducted between 2019 and 2020 in the United States

The library profession in the United States faces many challenges in keeping up with diversity, inclusion, and equity efforts. African Americans who are entering the library profession contribute to these efforts. This article presents the analysis of a survey of African American librarians in the United States conducted on October 23, 2019, and closed on February 1, 2020. It looks at the African American librarian's journey to the library profession. Survey takers were asked to describe their achievements in librarianship, how they entered the profession, future goals, and challenges. Analysis of survey responses is presented along with a brief literature review, followed by some suggestions for further research. The authors hope to increase the conversation on this topic and contribute to diversity, inclusion, and equity efforts