Colleges and universities may desire to become more trauma-informed in light of our growing understanding of the impact that trauma can have on student outcomes. However, there has been little research on what strategies and practices colleges and universities should implement to become more trauma-informed. One approach to this work could be to…

The following study examined the effect of mindful practices on college student attitudes and learning comprehension using two sections of an introductory biology course taught by the same instructor. One section used lecture complemented with active learning formats while the other section additionally included mindful practices. Comparisons were…

This research examines the impact of various high-impact educational practices integrated in different group elements (groups course, in-class group activities, and a learning community) on student perceived group work experience related to the Emerging Values model. The Emerging Values model found academic group work to be beneficial for…

Black mattering is contested terrain. As we write this, more than 25 states and municipalities have proposed or passed legislation banning critical race theory (CRT) and the incorporation of material(s) that upset the normative curricular and pedagogical conditions of whiteness. Against this backdrop, "what is mattering for Black…

Existing research points to the critical connection between student engagement and deep learning. This paper explores body engagement as one type of student centered learning. While other disciplines are making progress in developing body-engaging pedagogical methods as a complement to traditional lectures, the use of such innovations in…

Qualitative research aims to understand both individual meaning as well as complex systemic interactions as they apply to social problems or individual experiences. This method of research is both inductive and flexible, allowing for a holistic approach that facilitates a rich understanding of the content examined. Past research identifies a…

This article addresses how developing caring relations with students at a community college effectively supports students' needs and ultimately success. At the same time, I discuss my own personal dilemmas while creating relationships that focus on students' needs. I use Nel Noddings' ethic of care theory to discuss how her ideas and the idea of…

All course activities should be aimed at moving students towards the learning outcomes, including class introductions. This article provides detailed instructions for implementing an online Class Session Introductions (CSI) activity that immediately engages students with their peers, the content and the instructor. The activity may be useful to…

Academic departments regularly offer dual-listed courses in which one course has two course numbers, yet are taught in the same place, at the same time, by a single instructor, and in one department to undergraduate and graduate students. While universities discourage their use by subjecting such courses to more rigorous approval processes,…

The purpose of this article is to offer reflections regarding teaching undergraduate students spanning a forty-five year career in higher education. The author discusses his teaching philosophy coupled with his perspective focusing on the "best" pedagogical practices that he has used to enhance student learning. The selected methods are…

Many professors lack sufficient pedagogical training needed to teach their courses effectively. In an effort to aid professors in improving the quality of instruction in their courses, this article distills the principles embedded within a service teaching framework for instruction. The principles discussed throughout this article pertain to:…

Part of a larger research project, this article presents a phenomenological self-study exploring the qualities of student engagement that occurred in one professors' college class-room over two semesters' time. The purpose of the study was to better understand college students' engagement in learning utilizing a reflective, data-based process. The…

This study examined the effects of lesson study on participants' classroom observations and perceptions of lesson effectiveness, by investigating the focus of their observations during a mathematics lesson and their ratings of the lesson's effectiveness, both preceding and subsequent to the lesson study experience. Prior to the lesson study,…

Graduate students enrolled in professional education degree programs are increasingly challenged by the need to acquire the complex skills/competencies of their respective professions on the one hand, while retaining empathy for the individuals they will be serving on the other hand. This paper suggests a technique which uses the Persona, a…

In recent years, the media literacy education movement has developed to help individuals of all ages acquire the competencies necessary to fully participate in the modern world of media convergence. Yet media literacy education is not practiced uniformly at all educational levels. This study used a survey to compare the extent to which students…