Education Graduate Students Research Articles

Transnational History from the Survey to the Dissertation

This essay, originally written to celebrate Thomas Bender’s retirement from New York University in 2015, explores topics related to integrating transnational approaches in the US history curriculum and in the education of graduate students. The author finds that transnationalizing the general education course on the US since 1945 engages students from diverse backgrounds and, rather than “leaving out” significant historical content, simply offers a different framing of the American past. Graduate student research on transnational topics, on the other hand, poses financial, linguistic, and archival challenges to all students, but especially to those not enrolled in elite doctoral programs.

Surviving, Learning, and Striving in the Times of Pandemic: Teaching With A Journal of the Plague Year: An Archive of COVID-19 (JOTPY)

With the onset of COVID-19, spring 2020 proved difficult for teachers and students everywhere. But amid the challenges of online and hybrid education, incorporating A Journal of the Plague Year: a COVID-19 Archive (JOTPY) into classrooms provided students a unique and impactful learning experience, while also helping them process the anxieties and uncertainties of the pandemic. In this article, Assistant Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UWEC) Cheryl Jiménez Frei shares insights and best practices for teaching with JOTPY, and a model incorporating the archive across multidisciplinary courses to address archival silences. Beyond the university, JOTPY can be a valuable pedagogical tool for elementary, middle, and high-school teachers during the pandemic. To examine this, in the article’s second half, UWEC public history graduate student and high-school teacher for the Eau Claire Area School District Shane Carlson shares his reflections on contributing to the archive as a student, strategies bringing JOTPY into his own teaching, and the results of elementary teachers also doing so in rural Wisconsin.

Practicing what “we are learning”: Insights and perspectives from graduate student instructors

[ ]GSIs may be especially prepared to use online learning platforms, consistent with Kath etal 's (2021) recommendations Yet, this propensity for exploring new ideas may be particularly beneficial for GSIs today who are facing a teaching environment that is very different from the ones they have experienced and in which their professors have taught, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic [ ]new teaching practices should be cultivated and in line with the GSI’s recent understanding of the I-O field [ ]they may face the all-too-normal dilemma of deciding where to allocate time for the most efficient results Many of the small to medium changes that are suggested in the focal article target these two areas in they address issues such as attending to student goals, assigning autobiographies, or having breakout groups in class to discuss and present course content (Kath etal , 2021) [ ]focusing on these changes will help GSIs develop better foundational skills at the beginning of their teaching career rather than trying to change them later

Teaching Graduate Students GC-QTOF-MS Operation and Application via an Analytical Chemistry Experiment

This experiment combines analytical techniques of solid-phase extraction (SPE) and gas chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-QTOF-MS) to determine organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in river water as a means to develop and improve student understanding of the use of GC-QTOF-MS for qualitative and quantitative analysis. In the classroom, students are presented with the principles and instrumentation of SPE, GC, and QTOF-MS via conventional lectures and question–answer sessions. In the laboratory, they are introduced to the procedure for tuning GC-QTOF-MS and developing a new method, analyzing OCPs in standard solutions to obtain retention times and characteristic ions, employing the mass spectrometry data to conduct library matching, and completing the identification and quantification of OCPs in the river. Additionally, students learn how to deduce the chemical formula of an “unknown” eluent compound by relying on high-resolution mass measurements and isotopic distributions. This method could be applied in the courses of instrumental analysis or environmental analysis. It could be readily adapted to other analytes such as the presence of steroids or other pharmaceuticals.

Exploring the Hedonic and Eudaimonic Motivations of Teachers for Pursuing Graduate Studies

Alongside the current demand for advanced degrees, teachers are often compelled with the professional duty to study further. Since motivation is a critical concept in understanding the participation of these individuals in pursuing advanced learning, this exploratory research aims to provide a deeper understanding of the motivational dynamics of the graduate students of education (GSEs) through the hedonic and eudaimonic lenses, which is a relatively new setting for this idea. The self-determination theory juxtaposed this in a simple query about whether graduate students are studying for pleasure, virtue, or both. The method in this work is described in two parts. First, the hedonic and eudaimonic motivation of 594 samples of GSEs was measured through a developed Integrated Hedonic–Eudaimonic Motivation Scale. Second, cluster analysis of the survey results was employed with K-means clustering and ANOVA to determine the distinct groups of GSEs and their characteristics. The findings of this study suggest that GSEs, in general, have a high level of both hedonic and eudaimonic motivation and, thus, classified under the “flourishing” typology. Based on their characteristics, the cluster analysis generated three distinct clusters: passionate cluster, progressive cluster, and struggling cluster. Using ANOVA, the following variables were identified as the major contributors to the distinction of the three clusters: hedonic motivation, age, master’s degree major, doctor’s degree institution, doctor’s degree program, sources of funding, the support given to parents, and net income.

Lessons in Stereochemistry: Resolution, Synthesis, and Characterization of Chiral Compounds

This modular, open-framework capstone course delves deeply into the synthesis, separation, and characterization of chiral molecules while teaching critical thinking and writing skills in a research-like setting within a fertile area for discovery. This course has evolved over 30 years and has been in its present form for 5 years at the time of this writing. The studies described can be easily integrated into a curriculum with other related disciplines, including medicinal, synthetic, analytical, and physical chemistry. The first procedure introduces Pasteur’s classic resolution of (±)-α-phenylethylamine by cocrystallization with enantio-pure d-tartaric acid. The enantiomerically enriched α-phenylethylamine is then characterized using three different methods: polarimetry to measure [α]D, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a chiral column to determine the enantiomeric ratio (e.r.), and by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) using a chiral shift reagent. In the second experiment, students carry out a stereoselective alkylation of a glycine Schiff base using a cinchonine-derived phase-transfer catalyst and methods first developed by O’Donnell and expanded on by many other chemists around the world. The students are encouraged to read the primary literature and design their own experiments with the guidance of the instructors and graduate student teaching assistants (TAs). In our course, the first experiment is described as a communication and the alkylation experiment is reported in the format of a full paper.

Developing experts in health professions education research: knowledge politics and adaptive expertise.

The field of health professions education research draws inspiration from many disciplines, creating a dynamic socio-cultural context that is replete with contests over research rigour and quality. These knowledge politics are never definitively resolved. Thus, an important question that any graduate program established within the field has to contend with is what should constitute expertise in HPER. In this paper we explore interrelated contextual, conceptual and procedural dimensions of expertise to substantiate our suggestions for a core curriculum for graduate students in health professions education. We argue that an expert in health professions education research should have both an appreciation of when knowledge politics are relevant to their research process as part of their procedural knowledge and also an awareness of why these politics can affect their work as part of their conceptual knowledge.

Development and validation of the Online Learning Self-efficacy Scale (OLSS): A structural equation modeling approach

ABSTRACT This study reports the development and validation of the Online Learning Self-efficacy Scale (OLSS) for online students. The original 73 OLSS items, developed through a comprehensive review of literature and a content and validity review process by a panel of education graduate students and faculty members, were sent out through a survey to the online students in a university in the southern region of the United States. The data from 366 online students who responded to the survey were analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factory analyses with a structural equation modeling approach. The final validated OLSS consists of 31 items loading on four factors: Technology use self-efficacy (TU); Online learning task self-efficacy (OLT), Instructor and peer interaction and communication self-efficacy (IPIC), and Self-regulation and motivation efficacy (SRM). Cronbach’s α ranged between 0.866 and 0.948 indicating high internal consistency reliability for the OLSS.

Some aspects of using mixed reality technologies in the training of physics teachers

The introduction of modern technologies in the learning process at school is an important task, both for the education system as a whole and for an individual teacher. The ability to work with new teaching aids allows the teacher to interest students in their subject. One of these tools is virtual and mixed reality headsets. The emphasis is on mixed reality, although the two are often closely related. The article provides a brief overview of works devoted to the use of mixed reality in teaching physics, a study of the readiness of students of a pedagogical university to use this technology in their future professional activities is carried out. The questionnaire for expert assessment of mixed reality developments has been modified, and a survey of experts in this field has been conducted. The results of the research may be of interest to teachers of various specialties, senior students and graduate students in the field of physics teaching methods.

Coping experiences of graduate students on full-time employment and full-time academic programmes

ABSTRACT There are full-time employed graduate students who undertake full-time studies at universities in other countries but there is minimal documentation of such engagements in Ghana. This study explored the coping experiences of full-time workers who are pursuing full-time graduate studies in a Ghana higher institution. Purposeful sampling was deployed to recruit ten graduate students from whom information was gathered using one-on-one semi-structured interviews. Findings from the study revealed that the participants’ inability to secure financial support for their studies and the need to consolidate their jobs were the key factors influencing their decision to combine full-time study and work. Results also showed that flexitime arrangements served as the best strategy for coping with the two full-time endeavours. Additional results indicated that focusing on one role at the expense of the other and some form of subtle support from superiors were motivators for the study subjects to cope with the dual roles. Moreover, it was apparent that these full-time working-students often experience compelling challenges as a result of their engagement which are potential reasons for employment dishonesty among such employees. The findings of this study are important for consideration among higher educational institutions, employers, policymakers, graduate students, and others.

CSEdGrad

CSEdGrad, an NSF-funded collaboration between Purdue University, Michigan State University, and SageFox Consulting Group, is focused on exploring and developing the pathways for computer science education graduate students.

Centering Graduate Students’ Research Projects in Data Management Education: A Pilot Program

INTRODUCTION Data management education has been part of library service models for almost 2 decades. This paper describes a pilot graduate student education program whose framework shows interdependencies between data management practices, uses a flipped classroom model to allow maximum time for implementation, and whose primary activities are entirely student research based. lLITERATURE REVIEW Education in data management encompasses many different formats (in-person, online, synchronous, asynchronous). Within this instruction, Data Information Literacy competencies help define student-learning objectives for data management tasks. Currently data management education is a combination of theory and active learning, with students asking for more hands-on practice. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION This program is an 8-week, in-person, flipped classroom series that addresses all data life cycle stages and aligns with many Data Information Literacy competencies. It is entirely student research data focused in that activities require that they use their projects, with significant time allocated to implement these practices while in the classroom. NEXT STEPS With a 69% retention rate and student improvement in seven foundational data management concepts, this program is considered a success. Future work involves converting this program to a credit-bearing course.

Методика построения дистанционного курса в контексте обучения магистрантов иноязычному научному дискурсу

The article presents a methodology for creating a distance course in the context of teaching graduate students of foreign language scientific discourse. The technology of phased organization of the course is shown: the preparation stage, the methodical design stage of the course, the production stage of the course, the implementation stage. The methodology involves certain requirements for the course: a clear structure and consistency, focus on the specifics of training, a balance of theoretical and practical components, an established system of control and self-control, a multi-stage assessment of the quality of the course.

The influence of neoliberalism on graduate student teaching preparation: a structural, interactionist study

PurposeThe purpose of this study initially was to explore how graduate teaching assistants’ (GTAs) peer-to-peer interactions in a teaching development seminar (TEAC 530, offered at Midwestern State University) shaped their experiences in the seminar. However, as this study unfolded, the author learned that the neoliberal social structure enveloping TEAC 530 informed how GTAs interacted with their peers. It became necessary to interrogate how the seminar, against a neoliberal backdrop, shaped GTAs’ interactions.Design/methodology/approachUsing an ethnographic methodological approach, this inquiry drew from fieldnotes from 21 different TEAC 530 sessions, with collection occurring over the course of 15 months. This project also drew upon 18 semi-structured interviews and analysis of relevant documents.FindingsNeoliberalism’s influence on TEAC 530’s structure and learning goals created conditions that did not forge strong GTA peer connections; the extent to which GTAs got to know each other and build relationships was questionable. Fruitful working peer relationships were inconsistent, making it challenging for GTAs to learn and contrast their experiences and understandings about teaching with peers.Originality/valueNeoliberalism’s influence on TEAC 530 undermined the seminar’s community of practice design, limiting the scope and depth of GTAs’ peer interactions, which in turn limited the facilitation of GTAs’ teaching preparation.

The Short Course as a Model for Teaching STEM Graduate Student Instructors About Course Design

AbstractThis chapter describes a short course model of pedagogical training for graduate student instructors that offers a primer on course design. Participants engage in an intensive community‐based program and gain knowledge and confidence in implementing evidence‐based teaching approaches.

Graduate Student Instructors, the Courses They Teach, and the Support They Value

AbstractThis chapter presents a study exploring the diverse characteristics of Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) employed at eight research universities in the United States and investigates the ways in which these characteristics impact the value GSIs place on types of professional development and support in teaching.

Preparing Graduate Students to Teach Statistics: A Review of Research and Ten Practical Recommendations

Many statistics departments in institutions throughout the world hire graduate students to teach and assist with the teaching of undergraduate and graduate-level statistics courses. As many of these graduate student instructors and graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) have little or no previous experience teaching statistics, statistics departments are faced with the challenge of preparing their graduate students for teaching roles. Articles have been written sharing various departments’ strategies for GTA training and development programs, however, articles are often not supported by empirical research. This article provides a review of empirical research regarding graduate students’ preparation for teaching—first focusing on graduate students in statistics, specifically, and second offering what can be learned from studies of graduate students in other disciplines. We conclude with ten research-based recommendations for preparing graduate students to teach statistics, along with practical ideas for how to implement them.

Preparing Inclusive Educators Through Transformative Learning

AbstractThis chapter describes a transformative model for preparing graduate student instructors in any discipline to design and teach inclusive courses through a social justice framework.

Leveraging a Graduate Student Teaching Fellows Program to Enhance Undergraduate Education

AbstractThis chapter describes a professional development program that integrates training in college teaching with an authentic classroom teaching experience. Benefits to graduate students in the program and undergraduate students in the linked disciplinary first‐year seminar are discussed.

Impostor Feelings of Music Education Graduate Students

Impostor phenomenon (IP) is the psychological construct used to describe potentially debilitating feelings of fraud and fear of being exposed as a phony in individuals who are actually high achieving and successful. The purpose of this study was to investigate the IP feelings of music education graduate students. A total of 130 master’s and doctoral students completed a survey that included the Clance IP Scale, the Graduate Music Student Scale, and demographic items. Results indicated that impostor feelings were present in a substantial percentage of the participants. Full-time student status was associated with stronger IP responses than part-time status, as was working on the degree face-to-face versus hybrid. More frequent and intense impostor feelings were experienced by females versus males, participants ages 26 to 35, students who were not married or in a committed relationship, and those who were the first in their family to attend graduate school. Master’s and doctoral students’ IP responses were not different, but successive year in the graduate program was associated with stronger impostor feelings. Based on the possible detrimental effects of strong impostor feelings, the findings should raise concern for students, their instructors, and their mentors.