Publications by Colleges and Departments (MSU - Bozeman)
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Item The Role of Teacher Education in Improving Digital Literacy: A Pre-Service Teacher Case Study(New Prairie Press, 2024-10) Taheri, Rana; Pennington, SarahTechnology is crucial for teaching and learning in the 21st century. However, many pre-service teachers (PSTs) feel unprepared to utilize digital literacy (DL) in their future classes. This study explored PST’s perceptions of their DL knowledge and the perceived impact of their teacher education programs through a qualitative bounded case study method. Participants for this study were three PSTs engaged in a technology integration course at a land grant university in the northwestern US. Participants engaged in recorded one-on-one semi-structured interviews to learn about their perceptions and readiness for DL. The findings indicate that while PSTs were aware of DL, they lacked confidence in their ability to teach it. The study identified four critical themes related to the PSTs' perspectives on DL: concerns, challenges, advantages, and future decisions. The prioritization of DL training in teacher education programs and the reconsideration of engaging technology-related courses by universities and policymakers are recommended.Item Impact of sequential professional development of school-based agricultural education teachers: In-service implications for safety training(American Association for Agricultural Education, 2024-03) Lawver, Rebecca; Smalley, Scott; Perry, Dustin; Pate, Michael L.Vocational and technical education programs continue to play a pivotal role in developing workers’ occupational safety and health skills in all industries. The Agricultural Safety Education Initiative was first conducted in the summer of 2017 as a multi-year “Train the Trainer” program to improve teachers’ tractor and machinery knowledge. The National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operations Program (NSTMOP) Curriculum was used to develop and organize the training program. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of a multi-year agricultural safety education professional development model. A total of 85 teachers participated in the third year of the training program. Over half (57.6%, f = 49) of the participants identified as female. Teachers’ average NSTMOP test score was 41.9 out of 50 (SD = 3.62). Teachers attending the training for the first time in 2019 scored lowered (40.8, SD = 4.41) than teachers who had attended the training during all three offerings (43.2, SD = 3.00). This difference was not statistical significance (Kruskal-Wallis H was 5.91 (2) p = .052). Post-experience qualitative data findings showed many teachers reported curriculum obtainment as a motivating factor for continued attendance. A benefit expressed by participating teachers in this professional development focused on higher-order instructional or alternative assessment methods for tractor and machinery safety. For these SBAE participants, continued involvement in a multi-year approach to professional development is influenced when curriculum is offered. Further data collection is required to determine curriculum implementation follow-through of teachers after the workshop.Item “Following the Breath”: A Trauma-Informed Intervention for Educator Wellness in Rural Montana(MDPI AG, 2022-12) Davis, Lauren; Aylward, Alexandra; Scott, Brandon G.; Jacobs, JonathanGiven the prevalence of mental health issues for both educators and adolescents in rural Montana, this project is designed to help mitigate the impact of stressors by providing coping strategies linked to improvements in overall mental health outcomes for teachers, which may ultimately lead to improved co-regulation of students and classroom climate. The immediate goal of this pilot study was to measure physical and mental health outcomes of educators resulting from a remotely-delivered trauma-informed yoga intervention. Findings suggest improvements in participants’ depression and anxiety levels, trauma symptoms, sleep quality, and non-significant changes in heart rate variability and cortisol levels.