This article is part of a longitudinal study on academic sense of belonging (SB) in engineering, which uses narrative analysis to examine development of meaning-making systems (MMS). Featuring narratives of three students of color, findings show that over time, some students experienced subject-object shifts in their perceptions of SB, as well as…

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate researchers (UGRs) work under the direction of faculty mentors. Many also work with postgraduate mentors, either graduate students or postdoctoral personnel, but little is known about how these mentors shape student experiences. Using original survey data from 516 participants…

Study abroad (SA) programs often underrepresent minority students, including heritage language learners, and overlook their unique needs. This study provides a critical literature review on the identity development of Chinese heritage language learners (CHLLs) in the SA context, a significant yet underexplored topic compared with more commonly…

Providing students with the right academic support throughout their studies is a crucial element for successful degree completion and graduate outcomes. The purpose of this study is to provide insights on how academic skills development for students can be enhanced. Data were data collected from students through one-to-one semi-structured…

Early college high schools (ECHSs), which combine high school with the first two years of college, have grown in popularity nationwide. Research suggests ECHS participation has positive impacts on college enrollment and completion, but little is known about how ECHS graduates experience university life. Using a framework of college belonging and…

The number of mature students in PhD programs in Canada has increased over recent years. While research suggests older adults are more intrinsically motivated and tend to academically outperform their younger peers, studies generally focus on the problems and barriers mature students frequently encounter. The purpose of this research is to fill a…

Purpose: This study adds to the existing body of knowledge on the benefits to learners of using an interdisciplinary design thinking (DT) pedagogical approach taking the form of a micro credential with an extra curricula workshop. Design/methodology/approach: The interpretivist research examined opinion via nine semi-structured interviews with…

In 2020, the US was consumed by the COVID-19 pandemic and racial justice protests. California was further compounded by a devastating fall wildfire season. Negative effects related to these events have been documented in research. Objective: This study sought to expand the literature by exploring areas of personal growth and development among…

Online courses have become an increasingly common feature of the higher education landscape, expanding access and offering flexibility for students. Yet, they also pose unique challenges. Research has documented concerning performance gaps between students enrolled in face-to-face and online courses, while faculty have reported difficulties…

Feedback literacy, the process by which students make meaning and learn from feedback, is frequently low among post-secondary students, perhaps due to lack of training (Carless & Boud, 2018). We sought to determine if students benefitted from feedback literacy training integrated with mindfulness training. We created a six-lesson, online,…

Our study investigated the role of failure during the school-based agricultural education (SBAE) student teaching experience. Using narrative inquiry, we analyzed the reflections of twelve SBAE teachers to uncover their moments of failure, how they reconciled those failures, and the lasting impact of these experiences. Our findings highlighted a…

Sense of belonging is a social construct encompassing feelings of being integral to a system. A positive sense of belonging is associated with better social and academic engagement and retention. Traditionally, belongingness has been examined in terms of helping students integrate into existing systems; however, this study instead examines the…

Purpose: This study evaluated the impact and contributing factors of an exchange study abroad program between Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU-C) and the University of São Paulo (USP). The research aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to participation, assess students' self-reported personal and professional growth resulting…

This research explores the acquisition of soft skills in a service learning project in the Complutense University of Madrid's library and information science undergraduate program. Reaching its fifth edition in 2021-22, the project aimed to integrate older persons into the social fabric of a residential enclave of Madrid known as "Parque…

This study investigates recent discourse on "learning gaps" through the lens of Korean teachers' perspectives. Drawing on ecological systems theory and Confucian influences on East Asian education, we analyzed interviews with 24 Korean teachers to explore their perceptions of pandemic-induced learning disparities and their root causes.…