Browsing by Author "Brown, James"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Applied Educational Neuroscience in Elementary Classrooms: a Grounded Theory Study
    (2018-11) Dennis, Sheila R.; Lay, Kathy; Adamek, Margaret; Brown, James; Draucker, Claire; Glassburn, Susan
    Educational neuroscience (EN) is a transdisciplinary convergence of neurosciences, education, and psychology that has gained international momentum. Its purpose is to advance the application of neurosciences in P-12 education as a way to improve the design of instructional environments and practices that support the multidimensional social, affective, and cognitive learning needs of students. The potential integration of EN practices into school settings affects educators and school social workers who promote positive school climates and address barriers to learning. Despite the ascension of scholarly discourse proposing the integration of neuroscience knowledge with education practices, a shared conceptual framework remains elusive for the emergent discipline, and the translation of EN into education practices is unexamined. A constructivist grounded theory study was conducted to investigate the emerging conceptualization of EN practices and implications for promoting a positive classroom climate. Data collection included semi-structured interviews with two administrators, three teachers, and 48 students as well as four classroom observations from three different fourth and fifth grade classrooms in a US Midwest city. The data analyses generated a conceptual model that revealed how EN practices unfolded in the classroom to facilitate the co-creation of a positive classroom climate. The data indicated that a humanistic organizational structure facilitated the EN practice implementation, and the teacher’s regulatory state was central to the application process. Five themes emerged that characterized EN practices: teaching neuroanatomy, reflecting on emotions, selfregulating, adapting classroom boundaries, and honoring the whole student. Interactions resulting from these practices aligned with four established climate dimensions: teaching and learning, structure of the learning environment, safety, and relationships. The resulting classroom climate contributed to students’ resiliency, as observed by reduced office referrals, readiness to learn, empowered decision-making, greater empathy, and enhanced social connectedness. Findings from this study support a conceptual model for the application of EN practices in elementary classrooms and align with existing research that suggests positive climates promote healthy development, social-emotional learning, and academic success. The results of this study will inform future translational EN inquiry as well as educators and school social workers who seek to co-create positive classroom climates using transdisciplinary EN practices.
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    The Blame Game or Sharing the Blame?: Hearing Stakeholders Talk about Each Other. A Critical Discourse Analysis on School Bullying
    (2017-11-06) Karikari, Isaac; Brown, James
    Using critical discourse analysis (CDA), this research-based presentation examined similarities and variations in how four groups of stakeholders, namely, bus drivers and attendants, principals, school social workers, and parents perceive bullying in schools, and represent themselves in relation to others in bullying discourses. The findings of the study showed that all the stakeholders viewed bullying in sociological and psychological terms. The findings also revealed implicit biases in how the stakeholders viewed themselves, and perceived power differentials in how they related to each other. Potential remedies for identified challenges/problems were discussed.
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    The e-OSCE and Social Work Education: Creating Authentic, High-Impact Practice Learning Opportunities for Students
    (2023-01) Wolfe-Taylor, Samantha N.; Khaja, Khadija; Wilkerson, David; Brown, James; Price, Jeremy
    Advances in technology, non-traditional students, and a new generation of elearners all challenge institutions of higher learning to support innovations that create relevant distance education opportunities for their students. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic dramatic shifts to education occurred, requiring schools of social work to consider new ways to prepare students for the field and new evaluation methods of students’ practice skills. Smoyer and colleagues explored this further in their study on BSW students’ experiences in distance education during the pandemic and found when students were unexpectedly thrust into online learning platforms most were able to learn online; however, substantive interactivity and synchronous engagement were factors that were necessary to maintain student overall satisfaction in the distance learning environment. In addition, they point out the need for interactive technology in online social work classrooms to simulate the human interaction that is essential to student learning and practice. The online objective, structured clinical examination (e-OSCE) is one form of online simulation-based learning that offers highly interactive and engaging HIP learning opportunities for social work students. The OSCE is a standardized, valid, and reliable assessment method that social work education programs use to ensure successful practice skills development. This study used a qualitative, exploratory embedded single-case method to investigate online MSW students’ experiences participating in an e-OSCE, their perspectives on the use of an e-OSCE in online social work education, and future practice considerations students identify upon completing the e-OSCE.