CEHD Research In Press: Sept 2022

The Research In Press Blog is back!

See what research CEHD faculty and students were up to this summer (June to August 2022)…

NEWS 

Drs. Julie Robinson (PI), Kathy Smart, Joshua Hunter, Staci Blue (Turtle Mountain Community College), and Bonni Gourneau (co-PIs) received an NSF 20-572 Discovery Research PreK-12 grant entitled “Using Integrated, Place-based Watershed Curriculum to Increase Teacher Self-efficacy with Culturally Relevant STEM” (#2201196, $449,999). This project will design and research a professional development (PD) model in which elementary teachers experience integrated, place-based, culturally sustaining STEM curriculum focused on local watersheds and grounded in local Native American cultural values and knowledge. The teachers will then design and implement their own culturally relevant STEM unit, guided by the PD, which is situated within their local watershed and Indigenous community. The PD is designed for teachers across a range of school settings and cultural contexts in North Dakota with materials developed for their communities’ unique regions and cultures. North Dakota is home to diverse Indigenous communities, with five federally recognized tribes. The PD will include promising, but often isolated, elements of prior PD models to give teachers: a) culturally relevant pedagogy inclusive of Indigenous students, b) pedagogical content knowledge, c) a supportive professional learning community, d) place-based watershed curriculum, e) and structured time for teachers to collaborate on creating units for implementation. The project will disseminate findings to local and state school communities, the greater public, and the STEM education community via presentations and peer-reviewed publications. A flexible, mixed-methods research design using quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis will be used to explore teacher perceptions, experiences, changes in self-efficacy and changes in teacher practice as well as student responses and outcomes.  

Dr. Kara Wettersten received a HRSA grant entitled “Rural Psychology Integrated Care- Substance Use Intervention and Treatment Education (RPIC-SUITE)” ($444,605). (1) The goals are to ensure competence of new psychologists and interprofessional partners to work effectively in rural and underserved Integrated Healthcare (IHC) settings, with a special focus on IHC service to clients who have substance use disorder (SUD), including opiate use disorder (OUD), (2) to develop new training partnerships with rural and underserved IHC sites that emphasize treatment, including medically-assisted treatment, for SUD/OUD,  (3) to ensure that all trainees are competent to use telepsychology interventions and technology to provide remote psychological services, (4) – to enhance skills of Faculty, staff and supervisors related to culturally competent SUD/OUD intervention and treatment within IHC settings, and (5) to bring new psychologists into the rural workforce. 

Dr. Jesse Rhoades collected space suit data for his NASA grant this summer, which was covered in a UND today article.

Dr. Sonja Brandt (TLPP) and McKenzie Rabenn (T&L PhD GTA and GRA) created an online professional development course for teachers centered upon the Science of Reading, which aligns with the requirements of a new bill in the North Dakota legislature. Sonja and McKenzie also created and presented a professional development workshop on the same topic for elementary teachers in the North Border School District in August.  

Dr. Renae Bjorg conducted a book signing at the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) International Conference, organized by American Printing House Press (APH Press). People stood in line for a signed copy of the book, “Guidelines and Games for Teaching Efficient Braille Reading” (Second Edition). It is the first book in the history of APH Press to be available for Federal Quota Funds. In essence, anyone who works with students who are blind in the United States can get a free copy using Quota Funds. Dr. Bjorg has been invited to present the book for the ND State Deafblind Conference, and the Nebraska State Vision Conference.  The first edition of Guidelines and Games for Teaching Efficient Braille Reading was written by Dr. Myrna R. Olson (UND) and Dr. Sally Mangold (SFU) 40 years ago. 

TLPP PhD student Dr. Bridget Brooks (Dr. Bjorg advisor) received a Doctoral Fellowship through the American Indian College Fund. Her dissertation was entitled “Campus Climate for LGBTQIA+/Two Spirits at a Midwestern Tribal College“. Bridget currently works at a Tribal and Community College (TCU) where she conducted her research and aims to use this fellowship to continue her research, work, and to build awareness and support for LGBTQIA+/Two Spirits individuals. 

SPOTLIGHT

Welcome new CEHD faculty! 

Dr. Ethan Dahl is a new Assistant Professor in Education, Health, & Behavior Studies, within the Counseling Psychology program and part of UND’s Behavioral Health Strategic Initiative. He received his PhD in Experimental Psychology from Texas Tech University and also earned degrees from Ball State University (M.A.) and Minnesota State University Moorhead (B.A.). His program of research broadly focuses on the application of social psychology to understanding rural and behavioral health. This includes understanding the impact of one’s social identity and experiences of exclusion, inclusion, and social isolation on health. Prior to coming to UND, Ethan worked as a Research Scientist at the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities where he wrote and implemented grants focused on rural health, community and practice-based research, educator professional development, the opioid epidemic, and individuals with developmental disabilities. Recently, he submitted a grant proposal on suicide prevention among rural residents, LGBTQ+ youth, and veterans in western North Dakota. He also intends to resubmit a proposal addressing social isolation among rural adults with Autism. He hopes to research and implement programs in North Dakota that build more inclusive communities that foster positive behavioral health in rural communities. 

Dr. Mark Rerick has been in K-12 education for the past 21 years as a teacher, coach, principal, and athletic director.  As an athletic director, he has twice been named the North Dakota Athletic Director of the Year and has earned one of the highest recognition’s from the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrator’s Association, the Distinguished Service Award.  Recognized as one of the national leaders in the field of high school athletic administration, Mark has been published 37 times and will become the chairman of the national AD association’s publications committee in January.  In addition, he has presented and taught multiple times at state and national coach and AD conferences.  His primary research interests revolve around coaching in an educationally-based athletics program and positive youth sports parenting. 

Dr. Trevor Waagen (They/Them/Theirs) is a recent graduate of the University of North Dakota’s Counseling Psychology doctoral program. Trevor received their bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from the University of North Dakota. As a clinician, Trevor utilizes emotion-focused and cognitive-behavioral approaches to provide treatment to clients and patients. Trevor has worked in several university counseling centers such as the University of North Dakota, North Dakota State University, and the University of Texas in Austin.  As a researcher, they focus on the qualitative experiences of non-binary and gender expansive individuals. Additionally, they have ongoing research interests in the developmental aspects of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, specifically exploring identity development and formation from a lifespan approach. At UND, Trevor teaches Multicultural counseling, Methods of Counseling, and is coordinating the Master’s Internship program.  

Dr. Karla Fehr is a clinical psychologist with expertise in pediatric psychology and pediatric integrated behavioral health. Her research examines pediatric integrated behavioral health in rural settings and psychological outcomes for pediatric populations, including behavioral sleep difficulties. She is especially interested in dissemination of brief, targeted interventions for youth and increasing access to treatment for underserved populations. Recent studies have examined factors related to willingness to seek behavioral health services in rural pediatric primary care, a targeted play-based intervention to decrease sleep difficulties in young children, and validation of a standardized pretend play measure aimed at screening symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. She has also conducted many play-based interventions in school settings. Dr. Fehr joins UND after spending over 8 years at Southern Illinois University. She completed her Ph.D. at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, her internship at Nemours/A.I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware, and her postdoctoral training at the Minnesota Epilepsy Group in St. Paul. She is originally from North Dakota and completed her bachelor’s degree at UND.   

Dr. Caitlin Brecklin joins I-REEED and BEARS as a postdoctoral researcher, having recently completed her Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. She previously earned her M.A. at the same institution, and her B.S. in Astrophysics at Michigan State University. Her research centers on the politics and social foundations of educational policy, with particular attention to the community politics of rural education in times of change. Her most recent work was an in-depth exploration of a small, rural school district on the brink of dissolution, uncovering the complex web of social, historical, and policy factors that led to and shaped the crisis. At UND she looks forward to continuing to conduct research that takes seriously the “public” in public education and which recognizes the interconnectedness of schools and their communities. 

LATEST SCHOLARSHIP

CEHD faculty are in bold, and CEHD students are underlined. 

Grants

Robinson, J., Smart, K., Hunter, J., Blue, S., & Gourneau, B. (2022). Using Integrated, Place-based Watershed Curriculum to Increase Teacher Self-efficacy with Culturally Relevant STEM. National Science Foundation 20-572 Discovery Research PreK-12 (#2201196, $449,999). 

Dr. Kara Wettersten (2022). Rural Psychology Integrated Care- Substance Use Intervention and Treatment Education (RPIC-SUITE). Health Resources and Services Administration ($444,605). 

Publications

Burks, L., Hussein, A., Link, L. J., & Miller, D. (accepted, 2022). Developing a new educational leadership program: All hands on deck. In N. A. Paufler & E. H. Reames (Eds.) Exploring the Role of the Educational  Leadership Program Coordinator. Special Issue. Practice, problems, and possibilities. Information Age. 

Christ, T., & Cho, H. (2022). Emergent bilingual students’ small group read-aloud discussions. Literacy Research and Instruction. First published online. DOI: 10.1080/19388071.2022.2085637  

D’Amico Pawlewicz, D. (May 2022). Too many White parents don’t understand the true purpose of public schools. Washington Post.   

D’Amico Pawlewicz, D. D. (2022). Teacher blame as the grammar of public school reform. History of Education Quarterly, 62(3), 291–311. https://doi.org/10.1017/heq.2022.16  

Herbert, M., Clinton-Lisell, V., & Stupnisky, R. H. (in press). Faculty Motivation for OER Textbook Adoption and Future Use. Innovative Higher Education.  

Holtz, K. & Nelson, K. (2022). The Influence of Gay-Straight Alliances on Queer Identity Development. American Psychological Association Convention, Minneapolis, MN.   

Hopper, T,. & Rhoades, J. (2022). Enactivism and learning to play tennis: Modification-by-adaptation enabling action spaces and nonconscious behavioral mimicry. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. 

Hopper, T,. & Rhoades, J. (2022). USTA and Tennis Canada learning to play tennis initiatives: Applying Ecological dynamics, Enactivism and Participatory sense-making. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. 

Kettelhake, M. & Nelson, K. (2022). A Lived Experience Raising a Child Diagnosed with a Neurodevelopmental Disability. American Psychological Association Convention, Minneapolis, MN. 

Jaeger, J., Chang, C., & Stupnisky, R. H. (2022). How does university faculty members’ grit relate to their emotions and success in teaching and research? Innovative Higher Education.  

Link, L. J., & Guskey, T. R. (August, 2022). Is standards-based grading effective? Special Issue. Controversies in education: Separating fact from fiction.  Theory Into Practice, 61(2), 1 – 12.    

Nelson, K. & Smith, C. (2022). Use Data to Assess Your Effectiveness. American School Counseling Association Convention, Austin, TX.  

Orr, S., Casler, J., Rhoades., J., DeLeon, P. (2022). Effects of walking, running, and skipping under simulated reduced gravity using the NASA Active Response Gravity Offload System (ARGOS). Acta Astronautica.  

Stupnisky, R. H., Larivière, V., Hall, N. C., & Omojiba, O. (in press). Predicting research productivity in STEM faculty: The role of self-determined motivation. Research in Higher Education.  

Wilson, N., & Stupnisky, R. H. (2022). Examining differences in aviation student motivation during blended versus online asynchronous courses. The Collegiate Aviation Review International, 40(1), 95-112. Retrieved from http://ojs.library.okstate.edu/osu/index.php/CARI/article/view/8564/7783

Presentations

Brandt, S., & Rabenn, M. (2022 June). Structured Literacy Resources for Online and Digital Learning. IgniteND Conference, Bismarck, ND.  

Danielson, R., Chang, C.L., Davis, S, and Adamsen, C. (2022 November). Cigarette and alcohol use by American Indian/Alaska Native grandparent caregivers 55 and older. (Poster presentation). American Public Health Association, 2022 conference.