University students stepped into synchronous remote learning as the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in spring 2020. Temporal limitations of the live field trip-based paradigm in teaching ecology have been complicated by remote learning. To meet the challenge, we have designed and deployed an immersive virtual ecology platform with associated field…

Academic integrity among college students continues to be a problem at colleges and universities. This is particularly important for journalism students where ethical issues in the profession are critical, especially in an era of "fake news" and distrust in the media. While most journalism students study professional ethics, they do not…

A statewide need for Latino cultural competency training for Utah State University (USU) Extension personnel was identified. The solution involved the collaborative efforts of our team of two USU Extension faculty members and one Washington State University (WSU) Extension faculty member on adaption and customization of a needs assessment tool and…

Washington State University, Responsibility Opportunity Advocacy and Respect (WSU ROAR) is an inclusive 2-year residential postsecondary education program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. WSU ROAR is a recognized comprehensive transition program located in rural eastern Washington. Within the program, there are four…

Through a case study of two doctoral programs situated in the United States, this essay highlights how doctoral programs designed to prepare leaders in K-16 institutions and other contexts can be "framed around questions of equity, ethics, and social justice to bring about solutions to complex problems of practice" (CPED, 2016; Buss,…

This data note explores the extent to which the student population earning baccalaureate degrees at community and technical colleges mirrors the demographic characteristics of the student population earning baccalaureate degrees in comparable programs of study offered by four public universities in Washington State. Demographic analysis reveals…

The purpose of this mixed-method study was to explore the effects of the use of gamification on students' motivation and engagement in the college environment. The study drew from three theoretical principles: Self-determination theory, new literacy studies, and behaviorism. The study was conducted at Washington State University on two English…

Objective: To examine the use of transportation networking companies (TNCs) (eg, Uber) among substance-using students in rural and urban college settings. Participants: Students at two large state universities were randomly selected and screened for substance use. Participants reported use of TNCs generally and after substance use and whether TNC…

This case study discusses an assessment project in which a rubric was used to evaluate information literacy (IL) skills as reflected in undergraduate students' research papers. Subsequent analysis sought relationships between the students' IL skills and their contact with the library through various channels. The project proved far longer and more…

While virtual reference services (VRS) are becoming more and more common in academic libraries, implementing and maintaining well-used and effective VRS can be a challenge in the face of competing demands on time, staffing, and funding. Between 2011 and 2012, librarians at Washington State University, Pullman (WSU) have overhauled and reorganized…

R. Stanton-Salazar (1997) suggested that minority students who successfully navigate the contexts of higher education are able to do so by "decoding" the system. Rather than obligating students to decode the system, we contend that institutions should "recode" the information they provide to prospective students from minority…

A new federal initiative calls for a College Scorecard which will include a yet to be determined measure of graduate earnings. In this paper we examine the political context that drives this initiative and examine the nascent efforts of four states to develop statewide systems to measure the labor market outcomes of higher education. We propose…

Looking beyond institutional strategies, the National Commission on Adult Literacy (2008) called for legislation that would make workforce preparation the primary goal of adult education, including addressing education for unemployed and lower-skilled workers, and other adult groups historically underserved by higher education. Further, state…

This case study examines admissions data at the University of Washington (UW) in order to quantify the effect on admissions standards for residents versus nonresidents. Like many other state flagship universities, the UW has suffered from constrained state revenues during the recent recessionary years. The findings suggest that Washington…

Tags such as the radio-frequency identifications or RFIDs are devices that make it possible for individuals to be tracked and their location reported back to a database. The devices--chips with radio antennas--emit signals, and tracking them reveals the movement of people or things. Many stores use the technology to catch shoplifters at exits. To…