Building Faculty Vitality: From Burnout to Flourishing
Rebecca Pope-Ruark, PhD, Georgia Institute of Technology
Suggested Citation
Pope-Ruark, R. (2025). Building faculty vitality: From burnout to flourishing [Editorial]. InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, 20, doi: 10.46504/20202500po
The Investigation of a Nelsonian Approach to Socratic Dialogue with Student-Teachers at a Midwestern Private University
Francesco Giuseffi, EdD, William Woods University
Suggested Citation
Giuseffi, F. (2024). The investigation of a Nelsonian approach to Socratic dialogue with student-teachers at a midwestern private university. InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, 20, Article 1. doi: 10.46504/20202401gi
Student-teachers must be afforded opportunities to seek guidance on challenges that arise during teaching experiences, such as addressing student behavior, creating meaningful lessons, and fostering open and welcoming learning environments. Student-teachers can undergo negative experiences, which can lead to frustration, anger, and lack of interest in the profession. One way to address these challenges is through dialogue (Kumar & Downey, 2018). In this qualitative study, the researcher investigated whether a nuanced version of the Socratic method, developed by Leonard Nelson (1882-1927), can be an efficacious instructional strategy for finding solutions to student-teachers’ classroom challenges. The research study consisted of five undergraduate students enrolled in a student teaching seminar at a private midwestern university. The course prepared students for roles as new teachers by reading, discussing, and sharing challenges about teaching. Both the researcher and research participants worked together to faithfully follow the essential steps of a Nelsonian Socratic method approach. Once the preparation was settled, the researcher, as the external analyst, facilitated a Nelsonian Socratic dialogue with the student-teachers on a specific challenge a student teacher within the group was facing. After the dialogue, participants were assembled in a focus group and asked several questions about their experiences participating in a Nelsonian Socratic dialogue. Descriptive, categorical, and analytical coding of data indicated that participants reached consensus on a solution for the student-teacher’s challenge and perceived the Nelsonian Socratic method approach as an effective dialogic strategy that generated feelings of belongingness and empowerment as a group, a shared understanding about the challenge, and a healthy respect for dialogue.
Think Aloud Videos and Assessment in an Introductory Economics Class for Undergraduate Students
Derrill D. Watson II, PhD, and James Gentry, EdD, Tarleton State University
Suggested Citation
Watson, D. D., II, & Gentry, J. (2024). Think aloud videos and assessment in an introductory economics class for undergraduate students. InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, 20, Article 2. doi: 10.46504/20202402wa
This paper demonstrates the value of an innovative test preparation strategy, applied over multiple semesters to one principles of macroeconomics class. The professor makes a video of himself taking a copy of the test students are preparing for, talking aloud about how to think about the question and work through the solution. A natural experiment occurred one semester when the professor was unable to provide the think-aloud preparation video, but other, standard preparation materials were in place. It is demonstrated that students increase their scores on other questions in the same modules by an average of 7.6 percentage points with think-aloud videos. Think aloud interventions are shown to be an effective tool to enhance student content learning.
Complementing the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning with Engaged Pedagogy and Community Cultural Wealth
Rolf Straubhaar, PhD, Texas State University
Suggested Citation
Straubhaar, R. (2024). Complementing the scholarship of teaching and learning with engaged pedagogy and community cultural wealth. InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, 20, Article 3. doi: 10.46504/20202403st
For Students of Color in the United States, to attend university is to live and work within a social reality that reproduces a hegemonic social order. Professors can and should assist students in recognizing the dominant social standpoint embodied in much of university instruction, while also recognizing the equal validity of their own and their students’ socially situated standpoints. Building upon the scholarship of teaching and learning, I here present two pedagogical frameworks that have been constructed to recognize particular standpoints and work from them towards justice: bell hooks’ engaged pedagogy and Yosso and Solórzano’s community cultural wealth model. I also present practical applications of both, drawing on my own university teaching experience.
Academic Norms and Plagiarism: Understanding the Role of Enculturation
Rick Holbeck, EdS, John P. Steele, PhD, and Thomas D. Dyer, PhD, Grand Canyon University
Suggested Citation
Holbeck, R., Steele, J. P., & Dyer, T. D. (2025). Academic norms and plagiarism: Understanding the role of enculturation. InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, 20, Article 4. doi: 10.46504/20202504ho
This study explores the complex dynamics of academic enculturation and its influence on perceptions of plagiarism within higher education. Plagiarism presents an enduring challenge for educators and administrators, manifesting in various forms that often extend beyond simple deceit or theft to include profound misunderstandings shaped by cultural, generational, and educational factors. Prior research has identified multiple layers of misunderstanding associated with plagiarism, emphasizing the need for a nuanced approach to this issue. This paper specifically explores how the dimension of academic enculturation (a process through which individuals are inducted into the norms and values of the academic community) impacts perceptions and handling of plagiarism. By examining the responses of online faculty members, this study highlights the significant role that academic enculturation plays in shaping educators’ approaches to plagiarism, revealing that misunderstandings often stem from deeper educational and cultural contexts rather than mere intent to deceive. Through a comprehensive analysis of responses from online faculty members (n = 333) across various disciplines, this manuscript offers new insights into the subtleties of plagiarism as influenced by academic enculturation, thereby contributing to more effective strategies for addressing this pervasive issue in higher education.
Empowering Undergraduate College Students through Behavior Modification: Perceptions, Self-Esteem, and Self-Efficacy in Promoting Positive Health Behavior Changes
Laura Terry, PhD, and Magen Branham, PhD, Grand Canyon University
Suggested Citation
Terry, L., & Branham, M. (2025). Empowering undergraduate college students through behavior modification: Perceptions, self-esteem, and self-efficacy in promoting positive health behavior changes. InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, 20, Article 5. doi: 10.46504/20202505te
This study examines the influence of behavior modification interventions on the self-efficacy and self-esteem of undergraduate college students during their transition to higher education. Participants engage in a behavior modification assignment, and their experiences are assessed through pre- and post-surveys and reflective inquiry responses. Through a mixed-methods approach, the research sheds light on how behavior modification strategies empower students to adopt physical and mental health habits, with the potential to enhance their psychological well-being and academic success. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of effective interventions to promote undergraduate well-being within educational contexts.
Supporting Academic Career Pathways for Graduate Student Instructors through Targeted Educational Development
James E. Gentry, EdD, Shannon Stoker, EdD, Lesley Leach, PhD, Aimee Shouse, PhD, Tarleton State University
Suggested Citation
Gentry, J. E., Stoker, S., Leach, L., & Shouse, A. (2025). Supporting academic career pathways for graduate student instructors through targeted educational development. InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, 20, Article 6. doi: 10.46504/20202506ge
This study investigated the role of Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) in higher education and focused on their self-efficacy, pedagogical training, and performance. Given the expanding employment of GSIs and the influence of their teaching efficacy on undergraduate education, this research examined the effectiveness of a structured professional development program designed to enhance GSIs’ teaching capabilities. Quantitative and qualitative methods were employed to assess GSIs’ self-efficacy through surveys, exit slips, and student evaluations to gauge the educational impact. The findings indicated a notable and significant increase in GSIs’ self-efficacy post-intervention, with positive feedback on teaching practices from undergraduate students. The findings underscore the importance of professional development programs in preparing GSIs for effective teaching roles, thereby improving the quality of higher education instruction and supporting the academic success of undergraduate students.
