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This study investigated teachers' perceptions of the nature of support, or lack thereof, while teaching deaf students with additional disabilities (DSAD). A total of forty teachers, from five schools in four states in the United States, participated in the study. A content analysis of written responses to four open-ended questions, using a questionnaire survey was conducted. As a result, six themes emerged from the study, including (i) resources, (ii) managerial support, (iii) personnel staff services, (iv) team support, (v) mentoring, and (vi) professional development. Implications of the findings related to school administrators and preparation programs for educational leadership were discussed.

This study examined differences in reported campus criminality on selected community college campuses in the years between 2005 and 2016 representing the years preceding and succeeding the implementation of Mississippi's 2011 concealed carry legislation. Each campus included in this study is a public-funded community college in Mississippi. Using a significance level of 0.05 and an analysis of variance approach, the hypothesis testing showed five statistically significant findings reflecting the cases of Copiah-Lincoln, East Central, Jones County, Mississippi Delta, and Northeast Mississippi Community Colleges.

This feature piece explores what can happen when educators allow for collective reflection to transpire. Written as a dialogue, this piece presents two doctoral candidates working through what it means to identify as critical educators in this moment. These two educators met during the height of the education reform movement as a part of Teach For America. This reflective piece weaves theory, practice, and experience to help make sense of their time in education and how to navigate complexity within the larger education narrative.

As graduate assistants (GAs) at the Graduate Center for the Study of Early Learning at the University of Mississippi, two of the authors participated in a trip to Money, Mississippi, the community where one of the most horrific events related to racial unrest in the country's history occurred. While there, they learned about Emmett Till, a young black teen who sparked the civil rights movement. They got to see where Emmett was accused of flirting with a white woman back in 1955, the location of where he was accused, and a museum, Sumner Courthouse Museum that was created in remembrance of him which was also reported as the place his body was left after his murder. Emmett Till is a major part of Mississippi history and the civil rights movement; sadly however, Emmett's story is not taught in some schools. This article constitutes a reflection of "new to the field" early childhood educators on how place-based experiences influence how and what is taught. The two GAs present their own stories in their own voice and combine thoughts with their guide in a concluding section, which challenges all seasoned educators to reflect on their own teaching.

Despite proliferative use of anatomical virtual models, there are few studies exploring whether stereoscopic models help medical students retain information regarding three-dimensional (3D) relationships of structures. This pilot study examined first-year medical students' exposure to a virtual 3D stereoscopic pelvis model and their corresponding short- and long-term retention. Participants were administered a series of tests before and after their 3D learning experience, including a pre-3D test, a mental rotation test (MRT), a short-term post-3D test, a block exam, and a long-term post-3D test. Students also completed a survey exploring their satisfaction with 3D imaging in general and its effectiveness in teaching anatomical material. Exam results were analyzed using a repeated measures ANOVA, and the pre-3D test scores within the 3D groups, were compared using one-way ANOVA's with each of the other performance measures. Final results showed a significantly higher difference in the students' pre-3D test and their immediate short-term retention post-3D test scores. Results also showed a significantly lower difference in students' pre-3D test and their one-month long-term retention test scores. There was no significant difference in the students' pre-3D and six-month long-term retention test scores. However, small sample sizes suggest further research on correlations between stereoscopic imaging of pelvic anatomy and other complex regions and students' short- and long-term retention.

On this 50th-year anniversary of "Alexander v. Holmes Board of Education" (1969) nationally enforcing school desegregation in fall 1970, Mississippi is being sued for racial disparities in public education between Black students and White students in Williams et al. v. Bryant et al. (2017). Using quantitative and qualitative primary sources, I investigate the extent to which Mississippi administered racial disparities in public education between Black students and White students from its statehood in 1817 through school desegregation. The data show many racial disparities such as a $242 million difference in expenditures for 14 years and the school attrition of more than 1 million Black students, over a 17-year period, of which over 730,000 of those students left school after first grade. In the conclusion, I offer three recommendations for how Mississippi can take present-day responsibility for these racial disparities in public education.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' perceptions of bullying of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their views of the speech-language pathologist (SLP) as a source of support regarding bullying management. Method: A web-based survey was created and distributed through e-mail and Facebook. One hundred twenty-six general and special education teachers completed the survey. The majority of teachers indicated teaching elementary grades (n = 81, 64%). The remainder indicated teaching middle school, high school, or specialized school. The teachers' experience ranged from less than 1 year to greater than 10 years. All teachers reported teaching at least one student with ASD within the past 5 years. Results: The majority of participants acknowledged bullying of children with ASD as a problem and witnessed bullying at their schools. Teachers were least likely to select SLPs as school professionals who could play a valuable role in the management of bullying. Conclusions: SLPs' training in social communication places them in a unique position to contribute to bullying management. School-based SLPs should therefore educate school personnel on the unique and necessary role they can play to help foster a safe and inclusive school culture for students with disabilities, including those with ASD.

Multiple-choice questions (MCQ) are commonly used on histology examinations. There are many guidelines for how to properly write MCQ and many of them recommend avoiding negatively worded stems. The current study aims to investigate differences between positively and negatively worded stems in a medical histology course by comparing the item difficulty and discrimination index between matched MCQs. When questions were matched by modified Bloom's Taxonomy classification, presence or absence of an image, and timing of content presentation, negatively worded lower level Bloom's questions were less difficult and had a lower discrimination index.

Humanization of donors in gross anatomy courses has been reported to facilitate professional behavior in healthcare students. However, there is a lack of research investigating whether students' knowledge of donor information is associated with humanization of whole body donors. To address this gap, the present study aimed to 1) determine whether knowledge of donor information is associated with greater humanization of donors and 2) investigate student perceptions of receiving donor information. Donor information was provided to students at the beginning of the course (cohort A) or at midsemester ("cohort B"). Questionnaires utilized quantitative and qualitative methods to assess humanization and student perceptions at the beginning, middle, and end of the semester. Independent t tests demonstrated that there was no statistically significant difference in mean humanization scores between cohorts A and B before the first dissection [t(37) = 0.449, P = 0.656], at midsemester [t(35) = -1.546, P = 0.131], or at the end of the semester [t(28) = 0.004, P = 0.997]. Thematic analysis demonstrated that as the semester progressed students' view of dissection as an invasion of privacy and the donor as a patient decreased. Themes delineated from students' open-ended responses revealed that students felt a connection with their donors; that the donors' consenting information gave permission to dissect; and that the information gave students an invaluable learning experience. Students demonstrated detached concern toward their donor, viewing the donor as a learning tool or educator rather than a patient. However, their responses also indicated the development of a deeper, personal connection to donors.

The Mississippi IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (Grant P20GM103476) launched the new Mississippi INBRE Outreach Scholars (MIOS) summer research program in 2019. The program was designed to offer students community outreach and research experiences related to the study of behavioral and health disparities life sciences. The program was adapted in early 2020 to offer the program in a fully online format in the summer of 2020. This article details the program adaptations and discusses program evaluation data related to scholars' perceptions of program benefits and expectations and their confidence in research-related skills. The program evaluation was a mixed-method approach that included a qualitative postprogram survey and a pre-post quantitative survey. Scholars identified technical and communication skill building and resilience as areas of personal growth. Overall, the program met scholars' expectations for the program and significantly improved their confidence on 8 of the 19 (with confidence interval estimated differences from 0.3 to 2.56, where a difference of 1 is an improvement across 1 anchor on a Likert-type scale) various research-related tasks/skills after completion of the program. The analyses presented demonstrated that a combined qualitative and quantitative analysis approach is useful for examining the extent to which programs such as Mississippi INBRE are meeting goals of providing a rich research experience in health disparities for a diverse student body. Future longitudinal data may be examined to explore the long-term impact of MIOS on career preparation and choices and graduate education.

Although the United States Supreme Court declared segregation in education under law unconstitutional in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954, the public high schools in Jackson, Mississippi, would remain segregated until 1970. The present study examines the effects of this social climate on the high school band programs in Jackson, Mississippi, during segregation and integration. Information about the band programs was investigated using in-person and telephone interviews, as well as yearbooks, books, and other print media. The implications of this study indicate that segregation had a negative effect on the segregated all-African American high school band programs in Jackson, Mississippi. This study also shows that, initially, integration had a positive effect on the previously all-white high schools in Jackson and that integration immediately had a negative impact on the previously all-African American high schools.

This study investigated the development of marching band traditions at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), as told through the rivalry between Southern University (SU) and Jackson State University (JSU). I interviewed directors from SU, including Lawrence Jackson, Nathan Haymer, and Kedric Taylor. Directors from JSU included Dowell Taylor, Lewis Liddell, and Lowell Hollinger. Paul Adams directed at both schools, David Ware is an HBCU bands researcher, and Julian White directed at Florida A&M University (FAMU). I found traditions established through the intense rivalry between SU and JSU. Interviewees agree that a desire to outplay and outperform the other band is a major factor. This study highlights similarities between HBCU bands and New Orleans-style "second line" brass bands, which were historically driven by a competitive edge. Narrations revealed combinations of happenstance and careful planning that birthed traditions such as the famed pre-game "zero quarter" and post-game "fifth quarter" rituals that are now commonplace at HBCU football games. Directors discussed how these traditions changed with improved video sharing. Fans now demand more music, more shock factor, and flawlessness. This competitive environment forged unique traditions which can inform modern music educators about the important and complex role of competition in performance.

Authors describe the college's First-Gen Student Network, a cohort of faculty, students, and practitioners committed to equity, access, and success of first-generation learners. Optional biweekly meetings address a range of topics, including financial aid and opportunities for employment.

For more than 100 years, education communities have debated how best to educate the young adolescent. Proponents of both the junior high school model and the current middle school model have advocated for a specialized approach to educating adolescents that emphasizes the developmental needs of students. To accomplish this, various organizational structures and instructional approaches are recommended. This survey study examines the perceptions of these middle school practices and the implementation of those practices in middle schools in the Southeastern region of the United States. We note several key trends in our results and highlight key differences in perception of importance and implementation of middle school components and strategies compared to the most recent large scale survey administered by McEwin and Greene (2011).

Skill sets have been identified as the abilities needed by an individual to perform a job or task. In this mixed methods study, an online survey was developed to collect data identifying those skill sets and the barriers to effective inclusion in rural schools in the Black Belt region of Alabama and Mississippi. For rural administrators, this becomes a challenging task to provide the supports needed for students with disabilities to be successful and prepared to be college and/or career ready when they graduate. Rural school principals must be cognizant of teacher skill sets needed for both general and special education teachers to be competent team members in the inclusion classroom. Although 242 randomly selected rural school administrators employed in the Black Belt Region of the twin states area were sent an email requesting participation, there was only a 16% response rate for the survey. Results of the study indicated that principals felt supports that were needed for successful inclusion were related to professional development, common scheduling and planning, and collaboration. Barriers to inclusion were territorial and shared responsibilities, personality conflicts, and insufficient number of staff and co-teaching training. One of the conclusions of this study indicated the need of administrators to be aware of the use of a variety of inclusion strategies that support more than just one inclusion model. The second conclusion indicated a need for the College of Education to revise and include additional training in effective inclusion skill sets both within their educator and instructional leadership preparation programs.

Many companies that are striving to expand their development and production are finding it difficult to do so successfully. This is due to the shortage of qualified employees to help sustain their competitive edge in the global market. This dilemma is due to skills gaps; more importantly a mismatch between available jobs and skills. It is imperative to prepare the workforce for technical jobs and as well to find a lasting solution to eradicate the effect of skills and training gaps on college graduates. This paper addresses the causes of skills and training gaps and the need to minimize the impact of skills and training gaps through professional development.

This study examines gross anatomy students' perception of lecture and the value of lecture based on student performance. Following a single lecture, students (n=85) completed a questionnaire asking about their perceptions of lecture using a 1(low) -- 10(high) rating scale and a five question, multiple-choice quiz. Students later answered these questions on the block exam. Students rated how much they learned during traditional lecture (m=5.24 ± 1.7), how much lectures guided their study (m=6.78 ± 2.1), and importance of lecture attendance (m=6.48 ± 2.2). Recall on the post-lecture quiz was poor (52.47% ± 26.5) but significantly improved on the exam (85.65% ± 21.7); z= -6.91, p<0.0001. This indicates that students who attended the lecture place intermediate to high value on some aspects of lecture, but do not immediately recall lecture information. This implies a disconnect between students perceptions of lecture and the benefits they may actually receive from lecture attendance.

Teacher shortages in the United States have resulted in the development of alternate route teaching programs to better provide teachers, especially in difficult to staff schools such as those in rural communities. In order to address rural teacher shortages, the Mississippi State University College of Education implemented a fully online, alternate route, teacher preparation program to recruit, prepare, and retain teachers for rural middle level (i.e., middle school) classrooms in the state. The rural nature of the state meant that extensive recruiting efforts were required in order to reach qualified participants. This article provides a description of this work and provides a reflection on the various recruitment efforts of the program in an effort to inform others. Specifically, three categories of strategies are discussed: (a) fostering and maintaining relationships, (b) targeting an appropriate audience; and (c) using various communication methods. While each of these methods provided various benefits, the relative timing and significance varied depending on the stage of program development or implementation.

This study used quantitative measures to explore child abuse reporting trends for early career school counselors and to examine factors influencing their decisions to report suspected child abuse. Thematic coding was used to analyze recommendations for additional training needs regarding child abuse reporting and for the challenges school counselors faced regarding mandated reporting. Participants completed online surveys to assess their experiences. Factors found to influence school counselors' decisions to report suspected child abuse included school counselors' self-efficacy levels, academic setting, and students' participation in the schools' free or reduced lunch program. Qualitative results were also reviewed.

Background: When practitioners of veterinary medicine enter academia as faculty or clinical instructors, they are asked to perform research, provide service and outreach, and educate students, yet the teaching component is a struggle for many. It has been posited that academic clinicians develop a teaching style similar to those they observed while in school but this has not been confirmed with empirical evidence. Aim: The aim of this research was to determine how veterinary instructors obtained pedagogical knowledge prior to their faculty appointment. Setting: The sample consisted of veterinary faculty at a college of veterinary medicine from the southeastern United States. The land-grant university that the veterinary school is associated with is one of only a few schools to earn both research and community engagement rankings from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Methods: Online surveys were administered to a stratified sample of veterinary faculty and instructors. A mixed-methods approach was utilised to collect and analyse both close-ended and open-ended data. A coding process provided labels for emerging themes, concepts and examples and each research question was answered with descriptive detail. Results: Descriptive results showed that most instructors (93%) did not receive formal teacher training but derived their pedagogical knowledge from role models prior to teaching. Many faculty members (70%) attended university-sponsored workshops offered by their institutions to build upon and improve their teaching skills. Conclusion: Overarching themes reflected observational learning "in situ" and a general emphasis on non-cognitive skill development, particularly regarding interpersonal skills.

Preparing to become a music teacher educator is a complex process and one component of this process should be learning to model, demonstrate, and teach assessment practices to preservice music educators. The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to discover how, and to what extent, music teacher educators (MTEs) are educated about assessment. A secondary purpose was to uncover whether related concerns or assurances exist within the context of music teacher education for MTEs. Respondents (N = 149) completed a questionnaire designed to determine music teacher educators' preparation to use and teach assessment. We found that more respondents had experience with assessment preparation at the graduate level, rather than the undergraduate level. Respondents described multiple concerns with the sequence and importance of assessment in their preparation and education experiences. Recommendations for enhancing music teacher educator preparation, specifically with respect to assessment, and suggestions for future research are given.

"The responsiveness of consumers to a change in the price of a product is measured by the price elasticity of demand. If demand is elastic, a decrease in price will increase total revenue. Even though a lower price is received per unit, enough additional units are sold to more than make up for the lessor price. Also, the reverse is true; an increase in price will decrease total revenue." "If demand is inelastic, a price decrease will reduce total revenue. The relatively small increase in sales will not offset the decline in revenue per unit. The analysis is reversible; if demand is inelastic, a price increase will increase total revenue." The percentage change in the price is measured as (ending price - beginning price)/beginning price. Mississippi State University (MSU) raised tuition (price) by 126% over 15 years from $3,117 in the year 2000 to $7,040 in 2014, or by $3,923 -- (7,040 - 3,117)/3,117 = 3,923/3,117 = 126%. Increase/decrease in the quantity demanded (student enrollment) is measured as (ending enrollment - beginning enrollment)/beginning enrollment. Total student enrollment was 15,764 in the year 2000 and 20,219 by the year 2014. This was a 28% increase -- (20,219 - 15,764)/15,764 = 4,455/15,764 = 0.28 = 28%. In spite of a 126% price increase, there was a 28% rise in students (quantity demanded) for MSU. The price elasticity of demand for MSU was calculated as 0.32, inelastic. The results imply that MSU should raise tuition again to increase revenue.

Currently, less than 3% of the U.S. population lives on a farm (Riedel, 2006). Technological advances and mechanization coupled with other societal factors, have led to the decline of an agriculturally literate population (Kovar & Ball, 2013). Blair (2009) identified one strategy for increasing agricultural literacy as implementing education that promotes agricultural activities via experience. This quantitative study was conducted at three private schools in Mississippi during the spring of 2015. The primary investigator (PI) taught six (6) lessons contextualized in agriculture to tenth grade students enrolled in advanced biology courses. The study consisted of a control group (no instruction), and two experimental groups; one received direct instruction only, and one was led through various experiences relevant to plant science and agricultural production with a high-tunnel greenhouse. Pre and post-tests assessed knowledge gain. Participants' knowledge scores increased significantly among experimental groups (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed post-test scores between experimental groups were significantly different (p = 0.016). Further analysis of the data displayed that 67% of the variance in scores was attributed to method of instruction and a strong correlation existed between post-test scores and treatment group (R = 0.820).

The author began thinking about 3-D printing in 2014 when she learned that the Mississippi Library Commission would loan school libraries a printer for programming. At the time, she was a brand new school librarian who had recently transitioned from being an English teacher, so she was learning about the maker movement in libraries and all the different ways that looked. 3-D printing stood out to her as innovative and awe-inspiring. She was curious about the technology and wanted to share with her school community the sense of wonder she felt. When she brought the printer to the school library for the first time, it mesmerized the students, teachers, and her. They spent hours watching the printer build robots, dragons, and other trinkets. This was the "ah-ha" moment for her when she knew she needed to purchase a 3-D printer for the school library's makerspace. It was exciting to think about how 3-D printing could really shift the culture of her library from a "sit and get" to a "make and take" environment. This was a major turning point in how she is now shaping the makerspace at Oxford High School. Until this moment, she struggled with developing makerspace programming that could capture the attention and spark the curiosity of her school community.

One of the author's goals was to teach his students how to use an innovative instructional method with their future students to promote understanding of different cultures. He also wanted to increase their interaction with people from a culture different than their own, because his university is located in an area that lacks the cultural diversity of large urban cities. Another goal he had was to start a project that involved working with a developing country. He knew that technology was being used to educate students in third world countries and wanted to see how effective this form of teaching could be. This study explored several theories involving transformational education. The study was designed to integrate technology to promote this method of teaching.