Faculty Research Publications and Presentations (Archive)
Through on-going research projects and grant activity, Simmons faculty and graduate students advance and disseminate evidence-based knowledge that leads to improvements in education, leadership, and applied physiology. These efforts, as well as the involvement of Counseling and Dispute Resolution faculty in community initiatives, result in significant journal publications, books, and presentations at national and international colloquia and conferences.
Academic Affairs Digest Vol. 1, Issue 3
Our Academic Affairs Committee is proud to publish its third Academic Affairs Digest, spring 2018. As you can see from the publications and conference presentations highlighted in this issue, Simmons faculty members continue to produce important research and scholarship. As they add to the research base in their areas, they also tie development of knowledge to practice in their fields. Our intellectual activity is crucial to the advancement of teaching, learning, and human development and the preparation of students.
In this volume, you’ll note publications, presentations and grants that speak to our scholarly productivity, but also contribute to the strength of our University. Because of you, Simmons seeks better answers to improve the communities we serve.
Thank you for your commitment to excellence in both research and practice.
Stephanie L. Knight
Applied Physiology & Wellness
Abeza, G., Assistant Professor. O’Reilly, N., & Seguin, B. (2017). “Social Media in Relationship Marketing: The Perspective of Professional Sport Managers in the MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL.” Communication & Sport
Abeza, G., O’Reilly, N., Seguin, B., & Nzindukiyimana, O. (2017). “Social Media as a Relationship Marketing Tool in Professional Sport: A Netnographical Exploration.” International Journal of Sport Communication, 10(3), 325-358.
MacIntosh, E., Abeza, G. & Lee, J. (2017). “Enriching Identity in the “Fan Nation”: The Role of Social Media in the Case of a Professional Sport Team.” Sport, Business, Management: An International Journal, 7(3), 315-331
Abeza, G., O’Reilly, N., Seguin, B. & Nzindukiyimana, O. (2017). “World’s Highest-Paid Athletes, Product Endorsement, and Twitter.” Sport, Business, Management: An International Journal, 7(3), 332-355
Abeza, G. (2017). “Digital Integration at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.” (Industry Practitioner Interview) International Journal of Sport Communication, 10(2), 218-223.
Anderson, C., Senior Lecturer. Fujii, T., & Gober, D.L. (May 2017). In Skipper, T.L. (2017). What makes the first-year seminar high impact? An exploration of effective educational practices. (Research Reports No. 7). Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience & Students in Transition.
Anderson, C., April 2017 – Keynote speaker for the 91茄子 Panhellenic Women of Distinction Ceremony
Eric G. Bing, Professor. and Lisa O’Brien: Innovations in Costing Cancer Control Workshop –, Center for Global Health US National Cancer Institute; June 26-28, 2017
Eric G. Bing, Using Personal and Collective Strengths to Create Impact, Global Health Corps, Yale University, July 5, 2017
Donna Gober, Professor. Anderson, C., Fujii, T. (May 2017). In Skipper, T.L. (2017). What makes the first-year seminar high impact? An exploration of effective educational practices. (Research Reports No. 7). Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience & Students in Transition.
Sushmita Purkayastha, Assistant Professor. Invited Oral Presentation at 12th World Congress on Brain Injury March 29-April 1, 2017 sponsored by the International Brain Injury Association, Title: Cerebral Vasoreactivity Persists Beyond Symptom Resolution Following Concussion in Collegiate Athletes
Sushmita Purkayastha, second year extension, May 9, 2017, of pilot grant awarded (amount $74,802.00) by the Texas Institute for Brain Injury and Repair, a Texas state endowment awarded to UT Southwestern Medical Center to advance brain injury research. Title of the Grant: Association between cerebrovascular hemodynamics and clinical symptoms in sports-related concussion.
Mark Rudich, Lecturer. Abstract: "The Effect of Aerobic and Resistance Training Exercise on Blood Pressure Response in College Aged Students (2017)” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Volume 49:5 Supplement, May 2017.
Mark Rudich, Thematic Poster Presentation: 2017 ACSM Annual Meeting (Denver, CO). "The Effect of Aerobic and Resistance Training Exercise on Blood Pressure Response in College Aged Students”, June 1, 2017.
Bradley J (B.J.) Warren, Lecturer. and Odenheimer-Brin, E. (April 2017). Advancing the physical activity curriculum at the collegiate level, Health Education, 117(4).
Bradley J (B.J.) Warren, Poster Presentation, National Wellness Conference St. Paul, Minnesota, The Impact of Curriculum and Goal Setting with College Students Fitness Levels, 91茄子 Methodist University affiliation (June 2017).
Bradley J (B.J.) Warren, Poster Presentation, Denver, Colorado American College of Sports Medicine National Conference, The Effect of Aerobic and Resistance Training Exercise on Blood Pressure Response in College Aged Students, 91茄子 Methodist University affiliation (June 2017).
Peter Weyand, Professor. Ludlow L., Walking economy is predictably determined by speed, grade and gravitational load. Journal of Applied Physiology (July 2017).
Peter Weyand, New York Times, “In Mighty Gallop, There’s a Hitch” front-page feature story (digital version) on the uneven running gait of Usain Bolt based on the mechanics research of the Locomotor Performance Laboratory, July 20, 2017.
Peter Weyand, New York Times, “In Mighty Gallop, There’s a Hitch” Sports section feature story (Sunday Times sports section) on the uneven running gait of Usain Bolt based on the mechanics research of the Locomotor Performance Laboratory, July 23, 2017.
Peter Weyand, Jamaica Observer, “Study suggests Usain Bolt’s uneven stride makes him fast, July 20, 2107.
Peter Weyand, Slate Magazine, “How Usain Bolt Could Have Run Even Faster” feature story, August 4, 2017.
Peter Weyand, BBC 5 Radio, Interview with Locomotor Performance Laboratory doctoral student, Andrew Udofa on his research on Usain Bolt’s running mechanics. August 5, 2017.
Peter Weyand, Quartz Magazine, Lightning Bolt: The science explaining how Usain Bolt became the fastest human in the world, feature story on 91茄子 research on Usain Bolt and sprint running mechanics, August 2, 2017.
Peter Weyand, HowStuffWorks.com. “Scientists Discover Something Mind-blowing about How Usain Bolt Runs”, August 2, 2017.
Peter Weyand, Outside Magazine, “Inside the effort to crack the Sub-Two Hour Marathon”, online feature story, August 29, 2017.
Peter Weyand, Science Magazine, What will it take to break the 2-hour marathon? Online feature story, May 8, 2017.
Peter Weyand, Desert News (Salt Lake City, UT), Do blades give runners an unfair advantage. June 27, 2017.
Dispute Resolution & Counseling
Barner, Robert, Associate Professor, The Transformational Odyssey: Finding your path to personal transformation & self-renewal (2017). Information Age Publishing; Charlotte, NC.
Barner, R. & Ideus, K. Working Deeply: transforming lives through transformational coaching (2017). Emerald Group Publishing: London.
Barner, R. Understanding transformational learning in coaching engagements. (June 11, 2017). Presentation to the Graduate School Alliance for Education in Coaching. Toronto, Canada.
Davis, Greta, Clinical Associate Professor. McAlister, G., (2017, November). Bridging differences, brokering peace: Schools counselors empowered to make schools safe for all students. Presentation at the Texas Counseling Association Professional Growth Conference, Galveston, TX
Davis, G. A. (2017, November). Managing natural polarities to enhance development and well-being. Presentation at the Texas Counseling Association Professional Growth Conference, Galveston, TX
Davis, G. (2017, June). Structured interview shape-up. Career Management Program Newsletter (A publication of the Career Management Program at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation with national Distribution).
Gay McAlister, Clinical Associate Professor. & Davis, G. A. (2017, November). Bridging differences, brokering peace: Schools counselors empowered to make schools safe for all students. Presentation at the Texas Counseling Association. Galveston, TX.
McAlister, G. (2017, February.) Intersection of Ethics and the Internet. Presentation at the Texas School Counselor Association Professional Growth Conference, Arlington, TX.
McAlister, G., & Davis, G. A. (2017, February.) Bridging differences, brokering peace: Schools counselors empowered to make schools safe for all students. Presentation at the Texas School Counselor Association Professional Growth Conference, Arlington, TX
Mitakidis, Angela, Clinical Assistant Professor. Interviewed by CBS News on 5/30/17 on “Tips for effective conflict resolution” following the Texas Legislature conflict.
Mitakidis, Angela, Panelist for Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the Dallas Bar Association on Cultural Diversity in Mediation (6/12/17).
Mitakidis, Angela, presented at the Medical Reserve Corps Conference on Resolving Conflicts with Volunteers and other Difficult People on 6/15/17.
Schumann, B. (February, 2017) Personalities in and out of the Playroom. Coastal Bend Chapter, Texas Association for Play Therapy Winter Workshop, Corpus Christi, TX.
Schumann, B., McAlister, G., Test, T. & King, K. (February, 2017) School counselors don’t always have time for self-care! Texas School Counselor Association and Texas Counseling Association 12thAnnual Conference, Arlington, TX.
Ritzi, R. M., Ray, D. C., & Schumann, B. R. (2017). Intensive short-term child-centered play therapy and externalizing behaviors in children. International Journal of Play Therapy, 26(1), 33-46. doi:10.1037/pla0000035
Schumann, B. & Wicks, J. (in press). Play Therapy. In D. Aslina (Ed.) Handbook of Clinical Counseling. Taylor & Francis/ Routledge: NY.
Snyder, Betty, Clinical Associate Professor (May, 2017). Optimizing Differences: Strategies for Working with Diverse Identities in a Polarized Society. Presented at the Annual Southeast Conference of Conflict Management.
Education Policy & Leadership
Berebitsky Daniel, Assistant Professor. Berebitsky, D. & Salloum, S. J. (2017). The Influence of Collective Efficacy on Mathematics Instruction in Urban Schools. Journal of Research on Organization in Education, 1.
Berebitsky, D. & Andrews-Larson, C. (2017). Teacher Advice Seeking: Relating Centrality and Expertise in Middle School Mathematics Social Networks. Teachers College Record, 119(10).
Black, Jr, Watt, Clinical Assistant Professor. Published article in the University of Missouri Law Review, Volume 82, Issue 1. The article was entitled, “When Teachers Go Viral: Balancing Institutional Efficacy Against the First Amendment Rights of Public Educators in the Age of Facebook”.
Gandara, Denisa, Assistant Professor. Co-authored a book called Outcomes Based Funding and Race in Higher Education Can Equity be Bought? ()
Gandara, D. Received a research grant ($35,000) from the American Educational Research Association for a project titled, The "promise" of free tuition and impacts on college enrollment: Differences across race and socioeconomic status (with Co-PI Dr. Amy Li, University of Northern Colorado)
Gandara, D. with co-authors Jennifer A. Rippner and Erik C. Ness. Exploring the ‘How’ in Policy Diffusion: National Intermediary Organizations’ Roles in Facilitating the Spread of Performance-Based Funding Policies in the States. The Journal of Higher Education (Volume 88, Issue 5)
Hernandez, Frank, Professor. 2016-17: The Maguire Ethics Center Faculty Incentive Grant: The Maguire Center for Ethics & Public Responsibility (91茄子). Grant Amount (Awarded): $10,000.
Hernandez, F. Endo, R. (2017). Developing and Supporting Critically Reflective Practitioners: Diverse Perspectives for the Twenty-First Century. Sense Publications
Murakami, E., Hernandez, F., Almager-Quintana, I., Valle, F. (2017). Latina/o school administrators and the intersectionality of professional identity and race. Sage Open.
Hernandez, F., & Marshall, J. (2017). Auditing Inequity: Teaching aspiring administrators to be social justice leaders. Education and the Urban Society. Vol 49(2) 203-228
Nino, J., Hernandez, F., Valle, F. & McPhetres, J. (2017). Latina/o school principals as instructional leaders. Association of Mexican American Educators (AMAE) Journal.
Hernandez, F. (2017). “Gay rights in the locker room” In (Eds.) Paul Chamness Miller and Cu-Hullan Tsuyoshi McGivern, Queer Voices from the Locker Room Information Age Publishing.
Hernandez, F. (November, 2017). The role of school leaders in developing and supporting critically reflective teachers. University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA). Denver, CO
Chiang, E., Richards, M., Hernandez, F. (November, 2017). How principals are passing the test: An analysis of principal licensure exams. University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA).Denver, CO.
Hernandez, F. & McPhetres, J. (October, 2017). Adolescent’s perceptions of sexual relationships between students and teachers. The Consortium of State Organizations for Texas Teacher Education (CSOTTE) Annual Conference Corpus Christi, TX
Hernandez, F. Received the Exceptional Editorial Board Service Award: Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership
Pavlakis, Alexandra, Associate Professor, (2017). Gaining access and building rapport in case studies: Working with families, schools, and communities in the context of homelessness. SAGE Research Methods Cases. 10.4135/9781526423597
Pavlakis, A.E. & Duffield, B. (2017). The politics of policy in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act: Setting the agenda for students experiencing homelessness. The Urban Review, 49(5).
Pavlakis, A.E., Goff, P., Miller, P.M. (2017). Contextualizing the impact of homelessness on academic growth. Teachers College Record, 119(10).
Pavlakis, A.E., del Rosal, K., Ware, P., & Conry, J. (2017). Connecting through connectivity: Parent engagement through technology and 4G tablets. American Educational Research Association, San Antonio, Texas.
Modeste, M. & Pavlakis, A.E. (2017). Theory amid policy and practice: A typology of theory use in educational leadership scholarship. American Educational Research Association, San Antonio, Texas.
Tull, Ashley, Clinical Associate Professor. Received the 2016-2017 Rotunda Outstanding Professor Award
Tull, A. & Cavins-Tull, H. (2017). Are Fraternities and Sororities Relevant in Today's World. In J. L. DeVitis & P. A. Sasso (Ed.s). Colleges at the Crossroads: Taking Sides on Contested Issues. New York, NY: Peter Lang.
Ketterlin Gellar, Leanne, Professor, (April 2017). Keynote: The Power of Mathematics and Science. Presented at the Inaugural Symposium for President David Chard, Wheelock College, Boston, MA.
Ketterlin Gellar, Leanne, Grant: Measures of Mathematical Reasoning Skills, National Science Foundation, Discovery Research PreK-12, Budget from 2017-21: $2,549,000 Description: Principal Investigator responsible for developing and evaluating the validity of a universal screening assessment system for numerical relational reasoning and spatial reasoning for students in grades K-2.
Ketterlin Gellar, Leanne, Grant: Elementary and Middle School Students in Texas Algebra Ready Initiative Enhancements, Educational Services Center, Region XIII; Texas Initiatives Budget from 2017: $115,000, Description: Principal Investigator responsible for initiating and evaluating enhancements to the ESTAR and MSTAR universal screening and diagnostic assessment systems for students and teachers in grades 2-8.
Ketterlin Gellar, Leanne, Grant: Spanish Assessments Validity Studies, istation: Imagination Station, Inc.Budget from 2017-18: $475,000 Description: Principal Investigator responsible for evaluating the validity of Spanish Assessments in grades PK-5.
Baker, Dominique, Assistant Professor. Presented “Beyond the incident: Institutional predictors of student collective action,” Midwest Political Science Association, April 2017. (with Richard S. L. Blissett)
Baker, D. J., & Doyle, W. R. (2017). Impact of community college student debt levels on credit accumulation. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 671(1), 132-153.
Flores, S. M., Park, T. J., & Baker, D. J. (2017). The racial college completion gap: Evidence from Texas. The Journal of Higher Education. Published online first.
Teaching & Learning
Stephanie Al Otaiba, Professor. Petscher, Y., Wanzek, J., Rivas. B., & Jones, F. (2017) The relation between global and specific mindset with reading outcomes for elementary school students, Scientific Studies of Reading, 21:5, 376-391, DOI: 10.1080/10888438.2017.1313846
Wanzek, J., Petscher, Y., Al Otaiba S., Rivas, B., Jones, F. J., Kent, S., Schatchneider, C., Mehta, P. (in press). Effects of a yearlong supplemental reading intervention for students with reading difficulties in fourth grade. Manuscript accepted for publication in Journal of Educational Psychology.
Stephanie Al Otaiba, Evaluating Mindset as a Pathway to Enhance Students’ Response to Reading Intervention; National Institute of Health 1R01HD091232; 08/2018-07/2022, ($2,874,578.90) Co PI, PI: Dr. Jeanne Wanzek, Vanderbilt University
Jill Allor, Professor. Lindo, E. J., Weiser, B., Cheatham, J. P., (in press; available online). The benefits of a structured literacy tutoring program for struggling elementary readers. Reading and Writing Quarterly: Overcoming Learning Difficulties.
Jill Allor, Note that 2 of the authors (Weiser and Cheatham) are graduates from our PhD program. Allor, J. H., & Minden-Cupp, C. (2007). Bookshop Phonics for First Grade. New York, NY: Mondo.
Doris Baker, Associate Professor, Richards-Tutor, C., Sparks, A, & Canges, R. (in press). Review of single subject research examining the effectiveness of interventions for at risk English learners. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice.
Crespo, P., Jiménez, J., Rodríguez, C., Baker, D.L., Park, Y. (in press). Differences in growth reading patterns for at-risk Spanish-monolingual children as a function of a tier 2 intervention. The Spanish Journal of Psychology.
Baker, D.L., Basaraba, D., Smolkowski, K., Conry, J.s, Hautala, J., Richardson, U., English, S., & Cole, R. (2017). Exploring the Cross-Linguistic Transfer of Reading Skills in Spanish to English in the Context of a Computer Adaptive Reading Intervention. Bilingual Research Journal. DOI: 10.1080/15235882.2017.1309719.
Baker, D.L., Presentations: (10; 2 international invited presentations. One as keynote speaker at a conference with more than 800 attendees. Six presentations with graduate students, three at AERA. One presentation at the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness)
Baker, D. L., (2017, June). El aprendizaje de la lectura en idiomas alfabéticos [Learning to Read in Alphabetice Languages]. Keynote address at the II Jornada de actualización en dificultades de aprendizaje, de la evidencia a la práctica [Second Refresher Conference on learning difficulties, from the evidence to practice] in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I also presented this address at the Universidad de San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Baker, D. L., (2017, June). Intervenciones psicopedagógicas en el ámbito escolar. [Psychopedagogical Interventions in Schools]. Presented at the II Jornada de actualización en dificultades de aprendizaje, de la evidencia a la práctica [Second Refresher Conference on learning difficulties, from the evidence to practice] in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Baker, D. L., Hao, M.S, & Gallegos, E., (2017, April). Effects of Hispanic parental workshops on parent early literacy knowledge and their children’s expressive vocabulary. Round table American Education Research Association, San Antonio, TX.
Richards-Tutor, C., Baker, D. L., Sparks., AS. (2017, April). Effective interventions for English learners with learning disabilities: a review of single subject design studies. Round table presentation at the American Education Research Association, San Antonio, TX.
Mellado de la Cruz, V., Al Otaiba, S., Rivas, B., Yovanoff, P., Clemens, N., & Baker, D. (2017, April). Knowledge to inform access to early literacy intervention: The role of English and Spanish assessments in kindergarten. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the American Educational Research Association, San Antonio, TX.
Baker, D. L., Awarded (1) Title: Development of a Prototype of a Mobile HTML5 App Using a Social Studies Unit of the English Learner Vocabulary Acquisition Project (ELVA 2.0). Funder: University Research Council, 91茄子 Principal Investigator: Funding: $7,437
Dara Rossi, Clinical Associate Professor. Roman, D., del Rosal, K, & Perez, G. (August 2017). There is no conservation without education: Embedding social topics in the teaching of science in the Galapagos Islands. Presentation at the international conference of European Science Education Research Association, Dublin, Ireland.
Amy Rouse, Assistant Professor. Graham, S., Gillespie & Harris, K.R. (in press). Scientifically supported writing practices. In A. O’Donnell (Ed.), Oxford handbook of educational psychology. Oxford University Press: Oxford, England.
Gillespie Rouse, A., & Kiuhara, S. (2017). SRSD in writing and professional development for teachers: Practice and promise for elementary and middle school students with learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 32(3), 180-188.
Candace Walkington, Associate Professor, & Hayata, C. (2017). Designing Learning Personalized to Students’ Interests: Balancing Rich Experiences with Mathematical Goals. ZDM Mathematics Education, 49(4), 519-530. DOI: 10.1007/s11858-017-0842-z
Williams-Pierce, C.C.*, Pier, E.*, Walkington, C., Clinton, V., Boncoddo, R., Nathan, M., & Alibali, M. (2017). What we say and how we do: Action, gesture, and language in proving. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 48(3), 248-260.
Nathan, M. & Walkington, C. (2017). Grounded and Embodied Mathematical Cognition: Promoting Mathematical Insight and Proof Using Action and Language. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications 2(1), 9. DOI: 10.1186/s41235-016-0040-5
Bernacki, M., & Walkington, C. (April, 2017). The role of situational interest in personalized learning. Presentation at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Antonio, TX.
Walkington, C., & Nathan, M. (April, 2017). Embodied Mathematical Cognition: Directed Actions in a Video Game Environment Promote Mathematical Insight and Proof. Presentation at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Antonio, TX.
Williams-Pierce, C., Walkington, C., Landy, D., Lindgren, R., Levy, S., Nathan, M.J., & Abrahamson, D. (June, 2017). Enabling and understanding embodied STEM learning. Pre-conference workshop conducted at the 2017 International Conference on Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning.
Walkington, C., Implementing Personalized Learning (PL) in an urban district. Invited talk given at 2017 Play, Make, Learn conference. Madison, WI.
Paige Ware, Professor, (2017). Raising Texas Teachers Charles Butt Scholars. Up to $400,000 from the Raise Your Hand Texas Foundation to support pre-service teachers.