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Art TEAMS promotes teaching innovation through arts, emerging media

An Art TEAMS participant teacher’s students co-create a “Learning Wall” — a method of “making thinking visible” and collaborative learning. View photo gallery.

As technology continues to rapidly evolve, a group of Nebraska researchers is collaborating with the state’s K-12 educators, artists and administrators to imagine the future of education.

The Teaching with Arts and Emerging Media (Art TEAMS) project is underway in classrooms throughout Nebraska. The five-year pilot project is designed to promote teaching innovation through arts and emerging media in Nebraska public schools. Full Article

Photovoice project provides clear view of Lakota women’s challenges, resilience

A rainbow after a storm symbolizes one Lakota woman’s struggles in transitioning back into society after her incarceration. The photo was taken by a participant in a recent photovoice project focused on the struggles — and strengths — of Indigenous women. View photo gallery of participants’ photos.

A recent project featuring photographs by Native American women has brought into focus some of the challenges they have faced — and highlighted their strengths and resilience.

Ramona Herrington, cultural outreach manager for the Interpersonal Violence Research Laboratory, and Preciouse Trujillo, senior community liaison with the Rapid City Family Project, led the project, which documented challenges and triumphs of Lakota women with histories of incarceration. Katie Edwards, IVRL director and professor of educational psychology and CYFS, worked with Herrington and Trujillo on the project. Full Article

‘Homegrown’ training program fills need for rural mental health professionals

Beth Doll and Matthew Gormley are leading a virtual training program that can be accessible to anyone interested in a career in school psychology, no matter where they reside. Learn more in the CYFS Research Network.

For small towns scattered throughout Nebraska, mental health professionals are hard to come by. Recruiting and retaining such professionals is crucial to ensuring these rural populations have access to quality mental health care.

Because mental health trainees are more likely to remain and work in the rural communities where they live, Beth Doll, professor of educational psychology, and Matthew Gormley, assistant professor of educational psychology are leading a virtual training program that can be accessible to anyone interested in a career in school psychology, no matter where they reside. Full Article

Study explores bullying that targets students with disabilities — and how to fight it

Miriam Crinion, graduate research assistant at the Buros Center for Testing, is using funding from a Society for the Study of School Psychology dissertation grant to explore the unique social experiences of adolescent students with disabilities who have been involved in bullying. Learn more about this project in the CYFS Research Network.

Being bullied is not pleasant for anyone. But for students with disabilities, the effects can be more damaging — and the risk of bullying is disproportionately higher.

Bullying is a public health crisis linked to adverse educational and mental health outcomes such as poor grades, negative perceptions of school, depression and anxiety. Students with disabilities have a greater risk of being victimized, as well as more social difficulties than peers without disabilities, and may be less responsive to existing bullying intervention programming. Full Article

Study reveals many American atheists hide their non-belief

Research by Dena Abbott, assistant professor of counseling psychology, reveals that because American atheists continue to experience a variety of social challenges, many are uncomfortable about disclosing their non-belief. Learn more about this project in the CYFS Research Network.

The religiously unaffiliated, including atheists, are the fastest-growing (non)religious population in the United States. But the social stigma associated with atheism leaves this population vulnerable to isolation and poor mental health outcomes.

Dena Abbott, assistant professor of counseling psychology, recently completed a yearlong study to investigate the psychological well-being of two groups of atheists — rural-residing and woman-identified atheists — in the context of anti-atheist discrimination in the U.S. Full Article

Get SET Nebraska addresses special education teacher shortage

From left, HyeonJin Yoon, Pam Brezenski, Kris Elmshaeuser and Amanda Witte are leading the Get SET project to help retain special education teachers in Nebraska. Learn more about this project in the CYFS Research Network.

As in other states, Nebraska’s ability to deliver high-quality instruction to students served in special education depends on the availability of qualified teachers.

Unfortunately, shortages of special education teachers — both statewide and nationally — leave many students in individualized education programs at further risk for compromised educational outcomes. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 49 states and the District of Columbia reported shortages of special education teachers in 2021. Full Article

Project affirms voices of Indigenous LGBTQ and two-spirit youth

A recent study found that although Indigenous LGBTQ2S youth experience a wide range of challenges, they also possess moderate to high levels of strength and resilience. Learn more about this project in the CYFS Research Network.

Indigenous youth with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and two-spirit (LGBTQ2S) identities experience high rates of violence, which may lead to harmful outcomes, such as mental health problems and substance abuse.

But despite the issues faced by Indigenous LGBTQ2S youth, a recent study suggests reasons for optimism. Full Article

Child care study examines whether kids eat healthier when mealtimes are positive

Jasmin Smith, graduate student in Human Sciences–Child Development/Early Childhood Education at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, is working with Dipti Dev, associate professor of child, youth and family studies and Nebraska Extension specialist, to explore the impact of mealtime emotional climate on child care providers’ feeding practices and children’s dietary outcomes. Learn more about the project in the CYFS Research Network.

As any parent knows, children and vegetables aren’t always a natural match. Research shows preschool-aged children are not meeting dietary recommendations, particularly when it comes to eating fruits and vegetables.

Dietary preferences are set early in life and carry throughout the lifespan, and poor diet is a risk factor for obesity, cancer, type II diabetes and other chronic diseases. Full Article