Awe is a complex epistemic emotion characterized by perceptions of vastness and a need for cognitive accommodation, positioning it as a powerful mechanism for learning and development in higher education. This review synthesizes emerging literature on the role of awe in promoting academic growth, with particular attention to its relationships with curiosity, scientific thinking, and student well-being. Evidence suggests that awe is positively associated with academic engagement, self-efficacy, and motivation, often through its connection to curiosity and information-seeking behaviors. Additionally, awe appears to facilitate scientific reasoning by encouraging individuals to seek explanations for novel or complex phenomena, although this relationship may be influenced by individual worldviews. Beyond academic outcomes, awe is consistently linked to increased social connectedness, prosocial behavior, and reduced stress, all of which contribute to student success and adjustment in university settings. Drawing on Boyer’s model of scholarship, this review highlights how awe supports discovery, teaching, integration, and application within higher education. Practical implications are discussed, including the use of awe-inducing pedagogical strategies such as immersive technologies, experiential learning, and reflective practices. Overall, awe emerges as a multifaceted tool with the potential to enhance both academic and personal development, offering meaningful opportunities for innovation in higher education environments.
Open-access institutions provide equitable opportunities for students by removing traditional admissions barriers, yet female students face challenges that hinder their academic progression and increase dropout rates. These challenges, including familial responsibilities, financial stress, and cultural expectations, are intensified for first-generation students and those from underserved communities. While synchronous online sessions have shown the potential to foster engagement and community, it is unclear of their effectiveness in addressing these specific challenges for female students. By applying Tinto’s model of student retention, this reflective narrative uses institutional data from a public online open-access global university to analyze how synchronous online sessions in general education courses could provide the necessary support for female students’ success. By fostering meaningful engagement and personalized support, synchronous online sessions serve as a transformative tool that empowers students to thrive academically and persist through their educational journey.
As a practicing science teacher in a small urban district, I reflect on the daily tensions of enforcing cell phone bans amid adolescent development, parents’ needs, and administrative expectations. Findings reveal that resistance from parents, low awareness of problematic technology usage, and administrative burden often undermine bans. Alternatives to bans are difficult to identify and may warrant future exploration. While alternatives remain underdeveloped, this reflection explores provisional strategies including full technology integration, mindfulness, and explicit digital citizenship instruction. This inquiry blends personal classroom experience with scholarly reflection to explore policy tensions and pedagogical possibilities. Reflective practice helps me consider how my actions impact students and underscores the importance of teaching them to examine multiple perspectives as understanding evolves.
Nontraditional college students face unique challenges that impact their ability to complete academic programs, particularly in rigorous fields such as nursing. This reflective study examines the primary obstacles that nontraditional students encounter, including childcare responsibilities, time management struggles, and financial instability. Using Dewey’s model of reflective thinking, this paper explores how these barriers contribute to program attrition and highlights the role of student achievement coaching in mitigating these obstacles. Findings suggest that financial instability is the most significant factor affecting students’ academic success, influencing both their ability to manage time effectively and secure reliable childcare. Despite institutional support services, many nontraditional students do not seek assistance due to stigma or lack of awareness. This reflection emphasizes the need for colleges and universities to adopt a holistic approach to student support, including flexible scheduling, expanded financial aid options, and accessible childcare services. Addressing these concerns can improve retention rates and help nontraditional students achieve their academic and career goals.
This reflective practice manuscript examines how extreme shyness impacts third-grade students’ reading achievement and how pedagogical assumptions can inadvertently create participation inequities. Initially, assuming temperament was the primary factor limiting engagement, systematic observation and current research revealed that self-perception and teacher-student relationships exert a stronger influence on participation than innate traits. Using Greenberger’s (2023) Guide for Reflective Practice (GRP), this inquiry evaluated three working ideas as potential root causes of reading reluctance: temperamental predispositions, family dynamics, and self-perception. The results revealed that self-perception and teacher-student relationships offer the most significant leverage for classroom interventions. Key findings highlight the importance of emotionally supportive classroom environments, targeted feedback to reframe self-perceptions, and trusting teacher-student relationships that encourage academic risk-taking. Recommendations include low-pressure participation structures, private rehearsal opportunities, and consistent positive literacy experiences to help shy students develop reading confidence and fluency. This reflection demonstrates how systematic reflective practice enables educators to examine assumptions about quiet students and implement evidence-based strategies to create equitable learning experiences for all learners.
