Publications

College socialization through fiction: A Q Methodology study on the anticipatory socialization of first-generation students
(Nuñez, 2022)

This study aims to understand how prospective first-generation college students develop their perceptions of college engagement before college attendance through secondary sources. A group of high school students were assigned to read a college-themed mystery novel and rank a series of statements relating to college engagement before and after the activity. Viewpoints of college engagement shifted from a solely academic focus to a more holistic focus after reading the novel. Enjoyment and relatability of the novel were major factors contributing to the shift in viewpoints. Findings suggest that college preparation programs need to expand beyond academics to include social and emotional components through engaging mediums. DOWNLOAD

One University: An interdepartmental collaboration model to enhance online student engagement
(Nuñez, 2021)

As higher education institutions see the increased enrollment of online students, the services they provide must adapt to meet their needs. This chapter presents an in-depth case study of the steps that one private American university took, following Kezar’s model (2005), to improve online student engagement. The first phase involved buy-in from leadership and creating a valid justification for the collaboration efforts. The second phase involved taking the first steps to create a culture of collaboration across the institution. The third phase involved the development of programs that continued collaboration efforts through various campuses and departments to create tangible products promoting student success. The institution focused more on the process of collaboration than the results in an effort to create a foundation that could outlast staff changes and restructuring of departments. Early results indicate a potential for other universities to examine their processes used for collaboration between colleges and departments. DOWNLOAD

Development and assessment strategies of educational entertainment media for learner-centered instruction in higher education
(Nuñez, 2020)

Advances in technology provide students with unprecedented access to media and entertainment. In an effort to transition to a learner-centered approach to instruction, higher education institutions are using educational entertainment media, or edutainment, to engage students in problem-solving and higher orders of thinking. This article reviews six principles in designing edutainment media and strategies for assessment. Edutainment program examples used in institutions and their assessments are provided. DOWNLOAD

College media in the classroom: An innovative approach to college preparation
(Nuñez, 2019)

College preparation programs are ubiquitous among secondary schools, ranging from bridge programs and summer camps to STEM competitions. High school students have many options in preparing for the academic pressures of higher education. However, an area often neglected in college preparation programs is the teaching of interpersonal customs and norms of university life. High school students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, may enter college with little to no understanding of the social and organizational expectations of being a college student. This study tests a college preparation approach that utilizes college-themed media as a way to educate students on college life that is unintimidating and enjoyable. Six high school students were presented with various forms of fictional college story plotlines, including a movie, two television shows, and a novel. Through observational data and semi-structured interviews, findings showed that the students identified some valuable personal lessons about what it means to be a college student after consuming the media. The findings suggest that incorporating college media into college preparation programs in high school may provide a more holistic college preparation experience by demystifying college stereotypes and relieving some of the pressures that high school students face about what is waiting for them in college. DOWNLOAD

College in the media: The relationship between repeated exposure and college expectations
(Nuñez, 2018)

Media consumption can influence viewer perceptions and attitudes. Recent research on media’s effect on college students has failed to address gender differences. Using Mere Repeated Exposure Theory (traditionally used in marketing research), this study aims to answer three research questions regarding college media consumption and college perceptions: What types of fictional college media do college students consume? How does college media consumption differ by gender? How does fictional college media consumption relate to perceived college expectations? Results suggest that college students who consume high amounts of fictional college media are more likely to have positive attitudes towards partying and socializing in college. High consumers of college media, however, do not believe that college media influences their college perceptions. Men are more likely to socialize in college and are more aware than women that college media influences their college perceptions. Women are more likely to believe that college is difficult regardless of media consumption. DOWNLOAD

Understanding the meaning-making process of Hispanic college students in their spiritual and religious development
(Nuñez & Foubert, 2015)

This study used narrative inquiry to understand what spirituality and religiosity meant to Hispanic students attending a large, Midwestern university in the United States. The study consisted of interviews with 10 Hispanic students who discussed their spiritual and religious beliefs from childhood through college. Findings supported current literature that spirituality increases and religiosity decreases during college. However, after an initial decline in religiosity during the first year of college, participants reported a noteworthy increase shortly after college began. Secondly, students’ spiritual and religious beliefs were closely tied to their family, supporting research on familial centrality in Hispanic culture. DOWNLOAD

Cirrus clouds and contrails: A comparative analysis
(Nuñez, 2014)

Cirrus clouds have been classified by height since studies on these clouds began. Unfortunately, this method of classification does not take into account condensation trails, or contrails. As a result, there is no consensus concerning whether contrails can be categorized as a type of cirrus cloud or are a different phenomenon altogether. Cirrus cloud formation differs from contrail formation, but other properties, such as their thickness and occurrence, are very similar. Although contrails usually disappear without significantly impacting the atmosphere, occasionally contrails may act as a generating mechanism for cirrus clouds. The nuclei used for cirrus clouds and contrails originate from different sources, but both phenomena go through similar freezing processes as they develop. Updating the current cloud classification model might allow contrails to be classified as cirrus clouds. Further studies are also needed in order to better understand the net radioactive properties of both contrails and cirrus clouds. DOWNLOAD