Publications

Scholarly Journals--Published

• Iorio, M. F., Seavey, T. L., & Becerra, B. J. (2022). Experiences participating in online synchronous lectures during COVID-19 emergency remote teaching for first- and non-first-generation students. Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice, 20(4), 1-9. doi: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/ijahsp/vol20/iss4/15/ Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency remote teaching (ERT) was implemented in the U.S., and some of the most vulnerable college students struggled to adapt. Purpose: The current study sought to understand the experiences and outcomes of undergraduate students enrolled in radiography programs while participating in synchronous online lectures during ERT, especially first-generation students. Specifically, this study focused on students who participated in class lectures that were taught online in a live and synchronous format due to COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. Methods: This study utilized a retrospective and longitudinal design where participants were asked to answer a series of questions retrospectively at two points in time with each question forming a pair. Survey participants were enrolled as students during ERT in 2020 through 2021 and participated in class lectures that were taught online in a live and synchronous format due to COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. Results: Wilcoxon Signed-Rank and Spearman Rank-Order tests suggest that ERT has affected the experiences and outcomes of students enrolled in radiography programs, with more pronounced negative effects for first-generation students. Conclusion and Recommendations: The researchers recommend yearly and preventative planning across three academic and administrative areas to include training, support, and technology as essential strategies for delivering remote education, specifically online synchronous lectures, in the context of ERT situations. Strategies in these three areas will keep the academic success of the most vulnerable and underserved college student populations at the forefront during emergency remote teaching scenarios. (09/2022)
• Iorio, M. F., Seavey, T. L., & Becerra, B. J. (2022). Experiences participating in online synchronous lectures during COVID-19 emergency remote teaching for first- and non-first-generation students. Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice, 20(4), 1-9. doi: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/ijahsp/vol20/iss4/15/ Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency remote teaching (ERT) was implemented in the U.S., and some of the most vulnerable college students struggled to adapt. Purpose: The current study sought to understand the experiences and outcomes of undergraduate students enrolled in radiography programs while participating in synchronous online lectures during ERT, especially first-generation students. Specifically, this study focused on students who participated in class lectures that were taught online in a live and synchronous format due to COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. Methods: This study utilized a retrospective and longitudinal design where participants were asked to answer a series of questions retrospectively at two points in time with each question forming a pair. Survey participants were enrolled as students during ERT in 2020 through 2021 and participated in class lectures that were taught online in a live and synchronous format due to COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. Results: Wilcoxon Signed-Rank and Spearman Rank-Order tests suggest that ERT has affected the experiences and outcomes of students enrolled in radiography programs, with more pronounced negative effects for first-generation students. Conclusion and Recommendations: The researchers recommend yearly and preventative planning across three academic and administrative areas to include training, support, and technology as essential strategies for delivering remote education, specifically online synchronous lectures, in the context of ERT situations. Strategies in these three areas will keep the academic success of the most vulnerable and underserved college student populations at the forefront during emergency remote teaching scenarios. (09/2022)
• Kim, Y. K., Rennick, L. A., & Iorio, M. F. (2022). How effectively are you interacting with your students? Benefits of student-faculty interaction. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 33(3), 5-49. Using a state-wide college student dataset, this study examined how the type of student-faculty interaction uniquely conditions the predictors of student-faculty interaction (student characteristics affecting the level of student-faculty interaction, in this case) as well as the effects of such interaction on select college outcomes.  The results suggest that the level of student faculty interaction varies by student characteristics as well as by type of interaction.  Additionally, this study also uncovers findings related to how the type of student-faculty interaction conditions the effect of such interaction on students’ cognitive, affective, and civic outcomes.  The authors discuss the theoretical and practical implications of the findings. (06/2022)
• Iorio, M. F., Edmunds, W. J, & Becerra, B. J. (2021). Predictors of success on the credentialing examination in radiography for first- and non-first generation students. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice, 19(2), 1-9. doi: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/ijahsp/vol19/iss2/14/ Background: Identifying predictors of student success is fundamental across higher education in the United States, particularly for historically underserved first-generation students. In radiologic technology programs, the literature suggests that variables prior to and during matriculation in these programs affects scores on the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) credentialing examination in Radiography. However, the evidence in this area has not considered the educational patterns for first-generation students. Purpose: This study sought to improve our understanding about how select student background characteristics and experiences prior to and during the years enrolled in radiologic technology programs accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) affect scores on the ARRT credentialing examination in radiography, especially for first-generation students. Method: The researchers surveyed graduates from radiologic technology programs in 2018 and 2019 who attempted the radiography credentialing examination in these two years. Results: A total of 286 cases were included in the analysis, which revealed different patterns and effects of predictor variables on credentialing examination scores for first- and non-first-generation students. Whereas 10 variables prior to and during matriculation affected examination scores for first-generation students, only 8 did for their non-first-generation peers. Conclusion: Identifying predictors of success in radiologic technology programs helps professionals in these programs design environments that provide opportunities for students to enhance their chances to be successful on the Radiography exam, especially first-generation students. (03/2021)
• Iorio, M. F. (2020). The differential effects of college experiences on cognitive outcomes among first-generation subpopulations. Journal of Studies in Education, 10(1), 44-64. Study purpose was to evaluate how select college experiences affect cognitive  outcomes among racial/ethnic populations of first-generation students. A nationwide dataset consisting of the 2006 The Freshman Survey (TFS) and the 2010 College Senior Survey (CSS) was utilized to address the research question. Findings from this study suggest that select college experiences positively affect cognitive outcomes, but the magnitudes of these effects vary for racial/ethnic subpopulations. (02/2020)
• Kim, Y. K., Edens, D., Iorio, M. F., Curtis, C. J., & Romero, E. (2015). Cognitive skills development among international students. Journal of International Students, 5(4), 526-540. Set in the context of a statewide research university system, this study attempted to improve our understanding of cognitive skills development among international  students. Specifically, this study examined how the patterns and predictors of  cognitive skills development among this population differ from their domestic counterparts. The study utilized data from the 2010 University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES). This study identified unique patterns in both cognitive skills development and college experiences among international students. Findings also suggest that some college experiences, such as research engagement with faculty and satisfaction with advising, can possibly facilitate greater gains in cognitive skills among international students. The study discusses the theoretical and practical implications of the findings. (01/2015)

Books and Chapters

• Iorio, M. F. (2019). Perceived gains in cognitive skills among first-generation college students: Differences by race (Doctoral dissertation). ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global (Order No. 13810566). The more than 3,000 four-year colleges and universities in the United States are committed to the development of cognitive outcomes among students during the college years.  However, few studies have focused on the development of these outcomes for first-generation students, and even fewer have disaggregated the development of these outcomes by self-reported race/ethnicity within this population.  The purpose of this study was to improve our understanding of how college experiences influence perceived gains in cognitive skills among first-generation college students.  Specifically, this study answered the following questions: (a) How do the perceived gains in cognitive skills among first-generation students differ by race?  (b) What college experiences contribute to the perceived gains in cognitive skills among first-generation students when controlling for students’ input characteristics and college environments?  (c) How do the college experiences that contribute to the perceived gains in cognitive skills among first-generation students differ by race?  A quantitative research design utilizing a nationwide secondary dataset consisting of the 2006 The Freshman Survey (TFS) and the 2010 College Senior Survey (CSS) was employed to answer the research questions.  This longitudinal dataset included responses from 13,973 college students from approximately 100 four-year institutions in the United States who completed both the TFS in 2006 and the CSS in 2010.  From this college senior subset, 1,794 first-generation students were delineated from their non-first-generation counterparts.  Results show that Hispanic first-generation students reported the greatest gains in cognitive skills over the college years, followed by their counterparts who identified as Black, White, and Asian, respectively.  Findings also revealed that for aggregate populations of first- and non-first-generation students, academic engagement, student-faculty interactions, habits of mind, hours per week studying/homework, pluralistic orientation, and sense of belonging significantly and positively predicted gains in cognitive skills, although the magnitude of these effects varied for each population.  Results also suggest that the effects of these predictors on cognitive skills vary in terms of magnitude and significance for racial/ethnic subpopulations of first-generation students. (04/2019 - 02/2020)