Research
Current Projects
My research interests include the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) and the impact of mental imagery on study habits and memory. I regularly work with graduate and undergraduate students to publish peer-reviewed research and present at regional and national conferences. Currently, I am completing a project looking at the impact of serving as an undergraduate teaching assistant on students' future academic careers. Additionally, my graduate student and I are studying aphantasia (the inability to voluntarily create mental images) and its effect on the college student experience, specifically studying and reading comprehension.
Selected Publications
Cavazos, J., Hakala, C. M., Schiff, W. B., & White, J. A. (2022). Flexible Teaching During a Pandemic and Beyond: A Reflection on Lessons Learned from the Society for the Teaching of Psychology’s Pivot Teaching Committee. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology (in press).
Cavazos, J., Riggenbach, K., & Brewer, K. (2021). Making Large Classes Feel Small: An Examination of Student Interactions with Undergraduate Teaching Assistants. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 7(4), 263-277. https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000290
Goldman, J., Cavazos, J., Heddy, B. C., & Pugh, K. J. (2021). Emotions, values, and engagement: Understanding motivation of first-generation college students. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.ou.edu/10.1037/stl0000263
Goldman, J., Heddy, B. C., & Cavazos, J. (2021). First-Generation College Students’ Academic Challenges Understood Through the Lens of Expectancy Value Theory in an Introductory Psychology Course. Teaching of Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628320964787
Cavazos, J., Stern, W., Stephenson, E., & Heddy, B. (2020). Myth-Busting with Infographics: Do Creative Assignments Help Students Learn? Teaching of Psychology, 48(2), 117–123. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628320977269
Pratt, I., Harwood, H., Cavazos, J.T., & Ditzfeld, C.P. (2019). Should I stay or should I go? Retention in first-generation college students. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory, and Practice, 21(1), 105-118. https://doi.org/10.1177/1521025117690868.
Ditzfeld, C.P., Cavazos, J.T., & Monroe, K.B. (2016). Curmudgeon personality: Seeing the positives and just not liking them. Personality and Individual Differences, 92, 92-96.
Paper Presentations and Talks
Cavazos, J. Tech Tools for Taming Your To-Do List (invited presentation). National Institute for the Teaching of Psychology Annual Conference, 2022.
Cavazos, J., Hakala, C., Schiff, W., & DeCoster, J. STP Task Force on Pivot Teaching (invited presentation). American Psychological Association Annual Conference (virtual), 2021.
Cavazos, J. Using Climate Surveys to Understand Student Experiences (invited presentation). National Institute for the Teaching of Psychology Annual Conference (virtual), 2021.
Cavazos, J. Scavenger Hunt for Student Success (presentation). National Institute for the Teaching of Psychology Annual Conference, 2020.
Cavazos, J. Using Teams to Make Large Classes Feel Small (symposium). Society for the Teaching of Psychology Annual Conference on Teaching, 2019.
Cavazos, J. TopHat 2.0: Using advanced features to boost student engagement. Session presented at the annual University of Oklahoma Academic Tech Expo, Norman, Oklahoma (2019).
DuBois, B., Cavazos, J., Eggerman, J. Everyday Technology for the Productive Professor (panel discussion). National Institute for the Teaching of Psychology Annual Conference, 2018.
Invited Speaker: Engaging Students with Technology. Oklahoma Network for Teaching of Psychology Annual Conference, 2018.
Cavazos, J. If you can't fight 'em, join 'em! Increasing classroom engagement using students' own devices as response tools. Session presented at the annual University of Oklahoma Academic Tech Expo, Norman, Oklahoma (2018).
Cavazos, J. & DuBois, Bob. Everyday technology for the productive professor. Session presented at the annual meeting of the National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology, St. Pete, Florida (2018).
Goldman, J.A., Heddy, B.C., Pugh, K.J., Wilson, L., & Cavazos, J. Examining first-generation college students’ emotions and values in response to transformative experience. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York City, NY (2018).
Goldman, J., Wilson, L., Cavazos, J., Heddy, B.C., & Pugh, K.J. Relationship between transformative experience and academic emotions in an intro psychology course. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C. (2017).
Invited Speaker: Sharing our stories: Why the best professors are also the best mentors. Oklahoma Network for the Teaching of Psychology Annual Conference, 2017.
Cavazos, J. Beers, M. How to survive (and thrive) when your institution picks a new LMS. Session presented at the annual meeting of the National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology, St. Pete, Florida (2017).
Research Talk: Self, give me strength: The rise of self-esteem following child mortality salience. Southwestern Psychological Association Annual Conference, 2013.
Research Talk: Personal need for structure and the processing of emotional stimuli. Southwestern Psychological Association Annual Conference, 2011.
Poster Presentations
Cavazos, J., & Baskin, H. Visual Mental Imagery and Study Strategies: Does Vividness Matter? (poster presentation). National Institute for the Teaching of Psychology Annual Conference, 2022.
Cavazos, J. Using Climate Surveys to Understand Student Experiences (invited presentation). National Institute for the Teaching of Psychology Annual Conference (virtual), 2021.
Cavazos, J., & Heddy, B. Debunking Myths with Infographics: A Transformative Experience. National Institute for the Teaching of Psychology Annual Conference, 2019.
Poster Presentation (Student-Led): The curmudgeon personality: Seeing the positives and just not liking them. Southwestern Psychological Association Annual Conference, 2015.*
Poster Presentation: Crib cards in introductory psychology: The illusion of success. National Institute for the Teaching of Psychology Annual Conference, 2015.
Poster Presentation (Student-Led): Parent cultural differences in the defensive self-esteem/child mortality salience connection. Race, Ethnicity, and Place Annual Conference, 2014.
Poster Presentation (Student-Led): Parent cultural differences in the defensive self-esteem/child mortality salience connection. Southwestern Psychological Association Annual Conference, 2014.*
Poster Presentation (Student-Led): Extending the self-esteem/child mortality salience connection to parental status and sex. Southwestern Psychological Association Annual Conference, 2014.*
Poster Presentation: Nature and nurture: The Joan/John Case. National Institute for the Teaching of Psychology National Conference, 2013.
*Student won Psi Chi Research Award
Media Contributions
PsychSessions Podcast Interview (Epidsode 141, 03/2022). https://psychsessionspodcast.libsyn.com/e140-jenel-cavazos-introductory-psychology-master-teacher-systems-oriented-thoughtful-mentor
Oklahoma Engaged: How Fear and Anxiety Impact Political Behavior (KGOU, 10/2020). https://www.kgou.org/post/oklahoma-engaged-how-fear-and-anxiety-impact-political-behavior
How Professors at The University of Oklahoma Use Productivity Techniques and Digital Collaboration Tools to Educate the Future Workforce (Dropbox Marketing, 09/2020). https://experience.dropbox.com/resources/university-oklahoma-customer-case-study
Interrogating Your Discipline, and Other Ways into Anti-Racist Teaching (Chronicle of Higher Education Teaching Newsletter, 7/2/2020). https://www-chronicle-com.ezproxy.lib.ou.edu/newsletter/teaching/2020-07-02
Keith, E. (2020, June 6). The Norman Transcript: OU Instructors Offer Online, Hybrid Teaching Advice [Newspaper article]. Retrieved from https://www.normantranscript.com/news/education/ou-instructors-offer-online-hybrid-teaching-advice/article
Overall, M. (2020, March 9). Tulsa World: OU Professors Disagree: Do Cellphones Belong in the Classroom? [Newspaper article]. Retrieved from https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/ou-professors-disagree-do-cellphones-belong-in-the-classroom
Cavazos, J. (2019, Oct. 29). Society for the Teaching of Psychology Guest Contributor: Practical Advice for Real-World Teaching [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://teachpsych.org/page-1784686/8082767
Cavazos, J., Collins, H., & King, L. (2019, Oct. 08). Insight into Teaching Intro Psychology: Sex and Gender [Podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.mheducation.com/highered/highered/discipline/psychology/podcasts.html
Cavazos, J., Landrum, E., & Wickes, K. (2019, March 26). Insight into Teaching Intro Psychology: Assessment in Psychology [Podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.mheducation.com/highered/highered/discipline/psychology/podcasts.html
Cavazos, J. (2018, Nov. 6). Easy Ways to Personalize Instruction for Student Success [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://tophat.com/blog/personalize-instruction-success/
Cavazos, J. (2018, Oct. 5). Classroom Management Techniques [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://tophat.com/blog/classroom-management-techniques/
Cavazos, J. (2018, July). How to Introduce a Classroom Response System [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://tophat.com/blog/classroom-response-system-tips/
Cavazos, J. (2018, May 23). The Novice Professor Blog: Using Technology to Increase Productivity [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://www.thenoviceprofessor.com/blog/using-technology-to-increase-productivity-q-a-with-jenel-cavazos
Cavazos, J., & King, L. (2018, Jan. 24). Insight into Teaching Intro Psychology: Biology Across the Curriculum [Podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.mheducation.com/highered/highered/discipline/10188/podcasts.html
Cavazos, J., Kittrell, C., & Matson, C. (2017, Nov. 7). Insight into Teaching Intro Psychology: Development [Podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.mheducation.com/highered/highered/discipline/10188/podcasts.html
Beers, M. & Cavazos, J.T. (2017, May 30). How to survive (and thrive) when your institution picks a new LMS [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://nobaproject.com/blog/2017-05-30-how-to-survive-and-thrive-when-your-institution-picks-a-new-lms
Cavazos, J., & King, L. (2017, March 15). Insight into Teaching Intro Psychology: Personality [Podcast]. Retrieved from https://soundcloud.com/mcgraw-hill-education/episode-i-insight-into-personality-psychology?in=mcgraw-hill-education/sets/insight-into-teaching-intro