Digital Commons Network^™

The Fraternity And Sorority Experiences Of Students At A Hispanic-Serving Institution, Victoria Suttmiller

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In 2021 the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA) jointly published recommendations for higher educational professionals on the future of fraternity and sorority life. Among these recommendations was a focus on the communication between campus leaders and students and the need to better understand the beliefs, motivations, and chapter culture. In addition, AFA pillars include advancing the research of the fraternity and sorority community to engage in and provide scholarly work to higher education professionals.In the fall of 2021, the University of Texas at El Paso hosted the Piazza Center for Fraternity …

A Case Study On Promoting A Healthy School Culture To Combat Childhood Obesity And The Role Of The Principal, Nancy Torres

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

AbstractObesity is the leading cause of death worldwide. Childhood obesity has jumped to 22.4% in 2020 from 19.3% in 2019. One-third of children are overweight and obese, with an approximately 66% chance of becoming an obese adult. The costs of obesity are to overall health: financial, physical, social, and emotional. Obesity affects students at school, a point of service. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine what efforts has the principal undertaken to address childhood obesity in a Title I elementary school on the US-Mexico border and how these efforts helped to define and shape the schoolâ??s culture. …

Encontre Mi Voz: Consejitos De Mi Madre, Testimonio Del Margen: Experiences Of A Former Chicana Administrator In Student Services At A Hispanic Serving Institution, Carla Cardoza

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

For a very long time, Chicanas have experienced longstanding marginalization and oppression in higher education. They have been subjected, degraded and their voice silenced due to long-standing discrimination and oppression. Thus, the number of Chicanas in leadership roles in higher education is dismal. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how I found my voice through testimonio and self-reflection of my endured experiences and challenges as a former Chicana administrator in student services at a Hispanic Serving Institution. This study employed the theoretical frameworks of consejos and consejitos (Delgado Gaitan, 1994; Sanches & amp; Hernandez, 2020) and a …

Rising Responsiveness: The Roles And Influence Of U.S-Mexico Borderland Public University Board Leaders On Student Diversity, Daniel Rodriguez Dominguez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The study sought to learn how governing boards of public university systems located along the U.S.-Mexico border exercise their roles and influence over matters of student diversity. Traditionally, governing boards have been dominated by older white males and have concentrated their attention on high-level financial issues. In addition, the boards have enacted policies and rules directed to traditional student populations of young white males who earn their bachelor's degrees in four years. This notion is no longer valid and is being challenged by increasingly enrolling diverse communities. Student body composition on campuses nationwide have changed noticeably since the beginning of …

Experiencing Transition: Bilingual Teachers' Voices In A Dual Language Program, Beatriz Garcia Soria

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study is to gain insight into the experience of bilingual teachers undergoing a change of bilingual education program, from a TBE model to a DLBE model . This study documents the ways the bilingual teachers experienced changes in their language ideologies, their teaching practices, and the support, or lack thereof, from the administration and the community. This study contributes to the existing literature on bilingual teachers and bilingual education by centering the voices of the teachers during the process of change of bilingual education models. The study also adds to the literature because of the …

A Qualitative Case Study Of The Role Of Reflective Practices In Pre-Service Dance Teachers' Development Of Pedagogical Content Knowledge And Critical Consciousness, Josey Marie Pickett

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative case study investigates the ways stakeholders in a senior/seminar teaching practicum construct and engage in reflection. It also explores the ways these modes of reflection intersect with pre-service dance teachersâ?? development of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and critical consciousness (CC). Specifically, the study contributes to the minimal amount of literature on the use of reflective practices in dance teacher education by using the theoretical framework of reflection-in-action and embodiment to bring greater attention to the informal, social, dialogical, and embodied dimensions of teaching and learning. Themes identified related to pre-service dance teachersâ?? development of PCK and CC in …

A Mixed Method Approach To Explore Lecturers' Pedagogical And Content Knowledge, Students' Perspectives And Learning Experiences In Mathematics For Social Science Course, Julio Hector Solis

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Research indicates that institutions and teachers' pedagogical and content knowledge are essential to student learning and achievement. Nevertheless, teachers' knowledge and practices have been researched primarily in K-12th grades. Therefore, there is a gap in understanding teaching practices in higher education. Moreover, research has forgotten about exploring math classes for non-STEM majors. With this in mind, this research investigates how students perceive math professors' pedagogical and content knowledge and their effect on students' learning experiences in the context of mathematics for social science classes. To achieve this, this study takes a mixed-methods approach in its use of an observation protocol, …

An Intrinsic Case Study On The Implementation Of Project-Based Learning For Emergent Bilinguals And The Role Of Teacher Self-Efficacy At A Dual Language Campus On The U.S.-Mexico Border, Guadalupe Vela

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to understand the implementation of PBL at a dual-language campus on the U.S.-Mexico border (Stake, 2000). Project-based learning in a dual language setting can meet the demand for all students, especially emergent bilinguals, to receive equal and equitable learning opportunities that promote access to content knowledge regardless of student language proficiency (Howard et al., 2007; O’Brien et al., 2014). However, the success of implementing an innovation, such as PBL, is facilitated by the teacher’s belief in the tools and ability to enact the approach (Bandura, 1977). Therefore, the study also considered how …

A Case Study On Understanding How Servingness Is Enacted Through Undergraduate Academic Advising At A Hispanic-Serving Institution (Hsi) On The U.S.-Mexico Border, Brenda Velazquez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Both undergraduate academic advising and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) play a key role in Latinx student success. The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to explore servingness within the context of undergraduate academic advising at Border University (BU) - an HSI on the U.S.-Mexico border. The overarching research questions were: 1) How is servingness enacted through undergraduate academic advising at BU? and 2) What role do academic advisors play in enacting servingness? Conceptually, this study was guided by Garcia et al. (2019) Multidimensional Conceptual Framework of Servingness in HSIs and the existing literature on HSIs.

Data was collected from twelve …

Faculty Experiences Teaching In An Mba Program In The Context Of Covid-19 A Sensemaking Approach, Jesus Rolando Nuñez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Sensemaking framework is often utilized when disruptive events create ambiguity and force individuals to make sense of things differently, personally and professionally, by "structuring the unknown" (Waterman, 1990, p.41). By way of example, the COVID-19 pandemic was a significant disruptor to the education sector. Institutional decisions driven by the initial crisis kept daily functions and the educational process moving forward in 2020 by faculty members leveraging existing technology to continue teaching their students. The pandemic disrupted the daily routine of brick-and-mortar operations and many institutions' face-to-face delivery of academic content. The implications of the pandemic forced every faculty member …

Using Culturally Responsive Teaching And Funds Of Knowledge To Engage Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Students In Authentic Learning, Marybelle Gonzales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This study employed the theoretical frameworks of Culturally Responsive Teaching and Funds of Knowledge as lens for understanding how English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers in the Texas border region use culturally responsive teaching and funds of knowledge to engage culturally diverse students in authentic learning. The results of this study include the following themes: Curriculum, instruction and assessment of culturally and linguistically diverse students; lessons learned from virtual/online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic; culturally responsive teaching practices; funds of knowledge; and authentic learning. The results indicated that while English as a Second Language (ESL) in …

Latina/O Students In Community College: Institutional Actions And Persistence, Yvette V. Huerta

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the institutional actions related to Latina/o student success at a two-year institution in the southwest on the United States-Mexico border. Research has shown that institutional actions play a role in student persistence and completion and thus contribute to student success outcomes. Determining the institutional actions that contribute to student success will add to the limited higher education Latina/o research on institutional factors and provide information to community college leaders to improve student outcomes. The study examines three institutional actions and their relationship with three student persistence and achievement efforts.

The International Student Border Commuter Experience: An Investigation On The Southern U.S. Border, Kristin Oberheide

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Prior literature on transborder (transfronterizos, transfronteriz@s, or transfronterizx) students in the Mexico-United States border region focuses predominantly on United States citizens and the San Diego-Tijuana region. This phenomenological study focuses on Mexican citizen international students, who live in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, and commute across the border with student visas daily to attend college in El Paso, Texas. The study sought to determine â??What are the everyday experiences of Mexican international student border commuters?â?? Twenty-three international student border commuters were interviewed with a series of open-ended questions, during June 2016 in El Paso. The following seven themes emerged as the essence …

Students' Perceived Value Of Women's And Gender Studies And Chicana/O Studies At A Hispanic Serving Institution: A Quantitative Analysis Of "The Studies" In Higher Education, Hilda Na Ontiveros

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Previous research indicates that “The Studies” are helpful to students at both K-12 and higher education levels. Most of these studies focus on K-12 schools, fewer are at the higher education level, and few use quantitative methods to examine students’ perceptions of “The Studies.” The purpose of this study is to research students’ perceived value of Women’s & Gender Studies and Chicana/o Studies at a Hispanic Serving Institution. This quantitative study employed a feminist framework and methodology to develop a survey instrument and to analyze the survey responses from students who took courses in Women’s & Gender Studies and Chicana/o …

¡Sí Se Puede!: Understanding The Experiences Of Latina Students During Their Doctoral Journey At A Hispanic-Serving Institution, Flor Del Rocio Acevedo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The existing body of literature on Latinas has mostly been focused on the undergraduate student experience (Hernandez, 2002; Hurtado et al., 1996; Kena et al., 2016; Tinto & Goodsell, 1994; Torres, 2004). Additionally, despite the increasing participation of women in graduate education since the 1980s (Walker et al., 2008), Latinas have been and continue to be underrepresented in doctoral programs and the professorate (Myers, 2016). In spite of recent increases in enrollment, Latinas attained just 8.8 percent of the doctoral degrees awarded from 2018-2019 (National Center for Education Statistics, 2020). As Latinas are projected to account for a third of …

Developing And Validating The Student Assessment-Based Feedback Literacy (Safl) Instrument: A Mixed-Methods Approach, Yiyu Liao

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Feedback has great influences on student retention and completion, especially on the minority students in higher education. However, the debates on the paradoxical difference between feedback’s theoretical potential and its effect in actual practice remain unsettled. This study seeks to address some primary issues in feedback research by conceptualizing student assessment-based feedback literacy (SAFL) and developing the SAFL instrument. The systematic literature reviews in the study identify two trends of assessment-based feedback in higher education: no universal definition of assessment feedback and the lack of explicit understanding of how assessment and feedback literacies interacted. By building on the exiting student …

Leading In Gendered Spaces: Women Presidents' Perceptions Of Their Experiences In Community Colleges, Keri Moe

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Gender inequality in leadership is an ongoing challenge found in higher education, including community colleges. Since women remain underrepresented in leadership positions at community colleges, specifically as college presidents, the purpose of this study was to document and better understand the experiences of women in these roles by focusing on three research questions:

• RQ 1: How do women presidents describe their experience in male-dominated community colleges?
• RQ 2: How do gender identity and gender expectations of women impact the behavior of women community college presidents?
• RQ 3: How do women presidents navigate their role within male-dominated community colleges?

Through the …

Rewriting The Graduate Experience: A Study Of The Writing Experiences Of University Of Texas At El Paso Graduate Students Across Disciplines, Jennifer L. Wilhite

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Graduate writing can manifest as a barrier to successful and timely degree completion as writing is the primary modality in which graduate programs use to evaluate depth of learning and quality of knowledge created. Native language status, inexperience with advanced academic genres, time away from the academy, and socialization struggles are factors that can aggravate writing challenges. The purpose of this qualitative study is to better understand the graduate writing experiences of twelve women returning to the academy. The study asks if writing manifests as a barrier to completing their graduate programs, ascertains what kinds of graduate-level writing supports they …

Examination Of Enrollment Patterns And Behaviors Of High School Graduating Seniors At A Hispanic Serving Institution, Gustavo Monzon

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) are seeking new methods of improving efficiency and effectiveness in recruiting new undergraduate students. The investment of resources can be optimized through the use of predictive modeling. For example, the IHE may consider using predictive modeling as a means of determining where it may achieve optimal marginal returns on investment of marketing and operational resources. Through an understanding of factors influencing college choice, and the impact these factors have on the college choice process and subsequent participation in post-secondary education, it is hypothesized that the application of predictive modeling may support IHEâ??s in advancing opportunities …

Inform, Educate, And Guide: A Study On The Impacts Of The Law School Preparation Institute At The University Of Texas At El Paso, Rachel Serrano

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Between 1998 and 2018, the Law School Preparation Institute (LSPI) at The University of Texas at El Paso helped send four-hundred and nineteen students to law schools across the United States. The mission of the LSPI aims to prepare its students to be competitive in the application process and in law school. The preparation is accomplished by providing help with the law school application. The preparation is also accomplished by creating an environment where students feel supported and prepared for the rigorous workload of law school. The techniques students acquire in the LSPI intend to make the life altering transition …

A Mixed Methods Study Of Impostor Phenomenon In A Hispanic Serving Institution, Olympia Caudillo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Impostor phenomenon is a psychological experience where a highly talented individual doubts innate skills and accomplishments. Instead, success is attributed to factors other than intellectual ability, so the individual fears exposure as a fraud. Experiences of impostor phenomenon among students enrolled in Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) remains under-researched. This mixed-methods study aims to explore impostor phenomenon between doctoral students enrolled in a Hispanic Serving Institution based on existing research on impostor phenomenon, conducted in predominantly White institutions. The first phase of the study focuses on exploring impostor phenomenon in relation to doctoral studentsâ?? gender, type of program and generational status; …

Predictive Measures Of College Academic Success For Secondary Students At An Hispanic Serving Institution, Steven Smith

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of one of the latest Texas legislative efforts to increase the college readiness of Texas high school graduates. The study assessed whether students falling under this mandated measure of college readiness are as successful in their college level math and English courses as students who pass the Texas Success Initiative Assessment. Using a secondary data set, a set of binary logistic regression models were developed to analyze the predictive value of six variables in determining student success in their first college level math or English course. Descriptive statistics were used …

"The Complete Disregard For Our Children's Lives, The Targeting Of A Community That Can't Fight Back:" Families' Testimonios On Resisting School Closures On The U.S.-Mexico Border, Joshua Acevedo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Through the use of Latinx Critical Race Theory (LatCrit), with testimonios as a method of inquiry, this study analyzed families' experiences that led them to resist school closures. This study also chronicled families' experiences with the transition to new schools, after the school closures. Once schools closed, families described their transition to new schools. LatCrit was applied to interpret school closures through a social justice lens and understand how families experienced interconnected oppression related to their race/ethnicity, class, culture, immigration status, socioeconomic status, language, environment, and gender. The testimonialistas in this study were all members of Familias Unidas del Chamizal, …

Key Performance Indicators Of Health Cte Students At For-Profit Colleges And Public Community Colleges, Souraya Hajjar

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The advent of for-profit colleges to the higher education scene in the U.S. has challenged public community colleges on all levels; financial, academic, and consumerism. Research has shown that key performance indicators are more favorable at public community colleges than at for-profit colleges. Determining size and type of colleges, ethnicity and gender differences that contribute to total graduation rate of health Career and Technical Education (CTE) students will add to the limited research on the relationship between these constructs and provide information to prospective health CTE students about college enrollment. The study aims to examine institutional performance variables to assist …

To Intervene Or Not To Intervene: A Qualitative Study On Combating Sexual Violence Through Bystander Intervention In The U.S.-Mexico Border Region, Jovita Simon

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Sexual violence is a public health problem affecting high rates of college students (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2014). Per the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), "one in five women and one in 16 men" are survivors of sexual assaults while attending college (National Sexual Violence Resource Center [NSVRC], 2015, p. 2). Unfortunately, over 90% of sexual violence incidents are not reported to university officials (NSVRC, 2015). Sexual violence is pervasive; as such, higher education administrators have established educational programs to prevent incidents from occurring on campus. The purpose of this qualitative study aimed at understanding how …

Secondary Student Perceptions Of School Climate Elements And Self-Reported Academic Self-Efficacy As Factors Of School Continuous Improvement, Marianne Arzadon Torales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

State and national agencies recognize the link between school quality and student academic and behavioral outcomes. Research has shown that a positive school climate and high academic self-efficacy are associated with positive academic and behavioral student outcomes. Determining the school climate factors that contribute to academic self-efficacy will add to the limited research on the relationship between these two constructs and provide information to prospective and current school leaders in cultivating an effective school.

A multiple regression was used to determine how student-perceived school climate factors predict self-reported student academic self-efficacy and of these factors, which one provided the strongest …

Brokering Social Capital: A Qualitative Case Study On How A Hispanic Serving Institution Fosters Social Capital For First-Generation, Latinx, On-Campus Student Employees, Christian Corrales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Around 80 percent of undergraduates enrolled in U.S. higher education institutions are employed (Carnevale et al., 2015; Kena, Musu-Gillette, Robinson, Wang, Rathbun, Zhang, & Velez, 2015). Research shows that student employment is one of the most critical activities that affect students' post-secondary experiences and decisions while enrolled (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005; Perna 2010; Riggert et al., 2006; Tinto, 1993). The present study aimed at understanding how employing organizations and workplace environments of first-generation Latinx on-campus student employees influenced their ability to build social capital and navigate through higher education.

A social capital lens was used to help understand student participants' …

Faculty Attitudes And Perspectives About Community Engaged Scholarship At An Engaged Institution, Azuri Lizeth Gonzalez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Community engaged scholarship has become a method for higher education institutions to respond to public and societal needs. Decades into the establishment of the "engaged institution," studies reveal that higher education presents challenges for faculty to effectively succeed in academia while pursuing a community engaged scholarship agenda. This study employs the use of a constructivist grounded theoretical approach to explore faculty attitudes and perspectives on community engaged scholarship and the role the engaged intuition may have in their views. This study found that faculty were introduced to the term by their institutions but their views and understanding of community engaged …

Caregiver Experiences With The Dyslexia Identification Process In A Borderland Community In Texas, Angela Victoria Enriqueta Owens

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This phenomenological study (Moustakas, 1994; Peoples, 2020) uses critical disability theory (Devlin & Pothier, 2006) and intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989) as a lens for investigating the experiences of caregivers in a borderland community in Texas during their childâ??s dyslexia identification process. I used Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) which has roots in hermeneutic phenomenology (Heidegger, 1971) as a research method to answer the research question, how do caregivers from minoritized backgrounds in a Texas Borderland community experience the Dyslexia identification process in public schools. The three caregivers in this study were able to participate through face-to-face and virtual formats, due to the …

Impact Of School Closures On Principal Leadership And Identity, Isela Pena

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This Dissertation presents findings from a phenomenological qualitative study of three principals who experienced school closures. This research aimed at exploring the impact of school closures on principal leadership and leadership identity. Utilizing the Ackerman's and Maslin-Ostrowki's (2002) concept of the wounded leader, this study framed the school closure as a critical incident which caused these principals to experience a wounding, thus providing them an opportunity to reflect and create a narrative around their experience, and through this examination, potentially undergo a transformation leading to professional and personal growth. Through semi-structured interviews, three school principals who experienced school closures, shared …