Digital Commons Network^™

Faculty Perceptions Of Effectiveness And Impact Of Professional Development For Teaching, Research, And Service, Claudia Vela

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this explanatory mixed methods study was to examine faculty perceptions of effectiveness and impact of professional development for teaching, research, and service in a higher education institution in South Texas. This study provided quantitative and qualitative data from 165 faculty members from a Hispanic Serving Institution in South Texas. Participants in this research consisted of tenured 56.9% (n = 95) and tenure-track 41.1% (n = 69) faculty members who taught in different departments in the colleges of Health Affairs, Sciences, Liberal Arts, Engineering and Computer Sciences, Business and Entrepreneurship, and Education and P-16 Integration. The …

Development Of An Innovative Observational Astronomy Class For High School Students In Collaboration With The University Of Texas/Rio Grande Valley, Alan W. Hendrick

Theses and Dissertations

The vision presented by the National Academy of Science Standards is for all students to spend more time ‘doing’ science in order to develop science literacy and be better prepared not only for college but also in understanding and participation in global current events. A course in observational Astronomy is just that, an opportunity for student to “do ‘science by collaborating with actual scientists in real research. The course follows a path in which students learn foundational knowledge and apply this knowledge to complete a successful celestial observation, interpreting the results by making inferences and predictions. This paper begins with …

College Readiness Indicators Of First-Generation Hispanic High School Students In South Texas, William Morley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between first generation Hispanic student participation in an AVID program and college readiness. The dependent variable, college readiness, was measured by passing the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Reading, Writing, and Math assessment. Predictor variables included Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) elective course participation, Advanced Placement courses taken, Advanced Placement Exams taken, Advanced Placement Exams passed, Dual Enrollment Courses Passed, and ACT Composite score. A factor analysis was performed on the predictor variables, resulting in three independent variables for the study: AVID elective course participation, Average of T-scores for …

Coding The Discourse And Translingual Strategies Of Collaborative Writing Of Secondary Education Students, Zane Lee Arredondo

Theses and Dissertations

Kenneth Bruffee used collaborative writing pedagogy to help reacculturate students’ discoursal identities to help them adhere to the expectations of the academic community. Although studies have shown that reacculturation may not exactly happen, Collaborative writing pedagogy still has maintained its presence within Composition studies since then and has been adapted into being implemented into digitally shared spaces. However, one aspect has been overlooked about physical shared spaces, the conversations themselves being studied. This study explores Kenneth Bruffee’s constructive conversations among secondary students within collaborative writing pedagogy. The collaborative sessions are recorded and viewed with a translingual lens applying Johnny Saldana’s …

Variables Relevant To Self-Efficacy: Mexican-American High School Students With Specific Learning Disabilities, Matilde Barrera Alaniz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to ascertain if a relationship exists between self-efficacy and grade point average (GPA), age, gender, language proficiency, socioeconomic status, and failed grade levels during school career among Mexican-American high school students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) residing along the southwestern state of the Mexican border. Moreover, to learn if a relationship exists between motivation and the above variables. This study also observed if a relationship between motivation as measured by the Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-A) (i.e., external regulation, introjected regulation, identified regulation, and intrinsic motivation) and GPA existed; it also observed the correlation between …

Testing Acceptance Of Language Difference In Academia: Perceptions In A First-Year Composition Classroom, Crystal Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

In response to Bawarshi’s collective call for educators to be “more responsive and responsible users and teachers of English,” and motivated by the research of Michelle Hall Kells, I argue that it is necessary for educators to introduce first-year writing students to the historical and sociopolitical aspects of language use in academia through implementing lessons that focus on facets of language diversity. After describing a lesson plan focused on language diversity, I then analyze student feedback using Norman Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis as a lens. I also discuss the results of a Likert scale implemented during the three-phase study. Student …

The Lived Experiences Of Counseling Graduate Students And The Impact Of Their Studies In Their Marital Satisfaction, Vania S. Palacios

Theses and Dissertations

Due to high levels of stress that students find throughout graduate programs, professional and personal lives are at times not prioritized. The heuristic study focused on analyzing common themes among counseling graduate students at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, the coping mechanisms students have used to improve their marital/relational satisfaction, and common stressors in their marriage as a reflection of the counseling graduate program. The researcher provided a personal narrative for the study and analyzed transcriptions of the interviews of four counseling graduate students at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

A Testimonio Reclaiming Acceptance Of My Esl Experience: Trauma, Tex-Mex And Third Space, Cinthia E. Bernal

Theses and Dissertations

Language is a tool that brings all of us together, yet at the same time it also sets us apart. For many of us, it is important to be bilingual and biliterate, but for others, bilingualism is something that is pulling this country apart. Many people, after all, view Spanish as a powerful language that can harm this country, a language that has motivated people to attempt to make English the only language. Ana Celia Zentella tell us “Latina/os, who also have a long history in the United States and became the largest minority in the nation in 2003, are …

Exploring Bilingual Teachers' Beliefs About Academic Language Development In Mathematics Teaching: Implications For Bilingual Teachers' Professional Development, Viola Canales-Vela

Theses and Dissertations

The achievement of mathematics within Hispanic youth is of great concern across the nation. In order to improve student achievement in mathematics, the nature of a mathematics teacher’s complex belief system must be understood (McGee &Wang, 2014). The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study is to investigate the K-5 bilingual teachers’ beliefs about how to develop the academic language of mathematics in Spanish and English in the context of dual language programs at the elementary school level and bilingual teachers’ perceptions on the impact of professional development design for bilingual teachers to meet the needs of their students’ academic language …

Effectiveness Of The Flipped Classroom Model In Anatomy And Physiology Laboratory Courses At A Hispanic Serving Institution, Gerardo Sanchez

Theses and Dissertations

A flipped laboratory model involves significant preparation by the students on lab material prior to entry to the laboratory. This allows laboratory time to be focused on active learning through experiments. The aim of this study was to observe changes in student performance through the transition from a traditional laboratory format, to a flipped format. The data showed that for both Anatomy and Physiology (I and II) laboratories a more normal distribution of grades was observed once labs were flipped and lecture grade averages increased. Chi square and analysis of variance tests showed grade changes to a statistically significant degree, …

Using Pedagogical Tools To Help Hispanics Be Successful In Computer Science, Rodger Irish

Theses and Dissertations

Irish, Rodger, Using Pedagogical Tools to Help Hispanics Be Successful in Computer Science. Master of Science (MS), July 2017, 68 pp., 4 tables, 2 figures, references 48 titles. Computer science (CS) jobs are a growing field and pay a living wage, but the Hispanics are underrepresented in this field. This project seeks to give an overview of several contributing factors to this problem. It will then explore some possible solutions to this problem and how a combination of some tools (teaching methods) can create the best possible outcome. It is my belief that this approach can produce successful Hispanics to …

Resilience And Social Support Among College Students With Disabilities, Rachita Sharma

Theses and Dissertations

Since the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, individuals with disabilities have found enhanced opportunities in various areas of living. The numbers of students with disabilities in institutions of postsecondary education have also increased in the past few decades; however, despite this increase, the degree completion rates of students with disabilities continue to lag in comparison to their non-disabled peers in colleges and universities. As such, most universities currently have a designated office or department of disability accommodations designed to provide academic accommodations for students with disabilities. Nonetheless, current rehabilitation research is lacking in knowledge regarding interventions …

Existing Con El Lobo, Traversing La Frontera Con Mis Nepantla Coyotes, Y Buscando La Vida Del Zorro: An Autoethnographic Exploration Of A Chicano In Academia, Ernesto Fidel Ramirez

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is the experience of my life, an evolution of pláticas I have had con mis coyotes, my Nepantlero guides. I am one Chicano navigating through the mechanisms of a coercive and hegemonic system which limits our advancement in the academy. My ontology, epistemology, and axiology stem from my cultural and family foundations which I explore through the application of Testimonio. The dissertation consists of several chapter, first a description of the theoretical underpinnings which bolster my approach. I then guide you in a journey along a path of my discovery. My approach to how this study will be …

Examining Culture And Gender Roles In Latina Undergraduate Participation In Stem At Utrgv, Stephanie Garza

Theses and Dissertations

The study was designed to examine the role of familism and gender role beliefs on Latina pursuit of a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. This study surveyed Latino/a undergraduate students at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley to determine the influence of socioeconomic status, familism and gender role beliefs on pursuit of careers in STEM. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Pan-Hispanic Familism scale, the Attitudinal Familism scale and the Gender Role Beliefs scale. Findings revealed how major selection and pursuit of STEM is affected by students’ income level, familism, gender, and gender role beliefs. Results …

El Desarrollo De La Escritura En Dos Idiomas En Niños De Kindergarten, Gloria S. Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

El presente estudio se llevó a cabo en una clase de kindergarten bilingüe en un pequeño distrito escolar en el centro de Texas. El propósito de la investigación fue comparar las habilidades escritas de estudiantes bilingües que empiezan su desarrollo literario en sus primeros años de formación académica. Esto se realizó examinando las diferentes oportunidades de escritura que tenían los estudiantes en cada uno de los idiomas dentro del ámbito escolar. La investigación se concentró en tres estudiantes de enfoque, de los cuales se tomaron ejemplos escritos y se analizaron en base a las herramientas disponibles para su crecimiento en …

Elementary Teachers' And Principals' Concerns In The Implementation Of Inclusion In A South Texas School District, Lauren Y. Arce

Theses and Dissertations

This study addressed the in depth concerns that elementary regular education teachers, elementary special education teachers, and campus administrators in one South Texas school district have for the use or non-use of inclusionary practices as a means of educating students with special needs. These concerns that teachers and campus administrators have can influence the practice of inclusion. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to: (a) identify the levels of concern of elementary regular and special education teachers in one South Texas school district concerning the implementation of inclusion; (b) identify the levels of concern of campus administrators in …

The Hispanic Female Scholars: Experiences Of An Underrepresented Minority. A Study Of The University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Cecile Caddel

Theses and Dissertations

The study intends to illustrate how certain challenges influence the disparity of Latinas/Hispanic women pursuing a career in academia, in the Rio Grande Valley. Aside from the aspects, which drive these women to success, I also hope to uncover those, which restrict Hispanic women from achieving tenure within the university system. Conclusively, I intend to understand how the issues and circumstances of Latinas in pursuit of the professoriate, compares/differs from other marginalized groups.

The qualitative research process allows for individual interviews, in order to construct authentic interpretations of the challenges and conditions, which often affect the Hispanic woman in the …

Teacher Retention In Rural Schools Nested In Large Districts: An Ethnographic Qualitative Study, Sandra Gomez Cerda

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine the retention of teachers that work in large school districts with rural schools. The study examined: 1) the general characteristics of large school districts that have small rural campuses that retain and recruit teachers; 2) what draws teachers to teach in rural schools in large school districts; and 3) what factors contribute to decisions to stay at rural schools in large school districts. The author offers recommendations to retain teachers in rural schools nested in large school districts.

Investigating The Mathematical Dispositions And Self-Efficacy For Teaching Mathematics Of Preservice Teachers, Jasmine M. Cruz

Theses and Dissertations

The study of the individual's beliefs and the role and influence they have on the individual's actions and behaviors, have long been examined and investigated by educators and psychologists. Moreover, researchers have overwhelmingly claimed and demonstrated that the beliefs held by teachers significantly influences their behavior and educational practices in the classroom. This thesis study investigates the mathematical disposition and self-efficacy for teaching mathematics of preservice teachers. The study's primary goals are to discover if there is a relationship or association between a teacher's mathematical disposition(MD) and his/her self-efficacy for teaching mathematics (SEFTM), and if there are significant differences between …

Increasing Marine Debris Awareness Through Public Education And Analyzing Fish For Microplastic And Pollutant Contamination, Stephanie R. Dubois

Theses and Dissertations

Marine debris is any persistent solid material that is manmade and then disposed of into the world’s oceans. Outreach and education was used in combination with biological research using an indicator fish species to raise awareness about the impacts of marine debris and encourage change in behavior to reduce marine debris. Pre and post surveys were administered during marine debris education tours for K-12 students at the Coastal Studies Lab on South Padre Island, Texas to determine change in knowledge and behavior regarding marine debris. Pinfish were collected from Laguna Madre and stomachs and livers removed for microplastics content and …

A Critical Reflection Of The Self: An Autoethnography Of A Mexican American Educational Leader, Adriana Flores-Villarreal

Theses and Dissertations

This autoethnographic study seeks to explain how my "lived experiences" both personal and academic have had a profound effect on the course of my life. Autoethnography has allowed me to utilize "reflexivity, multiple voices, and introspection" to "invoke" readers to enter into my "emergent experience" of doing and writing research. As a first generation, Latina, migrant, high school dropout, I was destined to fail according to research. Through the use of testimonies, I have inscribed the struggles and understanding, creating new knowledge, and affirming my epistemology by writing about what I know best, "familia, barrio, life experiences." Through testimonio pedagogy, …

Empowering The Self, The Researcher, And The Leader: A Testimonio Of A Latina In Higher Education, Daria Lisa Cardoza

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation, my testimonio, is a critical self-reflection about my experiences as a Latina in higher education. I write my story with an awareness, a critical consciousness, of who I am as an individual in the shared spaces of my life—as a daughter, a sister, a mother, a student, a researcher, a teacher, a learner, a partner, a lover, a leader, and a work in progress—and an acute desire to be an agent of change. Through my educational journey, I have been able to honor my epistemological, mestiza consciousness, challenge how I view the world, my ontological framework, and understand …