Education Commons^™

Critical Hope As Vehicle For Equity: Examining Teachers’ Paradigm And Pedagogy, Heidi Strikwerda, Jose Lalas

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

This current study framed the concept of “critical hope” and examined how systemic oppression in society continuously perpetrates the “hope gap” in low-income students. We defined critical hope, in this study, as the optimistic way of viewing and acting on the world from a critically historically conscious, socially and culturally situated perspective with a personal belief that inevitable change will inspire a sense of community, advocacy, liberation, and justice (Strikwerda, 2019). This rich definition incorporates the elements of hope deduced from existing related foundational and empirical research literature (Freire, 1970; Freire, 1994; Freire, 1997, bell hooks, 2004; Edwards et al., …

The Start Of A Conversation With Critical Friends: Can The Caltpa Be Used As A Catalyst For Program And Professional Inquiry?, Lara Ervin-Kassab, Karen Escalante, Daniel Soodjinda

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

Performance assessments of teachers and/or teaching (TPA) are becoming part of the educational accountability landscape on an international scale. This article presents insight into the process three teacher educators have followed as their research evolves from a critical document analysis into a collaborative self-study of their programs and practices. The work is framed by critical race theory and guided by practices undertaken in becoming critically reflective educators. This piece represents the conversations and connections to research around the critical need for educators to examine bias-based assumptions and internalized deficit-thinking. The tools we have developed for our next steps into collaborative …

Engaged Social Media In Higher Education While Avoiding The Label Of "Striving", Jessica Nerren

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

Striving has become a word laden with problematic meanings in the world of higher education. For instance, if a university is too aligned with business, or becomes overly selective, or deviates from original purpose or mission, then, at times, those actions are seen as striving (O’Meara, 2007). O’Meara (2007) defines striving as participation in efforts to improve status and prestige in line with the hierarchy. Allen (2021) echoes the problematic nature of this practice witnessed abroad, equating striving educational practices with neoliberalism, potentially overshadowing primary purposes of the institution, such as learning and teaching, or drowning out important parts of …

Public Relations Of Inclusion: A Critical Reframing Of Autism Inclusion With Professors Of Teacher Candidates, Jessica Block Nerren

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

There is a problem when inclusion is broken in our communities and in our schools while preliminary teachers call out for more preparation for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) inclusion in their credential programs (Bryant, 2018; Busby et al., 2012; Finch et al., 2013; Loiacono & Valenti, 2010; Morgan, 2015; Robertson et al., 2003; Walters, 2012). The purpose of this study is to explore the framing of ASD inclusion by professors of multiple and single subject preliminary teacher candidates. At this stage in the research, the framing of inclusion is defined as a pre-conscious sensemaking of inclusion for individuals with ASD …

Instructional Coaches And Teachers: A Grounded Theory Study Of The Professional Relationship, Julia Alberg-Burbank

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this constructivist grounded theory study was to examine the professional relationship between instructional coaches and teachers in an elementary school setting. This examination is necessary due to the expansion of personnel serving as instructional coaches in US public schools. Utilizing constructivist grounded theory, the researcher gathered electronic journals from 19 participants, 11 teachers and eight coaches. Additionally, interviews were conducted with all 19 participants. The initial codes from electronic journals were applied to interview transcripts in a line-by-line analysis and subsequently affirmed using qualitative software analysis. Analyzing codes led to memo writing and the emergence of theoretical …

Exploring The Relationship Between Work Engagement, Collective Teacher Efficacy And Transformational Leadership In Times Of Change, Michelle Lynn Estrada Smith

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Using the results from a 30-item survey taken by 292 K-12 teachers in six districts within a region of Southern California, this study analyzed the correlations among the constructs of work engagement (WE), collective teacher efficacy (CTE) and the degree of transformational leadership (TL) of the principal, during a time of rapid and necessary change in education brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. Seven specific TL behaviors were studied for their impact on WE and CTE. CTE and WE were studied for their impact on one another. The findings revealed significant and strong positive correlations between each of the constructs …

Access To Full-Time Employment Opportunities: A Phenomenological Study Of Faculty Of Color In Rural Community Colleges, Eduardo Vásquez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The mission of community colleges is to create affordable pathways for students to enter into the workforce or transfer into 4-year universities (Brint & Karabel, 1989; Kisker et al., 2016). However, community colleges have not been successful in efforts to assist Students of Color in completing an associate degree or transferring (Shapiro et al., 2017). Therefore, efforts have been made to increase the number Faculty of Color in community colleges as they are influential in student success (Rodriguez, 2015) but Faculty of Color experience systematic oppression in higher education (Pittman, 2010). Faculty of Color in rural community colleges experience discrimination …

Understanding Mentoring Relationships And Career Advancement In Higher Education, Nelky Rodriguez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The development of administrators, faculty, and staff within higher education presumes an apprenticeship between an experienced individual (supervisor, tenured faculty, or friend within the field) and the employee (Reybold, 2003). Understanding the path to career advancement within higher education can assist in personal career aspirations (Rhoads & Tierney, 1993). However, many institutions do not recognize the need for a mentor as necessary for developing a person’s career. A professional roadmap to advancement within higher education usually consists of policies and procedures and social and cultural norms, yet without guidance, these can be difficult to master on one’s own. Studies have …

Transforming Technology & Engineering Educator Inputs Into Desired Student Outputs Through Mechanism Analysis And Synthesis, Andrew J. Hughes, Chris Merrill

Educational Leadership & Technology Faculty Publications

The intention of this article is to provide middle and high school Technology and Engineering Educators (T&EEs) with a more thorough understanding of an engineering approach to the teaching and learning of mechanics. During the teaching and learning of engineering content, in this case mechanics, the educator should attempt to align pedagogical content knowledge with engineering content knowledge and practices. T&EEs will also need to focus on terminology, structure, and applying theory to practical hands-on learning activities inside and outside of the classroom. T&EEs have the potential to foster middle and high school students’ mechanical knowledge and the ability to …

Scope Process: Fostering Students' Design Outcome Effectiveness, Andrew J. Hughes, Cameron D. Denson

Educational Leadership & Technology Faculty Publications

The purpose of this article is to help Technology and Engineering Educators scaffold engineering design and problem-solving experiences so that students taking technology and engineering courses will develop an improved ability to design. Technology and Engineering Education seems to increasingly focus on problem-solving, design, and engineering. Technology and Engineering Education is not the only discipline with this focus. The fact that both Science and Technology and Engineering Education are similarly focused on the teaching and learning of engineering begs the question of what separates technology and engineering educators from science educators in the teaching of engineering? Lewis (2004) cautioned that …

Mechanism Design And Analysis: Developing An Understanding Of Mechanism Motion Through Graphical Modeling, Andrew J. Hughes, Chris Merrill

Educational Leadership & Technology Faculty Publications

The intention of this article is to provide Technology and Engineering Educators with foundational knowledge of mechanism design and analysis and the ability to develop middle and high school students' mechanism knowledge during practical hands-on learning activities in the STEM classroom. Technology and Engineering Educators' implementation of mechanism design and analysis could promote students' increased depth of mechanical knowledge and ability to apply this knowledge during engineering design challenges. In this article, the authors present an introduction to four-bar mechanism design and analysis using CAD software to produce graphical representations. After designing mechanisms graphical, students should be allowed to produce …

A Mixed-Method Study On The Mentor Experiences At A Public 4-Year University, Avisinia Rodriguez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Traditionally, students sign up for peer mentoring programs to receive services and resources as mentees in order to be successful in college. Studies have shown that mentoring relationships benefit mentees (Salinitri, 2005; Morales, 2009) while others (Colvin and Ashman, 2010; Gannon and Maher, 2012; Good et al. 2000) examined how mentors received training to support mentees. The studies exploring the experiences of mentors is not as robust, this study tries to explain the self-reflection unexpected benefits of mentors who participate in peer mentoring programs.

This mixed-method study examined the experiences first-generation peer mentors have at a pubic four-year university. Though …

These Hips Don’T Lie: Examining The Engagement Of Latina/O Students Participating In High-Impact Practice Service-Learning Projects At A Hispanic Serving Institution, Felix Zuniga

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

While college access has been improved for Latina/o students, there is still the challenge of graduating Latina/o students with equitable academic outcomes (Bates et al., 2018). Hispanic-Serving Institutions are the sites that enroll the majority (67%) of Latina/o students in college; two out of three Latina/o students attend these broad-access, open-enrollment, minority-serving institutions known as HSIs (Excelencia, 2021). Universities across the United States are aware of the changing demographics of higher education but are slow to change policies and practices to become “student-ready” (McNair et al., 2016). Critical research on how Latina/o students experience higher education practices for student retention, …

Exploring Civic Mindedness And Social Empathy Through Storytelling: A Social Justice Oriented-Participatory Action Research Study, Ellen Whitehead

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study contributed to past research on civic-mindedness and social empathy by conducting a social justice-oriented participatory action research study at a research university with a predominately diverse student population. A participatory action research approach centers students' experiences as coresearchers, which complements the purpose of community and civic engagement, as they both support social transformation (Benjamin-Thomas et al., 2018).

This study encompasses four constructs to address how and why higher education can cultivate social change agents and invigorate civic engagement among today's college students. The constructs are civic-mindedness, social empathy, validation theory, and cocurricular cultural awareness workshop series. The coresearchers …

Not Your Queer Model Minority: Exploring The Realities Of Lgb Asian American Student Affairs Professionals, Kevin Nguyen Chastain

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

LBG Asian Americans are a minority group in higher education and among Student Affairs administrators. LGB Asian Americans and their experiences have received little attention due to the intersection of sexual orientation and race. It is critical to understand the realities that this community faces and to provide an opportunity for this community to claim an identity that is both honest and transparent. The goal of this research is to better understand how the intersection of racial identity and sexuality has influenced the experiences of Asian American lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students in Student Affairs roles at colleges and …

Senior Administrators In Higher Education: Following The Feminist Road To The Ivory Tower, Angelina Gomez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Today there is a considerable amount of literature documenting the gender oppression of women in the American workforce, including academia. Unfortunately, this results in an insignificant amount of literature available that narrates the successes of the few women who have navigated the labyrinth of academia and served as a President or Chancellor of a 4-year, public university. This study will help bridge the literature gap by sharing the exploits of four elite women who overcame barriers created through university policy and procedures, historical academe culture, and genderism.

A narrative analysis methodology was used to examine the ideology of leadership within …

Scaffolding Middle And High School Students’ Engineering Design Experiences: Quality Problem-Scopeing Promoting Successful Solutions, Andrew Hughes, Cameron Denson

Educational Leadership & Technology Faculty Publications

Highly proficient expert engineers begin the iterative process of design by thoroughly investigating the design problem. Engineering students are often distracted by surface details, leading to a faulty conception of the problem and inappropriate solution strategies. Adequate problem-scoping is arguably the most important step in the design process. To address this issue, the researchers developed an instructional framework to help teachers scaffold students’ cognitive and metacognitive processes during the problem-scoping phase of a design challenge. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to investigate the impact that scaffolded instruction related to the SCOPE process had on students’ solution success during …