Education Commons^™

Breaking The Silence: Discussions About Disability, Sex, & Gender Identity, Janet Sauer, Kirsten Bond, Cassidy Donahue, Molly Wolber, Hannah Hunter, Elizabeth Bellin, Katherine Deluga

Violence Against Women conference

Silence often accompanies topics about disability, sexuality, and gender identity. This panel of Lesley students, alumni, and faculty discuss the issue of silence involving social stigma and ignorance that can often lead to violence against people with disabilities. The panelists participated in an interdisciplinary course, Disability Studies, in which students chose to research these topics for their social action projects and papers. Panelists who see themselves as allies and/or self-identify as disabled share their research, personal experiences, and interviews with the audience to provide insights into some of the systematic exclusion of people with disabilities in these discussions, particularly in …

Mompreneur Immunity: An Exploration Of Meaning-Making And Relational Support Of Self-Employed Women With Children, Felicia Newhouse

Educational Studies Dissertations

The 21^st century has seen a substantial increase in female entrepreneurship. A large portion of these entrepreneurs are mothers who combine entrepreneurship with looking after their children, also known as “mompreneurs” (Collins English Dictionary, 2011). Given the current growth of women-owned businesses (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, 2018), it is especially important to examine the work-life experiences of women who are creating and sustaining entrepreneurial ventures while raising children. There are few studies that address mompreneurship (Ekinsmyth, 2011; Lewis, 2010; Nel, Maritz, & Thongprovati, 2010), leaving an empirical gap in understanding the experiences of mother entrepreneurs. This dissertation addresses the question …

Integrating Expressive Therapies And Visual Literacy Skills In An Exceptional Children Classroom, Natalia Torres Del Valle

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The method conducted in this thesis integrated museum education, exceptional children education, and expressive arts therapy practices. Objectives for implementing the method were to learn how to effectively address the unique needs within the exceptional children classroom, as well as to collaborate with the teacher to address those needs through expressive arts therapy and visual literacy approaches. In so doing, I wanted to examine the differences and similarities between museum education and expressive arts therapy and how they can work together to meet therapeutic goals. The method took place over four sessions; each session focused on a work of art …

Promoting Cultural Identity Through Dance/Movement Therapy With Immigrant Children, Karen Alejandra Salazar

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The present research project focuses on exploring how culture influences identity and how the development of a bicultural identity affects bicultural individuals. Having a multicultural or multiethnic identity could be a source of strength and/or confusion, bicultural individuals may have difficulties in identifying and sorting their group membership status and their cultural attitudes, values, perspectives, and behaviors (Navarrete & Jenkins, 2011). The present research proposes that dance movement therapy and the Expressive Therapies could serve as a means to allow individuals to explore and strengthen their cultural identity. A cultural identity workshop was implemented with second grade, English language learner, …

Lesley University And Unitwin: International Network On Life Design And Decent Work, Donna M. San Antonio, Meenakshi Chhabra, Marion Nesbit, Raquel Stephenson

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

Two years ago, a UNESCO-affiliated international network of organizations and universities (UNITWIN) was established to collaborate on research, innovative leadership, and education, focusing on concerns related to access to work and working conditions for the most vulnerable groups at a time of increasing economic and political instability and inequality.

A year ago, Lesley University became the only university in the country to join this effort, along with 17 other universities and institutes in South America, Africa, and Europe. Through this project, Lesley faculty have attended international conferences and have been engaged in an international research project titled, Perceptions of Decent …

The Effects Of Rhythm For Social Emotional Learning Skills Development, Jonathan O. Mande

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

Many people talk about the importance of music in school and learning, we all know about its effects on cognitive development for children and adults. Though despite these universally known facts, music education programs are increasingly underfunded in schools, private lessons are not accessible to most people, while our country is simultaneously suffering from an increase in academic retention and destructive societal conflicts. Music brings all people together and at its core is rhythm. It makes available a space for joy; to fully express love, build bonds and strengthen our individual spirits. When used intentionally, music heals and is a …

Social Media's Influence On Adolescent Identity, Kerri Doble

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

The fact that social media plays a prominent role in many lives today led me to ask the question: how does digital stress from social media use influence adolescent relationships? This research question was formulated out of concern that the shifting norms related to social media use may impact identity formation and a teens search for belonging, potentially stalling development. Taking the perspective that if we lead by example, we will help them lead, my aim is to share information with adults involved in the lives of teens to promote the modeling of healthy social media behavior. My creation of …