Education Commons^™

Exploring The Experiences Of Refugee Youth In Public Schools: An Ethical Phenomenological Inquiry, Hilary T. Stim

Theses and Dissertations

The study outlined in this dissertation focuses on the intersection between refugee youth between the ages of 13-18 and the United States public school, specifically the manner in which refugee youth experience institutionalized education. It utilizes ethical phenomenology as a means to amplify the voices of refugee students and to centralize the students' experiences, thoughts, and ideas related to education The study was framed by one research question that is addressed to the participants: “What is it like being a student in a public school?” Seven students took part in the study. Collaborative dialogues took place with the participants across …

The Relationship Of Mentorship And Professional Development On Special Educators’ Intent, Christine S. Powell

Theses and Dissertations

Current literature in special education has examined professional development (PD) and mentorship separately; however, no studies have investigated the relationship between PD and mentorship on special education teachers’ intent. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which participating in PD and mentorship opportunities predicted the likelihood of Early Career Special Education Teachers' (ECSETs) intent to leave the teacher workforce while examining factors related to duration and quality. Based on two conceptual models, Desimone’s (2009) best practices for professional development and Nick et al. (2012) best practices for academic mentoring, this study identified key features and characteristics …

Supporting Students Who Are Deafblind To Increase Their Access To The General Education Curriculum Through Trained Interveners: A Mixed Methods Study, Ira Padhye

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods research study was to identify the educational trends of children and young adults who are deafblind and identify strategies to improve the outcomes through interviews of nationally qualified interveners who have received training in deafblind specific strategies. Secondary data from the 2017-2021 National Center on Deafblindness and interview transcripts were used for data analysis and then integrated to identify the supports students who are deafblind should access. Trends in age of identification, primary eligibility category, school settings and access to state standardized assessments showed a plateau and displayed no significant improvement in educational outcomes. Nationally …

Seeing Themselves: White Preservice Teachers As Raced Individuals And As Members Of Their Future School Communities, Laurie Koth

Theses and Dissertations

Students of color, of poverty, with disabilities continue to slide into the school to prison pipeline (STPP.) Very often, an antecedent step is harsh exclusionary discipline that removes them from the classroom. Teachers, who play a major role in the decision whether to keep students in or eject them from the classroom and the school, are among multiple forces driving students toward or away from the STPP. A salient feature of the issue is that nearly 80% of teachers are white and their most vulnerable students are not. Rooted in critical race and care theories, and buttressed by self determination …

An Exploration Of A Researcher-Instructor Partnership In Implicit Racial Bias Awareness And Mitigation In College Stem Classrooms, Jacqueline Johnson Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

Seventy-six percent of all minority students who enter college with declared majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) do not graduate with STEM degrees. Black students represent 40% of minority attrition from STEM. Implicit racial bias was indicated as a contributor to the challenges faced by Black students. The purpose of this study was to explore whether a researcher-instructor partnership brought awareness to and the potential for mitigation of implicit racial bias in course delivery and instructor interactions with Black students in STEM classes. A case study design was used over three phases to gather survey, observational, and interview …

Associations Between Years Of Teaching Experience And Classroom Management Practices, Responsivenss, And Acceptability To A Coaching Intervention, Nicole M. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to bridge the research-to-practice gap related to in-service supports and professional development by identifying factors associated with teacher use of evidence-based classroom management practices and responsiveness to a coaching intervention. Years of teaching experience was identified as a teacher-level intervention determinant with a strong research base in the classroom management literature; however few studies used direct observation of behavior to report difference among teacher behavior. This study used quantitative statistical methods to analyze data from a multi-year parent study investigating the effects of a coaching intervention (BEST in CLASS-Elementary) aimed at increasing the use of evidence-based practices …

Arts Integration Experiences Of Elementary Educators, Amy E. Jefferson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how elementary teachers applied their professional learning to integrate arts in the classroom. The research questions guiding the study included: (1) What content, skills, and understandings do teachers transfer from professional learning to practice? and (2) How do teachers navigate the implementation of arts integration? Knowles' (1978) Adult Learning Theory was used to examine how meeting the needs of teachers as adult learners during professional learning influenced the implementation experience.

A case study design employing qualitative data collection methods such as focus groups, individual interviews, and the sharing of artifacts from practice …

Effects Of A Video Based Intervention On Job Interview Skills Of Youth With Autism, Kelsey T. Dunn

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I conducted a multiple-probe-across-participants design to examine the impact of a video-based intervention on interview skills of youth with autism. First, I conducted a systematic literature review of interview interventions. Results were used to guide the development of this study’s measure and procedures. Finding that previous literature relied on rubric measures to rate interview skill behaviors, I developed and piloted a primary measure for examining direct speech production. Using transcripts and video analysis, this study captures the construct of interview skills using both quantity (frequency of relevant/irrelevant c-units) and quality (interview skills rubric score). The intervention consisted …

Race, Weight, Gender And The Embodied (Odied, Odied) Consciousness Of Big-Bodied Black Women Educators: A Phenomenological Study, Kendra D. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Big-Bodied Black women in the United States have perpetually navigated the veritable dichotomy of being hyper-visible and invisible (Beauboeuf-Lafontant, 2003; Fleetwood, 2001; Strings, 2019). Fat Black female bodies have borne the burden of exaggerated tropes and exploitation throughout history, stripping them of their femininity and humanity and resulting in a unique form of objectification (Strings, 2019). Inconsistent messages about BBWs, their bodies, and their value in society have endured for generations. They have been essential in constructing the controlling images of Black womanhood in the U.S. (Collins, 2000). The controlling images all evoked thoughts about the suitability of Black women …

A Case Study Exploring How The Zero Barriers In Stem Education Professional Development Program Affects Attitudes And Confidence Toward Teaching Stem Content To Students With Disabilities, Alison Dossick

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to assess how the Zero Barriers in STEM Education professional development (PD) course affected teacher attitudes and confidence in teaching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) content to students with disabilities. A convergent mixed-methods case study analysis was used. The research questions were devised by examining answers on a pre-survey and post-survey. Documentation included a full analysis of two pre- and post-surveys, teacher implementation logs, team action plans, program evaluations, and semi-structured interviews. Barriers included time to plan and implement the outlined strategies and administrative and colleague support. This research uncovered some of the difficulties of …

An Exploration Of Teacher Residents’ Perception Of Culture And Their Use Of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Jodi Larson

Theses and Dissertations

Urban teacher residency (UTR) programs place residents in urban schools labeled “hard-to-staff” or “under-resourced.” Enrollment in residency schools tends to be majority Brown or Black students from various cultures. Teacher residents are from diverse backgrounds and races who have a commitment to teach in Title 1 schools with the support of a residency program that coaches them how to teach using culturally relevant pedagogy. Their journeys are unique from typical student teaching experiences because they co-teach with an experienced teacher for a full school year while attending university classes on pedagogy and theory. This qualitative case study followed seven elementary …

Looking For Hope: The Experience Of Early Career Teachers Engaged In A Collaborative Community Of Reflective Practice As A Model Of Induction And Professional Development, Donia E. Spott

Theses and Dissertations

Teaching has always been an isolated profession and many professional development programs are seen as disconnected from the realities and daily needs of teaching. With the pressures of standards, paperwork, classroom management, and learning to teach, early career teachers can be especially vulnerable to becoming discouraged, disillusioned, and demoralized. This study used a qualitative, narrative inquiry approach to tell the stories of seven early career teachers’ experiences with induction and the development of a reflective community to support early career teachers in their professional practice. As part of the action research approach taken in designing the program, the discussions and …

Coaching Paraeducators To Accurately Record Student Response Data During Direct Instruction, Paige J. Carter Phd

Theses and Dissertations

Paraeducators serving students with disabilities outnumber special education teachers in the United States (Stewart, 2019; U. S. Department of Education et al., 2018). Paraeducators regularly provide instruction without the benefit of regular and effective training. One of the duties associated with instruction is the collection of instructional data. The purpose of this study was to examine a combination of training and coaching on the accuracy of recording student responses. In addition, a teacher-as-coach model was examined for feasibility with existing time and resources. A multiple baseline across participants design was planned. Special education teachers and paraeducators at a public separate …

The Impacts Of Peer Observation Roles And Teaching Characteristics On Teacher Self-Efficacy: A Secondary Data Analysis Study Using The Talis Survey, Elisa Tedona

Theses and Dissertations

It is important for teachers to have a high sense of self-efficacy, as it is one of the prime motivational forces influencing student learning, teacher quality, and in turn, overall success (Curry, 2015; Hattie, 2009; Klassen & Chiu, 2010). Teachers with high self-efficacy work harder, are more involved in learning, and have higher assurance (Bandura, 1994). For these reasons, it is imperative to study the influencers of teacher self-efficacy. Peer observations and observational feedback, a highly used practice in all schools, is one of those influencers. This cycle of observations and feedback provided to teachers is influential to teacher self-efficacy …

Stigmatizing Labels, School Bonds, And Capital In The School Reentry Experiences And Educational Outcomes Of Justice-Involved Youth, Peter S. Willis

Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that justice-involved youth who reenter public and alternative schools following contact with the juvenile justice system struggle to find a place in the school community and complete their educations. Because educational attainment affects recidivism rates, successful school reentry for justice-involved youth presents important research questions for policy and practice. This study examined school reentry through cases studies of adults who had been justice-involved youth and had experienced school reentry following contact with the juvenile justice system. Study participants’ school reentry experiences were examined through a theoretical framework comprised of labeling, social control, and field theories. Findings suggest that …

A Quantitative Analysis Of The Relationship Between Dispositions And Technology Integration Knowledge Of English Language Teachers, Moe D. Greene

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the pervasiveness of educational technological tools, their potential is generally overlooked. An examination of technology integration literature suggests a gap in understanding why teachers lack the necessary knowledge to successfully integrate technology in their teaching as well as an absence of a robust technology integration theoretical framework. Technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) was developed to explain the specific knowledge needed for effective technology integration. Several limitations, however, have been noted in regards to the ability of this framework to capture the connections between the complexities of teachers’ contexts and their technology integration knowledge. This dissertation advances current literature by …

Teacher Approaches To Women’S History, Gender, And Feminism In Secondary Social Studies, Kimberly R. Bowman

Theses and Dissertations

While several scholars have worked to reimagine social studies curriculum from a feminist perspective, there are few studies that look at how teachers understand and experience gender equity work (Bohan, 2017; Engebretson, 2018). This study seeks to bridge that gap between theory and practice in order to progress toward a more gender-equitable social studies education. Utilizing a hermeneutic circle design to facilitate dialogue across participants, I conducted one-on-one, semi-structured interviews with seven secondary social studies teacher participants and collected participant-provided curriculum materials. Using techniques from constructivist grounded theory, I analyzed how teachers made sense of their experiences trying to include …

Self-Efficacy Of Endorsed And Nonendorsed Elementary Teachers Of Gifted Students In Stem Education, Lianna L. Moss-Everhart

Theses and Dissertations

This study compared elementary endorsed and nonendorsed teachers of gifted students in science, mathematics, and STEM self-efficacy as well as self-reported use of STEM instructional strategies in central Virginia. The survey, adapted from the T-STEM survey by the Friday Institute at NC State University, focused on self-efficacy and use of STEM instructional strategies. ANOVAs, univariate linear analyses, were conducted on 39 responses to compare teachers’ self-efficacy and use of STEM instructional strategies. ANCOVA and moderated regressions were used to compare the groups of teachers while controlling for the variables of grade level, years of experience, and recent STEM training. Multiple …

A Critical Examination Of Secondary Teachers’ Perceptions Of Liberatory Pd, Christine C. Moore

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to develop an understanding of secondary teachers’ perceptions of liberatory (justice-oriented) professional development at three school sites in a single school district. As participants shared their perceptions, three significant themes emerged; they described 1) facing contextual constraints that limited their agency 2) desiring to be reframed as knowledge producers, yet 3) struggling to envision how their agency could support their liberation. These key findings led to an emergent theory of the Cycle of Professional Development Stagnation, a cycle involving barriers that perpetuate the framing of teachers as passive recipients of knowledge. As evidenced in this qualitative …

An Investigation Of Elementary School Teachers’ Culturally Relevant Teaching Practices In Two Cultures: A Comparative Study In China And The United States, Alicia R. Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

Effective teaching is one of the most important factors in student achievement. Throughout the world, there are high expectations for teacher and student performance. Teachers and students need to navigate the demographic and cultural shifts occurring around the world. Teachers’ cultural awareness and knowledge base of culturally relevant teaching practices is critical to their effectiveness. Based on the need to better understand the cultural responsiveness of teachers, this comparative study investigated elementary school teachers’ culturally relevant teaching practices in China and the U.S. through the use of video-cued ethnography. The following findings were revealed from the study: (a) differences in …

Language-Supportive Strategies And Their Associations With Child Language Outcomes During Instructional Time, Erin S. Wallace

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I conducted a correlational study that examined the frequency of educator-delivered language-supportive strategies during instructional time in public Kindergarten classrooms. Additionally, I explored the association between educators’ use of language-supportive strategies and child language outcomes. To index child language, I assessed a sample of 96 children from 10 different classrooms on standardized measures of expressive and receptive language. I recruited 10 educators to participate in the present study and assessed their use of language-supportive strategies during instructional time in the classroom through transcription and coding of audio recordings. The educators completed demographic forms for themselves as well …

Moral Professional Agency: A Framework For Exploring Teachers’ Constructions Of Professionalism Within A Democratic Space, Brionna C. Nomi

Theses and Dissertations

Despite long-standing debates about the nature of professions and professionalism related to teaching, little consensus has been reached due in large part to an ever-changing political climate and a number of competing ideologies and interests (Bair, 2014; Hargreaves & Goodson, 1996). This lack of consensus fosters variable expectations of teachers, creating opportunities for the generation and implementation of initiatives that ultimately control and undermine teachers’ work (Ingersoll, 2003). While the quality of our nation’s education system depends on teachers' capacity to have professional input regarding their work, concepts of teacher agency and professionalism remain ill-defined, and few studies explore teachers’ …

Democratic Education And An Urban Teacher Residency: A Case Study, Bryan P. Arnold

Theses and Dissertations

Over the course of American schooling scholars note that democratic education and citizenship have not been abandoned, but perhaps marginalized or pushed aside, as test scores and achievement have become the most desired outcomes. Democratic education must move out of the margins and into high priority. The current political climate of increased division and divisiveness could not illustrate this need any more. Another well-documented challenge within the American educational system, particularly in high need areas is the need for highly qualified teachers. Urban Teacher Residency (UTR) programs have offered a possible solution to this growing problem in recruiting, training, and …

Revealing The Human Resource Development Discourse: A Mixed Methods Study Of Similarities And Differences In Academic And Practitioner Language, Or Labels-In-Use, Holly D. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Woven within the pages of HRD’s historical literature, a variety of scholarly voices can be found drawing attention to the increasing inconsistency in the language of the field. Within the literature, we also find evidence of a long-standing discord and debate regarding the field’s definition and identified boundaries. This is the first study that attempts to elevate the conversation of HRD’s definition to that of an exploration of what is shared, and what makes the discipline’s members unique. Utilizing Li’s (2009) lens of disciplinary identity and elements of Gee’s (1999) theory of Discourse, this study presents a concept of what …

Exploring The Impact Of Diversity Training On The Development And Application Of Cultural Competence Skills In Higher Education Professionals, Kendra Cabler

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years the terms diversity and inclusion have become major buzzwords across industries and fields of study. Within the field of education broadly, and higher education in particular, a shifting student demographic can be seen across the country. Issues of equity and inclusion have become central complexities for present day educational strategists, and organizations committed to cultivating a culture of inclusion must do so with intentionality. In the context of higher education, this often requires the intentional development of professionals within a particular college or university. There has been a great deal of research concerning the development of cultural …

An Adaptation And Psychometric Evaluation Of The Teacher Attribution Measure For Early Elementary (Tam-Ee), Shannon L. Nemer

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the reliability and validity of the Teacher Attribution Measure for Early Elementary (TAM-EE), a measure adapted from the Preschool Teaching Attributions (PTA) measure, to assess the challenging behavior attributions of early elementary teachers. Like the PTA, the TAM-EE uses a series of student-specific behavior scenarios as prompts for teachers who then rate statements aligned with dimensions of attribution theory on a 6-point scale. A sample of 41 teachers completed the TAM-EE on 79 students in grades K-3 screened for risk of emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Teachers also completed reports of student behavior, self-efficacy, and perceptions of …

A Teacher’S Adoption Of Maker-Centered Learning: A Phenomenological Case Study, Michael L. Schad

Theses and Dissertations

The maker movement is a social movement which espouses the importance of artifact creation through physical and digital tools. As the maker movement moves into educational spaces, researchers and educators are exploring ways to integrate it alongside current classroom practices. A prevalent framework for maker integration is the maker-centered learning framework, which was used as part of the conceptual framework. Currently, more research is needed which justifies and analyzes maker-centered learning in an educational environment. This study aimed to use phenomenological methods to capture the lived experience of chemistry teacher as she integrated the maker-centered learning framework into her chemistry …

The Experiences That Promote Success For Students With Intellectual Disability In Postsecondary Education, Kimberly S. Handsome

Theses and Dissertations

This in-depth qualitative, phenomenological (Smith & Fowler, 2009) research study attempted to understand the experiences of young adults with intellectual disability who had completed a 2-year, inclusive postsecondary education program. 13 participants (4 former students with ID, 5 parents, and 4 Postsecondary Education staff members) participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were coded to provide themes amongst each individual group of participants. A document review was also conducted to better understand the program components and add validity to self-reports from interviews. Results were analyzed and used to provide implications for future research and program development.

Unpacking Students’ Writer Identity In The Transition From High School To College: A Mixed Methods Study, Marcie J. Walsh

Theses and Dissertations

Since the 1975 publication of Newsweek’s article asserting that “Johnny” can’t write, many have continued to support the claim that students graduating from American high schools and universities can’t write. This criticism has led many students to believe the problem lies exclusively with them. Efforts to improve students’ writing have had little effect, as reflected in continually concerning scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Recently, researchers have begun to suggest that the problem should be addressed by working to change students’ identification as a bad writer. Two constructs have emerged from these efforts: writer and authorial identity. Research …

Language, Literacy, And Conscientização In American Public Schools, Julie Ward

Theses and Dissertations

Language, Literacy, and Conscientização in American Public Schools synthesizes poststructural language theory to critique literacy teaching and assessment norms in American public schools in order to theorize a pedagogy of racial and economic justice that embraces globalization and immigration. Chapter I creates a theoretical framework for language that rests firmly on both Lev Vygotsky’s and Jacques Lacan’s sociohistorical approach to language acquisition and language use. Mikhail Bakhtin’s work demonstrates the heteroglossic nature of discourse, while Antonio Gramsci politicizes this framework through an understanding of hegemony. Chapter II sketches ethnographic research on teaching practices of various American communities, focusing on ideology …