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Dominican University of California

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Full-Text Articles in Education

Effects Of Comprehensive Sex Education On Unplanned Pregnancy Rates And Sti Occurrences Among Chinese American Adolescents, Onsheng Seto Jan 2024

Effects Of Comprehensive Sex Education On Unplanned Pregnancy Rates And Sti Occurrences Among Chinese American Adolescents, Onsheng Seto

Nursing | Senior Theses

Sexually transmitted diseases/infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancies is a continuing health concern among adolescents. They are more likely to engage in risky behaviors that increase the likelihood for STIs and unplanned pregnancies which emphasizes the need for comprehensive sex education (CSE). This research proposal strives to determine if CSE is an effective tool in reducing cases of STIs and unplanned pregnancies, specifically in Chinese American adolescents. The literature review identified CSE successfully decreasing STIs and unplanned pregnancies in youths. However, limited research correlates the relationship between CSE and Chinese American adolescents. In addition, few studies take cultural influences into account …


Lived Experiences Of People With Substance Use Disorder As Healthcare Education To Develop Empathy For This Population, Whitney Bynum Jan 2024

Lived Experiences Of People With Substance Use Disorder As Healthcare Education To Develop Empathy For This Population, Whitney Bynum

Nursing | Senior Theses

The negative attitudes and feelings of healthcare workers towards patients with substance use disorder are well documented. These include, but are not limited to, believing a person with this disease is “drug seeking”, “violent”, and “unmotivated”. While this population has challenging issues to address, these beliefs can decrease the quality of care provided and results in less people seeking out needed treatment. Reducing stigmas through alternative education methods, like learning the life story of a patient, can help health care workers develop feelings of empathy and compassion. Subsequently, this education can result in better care and outcomes for these patients. …


Mathematical Identities And Tracking: An Exploration Of Efficacy In Children And Women, Emma Hagan Jul 2023

Mathematical Identities And Tracking: An Exploration Of Efficacy In Children And Women, Emma Hagan

Education | Master's Theses

This study seeks to understand the impact of elementary school mathematical identities and mathematics tracking on the identities of women and girls. “Tracking” is an institutionalized education method developed in the 1960s and 1970s in which schools sort their students into smaller class-sized groups based on their observed achievement (Domina et al., 2016). Too often, when students test onto the lower track, they are confronted with a sense of futility and a lack of self-efficacy (Domina, Hanselman, Hwang & McEachin, 2016; Houtte & Stevens, 2015). Further, in STEM disciplines, students who identify as female report lower self-efficacy rates than those …


The Barriers Teachers Face When Implementing The Universal Design For Learning Framework, Dana Dacus-Hare May 2023

The Barriers Teachers Face When Implementing The Universal Design For Learning Framework, Dana Dacus-Hare

Education | Master's Theses

There are multiple barriers to learning that students face. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for teaching and learning that gives all students an equal opportunity to succeed. While many studies address the hurdles teachers face when implementing the UDL framework, there is a gap in the research about the support systems that can minimize those barriers for teachers. There is also a lack of existing studies about the additional frameworks that can work in connection with UDL to meet the needs of diverse learners. Using UDL and Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) together provides a framework that traditional …


Three Sides To Success: Exploring How Inclusive Partnerships Can Nurture Robust Family And Community Engagement In The Classroom For African-American Students, Orianna Vaughn May 2023

Three Sides To Success: Exploring How Inclusive Partnerships Can Nurture Robust Family And Community Engagement In The Classroom For African-American Students, Orianna Vaughn

Education | Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the ways in which conscious family and community partnerships with middle schools can play an integral part of academic achievement for Black children. Family and community engagement play a critical role in a student’s success as support, and knowledge of their scholar’s strengths and interests can be an asset not only in the classroom, but to the scholar’s overall academic success, which can “lead to higher educational aspirations and increased student motivations'' (Bartz, et al. 2017). However, presiding narratives of disengagement and disinterest from Black parents in their scholar’s academic life have …


Accreditation, Affordability, And Accessibility Of New Non-Profit Colleges In The United States, Adam Braus May 2023

Accreditation, Affordability, And Accessibility Of New Non-Profit Colleges In The United States, Adam Braus

Education | Master's Theses

Time-series data analysis demonstrates that the number of new colleges has dropped off gradually since its peak in the 1960s, and precipitously after the 1990s. The total number of new colleges is severely depressed, and among new colleges, religious, for-profit, and public colleges have started at a rate of 5x the number of private, secular, and non-profit ones. Interviews with contemporary secular, non-profit college founders and accreditation experts suggest that accreditation is the primary barrier to starting a new college. If we view higher education as an oligopoly or “cold cartel,” it explains the gradually falling quality and precipitously rising …


Equity And Inclusion For Gender Diverse Middle School Students, Xiaoyan Nadler May 2023

Equity And Inclusion For Gender Diverse Middle School Students, Xiaoyan Nadler

Education | Master's Theses

About a third of teenagers experience an anxiety disorder, with steadily increasing numbers (McCarthy, 2019). LGBTQ+ students have a history of being a group without a voice because the dominant gender classification was a binary male or female model. They have seldom dared to express and identify their real selves. According to Lewis (2020), this form of oppression could make them feel unwelcome, overlooked, and unsafe, eventually creating tremendous anxiety. This qualitative research focused on understanding what creates an inclusive and safe learning environment for all students, including students who identify as LGBTQ+. Interviews were conducted with students, parents, and …


Calmness As A Quality Of Teacher Presence And The Impact On Learning, Kiana Pelton May 2023

Calmness As A Quality Of Teacher Presence And The Impact On Learning, Kiana Pelton

Education | Master's Theses

This study seeks to identify the conditions for calmness within an educator's life and its impact on educators and students. Research shows that mindfulness practices can be implemented in the classroom and help students focus (Riner & Tanase, 2014). According to Kane (2018), implementing different practices and strategies of mindfulness can help regulate the internal and external stresses that happen daily. Currently, there is a lack of existing research on what educators do to calm themselves outside of the school day and how those practices impact their relationship with the students, helping students feel calm during school. Specifically, this study …


Movement And Mindfulness In The Transitional Kindergarten Classroom, Larisa Ward-Seitz May 2023

Movement And Mindfulness In The Transitional Kindergarten Classroom, Larisa Ward-Seitz

Education | Master's Theses

This study aimed to assess the impact of mindfulness activities, yoga, and kinesthetic movement on students’ self-reported mood, feelings of wellbeing, and levels of calmness and attention. Research suggests that meditation and mindfulness can help students regulate emotions and accordingly decrease levels of stress and increase feelings of wellbeing in the classroom (Dariotis, Mirabal-Beltran, Cluxton-Keller, 2016). Mindfulness has also been shown to increase executive functioning in young children. Kinesthetic movement, including yoga and repetitive movements, has also been shown to increase cognitive functioning in young children, especially in regards to executive functioning (Zeng, Ayyub, Sun, Wen, Xiang, & Gao, 2017). …


Experiences And Support Needs Of Typically Developing Siblings Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Keely Hamilton May 2023

Experiences And Support Needs Of Typically Developing Siblings Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Keely Hamilton

Education | Master's Theses

Children living with an autistic sibling face unique challenges and are in need of support (Angell et al., 2012; Marquis et al., 2019; Molinaro et al., 2020). The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand what the experience of having a sibling with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is like for a typically developing child during middle childhood or preadolescence, the impacts this experience has, and what types of support they feel they need. Five participants were interviewed for this study; all were in middle childhood or preadolescence, live in Marin County, California, and are in a family with a …


The Effect Of Ethnic Studies On White Student Populations, Kelly Coffey May 2023

The Effect Of Ethnic Studies On White Student Populations, Kelly Coffey

Education | Master's Theses

The effect of Ethnic Studies courses have shown to impact People of Color in a positive way academically, socially, and emotionally (Cabrera et al., 2014; Cammarota & Romero, 2009; Dee & Penner, 2017), however, for White students the effect is less clear. Often there are feelings of guilt, shame, and embarrassment for White students when confronted with the exposure to the individual and systemic oppression of People of Color by White colonialism and much of this oppression still resonates today (Sleeter & Zavala, 2020). Research also shows that there could be a link between Ethnic Studies coursework and anti-racist behavior …


Fostering Intrinsic Motivation Within Secondary Special Education With Attention Towards Teacher Presence And Positive Behavior Support, Desirae Barboza May 2023

Fostering Intrinsic Motivation Within Secondary Special Education With Attention Towards Teacher Presence And Positive Behavior Support, Desirae Barboza

Education | Master's Theses

This study sought to understand the conditions high school mild to moderate special education students need to sustain intrinsic motivation. Prior research suggests that overall academic intrinsic motivation is much lower in students with disabilities (Daniel and Cooc 2018). Teachers' expectations can have a strong association with student motivation in their learning and can lead to improved academic outcomes (Johnson, Wildy, & Shand, 2020). Currently, there is a lack of existing research that studies the conditions that cultivate intrinsic motivation among students with special needs. To research how high school mild to moderate special education students sustain intrinsic motivation, the …


Creating Inclusive Interface And Online Learning Environments, Grace Mosher May 2023

Creating Inclusive Interface And Online Learning Environments, Grace Mosher

Education | Master's Theses

This study seeks to examine educational learning environments with a focus on new platforms of learning, course design, equity, inclusion, and user interface (ex: seeing impaired, cultural differences, gender) that includes the perspectives of students with disabilities. The evolution of learning from singular multi-age classrooms through institutional schools and into dynamic online platforms has radically reshaped the educational ecosystem (Sarkar, 2020), and there have been calls for a deeper understanding of inclusive learning practices to meet the needs of diverse students (Philips & Salem, 2021). Adams (2017) also outlines how the aesthetic interface of each learning environment impacts the quality …


Community And Safe Spaces For English Language Learners In Bilingual/Dual Immersion Settings, Miriam Pazos May 2023

Community And Safe Spaces For English Language Learners In Bilingual/Dual Immersion Settings, Miriam Pazos

Education | Master's Theses

This qualitative study explores teachers' understanding of English Language Learners and newcomer students' need for a sense of belonging and safe spaces in a bilingual/dual immersion classroom. The goal was to identify some best practices for teachers to create an inclusive classroom for multilingual students. This research uses the lens of two frameworks, Acompañamiento (Sepúlveda III, 2011) and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy. According to Sepúlveda III (2018), Acompañamiento is a response to globalization where there is a need to understand a student's humanity and the need to be part of a community. Acompañamiento is about engagement with one another without goals …


Teachers In Elementary Schools…Do They Have What They Need?, Claire Smith May 2023

Teachers In Elementary Schools…Do They Have What They Need?, Claire Smith

Education | Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to understand a group of teachers’ perspectives and experiences about inequitable access to instructional materials for students in K-5 classrooms and the effect this lack of access has had on the teaching and learning process (Albornoz, Berlinski, & Cabrales, 2018). The problem identified for this project was that instructional materials (including textbooks, curriculum documents, and technology) are not equally available at all K-5 schools. Hahnel (2020) discussed how even though California is one of the wealthiest states in the nation, funding awarded to schools in California was not enough to meet educational goals or …


Afterschool Programs: Participation And Belonging In Latinx Students, John Corbolotti May 2023

Afterschool Programs: Participation And Belonging In Latinx Students, John Corbolotti

Education | Master's Theses

It is important for students to feel like they belong and that the offering of afterschool programs welcomes them. Afterschool programs develop confidence, engagement, and belonging for students (Fuller et al., 2013). Unfortunately, afterschool sports and extracurricular participation is diminishing and by even greater numbers for students from minority groups (Borden et al., 2006). The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine how educators and school communities might increase and promote participation in extracurricular activities, specifically for Latinx students, by hearing from underrepresented Latinx students about their experiences in afterschool programs. There is limited research regarding how mentors and …


Improving Collaboration With Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Parents Of Students With Extensive Support Needs, Isabel Yates May 2023

Improving Collaboration With Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Parents Of Students With Extensive Support Needs, Isabel Yates

Education | Master's Theses

The purpose of this research is to understand how to improve collaboration between schools and culturally and linguistically diverse parents of students with extensive support needs who receive special education services. Previous research defined collaboration as a conceptual construct in which principles of shared respect and responsibility are applied to practice (Emmons & Zager, 2018). The collaboration between families and schools is legally mandated but not explicitly explained to teachers or parents how to succeed in engaging respectfully with all families (Cheatham & Lim-Mullins, 2018). The increased complication of supporting nondominant, culturally and linguistically diverse families in addition to the …


Education As A Source Of Hope: An Examination Of Teacher Beliefs And The Lack Of Support For Children With Chronic Health Conditions, Marissa Schow May 2023

Education As A Source Of Hope: An Examination Of Teacher Beliefs And The Lack Of Support For Children With Chronic Health Conditions, Marissa Schow

Education | Master's Theses

As survival rates increase, more children with chronic health conditions are returning to K-12 classrooms after receiving medical treatments. Research has shown that many teachers believe that students with chronic health conditions should not have to worry about school while they are going through treatment (Irwin & Elam, 2011; Legislative Alliance for Students with Health Conditions, 2017). Research also suggests that many schools are violating the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 by withdrawing students from the district due to chronic absenteeism (Eaton, 2012; Wilkie, 2012). The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore and examine the ways …


Perception Vs. Reality: The Influence Of Civic Experiences In High School On Adult Civic Engagement, Kaya Bottmeyer Jan 2023

Perception Vs. Reality: The Influence Of Civic Experiences In High School On Adult Civic Engagement, Kaya Bottmeyer

Political Science & International Studies | Senior Theses

Research on political socialization has shown that individuals’ families and education play a significant role in their later political actions and attitudes, but more needs to be understood on how large the role of education is and, specifically, what impact secondary education has on people’s political socialization. Literature suggests that educational standards that require more civics or social science courses are more effective in creating civically engaged individuals, and curriculums that employ service learning and experiential learning techniques are even more effective at increasing civic engagement, but to what extent does a person's perception of their educational experience factor into …


Universal Design For Learning: Inclusivity With Technology In Multicultural And Special Education Classrooms, Katie Hernandez Mendoza Jun 2022

Universal Design For Learning: Inclusivity With Technology In Multicultural And Special Education Classrooms, Katie Hernandez Mendoza

Education | Master's Theses

This research explored the impact that technology has on students with special needs, some of whom are English Language Learners (ELL). Previous studies have found that technology brings “inclusion in the classroom helps meet the students' needs and improves academic success” (Lowrey et al., 2017). Literature has also shown the value of including students and ensuring that students understand how they learn best (Brown et al.,1998). This research was conducted at an elementary school in Northern California, and included eight students with special needs, two of whom were English Language Learners. Three district personnel were also interviewed. The students' participation …


The Influence Of Identity On Art And How It Can Connect Us To Our Community, Christina Aguila May 2022

The Influence Of Identity On Art And How It Can Connect Us To Our Community, Christina Aguila

Education | Master's Theses

Art is often marginalized in academic environments while student mental health and academic achievement gaps are highlighted as areas of priority and concern. This research is situated in a theoretical framework that identifies how middle school is a critical time for adolescent development (Hetrick, 2018), conscientization (Mernick, 2021), community-based art as a practice for social-emotional learning (Farrington & Shewfelt, 2020), and resilience as a way to help promote adolescent social-emotional health (Giselly et al., 2018). This study focused on ten students that participated in a multi-week identity based sculptural project inclusive of qualitative surveys and interviews. In addition, two administrators …


Examining The Conditions For Student Well-Being And Whole Person Health With Mindfulness And Somatic-Based Learning, Clarissa Alonzo May 2022

Examining The Conditions For Student Well-Being And Whole Person Health With Mindfulness And Somatic-Based Learning, Clarissa Alonzo

Education | Master's Theses

The purpose of this research was to understand how mindfulness practices and physical activity in the classroom can contribute to the overall well-being and health of students and teachers. Research has shown that these practices increase self-awareness, compassion, introspection, and a reduction in stress and anxiety (Waterford, 2019). This study included interviews with one educator and their fifth grade classroom, who all participated in a multi-week series of lessons using mindfulness and somatic awareness activities with post-practice writing reflection. The findings of this research indicate that somatically based mindfulness practices positively impact language patterns between students. Physical body-based activities were …


Implementing Neurophysiological Research Into The Lives Of Linguistically And Culturally Diverse High School Students, Sabrina Paiz May 2022

Implementing Neurophysiological Research Into The Lives Of Linguistically And Culturally Diverse High School Students, Sabrina Paiz

Education | Master's Theses

Implementing neurophysiological research-based strategies into the lives of culturally-linguistically diverse high school students can better help them strengthen essential neural learning and memory connection in their brain (Griffin, 2017; Choudhury et al., 2008). However, a research-to-practice gap, results in the lack of implementation of university-level research among high school students and families that may aid in their academic success and emotional wellbeing (King et al., 2018; Moir 2018). This study aimed to explore the strategies and challenges of implementing neurophysiological strategies by analyzing a group of twenty-one students of diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds and three parents in Northern California. …


Finding Motivation And Connectedness For Learning With Special Education Students Qualifying Under Emotional Disturbance, Nikole Denton May 2022

Finding Motivation And Connectedness For Learning With Special Education Students Qualifying Under Emotional Disturbance, Nikole Denton

Education | Master's Theses

The purpose of this research seeks to understand the conditions for motivation among disengaged high school students in special education who qualify under emotional disturbance (ED) and support them in rediscovering their desire for learning while also determining how educators can be supportive in cultivating academic engagement and agency. The theoretical framework looks toward co-created curriculum through an understanding of intrinsic motivation (Ryan et al., 2021), self-Determination theory (Niemiec & Ryan, 2009), and critical pedagogy (Shih, 2018). Currently, there is a lack of empirical research on the effectiveness of pedagogical approaches in determining what works in engaging special education students …


(Re)Developing Habits Of Gratitude And Kindness In An Elementary Classroom Post-Pandemic, Michaela Callahan May 2022

(Re)Developing Habits Of Gratitude And Kindness In An Elementary Classroom Post-Pandemic, Michaela Callahan

Education | Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to understand how elementary school students learn to be kind to one another and what role teachers might play in creating an environment for this learning, particularly following a pandemic during which most students spent learning in online, asynchronous and hybrid formats. To achieve this goal, this study integrated a theoretical framework inclusive of CASEL’s practices for Social Emotional Learning, models for Teaching Kindness and, finally, the Responsive Classroom approach. The researcher conducted qualitative research, through the use of daily gratitude journaling and various lessons in social emotional learning with students from a low …


Building Classroom Culture And Community With An Emphasis On Inclusive Practices, Adrienne Ducato May 2022

Building Classroom Culture And Community With An Emphasis On Inclusive Practices, Adrienne Ducato

Education | Master's Theses

The purpose of this research was to understand how inclusive classroom practices help cultivate empathy and community, particularly “post” pandemic and after learning conducted in isolated online and hybrid formats. The research is situated in a theoretical framework that integrates and examines inclusive educational practices, the role of empathy, and how diversity explored through literature can serve classroom culture. This study involved eighteen kindergarteners and six adult participants, including five educators and one counseling psychologist, and utilized a qualitative research design with a constructivist worldview to elicit from students how they understand and relate to empathy and inclusion. Students participated …


Student Perspective On The Efficacy Of Blended Learning In An Ap English Classroom While Transitioning Through A Pandemic, Laura Hass May 2022

Student Perspective On The Efficacy Of Blended Learning In An Ap English Classroom While Transitioning Through A Pandemic, Laura Hass

Education | Master's Theses

Returning from an online and hybridized learning experience, in the wake of a global pandemic, offers opportunities to integrate new strategies for student engagement and meeting academic standards. This research uses a theoretical framework that includes critical pedagogy (Freire, 2000), Universal Design Learning (Novak & Tucker 2021) and a constructivist approach (Bada & Olusegun, 2015) to blended learning. Tucker (2020) has shown that blended learning shifts classroom workflow, encourages grading practices that are sustainable, fosters partnerships between the teacher and student, and encourages students to take an active role in tracking, assessing, and reflecting on their own learning. This qualitative …


Impacts On Elementary School Students Related To Covid-19 And The Role Of Social-Emotional Learning In Children’S Mental Health, Amanda Davis May 2022

Impacts On Elementary School Students Related To Covid-19 And The Role Of Social-Emotional Learning In Children’S Mental Health, Amanda Davis

Education | Master's Theses

Research has shown that schools provide an ideal universal location for preventing behavioral issues and supporting students’ mental health (Ball et al., 2016; Daunic, et al., 2021; Maras et al., 2015). A large body of research has also connected students’ social-emotional skills and their attainment of academic success (Cook et al., 2018; Durlak et al., 2011). With this research and the gaining popularity of SEL, more SEL programs are being created, implemented, and evaluated. The purpose of this study was to understand some of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on young students' mental health and how teachers have responded …


Fostering Students' Critical Consciousness As Decolonizing Practice Within An Ethnic Studies Framework, Fatima Hansia May 2022

Fostering Students' Critical Consciousness As Decolonizing Practice Within An Ethnic Studies Framework, Fatima Hansia

Education | Master's Theses

This research explored how teachers were teaching critical consciousness as decolonizing pedagogy within Tolteka R. Cuauhtin’s Ethnic Studies Framework (Cuauhtin, 2019b) at an alternative education high school. Critical consciousness—an expansive term developed by Paolo Freire in the 1960s—advocates for a problem-posing approach to education that includes essential elements of praxis (reflection and action), development of holistic humanity, critical examination of the processes of violence and power, and social-justice oriented self-empowerment among students that leads to actionable community change (Freire, 2005). Even though the conceptualization of Ethnic Studies as a theoretical framework is strong, there is a lack of existing studies …


Critically Teaching Social Studies Using An Ethnic Studies Framework: Native American Representation In The Elementary School Curriculum, Erich Schottstaedt May 2022

Critically Teaching Social Studies Using An Ethnic Studies Framework: Native American Representation In The Elementary School Curriculum, Erich Schottstaedt

Education | Master's Theses

The research problem this qualitative study addresses is how Native American history, and European settler colonialism, can be critically taught in a developmentally appropriate manner, avoiding eurocentrism and whitewashing. Most research on Ethnic Studies and teacher preparation is focused on the high school level. Traditional elementary education tends to both romanticize and decontextualize Native American history, focusing on Native Americans as people who only lived in the distant past. Colonialism is often sanitized in Social Studies curriculum, with the perspectives of European settlers as the dominant frame of reference, where Native Americans are seen as secondary actors (Styres, 2019; Valdez, …