Education Commons^™

Effects Of Remote Learning On Mental Health And Socialisation. Literature Review, Anna Dabrowski, Pru Mitchell

School and system improvement

This literature review focuses on the effects of remote learning on mental health, including acute mental health issues and possible ongoing implications for student wellbeing and socialisation. It provides an overview of some of the challenges that can impact on the mental health and relationships of young people, many of which have accelerated or become more complex during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the light of concern about rising antisocial behaviour and extremism there is a focus on socialisation and self-regulation on return to school post-pandemic. In the face of limited Australian research on these topics, the review takes a global …

Making Meaning Of Covid-19: An Exploratory Analysis Of U.S. Adolescent Experiences Of The Pandemic, Gabriel M. Velez, Madeline Hahn, Brian Troyer

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic will mark the lives and trajectories of adolescents who lived through it. The pandemic upended social contexts, disrupted schools, and, for many, impacted the physical, financial, and psychosocial health of themselves, their families, and their communities. Contextual changes, however, are not solely deterministic of developmental outcomes. As Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and Spencer’s Phenomenological Variant of the Ecological Systems Theory demonstrate, young people interpret, make meaning, and respond to socioecological contexts as part of their developmental processes. The current study explored meaning making qualitatively through how adolescents in the United States were experiencing COVID-19. Participants were asked …

Together In Discussion: Creating Space And Inspiring Conversation To Support Underrepresented Adolescent Student Identity Development, Nicole Nicpon

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone addresses the question: How can same-identity peer groups impact adolescent development? The paper focuses on research around adolescent identity development and exploring affinity groups and other safe spaces that are options for schools to implement. There are many different theories on adolescent identity development, social development being an important part of a teen’s identity development, but what about students that do not have peers that they can easily identify with? How can they safely explore and develop their identity? The project is a curriculum guide that helps support adolescent identity development, the curriculum is geared for high school …

Developing In A Dynamic World Harnessing Psychology To Support The Covid-19 Generation, Gabriel Velez, Laura K. Taylor, Seamus A. Power

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and other social dynamics created a myriad of challenges and changes for individuals, groups, and societies. The impacts on youth are particularly noteworthy given developmental processes of adolescence and emerging adulthood. As psychologists, we have much to offer in studying how 2020 influenced their development and in shaping effective supports. To be useful, the work must be nuanced, iterative, and attentive to their lived realities. We argue for a dynamic research framework to study these developmental processes. Through such an approach, psychological science can provide insight into diverse young people’s experiences of COVID-19 with a …

Movement For A Purpose: The Middle School Classroom And Student Engagement, Emily F. Chestnut

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

When students reach adolescence, they begin to lose their excitement for learning and student behavior declines. Many students lose interest in their schoolwork because too many educators are still relying on the traditional classroom model. Research evidence reminds middle school educators why movement is an essential physical and emotional component of adolescent learning and development. The aim of this article is to remove the negative or stressful stigma many educators have about movement in the classroom and provide practical strategies to allow students to move each day.

Alleviating Teacher Burnout: The Relationship Between Job Stress, Teacher Efficacy And Emotional Exhaustion Among Middle School Teachers, Katie Jo Blevins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite increasing rates of teacher burnout, research is still unclear as to the exact triggers that eventually cause it. Two potential causes that are at the forefront of discussions regarding teacher burnout are job stress and teacher self-efficacy. Gaps in research indicate that more needs to be done to understand if there is a correlation between job stress, self-efficacy, and emotional exhaustion, a core component of burnout. Research is scant regarding stress, teacher self-efficacy, and emotional exhaustion at the middle school level even though there are a multitude of factors that can increase stress and decrease efficacy. To address research …

Sharing Their Stories: A Qualitative Investigation Of Adolescents’ Inpatient Experiences During Psychiatric Hospitalization, Jessica L. Rice

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Psychiatric hospitalization is an intensive treatment intervention, reserved for youth with severe mental illnesses, considered in imminent danger of harm to themselves and/or others. Although the prevalence of youth that are psychiatrically hospitalized continues to rise, there remains a gap in the available research about adolescents’ appraisals of their inpatient treatment, as most studies draw conclusions from surveys, administered after patients are discharged. Not only does this limit insights about treatment changes that could be beneficial in reducing psychiatric hospital recidivism, but it also inhibits youth from sharing their subjective experiences. As such, the current study sought to develop a …

Eds202 Psychological Foundations Of Secondary Education, Kelly Conover

Open Educational Resources

This syllabus was created for undergraduate students majoring in Secondary Education. The class topics and accompanying readings were organized to create a comprehensive overview of adolescent development as it relates to educators teaching adolescent students. The readings were picked specifically to encourage critical thinking and analysis of the class topics.

Do We Need Global Education In The Middle?, Kathleen Malu

Middle Grades Review

Do we need global education in the middle? This essay explores the answer to this question using various lenses. A brief overview of the history of global education within the middle school movement is presented as are the relevant goals from This We Believe (NMSA, 2010) and definitions of related terms. Using four dimensions of development—physical, intellectual, moral, and social-emotional—readers are asked to reflect as members of the middle level community and as individuals on their own understandings about the need for global education. The essay ends with recommendations for advancing global education, the author’s response to the question, and …

Exploring Teacher Beliefs Of Adolescent Developmental Needs Through Positive Student Comments Of Their Teachers, Elizabeth Bowers Hinchcliff

Theses and Dissertations

This study seeks to qualitatively examine the intersection between teachers' practical reasoning and beliefs, adolescent developmental needs, and positive teacher-student relationships. Positive comments about middle school teachers were gathered anonymously from middle school students (grades 6-8; ages 11-14) and coded according to four developmental domains: physical, social, emotional, and physical. Chi square analysis was used to determine statistical significance of which domains students alluded to most often when describing their teachers. The six middle school teachers who were mentioned most frequently in the student comments participated in semi-structured, open-ended interviews in which they were asked about the developmental needs of …

A Qualitative Study Of The Impact Of Experiences Of Students With Parents As Their Principal, Teacher, Or Coach, Lori Lynn Brownlee-Brewton

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Many people assume that educators’ children have an easy life in school, since many people at the school level and in the community traditionally hold educators in high esteem. Rarely does anyone explore the added pressure put on this selected class of students to perform for teachers, classmates, and the parent-educator, especially when all are in the same school. Perceptions of belonging have been determined to have important effects on adolescent development, influencing both social and academic outcomes (Baumeister & Leary, 1995; Walton & Cohen, 2007). Educators’ children are often uncomfortable with everyone knowing who their parent is. Students whose …

Educational And Psychosocial Development Of Adolescents In Specialist Sport Programs In Low Ses Areas Of Perth, Western Australia, Eibhlish Máire Bridget O'Hara

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Adolescents from low socio–economic (SES) backgrounds are more vulnerable, experience more physical and mental health problems, and often do not have as many positive educational outcomes as adolescents from higher SES backgrounds (Totten, 2007). Most research examining youth recreational activities, such as sport programs, demonstrate the positive influence they can have, especially for adolescents living in low SES neighbourhoods (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2002). However, adolescents living in low SES neighbourhoods often have limited access to such programs (Leventhal, Dupéré, Brooks-Gunn, 2009). As such, it is important to find alternate ways for adolescents living in low SES …

Evaluating Perceptions Of Student Voice And School Membership Of 9th Grade Students And Teachers, Dan Beck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adolescence marks a developmental period of rapid cognitive, emotional, and physical growth where teenagers are tasked with establishing an identity and strong sense of self. Students and parents often report that transition to ninth grade is a formidable social challenge amidst increased academic demands and stress, and some research suggests that females have a more difficult time in the transition to high school than males. Student voice is a range of student opportunities to interact, collaborate, and partner with adults in an exploration of ideas and perspectives. However, student voice opportunities are often only available to a select group of …

School Choice, Youth Voice: How Diverse Student Policy Actors Experience High School Choice Policy, Kate L. Phillippo, Briellen Griffin, Bryan J. Del Dotto, David Castro, Ekram Nagi

Education: School of Education Faculty Publications and Other Works

School choice research is abundant, but rarely incorporates students’ experiences or perspectives. This study investigates a diverse group of students’ school choice experiences as they applied to, gained admission to and enrolled in high school in Chicago Public Schools, which offers over 130 options. Adapting Ball and colleagues’ (2012) concept of policy actor positionality, we analyzed the role of students’ developmental and social statuses in students’ school choice experiences. Students’ policy encounters were developmentally consistent, but their admissions results and subsequent academic trajectories diverged by their socioeconomic status. We discuss these findings’ developmental and equity implications for school choice policy.

Identity Formation Of Adolescents Who Are Homeschooled: Mothers' Perceptions, Peggy Joan Mcqueen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Homeschooling is a growing educational choice with very little research about the psycho-social outcomes associated with the process. This qualitative study sought to examine the potential facilitative benefit of homeschooling upon the formation of identity. The participants were 26 mothers of homeschooled adolescents in Pennsylvania. Parent responses were examined using thematic analysis. Constituent aspects of parental motivation and methodology were investigated to assess the presence of elements facilitative in the process of identity formation as identified by Erik Erikson (1959, 1963). In examining methods used in homeschooling, it was found that the mothers in this study are providing the support …

Building Human Rights Consciousness In Postconflict Societies: Peruvian Adolescents’ Understandings Of Human Rights, Gabriel Velez

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

During adolescence, individuals begin to form ideas about human rights as part of the development of a sense of self. The outcomes of these processes are influential in the stability and peace in postconflict societies. However, there remain many questions about how these youth construct ideas about human rights and how they become oriented toward promoting these in society through a developed human rights consciousness. This study investigates how adolescents in an underexplored area of postconflict societies—where past violence was not intimately experienced—understand human rights. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 25 fifteen-year-olds across five schools in Tacna, Peru. These adolescents …

Leveraging Technology Toward Family Supports For And Development Of Middle Schoolers, Elizabeth Gil

Middle Grades Review

This Practitioner Perspective discusses how sharing a learning space with their parents, college students, and other adult members in a community-based technology program influenced middle school students’ familial support, their own technology knowledge and social capital, sense of membership in a learning community, and identity development. The program’s structure used technology as a starting point to develop skills, but also to aid Latino immigrant families to navigate their children’s schooling experiences.

Lifespan Communication And Career Development Of Black Teachers: A Socio-Ecological Approach, Veronica Whinnett Hurd

Communication & Theatre Arts Theses

This thesis unlocks the lifespan story of nine Black participants as they reflected on the communicative practices that guided their career journey towards becoming a teacher. Through the lens of Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) socio-ecological development model, the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem were examined to understand the content of career-related memories and with whom or what the communicative experiences occurred with across the participants’ lifespan. This study also takes an in-depth look at how the content of the memories evolved across Erikson’s (1964) childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood developmental periods, and the influence of the proximal and distal socio-ecological environments …

Two Years Of Relationship-Focused Mentoring For First Nations, Métis, And Inuit Adolescents: Promoting Positive Mental Health, Claire Crooks, Deinera Exner-Cortens, Sarah Burm, Alicia Lapointe, Deb Chiodo

Education Publications

First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) youth are disproportionately affected by a range of negative health outcomes including poor emotional and psychosocial well-being. At the same time, there is increasing awareness of culturally-specific protective factors for these youth, such as cultural connectedness and identity. This article reports the findings of a mixed-methods, exploratory longitudinal study on the effects of a culturally-relevant school-based mentoring program for FNMI youth that focuses on promoting mental well-being and the development of cultural identity. Participants included a cohort of FNMI adolescents whom we tracked across the transition from elementary to secondary school. We utilized data …

Adolescents' Self-Described Transformations And Their Alignment With Transformative Learning Theory, Katie Titus Larson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This phenomenological, collaborative inquiry explored the depth of two adolescent girls’ lived experiences during their high school years and the degree to which their self-described transformative incidents aligned with transformative learning theory.Traditionally this theory has been reserved for adults, yet the current paradigm may have overlooked the capabilities of modern adolescents to not only experience, but to describe and interpret transformative learning in ways both similar to and unique from adults.My two 19-year-old co-researchers and I examined four years of their self-identified transformative incidents by breaking them into components, analyzing the language within, and seeking evidence of critical self-reflection throughout; …

The Importance Of Scientific Mentoring Programs For Underrepresented Youth, Bonnie Halpren-Felsher, Phd, Sheila Mclaughlin, Mfa

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

This article introduces the work that was done through the Coordinating Center at Standford University.

Adult Relationships In Multiple Contexts And Associations With Adolescent Mental Health, Gordon Capp, Ruth Berkowitz, Kate Sullivan, Ron Avi Astor, Kris T. De Pedro, Tamika D. Gilreath, Eric Rice

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose: Adult relationships provide critical support for adolescents because of their potential to foster positive development and provide protective influences. Few studies examine multiple ecological layers of adult relationships in connection with well-being and depression. This study examines the influence of relationships from multiple contexts for adolescents and their mental health.
Method: Data from the 2011 California Healthy Kids Survey was used for this analysis; a sample of 7th-, 9th-, and 11th-grade students (N = 14,931) was drawn from 6 school districts in Southern California.
Results: Regression analyses revealed that parent, teacher, and community adult support were …

Steps Towards Personalized Learning Using Online Asynchronous Technology: A Study Of 7th, 10th And 12th Graders At A Small Rural School In Massachusetts, Michael Raymond Farmer

Educational Studies Dissertations

Adolescents’ use of technology is an integral part of their lives. They use it for communicating, archiving, socialization, identity exploration, and a range of other purposes. As a tool for adolescent academic learning, contemporary technologies target the brain’s recognition, strategic, and affective networks. Synthesizing adolescents’ affinity for technology with proven educational practices, knowledge of the brain’s workings, and an understanding of contemporary technologies’ capabilities, leads to the conclusion that technology-enabled personalized learning approaches can result in successful outcomes for students. This dissertation outlines findings from a 6-week mixed-methods study of 7th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students attending a small rural school …

Grief And At-Risk Behavior: A Look At The Effectiveness Of Grief Counseling Groups For Adolescents In Public Schools, Kiana Battle

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

Brief Description: This presentation will explore the affects that grief has on adolescents, including at–risk behaviors, identity confusion, issues of self-worth, and many more. The presentation will illustrate the positive impact that grief counseling groups have among adolescents (with a special focus in the public school environment). Barriers that hinder the effective delivery of group counseling within the public school arena will also be addressed (such barriers are amount of time in the school day, student caseload, and administrative support). This presentation will also address the critical role that school social workers play, in effectively providing group counseling interventions to …

Middle School Transition: Faculty And Parent Perceptions Of The Academic, Procedural, And Social Changes That Occur Between Elementary And Middle School, Barbara Mckeon

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of parents and faculty regarding the transition from a private special education school to the middle school environment. Research was conducted using a mixed methods design to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of those directly involved with the transition process. Seventeen participants, nine parents and eight faculty participated in both the interviews and questionnaire processes. Social competence, academic competence, procedural challenges, maturational readiness and program planning were dominant themes in this study. The study examined the academic, procedural and social changes that occur in middle school from the stage-environment fit …

Efficacy Of A Growth Mindset Intervention To Increase Student Achievement, Paula Benee' Boozer Wilkins

Education Dissertations and Projects

This research investigation examined the effectiveness of Brainology © , an online/classroom based curriculum, targeted to increase student motivational behavior and academic achievement. Five middle schools within an urban school district in the piedmont region of North Carolina participated in this study. Seventh-grade students and their teachers were the targeted sample (N=684).

A number of school motivational constructs were measured (mindset, effort beliefs, academic self-efficacy, interest and engagement in science, motivation in science, and use of study skills strategies). Teacher ratings of student motivational behavior were used and student academic achievement in math and science was calculated by quarterly grades …

Effects Of Implementing School-Wide Positive Behavioral Intervention And Supports In An Alternative School Setting, Erica Evans, Robert K. Gable

NERA Conference Proceedings 2013

One correctional alternative to punitive consequences is School Wide Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports. The program’s effects on behavior, achievement, and social behavior of students in a juvenile corrections facility were examined. There was a significant difference in the number of problem behavioral referrals between the pre (n = 130, M = 4.28) and post periods (n = 98, M = 3.23, p =.05, d=.27, small effect size). Themes from a focus group of school personnel (N=6): an improvement of classroom management skills by teachers, inconsistent application of positive behavioral supports, and a lack of administration support for the program.

Cultural Connectedness As Personal Wellness In First Nations Youth, Ben Davis

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Adolescent development involves changes in self-concept and identification with different groups or cultural norms. Many First Nations adolescents have additional difficulties due to disconnections with family, schooling and cultural background, as a legacy of colonisation and social marginalisation. The present study used data from the First Nations Regional Longitudinal Health Survey, Youth, Phase 2 to test the hypothesis that connectedness to social and cultural factors would predict lower rates of reported depression in First Nations youth, using a logistic regression analysis. The findings indicated that connectedness to family and school, as well as having a sense of control over one's …

Encouraging Healthy Lifestyle Choices Among At-Risk Youth: The Resolve Program, Gavrielle Levine, Deborah Majerovitz, Elizabeth Schnur, Charletta Robinson, Cadine Soman

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

This study describes results for the second year of RESOLVE, a federally-funded (U.S. Administration for Children and Families, CBAE) program designed to teach healthy lifestyles, goal setting, refusal skills, and abstinence education to at-risk youth that was developed and implemented by the Jewish Child Care Association. These data examine changes in content knowledge, self-esteem, attitudes and intentions regarding pre-marital sexual behavior from pre- to post-test, as well as self-report data on actual sexual activity. Results for the 303 youth who completed the program indicate positive changes in content-knowledge, attitudes and intentions regarding sexual behavior. Qualitative results highlight the importance of …

Developing A Support Group For Adolescents With Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus Using An Outdoor Adventure Educational Modality, Tara Lynch

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This independent study details the group process aspects of creating an outdoor adventure based support group for adolescents living with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). A review of previous outdoor adventure programs is included, followed by a rationale for the new material. The developmental assessment of teens living with IDDM identifies a need for greater self-confidence, increased independence, and social support. To meet this need, a program that includes aspects of team building, personal challenge, and problem-solving has been created.