Education Commons^™

Bridging Cultural Identities: Empowering El Students Through Acculturation, Sarah D.T. Corder

Culminating Experience Projects

English learners (ELs) are more likely to develop positive social and psychological outcomes when they acculturate to American society, which is to develop cultural competency while maintaining their home language, customs, and traditions (Berry et al., 2006). Yet, multiple factors in our current society cause ELs to lose connection to their heritage culture by assimilating to American society (Chen, 2018). This project first explores the factors that contribute to assimilation behaviors among elementary-age ELs and limit the positive social, emotional, and academic effects of acculturation. Using Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory as a framework, it then examines culturally responsive pedagogy as a …

Virginia History Standards And Inclusivity, Laura Byers

Student Research Submissions

Diversity in the Commonwealth of Virginia is increasing rapidly and there is some concern among citizens that the Social Studies Standards of Learning are not accurately representative of the student population. The purpose of this study was to analyze and assess the current Standards of Learning for diversity and inclusion. The research study was a content analysis of the 2023 Social Studies Standards of Learning. It was found that the standards do not currently reflect the diversity of the student population. The results of this research study highlights gaps in diversity and inclusion of racial/ethnic groups and genders in Standards …

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Educators And Service Providers In The Identification Process Of Minority Students For Special Education In East Tennessee Elementary Schools, Paula R. Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of educators and service providers in identifying minority students in special education in Tennessee elementary schools. The theory guiding this study was Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. This theory emphasizes cultural tools and their functions in understanding a different culture. It also provides a framework for researchers to investigate how education links individuals to their culture. The study’s sample consisted of ten participants, including general education teachers of core content areas, school psychologists, speech-language pathologists, and ELL teachers from three elementary schools in Tennessee. I used the triangulated research strategy …

The Lived Experiences Of In-Service Teachers' Perceptions Of Culturally Responsive Education: A Hermenuetical Phenomenology, Joshua J. Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to identify, describe, and interpret the lived experiences of in-service teachers with culturally responsive education. The theory guiding this study was the social cognitive theory, emphasizing reciprocal determinism, or the bi-directional relationship between the personal, environmental, and behavioral determinants. This study's central question asked, " What are the lived experiences of in-service teachers concerning the concept of culturally responsive education?" The study took place in a large, suburban school district in Florida. The researcher selected 10 participants who have at least three years of classroom experience and have received an equity-micro-credential, which …

A Dakota Cultural Intervention’S Influence On Native Students’ Sense Of Belonging: A Cbpr Case Study, Heather J. Peters, Teresa R. Peterson, The Dakota Wicoḣaƞ Community

Psychology Publications

This community-based participatory research case study demonstrates how Dakota Wicoḣaƞ utilized Indigenous and feminist epistemologies to create, implement, and evaluate a cultural intervention, the Mni Sota Makoce: Dakota Homelands Curriculum, to increase Native 6th- and 10th-grade social studies students’ peoplehood sense of belonging (Tachine et al., 2017). Findings demonstrate Native students liked the curriculum and reported an increase in support and a decrease in invalidation of their sense of belonging. While the curriculum provided a source of racial-ethnic socialization, some European American students criticized the curriculum, which likely negatively impacted 6th-grade students psychological sense of school membership (Goodenow, 1993). Results …

Culturally Responsive Teaching: High School Teachers Reflecting On Multicultural And Global Education, Giselle Pardo De Rincón

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This study explored the challenges and benefits teachers face in implementing culturally responsive teaching, multicultural education, and global education and their impact on student learning, community integration, and sense of belonging. Through qualitative narrative research, I investigated how high school educators could create inclusive classroom environments. Four high school teachers from a suburban high school in Oregon, aged 21 or older, participated in semi-structured interviews focused on culturally responsive teaching, multicultural education, and global education. The research aimed to uncover high school teachers’ experiences across different career stages, offering insights to support educators and inform policy and teacher preparation programs, …

New Classroom Teachers' Perceptions Of Multicultural Teacher Preparation, Kelli J. Foster

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

The nation is becoming increasingly diverse, with the student population mirroring a broad range of ethnicities and cultures. To best serve their diverse classrooms, new teachers need training on multiple teaching styles and cultural backgrounds to understand and meet the individual needs of their students. This qualitative study investigates novice teachers’ preparation experiences with culturally relevant teaching and multicultural teacher education practices, their perceptions of its presence and effectiveness in preparing them to teach diverse student populations, and how novice teachers describe their experiences working with diverse student populations. Data for this study was collected through semi-structured interviews with eight …

“Every Man Must Play A Part”: A Character-Centered Approach To The Merchant Of Venice, Megan Moore

Honors Program Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

Crossing Schools, Language, And Migration Borders: The Experiences Of Latinx And Caribbean Emergent Multilingual Mothers In K-12 Public Schools, Michelle Angelo-Rocha

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anti-immigrant sentiment and "English-only" ideologies have a significant impact on educational policies, practices, and processes. This includes parental engagement, the quality of education and life opportunities offered to immigrant children, and families’ well-being. The purpose of this study was to examine how Latinx and Caribbean mothers in Florida with various immigration statuses (i.e., undocumented, asylum seekers, refugees, international students, and mixed-status) and often with limited financial resources attempt to steward their children through the U.S. educational system. The research question was: How did emergent multilingual immigrant mothers experience the K-12 education system in Florida? The sub-question was: How did schools …

Lack Of Multicultural Representation In Children’S Literature And Societal Attitudes On Youths’ Self-Perception, Ellen Knutson

Counselor Education Capstones

This Capstone Project addresses the use of multicultural representation in children’s literature, with particular relevance to educational resources and curriculum. Likewise, there is consideration of the impact of societal attitudes towards multicultural education and acts of inclusivity on the implementation of such ideas. Societal attitudes mentioned include state legislature and literature censorship. The implementation of multicultural education would inherently represent larger numbers of underrepresented communities and individuals, which would then be included in the classroom. This Capstone looks to understand the potential impact of thorough implementation of multicultural education and inclusive, representative literature for youth.

Cultivating Teachers For High-Poverty Schools, Kit Z Mcguire

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

This quantitative study examines the connections between teacher preparation programs (TPPs) and later retention. According to the Theory of Transformative Multicultural Education (Vavrus, 2002), to prepare future teachers for the needs of urban, high-poverty schools, candidates need to be in a culturally responsive environment and receive dedicated instruction in multicultural education. These characteristics were measured three ways: inclusion of diversity in the TPP mission/vision statement, required multicultural coursework course levels, required multicultural coursework credit hours. These variables were included in a path analysis model along with teacher characteristics and school characteristics known to affect teacher retention rates. The intervention variables …

Read This Book!: Defending Multicultural Literature From Recent Censorship, Chloe Devine

Honors Program Theses and Projects

The aim of this research is to highlight the importance of multicultural children’s literature in the field of education as it relates to the call for a more multicultural approach to education, as well as through the consideration of the recent uptick in book censorship across the country. Specifically, I will turn my attention towards children’s literature that features Black characters and experiences, which are often featured within the multicultural realm. Despite the fact that research has consistently shown that multicultural children’s literature has benefits for Black children as well as creating an engaging reading experience for all readers, efforts …

Transtrauma: Conceptualizing The Lived Experiences Of Vietnamese American Youth, Khánh Lê

Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement

Drawing on empirical data from qualitative research I conducted with eight Vietnamese American youth in the Fall of 2020, this paper forwards transtrauma, a new framework for conceptualizing and understanding the lived experiences of Vietnamese American youth. The concept of transtrauma goes beyond the pathologizing of individual trauma, to examine how structures of domination inflict and extend trauma in marginalized communities, such as that of Vietnamese American communities. Transtrauma transcends the overt and linear focus on trauma as a single experience and the examination of how institutionalized violence by nation states shapes the experiences of Vietnamese Americans. This conceptualization …

Sccs Tinley Cultural Relationships School Improvement Plan, Rebecca D. Rael

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This school improvement plan (SIP) aims to identify and implement tangible practices to welcome families of color to the SCCS Tinley Park Campus and create pathways for cultural discussions to begin and grow within the school community. The plan also includes lesson plan materials in the form of tips and guidelines for conversation starters, a list of notable living people of color, technology resources and books for teachers to use in the classroom as they model and scaffold multicultural relationship building amongst students. This SIP also seeks to answer the question “What are effective strategies for increasing parent engagement from …

From Academia To Industry: The Educators’ Role In Preparing Marketing Practitioners For America’S Multicultural Reality, Neleen S. Leslie-Piper, Tanzeah Sharpe

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2023

This study examines the state of multicultural marketing education. It looks at current Marketing and IMC programs offered in the United States to ascertain the extent to which their curricula include components aimed at building multicultural competence in future practitioners. Finally, the paper proposes recommendations for making marketing education more responsive to current market needs.

Bridging The Cultural Divide: A Single Case Study To Describe The Lived Experiences Of A High School Senior From A Mexican American Working-Class Family, Nadine E. Franz

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

ABSTRACT

Bridging the Cultural Divide:

A Single Case Study to Describe the Lived Experiences of a High School Senior from a Mexican American Working-Class Family

The United States’ education system lacks a commitment to multicultural education. This failure to validate all students’ cultural assets is problematic. Multicultural education challenges the status quo to change schools to validate the diverse backgrounds of students of color (Banks, 1993; Banks & Banks, 2015). The United States education system must adopt a multicultural education policy that focuses on equity, freedom, and diversity to ensure students’ success (Grant & Tate, 1995). Consequently, schools and students …

Bridging The Cultural Divide: A Single Case Study Exploring Connections Between Multi-Cultural Education, Identity, Self-Esteem And Leadership, Amy Britton

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

This qualitative single case study explores connections between multicultural education, identity development, self-esteem, and leadership. The study focuses on the lived experiences of a lifelong learner, educator, and leader in higher education with the pseudonym, Rachel. The interview with Rachel traced how she experiences diversity within her academic experiences as a learner and her professional experiences as an educator and leader.

Not 'Fit In More,' I Would Say 'Stand Out Less': Dialogical Learning With A Filipino-American High School Student In A Predominantly White High School: A Case Study, Cristofer G. Slotoroff Ed.D.

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

This piece seeks to amplify the voice of Jamie: a Filipino-American student in a predominantly White high school. Through a series of dialogues, the researcher seeks to take an intentional, purposeful step toward uncovering how Jamie's understanding of her school's cultural makeup influences her education, her self-conception, and her identity.

Through a series of qualitative interviews, the researcher seeks to value the singularity of Jamie's experience while, alternatively, taking note of how a better knowledge of her circumstances lends insight into the nuanced educational experiences of minority students in predominantly White schools. Using Shields's (2004) dialogical leadership for social justice …

Impact Of Two Courses On Intercultural Competence Of Undergraduate Students, Lauren Lindmeier, Ryuto Hashimoto, Elizabeth J. Sandell

Elementary and Literacy Education Department Publications

Increasing migrations across the world mean leaders at all levels need to become more competent in working across cultures. During the past 30 years, program designers, researchers, and others have investigated intercultural competence (ICC), often described as the capability to accurately understand and adapt behavior to cultural differences and commonalities. Tertiary education programs (TEP) are accepting these challenges by offering experiences (such as coursework, study away, study abroad, cultural events, etc.) that are intended to produce culturally competent graduates. The teaching and learning experiences described in this study at a midwestern American university may inform others. This study examined archived …

Multicultural Teacher Knowledge: Examining Curriculum Informed By Teacher And Student Experiences Of Diversity, Vicki Dea Ross, Elaine Chan

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

Herein, we consider how we might support teacher candidates to meet the learning needs of an increasingly diverse student population, in part by encouraging candidates to draw from their own experiences to inform their developing teacher knowledge about multicultural education. We conducted a school-based, long-term narrative inquiry to explore complexities of multicultural teacher knowledge. We document ways in which two practicing teachers, William and Janine, drew from their experiences of diversity in their teaching, and schooling, to build their body of multicultural teacher knowledge that, in turn, informed their work with their students. We recognize the importance of acknowledging teacher …

Community In Culture: The Role Of Multicultural Education In Elementary School, Michaela Novack

Senior Honors Theses

Racism, bias, and discrimination plagues all areas of society, including the school systems. With the wrong perspective, diversity causes division, and it is impacting students, even in elementary schools. This thesis will examine research about the issue of racism and bias in elementary schools and suggest the solution of cultural integration experiences with practical strategies. It will demonstrate how cultural diversity in instruction encourages students to identify stereotypes, readjust their perspectives of culture, and identify and appreciate their cultural differences. This instruction can be achieved through a variety of methods including virtual field trips, diverse literature, and class activities. The …

Beating The Odds: Counter Narratives Of Thriving Students Of Color At Dominantly White Faith-Based Institutions, Rebecca Kuhn

Faculty Dissertations

Graduation rates of students of color in the United States remain virtually unchanged, despite 50 years of institutions implementing programs and services to increase success among students of color (de Brey et al., 2019). The disparity in undergraduate degree completion rates between White college students and students of color indicates systemic barriers to student success remain pervasive. This qualitative study employs hermeneutic phenomenology to analyze and interpret the lived experiences of 10 thriving students of color at dominantly White faith-based institutions. Schreiner’s (2010a) holistic student success construct of thriving and Harper’s (2012a) Anti-Deficit Achievement Framework provide the conceptual frameworks for …

Oer In University Language Courses, Jenny Ceciliano

World Languages and Literatures Faculty Publications and Presentations

Open Educational Resources (OER) offer incredible advantages in language teaching and learning. Implementing an OER curriculum can result in benefits that go far beyond controlling costs for students, which is itself a significant step toward improving equity. Drawing on your own experience and expertise as language educators, as well as the contributions of collaborators around the world, it is possible to build a curriculum customized for your unique student group. With thoughtful design, your program can help students achieve desired learning outcomes not just in language acquisition, but also in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). In this talk, I will …

Relationships Of Teacher Perceptions And Racially Diverse Third Grade Student Achievement : An Analysis Of Ecls-K:2011 Data University At Albany, Lynnette Renee Williams

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

ABSTRACTIt has been over 50 years since desegregation efforts began and many public-school systems in the United States are still battling with performance gaps between White and historically underrepresented students. The term historically underrepresented refers to people from diverse racial, cultural, linguistic, and economically disadvantaged backgrounds who have been denied access or suffered institutional discrimination in the United States, and according to the U.S. Census includes Blacks/African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans (Artiles et al., 2010). Many historically underrepresented students are lagging behind their peers on academic performance measures, standardized achievement tests, high school graduation, and college-career readiness …

A Literature Review Of Multicultural Education Practices To Support Marginalized Communities, Karleigh Ferrell

Curriculum and Instruction Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to provide an overview of the current literature surrounding multicultural education practices that effectively support students from marginalized communities. Today’s classrooms are the most diverse and expansive that they have ever been in terms of the student population, but this is not yet reflected in employed public school teachers. So, it is crucial that teachers and public schools are culturally competent and prepared to implement multicultural education practices. Teachers that are culturally competent and that utilize multicultural education strategies have a higher sense of self-efficacy and less risk of burnout, and students of all identities have better …

The Promise Of The Taxonomy Of Online Racism For Critical Race Media Literacy In Social Studies Education Research, Jemimah Young, Cristina Worley, Jamaal Young

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

The purpose of this article is to present an argument for the uptake of the online taxonomy of racism as an analytical framework for online analyses of racism to support the adoption of critical race media literacy (CRML) within social studies education. First, we provide an overview of the utility of the taxonomy of online racism. We then offer a discussion of how hashtag analysis is currently used to study racism in other fields and can be adapted for use among teacher educators, pre-service, and in-service social studies teachers. Then we present #hashtag content analysis as an exemplar for implementing …

Preparing For Multiculturalism: An Analysis Of The Perceived Preparedness Of Pre-Service Teachers For Teaching In Diverse Classrooms, Nelsilva Wolf

Honors College Theses

This research examines the levels of preparedness of current pre-service teachers for teaching in the emerging culturally diverse classroom setting. The responses of the surveys and interviews will give more insight into how teachers are being prepared and areas of multicultural education that need more attention. This research can also give pre-service teachers the opportunity to reflect on their current understanding and experiences of multiculturalism to develop skills needed for culturally relevant teaching.

"We Are The Stories" : Narrative Competence And Cognitive Mapping As A Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy In The Education Of Emergent Bilinguals, Sepideh Yasrebi

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Much has been said about the drawbacks of “teaching to the test” in K-12 public education in the U.S. When it comes to English as a New Language (ENL), however, few studies have explored the ways in which ENL literacy and education is framed and conceptualized in the New York State Next Generation Learning Standards (NGLS), which, in turn, decisively shape ENL curriculum and instruction at schools. Considering the issues of deficits perspectives, context and pragmatics in Second Language Acquisition, mechanical approaches to writing, and narrative and agency, this study intends to reframe narrative writing around students’ lived experiences. In …

Experiences Of Chinese American Psychology Trainees In Multicultural Education, Helen Weng-Ian Chao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although research has established that students of color have unique experiences in their multicultural training, few studies have examined the experiences and needs of specific subgroups of students of color. This study examined Chinese American psychology trainees’ experiences in multicultural education. Qualitative data was collected from individual semi-structured interviews with Chinese American doctoral students (N = 6). Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to understand participants’ perceptions of their experiences in multicultural courses. Data analysis resulted in four themes: the (1) burden of being minoritized, (2) Chinese American identity inflection points, being (3) sidelined by whiteness, and (4) …

Seeking Clarity In Murky Waters: Nuances Of Equity And Social Justice From A Teacher Perspective, Elaine J. Chan

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

In this study, I examined interactions between an English teacher and her students to illustrate ways in which issues of equity and social justice may play out in nuanced ways in the implementation of school curriculum in a diverse, Midwestern high school. These stories of classroom teacher and student experiences reveal complexities of how equity and social justice might unfold for students, and be understood by a teacher as she works with her students, to build a body of “teacher knowledge” (Clandinin and Connelly, 1996) that grows as the teacher gains experience. Examining complexities of “teacher knowledge” as a classroom …