Education Commons^™

About The Contributors

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

No abstract provided.

Meaning Making, Labeling, And Self In Symbolic Interactionism: Teacher Identity And Everyday Life, Melissa Brooks-Yip

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

Symbolic interactionism helps explain the meaning of labels in education and how this impacts teacher identity and professionalism. This article will explore elements of the symbolic interactionism theoretical framework: everyday life actions and interactions, meaning-making, language, labeling and symbols, identity, and teachers' self. Implications will follow.

Grounded School Choice In Uganda: Community Building From The Bottom To The Top, Jennifer Bennett, Joe Bishop, Shima Tondar

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

The non-profit organization, From the Bottom to the Top, has been working with the people of west-central Uganda to rebuild the education system, develop increased access to sustainable schools, and promote community involvement in school decisions. This study aimed to explore the perceptions and experiences of students, parents, teachers, and community members related to their choice of specific schools in a rural area of Uganda, which have been working in cooperation with From the Bottom to the Top. Interviews focused on students and families’ motivations to choose the school their children attend and observations of sustainable development efforts in their …

Front Matter

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

No abstract provided.

Using Grounded Theory To Understand How Commuter Students Develop A Sense Of Belonging, Amy M. Barnhart

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study is concerned with the fact that commuter students persist at a lower rate than their residential peers. As colleges and universities seek to increase educational attainment rates, understanding why commuter students struggle with retention is important. Research shows sense of belonging can positively affect intention to persist. As such, the guiding research question for this study was as follows: How do commuter students develop a sense of belonging in their university? This research was conducted at a large, public, primarily nonresidential, doctoral university in the Midwestern United States. This study utilized constructivist grounded theory methodology to understand how …

Exploration Of The Reflective Supervision Relationship: Meaning Making, Communication, And Transformative Learning In Educational Environments, Elizabeth Betsy Stoelt

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Reflective supervision is ongoing professional development, often utilized by the social work field that originates from infant mental health supervisory practices. Reflective supervision increases one’s capacity to become aware and manage the strong emotions that are inherent in direct service work and understand relational dynamics within families and between professionals and family members. Using the 3 central tenets of collaboration, reflection and regularity, the goal of reflective supervision is to develop and maintain effective service delivery by understanding the practitioner’s positionality. This study utilized the practice of reflective supervision with five educators over a 10-week period of time. The goal …

Getting To The Heart Of Leading As A Cognitive Coach, Kimberly Coupe Pavlock

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

While the expectations and challenges facing K–12 educational leaders are considerable and significantly increasing, the support they receive in training, leadership development, and ongoing support has been limited in range and relevance. Although Cognitive Coaching is not a leadership development program, per se, Cognitive Coaching is a model of coaching that has been highly regarded and frequently requested by administrators, teachers, consultants, and literacy coaches in K–12 education, and the components of this coaching model can serve as a basis for leadership development. Previous research about Cognitive Coaching has highlighted the benefits of Cognitive Coaching for students, teachers, administrators, and …

What Did Y’All Do?: Using Counter-Storytelling To Recall Student Affairs Professionals’ Response To Anti-Black Racist Incidents At One Predominantly White Institution In The Midwest, Darquillius J. Mayweather

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study paints a picture of student affairs professionals’ work after a string of anti-Black racist incidents at a predominantly White Midwestern university. In this study, student affairs professionals were asked to recount their responses to three anti-Black racist incidents at the university during the fall semester of 2016:
• September, 20, 2016, “KKK Leave N*****s” at Sing Hall;
• September 21, 2016, “Fuck U N*****s” at Mise Hall; and
• October 31, 2016, “leave n*****s” at Cord Hall.

This study used critical race theory (CRT) counter-storytelling methods to uncover frontline student affairs professionals’ responses to anti-Black racist incidents at …

Speech And Language Assessment Of Internationally Adopted Children, Lindsey Clifford

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This paper consists of three distinct articles, all related to the speech and language assessment of internationally adopted children. The first article, “Speech and Language Assessment of Internationally Adopted Children,” is a qualitative study that explored how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) would conduct a speech and language assessment of internationally adopted children. The assessment of this population of children can be challenging for many reasons, and there is limited knowledge of what methods SLPs are currently using. In-depth interviews were conducted with five SLPs who had at least two years of experience working in a public school setting to learn how …

Technology And Its Impact On Parental Involvement In K-12 Education, Kenyuano Jones

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact technology, specifically the Student Information System’s (SIS) parent portal has on parent involvement in K-12 education. Parents who participated in the study were asked questions in the fields of special education; social economic status; parent workshops; use of technology, including the parent portal; parent beliefs; parent–teacher relationships; and their involvement in schools. The data were collected from parents of K-12 students through a survey and was analyzed to determine if there were relationships between variables as well as to show two-way relationships and path analysis. Based on the findings, it …

The Experiences Of Black Men Living On Campus At A Pwi And Belonging, Jeanette Zalba

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study aimed to examine the experiences of Black men living on campus at predominately White institutions (PWIs) and their sense of belonging. Perception of social support, connectedness, and acceptance with the campus community was used as the operational definition of sense of belonging used for this study. Research suggests that Black men have less belonging than their White counterparts at PWIs and that living on campus can positively influence the development of sense of belonging. However, the literature lacks Black men’s experiences in the residence halls at PWIs and influences on sense of belonging. This qualitative study utilized a …

A Critical Race Critique Of Campus Climate And Belonging For First-Generation Students Of Color At Historically Black Colleges & Predominately White Institutions, Samantha Gale Aaron

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to assess whether and how higher education campus climate, policy, and practice influence belonging for first-generation students of color. Through the lens of critical race theory, the study further juxtaposes those experiences through the testimony of students at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Grounded theory informed my qualitative survey and interview tools through which I examined belonging through three standards: social, which explored belonging through peers, groups, and the environment; personal, which explored belonging through the respondent’s thoughts, feelings, and emotions; and institutional, which explored belonging through practice, …

Call For Manuscripts

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

No abstract provided.

About The Contributors

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

No abstract provided.

Taking A Hard Left: Civic Learning, Radical Politics, And Hardcore Punk In The 1980s, Paul J. Ramsey

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

This article examines the political dimensions of the art, literature, “zines,” music, and activism of the American punk movement in the 1980s. The scene was dominated by far-Left views, which were both taught and learned and, thus, served as an informal civic education for many young people in the subculture.

Teacher Versus Parent Perceptions Of Children's Imaginative (Pretend) Play As An Avenue For Learning And The Implication Of Digital Media Use, Christine Snyder

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

This study explores teacher and parent perceptions of children’s imaginative (pretend) play as an avenue for learning and the implication of digital media use. In this study, 100 teachers and 130 parents (n = 230) of one- to five-year-olds completed a survey expressing their views on play, children’s exposure to digital media, and observations of children’s learning and development. Observations of children’s learning and development focused specifically on creativity, executive function skills, problem solving, and social interactions. Findings indicate that generally parents and teachers value play, children have greater exposure to digital media at home (versus school), and observations of …

Passing The Mic: Teachers' Conceptions Of Student Voice In Urban Classrooms, Sharon E. Hopkins

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

In education there have been many reforms over the years that have asked teachers to be self-reflexive about their pedagogical practices as well as to develop their own articulation of the true purpose of education. One such reform has been centered around the term “student voice.” While there are many different theoretical interpretations and practical implementations of the term, this study sought to identify how teachers in an urban setting conceive of the term, as well as how they described their own facilitation in practice. This is particularly important for traditionally marginalized students who often feel disempowered in school. Using …

Editors' Introduction, Melissa Brooks-Yip, Christine Snyder

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

No abstract provided.

West Town, Christian Ramsey

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

No abstract provided.

Full Issue (Vol. 1, No. 1)

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

No abstract provided.

Speech-Language Pathologists' Perspectives On Augmentative Communication And Autism Spectrum Disorder, Madison Lambert

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is a common strategy that speech-language pathologists (SLPs) use to help individuals better communicate. AAC is used to assist or replace verbal communication. This strategy can include pointing at pictures, having a device that speaks typed words, or using gestures such as sign language. AAC is commonly used to help individuals with autism spectrum disorder with communication. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong developmental disability that impacts social communication and interaction. Individuals with ASD also commonly have restrictive or repetitive behaviors. Past research on AAC has focused more on what it is and why …

Speech-Language Pathologists On The Autism Spectrum, Rebecca Freeman Barnett

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This thesis consists of three journal articles for publication that addresses three different aspects of the research that examines the state of diversity in the field of speech-language pathology (SLP) as it pertains to autistic representation and possible implications. In the first article, Demographic Analysis of Autistic Speech-Language Pathologists, the purpose was to determine the demographic differences between SLPs that identified on the autism spectrum and those that did not. A mass survey was conducted of SLPs in the states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio. It was concluded that 2.98% of SLPs self-identified on the autism spectrum. Chi-square analyses found …

Why Do I Teach Math This Way: A Qualitative Examination Of How Teacher Experiences Impact The Implementation Of Instructional Practices, Carrie A. Heaney

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Since the 1960s, there has been an effort among the mathematical education community to shift instructional practices from a focus on arithmetic, memorizing rules, and completing practice worksheets to instructional practices that allow students to see mathematics as content that requires thinking and pattern explorations. Many mathematics teachers have not fully embraced these shifts in instructional practice. This study aimed to examine secondary mathematics teachers’ experiences and how those experiences connect to teachers’ implementation of student-centered instructional practices in the lessons they design. This qualitative study utilized a grounded theory approach to examine how a teacher’s experiences as a student …

An Historical Analysis Of The Fanny Edel Falk Laboratory School At The University Of Pittsburgh, Scott Meyer-Kukan

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Laboratory schools in the United States have been in existence in some form since the establishment of normal schools in 1839. Heavily criticized in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, many laboratory schools would close their doors for a variety of reasons. One laboratory school in particular, the Fanny Edel Falk Laboratory School, was established under a unique charter agreement between the Falk family and the University of Pittsburgh. The school opened its doors in the fall of 1931 and is still in operation today. The primary purpose of this qualitative historical analysis was to understand the functions and purposes of …

Quantitative Analysis Of Contributing Factors Of Career Success And Overall And Academic Resilience In Higher Education: A Refinement Of Tinto’S Theory To Stop Latinx Oppression, Andreia Gendera

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

It is indeed a fact that diversity helps to build a better economy, and diverse businesses are proven to be healthier and more successful, but the lack of diversity in the workforce and educational environment, shows that the pipeline is not moving Latinx people enough. Latinx community is the largest minoritized community in the United States, substantially impacting the country’s economy and society, but the United States Census Bureau (2020) estimates that out of the 2% of the population 25 years and older who have a doctorate degree only 0.11% is Hispanic of any race, including Latinx. The purpose of …

Exploring The Influence Of A School-Based Therapy Dog Reading Program On Reluctant Readers’ Motivation To Read And Reading Fluency In The K-4 Setting., Laura A. Carino

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This mixed-methods research study focuses on students’, teachers’, and parents’ perceptions of the influence therapy dogs in schools can have on reluctant readers’ attitudes about reading and motivation to read at school and at home as well as exploring changes in the participants' oral fluency. Eight student participants read to our school therapy dog in a 1:1 setting two times each week throughout a six-week period. Before beginning the sessions, each student completed a reading perception survey to serve as a baseline for each child's motivation to read. Each student was also interviewed, seeking information about each child's feelings about …

Help Wanted: The Call For Transformative Women Leaders In Higher Education, Lisa Emery

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This research considers the need for transformative change in higher education admissions policies and student success initiatives in the wake of significant impending changes in the demographics of the college-going population. The role of the chief enrollment management officer (CEMO) was examined for its potential to shape policies around access and equity within an institution. It is predicted that hundreds of CEMO positions may become available due to high turnover within the next few years, creating an opportunity for more women to step into this executive-level role. In this causal comparative quantitative study, data was collected from 211 current CEMOs …

Black Women At The Crossroads: Agency, Interruptions, And Oppression In Education, Kimberly D. Ferrell

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation utilizes intersectionality, critical race feminism (CRF), Black feminist research and case studies to explore Black women’s oppression in education. This research study contributes to a growing body of work on Black females’ experiences of marginalization socially and educationally. The aim of this research was threefold: (a) to provide a theoretical analysis on the marginalization of Black females in society and exercising agency; (b) to explore my own memories and amplify my voice through an autoethnography, highlighting personal lived experiences of oppression in education; and (c) to provide a qualitative analysis on Black women oppression, amplifying the voices of …

A Survey Of Clinical Research Education And Perceptions Among Research Staff Within An Urban Hospital Setting, Francesca Picotte

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Health centers are uniquely positioned to address the growing need for uniform clinical research training, which leads to scientific advances in improving overall population health outcomes. This study surveyed 44 clinical research professionals for their current baseline of research competency and perceptions, within a single medical campus in Michigan, to obtain the current baseline of education research competency for the suggested development and implementation of a future clinical research training curriculum. Clinical study coordinators and senior staff physicians accounted for 50% (22) of the survey respondents. Most of the participants 93% (41) reported that the primary source of their research …