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Cultural Priming And Psychosocial Factors In The Achievement Of Hispanic And White Students, Richard Peters Aug 2018

Cultural Priming And Psychosocial Factors In The Achievement Of Hispanic And White Students, Richard Peters

Educational Studies Dissertations

The rationale for this study is that the achievement gap between Whites and Hispanics can be influenced by reconceptualizing the learner process as one that integrates culture, motivation, and psychosocial variables, with academic performance. The study investigated the role of three psychosocial variables in achievement: familism, academic self concept, and ethnocentrism. It also reconceptualized one’s culture as a toolkit for instrumental use on tasks in another culture, adopted the dynamic constructivist approach to culture’s influence, and applied the original definition of acculturation, of mutual influence of groups in contact, to achievement. A pretest/posttest comparison group design was used. White and …


An Examination Of Educators' Perceptions Of Host Country Cultural Dynamics In International Schools Abroad, Sharlene M. Fedorowicz Jan 2017

An Examination Of Educators' Perceptions Of Host Country Cultural Dynamics In International Schools Abroad, Sharlene M. Fedorowicz

Educational Studies Dissertations

This research examines dynamics and challenges of relationships between international schools (IS) and host country cultures as perceived by educators. Cultural impacts that influence the capacity of educators to manage, lead, and navigate IS are investigated. A sample of 133 educators (administrators and teachers) employed in IS responded to the survey and 13 of those participants were interviewed using a Mixed Method Sequential Explanatory Design (Creswell, 2009). IS promote international-mindedness where adverse contact zones are minimized by providing opportunities for students of different races, genders, and nationalities to integrate and work together. Although IS provide a strong basis for cultural …


Portuguese As A Foreign Language: Teaching And Learning In The United States: A Dissertation, Celia Bianconi Jan 2012

Portuguese As A Foreign Language: Teaching And Learning In The United States: A Dissertation, Celia Bianconi

Educational Studies Dissertations

This dissertation reviewed the history of foreign language education in the United States relating it to political and economic world events. A quantitative study and a hypothesis generating case study revealed the motivation of learners of Portuguese as a foreign language. Portuguese teachers in higher education in the United States were surveyed and three recently published Portuguese textbooks were analyzed. The results showed that the main reasons that motivate students to learn Portuguese as a foreign language are interest in Brazilian culture, plans to travel in a Portuguese-speaking country, familiarity with Spanish language, skills needed to reach professional goals and …