Education Commons^™

Somebody Has To Pay Rent: The Critical Autoethnography Of A Low Income Student, Shelbi M. Schadendorf

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Conducted through the qualitative research method of autoethnography, and presented through the lens of critical analysis, this study explores the oppressive experience as a low income student in an institute of higher education. Written as an attempt to make the struggle as a low income students more visible, the focus of this study is both an exploration into the commodification of higher education and the culture surrounding how we treat, or don’t acknowledge, low income students.

Through the presentation of the author’s experience as an autoethnography, the insight gained from first hand experience can be shared through an accessible, but …

Experiential Learning And The Basic Communication Course: A New Path To Assessing Forensic Learning Outcomes, Ben Walker

Speaker & Gavel

Scholars have often touted the educational benefits of forensics (e.g.: Bartanen, 1998; Beasley, 1979; Brownlee, 1979; Ehninger, 1952; Gartell, 1973; Jensen, 2008; McBath, 1975; Millsap, 1998; Schroeder & Schroeder, 1995; Stenger, 1999; Yaremchuk, 1979). Critics, most notably Burnett, Brand, and Meister (2003), have argued forensics is only a competitive game with the idea of education used as a crutch to uphold the activity in the eyes of schools. While attempting to counter critics, many forensic educators have scrambled to find proof of student learning. Besides theoretical approaches to potential learning methods (e.g., Dreibelbis & Gullifor, 1992; Friedley, 1992; Sellnow, Littlefield, …

The Differences Between The Public And Private School Systems In Cuenca, Ecuador, Rachael Goodloe

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Cuenca, the third largest city in Ecuador, offers both public and private education to its citizens. The value that has been placed upon each system varies from person to person. Therefore, I set out to learn more about the benefits, disadvantages, and overall differences between the two systems. I traveled to Cuenca for a site visit to public and private schools and interviewed teachers in the two systems. The observations I made and the results of the interviews changed my opinions and preconceived notions about what I thought education would be like in Cuenca. The results of this study pointed …

Educational Fiscal Policy And Its Effects On How Our Children Learn: Comparing Minnesota And Illinois, Sally Anne Stenzel

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

The study compares Illinois’ and Minnesota’s education fiscal policies. Illinois funds it’s education system mainly from the local level, whereas Minnesota funds it’s mainly from the state level. Thus, in Illinois, if there are discrepancies between household incomes in wealthier and poorer areas, the schools in wealthier areas would receive more money than those in poorer areas. Test scores are then compared. Illinois typically has lower scores than Minnesota. The conclusion is that Illinois’ policies are hindering their students’ learning, compared to Minnesota students, with some mixed results.

Public Education And Teacher Understanding Of Dakota And Lakota Culture, Kiley Theede, Maggie Looft

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

This project was designed to collect and to share information in order to better prepare teachers of Native students. This study involved five in-depth, in-person interviews with Dakota and Lakota elders between 40 and 70 years old. Elders provided reflections on experiences of past generations, on their own educational experiences, on the preferred learning methods of Native students, and on their visions for teachers‟ practices and influences on Native children. Through grounded theory, data analysis was conducted to identify themes. Stories and comments from elders were organized around those themes. Future studies might include use of the videotaped interviews in …