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Articles 1 - 28 of 28
Full-Text Articles in Education
“I Became Myself”: Exploring Cultural Learning Through Stories And Storytelling., Leah Halliday-Johnson
“I Became Myself”: Exploring Cultural Learning Through Stories And Storytelling., Leah Halliday-Johnson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Despite broad acknowledgement in education that culturally responsive teaching is essential to meeting learners’ needs, defining and operationalizing culturally responsive teaching remains a challenge. Along with being designed to meet the needs of students from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds who have traditionally been underserved, one commonly identified feature of culturally responsive teaching is building on students’ cultural assets to promote their learning. And while stories and storytelling are among the most common teaching tools, storytelling pedagogies tend to use stories to deliver content or to assess student learning. This dissertation explores collaborative story sharing as an approach to helping …
Educator Perceptions Of The Care And Instruction Of Trauma Exposed Students In A Small, Urban, Christian School., Mitzi L. Phelan
Educator Perceptions Of The Care And Instruction Of Trauma Exposed Students In A Small, Urban, Christian School., Mitzi L. Phelan
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
It is the endeavor of this research project to investigate how a gap in understanding and communication of an advisory program’s fundamental purpose could potentially impact the thoughts and beliefs of teachers in shaping their perceptions of an advisory program’s efficacy. To this end, the purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of twelve teacher-advisors in two high schools in Shelby County, Kentucky to understand their concepts of an advisory program’s efficacy. Using convenience sampling, twelve teacher-advisors participated in semi-structured interviews, providing insight into three research questions regarding teachers’ beliefs, intentionality, and challenges of implementing a …
Perceptions Of Preparedness Regarding Administrative Responsibilities: A Comparative Analysis Of Preservice And In-Service Secondary Music Educators., Ashley Ann Hokenson
Perceptions Of Preparedness Regarding Administrative Responsibilities: A Comparative Analysis Of Preservice And In-Service Secondary Music Educators., Ashley Ann Hokenson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This study investigated perceptions of knowledge and preparation regarding administrative responsibilities among in-service and preservice music teachers. Samples were selected randomly through NAfME and NASM databases. Data collection and analysis answered research questions asking how knowledgeable these groups felt about administrative topics, how they felt their undergraduate coursework prepared them for administrative responsibilities, and if there were any significant differences in preparedness among different subject areas taught by in-service directors. The findings report in-service teachers felt more knowledgeable of all administrative topics. Among in-service and preservice teachers, one significant difference was found; regarding preparedness pertaining to laws of communication via …
Meta-Analysis Of Therapeutic Interventions For The Treatment Of Test Anxiety., Thomas Reece
Meta-Analysis Of Therapeutic Interventions For The Treatment Of Test Anxiety., Thomas Reece
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This systematic review and meta-analysis was designed to be a practitioner-focused review of the current research into interventions for the treatment of test anxiety. As testing continues to be a large part of students’ academic experiences and the stakes of that testing grow for students, teachers, and schools, there is a need for a synthesis of the literature to provide teachers and schools with some guidance on how best to help their students succeed. In this review, I describe the phenomenon of test anxiety and the current theoretical questions concerning the relationship between test anxiety and test performance. I also …
Manifestations Of Students’ Voices: Examining Shifts, Academic Demands, And Identity Work In How Students Make Themselves Understood., Lauren Elizabeth Fletcher
Manifestations Of Students’ Voices: Examining Shifts, Academic Demands, And Identity Work In How Students Make Themselves Understood., Lauren Elizabeth Fletcher
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Voice is a concept that is both highly sought after and elusive in education. While schools aim to foster students’ voices, many academic structures inadvertently conceal their voices and in turn their identities. Definitions of voice have been assumed, vague, or looked at as a writing trait, with little consideration of voices’ dynamic and mediated structures. Drawing on scholarship grounded in sociocultural theories and dialogism (e.g., Bakhtin, 1986; Engeström; 1987, Leont’ev, 1981; Rosenblatt, 1978; Vygotsky, 1978), I contribute a new, tangible definition of voice, in which voice is a dynamic happening, continually negotiated and constructed. This dissertation explores students’ voices, …
Non-Traditional Instruction: Examining The Interaction Effect Between Student Characteristics And Perceived Sense Of Connectedness In An Online Learning Environment., Kendra M, Nolan
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The school setting also has an influence on students' sense of connectedness. Because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, schools across the United States and the world were forced to close in March 2020. The sampled district began the 2020-2021 school year with non-traditional instruction (NTI). With NTI, teachers and students continued academic instruction through an online communication platform such as Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams. Researchers and school leaders are uncertain how effective online learning was. Furthermore, minimal research explores the interaction effect between student characteristics (grade level, gender, and race/ethnicity) and their perceived sense of connectedness in a …
Black Men Wanted: An Instrumental Case Study Exploring The Situational Factors Related To The Retention Of African American Male High School Teachers., Christopher Kevin Flores
Black Men Wanted: An Instrumental Case Study Exploring The Situational Factors Related To The Retention Of African American Male High School Teachers., Christopher Kevin Flores
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
As the nation’s high school student population becomes increasingly diverse, the declining number of minority teachers, particularly African American male teachers is becoming an area of concern. This instrumental case study of African American male high school teachers in the Fayette County Public School system in Lexington, Kentucky sought to identify the motivations for teaching, the barriers prior to and during teaching, as well as the roles these individuals are asked to fulfill in their schools. Using purposeful sampling, 10 individuals participated in semi-structured interviews aimed at providing insight to the three research questions related to motivations, barriers, and roles. …
Chronic Codeswitching: A Phenomenological Study Examining Multiracial Student Sense Of Belonging In A Predominantly White Institution., Nicholas Lamar Wright
Chronic Codeswitching: A Phenomenological Study Examining Multiracial Student Sense Of Belonging In A Predominantly White Institution., Nicholas Lamar Wright
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Constantly feeling a lack of acceptance and getting the comment “You are too Black” or “You are too White” is a challenging, common occurrence for multiracial students, but especially those in predominantly White institutions. This is just one of the barriers that stand between multiracial students and forming a sense of belonging at a predominantly White institution. The majority of research examining sense of belonging focuses on either Black or White students, but neglect multiracial students and their experiences. This dissertation examines sense of belonging for multiracial (Black/White) students in a predominantly White institution, by interviewing 11 multiracial students at …
A Case Study In The Use Of Mentorships In Academic Instructional Coach Development., Matt Anderson
A Case Study In The Use Of Mentorships In Academic Instructional Coach Development., Matt Anderson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Academic instructional coaches have long been used to support teacher development and student learning. As a recent position in the education field, there is little information regarding the development of staff in this role. This study sought to better understand how academic instructional coaches are mentored and developed within challenging school contexts. The theoretical framework for this research is guided by the social constructivism epistemology. In alignment with this framework, a collective case study was utilized to better understand the relationship between the principal and the academic instructional coach. Exploring this relationship emphasized how principals support academic instructional coach growth. …
“So, How Real Can I Get?": Opportunities And Obstacles For Teacher Learners Enacting Culturally Responsive Pedagogy., Jonathan P Baize
“So, How Real Can I Get?": Opportunities And Obstacles For Teacher Learners Enacting Culturally Responsive Pedagogy., Jonathan P Baize
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This qualitative study examines the experiences of three alternative certification teachers (teachers who begin teaching as they worked to complete teacher education courses for initial certification) whom I call “teacher learners” (Jacobs & Low, 2017) as they try to enact culturally responsive practices while navigating their first-year of teaching. The teacher learners worked to develop their understanding and capacities to enact a culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) even as they were faced with the obstacles inherent to shifting teaching practices in K-12 schools. Through these challenges, they still furthered their conceptualization of CRP, as evidenced by, and in some ways guided …
Fostering African American Female Students’ Sense Of Belonging: A Digital Storytelling Participatory Action Research Approach., Rajwinder Kaur
Fostering African American Female Students’ Sense Of Belonging: A Digital Storytelling Participatory Action Research Approach., Rajwinder Kaur
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This Participatory Action Research dissertation discovers what fosters or diminishes school sense of belonging for African American female students. This is achieved by foregrounding the voices of the individual participants and the collective voice of those within this study. Both Critical Race Theory and Black Feminist Thought guide this dissertation study to ensure the intersectionality between race and gender is addressed. Data for this study was collected during five workshop sessions, where participants created digital stories on their sense of belonging. The findings revealed the importance of students’ racial identity, family, peer relationships, fitting in, safety, and being seen/heard by …
Inclusion Of Classified Staff In The Implementation Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports: A District Case Study., Devon M. Roberts
Inclusion Of Classified Staff In The Implementation Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports: A District Case Study., Devon M. Roberts
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This qualitative case study examined the current use of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) within a large school district and how that district includes classified staff within the implementation process. This study utilized information from interviews and focus groups of district leaders, school leaders, and classified staff to evaluate their perspectives on the daily use of PBIS, specifically how classified staff are included in all aspects of the initiative. Using the Normalization Process Theory (NPT) as a theoretical framework, this study sought to make sense of how complex organizational initiatives are intertwined and become embedded into the normal practices …
Peer Verbal Sexual Harassment In Early Adolescence: A Feminist And Sexual Scripts Theoretical Approach., Shawn M. Rolfe
Peer Verbal Sexual Harassment In Early Adolescence: A Feminist And Sexual Scripts Theoretical Approach., Shawn M. Rolfe
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Until recently, sexual harassment research has focused primarily on adults and college and high school students with little attention given to younger students. While recent research has noted sexual harassment occurs among younger students, the literature addressing sexual harassment among middle school students is still sparse. Additionally, most studies of sexual harassment have focused on sexual harassment generally, with no distinction made between verbal and sexual harassment. In fact, only limited research has been exclusively conducted on verbal sexual harassment. Using self-report data, the current study adds to the literature by examining the nature of verbal sexual harassment as well …
Perceptions Of Restorative Practices Among Black Girls: Talking Circles In An Urban Alternative Middle School., Vanessa Marie Mcphail
Perceptions Of Restorative Practices Among Black Girls: Talking Circles In An Urban Alternative Middle School., Vanessa Marie Mcphail
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Research suggests that Restorative Justice approaches have shown promise in terms of their impact on school climate, student behavior, and relationships. The purpose of this study is to explore Black female students’ perceptions of Restorative Practice (RP) talking circles at an alternative school. The study examined literature on Zero Tolerance, School Discipline Disparities, African American Female students, Intersectionality, Restorative Justice, and Alternative Schools. A qualitative case study method was used for this study, drawing from two sources: (a) face-to-face interviews and (b) observations of the Black female students who attend the alternative school and participate in the talking circles. Analyses …
Character Arcs: Mapping Creative Writers' Trajectories Into The Composition Classroom., Jon Udelson
Character Arcs: Mapping Creative Writers' Trajectories Into The Composition Classroom., Jon Udelson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation develops a theoretical and empirical approach to the study of professional creative writers and teachers. Specifically, it examines how these writers developed their knowledge of creative writing and writing pedagogy and how that knowledge informs their work as instructors of composition. Despite the common practice across writing programs of hiring formally-trained creative writers (M.A., M.F.A, Ph.D.) to teach first-year composition and related courses, little scholarship in the field of rhetoric and composition or writing studies more broadly specifically focuses on the disciplinary and professional development of these writer-teachers. Through case studies of graduate students, contingent faculty, lecturers, and …
Urban-Ready, Willing, And Able? Collaborative Induction Experiences For New Urban Elementary Educators., Sandra Lynn Hogue
Urban-Ready, Willing, And Able? Collaborative Induction Experiences For New Urban Elementary Educators., Sandra Lynn Hogue
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of six first year urban educators who participated in a series of multi-stakeholder induction experiences during the first semester of their first year teaching in high-need urban elementary schools. This study underscores how participation in needs-based induction experiences nurture self-efficacy and encourage teacher retention through the challenging first semester of teaching. Data for this study was collected over a four-week period of new teacher participation in a system of support that included focus group conversations, professional development sessions, documentation of experiences using PhotoVoice, and participant reflective journal entries. The research methodology that structures …
Remaking Identities, Reworking Graduate Study : Stories From First-Generation-To-College Rhetoric And Composition Phd Students On Navigating The Doctorate., Ashanka Kumari
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation responds to the decreasing number of first-generation-to-college doctorates in the humanities and the limited scholarship on graduate students in Rhetoric and Composition. Scholars in Rhetoric and Composition have long been invested in discussions of academic and/or disciplinary enculturation, yet these discussions primarily focus on undergraduate students, with few studies on graduate students and far fewer on the doctoral students training to become the next wave of a profession. In this dissertation, I argue that if we engage intersectional identities as assets in the design of doctoral programs, access to higher education and academic enculturation can become more manageable …
Student Voices: African American High School Seniors' Perception Of Culturally Responsive Teaching., Whitney M. Stewart
Student Voices: African American High School Seniors' Perception Of Culturally Responsive Teaching., Whitney M. Stewart
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation examined African-American high school seniors’ perceptions of culturally responsive teaching in one public high school within a large urban public-school district in the southeastern region of the United States. It begins with a brief historical overview on the plight of African-Americans in the US public education system and how public school educators have failed to leverage Afrocultural learning orientations as an asset to educate and increase the academic achievement of African-American students in classrooms. The Philosophical Aspects of Cultural Difference Framework (Nichols, 1986, 1995) will guide this dissertation study. The latter part of the dissertation reveals that a …
Present But Not Accounted For: A Phenomenological Study Of Gifted African American Males., Ronda Elizabeth George
Present But Not Accounted For: A Phenomenological Study Of Gifted African American Males., Ronda Elizabeth George
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this research study was to explore the lived experiences of gifted African American males in grades 6-8. Specifically, the study examined how gifted African American males perceived and understood their participation in a gifted program and how their sense of self-efficacy shaped their disposition and approach toward academic persistence. Much of the literature published on the social, emotional, and academic success of gifted African American males has focused on college-aged students, therefore the current study is crucial in contributing to the body of knowledge on African American males, in particular, those identified as gifted during early adolescence …
Principal Professional Development And Principal Self-Efficacy In An Urban School District., Brian Thomas Garrett
Principal Professional Development And Principal Self-Efficacy In An Urban School District., Brian Thomas Garrett
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Educator professional development (PD) is a heavily relied upon method for school improvement, and administrator professional development (APD) is a key element to nearly all school reform efforts. District-wide APD in large school districts can carry a heavy cost in financial and human resources. Moreover, PD is frequently too inadequately planned and/or implemented to bring about lasting positive change in educator practice, school reform, and student achievement. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between principal PD focused on culture/climate or instruction and principal self-efficacy in an urban school district. Through hierarchical linear multiple regression (HLMR), this …
"It Teaches Them To Have A Conversation In The Real World" : An Analysis Of How Identity Performances Shape Classroom Discussions., Ashley Lauren Shelton Arnold
"It Teaches Them To Have A Conversation In The Real World" : An Analysis Of How Identity Performances Shape Classroom Discussions., Ashley Lauren Shelton Arnold
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Although discussion has long played a role in classroom learning, recent focus on moving discussion away from the evaluative and toward the dialogic is key to understanding how discussion can be driven by multiple, shared understandings. Adopting a sociocultural perspective, this dissertation explores the ways in which identity performances shape one teacher and his students’ participation in classroom discussions. The theoretical framework guiding this study draws on the relationship between discourse and identities construction, with further attention given to improvisations of identities, figured worlds, and the ways in which power shapes discourse. This dissertation argues that performed identities shape the …
Instructional Teacher Job Resources And Student Achievement In Mathematics., Amy Stokes-Levine
Instructional Teacher Job Resources And Student Achievement In Mathematics., Amy Stokes-Levine
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Research shows that teachers who are supported with job resources are more engaged regardless of the level of demands (Klusmann et al., 2008). Additionally, teachers who are engaged with their work are less likely to report their intention to leave the teaching profession (Klassen et al., 2012), which is particularly important for mathematics teachers who are in high demand (Sutcher, Darling-Hammond, & Carver-Thomas, 2016). Supporting employees with job resources is a commonly accepted practice in many professional fields (e.g., Christian, Garza, & Slaughter, 2011), yet is not a common practice in education (e.g., Bidwell, 2013; Gewertz, 2014; Layton, 2015; Rentner …
Stories At Work : Restorying Narratives Of New Teachers' Identity Learning In Writing Studies., Rachel Gramer
Stories At Work : Restorying Narratives Of New Teachers' Identity Learning In Writing Studies., Rachel Gramer
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Rhetoric and composition has a long, robust history of studying how we train new writing teachers in our graduate/writing programs; yet we lack in-depth inquiries that foreground how new writing teachers learn. This dissertation traces five graduate students learning how to be and become writing teachers, using narrative as an object and means of analysis to study the tacitly internalized process of newcomer professional identity learning. In this project, I enact narrative as a feminist, interdisciplinary methodology to restory new writing teacher research narratives away from implicit deficit or explicit resistance and toward a more generative focus on newcomers’ motivated …
The Relationship Of Reform Style Professional Development And Student Achievement., Amy Colucci
The Relationship Of Reform Style Professional Development And Student Achievement., Amy Colucci
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in mathematics represents a challenge for public educators due to the broad scope of required instructional change. This quantitative study investigated the implementation of a reform style professional development program in Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS), a large urban school district in Kentucky. The research questions included in the study are: (a) Is reform style professional development positively associated with students’ mathematics achievement? and (b) What are teacher’s perceptions of reform style professional development’s effectiveness on their instructional practices and student achievement? Student achievement was measured using norm-referenced mathematics scores from …
Understanding Through Narrative Inquiry : Storying A National Writing Project Initiative., Amy Renee Vujaklija
Understanding Through Narrative Inquiry : Storying A National Writing Project Initiative., Amy Renee Vujaklija
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This narrative inquiry study informed the understanding of a professional development planning process within the National Writing Project Assignments Matter initiative sponsored by the Literacy Design Collaborative. Because little has been written about teacher-leaders in the roles of planning professional development for colleagues, this narrative inquiry used the three dimensions of situation, continuity, and interaction (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000; Dewey, 1938) to explore interviews, large and small group meeting recordings, and email communications among leadership team members during an initiative to plan professional development. Qualitative data analysis included coding of attributes, process, in vivo, and patterns (Saldaña, 2013). Pattern coding …
Improving The Accuracy Of Middle School Students' Self-Assessment, Peer Assessment, And Mathematics Achievement., Elizabeth Popelka
Improving The Accuracy Of Middle School Students' Self-Assessment, Peer Assessment, And Mathematics Achievement., Elizabeth Popelka
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Despite the documented advantages of formative assessment (FA) strategies in elevating student achievement, much of the relevant research is dated and undermined by questionable design and inattention to K-12 settings. In order to fill these voids, this quantitative study tested the effect of a self- and peer-assessment-training instructional sequence, developed with recommendations from past research and employing explicitly described assessment measures and criteria, on middle school students’ assessment accuracy and subsequent mathematics achievement. The researcher hypothesized a correlation between measurable growth in assessment accuracy and gains in achievement, as well as a reciprocal effect of self- and peer-assessment ability. The …
Analyzing Common Algebra-Related Misconceptions And Errors Of Middle School Students., Sarah B. Bush
Analyzing Common Algebra-Related Misconceptions And Errors Of Middle School Students., Sarah B. Bush
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to examine common algebra-related misconceptions and errors of middle school students. In recent years, success in Algebra I is often considered the mathematics gateway to graduation from high school and success beyond. Therefore, preparation for algebra in the middle grades is essential to student success in Algebra I and high school. This study examines the following research question: What common algebra-related misconceptions and errors exist among students in grades six and eight as identified on student responses on an annual statewide standardized assessment? In this study, qualitative document analysis of existing data was used …
Lost In Transition : A Grade Nine Transition Program Using Articulation Activities., Denise Allen
Lost In Transition : A Grade Nine Transition Program Using Articulation Activities., Denise Allen
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a set of structured articulation activities on the transition of students from grade eight to grade nine. Data were collected by retrieval from the state data collection system. This study was time-interrupted series with a treatment (implementation) group and two comparison groups analyzed using the MANCOVA approach. The study relied on the literature review of three vital concepts: organizational learning; high reliability organizations; and effective schools. Descriptive data were gathered through the state-wide Infinite Campus program. The study is quasi-experimental design with a quantitative analysis. The outcome data were …