Education Commons^™

Masking Mentoring: Critical (Race) Care (For, From) Black Males In Special Education, Vonzell Agosto, Roderick Jones

Vonzell Agosto

This chapter addresses institutional racism as an impediment to the success of Black males in special education, whether they are students or faculty. Extrapolating from their personal narratives and relevant literature, the authors provide a counternarrative about the mentoring and care of Black males and by Black males that entails the practice of masking. The lenses of critical race theory (CRT) and care theory support the development of an ethical and moral leadership framework of what can be seen as critical (race) care, which includes ethics of care and risk and political clarity.

Battling Inertia In Educational Leadership: Crt Praxis For Race Conscious Dialogue., Zorka Karanxha, Vonzel Agosto

Zorka Karanxha

The purpose of this article is to illustrate how institutional racism is mediated by faculty negotiating power and privilege in the selection of Black (African American) women into an educational leadership preparation program. Critical race theory (CRT) praxis is used to analyze the faculty dynamics in the candidate selection process situated in a race neutral institutional culture. This reflective case study of an educational leadership department draws on qualitative data such as field notes from faculty conversations, experiential knowledge, memos, and quantitative data describing the disproportionate rejection of Black women applying to an educational leadership program in the US. Efforts …

On The Tenure Trek To Equanimity: ¡Oh, Cúan Lejos Llegarás!, Vonzell Agosto

Vonzell Agosto

This self-reflective inquiry into the hyphens between work-life, life-work, and life-world describes how I am crystallizing a way of walking in the world that feels good to me ethically, spiritually, and emotionally. I characterize this initial leg of my academic journey as being on the tenure trek to equanimity. My developing ideas about equanimity are framed in part as a culturally diverse discourse of thriving in academia that highlights central concepts in my educational philosophy and research program: culture, justice, and curriculum.

Prekindergarten Policy And Politics: Discursive (Inter)Play On Readying The Ideal Learner, Angela Passero, Carrie Gentner, Vonzell Agosto

Vonzell Agosto

This study uses assemblage policy as the theoretical framework and is situated amid concerns about neoliberal influences on policy negotiations concerning prekindergarten/ers. Key, exemplary, and authoritative policy texts are analyzed using a form of CDA called critical rhetorical analysis. Analysis of key and exemplary texts illuminate terms around which the attempt to persuade was strong: high quality, age appropriate progress, readiness, and literacy. Authoritative texts and early childhood education literature provide insight into related political negotiations. Findings suggest contradictory interplay between policy documents including creation of the term age appropriate progress, conveyance of a narrow band of meaning and associated …

Using Video In Contemporary Libraries, Claudia J. Dold

Claudia J. Dold

Video is an ideal tool for reaching many of today’s learners, especially when a process needs to be demonstrated and learned. Users can now access video to “see how it’s done”, offering information in visual and well as aural and textual formats. How-to videos have made inroads into everyday life: on airplanes they teach us how to prepare for take-off, in hardware stores, they demonstrate new attachments for electric tools, and DVDs now accompany products that explain the installation process.

Promoting Cultural Heritage Through Video, Claudia J. Dold

Claudia J. Dold

Cultural heritage is an ephemeral commodity: If it is not preserved, it will disappear. Capturing cultural heritage on video uses current technology that offers exciting opportunities for librarians. They may record, document, and preserve cultural heritage, including the local languages, in their archives.

The Hidden Curriculum: Candidate Diversity In Educational Leadership Preparation, Zorka Karanxha, Vonzell Agosto, Aarti Bellara

Zorka Karanxha

The authors describe a process of self-assessment attuned to equity and justice in the policies and practices that affect student diversity, namely, those associated with the selection of candidates. The disproportionate rate of rejection for applicants from underrepresented groups and the unsystematic process of applicant selection operated as hidden curriculum affecting the opportunities for the program to enhance meaningful relationships among diverse groups of students. The authors describe institutional and sociopolitical conditions, and individual actions reflecting a faculty’s will to policy. Faculty efforts supported and challenged systemic change to increase racial and ethnic diversity among aspiring educational administrators.

E-Book Platforms For Academic Librarians, Audrey Powers

Audrey Powers

No abstract provided.

Scripted Curriculum: What Movies Teach About Black, Dis/Abled Males, Vonzell Agosto

Vonzell Agosto

This article examines the complexity of portrayals of Black (dis/abled) males that are scripted through dis/ability tropes and master-narratives of race and gender. Trends in these portrayals are juxtaposed with literature on how Black, (dis/abled) male students are treated in schools and society.

The Hidden Curriculum: Candidate Diversity In Educational Leadership Preparation., Zorka Karanxha, Vonzell Agosto, Aarti A. Bellara

Vonzell Agosto

The authors describe a process of self-assessment attuned to equity and justice in the policies and practices that affect student diversity, namely, those associated with the selection of candidates. The disproportionate rate of rejection for applicants from underrepresented groups and the unsystematic process of applicant selection operated as hidden curriculum affecting the opportunities for the program to enhance meaningful relationships among diverse groups of students. The authors describe institutional and sociopolitical conditions, and individual actions reflecting a faculty’s will to policy. Faculty efforts supported and challenged systemic change to increase racial and ethnic diversity among aspiring educational administrators.

Critical (Race) Media Literacy In The Curriculum Of Faculty Development: The Retreat To Teachable Moments, Vonzell Agosto, Zorka Karanxha, Deirdre Cobb-Roberts

Vonzell Agosto

This chapter illustrates a case study of a diversity committee and its co-chairs’ attempt to infuse critical theories of race and media literacy into the curriculum of professional development for faculty and graduate students. An aim of the co-chairs was to provide faculty and graduate assistants opportunities to engage in dialogue around critical incidents involving Blackface in connection to racial oppression in the development of critical media literacy as a theoretical and pedagogical tool.

Critical Information Literacy: A Model For Transdisciplinary Research In Behavioral Sciences, Claudia J. Dold

Claudia J. Dold

Librarians are instrumental in advancing the education of students and orientating tomorrow’s professions toward the world in which they will practice: rich in information, diverse in perspective, and latent with the opportunities for transdisciplinary research. Critical information literacy offers a model for orienting theory and practice to create an integrated learning experience for students in the behavioral health sciences. This paper examines how different disciplines may be included in a shared problem, using psychopathy as an example. The role of the librarian is discussed in terms of critical information literacy, as a means to conducting transdisciplinary research.

Now That You Have Created A Great Video, How Do You Know If Anyone Is Learning From It?, Claudia J. Dold

Claudia J. Dold

Video offers a wide range of benefits a useful teaching tool, and librarians are using it to make all kinds of information available. I have created two series of videos at my university library concerning library and research skills: one for undergraduates and the other for graduates. This past year, I undertook four studies to determine whether students use the videos and under what circumstances.

Using Video To Promote Your Library, Claudia J. Dold

Claudia J. Dold

This presentation was followed by a two-day workshop in which library staff got to know Camtasia software. Within four hours, each of the fourteen students had created a unique video, using stock components from a common file, and personalizing their videos with an introduction page, highlights, zoom features, background sound, color choices, and other features of Camtasia 8.0.

Off-The-Shelf: E- Book Platforms For Academic Libraries, Audrey Powers

Audrey Powers

The presenters of this pre-conference will elaborate on the current state of e-book platforms in academic libraries from a holistic, experiential perspective and present important research findings discovered while preparing for this pre-conference and a future issue of Against The Grain. The topics covered will include an overview of e-book platforms including technical aspects and business models, lending platforms, aggregator platforms, publisher-specific platforms, and university press platforms. At the end of the session we will reconvene into smaller breakout groups which will enable participants to meet with the presenters individually to pose specific questions. The presenters include a variety of …

Using Learning Objects To Enhance Distance Or Blended Learning, Susan A. Ariew, Maryellen Allen

Susan A. Ariew

The USF Tampa Library has been creating learning objects to enhance instruction and reference since YouTube came into its own in 2006. Over that period of time, the need for more expertise in creating quality learning objects that can be embedded in course management systems or on the library web site created a shift in priorities and leadership. In 2012 the USF Library hired an Assistant Director for Instruction and a Blended Librarian to provide a new direction for the instruction program, one that would include more online learning components. Both of these experts have helped transform teaching and learning …

Developing A Service Learning Course For Iep Students, Krista Bittenbender Royal, Justyna Kikowska, Kristen Mcgreger, Laura Murphy, Sangita Victor

Krista Bittenbender Royal

Service-learning is a great way for ELLs to get involved in the community, develop interpersonal communication skills, and do research on social issues, but it can be an overwhelming course to develop. This presentation will outline how one IEP successfully developed a service-learning course and offer tips for those who want to develop their own.

In Summer 2012, a team was organized to examine the ways in which service-learning could be implemented at our university’s IEP. This “Creative Team” explored both curricular and extra-curricular options, and after surveying students and examining other models of service-learning courses, the team decided to …

Click & Zoom: The Next Generation Of Information Literacy Tutorials, Audrey Powers, Adonis Amparo

Audrey Powers

Information Literacy presented via tutorials, freeware and video.

Criticality And The Pedagogical Reconstruction Of Leadership Standards In An Educational Leadership Classroom., William R. Black, Zorka Karanxha

Zorka Karanxha

The authors describe their attempt to develop students’ critical perspectives on the content and assumptions in the 2008 Florida Principal Leadership Standards (FPLS) through a reflective essay assignment in a class titled Ethics, Equity, and Leadership in Education. The authors conducted textual analysis of 92 student essays (a total of 922 pages) submitted in 5 sections of a class from the summer of 2008 through the spring of 2009. The authors describe ways students analyze knowledge claims in the FPLS in relation to the standards’ considerable silence around issues of ethics and equity, which were central to the class: 1) …

First Steps In Planning A College Department Curriculum To Incorporate Information Fluency, Claudia J. Dold

Claudia J. Dold

Creating an information fluency curriculum for a specific discipline requires preliminary work: assessing what students already know in their discipline; what they need to learn to be successful in their current course; and then what they will need to be functional in the field when they complete the remaining classes in their discipline, when they start working in their field, and/or when they move on to graduate school. This session addresses how one librarian approached faculty in a particular discipline, assessed the current teaching agenda, and planned to determine the information fluency demands of the courses.

School Consolidation And The Politics Of School Closure Across Communities, Zorka Karanxha, Vonzell Agosto, William R. Black, Claudius B. Effiom

Vonzell Agosto

This case involves dilemmas for educational leaders who may face the process of school consolidation brought on by decreased funding and demands for accountability. We highlight the challenges and opportunities to collaborate within and across diverse communities and schools with varying expressions of cultural, political, ethical, and organizational power and interests. The teaching notes coincide with aspects of the case that involve principal responsibilities, equity concerns, and negotiations amid the demands of multiple constituencies. Theoretical frameworks highlighting asset-based approaches, leadership for social justice, and micropolitics are emphasized.

Public Acts Of Self-Deliberation: Preparation For Discursive Democracy In Education, Vonzell Agosto

Vonzell Agosto

This conceptual essay forwards self-deliberation as an act to be included in the preparation of educators and administrators. Self-deliberation is defined as a public act of deliberation that can be instigated pedagogically to prepare students for difficult dialogues on enduring issues in education. Self-deliberation provides another pedagogical method for preparing aspiring educators to participate in deliberative or discursive democracy. Narrative vignettes are used to illustrate the acts of self-deliberation performed by aspiring teachers of color as they consider controversial issues such as affirmative action, racial segregation, and culturally relevant education.

Teacher Leadership: Women (Of African Descent) Enacting Social Justice, Vonzell Agosto, Zorka Karanxha

Zorka Karanxha

No abstract provided.

Searching For A Needle In A Haystack: Indications Of Social Justice Among Aspiring Leaders, Vonzell Agosto, Zorka Karanxha

Zorka Karanxha

We conducted a content analysis of 34 statements of interest submitted by applicants applying to an education leadership preparation program. The purpose of the analysis was to understand the applicants’ orientations toward social justice. Using Kumashiro’s (2000) and Apple’s discussions of anti-oppressive education, we identified three practices in the candidates’ treatment of the writing prompt concerning leadership related to Othering: ignoring, marginalizing, and mentioning. The fourth practice, embodying (evidencing through practice) a social justice orientation, was a practice we identified in statements submitted by a few applicants (n=7). This article centers on the analysis of the applications of these seven …

Creating Safe Zones For Lgbtq Esl Students, Krista B. Royal

Krista Bittenbender Royal

It is important for language teachers to foster an environment in which all students feel safe, and while many of us think that we hold ourselves to this ideal, we may inadvertently be excluding students whose identity is not always visible. Whether we realize it or not, we very likely have students who identify as LGBTQ in our ESL classes. What are we doing to be considerate of their identity? When we present family vocabulary, do we provide language for same-sex partners? Do we allow for LGBTQ identities when we ask students to write or speak about their perfect boyfriend …

Barbara Garii's Book Review Of Student Teaching And The Law In The Journal Of Tutoring And Mentoring: Partnership In Learning, Zorka Karanxha

Zorka Karanxha

No abstract provided.

Web Resources For Teaching Media Literacy, Krista B. Royal

Krista Bittenbender Royal

Preparing students for academic success involves more than just English; it must also address critical thinking skills. Using technology to integrate media literacy into a course can help students develop the higher-order thinking required for university classes. In this workshop, designed for teachers and curriculum coordinators, participants will learn about several web-based resources and materials used in an advanced English for Academic Purposes class that dealt with media literacy. These resources range from the websites of media literacy networks and current event sites to web-based information tools and visual representations of information, as well as educational learning resource centers that …

If It's Worth Teaching, It's Worth Finding Out Whether They Learned It!, Susan Ariew, Drew Smith

Susan A. Ariew

NEFLIN Webinar covering a variety of issues regarding assessment of academic library instruction, including: How assessment fits into the information literacy landscape How assessment is an integral part of instructional design How teacher-librarians determine what types of assessments are right for program or department How to customize assessments to fit learning objectives

Searching For A Needle In A Haystack: Indications Of Social Justice Among Aspiring Leaders, Vonzell Agosto, Zorka Karanxha

Vonzell Agosto

We conducted a content analysis of 34 statements of interest submitted by applicants applying to an education leadership preparation program. The purpose of the analysis was to understand the applicants’ orientations toward social justice. Using Kumashiro’s (2000) and Apple’s discussions of anti-oppressive education, we identified three practices in the candidates’ treatment of the writing prompt concerning leadership related to Othering: ignoring, marginalizing, and mentioning. The fourth practice, embodying (evidencing through practice) a social justice orientation, was a practice we identified in statements submitted by a few applicants (n=7). This article centers on the analysis of the applications of these seven …

Missing And Shrinking Voices: A Critical Analysis Of Florida's Textbook Adoption Policy, Randria Williams Usf, Vonzell Agosto Usf

Vonzell Agosto

Critical analysis of the Florida textbook adoption policy and its recent changes. A critical multicultural and critical race theory lens is taken in the analysis of documents for how the representation of ethnic and racial minority groups is reduced and might be enlarged through alternative policy making processes.