Education Commons^™

Using Worked-Out Examples Of Written Explanation For Writing-To-Learn In Evolutionary Biology, Amy M. Yu

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Content learning can be enhanced through writing-to-learn. Research into cognitive load theory suggests that the use of backwards faded, worked-out examples increases schema acquisition and concept transfer. However, these effects have not yet been demonstrated for writing-to-learn, particularly for the conceptual understanding of evolution. The effects of two writing conditions were investigated in a pre-test post-test quasi-experimental design. Groups in two conditions wrote explanations of evolution using six Darwinian principles: students in the completion condition completed backwards faded, worked-out examples of explanations; students in the problem solving condition wrote full explanations, thought to require means-end problem solving. The dependent variables …

Creativity As A Mental State: An Eeg Study Of Musical Improvisation, Joel A. Lopata

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Researchers in cognitive neuroscience have used brain-imaging methods (e.g., EEG, fMRI) to investigate the neural correlates of creative cognition and have found increased activity in the alpha frequency band (Fink et al., 2009a, 2009b; Martindale, 1975), however few studies have used neuroscientific measures to investigate artistic creativity. Such studies are valuable because they share a characteristic of ecological validity. In this study I used EEG, the Alternate Uses Test (Guilford, 1967), and the Consensual Assessment Technique (Amabile, 1982) to substantiate a conceptualization of creativity as a mental state characterized by a distinct pattern of neural activity. The participants were musicians …

Media Literacy And The English As A Second Language Curriculum: A Curricular Critique And Dreams For The Future, Clara R. Madrenas

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This thesis investigates whether or not the Ontario English as a Second Language/English Literacy Development (ESL/ELD) curriculum imparts the critical literacy skills necessary for students to deconstruct the multimedia messages with which the contemporary world is saturated, in order to function as informed, agentic citizens of Ontario society. Using foundations of cultural theory, radical critical pedagogy, and critical race theory, particularly the work of James Paul Gee, Henry A. Giroux, Paulo Freire and Michael Apple, this thesis explores the ways in which the current ESL/ELD curriculum can be found lacking due to its enforcement of the banking model of education, …

Reforming Ontario Teachers (1990-2010): The Role Of The College Of Teachers, Janice Pennycook

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This dissertation takes up the idea of the teacher as a professional and examines the period in Ontario between 1990 and 2010 when a change in teacher governance through the creation of the College of Teachers contributed to a refocusing of teacher evaluation policy and a redefining of what it means to be a professional teacher. Across a wide variety of settings, teachers are now viewed as central to successful education reform with the result that the requisite qualities of the professional teacher and how teachers are to be transformed to achieve these qualities have become the subjects of intense …

Three Models For Educating For Empathy And Humanization Through Values Dialogue In Secondary School Classes, Adam J. Hill

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This thesis develops educable constructs of empathy and of humanization as well as a theory, a praxis, educational models, and measuring instruments of values dialogue that hypothetically can be used to foster and to measure changes in empathic and humanizing capacities among secondary school students. The theory and the praxis of values dialogue utilize a sample of Western epistemological philosophy, as well as some of the research and literature of the field of dialogic inquiry. This study then assembles educable constructs of empathy and of humanization by reviewing related research and scholarship. The empathy constructs consist of emotional literacy and …

The “Fifth Business" Of Department Heads: Examining The Perceptions Of Department Heads About Their Role, Nikola Paranosic

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Using an exploratory case study methodology, the study records the perceptions of thirteen secondary school department heads in an Ontario school board. After analysing the interviews with these department heads, this study uses the metaphor of Fifth Business to demonstrate how the role is perceived. This research demonstrates that department heads occupy a role that is vital but undervalued and not well-understood. Lacking supports and guidance to help them understand their role, department heads use metaphors – “advocate”, “clerk”, “liaison”, “filter,” “model” and “coordinator” – to describe how they perceive how they act in fulfilling the obligations of their role. …

Global Citizenship Through The Eyes Of The Grade Seven Elementary Students: A Case Study, Eva Jaberi

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This case study in Southwestern Ontario, Canada explores 22 grade seven students' perceptions about global citizenship, their stance as global citizens and the sources that students draw upon for global learning. Using the Global Citizenship framework and existing theories in the field, this exploratory case study addresses the lack of empirical enquiry in the literature, revealing the roles of schools, the media/social media and the family in shaping emerging global citizens. This study provides evidence that students relate being Canadian to being global citizens. Their global learning mainly happens outside of school. The majority of participants reflect the passive form …

Our Stories: Inuit Teachers Create Counter Narratives And Disrupt The Status Quo, Dawn E L Fyn

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Canada has a reputation for diversity and acceptance and of late has made significant strides in formalizing apologies for the maltreatment of Aboriginal populations (Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, 2010). The purpose of this study was to investigate Inuit educators’ perceptions of education in Nunavik. While multiple studies consider concerns regarding Inuit education and low graduation rates (Brady, 1996; Walton, 2012), few studies consider the role that Inuit educators can play in assuring the optimal success of Inuit students. This study, situated in Nunavik, the Inuit homeland located within Northern Quebec, fills that gap. Using qualitative methodology and a …

What Is Writing In Undergraduate Anthropology? An Activity Theory Analysis, Boba M. Samuels

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How students learn to write in the disciplines is a question of ongoing concern in writing studies, with practical implications for academia. This case study used ethnographic methods to explore undergraduate writing in two upper year anthropology courses at a Canadian university over one term (four months). Student and professor interviews, classroom field notes, surveys, and students’ final papers were analysed using a framework drawn from activity theory and informed by genre theory. Four themes emerged from the data: anthropology as school; the familiar vs. unfamiliar; reading; and hidden rhetoric. Findings suggest students approach disciplinary work primarily as students rather …

A Case Study On The Globalizing English Language Curriculum In One Chinese College -- How Western Pedagogies Are Adapted And Adopted In The Classroom, Xi Wu

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Globalization intensifies international educational transfer; regional knowledge, values, and pedagogies flow across nations. Due to the unequal relations of power and influence between nations, Chinese educators typically favor knowledge and pedagogies from Western developed countries. Without enough careful consideration of the local context(s), undesirable learning effects appear to be generated. This study is motivated by the desire to enhance understanding on how Western knowledge and pedagogical practices could more optimally meet local college Chinese students’ complex English language learning needs. To illuminate what actually happens in the processes of adoption and adaptation of Western language, knowledge, and pedagogy, I examined …

Exploring Preschool Educators' Funds Of Knowledge About Print Literacy Pedagogy Through A Narrative Lens, Nazila Eisazadeh

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This thesis reports on a narrative case study in which I explored early childhood educators’ (ECEs) beliefs about print literacy and play pedagogies. The purpose of the study was to learn about the ECEs’ subjective views regarding how to support young children’s print literacy; the extent to which ECEs viewed play as a contributing factor in children’s print literacy development; and how ECEs appropriated their understandings of the relationship between play and print literacy. I conducted in-depth, qualitative interviews with six registered early childhood educators (RECEs) employed in privately funded childcare centres in Ontario, Canada. I asked: What can be …

Student Perspectives Of Misbehaviour, Katie A. Knowlton

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Recent research in classroom management and student misbehaviour has focused on teacher and administrator perspectives with little attention paid to student perspectives. This study examined the effects of student misbehaviour on their perspectives of well-being in the classrooms, as well as their ability to control and regulate their own behaviour (i.e. behavioural self-efficacy). A Student Misbehaviour Questionnaire, constructed by the author, was administered to students in grades three through twelve, and follow-up focus group discussions were conducted with randomly selected students from each grade. Questionnaire results showed that both elementary and secondary students, in the presence of misbehaviour, felt …

Canadian University Early Admission Policies For Gifted And Talented Students, Waldemar P. Kruszynski

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Early entrance/admission to university (i.e., between two and four years before the usual age of admission) can provide multiple benefits for gifted and talented secondary school students. For these students, early university entrance/admission may be a key way to extend their intellectual capacities, capacities that they would not be able to achieve otherwise (Gross & van Vliet, 2005). Many researchers have argued that gifted and talented students not only show exceptional uniqueness in their extended intellectual and cognitive potential (Noble & Childers, 2008), but also, they demonstrate enhanced creativity and curiosity (Noble et al., 2007). Therefore, the primary problem that …

International Service-Learning: Transformational Learning Through Experience, Shannan Lee Crowder

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This study applies the Experiential Learning Theory and the Transformational Learning Theory to International Service-Learning (ISL) in post-secondary education. International engagement in post-secondary institutions has become an important element in education. Developing global citizenship is a significant focus for many students and institutions. Higher educational institutions are increasingly being challenged to meet the demands of international connectivity and enhance the quality of learning for prospective students (Garrison & Kanuka, 2004, p. 95). ISL provides the opportunity for students to experience perspective transformation. In order for institutions to foster transformational learning, it is important for educators and researchers to have the …

Examining Artistic Processes And Transfer, Trish Osler

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This exploratory qualitative case study inquires into the relationship between artistic processes in organizational theory and in education, examining the perception of transfer from a lived arts experience to student leadership contexts. The literature review considers the parallel evolution of artistic thinking strategies in organizations and in education, using three processes as a basis for comparison: tolerance for ambiguity, a collaborative culture of critique, and the empowerment of group members at all stages of an initiative. Evidence of these processes was analyzed for its relevance to leadership development using documents from single-gendered independent schools, participant journal entries, and interviews with …

Building A Community Art Garden: A Participatory Eco-Arts Based Educational Research Project, Beryl R. Cohen

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The purpose of this study is to explore how a community comes to understand their sense of place as they create a school art garden, and then consider their relationship to it, and to the natural world. Using qualitative arts-based methods of inquiry and A/r/tography, I weave and construct text and visual images, which portray human actions and experiences within the framework of Environmental Inquiry. As a participant, I also respond to the project through the creation of artwork.

Rich community narratives and data analysis resulted in the following themes: Teaching and Learning; Activism; Connection to Nature; Health and Healing; …

Navigating Chinese And English Multiliteracies Across Domains In Canada: An Ethnographic Case Study Of Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Children’S Literacy Practices, Xiaoxiao Du

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Increasing diversity in the globalized world challenges the field of education such as policy development and curriculum design (Suarez-Orozco & Suarez-Orozco, 2009). With more and more students speaking a home language other than English entering schools, numerous studies have examined their English language development with a focus on how they learn to read and write at home and school. However, less is known about culturally and linguistically diverse children’s literacy practices across domains. This study investigated Chinese children’s literacy practices and asked What are Chinese children’s literacy practices at school, home, and in the community? What(linguistic and sociocultural) resources …

Learner Anxiety And Professional Practice Self-Efficacy In Nursing Education, Joanna Pierazzo

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The purpose of this study was to examine the affective component of learner engagement (Linnenbrink & Printrich, 2003); more specifically students’ perceptions of learner anxiety and self-efficacy for professional practice in clinical nursing education. This study identified the factors in clinical learning contexts that contribute to learner anxiety, the differences among these factors in real and simulated learning contexts, and finally, the teaching and learning strategies that minimize learner anxiety and positively enhance self-efficacy for professional nursing practice. A convenience sample of 186 students from three university nursing programs in Ontarioparticipated in a two-phased mixed methods study, reflecting a response …

Encouraging Diversity And Multiculturalism In London, Ontario: A Case Study Of Two Elementary Schools, Abhilasha Duggal

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Elementary school students have diverse learning needs and their academic learning in particular varies between students especially so for students those from culturally non-dominant backgrounds. The focus of my research is on understanding the perceptions and practices of eleven teachers teaching in two schools within the London, Ontario school system, along with the perceptions of two principals and two vice principals in relation to the organizational learning opportunities provided for encouraging multicultural education. This study’s purpose was to explore what teaching strategies were used to support diverse students’ learning within the classroom setting. My data gathering sought to respond to …

Concept Mapping And The Cognitive Orientation To Daily Occupational Performance (Co-Op) Approach As An Intervention Framework For Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd), Jessie A. Wilson

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Individuals who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience a range of difficulties that impact their daily occupational performance. The current body of research identifies the importance of occupational engagement and competence as fundamental elements in facilitating an individual’s social connections, development of personal autonomy and overall wellbeing. This dissertation explores the use of concept mapping embedded within the meta-cognitive framework of the Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach, to engage adolescents with ASD in meaningful occupations.

This thesis contains three manuscripts, an introductory and a final reflection chapter. The first manuscript is a methodological paper that …

International Student-Athletes In Canadian Interuniversity Sport (Cis): Motivations And Experiences, Daniel L. Grbac

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the landscape of international student-athletes participating in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) with respect to number, sport, and gender breakdown, and to determine the motivations of these athletes for migrating to a Canadian academic institution as well as their experiences. Of the over 10,000 CIS student-athletes, approximately 5% are international student-athletes. In addition, the sports with the highest number of international student-athletes were soccer and basketball for males, and basketball and soccer for females. Semi-structured interviews with 16 international student-athletes from the four regional associations determined that the majority of participants were motivated …

Investigating The Experiences Of Queer International Students, Elizabeth S. Patrick

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There is a great deal of academic literature reporting homophobic discrimination against queer students in higher education. However, queer international students, who have potentially experienced different cultural constructions and understandings of sexualities based upon their cross cultural international studies, have received little to no attention in academic literature. This is significant considering the increasing number of international students studying in Canadian universities. In light of this, this research examines the self-described experiences of seven queer international students attending one Canadian university in order to investigate their experiences as queer identifying subjects. Drawing on their voices, it also attempts to examine …

Voices Count: Employing A Critical Narrative Research Bricolage For Insights Into Dyscalculia, Diana E. Kuhl

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This qualitative study involved interviewing adult participants who were identified, or who self identified as having dyscalculia (also known as a mathematical learning disorder), with the objective of obtaining depth of perspective on how this phenomenon is interpreted, responded to, and managed by these individuals and those around them. This study utilizes a theoretical and methodological framework known as bricolage (Kincheloe, 2005) which involves the synthesis of narrative, auto-ethnographic, critical, feminist, neuroscientific, and psychometric perspectives, to explicate the constitution and experience of dyscalculia. This study also explores epistemological privilege within the discipline of educational psychology, and draws on the work …

Tournaments, Rankings, And Time Crunches: Exploring The Use Of Competition Technologies In The Classroom, Cortney Hanna

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Two studies are presented in which a competitive online tournament is used for exam preparation. The first study looks at the effectiveness of online tournaments in motivating undergraduate students to prepare for their exams. An analysis of variance was used to assess whether participation in the review tournaments had a significant effect on achieved grades. A significant effect is discovered; suggesting that the participants’ difference in test scores is dependent on their participation amount (three tournaments versus one tournament). The second study assessed whether group members working together in a competitive tournament are more likely to pool resources and partake …

Investigating Teachers' Understandings Of Gender Equity And Achievement In Postfeminist Times, Katee Joy Van Campen

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Drawing from feminist post-structuralism and critical social theories, this thesis examines the significance of postfeminist and neo-liberal influences on teachers’ perspectives about gender equity and girls’ success within the context of Ontario’s high-stakes standardized testing policies and their pedagogical experiences in the classroom. The significance of this inquiry is in its capacity to contribute to further theorizing about how teachers are negotiating the changing meaning of gender equity through a neo-liberal and postfeminist lens. It also adds to the growing body of research that investigates the significance of socio-economic background with regards to girls’ achievement and participation in school and …

Enrichment Programming For Secondary School Gifted Students: A Narrative Inquiry, Melissa D. Gollan-Wills

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The current constructivist interpretive narrative inquiry study considered the ways in which recently implemented enrichment programming on a system level was experienced by gifted secondary school learners and designated gifted teachers or contacts at the secondary schools. Through an in-depth exploration of stories of experiences that gifted students told about enrichment programming, this study offered significant insight into the unique learning needs and challenges of gifted adolescents in today’s secondary classrooms. Methods included an initial demographic questionnaire followed by a maximal variation sample of 12 participants for the second phase of the study with follow-up focus groups. Focus group interview …

Policing Cyber Bullying: How Parents, Educators, And Law Enforcement Respond To Digital Harassment, Ryan Broll

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Some prior research has emphasised how adults ought to address cyber bullying, yet little is known about how they actually prevent and respond to digital harassment. This study addresses this gap in the literature by exploring the formal and informal “policing” of cyber bullying by a network of security actors: parents, teachers and school administrators, and the public police. Data were collected through a mixed methods research design consisting of semi-structured qualitative interviews with eight parents, 14 teachers, and 12 members of law enforcement (n = 34) and quantitative surveys completed by 52 parents.

Drawing upon nodal governance theory as …

Motivation And The 40-Hour Community Involvement Program: Their Relationship To Identity Status In First Year University Students, Michael A. Mcdonald

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Purpose: The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the relationship between motivation and identity status in first year university students through examining their participation in the Ontario secondary school community involvement program. This document consists of three separate, but related studies: a scoping review, a mixed-methods research study, and a document review.

Methods: The scoping review was completed using the methodology outlined by Arskey and O’Malley (2005). The Mixed-methods research was conducted using an embedded mixed methods approach. The quantitative aspect was approached from a cross-sectional, descriptive design, with the qualitative component being addressed from a phenomenological perspective. The …

A Transpositive Approach To Therapy With Transgender Clients: An Exploration Of Therapists' Subjective Experiences, Ronnie M. Ali

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The longstanding tradition of pathologizing and erasing transgender individuals in psychology has the potential to enter into therapy with transgender clients in insidious and destructive ways. To address this polemic, clinicians have articulated a transpositive approach to working with transgender clients that fosters the client’s right to self-determination. The present study explores the subjective experiences of three therapists working with transgender clients in order to learn how transpositivity materializes in their practices. Utilizing a case study methodology, and cross-case analysis, the study demonstrates that these therapists engaged in self-directed learning and advocacy, demonstrated flexibility in their approach, and were open …

Learners' Stories: A Study Of Hong Kong Post-Secondary Students' English Learning Experiences And Identity Construction, Vickie Wai Kei Li

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This is a narrative study of Hong Kong post-secondary students’ English learning experiences, focusing on: i) the meanings that the student participants attached to their English learning; and ii) their identity (re-)construction during the course of English learning. Theoretically informed by Norton’s (1997, 2000) work on identity and English learning, this study pays particular attention to how the interactions within the participants’ English classroom have shaped and informed their English learning experiences and their English learner identities. A multi-method approach was adopted in order to capture a more complete picture of post-secondary students’ English learning. Data collection techniques included pre-interview …