Education Commons^™

The Effectiveness Of An Academic Literacy Intervention To Help University Freshmen Recognize And Resolve Inconsistencies Across Multiple Texts, Patty Baldwin

Doctoral Dissertations

Students must independently complete academic literacy tasks--including reading analytically to identify problems, resolving problems that arise, and using writing to demonstrate advanced knowledge acquisition--if they are to be successful in courses across their university careers. However, a significant portion of students arrives at the university underprepared to meet these expectations for academic literacy.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an instructional intervention to help developmental-level freshmen acquire the academic literacy skills that experienced academic readers demonstrate in order to promote independent learning. The four-week instructional intervention focused on two aspects of advanced academic literacy: 1) …

Four Preservice Teachers' Use Of Mathematical Knowledge During Lesson Planning And Instruction In The Field Experience, Margaret Swearingen

Doctoral Dissertations

The field experience of a teacher education program offers the opportunity for authentic practice in lesson planning and instruction for preservice teachers prior to their transition into their teaching career. However, preservice teachers often struggle applying their developing knowledge and skills because of the multifaceted nature of the field experience context. This complexity is particularly true in mathematics instruction since it includes simultaneously understanding mathematical concepts and mathematical procedure standards during instruction.

This study used mini-case studies to examine how four preservice teachers used their developing mathematical knowledge learned in the teacher education program while lesson planning and teaching within …

Exploring The Experiences Of Latina/Os In Graduate Health Science Programs: A Qualitative Study, Mijiza Malane Sanchez

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative study conducted at a Northern California university explored how six Latino/a health science professionals navigated their academic trajectory. The six participants identify as Latino/a and shared their journeys to the health sciences. This study examined how participants utilized their community cultural wealth to navigate the complexities of campus climate during their pursuit of a graduate or professional degree in the health sciences. Research data included narratives from in-depth interviews with the six participants and a focus group.

The key findings of this study illustrate the profound significance of mentorship in the pursuit of health science careers. This study …

Ready To Write: Exploring The Student Perspective On The Transition To College, Julie Sullivan

Doctoral Dissertations

Written communication is a cornerstone of college and career success, yet many students arrive at college underprepared for the writing demands of the academic discourse community. The potential reasons for the perceived gap in writing ability point to the ongoing challenges of education in the United States. As the population pursuing college degrees becomes more diverse, expectations differ between high school and college, equity in education issues persist and standardization focuses on academic skills, overlooking the potential role that nonacademic or "soft" skills play in student success. When decisions are made to address these concerns, the student perspective is frequently …

Exploring The Educational Paths Of Mexicanas: Testimonios Of Academic Success, Luz Navarrette Garcia

Doctoral Dissertations

In 2014, Latina/o children comprise over 50% of the California K-12 student population. The recently changing demographics are not problematic; rather, the problems that inspired this study include a legacy of inadequate education (under-education) and the lack of support of Latina/o students throughout the P-20 educational system (preschool through graduate school). This qualitative study explores the experiences of nine Mexican American women who share at least four past experiences in common: 1) immigration to the United States from México, 2) experience learning English as a new language, 3) attainment of a baccalaureate degree, and 4) enrollment in a post-baccalaureate (graduate …

An Investigation Of Special Education Teachers' Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of A Systematic 7-Step Virtual Worlds Teacher Training Workshop For Increasing Social Skills, Natalie Christina Nussli

Doctoral Dissertations

This study describes how a systematic 7-Step Virtual Worlds Teacher Training Workshop promoting inquiry, experiential learning, and sociocultural theory guided the enculturation of 18 special education teachers into three-dimensional virtual worlds. The main purpose was to enable these teachers to make informed decisions about the usability of virtual worlds for students with social skills challenges, such as students with autism. Mixed-methods data analysis and triangulation were based on the analysis of seven instruments. Six of the seven steps of the intervention received high ratings indicating its viability for teachers' professional development opportunities

Impact Of College Counseling Within Private High Schools On First-Generation College-Bound Students' Enrollment In Four-Year Colleges: A Case Study, Ana Maria Soler

Doctoral Dissertations

First-generation college-bound students (FGCBS), students whose parents do not have a college degree, are at a disadvantage during the preparation for and enrollment in 4-year colleges, according to the literature. A majority of these students either never enter 4-year colleges, or enroll in 2-year colleges and never complete a bachelor's degree. With the demand in the work force for college degrees, much research has been conducted on understanding the experiences of these students. Previous research has focused on college counseling for FGCBS within public schools, traditionally low-resourced public schools, as this is where most FGCBS are enrolled.

This study addresses …

"My Gut Has To Feel It": A Participatory Action Research Study Of Community College Educators Navigating The Emotional Terrain Of Human Rights Education, Lindsay Padilla

Doctoral Dissertations

Informed by feminist theories of emotion and the concept of critical emotional praxis, this PAR study highlights the emotional terrain of four Northern California community college teachers who teach human rights. The following meta-question guided this research: "Given the role of emotions in challenging injustice, as well as in engaging in personal and societal change, what role do emotions play when teaching in a community college?" Data sources included journals, monthly meetings, final reflection narratives, and exit interviews, which were culled for emergent themes. The findings indicate that the co-researchers in this study experienced emotional ambivalence (the simultaneous experience of …

Rehearsal And Enactment For Teaching In Urban School Settings: A Qualitative Study Investigating The Connections Between A Math Methods Course And Fieldwork, Rajeev Virmani

Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation, I studied teacher education reform efforts aimed at improving the preparation of preservice teachers through the use of rehearsals in a math methods class. As many experts in the field of teacher education call for curricula in which preservice teachers learn from and in practice, I investigated a type of pedagogy called rehearsals within a practice-based teacher education setting that may afford preservice teachers with the initial preparation needed to become effective teachers.

In this qualitative study, I examined how three preservice teachers and math methods instructors rehearse the high leverage practice of leading a whole-class discussion. …

Assessing Student Learning With Technology: A Descriptive Study Of Technology-Using Teacher Practice And Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (Tpack), Lara Elaine Ervin-Kassab

Doctoral Dissertations

In 2013, a majority of states in the US had adopted Common Core State Standards under the Race to the Top initiative. With this adoption came the opportunity to utilize computer-delivered and computer-adaptive testing. Although the computer-based assessments were intended to assist teachers in designing classroom assessments and using student data to inform instructional practice, teacher-reported data indicated that the areas in which teachers are most unprepared, lack confidence, or are in need of development were assessment (DeLuca, 2012; Wayman et al., 2007) and technology (Brush & Saye, 2009; Kramarski & Michalsky, 2010).

The Technology Assessment Practices Survey (TAPS) study …