Sociology Commons^™

Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics (Stem) Project-Based Learning (Pbl) Education: A New Mexico Case Study For Equity And Inclusion, Kimberly A. Scheerer

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

This research addresses how student participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) project-based learning (PBL) education activities encourages underrepresented minority student achievement in STEM career field trajectories. Seven New Mexico high school counselors and 12 STEM organization personnel were interviewed during this study. Their responses represent the nuanced professional voices where New Mexico public education intersects with STEM student interest and cultural influence.

For students, STEM PBL can foster deep integration across educational disciplines and enhance STEM career trajectory interest and readiness. STEM education converged with PBL methodologies has the ability to leverage community support while broadening student networks. …

“I Don' Want To Upset Anyone - I Just Want To Exist": Nonbinary College Student Experiences At A Public Mid-Southern University., Cat Renee Alexander

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed the experiences of twenty-four nonbinary students at Sunnydale University, using a grounded theoretical approach with a standpoint perspective. Snowball sampling, e-mail advertising, and poster advertising were utilized. Themes and findings came from two areas, those of contrasting experiences and those of consensus opinions. Participants had contrasting experiences based on gender, pronouns, race/ethnicity, student classification, and major. Consensus opinions include suggested changes for campus inclusiveness that many participants discussed. A pre-interview survey was used to filter participants and collect demographic information and then interviews were collected from August 2021 – December 2021. This study found that although Sunnydale …

Becoming A More Empathetic Leader And Person, Rachel Shellstrom

Undergraduate Honors Theses

When defining empathy, the most common definition is “stepping into someone else’s shoes.” Along with this definition, many also share that it is important to have empathy and be an empathetic person. Yet, when thinking about its importance and this definition, a few questions arise: can we actually step into someone else’s shoes? Can we truly understand what someone else is feeling and experiencing if we are not them or do not hold the same identities that they do? Through a deeper exploration of existing empathy building certificate programs and empathy research, this thesis project explores these exact questions and …

Creating An Action Plan To Increase Diversity And Inclusion At Northwest Church Of Christ, Kenton Reeves Brown

Doctor of Ministry Theses

This project was designed to meet a need at the Northwest Church of Christ in Oklahoma City to help the church transition from a church that values diversity to one that realizes its vision of being diverse and inclusive. The scope of this project was to create an action plan to increase diversity and inclusion to present to the church leaders for their consideration. The theological foundation for the project comes from Paul’s convictions, expressed in Gal 1–2, that any who are in Christ should not be excluded or treated as a lower-class member of the community based on their …

Equity + Catalyst Framework Guide, Naomi M. Silas

Culminating Experience Projects

There has been a shift in society, in light of Covid-19 and the global pandemic, more people have begun to recognize the structural and institutional injustices that exist in this country. Social innovation allows collaboration between people from different sectors, disciplines, industries, and backgrounds; in order to create sustainable change to complex social issues. Design thinking is an iterative process used in business to create innovation and products; it’s also used for social impact.

The goal of the Equity + Catalyst Framework is to bridge concepts that include design thinking, and embodiment, as well as lived experiences and community care …

Modernization, Inclusion, And Intersectionality: Affordable Housing Policy And Discriminatory Characteristics Of The Fair Housing Act Of 1968, Heath Pitt

Community Engagement Student Work

Housing discrimination and affordability are ongoing issues in the United States; especially for marginalized populations like cisgender women, low-income families and individuals, and the transgender community. These three groups lack adequate protection and acknowledgment under the 1968 Fair Housing Act (FHA). In order to provide them with sufficient protection, the FHA must improve its level of inclusion and be updated and modernized to adapt to today’s society. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of enhancing the FHA, while discovering discriminatory practices under the FHA and the causes and solutions of affordable housing issues. With the use …

The Inclusion Of Black Social Workers: More Than A Seat-Creating A Culture Of Belonging, Sallie J. Ingram

DSW Capstone Projects

The social work profession has been around for at least 12 decades. During most of this time, Black and White social workers have focused on issues affecting their own races. Unfortunately, social work has been found to have some of the same biases and stereotypes as the society that it serves. Therefore, three products were developed to provide research-based evidence on the importance of inclusion of Black social workers and how this inclusion will benefit social work, and the clients served.

Product One was a systemic literature review focused on answering the research question of whether or not the social …

Community Development Practitioner Methods To Support People With Disabilities, Allison E. Lourash

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are numerous programs in the United States (US) that provide services and supports for people with disabilities with significant monetary costs and poor outcomes. Current research lacked information regarding how use of strengths-based approaches by community development practitioners supports people with disabilities and builds social capital. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore community development practitioners’ use of strengths-based approaches to support people with disabilities in their communities. The conceptual framework of social capital was used for the study. The research question involved how community development practitioners identify and provide methods to support people with …

Critical- Diversity, Belongingness, Inclusion, And Equity Sel, Jeanny Eliana Marroquin

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The social and civil unrest across the United States has ignited a call for more school-based social and emotional learning (SEL) frameworks and practices that are social justice-oriented. The Collaborative for Academic and Social Emotional Learning (CASEL) is one of the organizations that chose to revisit their existing SEL framework and introduced transformative SEL as an attempt to take steps toward creating a more social justice-oriented approach. This critique will review the SEL landscape of some pre-K-12 SEL programs and their methods to highlight gaps and limitations in the fields for future research considerations. Then, a new social and emotional …

Exploring Climate, Wellbeing, Resilience, And Resistance In 2slgbtq+ Leisure Spaces: A Mixed Methods Study To Advance Inclusion, Tin Vo

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Participating in queer sports groups, rainbow choirs, trans virtual discussion groups and other Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexually and gender diverse (2SLGBTQ+) leisure activities can offer participants safety from societal heterosexism and cisgenderism and opportunities for community connection and peer support, as well as foster their overall wellbeing. Yet, transgender/gender nonconforming (TGNC), racialized, and/or disabled individuals, and those with other diverse identities are often marginalized in these spaces. Though researchers have studied exclusion within 2SLGBTQ+ leisure spaces, relatively little is known about how the climate of these spaces shapes social and mental health outcomes. Connected to …