An Alienated Population; Societal Issues And Educational Neglect In The Field Of Gifted Education, A Narrative Literature Review, Venus Jennifer Mendez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this narrative literature review is to explore societal issues and educational neglect in gifted education, focusing particularly on the underrepresentation of African American and Hispanic students. Through a comprehensive analysis of 36 peer-reviewed sources, the study reveals systemic inequities which leads to a creation of different themes stemming from racial and linguistic biases, imprecise definitions of giftedness, and the lack of teacher diversity, which collectively hinder equitable access to gifted programs. The findings magnify the urgent need for reform in identification process and procedures where the impact of having imprecise definitions and a lack of teacher diversity …

Understanding How To Cultivate Culturally Relevant Dispositions Among District Science Coordinators And Science Teachers, Meredith L. Schwendemann

All Dissertations

At the center of the discussions about equity in science education is the importance of defining and articulating what is meant by equity, diversity, and social justice. Despite recent efforts to improve equity in science education, inequities in science education persist. District science coordinators, science teachers, and science teacher educators are key players in the movement toward more equitable science learning and instruction. The purpose of this three manuscript dissertation was to explore the ways in which science teacher educators are working to promote culturally relevant dispositions within science teachers (Paper 1/Chapter 2), examine how district science coordinators are approaching …

The Effect Of Storyline Units On The Self-Efficacy And Science Identity Of High School Multilingual Learners, Kristin Ambrose

All Dissertations

Science can be a complex subject for multilingual learners (MLLs) because it requires investigating science concepts through modeling and analysis in addition to reading and writing skills. This complexity often leaves teachers unsure of how to support the MLLs, leading to MLLs missing out on grade-appropriate content and science experiences. Storyline instruction uses 3D instruction to teach science content necessary to explain a real-world anchoring phenomenon. Storyline instruction grounds learning in real-world contexts through anchoring phenomena and provides coherence for students throughout the lessons. This mixed methods study aimed to discover the impact of storyline units on the self-efficacy (SE) …

Mapping Teacher And Librarian Perspectives Through A Qualitative Descriptive Study Of Book Bans In South Carolina, Jennifer Gallman

All Dissertations

This study analyzed findings from four data collection pieces with Critical Discourse Analysis, in which participants met in focus groups to discuss their experiences with book bans and curriculum censorship. The five focus groups included Upstate middle school English teachers, Upstate high school English teachers, Upstate middle school librarians, Upstate high school librarians, and participants from the Midlands and Lowcountry of South Carolina. There were two primary research questions and two sub-questions: (1) What do educators and librarians in grades 6-12 say about how power functions in engaging or challenging current curricula and book censorship trends?; (1a) How do middle …

The Effect Of Mobile Augmented Reality On The Self-Efficacy Of Adults Learning English In The U.S., Cinamon S. Bailey

All Dissertations

For foreign-born adults living in the U.S., learning, speaking, and understanding English is essential to be able to work, access needed resources, facilitate healthcare, communicate with teachers at a child’s school, and build relationships and communicate with others within their communities. Yet, many of these individuals have limited English proficiency and are unable to speak and understand the language well. There are some opportunities to learn English in the U.S. as a foreign-born adult, but these avenues of learning are limited in the type of personalized, contextualized, and real-world language learning opportunities that are provided. There is a need to …

Implementing Storytelling Into The Elementary School Classroom: A Best Practice Guide With Adaptable Lessons, Cali Reinhart

Honors Theses

Incorporating storytelling projects and activities in the elementary classroom helps students become more engaged and interested in what they are being taught. Often, there is not enough time in the day to cover all the material, let alone teach students these concepts in fun and engaging ways that every student deserves. Therefore, teachers should be given the resources to help their students learn the material in a fun and appealing way, such as through storytelling. Previous research has shown that storytelling is a multisensory project that reinforces literacy and language skills, increases students’ retention of the information presented, and increases …

The Effectiveness Of Science Instruction With Digital Simulations In Elementary Settings For Quantitative Sensemaking, Joelle Prate

Education (PhD) Dissertations

The importance of elementary science education is well-documented, but many challenges persist, including a lack of time, space, and materials needed for students to have hands-on lab experiences. As a result, many students in California are falling behind, with less than one-third of all fifth graders meeting or exceeding standards in standardized test reporting. This study sought to employ single-case design methods and combine the best practices in sensemaking approaches with virtual simulations to determine whether these practices would provide effective intervention and improve students’ blended math and science sensemaking abilities at the qualitative and quantitative levels, as well as …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Workplace Experiences To Inform Transition Services For Neurodivergent Youth, Rachel M. Torres

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Individuals with disabilities, including neurodivergent individuals, are employed are significantly lower rates than individuals without disabilities (Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS], 2023). Although secondary schools are responsible for engaging in transition planning for students with disabilities (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2004), research indicates these plans are often lacking in efficacy (Greene, 2015) and in their alignment with students’ interests and needs (Hughes et al., 2023). Simultaneously, modern work and the skills students need succeed in today’s workforce are changing (Griffiths et al., 2020). The goal of the present study is to improve transition planning and interventions by better understanding …

Pláticas, Reflexiones, Y Resistencia: Exploring How First-Generation Latino Males Leverage Community Cultural Wealth In Education-Based Doctoral Programs, Daniel Noriega

Education (PhD) Dissertations

The Latino/a community is the largest ethnic minority group in the United States and continues to grow. Although enrollment in higher education is on the rise, Latino/a students complete their degrees at lower rates than their white counterparts. This disparity is further magnified when accounting for gender, with Latina women outpacing Latino men at every educational milestone. Disparities in doctorate attainment lead to the underrepresentation of Latino men in student support or leadership positions, which may negatively impact the success of Latino students. This qualitative study examines how First-Generation Latino males leverage Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) to navigate systemic barriers …

Kindergarten Through Third-Grade Teachers’ Understanding Of Dyslexia And Their Preparedness To Teach Students With Potential Dyslexia, Including English Speakers Of Other Languages (Esol) Students, Carrie Madden

Curriculum and Instruction (Ed.D.) Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate kindergarten through third grade teachers’ understanding of dyslexia and their preparedness to teach students with potential dyslexia, including ESOL students in a city school district by using questionnaires and focus groups. This study yielded three main findings: (a) teachers define dyslexia using similar terms and wording, but do not use a formal definition; (b) continuous opportunities for targeted professional development is crucial to understanding potential dyslexia in students, including ESOL students; (c) tailored supports, interventions, and screenings are paramount to ensure preparation of teachers to have effective instructional practices for …

‘Maybe It's What We've Been Doing?’: Exploring Mtss For Emergent Bilingual Students With Disabilities, Crystal Nunez

Honors Theses

This qualitative study investigated the interpretation and implementation of Multi-Tiered System
of Supports (MTSS) as it related to emergent bilingual students with disabilities in one of the
largest suburban school districts in Upstate New York. The purpose of this study was to explore
the needs, experiences, beliefs, and practices (individual and collaborative) of teachers who
support a growing population of emergent bilingual students with and without disabilities and their
families in an increasingly diverse suburban community. The goal of this study is to inform best
practices as well as new directions in research, policy, and educators’ continued and supportive
professional …

On The Multi-Modal Psychological Experience Of Competence In Youth Sport, Liam O'Neil

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Over the past half century, beliefs about athleticism (i.e., sport competence) have been thought of as central to motivation for youth sport. In this time, however, these competence beliefs have been narrowly studied which has limited their value in explaining youth sport participation. To expand our understanding of competence beliefs and their motivational significance in youth sport, the three studies of this dissertation tested a longstanding but understudied idea that competence beliefs encompass both judgments of, and emotions about, competence. In Study One, existing research on judgments of competence in youth sport was reviewed. This study showed that many personal …

Teachers' Experiences Implementing Reading Comprehension Strategies With Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Phenomenology Study, Melissa Katherine Mcdermott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This hermeneutic phenomenological study described educators' experiences implementing reading comprehension strategies with elementary school students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in northern Delaware. The theory guiding this study was theory of mind, which addresses higher-order cognitive skills and impairments, evoking challenges for students with ASD regarding their reading comprehension skills. This study sought to answer the following research question: “What are teachers' experiences implementing instructional strategies to develop reading comprehension skills for students with ASD?” A hermeneutic phenomenological research design was used to investigate and understand the lived experiences of 12 educators in elementary schools who provide reading comprehension instruction …

Language, Equity, And Power: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Student Conduct Policies At Unl, Mandi Laib

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study conducts a Critical Discourse Analysis of student conduct policies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 1977 to 2003 to examine how language reflects and reinforces institutional power structures. Utilizing Critical Race Theory and Queer Theory, this research investigates how conduct policies have historically marginalized Students of Color, LGBTQ+ students, and those facing economic hardship. Through a deductive coding process, themes such as institutional control, surveillance, and punitive framing were identified across four decades of student handbooks. While there are moments where student rights and restorative justice are acknowledged, these are often overshadowed by dominant discourse that prioritizes compliance …

Dunning-Kruger And The Reforming Mind: A Causal-Comparative Study Determining The Role That Confidence When Learning Mathematics Plays In Sixth-Grade Students' Mathematics Performance, Rita Renata Davison-Yragui

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative non-experimental causal-comparative study was to determine the relationship between sixth-grade students’ confidence level (high, middle, or low) when learning mathematics and their mathematical performance. This study adds to the current body of knowledge on student learning and contributes to a better understanding of the impact of confidence on student performance in mathematics. The sample comprised 132 sixth-grade public school math students in western Washington who completed the i-Ready diagnostic to determine their mathematical performance. The confidence when learning mathematics portion of the Attitudes to Technology in Mathematics Learning Questionnaire was used to measure student confidence …

On A Wing And A Prayer: A Phenomenological Study Of High School Teachers' Experiences Teaching Ell Students, Malerie Rene Huguley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the self-efficacy of high school ELL teachers at a large private high school in central Virginia. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s self-efficacy theory and how it related to high school teachers’ preparation and confidence in teaching ELL students. The central research question for this study was: What are the experiences of high school general education teachers who teach ELL students in a private school setting? This study was a qualitative transcendental phenomenological study that included the lived experiences of 13 high school teachers. Data were collected from participants using …

Teaching Strategies For Twice-Exceptional Students, Aidan S. Karpicz

Honors Scholar Theses

This research study investigates effective strategies for supporting twice-exceptional (2e) students, who possess both gifted abilities and a co-occurring disability such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, or a Specific Learning Disability. Despite a prevalence perhaps as high as 1 in every 50-500 students, many 2e students remain unidentified, and their unique educational needs are often unmet. This study addresses the challenges faced by 2e students, including difficulties in identification due to the masking of giftedness by disability and vice versa, as well as social and emotional issues. Drawing upon existing literature that highlights the necessity of integrated instruction combining gifted …

Double, Double, Toils And Troubles: Analyzing The “Magical” Relationships Between University Leaders’ Personality Traits And Their Self-Efficacy In Leadership Situations, Fay Ludvine Boudreaux

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This present study investigated the relationship between higher education leaders’ personality traits and their self-efficacy in leadership situations. A total of 151 leaders employed across the nine institutions within the University of Louisiana System completed a survey that prompted them to identify their personal values, traits, and skill sets, as derived from the online Pottermore quiz, the official Harry Potter Hogwarts House sorting instrument. This niche personality metric was chosen to cater to higher education’s evolving landscape, as it welcomes an influx of Millennials into leadership positions. Participants’ responses were eventually recoded to “sort” them into their respective Houses: Gryffindor, …

Reviving Baybayin: The Pre-Hispanic Writing System Of The Philippines, And Raising Awareness In The United States, Richana K. Stone

Honors Thesis

Baybayin is an Indigenous system of writing in the Philippines that has been preserved, but has seen rapid decline in usage throughout the centuries. This paper explores the history of Baybayin and the methods of reviving the written script that have been suggested and used to reimplement Baybayin into the daily lives of Filipinos. Furthermore, this paper will look at how Lakota and Peruvian recording systems, the winter count and the khipu, respectively, have been preserved and used in modern times. Viewing the history of these groups and how they preserved these writing systems sparks a potential for the adoption …

Comparing Fastbridge Reading Assessment Scores: Reading Interventionist Vs. Lexia Powerup For Sixth-Grade Students, Amanda K. Boss

Education Doctorate Dissertations

This study investigates the differences in FastBridge reading assessment scores among sixth-grade students at a middle school in Southeast Minnesota. A sample of 266 sixth graders participated in the technology-based intervention program, Lexia PowerUp, while 35 students received additional support from a reading interventionist using the UFLI (University of Florida Literacy Initiative) Foundations curriculum. Employing a quantitative, non-experimental post hoc analysis, the research revealed that both Lexia PowerUp and UFLI: Foundations enhanced FastBridge AUTOreading scores; however, FastBridge aReading scores showed no significant changes for either program. Notably, students utilizing Lexia PowerUp consistently improved throughout the year, whereas those in the …

Grossly Misunderstood: How Two Low Socioeconomic Black Parents In The Rural South Perceive Their Involvement In Their Children's Education, Diana Carver

All Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of low-socioeconomic Black parents living in the rural South regarding education. The study was designed to amplify the voice a marginalized community that is misunderstood regarding their children’s education. Using a detailed narrative design, I interviewed two single-parent families living in a Section 8 apartment complex to capture their perceptions of their children’s education.

In this study, the participants were single mothers who expressed their desires and goals for their children. In addition, these mothers shared their backgrounds and experiences growing up and attending school, which shaped and molded …

News From Uab Libraries, 05 2025, Uab Libraries

UAB Libraries News

No abstract provided.

English Literacy Instruction In The Early Elementary Years: An Ecological Grounded Theory Of Teacher Decision Making In American Jewish Day Schools, Margaret Elizabeth "Maggie" Madere

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Jewish Day Schools are mission-driven institutions tasked with providing both secular and Judaic education, ensuring the survival of Jewish faith and culture while teaching general academic subjects. Teachers in these schools face the challenge of balancing the need to foster Jewish culture with the requirement to provide a complete secular education, including foundational literacy skills in English for early elementary students. With limited time dedicated to general studies, teachers must make complex decisions about curriculum priorities. This grounded theory study explored how general studies teachers in early elementary grades (kindergarten through third grade) at American Jewish Day Schools decide on …

Becoming A Computer Scientist: Multimethods To Make Sense Of Professional Computer Scientist Identity Development, Tim Ransom

All Dissertations

Professional identity development is both a powerful pedagogical tool and an excellent indicator of overall life satisfaction for students.

This work investigates the experience of undergraduate students as they develop their professional identities into computer scientists. A multimethod research plan makes use of quantitative ethnography (QE) and interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to understand the lived experiences of eight undergraduate computer science students professional computer scientist identity development and the messages social media presents about that professional identity.

First, a quantitative ethnography is conducted to investigate the expression of professional computer scientist identity in relevant online communities. This investigation into the …

An Exploratory Study Of Using Transformative Pedagogy To Teach Towards Social Justice In Face-To-Face And Online Classrooms, Alison Berk

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

As colleges simultaneously vie for students during a recent enrollment dip and try to accommodate the overall historically high national rate of college enrollment, (National Student Clearing House, 2022), and as most Americans experience identity-based tension (Horowitz, et al., 2019), it is essential that colleges and instructors ask themselves how they can create accessible, meaningful and authentic opportunities for individuals to critically examine their communities and the systems in which they live. Developing this kind of critical consciousness provides both ideological and practical positive outcomes for students and institutions alike (Carter, 2008; Diemer et al., 2014; El-Amin, et al., 2017; …

The Interplay Of Housing Instability And Mathematics During Adolescence: A Retrospective Study Of Black Stem Folx, Sharetta M. W. Bufford

All Dissertations

Few studies have delved into the delicate nuances that impact Black students’ mathematics performance, nor have they paid much attention to the resources students leverage to overcome systems that perpetuate negative stereotypes about Black youth. For decades, studies about Black youth have been explored from a deficit perspective, shedding negative light on circumstances typically beyond the control of those being studied. Even more, some studies have placed blame on parents and parental figures in the lives of Black children for unacceptable school behavior and poor academic progress (Cobb II & Russell, 2015). Black youth have been portrayed as problematic, disruptive, …

Re-Imagining Education For English Language Learners: How Educational Leaders Meet Diverse Students' Needs, Maryam Kased

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

English Language Learners are the fastest growing group of students in the U.S. School leaders understanding and decisions influence the programs or services provided to ELL’s (Mavrogordato & White, 2020; DeMatthews, & Tarlau, 2019). Educators and educational leader’s attitudes, perceptions, and understandings of these students impact their learning (Murphy & Torff, 2018; & Garcia et al., 2019). The purpose of this narrative qualitative research study (Riessman, 2008; Arnault & Sinko, 2021) is to examine and understand educational leadership decisions as it pertains to English Language Learners. The research setting and context for the study are education, educational leaders, elementary schools, …

The Effect Of Language On Student Achievement Across Countries, Ryotaro Hiraki

International and Global Studies Undergraduate Honors Theses

Does language matter in achieving higher scores in school? Do international standardized tests measure students speaking different languages equally? We study whether a language students speak affects their academic achievement. Understanding this research might also help construct a format for standardized testing. It might also help to build a curriculum for bilingual students and facilitate foreign language learning in schools. We analyze the role of institutional factors and the role of linguistics in student’s performance. To do so, we use PISA 2018 data and linear regression models for both the whole sample of students in each country and first and …

Finished!: How Newcomer Students Leveraged Family, Culture And Community To Complete A University Degree, Brenda Eliana Bocanegra

Theses and Dissertations

The transition from high school to college represents a pivotal time in the life of a student. For Latino/a students, this transition may be met with unique challenges shaped by their cultural, socioeconomic and educational backgrounds. This research aims to delve into the multifaceted experiences of newcomer Latino/a students as they navigate the transition from, high school to university, to educators, exploring the factors that influence their paths, the barriers they encounter, and the support systems that helped facilitate their success.

This research used Yosso’s (2005) community cultural wealth as the framework to examine the factors that influenced and impacted …

Strategies For Writing Synthesis To Learn: A Case Study Among Sixth-Grade Social Studies Students, Kalie A. Chamberlain

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Writing instruction that emphasizes strategy use helps students become better writers, especially when tackling difficult writing tasks, such as writing from sources or writing syntheses. Strategic writing instruction also supports student learning in content areas like social studies. This project examined whether Strategies for Writing Synthesis to Learn (SWSL), a mode of strategic writing instruction developed by researchers in Spain, would be effective in a new context. It also sought to understand how SWSL was perceived by students and teachers. A mixed-methods case study was used to explore both quantitative (e.g., student growth) data and qualitative (e.g., student and teacher …