Digital Commons Network^™

Mapping James Moffett: Formative Assessment And Common Core Standards For The Contemporary Language Arts Classroom, Jonathan M. Marine, Ruth Nathan

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

In this article, we argue for an expanded conception of language assess-ment based on the principles of James Moffett and centered on outfitting teachers with useful information with which to guide their practice and optimize student learning. Importantly, we begin the article by demonstrating that Moffett’s interest in assessing language growth occurs much earlier than previously thought. Then, we sketch a composite view of Moffett’s evolving views on assessment as drawn from works across the span of his career while also investigating the many thinkers who influenced his ideas in order to situate them in the historical and educational con-text …

Echo And Drag As Resistance: Coloniality, Queerness, And Practices Of Reading Student Texts, Joshua Barsczewski, Florianne Jimenez

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

In this article, a postcolonial theorist and a queer studies scholar reconsider the role of student resistance in Writing Studies’ social justice turn, arguing for a way of reading student texts that accounts for why students might choose to take up social justice or not in their own writing. Through examples from their ongoing research projects, the writers discuss how students’ resistance surfaced not as visible and explicit signs of a changed epistemological framework or political perspective, but as a series of normative rhetorical choices that made space for more transgressive or subversive possibilities.

Tikking The Tok And Leading The Way: Teacherpreneurs Leading On Tiktok, Jori S. Beck, Derrick Riddle

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Teacher shortages in the United States have increased the need for resources for teachers just learning to teach. The purpose of this study was to explore how teacherpreneurs, a type of teacher leader, are leading on TikTok. We grounded this study in the research on teacher leadership, including the five waves of teacher leadership and the most recent development of teacherpreneurship, as well as social media influencers. We qualitatively analyzed 300 videos from 30 different teacherpreneuers to determine the following themes: diverse narratives, entertainment, instructional resources, and advocacy. We describe implications for practice, including teacher preparation, as well as future …

A Qualitative Study Of Iranian Efl Teachers’ Perceptions Of A Digital Diversified Education, Seyed Mohammad Reza Marvasti Zadeh, Azizollah Dabaghi Varnosfadrani Advarnosfadrani, Mohammad Amiryousefi

The Qualitative Report

Because Iran is a country of learners of diverse languages, socio-economic classes, genders, and ages, digital diversified education seems appropriate to address needs in English language education. However, there is a notable gap in research on teachers’ perceptions about this type of education. To fill this gap, this study aimed to investigate the perspectives of Iranian teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) regarding a diverse digital education. Data were collected via an open-ended survey with 30 EFL teachers, both male and female, who were selected through convenience sampling. Analysis revealed several key themes, including the utilization of diverse …

Benefits Of Teaching Pre-Literacy In Waldorf Education In Early Childhood, April Guerrero

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This senior capstone research project examines the benefits of teaching pre-literacy in Waldorf education in early childhood. In Waldorf Education, literacy development incorporates differentiated instructions that fosters cognitive and social emotional learning of their students. Through the use of literature review and several teachers in various grades of Waldorf schools, the result findings revealed that pedagogical practices around literacy instructions promote critical thinking skills, nurtures children’s creative expression, and imagination. Literacy curriculum in Waldorf schools allows students to create tangible evidence of self-expressions and communication skills. Given its emphasis on holistic curriculum, it allows teachers to engage with their diverse …

Pre-Service Teachers’ Questions About Literacy Instruction For Multilingual Learners, Lindsey W. Rowe, Oluwaseun Ayobami Oti, Katie Mcgee

Publications

As classrooms in the United States become increasingly linguistically diverse, teachers need to be prepared to provide equitable literacy instruction to multilingual learners (MLs). This paper explores the experiences of pre-service teachers (PSTs) in one elementary education course focused on literacy instruction for MLs, specifically asking: What questions do PSTs ask about literacy instruction for MLs? PSTs posed questions multiple times a week as part of their reading responses and post-class exit tickets, resulting in 1,375 questions for analysis. Open and pattern coding found that PSTs’ questions focused on: 1) students, 2) environment, 3) teaching practice, 4) self, and 5) …

Linking Education And Work: Understanding The Influence Of Community Schooling Models On Student Pathways, Takiyah N. Dixon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the integration of work-study programs, mentorship, and support systems at Cristo Rey Tampa Salesian High School (CRTSHS) and their role in preparing underrepresented students for post-secondary education and professional careers. Utilizing a case study methodology, this research centers on an in-depth analysis of a single participant's experience, which provides a qualitative insight into the impacts of these educational components. The study examines how the school's work-study program equips students with practical skills, how mentorship shapes their academic and personal development, and how support systems contribute to their readiness for higher education and employment.

The data for this …

An Examination Of The International Baccalaureate’S Approaches To Learning As Humanizing, Leah Yates

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The development of 21st-century skill frameworks characterized as being universal, transferrable, and future-facing are ubiquitous among international educational organizations (Suto & Eccles, 2014). The International Baccalaureate (IB) incorporates a similarly articulated universal, transferrable, and future-facing set of skills called the Approaches to Learning (ATL) in its four programmes (International Baccalaureate, 2022b). However, critiques of the IB as being Eurocentric and solely concerned with the development of learners for Western educational experiences calls for a critical examination of the ATL as promoting monocultural skills which are not contextual, personalized, or humanizing (Refai, 2020). This multiple-case study and document review utilized the …

Supporting Preservice Teachers Of Color In Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Kimberly M. Korpita

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While learning how to become culturally and critically conscious educators and advocates for their PK-12 students, racially minoritized preservice teachers often feel isolated. More research is needed to learn how teacher preparation programs could consistently empower rather than isolate preservice teachers of color as they engage in coursework involving culturally relevant pedagogy.

This study focused on the experiences of preservice teachers of color engaging in culturally relevant pedagogy coursework in a K-12 teacher preparation program at a predominately White institution. In partnership with this teacher preparation program, one current preservice teachers of color, five former alumni of color, and three …

Secondary Teacher Perceptions And Practices Of Intercultural Communicative Competence Development In Online Intercultural Exchanges, Paige L. Roland

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Secondary level world language programs in the United States lack efficient infusion and assessment of intercultural communicative competence in the curricula. When a learner acquires a new language, they also shape their personal identity and expand their ability to successfully interact cross-culturally, thus the need for culture and language to be understood as interdependent components of the bigger whole is evident (Liontas & Siegel, 2019). While there are extensive research theories and studies regarding models of assessment for various competences underlying intercultural communicative competence (e.g., communicative competence, idiomatic competence, sociolinguistic competence) throughout the decades, little research is available which utilizes …

Curriculum Curation: Centering Mirrors And Windows In An Inclusive Bookshelf Project, Kelly P. Vaughan

Education Department Faculty Articles

From increasing calls for multicultural and inclusive books to media stories about books being banned in elementary schools,  curriculum debates have become increasingly contentious. These debates illuminate key questions in curriculum studies: What is the knowledge of most worth? And who decides? In this article, I utilize a curriculum studies in education framework to engage and extend the literature supporting multicultural and inclusive children’s literature and critical literacy while emphasizing the role of teachers-as-curators. After analyzing the results of a year-long project in which preservice teachers (PSTs) curated collections of multicultural books representing a mirrors and windows approach to text …

“Who Am I?”: Novice Teachers Making Meaning Of Their Intersectional Teacher Identity, Kerrijo E. Ellis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how marginalized and/or minoritized novice teachers make meaning of their teacher identity. An integrated theoretical framework informed this study using Hong et al.’s (2024) conceptualization of teacher identity, Crenshaw’s (1989) intersectionality, and Collins & Bilge’s (2020) definition of intersectionality. Utilizing the photovoice methodology, four focus groups were conducted with a purposeful sample of five novice teachers who identified as marginalized (i.e., gender, disability, LGBTQIA+) and/or minoritized (i.e., ethnic and/or racial minority). Using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2023), I identified three themes: (1) Why I Became a Teacher, which included …

Engaging Families Of Minoritized Bilingual Preschoolers In Designing A Family Literacy Program, Melany Hooker

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative exploratory study was to include culturally and linguistically diverse minoritized parents in the design of a family literacy program. Parents of traditionally marginalized emergent bilingual Spanish-speaking preschoolers provided feedback on family literacy resources generally and specific resources from the Systematic and Engaging Early Literacy (SEEL) family literacy program, including the website, a lesson plan, and a training video. Culturally relevant pedagogy and user experience (UX) design were applied to determine what these families found accessible, instructive, and important. Feedback was collected through individual interviews and focus groups using UX design. Thematic analyses revealed five main …

Monsters, Multiplicities, And Liminal Experiences In Doctoral Education: Fabulation As Research Methodology, Anna V. Gonzalez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to experiment with qualitative research methodologies while exploring the complexities of doctoral education, research practices, philosophies of inquiry, and other topics intersecting with(in) educational scholarship. My vision for this work was fueled by postmodernist critiques of humanist education, frustrations with the methodological status quo pervasive in educational research, and deep concerns about the unsustainability of performance-focused teaching and learning.

The logic I follow in this project is simple: if we—researchers and academics—are to contribute solutions for challenges and ongoing crises in our world, then we must start thinking relationally and in ways more complex …

Transformative Interactions: Chatgpt’S Role In Facilitating Professional Development Among Vietnamese English As A Foreign Language Teachers, Thi Thuy Tran, Trut Thuy Pham, Thanh Thao Le

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: This study delved into the integration of ChatGPT as a medium for English teacher professional development among Vietnamese English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers.

Methods: Rooted in the Constructivist Learning Theory and the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, the qualitative exploration employed semi-structured interviews with nine teachers categorized into novice, mid-career, and near-end career stages. The objective was to understand teacher experiences, perceptions, and insights regarding the role of ChatGPT in their professional journey.

Results: Key findings illuminated that ChatGPT facilitated enhanced personalized learning, bridged the gap between theoretical knowledge and its practical application, and even indirectly spurred …

Centering Joy In The Classroom: Authentic Pedagogy Through Purpose And Mindfulness, E Mariah Spencer

New Jersey English Journal

This essay explores the need for authenticity as key to a joyful classroom and outlines the ways in which this authenticity can be achieved. Purpose and mindfulness are the linchpins to creating an authentic and joyful learning environment.

Teaching Writing: Fostering Joy In Writing Through “Commentarying”, Ellin Kim

New Jersey English Journal

For over 15 years, the author taught at an after-school English Language Arts center. Initially emphasizing perfection, enthusiasm waned. A graduate course changed the author's views on writing, stressing personal reflections. Implementing this, students' perceptions shifted, using "commentarying" to foster understanding and engagement in discussions on topics such as racism.

“It’S Not My Immediate Instinct”: Perceptions Of Preservice Teachers On The Integration Of Popular Culture, Melinda S. Butler, Eva S. Arbor, Nadine Bravo

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

Popular culture curricula integration provides educational benefits for students (Morrell, 2002; Petrone, 2013); bridging students’ out-of-school popular culture knowledge with their in-school literacies promotes learning, engages students, and values students’ background knowledge (Dyson, 1993, 2021; Marsh, 2006; Morrell, 2002; Petrone, 2013). Therefore, teacher educators may consider the addition of popular culture education into preservice teacher’s preparation for teaching (Petrone, 2013). In this qualitative study, researchers were interested in asking the following questions: What popular culture texts did preservice teachers consume as children and adults? and How does preservice teachers’ previous popular culture text consumption factor into decisions to include or …

Exploring How Funds Of Knowledge Is Utilized Among Teacher Educators In A Teacher Preparation Program Focusing On Arts Integration And Language Diversity, Gabrielle H. Pretto Ph.D

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

In our current educational climate, teaching for social justice has become increasingly difficult. Teacher educators are faced with certification rules that prioritize test scores over teaching ability, scripted curriculums, and the limited understandings about differences related to culture, class, and race. This study examined how social justice teachings were sustained and enhanced through a Funds of Knowledge (FOK) learning approach. Case study was utilized and guided by the following research questions: (1) What are the FOK of teacher educators participating in the TEALi program? (2) In what ways are the FOK of teacher educators integrated or utilized in their university …

Four Decades, Three Songs, Too Much Violence: Using Popular Culture Media Analysis To Prepare Preservice Teachers For Dealing With School Violence, Edward Janak, Lisa Pescara-Kovach

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

Since teacher education has morphed from normal schools into colleges of education, the goals of preparing teachers have expanded. While it is essential to prepare teachers to utilize scientifically proven methods as well as to read and use research in the field, there are ever-expanding other goals that must be met as well. For one example, with the increase of school violence taking place in the United States, it is imperative to include preparation for preservice teachers on how to prevent bullying and how to handle traumatic events, such as school shootings, with their future students. However, broaching such a …

Applications In The Classroom: Pop Culture And Ed Psychology: What I Learned From Larry David, Rick Grimes, And Hank Hill, Melissa Vosen Callens

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

In teacher education courses, it is common to teach educational psychology concepts using case studies. Many publishers provide these case studies in textbooks and/or in ancillary materials, and there are many advantages to using them. For example, an instructor does not have to spend extra time finding or writing the case studies, both of which can be very time consuming. In addition, if students have the textbook, they have immediate access. One major disadvantage, however, is that students may find themselves uninterested and disengaged with the cases, depending on the students’ interests and the cases. This paper argues that studying …

Study Of Graduate Student Instructors’ Attempts To Incorporate And Reflect On Using Discourse Practices In Undergraduate Mathematics Courses, Katie Johnson Sprague

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Within the last decade, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) has made a call to action, asking educators to engage in effective teaching of mathematics which includes having classrooms rich in mathematical discourse (NCTM, 2014). In this nine-week dissertation study, three mathematics graduate student instructors (GSIs) teaching undergraduate students at a large midwestern university enacted discourse practices to promote mathematical discussions as part of a participatory action research study. The participants were video tapped teaching six times and attended four whole group meetings. The whole group meetings were used to discuss the practices, planning, and enactment of the …

Heal, Not Harm: Embracing A Trauma-Informed Approach As An Act Of Transformative Care, Carrie R. Giboney Wall

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Desperate to decrease problematic student behaviors and increase desirable ones, many teachers employ traditional behaviorist models of discipline through the use of rewards or punishments. Although well-meaning and perhaps temporarily effective, these transactional barter systems can do more harm than good, especially for students who are trauma-impacted. By disrupting these practices that can re-traumatize students and embracing trauma-informed practices, teachers can extend transformative care to students and promote healing. The purpose of this qualitative investigation was to explore the manifestations of trauma on student classroom behavior and learning at a Title I public elementary school as well as multipronged elements …

Understanding The “L” In Cslp Within The Literacy Conundrum, Julia Lynch, Andrea Perrone

Michigan Reading Journal

Rooted in culturally relevant pedagogy, culturally sustaining literacy practices (CSLP) focus on equity in education (Gay, 2000; Ladson-Billings, 1995; Paris, 2012). Our view of CSLP emphasizes integrating the arts into literacy instruction to leverage students' cultural assets, stimulating their cognitive processes and recognizing literacy's interdisciplinary role in learning. As we align literacy practices with state standards, high-stakes testing, and research-based methods, it's crucial for educators and society to embrace them. Traditionally, literacy instruction has prioritized written language, creating hierarchical structures that lead to learning gaps and inequitable opportunities. An arts-based CSLP framework addresses these issues by ensuring literacy includes diverse …

Teacher Candidates Develop And Apply Pedagogical Content Knowledge To Support Multilingual Learners, Kyongson Park, Danielle L. Defauw

Michigan Reading Journal

To ensure English Learners (ELs) / Multilingual Learners (MLs) have access to well-prepared educators, one regional university integrates a seven-credit block of courses to ensure teacher candidates learn and apply English as a Second Language methods within clinical experiences. Teacher candidates must create a technology-integrated Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) lesson plan by utilizing the following key strategies designed to support EL/MLs’ literacy development for academic purposes: adding both content and language objectives, building background knowledge through connecting students’ cultural experiences, and developing comprehensible input in different proficiency levels.

The Legacy Of Oscarville: Using Critical Participatory Action Research And Learning Teaching As An Interpretive Process To Sustain A Placeless Place, Leah Panther, Kristie Smith, Mary Mitchelson, Robert Bonner Jr.

Teaching Social Studies in the Peach State

The history of Oscarville, Georgia, nestled within the Lake Lanier region of North Georgia, remains both known and unknown, existing as a significant yet elusive part of local lore and historical retellings. This article delves into the innovative approach of a place-based critical participatory action research program, "Historicizing Oscarville," which engaged teacher candidates and educators in exploring the obscured history of Oscarville. The narrative uncovers the complex layers of settler colonialism, slavery, racial cleansing, and subsequent erasure that characterize Oscarville's past. By employing the framework of Learning Teaching as an Interpretive Process (LTIP) within a place-based education model, the project …

Imsa's Equity Lens, Dr. Adrienne Coleman

Professional Learning Day

No abstract provided.

A Critical Assessment Tool For Social Studies, Lisa Andries D'Souza

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Faced with endless online social studies lessons, teachers often become overwhelmed sifting through vast resources. Teachers must develop skills to make professional decisions about the value and quality of pre-made curriculum materials. This investigation explores CAT (Critical Assessment Tool) for evaluating pre-made instructional materials to support cultural and linguistic responsiveness and instructional support for all learners. CAT focuses on identifying, modifying, and adding pedagogical materials to be relevant and responsive to the learners in the classroom.

Collaborative Professional Development Featuring Innovative Curriculum Materials, Cory Callahan

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Here I synthesize two research investigations (Callahan, 2018, 2019) that comprise a continuing line of inquiry into the potential of innovative curriculum materials and sustained collaboration as a professional development program to help in-service teachers understand and implement a complex model of social studies instruction. This article features an original innovative curriculum material and specifically explores the question: To what degree can a collaborative professional development program featuring innovative curriculum materials help social studies teachers understand and implement a powerful social studies approach? Findings suggest the professional development program and its innovative curriculum materials helped teachers promote substantive pedagogical thinking …

Avoiding Stereotypes: Utilizing A Flipped Framework Of Hofstede’S Cultural Dimensions For Teacher-Student Intercultural Awareness, Maha Azzazi

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

Cultural differences are increasingly being analyzed in a globalized world to minimize conflict and optimize successful intercultural interactions. Among the most used cultural frameworks is Hofstede's cultural dimensions. This framework has, however, been criticized as stereotyping nations and individuals from different countries instead of raising awareness and minimizing cultural conflicts. The paper will utilize Hofstede's cultural dimensions to discuss the differences and similarities of cultural behavior within these dimensions. Therefore, a framework will be developed to outline differences in cultural behaviors for educators and students, which can be analyzed on a case-by-case basis without intersecting with nationality and country of …