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The Portland State University Task Force On Asian-American, Asian, And Pacific Islander Student Success, Betty Izumi, Toeutu Faaleava

Global Diversity and Inclusion Publications and Presentations

During spring 2016, Portland State University (PSU) President Wim Wiewel created the Task Force on Asian-American, Asian, and Pacific Islander Student Success to assess the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for PSU in continuing to serve the broad range and diversity of Asian-American/Asian/Pacific Islander students. The Task Force was charged to make recommendations to the President and university on how PSU can best serve the higher education needs and aspirations of students from these communities.

The Task Force met twice during spring 2016 and monthly from September 2016 through June 2017. The co-chairs and research assistants met weekly to discuss progress …

Shouts Of The Khori-Challwa: Andean Mythological And Cosmological Reconsiderations Of The American Identity In Gamaliel Churata’S El Pez De Oro, Stephen Delaney Mcnabb

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis explores the possible creation of a new categorization of American Literature as presented in the Andean novel El pez de oro: Retablos del Laykhakuy (1957) by Gamaliel Churata. In El pez de oro, Gamaliel Churata presents a strategy for the recuperation of native Andean cultural agency that enables the Andean subject to reclaim traces of their ancestral past under more verisimilar and verifiable terms. Churata argues that through a recuperation of native language and its infusion into the body of the major colonial language, Spanish, the Andean subject is equipped with a new culture producing tool that …

"Neither Of The Boxes": Accounting For Non-Binary Gender Identities, Erin Patricia Savoia

Dissertations and Theses

This research examines the ways in which individuals who identify with nonbinary gender identities 1) understand and perform their gender identities and 2) navigate the workplace, intimate partner relationships, friendships, and the LGBTQ+ community. Prevailing understandings of gender rely on a gender binary; identification with a binary gender is compulsory. Individuals are assigned a gender at birth and are expected to identify fully with that gender for their entire lives. However, despite significant social pressures to identify as man or woman, there exist individuals whose identities bring into question the stability of the gender binary. Non-binary is sometimes used to …

Adults' Engagement In Reading, Writing And Numeracy Practices, Stephen Reder

Applied Linguistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Analyzing information from the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC), this paper explores the frequency with which adults engage in reading, writing and numeracy practices and the relationship between these practices and a range of social and economic outcomes. Results are examined for the general adult populations as well as adult populations with low literacy or numeracy proficiencies. For most social and economic outcomes, levels of engagement in literacy practices appear to be as strong predictors as proficiency measures are, indicating the importance of encouraging more intense engagement in literacy and numeracy practices both in and outside of work.

The Voices Of Special Educators: How Do Special Educators Teach English Language Learners Who Are Receiving Special Education Services?, Elizabeth Ann Dubois

Dissertations and Theses

Disproportionality in special education has been examined from various perspectives over a 50-year period. English Language Learner (ELL) students have been included in the discussion among researchers in the past two decades as a disproportionate number of ELL students are referred to special education. Though the problem of disproportionality has been acknowledged, documented and discussed over a period of decades, there is a lack of research from the voices of special educators. The purpose of this study was to describe special education teachers' experiences teaching students currently or previously enrolled in an English language learner program who are receiving special …

Misconceptions Of "Stupendous Antiquities" : Native American Mounds, Euro-Americans, And Racial Ideas, Lily Isabelle Hart

University Honors Theses

Across North America, remnants exist of the ancient works of Indigenous peoples. Prime examples are the long-abandoned city of Cahokia near present-day St. Louis, Illinois, which was once a bustling city larger than London in 1200 AD. In Cahokia, there are mounds that are as high as one hundred feet and a "Woodhenge" that functions as a calendar. Despite these impressive displays of engineering, urban planning, and understanding of astronomy, Cahokia was not protected as a National Historic Landmark until 1964--this late protection was the case for many of the mounds across America. Many mounds were plowed over and pueblos …

Middle School Teacher Beliefs About Classroom Diversity And Their Influence On Differentiated Instructional Practices, Marcus Fredrick-Lynn Wenzel

Dissertations and Theses

Diversity across U.S. classrooms is on the rise which is leading to renewed calls for teachers to meet individual learning needs. Studies indicate the failure to address individual learning needs can lead to higher rates of student disengagement, off-task behaviors, and diminished learning outcomes. Differentiated instruction is an approach to teaching that meets the growing diversity of individual learning needs by considering students' readiness, interest, and learning styles. Differentiated instructional approaches help teachers meet individual learning needs by allowing them to modify instruction as needed. However, despite the apparent benefits of differentiated instruction, teachers are hesitant to abandon other educational …

African American Teacher Recruitment: A Case Study In Oregon, Deborah Miller Allen

Dissertations and Theses

The public school teacher population of the United States is predominantly White, while the demographics of P-12 student population continue to grow increasingly diverse. Across the nation, there has been a call for the recruitment and retention of culturally and linguistically diverse teachers. The state of Oregon passed the Oregon Educator Equity Act, originally called the Oregon Minority Teacher Act, in 1991, and with recent renewed attention, the preparation of more culturally and linguistically diverse teachers in the state has gained prominence. Refocused consideration to the lack of diversity in the teaching workforce is overdue, as evidenced by the low …

Learning Assessment Of Accuracy Of Learning Between Musicians And Nonmusicians, Emily M. Drapela

University Honors Theses

The relationship between music and brain physiological changes have been explored extensively. Research has identified how music has played a positive role in recovery from traumatic brain injury, learning different languages, and refining skills. However, there has been a lack of research regarding the relationship between music and the accuracy of learning. In this study, we have performed an assessment of learning comparing five college-age musicians and five college-age nonmusicians. We did not find a significant difference between groups, perhaps due to the small sample size, the lack of specificity in type of instrumentation, or specific musical experience characteristics. Results …

"Conservatism In A Revolutionary Era:" An Analysis Of Challenges Posed By Developing An Exhibit Of The Americanism Collection, Mariah C. Denman

University Honors Theses

The goal of the "Conservatism in a Revolutionary Era" project was to develop an exhibit of certain Americanism documents while exploring the challenges of exhibit-making with regard to the political nature of the Collection. Exhibit-making involves the study, curation, description, and display of archives for public consumption, and this paper will include reflections on my experiences in each phase of that process. Firstly, I will introduce the Collection and the Young Americans for Freedom organization which I centered in the exhibit. Secondly, I will address why I chose this project and how I arrived at the current juncture. Thirdly, I …

Contemporary Attitudes Towards The Senpai-Kōhai Relationship, Michiko Yoshinaga

University Honors Theses

The importance of the senpai-kōhai 'senior-junior' relationship is of utmost importance to the working of Japanese society starting from a young age. Children become conscious of the relationship most earnestly in junior high school and quickly become socialized to adhere to rules regarding appropriate behavior and language use and duties. My research attempts to shed light on contemporary attitudes towards the senpai-kōhai relationship by addressing the overarching question "what are contemporary attitudes toward the senpai-kōhai relationship?" I also address the subtopics of importance of the relationship, evidence of ambivalence, consciousness, and how the relationship is perceived to …

Survive Or Thrive: A Mixed Method Study Of Visiting Chinese Language Teachers' Identity Formation In The U.S. Classrooms, Li Xiang

Dissertations and Theses

In recent years in the United States, an increasing number of people are learning Mandarin, the dominant Chinese language in China. Because of the shortage of Mandarin teachers, many visiting teachers from China with Chinese educational background are teaching Mandarin in the U.S. schools. In the U.S. classrooms, these teachers are challenged to adapt to a new setting. This experience can lead them to changing their teaching identity, that is, their basic beliefs, attitudes and practices about teaching. Understanding how Chinese teachers may form a new teaching identity in the U.S. context serves to inform future professional development activities designed …

Comparing The Effects Of Phonomotor Treatment And Semantic Feature Analysis On Discourse Production For Individuals With Aphasia, Kasey Graue

Student Research Symposium

Phonomotor treatment is a program designed to address anomic deficits in people with aphasia (PWA) by training speech sounds in isolation before progressing to sound combinations and single words (Kendall et al., 2013). Kendall et al. (2015) investigated phonomotor treatment in a sample of 26 PWA, reporting improved naming of untrained nouns and ultimate generalization of phonologic processing abilities. Despite emerging literature on the effects of the phonomotor treatment on single word production, research is limited at the discourse level. This study’s objective is to examine the extent that phonomotor treatment used for PWA increases the amount of correct information …

Individual And Group Differences In Sound Category Learning, Ben Carlstrom

Student Research Symposium

Abstract: We examined the role of procedural-, declarative-, and working-memory systems in adults learning novel sound categories. Adults have fully developed declarative-memory skills that sometimes inhibit their ability to learn implicitly/procedurally (Filoteo, Lauritzen, & Maddox, 2010). Models of impaired language like the Procedural Deficit Hypothesis suggest that procedural-memory deficits are predictive of language-learning outcomes (Lum, Conti-Ramsden, Page, & Ullman, 2011). This study tested the hypothesis that language structure is best learned implicitly/procedurally, which has implications for L2 learning and language impairment. The novel sound categories presented to participants varied along a phonologically non-native dimension, pitch, and a native dimension, vowel …

Revealing Subtle Cognitive-Linguistic Differences In Adults With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Through Discourse Analysis, Amanda L. Weichselbaum, Sarah E. Key-Delyria

Student Research Symposium

Discourse abilities of individuals with traumatic brain injury presented at the Portland State University Student Research Symposium.

The findings of this study support the idea that discourse analysis may be a useful tool for determining subtle, cognitive-communication deficits in the TBI population that common neuropsychological tests may not detect. Such information may be important clinically for validating persisting cognitive symptoms and guiding effective therapy goals. Linguistic disruptions may reveal cognitive impairments due to diffuse damage of the brain.

Mujeres Fuertes Y Corazones Saludables: Adaptation Of The Strongwomen—Healthy Hearts (Swhh) Program For Rural Latinas Using An Intervention Mapping Approach, Christie L. Jackson, Cynthia K. Perry, Jean Mccalmont, Emma Solanki, Rebecca Seguin, Judy P. Ward, Hannah-Dulya K. Menelas

Student Research Symposium

Objectives: To adapt Strong Women, Healthy Hearts (SWHH), an evidence-based physical activity and nutrition program to reflect the needs of rural Latinas.

Methods: Using a community-based participatory approach and an intervention mapping process, we partnered with a community advisory board of rural Latinas to identify and adapt a nutrition and physical activity program. A needs assessment and a logic model determined which program best aligned with community objectives and most fit for adaptation. SWHH was adapted; using feedback from the community advisory board to reflect the community’s culture, resources, and needs. We collaborated with one of developers of SWHH in …

Culture Beyond Borders: A Postcolonial Analysis Of Multicultural Education, Alex Diaz-Hui

Student Research Symposium

Using Third-World feminist and postcolonial theory, this research complicates the narrative of culture in education. While multicultural education is well intentioned, it creates caricatures of communities of color. Multicultural education also functions through an anthropological perspective of culture, one that relays on portraying communities of color through national cultures. According to Third-World feminist scholarship, particularly through the writings of Uma Narayan, national cultures do not exist but are actually constructed through distinguishing the colonizer and the colonized. Culturally responsive pedagogy provides a theoretical framework that attempts to remedy the issues of multicultural education. However, it fails to separate itself from …

Arabic And English Sentence Patterns: A Comparative Guide, Cliff Breedlove

PDXOpen: Open Educational Resources

This text explores verb time, tense, aspect, and mood through comparison of Arabic and English sentence patterns. It includes examples of the Arabic patterns from classical and popular sources so Arabic students can learn by explanation and example how to formulate cohesive and grammatically correct sentence structure.

While this guide is intended mainly for English-speaking students studying Arabic, the charts also provide a quick reference of English sentence patterns for Arabic speakers.

The book is designed as a supplement.

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Research & Strategic Partnerships: Quarterly Review, Volume 4, Issue 1, Portland State University. Research & Strategic Partnerships

Portland State Research Magazine

This issue focuses on international research and scholarship, and highlights faculty and students from a number of our colleges and schools. Included in this issue are stories of PSU faculty working to better understand how the relationships between society, culture, and the environment affected disaster preparedness, relief, and recovery in the wake of the devastating earthquakes that struck Nepal in 2015. Stories about how PSU researchers are working with collaborators in China, Israel, and New Zealand to improve water management practices and protect some of the world’s most stunning landscapes. And stories about PSU faculty, students, and alumni working in …

English Learners' Positioning During Interactions With Monolingual English-Speaking Students, Amanda Sugimoto, Kathy Carter

Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Publications and Presentations

Increasingly, English Learners (ELs) are being educated in mainstream classrooms alongside English fluent students. Using a positioning theory framework, this multiple case study explored how ELs reflexively positioned themselves during interactions with their peers as well as how English fluent peers interactionally positioned ELs. Drawing upon multiple data sources, (i.e., observations, interviews, and artifacts), and using cross case analysis techniques, we found that ELs’ reflexive positioning was influenced by their language history and schooling context and peers’ interactional positioning moves limited ELs’ access to academic interactions. These findings pose important considerations regarding the academic and linguistic access of ELs in …

Research Into Action: Skills Assessment And Training To Support A Digital Equity Action Plan, Cindy Gibbon, Jill Castek

Presentations and Publications

This presentation focuses on digital problem solving skills in libraries.

Clinician-Parent Discussions About Influenza Vaccination Of Children And Their Association With Vaccine Acceptance, Annika M. Hofstetter, Jeffrey D. Robinson, Katherine Lepere, Morgan Cunningham, Nicole Etsekson, Douglas J. Opel

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective: To examine how clinicians communicate with parents about influenza vaccination and the effect of these communication behaviors on parental vaccine decision-making.

Study Design: We performed a secondary analysis of data obtained from a cross-sectional observational study in which health supervision visits between pediatric clinicians and English-speaking parents of young children were videotaped. Eligible visits occurred during the 2011-2012 and 2013-2014 influenza seasons, included children ≥ 6 months, and contained an influenza vaccine discussion. A coding scheme of 10 communication behaviors was developed and applied to each visit. Associations between clinician communication behaviors and parental verbal vaccine acceptance …

Teaching For Digital Equity: Examining Digital Problem Solving In A Public Library, Jill Castek, Gloria Jacobs

Presentations and Publications

Presentation focuses on emerging findings around what constitutes digital problem solving and the approaches and strategies digital problem solvers use.

Digital Equity In Libraries: Understanding The Problem Solving Skills Of Adults, Jill Castek, Gloria Jacobs, Cindy Gibbon

Presentations and Publications

Webinar introduces the purpose of the project as it relates to the collaboration between the library and researchers. The webinar also shares where the project is at with data collection and what it means.

The Back Burner: A Case Study Of A Teacher’S Dilemmas When Working With English Learners, Amanda Sugimoto

Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Publications and Presentations

Increasingly, mainstream classroom teachers are working with (ELs), however, little is known about what dilemmas these teachers face in their practice with ELs. Using a dilemmatic spaces framework, this case study explored the dilemmas a fourth grade teacher negotiated while working with ELs in her low-incidence school. Drawing upon multiple data sources, (i.e., observations, interviews, and artifact analysis), and using iterative and thematic analysis techniques, three dilemmas were identified. These included: (1) a lack of professional experience with ELs, (2) lack of support from the ESL teacher, and (3) conflicting administrative expectations. These findings pose important considerations for the teaching …

The Influence Of Hellenism On The Literary Style Of 1 And 2 Maccabees, Dimitra S. Fellman

Young Historians Conference

The Jewish people living within Hellenistic Greece experienced great freedoms, and many assimilated into the non-Jewish societies around them. Yet, under the Seleucid King Antiochus IV in the 2nd century BCE, the Jewish people experienced oppression and persecution, which has been chronicled in the books 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees. At a glance, these books appear opposed to the blending of Hellenistic culture and society into surrounding Jewish communities, but a deeper analysis of both texts reveals that the authors depended on Hellenistic constructs to effectively tell their story. This paper explores the degree to which the authors of 1 …

Mo'ikeha's Voyage From Tahiti To Hawaii: A Look Into Polynesian Culture, Kalea Tetsuka

Young Historians Conference

The purpose of this paper was to explore the historiography and significance of Mo’ikeha’s voyage from Tahiti to Hawaii. Traced back to around the 13th century, Mo’ikeha sailed from Tahiti to Hawaii using traditional navigational skills mastered by Polynesian voyagers. For years this was merely dismissed as a myth by European scholars, but in 1976 the Hokule’a recreated this trip using the same navigational techniques and traditional boat. Today, Mo’ikeha’s story will continue to live on, inspiring movies like Moana and proving the historical and cultural value of Hawaiian oral history.

Examining Digital Problem Solving Skills In Libraries To Promote Digital Equity, Gloria Jacobs, Jill Castek

Presentations and Publications

This presentation was part of the digital skills and inequality session and focuses digital problem solving and the approaches and strategies digital problem solvers use.

The Trials Of Displacement: Transnationalism And Interdisciplinary Feminisms In Demetria Martínez’S The Block Captain’S Daughter, Elena Avilés

Chicano/Latino Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

From the fifteenth century to the twenty-first century, the interaction between dispossession and displacement are central questions Martinez channels in writing. Her work represents the struggle of contemporary feminist interventions on issues of international migration within the annals of the New Mexican borderlands. The power to generate reflexivity about gendered displacement begins to remap vision of identity in print that brings the reader to wage the multiple values of American society. Innovations to the experiences of women of multiethnic backgrounds are perhaps one of the strengths of her latest narrative.

Albuquerque is a backdrop where shifts and dislocations of the …

Legal Writing And International Students: Reconsidering “Complete Immersion”, Alissa J. Hartig

Applied Linguistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Before I began my current position, I worked as a writing specialist with multilingual international students in the LL.M. legal writing program at Penn State Law for four years. At the time I started working with law students, I was taking coursework for my Ph.D. in applied linguistics, focusing on second language acquisition and writing. Since I was new to the field of legal education, I tried to get a better sense of what legal writing faculty saw as best practices in working with international students by speaking with faculty, reading articles in law reviews and journals, and attending conferences. …