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The Portrayal Of The Woman’S Suffrage Movement In High School History Textbooks, Michelle A. Devries

Masters Theses

The narrative of the woman’s suffrage movement in high school history textbooks varies from textbook to textbook and over time. Textbooks include different information, people, events, and interpretations of events. They employ different word choices and pictures. By using comparative analyzation of numerous popular high school textbooks, the pressure exerted by external economic, social, and political forces on the historical narrative can be seen. Studying the historical narrative in this way trains students to be discerning learners of history and equips them not only to recognize the bias in any historical narrative, but also to be able to analyze how …

Singing With Strangers: A Feasibility Study Examining The Effect Of Interpersonal Familiarity On Social Bonding During Group Singing, Molly Grettenberger

Masters Theses

Social isolation and loneliness have become major health concerns in today’s world, and the healthcare field needs effective approaches to ameliorating the effects of social isolation and loneliness and increasing opportunities for social bonding. Group singing may be one such approach. This feasibility study focused specifically on interpersonal familiarity during shortterm, small-group singing and its effect on the subjective experience of social bonding. A between-groups design and group interviews were used to examine the subjective experience of social bonding resulting from singing. Two groups of four, including one familiar group and one group of strangers, engaged in a brief group …

Politically And Historically Bound: Examining Whiteness And Intersectionality Among Self-Identified Feminists, Olivia M. Mclaughlin

Dissertations

This dissertation examined the perspectives and beliefs of 23 self-identified feminists who are White. Specifically, it explored whether—and if so, to what extent—Whites have adopted intersectionality. Intersectional feminism refers to the activism and scholarship that recognizes the multi-dimensional nature of power and privilege and stands in contrast to the white-centered feminism that has dominated most feminist spaces since the suffrage movement. Since Kimberlé Crenshaw’s seminal article where the concept of intersectionality was formally introduced to the academy, feminist scholars have characterized the most recent wave of feminism as the intersectional wave. This third, intersectional wave of feminist movement is believed …

Collateral Consequences: The Experiences Of Black Women With Incarcerated Loved Ones, Keiondra Jné Grace

Dissertations

A wealth of research exists that considers the causes of mass incarceration, particularly how it has shaped crime narratives and the life courses of Black men and Black women that experience imprisonment. Scholars have also explored the collateral consequences of incarceration for families and communities in general, but mentioning that Black families and communities in particular are disproportionately impacted by mass incarceration. Despite the documented impact of incarceration on families, and the acknowledgement of the toll mass incarceration has on Black communities—the social cost of mass incarceration in the lives of Black women whom have not experienced incarcerated is yet …

Late Medieval Sexual Badges As Sexual Signifiers: A Material Culture Reappraisal, Sarah Hinds

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Faculty Retirement Dinner 2020, Western Michigan University

Faculty Recognition

Faculty Retirement Recognition Dinner

May 2020

Honored Guests:

• Dr. Sisay Asefa
• Dr. William J. Charland
• Ms. E. Bryce Dickey
• Dr. Alyce M. Dickinson
• Dr. Howard J. Dooley
• Ms. Janette Gabel-Goes
• Mr. Edward L. Harkness
• Ms. Tricia Hennessy
• Mrs. Kathryn L. Hillenbrand
• Dr. Alan J. Hovestadt
• Dr. Mitch A. Kachun
• Dr. Pairin Katerattanakul
• Dr. James A. Leja
• Dr. Gary R. Matthews
• Dr. Yirong Mo
• Dr. James M. Murray
• Dr. Dennis. D. Pence
• Ms. Maria A. Perez-Stable
• Dr. Mary E. Peterson
• Dr. Lewis R. Pyenson
• Ms. Judity A. Rypma
• Dr. Robert A. Wertkin
• Ms. Jo Wiley
• Mr. Bradley Wong
• Dr. Jay A. …

A Behavioral Analysis Of Intimate Partner Violence Victims, Maryssa Presbitero

Honors Theses

This study derived from the stories of eight women from varying backgrounds who have experienced intimate partner abuse. My analysis focuses on identifying themes across the transcripts of their qualitative open-ended interviews. I was specifically interested in how intimate partner abuse impacted the women’s behavior in terms of surviving the relationships and navigating escape. Given that the interviews included life histories, I was able to also examine themes related to childhood victimization as well. Patterns that arose from their experiences include exposure to violence in the home as children, escalation of abuse in their adult intimate relationships, various struggles to …

A Behavioral Analysis Of Intimate Partner Violence Victims, Maryssa Presbitero

Honors Theses

This study derived from the stories of eight women from varying backgrounds who have experienced intimate partner abuse. My analysis focuses on identifying themes across the transcripts of their qualitative open-ended interviews. I was specifically interested in how intimate partner abuse impacted the women’s behavior in terms of surviving the relationships and navigating escape. Given that the interviews included life histories, I was able to also examine themes related to childhood victimization as well. Patterns that arose from their experiences include exposure to violence in the home as children, escalation of abuse in their adult intimate relationships, various struggles to …

Perspectives Of Health Care Providers In The Dominican Republic Towards Pregnant Haitian Women, Diana Hernandez

Honors Theses

Due to the lack of basic health care in Haiti, many Haitian women cross the border looking for a better public health service in the Dominican Republic. However, differences in cultural and medical practices exist between both countries. Thus, for my thesis, I intend to study and explain the challenges that Dominican health care providers feel might impede their abilities to provide adequate health care to pregnant Haitian patients and how they respond to and manage those challenges that they face.

Examining The Prevalence Of Loneliness And Social Support Of Undergraduates In Western Michigan University's Sociology Department, Michael Kemme

Honors Theses

Humans, by nature, are social beings. This is evident by any number of examples, ranging from the psychological effects of solitary confinement in prisons, to the plethora of social media platforms available today. Humans, clearly, have a desire, if not a need, to be surrounded by and interact with others. Because of this, loneliness, especially its relationship to social support, has been a strong topic of research in academia.

This present study sought to complete a descriptive, cross-sectional analysis that addressed five demographic characteristics (gender, race, relationship status, RSO [Registered Student Organization] or Fraternity/Sorority Membership, and on-campus v/s off-campus living …

Worldwide Wonder: The Positive Impact Of Academic Travel On The Education Major A Scholarly Personal Narrative, Katherine Rutherford

Honors Theses

This article examines the implications of study abroad specifically on those studying education. The article utilizes research to support its central focus of a personal narrative regarding the author’s experiences studying abroad in various countries. The countries that are examined in this article are the United Kingdom, Japan, Russia, and Ireland. This piece delves into how study abroad has an impact on the education major specifically.

Beginning with examining the research on the topic of study abroad and how partaking in study abroad has impacted undergraduate students, this piece dives into lessons that can be learned from various study abroad …

Understanding Stem Instructors’ Experiences With And Perceptions Of Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Students: The First Step Towards Increasing Access And Inclusivity, Makayla Long

Honors Theses

Through an anonymous survey we analyzed Western Michigan University (WMU) STEM instructors’ experience with and understanding of teaching and interacting with Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HoH) students. The goal of this study was to capture the experiences of WMU STEM instructors and the resources available to them given their direct impact on Deaf/HoH students’ ability to succeed and receive a post-secondary education. The findings of this study support the claim that instructors are not well supported or aware of the needs of Deaf/HoH students, and do not have access to adequate resources to resolve the issue.

The first steps …

Medical Cannabis And Recreational Marijuana: Patient Perceptions, Stigma, And Gender During A Time Of Emerging Legalization, Matt Reid

Dissertations

Marijuana’s status as an illegal drug has been redefined over the previous three decades. Despite Michigan and 32 other states having comprehensive medical cannabis programs, both academics and laypeople commonly present the medicalization of marijuana as an intermediary phase or proxy for fully legalized recreational use. While some evidence exists to support this position, this framework marginalizes the struggles and experiences of patients who have found relief through their therapeutic use of cannabis. As such, the goal of this study is to re-center the voices of cannabis patients in academic conversations of cannabis as medicine.

My study is unique in …

How Elementary Teachers Demonstrate Leadership In The Classroom To Increase Science Learning, Dipsy Anais Etanislao Gonzalez

Dissertations

In the DR, the need of producing drastic changes in students’ outcomes fostered the adaptation of a professional development (PD) program to improve the public education system. In 2013, the National Institute for Teacher Preparation chose the School Centered Continuous Teacher’s Preparation (EFCCE, acronym in Spanish) PD program to help teachers with the needed transformation. This program aimed to form knowledgeable and skillful teachers who exhibit instructional leadership in the classroom.

This qualitative, multiple instrumental case study involved 10 Dominican science elementary teachers who had completed the EFCCE program and who had self-identified as a teacher actively implementing engaging science …

The Voices Of Single-Headed Household African American Mothers Concerning The High School Completion Of Their Daughters, Lametria A. Johnson_Eaddy

Dissertations

African American female students in urban schools are not graduating from high school at the same rate as females of other ethnic groups (Bucknor, 2015; Martin & Halperin, 2006; Stillwell & Sable, 2013). This study sought to investigate the voices and lived experiences of single-headed households of African American mothers whose daughters graduated from high school within the traditional four-year schedule. Through the voices and lived-experiences of these African American mothers, this study sought to capture the impact certain internal and external support systems from within both the home and school environments had on their daughters’ persistence in graduating from …

Counter Stories In Counterpublics: Exploring Documentary As A Form Of Activist Media To Counter Reinforced Stereotypes About The Criminalization Of Black Men, Tirrea S. Billings

Masters Theses

A story told can change the world. Storytelling has been around since the inception of human communication and has been used as a tool to educate, preserve cultural values, and make meaning of our existence. More recently, storytelling has been used in activist and social change movements. One approach to social justice storytelling is through filmmaking: creating films as a tool to disrupt, interrupt, amplify, organize, shift power and create lasting, transformative change in communities. Specifically, social justice-oriented documentary film and media can be used as a vehicle for those who are in counterpublic spaces to argue against mainstream discourses …

Testing A New Photovoice Model: A Meta-Analysis On Participatory Action Research Methodologies In Geographical Research, Nolan Bergstrom

Masters Theses

Photovoice was developed in the early 1990s for use in public health studies evolving from participatory action research (PAR) and photographic methods. It attempts to mitigate the power dynamics between researcher and researched by allowing participants to be the primary knowledge producers. The Photovoice methodology has left open methodological avenues to implement Photovoice as a research tool in many fields. This research aimed to modify the Photovoice methodology to include mobile technology, social media to create a new model of Photovoice.

This research was conducted in K.I. Sawyer, MI, a small town in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan over a …

Agritourism Development In Southwest Michigan: Motivations Of Agritourists And Operators, Esther Akoto Amoako

Masters Theses

National agricultural statistics show that the number of agritourism farms and the proportion of agritourism related revenues in the United States has steadily increased during the last ten years, especially among small family farms. The recent growth in agritourism is both demand - and supply-driven. However, there are limited studies that explore agritourism motivations from both the visitors' and operators’ perspectives. This study examines what the agritourists' and operators’ motivations are and the challenges facing the industry to provide information for those currently involved and those wanting to include agritourism in their operations. Online and in-person surveys and unstructured interviews …

Social And Demographic Drivers Impacting Family Planning And Family Size In Buraydah City, Saudi Arabia, Sami Abdulkarim Alwulayi

Masters Theses

The goal of this research is to identify factors impacting changes in family size for medium-size cities in Saudi Arabia. Since the initial comprehensive development plans were adopted in the 1970s, Saudi society has changed rapidly in many different ways, and demographic change is one of the most noticeable. This mixed methods research is based on an online survey conducted in the summer of 2019 of 560 married couples and their families living within the 29 neighborhoods of Buraydah City, Saudi Arabia. Specifically, this research examines socioeconomic and demographic conditions related to family planning, as well as collecting perspectives on …

The Role Of Search Consultants In Interpreting And Communicating Organizational Identity During Presidential Searches At Small, Private Colleges, Dawn M. Markell

Dissertations

Search consultants’ perceived expertise in reaching a target audience and generating a pool of qualified candidates has led to their widespread use across higher education, including small, private colleges (Atwell, 2009; CIC, 2018; Johnson & Ferrare, 2013). As small, private colleges confront an unprecedented level of existential stress, they are faced with competing pressures to differentiate themselves through their historical organizational identity while still pursuing change (Baker & Baldwin, 2015; Jaquette, 2013; Stensaker, 2015; Weerts, Freed, & Morphew, 2014). Matters of identity become especially significant during times of leadership transition (MacDonald, 2013). Despite the convergence of these factors, there is …

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session March 12, 2020, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

1. Acceptance of the Agenda
2. Approval of the Minutes (January 23, 2020 Meeting)
3. Remarks by the Chair
4. Remarks by the President
5. Comments by the Western Student Association President
6. Comments by the Graduate Student Association President
7. Presentation - Holographic Education and Assessment: The Next Generation Classroom
8. Accelerating Success Through United Airline Aviate Program
9. Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items
10. Western Michigan University Public Event Policy
11. Consent Items
A. Personnel Report
B. Curriculum Proposals
C. Guizhou University of Finance and Economics 4+0 Agreement
D. Extended University Programs Unit Name Change to …

Supporting English Learners Through Practice-Based Research, Catherine Lammert, Erica B. Steinitz Holyoke

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Learning to use critical practice-based research as part of teaching is an important goal for preservice teachers, especially for those who plan to teach English learners in linguistically diverse settings. In this study, we examine the experiences of preservice teachers who were introduced to a framework for enacting iterative, transformative action research, and used the framework to study their own teaching in a one-on-one writing partnership with young English learners. Using an established self-efficacy survey instrument, as well as qualitative measures such as course artifacts and observations of teaching, we conducted a mixed-methods study to examine the impact of research …

Teacher Candidates As Writers: What Is The Relationship Between Writing Experiences And Pedagogical Practice, Vicki Mcquitty, Ellen Ballock

Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education

Both teacher candidates (TCs) and practicing teachers are asked to engage in personal writing experiences as means of learning about writing instruction. Yet, research on the relationship between writing and teaching writing provides variable, sometimes contradictory, results. This study investigated the relationship between TCs’ experiences writing a personal narrative in an undergraduate teacher education course and how they read and respond to a second grader’s personal narrative. Results indicate that, initially, many TCs did not draw on their writing experiences to inform how they analyzed, interpreted, and responded to the student’s composition. However, when specifically prompted to think about their …

Preservice Teacher Writer Identities: Tensions And Implications, David Premont, Shea Kerkhoff, Janet Alsup

Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education

Because of recent attention underscoring the lack of preservice teachers’ (PSTs) writer identities , the purpose of this manuscript is to learn more about the writer identities of two PSTs, how to uncover the tensions that exist therein, and how they intend to enact that writer identity in the secondary classroom. This multiple case study examines the writer identity of two PSTs from a midwestern university in the United States. Data collection included a visual metaphorical representation, participant generated reflections in class, and participate generated reflections in practicum. The data suggest that contrasting writer identities exist among preservice ELA teachers …

Cancer Health Disparities Among African Americans: A Socioecological Approach, Seth M. Spitzley

The Hilltop Review

Research shows that health outcomes are influenced by race or ethnicity, socioeconomic status, education and literacy levels, and the physical environment (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2014). The health statuses of minority groups, such as African Americans, are adversely impacted by inequality (Randall, 2009). In Kalamazoo, Michigan, the leading cause of death for all residents in Kalamazoo County was cancer, where black individuals have the highest death rate among any other racial or ethnic group. That African Americans comprise less than 11% of the population in Kalamazoo County thus suggests that African Americans are disproportionately impacted by cancer …

Models Of Resistance: Novice Teachers Negotiating Barriers To Best Practice, Andrew P. Huddleston, Kathryn Ohle, Amy Mullins, Hannah Lowry, Denae Shake, Jordyn Arendse

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The purpose of this study was to examine how graduates from three teacher education programs made decisions regarding literacy instruction and assessment as well as the extent to which they were able to implement practices learned in their education programs. Participants were interviewed and observed multiple times, and a variety of documents, such as lesson plans, assessments, and journal prompts, were collected. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method and Bourdieu’s concepts of field, capital, and habitus. Although the participants initially accepted the existing practices of their schools, they later implemented concepts learned in their education programs. The ways …

Staff Under New Market Rules: A Case Study Of A Group Home For People With Intellectual Disabilities In Sweden, Sven Trygged

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The Swedish caring services have transformed from a public ­operated to a market inspired contract system. This pilot case study of a group home explores what the shifts of contractor entail for staff concerning work regulation, work content and job satisfaction, personal development, relationships with colleagues, and consequences for service users. Procurement documents were studied and interviews performed with four experienced staff members. Results show that manager turnover, administrative changes, and terms of employment contracts increased conflicts and staff vulnerability. Staff responses are discussed in terms of exit, voice and loyalty.

Daily Labors: Marketing Identity And Bodies On A New York City Street Corner, By Carolyn Pinedo-Turnovsky, Kimberly Hogan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Carolyn Pinedo-Turnovsky, Daily Labors: Marketing Identity and Bodies on a New York City Street Corner. Temple University Press (2019), 212 pages, $24.42 (softcover).

Social Empathy: The Art Of Understanding Others, By Elizabeth A. Segal, Melanie Reyes

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Elizabeth A. Segal, Social Empathy: The Art of Understanding Others. Columbia University Press (2018). 239 pages, $32.50 (hardcover).

Parental Practices And Maternal Warmth As Protective Factors For Problem Behaviors In Mexican Preadolescents, Jaime Fuentes-Balderrama, Cinthia Cruz Del Castillo, Jose Ruben Parra-Cardona, Bernardo Turnbull Plaza, Angélica Ojeda García, Rolando Díaz-Loving

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Epidemiological estimates indicate that approximately 12% of children and adolescents in Mexico are in clinical ranges for psychological disorders. Low-income families in need of psychological support generally encounter understaffed and sometimes inefficient public health services and thus, families frequently constitute the primary source of support for individuals affected by mental health disorders. Empirical studies in the Mexican context have demonstrated that positive parental practices are associated with positive developmental outcomes and low levels of problem behaviors for both children and adolescents. This study aims to identify if such practices act as protective factors for problem behaviors in 306 Mexican students …