Digital Commons Network^™

Integrating Multiliteracies In A Third Grade Classroom To Enhance Student Engagement And Motivation, Rebecca K. Mcdonough

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to investigate the growth in student motivation and engagement through a multiliteracy lens. The specific aim is to explore what happens when a traditional writing unit is replaced with a multiliteracy writing unit that utilizes multimodal components. The students demonstrated changes in how they perceived themselves as writers and how they viewed writing in general. The implications for teaching writing with a multiliteracy approach is also discussed.

Language Maintenance And Proficiency Of World Language Teachers, Anna E. Robison

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to examine the current proficiency strengths and weaknesses of practicing K-12 non-native WL teachers in the states of Utah and Oklahoma. Data were gathered through a survey and the OPIc diagnostic grid. The results revealed what features of Function, Accuracy, Content, and Text Type were strengths and weaknesses for OPIc ratings Intermediate High, Advanced Low, Advanced Mid, and Advanced High. The self-reported OPI scores compared to the OPIc scores found an encouraging rate of TL maintenance and improvement. The language maintenance activities reported by the participants revealed the frequency with which they engage in …

Building Authentic Relationships: Creating A Supportive Environment For Black, Indigenous, And / Or People Of Color, Kimberly M. Norton

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

BUILDING AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS: CREATING A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND/OR PEOPLE OF COLOR

Kimberly NortonIllinois State University

Research suggests that the Covid-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the need for mental health support, with an alarming increase in the number of adolescents reporting that their mental health has worsened during this period (Rodriguez, 2022). Well before the pandemic, substantial evidence indicated that young people were facing a rising tide of mental ill-health, including anxiety, depressive symptoms, psychological distress, and suicide. The transitionary period to adulthood is a developmentally sensitive time, and mental illness is diagnosed heavily during this phase. …

The Influence Of The Abraham Accords On The Visual Coverage Of The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict In Arab Media: A Comparative Analysis, Mona Alsaba

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the influence of the official signing of the Abraham Accords on the Arab media visual coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This study operationalized visual frames in terms of the human-interest vs technical frame and peace vs war frame, and explored the use of graphic portrayal as a framing device, in order to compare between the Arab media visual framing of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict before and after the official signing of the Abraham Accords to examine the impact of foreign policy on the coverage among news outlets of different Arab countries. A comparative analysis was conducted relying on …

New Music For A New World: Robert Ashley’S Television Operas, Nicole Kaack

Theses and Dissertations

Robert Ashley defined the majority of his works as “television operas”—spoken narrative music for television broadcast. Analyzing Ashley’s works through their cross-disciplinarity, this thesis addresses the development of Ashley’s chosen medium; assesses his use of visual, linguistic, and musical structures; and interprets their basis in American cultural identity.

Exploring The Implementation Of The Cultural Proficiency Framework In A Suburban School District, Krystle M. Hernandez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to explore a suburban school district with a homogenous staff and diverse student population that implemented a professional development program centered on the Cultural Proficiency Framework. Cultural Proficiency is a framework that guides the shifting of culture in schools from viewing diversity as problem to overcome to seeing it as an asset to be celebrated (Lindsey et al., 2009). The data analysis focused on the application of the Essential Elements and Guiding Principles of Cultural Proficiency. The Essential Elements are the standards for individual values and behaviors and organizational policies and practices in a …

How Does An Educator’S Perceptions Of Ideologies And Practices Of Cultural Relevance Impact Early Childhood Education?, Maryellen Ann Do

Theses and Dissertations

Administrators and teachers influence the culture of the school, and their ideologies of multiculturalism impacts the community they serve. These ideologies influence the climate of the school and the acceptance of diverse cultures and languages. This is a qualitative study that explores how Administrators and teachers influence language and culture in early childhood classrooms. This study was influenced by Garrity and Guerra (2015), “A cultural communities approach understanding head start teacher’s beliefs about language use with dual learners: Implications for practice.” Garrity and Guerra (2015) explored the beliefs of classroom language by Head Start teachers to provide insight into how …

Mandingo Parent Experiences And Language Use: A Phenomenological Study, Annet Asio Romain

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined first-generation Mandingo parents’ lived experiences in maintaining their native language with children 3–7 years old. A review of previous studies showed parents of dual language learner students had a positive attitude toward maintaining their native languages (M. Lee et al., 2015) and supporting bilingual programs in elementary school (Morgan, 2015). A phenomenological analysis method was used to gain an understanding of the participants’ lived experiences concerning language use with children ages 3–7 years inside and outside the home. The participants were selected using three criteria: they had to be first-generation Mandingo-speaking immigrants, they had to be willing …

Educating Business And Management Students: Using A Critical Management Lens To Learn From Chattel Slavery, Linda L. Ridley

Theses and Dissertations

The value of business school pedagogy has received increased attention in recent years (Delgado and Stefancic, 1992; Giacalone and Wargo, 2009; Podolny, 2009; Grier & Poole, 2020; Prieto & Phipps, 2021). This qualitative study examined the ability of higher education business faculty to include chattel slavery in the history of American business (Katznelson, 2005; Baptist, 2014;). Traditionally, the fundamentals of management teaching have been aligned with the belief that conventional management theories were developed separate and apart from the institution of chattel slavery and the management of race (Aufhauser, 1973; Cooke, 2003; Blackmon, 2008; Roediger & Esch, 2012). An interpretivist …

The Culturally Responsive Teacher, Tova Markowitz

Theses and Dissertations

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2060, the White population in the United States is projected to fall by more than 20 million people, while the Hispanic, Black, Asian, and Biracial populations are expected to increase (Vespa, 2020). There is a mismatch between the adopted curriculum and the student population. Are teachers prepared to teach the diverse students in their classrooms? To better understand the current status and to support the teachers, the study incorporated the work of Gay (2010, 2013, 2018), Ladson-Billings (1992, 1995, 2008, 2014), and Paris (2012) and examined the factors influencing culturally responsive teaching. Utilizing …

Reclaiming Power. Activating Black Middle-Class Mother Engagement In The Committee On Special Education, Kellie M. Ramsey

Theses and Dissertations

From conversations in school hallways, to SEPTA meetings, to parking lots and church benches, Black middle-class parents have engaged in talk of disillusionment with the IEP development process for their special needs child. Previous literature has provided limited insight into the navigational capital of Black middle-class parents in the special education system. This author interviewed Black middle-class parents who felt overwhelmed by the IEP development process and came to utilize their cultural capital (Yosso, 2005) to overcome systemic barriers to their active engagement in the CSE (Ladson-Billings, 1995) and to explore opportunities they have had for positive interactions. Findings of …

Adult English Language Learners’ Experiences Of Online Learning And Motivations For Persistence During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Patricia F. Searby

Theses and Dissertations

The unprecedented shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic presented a unique opportunity to research adult English language learners’ lived experiences of online learning and motivations for persistence. With the growing trend of offering online learning to adult learners and concerns over the high attrition rates associated with this method (Nagel, 2009), it is critical to analyze adult English language learners’ lived experiences of online learning and motivations for persistence to inform pedagogical practices that will promote learner retention in online formats. The purpose of this study was to extend the current research through the lens of self-determination theory …

No More One And Done: The Impact Of A Six Week Professional Learning Book Study On Culturally Relevant Pedagogy On Teachers’ Attitudes And Practices, Emilia Lier

Theses and Dissertations

Culturally relevant pedagogy is a core value and mindset that involves using students’ background knowledge and cultures as tools to propel academic success. CRP entails a curriculum that honors and reflects all students and a variety of perspectives. Students are inspired to become social agents, thus recognizing sociopolitical forces and inequalities within the school system, community, and the world at large. Though researchers have illustrated the positive impact of culturally relevant pedagogy on student outcomes, this practice is not consistently practiced in urban classrooms. The purpose of this study was to explore whether long-term professional development and support influence educators’ …

Culturally Responsive Instruction And Intrinsic Motivation To Read Among Under-Represented Adolescents In An Urban Setting, Greg Gershowitz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods explanatory sequential design study was to examine whether a culturally responsive pedagogy could influence intrinsic motivation to read among urban under-represented adolescents. The study was grounded in the expectancy-value theory as a framework because students’ prospects for success and the value they place on certain activities are connected, thereby encouraging stakeholders to better understand the value of culturally responsive instruction and the influence on diverse student populations. Quantitative data were collected using the revised version of the revised version of the revised version of the Adolescent Motivation to Read Profile (AMRP). Specifically, this tool served …

A Phenomenological Multiple Case Study Of School District Leaders Supervising English Language Learner / Multilingual Services On Long Island, New York, Christine Ericka Seebach

Theses and Dissertations

This study was an inquiry into the ways in which the lived experiences of school district leaders (SDLs) of English language learner/multilingual learner (ELL/ML) services informed their leadership approaches, challenges, successes, and impact. The methodology involved collecting artifacts and Seidman’s (2019) Three Series Interview protocol with member checking. The three participants of this study were SDLs of ELL/ML services from a specific region of New York State (i.e., Long Island). The purpose of this study was to understand the essence of the meanings derived from participants’ comprehensive descriptions. I provided structural and textural reports and a synthesis of the universal …

Marketing Brands, Juggling Jargon, And Countering Space: Six Fitness Enthusiasts’ Engagement With Exercisers Within Instagram’S Fitness Community, Sydney Elizabeth Denham

Theses and Dissertations

As of December 11, 2022, 791k users had utilized the hashtag #FitnessInfluencer on their Instagram content. A fitness influencer is a user on Instagram who has a large follower count and posts fitness-related content to their platforms. In all aspects, the fitness influencer is an enthusiast who contributes to the digital fitness community. This research examines the role that the fitness enthusiast plays within this community on Instagram. Carmen Kynard’s definition of literacy as something that we do rather than have inspired much of my thinking throughout this project. Also, Diana Bossio’s research on journalists greatly informed my methodology for …

An Examination Of The Sufficiency Of Emergency Planning In New York City Hospitals For Vulnerable Populations Needing Communication Or Language Assistance, Rosemary Mcdonnell

Theses and Dissertations

Background: While all populations are susceptible to certain hazards that may expose their vulnerabilities in a disaster, populations with no or limited English proficiency, sight limitations, and hearing limitations are especially at risk due to communication and language barriers that they consistently experience. Purpose: This study explored the sufficiency of emergency planning that vulnerable populations with communication barriers may receive in a New York City hospital setting. It investigated the emergency plans, procedures, and practices that hospitals have for these specific, at-risk populations. The sufficiency of these were measured in accordance with their ability to meet the appropriate regulatory standards …

A Case Study On The Role Of Pre-Departure Training In Study Abroad Experiences, Lampeto Efthymiou

Theses and Dissertations

As students need to attain the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to live and work in a diverse global society, they participate in study abroad opportunities offered by higher education institutions to assist them with intercultural learning. However, prior research shows that the level of intercultural learning in study abroad programs can vary substantially. The purpose of this case study is to investigate how a program’s use of pre-departure training relates to the development of global competence in participants of a short-term study abroad program. The participants of this study come from a purposive sample who attended a community college in …

Exploring The Effects Of Technology Professional Development On The 8th Grade Naep Mathematics Achievement, Aneesh Mathew

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine if teachers’ participation in the educational technology professional development was a significant predictor in the 8th grade students’ mathematics achievement on the 2013 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). This non-experimental study analyzed selected variables from the 2013 NAEP 8th grade mathematics restricted dataset. The study considered students’ socio-economic status (SES), gender, race/ethnicity, teachers’ educational technology professional development, tenure-certification, and professional development on mathematic peer collaboration. Factors were created in principal component analysis with promax rotation method. The researcher has also used hierarchical regression analysis to explain how much of student achievement …

Tiered Vocabulary And Educational Television: A Quantitative Content Analysis Of Major Broadcast Television Networks, Kimberly Dimarco

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have studied children’s exposure to television and the impact it has on children’s academic development, and have discovered that educational television programs may positively influence children’s vocabulary growth (Fuenzalida, 2017; Heintz & Wartella, 2012; Larson & Rhan, 2015; Linebarger, Moses, Liebeskind, & McMenamin, 2013; Neuman, Wong, Flynn, & Kaefer, 2019; Neuman, Samudra, Wong, & Kaefer, 2019, Peters & Webb, 2018; Williams & Thomas, 2017). However, few studies have been conducted examining the types of vocabulary words contained in television programming and the frequencies of which these words occur. This study attempted to help enhance the literature by executing a …

Second Grade Language And Literacy Development Through Analysis Of Receptive And Productive Skills On The Nyseslat, Jasmin Varela

Theses and Dissertations

The future success of today’s students and our nation depends on how well prepared our students are to contribute to the globalized world of the 21st century. The population of English Language Learners (ELLs) is exploding in the United States. If students are not given the appropriate language scaffolds to learn English, ELLs will struggle academically, finding themselves ill-prepared for success in the workplace and their roles as active civic participants. This quantitative study focused on three cohorts (n = 25 each) of randomly selected second grade students enrolled in Dual Language Program, Transitional Bilingual Education Program, or English as …

Adjunct Instructors’ Preparedness To Support Students With Disabilities And The Diverse Learning Styles Of All Students, William Leonelli

Theses and Dissertations

As noted by the National Center for Education Statistics (2020), the enrollment of students with disabilities in the higher education environment continues to grow. As more students with disabilities transition into the postsecondary environment, their diverse learning needs and required supports must be addressed to ensure their postsecondary success. Although research has shown how all instructors need to be better aware of supporting the needs of students with disabilities within the postsecondary classroom (Cory, 2011), there is a particular need to explore the experiences of adjunct faculty supporting students with disabilities within these classrooms, as this area has been researched …

The Role Of Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics (Stem) Efficacy For Course-Taking And High School Graduation Of English Language Learners, Yazmin Torres

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education may improve English language learners' academic achievement and high school graduation. In particular, it highlights the plight faced by ELLs in high schools regarding quality education that allows them to graduate on time and attend college. The analysis for this study is grounded on the self-efficacy component of Albert Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1977), which focuses on the hypothesis that students are motivated by positive experiences that contributes to their academic success (Hsieh & Kang, 2010). Using Albert Bandura's self-efficacy framework and nationally representative data from the High …

Are Teachers Prepared To Employ Culturally Responsive Teaching Effectively With English Language Learners?, Karleen Adam-Comrie

Theses and Dissertations

All teachers, regardless of their backgrounds, require appropriate preparation to address the necessities of all students. A significant challenge in preparing teachers is ensuring they are familiar with the unique characteristics of the different group of students in their classrooms. According to New York State of Education (NYSED), the breakdown of ethnic groups’ enrollment is: 17% Black or African American, 27% Hispanic or Latino, 1% American Indian or Alaska native, 10% Asian or native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, 43% White and 2% multiracial (NYSED, 2019). As the number of diverse ethnicities continues to grow, it is left to educators to ensure …

Educators’ Perceptions Of Their Self-Efficacy In Teaching English Language Learners With Disabilities And Their Use Of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Virginia Figueroa

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have demonstrated the need for teachers to have the training and preparation to meet the needs of a growing diverse student population that can include students who may present with a variety of needs. This research will explore the experience of educators teaching students who are learning English as a second language and present with a disability. While research has been conducted on the assessment and placement of language learners with disabilities there is a gap in the literature regarding teachers’ experiences and self-efficacy in educating English language learners who have disabilities and their use of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy …

The Role Of The Pre-Freshman Summer Experience In The Educational Opportunity Program During Covid-19: A Case Study Approach, Mayulie Luciano

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this case-study investigated the role of the Pre-Freshman Summer Experience Program used for an Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) located at State University (SU) Upstate*. More specifically, this study explored how students fared during the completion of the pre-freshman summer experience program throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing a single embedded case study approach, this study gathered data from the State University (SU) at Upstate Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) 2021-2022 incoming class. This study includes the following forms of data collection: institutional documents, student questionnaires, focus groups, and interviews. Potential implications include possible program reform to adapt to …

Principal Coaching In A Large Urban District: A Correlational Study Examining The Relationship Between Coaching And Early Career Principals’ Self-Efficacy, Matthew Irving Pearson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between ICF coach-ing and early career principals’ self-efficacy related to their a) management skills and b) instructional leadership. The sample for this study were principals in a larger urban school district in the northeast who began their principalship between July 2017 to June 2021. This was a correlational study in which the researcher investigated early career principals’ perceptions of their self-efficacy related to management skills, and b) self-efficacy related to instructional leadership in a large urban school district. The survey instrument used for this study was Tschannen-Moran and Gareis (2004) …

How Do First-Year Dominican Students Perceive Their First Year Of College And How Do These Perceptions Impact Their Retention, Maria C. Cano

Theses and Dissertations

College completion rate is a major challenge afflicting colleges and universities as well as students in the United States, particularly Hispanic students (Field, 2018). This qualitative case study aimed to investigate how Dominican students perceived their first year of college and how that perception impacted their retention in a community college in the Northeast. Participants included a purposeful sample of fourteen students (four students enrolled fall of 2021 and four students who did not enroll in the spring of 2022, five students from a focus group, and one of the students from the focus group was interviewed for an in-depth …

Mentors’ Perspective On Mentoring Practices For New Teachers: A Qualitative Study, Rosa Smith-Norman

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological research study explores the lived experiences of mentors as they share their perceptions of mentoring practices to better understand how participatory experiences affect the professional growth of new teachers. Using a phenomenological research design helps to better understand the participants’ perceptions and personal meaning making processes that emerge from their first-person lived experiences of their professional practice. This study explores how ongoing participatory experiences have served to shape one’s perceptions about teaching and learning though the use of best mentoring practice strategies. To this end, this study triangulates the data by conducting an initial email interview questionnaire …

Culturally Responsive Community Of Practice: A Multiple Case Study Of Instructional Support Teams, Andrea Horowitz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to understand how culturally responsive actions, behaviors and practices of school building leaders, teachers and support staff during the Instructional Support Team (IST) process impact equitable outcomes for all students within the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) process. The participants of the study are the members of two Instructional Support Teams (IST); one elementary team and the other a middle school team. Data was collected through interviews, collected documents, and audio-visual materials. There is little guidance on how to address equitable outcomes of the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) process and …