Education Commons^™

Examining The Lives And Experiences Of Mariachi Leadership In San Antonio, Texas: A Narrative Ethnographic Inquiry Using A Constructivist Lens, Baldemar Villarreal

Theses & Dissertations

Mariachi leaders carry far more than instruments. They carry history, community, identity, and the responsibility of sustaining a living tradition within a rapidly changing world. This study explores the experiences of three Mariachi leaders in San Antonio to understand how cultural heritage, leadership development, and entrepreneurial practice unfold within the pressures of the contemporary gig economy.

Guided by a constructivist narrative inquiry approach, the study draws on the view that meaning is created through experience, relationship, and reflection (Clandinin and Connelly, 2000; Polkinghorne, 1995). The narratives reveal leadership as a dynamic process shaped by migration, gender, innovation, and communal responsibility. …

Developing Empathy And Social Awareness Through Anti-Bullying Education, Alma Garcia-Peralta

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Children in Elementary School have not yet developed effective emotional awareness and social skills. Bullying behavior often occurs when a child cannot clearly express their feelings, does not understand others perspective, and interacts with others in a disrespectful way. Children who have not been taught these skills may have difficulty recognizing how their behavior affects others or responding appropriately in social situations. When children are taught about their emotions and are given opportunities to develop and practice social skills, they are more likely to demonstrate empathy, build positive peer relationships, and reduce the likelihood of engaging in bullying behaviors. To …

Benefits Of Being Bilingual On The Academic Success Of The Spanish-Speaking English Language Learners, Shary Vaca

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Reframing bilingualism as an academic asset rather than a limitation, this senior capstone research project examines how bilingualism supports the academic success of Spanish-speaking English language learners (ELLs) in early education within California’s diverse and growing Hispanic student population. Using a combination of literature reviews, teacher interviews, and surveys from former English language learners, the findings indicate that bilingualism is one of three key benefits for English language learners: enhancing communication skills, strengthening critical thinking, and increasing language competence. In addition, bilingual students demonstrate a unique ability to collaborate effectively, think flexibly across languages, and transfer linguistic knowledge to support …

Empowering English Language Learners For Academic Success, Tiger L. Rendon

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone explores how future educators in California can best support English Language Learners, who make up a large portion of the student population that strives for academic success. Despite ELL students being common in elementary school classrooms, the strategies that service teachers use are based on their own knowledge and experience, which, although beneficial, can be difficult to adapt in an ever-changing environment. This research was conducted to help future educators understand that, even without resources, many classroom strategies can empower ELL students and promote success. Through a literature review, an anonymous survey, and interviews with seven elementary school …

Dungeons And Dragons As Game-Based Learning, Moses Allen

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

This phenomenological qualitative study explored the use of the Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) Role-Playing Game as a Game-Based Learning (GBL) model, measuring middle school student perceptions of engagement, motivation, and skill development through interactive storytelling. The study used a Practitioner Research theoretical framework and Thematic Analysis to identify emergent themes from the collected data. The study included gameplay of D&D after school with a small group of participants grades 6-8. Results indicated that participants reported consistently high levels of motivation and engagement. Participants perceived that D&D gameplay promoted the development of 21st Century Skills and middle school curricula skills, specifically …

Secondary Teachers’ Perceptions On The Wida Framework To Support Academic Literacy In Multilingual Learners, Laura G. Faris

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine teachers’ perceptions of benefits and barriers to using the WIDA Framework to support academic literacy in multilingual learners (MLs).  Content-area teachers of MLs who continue to learn English are teaching academic literacy through complex linguistic structures for students to both comprehend and produce informative textual structures which occur in secondary textual reading and written assessments in the literature and historical content areas. Qualitative methods including reflective journal entries, semi-structured teacher interviews, and classroom observations were used to collect data on teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of using the WIDA Framework to better …

Science For All: Utilizing Native And Everyday Language To Increase Academic Performance And Student Engagement For High School English Language Learners, Lashanda K. Whitworth

Dissertations

In public high schools across the U.S. high stakes assessments are seen as a lever to facilitate high-quality education and to gauge student learning. English Language Learners are mainstreamed into content classes and despite having low English proficiency scores are expected to perform as well as English first students and are required to take district and state mandated biology assessments. At the research site, ELLs comprise 25% of students and consistently score below the other subgroups in biology. This quasi-experimental study tested whether using disaggregate instructional strategies—incorporating ELLs’ native and everyday language—increases learning gains, academic growth, and engagement in a …

Experiences Of Hispanic/Latine Graduate Students In Unco’S Audiology And Speech-Language Pathology Programs Within A Hispanic-Serving Institution Context: Qualitative Thematic Analysis From A Moderated Focus Group, Ashley Fuhrman

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Existing literature has examined workforce diversity in healthcare as a factor that may shape patient rapport and the delivery of culturally responsive, patient-centered care. Given the increasing demand for audiologists (AuDs) and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with diverse and multilingual backgrounds, it is important to understand how graduate programs prepare students to serve linguistically and culturally diverse populations. This qualitative study examines the experiences of Hispanic/Latine graduate students in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC), a recently designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). The study explores students’ perceptions of training, support, and experiences in serving diverse populations. …

Mita Y Mita: Bilingualism Beyond Identity Borders, Belén S. Yudess

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

“Mita Mita” asks audiences to reflect on the often discordant nature of identity development and how language, culture, and community impact this understanding. This piece is inspired by Gloria Anzaldua’s creation of the “mita y mita” framework in relation to border identity and politics theory as a way to conceptualize the doubling of identity that occurs between binaries. Through this lens, I attempt to dismantle the borders I have constructed around my identities by analyzing how reclaiming my name has begun to mend my sociocultural insecurities. As you engage with this material, I encourage you to let down your guard …

Expanding The Multivocal Video-Cued Ethnographic Method To Sow Seeds Of Conscientization In Teacher Attitudes And Practice, Kiyomi Sánchez-Suzuki Colegrove, Molly Ellen Mcmanus, Christian E. Zúñiga

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

The purpose of this article is to present a methodological extension to video-cued ethnography, a qualitative approach that combines ethnography with a stimulus video to conduct focus groups, and share methodological insights drawn from our experience. In this extension, we center the knowledge of Latine immigrant parents and create dialogic opportunities between parents and teachers. We illustrate how the extension works by presenting a study that explores if and how this dialogical experience shapes bilingual/ESL teachers’ ideas and attitudes towards parents as educational partners. We share data samples that demonstrate an emerging process of conscientization through markers of humanization, such …

Breathing Life Into Sel: A Practitioner Inquiry On Hā, Belonging, And Multilingual Learners In Hawai‘I, Mylia Briggs, Monica Gonzalez Smith

Journal of Practitioner Research

This practitioner inquiry explores how a Pacific-oriented social-emotional learning (SEL) framework, Nā Hopena A‘o (HĀ: BREATH), can affirm the cultural identities and emotional well-being of Filipino multilingual learners (MLs) in Hawai‘i. Implemented over a 15-week period in a third-grade classroom, the study draws on culturally adapted SEL lessons, student exit tickets and focus groups, and teacher reflections to examine how SEL shifts when grounded in Indigenous values, heritage language use, and community knowledge. Findings reveal three key themes: (1) Cultural Connection Fosters Belonging, (2) Language Visibility Promotes Emotional Safety, and (3) Identity-Affirming Practices Build Confidence and Voice. While students responded …

Addressing The Hidden Curriculum Through Trauma-Informed And Culturally Responsive Teaching For Multilingual Learners, Gabrielle Moeggenborg

Masters Projects

Multilingual learners (MLLs), including refugee, transient, and culturally and linguistically diverse students, often enter schools with experiences of trauma that impact academic performance, behavior, and sense of belonging. Additionally, the hidden curriculum in U.S. schools reinforces inequities for these students. The purpose of this project was to develop a high-quality, research-based educational handbook integrating trauma-informed practices with culturally responsive teaching to better support MLLs and mitigate the effects of the hidden curriculum. This project involved an extensive review of peer-reviewed and interdisciplinary research on learning theories, trauma, culturally responsive teaching, and multilingual education. Historical and contemporary literature was synthesized to …

Interpreting Mandates Through A Bilingual Lens: Dual Language Immersion Teachers’ Experiences With Georgia’S Structured Literacy Law: A Mixed Methods Study Of Policy Implementation In Georgia Dual Language Programs, Grethel Pedroarena

Curriculum and Instruction (Ed.D.) Dissertations

This qualitative-dominant mixed methods study investigates how Georgia’s Dual Language Immersion (DLI) teachers interpret and implement state literacy mandates, specifically House Bill 307 (HB 307). The research addresses a critical gap in policy-to-practice understanding, as current structured literacy requirements are primarily grounded in monolingual English frameworks that often overlook the instructional realities of bilingual classrooms. The study is theoretically anchored in Translanguaging Pedagogy, Sociocultural Theory, and Teacher Agency Theory.

Data were collected through a statewide survey of 38 DLI teachers and five in-depth phenomenological interviews. Findings reveal that teachers’ interpretations of the mandate are shaped less by the legislative text …

Reimagining Arabic As A Foreign Language Learning Through Place: Teachers’ And Students’ Perspectives On Pbl, Hebatalla Salem

Faculty Journal Articles

This one-cycle design-based research study aims to explore the perceptions of both teachers and students toward place-based learning. To achieve this, interviews were conducted with teachers, and questionnaires were administered to students who were directly engaged in place-based learning. The findings indicated positive outcomes, demonstrating that place-based learning offers multiple benefits, particularly in engaging learners in authentic experiences that enable them to apply what they learn in class within meaningful, community-based contexts. This study contributes to the body of knowledge on place-based learning by providing design principles that can support teachers in the design, development, and implementation of place-based learning …

Teaching The Rainbow: An Educator's Guide To Implementing Lgbtq+ Inclusive Curriculum In The Early Childhood Classroom, Alice Prosser

Honors Projects

This resource serves as a guidebook for early childhood educators interested in implementing LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum in their classrooms. The guidebook includes rationale, addresses common objections educators may have, and provides examples of standards aligned lesson plans by grade level, as well as additional resources and suggestions.

Book Review Of Suburban Refugees: Class And Resistance In Little Saigon, Phoebe T. Pham

Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement

In Suburban Refugees: Class and Resistance in Little Saigon, Jennifer Huynh challenges the common view that refugee resettlement follows a straightforward path toward assimilation, stability, and upward mobility. Focusing on Vietnamese refugees in Little Saigon, Orange County, California, Huynh examines how refugees navigate displacement, housing insecurity, and political exclusion in suburban spaces often idealized as homogenous and prosperous. Drawing on extensive data, the book presents suburban resettlement as a prolonged process shaped by structural forces and community resistance. Huynh situates her analysis within growing suburban inequality and enduring racialized policies that limit refugee opportunities long after formal resettlement. Her …

From Stories To Speech: Cultivating Cultural Competence And Linguistic Awareness In Future Slps, Alexis Lawton

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

This manuscript reports on a pilot study examining how storytelling and linguistic diversity may cultivate cultural competence in graduate students in speech-language pathology (SLP). Through engagement with traditional folk tales, students explored the cultural significance of narratives and the linguistic features that shape them. The assignment emphasized adapting stories for diverse audiences while highlighting culturally relevant vocabulary, dialectal variations, and the complexities of language use. Facilitated discussions following student presentations prompted reflections on how these elements influence communication and understanding. Preliminary findings suggest that narrative exploration can foster both cultural and linguistic awareness, equipping students with emerging skills to provide …

When Science Of Reading Policy Meets Classroom Reality: The Nonsense Word Problem, Lisa Dewing-Birno, Luis Lopez

Occasional Paper Series

A central feature of many Science of Reading (SoR)-aligned curricula is the use of nonsense words in early literacy assessment to measure a student's ability to decode unfamiliar words using knowledge of letter-sound correspondences. However, the research base for using nonsense words as an instructional tool is much weaker and more contested. Through two narratives, we illustrate how the implementation of SoR instruction with nonsense words can be particularly problematic. We argue that effective literacy instruction demands what we call pedagogical clarity, the ability to integrate pedagogical practices with deep understanding of individual learners, their cultural and linguistic resources, and …

La Gran Historia De Dilly Meets The Science Of Reading: A Cuento Of Scripts, Skills, And Silenced Selves, Elenita Irizarry Ramos, Ysaaca D. Axelrod

Occasional Paper Series

This article offers a deep dive into two lessons of a structured literacy curriculum to interrogate how current SoR–aligned mandates materialize in a Spanish dual-language first-grade classroom. Using Critical Discourse Analysis and Curriculum as a Discourse as both our conceptual frame and analytical method, we examine (a) La gran historia de Dilly—a retelling of The Ugly Duckling translated into Spanish—and (b) the teacher-facing lesson plan supplied by a major commercial publisher. Four patterns emerged: (1) reading is reduced to quantifiable skills (Lexile badges, sight-word drills) while the tale naturalizes biologically ‘correct’ identities, erasing hybrid selves; (2) scripted directives recast teachers …

The Future Of Dual Immersion In California: Analyzing California’S Global 2030 Goals, Jonathan Tejeda, Kamila Campos, Robert Emmans

School of Public Policy Capstones

California's Global 2030 initiative set an ambitious target: half of all K-12 students to achieve bilingual proficiency by 2030. This qualitative study examines whether Dual Language programs (DLPs) in California's major metropolitan areas are positioned to meet that goal. Drawing on ten semi-structured expert interviews with researchers, administrators, teachers, and nonprofit advocates, the study identifies four central challenges: inadequate student preparedness, chronic underfunding, insufficient teacher training, and a failure to connect students to their cultural heritage. The findings reveal that California lacks the infrastructure, data systems, and financial commitment necessary to achieve the 2030 goals. The authors recommend establishing a …

Using Universal Consideration And Group-Specific Norms To Identify Students For Gifted Programming: An Empirical Investigation, Jared T. Izumi

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Universal consideration and group-specific norms have been recommended to address the underrepresentation of historically marginalized groups in gifted education programs. The current study evaluated these methods with 7,148 first through sixth-grade students from a single district in the Midwest who were administered academic achievement and cognitive ability measures. Representation indices (RIs) were calculated to measure the impact of local-building norms and different score combination methods. Black and Hispanic students were underrepresented relative to their proportion in the sample for all identification methods (RI < 0.80). Asian and White students were well-represented or overrepresented using all identification methods. However, using local-building norms or different score combination methods resulted in meaningful increases in RIs for Black and Hispanic students, without corresponding decreases in RIs for Asian and White students.

Social Emotional For Secondary English Language Learners, Summer E. Wallace

ASPIRE 2026

A presentation about Social Emotional Learning (SEL), it's importance, and how to implement it in the classroom. Specific considerations are included for secondary English Language Learners. Parts of lesson plans created for this population of students on the topic of SEL are included, as well, to show how this type of instruction can be effectively implemented in the classroom.

Generative Ai In An English Language Program: Practitioner Action Research In A Community Of Practice, David Patent, David T. Lind, Amy M. Walker, Olga Oganesyan, Jeff W. Jiang, Haley L. Berl, Tara K. Manion, Kelsey Rae Gillette

College of Professional Studies - All Scholarship

Generative AI (GenAI) adoption in English language programs (ELPs) has outpaced training and institutional support. This practitioner action research (AR) study investigates how eight professionals in a university-based ELP navigated GenAI integration through structured inquiry within a Community of Practice (CoP) framework (Wenger, 1998). Following Burns's (2010) cyclical AR model and Whitehead and McNiff's (2006) living theory approach, participants engaged in a semester-long AR cycle (January–April 2025). Data comprised transcriptions of three recorded meetings and four researcher journals, analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Five themes were identified: implications of GenAI on professional practices, personal and professional …

The Role Of Mentorship: The Lived Experience Of Black Women In Higher Education Leadership, Joseph Fahrney

JWU Dissertations & Theses

The persistent underrepresentation of Black women in higher education leadership raises important questions about how institutional environments shape leadership advancement, belonging, and sustainability. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the role of mentorship in the lived experiences of Black women leaders in higher education in shaping leadership trajectories, professional development, and institutional engagement. Participants included senior leaders serving in roles such as president, vice president, chief officer, and other executive administrative positions across higher education institutions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants (N=17), generating narrative data reflecting their experiences navigating leadership environments and mentorship relationships. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis …

The Design Of Chatbot Learning Media For Arabic Vocabulary Learning For 7th Grade Students At Mtsn, Rizki Alifia Putri, Alif Cahya Setiyadi

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Arabic language learning at the Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTsN) level often faces challenges such as limited curriculum time allocation and the dominance of conventional teacher-centered methods. This research aims to produce a design for chatbot-based learning media using the Smojo.Ai platform, focusing on vocabulary (mufradat) mastery for 7th-grade students. The approach used is Research and Development (R&D) with the ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation); however, this report is limited to the Design and Development (expert validation) stages. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, documentation studies, and validation questionnaires. The results indicate that the characteristics of the "Mufrodaty" chatbot integrate …

A Nudge For Marketing Education To Be More Intentional About Inclusion, Mario Norman

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

2026 Diversity Climate Survey Report, Illinois Math And Science Academy

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Resources

No abstract provided.

No Hablo Español, But My Students Do: A Self-Study To Understanding How Teacher Positionality And Experiences Manifest In Pedagogy And Praxis, Kaitlyn E. Herling

Education Doctorate Dissertations

As a middle school science teacher in a predominantly Hispanic classroom, I explore how my positionality as a White female educator and my experiences both inside and outside the classroom shape my teaching practices. This study examines the integration of culturally based teaching practices into the science classroom. By reflecting on my positionality, curriculum choices, and pedagogical methods, I aim to better understand how to create a more inclusive and engaging learning environment that resonates with my students’ cultural backgrounds. Through self-study and narrative inquiry, this research highlights the importance of connecting students’ lived experiences with academic content to foster …

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence For Transformative Education: Challenges And Recommendations, Papia Bawa

Journal of Research Initiatives

The sheer force with which GPT models are inundating business, education and economic fields speaks to its ability to not only transform the ways in which we interact and act but also disrupt these ways. This systematic literature review applies the PSALSAR method to synthesize findings from 72 articles on AI applications in education, emphasizing its transformative potential across various domains. AI is transforming personalized learning by customizing content and feedback to individual needs, addressing challenges like data privacy and ethical concerns. It enhances administrative efficiency through automation and data-driven decision-making, improving institutional performance while managing biases and maintaining human …

Cultural Competence Training For Peer Tutors And Mentors, Grace Nunamaker, Nicole Brun-Mercer

Boise State University Publications and Presentations

Culture informs our beliefs, behaviors, and sense of identity. It shapes our values, thought processes, view of the world and the people within it. Being aware of our own cultures, of cultural differences, and of ways to navigate those differences is increasingly recognized as a vital skill to develop for both personal and professional purposes. Cultural competence is particularly important when working in education because how we think and behave is so inherently linked to how we teach and learn. Many peer mentors and tutors are finding themselves in an instructional position for the first time; they have limited experience …