Education Commons^™

Black Women At The Crossroads: Agency, Interruptions, And Oppression In Education, Kimberly D. Ferrell

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation utilizes intersectionality, critical race feminism (CRF), Black feminist research and case studies to explore Black women’s oppression in education. This research study contributes to a growing body of work on Black females’ experiences of marginalization socially and educationally. The aim of this research was threefold: (a) to provide a theoretical analysis on the marginalization of Black females in society and exercising agency; (b) to explore my own memories and amplify my voice through an autoethnography, highlighting personal lived experiences of oppression in education; and (c) to provide a qualitative analysis on Black women oppression, amplifying the voices of …

College Choice And African American Males: A Case Study Exploring The Intersection Of Family, School, And Society On The College Choice Decision-Making Process, W. Samino Scott Ii

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that influence the college choice decisions of African American male first-generation college students. This study employed a strength-based approach, instead of the more traditional narrative centered around values, cultural norms, and deficits. This research study utilized a single-case study design and a qualitative research methodology. The study examined the college choice influences experienced by five African American males attending a mid-sized college in the Midwest to develop a more nuanced understanding of the strengths they exhibited that allow them to successfully navigate impoverished conditions at home, in the neighborhood, and …

Critical Black Feminist Mentorship: A Review Of A Middle School And University-Sponsored Program For Adolescent Black Girls, Dyann C. Logwood

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation study aims to illuminate the creation of safe spaces for marginalized youth through mentorship initiatives. Likewise, the study examines the roles of mentorship programs in transforming the lives of Black adolescent girls by providing them with tools to change the narratives depicted by society. A qualitative design was employed that used phenomenological interviewing techniques and ethnographic observations to explore the experiences of the Black adolescent girls in one university-sponsored mentorship program. The findings illustrate what is coined through this research—a critical Black feminist mentorship model that emphasizes an intersectional identity development, the actualization of voice, the creation and …

A Critical Ethnographical Exploration Of Disability Under Apartheid Conditions: The Promising Potential Of Palestinian Higher Education Institutions, Yasmin Snounu

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Utilizing a critical ethnographical methodology, this dissertation explores the experiences and practices of professors and administrators towards accommodating disabled students mainly in Palestine, but also taking into consideration the importance of the both political and disability contexts of the United States, primarily in light of critical disability studies, while also drawing from critical discourse analysis in regard to aspects of language, power hierarchies, and identity. Elements of teacher development theories are used in relation to transformational ways of thinking and the role of educators in combating stigma and promoting/adopting inclusive pedagogical practices towards accommodating disabled students in higher education. My …

Considering Ecojustice And Place-Based Responses To Market-Oriented Schooling, Monica K. Shields

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The politics of neoliberalism fester within education behind discourses of success, deficit, and normalcy. They intersect with discourses such as anthropocentrism, individualism, racism, ability, and others to organize society in a hierarchal manner and prioritize unfettered competition within an economic framework. The power of these discourses resides in their ability to communicate systemic ideology—masking the systemic oppression inherent to neoliberalism. These discourses can be traced to a mechanized worldview that understands matter, relationships, and knowledge through the metaphor of a machine. This study was designed to investigate how discursive meanings combine to create alternative discourses and to answer the research …

College-For-All Meets Skills Gap: Millennials’ Decisions To Pursue Certificates In Skilled Trades, Amy Deitrickson

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This is a case study of a group of students enrolled in traditional skilled trade certificate programs at a large Midwestern community college. Considering severe shortage of skilled labor in the geographic area of the college, there is great need for better understanding of ways to alleviate the labor shortage by attracting more young adults to the in-demand fields. Therefore, this case study sought to examine millennial students’ decisions to pursue careers in areas of demand. To collect input from multiple perspectives, interviews were conducted with students, college employees, and family members. The influence college-for-all culture had on their decisions …

Contradictions And Control: Michigan Elementary Teachers' Lived Experiences Of Legislated Teacher Evaluation, Kathryn N. Coffey

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The Michigan Teacher Quality and Tenure Reform bill was signed into law in July 2011. The law mandated specific requirements for annual performance evaluation of all teachers and prohibited teacher evaluation as a subject of collective bargaining. The purpose of this phenomenological, collective case study was to describe the lived experiences of Michigan elementary teachers in traditional public schools as they experienced the phenomenon of having their performance evaluated under this state-legislated teacher evaluation policy, to understand the meanings they ascribed to the phenomenon, and to synthesize those meanings to describe the essences of that experience.

Using semi-structured in-depth phenomenological …