Education Commons^™

The Pathway To A Senior Housing Officer, A Latino Man’S Journey, Javier Gutierrez

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study presents my experience as a Latino male entering the field of residential life and working my way to a senior level housing officer position. My personal account is situated in the context of the greater societal issues of how identity and mentorship are significant in a successful path into residential life. The significance of this study results from the low number of Latinos obtaining and moving up the ranks in residential life. The number of Latinos in the United States is increasing and the number of Latino students entering higher education is growing. Staffs working in student affairs …

Perceptions Of Cultural And Linguistic Preparedness: Deaf And Hard Of Hearing College Students’ Beliefs About Their K-12 School Setting, Rebecca Rosenbarker

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, do deaf and hard of hearing university students think their K-12 setting prepared them to succeed linguistically and culturally in both the Deaf and hearing communities? This research examines the survey responses of 11 deaf and hard of hearing university students through a mixed-methods approach. Through this research, the following trends were identified. First, the majority of participants found their school setting helped prepare them linguistically and culturally for the hearing world. Next, the majority of students from mainstream settings did not feel their school prepared them linguistically or culturally for the …

Why Are African American Males Dropping Out Of High School? A Case Study, Michael Charles Cochies Knight

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

When hearing the question; why are African American males dropping out of high school? A number of things can come to mind as to what may or may not be some of the reasons. What I have done in this capstone, is set out with the objective of narrowing down the list of possible answers to the research question. To the most poignant research based issues currently afflicting African American male youth, and contributing to the rise in the dropout rate of African American male youth.

Identity-Focused Second Language Acquisition: A Systematic Review Of Classroom Applications, Heather Lynn Stockton

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project is, what does research say about identityfocused second language acquisition (SLA) as applied in the classroom? The aim of this study is to provide stakeholders in ESL contexts with an overview of existing research on identity-focused SLA with particular emphasis on classroom applications. This information is investigated in the hopes of uncovering practical tools and strategies for educators to use in support of both SLA and identity development. Identity-based SLA is defined and discussed using Bonny Norton’s (2006) five beliefs about identity as a framework. Twenty-four studies with classroom applications of identity-focused SLA …

Teacher Perceptions Of Their Preparation To Meet The Needs Of Secondary English Learners With Limited Formal Education, Kristina Marie Herman Hill

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

As more immigrants and refugees make the Upper Midwest their home, many English Learner (EL) teachers are struggling to meet the various needs of students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE), especially at the secondary level. The purpose of this study was to examine secondary teacher perceptions of their preparation to meet the unique needs of SLIFE and to examine what types of preparation would have been helpful to them. Sixteen secondary EL teachers who work with SLIFE were surveyed and four were interviewed to share their perceptions of their preparation. The overall result of the survey was that …

Creating Picture Books That Feature Children Parented By Same-Sex Partners, Kira Lenore Fischler

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project is, how can an author create a picture book for children featuring families parented by same-sex partners that provides windows into and mirrors of the lives of those families? This capstone captures the journey of one teacher as she creates a picture book for children that is culturally responsive to the Lesbian/ Gay/Bisexual/Transgendered (LGBT) community. It presents research on the effects absent narratives have on marginalized populations and how schools respond to children from LGBT families, as well as the different typologies of picture books, guidelines for developmental appropriateness, and advice on the …

Literacy Intervention For Adolescents: A Review Of Spanish Language Heritage Instruction, Heidi Palms

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study is a systematic review of current research regarding Spanish language heritage instruction with a focus on middle and high school. With substantial evidence in the field at the elementary level indicating that literacy development of L1 supports the literacy development of L2, this study seeks to determine what current research shows regarding Spanish heritage instruction in middle and high school. Is there evidence of literacy gains in L2 English due to L1 Spanish instruction during adolescence? The final selection of studies from the systematic review includes a broad range of methodology, and correspondingly produces a broad range of …

Teacher Cognitions In Relation To Pedagogical Practices And Transformative Learning For Purposes Of Pre-Service Teacher Education, Robin Reginald Bell

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study purpose is to explore the connection of teacher beliefs, knowledge about education, teaching, and learning in relation to classroom practice of university academics, who use transformative pedagogies to teach education courses on diversity, social justice and equity. The study is built on the assumption that teaching is a cultural construct (Hollins, 2011b). Second, the study is built on the assumption that human learning is a multi-dimensional and complex process mediated through culture and situated in a particular institutional setting (Wertsch et al., 1995).

The study attempts to accomplish this aim through an interpretive, qualitative evaluation of one, African-American …