Education Commons^™

A Qualitative Case Study In Esl Education: Navigating Sexual Identities And Queerness In Language Learning On The Us-Mexico Border, Majd Sarah

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to explore the language learning experiences of community college students who self-identify as LGBTQ+ and study English as a Second Language (ESL) on the U.S.-Mexico border. In order to understand the relationship between ESL language learning and the identities of community college LGBTQ+ students on the US Mexico border, data was collected using semi-structured life-history interviews of three participants. This examination was framed in the theory of social identity and the theory of performativity. Findings were analyzed using a discourse analysis approach that highlights the meaning making of student experiences and their …

Examining Discourses In A College Readiness Program: A Qualitative Study, Kendra Marie Farr

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In the past ten years, there has been an increase in the Hispanic student population incollege across the United States (Krogstad et al. 2022). However, U.S. Census Bureau statistics (2021; 2022) have shown that they are still less likely to attain a four-year degree compared to their White counterparts. To begin understanding why this occurs, researchers look to curriculum at the high school level to see how students are becoming college ready. High schools utilize college readiness programs to help students prepare for the rigor of college courses. One program is an elective course offered at primary and secondary levels …

Exploring Undergraduate Research Experiences And Perceptions Of Responsible And Ethical Conduct Of Research (Recr) Education In The Biological Sciences And (Bio)Chemistry Disciplines, Bernice Justina Caad

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Increasing calls to reform undergraduate (UG) education within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines have emphasized the importance of early exposure to responsible and ethical conduct of research (RECR) education. Historically, RECR has primarily been presented at the post-baccalaureate level, leaving many students without a foundational understanding of what responsible research ethics entails during the course of their undergraduate experience. Over the last decade, course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have emerged as a promising platform to establish expectations of responsible and ethical conduct through greater accessibility and inclusivity, starting at the freshman level. Interestingly, few studies have examined how …

Reflecting On The Diversity, Equity, And Social Justice In Education (Desje) Program, Alyssa Nichole Huizar

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice in Education (DESJE) program is one where as an educator, I was able to expand my knowledge on theories and practices which encourage the application of equitable and culturally responsive perspectives within the classroom and the curriculum being taught to students. The DESJE program enabled me to have the relevant knowledge necessary to formulate and enact actionable strategies within my own practice which authentically support my students of diverse backgrounds and encourage them to see themselves in the material that they are learning. I have long been an advocate for social justice issues, particularly …

Translanguaging In Science Emergent Bilingual Classrooms, Maria Fernanda Moya

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Overall, this literature review seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the research on translanguaging in the science classroom at middle school and high school levels and to highlight its potential as a pedagogical approach to promote scientific inquiry and support the linguistic and cultural diversity of emergent bilingual students. By synthesizing existing research and identifying openings in the literature, this review aims to contribute to ongoing discussions about the role of language in science education and the importance of promoting equitable access to scientific knowledge for all bilingual learners. Various case studies around translanguaging in STEM education have been …

Reflecting On The Diversity, Equity, And Social Justice In Education (Desje) Program, Alyssa Nichole Huizar

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice in Education (DESJE) program is one where as an educator, I was able to expand my knowledge on theories and practices which encourage the application of equitable and culturally responsive perspectives within the classroom and the curriculum being taught to students. The DESJE program enabled me to have the relevant knowledge necessary to formulate and enact actionable strategies within my own practice which authentically support my students of diverse backgrounds and encourage them to see themselves in the material that they are learning. I have long been an advocate for social justice issues, particularly …

Systematization Of Central Office Support For Schools In Need Of Improvement In A South Texas School District, Louisa Aguirre-Baeza

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Independent school district central office administrators were challenged with defining, detailing and disseminating systems of support and structure during the unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic. To maintain focus on instruction during a pandemic that caused needed attention on quarantined environments and remote learning structures, campus administrators were tasked with making school happen without being in their school building environments that were structured for instruction. This research presents an intentional production of knowledge through actions and experiences of one Texas school district that provided effective instruction that earned them an A-rating from the Texas Education Agency. Through the leadership and …

El Que No Tranza, No Avanza: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Mexican American Community College Students On The U.S.-Mexico Border In Becoming Philosophers, Manuela Alejandra Gomez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of seven Mexican American community college philosophy students in their journeys to becoming philosophers in the U.S.-Mexico border, between El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Philosophy is one of the least diverse academic fields in the United States (Jones, 2020) and often excludes women and people of color (Alcoff, 2013; Ferrer, 2012; Galea, 2017; Haslanger, 2013 Hutchinson & Jenkins, 2013; Leuschner, 2015; Saul, 2012; Wilson, 2012). Therefore, I examine what it means to be a philosopher to these seven Mexican American students and their processes of …

Encontre Mi Voz: Consejitos De Mi Madre, Testimonio Del Margen: Experiences Of A Former Chicana Administrator In Student Services At A Hispanic Serving Institution, Carla Cardoza

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

For a very long time, Chicanas have experienced longstanding marginalization and oppression in higher education. They have been subjected, degraded and their voice silenced due to long-standing discrimination and oppression. Thus, the number of Chicanas in leadership roles in higher education is dismal. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how I found my voice through testimonio and self-reflection of my endured experiences and challenges as a former Chicana administrator in student services at a Hispanic Serving Institution. This study employed the theoretical frameworks of consejos and consejitos (Delgado Gaitan, 1994; Sanches & amp; Hernandez, 2020) and a …

Reflections On Pre-Kindergarten Pedagogical Practices For Latine Preschoolers: An Autoethnography, Cynthia Chavez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This personal reflexive account of my experiences as a Latine Pre-K teacher and Instructional Coach represents the adversities that many early childhood education public school teachers face within marginalized public-school campuses. Using myself as the subject and researcher within the context of area public school districts provided the drive to seek social justice for disadvantaged Latine preschoolers in their quest for an equitable footing in public school offerings. Through the participant's lens, I chronicle my experiences as a prekindergarten public-school teacher and later as a multi-district instructional coach using the qualitative methodology of both emotive and analytical/interpretive viewpoints. This genre …

Rising Responsiveness: The Roles And Influence Of U.S-Mexico Borderland Public University Board Leaders On Student Diversity, Daniel Rodriguez Dominguez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The study sought to learn how governing boards of public university systems located along the U.S.-Mexico border exercise their roles and influence over matters of student diversity. Traditionally, governing boards have been dominated by older white males and have concentrated their attention on high-level financial issues. In addition, the boards have enacted policies and rules directed to traditional student populations of young white males who earn their bachelor's degrees in four years. This notion is no longer valid and is being challenged by increasingly enrolling diverse communities. Student body composition on campuses nationwide have changed noticeably since the beginning of …

The Effects Of An Intervention Using Pokemon Trading Card Game On The Decoding Abilities Of Children, Derek Emmett

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The present study focuses on illustrating the relationship between word decoding instruction and word decoding abilities within the context of a trading card game. Additionally, an argument for reading motivation and improvement of literacy skills is made. Three participants between the ages of 9 and 13 were recruited for participation in this study. Several decoding strategies such as phonemic awareness and morphological awareness strategies were implemented and trained over the course of several trading card games. Performance in decoding of several lists of compiled nonwords following treatment phases were systematically measured by the researcher. Two of the three participants demonstrated …

Experiencing Transition: Bilingual Teachers' Voices In A Dual Language Program, Beatriz Garcia Soria

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study is to gain insight into the experience of bilingual teachers undergoing a change of bilingual education program, from a TBE model to a DLBE model . This study documents the ways the bilingual teachers experienced changes in their language ideologies, their teaching practices, and the support, or lack thereof, from the administration and the community. This study contributes to the existing literature on bilingual teachers and bilingual education by centering the voices of the teachers during the process of change of bilingual education models. The study also adds to the literature because of the …

A Qualitative Case Study Of The Role Of Reflective Practices In Pre-Service Dance Teachers' Development Of Pedagogical Content Knowledge And Critical Consciousness, Josey Marie Pickett

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative case study investigates the ways stakeholders in a senior/seminar teaching practicum construct and engage in reflection. It also explores the ways these modes of reflection intersect with pre-service dance teachersâ?? development of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and critical consciousness (CC). Specifically, the study contributes to the minimal amount of literature on the use of reflective practices in dance teacher education by using the theoretical framework of reflection-in-action and embodiment to bring greater attention to the informal, social, dialogical, and embodied dimensions of teaching and learning. Themes identified related to pre-service dance teachersâ?? development of PCK and CC in …

Ready Or Not, Here I Come: Understanding The Cohort-Based College Readiness Experiences Of Economically Disadvantaged First-Generation Latinx Early College High School Students, Dianna Rios

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Economically disadvantaged Latinx students have continued to graduate high school at higher rates; however, despite various college readiness initiatives, colleges and universities have been least successful in retaining and graduating Latinx of any group. Several studies have indicated that too many high school students are graduating ill-prepared to handle the demands of post-secondary education and successfully earn a college degree. Given the increase in national and state goals to improve college readiness outcomes, this study examined the college readiness experiences of economically disadvantaged, first-generation Latinx students in cohort-based practices such as ECHS, AVID, and NTN. In addition to understanding how …

Epistemological Framing In Statistics Courses For Psychology Students, Carlos Manuel Vargas

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

As psychology grows in popularity, most students select professions related to therapy, which constantly deem statistics courses as irrelevant and accentuate negative attitudes. This study explores perspectives of knowledge, also known as epistemological frames, that students enrolled in a psychology-based course in statistics generate and the extent to which these relate to attitudes. Research evidence the existence of productive and unproductive epistemological frames; the former involves automatic thought processes that require minimal effort or sense of voluntary control, while the latter prompts conscious learning efforts. This study follows an explanatory sequential design as it begins with a quantitative phase analyzing …

A Systematic Compilation Of The Diversity, Equity, And Social Justice In Education (Desje) Program, Cynthia Ochoa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Exceling in formal education is one way to improve a personâ??s social mobility and life chances (McMahaon & Oketch, 2013). However, there is a long line of educational inequity in the United States from the founding of the nation to the present. People of color and minorities have fought long and hard for educational equity, with the most effective approaches being grassroots mobilization and court battles (Lopez & Burciaga, 2014). This includes examples such as California schools denying entrance to Chinese American children to enter schools based on their ancestry in the 1800s; the arrest of Margaret Douglass for teaching …

When The Odds Are Against You: A Critical Literature Review Of The Pedagogical Implications Of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Cynthia Ochoa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Exceling in formal education is one way to improve a personâ??s social mobility and life chances (McMahaon & Oketch, 2013). However, there is a long line of educational inequity in the United States from the founding of the nation to the present. People of color and minorities have fought long and hard for educational equity, with the most effective approaches being grassroots mobilization and court battles (Lopez & Burciaga, 2014). This includes examples such as California schools denying entrance to Chinese American children to enter schools based on their ancestry in the 1800s; the arrest of Margaret Douglass for teaching …

From Teacher To Campus Leader: An Autoethnographic Study Of An Assistant Principal At A New Mexico Elementary Campus Post Covid-19, Mona E. Plaza

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic began its effect on public school education. With online classes, students without remote access, and teachers with little to no experience in technology-based instruction, students, parents, and teachers were navigating the unknown. We have returned to campus, and routines are back in place, but education will never be the same. This autoethnography explores the first year of a teacher transitioning to an assistant principal on a small New Mexico elementary school campus as the education system recovers from the fallout of the pandemic. The purpose of this study is to use research as a …

A Case Study On Understanding How Servingness Is Enacted Through Undergraduate Academic Advising At A Hispanic-Serving Institution (Hsi) On The U.S.-Mexico Border, Brenda Velazquez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Both undergraduate academic advising and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) play a key role in Latinx student success. The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to explore servingness within the context of undergraduate academic advising at Border University (BU) - an HSI on the U.S.-Mexico border. The overarching research questions were: 1) How is servingness enacted through undergraduate academic advising at BU? and 2) What role do academic advisors play in enacting servingness? Conceptually, this study was guided by Garcia et al. (2019) Multidimensional Conceptual Framework of Servingness in HSIs and the existing literature on HSIs.

Data was collected from twelve …

Incorporating Community Science In Improving Environmental Data Quality Through Model Based Reasoning Techniques, John Gilbert Olgin

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation will address the questions: In what ways can MBR theory be applied to designtraining that will improve the capacity of Citizen scientists to collect and analyze high quality scientific data? To what degree does this training impact their ability to formulate complex understandings of environmental problems in their Citizen? The project will be comprised of three research objectives focused in three sections, carried out with NASAâ??s GLOBE Observer Citizen Science Program:

Section 1: An analysis of existing GLOBE data will be conducted, identifying whereerrors in data collection originate. At least three principal errors will be selected from this …

A Mixed Method Approach To Explore Lecturers' Pedagogical And Content Knowledge, Students' Perspectives And Learning Experiences In Mathematics For Social Science Course, Julio Hector Solis

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Research indicates that institutions and teachers' pedagogical and content knowledge are essential to student learning and achievement. Nevertheless, teachers' knowledge and practices have been researched primarily in K-12th grades. Therefore, there is a gap in understanding teaching practices in higher education. Moreover, research has forgotten about exploring math classes for non-STEM majors. With this in mind, this research investigates how students perceive math professors' pedagogical and content knowledge and their effect on students' learning experiences in the context of mathematics for social science classes. To achieve this, this study takes a mixed-methods approach in its use of an observation protocol, …

An Intrinsic Case Study On The Implementation Of Project-Based Learning For Emergent Bilinguals And The Role Of Teacher Self-Efficacy At A Dual Language Campus On The U.S.-Mexico Border, Guadalupe Vela

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to understand the implementation of PBL at a dual-language campus on the U.S.-Mexico border (Stake, 2000). Project-based learning in a dual language setting can meet the demand for all students, especially emergent bilinguals, to receive equal and equitable learning opportunities that promote access to content knowledge regardless of student language proficiency (Howard et al., 2007; O’Brien et al., 2014). However, the success of implementing an innovation, such as PBL, is facilitated by the teacher’s belief in the tools and ability to enact the approach (Bandura, 1977). Therefore, the study also considered how …

Faculty Experiences Teaching In An Mba Program In The Context Of Covid-19 A Sensemaking Approach, Jesus Rolando Nuñez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Sensemaking framework is often utilized when disruptive events create ambiguity and force individuals to make sense of things differently, personally and professionally, by "structuring the unknown" (Waterman, 1990, p.41). By way of example, the COVID-19 pandemic was a significant disruptor to the education sector. Institutional decisions driven by the initial crisis kept daily functions and the educational process moving forward in 2020 by faculty members leveraging existing technology to continue teaching their students. The pandemic disrupted the daily routine of brick-and-mortar operations and many institutions' face-to-face delivery of academic content. The implications of the pandemic forced every faculty member …

Teachers' Perspectives On Decolonizing U.S. Curriculum For Latinx Through Ethnic Studies Programs At The Middle And High School Levels, Richard Varela

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand the implementation of an ethnic studies program with an emphasis on Mexican American Studies at the middle and high school level, in a district located along the Mexican/U.S. frontera. Ethnic Studies are a critical, interdisciplinary academic field of study that acknowledges that race, and racism are embedded in every U.S. system, especially our educational institution. As a critical pedagogy, ethnic studies validate and encourages the voices and viewpoints of the marginalized, while analyzing and criticizing dominant influences that promote â??normalizingâ?? of racialized inequality (de los Rios, 2013). At the center of ethnic …

Using Culturally Responsive Teaching And Funds Of Knowledge To Engage Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Students In Authentic Learning, Marybelle Gonzales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This study employed the theoretical frameworks of Culturally Responsive Teaching and Funds of Knowledge as lens for understanding how English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers in the Texas border region use culturally responsive teaching and funds of knowledge to engage culturally diverse students in authentic learning. The results of this study include the following themes: Curriculum, instruction and assessment of culturally and linguistically diverse students; lessons learned from virtual/online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic; culturally responsive teaching practices; funds of knowledge; and authentic learning. The results indicated that while English as a Second Language (ESL) in …

"Building The Plane As We Fly It": Tesmonios Of First-Time Mexican American Studies High School Teachers During The 2021-2022 School Year In Southwest Texas., Jesse Soledad Arrieta

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Mexican American Studies, as a course, was approved by the Texas State Board of Education in 2019. However, there were no provisions on how the course would be implemented or supported by school districts in Texas. Further, in 2021, Texas House Bill 3797 and Senate Bill 3 were passed into law, aiming at the heart of Ethnic Studies - Critical Race Theory (CRT). Utilizing testimonio as methodology and method, I sought to understand the experiences of first-time Mexican American Studies high school teachers implementing Mexican American Studies during the 2021-2022 school year in Southwest Texas. Testimonio interviews with six teachers …

Forecasting Solar Flares Using Shallow And Deep Learning Rechniques, Sumi Dey

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Solar flares, which are large sudden increases in X-ray flux, can damage satellite infrastructure,hamper power grids, disrupt Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and impair long-distance communication. Thus, the accurate prediction of solar flares has high practical importance and numerous approaches to the problem have been proposed. While these works have shown promising results, they have also highlighted the inherent difficulty of the problem, as solar flares are rare and heterogeneous events and the physical phenomena that give rise to them are still not well-understood. Solar flare prediction is normally posed as a classification problem, where a sequence of measurements is classified …

The Principal's Role In The Implementation Of Professional Learning Communities: From Compliance To Change, Cindy Corinne Contreras

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Campus administrators have the responsibility to be both building managers and instructional leaders ensuring they are improving instructional practices and student achievement. Learning how these specific tasks can be accomplished while maintaining all their other campus responsibilities is critical to the success of aspiring administrators. This work can and has been accomplished through the implementation of weekly professional learning communities (PLC) with administrators playing an active role in these meetings. Through interviews, observations, and a focus group discussion this study seeks to better understand the role of the administrator in the implementation and process of professional learning communities. This research …

High School Career Guidance: From The View Of A Street-Level Bureaucrat, George Clair Thomas

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

High school counselors struggle to complete the tasks assigned to them. Often serving more than 500 students, counselors must address requirements specified by the American School Counselor Associationâ??s national model. They must also perform duties required by state and local policy, as well as campus-designated priorities. Empirical studies of school counselors have focused on identifying the duties that counselors perform, the effectiveness of training that counselors have received, and issues that occur from the standpoint of local control of counselor duties. I found no study that identified how counselors prioritize what they do or the level of discretion that counselors …