Education Commons^™

Self Portraits: How The Arts May Be The Key To Equitable And Authentic Engagement For Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Student Populations, Betsy Sostak

Dissertations

As the linguistic and cultural diversity across America’s classrooms steadily increases, educators are searching for ways to meet the needs of their students. The linguistic and cultural resources our students bring are a tremendous asset, yet our country has not been able to fully realize the potential of a diverse population. While multilingual students are often perceived to lack background knowledge, connections to school, and linguistic resources, the arts have the capacity to increase engagement, connect to diverse cultural backgrounds, and transcend language barriers. In this study, I explore the ways in which educational equity may be achieved to a …

The Use Of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy In Esol Classes, Beth A. O. Haddinger

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is organized into five distinct chapters addressing multiple aspects of learning and engagement as it relates to English Language Learners (ELLs) in the classroom. First, the problem of practice is identified and explored. We, as educators, must look closely at instructional and systemic issues, actionable elements, broader strategies of improvement, and leverage, which refers to the ability of a program to motivate students and to generate a sense of practical value in academics. The next aspect of this dissertation proposal reviews the existing research literature. This literature review focuses on the specific learning needs of ELL students. Specifically …

How Female Bipoc Students At A Predominantly White Institution Think About Belonging: A Multiperspective Study, Delirio Juarez

Theses and Dissertations

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) report decreased sense of belonging compared to White students (Hunn, 2014; Hurtado & Carter, 1997; Museus et al., 2018; Strayhorn, 2019). The study aimed to answer, "What are the daily lived experiences of BIPOC students at a PWI?" and "How do BIPOC students at a PWI describe feelings of belonging (if at all)?" The study was conducted at a private, religiously affiliated, PWI, in the Western United States. The University Belonging Questionnaire (Slaten et al., 2018) was used to sort students' feelings of belonging. Female participants who …

Multicultural Mentor Texts In 2nd Grade Writer’S Workshop, Ellen R. Carbonaro

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the utilization of relevant multicultural mentor texts during writer’s workshop instruction in the second-grade classroom. The specific aim is to understand how students relate these diverse texts to their development of literacy skills. This study is grounded in the theoretical frameworks of culturally relevant education and reader response theory. Upon data triangulation analysis, the following themes were identified: 1. Multicultural Literature Promoted Engagement with Literacy, 2. Multicultural Mentor Texts as a Guide for Writing, and 3. Writing as a Social Practice within the Writer’s Workshop Model. Implications regarding the …

Understanding Multilingual/Multicultural Immigrant High Schoolers’ Multilayered Identities And Imagined Futures, Mehtap Akay

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This qualitative dissertation study explored how multilingual/multicultural immigrant high schoolers’ multilayered identities intersected and shaped their experiences and imagined futures. I used intersectionality as a social action theory (Hill-Collins, 2019) as a theoretical lens to examine how multiple aspects of multilingual/multicultural immigrant high schoolers’ identities, such as socioeconomic status (SES), race, ethnicities, immigration, linguistic, social, and cultural backgrounds intersected and affected their perceptions of self, in and out of school experiences, access to resources and support, and imagined futures. While there is an increasing number of studies about schooling experiences and inequities that multilingual/multicultural immigrant high schoolers in U.S. public …

Racial Acceptance And Behavior Incidents While Being Educated In An Elementary Dual-Language Classroom, Heather Hodal

Ed.D. Dissertations

Districts and schools are not looking at the data on racial judgments, segregation, and neighborhood quality, along with children’s friendship choices, open-mindedness, and social emotional factors to fully understand and educate others on the benefits of multiculturalism. This case study describes the impact that English-only classrooms and two-way dual language classrooms have on racial acceptance and behavior incidents for kindergarten, first, and second graders in a school located in a Midwest suburb. In utilizing The Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach & Ruffle, 2000) and Office Discipline Referrals (ODRs) to determine specific behavior problems and the Modified Subtle and Blatant Prejudice Scale …

The Quest For Equity: Multicultural Education, Corina Lieu

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus issue addressed in this Capstone Project is multiculturalism in education. This is an important issue because students deserve an education that reflects their living experiences inside and outside of the classroom. An argument is made that the lack of multiculturalism in education could foster an environment in which students would not receive an education that is equitable. Considerations of the issue should include the perspectives of the principal of a public school, and three staff members. This group of participants provide deeper insights into multiculturalism within the classrooms. After interviewing an administrator and staff members, three different actions …

Science Teachers' Perceptions Of Culturally Responsive Teaching In Majority Native American Schools In Oklahoma, Michelle Childress

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Native American students have consistently scored less than their white peers on high school academic achievement tests, have the lowest high school graduation rates, and have the lowest college enrollment rates. Research has evidenced challenges and struggles Native American children are faced with that negatively effects their success in the classroom. Native American students often encounter a disconnect between their home and school life resulting in difficulties of navigating two opposing worlds. When Native American students are associated with negative stereotype’s indicative of Native American culture as opposed to the dominant culture, this creates a conflict between their cultural identity …

Equity Battles: Multicultural Leadership For English Language Learner Students, Alfredo Pargas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study was to increase teachers’ and school leaders’ capacity and awareness to be better multicultural leaders for English Language Learner (ELL) students. This study produced several recommendations to address this issue. During this study, I used improvement science as the methodology and included a variety of stakeholders as participants. The conceptual framework used to guide this study included community cultural wealth and funds of knowledge. Using both the voices of ELL families and the input of the school equity team, which includes teachers and a school leader, we collaboratively created a six-stage intervention program to increase …

Multicultural Perceptions Of Creativity, Abby Noel Winterbrook

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Multicultural Perceptions of Creativity examined perceptions of creativity among eight creatively gifted adults from diverse backgrounds who have a profession in an arts related field. This study examined what the phenomenon of creativity is and how it is experienced. The beliefs that inform perceptions of creativity were explored. The experiences that inform perceptions of creativity were described. The interactions among beliefs and experiences were considered. The data collected revealed that creativity is an instinct that each person possesses and can activate within themselves. Creativity can be nurtured based on environment and through personal, educational, professional, and cultural experiences. Creativity involves …

Learning About Others In Multiculturalist Social Service's Curriculum In Finland: Transnational Feminism, Anti-Racist Pedagogy, And Politics Of Othering In The Curriculum, Jenni Lampinen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Social work education aims to train competent professionals to answer the needs of changing populations and society. Education includes theoretical and practical components that offer the frames for social work at different levels of society; personal, interpersonal, institutional, and structural. Primarily, multicultural social work focuses on working with populations with diverse ethnic, cultural, and racial identities that often differ from the majority population. Multicultural social work can be seen as a bridge between minority communities and society. This research was implemented using discourse analysis to examine the social services program’s curriculum of one University of Applied Sciences in the Helsinki …

Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion At Faith-Based Institutions: A Quantitative Study At Two Seventh-Day Adventist Institutions Of Higher Learning In North America, Erin Doggette

Dissertations

Problem

The need to address Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at university campuses is critical. The campus climate impacts college students' overall collegial relationships and academic abilities. Since 1976, there has been an increase of 19.1% marginalized students enrolled in college. For these students, a sense of belonging is believed to aid in improved collegial relationships and better academic performance. According to the research, students who have positive perceptions of the campus climate tend to be more satisfied with their overall college experience and become more academically successful. Private, faith-based institutions must consider conducting campus climate surveys to assess potential diversity, …

Why Culture Matters: The Importance And Effectiveness Of Creating A Multicultural Classroom When Teaching Elementary School Students In Public Schools, Haley Judith Quintana

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this Capstone Project is to analyze the benefits of having a multicultural classroom in elementary schools. Multicultural education refers to any form of education or teaching that incorporates the histories, texts, values, beliefs, and perspectives of people from different cultural backgrounds. Teaching about multiculturalism can increase not only the teacher's knowledge, but also the students' learning. From this Capstone project the researchers learned how some teachers and parents feel about having different cultures being taught in the classroom. Based on the information that is collected the researchers found ways to incorporate multiculturalism. Upon interviewing four elementary teachers …

“Be Valiente”: Investigating Ethnic Identity Through Digital Storytelling With Latinx Fourth-Grade Students, Jennifer Michelle Barreto

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Multilingual and multicultural students face the challenge of understanding where their ethnic identity lies in learning. The education system in the United States lacks inclusivity in classrooms, continuing monocultural views and monolinguist ideals as the norm and encouraged in curriculum and standards (Flores, 2020). This dissertation study seeks to break cultural and linguistic ideologies to better understand the development of ethnic identity in three Latinx fourth-grade students by creating a digital story. Through a sociocultural lens that includes a bioecological model (Bronfenbrenner, 1977; Vélez-Agosto et al., 2017) and multimodality (NGL, 1996) framework the study emphasizes all funds of knowledge (Moll …

Incorporating Multiculturalism, Mayra Garcia

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This paper explores the importance of including multicultural awareness in school classrooms. Multiculturalism has been defined as the process of recognizing, understanding and appreciating cultures other than one's own. This study answers the following research questions, What is multiculturalism? Why is multiculturalism beneficial to students? How can teachers incorporate multiculturalism into classroom instruction? In a review of literature on the importance of incorporating multiculturalism, the research shows that there are many benefits and reasons to why multiculturalism should be incorporated in classrooms. This qualitative research study investigated the understanding of multiculturalism by a cohort of pre-service teachers through a survey …

Lived Experiences Of Counselor Educators During Their Supervisory Relationship With International Counselors In Training, Vera Lucia Chimbanda

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Relational cultural theory (RCT) offered a lens for understanding clinical supervisors’ perceptions of working with international counselors in training (ICTs). All 10 participants were professional counselor educators in the role of clinical supervisors and trained in the United States who worked with ICTs by regularly providing clinical supervision for at least one semester within the last three years. They all participated in a virtual interview using an encrypted HIPAA-protected audio-conferencing platform. The findings suggest the clinical supervisors perceived their overall experiences working with ICTs led to growth-fostering relationships and cultural awareness that enriched their lives. The growth resulted from cross-cultural …

Culture Connect: Diversity Resource Toolkit, Anna Potter, Abby Nurvic, Danika Bosch-Greer, Delaney Slade, Erin Landis, Mollie Lemm, Kelsey Noble

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Culture Connect: Diversity Resource Toolkit

Globally, refugees are displaced at high rates and must integrate into a society where they are an ethnic minority. Since 2016, the International Rescue Committee has resettled over 300 refugees in Missoula; about 20% of which are school-aged children. Therefore, it is important that schools facilitate refugee inclusivity and intercultural competence within student peer groups. To aid in solving this global problem, we developed a project using the three steps of Human-Centered Design that aimed to enhance teacher competence, knowledge and increase the access to resources needed to address this global problem in the classroom …

“In The University But Not Of The University”: Examining Institutionalized Counterspaces Through A Staff Perspective, Omar A. Ramirez

Master's Theses

Using a qualitative case study, this thesis examines a university counterspace that serves Students of Color through the perspective of the staff who work in that space. The case study aimed to explore four areas of investigation: the interviewees’ knowledge and perceptions of 1) the history of their counterspace; 2) the purpose of their counterspace; 3) the benefits of their counterspace; and 4) challenges of their counterspace. The counterspace was a program within a large, 4-year, public, R-1 research university. Five staff from the counterspace were interviewed. A thematic analysis of the data suggests that students were an essential part …

Insights Into The Lived Experiences Of English Language Learners, Rina Kassem

Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to examine how schools can provide special language instruction to meet the increase in the numbers of English language learners (ELLs) and its effect on educators as well as students. This is a descriptive single case study that is focused on a public school, prekindergarten through fifth-grade located in a middle class suburb in a big metropolitan area in the Midwest. This study addresses the commonality problems that face a school system include academic performance, different cultural backgrounds, communication issues, professional development, and funding. To address these issues it is necessary to understand how …

Investigando Los Éxitos Y Las Dificultades De Implementar Un Programa De Inmersión Dual A Través De Las Perspectivas De Tres Administradores, Victoria E. Slaybaugh

World Languages and Cultures

This Modern Languages and Literatures senior project investigates and analyses the successes and struggles of implementing a dual immersion program through interviews with three dual immersion principles. In interviewing three highly experienced administrators, ample information was collected on why some programs are prosperous while others see little success. Each individual principal had unique and valuable input, especially with regard to why their respective schools changed programs from 50/50 to 90/10, why they implemented K-12, and even why they chose to eliminate the program entirely. Using supplemental studies to more thoroughly examine the historical and social context of dual immersion, this …

Self-Efficacy: A First-Generation American Educator Teaching In A Culturally Diverse Montessori Classroom, Esmeralda Cuevas

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research project investigated my teacher efficacy in a multicultural classroom with children ages 3 to 6. This was a self-study that I started during my first year of teaching in a private school in downtown Chicago. As a first generation American, I was the only participant. Throughout the four-week study, I responded to journal prompts where I reflected on daily readings of anti-bias literature and my past schooling experiences. I measured my teacher efficacy and confidence levels through weekly attitude scales and pre and post self-assessments. My emotions were tracked with tally sheets. The data showed an increase …

Thinking Through Children: Proposing Theory For Doing Critical Content Analysis Of Multicultural Children's Literature, Carmen Milagros Seda

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Theoretical constructs underpinning critical content analysis (CCA) for multicultural children's literature as a method for education as a field are currently drawn from critical literary theory. I problematize CCA methods based on claims by contributors that the methods are applicable for classroom educators, and can be applied during critical reading in classrooms with young readers. The change in audience and purpose warrants reflection on the extant theoretical underpinnings of CCA methods. Specifically, whether extant theories account for the mental life and psychoemotive needs of children and adolescents, especially as relates to agency analysis. Using a theoretical framework comprised of Childism …

Improving The Practice Of Advocacy Among Student Leaders At The University Of San Diego, Martel Serwenda

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The purpose of the study was to improve how student affairs professionals can assist student leaders involved in the United Front Multicultural Commons (UFMC) to become better advocates for their needs at the University of San Diego. Utilizing O'Leary's cycle of action research, data was gathered in four cycles that included activities that focus on student engagement. Students kept a journal detailing some of their experiences and went through interviews and a focus group. Participants were from across the entire campus, but many were involved in student organizations and the UFMC. The findings indicate that students are aware of advocacy …

The Exploration Of Multicultural Pedagogy On Rural Student Global Literacy And College Preparedness, Katelyn E. Kreis

Ed.D. Dissertations

The study of the effectiveness of multicultural pedagogy on student global literacy and college preparedness is a topic of concern for educators and students. Multicultural education is a multifaceted pedagogical approach in which educators provide diverse experiences for students to learn to work within the global society. The purpose of this research study was to explore the influence multicultural pedagogy has on rural student global literacy and college preparedness. The quantitative approach examined: differences between urban and rural samples, multicultural pedagogy, global citizenship, college preparedness, U.S. interconnectedness, and confidence of new literacies between students in a traditional instructional setting (N …

Benefits Of Bilingual Education Programs For Elementary School Students, Jesica Moreno

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The benefits of bilingual education programs are endless; however, with Prop 227, students were disregarded the opportunity to learn in a more accepting, multicultural classroom environment. Now with the passage of the new Prop 58 in recent year, it is important for our community to become more familiar with the most effective bilingual education programs and their benefits on students. The purpose of this senior capstone is to examine the benefits of bilingual education programs on elementary school students through a literature review, interviews with teachers, and interviews with parents. The results reveal that the benefits of bilingual education programs …

Master’S-Level Counseling Students’ Experience Of Expressive Arts Techniques In A Cacrep Multicultural Counseling Course, Cameron Houin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Counseling governing bodies have defined what should be prioritized in multicultural counseling courses, including students’ multicultural knowledge and awareness; however, best practice regarding how to teach these multicultural concepts has largely been left up to the counselor educator. Counselor educators have begun implementing expressive arts techniques in the classroom, but very little literature exists related to using such techniques in a multicultural course in a manner that positively influence counseling students’ multicultural competency.

The purpose of this study was to explore master’s-level counseling students’ experience of expressive arts techniques utilized during their multicultural counseling course. Ten student participants took part …

Anti-Bias Multicultural Education Using Children’S Literature, Rebecca Yates

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research project was completed to test the effects of reading and discussing multicultural children’s literature on young children’s positive self-concept and appreciation of human differences. The setting was a Montessori primary (preK-K) classroom of 18 children, ages two years 10 months to five years 10 months. Ten children were White, four were biracial, three were Asian American, and one was Latin American. Data was collected using a tally sheet, picture test, self-concept test, discussion log, and self-assessment journal. Readings took place each day and books centered on topics such as individuality, race, skin color, diversity, inclusion, and activism. …

Multicompetence, Multiple Intelligences And First-Year Composition Students, Patricia Rice'-Daniels

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine, gain, and ultimately share an understanding of certain cognitive differences, similarities, intelligence patterns, and preferences between competent monolingual (English) and multicompetent bilingual/multilingual first-year composition (FYC) college students. Within this project is an attempt to address the following questions: Do monolingual and bilingual/multilingual FYC students show different strengths and weaknesses in their cognitive abilities? Are there learning preferences and literacy differences or similarities between monolingual and bilingual/multilingual FYC students?

Primarily, two cognitive concepts were used in this examination to provide perspectives and quantitative data in response to the above questions. First, is Vivian …

Developing A Culturally Relevant Pedagogy Through The Use Of Diverse Literature And Perspective-Taking: A Resource Guide, Katie Dushek

Honors Projects

There is a growing diverse population in today’s secondary schools, yet the literary canon that is taught remains extremely white. Additionally, students today are rarely challenged to step into another’s shoes to see from a different perspective. With this lack of diversity in mind, I have created a resource guide with the goal of helping in-service and pre-service teachers to develop a more culturally relevant pedagogy through the use of diverse literature in their curriculum and the incorporation of more perspective-taking activities into their lessons. This guide provides a list of diverse books, recommendations on how to teach more diverse …

Development Of Supportive Learning Communities In Multicultural And Multilingual Classrooms, Katherine G. Filion

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Schools are experiencing an increase in diversity – such factors include culture, religion, primary language, race, socioeconomic level, ethnicity, family composition, gender, and previous experience, as well as ability level – of which challenges educators to reanalyze their pedagogical approach to the development of learning communities. A community-based approach to learning is founded in the belief that learning involves the whole person, fostering emotional and intellectual growth due to the development of trusting relationships. This requires teachers to provide a safe, secure and respectful environment with positive and consistent relationships among adults, children, and their peers; where there is collective …