Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons^™

Examining The Attitudes Of Preservice Teachers Toward English Learners, Annie Chou

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The rapid growth of the K-12 English Learner (EL) student population in the United States raises concerns related to their learning and growth in schools. Teachers are central figures in their students’ achievement. The influence of teachers’ attitudes on student learning and development validates the need to examine these in research studies. What influences teachers’ attitudes is an important part of understanding teachers’ attitudes towards their EL students. Certain individual characteristics including teachers’ training, may be associated with their positive attitudes. Studies have shown that effective teacher preparation programs can change preservice teacher attitudes in general and specifically towards their …

“Failure Is Not An Option”: Sub-Saharan African International Graduate Students’ Experiences In U.S. Higher Education Institutions, Alfred Acquah

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The rapid growth of international students, particularly from Sub-Saharan Africa, in U.S. higher education institutions calls for more critical research to understand their nuanced experiences in these institutions. So often, international students are homogenized and put under one umbrella, which shadows their unique experiences, especially those from developing countries and regions like Sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, the paucity of literature on these students makes it even harder to hear their voices. Therefore, there is the need to disaggregate international students to become aware of some of their subtle challenges. This study aims to explore the experiences and community cultural wealth (CCW) …

The Unexpected President: An Instrumental Case Study On Women University Presidents, Jessica Soria

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research study sought to examine the experiences of women university presidents. Despite the universal call for the diversification of higher education leadership, women are significantly underrepresented in the seat of the university presidency as higher rank university leadership positions are overwhelmingly occupied by white males. By interviewing women university presidents from diverse backgrounds and from different institutions, this instrumental case study examined their unique experiences. This study utilized two critical theoretical concepts to guide the study: intersectionality and gendered organizations theory.

We Gon' Be Alright: A Narrative Inquiry With Black Male Doctoral Students, Lashaun D. Limbrick

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation study aspired to examine the stories of what internal and external supports lead Black men to pursue, and persist through, doctoral degree programs at predominately white institutions (PWIs). Arguably, advancing one’s education towards a doctoral degree, involves several years of rigorous coursework, a comprehensive examination, degree benchmarks, and a formal dissertation study, which could provide guaranteed economic and social stability. There is a disproportionately that exists among the number of Black men being awarded doctoral degrees yearly as compared to white men. This study will examine Black males’ stories of support along the doctoral trajectory.

The study utilizes …

Opportunities For Second Language Development With The Use Of Digital Tools: Analyzing The Experience Of A Multi-Age Primary Community From An Activity Theory Perspective, Ellen Dougherty

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this eight-week study was to analyze how a multi-age primary community utilized the technology available to them from an activity theoretical perspective. In addition, it was aimed at exploring how the technology provided opportunities for second language development. The study relied on Cultural Historical Theory (CHAT) and mainstream sociocultural perspectives that originated from Vygotsky’s work, further developed by SCT theorists. This dissertation employed qualitative methodology, including in-depth interviews with members of the multi-age community: the five educators, the lead administrator, and the Educational Computing Consultant (ECS), and observations and field notes. Digital data (which included videos and …

Standardized Test And The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological Multi-Site Case Study Of Singapore And Southern Nevada Within A Culturally Responsive Evaluation Framework, Rosnidar B. Arshad

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

As world governments scramble to contain the spread on Covid-19, temporary closure of schools was enforced, and on-site classes were converted to online or virtual versions within short notice. Yet, as dictated by world society, schools must prepare students for standardized tests in order to be acknowledged as legitimate. World rankings impose pressure on school systems to target high standardized test scores in order to gain and maintain economic viability for jurisdictions. This dissertation presents the pressures of high performance in standardized tests amidst a global pandemic as a problem to be researched within a context of sociopolitical and socioeconomic …

Nos/Otrxs Que Fuimos Separados: Recovering Testimonios Of Separation And Resistance, Marcela Rodriguez-Campo

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In the U.S. xenophobia has been on the rise and current immigration policies have increased the occurrence of family separation. Experiences with family separation profoundly impact children and have a detrimental effect on their development and educational outcomes. However, limited research has been conducted exploring the long-term impacts of family separation on education, particularly as it relates to Latinx tender-age children (below the age of twelve). In the current political climate, Latinx children are precariously positioned to live under the constant threat of family separation due to anti-immigrant policies and xenophobic school climates. This hostile environment can have devastating effects …

Addressing Disproportionality In School Discipline Through Alternatives To Exclusionary Discipline Practices, Kevin Matthew Higley

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Tasked with ensuring that school environments are safe and orderly, school administrators spend an increasingly inordinate amount of time and energy on managing student discipline. Often, when students commit egregious behaviors or violate school policy, schools resort to out-of-school disciplinary consequences, i.e. suspension, expulsion, or alternative educational placements, in attempts to reduce problem behaviors from recurring. Historically though, these exclusionary discipline practices have led to the unfair treatment of some students, (e.g., Black/African American students, male students, and/or students with disabilities). This disproportionate practice is often cited as the genesis for the school-to prison pipeline phenomenon. From a behaviorist perspective, …

Examining Grit With Middle Schoolers In Diverse General Education Classrooms – Validating The Grit Scale, Cristina Liliana Reding

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Educators and researchers are still attempting to narrow the achievement gap for students in diverse needs general education classrooms. In this quest, non-cognitive skills are being researched for their potential to influence behavioral changes and to increase the academic success of diverse needs students. Grit, a newly defined non-cognitive skill, is defined as perseverance and passion for long term goals. This construct has been explored in a variety of settings but not in diverse general education classrooms, with participants from culturally, linguistically and ability diverse groups. The validity of instruments is paramount for successful studies, and current scales measuring non-cognitive …

International Faculty’S Lived Experience Of Teaching: A Multiple-Case Study Of Taiwanese Professors In The United States, Ching Hsu Kim

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In the context of higher education, a tenure-track faculty is expected to be actively engaged in scholarly activities including research, teaching and service activities. Finding a balance between personal and career lives is seen critical yet challenging especially to early-career international faculty members while they are in the face of differences and changes. Framed by theories of perezhivanie and resilience, the study examined international faculty members’ lived experiences of teaching. Interviews, blog prompts and reflection prompts were used to identify their major difficulties, perceptions and adjustments, and resilience development. Findings suggest that faculty members unavoidably encountered difficulties in their beginning …

Chatting Online: An Ethnographic Case Study Of Educator Discourse On Social Media, Lindsay J. Russell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study sought to examine the online discussions of teachers located in the Southwestern area of the United States regarding social justice issues on social media. Specifically, it looked to discover how educators in this region are attempting to assert agency when faced with socially inequitable situations. Teachers in this region are hired as public employees in a state that penalizes public workers for exhibiting opinions (SRS § 288.260, 1969).

The study utilized Cultural Historical Activity Theory along with Critical Multiculturalism to demonstrate that our present actions are culturally and historically situated while illuminating hegemonic forces. The study found that …

Centering Preservice Teachers Of Color Through Culturally Relevant Critical Teacher Care: A Critical Race Transformative Convergent Mixed-Methods Analysis, Tara Joann Plachowski

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The reproduction of white supremacist culture in schools continues to marginalize Students of Color in a variety of implicit, explicit, and systemic ways. As teachers are the one of the key arbiters of school culture, teacher education presents itself as a vital locus in need of critical inquiry and radical change. A diverse teacher workforce not only helps to disrupt the direct effects of racism on Students of Color, but also prepares all students for successful democratic participation in a diverse global society (Sleeter, 2011). This study of teacher education examines the teacher demographic diversity gap within a College of …

The Impacts Of Acculturation Patterns And Processes On Immigrants' Success In Higher Education: A Multiple Case Study Of 1.25-Generation Third-Wave Iranian Immigrants To The United States, Fereshteh Rezaeian

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The United States of America is inherently a pluralistic society composed of various groups of immigrants. As scholars (Camarota & Zeigler, 2016; Gibson, 1998) state, the number of immigrant children accounts for 20% of the total number of school-age children. Despite all attempts to provide the best education to such a great number of immigrant students, the achievement gap between immigrant and non-immigrant students still exists (Baum & Flores, 2011; Rong & Preissle, 2008). Some scholars (e.g., Ramos & Sanchez, 1995) have proposed that the key factor for immigrants to be successful in the United States is to adapt to …

Conversational Movement Dynamics And Nonverbal Indicators Of Second Language Development: A Microgenetic Approach, Kristine Marie Bragg

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation study extends on current understandings of gesture and embodied interaction with the eco-social environment in second language development (SLD) while introducing new aspects of movement analysis through dynamical modeling. To understand the role of embodiment during learning activities, a second language learning task has been selected. Dyads consisting of a non-native English-speaking student and a native English-speaking tutor were video recorded during writing consultations centered on class assignments provided by the student. Cross-recurrence quantification analysis was used to measure interactional movement synchrony between the members of each dyad. Results indicate that students with varied English proficiency levels synchronize …

College Access And African American Males: An Instrumental Case Study On The Impact Of Postsecondary Educators And Educational Leaders On Secondary Students With Postsecondary Educational Aspirations, Kimberly L. Williams

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study examined the college access experiences of successful African American males. Postsecondary education is critical for economic and social stability; however, African American males from families with low socioeconomic status have been operating in educational systems that keeps them on the margins. Many African American males report strong postsecondary educational aspirations early in their educational careers, but they encounter microaggressions that leave them feeling like outsiders-within. This study examined African American males’ college access experiences as they successfully transitioned through the K-16 educational pipeline. Further, their experiences in their role (s) as postsecondary educators or postsecondary educational leaders working …

Using Pictorial Action Instructions To Train Low-Literacy Adults To Construct A Basic Humanitarian Engineering Project, Kathleen Paco Cadman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are often disproportionately faced with environmental hazards, which can cause adverse health outcomes. Although humanitarian engineering projects have been created to mitigate these hazards, LMICs are also frequently impacted by literacy deficits, creating a barrier in training low-literacy individuals to construct these projects. The purpose of this dissertation was to develop, refine, and test the usability of pictorial action instructions (PAI) in training low-literacy individuals to construct a humanitarian engineering project. A concept analysis was completed, including the creation of an operational definition, for “lay worker health literacy.” This analysis and definition set a foundation …

Case Studies Of Teach For America Teachers’ Teacher Identity Development In Relation To English Language Learners, Refika Turgut

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to examine the teacher identity development of Teach for America (TFA) teachers in relation to English language learners (ELLs) in the context of a semester-long teaching English as a second language (TESL) course. In addition, this study aims to explore primary considerations come into play in TFA teachers’ teacher identity development as novice teachers of ELLs. The theoretical lenses guiding this study are Wenger’s Community of Practice perspective and Positioning theory (Davies & Harré, 1990). A multiple-case design is employed to examine TFA teachers’ teacher identity in relation to ELLs. Data collection took place …

Reverse Migration: Documenting How The Educational Experiences Of Transnational Youth In Mexican Schools Are Shaped By Parental Deportation, Sandra Lourdes Candel

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Research Problem

Over 500,000 U.S.-born children are living in Mexico –some due to parental deportation– experiencing a decrease in their quality of life, the stress of an unfamiliar language and culture, and difficulty accessing education. In order to support them in their transition to Mexico, and to reincorporate them into U.S. society as adults, their struggles and educational trajectories should be of great concern to the Mexican and U.S. governments, as well as higher education institutions.

Purpose

The purpose of this qualitative study was to document the educational experiences of transnational students attending schools in a border city in northern …

Co-Navigating The U.S. Educational System: A Multiple Case Study Of The Social And Academic Pressures Experienced By Iranian Immigrant Parents And Their 1.5-Generation Immigrant Children, Shahla Fayazpour

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The United States of America is a complex, diverse nation, and the number of immigrant families grows daily. Since parents and family play central roles in their children’s future and academic achievements, the purpose of this study is to examine how immigrant parents navigate their children’s education in the United States. The goal of this research is to amplify the voices of immigrant families while informing policymakers and individuals about the racial issues and barriers that immigrant families face in society and school, and about how this affects their parenting and their children’s academic performance. This research aims to reduce …

De-Colonizing Language Needs: A Critical Ethnographic Study Of Former And Current Teachers’ Language Dispositions And How Taking A Multicultural Education Course Mediates Those Dispositions, Ravijot Singh

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this critical ethnographic research was to examine how taking a Multicultural Education course mediated teachers’ language dispositions. Particularly, this study examined how language and culture have a profound connection that is largely unrecognized in the American education system, and how lack of respect for the home language of students by their teachers leads to negative attitudes towards the children and impedes students’ academic progress.

This study used a theoretical and conceptual framework that incorporate intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1991) as its research paradigm to understand the interaction and overlapping roles of language and culture in society, and how neoliberal …

Preview-View-Review: Increasing Academic Access For Students With Intellectual Disabilities Who Are English Learners, Dolores Marie Williamson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Recent changes to federal education laws for students with and without disabilities have kindled an increased interest in implementing evidence-based practices for teaching academic skills to all students, including students with severe disabilities and students learning English. Teaching students with significant disabilities who are learning English poses a unique set of challenges. To date, no research has been conducted on teaching science to students with significant intellectual disabilities who are learning English.

This study was designed to measure the effect of an evidence-based science curriculum, delivered in both English and Spanish using the preview-view-review (PVR) strategy, on the science vocabulary …

A Case Study Analysis Of Career And Technical Instructors' Development Of Multicultural Self-Awareness Through A Transformative Learning Experience, Cynthia Bezard

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

As U.S. population becomes increasingly diverse, preparing 21st century educators to teach children of diverse racial, ethnic, social class, and language backgrounds is a critical issue in teacher education. This study focused on career and technical education instructors with a business and industry teaching license and minimal or no previous exposure to multicultural education. As career and technical education is at the front line of preparing youth and adults to succeed in today’s workforce it is imperative that career and technical education instructors meet the needs of the diverse student population. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to …

Is Being Green, White? A Critical Ethnographic Study Of Social Norms In Conservation, Heather Whitesides

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Attempts to measure and implement conservation norms have consistently upheld and promoted the dominant culture’s practices and beliefs. This has led to oppression of non-dominant populations, thereby hindering these populations’ access to various opportunities to participate in conservation based activities. This has historically, and still today, led to the segregation of non-dominant populations from environmental participation and has misrepresented their beliefs and actions relative to definitions of conservation citizenship and in the broader literature on conservation, conservation measurements, outdoor recreation, and pro-environmental behavior.

This research sought to extend the existing literature on conservation, specifically on the measurements of recreation practices …

"Because Of My Identity:" Valuing The Experiences Of Latina Students In The Culturally Responsive Service-~Learning Classroom, Janessa Schilmoeller

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This qualitative case study examined the experiences of three Latina students in a higher education service-learning program. A review of service-learning literature found limited research dedicated to understanding the qualitatively different experiences of students of color operating in historically and predominantly white higher education institutions’ service-learning programs. Though the diversity benefits of service-learning are documented, research is inconclusive on whether service-learning program culture adequately meets the needs of all racially/ethnically diverse students. The study utilized student interviews and classroom observation to build understanding of the unique experiences of three Latina students participating in a service-learning course taught by a Latina …

The Development Of Language And Identity: A Sociocultural Study Of Five International Graduate Students Living In The U.S., Alexandra Dema

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this sociocultural study was to analyze the longitudinal process of identity development of international graduate students as their lives unfolded across time and experience in the second languaculture. Furthermore, it was aimed at exploring what role is attributed to second language in this process. The study relied on the mainstream sociocultural perspectives on individual development that originated from Vygotsky’s work and were further elaborated by his followers to address the issues of identity and language development of second language learners. As part of such perspectives, it integrated the unit of perezhivanie into the examination of individual experiences …

A Comparison Study Of Parents’ Perceptions Of Quality In Early Childhood Programs, Juanita Ortiz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Research has demonstrated that high quality early childhood education (ECE) programs result in short and long-term benefits that are critical for children to reach their full potential and narrow the achievement gap. Parental involvement has been accepted as integral to quality ECE programs, and parental perception drives parental involvement. Perceptions and contributions of parents and caregivers including those who do not speak English have not been adequately addressed in the research. Furthermore, research has not addressed how parental perception regarding quality in ECE programs may vary according to whether their child has or does not have a disability.

This study …

Negative Impacts Of Teacher Evaluation Reform: The Role Of Federal Policy In Student Achievement And Teacher Quality, Allison Smith

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this sequential transformative study was to elucidate the negative experiences of teachers with performance evaluations and to juxtapose the intended use of current popular teacher evaluation reform movements to the evident implementation. One may quickly assume that negative experiences with evaluation are a result of unsatisfactory teaching practices. However, this may not accurately explain the negative experiences. This study focused on the negative experience of teacher evaluation to provide a broader understanding of the impact of new evaluation policy reform on student achievement and teacher quality. Five data sources were analyzed: PAR policy, a teacher survey, district …

A Multiple Case Study Of Whiteness And Critical Literacy Practices Among White Elementary Teachers In Urban Public Schools, Amanda Rose Vandehei

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether white elementary teachers' perception of Whiteness influences critical literacy practices in elementary classrooms in an urban school district in the Southwest United States. This study consists of six white elementary school teachers.

Using Hardiman's model of White Identity Development, (WID) this study specifically explores the phenomenon of Whiteness and how teachers view themselves as having white privilege and advantage in American society. Hardiman's WID model includes five stages of white racial identity development in which a white person begins with no awareness of him or herself as a racial being and …

Black Teachers, White Schools: A Qualitative Multiple Case Study On Their Experiences Of Racial Tokenism And Development Of Professional Black Identities, Abigail Kathleen Hasberry

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

An emerging body of research shows that retention of minority independent school teachers creates a positive multicultural climate and increases the likelihood that minority families will enroll their children in the schools as well as preparing all students for a pluralistic society (Brosnan 2001b, AIMS 2010, Katz & Wishine 2001). However, retaining minority teachers in predominantly White and affluent independent schools has proved challenging (Brosnan 2001, 2001b, 2009). This qualitative multiple case study extends the current literature on Black private school teachers by not only examining the experiences, but also the coping strategies and professional identity development processes of nine …

An Analysis Of English Language Learning Instruction Provided In Teacher Education And Inservice Training Programs For General And Special Educators, Lidia E. Sedano

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

It is essential that English language learners (ELLs) are able to effectively receive an education. Recent national data indicates that the achievement gap between English and non-English learners in school is approximately a two grade-level difference (NCES, 2012). The increase of students who are learning English and who have a disability is a challenge for schools in terms of curricula adjustments, to meet the needs of this population. (Artiles & Ortiz, 2002).

The need to prepare general and special educators to provide appropriate instruction to ELLs is crucial for positive learning outcomes (Shyyan et al., 2008; Youngs & Youngs, 2001). …