Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons^™

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, …

Teachers' Cultural Competence And Students' Perception Of The Social Classroom Climate In Culturally Different Middle School Classrooms, Olivia L. R. Spence

Dissertations

Problem

Teachers and students often come from different cultural backgrounds, so classrooms are increasingly becoming the venue where interactions, if not appropriately managed, will produce a social climate not conducive to learning. The present study seeks to determine to what extent teacher cultural competence impacts student perception of the classroom social environment.

Method

The Teacher Multicultural Attitudes Survey was used to quantify teachers’ cultural competence and a Social Classroom Climate Measure was used to gather scores on the four key factors of the social climate. Hierarchical Linear Modelling was used to assess the influence of teacher cultural competence and several …

Diversity And Student Engagement In A Small Multi-Ethnic Liberal Arts University In California, Yamileth Bazan

Dissertations

Problem

As the general population of minorities continues to increase nationwide, so has the number of underrepresented racial/ethnic groups qualified to enter higher education. While some public universities are responding to various diversity initiatives and changes, a number of institutions, especially small liberal arts colleges, have been less responsive to these changes in demographics. As liberal arts colleges begin to plan more effectively to respond to a more pluralistic student body, more understanding is needed about the student engagement patterns of these underrepresented groups. This study looks at the engagement patterns of a small liberal arts research university in Southern …

Instructors' Perceptions Of The Bologna Model Of Higher Education Reform In Cameroon, Zachary Y. Mngo

Dissertations

Problem Statement. The literature on education in Cameroon suggests that there is a deep-rooted history of resistance to educational reform and harmonization both at the K12 and higher education levels. Attempts by political and educational leaders to reform and harmonize the two very distinct systems of education, inherited from former colonizers (France/Britain), have failed in the past because of failure by policy makers to take care of the socio-cultural, professional, and academic demands of educational stakeholders—faculty, students, parents, and educational leaders. At the center of resistance has been the fear by Francophone and Anglophone students and faculty that their …

Factors That Contribute To The Educational Success Of Haitian-American Women, Magdana Louis

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that influence academic success among Haitian-American women.

Methodology. A survey research method was used in this study. A quantitative approach was taken when analyzing the data. For this study, 213 Haitian-American women with college degrees completed the Inventory of College Success for Haitian-American Women. One descriptive analysis was conducted and 10 hypotheses were tested by one-way ANOVA.

Results. This study examined 16 dependent variables and 10 independent variables with 10 hypotheses. The results indicated that Haitian-American women perceived self-motivation, financial assistance, accessibility to resources, self-perception, time management, spiritual …

Teacher Success, Assessment, And Evaluation Practices In Service-Learning Composition Courses, Faith-Ann Abiola Mcgarrell

Dissertations

Problem. Over the last 15 years, service-learning in first-year composition has emerged as a critical area of study. Service-learning in composition places students in writing environments within the community, encourages reading and writing about social issues, and provides the opportunity for students to participate in community projects. A significant problem with this approach is the alignment between outcomes of the discipline and those of service. Practitioners feel that a clear understanding of compatibility between the two areas of study would result in better practice and further buy-in by those who do not teach from a service-learning perspective.

Method. In service-learning …

Exemplary Bilingual Teachers In Puerto Rico: A Multiple-Case Study, Aurea Laracuente Araújo

Dissertations

Problem. Within a context of inadequate pre-service training, insufficient administrative support, and an ambivalent social environment regarding the teaching of ESL in Puerto Rico, a number of conscientious bilingual teachers try to overcome the odds of the system and have an impact on students' ability to speak English. Some even become exemplary teachers. How do they learn to meet so many expectations successfully in spite of real short comings found in their job, and how do they acquire the skills and competencies necessary to be exemplary bilingual teachers in Puerto Rico?

Method. A qualitative multiple-case study design was …

The Effectiveness Of The Writing Workshop Model To Teach An English-As-A-Second-Language College Writing Course In Puerto Rico: A Look At Students' Outcomes, Marie Jacqueline Agésilas

Dissertations

Problem. Questions have been raised regarding the number of limited-English-proficient students who enter undergraduate schools every year. This study was designed to look at the effectiveness of the Writing Workshop model in improving English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) college students' writing skills in a small liberal arts university in Puerto Rico.

Method. Students registered in two Intermediate English-as-a-Second-Language writing classes were asked to take a pretest-posttest related to writing skills and a pretest-posttest related to composition skills to indicate their level of agreement for each of the 22 statements on a Likert-type (survey) instrument--strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (4)--related to their attitudes …

The Relationships Between Attitude, Motivation, Anxiety, And Proficiency In English As A Second Language Of First-Year University Students In Puerto Rico, Carmen Mercedes Cortés

Dissertations

Purpose of the study. The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes, motivation, and anxiety levels of first-year university students toward the learning and use of English as a second language. The study also examined the nature of the relationships between attitudes, motivation and anxiety, and English proficiency asmeasured by the College Entrance Examination Board.

Method. A Spanish version of The Attitudes/Motivation Test Battery (Gardner, 1985a), "Espejo de Actitudes: Aprendizaje del Inglés como Segundo Idioma en Puerto Rico," was administered to first-year college students at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus. These students came from various …

Cognitive And Non-Cognitive Characteristics As Predictors Of College Success Among African-American And Caucasian Students In A Comprehensive Community College, Denise Marie Scameheorn

Dissertations

Problem. This study examined the relationship of selected cognitive and non-cognitive characteristics of community college students, particularly Aftican-American and Caucasian students, with self-concept, class attendance patterns, and GPA.

Method. The subjects were 185 community college students. They completed the Non- Cognitive Questionnaire and the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory. Demographic data were obtained from the college student database. Instructors provided attendance and grade records.

Results.

1. Student self-concept was related to age, academic background and skills, and selected learning and study strategies.

2. Student class attendance was related to family support, ethnicity, academic background and skills, and motivation.

3. Student …

Teaching Strategies And Adaptations Of Teachers In Multiculturally Diverse Classrooms In Seventh-Day Adventist K-8 Schools In North America, Annabelle I. Lopez

Dissertations

Problem. The rapid growth of diverse populations is affecting the educational system, and teachers often have not received training in multicultural education. The goal of this study is to document the multicultural teaching experiences of elementary Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) teachers in the United States and Canada.

Method. Survey questionnaires were sent to elementary school teachers to ascertain training, goals, paradigms, and challenges in teaching students from diverse cultures. Through a purposive sampling process, three teachers were chosen for in-depth interviews and observation.

Results. Seventy percent of the 1,780 questionnaires sent out were returned. Many teachers reported receiving training in their …

Experiences Assisting Or Hindering The Academic And Social Integration Of African American Students At Southwestern Michigan College, Naomi L. Ludman

Dissertations

Problem. Attrition rates of minority students in general and African American students in particular have remained high in postsecondary education, particularly at community colleges. To gain information that is most useful for implementing policies and actions that will increase the retention and achievement of minority students, Tinto has maintained that colleges should not rely solely on systems-wide research, but should study their own students.

Method. This case study used Tinto’s longitudinal model of institutional departure to investigate the experiences of six African American students at a rural community college in southwestern Michigan. Analysis of the data from a series of …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Psychological Androgyny And College Adjustment Among Korean American College Students, Daniel Donghyun Kim

Dissertations

Problem. The process of adjusting to college has been difficult for many Korean-Americans because of the tension that exists between traditional sex roles versus androgynous sex roles. While it has opened doors to new and exciting opportunities in personal growth, complex challenges of academic, emotional, and social adjustments must be made. The traditional views of the subculture have posed unique problems for young Korean Americans who have enrolled in higher education. This descriptive study examined the relationship between androgynous flexibility and the college adjustment of Korean American students. Androgynous flexibility was investigated in terms of college adjustment.

Method. The sample …

Selected Variables Related To The Knowledge Of, Attitude Towards, And Utilization Of Bilingual Education Services By Spanish American Parents In Two Michigan Cities, Ricardo Garcia Rodriguez

Dissertations

Problem. There has been much controversy over bilingual education programs during the past decade. This has attracted the attention of the news media and local communities throughout the United States. However,parents' views, expectations, or attitudes toward bilingual-education services have not been adequately surveyed. Thus, the problem for this research was to identify which variables or combination of variables are significantly related to: (1) how knowledgeable the parents are regarding bilingual-education services; (2) what attitude they have toward these services; and (3) whether they utilize the bilingual-education services for their children. It was the purpose of this study to discover relationships …

Psycho-Social Factors Influencing The Learning Of A Second Or A Foreign Language, Dora Mae Rodgers

Dissertations

Problem. With bilingualism now a world-wide phenomenon, language has become a powerful force for unity both at home and abroad. This, along with increased immigration, has emphasized the need for the study of second or foreign languages. In the United States, bilingualism and the learning of English as a second language are outstanding educational problems. Psycho-socio-cultural factors, attitudes, and motivation affect second language learning perhaps even more than age, aptitude, or methodology. The second language teacher must be aware of the existence and importance of these factors and their inherent problems. This study sought to classify and rate the importance …