Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Impact Of Self-Selected Versus Prescribed Level Reading On Arabic Speaking Ell Students: A Mixed Methods Study, Manal M. Assi

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

IMPACT OF SELF-SELECTED VERSUS PRESCRIBED LEVEL READING ON ARABIC SPEAKING ELL STUDENTS: A MIXED METHODS STUDY

by

MANAL M. ASSI

May 2016

Advisor: Dr. Sandra Gonzales

Major: Curriculum and Instruction; English as a Second Language

Degree: Doctor of Education

This study uses the Accelerated Reader collection to find which reading model, reading within the Lexile range versus having the choice to read outside the Lexile range, will positively impact Arabic speaking eighth grade ELL students and improve their attitude towards reading. The study was conducted in a Title III charter school in the metro-Detroit area. Participants included six female …

Acculturation And Multiculturalism Of Students In Secondary Level Education Programs, Rachelle Warren

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Even with the rapid changes that individuals are currently experiencing in the U.S. as a result of its fluctuating economy, increased immigration, and evolutionary technological advances, there is not a curriculum or course requirement that exists for Michigan students in secondary level education programs which specifically addresses the issue of acculturation and multiculturalism. This situation is a present reality. Whether planned or unceremoniously imposed, adjusting to a new way of life can be challenging for many people, and establishing a venue for learning the skills to successfully accomplish this task is imperative. If there is a demonstrated need for …

Leading African American Boys Towards Critical Literacy, Stiles Xavier Simmons

Wayne State University Dissertations

Historically, African American boys have underperformed their Caucasian, Hispanic, and female counterparts in the area of reading. Key indicators reveal that the reading achievement gap between African American boys and their counterparts persists despite efforts to ameliorate the problem. Some researchers and school reformers point to the instructional practices and testing mandates as part of the reason as to why boys, and African American boys, in particular, are underperforming in reading. Critical literacy and literature discussion groups are presented as two processes that might improve African American boys reading achievement. This study investigated the impact of critical literacy practices within …

Ecological Awareness: Enacting An Ecological Composition Curriculum To Encourage Student Knowledge Transfer, Nicole Guinot Varty

Wayne State University Dissertations

In 2012, Kathleen Blake Yancey, Karen Taczak and Liane Robertson published a book entitled Writing Across Contexts: Transfer, Composition and Sites of Writing, in which they advocate for explicit instruction to help students transfer the writing expertise they gain in college composition courses to other writing contexts. That same year, the online journal Composition Forum put out a special issue dedicated to knowledge transfer. Since then, the call to investigate, and indeed teach for, knowledge transfer in the field of writing studies has been echoing around the discipline. In responding to this call, this dissertation project applies an ecological model …

Developing University Students’ Argumentative Discourse: An Ill-Structured Issue Pertaining To Black African Immigrants And African Americans, Olubusayo Olojo-Adeoye

Wayne State University Dissertations

The overarching goal of this three-article five-chapter dissertation was to develop university students’ argument-counterargument integration abilities in persuasive essay writing on an ill-structured issue pertaining to black African immigrants and African Americans. Article One consisted of using phenomenography as a research approach to identify the qualitatively different ways university students perceive black African immigrants and African Americans. The university participants had 24 perceptions in which 10 pertained to black African immigrants and 14 to African Americans. The perceptions were grouped into six descriptive categories. The variations in perceptions were then used as statements for argumentation. The study implies that university …

Critical Literacy: An Innovative Approach To Learning Among Students With Reading Disabilities, Karyn Marie Chiapella

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

CRITICAL LITERACY: AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO LEARNING AMONG STUDENTS WITH READING DISABILITIES

by

KARYN M. CHIAPELLA

DECEMBER 2015

Co-Advisors: Dr. Marshall Zumberg; Dr. Gerald Oglan

Major: Special Education

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Many students, particularly those with learning disabilities do not read and/ or write at levels sufficient for meeting the demands of the 21st century. Successfully reading to learn requires the ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information from multiple texts. Critical literacy provides a framework for students to engage in dialogue with texts to become more aware of the relationships of power communicated within texts. This study …

Self-Directed Learning And The Development Of Self-Efficacy In Basic Writing, Amy Ann Latawiec

Wayne State University Dissertations

This dissertation examines and analyzes the work of two sections of basic writing over the course of one semester. I explore relevant research in Writing Studies, Cognitive Psychology, and Educational Psychology to build a framework within which to discuss pedagogical strategies implemented to support student’s self-directed learning behaviors and to positively affect their efficacy beliefs. Through an analysis of students’ written work, I determined whether and how this pedagogy facilitated students’ articulation of efficacy beliefs as evidence through the language of their reflective writing assignments. Analysis of the data suggests three major arguments: first, that while self-efficacy is a complex …

Finding “Diversity Levers” In The Core Library And Information Science Curriculum: A Social Justice Imperative, Kafi D. Kumasi, Nichole Manlove

School of Information Sciences Faculty Research Publications

In this exploratory study, the researchers examined the core library and information science (LIS) curriculum, looking for diversity levers, or conceptual access points, where transformative academic knowledge related to diversity and social justice could be meaningfully integrated. Multicultural curriculum reform, conceptualized as a social justice approach, was the guiding framework for the research design and analysis. The researchers began by establishing what constitutes the core curriculum and essential knowledge taught across thirty-six ALA-accredited master’s of library and information science degree programs. These data were then used to construct a survey that went to one hundred LIS faculty at ALA institutions …

Using The Instructional Congruence Model To Change A Science Teacher's Practices And English Language Learners' Attitudes And Achievement In Science, Hania Moussa Salame

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of adapting the instructional congruence model on the English Language Learners' (ELL) attitudes and achievement in science. Changes in teacher's views and practices were documented. The mixed-method approach was adapted. Data sources were the "Attitude Towards Science" survey, VNOS-C questionnaire, Luykx and Lee (2007) observational instrument, Gee (1997) discussion categories, video recordings, and pre- and post-tests. A science teacher and a class of 24 ELL female students in a charter school participated in this research. The results of this study indicated that student achievement increased significantly and students' attitudes …

Creating Opportunities For Learning: Play As A Scaffold For Format Based Informational Text Features, Susan Fisher Dandalides

Wayne State University Dissertations

Abstract

A play intervention was used with second grade students to help them develop a deeper understanding of format based informational text features. On Day 1 of the intervention, groups of students role played as reporters as they observed classmates at play. During Days 2 - 5 of the intervention, the same students wrote an informational book about the play they had observed. A pre-interview was used to determine which format based informational text features were noticed and/or explained by the students in an informational trade book. The text features that were included in the trade book were: table of …

Beliefs And Instructional Practices Of Two College Developmental Reading Instructors At An Open-Admission College, Lynne Morgan-Bernard

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

BELIEFS AND INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES OF TWO DEVELOPMENTAL READING INSTRUCTORS AT AN OPEN-ADMISSION COLLEGE

by

LYNNE MORGAN-BERNARD August 2015

Advisor: Dr. Karen Feathers

Major: Reading, Language, and Literature Degree: Doctor of Education

Given the changing demands of the 21st century workplace, it is important that all high school graduates have access to a college education, but many students do not have college-level reading skills. Thus, developmental education is an important component of open-admission institutions. It is important that instructors of developmental courses be effective in order to promote student success. However, we have little information about the factors that affect …

Bringing The Outside In: Connecting Literacy Practices In A Layered, Technologically-Driven Seventh Grade Honors English Curriculum, Geneva L. Scully

Wayne State University Dissertations

As technology consumes our society today, it was one intention of this study to examine whether purposeful curriculum design that both scaffolded and layered technological tools into a unit of study in a seventh grade honors English classroom would lead to more critical and creative thinking. Through a qualitative design, case study analysis of three students whose experiences demonstrated how students were able to achieve increased levels of critical thinking was described. Another intention of this study was to examine whether or not students connected their in-school and out-of-school literacies through this experience in a more meaningful way as contributors …

Neural Alterations Influencing Skilled Reading In Adhd: A Task-Based Fmri Study, Brianne Mohl

Wayne State University Dissertations

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a heterogeneous, neurodevelopmental disorder which co-occurs often with Reading Disability (RD). ADHD with and without RD consistently have higher inattentive ratings compared with typically developing controls, with co-occurring ADHD and RD (ADHD/+RD) also demonstrating impaired phonological processing. Accordingly, inattention has been associated with greater phonological impairment, though neither the neural correlates of the co-occurring disorders nor the association are well understood from a functional neuroimaging perspective. The goal was to assess to what extent ADHD/+RD differ from ADHD without RD (ADHD/-RD) and typically developing controls (TDC) in functional activation of attention- and reading-related areas during various …

Calculator Usage In Secondary Level Classrooms: The Ongoing Debate, Nicole Plummer

Honors College Theses

With technology becoming more prevalent every day, it is imperative that students gain enough experience with different technological tools in order to be successful in the “real-world”. This thesis will discuss the debate and overall support for an increased usage of calculators as tools in the secondary level classroom. When the idea of calculators in the classroom first came to life, many educators were very apprehensive and quite hesitant of this change. Unfortunately, more than 40 years later, there is still hesitation for their usage; and rightfully so. While there are plenty of advantages of calculator use in the classroom, …

E-Volving Information Literacy Tutorials With E-Maginative And E-Ngaging Design, Damecia Donahue, Axa Liauw, Rebeca Peacock, Jill Wurm

Library Scholarly Publications

Presentation on May 22nd, 2014, at The Workshop for Instruction in Library Use (WILU), at Western University, Ontario, Canada.

Student Perspectives On How Trauma Experiences Manifest In The Classroom: Engaging Court-Involved Youth In The Development Of A Trauma-Informed Teaching Curriculum, Shantel D. West, Angelique G. Day, Cheryl L. Somers, Beverly A. Baroni

Social Work Faculty Publications

This study explores how the lived experience of court-involved youth impacts learning and school culture, and solicits youth voice in creating a trauma-informed intervention to improve student educational well-being. Thirty-nine female students, ages 14 to 18, participated in focus groups to describe externalizing behaviors that they have both witnessed and personally struggled with in the classroom, discuss the perceived causes of these behaviors, and their suggestions for improving school culture to reduce these behavior manifestations in the classroom. Two major categories of behavior were identified, including: “anger emotions” and “aggressive actions.” Students described the causes of behavior as, “environmental influences” …

Influence Of Siop Cognitive Coaching Workshops On Teaching Practices Of Esl Teachers And Esl Paraprofessionals, Ruben Alicea

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore and report on the influence that cognitive coaching, as an embedded part of professional development, has on ESL teachers' and ESL paraprofessionals' learning and practice in the context of educating English learner (EL) students using the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) model of instruction. An examination was made on the views of 52 ESL teachers and paraprofessionals regarding participation in a series of 12 professional development workshops, use of cognitive coaching, and implementation of the SIOP with their EL students. As part of their participation in the professional development, self-reflection data were …

Engaging Multiple Teams To Design A Blended Learning Course, Monica W. Tracey, Tamme Quinn Grzebyk

Administrative and Organizational Studies

In the following design case, a blended learning program was designed and developed for parents interested in improving their parenting skills with their children. Numerous design teams developed the program, consisting of both synchronous live events and asynchronous web-based instruction. Teams were comprised of novice students, professors, and expert designers. This design case explores the design space and design decisions made in light of varied and unique stakeholder involvement. It also illustrates the products developed.

The Relationship Between The Level Of Acculturation In American (English-Speaking) Culture And Language Proficiency In Arabic Among Adolescents, Ahmed B. Elsayed

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LEVEL OF ACCULTURATION IN AMERICAN (ENGLISH-SPEAKING) CULTURE AND LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY IN ARABIC AMONG ADOLESCENTS

by

AHMED ELSAYED

August 2014

Advisor: Dr. Sharon Elliott

Major: Curriculum and Instruction

Degree: Doctor of Education

The purpose of this study is to describe the relationship between acculturation and Arabic language skills in Arab American youth in a community center setting. Seventy Arabic speaking students at the age of 13 through 17 in a Midwestern state were selected on a non-random sampling basis to participate in this study. Three main measures were used to collect data: (1) Student Demographic Survey, …

Information Literacy Skills As A Critical Thinking Framework In The Undergraduate Engineering Curriculum, James E. Van Loon, Heather L. Lai

Library Scholarly Publications

Information Literacy (IL) instruction embedded into the engineering design curriculum can provide a framework for the development of critical thinking skills which are essential for students to master to solve open-ended engineering problems. At Wayne State University, a lecturer in biomedical engineering (BME) and a science librarian are collaborating in an ongoing effort to integrate IL instruction into the BME undergraduate design curriculum. The paper will provide a vision and rationale for integrating IL instruction into the engineering design curriculum, and discuss aspects of the Wayne State effort to effect this integration. A review of the place of critical thinking …

Role & Constructivist Competencies Of An Online Instructor: Elements Of An Online Course, Marsha Linette Parker

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

ROLE AND CONSTRUCTIVIST COMPETENCIES FOR ONLINE INSTRUCTORS: ELEMENTS OF AN ONLINE COURSE

by

MARSHA L. PARKER

May 2014

Advisor: Dr. Ingrid Guerra-Lopez

Major: Instructional Technology

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Distance learning programs in higher education are evolving into the preferred model for how we educate learners in the 21st century. The traditional role of an instructor was focused on creating an effective learning environment based in a physical classroom setting. In this decade, institutions are educating and training online instructors to a virtual online asynchronous learning environment. Online programs based in higher education, specifically those focused …

The Relationship Between English Language Test Scores Among Nigerian High School Students And Teacher Beliefs About Language Teaching And Their Classroom Practices, Luke O. Iwuji

Wayne State University Dissertations

English language mastery is important to the academic achievement of high school students in Nigeria. As the official language of instruction in multi linguistic Nigerian schools, proficiency in English language is essential for the academic success of students in high schools. The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between English language test scores among Nigerian high school students and teacher beliefs about language teaching and their classroom practices. Three research questions and associated hypotheses were addressed in this study. A total of 23 teachers, one from each high school in the Government District of Nigeria, participated in …

The Relationship Between Print Literacy, Acculturation And Acculturative Stress Among Mexican Immigrant Women, Alexander Modesto Cintron

Wayne State University Dissertations

Abstract

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRINT LITERACY, ACCULTURATION, AND ACCULTURATIVE STRESS AMONG MEXICAN IMMIGRANT WOMEN

by

ALEXANDER MODESTO CINTRON

March 2013

Advisor: Navaz Peshotan Bhavnagri

Major: Curriculum and Instruction

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

The purpose of this study was to examine print literacy, acculturation, and acculturative stress among one-hundred and six Mexican immigrant women participating in a family literacy program. The two hypotheses were: (1.) There is a relationship between (a) print literacy as measured by the Print Literacy Questionnaire and (b) acculturation as measured by the Multidimensional Acculturation Scale, and (2.) There is a relationship between (a) print literacy as …

Inner City African American Girls' Learning Mathematics: Parental Influence And Classroom Experience As They Impact Mathematics Scores On The Act, Sharon Alicia Simeon

Wayne State University Dissertations

The objective of this study was to discover how parents (N=47), through their input at home, influence the mathematical performance of their daughters; how female African American students view their teachers' influence in their mathematical thinking; how critical is the mathematical classroom experience for African American girls; and can positive classroom experiences (teacher implementation of best practices) significantly add to the effect of the parental mathematical input at home. And lastly, how much can the two factors together predict higher mathematics scores on the ACT. Research instruments consisted of parent and student surveys. The participants were African American girls who …

An Investigation Of Traditional Professional Development Versus Reform Professional Development And The Implementation Of Strategies, Curriculum And Classroom Environment By Prekindergarten Teachers, Helen Marie Oliver-Brooks

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

AN INVESTIGATION OF TRADITIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT VERSUS REFORM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIES, CURRICULUM AND CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT BY PRE- KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS

by

HELEN OLIVER-BROOKS

May 2013

Advisor: Dr. Marc Rosa

Major: Curriculum and Instruction

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

The purpose of this study is to investigate differences between traditional conventional professional development and high quality reflective professional development and curriculum implementation of classroom practices. This study examined the extent to which professional development activities were associated with increased levels of curriculum implementation. Differences in curriculum implementation, teacher knowledge, and changes to teaching practice based upon the type …

How To Produce Articulate Artists, Peter J. Barr Phd, Christine Reising

Mid-America College Art Association Conference 2012 Digital Publications

This twenty-minute Powerpoint presentation will describe the team-taught, year-long Foundations Core Concepts Program at Siena Heights University in Adrian, Michigan. It has been in place since 2006 and has successfully integrated a course previously called "Language of Art" (taught by an art historian) with hands-on studio assignments previously taught in a stand-alone design course (taught by a studio professor). We have found that this hybrid approach is extremely effective in developing sensitive and articulate art majors who are prepared to integrate design concepts into all of their artworks and to analyze and describe eloquently both personal and historical works of …

Queer Adolescent Girls Use Of Out-Of School Literacy Events To Semiotically Express, Candice Marie Moench

Wayne State University Dissertations

This qualitative study focused on the use of multiliteracies (reading, writing, viewing, visually representing, talking, and listening) by four low-income African American LBT (lesbian, bisexual, transgender) adolescents in an out-of-school setting. Data collection methods over a three-month period included transcribed field notes, interviews, questionnaires, participants' writer's notebooks, college workbooks and identity facemasks.

The study focused on critical literacy to understand how the girls used multiliteracies to understand the social practices and socially ascribed identities, which construct them as lesbian, bisexual or transgender and to critique this social construction thereby contributing to their ability to reconstruct identities and beliefs that have …

School Improvements And Student Achievement: Teachers' Conceptions And Practices In An Urban School Community, Jendayi Johari Gardner

Wayne State University Dissertations

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENTS AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT:

TEACHERS' CONCEPTIONS AND PRACTICES IN AN URBAN SCHOOL COMMUNITY

by

JENDAYI JOHARI GARDNER

May 2012

Advisor: Dr. Jazlin Ebenezer

Major: Curriculum & Instruction

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

This mixed-methods study is represented by three articles that examine student achievement. The articles were developed based on the following purposes: (1) to examine teachers' conceptions about student achievement; (2) to examine teacher practices for school improvement that reflects elements of a reform model; and (3) to examine teachers' conceptions about school improvement challenges. Individual interviews were administered to examine teachers' conceptions about student achievement and school improvement …

Teachers' Perceptions And Realizations Of Critical Literacy, Kelly Winney

Wayne State University Dissertations

This dissertation examines teachers' perceptions and realizations of critical literacy learning as they engaged in collaborative inquiry into their students' learning. Participants used critical discourse analysis (CDA) of student writing and student talk to uncover the ideologies at work in their classrooms. This study also investigated teachers' perceptions of tensions related to their work with critical literacy. This study extends ideas from the research literature about teachers' perceptions and realizations of critical literacy and the potential of CDA for critical literacy and professional learning.

This qualitative study was guided by ethnographic principles to understand participants' perspectives through their experiences with …

The Relationship Between Faculty's Pedagogical Content Knowledge And Students' Knowledge About Diversity In Online Courses, Mitali Chaudhery

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this proposed study will be to examine the relationship between faculty's pedagogical content knowledge and the design of online curriculum to teach students about diversity in a higher education environment. One hundred twenty-seven faculty teaching online courses at a Midwestern state will be selected on non-random sampling to participate in this study. Two main measures will be used to collected data: (1) Faculty Demographic and Background Survey, and (2) Diversity Teaching survey. The Diversity Teaching Survey was broken into 3 subscales that will examine the following: (1) Faculty's Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills, (2) Online Curriculum Design, and …