Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Curriculum, Power And Pedagogical Becoming: An Autoethnographic Inquiry Into Lived Curriculum, Teacher Agency And Institutional Constraints, Norma Ochoa Urban-Palomarez

Theses and Dissertations

My dissertation, Curriculum, Power, and Pedagogical Becoming, examines the complex relationship between institutional curriculum structures, teacher agency, and the lived realities of classroom practice within U.S. public schooling. Situated at the intersection of curriculum theory and critical pedagogy, the study investigates how power operates through scripted curricula, pacing mandates, and fidelity-driven instructional models, and how these mechanisms shape pedagogical decision-making, professional identity, and the educational experiences of Hispanic students of poverty, language, and color. While standardization is frequently framed as a vehicle for equity and accountability, this research explores how institutional constraints may simultaneously regulate teacher practice and delimit possibilities …

Inclusive Perspectives In Early Childhood Special Education: Navigating Experiences Of Families And Educators In The South Texas Community, Jessica Ann Garza

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between family systems and inclusive outcomes in Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) programs in South Texas. Guided by Family Systems Theory and the family life cycle perspective, the research explores how family structures, cultural values such as familismo, bilingualism, and cross‑border healthcare access influence educational engagement and student progress. The South Texas region, characterized by its majority Hispanic population, bilingual households, and proximity to the U.S.–Mexico border, presents a unique context for understanding how cultural assets and systemic barriers shape ECSE collaboration. Using a convergent parallel mixed‑methods design, the study integrates quantitative survey data on …

Elementary Teachers' Culturally Responsive Strategies For Fostering Critical Thinking In Science Instruction With Emergent Bilinguals, Lydia Stella Ratel

Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESOL)-certified elementary teachers as they fostered critical thinking among emergent bilingual (EB) students in grades 3–5 science classrooms. Grounded in culturally responsive pedagogy, translanguaging, funds of knowledge, and critical thinking theory, the study examined how teachers made sense of instructional decision-making and EB students’ scientific reasoning within accountability-driven educational contexts.

Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with elementary teachers serving emergent bilingual students in South Texas public schools. Phenomenological analysis was used to identify shared meanings across participants’ descriptions of instructional practices, language use, …

Chronicles Of A Caliche Road: Lessons From The Monte Through A Poetic Currere Of Language, Memory, And Identity, Brenda Ochoa

Theses and Dissertations

This autobiographical study explores how language, memory, and identity are shaped through lived experience in the South Texas brushland known as the monte. Situated within the cultural and linguistic landscape of the Rio Grande Valley, the study examines how land, native plants, and regional wildlife function as an informal curriculum that shapes voice, silence, and ways of knowing beyond formal schooling. Grounded in autobiographical inquiry, the study uses poetic currere as both an analytic process and a mode of representation to illuminate the relationship between language experience, memory, and identity across time. Data sources include personal memories, reflective journals, original …

Teaching At The Ai Crossroads: Educators’ Experiences, Ethics, And Practice In Pharmacy Education, Crystal Marie Zuniga

Theses and Dissertations

Artificial intelligence (AI), including emerging generative AI tools, is increasingly influencing healthcare workflows and reshaping expectations for workforce preparation. Pharmacy technician education must respond to these shifts while maintaining academic rigor and prioritizing patient safety, ethical practice, and professional accountability. This qualitative study examined pharmacy educators' perspectives on the integration of AI within the Pharmacy Technician Program at Southern Valley College, with attention to how educators interpret AI’s relevance, risks, and instructional implications in pharmacy education.

Data collection included one focus group and individual semi-structured interviews with four pharmacy educators with diverse professional experiences in pharmacy practice and education. Data …

Teaching Under Restriction: Pre-Service Teachers’ Experiences With Censorship, Johnny Salinas

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the perceptions of pre-service teacher candidates at a predominantly minority university in South Texas about educational censorship in K–12 schools. Grounded in critical theory, the research explored how restrictive policies—including book bans and legislation related to race, gender, and identity—affect candidates’ developing professional identities and career aspirations. Data were collected through an anonymous, open-ended questionnaire and analyzed to identify six interconnected themes: autonomy and fear, book bans, policy and legislation, race and identity, subject-specific impacts, and readiness and confidence. Participants described an increasingly tense educational climate marked by heightened scrutiny and ambiguous policy expectations. They voiced …

Teacher Stories In A Place-Based Science Education Program In The Trans-Nueces Region, Brian Craig Gabrysch

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines the emerging professional narratives of five educators involved in the Integrated Oceans Program at a coastal South Texas school district situated within the Trans-Nueces region. Guided by the central research question—What are the emerging teacher stories from a place-based science program in the Trans-Nueces region, and what do we learn about place-based science education from the narratives?—the study employs narrative inquiry methodology following Riessman (2008) and Bruner (1985) to investigate how educators construct meaning from their practice within a program anchored to the Laguna Madre wetlands ecosystem.

The theoretical framework integrates interpretivism (Benton & Craib, 2010), …

The Rio Grande Valley In Text: Exploring The Borderland Within Social Studies Textbooks Via Synoptic Text, Ana Laura Escobar Fuentes

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative, synoptic text inquiry examines how fourth-grade Texas history social studies textbooks portray Mexicans, Mexican Americans, and the U.S-Mexico border, specifically the Rio Grande Valley (RGV). This research sought to answer the following questions: How do Texas history social studies textbooks portray Mexicans, Mexican Americans, and the US-Mexican border in three South Texas school districts? Within these portrayals, what historical representations/content are included, diminished, or excluded regarding the vast majority of the Mexican or Mexican American community?

Guided by the conceptual framings of Miller and Almaraz and Valerio-Jiménez (consensual history), Garza and his colleagues (critical histories), Anzaldúa’s geography of …

Writing And Witnessing Ourselves Into Being: Testimonios Of A Chicana Educator And Latine Students For Social Justice In A Writing Course At A Hispanic Serving Institution, Amy Montoya

Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative study of first-year writing students at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) sought to understand the extent to which the practice of writing testimonios transformed how students constructed their sense of identity for social justice. Guided by the research question: How does the practice of writing testimonios in a writing course at an HSI shape faculty and student identity for social justice? This qualitative study analyzed the lived experiences of three former Latine female undergraduates and the researcher in a co - participatory testimonio methodology study. Grounded in the conceptual frameworks of decolonization (Mignolo & Walsh, 2018; Paraskeva, 2013) …

The Impact Of Representation In Sex Education On Gender And Sexual Minority Youth, Piper A. Ellison

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The purpose of this capstone project is to examine the representation of gender and sexual minority youth in sexual education. Given that, not all representation is good representation, this senior capstone examines the effects of both a lack of representation and misrepresentation. Through a literature review, administrator interviews, and college student surveys, the findings showed that there is often little to no practical representation of gender and sexual minority students in sexual education. Further findings show that when there is representation, it is often either at the superficial level, meaning that the identities exist, but do not provide detailed health …

Importance Of Implementing Equity-Minded Pedagogy For Students In Early Childhood Education, Reina A. Yorba-Rico

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Equity-minded pedagogy has become increasingly important in early childhood education as educators work to address systemic inequities affecting student learning, belonging, and long-term academic success. Early childhood classrooms serve as foundational spaces where students begin developing academic identities, social relationships, and perceptions of school environments. Because of this, inequitable teaching practices and exclusionary systems can have lasting consequences for historically marginalized students, including students of color, multilingual learners, low-income families, and first-generation students. Equity-minded pedagogy moves beyond equal treatment by recognizing structural barriers and intentionally creating inclusive learning environments that support diverse student needs. This senior capstone research project examines …

An Analysis Of The War On Terror In Textbooks, Kason Kendall

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This study analyzes how the War on Terror is presented in history textbooks used in the United States and Brazil. Textbooks play an important role in shaping how students understand major global events, including wars, national security, and international relations. However, these materials do not simply present facts, they also reflect specific perspectives and priorities.

The purpose of this study is to analyze how key topics related to the War on Terror, such as the justification for the Iraq War, domestic security policies, treatment of prisoners, and public dissent are portrayed in textbooks from other countries. By comparing these narratives, …

Building Bridges: Evaluating Teacher Preparation And Program Activation Of Ethnic Studies In California’S K-12 High Schools Through An Autoethnography, Jose Aguilera-Lopez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examines the lived experiences of secondary Social Science educators teaching Ethnic Studies in the early stages of program activation, with particular attention to the challenges that are often invisible to policymakers, institutions of higher education, and K-12 school districts. Using an autoethnographic approach, the research examines key elements of Ethnic Studies Program Activation, including infrastructure support, capacity building, professional development led by experienced Ethnic Studies practitioners, and teaching with fidelity. The findings aim to provide actionable guidance for educators and district leaders to support new Ethnic Studies teachers at the secondary level and to inform leadership teams at …

Teacher's Efficacy In Fostering A Sense Of Belonging In Newcomer Adolescent Students, Brenda Melendrez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Schools are continuously serving a growing population of newcomer students that face unique social, cultural, and linguistic barriers (McCabe et al., 2024). Newcomer adolescent students experience additional challenges in high school contexts, due to the academic pressures, developmental changes, and social isolation hindering their sense of belonging (Fabris et al., 2024). Teachers play a central role in fostering belonging through teacher-student relationships, daily interactions, and academic and emotional support (Ozdemir & Ozdemir, 2020). However, teachers have reported limited teacher preparation on fostering belonging among newcomer students, impacting their confidence and ability to support their students (Motitswe, 2025). Teachers have specifically …

An Autohistoria-Teoría Of A Pasifika Neptantlera, Belinda 'Ofakihevahanoa Fotu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This study was an autohistoria-teoría, a type of autoethnography, where I focused on my writing process as a Pasifika researcher creating a middle- grade fiction. As the researcher, my questions delved into how I engage in writing for a majority-culture dominated publication house in a Western-world writing genre while maintaining the cultural significance of the ancient Pasifika mythologies I reproduced and recontextualized in the novel. The research site was my writing process, and the data gathered came from the variety of ways I navigated cultural stimuli specific to writing the novel. The outcome engaged with the specific way Pasifika (and …

Artificial Intelligence In Dental Education: A Literature Review Of Global Adoption, Pedagogical Outcomes, And Ethical Implications, Betti Shahin, Jeremiah D. Ghodsi, Toleen Mazloum, Denise Hale

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing many fields by enabling machines to accomplish tasks that previously required human intelligence, such as learning, decision-making, and problem-solving. In dentistry, AI is increasingly applied to diagnostics, treatment planning, and clinical training. Its integration enhances educational experiences for students while supporting more accurate and efficient patient care.

Objective: This review synthesizes recent research on AI in dental education, highlighting global adoption trends and key pedagogical, ethical, and practical considerations.

Conclusion: AI has significant potential to enhance dental education through innovative teaching, clinical training, and data-driven decision-making. Effective integration depends on institutional …

The Effects Of Fluency Building On Undergraduate Student Performance, Lauren B. Shibley

Dissertations

Online learning has become integral to higher education, with enrollment steadily increasing over the past decade and accelerating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research highlights the importance of flexibility, learner autonomy, and self-regulated learning skills in this environment, with studies demonstrating that strategies such as mastery-based, self-paced instruction, fluency training, and timely feedback support student engagement and academic success. Early work adapting personalized instruction for online use (Pear & Crone-Todd, 1999) and subsequent studies on fluency practice (Quigley et al., 2018; Urbina et al., 2019) emphasize how these supports can improve concept retention. Despite these advances, more quantitative research is needed …

“Do We Belong?”: Supporting Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Students Through Teacher Education, Morohunkeji Orija

All Dissertations

The population of students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds in K-12 education continues to increase, yet the teacher workforce remains largely homogeneous, predominantly White. This imbalance creates a cultural mismatch in educational settings. In teacher education, predominantly White teacher educators prepare predominantly White preservice teachers, further increasing this mismatch. In early childhood education (ECE), which spans birth to 8 years, racial mismatch can lead to misunderstandings and misconceptions, contributing to bias and manifesting as Racial Microaggressions (RMAs). RMAs are mostly unintentional, and research is needed to examine how preservice teachers can identify and address them, given their impact on …

Unpacking Science Achievement: Institutional Alignment And Mediating Conditions In A High-Performing Charter School, Brenda L. Bennett

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This study examined how science instruction was sustained over time within a high-performing public elementary charter school. Rather than focusing on individual programs or teaching strategies, the research explored how schoolwide systems, relationships, and supports worked together to shape classroom practice.

The study focused on one public K–6 charter school in a western state with consistently strong science performance on state-reported measures and examined how institutional, organizational, and classroom conditions mediated the relationship between science instruction expectations articulated in state and charter policy and teachers’ enacted practice.

Results suggested that strong science instruction was not produced through strict mandates or …

Beyond Moving Hands: Narratives Around Deaf Education, Sara Simpson

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative narrative study explored the experiences and perspectives of deaf educators and educational interpreters working in high school settings. Participants shared narratives about their professional experiences, training, and roles in deaf education. By considering their professional histories, backgrounds, and cultural perspectives, this study examined how these experiences shaped participants’ perceptions of the current state of deaf education.

Using a qualitative narrative research design, three participants with experience working in high school deaf education settings were interviewed individually and later participated in a focus group discussion. The interviews and focus group centered on participants’ perspectives regarding key issues in deaf …

Exploring Servingness Through Pedagogy: A Critical Case Study Of An Hispanic Serving Institution, Yemin Sánchez

Theses and Dissertations

This critical ethnographic case study advances current understandings of what it means to teach at an Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and how faculty enact servingness within an HSI enrolling high indices of Latin@/Hispanic students. Drawing on decolonial, culturally sustaining and liberatory pedagogical frameworks, this study interrogates how constructs such as Hispanic, Latin@/Latinx, or coloniality shape the pedagogical conditions under which faculty operate. Using pláticas with ten faculty members, this research study demonstrates servingness is not a technique or an institutional designation, instead, it is a fluid and deeply humanizing ecology with five mutually reinforcing dimensions: Servingness as Relational Praxis, Servingness …

Understanding The Equestrian Learner: A Sociomaterial Analysis Of Equestrian Learners, Anna Lloyd

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Limited research has been done on equestrian riders actively participating in training programs. To better understand these equestrians, this study examined how elements in their learning environments influenced their learning. Data was collected through interviews with two active, competing adult female members of the United States Hunter Jumper Association. Key findings from analyzing these equestrians’ relationships with different elements in their learning environment include the finding that equestrians shift between viewing horses as material objects or social partners, depending on the context. It was also seen that an equestrian’s skill is not dependent solely on the rider, but is influenced …

Exploring Clinical Reasoning In Occupational Therapy Students Using Think Aloud During Computerized Patient Simulation, Candra Selene Talylor

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

The objective of this research was to explore the effects of the think aloud (TA) method on the development of clinical reasoning in occupational therapy students completing an online simulation assignment. The study aimed to determine if thinking aloud develops clinical reasoning in occupational therapy students as evidenced by a change in clinical reasoning skill scores and investigates the relationship between students' overall clinical simulation competency scores.

This study used a mixed methods design, combining quantitative and qualitative data to explore and measure the use of the TA strategy on the development of clinical reasoning skills. The sample from this …

Moving Beyond Willpower: A New Direction For Media Literacy Instruction, Mandi Goodsett

Michael Schwartz Library Publications

Academic librarians and others often engage with media literacy instruction by promoting fact-checking strategies, such as lateral reading or Mike Caulfield’s SIFT. Evidence shows that these strategies are valuable and can be effective, but they all ultimately rely on individual students to use willpower to overcome cognitive habits, biases, strong parasocial relationships with content creators, the power of algorithms, and other challenges to fact-checking content in the moment. This paper offers an alternative approach that instead encourages librarians to support students in intentionally redesigning their information environments to improve the quality of information that they encounter in the first place.

A Mixed Methods Analysis On The Effect Of Active Learning On Extraneous Cognitive Load Within Undergraduate Statistics Courses, Michelle Brady Rich

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Students enrolled in college-level statistics courses often lack the foundational skills of statistical concepts which can potentially lead to increased mental load. Additionally, the curricula within undergraduate classes often focus on traditional theory with little student exploration or participation. This combination of increased mental load and passive lectures can be explored through the Cognitive Load Theory (CLT). CLT examines how new information enters the limited capacity of an individual’s working memory and how exceeding this capacity affects the ability to transfer the information to long-term memory. This research focused on the extraneous cognitive load, or the load imposed by the …

The Ideological Becoming Of Elementary Teacher Candidates And Their Beliefs About Literacy Instruction, Megan Chaffin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the ideological becoming (Bakhtin, 1981) of elementary teacher candidates (TCs), specifically in relation to their beliefs about literacy, as they completed their literacy coursework and corresponding clinical experiences in their educator preparation program (EPP). Through a qualitative, multiple-case study design, I followed two groups of TCs through the last two years of their undergraduate degree. Each group of TCs completed a series of four literacy methods courses with associated clinical experiences, and one group also finished their student teaching internships. The cases in this study are situated in the context of an era of educational policies that …

Teacher Narratives Of Curriculum Implementation In Bilingual Education: A Vygotskian Analysis, Jose F. Orozco

Theses and Dissertations

This narrative inquiry explores bilingual educators' experiences implementing the Amplify Reading curriculum in a diverse, Title I-funded urban district. As schools adopt standardized curricula, tensions emerge between monolingual standards and the needs of bilingual students. Using a Vygotskian framework with Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) and Knowledge Structures (KS), the study examines how teachers navigate systemic contradictions and how these tensions influence their professional identities.

Using an interpretivist approach, data were collected via semi-structured interviews, a focus group, and a researcher’s journal from six experienced bilingual educators. Thematic analysis reveals profound structural fractures within the activity system: a primary contradiction between …

Investigating Pre-Service Teachers’ Readiness For Early Reading Instruction: A Mixed Methods Study Of Quantified Knowledge In Phonemic Awareness And Lived Experiences, Kristin Morgan

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the lived experiences of pre-service teachers as they develop their knowledge and instruction skills during a three-week module within their first literacy course in a teacher preparation program. Literacy courses play an important role in equipping pre-service teachers with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote reading development. Research suggests that phonemic awareness is a crucial skill that predicts later reading achievement; however, many teachers lack the necessary experience and knowledge. This gap raises concerns about teacher preparation programs and how pre-service teachers learn. Guided by Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, this sequential explanatory mixed-methods study sought to understand …

Examining Dei-Related Course Syllabi To Assess A College Library Collection: A Case Study, Amy P. Eklund, Joye Cauthen, Andres Cardona

Georgia Library Quarterly

This library collection development project identified courses in the college curriculum that had diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)-related components and analyzed those courses' syllabi. The results of the project led to the addition of books to the collection that aligned with the library’s collection development policy and funding parameters. Other important outcomes included enhancements to catalog records and strengthened relationships with faculty. This strategy can be replicated to target other areas of study and help continuously develop a library collection.

Diversity In Childrens Literature, Tess Rasmussen

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This project examined the diversity of classroom libraries and explored how to improve representation through data collection and community involvement. The question guiding this research was, how does increasing diversity in the classroom library influence elementary students' engagements with reading and their sense of belonging. This question was rooted in the teaching philosophy of each child being seen on the walls and in the stories told in their classroom. This question leads to the understanding that inclusive literature supports students' increasing empathy, and an awareness of cultures and perspectives different than their own. An inventory of multiple classroom libraries was …