Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons^™

Exploring Attitude Transformation: A Grounded Theory Study Of Romanian Teachers Of Roma Students, Laura Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this systematic grounded theory study was to explore the process of change in teacher attitudes toward including Roma (“Gypsy”) students in non-segregated schools in Romania. The theories guiding this study included Mezirow’s (1991, 2000) theory of transformation, Gay’s (2002, 2013) theory of culturally responsive teaching, and Bandura’s (1977, 1997) theory of self-efficacy. These three theories guided this research inquiry into how attitudes change, how teacher attitudes affect beliefs and actions, and how self-efficacy affects teacher attitudes. This study sought to answer the following questions: What is the process of transforming Romanian teacher attitudes toward including Roma students? …

A Phenomenological Inquiry Of Grade Retention As Experienced By Middle School Students Who Were Twice Retained, Dimetri Richardson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of grade level retention for twice retained, middle school students in Eastern Virginia. During data collection, 10 twice retained, middle school students in grades 6-8 residing in Eastern Virginia were surveyed, interviewed, and provided personal journals. The theory guiding this study was constructivism, due to its consideration of individuals’ unique experiences and multiple realities (Piaget, 1954). This study’s qualitative data was coded using horizonalization, and clusters of meaning were developed, which allowed textural and structural descriptions of the participants’ unique experiences. The study’s findings reveal twice retained, middle school …

Investigating Relational Aggression And Bullying For Girls’ Of Color In Oklahoma: A Phenomenological Study, Gayle Flynn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative research study, applying aspects of van Manen’s framework for hermeneutic phenomenological research, was conducted to investigate the narratives of relationally aggressive girls of color. The study focused on nine adolescent girls of color who were ages 14-17 years old and exhibited aggressive/bullying behaviors representing the ethnic groups of Black/African American, Latina/Hispanic American, Native American, and other, which included two or more racial identities combined. The participants completed online protocol writing prompts, participated in open-ended interviews and an observation to gain insight regarding relationally aggressive issues that took place in the participants’ settings. An interpretational approach to the data …

Exploring The Relationship Between The Freshman Academy Environment And Academic Achievement And Resilience, Taneesha George

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Student success or failure during the transition to high school is an accurate predictor of student success beyond the ninth grade. In an attempt to support students during this transition, many schools across the nation have implemented small learning communities called freshman academies to bridge the apparent gap in achievement between middle and high school. Research has linked freshman academies and ninth grade success in terms of test scores (Styron & Peasant, 2010). There is, however, little empirical research that examines the success of freshman academy students in terms of promoting resilience and other factors during this time of risk. …

Academic Intervention: Acceleration And Remediation, Barbara Franklin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Eighth grade math students must pass a standards based test to be promoted to the next grade. Students who were at risk of failing the state’s annual test faced impending retention. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to see if an intensive nine-week (55 min per day) remedial Math Connection (MC) class for 67 suburban, eighth grade students identified as at risk of failing, could significantly increase the scores; concurrently, at this Title I school, they were compared with 122 eighth grade students who were not identified as at risk of failing. The dependent variable was measured using the …

An Analysis Of Social And Demographic Variables And Student Graduation Success, Lisa Taylor

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

he dropout population does not reflect an equal representation of all student subgroups (Kena et al., 2015). There are many negative outcomes that often coincide with the decision to drop out, such as lower overall lifetime income as well as emotional and physical fitness (Chapman, Laird, Ifill, & KewalRamani, 2011). This dissertation examines how graduation success varies by the social variables of school engagement, students’ closeness to parents, and self-esteem and the demographic variable of race through the lenses of the social development model (Hawkins & Weis, 1985), the school membership theory (Wehlage, 1989), and the self-determination theory (Deci, Vallerand, …

A Phenomenological Study: Exploring The Needs, Wants, And Desires From The Voices Of African-American Males Desiring To Graduate From Community College, Yvette Harris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore factors that could lead to academic success for African-American males enrolled in community college. By conducting a phenomenological study, those factors leading to graduation will be derived from the particular lens of perception of the participants’ lived experiences. The guiding theories are those of Derrick Bell’s Critical Race Theory (CRT, 1977), Vincent Tinto’s (1975) Theory of Departure, and John Bean’s (1979) Theory of Student Attrition. A convenience participant sample totaling 10 African-American males was comprised of students who were currently enrolled in a community college. The data collected for this …

A Multiple Case Study Of Challenges And Successes Experienced By Founders And Directors Of Nature-Based Preschools In The United States, Alexandra Barnett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Nature-based preschools are defined as educational settings in which children spend three or more hours per school day in natural environments such as woods, meadows, and beaches (Knight, 2013). The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to obtain a deep understanding of the challenges and successes of nature-based preschool (NBP) founders and directors in the United States and to develop recommendations for those interested in establishing and operating NBPs in the United States. A rich description of the phenomenon of founding and directing NBPs was developed by first answering the primary research question: “What can be learned from …

Exploring The Experiences Of Female Student Veterans With Disabilities Entering Higher Education During Reintegration: A Phenomenological Study, Beverly Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore and describe the lived experiences of female student veterans with disabilities entering higher education during reintegration in order to improve programs, services, and support available to female student veterans with disabilities. A screening questionnaire, interviews, a focus group, and journals were used to collect data. Participants consisted of 11 female student veterans with disabilities who were purposively selected using criterion, snowball, and maximum variation sampling. The central research question was: What are the transition experiences of female student veterans with disabilities entering college during reintegration into society? Four sub-questions …

Why Do They Stay? A Phenomenological Study On The Lived Experiences Of Teachers Who Persist In Urban K-12 Christian Education, Marie Teodori

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of teachers who persist in urban K-12 Christian education at five Association of Christian Schools International schools located in the United States. The central research question was: What are the lived experiences of teachers who persist in urban K-12 Christian education? Sub-questions explored the source of motivation, role of intrinsic goals, and contextual/environmental supports for teachers who persist in this setting. Methodology utilized a transcendental phenomenological design, purposeful participant sampling, data collection primarily through in-depth interviews and focus groups, and data analysis using Moustakas’ (1994) recommended procedures. …

A Comparative Analysis Of Cultural Diversity Satisfaction Scores Of Undergraduate Students In Online Learning Environment, Orlando Lobaina

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to analyze the differences of perceived overall satisfaction scores (organizational structure, technology usage, and curriculum design) between Caucasian, Latino-American, and African-American undergraduate students enrolled in an online program, as measured by the Cultural Diversity Satisfaction Survey (CDSS) instrument. This study compared the differences between three distinct diverse groups for overall satisfaction in an undergraduate online general elective course. The study participants were undergraduate students enrolled in an online general elective course in Virginia, n = 433. The study utilized a one-way ANOVA to determine if there was a statistically significant difference in …

Phenomenological Study Of The Significance Of Recess And Brain Breaks During The Instructional Day From The Perspective Of Elementary Teachers, Laura Knight

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to collect the perceptions of elementary teachers on the influence of recess and brain breaks on students within the instructional day capturing the essence of their voice through analysis. Participants included 10 teachers at Smith School District (pseudonym used) in the southeastern United States of America. One of the theories guiding this study was Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow, 1954) as it was in question whether elementary teachers perceive that students must have their need for physical movement met in order for optimal learning to occur. Another theory guiding this study was …

The Creation And Assessment Of A Social Integration Predictive Model For A Large Suburban Community College, Bob Bade

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this predictive correlation study was to create and assess a model of programs and activities to predict student social integration at a large suburban community college. This study’s model was based upon Tinto’s student integration theory (1975, 1987, 1993) and employed hierarchical multiple regression to analyze the data. The data for this study was archival Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) self-report data from students at a large suburban community college in Florida. Predictor variables included participation in extended orientation programs and student success courses, participation with classmates inside and out of class on academic related …

A Phenomenological Examination Of Students’ Lived Experiences In A Type Ii Alternative School, Joseph Garner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe lived experiences in a type II alternative school, from the perspective of former students who are now in a correctional facility. Three research questions guided the study: How do former students who are now incarcerated describe their experiences in a type II alternative school? How do former students of a type II alternative school describe their experiences in a correctional facility? How do participants’ lived experiences in the alternative school compare and contrast with their lived experiences in a correctional facility? Data was collected through individual interviews, journaling, and focus group …

The Effects Of Simulations On Global Empathy, Chad Raymond, Stephanie Jacques, Alisia Medeiros

Faculty and Staff - Articles & Papers

The learning outcomes for college curricula typically emphasize the development of a greater understanding of and empathy for people who come from diverse cultural backgrounds. In this research project the Alexandrian Inventory, a pretest/posttest survey instrument, was administered to undergraduate students to examine which simulations used in two courses were associated with the greatest changes in students’ global empathy. An analysis of the data did not reveal a clear, statistically significant association between the simulations and empathy indicators.

Promoting Global Empathy And Engagement Through Real-Time Problem-Based Simulations: Outcomes From A Policymaking Simulation Set In Post-Earthquake Haiti, Chad Raymond, Tina Zappile, Daniel J. Beers

Faculty and Staff - Articles & Papers

We introduce a real-time problem-based simulation in which students are tasked with drafting policy to address the challenge of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in post-earthquake Haiti from a variety of stakeholder perspectives. Students who participated in the simulation completed a quantitative survey as a pretest/posttest on global empathy, political awareness, and civic engagement, and provided qualitative data through post-simulation focus groups. The simulation was run in four courses across three campuses in a variety of instructional settings from 2013 to 2015. An analysis of the data reveals that scores on several survey items measuring global empathy and political/civic engagement increased …

"I Want To Know Why" Or Tolerance For Ambiguity In Education, Leah Levinger

Thought and Practice: (1987-1991) the Journal of the Graduate School of Bank Street College of Education

Looks at graduate teacher education within the lens of theories of psychology, such as Piaget and Freud.

“I Can’T Relate”: Refusing Identification Demands In Teaching And Learning, Ian Barnard

English Faculty Articles and Research

In literature, composition, and other areas of English Studies, relateability can be an important tool to inscribe marginalized subjects as academic citizens. However, its larger arc reproduces ethnocentric and individualistic ideologies at the national and personal levels that foreclose the true understanding of and engagement with Otherness that defines learning. What are the particular intellectual and other challenges, pleasures, and rewards of refusing the pedagogical imperative to engage and understand through identification? I conclude the article by deploying theorists of difference to ask what it means to understand difference as difference, how this understanding might be facilitated, and what the …

Case Study: Moral And Ethical Decisions Some Students Make Pursuing Their Doctoral Degrees From Accredited For-Profit Universities, Anne Pinchera

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study is to identify issues some doctoral students face in obtaining their Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree from accredited for-profit colleges and universities. The three participants attended for-profit universities in the past five years and failed to obtain their doctoral degrees. Data collection is through an initial demographics survey, qualification survey, vignettes, and the interview itself. Data analysis from the Coding Manual for Qualitative Research by Johnny Saldana is used to analyze the data collected from problems doctoral students encounter in pursuit of their doctoral degree (Saldana, 2013). The theoretical foundations for this project come …

Reconsidering Virtue, John M. Duffy

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Re-appropriating the Aristotelian concept of virtue in composition classes could become the means of transforming the polarized state of public discourse in America.

Being There: Mindfulness As Ethical Classroom Practice, Paula Mathieu

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Incorporating mindfulness practices in teacher training for writing programs is supported by disciplinary scholarship in composition, spiritual writing, and research in neuroscience.

Jaepl, Vol. 21, Winter 2015-2016, Joonna Smitherman Trapp, Brad Peters

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Essays

Fond Farewells: Judy Halden-Sullivan and Helen Walker

SPECIAL SECTION: RHETORIC AND ETHICS

John M. Duffy - Reconsidering Virtue

Lois Agnew - Why Rhetoric and Ethics? Revisiting History/Revising Pedagogy

Paula Mathieu - Being There: Mindfulness as Ethical Classroom Practice

Scott Wagar - Composition as a Spiritual Discipline

Erec Smith - Buddhism’s Pedagogical Contribution to Mindfulness

Peter H. Khost - “Alas, Not Yours to Have”: Problems with Audience in High-Stakes Writing Tests and the Promise of Felt Sense

TEACHING AND LEARNING

Sheri Rysdam & Lisa Johnson-Shull - Introducing Feedforward: Renaming and Reframing Our Repertoire for Written Response

Mark Noe - Autoethnography …

Buddhism’S Pedagogical Contribution To Mindfulness, Erec S. Smith

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Considering the rhetorical elements in the Buddhist text “The True Aspect of All Phenomena” opens the possibility of teaching students a more mindful approach to writing.

Why Rhetoric And Ethics? Revisiting History/Revising Pedagogy, Lois Agnew

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Coupling rhetoric and ethics has helped create a coherent undergraduate writing major in one of the nation’s first free-standing composition programs.

Front Matter

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

No abstract provided.

Composition As A Spiritual Discipline, Scott Wagar

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Analyzing a widely-read history of composition yields clear elements associated with the contemporary definition of spirituality.

“Alas, Not Yours To Have”: Problems With Audience In High-Stakes Writing Tests And The Promise Of Felt Sense, Peter H. Khost

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Expanding the applications of “felt sense” can help students become more aware of audience—a corrective to the a-rhetorical effects of standardized testing and the Common Core Standards.

Book Reviews, Julie Nichols, Peter Fields, Walter L. Reid, Jeffrey H. Taylor, Warren Hatch

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Julie Nichols - Reading Ethically

Peter Fields - Gregory Marshall. Shaped by Stories: The Ethical Power of Narratives. Notre Dame, IN: U of Notre Dame P., 2009

Walter L. Reed - Gregory, Marshall. Teaching Excellence in Higher Education, ed. Melissa Valiska Gregory. NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013

Jeffrey H. Taylor - Musgrove, Laurence. Local Bird. Beaumont, TX: Lamar U Press, 2015

Warren Hatch - Lynch, Tom, Cheryll Glotfelty, Karla Armbruster. The Bioregional Imagination—Literature, Ecology, and Place. Athens, GA: U of GA Press, 2012

Introducing Feedforward: Renaming And Reframing Our Repertoire For Written Response, Sheri Rysdam, Lisa Johnson-Shull

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Categorizing instructor comments on student drafts leads writing center researchers to argue for the need to reframe our professional discussion on instructor response, based on the concept of “feedforward.”

Final Journals, Robert M. Randolph

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Poem