Remixing Dialogue: A Case Study On Perceptions Of Hip Hop Pedagogy In A Professional Learning Course, Kelly J. Thelen

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This qualitative case study examines how teachers’ decision-making and professional autonomy shift while participating in a Hip Hop Pedagogy Professional Learning course supported by structured FIXIT (Lo & Wachter, 2023a, 2023b, 2023c, 2023d; Wachter & Lo, 2024) game-facilitated dialogue in a rural, culturally and linguistically diverse Midwest community. Grounded in Freire’s (1970) Critical Pedagogy, Ladson-Billings’ (1995) Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (Paris and Alim, 2017), and Adult Learning Theory (Knowles et al., 2005), the study explores the reclamation of agency by teachers in a time of constrained creativity and educator autonomy shaped by strict policy environments, an emphasis on …

A Regional Multimethod Study On The Impact Of Identification Practices For Diverse Populations In Academically Gifted Programs During The 2022-2025 Aig Plan Implementation, Stephanie G. Revis

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Historically, many North Carolina Local Education Agencies (LEAs) have not prioritized diversity in Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) programs, and local control over funding and policies has led to wide variations in how identification and services are implemented. As a result, persistent equity gaps exist between the proportion of culturally, linguistically, and ethnically diverse (CLED) students in the overall population and their representation in AIG programs. The purpose of this study was to examine identification practices implemented by LEAs and determine their impact on the Relative Difference in Composition Index (RDCI), as well as to identify which practices contribute to …

Latine Students In U.S. Schools: An Interactive Resource Book For Educators, Melissa Colón

OER Textbooks

This interactive resource book provides educators with highly curated research, academic scholarship, and community-based materials to better inform and support their work with Latine students, families, and communities. Grounded in critical and culturally sustaining pedagogies (Rendón et al., 2014; Alim & Paris, 2017). This book encourages educators to cultivate a spirit of curiosity, collaboration, and continuous learning, recognizing that serving Latine students well requires both commitment and ongoing inquiry.

Equity In Gifted Education: Examining District Practices And Strategies To Identify Underrepresented Students Through Renzulli's Three-Ring Conception Of Giftedness, Kenneth M. Jackson

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This mixed methods study explored the effectiveness of a large South Carolina school district’s gifted identification practices, with particular attention to how well these practices support the identification of students from underrepresented populations. Framed by Renzulli’s (1978) Three-Ring Conception of Giftedness, the research investigated the extent to which the district’s procedures identify students using the model’s core indicators: above-average ability, creativity, and task commitment. Seven district practitioners, including teachers and administrators, participated in quantitative surveys, follow-up qualitative interviews, and a focus group. Findings revealed significant concerns about the overreliance on standardized academic measures, the exclusion of creativity and task commitment …

A Gift Not Given: An Examination Of Disproportionality For Black Students And Gifted Education Through The Lens Of Representation And Improvement, Casey Weiss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Giftedness is a particular trait giving designation to a specific group of people in a school population. While identification methods vary from state to state, the status of being gifted is granted to some students, creating a dichotomy of those who receive gifted services and subsequent privileges and those who remain left out. Historically, Black students and other marginalized populations have had less participation in gifted programs. The literature highlights several factors connected to inequity in giftedness including lack of a cohesive definition of the term (or even if the concept of giftedness is real or socially constructed), nomination and …

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Educators’ Beliefs About Using Academic Acceleration With Gifted Math Students And Others: Barriers And Opportunities, Jason Gorgia

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study examined the perceptions of educators (i.e., math teachers, administrators, and others) for insight into the absence of acceleration as a common pedagogical strategy in mathematics, despite longstanding research supporting the practice for students gifted in math and the interest frequently articulated by policymakers and educators in boosting American K-12 students’ math achievement. Educators from 48 states responded to scale-based and open-ended questions about math acceleration through an online survey where 713 of 818 respondents were teachers, balanced almost evenly among elementary, middle, and high schools, and among urban, suburban, and rural settings. The responses of teachers and non-teaching …

Exploring Perceptions Of Advanced Coursework Enrollment Practices: A Multiple Case Study, Tomika Ferguson, David B. Naff, Jenna Lenhardt, Amy E. Jefferson, Isaiah Moore, Andrea Herndon, Richard Ashburn, Jessica Harris, Jenna Conlee, Courtney Forstmann

MERC Publications

This report from the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium highlights findings from a multiple case study exploring enrollment practices related to advanced coursework matriculation in a suburban middle school and rural high school. In connection with the MERC Equitable Access and Support for Advanced Coursework study, this multiple case study included perspectives from students, parents, and educators as they reflected on the factors that support and inhibit access for advanced courses in their schools.

Book Review It Takes An Ecosystem: Understanding The People, Places, And Possibilities Of Learning And Development Across Settings, Denise Montgomery

Journal of Youth Development

It Takes an Ecosystem: Understanding the People, Places, and Possibilities of Learning and Development Across Settings, edited by Thomas Akiva and Kimberly H. Robinson, is a call to take a holistic and dynamic ecosystem approach to thinking about, designing, developing, and investing in the allied youth fields to more equitably and effectively support young people’s learning and development. Published in 2022, the volume outlines a vision for out-of-school time programs and systems, schools, community-based organizations, and the public sector to move beyond focusing separately on individual systems to a learning and development ecosystem approach that more accurately and inclusively reflects …

School Superintendents’ Perspectives Regarding Subordinates Developing, Utilizing, And Implementing Gifted Identification Equity, Vincent T. Landrum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study’s focus was the lived experiences of school superintendents about inconsistencies in gifted and talented education policy and ensuring the superintendents’ direct subordinates develop, utilize, and implement equitable gifted identification policies and practices, specifically for culturally, linguistically, and economically disadvantaged (CLED) students. Specifically, the researcher investigated the following: (a) the superintendents’ involvement in ensuring direct subordinates develop, utilize, and implement equitable gifted identification policies and practices for CLED students; (b) the superintendents’ involvement in ensuring their direct subordinates develop, utilize, and implement equitable gifted identification policies and practices for CLED students through professional development for those subordinates; and (c) …

Mathematical Identities And Tracking: An Exploration Of Efficacy In Children And Women, Emma Hagan

Education | Master's Theses

This study seeks to understand the impact of elementary school mathematical identities and mathematics tracking on the identities of women and girls. “Tracking” is an institutionalized education method developed in the 1960s and 1970s in which schools sort their students into smaller class-sized groups based on their observed achievement (Domina et al., 2016). Too often, when students test onto the lower track, they are confronted with a sense of futility and a lack of self-efficacy (Domina, Hanselman, Hwang & McEachin, 2016; Houtte & Stevens, 2015). Further, in STEM disciplines, students who identify as female report lower self-efficacy rates than those …

A Qualitative Study Of Facilitators And Barriers Perceived By Black Students And Their Effect On Advanced Placement Course Enrollment In High School, Austin R. Cole

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Advanced Placement (AP) classes can provide many benefits to students. The rigorous curriculum gives students an academic challenge to expand their educational abilities (The College Board, 2014). However, students of color are often underrepresented in AP participation (The College Board, 2014). Research has investigated factors among students of color that predict participation and success in AP courses, suggesting that family SES and prior academic achievement (Dixson et al., 2017; Ndura et al., 2003), and racial barriers impact students’ ability to choose to take AP courses (Jeffries & Silvernail, 2017; Walker & Pearsall, 2012). This study addressed a gap in the …

The Landscape Of Advanced Coursework Participation: Understanding Disparities And Intersectionality, Chin-Chih Chen, Chris Parthemos, David Naff, Erica Ross, Virginia Palencia, Beth Fowler, Andrea Herndon, Beverly Fludd-Flanagan

MERC Publications

This population-based study explored students' participation in advanced coursework in elementary schools (gifted/talented programs), middle schools (Algebra I+), and high schools (Advanced Placement) to address enrollment equity. The study identified demographic disparities and the intersectionality of multiple identities to achieve two research aims: 1) to explore how advanced course-taking varies by student demographics, and 2) to understand how disparities in advanced course-taking vary by student demographics and intersectional identities. The findings indicate that disparities in advanced course-taking are related to students’ race, ethnicity, disability status, English learner (EL) status, socioeconomic status, as well as the intersection of these variables. The …

Factors Contributing To Barriers To Equity In Gifted And Talented Identification, Adam Grant Lamparske

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the existing barriers to equity in the identification and servicing of gifted students in a small mid-western suburban school district. A mixed method approach guided by constructivist philosophy was used to conduct this research. An inductive Grounded Theory was the methodological approach. This study sought to gather the perception of school district stakeholders to identify potential barriers that exist for specific subgroups of students to being identified for gifted and talented services. The research questions for this Problem of Practice were as follows: (1) How do teachers and parents in School District …

Arbor Day Foundation Tree Programs Recommendations Report, Lane Knott, Mary Morton, Peyton Walker, Haley Faust, Kyler Caverzagie, Alex Sanchez

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Executive Summary

Project Description

We explored ways for the Arbor Day Foundation (ADF) to increase the value proposition for Tree Cities and Tree Campuses through application addendums and existing organizations.

Recommendation

We propose including an addition to the Tree City application for a grant awarded to Tree Cities that plant trees in underserved areas of the community.

We also recommend inviting Tree Campus to join the Alliance for Community Trees (ACT). Through membership, they will attend and participate in the Partners in Community Forestry Conference.

Rationale

The Tree City program is being under-utilized in connecting resources with communities. ADF can …

Analyzing Advanced Placement (Ap): Making The Nation's Most Prominent College Preparatory Program More Equitable, David Naff, Mitchell Parry, Tomika Ferguson, Virginia Palencia, Jenna Lenhardt, Elisa Tedona, Antionette Stroter, Theodore Stripling, Zoey Lu, Elizabeth Baber

MERC Publications

This report from the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) explores research related to Advanced Placement (AP) courses through an equity lens. It answers five questions: 1) What are AP classes? 2) Who enrolls and succeeds in AP classes? 3) Why do disparities in AP matter? 4) What factors contribute to disparities in AP participation and performance? 5) What policies and practices help to address disparities in AP access, enrollment, and performance? The report comes from the MERC Equitable Access and Support for Advanced Coursework study.

Socioeconomic Status And Recognized Talent In Scholastic Art Awards, Steven E. Heil

Art & Art History ETDs

Recognition of their early artistic accomplishments starts many young people on a path leading to adult success in art, but art learning opportunities and talent recognition may be afforded inequitably. In this records-based quantitative study, the researcher looks for evidence of inequity as it may appear in the context of the 2020 New Mexico Scholastic Art Awards (NMSAA), a regional partner of a high-profile national art contest, with 1,016 entries from 394 students in Grades 7-12 in 50 schools. NMSAA stands as an aspirational art achievement measure providing information about the highest levels of art achievement. The results support the …

Unpacking "Giftedness": Research And Strategies For Promoting Racial And Socioeconomic Equity, David B. Naff, Genevieve Siegel-Hawley, Amy Jefferson, Michael Schad, Morgan Saxby, Kathryn Haines, Zoey Lu

MERC Publications

Giftedness as a construct continues to be contested in academia, in the classroom and around kitchen tables. It means different things to different communities and, as a result, acquiring the "gifted" label looks different around the country. Once labeled, student giftedness produces different responses depending on state and district guidelines. A constant among the patchwork of defining, identifying and responding to student giftedness, though, is a serious racial and economic disparity in who is considered gifted and who is not. This report provides key takeaways from research literature on gifted and talented (GT) programs. It is organized according to five …

Reducing Underrepresentation: Promising Practices In Florida, Catherine A. Mullins

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I examined representation rates of gifted students from diverse backgrounds in Florida county school districts. Florida state legislation governing gifted student education allows for alternative identification methods to be used for students from underrepresented groups if plans for such identification are approved by the Florida Department of Education; however, this option, informally referred to as “Plan B” after subsection B of the legislation governing gifted services, is not a requirement that districts must follow. Consequently, there are large differences in the ways districts identify underrepresented students for gifted services. State legislation identifies underrepresented populations as students with …

Diversifying The Stem Education To Career Pathway!!!, Adrienne Coleman, Sowmya Anjur

Faculty Publications & Research

Education has always been a privilege. Most of us do not realize this. Opposition to the implementation of diversity and social equity has littered history. Many modern inventions and improvements were conceived under circumstances that included dire poverty and social inequity. The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy recognizes and acknowledges the historical underrepresentation and marginalization of culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse groups, both universally, and particularly, in STEM education and professions. Thus, this presentation will focus on the development of a plan for advancing equity in STEM education and representation and creating a diverse, inclusive community of global citizens who …

Diversity And Inclusion In The Science Classroom, Sowmya Anjur

Faculty Publications & Research

A Diversity, Epidemiology and social justice unit was incorporated into the Physiology and Disease curriculum in Fall 2016. Students discussed topics such as social and cultural influences on diversity thinking, and selective treatment in hospitals based on race. It was very noteworthy that students were united in their thinking regarding diversity and inclusion, despite the fact that they were from different backgrounds and diverse cultures. In 2017, additional discussions were held on equity in education. Students who were otherwise reserved were encouraged enough to express their views, and everyone appreciated the fact that they had been included.

Impact Report 2018: Equity And Excellence, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy

Impact Reports

For over 30 years, the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) has pioneered the future of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education through its two legislative charges: 1) to provide a uniquely challenging education for students talented in the areas of mathematics and science; and 2) to stimulate further excellence for all Illinois schools in mathematics and science. IMSA champions these goals through:

• Residential education: Helping talented 10th-12th graders representing over 93% of Illinois counties to date reach their fullest potential.
• Student and educator outreach: Leading the charge to continually innovate K-12 STEM education, creating a strong and diverse …

Nurturing Potential: The Impact Of Talent Development On Underrepresented Gifted Populations, Sara Newell

Education Dissertations and Projects

Data on gifted education show a clear problem: lack of diversity in gifted education programs. This fact is compounded by additional data showing a disparaging difference in achievement of Caucasian versus minority students. Together, these concepts are referred to as the excellence gap in gifted education. Talent development, or the location and nurturing of potential talent in underrepresented populations, has been recommended in the gifted community as a possible step in resolving these inequities (Ellis & Martin, 2017; Ford, 2010; National Association of Gifted Children [NAGC], 2015; Reinhard, 2016; Thornbury, 2010).

Through an explanatory mixed methods study, this research analyzed …

Equitable Identification Of Frl-Eligible Gifted And Talented Students, Leann Pickerill

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this research study was the equitable identification of Kentucky students in the general intellectual gifted and talented category. A quantitative study was used to identify relationships between a student’s socioeconomic status and identification. Statistical methods were used to examine statistical relationships between identification methods and socioeconomic status. A policy review was completed to determine if policies of highly equitable districts were comparable to low-equity districts.

Perspectives On Equity In Gifted Education, Karen A. Kraeger

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

Increasing pressures of accountability in education and calls for equity make gifted education a controversial topic. While much has been written about certain aspects of equity, such as underrepresented groups in gifted education, little research has examined a more complex view of what makes a gifted education program equitable. More specifically, there was no research combining perceptions of the different aspects of equity in gifted education-access, participation, and benefit.

This qualitative study used grounded theory to establish a coherent understanding of the current perspectives on equity in gifted education. Drawing on gifted specialists at the local, regional, and state level, …

Tracking In Middle School Mathematics, Alexis Geisler

Mathematics Graduate Theses

This paper is a review of research pertaining to the issue of tracking in middle and high school mathematics. More focus is given to middle school because this is usually where tracking begins in mathematics. It supports research on the rationale behind detracking our schools and moving towards heterogeneous classrooms. Research behind the psychological effects of tracking is also provided, along with how tracking can segregate our school systems. There is a variety of research on the effect of tracking in mathematics. One of the most prevalent issues is how tracking is detrimental to the low tracked students. It not …

The Impact Of Demographics On 21st Century Education, Norman Eng

Publications and Research

Do all students need STEM education or should it be focused primarily on the mathematically and scientifically inclined? Here, demographics may hold the key to such questions from which a 21st century education model should be based on.