Secondary Education Commons^™

The Conflict Campaign: Exploring Local Experiences Of The Campaign To Ban “Critical Race Theory” In Public K–12 Education In The U.S., 2020–2021, Mica Pollock, John Rogers, Alexander Kwako, Andrew Matschiner, Reed Kendall, Cicely Bingener, Erika Reece, Benjamin C. Kennedy, Jaleel R. Howard

Education Faculty Articles and Research

"For this study, we reviewed documentation from and about the campaign’s loudest proponents, particularly national and local leaders. We analyzed anti 'CRT' websites, toolkits, Facebook groups, and media appearances to understand their shared language, tactics, and logic. We analyzed survey and interview data from educators affected through early fall 2021, drawing on survey responses from 275 members of a set of national teacher organizations that support teachers who tend toward teaching on race and diversity, as well as an interview study of 21 'equity officers' (EOs) in district diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) roles across the country. We also drew …

Breaking Barriers: Creating Inclusive Dance Spaces For High School Students With Cerebral Palsy, Samantha Michelle Barnewolt

Dance (MFA) Theses

Abstract This thesis explores the power of positive mindsets as it relates to creative movement development in dance for students living with Cerebral Palsy (CP) who also use motorized wheelchairs. This research dives into the development of movement mantras used to break negative mindsets and create thinking strategies that encourage movement development for varied bodies. As a result of collaborative efforts between the researcher, a student living with CP, and students living without CP, this study reveals that through the removal of mental barriers which complicate the accessibility of intentional movement in dance, students with CP may overcome obstacles that …

Comparing Self-Delivered To Instructor-Delivered Reinforcement During Vocational Instruction For Students With Intellectual Disability Using Video Activity Schedules, Katherine Elise White

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

In this study, an adapted alternating treatments design was used to compare the effectiveness of teaching vocational task when using self-delivered reinforcement versus instructor-delivered reinforcement while using video prompting. Participants consisted of four high school students who had been diagnosed with intellectual disabilities. Results indicated that instructor delivered reinforcement was slightly more effective at teaching a vocational task for 2 of the 4 participants. The results of the other 2 participants indicated that both forms of reinforcement delivery were similarly effective.

Effects Of A Video Based Intervention On Job Interview Skills Of Youth With Autism, Kelsey T. Dunn

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I conducted a multiple-probe-across-participants design to examine the impact of a video-based intervention on interview skills of youth with autism. First, I conducted a systematic literature review of interview interventions. Results were used to guide the development of this study’s measure and procedures. Finding that previous literature relied on rubric measures to rate interview skill behaviors, I developed and piloted a primary measure for examining direct speech production. Using transcripts and video analysis, this study captures the construct of interview skills using both quantity (frequency of relevant/irrelevant c-units) and quality (interview skills rubric score). The intervention consisted …

All In Pix Ypar: A Youth Participatory Action Research Study Of Students With Significant Disabilities In High School, Jessica L. Jennings

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Education facilitates community involvement, participation, and acceptance, but not for students with significant disabilities who are taught in separate settings. The policy of separate education derives from arcane beliefs, limited research, and misconceptions that result in people with disabilities having choices made for them not with them. The All IN Pix YPAR asked six high school students with significant disabilities to photo document a week in their high school yearbook class. Each day after school, the students discussed a single photo using a modified photovoice method in structured interviews using the SHOWeD questioning protocol. After data capture, during a Zoom …

School Library Resources For Inclusive Online English Language Learning: Teachers’ Perspectives About Differentiating Instruction In The Context Of English As Second Language, Angela Eze, Charity N. Onyishi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract

In an inclusive education setting, learners with and without disabilities are guided to study in the same classrooms with adaptable facilities and equipments. With this arrangement in place, assistive technology becomes an absolute requirement, and the school library is a medium for providing and using inclusive resources. In the current education system where online learning is speedily overtaking face-to-face learning modalities, school Library resources are indispensable for the effective inclusion of all learners through differentiated instruction. Such is critically essential for English language learning, especially in Nigeria, where English is learned as a Second Language. However, little is known …

A Culturally Responsive Literacy Approach To Develop Scientific Conceptual Knowledge Through Creative Narratives, Alma D. Stevenson, Lacey D. Huffling

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Our study examined the effects of culturally responsive literacy pedagogical approaches in the development of scientific vocabulary and conceptual knowledge among minoritized middle-grade students during a summer program. We describe the design and implementation of a literacy-enriched STEM instructional unit of study built upon the background experiences of Latina/Latino migrant farmworkers’ children to expand their STEM literacy skills and knowledge. Our aim with this unit was to increase the students’ science knowledge and skills; strengthen their mathematical abilities; enhance their ability to use technology for research; and improve their academic vocabulary, language, and writing skills. This program also had as …

The Participation Of Female Teachers In Educational Leadership In Secondary Schools In Ubungo Municipality, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Sarah Samson Mbogela, Blackson Kanukisya

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This study investigates female teachers’ participation in educational leadership in secondary schools in Ubungo Municipality, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The objectives of the study are threefold: (i) to explore the participation of female teachers in secondary schools’ leadership; (ii) to investigate the challenges facing the participation of female teachers in secondary schools’ leadership; and (iii) to establish strategies for enhancing the participation of female teachers in the leadership of secondary schools. The study employs a qualitative research approach using a single case study design. Data collection methods were interviews, focus group discussions and documentary review. The collected data were analysed …

A Study Of Incarcerated Youth: The Effect Of Student Interest On Reading Comprehension And Engagement, Joanna C. Weaver, Grace E. Mutti

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Motivating adolescents to read can be a challenge, but motivating incarcerated adolescents to read may be even more of a challenge. Developing readers in residential facilities are often overlooked by traditional classroom teachers, but much can be learned from incarcerated youth and their motivation and engagement. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of research on effective instructional reading practices that motivate and engage incarcerated youth. The existing research primarily examines the impact of literacy on recidivism instead of strategies for motivating and engaging students who are incarcerated. Numerous studies exist that focus on motivation and engagement of reading in traditional classrooms, …

Community Conversations: Finding Solutions To Increase Employment For Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, James Sinclair, Kyle Reardon, Katherine W. Bromley, Christen Knowles, Dana Cohen Lissman, Megan Kunze

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

This study describes the implementation and findings of a pilot community conversations event in the state of Oregon to identify innovative solutions to under- and unemployment experienced by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The event was facilitated in partnership with the University of Oregon UCEDD, local Arc chapter, and other relevant community stakeholders. A total of 36 diverse individuals (e.g., school personnel, business owners, individuals with IDD, and caregivers of individuals with IDD) participated in a two-hour community conversations event about how to improve employment opportunities for those experiencing IDD. Participants engaged in discussions about solutions to employment …

Build Your Own Body Mod: Empowerment Through Prototyping And Design, Anaiss Arreola, Katherine R. Ganim

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

When you don’t have a hand, what could you have instead? This article introduces the impact of inviting youth with disabilities to learn tools and technology to design their own solutions and advocate for their own future. This approach to programming is rooted in a mindset of designing WITH, not FOR. Not only are design outcomes improved when users are incorporated into the process, but this approach has been shown to improve confidence in creating one’s own solutions. These programs include hands-on “design-your-own-body-mod” workshops, as well as a budding inclusive design consultancy led by youth with disabilities. Through this programming, …

Signing To Success: Developing Effective Asl Curricula In Secondary Public Education, Claire Sutterer

Undergraduate Research Symposium

This study aims to investigate the history of American Sign Language (ASL) in public schools, analyze where ASL education is today, and provide potential solutions to improving the quantity and quality of ASL classes within public high schools. A significant body of research focusing on preK-2nd grade students and research with primary concentration on students who are Deaf or hard of hearing has already been developed. However, developing effective methods for teaching ASL to hearing people is a relatively new and under researched area. ASL was not officially recognized as a language until the 1950s. It wasn’t until 2011 that …

Life Is Complicated: The Urgent Call To Support Student Wellbeing Through Social Emotional Learning, Taya Kinzie

Dissertations

Abstract:

Students face increased mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, trauma, racial trauma, and suicide risk, in addition to opportunity gaps. Despite educators’ work to support students through mental health services and despite the existence of social emotional learning (SEL) programs within the school environment, the impact on student learning and long-term post high school outcomes can feel overwhelming. There is also a perception that the responsibility for SEL belongs only to social workers, psychologists and counselors. The primary research question is; how does embedding of SEL practices vary within instructional, non-instructional, and leadership roles? The related questions are: to …

The Role Of Aesthetics In Classroom Design: Implications For Engagement And Equity, Giuliana Barraza

Master's Theses

The desire for achieving greater equity in education has been a prevalent topic of research, with many studies indicating that the current education system in this country is designed in a way that exacerbates initial inequities and has a negative impact on student motivation and engagement (EOCD, 2012). While existing scholarship mostly discusses equity and engagement through the lens of curriculum and instruction, the power of physical classroom environments and aesthetic elements present in those environments is less explored. With student populations becoming more diverse, there is a greater need for new tools for teachers to utilize in pursuit of …

Covid-19 And Racial Justice In Urban Education: Nyc Parents Speak Out, Kelly Brady, Mieasia Edwards, Whitney Hollins, José Luis Jiménez, Wendy Luttrell, William Orellana, David Rosas, Nga Than

Publications and Research

The COVID-19 pandemic and global calls for racial justice surfaced tremendous inequities and revitalized the debate about schooling and its purpose. NYC Parents Speak Out is a public engagement project, based on an interactive survey and interviews that records and reflects NYC family educational experiences during the unprecedented school year of 2020-2021. Our research collective, comprised of researchers, parents, advocates, teachers, and school leaders from the Urban Education Ph.D. Program at The Graduate Center (CUNY) identified three key recommendations based on research findings: to improve communication through family and community engagement; give greater attention to social-emotional and mental health; and …

A Literature Review Of Understanding And Supporting Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In The Classroom, Kerilyn Creelman

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

The effects of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has on academic performance are evident. This mini-literature review aims to gain insight into which parts of ADHD affects a student’s academic achievement and to provide suggestions to use to assist closing the academic gap between students with ADHD and neurotypical students. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is increasing in diagnosis within children. ADHD affects a child’s academic performance, creating a deficit measured in years, and grows as children continue into their high school careers. ADHD-Inattentive affects academic performance the most out of the three subtypes of ADHD. Medication has shown …

Principals' Perceptions Of Manifestation Determination Implementation And Disciplining Secondary Students With Disabilities, Felicia Florez

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

Students with disabilities are often disciplined differently than their peers in school. This qualitative study focused on eight secondary administrators in the Fort Smith Public School district and their perceptions of manifestation determinations and their understanding of the laws of special education. Participants were interviewed face-toface via an online platform, and results were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Glasser’s Choice Theory guided the research and through the study the results indicated administrators gain insights to a SWD motivation for the behavior before assigning an intervention, punishment, or discipline procedure (Achilles et al., 2007; Glasser, 1998; Louis, 2009; Rose, 1988; Zirkel, 2010). …

A Study Of Student Experiences In The Secondary Transition Program Through Student, Parent, And Teacher Perceptions, Kelley M. Sells

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to examine and analyze the perceptions of students with mild-moderate disabilities, teachers, and parents regarding the students’ experiences related to their secondary transition plan. More specifically, the qualitative single-case study sought to identify areas of alignment and divergence of these three key members’ perspectives since experiences and perceptions are unique to an individual based on the context and individual’s perspective of the event. These findings suggested that the district showed experiences of valuable student presence and input in their IEP meetings and trusting supportive student-teacher relationships. The study also revealed that significant barriers …

Chronic Absenteeism At One Arkansas High School, Michelle Miller

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chronic absenteeism is a fairly new concept in education. Many schools have only started tracking chronic absenteeism with the start of Every Student Succeeds Act. The following research studied chronic absenteeism at an Arkansas High School, which answered the two research questions in this study. The first research question studied the demographics of the chronically absent student which included grade level, race/ethnicity, Special Education and English Language Learner status, and free or reduced lunch status. The second research question studied the class period of the chronic absence which included the time of day and type of class. High School X …

Inequity In Montgomery County Public High Schools, Alex Wagoner, Carli Heimann

Media and Communication Studies Presentations

Public education is an integral part in the upbringing of American children and teenagers. While it is a right for all U.S. citizens, the quality of public education can vary greatly from school to school and from district to district. In fall of 2020, a group of students in a journalism course at Ursinus were tasked with finding and interviewing Montgomery County High School students to record their experiences at several schools in the county and highlight some of the inequities inherent in the American public schooling system. This presentation will detail two stories and a video that encapsulated our …

Bridging Barriers In Inclusive Classrooms: Avenues For Communication Between General Education Teachers And Families, Nicole M. Wack

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Family-teacher communications have proven beneficial for the academic, social and behavioral success of students at all levels. Research studies have specifically examined this dynamic as it relates to general education teachers and general education families, teachers and families at the primary level, and special education teachers and special education families. However, there is minimal research regarding communication strategies between families of students with disabilities (FSWDs) and general education teachers of inclusive classrooms (GETINs) at the high school level. In order to address this gap in the literature, this action research study investigated the following research questions: 1) To what extent …

Research-Practice Partnership Strategies To Conduct And Use Research To Inform Practice, Erin Henrick, Steven Mcgee, Lucia Dettori, Troy Williams, Andrew M. Rasmussen, Don Yanek, Ronald I. Greenberg, Dale Reed

Computer Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Given the complex challenges inherent in improving the quality of education, research-practice partnerships (RPPs) aim to bring together research and practice educators to conduct and use research to improve outcomes for students. This collaborative approach is challenging, and often requires members to adopt new ways of working (Coburn, Penuel, & Geil, 2013). RPPs have the potential to provide an infrastructure and mechanisms to integrate and unify research, policy, and practice, in contrast to traditional research processes in which research, policy, and practice can be in tension (Desimone, Wolford, Hill, 2016). The RPP literature is still young, and rich descriptions related …

Stakeholder Perspectives: How Participation In A Work-Based Learning Program Affects Perceptions, Samantha G. Piller

Education Doctorate Dissertations

The concept of disability and how it is perceived varies based on one’s own understanding, prior experiences, position, and interactions with others. By adding the variable of employment into the equation, perceptions surrounding disability can have a significant impact on the disabled community. The amount of significance corresponds directly with the level or degree of one’s disability and other identities. Currently, the separation between employment rates for disabled adults and their non-disabled counterparts is vast (Sametz, 2017). The purpose of this study is to examine some variables that affect employment outcomes for youth with low-incidence disabilities. Guided by theoretical frameworks …

The Corridor Of Shame: An Immersed Analysis Of South Carolina Schools, Darren R. Burton

Senior Theses

This research project discusses school funding instruments of rural and urban schools in South Carolina and uncovers its effect on student academic achievement. Educational achievement is assessed based on report card datasets between 2018 and 2019, containing South Carolina Assessment of State Standards (SCPASS) score data and South Carolina College and Career Ready Assessment (SCREADY) score data. This research project uses a comparative analysis to evaluate each group’s performance in the subjects of English Language Arts and science. The statistical analysis tools that this research project uses include analysis of variance (ANOVA), linear regression analysis, and Microsoft Power BI. The …

Building And Maintaining Sanctuary Spaces Through Face To Face Writing Assessment, Jeffrey Austin, Ann Burke, Ellen Foley, Gretchen Rumohr

Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education

Seasoned secondary and college instructors discuss successful face-to-face assessment, especially in virtual settings. F2F assessment frees educators to co-create equitable literacy learning experiences with students, encourages agency, demystifies the grading process, develops the classroom community, and brings meaningful inquiry about writers’ own skills and practices, ultimately disrupting inequities and inequalities of traditional grading and creating “sanctuary spaces” for all writers.

The Perceived Importance And Ability Of Secondary Agricultural Education Teachers Regarding Accommodating Students With Exceptionalities: A Mixed Methods Study, Raegan Ramage

LSU Master's Theses

Each year, the number of students who have a documented disability in public schools in the U.S. has increased. However, SBAE instructors continue to identify a lack of confidence when teaching students with exceptionalities. This lack of confidence is exacerbated by a lack of professional development opportunities and preservice training offered by teacher preparation programs regarding teaching students with special needs. To better understand this complex issue, this mixed methods investigation sought to describe Louisiana SBAE instructors’ previous educational experiences focused on accommodating students with special needs and describe their desired professional development opportunities regarding accommodating students with special needs. …

Myth, Power, And Justice: The Danger Of A Single Story, Christen H. Clougherty

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

If we hear only a single story about a group, we risk a critical misunderstanding. In this session, learn to critically analyze assumptions of single stories and dominant narratives about community partners. Engage in hands-on activities to explore this issue as it relates to race, poverty, and social justice. Leave with classroom activities to take back to your classroom.

Improving Equity Through Master Scheduling, Allison Degregory, Craig Sommer

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

A real and measurable gap exists in our country, and our educational system has served to increase this gap. Our system has failed to provide equitable access to advanced coursework for Black and Hispanic students. Implementing a deliberate and strategic system for scheduling high school students will provide historically underrepresented student groups equitable access to college credit and college-level courses. Quantitative research will determine how such an approach impacts high school students at an urban district in the southeastern United States when principals, and principal supervisors, create systems to schedule students equitably.

Clear and present gaps exist in the rate …

The Strengths And Challenges Perceived By Special Education Teachers Of Students With Emotional Disturbance: A Mixed Methods Study, Brittany Severino

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

High school-aged students who qualify for special education services with the disability of Emotional Disturbance (ED) are at elevated risk of experiencing negative school and life consequences (Balagna et al., 2013; Billingsley & Bettini, 2019; Maag, 2006). Likewise, special education teachers who instruct this population of students are at greater risk of leaving the occupation within the first couple of years (Billingsley & Bettini, 2019; Cancio et al., 2018). These two alarming trends create the need for research to provide insight into how retention can be increased and attrition can be reduced for Emotional Support Teachers (ESTs). This study utilized …

After The Protests: A Campus Racial Climate Case Study Of The Perception And Curricular Responses For Institutional Reforms, Following The Black Students’ Demands For Interventions At The University Of Missouri-Columbia, Bruce E. Mitchell Ii

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This qualitative method single case study explores the phenomenon of a racially tense campus climate at the University of Missouri Columbia, a Predominantly White Midwestern Institution. At the forefront of the media regarding student and athlete protests, leading to the resignation of senior level administrators, African American students put forth eight demands to their administrators. Included, was the creation and implementation of a required racial awareness and inclusion curriculum. The study explores the perceptions of the institutional response to an exceptional campus racial climate issue and the process of formulating and participating in a diversity training course and a semester …