Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education Commons^™

Becoming A Self-Study Researcher: Learning Method Through Practice, Brandon M. Butler, Andrew J. Collins, Jim F. Leathrum, Christopher J. Lynch

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Calls for methodological innovation in qualitative research often assume that researchers can readily adopt new approaches once they are introduced. Yet adoption presupposes learning, and far less attention has been given to how scholars come to understand and enact unfamiliar methodologies, particularly those that challenge entrenched assumptions about rigor, evidence, and researcher positioning. This study examines how three engineering faculty members learned self-study of professional practice through participation in a facilitated, collaborative inquiry. Using self-study as both methodology and site of investigation, we analyzed reflective journals, recorded dialogues, and analytic artifacts to examine methodological learning as it unfolded in practice. …

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Immigrant Students And Their Sense Of Belonging, Sonam Singh

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative descriptive study explores the lived experiences of immigrant high school students at a suburban school in Northern California. The focus is primarily on understanding how they navigate their educational journey and construct their sense of belonging. Immigrant students face numerous challenges due to many factors, including language barriers, cultural differences, social integration, and concerns regarding immigration status, which can significantly impact their academic progress and well-being. Using a qualitative descriptive study approach, this study amplifies student voices through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with students in grades 10 and 11, enabling them to share personal stories that shape their perceptions …

Understanding Interculturality And Enacting Culturally Based Pedagogies: A Mixed Methods Study Of In-Service World Language Educators In Secondary Classrooms, Heather L. Sandy

Theses and Dissertations

This research study explored the relationship between an understanding of interculturality and culturally based pedagogies among world language teachers. The study examined the relationship between language teachers’ upbringing, their development of intercultural competence, and their self-efficacy in culturally responsive teaching practices. It addressed a practical knowledge gap concerning the intersection of interculturality and culturally based practices, specifically among secondary education teachers of Spanish and Mandarin Chinese in the United States.

The data sources focused on the qualitative aspects of interculturality, culturally based teaching practices, and world language pedagogy, with quantitative results to enhance qualitative data. The qualitative data collection included …

Neoliberalism In Education: Three Studies On The Intersection Of Neoliberalism, Science Of Reading, And Policy, Candace Bechtold

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three linking projects that study the intersection of neoliberal ideology, American education policymaking, and the Science of Reading (SOR). I sought to understand how neoliberal mechanisms like standardization and accountability have shaped past and current education policies in the United States. In the first project, I take an historical approach to conceptualize neoliberal ideology to explain how it is manifested in Standards-Based Accountability (SBA) reform and demonstrate how its implications have progressed over time. In the second project, I focus on one state's SOR policy–the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA)– to conduct a discourse analysis of documents …