Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Estimating The Impacts Of Legislation To Expand Affordable Quality Child Care And Early Education In Massachusetts: Initial Findings On Utilization, Employment, And Financial Assistance. Research Brief #1, Randy Albelda, Alan Clayton-Matthews, Anne Douglass, Christa Kelleher, Songtian Zeng, Laurie Nsiah-Jefferson

Publications from the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy

The UMass Boston Early Education CUSP is led by a multidisciplinary team that designed the simulator and uses it to produce current, relevant, accurate, and responsive estimates about the key impacts of proposed legislation to expand access to affordable, quality child care and early education. One of the simulator’s valuable features is that it can produce estimates for a range of policy parameters and provisions. The team will release additional briefs in the coming months to offer a more detailed look at the impacts outlined in this initial publication. Other planned briefs will examine key topics, such as impacts related …

Implementation Of Tuning In To Kids Social-Emotional Learning Program In The Kyrgyz Republic, Anasatsiia Iun

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

To date, no research on the influence of social-emotional learning (SEL) instruction on school violence and academic performance in the Kyrgyz Republic has been published. However, the current levels of school violence and poor academic performance in Kyrgyz schools warrant action. According to the UNICEF report (2012), 83% of students reported witnessing or experiencing instances of violence at school. Research has shown positive results of SEL instruction on reducing school violence in various countries (Taylor et al., 2017). Therefore, the goal of this study was to pilot the implementation of a Russian translation of the Tuning in to Kids program, …

The Black Box Of Enrollment Management: The Influence Of Academic Capitalism And Values Of The Public Good, Kamala C. Kiem

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The study addresses the widening income and racial access gap in higher education resulting from enrollment management teams’ operationalization of academic capitalism. The study focuses on the local, micro level, emphasizing how enrollment management leadership teams make sense of enrollment management, recognizing that enrollment management and the work of enrollment management stakeholders exist within an organizational space encompassing the values of both public good and academic capitalism. Using a case study methodology and critical sensemaking theory, the research explored how academic capitalism and values of the public good shaped enrollment management leadership teams’ sensemaking and sensegiving as they enacted decisions, …

Building An Infrastructure For Down Syndrome Care, Kate E. Martin

Instructional Design Capstones Collection

People with intellectual disabilities experience greater obstacles in attaining their full health potential. The most common identifiable cause of intellectual disability is Down syndrome. Established in September 2021, the Down Syndrome Program at The Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) aims to meet the healthcare needs of members of the Southern Nevada community with Down syndrome and their families. However, there is currently no infrastructure in place in Southern Nevada to provide Down syndrome care, or clinical services dedicated to individuals with the condition. This work discusses options that were explored to develop …

The State Of Latino Education: 2010-2020, Fabián Torres-Ardila, Nyal Fuentes

Gastón Institute Publications

In this report, we will provide a descriptive analysis of the main trends in educational achievement for Latinos in Massachusetts in the period 2010-2022. We highlight areas in which Latino students have made considerable progress since the publication of the 2010 Gastón report “The State of Latinos and Education in Massachusetts: 2010,” along with other areas in which progress has stalled and/or been reversed. The data presented cover only until 2020, before the full effects of the Covid-19 pandemic were felt. We end with recommendations for further development of a Latino Education agenda.

Caged Animals: The Reproduction Of Social And Educational Inequalities In Indian Secondary Schools, Vishakha Agarwal

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

There is a continued crisis in public schooling in India’s low-income and socially disadvantaged communities. Schools are supposed to provide a safe and healthy environment conducive to learning that ultimately helps to disrupt the transmission of intergenerational poverty and leads to social and economic mobility among low-income and socially disadvantaged students. In practice, however, schools have served to disproportionately exclude marginalized populations from attaining quality education. Previous research has revealed that less affluent students attend under-resourced schools in buildings with poor infrastructural facilities and fewer or unqualified teachers (India Infrastructure Report, 2012), where they face hidden normative barriers that negatively …

Paths Of My Development In The Cct Program, Russell Suereth

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This paper shows the development of a view of personal transformation and social transformation, and the creation of art that depicts that view through courses in the Critical and Creative Thinking program at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. The paper is a focus on the courses and their impact on the view and the associated art, rather than an analysis of the view and art. Since the program is centered around critical and creative thinking, the paper also describes how thinking in critical and creative ways benefits a project of vision and art. Self-reflection is also an important component of …

Exploring The Impact Of Stress On Healthcare Student Competency: A Cognitive Model For Self-Regulating Performance During High-Stakes Scenarios, Michael J. Teachey

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Stress and anxiety are part of healthcare and are experienced not only by patients but also by clinicians. This work explores an issue prevalent in healthcare education, outlining the detrimental effects of stress-induced anxiety on student performance during practical assessments. Included in this paper are the research and investigative details that elaborate on the process taken towards resolving the issue. Research conducted in the fields of education, law, and medicine is used to explore how these areas address stress with regard to performance. Through the various processes of research and engagement, this action research project uncovers the underlying issue of …

On A Mission: Examination Of Graduate Resources For Multicultural Women At The University Of Massachusetts Boston, Annmarie Mccluskey

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This paper discusses significant issues affecting Multicultural Women Graduate Students at the University of Massachusetts Boston, a Predominately White Institution, for creating a centralized graduate resources weblink on the Office of Graduate Studies website. The intervention seeks to address navigating gender and race inequalities that create a double bind experience of stress within a dominant academic culture that reinforces isolation, intersectional barriers, microaggressions, and pressure to assimilate to the dominant culture. Facilitation of this proposal will impact Multicultural Women Graduate Students, the Office of Graduate Studies, the Provost’s Office which oversees the OGS, and the entirety of the University of …

Building Constructive Interpersonal Communication Skills In Military Professionals: Generating A Culture Of Trust, April L. Baptiste Robertson

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Trust and open communication are interdependent and as a post 9/11 career Army leader, I have witnessed what appears to be the erosion of both within the military ranks. Military quality of life and mental health issues are on the rise, with compliance and prevention programs appearing to be less than impactful solutions. The resulting effects of which is a loss of trust and confidence in leadership. The research and findings presented within this synthesis strongly indicate that targeted training on interpersonal communication skills and counseling would simultaneously foster leader development and underpin a culture of trust and open communication. …

Reimagining Information Literacy Instruction Through Faculty Development, Erin Mccoy

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This paper explores a unique approach to information literacy instruction by designing a curriculum map that provides consistent opportunities for faculty to engage with ideas surrounding critical thinking, metacognition, scaffolding instruction, and implementing information literacy teaching tools within their classroom. This map outlines a comprehensive approach to faculty development that addresses the dissatisfaction in information literacy instruction among academic librarians, particularly with the one-shot model and the lack of assessment opportunities of students’ information literacy skills. Using action research, the author explores the reason for this dissatisfaction and how it be addressed. Through interviews with other campus departments like online …

Substantially Silent: Exploring The Variability Of “Voice” At The Intersection Of Race And Dis/Ability In A Restrictive Special Education Placement, Christopher N. Hall

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The overrepresentation of Black students in special education, particularly in the most restrictive educational placements, is well documented in the literature. In addition, Black students are disproportionately placed into far more segregated educational spaces than their same-aged White peers with similar dis/ability labels. With limited qualitative studies that center the voices of students of color labelled as severely disabled in restrictive educational settings, informed by the tenets of Disability Studies in Education (DSE), this study adds to the growing body of research foregrounding the voices of individuals with dis/abilities in telling their own story from their perspective through narrative portraiture. …

Spiritual Activism Training For Non-Traditional Spiritual Practitioners, Jennifer Kay Stone

Instructional Design Capstones Collection

This project explores the best practices for providing effective, motivational instruction for practitioners of alternative spirituality in the topic of spiritual activism. Alternative spirituality is defined as Neo-paganism, Neo-shamanism, Earth-Based Spirituality, New Ageism, Energy Workers, and their many subgroups which are too many to be listed here. Research is focused on what factors motivate activists, create longevity in activism, and what supports activist longevity. Comparisons as to longevity strategies between traditional and spiritual activists are also made. Through a survey taken by Littlelight Ceremonies’ membership and other research, it is discovered that the alternative spirituality demographic is highly individualistic, highly …

The Percentage Of People Who Receive Vr Services Varies Greatly Across States, Alberto Migliore

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

Receiving vocational rehabilitation services is a key step toward employment. However, the percentage of job seekers with intellectual disabilities who receive #VocRehab services varies greatly across states, from 93% in Vermont to 34% in Nebraska. Check out this new DataNote to see how your state compares

I Was A Think College Policy Advocate!, Arthur Moreira

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

Arthur Moreira shares about his experience as a Think College Policy Advocate in 2022. Arthur, a student at College of Alameda, had the opportunity to learn about advocacy and disability policy from experts at AUCD and Think College, and then travel to Washington, DC, where he visited representatives and talked with them about issues important to people with disabilities, including education, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and more.

The Perceptions Of Academic Librarians On Their Role In Lifelong Learning, Self-Directed Learning And Heutagogy, Anna Ferri

Instructional Design Capstones Collection

This paper uses a qualitative methodology to explore the perceptions of academic librarian on the definition of lifelong learning and their roles in supporting lifelong learning. Existing research on the topic was aligned to the emergent educational model of heutagogy to identify key concepts including self-directed learning, learner agency, and the impact of technology. Heutagogy is a learning model focused on self-determined learning, often in a high technology environment, for mature learners who have high degrees of agency over the entire learning process including identifying learning goals and methods, locating resources, and designing assessments. Using loosely structured interviews of academic …

Developing A Theater Skills-Based Workshop To Facilitate Exploration Of Self-Identity For Young People, Natasha N. Goss

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This synthesis will explore the premise of a working outreach platform comprised of experiential methodology, and practical tools and strategies to serve the intended audience. The paper presents an in-depth example of a workshop curriculum created for middle-school aged youth, (12-14 years old), who may struggle with self-esteem, understanding their self-worth, and making responsible decisions. The work explores two intersecting ideas that 1) poor self-concepts and misperceived thinking can lead youth to behave negatively and make detrimental decisions, and 2) theater involvement can produce a theater-based skillset capable of combating those poor self-concepts and misperceived thoughts and changing the trajectory …

Assessing The Role Of Motivational Factors In Facilitating Artists’ Personal And Professional Development, Ece Gurler

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Various factors exert influence on an artist’s impetus. If artists can learn about different ways to use these both external and internal factors to facilitate their personal and professional development, their creative process and productivity will be affected positively. According to the research, individuals display three types of orientation during the exploration and development process -and so creative process: The desire to be effective (White, 1959), autonomous (DeCharms, 1968), and related to significant others (Deci & Ryan, 1991). Effective-oriented personalities tend to be motivated by extrinsic rewards or punishment, whereas autonomously oriented people are more intrinsically motivated. However, understanding the …

A Transformative Approach To Incorporating Adaptive Courseware: Strategic Implementation, Backward Design And Research-Based Teaching Practices, Tonya A. Buchan, Stanley Kruse, Jennifer Todd, Lee Tyson

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

In July 2016, Colorado State University (CSU) joined seven other land-grant institutions in the Accelerating Adoption of Adaptive Courseware grant sponsored by the Personalized Learning Consortium (PLC) of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU). A primary objective of the grant was to scale the adoption of adaptive courseware in general education courses at each of the grant institutions. CSU targeted high-enrollment, general education courses and took a three-pronged, transformative approach to the integration of adaptive courseware. Specifically, CSU divided the courseware integration into three components: 1) strategic implementation of courseware, 2) backward course design, and 3) incorporation of …

Pre-Employment Transition Services For Students With Intellectual Disabilities Who Applied For Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Alberto Migliore, John Butterworth

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

This data note addresses participation in Pre-ETS for students with intellectual disabilities (ID) who applied for VR services. Of the 45,110 people with ID who exited the VR program in 2018, a total of 8,809 (18%) were students who applied for Pre-ETS. Of these, 1,712 (21%) received Pre-ETS and of those who received Pre-ETS, 744 (43%) gained employment.

Educator Perspectives On English Learner Identification: An Explanatory Mixed Methods Study, Rachel E. Hoffman

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore English learner identification and placement through the lens of teacher knowledge and attitude, with the goal of identifying ways to ensure that the intended outcome (correct identification and placement) occurs. Employing explanatory mixed methods research, data was collected from teachers and other educators in the Jackson Public School district through both a web administered survey and one to one phone interviews. The survey data showed that the number of ELs that an educator has had in the past few years had a statistically significant effect on educator knowledge, but none of the …

Parent-Teacher Relationship Quality As A Predictor Of Changes In Externalizing Behaviors At School For Children With Asd, Lana Andoni

Graduate Masters Theses

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) exhibit high rates of externalizing behaviors compared to children with other disabilities and typically developing peers. These behavioral challenges may impede their ability to successfully transition into school settings. Higher quality relationships between parents and clinicians working with children with ASD have been shown to yield positive student outcomes. Additionally, parent involvement is considered to play a critical role in the success of interventions for children with ASD. Teachers may benefit from parents’ extensive knowledge about their child and parents may benefit from greater knowledge of school behavior plans to promote continuity of behavior …

A Comprehensive Model Of Employment Support, Alberto Migliore, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

This brief describes a model of employment supports centered around achieving quality job matches and based on five key elements: building trust, getting to know job seekers, support planning, finding jobs, and support after hire.

Food And Health: Promoting The Importance Of Maintaining A Healthy Diet To Minimize Disease In Individuals At Greatest Risk, Nadjia Edwards

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Diets high in calories, saturated fats, sodium, and added sugars can lead to adverse health events such as; heart disease, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, stroke, osteoporosis, and certain cancers. Maintaining a healthy diet can help decrease this potential, but those experiencing food insecurity remain at risk as they may have challenges accessing and affording healthier items. Quality may be sacrificed for quantity leading to the purchasing of food that increases these health risks. Initiatives have been developed to address these obstacles, but aren’t widely utilized. This underuse can be due to a lack of emphasis on the importance of …

Advocating For Culturally Responsive Practices In The Ib Diploma Programme: Tapping In The Potential Of Acid Tests To Foster Coherence Between The Ib Principles And Teaching Practices, Timizay Ruiz Pineda

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

International education programs, like the one proposed by the IB Organization, offer students across the world education for global, internationally-minded citizens. Nonetheless, the definition and often, the use of these terms are vague and, for the most part, refers to education and practices of Western countries that are Eurocentric in nature. It is necessary to develop coherence between the principles expressed in many international education frameworks and the reality of their practices. For this, it is fundamental that explicit guidance on culturally responsive teaching practices is acknowledged and provided by organizations like the IB. This paper provides theoretical support explaining …

More Seats At The Table: An Examination Of The Role Of Natural Supports In Promoting Postsecondary Transition For Students With Disabilities In Rural Maine, Elizabeth Stone-Sterling

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Students with disabilities who receive special education services are entitled under federal law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, to have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that includes measurable postsecondary goals and identifies the transition services that are needed in order for the student to reach those goals. Transition planning for students with disabilities in rural areas can be uniquely challenging due to lack of access to transportation, service providers, and accessible programs. Failure to prepare for postsecondary education or employment is correlated with life-long challenges, including poverty, un/under-employment, and limited educational attainment. Natural supports, in the form of family …

Public-Private Partnerships In Education: A Vertical Case Study Of The Right To Education Act (2009), India, Sheetal Gowda

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

One of the most contentious issues that elicits heated debates in the field of international and comparative education is the role of private actors in the provision of educational services using public monies. As the programmatic idea of public-private partnerships (PPPs) gains momentum internationally, educational PPPs has emerged as a key strategy in reducing educational and social inequities. Despite growing research evidence suggesting the contrary, the neo-liberal agenda of positioning PPPs as the best mechanism for achieving educational rights enshrined in international declarations and national constitutions continue to be perpetuated. Of particular relevance to this study is Section 12(1)(c) of …

Lost In Translation: Understanding Education Policy Implementation In Nepal, Sushmita Subedi

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines the impact of the School Sector Reform Plan (SSRP), a national education reform in Nepal, on primary and secondary education. The study uses mixed-methods to analyze indicators of educational outcomes and identify the underlying environmental, organizational, and individual factors that affect reform implementation.

The first phase of the study is a quantitative analysis of annual, district-level data on 75 districts for 10 years, from 2006 to 2016 using regression models to predict dropout and promotion rates. The second phase of the study is a qualitative analysis of the perceived effectiveness of SSRP using in-depth interviews with 33 …

High School Teachers' Perceptions Of Social Studies In The Context Of Accountability, Kristina M. Kelleher-Bianchi

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe urban public high school social studies teachers’ perceptions of social studies curriculum narrowing and its influence on their professional identity within the context of Massachusetts’ school accountability policies. This study gave nuance to larger quantitative studies by allowing policy and school leaders to hear directly from teachers who mediate the influence of accountability policies on students. It examined these questions: What were public school teachers’ understandings of the influence of testing pressure in their school? What were high school teachers’ experiences with social studies curriculum narrowing? How did teachers perceive their …

Educators Bailan With Policy Et Le Pouvoir In The Educação Of Multicultural And Multilingual Learners (Wida Eld Standards And The Education Of English Learners), Fernanda Marinho Kray

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The larger frame of this study contributes to the literature that examines how educators negotiate, contest, appropriate, and reconstruct federal and state-level policy in their classrooms. More specifically, the study contributes to the field of language education policy, and in particular to how educators make sense of, and implement, English Language Development (ELD) Standards. I focus on WIDA ELD Standards, as they are currently in use in 42 U.S. states, territories, and federal agencies as well as more than 500 international schools throughout the world. The literature review identifies a problem for standards-based education systems using the 2012 WIDA Standards …