Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Narrative Experiences Of Fathers Of Children With Down Syndrome, Corey Rose

Educational Studies Dissertations

This dissertation explores the narrative experiences of fathers raising children born with Down syndrome. The study joins a recent stratum of research on parents of children with Down syndrome which is grounded in critical disability theory, adheres to a social model of disabilities, and adopts narrative methodology, but which thus far has not investigated fathers’ experiences. 22 fathers, recruited by means of snowball sampling, participated in a two-question, semi-structured interview with a follow-up conversation. Findings from question one indicated that, in the initial moment of diagnosis, fathers experienced adverse encounters with medical personnel, intense negative emotions about the diagnosis, distressing …

Can Yoga Help Make The World A Better Place? Perceptions From Adult Practitioners, Claire Carroll

Educational Studies Dissertations

Yoga, a vast subject with ancient South Asian roots, is currently enjoying global popularity based largely on its representation as an alternative health care system and/or leisure activity. These depictions often overshadow its potential as a medium to express spiritual development and social justice aims. Extensive studies look at connections between yoga and spirituality, but few delve into how sustained yoga practice might stimulate interest in and action for social change. This study seeks to contribute to ongoing scholarly efforts to fill that gap. It analyzes data collected from 107 survey respondents and 15 interviewees through a theoretical lens encompassing …

Discovering The Leader Within: An Autoethnophenomenographic Study Of Mindfulness In Educational Leadership, Alyssa Fraser

Educational Studies Dissertations

This qualitative study combined autoethnographic and phenomenological methods to examine a researcher-leader’s attempt to cultivate cognitive, relational, and emotional capacities through regular mindfulness practice, and how the cultivation of such capacities aligns with the enactment of leadership. The interrogation of lived experience and self-analysis was entered with the intention to better understand the promise of mindfulness as a resource for the development of educational leaders. This study explored the perceived connections between mindfulness practice and the enactment of educational leadership by examining internal and external perspectives of an individual leader’s practice. Methods of self-observation, including both interval and occurrence recording …

¿Dónde Pertenecemos? Narrative Analysis Of Afro-Boricua Women’S Experiences Of Belonging Within And Beyond College, Marie Nubia-Feliciano

Educational Studies Dissertations

Afro-Latinas, Latinas of African descent, exist at the intersections of culture, race, gender, and class, and this position informs how we experience our world. This unique experiential perspective is present when we decide to attend college. It was the goal of this research project to explore the post-secondary educational experiences of Afro-Latinas. One particular group of Afro-Latinas was the subject of the research project: Afro-Boricua women.

The unique relationship that Puerto Rico has with the United States provided a backdrop for these women’s college going experiences. It provided a historical framework of colonialism and racialization that occurred both on the …

Shadow Work In Support Of The Adult Developmental Journey, Robin Gregory Mclaughlin

Educational Studies Dissertations

In his book, In over our heads: the mental demands of modern life, Kegan (1994) has suggested that the average level of adults’ thinking is more complex today than at previous times in history. This is due, in part, to our increased lifespans, which have enabled complex thinking to evolve and emerge. However, Kegan has also suggested that the demands of the social environment are expanding much faster than the average complexity of adult thinking and learning. In Kegan’s terms, we are “in over our heads.” Using a semi-clinical, semi-structured, qualitative interview with twenty adult learners, this study investigated the …