Educational Sociology Commons^™

From Adolescence Into Adulthood: How Exclusionary Discipline And Sex Impact Early Adulthood Social And Economic Opportunities, Madeline Shanahan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The school-to-prison pipeline has established the relationship between school exclusionary discipline and an increased likelihood of experiencing criminal justice contact. Furthermore, exclusionary discipline serves as a precursor to several negative life outcomes, including educational and economic disadvantages. Using a life course perspective and longitudinal data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) collected from 1998 to 2024, this study aims to understand the role that sex plays in exclusionary discipline and explores sex differences in early adulthood life opportunities post-exclusionary discipline. This study utilizes logistic regression analyses to answer the following questions: (1) Are there different early …

Famílias Indigenas Entre Mundos: Standing In Pachakuti, Living In Chi’Xi Within The Constellation Of Their Comunidad De Saberes, Ymasumac Marañón Davis

Dissertations

To be Indigenous is to be la luz del mundo, to stand in your light and spread your sunrays, no matter winds or clouds of colonization that strive to dim you. This qualitative study explored ways Indigenous Latine families negotiate a sense of place within onto-epistemological realities and their home culture of learning and Western education. This research is desire-based (Eve Tuck, 2009), creating our own project of modernity, grounded in one Indigenous family’s experience within their Andean community. Drawing from Critical Latine Indigeneities Framework (Blackwell et al., 2017) and Chicana Feminist Epistemologies (Bernal, 1998), using an Entre Mundos methodology, …

Breaking The Pipeline: Exploring Exclusionary Discipline, Restorative Justice, And The Attitudes And Beliefs Of Educators, Ericka J. Varnedoe

Honors College Theses

This study explores the connection between exclusionary disciplinary practices and the school-to-prison pipeline. It highlights how exclusionary discipline, including suspensions and expulsions, disproportionately affects marginalized groups such as students of color, students with disabilities, and LGBTQ youth, further contributing to the school-to-prison pipeline. In contrast, restorative justice, a non-punitive approach, offers a promising alternative. Initially adopted from the criminal justice system, restorative justice has been integrated into school environments to foster positive school climates, improve experiences, and mitigate challenging behaviors. This research examines educators' attitudes toward both exclusionary and restorative practices, as well as their awareness and implementation of restorative …

Intimate Partner Violence Among College Students: The Influence Of Gender, Sexual Orientation, Race/Ethnicity On Bystander Intention, Brooke M. Puharic

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Intimate partner violence (IPV) among college students is an issue across gender, sexual orientation, and race/ethnicity. The present study highlights the sociodemographic characteristics that influence physical IPV involvement among college students by reporting past year prevalence and frequency rates of physical IPV involvement by gender, sexual orientation, and race/ethnicity. Additionally, the current study builds on research about bystander intention to intervene by exploring the influence of these sociodemographic characteristics on participants intentions to intervene, as well as their preferred type of intervention.

Participants were 525 university students recruited from the psychology research pool. They were presented with eight hypothetical vignettes …

How Do School-Level Dynamics Impact Mainstreaming Practices In American Schools?, Natalie M. Watson

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

How do school-level dynamics impact the everyday experiences of students with disabilities, compared to their abled peers? Extant research has mostly focused on the experiences of individual students with disabilities, and their teachers. We know far less about how school-level dynamics shape students’ experiences. Historically, American schools formally separated students with and without disabilities, though the specific mode varied over time -- ranging from explicit institutionalization to segregation in special education programs. At least since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, efforts to educate students with disabilities alongside their abled peers in mainstreamed settings have increased …

Giving Voice To Student Grief: Using Community-Based Participatory Research To Develop And Pilot A Translational Storytelling Intervention For Bereaved College Students, Cassidy Rae Taladay-Carter

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The purpose of this dissertation was to employ community-based participatory research (CBPR, Wallerstein et al., 2018) methods to attend to a pressing issue in the community. In partnership with one local grief center, we identified the need for enhanced grief support for current emerging adult undergraduate students in our area. Nearly 50% of U.S. emerging adults enrolled in four-year residential universities experience the death of an important figure (Cox et al., 2015; Cupit et al., 2021), at a time when they are developing important facets of their narrative identity. Without the coherence and meaning structures provided by narrative identity, students …

Dei From The Perspective Of Racially And Sexually Minority Social Work Students, Ilse Ivonne Trejo, Miguel Gabino Lopez, Annette Clarke Jones, Octavio Ramirez

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This explanatory sequential mixed-method research study examined the experiences and perspectives of racially and sexually minority social work students enrolled at Fort Hays State University. By integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches, the study aimed to uncover the unique challenges these students face, such as feelings of belonging, microaggressions, and a lack of culturally competent mentorship. It also highlighted resilience strategies and institutional supports that contribute to their academic and personal success. The findings offer valuable insights for social work educators and administrators seeking to foster more inclusive and supportive environments for minority and sexual students in rural PWIs.

Classroom Teachers' Approaches To Values Education: Exploring Explicit And Implicit Strategies For Teaching And Modeling Values, Maria Ukamaka Clare Okeke

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This study explores the approaches Nigerian secondary school teachers in Anambra State use to teach values through explicit and implicit methods. Recognizing the need to understand how values are effectively communicated in the classroom, this research delves into the dual strategies employed by educators and their impacts on student moral development. The research used a qualitative interview study approach, which included semi-structured interviews with ten experienced secondary school teachers and a document analysis of teaching resources. This method allows one to investigate the explicit instruction and implicit modeling strategies applied in values education in depth. Findings reveal that teachers …

Digital Inequalities And U.S. Undergraduate Outcomes Over The First Two Years Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Vikki Katz, Amy B. Jordan, Katherine Ognyanova

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated major and rapid changes to undergraduate student learning conditions, but the longer-term consequences of those changes have yet to be fully understood. We assess how digital inequality—defined as challenges in accessing or maintaining a broadband internet connection and functional digital devices—affected undergraduates’ advancement toward on-time graduation over the first two years of the pandemic (2020-2022). We utilize survey data from a representative sample of 1,106 undergraduates at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, a public, 4-year university located in New Jersey, USA. Respondents were undergraduates who had been enrolled in full-time student status throughout the first two years …

Beyond The Psyche And Into The Social: How Educational Leaders Embrace Sociological Resilience To Disrupt Systems And Advance Equity, Jason Le-Reselosa, Anindya Kundu

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Oftentimes, educational leaders and stakeholders are encouraged to be “resilient” in an unfair and inequitable education system that is entrenched within our social contexts and spaces. This meaning of resilience is manifested by “pushing” oneself through adversity and the status quo by employing adaptive coping strategies and measures to sustain mental health capacities, even if one could be on the brink of losing control of their sense of self. In this article, we reimagine resilience on how educational leaders from different socioeconomic backgrounds adopt a revolutionary approach to resilience that works in tandem with disrupting systemic issues, rather than remaining …

Queering ‘Common Sense’: Using Critical Discourse Analysis Of Lgbtq+ Book Bans In Florida Public Schools To Unmask Heteronormativity, Talia Zito, Nicole E. Morse

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

Historically, censorship of LGBTQ+ content in education has been rooted in socio-political efforts to marginalize non-heteronormative identities. However, even those who oppose censorship tend to frame their arguments around concepts like “age-appropriateness” and “protecting children.” Our Critical Discourse Analysis examines formal challenges to And Tango Makes Three in one Florida school district in 2022 to show how these concepts are deployed on both sides of the debate. The book, depicting a same-sex penguin couple raising a chick, faced objections under Florida’s HB 1557, a law designed to restrict discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools. Ultimately, the picture …

Restoring School Librarians: Challenges And Strategies, Debrah E. Kachel

Learning Hub

The article examines efforts to restore school librarian positions across eleven urban U.S. school districts, despite significant financial and administrative obstacles. It documents strategies used by district library leaders to advocate for staffing, funding, and policy changes, emphasizing equity in access to certified school librarians. Through structured interviews and analysis, the report highlights key barriers, advocacy methods, and funding mechanisms that have influenced school library staffing. The study's findings contribute to the ongoing discourse on educational equity and policy reform in K-12 library services.

When College Is Not Working Out: Obstacles To Community College Completion, Elisabeth Lackner

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

My dissertation investigates what contributes to low community college completion rates, what college interventions may be working to support students, what are the experiences of the students, and how did the COVID-19 pandemic impact these dynamics. I am guided by the assumption that multi-dimensional inequalities including low level of social capital constitute a cumulative disadvantage for many students to be able to persist and to graduate. The dissertation includes quantitative and qualitative data types measuring inequalities outside and inside of college with two large student record data sets from one minority-serving open-access public community college and data from a student …

Rural, Gifted Student Experience In Appalachian Kentucky, Olivia G. Jarrell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Current literature shows that gifted students' experiences often differ from nongifted peers. Similarly, research shows that rural students’ experiences are unique compared to nonrural peers. This study hopes to address the gap in literature on experiences of students at the intersection of giftedness and rurality with the question: How do rural, gifted students in Appalachian Kentucky experience and perceive K-12 schooling? Rural, gifted students exist in the overlap between two unique groups. Using a multi-case study, participants came from three separate school districts in a region of Appalachian Kentucky, with each district being a separate case. Data collection included observations …

Surveillance Digitisation, Performativity, And Teacher-Student Relationships In A Blended Learning Setting, Sarah Julia Calderwood

All Works

This study investigates how digitized surveillance technologies impact teacher-student relationships in a blended learning environment at a UAE university. Using semi-structured faculty interviews, it examines the effects of tools such as plagiarism detection, class recordings, and learning analytics on trust and engagement. The findings reveal tensions between institutional goals of academic integrity and active participation and the unintended consequences of fostering performative behaviours and eroding relational trust. Teachers report that surveillance mechanisms promote compliance over genuine learning, reshaping their roles and interactions with students. Despite these challenges, educators employ strategies of resistance, prioritising human connection and relational pedagogy to counteract …

Examining The Creative Process Of Visual Artists: A Phenomenological Study, Filiberto Vargas

Dissertations

Creativity fuels problem solving and innovation, driving both economic growth and individual success. Yet, many schools and organizations fail to nurture it. Today, there is a decline in creativity scores among U.S. students. This is concerning since many of these students will be the future leaders of organizations and communities. For this reason, this dissertation explores the creative process of visual artists to better understand how creativity can be cultivated. Visual artists' perspectives and sense-and-meaning-making processes offer a unique view of innovation and creativity. However, there is limited research on the creative processes of contemporary visual artists from culturally diverse …

Navigating The Academic Terrain: Examining The Challenges And Success Factors Of Student Veterans In Higher Education Institutions, Katherine Reyes, Corey Idleburg

Education Division Scholarship

This study investigates the academic experiences of student veterans, addressing specific challenges they face in higher education. Using Schlossberg’s adult transition theory, it explores the effects of invisible barriers, enrollment trends, and institutional factors on veteran student success, leveraging the VA’s GI Bill Comparison tool to examine public versus private school support. Findings underscore the need for targeted resources, faculty training, and institutional awareness to foster a supportive and inclusive environment that enhances veteran students' academic success and sense of belonging.

Redefining Success: Insights From Lebanese Women Leaders In Higher Education, Lina H. Safa

Education Division Scholarship

This presentation explores how Lebanese women leaders in higher education define and measure success, emphasizing their innovative approaches and transformative impact. By examining personal narratives through a phenomenological lens, the study reveals how these leaders navigate cultural challenges, offering insights into leadership dynamics in a patriarchal society and contributing to global discussions on gender equity and academic leadership.

An Analysis Of The Impact Of The Transition To Online Learning And Remote Work On The Army Congressional Fellowship Program, Jason Edward Roberts

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this phenomenological, qualitative case study is to investigate the extent to which the compulsory transition to online learning and remote work affected the academic and workplace performance of select personnel in the Army Congressional Fellowship Program (ACFP). This study also aims to better understand the role of classroom and workplace socialization in supporting desired academic and professional outcomes. The sample consisted of twelve Army personnel selected as part of Cohort FY2021 of the ACFP. Each participant was asked to express how online learning and remote work affected their ability to perform their duties as a fellow in …

Insights From The Second Scarborough Charter Inter-Institutional Forum: Attendee Demographics And Program Perceptions, E. J. Hennessey, C. Wilson, J. Thompson, Y. Wallace, S. Brown, M. Tetui, R. Costa, K. Hogarth, V. Oliver, T. Kayode, J. Wilson, H. Mistry

Scarborough Charter Inter-Institutional Forum

The Scarborough Charter (2022) on Anti-Black racism and Black inclusion in Canadian Higher Education steering committee invited signatories to attend a two-day inter-institutional forum hosted in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada in May of 2024.

The Scarborough Charter Inter-institutional Forum was organized under the theme ‘Bridging Black,’ emphasizing the need to bridge the gaps in both learning and action and to build better connections between senior administration, faculty, staff, students, and Black communities at higher education institutions.

This gathering was the second forum in the series, and the first to conduct an evaluation of organizers and attendees.

The feedback garnered from surveys …

Academic Preparedness And Institutional Support For Low-Income Students: A Scoping Review Of College Success And Retention, Davina Wilson

Social Work Theses - Archive

Students from lower-funded high schools often enter college with lower levels of academic preparedness and limited access to advanced coursework, individualized advising, and extracurricular opportunities, all of which contribute to disparities in retention and academic success. These inequities, rooted in longstanding school funding gaps and systemic barriers, disproportionately affect first-generation and racially minoritized students, who may also experience cultural mismatch or isolation within college environments. This scoping review synthesizes existing research conducted by other scholars to examine how academic preparedness and institutional support services such as tutoring, mentoring, bridge programs, and college transition initiatives influence college readiness for students from …

Book Review - Language Ideologies And Linguistic Identity In Heritage Language Learning., Michelle F. Ramos Pellicia

International Journal of the Linguistic Association of the Southwest

No abstract provided.

Teaching In Racially Diverse Schools: Towards A Racial Competency Framework, Tebeje Molla, Kerri Garrard, Tim Corcoran

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Safe learning environments foster the wellbeing, engagement, and educational outcomes of students. To develop resources that enable schools to create safe learning environments, we conducted focus group discussions with teachers and African heritage students in selected public schools in an Australian state. This paper reports insights from our discussions with the school staff. The findings indicate that teachers face ‘relational uncertainty’ in dealing with racial issues impacting their engagement with these students. To address these challenges, we propose a racial competency framework, featuring distinctive dimensions, drivers, and domains. The framework emphasises the need for schools to support racial value awareness, …

Recreational Activity Handbook, Aisha Naz Ansari, Sadia Muzaffar Bhutta

Institute for Educational Development Pakistan (IED-PK) Archives

A thoughtfully designed resource for children in areas where attending school in person has become more challenging.

The Impact Of Class Size On Students’ Learning Outcome And Educational Experience: A Comprehensive Examination Of Students At Msu, Mankato, Yakubu Ali

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The topic of class size and its relationship to students' learning outcomes and educational experiences has been extensively examined in the field of education. While prior research has explored associations between class size and academic performance, less is known about how class size shapes professor-student and student-peer interactions and how these interactions relate to students' perceived learning outcomes and overall educational experiences. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study conducted a comprehensive examination of undergraduate students at MSU, Mankato, combining quantitative survey responses with qualitative reflections. Findings suggest that class size is closely tied to patterns of engagement, with smaller classes …

Demonstrating Deservingness In College Tuition Crowdfunding Campaigns, Siqi Han

Journal of Student Financial Aid

College tuition creates a substantial financial burden for students and families in the United States. Exhausting their own financial resources to pay for their college tuition, some students seek to crowdfund their tuition – a new channel for higher education finance that may become more prevalent in the future. Distinctively, crowdfunding campaigns are not reviewed or approved in the same way as traditional funding applications, leaving space for students’ own justification for deservingness. This paper identifies the embedded semantic features in online college tuition campaigns that raised more money than the rest on a major crowdfunding platform and derives the …

Seizing The Moment: Post-Covid-19 Enrollment Trends Among Nontraditional Honors Students, Solomon Aleph

Anthós

This article investigates the motivations behind the rising enrollment of nontraditional students at Portland State University’s Honors College, which nearly doubled from 2019 to 2022 following the COVID-19 pandemic. Aleph argues that nontraditional students viewed education as a means of reclaiming agency and reshaping their futures. Through interviews and a focus group with four nontraditional students, Aleph explores how the pandemic created disruption and opportunities. The study finds that while economic instability and isolation were factors, intrinsic motivations—especially a desire for self-improvement, intellectual challenge, and rewriting personal narratives—were more prominent factors shaping enrollment decisions. Drawing from this qualitative analysis, Aleph …

The Effects Of Chronic Absenteeism On Average Daily Attendance Funding In Humboldt County Elementary Schools, Corabelle A. Esmailian

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Chronic absenteeism is linked to poor academic performance and lower social-emotional skills, both of which can have long-term effects on students and their communities. The California Department of Education uses average daily attendance (ADA) to determine most of the funding that public schools receive. When a student is absent, their school loses a portion of potential funding for that day. This study explores chronic absenteeism’s impact on the funding of Humboldt County’s elementary schools with a sequential exploratory research strategy and critical systems lens. Interviews with elementary administrators were conducted using a phenomenological approach to understand how this affects their …

The Predictors Of Self-Censorship On College Campuses, Henry I. Long

CMC Senior Theses

Across U.S. colleges, speech climates are poor. Self-censorship and discomfort expressing views are common. At the same time, we find wide variation in speech climates across different institutions. This study is the first to identify factors that predict variation in speech climates. Drawing on data from multiple sources, including a survey of 58,807 undergraduates across 257 colleges and universities from the Foundation from Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), this study constructs a first-of-its-kind dataset to test three core theories of self-censorship found in the literature—student-centric theories, faculty-centric theories, and administrator-centric theories. We find moderate evidence to support each theory. Overall, …

Equity In Education: How High School Attributes Determine An Admission Into Elite Colleges, Alexia Y. Ortiz

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis seeks to answer the question “Does the type of high school and location affect one’s admission to the three elite colleges: Claremont McKenna College (CMC), Pomona College (Pomona), and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)?” I used a dataset of high schools from five counties in Southern California, San Diego, Imperial, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and Los Angeles, to create a regression model that determines whether students from charter, magnet, private, or public schools, and where one’s high school is located neighborhood’s income levels have different rates of admission.

This study found that attending public high school negatively …