Browsing by Author "White, Cameron S."
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Item A Case Study on Administrative Perspectives of Student Relationships on a Rural Middle School Campus(2018-08) Parker, Michelle Renae; Hutchison, Laveria F.; McAlister-Shields, Leah; White, Cameron S.; Thompson, Amber M.; Mountain, LeeBackground: Relationships forged at school can aid or hinder development in regards to learning and behaviors. These relationships are critical at the middle school level when adolescents are beginning to form their own personal identities, personalities, values, and behaviors. Much of the prevailing research indicates there is a strong correlation between student relationships with teachers and student success related to school work and state assessments. However, limited research is found regarding the impact of student relationships with administrators. There is, also, a lack of literature that provides a discussion of how student relationships relate or tie into the behaviors observed on middle school campuses. Purpose: The aim of this research was to identify connections between student-administrator relationships and student behavior. Methods: This was a qualitative case study within one rural middle school, servicing grades 6-8. Three campus administrators directly involved with students were interviewed. Interviews were conducted to determine themes concerning administrator perspectives on student behaviors in connection to their relationships with students. A second round of interviews followed to dissect the prevalent themes and determine if positive relationships with administrators equate to positive behaviors in students. Results: Administrators identified time was a prevalent factor. With adequate time to build relationships throughout the year, administrators also felt their efforts to build strong positive relationships with students did promote and encourage more positive behaviors. Additionally, one administrator felt it depended more on the individual student, rather than relationships. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated there were several areas to investigate and determine a connection between student administrator relationships and student behaviors. Further research could examine these relationships in a larger district.Item A Case Study on Teacher and Tutor Perceptions of the Influence of Peer Tutoring in the Newcomer English Learner Mathematics Classroom(2019-12) Phlegm, Denetria; Hutchison, Laveria F.; White, Cameron S.; McAlister-Shields, Leah; Reis, NancyBackground: Research studies have shown that Latino immigrants entering secondary U.S. classrooms have lower academic achievement, higher rates of absenteeism, and reported higher levels of stress in their communities, peer groups, and families in comparison with other high school students (Fry & Passel, 2009; Lopez, 2009; Patel et al., 2016; Roosa et al., 2012). Considering these circumstances, it is critical for schools to intervene on behalf of this growing student population in need of academic support systems. In order to do this, schools could consider developing prevention and intervention strategies that foster positive relationships and integrate peer groups to promote students’ mutual peer respect and academic engagement. Secondary Algebra I and Geometry classrooms for newcomer English learners provide an ideal setting for an intervention program such as peer tutoring to be a powerful support for this student demographic’s academic success. Peer tutoring provides multiple opportunities for newcomers to enhance their academic skills while working alongside a more knowledgeable peer (Vygotsky, 1978, 1987) in a low-anxiety environment (Krashen, 1981, 1982). Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the academic and affective influences of peer tutoring on 9th and 10th grade newcomer English learners in an Algebra I and a Geometry classroom in a typical urban high school located in the nation’s fourth largest city. Research Question: How might peer tutoring influence the academic achievement and affective stance of 9th and 10th grade newcomer English learners in a mathematics classroom? Methods: Participating tutors and teachers volunteered for inclusion in the peer tutoring program. Tutors were selected based on their demonstrated competence on a state Algebra I assessment as well as their expressed interest to tutor. Tutors were simultaneously scheduled in the mathematics classrooms that they supported providing support from three to four and a half hours per week. This qualitative study adopted a case study design. The qualitative approach was appropriate for this study because the data collected and analyzed was in text format. Qualitative data points included written feedback from the study’s three peer tutors, three participating classroom teachers, and one mathematics instructional specialist who also worked closely with the peer tutoring program, teachers, and identified classrooms. Participating tutors were asked to write open-ended reflections about their experiences in their assigned classrooms at the end of each of the three semesters. Data also included the researcher’s classroom observations and journal notes. Feedback from the teachers and specialist was collected during and after the peer tutoring intervention. Qualitative data were holistically coded (LeTendre & Lipka, 2000) which included chunking all written text and analyzing for emerging themes. Findings were debriefed with participants and critical friends to check for accuracy and researcher bias. Results: Feedback from participating tutors and teachers related to the peer tutoring program was positive. Overall, the three peer tutors had positive experiences in their respective classrooms. Peer tutors felt that they learned as much or more from their tutees as the tutees learned from the tutors. Being current and former English learners and immigrants themselves, the two male tutors identified with the current circumstances of their tutees expressing empathy and support for their peers. The female tutor’s experience varied in that her assigned classroom was larger and she occasionally experienced some behavioral issues with some tutees. The participating teachers unanimously agreed that peer tutoring positively affected student performance and attitudes toward content based on classroom assessments and teacher observation. Teachers indicated that having tutors who shared a common native language with their tutees and had a sincere willingness for working with diverse students was significant to the program’s overall success. Conclusion: Schools looking to replicate a similar peer tutoring program would do well to actively recruit a variety of students who have the affective willingness and academic capacity to support students who are challenged with mastering mathematics content in a new language. Thus, for the newcomer classroom especially, we would recommend tutors who speak the native language of the tutees with whom they will work. Finally, the initial and ongoing training and monitoring of selected peer tutors is critical to achieve desired results.Item A Case Study on Video-based Professional Development(2018-08) Winton, Stephen J.; Hutchison, Laveria F.; White, Cameron S.; McAlister-Shields, Leah; Thompson, Amber M.Pearson and Gallagher’s (1983) Gradual Release of Responsibilities Model suggests the starting point of teaching is modeling. As teacher expertise is essential in supporting good instruction, teachers need modeling of best-practice instruction. Video-based demonstration lessons allow for on-demand modeling opportunities in a variety of settings. The aim of this study was to examine the perceptions of district-level curriculum staff at an urban school district who created a series of video-based demonstration lessons to support a balanced literacy initiative. The following research questions were addressed in this study: (1) What are instructional coaches’ perceptions of the design, content, and implementation of Thinking Made Visible, a series of video-based demonstration lessons? and (2) What are instructional coaches’ perceptions of the impact of Thinking Made Visible on teacher capacity? A collective case study was utilized and interviews along with a focus group of secondary district-level literacy and English language arts instructional coaches who experienced the video-based demonstration lessons was conducted. The constant comparative method was used to analyze interview data and develop themes. Instructional coaches in this study perceived that Thinking Made Visible provided modeling, offered the authenticity of a district classroom setting, supported the district’s vision of instruction, contained choice of accessible videos, was of use in instructional coaches’ work, and positively impacted teacher capacity. Examining these perceptions and how one district implemented video-based demonstration lessons offered insights into how this process could be replicated or adapted. This study suggested that the model of Thinking Made Visible offered a useful tool in implementing a district’s instructional vision and building teacher capacity.Item A Case Study: Embedding Disciplinary Literacy Strategies in a Pre-Advanced Placement Biology Class(2021-12) BEAVER, BRYAN Douglas; Hutchison, Laveria F.; White, Cameron S.; Cooper, Jane M.; Cederstrom, Eric J.Background: The No Child Left Behind Act mandates the raising of academic achievement levels for all students, including students with learning challenges, traditionally low-performing students, and students of color. The improvement of literacy initiatives, often through the implementation of content-area literacy programs, has been viewed as the primary mechanism for doing so despite current studies showing such programs have struggled to improve student literacy growth and test scores nationwide. Research has concluded that for students to be successful using literacy to access knowledge within specific disciplines, content-area teachers should provide explicit instruction of literacy within their content areas. However, due to increased emphasis for students to demonstrate growth on summative state assessments, many content-area teachers neglect literacy instruction within their subjects. Disciplinary Literacy (DL) represents an alternative to failing literacy initiatives by approaching students’ literacy acquisition in the content areas through apprenticing students in the practice of thinking and using literacy as content experts. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a classroom culture rich in disciplinary literacy ideology and strategy usage to observe the overall result such practices have on student literacy growth and teacher instructional practices. Students learned to navigate Biology in a pre-advanced placement classroom within the framework of an inquiry-based instructional approach highlighted with disciplinary literacy strategies. The following research question was used for this study: How do disciplinary literacy strategies affect student literacy growth and inform teacher practices? Methods: This study employed a qualitative case study approach to collect and analyze data from both the principal researcher, serving as the teacher of record, and twenty-nine students participating in lessons built around disciplinary literacy strategies. Data collected included an initial and final Metacognitive Awareness Inventory, a 52-item true/false survey administered to identify knowledge and regulation of metacognitive skills, researcher reflections captured in a weekly journal, classroom observations conducted by the researcher, student exit-tickets, and student work samples. Twelve DL lessons were developed to examine student growth in disciplinary reading, writing, thinking, and communicating and were implemented by the researcher over the course of thirteen weeks. A thematic analysis approach (Creswell, 2002) was used to analyze all data sources and to allow themes to emerge. Three peers, with science experience and from diverse educational backgrounds, reviewed findings to guard against researcher bias. Results: The study found that the consistent use of Disciplinary Literacy strategies improved some students’ literacy growth and significantly informed teaching practices. Analysis of data revealed three emergent themes: 1.) DL strategy implementation resulted in instances of both very positive and negative student and teacher engagement; 2.) DL strategy implementation resulted in growth of student and teacher metacognitive awareness through the development and use of interim texts; and 3.) DL strategy implementation resulted in an increase in the frequency, comfort level, and sophistication of academic conversations for the teacher and students. Student cell phone use emerged as the primary avoidance behavior observed when students were presented with DL strategies. Conclusion: DL strategies have a positive impact on both student and teacher metacognitive and literacy development. DL strategies also have a positive impact on teacher efficacy.Item A Descriptive Study of PLATO As A Proposition For Regular Education Classrooms(2011-05) Bennett, Vivian; White, Cameron S.; Busch, Steven D.; Amine, Rayyan; MacNeil, Angus J.The study describes the historical timeline for public schooling, multicultural education, educational trends and PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automated Teaching Operations). More specifically, the literature highlights the self-paced practice of PLATO. Since the luminescence of the healthcare referendum has grown dim, education has taken the forefront in the political spectrum. The sense of urgency to revamp the current system is partly due to America’s global ranking. The literature review has left the quench to explore a derivative of PLATO as an option in the regular education classroom. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies will be explored. Two district administrators, instrumental in acquiring PLATO for a southeast Texas district, will be interviewed; and, culminating data will be shared in the forms of cross tabulations, frequency tables, and graphs using archival data furnished by the district. Specially requested were the demographic - i.e. gender, ethnicity, age, socioeconomic status - of the 2010-2011 enrollees along with the number of credits recovered. The results of this study will be viable for districts which are on the cutting edge of transforming schools for 21st century learners.Item A Hip-Hop Inspired Art Curriculum: A Pedagogical Tool for Developing Urban Youth's 21st-Century Skills of Critical Thinking, Creativity, Communication, and Collaboration(2020-05) Xian, Xiaoyuan; Chung, Sheng K.; White, Cameron S.; Hutchison, Laveria F.; Li, MiaoBackground: Today, American schools face the challenge of a narrowed art curriculum that focuses on the high-stakes-tested subjects of reading, writing, and mathematics. Teachers want to engage their students in active learning but lack the pedagogical tools to do so. Purpose: This study explored the perceptions of in-service art teachers who implemented a hip-hop inspired art curriculum in an urban high school setting for developing youth’s 21st century learning and innovation skills of critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration (the 4Cs). Critical hip-hop pedagogy (CHHP) and culturally relevant teaching were the conceptual foundations of the study. The main question was: What are art teachers’ perceptions of the implementation of a hip-hop inspired art curriculum? Moreover, this research explored two sub-questions: (SQ1) What are the art teachers’ strategies to integrate hip-hop elements into a high school art curriculum? (SQ2) How does a hip-hop inspired art curriculum help to foster critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration? Methods: This qualitative study used phenomenology as a research method to understand and discern the basic underlying structure of the meaning of participants’ perceptions and experiences. Data were collected from a combination of interviews, classroom observations, and open-ended surveys. Interview data were gathered from three art teachers in an urban high school, who had implemented a hip-hop inspired art curriculum. Observations were conducted and audio-recorded in three hip-hop inspired art classrooms, and open-ended surveys were collected from the participants. Results: The data interpretation yielded four general themes based on the findings of three interviews and observations: (1) reflection on teaching a hip-hop inspired art lesson, (2) teaching strategies, (3) instructional value and authenticity, and (4) relevance to the 4Cs of 21st century learning and innovation skills. The first of these themes was found while studying eight sub-themes, including (a) hip-hop’s role in the classroom, (b) storytelling, (c) self-expression, (d) perspectives in multicultural diversity, (e) learning style, (f) ways to increase a sociopolitical consciousness, (g) development of an in-depth understanding of art content, and (h) inspired learning. The second theme was found among three sub-themes: (a) diversifying instruction, (b) classroom management, and (c) culturally relevant teaching. The findings indicated that hip-hop competencies were possessed by art educators who assisted in providing an equitable education for developing urban youth’s critical, creative, collaborative, and communicative skills. The third theme included one sub-theme about the effective pedagogical tool, based on the findings of instructional value to specific practices of the hip-hop art curriculum. The findings indicated opportunities for educators to implement hip-hop culture as a pedagogical tool into art teaching. The fourth theme focused on answering the second sub-question about how hip-hop inspired art curriculum helped to foster critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration. The findings indicated that there were the 21st century skills and knowledge attached to the hip-hop subjects that could be utilized in art classroom settings. Conclusion: Hip-hop inspired art curriculum can build opportunities for students to develop their critical voices and free space for artistic expression and creativity. Critical consciousness, collaborative engagement, artistic expression and creativity, and communicative approaches are all key factors of the hip-hop instructional value to help students share their opinions, open their critical voices, and tell authentic stories through hip-hop pedagogy in the classroom practices. At the end of this research, the use of hip-hop inspired art curriculum for the improvement of future implementation in urban high school settings was evaluated.Item A Narrative Exploration of Providing Effective Reading Strategies to English Language Learners(2017-12) Cooper-Edwards, Jacquelyn; Hutchison, Laveria F.; White, Cameron S.; Craig, Cheryl J.; Emerson, MariaThe purpose of this study is to identify and describe effective reading strategies to assist English Language Learners embedded in research-based instructional methods that instills high levels of self-esteem and ameliorate the chance of success in secondary school and beyond. I have learned through my pedagogical experience that educators must employ a systematic change to occur in classrooms-one that implements passion in the classroom and establishes emotional connections for all students regardless of their ethnic background and implementing curriculum standards which require more analysis of text and deeper context to classroom discussions. There is a need for all students to become problems solvers and innovators and not just repeaters of information. It is crucial that their learning experiences are linked to their cultural backgrounds and make connections to their personal lives. This narrative exploration can be used as a starting point for educational discussions to prepare ELLs for high levels of academic success and exposing them to a rigorous reading and language arts curriculum. This narrative can also serve as a guide to shape pedagogical practices that supports authentic teaching and modeling, implementing a variety of strategies to promote cultural awareness, and involving confident students as partners in a community of life-long learners.Item A Narrative Inquiry into ESL Teachers' Experiences of Professional Development(2016-12) Ho, Tzu-Ying; Craig, Cheryl J.; White, Cameron S.; Hutchison, Laveria F.; Mountain, LeeThroughout the United States, the increasingly diverse enrollment poses cultural and linguistic challenges for its education system. As the number of English language learners (ELLs) is increasing rapidly and steadily, teachers have to be prepared to meet the needs of the linguistically and culturally diverse student population. Since most ELLs are taught by teachers who do not receive adequate training and support (Téllez & Waxman, 2006), professional development plays an essential role in enhancing teacher quality in ESL education. Because of the lack of research on ESL teachers’ knowledge and practice along with professional development, this study explores ESL teachers’ experiences of professional development by employing a narrative approach. This study uses narrative inquiry (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000) as a navigational tool (Clandinin, Pushor, & Orr, 2007) to capture and describe ESL teachers’ learning processes and outcomes through professional development. This includes—and is not limited to—the support they receive, the barriers they encounter, the changes in their teacher knowledge and teaching practices, and the shaping effects of the social, cultural, and political context in which ESL teachers’ professional development experiences unfold. In this study, ESL teachers live out stories of practice, tell stories of those experiences, and modify them by retelling and reliving them. This is how change happens on teachers’ professional knowledge landscapes (Clandinin & Connelly, 1995). Through storytelling, this study delves into the narratives of three certified ESL teachers who are working with ELLs in public elementary schools in the fourth largest city in the United States. Those life stories express the ESL teachers’ experiences of professional development and form the primary source for this study. Three narrative threads are identified in the ESL teachers’ educational life, including the teaching thread, the curriculum inquiry thread, and the thread of multiculturalism. These three narrative threads shape and reshape the participants’ identity and self-image as ESL teachers. Faced with the challenges of creating meaningful learning experience for ELLs, the participating ESL teachers take on the role as change agents while making sense of theory in light of their experiential knowledge. Their personal practical knowledge (Connelly & Clandinin, 1988) is not only rooted in their teaching practices, but also derived from their daily interactions with people of different backgrounds. After recognizing the necessity to attend to cultural diversity in the classroom, the ESL teacher participants recommend incorporating multicultural education into the design and implementation of professional development. To promote the continuity of experience (Dewey, 1983), professional development programs should be organized in a consecutive way in which the use of reflective practice (Schön, 1983) allows ESL teachers to be engaged in a meaning-making process. In order to better facilitate ELLs in English learning, they suggest that ESL teachers create a welcoming and inclusive learning environment, be familiar with the students’ home practices and cultural traditions, and address cultural differences in beliefs and practices. Acknowledging the essential role of native language in the education of ELLs, they propose that ESL teachers should be receptive to the students’ native language and responsive to the linguistic and cultural diversity of ELLs. Although ESL education is facing with difficult situations, ESL teachers must keep a critical hope (Duncan-Andrade, 2009) and make collective efforts to provide an inclusive and equitable education for ELLs.Item A NARRATIVE INQUIRY INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ACADEMY:(2011-05) Crowell, Ethan; White, Cameron S.; Craig, Cheryl J.; Busch, Steven D.; Yuping, AnselmThe research in this thesis focuses on the experience of one administrator and two teachers in a magnet program with a global studies theme. The research methodology is narrative inquiry and strives to make meaning from the participants experiences in the program and in their classrooms. This experience is collected from storytelling, interviews, and journal writing over the course of a year. The focus of the research is the lived experience of the co-researchers and the “lessons learned” during the development and implementation of a new global studies program and the “re-development” of the same program in a three year window. Attention is paid to multiple stories within the storied flow of the co-researchers and the organizational narrative. The primary researcher is embedded in the research field, and addresses the special challenges of magnet program leadership. Four qualities of narrative inquiry are pursued, they are: (1)research on the boundaries of formalistic research (2) narrative truth (3) knowing through relationship (4) research in the storied midst. Reflection on the magnet school landscape, and the relational connections that affect perceptions of the magnet program both in the school and the broader community is the final piece of this research.Item A Narrative Inquiry into the Interweaving Narratives of the Personal and Professional Selves of Two Beginning Teachers in India(2016-12) Abrol, Bobby; Craig, Cheryl J.; White, Cameron S.; Mountain, Lee; McDonald, DeniseBecause of the highly contested nature of the contexts of teaching, polarization has increased. Some dichotomies have been interpreted as gaps between theory and practice; as incompatibilities between the roles of a teacher as a learner and a teacher as an expert; as bifurcations between the images of teacher-as-curriculum-implementer and teacher-as-a-curriculum maker (Clandinin & Connelly, 1992; Craig & Ross, 2008) and as differences in methodological approaches and ethical considerations between research conducted on teachers and research conducted with teachers and so forth. Scholarly work by Dewey (1938), Schwab (1969), Eisner (1985), Jackson (1968), Clandinin and Connelly (Clandinin & Connelly, 1995), enabled me to bridge some of these dichotomies through the use of narrative inquiry. In my study, I focus on the beginning teachers’ narratives as they transition from preservice to in-service teaching with an emphasis placed on their developing knowledge and identities. My research relationship with my participants, who are based in India, began three years ago when they were in the final year of their teacher education program. I have continued to engage them in personal communications as they have transitioned to teaching in the school. Using the methodology of narrative inquiry (Connelly & Clandinin, 1990; Clandinin & Connelly, 2000), which involved in-depth interviews, casual conversations and artifacts shared, I came to understand nuanced changes in their knowledge and identities. Through their telling and re-telling of educational experiences, they implicated the complex nexus of their personal and professional selves. Their personal stories to live by (Clandinin & Connelly, 1998) continue to influence their professional stories in the classrooms. As beginning teachers, their rich narrative accounts present their attempts at enacting relational and critical pedagogy in their practice. This research contributes to the discourse on teacher education programs, preservice teachers, and beginning teachers. Attending to ways beginning teachers make sense of their transitions from preservice to in-service and their selves in the midst of it all, opens possibilities for teacher education curriculum development and enactment in a manner that is inclusive of teacher’s stories. This inquiry locates teacher’s developing knowledge and identities in a manner that it is comprehensible, collaborative and leads to a discourse around practices of teaching. It acknowledges the narrative self-in-the-midst of a teacher’s professional enactments and portrayals, trying to bridge the dichotomies existing in teacher education and teaching. This inquiry makes openings for conversations about the importance of deep and guided reflections for teachers ensuring sustenance in their career. The study also acknowledges the value of space for self in ensuring teacher preparation towards inclusive and social just education.Item A Principal’s Journey: The Impact of the Tribes Process in the Development of Positive Teacher-Student Relationships(2012-05) Hernandez, Berky 1972-; White, Cameron S.; MacNeil, Angus J.; Busch, Steven D.; Emerson, Michael W.; Guillory, JulieOne of the primary factors in students reaching their optimal academic and/ or social potential are the relationships they may or may not encounter during their educational career. The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between the implementation of the Tribes Learning Communities process as it relates to developing student-teacher relationships, impacting student achievement, and student discipline. The study involved teachers and students from an urban middle school in Houston, Texas grades six through eight. Both a quantitative and qualitative research approach was used to determine the outcomes of the study. With permission from the district, research data was acquired from various forms. The study involved teachers and students completing pre and post-survey questionnaire regarding classroom activities and teacher traits. The data was then analyzed by teacher’s years of experience using the Tribes Process and then again by grade level. Students’ report card grades, assessment scores and discipline referrals were also used to determine the impact of the process. An inductive data analysis via teacher interviews was performed to determine teachers’ perceptions of the Tribes process as it relates to relationships, achievement, and discipline in their own classrooms.Item A Qualitative Study of Muslim Mothers’ Perceptions and Motivations to Homeschool(2021-05) Siddiqui, Saira; White, Cameron S.; Cooper, Jane M.; Hutchison, Laveria F.; Ford, Haley M. G.Background: Homeschooling has long been an educational practice in the United States, though much of the research in existence documents the journey and results of non-Hispanic, white families (Mazama & Lundy, 2012). While some motivations run parallel between all communities of homeschoolers, a growing body of research shows racism to be a strong motivation for families from marginalized communities (Ray, 2015). Though Islamophobia continues to permeate traditional schools, particularly after 9/11, little to no research has been done to look specifically at the motivations of Muslim-American families to home educate their children. Purpose: When large numbers of students begin leaving the classroom in favor of alternative forms of education, educators must take notice. But when those swarms come specifically from historically marginalized and more vulnerable communities, the educational community may take greater heed. The purpose of this narrative inquiry study is to qualitatively examine the stories and experiences of Muslim-American mothers concerning traditional schooling and to understand their motivations to home educate their children. Research Question: This study addresses the following research question: What are the perceptions and motivations of Muslim-American mothers regarding homeschooling their children in the United States? Method: This narrative inquiry study explored the stories of homeschooling, Muslim-American families. Participants were chosen from a pool of students taking a home education course taught by the researcher. They must have school age (5+) children and be residing in the United States. A minimum of two semi-structured video interviews were used to collect data, with an optional third interview presented if needed. Member checking was done during the interview process as well as afterwards by email. The researcher checked her understanding of events during interviews, over emails following the interviews, and at times sent participants excerpts of her journal or written analysis in order for participants to check accuracy of understanding. As she goes through her process of burrowing, broadening, and restorying, she rewrote participants’ stories using thick, rich language which participants were invited to give feedback on (Stake, 1995). Transcripts were narratively coded and themes explored. The researcher began restorying after the initial interview, using email to have participants read and offer feedback. Restorying continued throughout the research process. The researcher used journaling to document observations and understanding during the interviews, as well as to write her own reflections afterwards. Journaling was also used to document the researcher’s own story. In addition to the validation strategies above, the researcher worked collaboratively with peers to gain insight and get a better perspective on her research methodology. She used her own journaling as a means of reflecting on her own biases. Results: After researching the motivations of these mothers, it is clear that their reasons for choosing homeschooling were complex and interwoven, but that their identity as a Muslim was a central idea that permeated much of their motivation. Major themes that emerged were: racial and cultural identity, religion and character development, and academic or schooled concerns. Conclusion: While the individual stories of these women varied, it was clear that raising their children with a strong sense of self and identity was a major motivation in rethinking traditional educational paths.Item A Survey of Diverse Literature Use and Integration in Secondary English Language Arts Classrooms(2021-05) Nam, Rosa; Hutchison, Laveria F.; White, Cameron S.; Zhang, Jie; Relyea, Jackie E.Background: Diverse literature that tells the stories of traditionally minoritized groups is an integral part of critical literacy and has been proven to increase reader empathy and tolerance, cultural and socio-political consciousness, and inspire action towards social justice. While diverse literature has gained popularity in K-12 classrooms, few studies have focused on teacher diverse literature attitudes (DL attitudes) and its correlation with teacher multicultural attitudes (TMAS). Purpose: The study aimed to (a) examine to what extent and what kinds of diverse literature teachers use in secondary English Language Arts (ELA) classrooms and (b) investigate the association between teacher multicultural awareness and diverse literature use and attitudes. The research questions guiding the study are: (1) To what extent do secondary ELA teachers integrate diverse literature in their classrooms? (2) To what extent and how do teacher-level factors impact teacher diverse literature attitudes and multicultural attitudes? and (3) To what extent does teacher multicultural awareness affect diverse literature use and attitudes? Methods: Data were collected from 38 current secondary ELA teachers across three racially diverse school districts in a metropolitan city in the South through a survey with scaled and open-ended responses. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression among constructs and teacher-level factors (e.g., race, years teaching, political orientation, and school district). Qualitative data were analyzed using the constant comparative method and existing themes from the literature. Results: Among the texts used the most within the past three years as noted by teachers, fiction (45%) was the most popular genre with 58% of the books written for adults, and an average publication date of 1953. Books were predominately written by white authors (47%) followed by Black authors (30%). Other popular OwnVoices authors were Asian American and Latinx though they constitute less than 17% of the texts noted by teachers. LGBTQIA, Indigenous, and disability stories were the least represented. There was a significant difference (p = .010) between teachers of color and white teachers who said they would change the literature currently used. 80% of teachers of color said they would change it compared to 60% of white teachers. Teachers noted district mandates and lack of funds as the largest obstacles to integrating more diverse literature. When teachers did use diverse literature, it was less a heroes to holidays approach during heritage months and more strategically integrated through the curriculum though still not towards teaching to take action for social justice. Political orientation was the sole teacher-level factor that predicted both DL attitudes (p = .01) and TMAS (p = .00). The more liberal a person identified to be the more positive their DL attitudes and TMAS. TMAS also predicted DL attitudes (p = .00). Conclusion: The findings in the study show that the diversity of literature used in classrooms is expanding and following publishing trends with an increase in Black, Asian American, and Latinx voices. However, other forms of diversity including LGBTQIA, Indigenous, and disability stories are still lacking in the curriculum as well as teaching for social justice.Item Achievement and Self-Efficacy of Twice-Exceptional (2E) Students Using Mobile Applications(2016-12) Salinas, Josephine Jeanette; McNeil, Sara G.; Day, Susan X.; White, Cameron S.; Gronseth, SusieTwice-exceptional (2e) students have exceptional abilities and disabilities, which present challenges for educators to serve their needs in schools. Their abilities may overshadow their disabilities, thus camouflaging their disability. Conversely, their disabilities may overshadow their abilities, thus camouflaging their ability; each may neutralize the other so that neither is addressed. The purpose of the study was to explore perceptions of teachers and licensed clinicians working with 2e students when using mathematics mobile applications to address achievement and self-efficacy. For this study, IXL Math, a mathematics mobile device application-based subscription site, was used to support achievement and self-efficacy of 2e students. IXL Math was chosen for multiple reasons including popularity, real-time analytics for teachers, and alignment to state standards. The four-week study examined pre- and post-descriptive statistics from Patterns of Adaptive Learning to evaluate self-efficacy, Adaptive Diagnostic Assessment of Mathematics (ADAM) to evaluate achievement, and usage reports from IXL Math. Classroom observations were used to build a foundation of code and theory, and interviews with teachers and licensed clinicians were used to explore their perceptions and interpretations from the coding analysis. The research question explored the extent to which mobile applications affect achievement and self-efficacy among 2e students. Conceptually, this study was framed within a social learning theory due to the interconnectedness of the classroom environment, perceptions in learning, and the performance outcomes. Data collected through classroom observations, interviews, standardized achievement scores, usage reports, and self-assessments were used to evaluate the research question. Participants were five students, two teachers, and two licensed clinicians from a small private school. A single case-study research design was used to explore patterns, themes, and relationships in the data. The results of the study explored the achievement and self-efficacy of 2e students using IXL Math, however, further exploration is needed of mobile device applications to support 2e students. The teacher training, clinician support, and small teacher-to-student ratios appeared to be helpful for students struggling to regulate their emotions while using IXL Math. The novelty of IXL Math and the extrinsic motivations of reward boards and SmartScore appeared to outweigh the intrinsic motivation of learning as the reward. Further recommendations involve more in depth critique of mobile device applications to support achievement and self-efficacy of 2e students.Item An Analysis of Authors, Content, and Genres of Hispanic-Related Selections in Adopted 8th Grade Literature Anthologies in Texas 2001–2011(2017-05) Tovar-Hilbert, Jessica; Mountain, Lee; Hutchison, Laveria F.; White, Cameron S.; Hale, Margaret A.Background: Eighth-grade Hispanic students in Texas, the state’s largest ethnic group, continue to score lower on state and national assessments. If Texas is to improve the reading achievement of Hispanic students, an analysis of literature resources needs to be conducted. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the nine grade 8 literature anthologies (adopted in Texas in 2001 and 2011) for cultural representativeness. Research Question: What are the trends in eighth-grade literature anthologies regarding the inclusion and treatment of Hispanic-authored/themed selections? To answer this question, analysis of Hispanic texts in the following areas was necessary: a. percentage of authors/texts; b. commonly anthologized authors/texts; c. literature genres; d. placement/arrangement; e. editing. Methods: The data were analyzed using content analysis via coding and open coding methods. Results: The findings revealed a 1.34 percent increase in Hispanic authorship and 1.44 percent increase in Hispanic selection from 2001 to 2011. Hispanic author ethnicities represented show that 65.31 percent were Mexican, 17.35 percent Puerto Rican, and 11.22 percent South American, with remaining percentages from other Hispanic groups. Gary Soto was the most commonly anthologized Hispanic author, appearing 11 times, followed by five other Hispanic authors, appearing 5–9 times. Only seven authors in the anthologies were recipients of award-winning Hispanic literature. The most common genres of Hispanic selections were poetry, nonfiction, and fiction. Hispanic selections were placed in themed sections and not in separate units apart from other texts. There was very little editing by adaptation, abridgement, or expurgation. Conclusion: Despite a slight increase since 2001, the disproportionate representation of race is a persistent problem. Previous studies found that the canon changes very little with each iteration. There is little variation of Hispanic selections, authors, genres, and types. More diverse selections could create anthologies that support a culturally relevant and responsive literacy program for Hispanic students.Item An Instrumental Case Study: Examining the Impact of Coaching on Building Middle School Teacher Agency(2021-05) Spilman, Mark A.; Hutchison, Laveria F.; White, Cameron S.; Hale, Margaret A.; McAlister-Shields, LeahBackground: According to Noonan (2014) and Calvert (2016), agency gives teachers the capacity to direct their professional growth in ways that positively influence student achievement. Agency is the combination of one’s belief in their effectiveness, or self-efficacy, and their actual knowledge and skills. Teachers who have acquired agency can identify ways to enhance their professional growth and positively impact student learning. As teachers develop their agency by finding effective ways to advance their professional learning, it is also important for school leaders to contribute to the improvement of teacher agency through coaching and development. The need for this support by school leaders is critical to ensure that teacher agency is acquired for the purpose of assisting with effective instruction for all learners in school settings. This research study is significant due to its focus on matters of literacy at the middle-school level. Literacy is the essential foundation for learning across the educational continuum. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate how sustained coaching develops teacher agency. Research Question: The proposed study addressed the following question: What is the impact of instructional coaching on building agency among middle school literacy teachers? Methods: The qualitative instrumental case study was used to determine the impact of instructional coaching in developing teacher agency. This research design was appropriate because the research focused on the impact of instructional coaching provided for teachers who focus on literacy skills (Creswell, 2018). The convenience sampling strategy was used to select participants from schools that have received instructional coaching from the researcher. Teachers who accepted invitations to participate in the study partook in one (1) one-on-one semi-structured interview and one (1) focus group using the interview guidelines outlined by Creswell (2018). Qualitative data consisted of interview data and researcher journal entries and instructional artifacts. This data was analyzed utilizing constant comparative method for interview data, focus group, and content analysis for document data (journal entries and instructional artifacts) to identify emerging themes and key concepts. To ensure objectivity for this research study, a former NASA research methodologist was utilized for data review and analysis. This individual is adept at deriving common themes from standardized methods of inquiry and had no direct contact with any research participants. Findings: The study found that coaching significantly impacts teacher agency, teacher retention, and student achievement. Research data revealed five emerging themes: 1) coaching positively impacts teacher knowledge acquisition; 2) coaching positively impacts instruction delivery; 3) coaching positively impacts the way teacher’s viewed themselves (self-confidence); 4) coaching positively impacts teachers’ beliefs in their ability to deliver quality instruction (self-efficacy); and 5) coaching positively impacts student achievement. Conclusion: Instructional coaching has a significantly positive impact on building teacher agency.Item An Interpretive Study of Junior High Art Educators' Perceptions of Support(2021-12) Barnes, Aisha Yvonne; White, Cameron S.; Hutchison, Laveria F.; Li, Miao; Crowell, EthanBackground: As an educator with experience in multiple districts, I noticed a difference in support between schools where the arts were unappreciated and schools where art courses were popular. Professional development at these schools was primarily district-based and focused on test scores. Professional development at my location that emphasized on the arts was more authentic and geared towards my content. Instructional coaches (I.C.) provide an extra layer of much-needed support to specific core content areas such as science, math, or language arts. Elective areas, specifically fine art educators, lack the additional support that their core content counterparts receive. Purpose: This study aimed to explore support for fine art educators, including professional development and funding. Professional development provides educators with opportunities to sharpen their skills and excel in their careers. Funding is vital for all government-supported schools because money is disseminated on a per-pupil basis. Regarding fine arts, funding is the difference between the quality and quantity of supplies students use. Methods: A qualitative case study approach was employed in the study, and it is considered best in discovering how art educators construct their realities and interactions with their social worlds. Due to COVID-19, social network sampling selected five junior high art educators from local school districts. Each person participated in a 30–45-minute individual interview. Next, the focus group met to continue follow-up and check for new ideas and themes. Lastly, each person participated in a second separate interview to observe if any shifts in thinking occurred. Data was manually transcribed and then cross-checked for increased accuracy. Member checks were used to ensure correct interpretation of information gathered from interviews. Results. Results revealed that all the participants valued meaningful relationships with their students and credited them to success with projects and behavior. All participants had a goal they were working towards in their career. Collaboration was critical amongst the participants in their building, at a district level and online. Participants also strive to create worthwhile experiences for their students in the classroom based on their prior knowledge. Emergent themes included relationships, goals, collaboration, experiences, and advocacy. Conclusion. All five participants reported receiving some form of professional development regardless of its usefulness through their district. In addition, most of the participants said positive relationships with their colleagues acted as an additional layer of support. Each participant’s idea of support varied due to lived experiences both inside and outside of the classroom. Their unique lens influence art education and thus spark a conversation about this population.Item Analyzing Black Male Disinterest in Teaching as a Profession(2017-08) Thompson, Kevin B.; White, Cameron S.; Hutchison, Laveria F.; Mountain, Mignonette; Conyers, James L.Background: The American teacher workforce has maintained homogeneity while the classroom has become increasingly diverse. One reason for the homogeneity is the educational system’s ineffective attempts at educating Black boys, and subsequently, recruiting and retaining Black male teachers. Academia’s over-utilization of deficit frameworks within investigations of this phenomenon have managed to portray the overall Black male educational experience as negative. Purpose: Giving Black males the opportunity to articulate their disinterest in teaching is the primary goal of this study. By examining the effect of educational experience upon the Black male narrative, the researcher can substantiate current claims of academia or report counternarrative(s) to predetermined explanations used by academia to explain the shortage of Black male teachers. Methods: A survey of thirty (30) Black men between the ages of 18 and 30 was conducted. Results were tabulated and used to develop an interview protocol for a subsequent focus group. After data analysis, three follow-up interviews were conducted to authenticate themes discovered within the data analysis. The narratives of those interviewed were used to either validate or counter findings. Results: Results show that Black male teachers are vital to students inside and outside of the classroom. While many shared similar stories, the Black male educational experience is comprehensive in nature, contrary to popular narratives. While salary was identified as a reason for their disinterest, negative educational experiences along with negative perceptions of current policies and pedagogical approaches were considered to be as important to their decision making as potential salary.Item Becoming Educational Researchers: Stories of Asian International Doctoral Students in the United States(2018-05) Li, Yumei; White, Cameron S.; Craig, Cheryl J.; Mountain, Lee; Hutchison, Laveria F.Background: International education, with a purpose to reduce provincial attitudes and to adopt truly international perspectives, promotes global understanding and tackles social injustice around the world. It also exposes international students to different languages and cultures, posing both opportunities and challenges. While doctoral education should prepare the next generation of scholars, little research has touched on the experiences of Asian international doctoral students and how they make meaning of their experiences in order to become educational researchers. Purpose: To address this gap, this research explored the lived experiences that contributed to the becoming of Asian international doctoral students. The research was aimed to address three questions: 1) What are the academic and social experiences of Asian international doctoral students in the field of education? 2) In what ways do these Asian international doctoral students address challenges they encounter in their doctoral education? 3) How do they conduct their academic research and become educational researchers? Methods: Critical narrative inquiry was employed to humanize educational research, with the understanding that research is a responsibility to schools and community and its ultimate goal is improvement of education. Four Asian international students were involved in this joint inquiry. The field texts of this research mainly derived from processes as observations, interviews, conversations and reflective journals. Narrative tools employed to facilitate analysis and interpretation include broadening, burrowing, storying and restorying. Results: The stories of four international doctoral students were unraveled to delve into the miscellaneous that have comprised their lives. There was a constant negotiation between their personal and academic experiences, temporally and spatially. Challenges, aspirations and awareness were interwoven into their lives on the foreign land. Conclusion: A critical look at culture, language and power is needed to reexamine the experiences of international doctoral students. Empowerment in doctoral education includes both individual agency and institutional support. International doctoral students are changed by, and bringing changes to, international education with the cultures, languages and experiences they bring with them.Item Beliefs of Immigrant Asian Science Educators Regarding Multicultural Science Education in the United States(2022-05-12) Anand, Neha; Hutchison, Laveria F.; Wong, Sissy S.; Li, Miao; Dogan, Bulent; White, Cameron S.Background: The increase of culturally and linguistically student population in the K-12 education has called for the teacher educators to prepare preservice teachers to address the needs of diverse students. Several teacher educations programs across the nation have adopted teacher training programs that focus on multicultural education. An understanding and implementation of multicultural education is not only informed by teacher preparation programs but is also influenced by teacher educators’ beliefs. Even today in countries like India and China, teaching science concepts is driven by traditional methods and dominated by a teacher-centered approach. Several immigrant educators are preparing preservice science teachers for diverse classrooms, yet researchers seldom tap into understanding their beliefs and practice. Purpose: The United States is considered the multicultural society. Nevertheless, the cultural diversity that immigrant educators experience in the India and China is significantly different from that in the U.S. Hence it is essential to understand the beliefs of immigrant science teacher educators about, as beliefs are informed by personal experiences and prior knowledge. Research Questions: (a) What are the beliefs of Asian science educators about multicultural science education in the context of the United States? and (b) How do their beliefs impact their practice? Methods: The data is primarily collected through open-ended surveys and semi-structured (virtual) interviews. Interview transcripts are transcribed through MS Stream and hand-coded to unpack the perceptions and beliefs as per Banks’ (1993) typology of multicultural education. The naturalistic inquiry focuses on how people behave in natural settings while engaging in life experiences. Credibility and trustworthiness are derived from the richness of the data gathered. Results: The participants discussed the terminologies they were referring to within their coursework, but it was not the use of the actual term multicultural education. The participants beliefs and understanding of multicultural science education is based on the fact: 1) that is science for all the students; 2) every student has the potential of understanding scientific knowledge, and 3) cultural diversity adds to the richness of the existing scientific ideas. The themes of generated from the data analysis are: 1) Standard-driven instruction; 2) Multicultural Education – a concept or a confusion; 3) Professional Development and 4) Educators with an ‘outsider’ identity. Conclusion: The participants suggested the concept of multicultural education ties to content areas of literacy and social studies. Limited time and opportunity serve as a significant barrier to including critical discussions essential for preparing preservice teachers for a diverse science classroom. Implications from this study call for intensive professional development opportunities to keep science teacher educators informed about the purpose of multicultural education. Further studies need to be conducted on unique constructs such as perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes of science teacher educators and how they are tied to multicultural science education.