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- All Subjects: Education
- Creators: Department of Psychology
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Description
While women constitute a majority of the U.S. population, they still make up only a minority of political officeholders. Some of the literature in political ambition argues that one of the reasons for the dearth of women in elective office is that women are less socialized than men to want to run for political office. The same literature suggests that such disparity can be traced back to high school. This exploratory paper examines the possibility that the disparity may be due, at least in part, to the different ways in which men and women are represented in civics textbooks. Specifically, because some works already suggest that women are less represented than men in civics textbooks, this work examines whether there are any differences between the way that regular and AP civics textbooks represent men and women. This was done using content analysis on AP and regular textbooks from three schools each from different districts in the state of Arizona. The findings from the content analyses were consistent with the first three hypotheses: that (1) the AP civics textbooks have a higher percentage of women than do the regular civics textbooks, (2) the AP civics textbooks devote a higher percentage of pages to women’s names than do the regular civic textbooks, and that (3) that both the AP and regular civics textbooks discuss women and men with a neutral tone. However, findings were not consistent with the fourth hypothesis, (4) that there will be more female role models among the top mentioned women in AP textbooks than there will be role models among the top mentioned women in regular textbooks. The manifest content analysis revealed that the percent of women mentioned in the AP textbooks sampled was 2.8 to 3 times higher than that of regular textbooks. That ratio increased to 4 to 4.5 times when the percent of pages mentioning women were taken into account. The latent content analysis, which assessed the tone of each sentence, revealed that men and women were generally treated neutrally when compared with one another in all of the textbooks studied—thus strengthening the substantive significance of the aforementioned ratios. Further analyses conducted for Hypothesis 4, however, revealed that in the regular and AP textbooks studied, female role models were mentioned both less often and less strongly than were male role models.
ContributorsWiezel, Adi (Author) / Fridkin, Kim (Thesis director) / Woodall, Gina (Committee member) / Walker, Stephen (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
This project was undertaken for the purposes of exploring the feasibility of website development for arts education information. In partnership with the Arizona Commission on the Arts, ideas for website design were collected. The original plan was to build a website that would be a "one-stop-shop" for educators to find arts education resources. Some resources deemed important to include on the website were: a search engine, calendar of events, curriculum ideas, discussion forum, feedback, ticketing, and financial support available. This website would make accessing arts education information easier, thus more appealing. It is understood that art is a fundamental part of education and it needs to be integrated into the public schools system, however, due to a lack of educational funding in Arizona it is important to bring outside organizations and resources into the education system. The following paper will examine how arts education is beneficial for children in grades K-12, what resources people want available on the website, what education administrators have to say about the website, and what aspects of the website would need to be included and addressed.
ContributorsJenner, Lindsay Ann (Author) / Phillips, Rhonda (Thesis director) / Ramella, Kelly (Committee member) / Nelson, Alex (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Dance (Contributor) / School of Community Resources and Development (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
We, a team of students and faculty in the life sciences at Arizona State University (ASU), currently teach an Introduction to Biology course in a Level 5, or maximum-security unit with the support of the Arizona Department of Corrections and the Prison Education Program at ASU. This course aims to enhance current programs at the unit by offering inmates an opportunity to practice literacy and math skills, while also providing exposure to a new academic field (science, and specifically biology). Numerous studies, including a 2005 study from the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC), have found that vocational programs, including prison education programs, reduce recidivism rates (ADC 2005, Esperian 2010, Jancic 1988, Steurer et al. 2001, Ubic 2002) and may provide additional benefits such as engagement with a world outside the justice system (Duguid 1992), the opportunity for inmates to revise personal patterns of rejecting education that they may regret, and the ability of inmate parents to deliberately set a good example for their children (Hall and Killacky 2008). Teaching in a maximum security prison unit poses special challenges, which include a prohibition on most outside materials (except paper), severe restrictions on student-teacher and student-student interactions, and the inability to perform any lab exercises except limited computer simulations. Lack of literature discussing theoretical and practical aspects of teaching science in such environment has prompted us to conduct an ongoing study to generate notes and recommendations from this class through the use of surveys, academic evaluation of students' work and ongoing feedback from both teachers and students to inform teaching practices in future science classes in high-security prison units.
ContributorsLarson, Anika Jade (Author) / Mor, Tsafrir (Thesis director) / Brownell, Sara (Committee member) / Lockard, Joe (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced educators since 2020 to shift from all in-person learning to virtual learning through applications like Zoom. Students are now part of a collage of faces including their teachers’ who often may be dealing with technical glitches, foreign-looking interfaces, and unintentionally disruptive students. On the other side, students may struggle to find a stable working environment as they learn from home. Distance learning has been explored well before 2020, but its necessity, given the nature of a virus that preys on in-person interaction, has forced itself to the top of relevant conversation. . The issues with distance learning in primary education have roots in long standing issues with the education system as a whole. Without greater public awareness of the woes in our education system, the status quo of declining academic success, teacher salaries, and increasing classroom sizes will continue in the future. The problems with distance learning specifically represent a much more everlasting issue that is lack of accountability and action of lawmakers who are able to make these reforms.
ContributorsManuel, Aditya Thomas (Author) / Martin, Thomas (Thesis director) / Weinman, Melissa (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
The purpose of this study was to bring new information to the field of education research on graduation rates and school programming. Research on graduation rates and the effects of school programs exist, however there is not an abundance of research aimed specifically at Title I high schools. The goal was to find what school characteristics might impact graduation rates in this population. The thesis focused on Title I high schools in the Phoenix Union District with a graduating 2019 class of at least 250 students. This limited the effect of variability (school size, location, socioeconomic status). To research this topic, school characteristics were selected including course rigor, mentor programs, and college prep programs, as well as specific schools. To obtain the information, multiple sources were used including the Arizona Department of Education website, school websites, and school administrators/staff. The research revealed that the effect of course rigor, college prep programs, and mentorship on graduation rates in Phoenix Union High Schools is not apparent. Further research should be conducted into other possible causes for the gaps in graduation rates between the Title I high schools in this district. Future research on ELL students and programs in the Phoenix Union district and their effectiveness or lack thereof is also recommended. The research shows that this large demographic negatively correlates with the overall graduation rates at the six schools researched.
ContributorsMora, Marilyn Christina (Co-author) / Smith, Keegan (Co-author) / Kappes, Janelle (Thesis director) / Panneton, Teresa (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Division of Teacher Preparation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
Over the years from 2009 to 2017, the people of Arizona witnessed the state consistently defunding the schools, its students academically underperforming, and as a result, the poverty achievement gap widening. Even with the efforts in recent years to re-invest in education, Arizona’s education funding falls below its level at 2008 and the national average. Among Arizona’s funding sources is the Public School Tax Credit, a unique legislation for the state that allows for taxpayers to donate money to certain programs at Arizona public schools and reduce their state income tax liability dollar-for-dollar. Because of the already severe achievement gap in Arizona, this funding source which relies on surrounding neighborhoods’ income raises the concern that, instead of helping Arizona students, it is exacerbating the existing achievement gap. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between income and donations received by schools to determine the validity of this concern. To ensure a comprehensive examination of the relationship between income and donations received, regression tests are run on both the aggregate level and individual level. The tests find that, although income does have a statistically significant correlation with the donations received, it is only positive for the effect of total income on total donations, negative for the effect of average income per return on average donation per donor, and negative for average income per return on total donations. The results imply that to garner high donations, it matters less to be located in a high-earning neighborhood and more important to be located in a moderate-earning neighborhood with a lot of people donating using this credit. Therefore, the concern of income’s effect on donations is valid, but perhaps not in the straightforward way that we would expect.
ContributorsChen, Vivian Young (Author) / Kenchington, David (Thesis director) / Brown, Jenny (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-12
Description
In recent years, it has become evident that American civic literacy is in a sharp decline. Many scholars agree that young adults are becoming increasingly less engaged in activities involving the application of civics and that this may hinder the democratic process. This thesis will focus on how historical perspectives can improve contemporary application of civics in order to solve the civic literacy crisis. The report will evaluate different approaches to improving civic engagement in order to gauge their effectiveness and the potential for their use in the United States. In analyzing the decline, we will look at work from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) like A Crisis in Civic Education and A Crucible Moment. Subsequently, we will provide a review of Megan McClure’s Tackling the American Civics Education Crisis and Robert D. Putnam’s Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital. We will present historical perspectives from the 19th and 20th century such as Thomas Jefferson, Alexis De Tocqueville and John Dewey in order to apply them to contemporary solutions for the decline. The contemporary perspectives of Harvard scholar Danielle Allen and various professors in the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership (SCETL) at Arizona State University will be analyzed and critiqued. The results of our research prove that historical perspectives, when applied to contemporary solutions, are an effective way to bout the civic engagement crisis in the United States. This information can be used to alter the curriculum in the classroom to encourage and prepare students to become civically literate and engaged in order to protect the democratic process.
Keywords: civic decline, civic literacy, civic engagement, contemporary, historical
Keywords: civic decline, civic literacy, civic engagement, contemporary, historical
ContributorsBoering, Avery Loren (Co-author) / Giambanco, Niccolo (Co-author) / Seagrave, Adam (Thesis director) / Voboril, Jakub (Committee member) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
DescriptionAcoustic Ecology is an undervalued field of study of the relationship between the environment and sound. This project aims to educate people on this topic and show people the importance by immersing them in virtual reality scenes. The scenes were created using VR180 content as well as 360° spatial audio.
ContributorsNeel, Jordan Tanner (Author) / LiKamWa, Robert (Thesis director) / Feisst, Sabine (Committee member) / Arts, Media and Engineering Sch T (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
Previous studies have found that the detection of near-threshold stimuli is decreased immediately before movement and throughout movement production. This has been suggested to occur through the use of the internal forward model processing an efferent copy of the motor command and creating a prediction that is used to cancel out the resulting sensory feedback. Currently, there are no published accounts of the perception of tactile signals for motor tasks and contexts related to the lips during both speech planning and production. In this study, we measured the responsiveness of the somatosensory system during speech planning using light electrical stimulation below the lower lip by comparing perception during mixed speaking and silent reading conditions. Participants were asked to judge whether a constant near-threshold electrical stimulation (subject-specific intensity, 85% detected at rest) was present during different time points relative to an initial visual cue. In the speaking condition, participants overtly produced target words shown on a computer monitor. In the reading condition, participants read the same target words silently to themselves without any movement or sound. We found that detection of the stimulus was attenuated during speaking conditions while remaining at a constant level close to the perceptual threshold throughout the silent reading condition. Perceptual modulation was most intense during speech production and showed some attenuation just prior to speech production during the planning period of speech. This demonstrates that there is a significant decrease in the responsiveness of the somatosensory system during speech production as well as milliseconds before speech is even produced which has implications for speech disorders such as stuttering and schizophrenia with pronounced deficits in the somatosensory system.
ContributorsMcguffin, Brianna Jean (Author) / Daliri, Ayoub (Thesis director) / Liss, Julie (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
DescriptionAn auto-ethnographic overview of the author's personal experiences in professional and educational stage management in Arizona. Provides a critique of ASU's stage management program and offers solutions to improve the sustainability and safety of student stage managers.
ContributorsMattson, Jordan Clare (Author) / Hunt, Kristin (Thesis director) / Kirkham, William (Committee member) / School of Music, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-12