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- All Subjects: Education
- Creators: Rotheram-Fuller, Erin
- Creators: Appleton, Nicholas
- Member of: ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Description
This study examines the experiences of parents in mixed marriages (Vietnamese married to non-Vietnamese) raising their children in the United States. Specifically, this study focused on what factors influence parents' development of family language policies and patterns of language use. While research has been done on language policy and planning at the macro-level and there are an increasing number of studies on family language policy at the microlevel, few studies have focused on couples in mixed marriages who are heritage language speakers of the language they are trying to teach their children. This study used both surveys and interviews to gather data about parents' beliefs and attitudes towards bilingualism and the heritage language (HL), strategies parents are using to teach their children the HL, and major challenges they face in doing so. There were three main findings. First, parents without full fluency in the HL nevertheless are able to pass the HL on to their children. Second, an important factor influencing parents' family language policies and patterns of language use were parents' attitudes towards the HL--specifically, if parents felt it was important for their children to learn the HL and if parents were willing to push their children to do so. Third, proximity to a large Vietnamese community and access to Vietnamese resources (e.g., Vietnamese language school, Vietnamese church/temple, etc.) did not assure families' involvement in the Vietnamese community or use of the available Vietnamese resources. The findings of this study reveal that though language shift is occurring in these families, parents are still trying to pass on the HL to their children despite the many challenges of raising them bilingually in the U.S.
ContributorsLam, Ha (Author) / Wiley, Terrence (Thesis advisor) / Appleton, Nicholas (Thesis advisor) / Tobin, Joseph (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
In 2005, the Navajo Sovereignty in Education Act was signed into law by the Navajo Nation. Like the No Child Left Behind Act, this Navajo Nation legislation was as much a policy statement as it was a law. It marked the first time that the Navajo Nation linked sovereignty with education by expressing its intent to control all education within its exterior boundaries. The objective of the law was to create a department of education that would resemble the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah in which the Navajo Nation resides. Through their department of education, the Navajo Nation would operate the educational functions for its populace. This study looked at the implications and impact that perspectives of this law would have on public schools within Arizona from the perspective of five superintendents in Arizona public schools within the Navajo Nation were gained through open-ended interviews. It examined the legal, fiscal, and curricular issues through the prism of sovereignty. Through the process of interviews utilizing a set of guided questions in a semi-structured format, five superintendents in Arizona public schools within the Navajo Nation shared their perspectives. Analysis of the five interviews revealed curriculum, funding, jurisdictional, and fear or mistrust as problems the Navajo Nation will need to overcome if it is to begin full control of all aspects of education within its boundaries. There is a strong need for the Department of Dine' Education to educate public schools with regards to the Navajo Nation Sovereignty in Education Act of 2005. Administrators need more training in tribal governments. Like the constitution, the Navajo Sovereignty in Education Act will be interpreted differently by different people. But, without action, it will be ignored. Within the Act's pages are the hopes of the Navajo Nation and the dreams for our young Navajo students.
ContributorsRoessel, Karina A (Author) / Appleton, Nicholas (Thesis advisor) / Spencer, Dee Ann (Thesis advisor) / Wauneka, Jacquelyne (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
ABSTRACT School districts in the United States have undergone large changes over the last decade to accommodate No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Arizona accommodated NCLB through Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS). Expectations were established for all students, varying by group of students based on grade, special education status, free/reduced lunch status, and English Language Learner (ELL) status. AIMS performance for subgroups has been scrutinized, due to the high stakes for schools and districts to meet expectations. This study is interested in the performance of ELL students, when compared with non-ELL students. The current study investigated AIMS performance of students in grades three through six from a large Arizona school district with predominantly low SES, Hispanic students. Approximately 90% of the students from this district were classified as ELL during their first year in the district. AIMS scores in Math and Reading were compared for ELL and non-ELL students across the years 2008, 2009, and 2010. Results suggest that there are differences in performance for ELL and non-ELL students, with ELL students scoring lower in both Math and Reading than non-ELL students. Additionally, ELL and non-ELL students showed similar performance across time in Math, with an increasing number of students Meeting or Exceeding the standards from year 2008 to 2009 for both ELL and non-ELL students. Student performance in Math for ELL and non-ELL students did not continue to improve from 2009 to 2010. On Reading performance, greater proportions of students scored as Meets or Exceeds across time for ELL students but not for non-ELL students. Non-ELL students scored at Meets or Exceeds at equal proportions across time, although non-ELL students scored at Meets or Exceeds in higher proportions than ELL students for all three years. Results suggest the need for continued research into the appropriateness of the AIMS for ELL students and more detailed comparisons of ELL and non-ELL students within and across districts with high proportions of ELL students.
ContributorsChebultz, Lance (Author) / Appleton, Nicholas (Thesis advisor) / Tighe, Paul (Committee member) / Duplissis, Mark (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
DescriptionThe purpose of this study was to determine if there was a gender difference in how students perceived their classroom environment on the Navajo Nation public school.
ContributorsPiechowski, Alta Begay (Author) / Appleton, Nicholas (Thesis advisor) / Spencer, Dee (Committee member) / Slowman-Chee, Janet (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
The Model Classroom Initiative (MCI) was conceptualized to improve learning and IEP goal attainment while decreasing maladaptive behaviors in specialized instructional program classrooms. The MCI Coaching Model was utilized to assist teachers with the implementation of MCI components in three specialized instructional program classrooms, all of which served students with autism and developmental delays. Data were collected using Innovations Configuration Maps, observations, coaching, surveys, classroom data, and interviews and were analyzed using a mixed methods approach. Results indicate that the MCI coaching sessions increased participant teachers’ feelings of support and being heard and slightly decreased stress, increased the implementation of the chosen components for two of the three teachers, increased the knowledge of and confidence in the MCI components, and increased the teachers’ perception that the coaching helped to increase the students’ academic, behavioral, and Individual Education Plan (IEP) goal progress.
ContributorsBrown, Dorianne (Author) / Puckett, Kathleen (Thesis advisor) / Mathur, Sarup (Committee member) / Rotheram-Fuller, Erin (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
International schools work to serve students from a variety of different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. When a student is developing proficiency in a language, they have difficulty accessing content in that language. In order to support all of their students, including those developing language proficiency, teachers have to implement differentiated instruction.This mixed methods action research study set within the context of an international school in Madagascar sought to empower secondary teachers to support the English language learners in their classes. The innovation consisted of a professional learning community focused on English language learners as well as a digital toolkit of resources aligned with the content of the professional learning community meetings. The group of seven participants met a total of three times over the course of three months during the first semester of the school year.
After their participation, they demonstrated little change in self-efficacy, although they did have a stronger understanding of the resources available to them within the local context. Through the innovation, the participants developed a common understanding of the concept of differentiation in addition to expanding their knowledge of teaching strategies. Most notably, the format of the professional learning community proved to be an effective and useful way to allow the participants to connect with one another, share their experiences, and gain relevant information regarding language acquisition and strategies for differentiation.
ContributorsSchenk, Leslie Anne (Author) / Rotheram-Fuller, Erin (Thesis advisor) / Smith, Anne (Committee member) / Schuster, Christopher (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
Museums have long been known as an exciting, educational field trip for teachers and students, however, they have the potential to be more. Aside from field trips, some museums offer a range of resources for teachers including professional development sessions. This study followed a sample of classroom teachers as they completed a three-part workshop on Project Based Learning in order to determine in what ways does museum-based professional development change (a) Teacher perceptions of museum resources and (b) Teacher utilization of museum resources within their classroom, as well as what aspects of the museum-designed professional development experience did teachers find most effective in impacting their own teaching. The Experiential Learning Theory and an Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action (AIDA) effect model were used to evaluate how perceptions changed before and after the museum-designed experience. Overall, the trustworthiness of the informal educators and their resources increased, as well as teacher utilization of the resources since participation. Some of the aspects that teachers reported as most effective included their willingness to engage because of their overall enjoyment of the experience. Teachers also emphasized that these workshop sessions enhanced their current teaching practices, and did not simply replace them.
ContributorsGallagher Schromm, Lisa (Author) / Rotheram-Fuller, Erin (Thesis advisor) / Toon, Richard (Committee member) / Walters, Molina (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
Stress and anxiety are on the rise in children and adolescents, which may adversely impact their social and emotional development, learning, mental health, level of functioning, and educational success. Compounding this issue is that teachers often lack the preparation to best meet their students’ mental health needs. These associated factors constitute the problem of practice that prompted this action research study, whose purpose is to examine the effectiveness of Stress on Students (SOS)—a series of professional development modules designed to educate teachers on student stress and anxiety. SOS was developed with input from teachers through previous cycles of action research. The modules focus on identifying stress and anxiety among students and intervention strategies to increase teachers’ knowledge and perceived levels of self-efficacy. This study was grounded in the theoretical frameworks of andragogy and self-efficacy theory and employed a concurrent, mixed-methods design. Data were collected through a quantitative pre- and post-test survey instrument and qualitative semi-structured individual interviews. Analytic strategies included paired samples t-tests, descriptive statistics of the pre- and post-test, and multiple coding cycles of the individual interviews. Triangulation of the quantitative and qualitative data confirmed SOS’ effectiveness on teacher participants (n = 6) and provided complementary evidence. Teachers showed an increase in their actual and perceived knowledge about student stress and anxiety post-SOS with similar results pertaining to their perceived levels of self-efficacy in working with students who exhibit stress and anxiety. Additionally, teachers fully participated in SOS and deemed the topic and content to be relevant and valuable.
ContributorsJukins, Brian (Author) / Gee, Elisabeth (Thesis advisor) / Oakes, Wendy P (Committee member) / Rotheram-Fuller, Erin (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
Parents of gifted adolescents often face unique challenges in supporting their children’s social and emotional learning (SEL). The purpose of this mixed methods action research study was to examine (1) As a result of a SEL parent workshop series, what changes were observed in: (a) Parental knowledge of SEL? (b) Parental self-efficacy in supporting their gifted child’s SEL needs? (2) What did parents perceive as the most useful aspects of the SEL parent workshop series? The intervention took the form of a flexible five-session virtual workshop series and was delivered via a combination of asynchronous and synchronous instruction. The workshop series was designed to provide families with key information on giftedness in adolescence to help them better understand how characteristics of giftedness impacted their own child’s socio-emotional development. Results from this study showed a statistically significant increase in parent knowledge of SEL concepts, and a mean increase in parental self-efficacy. While participants rated all aspects of the intervention workshop as useful, limited participant engagement shifted the workshop model from a collaborative model to a highly individualized one. As a result of the study, it is clear that parents do benefit from additional information on SEL support strategies, but continued research is needed to develop an intervention where the content and format best support participant needs.
ContributorsCooper, Gwendolyn (Author) / Rotheram-Fuller, Erin (Thesis advisor) / Bartley, Jeanette (Committee member) / Frias, Elizabeth (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
The Sonoran Desert is a magical place full of beauty and wonder. With an increase each year in the number of new families calling Arizona their home, so also comes an increase in pre-conceived notions of the dangers of the Sonoran Desert. Dangers such as plants, animals, and weather conditions can cause fears in families. Though these fears are valid, understanding different ways to stay safe and engage with nature in the Sonoran Desert is critical to building future generations of adults that value the natural world. Current literature does not address the Sonoran Desert and Arizona as a space to engage in nature play. The current action research study builds on the literature to offer new perspectives on nature play in the Sonoran Desert. A mixed-methods approach was used to assess caregivers' perception of safety, risk, and benefits of nature play in the Sonoran Desert. The intervention utilized the social media platform, Instagram, to administer the intervention content. Results from this study suggest that even though participants were already engaged in nature play, their perceptions of risk, safety, and benefits of nature play in the Sonoran Desert changed positively or were reinforced. The analysis expands the current literature on risk, safety, and benefits of nature play.
ContributorsBello, John (Author) / Rotheram-Fuller, Erin (Thesis advisor) / Zuiker, Steven (Committee member) / Stone, Sarah (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023