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Description
This multilevel, institutional case study used ethnographic methods to explore the intersections of local language policies and emergent bilingual students’ identities in dual language and structured English immersion (SEI) classrooms at one urban elementary school. Using a sociocultural policy approach as means to explore the ways that educational language policies are appropriated and practiced in schools and classrooms and an intersectional literacy identity framework, I engaged in a multilevel qualitative analysis of one school, two fifth-grade classrooms, and four focal emergent bilingual students. At the school and classroom levels, I sought to understand the ways educators practiced and enacted language policies as well as how they conceptualized (bi)literacy for emergent bilingual students. At the student level, I engaged in identity-text writing sessions designed around student interests yet aligned with the opinion/argumentation writing style the students were working on in class at the time of data collection. Additionally, I conducted one-on-one interviews with the participants at each level of analysis (i.e. school-level, classroom-level, and student-level). The primary data analysis sources included participant interviews, classroom observations, and student identity-text artifacts.
Findings highlight the dynamic in-school and classroom-level realities of emergent bilingual students in an Arizona educational-language policy context. Specifically, at the school level, there was an ongoing tension between compliance and resistance to state-mandated policies for emergent bilingual students. At the school and classroom levels, there were distinct differences in the ways students across the two classrooms were positioned within the larger school environment as well as variation surrounding how language and culture were positioned as a resource in each classroom context. The role of teachers as language policymakers is also explored through the findings. Analysis of student texts revealed the centrality of intersectional student identities throughout the writing processes. The discussion and conclusions more broadly address implications for educational practice, policy, and future research directions.
Findings highlight the dynamic in-school and classroom-level realities of emergent bilingual students in an Arizona educational-language policy context. Specifically, at the school level, there was an ongoing tension between compliance and resistance to state-mandated policies for emergent bilingual students. At the school and classroom levels, there were distinct differences in the ways students across the two classrooms were positioned within the larger school environment as well as variation surrounding how language and culture were positioned as a resource in each classroom context. The role of teachers as language policymakers is also explored through the findings. Analysis of student texts revealed the centrality of intersectional student identities throughout the writing processes. The discussion and conclusions more broadly address implications for educational practice, policy, and future research directions.
ContributorsBaca, Evelyn Concepción (Author) / Jimenez-Silva, Margarita (Thesis advisor) / Artiles, Alfredo (Committee member) / Beardsley, Audrey (Committee member) / Casanova, Saskias (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
This action research study primarily examined how educative curriculum materials (i.e., curriculum materials that include supports for teacher learning) can improve a teacher’s knowledge base and ability to succeed in the classroom. The focus was on the impact of one type of educative curriculum material: PowerPoint presentations. Specifically, the study investigated if translating teacher’s manuals into digital presentations was valued by general education teachers responsible for teaching Engage NY math in kindergarten, first, second, and third grades. The study asked teacher participants to describe the impact (if any) of adding a digital presentation component to their lessons and investigated if they self-reported increased Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), which is a teacher’s understanding of how to help students understand specific subject matter. Using questionnaires, interviews, and field notes, the following research questions were examined: 1) How do teachers describe the impact that pre-made digital slide share presentations (i.e., PowerPoint presentations) have on lesson planning, preparation, and pacing and 2) What impact does translating teacher’s manuals into digital slide share presentations (i.e., PowerPoint presentations) have on teacher’s pedagogical content knowledge? Results indicate that teacher participants found the presentations to be helpful and positively impacted their lesson planning, preparation, and pacing, and improved their perception of their own abilities when presenting Engage NY math content.
ContributorsFreauff, Rebecca (Author) / Ott, Molly (Thesis advisor) / Ceceña, Araceli (Committee member) / Tovar, Andrea (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
The purpose of this study was to research the effects of a student-staff mentoring relationship on high school students’ locus of control, life/school satisfaction and ultimately their academics as determined by their grades. Participants consisted of a small cohort of 10th grade high school students at a public charter, college preparatory high school in inner city Phoenix, Arizona. Frederickson’s broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions and Bandura’s social cognitive theory provide the models of behavior to improve school satisfaction, motivation and overall well being. A mixed method, action research design was used to study how a 9-week mentoring program facilitated by the dean of students impacted the students’ locus of control, satisfaction, and academic achievement. Participants completed pre and post test measures using a modified Trice College Success Survey that measured external-internal locus of control and the Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (MSLSS) used to measure life satisfaction and sub-constructs of satisfaction including family, friends, school, living environment and self. Post intervention a smaller sample of students were interviewed, field notes were also compiled and analyzed using a social constructionist point of view to gather insight on how students create their own knowledge and how that connects to their behaviors and attitudes that affect their success. Among the key findings was that students indicated a preference for the type of individualized attention that the mentoring program introduced to support them academically. Quantitative analyses of the survey data did not indicate a significant shift from external to internal locus of control or an improvement in life or school satisfaction, however further research should be conducted to implement a longer intervention period with similar intervention components.
ContributorsAlvarado Hernandez, Ruby Rebecca (Author) / Ott, Molly (Thesis advisor) / Hartley, Adam (Committee member) / Schauer, David (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a mentoring program on self-efficacy beliefs. High-risk undergraduate students at Arizona State University majoring in Public Health and other closely-related fields represent this study’s sample. Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory guides this study’s theoretical framework. This study used a mixed method, action research design. Participants took a pre-test that measures their self-efficacy and registered the barriers to their academic success; following that, they enrolled and participated in a mentoring program. Upon completion of the program, they completed a post-test to evaluate any changes to their perspectives. Non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were applied to the surveys. Throughout the mentoring program, participants completed field notes and I completed a journal about our interactions. These, along with two focus group discussions, were analyzed using grounded theory in addition to the pre- and post-tests. The surveys found that the mentoring program impacted their self-efficacy in overcoming educational barriers the qualitative data showed a strong correlation between the intervention and perceived confidence. This included their perceived ability to perform difficult or unusual tasks, but also their ability to overcome barriers.
ContributorsSavaglio, Lauren Nicole (Author) / Ott, Molly (Thesis advisor) / Hrncir, Shawn (Committee member) / Orozco, Holly (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
Digital media is becoming increasingly important to learning in today’s changing times. At the same time, digital technologies and related digital skills are unevenly distributed. Further, deficit-based notions of this digital divide define the public’s educational paradigm. Against this backdrop, I forayed into the social reality of one rural Americana to examine digital learning in the wild. The larger purpose of this dissertation was to spatialize understandings of rural life and pervasive social ills therein, in order to rethink digital equity, such that we dismantle deficit thinking, problematize new ruralism, and re-imagine more just rural geographies. Under a Thirdspace understanding of space as dynamic, relational, and agentive (Soja, 1996), I examined how digital learning is caught up spatially to position the rural struggle over geography amid the ‘Right to the City’ rhetoric (Lefebvre, 1968). In response to this limiting and urban-centric rhetoric, I contest digital inequity as a spatial issue of justice in rural areas. After exploring how digital learning opportunities are distributed at state and local levels, I geo-ethnographically explored digital use to story how families across socio-economic spaces were utilizing digital tools. Last, because ineffective and deficit-based models of understanding erupt from blaming the oppressed for their own self-made oppression, or framing problems (e.g., digital inequity) as solely human-centered, I drew in posthumanist Latourian (2005) social cartographies of Thirdspace. From this, I re-imagined educational equity within rural space to recast digital equity not in terms of the “haves and have nots” but as an account of mutually transformative socio-technical agency. Last, I pay the price of criticism by suggesting possible actions and solutions to the social ills denounced throughout this dissertation.
ContributorsCirell, Anna Montana (Author) / Gee, Elisabeth R. (Thesis advisor) / Gee, James (Committee member) / Beardsley, Audrey (Committee member) / Carlson, David L. (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
This action research, mixed methods, case study examined middle school student perceptions of the effectiveness of Club Aspire. Club Aspire is an after-school program created to support the lowest achieving seventh and eighth graders in an Arizona K-8 school. The framework of this study comes from the theory of self-regulation, social learning theory and co-regulation. The primary focus of Club Aspire is to teach low achieving middle school students, self-regulation skills and learning strategies through goal setting, self-regulation learning strategy lessons and co-regulation activities.
The study took place over 13 weeks and included 11 participants and answered the following research questions. How do middle school Elevate students perceive the impact of Club Aspire on their self-regulation and themselves as a learner? How does Club Aspire affect middle school Elevate students’ academic success? What do middle school Elevate students perceive as the most influential elements of Club Aspire? Data collection tools consisted of interviews, class work, referral data, pre- and post-questionnaire and benchmark assessment data.
The study revealed that students made gains in self-regulation learning strategy usage, however, their academic achievement was not influenced. Students identified goal setting, learning self-regulation strategies and co-regulation activities with their peer partner as the most beneficial elements of Club Aspire. The study also revealed that student self-efficacy was increased throughout the semester.
The study took place over 13 weeks and included 11 participants and answered the following research questions. How do middle school Elevate students perceive the impact of Club Aspire on their self-regulation and themselves as a learner? How does Club Aspire affect middle school Elevate students’ academic success? What do middle school Elevate students perceive as the most influential elements of Club Aspire? Data collection tools consisted of interviews, class work, referral data, pre- and post-questionnaire and benchmark assessment data.
The study revealed that students made gains in self-regulation learning strategy usage, however, their academic achievement was not influenced. Students identified goal setting, learning self-regulation strategies and co-regulation activities with their peer partner as the most beneficial elements of Club Aspire. The study also revealed that student self-efficacy was increased throughout the semester.
ContributorsRomero, Kaseylyn (Author) / Jordan, Michelle (Thesis advisor) / Beardsley, Audrey (Committee member) / Isai, Shelley (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
ABSTRACT This study details the pilot of a collaborative peer-coaching model as a form of job embedded professional development, to guide teacher collaboration and planning based on benchmark assessments. The collaborative peer-coaching framework used (including reflection and collaboration about student data, and classroom instruction) was informed by the five propositions outlined by the National Board of Professional Teacher Standards (NBPTS). This intervention included teacher training, discussion (pre and post instruction), collaboration about student benchmark data, and classroom observations with further data collected through surveys and interviews. Using a mixed methods approach to data collection and analysis, I focused on how participants engaged in a collaborative peer-coaching model to guide their instruction based on the use of student data they collected from common benchmark assessments.
ContributorsWright, Kerri M (Author) / Beardsley, Audrey (Thesis advisor) / Serafini, Frank (Committee member) / Reyes, Elba (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
Inclusive educational spaces are necessary for all post-secondary students to thrive and enjoy their college experience. Faculty and staff may unintentionally create non-inclusive educational spaces, however, with behaviors relative to race/racism and microaggressions driven by racial implicit bias. Via this mixed-methods action research study I examined ASU faculty and staff attitudes relative to (1) race/racism, (2) implicit bias, and (3) microaggressions, all of which influence perceptions of and intentions toward (4) creating inclusive educational spaces. Specifically, five ASU faculty and staff completed a Canvas based online training that I developed (i.e., BIAS training) during which they were provided information in separate modules about systemic and color-blind racism, implicit bias, microaggressions, and two components of inclusive educational spaces, culturally sustaining pedagogical and race-conscious educational practices. Prior to and at the completion of the training, participants completed a survey instrument that I designed to measure participant attitudes relative to these four concepts. At the completion of each BIAS module with which they engaged, they responded to reflective questions which essentially prompted participants to think about what they learned per module and how it applied to their educational practices. After completion of the BIAS training and an identical post-survey that I used to measure participant’s changes in attitudes and perceptions over time, I invited participants to also share their thoughts in an interview. Both quantitative and qualitative data suggested that participant’s attitudes positively shifted relative to each of the abovementioned four concepts; knowledge acquisition occurred as intended. In addition, faculty and staff identified specific practices they could, or intended to incorporate to facilitate more inclusive educational spaces within their spheres of influence. Overall, my BIAS training seemed to have had a positive impact on the ASU faculty and staff who participated in this study. A few participants even discussed practices they were able to implement immediately, as well as positive student reactions, while anecdotal, that they received in response. Future iterations of my BIAS training will include additional information that will help to further clarify the four concepts of primary interest herein, particularly in support of creating more inclusive practices inspired by culturally sustaining pedagogy and race-conscious educational practices. Additionally, I will add a mindfulness component as another opportunity to increase awareness of faculty and staff attitudes and behaviors that may also impact their ability to create more inclusive educational spaces.
ContributorsCorte, Corinne (Author) / Beardsley, Audrey (Thesis advisor) / McGuire, Keon (Committee member) / Ross, Lydia (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Student voice has been an inactive component of public education since its conception. Educational practitioners and stakeholders create, define, and uphold federal, state, and local policy centered on growing student educational outcomes. However, most often students are not provided space or opportunities to actively engage with policy or decisions that directly impact their educational experiences. To boost student voice, this action research study explored school participatory budgeting’s impact on student engagement with school decision-making, civic engagement, and leadership development at Arcadia High School. School participatory budgeting (SPB) is an innovative civic learning tool designed for students to learn democracy in action through the process of participating in the student voice committee on campus, developing proposals, and voting to fund improvement projects that build a stronger school community. This study utilized a parallel-results convergent MMAR that involved collecting both qualitative and quantitative data simultaneously, analyzing them separately, and integrating results into study findings. Participants included eight students that were members of the student voice committee. Study participants completed pre- and post-surveys as well as participated in a focus group. The study and intervention were supported by Mitra’s Pyramid of Student Voice and The Social Change Model.
Results of the study indicated that school participatory budgeting had a positive impact on students’ engagement with school decision making, civic engagement, and leadership development. Results also revealed that participants were able to lead change for collective student voice, engage civically through real world application, encourage participatory democracy over elite democracy, and increase both communication and collaborative skills. Furthermore, an integration of quantitative and qualitative data was presented, along with connections to the existing research questions and literature. Additional discussion centered on the limitations of the study, implications for practice, future cycles of research, and recommendations for educational practitioners.
ContributorsJohnson, Sara Anne (Author) / Ott, Molly (Thesis advisor) / Hermanns, Carl (Committee member) / Sackos, Milissa (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
As an administrator, it is essential to understand the varying theoretical perspectives and frameworks surrounding leadership and organizational development that support employee and student success. After conducting the first two cycles of action research, it was confirmed that there was a need for an intentional focus on the employees’ experience and their professional development. This focus led to administering a distance mentoring program for higher education administrators. The distance mentoring program was a mixed-methods action research project that ran a total of eight weeks with an orientation, mentoring sessions and individual activities during the first five weeks, and individual interviews three weeks following the intervention. There were eight participants in the study who were paired into four groups of two in order to foster a mentoring relationship using the “other” mentoring model. The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of the distance mentoring program with respect to increasing educational outcomes, innovation, job satisfaction, productivity, and strategic action planning for higher education professionals. The distance mentoring program was successful in generating innovative thoughts relevant to the participant’s workplace challenge, increasing job satisfaction, stimulating better solutions for strategic action planning, and creating in a positive impact on the mentoring relationship. Results surrounding productivity were mixed and inconclusive. The implementation of the distance mentoring program was designed to initiate dialogue, brainstorming, planning, and supportive measures by each participant and delivered the social and strategic elements necessary to achieve a more positive, productive, and successful work environment.
ContributorsScott, Kristina (Author) / Ott, Molly (Thesis advisor) / Aska, Cassandra (Committee member) / Maxwell, Tanisha (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023