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Description
This study aims to understand how Arizona's current approach to ESL education \u2014 a recently developed version of Structured English Immersion (SEI) known as the four-hour ELD block \u2014 affects high school teachers and students in mainstream math and science classes containing a mixed population of English Language Learners (ELLs) and native English-speaking students. This focus was chosen due to a lack of prior research on the ELD block's effects at the high school level, and the unique consequences of the ELD block for the timing of ELL students' math and science enrollment. Four teachers of mixed-population, mainstream math and science classes, from four different high schools within a single Arizona district, were interviewed and observed in order to understand their perspectives on their own experiences and those of their students. Areas of focus included students' academic and social experiences, challenges faced by teachers and their responses to these challenges, and teachers' evaluations of their teaching situation and of the ELD block itself. Data were analyzed using modified analytic induction. The study found that teachers believe the following: that the ELD block causes ELLs to be socially isolated; that it damages ELLs' content development; and that, by forcing some ELLs to take mainstream math and science classes before they have received any ESL instruction, it damages their ability to succeed in these classes. Additionally, teachers indicated that they struggled to meet the needs of their ELL students and non-ELL students at once. Given these findings, the removal of the ELD block, and the addition of bilingual, ESL specialist aides into mainstream classes, is recommended as a solution.
ContributorsTinlin, Jessica Elizabeth (Author) / Matsuda, Aya (Thesis director) / Trifiro, Anthony (Committee member) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
At a time when the national and world community is viewing collegiate business programs as complicit in many recent business scandals rooted in ethical violations and breaches of trust, improving ethics education is a high priority. Review of current research on techniques for effectively teaching ethics highlights the importance of incorporating conversational learning, decision models, and relevant, personalized case discussions into undergraduate ethics lessons. Focusing exclusively on ethics education in the first-year business seminar WPC 101, we evaluated the current ethics/academic integrity module and found it to be lacking many research-supported techniques. To develop an updated curriculum, we first used the EthicsGame Ethical Lens Inventory in a survey of 114 W. P. Carey students to explore whether a connection between students' majors and primary ethical lenses would demonstrate the effectiveness of designing different, tailored ethics curricula for students in each major. Regression analysis of the survey responses indicated that this research was inconclusive for every major except for Accountancy, which already has a specific (upper-division) ethics course. This initial research stage led to the creation of a universally applicable ethics curriculum based on the Baird Decision Model. Incorporating techniques from the literature review, the new WPC 101 Academic Honesty & Ethics curriculum includes a presentation on the Baird Decision Model, a small-group discussion of a relevant ethical dilemma, and a class role play. The curriculum additionally includes detailed Facilitator Guidelines for educators. The curriculum was piloted in WPC 101 classes during Spring 2016, and we present student and facilitator feedback as well as suggestions for further research and improvement. Use of this research-backed curriculum and further study into its impact on student decision making will allow W. P. Carey to continue advancing in pursuit of training students to be effective ethical leaders.
ContributorsMcClelland, Allison (Co-author) / Mayper, Rebecca (Co-author) / Samuelson, Melissa (Thesis director) / Parker, John (Committee member) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Management (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
College Students’ and Inservice Teachers’ Evoked Concept Images and Ways of Understanding Congruence
Description
Eleven years after being put into practice, the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics still take a back seat as traditional approaches drive many secondary geometry classrooms, specifically in regard to congruence. This thesis explores how university students reason about congruence based on their high school learning experience, as well as how in-service geometry teachers reason about and teach congruence. During the Summer of 2020, two distinct surveys were distributed to 33 undergraduate students at Arizona State University and two in-service geometry teachers in Arizona to characterize the ways they understand congruence and reflect on their experiences in secondary geometry classrooms. The results of the survey indicate that students who understood congruence either in terms of corresponding measurements or transformations were successful in identifying congruent shapes, while only students who understood congruence in terms of transformations were successful in constructing congruent shapes. Transformational reasoning was both the most productive and the least prominent way of understanding congruence among students. Their responses to activities and reflections on their experiences also suggested that deductive reasoning is not practiced or prioritized in many secondary geometry classrooms. Teacher understandings of congruence varied, and reflections suggested that development of materials and training that are aligned with the goals of CCSSM for both pre-service and in-service teachers would help teachers create an environment conducive to a transformational understanding of congruence and that promotes deductive reasoning.
ContributorsGeotas, Anastasia Melina (Author) / Roh, Kyeong Hah (Thesis director) / O'Bryan, Alan (Committee member) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor) / Division of Teacher Preparation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-12
Description
Examining the effect of various factors such as class, gender, and status on health inequalities in India is crucial for improving access to health services. However, most research on castes in India is done using broad, government-defined categories, including “Scheduled Castes,” “Scheduled Tribes,” “Forward Classes,” and “Other Backwards Classes.” These general categories erase the experiences that more specific caste groups have in their health and their livelihood. Using the 2015-2016 Demographic and Health Survey of India, this study analyzes data on 699,686 women aged 15-49 to investigate the association of socioeconomic status, assessed by wealth, education, and community status on two types of contraceptive use–sterilization and other modern methods. Those with secondary education or higher were much less likely to be sterilized and more likely to use non-sterilization forms of modern contraception. Interestingly, those with greater household wealth were more likely to be sterilized but had no different chance of using non-sterilization forms of modern contraception. After controlling for other socioeconomic factors, members of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes are more likely to be sterilized. However, there was additional heterogeneity between groups, with Muslim groups and Northeastern tribes much less likely to be sterilized, and Southern tribes more likely to be sterilized. Moreover, Muslim groups as well as Northern and Northeastern tribes were more likely to use non-sterilizations forms of contraception, whereas Southern tribes were less likely to use non-sterilization forms of contraception. These findings illustrate that in addition to differences by major caste categories, there is still religious and regional variation in the likelihood of using different forms of contraception. Future research should examine how unique community factors erased within the already present government caste system can affect health. In addition, more research should be done on the various effects of discrimination faced by these communities and how this discrimination affects their health education, access, and autonomy.
ContributorsChandra, Natasha (Author) / Hruschka, Daniel (Thesis director) / Drake, Alexandria (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution & Social Change (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
My thesis is a comprehensive, multi-page report highlighting the ethical concerns of Arizona’s English-only law, or Proposition 203. It will emphasize the detrimental effects the law has on bilingualism, language preservation, and educational equity. To do this, I will explore research on the benefits of bilingualism for cultural awareness, brain development, and career opportunities. The project will underscore the importance of embracing linguistic diversity in the public education system in Arizona. My report will provide some background on the topic by delving into the historical context and intentions behind the English-only law. This will essentially expose to readers the misguided attempts of the law, some of which include boosting test scores at the expense of genuine learning experiences. I will include information that supports my argument that Proposition 203 discourages bilingualism and strips impactful opportunities from students in the public education system. Additionally, anecdotes and personal opinions from educators will be included to strengthen my argument. By highlighting the ethical implications of prioritizing test outcomes over holistic education, my thesis aims to advocate for a shift towards inclusive, more immersive bilingual education models.
ContributorsErramuzpe, Sophia (Author) / Sipka, Danko (Thesis director) / Amrein-Beardsley, Audrey (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This project offers a multi-perspective overview of why art matters in ecology. Combining the research of others with my own art and insight from within the academic system, I address the breadth of applications that art has in science education. The goal of this project is to show that creative engagement can foster a sustainable mindset, make science-learning more accessible, and encourage progress in social and environmental justice in an integrative, interdisciplinary way.
ContributorsSvitak, Lo (Author) / Barca, Lisa (Thesis director) / Chew, Matthew (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Education is highly valued in our society, and teaching is regarded as a necessary and impactful job. Students are influenced not only by the knowledge they retain, but also by the connections they build with their instructors and peers, as well as the classroom environment. Reciprocally, teachers are impacted by the classroom environment which is determined by the students within it. While all teachers have a heavy workload and may be prone to moments of exhaustion, teachers dealing with difficult students are increasingly at risk of burnout (Aloe et. al., 2014). Despite the available research on teacher burnout, there is little exploration on the factors that protect against teacher stress. While interventions have been conducted to help mitigate burnout, they have been time consuming and difficult to implement in everyday practice. In this study, elementary school teachers from a variety of schools participated in a survey that assessed their stress levels, rewarding and challenging aspects of their job, relationships with students, and their stress-management strategies. This data was used to establish the connection between stress-management/mindfulness practice, quality of student-teacher relationships, stress levels and attitudes towards teaching. Results revealed significant correlations between the practice of stress management strategies, student-teacher closeness and stress levels (both overall and relating specifically to student misbehavior). As the practice of stress management strategies increased, stress levels decreased. Similarly, the closer teachers felt to their students, the less that student misbehavior stressed them out. Teachers felt most rewarded by seeing student growth, and most stressed out by their overall workload and lack of time.
ContributorsTrefny, Erin (Author) / Kappes, Janelle (Thesis director) / Pickett, Janna (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2024-05