Search Content

The Importance of University Level Psychology Education for the Incarcerated

Description

Education is a fundamental human right. However, when groups of people are subjugated to systematic violence and institutionalization, the importance of education often is often forgotten. A team of students and faculty at Arizona State University (ASU) currently teach an Introduction to Psychology course within a minimum-security unit in conjunction…

Education is a fundamental human right. However, when groups of people are subjugated to systematic violence and institutionalization, the importance of education often is often forgotten. A team of students and faculty at Arizona State University (ASU) currently teach an Introduction to Psychology course within a minimum-security unit in conjunction with both the Arizona Department of Corrections and the Prison Education Program at ASU. This course aims to enhance the current educational programs offered by the prison by fostering an environment where inmates can practice literacy skills and are introduced to standard classroom procedures for the typical university class. In addition, the course introduces students to an academic field previously unknown to them, specifically, psychology. However, the most important aspect of this educational endeavor is to provide an environment where people who have been deemed inhuman and outside of the human experience can come together and learn. By doing so, the curriculum sought to instill confidence in the students by demonstrating that they are in fact capable of learning and comprehending university level material. As of 2016, numerous studies have been conducted from across the nation that have reaffirmed the validity and efficacy of prison education on reducing recidivism levels of the previously incarcerated (ADC 2005, Kim & Clark 2013, Nuttal et al. 2003). Additionally, studies have determined that the benefits that students receive from education while incarcerated are, over time, shared with the family members (Erisman & Contardo, 2005). These benefits, while not strictly educational, are incredibly important within the realm of reduction in crime as they pertain to "reduction of costs, reduction of strain of offenders on their families, and an economic boost for society" (Erisman & Contardo, 2005). Teaching within any prison unit, regardless of the security level, provides a variety of unique challenges. Some of these include the lack of technological resources within most classrooms, prohibition of outside material unless vetted and approved by prison education staff, and rigid restrictions on student-teacher interactions. Also, because of the nature of psychology and the students within the class, certain sensitive topics must be either handled with extreme care or will not be covered at all. However, particular achievements were made in regards to increasing in class participation and encouraging the students to continue to pursue academics. Most importantly, it provides an environment where the humanity of the prisoner is restored, if but for only a few hours a week. It allows them to be seen as more than numbers, allows them to think and voice their opinions in a space that respects them for their beliefs. And the restoration of humanity to an inherently inhumane system is far more important than any other educational goal.

ContributorsLeith, Kaitlyn Lee (Author) / Amazeen, Eric (Thesis director) / Cavanaugh Toft, Carolyn (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)

Created2016-12

Sustainability Competencies in Middle-School Curriculum: Educating Students About Water Systems and Drought

Description

Current literature on sustainability education and its core competencies (systems thinking, normative, interpersonal, strategic, and future thinking) has yet to acknowledge the K-12 level, concentrating instead on higher-level institutions. To initiate study at the critical K-12 level, a curriculum module composed of four lessons to address the wicked sustainability problem…

Current literature on sustainability education and its core competencies (systems thinking, normative, interpersonal, strategic, and future thinking) has yet to acknowledge the K-12 level, concentrating instead on higher-level institutions. To initiate study at the critical K-12 level, a curriculum module composed of four lessons to address the wicked sustainability problem of drought in the Sonoran Desert was developed, piloted, and evaluated. The framework of each lesson combined the core competencies and the 5Es pedagogy (engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate). Two lessons were successfully piloted in two seventh grade middle-school science classes in Phoenix, Arizona. Topics addressed were the water cycle, types of drought, water systems, and mitigation methods. Evaluation determined a high level of student engagement. Post-pilot teacher questionnaires revealed a high degree of support for inclusion of sustainability education and core competencies addressing drought in future opportunities. It is concluded that lessons in the future can adopt the core competences of sustainability with the support of educators in Arizona.

ContributorsComeaux, Victoria (Co-author) / Harding, Bridget (Co-author) / Larson, Kelli L. (Thesis director) / Frisk Redman, Erin (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)

Created2015-12

STUDENT USE OF AND ATTITUDES TOWARD THE TEXTBOOK IN AN INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY COURSE

Description

The college textbook is the most commonly required component of almost any college course, regardless of a student's academic discipline. Professors often expect students to have access to the textbook and to use it to complete assigned readings. Textbooks often contain features that are designed to facilitate active reading, or…

The college textbook is the most commonly required component of almost any college course, regardless of a student's academic discipline. Professors often expect students to have access to the textbook and to use it to complete assigned readings. Textbooks often contain features that are designed to facilitate active reading, or critical engagement with the information being read, to enhance learning of the material. However, students often do not read or prioritize reading the textbook. Students who do read, tend not to read the textbook as intended or use many of the features designed to promote active reading and enhanced learning of the material. Educational studies of textbooks tend to focus on aspects related to topics more relevant to publishers or professors with less research on aspects of the textbook applicable to students at the college level. The purpose of this study is to evaluate students' textbook use and their attitudes toward the textbook in an introductory biology course. Results of this study indicate students hold positive attitudes toward their textbook in an introductory biology course and majority of students do not use components meant to facilitate active learning. Although students report completing assigned readings, students may actually be reading select portions of what is assigned in using the textbook to prepare for exams. These results suggest that students may only be using their textbook to enhance their understanding of materials they expect to be tested on. The findings of this study help to understand the role of the textbook from the perspective of the student and provide insight for improving textbook design and use in science courses at the college level.

ContributorsRudolph, Alexia Marion (Author) / Vanmali, Binaben (Thesis director) / Chen, Ying-Chih (Committee member) / Yoho, Rachel (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)

Created2016-05

How Title I Schools Encourage Graduation: Graduation Rates in Title I Schools and Programs Offered

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…

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

Addressing the Limitations of Distance Learning and Improving its Efficacy in Arizona Public Education

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…

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

The Fundamentals of Friendship: A College Course Designed to Teach Students How To Build and Maintain Healthy Friendships

Description

I have designed a college-level course to help college-aged students build and maintain healthy friendships. Every week, students will engage in collaborative activities and learn a variety of topics related to friendship, including the benefits of friendship, barriers to friendship, and friendship maintenance mechanisms. As part of their final project,…

I have designed a college-level course to help college-aged students build and maintain healthy friendships. Every week, students will engage in collaborative activities and learn a variety of topics related to friendship, including the benefits of friendship, barriers to friendship, and friendship maintenance mechanisms. As part of their final project, students will demonstrate their knowledge of making and maintaining healthy friendships by completing a case study in which students will be expected to apply their learnings from class to a chosen friendship and observe how the friendship changes as a result. In order to establish the need for the course I made, I first conducted a literature review on friendship, loneliness, and factors that may contribute to young adults having difficulties making friends.

ContributorsLiu, Stephanie (Author) / Mox, Kyle (Thesis director) / Shiota, Michelle (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor)

Created2023-05

Assessing Self-Assessment: Effects of Self-Assessment on Undergraduate Math Students

Description

This paper examines the effect of a weekly student self-assessment assignment on student performance in an undergraduate math course. Self-assessment is an increasingly popular type of formative assessment with close ties to self-regulated learning theory. In this randomized controlled trial, 88 students enrolled in MAT 142 were divided into four…

This paper examines the effect of a weekly student self-assessment assignment on student performance in an undergraduate math course. Self-assessment is an increasingly popular type of formative assessment with close ties to self-regulated learning theory. In this randomized controlled trial, 88 students enrolled in MAT 142 were divided into four treatment groups, receiving the self-assessment assignment for either half the semester, the full semester, or not at all. There was no main effect of the treatment on students’ course performance (F(3,80) = 0.154, p = 0.999). However, students’ level of compliance with the assignments (F(1, 63) = 6.87, p = 0.011) and class attendance (F(1, 83) = 12.34, p < 0.001) both significantly predicted exam scores, suggesting that conscientiousness predicts performance. I conducted focus groups to understand how students felt toward the self-assessments. Participants expressed distaste toward the assignments and provided suggestions for improvements. I describe these improvements, among others, in an effort to outline future directions for this research. I also describe a new model of student self-assessment based on theories of adaptive testing and self-regulated learning.

ContributorsDuque-Baird, Santiago (Author) / Zheng, Yi (Thesis director) / West, Stephen G. (Thesis director) / Slominski, Tara (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)

Created2024-05

Constructing a Proactive Higher Education Environment for Students with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Description

This pilot study examined aspects of post-secondary education at Arizona State University (ASU) in relation to how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) aligned strategies are used to support students, especially those who identify as having Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Students with ADHD have different needs from peers without ADHD, particularly in…

This pilot study examined aspects of post-secondary education at Arizona State University (ASU) in relation to how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) aligned strategies are used to support students, especially those who identify as having Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Students with ADHD have different needs from peers without ADHD, particularly in self-regulation and executive function (APA, 2022). UDL strategies are designed to help create educational experiences that are accessible to diverse learners of all backgrounds, and they are implemented through three main principles: multiple means of engagement, expression, and representation (CAST, 2018). UDL guidelines which expand upon the principle of multiple means of engagement were investigated in relation to building a better framework of learning for students with ADHD at a large public university in the Southwestern US. I aimed to better understand (a) student perceptions of ASU faculties' implementation of instructional strategies aligned to UDL’s principle of multiple means of engagement (b) student perception of the benefit of using specific UDL aligned strategies, and (c) the relationship between the engagement UDL strategies used and their perceived benefit to students’ academic success. A survey was used to collect data from a sample within ASU’s population of students. The survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics as well as an independent samples t-test to compare variables. Findings from this pilot study can greatly benefit the quality of learning that students receive, could have the potential to inform future studies, as well as provide additional data to faculty members about student perception of the use and benefit of instructional strategies aligned to the UDL principle of multiple means of engagement. With the results of the study, educators can better understand student needs and increase student academic benefit within a college environment.

ContributorsJamieson, Andrea (Author) / Pinkerton, Tanya (Thesis director) / Oakes, Wendy (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)

Created2024-05

The Impact of Health Education Workshops on Refugees' Understanding of Health Living

Description

The Refugee Education and Clinic Team (REACT) is a local organization led by students at Arizona State University and the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine with the purpose of improving the health of refugees and asylees. One way in which REACT aims to improve the health of refugees and…

The Refugee Education and Clinic Team (REACT) is a local organization led by students at Arizona State University and the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine with the purpose of improving the health of refugees and asylees. One way in which REACT aims to improve the health of refugees and asylees is through health education workshops, which inform refugees about health conditions and management options. The purpose of this project was to analyze how REACT’s health education workshop about obesity impacted refugees’ understanding of healthy living. This project implemented a pre- and post-presentation survey at REACT’s obesity workshop to measure refugees’ understanding of healthy living. Overall, a pre-existing understanding of the importance of healthy eating and daily exercise was measured and an improvement in their understanding of the symptoms associated with obesity was recorded.

ContributorsPatel, Reeti (Author) / DiVito, Brittany (Thesis director) / Kenny, Katherine (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor)

Created2024-05

The Sustainability and Safety of Student Stage Managers in Educational Theatre

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

Filtering by