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ABSTRACT Counselors at a public community college who teach a first-year college success course to developmental education students do not have effective opportunities or a systematic method to develop their teaching practice. Moreover, like a majority of community college and university instructors, many counselors do not have formal training in

ABSTRACT Counselors at a public community college who teach a first-year college success course to developmental education students do not have effective opportunities or a systematic method to develop their teaching practice. Moreover, like a majority of community college and university instructors, many counselors do not have formal training in instruction. Since the retention and persistence rates of developmental education students are low when compared to non-developmental education students, and the purpose of the college success course is to increase developmental education student success, it is imperative that instructors of the college success course are well-trained to provide high quality learning experiences. The researcher implemented the Lesson Study (LS) professional learning experience in order to increase the collaboration amongst counselors in their efforts to improve their teaching practice as well as improve the quality of the learning experience for developmental education students, consequently potentially improving their retention and persistence. The researcher facilitated a mixed-method study to explore how instructors made meaning of their teaching practice as well as what changes they made to their instructional practice while engaging in LS. The researcher utilized qualitative means to analyze the following data: (1) instructors' weekly reflective journals, (2) semi-structured interviews with instructors after each cycle of LS, (3) video recordings of LS debrief meetings, and (4) video recordings of LS planning meetings. The researcher utilized quantitative means to analyze the following data: (1) pre/post instructor surveys on self-efficacy, and (2) 1,235 student questionnaires regarding LS lessons and non-LS lessons. Analysis of the qualitative data demonstrated that how counselors made meaning of their LS experience seemed to correlate with positive features attributed to the practice of LS in the research literature such as increased collaboration and in-depth reflection as well as positive changes in instructional practices and an increased focus on learning from practice. In addition, analysis of the qualitative and quantitative data showed that lessons created through LS produced a higher quality learning experience for students than lessons that were not created through LS. Moreover, the analysis of the data showed an increase in instructors' efficacy for teaching.
ContributorsLucas, Miguel (Author) / Carlson, David L. (Thesis advisor) / Barnard, Wendy (Committee member) / Haas, Eric (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
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Description
Peer learning is one of the longest established and most intensively researched forms of learning. As a form of peer learning, peer tutoring is characterized by specific role-taking as tutor or tutee with high focus on curriculum content. In the late 18th century, Andrew Bell undoubtedly became the first person

Peer learning is one of the longest established and most intensively researched forms of learning. As a form of peer learning, peer tutoring is characterized by specific role-taking as tutor or tutee with high focus on curriculum content. In the late 18th century, Andrew Bell undoubtedly became the first person in the world to use peer tutoring in a systematic fashion within a school setting. Due to its miraculous success, Bell affirmed that peer tutoring was the new method of practical education and was essential to every academic institution. Early in American education, teachers relied on certain students to teach others (i.e., peer tutoring) but this occurred on an informal, impromptu, as needed basis. This type of peer tutoring lasted well into the 20th century. A recent change in the traditional face of peer tutoring arrangements for U.S. schools has occurred due to more than 30 years of research at four major tutoring centers. Peer tutoring has moved away from an informal and casual approach to a more formal and robust method of teaching and learning. However, at the researcher's high school, peer tutoring was still very casual, informal, and practically non-existent. Consequently, the researcher created a peer tutoring club, and developed, and implemented a peer tutoring program. The researcher conducted a mixed-methods study with design-based research (DBR) as the preferred research design in order to discover what constitutes an ideal peer tutor and an ideal peer tutoring session. The researcher utilized qualitative means to analyze the following data: 1) field notes, 2) impromptu interviews, 3) questionnaires, 4) focus group interviews, and 5) a semi-structured interview. The researcher utilized quantitative means to analyze the following data: 1) sessions tutored survey and 2) archival data (e.g., daily attendance, school records). Analysis of qualitative and quantitative data suggested that the ideal peer tutor was qualified (e.g., desire, character traits, content mastery), trained (e.g., responsibilities, methodologies, procedures), and experienced. Likewise, in addition to having an ideal peer tutor, an ideal peer tutoring session took place in an environment conducive to learning and tutees were prepared and actively participated.
ContributorsJohnson, Brian (Author) / Carlson, David (Thesis advisor) / Barnard, Wendy (Committee member) / Moore, David (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
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Description
Disparities exist among minorities in educational a ttainment. The gap widens when examining access to higher education and persi stence rates among minority males as compared to their white counterparts and minorit y females. The purpose of this action research study was to explore the impact of a recip rocal

Disparities exist among minorities in educational a ttainment. The gap widens when examining access to higher education and persi stence rates among minority males as compared to their white counterparts and minorit y females. The purpose of this action research study was to explore the impact of a recip rocal mentoring model between faculty and minority male students in an effort to examine the effects on student persistence and the students' academic experience. The researcher attempted to examine mentoring relationships, the process of reciprocal mentoring, and the effects on persistence and the students' academic experience f or the purpose of learning about one another's perspectives. This study investigated min ority male persistence within Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC). Persiste nce was defined as a student who enrolled during the fall 2013 academic semester and continued at the same institution or transferred to another two-year or four-year instit ution working on degree completion. The author used a mixed methods design and used Cri tical Race Theory (CRT) as the theoretical framework by which to examine issues pe rtaining to minority male student perspectives and experiences. The results yielded e ight assertions related to minority male retention and persistence.
ContributorsWendt, Jill Lynette (Author) / Carlson, David L. (Thesis advisor) / Barnard, Wendy (Thesis advisor) / Glasper, Rufus (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
The state of Arizona has one of the lowest high school graduation rates in the country.
Therefore, many different resources and intervention programs are designed to help prevent
at-risk students from dropping out and making sure they graduate on time - typically within four
years. However, one extremely underutilized but highly effective resource

The state of Arizona has one of the lowest high school graduation rates in the country.
Therefore, many different resources and intervention programs are designed to help prevent
at-risk students from dropping out and making sure they graduate on time - typically within four
years. However, one extremely underutilized but highly effective resource for intervention is
peer tutoring. Peer tutoring is a well-known method of active learning within the classroom
where students assist one another, but it is rarely used systematically as a way to support at-risk
students with the goal of increasing academic performance to decrease the number of dropouts.
This thesis and creative project takes a look at the inception, development, and growth of
PeerSquared, Inc., a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation, founded by chief executive officer,
Michael Wang, on his journey to help Arizona high schools build and scale sustainable and
systematically-integrated, 1-on-1, peer-to-peer tutoring programs. This paper will account
Michael’s motivation for this mission and the growth of PeerSquared from its inception in
November 2018 up to August 2020. For context, the COVID-19 pandemic began noticeably
impacting Arizona in late-March 2020 when schools decided to not resume in-person school in
favor of distance learning resulting in a necessary pivot for PeerSquared.
ContributorsWang, Michael Minze (Author) / Lin, Elva S. Y. (Thesis director) / Barnard, Wendy (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-12