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- All Subjects: Educational leadership
- All Subjects: Education (Higher)
- Genre: Doctoral Dissertation
- Creators: Dorn, Sherman
Description
First-year alternatively certified teachers face significant challenges as they attempt to address the complexities of classroom teaching, particularly when they are assigned to teach in urban school settings. As the number of alternatively certified teachers continues to increase, it is important to provide them with professional development opportunities that address the challenges that they encounter in their first year of teaching. This action research study was conducted to examine a professional development model designed to support the development of a small group of first-year alternatively certified teachers in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College (MLFTC) at Arizona State University. As first-year teachers within the Induction, Masters, and Certification (InMAC) program, their professional learning needs were unique. They had an immediate need to effectively acquire knowledge and apply it in their teaching practice as they concurrently completed coursework to obtain their master's degree and certification while serving as the teacher of record. This study provided the opportunity for five first-year alternatively certified teachers to participate in a project that provided professional development to meet their specific needs. This two-pronged professional development model included two components: (a) a mentoring component provided by a recently retired master teacher, and (b) a learning community that included opportunities for observation, collaboration, and reflection with National Board Certified teachers. This study was designed to improve teaching practices and increase teaching self-efficacy among the first-year alternatively certified teacher participants. Results from the mixed-method study provided evidence that the model benefited the participants by improving their teaching practices and increasing their teaching self-efficacy. In the discussion, the importance of non-evaluative feedback provided by the mentors was emphasized. Further, highly developed interpersonal relationships, effective communication processes, and helpful collaborative procedures were useful in understanding how alternatively certified teachers benefited from mentor feedback and guidance. Finally, implications for future practice and further research were offered.
ContributorsPreach, Deborah (Author) / Buss, Ray R (Thesis advisor) / Barnett, Joshua (Committee member) / Gasket, Karen (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
The pandemic has not only increased economic inequities within variouscommunities, but it has also exacerbated the social, emotional, and math achievement
inequities of middle school students, creating an environment that increases the potential
for heightened anxiety and peer conflict. Now, more than ever, it is imperative that
educators not only understand the existence and impact of these social and emotional
inequities but have the knowledge and skills to effectively address them. Within this
study, I facilitated a 10-week online community of practice with three middle school
math teachers, entitled The More than Math Collective (MTMC), with the purpose of
improving participant self-efficacy with SEL, developing their professional capital,
discussing various strategies to address the social and emotional skill needs of students in
their classrooms, and providing time for implementation of the discussed strategies. At
the conclusion of the study, most participants reported an increase in self-efficacy, human
capital, and decisional capital while only one out of three participants reported an
increase in social capital. All participants described a positive impact on their students
and their professional growth due to their participation in the MTMC and the various
strategies that were learned and implemented in their classrooms. Given the small sample
size, more research can be done to determine if the results of this study may be
transferable to other educational settings.
ContributorsNorcini, Erica (Author) / Dorn, Sherman (Thesis advisor) / Firetto, Carla (Committee member) / Grant, Cara (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Educational Data Mining: An Application of a Predictive Model of Online Student Enrollment Decisions
Description
College and university enrollment has decreased nationwide every year for more than a decade as educational consumers increasingly question the value of higher education and discover alternatives to the traditional university system. Enrollment professionals seeking growth are tasked to develop and implement innovative solutions to address increasing enrollment challenges by being responsive to consumer values, interests, and needs. This multi-phase mixed methods action research study explores educational data mining and machine learning to understand and predict the enrollment decisions of admitted applicants (n=3,843) at the online campus of a public research university (phase one). Then, this innovation is distributed to understand how university enrollment professionals (n=7) interpret and are affected by the factors that influence online student enrollment decisions (phase two). Logistic regression was used to evaluate 24 independent variables to classify each applicant into a dichotomous dependent outcome: will an applicant enroll or will they not. The model identified 10 significant predictors and accurately categorized 81% of the enrollment outcomes at its peak. The population was comprised of online adult learners and the findings were carefully compared to the findings of previous studies which differed in institutional settings (on campus) and student populations (first-year students). Additionally, the study aimed to extend the work of previous literature through a second application phase within the local context. The second phase was guided by distributed leadership theory and the four-stage theory of organizational change and introduced the model to enrollment professionals within the local context through participation in a workshop coupled with a pre-/post-workshop survey. This convergent parallel mixed methods design resulted in themes that demonstrated enrollment managers had a genuine desire to understand and apply the model to assist in solving complex enrollment challenges and were interested in using the model to inform their perspectives, decision-making, and strategy development. This study concludes that educational data mining and machine learning can be used to predict the enrollment decisions of online adult students and that enrollment managers can use the data to inform the many enrollment challenges they are tasked to overcome.
ContributorsSinger, Cody Gene (Author) / Ross, Lydia (Thesis advisor) / Dorn, Sherman (Thesis advisor) / Cillay, David (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
The interplay between teacher knowledge and pedagogical practices in diverse classroom contexts is situated in teachers’ identities as theorizers, interpreters, and critics of their own practice. Understanding how professional learning is mediated in this context is critical to both the construction of new knowledge and the application of knowledge into practice. This study examined how teachers’ social networks contribute to knowledge production and inform professional practice. This research sought to address the gap in the literature concerning professional development experiences in rural schools. Through a combination of qualitative inquiry and social network analysis, the study examined the impact of an innovative professional development model on mediating new learning through social exchanges, encouraging teachers to consider conceptual innovations and integrate them into practice. Analysis revealed that while the innovation aimed to promote collaboration, structural constraints and individual intentions influenced the nature of interactions within the school community, directly affecting the implementation of new instructional practices in classrooms. While teachers tended to form relationships based on expertise and individuals’ positions within the network, there was minimal engagement beyond scheduled professional development activities. Despite challenges in implementation, instances of agentic potential emerged within the school community. This study underscores the complex nature of professional learning, emphasizing the importance of flexible, teacher-centered approaches that acknowledge the multifaceted dimensions of learning and change. By leveraging social networks and cultivating a supportive environment, educators can navigate challenges and enact meaningful educational reforms that empower both individuals and communities within educational settings. This research provides insights into the interconnected dynamics of teacher interactions, professional learning, and organizational change, offering meaningful insights for practice and future research in educational contexts.
ContributorsPrice, Gretchen (Author) / Dorn, Sherman (Thesis advisor) / Maddin, Brent (Committee member) / Haack, Marcus (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2024
Description
This study examined opportunities for enhancing transfer outcomes for community college students through summer research opportunities at a university. It emphasizes the significance of academic capital, derived from Bourdieu's cultural capital theory, in facilitating successful transfers. By offering ten-week paid summer research opportunities at a university for community college students, the study aims to identify practices supporting transfer abilities and addressing disparities in social mobility. The concept of academic capital encompasses easing financial concerns, enhancing support networks, and ensuring access to relevant information for students from low-income backgrounds. The research findings highlight the positive impact of research internships on students' academic capital, transfer readiness, and faculty perceptions. The study addresses three key research questions: (1) Academic capital increase: Analyzing changes in community college students' academic capital post participation in summer research projects; (2) Student transfer perceptions: Examining how summer research opportunities influence community college students' perceptions of transferring to four-year programs; (3) Faculty views on student success: Investigating faculty mentors' perceptions of community college student interns succeeding in baccalaureate programs. The findings underscore increases in academic capital, improved student perceptions of transfer capacity, and positive faculty views of community college student researchers. Despite challenges like payment delays and legal status issues affecting student participation, the study highlights the importance of providing support and opportunities for community college students to enhance their academic capital and improve transfer readiness. The research emphasizes the need for tailored transitional supports and strategic infrastructure changes to ensure successful transfers from two-year to four-year programs, ultimately aiming to uplift social mobility for diverse learners and advance educational and industry goals.
ContributorsNolan Chavez, Holly E (Author) / Dorn, Sherman (Thesis advisor) / Hesse, Maria (Committee member) / Prince, James (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2024
Description
This dissertation investigates the impact of a pedagogical class and a Community of Practice (CoP) on the implementation of reading strategies by faculty at a community college. It explores the types of reading strategies instructors plan to use, their integration into classroom practices, the factors enabling or impeding this implementation, and the influence of attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioral control on their intentions to use these strategies. The study employs a mixed-methods research design, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods. The findings reveal that instructors intend to adopt various reading strategies, with the pedagogical class and CoP playing significant roles in their professional development and instructional practices. The research identifies enablers and barriers to implementing reading strategies, highlighting the importance of supportive institutional contexts, professional development opportunities, and reflective teaching practices. By examining the application of reading strategies in the context of community college instruction, this dissertation contributes to the broader understanding of effective teaching practices and faculty development in higher education.
ContributorsMatthesen, Cathy Jeane (Author) / Dorn, Sherman (Thesis advisor) / Buss, Ray R (Committee member) / Brooks, Eric (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2024
Description
In this convergent mixed methods research project, I address the question of why large numbers of college students take women’s studies courses yet are reluctant to major in the field. Using availability bias and intersectionality as my theoretical framework I hypothesized that the reluctance to declare women and gender studies as a major stems from 1) the failure to see the applicability of the major to career goals and aspirations, 2) social stigma associated with feminism, 3) social location. As a part of my intervention I designed and tested two 10-minute video modules; one on job applicability featuring women studies alumni discussing their career paths and their decision to major in the field, and a second on deconstructing stereotypes about feminism. The control group was shown a generic video on cinematic representations. Students were randomly assigned to one of the three groups and administered a pretest and posttest survey designed to measure job applicability, social attitudes about feminism and social location. Interviews were conducted with 6 students. My goal was to better understand perceived practicality of the women’s studies degree, social attitudes about feminism and the
impact of these perceptions as they relate to a student's selection of the major.
My research questions include:
RQ 1) Among students taking a course in women’s studies, how and to what extent does participation in a module on job applicability influence a student's perceptions of the potential career applicability of the women’s studies degree?
RQ 2) Among students taking a course in women’s studies, how and to what extent does participation in the module regarding feminism impact a student's perceptions of the value of the women’s studies degree?
RQ 3) How does one’s social location interact with the findings of RQ’s 1 & 2?
My sample (n=115) was drawn from students enrolled in online and hybrid courses I taught in the WST program at Arizona State University, the largest such program in the country, drawing over 6,000 students annually. However, the number of majors at 84 students is not commensurate with the growth we are experiencing in terms of enrollment or the popularity of the courses. These research addresses these
My findings showed that the job applicability module increased student knowledge about the applicability of the women and gender studies major and that students had a better overall understanding of the degree in relation to career applicability, while the module about feminism did not have an effect on the choice of major. My findings suggest that students lack of previous career knowledge in terms of job paths available to WST graduates proved to be an obstacle for our program and intervening may allow for the increase of majors.
impact of these perceptions as they relate to a student's selection of the major.
My research questions include:
RQ 1) Among students taking a course in women’s studies, how and to what extent does participation in a module on job applicability influence a student's perceptions of the potential career applicability of the women’s studies degree?
RQ 2) Among students taking a course in women’s studies, how and to what extent does participation in the module regarding feminism impact a student's perceptions of the value of the women’s studies degree?
RQ 3) How does one’s social location interact with the findings of RQ’s 1 & 2?
My sample (n=115) was drawn from students enrolled in online and hybrid courses I taught in the WST program at Arizona State University, the largest such program in the country, drawing over 6,000 students annually. However, the number of majors at 84 students is not commensurate with the growth we are experiencing in terms of enrollment or the popularity of the courses. These research addresses these
My findings showed that the job applicability module increased student knowledge about the applicability of the women and gender studies major and that students had a better overall understanding of the degree in relation to career applicability, while the module about feminism did not have an effect on the choice of major. My findings suggest that students lack of previous career knowledge in terms of job paths available to WST graduates proved to be an obstacle for our program and intervening may allow for the increase of majors.
ContributorsVlahoulis, Michelle McGibbney (Author) / Dorn, Sherman (Thesis advisor) / Fonow, Mary (Committee member) / Jolna, Karon (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
The purpose of this action research was to work with Brazilian trained educators in a Community of Practice (CoP) to explore how teachers collectively define and talk about critical thinking (CT). The research also examined how past teaching experiences shaped their attitudes toward emphasizing CT in teaching. In addition, the research studied how participation in a CoP focused on CT changed classroom planning. The study is grounded in Community of Practice and Social Constructivism. As an international school, this study examined related research conducted in Jordan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Pakistan. This qualitative action research was 12 weeks in length with six participants who were all from Brazil and worked at a private bilingual international secondary school. Participants completed an initial interview and final interview. They also completed online journals, which were assembled weekly for 45 minutes, and maximized their efforts constructing a unit plan utilizing the Understanding by Design method. The results of the study describe the teachers’ definition of critical thinking, and also present an understanding of how the CoP shaped their attitudes. This, in turn, resulted in members’ updated classroom planning, which was due to participation in the cohort. Further issues and credibility, contextualization, and transferability as well as researcher positionality were discussed.
ContributorsJaramillo, Kevin Lee (Author) / Dorn, Sherman (Thesis advisor) / Fischman, Gustavo (Committee member) / Buss, Ray (Committee member) / Johnston, Michael (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
Affirmative action is an education policy adopted by higher education institutions in the 1960s, where an applicant’s race is taken into account to some degree when being evaluated for admission to a college or university. The practice of affirmative action, or race conscious-admissions, has been repeatedly challenged in the legal system and remains a controversial and polarizing topic amongst the general public, campus leaders, and policy makers. Despite a vast amount of research on the effects of affirmative action policies on student and institutional behaviors and outcomes, such as college applications and enrollments, considerably less research has examined students’ attitudes towards race-conscious admissions policies. Even less research has focused on students in academic disciplines, especially STEM or engineering. Likewise, there is a paucity of research that explores students’ perceptions and knowledge of how affirmative action is implemented in practice. To address these gaps, this study investigates undergraduate engineering students’ knowledge of and attitudes towards affirmative action admissions policies in higher education. The Student Attitudes Towards Admissions Policies Survey (SATAPS) was designed to assess students’ knowledge of and attitudes regarding affirmative action practices in higher education admissions. This survey was administered to undergraduate engineering students and a comparison group of education students at 42 colleges/universities in the United States. Data were analyzed utilizing confirmatory factor analysis and hierarchical regression. Results demonstrated that students have low levels of knowledge about affirmative action, and have misconceptions about how the policy functions in practice. There was no difference in engineering and education students’ level of support for affirmative action; however, underrepresented minority students in engineering were more supportive of affirmative action. Results also indicated that students’ beliefs and values were the strongest predictors of attitude towards affirmative action, so much so that this negated the significance of demographic and personal characteristics, which was observed in the majority of previous studies. Results highlight a complicated relationship between demographic characteristics, personal variables, knowledge, institutional context, beliefs/values, and attitude towards affirmative action admissions policies in higher education.
ContributorsRoss, Lydia (Author) / Judson, Eugene (Thesis advisor) / Dorn, Sherman (Committee member) / Powers, Jeanne M. (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
Teacher shortage crisis were consistent across the nation. Higher education institutions, K-12 school districts, and political leaders were actively seeking solutions to ensure classrooms did not sit vacant and were not staffed by individuals who are unqualified to teach. This mixed methods action research study examined one strategy for teacher recruitment by targeting high school students who attended a Title 1 school. Due to the growing Hispanic population in Arizona, coupled with the underrepresentation of Hispanic teachers compared to the number of Hispanic students, a particular focus was devoted to targeting Hispanic high school students as they represented a potential untapped pipeline of future educators. The study was conducted to explore factors that might increase student interest in declaring education as a major upon graduating from high school and eventually pursuing teaching as a career. Three theoretical frameworks guided the study: (a) Theory of Planned Behavior, (b) Self-Efficacy, and (c) Social Cognitive Career Theory. A total of 20 participants engaged in the intervention over the course of three weeks. The intervention included engagement in curriculum exposing students to the teaching profession as well as clinical experiences. Data gathered included pre- and post- intervention survey results and semi-structured interview questions. It was anticipated the intervention would increase students’ interest in becoming a teacher. Results demonstrated a decrease in intention post-intervention. Future research should examine alternative recruitment approaches for students who do not already have an interest in pursuing the profession.
ContributorsDiaz, Elora Denae (Author) / Buss, Ray (Thesis advisor) / Borden, Ryen (Committee member) / Preach, Deborah (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019