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- Creators: Thomas, Kathy
- Creators: Blasingame, James
Description
This dissertation investigates the impact reading Young Adult Literature (YAL) has on students' empathetic responses as well as their capacity to take action regarding a social justice issue chosen by the student. Drawing on data from a 10th grade honors classroom at a Title 1 school in the Southwest, this ethnographic case study investigates how students use YAL to formulate knowledge construction, empathetic responses, action plans and personal healing. Data for this research includes ethnographic fieldnotes, semi-structured participant interviews, daily journals and a focus group interview. Throughout this study, the teacher and researcher worked together to develop a flexible curriculum that implemented YAL and social activist ideas, such as investigation into action plans and discussion surrounding ways to make change. Results demonstrate that students who had some prior experience with an issue, coupled with identification with a helper character from the novel were more inclined to attempt to take tangible, victim-focused action, whereas students with no prior experience with an issue or those who identified overtly with the victim in the novel were likely to create action plans that spread awareness for others who were unaware of the complexities of the issue. Additionally, the students who had little exposure to the social justice issue they chose demonstrated a level of productive discomfort and a shift in the way they perceived the complexities of the issue. The importance of YAL in the students' social and emotional growth, coupled with an opportunity to create civically minded citizens signals the growing importance of this type of literature in a socially minded world.
ContributorsHays, Alice (Author) / Blasingame, James (Thesis advisor) / Durand, Sybil (Committee member) / Chin, Beverly (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
Despite the concern over school shootings in the last twenty years, little has been done to prevent these events. This paper addresses the need to have a consistent definition of a school shooting. The policies that have been enacted in the eight states with the most shootings in the past 20 are categorized and compared to the number of incidences and victims. The study concludes that states need fewer reactionary policies and more policies based on systematic research; these states pass a majority of zero-tolerance, which are shown to be ineffective in preventing school shootings suggesting a need for a new approach to writing and addressing policy.
ContributorsFrommer, Stephanie Lynn (Author) / Thomas, Kathy (Thesis advisor) / Rodríguez, Yolanda (Committee member) / DaCosta, Laverne H. (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
Description
Cancer has a financial impact worldwide. According to a study published by the American Cancer Society, “cancer accounts for 1.5% of global gross domestic product loss per year” (John & Ross, 2010). The legal and economic costs of death are not something normally addressed with patients prior to the occurrence of death. With an integrative approach, education may help reduce financial stressors for both the patient and family, while offering cost saving benefits to the facilities involved. Studies have shown that education pertaining to advanced care planning help to reduce hospital visits and the costs associated with the last six months of life. Integrating additional education in the form of legal and financial planning prior to death will benefit patients. This may benefit hospitals concurrently, by reducing hospital visits or length of stays, saving millions in Medicare costs to the hospital. Hospitals currently focus on the emotional, spiritual and intellectual needs of the patient post diagnosis of a terminal illness. Education related to funeral planning, preparing a will, and financial preparedness need to be included in the structured patient education offered at facilities. Individuals that have a higher socioeconomic status are typically more prepared for the costs associated with death. Offering financial education will allow more individuals experiencing the terminal diagnosis to prepare for their impending death.
ContributorsSimundson, Julie Lynn (Author) / Rodríguez, Yolanda (Thesis advisor) / Scheall, Scott (Thesis advisor) / Thomas, Kathy (Committee member) / Chanley, Jesse (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020