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- Genre: Doctoral Dissertation
Description
Stress and anxiety are on the rise in children and adolescents, which may adversely impact their social and emotional development, learning, mental health, level of functioning, and educational success. Compounding this issue is that teachers often lack the preparation to best meet their students’ mental health needs. These associated factors constitute the problem of practice that prompted this action research study, whose purpose is to examine the effectiveness of Stress on Students (SOS)—a series of professional development modules designed to educate teachers on student stress and anxiety. SOS was developed with input from teachers through previous cycles of action research. The modules focus on identifying stress and anxiety among students and intervention strategies to increase teachers’ knowledge and perceived levels of self-efficacy. This study was grounded in the theoretical frameworks of andragogy and self-efficacy theory and employed a concurrent, mixed-methods design. Data were collected through a quantitative pre- and post-test survey instrument and qualitative semi-structured individual interviews. Analytic strategies included paired samples t-tests, descriptive statistics of the pre- and post-test, and multiple coding cycles of the individual interviews. Triangulation of the quantitative and qualitative data confirmed SOS’ effectiveness on teacher participants (n = 6) and provided complementary evidence. Teachers showed an increase in their actual and perceived knowledge about student stress and anxiety post-SOS with similar results pertaining to their perceived levels of self-efficacy in working with students who exhibit stress and anxiety. Additionally, teachers fully participated in SOS and deemed the topic and content to be relevant and valuable.
ContributorsJukins, Brian (Author) / Gee, Elisabeth (Thesis advisor) / Oakes, Wendy P (Committee member) / Rotheram-Fuller, Erin (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of the innovation, the Professional Learning Community-Orientation Modules (PLC-OM), on new teachers’ (NTs) attitudes towards and self-efficacy for PLCs and their self-efficacy and abilities as NTs. The school district in which this study took place did not have any support for NTs who entered their Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). The PLC-OM was designed to address the lack of support for PLCs, increasing NTs knowledge of PLCs and PLC skills and empowering them to act within collaborative networks. The literature review includes various, relevant studies from areas such as new teacher retention, specifically induction and mentoring programs, NT collaboration, and NT self-efficacy and past research around PLCs and online learning communities. The theory guiding this study includes sociocultural theory, social cognitive theory, and communities of practice. This mixed-methods action research study was conducted within southeastern Pennsylvania and included a total of 18 participants from elementary, middle, and high school. The innovation was implemented over a 13-week period with participants engaging in asynchronous and synchronous activities through Schoology, a learning management system. Participants completed pre- and post-innovation surveys and the Perceived New Teacher Growth Level Survey. Additionally, throughout the PLC-OM, NTs completed a Flipgrid introduction, discussion board responses, and PLC reflections. Flipgrid is a video recording platform that allows participants to create short videos and share with a group. They also engaged in virtual synchronous meetings as an entire cohort which were led by the researcher and focus-group interviews. Quantitative data was analyzed through descriptive statistics and a one sample t-test for the pre- and post-innovation surveys while the qualitative data was analyzed using a grounded theory approach, specifically the constant comparative method. All data was triangulated to confirm and corroborate findings.
Results suggested that the PLC-OM was beneficial for NTs and contributed to an increase in self-efficacy for PLCs and as NTs. NTs showed an increase in knowledge of PLCs and their PLC skills including interpersonal skills that can assist with collaboration. Additionally, the PLC-OM positively influenced NTs attitudes toward PLCs and their abilities as NTs. The discussion focuses on clarifying the following: the changes in NTs self-efficacy for PLCs and as NTs; the attitudes of NTs toward PLCs; and the influence of the PLC-OM design.
ContributorsForrest, Nicole (Author) / Markos, Amy (Thesis advisor) / Florio, Tammi (Committee member) / Farmakis, Heather (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
A great deal of contemporary research argues that humans learn from experience. This research, however, rarely explicates what constitutes an experience for humans, let alone experiences that lead to deep learning for human flourishing. Experience is constituted of inner and out sensations processed in certain ways. Thus, a biologically realistic theory of learning must be based on a theory of sensation and how sense making derives from sensation. This dissertation seeks such a theory in the emerging literature on what kinds of creatures humans are and what this implies about how they learn and flourish. This literature ranges across several different disciplines, including neuroscience, evolutionary biology, and work on how affect guides cognition and action. Humans are as able to learn from experiences they have had in media as they are from experiences they have had in the real world. In either case, however, humans do not learn deeply from random experiences. They learn best from experiences that have been designed to recruit affect, help them manage their attention, and give them ways to assess the success of actions they take toward goals. Thus, teaching in the sense of experience design—a task for teachers in schools, as well as media designers and artists of all different sorts—is fundamental to human learning and flourishing. The dissertation defines flourishing in terms of the state of a human being’s allostatic load, a variable which can be measured. Since I am interested how experience designers design sensation to create sense making and sense making that can enhance human flourishing, I am interest in experience design in the arts, a domain that has traditionally been seen as an important source of insight built on sensation. I use examples from traditional and contemporary art in the dissertation. The last chapter is an extended study of the anime Attack on Titan I show how the design of Attack on Titan uses sensation to engender deep contemplation and discussion of complex political, historical, and philosophical issues. The way it achieves this goal has important implications for teaching and learning in and out of school.
ContributorsZhang, Qing (Author) / Gee, James P (Thesis advisor) / Gee, Elisabeth R (Thesis advisor) / Glenberg, Arthur M (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Inclusive educational spaces are necessary for all post-secondary students to thrive and enjoy their college experience. Faculty and staff may unintentionally create non-inclusive educational spaces, however, with behaviors relative to race/racism and microaggressions driven by racial implicit bias. Via this mixed-methods action research study I examined ASU faculty and staff attitudes relative to (1) race/racism, (2) implicit bias, and (3) microaggressions, all of which influence perceptions of and intentions toward (4) creating inclusive educational spaces. Specifically, five ASU faculty and staff completed a Canvas based online training that I developed (i.e., BIAS training) during which they were provided information in separate modules about systemic and color-blind racism, implicit bias, microaggressions, and two components of inclusive educational spaces, culturally sustaining pedagogical and race-conscious educational practices. Prior to and at the completion of the training, participants completed a survey instrument that I designed to measure participant attitudes relative to these four concepts. At the completion of each BIAS module with which they engaged, they responded to reflective questions which essentially prompted participants to think about what they learned per module and how it applied to their educational practices. After completion of the BIAS training and an identical post-survey that I used to measure participant’s changes in attitudes and perceptions over time, I invited participants to also share their thoughts in an interview. Both quantitative and qualitative data suggested that participant’s attitudes positively shifted relative to each of the abovementioned four concepts; knowledge acquisition occurred as intended. In addition, faculty and staff identified specific practices they could, or intended to incorporate to facilitate more inclusive educational spaces within their spheres of influence. Overall, my BIAS training seemed to have had a positive impact on the ASU faculty and staff who participated in this study. A few participants even discussed practices they were able to implement immediately, as well as positive student reactions, while anecdotal, that they received in response. Future iterations of my BIAS training will include additional information that will help to further clarify the four concepts of primary interest herein, particularly in support of creating more inclusive practices inspired by culturally sustaining pedagogy and race-conscious educational practices. Additionally, I will add a mindfulness component as another opportunity to increase awareness of faculty and staff attitudes and behaviors that may also impact their ability to create more inclusive educational spaces.
ContributorsCorte, Corinne (Author) / Beardsley, Audrey (Thesis advisor) / McGuire, Keon (Committee member) / Ross, Lydia (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Professional learning communities (PLCs) have become common in many educational settings. A collaborative team (CT) is one component of a PLC. The purpose of this action research study was to examine the impact of a professional development innovation, Project Collaboration, which included a set of on-demand support modules for CTs to support their work and collaborative efforts. This study was a mixed method, action research study using surveys, rubrics, interviews, and the analysis of CT meeting artifacts. Results from Wilcoxon tests concluded there was not a significant difference from the pre to post quantitative data, descriptive statistics indicated there was an increase in the mean scores on both the postsurvey and the post-rubric when compared to the presurvey and the pre-rubric. The participants perceptions of their individual collaboration skills, their team’s collaboration skills, their self-efficacy to collaborate and the team’s collective efficacy to collaborate was positive and it was reflected in the mean scores after using the collaboration modules. Qualitative data indicated that the collaboration modules were used by participants and well received. Implication for future practice and next steps in action research are discussed.
ContributorsCase, Julie (Author) / Harris, Lauren M (Thesis advisor) / Weinberg, Andrea (Committee member) / Carlson, Howard (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
The purpose of this single case design study was to examine the efficacy of a graphic organizer for improving the reading comprehension of middle school Spanish-English bilingual middle school students with learning disabilities. Students included two females and one male student. Using a multiple baseline across participants design, students were taught to create a funnel map graphic organizer for 10 descriptive text passages. Students’ performance was assessed on their ability to correctly create the funnel map (criterion variable) and to comprehend the expository passages during baseline, intervention, and maintenance phases. Each participant learned to create an accurate funnel map for descriptive texts within four sessions. Reading comprehension scores began to increase within three intervention sessions for each participant. Results showed the positive effect of using the funnel map to improve reading comprehension of descriptive texts. Individual TAU effect sizes (.81 to .92) and overall TAU-U effect sizes (.86) and a Between Cases Standardized Mean Difference (BC-SMD) of 1.87 showed the intervention to be highly effective. Based on the effect sizes, the funnel map was effective for improving the reading comprehension of middle school Spanish-English bilingual students with learning disabilities.
ContributorsCalvin, Kristie (Author) / Gray, Shelley I (Thesis advisor) / Restrepo, Laida (Committee member) / Thompson, Marilyn (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Masters Entry into Professional Nursing (MEPN) students are entry level students in an accelerated nursing curriculum with a minimum requirement of a Bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing discipline. This qualitative descriptive study sought to explore the experiences of MEPN students during the program using the conceptual framework of Schon’s reflection-in-action and an associated lens of interprofessional education and practice. Nine participants were recruited using maximum variation sampling. Participants were all female, over the age of 21, all recent graduates of a MEPN program, with previous baccalaureate degrees in the sciences and humanities. Data were analyzed using directed content analysis. Participants identified five steps in the MEPN journey: (1) Choosing to Pursue Nursing, (2) Coming into MEPN, (3) Bridging Disciplines to Become a Nurse, (4) Reflecting on the Journey, and (5) Being a Nurse. They identified facilitators and barriers they encountered navigating the program and described the knowledge they brought from their prior discipline and provided examples of how they applied it in nursing practice during the MEPN program.
The findings have significant implications for nursing practice and nursing education. The essential elements of Schon’s framework for effective problem solving were evident and necessary for building knowledge in practice. Participants recognized the need to think differently when solving professional practice problems consistent with the process of reflection-in-action. They acknowledged benefits and challenges of working with peers in interprofessional education and practice.
Faculty can more purposefully use what students bring from other disciplines to support interprofessional relationships and reflection-in-action in clinical practice.
ContributorsMueller, Judith Marie (Author) / Lamb, Gerri (Thesis advisor) / Evans, Bronwynne (Committee member) / Krahe Billings, Eve (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
The Sonoran Desert is a magical place full of beauty and wonder. With an increase each year in the number of new families calling Arizona their home, so also comes an increase in pre-conceived notions of the dangers of the Sonoran Desert. Dangers such as plants, animals, and weather conditions can cause fears in families. Though these fears are valid, understanding different ways to stay safe and engage with nature in the Sonoran Desert is critical to building future generations of adults that value the natural world. Current literature does not address the Sonoran Desert and Arizona as a space to engage in nature play. The current action research study builds on the literature to offer new perspectives on nature play in the Sonoran Desert. A mixed-methods approach was used to assess caregivers' perception of safety, risk, and benefits of nature play in the Sonoran Desert. The intervention utilized the social media platform, Instagram, to administer the intervention content. Results from this study suggest that even though participants were already engaged in nature play, their perceptions of risk, safety, and benefits of nature play in the Sonoran Desert changed positively or were reinforced. The analysis expands the current literature on risk, safety, and benefits of nature play.
ContributorsBello, John (Author) / Rotheram-Fuller, Erin (Thesis advisor) / Zuiker, Steven (Committee member) / Stone, Sarah (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
In this mixed-methods study, I sought to design and develop a test delivery method to reduce linguistic bias in English-based mathematics tests. Guided by translanguaging, a recent linguistic theory recognizing the complexity of multilingualism, I designed a computer-based test delivery method allowing test-takers to toggle between English and their self-identified dominant language. This three-part study asks and answers research questions from all phases of the novel test delivery design. In the first phase, I conducted cognitive interviews with 11 Mandarin Chinese dominant speakers and 11 Spanish speaking dominant undergraduate students while taking a well-regarded calculus conceptual exam, the Precalculus Concept Assessment (PCA). In the second phase, I designed and developed the linguistically adaptive test (LAT) version of the PCA using the Concerto test delivery platform. In the third phase, I conducted a within-subjects random-assignment study of the efficacy the LAT. I also conducted in-depth interviews with a subset of the test-takers.
Nine items on the PCA revealed linguistic issues during the cognitive interviews demonstrating the need to improve the linguistic bias on the test items. Additionally, the newly developed LAT demonstrated evidence of reliability and validity. However, the large-scale efficacy study showed that the LAT did not appear to make a significant difference in scores for dominant speakers of Spanish or dominant speakers of Mandarin Chinese. This finding held true for overall test scores as well as at the item level indicating that the LAT test delivery system does not appear to reduce linguistic bias in testing.
Additionally, in-depth interviews revealed that many students felt that the linguistically adaptive test was either the same or essentially the same as the non-LAT version of the test. Some participants felt that the toggle button was not necessary if they could understand the mathematics item well enough. As one participant noted, “It's math, It's math. It doesn't matter if it's in English or in Spanish.” This dissertation concludes with a discussion about the implications for test developers and suggestions for future direction of study.
ContributorsClose, Kevin (Author) / Zheng, Yi (Thesis advisor) / Amrein-Beardsley, Audrey (Thesis advisor) / Anderson, Kate (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
One of the primary research aims of this study was to create a more culturally responsive course curriculum that is inclusive of diverse perspectives to better engage with an increasingly diverse student population. This small-scale study utilized an Action Research (AR) approach. Using Critical Race Theory as the primary guiding theoretical framework with the support of both the Social Cognitive Career Theory and Systems Theory Framework, this study sought to interrogate a major and career explorations curriculum through a culturally responsive lens. The goal of the interrogation was to make changes to the curriculum and implement a more inclusive curriculum. Participants in the study included faculty associates and students of the UNI150 Major and Career Explorations course located within The College at Arizona State University (ASU). Data was collected in the form of surveys, focus groups, student artifacts, lecture observations and analytical memos from the researcher. The AR study included two initial cycles of research and the intervention. The intervention consisted of two phases of data collection and data analysis. A thematic analysis was conducted using codebooks. The study concluded that it was necessary to make changes to the UNI150 curriculum and that modifications like these have the potential to create systemic change. More data is needed to understand the impact of collaborative curriculum redesign and the impact of implementing a culturally responsive curriculum. Implications for future research related to interrogating and implementing a redesigned curriculum through a culturally responsive lens are presented and discussed.
ContributorsLopez, Mara Nohemi (Author) / Markos, Amy (Thesis advisor) / Marquez, Lorena (Committee member) / Kappes, Janelle (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021