Matching Items (15)
Description
This research paper assesses the effectiveness of a remote garden-based learning curriculum in teaching elementary students’ basic systems thinking concepts. Five remote lessons were designed, covering different garden topics, and in order to integrate systems thinking concepts, the Systems Thinking Hierarchical Model was used. This model includes eight emergent characteristics of systems thinking necessary for developing systems thinking competency. Five students were given the remote garden-based learning lessons. Student work was evaluated for systems thinking understanding and student outcomes were compared to anticipated learning outcomes. Results suggest that elementary students are able to understand basic systems thinking concepts because student work met anticipated outcomes for four systems thinking characteristics and exceeded anticipated outcomes for one characteristic. These results are significant because they further confirm that elementary-aged students do have the ability to understand systems thinking and they contribute to a growing movement to integrate sustainability education into elementary curriculum.
ContributorsDussault, Ashley (Author) / Weinberg, Andrea (Thesis director) / Schoon, Michael (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Division of Teacher Preparation (Contributor) / School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
The purpose of this study was to examine how using flexible seating options and alternative seating arrangements within a classroom may benefit students. It also sought to identify current teachers’ perceptions of flexible seating as a teaching methodology. Flexible seating is defined as having multiple seating options within one’s classroom, often leading to include elements of student choice. Such seating options may include active seating where the seat allows for movement. Specifically, this study examined the behavior, academic, community, and sensory benefits that students may experience from interacting with a flexible classroom environment. Data were collected from current teachers via an online survey as well as an occupational therapist via an interview. The data supported existing literature indicating that there are behavior and sensory benefits to flexible seating options, however, additional research would need to be done in order to draw concrete connections between academic performance and classroom community with flexible seating options.
ContributorsKlebosky, Katherine Anne (Co-author) / Klebosky, Kate (Co-author) / Farrand, Kathleen (Thesis director) / Weinberg, Andrea (Committee member) / Division of Teacher Preparation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
In this three-article dissertation, I explore the history of Western gardens in educational literature as well as the ontologies and epistemologies that underpin contemporary learning in gardens. Through a critical posthumanist and Indigenous scholarship lens, I collaborated with a school garden, a community garden and an indigenous garden to examine onto-epistemologies that permeate the relationships between humans and more-than-humans in gardens, revealing ways of being and knowing that are favored and the ones that are pushed out of gardening experiences, while exploring entryways to non-Western ways of being and learning in the garden.While each article stands on its own, taken together they paint a complex, rich and nuanced picture of more-than-human relationalities that occur in gardens and of human engagement deriving from different ontoepistemological orientations. This research contributes to the existing literature by exploring issues regarding environmental and sustainability education’s (ESE) approach to learning in gardens, specifically the salient role of gardens in ESE’s strategy in attenuating the climate crisis, by examining how gardens are conceptualized, who has agency in gardens, and what knowledges are privileged in gardens as learning spaces.
Contributorsdo Lago e Pretti, Esther (Author) / Silova, Iveta (Thesis advisor) / Koro, Mika (Committee member) / Weinberg, Andrea (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
While deep disciplinary knowledge will be required to develop next-generation clean energy technologies, the skills to work across disciplines and with diverse stakeholders will also be required. Providing authentic and explicit opportunities for graduate students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to engage in the broader impacts (BI) 0f their research could support the development of these skills. A concurrent mixed methods action research study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a three-part, semi-structured design workshop on clean energy fellows’ knowledgeability of the broader impacts of their research, their identification with the clean energy field, and their ability to develop high-quality educational outreach products. This study was grounded in a sociocultural theory of learning and informed by several conceptual frameworks: situated learning (Lave & Wenger, 1991), communities of practice (Wenger, 1998), and knowledgeability (Wenger-Trayner & Wenger-Trayner, 2015). Quantitative data was collected through a rubric and survey informed by guiding principles from the Broader Impacts Review Document for National Science Foundation Proposals (Center for Advancing Research Impact in Society, 2020). Qualitative data was collected through this survey and a focus group interview. Results demonstrated a significant, strong, and positive correlation between attendance at the design workshop attendance and Product of Lasting Value (PLV) quality. Unfortunately, the lack of respondents in the post-survey prevented the ability to quantify any changes that took place in fellows’ knowledgeability of the BI of their research and their identification with the clean energy field due to the innovation. Yet, results from the focus group interview do show that some fellows experienced increased knowledgeability of the BI of their research and identification with the clean energy field, but these gains were not necessarily due to the PLV Design Workshop.
ContributorsHendrickson, Danica Lyn (Author) / Salik, Steven (Thesis advisor) / Weinberg, Andrea (Committee member) / Garcia, David (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
The purpose of this mixed methods action research project was to address the problem of practice of incorporating foundational grammar, spelling, and punctuation (GSP) instruction into community college journalism classes through the intervention of online interactive modules called The Story Mechanics Project (SMP). The modules were developed and piloted during the first two cycles of action research. Following feedback and changes in local context influencing the intervention’s need and purpose, the modules were modified and simplified for the current research cycle. The main areas of focus were the efficacy of intervention, student perceptions of self-efficacy, and insights from designing and facilitating the intervention through a lens of critical digital pedagogy. The intervention was carried out in an online, asynchronous introductory journalism class in the Spring 2022 semester. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from a pretest/post-test skills assessment, a post-intervention survey with a retrospective component, final course writing assignment submissions, and the researcher blog. Results showed the intervention had a positive but insignificant impact on students’ GSP skills application and that it did not significantly affect student perceptions of self-efficacy in the GSP domains; there was no significant relationship between students’ perception of self-efficacy and their application of GSP skills in their writing submissions. Pedagogical insights regarding humanizing learning, balancing tensions, and releasing control emerged from qualitative analysis. Study limitations included a small sample size and a focus on GSP errors instead of correct usage. This study collaborated the need for a more effective way to teach story mechanics.
ContributorsCalo, Jeanette (Author) / Weinberg, Andrea (Thesis advisor) / Wolf, Leigh (Committee member) / Pilbeam, Renee (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Given the increasing number of students with dis/abilities entering higher education institutions (HEI), it is imperative higher education faculty have the knowledge, skills, and disposition to effectively support students with dis/abilities. Therefore, this study engaged higher education faculty at Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College (MLFTC) at Arizona State University (ASU). ASU is an institution that prides itself on being inclusive. Accordingly, MLFTC enrolls many students with a dis/ability. In spring of 2022, more than 350 MLFTC students had disclosed their dis/ability and registered for accommodations. However, there were likely many more students attending MLFTC who had chosen not to disclose their dis/ability status. Consequently, faculty members need a proactive approach to meeting the needs of students with a wide range of knowledge, skills, and experiences including students with dis/abilities.Universal Design for Learning (UDL) offers an effective framework to proactively support students with dis/abilities, even if they choose not to disclose their dis/ability status. Faculty need professional development and collaboration opportunities to develop to integrate inclusive instructional strategies aligned to UDL. This study was designed to provide higher education faculty members opportunities to develop their skills to integrate UDL in their classrooms. The participants completed three asynchronous online modules about the principles of UDL and three Innovation Configuration (IC) map design sessions. During the IC map design sessions, they co-developed an IC map articulating how they would like to see UDL operationalized in their courses. Data was collected throughout the project through a pre/post inventory, transcripts of the IC map design sessions, interviews, a classroom observation, and the co-developed IC map. The results show that faculty collaboration likely has a positive impact on faculty integrating instructional strategies aligned to UDL. However, collaboration may have a limited impact on the underlying belief system faculty have about the use of inclusive practices, especially for students who do not have a dis/ability or have chosen not to disclose their dis/ability through official university channels.
ContributorsPinkerton, Tanya (Author) / Mathur, Sarup (Thesis advisor) / Puckett, Kathleen (Committee member) / Weinberg, Andrea (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
DescriptionThe aim of this study is to illuminate potentially powerful forms of inspiration for teachers during typical challenges, as well as crises. We use the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic that exacerbated existing teacher burnout as an opportunity to learn how we can build capacities for critical hope to support teacher agency.
ContributorsOlakkengil, Joseph (Author) / Valenzuela, Eliana (Co-author) / Weinberg, Andrea (Thesis director) / Shutters, Shade (Committee member) / Ruiz, Elizabeth (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies, Sch (Contributor) / Computer Science and Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2022-12
DescriptionThe aim of this study is to illuminate potentially powerful forms of inspiration for teachers during typical challenges, as well as crises. We use the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic that exacerbated existing teacher burnout as an opportunity to learn how we can build capacities for critical hope to support teacher agency.
ContributorsValenzuela, Eliana (Author) / Olakkengil, Joseph (Co-author) / Weinberg, Andrea (Thesis director) / Shutters, Shade (Committee member) / Ruiz, Elizabeth (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2022-12
Description
This study examines how critical pedagogical practices of testimonies and contradiction and resistance coupled with agentive techniques engaged youth in holistic identity development in a sustainable education context. Using a three-phase design, I analyzed the structure of the Urban Energy Engineering (UEE) citizen science program that engages youth in community-centered energy engineering. The design sought to answer the overarching question: How does critical pedagogy in which students build on their cultural and community knowledge to co-construct knowledge about sustainability while engaging in community-centered projects that promote agency impact their holistic identity development? Using a for intervention model, I used archived data for the summer iteration to develop two analyses to examine how the program engages youth in identity development, agency, and positionality in their community. These analyses influenced my design innovation and implementation with the UEE youth during the spring semester. Findings of my design innovation are organized into three sections (a) coupling of practice towards holistic identity, (b) understanding the relationship between identity and community, and lastly, (c) understanding the relationship between identity and sustainability correlating with my research questions. Lastly, I discuss the design principle necessary to engage youth in holistic identity development (a) Facilitators should provide their own experience and (b) Frame the levels of the individual to the community in agentive practice and critical pedagogical practices.
ContributorsHoward, Isis (Author) / Jordan, Michelle (Thesis advisor) / Adams-Wiggins, Karlyn (Committee member) / Weinberg, Andrea (Committee member) / Zuiker, Steven (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022