<p> This dissertation is an <i>auto|ethnography,</i> meaning it places the author's experiences at the center of analysis. The thesis argues that educators from the dominant culture can share the burden of change placed on students of color by critically reflecting on their <i>positionality </i>&mdash;or the way they socially construct their understanding of who they are in the world and therefore their relationship to educational structures and school actors. The analysis focuses on the author's transition from suburban to urban teaching and how this experience, combined with a broadening of theoretical perspectives, increased his criticality and, therefore, ability to re-conceptualize his experience with the hidden, social and emotional, and academic curricula. The author employs a variety of theoretical perspectives including <i>critical constructivism, critical pedagogy, socio-cultural theory, critical race theory,</i> and deculturalization to examine his understanding of himself and Others. Data sources include the author's personal archive of academic writing, a semi-structured interview with the author's former students, and the academic literature. Central to the thesis is the argument that educators from the dominant culture have a tendency to subscribe to the <i>deficit model for student failure</i> and therefore use the <i>banking concept of education</i> to deposit knowledge into students from subordinated cultures. This is perpetuated by hegemony and creates a dynamic where educators from the dominant culture place added burdens on students from subordinated cultures to change, which often sparks resistance and other unintended consequences. The data demonstrate that the overuse of positivist approaches to discipline and pedagogy in the researcher's former school sparked student resistance and invalidated the knowledge and various ways students from diverse backgrounds made sense of their world. Given the insights provided by the participants in this study, the research suggests that many of the perplexing problems in urban education can be better addressed if those in power <i>radically listen</i> to students in urban schools.</p>

No description available.

<p> This qualitative, phenomenological study explored Sexual Health Education (SHE) through the lens of 11 public school teachers who formally taught sex education. It explored the levels of comfort and barriers that educators possessed when they communicated SHE to adolescents. One community within the State of Indiana was examined. Eleven 7-12^th grade educators among three school districts shared their beliefs, values, and feelings regarding SHE instruction and levels of sexuality comfort. As a result, the concept of sexuality comfort was reconstructed, and three findings emerged from the data that can contribute to further research in the fields of education, communication, and health. They include: (1) An inclusive sexual health education program can provide educators with more sexuality comfort, (2) Teacher training and instructional materials relate to an educator&rsquo;s sexuality comfort level and willingness to communicate SHE, and (3) An educator&rsquo;s level of sexuality comfort will likely increase if engaged in SHE decision-making policies.</p><p>

<p> This case study explored the viability of using a Critical Friends Group (CFG) dialogue protocol within a novice teacher induction program to facilitate dialogue about equity in a diversifying suburban school setting. The study included two research questions: How do novice teachers in a suburban school district with shifting demographic diversity make sense of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic inequities? How does an equity-focused community of practice using a dialogue protocol affect novice teachers&rsquo; praxis through their understanding of how to address issues of student equity in their instructional practice? Even in a high performing suburban school, novice teachers had significant dilemmas of equity in their classes. Consequently, the novice teachers did not feel suitably trained or capable of providing the range of differentiation necessary to equitably meet the needs of their students. Thus, the novice teachers admitted to teaching by subjective intuition and asking for guidance from colleagues. The effects of adding the dialogue protocol included both an improved sense of trust among participants and of personal efficacy among the novice teachers. Questions posed during the dialogue protocol challenged the novice teachers&rsquo; personal biases, ethics, and decisions. Overall, the dialogue sessions created a space to help each of the novice teachers understand their options, responsibilities, and resources to improve their instructional praxis. This study recommends future research be conducted about the longitudinal impact of implementing a Critical Friends Group (CFG) dialogue protocol into the California induction credentialing process. This includes research into how to train mentors to facilitate group dialogue sessions, and collect and analyze student outcomes data.</p><p>

The 1944 Education Act left open how the secondary schools system was to be organised. This study traces the functioning of the system in the second largest local education authority in the country over a period of twenty years. The effects on administration resulting from changes in political control are documented. Certain policy decisions are described in considerable detail in order to analyse the variety of roles played by administrators at local and central government level, by elected representatives, by teachers and by parents. The thesis is organised into three main parts. First the general background is outlined, covering the relevant issues that arose during the war-time debate on education, the 1944 Education Act and national secondary schools policy since that Act, and the local government structure established after 1944 for the provision and administration of the education service in Middlesex. The second part reviews policy-making and administration within the framework of a selective schools system. Here the formulation of the early post-war development plans and the establishment of comprehensive schools are discussed. A detailed account is given of the administrative and political complexities arising from selection at the age of eleven. The third part deals with fee-paying day grammar schools to which a minority of pupils were sent at public expense. This section assesses the nature of the inter-dependency between the private and state sectors of education, and shows the extent to which this affected local education authority decisions at various levels. It is concluded that the impetus for change in the secondary schools system does not come from any single group in society, and that changes in administrative practice are closely related to changes in public opinion. Indeed, these two factors reinforce each other.

<p> This phenomenological study focused on the lived experiences of modern day polymaths. The constructs of openness to experience, identity, self-directed learning, polymathy or multi-disciplinarily, and intrapersonal functional diversity were used to frame the research. The primary theoretical lens of this study is based on Identity Theory and Social Identity Theory. The inquiry focused on accomplished polymaths with careers spanning both the arts and sciences. The participants&rsquo; narratives provided insights regarding how they became polymaths and what their experiences as polymaths have been like. </p><p> The population for this phenomenological study was found using snowball sampling (also called chain or network sampling). Interviews with thirteen participants were conducted using a modified version of Seidman&rsquo;s (2013) method, focusing on (1) life history, (2) details of the experience of being a polymath, and (3) meaning making of being a polymath. Through applying Moustakas&rsquo; (1994) phenomenological data analysis methods, a total of twelve themes emerged. In addition to the twelve themes, textural and structural descriptions were presented that helped to elucidate the essence of polymathic experiences. </p><p> Seven conclusions were drawn from this research: (1) to be a polymath, one must accept not fitting in the typical box and perhaps even embodying apparent contradictions; polymathy is being intrapersonally diverse, (2) polymaths are exposed broadly, think creatively and strategically, and juggle their many interests and obligations through effective time management, (3) being a polymath can make life richer, but it can also be quite difficult, (4) polymaths are excellent at being creative and solving problems creatively, (5) polymathy develops due to a combination of nature and nurture, and polymathy is maintained in adulthood by a willingness to continue to work to improve oneself through self-directed learning, (6) polymath identity is discovered from not fitting in; polymath identity can be difficult to fully own and to explain to others, (7) family and financial resources impact the emergency of polymathy. A number of recommendations for theory, practice, and research are provided as well. </p><p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to explore the noncore secondary teachers' lived experience with Georgia's Teacher Keys Effectiveness System (TKES) evaluative feedback. This descriptive phenomenological study examined Georgia's noncore teachers' use of evaluative feedback from TKES to inform and impact classroom effectiveness. The essence of the experience of receiving evaluative feedback is revealed through in depth interviews with 30 noncore secondary teachers from three districts in Georgia. </p><p> The findings in this study suggest that TKES evaluative feedback has the potential to support a positive change in the noncore classroom provided appropriate time and resources are dedicated to implementing the evaluative process with fidelity. Traits of effective feedback that resonate throughout the literature review and study findings are the need for feedback to be specific, timely, ongoing, and linked to professional development. The need in the noncore classroom for teachers to receive content-specific feedback was uncovered. Additionally, the need to build additional time and resources into the school year to ensure evaluative feedback has the potential to accomplish the goal of teacher growth and become a positive part of the teaching profession was uncovered. The findings of this study allow an opportunity for the voice of the noncore teachers' experience with TKES evaluative feedback to be heard, generating a pathway to improved feedback and growth in their classroom.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this study is to determine if Title V HSI grants and expenditures in instruction, academic support, and student services at 4-year Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) account for observed differences in the graduation rates of Latinas/os and the percent of bachelor&rsquo;s degree completions of Latina/o students, and whether HSIs are equitable in the proportion of bachelor&rsquo;s degrees awarded to Latinas/os. HSIs are colleges and universities that enroll 25% or more full time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate Latina/o students. In general, the purpose of the federal Title V HSI grant is to fund programs to enhance the educational attainment of Latina/os. This study uses Tinto&rsquo;s (2012) framework for institutional action advancing that colleges and universities that establish support programs designed to promote students&rsquo; success eventually see those programs translate into improved institutional graduation outcomes. A nationally representative sample of 75 four-year accredited, bachelor&rsquo;s degree granting institutions of higher education with at least 25% undergraduate Latina/o students by 2012 fall was selected from the Integrated Postsecondary Data System (IPEDS) for this study. Consistent with prior research, statistical analyses revealed that expenditures in academic support and student services are significantly associated with graduation rates of Latina/os, however, the expenditures in instruction was not a significant predictor of graduation rates of Latina/os. The role of Title V HSI grants was significant when the variable that accounted for the percentage of undergraduate Latinas/os was removed from the analysis. Title V grantees experienced a greater number of bachelor&rsquo;s degrees completions conferred on Latinas/os when compared to other HSIs in the sample. On average, HSIs were equitable in conferring bachelor&rsquo;s degrees on Latina/os. Future research should investigate expenditures in instructional activities that are directly associated with student learning at HSIs, and the type of Title V grant-funded activities that are greater predictors of Latina/o student success.</p><p>

<p> This study examined the facilitators and barriers to the implementation of an innovative, whole-school reform model, Expeditionary Learning, within the context of the high-stakes accountability policy environment. Twenty-four teachers and four principals were interviewed across four schools, two of which were high poverty and two of which were low poverty. All schools were K-8 charter schools and located either within the urban core or in an inner-ring suburb. Educators across schools reported agreement with the tenets of Expeditionary Learning and a desire to implement the program fully. They preferred this learning model that focuses on student choice, inquiry, and experiential education over more traditional learning models. Respondents pointed to the pressure and time constraints caused by high-stakes standardized tests as barriers to their full implementation of Expeditionary Learning. They also saw the standardized tests as largely misaligned with the model. Educators in high-poverty schools reported more anxiety around the tests and their students&rsquo; performance. Respondents across schools agreed that Expeditionary Learning was a team effort that required significant time and effort to implement with fidelity. Educators at high-poverty schools reported teacher retention and hiring policies as major barriers to implementing Expeditionary Learning, largely because collaborative teams of teachers were unable to coalesce. Other factors affecting implementation of the program included curricular standards that focused on breadth and not depth, a lack of resources, and parent and community support. Overall, the study found that district and state policies served primarily as a constraint to implementation of Expeditionary Learning, and high-poverty schools were more negatively affected by external policies than were low-poverty schools. The ability to function as an Expeditionary Learning school was ultimately based on how well internal practices were able to work with or counteract external policies.</p><p>

<p> Social media has permeated nearly every facet of our modern society. The influence on our culture has been beneficial but challenging. The impact of social media upon the school environment has been tremendous, yet few school districts have created policies describing its acceptable use by employees. Teachers are left feeling uncertain as to where the boundaries exist for their personal and professional use of social media and what can happen when they cross that undefined line. This dissertation examines the court cases that have influenced employment decisions for school employees and defined employees&rsquo; First Amendment right to free speech as it relates to the use of social media. The cases related to students&rsquo; free speech limitations that have influenced teachers&rsquo; cases will be reviewed, as well as current policies as they exist at the national, state, and local levels. The primary purpose of this research is to look for trends among the cases, create guidelines for administrators to use to determine if their employees have engaged in protected speech, and provide a framework for districts to use when creating their own social media policies.</p><p>