Thesis advisor: Marilyn Cochran-Smith / Preparing students to participate in a democratic society means cultivating citizens who are capable of making informed, rational decisions about complex issues related to the common good. In order to do this, teachers need to provide students learning opportunities that promote critical thinking and involve in-depth examination of meaningful content. Drawing on Gutmann's (1987) theory of democratic education, this dissertation examines how beginning teachers who were prepared in a teacher education program that emphasized social justice and democratic practices think about and engage their students in this type of work. Specifically, using Newmann's (1996) framework of "authentic intellectual work" as an indicator of knowledge consistent with democratic education, this dissertation examines the extent to which the learning opportunities teachers create and the work that students produce demonstrate authentic intellectual work and examines the degree to which teachers' understandings of student learning align with authentic intellectual work. This qualitatively-oriented mixed methods study (Creswell, Plano Clark, Gutmann, & Hanson, 2003; Morse & Niehaus, 2009) used quantitative and qualitative methods concurrently to examine 11 beginning teachers' experiences during the preservice period and first two years of teaching. Using the Teacher Assessment/Pupil Learning protocol, this study draws upon quantitative methods to evaluate teachers' assessments/assignments (n=53) and students' work (n=481) on these assignments and qualitative methods to analyze interviews (n=54). Findings suggest that these beginning teachers and their students engaged in "moderate" levels of authentic intellectual work, although this varied widely. The quality of assessments was positively correlated to the quality of student learning. The degree to which teachers fostered authentic learning opportunities is complicated by teachers' beliefs about assessment and student learning and particular contextual factors such as time, accountability frameworks, classroom management, student ability, and content area. Teachers whose goals for learning aligned with authentic intellectual work were more likely to construct more authentic learning opportunities. This dissertation argues that evaluations of teacher performance and student learning must account for the quality of learning and utilize multiple measures of evaluation. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.

The adoption of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology in social studies classroom practices has helped accelerate the achievement of educational goals. However, despite the value that GIS possesses for supporting student learning skills, few schools have adopted it so far. A reason for this deficiency lies in the absence of specific instructional models that demonstrate possible methods for incorporating GIS into class curriculum. This study sought to address this problem, tailored specifically for Kuwaiti social studies classrooms, with the design, development, and validation of a GIS Instructional Model to facilitate AIW. The study employed a design and development research methodology, comprised of five major phases, (i) selection of model components and theoretical foundation, (ii) analysis and development, (iii) formative feedback, (iv) revision, and (v) usability evaluation. In phase one, the Inquiry Design Model (IDM) format and components with AIW framework were selected to provide basic guidelines for the GIS Instructional Model. In phase two, following a comprehensive review of relevant academic literature, and in combination with personal experience, the researcher developed a preliminary GIS Instructional Model. In phase three, two expert reviewers evaluated the model, delivering their opinions by completing an online survey and taking part in follow-up interviews. The expert reviewers were primarily tasked with determining the model's ability to facilitate AIW in a social studies classroom, and providing suggestions for improving its performance. In phase four, the details gleaned from this formative feedback phase were then used to revise the model and enhance its effectiveness. In the last phase, six Kuwaiti expert reviewers assessed this updated version of the GIS Instructional Model to determine what barriers it might face regarding its implementation in the Kuwaiti educational system. They completed an online survey as part of this process and provided possible solutions to address perceived barriers. The data gained from expert reviewer feedback in these formative and usability evaluation phases were analyzed using qualitative methodologies. This step-by-step procedure helped to validate the model. As a result, a ready-to-implement teaching model, with all necessary teaching materials and instructions, was developed for Kuwaiti social studies classrooms. This model is proposed to enable social studies teachers to better understand how to integrate GIS into their classrooms to support AIW. Recommendations are provided for Kuwaiti educational policymakers and stakeholders to help overcome perceived obstacles that may hinder model implementation; suggestions for future research are also included. / Doctor of Philosophy / Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are software-based technologies which simplify the gathering, storing and manipulation of spatially-related data in ways which allow users to visually represent complex geographic phenomena more easily, bringing greater understanding for the world around us. As a result, the integration of GIS technology into social studies classroom practices has assisted student learning and achievement. However, despite the value which GIS possesses, few schools have integrated this technology so far. A significant reason for this limitation is the lack of clear guidelines or models which demonstrate how to employ this technology in the classroom. To help address the problem, this study developed a GIS Instructional Model for Kuwaiti social studies teachers to facilitate student authentic intellectual work, i.e. the student's demonstration of their deeper understanding for the knowledge and skills they are learning. The study employed a design and developmental research methodology, comprised of five major phases, (i) selection of model components and theoretical foundation, (ii) analysis and development, (iii) formative feedback, (iv) revision, and (v) usability evaluation. Phase one involved the selection of the study's theoretical foundation. In phase two, following a comprehensive review of relevant academic literature and, in combination with personal experience, the researcher developed a preliminary GIS Instructional Model. Two expert reviewers evaluated the model in phase three, delivering their opinions by completing an online survey and taking part in follow-up interviews. This feedback was analyzed in phase four, leading to revisions in the GIS Instructional Model to improve its quality for supporting student learning. In the final phase, six Kuwaiti expert reviewers assessed the newly-updated model to determine what barriers it might face regarding its implementation in the Kuwaiti educational system. They completed an online survey as part of this process and provided possible solutions to address these perceived obstacles. This step-by-step procedure helped to validate the model. The overall result was the development of a ready-to-implement teaching model, with all necessary educational materials and instructions, for employing GIS technology in Kuwaiti social studies classrooms to support student authentic intellectual work. In addition, recommendations were provided for Kuwaiti educational policymakers and stakeholders to help overcome perceived obstacles that may hinder model implementation; suggestions for future research are also included.