<p> This thesis explores the ways in which Caucasian theatre makers can become more effective educators and directors in diverse student populations. By drawing attention to their &ldquo;whiteness&rdquo; and overcoming the fear of being implicated in the subjugation of these student populations, Caucasian theatre makers can instead embrace this implication and thereby transform classrooms and theatrical spaces from static appreciations of sovereignty and beauty, into platforms for resistance and revolt. In this thesis, I interrogate my own process in the direction of my multi-actor, undergraduate student production that was borne of the journey of the creation of my solo play entitled <i> ANTIMAN</i>. In this play, I implicate my family and our own racism and naivet&eacute; and the many challenges I faced in telling a story that explores such controversial subject matters as racism, antiblackness, colonialism, colonization, and settler-indigenous relations from my own white, male, heterosexual orientation. It is my hope that through this examination of both my failures and successes in this process of creating and directing <i> ANTIMAN</i>, in concert with the history of St. Croix, that I will articulate the present-day predicament of St. Croix in a manner that creates a space for discourse, resistance, and change.</p><p>

<p> As the teaching profession becomes increasingly challenging and teachers leave the profession at an alarming rate, school leaders need to understand the factors that influence teacher resiliency and longevity. A teacher&rsquo;s self-efficacy beliefs have been found to affect teacher&rsquo;s emotional and physiological well being (Bandura &amp; Locke, 2003), job satisfaction (Caprara, Barbaranelli, Steck, &amp; Malone, 2006, Hoigaard, Giske, &amp; Sundsli, 2012), and stress management (Bandura, 1997). Self-efficacy also impacts effort and performance (Tschannen-Moran &amp; Woolfolk Hoy, 2001), professional commitment (Coladarci, 1992; Ware &amp; Kitsantas, 2007, 2011; Klassen et al., 2013), and longevity in the profession (Wentzel &amp; Wigfield, 2009). In consideration of the value of teacher self-efficacy, there is a lack of qualitative research explaining how self-efficacy develops in teachers. </p><p> The present study used a qualitative phenomenology methodology to explore beliefs, factors, and experiences that influence the development and strengthening of self-efficacy in teachers. The choice of a phenomenological study reflected my belief that the best way to grasp the very essence of individual teacher beliefs was to dialogue with teachers about their lived experiences in the context of a particular situation (Moustakas, 1994; Creswell, 2013). The present study utilized focus groups and individual conversations with teachers in a K-12 international school in the Dominican Republic. This study also embedded a quantitative teacher self-efficacy survey instrument to select participants and to describe their perceived self-efficacy levels. </p><p> The results indicated emerging themes of Connection, Support, Knowledge and Growth, Balance, and Gratification as factors shaping self-efficacy beliefs. This study contributes to our understanding of how self-efficacy develops by illuminating a self-efficacy growth cycle with eight stages: The Gold Standard, Teaching Challenges, Dissonance, Perspective, Teacher Behavior Change, Intentional Practice, Equilibrium, and Self-Efficacy Growth. The study also revealed cognitive processes of self-reflection, self-regulation, cognitive flexibility, growth mindset, intentional positivity, reminding oneself of calling/commitment and mental models of prior success and growth as catalysts to develop, change, and strengthen self-efficacy. </p><p> In conclusion, the results from this study may inform administrators, teachers, mentors, instructional coaches and university programs about intentional, proactive ways to guide teacher self-efficacy growth.</p><p>

When contemporary Caribbean-Canadian writer Dionne Brand encounters home, she is confronted by social norms - domestic and national - that may exclude her based on race, gender, sexuality and birthplace, or that may include her on the conditional denial of any one of these identifications. Reading her memoir and three novels, this study examines Brand's conceptualization of home and her attempts to uncover its failings, dismantle its borders, and ultimately refigure the concept of home as what I term Brand's uneasy homespaces - sites where provisional reterritorializations sign and enable agency, open the possibility of connection through negotiation, and retain uneasiness as a reminder of necessary provisionality. Through prolonged attention to the difference between the theoretically empowering and the materially destructive, Brand resists utopian fantasies of cosmopolitan global citizenship and the metaphorization of homelessness, while also countering, in her later work, easy dismissals of the nation-state by presenting a community that gains agency through identification with the city and nation even as it actively critiques the state.

<p> The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of academic advising at a tertiary institution in Jamaica and how it has influenced teacher-efficacy and instructional attentiveness among student teachers. The participants included twelve student teachers and four lecturers who have been intimately involved in academic advising. The student teachers selected have been engaged in academic advising for two to four years while the lecturers have been advising for ten to sixteen years. </p><p> This qualitative study explored how academic advising is related to teacher efficacy and instructional attentiveness among a set of second to fourth year student teachers at a teacher training college in Jamaica. All participants were actively receiving and giving academic advising in a government-owned teacher training institution. The primary source of data was unstructured interviews with student teachers and lecturers. Data were acquired over a two-month period by means of unstructured interviews and field notes. These tools afforded the opportunity to extend the conversations and generate meaning from the responses thereby providing rich descriptive notes of the phenomenon. Data were prepared using triangulation matrices, data coding and the Constant Comparison Approach to generate categories showing patterns and relationships of meaning. </p><p> The findings on the perspectives of the study participants indicate academic advising has significantly influenced teacher-efficacy among the student teachers as their level of confidence increased, appreciation of teamwork blossomed, instructional competency broadened and misbehaviors controlled. Additionally, their valuing of self and acceptance of other personalities grew immensely which positively affected their relationship with various tiers of staff in the learning environment. The interview data garnered from student teachers indicate that instructional attentiveness improved through the use of multiple teaching methods which included authentic assessment, field experience and student-centered learning. Other factors that boosted instructional attentiveness were good relationships with advisors who were understanding of their differences and commended simple efforts. As a result of the academic advising received, there are several implications for practice and policy which need to be addressed in order to help student teachers to identify their strengths and weaknesses, remain on task, avoid drop out and maintain equilibrium between academic and social experiences as they navigate their way through college.</p><p>

<p> Developing online trust is crucial for e-commerce vendors in order to attract new consumers and develop long-term relationships with existing ones. We intended to investigate if consumers from different generational cohorts differ on how they develop online trust when utilizing e-commerce websites. Through the analysis of empirical data collected from 138 users of e-commerce, we examined four drivers of online trust between three generational cohorts in Puerto Rico. We reviewed relevant research related to the effects of security, privacy, navigational elements, feedback mechanisms on online trust and generational cohort theory. Partial least square and structural equation modeling was use for analysis. Results suggest that online trust is developed in dissimilar fashions across generations and differ in what drivers they find important. Our research could hold practical and scholarly significance since its findings can help e-commerce and online service providers in determining the important factors they need to have present in their websites in order to address online trust for their target audience. By investigating the differences in the drivers of online trust across three generational cohorts, this study builds upon previous literature that only compared Millennials against Baby Boomers.</p><p>

Abstract not available.

<p> After experiencing the reality of life in the Caribbean for nearly two decades, I remain grieved by the level of suffering throughout the region, yet hopeful that a future of sustainable growth is within the realm of possibility. I am a first hand participant in and observer of the longstanding socioeconomic crisis that has forced the African culture in the Caribbean to repetitively ask the same question: &ldquo;Why is all this hardship happening to us?&rdquo; In order to participate in the solution, this project comprehensively explores the relationship between creative practice and the socioeconomic crisis in the Caribbean&ndash;&ndash;does limited access to environments that facilitate original and conceptual ideas correlate with the socioeconomic crisis in the region? Understanding the relationship and its outcomes could expose the source of long-term hardship and identify a path of sustainable growth for the African culture in the Caribbean. Accomplishing this objective required an analysis of four distinct perspectives: my observations as a participant in the culture, the historical progression of the region, recognized research that speaks directly to socioeconomic crisis and creative practice, and the voice of the culture. Reaching for clarity and rationale in answering the primary research question of this project&ndash;&ndash;<i>What is the relationship between creative practice and socioeconomic crisis in the Caribbean? </i>&ndash;&ndash;the highest priority of understanding and respect has been given to the voice of the Africans in the Caribbean. Therefore, the Afro-Caribs on St. John, United States Virgin Islands serve as the narrative to reflect the reality of life in a contemporary context for the culture. The outcomes and methods of analysis developed in this project should be a useful tool for other cultures seeking to alleviate socioeconomic crisis and implement a sustainable pathway of growth.</p><p> Keywords: <i>Caribbean, creative practice, creativity, socioeconomic crisis, development, decolonization, dependency, living systems, oppression, cultural conditioning, chaos, Africans, West Indians.</i></p>

Puerto Rico has endured horrendous natural disasters in the last few years, leaving thousands to cope with the aftermath; a mental health crisis. Therefore, understanding how Puerto Ricans navigate adversities, be that childhood adversity, natural disasters or daily stress is of utmost importance. Understanding the role resilience and drinking play in Puerto Rico will help us to further understand how they navigate adversities. Hence the reason why in this study we looked at how Adverse Childhood Experiences, Perceived Stress, Natural Disaster Adversity and Shame relate to each other and to Drinking behaviors and Resiliency. Data were collected on Puerto Rico via an online survey. Several individuals participated in the study (N = 189). Modifying variables included, age, place of residence on the island, gender, ethnicity, education, occupation and socio economic status. The results demonstrated significant differences between some modifying variables. Differences were seen between men and women in levels of Shame and ACES. No significant differences were found between ethnicities in levels of Shame, Stress, ACES, Hurricane Adversities and Resiliency. Similarly, no relationship was found between respondents level of drinking and SES. When looking at the sample as a whole there was no relationship between ACES and hurricane adversities as well as with drinking. However, there appears to be a positive relationship between ACES and Shame, and a small positive relationship between drinking and Shame. On the other hand, a negative relationship was found between Shame, ACES and Resiliency. However, a small positive relationship was found between the number of drinks people have and Resiliency. Additional analysis was conducted to further understand these variables and their relationships. Additional research, exploratory research, is needed to understand the variables and the relationship between them. Exploratory research is needed as a way to further understand the role culture plays in understanding Shame, ACES, Stress, Hurricane Adversities, Drinking and Resiliency in Puerto Rico.

No description available.

No description available.