The aim of this thesis is to analyze how the film Freedom Writers, released in 2007 anddirected by Richard LaGravenese, reflects on the topic of racism. The analysis is based on twoof the key tenets of Critical Race Theory, “Whiteness as Property” and “Commitment to SocialJustice”, which are used as analytical tools. Furthermore, the analysis also includes RacialIdentity Development Theory, which represents different stages of development as people beginto define themselves in relation to others. This thesis further evaluates pedagogical implicationsin connection to the analysis of Freedom Writers and Critical Race Theory. The results showthat racism is depicted in Freedom Writers through the concept of Whiteness as Property, andthe differences between white characters and characters of color are significant due to theirdifferent views on social justice. In addition, the results show that Freedom Writers may serveas a thought-provoking resource to use in the Swedish EFL classroom to create awareness aboutand discuss the importance of aspects such as racism, empowerment, and social justice in theworld and with regard to the students’ own knowledge.

The object of this study is the reading log that has been issued by the Swedish National Agency for Education’s teachers’ in-service training, The Literacy Boost or Läslyftet. The in-service training programme has been broken down into different modules, and the focus of this study is the reading log that has been addressed by a section of one of the modules. Essentially, this study aims to investigate six different teachers’ perceptions and experiences of the reading log. The method used for this investigation is semi-structured interviews. Consequently, the following research questions were outlined: 1.How do the teachers view the reading log and how have their views been altered by the in-service training?2.Which types of text are the teachers prone to use the reading log for?The results of the semi-structured interviews have shown that the different teachers’ perceptions of the purpose of the reading log were unanimous and aligned with theories addressed in the material. However, the necessity of writing for reflection was questioned by one. Further, all the teachers were acquainted with the reading log prior to the in-service training, and even though only a few new theories were acquired, many teachers benefited from new insights and various ways of using the reading log. Many had also experienced the repetition as positive. Lastly, the interviews also uncovered that the language teachers were more prone to using the reading log for literature studies, whereas teachers who also taught civics were prone to using the reading log for different types of texts.Key words: reading log, reflection, social development theory, reader-response criticism, discussion, the extended concept of text, formative assessment, efferent and aesthetic reading In Swedish with an abstract in English

Elementary African American males achieve proficiency at a lower rate than their peers in both reading and math. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how elementary school teachers described their use of equitable strategies in teaching elementary African American male students, how these teachers described the experience of teaching African American male students, and how they used equitable strategies to shape the classroom environment to engage African American male students. Two theories provided the conceptual framework for this study-human development theory and critical race theory in education. Seven participants were selected through convenience sampling. Semistructured interviews were conducted. Data analysis for this case study was conducted using analytic descriptive coding and category construction. Major categories were identified in order to examine patterns, themes, and relationships. Data analysis of the responses of research participants in this study revealed: (a) nurturing teacher-to-student relationships were paramount to students' success; (b) teachers who received professional development focused on the implementation of equitable strategies struggled with monitoring the effectiveness of equitable strategies regarding student outcomes. Consideration needs to occur regarding introducing and implementing culturally relevant pedagogy and equitable strategies with preservice teachers in order for them to understand the cultural as well as academic needs of the students they will educate. The findings of this study may provide school stakeholders with the strategies needed to support and improve the academic abilities of elementary African American males, thus constructing positive social change.

The motivation for this research comes from the belief that an over reliance on a social constructivist perspective has caused development studies in general, and post-development in particular, to under-theorize the role of discourse in development. A key issue in post-development studies concerns whether or not development organizations depoliticize their interventions. The notion of depoliticization provides a perfect occasion for examining more deeply the role of discourse in development. This research uses the actor-network theory constructivist framework to analyze a USAID funded development program in Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan): Mercy Corps' Peaceful Communities Initiative (PCI). The research approach used in this study involved both traditional ethnographic methods and document analysis. The ethnographic case material comes from multiple field visits to PCI offices in Central Asia and multiple visits to a variety of PCI community sites. The documentary evidence comes from a variety of organization and project specific documents. The embedded case studies demonstrate that materiality cannot be easily separated from sociality and that indeed the two are inseparable. Thus development discourse cannot be solely understood as a social phenomenon but could instead be understood as an assemblage of material elements through which both power and sociality flow.

The recruitment and retention for underrepresented minority (URM) students in agriculture and natural resources have been minimal. The importance of elucidating the lack of representation of students of color and underrepresented minority (URM) students in these fields suggests that appropriate actions at the secondary school and collegiate level need consideration. According to Silas (2016, p.iii), "students of color are currently underrepresented in agricultural disciplines when examining the increasingly diverse make-up of the United States." Examining the recruitment and retention strategies institutions are currently implementing is critical because of the narrative of these particular fields in the treatment of students of color and URM students over time. Many students of color and URM students that are currently matriculating a degree or currently in a career in these respective areas have possibly experienced the imposter phenomenon and imposter syndrome. People may feel like an imposter regarding accomplishments they believe they do not deserve or questioning their ability to receive such accolades. When an individual inhibits these feelings, this is an example of the imposter phenomenon or imposter syndrome. The imposter phenomenon, first recognized by Clance and O'Toole (1988), is a motivational disposition in which persons who have achieved some level of success feel like fakes or imposters. Individuals likely experiencing these imposter feelings during a period were examined using a lens based on the Critical Race Theory (Bell; 1987, Crenshaw, 1989; Delagado andStefancic, 2012) and Racial Identity Development Theory (Helms, 1990; Helms, 1993). The phenomenological study examines the effects of IP/IS in URM graduate students in agricultural and natural resource-related majors and fields. This method focuses on the participants' lived experiences regarding this phenomenon. The study itself examined how URM graduate students dealt with these particular feelings in their respective environments and what solutions were suggested or needed. The researcher interviewed ten participants regarding their perceptions of diversity and inclusion in agriculture, natural resources, and STEM-related fields. / Doctor of Philosophy / The need for diversity and inclusion within agriculture, natural resources, and STEM-related fields is critical and imperative as the demographics of the United States are changing. The shortage of minority individuals within agriculture, natural resources, and STEM-based fields impede the ultimate success and potential within these areas. The utilization of underrepresented minority (URM) individuals within these spaces ensure proper diversity and inclusion methods within these environments. The minimal efforts of diversity and inclusion within these environments are likely to promote feelings of an imposter within these URM individuals which would likely hinder success and motivation. The imposter phenomenon and imposter syndrome are particular feelings in which persons who have achieved some level of success possibly feel like fakes or imposters. This study examines the perceptions of URM students that have perhaps experienced feelings related to this phenomenon in less diverse and inclusive settings. The researcher examines critical race theory and racial identity development by interviewing ten participants about their perceptions of diversity and inclusion and the imposter phenomenon and imposter syndrome within the agricultural, natural resource, and STEM-related majors and fields.

This research explores the application of Viewpoints and Composition training with a cast of high school students to measure changes in the social cognitive development (SCD) of individuals and the collective group. The research centers on the writing of Michael F. Mascolo and Deborah Margolis, which takes a coactive approach to the relationship between one's social cognitive development and how it is manifested in his or her actions within a social group. Using this framework, the researcher assesses the personality types within the cast and analyzes how utilizing Viewpoints training creates shifts within these personalities. The researcher approaches this study from both a theoretical standpoint as a student during a two-week intensive training course for adults with SITI Company, and a practical standpoint in the direction of a fully mounted production with high school actors. The objective of the research is to propose a method to implement advanced Viewpoints training within a high school ensemble in order to cultivate ensemble and ultimately aid the social cognitive development of the individual actors.

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No description available.

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenographic study was to understand the experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives of new, primary role academic advisors at four-year public institutions in the United States. Research on advising has provided insight into advising best practices and the student perceptions of academic advising; however, there is little research illustrating current primary role academic advisors and their experience, or perhaps lack thereof. To receive highly coveted federal and state funding, higher education institutions must show growth in student success. Academic advisors are on the front lines of student success because they are tasked with the responsibility of retaining students at the respective institution through graduation. Research has indicated the importance of effective advising as it directly relates to student success metrics. Only recently have a small number of post-secondary graduate programs in the United States established certificate or degree programs specific to academic advising. Also, there are no required training standards for the profession. Because of this, advisors arrive on campus with diverse educational and occupational backgrounds and experiences that may or may not be related to their work with students that directly impacts student success. This research involved interviews with 17 new, primary role academic advisors at four-year public institutions in the United States. Participants discussed their educational and occupational backgrounds and experiences prior to entering the advising profession, their training and development experiences, and their knowledge and perceptions of NACADA’s Core Competency Model and student development theory as it applies to advising. This study added to the gaps in literature by providing specific examples of experience and knowledge of academic advisors currently working with students in the United States. Additionally, there are vast differences in advisor knowledge and understanding of NACADA’s Conceptual Core Competency and student development theories. Many advisors are aware of ideas related to professional best practices whereas others understand specific concepts related to best practices in academic advising. The findings may be used to address the necessity of implementing a university-wide, standard training and development program using NACADA’s Core Competency model as a guide for effective advising practice.

Recruitment and retention of public child welfare workforce is in crisis due to turnover caused by 1) dissatisfaction with job; 2) excessive stress and burnout, including vicarious trauma; and 3) a lack of support from supervisors and organizations. No instrument was found to evaluate the impact of supervisory support and the use of organizational and professional strategies. The Supervisory and Organizational Support (SOS) survey instrument was created in response to the need for reliable and valid instruments to measure issues related to child welfare workforce turnover. The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the SOS survey instrument and was designed to address the following research questions: 1) Does the instrument have demonstrated content validity? 2) Does the instrument have demonstrated construct validity as developed through factor analysis techniques? 3) Does the instrument have demonstrated reliability? 4) To what extent do the instrument and its' subscales correlate with measures of theoretically related and unrelated variables? The results of this study with a sample of 387 employees in 18 Virginia Department of Social Services agencies provide good beginning evidence of content, construct, convergent, and discriminant validity, and reliability of the SOS survey instrument. As such, the SOS survey can be used in studies of social services workforce turnover/ retention. However, to increase confidence in this recommendation, further research should address the implications and limitations of the current study and provide replication of the results with a different sample using confirmatory factor analysis. Finally, the SOS survey instrument may serve to assist in the evaluation of practice and policy efforts aimed at increasing worker retention. / Ph. D.