<p>This research study investigated five elementary teachers' conceptions of listening positioned across a complex and diverse state of dialogue. Social studies educational researchers have promoted democratic discourse in various studies aimed at preparing teachers to cultivate active student citizenship. The absence of careful attention to the multifaceted dimensions of listening is a notable gap in current extant research related to classroom discussion. Educational philosophers, alternatively, have argued for the moral and intellectual virtues of listening on equal grounds to its dialogic counterpart: speaking. I synthesized writing from various fields and categorized listening into two broad domains: thin and thick listening. Thin listening, widely conceptualized in education, is further characterized as obedient and attentive listening. Deeper notions of thick listening fall into the subcategories of democratic, relational, and pedagogical listening. Hermeneutic phenomenology is the research methodology guiding the methods and interpretative analyses undertaken in this study. Applying principles from phenomenologist Max van Manen, I framed interview questions for teachers to reflect on the nature of listening in their classroom and everyday experiences. I read and listened to the interview transcripts and recordings numerous times with openness and wonder, yet with an understanding that interpretation is never free from judgment or situated perspective. Findings revealed elementary teachers conceptualized listening under thicker terms when engaging in reflective analysis, although thin listening ideas remained present at times in their thinking about students, the classroom, and dialogue. This study arranged thick listening findings into four broad themes: a) listening to specific students activating new ideas about listening, b) the dynamic relationship between listening and being listened to, c) the connection between speaking, thinking, and listening (interlistening), and d) disturbed notions listening. The conceptions teachers disclosed are significant to elementary educators and researchers in social studies teacher education because thin notions prevail unchallenged, thus rendering an unbalanced and incomplete view of classroom dialogue. Inquiry into the nature and process of listening can inform future studies related to common classroom discussion frameworks, such as Structured Academic Controversies (SACs), that social studies researchers value in civic education.

During the past few decades, anthropologists have become increasingly interested in how different cultural frameworks come together. One opportunity to view such interactions is presented by travel seminars based on a transformative education model, which aim to educate middle-class people about conditions in economically depressed areas through travel. The task of this thesis is to examine the experiences of U.S. participant groups in one transformative education program, paying particular attention to interpersonal contact, both within groups and between them and local people, and to how participants experience the location of poverty. I argue that multiple factors play a role in terms of whether, how, and why trip participants appear to form new meanings based on their experiences. These factors include the individual's ability to empathize with the 'Other' (i.e. local people) met on the trip and previous experience in and knowledge of economically depressed areas, especially the Third World.

<p> The United States Department of Education supports the Common Core State Standards and new state accountability assessments. Improving student engagement, school climate, and staff and student relationships is vitally important to these national school reform efforts. This quantitative research reviews the perceptions of 187 students from four southern California middle schools to help determine if social emotional deficits in engagement, climate and relationships exist that contribute to negative civility and academic behaviors. The findings indicate the existence of social emotional shortcomings for the middle school students. There was also a relationship between student positive and negative perceptions and the demographic categories of grade, ethnicity and gender. Research consistently finds to support student civility and academic shortcomings, the implementation of Social Emotional Learning such as Civility and Ethics Instruction is beneficial. Therefore, multiple recommendations are offered to support the participant and similar middle school staff in including the social emotional intervention of Civility and Ethics Instruction within national school reform.</p>

<p> The purpose of this thesis project was to write a grant and explore funding sources that would facilitate the development and implementation of an educational support program for foster youth. An extensive review of the literature was conducted to investigate the needs and educational barriers of youth in the foster care system and discern how best to address these needs. A program was designed which utilized interagency communication, advocacy, and a support class to reduce disciplinary involvement and truancy as well as increase academic success among participating foster youth. The Stuart Foundation was selected as a funder because of the foundation's specified dedication to child welfare and educational issues, which synergized with the goals of the proposed project. A grant was written to support the generating of a three-year pilot program for foster youth at two selected junior high schools in San Luis Obispo County in California. Submission and funding of this grant were not requirements for successful completion of this project. </p>

<p>Detracking is an often misunderstood and ill-characterized education reform movement in the United States. Yet, as public educational spaces become more diverse, the relevance of detracking as a viable solution increases. However, secondary education teachers today are often ill-prepared to implement detracking. The purpose of this study was to better understand how secondary education social studies teachers develop perceptions of detracking. In this study, I collected four secondary education social studies teachers&rsquo; life stories. These life stories were synthesized into case study narratives and a cross case analysis to understand how these teachers developed perceptions of detracking. I found a teacher&rsquo;s orientation towards social studies influenced their perceptions of detracking, but was limited by external factors such as training in heterogeneous instruction, misconceptions of detracking, and critical reflection. I also reaffirmed detracking as a complex/complicated concept and call to the field of education to expand discipline specific critical reflection and training in heterogeneous instruction. </p><p> <i>Keywords:</i> Detracking, Social Studies, Secondary Education, and Narrative Inquiry </p>

<p> Global consciousness is an important trait for high-school students to exhibit. One way that global consciousness can be incorporated into the curriculum is via an elective International Studies class. The purpose of this study was to determine what effect, if any, taking an International Studies class would have on students&rsquo; global awareness. The questions that guided this study were: 1. What aspects of an international studies course resonated most with students? 2. What impact did participation in this course have on student global competence?</p><p> In order to research this topic, I conducted a case study in which an International Studies class was studied. The teacher who developed and taught the course was interviewed, in addition to three of her former students. Twenty-three students whom were students currently taking the class also participated in a survey.</p><p> The methodology for this study was consistent with the case-study approach. A school was selected that offered International Studies, former students and their teacher was interviewed, and current students volunteered to participate in a survey. The data were recorded and analyzed for possible themes. Three key themes emerged that spoke to the effect the course had upon students. First, the course served as a foundation of information the students were able to draw on and apply later in life. Second, the course served as an opportunity for students to increase their international literacy. Third, the course provided an opportunity for the students to become more globally aware citizens. These results were analyzed and interpreted through two theoretical lenses: John Dewey&rsquo;s <i>Theory of Experience</i> and James Banks&rsquo; <i> Theory of the Cosmopolitan Citizen.</i></p>

<p> This quasi-experimental, exploratory study adds important empirical research to the relatively new field of individual-oriented relationship education. It describes the extent to which specific relationship beliefs and attitudes are held, and evaluates the impact of an undergraduate, semester-long Intimate and Family Relationships course on these beliefs. Utilizing data collected over two semesters at the University of Montana, this study compared 356 student responses at the beginning and end of the semester on three separate scales designed to quantify select measures of specific constraint beliefs and attitudes: Attitudes About Romance and Mate Selection (AARMS), the Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ), and the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale-Short Form (IRMA-SF). Additionally, this study examined the mediating effects of several student background factors: parental divorce, gender, and parenting style on student responses to the educational experience. The researcher found significant results in the following areas: (a) gender differences with regards to the Love is Enough Cohabitation constraint beliefs, and rape myth acceptance; (b) differences on the Love is Enough constraint belief and rape myth acceptance between Adult Children of Divorce and non-Adult Children of Divorce; (c) differences between students who are in a relationship and those who are not, with regards to the One and Only constraint belief, and rape myth acceptance. The results are discussed in the context of exploring and understanding possible variables that may or may not impact relationship health, and may or may not be amendable to individually oriented relationship education. Limitations of the study, implications of the findings, and recommendations for future research are discussed.</p>

Thèse (M.A.)--Université de Sherbrooke (Canada), 2008. / Titre de l'écran-titre (visionné le 1 février 2007). In ProQuest dissertations and theses. Publié aussi en version papier.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Oct 30, 2009). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-02, Section: A, page: 0527. Adviser: Margaret Sutton.

Thesis (M.S.)--Rowan University, 2006. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references.