The purpose of this project is to address the growing need for multicultural education through the use of art. It identifies several approaches to teaching multicultural education and the importance it has on the development of today's students.

Traditional views on science education focus solely on content learning in the classroom, however more contemporary perspectives harness science content to help students become active citizens and lifelong learners outside of the classroom (Daher & Saifi, 2018; Vedder-Weiss & Fortus, 2011; Yacoubian, 2018). Project-based science is a reform pedagogy that emphasizes real-world utilization of science to solve problems that are personally relevant to students’ everyday lives (Kanter & Konstantopoulos, 2010). Unfortunately, there is no uniform theory or approach to project-based science. The diversity that exists in the interpretation and implementation of the project-based learning theory and model has resulted in a variety of research and developmental issues across disciplines, often resulting in confusion about what counts as being project-based and what does not (Kokotsaki et al., 2016; McNeill & Krajcik, 2007; Yu et al., 2018). While the goal of project-based science is to positively impact all students’ motivation for and achievement in science learning, there has been little research on its use as an instructional strategy with diverse students in urban schools (Kanter et al., 2001; Krajcik et al., 2006; Panasan & Nuangchalerm, 2010; Scheneider et al., 2002; Shwartz et al., 2008). Even as newer studies are published (Fitzgerald, 2020; Nainggolan et al., 2020; Wang, 2020), the field is stagnant, and research is still needed that looks into the ways in which culture influences the way American secondary students learn science (Brown, 2020). One of the characteristics of project-based science that makes it appealing, is its ability to drawing on the lived experiences of students, but most of the work done to date has not included or reflected the lived experiences of urban students of color. The goal of this mixed methods instrumental case study was to provide a glimpse into what it would look like to use a reconceptualized approach to project-based science that was more inclusive of urban students’ identities and lived experiences, while also being intentional about the nature of science and science epistemology. This involved the creation and use of a project-based science unit that included both implicit and explicit design features of the nature of science and science epistemology, along with pedagogical practices that were aligned with the theoretical underpinnings of project-based science (active learning, sociocultural theory, constructionist theory, constructivist theory, and situated cognition); along with the frameworks of Black feminist thought and reality pedagogy, which have not yet been considered in project-based science settings. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analyzed for trends and emergent themes. Quantitative data were collected from a diverse sample of fifty urban 9th grade New York City Living Environment students ranging in age from 13 to 15 years old. Ninety eight percent of participants had ethnic backgrounds other than White. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) repeated measures statistical tests and mixed between-within ANOVA statistical tests were used to examine quantitative data. The findings revealed that 96% of participants developed understandings of the local, state, and national level science standards and learning outcomes, aligned to the unit used in this study; and made significant gains on pre, midterm, and post multiple-choice and free response exams. While both genders made significant improvements, the male participants in this study outperformed the female participants. Qualitative data were collected from a total of 13 students, ranging in age from 13 to 15 years old, who participated in two gender-specific cogenerative dialogues. One hundred percent of cogenerative dialogue participants had ethnic backgrounds other than White. Thick descriptions and analysis were used to make sense of students’ experience with the project-based science unit. All cogenerative dialogue participants seemed to developed understandings of the nature of science and science epistemology. Implications for practice and future research are considered.

This qualitative research study was conducted to ascertain how urban school leaders conceptualized school discipline policies in ways that supported the education of students of color as well as how their values and beliefs informed the implementation of school discipline policies in ways that supported the education of students of color. Urban school leadership participants’ experience was primarily in the nation’s largest school district, New York City. Two research questions guided the framework of this study: (a) How do urban school leaders conceptualize school discipline policies in ways that change the way students of color are disciplined? and (b) How do the values and beliefs of urban school leaders inform their implementation of school discipline policies in ways that support the education of students of color? Qualitative research methodology was used for this study. Data were collected through individual interviews with participants and expert participants. The findings and data analysis constructed a road map for culturally relevant school leaders to conceptualize and implement school discipline policies to support students of color in schools and change the way they were disciplined.

This research paper is a description and analysis of a test devised to measure knowledge of the four mathematical operations at the 6th grade level.

In recent years the Immokakee farming district, in Collier County Florida, has become a wealthy farming area. Factors responsible for this condition are as follows: A favorable climate, long growing seasons, enterprising farmers and business men, and government sponsored drainage of swamplands. However, a determining factor in the farmer's margin of profit, in this area, has been the abundance of cheap farm labor. / Typescript. / "August, 1954." / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education." / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 53-54).

The purpose of this research study was to examine how STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) teachers incorporate culturally relevant teaching and multicultural education into their syllabi to prepare pre-service teachers (PSTs) with the expectation that this pedagogical method would result in successfully teaching diverse students. This study explored the history of K-12 STEM education as well as the access, participation, and performance of Black and Hispanic students in AP STEM courses. The final focus of the study was to examine how high school teachers of Advanced Placement (AP) STEM courses infuse culturally relevant practices into their teaching. The study examined data about the professional teaching experience, culturally relevant teaching (CRT) philosophy, and practices of teachers and how they create their syllabi to integrate culturally relevant teaching as they prepare pre-service teachers. In addition, it also examined and analyzed data from interviews with AP STEM teachers on the pedagogical and curricular materials they utilize to support the cultural diversity of students. The findings show that teacher educators and STEM in-service teachers are familiar with CRT and acknowledge its effectiveness as a strategy in reducing the achievement gaps that exist in the education of Black and Hispanic students when compared to White students. The findings also indicate that many teacher educators and in-service teachers can translate their understanding of CRT into practice as evidenced by the examination of their syllabi and lesson plans. However, teacher educators experience challenges in helping their PSTs see the relevancy of culture or culturally relevant teaching in STEM, and the AP teachers of STEM courses experienced challenges in maintaining student engagement and improving scores on the AP exams. This study suggests the necessity of supporting both STEM teacher educators and STEM in-service teachers through professional development to inform and support culturally relevant teaching in STEM education.

Researchers and policymakers are interested in the pathway to the STEM workforce given projections about a workforce shortage and the underrepresentation of women and people of color in STEM. These examinations often rely on the STEM pipeline model as a framework for understanding STEM persistence, which uses a STEM degree as a proxy for future workforce entry. However, this approach limits knowledge on STEM persistence to students’ postsecondary years and is not an appropriate framework for examining persistence from a longitudinal perspective. Few studies use longitudinal data and methods appropriate for examining STEM persistence and identifying when attrition from the pathway to the workforce is likely to occur. I used STEM career aspirations and social cognitive career theory as a guiding framework to track students on their trajectory to the STEM workforce. Using data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002), I examined the career aspirations histories from grade 10 to age 26 of high school students with early STEM career aspirations. I constructed alluvial diagrams to explore patterns of differential change in students’ career aspirations over time and how these patterns relate to STEM-related milestones. I used survival analysis to determine whether and when students lose their STEM career aspirations for the first time during their secondary, postsecondary, and early adult years. I applied discrete-time hazard modeling to determine how students’ characteristics, background affordance, and math self-efficacy contribute to their likelihood of no longer aspiring to a STEM career. I found that students’ career aspirations are unstable over time. Nearly half of the students in the sample lose their STEM career aspirations by grade 12. Still, it was more likely that students who reached STEM-related milestones aspired to a STEM career at the juncture preceding those achievements. While students’ early STEM career aspirations did not appear to have a considerable impact on reaching STEM-related milestones, most of the students who reached those milestones persisted in their grade 10 STEM career aspirations. Students’ gender, race, parental educational expectations, math achievement, and math self-efficacy all have statistically significant impacts on the likelihood of no longer aspiring to a STEM career. I provide implications for future research, policy, and practice related to STEM persistence.

Minorities stand increasingly under-represented in the teaching profession; they continue to be under-represented in graduate teacher preparation programs. Despite calls for increased numbers of minority teachers, despite countless well-intentioned recruitment and retention programs, the relative proportion of newly prepared minority teachers is in fact decreasing (Carter & Wilson, 1992). Literally hundreds of studies examine retention programs, identifying the deficits of minorities, noting what program elements work, and establishing characteristics of supportive institutional environments. Unfortunately, knowing what can be done to I increase persistence does not yet translate into doing it. By focusing on a positive correlate--those minority students who successfully complete their programs—this study contrasts with the deficit approach. Employing a critical analysis and feminist and ethnic interpretive perspectives, this qualitative study investigates the experiences of minorities who did complete graduate teacher education programs at 10 predominantly white, public and private, urban, suburban, and rural institutions in the Pacific Northwest. Specifically, the study examines how these minority students understand and interpret their experiences, which events they perceive as enhancing their successes and which ones they know interfered. All minorities who had completed graduate teacher preparation programs at the 10 institutions since 1990 were surveyed. Sections of the survey correspond to categories previously found to correlate with persistence (AME/OMHE, 1992; Attinasi, 1989; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1990; Tinto, 1987). Of the 72% who returned the surveys N = 61), 83% asked to be interviewed. Subsequently, seven respondents representative of the surveyed population each participated in two face-to-face interviews. Ethnographic methods were used to inductively analyze the empirical materials gathered in the research study. Content analysis of the subjects' journals combined with their interview transcripts and surveys enabled triangulation within three different sources of the respondents' own words. Results confirm that minorities see themselves as outsiders within predominantly white institutions. Belonging, or not, frames their institutional experience and mirrors their everyday lived realities in mainstream American culture. Respondents attribute their achievements to individual persistence; examples of persistence cited align remarkably with psychological profiles of resiliency (Benard, 1991). Retention program components are viewed as less significant than the personal resiliency each respondent evidenced.

The purpose of this study was to create a manual for organizations seeking to expand from one high-performing charter school into a network of charters, while serving high-poverty populations. A well-documented critical need exists to expand quality educational options for high-poverty students. Despite legislation and investments, prior reform efforts have failed to significantly improve the academic outcomes of historically underserved Black, Brown, Latino, and low-income students. Charters schools are an important option for families seeking to expand the educational options for students whose parental incomes assign them to chronically failing schools. Despite disproportionately enrolling high-poverty students, some high-performing charter schools are excelling with this population. The research methodology included semi-structured 1-hour interviews, site visits, and artifact review from CMO leaders, funders, and consultants of high-performing charter schools The interviews were then transcribed and coded, and seven recurring themes emerged. Data analysis involved comparing these emergent themes with previous research. Data analysis found that the high-performing charter schools serving high populations credit culture, systems, and human capital as the three main components of successful expansion. Although the order differed, every participant cited these three factors as critical to replication with integrity. Interviews, site observations, and artifacts in the current study identified the following recurring themes: 1. Culture Is Everything 2. The Model: This Is How We Do Things 3. Codification for Replication 4. Inspect What You Expect 5. Develop Human Capital 6. Operations Are the Drivers of Network Success 7. Accountability, Autonomy, Equity The findings in the current study show a demonstrated need for replication with the participants highlighting the challenges, lessons learned, and crucial advice to future operators. The final product is a guidebook that provides charter school leaders, charter management leaders, and other stakeholders with concise information on instructional practices, school culture, curriculum, finances, and other factors that impact charter school expansion. This manual is based on the premise that high-performing charter schools offer increased opportunities for academic success and, thus, life success for economically disadvantaged students.

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