The nature of racism in the United States has transformed from overt prejudice and blatant discrimination to more covert, embedded, ambiguous manifestations called racial microaggressions (Constantine, 2007; Pierce, Carew, Pierce-Gonzalez, & Willis, 1978; Sue, Capidolupo et al., 2007). Researchers have demonstrated the unique, harmful, and cumulative impact of racial microaggressions in the lives of people of color (Rivera, Forquer, & Rangel, 2010; Sue, Nadal, Capodilupo, Lin, Torino, & Rivera, 2008). By way of primarily qualitative, exploratory research, scholars have found that Black students' experiences with perceived racial microaggressions are linked with negative psychological and physical health, educational, and career performance (Greer & Chwalisz, 2007; Solórzano, Ceja, & Yosso, 2000; Watkins, LaBarrie, & Appio, 2010). Despite these findings, some Black students appear resilient in toxic microaggressive college environments, while others seem negatively affected. To gain insight about factors that cultivate resiliency and buffer against negative outcomes, the following study utilizes a quantitative methodology to examine (a) how Black students navigate microaggressive and culturally incongruent environments in predominately White colleges, (b) the role of social support in buffering their experiences, and (c) various self-regulatory styles employed in reaction to the academic climate. Implications of this study will contribute to research, theory, and educational practices as it applies to the promotion of culturally congruent college environments and the diversification of the academy.

This study examines the evolution of my understanding of critical pedagogy as I work alongside my students to co-construct the curriculum in our social studies teacher education course. As a critical pedagogue, I seek to challenge traditional structures of power and control in the classroom and problematize the ideas and discourses that define our ability to act (and be acted upon) within the context of higher education. I embrace Paulo Freire's vision of education as dialogue between students-teachers and teacher-student. Yet, my pedagogy is not enacted in a vacuum. My classes are bound within the institutional mandates of higher education and governed by state standards concerning teacher certification. Teachers and students are caught up in the context of schooling and the normative power that represents. My attempts to redefine asymmetrical classroom power relations are challenged by Foucault's argument that individuals assume responsibility for the constraints of power and become the principle of their own subjugation. Herein lies the crux of my dilemma as a critical social studies teacher educator: inhabiting the space between my commitment to Freirean critical pedagogy and my recognition of Foucauldian power relations. This study uses an autoethnographic lens to examine my evolution as a critical social studies teacher educator. I employ creative nonfiction and narrative vignettes to invite the reader to share in my experiences as a teacher educator and engage in a dialogue about the implications of the text. Teacher educators, teachers, and students grapple with issues of classroom power and control on a daily basis. This study opens a space for these readers to rethink their own pedagogical commitments and furthers the discussion of what it means to be a critical pedagogue. My understanding of authority and my conception of what it means to be a teacher educator continue to evolve as I work alongside students in a co-constructed social studies teacher education course. My discomfort with my institutional authority has given way to an acceptance of the authority that emerges from knowledge itself. I have come to recognize a difference between authoritarian pedagogy and pedagogical authority. These understandings continue to develop, for I am (and will always be) in my beginnings as a teacher educator.

The proliferation and pervasiveness of new media and technologies in many U.S. young people’s daily life has reshaped their civic life experiences. Civic learning is now not only happening in offline environments but also online spaces. However, there is little research on the potential of new media for civic education. This study investigates young people’ learning experiences in new media civic education (NMCE) programs. The major research questions for this study are: How does new media civic education facilitate youth to address social issues? How can new media civic education foster youth civic identity? This study uses a qualitative collective-case study method to investigate two civic programs that integrated new media productions and address social issues: one program prepared students to learn about sustainability issues and to produce a series of virtual talk shows about sustainability issues in Second Life (a simulated world digital platform); the other program facilitated students’ production of radio stories about homeless youth. Findings from this study reveal that NMCE can help students navigate in a new media mediated world to learn about social issues, produce digital stories to raise awareness about these issues, and mobilize their interests for civic causes. In addition, students can develop authentic voices about social issues, exercise civic agency and reach out to real world audiences across the world to facilitate social change. Both cases in this study demonstrated a mix of success and failure in facilitating civic learning and civic identity development. Results from this study suggest NMCE programs adopt three distinct pedagogies: (1) pedagogies that embrace students’ cultural experiences to develop youth voices on social issues (e.g. the pedagogy of collegiality); (2) ones that facilitate examination of their emotions in manipulating what they perceive about social issues and the other (e.g. a pedagogy of discomfort); and (3) pedagogies that encourage mentorship and peer teaching/learning about digital production skills (e.g. studio mentorship model). Furthermore, it is necessary to consider not only the expression of youth voices, but also how these voices will be heard, what kinds of conversations might be sparked based on these digital works, and how students would respond to them. Thus, creating spaces of participation where students can meet people with diverse perspectives and have dialogues with them around social issues discussed in their digital productions is important for NMCE to prepare democratic citizens.

This is a study of the process of collaboration between schools of social work and their field placement agencies as they go about the business of educating tomorrow's social workers. In order to develop a complete picture of the nature of the inter-organizational interactions actors in both settings were studied. The student, the field instructor and the university's director of field work were chosen because of their active involvement in the process under investigation. The sample was drawn from the six graduate schools of social work in the New York City area (i.e., Adelphi, Columbia, Fordham, Hunter, New York University and Wurzweiler). The study was conducted during the 1975-76 academic year. Perceptions of students and field teachers regarding the school-agency relationship was obtained through the mail administration of two separate questionnaires. A total of 285 second year students and 180 field instructors responded. Each of the six field work directors were viewed as "key informants" and seen in individual face-to-face interviews. The history of social work education is marked by the consistent association between academia and practice. This study attempted to explain the reasons for this engagement. Areas examined involved the·motivation of each institution in initiating this educational partnership and each setting's stake in maintaining it. Efforts were also made to understand the historically recurrent tensions between school and agency through eliciting respondents' opinions regarding their existence and degree of friction. The strains investigated included conflict in organizational structure and goals, the generic-specific controversy, discrepancies in content taught in class and field and the integration of the two. Special attention was also given to respondents' views of the intimacy of the school-agency relationship, the linkage mechanisms joining them, the reciprocal influences on each others' systems, the importance of the field experience and its connection to the university. In addition the investigator sought out differential perceptions of various debatable issues in social work education. Among these was the subject of generic training. Opinions were solicited regarding the applicability of the same practice skills in work with individuals, groups and communities and on the need for a "fields of practice" approach. Responses indicated a dubiousness about generic education and an inclination towards method teaching and away from fields of practice concentrations (e.g., aging...). Other educational issues dealt with the prevalence and need for uniform standards for student performance in the field, as well as for choice of field work placements and field instructors. An attempt was made to explain the views of respondents by school affiliation, by certain demographic factors and by ratings of the field placement as an educational experience. In order to determine whether role effected opinions the analysis of the results also included comparisons of student, field instructor and field work director perceptions. The findings of the study reaffirmed the centrality of field work in social work education. It was viewed as being more influential than class work in shaping a student's professional training. Not surprising was the view that the field instructor exerted the greatest influence on learners. Serious question was raised as to who controlled field instruction since the field teacher was seen as a relatively isolated and unsupported agent in his role of helping students to integrate the skills of professional practice. Teaching the field instructor to teach emerged as an issue for further exploration. Although there was some variation attributable to differences in a school's pattern of field advisement, the relationship between the academic and.practice settings was usually not seen as a close one. This raised a question of the role of the faculty advisor as a connecting link. There tended to be general agreement on the need for uniform standards in field work performance and the establishment of criteria for acceptable field work placements and field teachers. Respondents saw the school as the senior partner in the relationship having ultimate responsibility for student education both in the class and in the field. This study's findings emphasized the need for a great deal more work from both partners in providing quality field education for the aspiring professional.

Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

It was the purpose of this study to examine the effects of the high school's geographical location, sex differences, and student interest in the social studies on social studies achievement. Furthermore, the investigator wanted to provide school officials, parents, and students with an examination to measure the attainment levels of students in selected social studies competencies.The test was developed by the researcher and measured the following cognitive proficiencies:1. Acquiring information through reading. 2. Drawing inferences. 3. Cartoon interpretation. 4. Reading tabular data. 5. Graph interpretation. 6. Identifying time relationships 7. Reading a ballot. 8. Classifying information. 9. Recognizing a point of view. 10. Validity of sources. 11. Recognition of cause-effect relationships.The abilities to acquire information through reading, to draw inferences, and to recognize a point of view were grouped under the heading reading. The remaining eight abilities were placed under the heading L.O.U.I.S. (Locating, Organizing, and Using Information Skills). The mean scores in reading and L.O.U.I.S. were computed for each of the independent variables being examined in this inquiry. In addition, the raw scores achieved for each cognitive proficiency were converted into percentages and percentiles. The twenty-fifth percentile served as the minimum standard for each competency evaluated in the study.The population was drawn from metropolitan, suburban, and rural school districts within an eighty-five mile radius of Muncie, Indiana. The examination was administered to seniors in the process of completing their required sequence in American history and government. Nine of the original 549 cases were eliminated because of insufficient data. The investigation's design suggested-the following null hypotheses:There is no significant difference between the mean scores on reading and L.O.U.I.S. among metropolitan, suburban, and rural school corporation students.2. There is no significant difference between the mean scores on reading and L.O.U.I.S. for male and female students.3. There is no significant difference between the mean scores on reading and L.O.U.I.S. among students who expressed an interest in social studies and those students who did not find their social studies course work interesting.The researcher employed the multivariate and univariate analyses to test for significance at the .05 level of confidence.The conclusions based on the null hypotheses were as follows: 1. The high school's geographical location is not a significant variable effecting social studies skills achievement.The multivariate analysis revealed that the student's sex is a significant independent factor in social studies skills achievement on the high school level. Males have significantly better L.O.U.I.S. mean scores than their female counterparts. On the other hand, the univariate analysis disclosed that there was no significant difference in the reading mean scores between males and females.3. Student interest in the social studies was found to be a significant independent variable effecting social studies skills achievement. Students who expressed an interest in their social studies course work scored significantly higher in reading and L.O.U.I.S. mean scores than their less-interested counterparts.Conclusions based on the percentage of students falling below the twenty-fifth percentile criteria were as follows:In the reading behaviors measured, the suburban and metropolitan students had difficulty in recognizing a point of view and drawing inferences. Rural students, on the other hand, exhibited their best overall performance in drawing inferences. However, rural students experienced difficulty in the abilities to acquire information through reading and to recognize a point of view.2. In the L.O.U.I.S. segment, students in all three corporations displayed an inability to use a general election ballot. Furthermore, there was a general inability to handle material requiring recognition of cause-effect relationships and identifying time relationships.

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The purpose of this study was to examine the classroom practices of the Physical Science educators and analyze how these practices influence deep conceptual learning and understanding. Four secondary schools in the Pietermaritzburg area, in the province of KwaZulu-Natal were selected as cases for in-depth qualitative study. All the schools were African schools servicing a working class community. From each school only one educator participated, and each educator was observed teaching one of his/her classes. Two educators were observed teaching Grade 12 learners and the other two taught Grade 11 learners. The study utilized participant observation, interviews and relevant documents as source of data. The main findings of the study suggest that educator practices were predominantly traditional. They were characterized by lack of effective interactions with learners, dealing with surface features of the content without probing for depth necessary for understanding. It was also found that schools lack a culture of resource development. Though resources were inadequate, the little that educators had was not effectively utilized. The educators seemed to be shifting towards employing a variety of assessment methods, but the difference was still superficial. The findings have implications for policy, practice and in-service training of educators (INSET). Evidence suggests that educators' beliefs have a major influence on how they teach, and that unsound beliefs about teaching and learning are a threat to the implementation of policy. INSET programmes need to target the beliefs of educators about science teaching and learning. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

The main purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic evaluation of a social science curriculum (program) at a suburban community college. The emphasis was on the compilation of an accurate description of that curriculum rather than on the making of personal judgments based on the evaluator's biases.These basic assumptions were made by the writer:1. A social science curriculum at a community college should have stated, measureable objectives;2. The typical social science class at a community college should have a democratic educational environment where student needs and interests play a significant role in the selection of course objectives and daily class activities;3. It is possible to obtain an accurate description of the social science curriculum at the community college by systematically collecting data from the students, faculty, and administrators involved with the curriculum.The writer set forth to evaluate the following hypotheses:1. The social science curriculum at the suburban community college will lack stated objectives known to most students, teachers, and administrators associated with the curriculum;2. The typical social science class at the suburban community college will have an educational environment which is basically authoritarian, teacher-directed, lecture-type, and fact-oriented.To build an accurate description of the social science curriculum at the community college, multiple sources of data and multiple methods of data collection were employed. Three approaches were used to collect data from the faculty, its students, and the administrators-interviews, questionnaires, and direct class observations. Once the data had been collected, tabulated, and summarized, the evaluator scrutinized it for implications which appeared to flow naturally out of that data.The two principal conclusions reached by the author were:1. The social science program as perceived by most students and faculty does not have formal objectives. Those objectives cited by the administrators apparently exist only in their minds, for data received from both students and faculty indicate that the only objectives which exist are those which have been created by some teachers and students. The hypothesis that the social science curriculum at the suburban community college will lack stated objectives known to most students, teachers, and administrators is substantiated and accepted.2. It is obvious to this observer that the social science program more closely resembles the traditional, undergraduate, social science program than it does the non-traditional one. It is basically an authoritarian, teacher-dominated, lecture-type, fact-oriented educational program. The hypothesis that the typical social science class at the suburban community college will have an educational environment which is basically authoritarian, teacher-directed, lecture-type, and fact-oriented is substantiated and accepted. Data gathered during the course of this study reveals a picture of the typical social science classroom. The teacher is at the center of virtually all learning activities. He creates the course objectives, determines the daily class agenda, dominates class discussion, and functions primarily as the class resource person. Students are generally granted little opportunity for influencing the direction the class will go during the course of the semester. As a rule, only a minority of students ever participate in discussion. Those students who do participate are usually asked by the teacher to repeat factual points or the views of others. Rarely do students interact with one another or express their views on an issue.