Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, School of Education, 2009. / Title from home page (viewed on Jul 6, 2010). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-10, Section: A, page: 3747. Advisers: Lynne Boyle-Baise; Mary McMullen.

<p> This is a multiple case study of the ways middle grades social studies teachers, as curricular-instructional gatekeepers, may make decisions to provide their gifted students with purposeful differentiated instruction. More specifically, this study explores what teachers believe they should do to instruct gifted students, in what ways teachers prepare and adapt curriculum and instruction for gifted students, and how instruction for gifted learners can take place in a middle school social studies classroom. Through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and supportive visual evidence, six middle grades (6-8) social studies teachers disclosed in what ways they differentiate their middle grades social studies curriculum and instruction for their gifted adolescent learners. Through Hatch's (2002) Inductive Analysis model, findings were recorded and presented in the form of individual teacher observation and thematic cross-case analysis. </p><p> Findings suggest that middle grades social studies teachers take into consideration factors that influence their curricular-instructional beliefs, directly affecting the decisions they make in terms of curriculum selection, instructional delivery, and the methods of differentiation employed to meet the needs of their gifted students. Much of what teachers planned, prepared, and adapted was often influenced by the needs of their students, but also addressed mandates of their school and district agendas. This conflict between meeting the needs of both students and administration resulted in gatekeeping that often favored administration, while reducing the frequency of best practices for middle level gifted students in social studies classrooms. </p><p> Implications for the study include how teacher confidence, or the lack there of, effects instructional practices. Time constraints in middle level curriculum pacing and increased assessment also limited opportunities for rigorous, relevant, and differentiated social studies instruction for gifted students. Middle level social studies teachers of gifted call for clearer and more illustrative descriptions of what the academic ceiling for gifted social studies might look like in general. There are distinctive contrasts between models of differentiation and neighboring concepts of individualized and personalized learning. While in theory differentiation is meaningful, middle level social studies teachers find it difficult to implement methods of differentiation in their classroom with desired frequency. There is a distinctive bond between the fields of social studies, English Language Arts, and research skills. Middle level social studies teachers of gifted seek greater opportunities for meaningful professional development options. Lastly, there is a call among middle level social studies teachers for the inclusion of gifted initiatives in teacher education programs. </p><p> Topics that could be explored for future research include a continued effort to expound applicable gatekeeping practices, the provision of purposeful professional development and learning for teacher populations, continued application and practice of differentiation in the field of social studies education, increased inclusion of social studies in the elementary classroom, the awareness and servicing of gifted learners in the middle school social studies classroom, and the increased inclusion of gifted populations with undergraduate and graduate social studies education programs.</p>

<p> This qualitative study sought to examine the Holy Cross Immersion, a service-learning trip for senior boys at Holy Cross School, New Orleans, Louisiana. The specific focus of the study is whether the experience increased the participants&rsquo; awareness of social justice issues, leading to future civic involvement. Individual interviews were conducted with nine young men who participated in an Immersion service-learning experience as seniors in high school between the years of 2011 and 2014. A focus group followed with three of the participants. I kept a journal throughout the interviews to document observations. Data were collected from the journal and interviews and analyzed using qualitative phenomenological methods. Findings of this study suggest that the Holy Cross Immersion service-learning trip is effective in helping adolescent males understand the marginalized in society, increasing their awareness of social justice issues, and contributing to their desire to volunteer.</p><p>

<p> Supporting students transitioning from high school into college continues to be a challenge for many academics and policy makers. In this conceptual content analysis study, first-year composition (FYC) course syllabi were examined based on Kuh&rsquo;s (2008) High-Impact Practices (HIP) and the Association of American Colleges and Universities&rsquo; (AAC &amp; U) rubric and HIP tenets: Civic Learning and Community Engagement that focused on writing assignments, activities, and projects embedded within selected syllabi. Specifically, this study analyzed ten FYC syllabi at one urban, public, four-year university in Southern California during the 2015&ndash;2016 academic year. Using Dedoose (2016) the researcher deconstructed the syllabi, identifying two themes: Pedagogical and Conceptual. Overall findings indicate that more FYC course syllabi embedded the Pedagogical theme (88 occurrences) than the Conceptual theme (64 occurrences). While the university&rsquo;s mission statement suggests Civic Learning and Community Engagement tenets for FYC students, the essence of the Conceptual theme, FYC syllabi embedded more evidence of the Pedagogical theme. It is hoped that HIP practices have the opportunity to minimize further marginalization of students in need of developmental composition support and construct critical thinking, civic learning, and community engagement in citizens during an age when civic leaders are needed the most.</p><p>

abstract: ABSTRACT The purpose of involvement of Non-Governmental organizations (NGOs) in armed conflict resolution is to help to keep peace, protect innocent people, contribute to relief operations, to advocate, assist in the reconstruction and development programs. This action is always carried out through the NGOs grassroots mediation processes. This study investigates the prospective of implementing humanitarian programs to help and care for the young war child survivors of the 1991 to 2001 civil wars in Sierra Leone. To explore the intervention of the NGOs activities in the civil wars in Sierra Leone, I examined three NGOs and one governmental institution as case study organizations. The NGOs include 1) UNICEF, 2) World Vision, 3) Plan International and 4) the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender, and Childrens’ Affair (MSWGCA) as government agency. The research investigates the NGOs and MSWGC’s specific services provided to children during and after the war in Sierra Leone. The specific services include: 1) the NGOs’ implementing policies, 2) who got served and under what conditions, 3) what models of services do they use, 4) what kind of government policies were put in place, 5) what were the challenges they faced, and 6) what were their strategies during and after the civil war in Sierra Leone. There were also ten Adult Survivors of Childhood Exposure to War (ASCEW) members interviewed to balance the NGOs’ claims. Based on my literature review and findings on ASCEW, I make my recommendations to allow the organizations to move forward with their humanitarian operations. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Social Justice and Human Rights 2016

abstract: The United States is currently the world's largest reception and placement country of the nearly 22 million refugees worldwide. Of the numbers of refugees resettled, almost half of them are under the age of 18 and are arriving in American schools having experienced trauma, stress, and limited education during the conflict in their home country. Teacher experiences with refugee students can have a profound effect on the way refugee children feel they are received in the school community. Drawing on previous studies that emphasize the challenges that refugee students face, this thesis looks at the training that teachers receive that prepares them to work with refugee students in public schools in Maricopa County, Arizona. Through a review of the literature and data collected from teacher and former refugee student interviews, this research explores what teachers know and need to know to teach refugee students successfully. Innovative practices that teachers employ are also highlighted, and recommendations for further research, policy, and practice are provided. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Social and Cultural Pedagogy 2017

<p> This study explored the current state of secondary social studies in Western New York (WNY) through the lens of social studies orientations, specifically the traditional, disciplinary, and progressive strands (Fallace, 2010), and their alignment with the <i>K-12 Social Studies Framework </i>, approved by NYS&rsquo;s Department of Education in 2014, with new NYS Regents assessments to begin in 2019. It was, therefore, important to collect baseline data on secondary social studies teachers&rsquo; social studies purpose, practices, and knowledge of NYS reforms. </p><p> A mixed-method study began in the spring of 2017, which collected data from the <i>WNY S4</i> survey and two focus groups. Survey participants totaled <i>n</i> = 136, representing six counties in WNY; focus group members totaled <i>n</i> = 9. The <i>WNY S4</i> replicated survey items from a nationwide instrument, <i>Survey on the Status of Social Studies&ndash;S4</i> (Fitchett &amp; VanFossen, 2013) and analyzed data with descriptive and inferential statistics. The researcher developed a semi-structured interview guide to collect focus group data, which were analyzed by the long-table approach (Krueger &amp; Casey, 2009). </p><p> Major survey findings were: (1) 99% reported an unawareness of their <i> state/district standards</i>; (2) 100% reported developing <i>critical-thinking skills</i>, while 64% reported <i>content knowledge</i> as primary goals; and (3) top-ranked instructional practices were 87% <i> teach political history</i>; 83% <i>teach social history</i>; and 82% <i>examine sources</i>. Analyses of <i>t</i>-tests indicate gender and grade level-band indicators are influential to instructional practices. For example, female and high school teachers seem to engage students more often in non-history content emphases, such as <i>diversity of religious views, economics</i>, and <i>historiography</i> while also de-emphasizing the <i>lecture</i>; hence aligning more with the disciplinary strand and less with the traditional strand. </p><p> Focus group results pinpoint a struggle between participants&rsquo; intentions versus actual practice which may impact alignment to NYS social studies reforms. Misalignment attributed to teacher&rsquo;s purpose being overshadowed by their own instructional choices or outside factors, such as assessments, time, and other school district issues. Five out of nine focus group participants associated with the hybrid disciplinary-progressive approach, suggesting that secondary social studies teachers do not situate themselves to a single social studies orientation; and also consistent with past studies (Long, 2017; Vinson, 1998). </p><p> Overall, <i>WNY S4</i> data suggests when purpose and practices are more closely aligned to the disciplinary and progressive approaches, secondary social studies instruction may find greater success with NYS social studies education reforms. In addition, gender and identified grade level-band (middle school and high school) differences provide insights for developing and tailoring professional development for different groups of teachers. </p><p> Two recommendations for policy and practice include: (1) refine the social studies orientation model into a continuum, and (2) apply the <i>Social Studies Purpose Compass</i> developed by the researcher to guide instructional alignment with NYS social studies reforms.</p><p>

<p> Due to societal factors of institutional racism and implicit biases, the plight of Black males across the United States has been well documented (Fitzgerald, 2015; Howard; 2010; Noguera, 2008; Steele &amp; Aronson, 1995). These factors are often represented in the educational system and result in inequities in various achievement outcomes. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (Kena et al., 2016), there are huge gaps between Black males and their counterparts across academic outcomes for reading and mathematics. Typically, Black males experience: (a) lower graduation rates, (b) higher suspension rates, and (c) over identification in special education. Consequently, these and other factors play a role and impact the livelihoods of Black males (Howard, 2010; Noguera, 2008). Guided by the framework of critical race theory (Bell, 1995; Delgado &amp; Stefancic, 2012; Ladson-Billings, 1998), as well as the work of scholars who identified issues of: (a) stereotype threat, (b) identity development, (c) culturally relevant pedagogy, and (d) the narrative experiences of Black males in education (Fordham &amp; Ogbu, 1986; Gay, 2002; Steele, 2010; Tatum, 1997), this dissertation study focused on inquiry in these areas. Using a phenomenological approach, data collected from in-depth interviews was used to explore the perceptions of nine Black males in high schools in Colorado regarding their educational experiences. Five themes emerged from the study: 1) relationships matter, 2) access and opportunity, 3) hidden-curriculum, 4) racial ambiguity, and 5) parental involvement. Findings further indicated that tenets of critical race theory were present in students&rsquo; experiences, particularly the &lsquo;centrality of race and racism&rsquo; and &lsquo;challenge to dominant ideology.&rsquo; Findings showed that a culturally relevant pedagogy was essential in supporting the academic success of Black male students. Recommendations, implications, and future research centered upon institutions of education and their responsibility to implement culturally relevant practices. Results from this study provide school administrators and educators with a perspective from the voices of one of the major subgroup of students they want to support. </p><p>

<p> Today&rsquo;s high school students will face a host of economic problems such as the demise of the social safety net, mounting college student debt, and costly health care plans, as stated in the rationale for financial literacy provided by the Council for Economic Education&rsquo;s <i>National Standards for Financial Literacy</i>. These problems are compounded by growing income and wealth inequality and the widespread influence of neoliberal ideology. Although one of the major goals of economics education is to teach students to make reasoned economic choices in their public and private lives and provide the skills to solve personal and social economic problems, little empirical research has been conducted on how these goals are addressed. Secondary economics education research has primarily focused on measuring students&rsquo; grasp of neoclassical economics while a separate body of literature provides theoretical critiques of that approach. This study responds to the gap presented by these separate camps by capturing the economics discourse of a high school economics and personal finance course in relation to the role of economic decision-making in a democracy, and the space to hold values discussions. Using case study methodology that included analysis of student and teacher interviews, classroom observations, the standards and official curriculum, lesson plans, and student-produced documents, the study provides deep, context-dependent knowledge about how the official curriculum is manifest in the classroom. </p><p> Findings reveal that the role of economic decision-making and values discussions were given very little space. The discourse was heavily focused on the acceptance of the science and mastery of technical knowledge about personal finance for the dual purposes of preparing students to succeed on the W!SE Financial Literacy Certification Test and preparing students to navigate and succeed in a fixed economic reality firmly committed to neoclassical economics. The role of economic decision-making was diminished by the foregrounding of financial literacy over economics, which served as a mechanism of power to send the silent message that economic circumstances (such as wealth inequality) change through individual choices and that economic and social phenomena can be understood and addressed through the application of technical approaches. </p><p>

<p> 21^st Century skills such as critical-thinking and problem-solving skills are very important when it comes to Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics or STEM. But those same skills should be integrated in social studies. The impact of students&rsquo; learning in social studies as a result of implementing inquiry-based instructional strategies was the problem investigated in the study. Participants in the study included 22 third-grade African-American students in a self-contained classroom in a large urban school system. Instrumental apparatus used in the study were a pre- and post- survey, a frequency behavior checklist, and a 4-point rubric. Students were given a pre- and post- survey to assess their perception of their inquiry skills before and after the study. Observable behaviors were recorded over the next eight weeks. The research design chosen for the study was action research using a mixed-methods approach because action research was commonly used by teachers because of its practicality. The impact of students&rsquo; learning in social studies as a result of implementing inquiry-based instructional strategies was that there was no impact between the inquiry-based instructional strategies and student achievement in social studies among 3^rd grade students based on the data from the Inquiry-Based Instructional Strategies 4-point rubric and the Inquiry-based Instructional Strategies Frequency Behavior Checklist. As a result, implications of the study include improving teacher pedagogy in inquiry-based learning and instructional strategies and more professional development in project-based learning and integration in social studies, and using current events to make social studies relevant.</p><p>