Closing the achievement gap has been a national conversation for several decades and a priority for educators and researchers. By looking closely at one school which is showing exceptional success with closing the achievement gap for low income students and English language learners, this study seeks to understand how school personnel and parents view after-school activities and ways in which those activities may be impacting students who are making significant gains in spite of the achievement gap. After-school activities have been shown to bring many positive outcomes for students. That said, there is much that we do not yet know about what takes place at the intersection of schools and after-school activities. To maximize after-school opportunities for disadvantaged students and use or redirect existing resources most effectively, we need to ask and understand how schools perceive their role vis-à-vis after-school activities. We also need to explore how school personnel and parents perceive access and barriers to participation in after-school activities. Using secondary data from a large on-going study, this case study asks how one school understands engagement with after-school providers to bolster those students who may have the most to gain from such enrichment in the form of the many opportunities after-school resources can offer. This study will contribute to our understanding of how after-school resources can support success for low income and English language learners.

Language, Literacy, and Conscientização in American Public Schools synthesizes poststructural language theory to critique literacy teaching and assessment norms in American public schools in order to theorize a pedagogy of racial and economic justice that embraces globalization and immigration. Chapter I creates a theoretical framework for language that rests firmly on both Lev Vygotsky’s and Jacques Lacan’s sociohistorical approach to language acquisition and language use. Mikhail Bakhtin’s work demonstrates the heteroglossic nature of discourse, while Antonio Gramsci politicizes this framework through an understanding of hegemony. Chapter II sketches ethnographic research on teaching practices of various American communities, focusing on ideology perpetuating through discourse. A cultural critique of public school economics and epistemologies determines that shortfalls in public education derive from discourse practices among economically and racially stratified lines, as well as the capitalistic intrigue for reform movements like charter schools. Chapter III turns to Paulo Freire, and his praxis of critical awareness through literacy, or, more simply: conscientização.

This paper explores the empowerment of adolescent girls through sport using two case studies. Both case studies take place in predominantly Muslim countries: Egypt and Bangladesh. The sports programs also are both implemented through schools, public in Egypt and private in Bangladesh. I also evaluate the feasibility of establishing sports programs across the world. Because of Afghanistan’s especially harsh circumstances for women, the final chapter strategizes methods to implement similar programs there. I conclude by assessing the future of girls' sports programs in the Middle East and whether or not governments and international organizations should continue investing in these programs.

African American beauty salons across the country have historically served as settings for social interaction, political activism, and community organizing in the African American community. These settings often offer opportunities for intimacy between cosmetologists and their clients. Research findings suggest that the unique bonds between women in salons can be a viable option when providing health intervention and education to large numbers of women. Data indicates that salon campaigns and promotions which focused on health issues such as stroke and diabetes education, breast and cervical cancer awareness, healthy living, and smoking cessation, have been efficacious in changing unhealthy habits or increasing knowledge. There are a plethora of social and health issues that could also benefit from this culturally sensitive platform. In particular, abused African American women face multiple barriers when accessing services offered by legal, medical, and social services. These barriers can impact the help seeking behaviors of victims/survivors. Developing strategic interventions that address the ways in which these women seek help as well as increasing access to services is essential. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how African American cosmetologists and salons might be used in domestic violence advocacy and education. Theories framing this research included intersectionality and the social ecological framework (SEF). The interrelatedness of intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, and societal factors within each framework was used to understand how women experience violence and how the social phenomena in African American salons might provide alternative means of intervention to reach and empower marginalized, abused women. Eleven licensed, African American cosmetologists in three separate salons were recruited. Their perceptions (thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and opinions) about domestic violence advocacy and experiences with clients were collected and analyzed. In-depth interviews with each cosmetologists recreated their daily encounters in the salon and provided information about their relationships with clients. These findings were triangulated by salon observations and survey instrumentation. Common patterns and themes from this data were identified and coded. The findings were reported using rich, descriptive narratives provided by the cosmetologists.

Background: Prior to the early 1990s, most counselor preparation programs did not have multicultural competencies. Therefore, a call was made for the use of multicultural competencies in counselor preparation programs. Yet, the popularization of multicultural competencies of this time in education had a Eurocentric bent, a kind of colorblindness More recently, scholars confirmed that these Eurocentric multicultural competencies had become the primary template from which counselor preparation programs taught culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy. Therefore, a call was made for the use of critical race theory (CRT) in counselor preparation programs to challenge and change Eurocentric cultural competence. Purpose: This study explored the presence of CRT and culturally relevant pedagogy in an educational counseling master’s program preparing community college counselors. Methodology: This content analysis explored an educational counseling master’s program. Various data collection methods employed included program document analysis, and semi-structured interviews of program faculty/counselor-educators, program student-counselors/alumni. Conclusion: The main findings of this content analysis are that although not explicit, and albeit limited, evidence of CRT themes were inferred in some way in the program’s content; while culturally relevant pedagogy was evident within the variety of counseling techniques employed.

This applied dissertation was designed to understand and explore the experiences of graduate students at a public four-year higher education institution in the southeastern region of the United States. This study utilized an interview based phenomenological qualitative study design approach for data collection and analysis. Committees in the field of higher education reviewed and approved the interview protocol. The research study and data analysis were conducted in the Spring Semester of 2017. The researcher employed semi-structured interviews that were guided by ten protocol questions. Transcription accuracy, credibility, and trustworthiness were established through diligent adherence to university protocols. The collected data revealed themes that supported the researchers’ understanding of graduate students’ perception of engagement and experiences in face-to-face, online, and blended classroom settings. The qualitative research study provides in-depth insight for future enrollees and program development. The selected institution’s IRB and Nova Southeastern University’s IRB granted permission to conduct the study. A phenomenological approach was used to maximize exploration of graduate students’ perception of engagement and experiences in face-to-face, online, and blended graduate level classroom settings. Ten protocol questions guided the semi-structured interviews. Subsequent to the scheduled 60-minute interviews, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to describe the meaning of several individuals’ perceptions. The most prevalent theme that emerged was a lack of meaningful social interaction, or student engagement, in online formats. Once the data had been analyzed, recommendations for future research were provided to support the needs of a graduate student population on university campuses.

This mixed research study evaluated the spacing effect theory on the academic performances of students enrolled in introductory level Computer Literacy courses by comparing course grades and mock IC3 certification exam scores in semester-length and quarter-length courses at Prince Georges Community College. The study was ingrained on the spacing effect theory which posits that mammals will tend to recall material learned over time (spaced presentation) than material concepts learned over shorter periods (massed presentation). A t test analysis revealed that students in the quarter-length formats had significantly higher grades than those in the semester format but the analysis presented no significant difference on their mock IC3 scores. A Pearson correlation conducted also revealed no significant relationship among students' course grades and their mock IC3 scores overall or by format (semester vs. intensive).

This phenomenological study was implemented within a rural community in the southeastern area of the United States. The purpose of the study was to examine perceptions of prior graduates in order to identify specific effects of limited technology and Internet access in public schools. No related investigation has occurred within the research setting. To achieve this purpose, the researcher acquired perceptual data from 33 adults who attended the local high school during School Years 2003-2004 through 2012-2013. Data were collected through the administration of an anonymous questionnaire. Several primary findings were derived from the study. First, although participants did not perceive limited access to technology and Internet access while in high school, the collective perception was that technology was minimally integrated within high school instruction and that the high school experience insufficiently prepared students for the role of technology within the college setting. Second, technology was not fully utilized for acquiring information involving college or career selection. Third, participants reported the lack of availability or dependability of Internet service in the rural areas. Recommendations for educational practice, based on findings of the study, are to provide professional development for all teachers within the high school to increase the integration of technology within instruction and to provide professional development for teachers and school guidance counselors for the purpose of increasing the use of technology when assisting students in acquiring college and career information. Recommendations for future research, also based on findings, are (a) to determine how participants acquired a high level of technology skill for college with the limited use of technology in high school and the minimal Internet access within homes, (b) to engage in further research to assist school guidance counselors in acquiring the skills to recognize and provide initial treatment involving the onset of Internet addiction among students, and (c) for city council members and leaders within the private sector to research possible options for acquiring more dependable Internet service within the outlying rural areas so that all residents can enjoy the potential benefits of current technology.

Emotional Intelligence is an ability that is crucial to the field of public health due to the fact that it encompasses the practitioner’s ability to communicate professionally, show empathy, obtain patient compliance and promote sustainable lifestyle changes in communities. This study seeks to evaluate a public health program in order to determine what emotional intelligence training currently exists, and what the attitudes of stakeholders are regarding emotional intelligence and its importance to the field of public health. This is done through interviews with the faculty, administrators and students, as well as a questionnaire that asks students to assess their own abilities in the area of emotional intelligence. The information gathered makes it possible to formulate recommendations to further incorporate emotional intelligence-building activities into the program. Results of the study show a direct correlation between public health and emotional intelligence competencies, which makes it an ideal program in which to integrate further training. Additionally, results indicate a gap between student’s self perception regarding their emotional intelligence abilities, and the perception their faculty and administration of student’s abilities. Finally, a significant lack of student engagement due to dissatisfaction with acceptance requirements appears to contribute to the perception of low emotional intelligence on the part of the students. Recommendations for future development of emotional intelligence in the program include the incorporation of training into the existing Orientation week, the addition of case studies into the courses most naturally related to emotional intelligence-building, the provision of training seminars for faculty, the inclusion of an advanced seminar for students on a voluntary basis, and the evaluation of the program using both a self-report emotional intelligence questionnaire and the Mayer, Salovey and Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) at the beginning and end of each term in order to track program effectiveness in the long term.

This applied dissertation was designed to analyze the effects of social networking for educational purposes on the academic achievement of regular and special education students in the secondary school setting. The effect of social networking on student learning has not been determined. There is a limited amount of research on how and to what extent teachers use social networking within the parameters of instruction. There is even less research distinguishing the effects of social networking on the academic achievement on regular and special education students. The student participants engaged in discussion forums as their primary social networking experience. Of the 155 participants, 94 were enrolled in a class that required participation in asynchronous discussion forum, and 61 were enrolled in a class with more traditional instruction devoid of social networking. The treatment consisted of 12 discussion prompts created by the teacher in the Blackboard course management system. The analysis of student test data showed no significant difference in mean scores attributable to social networking when educational status was ignored. When educational status was not ignored, however, the significant difference of mean scores between all regular education and all special education students was found to be highly unlikely to have been due to chance. This study also found that there was an interaction between educational status and social networking. The infusion of educational social networking helped narrow the achievement gap between regular and special education students.