Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Curriculum and Instruction / Kay Ann Taylor / This qualitative case study investigated the teaching strategies that improve science learning of African American students. This research study further sought the extent the identified teaching strategies that are used to improve African American science learning reflect culturally responsive teaching. Best teaching strategies and culturally responsive teaching have been researched, but there has been minimal research on the impact that both have on science learning, with an emphasis on the African American population. Consequently, the Black-White achievement gap in science persists. The findings revealed the following teaching strategies have a positive impact on African American science learning: (a) lecture-discussion, (b) notetaking, (c) reading strategies, (d) graphic organizers, (e) hands-on activities, (f) laboratory experiences, and (g) cooperative learning. Culturally responsive teaching strategies were evident in the seventh-grade science classrooms observed. Seven themes emerged from this research data: (1) The participating teachers based their research-based teaching strategies used in the classroom on all of the students’ learning styles, abilities, attitudes towards science, and motivational levels about learning science, with no emphasis on the African American student population; (2) The participating teachers taught the state content standards simultaneously using the same instructional model daily, incorporating other content areas when possible; (3) The participating African American students believed their seventh-grade science teachers used a variety of teaching strategies to ensure science learning took place, that science learning was fun, and that science learning was engaging; (4) The participating African American students genuinely liked their teacher; (5) The participating African American students revealed high self-efficacy; (6) The African American student participants’ parents value education and moved to Success Middle School district for better educational opportunities; and (7) Teachers were not familiar with the term “culturally responsive teaching,” but there was evidence that several aspects of it were present in the seventh-grade science classroom environment. Critical Race Theory (CRT) was the framework for analysis and interpretation of this research study. The findings support the following tenets of CRT: (a) racism is normal, (b) interest-convergence or colorblindness, (c) contextual-historical analysis, (d) storytelling or counterstorytelling, and (e) social transformation. These findings indicate that racial inequalities remain an issue in the underachievement of African Americans and may be the solution to improving science learning of African Americans. The outcome of this study contributes to the limited research on utilizing culturally responsive teaching along with best teaching strategies to improve academic achievement of African American students, and CRT exposes the issues that contribute to the Black-White achievement gap in science widening.

The Black community and the gay community have historically experienced marginalization from society, public and private institutions, federal government agencies, and law enforcement. Black gay male leadership is not a conversation within leadership academia. This phenomenological study focuses on understanding the lived experiences and leadership among Black gay men who are leaders in Los Angeles County. This study found that the lived experiences such as oppression, mentorship, community involvement, and advocacy have influenced their leadership development and leadership identity. This study identifies how Black gay men define leadership, based off their lived experiences. It also identifies themes of leadership development for Black gay men. The results have implications for future research and leadership development among Black gay men. Understanding lived experiences of Black gay male leaders and their leadership development can help identify what core foundations/topics could be included in professional development aimed at building leadership development among young Black gay men.

本研究主要目的為探討原鄉教育路對幼師生涯發展的影響，透過四位烏來地區非原住民幼師的個案研究，瞭解幼師的生涯發展、影響幼師生涯發展因素、幼師的原鄉教育路及原鄉教育路如何影響幼師生涯發展，期望能提供到原住民族地區任教的其他非原住民教師在生涯規劃上的參考或協助。 本研究探討教師生涯發展主要以三位學者的理論為依據：Newman的週期論、Katz的階段論，與Fessler的循環論。影響幼師生涯發展因素則從以下的面向做討論：工作內容、人際交往、經濟報酬、文化因素等。幼師的原鄉教育路則分別從四個面向做討論：政策與制度、原鄉幼教師資、幼師與社區的關係與文化回應教學。 本研究採個案研究法，輔以半結構訪談方式蒐集資料，本研究綜合分析結果發現：個性、志向與家庭是影響教師生涯發展的風向球。個性、專業與關注方向會影響教師生涯發展模式的改變。人際關係、經濟報酬與福利影響幼師職涯變動。選擇原鄉教育路與幼師過去經驗有關。角色衝突與文化認同主宰文化回應教學的成效。 / The main purpose of this study was exploring the influences for the career development of preschool teachers working in indigenous areas. To understand the career development of preschool teachers, teacher career development factors, the working situation of preschool teachers in indigenous areas, and the influences for the career development of preschool teachers working in indigenous areas through four non-indigenous preschool teachers in Wulai. Hopefully, this study can be a reference to the preschool teachers when they plan their career development or make the career decisions. This study investigated that teacher career development mainly based on the theories of three scholars: the phase theory of Newman, the stage theory of Katz, and the cycle theory of Fessler. Career development factors of preschool teachers were discussed as follows: work content, interpersonal relationship, finance, and culture factors. The working situations of preschool teachers in indigenous areas were discussed as follows: policies and institutions, the profession of preschool teachers, the relationship between preschool teachers and community, and culturally responsive teaching. This study adopted multiple-case study, combined with semi-structured interviews to collect data. The results of this study were summarized as follows: Personality, ambition and family influence teachers' career development. Personality, profession and concerns will affect the model of teacher career development. Interpersonal relations, finance and welfare effect the career decisions of preschool teachers. Working in indigenous areas is related with the preschool teachers’ past experiences. Role conflict and culture identity dominate the effects of culturally responsive teaching.

Culturally responsive instruction refers to the identification of relevant cultural aspects of students’ lives and infusion of these into the curriculum. This instructional approach assumes that a culturally appropriate curriculum can potentially motivate, engage, and lead students to higher rates of achievement. This quasi-experimental study (N=44) investigated the relationship of culturally responsive instruction and the reading comprehension and attitude of struggling urban adolescent readers. The study incorporated the use of culturally responsive instruction using culturally relevant literature (CRL), the Bluford Series Novels, as authentic texts of instruction. Participants were seventh grade reading students at a Title I middle school in South Florida. After a baseline period, two different classes were taught for 8 weeks using different methods. One class formed the experimental group (n=22) and the other class formed the comparison group (n=22). The CRI curriculum for the experimental group embraced the socio-cultural perspective through the use of small discussion groups in which students read and constructed meaning with peers through interaction with the Bluford Series Novels; gave written responses to multiple strategies according to SCRAP – Summarize, Connect, Reflect, Ask Questions, Predict; responded to literal and inferential questions, while at the same time validating their responses through evidence from the text. The Read XL (basal reader) curriculum of the comparison group utilized a traditional form of instruction which incorporated the reading of passages followed by responses to comprehension questions, and teacher-led whole group discussion. The main sources of data were collected from the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests, the Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading (FAIR), and the Rhody Secondary Reading Attitude Assessment. Statistical analyses were performed using Repeated Measures ANOVAs. Findings from the study revealed that the experimental participants’ reading attitudes and FAIR comprehension scores increased when compared to the comparison group. Overall, the results from the study revealed that culturally responsive instruction can potentially foster reading comprehension and a more positive attitude towards reading. However, a replication of this study in other settings with a larger, more randomized sample size and a greater ethnic variation is needed in order to make full generalizations.

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