Open educational resources (OER) have been heralded for their ability to provide educational equality amongst learners worldwide. While this possibility offers to transform the availability of educational materials with only very specific limitations (devices, bandwidth, and ability to engage), it is seriously noted that the production of OER is typically sourced from the same homogenous sources as traditionally published texts (e.g., white males at elite universities in the U.S.). Additionally, while there are emboldened strides towards equality (equal access to materials), there remains an educational gap providing educational equity (equal opportunity to succeed) in the design as well as the implementation of OER. This study meaningfully explored the lived experiences of diverse and multicultural practitioners who teach from OER to understand their perceptions relating to equity, the perpetuation of predominant values, and the insights that shed light on the weaknesses and opportunities OER provide as they continue to reach an ever-growing and more heterogeneous audience.

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the associations between systemic equity pedagogy (SEP) practices in highly diverse high schools and their students' science achievement and college readiness. This study focuses on science programs in ten highly diverse Texas high schools serving students who exhibit high science achievement and college readiness. According to the Policy Research Group in Science Education, only two percent of all culturally diverse high schools within the state of Texas demonstrate high science achievement and college readiness on state-tracked school-level indicators. Transforming a school context where achievement disparities exist among student groups in science classrooms necessitates that public school officials understand key factors, or “drivers,” and associated indicators contributing to SEP in programs. A model for programs is suggested using a framework for SEP based on data collected from ten highly successful, high diversity high schools. The following research questions address the research gap regarding indicators of SEP associated with high science achievement and college readiness in highly culturally diverse high schools. How do data from ten highly successful, high diversity high schools inform the development of a comprehensive SEP rubric? How do high achieving high schools of culturally diverse student populations score on a comprehensive SEP rubric? How do teachers’ perceptions toward implementing SEP practices vary in different schools? Three research papers detail the research of this dissertation. The purpose for the first paper is to increase understanding of indicators facilitating systemic and equitable teaching and learning practices, otherwise referred to as systemic equity pedagogy (SEP). Results of the study show indicators of a comprehensive SEP rubric. Together, 127 indicators, thirty categories, and eight SEP drivers form a model framing equitable teaching and learning practices associated with high science achievement and college readiness. In conclusion, indicators within the SEP rubric can be described as action-oriented descriptors that science teachers engage formally or informally in order to facilitate quality science education for all students. The purpose for paper two is to score equitable teaching and learning practices in highly successful high school science programs based on the SEP rubric. Findings reveals that implementation of various equitable teaching and learning practices vary across science programs and these practices can be described as both pedagogical and non-pedagogical. In conclusion, varying degrees of implementation exist for indicators in the SEP rubric. In paper three, the purpose is to understand science teachers’ attitude and approach toward implementing systemic teaching and learning practices. Results from this study provide scores that indicate science teachers’ perceptions of their approach to SEP. This study concludes by suggesting high achieving science programs may operate within a continuum for implementing equitable teaching and learning practices.

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ABSTRACT The shift in the nation’s political climate between 2016-2019 has exacerbated the longstanding pervasive issues of racism and discrimination against People of Color and those marginalized by societal inequity. This has serious implications for teaching and schooling, as it causes children to feel unsafe, question their sense of belonging, and internalize racial oppression. Indicators of inequitable school experiences for Students of Color and students from marginalized identity groups warrant attention to the socially determined facets of public education: specifically a sense of school belonging (SOSB) for Students of Color, the impact of racial trauma, the patterns of social engagement that shape their experiences, as well as the pedagogical practices teachers employ to support their social-emotional wellbeing. This qualitative case study seeks to illustrate how classroom teachers at Arday Elementary School support the social-emotional wellbeing of Students of Color by examining their understanding of racial trauma and SOSB and their use of equity literate pedagogies in the classroom to effectively support their Students of Color in a public elementary school in Northern New England. Findings include the hidden curriculum, teacher critical consciousness, cultural congruence, learning environment, racial trauma, and resistance. These findings point to a newly conceptualized framework, Equity Pedagogy for Social-Emotional Wellbeing (EPSEW), which applies a social determinants perspective to examinations of educational inequity and considers the social and community contexts that predetermine and influence inequitable outcomes. Keywords: equity pedagogy, equity literacy, social determinants, school belonging, racial trauma, internalized racism, social emotional well-being, critical pedagogy, anti-bias education

The dialectics of globalization and multiculturalism is encountered everywhere and is an inescapable world reality. It has also become a major factor affecting teacher education. As a meeting ground and intercept for educational programs, teacher education provides an interface for both global imperatives and local identities. Ethiopia has pronounced achievements in most education programs at all levels, although official documents indicate variance in the quality of attainment across the levels (ESDP IV, 2011). Local studies (Ambisa, 2008; Amaliraj, 2008) also found that teacher education suffers from a lack of relevance and poor quality. Moreover, the demand for qualified teachers who are competent to shape the young generation through balancing the glocal context is increasing. This study investigated how local identities and global imperatives are integrated in contemporary Ethiopian teacher education at all levels. Critical theory was employed as the paradigm for the study. This epistemological view underpinned a discussion of the effect of globalization and multiculturalism on the world’s functioning. The research approach in the empirical study was qualitative and an interpretive case study method was employed. The units of analysis were literatures, such as The Lexus vs. the Olive Tree; McWorld vs. Jihad; The Clash of Civilization: The West vs. the Rest; and Demonstrating Common World Culture of Education (CWCE) or Locating A Globally Structured Agenda for Education (GSAE); and the contemporary Ethiopian teacher education programs (the PGDT and TESO programs). Data collection tools were basic dialectical questions under Eemeren’s (1986) established ‘system of norms’, observation, interviews and focus group discussions. Confidentiality, anonymity, informed consent, resolution of conflict of interest and intellectual ownership were considered in the study. The dialectical analysis investigated the four quadrant glocal relationships model and described the role players in each quadrant where nations may locate themselves. Moreover, the comparative analysis indicated that globalization has not yet become an issue in contemporary Ethiopian teacher education, while multicultural practices are fragmented and are addressed only in response to ethnic demands for accommodation. To this end, Ethiopian teacher education should redefine its programs in order to adjust to global understanding in an endeavor to produce competent teachers for the global market. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

The dialectics of globalization and multiculturalism is encountered everywhere and is an inescapable world reality. It has also become a major factor affecting teacher education. As a meeting ground and intercept for educational programs, teacher education provides an interface for both global imperatives and local identities. Ethiopia has pronounced achievements in most education programs at all levels, although official documents indicate variance in the quality of attainment across the levels (ESDP IV, 2011). Local studies (Ambisa, 2008; Amaliraj, 2008) also found that teacher education suffers from a lack of relevance and poor quality. Moreover, the demand for qualified teachers who are competent to shape the young generation through balancing the glocal context is increasing. This study investigated how local identities and global imperatives are integrated in contemporary Ethiopian teacher education at all levels. Critical theory was employed as the paradigm for the study. This epistemological view underpinned a discussion of the effect of globalization and multiculturalism on the world’s functioning. The research approach in the empirical study was qualitative and an interpretive case study method was employed. The units of analysis were literatures, such as The Lexus vs. the Olive Tree; McWorld vs. Jihad; The Clash of Civilization: The West vs. the Rest; and Demonstrating Common World Culture of Education (CWCE) or Locating A Globally Structured Agenda for Education (GSAE); and the contemporary Ethiopian teacher education programs (the PGDT and TESO programs). Data collection tools were basic dialectical questions under Eemeren’s (1986) established ‘system of norms’, observation, interviews and focus group discussions. Confidentiality, anonymity, informed consent, resolution of conflict of interest and intellectual ownership were considered in the study. The dialectical analysis investigated the four quadrant glocal relationships model and described the role players in each quadrant where nations may locate themselves. Moreover, the comparative analysis indicated that globalization has not yet become an issue in contemporary Ethiopian teacher education, while multicultural practices are fragmented and are addressed only in response to ethnic demands for accommodation. To this end, Ethiopian teacher education should redefine its programs in order to adjust to global understanding in an endeavor to produce competent teachers for the global market. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

No description available.