Although digital equity is a recognized challenge in our K-12 school system, there is little research in using a holistic framework to investigate pre-conditions necessary for K-12 students to participate in digital learning and online processes. A conceptual framework of students' digital opportunity (SDO) is developed to represent the essential components of digital connectivity. The four key components are broadband internet availability, broadband usage, digital device ownership, and speed quality. A composite measure of SDO was created to quantitatively represent and measure the differences across 3,138 counties in the United States. Furthermore, spatial autocorrelation was applied to evaluate if the distribution of the SDO score is associated with geographical characteristics at the county level. The result showed the presence of significant county-level clusters with concentrations of high or low SDO scores. While the spatial analysis provided evidence of where the gaps in digital opportunities are located, there are underlying factors at the micro level that would need further investigation. This study suggests a collective approach between private and public entities to address the K-12 digital equity issue. The necessary conditions presented in the SDO model must be addressed first in order to bring change to K-12 students and schools in terms of obtaining high quality and reliable broadband internet and digital devices for learning with technology. Two research outputs are available from this research to allow others to further evaluate digital equity among K-12 schools and students.

The teacher professional development component of the will, skill, tool model of technology integration was tested for predictive validity in the cross-cultural context of data from Texas, USA, and data from Mexico City, Mexico. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis, path analysis, and multiple regression analysis, were statistical procedures employed. The analyses yielded positive results for the model's validity and reliability. The resulting model was found to be a reliable tool to evaluate technology integration among elementary and middle school teachers in Texas and in Mexico City. For the purposes of this study, the teacher professional development component of the will, skill, tool model of technology integration is referred to as the will, skill, tool model of technology integration (WiSTTI). This was one of the seven alternative models tested for goodness of fit across a total of 7 data samples. The structural equation modeling approach proved to be a good technique to find the best fit model in a cross-cultural environment. Latent variables and a set of parameters to judge the validity and reliability of each model were set for testing and retesting in an iterative process. Eventually a "new" modified version of the WiSSTI model was found to fit the data for all samples studied from both countries. From a theoretical perspective, the variation of the WiSTTI model found to be the best fit to the data indicates that increased teacher willingness to integrate technology brings about increased skill, and increased skill leads to more advanced technology integration, if access to technology is available for instruction. Results derived from the model with respect to the evaluation of technology integration for teachers from Texas and Mexico City suggest a differential effect by country, with the Texas teachers (representing USA) currently more advanced in technology integration than their colleagues from Mexico. No large effect was found for educational level, with elementary school teachers and middle school teachers at approximately equivalent levels of technology integration in both countries.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Education is among the industries shifting today to answer evolving global needs and opportunities. Influential organizations and thought leaders are calling for reimagining of teaching and learning. To prepare students for college and professions, an increasing number of K-12 independent schools are beginning to focus on deep learning experiences and building key “21st century skills” and competencies. These schools are also interested in their public purpose both as institutional citizens of their local communities and to connect their students to local and global communities. These connections provide students with an authentic context for application of learning and for community contribution. There is also now an opportunity to coordinate curricular goals with developmental goals related to students’ social-emotional growth and social responsibility. This study used online surveys taken by students and their teachers to explore whether high school courses with public good themes and experiences in independent schools nurture the development of 21st century skills in students. The eight skills studied were: Critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity and innovation, self-direction, global connections, local connections, and the use of technology. The skills were measured through frequency ratings of forty-eight classroom practices. Findings show that both students and teachers believe these courses do nurture each skill – some with greater emphasis. Students reported critical thinking, communication, self-direction and making local connections as the skills most learned in their courses, while teachers reported that students most learned these same skills with the addition of collaboration. Teachers use a number of practices in the classroom to develop 21st century skills and most students found the practices relevant to their course.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Adolescents with a type of conversion disorder called psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) experience many school, relationship, and health care struggles as they attempt to manage their mental health condition with PNES events that strikingly resemble epileptic seizures. Considered one of the top three neuropsychiatric problems, health care providers and school personnel remain ill-informed regarding how to care for adolescents with PNES. Because of the unique multidisciplinary approach needed to address adolescent PNES, school nurses are uniquely positioned to bridge health care and education systems. A review of literature examined the concept of school nurse selfmanagement support for PNES, existing school nurse-led mental health interventions, and the relationships between concepts for a conceptual framework guiding adolescent PNES research. This review of literature reveals an absence of adolescents’ perspective and school emphasis in PNES research. This study was designed to investigate adolescents’ experience attending school and self-managing PNES. This was accomplished through a qualitative content analysis of data generated from semi-structured interviews and magnitude coding of select quantifiable data. Data were obtained from 10 adolescents, 12 to 19 years of age, with current or recent in-person school attendance. The results indicate adolescents from the sample had school experiences that involved stress, bullying, accusations of faking seizures, and feelings of isolation or exclusion. Their mostly effective proactive selfmanagement activities included seeking protection, persevering in life despite PNES struggles, and progress monitoring through seizure tracking. Reactive activities of mixed effectiveness included coping responses to seizure warnings. School nurses, school personnel, family members, and peers served as both facilitators and barriers for PNES self-management. Adolescents also contributed information for three emerging themes— family-management, school-management, and illness representation. These findings reveal the difficulties of attending school and self-managing PNES and inform future PNES interventions to improve academic, mental health, and quality of life outcomes.

Thesis advisor: Peter Skerry / K-12 education policy has become increasingly centralized and technocratic, while falling short of achieving policy objectives. Young people are generally maladjusted to the personal and professional challenges of contemporary life. Parents experience diminishing political influence over the form and substance of their children’s education. I argue that improvement of the quality of private education requires greater emphasis on local political dynamics. School choice offers a free market alternative to a public school system which has largely ceded decision making to avowedly apolitical bureaucrats. Ironically, politics remains essential for the formation and regulation of the very policies that enable the marketplace to thrive as in the case of the tax credit scholarship. The politics behind the marketplace is brought to light by examining the local political relationships required to establish and maintain the Illinois Invest in Kids Tax Credit Scholarship (TCS), a school choice policy of unprecedented magnitude in Illinois. Furthermore, this research examines local dynamics among parents in the Archdiocese of Chicago, many of whom benefit from the aforementioned tax credit scholarships and manifest a variety of views on the teleological purpose of the parochial school. In a nation that is both diverse and increasingly polarized, successful governance of community schools depends upon discerning leaders and the practice of reinvigorated federalism. / Thesis (MA) — Boston College, 2023. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Political Science.

Instructional design is commonly referred to as the systematic process of creating consistent and reliable learning experiences (Branch & Merrill, 2011). Built on a foundation of learning theory and instructional design theory, instructional design relies heavily on various process models to guide design practice (Stefaniak & Xu, 2020) and to manage and communicate the process of design (Branch & Dousay, 2015). Despite their use, scholars argue that these models do not accurately represent instructional design practice (Bichelmeyer et al., 2006; Rowland, 1992; Smith & Boling, 2009; Visscher-Voerman & Gustafson, 2004; Wedman & Tessmer, 1993) and remain too focused on high-level processes rather than discrete methods and actions (Gibbons et al., 2014). In recent years, human-centered design (HCD) methods have emerged within instructional design practice, providing more methodological guidance for instructional designers within an empathetic design perspective (Stefaniak & Xu, 2020). HCD includes codesign practices (Steen, 2012)that seek to involve users directly throughout the design process. The current study explores the design experiences of 12 participant designers (e.g., teachers, digital coaches) who were purposely selected to engage in a seven-week codesign experience. Tasked with providing direction on resources designed to support K-12 teachers with online and hybrid teaching, these participant designers worked together to share previous teaching experiences, analyze teacher data, and identify and develop learning prototypes. Interviews with eight participant designers following the codesign experience revealed that participants viewed the project as open and ill-defined, lacking in a clear outcome and identified roles and responsibilities. As the codesign continued, participants described impactful moments that clarified the design project and shifted the design process to a focus on details. While the end product of design was described by participants generally, participants viewed their experiences and perspectives as their major contributions to the design process. Results from this investigation reveal important implications for design practice, education, and research.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, even though 97% of classrooms have at least one instructional computer available, only 40% of teachers in public schools (including elementary and secondary) report using computers in the classroom often. My project aims to illustrate the barriers that are keeping K-12 teachers from integrating technology in their classrooms, such as the lack of availability for training, teacher’s lack of knowledge or schooling, or a lack of IT support. It also discusses possible solutions to the problem, such as teacher training and better resources. By assessing the Level of Technology Integration, or LoTi, we can learn how much or how often a teacher is using technology in a classroom. My project consists of conducting a research study that will aim to reinforce the hypothesis that the LoTi in K- 12 schools is lower than expected, considering the availability of computers and technology. By learning the severity of the obstacles teachers face, we can work on possible solutions. The findings of this study were that teachers face barriers that inhibit them from implementing technology no matter what type of school environment they are in. These barriers come from lack of time, access, but most strongly from the self-efficacy of the teachers. Teachers need professional development and training to develop their skills and confidence, which will positively impact students, the school, and the overall education system.

The topic of this study is inclusive strategies utilized by teachers in collaborative, co-taught K-12 classrooms. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify inclusive practices, strategies, communication, and professional development (PD) factors in collaborative, co-taught K-12 inclusive classrooms. A gap was addressed in the literature by exploring and investigating the lived experiences of collaborative, co-teaching teams. The primary research question for this study was, what practices and strategies are implemented in collaborative, co-taught K-12 classrooms? The secondary questions were (a) What strategies do co-teaching collaborations utilize? (b) What communications/collaborations between partners were utilized? (c) What additional training/support do co-teaching partners need from administrators? A demographic survey of 48 teachers was completed, and focus groups or one-on-one interviews were conducted with nine participants from nine schools. The research site consisted of teachers from nine K-12 public schools representing varying levels: primary, middle, and secondary. Nine eligible teachers agreed to participate in a one-on-one or focus group interview paired by areas of expertise using a protocol. Criteria for participation were one or more years of experience in an inclusive, collaborative, co-taught K-12 classroom within the pre-selected rural school division in Southwest Virginia. Data on effective practices and strategies in collaborative, co-taught K-12 classrooms as perceived by teachers were analyzed. Deductive coding was used to determine common themes, similarities, differences, and patterns from the data. Eight major findings were discovered, including collaborative, co-teaching pair strategies, administrative needs, and tips for future pairs. An in-depth understanding of the perspectives of the collaborative, co-teaching pair focusing on the pair's communication, responsibilities, tasks, and expectations helped to identify strategies for improving inclusive practices. The interview findings were used to identify strategies (e.g., differentiated lessons, scaffolding, team approach, and station teaching) for improving inclusive practices. Studying inclusive practices in the collaborative, co-taught K-12 classroom is important for raising awareness about the importance of this kind of teaching relationship for improving the learning environment of all students and increasing academic achievement. / Doctor of Education / Studying inclusive practices in the collaborative, co-taught K-12 classroom is important for raising awareness about the importance of this kind of teaching relationship for improving the learning environment of all students and increasing academic achievement. A demographic survey of 48 teachers was completed and one-on-one interviews or focus group interviews paired by areas of expertise were conducted with 9 eligible participants from 9 schools who agreed to participate. The research site consisted of teachers from 9 schools from varying levels, primary, middle, and secondary K-12 public schools. Criteria for participation were 1 or more years of experience in an inclusive, collaborative, co-taught K-12 classroom within the pre-selected rural school division in Southwest Virginia. An in-depth understanding of the perspectives of the collaborative, co-teaching pair focusing on the pair's communication, responsibilities, tasks, and expectations helped to identify strategies (e.g., differentiated lessons, scaffolding, team approach, and station teaching) to provide literature-based strategies for improving inclusive practices. Studying inclusive practices in the collaborative, co-taught K-12 classroom is important for raising awareness about the importance of this kind of teaching relationship for improving the learning environment of all students and increasing academic achievement.

In response to STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) educational reform, pedagogical approaches such as technological/engineering design-based learning (T/E DBL) have received increased emphasis as a means to enrich student learning and develop their higher-order cognitive competencies. Despite students exposure to the T and E of STEM as a means to make connections and improve learning (NAE and NRC, 2009), there still exists minimal evidence such experiences have a positive impact on their cognition and achievement (Honey, Pearson, and Schweingruber, 2014). Additionally, although research has well illustrated the design cognition of professional designers, and even students at the collegiate level, few investigations of high school students' cognitive activity during designing has been undertaken (Crismond and Adams, 2012; Hynes, 2012; Lammi and Becker, 2013). Furthermore, as researchers have begun to address this gap, broad coding schemes have been employed, describing students' cognitive efforts in terms of comprehensive categories such as formulation, analysis, and synthesis. However, as previous research has demonstrated nuances among existing categories (Purcell, Gero, Edwards, and McNeill, 1996), what has yet to be done is describe K-12 students' cognitive behaviors in terms of these underlying mechanisms. The purpose of this study was to characterize students' cognitive processes during engineering design at a more distinct level, which can increase understanding and begin to address the minimal attempts to 'connect research findings on how people design with what teachers need to understand and do to help K-16 students improve their design capability and learn through design activities" (Crismond and Adams, 2012, p. 738). The methodology of this study was informed by procedures of cognitive science and verbal protocol analysis. The primary form of data analyzed was audio and video recordings of the design task. The recorded data, in transcript form, was coded using the Purcell, Gero, Edwards, and McNeill (1996) framework. These coded data were then analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings from this study revealed that significant differences existed between high school seniors who took pre-engineering courses, and those who did not when engaged in Consulting Information about the Problem (Cp) and in considering System issues, which examined the problem from the point of view of the user. Additionally, Proposing a Solution (Ps), Postponing a Design Action (Pd), and Looking Back (Lb) approached a value of statistical significance in differences between the groups of participants. Findings also characterized how students exert the most and least amount of their cognitive effort in relation to the Problem Domain: Degree of Abstraction and Strategy Classification coding schemes. / Ph. D.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(情報学) / 甲第24734号 / 情博第822号 / 新制||情||138(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院情報学研究科社会情報学専攻 / (主査)教授 緒方 広明, 教授 伊藤 孝行, 准教授 馬 強 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Informatics / Kyoto University / DFAM