In response to the current educational reform movement that has ensued as a result of the publication of A Nation at Risk (1983), the Massachusetts legislature passed the Educational Reform Act in 1993. From this Act, an educational reform plan was developed for all public schools, and curriculum frameworks were written for the major academic areas. The frameworks recommend what should be taught, and they encourage teachers to align their curriculum with the frameworks. This dissertation describes a qualitative study based on in-depth interviews with 15 teachers throughout the state of Massachusetts, from the fall of 1999 through the fall of 2001. The study investigated the experiences these teachers had with the Massachusetts History and Social Science Curriculum framework . The teachers who were interviewed represent a cross-section of teachers diverse in geographic location, number of years teaching, gender, ethnicity, and experience with curriculum development. The extensive responses to the interviews were analyzed in light of the research questions in this study. Through the literature review, documents, and the interviews, I was able to analyze teachers' experiences working specifically with the history and social science framework, and to assess the impact that the framework was having on their teaching, curriculum development, and student learning. This analysis revealed consistent patterns and themes. These included teachers' common school experiences of not having an organized school curriculum prior to the framework; their perception of the lack of multiculturalism in the framework; and their concerns about the exclusion of teachers from the framework process. The information analyzed from the interviews can be used to guide school systems in the development of educational policies, as well as in the creation of curriculum. This study has the potential to assist those interested in both professional development and teacher education.

Contemporary Hip-Hop scholarship has revealed that Hip-Hop is a racially diverse, youth-driven culture, that is intimately connected to prior as well as on-going social justice movements (Chang, 2004; Kitwana, 2002). This study explores its Afro-Diasporic and activist origins, as well as the impact of Hip-Hop culture on the identity development of educators belonging to the Hip-Hop generation(s). This qualitative study also examines how Hip-Hop culture impacts educators' identity politics and personal pedagogy, while seeking to create a new model of Social Justice Hip-Hop Pedagogy. This study was produced through twenty-three in-depth interviews with influential Hip-Hop educators or “elites” (Thomas, 1993; Aberbach & Rockman, 2002; Becker & Meyers, 1974; Zuckerman, 1974) from diverse backgrounds and geographic locations. There are currently limited theoretical and conceptual frameworks in the literature supporting the use of Hip-Hop as Social Justice Pedagogy, yet is currently being used in K-16 educational contexts throughout the United States and abroad (Duncan-Andrade & Morrell, 2008). The results of this study reveal the foundational basis consisting of four primary functions and seven practical tenets, necessary to negotiate and implement a new and innovative model for Social Justice Hip-Hop Pedagogy.

Introduction Tennessee (TN) ranked 16th among US states for the number of HIV diagnoses in 2015. By TN grand division region (East, Middle, and West), the highest rate of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) were in the Middle and West. Barriers to HIV testing are still very much unknown in research studies. Further, understanding how Adverse Childhood Experience (ACEs) play a role in HIV testing and specifically in marginalized groups is not fully understood. The present study sought to understand the relationship between ACEs, living in poverty, and testing for HIV among adults in Tennessee. Methods Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data for 2016 and 2017 were obtained from the Tennessee Department of Health. Sociodemographic factors, diagnosis of depression, binge drinking behaviors, HIV risk behaviors (one or more of these in the past year: injection drug use, anal sex, sex without a condom, paid sex, four or more sexual partners), grand division, poverty level, and ACEs were analyzed to determine if an association exists with having been tested for HIV in the past year (yes or no). ACEs were categorized into 0, one to three, or four or more, all having occurred before the age of 18. Frequencies, percents, chi-square, and independent T-tests were completed. Sex stratified simple and multiple logistic regression models were conducted to determine the strength of association with having been tested for HIV (N=1,506 males; N=1,433 females). Results Males who reported HIV risk behaviors were 46% less likely to be tested for HIV (aOR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.53-0.55) whereas females with HIV risk behaviors were 61% less likely to test for HIV (aOR: 0.39, 95% CI: 0.39-0.40) compared to those without HIV risk behaviors. Males with 4 or more ACEs were 38% more likely to be tested for HIV compared to males with 0 ACEs (aOR: 1.38, 95% CI 1.36-1.39), whereas females with 4 or more ACEs were two times more likely to be tested for HIV (aOR: 2.09, 95% CI: 2.07-2.11) compared to females with 0 ACEs. Males making <$25,000 annually were only 5% more likely to be tested for HIV (aOR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.04-1.06), whereas women making the same income were 30% less likely to be tested for HIV (aOR: 0.70, 05% CI: 0.69-0.71) compared to incomes greater than $25,000. Males in West TN were 12% less likely to be tested for HIV compared to males in East TN (aOR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.87-0.89). Similarly, females in West TN were 15% less likely to be tested for HIV compared to females in East TN (aOR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.84-0.86). Conclusion Education and awareness may be too focused on adults with more ACEs rather than ensuring individuals with HIV risk behaviors, living in poverty, or residing in West TN, understand their risk and have access to HIV testing. Regions of TN, specifically West TN compared to East TN, may require additional resources to ensure the general population understands their risk for HIV; however further research is warranted through longitudinal studies.

INTRODUCTION Depression affects over 18 million American adults yearly and has been identified as the leading cause of disability in people between the ages of 15 and 44 years in the United States. The purpose of this study was to analyze the association between individuals who felt unloved or unwanted during their formative years and the occurrence of depressive symptoms in adulthood. METHODS We examined 5,114 participants aged 24–32 years at Wave IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) public use dataset. We used logistic regression analysis to determine the association between an individual feeling unloved or unwanted by their parent or adult caregiver prior to age 18, closeness with their parents, and a host of risk and protective factors with lifetime depression. We controlled by race, income, education, and age. RESULTS Overall (16.2%; n=827) reported lifetime depression diagnosis. Feeling unloved by a parent/ adult caregiver was associated with higher odds of lifetime depression among males (OR= 2.95, 2.22, 3.92) than females (OR=2.16, 1.78-2.61). The participant report of a biological father spending time in prison (OR= 1.40, 1.14, 1.72) was also associated with lifetime depression. CONCLUSION Our results reveal that feeling unloved/unwanted is associated with depression in both males and females. Therefore, it creates the awareness that depression is not gender-based, and that both females and males require the love of their parents and adult caregivers.

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The materials in this OER collection are designed to complement the course, Social Studies Education in a Multicultural Society. This course, designed for senior-level students in an elementary education teacher preparation program, explores the foundations, themes, content, and pedagogies of elementary social studies education in a multicultural society. Presented as a series of video episodes, each episode focuses on a foundational element of social studies teaching and learning. From curriculum frameworks to national social studies publications to historical thinking to geographic awareness, each episode is meant to support the development of the elementary social studies teacher. / https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-oer/1006/thumbnail.jpg

In this episode, we explore the five themes of geography: location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, and regions and consider how they are connected to the development of young geographers in the K-5 classroom. / https://dc.etsu.edu/social-studies-education-oer/1005/thumbnail.jpg

The council of Europe have declared the teaching of controversial issues a matter of educational urgency and therein presenting teachers with the difficult task of teaching these issues to pupils. This paper aims to provide an understanding of which kinds of issues are considered controversial to teach in social science classes in Swedish middle schools. Through the presenting of six interviews with seven middle school teachers, this paper will help to provide insight into some of the issues and challenges middle school teachers face whilst teaching these issues. Teachers are faced with didactic challenges involved with presenting these controversial issues to pupils in order to present a wider range of viewpoints and help give a deeper understanding of the issues presented. This paper will also show how controversial issues in Swedish middle schools are generally the same issues as in society as a whole, that is to say, mostly concerning politics and religion.

Thesis advisor: Dennis Shirley / Throughout the relatively short history of American social studies education, its purposes have shifted in response to social and educational changes. The contest for the American social studies curriculum has continued since its inception, influenced by various stakeholders and educational theorists. Given widespread socio-political turbulence, particularly in the years following the 2016 election, this dissertation takes place at an opportune time to revisit the purposes of social studies. This dissertation explores the perceptions of 21 pre-service and in-service teachers and asks the question, “how do teachers perceive the purposes of social studies education?” To approach this question I adopted a constructivist grounded theory methodology. I conducted 21 interviews and allowed theory to emerge from the data to answer two sub-research questions: “How do pre-service and in-service teachers perceive the purposes of social studies education?”, and “How do teachers make sense of complex internal and external pressures and relate to the purposes of social studies education?” Several notable findings emerged from the results. I found teachers adhered to no singular, unifying purpose of social studies education. I argue for a fluid approach to purpose that allows for greater teacher professionalism and autonomy. When faced with pressures such as state policy, teachers exhibited varying degrees of resistance and prioritized their autonomy and the needs of their students. Teachers that resisted state policy were most commonly experienced in-service teachers. Notably, teachers perceived a debate between the importance of skills versus content in social studies education which I framed within existing educational sociology debates on the various dichotomies underpinning educational purpose; between neoconservatism and postmodernism, between instrumentalism and intrinsic meaning, between top-down policy and bottom-up context-driven instruction, between teacher alienation and self-actualization. The majority of teachers believed that developing specific social studies related skills was more important than content knowledge which highlighted a trend away from the intrinsic value of social studies knowledge and towards the instrumentalization of education. Social studies was increasingly defined by its utility. Finally, teachers noted the changing ontology of teaching itself given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and rapid technological change. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.