| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Year | Doctoral Student | Chair | Committee | Title | Abstract | Research Questions | |||||||||||||||||||
2 | 2026 | Chad Beveridge | Dr. Bettie Butler | Dr. Spencer Salas, Dr. Amy Good, Dr. Christopher O’Brien | MAKING SENSE OF HOUSE BILL 986 IN A SMALL RURAL NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOL: A TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE | Educational reform frequently fails due to a lack of community support, misaligned or misguided legislative policies, and most importantly the exclusion of teachers who are responsible for implementing curricular and pedagogical changes. Then there are the logistics to take into consideration including: preparation, attrition, working conditions, salary, support, engagement, and overall motivation to do something potentially better instead of for the sake of tradition. This qualitative case study looks at reform through the lens of three experienced high school teachers actively engaged in the reform process. Two teachers represent one co-taught English and history class focusing on upperclassmen. The third teacher focuses on underclassmen. House Bill 986 affords one rural school district in North Carolina with charter-like flexibility allowing teachers to create and implement their own standards, combine relevant classes to increase graduation rates, and personalize learning to meet the needs of every student. The three selected teachers will participate in semi-structured interviews, a focus group, and lesson analysis to make sense of their individual experiences participating in school reform. The study is guided by sensemaking theory to better understand how teachers align reform policies at the state level to their classroom curriculum and instruction. The implications of this study may act as a baseline for future research making sense of continuous federal, state, and local policy reforms. It is imperative that stakeholders including parents, administrators, and legislators understand how political legislation translates in the classroom. | ||||||||||||||||||||
3 | 2026 | Latonda Mitchell | Dr. Brittany Anderson | Drr. Taryne Mingo, Dr. Bettie Buttller, Dr. Cindy Gilson | The Double-Edged Sword: How to Be Perfect Without Being Perfect: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study of Gifted Black Girls Navigating Perfectionism in Academic and Social Contexts | This study examines how gifted Black girls define, experience, and navigate perfectionism within academic and social contexts. Grounded in Black Girlhood Theory, this research centers the lived experiences of middle school girls whose perspectives remain underrepresented in existing scholarship (Brown, 2013; Morris, 2016). Using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) design, six participants in grades 6–8 engaged in semi-structured interviews, and a subset of participants participated in a follow-up focus group to support collective meaning-making (Smith et al., 2022). Analysis demonstrates that perfectionism operates as a contextually situated process shaped by visibility, relational expectations, and identity negotiation. Participants were identified as high-achieving early, positioning them within sustained systems of expectation prior to developing individualized understandings of success. Three dimensions of perfectionism were identified: adaptive, protective, and burdensome (Flett & Hewitt, 2014). Participants described regulating both internal responses to pressure and external presentations of competence across contexts. These findings reconceptualize perfectionism as a socioculturally mediated process and extend literature that has largely centered White, middle-class populations (Curran & Hill, 2019), underscoring the need for culturally responsive approaches in gifted education. | ||||||||||||||||||||
4 | 2026 | Deziree Baker | Dr. Chance Lewis | Dr. Greg Wiggan, Dr. Jae Hoon Lim, Dr. Erin Miller | BECOMING BLACK & REMAINING CARIBBEAN: NAVIGATING IDENTITY AND RACE AS IMMIGRANT EDUCATORS | Afro-Caribbean immigrants in the United States represent the largest population of Black immigrant identities, yet they remain underrepresented and underresearched. Instead, Black identities, whether immigrant or native, are often viewed as a monolith, with very little regard for nuance in their racial identity development and consciousness (Johnson, 2008; Vickerman, 2001). Additionally, while Afro-Caribbean immigrant educators are often valued for their cultural and professional contributions to U.S. K-12 educational contexts, a minimal understanding of racial influence in their teaching practices exists. Therefore, this dissertation study addressed both gaps, as it explored how Afro-Caribbean immigrant educators: 1) made sense of their racial identities in the United States, 2) experienced and interpreted racial dynamics with colleagues, and 3) negotiated racial dynamics in their teaching practices in their classrooms. Grounded in Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis methodology, two semi structured interviews were conducted with seven Afro-Caribbean immigrant teachers from the Eastern United States. Personal experiential themes emerged for each participant, after which cross-case analysis revealed four group experiential themes. These themes included: 1) Negotiating the meaning and lived reality of Blackness in the United States, 2) Maintaining boundaries and vigilance in relationships with white colleagues, 3) Negotiating belonging and difference in intra-racial community, and 4) Navigating racial identity in the classroom as a contrasting experience. Additionally, the theoretical framework consisting of Critical Race Structuralism, Nigrescence, and the Multi-Dimensional Model of Racial Identity provided a lens for reflection after theme generation. Findings from this study revealed the layered, multi-dimensional, and context-specific nature of racial identity and consciousness among Afro-Caribbean immigrant educators, as well as their impact on their teaching practices in a new country. Implications for this study included: expanding identity models to account for contexts outside of the United States, disaggregating U.S. teacher data to include race, ethnicity, and nationality; and increasing focus on the racial socialization and preparation of Afro-Caribbean immigrant educators. Additionally, recommendations were provided based on this study’s findings, with particular emphasis on improving international teacher programs and creating avenues for future research. | ||||||||||||||||||||
5 | 2026 | Raquaam Smith | Dr. Chance Lewis | Dr. Bettie Ray Butler, Dr. Lisa Merriweather, Dr. Daniel Alston, Dr. Greg Wiggan | DRIVING THE SOCIAL MOBILITY OF BLACK MEN IN AMERICA | This qualitative study examined how Black men described the barriers and facilitators shaping their social mobility and how race and gender influenced their experiences within educational and career support systems. Grounded in Black Critical Theory, the study used Brother Square methodology to collect data from 26 participants through group interviews, narrated social network maps, and analytic memos. Reflexive thematic analysis identified three themes: Navigating Systems of Racialized Gendered Expectations, Community as a Site of Resistance and Support, and Survival, Healing, and Self-Definition. Findings showed that mobility was shaped not only by attainment and effort, but also by racialized gender expectations, institutional gatekeeping, and reputational labor. Family, brotherhood, mentors, and knowledge networks functioned as key supports, while healing, faith, reflection, and self-definition supported long-term persistence and well-being. The study found that access alone was insufficient; mobility pathways were more usable when they included recognition, relational safety, and credible support. This dissertation contributes a BlackCrit-informed understanding of mobility and offers implications for more affirming educational and career supports. | ||||||||||||||||||||
6 | 2026 | Brandon Watkins | Dr. Erin Miller | Drs. Meghan Barnes, Autumn Griffin, and Chance Lewis | VIDEO GAMES AS LITERACY PLAYGROUNDS: A YOUTH PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH STUDY WITH BLACK BOYS IN A PASSIONATE AFFINITY SPACE | School climates are filled with anti-Blackness and anti-Black misandry (Bryan, 2021) which spill over from American society. Because of the highly intense climate, Black boys are not given the opportunity to play and express themselves in school settings. The marginalization of their play and their ability to freely dream beyond their current status decreases the likelihood of intellectual production. Our Black boys need a space to play, dream, act, and do. Their play space, in the study, is a passionate affinity space (Gee & Hayes, 2011). The research shows the literacy brilliance and complexity that lives in the minds and bodies of Black boys. I, also, endeavor to show that their literacy practices are diverse, deeply nuanced, and that they expand the definition of literacy - reading, writing, and decoding (Fussy & Iddy, 2024). Black PlayCrit and New Literacy Studies are the frameworks utilized to guide this research. The 2024 Nation’s Report Card showed that reading scores declined drastically from prior years’ data (NCES, 2025). An implication from the data is that literacy is narrowly defined by schools (Gee & Hayes, 2011) and not responsive to the lives of Black boys. Utilizing a Youth Participatory Action Research methodology, the co-researchers explained their use of diverse literacy practices as part of the data analysis. Their voices are included in this study. | ||||||||||||||||||||
7 | 2026 | Debora Winch | Dr. Tina Heafner | Adriana Medina, Tracy Rock, Amy Good | Guardianes del Saber: Nabguana Igar [Path of Our Land] and the Strength of Guna Pedagogy. | This three-article dissertation examines how the Kuna people of Panama have sustained pedagogical sovereignty across more than a century of colonial education policy, armed resistance, political mobilization, and the implementation of Intercultural Bilingual Education (Educación Bilingüe Intercultural, or EBI). Guided by the Nannigar-Babigar framework — a Kuna epistemological system integrating feminine (Nannigar) and masculine (Babigar) principles of knowledge, communal consciousness, and transformation — all three studies center Kuna voices and resist the imposition of external analytical categories on Indigenous educational practice. Article 1, "Beyond Adaptation," employs qualitative textual analysis of four Kuna-authored texts totaling 476 pages to examine how Bulagwa Arbaed (the principle of working together) and traditional apprenticeship systems structure pedagogy and curriculum in Gunayala. Findings reveal five pedagogical mechanisms through which communal identity is produced through designed experience rather than instruction, and three phases of transformation through which oral tradition entered formal schooling as foundational curriculum. Article 2, "Threads of Tradition," centers the voices of eight Kuna educators in the Comarca through story circles, documenting five tensions between EBI policy and classroom reality — including the absence of official textbooks, the lack of ministerial support, and trilingual demands met with no materials. Article 3, "Between Identities," traces the life trajectories of four Kuna educators who migrated to urban Panama through multiple case study design with narrative inquiry, revealing how the home, the church, and informal community spaces function as sites of cultural transmission when formal institutions fail to support Indigenous knowledge. Across all three studies, a single integrated finding emerges: Kuna pedagogical sovereignty is epistemologically complete, institutionally unsupported, and sustained through educator agency. This dissertation contributes to scholarship on Indigenous education, decolonial methodology, and intercultural bilingual education by demonstrating that Kuna pedagogy did not adapt to Western educational structures but transformed them — and that the guardianes del saber continue to guard what institutions have not yet shown up to protect. Keywords: Indigenous education, Kuna pedagogy, Nannigar-Babigar, intercultural bilingual education, educational sovereignty, Panama, Bulagwa Arbaed, decolonial education, three-article dissertation | ||||||||||||||||||||
8 | 2026 | Norah Alomary | Dr. Chance Lewis | Dr. Medina, Dr. Lachance, Dr. Kristin Davin | EXAMINING THE EXPERIENCES OF LINGUISTICALLY AND CULTURALLY DIVERSE EDUCATORS WORKING IN PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS | The scarcity of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) educators and the rapid increase in the number of CLD students in the United States have raised alarming concerns for many in the educational field. The imbalance in the low numbers of qualified CLD educators and the growth in CLD students is believed to have significantly impacted the learning outcomes of the latter group and the education achievement in many school districts across the United States. Hence, it has become imperative to examine and analyze the experiences of CLD educators to better understand and tackle the issues relating to CLD educators' attrition and retention in public schools from the perspective of CLD educators themselves. To investigate this issue, this qualitative case study focused on examining the work and educational experiences of in-service CLD educators, particularly those working in public high schools, and their observations of the issues impacting the academic achievements of their CLD high school students. Primarily, two separate individual interviews and classroom observations were conducted with each of the participants. The three CLD educators who participated in this study were all high school teachers with over five years of working experience in public high schools, had master’s degrees in educational-related fields, and were all certified in teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. The participants' responses during the interviews illustrated the barriers CLD educators encountered during the process of becoming teachers and throughout their educational careers. Furthermore, their responses also emphasized the type of support necessary for CLD educators, whether it was for pre-service or in-service CLD teachers. The participants' responses affirmed the critical roles these educators play in their schools as advocates for their CLD students and their work as liaisons between their communities and schools. Nevertheless, the participants’ responses also depicted the types of microaggressions they encountered and the lack of recognition for their exceptional skills and knowledge as CLD educators in their schools. This study highlights the importance of addressing these issues and the need to foster a culturally and linguistically inclusive and welcoming environment for CLD educators and students alike. | ||||||||||||||||||||
9 | Na'Cole Wilson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | 2026 | Jennifer Merry | Dr. Tina Heafner and Dr. Rebecca Shore | Dr. Richard Lambert, Dr. Brian Sullivan, and Dr. Elizabeth Sullivan | BALANCING THE CHORD: EXAMINING THE SELF-EFFICACY OF MUSIC EDUCATORS AND THEIR MOTIVATION LEVELS OF RETENTION IN NORTH CAROLINA | Teacher attrition and retention rates are affecting all content areas. With a growing trend of teachers leaving the classroom, an examination of how current music educators report exposure to self-efficacy inputs of physical and emotional states (stress), verbal encouragement, learning, and performing compared to their tested level of self-efficacy, and their self-reported motivation to remain in their current positions was reviewed using a survey, incorporating non-experimental quantitative correlation with explanatory open-ended questions. The purpose of this study was to determine the self-reported motivating factors in the plans of secondary music ensemble educators in the state of North Carolina and their plans to stay, leave, change, or move their current positions. This was investigated by using job or workplace satisfaction and experiences of self-efficacy. The results led to the possibility that those with a higher sense of self-efficacy could also show a higher rate of job satisfaction. Correlations of self-efficacy and plan to stay, move, change, or leave their current positions showed mixed correlations. Analysis of self-efficacy and job satisfaction showed that participants' responses showed that predicted results could be seen for plans for the next school year, but not for plans within the next five years. | ||||||||||||||||||||
11 | 2026 | Erica Neal | Dr. Meghan Barnes | Dr. Erin Miller, Dr. Bruce Taylor, Dr. Adam Myers | PRESERVICE TEACHERS’ KNOWLEDGE REGARDING TEXT SELECTION IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS’ CLASSROOM | This study used a qualitative case study design by incorporating a discussion post response, open-ended survey, and interviews. The aim of the study was to determine how English Language Arts preservice teachers describe their preparedness to select text to support a curriculum. The research conducted will be grounded in a conceptual lens of Darling-Hammond et al.’s (2024) The “What” of Teacher Education Framework, Shulman’s (1986) Pedagogical Content Knowledge, and Gonzalez et al.’s (2005) Funds of Knowledge approach. The research emphasized the multifaceted nature of professional readiness in terms of selecting text based on preservice teachers’ knowledge of students, pedagogy, and the cultural assets students bring to the classroom environment. The findings indicate that preparing preservice ELA teachers for text selection requires intentional and sustained opportunities to engage with adolescent literature, reflect on their identities as readers and future educators, and practice making instructional decisions that balance curricular constraints with students' needs. By illuminating how preservice teachers conceptualize text selection and the forms of knowledge they draw upon, this study offers insight into how teacher preparation programs can more effectively support future educators in designing inclusive, meaningful, and responsive literacy experiences for adolescent learners. | ||||||||||||||||||||
12 | 2025 | Joy Davis | Dr. Brittany Anderson | Dr. Meghan Barnes, Dr. Erin Miller, Dr. Debra Smith | SCALING THE IVORY TOWER: WHAT DOES HIGH-ACHIEVING EVEN MEAN? AN EPISTEMOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF HOW RACE, GENDER AND CLASS IMPACT HIGH-ACHIEVING AFRICAN AMERICAN UNDERGRADUATE WOMEN | Through a feminist epistemological approach, this research provides an explanatory examination of how race, gender, and class impact the lived experiences, academic identity, and socioeconomic mobility of high-achieving African American undergraduate women. The need for this research will build upon the existing literature on African American undergraduate women in higher education. Using a qualitative multi-case study, variables such as race, gender, and class are explored to address how these may impact their lived experiences and academic identity with the aim of informing policy and improving practice. Therein, the goals of the study are as follows: (a) serve as a conduit to epistemologically advance research on African American women in higher education, (b) further develop a schema for high-achieving women, (c) help to advocate for progressively inclusive institutional practices and processes for high-achieving undergraduate women, and (d) advance future research around the socioeconomic mobility of the research constituents. | ||||||||||||||||||||
13 | 2025 | Jacqueline Hoskins | Dr. Chance Lewis | Dr. Meghan Barnes, Dr. Starker-Glass, Dr. Heather Coffey | A Qualitative Study Exploring the Factors That Impact Black Women Veteran Teacher Retention in Urban School Settings | Teacher attrition is a growing concern in U.S. public schools. As of 2022–2023, 44% of schools reported at least one teaching vacancy, and by 2023–2024, 86% of districts faced difficulties filling positions (U.S. Department of Education, 2023). Although shortages vary by state, urban schools experience the greatest impact, often reflected in lower student achievement and test scores (Sutcher et al., 2016). In North Carolina, the teacher attrition rate for 2023–2024 was 9.88%, down from 11.5% the previous year, but still above the seven-year average of 8.64% (NCDPI, 2025). While much research has focused on why teachers leave, less is known about the factors that influence teachers to stay. This qualitative multiple case study explored the motivating factors influencing veteran teachers’ retention in urban schools. Purposeful sampling was used to select three teachers with more than ten years of classroom experience in urban school settings. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, reflective journals, and document analysis. Triangulation of sources enhanced trustworthiness and provided a comprehensive understanding of participants’ experiences. The findings provide practical implications for school and district leaders, highlighting strategies to strengthen retention efforts, inform teacher preparation and professional development, and promote stability and equity in urban schools (Garcia & Weiss, 2019; Sutcher et al., 2016). | ||||||||||||||||||||
14 | 2025 | Kaitlyn Evans | Dr. Amy Good | Drs. Stella Kim, Miranda Fitzgerald, Tracy Rock, and Heather Coffey | THE WRITE WAY TO LITERACY INSTRUCTION: EXAMINING THE PREDICTIVE POWER OF EDUCATORS’ WRITING KNOWLEDGE ON SELF-EFFICACY IN WRITING INSTRUCTION | This pilot study examined how different components of teachers’ writing knowledge: emergent literacy; foundational language skills; text writing and reading fluency; and lexical literacy, predict their self-efficacy for writing instruction. Using a cross-sectional correlational design with a pilot sample of 78 in-service teachers, multiple regression and mediation analyses explored both direct and indirect pathways predicting self-efficacy in writing instruction. Although most models did not reach overall significance, notable patterns emerged. Foundational language knowledge demonstrated significant direct and indirect effects when controlling for grade level taught, and emergent literacy knowledge showed a significant direct relationship with self-efficacy. These findings suggest a knowledge–confidence disconnect, indicating that knowledge alone does not translate into confidence to teach writing. The study highlights the need for professional development that pairs conceptual knowledge with mastery experiences and authentic practice. Implications for teacher preparation, in-service support, and future research designs are discussed. | ||||||||||||||||||||
15 | 2025 | Nicole Shanley | Dr. Erik Byker | Dr. Drew Polly, Dr. Daniel Alston, and Dr. Manuel Perez Quinones | Examining the Integration of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies in Online Instruction: Designing the Standards | Online educator preparation programs continue to expand, yet widely used evaluation tools, such as the Quality Matters rubric, rarely incorporate culturally sustaining pedagogies (CSP). As a result, teacher candidates who complete their preparation programs online are often underprepared to support the increasingly diverse learners in today’s classrooms. The purpose of this study was to develop and refine the Culturally Sustaining Practices in Online Course Review rubric to embed culturally sustaining pedagogies in online teacher preparation programs. Guided by Django Paris’s CSP framework, the study employed the Delphi Method with education faculty experts who had experience teaching online courses within a college or school of education at their home universities. These participants engaged in multiple iterative rounds of surveys and feedback to evaluate and strengthen the rubric. Findings emphasize the importance of asset-based learning objectives, authentic assessments, and instructional materials that reflect diverse voices. This research contributes to the limited body of scholarship on culturally sustaining pedagogies in online education and provides educator preparation programs with a practical, research-based evaluation tool to improve online course quality. In doing so, it equips teacher candidates graduating from online programs to sustain the linguistic, literate, and cultural pluralism of the students they will serve. | ||||||||||||||||||||
16 | 2025 | Kristen Cruz | Dr. Lan Kolano | Dr. Davin Kristin, Dr. Joan Lachance, Dr. Jae Lim, Dr. Adriana Medina | HOW INTERSECTIONAL IDENTITY AND ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE SHAPE STAFF EXPERIENCES IN A COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION SUPPORTING MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS | This dissertation explores how staff members’ intersecting identities and the organizational culture of a community-based organization (CBO) shape their experiences supporting multilingual learners (MLs) and their families. The CBO, an inclusive, non-faith-based organization serving immigrant and refugee children, addresses both academic and socio-emotional development through culturally relevant curriculum and healing-centered community engagement. Its staff, representing 11 countries and 8 language groups, bring diverse lived experiences that influence their roles as educators, advocates, and caregivers. Employing a qualitative case study design, the research draws on surveys and in-depth interviews with directors, classroom facilitators, and family support staff. Surveys captured demographic and experiential data, while interviews showed how staff members’ identities inform their motivations, relationships, and professional practices. Findings reveal that staff identities, as immigrants, multilingual speakers, and first-generation Americans, enhance their ability to build trust, foster connection, and advocate for equity. The organization’s core values of Love, Education, Respect, and Diversity (LERD) are deeply embedded in daily practice and contribute to a supportive, mission-driven workplace culture. At the same time, the study identifies structural challenges, such as limited resources and part-time staffing models, that impact sustainability and staff development. This research emphasizes the importance of staff representation and shared values in community-based settings. It highlights how aligning organizational mission with the lived experiences and identities of staff can foster a more inclusive, trusting, and effective environment. The findings offer implications for how similar organizations can intentionally center identity, culture, and mission to support both their teams and the multilingual communities they serve. | ||||||||||||||||||||
17 | 2025 | Lahcen Qasserras | Dr. Tina Heafner | Dr. Drew Polly, Dr. Ayesha Sadaf, Dr. Erik Bykerr | AI ETHICS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A CRITICAL CONTENT ANALYSIS OF AI GUIDELINES IN THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA SYSTEM THROUGH THE FATE FRAMEWORK AND DECOLONIAL THEORY | This qualitative dissertation examines how Artificial Intelligence (AI) ethics documents published by 17 universities within the University of North Carolina (UNC) System align with the FATE framework (Fairness, Accountability, Transparency, and Ethics) and whether they reflect or challenge colonial power structures in higher education. Guided by social constructionist and transformative paradigms and using Decolonial Theory as the primary analytical lens, the study applies a directed content analysis to institutional documents publicly available on university websites. Data were coded using NVivo software and a structured codebook grounded in the FATE framework and decolonial literature. The analysis revealed that most universities demonstrated partial alignment with the Transparency and Fairness principles, while none were aligned with Accountability. The majority were not aligned with the Ethics principle, and no institution was aligned with all four FATE principles. The FATE framework is not treated as an endpoint but rather as an entry point for deeper critical inquiry, one that is further enriched by a decolonial theoretical lens. Therefore, a deeper examination of the ethical dimensions associated with each of the FATE principles uncovered significant issues across AI ethics guidelines, including fragmentation, the absence of conceptual frameworks, a lack of definitions, and varying levels of ambiguity and vagueness. Additional concerns consisted of terminological inconsistencies, conceptual imprecision, and the conflation of ethical principles with technical or procedural guidance. These limitations may render the guidelines incoherent and insufficient to effectively support students, faculty, and staff in the ethical and responsible use of AI-powered technologies on campus. The decolonial analysis showed that most AI ethics–related documents relied on conventional ethical framings, which either did not address power and equity issues at all or did so only in broad, generalized terms. In response, this study calls for the development of conceptually robust AI ethics frameworks and the intentional adoption of decolonial approaches in public higher education to ensure that the deployment of AI does not reinforce existing power structures or further marginalize underrepresented communities. | ||||||||||||||||||||
18 | 2025 | Charlitta Hatch | Dr. Chance Lewis and Dr. Tehia Glass | Dr. Greg Wiggan, Dr. Jae Lim, Dr. Debra Smith | FINDING JOY, AVOIDING HARM: A GROUNDED CASE STUDY OF BLACK MOTHERS AND KINDERGARTEN SCHOOL CHOICE | This qualitative case study explored how advantaged Black mothers navigate the kindergarten school choice process for their Black sons. While much of the existing literature on school choice highlights White, middle-class parents or frames Black families through deficit-based narratives, this study centers the voices of advantaged Black mothers who strategically and intentionally leverage their resources, networks, and cultural knowledge in pursuit of affirming educational environments. Guided by BlackCrit and Patricia Hill Collins’ matrix of domination, the study examined how these mothers confronted structural inequities, disciplinary practices, hegemonic norms, and interpersonal biases embedded in school systems. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and participant journals with four Black mothers in the southeastern United States. Findings revealed seven cross-participant themes: (1) systemic issues with schools, (2) navigating the angry Black mother trope, (3) protecting Black boy joy while navigating harm, (4) emotional safety and joy protection, (5) leveraging social capital and collective knowledge, (6) defining what constitutes a “good school,” and (7) presenting the child as a scholar. The findings extend school choice literature by integrating strands of research on Black motherhood and Black boys into a single analytic frame, demonstrating how advantaged Black mothers use privilege not merely for access but as a tool of resistance and cultural design. Implications include reimagining school design with Black mothers as co-architects, developing equity audits tied to funding, creating Black mother advisory councils, and implementing parent workshops and localized portals to democratize access to school information. This study contributes to educational research by reframing Black mothers as central voices in school choice and educational equity. Their narratives illuminate how navigating school systems is both a protective practice and a form of resistance that disrupts deficit discourses and advances joy, dignity, and cultural affirmation for Black boys. | ||||||||||||||||||||
19 | 2025 | Niki Sashington | Dr. Tehia Glass | Dr. Meghan Barnes, Dr. Heather Taylor, Dr. Chance Lewis | A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY EXPLORING THE EXPERIENCES OF VETERAN BLACK PRE-KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD SETTINGS | The voices of veteran Black Pre-K teachers reveal how systemic barriers and mentoring relationships intersect to shape their professional experiences and influence their decisions to stay in or leave the field. This qualitative case study examined these dynamics within a large urban Pre-K setting. Grounded in Critical Race Theory (CRT), the study emphasized counter-storytelling, permanence of racism, and interest convergence to explore how veteran Black Pre-K teachers navigate and challenge inequities in early childhood education. This research contributes to the literature by centering the voices of veteran Black Pre-K teachers, offering insights into the interplay between race, retention, and mentoring. | ||||||||||||||||||||
20 | 2025 | Kamille Bostick | Dr. Erin Miller | Dr. Meghan Barnes, Dr. Bruce Taylor, Dr. Carl Westine | EXAMINING THE EXPERIENCES AND SOCIAL JUSTICE PEDAGOGICAL KNOWLEDGE OF A SECONDARY WRITING TEACHER | As more students of color enroll in public schools, the need increases for a curriculum and teacher practice that affirms their identity and experiences as well as recognizes and reverses inequities. This is particularly important in today’s secondary writing classrooms where too many students of color are not performing well on the tests that measure writing. Research shows performance levels are not a reflection of student ability but the ramifications of a disconnect between cultural writing practices and what is emphasized in formal schooling. The skills in writing classrooms can be useful tools for students facing marginalization, yet these classrooms are in the crosshairs of culture and curriculum wars in the current political and social climate placing writing teachers squarely on the frontlines. This single-participant, qualitative case study examined the experiences of a high school English teacher who instructs writing to a majority of students who identify as Black or Hispanic/Latino. It aimed to see if this teacher implemented any components of Dyches and Boyd’s (2017) social justice pedagogical knowledge (SJPK) by incorporating culturally accessing, critical, or agency-inciting approaches to her instruction. Using semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis, the study provides insight into the ways a teacher navigates a limiting curriculum, embeds culturally affirming and critical instruction through rapport-building and choice-based techniques, and moves students toward agency and action in their writing. Findings also include how a teacher becomes self-actualized in SJPK methods in order to infuse the same practices in her instruction. | ||||||||||||||||||||
21 | 2025 | Shameka Jones | D. Tracy Rock | Dr. Jae Hoon Lim, Dr. Amy Good, Dr. Meghan Barnes | IT SHOULDN’T BE JUST ANOTHER MEETING: USING SCAFFOLDING TOOLS TO FOSTER PURPOSEFUL COLLABORATIVE INQUIRY IN URBAN | Collaborative inquiry is essential to effective Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). However, limited research explores how to scaffold these practices in urban, low-performing elementary schools. This single case study examined how third-grade teachers in an urban, low-performing school experienced the implementation and impact of research-based scaffolding tools, including the Roles, Responsibilities, and Norms Protocol, the Deep Discussion Protocol, and the Common Assessment Protocol during PLC meetings. Data collection included interviews, observations, documents, and check-in meetings. Findings revealed that these scaffolding tools promoted shared responsibility, enhanced instructional planning, and helped teachers address students’ learning needs. The study emphasized the importance of flexibility in implementation, with adaptations tailored to team culture, timing, and the facilitator's judgment. Limitations included the single-case design and focus on one grade level, which may limit generalizability. Implications suggest that tailored scaffolding tools can build professional capacity, confidence, and collaborative culture, contributing to the effectiveness of PLC meetings. A practical framework is provided for educators and leaders seeking to launch or refine collaborative inquiry in PLCs. Further research is recommended to examine the sustainability of these tools, their impact on student outcomes, and their applicability across varied school contexts and educator roles. | ||||||||||||||||||||
22 | 2025 | Nicholas Gathings | Dr. Erin Miller | Dr. Tehia Starker-Glass, Dr. Daniel Alston, Dr. Rich Lambert, Dr. Aaron Gwyn | A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY OF TEACHER PREPARATION IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES | Presently, the teaching workforce in the United States mostly consists of white, women educators, accounting for approximately 80% of the total teaching population (National Center for Education Statistics, 2020) [NCES], and that rate of change (the 80% white women teaching population) has remained stagnant. In contrast, the student population is notably diverse, with BIPOC students comprising 54% of enrollment in U.S. public education according to the NCES 2020 data. Recognizing this disparity, Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) in urban-intensive areas face a critical task: effectively equipping white Preservice Teachers (PSTs) to engage with students from racially diverse backgrounds based on both content and pedagogy delivered in these programs. To achieve this, EPPs might adopt intentional strategies rooted in culturally relevant teaching and pedagogy. | ||||||||||||||||||||
23 | 2025 | Sydney Carroll | Dr. Brittany Anderson & Dr. Clare Merlin-Knoblich | Drs. Daniel Alston, Rich Lambert, and Tehia Starker-Glass | Grading Papers and Carrying Systems: A Quantitative Analysis Examining Burnout And Intersectional Identity Among Black Women Educators In Urban K–12 Schools | This study examines burnout among Black women educators (BWEs) in urban K-12 schools to identify factors that contribute to emotional exhaustion. The research draws on Burnout Theory (Maslach & Jackson, 1981; Maslach et al.,2001) and Intersectionality Theory (Crenshaw, 1991) to explore how race, gender, workplace conditions, and demographic variables intersect and shape BWEs’ experiences of burnout. The research uses a quantitative, predictive, correlational design, utilizing a convenience sample of 154 BWEs from urban public schools in the U.S. who completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory and Areas of Worklife Survey. The analysis includes descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, multiple linear regression, and Pearson’s correlations. Results show that BWEs in this sample experience higher emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment scores in comparison to national norms, but lower depersonalization scores. Workload and fairness emerge as significant predictors of burnout among participants. Within the demographic variables, ethnicity, subject taught, and region emerge as significant predictors of burnout among participants. Overall, results indicate the need for workplace intervention to address equity, workload, and systemic support for BWEs in urban schools. Results also contribute to ongoing conversations on retention and wellness among educators of color. | ||||||||||||||||||||
24 | 2025 | Marsi Franceschini | Dr. Meghan Barnes | Dr. Salas , Dr. Coffey , Dr. Heafner | Teacher Candidates Learning To Teach Diverse Students In A Test-Driven Society: A Single Case Study | While the student population continues to diversify, the teaching force remains predominantly White and female. In response to calls from leading scholars, many Teacher Education Preparation (TEP) programs have added courses and infused culturally responsive/sustaining pedagogy to ensure graduates are prepared to teach all students. However, since the Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) was introduced in 2013, it has been adopted by hundreds of TEPs throughout the country, and many states (including NC) now require passing edTPA scores for initial licensure. In response, many TEPs shifted some focus toward edTPA preparation. However, this shift toward edTPA may crowd out their focus on diverse learners. This qualitative single case study utilized thematic analysis framed through a sociocultural lens to focus on one Graduate Certificate English Language Arts (ELA) Teacher Candidate’s (TCs) preparedness to engage with diverse students and the role of edTPA in their TEP experience. This research has direct implications for teacher education policy makers, administrators, and faculty. | ||||||||||||||||||||
25 | 2025 | Jessica Robinson | Dr. Amy Good and Dr. Tina Heafner | Dr. Tiffany Hollis, Dr. Heather Coffey | A Phenomenological Study of Beginning Teacher Mental Wellness: Stress, Job Resources, and Coping Strategies | Teacher stress and teacher burnout are not novel terminology for the education field. The purpose of this study is to describe beginning teachers’ perceptions of job-related stress, school-level resources available to help mitigate this stress, and how they cope with their stress. The framework that supports this qualitative, phenomenological study is the transactional theory of stress and coping (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). Guided by the following research questions 1) In what ways do beginning teachers perceive job-related stress? 2) In what ways do beginning teachers perceive contributors to stress in the workplace? 3) In what ways do beginning teachers perceive to be preventative to help alleviate these stressors? Key findings included descriptions of teacher stress, contributors to job-related stress, and coping mechanisms. This study implores school districts and academic researchers to act to improve the experiences of beginning teachers by providing more active and accessible support, realistic workload expectations, and attainable coping mechanisms. | ||||||||||||||||||||
26 | 2025 | Andrea Wright | Dr. Bettie Butler | Dr. M. Colonnese, Dr. L. Merriweather, Dr. Greg Wiggan, Dr. Gloria Campbell-Whatley, and Dr. Michelle Stephan | Exploring the Attributes Associated With Math Anxiety Focusing On African American Third Grade Boys | Policies and procedures in modern society have unintentionally perpetuated inequities for marginalized students, particularly African Americans, exacerbating math anxiety. Despite efforts to improve mathematics education, African American students continue to experience disproportionately high rates of math anxiety, negatively impacting academic performance, mathematical identity, and future opportunities. While there is extensive research on math anxiety among African American girls, there is a notable lack of studies focusing on African American, elementary aged, boys. Through a qualitative, case study design, the research utilizes a questionnaire, classroom observations, and student interviews to gain insights into the emotional and psychological challenges African American 3rd grade boys face in mathematics. The study investigates the role of race, gender, and socio-economic status in shaping African American 3rd grade boys' experiences with math, as well as the impact of instructional practices and teacher-student relationships on mitigating or exacerbating math anxiety. Findings from this research contribute to the broader conversation about inequities in mathematics education, highlighting the need for culturally responsive teaching strategies and support systems to foster confidence and resilience in students from marginalized communities. This dissertation aims to provide actionable recommendations for educators to recognize, address, and reduce math anxiety in young learners, with a particular focus on African American boys, to promote positive mathematical identity and long-term academic success. | ||||||||||||||||||||
27 | 2024 | Alicia Hash | Dr. Chance Lewis | Dr. Greg Wiggan, Dr. Tehia Starker Glass, Dr. Jae Hoon Lim | PROMISING PRACTICES TO ENDING SEGREGATED SCHOOLS: THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL | The Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, 1954 Supreme Court decision declared segregation in public schools illegal. Nevertheless, nearly 70 years after the ruling, urban schools are currently highly segregated in the 21st century due to a plethora of variables that have transpired since the decision (Clotfelter et al., 2023). According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (2022), “During the 2020-21 school year, more than a third of students (about 18.5 million) attended schools where 75% or more students were of a single race or ethnicity” (p.1). Traditional public-school districts have utilized school choice systems and or school assignment policies to place students in schools by selecting a specialty school or being assigned to neighborhood residence zones to alleviate segregation concerns. Based on these recent efforts, the research has noted that overall, urban schools continue to be resegregated despite these efforts (Elsayed, 2022). The research in this study will add to the existing knowledge base of school integration and share the viewpoints of school principals regarding sustainable models of school integration and the role of the school principal in this work. | ||||||||||||||||||||
28 | 2025 | Tia Dolet | Dr. Bettie Butler | Dr. Lisa Merriweather, Dr. Brittany Anderson, Dr. Janaka Lewis | Reclaiming Black GirlHOOD: An Examination of Hood Feminism and its Impact on Gender-Responsive Thirdspace Programs in D.C. | Limited research has explored the impact оf non-academic extracurricular programs for Black girls. This study addresses that gap by examining how such programs can empower and affirm Black girls' identities. Existing literature often frames Black girlhood through respectability politics оr as a problem tо be solved. This research focuses оn STARS, an in-school gender-specific program іn Washington, D.C.’s majority-Black wards, designed tо foster safe, supportive environments for Black girls. Drawing оn the researcher’s experiences as both a program leader and participant, the study investigates how STARS promotes identity affirmation, leadership, and community-building іn urban schools. Using an embedded single case study design, STARS іs analyzed through Edward Soja’s Thirdspace Theory, viewing іt as a transformative space where marginalized students navigate social norms and community challenges. Additionally, Mikki Kendall’s Hood Feminism frames how STARS, as a thirdspace, intersects with race, gender, and socioeconomic status tо enhance agency, challenge systemic barriers, and reimagine belonging іn schools. Through interviews, focus groups, and document analysis, this study offers insights into the effectiveness оf STARS and its potential for creating inclusive, empowering learning environments. It aims tо enrich literature оn Black girls’ educational journeys by centering their voices and advancing equity and empowerment. | ||||||||||||||||||||
29 | 2025 | Heather Ryan | Dr. Tina Heafner | Dr. Erik Byker, Dr. Adriana Medina, Dr. Drew Polly, Dr. Carl Westine | SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING: A MIXED-METHODS STUDY ON MITIGATING TEST ANXIETY AND INCREASING AGENCY | Middle School student academic achievement has not yet reached its potential. A multitude of educational studies have examined the causes and potential solutions that could foster long-term achievement gains for students in these pivotal adolescent years. Much of the prior research has looked at the pedagogical side of teaching, the programmatic side of curriculum, and the multitude of psychological influences experienced by the learner. Although previous work has been absolutely beneficial, these investigations have often been done in isolation. This quasi-experimental mixed-method study attempted to amalgamate pedagogy, curriculum, and psychological influences by integrating social emotional instruction techniques with targeted curriculum to address emotional and behavioral factors that affect student academic performance. A sample of 108 students aged 10-11 years old were placed into four treatment (n =59) and four control groups (n =49), by purposeful sampling. Students in the treatment classrooms received one intervention lesson on motivation and one lesson on anxiety reducing skills. By using an explanatory mixed-method approach, the research used two phases to uncover and track students’ test anxiety, math avoidance, and motivation as potential influences on fifth-grade agency for learning over a nine-week period. Surveys were administered in conjunction with weekly math exams over four separate data points. After repeated ANOVA analysis had been completed on preliminary quantitative data, a structured interview protocol was developed to obtain a deeper understanding of the participant experience for students in both the treatment and control groups. Initial survey analysis found no significant changes by either group in student test anxiety, math avoidance, or motivation towards agency over the research period. Further analysis showed no significant effect of the intervention lessons on the treatment group’s test anxiety, math avoidance, or motivation towards agency. Contrarily, interview data supported previous research findings with the majority of students stating that they had experienced test anxiety, and math avoidance, and had a desire to be more intrinsically motivated. Additionally, respondents from the treatment group perceived the motivational lesson helpful in making intrinsically motivated agentic choices with future study behaviors and the enrollment in advanced math courses. Similarly, 100% of treatment participants believed that the instruction on anxiety skills was useful and would be utilized when necessary. Moreover, interview findings discovered that over half of students in the intervention group had successfully implemented anxiety reducing skills both inside and outside of the school environment post-treatment. Overall findings justify further integration and investigation of social emotional instruction in the general education classroom as a potential solution to increased student achievement. | ||||||||||||||||||||
30 | 2025 | Patti Brooks | Dr. Tina Heafner | Dr. Tracy Rock, Dr. Jae Hoon Lim, Dr. Heather Coffey | UNDERSTANDING HOW RACIAL IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT LEADS WHITE TEACHERS TOWARDS ANTIRACIST PEDAGOGIES: A CASE STUDY FROM A RURAL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY | The U.S. education system lacks a comprehensive effort to help white educators examine their racial identities, hindering their ability to address systemic racism in schools. Without significant curriculum and instructional reforms, systemic biases persist, harming students of color (Lewis et al., 2012). This study examines how white, rural teachers navigate their racial identities while engaging with literature that challenges their perspectives on systemic racism and antiracist teaching, all within an ongoing professional learning community (PLC). The research questions are: 1. How do white teachers’ racial identities develop when engaging in an antiracism-focused professional learning community? and 2. After participating in a year-long antiracist PLC, how do white teachers integrate antiracist curriculum and instruction? The first question is framed by white racial identity development, drawing on the white racial identity framework, second-wave white teacher identity studies, and critical whiteness studies. The second question is grounded in antiracist pedagogies, incorporating critical race theory, antiracist teaching, culturally responsive teaching, multicultural education, critical literacy, and critical service-learning. This case study examines the racial identity development of seven teacher participants over the course of a year as they engage with an antiracist curriculum within a PLC. It subsequently investigates the curricular and instructional changes implemented in their classrooms as a result of their developing antiracist teaching knowledge. The results indicated the antiracist curriculum facilitated transformative growth in participants’ racial identities as participants critically examined their own biases, assumptions, and roles within systems of privilege and oppression. Furthermore, there were clear connections between participants’ engagement with the PLC and their ability to integrate antiracist practices into their teaching, reflecting their evolving understanding of racial identity and social justice. Discussions, implications, and future research is also presented. Keywords: white racial identity development, antiracist pedagogies, critical race theory, antiracist teaching, culturally responsive teaching, multicultural education, critical literacy, critical service-learning. | 1. How do white teachers’ racial identities develop when engaging in an antiracism-focused professional learning community? and 2. After participating in a year-long antiracist PLC, how do white teachers integrate antiracist curriculum and instruction? The first question is framed by white racial identity development, drawing on the white racial identity framework, second-wave white teacher identity studies, and critical whiteness studies. | |||||||||||||||||||
31 | 2025 | Karen Mclean | Dr. Chance Lewis | Dr. Lim, Dr. B. Anderson, Dr. O'Brien | Exploring the Post-secondary educational experiences of Black women with learning disabilities: A multiple case study | The road to obtaining an education has not been easy for Black women. Without any mental impairments, Black women have to prove themselves within educational spaces to display themselves as worthy of obtaining higher education. Even with the many obstacles that Black women have encountered in their pursuit of an education, various narratives serve as evidence that even amongst adversity, Black women still rise. Throughout history, numerous accounts of Black women have made tremendous gains in education. Scholars such as Mary McLeod Bethune, Charlotte Hawkins Brown, Lucy Laney, Fanny Jackson, and Nannie Helen Burroughs have demonstrated the strides that Black women have made within education (Collier-Thomas, 1982). Not new to the literature are the educational experiences of Black women. Unfortunately, what is lacking in the literature are the educational experiences of Black women with learning disabilities enrolled in postsecondary institutions. Using a critical lens, the goal of this study was to explore the post-secondary educational experiences of three Black women diagnosed with learning disabilities and how these experiences impacted their lives past, present, and future. Keywords: Black women, learning disabilities, post-secondary, resilience, transition | ||||||||||||||||||||
32 | 2024 | Catherine Holl-Cross | Dr. Michelle Stephan | Drs. Allison McCulloch, Kyle Cox, Stella Kim | Title: The Failed State of College Algebra: Motivation to Fix It | In this quasi-experimental, mixed methods study, a curricular intervention was tested to determine whether adding labs and discussions focused on both psychosocial and math content skills to an online college algebra course could boost student achievement and retention. College algebra has notably low success rates in the United States. The labs and discussions were designed based on Keller's ARCS Model of Motivation, and the psychosocial factors examined were motivation, self-efficacy, self-regulation, attribution, and anxiety, all significant in prior community college research. The study compared 29 students from an 8-week course with full treatment and 49 students from 16-week courses with partial treatment to results from students in previous years' business-as-usual courses at a community college. Results showed that the treatment improved achievement and retention when compared to prior sections taught by the researcher and those taught by other instructors. Students' attribution of their success or failure, as well as the other four PSFs, were also analyzed. While quantitative measures showed no significant change in psychosocial factors, student reflections suggested some improvement. Interestingly, adult learners were particularly affected by the interventions. A regression model based solely on psychosocial factors predicted student achievement without consideration of demographics or background. Future research aims to expand the sample size, involve more instructors, and refine the research tools to confirm these findings. | ||||||||||||||||||||
33 | 2024 | Brittany Simone Hart | Erin Washburn | Meghan Barnes, Tracy Rock, Maryann Mraz, Heather Coffey | “We Just Can't Wait”: Rural Teacher Agency in Reading Professional Development | Literacy is a civil right that every child should have access to. Despite decades of research on how children best learn to read, literacy rates continue to be diminished in the United States, leading children to lives of poverty, unemployment and even crime. Via policy and research, the focus in literacy has shifted to teacher learning as a means to improve student achievement in reading. However, teachers’ voices are largely omitted from discussions regarding how this learning should take place and how they are empowered to apply new knowledge in their classrooms. Through an examination of teachers’ experiences with state mandated reading professional development, it is possible to glean understandings of what professional development practices are most helpful to teachers, particularly in rural areas. The proposed study seeks to answer two essential questions: 1) What factors contribute to rural elementary teachers’ experiences with LETRS professional development? and 2) In what ways do these factors act as facilitators and barriers to teachers' professional development? This study will follow a case study design, collecting data through focus groups. The findings of this study will highlight the experiences of teachers in rural areas, who are often omitted from educational research. More specifically, it will provide valuable guidance around the considerations of context when designing and delivering professional development. | ||||||||||||||||||||
34 | 2024 | Jalil Hart | Dr. Bettie Ray Butler | Dr. Chance Lewis, Dr. Daniel Alston, Dr. Susan Harden | "But I Didn't Learn That": Understanding Beginning Teachers' Readiness for Family Engagement in Urban Elementary Schools | Family engagement is a crucial component of student success, impacting academic performance, attendance rates, and behavior. However, many families, particularly those from historically marginalized communities, remain disengaged from their child's school due to barriers such as a lack of trust, negative experiences, and language or cultural obstacles. A foundational reason for this disengagement is the unpreparedness of teachers to intentionally engage families. Teacher education programs often do not have an explicit focus on family engagement, resulting in teachers who may feel unprepared and who do not understand the cultural context of their students' families; thus, hindering effective communication. This dissertation explored the preparedness of beginning teachers to engage families in elementary schools, and how they perceive this preparedness, particularly in urban settings. By examining how beginning teachers perceive their readiness, it provided insights into the strengths and weaknesses of teacher education programs in this regard. The research sought to answer two central questions: 1) How are beginning teachers prepared to engage parents and families in elementary schools, and 2) How do they perceive their teacher education program's preparedness for this task? The study employed a mixed methods approach, involving curriculum analysis, online surveys , and semi-structured interviews. The findings of this study informed recommendations for teacher education programs, looking to equip future teachers with the skills and knowledge needed for effective family engagement. | ||||||||||||||||||||
35 | 2024 | Olanrewaju Titilope Oriowo | Dr. Allison McCulloch | Dr. Brittany Anderson, Dr. Anthony Fernandes, Dr. Michelle Stephan | THE BLACK WOMAN'S TOOLKIT: STORIES OF PERSISTENCE IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS COURSES | Black women are underrepresented in secondary math education, but their presence is critical for young black girls who dream of STEM careers. Some researchers believe that the number of Black women pursuing secondary math licensure can be increased through improved recruitment strategies, while others focus on causes of leakage in the education pipeline. This study sought to discover types of capital that Black women, who are preservice Mathematics teachers (PSMTs), relied on to persist towards the completion of their teacher preparation programs. Framed using Critical Race Feminism and Black Feminism, this study employed Counternarrative Inquiry to discover the capital that the five PSMTs credited for their ability to stay the course. The findings indicate that, while PSMTs might use the same capital, they use it in a variety of ways and for different purposes. A key implication of the findings from this study is that, if undergraduate math educators can mitigate or eliminate the conditions within the math classroom that triggers the use of many of the capitals in this study, Black women who are PSMTs may be able to divert their energies to developing robust mathematical identities. | ||||||||||||||||||||
36 | 2024 | Christopher Reed | Dr. Bettie Butler | Dr. Heather Coffey, Dr. Sandra Dika, Dr. Chance Lewis, Dr. Rune Simeonsson | EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN RACE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AND HOUSING INSTABILITY FOR ADOLESCENTS IN TWO CALIFORNIA SCHOOL DISTRICTS | Increasing tensions in American society surrounding social equity issues and minority statuses like race and sexual orientation have prompted competing social narratives. Historically marginalized groups face disparate socioeconomic, housing, and educational opportunities. The existing body of research and governmental data contend that there are strong relationships between minority status(es) and housing instability. However, most of the presently available research does not examine these relationships within the school district’s economic context and local homelessness response efforts. This dissertation investigated the association of housing instability with minority status(es), school district, and homelessness response efforts. A descriptive quantitative case study was conducted of Black and White adolescents, between the ages of twelve and eighteen, identifying as heteronormative or LGBTQ+. Data used came from the Oakland Unified School District and the Los Angeles Unified School District. This study employed Critical Race Structuralism and Quantitative Critical Theory to guide the study’s analysis. Cross-sectional data from the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) survey was used for secondary data analysis. The present study analyzed intersections between race, sexual orientation, school district, and housing instability.Opportunities for further data collection and exploration were identified and implications for policy and programming were discussed | ||||||||||||||||||||
37 | 2024 | Reuben Moore | Dr. Bettie Butler | Dr. Lisa Merriweather, Dr. Erin Miller, Dr. Bruce Taylor | WHAT GREY CAN TEACH: EXPLORING MY BLACK AND WHITE IDENTITY DURING MY EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH BLACK STUDENTS | The growing research in the educational field continues to reinforce the conundrum of racial identity, especially between White teachers and students of color. What manner of predisposition is therefore to be expected when a teacher transitions to the role of a school volunteer tasked with engaging Black students outside of the classroom using restorative practices? This autoethnographic study serves to explore that phenomenon.This autoethnographic study uses Racial Identity Development theory to explore how my racial identity influences interactions when transitioning to a school volunteer role with Black students engaged in restorative practices. By examining both successes and challenges encountered during a semester in an urban alternative public school, and applying thematic analysis within a descriptive autoethnographic framework (Ellis, 2010), the study aims to provide insights into the impact of White educators on racial dynamics. This research contributes to understanding how diverse backgrounds and identities affect educational support and outcomes, striving to enhance educational practices while embracing diversity and equality (Darling-Hammond, 2010; Hines III, 2017; Glimps & Ford, 2010; Chandler-Ward & Denevi, 2022). | 1. As a non-teaching professional in an alternative school setting, how does my Whiteness affect my perception of my relationships with Black male students? | |||||||||||||||||||
38 | 2024 | Natasha D. Lipscomb | Dr. Chance Lewis | Dr. Chance Lewis, Dr. Jae Hoon Lim, Dr. Heather Coffey, Dr. Mark D'Amico | LEADING WITH CULTURAL RELEVANCE: A QUALITATIVE CROSS-CASE STUDY OF THREE COMMUNITY COLLEGES THAT NARROWED THE EQUITY GAP BETWEEN WHITE AND BLACK STUDENTS IN FIRST-TO-SECOND-YEAR RETENTION OUTCOMES | Racially minoritized students (RMS) face substantial disparities in college persistence and completion rates (Museus & Saelua, 2017). In particular, Black student enrollment at public two-year or community colleges has declined significantly, dipping below 13% in 2020, while for-profit institutions have maintained enrollment of Black students at roughly 28% over a 10-year period (AACC, 2023). Because community colleges have a reputation for being low-cost, high-quality institutions with more than 60 % of its graduates free of student loan debt (AACC, 2019), proper attention must be given and action taken to identify and address the needs of RMS in the community college settings to increase persistence and graduation rates. Sociological research on community colleges highlights the stratified tension between the increased provision of access as open-door institutions against low rates of successful completion (Schudde & Goldrick-Rab, 2014). While culturally relevant education practices have been most successfully implemented in the K-12 space (Ladson-Billings, 1995), an amplified call goes out to responsible community college leaders for the creation of culturally relevant campus environments. Using the culturally relevant leadership practices framework (Jones et al., 2016), this cross-case study explores the roles and practices of presidents and executive leaders within the context of their community colleges to determine how they create spaces for Black student achievement. | RQ1- How do community college executive leaders use their influence to identify and address barriers for Black students? RQ2- How does the institutional context and culture shape each community college’s strategies and outcomes? RQ3- What are the key commonalities and differences across the institutions? | |||||||||||||||||||
39 | 2024 | Elijah E. Dunbar | Dr. Greg Wiggan | Dr. Charles Hutchison, Dr. Stella Kim, and Dr. Gloria Campbell-Whatley | CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE PEDAGOGY AND ITS IMPACT ON THE ACADEMIC OUTCOMES OF MARGINALIZED STUDENTS (K-12) IN THE PEDAGOGICAL SPACES OF URBAN SCHOOLS: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL CASE STUDY | Culturally Responsive Teaching is a holistic pedagogical approach that appeals to the “whole child,” “whole school,” and “whole community” (Gay, 2001; Teschers, 2020); it is a multicultural practice that improves teaching and learning, promotes quality education, taps into the potential and uniqueness of students, and impacts learners intellectually, emotionally, kinesthetically, and physically (Gay, 2010; Widodo, 2019). This qualitative phenomenological case study examines the concepts and pedagogical practices of culturally responsive teaching through the shared experiences of educators and implementers of culturally responsive pedagogy to find out how effective those concepts and practices are in improving the academic outcomes of marginalized students (K-12) in urban classrooms. A purposive case sampling method (PCSM) and semi-structured interview were instrumental elements of the data collection process. A grounded theory method was used to both collect and analyze the data. Themes that emerged from the data of the interviews conducted with the participants were amalgamated to form four main themes for the study. Though this study may be limited by generalizability, it however provides answers to some lingering limitation questions of existing studies on culturally responsive practices. This study draws on and adds to the works of Geneva Gay on Culturally Responsive Pedagogy. Keywords: holistic education, education equity, educational inequity, multicultural education, opportunity gap, culturally responsive pedagogy | RQ1: How do urban school teachers (k-12) define and identify with culturally responsive pedagogical practices? RQ2: How do the culturally responsive practices of urban school teachers (k-12) impact the achievement and outcomes of their students? | |||||||||||||||||||
40 | 2024 | Yvonna J. Hines-McCoy | Dr. Tina Heafner | Dr. Meghan Barnes, Dr. Bettie Ray Butler, Dr. Tracy Rock | Teaching During Divisive Times: An Exploratory Study of Black Female Teachers in Social Studies | Social studies education has garnered significant national attention as state governments throughout the country have waged an intentional, political attack against the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and “divisive concepts” in K-12 public schools. Even though CRT is often conflated with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and not actually taught at the elementary or secondary level, since January 2021, over one hundred anti-CRT (or divisive concepts) bills have been introduced in more than thirty different state legislatures throughout the country that would prohibit educators from teaching about concepts rooted in race. For Black women teachers, these legislative restrictions create a teaching context that pressures them to divert from the historical work of their predecessors and go against the grain of Black female identity. As such, this phenomenological study explored how Black female social studies teachers teach about race, racism, and oppression given today’s hostile sociopolitical climate. | RQ1: How do Black female social studies teachers initiate discussions about race and racism with their students,given today’s political and social context? RQ2:How do Black female social studies teachers address (e.g.instructional practice, curriculum, and responses to student questions/comments) race, racism, and oppression in their classroom given today's political and social context? RQ3:How do Black female social studies teachers describe their teaching experiences in the context of today's hostile political and social climate? | |||||||||||||||||||
41 | 2024 | Wally K. Burgess | Dr. Greg Wiggan | Dr. Charles B. Hutchison, Dr. Marcia Watson-Vandiver, Dr. Gloria Whatley-Campbell | The Rearview Mirror: Navigating the STEM (STEAM) Identity of Middle Grades Black Girls Through Online Extracurricular Counterspaces | U.S. school achievement has been the subject of much discussion. In the case of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM), the national underperformance across the country, as well as the underrepresentation of minorities are key issues (Anderson et al., 2023; Handelsman & Smith, 2016; National Research Council, 2015; The White House, 2017). Particularly, there is a small, but growing body of research on the low numbers of Black women in STEAM, and the Black girls' STEAM pipeline. Extracurricular STEAM programs have shown some success in increasing minority STEAM participation. As such, this dissertation seeks to investigate the following research questions: RQ1: How do online extracurricular STEAM programs created for Black girls serve as a potential counterspace to increase STEAM identity? RQ2: Are there identifiable features that exist in online extracurricular STEAM programs that are important for creating a counterspace for adolescent Black girls? Through a qualitative case study, this dissertation explored Black girls’ participation in online STEAM programs. The findings of the study reveal that the extracurricular STEAM programs helped to foster STEAM identities in young Black girls. The programs also helped students build a sense of community and created a safe space for Black girls. The study provides implications and recommendations for educators and policymakers who are interested in increasing minority STEAM participation. | RQ1:How do online extracurricular STE(A)M programs created for Black girls serve as a potential space that increases STEM identity? RQ2:Are there identifiable features that exist in online extracurricular STE(A)M programs that are essential in creating a counterspace for adolescent Black girls? | |||||||||||||||||||
42 | 2024 | Jordan Z. Boyd | Dr. Greg Wiggan | Dr. Lyndon Abrams, Dr. Marcia Watson-Vandiver, Dr. Gloria Campbell-Whatley | BELONGING IN HONORS: AN IN-DEPTH EXPLORATION OF MINORITY EXPERIENCES IN A HIGH-ACHIEVING UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM | This dissertation explores notions of belonging among minority Honors students through student self-identifying questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. One objective of this study is to explore how the Honors educational environment impacts minority student populations and their overall sense of belonging. Another objective of this study is to examine the influence of race, class, gender, culture, and educational experiences prior to entering the Honors College. In the context of this study, a minority classification refers to the student’s self-identification as one or more of the following groups: LatinX, Indigenous American, Black/African American, Pacific Islander, and/or Middle Eastern. The findings indicate that having a fostered identity before entering the Honors College, minority representation, community, and social/emotional safety are aspects of the Honors educational experience that contribute to the participants’ notions of belonging. The study presents implications for diversity, equity, and inclusion in Honors programs, as well as institutional and systemic changes to help promote minority student success. | 1. What factors influence minority students’ decision to join the Honors Program? 2. What aspects of being a minority contribute to minority students' notions of belonging in the Honors Program? 3.What elements of the Honors Program, in particular, contribute to minority students’ sense of belonging in Honors? | |||||||||||||||||||
43 | 2024 | Jennifer N. Johnson | Dr. Chance Lewis | Dr. Sejal Foxx, Dr. Bettie Ray Butler, Dr. Jae Hoon Lim | NEED HELP FINDING YOUR PLACE IN AP CALCULUS? SEEK G.U.I.D.A.N.C.E | This qualitative study explores the lack of African American students enrolled in AP Calculus courses in North Carolina public high schools. It considered the perception of student-counselor relationships, academic advising practices, and sense of identity of high school counselor participants. In-depth interviews were conducted with three, African American, female high school counselors with five to twenty-four years of experience in high school counseling. The data yielded five domains: characteristics of a school counselor, expected duties of a school counselor, criteria to become an AP Calculus student, student-counselor relationships, and academic advising practices and the outcomes. From the domains, twenty-seven themes were generated: empathetic, open-minded, organized, flexible, creative, knowledgeable, serving the holistic needs of students, classroom guidance activities, non-counselor duties, resource, enrollments, interventions, advocacy, completion of prerequisite courses, exceptions to the rule, teacher recommendation, AP agreement, importance, trust, connections, race, alternatives, methods, encouragement, benefits, awareness, and partnership. Recommendations include universal access to Math I for African American students in 8th grade, update all stakeholders of the role and purpose of school counselors, professional development for school counselors, and an integrated curriculum for school counselors and administrators. | A. How do high school counselors perceive their relationship with Black students as an influence of the course-taking patterns of Black students? B. How do high school counselors perceive their relationship with Black students’ parents/guardians as an influence of the course-taking patterns of Black students? C. Do high school counselors’ referral processes with Black students influence their decision to enroll in advanced placement mathematics courses at their school? D. How does school counselors’ perceptions, regarding Black students, influence their referral process when counseling Black students? | |||||||||||||||||||
44 | 2023 | William Kessler | Dr. Tina Heafner | Dr. Lisa Merriweather, Dr. Drew Polly, and Dr. Tracy Rock | A Qualitative Multiple Case Study Exploring High-Performing Teacher Agency and Reform of “Low-Performing” Schools in North Carolina | Since the early 1980s, American educational reformers have tried to improve schools through standards, high-stakes tests, and punishments for those schools that failed to meet the mark. In North Carolina, many schools with diverse populations and low socioeconomic status have struggled to succeed, receiving the state performance grade of D or F and the consequent “low-performing” label. Meanwhile, some teachers in these schools have achieved at high levels and attempted to improve not only their classrooms, but their schools and districts. Few researchers have sought the opinions and expertise of high-performing teachers in order to better understand their experiences, their role as change agents, and their recommendations for other so-called “low-performing” schools. This qualitative multiple case study used in-depth interviews with these high-performing teachers in “low-performing” elementary schools in North Carolina. Specifically, this research gathered information about their backgrounds, their actions for school transformation, and their lessons learned about education and equity. Findings from the study indicated that high-performing elementary teachers tried to reform their “low-performing” schools through teacher agency but were blocked by multiple factors. School administrators and district officials reduced teacher agency and opportunities for school improvement. North Carolina’s “low-performing” schools policy harmed children, reinforced school failure, and produced discriminatory and inequitable results. Teacher agency theory provided a promising approach for the state to change course and improve failing schools. | 1. How did the experience of becoming a high-performing teacher in a “low-performing” elementary school inform the teacher’s agency for change and leadership outside their classroom? 2. What factors did high-performing teachers identify that promoted or hindered exercising agency to influence change in “low-performing” schools? 3. Based on their experience and the theory of teacher agency, how did high-performing teachers in “low-performing” schools describe their strategies for school improvement, transformation, and equity? 4. How did the model of teacher agency frame high-performing teachers’ experiences and opinions? | |||||||||||||||||||
45 | 2023 | Stacy B. Moore | Dr. Hilary Dack | Dr. Mark D'Amico, Dr. Chance Lewis, and Dr. Bruce Taylor | Exploring faculty perceptions of active and collaborative learning in one community college’s behavioral and social science department | Behavioral and Social Science (BSS) classes in higher education provide students with understandings of human behaviors, motivations, and actions that are crucial to confronting both social and personal problems. Moreover, most community college degrees require that students take at least one BSS class—anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, and/or sociology. While BSS classes are important—both from a philosophical as well as a degree-requirement standpoint—without effective student engagement, that importance may be lost. Oftentimes, BSS classes are still taught largely through didactic instruction. Yet, active and collaborative learning has proven to be a more effective instructional approach. Moreover, the need for active and collaborative learning may be even more crucial in community college BSS classes due to the unique demographics of these institutions. Building on findings that active and collaborative learning in BSS classes is more effective than didactic instruction, the purpose of this study is to better understand BSS instructors’ knowledge of active and collaborative learning and to identify the factors that foster this instructional approach and those that present hurdles. By determining these factors, recommendations can be made for replicating effective active and collaborative learning in BSS classrooms and/or working to minimize the roadblocks to this instructional approach. | 1. How do BSS instructors understand active and collaborative learning? 2. What are BSS instructors’ perceptions of their use of active and collaborative learning in the classroom, if any? 3. What do BSS instructors view as the barriers to and facilitators of active and collaborative learning in their classrooms? | |||||||||||||||||||
46 | 2023 | Torie Wheatley | Dr. Chance Lewis | Dr. Lisa Merriweather, Dr. Bettie Rae Butler, Dr. Susan Harden | #RATCHETQUEERTEACHER: SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING AND LIBERATION THROUGH MINDFULNESS AND HIP HOP THERAPY | There is a growing mental health concern among Black Ratchet queer womxn in educational and criminal justice realms and the Covid-19 pandemic has left the educational climate in a state of high stress and anxiety. Consequently, Black Womxn in education are quitting from burnout. According to research, teacher burnout has been a concern for more than 30 years, but currently there is a crisis. According to research “This is a five-alarm crisis. We are facing an exodus as more than half of our nation’s teachers and other school staff are now indicating they will be leaving education sooner than planned.: (Jotkoff, 2022). Covid-19 has caused an increase in depression, anxiety, suicide ideation, and other health concerns in this population. External hindrances including racism, sexism, homophobia, and other ideologies rooted in America; negatively influence their mental well-being. Black queer womxn and girls are restricted from obtaining proper access to mental health services that take into consideration how identities are critical factors in mental well-being. This analysis will provide a rationale for utilizing culturally relevant mindfulness practices for Black queer womxn in educational sectors. | 1. How do my intersectionalities of being ratchet Black, Queer, and Womxn impact my social and emotional well-being as an educator? 2. In what ways do culturally relevant practices and elements of Hip Hop therapy support the social and emotional well-being of my intersectionalities in combating respectability politics as an educator? 3. How have culturally relevant mindfulness practices and Hip Hop therapy led to liberatory educational space? | |||||||||||||||||||
47 | 2023 | Michelle Pazzula Jimenez | Dr. Joan Lachance | Dr. Heather Coffey, Dr. Adriana Medina, Dr. Walter Hart | English Language Development Teachers’ Experiences with Multilingual Student Advocacy During Mandated School Closures | The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way education transpired for teachers and learners worldwide. Widespread virtual learning brought deeper academic and social inequities among K-12 diverse learners to light. Multilingual learners and their teachers were no exception. Research has yet to deeply explore the topic of ELD teachers’ experiences with advocating for their multilingual students during this unique time in educational history, as well as the lessons they learned during the pandemic that inform their advocacy work today. This phenomenological study used in-depth, semi-structured interviews to investigate these experiences. Potential implications for this study include teacher preparation, professional development, as well as policy-making decisions surrounding advocacy needs for multilingual learners. | 1. What were ELD teachers’ experiences with ML student advocacy during times of virtual teaching and learning? 1a. What factors impacted advocacy efforts? 2. What lessons learned about advocacy during the pandemic persist in informing their advocacy and collaborative practices today? | |||||||||||||||||||
48 | 2023 | Lily A. Gates | Dr. Chance W. Lewis | Dr. Meghan Barnes, Dr. Spencer Salas, Dr. Heather Coffey, and Dr. Anne Cash | A Qualitative Multiple Case Study Exploring How the Experiences of High School Male Students Enrolled in an Alternative Education Program Mediate their Reading and Writing Inside the English Classroom | Historically, male students have been known to score lower than their female counterparts in reading and writing on standardized measures of academic success. While scholars, teachers, and even policy makers have attempted to explain and mitigate this gender gap in reading and writing scores, the male students themselves have had little opportunity to offer their insight into the research. Moreover, there is limited research about the causes of the perceived gap in reading and writing scores, or the potential ways in which the high school English classroom could be reimagined in order to provide a solution. This qualitative multiple case study explores how the experiences outside of the classroom in the lives of high school male students enrolled in an alternative education program mediate their reading and writing in the high school English classroom. Furthermore, this study explores how high school male students enrolled in an alternative education program perceive pedagogical elements in the high school English classroom. In particular, this study focused on the experiences outside of school of three high school male students enrolled in an alternative education program. These stories were told through individual, narrative portraits composed by the researcher which were composed based on the analysis of data from two focus group sessions and two semi-structured one-on-one interviews. Findings from the study indicate that there is a need to expand the understanding of literacy skills, as well as how they are recognized, practiced, and assessed, in the high school English classroom. | 1. How do the lives outside of school of high school male students enrolled in an alternative education program mediate their reading and writing practices in the high school English classroom? 2. How do the high school male students enrolled in an alternative education program perceive curricular choices and instructional practices in the high school English classroom? | |||||||||||||||||||
49 | 2023 | Jeffrey Foster | Dr. Greg Wiggan | Dr. Lyndon Abrams, Dr. Dale-Marie Wilson, and Dr. Gloria Campbell-Whatley. | An Autoethography: Culturally Responsive School Leadership through the Cencientized Critical Lens of an African American Male School Adminstrator | Although significant research has been conducted on opportunity gaps between White and racially minoritized students, the percentage of minority students has reached 53% of the United States K-12 public schools (NCES, 2022). While the percentage of minority students now constitute the majority of public schools, the teacher workforce and school leadership remains majority White. As such, there is a need for additional investigations examining the role of culturally responsive classroom and school leadership practices in public schools. In particular, in the research, less is known about African American males and their culturally responsive school leadership practices. Thus, this study uses autoethnography to explore the experiences of a Black male school leader and the role of culturally responsive school leadership (CRSL) and conscientization in promoting effective school practices. As a member of a minority group, the school leader had relevant life and educational experiences of struggles and triumphs that impacted his leadership practices. These practices included but are not limited to fostering empathy, care, relevance, and rigor, which impacted the overall school climate and achievement. With the use of these practices that are grounded in CRSL, this urban school outperformed schools in the neighboring district. In sum, the findings suggest that there remains a need for more investigations on the role of CRSL in promoting urban school success. | RQ1. Per autoethnography, how does my background and experiences as an African American male student, teacher, and principal influence my conscientization as a culturally responsive school leader? RQ2. What role does empathy and experience play in my culturally responsive school leadership? | |||||||||||||||||||
50 | 2023 | Micah Griffith | Dr. Erin Miller | Dr. Brittany Anderson, Dr. Greg Wiggan, and Dr. Stephen Hancock | The Intersections of White Identity and the Instructional Practices of Self-Identified Antiracist Educators | While there was much research on whiteness, especially the role of whiteness in the classroom and the associated impact of racial mismatch and implicit bias, and also some research surrounding white racial identity development devoid of intersectionality, there was previously no existing research examining the multiplicities of white racial identity in self-identified antiracist educators. This study served to fill the gap within the research and began to analyze how sociopolitical systems potentially serve to replicate and reinforce whiteness and racial bias through intersections of racial identity, and also potentially identify how those intersections can be disrupted in such a way as to foster critical consciousness and antiracist activism within classrooms nationally. This study answers the questions: “How do intersections of identity shape the way teachers view themselves in the classroom?” and “How do the varied intersections of white identity inform teacher experiences, philosophical and pedagogical paradigms, and instructional practice amongst self-identified antiracist educators?” Using interpretive phenomenology and employing the theoretical frameworks of critical whiteness (Roediger, 1994), critical whiteness feminism, and double-imagery (Seidl & Hancock, 2011), the following themes were identified as relevant to forming white teachers’ critical consciousness (Freire, 2018), thus supporting an antiracist paradigm: gender, religion, proximity to people of color, and education. | 1. How do intersections of identity shape the way teachers view themselves in the classroom? 2. How do the varied intersections of white identity inform teacher experiences, philosophical and pedagogical paradigms, and instructional practice amongst self-identified antiracist educators? | |||||||||||||||||||
51 | 2023 | Antoinette Rochester | Dr. Tina L. Heafner | Dr. Roslyn Mickelson, Dr. Tracy Rock, Dr. Bettie Ray Butler, and Dr. Kyle Cox. | The Politicalization of the 1619 Project: The Necessity for Transformative Curricula within Social Studies | In August 2019, The New York Times published what was said to be a “controversial” journalistic take on African American and American history. Written by Nikole Hannah-Jones, an awardee of the Pulitzer Prize and a MacArthur Genius Award, and her fellow journalists at The New York Times, The 1619 Project was intentionally published on the 400th anniversary of the arrival in Virginia of the first ships arriving in Virginia with enslaved Africans aboard (The New York Times, 2019). Although it has become one center of the United States political debate and rhetoric, the intent of The 1619 Project was not to further politicize the United States educational system. Rather, the intention was to present a compelling counter narrative to American history, but more importantly, African American history (The New York Times, 2019). However, because education within the United States is a politicized system, the work of Nikole Hannah-Jones and her colleagues has magnified the growing disconnect between a history of honest racial representation and its alignment with formal curriculum, standards, and education policy. The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate how the formal social studies curriculum can become politicized by political actors and media. The New York Times’s The 1619 Project serves as a contemporary illustration of these dynamics. Through a multi-method approach using archival data and the Transcript: Ezra Klein Interviews Ta-Nehisi Coates and Nikole Hannah-Jones, the intent and media influence of The 1619 Project was examined situating the study within the theoretical frame of critical policy analysis using grounded theory methods to be analyzed through BlackCrit (Birk & Mills, 2015; Charmaz, 1996; Diem et al., 2014; Dumas & ross, 2016; King, 2018; Young & Diem, 2018). | 1. What is The 1619 Project? a. What is the intent of The 1619 Project? b. Based on its intent, why has The1619 Project become politicalized? 2. What is the rhetorical, political debate associated with (around)The1619 Project? a. How do the media portrayal of The 1619 Project accurately or inaccurately represent the intent of The 1619 Project’s authors? b. How do the media portrayal of The 1619 Project accurately or inaccurately represent the intent of The 1619 Project for other stakeholders, such as opponents/critics of The 1619 Project? | |||||||||||||||||||
52 | 2023 | Jacqueline Barone | Dr. Chance W. Lewis | Dr. Bettie Butler, Dr. Tehia Glass, and Dr. Jae Hoon Lim. | Reducing The Underrepresentation of Black Male Middle School Students in Higher Level Mathematics Courses: Principals’ Perspectives | Students in urban schools face a number of challenges including lower enrollment numbers in higher level mathematics courses. This particular challenge has the drastic consequence of increasing the achievement gap and reducing the opportunities available for Black students. Traditionally schools have utilized standardized tests and teacher input to determine placement into these higher level mathematics courses. This research study was a qualitative study designed to focus on the perceptions of middle school principals who have had success in reducing the underrepresentation of Black male students in higher level mathematics courses. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with successful middle school principals in North Carolina. This research serves to provide insight into what practices middle school principals identify for schools to implement in order to lessen the underrepresentation of Black male students in higher level mathematics courses. | 1. What factors do middle school principals identify as having had a positive impact on increasing the participation and success of Black males in higher-level mathematics coursework? 2. What do middle school principals perceive as their own impact on the recruitment and participation of Black males in higher-level mathematics courses? | |||||||||||||||||||
53 | 2023 | Nina G. Bailey | Dr. Allison W. McCulloch | Dr. Michelle Stephan, Dr. Luke Reinke, Dr. Victor Cifarelli, and Dr. Jennifer Lovett. | Describing Critical Statistical Literacy Habits of Mind | How statistics are wielded and presented in the real world cannot be separated from the fact that social issues operate within systems of marginalization, privilege, and power. Thus, statistical literacy necessitates the application of a true critical lens. Continued calls for critical statistical literacy from a consumer orientation within K-16 education, points to the need for research on how critical statistical literacy is enacted, particularly among the population of preservice mathematics teachers responsible for answering such calls. This study employed case study methodologies to gain deeper insight into how secondary preservice mathematics teachers enact Critical Statistical Literacy Habits of Mind (CSLHM) when making sense of data representations from the media. Critical Statistical Literacy Habits of Mind (CSLHM) are the thinking behaviors called upon to make sense of statistical messages with a specific focus on how the statistics and/or statistical message are used to uphold or dismantle structures of inequity. Findings reveal that preservice teachers emergently enact CSLHM. Some preservice teachers enact particular CSLHM robustly, although not habitually. Broader implications include the need to support preservice teachers’ development of CSLHM so that they can support their students to do the same. | 1. What are the habits of mind that individuals use to enact CSL when presented with statistical messages from the media? 2. How do PSTs enact CSLHM when presented with statistical messages from the media? | |||||||||||||||||||
54 | 2023 | Marquis Mason | Dr. Chance W. Lewis | Dr. Jae Lim, Dr. Spencer Salas, and Dr. Tehia Glass. | Honoring Through Countering: A Qualitative Study Exploring How Black Male Teachers' Racialized and Gendered Experiences Impact Their Teaching Practices. | The teaching practices of African American teachers are rooted in their personal and racialized experiences and have implications for teacher preparation programs and teacher scholarship. While research is abundant on how the teaching practices of Black male teachers positively impact student outcomes, the formation of their teaching practices is not as explicit in the existing literature. Employing critical race theory theoretical framework, this study explored how Black male teachers in the South's racialized and gendered experiences impact their teaching practices. The following research questions guided this qualitative study: 1) What are the racialized and gendered experiences of Black male teachers in the South; 2) What are the teaching practices of Black male teachers in the South?; and 3) How do the racialized and gendered experiences of Black male teachers in the South impact their teaching practices? A thematic analysis of participant interviews and archival documents revealed themes that add to the existing literature on how Black male teachers racialized and gendered experiences impact their teaching practices. Recommendations are provided for school and district leaders, professional development staff, teacher preparation programs, and other educational stakeholders. | 1. What are the racialized and gendered experiences of Black male teachers in the South? 2. What are the teaching practices of Black male teachers in the South? 3. How do the racialized and gendered experiences of Black male teachers in the South influence their teaching practices? | |||||||||||||||||||
55 | 2023 | Julie Bacak | Dr. Madelyn Colonnese | Dr. Drew Polly, Dr. Tracy Rock, and Dr. Michelle Stephan. | Using Tools to Support Productive Mathematical Discussions: A Multiple Case Study | Facilitating productive mathematical discussions is considered a core practice of mathematics education. The complexity of this teaching practice presents the need for pedagogical tools to provide structure for preservice teachers (PST) developing their practice, yet little is known about how PSTs use these tools. This multiple case study sought to understand what pedagogical tools PSTs use to plan and enact mathematical discussions with elementary students and how they use these tools to support their practice. In particular, this study focused on capturing the experiences of three elementary PSTs as they transitioned from university-based methods course instructions into early clinical teaching experiences in elementary classrooms. These experiences were captured through multiple one-on-one interviews, observations of teaching in clinical classroom settings, and analysis of artifacts of teaching and learning. This study has implications for mathematics teacher education, practice-based teacher education, and the refinement of tools to support teachers’ practice facilitating mathematical discussions with students. | 1. How do elementary preservice teachers apply pedagogical tools to inform their planning process for mathematical discussion? 2. How do elementary preservice teachers use pedagogical tools to facilitate mathematical discussions in clinical teaching experiences? | |||||||||||||||||||
56 | 2023 | April D. Thomas | Dr. Erik Byker | Dr. Karen Cross, Dr. Erin Washburn, and Dr. Lisa Merriweather. | Do you see yourself in multicultural literature? Seeking self-reflections from Black students | In the United States, Muhammad (2020) explains how Black students who attend schools have a greater potential success when they see themselves represented in the curriculum and when their cultural, gender, and racial identities are affirmed. This dissertation study examined the ways in which third grade Black girls and boys (n=5) see themselves when they read African American multicultural literature. The study also investigated the literary elements in African American multicultural text that encourage self-reflection. The study’s methodology was based on a qualitative phenomenological research design, which included a pilot study (n=4) of the interview protocol. The interview protocol was revised for suitability based on the findings from the pilot study. Both the pilot study and the main dissertation research study were conducted using semi-structured interviews. The participants chose a text from a collection of African American multicultural literature and shared their responses to that text based on the interview protocol. The following research questions guided the study: 1) How do Black children respond to African American multicultural literature?; 2) How do Black children describe their cultural and racial identity within multicultural literature?; and 3) What literary features facilitate Black children’s ability to self-reflect? The findings of the study were organized based on these research questions. The study utilized two frameworks, Reader Response Theory (Rosenblatt, 2004) and Black Identity Theory (Jackson III, 2012), to unpack and discuss the findings. A new theory emerged from the study’s findings, which is called Multicultural Self-Reflection Theory. This theory explains and provides insights into how Black children self-reflect when reading African American multicultural literature. Multicultural Self-Reflection Theory provides a lens for understanding how Black children engage in what the dissertation coins, “multicultural self-reflection" when responding to African American multicultural text. | RQ1: How do Black children respond to African American multicultural literature? RQ2: How do Black children describe their cultural and racial identity within African American multicultural literature? RQ3: What literary features facilitate Black children’s ability to self-reflect? | |||||||||||||||||||
57 | 2022 | Erin L. Harden | Dr. Greg Wiggan | Dr. Gloria Campbell-Whatley, Dr. Marcia J. Watson-Vandiver, and Dr. Christopher O'Brien. | Perceptions of College Readiness for High Achieving Black Students | This dissertation explores Black/African American students’ perceptions of college readiness through student demographic questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and focus group data. One objective of this study was to explore how advanced coursework contributed to the college readiness of Black students. Another objective was to examine academic writing readiness for Black students, which is an under-researched aspect of college readiness. The findings indicated that having a fostered college mindset, collegiate academic exposure, and being provided foundational skills and knowledge were aspects of advanced course participation that contributed to postsecondary success for the participants. In terms of writing readiness, writing opportunities and writing skill enhancement contributed to the participants’ college writing readiness and success. However, misalignment between high school and college expectations, mismatch of collegiate level writing expectations, and lack of citation knowledge were other areas related to college readiness that also emerged from the data. This study provides implications for policy, teachers, school personnel, and teacher educators. | RQ1-What aspects of advanced coursework from high school contributed to African American students’ academic success in postsecondary education? RQ2-And What writing activities prepared these students for academic writing in higher education? | |||||||||||||||||||
58 | 2022 | Ria Crystal Johnson | Dr. Chance W. Lewis | Dr. Meghan Barnes, Dr. Spencer Salas, and Dr. Tehia Staker Glass. | A Qualitative Case Study Exploring Black Beginning Teachers’ Perceptions of Their Preparedness to Teach Racially Diverse Students | Beginning teachers are more likely to secure jobs in diverse school districts (Gagnon & Mattingly, 2012; Holme et al., 2018). Unfortunately, beginning teachers are also more likely to leave diverse school districts and urban schools due to a number of challenges (Doran, 2020; Howard & Milner, 2021). Because these schools consist predominantly of students of color, the high turnover affects students’ academic success (Ladson-Billings, 2022). Additionally, beginning teachers in these specific school settings have been historically non-proficient in providing students of color with a culturally relevant education (Ladson-Billings, 1995a) which has caused the educational system to be centered around a Eurocentric perspective and not reflective of students’ racial diversity (Davis et al., 2022). Using a critical lens, this study explores three Black beginning teachers’ perceptions of preparedness in teaching racially diverse students and the influences it has on their teaching practices. Keywords: Black beginning teachers, racially diverse students, perceptions, preparedness. | 1. What are beginning teachers’ perceptions of their preparedness to teach racially diverse students? 2. What are the contributing factors to beginning teachers’ perceptions of preparedness to teach racially diverse students? 3. What resources do beginning teachers use to teach racially diverse students and become more competent in teaching racially diverse students? | |||||||||||||||||||
59 | 2022 | James E. Ford | Dr. Chance W. Lewis | Dr. Greg Wiggan, Dr. Jae Hoon Lim, and Dr. Tehia Glass. | A Historical Case Study Of An All-Black High School In Pre-Brown Charlotte, North Carolina From 1960-1969 | While the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision may have overturned the legal practice of race-based segregation in public schools on the basis of separate being “inherently unequal”, the promise of equality for Black students in the United States has yet to materialize (Noguera et al., 2015). Sixty-seven years removed from the Brown decision and 50 years after Swann v. CMS, African American students are still faring worse than their white counterparts by nearly every conceivable metric and the composition of many schools throughout the nation have actually moved rapidly in the direction of resegregation (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, 2018). Despite the dominant narrative of segregated Black schools as wholly inadequate, there are counternarratives of them producing educational excellence, racial pride and serving as pillars in the African American community. Second Ward High School was the first Black public secondary school in Charlotte, North Carolina, and located in the historic Black neighborhood called “Brooklyn”. It was closed in the wake of desegregation. This investigation of Second Ward High School utilizes a historical case study method through the theoretical framework of Community Cultural Wealth to better understand the institutional assets segregated Black schools in the urban South endowed to their student populations during the period of 1960-1969. | 1. How did the cultural wealth of Charlotte’s segregated Black community shape students’ experiences at Second Ward High School? 2. How was the cultural wealth of the segregated Black community in Charlotte recognized, nurtured, and transmitted at Second Ward High School? 3. How can the cultural wealth of Black communities be used to facilitate student success in contemporary resegregated contexts? | |||||||||||||||||||
60 | 2022 | Cornelia Okraski | Dr. Scott Kissau | Dr. Kristin Davin, Dr. Paul Fitchett, and Dr. Adriana Medina. | The Association Between First Language Status and Second Language Teacher Edtpa Performance, Perceptions, and Preparation | Due to the shortage of World Language and English as a Second Language teachers, recruiting, retaining, and supporting aspiring second language teachers in the completion of their teacher licensure program is crucial. One barrier to the profession for these teachers is edTPA. Research has suggested that non-native English speakers (NNES) who populate second language teacher preparation programs may struggle to complete this assessment more so than their native-English speaking (NES) peers. To shed light on this topic, the researcher used a mixed methodology to examine the performance, perceptions, and preparation of NNES and NES teacher candidates on the World Language and English as an Additional Language edTPA. Data sources included edTPA scores, survey responses and faculty interviews. The study’s results suggest that the performance of NNES candidates may vary by their teaching assignment and corresponding edTPA portfolio to complete. The results also revealed that NNES candidates’ perceptions centered on their struggles with the writing requirements for edTPA and their lack of awareness of the assessment’s expectations and its connections to coursework. Both candidates and faculty mentioned the benefits of practice edTPA tasks infused in coursework and content-specific seminars offered during the internship. The use of customized language support such as peer editing and the use of other writing resources was reported by candidates and faculty to be especially beneficial for NNES candidates. The study’s findings serve to inform teacher preparation programs as they strive to improve the edTPA preparation of all candidates, including those whose first language is not English. | 1. What is the association between first language status of second language teacher candidates and edTPA performance? 2. What is the association between first language status and teacher candidate perceptions of preparation to complete edTPA? 3. How have faculty in one EPP modified instructional support for non-native English-speaking candidates? | |||||||||||||||||||
61 | 2022 | Wendy Lewis | Dr. Madelyn Colonnese | Dr. Andrew Polly, Dr. Miranda Fitzgerald, Dr. Amy Good, and Dr. Cindy Gilson. | A Descriptive Case Study of Elementary Mathematically Promising Student Interactions With Cognitively Demanding Math Tasks | National mathematics achievement results show elementary students in the United States are not increasing in cognitive ability or critical thinking skills (NAEP, 2019). Furthermore, students who are mathematically promising need more opportunities for cognitively demanding mathematics instruction in order for this increase to occur. Therefore, this descriptive case study focused on the interactions and emergence of Mathematical Practices in seven third grade students with a series of five tasks. The seven third grade students were identified by their teachers as mathematically promising. The tasks used in the two suburban classrooms observations of the study were from the Tools 4 NC teachers framework (Tools 4 Teachers, 2019). Data sources collected included pre- and post-focus group audiotapes, classroom observations via audio and video, field notes, as well as document analysis of student work and a teacher debrief form. Blumer's theory of social constructivism (1969) and Tripathi’s Multiple Reasoning (2008) guided this study. Findings from the students' interactions with tasks showed the following themes: students used a variety of interpersonal interactions between themselves, the teacher, and visual representations. Students used mathematical writing to justify their reasoning and reflection to communicate their conceptual mathematical understanding. Students grew in their emergence of the Mathematical Practices of perseverance through problem solving, productive struggle, the construction of arguments, and the ability to make connections. These findings indicate the importance of ongoing curriculum development to include differentiated teacher guidance for mathematically promising students. Additionally, the findings of this study will support mathematics teachers and leaders with a student-centered approach to teaching inquiry-based instruction. | RQ1: How did elementary mathematically promising students interact with cognitively demanding mathematical tasks? RQ 2: How did mathematically promising students use mathematical practices as they completed cognitively demanding tasks? | |||||||||||||||||||
62 | 2022 | Ashley Meinecke | Dr. Amy Good | Dr. Drew Polly, Dr. Daniel Alston, and Dr. Sejal Foxx. | Social and Emotional Teaching Practices in Kindergarten Through Second Grade Classrooms: A Multiple-Perspective Case Study of K-2 Educators | Despite recurring arguments over the course of a century, intentional education geared toward the whole child in schools has not occurred (Khalsa & Butzer, 2016; Sabey, 2019). Consequently, children often emerge from high school exhibiting sufficient academic content knowledge applicable towards a successful career path, but lack social emotional skills essential for the development of optimal mental health and well-being (Butzer et al., 2016). Birth to age eight is precisely the time when the foundation of the whole child originates and when the building blocks for future academic success and social emotional well-being are established (NAEYC, 1986; Copple & Bredekamp, 2009). As a result of an existing gap underlining early elementary educator perceptions and experiences of social emotional learning (SEL), the purpose of this study was to discover the perceptions and experiences of full-time lead educators and paraprofessionals who teach SEL in Kindergarten through Second grade classrooms. Data was collected through a qualitative multiple-perspective case study design using a semi-structured interview process. Interview transcripts were analyzed and coded using a within-case analysis. Data analysis led to the development of seven themes: (1) Defining SEL, (2) Preparedness in Teaching SEL, (3) Barriers of SEL, (4) Educator Roles and Responsibilities, (5) High Priority of SEL, (6) SEL as a Positive Influence/Impact on Students, and (7) Evidence of SEL Skills. The findings of this study suggest that educators in K-2 classrooms (1) place SEL as a high priority in their classrooms, (2) perceive that SEL has a positive impact and influence on students based on observations, and (3) indicate how barriers such as under preparedness and lack of support inhibit SEL teaching in their classroom whereas positive school culture and pertinent resources greatly assist in effective facilitation of SEL. | 1. In what ways do kindergarten, first, and second grade educators explain Social Emotional Learning (SEL)? 2. In what ways do kindergarten, first, and second grade educators describe their experiences as it relates to SEL? 3. In what ways do kindergarten, first, and second grade educators prioritize SEL in their classrooms? 4. In what ways do kindergarten, first, and second grade educators view how SEL activities have influenced students? | |||||||||||||||||||
63 | 2022 | Katherine Jean Mauzy | Dr. Erin Washburn | Dr. Bruce Taylor, Dr. Maryann Mraz, and Dr. Jae Hoon Lim. | Investigating the Influence of Literacy Coaching as Embedded PD on Teacher Instruction | Improving elementary student reading achievement has been a well-defined goal of many federal and state educational initiatives over the last several decades. To that end, vast amounts of resources have been funneled into professional development for literacy teachers to solve the problem of students who are unable to read proficiently on grade level through a focus on improving teacher literacy instruction. The employment of literacy coaches into elementary schools has been an embedded professional development strategy implemented to combat these low literacy achievement rates across the country. However, the effectiveness of literacy coaches in positively influencing teacher instruction has not been rigorously investigated and many questions still remain about their true impact of improving student reading achievement. This qualitative case study examined how teachers perceive a change in their instructional beliefs and practices through intervention with a literacy coach and which factors of coaching teachers report as most influential on their classroom practice. The implications of coach/teacher interplay were investigated through the entrenched professional development experiences of three elementary literacy teachers and their school-based literacy coach to determine the specific strategies, conversations, and interventions that brought about a possible change in teacher beliefs and practices relating to the teaching of literacy in their classrooms. A within-case analysis revealed changes in teacher beliefs and practices surrounding small group reading activities including phonics integration as well as changes in whole group phonemic awareness (PA) instruction. A cross-case analysis uncovered meaningful themes highlighting coach proximity to practice including shared responsibility, the coach as a sounding board, and scaffolding coaching cycles. Detailed results combined with recommendations for future research work to advance the field in an effort to develop an effective model of literacy coaching implementation. | How do the beliefs and practices of teachers change during the context of embedded professional development with a coach focused on literacy in a K-5 setting? | |||||||||||||||||||
64 | 2022 | Jimmeka L. Anderson | Dr. Chance W. Lewis | Dr. Brittany Anderson, Dr. Spencer Salas, Dr. Meghan Barnes, and Dr. Bonnie Noble. | Incidents in the Life of a Cyber Girl: Exploring Instagram as a Potential Counterspace for Black Girls’ Literacy Practices | Although research has been done to explore social media as a safe space for Black girls (Womack, 2013), there is limited research that assesses social media as a counter space for Black girls’ literacies. According to The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research (2017), Black teens are the largest users of Instagram and SnapChat. While broader research has looked at Black girls' literacies and digital literacies among this population (Price-Dennis, 2016), there is limited research that has explored the literacy practices of Black girls specifically in the digital space they predominantly use, Instagram. Most importantly, the need to explore the elements of literacy that engage Black girls in non-formal academic spaces in which they utilize excessively may provide context for application in academic curriculum. This research study explores whether Instagram may provide a potential counterspace for Black girls' literacies and the ways in which they practice literacy through the examination of digital posts, online observations, and interviews with two adolescent Black girls. | RQ1: How is Instagram a potential counter space for Black girl literacy practices? RQ2: What literacy practices do adolescent Black girls engage in when using Instagram? | |||||||||||||||||||
65 | 2022 | Trisha Smith Cook | Dr. Bettie Ray Butler | Dr. Chance Lewis, Dr. Stephen Hancock, and Dr. Ya-yu Lo. | Reimagining School Discipline: A White, Female Principal's Experience Implementing Restorative Practices and SW-PBIS | Educators and researchers have been exploring alternative approaches to school discipline such as School-wide Positive Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS) and Restorative Justice. There has been little research analyzing the effectiveness of both approaches implemented in tandem. Using an autoethnographic design, this study critically analyzes the beliefs and perceptions of one white, female school principal as she combines SW-PBIS and Restorative Practices at her racially diverse, Title I elementary school. The following research questions were addressed in this study 1) How has implementing restorative practices and PBIS simultaneously within a diverse, Title, urban-like school helped to shape my beliefs as a white female administrator? 2) As a white female principal, what are my perceptions of the staff response to a blended model of SW-PBIS and Restorative Practices? 3) How do I, as a white, female principal, contribute to the environment that produces discipline disparities? How do I combat it? Four themes emerged during the data analysis: A Pollyanna Principal, Deficit Mindsets, Zero Tolerance for Zero-Tolerance, and White Savior. The findings revealed connections between the themes and Critical Race Theory, exposing the impact of race in student discipline through my eyes as a white, female principal. | 1. How has implementing restorative practices and PBIS simultaneously within a diverse, Title 1urban-like school helped to shape my beliefs as a white, female principal? 2. As a white, female principal, what are my perceptions of the staff response to a blended model of SW-PBIS and restorative practices? 3. How do I, as a white, female principal, contribute to the environment that produces discipline disparities? How do I combat it? | |||||||||||||||||||
66 | 2022 | Deneen S. Dixon-Payne | Dr. Greg Wiggan | Dr. Brittany Anderson, Dr. Marcia Watson-Vandiver, and Dr. Gloria Campbell-Whatley. | In and Out: A Case Study Examining Adolescent Black Girls' STEM Engagement and STEM Identity in Informal STEM Education Programs | The underrepresentation of Black women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is a long-standing issue. According to the National Science Foundation (NSF, 2019), Black women hold less than 10% of STEM degrees, while only 2% work in STEM fields. These disparities can be attributed to structural inequities related to the STEM pipeline. Therefore, to mitigate these disparities, informal STEM education programs can help increase participation in STEM and create more opportunities for Black women and girls. Thus, this collective case study addressed the following research questions: 1. How do adolescent Black girls engage in and respond to informal STEM education programs? 2. How can informal STEM education programs develop adolescent Black girls' STEM identity and increase participation in STEM? 3. What pedagogical practices effectively engage adolescent Black girls in STEM? Purposeful criterion sampling was used to recruit participants for this study. The research process included interviewing four adolescent Black girls who attended informal STEM education programs. To understand each program's process and climate, participants described their experiences through initial questionnaires, interviews, and written prompt responses. Furthermore, this research used critical race feminism and Black feminist thought to analyze five prominent themes from the data. The findings suggest that Black girls who participate in informal STEM education programs (a) benefited from an affirming environment, (b) experienced engaging instructional strategies, (c) utilized support systems, (d) recognized racial representation was significant, and (e) experienced racial microaggressions. In addition, the findings support equitable STEM access for Black girls through informal education programs. The implications of this study also suggest a need to attend to the psychological and emotional needs of Black girls in informal STEM spaces. | R.Q.1 What are the experiences of Black girls in informal STEM spaces who persist? S.Q.1 How do Black girls engage in and respond to informal STEM learning experiences? S.Q.2 How can informal STEM learning experiences develop Black girls' STEM identity and increase participation in STEM? S.Q. 3 What pedagogical practices effectively engage Black girls in STEM? | |||||||||||||||||||
67 | 2022 | Harriet T. Hobbs | Dr. Chance W. Lewis | Dr. Greg Wiggan, Dr. Xiaoxia Newton, and Dr. Mark D'Amico. | The Influence of Academic Resilience among African American First Year Males at a Private Historically Black University in the United States | This quantitative study sought to operationalize academic resilience through social engagement, family support, capacity for tolerance, and commitment to college among African American first year males at a private, urban HBCU in the United States. This study utilized secondary data from Ruffalo Noel Levitz's College Student Inventory Survey (CSI) Form B administered to incoming first year students over a five-year period from 2011 to 2015. The sample included 223 African American first year male participants. Utilizing a binary logistic regression analysis, the researcher examined the relationship between participants' outcomes and various factors, including social engagement, family support, capacity for tolerance, and commitment to college as a manifestation of academic resilience. The key outcome variables of this study were graduation and retention. Binary logistic regression analyses were conducted in SPSS version 27. Recommendations based on findings are provided for HBCU senior administrators, HBCU faculty, families of African American males, and future research. | RQ1: Are measures of academic resilience (social engagement, family support, capacity for tolerance, and commitment to college)predictive of retention? Q2: Are measures of academic resilience (social engagement, family support, capacity for tolerance, and commitment to college) predictive of graduation? | |||||||||||||||||||
68 | 2022 | Evan Boyd Lamar Willis | Dr. Chance W. Lewis | Dr. Jae Hoon Lim, Dr. Bettie Ray-Butler, Dr. Tina Heafner, and Dr. Erin Miller. | From Egypt to Canaan: A Phenomenological Study of the Racial Messaging Black Males Received while Attending Conservative Christian Schools | Since the full desegregation of all Christian schools in 1983 there has been limited inquiry into the role of race in these academic institutions. Furthermore, Christian education literature has had limited exploration into the role of race. When race is explored in Christian schools it often centers White voices. In the absence of much research, it has led some to believe that there is greater racial harmony in these environments. This study fills the void because it centers Black male voices in an interpretive phenomenological analysis of concerning the racial messages that they received while attending conservative Christian schools. This study explored the racial messages that 14 Black males who attended both predominantly White and Black led conservative Christian schools, born between 1981-2003, received while attending these schools. This interpretive phenomenological study utilized the Black Critical Theory framework to guide the research and asked the following questions: What were the racial messages that Black boys received while attending Conservative Christian Schools? How did the racial messaging shape their understanding of race and their self as Black males? How did the Black males perceive Christian teachings to bea part of the racial dynamics in these CCS? The research participants were recruited using criterion sampling and data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The findings from this study indicated that Black males received differing messages based on the racial make-up of the school and its leadership. Four themes emerged from the findings. Black males who attended Black-led conservative Christian Schools received a message that Black is excellent. In the environment the Participants saw that Black was free. They came view Blackness as diverse and developed a sense of Black pride. Finally, in the Black led conservative Christian school they perceived that religion was serious and it undergirded their anti-racist ethos of the environment. In the predominantly White conservative Christian school the research participants learned that black is a racial trope. The environment that they entered revealed to them that Black was free with restrictions. Furthermore, the Black students came to view themselves as exceptional negroes, and some came view themselves as inferior when they attended the predominantly White conservative Christian school. Finally, in this environment Black students perceived that they religion was taken less seriously and utilized to normalize Eurocentric values. Finally, this study concluded with recommendations for school administrators, higher ed programs, and Christian school teachers. | 1. What were the racial messages that the Black male received while attending their CCS? a. What were the racial messages that blacks received while attending their BLCCS? b. What were the racial messages that the Black males received while attending their PWCCS? 2. How did the racial messaging shape their understanding of race and their self as Black males? 3. How did the Black males perceive Christian teaching to be part of the racial dynamics in these CCS? | |||||||||||||||||||
69 | 2022 | Kaitlyn Otey Holshouser | Dr. Erik Jon Byker | Dr. Drew Polly, Dr. Adriana L. Medina, Dr. Michael Putman, and Dr. Joan Lachance. | Education for Sustainable Development in Global Ready Schools: A Comparative Case Study | This comparative case study explored the implementation of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) at two of North Carolina’s Global Ready elementary schools. The following research questions guided the study: 1) How do educators and affiliates of Global Ready elementary schools perceive global education, specifically Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)?; 2) What sustainability topics are covered most by educators at Global Ready elementary schools in North Carolina?; 3) How is ESD incorporated within global education at Global Ready elementary schools in North Carolina (i.e. examination at the curricular, campus, and community levels)?; 4) How do Global Ready elementary schools compare in their conceptualization and implementation of global education, specifically ESD? Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (1976) and Elser et al. 's (2011) Sustainable Schools Framework served as useful lenses for examining the affordances and constraints of sustainability education at the curriculum, campus, and community levels. A school-wide survey was disseminated to all certified educators at each school to obtain a broad view of ESD implementation within each case. To explore ESD implementation at a granular level, interviews were conducted with select educators, administrators, community partners, and members of a State Education Agency. Further, artifact collection and field visits allowed for the triangulation of data sources. The constant-comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) was utilized in the analysis of interviews and artifacts. Findings from both cases suggest that sustainability education was often used as a means for deepening global learning. At the curriculum level, survey results and interviews with participants indicate frequent integration of social sustainability topics into the curriculum with lesser attention given to topics of economic sustainability. Additionally, while there are many challenges to sustainability education at the curriculum and campus levels, findings suggest that community partnerships may play a role in mitigating some of these constraints. To conclude, the researcher discusses the need to complicate frameworks related to Education for Sustainable Development to attend to the complexity of ESD implementation within and across the curriculum, campus, and community. | (1) How do educators and affiliates ofGlobal Ready elementary schools perceive global education, specifically Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)? (2) What sustainability topics are covered most by educatorsat two Global Ready schools in North Carolina? (3) How is ESD incorporated within global education at two Global Ready schools in North Carolina (i.e. examination at the curricular, campus, and community levels)? (4) How do two Global Ready elementary schools compare in their conceptualization and implementation of global education, specifically ESD? | |||||||||||||||||||
70 | 2022 | Christine H. Weiss | Dr. Drew Polly | Dr. Amy Good, Dr. Cindy Gilson, Dr. Maddy Colonnese, and Dr. Brittany Anderson. | Teacher Practices, Beliefs, and Conceptual Understanding of Mathematics: A Phenomenological Case Study of Teachers Instructing Mathematically Gifted and Promising Students | Students in the United States are not achieving in mathematics as indicated on the NAEP (2019) exams and other measurements of student achievement (OECD, 2019; O’Dwyer, Wang, & Shields, 2015; NCES, 2019). Mathematically gifted and promising students are especially impacted by this phenomenon, though it is not exactly known what factors contribute to successful teachers of these students. This phenomenological case study focused on the beliefs, instructional practices, and conceptual understanding of mathematics of five teachers in a public charter school for gifted students. Data sources collected included semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and questionnaires based on Swan’s (2006) practices and beliefs research with effective mathematics teachers. Two theories of giftedness served as the theoretical lens for this study: Renzulli’s Three-Ring Model (1978) and Gagné’s Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent (1985) to better understand these phenomena. Using an interpretive phenomenological analysis several themes emerged in response to each research question. Findings for instructional practices indicated that teachers used both student-centered and teacher-centered practices and consistently utilized differentiated groupings. Additionally, teacher participants believe that gifted students possess both positive traits and challenges and specifically for math, believe that sense-making is key, and math is a subject students should enjoy. Teachers’ conceptual understanding of mathematics is guided by their ongoing practice, the curriculum, and math experiences prior to teaching. These findings indicate the importance of ongoing training and professional development in mathematics and gifted education, as well as the recruitment and retention of teachers who possess a strong conceptual understanding of mathematics, a passion for the subject, and a student-centered approach to teaching. | 1. What are the teachers’ instructional practices with mathematically gifted and promising students? 2. How are the teachers’ beliefs towards mathematics and beliefs towards gifted students reflected in their instructional practices with mathematically gifted and promising students? 3. How do teachers describe their conceptual understanding of mathematics as it relates to the teaching of mathematically gifted and promising students? | |||||||||||||||||||
71 | 2022 | Jatnna Acosta | Dr. Lisa R. Merriweather | Dr. Spencer Salas, Dr. Erin T. Miller, and Dr. Jillian La Serna. | The T is Silent: An Autoethnographic Portrayal of Latinx Teacher Identity Development and Consciousness | Despite evidence of the rapid growth of Latinx students throughout the country (Gándara, 2017; He & Yu, 2017), there has been inadequate critical examination of the educational policies and practices impacting this population and their self-identification. Teachers play a crucial role in ensuring that all students, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, receive a quality education that will equip them for post-school success in an increasingly diverse society. Studies suggest that teachers who share the racial, cultural, and/or ethnic identity of their students can play an important role in their success. Unfortunately, Latinx teachers remain starkly underrepresented within the field (Shapiro & Partelow, 2018), even though Latinx teacher representation plays a critical role in not only the academic achievement of Latinx students but is also prevalent in the solving of larger issues related to ethnic and racial identity development and consciousness (Goldhaber et al., 2019) because of the postcolonial structures in schools. Postcolonial structures are implicated by the structural inequality and racial and economic disparities that continue to plague racialized groups throughout society. In order to fulfill this role, Latinx teachers need to richly understand their Latinx identity development and consciousness. The purpose of this autoethnographic study was to systematically examine and reflect on my lived experiences as an immigrant in the United States to better understand Latinx identity development and consciousness and the role of Latinx teachers in combating the exclusionary practices of postcolonial structures in schooling. Using Latinx Critical Theory (LatCrit) as the theoretical framework, this dissertation focuses on Latinx teachers and the impact of identity development on their role in the classroom. I examined my Latinx identity at different stages of my life and positioned this within the collective experiences of other Latinx teachers to better understand the factors that have contributed to my evaluation of self. The data collected for this study consisted of a life timeline, transcribed journals I kept throughout my teaching career, cultural artifacts, and an individual autobiographical narrative. This highly reflective process was then analyzed thematically to identify themes and patterns that emerged from the data. The findings revealed three major themes: ongoing identity detachment, Latinx imposter syndrome, and unveiled hypocrisy in education. Ongoing identity detachment highlights my continued loss of identity. Latinx imposter syndrome depicts the feelings of doubt, fear, and fraud I had to overcome in my role as a bilingual teacher of emergent bilingual students. Lastly, unveiled hypocrisy in education captures my awareness and understanding of the marginalization and exclusion within the education system. This study has significant implications for the understanding of Latinx teacher identity development and the influence their self-perception has on their work within the classroom. Recommendations on how to further the discussion on identity development and consciousness and the role of Latinx teachers in combating the exclusionary practices of postcolonial structures in schooling are made to teacher preparation programs, school and district leaders, Latinx teachers, and for future research. | RQ1: How did I perceive and negotiate my Latinx identity at different stages of my life? RQ2: What does an examination of lived experiences with internalized oppression reveal about a teacher’s identity development and consciousness? RQ3: In what ways does a teacher’s awareness of experiences of exclusion contribute to the sustainment of bilingual/bicultural identities? | |||||||||||||||||||
72 | 2022 | Charlotte Hancock | Dr. Kristin Davin | Dr. Kyle Cox, Dr. Joan Lachance, and Dr. Maryann Mraz. | The Seal of Biliteracy: Equity across Lines of Race, Language, and Social Class | This quantitative study examined the awarding of the Seal of Biliteracy (SoBL) in North Carolina public schools. Specifically, the study explored through a multiple logistic regression if the intersectionality of race, language, and class was related to whether a district did or did not award students the SoBL. The dependent variable of total student enrollment was also included. Additionally, within districts found to award the SoBL, this study examined through a multiple linear regression if the variables of race, language, and class related to the rate of graduating seniors who received the SoBL recognition. Total student enrollment was also included as a dependent variable. Results from the multiple logistic regression revealed that total student enrollment, while controlling for language, race, and class was related to whether a district did or did not award the SoBL. Within districts that awarded the SoBL, results from the multiple linear regression revealed that while controlling for race, class, language, and total student enrollment, class was negatively related to the rate of seniors who received the SoBL while language was positively related. Results are discussed through the theoretical framework of critical race theory, and salient recommendations are provided for the future. | 1. What are the demographic characteristics of the North Carolina Public School districts that do and do not award the Seal of Biliteracy? 2. What is the relationship between the awarding of the Seal of Biliteracy in public school districts in North Carolina and race, language, and class? 3. Within North Carolina Public School districts that award the Seal of Biliteracy, what is the relationship between the rate of graduating seniors awarded the Seal of Biliteracy and race, language, and class? | |||||||||||||||||||
73 | 2022 | Candace Renee' Chambers | Dr. Janaka Lewis | Dr. Meghan Barnes, Dr. Consuelo Salas, and Dr. Beth Murray. | The Pedagogical Experiences of Online Correctional Education English Composition Faculty: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study | In 2019, the United States incarcerated nearly 2.3 million citizens in correctional facilities across the country. One main issue with mass incarceration is the high recidivism rates of formerly incarcerated people. Correctional education has been proven to decrease recidivismrates for people who engage in this form of education while incarcerated. Therefore, there are many recent educationaland politicalefforts to expand correctional education college programs. This expansion involves the modality in which instruction is delivered, whether in person, online, or hybrid. With these various formats, it is vital to gain insights intohow correctional education instructors teach within different modalities. Past studies have gleaned the experiences of correctional education instructors who teach in face-to-face formats. Butthere is a gap in the literature concerning the insights of correctional education instructors who teach in online correctional education programs. Therefore, this study looks to address this gap by providing insight into the experiences of online correctional education instructors. Specifically, since many students musttake gateway coursessuch as English and mathfor their college degree programs, this study will gather the insights of correctional education instructors who teach English composition. The qualitative study followed a transcendental phenomenology methodology. The research questions were as follows: 1) What pedagogical strategies do online English composition correctional education faculty use in writing instruction?; 2) How do online English composition correctional education faculty cultivate relationships with their students in online ivspaces?; and 3) What are perceived areas of needed professional development and support identified by online English composition correctional education faculty? Five correctional education instructors served as the sample population for the study. Data collection methods were semi-structured interviews, document collection, and a focus group. The researcher analyzed the datafollowing four steps of transcendental phenomenology: epoche, phenomenological reduction, imaginative variation, and synthesis of meanings and essences. Findings from the study showed that the instructors work to determine how to modify their teaching practices based on the online modality they teach regarding how they provide feedback and how they approach the focus of their writing instruction. The instructors also noted that they are awareof their tone when communicating with students and encourage them consistently due to their students being incarcerated. They also noted challenges with teaching within online correctional education regarding the difficulty in forming relationships with students. Lastly, the instructors provided suggestions for professional development in learning more about the technology that their students use to access their learning platforms, needing more cultural and sensitivity training, and their desire to form more professional bonds with their fellow online correctional education instructors. Therefore, this information can be utilized by correctional education program directors and writing program administrators of correctional education programs to improve the experiences of current online correctional education instructors and create training and development for new online correctional education instructors for the ultimate benefit of instructors and students. | 1. What pedagogical strategies do online English composition correctional education faculty use in writing instruction? 2. How do online English composition correctional education faculty cultivate relationships with their students in online spaces? 3. What are perceived areas of needed professional development and support identified by online English composition correctional education faculty? | |||||||||||||||||||
74 | 2021 | Tamera Denise Moore | Dr. Greg Wiggan | Dr. Gloria Campbell-Whatley, Dr. Spencer Salas, and Dr. Christopher O'Brien. | Reclaiming Our Legacy: A Qualitative Study of Service-Learning and Learning about Service through the Experiences of African American Women Educators in Urban Schools | As the number of minority students in public schools increases in the U.S., the teacher workforce and administration remain majority White. Increased access to service-learning will help mitigate opportunity gaps that exist in marginalized communities. Service-learning combines academic coursework with volunteer community service experiences, which can be beneficial to in-service and pre-service teachers. Changing the structure of service-learning opportunities to include the voices of African American women is critical to expanding the structure of volunteer efforts, specifically within urban school environments. Using Seidman’s In-Depth Interview Protocol, this research explores the experiences of African American women educators with service-learning and volunteering in local communities and schools. The study examines how Black women educators saw service-learning and volunteering as part of their identities. The findings indicate that service is central to their definitions of social justice work in education and beyond through the concepts of: (a) giving back, (b) serving, (c) family, (d) Black womanhood, (e) leadership and (f) spirituality. The results of this study illustrate how educators’ lived experiences expand conceptions of service. The participants viewed service-learning as being crucial to student and teacher success in urban environments. | 1. How do African American women educators narrate their experiences with service-learning and volunteerism? 2. How do African American women educators frame service-learning and volunteerism as extensions of their identity? | |||||||||||||||||||
75 | 2021 | Shanique Joan Lee | Dr. Chance W. Lewis | Dr. Lisa Merriweather, Dr. Tehia Glass, Dr. Paul Fitchett, and Dr. Jennifer Langhinrichsen-Rohling. | Loving and Leaving the Classroom: Contextualizing the Attrition of Black Women Teachers from Urban Schools | Since the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling against school segregation, Black women teachers (BWTs) have had perpetually high rates of attrition, despite their legacy of providing high quality, emancipatory education. Thus, the purpose of this study was to contextualize the attrition of critical BWTs to better understand the factors that would support their sustainability in urban schools. Specifically, I investigated (a) the relationship between Black women’s intersectional identities and their experiences as critical educators in urban schools, (b) the compounding factors that led to their ultimate departure, and (c) the complexities of their decision to leave the profession. Using Black feminist thought and cognitive dissonance theory as my framework, I employed sista circle methodology to study fifteen post-service critical Black women teachers. Each participant engaged in an individual interview, one of three sista circles, and a written reflection. Data analysis revealed three major themes that offer rich context and a complex narrative of why critical BWTs love and leave the classroom: instinct vs. opposition, commitments vs. personal needs, and dissonance-reduction strategies. As they are examined, these themes suggest several actions that can be taken by key stakeholders to support their professional sustainability. | 1. How do Black women’s intersectional identities contribute to their experiences as critical teachers in urban schools? 2. How do critical Black women teachers' pedagogical practices impact their sustainability in the teaching profession? 3. How do critical Black women teachers make meaning of their decision to leave the profession? | |||||||||||||||||||
76 | 2021 | William Ray Leach | Dr. Drew Polly | Dr. Erin Washburn, Dr. Jeanneine Jones, Dr. Jessica Jugan, and Dr. George Demakis. | Adolescent Response to Parental Traumatic Brain Injury and Ambiguous Loss | Parental traumatic brain injury (PTBI) and the effect it has on adolescents living in the home has been mostly avoided in the current literature. Even more rare in the literature is the idea of ambiguous loss, coined by Boss (1991). An ambiguous loss refers to a loss of someone who has not died, but who is also not the same person as before the injury, physically or mentally. Consequently, the loss is unclear and requires constant recalibration by the uninjured family members to accept their ever-changing injured family member. Together, no researcher has ever studied ambiguous loss as it relates to PTBI. This study focused on three research questions: Research Question 1: As it pertains to PTBI, what is the influence of ambiguous loss when experienced during adolescence? Research Question 2: When PTBI is experienced in adolescence, how does the perception of ambiguous loss result in tangible consequences later in life? Research Question 3: In what ways do adolescents experiencing ambiguous loss from PTBI describe their family, self, and situation? Using a qualitative approach, this phenomenological dissertation found that ambiguous loss affects adolescents in different ways and at different times after the injury has occurred. Ambiguous loss can also result in tangible consequences later in their life. The time since the injury can affect the severity of feelings of ambiguous loss, however, this study also found that PTBI adolescents can exhibit traits of resilience through their experience. | 1. As it pertains to TBI-P, what is the influence of ambiguous loss when experienced during adolescence? 2. When TBI-P is experienced in adolescence, how does the perception of ambiguous loss result in tangible consequences later in life? 3. In what ways do adolescents experiencing ambiguous loss from TBI-P describe their family, self, and situation? | |||||||||||||||||||
77 | 2021 | Alicia D. Dervin | Dr. Tehia Glass | Dr. Jae Hoon Lim, Dr. Erin Miller, Dr. Spencer Salas, and Dr. Bettie Ray Butler. | Exploring Diasporic Dialects of Black Women in College Composition and Communications: A Critical Reflective Narrative Inquiry | Historically, standard English language ideologies have been perpetually ingrained in American educational practices and policies (Smitherman, 2017; Wong & Teuben-Rowe, 1997). These practices are not limited to K-12 studies and maintain a position of dominance in higher education (Álvarez-Mosquera & Marín-Gutiérrez, 2020). Calls for diversity in curriculum and pedagogical practices currently involve increasing demands for linguistic inclusion that reflects the diversity of student populations (CCCC, 2020). This study explores how Black women students across the diaspora who use home and/or native languages, dialects, and accents navigate their identities in academic spaces of higher learning where standard English language ideologies are often the only acceptable language varieties that are valued or encouraged. Data was collected through the use of virtual semi-structured interviews using Seidman’s (2006) method of three 90-minute interviews. A single focus group interview with all three participants was conducted as well. All interviews took place during the summer of 2021. Data was analyzed using a qualitative, narrative-based approach that included emphasis on both small stories (De Fina and Georgakopoulou, 2012) and dominant narratives (Lyotard, 1984). This research suggests the experiences of Black women in college composition and communications include themes like feelings of rejection, inadequacies, pressure to conform, and a lack of linguistic agency. | 1. How do Black women students narrate and navigate raciolinguistic identities and experiences in college composition and communications courses? 2. In what ways does the rejection/acceptance/ambivalence of “non-standard” English in academia impact Black women students’ linguistic agency in academic discourse? 3. How does the hegemonic positioning of “standard” English in collegiate composition assessment influence the written work of collegiate Black women? | |||||||||||||||||||
78 | 2021 | Alicia Hasanoeddin Reid | Dr. Spencer Salas | Dr. Joan Lachance, Dr. Maryann Mraz, and Dr. Mark D'Amico. | Journeys into the K-12 Classroom: Latina Teachers' Narratives of Becoming | A Project in Humanizing Inquiry (San Pedro & Kinloch, 2017), this qualitative dissertation study combined in-depth interview with a LatCrit framework to story the journeys of three Latinas into teaching. Data analysis underscored the layered racialized systems of oppression that marked the three women’s educational identities and professional trajectories. Notable forms of oppression included deficit-laden interactions within schools and schooling that largely predicted the individual women as failures. Likewise, much more intimate familial messaging framed teaching as a dead-end career. With the support of key mentors and through their own determination, the three women, nevertheless, were able to make sense of who they were, what they valued, and the teachers they would ultimately become. Implications for diversity-oriented teacher education and research are presented. | 1. What were the critical, personal encounters and lived experiences that brought them to teaching? 2. What meaning did they assign to that journey? | |||||||||||||||||||
79 | 2021 | Alicia W. Davis | Dr. Bettie R. Butler | Dr. Jae Hoon Lim, Dr. Brittany Anderson, Dr. Jillian La Serna, and Dr. Tehia Glass. | Concrete Roses: An Exploration of the Parallel Lived Experiences of Black Girls and Women in K-12 Schools | The schooling and leadership experiences of Black girls and women are overlooked as they are often intertwined with the experiences of Black males or White women. Historically, the academic, mentoring, leadership, and mental health needs of Black girls and women have been neglected and challenged in educational settings. The purpose of this three-article dissertation was to explore the racialized lived experiences of Black girls and women in K-12 schools from a student and Black school administrator perspective. Using autoethnography, study one explored my experiences as a Black girl growing up in the South attending predominately White schools and my experiences as a Black female assistant principal in an urban middle school. I reflected upon my school age years, teaching tenure, and principalship to discover the parallels between being a Black female student and Black female administrator in K-12 schools. The research questions guiding this study were: 1) What unique challenges did I encounter as a Black girl attending school in the South?, and 2) How does my identity as a Black woman administrator impact how I navigated through White spaces as an assistant principal of an urban school? Study two used a single case study research design to explore how an out-of-school suspension affected the academic self-concept of a Black girl who recently graduated from high school. Convenience sampling was used to select the participant. The primary research question guiding this study was: 1) How does a Black girl, who recently graduated from high school, perceive her academic opportunities after encountering a suspension in school? Study three used a multiple case study design to understand how the treatment of Black women administrators impacted their leadership abilities. Using purposeful convenience sampling, I explored how two Black women principals perceived their treatment by their staff and leaders and how these experiences affected their ability to lead. The research question guiding this study was: 1) How do two Black women principals navigate the gendered and raced work environment of their urban schools? The findings from this dissertation indicate the following: a) Black girls and women encounter racism as students and administrators;b)Black girls and women lack mentorship and support at levels in education; c) A gifted Black girl viewed her academic outcomes negatively after experiencing out-of-school suspension; and d) Black women principals encounter gendered racism while serving as school leaders but remain committed to their leadership approach of providing inclusive environments for students. The overall implications for this study suggest black girls and women need collaborative spaces in schools that permit them to discuss their experiences without consequence from leadersandmentoring and mental health supports must be in place for Black women to grow professionally and Black girls to grow academically. | Chapter 2: 1. What unique challenges did I encounter as a Black girl attending school in the South? 2. How does my identity as a Black woman administrator impact how I navigated through White spaces as an assistant principal of an urban school? Chapter 3: 1. How does a Black girl, who recently graduated from high school, perceive her academic opportunities after encountering a suspension in school? Chapter 4: 1. How do two Black women principals navigate the gendered and raced work environment of their urban schools? | |||||||||||||||||||
80 | 2021 | Felicia R. Dangerfield-Persky | Dr. Chance W. Lewis | Dr. Bettie R. Butler, Dr. Xiaoxia Newton, and Dr. Amy Good. | Factors Affecting Grades: An Examination of North Carolina School Performance Grades | This quantitative study explores the potential school-level and school district-level factors associated with North Carolina school performance grades in K-5 elementary schools. The desire was to examine if any of the school- or school district-level factors were associated with the outcome variable of North Carolina school performance grades. This study used the data from the North Carolina school report cards and Civil Rights Data Collection from the 2015 – 2016 school year. The sample had 1096 schools and 92 school districts. A hierarchical linear model was created with the overall school performance grade as the outcome variable and the sixteen school level predictors and thirteen school district predictors. Results indicated that twelve out of sixteen school-level variables were statistically significant. One out of thirteen school district-level variables were statistically significant and two additional variables approached significance. Recommendations for improving student achievement were provided for United States policymakers, university education programs, North Carolina policymakers, local governments, school districts, and schools. These recommendations are presented as opportunities to ensure equitable educational practices and outcomes for all students. | 1. To what extent does school performance vary within and between districts in North Carolina? 2. What school-level characteristics are predictive of these differences? 3. What district-level characteristics are predictive of these differences? | |||||||||||||||||||
81 | 2021 | Abby Forgang Holland | Dr. Heather Coffey | Dr. Erin FitzPatrick, Dr. Lisa Merriweather, and Dr. Abigail Moore. | Evidence-Based and Makerspaced: Preservice Teachers’ Dispositions, Perceptions, and Preparedness to Teach Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities | The purpose of this qualitative research project was to explore the perceptions, practices, and roles that a team of six (6) preservice teachers developed regarding make-based learning, which is informed by constructionism and teaching students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. Participants were students in a seminar course that involved weekly clinical visits to the makerspace inside a separate public school for students with exceptional emotional and behavioral needs. They also spent one afternoon per month designing and carrying out projects in a university makerspace. Data included written observation forms and written assignments, spoken narratives through individual interviews, and photographic evidence of the artifacts that participants created in the university makerspace. Three common themes emerged across participants: (1)making connects to social-emotional learning, which can benefit students with EBD; (2)time in school reserved for the makerspace should not be overshadowed by library visits or other activities; and (3)using evidence-based practices is not the only pathway to finding “what works” | What perceptions,practices, and rolesdo PSTs develop in a seminar course focused on make-based learning, evidence-based practices,and clinical observations in a special education school? | |||||||||||||||||||
82 | 2021 | Leslie Watson Schmidt | Dr. Erin Miller | Dr. Bruce Taylor, Dr. Colleen Whittingham, Dr. Amy Good, Dr. Tehia Glass, and Dr. Tina Heafner. | “Seeing It in Action Is More Beneficial than Learning About It in School”: A Multi-Case of Clinical Experiences and Culturally Responsive Literacy Instruction | This multiple case study explored the characteristics of clinical experiences that support preservice teachers' understandings of culturally responsive literacy in elementary classrooms. In particular, this study focused on capturing the voices and perspectives of three preservice teachers through semi-structured interviews, observations, and the collection of artifacts such as literacy lesson plans, journal entries, and photographs. Findings suggest that preservice teachers generally understand culturally responsive teaching as: (a) using a variety of diverse texts; (b) building a learning community that honors students’ cultures, (c) maintaining high expectations for all students; and (d) teachers knowing their students in order to connect the course content to their lives, cultures, and interests based on their coursework and experiences in the clinical setting. Data also showed that clinical educators are the most influential characteristic of preservice teachers’ understandings of culturally responsive literacy and being in the classroom setting is more influential than only learning about culturally responsive teaching through university coursework. Findings also indicate that preservice teachers are developing superficial understandings of culturally responsive teaching, suggesting implications for teacher education and preparation. | 1. RQ1. What role do clinical educators play in preservice teachers’ development of understanding of culturally responsive teaching in literacy? 2. RQ2. What role do clinical settings (i.e., curricular components, students, teaching practices, administrators, clinical educators, etc.) have in supporting preservice teachers’ understandings of culturally responsive teaching in literacy classrooms? | |||||||||||||||||||
83 | 2021 | Annette Teasdell | Dr. Greg Wiggan | Dr. Gloria Campbell-Whatley, Dr. Marcia Watson-Vandiver, and Dr. Christopher O'Brien. | “Re-Membering” History to Counter Miseducation: Explorations of Curriculum Development and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Urban Education | Excellence in education is based on a curriculum that is true, relevant, and appropriate, and on educational processes that are humane and democratic. A pervasive problem in U.S. schools is a curriculum that perpetuates cultural hegemony, lacks multiple perspectives, and adheres to scripts to accommodate education policy. “Re-membering” history by producing and studying democratized knowledge can counter master narratives. Applying critical race theory and Afrocentricity, this research explores curriculum development, culturally responsive pedagogy, and student outcomes in the context of urban education. Using case study methodology, content analysis, and historical detection, this qualitative multiple article dissertation explores three curricular omissions that can expand multicultural education discourse. Findings show that culturally responsive pedagogy combined with a curriculum that is accurate, relevant, and appropriate can yield improved student outcomes. This has implications for practitioners and scholars in U.S. schools. | Article 1: What are the educational implications of “re-membering” The Teachings of PtahHotep, the oldest book in the world, for Social Studies curriculum development and culturally responsive pedagogy? Article 2: What are the educational implications of “re-membering” the Olmec, the oldest civilization in America, for Social Studies curriculum development, urban education, and culturally responsive pedagogy? Article 3: What are the educational implications of "re-membering" the Ahmes manuscript, the oldest mathematical papyrus in the world, for Social Studies curriculum development, urban education, and culturally responsive pedagogy? | |||||||||||||||||||
84 | 2021 | Brittany Danielle Hunt | Dr. Chance W. Lewis | Dr. Jae Hoon Lim, Dr. Tehia Glass, and Dr. Ryan Emanuel. | I'm Gonna Tell You that We're Not a Myth": Native Students' and Non-Native Teachers' Perspectives on Anti-Indigenous Curriculum and Classrooms | Though North Carolina is home to the 9th largest Indigenous population in America, as well as to the largest Tribe East of the Mississippi, North Carolina curriculum and schools often erode Indigenous histories from the classroom. Indigenous people are presented as forever constrained within antiquity, as savage, as docile, as stoic, and at worst – as nonexistent. This study centers Native students who traverse through these systems that perpetuate stereotypes of Indigenous barbarism, passivity, and erasure, with a focus on Native students living in urban areas of North Carolina. Similarly, non-Native teachers were interviewed for this study to discuss their role in this system as well as what they are doing to challenge it. Themes include problematic curriculum, anti-Indigeneity, erasure, White supremacy, and resistance and resilience. | 1. What have Native students and non-Native teachers learned and internalized about American Indian history, culture, and life via present/past curriculum? 2. How are students’ and teachers’ conceptions of American Indian people stereotyped? How does the invisibility of Native narratives in the classroom impact students and teachers? 3. In what ways do students resist these stereotyped narratives? In what ways do teachers resist? | |||||||||||||||||||
85 | 2021 | Nicki Ayn Kincaid | Dr. Karen Wood | Dr. Bruce Taylor, Dr. Erin Miller, and Dr. Bettie Ray Butler. | A Window into My Mirror: An Autoethnography of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy with LGBTQ+ Students | This research portrays a personal journey of a middle school language arts teacher working with LGBTQ+ students. Using autoethnography as the method, this study interprets personal narratives about the researcher’s adolescent identity development in connection with current culturally relevant teaching practices, specifically for LGBTQ+ students. As the subject of my own study, I focused on the relationships and cultural immersion experiences of my personal identity development. This qualitative research method invites the reader to gain insight into the subculture of this study through the experiences of the author. Perspective, being a root of the study, is unique to the author as well as the reader. Through this autoethnography, the reader is able to gain insight into the formation of a classroom teacher’s identity that shape attitudes and practices within the classroom. This study represents the seeds planted to grow the tree that fosters a culturally sustained classroom. | 1. In what ways do my reflections mirror heteronormative systems and practices? 2. In what ways have I recognized the individual stories of identity that my students bring with them? 3. Which culturally sustaining teaching practices seem to provide the most support for my LGBTQ+ students? | |||||||||||||||||||
86 | 2021 | Kelly L. Rhyne Byrd | Dr. Greg Wiggan | Dr. Christopher O'Brien, Dr. Gloria Campbell-Whatley, and Dr. Dale-Marie Wilson. | Educational Needs Assessment for African Americans with Homeschooled Children | Trends in homeschooling show that enrollment for K-12 students is on the rise, particularly with African American families. For families choosing to homeschool their children, there is greater flexibility and range of choice in curriculum programs and instructional practices. Data from this Phenomenological case study was collected using interviews and surveys in an effort to understand and identify the educational needs of African American families who homeschool their children. Using interviews, this study explored the homeschooling needs and experiences of African American families through shared experiences. This study also analyzed the need to include Afrocentric and multicultural teachings as part of a homeschool curriculum. By using constant comparative to analyze the data, the researcher was able to and identify trends across the homeschool experience for African Americans and define five major themes: 1) Accessibility and Availability of Resources, 2) Homeschool Setting and Structure, 3) Instructional Support, 4) Working Parents and Homeschooling, and 5) Cultural Representation in Education. Two minor themes emerged as well: 1) Problem Based Learning and 2) Socialization outside of the Home. The results of this study are crucial to the development and implementation of curriculum, the use of instructional practices, and the access and availability of educational resources within a homeschool setting. Keywords: homeschool, African American, curriculum, Afrocentricity. | What are the educational needs of African American families with homeschooled children? | |||||||||||||||||||
87 | 2021 | Melissa Miller Sykes | Dr. Maryann Mraz | Dr. Bruce Taylor, Dr. Bob Rickelman, and Dr. Kelly Anderson. | Teaching the Teachers: A Case Study of Instructional Leader Professional Development | The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore professional development from the perspective of instructional leaders to identify if the assumptions of Knowles’s (1990) Adult Learning Theory were present in the planning and implementation of continuing education. A qualitative case study research design was utilized, and the research setting was dependent on the participants and the locations in which they were contracted to conduct continuing education sessions with teachers. The instructional leaders were committed to plan and present professional development at three different suburban schools surrounding a city in the Southeastern United States. The participants in the study were instructional leaders and educational consultants with at least 10 years of experience who work across school districts with multiple elementary, middle, and high school sites in suburban and urban districts. Data sources included two rounds of interviews, observations of planned and implemented professional development, and document analysis of staff development materials. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis that included within-case and cross-case investigation. | 1. What ideas and theories do instructional leaders say they use to plan and implement professional development for the teachers with whom they work? 2. How do the ideas and theories instructional leaders use inform planning and implementation of the professional development they create? 3. In what ways do the ideas, theories, and practices of instructional leaders align with current theories of adult learning? | |||||||||||||||||||
88 | 2021 | Stephanie Jones-Fosu | Dr. Chance W. Lewis | Dr. Tehia Glass, Dr. Jae Hoon Lim, Dr. Stephen Hancock, and Dr. Paul Fitchett. | Putting Equity to Work: A Qualitative Case Study Exploring Teacher Candidates Perceptions on Equity and Social Justice Pedagogy in a Teacher Preparation Program | This study seeks to explore equity and social justice in a teacher preparation program through the lived experiences of teacher candidates who are attempting to enact equity and social justice in their teaching. This study suggests that for a university-based teacher education program to support teacher-candidates enactment, while addressing the tension between focusing on equity and social justice or pedagogy, they must: a) identify how the curriculum addresses equity and social justice, b) identify how teacher candidates are attempting to enact equity and social justice in the classroom, and c) identify what the teacher candidates gained from the curriculum that helped them incorporate equity and social justice in the classroom. This study applied a case study approach to reveal the lived experiences of teacher candidates, who are student teaching in diverse urban schools during their last year in a teacher preparation program. Findings suggest when incorporating social justice and equity, teacher preparation programs need to thread equity and social justice in the curriculum in a way that is fluid and integral. When supporting teachers’ enactment of equity and social justice, bold and courageous decisions must be made to dismantle the racist systems in education. | 1. What are the teacher candidates' perceptions of the curriculum that addresses equity and social justice? 2. How are equity and social justice being enacted by teacher candidates during student teaching? 3. What are the teacher candidates using from their teacher preparation program that helps them enact equity and social justice in their student teaching? | |||||||||||||||||||
89 | 2020 | Michelle Boone Pass | Dr. Chance W. Lewis | Dr. Greg Wiggan, Dr. Lisa Merriweather, and Dr. Banita W. Brown. | Staying the Course: The Persistence of African American Biology Majors at a Predominantly White Institution | Increasing the number of African Americans graduating with STEM degrees and entering the STEM workforce has been the focus of countless political reports and educational studies for decades; however, African Americans continue to experience waning graduation rates and mounting attrition rates in STEM disciplines while remaining vastly underrepresented in STEM fields. This study differs from previous studies that have focused on African Americans in STEM utilizing a deficit-based approach. This qualitative, phenomenological study examined the experiences of African American students who were successfully navigating the biology major at a predominantly White institution. This study sought to identify the factors that support the persistence of African American students in the biology major at a predominantly White institution, and to describe how these factors support their persistence in the biology major. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with six African American undergraduate biology students and analyzed using phenomenological analysis. Findings revealed that although the students were successful in the biology major, the lack of support from professors and peers within the biology major, adversely affected their academic and social experiences. Four themes emerged from the analysis of interview data. The themes are: self-determination, peer-support, independence, and adaptation. Recommendations for educational stakeholders and future research are discussed. | 1. What are the factors that provide support to African American undergraduate students persisting in the biology major at a predominantly White university in the southeastern United States? 2. How do these factors contribute to African American undergraduate students’ persistence in the biology major at a predominantly White university in the southeastern United States? | |||||||||||||||||||
90 | 2020 | Portia Marie York | Dr. Chance W. Lewis | Dr. Bettie Butler, Dr. Jae Hoon Lim, and Dr. Elizabeth Murray. | Exploring the Influence of Dramatic Arts on Underexamined Literacies: Experiences of Black Girls in an Urban Middle School | This study examined the influence of drama participation on foundational, digital, and Black Girls’ literacies of urban middle school Black girls. This interpretive case study used the Culturally Relevant Arts Education framework with Black Feminist Thought epistemology to address the following research questions: What are the experiences of middle school Black girls who participate in drama classes in relation to language, identity, and social media engagement? What role does the drama teacher play with urban middle school Black girls who participate in drama classes as they address language, identity and social media engagement? Purposive criterion sampling was used to recruit participants for this study. Semi-structured interviews, a focus group, and a writing prompt were conducted with five Black females; four participants were middle school students who attended Stonybrook School (pseudonym), and one participant was a Black female teacher who taught at the school. The findings of the study suggest that Black girls who participated in drama 1) Experienced enhanced foundational language, 2) Acquired a more positive racial and gender identities, and 3) Demonstrated effective management of social media engagement. Additional findings suggest that the Black female drama teacher plays a significant role with Black middle school girls as they successfully navigate academics, identity, and social media engagement through practicing drama activities, despite the race and gender challenges they face. The findings from this study help inform educational practices, policies, and research aimed at improving outcomes for Black girls in urban middle schools. | RQ1. What are the experiences of middle school Black girls who participate in drama classes in relation to language, identity, and social media engagement? RQ2. What role does the drama teacher play with urban middle school Black girls who participate in drama classes as they address language, identity and social media engagement? | |||||||||||||||||||
91 | 2020 | Jessica J. Norwood | Dr. Tina L. Heafner | Dr. Tracy Rock, Dr. Tehia Starker Glass, Dr. Erin Miller, and Dr. Amy Good. | “Sixth Grade Is Too Late”: A Case Study of Diversity Education for Elementary Grades | Recent high-profile events and rhetoric surrounding White supremacist ideology in conjunction with recent data about White Americans’ understanding of structural racism has illustrated the problematic nature of White Americans’ conceptions of race and racism. In a society where Whiteness is normalized and seldom challenged, White Americans tend struggle with applying structural and institutional lenses to racial inequality. Further, American education often lacks conversations about race and racism that invoke structural and institutional perspectives, particularly at the elementary level, contributing to the misunderstandings of race and racism among White people. Seeking to address this problem from an education perspective, this study aims to contribute to the scholarship of anti-racist and multicultural education by exploring ways in which racial literacy may be facilitated within White students. A case study method was conducted to explore one elementary school’s use of a diversity curriculum as multicultural education with its predominantly White student body, including the associated perceptions and attitudes about the curriculum among a sample of White administrators, teachers, and fifth grade students. Through lesson observations, interviews with adults and students, and a review of lesson plans, qualitative data were gathered and analyzed through a framework of multicultural education and Critical Whiteness theory. Results suggested six primary characteristics of the diversity curriculum, including: (1) a grounding in the school mission statement, (2) an investment in the racial literacy of teachers and staff, (3) an organic and evolving nature, (4) a multi-faceted approach to diversity topics, (5) the use of sound instructional strategies, and (6) an emphasis on parent involvement and communication. Results of teacher perceptions and attitudes indicated teachers believed in: (1) the necessity of racial literacy to teach the curriculum, (2) the need to provide space for students, parents, and faculty/staff of Color, (3) the benefit of the program for White students, (4) a personal investment in the curriculum, and (5) room for growth for the program. Finally, data from student interviews suggested that students: (1) had mixed feelings about the enjoyment of the lessons, (2) remembered specific memorable topics, and (3) understood diversity as difference. Results from the study suggested implications for moving toward effective anti-racist education for elementary school students, including the power of conversations as vehicles toward greater racial literacy for White children and adults, a spiraling nature of racial literacy among administrators and teachers, meaningful stakeholder inclusion, social studies as anti-racist work, and possibilities for public schools enacting similar curriculum efforts. | 1. What are the characteristics of a diversity curriculum at an elementary school serving predominantly White students? 2. What are the perceptions of and attitudes regarding the diversity curriculum among school administrators and teachers? 3. What are the perceptions of and attitudes regarding the diversity curriculum among fifth grade students? | |||||||||||||||||||
92 | 2020 | Lenora M. Crabtree | Dr. Michelle Stephan | Dr. Chance W. Lewis, Dr. Jae Hoon Lim, Dr. Troy Sadler, and Dr. Adam Reitzel. | Designing and Implementing Professional Development to Support Critical Science Consciousness Among Science Educators | Justice-oriented pedagogies support students’ sociopolitical, or critical, consciousness. Research reveals, however, that science educators, the majority of whom are white, struggle to enact these practices. The purpose of this Design-based Research study is to explore the implementation of a professional development innovation designed to support practicing science teachers’ development of critical consciousness and content specific critical science consciousness. Teachers that possess critical science consciousness are aware that inequities in society influence science, and cognizant of the role science plays in the creation and perpetuation of systemic oppression. This research illuminates two significant findings: 1) Certain science content can be leveraged to increase practicing teachers’ critical consciousness and critical science consciousness, and 2) Situating instructional materials in the history and current realities of the place individuals inhabit can support development of critical consciousness and critical science consciousness. This research also has implications for science curriculum and instruction: 1) Science practices are valuable tools to investigate the epigenetic impact of systemic inequities that create disparate health outcomes among marginalized groups, 2) Science teacher educators and professional development providers need to explicitly address the social construction of race and the role of science in the creation of notions of White Supremacy, and 3) Enacting culturally relevant practices has the potential to liberate teachers as well as students. | Article 1: 1. What evidence of the teachers’ collective consciousness emerges during a Professional Development workshop that incorporates science practices and a critical place-based framework to examine disparate health outcomes? 2. What instructional experiences enable and constrain the high school teachers’ collective consciousness during a summer intensive Professional Development workshop that incorporates science practices and a critical place-based framework to examine disparate health outcomes? Article 2: 1. In what ways did the design of the professional development experience enable and constrain the high school teachers’ emerging critical consciousness and critical science consciousness? 2. What revisions to the instructional sequence are indicated by an analysis of the design and implementation of the professional development experience? Article 3: 1. Describes the critical inquiry case study. 2. Reports ways this specific case study supported teachers’ growth in critical science consciousness. | |||||||||||||||||||
93 | 2020 | Torrieann Martyn Dooley- Kennedy | Dr. Drew Polly | Dr. Daniel Alston, Dr. Amy Good, Dr. Tina Heafner, and Dr. Michael Putman. | Experienced Success: Does Mentoring Beginning Teachers Impact the Mentor? | While available research supports the impact mentoring has on beginning teachers, little has been written about the impact the role of mentoring has on the experienced teacher serving as a mentor. Mentor teachers are experienced teachers in schools who provide a wealth of knowledge and support to students as well as other teachers, including beginning teachers. As college students continue to choose other careers, and teachers continue to turnover and choose other professions, the amount of teachers, including experienced teachers, has been gravely dwindling across our nation. The state of North Carolina is struggling to compete with other states, specifically with regard to teacher compensation (National Education Association, 2019; Public Schools First NC, 2018). This is the time to consider ways to keep experienced teachers engaged in their profession. Research shows the act of being mentored greatly increased the success and longevity of a beginning teacher (Achinstein & Athanases, 2006; Darling-Hammond et al., 1990; Huling-Austin, 1989, 1990; National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, 1996; Odell & Ferraro, 1992; Pearson & Honig, 1992; Smith & Ingersoll, 2004; Strong & St. John, 2001; Wilson et al., 2001), but can it also contribute to the success and longevity of the mentor? The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the act of mentoring and determine if there was a relationship between mentoring and teacher performance, teacher effectiveness, and teacher retention of the person serving as the mentor. ExperiencED Success is named for the success of experienced educators. The theoretical frameworks of Situated Cognition, Communities of Practice, Expectancy Value Theory of Achievement, and Drive Motivation Theory serve as the foundation for ExperiencED Success. These frameworks are blended to examine the connection between prior research to the current study, identifying if there is a difference in teacher performance, teacher effectiveness, and teacher retention results for mentor teachers in the state of North Carolina when compared to experienced teachers who did not serve as mentors. The sample population included mentors and non-mentors within a large urban school district in the state of North Carolina. Quantitative analysis was used to investigate and compare the difference in teacher performance between mentors and non-mentors, the difference in teacher effectiveness between mentors and non-mentors, and the difference in retention of mentors and non-mentors. Findings suggest mentor teachers had greater performance, greater effectiveness, and greater retention when compared to non-mentor teachers. These results can be used to inform policy, practice, and further research. | RQ 1: For each school year (2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018) was the average performance rating on Standard I for mentors statistically different when compared to the average performance rating on Standard I for non-mentors from the same school year? RQ 2: For each school year (2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018) was the average performance rating on Standard IV for mentors statistically different when compared to the average performance rating on Standard IV for non-mentors from the same school year? RQ 3: For each school year (2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018) was the average performance rating on Standards I and IV combined for mentors statistically different when compared to the average performance rating on Standards I and IV combined for non-mentors from the same school year? RQ 4: For each school year (2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018) was the average teacher effectiveness rating for mentors statistically different compared to the average teacher effectiveness rating of non-mentors for the same school year? RQ 5: For each school year (2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018) was the average teacher retention for mentors statistically different compared to the average teacher retention of non-mentors for the same school year? | |||||||||||||||||||
94 | 2020 | Jonimay J. Morgan | Dr. Chance W. Lewis | Dr. Spencer Salas, Dr. Kristin Davin, Dr. Tracey Benson, and Dr. Stephen Hancock. | Exploring the Role of School Leadership in Improving Educational Outcomes of English Language Learners at One Urban Elementary School | Beginning with the Lau decision (Sugarman & Widess, 1974), it has been the responsibility of schools to provide educational support to English Language Learners (ELL). However, as elucidated by Hakuta (2017), educators continually struggle to supply ELL students with the necessary assistance for educational success and adaptation. Rapid growth in the school enrollment of English Learners, means the numbers of students not being served also increases. Much of the previous literature has focused on teacher beliefs and behaviors, effective programs, and classroom practices with regard to the instruction of ELLs. This research aim is not to exclude those factors, but to move beyond curriculum and instruction, to the role of the principal in creating an environment where English language learners are successful. It brings new light to the issue of effective instructional practices for English language learners and how the administration of a school building can promote and maintain such practices. This qualitative case study explores the specific elementary principal leadership responsibilities that support ELLs using interviews, observations, and document data. The theoretical lens of culturally responsive leadership (CRL) will be used to view research data obtained using conceptual frameworks constructed from two evidence based frameworks (VAL-ED Matrix and the ES-I Framework) derived from research on learner-centered leadership. Upon analysis, it was found that the leadership practices and core components demonstrated that the role of the elementary principal improving educational outcomes of ELLs in this case study was to: (1) be intentional about implementation of the tenets of CRSL, (2) create a school culture and learning environment that is safe, welcoming, and positive, and (3) be an advocate, supporter, and model in making meaningful connections with staff, students, families, and communities. Considering the key role that principals play in the successful implementation of programs for ELLs and their potential impact on students’ educational outcomes, the implications of this study provide the starting point for school leadership to improve those outcomes. | 1. What is the role of the elementary principal in improving educational outcomes of ELLs in urban elementary schools? 2. How does principal affect the school culture to create a school environment that contributes to the success of ELLs? 3. How does the principal promote equity and high expectations in instructional practices for ELLs and monitor for their effectiveness? | |||||||||||||||||||
95 | 2020 | Anna Sanczyk | Dr. Elizabeth R. Miller | Dr. Meghan Barnes, Dr. Kristin Davin, and Dr. Lan Kolano. | A Narrative Inquiry of Second Language Teacher Agency in Promoting Culturally Responsive Pedagogy | With an increasing immigrant population in the United States, there is a growing number of English as a Second Language (ESL) classes in adult education institutions. Given that English language learners (ELLs) come from various backgrounds, they face unique challenges when learning English, and language instructors should make an effort to understand their life histories and circumstances. With this in mind, it is crucial that ESL teachers effectively address the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse learners in their classrooms by promoting culturally responsive pedagogy. The purpose of this research study is to explore whether and how ESL teachers exercise agency in promoting culturally responsive pedagogy while teaching culturally and linguistically diverse adult students. In supporting my theoretical understanding of critical theory and agency, narrative inquiry provides a useful framework for studying how participants’ past, present, and future contexts influence their own understandings of teacher agency while teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students. Therefore, the goal in this narrative research was to provide a space for the voices of adult ESL instructors to be heard as they shared stories that represent whether and how they exercise agency. The participants of the study were seven adult ESL instructors teaching at a community college in the southeastern United States that serves diverse students. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews, journal entries, and classroom observations. The data were analyzed in three stages, using narrative thematic analysis, narrative holistic analysis, and NVivo analysis. A constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) was used in that process. Three themes developed from the data analysis that pertained to language teacher identity, culturally responsive pedagogy, and challenges adult ESL instructors face when teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students. The findings of this study revealed that the common aspect of participants’ identities was exploration even though they exhibited multiple identities throughout their lives and experienced shifts in their identities. However, although participants constructed themselves as explorers, only a few of them exhibited identities that relate to being transformative practitioners. The narratives also revealed that adult ESL instructors engaged in various culturally responsive practices; however, the data analysis revealed some gaps in the effective promotion of such practices. The findings of this study illuminated a challenging institutional environment in which the context is continuously changing in response to shifting testing requirements, citizenship regulations, and mandated curriculum. This research confirmed that teaching is a complex undertaking, where language teachers’ agency is shaped by multiple and varied experiences, contexts, beliefs, and hopes, which are intertwined with their past, present, and future identities. The lessons learned in this study provide new knowledge in terms of teacher preparation, teacher professional development, and community outreach. | 1. How do ESL teachers understand and enact culturally responsive pedagogy? 2. What is the role of teacher identity in shaping agency for promoting culturally responsive pedagogy? 3. How have the various contexts and experiences shaped ESL teachers’ agency in teaching culturally and linguistically diverse learners? | |||||||||||||||||||
96 | 2020 | Elizabeth Bumgardner | Dr. Adalira Saenz-Ludlow | Dr. Victor Cifarelli, Dr. Lisa Merriweather, and Dr. David Pugalee. | Uses of Argumentation in an Undergraduate Calculus Classroom: Mediating Student Generalization within Riemann Sums and Integration | Many of the struggles students face in postsecondary mathematics courses arise from their rote memorization of mathematical concepts, rather than having developed a relational understanding of these concepts. A relational understanding of mathematical concepts could allow students to form generalizations and extend the ideas they understand to new similar concepts. This study investigated how argumentation in a calculus-based undergraduate mathematics classroom can be used as a cognitive tool to mediate mathematical generalization. A classroom teaching experiment was conducted with twenty-nine students who were registered in two sections of a senior level undergraduate mathematics course. Formal instruction for the study took place during four teaching episodes in which the Teacher-Researcher (TR) modeled argumentation in her presentation of course content to emphasize why she made the steps she did when constructing Riemann sums and extending the ideas to other concepts. The concepts were approached first graphically. Then these ideas were extended by constructing informal equations, followed by constructing formal equations, and then followed by implementing these equations into Excel. For each teaching session, the students participated in class activities and related homework tasks where they were asked to justify their work. Following the four teaching sessions, each student participated in two one-to-one interviews where they worked through the concepts involved in Riemann sums and related topics. As in the class activities, students were asked to approach the topics graphically, using informal equations, using formal equations, implementing these equations into Excel, and, lastly, by applying these ideas to an area of the individual students’ interest. The interviews and written work of the students were analyzed under the lens of Vygotsky’s zones of proximal development and levels of generalization, along with Toulmin’s argumentation model. Three case studies were selected based on the types of learning demonstrated by the students: visual learners, visual and symbolic learners, and non-visual learners. Each of these cases was further broken into categories based on the similarities and differences in their interview tasks and the key strengths or weaknesses demonstrated in their coordination between visualization and conceptualization in the context of Riemann sums. Results showed that the non-visual learners who either lacked symbolization or only demonstrated procedural symbolization did not attempt to verbalize argumentation and were unable to form meaningful generalizations regarding Riemann sums concepts. However, the other two cases each had students who were able to form meaningful generalizations. The distinction in these cases lies within the sub-categories of the cases with the most polarized results falling within the case of visual learners. The visual learner who used argumentation was able to form generalizations while the visual learner who did not use argumentation was unable to form the needed generalizations. Generalization formation among the visual and symbolic learners appeared more student specific; while students who used argumentation did form generalizations, there were also students who formed generalizations without articulating the use of argumentation. Student feedback during the interviews indicated that many students believed the structure of the tasks and the emphasis on justifying their own thinking had a positive impact on their learning. | 1. How do students in a calculus-based course justify their mathematical solutions, and how does argumentation evolve throughout the teaching experiment? 2. How do students in a calculus-based course argue their mathematical solutions after experiencing argumentation modeled by the Teacher-Researcher (TR) in the classroom? 3. How do students in a calculus-based course generalize within the topic of Riemann sums and integration when presented with sequential tasks? 4. How does the mathematical argumentation used by students in a calculus-based course prompt the formation of generalizations within the topic of Riemann sums and integration when presented with sequential tasks? | |||||||||||||||||||
97 | 2020 | Sonyia C. Richardson | Dr. Chance W. Lewis | Dr. Bettie R. Butler, Dr. Lyndon Abrams, and Dr. Claudia Flowers. | Factors Influencing Teen Suicide-Related Behaviors among Racially Diverse High School Students in a Southeastern Urban School District | This quantitative study explores factors related to suicide-related behaviors among high school students in a southeastern urban racially diverse school district. It sought to examine whether race was a moderator of identified predictors and the outcome variable of suicide-related behaviors. Based on data affirming that racially diverse students in North Carolina residing in an urban unnamed district have higher rates of suicide-related behaviors than White students, this study utilized the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey district data to ascertain predictors and moderation effects. The sample included 2,007 Black, Latino, Multiracial, and White high school students. A logistic regression model was designed with suicide-related behaviors as the outcome behavior and six predictor variables which included cyberbullying, loneliness, homelessness, opioid misuse, sadness, and race. Using SPSS PROCESS, additional regression models were then designed to test moderation. Results indicated that all but one variable, homelessness, were statistically significant predictors of suicide-related behaviors. Additionally, sadness was the only variable moderated by race. Recommendations include the adoption of a Culturally Responsive Suicide-Related Behavior Response Framework to educate students about the history of suicide-related behaviors from a historical and culturally-based perspective. Most importantly, this framework empowers students to find alternative ways to escape from harsh life realities while affirming the challenges and difficulties they face. | 1. Does cyberbullying, homelessness, loneliness, opioid misuse, sadness, and race predict teen suicide-related behaviors among public high school students in the George County School district? 2. Does race moderate the relationship between suicide-related behaviors and identified predictors for Students of Color (Black, Latino, Multiracial, White) in the George County School district? | |||||||||||||||||||
98 | 2020 | Laurie Dymes | Dr. Maryann Mraz | Dr. Spencer Salas, Dr. Bruce Taylor, and Dr. Kelly Anderson. | Holding Out for a Héroe: A Book Club Study of Rural Middle School Latinas | Literacy provides people with intellectual tools to question, challenge, understand, disagree, and arrive at informed perspectives and is a reflection of cultural values and meaning-making for adolescents within their community. By understanding the development stages of self-identity in adolescence, reading material provides the implicit and explicit narratives of acceptance, value, and preference to a reader about societal norms. The purpose of this study is to examine how a group of middle grades Latinas, in a rural context, interacted with ethnically diverse protagonists featured in an extracurricular book club and the intersection of text, dialogue, and identity. This study is influenced by the analytical frameworks of Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors and Reader Response Theory to support the best practices in rural education research. A qualitative case study design was used to conduct this study over five weeks during the spring of 2019. This study was conducted in a middle school classroom with six students in rural North Carolina. Data sources include interviews, observations, and a collection of student responses. The data was analyzed using a combined methodology of discourse and thematic analysis to better understand the influence of diverse characters on student identity and cultural connections as evidenced in their discussion. After analyzing the data, Latinx culture, cultural challenges, familial relationships, and educational perspective emerged as themes to answer the research question about the Latinas experience with a Latinx-centric Book Club in the rural South. | In the context of a North Carolina rural middle school, how do adolescent Latinas experience a Latinx-centric novel in an extracurricular book club format? | |||||||||||||||||||
99 | 2019 | Fred A. Coon IV | Dr. Anthony Fernandes | Dr. Allison McCulloch, Dr. Victor Cifarelli, and Dr. David Pugalee. | Understanding the Probability Literacy of High School Students | This multi-case study examined high school students’ probability literacy, with focus on randomness, independence, and sample space. Task-based interviews were used with ten high school students. A Levels of Understanding Matrix (LUM), that was created based on pilot data using known literature, was deployed to gauge the students' understanding of randomness, independence and sample space. All data was processed through the LUM to create a consistent analysis while also providing a means to group the students into groups: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. Each group held common characteristics such as the Advanced group’s ability to build and use sample space while the Beginner group did not do either. The Intermediate group could use the sample space with some prompting. More general results show that students do not access positive or negative recency when dealing with random events but are still developing their understanding of randomness as an unordered list. Students used representativeness when dealing with independence while mostly being able to identify separate events. Further, when students could create and use sample spaces, their apparent understanding of randomness, and to a lesser extent independence, was more developed. Lastly, it was found that students did not see outcomes as independent when there was the perception that skill was a factor in the activity, such as basketball. Students viewed the trials as being related since the basketball player was building skill as he or she played the game. The study indicates that developing and using the sample space plays a key role in students’ understanding and should be a focus of teaching. | What is the probability literacy of high-school students? In particular, what do highschool students understand about the probability concepts of chance, randomness, independence and sample space? | |||||||||||||||||||
100 | 2019 | Kellan Washington Strong | Dr. Erin Miller | Dr. Tehia Glass, Dr. Bruce Taylor, and Dr. Lisa Merriweather. | "Because We're Unique": The Literate Lives of Black Adolescent Females | This qualitative study explores the literacy and language practices of Black adolescent girls as they read and make meaning of a critical text. The focus of this inquiry was to broadly examine how societal and situational factors influence the ways in which Black adolescent girls make sense of Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give (2017), a form of culturally responsive text. This study embraces the Black Girls’ Literacy Framework first created by Muhammad and Haddix (2016) and two interconnected research questions from that framework drove this study: a) how do Black adolescent girls enact critical literacy practices? and b) how do Black adolescent girls respond to a culturally responsive critical text? Data in the form of two semi-structured interviews, a focus group, and written journal entries in response to the novel were used to examine each Black girl participants’ representation of themselves and their identities, as well as the way they made meaning of a critical text. Critical discourse analysis was utilized to analyze data across a societal domain, as well as across institution and situation. This study contributes to the current body of literature by positioning Black girls at the center and bringing visibility to the ways in which their intersectionalities (raced, classed, and gendered identities) influence the ways in which they enact their literacy practice. | RQ1. How do Black adolescent girls enact critical literacy practices? RQ2. How do Black adolescent girls respond to a culturally responsive critical text? |