The experiences of Latinx youth are well-studied in U.S. schools, yet, few studies have focused on their experiences in Community Based Educational Spaces (CBES). CBES continue to be on the periphery of Education research despite the potential affordances of youth-led work in such out-of-school spaces (Baldridge, 2020). At the same...
This thesis examines the experiences of international Latin American graduate students when taking on the role of graduate assistants while completing their academic program. Using phenomenology, a qualitative research approach, and relying on two main theories, Challenge and Support by Sanford (1966) and the Community Cultural Wealth Model, this study...
This dissertation examines college students' reflections on gender-related topics within a social justice course of a teacher preparation program. Using critical and feminist approaches, this study explores how a strategically designed curriculum focused on the study of gender enhances students' understanding of sexism, gender oppression, and masculinity. The curriculum employs...
The law commonly referred to as Title IX, which was passed in 1972, called for an end to sex-based discrimination in educational and federally-funded settings. Before long, it became particularly associated with the quest for equality for women’s sports. As Title IX was a major catalyst in advancing and even...
Despite ongoing initiatives and research efforts, the persistent underrepresentation of marginalized groups in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines in the U.S. has seen little improvement. This study posits that a fundamental change in teacher preparation can lead to more inclusive STEM learning environments. It centers on the development...
The Malawi public education system uses Chichewa as a language of instruction and content, with English as an independent subject for the first four years of primary school (Malawi Institute of Education, 2017). From fifth grade, English becomes a language of instruction and content in all subjects except for Chichewa,...
University supervisors are critical to improvement in K-12 teaching and learning due to their roles in designing field experiences, managing relationships, mentoring, and supervising teacher candidates. The encouragement, support, and feedback shared by university supervisors in respect to the teaching performance of teacher candidates is especially powerful, and is a...
Co-teaching and collaboration are an increasingly popular service model for English as a second language (ESL). In this model, the language specialist, sometimes called the ESL teacher, works together with a content teacher, each using their respective expertise to meet the needs of students who are identified as English learners...
The purpose of this study was to explore and describe how the orientations and knowledge of linguistically responsive teaching, as well as personal characteristics of school-based agriculture education (SBAE) teachers, influence the frequency of their implementation of linguistically responsive practices. Grounded in the Linguistically Responsive Teaching framework by Lucas and...
For many young bilingual students in school settings, demands of curricula and standardized assessments take precedence over writing pedagogies that invite and welcome students’ identities and languages into their writing. Pedagogies of voice are a means of providing culturally and linguistically responsive instruction that support bilingual students learning to write...
Persistent reading difficulties are prevalent in U.S. schools and can lead to lower student performance across all subjects as well as distress, anxiety, and depression. In 2022, only 32% of fourth graders in the United States tested as proficient in reading. While there are many factors which affect reading progress...
The dominant narrative of U.S. Muslims in higher education is associated with violent rhetoric, anti-American values, and terrorism. After terrorist attacks took place on September 11th, 2001, this narrative expanded to include a depiction of U.S. Muslims as being oppressed and submissive. Hate crimes, discrimination, and Islamophobic attacks towards Muslims...
Research overwhelmingly suggests that Black and Brown students face unjust and inequitable environments in K-12 schools in the United States (Bradshaw et al., 2010; Carter et al., 2017; Coles & Powell, 2020). These injustices often occur as a result of systemic racism and are replicated because of embedded racist policies...
Entrepreneurship is regarded as a viable way for women to enter the economy and improve their quality of life (Morris et al., 2018). However, little attention has been paid to understanding how women, and specifically women of color, utilize their ways of knowing to learn entrepreneurship. Grounded in Chicana/Latina feminism...
Community engaged scholarship has gained attention as public universities begin to answer calls to return to their roots of serving the public good. The scholars at the heart of community engagement play an important role in this mission, but their experiences in the academy are not well understood. As institutional...
The dominant narrative of Asian Americans in higher education is one of high achievement, success, and wellness. Dominant voices of white supremacy have primarily constructed this narrative. Asian Americans are regarded as the model minority or the dichotomous “model” while simultaneously maintaining “minority” status. This study centers on seven Asian...
The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of school-based agriculture education (SBAE) teachers who self-identified as blended pedagogues. This study specifically focused on SBAE teachers' beliefs and how those beliefs influence their blended teaching classroom practice. Teacher beliefs are personal, subjective, and temporally and contextually stable....
The Common Core State Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMPs) describe ways of thinking and doing mathematics that parallels how mathematicians engage with mathematics (National Governors Association for Best Practices, 2010). These standards reflect a broader goal in K-12 mathematics education focused on moving beyond K-12 learners acquiring knowledge of mathematical...
In this dissertation I explore the Arms representation and activities for teaching quantum mechanics invented at Oregon State University. In the Arms representation students embody quantum states. The Arms activities are presented as an exemplar of the unique physics classroom culture of the upper-division Paradigms in Physics program. In the...
Issues of injustice in society (e.g. racism, classism, sexism, ableism) are perpetuated in and through educational opportunities, including mathematics learning (Freire, 1970/2000). Those that are committed to disrupting the interlocking systems that create disparities and oppression in mathematics education are considered to be “pursuing justice.” Pursuit of justice can involve...