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Student Proficiency On High School Math Assessments And Their Relation to College And University Math Readiness
Get PDFData indicate that a significant number of first-year college students were inadequately prepared in high school to complete university-level mathematics courses. The purpose of this study is to evaluate student proficiency on high school mathematics assessments and their relation to student preparedness for university-level mathematics courses. The context of my study is a cohort of diverse, high school senior students in one state in the United States who have shown proficiency on mathematics assessments. The methodology I used was a mixture of qualitative and quantitative data, comprised of student and faculty index surveys at the high school and university level and the disaggregation of various assessment data of student scores on high school assessments
A Rudimentary Framework Of The Emergence Of Naturally-Occurring Mentorships
Get PDFCross-age relationships between youth and adults that develop organically outside the construct of youth programs are examples of natural mentoring relationships. In the United States, research has demonstrated the positive impact of these mentorships. Scholars have begun applying concepts learned from natural mentoring to formal mentoring schema; however, much work is yet to be done in examining how these relationships emerge and the factors that impact their development. Designed in partnership with a private secondary school in rural México, this study aimed to unpack these questions using a grounded theory approach. Current students, alumni, and teachers participated in the study through semi-structured interviews. Data from the interviews were analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding. Critical realism was used as an organizing principle during the selective coding process. Three core categories emerged from the data–factors of readiness, approaches of engagement, and states of alignment. These constructs in conjunction with influences of group-level and community-level factors make up a rudimentary framework for the emergence of natural mentoring relationships
Heal the Hood: An Exploration of Community and Organizational Assets in Chicago\u27s Twentieth Ward
Get PDFThis study seeks to expand upon Empowerment Theory (Rappaport, 1984) by utilizing Asset Based Community Development to better understand what community members and organizations deem as current strengths and needs of Chicago’s twentieth ward. The questions that this dissertation explores are What strengths exist in Chicago\u27s 20th ward that can lead to empowerment for the community and What are community members\u27 perspectives on what is needed in the 20th ward for community members to thrive? In order to explore these questions, this dissertation moves away from the terminology of “community needs assessment” and chooses to rather focus on Asset Based Community Development, a strategy for sustainable community driven development (Collaborative for Neighborhood Transformation, 2023). This new lens helps identify and highlight all of the assets that already exist in Chicago’s twentieth ward and identifies ways to strengthen the community as a whole. The research also illustrates how community members are agents of change versus just subjects of research. Through the utilization of a Community Needs Assessment that surveyed six hundred twenty nine participants as well as four individual organizational interviews, data found that community members deemed mental health services, youth and family services and educational programs as the top needs of Chicago’s twentieth ward. In comparison to other studies (National Urban League, 2019), these are many of the same needs that were deemed most important in Community Needs Assessments that surveyed predominantly African American communities.
Much of the existing research expounds upon the lack of mental health services and family services in communities of color. While the community has several needs, the study also identified resilience as one of the major community assets that members of the ward possess. Relying heavily on a historicizing of these issues, my project shows how community members and community stakeholders—create a rich and valid site from which to explore the development of community activism and change as well as how these narratives connect to larger cultural narratives of race, class and community. The nature of this inquiry highlights the interrelationship between community assets and community change.
Keywords: Chicago’s 20th Ward, Asset Based Community Development, Organizational Participation, Participatory Actio
Reimagining the Corporation: Towards a Regenerative Approach
No full textThis study explores the manifestation of regenerative principles amongst Egyptian social enterprises. An emergent design approach was adopted, whereby the focus of the study, and the concepts being explored, evolved and emerged as data was being collected. As demonstrated in the results section, the focus and final output of the work changed from being a technically oriented solution into a framework for reflecting around the transformation of companies from a regenerative lens. A series of semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted. Discussion topics included describing the journey of the founder of the social enterprise, the mandate and the history of the organization that they created the rationale behind its design and introduction, key pain points during implementation, key outcomes and moments of pride, and governance and management practices and approaches. Results indicated the emergence of a paradoxical spectrum between destruction and regeneration, which can manifest amongst founders and within their organizations. Regenerative and life-affirming practices included adopting the role of facilitator as opposed to instructor or egoic leader, creating nurturing relationships and diverse cultures, consistent communication with stakeholders, clear accountability structures, reliance on both intellect and intuition, as well as action and reflection, amongst other practices. The way forward is focused on the creation of a facilitated experience to enable founders and their teams to reflect on their approaches to social change, leadership, and in turn capacity to create deep-rooted and systemic changes within society
Examining Teachers’ Perceptions of Preparedness to Teach in Low-Income Schools Upon Completing a Master of Arts in Teaching Degree
Get PDFRecent teacher shortages after the 2020 to 2022 COVID pandemic disruption of education systems have increased interest in Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) targeting teacher candidates who obtained earlier degrees in fields other than education. This mixed methods research project employed surveys and semi-structured interviews to examine perceptions of early career teachers who completed a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) preparation program in a midwestern U.S. urban, low-income setting. These MAT EPP program completers described their views of their preparation program, including the EPP’s perceived strengths and areas for improvement framed by Danielson’s four domains of teaching responsibility: Planning and Preparation, Classroom Environment, Instruction, and Professional Responsibilities. The researcher utilized a sequential survey and interview research design to gather survey data (N=25) and then to delve deeper through open-ended interviews (N=8), seeking to triangulate subjects’ views of EPP effectiveness in teaching, particularly in low-income schools. Results found that 60% of surveyed MAT EPP graduates indicated that Classroom Environment was their perceived greatest area of strength. In terms of Area of Needed Support, the largest subgroup (32%) reported the Domain of Instruction as the most significant area. The follow-up interview phase reported two EPP structural components as equally influential: Instructors’ Support (32%) and Student Teaching Placement (32%). Teacher responses to survey and interview questions showed that most participants identified a lack of culturally relevant pedagogy as an EPP area needing improvement. The study described tenets of change leadership and adaptive leadership as frameworks for improving MAT EPP curriculum, suggesting that greater EPP attention to developing cultural proficiency could improve EPP effectiveness. Findings noted that some teacher competencies could only be learned through real-world experiences. The findings also suggest that although EPPs provide hands-on experiences, the depth of those experiences must be expanded to maximize their effects on teachers’ self-efficacy
The Effects of Type of Recall on Memory Accuracy in an Eyewitness Case Vignette
Get PDFMemory and recall play an essential role in determining convictions in cases of eyewitness testimony. Eyewitnesses can appear confident in their statements, yet one’s memory and recall of a witnessed event can become distorted or manipulated in the process given that it is highly susceptible to various errors, biases, and misleading information such as suggestive questions. The purpose of this study was to further examine how two types of recall (i.e., cued and free) effect eyewitness testimony. In this study, 43 participants read a hypothetical case vignette of a murder crime scene; they were then randomly put into either a cued recall or free recall group. All participants were asked a series of suggestive questions pertaining to the crime vignette in order to measure and compare memory accuracy and confidence ratings between the two recall groups. The findings of this study indicated that while there was no significant difference between the number of details remembered from the crime vignette by the two recall groups, participants in the cued recall group made more mistakes than participants in the free recall group. Participants in the cued recall group were also slightly more likely to say “yes” to the suggestive questions than participants in the free recall group. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that cued recall may not take precedence over free recall when assessing memory in the context of eyewitness testimony, despite a vast amount of literature highlighting the opposite, yet some studies have suggested the same
How Does Self-Regulation In Early Childhood Classrooms Inform Teacher Practice In Order To Support Engagement and Achievement?
No full textTo encourage engagement and achievement, this study was designed to ascertain the degree to which self-regulation abilities of early childhood students affect teacher practice. The assessment of student versus teacher responsibilities, modifications to the required environment, and levels of support that are accessible to instructors for children to succeed were all part of this research study on self-regulation in early childhood classrooms. This study involved an analysis of data from qualitative studies. Using the data gathered, strategies for improvement were identified, such as the need for professional development, parental support, and effective educational methods. The study’s findings demonstrated self-regulation skills can improve academic success by helping students utilize specific strategies. The findings address the impact of outlying factors, such as culture, on self-regulation understanding and its influence on classroom expectations. According to the results of this study, equipping teachers with the knowledge they need to assist young children in early childhood with the development of self-regulation abilities results in overall academic and developmental growth. Additionally, providing ongoing professional development, parental resources, and instructional methods to facilitate the development of self-regulation in early childhood leads to positive social, emotional, and academic achievement in the classroom
Susan Patzan, Youth Services Coordinator, Department of Family and Support Services, City of Chicago
Get PDFGrowing up in the vibrant city of Chicago to Guatemalan immigrant parents, Susan (Harrison Fellow 2011-2016), always knew she would be advocating for others. With 16 years of educational nonprofit experience, Susan Patzán, has worked with organizations that assist under-served communities. Currently she is a Youth Services Coordinator, under the Corporate Partnerships portfolio with the Department of Family and Support Services. In her role, she oversees professional development for Chicago’s youth ages 14-24. She knows how having professional development, and mentoring in these ages is very important in shaping youth often living in overlooked communities.
Susan, has a Bachelor\u27s in Applied Behavioral Sciences , with a minor in Science Education. She also has training as an interpreter through the Language Access Resource Center in DuPage County. She does simultaneous interpreting in education, social services, medical, and soon Illinois courts. As an English language learner herself, she has a desire to support language services and advocacy. Susan, had also served on different Associates Boards within the city of Chicago, which have raised over $25,000 to continue serving families.
When she’s not supporting youth or interpreting, you can find her at home enjoying time with her dogs, her nieces, and enjoying a good cup of coffee.https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/hforalhistories/1004/thumbnail.jp
(Re)Envisioning Factors Contributing to Black Men’s College Success: An Ecological and Critical Reflection Using Photovoice
Get PDFThis research uses modified photovoice combined with an ecological and antideficit approach to amplify the voices of Black men who have completed college degrees. The study explores the question: What factors contribute to college completion for Black men? Using a qualitative approach and the Ethos platform to collect images, photo captions, and critical reflection data from a purposive sample of five Black men. Data analysis included inductive and deductive coding, data organization within the ecological systems, and member checking to validate the findings. The study acknowledges the unique challenges Black men face in pursuing higher education. It emphasizes the importance of contextual factors in their experiences, focusing on strengths and assets rather than deficits and limitations. The findings indicate that family support, peer relationships, personality traits, spirituality, and mentors were critical influences on degree completion for Black men. The research accentuates the significance of applying multidimensional and antideficit approaches to center the voices of Black men who have completed college degrees. Participants’ stories provide implications for programming, policies, and resources that promote the well-being and success of Black men in higher education and beyond. By understanding and building on their strengths and assets, researchers and practitioners can gain deeper insights into the lived experiences of Black men, leading to more effective interventions and policies that address their needs
