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THE JOURNEY OF DOMINICAN WOMEN AS ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERS IN U.S. HIGHER EDUCATION
Get PDFThis qualitative narrative study delved into the experiences and journeys of Dominican women ascending to administrative leadership positions within U.S. higher education institutions. The main purpose was to explore the challenges and successes encountered by these women, addressing the identified issue of their underrepresentation in such roles. Participants, comprising 13 Dominican women, held positions ranging from Directors and Faculty/Professors to Vice Presidents, Chiefs of Staff, and Presidents. Their ages spanned from 45 to 75, representing a diverse range of experiences and perspectives. The research methodology embraced a qualitative approach with a narrative design, aligning with the study\u27s theoretical framework rooted in Critical Race Theory aligned with (LatCrit). Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews and participant journaling, drawing on the narrative inquiry model proposed by Connelly and Clandinin (1990). This approach allowed for a nuanced exploration of the personal and professional trajectories of these women in their leadership roles. The study\u27s significance lies in its diversity and representation within higher education leadership, specifically for Dominican women. Their narrative sheds light on systemic barriers and provided insights. The study calls for institutional commitment to diversity and inclusion, emphasizing the need for policies and practices that foster equitable opportunities for leadership across higher education for specifically Dominican women
CLOSING THE GAP IN PERFORMING MUSIC ENSEMBLES: A STUDY TO EXAMINE BARRIERS OF ACCESS TO EQUITABLE PARTICIPATION
Get PDFThe purpose of the study was to determine if there is a significant difference in student participation in the music courses of band, chorus, orchestra, and general music as related to race/ethnicity, ELL status, and free and reduced lunch status. The participants in the study included 389 eighth-grade students from a suburban middle school in the northeastern United States, located near a major metropolitan city. The school district maintains a nationally recognized music program. The quantitative study used archival data including student music course selection, GPA at the end of 8th grade, and 9th grade music course selection, race/ethnicity of the student, student free and reduced lunch status, and student ELL status. Redistribution, recognition, and representation of Nancy Fraser’s social justice theory, along with the essential elements of the Cultural Proficiency Framework, were the lenses which guided the study. Findings indicated that White students are overrepresented in the performing music ensembles, while Black, Asian, and Hispanic students, along with ELL students and those classified as lower income, are much less likely to choose to participate in band, chorus, and orchestra. However, when they do enroll, they are more likely to continue in the program through high school and their academic average increases. The study is timely in its attempt to examine recruitment and retention methods to identify potential economic or social barriers that limit full student body participation in beneficial performing music programs. Improved access to music opportunities for all students increases equity in performing music ensembles and supports student choice
USING VIDEO MODELING WITH FEEDBACK TO TEACH COURTSHIP BEHAVIORS TO AN AUTISTIC YOUNG ADULT: A SINGLE SUBJECT DESIGN
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of video-modeling with feedback on the development of courtship behaviors in an autistic individual. A concurrent multiple baseline across behaviors design was used to examine the impact of this intervention on three target behaviors: asking someone on a date, responding to acceptance, and handling rejection. The intervention consisted of showing the participant video models in which volunteers demonstrated the three target courtship behaviors. Following three, four, and five baseline observations for each target behavior, corresponding video models were introduced for each of the behaviors. Following the viewing of video models, the participant role-played the skill with a confederate while being video-recorded. The participant was shown this video- recording of herself and provided with feedback including praise and suggestions for improvement. The participant then completed another role-play for the behavior which was recorded and scored by research assistants. Outcome measures included percent of steps correctly performed on task analyses of the target behaviors as well as ratings of skill appropriateness. Two weeks following the discontinuation of the intervention phase, a generalization probe with a new confederate was conducted. Results demonstrated substantial improvement in the percentage of steps completed on the task analyses and appropriateness ratings following the introduction of the intervention for all three target behaviors as well as during the generalization probe. Finally, the administration of a pre- and post-intervention Social Validity Questionnaire revealed that the participant gained confidence in her ability to use these targeted courtship behaviors in real life. Strengths, limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed
CALCIUM PERMEABILITY OF RAT TRPV1 IN A CLOSE STATE WHEN EXPRESSED IN XENOPUS LAEVIS OOCYTES
No full textTransient Receptor Potential V1 (TRPV1) is a nonselective cation channel, which is expressed in nociceptors/ pain detecting receptors. Activated by a wide variety of exogenous and endogenous physical and chemical stimuli such as heat, TRPV1 is involved in temperature detection, body temperature regulation, and pain perception. It is generally accepted that TRPV1\u27s conductance to cations, including Ca2+, depends on its conformational change from a closed to an open state following gating. In the current study, I observed that the plasma membrane of Xenopus laevis oocytes, upon exogenous expression of rat TRPV1, exhibited weak permeability to Ca2+, as evidenced by the activation of endogenous calcium-activated chloride channels. Through testing the effects of mutations in the pore of TRPV1, I confirmed that calcium was indeed conducted through TRPV1. Therefore, this study suggests that even in the closed state, rat TRPV1 displays residual permeability to Ca2+, an unknown feature that may be critical for its physiological function
NOSTALGIA FOR THE NEVER WAS: IDEALS OF FAMILY, NATION, AND MASCULINITY IN THE BLOCKBUSTER FILMS OF THE REAGAN ERA
Get PDFThis dissertation offers a cultural history of the symbiotic relationship between consumerism, nuclear war and the ideal of the nuclear family as these concepts are reflected in popular film franchises launched in the 1980s during the heyday of Ronald Reagan’s presidency. Each chapter studies the strong correlation between blockbuster film and Reagan’s militarism, his invocations of family values, and most importantly, his investment in turning American politics into a nostalgic movie promising a happy Hollywood ending. Chapter One discusses James Cameron’s The Terminator as a warning for what can happen if a society is too reliant on technology and consumption while simultaneously serving as a thrilling action-packed distraction from thinking too critically about these issues. Chapter Two explores Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future as a celebration of technological progress and consumption within the nuclear family. Chapter Three discusses the ways in which John McTiernan’s Die Hard highlights societal concerns about an evolving culture in terms of gender roles, corporate America and terrorism. Chapter Four lays out how James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day provides a meditation on how close America came to nuclear destruction without sacrificing the audiences’ craving for an adrenaline fueled special-effects blockbuster. Finally, the fifth chapter is devoted to rides and attractions at Disney and Universal Parks and highlights the growing societal distance between reality and illusion in terms of what people crave and try to emulate in their own lives, which only truly benefits those who produce and profit off of the illusions
EXAMINATION OF READING MOTIVATION LEVELS AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS IN DEAF AND HARD-OF-HEARING ADOLESCENTS
Get PDFThe purpose of this study is to examine self-rated levels of reading motivation and reading activity among Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) Adolescents and the relationship to overall Language Arts skills. This study is framed by social learning theory and self-determination theory. DHH Adolescents (n=38), between the ages of 11 and 17, with bilateral hearing loss, located in Southern California participated in the study. Data collection included administration of the Motivation for Reading Questionnaire (MRQ), Reading Activity Inventory (RAI) and a demographic survey. Phase 2 included a focus group of Phase 1 participants (n=5). Survey data was analyzed quantitatively for mean differences and correlations while subsequent focus group data was analyzed using axial coding. Significant correlations identified relationships between gender and three constructs on the MRQ: Curiosity, Recognition, and Social Reasons. Educational Placement was also significantly correlated to Importance of Reading. Themes identified in the focus group were motivation, impact of hearing loss, and beneficial strategies employed. This study extends the extant research supporting reading motivation as an essential component of adolescent literacy instruction, while filling a gap in the literature by analyzing reading motivation of DHH learners. Limitations include the small sample size, limited geographical region, and the use of California state-testing scores as a general measure of Language Arts Skills. Opportunities for future research and implications of the study are discussed as well
LEADERSHIP IN TWO-WAY DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAMS: ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION MAKING IN ELEMENTARY TWO-WAY DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAMS
Get PDFWith an increase of English language learners in public schools across the United States, the importance of addressing the needs of students who require language access in their home language has resulted in an increase in the implementation of dual language programs. This increase continues to challenge educators to provide effective programs that provide quality instruction for English language learners. This has prompted schools to offer a two-way dual language program as an educational bilingual option to assist in meeting the needs of emergent bilingual students. In this qualitative case study, the researcher explored the extent to which school principals’ leadership and decision-making processes exert influence on the operations of two-way dual language classrooms including English language learners/multilingual learners at the elementary school level. The researcher also focused on the guiding principles of program design and implementation for dual language programs, which are organized into seven strands: program structure, curriculum, instruction, assessment and accountability, staff quality and professional development, family and community, and support and resources. This research was based on a qualitative case study methodology. Data were collected through interviews with administrators, focus groups with dual language teachers, survey responses, and artifacts. The theoretical framework of self-efficacy and the decision-making process guided the analysis. The study findings provide guidance and information for principals so that they may recognize key elements and strategies that will guide them in fostering and operating effective two-way dual language programs among their staff
TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVE ON SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING THROUGH THE RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM APPROACH FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS DURING A TRAUMATIC EVENT
Get PDFSocial-emotional learning (SEL) has become a significant concern for schools across the United States and abroad, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research suggests that school support is necessary for students to succeed academically and emotionally. In recognition of this need, the New York State Education Department mandated schools to implement a SEL program that focuses on developing self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships, and responsible decision-making skills. Many SEL programs have been researched to determine their effectiveness in affecting students’ overall well-being. This phenomenological study used interviews with K–6 Responsive Classroom teachers in the Tri-State Area to determine the benefits of the Responsive Classroom approach for elementary students during a traumatic event. The findings showed a connection between the Responsive Classroom approach, a student-centered design of teaching and discipline, and the development of elementary students’ self-awareness, social awareness, and relationship skills. In addition, this study showed how the Responsive Classroom approach supports students during a traumatic event. Understanding the influence of the Responsive Classroom approach on students during a traumatic experience may inform educational leaders’ decisions when selecting an SEL program for their students
THE POTENTIAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN UTILIZING QUARTERLY ASSESSMENTS FOR ASSESSING ADOLESCENTS’ ENGLISH SKILLS AS A PREDICTIVE INDICATOR OF STUDENTS ENGLISH LANUGAGE ARTS REGENTS SCORES
Get PDFThis quantitative research study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of quarterly assessments administered quarterly to students in a large school district in the northeastern United States and their impact on students’ subject-specific corresponding Regents Examination Scores. The study aims to determine if a correlational relationship exists between the independent variable, students’ scores on quarterly assessments, and the effect on the dependent variable, students’ scores on the English Language Arts Regents examination. The conceptual framework supports this research, whereas a model represents the theory that the independent variable impacts the dependent variable. This research is grounded in a critique of the practices and structural implementation of “high-stakes testing” as required by the Federal Law No Child Left Behind and the research done by Peter Taubman. This study is essential in ascertaining whether the implementation of quarterly assessments as a protocol within a school district is preparing students for the expectations of their high-stakes Regents Examinations. Student assessment scores and data were collected from 50 students from the 2021-2022 academic year. The insights from this study ultimately illustrated a positive correlational relationship between the student’s scores on the quarterly assessments and their scores on the English Language Arts Regents. There is sufficient evidence in the data that suggests that students whose scores increase on the quarterly examinations over time (Q1, Q2) are likely to obtain a higher Regents Examination score. It further highlighted that SPSS was used to analyze the assessment data and displayed scatterplot and frequency histograms. This study addresses a gap within the literature, precisely the gap within the practice of utilizing quarterly assessments, either subject-wide or school-wide and their effectiveness in preparing students for their required state and local assessments. The results of this study suggest that educators conduct similar studies with similar assessment scores across various subject areas to reaffirm the data gathered because of this study