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Real Eyes, Realize, Real Lies: Black Perspectives on Dual Language Immersion and Its Role in Gentrifying Communities
No full textPh.D.Dual language immersion (DLI), an educational program in which students study grade-level content in English and a partner language, began in the United States in the early 1960s and has surged since the 2010s. Nationwide, DLI continues to rise in popularity (Freire, Alfaro, & de Jong, 2024). To some extent, this is because DLI has been successfully promoted as an advantageous educational opportunity and is widely known for inclusive schools that welcome the integration of students and families from all backgrounds (Kotok & DeMatthews, 2018). Increasingly, DLI has begun to emerge in communities undergoing gentrification (Hyra, 2015) whose demographics do not represent those that have historically been served by DLI programs—namely communities of color (Delavan, Freire, & Menken, 2024). Amidst these developments, critical scholarship has revealed weaknesses in the narrative of DLI as a driver of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), showing that racial and economic inequities can be paradoxically exacerbated in DLI settings because Whiteness still dominates (e.g., Dorner, Moon, Freire, Gambrell, Kasun, & Cervantes-Soon, 2023; Palmer, Cervantes-Soon, Dorner, & Heiman, 2019). However, this critique has seldom been inclusive of perspectives of low-income and Black residents who may be at risk of displacement because of gentrification, and it simply notes the (under)enrollment of Black students across different DLI contexts without input from Black communities or theorizing their underrepresentation. Furthermore, in this critical DLI work the voices of Black scholars are also underrepresented. As DLI grows in popularity and continues to emerge in gentrifying areas, scholarship must begin to consider how it is perceived by and how it affects those communities, especially since little is known about perceptions of DLI in predominantly Black and low-income communities where gentrification may be viewed as a contributor to bringing these programs. In this dissertation, I explore how community stakeholders from two adjacent gentrifying neighborhoods in Washington DC position themselves toward the (under)enrollment of Black students in DLI and how they justify their positions. Additionally, I explore what perceptions they present toward DLI in gentrifying communities. I conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 community stakeholders who are school personnel, parents of school-aged children, members of non-profit organizations, and community activists from two DLI schools that I call Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. DLI. Both are in neighborhoods that are gentrifying but still mostly Black. To analyze the data, I apply a raciolinguistic perspective (Flores & Rosa, 2015) and Critical Race Theory (CRT) and its methodology of counter-storytelling (Ladson-Billings, 2022). Through a raciolinguistic perspective, I demonstrate how the interpretive and categorizing practices of racially hegemonic perceiving subjects reproduce raciolinguistic ideologies that are used to justify positions taken towards the demographics of MX and MLK Jr. DLI and their surrounding communities, in general, and towards the (under)enrollment of Black students, in particular. Using CRT and counter-storytelling, I highlight inequities in DLI from a non-hegemonic and racialized perspective by presenting a composite story of a character that represents several interview participants who are community stakeholders.
One key finding is that the reproduction of raciolinguistic ideologies to justify one’s position towards DLI and gentrification is arguably a response to macroaggressions that devalue the language practices of Black speakers of English, and that it is related to one’s connection to their community before the implementation of DLI and gentrification. Additionally, another key finding is that it is possible for Black community stakeholders to orient toward both positive and negative perceptions of DLI. Thus, a new category of counter-storytelling is needed, which I call parallel-storytelling. The findings shed light on the realities of Black and low-income communities experiencing gentrification that exist alongside—not in opposition to—the realities suggested by dominant and counter-narratives about DLI
The Contributions of Franco Modigliani, Robert C. Merton and William Sharpe to Retirement Security
No full textFinance, McDonough School of ManagementWhile Nobel Laureates like Samuelson, Friedman, Markowitz, Tobin, Diamond, Thaler and others have contributed unique theories or papers that have application to retirement security, three specific Nobel Laureates, Modigliani, Sharpe and Merton have built many of the pillars of retirement management theory and practice. Their influence is vast – from (i) the foundational theory of what a retirement plan is for (LCH); (ii) to various reform proposals to save Social Security globally; (iii) to asset pricing (CAPM) and goal setting (Merton’s focus on retirement income/relative wealth or GBI); (iv) to effective asset allocation strategies for defined benefit (Sharpe) and defined contribution plans (Merton); (v) to effective metrics and methods to evaluate and manage assets and asset managers (Modigliani Fee Proposal, Sharpe Ratio, Modigliani-Modigliani, Merton-Henrikson,); (vi) to recommendations about innovative approaches and critiques (Pension Obligation Bonds; public fund actuaries; bad advisors); (vii) importance of annuities (Modigliani, Sharpe and Merton) and (vii) to ensuring retirement security (loans, home retirement, new products, lock-boxes, part-time work post retirement). This paper/book provides an overview of their contributions and then discusses each topic in detail. This paper/book is meant to provide any student of retirement a single resource to understand and leverage the work of these researchers and to continue in their tradition to innovate and improve retirement security globally
Economic Growth and Financial Inclusion: Assessing the Impact of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana Initiative in India
No full textM.P.P.Economic progress in India, indicated by its average Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 5.7 percent over the last decade, has been significant. However, not all segments of the population have benefited equally from this growth, leading to persistently high levels of income inequality across different groups. Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna (PMJDY), an initiative to enhance financial inclusion through access to banking, credit, and insurance services, especially for lower-income groups, was launched in 2014. Amidst India's economic advancement, this paper explores the relationship between PMJDY, a proxy for financial inclusion, and economic growth of the country. Employing state-level GDP and PMJDY beneficiary data, along with a two-way fixed effects regression model, the study examines this link while controlling for economic, socioeconomic, political, and geographic variables. The paper finds no significant relationship between PMJDY and economic growth in India, suggesting a need to better understand the implementation, and participants’ experience of the program
The Effect of an Educational Program on Central Line Bundle Compliance
No full textD.N.P.Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are a potentially fatal complication that can occur in patients with central venous catheters (CVC). Central line (CL) bundles are widely used by healthcare organizations to prevent CLABSIs. Unfortunately, not all institutions consistently adhere to bundle protocols. A single academic level-1 trauma center was chosen for this quality improvement (QI) project. The institution sees many acutely ill patients who need CVCs, however, a few of its units struggle to achieve > 80% CL bundle compliance. This QI project assessed whether reduced CLABSI rates and improved CL bundle compliance could result from implementing an educational program on a unit with low CL utilization and low CL bundle compliance. This project also examined whether an educational program would enhance nursing knowledge and confidence in using the CL bundle and lead to cost savings for an institution. For this project, a hybrid learning educational program that combined an eLearning module with hands-on instruction and return demonstration was utilized. Pre-and post-questionnaires were given to registered nurses (RNs) before and after the educational program to assess their knowledge and confidence with the CL bundle. CL bundle audit data was used to compare pre-and post-education bundle compliance. This project examined CL bundle compliance before and after an educational program in two similar units: one that received the education (the intervention unit) and one that did not (the control unit). The CL bundle analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in total bundle compliance on the intervention unit, from 65.2% before to 71.1% after the educational program was implemented (p 80% CL bundle compliance. This QI project assessed whether reduced CLABSI rates and improved CL bundle compliance could result from implementing an educational program on a unit with low CL utilization and low CL bundle compliance. This project also examined whether an educational program would enhance nursing knowledge and confidence in using the CL bundle and lead to cost savings for an institution. For this project, a hybrid learning educational program that combined an eLearning module with hands-on instruction and return demonstration was utilized. Pre-and post-questionnaires were given to registered nurses (RNs) before and after the educational program to assess their knowledge and confidence with the CL bundle. CL bundle audit data was used to compare pre-and post-education bundle compliance. This project examined CL bundle compliance before and after an educational program in two similar units: one that received the education (the intervention unit) and one that did not (the control unit). The CL bundle analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in total bundle compliance on the intervention unit, from 65.2% before to 71.1% after the educational program was implemented (
Book Review: Cosmopolitique. Des frontières à l’espèce humaine. Écrits, III, by Étienne Balibar. Paris: Éditions La Découverte, 2022, 370 p., ISBN 978-2348055195
No full textReview of - Cosmopolitique. Des frontières à l’espèce humaine. Écrits, III, by Étienne Balibar. Paris: Éditions La Découverte, 2022, 370 p., ISBN 978-2348055195https://doi.org/10.57928/94z4-c53
The Relationship Between COVID-19 Vaccination and Long COVID
No full textM.P.P.Long COVID is a range of persistent conditions that last months and years after the initial acute COVID-19 infection. In the United States, 1 in 7 adults have had long COVID, and 1 in 19 adults are experiencing it as of October 2023. Example symptoms are fatigue, chronic pain, and depression. In severe cases, long COVID is deadly. Because the pandemic is only recent, there is no clear understanding of how acute COVID infection leads to long COVID. There is no cure for it, and treatment options are limited. The link between COVID-19 vaccination and acute COVID-19 infection is well-established, but only a small body of literature examines the relationship between vaccination and long COVID prevention. Studies do not reach a consensus on the efficacy of vaccination at preventing the development of long COVID. My research question therefore is whether pre-infection vaccination can reduce the probability of long COVID. Using the 2022 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Adult Sample, I obtain “currently experiencing long COVID” as my outcome variable and “receiving at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccination” as my key independent variable. I hypothesize that vaccination decreases the probability of developing long COVID. I make a novel contribution to the current literature by using the definition of long COVID as three months of longer COVID-19-related symptoms. I also investigate the differential effect of vaccination on long COVID for people of different ages and sexes using interaction terms. In my Linear Probability Models, having socio-demographic factors and health conditions as covariates allows me to hold their effects on long COVID constant while investigating the relationship between vaccination and long COVID. My results suggest a complex relationship between COVID vaccination and long COVID prevention that is affected by various factors, including health status and age. The relationship is inconsistent across my models, which can be attributed to measure errors in my study
Asymmetric Impacts of Monetary Policy: An Analysis on State Labor Force Response to Rate Shocks
No full textM.P.P.In this analysis of labor force responses to federal funds rate shocks, the unintended consequences of Federal Reserve policies are examined at the state level. The degree to which monetary policy shocks are transmitted to a household is dependent upon the households’ level of indebtedness. States and geographic regions with above average levels of indebtedness are much more sensitive to federal funds rate shocks, exposing the asymmetric impacts of Federal Reserve policy. This evidence serves as an indication that complementary policies should be leveraged to help mitigate these asymmetries. By balancing the impacts of monetary policy throughout the United States through other mediums, the unintended inequities created from central bank action can be mitigated, so the Federal Reserve can continue to focus on economic stabilization in the aggregate
Language Learning Meets Generative AI: Utilizing Large Language Models for Metalinguistic Explanations
No full textPh.D.Second language learners constitute a significant and expanding portion of the global population and there is a growing demand for tools that facilitate language learning and instruction across various levels and in different countries. The development of large language models (LLMs) has brought about a significant impact on the domains of natural language processing and these advancements hold considerable potential for the realm of educational technology. While the potential use of large language models in education shows promise, it is crucial to conduct further exploration into their impact and limitations.This thesis explores the task of delivering explanation and feedback to learners through different formats, including essay feedback and a question-answering framework, and studies how LLMs can be leveraged for these tasks. The thesis is structured into three main parts:In the first part, we investigate the capabilities of large language models in generating feedback on students' essays. Our findings indicate that current state-of-the-art models are unable to provide learners with specific and actionable feedback. To address this issue, we propose a new corpus tailored for this task and demonstrate that utilizing this corpus in an in-context learning setup allows us to deliver more effective feedback to learners.In the second part, we study a different type of feedback (answering questions about the language, such as grammar or vocabulary questions) and introduce a new challenge dataset comprising metalinguistic questions and answers about the English language. These questions are posed by both English second language learners and native speakers. Our goal with this dataset is to use it as an evaluation benchmark and stimulate greater emphasis on addressing the complexities of metalinguistic question answering within the field. Using this benchmark, we investigate the extent to which language models can articulate their generalizations about language.In the third part, our focus shifts to multilingualism within the question answering framework. We propose using data from grammatical error correction corpora to establish benchmarks for assessing the multilingual capabilities of LLMs in addressing learners' language grammar questions. We ask whether LLMs can answer questions posed in a language other than the one the learner is asking about