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Professional Learning About and Through Schoolwide Co-Teaching: A Path to Develop Adaptive Expertise
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Deformations of thin membranes in incompatible geometries and interactions in mechanical hysteron systems
Get PDFSoft reconfigurable systems exhibit behaviors which are highly dependent on their geometries. Thin membranes can deform in a myriad of ways as they navigate geometries different from their own in an energy efficient manner. Behaviors in mechanical hysteron systems are influenced by the geometry of the interactions and global driving. This dissertation focuses on two different types of systems which are governed in part by their geometries: thin membranes in geometrically incompatible configurations and interacting mechanical hysterons. A thin membrane forced into a conflicting geometry with an incompatible metric will deform in highly non-trivial ways. These deformations are an attempt by the system to select the most energetically-favorable configuration. In confined inflated bag systems, we observe a transition from sharp (crumples) to smooth (wrinkles) deformations which depend on the curvature of the system. We find crumples have localized regions of high Gaussian curvature, indicating high material stress, and wrinkles to have more spatially extended and less localized Gaussian curvatures. We also analytically, numerically, and experimentally study the shape of a thin membrane on a liquid interface where both the membrane and interface are highly deformable. We find the sheet take a cylindrical shape for surfaces of negative Gaussian curvature and adopts a cylindrical inner region for surfaces of positive Gaussian curvature. The Preisach model, which has successfully described phenomenon such as ferromagnetism in materials, utilizes non-interacting hysterons as the basic units of this hysteresis. This model can be extended to include interactions between the hysterons which allow us to unlock new and complex behaviors. We study a mechanical hysteron system of rotors composed of rigid bars which can rotate between two hard boundaries. These rotors are coupled together with springs and experience a horizontal global driving via a spring connected to a bar. We find a variety of interesting responses which arise from the underlying geometry of these connections
A PRISM OF BLACKNESS AT HISTORICALLY BLACK INSTITUTIONS: EXPERIENCES OF HBCU STUDENTS WITH MARGINALIZED RACIAL, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY IDENTITIES
Get PDFThis dissertation is a qualitative study of how Black individuals with marginalized gender and sexuality identities (MGSIs) who currently attend or recently graduated from HBCUs make meaning of their campus environment, and how HBCUs can be more inclusive for them. Data from this study came from interviews with seven participants representing four public and two private HBCUs from the Middle Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States in the year 2022. The dissertation explains research on the significance of HBCUs and the students who attend these institutions. Black Feminist Theory, Black Trans Feminism, Queer Theory, Quare Theory and Intersectionality were used as theoretical frameworks to understand and analyze student experiences and the implications of the research (Bey, 2022; Collins, 1986; Johnson, 2001; Nicolazzo, 2016). Findings showed that students’ identity development was ongoing and enhanced in the HBCU environment. Findings showed the significance of inclusive students, faculty, and staff and the power university leadership had in contributing to students’ experiences. In addition, findings surfaced some university areas that operated with normative gendered and heterosexist foundations
BLACK GIRLS GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL: ADVANCED COURSES, CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION, AND EXTRA CURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES
Get PDFAbstract This dissertation examines the impact of advanced coursework, Career and Technical Education (CTE), and extracurricular participation on the graduation outcomes of Black girls in a midsized urban school district in Central New York. Grounded in Quantitative Critical Race Theory (QuantCrit), this study addresses how systemic barriers and inequities influence access to educational opportunities that are often gatekeepers for postsecondary success. Despite the longstanding underrepresentation of Black girls in Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and STEM-based CTE pathways, this study highlights the academic and social benefits of these experiences when access is equitably provided and supported. Using district-level data collected over a ten-year period (2014–2024), the study explores how participation in rigorous academics and school activities correlates with high school completion. Findings reveal that Black girls who participated in AP coursework were nearly 17 times more likely to graduate, and those in CTE and select extracurriculars like Band and Chorus also experienced significantly higher graduation rates. However, the majority of Black girls did not participate in these high-impact programs, pointing to persistent structural barriers such as tracking, scheduling limitations, and implicit bias. These results call attention to the need for systemic policy reform and the intentional recruitment, mentorship, and support of Black girls in educational spaces. This research contributes to a broader understanding of how race, gender, and access intersect in shaping educational trajectories and offers data-driven strategies for school districts committed to equity and inclusion. Keywords: Black girls, Quantitative Critical Race Theory (QuantCrit), Advanced courses, Career and Technical Educatio
An Examination of Writing Attitudes and Writing Proficiency throughout a Performance Feedback Writing Intervention
Get PDFWriting attitudes, defined as self-assessments of liking or disliking writing (Ekholm et al., 2017), are important motivational factors that can impact writing development. A review of the literature on writing attitudes found that attitudes positively predicted writing achievement and that writing interventions can increase writing attitudes (Ekholm et al., 2017). Existing empirical literature has primarily focused on examining writing attitudes before and after implementing writing interventions, which vary in empirical support (Boscolo et al., 2012; ; Knudson, 1991b, 1992; Seban, 2012). However, no studies have dynamically assessed writing attitudes throughout the course of an evidence-based writing intervention with emerging writers. The present study examined the writing attitudes and writing proficiency of fourth-grade students (n = 45) over a six-week performance feedback writing intervention. Results indicated that students’ writing attitudes were moderate and remained stable throughout the intervention, and gains in writing proficiency were not significantly associated with writing attitudes. These findings suggest that students’ attitudes towards writing may not be as malleable as previously thought and have implications for future research and practice in improving the writing attitudes of emerging writers
THE POLITICS OF ARTISANAL AND SMALL-SCALE GOLD MINING (ASGM) IN TANZANIA IN THE 21ST CENTURY.
Get PDFThis study investigates the politics of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) in 21st-century Tanzania, focusing on the organization of miners towards access to key resources, namely land, capital, markets, geological information, technology, and examining environmental degradation, health, and safety concerns affecting miners and surrounding communities. Grounded in historical and dialectical materialism, the research traces ASGM’s evolution from the pre-colonial period through colonial exclusions, post-independence reforms, and neoliberal restructuring. The study employs qualitative methods, including interviews, field observations, and document analysis, conducted over two months across key mining sites in Tanzania. Findings reveal that ASGM is shaped by systemic exclusion, class stratification, and contradictions in state and corporate mining policies that prioritize large-scale mining operations over ASGM. Furthermore, the findings indicate the persistent environmental problems that affect miners, communities in mining vicinities, and the natural environment. This contradicts the livelihoods proposition associated with ASGM operations in Tanzania and elsewhere. Moreover, ASGM remains marginalized within legal frameworks and policy implementation thus affecting their operation and flourishing. The research highlights the potential of cooperatives as a transformative model for empowering ASGM miners, enhancing collective access to resources, promoting environmental sustainability, and facilitating bottom-up policy influence. The study contributes to debates on resource control, labor, and economic equity and equality, advocating for people-centered mining reforms that integrate ASGM into national transformation strategies and Pan-African visions of resource sovereignty, self-reliance, and total economic self-determination in the continent and Global Africa
The Known Unknown
Get PDFUnderstanding that artists are not obligated to reflect a faithful reality is a realization that is both freeing and intimidating. My graduate filmography is identifiable by its affinity towards fictional narratives that depict the resolution of internal conflicts through intimate relationships and spiritual connections. This thesis investigates my practice by paying close attention to the psychology and philosophy of my screenplays. This is followed by an inspection of my aesthetic approach in order to distinguish their narrative importance and examine subtext. The completed film is then properly defined against the fantasy genre in order to distinguish my narrative choices from the traditional conventions. The remaining points seek to culturally contextualize the observed approaches by placing my films alongside recognized works of speculative fiction and Black art movements. With an examination of artists working within the Afro-surreal, Afro-futurism and independent cinema, we find a proper framework through which my work can be situated