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Factors that Influence the Use of Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogies for Elementary School Leaders
Full text linkThe presence of minority students in public schools has highlighted the need for teachers and school leaders to seek and implement exclusive instructional strategies that will foster cultural diversity. The climate, culture, and vision of a school are a direct reflection of the school’s leadership. The purpose of this study was to explore the cultural readiness of elementary school leaders, as measured by the cultural readiness leadership scale (CRLS), and their beliefs and perceptions of culturally relevant and responsive practices. The foundational philosophy used to support this research was the transformational leadership theory. The research methodology entailed a mixed-method approach with a sequential explanatory design. The quantitative component consisted of collecting survey data from a sample of 35 elementary school leaders from a southeastern United States suburban school district to complete the CRLS. The qualitative component consisted of open-ended interviews with 12 elementary school leaders from the same school district. The data analysis methods were two-way ANOVA regression for quantitative data and coding and thematic analysis for the interview responses. The researcher hypothesized that there would be a relationship between factors that influence elementary school leaders and the nonexistence of culturally relevant and responsive pedagogies in schools. The culturally responsive teaching (CRT) scores were significantly higher than 3, implying that CRT was perceived to be implemented throughout the school community (p \u3c 0.01). Thus, the null hypothesis was rejected. The implementation of CRT was associated with various benefits, such as enhancing school culture, promoting inclusivity, and creating culturally responsive leadership. The findings from the current study indicate the need for every elementary school leader to operate in a culturally responsive way, irrespective of their learners’ population
A Narrative Analysis of Desegregation at Spencer High School In Columbus, GA
Full text linkMy qualitative narrative inquiry described how five graduates of Spencer High School and one historically sage educator experienced the transition of desegregation in Columbus, Georgia in the United States. Brown v. Board of Education in Topeka, Kansas, and Brown, II were landmark court decisions that made segregated schools unconstitutional in 1954 and 1955. Columbus did not transition to fully desegregating schools until 1971. The five graduates and one educator cite their experiences about the educational process during segregation and reflected on the transition of the desegregation of schools. My theoretical framework is the Experiential Learning Theory (ELT). Learning is a ubiquitous process. Learning is an unending cycle of human experiences that includes feelings, perceptions, and choices. The six interviewees\u27 reflections on their knowledge and experiences created discoveries about life during desegregation. The study utilized conversational semi-structured interviewing techniques as I posed questions to selected participants. Using the narrative analysis process, I analyzed the data. I discovered three prominent themes and sub-themes from the participants’ responses: the political theme of activism and the influence of Black teachers, the social theme of community relationships and memories, and the cultural theme of a lack of accessibility, colorism, and the power of the messages within the music in church. The extrapolation of these findings was important because they encapsulated all of the participants\u27 anecdotal material about segregation and desegregation. The most salient finding was that on a cultural level, Blacks were more of a threat to themselves than their counterparts
Episode 1 - Vive le Lafayette
Full text linkMain Question(s):
What was the early life of Lafayette like?
What motivated Lafayette to become a revolutionary leader?
Episode Description:
In this episode, Vive Le Lafayette, we explore the early life of the famed revolutionary. How did a wealthy French aristocrat, born into privilege, end up risking everything to fight in the American Revolution?
We dive into Lafayette’s upbringing in the French nobility, his unique rural childhood, and the influences that shaped his ideals. We’ll discuss the impact of his military heritage, his classical education steeped in Enlightenment philosophy, and the pivotal events—including personal tragedy and political upheaval—that led him to defy orders and secretly sail to America.
Join us as we uncover what motivated Lafayette to leave behind a life of luxury for the uncertainty of the revolution
Episode 4 - Friend and Foe of Liberty Part 2
Full text linkMain Question(s):
How Does Lafayette’s Ideology conflict with his actions in the French Revolution?
Episode Description:
Lafayette’s revolutionary balancing act is crumbling. In this second part of our deep dive, we pick up where we left off—with Lafayette escorting the king and queen back to Paris. But as the revolution radicalizes, Lafayette finds himself caught between competing factions, unable to hold the middle ground.
We explore the growing political tensions, the massacre at the Champ de Mars, and Lafayette’s increasing alienation from both royalists and revolutionaries. Was he a principled mediator or just a noble clinging to power? Lafayette’s fate takes a dramatic turn—leading to exile and imprisonment.
Join us as we examine the final chapter of Lafayette’s role in the French Revolution and the legacy he left behind
Determining Hydraulic Characteristics in Close Proximity of Hymenocallis coronaria within the Flint River Basin, Georgia
Full text linkEmergent macrophytes in river systems occupy a narrow habitat for optimal survival. Each plant species adapts to a set of conditions that meets the physiological requirements to grow and reproduce. The influence of hydraulic characteristics on plant morphology is significant within fluvial systems. Macrophytes must be able to withstand swift flowing water and changes in water surface levels in order to compete with other plant species for limited habitat availability. In addition, emergent macrophytes require water levels to be low enough to allow the reproductive portion of plants to remain above water during certain times of the year. Hymenocallis coronaria is an emergent macrophyte found in fragmented and limited populations in Southern rivers. Populations are located along the fall line of the southern states of Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. In these states, the geomorphology of riverbeds provides a shallow and swift-moving environment. Anthropogenic alterations along river waterways (e.g., dams) have fundamentally altered the seasonal variation in water flow and sediment transport processes, resulting in declines in population size in a species with a small distribution in ideal conditions. Limited research has been performed on defining the ecoyhydraulic requirements of H. coronaria despite declining populations. Populations along the Flint River in Georgia are an archetypal population, surviving on a river where no artificial flow alterations occur for over 227 miles. Seasonal variation in flow occurs naturally, strongly influenced by precipitation and ground water interflow. This study mapped the elevation points of areas with both present and absent H. coronaria locations, then calculated the relative depth at each point using USGS water surface level data from a nearby gage at Thomaston, Georgia. I found a significant correlation between relative depth of the river and the probability of H. coronaria occurrence. As relative depth increases the probability of the presence of H. coronaria decreases. The population in v Hightower Shoals is found within a relative depth range of 0-1.8m, which could help establish parameters for bulb transplantation in areas where restoration efforts are being conducted. These results can also aid restoration efforts by identifying riverbed conditions that are most desirable and provide recommendations for depth of bulb transplantation for restoration efforts. Determining water surface level fluctuations that are tolerated by H. coronaria will aid in the study of future populations of this endangered plant
Social Engagement Gaps Between Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) F-1 Visa International Students and American Students in US Universities
Full text linkThe purpose of this qualitative exploratory descriptive study was to explore the perceptions of F1 visa STEM international students at a four-year private university about their social engagement experiences with their American peers, and how the absence of such engagement practices frames the international students’ sense of mattering and marginality and overall college experience. The study focused only on F-1 visa international students’ perceptions and utilized the marginality and mattering theory (MMT) (Schlossberg, 1989) as a theoretical framework. The social constructivism paradigm was utilized to explain how international students construct their knowledge and perceptions of social engagement with American peers, and how their relative social engagement impacts their sense of mattering or marginality. The topic of international students in US colleges is not new in academia. Despite the impressive amount of literature on international students in US colleges, there is a gap in the literature on the social engagement between international STEM students and their and American counterparts, and international students’ sense of mattering and marginality. The rich qualitative data was collected using drawings and semi-structured interviews with participants that were selected via a convenient purposeful sampling. Data collected revealed that international students’ social engagement experiences with their American peers vary depending on race, gender, years in the US, program level, and athletic affiliation. The frequency and quality or lack of social engagement with their American peers influences international students’ sense of mattering and marginality
An Exploratory Study of the Effects of BIS-Substituted Triazolium Bromide Salts on the Proliferation of WI-38 Lung Cells and H-1299 Lung Cancer Cells
Full text linkLung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. The battle against this disease continues to challenge physicians and scientists daily, due to its various forms, treatments, and responses. Depending on the grade and stage of the disease, treatments can be extensive, encompassing surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Though these therapeutics can prolong a patient’s life, they often have significant ramifications. For instance, radiation therapy has an extensive list of side effects, from organ damage to loss of fertility. These outcomes have driven scientists to explore the applicability of novel cancer treatments. Imidazolium and benzimidazolium salts have been shown to have anticancer activity 1-4. These compounds, when designed with various substituent properties, specifically hydrophilicity properties, have been shown to have therapeutic tendencies. Moreover, present structure activity relationship (SAR) studies display a correlation in the carbon content versus cytotoxic effect. This SAR research is an exploratory project on the biological activity of the salts, Dibenzyl-benzotriazole (BT 1-1), Bis(2-Naph) Benzotriazole (BT 2-2), 2-Naph QuinBenzotriazole (BT 2-3), Bis-Naphthylacylbenzotriazole (BT 4-4), BisNaphAcyl - 1,2,3-triazole (T3 4-4) and Bis-3-phenylbenzyl-1,2,3- triazole (T3 5-5), on normal lung cells (WI-38), and lung cancer cells (NCI-H1299). This research investigated the biological effects of these salts on the proliferation of both normal (WI- 38) and cancerous (NCI-H1299) lung cells. Both cells were grown to 80% confluency and plated at 5x104 cells/mL. Cells were then treated with 0, 1, 5, 15 and 30 μM of BT 1-1, BT 2-2, BT 2-3 for 48 hours and, BT 4-4, T3 4-4 and T3 5-5 for 72 hours at 37°C in a 5% CO2 incubator. Tamoxifen was used as an internal control at a concentration of 1mM and was shown to negatively affect proliferation as cells maintained an average proliferation rate of about 13% in both cell types. Results of the MTS assay showed that overall, all compounds exhibited a dose-dependent decrease in proliferation of both WI-38 normal and NCI-H1299 cancerous lung cells, with the exception of BT 4-4 at low concentrations. The variability in the proliferation of WI-38 and NCI-H1299 lung cells treated with each compound appeared to be associated with carbon content and hydrophilicity. Specifically, these results follow a similar pattern in that increased carbon content of the benzene on benzotriazolium salts (BT 2-2) exhibit a greater dose-dependent decrease in the proliferation of both normal and lung cancer cells. Studies with the T3 compounds, specifically T3 4-4, which has a smaller carbon core but similar large carbon content, like BT 4-4, show a dose-dependent decrease in proliferation in both WI-38 and NCIH1299 cells. The biological activities of these structurally related compounds are highly important, as it provides insight into those structural differences that are likely to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells with little effect on normal cells
Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions Regarding the Inclusion of English Learners in Mainstream Classrooms
Full text linkThe purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate how mainstream elementary teachers perceive the inclusion of English learners (ELs) in their classrooms and what strategies they use to enhance the learning of ELs. Utilization of Bandura’s self-efficacy occurred in the research. The two research questions that guided the study include, “What are the perceptions of elementary teachers regarding the inclusion of ELs in their classrooms?” and “How do elementary teachers demonstrate their knowledge and application of effective strategies for supporting and enhancing the learning of ELs?” The two research questions helped to explore the phenomenon of mainstream teachers’ perceptions of the inclusion of ELs in their classroom. Data analysis using open and axial coding revealed four emergent themes: a) Positive Views Regarding the Inclusion ELs, b) Challenges Regarding EL Inclusion, c) Methods of Differentiation for ELs, and d) Professional Development to support ELs. Even though the 10 elementary school teachers were asked to provide model lesson plans, the data pointed to an incomplete understanding by the participants of the specific strategies that support EL academic advancement. While the interview data occasionally mentioned incorporation of some of these items missing in lesson plans such as providing students with translated document and chunking the lessons as a way to properly pace it for newcomers, the lack of specific detail about how those strategies were implemented may suggest a disconnect between theory and practice (Aronson & Laughter, 2016; Ketter & Stoffel, 2008; Zhang & Stephens, 2013; Zhu, 2019). Based on the findings, it appeared that many of the items that participants included in their lesson plans are “good teaching strategies” that apply to all students. What is absent are those specific strategies that support the English language acquisition of ELs. This research will benefit district and school leaders, and policy makers
Examining the Perspectives of Rural Secondary Students Who Are and Are Not Considering Music Education as a Collegiate Major
Full text linkA problem exists in recruiting new music educators to the teaching profession. This problem is impacting the quality of instruction students are receiving from teachers in music education. The shortage of music teachers in music education is continuing to grow. This teacher shortage includes both core classes and specialized classes including music education. Many possible factors contribute to this problem, including teacher recruitment at the secondary level. This mixed methods research study attempts to provide in-depth answers to the problem through examining the perspectives of secondary students who are and are not considering music education as a major in college. Students who are interested in pursuing music education in college need good music educators in schools. An explanatory sequential research design is utilized to collect quantitative survey data followed by qualitative interviews. The quantitative results will be utilized to select the participants for the qualitative study. The qualitative data is utilized to elaborate on the quantitative results. The collection of survey and interview data will help to explain the qualitative data through qualitative analysis. The backward method in logistic regression analysis is used to select the most important predictor variables that explains the maximum variance in the likelihood of selecting music education majors in college (dependent variable). In vivo coding is used to code the qualitative interview transcripts and derive themes. Joint display tables are used to triangulate the quantitative and qualitative data strands to conduct mixed-methods analysis. This study shows that teacher influence (TI) and interest (IN) have significant impact on a student considering to major in music education in college