1,720,967 research outputs found
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Ameliorating Educational Inequalities through Social Support—A Latent Class Analysis
Full text linkUsing data from a large comprehensive high school, this study examines the disproportionate rates of enrollment for Latina/o and White students in honors/AP courses. This study expands upon previous research findings that emotional support is especially beneficial for Latina/o students, and examines how different combinations of sources of encouragement help students enroll in honors/AP courses. Using Latent Class Analysis, this study finds that while White students can rely on traditional sources of encouragement, such as a teacher, Latina/o students must expand their networks to include other sources, such as the college counselor in order to circumvent covert racialized tracking and enroll in honors/AP courses. Additionally, Latina/o students who participate in on-campus extracurricular activities are more likely to have an expansive network of encouragement than those who do not
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Parental Childhood Experiences and Community Involvement that Influence the Way Children Are Exposed to Environmentalism within the Black Community
Full text linkThis dissertation studies how parents' childhood experiences and community activities affect Black children’s involvement with environmentalism. Black people experience a disproportionate amount of environmental dangers because of systemic environmental racism, yet their opinions are rarely part of the environmental policy and discussion. As a result, the paper examines how Black families understand healthy and unhealthy environments, if the knowledge is passed through generations, and the environment’s effect on Black communities. Using a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with Black parents from various socioeconomic backgrounds. Using thematic analysis, my research discovers the most prevalent themes in participants’ narratives. According to this study, Black families believe a healthy environment involves clean air and water, safety, strong family bonds, and help from their community. How children grow up in cities or the countryside influences their knowledge of and actions toward caring for nature. Environmental literacy must involve the community and use education at home, in schools, and neighborhood or local programs. Many of the study’s participants point out that poor services and worsening infrastructure are significant causes of environmental harm in their areas. The importance of environmental socialization in Black families is highlighted when viewed through the lens of intersectional environmentalism, which underscores how multiple inequities—such as race, class, and environmental harm—intersect and compound one another. My findings enhance environmental justice literature by explaining how Black communities pass on knowledge about nature to current and subsequent generations. Experts suggest they should promote culture-based ecological education, build up community advocacy, and establish and enforce fair policies that target the core causes of environmental racism. This study suggests new ways to advance environmental justice and sustainable growth in marginalized communities
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Misrepresentation, Mixed Messaging, and Missed Opportunities: A Critical Queer Ethnography of High School Sex Education Curriculum and Policy
Full text linkLiterature on school-based sexual health education in the United States generally finds that curricula reproduce heteronormative, racialized, gendered, and heterosexist inequalities that exclude sexual and gender diverse identities, experiences, and bodies (Bay-Cheng, 2003; Connell & Elliott, 2009; Elia & Eliason, 2010; Kendall, 2013). However, there have been few attempts to explore alternative approaches that challenge the contemporary dichotomy between abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education. Drawing on Foucauldian discourses of education and queer theory, this critical queer ethnography follows the course of a comprehensive sex education class in a California public high school to investigate the impact of state legislation and policies on students. It draws on participant observations, curriculum and instruction, interviews with students, and interviews with their teacher to contextualize the gap between influential and allegedly progressive legislation such as the California Healthy Youth Act (CHYA) and the way those policies are executed in the classroom. Findings illuminate the limitations of contemporary sexual health education and unveil how an approach falsely described as “comprehensive” does not provide opportunities for truly inclusive experiences. This work suggests a deeper, more critical examination of existing institutionalized ideologies, directed by an intentional commitment to building relationships and community collaboration that approach all youth in humanizing, affirming, and non-discriminatory ways. Further and most importantly, findings make visible the detailed account of youth voices in the space of sexual health education, highlighting their agency, genuine curiosity, and critical awareness of complex issues. The implications of these findings demonstrate the need for community-based solutions to sexual health education that are youth-led and youth-run
Communication, Coaching and Positive Youth Development: Insights into the Female Athlete Experience
Full text linkThis study investigates the experiences of fifty-one high school female wrestlers as they navigate the development of their athletic and individual identities. This study comes fifty years after the passage of Title IX which called for equal rights for women in sports and may serve as a checkpoint in evaluating where we are as a society as we strive for gender equity in sports. The female wrestlers in this study were interviewed about how they saw themselves fitting into the world of wrestling, how others perceived them as female athletes, and their coaching preferences. This study aims to shed light on the complex identity development that is navigated by female athletes, especially those in a male dominated sport, such as wrestling. The findings within this study indicate that while female athletes are still faced with gendered language that often “others” them and downplays their abilities, they experience identity empowerment and boosts in self-confidence through their participation in wrestling. Additionally, participants in this study identified communication and interpersonal support with coaches as two of the most important characteristics for coaches to possess. This study adds to the literature that supports the potential positive outcomes that girls can experience through their participation in sports. It also makes space for the voices of female athletes as they navigate the male dominated world of sports. Implications from this study can also inform the development of coach training programs and/or curriculums so that the needs of female athletes can be better met in the future
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Female Wrestlers: Grappling the Head Locks of Oppression
Full text linkThis study investigates the relationship between female athletes and their coaches. In particular, this study focuses on the perceptions of both coaches and athletes of Title IX and the treatment and experiences of females participating in male dominated sports. Seventy-Eight female high school wrestlers (mean age 16), were interviewed and surveyed about their thoughts and feelings of participating in a male dominated sport and how that experience shaped their thoughts of self. In addition, seven high school wrestling coaches from seven different schools were interviewed about their perspective of women in the sport, how has it changed over the last ten years, as well as how women are gaining accessibility and adding advantages to a traditionally, and physically male sport. Findings indicate that through battling male dominance and remaining persistent through physical pain and social oppression, women are creating a new idea of what it means to be an athletic woman, and what it means to be both mentally and physically strong. Implications from this study can provide coaches with a better understanding of how to approach the increasing number of female athletes. This is especially critical in the realm of physical sports, where women are carving out a space of their own as the mixed martial arts are gaining popularity
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Mestiza Spaces: A Three-Part Study of Ethnic Identity Development Among Latinas
Full text linkThis dissertation explores Latina identity formation through three interconnected studies examining how young Latinas navigate, construct, and redefine their ethnic-racial identity across various contexts. Drawing from both traditional developmental frameworks and Chicana feminist epistemology, particularly Gloria Anzaldúa's concepts of mestiza consciousness and borderlands, this research provides insights into identity development in transborder contexts. Through critical ethnographic methods and narrative analysis, the study examines identity formation in three distinct yet interrelated spaces: a dual immersion middle school, adult life transitions, and youth softball participation.The first study follows young Latinas in a dual immersion school, revealing how they develop sophisticated cultural dexterity while navigating multiple linguistic and cultural spaces. Findings demonstrate that the dual immersion environment facilitates unique identity-relevant experiences that support ethnic-racial identity development. The second study traces one adult Latina's identity journey through college, marriage, and motherhood, illustrating how ethnic-racial identity development continues well into adulthood. This narrative challenges traditional developmental timeframes while highlighting the role of intergenerational dynamics in identity formation. The third study examines how Latina youth in softball create what Anzaldúa terms "third spaces," where physical movement becomes cultural expression and family presence provides spiritual grounding.
Together, these studies illuminate how Latinas transform historically exclusionary spaces into sites of cultural celebration and identity affirmation. The research contributes to both theoretical understanding and practical applications: for developmental psychology, it suggests frameworks must expand to capture spiritual and embodied aspects of identity; for Chicana feminist thought, it demonstrates how theoretical concepts manifest in everyday spaces; and for educators and community leaders, it provides insights into creating environments that support rather than suppress complex identity work
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Understanding Resource Information Accessibility for McKinney-Vento Homeless Youth
Full text linkUsing Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as a framework, this study investigated how youth experiencing homelessness and interdisciplinary professionals (IPs) understand and engage with McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (MKVHAA) rights and resources. Through surveys and semi-structured interviews with 10 youth and 11 IPs in Southern California, the research examined how youth learn about and access their rights, as well as how professionals communicate and implement these supports. The study identified critical misalignments between institutional communication methods and youth information-seeking behaviors. Survey data revealed that 80% of youth and 45% of IPs were unfamiliar with MKVHAA rights, despite 90% of youth reporting interaction with school-based services. All youth participants reported having smartphones and daily internet access, yet traditional institutional communication methods remained the primary means of resource information dissemination. Analysis through SDT's framework of autonomy, competence, and relatedness revealed how these psychological needs intersect to either facilitate or hinder resource utilization. Cultural competency, peer networks, and digital platforms emerged as key factors in successful information sharing. This research provides insights for developing more youth-centered, culturally responsive approaches to MKVHAA implementation that could enhance support systems for vulnerable youth populations
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Invisible student support: A qualitative exploration of the professional staff experience and relationships with students in higher education
Full text linkThis dissertation presents three separate studies related to the experiences of university professional staff, including their work stress and relationship to undergraduate students. Findings from these studies show that professional staff are well-positioned to act as institutional and empowerment agents (Stanton-Salazar, 2011) on behalf of students. Positioning a positive student-staff relationship as a powerful and empowering aspect of the university experience for students, a deeper understanding of factors contributing to or diminishing the strength of that relationship, as well as their impact on staff work stress, can help improve the experiences of both university staff and the students they serve. The first study presents a qualitative investigation into the work-stress experiences of six university professional staff with student supervision responsibilities from different institution types. Drawing on Folkman and Lazarus’ (1984) conceptual framework, descriptions of staff work motivation were solicited, as well as sources of and influences on stress. Findings illustrate the complexity of student-staff relationships and how they impact the staff experience. The following two studies explore positive student-staff relationships within a single university from both the staff and student perspective, respectively, to further investigate the perceptions and impacts of these relationships. Through qualitative interviewing with exemplary campus staff and students who have formed positive relationships with staff members, these studies revealed several behaviors and strategies that positively influenced the relationship between university staff and college students, including the ways in which staff were seen to act as institutional and empowerment agents. Importantly, student perceptions of these supportive relationships illuminate the myriad ways that staff can foster positive relationships with college students and impact their experiences, including leveraging campus knowledge and networks to support them. Findings from these studies suggest recommendations at both the individual and institutional levels that could maximize the potential for professional staff to build positive relationships with students and enhance both the staff and student experience
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"We Can Construct What Needs to Still be Done": Reformulating the Politics and Pedagogies of Academic Writing Programs in Higher Education
Full text linkThis dissertation examines the challenges academic writing programs in higher education have faced in serving students of color and low-income students. Although there is a growing recognition in the field of writing studies that the disciplinary frameworks and ideologies that structure academic writing classes have historically disenfranchised students of color, the field continues to struggle to find ways to address this problem effectively. Efforts to adopt diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives have focused largely on curricular and pedagogical change, but these add-on approaches still rely on using disciplinary standards and frameworks that reproduce racial inequities. This study challenges the assumption that change in academic writing programs must begin with classroom pedagogy and argues that pedagogical change cannot be understood or implemented apart from critical analysis of the institutional and ideological contexts that structure both universities and academic writing programs. This study examines the specific institutional, ideological, and disciplinary contexts in which composition programs’ relationship with racial inequities must be understood. It specifically focuses on the roles that neoliberalism, the merit and “teaching excellence” review process, stratified labor structures, and the ongoing standardization of learning outcomes play in reproducing inequities in academic writing classes along racial and economic lines. Taking the University of California (UC) as a case study, this dissertation analyzes how the UC writing programs in particular have worked within these institutional, economic, disciplinary, and ideological constraints. The chapters in this dissertation demonstrate that while the field of writing studies has struggled to break free of these dominant frameworks, there is a long history of instructors and students who have directly challenged the racial power structures that shape university writing programs and the larger field of writing studies. Many of these histories, however, have been left out of or rewritten in the field’s dominant narratives. This dissertation recovers the forgotten history of the key role that ethnic studies programs have played in redefining and reenvisioning the work and politics of academic writing, with particular attention to the long fight in the UC Berkeley Asian American Studies program to build and teach its own writing classes. These stories of instructor and student resistance, both past and present, offer alternative models, pedagogies, and methodologies for academic writing instruction. By recovering these histories and instructors’ structural analysis of the disciplinary and institutional frameworks that reproduce racial inequities in academic writing classes, this dissertation reveals that the analytical tools, methodologies, and visions needed to bring new possibilities for the field into being have always existed
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In Pursuit of Equity: Measuring Group Differences in Educational Research
Full text linkThis dissertation consists of three papers. The first is conceptual paper concerned with creating tenets for QuantCrit research titled the Anti-Racist Tenets for Analysis (ARTA), discussing each tenet’s meaning and greater application, as well as providing research reflection questions for each tenet. Researchers may use these reflections along with the general meaning of each tenet to ensure their own research is conducted in a transparent and critical way, considering race and the social impact race has both on variables and equity within their studies. The second paper is an empirical application of the established anti-racist tenets for analysis to quantitative research. Four different ways of including race in quantitative analysis are examined. The first is a traditional multivariate approach with one racial category (White) excluded as a reference group. The second is a moderation approach where race is interacted with a number of other independent variables to represent the pervasiveness of race to lived experiences. The third is a path analysis structural equation model where the dependent variable is regressed on the independent variables which are all in turn regressed upon race, and the fourth is a grouping analysis where each racial group’s analysis is run independently. Results found that traditional multivariate and moderation approaches had the same results, suggesting moderation did not add significantly to the model. The path analysis was found to be more exemplary of the pervasiveness of race and intersectional identities than the first two models, and to be sensitive enough to be useful when race is not a central point of study. However, the grouping model was the only truly anti-racist method, as it eliminated the point of comparison between races as well as exemplifying more clearly the lived experiences of each race as well as intersectional identities.
The third study tackles equity between factor analysis groups, by showing how to gender run a partial invariance model for two groups, in this instance separated by gender. While factor analysis is a useful tool, invariance can be difficult to find, and this can limit the practicality of this method for many applied researchers. This paper demonstrates how to run a partial invariance model from an exploratory factor analysis on through determining which parameters are held invariant and which are allowed to be freely estimated. This opens up this method to applied researchers who want to apply this method to multiple groups
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