Specialist in Education (Ed.S.), University of Dayton, 2020, School Psychology

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process by which students incorporate skills, attitudes, and behaviors to deal effectively with life's daily obstacles (CASEL, 2019). Social and emotional skills are predictors of school success; thus, schools are increasingly looking for ways to develop students' social-emotional skills. SEL programs can have a long-term impact behaviorally and academically. Most SEL programs are implemented in after-school programs or added on to schools' pre-existing daily curricula. SEL is often integrated into a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) and specifically provided to those students who demonstrate a need for it (Eklund, Kilpatrick, Kilgus, & Eckert, 2018). To date, few studies have investigated SEL programs that are delivered within the academic curriculum; programs that demonstrate alignment between SEL standards and academic learning standards remain largely unexplored. Using a qualitative inquiry design, the implementation of a social-emotional learning English/Language Arts program known as SELLA was examined from the perspective of participating teachers for its feasibility, acceptability, and alignment with the state's learning standards for ELA. Themes fell into two categories related to teachers' perceptions of the program experience, including: 1) areas of strength and 2) areas of suggested improvement. Additionally, three themes emerged specifically regarding alignment of the program with the state's learning standards in writing: 1) teachers needed to independently add content to meet writing standards; 2) teachers see improvements in their students writing after the SELLA program; however, they cannot deduce if that is a direct result of the SELLA program; and 3) students who do not normally participate in the general curriculum are now participating in the SELLA curriculum. The findings are presented along with implications for future research.

Committee: Elana Bernstein Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Sawyer Hunley Ph.D. (Committee Member); Treavor Bogard Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Psychology; Mental Health; Psychology; School Counseling; Teacher Education

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2024, Educational Administration

This dissertation examines the effectiveness of blogging to improve student writing fluency and writing self-efficacy in ninth-grade English courses at Mount St. Mary Academy. Utilizing a case study approach with convergent mixed methods, a paired samples t-test found no statistically significant changes in pre- and post-assessments of general and writing self-efficacy over an eight-week period. A bivariate correlation revealed a moderately positive linear and statistically significant relationship between SESAW (pre- and post-assessment) and WCVALUER scores—indicating a strong association between initial self-efficacy and writing fluency development. Furthermore, specific blogging activities, such as reflective pieces following a communal class retreat, showed significant correlations with the SESAW and WCVALUER. The qualitative analysis revealed both positive and negative perceptions of writing among students, highlighting areas of stress and anxiety alongside opportunities for engagement and growth. Implications for practice include program refinements and tailored interventions to meet student needs, supported by ongoing faculty development programs. Future research could explore unique correlations observed in this study, particularly relating to communal experiences like the class retreat. While this study adds to the understanding of blogging as a tool for enhancing student writing outcomes, continued research and refinement of instructional practices are essential for maximizing its effectiveness in educational contexts.

Committee: Kevin Kelly (Committee Chair); Karen Kuralt (Committee Member); Meredith Wronowski (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication; Composition; Curricula; Curriculum Development; Education; Educational Software; Educational Technology; Educational Theory; Elementary Education; Language Arts; Literacy; Neurosciences; Secondary Education; Teaching

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2021, College of Education

This study will utilize a quantitative method to the explore the association between third grade students' home computer access and their ability to attain a proficient score on the Fall 2019 English Language Arts standardized state assessment. The secondary focus will explore the association between third grade students' home computer access and socio-economic standing. This study is important in advancing our understanding of factors impacting students' success on high stakes standardized state assessments. Students who fail to score proficiently on Ohio's third grade English Language Arts test can face retention, a practice which correlates with decreased graduation rates. This study will further advance our understanding of the impact of third grade students' keyboarding aptitude on their third grade standardized English Language Arts Assessment scores; thereby allowing us to provide students with every possibility to showcase their academic knowledge.

Committee: Judy Alston Ph.D. (Committee Chair); James Olive Ph.D. (Committee Member); Peter Ghazarian Ed.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

Bachelor of Science in Education, Ashland University, 2021, Teacher Education

Many contemporary researchers and educators agree on the need to implement social-emotional learning (SEL) in modern public education to teach necessary life skills not usually covered in academic instruction. Typically SEL instruction has focused on primary-level students, but research shows that middle and high school students also benefit from SEL instruction in a very meaningful way during the critical period of development these students experience during adolescence. The field of English Language Arts in itself is a venue for straightforward SEL instruction. Many English Language Arts teachers are already implementing SEL into their curriculum, whether intentionally or unintentionally. The very nature of the field of literature and the study of it embodies SEL as readers vicariously observe and empathize with the experiences of fictional characters. This characteristic of the field creates a unique pathway to SEL instruction through the use of literature that allows for straightforward intercurricular implementation, requiring few changes to the existing curriculum. Included in this document is a curriculum guide for high school English Language Arts teachers to implement SEL into their existing academic curriculum, based on the Ohio Department of Education's new K-12 SEL Standards.

Committee: Hilary Donatini Dr. (Advisor); Terri Jewett Dr. (Advisor) Subjects: Education; Educational Theory; Language Arts

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2020, EDU Teaching and Learning

In a world that is growing increasingly diverse, it is important to understand the ways in which students can come to make sense of, situate, and reconcile perspectives different than their own in English Language Arts classrooms. One approach that researchers (Newell, Bloome & Hirvela, 2015) have suggested may help students engage with multiple perspectives in a meaningful manner is through argumentation and argumentative writing. Argumentative writing as defined by Newell, Bloome, and Hirvela (2015) is a set of social practices that are contextually defined and constructed for the purposes of developing deep understandings of human experiences. It entails the collection and investigation of evidence representing multiple perspectives to inform the construction of a claim, and the support of said claim through warranting. In this dissertation I build upon Newell, Bloome, and Hirvela's (2015) notion of argumentative writing by examining the role that intersubjectivity plays in the argumentative process. To do so, I conducted a year-long ethnographic study of an 11th grade Advanced Placement Composition classroom during the 2017-2018 school year. I analyze a classroom event multiple times, each with a different focus, to investigate the construction of an intersubjective framework through classroom conversation, the ways in which the intersubjective framework was used to construct student understandings of perspectives that are unfamiliar or dissimilar from their own in said classroom conversation, and how the intersubjective framework was constructed. I framed my study using Bakhtin's (2010 a) notion of heteroglossia as well as Rommetviet's (1974) concept of intersubjectivity. I found that the intersubjective framework was comprised of 6 distinct, mutually influential, and intertwined dimensions which served different functions including establishing conditions of engagement, the interpretation of content, interactional structure, and epistemological stance toward (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: David Bloome PhD (Committee Chair); Caroline Clark PhD (Committee Member); Kay Halasek PhD (Committee Member); George Newell PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Theory; Language Arts

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2013, Art

Abstract Using religion to achieve political power is a thematic subject used by a number of Egyptian playwrights. This dissertation documents and analyzes eleven plays by five prominent Egyptian playwrights: Tawfiq Al-Hakim (1898- 1987), Ali Ahmed Bakathir (1910- 1969), Samir Sarhan (1938- 2006), Mohamed Abu El Ela Al-Salamouni (1941- ), and Mohamed Salmawi (1945- ). Through their plays they call attention to the dangers of blind obedience. The primary methodological approach will be a close literary analysis grounded in historical considerations underscored by a chronology of Egyptian leadership. Thus the interface of religious conflict and politics is linked to the four heads of government under which the playwrights wrote their works: the eras of King Farouk I (1920-1965), President Gamal Abdel Nasser (1918-1970), President Anwar Sadat (1918-1981), and President Hosni Mubarak (1928- ). While this study ends with Mubarak’s regime, it briefly considers the way in which such conflict ended in the recent reunion between religion and politics with the election of Mohamed Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, as president following the Egyptian Revolution of 2011. This research also investigates how these scripts were written— particularly in terms of their adaptation from existing canonical work or historical events and the use of metaphor—and how they were staged. The staging of these works highlights the problems faced by Egyptian directors interested in this inherently political work as they faced censorship issues. Only a few of the scripts have English translations, the rest are only available in Arabic. When a published English translation is unavailable, I have provided English translations of key selections from the texts with the original Arabic in the appendix.

Committee: Lesley Ferris Professor (Advisor); Nena Couch Professor (Committee Member); Beth Kattelman Professor (Committee Member); Patrice Hamel Professor (Other) Subjects: Middle Eastern Studies; Theater; Theater Studies