Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2022, EDU Teaching and Learning

This study examines teachers' pedagogical practices that sought to affirm students' cultural and learning experiences. The work of cultural affirmation seeks to value students' involvement in education and home knowledge. During the time of crisis (i.e., the COVID-19 outbreak), low-income immigrant students and their parents did not have access to equitable schooling and faced severe economic and health challenges. Drawing upon Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy(CSP)and Critical Race Theory (CRT) as theoretical frameworks, this study sheds light on the importance of practicing cultural affirmation through ePedagogy (i.e., the implementation of affirming students' cultural and learning experiences during the time of crisis that captures emergency, electronic, equity, empathy) and examines teachers' rationale for engaging culture in teaching. Crisis Methodology was employed to understand the teachers' pedagogical practices.The participants included seven teachers with diverse cultural backgrounds who taught immigrant youth in an after-school program in the Midwestern U.S. area. During the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers taught their students virtually to help them with their homework and meaningful lessons that sought to engage students in learning. The research utilized grounded theory and included online interviews, online FGD(Focus Group Discussion), and online observations. In addition, field notes, online journals, and classroom documentations were collected to obtain comprehensive data. The findings demonstrate that ePedagogy offers an advanced form of teaching and creative methods teachers employed in virtual settings. The study also explores teachers' agencies and commitment to support students that enable them to practice transformative approaches to teaching. Additionally, the study addresses how teachers recognize the isolating effects of online learning on mental health. Valuing cultural affirmation as a pedagogical practice, a recommendation to create online pr (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Binaya Subedi (Advisor); Adrian Rodgers (Committee Member); Michiko Hikida (Committee Member); Melinda Rhodes (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Multicultural Education

Master of Arts (M.A.), University of Dayton, 2023, English

Food is an important aspect of culture. The ability to independently purchase, manage, cook, and consume food as part of daily life is an essential skill. West African non-immigrant international students studying in the United States face challenges relating to food purchasing, preparation, and consumption. These challenges may materialize in the form of food availability, cost, and accessibility. An individual's food choices affect their health and well-being, and as international students face obstacles in making food choices, healthy food choices must be made to promote not only their health but also their sense of well-being. In particular, the availability and accessibility of traditional foods from the international student's culture have an impact on the dietary and nutritional choices of these non-immigrant students in the U.S. Food literacy centers on knowledge and skills required for understanding the nutrition and use of available foods, and acquiring knowledge and skills for making informed dietary choices. Cullen et al. (2015) define food literacy as the ability of an individual to understand food in a way that they develop a positive relationship with it, including food skills and practices across the lifespan in order to navigate, engage, and participate within a complex food system. The concept focuses on food knowledge, cooking skills, dietary practices, and the ability to make healthier food and nutritional choices. This study uses the concept of food literacy to better understand how levels of knowledge about available foods serve as a critical element in the dietary and nutritional choices of West African non-immigrant international students. Being “food illiterate” in their new culture influences their health, emotional well-being, and overall sense of comfort in their new surroundings. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining surveys, a Grounded Theory approach, interviews, and a Photovoice research methodology to gather data (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Rebecca Potter (Advisor); Margaret Strain (Committee Member); Patrick Thomas (Committee Member) Subjects: English As A Second Language

MS, Kent State University, 2014, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Health Sciences

The purpose of this study was to compare the knowledge and utilization of nutrition labels among international versus non-international college students. It was expected that there would be a difference in knowledge of the nutrition labels between the international and non-international college students. Also, it was expected that there would be a difference in utilization of nutrition labels among international and non-international college students. An electronic questionnaire was completed by undergraduate and graduate students at Kent State University (n=176). Descriptive statistics were utilized to describe frequencies, standard deviations, and means of all participants' responses. A t test was used to compare the means of the three subscales (nutrition knowledge, nutrition label use, and attitude toward nutrition labels) among the demographic variables. A P-value was selected a priori 0.05 for significance. Correlation between age and the three scales was used to analyze the relationship between age and scores on each of the three scales. A significant difference was demonstrated in the summed total knowledge scores between non-international and International students (P=.001). This study demonstrated a lack of overall nutrition label knowledge and use among college students, suggesting nutritional-related educational strategies for college students are needed.

Committee: Karen Gordon Ph.D., R.D., L.D. (Advisor); Natalie Caine-Bish Ph.D., R.D., L.D. (Committee Member); Amy Miracle Ph.D. R.D., CSSD (Committee Member) Subjects: Food Science; Health; Health Sciences; Nutrition

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2009, ED Teaching and Learning (Columbus campus)

In this study, I look at the Turkish immigrant parents and their children at the intersection of schooling, culture, and identity. The study particularly emphasizes the ways Turkish children negotiate their cultural identity in schooling, Turkish parents' experiences with their children's schooling, and the ways Turkish parents and children negotiate their bilingual and bicultural identities. Sociocultural theories, specifically hybridity theory (Bhabha, 1994; Soja, 1996; Moje et al., 2004) and transnational studies (Basch, Glick Schiller, & Szanton Blanc, 2008) framed this study. The findings suggest that Turkish parents and children collaborate to create a third-space in home and community contexts where American, Turkish, and Muslim identities and Turkish and American cultural and educational practices co-exist. The creation of these third spaces moves the parents and children beyond the limitations of Turkish and American geographical, cultural and educational contexts.

Committee: Adrian Rodgers PhD (Advisor); Barbara Seidl PhD (Advisor); Laurie Katz PhD (Committee Member); Cynthia Dillard PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Elementary Education; Families and Family Life; Minority and Ethnic Groups; Multicultural Education; Preschool Education; Social Research; Teacher Education; Teaching

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2024, Leadership and Change

Exploring how school leaders address underrepresented student voices, meaning those of marginalized experiences along the continuum of social identity including though not limited to race, class, gender, immigration, and LGBTQ issues in schools is more essential than ever following the novel coronavirus of 2019 (COVID-19). Principals' social identities (i.e., race, class, and gender), and their connected social locations and personal histories reveal how their leadership styles can contribute to the support of marginalized communities. Hence, this qualitative research study employed a case study methodology to investigate whether and how the social identities and lived experiences of principals in the Brooklyn and Bronx school districts of New York City inform their school leadership practices and help them navigate the policies in place to address social constructions of difference and other critical issues in highly diverse schools. Guided by the critical case sampling method, a total of five principals native to four different countries were selected for their diversity and years of experience in NYC school leadership were interviewed using a semi-structured protocol. Both the research questions and study protocol drew on multiple leadership theories and applied a social justice leadership lens to reveal if and how urban public-school leaders support their school communities by advocating for equity, inclusion, and diversity. Six themes intersected by immigrant narratives emerged from the data, creating a shared social identity and connected purpose among the participating principals. Each principal expressed their social identities metaphorically through their respective immigrant experiences in a sense-making process that explained their leadership styles and understanding of complex issues that occurred in their schools, pre- and post-pandemic. The leadership narratives explored may serve as resources and catalysts for school transformation (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Daniel Diaz-Reyes PhD, JD (Committee Chair); Beryl Watnick PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Jennifer Raymond PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Leadership

Specialist in Education (Ed.S.), University of Dayton, 2023, School Psychology

Immigrant students face many challenges when attending schools in the United States, including language barriers, cultural differences, and discrimination. While research has explored the experiences of immigrant students in U.S. schools, little is known about how these experiences differ based on gender. This qualitative research study aimed to explore the perceptions of immigrant students' experiences in U.S. schools from a gendered lens. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with immigrant students in U.S. schools. The study found no significant difference in the overall perceptions of immigrant student experiences between genders. Both male and female students shared similar experiences of difficulties surrounding language barriers, and positive relationships at school and home with teachers, peers, and family. This study provides valuable insights into the complex experiences of immigrant students in U.S. schools and highlights the need for educators to consider the experiences of immigrant students when developing strategies to support their academic success. Further research is suggested to explore the intersectionality of factors that impact the experiences of immigrant students. Implications for educators and schools to support immigrant students are provided.

Committee: Elana Bernstein (Committee Chair); Brenda Gerhardt (Committee Member); Robyn Coleman (Committee Member) Subjects: Bilingual Education; Education; English As A Second Language; Gender; Teaching

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2022, Educational Leadership

Community colleges play an important role in helping immigrant students achieve their educational and career goals, a role that has only increased in recent years as the number of immigrant students pursuing higher education has grown. Community colleges across the United States have strived to adapt to this growth. Like other community colleges, Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) has experienced growth in enrollment for immigrant students and seeks ways to better serve those students. This dissertation is an action research study assessing the Future Promise initiative, an intentional effort by NICC to improve the recruitment, retention, and academic performance of immigrant students begun in 2021. The purpose of the study is to improve practice at the college through the development of an action plan with specific measures designed to better meet the needs of immigrant students. The study draws on existing research on immigrant students in higher education, particularly at community colleges, and English-language proficiency programs. It also draws on the funds of knowledge and literacy ecology theoretical frameworks, which emphasize the importance of drawing on students' practical knowledge in creating a curriculum and learning environment. The study involved collecting and analyzing quantitative data, particularly student attendance records and English-language proficiency test scores. It also included quantitative interviews with six immigrant students and seven administrators, instructors, and staff at the college. The analysis and interpretation of the data revealed the strengths of the Future Promise initiative, as well as ongoing challenges. It laid the foundation for an action plan focused on creating a bridge program integrating ESOL instruction into NICC's credit-based programs and developing professional trainings for faculty and staff to help them better adapt student services to help address those challenges. The quantitative data showed t (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Matthew Witenstein (Committee Chair); Wendy Mihm-Herold (Committee Member); Mary Ziskin (Committee Member) Subjects: Community College Education; Community Colleges; English As A Second Language; Higher Education

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2021, Cross-Cultural, International Education

This study examines the challenges and experiences of first-generation higher education immigrant students in the United States (US) in order to understand how they form their perspectives regarding higher education in the US. The study documents students' perspectives through analysis of data situated within their immigrant higher education experience and challenges. Based on a phenomenological approach, the study focuses on a sample of seven university students who are first-generation immigrants. Berry's (2005) acculturation theory and Ogbu's (1981) cultural ecological model help frame the study within the discussion of the immigrant students' perspectives through their explained challenges and experiences. The findings of this study are presented through specific themes describing the students' personal challenges and experiences followed by an analysis of the same themes. These findings underscore language, education system, socio-cultural and economic issues faced by immigrant students. 

Committee: Sherri Horner Dr. (Advisor); Bruce Collet Dr. (Committee Member); Audrey Roberts Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

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

This study contributes to the paucity of research on transformative approaches to civic education in elementary school classrooms. In this dissertation, I explore how culturally and linguistically diverse fourth graders and their teacher in a Spanish-English two-way bilingual education (TWBE) classroom engaged in transformative civic education. Drawing on a five-component transformative civic education framework and ethnographic and discourse analytic methods, I examined how the students and teacher engaged in transformative civic education interactions across both social studies and Spanish language arts classes. I found that, across their social studies and Spanish language arts classes, students: (1) built civic knowledge for active equity-oriented civic engagement, (2) incorporated their own civic knowledges and experiences into classroom learning, (3) engaged in critical questioning of dominant civic discourses, (4) conceptualized U.S. American civic identities in more inclusive ways, and (5) engaged and expanded their bilingual linguistic repertoires as part of civic learning. I also found that the teacher fostered students' engagement in transformative civic education through a number of key pedagogical moves at the interactional level of classroom talk as well as at the curricular level of lesson planning. Teacher interactional moves such as fielding students' questions, encouraging students' intertextual relationships, and affirming students' contributions to discussions facilitated student-centered space in which culturally and linguistically diverse students challenged dominant civic discourses and expanded on mainstream curricula. A discourse analytic approach to civic education research allowed me to produce transcript-level examples of teacher and student interactions that I argue can assist elementary teachers in identifying and incorporating curricular and interactional pedagogical moves that support transformative civic education into their (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Sarah Gallo (Advisor); Christian Faltis (Committee Member); Peter Sayer (Committee Member); Michiko Hikida (Committee Member) Subjects: Bilingual Education; Elementary Education; Social Studies Education; Sociolinguistics; Teaching

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2019, EDU Teaching and Learning

The largest population of second language learners in educational settings in the United States is adolescents. Adolescent immigrant students, the focus of the current study, have had at least some education in another country and know a language other than English. They also have experiences and an identity associated with their native country. As such, they may encounter a number of challenges as they attempt to navigate the new social and educational settings in the U.S. An important issue for anyone facing challenging conditions is the resources available to them and that they choose to use to cope with the demands they face. However, little research has explored the use of resources during the movement across different cultures, languages, and educational settings, and in response to both personal and academic needs. This study examined a Korean immigrant high school student, Sooji, with respect to her strategic use of in- and out-of-school resources in the movement between her personal and academic lives. I employed an ethnographic, longitudinal single-case study design in a Midwestern city in the U.S. for one year and looked closely at her personal and academic lives as well as her movement across those lives. Multiple sources of data were collected and then analyzed inductively, with a particular interest in 1) the kinds of in- and out-of-school resources Sooji used in the movement between her personal and academic lives, 2) the notable features of her use of resources as she moved across her personal and academic lives, and 3) the factors that influenced her use of in- and out-of-school resources within her personal and academic lives. The findings revealed that Sooji had various personal and academic problems and issues, often related to her immigrant student status, and she drew upon a wide array of resources to resolve them as she navigated across her academic and personal lives. The kinds of in-school resources she used for her personal life include (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Alan Hirvela (Advisor); Youngjoo Yi (Committee Member); George Newell (Committee Member) Subjects: English As A Second Language; Literacy

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2019, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

The acculturation of refugee-immigrant students is a complex process. The acculturation strategies of refugee-immigrant students are dependent upon the dominant society's acculturation expectations. There is ample research to support that refugee-immigrants prefer integration as an acculturation strategy (Berry, 2015). However, integration cannot be truly successful unless the dominant society promotes multiculturalism. The present study used a framework of the Mutual Intercultural Relations in Plural Societies (MIRIPS) and the Theories of Prejudice Scale to investigate the dominant society's (teachers) attitudes about the acculturation of refugee-immigrant students (non-dominant group). The constructs investigated were acculturation expectations (multiculturalism, melting pot, segregation, exclusion), multicultural ideology, and the mindset (fixed or growth) towards the malleability of prejudice. The present study also investigated the relationships between these constructs. Online surveys were sent to the teachers of refugee-immigrant students from a midwestern public school district resulting in 50 participants. The findings revealed that participants in the study preferred the acculturation strategy of multiculturalism, had a positive multicultural ideology, and had a growth mindset towards the malleability of prejudice. Despite the high scores in these constructs, a Pearson's Correlation Coefficient test found no statistical significance findings. This was due to the lack of variability in the responses, as all respondents had high scores in multiculturalism, multicultural ideology, and growth mindset. However, findings also revealed a strong relationship between multicultural ideology and the acculturation strategies of melting pot and segregation. The findings have implications to teacher professional development in multicultural education and future research. School districts with refugee-immigrant students can replicate this study to assess if teacher acti (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Jane Beese PhD (Committee Chair); Chuck Vergon JD (Committee Member); Patrick Spearman PhD (Committee Member); Xin Liang PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Cultural Anthropology; Multicultural Education; Teacher Education

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2017, College of Education

This study was done as a qualitative, phenomenological case study into the lived experiences of 10 English Language Learners (ELL) in a suburban high school in Ohio. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of ELL high school students in order to learn how their school experiences impacted their perceived successes and future goals. Specifically in this study, I looked at ELL students at the high school level. I believed I would have the opportunity to look at students' goals and plans for after graduation and what defined success for them. This study contributes to teacher awareness and literature in the areas related to ELL students and how to better help them adjust socially, and to help them succeed. The data revealed three primary themes, each with subthemes that describe the phenomenon experienced by the students.

Committee: Judy Alston Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Constance Savage Ph.D. (Committee Member); Donna Villareal Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; English As A Second Language; Minority and Ethnic Groups

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2010, EDU Teaching and Learning

This study used a qualitative, narrative research approach in order to explore the life narratives of three Japanese descent teachers and the ways in which these narratives informed their understanding of children's needs and their teaching pedagogies. One of these teachers was also the researcher. The findings, in general, indicate that our three autobiographies as bi-cultural, bi-racial, bi-lingual, and transnational beings are foundational to our understanding and woven throughout the decisions we make about working with children of Japanese descent and of facilitating their success in classrooms. In particular, the findings indicate that our work with children focuses on supporting them at the interpersonal level within the context of multiple relationships, acting as cross-cultural mediators, and finally supporting children's identity development in the context of multiple and often competing identity locations so that they are able to live both in, between, and beyond two or more cultures. These findings are used to create an emerging theory of culturally responsive pedagogy that I call Pedagogy of Shinayaka. Pedagogy of Shinayaka is situated in the literature on culturally responsive and culturally relevant teaching but speaks directly to an absence within this literature which is the work of Japanese descent teachers with Japanese children.

Committee: Barbara Seidl PhD (Advisor); Cynthia Dillard PhD (Committee Member); Barbara Lehman EdD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2004, Educational Theory and Practice

The purpose of this study was to look at the issues surrounding the education of Somali Refugee students in the public schools system in Italy and the United States. The focus of the investigation was to study the social, linguistic, and academic issues that facilitate or hinder academic acquisition of the students in the schools. In addition, the intent of the study was to create among educators, administrators, and policy reformers an awareness of the educational concerns these students have in their new contexts. For a period of two years, four participants, two girls and two boys were studied across two countries, Italy and the United States. Data in the form of observation, participatory approach, interviews, document analysis, and field observations and notes were analyzed inductively through a naturalistic ethnographic approach. Four themes were the primary focus of this study: socio-linguistic, socio-cultural, socio-political issues and pedagogical issues. Socio-linguistic issues focused on the linguistic variables associated with second language acquisition and the ability of the students in the study to function linguistically in a new language and culture context which is different from the native language and culture backgrounds of the students in this study. Socio-cultural issues related to the acquisition of a culture through means of assimilation, integration, and marginalization were explored and problematized. The impact of the native culture, family life and social life were also explored and analyzed. Socio-political issues were studied and analyzed in response to educational policy reform adopted by administrators in both countries in relation to meeting the academic and linguistic needs of the Somali Refugee students who were the focus of this academic exploration. In addition, the patterns of behavior in response to the educational environment were studied within the context of school and the classroom in general. Crucial aspects of the life of (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Charles Hancock (Advisor) Subjects: