Skip to Main Content

Basic Search

Skip to Search Results
 
 
 

Left Column

Filters

Show More

Show More

Show More

Right Column

Search Results

Search Results

(Total results 42)

Mini-Tools

 
 

Search Report

  • 1. Nemeth, Emily “Because I Live in this Community”: Literacy, Learning, and Participation in Critical Service-Learning Projects

    Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2014, EDU Teaching and Learning

    Over the last decade, service-learning researchers have documented a lack of attention paid to the dynamic nature of student learning in service-learning projects (Butin, 2003/2010) and a lack of attention paid to learning over time (Melchior & Bailis, 2002; Yamauchi, et al., 2006). In light of these gaps in the literature, this dissertation study used New Literacy Studies (e.g., Barton & Hamilton, 1998; Street, 1984) and communities of practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991) to explore situated literacies and learning of four focal students participating in two critical service-learning projects at a traditional urban public high school in a mid-size city. Specifically, I explored the following three research questions: 1. What happens when students and their teacher participate in a critical service-learning project; 2. What learning opportunities and forms of participation emerge in a critical service-learning project and how are they taken up by the students; and 3. What is the role of literacy in these learning opportunities and forms of participation? Using an ethnographic case study design, I collected data over the course of an academic school year to include fieldnotes, artifacts, and transcripts. I analyzed these data using an iterative data analysis process. I concluded the study by offering implications for classroom practice, education policy, and service-learning research.
    ... More

    Committee: Valerie Kinloch (Advisor); Caroline Clark (Advisor); Mollie Blackburn (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Theory; Literacy

  • 2. Arndt, Angela Touching Mercury in Community Media: Identifying Multiple Literacy Learning Through Digital Arts Production

    PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2011, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Educational Studies

    Educational paradigm shifts call for 21st century learners to possess the knowledge, skills, abilities, values, and experiences associated with multiple forms of literacy in a participatory learning culture. Contemporary educational systems are slow to adapt. Outside of school, people have to be self-motivated and have access to resources in order to gain media production experiences. Community-based media centers join arts and culture with technology and computing while addressing issues of social justice, access equity, and public policy. These agencies function as community technology centers and can be complex organizations, existing in many forms, each with unique characteristics as well as fundamental commonalities. The goal of this study was to learn if and how community technology centers foster learning in multiple forms of literacy. Three forms of literacy were identified: technological, media, and critical. To move beyond the phenomenological approach to understanding teaching and learning practices, the objective was to develop an evaluation protocol that would capture the rich ecological context of the organization with qualitative indicators of the unique aspects of each center, as well as objective, measurable factors aspects common to all. This study was conducted in two phases. Phase One was the creation of the protocol including indicators of multiple literacies, a site selection matrix, and a data collection guide. Phase Two was piloting of the evaluation protocol to develop a foundational case to be used for future comparisons. In Phase One, indicators of multiple literacy learning were devised relevant for 21st century learners. These indicators were aligned specifically with organizational, programmatic, and production activities within a community media arts center. The site selection instrument was developed as a means to pre-screen sites for the likelihood of multiple literacy learning experiences. The data collection guide was aligned with (open full item for complete abstract)
    ... More

    Committee: Lanthan Camblin PhD (Committee Chair); Catherine V. Maltbie EdD (Committee Member); Roger Collins PhD (Committee Member); Karen Davis PhD (Committee Member); Wayne Edward Hall PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Evaluation

  • 3. Bruner, Stephanie Closing the Kindergarten Opportunity Gap

    Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2025, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

    This dissertation examines the effectiveness of an extended-day kindergarten program in addressing the needs of vulnerable student populations, including those from low socio-economic backgrounds, non-native English speakers, and students with an individualized education plan (IEP). Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study compares traditional half-day programs with an extended-day format that integrates play-based learning and structured literacy. Quantitative data from reading and math benchmarks and reports of student progress, along with qualitative teacher surveys, highlight the program's impact on academic performance, social skills, and emotional development. The findings suggest that extended-day kindergarten programs can effectively mitigate learning barriers, enabling at-risk student groups to perform comparably to their half-day peers across all domains of development, on average. These results offer actionable insights for policymakers and educators to design more inclusive and supportive educational environments, thereby advancing equity and reform in early childhood education.
    ... More

    Committee: Karen Larwin PhD (Committee Chair); Debra Gratz EdD (Committee Member); Marla Peachock EdD (Committee Member) Subjects: Early Childhood Education; Education; Education Policy; Educational Evaluation

  • 4. Popovich, Jacob Describing the Effects of Select Digital Learning Objects on the Financial Knowledge, Attitudes, and Actual and Planned Behavior of Community College Students

    Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2018, EDU Physical Activity and Educational Services

    Many college students struggle financially, and student debt continues to grow in the United States. Students that complete a degree can have high monthly student loan payments, and those that do not complete a degree can struggle financially even more. There is a growing amount of research examining methods to reduce these financial challenges. Since financial knowledge, attitudes and behaviors have been studied as to how they impact student debt, the purpose of this study was to examine financial knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of community college students and consider an educational intervention as a possible way to impact those variables. The intervention was in the form of exposing students to a series of short, specific, digital learning objects. The research objectives of this study were to describe community college students' financial knowledge, financial attitudes, planned financial behaviors, and actual short-term financial behaviors in the areas of budgeting/saving, credit, and student loans, before and after exposure to the digital learning objects. There was a statistically significant treatment effect for financial knowledge, but not for financial attitudes. For financial behaviors, six unique intended and actual financial behaviors were examined, with half of them showing a significant difference after exposure to the digital learning objects. Planned and actual behaviors in the areas of budgeting, saving, and payment behavior were most effected. Certain ages and racial groups reported salient results in some areas. Students identifying as Black/African American had lower than average scores and lessor treatment effects for financial knowledge, higher than average rates of behavior and higher treatment effects for monthly budgeting, and lower rates of behavior and lower treatment effects for positive payment behaviors. Students under 25 years old reported below average behaviors and treatment effects for monthly budgeting, savin (open full item for complete abstract)
    ... More

    Committee: Christopher Zirkle Dr. (Committee Chair); Caezilia Loibl Dr. (Committee Co-Chair); Melena Whittington Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Community College Education; Education Finance; Educational Technology; Finance; Teaching; Technology

  • 5. Goodsett, Mandi Determining the Extent to Which Information Literacy Online Learning Objects Follow Best Practices for Teaching and Assessing Critical Thinking

    Master of Education, Cleveland State University, 2018, College of Education and Human Services

    Critical thinking is widely accepted as a primary goal of higher education. The skills and dispositions of critical thinking have much in common with those of information literacy, and instruction librarians could improve their information literacy instruction by integrating critical thinking. However, it is not currently clear to what extent instruction librarians encourage critical thinking in their teaching. Moreover, rather than credit-bearing courses, much of library instruction currently consists of either “one-shot” (single class period) sessions or online learning objects which students complete asynchronously. This study focuses on online learning objects, which are often created with great effort, have long-lasting value, and may serve as a substitute for classroom learning for distance students. This study attempts to determine the ways and extent to which online information literacy learning objects follow best practices for teaching and assessing critical thinking. To accomplish this, the researcher examined a sample of information literacy online learning objects archived in the Academic and Research Library Association's (ACRL's) repository of peer-reviewed information literacy online instruction materials, PRIMO (Peer-Reviewed Instructional Materials Online). A representative sample of PRIMO online learning objects from the five years preceding this study was assessed against a rubric of best practices for teaching and assessing critical thinking in online information literacy learning objects. The rubric was developed based on a thorough literature review. The resulting analysis provides evidence of the extent to which information literacy online learning objects adhere to best practices for teaching and assessing critical thinking. While not all critical thinking instructional and assessment strategies were well-suited to asynchronous online learning object platforms, some strategies were used creatively and effectively in online learning ob (open full item for complete abstract)
    ... More

    Committee: Wendy Green (Committee Co-Chair); Catherine Hansman (Committee Co-Chair); Frederick Hampton (Committee Member); Mary McDonald (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Education; Educational Technology; Educational Theory; Information Science; Information Technology; Instructional Design

  • 6. Richardson, Anne Explainers' development of science-learner identities through participation in a community of practice

    Ph.D., Antioch University, 2012, Antioch New England: Environmental Studies

    The urgent environmental issues of today require science-literate adults to engage in business and political decisions to create solutions. Despite the need, few adults have the knowledge and skills of science literacy. This doctoral dissertation is an analytical case study examining the science-learner identity development of Exploratorium Field Trip Explainers. Located in San Francisco, CA, the Exploratorium is a museum of science, art, and human perception dedicated to nurturing curiosity and exploration. Data collected included semi-structured interviews with sixteen former Field Trip Explainers, participant observation of the current Field Trip Explainer Program, and review of relevant documentation. Data analysis employed constant comparative analysis, guided by the communities of practice theoretical framework (Wenger, 1998) and the National Research Council's (2009) Six Strands of Science Learning. Findings of this research indicate that Exploratorium Field Trip Explainers participate in a community of practice made up of a diverse group of people that values curiosity and openness to multiple ways of learning. Many participants entered the Field Trip Explainer Program with an understanding of science learning as a rigid process reserved for a select group of people; through participation in the Field Trip Explainer community of practice, participants developed an understanding of science learning as accessible and a part of everyday life. The findings of this case study have implications for research, theory, and practice in informal adult science learning, access of non-dominant groups to science learning, and adult workplace learning in communities of practice.
    ... More

    Committee: Elizabeth McCann PhD (Committee Chair); Tania Schusler PhD (Committee Member); Joe Heimlich PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Education; Educational Theory; Environmental Education; Environmental Studies; Museum Studies; Museums; Science Education

  • 7. Sektnan, Joshua Not a One-Size-Fits-All Approach: Examining the Impact of Systematic K-6 Spelling Instruction

    Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2025, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

    This study investigated the effectiveness of systematic K-6 spelling instruction, exploring the historical context, instructional practices, and professional development necessary to support both novice and experienced teachers. Using qualitative methods, data were collected through surveys and interviews with 30 elementary teachers in a western Pennsylvania school district. Highlighting a reliance on informal strategies and digital tools, the findings reveal significant gaps in formalized spelling programs which often hinder the development of foundational spelling skills. Effective instructional practices, such as phonics-based and multisensory approaches, were identified as crucial for improving student outcomes. Challenges include differentiating instruction to meet diverse student needs and addressing systemic barriers, such as inconsistent resources and limited professional development opportunities. This study underscores the need for tailored professional development focused on explicit, systematic instruction to enhance teacher capacity and student learning. The implications of this research extend to designing robust training programs and standardized assessments to support effective spelling instruction. Future research could explore longitudinal impacts of these interventions across multiple districts and states.
    ... More

    Committee: Karen Larwin PhD (Committee Chair); Jennifer Kohart Marchessault EdD (Committee Member); Terrie Turney EdD (Committee Member) Subjects: Curriculum Development; Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Literacy; Teaching

  • 8. Abdulrahman, Tryanti The Impact of Teacher Professional Development Programs on Classroom Teaching Practice in Indonesia

    Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, EDU Teaching and Learning

    This study aims to explore the experiences of teachers who have participated in the Teacher Professional Development Program/Program Pendidikan Guru (PPG) in Indonesia and investigate the impact of the PPG program. A review of existing literature on Teacher Professional Development (PD), the connection between teacher learning and practice, and the complexities of literacy as a practice has been conducted to support this research. Using a case study approach, this research was conducted online through Zoom, WhatsApp video calls, zoom meeting recordings and the PPG program's Learning Management System (LMS). The participants in this study were five elementary school teachers who taught at five different schools in Indonesia. This study utilizes various data collection methods, including interviews, observation, and documents or artifacts. Using Stake's (2006) multiple-case analysis framework, an individual case report was created, which is structured partly to align with the research question alongside cross-case analysis implementation. The results show that the PPG program offered a mix of lectures, interactive workshops, and hands-on field experiences with a strong emphasis on technology, pedagogy, and learning innovation. Teachers participated in activities that allowed them to apply their learning in classroom settings. Using the framework of multicase analysis, six assertions emerged from participants' diverse educational experiences. These six thematic assertions identified from the cross-case analysis illustrate the transformative impact of professional development on educational practices while also acknowledging the complexity and diversity of teaching contexts. The six assertions are the adoption and integration of technology, resilience, and adaptability in diverse educational contexts, diverse approaches to teaching and classroom management, shift toward student-centered learning approaches, various degrees of literacy teaching, and challenges in imple (open full item for complete abstract)
    ... More

    Committee: Adrian Rodgers (Advisor); Emily Rodgers (Committee Member); Christine Warner (Committee Member) Subjects: Early Childhood Education; Education; Educational Technology; Inservice Training; Literacy; Reading Instruction; Teacher Education; Teaching; Technology

  • 9. Ramzan, Michelle How Can Principles of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy Inform the Design of a Junior High Curriculum to Enhance Science Learning in a Meaningful Way?

    Ed.D., Antioch University, 2023, Education

    The objective of this dissertation was to explore how the principles of culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) can inform the design of a junior high school curriculum to enhance science learning by providing meaningful learning experiences to all students. The transformative paradigm provided a framework used as a lens to emphasize the importance of understanding the social, cultural, and historical context in which individuals and communities are situated. CSP and Backward Design Model were applied to develop a curriculum for a sheltered science literacy elective class for below grade level readers. The purpose of using CSP in the curriculum design was to create a more inclusive and culturally sustaining learning environment that would support students in developing strong science literacy skills. Project–based learning (PBL) was used with CSP to allow for flexibility and creativity in project designs that give students the opportunity to explore and experiment with different ideas and approaches in the learning environment. The California Department of Education's descriptions for effective use of CSP in a classroom was incorporated into the curriculum to be used as an assessment tool measuring the effectiveness of the curriculum. The implications of this curriculum development suggest the effectiveness of CSP on science literacy and its connections enhance student performance in science. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA: Antioch University Repository and Archive, https://aura.antioch.edu/ and OhioLINK ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu/
    ... More

    Committee: Michael Raffanti Ed. D. (Committee Chair); Emiliano Gonzalez Ph. D. (Committee Member); Heather Curl Ed. D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Curriculum Development; Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Theory; Literacy; Multicultural Education; Pedagogy; Teacher Education; Teaching

  • 10. Kuchta, Adam Reading Our Writing | Writing Our Reading: Threshold Concepts for Graduate-Level Reading in Composition

    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2021, English (Rhetoric and Writing) PhD

    This project advocates for sustained, explicit, graduate-level reading instruction in the discipline of writing studies. It posits that professional academic reading is a complex activity that requires graduate students to develop contextually unique skills and habits of mind to perform effectively. It posits also that graduate students struggle to learn this form of reading and would benefit from direct instruction. Further, it positions threshold concepts for reading—oft-“invisible” disciplinary assumptions or ways of thinking that are troublesome to learn but important to internalize to fully enter an academic community—as an important pedagogical tool in graduate-level reading curricula. The project makes several moves in advocating for such reading instruction: (1) It makes the case for why graduate-level reading instruction is needed; (2) it consolidates multiple strands of reading theory that have influenced writing studies into a working definition of professional-level reading in the discipline; (3) it constructs a list of threshold concepts for disciplinary reading; (4) it outlines a framework—the reading sandwich cycle—for integrating threshold concepts with reading instruction; (5) and it makes suggestions for integrating reading instruction throughout course work and elsewhere in graduate curricula.
    ... More

    Committee: Lee Nickoson Ph.D. (Advisor); Neil Baird Ph.D. (Committee Member); Sue Wood Ph.D. (Committee Member); Per Broman Ph.D. (Other) Subjects: Adult Education; Curricula; Educational Theory; Literacy; Reading Instruction; Rhetoric

  • 11. Brock, Melanie Re-conceptualizing Secondary Literacy: Impacts of 21st-Century Literacy Interventions on STEM High School Student Achievement

    Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2021, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

    Rigorous school curriculums and end-of-course (EOC) exams have brought the need for literacy interventions at the high school level to the forefront. As 21st-century learning evolves, curriculum is shifting from traditional teaching to more student-centered approaches that value differentiated literacy instruction. Furthermore, teachers are receiving resources and ongoing professional development on secondary literacy interventions through Ohio literacy grants. However, the concept of literacy intervention across courses at the high school level is often overlooked due to the assumption that students have mastered reading comprehension in elementary school. The current mixed-methods investigation focuses on the implementation of evidence-based literacy interventions in an Ohio designated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) high school. The purpose of the current study is to determine the impact of 21st-century literacy strategies on student reading levels, as well as student and teacher perceptions of literacy interventions and instruction. The examined literacy strategies include vocabulary instruction, differentiated literacy instruction, and both Fountas' & Pinnell's System of Strategic Actions (SOSA) and Leveled Learning Literacy Intervention (LLI). Results from the current investigation can inform administrators and teachers on the impacts of literacy interventions at the secondary level. Quantitative data results suggest that students grew an average of three Fountas & Pinnell reading levels over one academic year, and an average of five Fountas & Pinnell reading levels over a longitudinal three-year time span when receiving literacy interventions across content areas. Qualitative student interviews demonstrated four emerging themes: Student Perception, Changing of Students' Perceptions, Student Perceptions of Instruction, and Students' Perceived Importance of Reading. Additionally, qualitative teacher interviews demonstrated three e (open full item for complete abstract)
    ... More

    Committee: Karen Larwin PhD (Advisor); Patrick Spearman PhD (Committee Member); Sharon Stringer PhD (Committee Member); Sherri Woods DM (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Language Arts; Literacy; Reading Instruction

  • 12. McConnell, Chelsea Social-Emotional Learning and Literacy: A Literacy Curriculum Designed to Support Children's Self-Awareness Skills

    MAE, Otterbein University, 2021, Education

    The purpose of this capstone project is to present a curriculum that utilizes children's books to teach the first competency of social-emotional learning: self-awareness. The curriculum was developed based on the following research question: How can we create a literacy curriculum that utilizes children's literature to support students' social-emotional development in the domain of self-awareness? The question was answered after examining Vygotsky's sociocultural learning theory and research associated with bibliotherapy and text selection, as well as structure developed for bibliotherapy lessons. The curriculum includes sample lessons that support literacy and social-emotional learning instruction with alignment to Ohio's Social-Emotional Learning and English Language Arts Standards.
    ... More

    Committee: Allison McGrath (Advisor); Sue Constable (Committee Member); Ross Diane (Committee Member) Subjects: Curricula; Curriculum Development; Education; Literacy

  • 13. Johnson, Gavin Queer Possibilities in Digital Media Composing

    Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2020, English

    Using a transdisciplinary, multi-method framework of queer rhetorics paired with kinky empiricism (Rutherford, 2012), this dissertation takes as its central concern the question: How can teachers work with students to invent and orient learning toward queer possibilities without reifying culturally oppressive norms through neoliberal accountability logics? This line of inquiry, established in Chapter 1, orients toward digital and multimodal compositions, which offer rhetorical power within and beyond the classroom. Furthermore, digital media composing, when oriented through queer rhetorics, can be a space for disidentifcation from institutionalized accountability logics and related oppressive systems (Munoz, 1999; Ahmed, 2006). In turn, this project studies assessment practices (Chapter 2), curricular developments (Chapter 3), and pedagogical engagements (Chapter 4) as conduits for queer possibilities in digital media composing classrooms. Chapter 2 troubles current neoliberal accountability logics while tracing counter-histories of assessment. Assessment, a notable concept in education and rhetoric, composition, and digital media studies, is easily positioned and co-opted by neoliberal accountability logics animated by learning outcome regimes. However, by engaging early discussions of assessment ethics, the social justice turn in assessment, and the affect of digital media/multimodal assessment, this project shows assessment can and should be (re)oriented as a tool of queer possibility through an ethic of response-ability. Following the theorization of the opening chapters, the third and fourth chapters are grounded by a practitioner inquiry project (cf. Cochran-Smith and Lytle, 1993; Nichols and Cormack, 2017), which collected and analyzed qualitative data in a digital media composing course. The data, when reviewed using qualitative data analysis methods, materialize and triangulate claims of queer possibilities in digital media composing by accounting fo (open full item for complete abstract)
    ... More

    Committee: Scott DeWitt DA (Committee Chair); Beverly Moss PhD (Committee Member); Christa Teston PhD (Committee Member); Eric Pritchard PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Composition; Curriculum Development; Education Philosophy; Educational Theory; Higher Education; Literacy; Pedagogy; Rhetoric; Teaching; Technology

  • 14. Saternus, Julie Multilingual Literacy Practice in One School Community: Reading, Writing, and Being Across Japanese and English

    PHD, Kent State University, 2019, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of English

    Scholars writing in translingual studies view language boundaries as fluid, consider multilinguals to have options that include shuttling back and forth between languages in order to achieve their rhetorical goals, and argue that monolingual ideologies are harmful. Translingual studies is part of a movement away from structuralist conceptions of language, and within translingualism language is viewed as “flexible, unstable, dynamic, layered, and mobile” (Blommaert, 2016, p. 244). This dissertation focuses on the translingual literacy practices of multilingual members of the Japanese/English school community at this university. I analyze writing processes, speech, and media usage of members of this community (English L1/Japanese L2 and Japanese L1/English L2) through the lens of translingualism. I find that the ways the participants move across English and Japanese is a dynamic and negotiable process. This study aims to contribute to the movement in translingual studies that changes the focus from mixed-language products to mixed-language processes. The movement to process, I argue, takes into consideration the goals of many learners of a second language, which is to gain a strong, native-like command of dominant varieties of foreign languages. My dissertation demonstrates specific methods that writing studies researchers may use to document translingual literacy practices. In addition, this study discusses detailed ways in which the participants use both English and Japanese in their literacy practices through multiple case studies. I conclude with a turn that focuses on pedagogical applications of the translingual framework, which I argue benefits both monolingual and multilingual students in writing classrooms.
    ... More

    Committee: Derek Van Ittersum (Committee Chair); Pamela Takayoshi (Committee Member); Keith Lloyd (Committee Member); Judy Wakabayashi (Committee Member) Subjects: Composition; English As A Second Language; Literacy; Multilingual Education; Multimedia Communications

  • 15. Uelk, Katie Arts-Based Pedagogies and the Literacy of Adolescent Students in High-Risk and High-Poverty Communities

    Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2019, Arts Administration, Education and Policy

    This dissertation explored the following central question: How can an arts-based learning process positively impact the literacy of adolescent students of color from high-risk and high-poverty communities? In this study, I examined the relationship between a pedagogical approach that incorporates arts-based pedagogies into hands-on, student-directed, and student-centered instructional methods and increasing the literacy achievement of students of color from high-risk and high-poverty communities. I explored if using arts-based pedagogies as an integral aspect of emergent and student-directed instructional methods is vital to improving adolescent literacy acquisition. In addition, this dissertation investigated what an arts-based and student-directed learning process looks like for the implementing teachers, how this approach can take the form of a culturally sustaining pedagogy, and how the art-making process mirrors the meaning-making process when engaging with texts. I utilized the methodological approach of Participatory Action Research (PAR) and the theoretical framework of Critical Multicultural Education Theory to develop a process for teaching and learning that incorporated both the arts and emergent student-directed instructional methods into the teaching of state-mandated, middle school English Language Arts standards in the general education classroom. I conducted this study at a public K-8 elementary school located within the city of Chicago. One 7th grade reading teacher and 19 of her reading students acted as study participants throughout the 2017-2018 school year. Additionally, I employed four main data collection techniques: 1) research journal; 2) correspondence log; 3) interviews; and 4) artifacts. The findings from the research illustrate that arts-based methods in the reading classroom have the potential to facilitate an emergent and student-directed approach to literacy instruction that enables students to take ownership as agents of (open full item for complete abstract)
    ... More

    Committee: Joni Acuff PhD (Advisor); Christine Ballengee-Morris PhD (Committee Member); Karen Hutzel PhD (Committee Member); Mindi Rhoades PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Art Education; Curricula; Curriculum Development; Education; Education Policy; Educational Theory; Language Arts; Literacy; Middle School Education; Multicultural Education; Pedagogy; Teaching

  • 16. Parlindungan, Firman The literacy teaching and learning in a classroom: A case study in an American Islamic school

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

    This study described how the English language arts (ELA) teacher mediates the literacy learning of the 6th grade students at Bright Star Islamic school whose language and cultural background is diverse. Three specific research questions guided this study, including (1) what approach does the teacher use to develop literacy skills of the students? (2) what texts are available for the students? and (3) what is the student response to the teacher-led discussion and teacher-created assignments? Drawing upon the ecological framework to literacy (Barton, 1994), this study shed lights on the Islamic school's literacy that is intertwined with religious values in addition to knowledge construction mediated through multiple use of languages and texts. Narrative case study was carried out to unpack and understand the classroom interaction. The participants included one teacher and 20 students in her ELA class. 30 literacy lessons were observed and audio-recorded which comprised of a total of 40 hours. In addition to that, field notes, semi-structure interviews of the teacher and the student, as well as documentation were used to enrich and confirm the data. The observation and interview data were transcribed verbatim. Grounded theory was employed for data analysis which consisted of analyzing data through coding them into categories for the purpose of comparison. The categories contained labels that resembled conceptualization of key findings of the data and represented the cases being studied. The analysis stopped when a core category emerged in which I can integrate the analysis and develop a `story' encapsulating the main themes of the study. Results from the analysis showed that regarding the research question #1, the teacher situated the classroom literacy events as social practices deriving from her interpretation of the State' learning standards, the school's ELA curriculum (i.e. Wit & Wisdom), conception of reading instruction, and teacher' roles in the classroom (open full item for complete abstract)
    ... More

    Committee: Adrian Rodgers (Advisor); Christine Warner (Committee Member); Binaya Subedi (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Literacy; Reading Instruction; Religion; Secondary Education; Teaching

  • 17. Highley, Thomas Agents of Influence: A Metaphor Analysis of Middle Level Students' and Teachers' Conceptualizations Surrounding Blended Learning

    EdD, University of Cincinnati, 2018, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Literacy and Second Language Studies

    For over 20 years, researchers and state boards of education have been emphasizing the importance of incorporating digital literacies into instruction. Based on the perceived potential of digital technologies to create greater educational opportunities, and the push from state governments to empower students to fully participate in our knowledge-based economy, proponents have advocated for the incorporation of increasingly computer dependent, blended learning experiences in the classroom, presenting them as fundamental to academic achievement and career success. As public K-12 school districts in Ohio increase their investment in classroom technology through blended learning initiatives, it is important to understand how students and teachers from varied geographic and socioeconomic settings conceptualize the utility and value of blended learning as a platform for learning and literacy. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to gain insight into the conceptualizations of middle level students and teachers from three socioeconomically and geographically diverse public school settings regarding their experiences with blended learning in order to understand the factors that influence the teaching and learning transaction. To better understand these influences, the study employed metaphor analysis (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980), as well as the critical lenses of Brandt's (2001) theoretical framework of literacy sponsorship and the theory of multiliteracies (New London Group, 1996). Analysis of the transcripts suggests that blended learning initiatives would benefit from enhanced blended learning curricula, emphasizing multimodality, choice, facilitation, and social context in digitally integrative instruction.
    ... More

    Committee: Connie Kendall Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Laura Bauer Ed.D. (Committee Member); Mark Sulzer Ph.D. (Committee Member); Susan Watts Taffe Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Software

  • 18. Farley, Kristin Quantity and Quality of Early Childhood Language and Literacy Learning Opportunities: A Latent Profile Analysis and Examination of Predictors and Associations with Children's Language and Literacy Outcomes

    Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2018, EDU Teaching and Learning

    Teaching is a complex practice that is typically evaluated in terms of quantity or quality of learning opportunities. Particular attention is often given to children's language and literacy learning opportunities as these are known to be the foundation for children's later reading success. However, prior research has largely overlooked the possibility that both are important. The purpose of this study was to examine the interplay between the quantity and quality of language and literacy learning opportunities based on domain-specific indicators of quantity and quality and links between this interplay and children's language and literacy outcomes. Results indicated that quantity and quality are positively correlated and have particularly strong domain-specific associations. Latent profile analysis identified five profiles of language and literacy learning opportunities that exhibited domain-specific variability, and multinomial logistic regression results indicated that some classroom, educator, and program characteristics predicted profile membership. Finally, regression results indicated that children's outcomes, though not their gains, distinguished some profiles. Although this study left many questions regarding the connections between children's outcomes and the interplay between the quantity and quality of learning opportunities, it provided a more detailed examination of classroom practices which suggest that quantity and quality share a more complex relationship than has previously been considered.
    ... More

    Committee: Shayne Piasta Ph.D. (Advisor); Kelly Purtell Ph.D. (Committee Member); Ann O'Connell Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Early Childhood Education

  • 19. Farooq, Omer The Effect of Elaborative Interrogation on the Synthesis of Ideas from Multiple Sources of Information

    PHD, Kent State University, 2018, College of Communication and Information

    The new Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (ACRL, 2016) highlights the ability to synthesize ideas from multiple sources of information as one of the key knowledge practices as students navigate an increasingly complex information landscape. With the introduction of this new document, there is a strong need for evidence-based guidance for information literacy instruction in academic libraries. There is little generalizable empirical research based on cognitive science principles to guide information literacy instruction practice. The present study examined the effectiveness of elaborative interrogation instructional strategy on integration and transformation of ideas from multiple sources of information. 86 participants took part in the study via Amazon Mechanical Turk platform. The experiment involved reading five texts on the topic of climate change and responding to embedded elaborative interrogation prompts (treatment groups only), and writing a synthesis paragraph on the topic. Contrary to the research hypothesis, the results of descriptive analysis showed that participants in the control group achieved a slightly better performance in transformation measure, as compared to participants in treatment groups. However, two one-way ANCOVAs were employed to test the hypotheses which indicated that elaborative interrogation prompts did not significantly improve performance on transformation and integration measures. This study contributes to the growing body of literature addressing information literacy instruction based on the new Framework and provides a promising long-term cross-disciplinary research partnership in terms of linking evidence-based guidance for instruction based on cognitive science principles to information literacy knowledge practices in the new Framework.
    ... More

    Committee: Miriam Matteson PhD (Committee Chair); Bradley Morris PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Danielle Coombs PhD (Committee Member); John Dunlosky PhD (Committee Member); Meghan Harper PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Psychology; Experiments; Information Science; Library Science

  • 20. Walsh-Moorman , Elizabeth Multimodal Composing In Support of Disciplinary Literacy: A Search For Context In ELA and History Classrooms

    PHD, Kent State University, 2018, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies

    This qualitative study explored how student writers adjust to the shifting composing demands in a multitude of composing contexts: in English, in history and across the two disciplines, as well as in various modes, including alphabetically and multimodally. Naturalistic inquiry case study was applied to explore the participant's experiences with these shifting composing contexts by addressing the following questions: (a) How does a student's perception of composing differ across disciplinary contexts, such as in a history class rather than an English class? How does this change when the composing is done in a cross-curricular project that spans both history and ELA? (b) Because new literacies expand the choices students must make through multimodal composing, what relationship can be seen between the authoring choices a student makes while composing multimodally and the literacy demands of various content area classrooms? (c) How does a student who is engaging in cross-curricular inquiry in both English and history perceive the disciplinary demands specific to each content area? (d) How do teachers account for the negotiation students must undergo in order to meet both English and history curricular goals in that cross-curricular project? Findings suggest that student agency and choice are important factors in helping students address shifting contexts for composing. These factors seem to alleviate the sense of anxiety and ambiguity students perceive when faced with shifting and unfamiliar composing demands. Importantly, multimodal composing supported writer's agency by offering vast choices and allowing students to use composing in support of inquiry.
    ... More

    Committee: William Kist (Committee Co-Chair); Kristine Pytash (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: Composition; Curricula; Curriculum Development; Educational Theory; Language Arts; Literacy; Multimedia Communications; Pedagogy; Secondary Education; Social Studies Education; Teaching