Two dissertation recitals and a piano pedagogy workshop were given in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctoral of Musical Arts in Piano Pedagogy and Performance at the University of Michigan. The first dissertation lecture recital, "Afro-Cuban and Brazilian Dances," was presented in McIntosh Theatre on…

American Sign Language (ASL) courses in U.S. higher education often inadequately incorporate multicultural content, with many educators lacking knowledge of multiculturalism and relevant cultural resources. The purpose of this study was the exploration of ASL educators' perspectives on the incorporation of multicultural content in ASL classrooms…

Since the 1990s, despite numerous educational initiatives designed to support student reading success, a large percentage of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students have performed below standard in statewide standardized reading tests. This fact points to a need in further examining how teachers provide CLD students with early…

Countless studies have shown the positive effects that critical curricula such as ethnic studies courses and culturally responsive instruction can have on student populations. Yet, the narrative of teachers and their respective journeys engaging in these practices remains an understudied topic. The following qualitative case study examined the…

As K-12 student populations become increasingly diverse, effectively teaching students from a multitude of cultures, backgrounds, and experiences is becoming more challenging for educators. This challenge is exacerbated by the fact that the profile of teachers in the United States is and will continue to be Caucasian females for the foreseeable…

Diversity of cultural expressions is part of the foundation of humanity and bears crucial implications for international stability and development. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines cultural diversity both as the collective ways that cultural heritage is expressed and as the creative productions…

Currently, the available research on Native faculty experiences emphasizes the challenges and hardships of being an Indigenous faculty member. Native faculty members are often underrepresented and rarely appreciated for the cultural teachings and knowledge they contribute within settler-colonial institutions. Nonetheless, Native faculty continue…

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine a group of adult students' learning world languages, literacies, and cultures and their experiences in the World Language and Culture Program (WLCP) at a large western land-grant university in the United States during the spring of 2019. I (the author and primary investigator) am the developer and…

The qualitative multiple case study approach was utilized to describe the impact African-American cultural museum educational experiences have on redefining the identity of select African-American 5th grade boys matriculating at an urban elementary school. My research study posed one primary research question: How do African-American museum…

This quantitative study examined the perception of Hispanic Heritage Month and LGBT History Month celebratory events at 10 public Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) in the Midwestern region. Utilizing a research-developed, self-administered questionnaire, data were collected from participants who identified involvement with a Hispanic/Latinx…

My dissertation explores the interdependent connection between African oral tradition and traditional African healing strategies found in storytelling in Chicago. In examining a nonprofit based in Chicago that offers cultural education through political resistance oral narratives (i.e. storytelling), my research examines how storytelling can…

Research examining the achievement gap continues to drive the need towards diversity training for the classroom. This study investigated diversity training and the relationship that exists between teacher cultural competence, student achievement, and student behavior. The researcher surveyed 24 teachers, counselors, and administrators from…

The purpose of this study was to compare reading scores of students and school systems using the Trilingual process (public charter district) to students and school systems using the Dual Language, Bilingual, and ESL process (public school district). Participants were low socioeconomic status Grade 3 Hispanic/Latinx students. Focused in this…

This dissertation delineates the international partnership as a fundamental element of the internationalization practice of higher education institutions. The sustainment of internationalization efforts in higher education has been challenged by the changing external political and social environment. American Confucius Institute programs that are…

Education policy debates over the last twenty years have focused on the need to increase students' test scores. The federal government and states have implemented and expanded a variety of test-based, school accountability policies. Accountability pressures have incentivized schools to narrow their curriculum, decrease time allocated to…