Indigenous educators desire to use culturally restorative and decolonized pedagogies reflective of their own cultural values and beliefs in their science programs but have lacked models for how to start. They also often lack confidence in their ability to teach the sciences. This three-year qualitative case study used grounded theory methodology…

The United States has boosted attainment rates over the past decade, with the share of young adults with at least an associate degree increasing by 20 percent, resulting in an additional 5 million more individuals earning a college degree. But these gains in postsecondary attainment are not evenly distributed across the country. Of the 218.6…

Although giving back is consistently recognized as a goal of Native (Native Hawaiian, Native American, and Alaska Native) college students, little in the literature describes giving back in detail. To fill this gap, this research examines the essence of giving back as it is experienced by Native college graduates. It explores, through both…

Utah's population will become increasingly diverse in the coming decades. By 2065, the percent of minorities in Utah (age 18-35) will nearly double. There is already a postsecondary education enrollment and completion gap between minority populations and the white population at colleges and universities in the Utah System of Higher Education. If…

The need to increase students interested in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is growing. The current study delivers results of an Upward Bound program focused on advancing students' interest toward STEM fields and careers. Project STEMulate, funded by the National Science Foundation's ITEST program, used…

Culturally responsive education is an asset-based approach to teaching and learning, which incorporates materials that reflect students' cultural communities ("mirrors") and those of different communities ("windows"). These materials support students' engagement, learning and interests in career fields, expose them to different…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how general education teachers of grades K-6 describe their experiences modeling social acceptance of students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms. The overarching research question was as follows: How do general education teachers of grades K-6 describe their experiences…

In this study, I emphasize the need to magnify the voices of English language learners through authentic language and literacy learning using a multifaceted culturally relevant and responsive teaching and learning framework with strong social justice underpinnings. Specifically, through the lens of the sociocultural theory to better recognize,…

The intent of this paper was to outline a field endeavor that encourages increased insight into important geographic themes pertaining to the Big Island of Hawai'i. Student participants in this field course come away with an enhanced comprehension and appreciation of the benefits associated with learning to incorporate geographical perspectives as…

Racial equity is a high priority in Oregon, which along with many other states has enacted reforms in the past decade to improve racial equity in school discipline practices. One common approach has been to focus on reducing the use of exclusionary discipline, which removes students from classroom instruction. In 2015 the Oregon legislature…

Teacher identity has emerged as a topic amongst contemporary researchers to inform, impact, and reform professional practice in light of the unique challenges presented within education in the United States. A homogeneous teaching population, which remains overwhelmingly White and middle class, must address a demographic and cultural divide…

The contemporary education system in the United States is inadequate in the provision of services to assure that all students exit high school with the knowledge and skills necessary to enter postsecondary education or the workforce. This is particularly true for indigenous youth (Tanabe & Mobley, 2011). According to scholars, dual enrollment…

Each article in this journal describes not only a unique journey, it also describes an effort to build a homeland of some form or another. The authors refer to these journeys as the "loved experiences" of indigenous peoples. The idea then, that research is a lived experience that reflects the macrocosms and microcosms of indigenous well…

Among 110 Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, teacher autonomy support in 9th grade significantly predicted intrinsic motivation for math in 9th grade as well as math course-taking over the next 2 years, both of which in turn significantly predicted math achievement by 11th grade. In a second model, teacher autonomy support was positively…

The paper examines the transformative potential unveiled by the integration of indigenous epistemology into an experimental learning community program in Hawai'i. Through contextual analysis of the author's direct participation in classroom interactions, cultural and service learning activities, the final project, and the culminating event, the…