Using qualitative methods with an action research design, the author investigates uses of visual journaling as a media production opportunity in an undergraduate media literacy class. Through visual journaling as an arts-based inquiry process, students engaged in production, creating and sharing graphical representations of their emerging media…

The following study examined the effect of mindful practices on college student attitudes and learning comprehension using two sections of an introductory biology course taught by the same instructor. One section used lecture complemented with active learning formats while the other section additionally included mindful practices. Comparisons were…

This dissertation is motivated by a need in the higher education learning sciences field to understand the cultural, social, and emotional processes of student learning and development in advancing equity for students from first-generation, low-income, and marginalized backgrounds. To address this need, I develop and examine a sociocultural…

In western societies, the persona of the artist has largely been associated with prevailing myths of the creative individual including the artist as genius and outsider. In my inquiry I endeavored to understand what it means to be an artist from the perspective of budding "creatives." In this study I explored the process of becoming an…

Curricular counter-narratives can affirm the experiences of marginalized youth, but, given their complexity and unfamiliarity, they can also generate discord between community members. This case study analyzes documents, observations, and interviews to explore ways an Indigenous counter-narrative can create space for multicultural education within…

International field experiences in Kenya and Nepal supplied data for two collaborative ethnographic research projects that analyze, using the concept of contextually appropriate practice (CAP), how minority-world early childhood preservice teachers define "quality" practices. The term "minority-world" is used for educators who…

The problems of shifting from norm-referenced assessment to criterion-referenced assessment have been identified by several scholars in recent years. These important critiques touch on a number of areas, but neglect a key question about how assessors learn to accomplish what Shay calls a "socially situated interpretive act". Research…

Background: Incorporating assessment as a regular practice can enhance teaching and learning in primary physical education. However, there is little evidence to suggest primary teachers use assessment strategies regularly in their physical education classes. Purpose: To explore the impact of incorporating assessment into primary teachers' physical…

There has been a noticeable change of curricula in specialized and technical courses offered in Japanese schools and universities. One of these is the integration of English for general and specific purposes in the dental curriculum. Although a number of studies have assessed the former, very few have assessed English for specific purposes…

Four broad objectives are outlined which would ensure inclusivity and adequate support for emergent bilinguals in mainstream classes. Ideally, children should feel that their first language makes a contribution to the classroom, they should have frequent opportunities to interact with the teacher, and equally important, with their peers, and they…