College of Education
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The collections in this community comprise faculty research works, as well as graduate theses and dissertations..
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Item A CASE STUDY OF PRESERVICE WORLD LANGUAGE TEACHERS’ IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT AND THE ROLE AND IMPACT OF MENTOR TEACHERS(2019) Ditter, Margaret; Peercy, Megan; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This case study examines the identity development of two preservice world language teachers during student teaching, and the role that mentor teachers play in their identity formation. Using situated learning theory and symbolic interactionism as complementary theoretical lenses, this study adds to the limited work on world language teacher identity development and the ways in which mentor teachers impact this development. Data sources include interviews with preservice and mentor teachers, classroom observations, and observations of coaching sessions between preservice world language teachers and their mentors. Findings from this study indicate that the preservice teachers were afforded opportunities to develop and take on a world language teacher perspective during student teaching and their assuming of this perspective supported their negotiation and formation of their identities as teaching professionals. Moreover, consistent with the literature on the identity development of preservice teachers, this study also illustrates that the negotiation of their identity-shaping experiences enabled them to gain confidence and become respected authority figures in the classroom. Lastly, expanding our understanding of previous scholarship on language teacher identity, the current study revealed that mentor teachers provided the preservice teachers with opportunities to form their identities in four key ways: by giving the preservice teachers autonomy, offering them support, transferring authority to them, and sharing ownership of the class. This study builds upon previous findings and provides a unique perspective and contribution to the literature expanding our understanding of mentoring and identity construction directly to the world language field, while identifying the critical impact that mentor teachers have on the identity development of preservice teachers. This study provides implications for preservice world language teacher education and offers guidelines for improving the selection and training of mentor teachers, as well as for enhancing preservice teachers’ professional identity and increasing teacher retention. Teacher educators have the opportunity to support the continued language skill development of preservice teachers and build the confidence they need to be language teachers. Ultimately, this dynamic relationship will encourage preservice teachers to acquire their own unique identity positions in ways that have the potential to improve the state of language teaching.Item Mentor to Muse: The Lived Experiences of African American Female Mentors(2014) Gamble, Wyletta Sheree; Hultgren, Francine H; Curriculum and Instruction; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)In this phenomenological study, I explore the lived experiences of six African American female mentors working with African American female youth. The mentors in this study range in age from twenties through fifties and are employed in various fields including education, healthcare and youth development. Having become mentors through formal and informal avenues, the mentors are referred to as muses because of their desire to build meaningful relationships with their mentees and serve as sources of inspiration who are willing to listen and learn from their mentees. The works of philosophers Martin Heidegger, Hans-Georg Gadamer and Edward Casey are intertwined with the writings of Black feminist scholars such as Patricia Hill Collins and Audre Lorde, while Max van Manen guides the phenomenological process with pedagogical insights and reminders. Through individual conversations with each muse, the power in care and the importance of listening in mentoring relationships is uncovered as essential components. Weaving through the simple, yet profound narrative around sustaining relationships with African American female youth are topics that need continued exploration, particularly in educational settings. Through the muses sharing their own experiences with mentoring, race and working with African American female youth, themes connected to gender, race, struggle and triumph emerge. The significance of place, the complexities of Black femininity, and the benefits of genuine dialogue are all explored in ways that bring new understanding to African American female experiences and how they connect to today's educational climate. This study concludes with phenomenological recommendations for educational stakeholders to pursue partnerships with school, family and community. Including the voices of community pedagogues, such as mentors, and other adults who work with our youth outside of the school setting, can help to strengthen the academic experience for both educators and these students. With a primary focus of educational change centered on the ideas of adults, it is also recommended that educational decisions become more inclusive with the insights of students, parents and community members. Continuing the dialogue with community pedagogues can help uncover more of the missing pedagogical insights beneficial to African American female students and their future achievement and success.Item Novice Middle-School Mathematics Teachers Learning To Promote Student Sense Making Through Productive Discussion(2013) Yanisko, Emily Joy; Campbell, Patricia F; Curriculum and Instruction; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)While mathematics education researchers have long characterized student performance marked by mathematical explanations, arguments, and justifications as evidence of mathematical reasoning and understanding (e.g. Schoenfeld, 1992), current education policy has begun to move in a similar direction, emphasizing sense making and mathematical communication as features of mathematics education (Common Core State Standards Initiative, 2010). However, designing and implementing instruction with these features is challenging (e.g. Lampert, 1990). Furthermore, classroom and instructional norms norms must be carefully developed for this discursive-heavy instruction to be equitable (e.g. Boaler & Staples, 2008). If mathematical discussions are to be a feature of the mathematics classroom, then teachers must learn to learn from their own teaching to enact practices that promote discussion (Hiebert, Morris & Glass, 2003). This study is a qualitative investigation of how three novice middle-school mathematics teachers learned to promote in-class student discussion, with a focus on the features of and strategies for instruction to which they attended, as well as their negotiation of challenges that arose during practice. Supported by a mentor, these teachers participated in a reflective teaching cycle that included a continuing teacher seminar, planning sessions, classroom observations, and reflection sessions over the course of 5 months. Through case studies, these teachers' instructional planning, practice and reflection were analyzed. Each case offers a perspective addressing how a teacher approached promoting student sense making through discussion, the challenges faced, and how those challenges were negotiated. Cross-case analysis yielded five findings. First, the teachers found that building relationships with their students encouraged student participation in discussion. Second, the teachers were able to leverage accountability in the design and implementation of their lessons. Third, school context either supported or impeded the teachers' ability to engage students in discussion. The fourth finding illuminated the ways in which the organizational practice of tracking students impacted teacher perceptions and eventual decision-making. The final finding clarified the effect of mentoring support on teacher efficacy and self-efficacy. These findings have implications for mathematics teacher education, as well as induction mentoring programs.Item Managers, Mentoring, and Moving Up: The Role of Mentoring in Women's Career Advancement in the Chemical Industry(2008-05-13) Paquin, Jill Denise; Fassinger, Ruth E; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The underrepresentation of women in White male-dominated science and technology fields (STEM) has been documented, with special attention on the lack of women's advancement within these fields, including industry (NSF, 2004; Fassinger, 2001; Fassinger, 2002). Mentoring has been shown to be a key variable in the career advancement of both men and women. Lack of mentoring for women also has been demonstrated as a barrier to career advancement (Fassinger & Hensler-McGinnis, 2005). The chemical industry is the largest employer of U.S. scientists and therefore represents an important testing ground for identifying barriers and facilitative factors, such as access to mentoring, that could impact women's career success in this arena (NSB, 2000). Managers represent an untapped mentoring resource for women trained in science and engineering working in industrial chemistry. This study sought to better understand how managers think about mentoring and women's advancement within their field. Specifically, results suggest that managers' experiences with mentoring may have some influence on their perceptions of mentoring more generally, and that their perceptions of gender may be linked to their beliefs about mentoring for women in the workplace.