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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Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Decolonizing in Individual Psychotherapy: A Qualitative Exploration
    (2024) Bansal, Priya; Hill, Clara E; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    We interviewed 12 therapists experienced in practicing decolonizing about their understanding of decolonizing and its relevance to therapy, as well as how they implemented this approach with at least one client. Interviews were analyzed using Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) and revealed that colonial paradigms had negative individual, relational, and societal impacts; therapists used a range of interventions aligned with decolonizing, including interventions to help clients gain insight about the systemic context of psychological problems and to facilitate client resistance of colonial ideologies; sociocultural identity interactions between therapist and client considerably shaped the therapy work; therapists encountered conceptual, practical, and systemic barriers to decolonizing practice; and clients experienced improvements across intrapersonal and interpersonal functioning. Implications for practice and research are discussed.
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    DRINKING, TEXTING, AND HOOKING UP: THE FEMALE PERSPECTIVE ON GETTING TOGETHER WITH MEN IN COLLEGE
    (2014) Ross, Katherine; Hoffman, Mary Ann; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    Non-platonic relationships are a significant stressor for women in college, and can lead to a variety of negative outcomes (Lindgren, Parkhill, George and Hendershot, 2008). Flirting is how non-platonic interactions begin, yet it has not been studied in a university setting. In this study, semi-structured interviews with twelve heterosexual female college students gathered information about women's intentions, behaviors, and outcomes in non-platonic heterosexual interactions. Understanding college students' goals and communication strategies in non-platonic interactions may improve educational and intervention strategies (Lindgren, Blayney, Schacht, George & Pantalone, 2009). Researchers analyzed interview data using Consensual Qualitative Research methods, which allow for rigorous exploratory analysis aimed at describing the actual experiences of college student women. Students spoke about their personal experiences as well as to their perceptions of norms on college campuses. The conclusions drawn from the data demonstrate the ways in which the college social environment, indirect interpersonal communication, and a desire for human connection characterize college student women's experiences of non-platonic relationships in college.
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    TEACHERS AND THE IDENTIFICATION PROCESS: MINORITY STUDENTS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION
    (2012) Danner, Carlin Linden; MacDonald, Victoria-Maria; Curriculum and Instruction; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    Racial, ethnic, and gender disproportionality in the field of Special Education is a phenomenon that has challenged our school systems since Brown v. The Board of Education (Blanchett 2006). This study of a Middle School in a Mid-Atlantic state is aimed to view disproportionality through the lens of the identification process (Kid Talk, Student Support Team Meetings, and Initial Individual Education Plan meeting). It is a qualitative study that included observations of initial IEP meetings and interviews with five professionals within the school setting. These interviews included two general educators, two special education teachers, and one administrator. Through a comprehensive data analysis, it was found that for these individuals the introduction of students into the special education depends upon a complex set of factors that include: teacher preparation, the perception of the teacher by their colleagues, and the student's academic/behavioral struggles, amongst others. Some recommendations include further professional development in the identification process and cultural competence.
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    Teachers' Perceptions of the Sources of Collective Efficacy in an Organizational Environment Conducive to Collective Learning
    (2011) Williams, Letitia Marion; Mawhinney, Hanne; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    Collective teacher efficacy has emerged as a significant predictor of student achievement and is theorized to influence teachers' actions in ways that improve student learning. Bandura's theory of efficacy formation posits that efficacy beliefs are formed from the perception and interpretation of four sources of efficacy. This qualitative study explored the organizational antecedents of collective teacher efficacy, specifically, how the organizational context of the school, conceptualized as a professional learning community (PLC) influenced teachers' perceptions and interpretations of the sources of efficacy. Teachers were interviewed and observed interacting with faculty and administrators. The study found that the PLC conditions shared vision, collective learning, and shared and supportive leadership had the most significant impact on teachers' collective efficacy beliefs. In addition, the student demographic, predominantly minority, low-income students, influenced how teachers conceptualized the teaching task and how they assessed the competence of their colleagues. Individual-level attributes such as years of teaching experience also accounted for differences in teachers' perceptions and interpretations of efficacy sources. Finally, the study found support for the importance of the principal's role in the development of teachers' collective efficacy beliefs.
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    A GROUNDED THEORY STUDY OF THE MULTICULTURAL EXPERIENCES OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS
    (2005-08-11) Mewborn, Kenya Noreen; Strein, William; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    The changing population of public schools demands that school psychologists have the ability to work with diverse students, parents, and teachers. The current project used qualitative methods to explore the experiences of school psychologists working in racially/ethnically diverse schools. Interviews with ten school psychologists and surveys from eight staff members who worked with these psychologists were analyzed using grounded theory methodology. A theory was developed that explains how psychologists manage racial/ethnic differences in the diverse school context. Results indicate that psychologists' efforts focused on bridging cultural differences in the communication styles, beliefs, and behaviors of students, parents, and school staff members. The techniques psychologists used to bridge gaps involved reliance on particular characteristics and strategies. Knowledge, self awareness, cultural empathy, and multicultural interest were the key characteristics psychologists relied on when working in multicultural situations. Related to these characteristics were the main strategies of relationship building, information gathering, and information sharing. Variables that impacted how psychologists responded in diverse settings included multicultural training experiences, life experiences, and issues related to the school systems within which the psychologists worked.
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    Students as Historical Detectives: The Effects of an Inquiry Approach on Middle School Students' Understanding of Historical Ideas and Concepts
    (2004-11-23) Stout, Mark Joseph; VanSledright, Bruce; Curriculum and Instruction; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    National tests of student achievement in history have been poor for nearly 100 years, yet instructional practices have remained largely static pedantic, teacher-centered, textbook-driven, and dull. This study investigates the use of a student-centered, inquiry approach in the teaching of traditional history content that moves beyond stereotypical portrayals of history teachers. This approach placed the interpretation of historical content in the hands of students through the analysis of primary source documents, images, maps, and statistical data as an alternative manner of learning history. Working in collaborative teams, students presented their interpretations in a variety of products and then compared their ideas to those of historians. In order to collect close-up data and to assess this type of approach, the researcher became the teacher of an 8th grade United States history class in a diverse middle school, examining this approach from both the perspectives of the students and of the teacher. Primarily qualitative in nature, data sources include a researcher's journal, student classroom discourse and assignments, interviews with students and a privileged observer, pre and post think-aloud-protocol readings of historical text, and a survey of student interests and motivations. These data were analyzed using open coding and an analysis of reading primary source text based on a continuum of reading strategies. Key findings suggest that students struggled initially with a shift in the culture of learning from traditional history classes and with reading sophisticated primary source text. The researcher found that by promoting a sense of confidence in his students and shaping the class into a community of learners, the students were able work collaboratively to develop deep understandings of both historical content and of the practices and tools of historians. They were able to negotiate difficult primary source text when the text was carefully selected for interest and direct connection to the learning objective, were analyzed in small chunks, and, when feasible, were analyzed in concert with visual images. The author also discusses the practical applications of such an approach from a teacher's perspective and implications for other stakeholders.
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    Interagency Collaboration in Early Intervention: Participants' perspectives
    (2004-05-04) Tseng, Shu-hsien; Beckman, Paula; Special Education
    This qualitative study was an exploratory effort to investigate interagency collaboration in early intervention from a developmental view, and it applied Bronfenbrenner's (1995) bioecological paradigm as the underlying conceptual framework. The purpose of this study was to examine factors that facilitated collaboration and factors that interfered with it from the perspectives of agency representatives on a local Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) in a northeastern state. Data collection included interviews with 22 members on the ICC, participant observations of meetings, and document analysis. Data were analyzed by the constant comparison procedure. The factors that emerged in this study are consistent with those identified in the literature. However, because of the differences across early intervention systems, the extent of the impact of factors varied greatly. Also, most influential factors interacted with each other to jointly influence collaboration. Thus understanding and improving collaboration require being aware of the way in which factors interact, observing the scope and duration of their impact, and considering the feasibility of change. Overall, the findings of this study agreed with previous research: (a) training in collaboration is necessary, (b) assessment of needs and influences of factors is needed, (c) the role of the ICC is important, (d) awareness of initiatives of collaboration should be promoted, and (e) ecological contexts influence providers' attitudes toward collaboration and need to be further explored. Other implications of this study included the importance of allocation of funding to work on collaboration, funding and mentorship support for leaders, installation of structural mechanisms for collaboration, education for professionals and parents to work together, communication among evaluation teams, service agencies and the lead agency, and opportunities for first-line workers to establish personal connections.