American School Research Articles

Mechanisms of Change in School Counseling Intervention Studies: A Content Analysis

The purpose of this content analysis was to examine the use of theory in school-counselor-led interventions. Specifically, we examined intervention characteristics, evaluation design, and use of theory in school-counselor-led intervention studies that were published by the American Counseling Association, the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), and in other school-counseling-related journals from 2003 to 2022. Drawing from 45 published articles, results indicated that few school counseling articles explicitly included ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors (ASCA, 2021) or integrated formal counseling theory to inform student outcomes.

The harsh side of history: a comparative analysis of teaching about national shame in the United States and around the World

ABSTRACT As the debate over Critical Race Theory (CRT) rages on in the U.S., it is important to revist the different ways other controversial topics have been covered both domestically and internationally. In this article, we posit that there are successful and unsuccessful pathways for teaching about issues of national shame such as slavery, colonialism, and other difficult issues. We use comparative analysis to review how other countries have taught students about their own issues (e.g., Holocaust education in Germany, climate change education in Italy) and how the American education system (s) compare. Ultimately, we argue that the most successful and comprehensive way to teach about painful histories is with honesty, transparency, and empathy, with the opposite route (denial, shame, diversion) only deepening the wounds.

Task-based elementary Spanish in rural Indiana: A practice-based collaboration

Spanish is the second most spoken language in the United States and the most taught additional language (L2) in elementary-level schools. However, the amount and type of access differs according to the resources available. Rural settings, which comprise a third of all schools in the US, often have fewer resources and support for the development and maintenance of exposure-track L2 programs, which meet once per week with the goal of, as the name suggests, providing exposure to the L2, rather than a focus on cumulative language development. Given that there are immediate and long-term benefits of even low levels of early bilingualism, ensuring access to quality L2 education is a matter of equity. This paper centers on the first year of a longitudinal collaboration between an exposure-track Spanish language teacher in a rural elementary school, and the research team who created a task-based program tailored for the school following a needs analysis. We analyze the first year of the grant-funded program based on task effectiveness, student enjoyment, and teacher perspectives. We contextualize results within the rural community and offer initial longitudinal data on US exposure-track Spanish. We detail how we adjusted the program for the second year, are freely sharing the materials on the Task Bank (tblt.indiana.edu) and have transferred the program to the teacher’s autonomy. Finally, we highlight that the success of this program was and is due to the collaborative nature of the partnership between the teacher, the researchers, and the administrators.

Social justice content in counseling journals: Comparison of publication rates

AbstractSocial justice is listed as a professional value for the American Counseling Association (ACA) (2014), yet professional publication in this topic may not be commensurate with its importance to the profession. This article presents the results of a qualitative content analysis (QCA, Schreier, 2012) of titles and abstracts of 917 articles in 18 ACA journals and one American School Counselor Association journal to document each journal's publication rate of social justice‐related articles for 2 years: 2018 (2 years before the ACA Anti‐Racism Statement, 2020) and 2022 (2 years after the statement). Results for each journal are presented, and topics of social justice content are listed. Implications are provided for researchers, association leaders, editors, and reviewers.

Design and validation of initial diagnostic tests for preservice teachers as a tool for teacher education effectiveness

ABSTRACT Teacher education quality and effectiveness have been at the centre of policy discussions in the last decades. As part of efforts to improve teacher preparation, law 20.903 requires Chilean universities to design and apply diagnostic tests assessing the construct of their choice to all first-year preservice teachers. Based on these results, universities must design strategies to support their students. However, universities are facing challenges in implementing these tests, primarily due to the complexity, time and cost associated with developing high-quality tests. In collaboration with three universities, we developed three diagnostic tests: Social Thinking Test, Attitudes Towards Diversity Questionnaire, and Mathematics test for Teaching in Primary Education. Unlike many of the tests currently used by universities, these instruments were specifically designed to measure core teaching skills and attitudes defined by the national standards for Chilean teachers. To collect validity and reliability evidence, the tests were piloted with over 850 Chilean preservice teachers. Reliability was analysed using Cronbach’s alpha, with results ranging between 0.67 and 0.92. Validity was examined based on content and internal structure evidence. The analysis of content evidence indicated good coverage of the target domains as defined by the assessment frameworks, and internal structure results point towards the presence of multidimensionality in two of the three tests. This paper discusses the results of these pilot studies and how diagnostic tests that are constructed and analysed from the perspective of the standards (American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association y National Council on Measurement in Education, 2014) can provide valuable information to improve the effectiveness of teaching education.

TEACHING PERFORMANCE OF ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM MOBILE TEACHERS ASSIGNED IN DAVAO CITY COMMUNITY: METHODS AND STRATEGIES IN FOCUS

This study aims to discover the teaching performance of the Alternative Learning System Teachers assigned in Davao City community whose teaching methods and strategies are in focus. This study would somehow trace the significant role of ALS teachers in the institution as they communicate knowledge in a specific subject, help students grow to the fullest, develop a proper attitude, and unfold their personality. This notion of teachers is deemed universal and consistent all over the world. This study may help to develop different pedagogies and relationships between ALS teachers and to enhance teacher’s competence; achieving school goals to teachers performance in selected ALS schools in Davao City. This may also serve as the basis for improvement. Moreover, in the Philippine context, the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers and the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers specifically mandate educators to be equipped with technical and professional competence and possess dignity and reputation with high moral values. In other words, high standards are set for ALS teachers. According to American Educational Research Association (1999) unspoken pressure for them to continually put their best foot forward and maintain a dignified image in society. The criteria for selecting participants were specified and appropriate for this case study. The primary population for this case study originated from the Alternative Learning System teachers. The participants for this study were purposefully selected because, selecting the right participants and building working relationships with them can make or break a qualitative study. KEYWORDS: teaching performance, teachers, methods, strategies, alternative learning

Evangelical Theology, Biblical Archaeology and American Schools of Oriental Research’s continuing relevance

The relationship between theologically-centered biblical studies and archaeology has not always been smooth and American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR) has often been involved in the debates. While methodological solutions have been regularly discussed, the theological impulses that give rise to the specific readings that archaeologists and historians find so very troubling have received little attention. This paper seeks to make a small contribution to that deficit by articulating the twin theological commitments of Authority and Inspiration and how these shape the conversation from the perspectives of Evangelicals and those utilizing Theological Interpretation. Five modest suggestions for archaeologists’ engagement with those theologically committed are offered.

Navigating double marginalization: narratives of Asian (American) educators teaching and building solidarity

ABSTRACT This study examines Asian (American) teachers’ racialized experiences teaching and building solidarity with predominantly Black and Latinx students. Adopting tenets of Asian Critical Theory, the findings reveal participants’ paradoxical experiences of ‘double marginalization’: On one hand, they are broadly excluded from the Black-White racial paradigm and made invisible as racial outsiders and ‘forever foreigners’; on the other hand, they report feeling marginalized within the communities of Color due to the prevailing ‘model minority’ and ‘honorary White’ tropes. In resisting the ‘double marginalization’, participants strategically utilize their Asian (American) identities and experiences to challenge stereotypes about Asian (American) people and foster relationships with students and parents based on their shared struggles against White supremacy. This study has implications to reject Asian (American) invisibility in education research and practice by reclaiming the legacies of cross-racial solidarity-building among communities of Color and supporting the development of collective critical consciousness against racial division.

Benjamin Márquez. The Politics of Patronage: Lawyers, Philanthropy, and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

Benjamin Márquez. <i>The Politics of Patronage: Lawyers, Philanthropy, and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund</i>.

Protect the Children, Body and Soul

This paper critically examines American schooling systems, challenges their subtractive nature, and juxtaposes it with the culturally sustaining potential of education. We problematize the current tools for evaluating trauma and stress in young people of color and emphasize the need for a comprehensive understanding of indigenous medicines as a remedy. Drawing on interdisciplinary theories, we elucidate the pervasive and evolving nature of anti-blackness, reinforcing the sociohistorical structure of inequity within schools. As a response, this study presents a unique wellness survey (comprising two newly validated wellness scales) developed from a previous four-year longitudinal study investigating the relationship between culturally relevant teaching practices and improved health outcomes for children. We found a strong correlation between exposure to our culturally relevant intervention and several health indicators. Particularly, sustained telomere growth (protection of cells) was observed in over 90% of the participants in the intervention group, indicating a potential biological mechanism through which culturally informed interventions might contribute to improved health outcomes. We use these findings to argue that proactive measures centered on cultural and community contexts can serve as crucial protective factors, thereby potentially mitigating negative health outcomes related to racialized stress.

Approaches to developing community: A survey of the perspectives of American female undergraduate prospective band directors

Within the field of American secondary school wind band teaching, women have been historically and persistently underrepresented, making it important to consider ways to (1) expand pre-service teachers’ opportunities to engage with successful female band directors, and (2) to explore undergraduate women’s insights into becoming female band directors themselves. The purpose of this survey-based study was to explore the perceptions of American female-identifying collegiate music education majors ( N = 32) regarding the American school-based wind band teaching profession and their experiences within an intensive, one day, community-building event for female band directors. Results of the survey and subsequent analysis revealed a lack of female band director role models under whom participants had studied, a significant positive correlation between participants’ confidence in their ability to succeed in the role and their level of motivation for doing so, and a moderately positive perception of belief in their ability to balance potential future parenthood with their career. Thematic analysis of written responses revealed participants’ gender-specific concerns about entering the band directing profession and their takeaways from the day-long event. Implications are provided, including suggestions for pre-service teacher education, future research, and the development of other such events aimed at developing community for female-identifying band directors.

A Vision for the Future of Learning

In this article, based on my Presidential Address for the 2022 American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, I offer some thoughts on the education and learning systems we need for the future. Specifically, I take up two core questions: (1) How do we organize education and learning systems for a multicultural democracy? (2) How do we build systems that transcend and transform how we have been doing “education” and that are designed to support rich and engaging learning and critical thinking skills and to fully educate young people in ways that honor their whole humanity, their developmental needs, and their families and communities? As I take up these questions, I draw on multiple pieces of research literature and craft a vision for the future of learning rooted in the hope of what is possible.

“Harriet Tubman is a Superhero”: Conceptualizing Young African American Children's Sociopolitical Awareness as Imaginative Praxis

Imagination is often relegated to the margins of African American children's schooling experiences. Furthermore, the varied role of children in liberation struggles and their centrality in ushering in just futures remain underexplored. This article examines five African American first graders’ sociopolitical knowledge and how they used their imagination to develop counternarratives of refusal and agentic possibilities. I offer imaginative praxis as a conceptual tool to analyze how young African American children name historical and contemporary racialized realities and generate joyful visualizations of actionable resistance. Young children's imaginative praxis challenges the notion that the fight for liberation is void of joy.

The Portrayal of Spring in English and Arabic Poetry: A Comparative Stylistic Study of Selected Poems

This comparative study highlights many romantic affinities in some poems by modern and classic English and Arabic poets. These romantic poets represent spring similarly as a source of pleasure, peace, and comfort. They see spring as their place of sharing compassion, love, and happiness. The study is mainly based on the Parallelism theory of the American School of Comparative Literature which focuses on the parallel themes, linguistic devices, and images of different authors whose social, historical, traditional, and linguistic aspects are different (Bressler, 2011, p. 42). It also adopts the New Criticism’s methodology of analyzing poetic metaphors, symbols, structures, and similes. Their romantic compositions connect spring spiritually, aesthetically, and invisibly with these poets’ souls. They glorify and adopt spring and its influence on them as a symbol of pleasure and comfort.

High Schoolers’ Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a rising technology with endless benefits and applications especially in the field of medicine. Unfortunately, ethical issues such as accountability, privacy, safety, security, and transparency have created a divide between the public and AI. A key population to understand is high school students as they will be affected more and more as AI continues to be developed. This begs the question: What are American high school students’ perceptions of artificial intelligence in medicine? The mixed method approach for this study used a survey aligned with Aggarwal et al. (2021) to gather quantitative results about student opinions on AI. Structure interviews aligned with Amann et al. (2023) were also conducted to find underlying themes between participants’ opinions. There were a total of 153 participants in this study. The students had self-reported low levels of understanding of AI as 44.44% disagreed with the statement that they had knowledge of AI technology in medicine while 30.72% were neutral. Additionally, only 23.53% of students trusted AI which contradicted the fact that students have a great amount of exposure to new technologies. There were significant differences in the levels of knowledge and trust in AI that high school students had in this study. A need for education on AI and its use in medicine as well as other sectors may be beneficial in closing the gap between the public and AI.

Indoor Environmental Quality In Preschool Buildings In an Andean City In Ecuador

ABSTRACT Indoor environmental quality has been associated with the health and wellbeing of building occupants; nevertheless, there is limited evidence in this regard for Latin American schools. This research aimed to characterize indoor environmental quality in public and private preschools in an Andean city in Ecuador. Data collection comprised onsite monitoring for the thermal-humidity microclimate of 90 classrooms in 30 preschools in Cuenca-Ecuador (March-August 2018). Infrared thermography and direct observation were applied to determine dampness. Classrooms seemed to be inadequate thermal-humidity microclimates; only a few maintained a comfortable temperature (6%) and relative humidity (11%) throughout the shift. When comparing public and private schools, in private schools, temperatures below the comfort range (61.3% in private schools vs 31.4% in public schools, p&amp;lt;0.001) and relative humidity measures above the comfort range were more frequent (74.3% in private schools vs. 58.6% in public schools, p&amp;lt;0.001). Hollow blocks were the primary construction material in private and public schools. Sixty-four per cent of private schools operated in adaptive, reused buildings, vs 19% in public schools (p&amp;lt;0.05). Infrared thermography confirmed dampness in 26% (n=23) of the classrooms in the covering structures indoors (15% in public vs 33% in private schools, p&amp;lt;0.05). This research reveals the urgent need to develop specific regulations and control mechanisms for building sustainable and healthy environments for preschools in Ecuador.

Development of a Tool to Measure Student Perceptions of Equity and Inclusion in Medical Schools

Creating an inclusive and equitable learning environment is a national priority. Nevertheless, data reflecting medical students' perception of the climate of equity and inclusion are limited. To develop and validate an instrument to measure students' perceptions of the climate of equity and inclusion in medical school using data collected annually by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The Promoting Diversity, Group Inclusion, and Equity tool was developed in 3 stages. A Delphi panel of 9 members identified survey items from preexisting AAMC data sources. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was performed on student responses to AAMC surveys to construct the tool, which underwent rigorous psychometric validation. Participants were undergraduate medical students at Liaison Committee on Medical Education-accredited medical schools in the US who completed the 2015 to 2019 AAMC Year 2 Questionnaire (Y2Q), the administrations of 2016 to 2020 AAMC Graduation Questionnaire (GQ), or both. Data were analyzed from August 2020 to November 2023. Student race and ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. Development and psychometric validation of the tool, including construct validity, internal consistency, and criterion validity. Delphi panel members identified 146 survey items from the Y2Q and GQ reflecting students' perception of the climate of equity and inclusion, and responses to these survey items were obtained from 54 906 students for the Y2Q cohort (median [IQR] age, 24 [23-26] years; 29 208 [52.75%] were female, 11 389 [20.57%] were Asian, 4089 [7.39%] were multiracial, and 33 373 [60.28%] were White) and 61 998 for the GQ cohort (median [IQR] age, 27 [26-28] years; 30 793 [49.67%] were female, 13 049 [21.05%] were Asian, 4136 [6.67%] were multiracial, and 38 215 [61.64%] were White). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of student responses identified 8 factors for the Y2Q model (faculty role modeling; student empowerment; student fellowship; cultural humility; faculty support for students; fostering a collaborative and safe environment; discrimination: race, ethnicity, and gender; and discrimination: sexual orientation) and 5 factors for the GQ model (faculty role modeling; student empowerment; faculty support for students; discrimination: race, ethnicity, and gender; and discrimination: sexual orientation). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated acceptable model fit (root mean square error of approximation of 0.05 [Y2Q] and 0.06 [GQ] and comparative fit indices of 0.95 [Y2Q] and 0.94 [GQ]). Cronbach α for individual factors demonstrated internal consistency ranging from 0.69 to 0.92 (Y2Q) and 0.76 to 0.95 (GQ). This study found that the new tool is a reliable and psychometrically valid measure of medical students' perceptions of equity and inclusion in the learning environment.

Grading Between the Locales: Socioeconomic Status and Ninth-Grade Course Failures

This study explores the grading disparities among ninth-grade students within the American educational system, emphasizing the comparative analysis between economically disadvantaged students (indicated by Free or Reduced-Price Lunch status) and their more advantaged counterparts across urban, suburban, and rural locales. Drawing on a robust dataset of 65,017 first-time, full-time ninth graders from Arkansas, spanning the academic years 2020-21 to 2021-22, this research employs logistic regression analysis to uncover the nuanced relationships of socioeconomic status and geographical setting on course failure rates. The ninth grade is highlighted as a critical juncture in the U.S. educational trajectory, serving as a foundational year that significantly influences students' future academic and career pathways. My findings reveal that, although rural students initially present with lower failure rates, a detailed logit analysis accounting for individual and district-level characteristics demonstrates that rural ninth graders face the highest risk of course failure, especially among those with Free or Reduced Lunch (FRL) status. These results underscore the pressing need for implementing equitable grading practices and bolstering professional development for educators in rural areas to mitigate these disparities. This study contributes to the broader field of educational equity by highlighting systemic challenges and advocating for targeted interventions to support disadvantaged students, particularly in the pivotal year of ninth grade.

Use of social media by dental students: A comparative study

ObjectivesSocial media (SM) use is key part of modern pedagogical practice. This study designed to compare online activities of undergraduate dental students from two dental schools in Iraq and USA to compensate for the lack of primary literature on SM comportment of students in third-world countries which acts as a barrier to increasing SM awareness within dentistry. MethodsA questionnaire consisting of 18 questions has been made to assess SM usage among students from Mustansiriya University in Iraq (n = 149) and LECOM School in USA (n = 210). Chi-squared test was used to analyze data. Results125 students from Iraq vs 156 from the USA had participated in this study with a response rate of 84%, 74% respectively. The null hypothesis was partially rejected as half the collected answers showed significant differences. The findings reveal that SM platforms popularity has grown throughout today's society as students are increasingly using them for their studies. YouTube and Instagram were well known to majority of participants. American medical schools began to recognize lack of policies on SM use early, but these have since evolved into their own guidelines. Nevertheless, Iraqi health care system is not yet aware of e-professionalism concept both in education and practice. ConclusionSM is part of modern pedagogy; however, students should be aware of information quality that they obtain from it which may not be referenced from credible sources. The null hypothesis was partially rejected as half the answers showed significant differences between Iraqi and American students.

Building knowledge from the epistemology of the South: the importance of training researchers in initial teacher training

This study aims to reflect on the importance of considering epistemologies of the South and research training as benchmarks in the initial teacher of educators in the Latin American context. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the need to diversify and decolonize knowledge production in education, especially in the Global South. The epistemology of the South provides a conceptual framework that challenges traditional Eurocentric perspectives and promotes alternative ways of knowing and understanding education. To achieve the research objective, a literature review was conducted focusing on key concepts such as Southern epistemology, researcher training, and initial teacher education. The review encompassed academic articles, books and relevant theoretical frameworks. Content analysis techniques were employed to critically examine the literature, identifying themes, theoretical perspectives, and implications for research training in Initial Teacher Education (ITE). The findings of this study suggest that the incorporation of the epistemology of the South into researcher training can have a transformative impact on the educational sector. By adopting ways of knowing and understanding, future researchers can develop a more nuanced and contextualized understanding of educational phenomena. This approach promotes critical thinking skills and encourages researchers to question dominant narratives and power structures in education. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of integrating research training into initial teacher education. By fostering the development and consolidation of research skills and a critical mindset in future teachers, it promotes their transformation into change agents within the Latin American educational system in which they operate. From this perspective, research-oriented teacher training programs empower educators to engage in evidence-based practices, contribute to educational research, and advocate for pedagogical approaches that respond to local contexts and social realities in which they act. This study underscores the need to integrate Southern epistemologies and research training within into initial teacher education. By doing so, we can nurture a new generation of educators with critical thinking skills capable of effecting significant societal changes. This research contributes to the ongoing dialogue on the decolonization of education and promotes the development of inclusive and contextually relevant educational practices.