Placement Courses Research Articles

A Descriptive Summary of Field Placements in Undergraduate Art Therapy Education

To learn about the current practices of undergraduate art therapy field placement courses being offered in the United States, we surveyed 32 undergraduate educators about their program’s courses. The results indicated a range in course structure, yet commonalities in instructional content emerged: (a) development and application of professional skills, (b) fostering student reflection, (c) encouraging student research pertinent to the setting, and (d) facilitating professional and career development. Common challenges in fieldwork included the difficulty with maintaining sites, finding qualified supervisors, and supporting the diverse needs of students. These survey results were consistent with national practices yet can inform future research and guidelines pertaining to undergraduate field placement courses while also highlighting the unique aspects specific to the field of art therapy.

Racialized teacher tracking: the systematic exclusion of black teachers from advanced-level coursework

ABSTRACT This study systematically investigates the relationship between race/ethnicity and assignment patterns to Advanced Placement (AP) courses by exploring notions of racialized teacher tracking. Administrative data are used to examine AP course assignment in Texas high schools between 2012–2019. Findings show consistent disparities in the likelihood of Black teachers being assigned an AP course, even when controlling for teachers’ graduate degrees, certification pathways, and career levels. Alongside interrelated micro and macro-level institutional factors influencing teacher assignment, findings demonstrate that race/ethnicity structures Black teachers’ access to school resources and shapes perceptions of their legitimacy and status.

Backtalk: Teaching historical reasoning helps democracy thrive

Beneath the turmoil over book bans, Advanced Placement courses, and teaching about race and slavery lurks a sobering fact about historical knowledge: History is not only about what happened in the past but also about how we know it. Understanding history means grasping both substance and method. If students are asked simply to memorize information about the past, rather than investigate it, then they have learned no way to distinguish historical claims from myths, legends, and lies. The work of history teachers is to build students’ historical reasoning skills so they can determine what is true.

The Discipline of Handwriting Quality and Essay Scoring

In the United States, many high school students take various Advanced Placement (AP) courses offered by the non-profit organization, Collegeboard. Specifically, AP English Language and AP English and Literature requires students to write three essays on the day of exam. These essays allow students to demonstrate their penmanship and quality of handwriting. However, it is unknown whether the quality of penmanship plays a role in essay scoring. Very few research has been done on this discipline, specifically handwriting and intelligence. To fill this research gap, this paper will explore and attempt to demonstrate an understanding of the potential correlation between the illegible ratio of handwriting to the overall essay rubric score. 68 samples were taken from CollegeBoard and analyzed through a content analysis with a mathematical equation, the ILR equation. The data was further analyzed with a Line of Best Fit, Pearson Correlation Coefficient, and P-value. The results showed that there were no clear significant differences between neat and messy handwriting and how well it scored on the AP exam. However, the overall length of the essay and its word counts had a strong positive correlation with the essay score. Due to various limitations of this research study, further research must be conducted and tailored to this study to find a clearer understanding of this phenomenon. Nevertheless, this research can serve as the basis and foundation for later studies in this field.

The Natural History of Motor, Cognitive Development and Mood in Early Onset Hereditary Spastic Paraplegias (S34.001)

<h3>Objective:</h3> To study the natural history of motor, cognitive development and mood in early onset hereditary spastic paraplegias herein called e-HSP. <h3>Background:</h3> e-HSP is a heterogeneous group of ultra-rare genetic diseases with the uniting clinical feature of lower limb spasticity and weakness presenting in childhood. However, little is known of the early development and psychological manifestations of e-HSP. Here we outline 87 patients with e-HSP and their early childhood development, cognitive function and mood. <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> Retrospective analysis of 87 genetically confirmed e-HSP patients, the majority with SPG4 and SPG3A mutations. Patients were consented and clinical information was collected at each clinic visit including developmental history, school performance and mood. Patients and families were contacted or met with in person to validate missing data points. <h3>Results:</h3> Two thirds of patients with e-HSP were found to have average to high cognitive function and perform well academically. Even 50% of patients who also had a confounding diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental or learning disorder were able to enroll in regular and advanced placement courses in school. 25% of patients had attention deficit disorder. Many of the patients had reported experiencing sadness around their diagnosis and 25% of patients reported being diagnosed with an emotional disorder such as anxiety or depression. Within SPG3A, 8/18 required assistance with long distances including a walker or wheelchair. Within SPG4, patients with de novo mutations showed a severe early developmental disorder. However, no genetic differences could be discerned in patients who had motor progression to walker or wheelchair use. Other mutations of SPG were included in this cohort but limited n-values confounded analysis on specific mutations. <h3>Conclusions:</h3> For the majority of e-HSP patients, motor disorder is the predominant disease feature, but patients should be screened for attention deficit, anxiety, and depression. <b>Disclosure:</b> Dr. Christie has nothing to disclose. Ms. Marvel has nothing to disclose.

Advanced Placement Gatekeeping and Racialized Tracking

Racialized tracking is central to sociological explanations for racially stratified educational outcomes. However, school officials’ decision-making is of debated importance for explaining racialized tracking. We contribute to this literature by examining the effects of schools’ enrollment policies for Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Using a unique combination of school survey data and administrative data from Wisconsin, we examine what happens to racial inequality in AP participation when school officials enforce performance-based selection criteria, which we call “course gatekeeping.” We find that course gatekeeping has racially disproportionate effects. Although racialized differences in prior achievement partially explain the especially large negative effects among students of color, course gatekeeping producesBlack-white and Hispanic-white disparities in participation even among students with similar, relatively low prior achievement. We further find that course gatekeeping has longer-run effects, particularly discouraging Black and Asian or Pacific Islander students from attending highly selective four-year colleges.

Therapy dogs effectively reduce stress in college preparatory students

A vast majority of high school students report feeling stressed, especially in schools with a rigorous curriculum. There are many strategies for reducing students’ stress and improving their mental health. Therapy dogs are particularly promising, as they’ve been shown to lower stress levels during a stressful test even better than a close human friend. The purpose of our study was to expand on these findings by investigating the effectiveness of therapy dogs on reducing stress levels of students who are enrolled in a school with a rigorous curriculum. We hypothesized that the time spent with a therapy dog, either before or after a stressful event, would decrease heart rate and reduce perceived stress levels. We conducted two experiments with a total of 87 high school students enrolled in advanced placement courses. In experiment one, the Sing-a-Song Stress test was followed by a therapy dog or control intervention. We observed no difference in heart rate between the dog therapy and control groups, but there was a trend towards lower State Trait Anxiety Inventory scores in the dog therapy group. In experiment two, ten minutes of dog therapy prior to three stressful Stroop tests more significantly reduced negative feelings in the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule for Children assessment compared to silent rest. These data suggest that therapy dogs could be an effective stress reliever for college preparatory students.

Advanced Placement and Initial College Enrollment: Evidence from an Experiment

Abstract To evaluate how Advanced Placement (AP) courses affect college-going, we randomly assigned the offer of enrollment into an AP science course to over 1,800 students in twenty-three schools that had not previously offered the course. We find no AP course effects on students’ college entrance exam scores (SAT/ACT). As expected, AP course-takers are substantially more likely to take the AP exam than their control group counterparts. At the same time, treatment group students opt out of the exam at very high rates and most do not earn a passing score on the AP exam. Though less precisely estimated, the results also suggest that taking the AP course increases students’ aspirations to attend higher-quality colleges but does not lead to enrollment in such institutions.

Multidisciplinary Climate Change Education: Determining Effectiveness Through Comparative Analysis

Climate Change Education (CCE) is one of the most widely-recognized mitigative solutions to the climate crisis, but research suggests that most global and national CCE policies and curricula are ineffective. A reason for this is that existing CCE curriculum consists of purely science-based pedagogy, despite the fact that multiple studies suggest that a multidisciplinary approach—involving humanities and the arts rather than just science—would be more effective. A case study was conducted at a select California high school, and compared the effectiveness of multidisciplinary CCE to the existing, science-focused CCE, in terms of Climate Literacy (CL) outcomes in students. CL encompasses climate change knowledge, credibility assessment skills, communication skills, and climate-related behavior, four factors that are important determinants when evaluating CCE effectiveness. Using survey research and structured interviews, the CL of students who took 3 or greater Advanced Placement (AP) courses was compared to that of students who took less than 3 such courses. Involvement in Advanced Placement (AP) classes, college-level classes offered to students by the College Board, was used as an indicator of being exposed to multidisciplinary CCE, and was compared to the effects of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) which are currently in use in California. The research found that CL within students was significantly greater in AP students in terms of climate change knowledge, credibility assessment, and communication; but climate-related behavior was low in both groups of students and did not seem to be affected by educational curriculum.

High Expectations, Limited Options: How Gifted Students Living in Poverty Approach the Demands of AP Coursework

The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of advanced students who live in poverty and their choices regarding taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Ten urban high school students were interviewed regarding their decision-making process regarding coursework to investigate supports or barriers that exist. Four themes became apparent: Gifted students take advanced classes for challenge and to decrease boredom; internalized messages about what it means to be smart influenced decisions regarding taking advanced classes; external influences could apply positive or negative pressure that affect the decision to take AP courses; and it is difficult for gifted students to find balance between the stress of the AP workload and time management with working and trying to fit in other interests. The themes reflected the complex interplay of internal and external forces that influence whether or not students take AP courses regardless of high academic ability.

Professional development for teachers of advanced placement courses

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to explore how the Advanced Placement Summer Institute (APSI) supported Advanced Placement (AP) teacher's instructional needs considering the expansion of the AP program in recent decades.Design/methodology/approachA survey including Likert-style and open-ended questions was distributed to participants at one East Coast APSI to gather data, which were analyzed quantitatively. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on the Likert items to identify latent constructs, and two logistic regression (LR) models were run to predict what features of the professional development (PD) improved teacher perception of APSI. Open-ended constructs were analyzed by identifying and describing common themes.FindingsThe findings indicated that APSI improved teachers' perceived content knowledge and pedagogy and improved teachers' perceptions of their ability to better support student achievement, but that more focused professional learning was needed in working with academically diverse student learners in AP courses.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was limited to analysis of perception of teachers who attended one APSI training site, making it difficult to generalize without repeated measures.Originality/valueThis is the only multidisciplinary study connecting literature on effective PD to an analysis of the effectiveness of APSI for AP teachers.

Where Are the African American Males? Enrollment Criteria and the Placement of African American Males in Advanced Placement Courses

This qualitative study was a critical race analysis of Advanced Placement criteria and under-enrollment of African American males in two midwestern urban high schools. Analysis of faculty interviews and documents generated four themes. AP criteria and enrollment were implemented through formal and informal practices, and key roles of individual faculty and collaboration with faculty and families supported AP structures. However, assumptions about African American males, and color and gender-blind dialogue contributed to disproportionate African American male enrollment in AP courses.

Understanding Unfulfilled AP Potential Across the Participation Pipeline by Race and Income

Background/Context Each year, large shares of students who could do well in Advanced Placement courses and exams—known as AP potential students—do not participate, particularly students of color and low-income students. There are a number of prevailing reasons, both structural (schools do not offer the courses, or teachers do not accurately identify students) and as well as student- centered (lack of motivation, conflicts with other activities, or lack of self-efficacy). Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study This study seeks to empirically test these common reasons for foregoing AP participation with the following research questions: How are student and school characteristics related to the probabilities of students attending a high school that offers a corresponding course, enrolling in the course, and taking the exam? To what extent are explanations such as students’ constraints on time, lack of motivation, or lack of self-efficacy related to the probability of AP course- and exam-taking, net of student- and school-level measures? How well do AP potential estimates align with teacher recommendations into advanced coursework? We focused on differences across race and class throughout. Research Design We define AP potential as a 60% percent probability or better of receiving at least a 3 on an AP exam in either math or English. Using a nationally representative sample of sophomores in 2002 whom we identified as having AP potential, we answered the first research question with a sequential logit. We then used postestimation commands in Stata to examine motivation, hours working, hours in extracurricular activities, and measures of English and math self-efficacy to address the second research question. For the third research question, we modeled the probability of student misidentification—or the probability that the teacher of a student with AP potential will not identify them for honors or AP courses—using a logit. Conclusions/Recommendations We found that large shares of students did not fulfill their AP potential, which varied by student background and subject area. We did not find support for many of the student-centered reasons for forgoing AP, such as lack of motivation and constraints on time due to work or extra-curricular activities. We did find, however, that teacher identification and academic self-efficacy mattered to AP course- and exam-taking, especially for marginalized students, suggesting viable policy and practice levers to improve equitable AP participation. We discuss implications for policy, practice, and research.

Interview with Kavita Ezekiel Mendonca

Kavita Ezekiel Mendonca was born in Bombay to Prof. Nissim Ezekiel and Daisy Ezekiel. She was raised in a Bene-Israel Jewish family in Bombay, India.* She attended Queen Mary’s School, St. Xavier’s College, Bombay University and Oxford Brookes University, U.K. She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English, American Literature and Education. Her career spanned over four decades in Indian colleges, American International Schools and Canada, teaching English, French and Spanish. She also held the position of Career Counsellor at the International School in India, where she taught Advanced Placement and other courses in English for sixteen years.She is a published poet. Her first book, Family Sunday and other Poems, was published in 1989, with a second edition in 1990. She has read her poems over All India Radio Bombay, and her poems have also appeared in Poetry India, SETU Magazine, Muse India and Destiny Poets, UK, to name a few. She has her poetry page at https://www.facebook.com/kemendoncapoetry.Kavita also writes short fiction. Her work is strongly influenced by her father’s work. (The late Nissim Ezekiel was an eminent poet, well-known in India and overseas). She lives in Calgary, Canada, with her family.This interview was conducted via emails in the rainy days of June 2020.

The Potential of Telepresence for Increasing Advanced Course Access in High Schools

The adoption of telepresence technology in K–12 schools potentially expands students’ access to course offerings and new ways of learning, but little is known about its implementation and promise for improving student outcomes. We employ a mixed-methods analysis to examine the experiences of students and teachers in telepresence courses in a large, urban school district as well as student learning outcomes and access to advanced placement courses. Findings from fixed effects models indicate improved access to advanced courses and higher ACT scores among students enrolled in telepresence courses. In surveys, students and teachers reported generally favorable perceptions about the enhanced opportunities for advanced course-taking and collaboration across schools afforded by the telepresence technology.

Ethical conflicts in patient relationships: Experiences of ambulance nursing students.

BackgroundWorking as an ambulance nurse involves facing ethically problematic situations with multi-dimensional suffering, requiring the ability to create a trustful relationship. This entails a need to be clinically trained in order to identify ethical conflicts.AimTo describe ethical conflicts in patient relationships as experienced by ambulance nursing students during clinical studies.Research designAn exploratory and interpretative design was used to inductively analyse textual data from examinations in clinical placement courses.ParticipantsThe 69 participants attended a 1-year educational programme for ambulance nurses at a Swedish university.Ethical considerationsThe research was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Participants gave voluntary informed consent for this study.FindingsThe students encountered ethical conflicts in patient relationships when they had inadequate access to the patient’s narrative. Doubts regarding patient autonomy were due to uncertainty regarding the patient’s decision-making ability, which forced students to handle patient autonomy. Conflicting assessments of the patient’s best interest added to the conflicts and also meant a disruption in patient focus. The absence of trustful relationships reinforced the ethical conflicts, together with an inadequacy in meeting different needs, which limited the possibility of providing proper care.DiscussionContextual circumstances add complexity to ethical conflicts regarding patient autonomy, dependency and the patient’s best interest. Students felt they were fluctuating between paternalism and letting the patient choose, and were challenged by considerations regarding the patient’s communication and decision-making ability, the views of third parties, and the need for prioritisation.ConclusionThe essence of the patient relationship is a struggle to preserve autonomy while focusing on the patient’s best interest. Hence, there is a need for education and training that promotes ethical knowledge and ethical reflection focusing on the core nursing and caring values of trust and autonomy, particularly in situations that affect the patient’s decision-making ability.

“See Me, See Us”: Understanding the Intersections and Continued Marginalization of Adolescent Gifted Black Girls in U.S. Classrooms

In current research and theoretical models that address racial inequity or gender disparities in gifted education, there is a missing narrative around high-achieving/gifted Black girls and their experiences, as well as their disproportionate underrepresentation in gifted programming, services, and Advanced Placement (AP) courses. This article highlights literature on adolescent gifted Black girls, in addition to exploring barriers and issues of marginalization that constrain the talent identification and development of this population. The study explores the narratives of gifted Black women and explores their counternarratives using Critical Race Theory and Frasier’s Talent Assessment Profile (F-TAP) framework. The article urges educators to use an intersectional lens to understand and address the needs of adolescent gifted Black girls, and provides practical tools to identify and develop talent.

Examining an Urban District’s College-Going Culture: The Role of Magnet School Designation

Inequitable access to postsecondary education opportunities continues to persist in many highly segregated, under-resourced urban school districts. This study examined the college-going culture of three urban public secondary schools located in one district, with a close examination of the role magnet and nonmagnet school designations had in shaping college-going culture. Guided by the work of Corwin and Tierney (2007), this investigation examined college-going culture, including magnet and nonmagnet disparities, along the following dimensions: (a) academic momentum, (b) understanding of how college plans develop, (c) clear mission statement, and (d) comprehensive college counseling services. This study identified differences in the college-going culture of magnet versus nonmagnet schools—as evidenced by the availability of Advanced Placement courses, the level of expectations established by institutional agents who work in the school, and the presence of wide-ranging college services that are embedded into the fabric of the school. This study links college access disparities to court decisions that may have facilitated social inequalities. Implications for policy, research, and practice in developing stronger college-going cultures in urban school districts are discussed.

School Counselors’ Impact on School-Level Academic Outcomes: Caseload and Use of Time

Using the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, we investigated school counselors’ caseloads, how they spent their time, and the impact of those factors on schools’ academic outcomes. Results showed that approximately 85% of the school counselors had a caseload of 455 or fewer students, with roughly one quarter reporting caseloads equal to or less than 250, and that school counselors spent more of their time on college, scheduling, and personal/social/academic/career development. We also found that how school counselors spent their time was predictive of ninth-grade retention rates, the percentage of students who enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) courses, and the percentage of students who enrolled in 4-year universities. We provide discussion and implications for school counselors.

Програми раннього вступу до університетів та коледжів для обдарованих старшокласників у США

У статті досліджено програми раннього вступу до університетів та коледжів для обдарованих старшокласників у США. Схарактеризовано спеціальні програми для обдаро-ваних старшокласників, які в своєму інтелектуальному, емоційному та особистісному розвитку на декілька років випереджають ровесників. Доведено, що всі програми раннього вступу до університетів у різних штатах базуються на стратегіях прискореного і збагаченого навчання; виокремлено організаційні відмінності такого навчання у різних штатах. Проаналізовано сутність таких програм раннього вступу, як Міжнародний Бакалаврат, академічні олімпіади й конкурси, літні школи, волонтерські програми, тощо. Авторами окреслено шляхи імплементації американського досвіду раннього вступу до закладів вищої освіти в Україні.