Equity For Students Research Articles

A snapshot of the chalkboard writing experiences of Bachelor of Education students with visual disabilities in South Africa.

BackgroundSouth African higher education policy frameworks highlight renewed interest in equity, access and participation imperatives for students with disabilities (SWDs). However, students with visual disabilities continue to face barriers in their teaching practice school placements.ObjectivesThis article aims, firstly, to provide early insights into the barriers experienced by students with visual disabilities in their teaching practice school placements in under-resourced schools in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Secondly, it introduces learning communities and a teaching practice pre-placement booklet to enhance equity, access and participation in teaching practice school placements.MethodThis study adopted a qualitative methodology using semi-structured interviews to elicit data from two Bachelor of Education students with visual disabilities, who were part of a teaching practice learning community managed by the Disability Unit at the University. Thematic analysis was used, using Tinto’s Learning Community Model which generated valuable evidence to argue for institutional commitment to achieve equity, access and participation for students with visual disabilities.ResultsThrough engagement with a teaching practice learning community and a teaching practice pre-placement booklet, two students with visual disabilities responded to and managed the chalkboard in ways that promoted teaching and learning in the classroom. These retention support trajectories provide evidence to support enhanced equity, access and participation. Given the stigma associated with disability and the need for equity at policy level, higher education institutions should seriously consider systemic mechanisms for access, participation and success outcomes in the teaching practice school placements of students with visual disabilities.ConclusionBarriers to participation signal the need for accessible teaching and learning strategies for use by students with visual disabilities in their teaching practice school placements. Teaching practice assessors should be alerted to contextual differences in resourced and under-resourced school settings and the diverse ways in which SWDs navigate these differences.

Applied critical race theory: educational leadership actions for student equity

ABSTRACT Critical race theory (CRT) in education has been used to expose and analyze racism in K-12 schooling and higher education. However, the theory has been underutilized as an inventory lens applied to school leadership practice. Our paper takes on this inquiry by highlighting the work done by an administrative leadership team at a majority racially diverse middle school in the Mountain western region of the U.S. Through an examination of the practice of racism as whiteness as property through teacher expectations, classroom instruction and teacher-student and parent interactions and by implementing changes in areas of student discipline, and color-blind teacher perceptions, the leadership team developed racial equity pathways which served as an important implementation of CRT leadership.

Desegregation policy as cultural routine: a critical examination of the Minnesota Desegregation Rule

ABSTRACT Education policies often result in and/or perpetuate inequitable and marginalizing outcomes. To that point, education policy may be viewed as an act of white supremacy. The purpose of this study was to examine the Minnesota Desegregation Rule (MR 3535.0100-0180) as a cultural artifact of race-related policy in US public education. Critical analyses of these types of policies offer a means to understand and document the status and workings of race and racism within a particular socio-political milieu. Three tenets from Critical Race Theory (the permanence of racism, the critique of liberalism, and law as a structural determinant) provided analytic tools to understand how the discourses related to race and racism act as cultural routines. The examination revealed nuances, contradictions, and patterns of power and privilege that serve as masked but powerful cultural signifiers. While legal and policy remedies are positioned as a means to reduce social and structural inequality, the Rule emphasizes bureaucracy and procedure and de-emphasizes student equity and racially equitable practices. Ultimately, the Rule relies on and perpetuates cultural routines that prescribe technical fixes to address deep structural, systemic, social, and institutionalized forms of racism.

Increasing representation and equity in students as partners initiatives

Increasing representation and equity in students as partners initiatives

Achieving Racial Equity From the Bottom-Up? The Student Equity Policy in the California Community Colleges

Can equity policies foster success and close the outcome gaps experienced by racially minoritized students in community colleges? Using a critical policy analysis and equity-mindedness framework, we examine whether and how the design and early implementation of one such policy—the California Community Colleges’ Student Equity Policy—addresses racial equity. Findings show that attention to race and racial equity diminished over time in state policy documents, and varied widely in colleges’ response to the policy, suggesting that its potential to tackle racial inequities is so far unexploited. Implications are discussed and recommendations for policy, practice, and research are proposed.

When Relevance Is No Longer the Question

Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are not monolithic as they differ in size, curriculum specializations, and a host of other characteristics. However, HBCUs share a mission of providing a higher education for Black students within the broader context of a discriminatory social environment. The ability to understand and articulate the fundamental characteristics, which shape Black colleges, can provide more nuanced conversations about these institutions’ contributions toward addressing equity and access for Black students in higher education. Historically, scholars have used social and cultural capital to explain the role HBCUs play in Black students’ academic careers. However, this article uses Community Cultural Wealth to discuss the various forms of capital that HBCUs impart to their students. Specifically, in this article, we argue that using such a lens when discussing HBCUs is important because it provides a more holistic and broader outlook regarding the forms of culture HBCUs provide to their students.

Reflections on Neuroscience in Teacher Education

ABSTRACTThe majority of teacher preparation programs do not address neuroscience in their curricula. This is curious, as learning occurs in the brain in context and teachers fundamentally foster and facilitate learning. On the one hand, merging neuroscience knowledge into teacher training programs is fraught with challenges, such as reconciling how scientific evidence is viewed and used in education, overcoming neuromyths, acknowledging the lack of direct connection between laboratory findings and classroom practices, and coordinating across different levels of analysis in neuroscience and educational practice. On the other hand, there are marked benefits to such a merger, such as deepening pedagogical content knowledge from multiple perspectives; understanding neuroplasticity and its educational implications; recognizing the power of the environment to affect neurobiology, learning, and development; and contributing to engaged, reflective practice and informed inquiry in teaching. Particularly in terms of learning equity for students and the development of a learning education culture in teacher education programs, the benefits of including neuroscience knowledge in teacher training would seem to outweigh the challenges.

Planning as strategy for improving Black and Latinx student equity: Lessons from nine California community colleges

In 2014, California policymakers passed the Student Equity Plans (SEP) policy to address disparities in the community college system. The reform effort formalized a campus-wide planning effort that required institutions to examine their data for disparities, develop goals and strategies to mitigate identified inequities, and use new fiscal resources to realize their plans. In recent years, there has been an increase in the enactment of state-level higher education policies, but few, if any, have focused on the notion of equity or explicitly named racial and ethnic groups as policy beneficiaries. This study examines nine student equity plans in the state’s largest community college district. Drawing upon critical policy analysis, we place a focus on understanding if, and how, the planning process was used to address inequities facing Black and Latinx students. Based on our analysis we found several themes on how plans identified and address barriers facing Black and Latinx students. After examining 178 equity activities, we found only 28 promising activities that explicitly targeted Black and Latinx students with culturally relevant, data-driven, evidence-based strategies. These findings have compelling implications for policymakers seeking to develop reform efforts and institutions using policy to address current and historic inequities faced by Black and Latinx students. The use of planning for improvement is commonplace in educational policy, but we find that more training and capacity-building efforts are necessary to use planning as an opportunity to address racial inequity in community college.

The role of pedagogical tools in active learning: a case for sense-making

BackgroundEvidence from the research literature indicates that both audience response systems (ARS) and guided inquiry worksheets (GIW) can lead to greater student engagement, learning, and equity in the STEM classroom. We compare the use of these two tools in large enrollment STEM courses delivered in different contexts, one in biology and one in engineering. Typically, the research literature contains studies that compare student performance for a group where the given active learning tool is used to a control group where it is not used. While such studies are valuable, they do not necessarily provide thick descriptions that allow instructors to understand how to effectively use the tool in their instructional practice. Investigations on the intended student thinking processes using these tools are largely missing. In the present article, we fill this gap by foregrounding the intended student thinking and sense-making processes of such active learning tools by comparing their enactment in two large-enrollment courses in different contexts.ResultsThe instructors studied utilized each of the active learning tools differently. In the biology course, ARS questions were used mainly to “check in” with students and assess if they were correctly interpreting and understanding worksheet questions. The engineering course presented ARS questions that afforded students the opportunity to apply learned concepts to new scenarios towards improving students’ conceptual understanding. In the biology course, the GIWs were primarily used in stand-alone activities, and most of the information necessary for students to answer the questions was contained within the worksheet in a context that aligned with a disciplinary model. In the engineering course, the instructor intended for students to reference their lecture notes and rely on their conceptual knowledge of fundamental principles from the previous ARS class session in order to successfully answer the GIW questions. However, while their specific implementation structures and practices differed, both instructors used these tools to build towards the same basic disciplinary thinking and sense-making processes of conceptual reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and metacognitive thinking.ConclusionsThis study led to four specific recommendations for post-secondary instructors seeking to integrate active learning tools into STEM courses.

Answering Damarin’s Call: How iOS Apps Approach Diversity, Equity, and Multiculturalism

In 1998, Suzanne Damarin put forward a call for technologists and multicultural educators to work together to create technologies that promote inclusiveness and equity for students. As significant technological advancements have happened along with major changes in educational policy over the past 20 years, this study set out to examine if Damarin’s call has been answered. In this article, the researchers first explain how they systematically identified a group of iOS applications designed for iPads and analyzed them for their design quality and content through a lens of diversity, equity, and multiculturalism. They then share their findings and offer implications before concluding with a response regarding the status of Damarin’s call.

Investigating of perceptions on classroom climate for third and fourth graders

In the research, it is aimed to investigate the classroom environment perceptions of the third and fourth graders in terms of some variables. Accordingly, `What is happening in this class?` scale has been adapted into Turkish and validity and reliability studies have been conducted as well. Then, the scale was administered to 526 students at the third and the fourth grades of primary school in the fall semester of the 2016-2017 academic years. The data was analyzed terms of gender, class level and socio-cultural status of the school. The findings indicate that the students' perceptions of classroom environment in the factors of Student Cohesiveness, Teacher Support, Participation, Investigation, Task Orientation, Cooperation and Equity are Always. Additionally, there is a significant difference between students’ classroom environment perceptions in favour for girls. According to grades, there is a significant difference between students’ classroom environment perceptions in favour of the third grade students. Based on the school socio-cultural status, there is a significant difference between students’ classroom environment perceptions towards very good.

Equity for Students With High-Incidence Disabilities in Statewide Assessments: A Technology-Based Solution

Equity for Students With High-Incidence Disabilities in Statewide Assessments: A Technology-Based Solution

Equity for Students With High-Incidence Disabilities in Statewide Assessments: A Technology-Based Solution

Equity for Students With High-Incidence Disabilities in Statewide Assessments: A Technology-Based Solution

School counseling: Partnering with a school district to provide postsecondary opportunities for first generation, low income, and students of color

AbstractA classroom activity led by district school counselors was conducted in a K‐12 school district to ensure educational equity for students in relation to postsecondary attendance. This took place in a school setting that has a large population of students of color, predominately Latino and African American students, as well as low‐income students. As part of their practicum field experience, university school counseling students were supervised by school counselors at their sites to help provide a readily available and modified curriculum to instruct students about their options related to postsecondary awareness, planning, and attendance, as well as demonstrate career pathways that engender high expectations and college and career readiness. Instruction took place in the classroom as well as in small group settings.

The ESSA in Indian Country: Problematizing Self-Determination Through the Relationships Between Federal, State, and Tribal Governments

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to (a) analyze the potential effects of the new relationship between state and federal governments on tribal sovereignty and self-determination and (b) problematize the devolution of power back to the states as they are entrusted to use the guiding frameworks of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to ensure educational equity for American Indian and Alaska Native students. Research Methods/Approach: The primary data source is the ESSA supplemented by public reports and resolutions, and recent press releases collected online. The ESSA policy was analyzed through a postcolonial interpretive policy analysis framework informed by Tribal Critical Race Theory. Findings: ESSA amendments improve opportunities in several areas, including State Tribal Education Partnerships and Cooperative Agreements, tribal consultation, Impact Aid, Native language immersion, the Bureau of Indian Education, and Alaska Native education, but these are limited by the lack of tribal self-determination as the law is written. States’ interests are prioritized over tribes’ interests, and the federal role has been diminished; therefore, fewer safeguards are in place to protect Indian education programs. Implications for Research and Practice: These amendments provide opportunities to conduct policy implementation studies to determine whether or not states are engaging with tribes to strengthen tribal education programs and study leadership perceptions of tribal autonomy and self-determination.

National Guidelines to Improve Student Outcomes in Online Learning

This paper is taken from a research project report published by the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) in March 2017. For full details see the complete report at: https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/publications/opportunity-online-learning-improving-student- access-participation-success-higher-education/

EDUCATIONAL EQUITY FOR MALAYSIAN URBAN POOR MUSLIM STUDENTS

This study aims at determining the contribution of zakat in improving educational equity of Muslim urban poor students in Malaysia. This research was carried out based on quantitative methodology using a survey questionnaire on a sample of 462 urban poor students. The students were recipients of full assistance from zakat institutions in the cities of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and state of Selangor. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics of Spearman correlations and Kruskal-Wallis H test. Based on analysis, respondents were highly agreed that zakat funds had contributed to the input, process and output of their education. A moderately strong correlation was found between input from zakat and the education output of the poor students (r = 0.598, p < 0.05) similar with the correlation between education process provided by zakat and the education output of the poor students (r = 0.604, p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in education output of the poor students for five categories of family members’ highest level of education [χ2(4, N = 462) = 5.412, p = 0.05]. The study highlighted the contribution of zakat in improving educational equity among Muslim urban poor students. It is also emphasized the role of zakat institutions in assisting the government in implementing education policy and providing better opportunity for education of urban poor students

Decade of Inclusive Education in Ghana: perspectives of educators

Inclusive education systems reflect growing awareness of the imperatives of 21st-century societies to make quality education available to all students. The development of inclusive education in Ghana has been recognized as the process for orchestrating educational quality and equity for students with disabilities. This article contributes to the area of inclusive education from Ghanaian educators on its progress and achievements. The data in this paper emerged from a case study involving educators from two regions in Ghana. Findings show an uncoordinated attempt to pilot inclusive education across the country because of different agencies funding the project. The authors argue that there is the need for a holistic review of the program to ground the policy within the education system of Ghana.

Decade of Inclusive Education in Ghana: perspectives of educators

Inclusive education systems reflect growing awareness of the imperatives of 21st-century societies to make quality education available to all students. The development of inclusive education in Ghana has been recognized as the process for orchestrating educational quality and equity for students with disabilities. This article contributes to the area of inclusive education from Ghanaian educators on its progress and achievements. The data in this paper emerged from a case study involving educators from two regions in Ghana. Findings show an uncoordinated attempt to pilot inclusive education across the country because of different agencies funding the project. The authors argue that there is the need for a holistic review of the program to ground the policy within the education system of Ghana.

Putting thePublicBack in Public Education: Community Advocacy and Education Leadership under the Every Student Succeeds Act

In this article, we argue that ESSA provides a unique policy window for district-level leaders to advance an equity agenda by working closely with local community advocates. Drawing from a larger qualitative, multiple case study on the role of school boards in three U.S. Mountain West school districts, we focus on community advocacy committed to expanding educational equity and opportunity for underserved Black, Latinx, and English learner students Guided by community equity literacy as an organizing framework grounded in the literature on school–community relations, partnerships, and collaboration, we find that community advocates, who in some cases became school board members, identified educational inequities through various forms of knowledge, and then took deliberate actions to dismantle inequities in their respective school districts. We conclude with recommendations for how district-level leaders might leverage community advocacy and education leadership at the local level under ESSA.