Congratulations to Jessica Maracallo who on April 18, 2024, clearly and successfully defended her dissertation. The title of Jessica’s dissertation is: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF SECONDARY TEACHERS’ THINKING ABOUT HISPANIC STUDENTS IN THEIR IMPLEMENTATION OF EQUITY-FOCUSED PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES.
The resolution of educational disparities for Hispanic students is a continual endeavor embedded deeply in historical, societal, and educational norms. Without deliberate structural and systematic initiatives, these educational inequities cannot be eliminated. This interpretive qualitative study delved into how New York state suburban, public-school, secondary content-area teachers framed their thinking and pedagogical strategies concerning educational inequity. The focus was on the teachers’ efforts to establish a fair learning environment that ensured equitable educational opportunities for Hispanic students. The study uncovered secondary content-area teachers’ understanding of educational equity in the classroom and explored how they described identifying and addressing inequities for secondary Hispanic students in their schools with at least a 25% Hispanic population. Interviews were conducted with 16 public-school, secondary content-area teachers, and data were analyzed through (a) the cognitive frames of deficit, diversity, and equity and (b) the lens of single- and double-loop learning behaviors. Teachers’ thoughts on equity were framed by questioning their understanding and pedagogical practices. In addition to describing their own classroom practices, the teachers reflected on systematic structures and institutional practices that created and perpetuated inequities for Hispanic students in their schools. Teachers’ perspectives on the challenges of educational inequities influenced how they implemented initiatives to promote equity for students of color in their classes and the overall learning environment.
Dissertation Committee Chair(s):
Dr. Susan V. Iverson
Dissertation Committee Member(s):
Dr. Joanne Marien
Dr. Laura Bigaouette
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