Ph.D. - Educational Psychology

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10125/2045

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 114

A case study of the multiple worlds of upward bound high school students following a natural disaster in Hawaiʻi
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2025) Wilkinson, Jana; Yamauchi, Lois; Educational Psychology
In 2023, a small town in the State of Hawaiʻi was devastated by a natural disaster. This qualitative case study focused on students who experienced that disaster and were in the Upward Bound high school program, which serves low-income and first-generation college students. Following the natural disaster, the students faced many adversities, including mental health, displacement, and disruption of everyday life and school. Applying the Bridging Multiple Worlds Theory, this research focused on what helped and hindered students after the natural disaster to stay in high school, maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher, and continue their education post-high school. Participants included 10 Upward Bound students. Data sources included focus groups and individual interviews, observations at Upward Bound sessions, and documents. Findings showed that parental encouragement, Upward Bound, and financial assistance notably influenced students' attainment of higher education goals. Results suggested that school relocation following a disaster influenced student engagement, mental health recovery, and academic resilience, especially for Hawaiian Language Immersion Program students who experienced culture-based programming. Faith-based, cultural, and community connections fostered resilience through activities such as reconnecting with nature, prayer, and donation hubs. Students who reported that their multiple worlds aligned demonstrated more perseverance following the natural disaster. Results highlight the need for flexible learning environments and mental health support to assist students who have experienced a natural disaster. Support for disaster-affected students is recommended, including financial assistance, proactive mental health services, culturally responsive programming, and training for trauma-informed practices.
Cumulative advantage in early elementary mathematics: An autoregressive latent trajectory analysis
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2025) Huang, Anita; Im, Seongah; Educational Psychology
Early mathematics proficiency lays the foundation for long-term academic success, as it influences high school achievement and career aspirations, which in turn leads to college enrollment and opens pathways into high-prestige careers. The present study utilized 267,861 i-Ready Diagnostic for Mathematics academic screening assessment records from 36,894 public school students in Hawai’i who enrolled in Grade 1 between the 2016–2017 to 2020–2021 school years. Each cohort was tracked through Grade 3 from 2018–2019 to 2022. Data were collected by the Hawaii State Department of Education as part of the Multi-Tiered systems of Support process. This study aimed to (a) examine mathematics growth trajectories from Grade 1 through Grade 3; (b) identify possible differential patterns across initial mathematics skill level, student demographic subgroups, and cohorts impacted by the COVID-19; and (c) assess how early elementary growth rates relate to third-grade state assessment performance.Growth trajectories were examined using the autoregressive latent trajectory (ALT) model which augments the latent growth curve (LGC) model by explicitly incorporating the influence of prior scores on subsequent mathematics achievement. Although the ALT model is not commonly used in education research, explicitly modeling these autoregressive effects provided a superior fit to the data over traditional LGC model, allowing for more precise identification of development patterns in mathematics proficiency over time. Several findings were notable. First, growth rates varied across the five cohorts, showing both cumulative advantage (high initial starters growing faster) and compensatory (lower starters catching up) patterns. Second, demographic differences in initial achievement and growth rates were observed overall and within initial mathematics tier. Students who were female, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, economically disadvantaged, or who attended a rural school tended to have lower growth rates. Third, average mathematics screening scores were lower in post-COVID assessment periods, and potential measurement error during the fall 2020 assessment period may have contributed to inconsistent growth patterns across cohorts. Fourth, performance on the third-grade state assessment was positively related to initial achievement and growth rates on the mathematics screening assessments. Students who were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, economically disadvantaged, and reading at below grade level at the start of Grade 1 had significantly lower third-grade state assessment scores. These results suggest that standard interventions may not fully address the needs of students and disparities in early mathematics development. More tailored supports may be needed to address differences in starting skill levels and growth rates even within initial mathematics tier. Limitations and future research are also discussed.
STEM internship experiences with a dual-mentorship model at Palau community college: A case study
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2025) Wetzell, Lauren; Ratliffe, Katherine T.; Yamauchi,, Lois A.; Educational Psychology
This study aimed to explore the marine and environmental science internship experiences of five Palauan undergraduate students who had both an academic and a traditional mentor. The perspectives of students and mentors provided insights on how to better support student retention, graduation, and career pursuits in the marine and environmental science disciplines in the Republic of Palau and across the broader Pacific Islands. Intervention programs have been implemented in the United States to address the lack of diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics among historically underrepresented students, but research on the outcomes has typically been limited to Black/African American or Hispanic/Latinx student ethnic-racial groups. Students who identify as Pacific Islanders generally make up less than 1% of these studies, resulting in their voices and values not being heard. This study applied a case study approach to center the voices and values of five interns majoring in marine or environmental sciences from the Palau Community College who participated in a six-week summer internship and those of their academic and traditional mentors. Five themes emerged from this research: generational, cultural disconnect, competing priorities with academia, push and pull factors, multiple identities, and perceptions of the internship experience. The interns’ views and perceptions about being a scientist changed over the six weeks of their research experience. They entered the program focused on gaining career-related experiences and building confidence through learning new scientific skills. Under this lens, they connected their technical competency with being accepted into an advanced science degree program at a university or future science career opportunities. However, they also felt discouraged in their academic pursuits due to familial, community, and financial challenges. The dual-mentorship model proved critical in assisting the interns in grounding their cultural identities and developing their science identities. The model highlighted the importance of creating intentional spaces where Indigenous knowledge can be prioritized.
COURSE FORMAT MATTERS: EFFECTS ON STUDENT RETENTION AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN TWO-YEAR POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2024) Kim , Hyomi; Yamauchi, Lois; Im, Seongah; Educational Psychology
Retention rates are considerably lower for students attending two-year postsecondary institutions when compared to their counterparts at four-year postsecondary institutions. This disparity may stem from the greater number of nontraditional students at two-year postsecondary institutions, who often struggle to balance their studies and non-academic responsibilities. In order to enhance the academic performance and persistence of students at two-year postsecondary institutions, educators have offered course formats that are more flexible than the traditional face-to-face format. This study compared student retention and academic performance across the following three course formats: traditional (16-week faceto-face), online (16-week online), and online compressed (5-week online). This study also investigated if the effects of six student and course characteristics (gender, ethnicity, age, cumulative GPA, enrollment status, and STEM) varied across the different course formats in terms of student retention and academic performance. Multilevel modeling was used to analyze the persistence and academic performance of 22,280 students attending seven community colleges in Hawaiʻi. Results demonstrated that the 5-week online course format yielded higher academic performance than the traditional course format. However, there was no significant difference between the 16-week online and traditional course formats in terms of academic performance. For student retention, the 5-week online course format produced the highest retention rates, followed by the traditional course format with the 16-week online course format producing the lowest retention rates. Overall, the effects of the six characteristics on student outcomes varied across the different course formats. This study concluded that 5-week online courses had the potential to enhance student retention and academic performance at two-year postsecondary institutions. Keywords: student retention, academic performance, online compressed courses, flexibility, multilevel modeling of categorical outcomes, community colleges, nontraditional students
Perspectives of Kanaka Well-Being: The Stories of Native Hawaiian Doctoral Students
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2023) Goto, Kawehionālani; Yamauchi, Lois A.; Educational Psychology
This study examined Kanaka (Native Hawaiian) well-being and focused on two questions: (a) How do Kanaka doctoral students describe their well-being? and (b)What lived experiences contribute to the development of their well-being? Rooted in a multiple case study design, this exploratory qualitative inquiry tells the story of 11 Kanaka doctoral students at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and their genealogy of well-being. Well-being is explored through hula as a research approach. This approach is informed by a combination of Kanaka ʻŌiwi Critical Race Theory with aspects of embodied cognition theories. It also draws upon hula as an art form in the research design. The author’s hula genealogy framed what she heard, smelled, tasted, touched, and felt and informed how she heard, understood, and re-told the stories of the Kānaka who participated. She developed a (k)new understanding of well-being as pono (balance within the mind, body, and spirit) and mālama (care for the relationships with others and ʻāina, as land and ancestor), to make sense of how contemporary Kanaka well-being was rooted in a practice of care. Kanaka doctoral students experienced and embodied imbalance, and through the process, I discovered pono and mālama routines and activities that maintained their well-being practice. While challenging, the COVID-19 pandemic provided the opportunity for these Kānaka to honor and nurture themselves and their needs in ways that may have had other benefits. Results highlight the potential for prejudice to influence self-stigma and negative attitudes about self-care. Results also suggest the privilege of having a relationship with ʻāina, and the need for cultivating a culture of care through healing Hawaiian communities.
The Power of Culturally Empowering Coursework: A Multigroup Path Analysis Examining Multiethnic Filipino Student Success at the University of Hawaii
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2023) Vila, Leighton Kenji; Liu, Min; Ratliffe, Katherine; Educational Psychology
This study utilizes multigroup path analysis to explore the factors that contribute to Filipino student success at the University of Hawaii (UH). Filipinos are the largest non-white and Asian ethnic group in the State of Hawaii, yet Filipinos have been historically underrepresented at UH’s four-year campuses, and overrepresented at the community college campuses. Using UH data, this study analyzes the effect of math, writing, and reading proficiency, culturally empowering curriculum, which is operationally defined as enrollment in Filipino ethnic studies courses or language courses, and demographic covariates on degree attainment and transfer. UH’s current ethnicity reporting policy trumps Filipino multiethnic students into Native Hawaiian, mixed race, and mixed Asian ethnic categories. This study disaggregates multiethnic Filipinos to explore the possibility of group differences across culturally empowering curriculum, math, writing, and reading proficiency, and other covariates. Path analyses reveal that culturally empowering coursework is beneficial for both bachelor and associate degree attainment and transfer to a four-year institution. Community college multigroup path analysis reveals that this effect varies across multiethnic Filipino groups. Results also show that living in a Filipino neighborhood and enrolling in a major with a high concentration of Filipinos is only a significant predictor of degree attainment for Filipino monoethnics, as these covariates have no significant effect on Filipino Hawaiians and multiethnic non-Hawaiian Filipinos. The university multigroup analysis failed to find significant group effects. Implications for multiethnic curriculum and increasing Filipino enrollment at UH are discussed.
Performance on the Boston Naming Test Among College-aged Hawaiʻi and North American Residents: A Multi-method Differential Item Functioning Analysis
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2023) Nip, Kendra; Im, Seongah; Educational Psychology
The Boston Naming Test (BNT) is frequently administered to elicit word-finding or confrontational naming difficulties—which are associated with a wide range of neurological disorders affecting both children and adults alike. Despite the BNT’s documented efficacy in distinguishing between disease-related impairments and typical age-related declines, several test items were identified as displaying differential item functioning (DIF) among Caucasian and African Americans living in the United States. The presence of DIF suggests that examinees of equivalent ability do not have the same probability of correctly answering a test question due to construct-irrelevant factors such as culture or geographic location. The present study adopted a multi-method approach to uncover DIF items between examinees based on geographic or regional experiences. The 60-item BNT was administered to a total of 285 college-aged Hawaiʻi and North American residents. DIF items were identified through observed score analysis utilizing the Mantel-Haenszel test, the Breslow-Day test, and an item parameter (Wald test) and model comparison (likelihood ratio test) approach under logistic regression. In addition, DIF was also identified through latent score analysis using item parameter (IRT Wald test) and model comparison (IRT likelihood ratio test) approaches under an item response theory framework. Results from all methods converged on four BNT items (compass, scroll, tripod, and abacus). Uniform DIF was detected on three items (compass, scroll, and abacus) where Hawaiʻi residents possessed a consistent and significant advantage over North American residents. Nonuniform DIF was detected on the test item, tripod, where North American residents were significantly favored until the advantage switched at higher levels of naming ability. These results suggest that at least four items on the BNT functioned differently between college-aged examinees of equal naming ability but differed in cultural and geographic experiences. Thus, clinicians should be aware that those items should be interpreted with caution. The results also suggest further refinement of the BNT, such as replacing identified DIF items, and utilization of the reported item-level psychometric information to select items for future editions. Specific suggestions for test refinement, implications for researchers and clinicians, limitations of this study, and future directions are further discussed.
A Critical Examination of Family Engagement Curricula in Hawai‘i Elementary Teacher Preparation Programs
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2022) Timmerman, Victoria Christine; Ratliffe, Katherine T.; Educational Psychology
This study explored how family engagement frameworks, strategies, and concepts were taught in teacher preparation programs in three Hawai‘i higher education institutions. Over 50 years’ worth of education research shows that there are multiple benefits for schools, educators, families, and students when families are engaged in their children’s school; however, teachers new to the field consistently report struggling with knowing how to build relationships with families, particularly those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. This concern is particularly relevant in Hawai‘i, which is home to many people, cultures, and languages. Marginalized families across the United States often experience barriers to engaging with their children’s schools related to language, teachers’ perceptions about parents’ capacities to contribute to the school, and lack of opportunities to engage with the school. However, research shows that parents care deeply about their children’s education and that all families have the capacity to support their children’s learning. Although there is a gap in teachers’ knowledge about how to engage families in schools, teacher preparation programs are increasingly providing preservice teachers with opportunities to learn about family engagement. Employing the Dual Capacity-Building Framework, this study utilized interviews (virtual and written) and a document analysis to critically examine how faculty at three Hawai‘i institutions integrated family engagement content into their courses for preservice teachers.
The Development And Validity Evidence Of A Nurse Practitioner Self-efficacy Survey
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2022) Azama, Katie; Harrison, George M.; Educational Psychology
Nurse practitioners (NPs) are advanced practice nurses with graduate-level training who are addressing the provider shortage by increasing access to quality care. Nurses are at increased risk of burnout which can lead them to leave the profession. Self-efficacy is one’s belief in the capability to exercise control over their own functioning and over events that affect their lives. Studies from a variety of disciplines have found that increased levels of self-efficacy are associated with decreased levels of burnout, and increased satisfaction and retention. Self-efficacy is likely an important concept to understand how NPs can be supported. With a deeper knowledge of the role of self-efficacy in NP work, programs can increase their effectiveness in supporting professional success, which in turn can better serve the needs of the profession. To support Hawai`i’s NP workforce, it is essential to care for the caregivers and provide NPs with the appropriate support. The purpose of this study is to develop and provide validity evidence for an NP self-efficacy survey so that programs have a measuring tool to identify self-efficacy levels in NP core competencies in order to recognize areas in need of enhanced curriculum and support for NP students and the NP workforce. I designed this NP Self-efficacy Survey development project using Kane’s interpretive use argument (IUA) framework and produced validity evidence that backs scoring, generalization, extrapolation, and use inferences. The survey content was guided by the Nursing Organization for Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF, 2017) core competencies. I conducted eight cognitive interviews to examine response-process evidence with new graduate NPs (< 2 years of experience) and experienced NPs (> 2 years of experience). A survey development expert also reviewed the survey and provided recommendations. Next, I distributed the survey to NPs and registered nurses (RNs) using non-probability-based sampling methods. There was a total of 230 NP and 127 RN surveys that I used for the analysis. I attempted to conduct a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on a nine-factor model corresponding with the theory but a solution to the model could not be estimated. I then adopted an exploratory perspective and accepted a theoretically plausible alternative to the original scoring structure and developed an eight-factor model, which the CFA model fit, as inferred from the goodness-of-fit indices (CFI = .97, TLI = .96, RMSEA = .05). To further examine model fit, I performed a chi-square difference test comparing the eight-factor model to a one-factor model, which resulted in the eight-factor model holding significantly better fit (chi-square = 267, df = 28, p < .001). Next, I conducted reliability studies to evaluate the revised model’s internal consistency, which resulted in acceptable reliability in seven of the eight scales (α ranged from .67 to .87), with technology and information having lower reliability. Multiple t-tests provided evidence that the instrument can distinguish between NPs and RNs (Hedges’ g ranged from 0.07 to 0.92 across the eight scales), and more- and less-experienced NPs (Hedges’ g ranged from 0.08 to 0.42 across the eight scales), which served as validity evidence for the survey’s extrapolation inference. Using the IUA framework, this survey development study provided provisional validity evidence to support the interpretation and use of the NP Self-efficacy Survey.
Learning Through Dialogic Teaching and Instructional Conversations in Higher Education: A Multiple Case Study
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2021) Agawa, Grant Satoshi; Yamauchi, Lois A.; Educational Psychology
Educators have applied the Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence (CREDE) standards to classrooms of children and youth for over 30 years. However, few studies have focused on applying the strategies in higher education. Therefore, this multiple-case study investigated one of those standards, Instructional Conversations, with adult students. Instructional Conversations are small group discussions between an instructor and students that promote students’ conceptual understandings. Participants included four higher-education instructors and their students, who were studying for associate, undergraduate, and graduate degrees. Instruction took place one year into COVID-19 pandemic and used online formats. Discourse Analysis revealed how ideas were co-constructed, as well as speech acts by four participant instructors with varying understanding and experience in use of Instructional Conversations. Results indicated that instructors who applied Instructional Conversation used specific speech actions in comparison to other instructors who used alternative methods of class instruction. The two instructors with experience in Instructional Conversation assisted students to clarify their thoughts and reframe thinking. Further, they paraphrased student comments, co-created ideas with learners, and created opportunities for students to share their lived experiences.
An examination of the long-term effects of a teacher professional development in inquiry science
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2021) Philippoff, Joanna; Ratliffe, Katherine T.; Educational Psychology
Although many studies have looked at changes in teacher knowledge, beliefs, and behavior over the course of professional development programs, long-term follow-up remains rare. In this case study of the long-term effects of a high-quality year-long professional development in inquiry science, we administered the same instruments to the same teachers (N = 23) before and after the professional development and 2.5 years after the professional development ended. We also interviewed the teachers about factors that enhanced or impeded PD implementation. The teachers demonstrated pre- to post-professional development gains on instruments examining inquiry-based teaching knowledge, content knowledge (marine science), and self-efficacy. Although declines were expected due to the lack of follow-up, results varied over instruments. The teachers’ scores dropped significantly on all of the measures that showed a pre- to post-professional development gain, but remained significantly above pre-professional development baseline levels at the long-term follow-up time point. On the pedagogical content knowledge instrument the teachers’ scores grew significantly from the post-professional development to the follow-up time point. Interviews revealed a sustained highly positive response to the professional development with self-reported gains in confidence, inquiry and content knowledge, and modest to substantial changes in teaching practice attributed to the intervention. While explicit use of professional development pedagogy and activities declined over time, aspects of the pedagogical approaches became embedded in teachers’ practices. This case study emphasized the need for long-term support of teachers to sustain change over time and has implications for interpreting the outcomes of professional development.
A Psychometric Investigation Of The Conceptual Structure Of The Revised National Survey Of Student Engagement (NSSE 2.0)
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2021) Miranda, Jessica L. W.; Im, Seongah; Educational Psychology
Student engagement plays an important role in student learning and success in elementary through postsecondary education. There has been growing interest in student engagement and its influence on student persistence, retention, and overall success in education over the past several decades. The importance of engagement has led researchers and university administrators to seek out measures of engagement that will provide information for improving undergraduate student success and that provide a means of assessing educational quality. The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) was developed in the hopes of providing valid and reliable information about institutional quality and student engagement, and is administered to hundreds of thousands of freshmen and seniors each year at over 500 institutions. In 2013, the NSSE underwent a major revision; however, the psychometric properties of the revised instrument (i.e., NSSE 2.0) have not been thoroughly investigated and validated for the instrument’s intended uses and score interpretations. This study addressed the dearth of research investigating the psychometric properties and validity evidence of the revised NSSE 2.0, including the validity of the proposed conceptual structure for measuring student engagement. The findings of the current study partially support that the NSSE 2.0 has adequate psychometric quality to make confident decisions utilizing the NSSE engagement indicator scores at the institution level. The Academic Challenge and Learning with Peers themes were deemed adequate psychometrically for their intended use; however, the findings for the Experiences with Faculty theme were inconclusive and the Campus Environment theme was lacking in psychometric quality. At the item level, the majority of the engagement indicator items appeared to be working well based on item parameter estimates and information functions, though there was local dependency among items of the engagement indicators. Both the CFA and IRT results indicated that there was a multidimensional or higher order nature to the NSSE engagement indicators. However, due to mixed results across engagement indicators and themes and issues with goodness of fit of numerous models, the NSSE’s suggested model structure of the construct of student engagement with ten engagement indicators organized into four themes was not fully confirmed.
Understanding the Dynamics of a Professional Development School Bounded by a School Complex in Hawaiʻi
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2020) Schlaack, Nicole; Ratliffe, Katherine T.; Educational Psychology
Professional Development Schools promote connections between schools and teacher education programs. These partnerships are thought to benefit teacher candidates, teachers, and teacher educators through promoting positive and collaborative relationships and bridging the efforts of schools and universities. In the school year 2016-2017, seven public schools and a university teacher education institute started the first complex-wide Professional Development School in Hawaiʻi. I explored the development of this partnership though interviews with three groups of stakeholders, observations of meetings and events, and analysis of program documents such as meeting minutes. I used the theoretical framework of Cultural-Historical-Activity-Theory and activity systems analysis to investigate these data and identify expectations, challenges, and successes of the complex-wide Professional Development School. This qualitative single-case study examined how participants interpreted and made meaning of their experiences in this partnership among the teacher education programs and the schools. Findings illuminated necessary procedures as well as supporting organizational structures in the development of the partnership such as building a professional community, creating a learning culture, and forming collaborative leadership structures. This research adds to the literature addressing school improvement and student learning in Hawaiʻi.
The Effects Of Sociocultural And Educational Supports On Resilience And Learning Outcomes Among Vietnamese Undergraduate Students
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2020) Vu, Uyen Thi Minh; Ratliffe, Katherine T.; Educational Psychology
Although college-aged students are not commonly known as an at-risk population, their mental health has been a growing concern on campus. Dealing with daily pressures might either be damaging or enhancing students’ coping skills. Research on resilience has shown that in the midst of many risk factors, there are students who employ their coping mechanisms to be resilient and achieve academic successes. These students may experience the same level of stress and challenges as others but have protective mechanisms in place to help them thrive. In Vietnam, the connection between resilience and learning outcomes can come from cultural teachings and family values, as well as from the society’s high regard for education. Building on this belief, this study examined the linkage between students’ resilience, which was reflected in the ability to handle stress, and their learning outcomes in today’s Vietnamese context. The study identified key contributing factors to resilience and learning outcomes to reveal students’ coping processes in the face of difficult life events. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) bioecological theory, taking the cultural perspectives of resilience from Masten (2001) and Ungar (2011), and viewing university experiences in the light of student engagement rooted in Pace’s (1980), Astin’s (1984) and Tinto’s (1975) studies, this sequential explanatory mixed method study utilized three survey instruments and an in-depth interview questionnaire to investigate the effects of sociocultural and educational supports on students’ stress-coping abilities and GPA. Quantitative data analysis was conducted using a structural equation modeling approach, and individual interviews were examined using thematic analysis. The use of mixed methods design enabled prioritizing one research method over the other, which in this study was the quantitative phase, while gaining perspectives from both approaches. Results showed that Vietnamese students’ stress-coping abilities had a negative relationship with their GPA, as measured by the CD-RISC-10, and personal social competency was the key contributing factor to their GPA and resilience. Peer, family, and cultural supports, which were often expected to enhance students’ resilience and learning outcomes, were not significant supports of GPA and stress-coping ability. Qualitative interviews further explored the construct of social competency through students’ descriptions of their connections with peers, faculty, and informants outside the school context, and demonstrated students’ processes of overcoming adversities. The study contributes to the body of knowledge on resilience and learning outcomes among Vietnamese university students through findings about the importance of social competency and three validated research instruments. The inclusion of a more expanded student population in future research may help to further understand these results.
Role of a Professional Learning Community in the Reconstruction of Teachers’ Identities as they Transition to Pre-K in Public Elementary Schools
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2020) Soga, Caroline Li; Yamauchi, Lois A.; Educational Psychology
The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the role a professional learning community plays in the reconstruction of teachers’ professional identities as they begin teaching in a pre-K classroom setting. Sociocultural theories of identity were utilized to understand the internal personal processes that teachers experienced while teaching in a new context and participating in a professional learning community. This was a case study of the Executive Office of Early Learning’s 2018-19 professional learning community, focused on 12 teachers and their experiences as they transitioned to teaching pre-K. The research questions were: (a) What are the experiences of teachers as they transition to teaching pre-K? and (b) In what ways and to what extent does participating in a professional learning community contribute to teacher identity reconstruction during this transition? The data suggested three themes that have implications for professional learning communities as a support system for teachers as they transition to public pre-K. First, immersing teachers and principals in early childhood education content and providing them with knowledge of developmentally appropriate practices during the professional learning community, enabled teachers to feel supported to implement these practices in their own classrooms. Second, the intentional focus on the importance of relationship building during the professional learning community was pivotal to the teachers’ identity reconstruction process. Finally, participating in a professional learning community during the transition year to a pre-K classroom, empowered the teachers to view themselves as pre-K teachers. As a result of this research, it is clear that teacher professional development in general and professional learning communities in particular, need to focus deliberately on identity development if change in practice is the desired outcome.
The Influence Of Philosophy For Children On Japanese Secondary School Students’ Socioemotional Learning
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2019) Kitami, Yoko; Yamauchi, Lois A.; Educational Psychology
This study focused on the influence of philosophy for children (p4c) on the socioemotional learning of Japanese middle school students. p4c is a student-centered learning approach that helps learners explore inquiry and encourage them to think and reason with peers and a teacher in a classroom setting. Previous research indicated that Japanese children rarely interacted with people other than their parents on a daily basis, and only within small cliques. As a result, they may be losing the ability to develop and maintain relationships. Most English-language literature on p4c has focused almost exclusively on western educational systems. This study provides a literature review of Japanese-language research on this topic and examines the socioemotional needs of middle school students in a Japanese context. The in-depth case study investigated the influence of p4c on a middle school class of 35 Japanese 13- and 14-year-old students. Multiple forms of data were analyzed, including video recordings of p4c sessions, a survey, interviews with the teacher, a focus group interview with students, and student self-reflections. The findings indicated that p4c afforded opportunities for students to improve their social emotional skills, such as self-awareness, awareness of others, development of relationships and responsible decision-making. Students learned that they could cooperate with others, even if they had different ideas. Hearing others’ perspectives influenced the quality of students’ relationships, which may have promoted friendships. p4c may promote the socioemotional learning that is needed in Japanese society.
Being More Okinawan in Hawaiʻi: Okinawan Identity Development Among Okinawan University and College Students Through Activities, Learning, Interactions, and Experiences in Hawaiʻi
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2019) Taira, Kazufumi; Yamauchi, Lois A.; Educational Psychology
Ryukyu was a former state in East Asia. The Ryukyuan royal government located on Okinawa Island ruled islands in the southwestern area of Japan. However, Japan annexed Ryukyu and established Okinawa Prefecture in 1879. In this position of Okinawa as part of Japan, residents in contemporary Okinawa have complex identities as Okinawan and Japanese. The purpose of this study was to investigate a process of Okinawan identity development among Okinawan university and college students in Hawaiʻi. I employed a grounded theory approach for my research inquiry. Nineteen Okinawan university and college students were interviewed about their self-descriptions, spaces where their Okinawan consciousness was provoked, and influences of activities and learning regarding Okinawa and Hawaiʻi on their Okinawan identity. The results showed the core category of “being more Okinawan in Hawaiʻi” subsumed all the other concepts regarding self-identification, consciousness, and identity as Okinawan, and the foundational and developmental phases, such as self-identification as Okinawan in Hawaiʻi, Okinawan identity consciousness and identity salience, and a strengthened sense of Okinawan identity. The interrelations of the constructed concepts and phases deleniated the process of Okinawan idetitity development among Okinawan universtiy and college students in Hawaiʻi. The results also revealed that the history, society, and culture of Okinawans in Hawaiʻi, as well as those of Hawaiians, were important aspects of Okinawan self-identification, consciousness, and identity development. Thus, some of the constructed concepts were integrated into the contexts of Okinawans in Hawaiʻi, as well as the historical, social, cultural, and political contexts in Hawai‘i, in order to make sociocultural influences explicit.
Investigation of Breath Counting, Abdominal Breathing and Physiological Responses in Relation to Cognitive Load with University Students
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2019) Brumback, Hubert K.; Iding, Marie K.; Educational Psychology
Computers and mobile electronic devices in college and university learning environments present opportunity and risk. Paradoxically, such devices can add unprecedented value to the learning process while simultaneously presenting the risk of causing or exacerbating stress. College and university student populations have historically displayed high stress levels. Given this confluence of technology and stress with college and university students, understanding and mitigating stress related to computer and mobile device use is a worthwhile endeavor. Breathing activities are potential means of mitigating stress, including stress related to activities performed on computers and electronic devices. Some breathing activities have long histories of being used for self-regulation, and such activities might be useful to college students for stress management. The author used a within-subject, repeated measures, quasi-experimental interrupted time-series design to investigate this topic. Ninety-six students from a state university completed an activity sequence comprised of periods of quiet sitting, computer-mediated Stroop color-word activities and breathing activities. The author randomly assigned participants to three groups: (a) breath counting, (b) abdominal breathing and (c) combined: both breath counting and abdominal breathing. Participants also completed surveys designed to gather information regarding their impressions of the breathing activities, the perceived subjective norms related to the importance of breathing activities to their peers, family and culture, as well as their stage of change for stress management, breath attention and abdominal breathing. Evidence from this study suggests all three breathing activities are equally effective in enabling students to manage stress caused by a computer-mediated task. This study builds upon a previously published work in progress (Brumback, 2017) and pilot study (Brumback, 2018).
A Pedagogical Approach To Improving Students’ Use Of Metacognitive Strategies
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2019) Vallin, Lisa M.; Harrison, George M.; Educational Psychology
ABSTRACT In higher education, there has been a push to strengthen students’ critical thinking skills. Metacognition is a central component of critical thinking and research has indicated that students who use metacognitive strategies tend to become better critical thinkers and academically successful students. Though the merits of metacognition are known, relatively less research has been conducted on the effectiveness of pedagogical practices intended to improve students’ metacognitive skills and abilities. The overarching agenda guiding this study is to contribute to research that improves students’ critical thinking; the specific focus is on the effectiveness of metacognitive pedagogy on students’ self-reported use of metacognitive strategies. In a quasi-experimental two-group research design, 392 undergraduate students received metacognitive pedagogy and worked with metacognitive strategies while completing a 16-week undergraduate course in sexuality studies. Students in Group A received metacognitive pedagogy and learning for a total of ten weeks, whereas students in Group B received metacognitive pedagogy and learning for a total of five weeks. Throughout both semesters, data about students’ self-reported use of metacognitive strategies were collected using the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI; Schraw & Dennison, 1994) on four occasions, two before and two after the pedagogy was introduced. To examine the effects of metacognitive pedagogy on students’ self-reported use of metacognitive strategies, I analyzed changes in students’ regulation and knowledge scores from the MAI using latent growth curve modeling. The results revealed a statistically significant change in students’ metacognitive strategies pertaining to regulation of cognition, whereas with knowledge of cognition, the pattern of change did not support the hypothesized growth. In addition, the amount of exposure to metacognitive pedagogy did not have an effect on students’ use of metacognitive strategies. The findings suggest that metacognitive pedagogy can have a positive effect on students’ regulation of cognition but little if any effect on students’ knowledge of cognition. Furthermore, more exposure does not appear to result in higher gains, though the study was constrained within a single semester and unable to measure durability or delayed changes in either regulation or cognition.
Examining Factors That Contribute To College Readiness And Success In American Samoa Using Multilevel Logistic Modeling
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2018-12) Scanlan, Spencer Paula Fusitoutai; Im, Seongah; Educational Psychology
This study examined the extent to which student- and teacher-level characteristics in high school and college are associated empirically with high school students’ college readiness and success in American Samoa. More specifically, multilevel ordinal logistic regressions were employed to understand the extent to which these characteristics predict five distinct outcomes of college readiness and success. These outcome measures include grades in high school Algebra 2 and English 12 courses, initial English and math course enrollment in college, and earning a degree within three years of initial enrollment (a measure of college success). Results from the analyses revealed that high school grade point average was related with each of the five outcomes examined in this study. Grade 9 cumulative GPA was postively related with both high school Algebra 2 and English 12 course grades. SAT-10 performance was positively related with grades in Algebra 2 and English 12 courses while student absenteeism had a negative effect on each of the grades in Algebra 2 and English 12 courses. The relationship between SAT-10 performance and student absenteeism and grades in Algebra 2 and English 12 courses however, varied by high school cohorts. Additionally, teacher absenteeism was negatively related with students’ grades in Algebra 2 and English 12 courses. High school cumulative GPA, grade 12 SAT-10 Reading score and grade 12 absenteeism were associated with students’ initial enrollment in a college-level English course. In addition to high school cumulative GPA, attempting more rigorous math courses above Algebra 2 had a positive effect on enrolling directly into a college-level math course. The findings of this study offer local leaders in American Samoa empirical evidence to support efforts aimed at improving students’ college readiness and success. More specifically, raising the academic preparation trajectory in high school and using high school data, including high school GPA, course taking, and test performance for placement decisions may help improve students’ transition from high school to college in American Samoa.

Browse

Recent Submissions