Theses and Dissertations - Department of Educational Leadership, Policy & Technology Studies

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Browsing Theses and Dissertations - Department of Educational Leadership, Policy & Technology Studies by Author "Adams, Natalie"

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    Breaking the silence: learning from the experiences of gay and lesbian educators in the predominately heteronormative space of K-12 schools
    (University of Alabama Libraries, 2019) Jinright, Dwight; Adams, Natalie; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
    Gay and lesbian teachers must constantly weigh the consequences regarding the disclosure of their sexuality (i.e. “coming out”) at school with their desire to fully integrate with colleagues and students, while trying to remain regarded as an effective educator that is not a threat to the children they teach. The primary purpose of this study was to describe and increase the understanding of the experiences that gay and lesbian educators have while working in predominantly heteronormative institutions. The study itself was qualitative in nature and relied on a phenomenological method using a series of three semi-structured interviews (Seidman, 2006) to gain knowledge of participants’ life history, their experiences working as gay or lesbian teachers, and the meaning they made of those experiences as they relate to heteronormative social structures that drive views and attitudes toward sexuality in schools. By analyzing participant stories through a lens of queer phenomenology (Ahmed, 2006), I hoped to understand how these teachers were orienting themselves toward the heteronormative spaces in which they worked, and oftentimes in the process, consequently dis-orienting themselves away from the gay or lesbian component of their identities. The three overall themes that emerged were (1) Orienting One’s Way Inside and Outside of the Educational Closet; (2) Re-Orientation - Being the Good (Gay or Lesbian) Teacher; (3) and Teaching While Gay or Lesbian – Fear and (Dis)Orientation. Although numerous similar studies have been performed, many of those studies have been exclusive of more socio-politically conservative areas such as that of the current study.
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    A genealogy of posthumanism and ecopedagogy for planetary wellness
    (University of Alabama Libraries, 2021) Caddell, April; Erevelles, Nirmala; Fishel, Stefanie; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
    This study functions as a genealogy of posthumanism that argues for ecopedagogy as a necessary extension of critical pedagogy in order to adequately and inclusively respond to planetary crises for the sake of planetary wellness. Planetary wellness addresses the issues of the planetary community as a whole and includes issues that impacts the wellness of people, animals, the earth and the environment. As inspired by my time as a youth participant at the Highlander Research and Education Center, the major project of this study is to trace a genealogy of posthumanism in order to examine various intellectual traditions and the contributions they have made to a humanist philosophy of education, while also arguing the need for a posthumanist theory of education. The entry point for this genealogy is the work of Brazilian educator Paulo Freire, examining his humanism and his advancement of critical consciousness. From there, I examine the contributions of Enlightenment’s liberal humanism, materialist understandings of the human experience, feminist subversions of identity, critical animal studies, and disability studies. Lastly, I examine criticisms of critical pedagogy, and argue for ecopedagogy as a posthumanist theory of education for its potential to address planetary crises and ensure planetary wellness, with biophilia as a basis for an ecopedagogy that remains critical in a theory of education that moves beyond the self.
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    The inflexibility of flexible curriculum: a critical discourse analysis of Aceleración del Aprendizaje.
    (University of Alabama Libraries, 2019) De Leon, Vanessa R.; Petrovic, John; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
    The Aceleración del Aprendizaje curriculum was adopted by the Ministry of National Education as part of its educational policy to serve vulnerable populations, which include indigenous and minority groups, people with special needs, children and adolescents at social risk (e.g. working children, children/adolescents out of the educational system), groups affected by violence (children in armed groups, displaced people), and rural populations (MEN, 2005). In this study, I investigate the Aceleración del Aprendizaje curriculum by using critical discourse analysis (CDA). I offer a discussion on how “flexibility” is discursively constructed within the curriculum, what policy rationalities and assumptions underlie the learning materials, and how Aceleración del Aprendizaje’s students and teachers are constructed and situated as subjects with and through the discourse on flexible programs. Major study findings consist of three schemes -script-based curriculum, project-based curriculum, and flexibility- that act as ideological markers in the discourses that inform how flexibility is represented as a feature of Aceleración del Aprendizaje. The scripted curriculum, the project-based curriculum, and the flexibility of this curriculum are oriented towards the goal of ensuring students enrollment. Other significant findings consist of an institutional analysis which explains that this curriculum was not originally developed from a demand of the Colombian constitutional and legal framework. This program became a solution to expand access and promote enrollment derived from international influence. This CDA poses questions regarding how the Aceleración del Aprendizaje curriculum removes barriers to access, and the compatibility of overemphasizing enrollment to ensuring quality education. Finally, I propose recommendations for policy-makers and future research directions.
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    The lens of colorblindness and cultural competency: an examination of how Black female social workers view their clients
    (University of Alabama Libraries, 2019) Thompson, Karen; Adams, Natalie; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
    This qualitative phenomenological study explores how Black female social workers in the American South perceive their clients’ racial identities and how these perceptions affect their professional practice. Using Patricia Hill Collins’s Black Feminist Practice (1990) as the theoretical framework, the study explores how the theories of cultural competence and colorblindness filter through the lenses of Black female social workers in a practical setting. This study can be fundamental for future research that seeks to understand the Black women’s perspectives on cultural competence and colorblindness. In this study, thirteen Black female licensed social workers who work in the American South and have been employed for 2 years or more at a social work agency were interviewed. From this study, it was evident that the interviewee’s had a unique perspective toward the concept of colorblindness. Essentially, all of the participants highlighted that they did employ cultural competency while working with their clients. Generally, the Black social workers in this study felt that colorblindness was not a useful tool for fighting racial discrimination or for dealing with diverse individuals with a variety of needs. The study participants felt that discrimination from clients and other professions was toxic, even when they were only attempting to help. However, all of the interviewees made a commitment to the social work profession, and they have endured the pain of racism and discrimination. Finally, the study recommended and reiterated the significance of cultural competency in dealing with clients. Keywords: colorblindness, cultural competency, racial prejudice, discrimination, oppression, social worker, Black Feminist Thought.