Faculty of Education
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Scholarly output from the Faculty of Education at MSVU.
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- ItemA CLASSROOM OF ONE’S OWN? THE RE-DOMESTICATION OF FEMALE TEACHERS IN THE 21ST CENTURY(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2022) McKinstry, ReneeFeminist philosophy continues to challenge gendered divisions of labour; however, at this particular moment in time, some female teachers appear to be embracing a re-domestication of the professional space. A preoccupation with traditional feminine stereotypes risks creating an exclusionary profession that further perpetuates the dominant culture. I take up a critical feminist approach through the conceptual analysis of autotheory and a fictional case study to explore the historical, philosophical, and sociological influences of this phenomenon. The feminization, professionalization, and intensification of teaching has left some female educators confused about the roles and responsibilities of the ‘good’ and ‘caring’ teacher. The relatively new trend of social media teacher influencers and hyper commercialized, stylized, and feminized classrooms suggests that, when all else fails, ‘good teaching’ can be bought. We might consider this gender performativity and consumer-oriented culture of education as strategies of survival within an intensified system.
- ItemA Currere Journey Towards a Humanizing Curriculum: An Autobiographical Consideration of Culture and Disability(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2024-08) Jones, Leah M.This thesis looks at how curriculum can take a humanizing approach through the lens of my own experiences and secondary literature. I specifically use Currere to journey along cycles of time exploring and discovering meaning relating to pedagogical approaches and curriculum theorizing. I use Currere to tell my story and detail my observations within the sphere of education. Using periods of time: past, present and future, I analyze how educators can approach curriculum with an eye towards humanization. I point to the need to acknowledge and embrace the diversity of students and the value of their experiences while being cautious to avoid negative sanctions and dehumanization through politically charged agendas. I discuss the hidden curriculum and its elements along with the need to incorporate equity, diversity, and inclusion into pedagogical considerations. I use the stages of Currere, namely regressive, progressive, analytic and synthetic to examine the elements of autobiographical curricular theorizing concluding with both pedagogical and personal considerations. The literature review contained herein discusses some of the key themes that arise during the regressive stage, specifically belonging, control, and loss. I discuss how I believe the education system can be incorporative rather than segregating and integrate the needs of diverse students from both a cultural and disability standpoint.
- ItemA Multi-Tiered System of Support for Teacher Professional Development in Social-Emotional Learning in Nova Scotia(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2022) Lewis, SarahThis thesis will propose a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) for sustainable and embedded teacher professional development in social-emotional learning in the province of Nova Scotia. Since teachers in Nova Scotia are now responsible for supporting the well-being of their students after the implementation of the Inclusive Education Policy in Nova Scotia in 2020, there exists a gap in available teacher professional development for social-emotional learning. This thesis will provide an overview of MTSS models, including critical components like being data-driven and using evidence-based practices. After explaining the importance of evidencebased practices, it will provide an overview of the literature on effective professional development and social-emotional learning. The proposed model will consider the resources and structures already in place in Nova Scotia, including the specialization of school psychologists.
- ItemA Pan-Canadian Analysis of Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum Outcomes In Elementary Grades(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2024-09) Hall, JuliaResearch over the past few decades has demonstrated the efficacy of tier 1 Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) programs to improve student outcomes including social skills, mental health, and academic outcomes. However, there has been no analysis or evaluation of the current inclusion of SEL-related outcomes in Canadian public school curricula. While SEL has been shown to be effective when implemented with fidelity, the current inclusion of SEL in Canadian curricula may be too scattered and fragmented to lead to consistent implementation or the positive outcomes associated with SEL reported in literature. The purpose of this study was to identify the SEL-related knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviours currently represented in Canadian elementary curriculum documents. The analysis was descriptive and deductive and provided insights into the current state of SEL inclusion in Canadian elementary curricula. Qualitative thematic coding was implemented to identify the themes currently addressed in curricula. Results indicated that despite significant variation in each province/territory’s approach to curricula, emphasis was placed on teaching students social skills such as prosocial behaviour, conflict resolution, and social cues. All provinces placed the least amount of emphasis on teaching or enforcing attitudes such as optimism, enthusiasm, openness, and gratitude.
- ItemA SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT ANALYSIS OF ANXIETY-RELATED INFORMATION ON PINTEREST(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2022-08) Deveau, StéphanieThe Internet, including social media sites, is increasingly being used as a health resource for various health conditions. One of the social media sites being used as a source of health information is Pinterest, which uses primarily images to disseminate information. Anxiety disorders are the most common category of mental disorders in the general population and are also discussed on Pinterest. The present study examined the type of anxiety-related information on Pinterest, as well as its accuracy. Results of this study demonstrated that a large proportion of anxiety-related pins presented information on interventions for anxiety disorders, with over half of these referencing alternative or complementary treatments. Intervention-related pins were overwhelmingly positive in tone, regardless of whether the intervention cited was evidencebased. It was found that the sources of information for anxiety-related pins were most often blogs as opposed to more trusted sources of information. Infographics were the most used embedded visual communication tool in anxiety-related pins. The findings of the current study as well as implications for consumers and practitioners are discussed.
- ItemAcademic predictors of achievement in children with ADHD and clinical-referred comparisons(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2013-08) Waldon, Jessica; Corkum, PennyWhile previous studies have examined the relationship between the symptoms of ADHD and academic achievement, as well as cognitive ability and academic achievement, fewer studies have simultaneously examined the relative contribution of demographic, cognitive and behavioural factors to academic achievement. The current study examined the predictors of academic achievement in a large, rigorously diagnosed sample of clinical-referred school-age children. Participants in the study included 288 school-age children, between the ages of 6-12 years, referred to a regional ADHD Clinic that operates under a formal partnership between the local health authority and regional school board. The results of the present study indicated that a number of demographic, cognitive and behavioural factors were related to achievement; however, after controlling for known risk factors, the symptoms of ADHD did not predict academic performance. Overall, children with a diagnosed learning disability, regardless of comorbidity, were most academically impaired. Findings from the study hold important implications for the practice of school psychology and educational professionals involved in the identification of and intervention with students at risk for, or currently experiencing academic underachievement.
- ItemAccessing Nutritious Food: The Realities of Lone Senior Women in Urban Nova Scotia(2008-03) Green, Rebecca; Williams, PattyThis is the first qualitative study in Canada specifically focused on food insecurity in the senior population. Food insecurity is associated with poverty, increased risk of chronic disease, and poor physical and mental health. With the Canadian population steadily aging, and food security being recognized as one of the social determinants of health, it is imperative decision makers understand how food insecurity affects the growing number of senior citizens so that appropriate programs and policies can be implemented to ensure access to food for this vulnerable population. This thesis had three research objectives, to 1) explore how lower income senior women living alone in urban HRM experience food insecurity and uncover the meanings embedded in their experiences; 2) discover participant- and researcher-identified enablers and barriers to accessing nutritious foods; and, 3) explore how accurately hypothetical household scenarios detailing senior’s public pension incomes and monthly expenses to assess the affordability of a nutritious diet reflects the realities of the participants. To address the above objectives, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and data were managed using NVIVO 7 software. The data were analyzed using a phenomenological approach to arrive at a structural description of the experience of food insecurity and expose the underlying and precipitating factors that account for what is being experienced. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory was used to examine the environment shaping the seniors’ lives at various levels of influence. Eight women meeting study criteria (over 65 years of age, living alone in Halifax Regional Municipality and in receipt of the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)) were interviewed to inform the results of this study. These women were recruited using sitebased recruitment methods through community organizations and a governmental housing program. All women rented their dwellings and seven lived in income-geared housing. Four of the women received a personal pension from the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) while two received a survivor’s benefit. Only one woman reported income from a private pension. Seven themes emerged as the women talked about their experiences with accessing food, including: 1) World View, 2) Health and Health Problems, 3) Use of Community Programs, 4) Transportation, 5) Adequacy of Income, 6) Other Food Management Strategies and, 7) Availability of Family & Friends. World view and health appeared to have the most influencial role on their food security status. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory provided a model to examine the enablers and barriers to accessing food in relation to the fiver layers of the environment (micro-, meso-, exo-, macro- and chronosystems) influencing the participants’ individual food-related behaviours. Enablers and barriers were both participant and researcher identified
- ItemAcculturation stressors and facilitators for African international students at a Canadian university: Racialization, Pragmatic competence, and Intercultural Friendships(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2022) Laseinde, Ajoke M.“When it comes to adjusting, I would take the race path, I guess. In Ghana, I was just female but when I came here (to Canada), I slowly realized that I'm not just a woman. I'm a Black woman. There's a difference with how you are related to, so I think that was one of the things that I had to slowly adjust to.” Ruth (from participant data) Above is an excerpt from the participant data to foreground the overarching effect of African International Students’ (henceforth AIS) racialized identities on their acculturation experiences. Learning to adapt to a different culture and develop meaningful relationships is challenging for anyone. More so for AIS in Canada who must navigate a new cultural and academic context characterized by limited research to better understand and improve their acculturation experiences and educational outcomes. It is like being visible yet unheard. By adopting a qualitative method of inquiry with a theoretical framework that includes Africentricity, language socialization, intercultural pragmatics, and critical race theory, this study examined acculturation stressors and facilitators for six AIS at a small urban-based Canadian university. Focus groups and semistructured individual interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis revealed challenges that AIS encountered with accessing pragmatic knowledge relevant to their academic acculturation and their experiences as they developed pragmatic competence. Findings also shed light on factors that facilitate and those that inhibit intercultural friendships between AIS and Canadians. Further, analysis revealed the intersection between AIS’ racialized identities and their acculturation experiences, providing evidence for the complexity of AIS’ acculturation experiences. These findings point to the pivotal role that universities must play in providing relevant instruction and supporting the AIS population.
- ItemAdapting the Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory to Contemporary Learning Theory(2009-04-16T13:24:36Z) de Zoete, J.C.The value of the laboratory to science learning has been under scrutiny. This thesis examines the undergraduate chemistry laboratory and seeks to show how improvements in student outcomes will result from reformulating the laboratory in accordance with contemporary learning theory. First, this thesis examines the traditional undergraduate chemistry laboratory from the perspective of cultural historical activity theory to determine what inconsistencies possibly exist. The thesis then considers factors influencing the structure of the traditional laboratory, the nature of learning assumed by the traditional lab and factors influencing students to show how these form barriers to learning in the laboratory. Third, the thesis explores contemporary theories of learning and how they accommodate individuals and how they promote deeper conceptual understanding. Subsequently, the thesis investigates research into laboratory learning, both laboratory variables and influences on students, to determine their effect on learning. This enables the thesis to reconceptualize the undergraduate chemistry laboratory and analyze whether the incompatibilities of the traditional lab with deep learning are alleviated or resolved.
- ItemAddressing reading comprehension in elementary-school readers: How do decoding and oral language skills predict performance on two measures, and are the same students identified as having a comprehension difficulty?(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2021-09) Campbell, SarahReading Comprehension draws on multiple skills and knowledge but is frequently assessed as if it were a single skill. There are questions about the validity and differences between measures, with few studies addressing these issues directly. In first through third-grade students, pseudoword decoding accounted for similar amounts of variance in two measures of reading comprehension, while oral language skills contributed more to a multiple-choice test than to a cloze test. The prediction by each oral language skill was similar across grades, except for syntactic awareness which predicted more variance in cloze test scores with each increasing grade. Of students identified as below the 16th and 25th percentile by the multiple-choice test, 34.2% and 36.9% were not identified by the cloze test. This highlights inconsistencies between who is identified between these two measures. Based on these results and previous findings, I propose a change in the assessment of reading comprehension.