Learning About Racial Equity in Teacher Practice: a Mixed-Methods Study of White Teacher Candidate Development

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Learning About Racial Equity in Teacher Practice: a Mixed-Methods Study of White Teacher Candidate Development Title Page Learning about racial equity in teacher practice: A mixed-methods study of white teacher candidate development by Alyssa Parr B.A., Lake Forest College, 2013 M.Ed., University of Virginia, 2014 Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the School of Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Pittsburgh 2020 Committee Page UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF EDUCATION This dissertation was presented by Alyssa Parr It was defended on March 20, 2020 and approved by Dr. Andrei Cimpian, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, New York University Dr. Richard Correnti, Associate Professor, Learning Sciences and Policy, University of Pittsburgh Dr. Brian Galla, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology in Education, University of Pittsburgh Dr. Kari Kokka, Assistant Professor, Department of Instruction and Learning, University of Pittsburgh Dr. Michelle Sobolak, Director of Teacher Education, Department of Instruction and Learning, University of Pittsburgh Dissertation Director: Dr. Tanner LeBaron Wallace, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology in Education, University of Pittsburgh ii Copyright © by Alyssa Parr 2020 iii Abstract Learning about racial equity in teacher practice: A mixed-methods study of white teacher candidate development Alyssa Parr, PhD University of Pittsburgh, 2020 Students experience lifelong benefits from having an effective teacher (Chetty et al., 2014), but white teachers are often unprepared to effectively support the learning of students of Color (Ladson-Billings, 2001; Lowenstein, 2009). This well-documented ineffective support for learning, and subsequent racial inequity in academic outcomes, likely originates from white teachers’ perceptual frameworks (i.e., cognitive processes, beliefs) that engender deficit-oriented teacher practices and undermine students of Color’s learning. Existing theory (e.g., Adams et al., 2008; Matias & Mackey, 2016) suggests these patterns of inequity can be disrupted through transformative activities that challenge teacher candidates to re-construct their perspectives on issues of race. In this study, I explored how teacher candidates learned about racial equity in teacher practice through transformative teacher education activities. Using a mixed-methods multiple case study design, I collected quantitative survey and behavioral assessments as well as qualitative records of meaning-making from a sample of five teacher candidates participating in a teacher certification program. Then, I employed qualitative coding of interview transcripts, quantitative descriptive statistics and visualization techniques, and mixed-methods evaluations of confirming, disconfirming, and complementary evidence to understand teacher candidates’ development in transformative activities. The findings offer a novel perspective on the developmental process that underlies how teacher candidates challenge perceptual frameworks and iv learn about equity in teacher practice during teacher education as well as inform robust targets for future intervention efforts to better prepare white teachers to effectively teach all students. v Table of Contents Preface .......................................................................................................................................... xv 1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1 2.0 Review of Theoretical Frameworks and Key Constructs ................................................... 4 2.1 Integrating the Sociocultural Psychology of Racism and Oppression and Critical Whiteness Studies: An Organizing Framework ................................................................ 6 Summary .............................................................................................................. 9 2.2 Transformative Teacher Education Activities ........................................................... 10 Types of transformative activities.................................................................... 11 2.2.1.1 Field-based immersion activities........................................................ 11 2.2.1.2 Critical reflection activities ................................................................ 12 2.2.1.3 Critical literature and media activities ............................................. 14 Teacher candidate experiences of transformative activities ......................... 15 Summary ............................................................................................................ 19 2.3 Perceptual Frameworks ............................................................................................... 20 Beliefs ................................................................................................................. 21 Cognitive processes ........................................................................................... 23 Summary ............................................................................................................ 24 2.4 Biographical Factors .................................................................................................... 25 Personal characteristics .................................................................................... 25 Social factors ...................................................................................................... 26 Summary ............................................................................................................ 27 vi 2.5 Learning about Racial Equity in Teacher Practice ................................................... 28 Summary ............................................................................................................ 29 3.0 The Current Study ................................................................................................................ 31 4.0 Methods .................................................................................................................................. 33 4.1 Researcher Positionality .............................................................................................. 33 4.2 Sample ........................................................................................................................... 36 4.3 Procedure ...................................................................................................................... 39 4.4 Data Sources .................................................................................................................. 40 Pre-/Post-survey measures ............................................................................... 40 4.4.1.1 Biographical factors ............................................................................ 40 4.4.1.2 Perceptual frameworks....................................................................... 41 4.4.1.3 Learning about racial equity in teacher practice ............................. 43 Weekly diary measures ..................................................................................... 44 Interviews ........................................................................................................... 45 4.5 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................ 46 Phase 1—Survey analysis: Descriptive statistics and data visualization ..... 46 Phase 2—Interview analysis: Data reduction ................................................. 47 Phase 3—Meta-inferences of survey and interview findings: Comprehensive case summaries ........................................................................................................... 49 4.6 Legitimacy: The quality of meta-inferences ............................................................... 50 5.0 Findings .................................................................................................................................. 53 5.1 Unique Transformative Activities: Profiles of Cases ................................................ 54 Pattie ................................................................................................................... 54 vii 5.1.1.1 Respecting religions: Got to have more care as a teacher ............... 55 5.1.1.2 Observing inequalities among peers: Need to create equal experiences for students .................................................................................... 57 5.1.1.3 Pre/post survey: Productive challenges to perceptual frameworks 59 Olivia .................................................................................................................. 60 5.1.2.1 Learning about the real world: Sparking interest and engagement……… ............................................................................................. 60 5.1.2.2 Everyone can learn: Taking responsibility for all students’ learning… ........................................................................................................... 64 5.1.2.3 The BS/MEd Program: Becoming open-minded ............................. 66 5.1.2.4 Pre/post survey: Productive challenges to perceptual frameworks and learning about racial equity in teacher practice ...................................... 67 Jen. ...................................................................................................................... 68 5.1.3.1 Learning from Lisa Delpit: How to make culturally appropriate
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