The Intersection Between Social-Emotional Teacher Beliefs And
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1 THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL TEACHER BELIEFS AND CONSTRUCTIVIST PEDAGOGICAL DECISION-MAKING: A CASE STUDY A doctoral thesis presented by Edna Michelle Attias to the College of Professional Studies - Graduate School of Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Education In the field of Education - Curriculum, Teaching, Learning, and Leadership Northeastern University Boston, Massachusetts March 2020 Committee Members: Kristal Moore Clemons, Ph.D Lynda Beltz, Ph.D Scott Tyink, Ph.D 2 Copyright 3 ABSTRACT This exploratory case study investigated the possible intersection between social-emotional learning (SEL) and constructivist pedagogy. The findings here led to the formulation of a new theory: social-emotional constructivism. In an era of multiple educational reforms, shifting needs of generation Z’s students, poor national academic achievements, and a persistent gap between theory and practice, teaching and learning must be reconsidered. The Constructivist Learning Theory (CLT) is a complex, abstract, and demanding theory. Nevertheless, it derives many of the modern educational reforms as its implementation is linked with higher academic achievements. The theoretical frameworks utilized for this study were teachers’ beliefs and decision-making. Specifically, how did teachers’ SEL beliefs affect their pedagogical decision-making? Six urban public school teachers, who were trained by Developmental Designs (DD) for SEL, submitted lesson plans, and were subsequently observed, interviewed, and surveyed. Following data triangulation and analysis findings showed that examining CLT through the lens of the SEL context helped shed light on its practical application. Despite teachers’ lack of training and knowledge of CLT, they displayed constructivist beliefs and practices. The DD program may have acted as a bridge that compensated for the lack of knowledge and transversed the inherent challenges of constructivist implementation. Additionally, students exhibited a multitude of SEL competencies and skills, which may have enabled them to access higher-level cognitive engagement and constructivist pedagogy. A new theory of Social-Emotional Constructivism is, therefore, proposed here. The application of this theory can help increase student achievement, mitigate the challenges of CLT implementation, and bring about practices that are more equitable for all students. Keywords: Constructivism, Social-Emotional Learning, Decision-Making, Teacher Beliefs, SEL and Academic Integration, Pedagogy. 4 Dedication I want to dedicate this dissertation to three important women in my life. The first is my mother, Tamar Leechen Attias, who was the first to suggest the pursuit of a teaching degree as a second career in my life. My mother consistently encouraged me to continue my doctoral path and finish my dissertation. Life happened in the middle of my thesis, and at one point, I did not think that I would be able to gather the momentum to pick up where I left off. If not for my mother, I would not have become an educator and would not have realized my life’s calling. Further, my mother exemplifies what a life-long learner is and that it is never too late. Despite having a successful career as a quality control manager in a microelectronic company, she went back to school. She obtained her GED at the age of 50. She also expanded to learn about numerology, became a Reiki Master, and a painter. Mom, you have been my spiritual guide and soul mate. You have always been the constant and unconditional in a world where it is a rarity. This dissertation is yours as much as it is mine. The second woman to whom this dissertation is also dedicated to is my daughter, Asheley Naya Kimia. The last few years can be described as a journey of growing pains, yet this year you discovered your strength and potential. You had many moments in which you doubted yourself, did not see the relevance of school, and could not even step through the front door of the school. You have come a long way and triumphed over the challenges that were put in your way. You have grown to be determined, goal-oriented, and a hard-worker who now sees the relevance and makes plans to tackle the goals step by step. Sharp minds make strong women, and I am happy 5 that you realize how sharp and capable you are. This dedication is to celebrate your success. Your high school graduation coincided with my doctoral one. Hence, we are graduating in the same year, and we will always have this in common. Lastly, the third important woman in my life is my late aunt, who did not have children of her own but considered me as her daughter, Sete Lusky. This dissertation is dedicated to you as well in recognition of the injustice made to you. You were deprived of education simply because you were a girl. When your family had to make the choice of schooling you or your brother, they chose him simply because he was a male. As a young kid, I remember chasing after you, begging to teach you how to read and write, but you always respectfully declined by saying it was too late. I wish I had known better back then not to give up on you. You represent the many girls and women across the globe who have suffered social injustice. 6 Acknowledgments I would like to thank the village that has been part of my journey and responsible for triggering and nourishing my quest for professional, personal, and spiritual growth. To my father, Baruch Attias, thank you for instilling in me a thirst for knowledge and for paving the road to college. You, unknowingly, commented and narrated many documentaries and movies, which piqued my curiosity in history and in the natural world. From a young age, you instilled in me the value of education. As a first-generation college student, it was instrumental in setting my direction. To my incredibly amazing son, Jordan Cole Kimia, I am grateful and honored to be your mother. Jordan, your curiosity and insatiable quest for a diversity of perspectives and insights are admirable. You model to those around you how you question your assumptions and how thoughtful you are about the support you offer to others. I enjoy our productive conversations, after which I realize how you inspire me to be a better person and how full of love you make my heart feel. To my sister Nathalie and my brother in law Serge Amer, thank you for giving me support in my times of need. From spoiling me with delicious treats to giving me legal advice, you have stepped up and have been there for me when I needed you the most. To my brother, Yehonatan Attias, education threw you a curveball, and it was not your fault. The system failed you on every level, yet I am proud of you for persevering and continuously fighting the fight. You represent so many children in this world who have suffered social injustice and racial discrimination, and you inspire me to fight for them. I am thankful to my many teachers and mentors who unselfishly and enthusiastically shared their expertise and wisdom with me. Dr. Rudulph Moseley, you planted the doctorate 7 seed in my ear and have pushed me to grow and succeed; for this I will always be grateful. Wayne Bowers, David Bourns (yes, the pseudonym “Bourns School” is named after you), Nell Sears, Becky Coustan, Eileen Biancuzzo, Elizabeth Elmasian, Roxanne Hable, Sharon Greaves, Jitendrapal Kundan, Matthew Christen, Vanessa Weiner, Denise Carpenter, Leslie Shapiro, Donna Braun, Kirsten LaCroix, and Michelle Li, I am grateful for you all because you have made me wiser and smarter. To my “Bourns” School family, you are too many to be named, thank you. I have appreciated being your colleague, and I am thankful for sharing your experiences with me. To my closest friends and beloved colleagues, who encouraged me and gave me roots despite not having one place I can call home: Josie Batista, Toby Lebowitz, Michal Navarro Edelman, Galit Raz, Naomi Kroch, Captain Victoria Tolbert, Dr. Shivohn Garcia, Ariana Wohl, Sandy Leclerc, Leslie Brackett, Katie Alvarez, Leslie McCrea, Dinka Morillo, Michelle Bush, Eric Charlesworth, Saundy Patrick, Janelle Clarke-Holley, Ruth Corley, Mark Prince, and Donovan Tinsely, I appreciate you all. Last but not least, I would like to thank the members of my doctoral committee, Dr. Kristal Clemons (chair), Dr. Lynda Beltz (second reader), and Dr. Scott Tyink (third reader) for their valuable feedback and words of encouragement. Each of you is a special gift to humanity, and I am full of gratitude that you were my mentors on this journey. 8 LIST OF TABLES Linked Page # Table 1.1 English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics Proficiency (2017-18) Data 19 at the Bourns School 3.1 A Summary of Participants’ Demographics 77 3.2 The Constructive Learning Environment Survey (CLES) Scales 83 4.1 CLES Results for the Six Participants in this Study and by Each Survey 98 Scale 4.2 The Keywords Teachers Used to Describe their Teaching Style 109 4.3 Developmental Design (DD) Training Year by Teacher and Program Type 115 9 LIST OF FIGURES Linked Page # Figure 1.1 Bishop and Whitfield’s Teacher Decision-Making Framework 25 1.2 Shavelson and Stern Teacher Decision-Making Framework 27 2.1 The Continuum of Constructivism and Knowledge Construction 40 2.2 The Instructional Core 65 3.1 The Research Process, or the, 'Onion' 73 3.2 Illustration of the Case Study Data Analysis Process 88 3.3 Illustration of the Data Triangulation Analysis Process 89 4.1 The Averages of the CLES Survey Results by Participant 99