Enrollment trends in deaf education teacher preparation programs, 1973-2009

The number of deaf education teacher preparation programs and the number of program graduates were tabulated from reference issues of the American Annals of the Deaf beginning in 1973 and progressing every third year through 2009. Programs and graduates reached their highest levels from the mid-1970s through mid-1980s. In 2006 and 2009, only about one fourth as many students were majoring in deaf education in relation to the general U.S. college population as in 1973, 1976, and 1979. Yet because the population of children identified as deaf and hard of hearing has also declined, the ratio of program graduates to deaf children has stayed relatively balanced for the past 20 years. Current challenges faced by teacher preparation programs include increases in interpreter preparation programs and programs for teaching American Sign Language, as well as the changing nature of the role of teacher of the deaf.     

Social Connectedness of Deaf Retirees

The intergenerational connectedness that has traditionally bound members of the Deaf community to each other is changing amidst the current technological and cultural landscape. This study explores perceptions of Deaf retirees concerning their usefulness to younger generations and their need to stay connected to each other despite increasing isolation due to implications of aging. Factors such as communication networks, transportation availability, proximity to families and friends, technology, and vital connections to the local residential school for children who are deaf are discussed as emergent themes from two focus groups conducted with 14 Deaf retirees. This exploratory study sought to discover how the dynamics between the generations have evolved and the positive and negative impact of such changes. The voices of the retirees in this study shed light on the complicating issues surrounding communication as a lifeline between generations of Deaf people who are native users of American Sign Language. Additionally, the traditions of social connectedness upheld by the Deaf community are similar to those of other collectivist cultures that also may experience shifting social networks within their own communities.     

Signs of resilience: assets that support deaf adults' success in bridging the deaf and hearing worlds

A multiple-case exploratory study is used to describe intrapersonal, behavioral, and environmental assets that may build bridges for Deaf adults between the Deaf and hearing worlds. A study of three exemplary former community college students provides new information about internal resources that may empower Deaf individuals to achieve work and social success in interaction with environmental support, despite the vulnerabilities associated with their deafness. This study identifies 15 assets that may support resilience in Deaf adults, including authenticity and comfort with solitude. The authors hypothesize that social authenticity and comfort with solitude may be resilience-fostering intrapersonal assets of unique importance in the Deaf community. From the positive psychology perspective of recognizing and building on human strengths, the authors suggest that support of mutual asset-building with learning partners in the classroom is one way professors might promote optimal student achievement and life success for all students.     

手语研究与聋人康复和聋校教学

手语是聋人交流的主要工具 ,尽管它比口语抽象程度要差 ,但与其它交流方式如笔谈或读唇相比要方便的多。由于聋人普遍使用手语 ,我们不能忽视它在聋人康复中的重大意义。近年来 ,聋人教育体系正在逐步确立和完善 ,并且已经延伸到了高等教育阶段。但是在有关聋人教学的方面 ,仍存在许多困难 ,例如手语研究滞后 ,这都会影响教育效果和聋生的发展。因此我们必须努力去改革和发展中国手语     

Recently Published Dissertations

The topic of student success is a central focus for community college educators and researchers, yet little consideration is given to the long-term success that community college students may or may not be attaining. What role (if any) do concerns about social stratification have in the debate over student success? Exploring the ways in which community colleges may be perpetuating long-term, systemic inequality among students, despite their ability to graduate with a certificate or degree, is an important consideration as community colleges work to define and measure student success and strategically plan for the future. Drawing from sociology and critical education literature, this paper makes the case that educators and administrators need to develop a macroapproach to understanding student success as a result of three contextual factors: labor market changes, shifts toward neoliberal ideology, and the role of habitus.     

Deaf and hard of hearing students’ perceptions of campus administrative support

Most students with hearing loss attend community college, yet very little research on this population of students exists in higher education. This research was conducted in order to gain a better understanding of how students who are d/Deaf navigate the mainstream postsecondary environment. Purposeful sampling was used to gather data from 19 individuals who attended postsecondary institutions not designed specifically for d/Deaf students. These participants were enrolled in an urban community college district in the southwestern United States and were receiving accommodations from their campus accessibility office.

Participants shared their perceptions of the campus accessibility office, the individuals within it, and campus administrative support. The results from this study help shed light on the experience of d/Deaf students in community college and provide insight on how to facilitate their success in postsecondary education. The author provides recommended practices for campus accessibility offices to adopt in order to effectively serve this student population, including specialized orientation for students and instructors, specialized advising, utilization of student feedback, and increasing campus and community awareness of services offered.     

国外大学校园文化建设对我国高校的启示——以美国大学校园文化建设为例

美国等发达国家大学校园文化建设,对我们思考我国高校校园文化建设很有其借鉴意义。美国大学校园文化建设的特点有：更加尊重学生校园文化活动的主体地位、更加注重大学多元文化的交叉与融合及更加强调和重视对学生创新和实践能力的培养。目前,我国大学校园文化建设亟待转型：从＂学校主导＂向＂学生主体＂转变、从＂文化统一＂向＂多元交叉＂转变、从＂注重传统＂向＂强调创新＂转变及从＂专才教育＂向＂通才教育＂转变。为此,我们从树立理念、提高热情、重视社团建设和推进社会实践活动等角度,提出自己关于推进我国大学校园文化建设的建议。     

Educators and youth activists: A negotiation over enhancing students’ role in school life

Recent attention to youth activism for school reform reveals positive student outcomes. Yet educators may object to the use of social actions in schools, diminishing opportunities for these benefits to accrue. This paper analyzes educators’ conceptions about the proper exercise of student voice within schools and how these coincide with activists’ tactics for school reform. The qualitative investigation rests on interviews with principals, teachers, community organizers, and students—all touched by a community-based program that encourages urban youth to organize and transform their schools. The paper seeks to bridge the perspectives of educators and activists in ways that enhance acceptance of a more robust role for students in school life.     

Teaching Community Organizing in a BSW Curriculum

The article describes a community organizing course that was as dynamic as community organizing itself. By employing a combination of teaching approaches, community organizing philosophy, and pedagogical and andragogical techniques for student training, the course challenged students to discover their beliefs and the role of the community and the community organizer in promoting social change. Though focused on the community organizing course, the article offers insight into the broader potential of the teaching approach for social work educators.     

Creating a Digital Jamaican Sign Language Dictionary: A R2D2 Approach

The Jamaican Association for the Deaf, in their responsibilities to oversee education for individuals who are deaf in Jamaica, has demonstrated an urgent need for a dictionary that assists students, educators, and parents with the practical use of “Jamaican Sign Language.” While paper versions of a preliminary resource have been explored with some success, the need for a digital version, including multimedia, is both timely and boasts better pedagogical potential. In a joint action research project, the author has prepared a pilot DVD in Adobe Acrobat format using a collaborative recursive, reflective design, and development (R2D2) design model. This article addresses the design and concomitant processes involved as the pilot study and feedback loops become implemented.     

Effectiveness of the Student Success Course on Persistence,Retention, Academic Achievement,and Student Engagement

ABSTRACT

Despite a great increase in the numbers of students enrolling in higher education, specifically at community colleges, the successful completion rates for these students has remained static since the 1970s. When reviewing strategies to increase student retention and successful completion, the Student Success Course (SSC) has emerged as a promising and prominent strategy for community colleges. Given that, the purpose of this sequential mixed methods study was to determine if participation in a SSC influences persistence, retention, academic achievement, and student engagement on a community college campus. Data were collected from a purposeful sample of 197 SSC participants at a middle sized community college in southeast Texas and compared to a matched sample of 235 non-SSC participants. Twelve former SSC participants were also interviewed in an attempt to build a more empirical understanding of the impact of the SSC on student engagement and, thus, the students’ decisions to remain in college. Results of this study indicate that a relationship exists between participation in the SSC and persistence, retention, academic achievement in English and mathematics, and student engagement. Additionally, participants claim that taking the SSC not only altered their perceptions of the importance of the course, but their social and study skills as well.     

African American Educators’ Perspectives on the Advanced Placement Opportunity Gap

This study examines perspectives of educators on the advanced placement opportunity gap for African American students. Using interviews with 11 educators from 10 high schools, we explored their perceptions regarding the impact of a local academic achievement program on the enrollment of African American students in honors and advanced placement courses. Results of the analysis suggest that there is a perceived and real gap in the participation of African American students in AP courses. Findings also revealed that educators were concerned about the lack of access for African American students to AP courses. Further, issues of belonging and operational citizenship within the school environment were raised. Recommendations for pedagogical techniques are presented as well as suggestions for future research. Jocelyn D. Taliaferro is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work at North Carolina State University. Dr. Taliaferro earned her BA degree in Psychology with minors in African American Studies and English from University of Delaware and her MSW from Howard University in Washington, D.C. She returned to University of Delaware to earn her PhD in Urban Affairs and Public Policy. Dr. Taliaferro’s teaching and research interests include African American student achievement, social policy, community development, and family support. Jessica T. DeCuir-Gunby is an Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at North Carolina State University, CB#7801, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA. Dr. DeCuir-Gunby earned her BS degree with a double major in Psychology and Spanish from Louisiana State University. She earned both her MA and PhD degrees in Educational Psychology at the University of Georgia. Dr. DeCuir-Gunby’s research and theoretical interests include race and racial identity development in education, Critical Race Theory, mixed methods research, and emotions.     

A national survey of social work services in schools for the deaf

The purpose of the present study was to determine the role of school social workers and the services they deliver in schools for the Deaf. A 15-item survey was sent to 101 schools for the Deaf in the United States. The survey consisted of questions relating to personal characteristics, work experience, and job responsibilities of school social workers. A 72% response rate was obtained. Results suggest that, in general, social workers in schools for the Deaf perform functions similar to those of other social workers. However, social workers in schools for the Deaf tend to handle more health and financial concerns of students and their families. Social workers in schools for the Deaf lag behind other school social workers in professional training. Approximately a quarter of the surveyed social workers were deaf or hard of hearing.     

A comparison of Korean and American elementary educators’ self-determination practices

Korean general and special educators (n = 229) and American general and special educators (n = 348) were surveyed to explore (a) their perceptions of the importance of self-determination for students with disabilities, (b) how frequently they teach it, (c) the relationship between their perception of the importance of teaching self-determination and how often they teach it, and (d) the barriers they perceive that inhibit them from teaching it. American general and special educators attached higher importance to self-determination instruction than their Korean counterparts, but Korean educators taught self-determination skills to their students with disabilities more often than American educators did. There was greater incongruence between the value American educators placed on promoting self-determination and the time they devoted to teaching it than there was for Korean educators. Educators of both countries shared some perceived barriers to promoting self-determination (e.g., communication difficulty, students were too young, and other more urgent instructional needs), but each group cited barriers the other did not (e.g., teacher lacked sufficient skill, difficult to empathize with student, and no instructional latitude). Limitations and implications are discussed along with suggestions for future research.     

Learning to label: socialisation,gender, and the hidden curriculum of high‐stakes testing

Although high‐stakes tests play an increasing role in students’ schooling experiences, scholars have not examined these tests as sites for socialisation. Drawing on qualitative data collected at an American urban primary school, this study explores what educators teach students about motivation and effort through high‐stakes testing, how students interpret and internalise these messages, and how student hierarchies develop as a result. I found that teachers located boys’ failure in their poor behavior and attitudes, while arguing that girls simply needed more self‐esteem to pass the test. Most boys accepted their teachers’ diagnosis of the problem. However, the boys who felt that they were already ‘doing their best’ and ‘working hard’ began to doubt that educational success is a function of merit and effort. I conclude that students learn about much more than the three Rs through their experiences with high‐stakes testing, and argue that future research should attend to the social dimensions of these experiences.     

发挥高职学生社团建设的教育教学功能

根据高职学生的特点,搞好高职院校学生社团建设,可以充分发挥学生社团的教育教学功能,弥补课堂教学、理论灌输等教育的不足。搞好高职院校学生社团建设,要注重与专业相结合,注重典型社团的带动作用,注重发挥学生社团的自我教育作用,还要注重在与社会的良性互动中深化、拓展学生社团的教育教学功能。