Award Date

1-1-2003

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Curriculum and Instruction

First Committee Member

Thomas W. Bean

Number of Pages

150

Abstract

This study systematically examined the journey of a group of eight elementary school teachers and their administrator as they explored the social, political, and cultural world of critical literacy and its relationship to teaching. This expedition included using texts as social tools, which facilitated participants' critical reflections of personal beliefs and practices. They also investigated through dialogical inquiry the social, historical, and political elements that comprised their own cultural and historically situated identities. Data were collected through ethnographic methods, and four case studies were developed through artifacts, writing samples, transcriptions of discussions, observations, and interviews. Four individuals were chosen to participate in the multiple case study portion of this research. The participants were chosen based on the diversity of initial findings. Through analysis of the case studies, the following findings emerged: (1) Zurie had a major impact on her pedagogical practices, (2) Jo experienced a validation and deepening of previously held beliefs, (3) Beverly made personal discoveries regarding her identity, and (4) Tonya experienced a pedagogical impact along with a deepening awareness of her students' cultures. Findings indicated that dialogical inquiry, under certain circumstances, does have the potential to influence teachers' personal and professional beliefs and pedagogical practices.

Keywords

Critical; Critical Literacy; Development; Dialogical; Dialogical Inquiry; Inquiry; Interventions; Literacy; Staff; Staff Development; Study

Controlled Subject

Curriculum planning; Teachers--Training of; Education, Elementary

File Format

pdf

File Size

3440.64 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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