Place-based education, student writing, and cultural contexts: A case study of building community consciousness in a rural middle school classroom

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Donovan, E. (2014). Place-based education, student writing, and cultural contexts: A case study of building community consciousness in a rural middle school classroom. Unc Charlotte Electronic Theses And Dissertations.
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Abstract

The idea of place extends beyond just the location where people live. Place is a narrative, a story that involves interactions, characters, conflicts, and the rise and flow of humanity. By understanding the importance of place and the connection to the places from which people originate, the people, their motivations, and their strengths and weaknesses begin to take a shape that inspires transformational ideas and actions. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of place-based educational practices on rural middle school students' identities and their cultural connections as shown through student writing. This study follows the critical pedagogy of place theoretical framework and works to support the best practices in rural education research. A qualitative case study design was used to conduct this study over eight weeks during the winter of 2014. This study took place in a middle school classroom of 25 students where a collaborative relationship was created between teacher and researcher. The school was located in rural North Carolina. Data sources included interviews, observations, and a collection of student writing. The data was analyzed through thematic and content analysis to better understand the influence of place-based writing practices on student identity and cultural connections as evidenced in their writing.

Details
Author

Donovan, Erin

Title

Place-based education, student writing, and cultural contexts: A case study of building community consciousness in a rural middle school classroom

Physical Description

1 online resource (207 pages) : PDF

Date

2014

Degree Granting Institution

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abstract

The idea of place extends beyond just the location where people live. Place is a narrative, a story that involves interactions, characters, conflicts, and the rise and flow of humanity. By understanding the importance of place and the connection to the places from which people originate, the people, their motivations, and their strengths and weaknesses begin to take a shape that inspires transformational ideas and actions. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of place-based educational practices on rural middle school students' identities and their cultural connections as shown through student writing. This study follows the critical pedagogy of place theoretical framework and works to support the best practices in rural education research. A qualitative case study design was used to conduct this study over eight weeks during the winter of 2014. This study took place in a middle school classroom of 25 students where a collaborative relationship was created between teacher and researcher. The school was located in rural North Carolina. Data sources included interviews, observations, and a collection of student writing. The data was analyzed through thematic and content analysis to better understand the influence of place-based writing practices on student identity and cultural connections as evidenced in their writing.

Genre

doctoral dissertations

Subjects--Topics

Education

Degree

Ph.D.

Keywords

Community
Identity
Place-Based
Writing

Subject Area

Curriculum & Instruction

Advisor(s)

Mraz, Maryann

Committee Members

Taylor, Bruce
Rickelman, Bob
Anderson, Kelly

Degree Note

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2014.

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Rights Holder Information

Copyright is held by the author unless otherwise indicated.

Identifier

Donovan_uncc_0694D_10568

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:779