Term of Award

Fall 2024

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Curriculum Studies (Ed.D.)

Document Type and Release Option

Dissertation (open access)

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Department

Department of Curriculum, Foundations, and Reading

Committee Chair

Alma Stevenson

Committee Member 1

Ming Fang He

Committee Member 2

Sabrina Ross

Committee Member 3

Alisa Leckie

Abstract

This dissertation explores how utilizing cooperative learning in remedial and test preparation in high school classes affects students’ reading comprehension on traditional standardized test scores. Theoretically, my dissertation work draws upon several bodies of literature, such as constructivism including cognitive and social constructivism in relation to cooperative learning (e.g., Dewey, 1897, 1902/1932, 1910; Piaget, 1967; Vygotsky, 1978), culturally responsive/relevant/sustaining pedagogy (e.g., Gay, 2000/2010/2018; González, Moll, & Amanti, 2005; Ladson-Billings, 1994/2009; Ladson-Billings, 2021; Paris & Alim, 2017), and caring and empathy (Noddings, 1984, 1992, 2002; Katz, Noddings, & Strike, 1999; Merriam, 1991; Stake, 1995, 2005) in relation to social justice education. Methodologically drawing from qualitative case studies (e.g., Yin, 1994/2014, 2004; Tsay & Brady, 2010; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016), I examined the impact of cooperative learning strategies on students in remedial and test preparation classes. Cooperative learning group strategies such as Turn and Talk, Think Pair Share, and Question Answer Relationships (QAR) were implemented. Four findings emerged from my dissertation research: (1). Cooperative learning significantly enhances students' engagement with the text and enables them to develop a richer understanding of the material by connecting questions and answers. (2). The implementation of cooperative learning strategies, whether in heterogeneous or homogeneous group settings. (3). Integrating culturally responsive, relevant and sustaining teaching, learning, and pedagogy into cooperative learning not only fosters a sense of mutual support. (4) Based upon Schwab’s (1973) four curriculum commonplaces: the learner, the subject matter, the teacher, and the milieu, integrate culturally responsive, relevant, and sustaining teaching, learning, and pedagogy into a cooperative learning milieu; teachers need to view their students as curriculum and primary agents in learning by developing cooperative learning strategies that are responsive to their students’ needs, interests, and experiences as they teach the subject matter.

INDEX WORDS: Case Study, Cognitive Constructivism, Constructivism, Cooperative Learning, Social Constructivism, Culturally Responsive Teaching, Heterogeneous, Homogeneous, Qualitative Research, Pedagogy, Social Justice, Zone of Proximal Development

OCLC Number

1478274054

Research Data and Supplementary Material

Yes

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