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Enhancing Social Cognition and Promoting Social Justice: Teaching Literature in the Developmental Classroom

Mason, April L.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1563458723691485

Abstract Details

2019, PHD, Kent State University, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of English.
MASON, APRIL L., Ph.D., August 2019 ENGLISH ENHANCING SOCIAL COGNITION AND PROMOTING SOCIAL JUSTICE: TEACHING LITERATURE IN THE DEVELOPMENTAL CLASSROOM (199 PP.) Dissertation Advisor: Mark Bracher For decades, community colleges have focused almost exclusively on developmental students' academic deficiencies, failing to consider and adopt pedagogical practices that recognize at-risk students' unique psychological and social needs. As a result, developmental students' low retention and high attrition rates have led many to conclude that this student population is incapable of succeeding academically. This study argues that addressing only a fraction of developmental students' needs predisposes them to failure, and that being academically underprepared is not the root cause of students' low success rates. The history of developmental education, the characteristics of first-generation students, and the stigma and cognitive effects of poverty suggest that developmental students are affected by insecure identities that require distinctive approaches to increase their odds of academic and personal success. Helping developmental students achieve a more secure identity should enhance their ability to reach their full potential and achieve academic and personal success. This project explains how literary study can strengthen developmental students' identities by correcting faulty assumptions that they have about themselves. The results suggest that this pedagogy can provide identity-supporting recognition and strengthen developmental students' devalued identities.
Mark Bracher, Dr. (Advisor)
199 p.
American Literature; Community College Education; Community Colleges; Education; Higher Education; Literature; Teaching
social justice; community colleges; literature; developmental English

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Mason, A. L. (2019). Enhancing Social Cognition and Promoting Social Justice: Teaching Literature in the Developmental Classroom [Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1563458723691485

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Mason, April. Enhancing Social Cognition and Promoting Social Justice: Teaching Literature in the Developmental Classroom. 2019. Kent State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1563458723691485.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Mason, April. "Enhancing Social Cognition and Promoting Social Justice: Teaching Literature in the Developmental Classroom." Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1563458723691485

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

kent1563458723691485
77
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This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.