Jessica T. DeCuir-Gunby

Developing and Using a Codebook for the Analysis of Interview Data: An Example from a Professional Development Research Project

This article gives specific steps on how to create a codebook for coding interview data. The authors examine the development of theory- and data-driven codes through the discussion of a professional development (PD) research project. They also discuss how to train others to code using the codebook, including how to establish reliability. The authors end with practical suggestions from their experiences in creating a codebook.

Researching Race Within Educational Psychology Contexts

In this article, we question why race as a sociohistorical construct has not traditionally been investigated in educational psychology research. To do so, we provide a historical discussion of the significance of race as well as present current dilemmas in the exploration of race, including an examination of the incidence and prevalence of race-related constructs in top educational psychology journals. As a means of expanding educational psychologys use of race as a sociohistorical construct, we introduce the concepts of race-focused and race-reimaged constructs. We end the article with suggestions for how we can begin exploring race as a sociohistorical construct in the field of educational psychology, including the need to challenge traditional paradigms and embrace culturally relevant methodologies.

Approach/Avoidance motives, test emotions, and emotional regulation related to testing

Abstract This research stems from our program of work that focuses on understanding how students regulated their emotions related to testing. The primary goal for this study was to incorporate the approach/avoidance motives into a model of emotional regulation related to testing. In addition, a secondary goal was to report on efforts at construct validation of the scores obtained during the refinement of the Emotional Regulation Related to Testing (ERT) Scale. Our results suggest that underlying beliefs, such as approach/avoid motives and the cognitive-appraisal process, of the ERT had both direct and indirect effects to both pleasant and unpleasant emotions related to testing. In addition, the ERT accounted for 56% of the variance in Pleasant and 87% of Unpleasant Test Emotions.

Racial Microaggressions in the Workplace A Critical Race Analysis of the Experiences of African American Educators

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of racial microaggressions, racial/ethnic identity, and coping, as they relate to job satisfaction. We found that the experiencing of racial microaggressions negatively affects job satisfaction and that educators in higher education contexts often engage in detachment coping. Job satisfaction was also affected by marital status and gender. This study is important because it helps to better understand how African American educators cope with the experiencing of racial microaggressions and how this affects their experiences in and perceptions of the workplace.

Using Mixed Methods to Analyze Video Data: A Mathematics Teacher Professional Development Example.

This article uses data from 65 teachers participating in a K-2 mathematics professional development research project as an example of how to analyze video recordings of teachers’ classroom lessons using mixed methods. Through their discussion, the authors demonstrate how using a mixed methods approach to classroom video analysis allows researchers to draw more comprehensive conclusions about participants both collectively and individually. Implications for using a mixed methods approach to analyze classroom video research are provided.

Investigating transactions among motives, emotional regulation related to testing, and test emotions

The authors examined the relationships among achievement motives, emotional regulation, and emotions. They collected data from 425 college undergraduates (110 men, 315 women) and used several scales, including the Achievement Motives Scales (K. Hagtvet & L. Zou, 2000), the Emotional Regulation During Testing Scale (P. A. Schutz, C. DiStefano, J. Benson, & H. A. Davis, 2004), and the Regensburg Academic Emotions Questionnaire (R. Pekrun, T. Goetz, R. P. Perry, K. Kramer, & M. Hochstadt, 2004). Findings suggest that approach—avoidance motives were related to different academic emotions (i.e., pleasant and unpleasant) in the expected directions. Approach—avoidance variables, cognitive-appraisal processes, and during-testing processes explained significant amounts of variance in both test hope and test pride, and several categories of students emerged, including those of high approach—low avoidance, low approach—high avoidance, moderate approach—high avoidance, high approach—moderate avoidance, and moderate approach—low avoidance. The authors also discuss future research and implications.

Educators' Perspectives on Culturally Relevant Programs for Academic Success: The American Excellence Association.

This study examines educators’ perspectives of the American Excellence Association (AEA). Using interviews with 16 educators (teachers, counselors, and principals) from 10 high schools, we explored their perceptions regarding AEA’s impact on student participants as well as the potential for this type of culturally relevant programming for closing the achievement gap in their respective schools. Results of the analysis suggest that the educators perceive that the AEA fosters an achievement culture and provides participants with a genuine sense of ownership, creating a feeling of belonging and cultural competence, and helping develop critical consciousness through community service. Recommendations are made regarding the use of AEA as a model initiative for transforming the educational experiences of students of color.

Teachers, Attributions, and Students’ Mathematical Work

This chapter reports on a design experiment within a professional development context purposefully planned to teach teachers about students’ mathematical thinking and learning through studying a mathematics learning trajectory. Through an examination of teachers’ discourse in 60 h of school-based professional development, we identify eight attributions that participating elementary teachers use to discuss students’ mathematical successes or failures when engaging with the project’s professional learning tasks. Our findings suggest that teachers used a variety of attributions to explain students’ mathematics and incorporated their knowledge of the learning trajectory into their repertoire of attributions.

The Emotionality of Women Professors of Color in Engineering: A Critical Race Theory and Critical Race Feminism Perspective

In this chapter we suggest that although the number of African American and Latina professors of engineering has increased in the last decade, engineering faculty and engineering student populations remain grossly overrepresented by White men. Because of this, African American and Latina women professors often experience unique difficulties that stem from their race, gender, and the intersection of their race and gender. The purpose of this chapter is to use a Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Critical Race Feminism (CRF) framework to explore the emotions associated with being underrepresented women professors of color in engineering. In doing so, the authors focus on CRT’s tenet of Whiteness as Property, particularly the elements of the right of use and enjoyment and the right to exclude. Also, we utilize intersectionality theory from CRF to examine the interaction of race and gender in the experiences of the participants (Crenshaw, 1989). Our analysis concentrates on the emotions involved in interacting with faculty and students. Finally, we discuss strategies for coping with race and gender-related stress in academia.

Using Multiple and Mixed Methods to Investigate Emotions in Educational Contexts

The emotions associated with educational settings tend to be multidimensional and situated within social historical contexts. As such, the research methods and methodologies used to investigate emotions in education need to match that level of complexity. In this chapter the authors discuss the usefulness of approaching emotions in education contexts from a problem solving perspective that engages the use of multiple and mixed research methods. In addition, the authors outline their current theoretical approaches as well as the research methods and models associated with multiple and mixed methods research. Finally, they discuss the strengths and challenges of approaching emotions in education from multiple and mixed methods perspectives.