Perspectives of AP US History Teachers in Title I Schools

152 Pages·2017·2.01 MB·English

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USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations USF Graduate Theses and Dissertations
July 2017
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Mark Lance Rowland
University of South Florida, [email protected]
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Rowland, Mark Lance, "Perspectives of AP U.S. History Teachers in Title I Schools" (2017). USF Tampa
Graduate Theses and Dissertations.
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Perspectives of Advanced Placement U.S. History Teachers in Title I Schools

by

Mark Lance Rowland

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in
Social Science Education
Department of Teaching and Learning
College of Education
University of South Florida

Major Professor: Bárbara C. Cruz, Ed.D.
James A. Duplass, Ph.D.
Janet C. Richards, Ph.D.
Barbara J. Shircliffe, Ph.D.

Date of Approval:
June 26, 2017

Keywords: Achievement Gap, AP U.S. History, College Board, Teacher Perspectives, Title I
Schools.

Copyright  2017, Mark Lance Rowland
Dedication
This dissertation is dedicated to my wife, Dr. Shelley Ochs, who inspired me to start this
journey and encouraged me throughout the process; and to my mother, Elizabeth “Betty”
Rowland, who instilled in me the values of hard work and higher education.
Acknowledgements
First and foremost, I must acknowledge my committee chairperson, Dr. Barbara Cruz, for
her continuous counseling and guidance throughout the research and writing of this dissertation.
Her endless support brought this study to fruition. To Dr. Howard Johnston for offering initial
guidance in the planning stages of this study and Dr. James Duplass, who mentored me in my
undergraduate studies and my doctoral program. To Barbara Shircliffe, who provided direction
in the formation of this study and has provided essential guidance in scholarly writing the last
few years. To Dr. Janet Richards, for her indispensable feedback in the data analyses and
reporting process. I owe a great debt again to my wife, Dr. Shelley Ochs, who provided valuable
feedback in proofing my writing and to Sherry, Becky, and Bonnie Ochs for assisting with
organizing the dissertation and remaining constant sources of support. A special thank you to the
teachers who participated in this study and graciously gave of their time and shared their
perspectives.
i

Table of Contents
List of Tables iii
List of Figures iv
Abstract v
Chapter One: Introduction 1
Rationale 1
Advanced Placement History & Overview 3
Statement of the Problem 8
Theoretical Framework 9
Research Questions 10
Limitations of the Study 11
Significance of the Study 13

Chapter Two: Review of the Literature 14
Achievement Gap 14
Advanced Placement Achievement Gap 17
Achievement Gap Solutions 20
Equity and Access 21
Effective Methodology for Low-SES Students in APUSH 23
The Role of the Teacher 26

Chapter Three: Research Design and Approach 29
Method 29
Research Questions 30
Descriptive Exploratory Case Methodology 31
Participants 33
Recruitment 33
Informed Consent 34
Compensation 35
Data Collection 35
Research Interview Protocols 35
Data Analysis 37
ii

Chapter Four: Discoveries 38
Introduction 38
Participants 39
Jane 40
Tim 49
Charles 62
Robert 74
Sasha 86

Chapter Five: Implications and Recommendations 96
Teachers’ Backgrounds 98
School Environments 101
Pedagogy 103
Planning 103
APUSH Redesign 105
VAM Scores and Teacher Evaluation 106
Pathways to College 108
Implications Summary 108
Recommendations for School Districts 110
Recommendations for Administrators 111
Recommendations for Teachers 112
Recommendations for Further Research 113

References 114

Appendices 130
Appendix A: Email Script for Recruiting Participants 130
Appendix B: Informed Consent 131
Appendix C: Informed Consent 135
Appendix D: Informed Consent 138
Appendix E: IRB Approval Letter 142
iii

List of Tables

Table 1: APUSH Exam Participation and Pass Rates by Race 19
Table 2: Participants 40
Table 3: Jane’s Students’ Exam Performance 47
Table 4: Tim’s Students’ Exam Performance 61
Table 5: Charles’ Students’ Exam Performance 74
Table 6: Robert’s Students’ Exam Performance 84
Table 7: Sasha’s Students’ Exam Performance 93
iv

List of Figures
Figure 1: Earning and Unemployment Rates by Educational Attainment 2
v

Abstract

The College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) Program continues to expand annually
with increased numbers of high school students nationwide enrolling in AP courses and taking
end-of-course AP exams, in hopes of earning college credit and strengthening high school
transcripts. As the College Board promotes increased minority student participation (specifically
African-American and Hispanic students) in AP courses, AP teachers face new challenges as
potential first-generation college students enter their classrooms with below-level reading scores
and a lack of essential critical-thinking skills needed for college-level assessment.
The participants in this study are five AP U.S. History Teachers from urban, suburban,
and rural Title I high schools. In this inquiry, I explore how their backgrounds and experiences
shape their approaches to curriculum and pedagogy in their respective environments. I conducted
two separate interviews with each teacher: the first addressed their formative years and
educational experiences, while the second focused on their teaching philosophies and how they
deliver course content. The data revealed similar instructional practices among the participants,
all of whom choose student-centered teaching models to varying degrees to enhance student
engagement.
This discourse highlights the need for further inquiry into the perspectives of AP teachers
in Title I schools to inform future policymaking decisions within schools and school districts to
enhance historically marginalized student populations’ college and career opportunities.
1

Chapter One
Introduction
Rationale
Advanced Placement U.S. History (APUSH) has risen to great prominence as a choice
for high school juniors to fulfill their social studies requirement for American history. The
course’s popularity is rooted in students’ goals of strengthening their transcripts, taking a
college-level course to better prepare them for the demands and rigor beyond high school, and
earning college credit toward freshman history courses thus allowing them to save money on
escalating tuition costs. APUSH, along with the entire Advanced Placement (AP) course menu,
took on new meaning over the past two decades as one of the latest models for education reform
providing pathways to college for students who are often labeled as disadvantaged socially and
economically, and in many cases the first in their immediate families to potentially attend college.
The rationale for this study revolves around the premise of education as a vehicle for
upward economic and social mobility for students from low socioeconomic status (SES)
backgrounds. Access to higher education remains a challenge for low-SES students as they are
underrepresented in universities and often lack the academic tools needed to succeed in college
and beyond. AP courses provide students with essential analytical skills that increase their
chances of attending college and earning a degree (College Board, 2015a). While the numbers of
low-SES students taking AP courses (including APUSH) continue to rise, their AP exam pass
rates consistently lag behind those of their peers. In this study, I will explore the backgrounds,