Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
EdD Program for Educational Leaders
Advisor
June E. Fishback
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Committee Member
Rochelle Green
Keywords
ability testing, attrition rates, audio-bridge communications, audio-video instruction, community outreach, crises intervention, cultural competency, cultural discontinuity, culturally sensitive teaching, distance education, educational curricula, educational services, educators, federal mandates, geographic isolation, group counseling, individual counseling, information sharing, internet usage, mentoring programs, Native education, Native learning styles, Native students, online counseling, on-site visits, prevention, psychological needs, psychological service delivery model, psychological services, school-aged students, social and emotional conflicts, social skills training, special education eligibility, state mandates, technological platforms, traditional face-to-face services
Abstract
This applied dissertation was designed to meet the psychological needs of a unique Native population through a continuum of services and the utilization of technological platforms. The host community has experienced significant historical events including the exclusion in full participation education and the provision of educational curricula by individuals lacking the cultural competency base to provide appropriate educational experiences sensitive to Native learning styles. Psychological services were dictated by Federal and State mandates and consisted solely of educational and ability testing for the purpose of special education eligibility determination. As a result, school-aged Native students experienced significant social and emotional conflicts without the benefit of psychological support services and resident educators experienced disproportionate attrition rates due to conflicts relating to cultural discontinuity.
The writer developed a psychological service delivery model, from intervention to prevention, including individual and group counseling, crises interventions, social skills training, community outreach, and a mentoring program for new educators as well as education in culturally sensitive teaching strategies. Due to the isolation of the host community, a system of information sharing was designed to incorporate online services through Internet venues, audio-video instruction, printed newsletters, and audio-bridge communications, which, augmented and enhanced regularly scheduled on-site visits.
An analysis of the data revealed that school-aged Native students in an extreme geographic region could have their psychological needs met despite imitations due to economic, geographic, or climactic conditions. This project demonstrated the feasibility of expanding the horizon of existing psychological services beyond the traditional face-to-face experience. It is also suggested that students and educators involved in culturally sensitive learning experiences are more likely to make informed personal choices and less likely to experience conflicts resulting from cultural discontinuity.