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Virginia Tech

Positioning Student Voice in the Classroom: The Postmodern Era

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Typically, students have had limited voice in their schooling (Erickson & Schultz,1992). The purposes of this study were to explore the concept of student voice in the elementary school and to develop strategies that develop student voice in the curricula. An elementary school principal and four teachers participated in an action research study that examined and attempted to develop student voice in their classrooms. Acting as a coach, the principal supported the four teachers as they implemented their classroom research on student voice. Four case studies were developed based on artifacts such as journals (student and participant), lesson plans, meetings, surveys and observations. Data were analyzed for emerging themes and compared across cases.Findings indicate that there was a difference in the teachers' emerging understanding and promotion of student voice. These differences were explained on the evolving commonalities being discovered in each case study. First and foremost were the instructional strategies utilized by the participants that engaged the learners and promoted their voice? Next, the organizational structure of the building and classes played an important role. Time and size of classes either promoted or restrained student voice. Finally, the culture of the organization and the belief system of the individual teacher played an important role.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Doctor of Education
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Department dc:contributor.department
Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2001

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Richardson, Sharon E.
Chairs dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Parks, David J.
  • Niles, Jerome A.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Kelly, Patricia Proudfoot
  • Harris, Larry A.
  • Parson, Stephen R.

Subjects

dc:subject × 3

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-11082001-140010
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/29495

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Richardson, Sharon E.. Positioning Student Voice in the Classroom: The Postmodern Era. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/29495