Nintendo: Playing with Power

Originally founded in 1889 as a manufacturer of playing cards, this book examines the history and political economic status of the multinational consumer electronics and video game giant Nintendo. This book offers a deeper examination into Nintendo as a global media giant, with some of the industry’s best-selling consoles and most recognizable intellectual property including Mario, Pokémon, and Zelda. Drawing upon the theory of the political economy of communication, which seeks to understand how communication and media serve as key mechanisms of economic and political power, Randy Nichols examines how Nintendo has maintained its dominance in the global video game industry and how it has used its position to shape that industry. This book argues that while the company’s key figures and main franchises are important, Nintendo’s impact as a company – and what we can learn from its evolution – is instructive beyond the video game industry. This book is perfect for students and scholars of media and cultural industries, critical political economy of media, production studies, and games studies.https://digitalcommons.tacoma.uw.edu/ias_books/1130/thumbnail.jp

Making Sense Of A Multilingual World Through Translanguaging

Translanguaging is a term that started to gain educators\u27 interest in the 21st century due to its benefits for multilingual learners. Research shows that translanguaging practices implemented by teachers support multilingual students to create meaning in academic content. At the same time, their linguistic systems and identities are being valued in an English-dominant education system. This project investigates teaching practices by multilingual and monolingual teachers that foster translanguaging practices in their teaching to support multilingual learners. These teaching practices are related to supporting multilingual learners’ personal and home experiences in the classroom to understand academic content and be valued

The Gender And Race Inequality Against Women

All women face some type of problem being a woman, but we must acknowledge that some women have it harder than others. So although I am highlighting the hardships of gender roles in the workplace, in dating, etc. I also want to highlight the difference between experiences of white women and women of color.https://digitalcommons.tacoma.uw.edu/gender_studies/1096/thumbnail.jp

Effects of Socioeconomic Status on English Language Learners\u27 Success in School

This research paper focuses on the effects of socioeconomic status on English language learners\u27 overall success in school. The aspects of success discussed in this paper pertain to academics, social-emotional learning, and home practices, beliefs, and environments. Most English language learner students come from low socioeconomic status households and enter school with little to no English proficiency. This puts them at a much higher risk of developing academic struggles because of the need for more resources and opportunities, on top of acquiring a new language. They are also more likely to develop emotional and behavioral problems because of internalized behaviors such as anxiety and isolation because of home stressors, a new language, discrimination, and inequities in school. Five major themes emerged while doing this research: reading proficiency, language development, home practices, social-emotional learning, and success in math. Three guiding questions that led to the research for this paper are discussed throughout the paper and are explicitly answered in the discussion of findings. Keywords: English language learners, socioeconomic status, academic achievement, social-emotional learning, home practice

Preparing the Future, Healing the Past, & Being in the Moment with Teachers as they Indigenize the Way They Teach

This research study will interview participants from the first cohort of the Indigenizing Pedagogy Institute at the University of Washington Tacoma. The current educational system is failing to adequately serve American Indian/Alaska Native Students\u27 Educational needs. Education creates knowledge, develops our political and civic goals, and systemically influences socialization and how we see ourselves and others; it determines our economic future and well-being. We must modify our pedagogy if we are to meet the needs of American Indian/Alaska Native Students

Women With Student Loans: Relational Impacts on Self, Family, and Work

Abstract This qualitative study explores the relational impact that student loans have on the lives of women across Washington state, with specific attention to their parents, partners, children, and workplaces. This research utilizes Feminist Relational Work as a theoretical framework, which combines feminist theory and Zelizer’s notion of relational work to attend to the gendered dynamic that Zelizer’s relational work does not specifically name. Participants in this study named sexism as a constant in their lives, whether within family dynamics growing up, throughout the college going process, or in professional post-college spaces that a degree granted them access to. The study was guided by two overarching research questions: 1) How do women experience student loans in their relationships to self, work, and family? 2) How, if at all, do these experiences affect the way women think about the value of education and educational access? Study findings include: a) a lack of choice in their college going journey, b) the college and student loan process being an emotional experience, c) having a distrust but reliance on systems connected to the college and student loan process, d) relationships being central to decision making regarding college and student loans, e) dynamic contemplation around the value of a college degree, f) class as a determinant and constant consideration in college and student loan experiences, g) confusion, distrust, and disbelief around notions of student loan forgiveness, and lastly, h) hopes for higher education that involve decreased debt for future students. The discussion and implications of this research are intertwined, and encourage reflection on capitalism, the loss of public universities, and how we value ourselves, others, education, and women. This research argues that families shape our college and student loan experiences, that college is a form of capitalistic exploitation, and that ‘access’ to college spaces and student loan debt for women both benefits women, and burdens women with the undoing of structural sexism if not appropriately nuanced. Implications include, but are not limited to, erasing outstanding federal student loan debt, banning all interest accumulation on educational loans, inviting students and student loan borrowers into discussion around system, policy, and process revision, honoring women as experts of their own experiences, and encouraging women to use their expertise to examine other ever-evolving inequities by leveraging their resources, knowledge, and capacity

LGBTQ+ Youth Experiences in Education: What it Means to be Queer

This research explores the existing literature on the experiences of LGBTQ+ students in schools. Three themes were identified: the effects of school climate on LGBTQ+ students, the health, wellness, and survivability of LGBTQ+ students, and how curriculum affects LGBTQ+ students. The paper goes on to examine how practices at Generic Sound School Name could be aligned with research and then explores the implications for future research and transformed practice

Ability Tracking and Its Effects on Students

Ability tracking is an educational practice used throughout the world that separates students into different curriculum tracks based on their perceived academic ability. This heavily debated practice poses significant questions to its continued use due to harmful psychological and social effects on students without any guaranteed academic benefits. This paper considers the literature on all these issues and finds that ability tracking may benefit some students academically, but that this often comes at a detriment to their own and others’ psychological and social development. Further, this paper discusses strategies moving forward to ensure all students have access to a high-quality education that meets their academic, psychological, and social needs

Breaking The Chains of Generational Trauma

Negative experiences may be passed down from generation to generation resulting in Generational Trauma, many of us may be living with those consequences without ever noticing it. This analysis takes a look at the roots of generational trauma and how it is developed from one generation and repeatedly passed down without a stop. We explore different methods that can be followed for healing and further therapeutic methods for more severe cases.https://digitalcommons.tacoma.uw.edu/gender_studies/1095/thumbnail.jp

A Session on the Inside: Lessons from the Legislature

Inspired by a drive to instigate widespread and environmentally-sustainable change, this paper explores the powers and processes shaping public policy in Washington State through a reflection of the legislative internship. A recounting of personal experiences and observations in light of knowledge gained during ten weeks of academic, civic, social, and emotional learning offers a ‘behind the scenes’ peek at the 2023 Legislative Session with the hope of informing future efforts to influence policy and practice. The reflection opens with a description of the Washington State Legislature, an overview of intern duties, and a summary of the academic resources used to help identify and analyze key themes that characterize the state’s policy making process. What follows is a discussion and analysis of three such themes: 1) constituents often misunderstand the extent of legislative powers and activities, 2) political party loyalty and influence are the main drivers of policy, and 3) persuading others to sign on to a movement requires an understanding of the values and experience shaping their perspective and connecting these to the end goal. Highlighting a need for improved public education, communication, and engagement on matters both civic and environmental, the paper concludes with a hopeful reminder that we can change the world through the consistent practice of empathy, learning, and diverse fellowship