Flame or Fizzle? A Comparative Case Study of the SPARC Experience

Social Perceiving-Acting Reciprocal Conversations (SPARC) is an emerging approach to large group discussions. SPARC utilizes an iterative approach to group discussions by nesting small fishbowl discussions within a larger whole group discussion. Theoretically, this structure affords reciprocal participant interactions for the negotiation of meaning and increased depth of inquiry. This study takes a detailed look at the experiences of three undergraduates who participated in SPARC during an Educational Psychology course for non-education majors at a large university in the Northeastern United States. Luke, Esmeralda, and Diane participated in SPARC eleven times between January and May

Enhancing organizational agility within the human resources function

Organizational agility describes a firm’s dexterity in making necessary changes to sustain and enhance performance. This mixed methods study examined the nature of agility and the impacts of internal processes on agility within the human resources (HR) function of a telecommunications organization in the United States. Both survey and interview data were collected. Quantitative data were collected and statistically analyzed. Qualitative insights were coded to identify trends in the respective datasets. Study findings indicate the case organization had a moderate degree of agility and that its attunement to the external environment was variable. The data also suggested that leadership style, organizational culture, strategic planning, and communications were four key barriers to creating agility within the HR function. Recommendations to the case organization, organization development practitioners seeking to help HR organizations enhance agility, and researchers are offered

Kindling SPARC: The Emergence of Social Perceiving-Acting Reciprocal Conversations

Based on an ecological theory of knowing (see Barab & Plucker, 2002; Barab & Roth, 2006; Gibson, 1986; Young, 2004), Social Perceiving-Acting Reciprocal Conversations (SPARC) is an emerging discussion approach designed to tune agents’ perceptions to the affordances of discussion interactions and to develop their effectivities to act on these affordances. This paper discusses the creation and subsequent iterations of SPARC that emerged in my undergraduate Educational Psychology class between January and May of 2009. Educational implications and future research directions are discussed

Scaffolding Oral Language for Elementary English Learners in Content Classrooms

This project addresses the question: What strategies could be provided to content and English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers to help scaffold oral language use for English Learners in the elementary content classroom? This project was born from the author’s experience as a language teacher and the need to provide language supports for her students in content classes such as science and social studies. Literature regarding second language acquisition, science education, and oral language supports were consulted in the development of this project. A portfolio of resources to support oral language development was created, which includes an example science unit plan that incorporates language goals and activities into content lessons, example anchor charts to support student speech, vocabulary teaching resources, and several slideshows designed to teach other educators about strategies for supporting oral language development in the classroom. The resources submitted for this capstone project are the beginnings of a larger project that the author has launched and will continue to expand in the future. Overall, this capstone project provides a variety of oral language scaffolding resources that educators can use to develop academic language development for their English Learner students

250 Words of I don\u27t Understand: Reading Struggles for Freshmen College Students

The focus of this Capstone project is on the reading struggles of first year college students. This is important because reading is a fundamental need in secondary education and in our society. If people are challenged in this area, they will struggle both in higher education, as well as certain aspects of daily living. The three primary stakeholder perspectives examined were college teachers and tutors, because of their relevant expertise, as well as their roles and responsibilities. Based on an analysis of the data and the relevant research literature, action was taken to help first-year college students overcome their reading challenges and thus, hopefully be able to move toward graduation and not become an added statistic to the dropout rate

A Participatory Archives Approach to Fostering Connectivity, Increasing Empathy, and Building Resilience during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This paper explores two pandemic-era projects conducted by the Museum and Archives of North Vancouver (MONOVA) using a participatory archives framework during the COVID-19 pandemic. #NorthVanStories, a rapid-respond social media collecting project, ran from May to September 2020 and received over 200 submissions. #NorthVanStories–Living Histories, a digital video oral history project, ran from summer 2020 to fall 2021 and produced five videos with seven storytellers from diverse and vulnerable communities. This paper discusses the power of collaborative documenting, storytelling, and memory-making to foster connectivity, increase empathy, and build resilience. It highlights the benefits of working collaboratively with organizations and communities; successful approaches to planning and outreach activities; the importance of flexibility and sustainability when working with communities in times of crisis; and how to ensure the future relevance of archives by being responsive to contemporary events and community interests