Early Literacy Practices and Beliefs About Education Among Hispanic Families in Jacksonville, Florida

Hispanic children in the United States are more likely to fall behind in several literacy measures even before they enroll in prekindergarten programs. There are some structural and non-structural factors that have a direct impact on Hispanic children’s early literacy skills. Among the non-structural factors this mixed-method study explored Hispanic caregivers’ beliefs about education as well as their literacy practices at home. The study compared two groups: diverse Hispanic caregivers with 4-year-old children enrolled in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (VPK) and diverse Hispanic caregivers whose 4-year-old children were not enrolled in VPK. A total of 125 diverse Hispanic caregivers responded to two surveys: the Parental Reading Belief Inventory and the Adaptation of the Stony Brooks Reading Survey. Twenty Hispanic parents were later interviewed to better understand their beliefs about education as well as their literacy practices at home. The surveys and interviews revealed playing games, drawing pictures and looking at books with their children were the most common literacy practices in which Hispanic caregivers engaged. All participants in the study stated how much they value their children’s education. Some, particularly caregivers whose children were participating in VPK programs, were more likely to engage in their children’s education and experience fewer barriers to reading at home. Country of origin played an important role in differentiating Hispanic parents in their beliefs about education as well as in their literacy practices at home. From the diverse group of participants in the study, Mexican caregivers were less likely to perceive themselves as playing a key role in their children’s education and they also shared experiencing more barriers in their literacy activities when compared with parents from Cuba and Puerto Rico. Overall, enrollment in VPK was dependent upon the type of barriers to reading activities that Hispanic parents experience as well their country of origin

Los referentes en el discurso del docente de comunicación social

Tesis (Comunicador Social-Periodista)-- Universidad Autónoma de Occidente, 1996PregradoComunicador(a) Social – Periodist

Los proyectos de educación ambiental : un análisis de las representaciónes sociales de los actores que participan en el festival de especies migratorias

Este artículo es producto de una investigación realizada en Colombia sobre el Festival de Especies Migratorias (FEM), como parte de mí tesis de maestría en comunicación. En dicha investigación se analizan las representaciones sociales de los actores que participan en esta experiencia educativa que se realiza en la costa pacífica colombiana desde 1999. Si bien la teoría de las representaciones proviene de la psicología social, se retoma en esta ocasión en el campo de la comunicación y de la educación ambiental, ya que cualquier proyecto que pretenda transformar alguna práctica social pasa necesariamente por una revisión de la manera en que el hombre se representa el mundo. Las representaciones sociales, de acuerdo con Abric (2001), son un dispositivo de creencias, actitudes y prácticas que nos permiten explicar los comportamientos humanos

Los proyectos de educación ambiental: un análisis de las representaciones sociales de los actores que participan en el festival de especies migratorias

Este artículo es producto de una investigación realizada en Colombia sobre el Festival de Especies Migratorias (FEM), como parte de mí tesis de maestría en comunicación. En dicha investigación se analizan las representaciones sociales de los actores que participan en esta experiencia educativa que se realiza en la costa pacífica colombiana desde 1999. Si bien la teoría de las representaciones proviene de la psicología social, se retoma en esta ocasión en el campo de la comunicación y de la educación ambiental, ya que cualquier proyecto que pretenda transformar alguna práctica social pasa necesariamente por una revisión de la manera en que el hombre se representa el mundo. Las representaciones sociales, de acuerdo con Abric (2001), son un dispositivo de creencias, actitudes y prácticas que nos permiten explicar los comportamientos humanos.This article is the product of a research carried out in Colombia on the Migratory Species Festival (FEM), as part of my Master’s Degree thesis in Communication. In the mentioned research, the social representations of the actors involved in this educational experience that has taken place in the Colombian Pacific Coast since 1999, are discussed. Although the theory of representations comes from social psychology, it is re-taken again in the field of communication and environmental education, since any project seeking to transform some social practice necessarily entails a revision of the manner in which man is represented in the world. The social representations according to Abric (2001), are a device of beliefs, attitudes and practices that allow us to explain human behaviors