Papers by Ashwini Tiwari, Ph.D.
International Journal of Educational Reform
This article examines contextual factors that impact inclusive education in the Rio Grande Valley... more This article examines contextual factors that impact inclusive education in the Rio Grande Valley region of South Texas, United States. Based on the analysis of teachers’ narratives, the study concluded that teachers perceive inclusive special education as a student's right primarily grounded in the social justice context of education. While teacher preparation and administrative support aid in implementing inclusive practices, the socio-cultural values shape teachers’ classroom practices in teaching special education students. Furthermore, implementing inclusive education practices lacks emphasis on content-area instruction for special education students, demonstrating the need for a reconceptualization of the global movement on inclusive education.
The American Biology Teacher, 2017
Research indicates that student learning of science, student attitudes toward science, and their ... more Research indicates that student learning of science, student attitudes toward science, and their motivation to learn science and pursue science-related careers is related to classroom instruction. This study examined anatomy and physiology (A&P) classes in a south Texas high school where 97 percent of students are Hispanic bilingual learners. Classes were assigned to control or treatment groups, with the treatment group receiving instruction designed to help students develop a deeper understanding of anatomy vocabulary related to brain structures by making connections to these words in everyday life as well as to their understanding of Spanish. Main effects between group and test scores were significant, with the control group reporting higher test scores than the treatment group. We attribute this finding to a bleed-over of the treatment group instructional design to the control group. In addition, significant differences in mean and median scores were observed with respect to intr...
Proceedings of the 36th International Academic Conference, London, 2018
The Australian Journal of Rehabilitation Counselling, 2019
This study investigated the efficacy of a live theater performance intervention for enhancing the... more This study investigated the efficacy of a live theater performance intervention for enhancing the attitudes of pre-service rehabilitation students toward people with disabilities. A convenience sample of 54 undergraduate students of Latino/a descent (females = 33 and males = 21), age range 18 - 24 completed a pre-post design attitude change intervention. Data were collected on the students’ attitudes toward persons with disabilities, using the scale of attitudes towards disabled persons, and gladness, using a liker scale. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data. Results indicated the live theater performance intervention was more effective in providing positive emotion of gladness and in improving the attitudes of the students towards PWDs compared to simple print media.
Educational Studies, 2018
International Journal of Educational Reform, 2017
Drawing primarily from Pierre Bourdieu's work on “field” and “capital,” this article examines... more Drawing primarily from Pierre Bourdieu's work on “field” and “capital,” this article examines in detail how institutional barriers have systematically denied access to quality education to lower-class/caste students, which results in educational inequality impeding the efforts of sustainable development. China's hukou (household registration system) and India's varna vyavastha (caste system) are used as examples to illustrate how oblivious institutional barriers could manifest and exhibit in similar ways in two distinct sociopolitical nations. The article concludes with making a case for deconstructing the discourses on education for sustainable development based on the principles of social justice and equity.
Asia Pacific Education Review, 2015
Teaching and Teacher Education, 2015
Abstract The aim of this interpretive study was to examine the perceptions and beliefs of general... more Abstract The aim of this interpretive study was to examine the perceptions and beliefs of general education teachers in Delhi, India, about the inclusion of students with disabilities (SWDs) in regular education classrooms. In this study, with hermeneutic phenomenology as its methodological framework, 15 semi-structured interviews of public school teachers in Delhi were conducted. Each interview, lasting from 30 to 45 min, was recorded and transcribed. The data were analyzed using a constant comparative method. The following conclusions were drawn: (1) Sociocultural ideologies on disability have affected the education of SWDs, and (2) systematic institutional barriers have led teachers to accept inclusion only “in theory.”
Corporal Ethics: Morality, Punishment and ethical training for educators Ashwini Tiwari The Penns... more Corporal Ethics: Morality, Punishment and ethical training for educators Ashwini Tiwari The Pennsylvania State University Abstract Ethical frameworks guide educators in decision-making process on issues related to students' welfare. Stefkovich (2006), have argued that ethical training could play a critical role in decision making process of educators in situations where law may be right but unethical. Use of corporal punishment in schools is one such issue that is still legal in many parts of the world (World Corporal Punishment Research, 2012). However, increasingly corporal punishment is seen as a controversial practice not confirming to ethical standards. Educators trained to apply ethical frameworks in difficult situations, such as administration of corporal punishment, could make decisions in the best interest of the students. Using Stefkovich's (2006) recommendations that ethical training should be part of teacher preparation programs, this paper demonstrate how ethica...
Teacher education programs that prepare teachers within the context of functioning elementary and... more Teacher education programs that prepare teachers within the context of functioning elementary and secondary schools are widely discussed and debated. Research studies show that effective preparation of good teachers includes intensive practical experience with K-12 students under carefully supervised conditions in collaboration with experienced teachers. The field studies/practicum is a compulsory part of the teacher education program. Field studies/practicum in special education programs are dealt with in different ways at different universities. The role of the field studies/practicum in undergraduate and graduate special education programs is very important. What kind of field studies/practicum best prepares prospective special education teachers for classroom practice? Based on real life experience and research, the authors have proposed a reinforced life experience practicum framework, which prepares prospective special education teachers for effective classroom practices.
The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the interrelationship of scholarship on Chomsky’s theorie... more The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the interrelationship of scholarship on Chomsky’s theories, phenomenology and language acquisition in young children. More specifically, building on the historical and theoretical perspectives on language acquisition we argue that there is a connection between Chomsky’s theories and the field of phenomenology. We discuss language development in children to illustrate the overarching implications of Chomsky’s theories and phenomenology on language acquisition for both originate from Husserl’s work on language expressions. We thus conclude that Chomsky’s theories and phenomenology impact both first and second language learners.
International Education Studies, 2015
Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 2013
Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 2017
Educational Studies, 2019
Digital social platforms, such as a Facebook page, has increasingly become popular among students... more Digital social platforms, such as a Facebook page, has increasingly become popular among students to discuss school related issues (Halverson, 2014; Tiwari, 2014; Yusop & Sumari, 2013). Given Facebook page is a public digital social platform anyone could look at the comments made by students. A teacher could also unintentionally or intentionally view students' comments (Tiwari, 2014). Based on interviews with 15 high school teachers from a school in Delhi, this study examined teachers' perceptions of students' misbehavior on Facebook. The findings indicate that the teachers perceive :1) Facebook affects students' demeanor in face to face interactions and, 2)Facebook affects overall school decorum (Tiwari, 2014).
The role of field based experiences is very important in special education programs. This paper e... more The role of field based experiences is very important in special education programs. This paper examines the shortage of special education teachers in the United States. This paper will inspect the theoretical framework, and a conceptual framework for effective field studies in special education, which prepares prospective special education teachers for classroom practices.
This study examined the concerns of regular
elementary school teachers in Gurgaon, India, in orde... more This study examined the concerns of regular
elementary school teachers in Gurgaon, India, in order to
work with students with disabilities in inclusive education
settings. A total of 175 teachers responded to a two-part
questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and
inferential statistics. The data indicated that the teachers in
Gurgaon, overall, were a little concerned about implementing
inclusive education in their schools. Significant
difference existed in teacher concerns whether they taught
in government versus privately managed schools. Implications
are discussed to address teacher concerns for
inclusive education in India.
In the post Brown vs. Board of Education era, racial-ethnic minorities are not limited to urban n... more In the post Brown vs. Board of Education era, racial-ethnic minorities are not limited to urban neighborhoods; their migration to suburban areas has been steadily increasing. Although, student demographics of suburban schools have changed, the demographics of school principals have not; in the school year 2007-08, only 17.6% of principals in all US schools were people of color (Keigher & Gruber, 2009). This is statistics is important in context of findings by scholars (e.g., Ronfeldt, Lankford, Loeb, & Wyckoff, 2011; Fullan, 1991) that Principals with diverse backgrounds bring their unique cultural experiences to school community. Principal turnover has a negative effect on student achievement, and, school improvements. In this paper we examine, a) the changes in suburban principal demographics (race/ethnicity, gender, and age) over a 20 year time span and compare these changes to changes in schools in other geographical settings; b) principal turnover and compare the turnover rates...
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Papers by Ashwini Tiwari, Ph.D.
elementary school teachers in Gurgaon, India, in order to
work with students with disabilities in inclusive education
settings. A total of 175 teachers responded to a two-part
questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and
inferential statistics. The data indicated that the teachers in
Gurgaon, overall, were a little concerned about implementing
inclusive education in their schools. Significant
difference existed in teacher concerns whether they taught
in government versus privately managed schools. Implications
are discussed to address teacher concerns for
inclusive education in India.
elementary school teachers in Gurgaon, India, in order to
work with students with disabilities in inclusive education
settings. A total of 175 teachers responded to a two-part
questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and
inferential statistics. The data indicated that the teachers in
Gurgaon, overall, were a little concerned about implementing
inclusive education in their schools. Significant
difference existed in teacher concerns whether they taught
in government versus privately managed schools. Implications
are discussed to address teacher concerns for
inclusive education in India.