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In this paper, five female scholars of color utilize the method oftestimonio(testimony) to document their individual lived experiences as members of a three-year long research and writing collective. This collective served as a space of liberation from the dominant discourses and practices the women were experiencing in the academy. Eachtestimoniopresents themes related to: shared struggles, friendship, trust and vulnerability, a sense of give and take, and their commitment to each other and the group. It is hoped these reflectivetestimonios(testimonies) contribute to the existing literature citing the benefits of such collaborations among female scholars and also encourages and guides other female academicians to develop their own research and writing collectives. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article explores the construction of a bilingual professional identity in a bilingual creative-writing graduate program in southwest Texas by analyzing a classroom event and the participants' interpretation of it. In bilingual classrooms the resources available to construct professional identities include a large repertoire of linguistic practices and cultural frames. This context provides a space to explore how language, power, and identity are negotiated in bilingual settings. The data were analyzed from a social constructivist perspective using tools from Systemic Functional Linguistics (Halliday, 1994; Martin & White, 2005) and theme patterns. The paper demonstrates how 3 types of positioning—attitudinal, dialogic, and intertextual—contribute to the construction of various bilingual professional identities in the community and the idea that both Spanish and English are considered legitimate in the construction of disciplinary knowledge. The conclusions point to the importance of interpreting and explaining professional-identity construction as dynamic practices set in sociohistorical context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing access to higher education in prison is a topic of growing concern among researchers and correctional staff. The current evaluation analyzed data collected from 109 interviews in California, Texas, and Kansas with currently incarcerated students of a prison-based theological education program called The Urban Ministry Institute (TUMI) and with formerly incarcerated graduates who had participated in the program while they were incarcerated. In addition, 157 surveys were collected from individuals in California, Texas, Kansas, and Colorado who were currently incarcerated and formerly incarcerated program graduates. This study highlighted participants' perceived impact of TUMI, particularly on how they perceive overall program quality, areas for improvement, self-rated psychological well-being, and evaluation of prosocial thinking, behavior, and relationships, all of which contribute to identity change and desistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several states, including Texas, have implemented an "excess semester credit hours (ESCH)" policy. State ESCH policies assess a fee to students at public institutions when they exceed a set number of lifetime cumulative credit hours (e.g. students with more than the 120 credit hours needed for a bachelor's degree). In this article, we investigate a case study of Texas public institutions' communication of state ESCH policies. We analyze 119 documents collected from November 2019 to April 2020 to conduct a deductive content analysis of the websites using the theory of racialized administrative burdens. We did find that institutions frequently attended by students of color, such as two-year institutions and HBCUs, were the least likely to have information about the ESCH policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What challenges do political science educators face teaching in the Hispanic-serving classroom? How do they adapt their teaching styles and strategies when confronting these challenges? This preliminary study explores these and related questions through a survey conducted of political science instructors at colleges and universities across Texas. The answers to these questions are important for both pedagogical and policy reasons. There is a growing body of literature focused on the scholarship of teaching and learning in political science to which this study contributes.1 In addition, findings from this research may help to develop policy recommendations in the area of Hispanic and minority education. Many have predicted a sharp increase in the number of Hispanics attending postsecondary schools. In addition, education researchers have argued that our educational institutions have failed the minority communities (Justiz, Wilson, and Bjork 1994). In this article, we provide a brief overview of the state of the demographics of Hispanic education, a summary of past research, a description of the survey instrument, and an analysis of the findings. We conclude with some avenues for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent curriculum development projects have introduced geographers to the theory and practice of online instruction. One of these projects, the Virtual Geography Department (VGD) at the University of Texas at Austin, seeks to promote the development of high-quality instructional materials on the Web. Twenty-nine participants in the VGD project were interviewed for the purpose of learning what effects the VGD had on their educational practice. The results show that the VGD is diffusing innovative practice in geography by training faculty members in Web pedagogy and online curriculum development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of the Texas “Closing the Gaps by 2015” plan to increase Hispanic enrollment into and graduation from institutions of higher education. This study uses Interrupted Time Series with Comparison Group to analyze 26 years of student cohorts in Texas universities. Controlling for historical enrollment and graduation growth as well as population growth, the results show that Hispanic college enrollment significantly increased as a result of the plan, but graduation did not. Several recommendations are offered for those states that wish to emulate Texas policies of increasing college enrollment and graduation of Hispanics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article takes a look at Texas higher education, 2030 and beyond as the final year of the current Texas higher education plan-Closing the Gaps by 2015 (CTG) is set to expire. The CTG plan gave emphasis of increasing knowledge and human capital but not civic capital. If the state higher education does not refocus on civic purposes, it will be destructive to the state. So the policy makers should include building civic capital as a higher education goal in the post-CTG plan.

Latina/o students are one of the least likely populations to access technology and possess the techno-capital necessary to succeed in postsecondary education. This phenomenological qualitative research study used interviews with 20 Latina/o college students in Central Texas to examine how techno-capital and techno-disposition interact in complex ways to influence their college-going processes. Preliminary findings suggest that Latina/o students held varying levels of cognizance about the digital gap that were heavily dependent upon their socioeconomic backgrounds, that techno-disposition could be leveraged to access and attain more techno-capital, and that gender differences exist between how Latina/o students think about, approach, and utilize technology in their college experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to evaluate the efficacy of 14 Mathematics, Science and Technology Teacher Preparation (MSTTP) academies located across the state of Texas. The aim of the academies was to increase the number of highly qualified mathematics, science and technology teachers, while also improving the quality of certified teachers in these areas by focusing on seven established goals. A mixed-methods design was utilized to analyze both quantitative and qualitative data. The results revealed that the 14 MSTTP academies demonstrated three key strengths: focusing on strengthening content knowledge; developing professionally committed teachers; and providing funding for participants. Additionally, all 14 academies were charged with accomplishing seven goals; however, none of the academies fully implemented all of these goals. Specifically, all of the academies struggled to accomplish two goals: the integration of the areas of science, technology and mathematics; and the infusion of technology into curriculum. Finally, the study revealed that the goal of strengthening content knowledge was a good predictor for participants’ content qualifications, while strengthening content knowledge and strengthening pedagogical skills were good predictors of participants’ pedagogical qualifications. This research study contributes to the fields of teacher preparation and professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores college-going ganas in the South Rio Grande Valley of Texas within the context of Frierian liberatory praxis. During focus groups, current and former high school students discussed their experiences developing ganas regarding college going and discussed how parental support was integral to ganas formation. The participants also identified structural barriers preventing ganas from becoming college going (e.g., teachers handcuffed by standardized testing). Students wanted to change these conditions, demonstrated the ability to organize, but had also been taught that they were incapable of creating social change. Implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

English learners (ELs) are facing unique issues in higher education that remain largely unexplored. This research focuses on college choice, enrollment, and graduation among high-achieving ELs who were eligible for automatic admission to any public higher education institution in Texas by having graduated in the top 10% of their high school class. We found that large enrollment gains for ELs were not observed until revised Texas DREAM (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) legislation stipulated that immigrant students fulfilling reformulated residency requirements were entitled to in-state tuition rates. The majority of top 10% ELs enrolled at border institutions, were largely first-generation college students, and experienced generally higher cohort graduation rates at Texas flagship universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article suggests a list of software engineering topics appropriate for the introductory computer science courses, CS-1 and CS-2. Teaching issues arising from the incorporation of this material include course, project and team organization and activities. Many of the ideas noted here have been applied successfully in our CS-2 class at the University of Texas at Austin. Descriptions of sample projects and courses from the literature illustrate ways other faculty have integrated these approaches. Problem areas such as course organization and handling team problems are discussed and a bibliography of resources is included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]