Full List of Dr. Thieman's Publications on PDXScholar
Thieman, G. (2015). Taking informed action through civic literacy: One district’s story. Ohio Social Studies Review, 52 (1). Retrieved from http://edhd.bgsu.edu/ossr/journal/index.php/ossr/issue/view/15/showToc. Abstract: Civic literacy is an essential skill for effective participation in a democracy. Every state requires civics for graduation (Baumann et al, 2014, p. 17); national and state standards include specific reference to civic skills and knowledge. Yet in many districts, there is a gap between community expectations and the enacted civic education curriculum to support civic engagement. This is a preliminary report of an ongoing case study of opportunities for civic engagement in one urban district. Initial findings focus on the nature of K-12 students’ civic engagement, school level curriculum and instructional activities, and support needed to expand civic engagement opportunities.
Thieman, G. Y. (2016). Revising a Teacher Education Program for Diversity and Social Justice through Culturally Responsive Coursework and Professional Collaboration. In T. Petty, A. Good, & S. Putman (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Professional Development for Quality Teaching and Learning (pp. 409-436). Hershey, PA: IGI Global. doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-0204-3.ch020. Abstract: A major revision in a graduate teacher education program (GTEP) at a mid-sized urban university provided an opportunity to rethink goals as teacher educators in order to address issues of diversity and social justice. This chapter suggests some answers to the question: What characteristics of a teacher preparation program prepare teacher candidates (TCs) to provide high quality education for all students, including those who have been historically underserved? This chapter reports a case study of the relevant research and implementation of substantially revised university coursework to better prepare teacher candidates for a diverse student population, and increased collaboration to promote program coherence. Revised coursework emphasizes culturally responsive teaching, content area literacy, and accountability for K-12 student learning. Collaboration is facilitated by clustered placements, co-teaching, and lesson study.
Schechter, P. & Thieman, G. (2013-14). African American history in Oregon: Lesson plans. Teacher Institute Summer 2014: Using Archives to teach African American History in Oregon. Portland State University. Background: A pioneering cohort of Portland, Oregon, area teachers spent the week of 16-20 June 2014 remaking the way local African American history can be taught in public school classrooms. This week-long intensive seminar was led by Portland State University faculty from the College of Liberal Arts and from the Graduate School of Education. Participants did two things. First, they investigated primary sources on Oregon African American history held by Portland State University's library special collections department. They then examined some of the hands-on methods for teaching middle and high school students with primary source materials, like Document-Based Questions (DBQs). By engaging these two elements together, teachers reworked their pedagogical approaches and their historical content focus.
Thieman, G. & Cevallos, T. (2017). Promoting educational opportunity and achievement through 1:1 iPads. International Journal Information Learning and Technology, 34: 5, 409-427. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJILT-06-2017-0047. Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to expand the growing body of research on the educational impact of 1:1 mobile devices, investigating the iPad’s potential to reduce the disparity of access to high-quality instructional technology and achievement for low income, racially, and linguistically diverse students.
Thieman, G. Y. (2014). Challenges and opportunities in the first year of a 1:1 iPad initiative in a high-poverty, highly diverse urban high school. In T. Heafner, R. Hartshorne & T. Petty (Eds.). Exploring the effectiveness of online education in K-12 environments. Hershey, PA: IGI Global. pp. 257-285. Abstract: The digital divide between technology-mediated instruction for students in low versus high socio-economic schools is a serious equity issue with repercussions for student learning. While there is a growing body of research on blended learning and 1:1 mobile devices, there seems to be little research on the potential of iPads to reduce disparity of access and impact student learning in high poverty schools. This chapter reports first year results of a 1:1 iPad project on teachers' attitudes and experiences and on high school students' technology access and use.
Thieman, G. Y., O’Brien, J. E., VanFossen, P. J., & Berson, M. J. (2013). Characteristics of high-frequency technology users. In J. Passe, & P. G. Fitchett (Eds.). The status of social studies: Views from the field. Charlotte, NC: Information Age. pp. 235-248. Abstract: While technology tools are central to teaching and learning in the social studies, there is limited research on how K-12 educators integrate digital technology into the social studies curriculum (Lee & Friedman, 2009). To address this concern the Survey on the Status of Social Studies (S4) asked K-1 teachers to report on classroom use of technology. This chapter analyzes responses to survey questions on digital technology topics including: 1) internet access; 2) instructional purposes of technology, such as to develop students' higher order skills; 3) use of specific digital technologies and 4) students' use of the Internet.
Thieman, G. (2011). Emerging trends in digital citizenship in pre-service teacher practice. Oregon English Journal, 33(1), 41-45. Abstract: The article examines how technology and emerging digital trends are affecting civic participation and ways teachers can put strategies and techniques into practice and increase civic engagement.
Thieman, G. (2008). Using technology as a tool for learning and developing 21st century citizenship skills: An examination of technology use by pre-service teachers with their K- 12 students. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 8(4), 50 pages. Retrieved from http://www.citejournal.org/vol8/iss4/socialstudies/article1.cfm. Abstract: This study examined work samples and reflections of 223 elementary and secondary preservice teachers in a graduate teacher education program. The 5-year study addressed two questions: (a) To what extent did preservice teachers integrate technology into their instructional planning? (b) To what extent did K-12 students use technologies as a result of preservice teachers’ instructional designs? In addition to addressing these questions, the data from 344 preservice teacher work samples and 151 preservice teacher reflections were examined through the lens of the National Educational Technology Standards and Performance Indicators for Teachers (ISTE, 2000) and National Educational Technology Standards for Students: The Next Generation (ISTE, 2007).
Thieman, G.Y., McParker, M.D., Leider, E. M., Billingham, K. (2018). Preparing secondary social studies teachers to help English language learners develop academic language and social studies disciplinary literacy. In L. C. de Oliveiera & K. Obenchain (Eds.). Teaching history and social studies to English language learners: Preparing pre-service and in-service teachers. Palgrave Macmillan. Abstract: Teacher educators are responsible for teaching pre-service teachers how to integrate culturally and linguistically responsive instruction within the context of Common Core State Standards. This chapter focuses on what teacher educators need to know about preparing social studies pre-service teachers to work effectively with English Language Learners (ELLs) in secondary social studies classes.
Thieman, G. & Lenski, S. (2015). Preparing secondary social studies teacher candidates to address Common Core State Standards and the C3 Framework with diverse learners. Oregon Journal of the Social Studies, 3 (1), 13-32. Abstract: This study investigates the relationship between the literacy strategies used by social studies teacher candidates, the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies (CCSS), and the College, Career and Civic Life (C3) Framework. In an initial study the authors discovered that teacher candidates (TCs) in high-poverty schools tended to teach lower-level literacy strategies. We also explored the differences between TCs who were identified as using more high-level literacy strategies and those who used lower-level strategies. This follow- up study examines the work samples of six secondary social studies TCs in high poverty schools to understand the degree to which the literacy strategies they used address the CCSS and the C3 Framework.
Lenski, S., & Thieman, G. (2013). What work samples reveal about secondary pre-service social studies teachers’ use of literacy strategies. Teacher Education Quarterly 40 (1), 63-79. Abstract: The article discusses a study which aims to answer the research questions of whether secondary social studies pre-service teachers incorporate literacy strategies in their work samples during student teaching, and the extent and conditions secondary social studies pre-service teachers use higher levels of literacy strategies in their work samples. The study is framed within 3 areas of research namely activity theory, work sample methodology and disciplinary literacy.
Thieman, G., & Carano, K. (2013, January). How Oregon social studies teachers are preparing students for the 21st century. Oregon Journal of the Social Studies, 1(1), 3-18. Retrieved from http://www.oregonsocialstudies.org. Abstract: Much of the recent data on the state of social studies teaching has focused on the impact of NCLB on the decline of instructional time. The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of K-12 social studies curriculum and instructional practice, as reported by classroom teachers. The survey investigated the impact of mandated testing, major goals and concepts, teachers’ instructional strategies, and technology integration. This paper presents findings from Oregon teachers with comparison to data from the 2010-2011 National Study on the State of Social Studies (S4) and the content and skills advocated by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills.
Thieman, G. Y., O’Brien, J. E., Preston-Grimes, P., Broome, J. P., & Barker, T. W. (2013). From the field: What social studies teachers in three states report they do in the classroom. In J. Passe & P. G. Fitchett (Eds.). The status of social studies: Views from the field. Charlotte, NC: Information Age. pp.41-63. Abstract: While data on the status of social studies teaching has focused on the decline of instructional time in elementary classrooms, little is known about what occurs during instruction. The Survey on the Status of Social Studies (S4) asked K-12 teachers to report on the current status of their social studies curriculum and instructional practice. This chapter analyzes the findings from three states (Kansas, Oregon, and Virginia) and compared the results to data from the national survey .