Date of Submission
7-15-2023
Document Type
DiP
Degree
Doctor of Education
Department
Education
Keywords
access, Advanced Placement, reculturing, Social Cognitive Theory, self-efficacy beliefs
Abstract
Advanced Placement allows students to demonstrate college readiness while in high school and potentially earn credit or placement toward higher education degrees. However, barriers can prevent students from accessing this advanced coursework and impede student learning, limit university options, and impact career prospects. Shifting teacher mindsets to an access-centered approach offers a viable solution to removing barriers. Leading faculty to change practices in the AP program at Birchwood (a pseudonym) requires reculturing an established culture of curriculum. Three leadership approaches serve this plan: the ethical highlights these problems of access, the authentic serves to build relations with school leaders, department heads, curriculum chairs, and AP faculty, and the instructional guides teachers’ curriculum planning, instruction, and assessment. Social Cognitive Theory underpins this change process with its two concepts: triadic reciprocal causation and self-efficacy beliefs. Reculturing requires changing teachers’ behaviours and their internal competencies, which change the environment in this reciprocal relationship. Changing self-efficacy beliefs in teachers is achieved through verbal persuasion, vicarious experience, personal mastery, and emotional state. This three-year implementation plan follows a recursive process through the Change Path Model’s awakening, mobilization, acceleration, and institutionalization phases including developing the collective efficacy of an AP leadership team in year one, building AP teacher capacity for change in year two, and changing teacher practices in year three. Monitoring and evaluation frameworks track progress and judge effectiveness. Next steps close out this plan with future considerations including a focus on social justice and equitable access.
Recommended Citation
Heleno, C. (2023). Removing Barriers and Increasing Access to Advanced Placement. The Organizational Improvement Plan at Western University, 376. Retrieved from https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/oip/376