New Friends and Cohesive Classrooms: A Research-Practice Partnership to Promote Inclusion

• In Event: Teacher and Community Engagement to Enhance Access for All

Abstract

This study explored the efficacy of a Research Practice Partnership (RPP) aiming to promote inclusion in an urban, highly-diverse, high-need elementary school. Lessons have been constructed and implemented by educators as part of the RPP, spanning a 6-month period. In total, 128 students across four classrooms participated in a survey to examine their friendship ties in three time points. We conducted t-tests to compare network density at T1 and T3 for each class and separable temporal exponential random graph models (STERGMs) to explore tie formation from T1 to T3. Results showed that the number of friendship ties increased significantly from T1 to T3 for all students and students with disabilities were significantly more likely to send new friendship ties.

Authors

• Christoforos Mamas, University of California - San Diego

• Peter Bjorklund, University of California - San Diego

• Shana R. Cohen, University of California - San Diego

• Caren Holtzman, University of California - San Diego