The University of Texas at San Antonio

Post Doctoral Fellow

Kalpana worked at The University of Texas at San Antonio as a Post Doctoral Fellow

The University of Texas at San Antonio

The San Antonio Writitng Project Teacher Consultant

I am currently involved in a Texas Education Agency (TEA) grant funded teacher development project at the South San Independent School District under the guidance of Dr. Roxanne Henkin. I am also the research coordinator for the North side schools.

The University of Texas at San Antonio

Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching

I wrote my PhD dissertation under the guidance of Dr. Roxanne Henkin (Chair). My committee members were - Dr. Flores (External member), Dr. Howard Smith (BBL), Dr. Arruguin-Anderson (ILT), and Dr. Misty Sailors (ILT). Dr. Rajam Ramamurthy (UTHSCC) and Mrs. Veena Prasad (Ph.D. Student at Texas A&M) were my external readers. The topic was "Asian Indian American Students' Expression of Culture and Identity Construction Through Narrative Writing".

Wiley College, Marshall, TX

Faculty

I taught Composition, Linguistics, Advanced Composition, British Literature, and American Literature to undergraduate students.

Vidya Vardaka Sangha Pre-University College

Lecturer

I taught English Composition and Grammar Courses to High School (Pre-University) students in Bengaluru, India

Hyderabad Karnataka Education Society

Lecturer

I taught English Literature and Grammar Classes to undergraduate students in Bengaluru, India.

St. Mary's University

Director of ESL/IEP

I proposed and built the curriculum for EN 0301 (Intermediate Rhetoric and Composition Course for International Students with limited English language proficiency). I worked on the Intensive English Program curriculum and approval process.I also taught ESL courses to both undergraduate and graduate international students. I designed the Historias De La Vida Project where international students write and read family oriented stories.

Cultural Literacy in Asian Indian American Students

Devsanskruthi Interdisciplinary International Journal

Abstract The cultivation of ‘cultural literacy’ in students from multicultural backgrounds may occur outside schooling practices in the US due to curricular framing (Sadovnik, 2001) and a lack of interest in integrating cultural education at schools. ‘Cultural literacy’ warrants student participation and requires a conducive learning environment where multiethnic students can seek inspiration through exploration. The San Antonio Writing Project’s literacy project called the Kahani Project fosters creativeness and facilitates authentic expression of cultural funds of knowledge of Asian Indian American students. Performing arts including dance and music engage Asia Indian students and enable them to learn about their culture, heritage, and religion. The Kahani Project is culturally contextualized writing activity, where Asian Indian students write about their generational practices that may not addressed in schools in the US. This qualitative study explores two narratives written for the Kahani Project. The study utilized Leiblich et al (2009) holistic content analysis to arrive at themes, categories, and meta categories. The findings revealed Indian students'​ willingness to preserve their culture through writing about Indian dance and music. The second inference of this study was that Indian students' heritage is neglected and excluded in US curriculum. Key words: Asian Indian Students, cultural literacy, dance and music, & the Kahani Project.

Cultural Literacy in Asian Indian American Students

Devsanskruthi Interdisciplinary International Journal

Abstract The cultivation of ‘cultural literacy’ in students from multicultural backgrounds may occur outside schooling practices in the US due to curricular framing (Sadovnik, 2001) and a lack of interest in integrating cultural education at schools. ‘Cultural literacy’ warrants student participation and requires a conducive learning environment where multiethnic students can seek inspiration through exploration. The San Antonio Writing Project’s literacy project called the Kahani Project fosters creativeness and facilitates authentic expression of cultural funds of knowledge of Asian Indian American students. Performing arts including dance and music engage Asia Indian students and enable them to learn about their culture, heritage, and religion. The Kahani Project is culturally contextualized writing activity, where Asian Indian students write about their generational practices that may not addressed in schools in the US. This qualitative study explores two narratives written for the Kahani Project. The study utilized Leiblich et al (2009) holistic content analysis to arrive at themes, categories, and meta categories. The findings revealed Indian students'​ willingness to preserve their culture through writing about Indian dance and music. The second inference of this study was that Indian students' heritage is neglected and excluded in US curriculum. Key words: Asian Indian Students, cultural literacy, dance and music, & the Kahani Project.

TOPIC CHOICE AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS WRITING IN AN INVITATIONAL SUMMER INSTITUTE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WRITING PROJECT

European Journal of Research and Reflection in Arts and Humanities Vol. 3 No. 2, 2015 ISSN 2056-5887

ABSTRACT According to Riley and Hawe (2004), "Research interest in the analysis of stories has increased as researchers in many disciplines endeavor to see the world through the eyes of the others" (p. 226). We were interested in examining the topic choice of the San Antonio Writing Project summer institute participants, so we could try and understand the topics the contributors wrote during the San Antonio Writing Project’s Invitational Summer Institute professional development program. Our study examined the weekly writing assignment that the members of this learning community wrote and later shared with other participants at the institute. Although teachers could write in any genre, we chose to analyze personal narratives because such writing generated rich themes. In this study, we were also exploring the institute writers’ attitudes about writing and sh aring. Twenty - three themes emerged after holistic content analysis of the data and four categories (identity, gratitude, reflection, and human experiences) were formed by clustering the twenty - three emergent themes. Key words: Summer Institute, personal narratives, writing, professional development, & attitude

Cultural Literacy in Asian Indian American Students

Devsanskruthi Interdisciplinary International Journal

Abstract The cultivation of ‘cultural literacy’ in students from multicultural backgrounds may occur outside schooling practices in the US due to curricular framing (Sadovnik, 2001) and a lack of interest in integrating cultural education at schools. ‘Cultural literacy’ warrants student participation and requires a conducive learning environment where multiethnic students can seek inspiration through exploration. The San Antonio Writing Project’s literacy project called the Kahani Project fosters creativeness and facilitates authentic expression of cultural funds of knowledge of Asian Indian American students. Performing arts including dance and music engage Asia Indian students and enable them to learn about their culture, heritage, and religion. The Kahani Project is culturally contextualized writing activity, where Asian Indian students write about their generational practices that may not addressed in schools in the US. This qualitative study explores two narratives written for the Kahani Project. The study utilized Leiblich et al (2009) holistic content analysis to arrive at themes, categories, and meta categories. The findings revealed Indian students'​ willingness to preserve their culture through writing about Indian dance and music. The second inference of this study was that Indian students' heritage is neglected and excluded in US curriculum. Key words: Asian Indian Students, cultural literacy, dance and music, & the Kahani Project.

TOPIC CHOICE AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS WRITING IN AN INVITATIONAL SUMMER INSTITUTE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WRITING PROJECT

European Journal of Research and Reflection in Arts and Humanities Vol. 3 No. 2, 2015 ISSN 2056-5887

ABSTRACT According to Riley and Hawe (2004), "Research interest in the analysis of stories has increased as researchers in many disciplines endeavor to see the world through the eyes of the others" (p. 226). We were interested in examining the topic choice of the San Antonio Writing Project summer institute participants, so we could try and understand the topics the contributors wrote during the San Antonio Writing Project’s Invitational Summer Institute professional development program. Our study examined the weekly writing assignment that the members of this learning community wrote and later shared with other participants at the institute. Although teachers could write in any genre, we chose to analyze personal narratives because such writing generated rich themes. In this study, we were also exploring the institute writers’ attitudes about writing and sh aring. Twenty - three themes emerged after holistic content analysis of the data and four categories (identity, gratitude, reflection, and human experiences) were formed by clustering the twenty - three emergent themes. Key words: Summer Institute, personal narratives, writing, professional development, & attitude

Dissertation Writing Through a Community of Practice Approach

The Criterion: An International Journal in English

Abstract: According to Arum & Roksa (2011), graduate students cannot depend on their professors to guide them with writing scholarly articles. Articulating atwenty-page paper can be time consuming and tedious while a two to three hundred page dissertation is a daunting task. Writing a doctoral exposition can be overwhelming for students with a topic that is culturally relevant to a certain demographic of people and the topic may not be familiar to other students. A community of practice established by Dr. Brodyproved beneficial to Dr. Ekalavya1, then a doctoral candidate and it was an effective practice that enabled Dr. Ekalavyato write a successful dissertation. The current case study is intended to explore the strategies employed by the dissertation chair to enable her doctoral candidate to successfully write the dissertation. The study also investigates the writing processes implemented by the dissertation chair. A few important scaffolding schemes included: brainstorming, clarification of ideas through discussions, elaboration of chapters, and extensive revising once a week for four semesters. This academic coaching approach can be implemented in writing classes across the curriculum. Keywords: community of practice, coaching,dissertation writing processes.

Cultural Literacy in Asian Indian American Students

Devsanskruthi Interdisciplinary International Journal

Abstract The cultivation of ‘cultural literacy’ in students from multicultural backgrounds may occur outside schooling practices in the US due to curricular framing (Sadovnik, 2001) and a lack of interest in integrating cultural education at schools. ‘Cultural literacy’ warrants student participation and requires a conducive learning environment where multiethnic students can seek inspiration through exploration. The San Antonio Writing Project’s literacy project called the Kahani Project fosters creativeness and facilitates authentic expression of cultural funds of knowledge of Asian Indian American students. Performing arts including dance and music engage Asia Indian students and enable them to learn about their culture, heritage, and religion. The Kahani Project is culturally contextualized writing activity, where Asian Indian students write about their generational practices that may not addressed in schools in the US. This qualitative study explores two narratives written for the Kahani Project. The study utilized Leiblich et al (2009) holistic content analysis to arrive at themes, categories, and meta categories. The findings revealed Indian students'​ willingness to preserve their culture through writing about Indian dance and music. The second inference of this study was that Indian students' heritage is neglected and excluded in US curriculum. Key words: Asian Indian Students, cultural literacy, dance and music, & the Kahani Project.

TOPIC CHOICE AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS WRITING IN AN INVITATIONAL SUMMER INSTITUTE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WRITING PROJECT

European Journal of Research and Reflection in Arts and Humanities Vol. 3 No. 2, 2015 ISSN 2056-5887

ABSTRACT According to Riley and Hawe (2004), "Research interest in the analysis of stories has increased as researchers in many disciplines endeavor to see the world through the eyes of the others" (p. 226). We were interested in examining the topic choice of the San Antonio Writing Project summer institute participants, so we could try and understand the topics the contributors wrote during the San Antonio Writing Project’s Invitational Summer Institute professional development program. Our study examined the weekly writing assignment that the members of this learning community wrote and later shared with other participants at the institute. Although teachers could write in any genre, we chose to analyze personal narratives because such writing generated rich themes. In this study, we were also exploring the institute writers’ attitudes about writing and sh aring. Twenty - three themes emerged after holistic content analysis of the data and four categories (identity, gratitude, reflection, and human experiences) were formed by clustering the twenty - three emergent themes. Key words: Summer Institute, personal narratives, writing, professional development, & attitude

Dissertation Writing Through a Community of Practice Approach

The Criterion: An International Journal in English

Abstract: According to Arum & Roksa (2011), graduate students cannot depend on their professors to guide them with writing scholarly articles. Articulating atwenty-page paper can be time consuming and tedious while a two to three hundred page dissertation is a daunting task. Writing a doctoral exposition can be overwhelming for students with a topic that is culturally relevant to a certain demographic of people and the topic may not be familiar to other students. A community of practice established by Dr. Brodyproved beneficial to Dr. Ekalavya1, then a doctoral candidate and it was an effective practice that enabled Dr. Ekalavyato write a successful dissertation. The current case study is intended to explore the strategies employed by the dissertation chair to enable her doctoral candidate to successfully write the dissertation. The study also investigates the writing processes implemented by the dissertation chair. A few important scaffolding schemes included: brainstorming, clarification of ideas through discussions, elaboration of chapters, and extensive revising once a week for four semesters. This academic coaching approach can be implemented in writing classes across the curriculum. Keywords: community of practice, coaching,dissertation writing processes.

Iyengar, K.M. (2014). Bharatanatyam and Transnational Literacy Through Socio-Cultural Pedagogy.

Iyengar, K.M. (2014). Bharatanatyam and Transnational Literacy Through Socio-Cultural Pedagogy. IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS)19(10) 50-59 e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p- 50-59. ISSN: 2279-0845. www.iosrjournals.org

This qualitative research paper intends to examine the socio-cultural pedagogies in Bharatanatyam. As an attempt to educate non-Bharatanatyam dancers and dance education researchers, this study focuses on an extensive literature review including data driven studies and position papers. Bharatanatyam, learned using socio-cultural tenets is a valuable Asian Indian artistic and transnational literacy tool. This paper is also an attempt to analyze studies on ballet and flamenco and other scholarly and researched articles on Bharatnatyam. Absence of cognitive benefits of Bharatanatyam in research studies and scholarly articles impacts dance education and Asian Indian children living in the west. Key Words: Bharatanatyam, Socio-cultural interaction, dance education, Asian Indian, transnational literacy

Cultural Literacy in Asian Indian American Students

Devsanskruthi Interdisciplinary International Journal

Abstract The cultivation of ‘cultural literacy’ in students from multicultural backgrounds may occur outside schooling practices in the US due to curricular framing (Sadovnik, 2001) and a lack of interest in integrating cultural education at schools. ‘Cultural literacy’ warrants student participation and requires a conducive learning environment where multiethnic students can seek inspiration through exploration. The San Antonio Writing Project’s literacy project called the Kahani Project fosters creativeness and facilitates authentic expression of cultural funds of knowledge of Asian Indian American students. Performing arts including dance and music engage Asia Indian students and enable them to learn about their culture, heritage, and religion. The Kahani Project is culturally contextualized writing activity, where Asian Indian students write about their generational practices that may not addressed in schools in the US. This qualitative study explores two narratives written for the Kahani Project. The study utilized Leiblich et al (2009) holistic content analysis to arrive at themes, categories, and meta categories. The findings revealed Indian students'​ willingness to preserve their culture through writing about Indian dance and music. The second inference of this study was that Indian students' heritage is neglected and excluded in US curriculum. Key words: Asian Indian Students, cultural literacy, dance and music, & the Kahani Project.

TOPIC CHOICE AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS WRITING IN AN INVITATIONAL SUMMER INSTITUTE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WRITING PROJECT

European Journal of Research and Reflection in Arts and Humanities Vol. 3 No. 2, 2015 ISSN 2056-5887

ABSTRACT According to Riley and Hawe (2004), "Research interest in the analysis of stories has increased as researchers in many disciplines endeavor to see the world through the eyes of the others" (p. 226). We were interested in examining the topic choice of the San Antonio Writing Project summer institute participants, so we could try and understand the topics the contributors wrote during the San Antonio Writing Project’s Invitational Summer Institute professional development program. Our study examined the weekly writing assignment that the members of this learning community wrote and later shared with other participants at the institute. Although teachers could write in any genre, we chose to analyze personal narratives because such writing generated rich themes. In this study, we were also exploring the institute writers’ attitudes about writing and sh aring. Twenty - three themes emerged after holistic content analysis of the data and four categories (identity, gratitude, reflection, and human experiences) were formed by clustering the twenty - three emergent themes. Key words: Summer Institute, personal narratives, writing, professional development, & attitude

Dissertation Writing Through a Community of Practice Approach

The Criterion: An International Journal in English

Abstract: According to Arum & Roksa (2011), graduate students cannot depend on their professors to guide them with writing scholarly articles. Articulating atwenty-page paper can be time consuming and tedious while a two to three hundred page dissertation is a daunting task. Writing a doctoral exposition can be overwhelming for students with a topic that is culturally relevant to a certain demographic of people and the topic may not be familiar to other students. A community of practice established by Dr. Brodyproved beneficial to Dr. Ekalavya1, then a doctoral candidate and it was an effective practice that enabled Dr. Ekalavyato write a successful dissertation. The current case study is intended to explore the strategies employed by the dissertation chair to enable her doctoral candidate to successfully write the dissertation. The study also investigates the writing processes implemented by the dissertation chair. A few important scaffolding schemes included: brainstorming, clarification of ideas through discussions, elaboration of chapters, and extensive revising once a week for four semesters. This academic coaching approach can be implemented in writing classes across the curriculum. Keywords: community of practice, coaching,dissertation writing processes.

Iyengar, K.M. (2014). Bharatanatyam and Transnational Literacy Through Socio-Cultural Pedagogy.

Iyengar, K.M. (2014). Bharatanatyam and Transnational Literacy Through Socio-Cultural Pedagogy. IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS)19(10) 50-59 e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p- 50-59. ISSN: 2279-0845. www.iosrjournals.org

This qualitative research paper intends to examine the socio-cultural pedagogies in Bharatanatyam. As an attempt to educate non-Bharatanatyam dancers and dance education researchers, this study focuses on an extensive literature review including data driven studies and position papers. Bharatanatyam, learned using socio-cultural tenets is a valuable Asian Indian artistic and transnational literacy tool. This paper is also an attempt to analyze studies on ballet and flamenco and other scholarly and researched articles on Bharatnatyam. Absence of cognitive benefits of Bharatanatyam in research studies and scholarly articles impacts dance education and Asian Indian children living in the west. Key Words: Bharatanatyam, Socio-cultural interaction, dance education, Asian Indian, transnational literacy

1. Several creative writing texts were published in “The Pecan Grove Literary Magazine” at St. Mary’s University 2. A joint book review published in “The Education Review” http://www.edrev.info/reviews/rev1021.pdf 3. Iyengar, K.M. (2013). “I’ll Ask You T

St. Mary's University Pecan Grove Review (Editor: Prof. Diane Bertrand)

The following creative writing texts were published in the Pecan Grove Review 1. My Portentous Blanket 2. Gopala Marries Carla 3. Death

Cultural Literacy in Asian Indian American Students

Devsanskruthi Interdisciplinary International Journal

Abstract The cultivation of ‘cultural literacy’ in students from multicultural backgrounds may occur outside schooling practices in the US due to curricular framing (Sadovnik, 2001) and a lack of interest in integrating cultural education at schools. ‘Cultural literacy’ warrants student participation and requires a conducive learning environment where multiethnic students can seek inspiration through exploration. The San Antonio Writing Project’s literacy project called the Kahani Project fosters creativeness and facilitates authentic expression of cultural funds of knowledge of Asian Indian American students. Performing arts including dance and music engage Asia Indian students and enable them to learn about their culture, heritage, and religion. The Kahani Project is culturally contextualized writing activity, where Asian Indian students write about their generational practices that may not addressed in schools in the US. This qualitative study explores two narratives written for the Kahani Project. The study utilized Leiblich et al (2009) holistic content analysis to arrive at themes, categories, and meta categories. The findings revealed Indian students'​ willingness to preserve their culture through writing about Indian dance and music. The second inference of this study was that Indian students' heritage is neglected and excluded in US curriculum. Key words: Asian Indian Students, cultural literacy, dance and music, & the Kahani Project.

TOPIC CHOICE AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS WRITING IN AN INVITATIONAL SUMMER INSTITUTE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WRITING PROJECT

European Journal of Research and Reflection in Arts and Humanities Vol. 3 No. 2, 2015 ISSN 2056-5887

ABSTRACT According to Riley and Hawe (2004), "Research interest in the analysis of stories has increased as researchers in many disciplines endeavor to see the world through the eyes of the others" (p. 226). We were interested in examining the topic choice of the San Antonio Writing Project summer institute participants, so we could try and understand the topics the contributors wrote during the San Antonio Writing Project’s Invitational Summer Institute professional development program. Our study examined the weekly writing assignment that the members of this learning community wrote and later shared with other participants at the institute. Although teachers could write in any genre, we chose to analyze personal narratives because such writing generated rich themes. In this study, we were also exploring the institute writers’ attitudes about writing and sh aring. Twenty - three themes emerged after holistic content analysis of the data and four categories (identity, gratitude, reflection, and human experiences) were formed by clustering the twenty - three emergent themes. Key words: Summer Institute, personal narratives, writing, professional development, & attitude

Dissertation Writing Through a Community of Practice Approach

The Criterion: An International Journal in English

Abstract: According to Arum & Roksa (2011), graduate students cannot depend on their professors to guide them with writing scholarly articles. Articulating atwenty-page paper can be time consuming and tedious while a two to three hundred page dissertation is a daunting task. Writing a doctoral exposition can be overwhelming for students with a topic that is culturally relevant to a certain demographic of people and the topic may not be familiar to other students. A community of practice established by Dr. Brodyproved beneficial to Dr. Ekalavya1, then a doctoral candidate and it was an effective practice that enabled Dr. Ekalavyato write a successful dissertation. The current case study is intended to explore the strategies employed by the dissertation chair to enable her doctoral candidate to successfully write the dissertation. The study also investigates the writing processes implemented by the dissertation chair. A few important scaffolding schemes included: brainstorming, clarification of ideas through discussions, elaboration of chapters, and extensive revising once a week for four semesters. This academic coaching approach can be implemented in writing classes across the curriculum. Keywords: community of practice, coaching,dissertation writing processes.

Iyengar, K.M. (2014). Bharatanatyam and Transnational Literacy Through Socio-Cultural Pedagogy.

Iyengar, K.M. (2014). Bharatanatyam and Transnational Literacy Through Socio-Cultural Pedagogy. IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS)19(10) 50-59 e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p- 50-59. ISSN: 2279-0845. www.iosrjournals.org

This qualitative research paper intends to examine the socio-cultural pedagogies in Bharatanatyam. As an attempt to educate non-Bharatanatyam dancers and dance education researchers, this study focuses on an extensive literature review including data driven studies and position papers. Bharatanatyam, learned using socio-cultural tenets is a valuable Asian Indian artistic and transnational literacy tool. This paper is also an attempt to analyze studies on ballet and flamenco and other scholarly and researched articles on Bharatnatyam. Absence of cognitive benefits of Bharatanatyam in research studies and scholarly articles impacts dance education and Asian Indian children living in the west. Key Words: Bharatanatyam, Socio-cultural interaction, dance education, Asian Indian, transnational literacy

1. Several creative writing texts were published in “The Pecan Grove Literary Magazine” at St. Mary’s University 2. A joint book review published in “The Education Review” http://www.edrev.info/reviews/rev1021.pdf 3. Iyengar, K.M. (2013). “I’ll Ask You T

St. Mary's University Pecan Grove Review (Editor: Prof. Diane Bertrand)

The following creative writing texts were published in the Pecan Grove Review 1. My Portentous Blanket 2. Gopala Marries Carla 3. Death

. Iyengar, K.M. (2013). “I’ll Ask You Three Times: Are You Okay? Using Graphic Organizers to Support University-Level English Language Learners”. English in Texas 43(2). P. 1-4. A Journal of the Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts

English in Texas | Volume 43.2 | Fall/Winter 2013 | A Journal of the Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts

I observed that students had difficulties when asked to read a chapter and then underline the connections between concepts in a text. However, when provided with a graphic organizer (GO), they were able to make connections between concepts (Tang, 1992). This article describes how GO can be a useful tool to teach international students text structure using a chapter from a novel based on travel stories. International students have the schemata to process this narrative genre because they have the prior knowledge of travel experiences.

Cultural Literacy in Asian Indian American Students

Devsanskruthi Interdisciplinary International Journal

Abstract The cultivation of ‘cultural literacy’ in students from multicultural backgrounds may occur outside schooling practices in the US due to curricular framing (Sadovnik, 2001) and a lack of interest in integrating cultural education at schools. ‘Cultural literacy’ warrants student participation and requires a conducive learning environment where multiethnic students can seek inspiration through exploration. The San Antonio Writing Project’s literacy project called the Kahani Project fosters creativeness and facilitates authentic expression of cultural funds of knowledge of Asian Indian American students. Performing arts including dance and music engage Asia Indian students and enable them to learn about their culture, heritage, and religion. The Kahani Project is culturally contextualized writing activity, where Asian Indian students write about their generational practices that may not addressed in schools in the US. This qualitative study explores two narratives written for the Kahani Project. The study utilized Leiblich et al (2009) holistic content analysis to arrive at themes, categories, and meta categories. The findings revealed Indian students'​ willingness to preserve their culture through writing about Indian dance and music. The second inference of this study was that Indian students' heritage is neglected and excluded in US curriculum. Key words: Asian Indian Students, cultural literacy, dance and music, & the Kahani Project.

TOPIC CHOICE AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS WRITING IN AN INVITATIONAL SUMMER INSTITUTE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WRITING PROJECT

European Journal of Research and Reflection in Arts and Humanities Vol. 3 No. 2, 2015 ISSN 2056-5887

ABSTRACT According to Riley and Hawe (2004), "Research interest in the analysis of stories has increased as researchers in many disciplines endeavor to see the world through the eyes of the others" (p. 226). We were interested in examining the topic choice of the San Antonio Writing Project summer institute participants, so we could try and understand the topics the contributors wrote during the San Antonio Writing Project’s Invitational Summer Institute professional development program. Our study examined the weekly writing assignment that the members of this learning community wrote and later shared with other participants at the institute. Although teachers could write in any genre, we chose to analyze personal narratives because such writing generated rich themes. In this study, we were also exploring the institute writers’ attitudes about writing and sh aring. Twenty - three themes emerged after holistic content analysis of the data and four categories (identity, gratitude, reflection, and human experiences) were formed by clustering the twenty - three emergent themes. Key words: Summer Institute, personal narratives, writing, professional development, & attitude

Dissertation Writing Through a Community of Practice Approach

The Criterion: An International Journal in English

Abstract: According to Arum & Roksa (2011), graduate students cannot depend on their professors to guide them with writing scholarly articles. Articulating atwenty-page paper can be time consuming and tedious while a two to three hundred page dissertation is a daunting task. Writing a doctoral exposition can be overwhelming for students with a topic that is culturally relevant to a certain demographic of people and the topic may not be familiar to other students. A community of practice established by Dr. Brodyproved beneficial to Dr. Ekalavya1, then a doctoral candidate and it was an effective practice that enabled Dr. Ekalavyato write a successful dissertation. The current case study is intended to explore the strategies employed by the dissertation chair to enable her doctoral candidate to successfully write the dissertation. The study also investigates the writing processes implemented by the dissertation chair. A few important scaffolding schemes included: brainstorming, clarification of ideas through discussions, elaboration of chapters, and extensive revising once a week for four semesters. This academic coaching approach can be implemented in writing classes across the curriculum. Keywords: community of practice, coaching,dissertation writing processes.

Iyengar, K.M. (2014). Bharatanatyam and Transnational Literacy Through Socio-Cultural Pedagogy.

Iyengar, K.M. (2014). Bharatanatyam and Transnational Literacy Through Socio-Cultural Pedagogy. IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS)19(10) 50-59 e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p- 50-59. ISSN: 2279-0845. www.iosrjournals.org

This qualitative research paper intends to examine the socio-cultural pedagogies in Bharatanatyam. As an attempt to educate non-Bharatanatyam dancers and dance education researchers, this study focuses on an extensive literature review including data driven studies and position papers. Bharatanatyam, learned using socio-cultural tenets is a valuable Asian Indian artistic and transnational literacy tool. This paper is also an attempt to analyze studies on ballet and flamenco and other scholarly and researched articles on Bharatnatyam. Absence of cognitive benefits of Bharatanatyam in research studies and scholarly articles impacts dance education and Asian Indian children living in the west. Key Words: Bharatanatyam, Socio-cultural interaction, dance education, Asian Indian, transnational literacy

1. Several creative writing texts were published in “The Pecan Grove Literary Magazine” at St. Mary’s University 2. A joint book review published in “The Education Review” http://www.edrev.info/reviews/rev1021.pdf 3. Iyengar, K.M. (2013). “I’ll Ask You T

St. Mary's University Pecan Grove Review (Editor: Prof. Diane Bertrand)

The following creative writing texts were published in the Pecan Grove Review 1. My Portentous Blanket 2. Gopala Marries Carla 3. Death

. Iyengar, K.M. (2013). “I’ll Ask You Three Times: Are You Okay? Using Graphic Organizers to Support University-Level English Language Learners”. English in Texas 43(2). P. 1-4. A Journal of the Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts

English in Texas | Volume 43.2 | Fall/Winter 2013 | A Journal of the Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts

I observed that students had difficulties when asked to read a chapter and then underline the connections between concepts in a text. However, when provided with a graphic organizer (GO), they were able to make connections between concepts (Tang, 1992). This article describes how GO can be a useful tool to teach international students text structure using a chapter from a novel based on travel stories. International students have the schemata to process this narrative genre because they have the prior knowledge of travel experiences.

Iyengar, K. M. (2014). Holistic content analysis of narratives written by Asian Indian American students. European Journal of Research and Reflection in Arts and Humanities, 2 (2), 62-75

European Journal of Research and Reflection in Arts and Humanities

This article is an attempt to explore holistic content analysis (Leiblich et al, 2008), which may be an appropriate method to analyze narrative material. This research utilizes four of the kahanis1 (narratives) written by students of Asian Indian origin growing up in a major city in the United States of America. This study may be beneficial to researchers interested in analyzing narrative texts using holistic content analysis supported by Leiblich et al (2008). The analysis yielded several rich themes, categories, and meta-categories.

Cultural Literacy in Asian Indian American Students

Devsanskruthi Interdisciplinary International Journal

Abstract The cultivation of ‘cultural literacy’ in students from multicultural backgrounds may occur outside schooling practices in the US due to curricular framing (Sadovnik, 2001) and a lack of interest in integrating cultural education at schools. ‘Cultural literacy’ warrants student participation and requires a conducive learning environment where multiethnic students can seek inspiration through exploration. The San Antonio Writing Project’s literacy project called the Kahani Project fosters creativeness and facilitates authentic expression of cultural funds of knowledge of Asian Indian American students. Performing arts including dance and music engage Asia Indian students and enable them to learn about their culture, heritage, and religion. The Kahani Project is culturally contextualized writing activity, where Asian Indian students write about their generational practices that may not addressed in schools in the US. This qualitative study explores two narratives written for the Kahani Project. The study utilized Leiblich et al (2009) holistic content analysis to arrive at themes, categories, and meta categories. The findings revealed Indian students'​ willingness to preserve their culture through writing about Indian dance and music. The second inference of this study was that Indian students' heritage is neglected and excluded in US curriculum. Key words: Asian Indian Students, cultural literacy, dance and music, & the Kahani Project.

TOPIC CHOICE AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS WRITING IN AN INVITATIONAL SUMMER INSTITUTE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WRITING PROJECT

European Journal of Research and Reflection in Arts and Humanities Vol. 3 No. 2, 2015 ISSN 2056-5887

ABSTRACT According to Riley and Hawe (2004), "Research interest in the analysis of stories has increased as researchers in many disciplines endeavor to see the world through the eyes of the others" (p. 226). We were interested in examining the topic choice of the San Antonio Writing Project summer institute participants, so we could try and understand the topics the contributors wrote during the San Antonio Writing Project’s Invitational Summer Institute professional development program. Our study examined the weekly writing assignment that the members of this learning community wrote and later shared with other participants at the institute. Although teachers could write in any genre, we chose to analyze personal narratives because such writing generated rich themes. In this study, we were also exploring the institute writers’ attitudes about writing and sh aring. Twenty - three themes emerged after holistic content analysis of the data and four categories (identity, gratitude, reflection, and human experiences) were formed by clustering the twenty - three emergent themes. Key words: Summer Institute, personal narratives, writing, professional development, & attitude

Dissertation Writing Through a Community of Practice Approach

The Criterion: An International Journal in English

Abstract: According to Arum & Roksa (2011), graduate students cannot depend on their professors to guide them with writing scholarly articles. Articulating atwenty-page paper can be time consuming and tedious while a two to three hundred page dissertation is a daunting task. Writing a doctoral exposition can be overwhelming for students with a topic that is culturally relevant to a certain demographic of people and the topic may not be familiar to other students. A community of practice established by Dr. Brodyproved beneficial to Dr. Ekalavya1, then a doctoral candidate and it was an effective practice that enabled Dr. Ekalavyato write a successful dissertation. The current case study is intended to explore the strategies employed by the dissertation chair to enable her doctoral candidate to successfully write the dissertation. The study also investigates the writing processes implemented by the dissertation chair. A few important scaffolding schemes included: brainstorming, clarification of ideas through discussions, elaboration of chapters, and extensive revising once a week for four semesters. This academic coaching approach can be implemented in writing classes across the curriculum. Keywords: community of practice, coaching,dissertation writing processes.

Iyengar, K.M. (2014). Bharatanatyam and Transnational Literacy Through Socio-Cultural Pedagogy.

Iyengar, K.M. (2014). Bharatanatyam and Transnational Literacy Through Socio-Cultural Pedagogy. IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS)19(10) 50-59 e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p- 50-59. ISSN: 2279-0845. www.iosrjournals.org

This qualitative research paper intends to examine the socio-cultural pedagogies in Bharatanatyam. As an attempt to educate non-Bharatanatyam dancers and dance education researchers, this study focuses on an extensive literature review including data driven studies and position papers. Bharatanatyam, learned using socio-cultural tenets is a valuable Asian Indian artistic and transnational literacy tool. This paper is also an attempt to analyze studies on ballet and flamenco and other scholarly and researched articles on Bharatnatyam. Absence of cognitive benefits of Bharatanatyam in research studies and scholarly articles impacts dance education and Asian Indian children living in the west. Key Words: Bharatanatyam, Socio-cultural interaction, dance education, Asian Indian, transnational literacy

1. Several creative writing texts were published in “The Pecan Grove Literary Magazine” at St. Mary’s University 2. A joint book review published in “The Education Review” http://www.edrev.info/reviews/rev1021.pdf 3. Iyengar, K.M. (2013). “I’ll Ask You T

St. Mary's University Pecan Grove Review (Editor: Prof. Diane Bertrand)

The following creative writing texts were published in the Pecan Grove Review 1. My Portentous Blanket 2. Gopala Marries Carla 3. Death

. Iyengar, K.M. (2013). “I’ll Ask You Three Times: Are You Okay? Using Graphic Organizers to Support University-Level English Language Learners”. English in Texas 43(2). P. 1-4. A Journal of the Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts

English in Texas | Volume 43.2 | Fall/Winter 2013 | A Journal of the Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts

I observed that students had difficulties when asked to read a chapter and then underline the connections between concepts in a text. However, when provided with a graphic organizer (GO), they were able to make connections between concepts (Tang, 1992). This article describes how GO can be a useful tool to teach international students text structure using a chapter from a novel based on travel stories. International students have the schemata to process this narrative genre because they have the prior knowledge of travel experiences.

Iyengar, K. M. (2014). Holistic content analysis of narratives written by Asian Indian American students. European Journal of Research and Reflection in Arts and Humanities, 2 (2), 62-75

European Journal of Research and Reflection in Arts and Humanities

This article is an attempt to explore holistic content analysis (Leiblich et al, 2008), which may be an appropriate method to analyze narrative material. This research utilizes four of the kahanis1 (narratives) written by students of Asian Indian origin growing up in a major city in the United States of America. This study may be beneficial to researchers interested in analyzing narrative texts using holistic content analysis supported by Leiblich et al (2008). The analysis yielded several rich themes, categories, and meta-categories.

Bharatanatyam and Mathematics: Teaching Geometry Through Dance

Journal of Fine and Studio Art

Bharatanatyam is a highly codified and schematized Asian Indian style of classical dance that accommodates the different kinds of learners. This dance is culturally relevant to Asian Indian American students, but the findings are applicable to students from other demographics that are interested in learning math through dance. Many Asian Indian students learn Bharatanatyam for cultural maintenance and preservation. Dance is also a beneficial medium to teach basic geometric shapes to young children because dance is an engaging art curriculum that can be used in schools. This mixed methods study informed by categorical content analysis is designed to recommend a framework for exploring how Asian Indian students can learn basic geometric shapes through Bharatanatyam. The study investigates dance movements called adavus, cultural relevance, and integration of elements from dance and geometry and the implementation of alternate strategies such as dance instruction to teach and learn basic geometric shapes. The data analysis revealed the benefits of dance and math integration. Key words: Asian Indian students, Bharatanatyam, geometry, learning styles, teaching and learning.

San Antonio Writing Project

Co-director of the Devsanskruthi Writing Project, DSVV, Harhidwar, Uttaranchal, India

San Antonio Writing Project

Co-director of the Devsanskruthi Writing Project, DSVV, Harhidwar, Uttaranchal, India

San Antonio Writing Project

Co-director of the Devsanskruthi Writing Project, DSVV, Harhidwar, Uttaranchal, India

San Antonio Writing Project

Co-director of the Devsanskruthi Writing Project, DSVV, Harhidwar, Uttaranchal, India

San Antonio Writing Project

Co-director of the Devsanskruthi Writing Project, DSVV, Harhidwar, Uttaranchal, India

San Antonio Writing Project

Co-director of the Devsanskruthi Writing Project, DSVV, Harhidwar, Uttaranchal, India

San Antonio Writing Project

Co-director of the Devsanskruthi Writing Project, DSVV, Harhidwar, Uttaranchal, India

San Antonio Writing Project

Co-director of the Devsanskruthi Writing Project, DSVV, Harhidwar, Uttaranchal, India

San Antonio Writing Project

Co-director of the Devsanskruthi Writing Project, DSVV, Harhidwar, Uttaranchal, India

San Antonio Writing Project

Co-director of the Devsanskruthi Writing Project, DSVV, Harhidwar, Uttaranchal, India

San Antonio Writing Project

Co-director of the Devsanskruthi Writing Project, DSVV, Harhidwar, Uttaranchal, India

San Antonio Writing Project

Co-director of the Devsanskruthi Writing Project, DSVV, Harhidwar, Uttaranchal, India

San Antonio Writing Project

Co-director of the Devsanskruthi Writing Project, DSVV, Harhidwar, Uttaranchal, India

San Antonio Writing Project

Co-director of the Devsanskruthi Writing Project, DSVV, Harhidwar, Uttaranchal, India