Dana L Mitra
Biographic Data
| ID | 4369599 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Dana L Mitra |
| GIVEN NAMES | Dana L |
| FAMILY NAME | Mitra |
| SIGNATURE | MITRA D L |
| AFFILIATIONS | Pennsylvania State University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-1649-5995 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 21 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 108 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 21 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2004 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 6 |
The Cultural Dissonance of Student Voice for Latiné Students
Student voice (SV) can drive equity in schools if all students feel comfortable sharing their perspectives. This mixed-methods study finds that while SV is a challenging proposition for many students due to embarrassment, fear of retaliation, skepticism about its efficacy, and favoritism, it is particularly discordant for those Latiné students whose cultural values of respecting their elders and not drawing attention to themselves may conflict wi…
Encouraging Teacher Readiness for Designing Student Voice Practices
Background: Student voice practices (SVPs) are processes through which students can participate in and influence educational decisions affecting their own lives and the lives of their peers. This article examines teacher readiness for implementing SVPs. Focus of Study: Previous research has conceptualized readiness by considering the what of the change, the how of the change process, and the individuals involved. Using a framework of mindsets, he…
The pedagogical foundations of student voice practices: The role of relationships, differentiation, and choice in supporting student voice practices in high school classrooms
Although teachers and administrators increasingly support the idea of student voice, questions remain about what "student voice" looks like in practice. This mixed methods study in two urban U.S. high schools explores what student voice practices in the classroom entail and how these practices relate to other pedagogical strategies. Findings reveal that student-teacher relationships, differentiated instruction, and choice serve as core building b…
What Is Student Voice Anyway? The Intersection of Student Voice Practices and Shared Leadership
Purpose: Educational leadership traditionally has defined school leadership as an adult-only space. An emerging group of scholars is expanding the field to challenge who should be considered an educational leader and whose voices should be centered in change processes. Examining the ways in which students serve as leaders in schools, student voice scholarship has expanded rapidly over the last two decades. However, it has not cohered around a sha…
Look who’s talking: Factors for considering the facilitation of very young children’s voices
Grounded in children’s rights, this article advances understanding of the affordances and constraints in implementing Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in educational settings with young children – those under 7. It starts from the premise that if we are to foster democratic skills and understanding in children and young people, we need to develop practices that support this from the earliest age. The article …
Should We Be Testing Civics? Examining the Implications of the Civic Education Initiative
Given the importance of developing civically engaged and knowledgeable citizens, many have sought to improve the quality of students’ civic education experiences. This article examines one particular effort spearheaded by the Joe Foss Institute, the Civic Education Initiative (CEI). Since the CEI was announced, 18 states have passed legislation that includes a civics test component embedded in the CEI. This conceptual article examines the CEI aga…
Student voice in secondary schools: The possibility for deeper change
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to consider the role of student voice in secondary school reform. Design/methodology/approach Through a literature review, it defines the concept of student voice within bodies of research on youth participation internationally. Findings It notes the ways the USA is distinct and lagging behind. It then looks at the broadening scope of ways that young people have become involved in change efforts. It considers …
Ethical dilemmas of youth participatory action research in a democratic setting
This article discusses ethical issues involved in facilitating the research of young people on controversial issues. This article considers the potential ethical dilemmas of teachers facilitating a particular form of activism – youth participatory action research (YPAR). We consider how teachers foster school-wide conversations on difficult issues and support students who wish to take a critical stand on issues of race, class and gender. The arti…
Figured Worlds of Citizenship: Examining Differences Made in “Making a Difference” in an Elementary School Classroom
This article explores how two elementary school students responded to their teacher’s invitation in a civic classroom to make a difference to the world. We consider how the teacher framed the construct of civic efficacy and how the students refracted these ideas in their navigation of a civic education project. Closely analyzing these students’ experiences and responses, we question what differences are made when students are encouraged to think …
Contested Spaces of a “Failing” Elementary School
Amid the recent proliferation of teacher-led movements resisting high-stakes testing across the United States, the authors identify how a “failing” elementary school reclaimed local discourse by taking political action against top-down measures. Framed as competing modes of school reform, the authors offer the sociocultural framework of “contested spaces” to build understanding of top-down and bottom-up school reform efforts. The data are organiz…
Youth Participation in U.S. Contexts: Student Voice Without a National Mandate
Unlike the United Kingdom and other nations that mandate youth participation to some degree, U.S. policies instead tend to inhibit child participation rather than encourage it. Given these policy contexts, it can be challenging to locate spaces where robust opportunities for democratic participation and student voice exist. We use this article as an opportunity to examine the disciplinary, philosophical and methodological approaches that have fra…
Student Voice in Elementary School Reform: Examining Youth Development in Fifth Graders
The present research examines the developmental outcomes of elementary-aged students engaged in student voice efforts. Using a case study of fifth-grade girls, the authors compare their experiences to research examining secondary school. The authors find marked similarities in the growth of agency, belonging, competence—the ABCs of youth development. The authors also notice two additional dimensions—the need to engage in discourse that allows an …
The Extraordinary Mentorship of Bill Boyd
Bill Boyd’s life and work made a significant impact on education research. Of his many contributions deserving celebration, it is his extraordinary mentorship now remembered by students and colleagues throughout his distinguished career. He excelled in connecting people with others and he provided insightful advice and guidance to junior faculty and students at Penn State and around the world. As efforts unfold to honor the memory of Bill Boyd, p…
Student Voice in the Elementary Years: Fostering Youth-Adult Partnerships in Elementary Service-Learning
Service-learning is promoted widely by professional organizations (NCSS, 2001), but often with little reflection on the nature of meaningful student participation and the impact of teacher leadership styles. The authors studied mixed-age “small school” advisory groups involved in service-learning at one elementary school; observational, interview, and focus group data were collected. They present three case studies that represent various leadersh…
Providing Spark and Stability: The Role of Intermediary Organizations in Establishing School-Based Youth-Adult Partnerships
The term “youth-adult partnership” increasingly is being used to define a relationship in which both youth and adults have the potential to contribute to decision making processes, to learn from one another, and to promote change. Establishing a relationship with an intermediary organization can provide much needed stability and sustainability to youth-adult partnerships–especially in school settings. Rather than creating generalizable findings, …
Increasing Student Voice in High School Reform: Building Partnerships, Improving Outcomes
While we often write about adolescents as full of turmoil and angst, focusing on `student voice' instead highlights ways in which young people can learn democratic principles by sharing their opinions and working to improve school conditions for themselves and others. This article examines the connection between the types of student voice initiatives desired and the contexts in which student voice is pursued. Drawing upon cases from the USA and A…
Collaborating with Students: Building Youth‐Adult Partnerships in Schools
This article examines the process of adults and students collaborating in school‐based learning communities. Drawing on interview data from youth and adults participating in student voice initiatives in the San Francisco Bay Area, this study examines contexts that enable “youth‐adult partnerships” in schools, including (1) fostering trust and respect among group members, (2) creating meaningful (not equal) roles, (3) building the capacity for you…
Using Elections as Teachable Moments: A Randomized Evaluation of the Student Voices Civic Education Program
The recommitment of public education to its civic roots has revived discussion on how to engage younger generations of citizens in electoral politics and civic life. This randomized trial of 1,670 high school students in 80 social studies classrooms evaluates the impact of an election‐based civics program on students’ civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions over the course of a semester. Analyses of these data reveal significant effects of the …
Strengthening Student Voice Initiatives in High Schools: An Examination of the Supports Needed for School-Based Youth-Adult Partnerships
School environments offer a particularly difficult setting for fostering youth-adult partnerships because of the sharp power and status distinctions among students, teachers, and administrators. Drawing on interview and observational data examining 13 student-voice initiatives in northern California, this research examines the type of supports that can enable the development of strong school-based youth-adult partnerships. The data demonstrate th…
Youth as a Bridge Between Home and School: Comparing Student Voice and Parent Involvement as Strategies for Change
This article analyzes efforts to increase parent involvement and student voice among Mexican American families who are low income at a large comprehensive high school. Although the parent-involvement effort ultimately failed, the students developed their own initiatives to help support Latino youth and their families, including the development of a bilingual tutoring program and a translation program for families needing to communicate with the s…
The Significance of Students: Can Increasing “Student Voice” in Schools Lead to Gains in Youth Development?
The notion of “student voice,” or a student role in the decision making and change efforts of schools, has emerged in the new millennium as a potential strategy for improving the success of school reform efforts. Yet few studies have examined this construct either theoretically or empirically. Grounded in a sociocultural perspective, this article provides some of the first empirical data on youth participation in student voice efforts by identify…
Student Voice in Elementary School Reform: Examining Youth Development in Fifth Graders
The present research examines the developmental outcomes of elementary-aged students engaged in student voice efforts. Using a case study of fifth-grade girls, the authors compare their experiences to research examining secondary school. The authors find marked similarities in the growth of agency, belonging, competence—the ABCs of youth development. The authors also notice two additional dimensions—the need to engage in discourse that allows an …
Collaborating with Students: Building Youth‐Adult Partnerships in Schools
This article examines the process of adults and students collaborating in school‐based learning communities. Drawing on interview data from youth and adults participating in student voice initiatives in the San Francisco Bay Area, this study examines contexts that enable “youth‐adult partnerships” in schools, including (1) fostering trust and respect among group members, (2) creating meaningful (not equal) roles, (3) building the capacity for you…
Strengthening Student Voice Initiatives in High Schools: An Examination of the Supports Needed for School-Based Youth-Adult Partnerships
School environments offer a particularly difficult setting for fostering youth-adult partnerships because of the sharp power and status distinctions among students, teachers, and administrators. Drawing on interview and observational data examining 13 student-voice initiatives in northern California, this research examines the type of supports that can enable the development of strong school-based youth-adult partnerships. The data demonstrate th…
Using Elections as Teachable Moments: A Randomized Evaluation of the Student Voices Civic Education Program
The recommitment of public education to its civic roots has revived discussion on how to engage younger generations of citizens in electoral politics and civic life. This randomized trial of 1,670 high school students in 80 social studies classrooms evaluates the impact of an election‐based civics program on students’ civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions over the course of a semester. Analyses of these data reveal significant effects of the …
Ethical dilemmas of youth participatory action research in a democratic setting
This article discusses ethical issues involved in facilitating the research of young people on controversial issues. This article considers the potential ethical dilemmas of teachers facilitating a particular form of activism – youth participatory action research (YPAR). We consider how teachers foster school-wide conversations on difficult issues and support students who wish to take a critical stand on issues of race, class and gender. The arti…
Look who’s talking: Factors for considering the facilitation of very young children’s voices
Grounded in children’s rights, this article advances understanding of the affordances and constraints in implementing Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in educational settings with young children – those under 7. It starts from the premise that if we are to foster democratic skills and understanding in children and young people, we need to develop practices that support this from the earliest age. The article …
Youth as a Bridge Between Home and School: Comparing Student Voice and Parent Involvement as Strategies for Change
This article analyzes efforts to increase parent involvement and student voice among Mexican American families who are low income at a large comprehensive high school. Although the parent-involvement effort ultimately failed, the students developed their own initiatives to help support Latino youth and their families, including the development of a bilingual tutoring program and a translation program for families needing to communicate with the s…
Should We Be Testing Civics? Examining the Implications of the Civic Education Initiative
Given the importance of developing civically engaged and knowledgeable citizens, many have sought to improve the quality of students’ civic education experiences. This article examines one particular effort spearheaded by the Joe Foss Institute, the Civic Education Initiative (CEI). Since the CEI was announced, 18 states have passed legislation that includes a civics test component embedded in the CEI. This conceptual article examines the CEI aga…
Figured Worlds of Citizenship: Examining Differences Made in “Making a Difference” in an Elementary School Classroom
This article explores how two elementary school students responded to their teacher’s invitation in a civic classroom to make a difference to the world. We consider how the teacher framed the construct of civic efficacy and how the students refracted these ideas in their navigation of a civic education project. Closely analyzing these students’ experiences and responses, we question what differences are made when students are encouraged to think …
Contested Spaces of a “Failing” Elementary School
Amid the recent proliferation of teacher-led movements resisting high-stakes testing across the United States, the authors identify how a “failing” elementary school reclaimed local discourse by taking political action against top-down measures. Framed as competing modes of school reform, the authors offer the sociocultural framework of “contested spaces” to build understanding of top-down and bottom-up school reform efforts. The data are organiz…
Student Voice in the Elementary Years: Fostering Youth-Adult Partnerships in Elementary Service-Learning
Service-learning is promoted widely by professional organizations (NCSS, 2001), but often with little reflection on the nature of meaningful student participation and the impact of teacher leadership styles. The authors studied mixed-age “small school” advisory groups involved in service-learning at one elementary school; observational, interview, and focus group data were collected. They present three case studies that represent various leadersh…
The pedagogical foundations of student voice practices: The role of relationships, differentiation, and choice in supporting student voice practices in high school classrooms
Although teachers and administrators increasingly support the idea of student voice, questions remain about what "student voice" looks like in practice. This mixed methods study in two urban U.S. high schools explores what student voice practices in the classroom entail and how these practices relate to other pedagogical strategies. Findings reveal that student-teacher relationships, differentiated instruction, and choice serve as core building b…
The Significance of Students: Can Increasing “Student Voice” in Schools Lead to Gains in Youth Development?
The notion of “student voice,” or a student role in the decision making and change efforts of schools, has emerged in the new millennium as a potential strategy for improving the success of school reform efforts. Yet few studies have examined this construct either theoretically or empirically. Grounded in a sociocultural perspective, this article provides some of the first empirical data on youth participation in student voice efforts by identify…
Youth as a Bridge Between Home and School: Comparing Student Voice and Parent Involvement as Strategies for Change
This article analyzes efforts to increase parent involvement and student voice among Mexican American families who are low income at a large comprehensive high school. Although the parent-involvement effort ultimately failed, the students developed their own initiatives to help support Latino youth and their families, including the development of a bilingual tutoring program and a translation program for families needing to communicate with the s…
Increasing Student Voice in High School Reform: Building Partnerships, Improving Outcomes
While we often write about adolescents as full of turmoil and angst, focusing on `student voice' instead highlights ways in which young people can learn democratic principles by sharing their opinions and working to improve school conditions for themselves and others. This article examines the connection between the types of student voice initiatives desired and the contexts in which student voice is pursued. Drawing upon cases from the USA and A…
Collaborating with Students: Building Youth‐Adult Partnerships in Schools
This article examines the process of adults and students collaborating in school‐based learning communities. Drawing on interview data from youth and adults participating in student voice initiatives in the San Francisco Bay Area, this study examines contexts that enable “youth‐adult partnerships” in schools, including (1) fostering trust and respect among group members, (2) creating meaningful (not equal) roles, (3) building the capacity for you…
Using Elections as Teachable Moments: A Randomized Evaluation of the Student Voices Civic Education Program
The recommitment of public education to its civic roots has revived discussion on how to engage younger generations of citizens in electoral politics and civic life. This randomized trial of 1,670 high school students in 80 social studies classrooms evaluates the impact of an election‐based civics program on students’ civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions over the course of a semester. Analyses of these data reveal significant effects of the …
Strengthening Student Voice Initiatives in High Schools: An Examination of the Supports Needed for School-Based Youth-Adult Partnerships
School environments offer a particularly difficult setting for fostering youth-adult partnerships because of the sharp power and status distinctions among students, teachers, and administrators. Drawing on interview and observational data examining 13 student-voice initiatives in northern California, this research examines the type of supports that can enable the development of strong school-based youth-adult partnerships. The data demonstrate th…
Providing Spark and Stability: The Role of Intermediary Organizations in Establishing School-Based Youth-Adult Partnerships
The term “youth-adult partnership” increasingly is being used to define a relationship in which both youth and adults have the potential to contribute to decision making processes, to learn from one another, and to promote change. Establishing a relationship with an intermediary organization can provide much needed stability and sustainability to youth-adult partnerships–especially in school settings. Rather than creating generalizable findings, …
The Extraordinary Mentorship of Bill Boyd
Bill Boyd’s life and work made a significant impact on education research. Of his many contributions deserving celebration, it is his extraordinary mentorship now remembered by students and colleagues throughout his distinguished career. He excelled in connecting people with others and he provided insightful advice and guidance to junior faculty and students at Penn State and around the world. As efforts unfold to honor the memory of Bill Boyd, p…
Student Voice in the Elementary Years: Fostering Youth-Adult Partnerships in Elementary Service-Learning
Service-learning is promoted widely by professional organizations (NCSS, 2001), but often with little reflection on the nature of meaningful student participation and the impact of teacher leadership styles. The authors studied mixed-age “small school” advisory groups involved in service-learning at one elementary school; observational, interview, and focus group data were collected. They present three case studies that represent various leadersh…
Student Voice in Elementary School Reform: Examining Youth Development in Fifth Graders
The present research examines the developmental outcomes of elementary-aged students engaged in student voice efforts. Using a case study of fifth-grade girls, the authors compare their experiences to research examining secondary school. The authors find marked similarities in the growth of agency, belonging, competence—the ABCs of youth development. The authors also notice two additional dimensions—the need to engage in discourse that allows an …
Youth Participation in U.S. Contexts: Student Voice Without a National Mandate
Unlike the United Kingdom and other nations that mandate youth participation to some degree, U.S. policies instead tend to inhibit child participation rather than encourage it. Given these policy contexts, it can be challenging to locate spaces where robust opportunities for democratic participation and student voice exist. We use this article as an opportunity to examine the disciplinary, philosophical and methodological approaches that have fra…
Contested Spaces of a “Failing” Elementary School
Amid the recent proliferation of teacher-led movements resisting high-stakes testing across the United States, the authors identify how a “failing” elementary school reclaimed local discourse by taking political action against top-down measures. Framed as competing modes of school reform, the authors offer the sociocultural framework of “contested spaces” to build understanding of top-down and bottom-up school reform efforts. The data are organiz…
Figured Worlds of Citizenship: Examining Differences Made in “Making a Difference” in an Elementary School Classroom
This article explores how two elementary school students responded to their teacher’s invitation in a civic classroom to make a difference to the world. We consider how the teacher framed the construct of civic efficacy and how the students refracted these ideas in their navigation of a civic education project. Closely analyzing these students’ experiences and responses, we question what differences are made when students are encouraged to think …
Ethical dilemmas of youth participatory action research in a democratic setting
This article discusses ethical issues involved in facilitating the research of young people on controversial issues. This article considers the potential ethical dilemmas of teachers facilitating a particular form of activism – youth participatory action research (YPAR). We consider how teachers foster school-wide conversations on difficult issues and support students who wish to take a critical stand on issues of race, class and gender. The arti…
Student voice in secondary schools: The possibility for deeper change
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to consider the role of student voice in secondary school reform. Design/methodology/approach Through a literature review, it defines the concept of student voice within bodies of research on youth participation internationally. Findings It notes the ways the USA is distinct and lagging behind. It then looks at the broadening scope of ways that young people have become involved in change efforts. It considers …
Look who’s talking: Factors for considering the facilitation of very young children’s voices
Grounded in children’s rights, this article advances understanding of the affordances and constraints in implementing Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in educational settings with young children – those under 7. It starts from the premise that if we are to foster democratic skills and understanding in children and young people, we need to develop practices that support this from the earliest age. The article …
Should We Be Testing Civics? Examining the Implications of the Civic Education Initiative
Given the importance of developing civically engaged and knowledgeable citizens, many have sought to improve the quality of students’ civic education experiences. This article examines one particular effort spearheaded by the Joe Foss Institute, the Civic Education Initiative (CEI). Since the CEI was announced, 18 states have passed legislation that includes a civics test component embedded in the CEI. This conceptual article examines the CEI aga…
What Is Student Voice Anyway? The Intersection of Student Voice Practices and Shared Leadership
Purpose: Educational leadership traditionally has defined school leadership as an adult-only space. An emerging group of scholars is expanding the field to challenge who should be considered an educational leader and whose voices should be centered in change processes. Examining the ways in which students serve as leaders in schools, student voice scholarship has expanded rapidly over the last two decades. However, it has not cohered around a sha…
The pedagogical foundations of student voice practices: The role of relationships, differentiation, and choice in supporting student voice practices in high school classrooms
Although teachers and administrators increasingly support the idea of student voice, questions remain about what "student voice" looks like in practice. This mixed methods study in two urban U.S. high schools explores what student voice practices in the classroom entail and how these practices relate to other pedagogical strategies. Findings reveal that student-teacher relationships, differentiated instruction, and choice serve as core building b…
Encouraging Teacher Readiness for Designing Student Voice Practices
Background: Student voice practices (SVPs) are processes through which students can participate in and influence educational decisions affecting their own lives and the lives of their peers. This article examines teacher readiness for implementing SVPs. Focus of Study: Previous research has conceptualized readiness by considering the what of the change, the how of the change process, and the individuals involved. Using a framework of mindsets, he…
The Cultural Dissonance of Student Voice for Latiné Students
Student voice (SV) can drive equity in schools if all students feel comfortable sharing their perspectives. This mixed-methods study finds that while SV is a challenging proposition for many students due to embarrassment, fear of retaliation, skepticism about its efficacy, and favoritism, it is particularly discordant for those Latiné students whose cultural values of respecting their elders and not drawing attention to themselves may conflict wi…
Pedagogy (18 works) · Political science (16 works) · Psychology (16 works) · Sociology (16 works) · Public relations (11 works) · Early Childhood Education and Development (10 works) · Mathematics education (10 works) · Youth Development and Social Support (9 works) · Children's Rights and Participation (8 works) · Politics (8 works)