Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2081-4840

Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

PhD

College

College of Applied Human Sciences

Department

Learning Sciences and Human Development

Committee Chair

Reagan Curtis

Committee Member

Melissa Sherfinski

Committee Member

Johnna Bolyard

Committee Member

Matthew Campbell

Abstract

This study explores how elementary teachers in the U.S. perceive and incorporate students’ Funds of Knowledge (FoK) and Funds of Identity (FoI) to promote equity in diverse classroom settings. A review of literature highlights the significance of culturally responsive pedagogy, FoK & FoI frameworks, and equity-oriented teaching practices. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect participants’ perspectives on leveraging students’ home and community knowledge in instructional planning and classroom interactions. Lesson plans were collected from all participants to get idea about how they could utilize  FoK and FoI approach in their classroom instruction. The findings highlight the need for teacher preparation and ongoing professional development to more explicitly equip educators with strategies for integrating FoK/I into daily planning, while also navigating systemic pressures and ethical challenges.  Policy implications include the importance of designing curricula, assessment systems, and school structures that allow greater flexibility for teachers to center student knowledge and identity in instruction. By amplifying teachers’ voices and situating their practices within broader educational inequities, this study contributes new insights for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers committed to creating classrooms where all students are seen, valued, and empowered to learn.

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