Digital Commons @ St. Norbert College

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  Whose Story is it, Now? Re-examining Women’s Visibility in 21st Century Secondary World History Textbooks

  Erica M. Southworth, Jenna Kempen, and Melonie Zielinski

  In 2005 Clark, Ayton, Frechette, and Keller (2005) conducted a content analysis study on secondary world history textbooks to determine whether women’s inclusion had increased or decreased between 1960s, 1980s, and 1990s. They reported women’s severe marginalization in the texts even though the percentages of women’s inclusion had increased over the course of the decades. We conducted a replication study of the content analysis performed by Clark et al. from a feminist research lens and analyzed 2000 and 2010 editions of the same textbooks to determine if female inclusion had increased. Our findings revealed that very little to no progress has been made towards the equitable inclusion of women. We conclude by urging social studies educators to advocate for gender-based content reforms in state and national social studies exams as an avenue for obtaining gender-balanced textbooks.

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  Map It! Creating Meaningful Learning Experiences in Social Studies with IHMC CmapTools

  Erica M. Southworth

  As a free software tool, IHMC CmapTools redefines the concept mapping learning strategy with an infusion of technology to provide students with meaningful and non-rote learning experiences. The following review discusses what IHMC

  CmapTools is, the literature-supported academic benefits of student-employed concept mapping, and how my secondary social studies colleague and I introduced this software to his students to create meaningful learning opportunities with social studies content. After working with IHMC CmapTools for over four years in both social studies and non-social studies classes, I would strongly encourage social studies educators in grades 5-12 to consider implementing this tool in their instruction as a means of enriching both their students’ engagement with social studies material and their students’ understanding of their own metacognitive processes.

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  Memories of Franziska

  Mary Alyce Lach SSND

  This story is a glimpse into the life of Franziska Huber Gerhardinger, the mother of Blessed Mother Theresa, the Foundress of the School Sisters of Notre Dame.

  Franziska was a joy-filled woman with a generous heart. In love and faith, she contributed everything she had to the young community of the School SIsters of Notre Dame.

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  Shedding Gender Stigmas: Work-life Balance Equity in the 21st Century

  Erica M. Southworth

  The gender stigma of work-life balance (WLB) policies as concessions for mothers and female caregivers originated with the push by the Women’s Movement for gender workplace equity in the late 20th century. Unfortunately, this perception continues in the 21st century and retains the additional stigma of employee participation in these policies–—regardless of gender–—as a detrimental career move. Thus, home and work responsibilities for professionals of all genders who desire more occupational flexibility remain unreconciled. Despite this dominant national and international outlook, this article encourages new century organizations and profes- sionals to reject the traditional perception of occupational inequity through gender- colored glasses and instead contemplate the benefits of WLB policies void of gender stigmas. Specifically, organizations could re-create workplace culture with stigma- free WLB policies through administrative leaders’ embracement of and participation in such policies, which may pave the way for establishing occupational equity. Through workplace culture re-creation, organizations may then offer employees–—regardless of gender, marital status, or company position–—flexible work options to assist them in leading happy, healthy, and more productive lives.