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Learning Agreement
Summer Reading Loss and Summer Reading Programs
Social Change Assessment

by
Lay B. Boal
Student ID # A00152981
lay.boal@waldenu.edu

Program: PhD in Education

Special Education
EDUC 8112: Social Change in Education
Dr. Wade Smith Jr.
wade.smith@waldenu.edu

Walden University
May 20, 2012

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Learning Agreement
This learning agreement presents the description of three components. The Breadth
component demonstrated the theoretical analysis of the ideas of Dewey (1938) and Tyack and
Cuban (1995) on their philosophy of assumption and purpose of public education; the quality and
integrity with politicization of public education; and interaction of social change and school
reform. Within the Depth component, an annotated bibliography and review of research
literature were conducted where implication of social change on the extent summer reading loss
contributes to achievement gap among students with and without learning disabilities, and the
impact of summer reading programs in minimizing the achievement gap were addressed. The
Application is a speech presentation for the stakeholders on the social change proposal.
Social Change Theory (Breadth part of a KAM)
Objectives
1. Analyze, compare and contrast the ideas of Tyack and Cuban with Dewey on the
assumptions and purpose of public education.
2. Analyze, compare and contrast the ideas of Tyack and Cuban with Dewey on the quality
and integrity of education with the politicization of education.
3. Analyze, compare and contrast the ideas of Tyack and Cuban with Dewey on the
interaction of social change and school reform.
References
Dewey, J. (1938/1997). Experience and education. New York, NY: Touchstone.
Tyack, D. & Cuban, L. (1995). Tinkering toward utopia: A century of public school reform.
Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Demonstration

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In a scholarly paper of approximately 18 pages in length, I critically assessed and
analyzed, compared and contrasted, the theories of Tyack and Cuban with Dewey. I discussed
the usefulness of these theories in helping us understand how they affect positive social change,
the differences, similarities, and uniqueness of the ideas presented by Tyack and Cuban with
Dewey based on the objectives laid out in the previous section of this paper. The relationship
between the traditional education system and the progressive education system were analyzed.
The continuity of experience and democratization of education were also considered in this essay
and concludes that learning should be built on experience, experimentation, and societal
progress. This paper also presented a summary with conclusion to the social change theory at the
end.
Annotations and Review of Research Literature (Depth part of a KAM)
Objectives
1. Searched, selected and critically reviewed 8 current research studies on the emergence of
the implication of social change on the extent summer reading loss contributes to
achievement gap among students with and without learning disabilities, and the impact of
summer reading programs in minimizing the achievement gap were addressed.
2. Analyzed. compared and contrast the current research on the extent to which summer
reading loss contribute to achievement gap among students with and without learning
disabilities.
3. Analyzed, compared and contrast the current research on the impact of summer reading
programs in minimizing the achievement gap.
4. Evaluated the application of current research to the idea of social change.

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5. Assess the literature review as support to the social change proposal in minimizing
summer reading loss and achievement gap.
6. Evaluate and applied the current research to address any gaps in research.
References
Allington, R. L., McGill-Franzen, A., Camilli, G., Williams, L., Graff, J., Zeig, J., and Zmach, C.
(2010). Addressing summer reading setback among economically disadvantaged
elementary students. Reading Psychology, 31(5), 411427.
doi:10.1080/02702711.2010.505165
Fairchild, R. (2011). Why and how communities should focus on summer learning. National
Civic Review, 100(4), 1320. doi:10.1002/ncr.20079
Helf, S., Konrad, M., & Algozzine, B. (2008). Recouping and rethinking the effects of summer
vacation on reading achievement. Journal of Research in Reading, 31(4), 420428.
doi:10.1111/j.1467-9817.2008.00374.x
Kim, J. S., & White, T. G. (2008). Scaffolding voluntary summer reading for children in grades 3
to 5: An experimental study. Scientific Studies of Reading, 12(1), 123.
doi:10.1080/10888430701746849
Lawrence, J. F. (2009). Summer reading: Predicting adolescent word learning from aptitude, time
spent reading, and text type. Reading Psychology, 30(5), 445465.
doi:10.1080/02702710802412008
Morris, D., & Gaffney, M. (2011). Building reading fluency in a learning-disabled middle school
reader. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 54(5), 331341. doi:10.1598/JA
AL.54.5.3
Mraz, M., & Rasinski, T. V. (2007). Summer reading loss. Reading Teacher, 60(8), 784789.

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doi:10.1598/RT.60.8.9
Roman, S., & Fiore, C. D. (2010). Do public library summer reading programs close the
achievement gap? Children & Libraries: The Journal of the Association for Library
Service to Children, 8(3), 2731.
Demonstration
The Depth consists of two parts: (a) an annotated bibliography of eight current research
studies organized around the extent to which summer reading loss contribute to achievement gap
among students with and without learning disabilities, and the impact of summer reading
programs in minimizing the achievement gap; (b) a literature review of the eight research
studies annotated. The literature review consisted of 18 pages, was divided into five sections,
where this scholarly work analyzed, compared and contrasted the contemporary research in the
extent to which summer reading loss contribute to achievement gap among students with and
without learning disabilities, and the impact of summer reading programs in minimizing the
achievement gap. The literature review also included an evaluation and assessment of how the
current research applied to social change, support the social change proposal, and addressed any
gaps in the research.
Social Change Proposal (Application element of the KAM)
Objectives
1. Synthesized the theoretical framework and contemporary research on the extent to which
summer reading loss contribute to achievement gap among students with and without
learning disabilities and the impact of summer reading programs in minimizing the
achievement gap.

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2. Designed and produced a speech that is scripted which will be used to present the Social
Change Proposal to stakeholders.
Reference
Kaufman, R., Oakley-Browne, H., Watkins, R., & Leigh, D. (2003). Strategic planning for
success: Aligning people, performance, and payoffs. San Francisco, CA: JosseyBass/Pfeiffer.
Demonstration
A scripted speech that is 8 pages long was composed for presentation to the stakeholders
at a board meeting so as to convince the stakeholders that change is needed to bring about
different results in the organization. The speech provided commentaries on the needs identified;
the current results obtained and expected to obtain; mega, macro, and mega analysis of the social
change proposal; stakeholders and key decision makers involvement; community members'
involvement; addressed the issue of resistance to change; needs assessment which includes
discussion of data collected including actual and perceived cost; and research support based on
the contemporary research reviewed.