Nicole Tysvaer’s scientific contributions

The purpose of this dissertation study was to examine participant experiences and instructional practices of a summer service-learning program for economically disadvantaged middle school students. Data were gathered as a part of the National 2012 Summer of Service (SOS) Evaluation, focusing on three urban SOS sites engaging a total of 172 young people. Using a communities of practice (CoP) theoretical framework to illuminate the socially-situated nature of learning and development in the program, the findings highlight two aspects of SOS programming that appeared to support CoP development: (1) a community-building repertoire of norms and rituals, a consistent culture of caring and respect, and the pursuit of the common good; and (2) a youth-led repertoire engaging young people as legitimate peripheral participants that could reposition and negotiate more central work in the community. Regarding participant experiences, pre/post participant surveys demonstrated a mix of mostly null and slightly positive outcomes related to civic engagement constructs. Qualitative interviews with a subsample of 27 focal youth offered multiple benefits of participation including a deepened sense of social responsibility, opportunities for socioemotional growth, and the identification of achievement-oriented pathways to success. However, there was little evidence of academic skill-building, impact on political engagement, or contextualized analyses of community issues.

In this article, Elizabeth Birr Moje, Melanie Overby, Nicole Tysvaer, and Karen Morris challenge some of the prevailing myths about adolescents and their choices related to reading. The reading practices of youth from one urban community are examined using mixed methods in an effort to define what, how often, and why adolescents choose to read. By focusing on what features of texts youth find motivating, the authors find that reading and writing frequently occur in a range of literacy contexts outside school. However, only reading novels on a regular basis outside of school is shown to have a positive relationship to academic achievement as measured by school grades. This article describes how adolescents read texts that are embedded in social networks, allowing them to build social capital. Conclusions are framed in terms of the mysteries that remain - namely, how to build on what motivates adolescents' literacy practices in order to both promote the building of their social selves and improve their academic outcomes.