Ethnographic Research Of The Impact Of Catalyst Strategies On The Engagement And Relationships Within The Classroom For 6th Graders Versus 2nd Graders In General Education, Casey Poland, Rene Beaird, Amber Keller, Sara Kubicek

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This 2023 study focused on the effectiveness of the Catalyst Approach to classroom management in a second-grade versus sixth-grade classrooms in the same district. The Catalyst Approach is a comprehensive classroom implementation model that includes strategies for getting attention, engaging students, setting up for success, and supporting success. Whole group strategies are emphasized in this approach to aid in building a productive classroom environment (Burns & Brinkman, 2018). Our focus with this study was threefold: to see how the Catalyst Approach affected classroom management, how the Catalyst Approach affected relationships within the classroom environment, and how the Catalyst Approach compared …

Literacy Instruction And Student Writing In Middle School Social Studies, Nicole Hedman

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research was to determine whether using daily literacy strategies focusing on writing would make an impact on the scores of a high-level question (HLQ) among middle school social studies students. The research took place over seven weeks in a public suburban midwestern middle school. The population of students in the study included 104 sixth-grade students. The intervention included using various literacy strategies focusing on writing and incorporating reading, speaking, and listening. Data was collected from writing samples, HLQ scores, observations, and a student survey. Some positive effects of the study were an increase in the …

Unlocking The Doors To Engagement And Accessibility: A Curriculum Development For Second Grade Learners In Social Studies, Jeanette Mcnair

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

The goal of this project is to create a second-grade Social Studies curriculum that increases engagement and provides accessibility to all students. The intent is to pull from the instructional frameworks of Universal Design for Learning developed by CAST, Project-Based Learning by The Buck Institute and differentiation by Carol Ann Tomlinson. The following research question was used to propel forward the goal of this project: How can a second grade Social Studies unit unlock student engagement and universal accessibility by applying three educational frameworks? This question was answered by literature research on the topics of engagement and accessibility followed by …

Student Engagement Action Research A Focus On Culturally Relevant Instructional Methods, Amia Dixon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action study was to determine the impact the use of culturally relevant instructional methods (researcher created term) would have on student achievement and student motivation. The use of culturally relevant teaching methods is rooted in culturally relevant pedagogy first introduced by Gloria Ladson-Billings and culturally responsive teaching practices first introduced by Geneva Gay. The study implemented an intervention cycle that modified the fourth-grade curriculum by differentiating lessons based on learning style, incorporating an “activator” that connects to the students’ culture and builds background knowledge, allowing student choice for instructional text, increasing the use of culturally relevant …

The Effect Of Choice In Reading: Motivation, Engagement, And Enjoyment, Jennifer Barberg

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of student choice in independent reading material. Specifically, the research focused on student motivation, engagement, and enjoyment of reading in classrooms where choice is offered versus those in which texts are assigned by the teacher. Data was collected through multiple student surveys and researcher observation of student behavior. The students in this classroom gave before and after information about their reading interest and self perceived growth. The results of this study were used to determine whether the freedom of choice in a student’s in class independent reading material fostered an …

Examining The Impact Of Student-Centered Teaching Practices On Ownership And Belonging In A Middle School Orchestra Classroom, Claire Dill

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of student-centered practices on the ownership and belonging of seventh-grade orchestra students. The student-centered practices, based in the theory of social constructivism, consisted of a project in which students worked in small groups to teach a vocabulary term and skill to the class, as well as the routines of class discussions, classroom jobs, and a seat-rotation system. The implementation of the study was documented in a daily teacher journal. Data on students’ ownership of the musical process and sense of belonging in the orchestra was collected through a bi-weekly student …

Providing Voice And Choice In The Classroom: The Effect Of Choice Boards On Student Motivation And Attitudes, Deborah B. Malinoski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research was to explore how incorporating choice boards as a tool for personalized learning in social studies influenced sixth-grade students to engage in the classroom. Engagement in the classroom is necessary for students to meet educational goals. To engage in learning, students need intrinsic motivation to encourage them to strive to meet their potential. Research in personalized learning shows students who are provided opportunities for “voice and choice” show higher signs of achievement in meeting their goals (Pane et al., 2017). This action research study was guided by two research questions that explored the effect …

Mixed Methods Action Research: How Integrating Student Response Technology And Case Studies In A Largely Populated University Course Influences Student Engagement, Feedback, And Learning, Scott L. Matteson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if implementing student response technology (SRT) and case studies into a largely populated university undergraduate course would influence student engagement. When student engagement is influenced the potential for positive learning outcomes occurs leading to a higher likelihood of student success (Swap & Walter, 2015). Four research questions guided this study: How and to what extent does incorporating SRT and case studies in a largely populated undergraduate course at MSU influence: (1) student motivation; (2) cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement; (3) feedback; and (4) What are the effects of SRT and case studies …

Lessons Learned: Kinesthetic Learning And Engaging Students With Adhd (In The Time Of Covid), Claudia Freedman

Education | Master's Theses

While many studies have examined the benefits of movement and kinesthetic learning on the engagement of all elementary school-aged children, especially those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or children with common characteristics or behaviors of ADHD (undiagnosed ADHD), less research exists on how the COVID-19 pandemic and hybrid learning affected and continues to impact the engagement of children, especially those with ADHD or undiagnosed ADHD. The purpose of this study was to investigate how teachers engage students, particularly those with ADHD or undiagnosed ADHD, in an elementary classroom using practices from movement, music, dance, and theater, especially during COVID-19. …

Developing A Curriculum Model For Differentiating Instruction For All Learners, Emma Riemenschneider

Curriculum and Instruction Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine what types of teaching strategies most engage gifted and talented (GT) students. This study poses the question, "How can classroom teachers engage gifted and talented students while not advancing past the abilities of non-gifted and talented students?" Two surveys were developed and administered to public school teachers and students. The teacher participants of this study were nine classroom teachers at a junior high school in the northwestern part of the state. The student participants of this study were 99 seventh and eighth graders at a junior high school in the northwest part …

Why Ask Questions? How Phenomena-Based Inquiry Affects Student Engagement In A Middle School Science Classroom, Laura Nix

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of phenomena-based inquiry on students’ engagement levels in my science classroom. This action research study took place in the fall of 2021 with six student participants. Participants were enrolled in an eighth-grade honors science course in a middle school in South Carolina. The research was predominantly qualitative, and data was collected from participant pre- and poststudy surveys and interviews, anticipation guides, exit tickets, online discussion forums, and teacher field notes. The data revealed that phenomena-based inquiry encouraged students to participate and engage in their own learning, as indicated by post …

English Language Teachers’ Perceptions Of Implementing Digital Game-Based Learning In The Uae Middle Schools, Israa Mohammed Abbas

Theses

This study investigates how English teachers perceive the use and implementation of DGBL in middle schools in the United Arab Emirates. Digital game-based learning is a relatively new method that is being integrated into the classroom. This method requires ICT skills in line with pedagogy to be practiced in a meaningful way. The main objective of this study is to highlight the positive aspects and the obstacles that teachers may face when using DGBL in the classroom. The study used a mix of methods to answer the research questions. The first phase used the quantitative method through a questionnaire distributed …

Project-Based Learning And Social-Emotional Learning In The Elementary Classroom: A Qualitative Study On Potential Opportunities For Student Self-Awareness And Social Awareness, Kaitlin Eileen Kilby

MSU Graduate Theses

Project-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered instructional practice, emphasizing student agency, engagement, and learning opportunities through relevant problem-solving and interdisciplinary curriculum. PBL also helps students develop academic and social skills through real-world application of their learning. It is necessary for educators, administrators and interested parties in education to understand the potential of PBL and other student-centered practices on increasing student engagement and achievement in subject areas besides sciences and social studies, such as literacy, math, and social-emotional learning (SEL). SEL is necessary for all students to have access to, as engaging with activities that increase a person’s ability to understand …

Kentucky Public Charter Schools, Pamela Manning-Hamilton

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Kentucky public charter school law was introduced in 2017, the purpose of the new innovative schools were to close the achievement gap among the education system within the state. Charter schools are new-age schools that have a smaller class size, use differentiated instructional strategies that integrate technology to promote engagement, which in turn increases student growth and success. Advantages of charter schools within other states include differentiated environment, culture, and performance. Disadvantages of charter schools involve taking resources from traditional schools, higher resource costs, and demands. The study was approached using a basic qualitative research method. The purpose of the …

The Relationship Between Engagement And Tactile Learning In A Math Classroom Setting, Mikayla Mcbride

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

math setting. I will be teaching a student two similar lessons of multiplication. One lesson will be taught completely with manipulatives. The other lesson will be taught with pencil and paper. The level of engagement between the student and the lesson will be measured for each lesson. I will be using formative assessment to measure student engagement through observation. I will also use a checklist to check multiplication accuracy at the end of the lesson. My hypothesis is that the student will have a higher level of engagement when tactile learning is used. I believe the student will have a …

Cyclical And Intentional Activity Selection In Inquiry-Based Learning Improved By 5e Learning, Mitchell Miller

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The researcher investigated the attitudes toward inquiry-based learning and grades of students in middle school science as well as the significance of rubric based classroom discussion. The literature showed the researcher inquiry-based learning has been shown to increase engagement and understanding. The literature also showed classroom discussions were made more meaningful by implementation of expectations and a rubric. The researcher provided evidence of a significant improvement of classroom discussion, attitudes toward inquiry-based learning, and grades due to implementation of the actions taken by the researcher. The researcher used Kristine Bruss’s discussion rubric and expectations. The researcher also used Paul Anderson’s …

Empowering Learners Through Habits Of Mind And Personalized Pathways: An Ethnographic Study, Megan Amundson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

While teaching using a personalized learning concept, it was discovered that learners did not have the necessary social emotional skills that they needed in order to successfully make decisions for their learning. Throughout researching personalized learning, engagement, self-pacing, and empowered learning three different Habits of Mind, the school district’s social emotional learning program, were identified to teach to a small group of learners in grades three through six to help them better understand what personalized learning is and why they are doing it in order to take ownership of their learning. Therefore this research question was created: How does the …

A Mixed-Methods Investigation Into The Factors Impacting Middle School Academic Motivation, Paul Ambrose Hammond Iv

Theses and Dissertations

One of the most important tasks of schools is to foster and grow the achievement motivation of students. However, middle school is a time period which frequently sees a downturn in students’ levels of engagement. In this action research study, the causes of this downturn in motivation are investigated by drawing out the voices of the students themselves regarding their educational experiences and viewpoints. Using the expectancy-value theory as the primary lens, the researcher employed a mixed-methods approach to investigate the causes of declining academic motivation at his school through the perspectives of three students with exceptionally high levels of …

How Does Different Level Of Questioning Impact Student Performance, Engagement, And Motivation In A 6th Grade Science Classroom?, Mia Bruesewitz

Education Masters Papers

This study was designed to determine how different level of questioning in a 6th grade science classroom can impact student performance, engagement, and motivation. During the study, students were taught three different lessons, balance and unbalanced forces, friction, and mass versus weight. Data was collected in a 6th grade science class of 25 participants and focused on surveys, pretests, exit slips, at-task checklist, and a final summative assessment. The results of the data showed that there was no significant difference in performance, engagement, or motivation in relation to different level of questioning. The data also showed that activities that students …

Impact Of Brain Breaks On Student Engagement, Motivation, And Achievement In A Third-Grade Classroom, Adrianna Gernes

Education Masters Papers

In a third-grade classroom in a highly populated city, a researcher was concerned about her students’ focus level in the afternoon. Students have a long day at school, their brains get exposed to so much information on a typical day, and it is hard to retain the knowledge as well as being able to stay focused and motivated throughout each and every day. This study investigated how brain breaks affect student engagement, achievement, and motivation. For the entirety of a math unit, math instruction was taught incorporating planned brain breaks throughout each lesson. Data was collected from pre-and post- assessment …

Gradeless Learning: The Effect Of Eliminating Traditional Grading Practices On Student Engagement And Learning, Eric Sanders

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

In order for students to learn at high levels, there must be high expectations and strong feedback. Although traditional grading seems to be an inherent part of the educational system, there are multiple purposes for grades which often causes frustrations for both teachers and students. There is a need to expand the research on grading and its effect on both student learning and motivation. This action research study centered on three research questions: 1) What effect does the elimination of traditional grading practices have on student engagement in learning? 2) What impact does the removal of traditional grading practices and …

Variety In Second Language Instruction: Student Engagement In Sla, Emily Borgstrom Woodruff

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This portfolio is a collection of works completed by the author during her time as a student in the Master of Second Language Teaching program at Utah State University. It highlights important aspects and experiences of foreign language education that represent the author’s personal journey of learning and teaching.

The first section is comprised of the author’s teaching perspectives which are represented through the author’s desired professional environment, her teaching philosophy statement, and the author’s professional development through teaching observations. The second section presents the author’s pedagogical research pertaining to foreign language pragmatics and music integration in the classroom. The …

Examining Changes In Learning And Engagement Of Higher Education Students In A Fully Online Flipped Learning Distance Education Classroom, James David Riel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The challenge of implementing effective online distance education courses for academics and institutions is a centuries-old task. We can look across early developments in the 18^th century with the creation and delivery of correspondence courses; into the 20^th century with teaching and learning across analog methods such as audio and video; and now in the current era of digitized mechanisms that enable the online classroom. This includes advances in internet technologies and computing abilities that are the empowering the backbone processes, bridging connectivity between the student and the instructor. As society has trended toward massive increases in online …

Engaging Students In The Virtual Classroom: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Teacher Leaders Creating Connections Through Virtual Learning Communities, Michaine Suzanne Ashley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The core problem that drove this study was high attrition rates and low student academic growth in virtual students when compared to their brick and mortar peers. To investigate this issue, the study focused on one issue related to the core problem: student engagement. The purpose of the study was to determine what pedagogical practices and instructional strategies were utilized by teachers in their virtual learning communities (VCLs) in order to engage students in the virtual classroom. This explanatory-sequential, mixed methods, single case study was conducted through the collection of archival data and through a teacher questionnaire and follow up …

Implementation And Evaluation Of Computer-Assisted Science Vocabulary Modules With Students With An Intellectual Disability And Autism: An Action Research Study, Jamie Lee Taber

Theses and Dissertations

Students with disabilities are struggling to meet expectations in science at the national and local level. Many studies have linked difficulties with science content to difficult and technical vocabulary, and this has been evident at the local level, too. To try to improve science instruction for students with disabilities, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation of computer-assisted science vocabulary modules with students with an intellectual disability and autism in an adapted environmental science class. This study aimed to answer how the implementation of computer-assisted vocabulary modules, which adhere to evidence-based practices of special education vocabulary instruction, …

Dawn Of The Undead Classroom: Pop-Culture In The First-Year Composition Classroom, Sierra A. Ellison

English (MA) Theses

Supplemented by the findings of her IRB certified research project, Sierra A. Ellison delves into the positive effects pop culture and genre have on the first-year composition classroom, exploring how engaging students through a common discourse that is relatable and comfortable can aid in their writing and composition progression. She explains how teaching under a framework such as the undead and examining these types of thematic material can engage students in the material and give students the space to open up about key issues like race, sex, politics, morality, and consumerism that they might be reluctant to discuss otherwise.

Making Elearning Engaging: The Effect Of Technology Strategies On Student Engagement And Content Knowledge Development In A Secondary Mathematics Digital Classroom, Allison Knapp

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study employed a mixed-methods design to examine the effect of technology strategies on secondary students’ engagement and development of geometry content knowledge in an eLearning setting. Seeking to understand student preferences of the technology tools, this two-week study was conducted during a geometry unit on quadrilaterals and employed the following technology tools: student response systems (SRS), computer-assisted instruction (CAI), gamification, and teacher-made screencasts. Quantitative data was collected on student engagement, the usefulness of the technology, and student self-efficacy through a Likert-scale survey after each day of using technology. Qualitative data were collected through purposeful interviews with students …

Motivation And Engagement In The Choral Classroom: Does Repertoire Make A Difference?, Katy Haltvick

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine what motivates and engages students in a choral classroom and ensemble setting. Students were exposed to a variety of music ranging from challenging to more simplistic in nature. In addition, they even had pieces that they may have heard on the radio. The research participants for this study included students in grades 7-12 in a choral ensemble. Students were mixed races, as well as gender. Exposure to music varied depending on age. Older students have been exposed to much more repertoire, as well as much more variety of repertoire in terms of …

Brain Breaks And Engagement, Joe'l Vander Waal

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research project explored the effects of brain breaks on student engagement. The participants in this study were 22 eighth-grade students in a language arts classroom at a public middle school in Northwest Iowa. Students were observed to determine engagement for the last 18 minutes of class. A no-treatment period was observed in order to create a baseline, followed by a treatment period to demonstrate any increase or decrease in overall student engagement. The treatment consisted of a three-minute brain break implemented half-way through the class period. These breaks included two minutes of physical activity followed by one minute …

I’Ll Never Have To Do This After High School: Exploring Students' Perceptions Of College And Career Readiness And The Effects Of Eportfolios With Reflection On Transferable Skills, Julie Beatrice Kristin

Theses and Dissertations

The ambition of this action research was to evaluate the impact of ePortfolios with a reflection on transferable skills on high school students' perceptions of college and career readiness concerning their high school ELA coursework. Nationwide, studies have revealed that high school students do not consider themselves college and career ready after high school. About 55% of high school students feel that high school is not preparing them for their futures. At the research site, an urban high school in northeastern Georgia, students often complained about their perceived disconnection between classwork and the value of these assignments beyond high school; …