Digital Commons Network^™

Crowdsourcing Civics Instruction To Improve Student Civic Knowledge, Skills, And Citizen Engagement, Charles T. E. Jones

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Secondary students’ lack of civic knowledge, skills, and engagement is well documented in the literature. States continue to address the issue through an increase in mandated civics requirements, but a striking improvement has not been confirmed. Improving civics instructional delivery through crowdsourcing holds promise in addressing deficits in students’ acquisition of civic knowledge, skills, and engagement. Crowdsourcing is the act of using the internet to obtain information and input from multiple parties on specific topics and to find solutions to problems. The purpose of this study was to determine if crowdsourcing may be an effective instructional tool that civics teachers …

A Secondary Transition Planning Tool To Enhance The Needs Of Students With Disabilities Beyond High School: Case Study, Kamyka Glenn

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Youth with disabilities such autism, emotional disorder, intellectual disabilities, and learning disabilities are less likely to exit high school with a diploma, more likely to drop out of school and be unemployed, and less likely to enroll in postsecondary education and to live independently (Department of Education, 2011; Labor of Statistics, 2016). “The percentage of students with disabilities who spend at least 80% of each school day in general education has increased from 34% in 1990 to 63.5% in 2017, their levels of academic achievement, rates of school exit, and post school outcomes still fall well below those of their …

Increasing Retention In Higher Education Institutions Through Competency-Based Education, Jévaughn J. Lancaster

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Competency-based education allows students to advance based on their ability to become proficient within a topic at their own pace. Since students can work through various learning outcomes without time constraints, statistics show that competency-based education can provide students with higher results and a greater understanding of the subject matter without the additional stress of turning in assignments late or not understanding course materials in time to obtain a passing score on the assessment.

Higher educational institutions have been struggling with not only enrollment but also retention. Students opt for micro-learning opportunities and on-the-job training rather than obtaining credentials through …

Continuity And Sustainability In The Disability World, Jaimee Sabato

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Raising a healthy child has its joys and challenges; however, raising a child or caring for someone with special needs brings a new set of obstacles. Parents and caregivers of children and individuals with special needs do not have the same selection of available resources as typical parents of healthy children. These challenges are approached with an entirely different perspective with its own joys and challenges that can be demanding. The purpose of this study was to research the usefulness of an iBook, Navigating Life in the World of Disabilities, by providing accurate and helpful information from an empirical approach …

Let Them Be Little: Teacher Perspectives On Developmental Play In Kindergarten Classrooms, Amy Michelle Towne

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Kindergarten is a German term meaning children's garden. In 1837, Fredrich Froebel founded kindergarten and stated, "Children are like tiny flowers; they are varied and need care, but each is beautiful alone and glorious when seen in the community of peers." Froebel believed that children needed to be nurtured and tended to like flowers in a garden. Kindergarten classes, at this time, encouraged children to develop and blossom freely through play under the guidance, not direct instruction, of the teacher. Through the years, kindergarten has changed drastically. Recent legislation has transformed the kindergarten curriculum even more.

Currently, many kindergarten teachers …

Parental Strategies To Promote Mental Health In Digital Citizens Of Grades 6-8, Maria Cavallo Benkirane, Iris K. Thompson

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The research conducted in this study was done to discern the best parental strategies to promote mental health in digital citizens of grades 6-8. The world of technology is very dynamic, and often these days children are advancing much faster than their parents. The purpose of this research study was to keep parents informed and educated of the latest trends, tools, and dangers in the digital world today. To achieve this goal the researchers held four online workshops over the course of two months to provide parents the tools necessary to raise responsible digital citizens. The results of the study …

Preparing Elementary School Teachers For The Multifaceted Profession, Laquandra Golf

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Teaching in the 21st century classroom requires one to successfully manage many facets simultaneously. Temporary certified teachers are entering the classroom without the proper training needed to survive in the multifaceted profession of education. Research shows that teachers lack the field experience needed to sustain a successful career (Kronholz, 2013). Temporary certified teachers is better prepared for their career through clinical training. Through a review of literature, the researcher was able to determine that teachers lacked the necessary tools needed to fulfill their required duties. The implementation of customized clinical training proved to better prepare temporary certified teachers for the …

Narrowing The Achievement Gap Through Culturally Responsive Teaching, Natasha V. Forde

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The achievement gap currently persists between Black, White, and Hispanic students. The purpose of this action research study was to determine how a series of five professional development workshops on Culturally Responsive Teaching could ultimately narrow or close the achievement gap between Black, White, and Hispanic students through implementing Culturally Responsive Teaching strategies in classrooms to meet the needs of the diverse student population. In addition, this study also examined the teachers’ perceptions of the Culturally Responsive Teaching professional development workshops to positively impact student achievement with Black and Hispanic students.

The objectives of this study included:

• The identification of …

Teacher Self-Care: A Guide For Educators, Jacqueline Leahy, Jamie Wolfe

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The field of education is very demanding and stressful. Educators are leaving the field at high rates due to stress levels. Teachers lack self-care strategies to help them cope with an emotionally demanding career. Research shows that self-care builds resilience, which many teaching professionals tend to lack. Educators can greatly benefit from learning about and practicing better self-care. Through review of research, researchers were able to determine that implementing self-care strategies benefits both teachers and students. Self-care strategies increase effectiveness allowing educators to handle challenges that come up during their teaching career. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has created additional challenges …

Improving Equity Through Master Scheduling, Allison Degregory, Craig Sommer

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

A real and measurable gap exists in our country, and our educational system has served to increase this gap. Our system has failed to provide equitable access to advanced coursework for Black and Hispanic students. Implementing a deliberate and strategic system for scheduling high school students will provide historically underrepresented student groups equitable access to college credit and college-level courses. Quantitative research will determine how such an approach impacts high school students at an urban district in the southeastern United States when principals, and principal supervisors, create systems to schedule students equitably.

Clear and present gaps exist in the rate …