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What Happens When The Seesaw App Is Used In A Kindergarten Classroom?, Alison Ryan May 2018

What Happens When The Seesaw App Is Used In A Kindergarten Classroom?, Alison Ryan

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

Parent-teacher relationships can make or break a student’s academic career. It is possible that taking advantage of parents’ media-connectedness to form positive relationships may be more effective than more traditional methods like hand-written notes, phone calls, or emails. In this study the researcher sought to understand what happens in a kindergarten classroom when one technology in particular was used facilitate communication: Seesaw (a digital portfolio app used to post pictures and videos of children as well as communicate with parents using its private messaging feature). Data was collected through parent surveys, observations, and interviews of parents, students, and teachers. Analysis …


Writing In Mathematics To Increase Student Understanding, Ashley Harlan May 2018

Writing In Mathematics To Increase Student Understanding, Ashley Harlan

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

The purpose of this action research study was to understand the impact of introducing writing into the math sequence of a third-grade class. The teacher-researcher sought to understand students’ perceptions of as well as her personal perceptions of introducing writing into math and how this impacted student achievement. Data was collected through writing samples, assessment scores, observations and reflections, surveys, and interviews. The data was analyzed using the constant comparative method as well as quantitative methods of analysis. Three major themes emerged from the qualitative analysis of the data: process of introducing writing into math, student attitudes and ideas, and …


Engagement In Science Instruction In A First-Grade Classroom, Corinne Pretiger May 2018

Engagement In Science Instruction In A First-Grade Classroom, Corinne Pretiger

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

Too often, science is pushed toward the bottom of the priority list when it comes to teaching in elementary schools. Focusing on student and teacher perceptions, the researcher of this study wanted to know how this theme or attitude would shift if science became a higher priority in the classroom, for both students and teachers. What do students see as the most important when it comes to engagement and construction of their own learning in science instruction using the Science by Month curriculum? Data was collected for five weeks through student and teacher surveys, interviews, and observations. The constant comparative …


Champs In A Second-Grade Classroom, Amanda Ford May 2018

Champs In A Second-Grade Classroom, Amanda Ford

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

Classroom management can be a big struggle for some teachers, to the point that some school districts have begun initiatives for the implementation of specific behavior management programs. The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the effectiveness of the behavior management program of CHAMPS. The author collected data through student surveys, classroom observations, and teacher and student interviews. After analyzing the data by using a constant comparative method, the author found five major themes. The first theme was the continual reference to CHAMPS expectations within the classroom. The author then found the theme of the …


Academic, Social And Emotional Perceptions Of Gifted And Talented Students In The Elementary Setting, Andrea Trujillo May 2018

Academic, Social And Emotional Perceptions Of Gifted And Talented Students In The Elementary Setting, Andrea Trujillo

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

Research has been done comparing academic achievement of gifted students in diverse school environments, but little has been found about their perceptions as learners in these environments. The purpose of this action research study was to gain academic, social and emotional perceptions of six gifted and talented students in a self-contained elementary classroom. The author collected data through a perception survey, student and teacher interviews, and teacher observations. After collecting data for four weeks and analyzing it using the constant comparative method, the author found that the GT students were challenged in math, extracurricular activities were their favorite, they displayed …


Math Stations In A Third-Grade Class: Are They Worth It?, Rachel Perry May 2018

Math Stations In A Third-Grade Class: Are They Worth It?, Rachel Perry

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

Math stations allow for students to complete tasks individually and in small groups using a variety of manipulatives, games and technology to practice the same mathematical content. The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of teacher and student perceptions of the use of math stations in a third-grade class, and how math stations shaped student feelings towards math. The author collected data through student surveys, teacher and student interviews, observations and a personal research journal. After analyzing the data by using the constant comparative method the author found four major themes. These themes included evidence of …


The Emergence Of Friendships And Social Groups In Kindergarten, Denae Shake May 2018

The Emergence Of Friendships And Social Groups In Kindergarten, Denae Shake

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

The school classroom is an inherently social setting where students interact with each other for seven hours, five days a week. The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of how students select their friends and how social groups begin to form and emerge. The author collected data through student and teacher interviews, dictated drawings, a sociogram, and a parent survey. After analyzing the data by using the constant comparative method, the author found four major themes. The first was that each social clique came equipped with unique characteristics that the clique members embodied. Second, there were …


The Leader In Me? Understanding Student And Teacher Perspectives Of Leader In Me, Summer El-Attrache May 2018

The Leader In Me? Understanding Student And Teacher Perspectives Of Leader In Me, Summer El-Attrache

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

Within the last 20 years, Leader in Me has become increasingly popular among elementary schools looking to incorporate leadership skills in their curriculum. The purpose of this study was to look at the perceptions that students and teachers have of Leader in Me and their perceptions about its impact on student leadership. The author collected data through student and teacher surveys, student and teacher interviews, observations, and document collection. After analyzing and coding the data using the constant comparative method, the author found four major themes. First, participants believed Leader in Me helped students take more ownership of their learning. …


Perceptions Of Guided Math, Katherine Knox May 2018

Perceptions Of Guided Math, Katherine Knox

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

In this study the researcher sought to find how her students perceived guided math instruction in a first grade classroom. She also explored parents’ perceptions of their child’s math experiences in the first grade. Finally, she examined how the teachers in the classroom perceived guided math instruction. Data was collected through student surveys, parent surveys, student interviews, a teacher interview, and observation data. Data was analyzed using the constant comparative method and descriptive statistics. In the end, the researcher found that the students’ overall response to guided math instruction was positive. Most of all the students enjoyed the aspect of …