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Implementation Of A Life-Skill Centered Token Economy: The Experience Of A Peer Teacher, Joseph Fredrick Bellak Jul 2006

Implementation Of A Life-Skill Centered Token Economy: The Experience Of A Peer Teacher, Joseph Fredrick Bellak

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined how a peer teacher implemented, evaluated, and modified a life-skill centered token economy (LSCTE) model. The LSCTE is a hybrid of various components of token economy models that I have researched and observed. It is a classroom management model designed to help students participate in various roles/jobs that prepare them for community involvement and employment by giving them simulated experiences within a micro-society in the classroom. A peer teacher volunteered to implement the LSCTE. The findings demonstrated the participant's success with teaching children responsibility and accountability. Some of the benefits of the model reported by the …


Case Study Of A Middle School Reader Attending A Separate Reading Class, Amy A. Wilson Jul 2006

Case Study Of A Middle School Reader Attending A Separate Reading Class, Amy A. Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the prevalence of separate reading classes in middle-level schools across the country, there is much debate about the effectiveness of these courses. Many researchers advocate content-area literacy or interdisciplinary teaming instead, claiming that students do not transfer the skills they learn in reading classes to other subjects. This qualitative case study of one middle school student is an intensive description of a biracial Navajo and Piute teenager who attended a separate reading class. The case study looked at three specific areas of the student's reading in regards to this class: comprehension, motivation, and perception. The student did not transfer …


Is Social Studies Being Taught?: A Study Of One District, Katie Sorensen Jul 2006

Is Social Studies Being Taught?: A Study Of One District, Katie Sorensen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the status of social studies in elementary classrooms in a local school district. Status was determined by assessing the amount of instructional time that was devoted to social studies, its perceived importance in the curriculum, and challenges associated with teaching social studies. Three research questions were identified in order to examine the status of social studies in Apple School District (pseudonym): (1) To what degree is social studies being taught in the elementary grades one through five? (2) How important is social studies compared to other areas of the curriculum? (3) What …


Readers Theater: A Key To Fluency Development, Rachel Clark Jul 2006

Readers Theater: A Key To Fluency Development, Rachel Clark

Theses and Dissertations

This study presents a multicase study that looked at the fluency development of three fourth grade readers of varying reading abilities. The participants were chosen based on two scores, their words correct per minute (WCPM) score and their Multidimensional Fluency Scale score (MFS). The three students participated in an eight-week intervention in which readers theaters were used for fluency instruction and practice. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used as the researcher observed the students during the literacy block of the day; interviewed the three participants three times; one-on-one, gathered self-report sheets that the participants filled out weekly; and recorded …


Teacher Efficacy In Relation To Mathematics Reform: A Look At A Collaborative Group Of Elementary Teachers, Kerri Lee Hundley Jul 2006

Teacher Efficacy In Relation To Mathematics Reform: A Look At A Collaborative Group Of Elementary Teachers, Kerri Lee Hundley

Theses and Dissertations

A number of recent efforts to improve mathematics instruction have focused on professional development activities designed to promote changes in teachers' practice that are consistent with the standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [NCTM]. Since teacher beliefs can have a significant influence on what teachers do in their classroom, this study investigated the impact of an alternative form of professional teacher development designed to impact both general and personal teacher efficacy beliefs toward the use of Standards-based mathematics. A professional teacher development study group [PDSG] was formed that consisted of a facilitator/participant and six elementary teachers who …


Improving The Learning Approach Of College Freshmen And Future Teachers Through Curricular Intervention, Lynna Betty Shin Jul 2006

Improving The Learning Approach Of College Freshmen And Future Teachers Through Curricular Intervention, Lynna Betty Shin

Theses and Dissertations

Students who exercise a deep approach to learning connect classroom content to real-life experiences. To help first-year students develop a deep approach to learning, Brigham Young University offers a program called Freshman Academy. Participants join a "learning community" based on their intended major. As part of this learning community, participants take recommended first-year courses together and engage in service-learning and problem-solving activities. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore changes in learning approach that followed participation in a Freshman Academy learning community for prospective elementary education majors. These changes were explored through a survey that asked students how …


Children's Literature In The Elementary Schools: Which Books Are Being Chosen For Literacy Instruction?, Shauna Rae Raby Jul 2006

Children's Literature In The Elementary Schools: Which Books Are Being Chosen For Literacy Instruction?, Shauna Rae Raby

Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown the value of using children's literature for reading instruction. As teachers incorporate more children's literature into their programs, questions arise as to the choices they are making about which books to use for literacy instruction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of children's literature in two literacy activities, teacher read aloud and literature circles, in grade four through six classrooms in Central School District. Teachers from this group were asked to complete a survey for each children's literature book they used for teacher read aloud and literature circles during one school year. A …


Reading And Writing In Science: How Do The Reform Documents Attend To The Fundamental Sense Of Science Literacy?, Kimberly J. Frandsen Jul 2006

Reading And Writing In Science: How Do The Reform Documents Attend To The Fundamental Sense Of Science Literacy?, Kimberly J. Frandsen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine and describe fundamental literacy messages found within three major science reform documents: Science for all Americans: Project 2061 (AAAS, 1990), Benchmarks for Science Literacy (AAAS, 1993), and the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996). A qualitative content analysis was performed in an effort to reveal any messages or statements supporting fundamental science literacy. Results from this study indicate that key science reform documents do in fact contain multiple messages supporting the fundamental sense of science literacy, however, the nature of these messages, the quantity, placement and presence of negative literacy statements may …


Understanding Brigham Young University's Technology Teacher Education Program's Sucess In Attracting And Retaining Female Students, Katrina M. Cox Jul 2006

Understanding Brigham Young University's Technology Teacher Education Program's Sucess In Attracting And Retaining Female Students, Katrina M. Cox

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to attempt to understand why Brigham Young University Technology Teacher Education program has attracted and retained a high number of females. This was done through a self-created survey composed of four forced responses, distributed among the Winter 2006 semester students. Likert-scale questions were outlined according to the five theoretical influences on women in technology, as established by Welty and Puck (2001) and two of the three relationships of academia, as established by Haynie III (1999), as well as three free response questions regarding retention and attraction within the major. Findings suggested strong positive polarity …


Partnering In Practice: A Look At Collaborative Student Teaching, Cynthia J. Horrocks Jun 2006

Partnering In Practice: A Look At Collaborative Student Teaching, Cynthia J. Horrocks

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined the experience of two student teachers as they partnered during their student teaching assignment. The relationship which developed between the pair was critical to the success of their experience and allowed them to enjoy several benefits of paired student teaching as well as overcome potential stumbling blocks. The successful experience described in this study demonstrates that paired student teaching can be an effective alternative to traditional student teaching.