Digital Commons Network^™

Community College Leadership At The Intersection Of Strategic Planning And Resource Management, Roxy Traxler

School of Business Student Theses and Dissertations

This study seeks to determine the competencies that college leaders need to possess in the intersection of finance and strategic planning. For this purpose, I am using resource management as a construct to define the competencies. This is important because one area rarely mentioned in the research is how the budgeting process, policies and practices that guide financial decisions are used to support student success and the strategic plan. There is literature related to the need for financial or fiscal leadership skills but not about what those skills are and how they are used to accomplish strategic goals to improve …

A Principled Pedagogy: Resources From The Levat Workgroup And Colloquium, Peter Slade

The Mahle Lectures Journal

No abstract provided.

Workshop Notes: Faculty’S Positionality And Soul Care, Rebecca Y. Kim, Nicholas Rowe

The Mahle Lectures Journal

No abstract provided.

Workshop Notes: Teaching Race In Diverse Classrooms Without Hurting Our Students, Patricia Brown, Peter Slade

The Mahle Lectures Journal

No abstract provided.

Workshop Notes: Christian Perspectives On Race, Kelly W. Figueroa-Ray, Mark Mulder

The Mahle Lectures Journal

No abstract provided.

Workshop Notes: Identifying Racial Narratives, Drew G. Hart, Karen Johnson

The Mahle Lectures Journal

No abstract provided.

From Charlottesville To Minneapolis: An Introduction To The Lift Every Voice And Teach Workgroup, Peter Slade

The Mahle Lectures Journal

No abstract provided.

Workshop Notes: Structural Change In Christian Higher Education, Wongi Park, Aida Isela Ramos

The Mahle Lectures Journal

No abstract provided.

A Principled Pedagogy: Resources From The Levat Workgroup And Colloquium, Peter Slade

The Mahle Lectures: A Publication of Hamline University's Public Lecture Series in Progressive Christian Thought

No abstract provided.

From Charlottesville To Minneapolis: An Introduction To The Lift Every Voice And Teach Workgroup, Peter Slade

The Mahle Lectures: A Publication of Hamline University's Public Lecture Series in Progressive Christian Thought

No abstract provided.

Leadership Challenges With Mental Health Literacy And Cultural Stigma In The Hmong Community, Yeng J. Vang

School of Business Student Theses and Dissertations

It has been nearly 50 years since Hmong refugees started arriving here in the United States, as a result of the Vietnam War. Currently, the Minneapolis-St. Paul area is home to the largest concentration of Hmong Americans here in the states, approximately 81,000 (Pew Research, 2019). Because of the war atrocities that many Hmong refugees experienced, scholars and researchers conducted diagnostic assessments during early resettlement, but the data was disaggregated and combined all Southeast Asian refugees together. This made it difficult to determine mental health needs among the different Southeast Asian ethnicities, specifically Hmong Americans. Many years later, the Wilder …

The Quest For The Political Incorporation Of Hmong And Somali American Candidates, Sadiq A. Abdirahman

School of Business Student Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explores the experiences of Hmong and Somali American candidates with the overarching goal of identifying strategies to enhance their opportunities for securing elected offices, especially in anticipation of demographic shifts in Minnesota. The state's rapid growth in its minority population and persistent racial disparities underscore the need for focused initiatives across social, economic, and political domains. However, a comprehensive understanding of political incorporation strategies for refugee groups, including Hmong and Somali Americans, remains lacking in current literature. Expanding access to leadership circles, this research aims to empower individuals from underrepresented communities to pursue public service, thereby incorporating …

When Ballots Are Blank: Write-In’S Serving Local Government And The Implications For A Healthy And Vibrant Democracy, Thomas J. Ruter

School of Business Student Theses and Dissertations

Our democracy depends on having a supply of candidates running for elected office, but in some instances, no one wants to run. This phenomenological study asks what the effects on a healthy and vibrant democracy are if ballots are blank and the seat is filled through write-in or appointment. Rooted in democratic theory, this study explores small, rural city elections where write-ins won election. Understudied, local governments are responsible for decisions affecting the lives of millions of people each day. Workforce scarcity, the alienation of young Americans from politics, government bashing, nasty campaigns, threats of physical harm, and other barriers …

On-Ramps For Refugees: A Workplace Safety Iet Curriculum For Low-Proficiency English Learners, Annamarie Hansen

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project aims to address the question: “How can current career pathway programs be expanded to create more “on-ramps” for Refugee ELL students at lower English proficiency levels? What role can community-based organizations take in creating “on-ramps”? This paper was inspired by the teacher’s professional experiences working with refugees with lower-level English proficiency seeking to re-enter their chosen career fields. The paper provides an overview of the literature with a specific focus on Vocational English as a Second Language (VESL), the Career Pathway model, Integrated Education and Training (IET) programs, and the need for “on-ramps” to create additional points …

Striving To Increase Bipoc Family Participation In Early Childhood Family Education, Ayuko Boomer

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Boomer, A. U. (2023). Striving to Increase BIPOC Family Participation in Early Childhood Family Education. Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) is a public education program designed and available for all parents and families in Minnesota. Despite these intentions, many Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) families remain unaware of ECFE's existence and its significance. The purpose of this study is to understand the current methodologies of parent education outreach and collaboration with other programs, in particular, BIPOC communities, and explore and process what efforts have been made to increase BIPOC participation in traditional ECFE parent education group classes (non-affinity …

The Relationship Of Two Co-Teaching Models In A Second Grade Special Education Inclusion Classrooms: Impact On Student Achievement, Natalie Hoffert

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research questions addressed in this study were: In a second grade special education inclusion classroom, how do the students experience two co-teaching models: station teaching and alternative teaching? Subquestion 1: How does students’ performance on ELA assessments vary depending on the co-teaching model? Subquestion 2: How does student involvement, enjoyment, and perceived sense of understanding compare after each co-teaching model? Subquestion 3: Do the ELA assessment scores and student attitudes correlate positively? The review of the literature included benefits and drawbacks of special education inclusion classrooms, the six co-teaching models, and the second grade Common Core English Language Arts …

Multicultural Picture Books And The Hard Conversations They Invite: Do Minnesota’S Early Childhood Educators Feel Prepared To Talk About Race During Shared Reading Experiences?, Julie Rech

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Influenced by the researcher’s own experiences being confronted with young children’s curiosities about race during storytimes, this work investigates educator attitudes, approaches, and abilities as they pertain to broaching race topics in early childhood classrooms. Specifically this work seeks to understand To what degree do early childhood educators in Minnesota feel prepared to engage in discussions of race during shared reading experiences with their students? It reviews existing literature on bias and attitudes towards race topics within early childhood education, multicultural picture books and critical literacy, and anti-bias and anti-racist education. Employing constructivist and transformative paradigms and grounded in the …

Planting The Foundational Roots In Co-Teaching Between Secondary Ell Teachers And Mainstream Content Teachers, Amanda Cummings

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question in this capstone project that was explored was, “in what ways can building early collaboration between secondary mainstream teachers and ELL teachers positively impact student learning?” This research question explores collaborative co-teaching and its process based on past personal experiences and research to assist and boost ELL students’ achievement through collaboration. Based on research, secondary teachers are often on their own islands and do not have much of an opportunity to collaborate. Secondary teachers are also often voluntold to co-teach instead of volunteer. Even if a co-teaching pair is open to the idea, many have no idea …

Building Resilience Through Nature Connection And Storytelling To Face The Climate Crisis And The Ecological Crisis, Adam Hettler

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Climate Change is creating more and more severe impacts on our planet. Impacts include more destructive storms, increased temperatures, more wildfires and therefore smoke. Additionally, destruction of habitat is threatening species around the world, who are also struggling to survive the changing climate. Many young people around the world are very worried about the future, and many teachers feel unprepared to teach students about climate change. This project seeks to provide a resource for teachers and students to process the science of climate change by connecting to nature. It asks:

How can educators use digital storytelling tools to develop students’ …

How Does Classroom Management Affect Student Behavior?, Lucy Hoelscher

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question discussed is, how does classroom management affect student behavior? This capstone project is a research-based professional development training for educators. The training is made up of two sessions. The first session focuses on the components and principles of classroom management and the impact of classroom management on student behavior, engagement, and academic performance. The second session consists of successful classroom management approaches and the challenges and barriers educators may face.

Anxiety Disorders In Elementary Students: Interventions For Classroom Use, Jillian Maloney

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Many elementary students suffer from anxiety disorders. There are various types of anxiety disorders, risk factors, and effects on elementary students. The disorders described include generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, specific phobia, social phobia, separation anxiety disorder, and selective mutism. These can be influenced by interpersonal and environmental factors, leading to academic, social, emotional, and physiological effects.Research shows that educators can provide accommodations and classroom strategies to support students. The capstone project developed as a result of this research is a website that serves as a resource for educators. It explains the different types of anxiety disorders, their …

An Effective Small Group Reading Intervention Scope And Sequence For Students In Grades Three To Five, Caitlin Phan

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The guiding question of this project is: What is the most effective scope and sequence for a reading academic support curriculum designed for small groups of students in grades three to five? The purpose of the project is to address the critical need for a well-defined scope and sequence for reading academic support teachers. Research that influenced the written scope and sequence includes reading intervention history, elementary students, struggling readers, types of approaches to teaching reading, and three schools of thought regarding teaching reading (Fountas and Pinnell, Orton-Gillingham, and Science of Reading). Integrating this research, the scope and sequence project …

Effective Teaching Practices For Phonemic Awareness And Phonics In Small Group Reading Instruction, Caitlin Sullivan

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Sullivan, C. (2023) Effective teaching practices for phonemic awareness and phonics in small group reading instruction. This paper is the documentation of an educational coach’s journey to find the most effective small group instructional practices for teaching phonemic awareness and phonics to kindergarten and first grade students. The need to share this research led to the development of four professional development sessions for effective instruction of phonemic awareness and phonics instruction specifically created for teachers of kindergarten and first grade students. The Capstone project began by answering the question, How do kindergarten-first grade teachers use best practices in phonemic awareness …

Creating Equitable Mainstream K-6 Education For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Christina Talberg

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Talberg, C. (2023). Creating Equitable Mainstream K-6 Education for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The research question posed for this capstone project is: How does a general elementary classroom teacher create an equitable and accessible learning environment for students with ASD? This question was explored through extensive research which is reflected in this paper’s literature review. Research has shown that many mainstream educators do not feel adequately prepared or trained to properly support and include students with ASD in their classroom (Jaffal, 2023). The capstone project that accompanies this research is a three-part professional development workshop. This workshop series was …

Teaching Strategies For Low Literacy Adult Learners, Kelly Rynda

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Research has demonstrated that low-literacy adult learners have different needs than children or more proficient adult readers, but teaching strategies are not often aimed at these students. The professional development presentation developed for this project focuses on the characteristics of these learners, how low-literacy skills affect their lives, and which interventions educators can use in the classroom. Key interventions include Robinson’s suggestions around word recognition, Tighe and Binder’s recommendations about morphology and fluency, Mellard and Fall’s ideas around language comprehension, Park’s suggestions for critical literacy, and Rodrigo et al.’s recommendations around reading for pleasure. The project shares information about the …

Diversity Among Educators In Minnesota, Gabrielle Wiest

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Diversity Among Educators in Minnesota Wiest, G. (2023) Diversity Among Educators in Minnesota The research question addressed in this capstone project is: ‘How can Minnesota cultivate a more racially diverse teaching workforce that represents our BIPOC students?’In this capstone, research is discovered about the lack of diversity among educators in America’s teaching staff. The foundational research for this project explores current efforts that have been implemented to create more diverse teaching staffs as well as the impact diverse teachers have on students. The topics of focus are: representation in schools, student perception, and past and present. The website designed for …

English Language Arts Curricular Interventions And Achievement In Advanced First Grade Learners From Underserved Backgrounds, Nicole Mckenzie

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone curriculum project seeks to answer the question: How do English Language Arts (ELA), culturally responsive curricular resources impact academic achievement in our advanced first-grade learners from historically underserved populations? The connection between implementing an advanced English language arts (ELA) Jacob’s Ladder poetry unit utilizing the Integrated Curriculum Model (ICM) and learning outcomes of students from historically underserved backgrounds, including twice-exceptional (2e), and racially, culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse (RCLED) learners are measured through growth from the preassessment to summative assessment. High-rigor curricula, culturally responsive teaching methods that tap into neuroscience, and differentiated instruction with entry points for all …

A Need For Culturally Relevant Texts To Motivate K-2 Students In Reading, Thi Hoai Anh Nguyen

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this capstone project was: How can K-2 teachers boost student motivation in reading through interactive read-alouds using culturally relevant texts? After delving into the research on reading motivation, Culturally Relevant Texts, creating a Culturally Relevant Text set, developing student identity, promoting students’ appreciation of cultural diversity, and Interactive Read Alouds, the author created a "We Are All Different and That’s Beautiful” Text Set Unit which promotes students’ appreciation of cultural diversity by incorporating culturally relevant texts and interactive read-alouds. The text set unit with eight chosen culturally relevant texts and matching interactive read-aloud lesson plans …

Creating First Grade Math Learning Materials In The Chinese Immersion Learning Environment, Huishu Jia

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Math is everywhere in people’s daily lives. It is also a universal subject taught everywhere. Research has demonstrated that math education includes many different components, the most essential mathematical skill for younger learners is to establish their number sense. Students’ math fluency will increase and will develop their math automaticity once they have strong number sense. According to studies, the Mandarin Chinese language helps students effectively master basic mathematical skills due to the uniqueness of the language, such as the pronunciation of each Chinese character, the “base ten” number system, etc. The project involved creating a pacing chart that aligns …

Implementing Nature-Based Play In Academically Focused Early Childhood Settings, Abbie Krohn

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Research shows that both play and time spent in nature is critical to childhood development. Over the last fifty years, children’s access to extended play in outdoor spaces has decreased substantially. What are early childhood educators in formal academic settings to do with this information? The professional development series created for this project aims to provide early childhood educators with tools and resources to incorporate nature-based play practices into their classrooms. In the series, participants will examine the history of outdoor education in America, the effects of nature on the human body, standardized testing and current educational practices in early …