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School-Wide Policies To Support Ell Students With Lgbtqia+ Identities, Camille Verly
School-Wide Policies To Support Ell Students With Lgbtqia+ Identities, Camille Verly
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
My research question is What school-wide policies can be implemented to support ELL students with LGBTQIA+ identities? LGBTQIA+ high school students face a myriad of challenges in achieving full integration within academic and school culture. These challenges are especially pronounced for students from an English Language Learner (ELL) background, who may also grapple with language barriers and cultural differences. This intersectional group is at higher risk of marginalization, and as such, they are in particular need of holistic support within their educational environment. This project is the development of a comprehensive website designed to serve as a resource for all …
Teacher Identity Development Through Critical Self Reflection, Kelly Holmin
Teacher Identity Development Through Critical Self Reflection, Kelly Holmin
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Many educators struggle daily to balance the many facets of their teacher identity, encompassing their personal and professional lives, as well as how they are portrayed in the media and political realm. This along with the other demands of the job can often lead to teacher identity conflict. While teacher identity conflict is a necessary component to growth throughout one's career, lack of support through these challenges can create frustration, stress, and ultimately cause educators to leave the field altogether. This paper explores the research question: How can educators engage in critical self reflection to overcome conflicts in their teacher …
Pen Pal Programs As An Effective Tool For Elementary Writing And Intercultural Learning, Michelle Babb
Pen Pal Programs As An Effective Tool For Elementary Writing And Intercultural Learning, Michelle Babb
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research has demonstrated how writing can be a challenge for young students. Motivation, authentic use, and low stakes environments are beneficial methods to build student writing confidence. Pen pal programs are an effective way to provide those benefits to student writing. These programs can also assist in students’ ability to build intercultural connections, which holds important skills in the modern world. However, research on pen pal programs is limited, and teachers often lack the time and resources to begin such a program for their students. The project involved creating a website resource for teachers who are interested in developing pen …
Best Practices In Screening Kindergarten Students For Multilingual Services, Kathryn Conover
Best Practices In Screening Kindergarten Students For Multilingual Services, Kathryn Conover
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This research paper aims to answer the question, “what do teachers need to know in order to effectively screen kindergarten students for multilingual services?”. Through a synthesis of relevant research, the paper details the multilingual learner screening process in Minnesota, identifies inefficiencies and validity issues with the process, and suggests revisions to make the process more accurate. Researchers have emphasized the importance of accuracy in screening students, arguing that the overidentification of multilingual students is costly, stealing time and resources from students and teachers. There are many different strategies that can be taken at each step of the kindergarten multilingual …
Culturally Responsive Professional Development: Facilitating Transformational Learning Experiences, Kiana Erickson
Culturally Responsive Professional Development: Facilitating Transformational Learning Experiences, Kiana Erickson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Non Profit Organizations that engage culturally diverse populations as volunteers need support in delivering volunteer training that meets the learning needs of culturally diverse adults. Due to lack of staff capacity, non profit organizations often rely on cohorts of volunteers to train their peers in executing responsibilities of the volunteer roles. These volunteers often do not have background in adult learning nor do they have tools related to engaging culturally diverse groups of adult learners. This capstone aims to answer the question: How can adult educators and trainers use culturally responsive engagement strategies and emerging frameworks to effectively facilitate professional …
How Can Educators Develop Relationships With Students That Positively Impact A Student’S Academic And Social Well Being?, Adam Arnst
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This capstone project explores how a well-structured and supportive school environment can impact students socially, emotionally and academically. I want to shed light on the importance of inclusion, connection, and community within a school, and the positive ripple effects it has on students as individuals. The literature review provides more information about student relationships, benefits of positive relationships, students' sense of belonging, and positive reinforcement systems. Chapter three provides a description of the project and how I plan to share and implement my project with my colleagues. The focus of my project is to provide teachers with ways to develop …
Supporting Biliteracy In English Language Classrooms, Maria White
Supporting Biliteracy In English Language Classrooms, Maria White
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This project was inspired by a large influx of Spanish-speaking students in the past year. This project is designed to answer the following research question: How can teachers support the Spanish literacy of their Spanish-speaking students in ways that will transfer to English and support their English literacy development? The literature review synthesizes research on different language models and their use of heritage language instruction, foundational literacy skills in English and in Spanish and a comparison of the two languages, followed by a review of the research on what literacy skills transfer across languages. The resulting project is a four-hour …
The Connection Between Depth And Complexity And Culturally Relevant Teaching, Aisling Schlosser
The Connection Between Depth And Complexity And Culturally Relevant Teaching, Aisling Schlosser
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
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 and phonics to develop effective small group reading instruction that will increase students reading proficiency? The …
How Do We Expand Current Notions Of Technology In Science Classrooms, Emanuel Calderon
How Do We Expand Current Notions Of Technology In Science Classrooms, Emanuel Calderon
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this study was: How do we expand current notions of technology in science classrooms? The topics reviewed in the literature include the history of technology in secondary education, the use of technology in classrooms, the use of technology in science pedagogy, technology standards in education, technology training for teachers, use of technology during and post-pandemic, job-related stress during covid, technology use of adolescence before and post COVID, and student behavior and mental health. The website created for the project focuses on defining the purpose of technology, providing a training resource that assists teachers in incorporating …
The History Of The Philosophy Of Science And Its Impacts On Modern Science Education, Rebecca Steele
The History Of The Philosophy Of Science And Its Impacts On Modern Science Education, Rebecca Steele
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This capstone project explores the question of the philosophical ideas that have given rise to modern conventions of teaching and learning science, and what alternatives exist to these methods. By exploring the philosophies that underpin our modern methods of science teaching and learning, and how have they come to dominate the space of scientific thought, the author has created a website resource for teachers to use for professional development, to learn about the philosophical history of science, in order to fully understand the reasons why science operates within specifically empirical and mechanistic paradigms. The project includes an interactive historical timeline …
Delving Into The Star Curriculum And How It Enhances Or Detracts From A Federal Level Iii Setting, Erika Hennen
Delving Into The Star Curriculum And How It Enhances Or Detracts From A Federal Level Iii Setting, Erika Hennen
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The primary research question of this capstone project is: How can teachers effectively implement the Strategies for Teaching based on Autism Research (STAR) program in a Federal Level III setting classroom? The STAR curriculum was developed based on research done by Joel Arick. Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of the STAR curriculum through seventeen evidence-based practices that are embedded into the curriculum. The professional development for this project focuses on utilizing the STAR curriculum as a road map to guide the instruction occurring in a Federal Level III setting classroom. Participants are provided with four professional developments along with a …
Second Language Acquisition For General Educators: An Accessible Professional Development Course, Angela Cabreana
Second Language Acquisition For General Educators: An Accessible Professional Development Course, Angela Cabreana
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This capstone project was built in response to the research question “How can general education educators learn the process of language acquisition in an accessible way?” With the population of multilingual learners (MLs) in public schools steadily increasing and teacher preparation programs often not preparing teachers for these students, many general education teachers are looking for professional development (PD) on best practices for teaching MLs. Thus the idea for developing a free, asynchronous website professional development course that instructs general educators on the process of second language acquisition (SLA) was born. The literature review explores the theories and processes that …
Parks And Education, Carson Law
Parks And Education, Carson Law
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Parks and education have a substantial correlation. People of all ages, from young to old, learn from their surroundings by spending time in parks. Public parks can play a significant role in a child's education, simultaneously offering a place for learning and free play. Outdoor education is crucial to a child's development, from mental and physical health to social skills and developmental benefits. Outdoor education has two branches: adventure and environmental education. Understanding these branches will help us explore how these experiences must be accessible. The experiences of outdoor, adventure, and environmental education should be accessible to the masses. Race, …
Examining Elementary English Language Teachers’ Professional Development Of Dispositions, Knowledge, And Skills, Jessica Reese
Examining Elementary English Language Teachers’ Professional Development Of Dispositions, Knowledge, And Skills, Jessica Reese
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine how professional development contributed to the dispositions, knowledge, and skills of elementary English language (EL) teachers. Historically, EL teachers received little professional development and ongoing support within their discipline of English as a Second Language, which led to inconsistencies with how EL teachers perceived their role as a language development expert. Although the literature review identified the necessary dispositions, knowledge, and skills of EL teachers, there was little research about how EL teachers accessed professional development to engage in continuous growth in their field. As part of the study, professional …
The Potential Impact Of Creating A Justice And Equity Credential On Student Achievement And A&I Retention & Persistence, Jeremy Rupp
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This research paper explores the potential impact of introducing a Justice & Equity Credential and an Achievement and Integration (A&I) License on educational equity in Minnesota. Drawing on a comprehensive literature review and original empirical data collected through surveys and interviews, the study investigates the efficacy of credentialing and licensing frameworks in addressing systemic disparities in educational systems pointed at both students and practitioners of A&I. The findings underscore the critical need for targeted interventions to promote equity in A&I programming, highlighting the role of professional development, cultural responsiveness, and accountability in supporting staff retention and fostering equitable outcomes for …
Spanish-Speaking English Learners’ Experience In Spanish/English Dual Language Immersion Schools, Sara Worthington
Spanish-Speaking English Learners’ Experience In Spanish/English Dual Language Immersion Schools, Sara Worthington
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research has demonstrated that dual language immersion (DLI) schools provide one of the most viable pathways for students of families who speak a language other than English to maintain and develop their home language proficiencies while also learning and improving their proficiencies in English. The professional development (PD) designed for this project focuses on maximizing the English instruction time in Spanish/English dual language immersion schools. Across the United States, the number of DLI programs has increased dramatically in the past few decades yet often the educators employed in the programs have little or no specific training in teaching English as …
Self-Regulated Learning For English Language Learners In Asynchronous Online Community College Courses, Nicole Olalde
Self-Regulated Learning For English Language Learners In Asynchronous Online Community College Courses, Nicole Olalde
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The number of students who take asynchronous online courses has soared, notably since the onset of COVID in 2020. Success in these courses requires a significant amount of self-discipline. Students who struggle in this context have cited a lack of support, feelings of isolation, and difficulties regulating their learning. For adult English language learners, (ELLs) this is an additional burden because they are taking post-secondary education courses in a language that is not their first language. There is a positive correlation between the use of self-regulated learning (SRL) and academic performance. The ability of students to self-regulate accounts for a …
In What Ways Are Schools, Districts And States Proactively Supporting The Mental Health Of Their Teachers To Reduce Teacher Turnover And Burnout?, Lauren Meyer
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Teacher mental health is of high concern when looking at the number of teachers leaving the profession. Schools are facing high levels of turnover due to teacher burnout. This issue did not arise as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the number of teachers leaving has increased since 2020. Teachers are feeling burnt out due to underlying issues of the education system. This research involves the reasons why teachers are feeling burnt out, what educators can do to help build self-resilience, and what leadership teams can implement to support teachers within their schools. The research goes broader and identifies …
Planting The Foundational Roots In Co-Teaching Between Secondary Ell Teachers And Mainstream Content Teachers, Amanda Cummings
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 …
A Plurilingual Approach For Secondary Efl Students In Panama, Charlie Kersey
A Plurilingual Approach For Secondary Efl Students In Panama, Charlie Kersey
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This capstone project was guided by the following research question: How can we develop a pedagogy for emerging bilingual EFL students that leverages their full linguistic potential? The research question was identified in response to the shortcomings of an English immersion program that was not promoting the full linguistic potential of its bilingual students. This paper pursues solutions to this problem through a multidisciplinary literature review designed to explore the benefits of bilingualism, how to increase language awareness among students, as well as the explicit use of students’ L1 to learn a L2. Topics explored in the literature review include …
Implementing Equitable And Effective Practices For Dual-Identified Learners, Annelise Walsh
Implementing Equitable And Effective Practices For Dual-Identified Learners, Annelise Walsh
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Walsh, A. (2023). Implementing Equitable and Effective Practices for Dual-Identified Learners English learners in special education make up approximately 1% of students in the United States. As the overall population of English learners rapidly increases, so does this population of dual-identified learners. Educators often do not receive adequate preparation to support dual-identified learners, and misconceptions that these students do not require services in both areas still persist in American public schools. Additionally, disproportionality of English learners in special education remains an ongoing issue. As a result, dual-identified learners are a misunderstood and underserved population. This capstone seeks to answer the …
Exploring How Elementary Esl Teachers Experience Learning And Change Related To A Genre-Based Approach To Language Instruction, Angela Froemming
Exploring How Elementary Esl Teachers Experience Learning And Change Related To A Genre-Based Approach To Language Instruction, Angela Froemming
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This study explored how elementary ESL teachers describe their experience learning about genre-based pedagogy, and how they describe change that resulted from learning about this instructional approach. Multilingual learners represent a rising student demographic across the United States (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2021), however, most teachers and administrators have not been adequately trained in language development, so language remains an abstract concept and professional learning experiences related to language development are scarce (He & Bagwell, 2021; Ranney, 2012). Without language-based resources or frameworks, ESL teachers are often underutilized professionals in their schools (Harper & de Jong, 2009). A genre-based …
How Does Classroom Management Affect Student Behavior?, Lucy Hoelscher
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.
Implementing Nature-Based Play In Academically Focused Early Childhood Settings, Abbie Krohn
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 …
Dear Education System, It’S You, Not Me: Burnout In Elementary Special Education Teachers, Bernadette Putman-Bailey
Dear Education System, It’S You, Not Me: Burnout In Elementary Special Education Teachers, Bernadette Putman-Bailey
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
Putman-Bailey, B. (2023). Dear education system, it’s you, not me: Burnout in elementary special education teachers. Burnout is not new to the education system as there seems to be a news article around burnout in the teaching profession and the shortage of teachers nationwide. Minnesota is not immune to this problem, but it is particularly true in special education. Special education teacher positions are the most difficult to recruit and retain for school districts in Minnesota. This research focused on the phenomenon of burnout in elementary special education teachers in urban and suburban areas of Minneapolis. The primary research question …
Lgbtqia+ Inclusivity In The Outdoors, Allison Brown
Lgbtqia+ Inclusivity In The Outdoors, Allison Brown
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
LGBTQIA+ individuals face barriers, inequities, and discrimination while accessing outdoor spaces and participating in outdoor education and recreation. This project focused on creating an online, asynchronous toolkit with learning activities designed for individuals and organizations within the fields of outdoor education and outdoor recreation to become aware of barriers the LGTBQIA+ community faces to accessing the outdoors and begin implementing LGBTQIA+ inclusion initiatives. The activities are intended to be completed in order, but can be adapted to best meet individual and organizational needs. Each learning activity was influenced by the research conducted for the capstone project and by examining inclusivity …
Key Components And Best Practices Of Early Decoding Instruction, Erika Fruetel
Key Components And Best Practices Of Early Decoding Instruction, Erika Fruetel
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The question that guided the research and project development was: What are key components and best practices in early decoding instruction? Throughout recent history, students in the United States have been taught to read based on two main theories: one that approaches literacy learning as natural development that should be supported by surrounding the child with rich and engaging literature, and the other that focuses more intently on teaching the student the patterns of spelling in order to decode words. Although educators have debated which is the most effective approach for decades, research consistently points to the importance of instructing …
Implementation Of Co-Teaching To Benefit Students With Unique Needs, Zoe Weiler
Implementation Of Co-Teaching To Benefit Students With Unique Needs, Zoe Weiler
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Throughout this project, the research question analyzed is: How can educators learn to implement co-teaching to benefit students with unique needs in the general education classroom? The review of literature contains various co-teaching matters including the history and rationale for co-teaching, the effects of co-teaching on both students and educators, and various implementation strategies. Co-teaching is very powerful and can increase proficiency levels in a variety of subjects for students with unique learning needs. Research shows that co-teaching encourages a sense of belonging and community in the general education classroom. This teaching strategy is unlike any other because it allows …
Outdoor Education And The Effects On Social-Emotional Outcomes In Elementary-Aged Students: A Pd Series, Christopher Windman
Outdoor Education And The Effects On Social-Emotional Outcomes In Elementary-Aged Students: A Pd Series, Christopher Windman
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research has sought to find ways that educators can increase student engagement, social attitudes, cooperation, and other domains of social-emotional learning in the classroom. Outdoor education researchers have long hypothesized that outdoor education can help increase student social, emotional, and academic outcomes. There are many different definitions of outdoor education and several frameworks for social-emotional learning. This project uses a definition of outdoor education derived from a combination of historical research from Lloyd B. Sharp and Phyllis Ford, international research and curriculum analyses, and several environmental, place-based, and nature-based education research studies. This project utilizes the CASEL framework and EDTRUST’s …
Avid For Ells In Content Classes, Whitney Selimovi Ć
Avid For Ells In Content Classes, Whitney Selimovi Ć
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Students classified as English Language Learners (ELLs) continue to lag behind the academic performance and graduation rates of their peers (Bravo & Cervetti, 2014; Minnesota Department of Education, 2022). Although English Language Development (ELD) teachers are highly trained in language acquisition, they are not with their students all day, and much of the responsibility of English Language instruction falls on the classroom teachers, who report both less training in the knowledge required and less comfort in supporting this ELL population (Carabantes & Paran, 2022; de Jong & Barko-Alva, 2015; Harklau & Ford, 2022; Murphy & Torff, 2019). This knowledge gap …