Digital Commons Network^™

The Influence Of The Student-Teacher Relationship On The Mathematics Confidence Of Students, Mary Tracey Plante

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The student-teacher relationship impacts student confidence and achievement. Many factors such as race, gender, language learning, and special education were researched as they influence this relationship. This research focused on using a correlational case study to determine how the student-teacher relationship influences the mathematics confidence of students when social-emotional supports and learning are implemented. Data collection methods involved using a Likert scale and interviews with the teacher. For the students, data collection was a Likert scale, number sense assessment, interviews, and anecdotal notes. The participants were a kindergarten teacher and 18 of her students from a diverse, midwestern suburban school …

Challenges And Opportunities For The Third-Generation Hmong Adolescents In Public Schools: Preparing For The Future, Changying Lawton

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

To my dearest husband and son, Andrew and Joseph, my mother-in-law, Pauline, and the rest of my family, thank you for all of your love and support, and for instilling a drive and work ethic in me as I would not be where I am today with you.

To Hamline University’s EDD Cohort 12, the systems thinkers and creators of social capital and community in education, you are my people and in my heart forever.

To my professors, especially Dr. Harvey, thank you for being the best leader and inspiring and encouraging me to persevere as a leader in education. …

Investigating The L2 Motivational Self System Of Mauritanian Efl Learners: A Unique L2 Learning Experience, Casey Hatlevoll

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated Mauritanian EFL learner motivation through the lens of Dörnyei’s (2009) L2 Motivational Self System. The research question was: Within a private English center context, how is the motivation of Mauritanian EFL learners impacted by their L2 selves and the L2 Learning Experience? Specifically, two sub-questions were addressed: (1) Within learners’ L2 Motivational Self Systems, how does the impact of the L2 Self compare with the impact of the L2 Learning Experience? and (2) Which aspects of the L2 Learning Experience within the English center’s learning environment foster learner motivation?. A mixed-methods design was utilized, including a motivation …

Minnesota School Forest Program: An Evaluation And Exploration Of Implementations, Madisson Weier

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources School Forest Program through answering the following questions: what are the strengths and limitations of the School Forest Program; What are the impacts of individual teacher objectives on the utilization and implementation of the School Forest Program? These questions were investigated using data collected from a survey sent to School Forest Coordinators as well as a data request to the Department of Natural Resources. This study found that participants in the School Forest Program feel that their School Forests add many positive benefits to their classrooms …

Effects Of Evaluative Praise Versus Behavior Descriptive Praise On Intrinsic Motivation And Behavior, Stacie Mccormack

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The author’s research inquiry was: what is the impact of behavior descriptive praise and evaluative praise on intrinsic student motivation and behavior? The literature states that using evaluative praise can cause a ‘fixed mindset’ where a child is fearful of trying new tasks, and confused on the desired behavior of the educator. Moreover using behavior descriptive praise allows children to view effort and working hard a positive aspect of learning, while the educator is able to easily establish clear expectations for the students. This study took place over a four month period with two different third grade art classes. Through …

Will An Environmental Focused Genius Hour Affect Students’ Attitudes Toward The Environment?, Claire Opsahl

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine if an environmental focused Genius Hour will affect students’ attitudes toward the environment. Over an eight week period ninth grade students in an Honors Civics class self-selected an environmental topic to research, write a research paper and present their findings. The study was completed in a suburban high school setting. The study Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered using student interest surveys and the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) Likert Scale Survey. The participants were surveyed before completing their Genius Hour project and after completion. The results of the survey show that an …

Factors To Consider Before Choosing A Single Gender Classroom In An Elementary School Setting, Jade Phillips

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, what factors should parents consider before choosing a single gender classroom for their child? The author researched biological differences of boys and girls as found by Dr. Leonard Sax as well as perceptions and realities of boys and girls who have been exposed to single gender classrooms as seen in work by Rosemary Salomone and Michael Gurian. Qualitative and Quantitative research was conducted and the author discovered that students and teachers unanimously disagree with single gender classrooms for a variety of reasons.

How Integrating Digital Formative Assessment Impacts The Learning Of Sixth-Grade Science Students, Sara E. Potter

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in the project was, How integrating digital formative assessment impacts the learning of sixth-grade science students? The motivating factor for this capstone was the increased use of electronic devices in the classroom. In this study, qualitative and quantitative data was collected using student surveys and summative assessment results of a science unit after using either traditional or traditional and digital formative assessments. In one year, exclusively traditional formative assessment was implemented, and in the other, both traditional and digital formative assessments were used. It was found that whether traditional formative assessment or a combination of traditional …

Factors Contributing To An Elite High School Football Program, Richard Fryklund

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, what factors contribute to an elite high school football program. The motivating factor for this capstone was one teacher-coach’s desire to understand what differentiates lasting levels of on-the-field success for high school football programs. This capstone was designed to ask high school football coaches their perspectives and methods in their respective high school football program. Previous studies on the definition of elite, organizational culture and support, coaches, and athletes aided the researcher in obtaining background information of successful organizations in various domains. Five high school football coaches, who met the criteria of …

How Does An Environmental Based Service-Learning Project In An Non-Science Classroom Affect Student’S Values And Motivate Them To Be Better Stewards?, Nathan Fritz

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study addressed the question: how does an environmental based servicelearning project in an non-science classroom affect student's values and motivate them to be better stewards? The participants of this study were tenth grade AVID students in a suburban high school setting. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected, analyzed and compared to accurately measure student’s attitudes towards the environment. The quantitative data was collected using the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) Likert Scale Survey. The students were surveyed prior to their service-learning project and then again after the project's completion. Qualitative data was obtained through one-on-one interviews and a short writing …

Motivation For Learning English At A Theological Seminary In Ukraine, Joshua Tokar

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to determine what factors motivate students to learn English at an evangelical seminary in Ukraine. After the fall of communism, English was mainly taught at newly formed evangelical seminaries in Ukraine to enable students to access theological resources in English that were not available in Russian or Ukrainian. A mixed-method approach involving a written attitudinal questionnaire and follow-up focus group interviews was employed to collect data. Participants in this study were second- year music ministry and first- to third-year theology students enrolled in English courses.The results of this study revealed that twenty-five years later seminary students …

An Analysis Of Critical Thinking And Motivation In A Korean University Efl Classroom, Andrew Steven Parker

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to determine what kinds of motivation students at a Korean university had for learning English, how the students would respond to intervention lessons with strong critical thinking components, and to what extent, if any, did those students feel that critical thinking would be advantageous to the study of English. It utilized a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data was collected in the form of Likert questionnaire items and analyzed in terms of Dörnyei’s L2 Motivational Self System. Qualitative data was collected using open-ended questionnaire items. The findings were that the students’ strongest source of motivation was their Ideal …

The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy And Reading Test Score Improvement In Elementary English Learners, Daniel Patrick Sefkow

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Despite funding from multiple sources, many upper elementary English Learners (ELs) in Minnesota struggle to reach grade level reading proficiency. This study examined the relationship between academic reading self-efficacy and improvement on two reading standardized tests taken annually at the school. Participants were 21 fourth and fifth grade intermediate or advanced ELs in a Midwestern town. Participants’ responses to a sixquestion Likert-style self-efficacy and reading survey were compared to two years’ worth of WIDA ACCESS and NWEA MAP reading data. Results indicated that students with lower reading proficiency had a greater standard deviation between their reading test score improvement and …

Factors Influencing The Persistence Of Ged Students, David Foster Wilson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this study was, What factors influence the persistence of GED students? The motivation for this project was the author’s involvement as a teacher in an Adult Education Program. Eighteen students were briefly surveyed and 3 students were interviewed at length to find out more about positive and negative factors that influenced their academic path. The results, particularly from the interviews, provided the key findings that students benefit from a strong team of support, a positive, determined attitude and mindset, and the motivation of working toward a better future.

How Hope And Motivation Lead To Self-Regulation Middle School Students, Jessica Marie Winter

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The goal of the study was to determine how hope, motivation and goal setting led to selfregulation in middle school students. The research methods used in the study were mixed methods, which enabled students to give voice to the provided data. On the basis of the research, it was concluded there was a relationship between goal setting and selfregulation in middle school students.

The Correlation Between Athletic Intrinsic Motivation And Academic Intrinsic Motivation Of Student Athletes At The Secondary Level, Rebecca Lee Jelenc

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project is: Is there a correlation between athletic and academic intrinsic motivation secondary students ? The motivating factor for this capstone was the study of high academic success by highly successful student athletes in high school. This capstone was designed to investigate if intrinsic motivation attributes of athletics are transferred to the academic focus of the athletes. This capstone details related literature on intrinsic motivation in both the athletic and academic setting, the use of the Academic and Sports Motivation Surveys, and results of the surveys. The study of Marionville High School student athlete’s …

Encouraging Student-­Generated Critical Questions Through Literature Circles In A Tenth-­Grade Classroom, Damon Reuben Brook

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study explored how literature circles were used to encourage 32 tenth­grade students enrolled in an English 10 class to generate critical questions about memoirs. The literature review overviewed the philosophy of student­centered classrooms as well as the specific benefits of using literature circles and question­answer relationship (QAR) reading strategies. This study covered a four­week unit where teams of students were observed in interest­based literature circles. Students discussed the texts and recorded questions that they used for discussions. Other data included analysis of teacher­generated reflection journals. The results of the study revealed that the students overall responded positively to the …

How Do Mindset Interventions Affect 6th Grade Students' Mindsets, Nadine Louise Uremovich

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was: How do mindset interventions affect 6th grade students' mindsets? Students in a 6th grade middle school setting were participants in a series of mindset interventions that took place over eight weeks during science class. Surveys, student work samples, and anecdotal notes demonstrated that mindset interventions increase growth mindset in 6th grade students. The research had several unexpected results which included: 1) mindset interventions increased students' knowledge about brain structure and function; 2) mindset interventions caused an increase in use of students' problem-solving strategies; 3) mindset interventions caused a decrease in concern about …