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Increasing Diversity In Advanced Placement Classrooms Through Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Megan Volgren

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This thesis has been designed around the question: How can AP literature teachers use culturally relevant pedagogy to make changes to their curriculum to increase diversity in their classes? Most schools offer advanced classes for students, many of which offer opportunities for them to gain college credit while in school. Yet, these opportunities are not equitably distributed. Students of color are often absent from Advanced Placement (AP) classes. This thesis explores the reasons behind this inequality and considers some changes that can be made to promote equality in schools. The focus of the accompanying project is to create a unit …

Perception Of Motivation On Adult Student Academic Achievement, Hailey Swanson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated how adult learners describe their educational motivation. Twenty-four adult students from two adult education programs responded to a cross-sectional survey focused on intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for pursuing continued education. The survey items consisted of both Likert scale statements and short responses. The data collected led to the conclusion that no definitive description of motivation would allow for a single reactive change to adult curriculum. The research indicates a significant overlap in intrinsic and extrinsic motivational impact. The resulting answer to the research question was that motivation is interrelated and not divided cleanly between intrinsic and extrinsic …

Teachers’ Experiences And Perceptions Of Equity-Oriented Practices In K-5 Literacy Instruction, Carla J. Reyes-Crocker Mrs.

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

The Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) included requirements and supports to advance equity and excellence for all students, including those historically underserved in education. However, data available from the Maine Department of Education (2021) signaled an evident achievement gap. The Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) required equity strategies and evidence-based interventions to improve and encourage schools, educators, and leaders to determine which data-driven approaches best meet school and student needs. Effective equity-oriented practices in the literacy classroom included group work, centering student voice, student-centered instruction, and implementing grade-level materials (Lazar, 2022; Williamson, 2017). Still, little information was available exploring the …

Good Enough, Haley Levin

Bachelor of Fine Arts Senior Papers

The seven-foot-tall sculptural painting Good Enough explores the cultural significance of trophies in contemporary American society. As an ancient object representing achievement and reward, the irony of trophies’ current junk-status pokes at absurd contradictions embedded in American culture. I offer context on the evolution of “the readymade” from Dada to Pop Art to 90s assemblage, and position Good Enough’s handmade, tender approach as a celebratory twist to that lineage of cultural critique.

The Effects Of A Gamified Flipped Classroom On First-Generation Low Income Student Motivation And Achievement In A Georgia High School Mathematics Class, Michael Maxwell

Learning Sciences Dissertations

Math continues to be a challenge for American high school students. The United States was placed ninth in reading and thirty-first in math literacy out of 79 nations and economies in the most recent results for international exams given to teens. Math test results were worst in states with large wealth disparity. Motivation and engagement, conceptualized as students' energy and drive to participate, learn, work efficiently, and realize their potential at school, play a significant impact in students' academic success. While the flipped classroom methodology has demonstrated some success within helping this trend, many studies indicate that additional assistance is …

Campus Ministry And Spiritual Self-Efficacy: A Phenomenological Study Of Academic Achievement Among Black Male Students At An Historically Black College And University, Mitchell Stevens

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, which emphasizes the importance of self-efficacy in motivation and achievement (Bandura, 1994), provided a lens through which to analyze the influence of Historically Black Colleges and University’s (HBCUs) campus ministry on the development of spiritual self-efficacy and academic achievement among Black males. Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have a long history of providing higher education opportunities to Black students, and they have been instrumental in fostering academic, personal, and social growth (Smith & Allen, 2014). However, little is known about the specific impact of campus ministry programs on the development of Black males’ spiritual self-efficacy and …

Who Cares?! Fostering Inclusive And Empowering Environments For Black Students In Predominantly White Institutions: Strategies For Retention And Cultural Engagement, Joel Mandell Stancer, Danielle Allen, Angela Haywood-Gaskin, Kelly Atkins, Rhonda Lingard, Kuriston White-Dunlap

Dissertations

This research focuses on the critical components of caring relationships and how they relate to first-generation Black students’ achievement in higher education. It will reveal how staff-led collegiate programming could benefit first-generation Black college students by allowing them to establish caring relationships and mentorships that allow them to construct a solid support system that is easily accessible to them from the moment they begin college until graduation.

Using data collected from interviews with current college students enrolled in a retention program at a PWI (Predominately White Institution) and in connection with a conceptual framework informed by theorists Nel Noddings, Vincent …

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 …

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 …

Math Educators, Positive Student Mindsets, And Math Centers, Riki Baker

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

It is a math educator’s job to help each student develop academic, emotional, behavioral, and social skills in a supportive and rigorous instructional environment. Reinforcing a growth mindset is the pinnacle of successful teaching and learning. However, there are always experiences that deter students from feeling like they can become successful in an area or multiple areas. Instructional time can become feared and mindsets can become fixed. It could even potentially become a lifelong source of trauma. Math is perhaps one of the most notorious content areas that induce feelings of fear, failure, and perpetual condemnation. Teaching strategies play an …

Ameliorating School Experience With Restorative Practices, Faith Thompson-Lee

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental study was to explore the association between school success after the tier-one introduction of a three-tiered restorative practices program. To understand school success, student factors were examined using middle school data from a suburban school district located outside of a large metropolitan city in the northeastern part of the United States. These factors included achievement (Final GPA), attendance (Absences), and suspensions (In-school and Out-of-school) across racial groups. Separate multiple regressions were conducted for each school success factor on racial group for the 2021-2022 and the 2022-2023 school years. By this time, all district staff …

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 …

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 …

Avoiding Success: How Does Fear Of Success Impact Today's Workforce?, Bradley E. Gray

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Fear of success refers to the anxiety experienced by individuals as they come close to accomplishing a goal, ambivalent and even paralyzed over choosing to accept or avoid success. Success fearers are more likely to avoid success, choosing to forego their goal to avoid the assumed negative repercussions that will accompany the success (Canavan, 1989). Though interest in fear of success has waned since its introduction in the 1970’s, evidence of fear of success still exists today. However, original theories of fear of success cannot explain its impact on both men and women, and little is known about how it …

Math Proficiency And The Achievement Gap, Jamila A. Peterson

Culminating Experience Projects

Mathematical proficiency and the achievement gap have been central topics in educational research for decades. Academic experts from all areas have sought resolutions, especially in Michigan, which ranks relatively low in mathematical achievement; however, the problem persists. This project will investigate the history of the achievement gap, specifically in mathematics proficiency, and explore contributing factors and potential research resolutions. Mathematical proficiency is crucial in closing the achievement gap, as it has been a proven indicator of upward mobility. Proficiency not only negatively impacts the non-proficient student, but it also projects the country's economic future.

Examining The Moderating Effects Of Noncognitive Factors On College Students With And Without Attentional Difficulties: A Pilot Study, Faye Domokos

Masters Theses

Individuals diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are less likely to pursue higher education and more likely to face numerous challenges, such as increased rates of academic probation, withdrawal from classes, lower GPAs, and decreased graduation rates (Advokat et al., 2011; Heiligenstein et al., 1999; Wolf, 2001). Based on Farrington’s conceptual model of noncognitive factors that predict academic performance (2012), this study utilized a hierarchical multiple regression framework to evaluate whether the strength of the relation between inattention symptom severity and academic functioning is moderated by academic motivation. Additionally, moderated moderation analyses were conducted to assess whether the moderating effect of …

The Impact Of Formative Assessment Cycles On Students' Attitudes And Achievement In A Large-Enrollment Undergraduate Introductory Statistics Course, Kimberleigh Felix Hadfield

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study aimed to investigate the impact of student attitudes toward statistics and student achievement after engaging in large-enrollment introductory statistics course curriculum using continuous formative assessments with feedback and reassessment opportunities. This framework, called Formative Assessment Cycles (FACs) was implanted, providing students formative assessments both in and out of the classroom, with feedback and reassessment. A quasi-experimental, quantitative research design allowed for the investigation of course achievement from pre-FACs to FACs semesters using regression discontinuity methodology. Changes in attitudes from pre- to post-survey in semesters using a curriculum with FACs were analyzed by multilevel regression techniques. Course achievement improved …

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 …

Three Sides To Success: Exploring How Inclusive Partnerships Can Nurture Robust Family And Community Engagement In The Classroom For African-American Students, Orianna Vaughn

Education | Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the ways in which conscious family and community partnerships with middle schools can play an integral part of academic achievement for Black children. Family and community engagement play a critical role in a student’s success as support, and knowledge of their scholar’s strengths and interests can be an asset not only in the classroom, but to the scholar’s overall academic success, which can “lead to higher educational aspirations and increased student motivations'' (Bartz, et al. 2017). However, presiding narratives of disengagement and disinterest from Black parents in their scholar’s academic life have …

What Factors Influence The Academic Success Of Somali Graduate Students?, Tajir Rage

Culminating Projects in TESL

As Somali refugees arrive in the United States, their unique culture and religion has become a challenge for academic institutions unaware of how to accommodate these new students with unique academic needs and social status. This study aims to identify the factors influencing the academic success of Somali graduate students and explore ways the Somali graduate students overcome the academic challenges. This phenomenological study analyzed the experiences and perceptions of ten Somali graduate students in the Midwest universities. Participants were either foreign born or second-generation born Americans. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews aimed at identifying challenges in the academic …

Systematic Barriers To Success: The Impact Of Redlining On Modern Educational Outcomes In Omaha Public Schools, Sarah Sedivy

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The systemic denial of mortgages, loans, and other financial services to specific neighborhoods on the basis of race, a practice known as redlining, has continued to have a disproportionately negative effect on communities of color since its inception in the 1930s. The contemporary impacts of redlining can be seen in ongoing disparities in household income, property values, generational wealth, and more. This paper uses a three-pronged approach to extensively examine the history, application, and implications of redlining, with an emphasis on how the practice affects modern educational outcomes in Omaha public schools. The paper analyzes statistical data from the Nebraska …

Examining Effective Charter School Methods And Practices Of Selected Houston-Area Charter Schools That Support Academic Achievement To Reestablish Traditional Public Schools As The School Of Choice: A Constructivist Grounded Theory, Monea R. Beene

All Dissertations

The public education sector is currently in turmoil (Calimeris, 2016; Meckler, 2022). In the early 90s, Fortune Magazine (1990) labeled the United States’ school system as “our most endangered institution, one in need of progressive work to support reform” (p 114).

Thus, this study examined, addressed, and identified effective systemic and organizational practices among public charters that would yield high academic performance annually for TPS. This research approach explored the collection and analysis of qualitative data using a constructivist grounded theory design supported by a case study for data collection. This research aimed to address the organization of charter schools …

Equitable And Inclusive Dance Assessment Resources, Christie Owens

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone inquires, how can the Minnesota K-12 Dance Standards (revised 2018) lay a practical framework for dance educators to create equitable and inclusive assessments for student success? A dance teacher addresses the need to expand how standards and success are defined in educational dance, noting circumstances where students of dance outside the dominant culture in the United States experience fewer feelings of inclusion and success when dance standards, curriculum, and assessment do not encompass what success looks like for them given their historical and cultural identities, hindering student ability to become self-actualized and wholistically educated artists. Through a review …

Student Engagement Action Research A Focus On Culturally Relevant Instructional Methods, Amia Dixon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action study was to determine the impact the use of culturally relevant instructional methods (researcher created term) would have on student achievement and student motivation. The use of culturally relevant teaching methods is rooted in culturally relevant pedagogy first introduced by Gloria Ladson-Billings and culturally responsive teaching practices first introduced by Geneva Gay. The study implemented an intervention cycle that modified the fourth-grade curriculum by differentiating lessons based on learning style, incorporating an “activator” that connects to the students’ culture and builds background knowledge, allowing student choice for instructional text, increasing the use of culturally relevant …

The Role Of Self-Regulation And Mindset In The Academic Outcomes Of Low-Income Students, Jamilah Shanice Lindo

Theses and Dissertations

The present study builds upon the existing research regarding the role of self-regulation and mindset as they relate to academic achievement. Currently, little is known regarding how self-regulation and mindset relate to the academic outcomes of low SES students as identified by their qualification for free or reduced-priced lunch (FRPL). The present study examined the relationship between self-regulation, mindset, and achievement for a sample of 44 low SES students in grades four through six to understand if these factors can predict academic outcomes in ELA and mathematics. This information is particularly valuable as schools often make investments in intervention programming …

Professional Learning Community Perceptions For Propelling Academic Growth In A Rural North Carolina School System, Steven E. Howard

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Small rural schools often struggle to facilitate true professional learning communities (PLCs) when there is one teacher per grade level in the building. The district selected for this study contained four elementary schools with one teacher per grade level and a combined middle and high school to collect perception data. Utilizing a concurrent triangulation design method, this dissertation set out to answer three research questions by analyzing the perceptions of PLCs from the lens of teachers and administrators. The research questions focused on collective efficacy impacts, student achievement impacts, and the COVID-19 pandemic impacts on PLC operations. These impacts were …

A Generic Qualitative Study Of District, School, And Teacher Leader Experiences With Increasing Reading And Writing Achievement, Jennifer Fowler

Theses and Dissertations

English Language Arts (ELA) test scores have declined since the 2020 COVID-19 virus caused schools and districts in the United States and around the world to shut down for substantial periods of time. School and district leaders and teachers across the country are working to increase ELA achievement.

In this generic qualitative research study, local district, school, and teacher leaders were interviewed and asked questions about their experiences with increasing reading and writing achievement using semi-structured interview protocols.

Four research questions were addressed. They concerned the challenges, successes, supports, guidance, mandates, and advice offered by district, school, and teacher leaders …

Working With Students From Low Socioeconomic Families: What Can School Counselors Do?, Rachel S. Bluhm

Counselor Education Capstones

Poverty and low socioeconomic status (SES) in America negatively affect students in elementary, middle, and high school as they are still developing. It is crucial that school counselors and other helping professionals are aware of how to best support these students so they can achieve their highest as social support has been shown to be a protective factor for low SES in school. It is essential that school counselors and other staff in schools have effective training surrounding poverty and that they recognize how their social class affects their views and beliefs surrounding poverty and analyze those beliefs and practices. …

Examining The Relations Among Academic And Non-Cognitive Factors And Student Achievement, Dona Sachini Hasanjalie Hewagallage

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Since the 1980s, Physics Education Research (PER) has explored the factors influencing students' success in college. This manuscript reports three different studies to understand the impact of different factors on students' college physics achievement. The first study explored several academic (high school physics preparation, high school preparation, math readiness, and ACT or SAT verbal and mathematics scores) and non-cognitive (self-efficacy, personality, belonging, grade expectation, and demographic) factors using correlation and linear regression analysis to understand their relation to students' physics conceptual understanding measured by the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE). High school preparation was found to be the most …

The Effect Of Self-Paced Learning On Student Achievement And Motivation Within An Eighth-Grade Mathematics Classroom, Jacy Spencer

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

A large mathematics achievement gap is a concern for researchers and educators alike, making effective teaching practices a main point of study for many researchers. Therefore, this action research, which used a quasi-experimental, quantitative research design, aimed to determine the effect of a self-paced learning environment on eighth-grade students’ mathematical achievement and motivation for learning. Baseline data on student motivation toward learning mathematics and mathematics achievement was collected before implementing a self-paced learning environment. After a mathematics unit was completed utilizing the self-paced learning model, data was collected on student achievement and motivation to determine effect of the learning environment. …