Education Commons^™

The Impact Of Grade-Level Switching In The Elementary School Setting, Christine Priester

Dissertations

Teaching a new grade level in elementary school requires developing extensive grade- level-specific knowledge. In many school districts, the support for teachers who move grade levels within a district is glaringly absent. In this study, the frequency and impact of teacher grade switching in a school district were examined through a mixed-methods study that included surveys with teachers, interviews with teachers, and student data. The research question was: What is the impact of grade-level teacher movement on instruction? The findings of this study show how students are affected by teachers switching grade levels in elementary school. Results shed light on …

A Study On The Smarts Executive Functioning Curriculum: Explicitly Teaching Executive Functioning Skills In A Fourth-Grade Classroom, Rebekah Curry

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

The SMARTS executive functioning curriculum explicitly teaches executive functioning skills to students within a classroom setting. The purpose of this study was to explore what happened when the SMARTS executive functioning curriculum was implemented into a single fourth-grade classroom. This study specifically investigated perceptions of the SMARTS executive functioning curriculum. The participants of this study included 20 fourth-grade students, the classroom teacher, and the elementary school principal. The researcher used a survey, observations, and interviews to compile data. The qualitative data was analyzed using the constant comparative method, and the quantitative data from the student survey was analyzed using descriptive …

Evaluating The Need For Professional Learning That Highlights Proficient Teaching Strategies For Students With Autism In The Elementary Environment, Allison Norman

Dissertations

There is an increase in the identification of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) throughout the country. There is also an emphasis on inclusion within the classrooms in the country. This qualitative study addresses the need for teachers to grasp more knowledge about Autism so that they can help children with autism have better access to the general education curriculum and increase support for success in the classroom. Through an action research project, this study aimed to gauge elementary school teachers' existing knowledge about Autism and identify areas where they desired further education. The study involved surveying teachers to understand …

Implementing Music To Increase Elementary Student Focus, Kathryn Garceau

Master's Theses

This action research project used a mixed methods design to address the effect of different types of music on student focus while performing an independent task. Despite its success with memorization, does music work equally as well on student focus? Data was collected over a period of three weeks for 30 minutes each morning for 5 days each week. The music played while students completed the task changed each week. This included lyrical songs during week one, classical music during week two, and instrumental versions of songs students knew the lyrics to during week three. Four behavior markers were observed …

Are Elementary Teachers Prepared To Teach A Stem Focused Curriculum: A Needs Assessment Of An Inner-City Elementary School, Erica Willie

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Marxist Analysis Of Social And Economic Narratives In Childrens' Cartoons, Shane Mcgregor

Theses and Dissertations

Using a Marxist framework with a grounding in critical literacy, this study employs a content analysis methodology to analyze 25 episodes of five of the most popular children’s television cartoons in order to understand how these cartoons portray economic and social systems, as well as how the messages these cartoons express would tend to support these systems. In so doing, this research hopes to provide a conceptual framework that educators and parents can use as a guide for demonstration of a critical approach to understanding the curriculum of children’s media inside or outside of the classroom. Educators can modify this …

The Effects Of Personalized Learning On Student Achievement, Keile Phillips

Dissertations

Although many studies have been conducted on personalized learning strategies, teacher attitudes and perceptions, and student engagement, few studies have focused on personalized learning and its impact on student achievement when compared to the traditional classroom. The purpose of this study was to determine if personalized learning increased student achievement in three school districts by analyzing student assessments for three consecutive school years. The study utilized data from three school districts located in Western Kentucky for the 2016-2017, 2017-2018, and 2018-2019 school years. The data were collected from Renaissance Learning for math and reading. In addition to examining the students’ …

Examining Elementary Teacher Perceptions And Experiences Of Transitioning From Knowledge-Based To Inquiry-Based Social Studies Standards, Benjamin Stephen Pinnick

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Elementary educators are responsible for the earliest years of student learning in a public setting. The amount of content students are expected to master continues to grow in scope, and the methods that are utilized shift to align with educational research and social momentum. After a decade of Common Core policies, social studies education in elementary schools has become a deemphasized subject. Reading and math, as well as science, have taken a greater precedence in today’s classrooms.

Yet, expectations for the creation of knowledgeable and participatory citizens continue to serve as a goal in elementary schools. Conceptualization of citizenship form …

Fourth Grade Teacher Perspectives Of Instructional Practices To Support Students With Reading Deficits, Juanita Carter Robbins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was the focus of this study was that only 30% of fourth grade students in the United States read at or above grade-level proficiency. Lack of reading proficiency affects fourth-grade students’ ability to master content presented in subjects across the curriculum and may limit their educational attainment. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore fourth-grade teachers’ perspectives of instructional practices to support students with reading deficits, the challenges teachers encounter, and the resources teachers need to meet those challenges. The conceptual framework comprised Tomlinson’s model of differentiated instruction. Three research questions explored the instructional …

Fourth Grade Teacher Perspectives Of Instructional Practices To Support Students With Reading Deficits, Juanita Carter Robbins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was the focus of this study was that only 30% of fourth grade students in the United States read at or above grade-level proficiency. Lack of reading proficiency affects fourth-grade students’ ability to master content presented in subjects across the curriculum and may limit their educational attainment. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore fourth-grade teachers’ perspectives of instructional practices to support students with reading deficits, the challenges teachers encounter, and the resources teachers need to meet those challenges. The conceptual framework comprised Tomlinson’s model of differentiated instruction. Three research questions explored the instructional …

Collaborative Lesson Study: A Qualitative Case Study Of Elementary Teachers’ Professional Learning Experience, Arlene D. Harmon

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher collaboration practices in schools have impacted how teachers work together to prevent professional isolation. The mandate of collaborative practices has resulted in some teachers expressing frustration and a lack of benefit from their current experiences. The purpose of this qualitative case study, conducted in the Southeast region of the United States, was to determine if lesson study provided a more meaningful collaborative approach during focused group sessions. Using New London Group’s (1996) designs of meaning concept encapsulated in the Pedagogy of Multiliteracies Theoretical Framework to gauge the relevance of lesson study, I sought to explore a deeper understanding of …

Examining Teaching Practices That Increase Student Mathematical Achievement, Jonah P. Zimmerman

Culminating Experience Projects

The current data in the United States surrounding mathematics shows that there are issues that must be addressed with teaching and learning math in the K-12 setting. In the perfect world, all students would meet grade level expectations in math prior to moving to another grade; however, this is not what is taking place. Students are not meeting proficiency, and as a result teachers and students alike are not gaining confidence in teaching/learning mathematics. This project looks at the Math Workshop Model as being one alternative to the more traditional teaching practices that are used today in the ABC School …

Utilizing Counter Narratives To Develop Culturally Sustaining, Critically Conscious Preservice Teacher Practitioners, David Wolff

Essays in Education

The content areas that get most attention in an elementary classroom include mathematics and English/Language Arts (ELA), and little time is devoted to other content areas like social studies. Preservice elementary teachers can learn to maximize instructional time by integrating social studies content in the ELA block. Using counternarratives, preservice teachers can learn to use children’s literature to teach multiple perspectives to the dominant narrative in the textbooks. This article shares strategies to present counternarratives and examples of children’s literature that can be used in an elementary classroom.

Writing Workshop And Creativity Despite Standardization: An Exploration Of Elementary Teachers' Practices, Darcie Kress, Matt Townsley

Journal of Research Initiatives

The focus on formulaic approaches to writing in today’s classrooms can be problematic, for it may inadvertently cause the quality of students’ writing to decline. The National Writing Project (NWP) provides teachers with professional development to learn how to effectively incorporate evidence-based practices into their writing instruction. The aim of this study was to explore the practices of three elementary teachers who received professional development training from the NWP. The researchers investigated how these teachers navigated the tension between creativity in a workshop approach and accountability for teaching the Common Core writing standards. Findings suggest participants navigated the standardization of …

Leading With Heart: How Exemplary K-5 Principals Demonstrate Transformational Leadership Through Heart-Based Practices, Teresa Hubbard

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe how exemplary K-5 principals in Southern California lead from the heart using Mark Crowley’s (2011) 4 principles (building a highly engaged team, connecting on a personal level, maximizing employee potential and valuing and honoring achievements) to accomplish extraordinary results in their schools.

Methodology: This study utilized a qualitative phenomenological methodology to study the behaviors of elementary principals. This study, due to current Covid restrictions, included virtual one-on-one interviews that were held via the Zoom online platform. The data collected included audio and video recordings, written transcripts, and artifacts from school …

Impact Of A Puppet On Music Performance Anxiety In Elementary Students, Jessica Nohner

Graduate Research Showcase

Music Performance Anxiety (MPA) is a common problem among musicians and has been shown to impact young children. There are many factors that may contribute to student feelings of MPA including perfectionism. Music educators are in a unique position and have a responsibility to assist students with MPA. While some strategies have been used to help individuals cope with feelings of MPA, music educators do not have researched strategies available to them which are easily implemented in general music classrooms. In music therapy and psychology, puppets have been used in work with children. In this study I research the use …

Elementary Teacher Perceptions Of Blended Learning In The Digital Classroom, Sarah Cummings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Blended learning is an instructional model in which instruction is delivered using a combination of traditional teaching methods and online learning materials such as digital textbooks, virtual textbooks, and teacher-made videos. The problem was that elementary teachers in local schools were not implementing blended learning as intended by the school’s improvement plan. The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of elementary teachers in Grades 3-5 who have experience using blended learning. The framework for the study is the complex adaptive blended learning system (CABLS) because it helps examine the blended learning elements and the changes that result …

Elementary Teacher Perceptions Of Blended Learning In The Digital Classroom, Sarah Cummings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Blended learning is an instructional model in which instruction is delivered using a combination of traditional teaching methods and online learning materials such as digital textbooks, virtual textbooks, and teacher-made videos. The problem was that elementary teachers in local schools were not implementing blended learning as intended by the school’s improvement plan. The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of elementary teachers in Grades 3-5 who have experience using blended learning. The framework for the study is the complex adaptive blended learning system (CABLS) because it helps examine the blended learning elements and the changes that result …

Project-Based Learning And Social-Emotional Learning In The Elementary Classroom: A Qualitative Study On Potential Opportunities For Student Self-Awareness And Social Awareness, Kaitlin Eileen Kilby

MSU Graduate Theses

Project-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered instructional practice, emphasizing student agency, engagement, and learning opportunities through relevant problem-solving and interdisciplinary curriculum. PBL also helps students develop academic and social skills through real-world application of their learning. It is necessary for educators, administrators and interested parties in education to understand the potential of PBL and other student-centered practices on increasing student engagement and achievement in subject areas besides sciences and social studies, such as literacy, math, and social-emotional learning (SEL). SEL is necessary for all students to have access to, as engaging with activities that increase a person’s ability to understand …

Elementary Teachers’ Verbal Support Of Engineering Integration In An Interdisciplinary Project, Sarah Lilly, Anne M. Mcalister, Jennifer L. Chiu

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

Despite emphasis on authentic science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science (STEM+CS) projects in classrooms, research continues to demonstrate opportunity gaps in learning STEM+CS for students with disabilities. This study investigates how teachers verbally support students in two differently tracked classrooms to engage in engineering lessons that integrate science and computer science. Specifically, this study explores how the same elementary teachers both implicitly and explicitly support students across two classroom contexts, one class section with a larger proportion of students who were tracked into accelerated mathematics and another class section with a larger proportion of students with individualized educational plans …

The Impact Of Small Group Direct Instruction On The Vocabulary Development Of Fourth Grade Students, Rachel Solum

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This 2021 study focused on the impact that small group vocabulary instruction had on the vocabulary development of 4th grade students. I wanted to see the effect that small group instruction had on students’ vocabulary growth. Students were pulled into a small group every day for four straight weeks. There was four groups of four students involved. During this small group time the teacher pulled vocabulary words from the word wall. The words on the word wall were tier two vocabulary words that had been pulled from various interactive read alouds. The teacher followed Marzano’s Six Step Approach to teaching …

Investigating Recommended Language Instruction Of Complex Literary Texts: A Content Analysis Of Close Reading Lesson Plans For Elementary Grades, Michelle Flory

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Expectations have been placed upon elementary teachers from the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts to guide students through close readings of informational and literary texts. This content analysis examined online close reading lesson plans to determine common objectives in elementary close reading lessons using literary text and to delineate which aspects of language are recommended for close reading instruction. Lessons for primary and intermediate grade levels were stratified and highlighted which instructional moves and student tasks are recommended for making complex language in texts more comprehensible. Key findings indicate a lack of alignment in lesson planning between …

Shattering The Glass Slipper: An Investigation Into Nontraditional Gender Roles And Norms In The Elementary Classroom, Sara Mclean Suber

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative, action research study investigated the ways that third grade students reacted when their worldviews concerning traditional gender roles and norms were challenged through classroom discourse, children’s literature, integrated art projects, and other writing and reading activities. The questions guiding this study were: (1) What is the impact of an English Language Arts unit involving texts and activities that depict nontraditional gender roles and norms on third grade students in a Southern, working class, elementary school?, (2) How are students’ preconceived notions in relation to gender roles and norms challenged over the course of the implemented curricular unit?, and …

Impact Of Brain Breaks On Student Engagement, Motivation, And Achievement In A Third-Grade Classroom, Adrianna Gernes

Education Masters Papers

In a third-grade classroom in a highly populated city, a researcher was concerned about her students’ focus level in the afternoon. Students have a long day at school, their brains get exposed to so much information on a typical day, and it is hard to retain the knowledge as well as being able to stay focused and motivated throughout each and every day. This study investigated how brain breaks affect student engagement, achievement, and motivation. For the entirety of a math unit, math instruction was taught incorporating planned brain breaks throughout each lesson. Data was collected from pre-and post- assessment …

Teachers’ And Students’ Experiences Using Social Media As A Pedagogical Tool Within Classrooms: A Systematic Literature Review, Rozan Trad

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study is a systematic literature review (SLR) that intended to understand the reported views and experiences of teachers and students about using social media in elementary and secondary classrooms in existent literature. This SLR also explored the pertaining challenges in using social media in classroom settings and implications of using social media in education. A total of 40 articles were included for the SLR and thematic data analysis was implemented. Reported findings show that using social media in classrooms was positively and negatively perceived by teachers and students, where positive perceptions overweighed negative ones. Social media was viewed as …

Discovering The Formation Of Sound, Michelle L. Andrus, Catherine Scott

Honors Theses

Sound is a part of everyday life. We use it when talking to others, listening to music, and even to know when food is ready in the microwave. Therefore, it is critical that students learn about sound and how it functions. In this lesson, a first-grade students explore sound through a variety of make-shift instruments and are introduced to the different elements of sound.

Montessori Education: Teaching Self-Regulation Through Virtual Instruction, Brooke M. Myers, Catherine Scott

Honors Theses

One of the hallmarks of a Montessori education is the development of children’s social and emotional regulation skills. However, what happens when the Montessori curriculum is interrupted due to the onset of COVID-19? Does the transition to online learning impact student opportunities for social and emotional self-regulation? This case study attempts to examine the ways in which a school’s four lower and upper elementary Montessori teachers adjust their instruction to meet student needs online, and the benefits and challenges they experienced as a result. Findings are shared, as well as implications for those engaged in virtual instruction of K-6 students.

The Relationship Between Classroom Distractions And Off-Task Students, Ashton Harrison, Kathryn E. Wojnar

Honors Theses

Classroom distractions occur on a daily basis and prevent students from being fully engaged with their teacher’s instruction. In this session, elementary education candidates discuss the results of a study in which they documented the sources of students’ inattention.

Blogging In Elementary Classrooms: Mentoring Teacher Candidates’ To Use Formative Writing Assessment And Connect Theory To Practice, Diane R. Collier, Tiffany L. Gallagher

Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education

This paper presents a collaborative approach to professional learning in which classroom teachers mentored teacher candidates to connect theory and practice through formative assessment to improve students’ writing. Professional learning sessions pairing the teachers and teacher candidates occurred in each of the fall and winter semesters in two years of this project. Data were collected at these sessions and during focus group debriefings. The findings are themes related to: lines of communication and levels of collaboration; teachers’ pedagogical decisions about blogging and writing in their classrooms; classroom teachers and teacher candidates enacting formative writing assessment in the blogging platform; the …

Facilitating Experiential Learning Experiences Through A Class Pioneer Day, Ronald Vaughan Morris

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Students experience a reenactment of life on the frontier created by the interaction of their teachers and community volunteers. Students in elementary social studies learn content, skills, values, and dispositions through engaging in experiential learning. The classroom environment is described through a case study of one classroom of fourth grade students with an experienced teacher with deep roots in the community. Teachers develop skills in negotiation with volunteers to accomplish tasks that support student learning. Descriptions of student and teacher preparations in addition to budgetary constraints describe how to replicate the experience. Examples and assessments are provided as well as …