Education Commons^™

Promoting Engagement Through Socioscientific Inquiry At The Middle School Level, Kaitlyn Kalehuawehe

Undergraduate Theses

Learning science is not just about facts. It is an area that has the potential to expand beyond the classroom. There is a concern for students having negative associations with science, and not seeing the relevance it plays within their lives. The curriculum should reflect science's value within society and its influence on complex issues. Learning science in the context of socioscientific issues (SSI) can promote an understanding that connects science to society and everyday life. The main objective of this thesis is the see how the use of SSI in the middle school classroom can promote student engagement and …

Middle School Grow Your Own Teaching Program, Andrew J. Vondran

Dissertations of Practice

Middle School Grow YOur Own Teaching Program

This dissertation addresses the teacher shortage in the United States of America. The profession of education has struggled to find teachers to fill vacancies and it is being felt throughout the country. This is not just in the rural areas or areas of low socioeconomic status. Even high paying districts are feeling the squeeze. Many school districts are trying to combat this problem in different ways, especially Grow Your Own teaching programs. Many of these programs run by school districts are focused on high school students, although there has been a lack of …

Toward A Critical-Pbl: Centering A Critical Consciousness In The Middle Grades, Jaclyn Caires-Hurley, Margarita Jimenez-Silva, Rachel Harrington

Middle Grades Review

The dual pandemic of 2020 that includes racism and COVID-19 demonstrates the need for students to become socially responsible and critically conscious world citizens. Students in the middle grades are developing their sense of identity while concomitantly trying to understand the complex world around them. While many teachers understand the need for critical pedagogy, many still struggle to find time to teach rigorous content standards while integrating social justice education. In this article, we propose the four pillars of Critical-Problem Based Learning (Critical-PBL). Using critical standards, critical problems, critical content, and critical discourse, we offer a framework to support teachers …

Learning Locally, Understanding Globally, Amy B. Demarest

Middle Grades Review

No abstract provided.

Willowcreek Middle School Alternative Program: Successfully Working Through Trauma, Debra B. Ekdahl, Taria Nicole Taylor, Michelle Stewart

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

Not your typical Alternative School, Willowcreek Middle School offers trauma informed practices in place of student expulsions. A safe structured environment, reduced class time, academic strategies, mindfulness, yoga, and community service, all help to provide the educational and social/emotional supports necessary to help students at risk reach their potential and eventually transition back to the traditional classroom.

Practices That Attribute To The Success Of Boys: A Study Of Title I Middle Schools In Texas, Laura L. Duhon

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

While it is commonly believed that boys are more successful than girls academically, research shows that boys are failing to thrive, academically, behaviorally, and socially. Boys comprise 70% of school suspensions as well as 80% of high school dropouts along with other alarming statistics. The purpose of this research study was to investigate approaches that contribute to the success of boys within six Title I middle schools located in various regions of Texas. These schools were selected based on state assessment (STAAR) scores where their male population was achieving the same or greater success as the females as measured by …

Middle School Apathy: A Phenomenological Study From Students' Perspective, Debra Graves

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose for this phenomenological study was to investigate students’ perceptions as to why some middle school students lose their intrinsic motivation to learn and develop apathy toward learning while other middle school students thrive. The following question guided the research: Based on students’ lived experiences, what are the sources for motivation and/or apathy during the middle school years? Four sub-questions were also used: (1) What are students’ perspectives about the intersection of standardized testing and report cards to their motivation/apathy to learn? (2) What are students’ perceptions of the intersection of technology and motivation/apathy? (3) What do students perceive …

The Impact Of Teacher Motivation In Promoting Academic Achievement Among African American Male Students, Erroll Royal

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated the impact of teacher motivation in promoting academic achievement among African American male students in an urban middle school in northeast North Carolina. In this quantitative study, the sample population was comprised of fifty 7th grade students and fifty 8th grade students. Eight teachers, (four science teachers, and four math teachers) both male and female were given the Teacher Efficacy Scale (see Appendix G). The results revealed that there was no relationship between teacher motivation and academic achievement among African American male students. Further research should include similar studies that would examine the impact of teacher motivation …

Middle School Classroom Teacher Perceptions Of The Impact Of Formative Assessments On The Needs Of At-Risk Students: A Phenomenological Study, Gaye Walk

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of middle school classroom teachers regarding the impact of formative assessments on the needs of at-risk students. A phenomenological approach was used to gain understanding of how the teacher works with at-risk students and how the steps of formative assessments meets the needs of at-risk students. The theory framing this study was Albert Bandura’s (1977) social cognitive theory and the self-efficacy belief system. Data collection took place with 12 middle school teachers and included a questionnaire, individual interviews, and a focus group. The study was guided by three research …

School Climate And Demographic Factors’ Influence On Seventh-Grade Students’ Perceptions Of Bullying In Arkansas Public Schools, Kelly Powell

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of an authoritative school climate on perceptions of bullying among middle school students after controlling for demographic characteristics. In this quantitative nonexperimental study, 320 seventh-grade students were selected from four public middle schools in Arkansas using a multistage sampling technique. The Authoritative School Climate Survey was used to obtained data on the students’ perceptions of their school climate (disciplinary structure and support systems), their demographic characteristics (gender, ethnicity, and school location) as well as their perceptions about bullying in the following areas: (a) prevalence of teasing and bullying, (b) prevalence …

The Influence Of Arts Participation On New Jersey Middle School Student Outcomes In Grades 6 Through 8, Carly Mcilvaine-York

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Many studies over the past several decades point to the overall academic benefit that arts education provides to students. A large number of those studies look at the impact that arts education has on economically disadvantaged students (Catterall, 2009; Bellisario & Donovan, 2012; Israel, 2009; Costa-Giomi, 2004; Kinney, 2008). In fact, several federal and state government initiatives have used arts integration as a means for improving under-performing schools (Stoelinga, et al., 2015). However, there is limited quantifiable evidence to show whether or not arts education can have a significant positive impact on the overall academic performance of students from across …

The Art Of Reflection, Amy L. Ruopp, Mae Debruyn

Artizein: Arts and Teaching Journal

This writing shares a course designed to reconnect middle school students to the natural world. In reconnecting to nature while IN nature students are afforded the opportunity for deep reflection, and the space to wonder and realize the inter-connectivity between things. We highlight transformational thinking and feeling awareness as students’ connection with nature is expressed though art and writing while deeply immersed in the natural environment.

An Analysis Of Perceptions Of Dropout Factors And Interventions By Middle School And High School Teachers In A Southeastern School District, Christopher Kennedy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although graduation rates are increasing in the United States, high school dropouts remain an issue of significant concern. Much of the focus of research in this area has been on describing the characteristics of dropouts rather than on developing effective interventions. Moreover, emerging research shows that potential dropouts can be identified with confidence as early as the sixth grade. High school is the time in which dropouts are typically identified and interventions begun, but the seeds of dropping out are often planted well before ninth grade. This survey research study with quantitative analysis used an instrument titled Teacher Perceptions of …

Differences In Sense Of Community Between Students In A Middle School Virtual Class Versus A Traditional Class, Brandon Ratliff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the difference between students’ sense of community in the traditional classroom setting versus the virtual classroom setting with middle school–age students. McMillan and Chavis’s sense of community theory served as the theoretical foundation of the study. A quantitative, causal-comparative design was utilized to determine the effects of the variables. Students at a public middle school in Virginia and a virtual middle school in Tennessee participated in this study. Seventy-eight students participated from the public middle school that constituted the traditional setting, and 60 students participated from the virtual middle school that constituted the virtual setting. The students …

The Beliefs, Perceptions, And Strategies Of Vocabulary Instruction In Middle Grades Social Studies: A Phenomenological Study, Lisa-Renee Gilford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Content specific vocabulary instruction at the secondary level is an area that had a minimal research focus. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the beliefs, perceptions, and experiences of 8 middle school social studies teachers in lesson delivery and instruction at Cornerstone Middle School (pseudonym), a middle school located in a major city in the southeastern United States. Data was collected from interviews, classroom observations, and artifacts from participants. The theoretical framework providing a foundation for this study centered on Vygotsky’s (1978) work on social interaction playing an integral role in cognitive development. The research questions that …

The Effects Of Microblogging On Middle School Students' Engagement And Critical Thinking, Sondra Singleton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of microblogging as an authentic real-world technology in a middle school classroom in response to the 2010 Department of Education’s call to provide students with more relevant digital experiences. The non-equivalent control group, pretest-posttest design study was used to determine if microblogging used in a writing activity affected middle school students’ engagement and critical thinking. This study was important as it addressed the heretofore understudied middle school sector. This research used a convenience sample of 119 sixth-grade and seventh-grade language arts students in a suburban northwest Florida public middle school. …

Academic Intervention: Acceleration And Remediation, Barbara Franklin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Eighth grade math students must pass a standards based test to be promoted to the next grade. Students who were at risk of failing the state’s annual test faced impending retention. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to see if an intensive nine-week (55 min per day) remedial Math Connection (MC) class for 67 suburban, eighth grade students identified as at risk of failing, could significantly increase the scores; concurrently, at this Title I school, they were compared with 122 eighth grade students who were not identified as at risk of failing. The dependent variable was measured using the …

Use Of Student Created Video Podcasts To Promote Foreign Language Grammar Acquisition In Middle School, Sergio Parra

CCE Theses and Dissertations

The use of video podcasts in education has emerged as a phenomenon that has gained a considerable amount of attention over the last few years. Although video podcasting is becoming a well-established technology in higher education, new multimedia instructional strategies such as student-created video podcasts in grades K-12 are under-researched.

The study investigated the effects of video podcasts created by students to promote foreign language grammar acquisition at the middle school level and find how students described such experience. The current investigation was conducted by using the explanatory sequential design, which is a mixed methods research design that occurs in …

Predicting Academic Achievement For Seventh Grade Language Arts Students Using The Seven Dimensions Of The Multi- Dimensional Assessment, Mary Rogers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this correlational study was to test how accurately end of the year achievement scores can be predicted by using the seven dimensions of the Multi-Dimensional Assessment in the seventh grade language arts classroom in a southeastern Tennessee school district. The predictor variables were the seven dimensions of the MDA: community engagement, curriculum expectations, developmental perspectives, educational attitudes, faculty fidelity, leadership potential, and school climate. The criterion variable of interest, academic achievement, was generally defined as scores made on the Tennessee Department of Education state mandated test for seventh grade in reading/language arts, the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program …

A Comparison Of The Effect Of Single-Sex Versus Mixed-Sex Classes On Middle School Student Achievement, Carol E. Thom

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of single-sex versus mixedsex classes on middle school student achievement. It was a case study of Stonewall Jackson Middle School in Charleston, West Virginia, an inner-city school with approximately 600 students, of which 30% were minority (mostly black), 30% were special needs, and 70% were classified low socio-economic status (SES). Student WESTEST (West Virginia Educational Standards Test) scores in reading/language arts and math were collected and compared from the school years 2003-2004 and 2004-2005. Each student’s scores from the first year were compared to that same student’s scores from the …

Issues In Our Society: A Middle School Interdisciplinary Curriculum, Matthew L. Bowman

All Graduate Projects

The project contains a team-taught interdisciplinary curriculum based on current issues in our society. The review ofliterature, which focuses on team teaching at the middle level and the process of implementing an interdisciplinary curriculum, indicates that middle level students need opportunities to discuss and analyze current issues in our society that affect their lives in order to make learning more meaningful. Therefore, the content areas of language arts, math, social studies, and science were structured around three themes dealing with issues such as the environment, space exploration, and cultural diversity. The interdisciplinaiy curriculum was developed for a sixth grade, four-person …