Education Commons^™

Beyond The Clinic: Modified Internet-Delivered Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, Terreca Cato

Master's Theses

Children who attend Head Start children are at increased risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. A variety of systemic factors contribute to their increased risk for problematic developmental outcomes. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an evidence-based intervention for improving positive parenting skills and children’s outcomes. This study included a multiple baseline design across participants and tested the effects of Internet-Delivered Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (I-PCIT) on improving Head Start mothers’ use of the Effective Commands that are part of the Parent Directed Interaction component of PCIT. Seven total mothers were recruited to participate in this study. Four mothers did not complete …

Morning Meeting And Closing Circles: A Sense Of Community, Positive Learning Environment, And Increased Social Interactions In An Elementary Classroom, Samantha Ryan

Master's Theses

This action research study was implemented over a three-week period in a first-grade classroom, collecting qualitative and quantitative data. The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of Morning Meetings and Closing Circles on a sense of community in an elementary classroom. Preliminary findings show an increase in student social interactions, positive learning environment, and a climate of belonging. This presentation will also provide information on Morning Meetings and Closing Circles as an intervention to combat social and emotional competencies lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Professionalism In Early Childhood Education, Kimberly R. Thai

Master's Theses

This grounded theory analysis uses participant interviews and document analysis to further understand the lived experiences of teachers and leaders in Early Child Education. The thesis was set out to explore the following research questions: How do ECE leaders and teachers understand teacher professionalism? What is the role of whiteness and gender in teacher professionalism? and What is the relationship between the ideas of professionalism and the local context in ECE? The study finds that insiders have strong notions of professional conduct but that exploring professionalism was a site of contention for the participants. Two responses to issues of professionalism …

The Role And Impact Of The Environment In Shaping The Decisions Of Parents And Alternative Educators In Early Education, Mia Hopkinson

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to research parents’ and alternative educators’ perspectives on the role of the educational environment in early education and how this impacts their pedagogical beliefs. The qualitative study explored the following research questions: What do traditional school parents and outdoor alternative parents seek in their child’s early education environment? What shapes parents' decisions on their child’s educational and learning experiences? How do alternative educational leaders and educators understand the role of the alternative environment? How does this impact how they think about education? Interviews were conducted with two traditional parents, two alternative parents and four …

Our Stories, Our Voices: The Lived Experiences Of Black Families With Young Children During Covid-19, Devalin Jackson

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of Black families raising young children during shelter in place orders and distance learning due to Covid-19. The study was conducted virtually through Zoom and Google form due to county shelter in place orders. Participants were recruited from the school in which the researcher worked. Through the use of virtual interviews, the five participants highlighted themes of reconnections, isolations, empowerment, family values and conversations. The families shared experiences of resilience and hope and brought thoughts of how these experiences could be highlighted in instructional and curriculum designs; especially during …

The Effect Of Kindergarten Attendance On Later School Experiences, Janice Louise Trevan

Master's Theses

Problem

It is estimated that about one-half of our nation's six-year-olds receive their initial formal education when entering first grade. Many authorities in the field of education feel that an early childhood educational experience may be a causative factor in a child's later academic and social adjustment in school.

The purpose of this study was to: (1) compare the academic achievement and social adjustment of first-grade children who have had kindergarten experience and first grade children who have not had kindergarten experience; and (2) compare the academic achievement and social adjustment of fourth grade children who have had kindergarten experience …