Education Commons^™

Teacher Perceptions Of Gifted Middle School Students, Tom Wimsatt

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Middle school students who fall under the gifted and talented category are often perceived as being “self-sustaining, easy to handle” students. Research into the nature of gifted and talented students over the last 40+ years has proven otherwise, demonstrating a wide range of social and emotional issues as well as the need for advanced academic challenges. However, middle school teachers have shown mixed opinions about the specific needs of gifted and talented students, oftentimes seeing GT students at the middle school level to be less student and more “student helper”. This study was conducted to determine the current trends and …

Using Improvement Science To Address Early Elementary Teacher Efficacy And Competency When Addressing Trauma-Induced Behavior, Laura Hayes

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

As more research sheds light on the effects of trauma on school-age children, educators must learn to apply the research and make adaptations in the classroom and school settings. While the body of literature has grown, limitations still exist in research focused on specific strategies and applications for classroom teachers. Many teachers feel ill-equipped and exhibit low self-efficacy when working with students affected by trauma. As a result, many students receive disciplinary action rather than constructive practices that promote healing. Some teachers feel that more targeted and specific training and resources would improve efficacy, confidence, and effectiveness. In this study, …

A Systematic Review Of The Relation Of Restorative Justice Principles & Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports In K-12 Schools, Katherine Richardson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Alternatives to punitive punishment and discipline have gained popularity as research has supported the advances towards safer and more positive school communities. This includes multi-tiered service models, such as Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). Additionally, a restorative justice (RJ) approach can offer non-punitive, relationship-centered practices for avoiding and addressing harm, responding to violations of legal and human rights, and collaboratively solving problems. However, limited research has been conducted looking at the connection between RJ practices and frameworks such as PBIS, which are already implemented in a many schools. The purpose of this systematic literature review was to review the …

Responses From Young Children Not On The Autism Spectrum On Selected Questions From The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (Ados-2), Lauren Lamar

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2) is a widely used instrument in the assessment of autism spectrum disorder. One of the modules requires students to answer questions requiring relatively high-level language skills but that module could be given to children as young as four years of age. It is unclear how young non-spectrum children would respond to such questions. This study analyzed types of responses provided by kindergarten, first, and second grade students when asked questions from a subtest on the ADOS-2, Module 3. The sample was largely made up of typically developing students (n = 146) with the …

Differentiation For Gifted And Talented Elementary Students: What Teachers Know And Implement, Karyn Michelle Andrews

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this research was to measure the ways elementary school teachers are differentiating instruction for their gifted and talented students and to gauge their awareness of the need for implementing appropriate differentiation strategies they use in their classrooms. The study surveyed elementary teachers currently teaching in one large school district in Kentucky. Teachers responded to 38 survey items, indicating how often they use specific practices with their gifted students versus with their average-achieving students.

The results indicated that there is much work to be done to increase teacher awareness of the importance of differentiated instruction for gifted and …

Response To Intervention In Early Childhood Education, Kendyl Young Hinson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to review literature on Response to Intervention (RTI) at the early childhood level. RTI has become increasingly prevalent within K-12 settings. Less research exists for the expansion within early childhood settings. A systematic review of literature was conducted and all available literature on RTI in early childhood education since 2004 was identified and reviewed. Articles were sorted into three broad categories for review: (a) combined, (b) academics, and (c) social emotional behaviors. The review indicated the different behaviors recommended to be examined within the early childhood setting, types of assessment methods used, and interventions …

Gender Differences In Typed And Handwritten Probes For Written Expression Curriculum-Based Measurement, Allison Kaye Henderson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Previous research has shown that there are gender differences in Written Expression Curriculum-Based Measurement (WE CBM) with female students scoring higher than male students (Fearrington et al., 2014; Jewell & Malecki, 2005; McMaster et al, 2017; Scheiber et al., 2015). However, research looking at a different transcription mode (i.e., typed) in WE CBM is a new area of development (Mercer et al., 2019). Differences in gender with typed writing has not yet been examined. The purpose of this study was to examine if gender differences exist in typed, as well as handwritten WE CBM probes. The participants from this study …

Research Into Practice: Exploring Teacher Practices With Young Gifted Learners, Andrea Lauren Heming

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This research study investigates teacher practices with young gifted learners and provides recommendations to increase the effectiveness of the Primary Talent Pool through examination of the program as it is implemented in four Kentucky school districts. Gifted coordinators were interviewed and primary (kindergarten-third grade) teachers were surveyed. Though each school has different methods for meeting the needs of high potential learners, there are commonalities across all seven schools represented. The present findings indicate teachers feel confident in their ability to recognize high potential in academic areas. Teachers are comfortable using differentiation, and often differentiate to support gifted learners.

Educator Perceptions Of Gifted English Language Learners, Michelle C. Lynch

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This paper explores educator perceptions of gifted and talented (GT) English language (ELL) students. This study identifies barriers for identification and service for GT/ELL students and highlights ways to support students through current efforts for students who fit these criteria. Educators from two elementary schools were interviewed in this qualitative study. The schools were chosen due to their high population of ELL students. The roles of professional development (PD) and best practices for identification of underrepresented students are discussed. Five main themes emerged from interviews of educators that work with GT/ELL students. The themes are obstacles, perception, referral, professional development, …

Stem Lessons For Promoting 21st Century Learning Standards, Cynthia Faye Sage

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to identify if and how STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) lessons help student progress toward achieving benchmarks in AASL (American Association of School Librarians) 21st Century Learner Standards. This study was conducted in the library media center with 48 kindergarten students participating. The researcher taught mini-lessons for the AASL Standards prior to students participating in the STEM activities. The data were collected on 23 benchmarks included in the AASL Standards. Students were rated on these Standards as beginning, progressing, or achieving. Data analysis indicated that the STEM lessons were an effective means for providing …

A Review Of Lead Pd Writing In The Content Areas: Measures Of Teacher Self-Efficacy And Student Performance, Andrea Paige Greene

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Data from recent college and career readiness measures indicate an alarming number of students are beginning college courses unequipped with the necessary writing skills to meet the demands of these courses. This, in addition to the Common Core State Standards, leave many teachers feeling underprepared to effectively teach writing. The current study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of LEAD PD: Writing in the Content Areas, a writing professional development initiative for teachers grounded in the writing standards and best practices of writing instruction. In partnership with a university of higher education, teachers from a local middle school were trained to …

The Effects Of An Outdoor Camping Experience On The Self-Concept & Wilderness Anxiety Of Fifth & Sixth Grade Students At Camp Webb, Freda Mays

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The problem statement for this study was "Will a one-week Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources camping experience result in a significant difference in the mean pretest and posttest selfconcept and wilderness anxiety scores of fifth and sixth grade students at Camp Webb as measured by the Willoughby Schedule and the Crume/Ellis Wilderness Anxiety Scale?" This study was a replication of two other studies sponsored by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR). The first study was conducted by Charles T. Crume and G. Mac Lang (1990) at Camp Earl Wallace; and, the second study was conducted …

Relationships Between Student Motivation Training & Motivation, Achievement, Attendance & Classroom Behavior, Kelly Davis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of the present study was to replicate a student motivation training program (Hughes, 1990) and extend the investigation by including the relationships between student motivation training and achievement, attendance, and classroom behavior. Participants were all 4th- and 5th -grade students from two elementary schools. A separate -sample, pretest-posttest control group design was used. The study addressed eight questions regarding the effects of student motivation training. Results indicated that student motivation, teacher perceptions of student motivation, and the number of motivational idea units on two of three writing samples were enhanced as a result of the training program. No …

Parental Perceptions Of School: An Analysis Of Contacts & Non-Contacts With Parents Of Sixth Graders At L.C. Curry Elementary School, Johnny Douglas

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Experimental and control groups were randomly selected in Johnny Douglas' sixth grade homeroom class to determine if contacts made to an experimental group of parents produced different perceptions of school as opposed to a control group of parents who received little or no contacts from the school. The experimental group of students' parents received a minimum of seven contacts from the school during the twenty day period of the study, while the control group received a minimum of three contacts in the same period.

A questionnaire sent to the parents at the conclusion of the experiment yielded three statements of …

A Study Using The Initial Teaching Alphabet As A Remedial Technique For Ninth Grade Students With Learning Disabilities, Jeanette Conner

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The reading achievement of two groups of ninth grade students with learning disabilities was compared using the standard scores on the Reading subtest of the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) as the pre- and posttest measurement to determine gain in reading achievement. The experimental group used only curriculum materials written in the Initial Teaching Alphabet (ITA). The control group used curriculum materials written in traditional orthography provided for students with learning disabilities by a rural Kentucky School District. At the end of an 80-day period, the standard scores on the Reading subtest of the WRAT were compared using a t-test, …

The Effect Of Summer Recess On The Reading Achievement Of Title I Students At L.C. Curry School, Bowling Green, Kentucky, Virginia Scheider

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of the study was to determine if there were significant differences between spring reading achievement scores and fall reading achievement scores in the Title I students of L. C. Curry School, Bowling Green, Kentucky, and if significant differences did occur, were these differences related to grade level, IQ, sex, or reading achievement level.

A Comparison Of Book Choices Of Fifth-Grade Pupils Today With Those Of A Generation Or More Ago, Anita Sanders

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Questionnaires containing the names of ten books, two series, and spaces for titles to be written in were distributed to 482 fifth-grade pupils to obtain data on the following questions: Are trade books that were popular with fifth-grade pupils a generation or more ago maintaining their popularity: Which new titles of children's books have emerged and gained popularity? Are selected series books popular with today's fifth-graders? To what extent do reading interests of boys and girls differ at the fifth-grade level? Interest scores were computed on all titles rated by as many as ten subjects Only King of the Wind …

A Study Of Grade Retention & Social Promotion In The Mclean County, Kentucky School District, John Settle Jr.

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Samples from two populations, students socially promoted into McLean County High School in the years 1976- 1979, who had not been retained, and students who entered McLean County High School during the same years who had been retained at one or more grade levels, 1-8, were compared. Comparisons of differences which existed in the two student groups selected for the sample were in five areas: (1) reported attitude toward school, (2) attendance, (3) number of discipline offenses, grades 9-11, (4) scores on the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills, Form S, in the subtests of reading and math as measured at; …

Validity Of Bender Gestalt Test Emotional Indicators For Functional Fifth-Grade Children, Donald Britt

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Both the Bender Gestalt Test and the Children's Personality Questionnaire were administered to 75 fifth grade students. Analyses were made to determine the possible relationships between the Koppitz Emotional Indicators on the Bender Gestalt Test and the various personality factors assessed by the Children's Personality Questionnaire. The results of these analyses found few significant relationships. Those that were significant were frequently conflicting and the opposite of the results which would have been predicted by Koppitz. These results provide a basis for questioning the validity of the Koppitz Emotional Indicators and their adequacy for use as a technique for personality assessment …

A Survey Of Puppetry Utilization In Public Elementary School Library Media Centers In First And Third Kentucky Educational Districts, Vicki Minnix

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study has been to determine the amount of utilization of puppetry including construction of the puppets and development and presentation of puppet programs and benefits derived from such programs in public elementary, junior high school, and middle school libraries, but excluding libraries which served schools with grades one through twelve, in First and Third Kentucky Educational Association School Districts. Data were collected through a questionnaire which was developed and mailed to 132 schools served by 107 librarians. Ninety-three of the librarians involved in the survey completed the questionnaire.

It was found that only a little over …

Individualized Science Instruction In The Middle Schools & Junior High Schools In Kentucky, Rita Byars

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A study was made of the individualized science instruction in the middle schools and junior high schools of Kentucky. The status of the programs was investigated by an information survey. The instrument sought answers as to the size of the schools, organization of the schools, kinds of science taught and the frequency of use of individualized science approaches. Methods of financing and the administering plans, the objectives of the plans, and the strategies implemented to achieve these were parts of the study. Questions designed to elicit details about the requirements of an individualized program included the increase in laboratory activity …

A Study Of Achievement & Attitude Change In Seventh Grade Science Students At Sky Haven Elementary School, Dekalb County, Georgia, Using The Lecture-Demonstration-Recitation Method & The Discovery Method Of Teaching, Leslie Mcintosh

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Because of the need for people to be scientifically literate in today's technological world, this researcher questioned whether the seventh grade students at the Sky Haven Elementary School, DeKalb County, Georgia, were learning basic science concepts in the most effective manner.

The purpose of this study was to compare the lecture-demonstration-recitation method (experimental treatment) and the discovery method (control treatment) of teaching science in the seventh grade to determine which method of instruction would result in greater student achievement and improved attitude towards science.

The sample consisted of 42 students of comparable ability (21 in each group) most of whom …

An Analysis Of Weather-Related Factors & Non-Productive Learning Behaviors Of Fourth-Fifth & Sixth Grade Students, Donald Cheser

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This project is a study of the relationships of weather variables and non-productive classroom behaviors. Four observers recorded behaviors of over one hundred elementary students for a period of fifty days.

The weather variables used in this study may be divided into two major categories; visible and invisible atmospheric conditions. Visible atmospheric conditions included classifying the atmosphere as sunny, fair, cloudy, stormy, rainy, and phases of the moon. Invisible conditions recorded were temperature and barometric pressure.

The non-productive behavior variables included were aggression, arguing, attitude, annoying, bathroom abuse, cheating, destructive, clowning, disobedient, disruptive, ill-mannered, inattentive, lying, name calling, playing, rule …

A Study Of The Chronological Development Of The Elementary School Media Center In Kentucky & A Description Of The Kenwood Elementary Media Center As A Current Example, Linda Perkins

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The chronological development of elementary school media centers in Kentucky was traced through an examination of: state constitutions, school laws, biennial reports of the superintendent of public instruction, Department of Education Bulletins, school board minutes, books on education and library periodicals. Kenwood Media Center, Jefferson County Public Schools, Louisville, Kentucky was chosen as the model example of a media center 1975. It was examined in the following areas: personnel, collection of materials and equipment, appropriations, services, organization of center and facilities.

The Paper Repertoire Of The Students In One Elementary School, Ruby Rufty

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This collection project is concerned with traditional paper objects made by students in fifteen classes in one elementary school in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Chapter I describes the school and classroom environments and the procedures followed during the collection project. Chapter II differentiates between the play and ornamental items collected, describes the different items and their variants made by the students, and attempts to show what persons (relatives, teachers, other children) or other factors (mass media, the students' environment) affected the paper items made by students. Chapter III statistically evaluates the collected paper items according to the sex, race, and grade …

Exploring Childhood: Discovering Teens, Nancy Erickson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This is a study of a practicum-based child development curriculum for eighth grade students in a middle school setting. One hundred students were tested on self-image concepts and attitudes toward young children after they had been exposed to the curriculum. The experimental group was involved in the "Exploring Childhood" course which gave them experience in actual child care agencies in the community. The control group students used the more traditional child development unit in the home economics program.

Testing showed that the experimental group made significantly higher self-concept scores than the control group. There was no significant difference between the …

A Study Of Elementary Guidance Programs In University Laboratory Schools In The United States, Joann Walker

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This project is a study of the role and functions of the elementary school guidance counselor in the laboratory schools of universities in the United States. It was intended to gain data on the status of the role at the present, functions performed by the counselors in these schools, and information which could be used as a basis for projection of the future role of the elementary school counselor. The laboratory schools were surveyed, the data compiled and an analysis was made. The results were not as future oriented as was expected from the population studied. Techniques and functions were …

An Elementary Physical Education Curriculum For Jones-Jaggers Laboratory School, Joanne Powell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This project proposes the utilization of a movement education approach in a physical education curriculum for elementary school grades one through six. It is intended to assist elementary physical education teachers in establishing and maintaining a program based on current research and literature in the field.

The movement education philosophy differs from the traditional physical education approach in the following ways:

1. The program is child-centered rather than subject-centered with successful experiences for each child of prime importance.

2. Consideration of the affective domain is as necessary to the program as the psychomotor.

3. Creativity is encouraged in that the teacher seeks new …

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A Proposed Supplemental Curriculum For Educationally Disadvantaged Students In Grades Seven & Eight In Green County, Kentucky, Maxideen Pruitt

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this project is to design a proposed supplemental curriculum for grades seven and eight in the Greensburg Elementary School, Green County, Kentucky. This supplemental curriculum is aimed at decreasing the number of students classified as educationally disadvantaged.

The procedure used in the project is to review general information related to the problem of disadvantaged students and to present specific information concerning the existing situation in Green County. The means of identifying disadvantaged students are described and the special needs of these students are enumerated. The latter part of the project is devoted to recommendations concerning implementation of …

The Application Of Self-Instruction To Elementary School Music, Jane Austin

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of self-instruction on achievement in elementary school music at the fourth grade level. In order to study this effect, the investigator will seek answers to the following questions:

1. Which methods of self-instruction are most applicable to children at the fourth grade level?
2. What concepts are basic to the understanding of music?
3. What studies have been concluded to define the range of conceptual developments among fourth graders?
4. What materials and activities are most effective in achieving the desired results based on the above considerations?
5. Is I.Q. a significant factor in musical …