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Full-Text Articles in Education

An Alternating Treatment Design Comparing Small Group Reading Interventions Across Early Elementary Readers, Madison Billingsley-Ring, Kayla Bates-Brantley, Hailey Ripple, Mallie Donald, Daniel L. Gadke, Sarah Harry Oct 2023

An Alternating Treatment Design Comparing Small Group Reading Interventions Across Early Elementary Readers, Madison Billingsley-Ring, Kayla Bates-Brantley, Hailey Ripple, Mallie Donald, Daniel L. Gadke, Sarah Harry

Perspectives on Early Childhood Psychology and Education

Learning how to read accurately and fluently is a critical component for a student’s future academic success. Reading fluency is a skill that many students struggle to master. In addition, many students missed out on key skill development due to the loss of instruction from COVID-19. As schools begin to recover from these educational losses, small group reading interventions offer an efficient solution to service multiple students at once. Small group reading interventions such as Repeated Readings (RR), Listening Passage Preview (LPP) and LPP with RR (LPP+RR) have all been demonstrated to be effective methods for increasing reading fluency. Yet …


Elementary Preservice Mathematics Teachers Fraction Knowledge: An Integrative Review Of Research, Cody J. Perry Mar 2023

Elementary Preservice Mathematics Teachers Fraction Knowledge: An Integrative Review Of Research, Cody J. Perry

Educational Considerations

Elementary preservice teachers struggle with fractions and explaining them despite taking numerous mathematics courses. Therefore, they may have issues when they teach fractions and related concepts. Since fractions underlie many concepts like algebra, improving teachers’ fraction knowledge is imperative. This integrative review of research synthesized findings about teachers’ fractions knowledge to provide potential strategies educator preparation programs (EPPs) can use to improve fraction mastery. The literature shows teachers lacked conceptual knowledge, used incorrect strategies and too few representations, and misunderstood magnitude and manipulatives. However, number lines and teaching conceptually helped improve mastery of fractions. Resolving issues with fraction mastery may …


Utilizing Counter Narratives To Develop Culturally Sustaining, Critically Conscious Preservice Teacher Practitioners, David Wolff Aug 2022

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.


Exploring Ungrading In An Elementary Writing Methods Course, Jen Mcconnel Jul 2022

Exploring Ungrading In An Elementary Writing Methods Course, Jen Mcconnel

Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education

In this reflective piece, I discuss what I learned when I began to implement ungrading practices in my institution's elementary writing methods course. Based on this ongoing experiment, I offer three suggestions for other teacher educators who are intrigued by ungrading but not sure where to start.


Writing Workshop And Creativity Despite Standardization: An Exploration Of Elementary Teachers' Practices, Darcie Kress, Matt Townsley Jun 2022

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 …


Facilitating Experiential Learning Experiences Through A Class Pioneer Day, Ronald Vaughan Morris Aug 2020

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 …


Planning For Student Initiative: Creating A Digital Textbook, Ronald Vaughan Morris Mar 2020

Planning For Student Initiative: Creating A Digital Textbook, Ronald Vaughan Morris

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Undergraduate students enrolled in a university class created an elementary social studies book delivered to computers, personal communication devices, and tablets. Students worked in an interdisciplinary team to create the interactive platform. The students worked with both university and community partners to create the text. The study presented described both the content and the process of student generation of material followed by community member review, and the revision cycle used by the students to create features and components of the text materials. A variety of false starts and marketing challenges reflect the obstacles undergraduate students face when creating marketable products …


The Effect Of Teacher Professional Development On Implementing Engineering In Elementary Schools, Teresa Porter, Meg E. West, Rachel L. Kajfez, Kathy L. Malone, Karen E. Irving Sep 2019

The Effect Of Teacher Professional Development On Implementing Engineering In Elementary Schools, Teresa Porter, Meg E. West, Rachel L. Kajfez, Kathy L. Malone, Karen E. Irving

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

Increased attention on the implementation of engineering education into elementary school classrooms aims to start preparing students early for potential engineering careers. In order to efficiently and effectively add engineering concepts to the curriculum, appropriate development and facilitation of engineering design challenges are required. Therefore, professional development programs are necessary to educate teachers about engineering and how to adequately teach it. This paper explores the effects of an engineering professional development program for practicing teachers. The program included training elementary teachers about how to implement units from Engineering is Elementary (EiE) by the Science Museum of Boston into their classes. …


Perspective Taking Through An Elementary Unit On Lewis And Clark, Ronald V. Morris Feb 2019

Perspective Taking Through An Elementary Unit On Lewis And Clark, Ronald V. Morris

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

The teachers showed the perspectives students acquired through reading and comparing narratives. Teachers helped students work toward the common good in a democracy by helping the student to examine perspectives. In their reading and writing, they developed rich background and content about the experience. When students studied these explorers, the students developed an empathetic understanding for the hardships and sacrifices madeby the Corps of Discover as they traveled on this expedition. Student interest and motivation flowed into this project because they felt the problems as their own; they, therefore, were interested when they understood what it meant and found …


Effects Of Game-Based Learning On Attitude And Achievement In Elementary Mathematics, Kyli White, Leah P. Mccoy Jan 2019

Effects Of Game-Based Learning On Attitude And Achievement In Elementary Mathematics, Kyli White, Leah P. Mccoy

Networks: An Online Journal for Teacher Research

Games-based learning involves instruction with realistic game experiences (Cicchino, 2015). This action research study explored game-based learning as fifth grade mathematics students completed a brief unit on ordered pairs utilizing games-based lessons. Attitude and achievement data were collected mainly by surveys, content tests, student interviews, and field notes. Additional information included in the teacher-researcher analysis consisted of classroom photographs, videos, and student work samples. Results revealed that student attitudes improved both toward the lessons and toward math in general. Similarly, achievement improved for all students across the unit. Analysis of the narrative data produced three themes. First, the students acquired …


The Interview Project: A Way Of Bridging Theory And Practice In Early Childhood Mathematics Preservice Teacher Education, Doris Santarone Jan 2019

The Interview Project: A Way Of Bridging Theory And Practice In Early Childhood Mathematics Preservice Teacher Education, Doris Santarone

Georgia Educational Researcher

Twenty-nine early childhood preservice teachers (PSTs) participated in an Interview Project. The project’s goals were for the PSTs to apply their knowledge of research on children’s mathematics in their interactions with a child and to learn to listen to and learn from children. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the project and determine whether it met these goals. Pre and post data were collected, and I found that the PSTs showed a significant improvement in their ability to describe and analyze a child’s mathematics and to use their listening to make appropriate instructional decisions. In addition, I found …


Integration Of Project-Based Learning In Elementary Social Studies, Arren Swift Sep 2018

Integration Of Project-Based Learning In Elementary Social Studies, Arren Swift

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

The marginalization of social studies education in elementary schools has been well documented. To provide meaningful social studies education to elementary students we must find ways to integrate social studies into other content areas. The application of project-based learning complements the process of cross-curricular integration. This article provides a rationale for this approach and a sample lesson to help clarify the process.


Using Focus Groups To Explore Sources Of Self-Efficacy In Puerto Rican Preservice Teachers, Yitza A. Arcelay-Rojas Sep 2018

Using Focus Groups To Explore Sources Of Self-Efficacy In Puerto Rican Preservice Teachers, Yitza A. Arcelay-Rojas

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This article used focus groups to explore Puerto Rican preservice teachers' perceptions of sources of self-efficacy. The present study allowed, through a qualitative design, examination of the experiences of preservice teachers at the end of their student teaching practicum. The qualitative design and the use of the focus group technique provided insight into the main sources of their perceived self-efficacy through the self-assessment of their field experience. The beginning of the student teaching practicum provoked an intense process of emotions in which the preservice teachers needed support and guidance, particularly in aspects of planning, differentiation, and classroom management. The participants …


Perspectives On Failure In The Classroom By Elementary Teachers New To Teaching Engineering, Pamela S. Lottero-Perdue, Elizabeth A. Parry Jun 2017

Perspectives On Failure In The Classroom By Elementary Teachers New To Teaching Engineering, Pamela S. Lottero-Perdue, Elizabeth A. Parry

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

This mixed methods study examines perspectives on failure in the classroom by elementary teachers new to teaching engineering. The study participants included 254 teachers in third, fourth, and fifth grade who responded to survey questions about failure, as well as a subset of 38 of those teachers who participated in interviews about failure. The study first examines the literature about failure in the contexts of engineering and education. Failure is positioned as largely normative and expected in engineering, whereas in education, learning and failure have a more tenuous relationship. Identity, failure avoidance, failure as part of the learning process, growth …


Great Books For Late Summer Reading, Terrell A. Young, Barbara A. Ward Jul 2012

Great Books For Late Summer Reading, Terrell A. Young, Barbara A. Ward

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

For decades now, reading experts have expressed concern that the competence gained by struggling readers during the academic year is lost during the summer months. While academic enrichment and remediation programs can reduce that loss, one of the best practices to build better readers is by having them read during breaks from school. At least one study clearly supports this suggestion. In his study of 1,600 elementary students in the mid-Atlantic area, researcher James Kim (2009) found that regardless of previous achievement level or race or socioeconomic level, children who read more books performed better on reading comprehension tests in …


Teaching To The Test: How Federal Mandates Affect Elementary Educators’ Teaching Styles, Ashley R. Vande Corput May 2012

Teaching To The Test: How Federal Mandates Affect Elementary Educators’ Teaching Styles, Ashley R. Vande Corput

The Kennesaw Journal of Undergraduate Research

Recent mandates created by the federal government have placed a large emphasis on standardized testing in elementary schools. Educators now face the challenge of how to best prepare their students for these tests. In this qualitative case study research project, I collected data from four third grade teachers to determine how recent governmental laws impact their teaching styles; in this article I tell the story of two of those teachers. Interviews and classroom observations were conducted in a medium-sized, public elementary school outside a large metropolitan city in the Southeast. Preferred and perceived teaching styles as reported by the teachers …