Education Commons^™

A Comparative Analysis Of Japan And United States School Lunch Programs, Julie Phillips

Honors Theses

Question: Are school lunch policies and programs in Japan beneficial and applicable to the United States?

Main points: Japan has a certification program that allows dietitians to teach nutrition. Japan also includes agricultural experiences as part of its academic curriculum to promote holistic development in students.

Conclusion: The School Lunch program in the United States would benefit from providing an avenue through which dietitians are able to teach students nutrition and from increasing the number of schools involved in Farm to School so that more students have experiences with nature.

Reducing Barriers To Education Around The World: A Systematic Framework Using The Community School Model, Isabella Bejarano

Honors Theses

Proposing a systematic framework for reducing barriers to education around the world is necessary to effectifely address the multifaceted needs of global communities. The Community School Model provides one such framework which can provide evidence-based strategies for school improvement in diverse areas.

Table Stakes In The War For Talent: Examining The Role Of Educational Assistance Programs Among The Fortune 1000, Noah Hubbard

Honors Theses

This study gathered stakeholder viewpoints regarding the role of educational assistance programs among the Fortune 1000 companies during the war for talent. Thirteen semi-structured interviews revealed themes that addressed four guiding research questions. After analyzing the results of the interviews and reading relevant literature, I created recommendations for each of the questions. From the first guiding research question (How do educational assistance programs help attract and retain employees and differentiate companies from one another?), recommendations include: offer a broad range of programs from G.E.D. to master’s degrees, utilize tuition assistance models to improve access to educational assistance programs, and allow …

Where Girls Rule The World: Lessons For Pakistan In The Bangladeshi Educational Phenomenon, Chanze Ahsan

Honors Theses

In tune with the UN's Sustainable Development Goal and the widespread acceptance of education as a fundamental human right, the deprivation of female education in Pakistan presents an alarming assault on its female population. With this, the historical accident that was the separation of Pakistan and Bangladesh serves as a natural experiment into differences between the countries before and after partition. Despite facing two colonizations, Bangladesh has emerged on the other side of history with promising results regarding the elimination of gender disparities in education. How has it managed to do so? And what can Pakistan learn from its journey? …

The Ceibalitas In Uruguay: How Digital Educational Technology Affects Social Cohesion, William Bradford

Honors Theses

Digital Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have become a focal point in improving worldwide education. There have been many studies on the effects of ICT in schools on grades and careers after graduation, but not many have studied the social impact. This study focuses on the Plan Ceibal in Uruguay to see the impact of ICT in schools on social cohesion. The Plan Ceibal was the first Nation-wide one-laptop-per-child (OLPC) program in the world. For this reason, Uruguay can provide a look into the future for other nations as they implement OLPC programs of their own. This study uses data …

Equitable Education For Haiti, Breanna Parker

Honors Theses

This thesis delves into the country of Haiti's educational system to discover equitable ways to introduce new ideas into its system.

Comparing Nebraskan And Finnish Education Policy And Its Impacts On Mathematics Teaching, Elizabeth Tyler

Honors Theses

For two decades, Finland has been in the education spotlight as they consistently receive high international exam scores while spending less money, less time teaching, and putting students through fewer hours of school. This study aims to investigate the related policy that may help explain these seemingly paradoxical findings in the education sector. More specifically, this study examines how related policy impacts math teachers in their day to day work. This research includes an extensive literature review that explores several facets of the education system in both Nebraska and Finland in order to better understand existing policies. This background is …

The Effects Of Stem Education On Economic Growth, Mallory Croak

Honors Theses

This thesis aims to build on existing studies of human capital and returns to education with a focus on innovation-fueling, STEM-based education, to answer: How does STEM education affect macroeconomic growth across different countries? A review of literature reveals that many studies account for human capital in growth equations, measured as average years of education. However, educational attainment as a measure of human capital leaves out the additional impact of research, technological know-how and innovation on growth. This thesis seeks to bridge some of the overlap between education and innovation as it affects productivity by focusing on education in STEM—fields …

Market Expansion Challenge: Finnish School International, Shelby Reams

Honors Theses

The Finnish School International already operates in several countries and is ready to expand the Finnish education system to new locations around the world. Accordingly, the company is seeking your help with identifying new promising markets and developing a market entry strategy, including:

t. Identify the most promising new markets, analyze the market, and decide on the best market entry mode;

2. Develop a product promotion and marketing strategy for the proposed new market; 3. Work out the operations management strategy for the proposed new market.

Cultivating Cultural Exchange: Improving University Study Abroad Programs, Katherine Crawford

Honors Theses

My affinity for culture, both foreign and domestic, has greatly shaped my life and future career path. As I have been frequently reminded, I did not take the “typical” exchange route. However, I accredit this atypical experience to my passion towards the subject. My first immersive cultural experience occurred during a yearlong, high school, Rotary led exchange to Bourges, France. Simply put, it changed my life. I encountered the culture first hand, accepting a new normal: bisous greetings, daily baguettes, and a well-structured hierarchy. Within six months, I considered myself fluent in the language. I lived with French families, was …

L’Enseignement D’Une Langue Étrangère : La Nécessité Et L’Impact Sur La Société En France Et Aux Etats-Unis / Teaching Of A Foreign Language: The Need And Impact On Society In France And The United States, Lauren Savrin

Honors Theses

The Anglophone population of the world is not as large as we think it is. In fact English is the third most common language spoken in the world. Yet this population (primarily Americans) expects other people to speak English without bothering to reciprocate. As a result of this phenomenon a discrepancy has occurred in how children learn a foreign language. America is severely lacking in their language education and readily accepts it when children no longer want to learn a foreign language. Students in France are required to take English starting in elementary school. Most schools in the United States …

Race To The Bottom: The United State's Early Childhood Education Issue, Elizabeth Dalton

Honors Theses

Since the 1990's there has been a large push for universal early childhood education in the United States as other countries have started to create their own programs. Administrators and policymakers in power have realized the impact of early childhood education on the future lives of children. In my paper I do a historical comparative analysis on Head Start and the push for universal preschool in the states and abroad. I do this by looking at why Head Start was needed the process to make it a staple in American society and the impacts. I move on to look at …

Social Class Identity Development And Elite Schools, Sarah Peck

Honors Theses

This project explores the ways in which students’ identities are shaped and created at an elite school in a large metropolitan city in Chile, called Croft School. The project focuses on the ways in which privilege is reproduced at this elite institution and how the school inadvertently and purposefully teaches its students lessons about social class. In order to examine these lessons, interviews with students, alumni, teachers, and administrators as well as a site visit to Croft’s campus were conducted. These methods were used to analyze the students’ understandings of themselves and the ways that the school attempted to shape …

A Bas L'Oppression : L'Emploi Des Films Pour Critiquer Le Systeme Educatif, Stephanie Delorenzo

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the varying critiques of the French education system as depicted in films. The four films analyzed were: Zéro de conduite (1933), Les quatre cents coups (1959), Entre les murs (2008), and Dans la maison (2012). Two major themes are explored throughout this thesis: the results of the national education system, and the relationship between students and teachers. These themes are explored using both a psychological approach and a technical filmic analysis. In the psychological approach, the psychological maturation of adolescents as it relates to education is explored using theories developed by psychologists such as Olivier Maulini and …

Mind The Gap: Examining The Gap Between The United States Education System And The Top Education Systems In The World, Kaitlyn Clark

Honors Theses

Improving our educational system is a hot topic right now in the political and educational worlds. As a country, we are always striving for the best educational experience for our students, burt we are still faced with many challenges. According to the 2014 Pearson Index of Cognitive Skills and Educational Attainment the United States is ranked as number fourteen in the world. While we have risen from number seventeen since 2012, we are still not even in the top ten. In 2012, Finland had the top educational system in the world and in 2014, South Korea had number one.

In …

Finland Vs. The United States: Similarities And Differences In Kindergarten, Rebecca L. Ulrich

Honors Theses

Understanding successful educational systems and the qualities they incorporate is imperative in the quest for student achievement. Finland is known worldwide for their success in the classroom and its educators do a great job preparing young students for primary education in their Kindergarten classrooms. Kindergarten is a very important grade for young students. It prepares them for grades to come and introduces them to a school setting. By using qualitative research methods and comparing and contrasting of published data, Finland’s kindergarten system and three kindergarten teachers who represent the typical kindergarten milieu in Lamar County, Mississippi will be analyzed through …

Chinese Students' Experience At United College: Dialogue Between Executives And Chinese Students, Alicia Palmer

Honors Theses

More and more Chinese students come to the United States to study. They come to the United States for college because education in American universities counts as one of the best education in the world. Some Chinese families pay a lot for their children's best education. In addition, American universities have major funding problems because the subsidies of the U.S. government decrease rapidly. Students often can not accept the United States scholarship, so have to pay all the tuition. However, it seems that students from the east have more psychological problems than those from western countries. One reason is that …

A Comparison Of How The United States And England Educators Teach Reading, Katy Wood

Honors Theses

During my time of studying to be an early childhood education teacher at Ouachita Baptist University, I felt a calling to explore and become immersed in another culture. I had never been out of the country before, and I believed that in order to become a well-rounded teacher, I needed to learn how other countries' teachers taught their children. I chose to study abroad in Liverpool, England, at Liverpool Hope University. I took several classes at the university, but one of the most impactful things that I did while I was in England was observing in St. Leo's and Southmead …

Uncontrolled Enrollment Expansion: Fragmented Authoritarianism In Chinese Higher Education, William Bumpas

Honors Theses

The enrollment expansion of the Chinese higher education has no historical precedent, and defies belief in its speed and scale. I argue that this rapid enrollment growth is best understood not as a natural phenomenon of the market economy, nor as an intentional policy outcome, but rather as a byproduct of the structure of the Chinese state. I propose that the central government's lack of effective control over lower-level cadres at local governments and individual universities was instrumental in the expansion of enrollments far beyond the intentions of the Ministry of Education. This uncontrolled enrollment expansion was enabled by local …

A Comparison Of Developing World Educational Systems March 2013 Ethopia And Costa Rica, Kendall Allen

Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the strengths and weaknesses of centralized and decentralized unitary government systems with regard to equitable education across domestic regions within countries. Using Costa Rica and Ethiopia as case studies, I examine: a) their level of economic development, b) how public primary education is funded, and c) how public primary curriculum is determined. By looking at education in these three dimensions, I wish to understand how regional language differences and creating a sense of national identity play a role in the unification of an educational system, as well educational equality within a country and within a global market.

The Non-Profit Education System In Cambodia: Case Study Of Two Programs, Sasha I. Zuflacht

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the strengths and weaknesses of two non-profit education systems in Cambodia using organizations focused on educating and supporting Cambodian youth. The study addresses the challenges that these different schools face and what they are doing to overcome these issues. Questionnaires were distributed and interviews and guided conversations were conducted at The Global Child and The Ponheary Ly Foundation; teachers, staff, volunteers and students participated. This study discusses how strategies and structure vary between these two different organizations and the impact they are having on education and youth in Cambodia. The information collected indicates that non-profit education programs …

Through The Eyes Of Urban Students: Educational Inequality And Socioeconomic Disparities In Santiago, Chile, Hillary Sapanski

Honors Theses

This project explores student perceptions of educational inequality in Santiago, Chile. Educational inequality in Santiago is statistically well documented; this study is novel in that it gives voice to the students. Despite a major emerging middle class, across all classes there is an overwhelming awareness of inequality. The results in this study are two-fold: not only do the diverse student experiences illustrate the stark divisions in the Chilean education system and society, but their experiences also demonstrate the development of a critical consciousness empowering students to act. Although there are limitations, student contributions to the ongoing conversation about inequality and …

Malumghat A Little Joy, Joy Kelly

Honors Theses

Upon my return from studying abroad, people asked, "How was Bangladesh?" as if they were asking about a relative I visited in Florida. "How was Uncle Fred?" Smiling, I replied "Good, I loved it." The conversation typically turned to other matters. Others asked, "What is the biggest thing you learned while you were gone?" While Judging how long the asker wished to listen, I narrowed my extensive response to one or two key points.

Living in the tiny, yet populous village of Malumghat, Bangladesh, as I participated in Hands-On during the spring of 2011, I learned a myriad of new …

Japanese And American Education: A Comparative Study, Naomi R. Mercer

Honors Theses

While living in Japan as an exchange student, many different aspects of Japanese culture, especially the Japanese education system, fascinated me. Their system demanded so much from children and determined the paths their lives would take based upon two or three long and complicated tests. My college friends had obviously survived the rigors of the schools system and, as I eventually realized, succeeded. All of the publicity that Japanese education received in the United States as a model system made me curious to know whether the stories in magazines and on the 6 o'clock news held any truth or if …

Mathematics On An International Basis, Sandra Lee Sawyer

Honors Theses

Is the math of the United States inferior? In 1967 there was an international study of mathematics comparing twelve different countries: United States, Japan, Australia, Belgium, England, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, The Netherlands, Scotland, and Sweden. Funded in part by the United States Office of Education and five years in the making, the report was based on a test given to 133,000 students in different countries at the age of thirteen and at the end of high school.