Education Commons^™

An Expository Analysis Of Textbook Usage In Classical Settings For High School Biology, Kristen Bissontz

Master of Arts in Classical Studies

AN EXPOSITORY ANALYSIS OF TEXTBOOK USAGE IN CLASSICAL SETTINGS FOR HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY

Kristen Bissontz

Southeastern University, Lakeland FL

The classical model of education has reemerged as a viable alternative to the modern education system. Many of the disciplines taught in a classical school, program or home education scenario appear to align with the classical philosophy with the exception of the sciences. This paper serves to uncover if textbooks are the primary source in classical settings, what resources are utilized, and offers suggestions to better align with the classical pedagogy.

A small sample of classical schools and programs in a …

The Shared Experiences Of Educators In Grades 7–12 Who Implement Lessons In Social–Emotional Learning Curriculum, Heathre C. Palige

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

Social–emotional learning (SEL) is used in public school classrooms throughout the United States. The problem that this researcher addressed in this study was that minimal understanding exists of the lived experiences of teachers who implement SEL in Colorado public schools in Grades 7–12. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore and to provide a clearer understanding of the lived experiences of six educators who implement SEL in Grades 7–12 in Colorado public schools. The study fills a gap in literature in understanding the experiences of teachers who use SEL in middle and high school. The literature review …

Discussing Yasmina Khadra’S Novel The Sirens Of Baghdad In The Upper Secondary Classroom To Promote Intercultural Learning, Karl Ågerup

Essays in Education

Based on interviews with four teachers who engaged in discussions about Yasmina Khadra's novel The Sirens of Baghdad with a total of 92 students, this article explores the potential of using fictional narratives to achieve Global Citizenship-related goals in upper secondary education. The novel, which portrays the journey of a young aspiring Al Qaeda terrorist in Iraq, emerged as a response to the increasing need in the Western world to mitigate intercultural tensions following the September 11 attacks. The article addresses the novel's capacity to promote intercultural understanding while acknowledging practical challenges such as intense emotions in the classroom, potential …

Put Down That Book! Producing Poetry To Center Students As Organic Intellectuals, Jacqueline E. Boland

Master's Projects and Capstones

Schools are often sites of hegemony, where certain knowledge and voices are prioritized over others. This hierarchy frequently discounts students as producers of their own knowledge, ignoring the wisdom gleaned from their lived experiences, diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, and cultural communities. While the study of literature inside a high school English classroom can be fruitful for students to acquire empathy and perspective, it is only effective when it is equitable. Educators must implement diverse representation in narratives, characters, authors and texts to represent students whose identities exist at the margins. Positioning work by Women of Color in the classroom …

Pathways To Credentials: Does The Timing Of Earning An Industry Certification In High School Influence Postsecondary Educational Outcomes?, Elizabeth Glennie, Erich Lauff, Roger Studley, Ben Dalton

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Earning industry certifications helps people prepare for jobs in a range of careers. Doing so in secondary school may help students prepare for college as well. Using administrative data on two cohorts of first-time 9^th graders in Florida, we examined whether earning a certification was associated with postsecondary enrollment and degree attainment and whether the timing of the certification influenced that relationship. Earning a certification in high school prepared students for success in both 2-year and 4-year colleges. However, the patterns of certifications and college enrollment and degree attainment differed based on when students earned the certification. For early …

The Beam In Our Own Eyes: Antiracism And Ya Literature Through A Catholic Lens, Katie Sutton, Abigail D. Grafmeyer, Dan Reynolds

Journal of Catholic Education

As Catholic schools serve an increasingly racially diverse population of students, they must grapple with the critical requirement to address these students’ unique needs while heeding the call from modern Catholic Church leaders to engage in explicit antiracist action. Using the Historically Responsive Literacy Framework (HRL), this article equips Catholic high school English language arts (ELA) teachers with practical and powerful ways to create antiracist curriculum. To do this effectively, we place antiracist Young Adult (YA) literature (both fiction and nonfiction) in conversation with Catholic canonical texts and modern voices from Catholic clergy members. By connecting with students’ complex identities …

Arkansas’S 9th Grade Course Failures And Building Configurations, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Josh B. Mcgee, Sarah R. Morris

Policy Briefs

In this brief, we examine the relationship between course failures among Arkansas’s 9th grade students and the grade levels served in their school. We find that in schools that terminate at 9th grade, 9th graders are less likely to fail one or more course during the year compared to failure rates in schools that terminate at 12th grade. We suggest an increase in awareness and examination of how we assess 9th graders in Arkansas.

Modernizing High School Agricultural Communications Competencies: A National Delphi Study, Mackenzie Atkins, Kati Lawson, Ricky Telg

Journal of Applied Communications

The purpose of this study was to identify current competencies needed for high school students to succeed in their agricultural communication courses. This study also identified an ideal introduction level for each competency and provides up-to-date consensus on the most important agricultural communication competencies for high school students as determined by university faculty. Twenty years have passed since secondary agricultural communication competencies have been evaluated at a national level (Akers, 2000). Since then, industry standards have changed, including the emergence of social media, which is reflected in the results of this study. This study was conducted through a two-round Delphi …

The High School In The Middle Of Everywhere: Nebraska’S Lincoln High, Edmund T. Hamann, Janet M. Eckerson, Mark Larson

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

In 2002, world-renowned author Mary Pipher published a book about her home city, Lincoln Nebraska, playfully titled “The Middle of Everywhere” a tongue-in-cheek rejoinder to the idea that Nebraska is ‘the middle of nowhere.’ But word play aside, her title was empirically apt, as her volume documented how immigration and refugee resettlement were demographically transforming Nebraska’s capital city. As in other cities, resettlement was concentrated in some areas of Lincoln, placing differential burdens on different parts of the community’s institutional infrastructure. Of interest to readers of this volume, Lincoln’s refugees and immigrants were concentrated in the city’s oldest high school. …

Exploring The Status Of Transgender Students In Catholic High Schools, Dirk De Jong

Journal of Catholic Education

This paper reports on a recent survey of principals of Catholic high schools across the country regarding the existence of formal gender identity policies or informal practices with respect to the behavior and treatment of transgender students in their schools. The survey’s findings are discussed in the context of recent developments with respect to the science, clinical interventions, and legal accommodations surrounding gender variance. The paper also describes the political developments with respect to this issue and some of the pushback in communities of faith. It concludes by suggesting the need for receptivity to scientific findings as part of a …

The Impact Of Non-Affirming Christian Secondary Schools On Students Who Identify As Lgbtqia+: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Alexis C. Schneider

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, nearly 100,000 LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) students attend non-affirming religious secondary schools yearly (Green et al., 2019; Institute of Education Sciences [IES] & National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2019a, 2019b). Because organized religion can have both beneficial and harmful outcomes on LGBTQIA+ youth (Wolff, 2016) and a secondary school environment has a significant impact on a student’s sense of academic success and well-being (Forber-Pratt et al., 2021), it is essential to understand and implement best practices that support LGBTQIA+ students in non-affirming religious secondary schools. Using phenomenological methods within a qualitative …

The Relationships Between College And Career Readiness Assessments, Charlotte M. Bruner

All Dissertations

This study explored the effects of taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses on college and career readiness in a rural school district in the southeastern United States. I examined student performance data using American College Test (ACT) scores, Ready to Work (R2W) examination scores, and AP examination scores. The results of the study show that taking a single AP course leads to significant improvement on the ACT exam over a student who has not taken an AP courses and the optimal number of courses a student should take. The results of the study also show that taking an AP course leads …

Beating The Odds: High-Growth Schools Based On The Act Aspire Examinations, Serving Low-Income Communities, Sarah C. Mckenzie

Arkansas Education Reports

This section highlights high-growth schools across Arkansas based on the ACT Aspire examinations in Math and English Language Arts (ELA) for the 2020-2021 academic year. For these awards, we consider schools where at least 66% of the student body is eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (FRL).

High-poverty schools are ranked by school level (Elementary, Middle, or High) based on Overall Growth (Math and ELA combined), as well as for growth in each content area independently. High-poverty schools are also ranked within each region of the state. Tables include the region in which the school is located, the number of …

High-Growth High Schools In Arkansas Based On Performance On The Act Aspire Examination, Sarah C. Mckenzie

Arkansas Education Reports

This section highlights high schools across the state whose students demonstrated high growth on the Arkansas ACT Aspire exams. The ACT Aspire was administered to students in grades 3 through 10 in April 2022 in Math and ELA courses which include English, Writing, and Reading.

Each table in this section presents the Top 20 schools for the noted subject area and school level. In addition, these tables include the region in which the schools are located, the grades served at the school, the weighted achievement score, and the content growth score in that particular subject.

The level of the schools, …

Unit Plan For A Course On Banned Books For 11th And 12th Grade, Jonny Gherman

English Capstone Projects

This lesson plan will teach high school students (11th-12th grade) what censorship is, why it is powerful, and what to do with it. Aligned with Pennsylvania State Standards, students will identify common themes between the two most popular genres of banned books (race & gender/sexuality). Through a series of activities, discussions, and a final project, students will practice close reading, critical thinking, and basic research skills.

Perspectives Of Students With Asd And Their Parents: What Does It Truly Mean To Be Included?, Keara M. Browne

Theses and Dissertations

Though there are a number of practices identified by researchers and other professionals as inclusive, the question remains about whether the students themselves truly feel included. There has been limited research surrounding specific experiences in inclusive classrooms that students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) perceive to be facilitators and barriers to being included in general education and co-teaching settings. The purpose of this study was to inform educational policies and school practices surrounding the inclusion of students with ASD in general education and co-teaching settings by analyzing the perceptions of students with ASD and their parents to determine what it …

An Evaluation Of The Effects Of Student Participation In High School Athletics And Grade Point Averages In A Rural Title I School District, Robert Ebert

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this non-experimental, quantitative, associative/predictive study was to evaluate the relationship between participation in high school athletics and grade point averages (GPAs) for graduated cohorts in a rural Title I school district. Study data were collected in archival form from three graduating cohorts of students from a rural Title I school district in Florida. Study findings indicated that senior students who were identified as student-athletes had a mean GPA that was significantly higher than students who were identified as non-athletes. Furthermore, when considering the effect of GPAs by gender, both female and male student-athlete GPAs were statistically higher …

Creating An Effective Social-Emotional Learning Program At The High School Level: A School Improvement Plan, Kassie Bercik

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This school improvement plan details the importance of creating an effective social and emotional learning (SEL) program for high school students in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current mental health crisis among teenagers. Current research points to SEL programs for improvement in nearly all areas for students, whether it be academic achievement, attitude and behavior, resilience, or overall connectedness with peers; furthermore, research also indicates decreases in student aggression and emotional distress. With those findings in mind, this plan was created to focus on the improvement of two specific SEL skills: social awareness and relationship skills. The …

Schooling Black Males: Hegemonic Discourses, Structural Barriers, And Strategic Resistance, Cleo Wadley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black males have scored at the lowest levels of academic achievement compared to other racial groups in many Texas school districts. The achievement gap for this population of students has been explained by both material constraints and oppressive hegemonic discourses. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to understand how such barriers and discourses affected these students and how the students negotiated their experiences in school. This study was designed to describe the problem, its background and to discuss a relevant theoretical framework. This study examined the academic achievement data for Black males and the current literature on adverse …

An Examination Of High School Students' Experiences As Anti-Defamation League Peer Trainers: A Case Study, David G. Knecht

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine students experiences as Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Peer Trainers at a predominately White, suburban high school in New Jersey, including in what ways students' experiences reflected transformative learning and empowered them as social justice allies. In addition, the study explored in what ways students' experiences could inform social justice education at their high school. The findings indicate that within this context, many participants experienced at least the beginning of perspective transformation, resulting in a shift from an exclusive to an inclusive perspective and an orientation toward social justice. Further, the findings …

Arkansas High School Freshmen Course Failures 2009-11 -- 2018-19, Sarah R. Morris, Sarah C. Mckenzie

Arkansas Education Reports

This study assesses the course failures among Arkansas high school freshmen by different student demographic and programmatic characteristics. We analyze 10 independent cohorts of Arkansas freshmen for descriptive analyses, and then we limit our analytic sample to the two most recent years of data. Algebra I is the most commonly failed course among Arkansas freshmen. Using logit analyses, we find economically disadvantaged students are nine percentage points more likely to fail a course their freshman year than their more advantaged peers after controlling for prior academic achievement and district characteristics and fixed effects. This study is the first research study …

Arkansas High School Freshmen Course Failures, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Josh B. Mcgee, Charlene A. Reid, Sarah R. Morris

Policy Briefs

In this brief, we examine course failures among Arkansas high school freshmen by different student demographic and programmatic characteristics. We find economically disadvantaged students most likely to fail a course their freshman year. We suggest policies to benefit all student demographic and programmatic characteristics

The Impacts Of Positive Praise On Science Achievement Levels Of Female Students, Sidney Hanel

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

To the general eye, it appears there has been an increase of women in STEM and overall female interest in science however, this is not apparent in the high school classrooms. The lowest level physics classrooms are overwhelmingly female, and the AP Physics class of twenty-five students has two female students. Society is seeing more equal numbers of males and females in biology, healthcare, dentistry, and other medical related fields. This is a wonderful advancement however many other STEM careers are being forgotten.

This study focuses on five physical science courses one of which is provided with additional feedback and …

Does The Use Of Digital Storytelling Affect The Self-Efficacy And Writing Ability Of Long-Term English Learners?, Theresa Gonzales

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

When a student enters the public system and speaks a language other than English at home, this student becomes classified as an English Learner (EL). In order to reclassify out of that designation, a student must pass an English proficiency test at the end of the school year, as well as meet the other requirements for that specific district. If a student in the school system has an EL designation for more than seven years, they become classified a Long-Term English Learner (LTEL) student with very specific academic needs. Within the United States, schools will fail to reclassify 30-50% of …

Quickwrites And The Quest To Reverse Writing Reluctance, Jenna Dunn

Honors Projects

Current research suggests that students’ enjoyment of writing will positively impact their writing achievement (Graham, 2007; Bulut, 2017). Given this trend, the following study explores the extent to which quickwriting, a teaching strategy developed extensively by Linda Rief (2003, 2018) as well as Donald Graves & Penny Kittle (2005), impacts the attitudes of reluctant writers. A total of nineteen eleventh-grade students were interviewed in three focus groups. All of the students within the study experienced three weeks of regular classroom quickwriting along with one week of a quickwriting extension workshop prior to participation in the focus groups. Students were asked …

Movin' On Up: An Examination Of Value-Added Growth During School Transition Years In Arkansas, Kathryn L. Barnes, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Charlene A. Reid

Arkansas Education Reports

This study assesses the impact school transitions have on grade-level value-added growth scores in Arkansas. Arkansas is unique in that the autonomy of setting building level transitions is left to individual districts. This distinction allows researchers to make comparisons between student groups that where students transitioned upward to a new building and those who did not. Using data covering five different school years, this study evaluates mathematics and English language-arts value-added growth scores of grade levels that transitioned to a new building and compared them to grade-level growth scores of buildings where students did not make a transition. Using regression …

Developing Servant Leadership Through A Peer Mentor Program, Michael G. Funfar

Servant Leadership: Theory & Practice

Mentor programs are an important component of transition programs, which help students successfully navigate the shift from middle school to high school. With that being said, little research has examined the impact of participation in a mentor program on the mentors’ servant leadership skill set. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the impact of a peer mentor program and challenge course training component on the mentor’s perceived servant leadership skill-set. This study explored the impact on participants from a high school peer mentor program who graduated in 2018-2019 and had additional life experience from which …

Teacher Sensemaking In Times Of Crisis: A Case Study Of The Teaching Of High School Ethnic Studies Classes During The Covid-19 Pandemic And Black Lives Matter Protests, Kay Flewelling

Dissertations

This is a study about secondary ethnic studies classes within the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, a novel coronavirus caused dramatic changes in society, and social protests erupted in the United States in response to violence against people of color. This period of dual crises created a collective period of turbulence for educators in the United States as schooling moved to emergency virtual environments. Though the impact of this time is not yet understood, early indicators suggest that existing educational inequalities for students of color will be exacerbated. This study explored ethnic studies teacher sensemaking to understand how teachers adapted their …

Imagining Otherwise: Designing And Implementing A High School Writing Center, Sheldon Cale Krieger

Dissertations

This study explored the work of planning and opening a new high school writing center in a school with a student population predominantly of students of color. The action research study occurred over the first twelve weeks of the writing center opening to better understand how such work might begin to disrupt oppressive systems and structures inherent in the school site as well as education at large. The arts-based methodology included daily reflective journals, a series of four collages, and document analysis. The study utilized critical imagining as its theoretical framework by combining tenets of critical race theory (CRT) with …

A Novel Approach To Social Justice Education, Jennifer R. Banas, Sara Gershon

Health Sciences and Physical Education Faculty Publications

Singular efforts in PK-12 settings to instill a social justice mindset will not achieve the same outcomes as social justice education infused throughout content area instruction. In collaboration with 10th -grade teachers, we developed and implemented a biblioguidance curriculum to develop students’ social justice and content area competency. Evaluation findings from the pilot implementation indicate there was a significant impact on some social justice competencies and all targeted content area competencies. Also, students appeared to recognize the benefits of a biblioguidance approach. In light of the outcomes, we celebrate the curriculum's successes and offer suggestions for ongoing improvement.