Education Commons^™

Children’S Books And The Nature Of Science: A Multisite Naturalistic Case Study Of Three Elementary Teachers In The Rural Southeast, Patricia Lynn Bricker

Doctoral Dissertations

This naturalistic case study describes the efforts of three elementary teachers in a rural southeastern school to use children’s books in support of inquiry-based science and specifically addresses issues related to the nature of science. Data were collected through 26 classroom and meeting observations, 16 semi-structured and informal interviews, 35 documents and 76 children’s books used by the teachers. Three themes were identified related to the nature of science and the selection and use of children’s books in the teachers’ second, fourth, and fifth grade classrooms.

1. Science was portrayed as a human endeavor that connects to the lives of people …

Kindergarten Readiness: Using Age Or Skills In Assessing A Child’S Readiness, Leslie Barden Smith

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Currently, age is the primary indicator of kindergarten readiness. A concise list of readiness skills to guide parents and teachers when deciding if a child is ready for kindergarten is lacking. The literature reveals that older age kindergarten entrance is not a predictor of academic success, nor is age an accurate indicator of readiness. In this study, responses from approximately 22 kindergarten teachers to a readiness questionnaire identify and develop a succinct list of the skills these professionals view as most significant for kindergarten readiness. According to the teachers in this study, the ability to sit and listen for approximately …

Exploring Animal-Assisted Therapy As A Reading Intervention Strategy, Maria S. Kaymen

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

This study is an examination of animal-assisted therapy in an attempt to explore the ways it may serve as reading intervention program for struggling readers. Due to the low rate of literacy in the U.S., children are often put into reading intervention programs where they are required to read to an adult; potentially creating anxiety that may act as a deterrent to reading regularly, and thus contributing to the condition of aliteracy, that is, possessing the basic skills to read yet having no desire to do so. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the ways in which …

A Middle School Standards-Based Science Curriculum Handbook, Eleanor B. Hess

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As teachers implement the National Science Education Standards (1996) many must change the instructional methods they have used throughout their careers. This handbook will assist teachers to be facilitators in inquiry-based classrooms. The nine units of this handbook have been implemented for three years in an eighth grade classroom and have been used and modified by three different teachers to meet their own needs. The units in this handbook were chosen by MSAD #3, Unity, Maine, to reflect the curriculum requirements of The State of Maine Learning Results (1997). Included in this handbook are physics units covering motion, forces, work, …

Automotive Service Technology Intersectional Skills Proficiency Assessment, David L. Macquarrie

Dissertations

This dissertation focused on the creation and validation of a criterion referenced credentialing assessment of automotive service technicians' intersectional skills (ASTIS) proficiency. These intersectional skills are prerequisite and common to multiple job level tasks that an automotive service technician (AST) performs on the job. An assessment of the ASTIS was created to aid automotive technician employers in the evaluation of hiring prospective technician employees and is not duplicated by current certifications (e.g. ASE) as they do not uniquely assess these skills.

This dissertation focused on the ASTIS skills and the information an employer can obtain pertaining to a prospective employee's …

Honoring And Utilizing The Preoperational Thinkers' Artistic Processes In Art Education, J. B. Paquette

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Examines the relationship between thought processes and artmaking in preoperational learners (children from about two to seven years of age). Suggests that these children learn and communicate in the art room in a natural, revelatory, and quite ephemeral, way. Includes a sample art lesson plan for preoperational learners and investigates ways to connect with children's youthful thought processes in elementary art instruction.

The Stress Management Self-Efficacy Inventory (Smsei): Development And Initial Psychometrics, Kristin Higgins

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of the current study was to develop, pilot, and establish the initial psychometrics of the Stress Management Self-Efficacy Inventory (SMSEI). Once developed and positive psychometrics established, middle school counselors and other mental health professionals can use the SMSEI to identify children who lack self-efficacy in the area of stress management. Once adolescents are identified as having low stress management self-efficacy, this measure can also aid professionals in creating programs and interventions. The SMSEI measures how well adolescents believe they can manage their stress as well as measures specific areas or management techniques that a child believes they …

Teacher Quality And Teacher Preparedness In Public Secondary Schools: Evidence From Sass 1999-2000, Xuejin Lu

Dissertations

Resource equalization represents the historical and theoretical basis for American school finance and its ideals continue to dominate discussion and practice. During the last decade and a half, the national aspiration for equitable distribution of school finance resources has started a transformation into a derivative notion of adequacy. This equity policy derivative embraces the idea of sufficiency, which in turn implies a standard. The concept of educational adequacy has grown to mean the achievement of high absolute standards. Equity (equalization) theorists measure resource level on a relative basis; each student relative to all others. Adequacy adherents measure student achievement against …

Teaching Today's Diverse Student Population In Schools, Elizabeth F. Hurdle

Theses & Honors Papers

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate teacher candidates' attitude and knowledge level toward the adequacy of their teacher training for meeting the needs of a diversified school population and to make recommendations for any restructuring in a University teacher training program. A survey research method using a convenience sample size of (N = 240) was used to collect data for this study. The sample of 240 participants included graduate and undergraduate teacher candidates who had completed student teaching and alumni from the last five years. A self-developed questionnaire with 35 Likert-type questions and four open-ended questions was …

A Best-Evidence Synthesis Of The Relationship Of Multiple Intelligence Instructional Approaches And Student Achievement Indicators In Secondary School Classrooms, Ethan E. Hodge

Master of Education Research Theses

The purpose of this study was to synthesize the literature in order to assess and quantify (if possible) the relationship between MI instructional approaches and student achievement indicators in secondary school classrooms (grades 6-12). This study employed the best-evidence synthesis methodology devised by Robert Slavin. Criteria for study inclusio n included germaneness, minimization of bias, and validity. This study allows for several conclusions: (1) a very limited amount of research focusing on the relationship of MI instructional approaches and student achievement indicators in secondary school classrooms exists, (2) instances of MI instructional approaches vary widely in methodology and implementation but …

Reshaping The Fredericksburg City Public Schools Secondary Choral Music Curriculum, Heidi Ribel

Education 590 Projects

As new music educators enter the work force today, many struggle to find instructional resources that align correctly with the National Standards for music. The purpose of my study is to examine the Fredericksburg City Public School’s secondary choral curriculum to see how it aligns with the Virginia Standards of Learning for Music Education. An updated curriculum is an essential teaching resource for all new music educators; however, the Fredericksburg City School System’s music curriculum was last updated in 1985 (Fredericksburg City Public Schools, 1985). Since then, there has been an adoption of National Standards for music (National Standards, 1994) …

Effective Steps To Creating Parent/Teacher Partnerships In Special Education, Danielle Jeanne Bundy

Theses and Graduate Projects

While the value of the parent/teacher partnership is universally accepted, it is not always easy to promote or maintain. The purpose of this study was to identify the effective steps to creating parent/teacher partnerships in special education, in order to plan a curriculum that was more response to children's needs. For the purpose of this study a multi-method qualitative approach was used, which included participant observation, questionnaires, and analysis of field notes. The results of this study revealed a complex set of issues related to interactions between parents and special education professionals within the school setting which included: (a) Listen …

The Impact Of Classroom Environment On Student Learning, Amy A. Turano

Theses and Dissertations

Classroom environment is a concern among almost all educators. This thesis discusses the four major factors of classroom environment: physical environment, time and instructional management, behavior management, and teacher effectiveness. A goal of this study is to contribute to teacher knowledge about how classroom environments impact student learning. A resource center and a first grade classroom were observed and the teachers of both classes were asked to complete a self-evaluation of their classroom's environment. Both teachers were found to have classroom environments that were conducive to learning.

The Effect Of Learning Centers And Interactive Bulletin Boards On Student Vocabulary Word Knowledge, Kristin Marie Schleher

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to determine the effect of different vocabulary strategies on student comprehension. A main focus of the research is to determine the impact of learning centers and interactive bulletin boards in helping students develop word knowledge in the subject area of social studies. This study takes place in a fourth grade general education classroom in an elementary school in southern New Jersey. The research includes qualitative data from student surveys and interviews, and teacher questionnaires and interviews, as well as the two vocabulary interventions: a learning center and an interactive bulletin board. The students completed …

How To Create A Successful Team Teaching Partnership, Travis Haskins

Theses and Dissertations

Studies have shown that there is a movement towards inclusion and team teaching in schools throughout the nation. This movement has not only affected the students who are being mainstreamed, but the teachers who are now co-teaching these classrooms. This study used questionnaires, teacher interviews, and a teacher research journal to sample a southern New Jersey elementary school. The participants' responses provided insights to answer the question "How do teachers create a successful team teaching partnership?" The study suggests criteria for successful teams and discusses possible barriers which may hinder effective teaching partnerships. The four main themes which emerged from …

Increasing Expressive Vocabulary Through Non-Traditional Instruction, Lisa C. Washart

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined vocabulary teaching techniques. Its major purpose was to discover ways of teaching vocabulary to students that motivate them to use the words and allow them to understand and use these words appropriately. This study utilized a qualitative approach, examining instruction through the use of a case study. The study took place in an inclusive fifth grade classroom of twenty-five students. Sixteen of these students participated in the study. A checklist, student writing samples, and field notes were used to gather data surrounding varied forms of instruction and the ability of students to use newly learned words. Collected …

Student Perception Of Behavior Management Systems, Jennifer L. Dayton

Theses and Dissertations

The following qualitative study focuses on how students perceive classroom behavior management systems. The process of research consisted of observation of students in their natural classroom setting, the completion of the Student Beliefs of Discipline Inventory Survey by the students, and informal interviews. A total of twenty seven fourth and fifth grade students participated in the study. The major themes of the study consisted of the students' perception of responsibility in the classroom and the common misbehaviors identified by the students. The results of the study concluded that a majority of the students want to have some responsibility for decisions …

Standardized Educational Assessments: The Effects On Teachers In A South Jersey Elementary School, Ashley P. Root

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore how standardized testing affects teaching methods. The major aspects of this qualitative study focus around two questions: How do the pressures and incentives inflicted by standardized achievement tests affect or change teacher instruction? The site for the research is in an elementary school in Gloucester Township, New Jersey. The population for this study consists of teachers ranging from kindergarten teachers to fifth grade teachers. My research is based on interpretation of data gathered by investigation and examination. I used observations, analysis of materials, survey responses, and questionnaires as the basis for my …

The Connection Between Gender And Literacy In A First Grade Classroom, Jessica V. Feldman

Theses and Dissertations

This study is a qualitative case study that explores the connection between literacy and gender in a first grade classroom environment. The subjects for this study are twenty first grade students in a regular education classroom located in a southern New Jersey elementary school. For this study, students were observed with the attempt to answer three questions: 1) What gender stereotypes have these first graders internalized coming into the classroom? 2) How are these gender beliefs expressed in the language arts classroom? 3) What are teachers doing to foster these biases in their students? Data collected includes student writings, discussions, …

An Exploratory Investigation Of The Effects Of Prewriting On Fifth Grade Students' Writing Ability, Katie Montegary

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the use of a graphic organizer during the prewriting stage of the writing process improved the writing of narrative compositions in fifth grade students. For this study, the Four Square approach to writing was the selected prewriting strategy. Four Square Writing is a systematic approach to writing designed around a graphic organizer that teaches students how plan before they write. The students in this study were introduced to the approach through small group instruction over a five-week period. By interviewing students, comparing writing samples throughout the intervention, and assessing …

Response To Gender In The Classroom: A Look At A Teacher's Reaction To Her Students And Its Effect, Victoria A. Henwood

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to understand a teacher's response to boys and girls in the classroom and determine whether this has an effect on students' perceptions of gender. Using a qualitative study and analyzing interviews, observations, and a gender activity through a data analysis spiral (Creswell 1998) in a first grade classroom with a female teacher, I discovered a teacher's perception of gender influences her interactions with students. Through the gender activity, I found this interaction can help shape a student's perception of gender.

Inclusion: A View From Students And Teachers, Elizabeth A. Carroll

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine students' and teachers' opinions on the inclusion model and its implementation in classrooms today. This study was conducted in an elementary school (grades one through five) in a K-12 public school district in Roosevelt Township, New Jersey. The participants were 27 second and third grade multiage students as well as 7 second and third grade teachers with varied teaching experiences and certifications. Teacher participants completed open-ended questionnaires while student participants completed surveys in which they used a rating scale to assign their comfort level with varied example situations. Data from the surveys …

Statewide Assessment: Its Impact On The Educational World, Erin M. Lanigan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to further investigate the topic of standardized testing. A controversial topic within the educational world, the researcher seeks to discover the views and opinions of these tests from teachers. Surveys, interviews and a research journal are used to collect data for this study. The setting of the study is a small district in the northern part of New Jersey. The subjects in this study are elementary, middle, and high school teachers. There are 52 participants in this study (10 male, 42 female). To analyze the data, the surveys are looked at first in three …

A Study Of The Role Of Gender In The Classroom, Ryan Ann Malloy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the role gender plays in the classroom, through considering both teacher and student perceptions of gender and how those perceptions impact student learning and socialization. Conducting my early research it became evident that the three underlying forces that allow gender to impact the classroom environment are socialization, individual perceptions, and instructional practices. In order to understand the true influence of gender in the classroom I incorporated a qualitative study on these three interrelated pieces to see how they came to life in an actual kindergarten classroom. Students took part in face-to-face interviews, …

No More Worksheets: A Pre-Service Teacher's Look At Manipulatives, Kathren Field Barraclough

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore the use of manipulatives during math. This is done by examining manipulatives in reference to student interest, diverse learners, student response, and student opinions. The study was conducted in an elementary school in the Winslow Township school district located in the Camden County region of South Jersey. All seventeen participants were taken from a collaboratively taught first grade classroom. Collection of data was done through the use of video tape, student journals, tests and my personal observations. Data was triangulated through the examination of multi-sources (video, journals, tests, observations), and themes, scores …

The Effects Of Collaborative Strategic Reading Among Third Grade Students, Inez Lee Barberio

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the use of Collaborative Strategic Reading in a third grade class significantly improved test scores in vocabulary and comprehension in a given social studies unit exam. Two third grade classes were researched. The use of CSR was compared to the testing results of another third grade class that was taught through the use of traditional "textbook" teaching methods. The researcher taught the experimental group through the use of CSR while the control class was taught by their regular classroom teacher. Each class was tested using the same pretest and post-test. Mean …

An Investigation Of The Increase In Phonemic Awareness In Kindergarten Students Who Were Exposed To Word Sort Activities, Karen S. Münch

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if word sort activities would help improve the phonemic awareness of kindergarten students. The experimental and control groups consisted of students ranging in a variety of reading abilities. The experimental group received phonics instruction through the use of word sorting activities. The control group had no guidelines for phonics instruction. Any phonics lesson taught in the classroom were done according to the classroom instructors own plans and ideas. Pre-test and post-test scores showed that students that were exposed to word sort activities scored significantly higher on sound recognition tests then other students. …

A Study Examining The Effect Of Multi-Sensory Stimulation On The Descriptive Writing Of Fourth Grade Students, Karen L. Scott

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if multi-sensory stimulation during writing exercises would increase the number of descriptive elements used by fourth grade students. Thirty-five students in two intact classrooms participated in the nonequivalent control group design study. A learning styles questionnaire was administered to both groups to ensure that all modality preferences were represented in each classroom. Two pretests in the form of writing prompts were given to each group. Two weeks later posttests identical to the pretests were administered to each group. During posttest writing exercises, the experimental group was exposed to multi-sensory stimulation. The control …

Exploring The Effect Of Literature Circles On Reading Comprehension And Motivation, Christina Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of literature circles on elementary school children. It was hypothesized that a third grade class that read independently through the use of the literature circle structure will show greater gains in reading comprehension and reading motivation than when the same third grade class does not experience the literature circle structure. The sample included a predetermined class of 24 third-grade students, which consists of 9 females and 15 males.

The non-treatment conditions consisted of small group guided reading lessons. The treatment conditions consisted of the implementation of literature circles. Student reading …

Reading Comprehension Evaluated Through Electronic Storybooks And Traditional Print Storybooks, Erika Lynn Crescenzo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether electronic text storybooks, when compared to printed storybooks, affect students' comprehension skills. Reading comprehension is a process by which the reader constructs meaning with the text. With electronic texts, the computer is able to control the number of words that are displayed to allow the student to read at their own pace. Dramatization along with special text features used in electronic storybooks presents the text in a way that differs from the traditional printed storybook. These changes grasp the readers' attention both visually and verbally. Eliminating the decoding of the text …