Education Commons^™

Unstacking The Matryoshka Nesting Doll: A Self-Study Of Playful Language Instruction For Adult Second Language Learners, Marine Pepanyan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In the recent three decades teaching second language (L2) vocabulary has expanded from sentence-level morphosyntactic features and pragmatics to the promotion and advancement of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT). Nevertheless, the L2 instructors are constantly seeking alternative strategies for vocabulary teaching and assessment due to a superficial level of vocabulary memorization and lack of student engagement. As an instructor-practitioner, I undertook a self-study of the process of implementing Playful Language Instruction (PLI) of L2 vocabulary in an Intensive English Program. In this self-study I combined conceptual lenses of theories of play, CLT, and the Adult Learning Theory to examine how playful …

Model Evidence Links (Mels) And The Impact Of Critical Thinking On Open Ended Responses, James Gregory Zabel

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this dissertation, which was conducted in a rural school district that is equidistant from three major urban areas in central Iowa, and employed an action research methodology, was to examine the relationship between graphic organizer use and critical thinking. A multitude of studies have provided evidence that graphic organizers aid in the recall and understanding of basic facts in the lower grade levels; however, little research exists that supports a connection between graphic organizer use and the ability of students to recall information used on open-ended critical thinking assessments or the ability to create what Bickel and …

Maximizing Participation In An Online Mathematics Course, Lauren Falck, Douglas Shaw

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

No abstract provided.

Integrating Movement In The Elementary Classroom: Creating Innovative Materials That Incorporate Movement With Content Areas, Hannah Kristine Harrison

Honors Program Theses

Movement is an aspect of teaching that often gets left out of curriculum and lesson plans in the elementary classroom. However, brain research and educational studies show that movement can play a critical role in understanding. The goal of this study was to determine how educators can use movement to enhance lessons that are already being taught during the school day without needing extra materials, time, or money. Resources and activities were compiled, organized, and aligned to content standards in order to give educators ideas of ways to modify lessons to incorporate movement. The findings can be found on a …

The Effects Of A Makerspace Curriculum On The 4c'S In Education, Staci Novak

Graduate Research Papers

Makerspaces are becoming more common in schools K-12 as well as at the university level and encourage educators to think differently about learning. This review examines how a makerspace curriculum impacts the way in which learners apply the 4 C’s (creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication). Thirteen peer-reviewed research studies published between 2014 and 2018 were selected for analysis. The reviewed research studies indicated that students who participate in makerspaces tend to use their creativity to problem-solve, are communicative and collaborative with other makers, and tend to use critical thinking skills when presented with an obstacle. Recommendations for implementation of …

Steam Implementations For Elementary School Students In Turkey, Nil Duban, Bülent Aydoğdu, Selçuk Kolsuz

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

The main aim of the current research was to fill the absence of STEAM activities for primary school students in Turkey. Accordingly, a study in which STEAM activities were implemented was conducted with the primary school students. There were four activities during STEAM implementation. The activities were these: Students recognized circuit components of simple electric circuits, designed simple electric circuits using circuit components by the guidance of researchers, later designed an ecological village via STEAM using simple electric circuits, and presented their ecological village via STEAM. A quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group design was used in the current …

Teachers' Pedagogical Practices, Shift, And Professional Growth In Online Courses, Maryam Rod Szabo

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This phenomenological study aims to understand the faculty member’s technological and pedagogical challenges when they teach an online course. The participants of the study were eight faculty members from a Midwestern university. All the participants had attended at least one Quality Matters workshop that was intended to help them design their online courses. While the workshops that the participants attended were similar, they were not the same. Some had participated in the workshop five or six years ago, and some had attended a more recent one. The faculty members then worked with instructional developers at the same university to design …

Blended Learning And Second Language Acquisition In The Classroom, Victoria R. Hamilton

Graduate Research Papers

This review investigates using a blended learning environment within a second language setting. The literature review presented three main themes to be considered as these two contexts were united: learner engagement in differing environments and with different activities, learner perceptions, and the outcomes found from such combinations. Twenty-eight peer-reviewed journal articles were analyzed. It is found that blended environments seem to add novelty and increase motivation and engagement of students in these settings. However, the pedagogical implementation of active learning such as collaboration, providing feedback, and using activities that have a communicative purpose seems to yield the best results. Learner …

Evaluation Of A Flipped Classroom On Student Achievement In A Low Income School District, Michael Yeoman

Graduate Research Papers

This purpose of this research is to determine whether using a flipped classroom is as effective for students in low-income schools as it is for students in wealthy school districts. A review of the literature is performed to determine what is the underlying philosophy of using a flipped classroom as well as determining barriers that may inhibit its effectiveness.

Control and treatment groups were determined so that data could be compared between a “traditional” classroom and a “flipped” classroom. The students in the treatment group were given a Pre-Unit Survey to determine a baseline of their perceptions of flipped learning. …

Making Inventions Using Scamper And Animal Adaptation Ideas With Elementary Students, Mahjabeen Hussain

Annual Graduate Student Symposium

This study explores to what extent the SCAMPER (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Rearrange) technique combined with animal adaptation ideas learned through form and function analogy activities can help fourth graders generate creative ideas while augmenting their inventiveness. The sample consisted of 24 fourth grade students (14 female, 10 male) ages 9-10 at a suburban Midwestern elementary school. A repeated-measures design involving all participants alternately in the two conditions measured students under each treatment condition. In the experimental condition, students used SCAMPER charts with animal adaptation ideas to generate ideas to improve a product using …

Effects Of Role-Goal Methods On Student Engagement: A Case Study [Poster], Zachariah John Lillquist, Benjamin Forsyth, Ben Olsen

Research in the Capitol

The purpose of this study is to explore how classroom contexts and instructional methods influence student participation and engagement through the “Role-Goal” model. This model gives students a “role” to take on to meet an end “goal,” or a desired outcome of a given classroom activity. In the case study, students will be given the role of a roller coaster engineer and are tasked to build a paper roller coaster for an amusement park coming to the Cedar Valley area. Students will be interviewed after the unit to determine their engagement and excitement levels. The overall goal of this study …

Intergenerational Conversation: Authentic Learning Through Critical Reflection Of A Community Engagement Learning Experience, Amy Davison

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to determine the type of reflection students are using in their final reflection stories to see if there was evidence of reflection in relation to authentic learning. Assignments from four Human Relations courses that included a community engagement learning component provided the data for a qualitative content analysis to determine authentic learning through the reflective writing assignments. Levels of reflection outlined in Kember, McKay, Sinclair, and Wong’s (2008) four category scheme for coding and assessing the level of reflection was applied to students’ written work. The student’s final essay written about their intergenerational community …

The Effects Of Flipped Learning On Students In Secondary Education, Abigail M. Fish

Graduate Research Papers

As schools incorporate flipped instruction into the classroom, it is important to understand the effectiveness of flipped learning and its pedagogical shift. This literature review analyzed 24 peer-reviewed empirical studies out of 30 articles that explore the effectiveness of flipped learning versus a traditional learning style on student achievement and student engagement in general and the promotion of student-centered learning activities when using a flipped learning environment in particularly. Studies selected for the review were conducted in secondary classrooms after the year 2000 with sound research methodology.

The major findings reveal that flipped learning can lead to higher student achievement …

The Transition Of Flipped Instruction : From Professional Development To Classroom, Alison J. Sauter

Graduate Research Papers

This action research study was designed to implement flipped classroom professional development for high school teachers, and investigate whether the flipped professional development could be transferred from the teacher learning into student learning. Over three months the teachers' flipped professional development covered the flipped classroom model, differentiated group work, and the technologies needed to flip a lesson. Each of the seven participants created and delivered three flipped lessons in their classrooms. The major findings suggest that the flipped learning skills were transferred from professional development to practice (with the aid of instructional coaching.) Recommendations for further professional development on classroom …

The Effects Of Blended Learning On Critical Thinking In A High School Earth Science Class, Renee Nicole Borglum

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study analyzed the effects of differing levels of technology use in a high school Earth Science class on student performance on the Classroom Test of Scientific Reasoning (CTSR). Blended learning manipulates the combination of hands-on activities, classroom discussions, online discussions, interactive simulations and a variety of assessments that engage, instruct and assess student learning. Critical thinking is the set of skills and dispositions that foster problem solving, reasoning ability and selfregulation. The increasing use of technology in the classroom and fluctuation of content standards prompted this research. The results have implications for the classroom teacher of a wide range …

Mindfulness In The Classroom: Cultivating Peace From Within, Maya Vandriel

Honors Program Theses

Teachers are placed with the difficult task of transferring knowledge to the next generation of leaders. This knowledge transfer can be measured in various ways. What cannot be easily quantified is the impact of the life skills taught to accomplish this handoff of reading, writing and math skills. Often times, teachers are the role model of how a student can cope with life inside and outside of the classroom. Teaching mindfulness in the classroom is a powerful method that shows students how to self-regulate emotions in order to cope with whatever life brings them. These life skills are essential for …

Using One-To-One Computing For Differentiated Instruction In Iowa: An Investigation Of The Impact Of Teachers' Perceptions Of Teaching And Learning, Jodi A. Bermel

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The 1983 seminal work entitled A Nation at Risk recommended that all high school graduates be proficient in the Five New Basics: English, mathematics, science, social studies, and computer science. To address the No Child Left Behind mandates, educators and administrators are evaluating the theory and practice of Differentiated Instruction (DI). One-to-one computer initiatives became an element of DI strategy due to the well-documented advantages in the use of technology to address individual learning needs. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine administrators’ and teachers’ perceptions of using one-to-one computing to differentiate instruction and to identify potential …

A Selective Annotated List Of Reading Promotion Events Recommended For Elementary Students, Nicole Nadine Guldager

Graduate Research Papers

Students who are not afforded with the opportunity to read for pleasure often become students who choose not to read once the required reward­-based reading system is removed (Pavonetti et al., 2002). Although anecdotal ideas for reading promotion are often shared in email, blogs, and journals, teacher librarians would benefit from a clear annotated list of reading promotion events designed to help them select a wide variety of events to create a planned sequence of events throughout the school year to best meet a variety of school and community needs.

The research based project is an annotated list of 31 …

The Effect Of Flipped Instruction On Student Learning : Perspectives From Students And Teachers, Britta Adams

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this literature review is to examine the effects the flipped classroom has on student achievement, student attitudes and teacher perceptions. Thirty peer-reviewed journal articles were reviewed and analyzed. Three themes emerged from the review: student achievement, student attitudes and teacher perception. It was found that the flipped classroom was a positive experience within a majority of the studies. Since little research has been done in the K-8 level for content areas outside of math and science, it is recommended that further research to be done in a larger variety of content areas at the primary and secondary …

A Journey Of Designing And Beta-Testing A Game-Based Unit, Renee E. Thomas

Graduate Research Papers

This project report describes a journey of designing and beta-testing a game-based learning unit with sixth grade students in rural Iowa. Game-based learning was a trial at practicing the 21st century employability skill of demonstrating productivity and accountability. The unit was designed and developed using the backwards planning process of Understanding by Design (Wiggin & Mc Tighe, 2005). The beta testers were two classes of sixth grade students and a classroom teacher. Alpha testers were other school personnel. It is found that a majority of sixth grade students like to be in control of their learning path in a game-based …

Changing Early Intervention Provider Practices To A Coaching Model Through Self-Study And Distance Mentoring Model : Family-Guided Routines-Based Interventions And The Key Indicators, Cindy Lefeber

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to detemiine whether the use of the Distance Mentoring Model-Family Guided Routines Based Intervention strategies, adult learning strategies and self-study research would assist me in assimilating the Key Indicators into my early intervention provider practices. The Key Indicators are Setting the Stage, Observation and Opportunity to practice, Problem Solving and Planning and Reflection and Review (SS-OO-PP-RR). To determine the extent to which my teaching practices reflect the current practices in early intervention I engaged in Iowa Distance Mentoring Training through the state of Iowa while collecting and analyzing data through qualitative self-study, a constant …

Invention Through Form And Function Analogy, Audrey C. Rule

Faculty Book Gallery

Invention through Form and Function Analogy is an invention book for teachers and other leaders working with youth who are involving students in the invention process. The book consists of an introduction and set of nine learning cycle formatted lessons for teaching the principles of invention through the science and engineering design principles of form and function. An appendix contains sets of color, illustrated cards to be printed onto cardstock paper and used for sorting and sequencing activities during the lessons. This set of lessons has been field-tested with elementary and middle school students by teachers and was improved through …

Coaching Stances : Changing Practice Through Self-Reflection, Patricia D. Foster

Graduate Research Papers

Literacy coaches must understand the sometimes subtle nuances in the language used to guide teachers in order to build their instructional capacity and ultimately increase student achievement. This article examines the coaching stances of "coaching, teaching and telling" that move along a continuum of support provided through a coaching framework for a literacy coach and her elementary teachers. Analysis of coaching practice was accomplished through a process of self-study and reflection that examined language over a three month period of coaching cycles. Rodgers and Rodgers outline three characteristics of effective coaching conversations that provide the catalyst of action to move …

Effectiveness Of Blended Learning On Student Engagement, Tyler Youngers

Graduate Research Papers

Despite the increase in 1:1 computing initiatives in K-12 schools and increased technology use in higher education for blended learning, there is little empirical evidence of significant gains in learning outcomes. The use of the 1:1 initiatives to support student blended learning is the intent and purpose, but improved learning outcomes will not occur solely from investment in devices. This review investigates the promises and emerging research evidence of effectiveness of blended learning as a way to augment learning initiatives both in K-12 and in the higher education settings. This review draws from 30 peer-reviewed studies published in academic journals, …

Comparing Second Grade Students' Creative And Content Knowledge Performance On Figural Transformation Activities Introduced In A Standard Or Enhanced Manner With Nutrition Content Knowledge Taught Through Factual Or Fantasy Reading, Angela Naomi Webb

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Creativity and problem solving are skills students need for success in the 21st century. With the increasing pressures of achieving higher student scores in emphasized content areas, teachers' instruction in science, social studies, music and art has been reduced to provide additional time for teaching reading and mathematics.These lost instructional areas often allowed students to express themselves creatively. Therefore, educators need to find a way to incorporate creativity into content areas like reading and mathematics.

This 16 week repeated measures study examined second grade students' academic and creative performance on figural transformation drawings during an extended reading-science-creativity integrated unit. A …

Learning Styles: A Viable Approach To Instruction?, Lauren A. Hanzelka

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of the project is to research the concept of learning styles, a common theory used in education, through a critical lens, then take the information, and apply it to a classroom environment. Numerous sources of literature that address the background, research, and efficacy of learning styles will be critically analyzed in order to determine the effectiveness. The research and conclusion will discuss the implications for learning styles in the K-8 classroom

Teachers’ Efficacy And Perceived Role In Dropout Prevention, Brent O'Rourke

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Researchers have studied potential reasons behind high school dropout for many years. This research has primarily focused on characteristics inherent to the student and has typically labeled them as being the main determinants for why students decide to drop out. Certainly student characteristics are important when looking at dropout, however there are other factors external to the student that may contribute to their leaving school. One such factor would be other individuals that students deal with on a daily basis while at school. Teachers may play a very important role in preventing school dropout. By interacting positively with students, especially …

Comparing Fossil Instruction With And Without Analogy Use For Gifted Middle-School Students, Tabatha J. Klopp

Graduate Research Papers

Twenty-eight identified gifted elementary to middle school students (n=28) (16 female, 12 male; 26 Caucasian, 1 Hispanic, and 1 Native American), participated in the study of Iowa fossils through form and function analogy compared to self-research of information on the Internet, and practiced new concepts through technology-rich or hands-on craft projects. This study compared using analogical thinking skills along with technology skills to determine the effects on science learning in the elementary gifted classroom. Analogical thinking or teaching is a method recognized as a valuable source of new ideas, a way to transfer previous knowledge to solve new problems. Content …

The Role Of Teacher Belief Systems In Technology Integration, Joni M. Walvatne

Graduate Research Papers

The belief systems of teachers are strongly correlated to their planning, instructional decisions, and classroom practices concerning technology integration. This literature review examines common teacher beliefs, teacher goals and knowledge, and teacher support and barriers regarding technology integration into 21st century classrooms. The characteristics of teacher beliefs analyzed in this review include existential presumption, alternative situations, affective and evaluative loading, and episodic structure. This paper reviews peer-reviewed journal articles, published since 1992, that discuss the role of teacher belief systems in technology integration. Research indicates teachers face barriers and need additional knowledge and skills that build on, and intersect with, …

Peer Coaching In Early Childhood, Michelle Silvera

Graduate Research Papers

Researchers have reached a consensus that early childhood educators should have sufficient knowledge and skills in child development and early childhood education issues. This is because the quality and success of programs designed for early childhood education lie in the qualifications of the teacher in charge of such programs. These requirements are especially true for vulnerable and disadvantaged children. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the early childhood educators to provide the children and their families with rich and meaningful educational experiences because they are often held accountable for the outcome of the children. This literature review demonstrates that one way …