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Full-Text Articles in Education
How Does Classroom Management Affect Student Behavior?, Lucy Hoelscher
How Does Classroom Management Affect Student Behavior?, Lucy Hoelscher
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question discussed is, how does classroom management affect student behavior? This capstone project is a research-based professional development training for educators. The training is made up of two sessions. The first session focuses on the components and principles of classroom management and the impact of classroom management on student behavior, engagement, and academic performance. The second session consists of successful classroom management approaches and the challenges and barriers educators may face.
A Need For Culturally Relevant Texts To Motivate K-2 Students In Reading, Thi Hoai Anh Nguyen
A Need For Culturally Relevant Texts To Motivate K-2 Students In Reading, Thi Hoai Anh Nguyen
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this capstone project was: How can K-2 teachers boost student motivation in reading through interactive read-alouds using culturally relevant texts? After delving into the research on reading motivation, Culturally Relevant Texts, creating a Culturally Relevant Text set, developing student identity, promoting students’ appreciation of cultural diversity, and Interactive Read Alouds, the author created a "We Are All Different and That’s Beautiful” Text Set Unit which promotes students’ appreciation of cultural diversity by incorporating culturally relevant texts and interactive read-alouds. The text set unit with eight chosen culturally relevant texts and matching interactive read-aloud lesson plans …
Using Written Self-Assessment To Improve Student Motivation In The Social Studies Classroom, Zachary Robbins
Using Written Self-Assessment To Improve Student Motivation In The Social Studies Classroom, Zachary Robbins
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The main research question addressed in this study was: How do written self-assessment reflections affect student motivation in a social studies classroom? To answer this question, this study reviewed the student motivation literature to explore the causes of intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and amotivation. Based on the existing research, this study then examined the self-assessment literature as one way to improve student motivation in linguistically diverse classrooms. To test the impact of short self-assessment writing prompts at the end of each class on student motivation, a pre-experimental design of eight students (four English learners (ELs) and four non-ELs) in three …
Increasing Engagement And Effectiveness Of Independent Reading In The Kindergarten Classroom, Sarah Swanson
Increasing Engagement And Effectiveness Of Independent Reading In The Kindergarten Classroom, Sarah Swanson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this study was: What are the most effective and engaging methods for independent reading in the kindergarten classroom? Additionally, this study addressed the subquestion of: What are the benefits and disadvantages of reading traditional books and books on a digital device for young readers? The literature topics that were researched and reviewed included history and current trends in independent reading, academic success, motivation and engagement, technology, and effective independent reading strategies. For this study, a mixed methods approach was used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data within the kindergarten classroom. At the beginning of …
Teacher-Student Relationships And Student Behavior, Cassandra Ostergard
Teacher-Student Relationships And Student Behavior, Cassandra Ostergard
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This study addresses the question to what degree do students believe they change their classroom behavior based on teacher-student relationship? This topic is important because it delves into the motivations behind student behavior. This question is tied to past research regarding student-centered learning, teacher-student relationships, and student outcomes related to different classroom factors. The primary method of data collection in this study was a twenty question survey given to four classes of 7th grade students. One student from each class was also interviewed about this same topic. Overall, it was found that teacher-student relationships have an impact on student behavior, …
How Can Culturally-Responsive Instruction Help Middle And High School Teachers Address Muslim Students' Needs?, Mona Aly
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This capstone project explores how middle and high school teachers can create positive relationships with Muslim students by using culturally responsive instruction. Educators must understand that Muslim students have unique cultural identities based on their religious beliefs. Regardless of nationality, language, skin color, or cultural background, all Muslims are bound by these Islamic cultural practices. These practices directly impact students’ academic progress, social life, and self-esteem. By familiarizing themselves with these cultural and religious practices, teachers can better relate to Muslim students and address their social and academic needs. I seek answers to this research question by discussing four main …
The Role Of The Native-Speaker Listener In English As A Lingua Franca Interactions, Leah Fruechte
The Role Of The Native-Speaker Listener In English As A Lingua Franca Interactions, Leah Fruechte
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research agrees that monolingualism, through a lack of linguistic and metalinguistic awareness and general linguistic reflexivity, is the source of a widely observed listening problem where monolingual native-speakers (NSs) of English fail to correctly perceive the meaning of spoken English that diverges from their own in phonological forms or contextual norms. On the other hand, research has also shown multilingual communities, such as those which use English as a Lingua Franca (ELF), to display the intuitive use of collaborative, pragmatic listening strategies that keep them from misunderstanding each other, despite their differences in forms and norms. As a result, this …
Developing Effective Resources To Maintain The Target Language Of A Dual Language Immersion Program, Sofia Henao
Developing Effective Resources To Maintain The Target Language Of A Dual Language Immersion Program, Sofia Henao
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Dual Language Immersion programs (DLIPs) have been around for more than 60 years in the United States. DLIPs focus on teaching students subject matter in a second language. This project connects the topics and goals of dual language immersion education to a website that can be used as a source of practice for students that are no longer directly in an immersion program by investigating the question, “What supports can teachers put in place that students can use when they are not directly in a dual language immersion program?” The research intends to illustrate the importance of continued practice and …
Cultivating Student Agency Through The Use Of Authentic Science Practices, John Haug
Cultivating Student Agency Through The Use Of Authentic Science Practices, John Haug
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This paper examines a needed shift in teaching secondary science students as more states and school districts adopt the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for assessing student skills and knowledge. The eight practices identified by the NGSS offer an opportunity to incorporate authentic science instruction into the classroom. Research supports that students who gain confidence in authentic science practices have a broader and deeper understanding of the nature of science. Research also supports that students who improve authentic practices are more likely to trust scientific findings and be more apt to take action on social and environmental issues. This shift …
Creating An Elementary Reading Curriculum That Leads All Students To More Equitable Success, Ian Lyon
Creating An Elementary Reading Curriculum That Leads All Students To More Equitable Success, Ian Lyon
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Each year history repeats itself in the United States with high numbers of elementary students not being able to read proficiently, and an even higher number affecting BIPOC students. To address the opportunity gaps, teachers need an easy-to-follow road map of interventions led by the science of reading, culturally sustaining pedagogies, and student motivational strategies. This professional development capstone project will allow teachers to learn these three topics, one in each half day in the beginning of the school year. The first day will focus on the Science of Reading (SoR) with structured literacy influences from the Simple View of …
Impact Of Environmentally Focused Chemistry On High School Student Engagement And Scientific Understanding, Libby Barrie
Impact Of Environmentally Focused Chemistry On High School Student Engagement And Scientific Understanding, Libby Barrie
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research has shown that traditional chemistry teaching methods tend to utilize individualized topic lectures and highly structured labs, with little opportunity for students to draw real world connections between topics. Unfortunately, student motivation to learn science also decreases throughout high school due to a perceived lack of relevance in their everyday lives. The goal of this project was to design an environmentally focused chemistry curriculum that improves the high school student learning experience and answers the guiding question: How can high school science educators improve student engagement and scientific understanding through environmentally focused chemistry curriculum? This project was also developed …
The Impact Of Language Attitudes On The Bilingual And Bicultural Self-Perceptions Of Fifth-Grade Latino Students, Abigail Winnes
The Impact Of Language Attitudes On The Bilingual And Bicultural Self-Perceptions Of Fifth-Grade Latino Students, Abigail Winnes
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This study investigated the impact of language attitudes on the bilingual and bicultural self-perceptions of fifth-grade Latino students. The research questions posed in this study included: 1) What are the language attitudes (specifically toward English, Spanish, and Spanish-English bilingualism) held by Spanish-speaking English learners in Fifth Grade? and 2) How do these attitudes interact with students’ developing bilingual and bicultural self-perceptions? The literature review includes research related to heritage language maintenance; societal attitudes toward minority languages and their speakers; Latino language attitudes; language attitudes in multilingual educational settings; and the development of bilingual and bicultural self-perceptions. Participants in this study …
Investigating The L2 Motivational Self System Of Mauritanian Efl Learners: A Unique L2 Learning Experience, Casey Hatlevoll
Investigating The L2 Motivational Self System Of Mauritanian Efl Learners: A Unique L2 Learning Experience, Casey Hatlevoll
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This study investigated Mauritanian EFL learner motivation through the lens of Dörnyei’s (2009) L2 Motivational Self System. The research question was: Within a private English center context, how is the motivation of Mauritanian EFL learners impacted by their L2 selves and the L2 Learning Experience? Specifically, two sub-questions were addressed: (1) Within learners’ L2 Motivational Self Systems, how does the impact of the L2 Self compare with the impact of the L2 Learning Experience? and (2) Which aspects of the L2 Learning Experience within the English center’s learning environment foster learner motivation?. A mixed-methods design was utilized, including a motivation …
Increasing Student Motivation In English Language Arts Through Student Choice, Jennifer Baker
Increasing Student Motivation In English Language Arts Through Student Choice, Jennifer Baker
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The purpose of this capstone project was to design and implement a digital website where resources are readily available for teachers and students in order to increase motivation in reading. This project sought to answer the question Can providing student choice improve student motivation in a middle school English Language Arts class? My love of reading happened early in my life and it has made me a lifelong reader, and this inspired me to instill that love in middle school students. The research conducted in this capstone indicates that increasing student engagement in reading is highly dependent upon building student …
Project Based Learning As A Teaching And Learning Method For Middle School Ells, Chandreyee Basu Thakur
Project Based Learning As A Teaching And Learning Method For Middle School Ells, Chandreyee Basu Thakur
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The rise in immigration to the United States in recent years has led to an increase in linguistic and racial diversity in schools. As a result, students with lower levels of English proficiency are often neglected in the classroom. I learned in my studies at Hamline University that the result of this is what Gloria Ladson-Billings (2006) calls the “opportunity gap.” Teaching in India for many years, I incorporated various projects to make content comprehensible. Project based learning increases participation and understanding. Through my capstone project, I wanted to create the possibility of a more active learning environment for my …
Finding Fit In The Science Classroom: Applying Self-Determination Theory To Twice-Exceptional Students, John Burrell
Finding Fit In The Science Classroom: Applying Self-Determination Theory To Twice-Exceptional Students, John Burrell
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
In line with self-determination theory (Deci and Ryan, 2000; Ryan and Deci, 2017), this thesis explored how practices employed in a classroom between November 2020 through January 2021 affected satisfaction of students’ basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Thirteen twice-exceptional students (gifted and learning disabled) between grades 4-10 participated in this mixed-methods study at an independent school in the upper midwest. Additionally, four of the thirteen students were selected as case studies to be interviewed and observed throughout the study period. This study explored how the implementation of needs-supportive practices, along with COVID-19 mitigation strategies (including distance-learning), affected …
How Can Music Most Effectively Be Used In The English Learner Classroom, Robert Ryden
How Can Music Most Effectively Be Used In The English Learner Classroom, Robert Ryden
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Music is an omnipresent part of everyday life. Whether it’s in the background or the foreground, music is everywhere. This capstone project aims to deliver the best answer to the question: How can music most effectively be used in the EL classroom? Effectively using music in the EL classroom involves understanding how to thoughtfully select the right music for the right situation, how to use music to build community and social skills among students, and how music can be used to positively impact the language learning process. Through this project, educators are also given the opportunity to participate in a …
Minnesota School Forest Program: An Evaluation And Exploration Of Implementations, Madisson Weier
Minnesota School Forest Program: An Evaluation And Exploration Of Implementations, Madisson Weier
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to examine the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources School Forest Program through answering the following questions: what are the strengths and limitations of the School Forest Program; What are the impacts of individual teacher objectives on the utilization and implementation of the School Forest Program? These questions were investigated using data collected from a survey sent to School Forest Coordinators as well as a data request to the Department of Natural Resources. This study found that participants in the School Forest Program feel that their School Forests add many positive benefits to their classrooms …
Helping Primary School Students Exposed To Stress Or Trauma To Learn In The Language Classroom, Ekaterina Shamaeva
Helping Primary School Students Exposed To Stress Or Trauma To Learn In The Language Classroom, Ekaterina Shamaeva
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Perhaps, every teacher would like to see their students thrive academically and succeed in their future careers. However, some learners face challenges which are not related neither to their individual characteristics, nor to aptitude, but to stressful and traumatic experiences in their lives, which represent huge barriers on the way to success. Therefore, the question addressed in this project was how can English as foreign language teachers in Russia mitigate the impact of stress and trauma on primary school learners to facilitate learning in the language classroom? Extensive literature review concludes that the effects of stress and trauma at a …
Improving Engagement And Literacy Skills With Choice Literacy Centers, Katelin Laugen
Improving Engagement And Literacy Skills With Choice Literacy Centers, Katelin Laugen
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
As students transition to middle and high school, opportunities for student choice within curriculum become limited, and there is a need for students to have authentic literacy and decision-making opportunities. Key influences during research of this project include Kelly Gallagher, Gail Boushey and Joan Moser, and Linda Gambrell and Lesley Mandel Morrow’s Best Practices in Literacy Instruction. Research indicates that benefits of literacy centers include fostering engagement, literacy skill growth, opportunities for small-group instruction, and developing student autonomy. The curriculum designed for this project took the form of student choice literacy centers. The purpose of this project was to design …
Service-Learning And Language Acquisition In Secondary English Language Learners, Martha Schultz
Service-Learning And Language Acquisition In Secondary English Language Learners, Martha Schultz
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The driving question in this capstone is, how does service-learning promote academic success and language acquisition in secondary English language learners (ELLs)? Research shows service-learning makes learning more meaningful and increases student motivation across disciplines. While a growing number of studies have documented the benefits of using service-learning in the language classroom at the post-secondary level to aid in language acquisition, this pedagogy is not commonly used in the English Language (EL) classroom at the elementary and secondary level. Yet, ELLs across the United States are struggling both academically and socially. The goal of this project is to illustrate how …
Growing Mindset And Goals: A Blog Designed To Lead Intrinsic Motivation In Students, Alison Prahl
Growing Mindset And Goals: A Blog Designed To Lead Intrinsic Motivation In Students, Alison Prahl
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research conducted by Dr. Carol Dweck clearly demonstrates the importance of building a foundation of growth mindset in order to build resiliency in students. Not only does this resiliency help students overcome challenges but also supports students in building lifelong skills, such as: forming and carrying out goals, receiving and utilizing feedback, and increasing intrinsic motivation in a variety of settings. The educational blog designed for this project focuses on sharing research relating to mindset theory, gifted students, goal setting, feedback, intrinsic motivation in adolescents, and curriculum materials. It also provides educators with free resources to begin implementing a combination …
Engaging Secondary School Students In The Process Of Writing With Expressivist Pedagogy, Alla Boulos
Engaging Secondary School Students In The Process Of Writing With Expressivist Pedagogy, Alla Boulos
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The composition pedagogy of expressivism, which grew out of process theory in the 1960s has been influencing academia’s approach to teaching writing for several decades. The major characteristics of this pedagogy first outlined by its most prominent champion Peter Elbow include the focus on the process rather than the product of writing, the personalization of academic writing with inclusion of personal experiences and pronouns, the lack of textbooks and prescriptive atmosphere, the use of low stakes writing assignments like freewriting and journaling, and the prevalent use of formative assessment techniques such as writing workshops, peer responses, and portfolios. Although expressivism …
Choice Based Directing: Promoting Inclusivity In Middle School Theatre Programs, Brooklyn Riggs
Choice Based Directing: Promoting Inclusivity In Middle School Theatre Programs, Brooklyn Riggs
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Riggs, B. Choice-Based Directing: Promoting Inclusivity in Middle School Theatre Programs (2021) The research question addressed in this capstone project was, how can implementing Choice-Based Directing promote inclusivity in a middle school theatre program? The capstone documents one theatre teacher/director’s self-created process of directing and teaching middle school theatre students. Choice-Based Directing integrates student voice and choice into learning on stage. The author presents research, personal experience, and the program results of implementing Choice-Based Directing. As an aspect of this work, a professional development for middle school theatre educators was created with the goal of helping teachers and directors learn …
The Importance Of Social And Emotional Learning In The Classroom, Kayla Bilotta
The Importance Of Social And Emotional Learning In The Classroom, Kayla Bilotta
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Life changes on a daily basis and that includes the lives of students in the classrooms. Many students seem to be struggling with social and emotional skills that help them be successful in learning and in life. I created this capstone with the purpose of learning how the implementation of social and emotional learning (SEL) can benefit and impact students, with an end focus on students at the elementary school level. I created a professional development presentation for elementary educators that provided the same information I collected during my research stage. My project also includes an example of ten free-standing …
Student-Teacher Relationships In An Alternative Setting, Stefanie Soukup
Student-Teacher Relationships In An Alternative Setting, Stefanie Soukup
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This capstone explores how positive and negative relationships can make a difference in an alternative learning setting and how they impact student’s academic performance and classroom behavior. The paper researches three theories that can impact a student’s relationship with their teacher, those theories are: Attribution Theory, Noddings Theory, and Attachment Theory. A research study that consisted of a student survey and an examination of student’s grades to see if there is a connection between the students' feelings and them passing or failing classes. Ultimately, this study helped identify a connection between the two. Finally, the final chapter of this paper …
Developing A Growth Mindset Through Teacher Training, Pedagogy Development, And Community Reform, Kailtyn Joyce
Developing A Growth Mindset Through Teacher Training, Pedagogy Development, And Community Reform, Kailtyn Joyce
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
A consistent problem in teaching has been keeping students engaged and motivated in their studies. Typically these problems were equated to either a student’s inability to make a connection to the information, the material being too difficult, or a student feeling inadequate. To promote a deeper understanding and discover ways to ease these issues, this capstone project used the following question as a focal point, what drives students’ motivation to achieve and what steps can be taken to develop a growth mindset in students? This project was centered around growth mindset as it has shown to be an effective tool …
Best Practices In Online Learning For Language Learners, Peter Christopherson
Best Practices In Online Learning For Language Learners, Peter Christopherson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Because of the global coronavirus pandemic of 2020, understanding how to do online learning well has become a necessity for educators. Online learning, though it has clear advantages over face-to-face learning such as the flexibility of time and space, variety and speed of delivery of materials, and anonymity, it is not without significant challenges that must be addressed in order for students to be successful. My research question was: Research Question: What are the most effective ways to help language learners to be successful in an online learning format? The goal of this research was to understand these challenges, a …
Best Practices For Code-Switching In The Hmong Adult Ell Classroom, Morgan Hightower
Best Practices For Code-Switching In The Hmong Adult Ell Classroom, Morgan Hightower
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
For many years, students were discouraged from using their first language. In the classroom, rules were set on only using English as soon as they entered the room, and signs were hung on the walls that encouraged them to only speak the target language. However, research now shows using a student’s native language can actually enhance their learning. This capstone uses pre-surveys, post-surveys, and 4 sessions of professional development to help answer the capstone question, In what ways can educators best support adult Hmong L1 learners to accomplish their English goals while uplifting and valuing their linguistic and cultural roots? …
Impacting Student On-Task Behaviors Through Classroom Based Physical Activity And Movement, Katelyn Allen
Impacting Student On-Task Behaviors Through Classroom Based Physical Activity And Movement, Katelyn Allen
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this thesis study was: How do different amounts of physical activity and movement implemented into a suburban kindergarten classroom setting impact student on-task behaviors? The literature topics researched and reviewed before conducting this study were on physical activity and movement, classroom management histories, classroom behaviors, and classroom physical activity. In this study, the mixed methods design was used in monitoring and collecting data with the quantitative method as the main approach and the qualitative method as the secondary. Over a five-week period, 16 kindergartners in a suburban classroom participated, and were monitored, before and after …