Education Commons^™

Writing Portfolios In A Resource Room, Marcquelyn S. Allensworth

Graduate Research Papers

Much attention has been given to the issue of assessing students' writing. The trend to view writing as a process has prompted educators to use qualitative assessment techniques to describe children's writing progress and instructional needs. The writing portfolio, one qualitative technique, provides an ongoing assessment that can be used throughout the year and extended throughout the school career of the child. In portfolio development, students can be actively involved in reflecting on their approach to the writing process and can, in collaboration with the teacher, set goals for future learning. Therefore, this type of assessment closely connects instruction and …

Cognitive-Behavior Therapy With Children, Debra L. Irvin

Graduate Research Papers

This paper will look at the use of cognitive-behavior therapy with children. Specifically, it will focus on the areas of depression and anxiety. First, there will be a look at applying cognitive-behavior therapy to children. This includes strategies for working with children, and developmental considerations with children. Next, there will be a focus on using cognitive-behavior therapy for children with depression. This section includes an examination of depression in children, and three cognitive-behavioral treatment strategies. The strategies to be discussed include affective education, cognitive restructuring, and social skills training. Finally, there will be an exploration of the use of cognitive-behavior …

School-To-Work : What Does This Mean For Our Schools?, Amy K. Leonhart

Graduate Research Papers

Over the course of fifty years the academic content of schools has changed dramatically. Today, employers are looking for different skills from their employees than they were in the 1950s. Therefore, schools have been given the assignment to teach young adults about surviving in the work force.

Where do these skills fit into the schools' curriculum? Is this just another item that is added to the plate of teachers? What time is the "right" time to start teaching these critical skills to youngsters? This paper examines those questions. It also focuses on the different aspects of the school-to-work initiative.

The Teaching Of Digital Vs. Traditional Photography, Carolyn Prins

Graduate Research Papers

I have been teaching photography in the traditional sense for over fifteen years. I have seen photography shift in those years from a silver-based medium to encompass the digital world, a filmless kind of art. The two media are very different, and the teaching of them are correspondingly different, yet the end result should be the same: a student who can produce an image that is visually satisfying, whether the image is informative in nature or is considered fine art. In this project, I want to compare instructional strategies for traditional photography tools to teaching strategies for digital photography.

The Lifelong Learner And Technology, Dia L. Davis

Graduate Research Papers

The teaching strategies of the educator alter to suit the needs of the students and technology. The content integration process takes time. It has been stated that teachers' first technology projects generate excitement, but often little content learning. Often it takes a few years until teachers can use technology effectively in core subject areas.

Teachers learn to use computer technologies and learn how to bring content learning to the forefront with, in some cases, impressive results on the part of the students. Teachers eventually learn to view the learning process in concert with their new technologies and come to understand …

The Reading Basal Adoption Process : What Do Teachers Have To Say?, Jennifer Bowling

Graduate Research Papers

This paper examines the reasons three separate school districts in Iowa have chosen to adopt reading basal programs, and the process that led them to a final selection. Nine teachers in three school districts in a metropolitan area of a large town in the Midwest were interviewed for their opinions on the importance of reading, why a basal was chosen, the adoption process and the extent to which they were involved, and suggestions to make this process better.

Predictable Text With Primary Age Children In A Title One Reading Program, Joanne H. Dearment

Graduate Research Papers

Readers create meaning in print through the process of prediction. Prediction and comprehension are intricately tied together. Reading predictable books helps young readers comprehend text because their expectations are repeatedly confirmed. Predictable text brings children naturally into the reading process and allows them to process print much as mature readers.

When predictable text is implemented into a Title One reading program, students can more successfully interact with text. This sense of achievement motivates them to become actively engaged in reading experiences. As a result, students became better readers because they are reading more. Also, they became improved writers because the …

Two Current Approaches To Science In Early Education : The Physical-Knowledge Approach By Kamii And Devries And The Science Education Approach By Diane Dodge, Seon Chun

Graduate Research Papers

The primary focus of this paper is to review the characteristics of two science approaches to teaching science to children: the physical-knowledge approach by Kamii and De Vries, and the science education approach by Diane Dodge. Similarities and differences between the two approaches are analyzed. The conclusion of this study found that both approaches emphasize children's active role in learning. However, Kamii and DeVries's physical-knowledge approach emphasizes children's logical reasoning development, while Dodge's science education approach places greater emphasis on content and scientific knowledge.

Concerns Based Adoption Of Instructional Technologies For Learning For Russian Pre-Service Early Childhood Education Students : A Pilot Study, Garth D. Cornish

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in concerns toward the use of instructional media for pre-service Russian elementary education teachers. Participants were a combination of 16 second- and third-year students in the early childhood department of Herzen Pedagogical University located in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The Stages of Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ) was used to gather data for the study. A pre-test was administered before a specially designed series of seminars and workshops on instructional technologies for learning were conducted. Post-test results were gathered at the conclusion of the seminars and workshops. Findings indicated that awareness levels of …

Home Schooling, Julie L. Lange

Graduate Research Papers

This study addresses the issue of home schooling in our state and our nation. Benefits and disadvantages associated with home schooling are discussed. Guidelines for planning a successful home schooling program are outlined for parents. Conclusions were drawn from the literature review, and recommendations were made for the future of home schooling.

Establishing Genuine Parent/Teacher Partnerships : A Home Visit Approach, Kimberly Jo Foy

Graduate Research Papers

This article is based on a teacher's personal experience with home visits and the feedback she received from parents. The home visits allowed the teacher to have a holistic view of students and their families. Quotes from an on-going journal convey a deepened relationship between the teacher and her parents. The goals of the home visits were to gain a deeper understanding of the children as readers, and communicate the child's developmental progress to the parents. Another goal was to understand parent perceptions toward home visitations, and build a parent/teacher partnership based on mutual respect. The results section of the …

Emergent Literacy : School To Home Connection, Barbara Grell

Graduate Research Papers

All homes have opportunities to influence young children's emerging literacy. Parents or other caregivers and teachers can work together to help children develop literacy abilities. Sharing this responsibility between the home.and school demonstrates to children the importance of learning. Establishing connections from home to school and from school to home will help children make sense of the world in which they live. The school can provide families with ideas to support literacy development in the home.

A project to support children's emerging literacy at home is provided through the use of literacy theme bags. This project is designed for first …

Parents And Schools : Making The Literacy Connection, Patricia A. Greguras

Graduate Research Papers

Families can offer children many opportunities to read and write in their home. By being role models, parents demonstrate to their children the genuine functions of language. Letting children know that reading and writing are meaningful activities and are used for practical and enjoyable reasons fosters literacy.

A home/school literacy project was developed in a fifth grade class to encourage the home/school connection and to provide more parental support for the school program. Students wrote a monthly newsletter to their parents, read and journaled nightly with their parents, and invited parents to share their job experience, favorite book, vacation or …

Defining Readiness : For, Against, And An Appropriate View, Linda Harris

Graduate Research Papers

The appropriate time to begin kindergarten is no longer simply a matter of chronological age. Developmental readiness, or maturational readiness concern, has caused parents and educators to delay the entry of selected children into kindergarten programs. Some educators look to the developmentally appropriate kindergarten programs, or multi-age grouping in the primary grades, to solve the readiness dilemma.

This study reviews the most recent literature on the subject of readiness. It also looks at the benefits and problems concerning delayed entry. The study attempts to pull together an appropriate view of readiness for parents and early childhood teachers, and offers guidelines …

Delaying Kindergarten Entrance, Nancy Hayes

Graduate Research Papers

This study addresses the issue of delayed kindergarten entry of children five years of age. Benefits as well as problems were discussed. Guidelines for implementing a developmentally appropriate kindergarten program were outlined and conclusions were drawn from the literature. Recommendations were made for future kindergarten programs.

A Literature-Based Extension Of A Basal Reading Unit, Julie J. Holdsworth-Nagal

Graduate Research Papers

A unit on friendship in the basal reader was extended to include many literature experiences and teacher-directed and student-initiated activities for children in second grade. Quality pieces of literature from different genres served as the unit's basis. Many different expressive activities that extended the literature experiences were offered through learning centers, both sustaining and specific to the unit. Children worked in the centers individually, in pairs, and in small groups. Whole group sharing time at the end of daily center sessions was provided.

The print-rich environment with many opportunities for engaging in the language processes led to quality comprehension-composition connections. …

Winter : A Literature-Based Unit For Kindergarten, Amy L. Murray

Graduate Research Papers

A literature-based program in a classroom can provide many opportunities for children to engage in the language 'process. As a result, children's thinking-language abilities are extended and their enthusiasm for involvement in classroom learning experiences is enhanced. Literature experiences representative of the different genres add dimensions to the study of themes and topics.

A literature base and related expressive activity for the topic of winter in kindergarten is presented in this article. The subtopics of the unit include seasonal changes, weather, outdoor activities, clothing and changes in animal behavior. Teacher-directed and student-initiated activities through learning centers are presented.

Reading Recovery And Its Issues, Carole L. Neary

Graduate Research Papers

The Reading Recovery Program, an intervention program for young school children who are literacy delayed, and the in-service program for teachers who will deliver the program are described. Teachers' views of the in-service program, the cost of the program, and an analysis of the program's effectiveness are presented.

Student Satisfaction Of Educational Media Reference Guide For Courses 240:020 And 240:031 At University Of Northern Iowa, Velma M. Sallis

Graduate Research Papers

University of Northern Iowa students desiring to become educators are required to enroll in an introductory basic technology course. Integrating technology has become an important issue in American schools. Ritchie and Baylor (1997) argue teacher candidates will be required to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in educational technologies before acquiring their teaching credentials. How to help future educators grasp technology-related competencies and the use of technology when teaching is being addressed by many institutions of higher learning within their teacher education programs. Ritchie and Baylor suggest that in addition to providing demonstrations and hands-on experience, reference aids which detail the …

Helping Children With Difficulties Learn : An Overview, Sherry Marie Jack

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to integrate multiple variables related to learning for children with special needs. Regarding the first variable, intelligence, the paper considers its history, development, and biological foundations. Gardner's contemporary theory of Multiple Intelligence is also discussed. Then a discussion of learning styles, including the history, identification procedures and matching styles to instruction, is provided. Finally, the paper takes a historical journey through the learning process, to discuss the works of numerous authors in their related fields.

The Technology Coordinators' Web Site Project, Jason Allen Vetter

Graduate Research Papers

Technology in the schools has been a major push in Iowa schools for the past ten years. Our state legislature has given each school district within the state money to purchase technology for their district (R. Herdliska, personal communication, February, 1999). With this money, districts have been forced to look for help in purchasing this computing equipment. Sometimes they look outside for help and hire people who have been in the business world to meet this need. Sometimes they are forced to look within their building to teachers and staff members who have a "niche" with technology to meet this …

Phonemic Awareness : An Action Research Study, Pamela Miller

Graduate Research Papers

This study addresses the issue of phonemic awareness instruction and its effects on reading. Benefits of reading programs that encompass phonemic awareness training and problems with approaches that do not encompass phonemic awareness were discussed as well as benefits and problems associated with both direct phonemic awareness instruction and indirect phonemic awareness instruction. An action research study using Scholastic Phonemic Awareness Kit was conducted and conclusions were drawn from the study and from the literature. Recommendations were made for future phonemic awareness training.

Creating A Purposeful, Powerful Web Site For The Cedar Falls Historical Society, Douglas B. Moore

Graduate Research Papers

With communication becoming more instantaneous then ever, one fear is losing the message in the medium. Creating the web site for the Cedar Falls Historical Society was much more than giving the Historical Society a presence on the World Wide Web. It was extremely important that the Cedar Falls Historical Society web site promote the true intentions of the Historical Society with integrity and dignity. Many times, when web sites are developed, the technology overshadows the content. The Board of Directors of the Historical Society insisted their site be built with both professionalism and historical accuracy.

The Society members took …

A Narrative Poem Of Iowa’S Immigrants, Ann Gumz

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this research project was to create a narrative poem for children in kindergarten through fifth grade about the immigrants to Iowa. The author began with a literature review of children's poetry preferences, children's attitudes about poetry, and the integration of poetry into the classroom. A bibliography of source material was created using selections from Basic Iowa Materials and the web site, The Ultimate Collection of News Links. The author also used five classic narrative poems as models and the elements of good book design recommended by experts as guidelines. A narrative poem was produced using rhythm and …

Vida Dutton Scudder's Quest For Cultural Fellowship, Kristi Van Gorder

Graduate Research Papers

For about 45 years (c. 1885-1930) the settlement movement thrived in cities throughout the United States (Carson, 1990). Volunteers lived and worked in settlement houses, which were often converted residential buildings in poor urban neighborhoods. They taught immigrants and other neighborhood residents basic life skills ranging from hygiene to arts and crafts (Woods, 1970). "The settlement movement's virtual gender parity was unique among U.S. institutions during the Progressive Era. At least half of the prominent U.S. settlement houses were headed and staffed largely by women" (Carson, 1998, p. 528).

Read Aloud Practices In One Iowa Middle School, Linda K. Balog

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to determine whether or not teachers at Prairie Middle School in the College Community, Iowa School District were reading aloud to their students. Secondly, the research set out to determine whether those teachers surveyed knew the impact that reading aloud has on the development of vocabulary, language, and comprehension. Finally, the purpose of the research was to determine whether those teachers were choosing to read materials that would provide opportunity for. growth in vocabulary, language, and comprehension. The middle school teachers in this district were surveyed to determine what current read aloud practices are. …

Integrating Spelling Instruction In A First-Grade Balanced Literacy Classroom, Michele Smith

Graduate Research Papers

This article describes how one teacher integrated some explicit spelling instruction in her first-grade balanced literacy classroom. The purpose for this article is to give an overview of the latest research concerning issues that affect spelling instruction and describe activities that can be used to teach children strategies for effective word study. The spelling program described in this article provided students with a purposeful way to study words and provided them with authentic writing experiences. The conclusion states a need for a balance between authentic reading and writing and purposeful word study.

Educating Parents On The Reading Recovery Program, Amy Colette Williams Sorenson

Graduate Research Papers

Just as the African proverb states that it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a village to help some children read. The significance of the home environment on literacy development has long been recognized (Danielson, 1997; Cairney & Munsie, 1995). Even pa~ents are aware that their interest in their child's literacy learning is important (Hayden, 1995/1996). Learning to read is an educational objective that is valued highly by both parents and teachers (Berger, 1998) and the sharing of knowledge and information about learning to read empowers teacher, parents, and most importantly, children (Holland, 1991 ). Successful …

The Ethics Of Intimate Student-Faculty Relationships, Brian Craig Steinberg

Graduate Research Papers

What are the ethics behind intimate student-faculty relationships in higher education? Should such relationships be allowed? Can they be legally controlled? Should there be a penalty for faculty and students who engage in these relationships? Consenting romantic and/or sexual relationships between faculty and student, or between student services professional and student, although usually not expressly forbidden, are generally deemed unwise (Cahn, 1986). According to Svinicki (1994), codes of ethics for most professional associations forbid "professional-client" sexual relationships. In an educational institution, the professor-student and student affairs professional-student relationships are thus such "professional-client" relationships. The respect and trust accorded a professor …

Alcohol Education For Elementary School Children, Pam R. Stamper

Graduate Research Papers

In 1992, close to 90% of high school seniors reported past experience with alcohol, while 50% stated use in the last month and 3% reported daily use of alcohol (Adger & Werner, 1994). According to a report in 1993, 78% of high school seniors had used alcohol in the past year and one-third stated that they drank heavily (Feaster, 1996). The average age of children first using alcohol, outside of the family or religious functions, was twelve years (Bosworth & Cueto, 1994; Feaster, 1996; Mason & Hodge, 1995). National data showed that adolescents and preadolescents used alcohol at age eleven …