Education Commons^™

The Role Of Aesthetics In Classroom Design: Implications For Engagement And Equity, Giuliana Barraza

Master's Theses

The desire for achieving greater equity in education has been a prevalent topic of research, with many studies indicating that the current education system in this country is designed in a way that exacerbates initial inequities and has a negative impact on student motivation and engagement (EOCD, 2012). While existing scholarship mostly discusses equity and engagement through the lens of curriculum and instruction, the power of physical classroom environments and aesthetic elements present in those environments is less explored. With student populations becoming more diverse, there is a greater need for new tools for teachers to utilize in pursuit of …

Job Satisfaction And Stressors: The Direct Support Professional's Experience, Saralynn Emery

Master's Theses

The current service system for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities is provided in the form of community-based support. This support is carried out by Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who provide one-on-one services to individuals in their homes, workplaces, and communities. The current system is undergoing a turnover crisis and there is an enormous need for a quality and reliable workforce of DSPs to continue to carry out services. Previous research has explored factors that contribute to DSP burnout and ultimately turnover. By researching the DSP role from the DSP experience directly, this study examines other factors that contribute to …

Developing An Adaptive Rock Climbing Curriculum For Suny Cortland Outdoor Pursuits 2021, Rebekah Mills

Master's Theses

SUNY Cortland Outdoor Pursuits opened in August of 2015 with the completion of the newly constructed Student Life Center. Outdoor Pursuits is a smaller department within the Recreational Sports Department. Outdoor Pursuits offers rock climbing services at its facility located in the Student Life Center. Currently, Outdoor Pursuits offers Bouldering and Top Roping services only when the Student Life Center is open, these hours are typically 3-10 pm. Monday-Friday and Saturday-Sunday 2-8 pm. These services are only provided to eligible SUNY Cortland faculty, staff, students, alumni, and other affiliated members. As the facility has grown in popularity during its operation, …

Perceptions On The Effectiveness Of Diversity And Inclusion Hiring: Are We Really Getting Ahead? [2019], Deidre D. Pierson

Master's Theses

Diversity and inclusion hiring in NCAA Division III athletic departments has seen some improvement over the last two decades, but questions remain on whether we are really getting ahead. There continues to be a lack of diversity, particularly in private Northeast institutions. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceived effectiveness of hiring practices and initiatives utilized by athletics departments. The study utilized tenants of critical theory which supported the in-depth questioning and centering of the lived experiences of participants. This study used semi-structured interviews of nine Division III female head coaches of women’s sports to examine their …

Evaluating Creative Choice In K-12 Computer Science Curriculum, Kirsten L. Mork

Master's Theses

Computer Science is an increasingly important topic in K-12 education. Ever since the "computing crisis" of the early 2000s, where enrollment in CS dropped by over half in a five year span, increasing research has gone into improving and broadening enrollment in CS courses. Research shows the importance of introducing CS at a young age and the need for more exposure for younger children and young adults alike in order to work towards equity in the field. While there are many reasons for disinterest in CS courses, studies found one reason young adults do not want to study CS is …

Lived Experiences Of Queer Female Youth In High School, Ruth Etcheverria

Master's Theses

The goal of this study is to explore the experiences of self-identified queer female high school students in relation to experiences with their peers related to sexuality. Through semi-structured interviews, the three participants of this study poured out anecdotes of coming out, and sexuality-related common or unique interactions with peers. Additionally, the participants shared their perspectives surrounding the ways peers have supported and/or marginalized them based on their sexuality. Queer feminist theory is engaged to explore the intersectional experiences of the queer female participants as they recount stories of coming out to classmates, supportive friendships, and daily exposure to homophobic …

Including Students With Special Needs In A Mainstream Classroom In Cameroon, Elie Tcheimegni

Master's Theses

This qualitative study used a survey research design to collect perception data from ten general educators from Northern Cameroon to examine the attitudes and instructional efficacy of the regular education teacher towards the inclusion of learning disabled students in the Northern part of Cameroon in grades 9 to 12. The findings of this study indicated that there is a need to train general education teachers for inclusion. Participants believe general education teachers need supports, logistics, professional development and training in inclusion practices. They all mentioned teachers need training, support and resources. Teachers should possess the skills that facilitate all learning …

Teacher's Attitudes Towards Instruction Of Students With Disabilities In An Inclusive Setting, Beverly Nunes

Master's Theses

According to some studies, there is a trend in inclusion of students with disabilities in general classroom. And the key element to deal with this special education issue is the general education teacher. The present research surveyed the variables that would predict teachers' attitudes towards inclusion of students with disabilities in inclusive settings. The variables include years of service, teachers' attendance to special education courses in their program preparation, differentiated instruction, and previous experience with inclusion. Eighty general education teachers from public schools in a very diverse area of Southwest Michigan, answered a survey with 31 questions involving the Scale …

A Multi-Sensory Approach To Teaching Spelling To Learning Disabled Children, Judith M. Meuleman

Master's Theses

Problem

Learning disabled children are receiving increasing attention, for despite an intelligence quotient within the normal range, they are not achieving in school as well as their peers. The reasons offered for this phenomenon seem to relate to perceptual problems. Specific learning disabilities occur in reading, arithmetic, spelling, handwriting and other motor coordination areas. This study investigates the effect of a multi-sensory method of teaching spelling to learning disabled children using sandpaper letters to utilize the tactile and kinesthetic sensory modalities.

Method

Unfamiliar spelling words were taught to 40 learning disabled children, 38 boys and 2 girls. The children were …

The Relationship Between The Self-Concept And School Achievement In The Disadvantaged Child, Aneesi B. Nakhle

Master's Theses

PURPOSE

The purpose of the study was to determine the extent of the relationship between the self-concept and the academic achievement of the disadvantaged child.

METHOD AND PROCEDURES

The subjects studied were randomly selected from an inner city elementary school. The sample consisted of 97 black and 8 white children of ages 9 to 13, in a nongraded school. The pupils were administered the California Achievement Test Level 3 Form B, and the California Test of Personality, Level 2, Form AA. Both tests were administered during the month of April 1972. The statistical treatment of the data consisted of obtaining …

Characteristics Of Successful Teaches Of The Disadvantaged (As Identified By School Principals), Lubomyr Zapar

Master's Theses

It was the problem of this study to identify basic characteristics, which teachers of the disadvantaged should possess in order to achieve maximum effectiveness in their teaching. Also, the study attempted to discover and reveal factual data on the disparity, which exists between the characteristics, which teachers presently working in this capacity possess, and those characteristics which are preferred.

The Educational Program For The Mentally Retarded In Henrico County (Virginia) Public Schools, Betty Parrish Knott

Master's Theses

It was the purpose or this study (1) to review the growth which has taken place in educating the mentally retarded in the public schools on a national and state level; (2) to review the actions being taken in Virginia colleges and universities to educate teachers in the field of mental retardation; (3) to investigate Henrico County's educational. Program for the mentally retarded; and (4) to determine the number of fourth, fifth and sixth grade pupils in Henrico County who need screening for possible admission into Special Education Classes.

Teaching The Mentally Retarded, Eleanor Patterson Rowlett

Master's Theses

This investigation has a three-fold purpose: (1) to study the handling of retarded and mentally handicapped pupils in the Richmond Public Schools from 1912 through 1941, (2) to determine current practices followed in the school systems of other large cities, and, (3) to summarize and appraise the various methods suggested for dealing with mentally handicapped pupils who have reached age twelve or beyond.