Education Commons^™

The Effects Of Using Computer And Ipad Story-Writing Applications For Creative Writing With Kinder Year Students In A Montessori Early Childhood Program, Ruth Ann Christensen

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This study investigated the viability and implications of technology-assisted story writing with kinder year students. Seven kinder year students at a private Montessori school participated in the study. Pre- and post-study conferences and Likert scales determined story writing skills and attitudes. These were followed by one-on-one storywriting sessions using a variety of story-writing tools. Students were given the choice of story-writing method at each session. Individual sessions were evaluated and completed stories compared to a rubric of fundamental story-writing elements. Stories written by the students improved with the use of computer and iPad programs, but independent story writing was not …

Effect Of Self-Regulatory Behaviors On Task Completion, Leslie M. Wertz

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This study sought to determine if the implementation of a cyclical process of student goal setting, monitoring of progress, and reflection would improve task performance and intrinsic motivation in middle school learners. Fifteen upper-elementary children in a public Montessori classroom were selected and grouped according to student and teacher perception of their performance the previous year. Prior to the intervention, students completed an assessment of their self-regulation abilities. All students received lessons on goal setting, monitoring, and reflection with the use of a self-regulation notebook to make themselves aware of the standards, set goals, track their progress, and reflect on …

Best Practices On Teaching Letter-Sound And Nonsense Word Fluency, Kirsten Rossum, Jessica Bosma

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Reading fluently is a lifelong skill that many students struggle to accomplish. This research focused on using strategies to improve the identification of letter sounds and nonsense words to improve reading skills. The participants were first grade students not meeting district benchmark expectations in the areas of letter sound identification and nonsense words. The ten students were from two urban schools in the Twin Cities metro area. Students were given frequent informal and formative assessments with the final summative assessment mimicking district standard testing. Teachers worked in small groups (4-5 students) or 1:1 with students. These groups met for 15 …

Small Group Math Instruction In The Middle School Classroom, Jessica Balt

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This study includes the impact of small group instruction in the middle school classroom. This study takes place at Dakota Meadows Middle School in Mankato, MN. The participants included 24 seventh grade students who are only partially proficient in math according to their standardized state assessments. Data was collected using a pretest, formative assessments, posttest and a student survey (See Appendices A, B, C, D). There was growth from the pretest scores to the posttest scores as well as growth in formative assessment scores. The student survey indicated most students felt the small group instruction benefitted them positively. Small group …

The Effects Of Pre-Teaching Vocabulary, Along With Peer Collaboration, On Student Comprehension Of Social Studies Texts At St. Cloud Tech High School, Molly Denne

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research project looked at the impact that pre-teaching vocabulary, along with peer collaboration, had on student comprehension of 5-12 social studies texts. Sixty students in a 10th grade World History class received instruction that included pre-teaching of vocabulary terms that students would be exposed to in a reading of the week through use of direct instruction, elaboration, application, and transfer using the Frayer Model, and group interactions. Student discussions of the article of the week engaged peers in collaborating around the work. Data was collected on vocabulary assessments, comprehension assessments, discussion checklists, and field notes. The students received …

The Behavioral Effects Of Learning Outdoors, Shannon Bjorge, Tracy Hannah, Peggy Rekstad, Tara Pauly

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

A growing number of schools around the United States have begun adding outdoor learning to their curriculum in hopes to improve the education of K-12 students. Teachers are not only focusing on what is available in the classroom, but also looking at nearby surroundings that could benefit their students. Lund and Gaigher (as cited in Palavan, Cicek, and Atabay, 2016), state that learning outdoors is defined as a method of experimental learning through all senses by way of exposure to the natural environment and provides students with more opportunities from which to learn. Learning outdoors is an authentic experience for …

The Impact Of Implementing Core Curriculum In An Outdoor Classroom On Primary-Aged Students’ Academic Achievement, Meghan Best, Claire Dickinson, Courtney Hugstad-Vaa Leer, Molly Kalina

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This paper explores the impact teaching core curricula outdoors has on primary aged students’ academic achievement. A four-week study was conducted in eight primary aged classrooms found in four Minnesota public schools. The study, featuring students in kindergarten, second grade and third grade, was conducted in both mainstream classrooms as well as gifted and talented classrooms. The study compared students’ academic achievement after being taught core curricula in the outdoor classroom to their peers in a control classroom that received the core instruction inside. The experimental design of the study included various forms of qualitative and quantitative data including pre- …

Effects Of The Remind App On Parent-Teacher Communication At A Mixed-Income Middle School, Kelsey Nisbet, Allison Opp

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of conducting this research project was to gain insight on using text messaging as an effective communication tool with parents/guardians through the use of the Remind Application. The intervention took place over a four week period at a public school in North Dakota. Two hundred and seventy seventh grade students and one hundred and sixty-three parents/guardians participated in this study. Qualitative and quantitative data was collected via a pre and post parent/guardian survey, student presurvey, weekly Remind Application messages, and a teacher reflection journal. Analysis of the data revealed easy and convenient messages resulted in a higher response …

The Effect Of Parent Nights On Parents’ Involvement In Homework Support For Children, Samantha Thelemann

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The presented research was performed to answer a specific question. What is the effect of an indepth Parent Orientation Evening and an Open House Material Night on parents’ involvement in homework support for their children in a mixed 1st – 3 rd grade Montessori classroom? The study consisted of fifteen students and their guardians. The six weeks of exploration began with a Parent Orientation Evening. It continued with data collection in Math Facts and Spelling Words Practice Sheets, Teacher and Parent Running Record, an Open House Material Night, and Parent Attitude Scales. The research found the two times guardians were …

Supporting Narrative Writing Proficiency And Engagement In A Montessori Upper Elementary Classroom Through The Writing Workshop Model And 6+1 Traits Of Writing, Kirstin A. Nordhaus

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research project set out to determine the effects of daily writing workshop lessons, including the 6+1 Traits of Writing vocabulary, on student writing proficiency and engagement. An upper elementary classroom of 17 students, consisting of nine fourth graders and eight fifth graders, in an independent, suburban Montessori school participated in this study. Students completed a five-week narrative writing unit from Calkins, Ochs, & Luick’s (2017) Up the Ladder curriculum. The teacher-researcher collected data through observation, writing prompts scored using a 6+1 Traits of Writing rubric, student feedback forms, Bottomley, Henk, & Melnick’s (1997/1998) Writer Self-Perception Scale, and small …

The Effects Of Technology On Ell Students Writing Fluency, Aristea Goundouvas

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research project explored whether the iPad application ‘Book Creator’ could impact the written fluency of English Language Learners (ELL). It also monitored the impact the application would have on non-ELL students. It was conducted in a public Montessori elementary school with students aged six to eight years old at the beginning of the school year. Out of twenty students, ten were ELL. Data tools included writing rubrics, personal evaluation rubrics and tallies of written output. While results showed some nominal improvement in writing output, it is difficult to assess if the results reflected students settling into the new …

The Effects Of Collaboration On Teacher Empowerment, Brittany Kay Feinauer

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research project was to measure the effects that collaborative curriculum planning had on three early childhood classrooms in a private Montessori school. The study population included six early childhood teachers who collectively designed a curriculum and helped collect data for the first seven weeks of the intervention. Each participant filled out a teacher feedback form which was based on Spreitzer’s (1995) psychological empowerment scale to measure changes in perceptions of four different aspects of empowerment: meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact. The primary researcher also analyzed data from individual teacher journals, notes from weekly discussions, and …

Practicing Freedom: Effects Of Personal Anti-Racist Engagement On A Montessori Educator's Experience, Maggie Mccaffrey

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This self-study was designed to assess the effects of engagement with antiracist media on the work of a Montessori educator in the classroom. Conducted over eight weeks, the study used nightly readings, daily reflections, a tally of daily antiracist thoughts, and a scale of one through five measuring the participant’s optimism regarding the integration of antiracist pedagogy with Montessori philosophy and practice. The study was performed at a racially and economically diverse private Montessori school in a Midwestern metropolitan area in a class of twenty children ranging from 2.7 to 5 years old. The results indicated that, although the intervention …

The Effects Of Parent-Teacher Communication Using Digital Tools In Early Elementary And Middle School Classrooms, Nateal Bosch, Stephanie Bosch, Kylie Cline, Sarah Hochhalter, Aleksandra Rieland, Emily Takekawa, Tanya Walther

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This comparative action research study examined the effects of using three different digital communication tools in early elementary and middle school classrooms. Seesaw, Facebook, and Remind were compared to answer the following questions: To what extent does each digital tool facilitate: Parent-teacher communication? Quality information sharing? Active parent engagement? Teachers collected qualitative and quantitative data over four weeks. Participating parents received and responded quickly to teacher posts in all three tools at both grade levels. Parents used the information as conversation starters at home and to help their children succeed. Notably, parents whose first language is not English appreciated that …

Aerobic Exercise And Its Effect On Students’ Readiness To Learn, Shanan K. Zollinger

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to test if aerobic exercise done before academic work would improve student learning readiness which includes increased alertness, longer periods of concentration and a resilience in doing work. The six-week study incorporated twenty-minutes of aerobic exercise every morning and involved 26 students between the ages of 9 and 12 years in a Montessori classroom. Data collection included pre and post surveys on student energy levels, exercise logs filled out by each student daily, on-task observation sheets and levels of attention observation sheets done by myself daily for the first thirty-minutes to evaluate students’ depth …

Movement Interventions For Appropriate And Coordinated Movement, Brianna N. Blasberg

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research was to determine the effect of fundamental movement lessons and independent movement jobs on appropriate and coordinated movement as well as focus of students. Twenty-five students from a lower elementary class of first, second, and third graders in a public Montessori school participated in the study. Data was collected over a period of six weeks using a coordination scale, student feedback, work plans, and time on task observations. Results show a positive correlation between movement intervention and student coordination, on task behavior, focus, and productivity. All students reported positive associations with the movement jobs …

The Impact Of Creating A Positive Culture For Feedback Within The Secondary Career & Technical Education Classroom, Jennifer Denault, Kristine Hintz, Kelsey Thielges

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Feedback is one of the most influential factors on student learning. It is paramount for educators to spend considerable focus on feedback as instructional time, and learning activities are abundant with opportunities for providing feedback to students (Havnes, Smith, Dysthe, & Ludvigsen, 2012). The purpose of this research study was to ascertain what effect providing a culture of feedback has on student learning in the secondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) classroom, which differ from core classes in their delivery methods, content and overall outcomes. The goal was to utilize feedback with students in a way that promotes a culture …

The Effect Of Handwriting Without Tears On Montessori Four-Year-Olds' Handwriting Ability, Shelley B. Valdez

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The action research question for this study was, “What effect would the addition of a program by Handwriting Without Tears (HWT) called, Transition to Kindergarten, in a block everyday have on the development of handwriting skills of my four-year-old students?” Beyond utilizing the HWT program, the reviewed literature on handwriting instruction expounded on six major themes: brain benefits of handwriting, blocks of handwriting instruction (speed and legibility), name writing (gross & fine motor skills), the connection between writing and reading, and phonological awareness. This project was conducted in a private Montessori school in South Florida, where six preschool participants (age …

Using Mindfulness To Self-Regulate In The Upper Elementary Classroom, Ashleigh L. Bartz

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to determine the effects on students’ ability to self regulate while learning about daily mindfulness lessons. The study took place over the course of six weeks in an upper elementary class of 20 students, including four fourth graders, nine fifth graders, and seven sixth graders. The study was conducted in a rural public Montessori school in the Midwest. Students participated in a six-week mindfulness unit from The Mind Up Curriculum (The Hawn Foundation, 2011). The researcher collected data through a pre-and postassessment, students’ self reflections and graphs, researcher’s observation, and researcher’s daily journal. The …

Anti-Bias Work On Self-Identity In A Primary Montessori Classroom, Lauren A. Tift

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This research sought to determine the effect of implementing an anti-bias curriculum on the selfidentity of children in a private primary Montessori classroom. Twenty-two students aged three to six from a highly concentrated urban community in a northeastern coastal city participated in the study. Pre and post discussion questions, a running log of personal observations, visible child-produced artifacts, and an attribute checklists were the four tools used in this study. These tools determined the effect of the anti-bias work on each child’s ability to self-identify. The interactions and artifacts produced specific and traceable data on children’s thoughts and perceptions before …

The Effect Of Implementing Hess' Cognitive Rigor Matrix Within Fifth-Grade Independent Learning-Contracts Upon Student Engagement And Time-On-Task, Andrea Carlson

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to determine whether or not implementing Hess' Cognitive Rigor Matrix within fifth-grade independent learning contracts would increase student time on task. There were 25 fifth-grade student participants in the study and the study took place over four-weeks. Data was collected through a pre/post-assessment on specific topic, student engagement observation, student/teacher conferences, and the Student Data Gathering Tool. While initial research suggests that the implementation of Hess’ Cognitive Rigor Matrix with independent-learning contracts increases student engagement, further research should be done to determine whether or not engagement would be sustained throughout a longer period of …

Effects Of Explicit Vocabulary Instruction On Reading Comprehension, Carolyn Moscho, Ryan Moscho

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research paper examines the relationship between explicit vocabulary instruction and reading comprehension, specifically with English Language Learners (ELL). The research took place in a second and fourth grade classroom in the same school in central Minnesota. Students took pretests and posttests for grade level comprehension and vocabulary assessments. Students would then receive explicit vocabulary instruction throughout the week. Finally, students would complete the same assessments as were completed at the beginning of Student surveys were also used to measure confidence and motivation. Data was collected in the form of pretest and posttest scores for grade level comprehension and …

Incorporation Of Blogging In A Middle School Spanish Classroom, Teresa Petrin

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research examined the impact of incorporating blogging into a middle school classroom and the effect it had on student motivation and their ability to use conversational Spanish. The research took place with a class of eleven seventh grade students in an urban charter school. Students were given vocabulary and grammar instruction during the week and then asked to synthesize the knowledge that they have gained into a post on Kidblog. Students then commented on or asked questions about their classmate’s posts. Data was collected using a pre- and post- research proficiency rubric, a blog portfolio, a grading checklist …

Building Peer Independence Among Children, Sienna D. Kuhn

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The research was conducted to determine if grace and courtesy lessons could increase the peer to peer reliance in a new community of 12 children ranging in age from thirty-three months to four years old at a private Montessori school in a metropolitan area. It is rare to experience starting a new community and only having 12 children of the same relative age in a Montessori school. The study was conducted with grace and courtesy lessons, given an average of three times a week, on how to ask other peers for help and how to offer help to others. Data …

The Effect Of Background Baroque Music On Work Accomplishment And Student Concentration On Days Of Rapid Weather Changes., Dayani A. Pieri

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This study used Baroque background music to mitigate the effects of weather variables on 12 students of a Montessori elementary classroom. The weather forecast data were gathered from the National Weather Service. Two student feedback forms gauged attitudes towards the music and academic activities, focus, and accomplished work. A teacher tally chart marked daily observations of behavior. The study utilized Microsoft Excel with methods of descriptive data analyses, t-tests, and regression analysis. Student appreciation of music varied, but the children’s affinity for music remained high. It is unclear whether the music created a positive mindset. The Baroque background music contributed …

The Effect Of Student-Led Conferencing At School And At Home On Goal-Setting, Goal-Fulfillment, Effort, Achievement, Intrinsic Motivation, And Satisfaction For Montessori Lower Elementary 3rd Year Students., Timothy David Blake Schwartz

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This study was designed to determine the effect of weekly student-led conferences (both at-home and at-school) on goal setting, goal fulfillment, effort, achievement, intrinsic motivation, and satisfaction. One teacher, eight Montessori third-year lower elementary students, and eight parents participated in the study for six weeks. Baseline data on goal setting and fulfillment was collected and analyzed. Guiding questions designed to encourage and support the students formed the content of the conferences. Pre- and post-intervention surveys were administered. The results showed that while the intervention did not help the students set and fulfill greater quantities of goals, it did have a …

Effects Of Mentorship On Teacher Classroom Preparedness At The Secondary Level, Kent Janikula

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to see what effect a teacher mentorship program would have on teacher’s classroom preparedness at a public Middle and High school in the rural Midwest. Twelve teachers participated in the six-week study; six were mentors, the other six mentees. All teachers completed a self-evaluation at the beginning of the study. In the first week, teachers were interviewed regarding aspects of the mentorship program and how it had affected their level of preparedness for the classroom. During the study, mentees filled out time sheets recording how much time they were spending outside of the school …

The Effects Of Ixl Practice On Geometry And Fraction Achievement, Amanda Wood, Amy Hudspith

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research was to examine the effects of technology-based mathematics practice on student achievement in comparison to more traditional practice methods. The research took place in both a fourth-grade and a sixth-grade classroom in the same school. Technology-based practice was done using an iPad program called IXL and traditional practice was completed with paper and pencil on worksheets. Data was collected in the form of pretest and posttest scores, assignment completion rates, student behaviors, teacher reflections and student surveys. The data did not show any conclusive evidence that one practice method is better than the other. …

The Importance Of Student Talk And Strategies For Promoting Classroom Conversations, Danelle Imbertson

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to improve ELL and low-income students outcomes in

mathematics through the use of Accountable Talk® enhanced by consistent integration of higher-order questioning and technology to track student fidelity to the Accountable

Talk® model and competency in their evolving math skills. To evaluate the impact of the

intervention, previous year’s students’ outcomes were compared with student outcomes

following implementation of the enhanced Accountable Talk strategy in an urban fourth

grade classroom. After learning and practicing the strategy, students worked in groups to respond to higher-order questions tied to the mathematics lesson weekly. They recorded these …

How Acts Of Kindness Facilitate Prosocial Behaviors In An Early Childhood Montessori Classroom, April L. Malley

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research project examined how the implementation of Kindness Guidelines affected prosocial behavior among Early Childhood students. The setting was a private Montessori school, with 18 children ages two to five-years-old. Guidelines were developed using child-generated ideas on how to be kind to themselves, others, and the environment, along with teacher-made materials that illustrated acts of kindness and emotional awareness. Implementation of the intervention lasted six weeks with 20 days of data collected during two 15-20 minute observations per day. Positive and negative behaviors were recorded using tally sheets and an observation journal. Use of teacher-made materials was tracked …