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Full-Text Articles in Education

Improving Reading Through Fine Motor Skill Development In First Grade, Tyler West-Higgins Dec 2017

Improving Reading Through Fine Motor Skill Development In First Grade, Tyler West-Higgins

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Children who struggle with learning to read in first grade, fall behind, and have difficulty catching up with their peers. Research has shown students who struggle to read in first grade, also struggle to read in later years. The purpose of this study was to determine if an intervention to enhance fine motor skills to a select group of students in one class room increased their reading abilities. This was a mixed methods research study which assessed the quantitative data from the running record assessments, and the qualitative data taken by teacher-aide during assessment process post fine motor intervention. This …


The Common Core State Standards And The Elementary Social Studies Curriculum: A Case Study Of Teacher Perceptions In Florida, Kacie M. Nadeau Nov 2017

The Common Core State Standards And The Elementary Social Studies Curriculum: A Case Study Of Teacher Perceptions In Florida, Kacie M. Nadeau

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The most recent phase of curriculum reform in the era of accountability is the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) which have essentially reshaped the landscape of public education. Its objective of preparing K-12 students for college and career upon high school graduation have prioritized English language arts, mathematics, and science over social studies, which is not part of widespread high-stakes testing for elementary students. This qualitative case study investigated eleven intermediate elementary teachers’ perceptions of alignment between CCSS and the elementary social studies curriculum. Data gathering analysis included two semi-structured interviews and an archival analysis of the mandated curriculum. The …


Integrating Art Into The Classroom: A Necessary Component Of A Well-Rounded Education, Kate Latham Sep 2017

Integrating Art Into The Classroom: A Necessary Component Of A Well-Rounded Education, Kate Latham

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This thesis includes a combination of research and visual arts integration lesson plans. Research covers the benefits of exposure to the visual. Lesson plans were specifically designed for the core content area subjects: English/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. Each of these lessons was designed to meet local and national standards for the core content area and for visual arts. Additionally, each lesson plan includes a component of art production. This thesis can be utilized by a variety of individuals, including educators who strive to incorporate art into their classrooms. The research aspect can be utilized by those struggling …


Teacher Self-Efficacy In Writing And Instructional Choices: A Correlational Study, Beth Burke Aug 2017

Teacher Self-Efficacy In Writing And Instructional Choices: A Correlational Study, Beth Burke

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This quantitative study focused on examining the relationship between teacher self-efficacy and their use of writing practices in teaching writing. Participants included elementary kindergarten through fifth grade teachers in a large school district in northeastern United States. The following research questions guided this study: Is there a statistically significant relationship between overall teacher self-efficacy and the amount of time teachers spend using specific practices in writing instruction? Is there a statistically significant relationship between teaching self-efficacy factor of personal self-efficacy and the amount of time teachers spend using specific practices in writing instruction? Is there a statistically significant relationship between …


Building Community Using Experiential Education With Elementary Preservice Teachers In A Social Studies Methodology Course, Stephanie L. Speicher Aug 2017

Building Community Using Experiential Education With Elementary Preservice Teachers In A Social Studies Methodology Course, Stephanie L. Speicher

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

There is urgency for teacher educators to instruct preservice teachers in the core tenants of social justice education. This urgency is based upon the ever-growing shift in the American demographic landscape and the responsibility of educators to teach for equity, justice, identity and community within classrooms across the U.S. Preservice teachers report feeling inadequately prepared to educate for social justice when entering the formal classroom setting. Feelings of incompetence in social justice teaching pedagogy expressed among preservice teachers coupled with minimal examination in the literature of the effects of teacher education practices that aid in the readiness to teach for …


The Impact Of Stand-Biased Desks On After-School Physical Activity Behaviors In Children, Nathan Tokarek Aug 2017

The Impact Of Stand-Biased Desks On After-School Physical Activity Behaviors In Children, Nathan Tokarek

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess changes in after-school time spent performing sedentary behavior (SB), light intensity physical activity (LPA), and moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) among elementary school children in response to the introduction of stand-biased desks in the classroom. Thirty-one 6th grade participants randomly assigned by their teacher to a traditional (CON) or stand-biased (INT) desk provided complete accelerometer data. After-school PA and SB were measured on four consecutive weekdays at baseline and 10-weeks. Wilcoxon Rank Sum Tests were used to detect significant differences (p<0.10) in changes in the proportion of after-school wear time performing SB and PA between groups. Results suggested no significant differences in changes in after-school time performing SB (p=0.770), LPA (p=0.740), or MVPA (p=0.470). Significant differences in the change in moderate PA (INT: -1.4%; CON: -0.2%, p=0.093) were detected. Stand-biased desks were not detrimental to children’s after-school PA and SB.


Perspectives On Failure In The Classroom By Elementary Teachers New To Teaching Engineering, Pamela S. Lottero-Perdue, Elizabeth A. Parry Jun 2017

Perspectives On Failure In The Classroom By Elementary Teachers New To Teaching Engineering, Pamela S. Lottero-Perdue, Elizabeth A. Parry

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

This mixed methods study examines perspectives on failure in the classroom by elementary teachers new to teaching engineering. The study participants included 254 teachers in third, fourth, and fifth grade who responded to survey questions about failure, as well as a subset of 38 of those teachers who participated in interviews about failure. The study first examines the literature about failure in the contexts of engineering and education. Failure is positioned as largely normative and expected in engineering, whereas in education, learning and failure have a more tenuous relationship. Identity, failure avoidance, failure as part of the learning process, growth …


Session F-2: More Than Meets The Eye, Christine L. Moskalik, Carmela Jones Mar 2017

Session F-2: More Than Meets The Eye, Christine L. Moskalik, Carmela Jones

Professional Learning Day

What your eyes take-in and report to your brain is not necessarily exactly what you have seen. The eye is an important sensory organ allowing for vision but without light, vision is impossible. This session will engage participants in elementary lessons that introduce the physics of color and light and illustrate various aspects of human visual perception. Properties of light will be investigated by mixing the primary light colors (not pigments) and simple tests will be performed to measure peripheral vision and explore depth perception, pupil constriction/dilation, and the blind spot. Do you “see” yourself coming to this session?


Examining Fifth-Grade In-School Physical Activity Patterns And How Many Days Of Monitoring Are Needed, Tyler R. Langosch Feb 2017

Examining Fifth-Grade In-School Physical Activity Patterns And How Many Days Of Monitoring Are Needed, Tyler R. Langosch

Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to examine in-school physical activity patterns among fifth-grade students residing in a Midwestern community. Variables observed were minutes of vigorous + activity, vigorous activity, moderate activity, easy activity and very easy activity along with steps and calories expended. A secondary purpose of this study was to determine the minimum number of days necessary to estimate mean physical activity levels, as both moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and steps per day, in fifth-grade students using objective physical activity monitors across two semesters. METHODS: Activity patterns were assessed during two school semesters, spring (N = 82 …


An Analysis Of Teachers' Perceptions Of Bullying At The Elementary School Level, Tiffany Wilson Thomas Jan 2017

An Analysis Of Teachers' Perceptions Of Bullying At The Elementary School Level, Tiffany Wilson Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers in elementary schools are often faced with countless disruptive bullying behaviors, which cause them to lose valuable classroom instruction time. In addition, bullying victims have shown a decline in academic success as compared to students who are not bullied. The purpose of this qualitative bounded case study was to explore teachers' understanding and awareness of bullying behaviors and policies at the elementary school level, particularly in an elementary school in a southeastern state that has experienced large increases in student disruptive behavior over the past 2 school years. Bandura's social cognitive theory served as the conceptual framework. Semi-structured interview …


Implementing Elementary School Next Generation Science Standards, Kathy Kennedy Jan 2017

Implementing Elementary School Next Generation Science Standards, Kathy Kennedy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards requires developing elementary teacher content and pedagogical content knowledge of science and engineering concepts. Teacher preparation for this undertaking appears inadequate with little known about how in-service Mid-Atlantic urban elementary science teachers approach this task. The purpose of this basic qualitative interview study was to explore the research questions related to perceived learning needs of 8 elementary science teachers and 5 of their administrators serving as instructional leaders. Strategies needed for professional growth to support learning and barriers that hamper it at both building and district levels were included. These questions were considered …


Technology Integration By General Education Teachers Of English Language Learners, Marie Simone Anglin Jan 2017

Technology Integration By General Education Teachers Of English Language Learners, Marie Simone Anglin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a growing population of English language learners (ELLs) in elementary schools across the United States, and a current academic achievement gap between ELLs and non-ELLs. Researchers have found that integration of Web 2.0 tools has benefitted ELLs in language learning settings, outside of the general classroom. The research problem addressed in this study, based on TPACK, explored general education teachers' experiences with integrating Web 2.0 technology to support academic language acquisition by ELLs and revealed the successes and challenges the teachers encountered. The 6 female participants in this qualitative interview study were required to have experience (a) as …


Explaining The Sociological Factors Associated With The Children's School Participation In Elementary Level, Melanie P. Tolentino, Tereso S. Tullao Jr Jan 2017

Explaining The Sociological Factors Associated With The Children's School Participation In Elementary Level, Melanie P. Tolentino, Tereso S. Tullao Jr

Angelo King Institute for Economic and Business Studies (AKI)

This paper identifies the factors such as demographic, economic, and sociological factors that influence the children’s school participation in elementary level. Highlight of this study is explaining the context of mother’s absence in a household as it influences the children’s school participation. This paper utilized both quantitative and qualitative techniques in the data collection and analysis. The data set from Annual Poverty Indicators Survey 2011 was analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analysis. Selected families with 6-11 years old children whose mothers are working abroad were also interviewed to provide an understanding of the relevance of social resource within …


Urban Elementary Science Teacher Leaders: Responsibilities, Supports, And Needs, Julianne A. Wenner Jan 2017

Urban Elementary Science Teacher Leaders: Responsibilities, Supports, And Needs, Julianne A. Wenner

Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

The challenge of science achievement gaps is one that scholars have struggled to solve. Teacher leadership holds great promise in closing those gaps. Therefore, the purpose of the research reported here was to explore the responsibilities and supports of formally designated science teacher leaders (STLs) in urban elementary schools that have been successful in closing science achievement gaps. Using York-Barr and Duke’s (2004) review on teacher leadership as a framework, findings from this study indicate that urban elementary STLs emphasize certain dimensions of practice (e.g., building partnerships) while deemphasizing or even omitting others (e.g., working with preservice teachers). Findings also …


A Study Of Instructional Methods On Fourth Grade Reading Achievement, Benita Jessup Jan 2017

A Study Of Instructional Methods On Fourth Grade Reading Achievement, Benita Jessup

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a significant percent of 4th grade students read below the basic level. In one elementary school students participated in additional reading instruction as intervention for students scoring basic and below basic on the state standardized test. The purpose of this ex post facto non-experimental quantitative study was to determine the effectiveness of direct instruction versus fluency (repeated reading) instruction on the reading achievement of 4th grade students. This study is based on the theory of automatic information processing in reading and the theory of prosody. The overarching research question for this study …