Education Commons^™

A Collection Of Middle Level Reading Interventions Categorized Based On Specific Criteria, Claire E. Alexander

Culminating Experience Projects

Students lack literacy skills while entering the middle level grades, where reading is used as a tool for learning, rather than consistently taught through explicit instruction on the components of literacy. Reading interventions give students additional support and opportunities to improve their reading skills. This project argues for those intervention programs to be chosen based on specific qualities that are shown through research to make learning during interventions more impactful. The framework for this project works with the idea that learning is a social and cultural interaction, where collaboration, word play, student interests, and learning environment will allow students to …

Experiential Learning Projects As Assessment In Initial Teacher Education, Renee Crawford, Louise E. Jenkins, Lydia Wan

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In a rapidly changing global environment, Initial Teacher Educators (ITE) have a responsibility to role-model contemporary teaching approaches, which develop graduates who think creatively and flexibly in educational workplaces. An important aspect of this work is supporting pre-service teachers (PSTs) to understand how to design assessments which facilitate a deep understanding of student learning. This learning can be achieved through the implementation of assessments which model contemporary practices and enrich student learning in ITE courses. This paper discusses new ways to consider the purpose of assessment by focusing on Experiential Learning (EL) as a form of assessment in ITE. This …

Authentic Learning Design Failures: The Need For Learner And Contextual Analysis And Participatory Design, Mohan Yang, Jon Harbor

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This design case examines what program leaders learned from failures in the design of a program of authentic learning about teaching diverse audiences through educational outreach. The program was initiated and then redesigned to develop the teaching and communication skills of graduate students from a wide range of backgrounds by engaging them in authentic experiences with middle school teachers and students. Analysis of post-program data revealed seven design failures related to the lack of upfront analysis to inform the program design. Each design failure was detailed through a fishbone diagram method to identify the corre- sponding contributing factors. The failures …

The Effects Of An Authentic Collaborative Project On University Directing Students’ Learning Experiences, Nur Hilyati Ramli, Safia Najwa Suhaimi, Muhammad Kamarul Kabilan

The Qualitative Report

This phenomenological study reports an authentic collaborative project between students of acting and directing (AD) and students of Teaching English as Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) in University Sains Malaysia (USM). The project, which is integrated and infused with features of authentic learning and creative drama education, aims to provide the AD students with new learning experiences that are authentic in nature and that focuses on their abilities to direct a full theatre performance. Using qualitative data collection methods (i.e., online reflections and open-ended items), the study identified and determined six meaningful learning experiences that the 29 AD students gained: …

It Takes One To Know One: Authentic Learning And Multiple Literacies In A 100 Level, Technical Writing Classroom, Matthew Sterner-Neely

Theses and Dissertations

At Ciudad Community College (pseudonym) and across the Colorado Community College System, the course competencies for Technical Writing I (ENG 131) have more than tripled to accommodate ENG 131 as a guaranteed transfer course equivalent to ENG 121: English Composition I. Unfortunately, this has had the effect of increasing the workload for students, and the increase in competencies plus the struggle that students already had in meeting course competencies demanded the need for an intervention. The purpose of this convergent, mixed methods, action research study was to examine the effects of authentic learning on the competency levels of technical writing …

How The Authentic Learning Approach Can Improve Students' Learning Agility In Indonesia, Devina Christianti

English Language Institute

This poster explores how implementing the authentic learning approach in schools can improve learning agility among students in order to help them thrive in the ever changing future.

The Effect Of Authentic Task-Oriented Applications On Problem-Solving Skills In Robotic Programming Teaching, Yunus E. Ozenoglu, Sehnaz Baltaci

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

This study aims to examine the effect of authentic tasks in group programming education on the problem-solving skills of secondary school 5^th-grade students. A weak experimental single-group pretest-posttest model was applied to gather data. The study participants consisted of 56 5th grade students, 25 girls, and 31 boys, studying in a private secondary school in the 2018-2019 academic year. The "problem-solving skill scale" was applied as a pre-test and post-test to define the participants' problem-solving skills. There is no statistically significant difference in students' problem-solving skills (p = 0.657) according to related (dependent) samples t-test results. The effect …

Working With The Community: Reflections From An Instructional Design Service-Learning Project, Daniela Rezende Vilarinho-Pereira, Shivani Ramoutar, Emily J. Justus

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

As part of an instructional design course, EDCI 572 (Learning Systems Design), we completed a service project developing a face-to-face training for volunteer coordinators for United Way of Greater Lafayette. United Way promotes activities to encourage civic engagement and make a positive change in the community. A network of community members and organizations facilitate a larger community impact in collaboration with United Way. One part of this partnership is the United Way training for volunteer coordinators of different nonprofit organizations. Under the supervision of Dr. Seçil Caskurlu, we applied instructional design models to design and develop face-to-face training modules in …

Facilitating Authentic Learning Experiences In Distance Education: Embedding Research-Based Practices Into An Online Peer Feedback Tool, Tiffany Roman, Matthew Callison, Rodney D. Myers, Anne H. Berry

Faculty and Research Publications

Authentic learning in online education is feasible with intentional instructional strategies and appropriate educational technologies, yet as a learning approach, barriers to implementation still exist. We argue that authentic learning in online education can be successfully supported when the characteristics of authentic learning are (a) intentionally applied and (b) supported through research-based tools that facilitate the learning process seamlessly for students. To address this challenge, we developed a research-based online application that supports authentic learning. In this article, the theoretical foundations and empirical support for the tool are described, along with critical design decisions that support suggested characteristics of authentic …

Technology As Enabler Of Learner Autonomy And Authentic Learning In Chinese Language Acquisition: A Case Study In Higher Education, Mario Valdebenito, Yalin Chen

East Asian Languages & Cultures: Faculty Publications

Based on the Constructivist approach, meaningful learning only occurs when learners have agency to construct meaning through social interactions. The ability to self-direct, communicate, collaborate, and transfer learning to real-life situations are crucial skills for the 21st century. These skills allow new generations to adapt to this new information era in any field and/or disciplines they pursue; foreign language acquisition is not an exception. In this article, the authors argue that language learning can help learners cultivate such abilities with the aid of a holistic curriculum design and the effective use of technology. The authors also explore how using tools, …

Authentic Learning In A Middle School Classroom: A Case Study, Andrea Ballard

All NMU Master's Theses

The purpose of this case study is to explore and investigate how authentic learning is experienced in a middle school classroom within a K-12 public charter academy in the rural Midwestern United States. This was a qualitative case study, which allowed the researcher to observe the phenomenon of authentic learning as it unfolded in the classroom. The term authentic learning describes student-directed learning that involves real-life problem solving in unique contexts, over an extended period of time (Rule, 2006). The study follows a teacher’s journey through planning, implementing and reflecting on authentic learning and teaching. The case study also identifies …

College Freshman Perceptions Of Social Media Use For Authentic Learning In Composition Courses, Stacy Michelle Platt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social media has been used as an instructional tool for authentic learning in order to enable adaptability through experimentation and action rather than passive listening and regurgitation. The problem addressed in this study is that it is not known how English composition students’ perceptions of authentic learning are impacted by the use of online social media as instructional tools. Authentic learning is characterized by multiple elements, including collaboration, reflection, and communication. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the perceptions of undergraduate 1st year freshmen composition students using social media as instructional tools, across 9 elements of authentic …

Skilling Up: Providing Educational Opportunities For Aboriginal Education Workers Through Technology-Based Pedagogy, Elizabeth M. Jackson-Barrett, Graeme Gower, Anne E. Price, Jan Herrington

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Over the past decade Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies and perspectives have been mandated across the Australian national curriculum and all teachers are now required to demonstrate strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and have a broad knowledge of Aboriginal histories, cultures and languages. This paper describes a project focused on enabling Aboriginal Education Workers (AEWs) to play a critical role in transforming these initiatives into real and sustainable change through authentic, technology-based pedagogy. Indigenous research methodologies and design-based research (DBR) were used to investigate the potential educational roles for AEWs enabled by e-learning and new …

Virtual Reality As A Pedagogical Tool To Design For Social Impact: A Design Case, Tiffany Roman, Jon Racek

Faculty and Research Publications

Three-dimensional (3-D) virtual environments have key affordances that can improve learning, particularly when context, culture, and pedagogical aims are aligned to a given learning situation. One challenge in detailing effective uses of 3-D virtual environments in teaching and learning contexts is that the design judgments involved are not always made explicit. We argue that the transparency of design judgments, as it relates to the use of 3-D virtual environments, are critically important. This article advances scholarship of emerging technologies by detailing the design judgments of a university instructor within a Design for Social Impact cross-disciplinary course. To address learner needs …

Exploring Authenticity Through An Engineering-Based Context In A Project-Based Learning Mathematics Activity, Bradley Bowen, Bryanne Peterson

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

As education works to reconnect student learning to something more than standardized testing, project-based learning (PBL) has become a popular way to increase student engagement while providing more authentic applications of student knowledge. While research regarding PBL is bountiful, little has been done to connect this body of research with student perceptions regarding its classroom application, especially concerning authenticity and student engagement. This research focuses on the topic of ‘‘task authenticity’’ as a means to improve student outcomes. Two groups of seventh-grade students were presented the concept of slope and y-intercept in the context of engineering-based activities. The research …

Authentic Learning Experiences: Investigating How Teachers Can Lead Their Students To Intrinsic Motivation In Meaningful Work, Rhonda Van Donge

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research study investigated how an authentic learning experience impacted the motivation and engagement of students toward finding intrinsic value in meaningful work in a sophomore English classroom at a private Christian high school in the Midwest. The participants were 57 sophomores at the high school taking required English 10. The students participated in an authentic learning experience (ALE) designed by their teacher in which they were split into 10 teams, each team writing and designing one issue the sophomore class’s newspaper. The 57 students completed an anonymous survey at the conclusion of the authentic learning experience. Eight students …

Teacher Perceptions Of Arts Integration Into General Education Curriculum, Molly Pines

Honors Scholar Theses

In elementary schools, art is often taught as a supplement to general education, and is frequently separated from academic subjects. Traditionally, elementary school students were only exposed to art through with “pullout programs.”” (McKean & Sudol, 2010). However, incorporating arts into the general education classroom, and into academic subjects, can potentially have positive outcomes such as allowing students to . Students who learn with an integrated approach are often inspired to broaden their conceptions of the world, and themselves, and to obtain and use knowledge in an authentic way (Brand & Triplett, 2012).make authentic connections across disciplines. “A common thread …

Let’S Make It Real! Approaching Engaged Learning From Authentic Contexts Across Disciplines, Emerging Case Studies From Southern Cross University, Kristin A. Den Exter, Jonathan Purdy, Adele Wessell, Elizabeth Reimer, Pascal Scherrer, Michael B. Whelan

Dr Kristin den Exter

Exceptionally Employable: A Study Of The Value Of Contrasting Educational Modalities Within Christian Liberal Arts Universities In Preparing Students For Employment Suitability, Sam Heinrich

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in suitability of employment of unique student groups (academic clusters) at four geographically dispersed Christian higher education universities (CHEU) as represented broadly by membership in and association with the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). The four academic clusters identified for this study were Residential Traditional Students (RTS), Deferred Professional Students (DPS), Accelerated Traditional Students (ATS) and Other Students. This research used a quantitative quasi-experimental method with an emailed, survey instruments designed to measure the impact of a student’s educational experience on employability through self-efficacy and employment experience. Yorke and …

Designing Authentic Learning Activities To Train Pre-Service Teachers About Teaching Online, Tian Luo, Alexander Murray, Helen Crompton

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Online learning is increasingly being used in K-12 learning environments. A concomitant trend is found towards learning becoming authentic as students learn with tasks that are connected to real-world occupations. In this study, 48 pre-service teachers use an online environment to engage in authentic practice as they developed online learning experiences for their future students. Using a design-based research methodology, the researchers were involved in planning, designing, implementing, and evaluating the higher education class across two macro cycles. An authentic learning framework was utilized in the development of the class. Findings explicate the design of the course and how it …

Gaining Proficiency In French Through Service Learning: An Action Research Project With Secondary French Students In California And Secondary Students In A French School In France, Stephanie R. Richards

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Engaging in service learning at the high school level in a world language classroom is integral to gaining oral proficiency in the target language. Service learning helps students to see the practical application of the language and it increases student motivation. In many high schools, students have limited opportunities to engage in authentic experiences, use the target language outside of the classroom or with native speakers and they cannot envision practical application for the language. Through the implementation and evaluation of this service-learning project this study aims to increase the opportunity to use French in authentic situations and therefore increase …

Wikipedia Editing And Information Literacy: A Case Study, Lydia Dawe, Ainslie Robinson

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Purpose: This paper aims to evaluate the success of a Wikipedia editing assessment designed to improve the information literacy skills of a cohort of first-year undergraduate health sciences students.

Design/methodology/approach: In this action research case study (known hereafter as “the project” to differentiate this action research from the students’ own research), students researched, wrote and published Wikipedia articles on Australia-centric health topics. Students were given a pre- and post-test to assess levels of self-confidence in finding, evaluating and referencing information. Student work was also analysed in terms of article length and quantity and the type of information sources used.

Findings: …

Augmented Reality In K-12 Education, Lisabeth J. Leighton, Helen Crompton

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Today the world revolves around technology in daily tasks. Society uses technology to communicate, trade, for business, politics, and to education. Through education, Augmented Reality (AR) takes on a new purpose. AR enables students to reach a higher level of education, and teachers to efficiently engage students to see real-world situations. The use of technology in classrooms is currently on the rise; but how are teachers using AR within their classrooms to engage and education children? This chapter discusses literature and research supporting the AR affordances in K-12 Education.

The Effects Of Project-Based Learning On The Academic And Linguistic Achievement Of Emergent Bilingual Learners: A Mixed Methods Approach, Melinda Hardy

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods study examined the academic and linguistic impact of teaching emergent bilingual leaners through robotics project-based learning aligned to state standards. Two hundred ten middle school students attending a public charter school in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas participated in the study. Twenty percent of the students were emergent bilingual learners. Qualitative observation notes recorded students’ learning process as they completed an adapted Khan Academy robotics project. The students also completed pre- and post-assessments that quantitatively measured academic and linguistic gains. Emergent bilingual learners grew 20.1% points in academic content and 28.6% points in language development (p …

Examination Of An Independent School’S Site-Based Summer Program, Susan W. Keogh

All Theses And Dissertations

This study examined the summer program offered by a pre-kindergarten through grade twelve independent school. Three levels of theory, individual, group, and organizational, were utilized to analyze the experiences of students and instructors. The variety of opportunities and instructional design elements, the intentional alignment to the traditional school year, collegial discussions connecting summer learning and the school year, and evidence of the school’s mission were examined.

Findings revealed a wide-range of educational experiences and the benefits of continuous learning that are evident the following school year. Class designs incorporated instructional elements supported by individual learning theories. Academic standards and expectations …

Student Authored Digital Games As Authentic Learning: Using The Can You Create A Game Challenge In Elementary Classrooms, Mary Leanna Prater

Theses and Dissertations--Curriculum and Instruction

This embedded single-case study examined an elementary classroom implementation of a digital game authoring challenge aligned with state mandated content standards. Teachers used the game challenge over four 50 minute class periods during a three month period of time. A total of twenty five (n=25) 4th grade students, nine (n=9) 5th grade students and three (n=3) STEM teachers participated in the study.

The central research question for this study is: How do elementary teachers use a game challenge specifically aligned with Common Core/Next Generation Science (NGSS) state standards for instruction? Qualitative data, drawn from participating teacher interviews, classroom observations, student …

Adaptive Change For An All Boys College Preparatory Public Middle School: A Change Leadership Project, Carla L. Sparks Dr.

Dissertations

As a result of district, state, and national attention on academic achievement, as measured by state assessment tests and end of course examinations, teacher and school leaders at the school identified for this Change Leadership Project (CLP) have worked diligently to raise student rigor and achievement. However, they have used largely instructional practices that rely heavily on the work of educators rather than emphasizing the engagement of students. This CLP provides the basis for a paradigm shift in instructional practice that promotes a full understanding of the value of authentic learning, project based learning, exhibitions of mastery, and capstone projects …

The Role Of Interdisciplinary Gis And Data Curation Librarians In Enhancing Authentic Scientific Research In The Classroom, Benjamin D. Branch, Michael Fosmire

Michael Fosmire

Data science is a recently evolved area of scientific inquiry, where data, often collected by others, is analyzed by independent investigators to draw new conclusions. As such, data literacy needs to be incorporated into authentic research activities. The earth sciences in particular have a trove of data that resides in national data centers as well as individual investigators’ labs, which can be repurposed to provide the inputs for students to make their own inquiries into the data. With the amount of data available, students can make more substantive conclusions than if relying just on data they’ve collected themselves.

Engaging Students Through Assessment: The Success And Limitations Of The Aspal (Authentic Self And Peer Assessment For Learning) Model, Sean P. Kearney, Tim Perkins

Education Papers and Journal Articles

In 2011 the authors created a model of self- and peer-assessment known as Authentic Self and Peer Assessment for Learning (ASPAL) in an attempt to better engage seemingly disengaged students in their undergraduate coursework. The model focuses on authentic assessment tasks and engages students by involving them in every step of the process from the creation of the criteria on which they will be marked, through to providing exemplars of work, pilot marking and providing peer feedback. This article examines the ASPAL process with regard to whether or not the students are better engaged in their studies as a result …

The Effects Of Applying Authentic Learning Strategies To Develop Computational Thinking Skills In Computer Literacy Students, Wendye Dianne Mingo

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study attempts to determine if authentic learning strategies can be used to acquire knowledge of and increase motivation for computational thinking. Over 600 students enrolled in a computer literacy course participated in this study which involved completing a pretest, posttest and motivation survey. The students were divided into an experimental and control group based on class meeting day. The experimental group was given access to an authentic learning tool called COTHAULE. COTHAULE, which is an acronym that stands for Computational Thinking Authentic Learning Environment, is a website that was developed using a variety of technologies. The intellection behind COTHAULE …