Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 30 of 54
Full-Text Articles in Education
Implementation Of Co-Teaching To Benefit Students With Unique Needs, Zoe Weiler
Implementation Of Co-Teaching To Benefit Students With Unique Needs, Zoe Weiler
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Throughout this project, the research question analyzed is: How can educators learn to implement co-teaching to benefit students with unique needs in the general education classroom? The review of literature contains various co-teaching matters including the history and rationale for co-teaching, the effects of co-teaching on both students and educators, and various implementation strategies. Co-teaching is very powerful and can increase proficiency levels in a variety of subjects for students with unique learning needs. Research shows that co-teaching encourages a sense of belonging and community in the general education classroom. This teaching strategy is unlike any other because it allows …
Templates For Planning Engaging Secondary Science Class Periods Within A Seven Period Daily Schedule, Christopher Cudnowski
Templates For Planning Engaging Secondary Science Class Periods Within A Seven Period Daily Schedule, Christopher Cudnowski
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Secondary teachers in Minnesota are expected to plan for one hundred and sixty five days of school. With many secondary teachers responsible for teaching more than one unique course each day as part of a seven period class schedule, that is over three hundred individual class periods that need to be prepared. Additionally, student attention span is decreasing, and it is harder to keep students engaged in the material than it has been in the past. In order to combat these challenges, I have identified the different categories of science class periods and developed research based planning templates for each …
Teacher-Student Relationships And Student Behavior, Cassandra Ostergard
Teacher-Student Relationships And Student Behavior, Cassandra Ostergard
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This study addresses the question to what degree do students believe they change their classroom behavior based on teacher-student relationship? This topic is important because it delves into the motivations behind student behavior. This question is tied to past research regarding student-centered learning, teacher-student relationships, and student outcomes related to different classroom factors. The primary method of data collection in this study was a twenty question survey given to four classes of 7th grade students. One student from each class was also interviewed about this same topic. Overall, it was found that teacher-student relationships have an impact on student behavior, …
Equitable And Inclusive Dance Assessment Resources, Christie Owens
Equitable And Inclusive Dance Assessment Resources, Christie Owens
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This capstone inquires, how can the Minnesota K-12 Dance Standards (revised 2018) lay a practical framework for dance educators to create equitable and inclusive assessments for student success? A dance teacher addresses the need to expand how standards and success are defined in educational dance, noting circumstances where students of dance outside the dominant culture in the United States experience fewer feelings of inclusion and success when dance standards, curriculum, and assessment do not encompass what success looks like for them given their historical and cultural identities, hindering student ability to become self-actualized and wholistically educated artists. Through a review …
Using Citizen Science To Create Meaningful Learning Experiences And Enhance The Learning Of Science For Second Grade Students, Rebecca Barton
Using Citizen Science To Create Meaningful Learning Experiences And Enhance The Learning Of Science For Second Grade Students, Rebecca Barton
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Citizen science is a new and growing field of research that brings about new knowledge and understanding through the collaboration of citizens in scientific research. As citizen science continues to grow, it is essential to consider its potential to encourage education and learning opportunities. The capstone focuses on answering the question: How can citizen science create meaningful learning experiences and enhance the learning of science for second grade students? Participation in citizen science projects can assist in developing science literacy, enhance learning, increase interest in science, increase understanding of the scientific process, and connect students with the world around them. …
Trauma-Informed Mathematics: Using Portfolios To Promote Reflection And Resilience, Ethan Somes
Trauma-Informed Mathematics: Using Portfolios To Promote Reflection And Resilience, Ethan Somes
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Mathematics has a reputation for being abstract, complex, and for many, incomprehensible. In schools, it is common for students to dislike math and to feel self-conscious about their abilities or performance. The typical structure of math assessments, namely tests that are time constricted and highly stressful, creates a cycle of poor performance, disengagement, and high anxiety. This suggests that a new way of assessing students is needed, one that shows the fuller picture of students' math capabilities. This leads to the research question: how can the use of portfolios in math class help students begin to heal from trauma or …
Developing An Outdoor Learning Area And Guidebook For The Elementary Grades, Jordyn Kern
Developing An Outdoor Learning Area And Guidebook For The Elementary Grades, Jordyn Kern
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research has shown that outdoor education has major benefits for school-age children (Yildirim & Akamca, 2017). These benefits include increased academic success, better social-emotional development, better physical development, and better mental and physical health (Suttie, 2018). The guidebook designed for this project focuses on how to increase those five things in children across the country. The goal of the guidebook is to increase outdoor education within classrooms throughout the United States and eventually, the world. The guidebook is geared towards elementary school teachers but can be adapted to fit any grade, time frame, and experience level of the teacher. The …
Helping High School English Learners Self-Regulate Their Writing Development Through Formative Assessments, Pamela Madsen
Helping High School English Learners Self-Regulate Their Writing Development Through Formative Assessments, Pamela Madsen
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The goal of many educators is to prepare students for lifelong learning, yet something about the U.S. school system is having the opposite effect; while students begin their educational journey with curiosity and excitement, somewhere along the way, their thirst for knowledge is extinguished and replaced with the goal of just getting by. This is especially true for English learners who are often overwhelmed with the simultaneous learning of language and content and whose diverse backgrounds create diverse needs. Through exploring the theory of self-regulated learning, characteristics of effective formative assessment, and how best to meet the cultural and …
Effects Of A Nontraditional Multi-Age Learning Environment On Academic And Social-Emotional Learning: A Case Study, Nicole Black
Effects Of A Nontraditional Multi-Age Learning Environment On Academic And Social-Emotional Learning: A Case Study, Nicole Black
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this study was: how are struggling, elementary-aged students’ academic and social-emotional learning impacted by a nontraditional, multi-age learning environment? Topics explored in the review of the literature include struggling learners, academic performance, social-emotional learning, and learning environments. The case study was based on a pilot program, in which 22 students with academic and social-emotional needs were co-taught by three teachers in a multi-age, grades 2-4 environment. To answer the research question, qualitative and quantitative academic and social-emotional data was collected over a nine-week period. Individual goals were set for and with students in the areas …
The Importance Of Math Fact Automaticity, Jessica Olson
The Importance Of Math Fact Automaticity, Jessica Olson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The retention of math facts is a critical step when it comes to solving mathematical equations. The website I designed for my project addresses this topic. It focuses on giving students, teachers and parents the research, tips and resources they need to be successful. Research shows that automaticity with math facts can lessen the academic load of students and also be a predictor of future math success. Using strategies such as interleaving, engaging with manipulatives and learning mnemonic devices has been shown to positively affect one’s recall of basic facts. However, drilling and mindless repetition has a much more negative …
Social Presence Theory: Creating Engaging And Strong Online Learning Communities At The K-12 Level, Abigail Amundson
Social Presence Theory: Creating Engaging And Strong Online Learning Communities At The K-12 Level, Abigail Amundson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
Social presence theory is “the degree to which a person is perceived as a real person in mediated communication” (Gunawardena, 1995). Enhancing student’s perception of social presence increases instructional effectiveness and learning in an online learning environment. To increase perceived social presence, teachers must use techniques and interaction skills to build an online classroom community. There is not a lot of research on social presence theory in K-12 online learning environments so the purpose of this study was to find tools and strategies that create a strong online learning environments and to find if there is a relation between social …
A Capstone Project Concerning Social Justice In Secondary Science Education, Jacob Skerletts
A Capstone Project Concerning Social Justice In Secondary Science Education, Jacob Skerletts
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Minnesota began collecting and analyzing the graduation rates of different student demographics starting in 2012. This has led to the exposure of the Achievement Gap, in which students of color graduate from high school at an alarmingly low rate compared to white students. Minnesota ranks nationally at the bottom for the graduation rates of students of color. This Capstone Project had the driving question of, How can secondary science teachers bring Social Justice into the classroom in order to help close the Achievement Gap? The literature reviewed showed that effectively using Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Disaggregate Pedagogy can increase intellectual …
Combining Cognitively Guided Instruction With Required Mathematics Curriculum To Improve Overall Number Sense And Problem Solving Skill, Anna Becker
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Elementary school mathematics instruction often moves quickly from one to one correspondence to algorithms and rote exercises, leaving students with procedural knowledge but lacking in number sense and problem solving skills. Teachers follow the required curriculum to ensure success on assessments but skip over important instructional time that leads to number sense and a deeper understanding. Bringing Cognitively Guided Instruction into the classroom will improve students’ problem solving skills while also strengthening their number sense. This project provides educators with a full unit of detailed lesson plans for the kindergarten classroom. It also includes an outline of another unit with …
Virtual Distance Learning: How Teachers And Parents/Guardians Can Help Increase Elementary School Students’ Engagement, Joceline Rita
Virtual Distance Learning: How Teachers And Parents/Guardians Can Help Increase Elementary School Students’ Engagement, Joceline Rita
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Although distance learning has existed since the 1700s, it was not until the COVID-19 pandemic that the general public was introduced to it. UNESCO (2020) estimated that there are 290.5 million elementary and secondary students in 184 countries whose education was derailed as a result of school closures caused by the pandemic. Due to the suddenness of the situation, teachers along with parents/guardians had to find tools and resources in order to make sure that students could get a high-quality education during virtual distance learning. The key to achieving that is student engagement. Now that the general public has been …
Impact Of Implementing Differentiated Spelling Curriculum On Student Spelling Ability Using Words Their Way (2012), Kaleigh Fuchs
Impact Of Implementing Differentiated Spelling Curriculum On Student Spelling Ability Using Words Their Way (2012), Kaleigh Fuchs
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Spelling is an area that can be overlooked within the subject of English Language Arts, and deemed unnecessary by some due to modern technology. When spelling is taught, it is often taught traditionally using rote memorization with the whole class working on the same word list. These words are considered difficult for some students and simple for others. This capstone looks at the concepts of differentiation and developmental spelling word study through the spelling program Words Their Way (2012). This capstone project uses literature as well as action research results to provide insight on the focus of the capstone, differentiated …
Student-Teacher Relationships In An Alternative Setting, Stefanie Soukup
Student-Teacher Relationships In An Alternative Setting, Stefanie Soukup
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This capstone explores how positive and negative relationships can make a difference in an alternative learning setting and how they impact student’s academic performance and classroom behavior. The paper researches three theories that can impact a student’s relationship with their teacher, those theories are: Attribution Theory, Noddings Theory, and Attachment Theory. A research study that consisted of a student survey and an examination of student’s grades to see if there is a connection between the students' feelings and them passing or failing classes. Ultimately, this study helped identify a connection between the two. Finally, the final chapter of this paper …
Trauma, Trust, And Academic Achievement Stories Shared By High School Dropouts, Vicci Una Johnson
Trauma, Trust, And Academic Achievement Stories Shared By High School Dropouts, Vicci Una Johnson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This qualitative research study is based on interviews with twelve adults who dropped out of high school before earning their diploma. Participants were asked several semi-structured open-ended questions. The Primary research question is: How do adults earning their high school diploma describe what stopped them from graduating on time? The participants shared stories of family trauma. The Secondary research question is: Who did you trust in your family or at school to ask for advice or help with any issue? Nine of the twelve participants responded they would not trust a parent, teacher, counselor, or school social worker to advise …
Impact Of Homework On Learning, James Mcpherson
Impact Of Homework On Learning, James Mcpherson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Homework is a common feature in many middle and high school classrooms around the world, but it is not always utilized effectively. In some instances, homework is assigned with little consideration for its effectiveness and the impact it has on students. Extensive research has been conducted on the topic of homework and its impact on learning and on students. This research indicates that homework can sometimes provide benefit to the student when designed appropriately, but its benefit has a limited impact. This project explores the various reasons that teachers have for assigning homework, such as practice, communication, or as a …
Best Practices For Professional Development Of Alc Teachers To Assist Gifted And Talented Students, Julia Wallner
Best Practices For Professional Development Of Alc Teachers To Assist Gifted And Talented Students, Julia Wallner
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
According to the Minnesota Department of Education, most recent statistics suggest that 11,180 of Minnesota’s students attended an Alternative Learning Center (MDE, 2018). An Alternative Learning Center (ALC) provides a safe learning environment for students who are either at risk of not graduating, or struggling to strive in a traditional public schooling system amongst a plethora of other reasons personal to a student. Many ALCs provide less traditional learning options such as project based learning and experiential learning such as work based learning opportunities (Owens, 2016). Many people think of an ALC as a place where at-risk or failing students …
Program Design: A Practical Guide For Creating El Programs With A Focus On Social-Emotional Development, Brigitta Bognar Cronin
Program Design: A Practical Guide For Creating El Programs With A Focus On Social-Emotional Development, Brigitta Bognar Cronin
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project was, how can English Language (EL) teachers design a program that best serves the social-emotional needs of English Learners (ELs)? The author of this capstone documented her personal experience as a first-year teacher, which inspired her to research methods to improve students’ social-emotional skill sets. The available research on social-emotional learning was merged with theories concerning second language learning to create a framework that addresses the social-emotional learning of ELs. A website was created for secondary EL teachers featuring articles and teaching resources.
Tilting The Floor: Uncovering Leadership Factors Teachers And Principals Attribute To Math Growth Rate In Two Title I Schools, Stephanie Hiatt
Tilting The Floor: Uncovering Leadership Factors Teachers And Principals Attribute To Math Growth Rate In Two Title I Schools, Stephanie Hiatt
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This qualitative case study investigated the two highest math growth rates at two Title I schools in a mid-size, Midwestern school district. This research focused on the leadership factors that may have attributed to the math growth rate. Open-ended interviews, structured interviews, surveys, focus groups, and document analysis were used to collect data. This study uncovered the leadership factors teachers and principals attributed to the math growth rate. The focus of this study was on leadership decisions made before and after students walked into and out of the classroom that have an effect on math achievement. This study also explored …
How Does Enriched Differentiated Small-Group Instruction At The Middle-School Level Accelerated Learning And Promote Community?, Kathleen A. Bernard
How Does Enriched Differentiated Small-Group Instruction At The Middle-School Level Accelerated Learning And Promote Community?, Kathleen A. Bernard
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The question addressed in this capstone project was guided by the demanding need for customized differentiated enriched learning experiences at the middle-school level. It documents why providing customized enriched learning experiences through small-group instruction for all students is necessary to help close educational opportunity gaps, improve academic growth and to create stronger communities of understanding and connectedness. It is founded in the learning and understanding of differentiation and self-determination theory. The frame of the project guides middle-school teachers through the process of understanding the importance of small-group instruction, provides them with structural classroom framework options and cultivates time for collaboration …
How To Improve High-Risk High School Student Achievement And Well-Being Through Using Best Practices, Particularly In An Alternative Setting, Laura Lopez Dahl
How To Improve High-Risk High School Student Achievement And Well-Being Through Using Best Practices, Particularly In An Alternative Setting, Laura Lopez Dahl
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Many high-risk students struggle in education and find it difficult to be successful in mainstream educational settings. Alternative educational programs (AEP) are used as an intervention for students who are struggling in the mainstream setting and are at risk for failure. Students in AEP programs have an opportunity to overcome their barriers and achieve graduation as opposed to dropping out or getting their general education diploma (GED). Many of the students in these programs struggle with adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and have had negative educational experiences. This capstone project addresses the research question: How to improve high-risk high school achievement …
How Can Educators Make Use Of Feedback Types And Process To Optimize Student Performance?, Trang Nguyen
How Can Educators Make Use Of Feedback Types And Process To Optimize Student Performance?, Trang Nguyen
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Feedback is one of the most common educational tools, which is frequently used in classrooms among multiple fields and grades. Although teachers use it to improve students’ learning, not all feedback would impact students positively. Instead, some feedback can be ineffective or damaging to learners, leading to a decrease in educators’ teaching productivity. This paper strives to answer the question, How can educators make use of feedback types and process to optimize student performance? It addresses research surrounding feedback and categorizes it based on four factors: positivity, levels, language used, and forms of feedback. From the research findings, this paper …
Implementation Of Standards-Based Grading In Secondary Settings, David Schreiner
Implementation Of Standards-Based Grading In Secondary Settings, David Schreiner
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Current grading methods in secondary settings lack a basis in research and deserve to be scrutinized for their accuracy and fairness. The current literature points to a problem of accuracy and a lack of sound measurement theory principles concerning the grading of students. The problem of accuracy and fairness is not one of miscalculations by computer software, but rather of misrepresenting the level of content mastery that students have attained. Standards-Based Instruction and Grading seeks to be the answer to this problem of practice. Standards-Based Instruction is defined as tailoring and aligned classroom content to align with standards while Standards-Based …
The Influence Of Student Self-Reflection On Academic Mindset Change, Kate Peck
The Influence Of Student Self-Reflection On Academic Mindset Change, Kate Peck
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of my research is to determine how student academic self-reflections influence overall mindset change regarding school. I will be working with small groups of 9th and 10th grade students who are receiving high grades in most of their classes, yet are getting a D or F in 1-2 other classes. These students are invited to attend a 6 school day cohort called Lunch & Learn. During these 6 days, I will guide them through self-reflective strategies to help them recognize differences between their classes with higher grades and their classes with lower grades. I will start by asking …
Implementing The Math Workshop Model: Techniques And Benefits, Nicole Middendorf
Implementing The Math Workshop Model: Techniques And Benefits, Nicole Middendorf
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question investigated in this Capstone Project was: what are the necessary components of professional development to support second grade teachers in implementing math workshop? Many instructional techniques that have been incorporated into math classrooms in the past have led to lower levels of understanding and decreased abilities for students to reach higher levels of thinking. When using The Math Workshop model, it provides a framework that allows educators to meet the individual needs of every student through multiple methods and activities. The information provided in the literature review outlines the goals and components of implementation steps for a …
Electronic Portfolios: Best Practices To Help Increase Student Ownership And Engagement In The Third-Grade Classroom, Bridget Farrell
Electronic Portfolios: Best Practices To Help Increase Student Ownership And Engagement In The Third-Grade Classroom, Bridget Farrell
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This project was created to explore the question: what are the best practices related to implementing electronic portfolios that will help increase my third-grade students’ sense of ownership and engagement? The project presents a synthesis of the research related to electronic portfolios; including a definition of electronic portfolio, the various types of electronic portfolios, best implementation practices, and how best practices can help increase students’ sense of ownership and engagement. The project includes the creation of a professional development session aimed at building and improving other educators’ knowledge and practice with electronic portfolio implementation, to positively impact students' learning.
Movement For Learners: Physical Activity Impacting The Academic Performance Of Elementary Students, Kristen Bark
Movement For Learners: Physical Activity Impacting The Academic Performance Of Elementary Students, Kristen Bark
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Physical activity is essential for developing youth to help build their muscles and develop their brains. Though research verifies the importance of movement for health, school systems require very little activity. This capstone uses a compilation of studies from doctors and scientists on physical activity and brain development. The study also incorporates real experiences of teachers adding physical activity in their own curriculum. The collection of this research helps to answer the question, How does physical activity impact academic performance of elementary students? Research concludes that physical activity does have a positive impact on the academic performance of elementary students. …
School Uniform Requirements: Effects On Student Academic Performance, Elizabeth Brobeck
School Uniform Requirements: Effects On Student Academic Performance, Elizabeth Brobeck
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this capstone and subsequent case study were: Do school uniform requirements have an effect on overall student academic performance at one area charter school? In order to gain insight into the complex topic of uniforms, a literature review was conducted. Topics explored included worldwide perspectives on school uniforms, school uniforms in American public schools, the various reasons for and against uniform implementation, and the factors that comprise academic achievement. Upon completing a literature review, a case study was conducted at an area K-8 charter school. The author used a mainly qualitative approach to the case …