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Full-Text Articles in Education
The Integration Of Ipads In Secondary Schools: Improving Students’ Writing Proficiency And Learning Achievement During The Note-Taking Process, Josephine Borchert
The Integration Of Ipads In Secondary Schools: Improving Students’ Writing Proficiency And Learning Achievement During The Note-Taking Process, Josephine Borchert
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this study was: To what extent does the integration of iPads in secondary school classrooms impact students’ writing proficiency and learning achievement, especially during the note-taking process? The topics reviewed in the literature include the difficulties students face with writing, how poor writing skills impact overall proficiency as well as learning achievement, and the various methods of note-taking, starting with the pen-and-paper method leading to digital note-taking. The website created for the project focuses on informing teachers about different writing strategies and note-taking methods to help students increase their writing skills during the note-taking process. …
Problem Based Learning And Improved Student Engagement, Equity And Learning Outcomes In High School Social Studies, Nicholas Misenor
Problem Based Learning And Improved Student Engagement, Equity And Learning Outcomes In High School Social Studies, Nicholas Misenor
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research shows that a curriculum with a focus on Problem Based Learning (PBL) can improve student engagement, provide classroom equity and achieve positive learning outcomes to high school students. The core instructional tenets of PBL include student choice, inquiry, and collaborative learning that are key elements in improving motivation, higher order and critical thinking. PBL encourages students to engage in their learning, ask deeper questions, and reflect on the process fostering important metacognitive skills. Assessments in a PBL format are built to gauge student understanding and are used as an analytical tool to close gaps in learning while allowing students …
The Potential Impact Of Creating A Justice And Equity Credential On Student Achievement And A&I Retention & Persistence, Jeremy Rupp
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This research paper explores the potential impact of introducing a Justice & Equity Credential and an Achievement and Integration (A&I) License on educational equity in Minnesota. Drawing on a comprehensive literature review and original empirical data collected through surveys and interviews, the study investigates the efficacy of credentialing and licensing frameworks in addressing systemic disparities in educational systems pointed at both students and practitioners of A&I. The findings underscore the critical need for targeted interventions to promote equity in A&I programming, highlighting the role of professional development, cultural responsiveness, and accountability in supporting staff retention and fostering equitable outcomes for …
Math Educators, Positive Student Mindsets, And Math Centers, Riki Baker
Math Educators, Positive Student Mindsets, And Math Centers, Riki Baker
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
It is a math educator’s job to help each student develop academic, emotional, behavioral, and social skills in a supportive and rigorous instructional environment. Reinforcing a growth mindset is the pinnacle of successful teaching and learning. However, there are always experiences that deter students from feeling like they can become successful in an area or multiple areas. Instructional time can become feared and mindsets can become fixed. It could even potentially become a lifelong source of trauma. Math is perhaps one of the most notorious content areas that induce feelings of fear, failure, and perpetual condemnation. Teaching strategies play an …
Teaching Non-Experimental Chemistry Content Through The Pairing Of Strategically Curated Data Sets And Model-Based Inquiry, Andrew Banker
Teaching Non-Experimental Chemistry Content Through The Pairing Of Strategically Curated Data Sets And Model-Based Inquiry, Andrew Banker
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Historically science education has seemed to be in a pendulum swing battle between prioritizing teaching science content or science practices. The Next Generation Science Standards sought to synthesize both priorities in their Framework. Minnesota high schools will face a new wave of Science MCA tests in the 2024-2025 school year that will reflect the 2019 Minnesota science standards and thereby the Next Generation Science Standards. The curricular resource presented in this project is a valuable template for how high school science teachers can pursue meeting the parallel goals of teaching science content and science practices as the new standards …
Utilizing Storytelling In A High School Ecology And Cell Energy Unit, Katherine Shealy
Utilizing Storytelling In A High School Ecology And Cell Energy Unit, Katherine Shealy
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this Capstone project was: How is student learning impacted when storytelling and knowledge from Native American tribes are used to create a high school biology unit on ecology and cell energy? The following topics that were focused on during this project were changes to science teaching, culturally responsive teaching, storytelling in science, the effects of using standards and standardized testing, the New Generation Science Standards, and equity and diversity in science learning. The curriculum created for this project included the story of and focused on Minneopa State Park in Mankato, Minnesota, a historically important site …
How Can Culturally-Responsive Instruction Help Middle And High School Teachers Address Muslim Students' Needs?, Mona Aly
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This capstone project explores how middle and high school teachers can create positive relationships with Muslim students by using culturally responsive instruction. Educators must understand that Muslim students have unique cultural identities based on their religious beliefs. Regardless of nationality, language, skin color, or cultural background, all Muslims are bound by these Islamic cultural practices. These practices directly impact students’ academic progress, social life, and self-esteem. By familiarizing themselves with these cultural and religious practices, teachers can better relate to Muslim students and address their social and academic needs. I seek answers to this research question by discussing four main …
The Impact Of Universal Learning Strategies On Teacher Burnout In A Project-Based-Learning Secondary School, Benjamin Tuthill
The Impact Of Universal Learning Strategies On Teacher Burnout In A Project-Based-Learning Secondary School, Benjamin Tuthill
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This study addresses the question: how do universal learning strategies impact teacher burnout at a project-based-learning secondary school? Interventions against teacher burnout frequently emphasize psychological strategies such as mindfulness exercises and cognitive-behavioral therapy despite inconsistent evidence that these practices have a significant impact on measurable burnout. This study presents an alternative and explores the impact of pedagogical practice on teacher burnout. Recent studies suggest that decreased workload and increased teacher/student autonomy lead to decreased levels of burnout; as a result, this study measures the impact of universal learning, a low-workload, high-autonomy pedagogy most prominently studied in the work of political …
Implementation Of Movement Integration In The Classroom, Maren Armstrong
Implementation Of Movement Integration In The Classroom, Maren Armstrong
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research has illustrated that the involvement of movement and physical activity in the classroom can be utilized to achieve a variety of positive outcomes. This paper explores the concept of movement integration in regards to its effects on classroom management, student engagement, and childhood obesity. While the body of literature on movement integration is extensive, there has not been a defined “best practice” providing exact allotments of timing, type, duration, or intensity for implementation. The intent of this project is to synthesize current research and organize the types of movement integration that had common results. The website and professional development …
Using Video Games To Teach Social Studies, Model Careers, And Develop Environmental Identities Within Our Classrooms, Luke Stahlmann
Using Video Games To Teach Social Studies, Model Careers, And Develop Environmental Identities Within Our Classrooms, Luke Stahlmann
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Decades of research point towards great, but unfortunately untapped, potential video games provide classrooms for meaningful learning and enrichment. Despite a lot of academic thought being poured into the subject of video games’ educational value, we do not see them being used commonly within classrooms or even cohesively studied as different games are focused on and successes are measured in non uniform ways. The content created for this project focuses on taking much of the academic foundation or merit of learning through video games and advocates them to a general audience alongside modern games that exemplify learning principles covered. The …
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 …
The Benefits Of Utilizing Technology In The Physical Education Classroom, Brooke Benecke
The Benefits Of Utilizing Technology In The Physical Education Classroom, Brooke Benecke
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
As a first-year teacher in a school with a high English learner population, I struggled to communicate with my students. As I began creating visuals and short videos for them, I saw both their confidence and their skills improve. This experience led me to my research question: How can technology enhance learning in a physical education classroom? In what ways can it be implemented? Thus, I created a website full of technology tools that will benefit the physical education classroom. During the research process, a lot of valuable information was found about the current trends of technology and how important …
Bridging The Gap Between Language Learning, Technology & Community: The Importance And Viability Of A Language Learning Mobile Application That Will Connect Users To Each Other Based On Location To The English As A Second Language Community, Parinaz Kassemi
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this study was: what is the importance and viability of a language-learning mobile application that will connect users to each other based on location to the English as a Second Language Community. The topics explored in the review of the literature include what a mobile application is, the current language learning applications that are available, the openness to technology in education, and the future of mobile apps. Six different adults who spoke more than one language took a short survey in which I collected some feedback on the perceived usefulness of having a language learning …
Professional Development Activities: Understanding How Cultural Stigmas Impact The Participation Of Japanese English Learners In Universities, Peter Rom
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
According to a variety of research and literature, existing cultural stigmas in Japanese society and education creates a classroom culture gap between native English teachers (NETs) and Japanese English learners (ELs) at the university level. The specific cultural gap in question is on the differences in cultural expectations regarding participation between NETs and Japanese ELs. The result of this classroom cultural gap generally results in a silent and non-productive class. To combat this issue, I have designed a total of 15 professional development (PD) activities. The project employs culturally relevant pedagogy as understood by Ladson-Billing, and it is specifically designed …
Play-Based Learning For Young Students, Katherine Marston
Play-Based Learning For Young Students, Katherine Marston
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Kindergarten has become a grade level that includes intensive academic demands. The literature reviewed in this capstone states that pushing academic skills upon early learners when they are not developmentally ready can be detrimental to their success. The research shows that play has vast benefits for early learners and should be considered an essential classroom activity. While this is the case, the time allotted for play during the kindergarten school day is steadily decreasing. This capstone uses literature along with the creation of a professional development workshop and stakeholder presentations to answer the question: How might stakeholder support be garnered …
Growing Mindset And Goals: A Blog Designed To Lead Intrinsic Motivation In Students, Alison Prahl
Growing Mindset And Goals: A Blog Designed To Lead Intrinsic Motivation In Students, Alison Prahl
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research conducted by Dr. Carol Dweck clearly demonstrates the importance of building a foundation of growth mindset in order to build resiliency in students. Not only does this resiliency help students overcome challenges but also supports students in building lifelong skills, such as: forming and carrying out goals, receiving and utilizing feedback, and increasing intrinsic motivation in a variety of settings. The educational blog designed for this project focuses on sharing research relating to mindset theory, gifted students, goal setting, feedback, intrinsic motivation in adolescents, and curriculum materials. It also provides educators with free resources to begin implementing a combination …
Using Informational Websites To Foster A Connection Between Outdoor Education And State Park Preservation, Amanda Eckart
Using Informational Websites To Foster A Connection Between Outdoor Education And State Park Preservation, Amanda Eckart
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
There is no shortage in research depicting the physical, mental and social benefits that students receive when they participate in outdoor learning. However, there were many barriers preventing classroom educators from taking their lessons into local nature areas. Two of these barriers being educator’s lack of confidence teaching outside and their unfamiliarity with local state parks. This led to the creation of the research question: How can websites and blogs help educators foster a connection between outdoor education and state parks? How can this connection benefit students and state parks? The research used in an attempt to answer this question …
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 …
How Can Incorporating Games And Activities Enhance Learning In Environmental Education?, Joan Fasanella
How Can Incorporating Games And Activities Enhance Learning In Environmental Education?, Joan Fasanella
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this capstone was how can incorporating games and activities enhance learning in Environmental Education ? The motivation for this question was to find a way to make learning fun and engaging for participants on many levels while reinforcing lesson objectives. When adding games and activities to traditional lesson plans, the learning shifts to become student-led discovery learning (Anwer, 2019). This type of learning fosters critical thinking and cooperative learning that translate into life skills (Kuo et al., 2019; Volk & Cheak, 2003). Further documentation points to benefits for ADHD and other behavior disorders from interactive …
Increasing 4th Grade Student Engagement Through Technology And Other Strategies, Brennan Dickinsen
Increasing 4th Grade Student Engagement Through Technology And Other Strategies, Brennan Dickinsen
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Finding ways to engage students in the classroom can be a challenge over the course of the school year. Over the years the focus and attention of students has seemed to shorten. This has led to teachers having a harder time to find ways to engage students in a lesson for a longer period of time. I have been an educator in fourth and fifth grade classrooms for six years and I have noticed this trend as well. This has motivated me to research and look deeper into this issue. My question is how can technology and other strategies increase …
Personalized Reading Strategies And Tools To Support Struggling Third Grade Readers, Rebecca Antil
Personalized Reading Strategies And Tools To Support Struggling Third Grade Readers, Rebecca Antil
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
A common concern among elementary school teachers involves supporting students who struggle with reading. This capstone project provides a combination of tools to aid elementary school teachers in the support of struggling readers, specifically third-grade students, through motivation, environmental influences, time opportunities, and effective practice with comprehension and fluency. This project and the review of literature help to answer the capstone question, What personalized tools and reading strategies best support struggling third-grade readers? According to literature, a reader’s motivation, emotions, and environment play critical roles in the growth of students who struggle with reading success which is synthesized throughout this …
Three-Dimensional Learning And The Phenomena Based Learning Approach With A Stem Curriculum, Shana Hoglund
Three-Dimensional Learning And The Phenomena Based Learning Approach With A Stem Curriculum, Shana Hoglund
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this capstone project is: How do three-dimensional learning and phenomenon-based learning approaches increase the authentic learning experience for students in elementary STEM classes? The focus of this project was to research the new learning approaches being proposed by the Next Generation Science Standards. Three-dimensional and phenomenon-based learning are utilized in the goal to better understand how these new approaches will be best used in an elementary STEM classroom. The research focuses on the importance and need of STEM education in an elementary setting. The project is a nine-lesson STEM unit on energy conservation for first …
Advisors Help You Get There: Personalized Learning Plans In The Alternative School, Christy Irrgang
Advisors Help You Get There: Personalized Learning Plans In The Alternative School, Christy Irrgang
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
As has been discussed in many venues, the achievement gap continues to be a problem for underserved learners of all ages, and it also poses issues for the larger society. Personalized learning plans and specialized advisories that utilize culturally contextualized learning may improve student outcomes and help close the achievement gap. The theoretical backing used to design this project for an urban Indigenous alternative school included personalized learning, culturally relevant pedagogy, teacher-student relationships, and advisement programs. Outlined herein is a year-long program, but three- and five-year implementation models are also provided. The concepts may be successful in other alternative schools …
An Equitable Educational Experience For All: Strategies For Secondary General Education Teachers To Meet The Learning Needs Of Special Education Students Learning In Their Classrooms, Joseph Z. Walker
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This capstone project focuses on the issue of providing equitable educational experiences for all students. More specifically, the project examines the most effective strategies for secondary general education teachers to provide modifications, accommodations, and differentiation for special education students in the areas of instruction and assessment. A central tenet of contemporary special education policy is the principle of inclusion. In accordance with this principle, students with special needs are increasingly learning in the general education classroom among their peers. This places an additional responsibility upon general education teachers to ensure that they are meeting the unique learning needs of special …
A Test Of Project-Based, Learner-Centered Pedagogy In A High-Needs, Urban Charter School, Michael Padgett
A Test Of Project-Based, Learner-Centered Pedagogy In A High-Needs, Urban Charter School, Michael Padgett
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This study addressed the following research question: How does a project-based, learner-centered pedagogical approach affect the learning, classroom experience and overall academic engagement of traditionally-marginalized and disadvantaged high school students? It documents the process of executing a project-based, learner-centered pedagogical approach toward teaching at a high-needs charter school located in a midwestern urban environment. Throughout the project process, participants engaged in a buy-in phase, project planning phase, research phase, project building phase, presentation phase and a reflection phase with the aim of studying how student learning, classroom experience and overall academic engagement are affected throughout each phase and the process …
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 …
Effects Of Evaluative Praise Versus Behavior Descriptive Praise On Intrinsic Motivation And Behavior, Stacie Mccormack
Effects Of Evaluative Praise Versus Behavior Descriptive Praise On Intrinsic Motivation And Behavior, Stacie Mccormack
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The author’s research inquiry was: what is the impact of behavior descriptive praise and evaluative praise on intrinsic student motivation and behavior? The literature states that using evaluative praise can cause a ‘fixed mindset’ where a child is fearful of trying new tasks, and confused on the desired behavior of the educator. Moreover using behavior descriptive praise allows children to view effort and working hard a positive aspect of learning, while the educator is able to easily establish clear expectations for the students. This study took place over a four month period with two different third grade art classes. Through …
Flexible Reading Groups And Social Emotional Needs In A First Grade Classroom, Miranda Pogulis
Flexible Reading Groups And Social Emotional Needs In A First Grade Classroom, Miranda Pogulis
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The goal of this curriculum design project is to design and integrate new lessons in my current first grade reading program that will enable students the opportunity to grow as a reader at the same time they are also strengthening their social emotional skills. Research from Michael Optiz and others demonstrates that students benefit from working with peers of varying ability levels through flexible groups. Joseph Zins, Roger Weissberg, Margaret Wang, and Herbert Walberg also have research that explains how integrating social emotional learning into the curriculum can be an important factor contributing to students success. Using this research as …
Curriculum Development Using Artistic Inquiry In An Arts Magnet Foundation Class, Debra Bestland
Curriculum Development Using Artistic Inquiry In An Arts Magnet Foundation Class, Debra Bestland
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This project sought to answer the question; how can the skills of artistic inquiry be taught in an Arts Magnet Foundation Class? This project covered the creation of a mental construct for artistic inquiry and development of the first three units of a twelve-unit curriculum. Initially the author established a six-phase model of artistic inquiry which was then implemented in the development of individual units. The six components include: question formulation, annotated research, proposal making, creating with intent, presenting in a public format, and reflecting on the work. Each unit focused on teaching and implementing one of the phases. The …
The Impact Of Risa Oral Interactions On The Acquisition Of Scientific Classification Language For Slife, James Bordewick
The Impact Of Risa Oral Interactions On The Acquisition Of Scientific Classification Language For Slife, James Bordewick
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This research explored the effects of using structured oral interactions as a scaffolding technique on the use and development of scientific classification language and the ability to engage in cognitively more complex academic tasks for students with limited or interrupted formal education. The study took place during a vertebrates unit in an EL newcomers science classroom. Students engaged in an intervention of two cycles of routinized, content-integrated, structured academic (RISA) oral interactions. Students were tasked to classify animals and to record video samples from the prompt, “What kind of animal is this? How do you know?” before and after the …