Education Commons^™

Examinar El Desarrollo Professional En La Educación Bilingüe (Professional Development In Bilingual Education And Its Effect On Teacher Preparedness), Cody Boozell

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

Thesis: With the expansion of bilingual education, dual immersion teachers are being constantly neglected as a result of the lack of training that they receive, putting them at a disadvantage in meeting the unique demands of being bilingual educator.

Preservice Teachers, Antiracism, And Racial Literacy: Exploring Current Preservice Teachers' Definitions And Perceptions Of Racism And Antiracism Within Teacher Education, Olivia Gabrielle Terrones

Honors Program Theses

In teacher preparation programs across the country, racial discourse has grown in relevance and become an increasingly common aspect of teacher preparation programs. This study will explore the perceptions of preservice teachers on topics of race. Through a research survey of 120 current University of Northern Iowa preservice teachers, this study will explore and analyze how current UNI preservice teachers view and define racism and antiracism, where the participants place themselves on a racial literacy continuum, and how they value antiracist racial literacy in their future careers as teachers. Antiracist education is necessary for teacher education programs because the grade …

Virtual Vs. In-Person Instruction: The Impact Of Teachers' Understanding Of Physics, Madelyn Johnson, Jeff Morgan Ph.D., Lawrence Escalada Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Covid-19 forced nearly all U.S. schools to switch to virtual instruction in March of 2020. With students around the country and world now “Zooming” into class, it begs the question, does this new learning environment impact student learning? Conceptual assessments and observations were used to make conclusions about the differing effectiveness of instructional methods for professional development programs. Although results may indicate in-person instruction is more effective, I believe the most effective method of instruction is hybrid as it takes advantage of both virtual and in-person methods. To enable screen reader support, press Ctrl+Alt+Z To learn about keyboard shortcuts, press …

Exploring The Experiences Of One Team Of Teachers: Well-Being And Navigating The Demands Of The Education Profession, Abby Weiland

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Much is changing in K-12 education contexts, including an emphasis on performativity and accountability (Au, 2016; Connell, 2009). Against this backdrop, teacher burnout and attrition have been the focus of numerous studies, including examination of organizational structures and factors contributing to burnout (Buckley et al., 2005; Konu et al., 2010). Insufficient attention has been given to how teachers are able to navigate the demands of this profession (Matteucci et al., 2017; Wilcox & Lawson, 2018). Efforts to retain teachers should not only emphasize factors associated with burnout or attrition, but also how they are affected by the systems in place, …

Impact Of Inquiry Science Courses On Preservice Elementary Students' Ideas On Science, Lance Charles Baetsle

Graduate Research Papers

This study examines how students' scientific ideas compare between students who have taken different numbers of general science and inquiry science courses at a midwestern university. The purpose of this study is to gain perspective and to inform current teaching practices based on how preservice elementary education teachers view scientific ideas after taking a different number of inquiry science courses. Students in a science inquiry course completed a science survey (Appendix B) of science and non-science questions and were asked to explain their reasoning. A scoring rubric (Wilson et al., 2010) was used to apply a score for correct and …

Pre-Service Students Understanding Of Professional Roles, Anne Whalen Gradoville

Honors Program Theses

This study aims to begin understanding how well pre-service speech-language pathologists and teachers understand their roles in collaboration in the schools. Data were collected from a survey completed by undergraduate and graduate students in the Communication Sciences and Disorders and Education departments at one middle-sized university in the Midwest. Results indicated a wide range of understanding and preparedness. Several themes emerged as to what students feel confident about in terms of collaboration, as well as what they believe they still need to learn before they can be confident in collaborating in the schools. The data provides insight into what pre-service …

Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers: A Program Analysis Of Teacher Education In Iowa And Its Role In Preparing Preservice Teachers For Emergent Bilinguals, Karrigan Alexandria Mentzer

Honors Program Theses

Throughout my time at the University of Northern Iowa, I have had the opportunity to befriend, live, and work with many future teachers studying a variety of fields. We have often discussed the things we were learning in class and what we saw in field experiences. Something we all noticed is that I, as a student majoring in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), was the only one receiving any training about emergent bilingual students that went beyond a passing mention of the topic. This led me to wonder why I was the only one receiving this education, …

My Education Plan: A Teaching Mindset, Joseph Van Zante

Honors Program Theses

The reason that I became a teacher was to help students achieve their full potential. Other people become teachers because they have a passion for working with young kids and seeing them grow. No matter the person and why they became a teacher, they still need to have a plan for how they want to teach. They have to decide what type of teacher they are going to be, how they are going to grade papers, and how much homework to assign. Then over the course of their teaching career they develop and change as a teacher. They learn new …

Prompted Reflective Thinking And Implications For Mathematics Teacher Efficacy In An Elementary Mathematics Methods Course, Brooke Krejci

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Although student-centered mathematics instruction, rooted in constructivism (NCTM, 2014), enhances students’ deep understanding of mathematics, many teachers fail to implement this approach, continuing to use more traditional, procedural instruction (Paolucci, 2015). One reason for these difficulties may be related to their teaching selfefficacy, or a person’s beliefs about their ability to complete a task. Wyatt’s (2016) expanded teacher self-efficacy model incorporates the reflective cycle and emphasizes the importance of reflection in the development of teacher self-efficacy.

This study explored whether encouraging reflection in pre-service teachers may indirectly increase their use of student-centered methods in mathematics by increasing their self-efficacy. The …

Impact Of Positive Psychology In Pk-12 Settings, Daniel Paul Butler

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Educator burnout is threatening the well-being of society, having a financial impact on the United States, as well as influencing the optimal growth of students and the quality of our educational system. Overexposure to stress while trying to meet countlessdemands can lead to burnout and jeopardizeworkforceretention. Stress, burnout, and teacher attrition have reached alarming levels, threatening quality instructionand subsequent student achievement (Steinhardt et al., 2011). The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding ofthe effect of the Happiness Advantage | Orange Frog positive psychology framework and whether schools that employ these techniques experience a significant difference in their …

Fossil Mobiles: Exploring The Process Of Art As Science Inquiry For Elementary Students Through A Grounded Theory Study, Jolene K. Teske, Courtney Clausen, Harun Parpucu, Phyllis Gray, Audrey C. Rule

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

Arts integration into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subject areas is currently an important area of investigation. This study developed a grounded theory of how artmaking of a mobile related to fossil life of the Devonian period engendered geoscience inquiry. Data were collected from elementary students entering fourth to sixth grade (7 male, 9 female) attending a week-long summer camp at a Midwestern university. Students engaged in a daily hour-long class creating fossil mobiles and learning geoscience content through illustrated slide shows, form and function sets of materials related to Devonian fossils, fossil books, and a fossil hunter- fossil …

Exploring Preservice Teachers’ Still-Life Paintings Of Crystals With Artist-Focused Compared To Science-Focused Introductions, Mahjabeen Hussain, Dessy Stoycheva, Audrey C. Rule, Denise A. Tallakson

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

This experimental study was undertaken with preservice teachers to test whether the use of science integration into arts education increases demonstration of science details and creative features in artwork. Two conditions were created: arts-focused and science-focused; gouache still-life paintings were produced and analyzed, and an attitude survey was completed. The results suggested that science integration into visual arts classes increased creativity for the arts-focused condition and increased science concepts in the science-focused condition. Participants in both conditions reported positive attitudes, specifically, high levels of enjoyment, alluded to lack of experience with arts and creative projects, and expressed desire for more …

A Content Analysis Of Thirty Children’S Picture Books About Ecology, Natalia Martín Martín, Jennifer L. Hageman, Sarah E. Montgomery, Audrey C. Rule

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

This study presents a content analysis of 30 ecology-themed children’s picture books published in English and Spanish from 1994 to the present. Books were analyzed for the following aspects: 1) Nature appreciation, 2) Interrelatedness of Nature, 3) Realistic ecology problem, 4) Differing perspectives, 5) Hope for a solution, 6) Reflection and responsibility, 7) Steps for a solution, 8) Positive tone, 9) Representation of diversity, 10) Appropriate illustrations, 11) Story appeal, and 12) Developmental appropriateness. Scoring guidelines are provided in an appendix. Content analysis results revealed that most books raise awareness about the impact of human action on the environment, although …

Ocean Underwater Scene Dioramas Of First Graders With Submarine Porthole Views, Ksenia Zhbanova, Audrey C. Rule, Denise A. Tallakson

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

Ecology education of the younger generations is vital for worldwide change of people’s attitudes toward nature warranted by the current global ecological crisis. Yet, this goal needs to be addressed through age-appropriate activities that are educational and engaging. This practical article focuses on dioramas of ocean reef life made by first graders. This arts-integrated project served two main purposes: 1) education of primary students about ocean ecology and helping students realize their roles in saving nature 2) increasing student science content knowledge. Additionally, several other benefits of making dioramas emerged during this project, including highly creative student products, genuine interest …

Slime Bash Social: A Tactile Manipulative For Child And Youth Play, Joyce A. Levingston, Marie E. Adebiyi, Brian Hadley, Younis Al-Hassan, Dongyub Back, Michelle Cook, Christopher R. Edginton

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

The play product of slime has gained increasing popularity amongst children and youth throughout the United States. Slime can be thought of as a tactile manipulative that can be shaped, stretched, expanded, lumped together, twisted, squeezed, squashed, folded, rolled, shredded, twirled, swirled, pounded, and cut or pulled apart. As a learning tool, slime can and does support STEM initiatives and programs. Slime can be created using simple ingredients that are easily measured, combined, and prepared by children and youth. In addition, slime can incorporate components such as glitter, beads, shaving cream, color dyes and other items. This paper offers an …

Practical Art Projects Related To Children’S Picture Books About Ecology, Jennifer L. Hageman, Natalia Martín Martín, Sarah E. Montgomery, Audrey C. Rule

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

This study presents art projects that reinforce scientific content presented in children’s picture books about ecology. Ten K-6 students from varying socioeconomic classes, and different cultural and language backgrounds from the United States and Spain participated. Next Generation Science Standards were identified and addressed in these art projects. Students’ understanding and engagement were evaluated through teacher observations, photographs, and a student attitude survey. Upper- and lower-elementary students evidenced increased understanding of environmental issues, and high level of enjoyment and engagement through these art projects integrated with science content. Researchers encourage educators to incorporate picture books and art in science lessons …

Editorial: Developing Creativity Through Stem Subjects Integrated With The Arts, Ksenia Zhbanova

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

This issue of the Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions is focused on creativity - one of the most highly-desirable 21^st Century skills on personal and global levels. Time, pedagogical knowledge, and resource constraints limit the number of opportunities for teachers to develop creativity in students. In this editorial, creativity development steps and strategies are illuminated along with specific roles of STEM subjects and the arts in development of student creativity. The processes of creativity development used in STEM and the arts are compared to each other and to the non-subject-specific creative process model of Root-Bernstein and Root- …

The Effectiveness Of Using A Podcast To Teach Person-First Language, Kylie Wilson

Annual Graduate Student Symposium

The use of person first language when working with people with disabilities is important for building successful relationships, particularly for educators. Thus, the purposes of this investigation were to determine: (1) how a podcast intervention impacts undergraduate students’ use of person-first language when discussing people with disabilities, and (2) undergraduate students’ perceptions about podcasts as a tool for learning. Forty-three undergraduate education majors participated in this study. To participate in this study, they had to first complete a demographics survey and a pretest on person-first language. Next, they listened to a validated podcast on person-first language. Participants completed a posttest …

Trainers' Perspectives Of Teacher Professional Development, Harun Parpucu

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Considerable attention in the literature has been given to perspectives of teachers and administrators regarding effectiveness of professional development for teachers. However, there is a paucity of research regarding perspectives of trainers and facilitators of professional development for educators. Thus, this dissertation study focused on trainers’ perspectives on effective professional development. More specifically, the study investigated these research questions: (1) What goals and objectives do trainers set for their professional development sessions?; (2) How do trainers facilitate professional development?; (3) How do trainers know they achieved the goals and objectives of their professional development?; (4a) Why do trainers do what …

Arts Integration Into Elementary Science: Force And Motion And Natural Disasters, Eric C. Ooms, Tabitha M. Wu, Ashley R. Kokemuller, Sarah E. Montgomery, Audrey C. Rule

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

This study explored the effect of arts integration into science during an instructional unit on force and motion and one addressing natural weather disasters. Seventy-eight elementary students in four classrooms (grade 5, grade 4, and two at grade 3) participated in the study. This study assessed content retention, student-made products (rollercoasters and hurricane shelters), and student attitudes. All students in each classroom experienced the two units of instruction, one unit in the experimental condition of arts integration and one unit in the control condition without arts integration. Both conditions involved students in constructing models of given materials. Each unit consisted …

Second Grade Students Learn About Civil Engineers And Erosion, Andrea Earline Anderson, Jessica A. Meier

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

The integration of art into curricula focused on teaching science is a new perspective in education designed to reach a broader range of students. The current study examined the process of second-grade students participating in science and art activities through qualitative content analysis. The subjects of science and art were not taught to the students separately, rather, students engaged in both subjects simultaneously, in an integrated manner. Participants were 23 second-grade students (11 female and 12 male; age range 7 to 8 years) who were learning about erosion through sketching and creative construction and the work of civil engineers through …

Ecosystem Shake Up: An Environmental Change Adaptation Project, Hannah E. Morgan, Dana Atwood-Blaine, Audrey C. Rule

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

This practical article reports an intriguing diorama project for third grade elementary students (ages 8-9 years). Students worked as partners to create dioramas of given ecosystems made in pizza boxes. Then, students rolled a die to determine a change in some environmental factor that affected the ecosystem. The students discussed how this change affected the ecosystem and made a second part of their diorama showing the ecosystem after the change. Finally, students made class presentations concerning their dioramas and ideas. A rubric for assessing the projects is included. Results of this science project indicate that students became deeply engrossed in …

Exploring The Physics Of Sound With Steam-Azing Third Graders, Page L. Foss, Kyrie D. Borsay

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

This practical article was based on a lesson conducted with third graders from an elementary school in the Midwest who were studying concepts about sound. The lesson activities address Next Generation Science Standards that include engineering concepts, along with integrating activities that support National Core Arts Standards. The students created instruments that made music but that were not the standard string, percussion or wind orchestral instruments that they had previously studied: string, percussion, or wind. Their instruments made of recycled materials included drum and shaker combinations, animal-shaped instruments, and instruments that combined three or more instruments.

Science Through Art: Motivating Gifted And Talented Students, Ksenia Zhbanova

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

Gifted and talented students have unique characteristics and needs. Arts Integration is an effective differentiation strategy that helps meeting these students’ needs. STEM subjects are easily and organically integrated with the Arts because scientific and artistic inquiry are very similar. This practical article describes an arts-integrated project that provided the gifted and talented participants with an increased level of challenge, an opportunity for self-expression and for building social skills, amplified motivation, and a chance to deepen and demonstrate their knowledge of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, social studies and English Language Arts. In this project, identified gifted students completed figural transformations …

Editorial: Arts Integration Allows Students The Opportunity To Be Original, Ksenia S. Zhbanova, Audrey C. Rule

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

This editorial explores the other six articles in this issue 2 of volume 3 of the Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions to examine how originality is displayed and supported by art projects. Originality, is a quality or a characteristic of an idea, approach or product. Originality can be defined as newness or novelty. To be classified as original, an idea must be new. It does not have to have a utilitarian value, which is a requirement for an idea to be categorized as creative. Helping students develop originality is important because it allows the freedom to make any …

Panthers Exploring Fields Of Opportunity: Providing Faculty Time And Resources To Reach Out To Iowa Schools And Other Educational Institutions, Victoria Robinson, Benjamin Forsyth

Community Engagement Celebration Day

This poster will detail a unique effort that our Educator Preparation Program and College of Education has made in the last two years to provide faculty an innovative way to interact with various education stakeholders across our state. Faculty received dedicated time and resources to leave their classrooms and explore innovative, diverse and exceptional projects and programs our PK-12 partners and other educational institutions use to impact the profession. These visits were then shared with the program to inform our current practices. The program was a very simple concept, but has been very successful. Nearly 75 faculty across the University …

S.T.O.R.I.E. Time, Spring Semester 2018, University Of Northern Iowa. Human Relations: Awareness And Applications (Spring 2018)

S.T.O.R.I.E. Time

Seniors Teach Others Real Intergenerational Experiences (S.T.O.R.I.E.)

Teacher Education Majors at the University of Northern Iowa are matched with senior adults residing at Western Home Communities. During their ten one-hour meetings, the students and residents are guided in their discussions by the book Gratitude: Affirming One Another through Stories (2013) written by UNI Emeritus Faculty, Dr. Len Froyen. Through conversations and stories, the seniors of both generations are enhancing their understanding, compassion and acceptance of each other. S.T.O.R.I.E. Time gives the seniors a chance to choose a story together that will be written for the book.

Exploring Possible Humanoids On Mars: A Lesson Designed For Twice-Exceptional Gifted Students, Younis Al-Hassan, Marie Adebiyi, Shehreen Iqtadar, Dana L. Atwood-Blaine

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

This practical article presents a classroom-tested pedagogical plan to assist instructors in teaching thinking skills to gifted students with disabilities in the context of science. The lesson, which focused on using Edward de Bono thinking skills to explore humanoid images that appear in NASA photos, provided accommodations for students with hearing impairment, along with disabilities associated with short and long-term memory. The instructional design team presented the arts-integrated activity of drawing scenes showing possible ways the anomalies could have been generated, and an interactive electronic game using iPads that asked participants to gather needed items for a trip to Mars. …

Faces On Mars Lesson: Incorporating Art, Thinking Skills, And Disability Differentiation Strategies For Twice-Exceptional Gifted Students, Marine Pepanyan, Mike Fisher, Audrey Wallican-Green

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

This practical article provides an example art-integrated lesson designed to serve gifted students with the exceptionalities of deficits in executive functioning and in impulse control. The lesson used the mysterious science problem of possible life on Mars as evidenced by anomalous faces in NASA photographs as a stimulus for practice in processing information through three Edward de Bono CoRT Thinking Skills. This lesson demonstrated differentiating instruction for gifted students with disabilities that included hands-on and peer-involved exercises. Examples of student work showing comic book-like stories about the famous Face on Mars are included, along with student responses to the thinking …

Exploring Mars Mysteries In Nasa Photographs: Could Some Images Be Animal Skeletons?, Laura Meyer, Rob Griffin, Dan Butler

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

The NASA photographs containing what appear to be animal skeletons have created a mystery that remains unsolved today. Because they generate questions and inquiries in many arenas, the animal skeleton pictures were used to help gifted students critically think about how these structures were created. Several additional exceptionalities common in most groups of students, including attention deficit disorder with and without hyperactivity and difficulties in executive functioning, were addressed through the lesson design. The exceptionalities were addressed through methods that could be used in any classroom while using the Mars Animal Skeletons to motivate and engage students. Incorporation of teaching …