Education Commons^™

Diversity In The College Curriculum : Overview Of The Literature, Ruben J. Carrion

Graduate Research Papers

The colleges and universities in the United States that have adopted a proactive commitment to diversity in the curriculum have done so because they understand how their central mission is linked with the future of a diverse society. They are aware that, in the new millennium, most new jobs in the economy require a postsecondary education, and women and racial/ethnic minorities compose a majority of the workforce. One result of this awareness is the transformation taking place at many institutions that links diversity in the curriculum with the development of new teaching practices and learning practices.

This review of the …

From Idol To Add-On To Indispensable Tool : Iowa's One-Computer Classroom, Laura M. Mcdermott

Graduate Research Papers

Teachers who ponder over past experiences can examine the revisions made in order to offer the best possible education to the children entrusted to their care. With the advent of computers in the classrooms, undeniable problems arise and further revisions must be made. When both the teacher and students share one computer, issues that must be addressed include time management, curriculum integration, and effective use of the computer.

With everyday demands of the classroom, it is difficult for teachers to spend time adding to a curriculum already filled to the brim. Time is needed for the teacher to understand how …

Effective Multidisciplinary Team Problem Solving : A Review Of Literature, Debra S. Meyer

Graduate Research Papers

The historical legislation mandating multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) in schools is well known, yet relatively little attention has been directed toward either evaluating systematic processes that would lead to the desired outcome of better services to all students or educating team members in problem solving content and process. The purpose of the study was to examine the factors that influence problem solving outcomes and other aspects of service delivery in MDT settings, including the changing role of school psychologists.

Results indicated much variability and little consensus in several areas: clarity of role expectations, family involvement, interdisciplinary collaboration, continuing educational training, and …

The Reasons Why Many African-American And Hispanic Women Do Not Choose Careers In Technology, Kathryn Elizabeth Guzman

Graduate Research Papers

There have been numerous statistics showing that minorities including women, African-Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans, are least likely to choose careers in the science and technology field. Along with those studies have been possible reasons why they choose not to enter into the field. Reasons have ranged from lack of encouragement to people just telling them flat out that there is no possible way that they can succeed in the field.

This study found that African-American and Hispanic women do not choose careers in technology for many of the same reasons. As young children, some factors are the way teachers …

Television Violence : The Impact And Influence On Children And Adolescents, Preston B. Hoskins

Graduate Research Papers

This paper will look at the history of violent youth, and the unique development of youth violence in our country. The author will examine the unique characteristics that make media such a powerful communicative source. The author will show how living in a media culture affects the way youth behave, and will explore the extent to which media messages have power over their lives. Information on the significance of television violence on the behaviors of youth will be included.

What About Me? : The Final Question Of A Suicidal Teen, Peggy Ann Kleve

Graduate Research Papers

Adolescents need access to vital information on how to help a friend who is contemplating suicide. They need to be able to identify the signs and seek assistance from an understanding adult.

This research project, What About Me? The final question of a suicidal teen, was designed to determine whether reading an adolescent novel can educate teens about depression and suicide awareness. I wrote the adolescent novel so young adolescents would be able to relate to the main character and learn from her mistakes.

Curricular And Instructional Adaptations For Special Needs Students In The General Education Setting, Kelly Bohning

Graduate Research Papers

The primary focus of this article is to address when regular education teachers should make adaptations for students in the general education setting and to determine the kinds of adaptations that general education teachers can make for their students. This article also links curricular and instructional adaptations to the research on effective schools. Steps for setting up an inclusive science classroom are presented. Various adaptations in the science classroom are discussed. The findings of this research report indicate that there are a variety of instances where it is appropriate for teachers to make adaptations for students in the general education …

Portfolios As A Qualitative Writing Assessment Technique In A First Grade Classroom, Nancy F. Miller

Graduate Research Papers

Writing is a process. To assess involvement in a process, it needs to be described. Therefore, qualitative assessment needs to be applied. Portfolios, supported by other descriptive techniques, can be used not only to assess children's writing progress and instructional needs but to connect instruction and assessment. A collection of writing exhibits in a portfolio collected over time can show children, their teachers, and their caregivers progress and can assist them in setting goals for language activity and instruction in the future. Use of qualitative assessment rubrics, surveys, and parental involvement in the process of self-assessing are techniques from which …

Elements Of Writers Workshops In A Third Grade Classroom, Gale L. Nagunst

Graduate Research Papers

The act of writing is a natural process and should be treated as such. For children seven years and older, writing usually is not a linear act that follows a prescribed set of steps in a particular order, but a recursive process in which writers move forward and back through the different components of writing to make meaning. A classroom that includes writers workshops, or groups of children working together to interact about writing, must incorporate several important elements to allow this recursive, natural process to happen. These elements include classroom organization, ample writing time, models of writing, teacher instruction …

Eastview High School Media Center Web Page : A Graduate Project, Connie J. O'Sullivan

Graduate Research Papers

This creative project was undertaken for the purpose of constructing a web site for Eastview High School Media Center that would meet the needs of users while adhering to the highest qualities of web design. As creator of the web site, I started from the beginning. I had not designed a web page before undertaking this project. I researched the tenets of good web design, especially those particular to the field of library science. I identified my audiences and their needs. I identified and selected the best and most relevant content. I familiarized myself with Microsoft FrontPage, Eastview's standard Web …

Portfolios--From Traditional To Digital : Research For Understanding And Implementation In The Art Classroom, Deb Ann Richmann

Graduate Research Papers

Portfolios are a method in which educators assess student work. The traditional portfolio is generally a collection of papers stored for an intended purpose. There are many types and purposes for portfolios. Technology, however, has yielded some inventive methods for managing the many papers in the portfolio in a digital format. This term, digital portfolio, represents a technological presentation of student work. The differences in hardware, software, and peripherals have been investigated in this review. Along with the tools for management, the implementation in an art classroom is explored. The sustaining impact of the digital portfolio in the art classroom …

Developing And Managing An E-Business, Stephanie Tekippe

Graduate Research Papers

Papa Bear Acres created its first e-business in the fall of 1999. Stephanie TeKippe designed and currently manages the web sites, which are operational. Creating a successful e-business on the Internet is not an easy task, but a complicated and tedious one. Rudi, an Internet marketing specialist, stated ( 1999) "Over 94% of all online small businesses are currently losing money"(p.1-2). Papa Bear Acres was created to become a booming presence on the Internet. The process of making this a reality has been slower and more time consuming than anticipated. There are many various aspects to creating a successful e-business. …

A Preferred Vision For Administering Elementary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Constance L. Weber

Graduate Research Papers

As I began reflecting on education and leadership in the school setting, I realized that I have been involved in formal education in one form or another for the past forty-three years. I began kindergarten in a one-room rural school, with one instructor for nine grades. The teacher picked me up and transported me to school each day. I'm not sure what role the principal had in that school at that time. I don't actually remember a principal. The next year I began first grade in a Catholic school in a small town, and I continued in this school through …

Adolescent Depression : An Overview Of The Symptoms, Causes, Assessments, And Treatment, Joanne C. Wickham

Graduate Research Papers

Adolescence is said to be the most stressful time in a person's life (Greenberg, 1989). Although the majority of adolescents adapt without much trouble, there are those who do not accept the changes as successfully as others (Greenberg, 1989). The pressures from parents, peers, school, and society can often lead to temporary periods of depression. In the 1960s, adolescent depression was unusual. However, depression in the 1990s has become the 'common cold' of mental illness (Seligman, 1995).

Mentoring To Foster Children's Emerging Literacy, Janet K. Archer

Graduate Research Papers

Many children benefit from additional association with supportive adults at school. Mentoring programs are one way of providing support. Mentors can assist in fostering children's personal-social and thinking-language abilities.

A brochure with basic guidelines for mentors has been developed. It is intended as a reference source with suggestions for mentoring procedures and language activities.

Researching The Internet : A Student Tutorial, Roger S. Davis

Graduate Research Papers

This project involves the development of a series of web pages that serve as a tutorial students use for Internet searching. Students in the Computer Concepts and Applications class at Hawkeye Community College use the Internet to find information for use in an oral report or written assignment. A limited amount of general information about the mechanics of working with a web browser and a brief introduction to search engines is presented to the students in class. The tutorial will assist students by providing links to search engines, ideas in formulating a search strategy, additional more detailed information on working …

Development Of Writing Through Journaling With Senior Educable Mentally Handicapped, Bonita M. Custer

Graduate Research Papers

Recognizing that many senior high school students who are labeled Educable Mentally Handicapped (the term used in Nebraska) have had few opportunities to have fulfilling experiences in school, a rich literature-based language arts program was developed for a class. This group had many opportunities to respond with their ideas and feelings, one of which was journaling.

As the school year progressed, I, as their teacher, found that I was modifying and changing my daily instructional plans because their reading and writing generated ideas and instructional needs. In their journals, they began to write more freely with more skill and creativity. …

Technology Education : Is There A Need?, David Bonde

Graduate Research Papers

Presents an overview of the need and purpose for the implementation and teaching of technology education. Key points of the successful integration of technology education programs are addressed along with the key components of a successful technology education program. The pros and cons of the modular approach of teaching technology education are also examined. The conclusions are there is a lot of evidence that supports a real need for the teaching of technology education to all students, and modular programs are an integral part of a complete program. The research concludes that a strong creed and vision are crucial to …

Differentiating The Curriculum For Gifted Young Adolescents In The Middle School Classroom, Eileen M. Boggess

Graduate Research Papers

Academically gifted students exist in every classroom and in all segments of the population. Rather than ignore their gifts and assume that a pull-out program for gifted students will satisfy their educational needs, schools need to accept the fact that gifted students are gifted all day, every day. Intellectually gifted young adolescents are prisoners of time in the classroom. Most of the material covered in a regular classroom is review or aimed at lower cognitive ability students. This leaves gifted young adolescents bored, restless, or hostile to their education. By differentiating the content, process, products, or learning environment of the …

Student-Led Conferences : A Better Way, Beverly A. Maronn

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this journal article is to inform teachers and administrators of a better way to conduct student-led conferences. The typical format is to hold these conferences in a small, advisory setting. This paper describes an alternative format, a "homeroom" arrangement, in which one teacher is available to facilitate the conferences of 12-20 students. The staff at Harlan Community Middle School has found that a large group, everybody together-type setting works better. The gym/commons/media center location alleviates many of the problems associated with the small group setting.

Learning Technology Policies In Action : Where Do The States Stand?, Evie Charles Pugh

Graduate Research Papers

In states with technology plans, there is a common belief that technology has the power to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the learning environment of the classroom. Many states' technology policies and plans reflect a demand for information about student learning outcomes and the cost and benefits of education programs. The eight states in the North Central Regional Technology in Education Consortium (NCRTEC) are: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

The need for district spending in education technology, such as computer training, professional development, service/support networking, supplies, and hardware, has become a major issue …

Writing Portfolios In A First Grade Classroom, Mary J. Rezac

Graduate Research Papers

The portfolio is one of several authentic, qualitative assessment techniques used to describe children's involvement in the writing process. Portfolios provide opportunities for children to become active participants in their own learning and assessment. They can become partners with the teacher as together they assess progress and set goals for future learning.

This paper examines the implementation of writing portfolios in a first grade classroom. The focus is on two reluctant writers. Throughout the school year, they collaborated with the teacher in selecting exhibits for their portfolio collections. While engaging in the portfolio collection process, the children assessed progress and …

Parents And Literacy : The Importance Of Reading Aloud To Children, Phyllis A. Christiansen

Graduate Research Papers

Parents are vital to their children's emerging literacy. Reading aloud to children offers parents opportunities to extend their child's knowledge about reading. A review of professional literature suggests that reading aloud provides children with reading role models, positive attitudes towards reading, a sense of story, improved listening abilities, exposure to different language patterns, concepts and related vocabulary, exposure to the rhythm and sound of language, book handling abilities, and knowledge about print format.

The Take Me Home project provides parents with access to quality literature and related activities to enhance the family's read aloud experience. Packets have been developed with …

Shepherd Of The Hills/Churches Of Conference Nine Webpages, Rondee Troester

Graduate Research Papers

Shepherd of the Hills a center that serves the Churches of Conference Nine of the Northeastern Iowa Synod will be serving their congregations in another form. Webpages are being created for each of the twenty churches of Conference Nine. These churches will convey their mission statements, worship times, pastor's page, and any educational opportunities that are provided. The request was made for someone to develop these pages. The decision was made to start the process. The process began with a discussion with the coordinator from Shepherd of the Hills of which direction to go with the Webpages. Next came contacting …

A Preferred Vision For Administering Elementary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Michael Ward

Graduate Research Papers

As an individual practicing school administration in a small private school and a former classroom teacher, I feel that I bring with me a set of values and beliefs about education into the completion of my Masters of Arts in Education degree. These values and beliefs were and still are being formed by my upbringing, education and environment. As an administrator, I hope that I can model my values and through collaboration with all stakeholders of our school, use my beliefs and theirs to develop a vision for the school.

Total Quality Management And Outsourcing : A New Partnership For Higher Education, Justin A. Weis

Graduate Research Papers

Colleges and universities are expected to satisfy many customers, including students, parents, communities, and employers. Institutions are being increasingly criticized for failing to produce a quality product for these customers; but for some reason, their customers continue to financially maintain the institutions. However, more than ever, many end-users (individuals who utilize an institution's services) suggest that the quality of the services offered and the graduates produced today are not meeting the minimum quality standards (Upcraft & Schuh, 1996).

A Preferred Vision For Administering High Schools : A Reflective Essay, James E. Zajicek

Graduate Research Papers

Whether it be efforts to develop state and local standards, new forms of assessment, innovations in technology, or application of new approaches to teaching and learning, changes must occur in the place our society calls school. The complex nature of our education system requires courageous and responsible action on the part of individuals who believe in preparing our children for life in the 21st century. This is both a national priority as well as a moral responsibility. Business at school as usual is no longer an option. Change in the culture and instructional practices of today's school requires the dedication …

Middle School Intramural/Co-Curricular Programs, Andrew W. Strottman

Graduate Research Papers

Schools that have used an intramural program find students benefit socially, academically, and physically from these activities. Some schools have even seen a drop in teens getting into trouble in their communities with the implementation of an intramural program. The first portion of this project was to review the literature to find out: (1) what the benefits of an intramural program are at the middle school level, (2) what grade level or levels would benefit most from a program that involves many students in activities, and (3) what students are interested in doing after school as opposed to being unsupervised …

Is It Wise? : The Ursuline Studies Program Revisited, Connie S. Swift

Graduate Research Papers

Katherine Keough, chairwoman of the education department at Xavier University in Cincinnati is quoted in USA Today as saying, "It almost smacks of a Chinese mind, a black mind, a white mind, a female mind .... It suggests that brains are gender-specific or that knowledge is gender-specific" (Manning, 1992, p. 6A). Keough is referring to Ursuline College's use of Women's Ways of Knowing as the basis for its college core curriculum, fearing this may cause further division between men and women (Manning, 1992, p. 6A). Anne Marie Diedrich, O.S.U., Ph.D., president of Ursuline College, disagrees: We're not saying that ours …

School-Based Intervention Programs For Dropouts, Mmamiki Gaolatlhe Kamanakao

Graduate Research Papers

The primary purpose of this paper is to provide an extensive review of the literature and research related to the dropout problem in the United States. It discusses some of the intervention programs in school settings that have been evaluated to date. The role of school psychologists in planning and implementing the components that make those intervention programs successful are highlighted. Chapter two describes the nature and extent of the dropout problem, and how the lack of a uniform definition and good data aggravates this problem.

Causes of dropping out and its consequences to the individuals and the society at …