Education Commons^™

Identification Of Trends In Scientific Communication By Minority Students In An Integrated And Advanced Ninth Grade Science Curriculum, Loren Thalacker

Graduate Research Papers

In the United States, the population of minorities is rapidly increasing. Our nation is facing a shortage in students pursuing STEM careers and it is vital to improve all students’ scientific communication abilities. As our population of minority students is also growing, it is especially important to tap into our potential STEM resources. While the Midwest is less diverse than the rest of the nation, the Waterloo Community School District in Waterloo, Iowa has a large population of minority students. When the district implemented the Next Generation Science Standards it created a problem for students wanting to take advanced science …

Three Cases Of Makerspace Integration In School Library Programs In Conjunction With District Initiatives: Steam, Design Thinking, And Literacy, Lisa Tegels

Graduate Research Papers

Note: This study refers to three co-researchers who each collected data in their respective schools and collaborated in reviewing that data, but each separately authored a paper using that data; the co-researchers are Kris Baldwin and Sara Pflughaupt.

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine whether makerspace or STEAM activities can support inquiry learning and meet specific American Association of School Library (AASL), Next Generation Science (NGSS) and Common Core Literacy (CCSS ELA) Standards. For purposes of this study, the three co-researchers were also focused on how this type of learning activity can support district initiatives in …

The Effectiveness Of Using Intelligent Tutoring Systems To Increase Student Achievement, Tedi Swanson

Graduate Research Papers

Intelligent Tutoring Systems could be used to provide differentiated instruction. This review examines qualities of Intelligent Tutoring Systems and their impact on student achievement. Thirty peer-reviewed research studies published from 1997 to 2019 were selected for analysis. This review considers how intelligent tutoring systems compare with other methods of instruction, and how an intelligent tutoring system’s on-screen tutor impacts student achievement. Finally, this review considers methods of ITS personalization and how those methods impact student achievement. The reviewed research studies indicated that ITS was more effective than all forms of instruction except small group and individualized instruction. Additionally, on-screen agents …

The Effects Of A Makerspace Curriculum On The 4c'S In Education, Staci Novak

Graduate Research Papers

Makerspaces are becoming more common in schools K-12 as well as at the university level and encourage educators to think differently about learning. This review examines how a makerspace curriculum impacts the way in which learners apply the 4 C’s (creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication). Thirteen peer-reviewed research studies published between 2014 and 2018 were selected for analysis. The reviewed research studies indicated that students who participate in makerspaces tend to use their creativity to problem-solve, are communicative and collaborative with other makers, and tend to use critical thinking skills when presented with an obstacle. Recommendations for implementation of …

The Effect Of Digital Game-Based Learning On Student Learning: A Literature Review, Katrina Serrano

Graduate Research Papers

Digital game-based learning can be used by educators to support students in developing skills. This review examined the effect of digital game-based learning on student learning at the K-12 level. Sixteen peer-reviewed research studies, two meta-analysis studies, and two literature reviews published between 2011-2019 were selected for analysis. The reviewed research indicated that when digital game-based learning is used that includes key game design elements (collaboration, choice, feedback) as well as instructional design, there typically is a positive impact on student engagement. Research also indicated that digital game-based learning along with collaboration can have a significant effect on student motivation, …

Student Engagement Within The Use Of Graphic Novels, Melissa Felsenthal

Graduate Research Papers

Student engagement in novels is a key factor in whether or not a student can be successful in reading. The purpose of this study was to analyze student engagement with graphic novels and traditional novels, and to describe any preferences students had when selecting novels to read independently. The study was centered around two questions: How does the reading of graphic novels impact the level of reading engagement? Do students prefer the use of graphic novels over traditional novels within their own independent reading? The study consisted of interviewing eleven sixth grade students about a graphic novel that they picked …

Is There A Correlation Between Oral Reading Rate And Social Conversational Speaking Rate?, Sarah C. Mason

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to determine if there was a correlation between oral reading rates and social conversational speaking rates. This research was conducted using a sample size of 25 students, ages 8-12, in one elementary building in Southern Iowa. Student data were collected from a previous district’s fall assessment in the area of oral reading rate. Students were given specific prompts when providing their social conversational speaking. When comparing oral reading rate with their social conversational speaking rate, it was found that there was a correlation when measured in words per minute suggesting that students’ reading rates …

Computer Science Is Elementary: Comprehensive Plan For Computer Science Implementation At The Elementary Level, Erin Chute

Graduate Research Papers

Teaching students computer science in the classroom can have many benefits. Several students in today's education system will go into career fields that do not yet exist and the skills taught through computer science can prepare them for the future. This project outlines the steps for planning a computer science initiative at the elementary level. A literature review examining the effect of teaching computer science on student achievement at the elementary level is used to support an award proposal for funding a high quality computer science curriculum in a rural, underserved district. This project can serve as a model for …

The Effects Of Text-To-Speech On Students With Reading Disabilities, Melissa Oberembt

Graduate Research Papers

Text-to-speech (TTS) is becoming a common accommodation/support for students with reading disabilities to improve reading skills. This review examines the effects TTS has on reading comprehension, reading rate, written language, as well as the social validity of students with reading disabilities and other print disabilities. Twenty-eight peer-reviewed studies published between 2002 and 2019 were selected for analysis in this review. The reviewed research indicates that reading rate increased, while reading comprehension had mixed results, and writing skills did not significantly improve when TTS was used. Research also confirmed the social validity of TTS. Future research into the effects of TTS …

Best Practices In Assessment And Evaluation Of Literacy At The Secondary Level, Meaghan Kathleen Johnson

Graduate Research Papers

Research over the century has shown that grading practices in schools, especially at the secondary level, are commonly inconsistent, unreliable, and invalid amongst teachers. Grades have a large impact on students’ futures, determining scholarships, colleges, and career paths. Therefore, it is important that assessment and evaluation practices are consistent, reliable, and fair. This paper contains a review of research on the reasons for discrepancies in grading practices, followed by what research suggests is best practice for fair and reliable assessment and evaluation practices. Finally, these findings have been combined to develop a presentation on best practices in assessment and evaluation …

Teacher Perceptions Of Understaffed School Libraries, Amanda Bonjour

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this mixed methods study is to learn what classroom teachers perceive the effects of improper staffing of school libraries to be. It asks: What do classroom teachers perceive are the effects of improper staffing or the cutting of a school librarian? Through the qualitative analysis of survey responses, the study found that teachers perceived teacher librarians to have a positive impact on student achievement through collaboration and to be a valuable asset in providing resources for staff and students. Qualitatively, results from two school districts, one with and one without a certified librarian staffed in their middle …

Using Critical Literacy And Emotionally Responsive Teaching To Discuss Racism In A Literature Circle Unit, Autumn Rose Den Boer

Graduate Research Papers

This paper contains an instructional unit designed to create space in the classroom for open and honest conversations about racism through enhancing the literature circle format with the incorporation of critical literacy and emotionally-responsive teaching. The unit utilizes strategies that are research-based and referenced in the paper. Detailed lessons as well as all additional needed materials are included.

Blended Learning In Credit Recovery, Robin Kuhn

Graduate Research Papers

This project is to create a blended learning module for students who need to recover course credit in order to stay on track to graduate on time from a small rural district with limited teachers and face-to-face time. This project will eliminate the need for the district to pay for online credit recovery services and help avoid scheduling issues that may prevent completion of the high school curriculum by students who fail a class. The project will be tested with students within the district and, if successful, will be implemented for all students who need to recover course credit.

Parent Perspectives On Inclusive Bookclubs, Amy Bucciferro

Graduate Research Papers

An inclusive book club was created to examine the effectiveness of incorporating literacy enhancing techniques and art to aid comprehension. This study focused on the parent perspective of their child participating in the book club and how it affected their child’s life at home. Two parents were interviewed after their child participated in a 3-month book club. The significance of this study is to show educators and families the benefits of having their children participate in inclusive environments. The study also explored how inclusive book clubs can benefit students with different comprehension levels and how families viewed the outcome of …

The Role Of Virtual Environment And Virtual Reality For Knowledge Transfer, Michelle Rice

Graduate Research Papers

Virtual Reality (VR) is a technology tool for workplace training that can lessen the total training time needed to learn complex cognitive tasks and aids a learner in converting abstract ideas into practical understanding. This review explores the use of VR training and its role in assisting a learner with knowledge transfer. A comprehensive literature search was conducted of peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2003-2018 and then 44 sources were selected for analysis. The reviewed research studies indicated that immersive VR training can provide a learner with a highly engaging virtual learning environment VE and stimulating experience that accommodates self-paced …

Genetics Unit Lesson Plan For The Next Generation Science Standards, Erin Hogan

Graduate Research Papers

In 2015, Iowa’s adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) compelled the Waterloo Community Schools to set a goal of complete alignment to those standards by the 2018-2019 school year. In order to prepare for this transition, I chose to focus my creative component on the development and implementation of a NGSS aligned unit on Genetics for a sophomore level biology course. The unit focused on the Performance Expectation (PE) HS-LS3-3: Apply concepts of statistics and probability to explain the variation and distribution of expressed traits in a population and incorporated all three dimensions of the NGSS: Science and …

Development Of Curriculum For Next Generation Science Standards In High School Chemistry, Jennifer L. Brown

Graduate Research Papers

The aim of this project is to develop a unit relevant to students, aligned with three-dimensional performance expectations, and beneficial to teachers in helping students to meet those standards. To effectively meet those goals, an understanding of what curriculum is and how to develop it is needed. Curriculum is “the high-quality delivery system for ensuring that all students achieve the desired end – the attainment of their desired grade- or course-specific standards” (Ainsworth, 2010, p. 4). Without a clear goal for student performance and a detailed plan for how to get them there, lasting, meaningful learning is not likely to …

Blended Learning And Second Language Acquisition In The Classroom, Victoria R. Hamilton

Graduate Research Papers

This review investigates using a blended learning environment within a second language setting. The literature review presented three main themes to be considered as these two contexts were united: learner engagement in differing environments and with different activities, learner perceptions, and the outcomes found from such combinations. Twenty-eight peer-reviewed journal articles were analyzed. It is found that blended environments seem to add novelty and increase motivation and engagement of students in these settings. However, the pedagogical implementation of active learning such as collaboration, providing feedback, and using activities that have a communicative purpose seems to yield the best results. Learner …

Evaluation Of A Flipped Classroom On Student Achievement In A Low Income School District, Michael Yeoman

Graduate Research Papers

This purpose of this research is to determine whether using a flipped classroom is as effective for students in low-income schools as it is for students in wealthy school districts. A review of the literature is performed to determine what is the underlying philosophy of using a flipped classroom as well as determining barriers that may inhibit its effectiveness.

Control and treatment groups were determined so that data could be compared between a “traditional” classroom and a “flipped” classroom. The students in the treatment group were given a Pre-Unit Survey to determine a baseline of their perceptions of flipped learning. …

Energy, Matter, And Change: A High School Chemistry Unit Development, Allison Schipper

Graduate Research Papers

The project I have chosen to focus on for the creative component of the Science Masters of Arts program is the creation of a high school chemistry instructional unit. The focus of this unit is on Energy, Matter, and Change, which is addressed in the Iowa Core/Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) (Lead States, 2013a ). This unit will be adapted using Unit 2, Energy Particles in Motion and Unit 3, Energy and States of Matter of the Modeling Instruction curriculum developed by the American Modeling Teachers Association (Modeling Instruction for High School Chemistry, 2017). The Energy Particles in Motion unit …

First Year Professional Learning Community Implementation Within The Marion High School Science Department, Madilyn M. Ramaekers

Graduate Research Papers

The underlying theory of this research study is a radical constructivist worldview. Radical constructivism is based on two main ideas, that knowledge is not passively received but instead is actively built by individual people and that the function of cognition is adaptive and works to organize the experiential world (Von Glasersfeld, 1989). It is assumed that as teachers partake in a professional learning community they seek understanding of their school and classroom. Findings of the research will not be narrow but rather varied and multiple, leading to a range of views rather than a singular view. In radical constructivism, experience …

Visual Phonics : Its Impact As An Instructional Tool To Promote Literacy Development In Kindergarten Students, Lori J. Bower

Graduate Research Papers

This review of literature examined the impact of See The Sound/Visual Phonics (STSNP), a supplemental instructional strategy, on kindergarten students, especially those at risk for future reading challenges. STSNP is an instructional strategy originally designed for use with children who are deaf/hard of hearing, that utilizes the multi-sensory tool of gesture to focus on the development of phonemic awareness skills. Research reviewed for this study first examined the importance of phonemic awareness in overall literacy development. Additional studies reviewed establish support for the use of multi-sensory instructional approaches, including the specific use of gesture to help efficiently encode information. This …

Vocabulary Development With Instructional Coaching Support, Jessica L. Swaab

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this literature review was to examine the importance of vocabulary development among kindergarten students, identify risk factors that effect vocabulary development, recognize developmentally appropriate practices, identify best practices and interventions to promote student growth, and determine if support from an instructional coach benefits the classroom teacher's pedagogy. Various research articles were collected and analyzed in order to find methods for closing the language gap as well as to change instruction that challenges students to reach their optimal vocabulary development range. Aside from socioeconomic status, there are several risk factors that affect vocabulary development, including age, cultural backgrounds, …

Vocabulary Matters : Why Vocabulary Instruction Is Important And How To Implement Quality Instruction In Preschool, Melanie Blocker

Graduate Research Papers

This review examined why vocabulary instruction is important in preschool, and ways that a teacher can implement quality vocabulary instruction into the classroom. The review describes why vocabulary instruction is crucial in preschool, and then provides five different ways that a teacher can implement vocabulary instruction into the preschool classroom. Vocabulary instruction is valuable as it builds the foundation for later reading skills, such as comprehension. The conclusion of this literature review provides recommendations on how to implement vocabulary instruction into preschools, educational policies, and teacher practices.

Using Google Tools To Enhance Secondary Writing Instruction, Sarah Ebener

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review analyzes the use of Google Apps for Education and other Google tools as a way for teachers to improve writing instruction. It focuses on 30 studies conducted in the United States and internationally which investigate varying uses of technology tools with secondary and college-aged students. The results showed that students’ writing improves and students experience more engagement when technology is used to enhance collaboration, feedback, editing, and revision, and that students generally enjoy using Google tools to accomplish writing tasks. Recommendations include guidelines for teachers when assigning technology-based writing activities, but further research needs to be conducted …

Parent-Child Interaction : How It Impacts Language And Literacy Skills, Angie Thurman

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this review is to examine the importance of parent-child interaction in children ages birth through five-years old. The review focuses on how these interactions impact literacy and language skills in young children. Parent interventions and strategies to help children grow in the areas of literacy and language are also highlighted. The conclusion of this review includes recommendations for parents and teachers as well as suggestions for future research.

The Value Of Inquiry-Based Science Instruction For Elementary Students, Jessica Renae Enger

Graduate Research Papers

This review examined the academic benefits of using inquiry-based science instruction in elementary classrooms. It also examined different ways teachers integrate inquiry-based instruction. Several studies identified increases in science content knowledge, concepts, and process skills as outcomes associated with inquiry-based instruction. Other studies in this review showed mixed or negative results for academic benefits of inquiry-instruction. This review also highlights hands-on investigations, discourse, and literacy as three ways teachers integrate inquiry. Findings of this review suggest inquiry-based instruction allows students to understand difficult science concepts, justify their ideas, and can create positive attitudes toward science.

Developing Model Identification Skills In An Advanced Placement Physics 1 Classroom, Ian Spangenberg

Graduate Research Papers

Every year, hundreds of thousands of high school students take the AP Physics 1 Exam. Passing scores can mean college credit, recognition, and scholarships. While typical physics courses teach the content and solution procedures in discrete units such as dynamics, energy, and momentum, the AP Physics 1 Exam requires students to solve problems without problem-type headings or unit captions. Students must also be able to support ideas and answers using overarching theories, laws, and principles. This research looks at a curricular and pedagogical strategy designed to teach AP Physics 1 students how those discrete units fit together into a complete …

Recreational Reading In Secondary Schools Through Book Clubs, Briana White

Graduate Research Papers

Many secondary students do not read for pleasure and so educators need ways to encourage more reading. Book clubs may be one answer to help combat the issue and inspire a culture of reading in schools today. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine a high school book club to see what attracts students to book clubs initially and what they value about the culture of the book club. Twelve high school book club members and their teacher librarian (TL) participated in two focus group meetings. The TL led the focus groups using questions the researcher provided …

Impact Of Family Engagement On Child Outcomes In Preschool, Kathryn S. Ingham

Graduate Research Papers

This review considered the impact of family engagement on child outcomes in preschool and what variables impact the success of family engagement in preschool. Many child outcomes are affected by family engagement. This particular work focuses on child outcomes related to literacy and approaches to learning. The variables of the family engagement examined include demographics, culture, family unit, and socioeconomic status. Many forms and degrees of family engagement are described with the degree of success for family engagement determined by the actual participants. Findings of the review point towards family engagement promoting positive outcomes for children enrolled in preschool despite …