Education Commons^™

Homework : Providing Quality Activities That Engage The Students And Extend The Learning From The Classroom, Angella M. Blatz

Graduate Research Papers

Many teachers require homework to be done to extend the learning from school to home. Homework expectations vary from elementary school to high school. This review attempts to look at the benefits of homework and also the issues that assigning homework brings. The review includes samples of variety of homework activities that are student-centered, developmentally appropriate, along with authentic, experiential, and challenging. It discusses ways to motivate students to complete homework and the need for teachers to assign more purposeful and creative activities. This review attempts to involve the parents also as partners in the education of their child as …

Effective Professional Development For Elementary Teachers: Integrating Technology Into The Literacy Curriculum, Instruction, And Assessment, Megan L. Rosenberger

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Supporting Student Learning Through Scientific Inquiry, Allison J. Barness

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this review is to identify the kind(s) of early childhood science instruction and learning environment that best supports student learning in science. The research examined focused on teacher actions and pedagogy, which also addressed student learning as outcome of the different studies. In addition, the research analyzed both the physical and the psychological environments, as both are important aspects which support student learning in science. A variety of sources were used and synthesized to provide the reader with informational data and recommendations.

Surveying The Online Classroom : Student Reactions To E-Learning, Jordan Dierks

Graduate Research Papers

The utilization of commercial, open source, and institution designed learning management systems are increasing in higher education. Universities are competing with each other to find qualified applicants or increase enrollment. Many higher education institutions are evaluating their return on investment for educational technologies, white public institutions are facing the reality of shifting funding sources from state support to self-sufficiency. The purpose of this study is to determine if the use of a learning management system (LMS) in an online classroom supporting either a full-web or blended course affects student satisfaction with the learning experience. Additional areas examined include whether students …

Student Motivation : Encouraging Children To Read In School, Kelly White

Graduate Research Papers

Teaching students how to read, comprehend,. and enjoy text are goals that many teachers make in their classrooms each year. Yet, the biggest challenge that goes along with these goals is often student motivation. Motivating students happens in many forms in classrooms around the world. There are research-based techniques for males and females, English speaking and English language learners, each of the multiple intelligences, and overall individual student needs. There is no one proven catchall method for motivating students in the classroom. Instead, teachers are encouraged to find the motivation strategies and techniques that work for specific individuals. This paper …

The Development Of Musical Improvisation In Second Grade Children, Akiko Yoshizawa

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate if second-grade children could develop a solo improvisation on an Orff xylophone. Participants were five African-American children who attended a model school that followed an inquiry-based approach curriculum. These children also had a chance to learn music from a faculty and the researcher, who had been exploring constructivist methods of teaching music, with a special emphasis on invented songs, instruments, and notations. The three-day study focused on how children were able to create a solo improvisation. The study was guided by the following questions: (1) Can second grade children develop …

Student Motivation And No Child Left Behind, Tiffany Kleckner

Graduate Research Papers

The No Child Left Behind Act was developed in 2002 by the administration of George W. Bush. The purpose of this piece of legislation was to increase student achievement in America. Regulations and requirements have been put in place by the administration such as standardized testing. This paper discusses the history of NCLB, the current issues with the legislation, and how student motivation and achievement has been effected due to the NCLB law.

Motivating Struggling Readers, Tawnie Kerska

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review discusses the effects of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation with regard to struggling readers. Intrinsic motivation is the drive inside a student to do an activity on their own. Extrinsic motivation is to do something in order to receive some sort of reward or praise. Teachers need to move from using extrinsic motivators to creating more intrinsic motivation within students. It is essential for teachers to understand the five guiding principles behind motivating students: building self-efficacy, activating schema, interest and relevance, using extrinsic reinforcers to engage, and making facilitative attributions. Understanding these principles provides teachers with strategies to …

Are Students Ready For Post-Secondary Research?, Paula Winward

Graduate Research Papers

According to faculty interviews, entering college freshmen frequently did not exhibit consistent knowledge of information literacy skills needed to be successful. Schools have increasingly used models of team teaching between librarians and professors to ensure students have information literacy skills. The purpose of this study was to explore the expectations and deficiencies in information literacy skills of entering college freshmen. The researcher questioned professors about (1) what skills they expected college freshmen to have, (2) students dispositions and responsibilities, (3) research inadequacies of students, and (4) the effect they felt using embedded librarians would have in other college departments. The …

No Child Left Behind: Advantages And Disadvantages, Kelly M. Rohlfsen

Graduate Research Papers

The No Child Left Behind Act is quickly approaching its deadline of 2014. With the expectation being 100% of students in the United States being proficient according to state guidelines, many people, including teachers, administrators and parents are questioning the reality of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), and whether or not the Nation will meet the expectation set forth. This paper describes a select few advantages and disadvantages of the No Child Left Behind Act, and how those various aspects of the law impact teachers and students alike. In addition, this paper also describes the inconsistencies between states in how …

Misconceptions In Middle School Life Science And Strategies Teachers Can Use To Change Them, Jody L. Fairbanks

Graduate Research Papers

Misconceptions and alternative conceptions refer to students' "conceptions that are different from those held by the scientific community" (Sungur, Tekkaya, & Geban, 2001, p. 91). All students have misconceptions due to prior experiences they have had. Students' alternative conceptions are problems for educators because they can block new learning (Sewell, 2002). Therefore, teachers play a crucial role in helping students construct new knowledge upon whatever foundation that already exists. This review of literature examines the findings of research regarding misconceptions, common misconceptions that students have in life science, and how teachers can teach difficult concepts so students are more likely …

Connecting Children's Quilt Literature With The Iowa Core Curriculum Social Studies Standards, Suzanne D. Burris

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this qualitative content analysis was to identify themes found in children's quilt picture books that could connect to the Iowa Core Curriculum Social Studies Standards. Elementary teachers could utilize the quilt picture books to teach the elementary social studies curriculum. This researcher analyzed 15 quilt picture books with a copyright of 1994 and newer that were in the Wilson Children's Core Collection. The themes that emerged from the content analysis of children's quilt picture books were generosity, slavery, multicultural, generational, and westward expansion. This researcher found that the books could be used to teach essential skills in …

An Analysis Of The Dynamic Indicators Of Basic Early Literacy Skills (Dibels) Assessment, Lisa Doering

Graduate Research Papers

The inception of the No Child Left Behind Act as well as the report published by the National Reading Panel have caused a sense of urgency in early intervention for students with high literacy needs. Therefore, students are being required more frequently to take high stakes assessments at a younger and younger age. Many schools use the DIBELS assessment, but there are also many other assessments available. This paper presents research as to the validity of the DIBELS assessment as well as describes several other available literacy assessments to use either in conjunction with or in isolation from DIBELS. This …

Children With Cerebral Palsy And Early Intervention Services, Genalee Horsfield

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this literature and research review is to understand early home intervention services for children with Cerebral Palsy. The review focuses on children between birth and five years old and their families. Studies were reviewed worldwide including the United States, Sweden, Netherlands, and Australia. These studies include information about service providers, different programs for children with Cerebral Palsy and their families, frequency of visits that occur for the children and their families, and the disadvantages and advantages of early intervention services for children with cerebral palsy. The conclusion of this literature and research review also includes recommendations based …

Social Discourse Of Literature Circles With A Focus On Gender, Laurie Hornor

Graduate Research Papers

This research study examined the social discourse of literature circles with a focus on gender within a fifth-grade regular education classroom. The researcher examined the nature of social discourse that was held by students and examined whether gender appeared to influence social discourse. The results from this study showed that gender did have an impact on how students responded to literature within discussion groups. Two main gender-related characteristics of the discussions were noted. The first characteristic was that males and females did hold beliefs that paralleled culturally-determined gender roles. These beliefs had an impact on how students responded to literature. …

Life Of Chaos, Life Of Hope: Dystopian Literature For Young Adults, Lisa Newgard

Graduate Research Papers

As dystopian literature grows in popularity, teacher librarians many not fully understand the themes found within this new subgenre. The purpose of this research was to describe the themes in positively reviewed dystopian literature for young adults. Themes found during the research included: resilience of the protagonist, survival, government control, social conformity, and love between the protagonist and another young adult. Novels from 2001-2010 were analyzed for themes and lessons for young adults. Thirteen positively reviewed novels were chosen, read, and coded by the researcher. After the first reading of the novels, one novel was eliminated, leaving 12 novels to …

Curricular Integration In The Elementary Classroom, Jill Leibold

Graduate Research Papers

The No Child Left Behind Act and how it narrows the elementary curriculum is an important educational issue. Integration is a valuable teaching practice that is becoming more wide spread in today's classrooms because of the pressures placed on teachers by NCLB. Integration is used to relieve some of the pressures of NCLB by helping teachers create more time to teach all subject areas. Integration allows teachers to connect learning standards across the curriculum and make lessons more meaningful for the students. This paper describes what integration is and why teachers need to implement integration into their daily instruction. In …

Engaging Emergent Writers With Anchor Lessons, Jamie Meyer

Graduate Research Papers

This research project focused on the creation of writing curriculum for emergent writers aged 5 to 7 years old. The purpose of this study was to research how beginning writers can be scaffolded in their attempts to learn how to write. This study also examined how emergent writers can be engaged in developmentally appropriate ways, what writing concepts to expect from young writers, and how to motivate young children to write. Anchor lessons were developed that connect children's literature to writing concepts and engagement. Results illustrate that children need to be taught in the zone of proximal development, use materialization …

Homework : Burden Or Benefit?, Mandy Glawe

Graduate Research Papers

Homework has been a controversial topic in the education world since the 1880's. Researchers and educators argue whether the burdens of homework outweigh the benefits it offers. With the No Child Left Behind Act in place and the amount of pressure it is putting on schools and teachers, it is imperative that teachers find the best practices for helping students achieve academic success. This paper describes the benefits and burdens of homework. Also, it explains the importance of a strong parent-teacher relationship, differentiating homework, how technology is changing traditional homework, alternatives to traditional homework, and options for how to assess …

The Effects Of One-On-One Peer Tutoring With Below-Grade-Level Seventh Grade Readers, Kelsi Salter

Graduate Research Papers

Today students with disabilities are more commonly being included in general education classrooms. This can create large gaps in achievement levels in the classroom and can be stressful for both the teacher and the students. This paper investigates the use of peer-tutors during a 7th grade reading workshop class period with students who are performing below grade level. Eight seventh-grade tu tees participated in the study where reading comprehension, reading fluency, work completion, and attitudes about the tutoring program were examined. In addition, two students were selected for case studies where there was further analysis of tutoring plans and assignments. …

Accelerated Reader And Sustained Silent Reading's Impact On Students' Motivation To Read, Amy Benedict

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine if students' motivation to read is influenced by the use of Accelerated Reader or SSR in their school. Fourth grade students had been selecting books to read based on Accelerated Reader levels. After reading each book the students took a quiz. SSR was implemented for two weeks to determine if students' attitudes towards reading would improve.

A mixed-methods approach was used in this research design. Quantitative data were collected through the MRP survey, administered both before the introduction of SSR and after implementing SSR. Qualitative data were collected through an individual conversational …

Kindergartners Can Read And Understand : Emergent Reading Strategies At Work, Kacey Lynn Beyer

Graduate Research Papers

The need for kindergarten educators to be effective in teaching both word solving and comprehension strategies is paramount. Educators are challenged to teach even the most emergent readers to use strategies to help them read and understand what they have read. The explicit teaching of both word solving and comprehension strategies in kindergarten builds a strong foundation for literacy learning throughout a student's school career and beyond. Fostering a love of literature and an attitude of lifelong literacy learning can be achieved for all students with the proper supports in place. This paper defines each word solving and comprehension strategy …

Teaching Poetry Writing In The Primary Grades, Staci Cramer-Wilkinson

Graduate Research Papers

This project examines the use of poetry to teach writing and the impact this instruction has on the primary classroom. The purpose of this project is to explore poetry instruction, examine how it has traditionally been taught, and provide professional development to classroom teachers that focuses on the effective use of poetry instruction in the classroom. The professional development sessions include Power Point presentations, small and large group discussions, and practical classroom application. Benefits and challenges of poetry instruction are also provided.

Supervision In The School Library Program: Administrator Expectations Of Paraprofessionals And Traveling Teacher Librarians, Dixie Forcht

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this grounded theory research was to develop an understanding of administrators' expectations of the responsibilities, roles, and tasks of paraprofessionals and teacher librarians in Iowa schools where the teacher librarian travels between three or more buildings while paraprofessionals serve in the day-to-day operations of the school library. The findings from this research indicated that individuals involved in the upper echelons of administration and support for public schools possessed knowledge about and expectations for the role of school library programs, teacher librarians, and library paraprofessionals in Iowa schools. Because invited school-level administrators were unwilling to participate in this …

Readers' Workshop In The Elementary Classroom, Alaina Terese Daters

Graduate Research Papers

In this research project, Reader's Workshop is defined and explored in relation to an elementary classroom setting. The literature review describes the importance of independent reading, the structures and components of readers' workshop, how readers' workshop motivates and engages readers, and finally how to get started with readers' workshop in the elementary classroom. Following the literature review, there is a three-year professional development plan that lays out the key components of readers' workshop and its format for training a staff on how to implement this structure into their elementary classroom. Year one of the professional development project discusses what reader's …

School Uniforms, Nicole Waytenick Reuter

Graduate Research Papers

The need for education reform is evident in public schools across the nation. Researchers, school officials, parents, and teachers have been looking at different ways to promote a better learning environment that will allow students to feel safe, equal, and free to express themselves in different ways within the classroom. In recent years, many of these same people have contended that implementing school uniform policies within schools is the way to create that kind of learning environment.

Within this paper, a closer look at the issues surrounding school uniform policies will be examined. Both sides of the issues will be …