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Full-Text Articles in Education
Improving Reading Comprehension For Struggling Middle School Readers, Amber Kaye Vermeer
Improving Reading Comprehension For Struggling Middle School Readers, Amber Kaye Vermeer
Master's Theses & Capstone Projects
This action research was driven by the researcher’s interest in improving struggling reading students at the middle school level through a reading intervention course. The researcher used quantitative data through FastBridge CompEfficency to monitor the nine-week reading intervention course and evaluate students' progress weekly. The areas addressed in the intervention are reading comprehension skills of paraphrasing, main idea identification, summarizing, and inferencing. The researcher is a seventh-grade teacher in her sixth year of teaching reading classes and two reading intervention courses. The findings of the research showed that a few students were able to improve their reading skills and achieve …
Incorporating Social-Emotional Learning Into Middle School Classrooms, Jessica Wolles
Incorporating Social-Emotional Learning Into Middle School Classrooms, Jessica Wolles
Master's Theses & Capstone Projects
This article is how the implementation of social-emotional learning in a middle school can improve behavior, academics, mental health, and social awareness amongst adolescents. This paper examines research from twenty research articles to communicate the need for social-emotional learning to be implemented in a middle school. This article outlines the school improvement plan for implementing a social-emotional learning curriculum.
The Impact Of Notetaking In A Middle School History Class, Marybeth Flietstra
The Impact Of Notetaking In A Middle School History Class, Marybeth Flietstra
Master's Theses & Capstone Projects
The purpose of this action research project was to determine the impact of notetaking in a 7th grade World History classroom on learning and engagement. A mixed-methods study of 36 7th grade students was used to determine significant differences between notetaking styles, student performance, and engagement during short class lectures. Post-lecture assessments, Likert-style surveys, and student notes were assessed and triangulated, while interviews and survey questions were evaluated to illustrate common themes and perceptions of notetaking. Data analysis revealed that notetaking does have some impact on both academics and engagement, however, the style of notetaking made a significant difference. Additionally, …
Implementation Of A Social-Emotional Curriculum In The Middle School, Molly Ramirez
Implementation Of A Social-Emotional Curriculum In The Middle School, Molly Ramirez
Master's Theses & Capstone Projects
The purpose of this school improvement plan was designed based on first-hand experience in seeing the high need for social-emotional learning skills among middle school students. Research findings show that a social-emotional curriculum provides students with many beneficial skills and supports to self-regulate and respond appropriately to anguish and trauma. The findings also explicitly conclude that when implementing a social-emotional curriculum each step of the process is crucial to the positive outcome of the program. With these research findings in mind, a school improvement plan was created to promote sustainable implementation within the middle school setting.
The Effect Of Cold-Calling On Voluntary Participation In A Middle School Science Classroom, Kris Birkland
The Effect Of Cold-Calling On Voluntary Participation In A Middle School Science Classroom, Kris Birkland
Master's Theses & Capstone Projects
This action research study investigated the effect of cold-calling on voluntary participation in a middle school science classroom. Four sections of an eighth grade science class were observed: two of the sections were with a teacher who used cold-calling often, and two of the sections were with a teacher who does not use cold-calling. An observer recorded the number of students who volunteered to answer a question after it was first asked. Although the students in the class with the teacher who used cold-calling frequently had higher rates of voluntary participation, the results were not statistically significant; therefore, there is …
Brain Breaks In Computer Science, Bridget K. Adam
Brain Breaks In Computer Science, Bridget K. Adam
Master's Theses & Capstone Projects
The purpose of this action research study was to determine the effectiveness of brain breaks on behavioral engagement in middle school computer science classrooms. The two questions that drove this action research study were: should brain breaks be used in a middle school computer science classroom and do brain breaks help middle school computer science students stay engaged. This action research study was conducted in two middle school computer science classrooms in a Northeast Iowa school. Quantitative data was collected on behavioral engagement in both classes for 15 days which indicated the percentage of students behaviorally engaged and disengaged at …
Brain Breaks And Student Engagement, Allison Kasparek
Brain Breaks And Student Engagement, Allison Kasparek
Master's Theses & Capstone Projects
The purpose of this action research project was to determine the relationship between brain breaks and student engagement, specifically on-task and off-task behaviors. The participants included 23 twelve and thirteen-year-old students wh9o attended a middle school in Nebraska. Students participated in a 3-4 minute brain break movement activity during the 10 day intervention period. Brain breaks consisted of GoNoodle mirrored dances or "Would You Rather" guided movement activities. Data was collected by the researcher using a tally-mark system to indicate the occurrence of off-task behaviors. The study found that the implementation of brain breaks did have a positive effect on …
The Impacts Of One-To-One Technology On The Engagement And Achievement Of Middle School Students, Caleb Weathers
The Impacts Of One-To-One Technology On The Engagement And Achievement Of Middle School Students, Caleb Weathers
Master's Theses & Capstone Projects
This literature review discusses the many effects, both positive and negative, of educational technology on 21st century students. The specific problem at hand is determining the true effects of this technology integration on students’ overall levels of academic engagement and achievement. More specifically, the purpose of this research is to determine the potential effects of technology integration on middle school students’ engagement and achievement. The review begins by examining the history of technology in education and how it has progressed over the years. Moving forward, the review then examines the perceived role of technology in education. From there, the review …
Blended Learning's Impact On Student Performance And Engagement In A Middle School Language Arts Classroom, Claire Cole
Blended Learning's Impact On Student Performance And Engagement In A Middle School Language Arts Classroom, Claire Cole
Master's Theses & Capstone Projects
The purpose of this action research project was to determine if blended learning instructional practices enhance students' understanding of the content being studied and increase student engagement in a 7th grade English language arts classroom. The research questions being studied as a result of these purposes include: Is there a positive correlation between using blended learning techniques with middle school students and students' proficiency of the Iowa Core standards? Does using blended learning methods correlate to increased student engagement? Participants of the study were three sections of 7th grade language arts students from the teacher researcher's school district of rural …
The Effectiveness Of Project-Based Learning In The Science Classroom, Jordan Tegrootenhuis
The Effectiveness Of Project-Based Learning In The Science Classroom, Jordan Tegrootenhuis
Master's Theses & Capstone Projects
The purpose of this action research project was to determine the effect of project-based learning on middle school science students. A science classroom was taught with a traditional method for a unit and data was collected to be measured for growth. Then another class was taught with project-based learning on the same unit with data collected to measure their growth. Analysis of the data collected suggests that while both strategies are effective in providing growth of knowledge, project-based learning showed a greater growth within special education, at risk, and ESL students.