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Full-Text Articles in Education

Students' Learning Style Preferences And Teachers' Instructional Strategies: Correlations Between Matched Styles And Academic Achievement, Mary L. Wilson Nov 2011

Students' Learning Style Preferences And Teachers' Instructional Strategies: Correlations Between Matched Styles And Academic Achievement, Mary L. Wilson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the current study was to identify the extent to which learning styles influence the educational process as well as the outcome of students, particularly elementary-age students, in terms of academic achievement. This study examined the potential relationship between the degree of match (as determined by comparing learning style preferences of students with instructional strategies of teachers) and the academic achievement of fourth grade students as shown by Palmetto Assessment of State Standards scores in four academic content areas, namely English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. The researcher collected data from a sample of approximately 200 …


Cooperative Learning And The Gifted Student In Elementary Mathematics, Christine C. Hecox Oct 2010

Cooperative Learning And The Gifted Student In Elementary Mathematics, Christine C. Hecox

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The research was a quantitative research project dealing with Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) Mathematics scores of fourth grade students, including gifted and high-achieving students, in 2008-2009 under the exposure of daily cooperative learning in mathematics. The problem statement was as follows: In Polk County, Florida, how does cooperative learning affect the FCAT Mathematics scores among fourth grade students, including gifted and high-achieving students? The purpose of the quasi-experimental study was to explore the relationship of cooperative learning versus traditional learning on their student achievement. The null hypothesis was that cooperative learning would have no effect on fourth grade gifted …


The Appeal Of Caldecott Award Winning Books And Their Importance In The Classroom, Rebecca Ann Hoffman Oct 2010

The Appeal Of Caldecott Award Winning Books And Their Importance In The Classroom, Rebecca Ann Hoffman

Senior Honors Theses

The winners of the Randolph Caldecott Medal for picture books can be an excellent tool for teachers to enhance student learning. Teachers must understand the purpose of the Caldecott Medal and the criteria that the committee uses to select winners. Educators must also recognize the elements of Caldecott books that appeal to children including their illustrations, characters, and genres. Caldecott Medal winners can be used to enhance student learning in a variety of ways. They can be used with many grades, integrated with different subjects, related to important character principles, and used as a source of inspiration. Understanding the appeal …


Phonological Awareness In The Kindergarten Classroom: How Do Teachers Perceive This Essential Link From Oral Communication To Reading Skill Development, Margaret Catharine Dahmer Apr 2010

Phonological Awareness In The Kindergarten Classroom: How Do Teachers Perceive This Essential Link From Oral Communication To Reading Skill Development, Margaret Catharine Dahmer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This descriptive research study, combining survey and correlation methods, described the perceptions and behaviors of kindergarten teachers in relation to phonological awareness usage in their classroom experience. Current research related to early literacy development acknowledges the significance of phonological awareness in emergent reading programs. The benefits of explicit phonological awareness instruction are well documented in reference to implications for current reading abilities and future academic achievements. The current study was developed to address a gap in current research associated with how kindergarten teachers perceive the importance of phonological awareness, and how this importance is demonstrated in their classroom experience. Participants …


The Effects Of Using Bloom's Taxonomy To Align Reading Instruction With The Virginia Standards Of Learning Framework For English, Charla Faulkner Crews Apr 2010

The Effects Of Using Bloom's Taxonomy To Align Reading Instruction With The Virginia Standards Of Learning Framework For English, Charla Faulkner Crews

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the effects of aligning the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) English Framework with Bloom's Taxonomy on student achievement. Changes prompted by No Child Left Behind legislation increased accountability for student success, as well as mandated testing to determine annual academic growth of all students. Documentation supported the need of fourth grade students to improve comprehension skills. The goals of this research were to determine the effects of aligning the SOL English Framework with Bloom's Taxonomy on student achievement and determine the effects of developing reading lesson plans based on the SOL English Framework aligned with Bloom's Taxonomy …


The Educational System In Romania: An Overview Of How Communism Has Influenced Current Aspects And Programs, Jessica Phillips Apr 2010

The Educational System In Romania: An Overview Of How Communism Has Influenced Current Aspects And Programs, Jessica Phillips

Senior Honors Theses

Romania’s history under the influence of Communism has had lasting effects on all aspects of daily life, from politics to economics to education. Many of the philosophies imbedded in the fabric of Romanian society during the Communist regime under leaders such as Ion Antonescu Nicolae Ceausescu are still affecting Romanians today and particularly the decisions made regarding schooling and the system of education in Romania in terms of curriculum, instructional methods, and standards. Involvement in the Holocaust was often downplayed but now the goal is to circulate truth as to the scope and depth of connection with the Nazi principles. …


Quantity Of Parental Involvement: The Influence Of The Level Of Education Attainment Of Elementary Private School Parents, Deborah Kay Secord Dec 2009

Quantity Of Parental Involvement: The Influence Of The Level Of Education Attainment Of Elementary Private School Parents, Deborah Kay Secord

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this research was to determine the influence of the custodial parents' level of educational attainment on the quantity of parental involvement in the areas of assistance with homework, time spent in home activities with the child, communication with teachers, participation in school events, educational discussions with the child, and time volunteered in school. Questionnaires were sent out to the parents of elementary students at two private faith-based institutions. The combined number of participants was 151. The researcher determined that there was no significant influence among these private school parents of the level of educational attainment on the …


Addressing The Lack Of Male Elementary School Teachers: Factors That Influence Grade-Level Preference, Michael David Patrick Nov 2009

Addressing The Lack Of Male Elementary School Teachers: Factors That Influence Grade-Level Preference, Michael David Patrick

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine which, if any, specific factors are deterring male teachers from pursuing elementary education. The number of male elementary teachers in America's public school systems had continued to decline, and this survey sought to discover what specific factors had contributed to this. This study surveyed 231 male public school teachers from six different school districts in Tennessee, Georgia, and Missouri. Male participants recorded their viewpoints regarding male elementary teachers while at the same time they provided personal information concerning factors which contributed to their own personal grade level selection. Participants were surveyed to …


Reading Comprehension Instruction For Expository Text In Elementary Education, Kristen Ephraim Oct 2009

Reading Comprehension Instruction For Expository Text In Elementary Education, Kristen Ephraim

Senior Honors Theses

The thesis focuses on strategies for developing reading comprehension skills in relation to expository, or informational, text and the need for this type of instruction in contemporary elementary classrooms. Comprehension is the final product of reading, and therefore should require attention and emphasis during literary instructional time. Many students enjoy reading narrative text, as it is more relational and has a storyline or plot, so expository text is often neglected and considered uninteresting. However, as students begin the upper elementary grade levels, almost all of their reading experiences include informational text, such as textbooks. Through instructing students how to read …


The Impact Of The No Child Left Behind Act On The K-8 Setting, Kara Robertson Oct 2009

The Impact Of The No Child Left Behind Act On The K-8 Setting, Kara Robertson

Senior Honors Theses

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which was implemented in 2002, is changing the classroom for teachers and students. The legislation is widely discussed across the nation and people are deciding whether or not this change is suitable for education. The No Child Left Behind Act is affecting the core subjects in the classroom. After evaluating literature on the subject, it is obvious that there are two clear sides to this legislation. There are also actions that can be taken by teachers within the classroom to best utilize NCLB. As a future educator, it is important to evaluate NCLB …


No Child Left Behind Act: The Impact On The Performance Levels Of Gifted Students Relative To Those Of Non-Gifted Students, Rochelle Lenea Hopson-Lamar Aug 2009

No Child Left Behind Act: The Impact On The Performance Levels Of Gifted Students Relative To Those Of Non-Gifted Students, Rochelle Lenea Hopson-Lamar

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal comparative study was to determine the impact of the implementation of NCLB on the performance levels of gifted students relative to those of non-gifted students. The study involved the 2001, 2002, 2008, and 2009 Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) results of 1,978 middle grades students from a school in rural Northwest Georgia. The analysis included comparing the Mann-Whitney statistics, two-sample independent z-test statistics, and the percentage of improvement in performance levels of the gifted and non-gifted students, as measured by the CRCT in reading, language arts, and mathematics. The findings revealed that, since the implementation …


Teachers’ Perceptions Of How Leadership Styles And Practices Of Principals Influence Their Job Satisfaction And Retention, Eric Matthew Denton Jul 2009

Teachers’ Perceptions Of How Leadership Styles And Practices Of Principals Influence Their Job Satisfaction And Retention, Eric Matthew Denton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study addresses the challenge principals face in retaining highly qualified and effective teachers in their schools. Although efforts to recruit new teachers have proven successful, teachers are leaving education at alarming rates, especially in the first four years of their careers. The purpose of this study was to identify what school principals can do to increase teachers' job satisfaction and retention. To do so, 12 veteran teachers from four schools were interviewed from February to April 2009. The participants answered questions concerning their levels of job satisfaction, their perceptions of their principals' leadership styles, and their reasons for continuing …


An Evaluation Of The Relationship Between Criterion-Referenced Competency Test Reading Comprehension And Lexile Scores And Fountas And Pinnell's Guided Reading Levels In A Georgia Public School District, Lynnda G. Higgins Jun 2009

An Evaluation Of The Relationship Between Criterion-Referenced Competency Test Reading Comprehension And Lexile Scores And Fountas And Pinnell's Guided Reading Levels In A Georgia Public School District, Lynnda G. Higgins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the current study was to compare Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell's guided reading levels to the reading comprehension and Lexile scores on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). The researcher designed a correlational study to answer the following question: How do the Fountas and Pinnell guided reading levels among third grade students who were instructed in guided reading correlate with the reading comprehension and Lexile scores which were generated by the CRCT? The purpose was also to determine whether guided reading levels, gender, and ethnicity had a correlation to reading comprehension and Lexile scores on the …


To Read Or Not To Read: The Influence Of Literature On Behavior Management, Katherine E. Ray Apr 2009

To Read Or Not To Read: The Influence Of Literature On Behavior Management, Katherine E. Ray

Senior Honors Theses

Perhaps one of the most discussed issues in American education is that of classroom management. This is not simply an elementary-level problem either, as would be expected due to the younger student’s short attention spans, but an issue that affects the middle and high schools as well. More and more, behavioral issues are becoming a problem because they cause disruption in the classroom and restrict the students from reaching their full learning potential. But are these problems only due to the special needs of students, such as ADD or ADHD, or does the issue lie deeper? Perhaps reviewing the literature …


Comparison Of Fifth-Grade Students’ Mathematics Achievement As Evidenced By Georgia’S Criterion-Referenced Competency Test: Traditional And Departmentalized Settings, Marcia Wright Williams Mar 2009

Comparison Of Fifth-Grade Students’ Mathematics Achievement As Evidenced By Georgia’S Criterion-Referenced Competency Test: Traditional And Departmentalized Settings, Marcia Wright Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the effect of traditional (self-contained, one teacher for all academic subjects) and departmentalized (math taught by a different teacher) instruction upon the mathematics CRCT achievement of fifth-grade general education students. A secondary purpose addressed teachers' experiences, perceptions, and opinions concerning the classroom structure at this level. The 2007 and 2008 CRCT math data was used with a total of 9,386 students. The researcher's Data Collection and Opinions (DCO) for Teachers surveyed 180 fifth-grade teachers. A z score population proportion and a two-sample t test determined significant differences between the two structures. Results of the passing percentages showed …


The Relationship Between The Dynamic Indicators Of Basic Early Literacy Skills (Dibels) Oral Reading Fluency (Orf) And The Alaska Standards Based Assessment (Sba) For Proficiency In Reading, Polly Shuman Rowell Feb 2009

The Relationship Between The Dynamic Indicators Of Basic Early Literacy Skills (Dibels) Oral Reading Fluency (Orf) And The Alaska Standards Based Assessment (Sba) For Proficiency In Reading, Polly Shuman Rowell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The impact of No Child Left Behind and making Adequate Yearly Progress is influencing classroom instruction with Curriculum Based Measures such as the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS). The primary population of this study was from a small school in rural Alaska. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the first grade scores of the DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) and the subsequent third grade scores of the Alaska Standards Based Assessments (SBAs) in reading. A Pearson's r statistical test was performed on the data from both scores. The results indicated that there …


Irresistable Children’S Literature: The Benefits Of Integrating Newbery Award Books Into The Curriculum, Rebekah E. Ricksecker Jan 2009

Irresistable Children’S Literature: The Benefits Of Integrating Newbery Award Books Into The Curriculum, Rebekah E. Ricksecker

Senior Honors Theses

Reading is the most fundamental skill taught in school. Many schools rely heavily on textbooks and basal readers to teach reading skills. Research, however, shows that exposing students to outside literature is more likely to promote a love of reading that will last for a lifetime. Books that have won the Newbery Medal, which is given to “the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children” (Association, 2004, p. 3), can and should be integrated into the elementary and middle school curriculum. Given since 1922, Newbery Award books provide a variety of themes and thought-provoking topics appropriate for classroom use. …


Effect Of The 6+1 Trait Writing Model On Student Writing Achievement, Nancy Kay Dejarnette Nov 2008

Effect Of The 6+1 Trait Writing Model On Student Writing Achievement, Nancy Kay Dejarnette

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The focus of this study was to determine the difference between teaching the 6+1 Trait Writing Model to fifth graders and the traditional writing workshop method of teaching writing on overall student writing achievement according to the data supplied by a writing rubric. The study involved 8 classes of fifth graders in 2 different schools. One school provided instruction according to the 6+1 Trait Writing Model, and the other school provided instruction using the traditional writing workshop method of teaching writing. It was hypothesized that students receiving instruction using the 6+1 Trait Writing Model would exhibit greater gains in writing …


Academic Effects Of Writer's Workshop, Marla S. Smithson Sep 2008

Academic Effects Of Writer's Workshop, Marla S. Smithson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this dissertation was to study the effects of a process writing curriculum, Writer’s Workshop, on the writing achievement of fifth grade students as measured by the Georgia Fifth Grade Writing Assessment. The study used three years of data and a total of 321 subjects in determining improved writing scores. The investigation equated and compared the performance levels using a Chi-square contingency table, finding that the group prior to implementation surpassed the performance of the cohorts in the following two years. An independent samples t-test evaluated scale scores from the latter two years, resulting in no significant difference …