Education Commons^™

Writing In A Second Grade Math Class, Tammy Bakken

Graduate Research Papers

Writing in math has given me a much better benchmark-driven curriculum. I know more clearly how to help students accomplish math benchmarks. I used to have a separate time for the students in my classroom to write and a separate time for my students to do math. Nearly two years ago, I had the idea of writing in math. I read what other teachers had tried and I tried to include more writing in math. The results have confirmed my belief that writing in math is a worthwhile practice. Writing in math gave my students a greater understanding of math. …

Childhood Depression And Schools, Jeni Barry

Graduate Research Papers

Depression in children is a problem that is becoming more prevalent. With children and adolescents under more stress and pressure than ever before, the seriousness of the issues children deal with is also intensifying. Depression in children is a major concern because it can interfere with school and academics, social functioning, and even lead to somatic symptoms. If depression is left untreated it can lead to other mental disorders. An important concern is that children who are depressed are at great risk of suicide. Population studies show that at any one time between 10 and 15 percent of the child …

The Role Educational Technology Plays In Student Achievement And Teacher Preparation, Overton Howard Bean

Graduate Research Papers

The role of technology in the classroom, as a tool for improving student achievement, has received much attention in education today. Teacher preparation programs are making efforts to produce computer literate and competent users of educational technology. This author focuses on the role of educational technology, including the Internet. Consideration is also given to changes in teacher preparation that integrate new technologies into methods courses, as areas that could potentially lead to improved achievement levels for all students.

A Preferred Vision For Administering Secondary Schools, Christopher Cruise

Graduate Research Papers

There are many different characteristics that contribute to being an effective administrator. I believe an administrator must have a vision for his/her school. He or she must strive to constantly improve the educational experience for students by building a strong cultural community within the school that makes every student feel welcome. An administrator must work well with many different types of people within the school and community and must be willing to serve on many different committees to open lines of communication with all of the student body.

An administrator needs to surround himself with good people who share his …

Parents As Partners : The School-Home Connection, Jennifer Burkhart

Graduate Research Papers

Family literacy programs engage parents in small groups, help parents capitalize upon what they already do with literacy in the home while teaching new skills for parents to work with their children, and provide children with time to read together. Parents' attitudes have lifelong effects on a child's literacy (Morrow, 1995). Getting parents involved in emergent literacy activities has a positive effect on the child's own literacy and is associated with higher achievement and stronger cognitive skills (Anderson, 2000; de Jong and Leseman, 2001; Morrow, 2001 ). A family literacy program can better reinforce the internal motivation that parents and …

Reading Between The "Signs", Sarah Durchenwald/Williamson

Graduate Research Papers

Teaching reading to hearing students, with the supplemental support of American Sign • Language, is a relatively new concept. Many components associated with sign language reinforce basic concepts of English. It teaches individual letter sounds, and names, and many of the signs for words emphasize beginning sounds, as well as meaning. Another important component of sign language is its bodily kinesthetic form of learning. Many students in public schools today are not learning through traditional teaching strategies. Incorporating sign language provides a multi-sensory approach to literal hands-on learning.

The following research outlines the principles behind teaching effectively using sign language …

A Preferred Vision For Administering Elementary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Lucy M. Evans

Graduate Research Papers

I believe that every child born into the world deserves, as their unalienable right, an equal opportunity to a quality education as promised by the United States Congress in 1981. This promise can only be accomplished by maintaining the belief that every child can and will learn if given the opportunity. I believe that within the mind of a child is a natural curiosity about this great world that can through proper nurturing continue throughout their lives.

The atmosphere in the school community should be one of caring and acceptance. Plants and animals cannot grow without proper care and nourishment …

Putting The Best Possible Teacher In The Classroom : Through Reflection And Self-Evaluation, Renee Fisher

Graduate Research Papers

Over the span of five months, an elementary school teacher uses reflection and self-evaluation methods to review her teaching. The process encourages improvement in areas concurrent with the Iowa Teaching Standards. Including a current portfolio, the teacher uses the medium of videotape to self-evaluate her teaching style and the evaluation by building administrator. Current research in teacher evaluation lends support to the need for self-evaluation. The completed portfolio becomes a working document chronicling the teacher's work in the classroom and career field. The results show the improvement that has occurred, along with areas to advance in.

The Digital Media Lab At Bainbridge College, Neil L. Griffin

Graduate Research Papers

This project describes the development of an audio and video production facility at Bainbridge College, a small community college in Bainbridge, Georgia. The Digital Media Lab provides faculty, staff, and students with the ability to create audio and video resources for classroom use, research, training, and outreach.

The principal steps of this project were a literature review, a needs analysis, the equipment selection process, and implementation. The literature review included examples of how video is used in higher education, information about current trends in technology, and faculty development strategies. The needs analysis determined that the facility should support both analog …

Using Mindtools To Build Information Literacy And Promote Critical Thinking, Matthew J. Haan

Graduate Research Papers

Information literacy is a skill that students need to handle the overwhelming amount of information. Using Mindtools can provide teachers with a way to help students use the information literacy skills. Mindtools are used to allow students to learn through the use of technology, not from technology. By giving students opportunities to use these skills, they will be able to think critically and independently about the information they access. As a result of focusing on information literacy and critical thinking, students wiII increase proficiency in locating, evaluating, synthesizing, and applying new information. The importance of this review is to determine …

Ua12/2/2 2003 Talisman: About Face, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Archives Records

2003 Talisman

• Miller, Jen. Taking a Stand - Unity Day
• Funke, Libby. Football Season Opens with a Bang
• Powell, Kacie. Down & Dirty - Mud Volleyball
• Hawkins, Hope. Keeping Vigil - 9/11
• Flinchum, Andrea. Students Huddle Together at Guthrie Bell Tower to Remember and Learn from Sept. 11
• Miller, Jen. Sept. II: Keeping Vigil
• Covington, Shannon. Big Red Run
• Raggard, Jennifer. Cheyenne Hohman
• Funke, Libby. Once Upon a Hill - Homecoming
• From Private to Princess - Nae' Neal
• Covington, Shannon. A Powerful Tradition - Step Show
• Raggard, Jennifer. Whistle-Blowers - Andrea Payne, Christina Valdez
• Canadian Captain - Gord Veldman
• Hightower, …

Teaching As A Craft: Making Links Between Pre-Service Training And Professional Practice, Lisa Kervin, Jan Turbill

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

It is acknowledged in the literature and in professional practice that there are "gaps" between the theory of pre-service teacher education and the realities of classroom practice. The report from the 2002 National Meeting of Professional Educators identified tensions between theory and practice and suggested that teachers were "living these out in everyday learning environments" as a "creative tension" (Cumming, 2002, p. 3). We believe the challenge for teacher educators is to assist beginning teachers in making links between pedagogical theory they have accrued in their pre-service training and practice they are attempting to put into place in their classrooms. …

"Social Drivers" As Predictors Of Yoghurt Consumption In China, A Lowe, Anthony Worsley

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

A survey of yoghurt consumption by female consumers in Beijing showed 42% consuming often, 26% occasionally and 32% never. Consumers were generally younger and more driven by materialistic values than non-consumers. "Social drivers" are presented as a 1001 for marketers to predict the use of consumer products.

Schema Construction Among Pre-Service Teachers And The Use Of It In Mathematics Teaching: A Case Study, Mohan Chinnappan

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Recent developments about cognitions underlying mathematical learning are beginning to suggest that the activation and appropriate use of prior knowledge by students is, to a large measure, controlled by the quality of organisation of that knowledge. Thus, teaching needs to support the construction of well-connected mathematical knowledge. An important assumption here is that teachers need to construct a repertoire of subject-matter knowledge that is rich and well connected before they can help their students build similar mathematical knowledge. Thus, mathematics knowledge building is an important issue in teacher preparation programs. This paper reports on a study about the knowledge state …

New Zealanders' Attitudes To Milk: Implications For Public Health, Carol A. Wham, Anthony Worsley

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective: To identify consumer attitudes and beliefs about (liquid) milk that may be barriers to consumption.

Design: Two random-quota telephone surveys conducted in Auckland one year apart. Respondents were questioned about their usual milk intake and their attitudes to milk. The questionnaire included attitude items that reflected the main themes of consumer interest in milk.

Setting: New Zealand.

Subjects: Seven hundred and thirteen respondents in the baseline survey and a separate sample of 719 respondents in the follow-up survey.

Results: At least one-third of the respondents consumed less than a glass (250ml) of milk a day. Non-consumption was highest in …

Ethical Leadership--A Search For Self : A Reflective Essay, Deborah Fisher Vroom

Graduate Research Papers

Robert DeBlois (2000) in an article in Phi Delta Kappan magazine stated that "Maybe being a good leader is neither more or less complicated than knowing who you are and what your job is." Aristotle stated it even more simply as "Know thyself'. What is good leadership? We have had in recent years a plethora of books and articles on leadership from Steven Covey, Anthony Robbins, John Maxwell, to Peter Senge, with ideas on learning to take a risk to ''find new cheese" to using Christopher Robin as a leadership style. What is it that all of these experts have …

Accelerated Reader And Its Impact On Reading Comprehension And Lifelong Literacy, Julie Whiston

Graduate Research Papers

Computerized reading assessment programs such as Accelerated Reader (AR) are becoming prevalent in reading classrooms. After their reading level is determined, students take quizzes over the books they read. Points are earned by answering quiz questions correctly. A reward is often associated with earning a certain amount of points. The assessment program has many advantages. Students are allowed to choose the books that they read, and the program depends upon students having access to a wide variety of trade books. When used correctly, the program has been shown to increase reading scores and encourages students to read independently (Topping & …

A Comparative Analysis Of Indigenous Peoples' Interests And National Park Issues In Arctic Sweden, Michael J. Adams

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Despite a number of high-profile joint-managed national parks, in Australia there are substantial unresolved issues between indigenous interests and conservation agencies. Conservation agencies have done little comparative international research. This period of Fellowship travel was to commence international field research on comparative analyses of indigenous peoples' interests and national park issues. The focus was investigation and analysis of the Swedish environment agency's policy history and outcomes concerning Saami people's [indigenous Scandinavians] use of national parks in the Laponia World Heritage Area for reindeer herding, hunting and gathering, and other cultural activities. Sweden has a highly comparable economic and social profile …

Using Computer-Based Instruction To Strengthen Student Achievement In The Middle School Mathematics Classroom, Anne Nedved

Graduate Research Papers

According to the National Research Council (2001), students in mathematics should be able to understand mathematics, compute fluently, apply concepts in a problem-solving manner, reason logically, and engage with mathematics in a sensible, doable, and useful manner.

The goal of this project is to develop a curriculum guide for the implementation of the Computer Assisted Instruction program PLATO into the current curriculum of the Council Bluffs Community School District. Students are more immersed in technology than ever before and teachers need to embrace the challenge to create an environment with ample technological materials to actively involve and retain student's interests …

The Need For Handheld Computers In The Classroom, Joseph Nichols

Graduate Research Papers

The handheld computer has become a viable tool for education. It costs less, weighs less, and takes less space in the classroom than a desktop computer. This review of literature shows the merits of using handheld computers in the classroom. In order to appreciate the handheld computers, one needs to research the history of computers and how the handheld computer is being used in the corporate world, as well as by educators. By researching handheld computers past use and current trends, it should be possible to evaluate their impact in the classroom.

The Effect Of Year-Round Education On Student Achievement, Rebecca Okerlund

Graduate Research Papers

The year-round calendar has generated interest among many educators as a way to increase student achievement by reducing learning loss that often occurs during long summer vacations. This paper explores various assertions made about year-round education (YRE) as it compares with traditional-calendar education (TCE). Achievement results in the core subjects of math and reading are discussed and compared in school districts.that have utilized either a multi-track, a single-track, or a traditional 9-month calendar:

The outcome of this review indicates mixed results regarding YRE and student achievement.Because many of the studies contained incomplete data and confounding variables such as length of …

Teachers And Technology : Encouraging Teachers To Integrate Technology Into The Curriculum, Diane Roethler

Graduate Research Papers

Technology is one path in preparing students to enter the working world. In response to this important role, the International Society for Technology in Education has created technology standards for students and teachers to promote change in teaching and learning practices. A study done by Apple Computer identifies how far teachers are in the integration of technology to meet these standards.

When teachers' levels and concerns are identified, programs help teachers overcome their computer concerns, such as not having enough time, right equipment, or knowledge. Teachers also need to frequently practice what they have learned. In this time period, follow-up …

Using Technology To Provide More Objective Grading And Compliance With "No Child Left Behind", Kevin Suhr

Graduate Research Papers

In January of 2001, President Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act. "The act redefines the federal role in K-12 education and will help close the achievement gap between disadvantaged and minority students and their peers. It is based on four basic principles: stronger accountability for results, increased flexibility and local control, expanded options for parents, and an emphasis on teaching methods that have been proven to work" (No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, 2003). The passing of the No Child Left Behind Act has added pressure to schools and departments around the country to meet …

Self-Perceptions, Peer Influence, Social Information Processing And Bullying Behavior, Jaime Strickler

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on self-perceptions of bullies, · peer influence on bullying behavior, and social information processes of bullies. These three variables were chosen in an attempt to understand some of the potential causes of bullying behavior and to examine their effects during bullying episodes. While self-perceptions of bullies may be positive or negative, it is unclear as to the direction of influence between self-perceptions and bullying. Peer influence on bullying can vary from situation to situation; but it is clear. that peers do have an influence in bullying episodes. The social information …

Working With Gay And Lesbian Youth : The Counselor As Advocate, Kara L. Thompson

Graduate Research Papers

This paper addresses the challenges and barriers that gay and lesbian adolescent youth face during this period of t development. It specifically examines the feelings and stages of the coming out process and how gay and lesbian youth deal with this challenging time. The remainder of the paper outlines the role of the counselor in helping gay and lesbian youth. The paper addresses individual, group, and classroom interventions that may be used in assisting this marginalized population.

The Role Of The Literacy Coach: The Challenge Of Change, Janet Bargmann Thompsen

Graduate Research Papers

The process of change in education requires effective leadership along with professional development and on-site support. Fear of change and risk-taking may result in some teachers resisting change. Literacy coaches can provide the needed follow-up training and support for professional development that assists teachers to successfully implement new strategies and methods of instruction. Michael Fullan's ideas on the change process serve as the foundation for this article. The author incorporates the perspectives of researchers and leaders in the field of change with her own experiences to discuss the importance of understanding change, the factors affecting its initiation, and the role …

Educating African American Children : Breaking The Silence, Bernadette Thomas

Graduate Research Papers

It is inappropriate to view all children as the same, even when they may look very similar or share a cultural background. Differences exist in and among all racial and ethnic groups at all social levels. It would be dangerous to read information on diversity and apply it as if all people in that particular group are the same. Cultural information can promote understanding and insight for all. It is necessary to understand the challenges and issues that children of diverse backgrounds are faced with in order to facilitate positive change and resiliency in the counseling process. The author provides …

Integrating Technology To Enhance Reading Comprehension, Ryan Thole

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review explores whether or not using technology enhances the students reading comprehension of material. Studies in this review are in support of using computers for children when it comes to learning comprehension skills. Among the list of software, Accelerated Reader is one that is used frequently for testing what students remember after they have finished a book giving them immediate feedback. This review also is in agreement with the use of using computers for children to learn at their own pace. It provides the children with a sense of achievement that they learned it on their own, yet …

A Preferred Vision For Leading Elementary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Alvin B. Wright

Graduate Research Papers

My educational history has taken various routes. It has been a road of highs, lows, accomplishments, and disappointments. I have had the good fortune to be influenced by educators who were role models for me. My models have included teachers, administrators, and professors. The influence of their instruction and direction has helped to inspire and shape my vision to become a teacher and aspiring educational leader. I plan to use my teaching experiences, educational history, life experiences, and administrative preparation as cornerstones for my urban principalship.