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2016

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

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Full-Text Articles in Education

Tutor In A Bag: Reaching Struggling Readers, Lillian Hoskinson Dec 2016

Tutor In A Bag: Reaching Struggling Readers, Lillian Hoskinson

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Tutor in a Bag is a tutoring program designed to match novice adult tutors with struggling early readers. The program trains tutors with varied backgrounds to work with struggling readers using evidence-based instructional strategies and data collection methods. Tutors attended an initial training session to receive materials, practice each component of the lesson plan, and to receive fundamental training on use of reading games and strategies supporting solid reading instruction at a brisk pace. Each designated struggling reader was paired with a tutor for 10 weekly, thirty-minute sessions driven by each student’s individual needs. Support for the tutors was provided …


Culture Shock: Understanding World Cultures Through Arts Integration, Shelby Wooldridge Sep 2016

Culture Shock: Understanding World Cultures Through Arts Integration, Shelby Wooldridge

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Teachers often have difficulty engaging students in arts and humanities classes. To aid in this struggle, a series of lesson plans applicable for kindergarten through twelfth grade students in music and arts and humanities classes will be presented. These lesson plans will teach students about world cultures, such as West African, Appalachian, and Latin America, through arts integration. In order to reach this goal, there will be a component on student development in order to match the units with students’ developmental levels. From there, the lesson plans will be developed to incorporate all of the art forms, with an emphasis …


Invisible Children: The Effectiveness Of Non-Governmental Organizations (Ngos) In Primary Education In Central America, Megan Skaggs Sep 2016

Invisible Children: The Effectiveness Of Non-Governmental Organizations (Ngos) In Primary Education In Central America, Megan Skaggs

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

what extent are non-governmental organizations (NGOs) an effective tool in primary educational development in Central America? To address this concern, this project addressed the results of several months of research in Nicaragua, Guatemala, and at the U.S. NGO headquarters, where interviews with educators, NGO workers, and citizens were conducted regarding the role of NGOs in addressing educational concerns effectively. Interviewees included: Pueblo a Pueblo, Serving Orphans Worldwide, U.S. Agency for International Development, Let Girl’s Learn Program, and varied individuals connected with education or non-profit work in that region. My research analyzed the historical and social structures of Nicaragua and Guatemala, …


Universities And Sustainable Food Practices: An International Comparison Along The Pacific Coast Of North America, Alexandra Schulte Aug 2016

Universities And Sustainable Food Practices: An International Comparison Along The Pacific Coast Of North America, Alexandra Schulte

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

My research project examined sustainable practices in relation to food sources at three universities located along the Pacific Coast of North America. The academic institutions were the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB), and the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver. These schools were selected because while they each foster an abundance of “local” foods and food industries, they represent different stages in the three pillars of sustainability for food practices. My project sought to understand the role of each institution in building a local and sustainable food culture at each university. I …


Student Perceptions Of Services For Veterans And Military Personnel, Philip Parsons Aug 2016

Student Perceptions Of Services For Veterans And Military Personnel, Philip Parsons

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Many Veterans are returning from the War on Terror and making their way to universities. Due to the many aspects of war and military life many maybe, or are experiencing some level of mental health issue/s. As more Veterans make this transition, resources may not be available for them to be successful in the classroom (Whitley, Tschudi, & Gieber, 2013). After reviewing the literature, a suitable instrument to measure these variables was not available. The researcher developed a survey and sampled students of one Midwestern public university. The variables included basic demographic questions and perceptions of Veterans and the services …


More Than Cookies: A Study Of Trends And Promising Practices In Programming For Older Girl Scouts, Jennifer Ottersbach Aug 2016

More Than Cookies: A Study Of Trends And Promising Practices In Programming For Older Girl Scouts, Jennifer Ottersbach

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This study examine rates of 'older girl' (ages 15-17) retention in Girl Scouts of the USA. Enrollment numbers and troop activity/participation are examined from the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana Council to assess the reflection of this regional council to the nationwide organization. Benefits such as character building, developing leadership skills, international and domestic travel opportunities, democratic opportunities, and public work or service projects for older girls are described as promising practices for older girl retention. This qualitative study lead to the development of “The Five Keys of Effective Older Girl Programming” as follows: designing specialized experiences, building relationships with adults …


Steps In Time: An Exploration Of Tap Dance Education, Sara Pecina Aug 2016

Steps In Time: An Exploration Of Tap Dance Education, Sara Pecina

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Tap dance is an indigenous American art form that not only holds a valuable presence in the world of entertainment but also boasts an important historical background. From the slave quarters on plantations to Hollywood’s silver screen, the development of tap dance mirrors the story of American history. Tap dance must be preserved because of its cultural significance in American history; likewise, it is imperative for dancers to understand its development in order to appreciate the art and for today’s artists to continue the growth and presence of tap dance in America. However, many dance educators today focus solely on …


To Cheat Or Not To Cheat: Impacts Of Learning Disability Status And Impulsivity On Cheating, Mckenzie Perdew Aug 2016

To Cheat Or Not To Cheat: Impacts Of Learning Disability Status And Impulsivity On Cheating, Mckenzie Perdew

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Impulsivity is associated with academic dishonesty and deficits/disorders related to learning disabilities (LD). Despite separate connections made between impulsivity and academic cheating and between impulsivity and LD, there is little information in the literature regarding whether the impulsivity feature of some LD is related to higher rates of academic dishonesty among students with LD. We measured history of academic dishonesty, tolerance of academic dishonesty, and impulsivity in 83 Amazon Mechanical Turk participants. An independent samples t-test revealed that participants with LD exhibited higher levels of dysfunctional impulsivity compared to neurotypical (NT) peers. Dysfunctional impulsivity was associated with increased cheating tolerance. …


Fluency: A Steady Beat In The Making, Nicole Patton Aug 2016

Fluency: A Steady Beat In The Making, Nicole Patton

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This honors thesis explores the literacy component of fluency and its instruction in the intermediate grades through the incorporation of Brain-based learning and the arts. Because reading fluency can affect other areas of reading, such as comprehension, it is important to build fluency skills through meaningful instruction. By exploring the best practices of fluency instruction, by understanding how the brain learns, and by recognizing how the arts can meet the needs of different learners, educators can alter and create instruction that challenges students’ reading ability in a unique way. A series of fluency lessons incorporating brain-based learning and the arts …


27 Floors Of Support: Effectively Advertising Campus Resources To College Students, Amanda Peerce Aug 2016

27 Floors Of Support: Effectively Advertising Campus Resources To College Students, Amanda Peerce

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

College campuses provide a large variety of resources to college students to help ensure their well-being and success; however, students cannot utilize these resources if they do not know they exist. While there has been extensive research on the importance and efficacy of resources on college campuses, not as much research has been done on how to advertise these services to college students. The goal of this project is to create and assess the efficacy of a campaign educating and encouraging students to seek out campus resources in times of need. This project focuses primarily on promoting resources to first-year …


The Effects Of Community-Building On Achievement, Motivation, And Engagement In Undergraduate Mathematics, Hannak Keith Aug 2016

The Effects Of Community-Building On Achievement, Motivation, And Engagement In Undergraduate Mathematics, Hannak Keith

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This 2 x 2 quasi-experimental study examined the effects of pedagogical method (i.e., direct instruction vs. 5E inquiry) and intentional community-building (i.e., absence or presence) on undergraduate student (N = 103) motivation, engagement, and achievement in mathematics. Conditions were randomly assigned to one of four different College Algebra classes with a one-time occurrence and taught by a trained expert teacher. Findings indicated that intentional community-building – regardless of pedagogical method – had the strongest effects on students’ motivation, engagement, and achievement. Although no differing pedagogical effects were discovered (most likely due to the one-time implementation of the lesson formats), …


Testing The Effects Of Professional Development On Elementary Pre-Service Teachers’ Beliefs About Mathematics Inquiry Instruction, Courtney Inabnitt Aug 2016

Testing The Effects Of Professional Development On Elementary Pre-Service Teachers’ Beliefs About Mathematics Inquiry Instruction, Courtney Inabnitt

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

In this study, a professional development (PD) seminar was designed and implemented with elementary pre-service teachers (n=20) enrolled in a mathematics content course at a small Midwestern university. The central focus of the PD was on bringing inquiry, specifically the 5E model, into mathematics instruction at the elementary level. The structure of the PD followed the 5E model format and participants learned about inquiry through inquiry. The study utilized a pre-post-test design and measured participants’ knowledge about the 5E model and beliefs about using inquiry in elementary mathematics instruction. Statistically significant growth from pre-test to post-test appears in …


Western's New Deal: The Shaping Of College Heights During The Great Depression, Sean Jacobson Aug 2016

Western's New Deal: The Shaping Of College Heights During The Great Depression, Sean Jacobson

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This thesis addresses the Great Depression's impact on public higher education by analyzing developments at Western Kentucky State Teachers College. It also seeks to understand factors leading to the enshrinement of Henry Hardin Cherry as a larger-than-life figure upon his death in 1937. An investigative study into primary materials found that the New Deal projects on campus provided a boost for Cherry's leadership and charisma in his community. The concurrence of his death with the construction of a classroom building funded by the Public Works Administration determined his memorialization for posterity. The building, Cherry Hall, emerged as an institutional symbol …


Cross-Cultural Comparison Of Credit Transfer Practices, Lending And Financial Inclusions In North America, Europe And The Middle East, Jessica Henao Barragan Aug 2016

Cross-Cultural Comparison Of Credit Transfer Practices, Lending And Financial Inclusions In North America, Europe And The Middle East, Jessica Henao Barragan

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Many events highlight the relationship between credit availability and aggregate output. Macroeconomic models and financial market conditions have major impacts on the world economy. In addition, these represent the responses to financial chunks that differ in developed countries like the United Kingdom, France, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Canada and the United States. The impact of credit conditions is concerned, as well as the differences in the quality of banking supervision and the effectiveness of monetary policies in different parts of the world. The experience of developed countries sets an example of the integration process inevitably contributing to create an …


Outcomes Of Speech And Language Pilot Program For International Students, Kelly Fussman Aug 2016

Outcomes Of Speech And Language Pilot Program For International Students, Kelly Fussman

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Universities in the United States host a substantial number of international students every academic year. As of the 2015-2016 academic year, Western Kentucky University, located in south-central Kentucky, alone hosts over 1,400 international students. These students often face a number of challenges upon arrival in the United States, especially when it comes to language and cultural differences. A considerable body of research indicates that international students’ educational performance and outcomes are significantly impacted by their cultural identities, psychological and sociocultural experiences, and attitudes in relation to English-speaking societies. Many international students attribute academic and social difficulties to a lack of …