Education Commons^™

Seeing The Forest For The Trees: Elementary Stem Environments That Nurture Creativity And Innovation, Lisa Jo Chizek

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study examined creativity in schools through the lens of nine rural Midwestern public school fifth grade students in a student-centered, inquiry-based science classroom within a STEM Framework. Previous literature suggesting the importance of nurturing creativity in schools (Florida, 2004; Executive Office of the President, 2018; K. H. Kim, 2016; Csikszentmihalyi, 1999) inspired the purpose for this dissertation. What is missing is the perspective of creative youth. Phenomenology as a research method is a “systematic attempt to uncover and describe the structures, the internal meaning structures, of lived experiences” (van Manen, 2016, p. 10). Through student voices, this qualitative study …

Writing Workshop And Creativity Despite Standardization: An Exploration Of Elementary Teachers' Practices, Darcie Kay Kress

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Writing instruction in today’s classrooms is often structured with “formulaic, sterile writing instruction” (Brown, Morrell, and Rowlands, 2011, p. 17). The focus on formulaic approaches can be problematic, for it may inadvertently cause the quality of students’ writing to decline (Brown, Morrell, & Rowlands, 2011; Gillespie, Olinghouse, & Graham, 2013). The National Writing Project (NWP) provides teachers with professional development to strengthen their own skills as writers, and also to learn how to effectively incorporate evidence-based practices into their writing instruction.

The aim of this study was to explore the practices of three elementary classroom teachers (second, fifth, and sixth …

Integrating Movement In The Elementary Classroom: Creating Innovative Materials That Incorporate Movement With Content Areas, Hannah Kristine Harrison

Honors Program Theses

Movement is an aspect of teaching that often gets left out of curriculum and lesson plans in the elementary classroom. However, brain research and educational studies show that movement can play a critical role in understanding. The goal of this study was to determine how educators can use movement to enhance lessons that are already being taught during the school day without needing extra materials, time, or money. Resources and activities were compiled, organized, and aligned to content standards in order to give educators ideas of ways to modify lessons to incorporate movement. The findings can be found on a …

Empowering Children's Social Ecology: Reenvisioning Postconflict Reconstruction And Education In Rural Liberia, Kristen N. Mcnutt

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Despite the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement calling the end to Liberia’s back-to-back civil wars in 2003, Liberia’s peace remains fragile with a high number of out of school children, especially in rural communities. As an indicator of state fragility, rural education needs to be a priority in post-conflict reconstruction. This thesis emerged to support the nongovernmental organization, Supporting Programs in Community Empowerment (SPICE), an emerging Liberian-based nongovernmental organization.

The methodologies for this action research project was a needs assessment, which resulted in the development of the Needs Assessment Report: Paving the Way for the Future of Liberian Children. Through …

Where Was I?: Engagement Strategies For Students With Attention Deficit Disorders, Brenna L. Herrmann

Honors Program Theses

Throughout my time in the elementary classroom I have been flooded with instances where my cooperating teacher or I, myself, have struggled with students who are inattentive or disruptive during class. This not only makes it difficult for that specific student to learn, but also has the possibility of preventing others from learning. My most memorable experience of teaching students like this has been with a brilliant student who was clinically diagnosed and medicated for the hyperactive subset of attention deficit disorders, more well-known as ADHD. The following thesis is the research and creation of strategies to help teach students …

The Effects Of Book Club Participation On Reading Comprehension In Children With Disabilities, Elizabeth Ann Kosmicki

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Reading comprehension is a skill that effects future employment and income. However it is an ability that children with various disabilities struggle with. Researchers suggest that instruction in the use of reading comprehension strategies may improve understanding of texts. Furthermore, book clubs might serve as a vehicle to deliver this instruction in a natural setting. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of book clubs on the reading comprehension strategy use of children with disabilities. Two third grade children, one male with ADHD and one female with Down syndrome, participated in a book club. As part of …

Shrink And Squeeze: Today's Teaching Pressures And Its Effect On Teaching Social Studies, Alyssa Diane Mckeone

Honors Program Theses

Social studies education is one of the four core subjects taught to students in elementary schools. Teaching social studies provides students with the content knowledge and ways of thinking to allow them to be participating members in their communities. Although there are many skills students learn from social studies, due to federal legislation starting with No Child Left Behind, social studies has been put on the back burner while math and reading take the forefront. The goal of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of teachers regarding their social studies teaching. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with veteran …

Using The Growth Mindset To Improve Opportunities For Negotiation In Argument-Based Inquiry Elementary Classrooms, Bridget Tharp

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to evaluate if teaching students about the growth mindset improves achievement on standardized science assessment in a classroom that uses argument-based inquiry (ABI) instruction. A critical part of ABI is also referred to as negotiation and is considered cognitively demanding for students. The demands of argumentation often make its implementation extremely challenging for teachers because students often do not have strategies to overcome the failure they will encounter during the process. ABI is a research-based instructional practice that has been shown to improve student learning in science. This study will look at specific aspects …

A Case Study Analyzing The Traits, Programs, Actions, And Beliefs Necessary To Overcome The Correlative Relationship Between High Free And Reduced Lunch Rates And Low Standardized Test Scores, John Speer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

As the K-12 student population in Iowa continues to become more socioeconomically challenged, as evidenced by a continued increase in the free and reduced lunch rates for schools in Iowa, a demand for increased student performance on standardized tests is growing. This dichotomy proves challenging to schools. In general, schools with a higher rate of identification of students eligible for free and reduced lunch rates produce lower achievement scores on standardized tests. The purpose of this study was to (1) Identify the strength of the corollary relationship in Iowa between free and reduced lunch identification rate and 4th grade achievement …

An Investigation Of The Assessment Practices Of Elementary General Music Teachers In Iowa, Michelle Linn Hyde Swanson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Assessment, leading to informed decisions, is an integral part of music education and may be a means to justify the importance of music as a valued content subject (Brophy, 2000). The purpose of this study was to describe the elementary general music assessment practices in Iowa. The study was framed using Stiggins’ (2005) categorical definition of assessment as gathering, organizing, summarizing, and reporting data. Mixed methodologies were utilized to gather data regarding these four categories through survey questions (N=211) and two focus group discussions. The participants were from a variety of school district sizes as well as teachers with varying …

Investigating The Role Of The Written Curriculum On Lesson Planning For First-Year Elementary Mathematics Teachers, Anna Kron

Honors Program Theses

While studies have previously explored aspects of lesson planning from the perspective of experienced teachers, there is a lack of research investigating how this process is different for brand new educators. The researcher, a preservice elementary teacher studying at the University of Northern Iowa, wanted to learn more about the available resources and how she would utilize them when planning for mathematics instruction in her first elementary classroom. At the completion of this project, the researcher hoped to have a better understanding of the process first-year elementary teachers experience when transforming written textbook materials into a mathematics lesson plan. The …

Comparing Sixth Grade Students' Creativity In Word Play To Spatial Construction With Integrated Academic Content Eliciting A Distal Or Proximal Perspective, Ksenia S. Zhbanova

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Pressing global problems require solutions from innovative ideas that depend upon educating a new generation to think creatively. The current study aimed at assisting 24 sixth grade students in a summer program develop their creativity skills in two different areas while integrating academic content. Student performance was examined for transfer of skills across domains and for support of Construal Level Theory, which holds that addressing topics distant in space, time, probability or experience leads to abstract thought supporting greater creativity.

The study was a counterbalanced, repeated measures, two-experimental condition study with students divided into two groups of 12 each. In …

Attainable Arts Integration In The Elementary School Classroom, Anneliese Gentzsch

Honors Program Theses

Arts Integration is an education philosophy that advocates for educating the whole child in a way that will prepare him or her for life outside the classroom. Arts Integration can effectively do this because it makes art, which is seen everywhere in the world around people, an essential part of the classroom. In an Arts Integration classroom, the arts are integrated with mathematics, science, social studies, and reading. Arts Integration teachers strive to authentically incorporate music, drama, the visual arts, dance, and literature into their classrooms on a daily basis. When teachers authentically incorporate the arts into the classroom, the …

Case Study On The Journey Of An Elementary School Labeled As A Persistently Low-Achieving School, Annette Duncan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study examined an elementary school, located in an urban school district, which was labeled as a Persistently Low-Achieving School (PLAS) by the federal government in 2009 in order to determine how the school planned to change leadership and staff; increase student achievement; and implement new approaches for changes in school climate.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the response of this school in the following areas:

1. Professional Practices of Teachers and Administrators: What impact did the PLAS label have on the professional practices of teachers and administrators in this building?

2. Curriculum and Academic Achievement: What …

The Student Achievement Decline At Sixth Grade And The Practices Impacting Achievement, Mary Cooksley

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

A trend in the decline of proficiency levels, as measured by the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS), exists at the sixth grade in both Mathematics and Reading Comprehension across the state of Iowa (Adequate Yearly Progress Statistics (2006–2008) [Data File] Des Moines, IA: Iowa Department of Education). This mixed method study focused on the practices impacting student performance between the fifth grade and the sixth grade. Research related to the decline of sixth grade student achievement reveals the possible factors resulting in lower achievement: Grade span configuration, the transition between fifth and sixth grade, adolescent development and middle level …

The Effect Of Learning Styles And Attitude On Preservice Elementary Teachers' Conceptual Understanding Of Chemistry And The Nature Of Matter In A Simulation-Based Learning Environment, Mo H. Al-Jaroudi

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This causal-comparative descriptive study investigated the achievement of pre-service elementary teachers taking an introductory physical science course that integrates inquiry-based instruction with computer simulations. The study was intended to explore if pre-service elementary teachers with different attitudes towards science as well as students with different learning styles would benefit differentially. Four research questions including four hypotheses were developed. The first major question consist of four specific hypothesis that addressed preservice elementary teachers' learning styles (Active/Reflective, Sensing/Intuitive, Visual/Verbal, and Sequential/Global) and their conceptual understanding of chemistry and the particulate nature of matter in a science class which use hands-on learning integrated …

The Effectiveness Of Colored Overlays On Reading Achievement And Attitudes Toward Reading For Students With Scotopic Sensitive Syndrome, Hanan Ali Bagabas

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study investigated the effects on students identified with Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome (SSS) or Irlen Syndrome (IS) when using colored overlays as an intervention (immediately and over time) to assess reading performance (rate, accuracy, and comprehension); to measure visual-motor integration; and to assess attitude toward reading. SSS/IS is a visual perceptual problem related to a collection of symptoms that affects an individual's performance when reading. Three participants, all males (one 3rd -grade student, one 4th -grade student, and one 5th -grade student), were identified as having SSS/IS and other learning disabilities.

The study involved five test instruments (Irlen Reading Perceptual …

“She Called Me A Mexican!”: A Study Of Ethnic Identity, Simona Florentina Boroianu

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Ethnic identity is a dynamic construct whose conceptualization has raised ongoing controversy among researchers. It has been suggested that ethnic identity includes several components that can be examined individually or in combination.

The purpose of this paper is to study ethnic identity in Mexican-origin children, as one of the multifaceted aspects of the adaptation process that immigrant children experience in their transition to becoming a part of the United States' mainstream culture.

No formal assessment of ethnic identity in Mexican-origin children in Iowa has been conducted yet, therefore this study is meant to fill a gap and bring in knowledge …

A Study Of Elementary Instructors' Teaching Of Forearm Passing As A Part Of Volleyball Instruction, Tsui-Feng Tiffany Yeh

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate the teaching of forearm passing as a key component of volleyball game performance. More specifically, this study investigated teachers' content knowledge and teaching knowledge (pedagogical content knowledge) related to forearm passing as described by the teachers and manifested in teaching practices in the teaching environment.

Six elementary physical education instructors participated in this study. Several methods were used for gathering different information about forearm passing research including systematic observation, videotaping, field notes, and formal and informal interviews.

The findings revealed that (a) teachers' teaching philosophy significantly influenced their teaching and designing volleyball …

Family, Child, Teacher Perceptions Of What African American Adult Family Members Think And Do To Assist Their Elementary School-Aged Children To Become Better Readers, Shadrack Gabriel Msengi

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In this study, the perceptions were investigated of how African American adult family members, children, and teachers viewed the family members' roles in assisting their elementary school-aged children to become better readers. These perceptions were explored to provide a detailed account of ideas that can impact the home-school relationship. To conduct this study, the researcher examined how similar or different the perceptions were among the three subgroups regarding: (a) the child's reading level; (b) what families do to assist children in reading; and (c) the perceived barriers and opportunities in adult family members' decisions to assist their children to become …

There Are No Winners Here: Teacher Thinking And Student Underachievement In The 6th Grade, Sue L. Pettit

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The following ethnographic study was conducted with 6^th grade teachers in a middle school that has been stigmatized by the public as a failing school and cited by the government as a School in Need of Assistance according to the No Child Left Behind Act. The purpose of the study was to examine what teachers believe about persistent underachievement in order to shed light on whether teacher beliefs inform teachers' efforts to ameliorate underachievement. As my study progressed, my research data suggested that teachers use a faulty testing curriculum that guarantees poor student performance and only serves to confirm …

School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports : An Evaluation Of An Elementary School Program, Lisa Andreasen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The outcomes of a school-wide positive behavior support program at a rural elementary school were evaluated to determine the effects of a school-wide program on the behavior of students. A program evaluation was conducted using student office referrals that were collected over a six year period. The results indicated that student office referrals significantly decreased from Year 1 to Year 6 and that specific behaviors of aggression and inappropriate language also decreased significantly from Year 1 to Year 6. Data were investigated to indicate trends in total office referrals by gender, grade, month, location, and problem behavior.

The Impact Of The Iowa Children's Water Festival On The Children's Attitudes And Behaviors Toward The Environment, Sang-Min Kim

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

As a result of the growing concern about environmental issues, many countries have developed mechanisms and regulations directed at protection and conservation of the environment. As a part of this movement, many governmental and nongovernmental organizations (NGO) have launched a variety of environmental education programs, in an attempt to promote awareness of environmental issues. The Iowa Children’s Water Festival (ICWF) is an annual half-day environmental education program in Iowa. The goal of the ICWF is to provide educational opportunities throughout the state to K-5 children and to educate customers of tomorrow on the importance of safe, reliable drinking water (ICWF, …

Students' Views Of Classroom Management Strategies In Assertive Discipline And Constructivist Classroom Settings, Joan Carolyn Gerbo

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The present case study was designed to investigate third grade students' views of their teachers' behavior management strategies in two contrasting classroom types at the third grade level: an Assertive Discipline classroom that represents the behaviorist paradigm, and a constructivist classroom that emphasizes the social cognitive paradigm. Understanding students' views at this age is important because these views become the lenses through which children interpret subsequent school experiences and may provide insight into how to reduce student misbehavior in schools (Valeski & Stipek, 2001). However, limited research exists to compare third grade students' views in classrooms of teachers with different …

An Investigation Of The Concept Of Balance In Children Ages 6–9: Logic And Protologic Identifiable In Making Mobiles, Seon Chun

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This research was conducted to explore children's construction of protologic (foreshadowing of operations) in the context of experience with balance mobiles in a constructivist setting and to explore the usefulness of making mobiles in promoting children's development of the concept of balance.

The statement of the problem is (a) Can constructivist principles of cognitive development be used to understand children's progress in the course of educational activities involving balance? If so, how? What does the progressive construction of notions about balance look like in children's behaviors? and (b) Does children's understanding of balance improve after experimenting with making mobiles?

The …

Teaching For Educated Children, Jane Ericson

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

Considering the question, "What are the qualities of an educated child?" has been both a personal and professional journey for me. That question was what I sought to answer nearly a year ago and have been thinking about ever since. Through this paper I intend, not just to share any conclusions I have reached, but also describe the thinking process I went through to get there. Actually, the process may have been more significant than the end. I believe that it has been a worthwhile topic to investigate, helping me to grow as I complete my own formal education and …

Science In A Constructivist Classroom: Progress In A Five-Year-Old Child's Reasoning About Water Dynamics, Hyang-Lim Kwak

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the study is to understand changes in a target child’s reasoning about water dynamics, specifically, draining and movement of water in tubes. The study also focuses on development and evaluation of activities and teaching strategies. The activities were conducted with all children in the preschool at a public elementary school in Iowa as part of the regular classroom constructivist program inspired by Piaget’s work. Using Piaget’s theory to provide insights into the child’s reasoning and knowledge, analysis focused on the child’s construction of regularities between his actions and reactions of water, and on the construction of relationships …

The Implementation Of Naturalistic Evaluation Of Reading Comprehension: A Descriptive Study Of First Graders In A Chapter 1 Reading Program, Beth Ann Hardy Nordmeyer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to document the implementation of naturalistic evaluations of reading comprehension, specifically, the comprehension abilities of first-grade students in a Chapter 1 reading program. There were five major questions which guided the study: (a) How will naturalistic evaluations assess students' reading comprehension abilities in a Chapter 1 classroom? (b) What problems does a Chapter 1 teacher encounter when implementing naturalistic forms of evaluation? (c) Given special consideration to time and management, how can naturalistic devices be used in a Chapter 1 reading program? ( d) How will a Chapter 1 teacher be able to use …

Assessment Of The Process Of Reading Through The Use Of Think-Aloud Protocols With Elementary Students, Jacqueline F. Holdorf

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study was undertaken to investigate the ability of elementary students to generate verbal reports during a reading task, and to determine whether differences in protocols produced exist between readers of differing ability and verbal activity.

The 20 experimental subjects were 5th and 6th grade students from one classroom in an Iowa school district. The subjects were classified as good and poor readers, and verbal and less verbal. Reading ability classifications were based on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. Verbal activity classifications were based on teacher judgment.

The subjects were asked to read a passage and then to verbalize …

Teacher-Initiated Whole Language Reading Instruction In A Skills-Based School District: A Self-Report Case Study, Vicky Mashek-Smith

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study presents an insider's view of change as one teacher, the author of this report, attempted to implement reading instruction based on a whole language philosophy in a skills-based school district. Reform critics have made a substantial call for the improvement of students' literacy skills and for teachers to take charge of change efforts. This study is an attempt to describe what happened when one teacher attempted to implement these recommended reforms.

This investigation followed qualitative research guidelines for a self-report case study, similar to those used by McPherson (1972) in Small Town Teacher. The setting was a fourth-grade …