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EDL Sixth Year Theses

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Full-Text Articles in Education

Language Learning: A Study Of Academic Self-Efficacy In A Suburban High School, Geneviève Brand Apr 2018

Language Learning: A Study Of Academic Self-Efficacy In A Suburban High School, Geneviève Brand

EDL Sixth Year Theses

Students taking a foreign language in high schools generally are educated to be competent in the three modes of communication as defined by the American Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages. This study tool place in 9th and 10th grade foreign languages class in one, suburban school in Connecticut. At this school, some students enrolled live in that community, and some opt to attend that school rather than their neighborhood school through an inter-district program called Open-Choice (OC). All students in this school are asked to engage in a rigorous and challenging curriculum in order master these modes of communication. …


The Perceived Efficacy Of Tier I Intervention Strategies As A Precursor To Tier Ii Pull-Out Mathematics Intervention For Students With Add/Adhd By Elementary Classroom Teachers, Dawn Campbell Jan 2018

The Perceived Efficacy Of Tier I Intervention Strategies As A Precursor To Tier Ii Pull-Out Mathematics Intervention For Students With Add/Adhd By Elementary Classroom Teachers, Dawn Campbell

EDL Sixth Year Theses

The core purpose of this study was to provide insight to the staff at Orchard Hill Elementary School in South Windsor, Connecticut into effective ways to address the challenges that students with ADHD face in the math classroom. By first identifying which research-based instructional strategies and behavior interventions are being used, as well as the perceived efficacy of the strategies and interventions by those implementing them day-to-day, the school community could begin to understand the efficacy of Tier I intervention for students with ADHD and identify potential needs for further research or professional development or capitalize on successful strategies and …


Efficacy Of North Haven’S Response To Intervention In Reducing Over-Identification Of Specific Learning Disabilities, Karyn B. Gallagher Dec 2017

Efficacy Of North Haven’S Response To Intervention In Reducing Over-Identification Of Specific Learning Disabilities, Karyn B. Gallagher

EDL Sixth Year Theses

In 2006, a reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act led to changes in how the state of Connecticut determined special education eligibility for a student with a specific learning disability. The Response to Intervention (RTI) approach replaced of the discrepancy model in making this determination. This retrospective case study looked at the perceptions of North Haven Staff on the efficacy of the RTI process in reducing the over-identification of students with specific learning disabilities. A mixed-methods survey was administered to 337 professionals in North Haven, CT. Of the 86 responses received, 73 were determined to be useful …


Relationships Between Self-Concept, Teacher Expectation, And Academic Achievement: An Analysis Of Social-Emotional Well Being And Its Relation To Classroom Performance, Katherine E. Stearns Nov 2017

Relationships Between Self-Concept, Teacher Expectation, And Academic Achievement: An Analysis Of Social-Emotional Well Being And Its Relation To Classroom Performance, Katherine E. Stearns

EDL Sixth Year Theses

As a current teacher at McAlister Intermediate School in Suffield, Connecticut, I am interested in analyzing the relationship between a student’s self-concept, their academic achievement, and the expectations that their teacher holds for them within the classroom. My personal interests lead to a literature review and subsequent study examining existing research surrounding self-concept, teacher expectation, and their relationships to academic achievement.


Teacher Attitudes On Assessing Student Effort, Catherine A. Egan Jul 2017

Teacher Attitudes On Assessing Student Effort, Catherine A. Egan

EDL Sixth Year Theses

Research indicates that there are classroom practices teachers can implement to help students develop non-cognitive skills such as the ability to persevere and tackle challenging work. After consulting the literature, there is a clear lack of research measuring teacher attitudes and beliefs about pedagogical practices that promotes resilience and perseverance. Research suggests that teachers’ beliefs and attitudes shape the learning environment and impact student outcomes (Brackett et al., p. 232). Therefore, it is critical to understand teacher comfort and commitment to initiatives, as well as their perceptions on how school culture supports such practices. Understanding teacher attitudes and beliefs can …


Evaluation And Student Learning Objectives In Connecticut Schools, Vittoria Fielosh Jul 2017

Evaluation And Student Learning Objectives In Connecticut Schools, Vittoria Fielosh

EDL Sixth Year Theses

Over the past several years, states across the country have been restructuring their teacher evaluation models due to changes in federal education policies. The focus of many of these models has become student achievement, and there are many ways states are measuring a teacher’s impact on student achievement. Connecticut, along with more than 20 other states, uses student learning objectives to measure a teacher’s impact on student learning. Unlike other states, Connecticut has not specified what assessment be used to measure student growth. This case study, of one school district in Connecticut, examines the type of assessments used as a …


Perceptions Of Efficacy In Connecticut Social Studies Certification: An Analysis Of The #026 Social Studies Certification As It Relates To Sufficiency In Content Knowledge According To The Perceptions Of Department Chairpersons, Vincent A. Artese Apr 2017

Perceptions Of Efficacy In Connecticut Social Studies Certification: An Analysis Of The #026 Social Studies Certification As It Relates To Sufficiency In Content Knowledge According To The Perceptions Of Department Chairpersons, Vincent A. Artese

EDL Sixth Year Theses

Content knowledge is important to the success of any teacher. A lack of content knowledge possessed by a teacher results in challenges for both teaching and learning. The purpose of this study was to analyze the perceptions of social studies department chairpersons throughout the state of Connecticut in regards to the #026 History/Social Studies 7-12 certification. The topics explored in the literature review of this paper comprise the importance of content knowledge, the sufficiency of social studies teacher preparation programs, and the benefits of content-based online professional development. The research questions asked included whether or not the #026 certification encompasses …


Music Teachers’ Perceptions Of Efficacy: Student Learning Objectives And Data Driven Indicators, Geno Heiter Dec 2016

Music Teachers’ Perceptions Of Efficacy: Student Learning Objectives And Data Driven Indicators, Geno Heiter

EDL Sixth Year Theses

Previous research explains that twenty-first century education has moved passed pedagogical ideologies that focus solely on student tasks that require the recall of facts or rote application of simple procedures. Unfortunately, the literature on music education has ignored the importance of measuring intrinsic attributes of music learning and fundamental musicianship. Measuring ‘valid’ higher-order and critical thinking skills as they relate to music learning is significant because states are now measuring student learning and teacher effectiveness by evaluating multiple data driven indicators. Determining ‘what’ valid higher-order learning ‘looks like,’ and the data that can be generated by this learning in a …


Power, Positioning, And The Potential Of Adult Learning Communities, Jacquelyn Mcmanus Aug 2016

Power, Positioning, And The Potential Of Adult Learning Communities, Jacquelyn Mcmanus

EDL Sixth Year Theses

An initial curiosity around the variations and effectiveness of literacy coaching led to the extension of this research study, which explored the needs of adult learners in general as they existed and operated in their professional learning communities (PLCs). With a greater understanding of what adult learners sought from their learning communities, the research also established why certain adult learners pursued leadership positions, specifically was there a common profile of an adult learner who decided to lead PLCs instead of just participating. This study explored the functioning of the adult learners in their current PLCs and the perspectives of those …


The Impact Of Response To Intervention In A High School Mathematics Setting, Lauren Dominick Jul 2016

The Impact Of Response To Intervention In A High School Mathematics Setting, Lauren Dominick

EDL Sixth Year Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the impact of response to intervention (RTI) in a high school mathematics setting. A major concern in the literature related to the fact that majority of RTI research focused on students at the elementary level and in reading. Therefore in this study RTI was implemented in a high school mathematics classroom and the effects were analyzed. This study is focused on a sample of ninth and tenth grade students from two classes and taught by one teacher in the same high school in an action research setting. Quantitative and qualitative methods of …


Emotional Regulation And Technology In Various Educational Environments, Aimee Boyle Jul 2016

Emotional Regulation And Technology In Various Educational Environments, Aimee Boyle

EDL Sixth Year Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the use of technology in various educational environments. Specifically, it looked at the ways in which technology is integrated into special education classrooms, and how it impacts learning. Two self-contained special education high school classrooms were studied, using qualitative methods of data. These included field notes based on observations and a semi-structured interview. In addition, a review of the literature on this topic was conducted to better place the study within the context of wider work done in this area. The data from the two classrooms were analyzed using the constant comparative …


Social Emotional Development's Effect On Academic Achievement Of Children With Special Needs, Adrienne Dunn Jul 2016

Social Emotional Development's Effect On Academic Achievement Of Children With Special Needs, Adrienne Dunn

EDL Sixth Year Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine how social emotional strategies could be embedded into the academic curriculum for students with special needs. In order to develop a greater understanding on how to most effectively embed the strategies, a variety of stakeholders were called upon to gather information about strategies the could be implemented. The effectiveness of the strategies would be illustrated by the students’ attitudes towards learning after the implementation of embedded strategies and skills. This study focused on gathering information from a faculty at an intermediate school and the implementation of strategies was done in a collaborative …


Is The Flipped Classroom Pedagogy Effective For All Students?, Stephanie Quarato Jul 2016

Is The Flipped Classroom Pedagogy Effective For All Students?, Stephanie Quarato

EDL Sixth Year Theses

In my experience as a mathematics teacher, I have learned that mathematics is a subject that is commonly paired with negative feelings. Many individuals lack confidence in their ability to perform mathematics. As a mathematics teacher, I am always looking for different ways to reach the needs of all of my students. The flipped classroom was one initiative that I implemented into my classroom to understand the benefits of learning in this unique way. In a flipped lesson, the students learn the lesson from a textbook or video as the homework, while the practice is completed in the classroom. The …


Factors Influencing Student Engagement, Maria Devito Jul 2016

Factors Influencing Student Engagement, Maria Devito

EDL Sixth Year Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess and outline major factors influencing student engagement in the middle school context. In order to contribute to the existing body of research and to benefit students by outlining the particular aspects of learning experience that are related to engagement, a case study has been carried out, which sought to analyze the students’ schooling experience as a source of valuable data. Qualitative methods of data collection were applied during the study. The survey, focus-group interview, and observations allowed classifying the factors influencing the levels of engagement among the study participants into five major …


A Case Study Of Teacher Leadership At An Elementary School, Allison Wills Oct 2015

A Case Study Of Teacher Leadership At An Elementary School, Allison Wills

EDL Sixth Year Theses

The purpose of this research study was to explore the status of teacher leadership at one elementary school. With increased attention on accountability for student achievement, educators have begun to look for ways to take the lead in reform efforts. But, little research has been done to identify why particular teachers emerge as leaders. This study explored the philosophies and leadership behaviors of a group of elementary teachers at Center Trail School. Quantitative and qualitative methods of data were collected using three surveys- Philosophy of Education Inventory, Teacher Leadership Self-Assessment, and Teacher Leadership School Survey- and individual interviews. Descriptive statistics …


Male Gender Disparity Gap: Does Gender Impact Education, Laura D. Smith Oct 2015

Male Gender Disparity Gap: Does Gender Impact Education, Laura D. Smith

EDL Sixth Year Theses

This case study focuses on male gender disparity in education and the large numbers of males referred and receiving special education services. The data indicates that females outperform males academically, and that the males behaviors impacts their academic success. The connection to males at a young age being placed in low ability reading groups based upon behaviors, and their motivation and academic achievement is affected negatively. The eighth grade students at a PK - 8th grade rural Connecticut school participated in this researcher’s case study. The case study looked at, how students perceived their education, and what role their education …


Flipping In A Technological Rich Classroom, John W. Budge Oct 2015

Flipping In A Technological Rich Classroom, John W. Budge

EDL Sixth Year Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore eighth grade students’ perception of a flipped classroom environment. It is difficult to engage and motivate eighth grade students. This study was created in order to determine if a flipped classroom would spark more interest and therefore eventually lead to an increased ability. More specifically, this study investigated how students perceive their learning is progressing in a flipped math classroom, and how engaged are they using the technology compared to the traditional classroom setting. The classroom environment was switched to a flipped classroom at the start of a new unit in October. …


The Impact Of Early Numeracy Intervention On Kindergarten Students, Jennifer L. Hill Oct 2015

The Impact Of Early Numeracy Intervention On Kindergarten Students, Jennifer L. Hill

EDL Sixth Year Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of early numeracy intervention with kindergarten students. In order to grow a stronger understanding of how providing mathematics intervention can benefit students, the intervention was provided to kindergarten students aimed to seek answers to how providing the earliest possible intervention can positively impact the achievement gap and a child’s understanding of number. This study explored the impact early numeracy intervention had on five kindergarten students and compared their growth to those of their peers not receiving intervention to determine the positive impact providing Response to Intervention had on kindergarten students. …


Perceptions On Inclusion In Elementary Schools, Rosanne Field Oct 2015

Perceptions On Inclusion In Elementary Schools, Rosanne Field

EDL Sixth Year Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine how perceptions on inclusion impact supports of both special needs and regular education students in first grade. In order to grow a stronger understanding of what perceptions are in place, the perception had by teachers and administrations, and their direct impact on supports provided, two first grade classes, two classroom teachers, and one administrator were used to seek the answers we were looking for. This study explored the impact perceptions had on two first grade teachers, one administrator, and the impacts of support on 32 first grade students. Quantitative and qualitative methods …


Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports: Effects Of Check In-Check Out, Jacklyn A. Angelone Oct 2015

Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports: Effects Of Check In-Check Out, Jacklyn A. Angelone

EDL Sixth Year Theses

This case study focuses on how a Tier II positive behavior intervention support impacts middle school students that require an additional behavior management intervention to support success accessing Tier I instruction in the general education classroom. The support studied for this case was the Check In/Check Out (CICO) intervention as implemented to a group of five boys.


The Importance Of Highly Effective School Library Media Programs On School Learning Environments, Alexandra M. Juch Oct 2015

The Importance Of Highly Effective School Library Media Programs On School Learning Environments, Alexandra M. Juch

EDL Sixth Year Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics of a previously identified successful school library program (SLMP) in a Connecticut public school. The primary goals of this research are to answer these questions by conducting a single case study to examine the nature of this previously identified SLMP so that promising practices identified from this study can be applied to other SLMPs in Connecticut public schools. The data collection methods embodied both qualitative and quantitative instruments that included surveys, interviews and documents. Qualitative data analysis included preparation, familiarization, coding and general meaning that was entered into a table …


The Impact Of Professional Development On Blended Learning On High School Teachers, Laura A. Kulpa Oct 2015

The Impact Of Professional Development On Blended Learning On High School Teachers, Laura A. Kulpa

EDL Sixth Year Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of professional development on blended learning on high school teachers. In order to learn about teacher’s feelings about technology training, professional development was delivered in a blended learning environment utilizing the learning management system Schoology with the goal of providing the experience of engaging in same learning environment that their students partake in. The study examined perceptions and explored the impact of blended learning of four high school teachers. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected using an online survey, interviews, and in-person and online observations. Descriptive statistics, in conjunction with …