Education Commons^™

Route-Finding: Developing Curricular Knowledge And Impacting Practice Through A Collaborative Curriculum Mapping Process, Laura J. Reina

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Research indicates curriculum mapping is beneficial for teachers and students. However, it is not effectively implemented because there are barriers in time, support, and knowledge. This research sought to remove those barriers and study the impact on teachers’ practice when they were able to work together to develop a curriculum map. The focus of the teachers’ map was the Kindergarten through third grade English Language Arts curriculum.

This work included a series of professional development sessions where teachers worked collaboratively to gain a greater understanding of the curriculum and develop a sequence from kindergarten through third grade. Teachers’ worked collaboratively …

Memorization And Mastery: Teaching Disciplinary Vocabulary In The Secondary Classroom, Matthew Granoff

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This capstone posed the question, how can disciplinary vocabulary best be taught in a secondary classroom? As little direct research had previously been conducted on that topic, this curriculum design project drew from work in a variety of connected fields, such as the science of memory, second language acquisition and effective assessment practices and study habits, to create an original structure for instruction. Designed to complement rather than replace existing units, this capstone offers not a set of specific lessons but a set of detailed guidelines (grounded in theories such as depth of processing and the "testing effect") which can …

How Can Mentor Texts Be Used To Teach Students In A Second Grade Classroom?, Caroline Thorvig

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Mentor texts is a popular term in the education world right now. This capstone defines mentor texts, how experts suggest selecting them, and how using mentor texts fits into best practices in literacy education. The use of mentor texts in reading, writing, and content areas is discussed. This capstone project gives examples of four mini-lessons taught with different mentor texts at a second grade level. Other possible mini-lessons are suggested to show the reader how one text can be used to teach many concepts.

Implementing The Math Workshop Model: Techniques And Benefits, Nicole Middendorf

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question investigated in this Capstone Project was: what are the necessary components of professional development to support second grade teachers in implementing math workshop? Many instructional techniques that have been incorporated into math classrooms in the past have led to lower levels of understanding and decreased abilities for students to reach higher levels of thinking. When using The Math Workshop model, it provides a framework that allows educators to meet the individual needs of every student through multiple methods and activities. The information provided in the literature review outlines the goals and components of implementation steps for a …

Curriculum For Addressing Potential Linguistic Misconceptions Of Early Elementary Somali- Speaking Learners Of English, Rachel Durkee

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

In this project, I examine common linguistic differences between Somali and English in an effort to answer my research question “How can I create a curriculum that explicitly addresses potential linguistic misconceptions of K-2 Somali learners of English?” This project consists of a document entitled “Somali/English Comparative Tool for ELD Teachers,” that points out common linguistic differences between Somali and English, and a corresponding curriculum that is created to be responsive to areas where students could potentially have challenges acquiring the grammatical form in English. Aspects of the Second Language Acquisition (SLA) theories of comparative and error analysis are used …

Building Comprehension In Fifth Grade Students Using Guided Reading, Erica Schiebel

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Guided reading is a strategy used in reading instruction. This project aims to answer the question, what is the impact of comprehension strategies when they are incorporated into a guided reading lesson plan in fifth grade? The author describes their personal and professional experience that led them to this question. The research literature on guided reading, comprehension, metacognition and assessment explain the importance of each and how they can be implemented in a classroom. Then the curriculum project is explained. The curriculum includes guided reading lesson plans and assessments by using the Understanding by Design framework. This curriculum is intended …

A Culturally Relevant Opening Weeks Curriculum: Seeking To Engage All Students To Succeed In The Middle School Science Classroom, Altringer Nicholas

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was How can a culturally relevant opening weeks unit help all students to succeed in the middle school science classroom? Topics explored in the literature review include challenges, themes, engagement of all students, gaps between students of color and their white peers, students of color and disproportionality trends in discipline, youth positions as hip-hop or survival mode, social construction of black inferiority, curriculum as windows and mirror, culturally responsive classroom management, using citizen science and student-driven investigation, restorative practices and restorative circles in the science classroom, shared responsibility for the classroom community, and …

Adult Education, Community Building, Environmental Studies, Special Education, Staff Development, Teachers/ Teaching, Jennifer Whelan

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Language and culture are dynamically connected. The culture of a place refers to its people, traditions, beliefs and products such as music or food. Despite the body of evidence to support the importance of teaching about these cultural aspects, many world language teachers struggle to include cultural study alongside their language instruction. One engaging way to improve students’ linguistic and cultural competence is through read-alouds. Read-alouds are the foundation of early literacy and provide a number of benefits for young learners: they support a solid linguistic foundation for further study of the target language’s grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation; they engage …

Dragonfly’S Toolkit: An Innovative Curriculum Framework To Facilitate Socio-Emotional And Character Development Skills In Preschoolers, Celeste Finn

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this project was, how can teachers scaffold development of the social-emotional functioning of preschoolers to improve their emotional health? To answer this question, the project included researching and developing ways to improve a child’s social-emotional awareness and character development to create a classroom culture where relationships are secure and children can thrive. This project reviewed studies from numerous experts in areas of social-emotional learning, early childhood curriculum development, executive functioning and character development to form the theoretical foundations to create a social-emotional learning and character development curriculum for children ages three to five. The research …

A Lesson Unit On Aurally Differentiating Between The Phonologies Of English & Arabic: /P/ And /B/, Iten Ezz

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project analyzes one of the common English pronunciation errors experienced by Arab learners of English which is /p/ and /b/. Such error is systematic, not accidental. The most important factors leading to this error are the interference of the first language and the difference in the sound systems between Arabic and English. A specific curriculum was developed to help Arab learners of English overcome their pronunciation error. The curriculum started with controlled activities, then practiced in authentic speech using interactive learning activities to ensure learners exposure to the target sounds.

An Exploration Of Portfolios As An Alternative Assessment To Standardized Testing, Carolyn Schmitz

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this project was, How can portfolios be used as an assessment of Common Core reading standards in an eighth grade middle school classroom? As standardized testing continues to drive educational policy and decision-making, the author questions if traditional standardized tests are what is best for students, educators, or families. Researching through the lenses of attitudes toward standardized testing as well as the effectiveness of standardized testing, the author ultimately pursues the research of the use of portfolios as an alternative means of formally assessing students. An examination of the existing literature reveals that portfolios hold …

Teaching English Language Learners In The Regular Education Classroom: A Professional Development Plan, Beth Hartokolis

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The Minnesota Legislature LEAPS Act in 2014 mandates professional development for all teachers of English Language Learners (ELL). Many regular education teachers feel inadequate to successfully meet the needs of ELL students who are in their classrooms for most of the day. This project shares the research of best practices strategies for teaching ELL students based on WIDA standards. It provides a year long professional development (PD) plan based on research that states teacher learning needs to be interactive and ongoing to be implemented successfully. The PD gives specific strategies with time to discuss and implement these strategies with coaching …

A 21st Century Approach To Developing Engaged Writers In A Second Grade Classroom, Bekkirae House

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research for this project was designed to integrate students’ love of iPads and technology, and the need to develop fundamental writing skills while building active engagement in the writing process. The author was seeking to answer the following question, how do I transfer my students’ love of iPads and technology into their writing in order to build fundamental skills and engagement? After researching peer review and digital technology, it led the author to redesign existing lessons to launching writing workshop based on the ideas of cooperative learning in the classroom. The author writes about related research literature and focuses …

How Teachers Can Integrate Absent Narratives Into Their Manifest Destiny Curriculum To Better Understand The Experiences Of People Of Color, Daniel Gerber

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this project was, how can teachers integrate absent narratives into their Manifest Destiny curriculum to better understand the experiences of people of color? It documents one teacher’s reasons for modifying a Manifest Destiny and Pre- Civil War unit in a mainstream, high school-level curriculum, that incorporates absent narratives of people of color negatively affected by American expansion. The author documents through research that many curriculum textbooks and standards do not adequately mention what happens to people of color when the U.S. takes over territory through expansion. The author includes research related to why absent narratives …

Teaching Word Stress: A Curricular Resource For Adult English Language Learners At The High Beginner/Low Intermediate Levels, Ellen M. Clore-Patron

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine what materials were needed to inform the development of a curricular resource contributing to adult English language learners’ awareness and improved pronunciation of North American English word stress. A review of contemporary literature revealed that pronunciation instruction is key to adults’ acquisition of intelligible speech, and that instruction needs to focus foremost on prosodic features that are global to the needs of learners,

such as word stress. The author’s curricular resource includes a series of lesson plans and student- centered activities. To guide the development of the resource, the author employed a …

Theme-Based Lessons: Teacher Perceptions Of A Theme-Based Approach And Its Influence On Student Engagement In Grades 3-8, Robin Penna-Baskinger

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to explore how teachers in Grades 3-8 in one New Jersey school district perceive theme-based lessons on student level of engagement and teaching pedagogy when using their own initiatives to develop a theme-based approach. Research was conducted using a qualitative design to investigate the perceptions and observations of those directly involved in developing theme-based lessons in the classroom. Twelve participants, all experienced teachers within the district of study, participated in a pre-selection questionnaire and an interview process. Increased student engagement, good teaching practices, and teaching pedagogy were dominant themes in this study. The study …

Secondary Biology Instruction In The General Senior Secondary Schools Of Aceh Province Indonesia: An Analysis Of Teachers’ Opinions And Teaching Practices Related To The Indonesia Biology Curriculum 2013, Wiwit Artika

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

My study was to discover the perceptions of general secondary senior high school biology teachers about the application of curriculum 2013. Their further opinions of biology topics and the instructional practices in the class have supported the findings of this study. In addressing this study, general senior secondary school (GSSS) biology teachers (n=286) from 22 districts in Aceh province randomly participated in my study. Thus, six (n=6) teachers were selected as convenience sampling to have a one-on-one phone interview. The data collected were analyzed descriptively (frequency and percentage) and thematically to answer the research questions.

The documents comparison between the …

Mathematics Course For Elementary Teachers In An Alternate Certification Pathway, Rachael Cramer Williams

LSU Master's Theses

In the current alternate certification program for elementary teachers at McNeese State University, students receive course work from only one of the elementary mathematics methods courses required in the traditional certification program. To assure that candidates in the alternate path learn all the math they need, I have created a course that combines the most important concepts from the two courses in one. In this thesis I will describe how the new course was designed, present an outline of the course, detail the content at the unit level and provide a template for the final exam.

A Case Study Of The Characteristics For Successful First Time Passing Of The National Physical Therapy Exam In The University Of New Mexico Doctor Of Physical Therapy 2012-2017 Cohorts, Beth-Anne Moody Jones

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

Abstract

A Case Study of the Characteristics for Successful First Time Passing of

the National Physical Therapy Exam in

The University of New Mexico Doctor of Physical Therapy 2012-2017 Cohorts

Name:

Beth Moody Jones

Degrees:

B.S., Physical Therapy, University of Vermont, 1982

M.S., Orthopedic Physcial Therapy,Old Dominion University, 1994

D.P.T., A.T.Still University of Health Sciences, 2004

Ed.D., University of New Mexico, 2018

Not passing the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) has significant consequences. If a student does not pass the NPTE on the first attempt they can retake the examination, however a student may only take the examination a maximum …

Developing Conceptual Place Value Intervention Curriculum For Upper Elementary Students, Angela Klint

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Conceptual Place Value (CPV) is the ability to flexibly increment (add) and decrement (subtract) numbers mentally (Wright, Ellemor-Collins, & Tabor, 2012). Within this project I analyze how to improve math achievement for upper elementary students who struggle with CPV concepts. Using Piaget, Vygotsky, and Erikson developmental theories I examine the educational needs of the students within upper elementary school grades. In addition, I investigate how mathematical understanding start and grow throughout a child’s development. Using this research, I developed Conceptual Place Value intervention curriculum for upper elementary students. This project consists of 15 lessons for each of the eight different …

Steam Design Thinking And Innovation: A Collaborative, Interdisciplinary, Authentic Approach To Problem Solving In Mathematics, Liesa Klyn

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

How might we design an interdisciplinary curriculum which incorporates collaboration and design-thinking to equip all students to tackle authentic, complex problems of critical relevance? This capstone project is an attempt to answer this question with an innovative mathematics curriculum that incorporates science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics into problem solving experiences that foster critical thinking, collaboration across networks, leading by influence, agility and adaptability, initiative and entrepreneurship, oral and written communication, accessing and analyzing information, curiosity and imagination and resourcefulness. This curriculum seeks to make six major shifts in student learning;from product to process, from consumption to production, from adult …

Curriculum Development Using Artistic Inquiry In An Arts Magnet Foundation Class, Debra Bestland

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project sought to answer the question; how can the skills of artistic inquiry be taught in an Arts Magnet Foundation Class? This project covered the creation of a mental construct for artistic inquiry and development of the first three units of a twelve-unit curriculum. Initially the author established a six-phase model of artistic inquiry which was then implemented in the development of individual units. The six components include: question formulation, annotated research, proposal making, creating with intent, presenting in a public format, and reflecting on the work. Each unit focused on teaching and implementing one of the phases. The …

How To Use An Advisory Period To Cultivate High School Students’ Social And Emotional Growth, Elizabeth Lundquist

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone paper and project addressed the research question: How can high school teachers cultivate students’ social and emotional growth during an advisory period in order to promote positive behavior and increase overall student achievement? Social and emotional learning is established as a critical component of overall positive youth development. The author’s literature review examined the impact strong social and emotional skills can have on individual behavior, classroom community, school climate, and academic achievement. Her research also focused on the unique opportunity an advisory period provides as a time and place through which every student may receive instruction and additional …

Being Mila: Creating An Lgbtq Curriculum That Is Authentic, Follows Policies And Ethics, And Teaches Acceptance, Tam Friestad

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The literature and curriculum used in the classroom needs to change to reflect the students that are being taught. With the number of students and families being impacted by LGBTQ issues, one teacher decided to create a project addressing the research question of: How can I create an LGBTQ curriculum that is authentic, follows policies and ethics, and teaches acceptance? It will document the creation of a children’s book about a transgender child, as well as an accompanying Teacher Resource Guide. The author uses related literature reviews to create a book and resource guide that is authentic and developmentally appropriate. …

A Curriculum For Teaching Elementary-Aged Spanish-Speaking Students To Read In Spanish, Kelly Kum

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone project was to develop a heritage language curriculum that teaches Spanish literacy skills to Spanish-speaking students in second and third grade. This project was based on research that supports the importance of students maintaining their first language and developing reading skills in their first language to help them improve their reading abilities in English and improve their test scores. The creator based the curriculum on WIDA’s Spanish Language Arts Standards and used the Understanding by Design framework to develop the curriculum. The main focus of the curriculum is to teach decoding and phonics skills to …

Creating A Culture For Outdoor Environmental Education In An Elementary Setting, Daniel Huldeen

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Many elementary educators believe in the importance of providing opportunities for outdoor environmental education but fewer actually offer activities and lessons to their students. A review of the literature detailed the many benefits that outdoor environmental education offers to students. It was also clear through research and a review of the literature that many teachers have perceived barriers preventing them from offering environmental education to their students. After identifying the barriers and highlighting the benefits this ten lesson curriculum was created to address the major barriers teachers face when teaching outdoor environmental education and provide students all of the many …

Framework For Purposeful Technology Integration In Environmental Education Using Inquiry Based Learning, Jonathan Massung

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this project was, how do you incorporate technology to facilitate raw exploration of the natural world that reinforces inquiry-based learning in Environmental Education? The concept of the project was to create a framing guide to allow traditional and non-traditional educators to purposefully incorporate technology into a program with emphasis on environmental education standards. The primary focus of the format of the program is intended for K-12 lessons. The idea behind creating the program is to not simply add technology to a program, but to include the technology tool as a central piece with standards that …

Flexible Reading Groups And Social Emotional Needs In A First Grade Classroom, Miranda Pogulis

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this curriculum design project is to design and integrate new lessons in my current first grade reading program that will enable students the opportunity to grow as a reader at the same time they are also strengthening their social emotional skills. Research from Michael Optiz and others demonstrates that students benefit from working with peers of varying ability levels through flexible groups. Joseph Zins, Roger Weissberg, Margaret Wang, and Herbert Walberg also have research that explains how integrating social emotional learning into the curriculum can be an important factor contributing to students success. Using this research as …

Building Background Knowledge To Fill The Gaps, Jaclyn Semlak

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this study was: How does curriculum support early intervention strategies of at risk preschoolers? Topics explored in the review of the literature include early intervention, literacy and language, oral language and vocabulary, school readiness and vocabulary instruction. Curriculum was designed for teachers instructing 4 year olds to specifically target language instruction through a tiered approach. The Understanding by Design model was used in order to create desired results, how progress will be measured, and specific lessons falling into categories of read aloud, guided group and active learning. Limitations, implications, and recommendations for future research are …

Timing Is Everything: Adapting Rewards Intermediate For 4th And 5th Grade Striving Readers, Ruth Kerl

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this study was “Does REWARDS Intermediate remain an effective intervention for striving readers when adapted for a 30-minute time frame?” This research emerged from a concern for upper elementary aged students who are striving to catch up with their peers when it comes to phonics and decoding skills. The study explored students’ and teachers’ mindsets, as well as the effectiveness of the REWARDS curriculum when adapted for 30-minute rather than 50-minute lessons. Effectiveness was measured in terms of: 1) multisyllabic word part and whole word fluency growth, 2) mindset and attitude changes, and 3) connected …