Education Commons^™

Reading Through Music: A Unit Of Study Designed For Secondary English Language Arts Students, Sean Adams

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Research has shown that music can positively impact brain function, improving areas such as memory, attention, and language skills, which are critical for reading comprehension. This capstone explores the intersection of music and literacy, attempting to answer the following question: How can music inspire reading while enhancing reading comprehension and memory retention of the content for secondary students? In the curriculum designed for this project, students engage in a dynamic learning process integrating singing, piano practice, digital music creation using GarageBand, and reading poetry and a short story to promote robust comprehension and retention of content. The unit plan spans …

Providing Heritage-Based Social And Emotional Learning Opportunities For Middle Grade Latina Students, Brianna Bjorge

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

All students deserve opportunities that help them feel safe and connected to their school environment. For my capstone, I designed a culturally responsive extracurricular program designed for Latina immigrant-origin middle school students, focusing on heritage-based learning and gaining social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies. My capstone project sought to answer the question: “How can Latina immigrant-origin middle school students benefit from a culturally responsive extracurricular program that revolves around the explicit instruction of SEL skills?” In response to this question, I have designed an after-school curriculum that integrates heritage-based elements to address and support the distinct social and emotional needs …

Climate Change Education For Student Agency, Katie Kirschbaum

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

While there is no single solution to climate change, climate change education has been identified as a key component. This capstone paper and the unit plan developed for this capstone project seek to answer the research question: How can a biology curriculum that incorporates climate change science, impacts, and solutions foster a global citizenship mindset and pro-environmental behaviors in high school students? The literature review covers dimensions of global citizenship, defines climate change education, identifies what influences pro-environmental behavior, and discusses adolescent development as it relates to pro-environmental behavior. The resulting ten-lesson unit plan is designed for high school teachers …

Problem Based Learning And Improved Student Engagement, Equity And Learning Outcomes In High School Social Studies, Nicholas Misenor

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Research shows that a curriculum with a focus on Problem Based Learning (PBL) can improve student engagement, provide classroom equity and achieve positive learning outcomes to high school students. The core instructional tenets of PBL include student choice, inquiry, and collaborative learning that are key elements in improving motivation, higher order and critical thinking. PBL encourages students to engage in their learning, ask deeper questions, and reflect on the process fostering important metacognitive skills. Assessments in a PBL format are built to gauge student understanding and are used as an analytical tool to close gaps in learning while allowing students …

Using Zombie Literature To Build Skills In Responding To Real Events For High School Students, Sarah Olson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project seeks to enhance student engagement in English language arts through zombie literature, bridging fiction and reality by exploring the question How can zombie literature be used in high school language arts curriculum to discuss and process real-world issues and events? It examines research on fiction's societal impact and horror's ability to boost student interest. The curriculum, adaptable for all high school levels, guides students in connecting fictional narratives to real-life experiences. By exploring the intersection of zombies, literature, and society, the project aims to create a more engaging and relatable learning experience for students.

Creating Culturally Responsive Curriculum For A Special Education Classroom In A Mostly White School, Linda Wozniak

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This study explores the impact of creating a culturally responsive curriculum for a special education classroom in a mostly White school on students' social emotional learning. Research was conducted of scholarly articles related to the impact of culturally responsive pedagogy in special education and general education classrooms. The impact of a culturally responsive classroom was compared to the historical nature of the American classroom and evidence has proven that students who are exposed to a curriculum that allows all students to find a connection with the materials do better not only academically, but socially-emotionally as well. The curriculum created for …

Ap Art History For Marshall Public Schools, Gage Bunting

Theses

Advanced Placement Art History (AP Art History) is a course that, while being one of the less popular AP offerings, exists in thousands of schools already. College Board is the institution that facilitates these courses and sets the requirements each school must follow in order to offer the course. With that said, there is not a rigid requirement that all courses be taught in the same manner, and because of that, the curriculum of this project was adapted to enhance learning for students of Marshall High School.

The art department of Marshall High School has evolved in recent years and …

An Examination Of The Effects Of Mindfulness Practices On Self-Regulation And Social-Emotional Skills Among Students In The Early Elementary Grades, Erica Sederstrom

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this study was: What are the effects of mindfulness practices on students' self-regulation and social-emotional skills in early elementary grades? The literature topics that were researched and analyzed included the benefits and challenges of mindfulness practices, main categories of mindfulness practices, and steps to implementation in school settings. The five-week mindfulness curriculum I designed for this project includes mindful breathing, movement, and listening activities that can be implemented in kindergarten through second-grade classrooms. The curriculum comprises 25 lessons with discussion prompts and writing responses, a printable parent letter, and pre/post assessments. The lessons are designed …

Increasing Diversity In Advanced Placement Classrooms Through Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Megan Volgren

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This thesis has been designed around the question: How can AP literature teachers use culturally relevant pedagogy to make changes to their curriculum to increase diversity in their classes? Most schools offer advanced classes for students, many of which offer opportunities for them to gain college credit while in school. Yet, these opportunities are not equitably distributed. Students of color are often absent from Advanced Placement (AP) classes. This thesis explores the reasons behind this inequality and considers some changes that can be made to promote equality in schools. The focus of the accompanying project is to create a unit …

Teaching American History In Multicultural Classrooms, Vinita Kartha

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project explores the challenges and strategies involved in teaching American history within multicultural classrooms, focusing on creating a curriculum that addresses the diverse experiences of Black and Indigenous peoples before and after colonization. The project aims to develop a Grade 5 curriculum that highlights the complexity and richness of Black and Indigenous civilizations, offering a more nuanced understanding of history. The curriculum, based on the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework, spans seven days and covers three main strands: the pre-colonization civilizations of Black and Indigenous peoples, the impact of colonization, and the history of British settlers. The project …

Netiquette For Upper Elementary Multilingual Learners: A Curriculum Resource, Denise Price

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone paper explores the research question: When teaching computer-mediated communication (CMC) skills to upper elementary students, how can teachers include politeness (netiquette) instruction tailored to meet the needs of multilingual learners (MLs)? After reflecting on her own previous difficulties trying to learn the netiquette rules of another language, the author conducted a literature review that revealed an important gap: despite the increasing prevalence of CMC at the elementary level, little research currently exists on how best to teach netiquette skills to this age group. In the accompanying project, the author wove together ideas from traditional linguistic theories about polite …

Building Skills For Success: An Esol Job Readiness Curriculum For Adult Ukrainian Refugees, Shannon Daniels

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The growing number of Ukrainian refugees in North America has highlighted the need for English language learning resources focusing on employment content. This capstone project aims to fulfill this requirement by developing an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) curriculum on practical employment skills and communication. The curriculum considers the importance of cultural identity and the impact of trauma on the learner. It is based on Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) principles and Task-Based Learning (TBL). It is intended to assist refugees in making meaningful contributions to their families and communities through work. The curriculum emphasizes communication strategies relevant to …

Digital Intelligence In Egypt’S K-12 Public Schools: Educators’ Perspectives, Mohammed Al Mousa

Theses and Dissertations

Technological integration has been a dominant feature of Egypt’s education recently, especially after the announcement of the Education 2.0 initiative, which aims to transform Egypt's education to digital-based and skill-based learning (UNICEF, n.d.), Ever since, public schools in Egypt started adopting technology into teaching practices through online classes, digital textbooks, e-learning platforms, and digital examinations. This educational transformation requires teachers and students to possess the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values to become effective and responsible users of the transforming digital education system and the digital world in general, which are collectively known as Digital Intelligence (DQ). Despite the substantial role …

Analyzing Phonics Curriculum For Early Learning, Candice Schultz

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Abstract

Debate surrounding the use of phonics instruction within the classroom to improve reading in young children continues across the country. Some may say that the reading curriculum used covers the core parts of phonics allowing children to learn essential skills within their reading lessons. Others may argue that though this may be true, children need additional work with phonics to further develop their reading skills. The state of Minnesota has introduced the READ Act which indicates the need for research-based reading curriculums providing instruction that is rich in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, reading fluency, and reading comprehension (MDE). Research …

A Study On The Smarts Executive Functioning Curriculum: Explicitly Teaching Executive Functioning Skills In A Fourth-Grade Classroom, Rebekah Curry

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

The SMARTS executive functioning curriculum explicitly teaches executive functioning skills to students within a classroom setting. The purpose of this study was to explore what happened when the SMARTS executive functioning curriculum was implemented into a single fourth-grade classroom. This study specifically investigated perceptions of the SMARTS executive functioning curriculum. The participants of this study included 20 fourth-grade students, the classroom teacher, and the elementary school principal. The researcher used a survey, observations, and interviews to compile data. The qualitative data was analyzed using the constant comparative method, and the quantitative data from the student survey was analyzed using descriptive …

Influences Of Cultural Capital And Internationalization On Global Competence: Evidence From China’S Higher Vocational Education, Yiying Teng

Education (PhD) Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to explore global competence-based pedagogy in higher education. Under the umbrella of cultural capital theory and internationalization framework, a systematic literature review analyzed and synthesized 26 empirical studies pertaining to global competence education in postsecondary education from 2013 to 2022. The review revealed a research gap highlighting the lack of exploration into global competence pedagogy among students in higher vocational education. To address this gap, the present study focused on a sample of 1,504 participants recruited from a Chinese vocational university situated on the eastern coast of China, encompassing both 3-year college students and …

Evaluating The Intersection Of Continuous Growth And Assessment In The Field Of English As A Second Language, Madison Johnson

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This teaching portfolio contains a compilation of the author’s personal teaching experiences and research interests while in the Master of Second Language Teaching (MSLT) program at Utah State University (USU). The sections of this portfolio highlight collaboration with current USU professors in the field of teaching English as a second language and the author’s personal experiences working in a second-grade elementary school classroom as well as teaching English in a community education setting. Much of the mentioned research focuses on the subfield of second language assessment. This is an area of interest to the author as an area for personal …

The Affable Raphael: Milton's Surrogate Instructor In Paradise Lost., Beau Kilpatrick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

John Milton’s Paradise Lost (1667) is a beautifully written epic that continues to be a stalwart text in the English literary canon, with unlimited potential for interpretation. In this dissertation I propose that Paradise Lost can be read as a pedagogical lesson for Milton’s “fit audience,” where the author implements his views on education in the context of heaven, hell, and Paradise. In the poem, Milton presents three pedagogical methodologies: first, the wrong way to knowledge is presented through Satan’s manipulations of the fallen angels and Eve; second, the divine way to knowledge is illustrated via Michael’s prophecy to Adam …

Sexual Health Education Scope And Sequence, Sara Wadsworth

Honors Projects

Based on a significant amount of prior research, comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) has been identified to be the most effective method of teaching sexual health education (SHAPE America, 2021; World Health Organization, 2023). Comprehensive sexual health education improves healthy behaviors and outcomes, provides useful information, and is positively perceived by students (Gardner, 2015; Kirby, 2002; Robinson et al., 2022). However, the United States’ current sexual health education has not implemented this ideal method, which is shown through state laws, students’ experiences, underdeveloped skills and flawed understanding of concepts, and – most importantly – a lack of resources for teachers (Foley, …

Indigenization Of Postsecondary Education Applied Learning Curriculum Development, Gabriel Y. Chung

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s (2015) Calls to Action have awoken Canadian society to the reconciliation. Although there is a growing body of knowledge on the individual topics of Indigenous education, knowledge, and leadership, there is relatively little research bringing together these topics in curriculum development practices in a postsecondary education skilled learning context. My problem of practice (PoP) is one that strives to address a low enrolment of Indigenous adult learners and lower positive outcomes from skilled training programs. Situating this problem from my perspectives as a Canadian-born visible minority Settler on Turtle Island and postsecondary education …

What Are Rural Minnesota Elementary Teachers’ Views Regarding Their Preparedness To Teach Environmental Education, Benjamin Odegaard

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Odegaard, B. (2024). What are rural Minnesota elementary teachers’ views regarding their preparedness to teach environmental education. Research has been done on how environmental education (EE) is a positive for students, but not a lot of research has been done on how well the teachers understand EE. Specifically there has been little to no research on rural Minnesota elementary teachers. This thesis takes a look at how well prepared these teachers think they are when it comes to teaching EE in their classrooms. A survey was made using a mixed methods approach. Most of the questions in the survey consisted …

The Connection Between Depth And Complexity And Culturally Relevant Teaching, Aisling Schlosser

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This paper is the documentation of an educational coach’s journey to find the most effective small group instructional practices for teaching phonemic awareness and phonics to kindergarten and first grade students. The need to share this research led to the development of four professional development sessions for effective instruction of phonemic awareness and phonics instruction specifically created for teachers of kindergarten and first grade students. The Capstone project began by answering the question, How do kindergarten-first grade teachers use best practices in phonemic awareness and phonics to develop effective small group reading instruction that will increase students reading proficiency? The …

Engaging Social Studies Student Through A Culturally Relevant Student Centered Lesson Plan, Chee Kue Lee

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Student learning and engagement with curriculum has greatly decreased as schools transition back from online education to in person instruction. The COVID-19 global pandemic, increased use of technology, and personal electronic devices are all contributors to student disengagement, however research has shown that student centered approaches and culturally relevant approaches to teaching can positively impact student engagement. Investigating the research question: How can understanding and implementing students’ cultural narratives and identities impact student engagement in the classroom?, this capstone project reviews four themes through its literature review: culturally relevant teaching (CRT), student motivation, student diversity in education, and student …

Egan-Inspired Year-Long Lid Project For An Ela Secondary Classroom, William Hoiseth

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project is a curricular exploration of the educational philosophy of Kieran Egan. Egan's LiD project proposes a student learning project centered on his theory of the development of understanding which posits children as mimicking the process through which society has used language tools in order to develop new forms of thought. The author drew on descriptions of LiD projects to meet a desire to make education a more engaging and natural process. The research question "In what ways can teacher instruction support Learning in Depth in a secondary English and Language Arts classroom?" uses LiD as the magnifying …

Service Learning In The Secondary Classroom, Kristine Putz

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project is entitled “Service Learning in the Secondary Classroom” and explores the question: How can service learning be integrated into high school units to strengthen the connection between the classroom and the community and to make instruction more relevant? This question is answered through the creation of a six to seven week length unit that integrates service learning into a research and writing unit within an upper-level writing course. Specifically, this project is intended for students taking a concurrent enrollment course at their high school through a local community college partnership. Key influences in the creation of this …

Student-Driven Oral Reading Fluency Curriculum, Emily Olson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

In recent years, the United States has seen a decline in literacy rates which was made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic. This decline has reaching effects on all learners, but most intervention work is done at the elementary level leaving middle and high school struggling readers vulnerable to long term consequences. This capstone project’s creation was driven by the question in what ways might a student driven oral reading fluency (ORF) progress monitoring curriculum support student engagement, reading fluency, and reading comprehension for secondary learners? Oral Reading Fluency is the ability to read texts aloud with accuracy, in a smooth …

The Impact Of Teacher-Led Read Alouds On Middle School Students’ Reading Comprehension And Literacy Skills, Lauren Moberg

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone curriculum project seeks to answer the question: How will middle school students' literacy and reading comprehension be impacted when using the intervention of read alouds? Current research shows that the instructional practice of read alouds encourages students’ reading comprehension, literacy skills, and fosters a love of reading. Based on the resources found in the current literature, this unit was designed as a novel study of Gris Grimly’s Frankenstein that regularly applies read alouds into the curriculum. These lessons provide students with opportunities to apply their learning and includes assessments for teachers to measure comprehension. This unit could be …

Trauma And Executive Function: Discovering And Developing Academic Motivation Interventions For Adolescents In Residential Mental Health Treatment, Jamie Jensen

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project is a curriculum for adolescents in mental health treatment to address the impact of trauma on academic performance and determine interventions for the development of executive function (EF) skills, including metacognition, perseverance, planning, and organization. The project's central question explored how teaching these skills alongside academic standards can impact self-efficacy and academic performance. The project examined trauma's impact on EF and academics, emphasizing EF's role in academic success. Trauma can hinder EF development, affecting working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility critical for goal-oriented tasks. The project explored how academic motivation, influenced by mindset and resilience, drives …

Curricula As Ideology: A Study Of Cultural Representations In Arabic As A Foreign Language (Afl) Textbooks, Zakaria Fahmi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study examines cultural representations in two widely used AFL textbook series, namely Al-Kitaab and Arabiyyat al-Naas. Fundamentally, three main issues motivate this study: (1) the cultural politics of language textbooks underlying the construction and dissemination of cultural knowledge and its prioritization of the latter on grounds of subjectivity, ideology, and power, (2) the politicization of Arabic as a foreign language (AFL) in light of the post 9/11 language advocacy, and (3) the prevailing standard language ideology of al-Arabiya al-fuṣħaa (العربية الفصحى) and the pedagogical challenges posed by Arabic diglossia. The data comprise five textbooks from the aforementioned series, …

Curriculum And Instructional Strategies To Strengthen A Smoking Cessation Intervention Program, Therese Lynetta Burrell Prehay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a British Overseas territory, a smoking cessation program was implemented in 2014 and had not been evaluated since inception. The problem that was addressed in this study was that despite the implementation of the “I Can Quit” program, it was unknown which curriculum and instructional strategy interventions participants thought were useful in supporting smoking cessation. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the “I Can Quit” participants’ perspectives on the curriculum and instructional strategies used to support the smoking cessation intervention. With Knowles’s adult learning theory as the conceptual framework, participants’ perspectives on the curriculum and …