Education Commons^™

Curriculum Adaptations To Teach For Creativity Using A Published Language Arts Curriculum, Barbara T. Prendergast

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to examine a published language arts curriculum, determine how Anna Craft’s possibility thinking framework could be integrated into the curriculum, and then observe how students responded to the implementation of lessons integrating the elements of possibility thinking. The findings revealed that a teacher can use the possibility thinking elements to encourage creativity while still teaching the objectives of a published curriculum. Creativity development can be encouraged by using a variety of supports that build possibility thinking. The data demonstrated a connection between life experiences and the curriculum through possibility thinking. The …

The Role Of Imagination And Art In Children's Books, Muge Li

Theses - ALL

This thesis is to investigate the importance of imagination and art in children's picture books. Imagination plays an important role during childhood. This creative ability can help children to confront and solve problems. The thesis first examines child development theories that indicate children are cognitively adaptable to the surrounding world through imagination. Cognitive theory, introduced by Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget, and sociocultural theory, established by Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky are studied and explained. Imagination is considered a cognitive process. Through the use of their imagination, children can observe the unknown world, think about possibilities, and understand other people. Children's picture …

Imagining Otherwise: Designing And Implementing A High School Writing Center, Sheldon Cale Krieger

Dissertations

This study explored the work of planning and opening a new high school writing center in a school with a student population predominantly of students of color. The action research study occurred over the first twelve weeks of the writing center opening to better understand how such work might begin to disrupt oppressive systems and structures inherent in the school site as well as education at large. The arts-based methodology included daily reflective journals, a series of four collages, and document analysis. The study utilized critical imagining as its theoretical framework by combining tenets of critical race theory (CRT) with …

The Power Of Play In Education, Alexandra Naclerio

Art of Teaching Thesis - Written

At its current state, the educational system in America seems doomed with its single-minded, single-method approach to education. Educational systems in many parts of the world are formally instructed with a huge emphasis on teaching to the tests. Despite an understanding of the importance of exploration in the classroom, play is not seen as learning. When teachers aim to include play in their classroom, often children are not playing at all. In relationship to that debate, I argue that play is the essence of any classroom.

The research I have completed has provided me with articles and field experience that …

Barrington Bunny: Case Of The Curious Clouds A Narrative Picture Book For Symbolic Play And Stem Curriculum, Claudia Chung

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Adults constantly use their imagination to help them visualize, problem-solve, enjoy a book, empathize, and think creatively. Therefore, using one's imagination is a critical cognitive skill that can be used throughout life. And it is crucial for educators to encourage imagination, creativity and original ideas in childhood through pretend play, story, picture books, and narrative make-believe if we want our students to be mindful and functioning adults in society. Pretend play is also known as "symbolic play" because it involves the use of symbols. This type of symbolic thought is also needed for language and reading, as our words are …

A Fiction Of Fragmented Falsehoods: Curriculum Of Unwanted Roads Traveled, Katherine Wyatt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This is an inquiry centered on lived ‘otherness’ in different social experiences. Fiction and illustrations are both creative outlets that provide opportunities of curriculum growth by offering the viewer realistic portrayals dealing with truth and factors that make us fundamentally human. “Fiction elicits an interpretation of the world by being itself a worldlike object for interpretation” (Dillard, 1988, p. 155). This study uses fiction and illustrations as vehicles of communication to provide an awareness regarding social issues in everyday lived experiences, exposing the reader to the social, cultural and historical realities persistently impeding the shared constructs of human experiences. Structuring …

Poetically Composed, Educationally Imposed: Exploring Imagination And Poetics In Curriculum—A Memoir, Whitney J. Presnal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Through the use of memoir, my work centers on how poetry is situated within public education curriculum. I explore the curricular context of poetry through the lenses of my lived experiences in early childhood, as a K-12 student, and as an early career classroom teacher. My dissertation draws upon a wide array of literature, honing in on the poetic perspectives of philosophers (Aristotle, 1996; Heidegger, 1947 & 1971/2013; Plato, 1955/2007), poets (Hall, 2003; Eliot, 1920 & 2009), and curriculum theorists (Leggo, 1997 & 2018; Pinar, 1994; Sameshima, 2007). The foundation of my work is drawn from my own circular experiences, …

Defining Contagion : Examining Imagination As A Source Of The Infection In Print Studios, Joshua Tangen

Masters Theses

In this thesis, I attempted to define a contagious component of art education within a community print shop. In this quest, I examine theories around imagination, creativity, and psychology through an analysis of the work of Maxine Greene, Kieran Egan, Ken Robinson, and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Gathered from a variety of sources that include, books, scholarly articles, and online video, I link Greene’s concepts of what role imagination plays in critical thinking and empathy, Egan’s promotion of imagination’s ability to create personal and emotional engagement, Robinson’s ideas about creativity in learning, and Csikszentmihayli’s theory of flow. Connecting these four philosophers are …

Enhancing Imagination And Creativity In The Elementary Classroom Through 11 Impossible Children's Books And Related Lesson Plans, Karlee L. Rankine

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Not too long ago we believed that it was impossible to send men outside our planets gravitational force, let alone send them to the moon. As adults, we live in a world that believes in two possibilities, those goals that are possible as long as they believe in themselves and find new ways to accomplish each goal they are given. Slowly this thought process is leaving the students minds to make room for the latest information for best practices in formal test taking. There has been a huge decline in our imaginative and creative thinkers due to this overwhelming need …

Motivation, Imagination, And The Future Self In Second Language Acquisition, Jason J. Stibi

Projects

This M.A. project explores the theoretical role and classroom implications that imagination has on motivating human behavior, specifically as it relates to second language development. The focus of this project is to examine the current research regarding how imagination and visions of a future self may contribute to motivating language learners. I begin by examining the complex and dynamic nature of human motivation and how a Complex Dynamic Systems Theory approach to second language acquisition prevents over-simplifying the concept of motivation as simple cause-and-effect relationships. Then, I examine the influence possible language learning selves have on motivating individuals, specifically imagining …

The Creative Child At Home, Ellen Loraine Herget

Theses and Dissertations

This was a study of how two children showed creativity in their own home environment. This study demonstrated four aspects of creativity, including problem solving, imagination, artistic expression, and play. Both children were very creative when making artwork in their own home. The more the children were engaged in the artwork, the more involved they were in the act of creativity. The girl demonstrated more problem solving skills, whereas the boy, due to his younger age, showed more imagination and play. While the children were working on their art projects, they showed imagination and problem solving through the association of …

The Nature Of Imagination In Pedagogy: A Qualitative Study Of An Elementary School Setting, Perry S. Shank

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The task of this dissertation is to assess the popular thought of teachers on the topic of imagination and uncover how they incorporate imaginative methods into their current teaching practices. I attempt to ascertain the origination of these current perspectives through an analysis of the imagination from a historical perspective. Through portraiture, a qualitative research tool, I examine how the imagination is currently engaged in an elementary classroom setting. The research questions that guided this inquiry were as follows: 1) What is the intention of teachers who utilize imaginative teaching methods/strategies, 2) what types of instructional practices, activities, and learning …

Waldorf Kindergarten And Reggio-Inspired Kindergarten: Documenting Value And Effectiveness Of Two Arts-Based Approaches, Daria Stowell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Waldorf kindergarten and Reggio-inspired kindergarten are two arts-based approaches to early childhood education that are viewed as strong educational alternatives to traditional education and serve as sources of inspiration for progressive educational reform. This study describes, interprets, and appraises the intentions and operations of two Waldorf kindergartens and two Reggio-inspired kindergartens in the United States in order to uncover the aims, practices, and values of both.

Five questions guide this study: (1) What are the intentions of Waldorf kindergarten and Reggio-inspired kindergarten? (2) What do Waldorf kindergarten and Reggio-inspired kindergarten look like in practice? (3) What do the children have …

Starting A Dialogue With Mexican Born Students: Appropriating A New Understanding In A Public High School, Vicne Leeburn

Doctoral Dissertations

Research Topic

This study uses the narratives of conversation participants to gain a new understanding of the issues faced by Mexican born students at Prospect High School, in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Research Theory and Protocol

Through critical hermeneutic theory formulated by Paul Ricoeur (1992) and the inquiry protocol developed by Ellen Herda (1999), I applied the interpretive categories of narrative identity, imagination and communicative action to this study.

Research Categories

The narratives describe the stories of the participants' experiences of coming to a new country and the difficulties and successes of assimilating into a new culture while still …

Imagication = Imagination + Education: What Fifth Graders Think About Arts Integration In Public Elementary Schools, Lisa Edsall Giglio

Doctoral Dissertations

During the 2011-12 school year, a fifth grade class in a diverse San Francisco public elementary school collaborated with the Arts Resources In Action (ARIA) program of the San Francisco Opera's Education Department to create a teacher-guided opera. The students wrote the story, music and lyrics as well as designed and built the sets, props and costumes based on the American Revolution. The classroom teacher chose the topic of the American Revolution, and the students researched this historic event using literary, historical, visual, musical and theatrical methods of exploration and data gathering. Through the medium of opera, the program connected …

Post-Dollarization Narratives Of Economic Literacy In Ecuador, Luis A. Reynoso

Doctoral Dissertations

Research Topic

This study addresses how the economic narratives of conversation participants in Ecuador after dollarization permeates the concepts of self, and quality of life, binding both into a personal economic story that describes a person's economic narrative towards a definition of economic literacy.

Research Theory and Protocol

Through critical hermeneutic theory formulated by Paul Ricoeur (1992) and the inquiry protocol developed by Ellen Herda (1999), the interpretive categories of narrative identi-ty, text, and imagination were applied to this study.

Research Categories

The narratives describe the stories of the people of Ecuador pursuing daily tasks in their economy. The text …

Keys To Unlocking Creative Potential: The Expressive Path To Personal Growth, Marta D. Ockuly

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

An experiential journey into personal growth and creative expression is, by nature, transformational. Undertaken in a public platform using social media (Twitter and blogging) it reveals powerful potential as a teaching and mentoring tool for inspiring creative action around the world. This project was designed to blend my joys and passions for tweeting positive inspiration and encouragement, sharing my readings and research related to creativity, exploring expressive art, activating creative potential with joy, collecting and sharing quotes, coaching positive change and creative action, and raising awareness of everyday creativity into a learning pathway which could be accessed by anyone using …

Investigating A Model Of False Memory Construction: Is Seeing Believing?, Rebecca Bays

Communication Sciences and Disorders Dissertations

In the current literature review I examine false memory research, including variables that affect memory accuracy, instrumentation, and analyses used to assess false memory construction, as well as possible frameworks accounting for the development of false memories. Do errors in memory occur during encoding of an event or during retrieval of a memory? I discuss two models of false memories, both born from the source-monitoring framework, to highlight the important cognitive processes leading to crucial errors in memory recall. In the study that follows I investigate whether repeated imaginings of an implausible autobiographical event will lead to the creation of …

A Mixed Method Study On The Role Of The Imagination In The Reading Comprehension Of Low-Progress Adolescents, Enrique A. Puig

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Founded on the importance of the imagination according to Greene (1995) and set by the Executive Summary of the 911 Commission Report, the mixed methods grounded theory study looks at a correlation between a set of instruction practices recognized by Egan (2008) for nourishing and developing the imagination and low-progress adolescent students’ comprehension. Descriptive data are provided on the school, students, teachers, and district where the study was conducted to illustrate the limitation and delimitations of the study. The study is limited to low-progress adolescent students as identified by the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test and uses pre and post Florida …

Effects Of Imagery Use In Basketball Free Throw Shooting, Jamaal Edward Cannon

Theses Digitization Project

This project examines imagery use and its effect on basketball free throw shooting. It analyzes the literature on imagery and free throw shooting, in order to understand the actual effects that imagery has when used with free throwing shooting.

Moral Imagination In Theory And Practice, Peter Leland Samuelson

Communication Sciences and Disorders Dissertations

A review of the literature in several domains reveals that moral imagination plays a role in how we deliberate about moral issues and what motivates us to act in a moral way. This study begins by outlining an operational definition of moral imagination based largely on Dewey’s model of dramatic rehearsal (Dewey, 1922), along with an explication of the role of image schemas, metaphor, empathy, and narrative in moral imagination (Johnson, 1993) and an examination of how moral imagination develops through the lifespan. A review of the research of the components of moral imagination is included, especially in the literature …

Fostering Imaginative Expression In Elementary Art Students: A Descriptive Study Of Teacher Strategies, Julia Robinson Bargo

Theses and Dissertations

The students in my elementary art classes did not seem to be creating for themselves. They seemed to have the understanding there was only one correct answer in art class, and the art teacher knew what that answer was. By way of research I have found ways to create an atmosphere in my art room that promotes imagination and self expression in children, thus fostering a free and creative reaction from my students. Through understanding how and why one uses their imagination, an art teacher can enhance a student's ability to build and use his or her knowledge base. I …

How Kindergartners' Talks And Drawings Inform Our Ways Of Developing A Curriculum Of Caring And Imagination, Lisa Audet Aliotta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores how kindergartners' talks and drawings inform our ways of developing a curriculum of caring and imagination. The mandates of kidnergartners' curriculum tend to emphasize children's mastery of literacy skills while ignoring their natural development and imagination. Author's abstract: This study explores how kindergartners' talks and drawings inform our ways of developing a curriculum of caring and imagination. The mandates of kindergartners' curriculum tend to emphasize children's mastery of literacy skills while ignoring their natural development and imagination. There is a need for developing a curriculum that embraces children's diverse needs, releases their imagination, and cultivates their highest …

Landscapes Of Imagination: A Critical Analysis Of Art Textbooks, Lynda C. Kerr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Author's abstract: This qualitative study examined imagination in secondary art textbooks, both historically and in the current educational climate. An arts-based inquiry, as described by Barone & Eisner (Jaeger, 1988), investigated how imagination is manifested in some art books, how the standards movement has tended to limit imagination in art textbooks, and how art textbooks could expand students' imaginations. Using a framework based on the theories of Dewey (1934/1980), Greene (2001), and Eisner (2002), four art textbooks were analyzed for their qualities which expand students' imaginations. The study described a design for an imaginative art textbook. Analysis focused on the …