Education Commons^™

Defining Scribbles: How Do Early Childhood Teachers Perceive Scribbles As A Part Of Emergent Literacy?, Sandy Dellalonga

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to understand early childhood teachers’ perceptions surrounding the topic of childhood scribbles as they relate to emergent literacy. Sociocultural theory provided a foundation for this research because of its focus on relationships between children, other children, and teachers to foster learning experiences (Gee, 2011; Vygotsky, 1978, 1998). Additionally, social semiotic theory also guided this research because childhood scribbles represent children’s “signs” which can also influence communication and literacy skills (Kress, 1997). The participants were nine preschool, transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, and first grade teachers (N=9) who volunteered to complete an open-ended survey, follow-up …

Assessing The Impact Of Substituting Interaction Types: An Empirical Study Of The Interaction Equivalency Theory, Scott Alan Hauert

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Multimedia technologies allow instructional designers to transform interpersonal interactions into interactions between learners and content. These learner–content interactions are more scalable in online, asynchronous distance education (DE) than interactions between learners and the instructor or interactions among learners. Additionally, learners sometimes prefer interactions with course content over interactions with their peers and instructor. Studies on learner–learner and learner–instructor interaction provide insight into the preferences and perceived effects of interaction types. However, the literature has not directly discussed the impact on performance resulting from substituting learner–content interaction for learner–learner interaction. This study examined the impact of substituting interaction types on perception …

Facilitating Second Language Development Via Interaction In An Online Classroom, Jen Cummings

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This portfolio is a collection of essays tying together perspectives and major themes in second language teaching of importance to the writer. It begins with an introduction piece, followed by a description of professional environment and a teaching philosophy statement focused on teacher-student relationships, varied assessments, and culture-focused teaching. This section is followed by a classroom observation. The main section of the portfolio is a reflection paper presenting perspectives on the importance of providing interaction opportunities in asynchronous online language learning classrooms. The portfolio concludes with a statement of future goals.

Meaningful And Interactive Learning Experiences Provided Through A Learning Management System: An Action Research Study In Ninth Grade Advanced Placement Human Geography, Daniel Robert Plonski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods action research was to determine if increased interactive Schoology-based modules could alter learner perceptions concerning the lack of meaningful learning (learner-instructor, learner-learner, learner-content) in the culture unit of instruction in an Advanced Placement Human Geography (APHG) classroom. A series of instructional modules were facilitated through the learning management system (LMS) Schoology to students (n = 16) in APHG at a southeastern U.S. high school. The interactions were designed to enhance interaction based upon the criteria provided by Piaget’s (1981) social constructivist theory, specifically Moore and Kearsley’s (2011) systems approach and Miyazoe and Anderson’s (2010) …

Exploring Interaction Through The Online Language Instructor Lens: Perceptions, Strategies, And Challenges, Jessica Krentzman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As our world becomes more interconnected, our learning environment and interactions continue to evolve, moving away from face-to-face meetings, toward online discussions using various forms of interaction. In the online learning environment, instructors now need to swiftly pivot their methods of instruction in order to assure student success in the online learning environment and to achieve this goal, instructors need concrete instructional and design strategies to support student interactions. To this end, I explored how online language instructors currently promote interaction in their courses, how the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework applies to their selection of instructional strategies, the instructors’ …

A Missing Piece In The K-12 Online Learning Puzzle: Professional Development For Online Teachers, Chad A. Turley

Theses and Dissertations

K-12 online learning continues to grow, and with it, the need for well-trained online teachers. This multiple-article dissertation explores K-12 online teaching professional development. A literature review describes research trends regarding unique strategies and competencies related to online teaching. It explores strategies such as acting as a facilitator, developing course knowledge, encouraging student engagement, interacting regularly with students, giving feedback, and developing time management skills. The literature review suggests that there is a lack of specific recommendations about what content should be covered and why professional development is beneficial for both teachers and students. Programs that incorporate online teaching professional …

Online Course Communication And International Student Academic Performance, Christie L. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Online course communication activities can be used to support the social and cognitive needs of students in online courses, but when those students are international students from across the globe studying in the United States where there are language and cultural differences, online learning can be a challenge. The purpose of this study was to examine undergraduate international students’ online course communication behaviors and their academic performance in order to inform quality online course development and delivery. In this qualitative case study, semistructured interviews with 11 undergraduate international students were conducted, online course communication behaviors were observed, and five faculty …

Reviewing Patient Satisfaction Of Lifecare Alliance Services Provided To The Columbus Community, Sean Ruffner

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Two separate patient satisfaction surveys were sent out to LifeCare Alliance’s customers. Each patient was asked a set of five questions that generalized the encounters as a whole experience. The first survey is for patients that were seen by nurses for footcare, general wellness and more (1A - PowerPoint). The other survey was sent to clients who received the flu vaccine (1B - PowerPoint). To conclude, data was then collected and analyzed using an excel spreadsheet (1C – PowerPoint).

Assessing The Effects Of Restorative Practices On Teacher Practices In Elementary Classrooms, Cheng Fisher

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Restorative practices have been broadly adopted in American schools. However, few empirical studies have rigorously examined the effects of restorative practices on teacher practices through direct observations. This quasi-experimental designed study tested the hypothesis that restorative practices experience would increase positive interactions between teachers and students. Measurably, it would improve positive teacher practices and positive student behavior. The study analyzed data from a school-randomized evaluation with two rounds of observations in a single school year. Observational data of 140 elementary teachers and their students from nine restorative schools were used to examine the impact of restorative practices on teacher practices …

Assessing The Effects Of Restorative Practices On Teacher Practices In Elementary Classrooms, Cheng Fisher

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Restorative practices have been broadly adopted in American schools. However, few empirical studies have rigorously examined the effects of restorative practices on teacher practices through direct observations. This quasi-experimental designed study tested the hypothesis that restorative practices experience would increase positive interactions between teachers and students. Measurably, it would improve positive teacher practices and positive student behavior. The study analyzed data from a school-randomized evaluation with two rounds of observations in a single school year. Observational data of 140 elementary teachers and their students from nine restorative schools were used to examine the impact of restorative practices on teacher practices …

Spiritual And Character Development In Online Education At Brigham Young University, Frederick Roger Hyatt

Theses and Dissertations

With the increasingly widespread adoption of online learning, education is at an important crossroads. Spirituality and character building were once an important part of formal education. In the more secular modern era, many institutions of higher learning have neglected the spiritual aspects of teaching and learning. There is increasing academic interest in the relationship between spirituality and education. At the same time, relatively little attention has been paid to how spiritual and character development can be facilitated in online courses. This study seeks to better understand the how to develop spirituality and character building more effectively in online education through …

Spiritual And Character Development In Online Education At Brigham Young University, Frederick Roger Hyatt

Theses and Dissertations

With the increasingly widespread adoption of online learning, education is at an important crossroads. Spirituality and character building were once an important part of formal education. In the more secular modern era, many institutions of higher learning have neglected the spiritual aspects of teaching and learning. There is increasing academic interest in the relationship between spirituality and education. At the same time, relatively little attention has been paid to how spiritual and character development can be facilitated in online courses. This study seeks to better understand the how to develop spirituality and character building more effectively in online education through …

Student-Centered, Interaction-Based, Community-Driven Language Teaching, Sharon Lyman

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This portfolio is a compilation that highlights some of the author’s accomplished work while in the Master of Second Language Teaching (MSLT) program at Utah State University (USU). Organized into sections that reflect the author’s teaching and research perspectives as a MSLT graduate student and instructor, who taught intensive English reading, writing, and conversation courses for the Intensive English Language Institute (IELI).

In the first section, teaching perspectives, the author describes her desired professional environment, shares her personal teaching philosophy statement, and accounts for her professional development through classroom observations. In the second section, research perspectives, two research papers and …

Characteristics Of Teacher Language Exchange With Preschool Children, Patricia Plummer-Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has documented the influence of early home language experiences on children’s development and educational success, but as many children spend large portions of their days in childcare centers, preschool teachers have similar potential to have a profound and lasting influence on children’s language development. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the varying levels of quantity and quality of teacher language exchanges with preschool students in independently-funded childcare facilities. The work of Hart and Risley on parental language exchange formed the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions guiding this study focused on affirmative versus …

Teachers' And Students' Perspectives About Patterns Of Interaction, Ena Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social interaction is key to students' learning in blending learning discussions. Although there is research on interactions in online courses and traditional classes, there is little on whether blended learning discussions are meeting students' social interaction and educational development needs. The purpose of this multicase study was to examine attitudes of first-year and final-year business and technology students and faculty members for patterns of interaction and knowledge construction. The study was conducted in the northeastern United States. Piaget's cognitive constructivism, Vygotsky's social constructivism, and Knowles's andragogy constituted the conceptual framework. Using maximum variation sampling, participants were 8 students and 4 …

Interaction, Student Satisfaction, And Teacher Time Investment In Online High School Courses, Chad A. Turley

Theses and Dissertations

This case study explores what differences exist between two online course models by investigating the results of a student end-of-course evaluation survey and teacher communication logs in two online high school courses. The two course models were designed with different types and levels of interaction, one with high levels of student content interaction, the second with high levels of student-content and student-teacher interaction. The majority of research on interaction in online learning has been conducted with adult learners at the university level. There is far less literature focusing on K-12 online learning while investigating interaction, student satisfaction, and teacher time …

Teaching A Second Language: Communication, Culture, And Collaboration, Diannylín Núñez De Paulino

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This portfolio presents the author’s perspectives on the effective use of language teaching techniques, practices, and tools. The first section demonstrates the author’s teaching philosophy, which includes her perceptions as a foreign language instructor and learner, teaching observations of various foreign language instructors, and self-reflections about teaching. The following section contains three research papers, which explore foreign language anxiety, effectiveness of co-teaching a foreign language class, and refusals across different cultures. The last section consists of three annotated bibliographies in which the author analyzes journal articles and book chapters about communicative language teaching, the role of culture in the Spanish …

Academic Communities Of Engagement And Their Influence On Student Engagement, Kristian Joy Spring

Theses and Dissertations

Learner engagement is a critical aspect of education. While technology is rapidly developing to act in increasingly personalized, and in some dimensions human, ways, we submit that a human community may uniquely support increased student engagement. This research explored the characteristics and effects of the interactions and relationships that constitute three distinct communities in education and examined their influences on student engagement.In the format of a multiple-article dissertation I present three articles. The first article reviewed relevant literature about interactions, relationships, and communities in education. It focused specifically on online and blended contexts and their connections to student engagement. Interactions, …

The Online Student Experience: An Exploration Of First-Year University Students’ Expectations, Experiences And Outcomes Of Online Education, Melanie Henry

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Online higher education presents a critical opportunity to extend and diversify the student body. The Online Student Experience (OSE), and online student outcomes, however, remain shrouded in ambiguity. The literature presents conflicting reports of online education (OE) quality, confounded by a lack of appreciation for potential differences between online and on-campus education, and a diversity of interpretations for what constitutes OE. The present research conceptualises OE as representing university courses that require students to interact with instructors and course materials via the internet, with no expectation of attending a university campus. A broad student-centred perspective is notably lacking from the …

The Impact Of Communication Skills On The Social Interaction Of Students With Down Syndrome: Special Education Teachers' Perspectives, Tara Poikey

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

It is important for children to have effective socialization, no matter what type of disability they may have when it comes to communication. Friendship and play opportunities with others usually provide cognitive learning opportunities as well as social learning opportunities. For most children, school is a key setting for them to engage in friendships and develop social interactions. This study investigated eight special education teachers' perspectives on the communication needs of children with Down syndrome within the school context, as well as the teachers' knowledge and resources needed to facilitate their students' social interactions. The participants reported having little knowledge …

Falling Up: Building Language Use And Cultural Awareness Through The Implementation Of Humor In The Esl Classroom, Glen Kovar

Master's Theses

This study examined the importance of explicitly teaching humor to upper-intermediate and advanced adult English language learners (ELLs), and filled in the gap that exists in studies and literature by examining the use, and implementation of humor in English as a second language/foreign language (ESL/EFL) curricula. Humor is an important human behavior, playing a crucial role in communication, social interactions, and comprehension of a second language (L2) culture. High-level ELLs often lack the linguistic and cultural awareness necessary to effectively communicate. Language courses often accentuate test-taking and language strategies, and courses that explicitly engage with and teach humor to students …

Students Perceptions Of Interactions In A Blended Synchronous Learning Environment: A Case Study, Sheri Lyn Conklin

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Social presence has been analyzed in online asynchronous environments within higher education. The current study was designed to garner insight into students’ perceptions of social presence within the Blended Synchronous Learning Environment (BSLE). This environment is unique since it includes both the face-to-face classroom and an online synchronous classroom in one environment. The research described in the current paper was a case study designed to examine the experiences of graduate students in two blended synchronous classes. Specifically, the research examined students’ perceptions of interactions within the BSLE. Analysis included an examination of how students described interactions with their peers, the …

The Dynamics Of Social Media Interaction In A Free-Choice Religious Education Experience, Scott C. Woodward

Theses and Dissertations

This Grounded Theory study explores how the use of social media influenced the dynamics of interaction in a free-choice religious education experience between a world religious leader and young adult learners. Results indicate that social media (a) enhanced proxy group interaction due to the increased visibility of leader-learner interactions to the entire group and the ability of learners to comment on, like, mention other learners, and share leader-learner interactions; (b) enabled active non-verbal interaction which allowed for social curation, peer validation, community reaction, and the non-verbal pushing of posts into the social media streams of those not participating in the …

Self-Efficacy And The Interaction Model As Predictors Of Student Satisfaction And Perceived Learning In Online Learning Environments, Emtinan Alqurashi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to explore the relationship between four predictor variables (online learning self-efficacy, learner-content interaction, learner-instructor interaction, and learner-learner interaction) and student satisfaction and perceived learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which the four variables are predictive of student satisfaction and perceived learning. A total of 167 students completed the survey; the survey assessed self-efficacy for completing an online course, interaction with the content, interaction with the course instructor, interaction with other students, student satisfaction, and perceived learning within an online learning environment. The independent variables were self-efficacy, learner-content interaction, learner-instructor interaction, and …

The Uae English Teachers’ Perspectives On The Multi-Dimensional Role Of Cooperative Learning, Khayal Al Allaq

Theses

This study explores teachers’ perspectives on the role of the structured application of cooperative learning in enhancing ESL students’ learning engagement, social awareness, and cultural responsiveness. The main objective of this thesis is to investigate English teachers’ perceptions on the way cooperative learning can foster learning engagement, social awareness, cultural understanding and the application of differentiation in the ESL classroom. To answer the research questions, the researcher employed a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to gain deeper insight into the topic. The initial stage of the study involved the collection of the quantitative data from the Cooperative Learning Questionnaire …

Effects Of Learner-To-Learner Interactions On Social Presence, Achievement And Satisfaction, Susan Elizabeth Allred Oyarzun

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The relationships between learner-to-learner interactions, achievement, social presence, and satisfaction in online learning have varying degrees of strength according to the research. More evidence is needed to identify clarify relationships among these variables and to identify best practices for designing learner-to-learner interactions to increase achievement, level of social presence, and learner satisfaction. This non-experimental, comparative study investigated the strategies used for learner-to-learner interactions effects on achievement, social presence, and satisfaction. Surveys measuring social presence and interaction quality were administered to instructors and students enrolled in 17 undergraduate asynchronous online courses. The surveys for instructors and students were the same, except …

Building Depth Of Understanding Of The Concept Of Number Sense And Algebra In Students Grades 7 And 8, Catherine Janes

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Mathematics instruction offers both challenges and rewards to students. Teachers tend to focus on transmission of knowledge. Student creativity and problem-solving skills are not typically activated with common teaching practices. When students are engaged in mathematics they are recognizing patterns, making connections on their own, coming up with creative solutions, and discussing mathematical ideas with peers and adults. The purpose of this study was to identify, employ, and evaluate strategies that engage students in these practices and assist them in developing a deep understanding of mathematics concepts such as number sense and algebra.

The review of the literature began with …

Mathematical Interactions Between Teachers And Students In The Finnish Mathematics Classroom, Paula Jeffery Prestwich

Theses and Dissertations

The Finnish school system has figured prominently in the PISA international assessments for over 10 years. Many reasons are given for Finnish success yet few of them focus on what is happening in the mathematics classroom. This study addresses the question of “What does mathematics instruction in the Finnish mathematics classroom look like?” Eight Finnish mathematics classes, from 6th – 9th grade were recorded, translated, and analyzed using the Mathematical Quality of Instruction (MQI) 2013 video coding protocol. Other aspects and observations of these classes also are discussed. Although the study is small, this study gives a view into the …

Attitudes Between Students With Disabilities And Typically Developing Students, Kristina Gore

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes between students with disabilities and typically developing children as well as factors that may influence them. Ten students participated in the study. Five of the students had disabilities, and the other five students were considered typically developing. All participants were interviewed by the researcher. Interview results showed that students with disabilities and typically developing children are isolated from each other in the school environment despite the efforts of inclusion. Although, most students reported generally positive attitudes, responses indicated that two student groups are not offered enough opportunities to interact for …

Los Juegos Del Lenguaje: Manifestaciones Y Contribuciones Al Fortalecimiento De La Comunicación Oral En El Ciclo Iv De Tres Colegios De Bogotá D.C, César Augusto García Currea, Diego Fernando Pérez Trujillo, Maira Isabel Cadena Sánchez

Maestría en Docencia

Este proyecto surge como respuesta a la falta de un desarrollo intencionado de la comunicación oral en las construcciones discursivas de docentes y estudiantes en el aula. Por lo anterior, se propone analizar las manifestaciones y contribuciones de los juegos del lenguaje al fortalecimiento de la comunicación oral desde las prácticas de seis docentes de lengua castellana de ciclo IV en instituciones educativas de Bogotá D. C. Aquí, el método implementado es cualitativo en una perspectiva interpretativa y enfoque etnográfico educativo. El modelo de análisis propuesto, permitió obtener evidencias en las voces y actividades de los docentes sobre las concepciones, …