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Full-Text Articles in Education

Recognizing, Empathizing, And Strategizing Tools For Teachers And Schools To Increase Academic Success For Homeless Highly Mobile (Hhm) Students, Alyssa R. Paulson Oct 2017

Recognizing, Empathizing, And Strategizing Tools For Teachers And Schools To Increase Academic Success For Homeless Highly Mobile (Hhm) Students, Alyssa R. Paulson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The homeless highly mobile (HHM) student population can easily be overlooked and begin to fall through the cracks within the school system. As a result, the achievement gap for this vulnerable population has grown at a disproportionate rate. Because of this, the author’s research question was: How can schools streamline academic success for homeless highly mobile (HHM) students? An examination of existing studies and literature demonstrates that the issue of the HHM student population having an achievement gap can be seen in schools across the country. However, research does show that there are strategies and resources for schools to implement, …


Barriers To Individuals Of Entering The Field Of Education, Jamie Williford Oct 2017

Barriers To Individuals Of Entering The Field Of Education, Jamie Williford

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Institutional racism is prevalent in our society. It is the researcher’s belief that we must acknowledge the effects of racism in order to address the needs of individuals of color. The schools in our nation are an important place to start. The goal of this research is to create a list of barriers to individuals of color entering the field of education. Mixed methods research data collection and literature review aid in solving the research question: What are the barriers to individuals of color entering the field of education? A significant race gap has been noted by the researcher and …


Influencing Factors For Academic Tracking In High School Mathematics, Matthew Minowitz Oct 2017

Influencing Factors For Academic Tracking In High School Mathematics, Matthew Minowitz

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this capstone thesis is: What are prominent influencing factors related to academic tracking in mathematics? The thesis discusses influencing factors through a qualitative analysis of archival school data, student surveys, and student interviews. The research takes place in a “fringe rural” suburban public high school of a Midwest city with graduating class sizes between 200 and 250 students. This research identifies factors which have influenced student placement into high school mathematics tracks which are one year behind grade-level and two years ahead of grade-level. Conclusions from the study include findings related to family influences (eg. …


What Can One Learn By Measuring Assessments Two Ways: Traditional Grading Scale Versus Standards-Based Grading Method?, Lynn Suzanne Gay Jul 2017

What Can One Learn By Measuring Assessments Two Ways: Traditional Grading Scale Versus Standards-Based Grading Method?, Lynn Suzanne Gay

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project is, what can one learn by measuring assessments two ways: traditional grading scale versus standards-based grading method? The author was greatly influenced by her use of the two different grading methods at two different schools. She documents her experiences with both and then compares the outcomes of grading the same assessments using the two methods. Guskey’s extensive research on the subject and Douglas Reeve’s book Ahead of the Curve: The Power of Assessment to Transform Teaching and Learning (2001) guided the author’s creation of a standards-based rubric with which she graded tests that …


Implicit Bias And The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Phenomenon And Their Affects On Literacy Performance In Elementary Students, Anna K. Quirk Jul 2017

Implicit Bias And The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Phenomenon And Their Affects On Literacy Performance In Elementary Students, Anna K. Quirk

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The author’s inquiry was: How do implicit bias and the self-fulfilling prophecy phenomenon affect literacy performance in elementary students. Implicit or unconscious bias is known for causing issues with judges and police officers, but new awareness has been brought to the realm of education and how these biases can widen the achievement gap in literacy and other academic areas. The self-fulfilling prophecy phenomenon or Pygmalion Effect, can hinder growth in academics when an educator fails to identify student strengths, only focusing on deficits. This project brings awareness to how implicit bias and the self-fulfilling prophecy through the use of a …


Relationships Between Comprehension And Fluency Levels Within Reading At A Second Grade Level, Erika Gregor Jul 2017

Relationships Between Comprehension And Fluency Levels Within Reading At A Second Grade Level, Erika Gregor

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research is to investigate the relationship between comprehension and fluency levels in a Spanish Immersion second grade setting and answer the question of: What is the effect of daily use of comprehension strategies, including inferencing, summarizing and visualizing, on fluency within a Spanish Immersion program? The literature review served the purpose to explore and deliver vital components in understanding the process of reading and how comprehension and fluency are achieved. I used a quantitative approach and utilized assessments throughout the school year to observe fluency levels when implementing comprehension strategies and assessments. The data revealed …


How Can Human-Centered Design Be Used To Implement A Teacher-Designed, Standards-Based Curriculum?, James P. Magee Jul 2017

How Can Human-Centered Design Be Used To Implement A Teacher-Designed, Standards-Based Curriculum?, James P. Magee

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to create a framework, based on the principles of HumanCentered Design, to implement and continue the development of a Standards-Based Curriculum that was designed by the teachers using it. While going through iterations, the curriculum will remain true to the principles of Standards-Based Instruction. Much of the research supporting a Standards-Based Curriculum comes from Robert Marzano. One of the main goals of using Human-Centered Design, in addition to the continued design and implementation of a guaranteed and viable curriculum, is to increase Collective-Teacher Efficacy. Elmore and Hattie both cite extensive data suggesting that high …


How Can I Improve The Math Performance Of Intermediate Students Using Game-Based Learning, Leann M. Karl Jul 2017

How Can I Improve The Math Performance Of Intermediate Students Using Game-Based Learning, Leann M. Karl

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this project was, how can I improve the math performance of intermediate students using game-based learning? It provides multiple sources of research on game-based learning and website design, along with the original creation of an authentic game-based learning website; gamebaseded.com. Throughout the project chapters, the author describes the limitations and benefits of the game-based learning website. The documented benefits include increased engagement, participation, and academic scores.


The Impact Of Informal Education On Formal Education In Science A Symbiotic Relationship, Colin Johnson Apr 2017

The Impact Of Informal Education On Formal Education In Science A Symbiotic Relationship, Colin Johnson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Classroom science teachers face many obstacles, from standardized exams to including real world concepts in their science units. Informal science educators are looking for ways to expand their mission into school curricula in the form of activities and project-based learning. Incorporating real-world experiences from informal science institutions can supplement and enrich the formal science educator’s classroom learning units. The research in question in this Capstone was to address how formal and informal science educators can work together to increase students’ participation in science and the environment. I interviewed science professionals about why they pursued a career in science and I …


The Impact Of Effective Guided Reading Practices, Emily O'Rourke Apr 2017

The Impact Of Effective Guided Reading Practices, Emily O'Rourke

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This research question purpose was to see how the impact of guided reading can positively improve second grade reading comprehension, fluency and word recognition. Various researchers, such as Jennifer Berne and Sophie C. Degener who have contributed to guided reading research are studied in this capstone. Guided reading is a pivotal element in a child’s journey in the reading process. It explores the specific teacher practices that are necessary to a beneficial guided reading experience. The author used quantitative method of study using district reading assessment and more specifically assessing comprehension, fluency and word recognition. As well as, studying the …


The Impact Of Math Talks On Student Achievement In Kindergarten, Emily Payan Apr 2017

The Impact Of Math Talks On Student Achievement In Kindergarten, Emily Payan

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The core goal of this study was to answer the question, How do daily math talks impact student achievement in kindergarten? Math talks were implemented daily in a Title I kindergarten classroom over a period of six weeks. The findings suggest that the use of math talks as an integral part of instruction positively impact student achievement. The average growth in the experimental group was an increase of 42% in the composite scores by the end of the study, compared to a 31% increase in the control group. The experimental group in this study started as a more emergent group …


How Can An Advisory Program Be Implemented Into The Structure Of A Large Suburban High School To Foster Academic Success In Ninth-Grade Students?, Andrew Mccluskey Apr 2017

How Can An Advisory Program Be Implemented Into The Structure Of A Large Suburban High School To Foster Academic Success In Ninth-Grade Students?, Andrew Mccluskey

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, how can an advisory program be implemented into the structure of a large suburban high school to foster academic success in ninth-grade students? It documents the process from initial failed effort to the completion of a research-based design of an ideal advisory program for a large suburban school in the Midwest. Drawing on research from a wide range of sources and through interviews with teachers of students grades 9-12 the author constructs a well informed program design aimed at creating support structures to help students through the difficult transition from eight to …