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Full-Text Articles in Education

Effect Of Self-Regulatory Behaviors On Task Completion, Leslie M. Wertz Dec 2017

Effect Of Self-Regulatory Behaviors On Task Completion, Leslie M. Wertz

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This study sought to determine if the implementation of a cyclical process of student goal setting, monitoring of progress, and reflection would improve task performance and intrinsic motivation in middle school learners. Fifteen upper-elementary children in a public Montessori classroom were selected and grouped according to student and teacher perception of their performance the previous year. Prior to the intervention, students completed an assessment of their self-regulation abilities. All students received lessons on goal setting, monitoring, and reflection with the use of a self-regulation notebook to make themselves aware of the standards, set goals, track their progress, and reflect on …


The Effect Of Parent Nights On Parents’ Involvement In Homework Support For Children, Samantha Thelemann Dec 2017

The Effect Of Parent Nights On Parents’ Involvement In Homework Support For Children, Samantha Thelemann

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The presented research was performed to answer a specific question. What is the effect of an indepth Parent Orientation Evening and an Open House Material Night on parents’ involvement in homework support for their children in a mixed 1st – 3 rd grade Montessori classroom? The study consisted of fifteen students and their guardians. The six weeks of exploration began with a Parent Orientation Evening. It continued with data collection in Math Facts and Spelling Words Practice Sheets, Teacher and Parent Running Record, an Open House Material Night, and Parent Attitude Scales. The research found the two times guardians were …


Supporting Narrative Writing Proficiency And Engagement In A Montessori Upper Elementary Classroom Through The Writing Workshop Model And 6+1 Traits Of Writing, Kirstin A. Nordhaus Dec 2017

Supporting Narrative Writing Proficiency And Engagement In A Montessori Upper Elementary Classroom Through The Writing Workshop Model And 6+1 Traits Of Writing, Kirstin A. Nordhaus

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research project set out to determine the effects of daily writing workshop lessons, including the 6+1 Traits of Writing vocabulary, on student writing proficiency and engagement. An upper elementary classroom of 17 students, consisting of nine fourth graders and eight fifth graders, in an independent, suburban Montessori school participated in this study. Students completed a five-week narrative writing unit from Calkins, Ochs, & Luick’s (2017) Up the Ladder curriculum. The teacher-researcher collected data through observation, writing prompts scored using a 6+1 Traits of Writing rubric, student feedback forms, Bottomley, Henk, & Melnick’s (1997/1998) Writer Self-Perception Scale, and small …


The Effects Of Technology On Ell Students Writing Fluency, Aristea Goundouvas Dec 2017

The Effects Of Technology On Ell Students Writing Fluency, Aristea Goundouvas

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research project explored whether the iPad application ‘Book Creator’ could impact the written fluency of English Language Learners (ELL). It also monitored the impact the application would have on non-ELL students. It was conducted in a public Montessori elementary school with students aged six to eight years old at the beginning of the school year. Out of twenty students, ten were ELL. Data tools included writing rubrics, personal evaluation rubrics and tallies of written output. While results showed some nominal improvement in writing output, it is difficult to assess if the results reflected students settling into the new …


Aerobic Exercise And Its Effect On Students’ Readiness To Learn, Shanan K. Zollinger Dec 2017

Aerobic Exercise And Its Effect On Students’ Readiness To Learn, Shanan K. Zollinger

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to test if aerobic exercise done before academic work would improve student learning readiness which includes increased alertness, longer periods of concentration and a resilience in doing work. The six-week study incorporated twenty-minutes of aerobic exercise every morning and involved 26 students between the ages of 9 and 12 years in a Montessori classroom. Data collection included pre and post surveys on student energy levels, exercise logs filled out by each student daily, on-task observation sheets and levels of attention observation sheets done by myself daily for the first thirty-minutes to evaluate students’ depth …


Using Mindfulness To Self-Regulate In The Upper Elementary Classroom, Ashleigh L. Bartz Dec 2017

Using Mindfulness To Self-Regulate In The Upper Elementary Classroom, Ashleigh L. Bartz

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to determine the effects on students’ ability to self regulate while learning about daily mindfulness lessons. The study took place over the course of six weeks in an upper elementary class of 20 students, including four fourth graders, nine fifth graders, and seven sixth graders. The study was conducted in a rural public Montessori school in the Midwest. Students participated in a six-week mindfulness unit from The Mind Up Curriculum (The Hawn Foundation, 2011). The researcher collected data through a pre-and postassessment, students’ self reflections and graphs, researcher’s observation, and researcher’s daily journal. The …


The Effect Of Background Baroque Music On Work Accomplishment And Student Concentration On Days Of Rapid Weather Changes., Dayani A. Pieri May 2017

The Effect Of Background Baroque Music On Work Accomplishment And Student Concentration On Days Of Rapid Weather Changes., Dayani A. Pieri

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This study used Baroque background music to mitigate the effects of weather variables on 12 students of a Montessori elementary classroom. The weather forecast data were gathered from the National Weather Service. Two student feedback forms gauged attitudes towards the music and academic activities, focus, and accomplished work. A teacher tally chart marked daily observations of behavior. The study utilized Microsoft Excel with methods of descriptive data analyses, t-tests, and regression analysis. Student appreciation of music varied, but the children’s affinity for music remained high. It is unclear whether the music created a positive mindset. The Baroque background music contributed …


The Effect Of Student-Led Conferencing At School And At Home On Goal-Setting, Goal-Fulfillment, Effort, Achievement, Intrinsic Motivation, And Satisfaction For Montessori Lower Elementary 3rd Year Students., Timothy David Blake Schwartz May 2017

The Effect Of Student-Led Conferencing At School And At Home On Goal-Setting, Goal-Fulfillment, Effort, Achievement, Intrinsic Motivation, And Satisfaction For Montessori Lower Elementary 3rd Year Students., Timothy David Blake Schwartz

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This study was designed to determine the effect of weekly student-led conferences (both at-home and at-school) on goal setting, goal fulfillment, effort, achievement, intrinsic motivation, and satisfaction. One teacher, eight Montessori third-year lower elementary students, and eight parents participated in the study for six weeks. Baseline data on goal setting and fulfillment was collected and analyzed. Guiding questions designed to encourage and support the students formed the content of the conferences. Pre- and post-intervention surveys were administered. The results showed that while the intervention did not help the students set and fulfill greater quantities of goals, it did have a …


Will The Youcubed Math Program Improve Upper Elementary Students’ Mathematical Mindset?, Nancy A. Bradtmiller May 2017

Will The Youcubed Math Program Improve Upper Elementary Students’ Mathematical Mindset?, Nancy A. Bradtmiller

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the YouCubed math program on upper elementary Montessori students’ mathematical mindset and accurate recall of fact families. Students watched YouCubed videos about recent neuroscience research on the positive effects of attitude, challenges, mistakes and visualizing math. Following the video, students summarized what they learned then worked on number sense activities recommended by the program. Throughout the week, students practiced fact families using Standard Celeration Charts to graph results of one minute timings. An attitudinal scale was administered to examine the program's potential effect on students’ mathematical mindset. This research …


Does Storytelling Affect Story Writing In A Lower Elementary Classroom?, Jennifer N. Johnson May 2017

Does Storytelling Affect Story Writing In A Lower Elementary Classroom?, Jennifer N. Johnson

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This study investigated the impact an oral storytelling component had on students’ story writing. The study took place over six weeks in an Elementary classroom at a small independent Montessori school. Eight Lower Elementary students (ages 6-9) listened to stories told by the teacher, or orally told ideas for their stories, prior to thirty minutes of story writing. Also, approximately halfway through the study, the students participated in a storytelling workshop conducted by a professional storyteller. Data sources included pre-intervention and weekly writing samples, engagement observations, a writing rubric to code the writing samples and a student writing attitude scale …


Discovery Education Techbook Use As A Montessori Science Resource, Michelle S. Oliver May 2017

Discovery Education Techbook Use As A Montessori Science Resource, Michelle S. Oliver

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This study analyzed whether adding Discovery Education Techbook, as a resource for science research, would enhance students’ depth of exploration and increase their level of understanding of research topics. The study took place in a fourth and fifth grade Montessori classroom, part of a school within a school program, serving 13 fourth graders and 7 fifth graders. Data collection tools included a discussion accountability form and a science journal rubric. These displayed students’ research work and discussion participation. A student attitude scale and parent informational tool were used to record students’ feelings about science research and collect data on how …


Choice And Growth Mindset, Neysa B. Matt May 2017

Choice And Growth Mindset, Neysa B. Matt

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This study sought to determine if lessons in growth mindset would improve engagement and thus positively affect elementary students in finishing work, and if enhanced engagement would enrich work quality. Prior to implementation, a tally of incomplete work cycles and an assessment of students’ overall persistence were gathered. Student interviews regarding their views on unfinished work were conducted. Five students were randomly selected to provide work samples which were assessed by the students and their teacher. Twenty-six, six to nine years-olds in a private, lower elementary Montessori classroom received four lessons to promote a growth mindset and were assessed for …


Montessori Parent Education: An Action Research Report, Sarah C. Irving May 2017

Montessori Parent Education: An Action Research Report, Sarah C. Irving

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This study sought to improve parent knowledge about the Montessori curriculum at a public Montessori school in British Columbia, Canada. Nineteen parents from a grade 1/2/3 class participated. Prior to six weeks of interventions, a parent question log was kept, and baseline data was collected from students and their parents. The teacher hosted one parent evening, three in-class observations for parents, started a Montessori magazine library, and featured a section on Montessori in the home and material use on the class blog. Data collection tools were used throughout the research to gain feedback from parents. Research concluded that parent knowledge …