Education Commons^™

Elementary Art And Writing, Mary A. Beningo

Masters Theses

The problem that I researched in today’s art education world is how to correlate elementary art curricula with writing curricula. To investigate this issue I field tested a curriculum module that reflects the contemporary issues of writing in art education. The curriculum module under investigation has been designed to correlate my 5^th grade fine arts curriculum with the homeroom teacher’s 5^th grade language arts curriculum.

During this study I worked with 56 fifth grade students and incorporated four writing projects into their fine arts curriculum: a Character Exploration project, a Black-out poetry project, a surrealistic textured paper collage …

A Phenomenological Investigation Of Experience In Middle School Honors Math And Language Arts Courses And Student And Teacher Perceptions Of Preparedness For Similar High School Honors And Advanced Placement Courses, Melissa Butler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to investigate student and teacher perceptions concerning the impact of honors middle school language arts and mathematics courses on preparedness for similar ninth through twelfth grade classes at a high school in northwest Georgia. The questions that guided the study focused on examining the perceptions of students and teachers who had experienced this phenomenon and their notions of the impact that participation in middle school honors mathematics and language arts courses had on preparedness for non-gifted students enrolled in similar accelerated high school courses. A transcendental phenomenological design was used to discover …

Defining Characteristics Of An Integrated Stem Curriculum In K-12 Education, Vinson Robert Carter

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to obtain consensus concerning the defining characteristics of integrated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) curriculum. This study utilized a three round modified Delphi study to solicit recommendations from experts of STEM education in order to: 1) create a set of categorical and defining curricular components needed to develop and implement appropriate integrated STEM curriculum; 2) identify the characteristics that set integrated STEM education curriculum apart from single-discipline curricula; 3) discuss the components necessary to gauge whether an initiative, project, or curriculum should be referred to as integrated STEM education; and 4) examine whether …

Revitalizing A 19th Century Industrial Complex Into A 21st Century Research And Learning Technology Center, James Lawrence Wines

Masters Theses

The revitalization and repurposing of the Domino’s Sugar Plant will foster a vibrant and engaged community for the neighborhood in a distinct way differing from the recent history of growth. Williamsburg is located in a north Brooklyn, New York, community that has been struggling for its identity since the 1970’s. The reprogramming of this abandoned industrial site will include the addition of a new technological research center that will contribute to economic growth and stability for the neighborhood. The new jobs will help bring more people into the neighborhood who will be committed to both live and work there. At …

Integrating Technology, Curriculum, And Online Resources: A Multilevel Model Study Of Impacts On Science Teachers And Students, Lei Ye

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This scale-up study investigated the impact of a teacher technology tool (Curriculum Customization Service, CCS), curriculum, and online resources on earth science teachers’ attitudes, beliefs, and practices and on students’ achievement and engagement with science learning. Participants included 73 teachers and over 2,000 ninth grade students within five public school districts in the western U.S.

To assess the impact on teachers, changes between pre- and postsurveys were examined. Results suggest that the CCS tool appeared to significantly increase both
teachers’ awareness of other earth science teachers’ practices and teachers’ frequency of using interactive resources in their lesson planning and classroom …

Teaching World Music In An Elementary Setting: Effective Teaching Strategies And Classroom Materials, Calyna Mc Allister

Masters Theses

The world we live in today is increasingly a global society. As such, the various cultures of the world come into contact with one another more often. Students today need to have experiences with different cultures in order to participate effectively in this globally minded world. An excellent way to expose children to these cultures is through the use of world music in the general music classroom. The need for world music from a music education standpoint has been addressed over the past few decades. However, little has been done to address the teaching methods associated with world music or …

Prekindergarten And Kindergarten Teachers' Perceptions Of Demographic Determinants And Academic Success, Melanie Ellen Boyle

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine kindergarten and prekindergarten teachers' perceptions of academic success for children based on the type of care children received prior to beginning kindergarten, as well as other demographics, which could cause variations in academic success. The researcher used a seven section multi-method survey instrument, which included teacher demographic questions, Likert-scale perception questions, and one open-ended question. Sections of inquiry included: Common Core, general academic risk factors for students, barriers to overall academic success, student demographics, and promotion of academic success for students. The survey instrument was distributed to prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers in …

Dnr-Based Curricula: The Case Of Complex Numbers, Guershon Harel

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

DNR is a research-based framework which seeks to understand fundamental problems of mathematics learning and teaching. This paper discusses DNR with a particular reference to a curricular unit on complex numbers. Originally designed for college-bound high school students, the unit is structured to progress along a path that roughly parallels the development of complex numbers in the history of mathematics. We have tested the unit in three teaching experiments with inservice and prospective secondary mathematics teachers. The results from these experiments demonstrate the ways of thinking afforded and targeted by the unit. The correspondence between these ways of thinking and …

Examining Sport Management Programs In The United States, D. Jones, Dana Brooks, Jennifer Mak

Jennifer Y Mak

Analysis of sport management programs is important for potential students as well as for the future development of sport management as an academic discipline. The historical evolution of sport management programs in the United States moved from the physical education model to a more business-oriented curriculum. Given this historical development, debate exists among sport management professionals regarding administrative housing of current and future sport management programs. The purposes of this study were to: (1) Provide an overview of the development of U.S. sport management programs, (2) Provide a snapshot of sport management programs including admissions requirements and faculty profiles, and …

2013-2014 Ursinus College Course Catalogue, Office Of The Registrar

Ursinus College Catalogues, 1869-Present

A digital copy of the 2013-2014 Ursinus College Catalog. It contains details of the curriculum, departmental requirements and courses of instruction as well as core requirements such as the Common Intellectual Experience (CIE) and Independent Learning Experience (ILE). Academic policies, special opportunities and graduation requirements are also outlined.

Reflecting On Multimodal Pedagogy: An Autoethnographic Narrative Of The Inclusion Of Art Across The Elementary Classroom Curriculum, Jessica S. Taylor Charland

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis explores the inclusion of art and visual modes of literacy across the elementary classroom curriculum in Ontario. Positioned within social semiotics, multimodal literacy and multimodal pedagogy, it situates art as a literacy practice. I use autoethnographic narratives to share stories of classroom experiences teaching multimodal literacy, and reflect on the following questions: What were my experiences using art as a multimodal literacy? What resources enabled or constrained the enactment of multimodal pedagogy in my practice? and What were the affordances and limitations of the modes and multimodal pedagogies for my students and for myself as a teacher? Reflections …

Kierkegaard And A Pedagogy Of Liminality, Sylvia Mcmillan

Theses and Dissertations

There is a strain of curriculum theory especially since the reconceptionalist movement that applies existential philosophy to educational issues and questions. There is also a related branch of curriculum theory that looks especially at existentialist theology to cast light on curriculum issues from a more religious slant. Both of these strains of analysis are rooted in Kierkegaard, the father of existentialism and existential theology (Huebner, 1999; Tillich, 1948). The educational implications of the works of Kierkegaard are a subject that has been virtually unexamined in either educational or Kierkegaardian scholarship except by two scholars whose works are already 40 years …

Humboldt County Agriculture Education: Forestry, Nursery, And Dairy Production, Alayna Renner

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purpose of this project was to create middle school agriculture curriculum for the top three agriculture commodities in Humboldt County. It was designed and created specifically for Humboldt County to educate the upcoming generations about the unique and diverse agriculture industry Humboldt County provides. It is hoped that this easy and ready to use curriculum will get the students interested and involved in the agriculture industry in the future years. It includes a teacher’s aide outline, student handouts, a Power Point, and an activity handout.

Seeing The Bigger Picture: Investigating The State Of The Arts In Teacher Education Programs In Australia, Georgina M. Barton, Margaret Baguley, Abbey Macdonald

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

There is extensive research that shows how the arts provide many benefits for all students yet there is evidence that arts education offerings and experiences are decreasing across both university and school sectors. It is important that we recognize the essential role of teacher educators in preparing pre-service teachers to be aware of the ‘bigger picture’ of arts education before beginning their work with students. Drawing on interview data from eight tertiary arts educators, this paper will provide a timely national snapshot view of their perceptions. It explores their experiences as arts educators in higher education contexts in regards to …

A Comparison Of Developing World Educational Systems March 2013 Ethopia And Costa Rica, Kendall Allen

Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the strengths and weaknesses of centralized and decentralized unitary government systems with regard to equitable education across domestic regions within countries. Using Costa Rica and Ethiopia as case studies, I examine: a) their level of economic development, b) how public primary education is funded, and c) how public primary curriculum is determined. By looking at education in these three dimensions, I wish to understand how regional language differences and creating a sense of national identity play a role in the unification of an educational system, as well educational equality within a country and within a global market.

Developing A Creative Thinking Course For Community College Students, Noreen Mcginness Olson

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This project describes the development of an online Creative Thinking course designed specifically for community college students. This interdisciplinary college course will be one component of an entrepreneurial certificate program aimed at business students, but will be open to all students seeking to improve their creative thinking abilities. While developing the course the author engaged in the process described in Cameron’s The Artists Way as a structured reflective practice.

In this writing, selected theories of creativity are described in their connection to course content and approach. The course was informed by traditional western ideas on creativity as well as an …

Implementing Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support In Mathematics: Findings From Two Schools, Erin Donovan, Katharine Shepherd

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

This study examined the benefits and challenges associated with implementing RtI in the area of mathematics in an elementary and a middle school in a rural district in the northeastern United States. We sought to document the ways in which two schools approached implementation of RtI and to explore the issues they encountered with respect to instruction, intervention, and assessment. Five themes were identified that described implementation of the RtI framework: Shifting roles and changing structures, increasing opportunities for collaboration and communication, increasing instructional and assessment support for students who struggle in math, increasing knowledge of support strategies for learners …

Gaise In Discipline-Specific Courses, Beverly Wood

Publications

While acknowledging the diverse setting, audience, and purpose of introductory courses, existing research assumes that courses offered by different disciplines share the same goals and teaching practices. The purpose of this study is to examine the objectives for student outcomes and pedagogical delivery of introductory statistics courses designed for students in a specific major, providing explicit evidence for this assumption.

The American Statistical Association’s Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) are meant to apply to all introductory courses. The College Report’s Goals for Students and Recommendations for Teaching are used as a framework for a qualitative study …

Effective Practices In Science Instruction In An All Girls School, Holly Hoyt Posner

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Girls can be successful in science education depending on their learning environment. This paper studies factors such as curriculum and instructional strategies that facilitate student success in learning science. The problem is that as girls get older, they shy away from science instruction. They allow boys to monopolize the science activities, and they appear to lose interest in science. Their grades slip, and they tend not to pursue science in higher education or in their career. The purpose of this research is to explore factors that can lead to girls’ success in learning science. Teachers were interviewed at a school …

Integrating Social Emotional Learning Into Secondary Curriculum, Marilyn Janette Lindsay

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

When students are able to cope with, manage and maneuver the social and emotional landscapes of their lives, their ability to learn on all levels improves. Teaching Social / Emotional Learning (SEL), as a component of secondary education, not only increases academic performance, but prepares students to meet the challenges of lifelong learning in a changing global society. Currently, students are so busy passing tests that measure their capacity for logical, analytical and objective reasoning, it leaves little time for developing self-awareness, social awareness, and the ability to cope with ambiguous situations, to adapt, to learn how to learn and …

The Grizzly, April 18, 2013, Jessica Orbon, Sara Sherr, Misha Fausto, Allison Schroeder, Taylor Manferdini, Christine Dobisch, Lauren Dicairano, Caroline Sandberg, Amanda Frekot, Dana Feigenbaum, Daiana Vazquez, John Parry, Briana Brukilacchio, Jordan Demcher, Melissa Kopel, Allen Weaver

Ursinus College Grizzly Newspaper, 1978 to Present

Curriculum Review • Relay Raises Money, Awareness • Tuition Explained • Mental Health Resources Reviewed • Collegeville Community Day April 20 • Student Art Exhibit April 24 • Ursinus College Dance Company's Spring Show • Spanish Classes Popular Among UC Students • Opinion: ESPN Debate Isn't Really About Sports; Autism Awareness Month is a Learning Opportunity • Hockey Not Netting Enough Attention • Senior Spotlight: Wytch Rigger, Men's Lacrosse • Baseball Loses in 18 Innings

Asian American Studies Program: Community-Centered Commitments And Pathways In The Asamst Curriculum, Asian American Studies Program, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

UMass Boston offers the most Asian American Studies courses, faculty, and community linkages of any university in New England. Through culturally-responsive instruction in the classroom and holistic practices of mentoring, community-building, service-learning, and advocacy, we address the social and academic needs of students as well as the critical capacity-building needs of local Asian American communities. Our alumni include teachers, social workers, health care providers, business entrepreneurs, and leaders of local Asian American community organizations where we sustain vital, long-term partnerships.

Student Thoughts And Perceptions On Curriculum Reform, Douglas D. Vanderjagt

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine how students experience and respond to Michigan’s increased graduation requirements. The study was conducted in a large, suburban high school that instituted a change to a trimester system in response to the state mandate. A criterion-based sample of 16 students, both college bound and non-college bound, participated in one-on-one interviews regarding their knowledge about, their understanding of, and their experience with the new Michigan Merit Curriculum, and how this increase impacted the student participants’ high school academic choices and/or postsecondary plans. Additionally, this study engaged focus groups of one or …

Inquiry Based Curriculum In A Public School Art Room: Aesthetic Education And Lincoln Center Institute, Jacqueline Denaway

Masters Theses

This thesis takes an in-depth look at the history of the Lincoln Center Institute (LCI), specifically its aesthetic education philosophy and practices. Included is analysis of the origin of aesthetic education and important philosophical views related to it. Emphasis is placed on the ideas of Maxine Greene, whose philosophy is the core of Lincoln Center Institute, as well as the key skills that are acquired when learning through aesthetic means. Lincoln Center Institute has been a leader in arts education and aesthetic education for several decades. This paper will explore how LCI's philosophy of aesthetic education differs from other philosophies …

Reflections ~ How Stem Becomes Steam, Ruth Catchen

The STEAM Journal

Reflections from designing a STEAM class for high-risk students.

First Steps In Planning A College Department Curriculum To Incorporate Information Fluency, Claudia J. Dold

Claudia J. Dold

Creating an information fluency curriculum for a specific discipline requires preliminary work: assessing what students already know in their discipline; what they need to learn to be successful in their current course; and then what they will need to be functional in the field when they complete the remaining classes in their discipline, when they start working in their field, and/or when they move on to graduate school. This session addresses how one librarian approached faculty in a particular discipline, assessed the current teaching agenda, and planned to determine the information fluency demands of the courses.

Introducing Computer Science In An Integrated Science Course, Barry Lawson, Doug Szajda, Lewis Barnett Iii

Department of Math & Statistics Faculty Publications

This paper describes our implementation and experience of incorporating computer science concepts into a team-taught, first-year interdisciplinary course for prospective science majors at the University of Richmond. The course integrates essential concepts from each of five STEM disciplines: biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, and physics. Including computer science in this course faces three primary challenges: few of the students have any CS background; the time devoted to CS instruction is reduced compared to a traditional introductory CS course; and the spirit of the course requires the CS material to be highly integrated with the other disciplines. Here we discuss our …

Reconceiving International Education: Theorizing Limits And Possibilities For Transcultural Learning, Paul Tarc, Aparna Mishra-Tarc, Nicholas Ng-A-Fook, Roopa Desai Trilokekar

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This multi-voiced paper explores the micro-level dimensions of human learning and becoming from transcultural encounters, lessons and/or curriculum under heightened transnationalism. It posits that mainstream approaches to conceptualizing the ‘education’ of international education lack sufficient theorization of difference, sociality, history and learning in trans-local spaces and suggests that there are expanding networks of transcultural engagements to be examined under the umbrella of international education. To explore this reconceived pedagogical landscape of international education three specific cases are presented: an auto-ethnographic reflection on coming into and making sense of one’s international experience, a conceptual framing of internationalizing preservice education curriculum and …

Demographics Of Undergraduates Studying Games In The United States: A Comparison Of Computer Science Students And The General Population, Monica M. Mcgill, Amber Settle, Adrienne Decker

Amber Settle

High School Curriculum Tracks As Determinants Of Post-Secondary Outcomes: A Study Of Track Mobility And Its Effects, William Morrison

Dissertations

Despite scores of studies that have shown that tracking and ability grouping perpetuate the academic achievement gap that exists in the United States, the practice continues. The reason for this persistence is a confluence of educational, social, and political factors. As tracking will continue as practice for the foreseeable future, research must help to identify the best and worst of tracking practices so that its negative effects are minimized and positive effects maximized. Oakes (2005) has identified five common elements of tracking policies and practices: extent, pervasiveness, flexibility, mobility, and locus of control. Of these elements, it is my contention …