Education Commons^™

The Relationship Between Classroom Distractions And Off-Task Students, Ashton Harrison, Kathryn E. Wojnar

Honors Theses

Classroom distractions occur on a daily basis and prevent students from being fully engaged with their teacher’s instruction. In this session, elementary education candidates discuss the results of a study in which they documented the sources of students’ inattention.

Program Evaluation Of Departmentalizing In Upper Elementary, Pamela Crabb

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of departmentalization as a strategy at the elementary upper grades to affect gains in the school’s accountability and gains in achievement performance. Based upon standardized testing measures, accountability for student achievement has dramatically increased in elementary schools; rigorous standards have increasingly affected teachers to become highly skilled in subject content areas. This increase in teacher content knowledge expertise requirements have caused many administrators to seek alternative instructional strategies to meet this need. Departmentalization is one of many potential methods that administrators and educators may implement in order to provide expert …

Literature Review: Student Interest And Motivation In Recorder Studies, David Russell Dingess Ii

The Corinthian

In my experience as a recorder student in 2001-2002, I noticed that recorder learning came quickly to me, but I was slowed down in the group setting by a few classmates who needed that extra attention. This led me to wonder how far into our recorder playing book we would have gotten without the few students who needed that extra time. I eventually disregarded the recorder and looked forward to the excitement and potential of a middle school band instrument. Later as a music education undergraduate college student, I learned about Alexander Technique and the benefits of learning to create …

Spilling The Lgbt(Ea)Q: A Study Of Lgbtq Youth Early School Experiences, Nicholas Catania

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this arts-based qualitative study, I explore the experiences of LGBTQ youth regarding inclusion during their early schooling. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of youth participants regarding inclusion during their early school experiences to better assist educators and policy-makers at all levels with information to provide safe and equitable learning environments for LGBTQ youth to succeed. The intent of this study was to uncover the ways schools may marginalize or be inclusive of LGBTQ youth by examining school experiences with a particular focus at the elementary level. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, focus groups, …

Blogging In Elementary Classrooms: Mentoring Teacher Candidates’ To Use Formative Writing Assessment And Connect Theory To Practice, Diane R. Collier, Tiffany L. Gallagher

Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education

This paper presents a collaborative approach to professional learning in which classroom teachers mentored teacher candidates to connect theory and practice through formative assessment to improve students’ writing. Professional learning sessions pairing the teachers and teacher candidates occurred in each of the fall and winter semesters in two years of this project. Data were collected at these sessions and during focus group debriefings. The findings are themes related to: lines of communication and levels of collaboration; teachers’ pedagogical decisions about blogging and writing in their classrooms; classroom teachers and teacher candidates enacting formative writing assessment in the blogging platform; the …

Responding To The Dialogue: Critical Digital Pedagogy Of Elementary Teachers, Aaron R. Gierhart

Georgia Educational Research Association Conference

Critical pedagogy has the power to transform learning experiences for all students, but also create seismic impacts on the futures of students; however, critical approaches to designing and implementing instruction in which digital technologies are integrated eludes many elementary teachers. Pedagogy is formed and evolves a lifetime of experiences and is never fully mastered. To understand how certain elementary teachers develop critical digital pedagogy, it was imperative to tell their stories. The purpose of this study was to describe the life stories of two elementary teachers who utilized critical digital approaches in their instruction. Each participant participated in an life …

Is It "Just" A Methods Course? - Developing Elementary Teacher's Social Justice Advocacy Competency, Karyn A. Allee-Herndon

Georgia Educational Research Association Conference

This study/survey was born from the construct that social inequities have a long history in the United States and beyond, impacting our social, historical, and cultural growth, and our ability to create a welcoming community. This is a continuation of a study begun at another institution and will add to our understanding of how best to support teacher candidates in their preparation and development as advocates. This study uses a pre-post survey design using purposive sampling of teacher candidates in an elementary writing methods course.

Relax And Recharge Club, Katherine Osmundson, Alec Miller

Honors Expanded Learning Clubs

An afterschool club that focuses on providing calming and stress relieving activities that also help them build healthy coping mechanisms to stress at a young age.

Mindfulness And Social Emotional Learning: The Lived Experience Of Students Learning English As A Second Language, Lara Catherine Donnelly

Dissertations

In a phenomenological case study, the author sought to gain an awareness of the lived experiences of 4th and 5th grade ESL students, their parents, and their teachers who participated in the MindUp mindfulness curriculum. The author was interested in the relationship between the mindfulness curriculum and SEL based on the perspective of all three participant groups. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 3 students, at least one parent of each of those three students, and the two classroom teachers who conducted the MindUp lessons. Five main themes developed from coding of the raw data: (1) positive impact on students; (2) …

Facilitating Experiential Learning Experiences Through A Class Pioneer Day, Ronald Vaughan Morris

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Students experience a reenactment of life on the frontier created by the interaction of their teachers and community volunteers. Students in elementary social studies learn content, skills, values, and dispositions through engaging in experiential learning. The classroom environment is described through a case study of one classroom of fourth grade students with an experienced teacher with deep roots in the community. Teachers develop skills in negotiation with volunteers to accomplish tasks that support student learning. Descriptions of student and teacher preparations in addition to budgetary constraints describe how to replicate the experience. Examples and assessments are provided as well as …

The Impact Of Elementary Mathematics Coaches On Elementary Teachers' Attitudes Towards Teaching Mathematics, Samuel R. Ward

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study compares levels of mathematics anxiety and teacher efficacy between inservice and preservice elementary teachers. Prior research has indicated that mathematics anxiety is a common trait among elementary teachers. Mathematics anxiety has also been found to have a negative impact on preservice elementary teachers’ efficacy towards teaching mathematics. To address this challenge, some states have begun hiring elementary mathematics coaches to support elementary teachers. Besides focusing on mathematics anxiety and teacher efficacy, this study also investigated the impacts of elementary mathematics coaches on inservice elementary teachers.

A total of 174 inservice teachers and 51 preservice teachers completed a survey …

Online Language Arts Instruction In An Elementary Methods Course: Successes And Challenges, Charlotte A. Mundy-Henderson, Callie Martin

Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education

This paper describes the successes and challenges of an assistant professor and her students as they were forced to pivot mid-semester from a traditional face-to-face Elementary Language Arts Methods course to a completely online course due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Increased communication, identifying and sharing valuable resources, and adopting a more flexible attitude when it comes to writing instruction were among the successes of this now online course. While ensuring that online field experiences were meaningful was one of the biggest challenges. Takeaways were that increased communication and flexibility are vital parts of online learning, especially when in an unexpected …

Integrating Culturally Relevant Teaching Strategies: Professional Development For Elementary Classroom Teachers, Anne Taylor

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Research has determined that culturally responsive teaching is a powerful tool that improves student achievement while providing more equitable educational opportunities for all students (Au, 2009; Banks, 2006; Gay, 2000; Hammond, 2015; Ladson-Billings, 2009). Schools that engage in CRT are able to build bridges of meaning between home and school experiences and between academics and students' cultural realities. However, evidence also suggests that while teachers may have knowledge of multicultural education, many do not display the characteristics needed to fully apply and sustain culturally responsive pedagogical practices. The professional development and PLC supports created for this project are built upon …

A Causal-Comparative Study Of Strategies Designed To Decrease Discipline Incidents In Urban Elementary Schools, John Christopher Jung

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Urban schools have struggled to overcome the achievement gap, including the most recent issue of inequity of discipline within the schools. A causal-comparative design was used to find whether the varying strategies alleged to successfully decrease discipline issues are as effective within urban elementary schools as in suburban schools. The sample included 790 public, elementary, urban or suburban schools within the state of Ohio that drew on ex post facto data of discipline incidents and enrollment from the school years of 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 acquired from the Ohio Department of Education. The large sample of schools in both urban and …

Becoming Independent Readers: A Toolbox Of Close Reading Strategies For Young Minds, Kimberly Anne Petersen

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study explored the practice of close reading for reading comprehension in a classroom of fourth grade students for a duration of six weeks. This study was driven by the problem of practice identified by the researcher’s own observations and a look into the data of her own students. The purpose of this research was to provide students with reading comprehension tools to help them take charge of their own reading experiences and apply strategies that help guide them into a better understanding of the text. The teacher-researcher chose to employ a set of six close reading strategies, …

Imath - Using Video Modeling Via Ipads To Teach Mathematics Skills To Struggling Students, Melissa Steinberg

Theses and Dissertations

There is a growing body of research that suggests that video-based interventions, such as video modeling and video prompting, are effective tools for teaching academic skills to students with disabilities. This study used a single subject, multiple-baseline-across-subjects design to evaluate whether a video-prompting intervention could effectively assist second grade students who had been identified by their teachers as "struggling"in mathematics to better solve multiplication story problems. Five second grade students (one female and four males) ages 7 to 8 viewed the intervention videos on an iPad that modeled how to solve multiplication word problems. To evaluate the effectiveness of the …

The Effects Of Project Lead The Way Launch Curriculum On Elementary Girls’ Perception And Career Interests In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics, Mina Blazy

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The United States has examined the quality of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education since before the turn of the century. STEM educators are still having the conversation around why more women are not joining STEM pathways. Girls and boys as early as birth are curious about the world; through their own lens they learn about gravity from dropping spaghetti on the floor or seeing a small insect on the wall. As children get older they are influenced by the perceptions of their parents and peers.

This study looked at the perception and career interests of girls in STEM …

The Primary Dilemma: Determining And Overcoming Barriers To A Focus On Prekindergarten Through Grade 3, Sarah Turner Lukas, Sarah Turner Lukas

Dissertations

In 2017, reporters of national data in regard to reading ability among American, fourth grade students indicated low proficiency and achievement gaps. These results were also consistent within the state and district under study. There is a need to increase the focus on prekindergarten and primary grade education taking place prior to the grades in which federally mandated, accountability assessments for student learning take place. The purpose of this study is to determine the potential barriers to a paradigm shift at the state and district levels from a focus on state-assessed grade levels to prekindergarten and primary grade levels. The …

Exploring Critical Hope And Agency Through Photovoice, Jenae Casalnuovo

Master of Science in Education | Master's Theses

There have been multiple studies including youth in participatory action research, and specifically photovoice projects (Wang, 2006). However, little research has been done connecting youth participatory action research to students’ hope and sense of agency. There is also a lack of existing studies that assess young students’ critical awareness of how social power operates in our culture and in their lives (Christens, Byrd, Peterson, & Lardier, 2018).

Photovoice methodology provided eight of my fourth- and fifth-grade students in northern California – most of whom live in a predominantly Latinx neighborhood in socioeconomically disadvantaged circumstances, situated within a predominantly white and …

"Turn Up The Music!", Caitlyn M. Hinnerschitz, Catherine Scott

Honors Theses

The elementary school classroom provides unique opportunities for teachers to engage students in STEM thinking, using both scientific content and innovative thinking. In today’s world, educators spend time determining how to both conserve resources when engaging students in hands-on experiences, while still bringing relevant experiences into their lessons. In this lesson, we examine the ways that teachers can address student interests in music and technology through an engineering lesson focusing on amplification of sound and recycled materials

A Qualitative Exploration Of A Kung Fu Character-Based Intervention And Third-Grade Students’ Perceptions, Kameron Shook

Honors Theses

Students are experiencing higher levels of stress in and out of the twenty-first century classroom. Stress can affect a student’s ability to interact with their peers, interact with their teacher, and interact with the material they are learning. Different interventions involving physical activities related to martial arts have been successful in improving student empathy and confidence in an anti-bullying intervention (Law, 2004; Rajan, 2015; Twemlow et al., 2008). However, few studies have addressed utilizing physically active standards-based lessons rooted in martial arts alongside focus vocabulary words as a means of developing the whole child, inclusive of the social, emotional, physical, …

Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports, Meredith George

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the history, characteristics, and efficacy of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) as a substitution for traditional exclusionary discipline practices in response to negative and disruptive behavior in schools. Disruptive behavior is a significant concern for classroom teachers; effective solutions for minimizing disruptions are necessary to curb teacher burnout and improve attrition rates. PBIS relates to an implementation framework as opposed to a singular behavior program, therefore schools have a multitude of intervention options when adopting a PBIS approach to behavior. Three PBIS strategies (restorative circles, token economy, self-monitoring of performance) are …

The Effect Of Section 504 Plans On Elementary Student Attendance, Jeffrey Michael Guerin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal-comparative, quantitative study was to compare the attendance of students with a Section 504 plan to their non-disabled peers, in School District A, located in central Virginia. A study of this nature is important, as attendance is a key indicator for student success and academic progress. Additionally, the Virginia Department of Education has recently established standards for accreditation based on school attendance. Students with disabilities are at an increased risk of being truant from school. Section 504 plans are federal mandates set in place under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973/1974 that ensure students with disabilities receive …

The Impact Of Read Aloud With Socratic Discussion On The Literacy And Critical Thinking Skills Of The Elementary Student Submitted On May 21, 2020 In Fulfillment Of Final Requirements For The Maed Degree Lesley Kirk Saint Catherine University St. Paul,, Lesley Kirk

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This study aims to uncover a link between read aloud with Socratic discussion and its impact on literacy and critical thinking skills. In researching this relationship, both quantitative and qualitative data tools were used. Participants in the study included 60 students from a charter Montessori school in the Southwest United States ranging from grade 1 to 6. Students participated in a six-week intervention. The intervention included a 60-minute read aloud with Socratic discussion session conducted twice a week. The findings indicate that there is a general increase in literacy and reading comprehension skills. In addition, the study was also shown …

The Effects Of Goal Setting On Student Work Completion In A Lower Elementary Montessori Classroom, Amy Pommereau

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This investigation explored if and how direct instruction on goal-setting and working toward a goal over a four-week period impacted the number of activities students independently completed in class. The amount of math and language work completed and the way the participants felt about their ability to manage their time and goals were measured and evaluated. The study took place at a diverse elementary school in the Midwest. The classroom involved is the only Montessori lower elementary classroom in the district. The 26 students were ages 6-9 at the time of the study. Students were taught how to set a …

The Relationship Between Creativity And Teamwork: The Effect Of Improved Teamwork On The Creative Output Of Gifted Students, Brian Stroinski

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this study was twofold. First, it sought to determine how to improve students’ cooperative learning skills and the ability to work in teams among gifted students. Secondly, whether and to what effect improved cooperative learning skills had on creativity among gifted students. Teamwork was improved through a direct instruction unit on teamwork, where students participated in coding activities, role-plays, and other cooperative games. Destination Imagination challenges were used to determine teamwork and creativity scores and students participated in a survey of their own and their teammates performance on the challenges. The participants were 38 gifted students from …

Research Into Practice: Exploring Teacher Practices With Young Gifted Learners, Andrea Lauren Heming

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This research study investigates teacher practices with young gifted learners and provides recommendations to increase the effectiveness of the Primary Talent Pool through examination of the program as it is implemented in four Kentucky school districts. Gifted coordinators were interviewed and primary (kindergarten-third grade) teachers were surveyed. Though each school has different methods for meeting the needs of high potential learners, there are commonalities across all seven schools represented. The present findings indicate teachers feel confident in their ability to recognize high potential in academic areas. Teachers are comfortable using differentiation, and often differentiate to support gifted learners.

Written Language Outcomes Of Deaf Elementary Students Engaged In Authentic Writing, Kimberly A. Wolbers, Hannah Dostal, David Cihak, Leala Holcomb

Theory and Practice in Teacher Education Publications and Other Works

This study explores the impact of Strategic and Interactive Writing Instruction (SIWI) on six students’ written language skills through the application of a multiple-baseline probe single case design with embedded condition. This was part of a larger Institute of Education Sciences (IES)-funded project focused on the development and feasibility of implementation of SIWI. For the majority of skills analyzed, there were improvements in the mean level of performance with the implementation of SIWI, as well as more consistent responding and positive trends in the data. The study also revealed that teachers are in need of additional tools to aid the …

The Common Core State Standards In Mathematics For Place Value: Developmentally Appropriate Or Not?, Sarah N. Hughey

Masters Theses

This exploratory case study examines the developmental appropriateness of the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSSM) for place value for second through fourth-grade students. A correlation analysis was performed on end of year scores from the 2018-19 school year on a standardized norm-referenced test and a conceptually-based interview assessment from the Math Recovery program (AVMR) on 137 students from one school in the Midwest. An item analysis was also performed on AVMR assessments for 70 students from the 2019-20 school year. The results showed that second and third-grade students did not display the expected amount of growth in conceptual …

Structured And Unstructured Movement In Elementary School Classrooms: Effects On Student Performance, Savannah E. Watson

Honors Theses

Research has shown the benefits of movement for adults and children alike. Not only are there physical benefits to movement, including physical fitness and health, there are also mental benefits. In this study, the researchers sought to discover how movement impacts student performance on exit slips and assessments given during a unit of instruction.