Education Commons^™

A Bright Point In A Dull Day: A Qualitative Exploration Of Middle School Students’ Perceptions Of Music Ensemble Participation, Kailee Amburgey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Music participation, specifically in an ensemble setting, is known to promote learning and social skills and to contribute to a well-rounded overall education. With this in mind, this qualitative, constructivist grounded theory study explored the impacts that participating in chorus, band, or orchestra has on students’ overall experience in middle school, with a focus on joy and identity development. The researcher interviewed fifteen students about their personal experiences and feelings about their lives as middle schoolers and musicians. The findings, shared in six theoretical concepts tied to the research question, reveal important facets of these students’ experiences that shed light …

''When We Speak Faculty Listen:'' Exploring Potential Spaces For Students To Support Lecturer Academic Development, Rebecca Turner, Lucy Spowart, Harriet C. Dismore, E. A. Beckmann, Rachael A. J. Carkett, Tashmin Khamis

Office of the Provost

Lecturers’ engagement in professional development activities to enhance their academic practice is firmly embedded within the landscape of higher education. Although enhancing the student learning experience underpins teaching-related continuing professional development (CPD), interestingly the role of students in supporting such activities has been underexplored. Drawing on data captured from eight student representatives interviewed in the context of an international impact evaluation, we examine student awareness of, and attitudes towards, lecturers’ CPD. Participants recognised the value of lecturers engaging in CPD but believed it to be an activity they were removed from, and had little opportunity to engage with. We consider …

Review Of Student Agency In The Classroom: Honoring Student Voice In The Curriculum, Clyde Barnett Iii

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

A review of the book Student Agency in the Classroom: Honoring Student Voice in the Curriculum by Margaret Vaughn.

Podcasting As A Pedagogy: Teacher Perceptions Of Podcast Use And Creation In The Classroom, Rebecca J. Hobby

Selected Honors Theses

Podcasting is an innovative technology medium that has impacted the world with its new ideas, perspectives, and connections between listeners and hosts. While this medium has grown exponentially in many spheres, it is relatively new in educational settings. This thesis seeks to determine whether educators are ready to implement podcast listening and producing in their classrooms. It also seeks to ascertain educators’ perceptions of the benefits and challenges of podcasting. A survey was conducted asking teachers and college students preparing to become teachers about their observations and understandings of podcast use in classrooms. The findings indicated that access to professional …

Exploring High-School Students' Positive Lived Experiences With School And Their Perceptions Of Qualities That Make Good Teachers: A Phenomenological Study, Carissa Annmarie Flook

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is no shortage of evidence that portrays high-school students' overwhelmingly negative perceptions about schools and teachers today. Negative student perceptions profoundly impact students, educational systems, communities, and society. To address and reverse the detrimental cycle, research must explore the positive elements of student experience so that practices can capitalize on the positive and change the trajectory of education in America. My study explored high-school students’ perceptions of qualities that make good teachers. This hermeneutic phenomenological study utilized positive psychology as its conceptual framework, allowing the five elements of the PERMA model to guide student perception data analysis. Participants included …

The Amplification Of “At-Promise” Middle School Student Voice To Foster School Success, Nathan J. Ngieng

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Transformative actions towards the collective vision of the educated citizen have been central to the change efforts of educational leaders in British Columbia. Through a challenge to the status quo, utilizing a critical and post-structuralist lens, this paper charts a path towards revisioning middle school student success nested in listening stances and reflective practices. At the heart of this Problem of Practice is the disengagement and lack of voice that middle school students are experiencing, viewed through the context of a large and diverse suburban school district in the lower mainland of British Columbia. Theories of social learning, adult learning, …

Learning: What Counts And Who Decides?, Reginald Jjw Lavergne

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Educators, educational leaders, and policymakers continue to develop academic interventions for secondary school students who experience ongoing struggles. This approach is understandable given the neoliberal educational goal to support students’ becoming contributing members of society. However, time spent responding to symptoms (i.e., students failing courses) merely maintains the status quo. It negates the exploration of a deeper cause of these struggles. This organizational improvement plan (OIP) explores and initiates a change to respond to a cause of these challenges: lack of student voice in learning environments resulting in diminished student achievement and limited awareness of postsecondary pathway possibilities. Although mentioned …

What Do You Want Your Teachers To Know? Using Intergenerational Reflections In Education Research, Catherine Vanner

Education Publications

The Intergenerational Reflections technique was developed to bring together the voices of connected stakeholders of different ages and positions—in this case, students and teachers—to create recommendations that build on both groups’ perspectives. This article describes its use and results as piloted in the Time to Teach about Gender-Based Violence in Canada project. The project gathered 11 teacher participants in a participatory workshop to mobilize teachers’ reflections on student-produced cellphilms responding to the prompt: “What do you want your teachers to know when teaching about gender-based violence?” Framed using hooks’ engaged pedagogy, analysis describes teachers’ identification of potential pedagogical adaptations responding …

Moving Forward With Music To Promote Student Growth: A Mixed Methods Study With 9th-Grade Algebra 1 Students, Willie Mae Dean

Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate what effect music had on student achievement and student behavior during independent practice time for 9th-grade Algebra 1 students. Benchmark assessments from the participating district, a focus group of six students, and four in-person teacher interviews provided the data for this study. The beginning-of-year Galileo Algebra 1 benchmark assessment was used as a baseline for the study. Algebra 1 teachers were asked to participate in one of three ways, to play teacher-selected music, to allow students to listen to their own music, or allow no music to be played during …

School Voices: An Exploration Of Early Career Teachers’ Narratives On Student Voice And Dialogic Practices, Rachel Ada Meiklejohn

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

Classrooms are typically organized around the expectation that students’ voices should be used primarily for reciting answers elicited by teachers. Numerous studies show that moving away from this recitation model towards more dialogic practices has the potential to make literacy learning more effective and inclusive. Yet, dialogic classrooms in which students’ voices work together to create knowledge and make meaning of texts remain rare, especially in classrooms serving students of low-income and minority backgrounds. In order to understand how teachers develop their thinking about student voice and dialogic practices in literacy learning, I completed a qualitative case study of ten …

Student Voices That Resonate – Constructing Composite Narratives That Represent Students’ Classroom Experiences, Olivia Johnston, Helen Wildy, Jennifer Shand

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Words and stories have the power to resonate with people. Composite narratives can be constructed using multiple participant accounts, representing their experiences while also capturing the properties and categories of qualitative research findings. The ability of composite narratives to represent the multiple facets of theory construction through a singular narrative point-of-view is unique and provides a concise and credible method to present research findings. This paper explains how composite narratives can be constructed to present the research data that findings are built upon through an illustrative example of the process. The example of a composite narrative presented in this article …

How Principals Foster A Culture Of Student Voice, Anne Stewart Demott

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Student voice is a key component of educational leadership, yet school leaders remain confounded about how to succinctly define student voice, how to offer opportunities for students that position them as decision-makers in their schools, and how to integrate student voice into their daily practice, much less transform school cultures into vibrant, student-centered communities of learning. The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of how high school principals define student voice, the opportunities they provide for student voice in their schools, and the strategies they implement to foster cultures of student voice.

The study uses a sequential …

A Grounded Theory About How Teachers Communicated High Expectations To Their Secondary School Students, Olivia Johnston, Helen Wildy, Jennifer Shand

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

High teachers’ expectations are associated with improved student academic achievement. However, no research explains how students experience their teachers’ expectations, from their points of view. A new theory was developed to achieve the study’s aim of accounting for how high expectations were experienced by 25 students in Western Australia. The findings offer educators student-focused perspectives of how to convey high teacher expectations that lead to improved student academic outcomes. Straussian grounded theory (Strauss, 1990) methods were used to generate substantive theory together with the Year 10 students in three Western Australian public schools, through data including more than 100 classroom …

Passing The Mic: Teachers' Conceptions Of Student Voice In Urban Classrooms, Sharon E. Hopkins

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

In education there have been many reforms over the years that have asked teachers to be self-reflexive about their pedagogical practices as well as to develop their own articulation of the true purpose of education. One such reform has been centered around the term “student voice.” While there are many different theoretical interpretations and practical implementations of the term, this study sought to identify how teachers in an urban setting conceive of the term, as well as how they described their own facilitation in practice. This is particularly important for traditionally marginalized students who often feel disempowered in school. Using …

Centering Culture And Relationships In Learning: Culturally Responsive Teaching In Higher Education, Valerie Vistain

Dissertations

In colleges and universities all across the United States, the amount of culturally and linguistically diverse students has increased significantly. Research has shown that when educators can develop educational practices and curricula that account for and incorporate students’ cultural frameworks, outcomes improve for culturally and linguistically diverse students. Culturally responsive teaching is a pedagogical approach that does just that. This research project aimed to bring to light the various ways that general education professors define and enact culturally responsive teaching practices. It further illustrates how students receive and interpret these culturally responsive approaches. Using the general education college within a …

The Effect Of Note Taking On The Recall Of Information, Emily Lichty

Education | Master's Theses

A large body of research shows that note taking style can influence how much information we remember, as well as whether notes should be taken on paper or a computer (Igo & Kiewra, 2007; Kobayashi, 2005; Mueller & Oppenheimer, 2014; Urry et al., 2021). Little research, however, investigates what students think about the note taking process. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to determine (1) students’ perception of the note taking process, (2) whether the explicit teaching of a note taking strategy improved students’ recall scores on learned information, and (3) whether physical note taking was more beneficial for …

Student Voice And Choice: Factors Influencing Student Participation In Secondary Arts Classes In An Urban Public School District, Alan D. Lambert Ed. D.

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

The purpose of this study was to capture the student voice regarding the value, importance, and relevance of visual and performing arts education in public schools. The host institution for the study was an urban school district in the southern central United States serving 75,000 students, with 55% students identified as Hispanic, and 52% of students experiencing poverty. Graduating seniors responded via questionnaires with forced choice and open-ended items regarding several topics, including what they do in their free time, how they perceive the value of arts classes at school, access to arts classes and the match of their interests …

Examining Adolescent Voices In Urban Montessorianism Within The Third Plane Of Development., Raymond Edward Green

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although there is a significant body of research surrounding Montessori education, little research has sought to capture the voices of adolescents, specifically high school students in urban settings (Dr. Montessori’s third plane of development) learning through the Montessori Method. Problem: Legislators, policy writers, district and school-level leaders mandate and implement reforms with minimal to no adolescent input. Further, adolescents are not part of the reform implementation process or identifying desired outcomes of said reform initiatives. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine adolescent’s perspective of their urban high school Montessori education, and their role in helping to develop …

Valuing The Student Voice: Understanding And Responding To Student Concerns, Craig D. Hlavac, Sarah E. Gossman

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Many higher education institutions unintentionally make it challenging for students to raise concerns. Students often feel intimidated by faculty and administrators, yet most grievance processes require students to take the initiative to voice a concern. Adding stress is the lack of clarity of these processes, which can make students feel disconnected and uncertain where to turn. To alleviate the stress of students, alternative perspectives must be considered. This session will provide participants with practical strategies for developing processes that respect the student voice and encourage students to bring forward their concerns. Group discussions and scenario-based breakout sessions will be included.

A Review Of Undergraduate Education Student Responses To The Online Component Of Blended Learning: A Cautionary Tale, Ross S. Bernay, Chris Jenkin, Tafili Utumapu-Mcbride, Adrian Schoone, Andrew Gibbons

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Calls for enhancing the digital interface for teaching and learning within tertiary institutions have played out in one School of Education, with variable results. Online learning tasks were added in 2018 to regular classes to provide more flexibility for student engagement. A team of lecturers developed a questionnaire for students to be completed after the first semester pilot. Data and findings indicated that one-third of students identified online learning as an enhancement to their learning. A second survey was conducted one year later to assess changes made and analyse the longer-term impacts. During the COVID-19 lockdown, fully online pedagogy was …

The Craft Of Constructing A Classroom Library: Student Collaboration In Book Selection For The Classroom Library, Meredith Murray

All Theses, Dissertations, and Capstone Projects

Reading performance has been correlated to time spent in engaged reading. Additionally, positive attitudes toward reading, time spent reading, and reading proficiency have been shown to affect employment options, state of financial wellness, and overall quality of life and health into adulthood. How students contribute to book selection for classroom libraries may critically impact reading performance and attitudes toward reading, as books selected by teachers and school leaders may not be relevant, accessible, or interesting to the students for whom the books are selected. This mixed methods study examined factors around student collaboration in book title selection for the classroom …

Lift Every (Student) Voice With The Essential Instructional Practices For Disciplinary Literacy, Jenelle Williams, Laura Gabrion

Michigan Reading Journal

In this article, the authors make the case for re-engaging students in learning during the 2021-2022 school year by prioritizing social emotional learning and whole child principles, along with student voice and discourse. The Essential Instructional Practices for Disciplinary Literacy in the Secondary Classroom: Grades 6 to 12 are one tool to define instructional practices that align to these efforts.

What Australian Students Say About Transition To Secondary School. Final Report, Shani Sniedze, Rachel Felgate, Elizabeth O'Grady, Sarah Buckley, Petra Lietz

Wellbeing

Life Education Australia's Being Healthy Being Active project involved the collection of student voice related to the concept of school transition and the move from primary to secondary school. Students from around Australia participated in 82 focus groups, or student forums, to discuss their own positive experiences, as well as perceived needs and challenges related to their move to secondary school. Section One of this report is a literature review and environmental scan on student transition from primary to secondary school. Section Two describes the methods used to design and administer the Student Forums. This includes a description of the …

Academy Student Ambassador Perceptions Of The Academy Model: The Successes And Areas For Growth., James Edward Mcmillin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

When students see the relevance of their education, whether college-bound or career-bound, it can motivate them to seek out courses and experiences that will prepare them for life after high school (Plank, DeLuca, & Estacion, 2005). The experiences, accomplishments, and social influences a student has throughout their time in school creates meaning and helps inform how they identify career interests and make career choices (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994). This is especially true in high school where students begin to develop an awareness of their career interests and start thinking about their life after high school (Erikson, 1963). As the …

Teacher-Student Relationships And Their Effects On School Culture, Craig Curtis

Dissertations

Teacher-student relationships are an important part of every school’s culture. This study used surveys and interviews to find to what extent teacher-student relationships impact school culture. In the end, the research found that teacher-student relationships have a significant impact on school culture and an action plan and recommendations were suggested for the school’s continued growth and improvement in the area of school culture with a focus on teacher-student relationships.

Overcoming The Void: Obstacles To Authentic Culturally Relevant Teaching, Lindsay Rowe

Education | Master's Theses

This study explored how teacher perceptions of professional development (PD) on culturally relevant teaching (CRT) and a lack of student voice impede authentic implementation of CRT. Culturally relevant teaching involves utilizing student backgrounds and voices to shape curriculum and pedagogy. However, a review of the literature revealed that student voice is largely missing in CRT research. Additionally, teacher responses to PD were not frequently discussed in studies exploring implementation of CRT. The purpose of the study was to better understand student desires for education and teacher responses to PD on CRT. Research was conducted at a 7-12 public school in …

Technology Leadership Qualities In Secondary School Principals In Nebraska Who Support Student-Led Social Media Teams, Jill M. Johnson

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study addresses secondary school principals in Nebraska who are dealing with the negative ramifications of their students’ social media interactions. To combat the problem, this study sought to identify the technology leadership qualities possessed by secondary school principals in Nebraska who support student-led social media teams. A purposeful sampling of six secondary school principals in Nebraska, who have all been practicing principals for at least three years, engaged in individual semi-structured interviews via Zoom in January 2021. The primary research question was: What technology leadership qualities are possessed by secondary school principals in Nebraska who support student-led social media …

Pulling Back The Curtain: A Student Collaborative Case Study Of Equity Issues In Colorado’S School Finance System, Amy Jo Schwartz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

After the Great Recession, a seven percent decrease in funding ended decades of academic growth and further widened the achievement gap between White and Black students (Jackson et al., 2020). Colorado’s school-finance system is particularly distorted and inequitable because of a series of tax-limiting policies which, combined, have led Colorado to become one of the lowest-funded per pupil states in the country (Resnick et al., 2015). The purpose of this study is to describe the policymaking context, as it relates to equity within Colorado’s school-finance system and explore policy alternatives to improve equity within the system. The study was designed …

‘Believe In Me, And I Will Too’: A Study Of How Teachers’ Expectations Instilled Confidence In Grade 10 Students, Olivia Johnston, Helen Wildy, Jennifer Shand

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Teacher expectation research has continued to establish an association between what teachers expect of their students and what students accomplish academically. These expectations affect students when they are communicated by teachers through differential treatment in the class, but no qualitative research has sought adolescent students’ points of view about how they experience teacher expectation effects. This paper presents new research findings that explain how Grade 10 students experienced their teachers’ expectations in ways that they reflected impacted their academic outcomes. Classic grounded theory methods were used to develop this new knowledge, which has implications for how teachers are educated for, …

Community College Faculty Experiences With Literacy And Student Engagement In Developmental Courses, Amber L. Duncan Schoolcraft

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a literacy gap reflected in high school students’ preparation as they enter college. Empirical literature has indicated the importance of faculty connecting with students by using best practices for more engagement to increase literacy, learning, and comprehension. A question remained what the experiences of community college faculty members were as they worked to increase student engagement and improve literacy in reading and writing in developmental freshman community college composition courses. The theory of andragogy and the theory of cultural literacy provided the framework for understanding community college instructors’ approaches of engaging their adult students in developmental courses. Using …