Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Assessing A Media Discernment Course For Freshmen At Illiana Christian High School: A Case Study, William Boerman-Cornell

Master of Education Program Theses

This case study examines the effectiveness of a team-taught mass-media freshman level course on discernment of media messages, and decision-making. By means of pre- and post- course surveys of students and faculty, this study examines students' decisions about consuming mass media and how after taking the course, their media selection process became more complex, deliberate, and organized. It also examines faculty response to the course in terms of how it appears to affect the students and how it affects faculty teaching and learning.

Middle School Reading: From Reluctant To Strategic Reader, Amy S. Groetsema

Master of Education Program Theses

Research shows that student attitudes towards school reading declines dramatically as students reach upper elementary grades (Mckenna, 1995), yet as these students reach middle school and high school they will be faced with increasing demands to be critical readers. Reluctant middle school readers must have reading experiences that are successful in order to change their attitudes towards reading. Reading teachers must equip their middle level students to be strategic readers in order to be prepared for the critical reading and thinking demands of middle school and high school. This means that reading instruction must be organized in a way that …

Classwide Peer Tutoring With Or Without Competitive Reinforcement: Impact On Academic Growth And Intrinsic Interest, Dale R. De Weerd

Master of Education Program Theses

This study examined the effects of Classwide Peer Tutoring on students' academic gains and intrinsic interest in two fourth-grade math classes under two conditions-c-with competitive reinforcement (CWPT + CR) and without competitive reinforcement (CWPT - CR). Extending spelling CWPT research of C. C. Cheung and S. Winter (1999), this study utilized an adapted multiplication pretest and posttest and the Attitude Toward Mathematics Scale, developed by Peterson (1978). Study results showed a lack of statistical significance regarding group differences at posttest. However, due to traditional CWPT's impact on classroom atmosphere, peer perception, and learning focus, the investigator recommends eliminating competitive reinforcement …

Analysis Of Four Current Educational Philosophies And Their Impact On Science Education: Towards A Reformed Christian Philosophy Of Science Education, Kimberly J. Karhoff

Master of Education Program Theses

This thesis analyzes four current educational philosophies: perennialisrn, progressivism, existentialism, and constructivism. Particular attention is paid to their impact on science education. Each philosophy is examined for its philosophical roots, educational theory, science education goals, science education methodology, and science curriculum. It is then critiqued in light of a Reformed Christian perspective. In the discussion, I propose a Reformed philosophy of science education.

Attitude Changes Resulting From A Course In Middle East History, Aaron Imig

Master of Education Program Theses

This study explored the change in high school students' cultural acceptance of Islamic peoples after a semester long course in Middle East History. Ten senior high school students in a small Christian high school were tested in knowledge, visual perception, and cultural attitudes before and after the semester course. Final data collection suggests that the population size for this study needed to be larger and more diverse. The results were not significant enough to indicate attitudes were changed over the course of the semester. There was not a positive correlation found between knowledge gained by the students and the resulting …

Role Of Explicit Teaching Of Cognitive/Metacognitive Reading Strategies To Improve Reading Comprehension At The Elementary Level, Sheila R. Deboer

Master of Education Program Theses

This paper presents a summary of selected research on teaching cognitive and metacognitive reading strategies and their correlation to improved reading comprehension at the elementary level. It also reviews instructional programs, and describes implications for teaching. Study findings indicate that explicit teaching of cognitive/metacognitive reading strategies are effective in improving reading comprehension for students at the elementary level.

Brain-Based Learning: Implications For The Elementary Classroom, Brenda Van Roekel

Master of Education Program Theses

Recent developments in neuroscience have enabled scientists to understand and image brain activity. Brain researchers are now more able than ever before to understand how the brain works, what affects the brain, and what implications these discoveries have for education. Based upon these discoveries new methods of teaching have been devised using the term, brain-based strategies or brain-based learning. This thesis examines some of the brain-based strategies embraced by leaders in this field. It will pay particular attention to the enriched environment, the effect of emotion on learning, and the concept of sensitive or critical periods. It will examine research …

Fulfilling The Mission Statement Through Senior Projects, Steve Kortenhoeven

Master of Education Program Theses

This descriptive study researched the benefits of Senior Projects as a culminating activity during the senior year of high school. The anecdotal evidence shows that Senior Projects help keep students motivated and interested during the final semester of their high school years. More importantly, this paper focused on the impact that a Senior Project program has at fulfilling a school's mission statement. Eighty-six students at Calvin Christian School in Escondido, California were surveyed regarding the school's mission statement; a high percentage felt that the mission statement was being fulfilled via extra-curricular activities (i.e., chapel, spiritual emphasis week) while a considerably …

Comparison Of Academic Progress And Social Development For Retained And Socially Promoted Spanish Speaking Children In An International English-Medium School, Mavis A. Runia

Master of Education Program Theses

This two-year study was designed to investigate the effects of grade retention on a child's academic progress, English proficiency, and social development. All students (n=17) were native Spanish-speaking children, living in a Spanish speaking country, learning in an English-medium school. Each retained child was matched with a child in a control group and a child in a socially promoted group, based on age, sex, Sanford Achievement Test scores, and final reading, language, and math scores. The Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale (PHSCS) and the Comprehensive Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary Test (CREVT) were administered in the fall and spring for two consecutive …

Read Aloud Effectiveness On Comprehension And Attitude In Junior High Social Studies Classroom, Randy L. Hilbelink

Master of Education Program Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if reading aloud to eighth-grade students would have a more beneficial effect on students in the areas of comprehension and attitudes toward reading in comparison to students reading to themselves. Forty-one eighth-grade students in two separate classrooms were involved ina literature-based social studies unit. During a three-week time period one class had the historical novel Johnny Tremain read aloud to them while the other group read the same novel to themselves. Three comprehension quizzes were given as well as a pre-test and post-test using Estes Scale to Measure Attitudes Toward Reading.

The …

Effects Of Cooperative Learning Versus Direct Instruction And Independent Practice In A First Grade Mathematics Classroom, Andrea Wieringa

Master of Education Program Theses

This study investigated the effectiveness of cooperative learning versus direct instruction and individual practice in a first grade classroom when learning concepts about time. One classroom of 21 was divided into groups of three and worked and learned in cooperative groups. The other class of 21 was taught using direct instruction, and students completed assignments independently. An analysis of the post-test suggested that the cooperative group scored higher than the direct instruction group, although only two of the five sections of the test were significantly higher.

Effects Of Computer Assisted Instruction To Teach Word Recognition Skills To Grade Two Students, Wilma Kooistra

Master of Education Program Theses

The effects of using computer assisted instruction versus a more traditional approach to practice, i.e. flash cards and worksheets, to attain word recognition skills were investigated. A total of 20 students were rated on a pre-test and then assigned to one of two practice groups. The experimental group (10 students) practiced reading skills using Reader Rabbit II, a highly motivational drill and practice software program. The control group (10 students) practiced using worksheets and flash cards. When skills were compared at the end of the testing time, there was shown to be no statistically significant difference between the two modes …

Effects Of A Peer-Influenced Goal Setting Strategy On Internal Locus Of Control, Tim Antonides

Master of Education Program Theses

Enabling children to take ownership of their learning is an ever-present challenge to educators. This study examined the effects of a six-month goal-setting strategy used with grade five students in a suburban, Christian middle school. Students were required to set three monthly goals and to describe how successfully these goals had been attained. In addition, the participants were asked to orally share their progress with their peers each month. The effects of this strategy on internal locus of control were monitored using the Nowicki-Strickland Control Scale for Children. Results of the study indicated no statistical correlation between the strategy and …

Effectiveness Of Problem-Based Learning In Middle School Science, Alan Bandstra

Master of Education Program Theses

Middle school science students appear to lack motivation when learning under teaching methods which reduce the subject of science to a body of facts. This study attempted to examine the effectiveness of problem-based learning as an alternative teaching method in sixth grade science. The participants were generally homogeneous representing mostly Caucasian children, and the classrooms were typical classrooms containing the normal range of abilities. Three variables were tested in a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test control group design: attitude toward science, problem-solving ability, and knowledge. Results showed no significant effect for any of the variable as a result of the intervention. However, certain …

Effects Of Social Skills Training On Kindergarten Students, Cindy Van Den Top

Master of Education Program Theses

The effects of direct instruction in the area of social skill development were investigated. Students in three classes (a total of 50 students) were rated on a checklist of appropriate kindergarten social skills by their teacher. Two classes (29 students) were then instructed in social skill development while one class was given no specific instruction. When social skills were compared at the end of the eight week instructional time, both the experimental and control groups had improved, with boys improving at a greater rate than girls overall.

Teacher-Talk And Student-Talk: Peer Response Strategies In Two Eighth-Grade Classes, Charles A. Muether

Master of Education Program Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare the relative effectiveness of teacher-controlled response groups on student writing performance with the relative effectiveness of student-controlled response groups on student writing performance. In the study, two eighth grade language arts classes, one with twenty-four students and the other with twenty-three, participated in a nine-week long writing exercise. Although the study indicated a similar degree of improvement between teacher-talk and student-talk response groups, both types of response groups appear to have their rightful place in the writing process. Students from both sections did show improvement in their writing proficiency. Moreover, both sections …

Effects Of Keyboarding Skills On The Quality Of Writing Using A Word Processor For Composing, Jon S. Kroeze

Master of Education Program Theses

This study investigated the influence of keyboarding proficiency on writing quality. The participants were seventeen fifth graders in a small private school. One sample group participated in formal keyboarding instruction for seven weeks. The other sample group used the computers for the same seven week period but with other programs not related to improving keyboarding proficiency. Keyboarding tests were taken as a pre-test and post-test. Writing samples were taken as a pre-test and post-test and scored holistically. An analysis of the keyboarding pre-test and post-tests suggested that a significant improvement in keyboarding skills had developed for the group given formal …