Liberal Studies Commons^™

Benefits Of Promoting College Awareness For Low Income Middle And High School Students, Jenna N. Kroboth

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The disadvantages that low-income students face in today’s society make it difficult for them to move on to a post-secondary education. Since higher education is no longer for the elite few and the number of students attending colleges and universities is rapidly increasing, all students need the necessary resources to prepare for a college ready future. In order to reach low-income students and close the learning gap between low, middle, and upper income peers, there will be a need for college awareness programs in the high poverty areas. This capstone examines the barriers low-income students face and how these college …

Implementing Arts-Integrated Lessons Through Auto-Ethnography To Improve Teacher Collaboration, Richard M. Romero Jr

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

By utilizing the auto-ethnographical approach to writing in the creatively structured format of an arts-integrated exercise that is project-based, this study analyzes qualitative responses made by one administrator and three in-service teachers. By retroactively highlighting students’ epiphanies of musical memories (see Appendix D) while also integrating Common-Core and State Standards into its structural design, it produced an activity that was extremely challenging for fifth-grade students but also may hold potential for growth in writing skills and self-knowledge especially as it relates to the practice of teacher self-study. This approach may be utilized in classrooms in the future, but any integration …

Benefits Of Counseling Services For Elementary School Students, Sarah D. Fuentes

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The aim of this capstone study was to identify how elementary school counseling services benefits students, academically and emotionally. The interest in this study was a yearning to gain deeper insight into elementary school counseling and how their services impacts students. Through research and field study it has proven that elementary school counseling has been beneficial for young students. Understanding the role of the elementary school counselor is vital to comprehend the services school counselors provide. The collaboration counselors have with teachers, administration, parents and most importantly, the students, reflect how beneficial the counseling sessions are and the conflicts that …

Using Minecraft To Integrate Common Core Activities Across Elementary School Curriculum, William A J Couling

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Minecraft, an open world sandbox game rich with educational possibility, has been a growing sensation among elementary age children across the US. Though there has been some experimentation in a number of schools across the United States, there has been no mass movement to embracing Minecraft as a virtual learning environment. With advances in the fields of Virtual Learning Environments and the new wave of educational thinking known as the “Maker Movement,” the modern educational field has an opportunity for radical new ways of teaching. Using an elementary school as a model in the Monterey Bay area, I surveyed a …

Mindfulness In Learning, Anna Malyukova

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In our everyday life, people feel busy, rushed, pressured to be productive and successful. There is little room for pausing, slowing down, having a moment of non-judgmental reflection on everyday activities, which include learning. One way to achieve balance and harmony in life is to become more mindful of oneself and one’s emotions. I argue that the speed and drive for productivity and achievement has disharmonized our lives, from the learning process inside and outside of the classroom to the way we interact with technology and attempt to find balance in life. Through my own personal journey of reflection on …

Integral Theory, Positive Psychology, And Sacred Texts Of The World: A New Philosophy Of Education For The 21st Century, Muhammad Naeem

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis puts into sharp focus the nature of war, violence, and conflict in contemporary societies through interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, contextual, textual, political and historical prisms. Echoing my existential angst, as a meaning-seeking student of life, the thesis also examines the predicaments, quandaries and the resultant miasma in order to understand the fundamental causes behind violence in the human condition. The thesis also attempts to demonstrate the paradoxical and deeply humane scope for peace along with the pursuit of what is true, good, and beautiful, and a realization of a higher order consciousness, knowing and being, and moral thinking, with an …

Does Gender Still Matter? Child Custody Bias In The Illinois Family Court System, Derek K. Ronnfeldt

Theses and Dissertations

Over the last several decades, nearly all of the states have formed task forces to look at the perception of a gender bias within the family court systems as they pertain to child custody. This self-scrutiny has included the attitudes of judges and attorneys within the system and the need of reform of our family courts. This research focused on replicating a study conducted by Dotterweich and McKinney that was completed in 2000 that compiled statistics from four different state task forces in Maryland, Missouri, Texas, and Washington. This research focused on Illinois judges and attorneys, using the same questions …

Sustainable Hub For Education And Demonstration, Daniel N.C. Smith

MAIS Projects and Theses

In our lives we are routinely confronted with images of climate change, resource depletion, and environmental degradation. The Sustainable Hub for Education and Demonstration (SHED) reflects my personal commitment to action in confronting this seemingly overwhelming problem. The structure embodies the practice of green building and makes connections among education, resource conservation, service learning, and community action. As a demonstration of resource conservation, the SHED was designed to be recycled, reused, or repurposed at the end of its service life. The materials of the structure will be reincarnated in another use cycle and no deposits will be made to a …

Fragmentation And Multiplicity In Cuban-American Identity: In Cuba I Was A German Shepherd By Ana Menéndez And Memory Mambo By Achy Obejas, Daimys E. Garcia

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Maria Lugones offers a new way of perceiving the world, which makes visible that fragmentation is not a valuable and transgressive understanding of identity, as Western philosophy and some political theory suggests. What Lugones believes in, as a strategy of resistance to the dominant gaze, is multiplicity – mestizaje. Using Lugones’s framework, this thesis will look at the different aspects of Cuban-American characters in In Cuba I was a German Shepherd by Ana Menéndez and Memory Mambo by Achy Obejas. Each novel offers insight into how characters develop and understand themselves (and others) when they use language that shows that …

Elementary Teaching Strategies For Lgbtq Inclusion, Nicole E. Cox

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

It is the responsibility of teachers to create a classroom environment that is both inclusive and validating to the identities of students and their families. This capstone project explores how teachers can create this environment for students and families that are a part of the LGBTQ community. Because of the discrimination that presents itself through bullying based on LGBTQ identities, and the lack of LGBTQ representation within classroom lessons, there is a need for a higher quantity and quality of resources for teachers to create these inclusive environments, specifically in elementary schools. To assess our local community, teacher interviews were …

Bullying And Development, Caitlin O'Hare

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project looks into the developmental aspects behind bullying. Cyberbullying, suicide and long term effects are presented along with how schools have been handling bullying within the classroom. Adding a personal touch, to show a prime example of how one can overcome substantial obstacles and see the light at the end of the tunnel. This project also looks in depth of the effects of cyberbullying as it has increased over the years with the strong use of technology. Additional information was gathered by conducting an interview with teachers from a Bay Area elementary school along with a high school …

Arts Integration: The Missing Link, Samuel G. Cochran

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many of our K-12 schools have experienced various challenges in order to narrow the achievement gap that addresses academic improvement for all students. Arts integration offers a foundation for learning that can improve student achievement. Teaching academic content through the arts provides students with opportunities to engage in 21st Century skills that promote critical thinking, collaboration, creativeness and communication. This project examines how arts integration can improve student learning outcomes and how teacher preparedness and ongoing support contributes to it being an effective framework for educators. The researcher was able to conduct observations and interviews with teachers and write and …

History Through Literature: The American Revolution In New York City 1775-1777, Brittany Lester

Graduate Student Independent Studies

History Through Literature is a homeschooling history curriculum for ages 10-12, or grades five and six, designed specifically with the needs of New York City's homeschooling community in mind. Using the historical novel Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson as a framework, the curriculum covers a variety of themes and topics within the context of the American Revolution in New York City from 1775 to 1777. Following a chronologically linear path through six learning units, the History Through Literature makes connections between true historical events and the fictional story of Anderson's heroine, Isabel, an enslaved girl determined to claim her freedom.

The "We-Ness" And Empathy Of Liberalism, David Sparkman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Most research in Social and political psychology focuses on the psychological antecedents to conservatism; the primary aim of this work was to investigate antecedents to liberalism. This led to an examination of we-ness and empathy as underlying mechanisms to liberal attitudes. Using perspective taking as a cognitive process common to both we-ness and empathy, I tested a model of we-ness and empathy as serial mediators of the effect of perspective taking on political attitudes. Results suggested that we-ness and empathy serially mediated the association between perspective taking and liberalism (and its Social and economic sub-attitudes), and empathy independently mediated the …

Creating The Capable Public: A Call For Liberal Arts Education In Public Schools, Olivia R. Keithley

Educational Studies Honors Papers

I argue that liberal arts education is critically important to the creation of a capable public in a democratic society. I draw on David Labaree and Henry Giroux to assert that education is a public good and must serve the purpose of promoting democratic equality. By promoting democratic equality, public education is capable of creating publicly minded citizens. Publicly minded citizens of a democracy must also be free-thinking. Liberal arts education has at its core the aim of creating individuals who are able to think freely and autonomously. In a democratic society where freethinking citizens are necessary in order to …

Bringing Curriculum Outdoors: Implementing Gardening Outdoors, Nicole Aboujaoude

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Traditional public schools are not always giving students access to opportunities to experience innovative approaches to learning like garden-based education. Garden-based education uses the garden in everyday curriculum as well as giving students the opportunity to experience hands-on learning. An outdoor garden can be a tool in promoting outdoor education and positive peer relationships. Through interviews with teachers from the garden program and surveys with students who participate in this program, this Capstone examines the benefits of taking the curriculum outdoors and implementing garden-based education. Students and teachers showed high remarks when taking the curriculum outside in the garden. Having …

Kickact: The Implementation & Evaluation Of A Youth Empowerment & Leadership Program, Crystal M. Denny

Capstone Collection

KickAct is a program that combines martial arts and performing arts to empower youth and engage them in creative social change. Youth experience a lack of community engagement and partnership with the adult. Many youth face additional challenges, ranging from lack of support in school to violence at home, that can negatively impact their life. KickAct is designed to provide youth with the necessary skills and experience to thrive as active participants in their communities. Due to inconsistent attendance and participation, it was not possible to determine whether the workshop format was a successful method for youth empowerment. However, the …

Does Goal Setting With Elementary Students Impact Reading Growth, Ronnie A. Dotson

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the College of Education at Morehead State University by Ronnie A. Dotson on February 1, 2016.

Effects Of Phonological Intervention On At-Risk Kindergarten Students With Reading Difficulties, Laura Lees

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study provides additional data supporting the argument of implementing phonological reading intervention. The study consisted of 20 kindergarten students’ ages five and six years old. Students were identified at-risk for reading difficulties by a teacher created pretest and the administration of STAR a school computer assessment tool. Using a multi-sensory approach, all students received whole and small group instruction in segmentation and blending words. In addition, students at-risk received 30 minutes of intensive instruction four days a week. Results indicated that there was positive reading growth when students were provided direct and systematic phonological instruction. The students at-risk who …

The Benefits Of Reading Racetrack With Flashcards, A Smartboard And Time Delay Usage In Increasing Sight Word Recognition And Fluency With Special Education Students, Tara J. Leffingwell

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of the study is to determine if the effects of using reading racetrack paired with flashcards and the enhancement of Smartboard technology with three-second time delay will increase the accuracy of Dolch Sight Word reading. The first participant was a second grade male diagnosed with an intellectual disability. The second participant was a fourth grade female born with Down syndrome and diagnosed with an intellectual disability. Data were taken on corrects and errors of selected sight words on a pre-test and posttest and during intervention. A generalization probe was conducted to see if they could read the 28 …

Comparing Fountas And Pinnell's Reading Levels To Reading Scores On The Criterion Referenced Competency Test, Shunda F. Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reading competency is related to individuals' success at school and in their careers. Students who experience significant problems with reading may be at risk of long-term academic and social problems. High-quality measures that determine student progress toward curricular goals are needed for early identification and interventions to improve reading abilities and ultimately prevent subsequent failure in reading. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental ex post facto research study was to determine whether a correlation existed amongst student achievement scores on the Fountas and Pinnell Reading Benchmark Assessment and reading comprehension scores on the Criterion Reference Competency Test (CRCT). The item …

Puerto Rican Vocational Students' Experiences Regarding Standardized Tests, Nomara I. Segui

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Vocational high school students are not passing state tests and are not meeting adequate yearly progress (AYP) requirements in Puerto Rico. Limited qualitative research has been conducted to examine the experiences of vocational high school students regarding mandated standardized tests. Using a qualitative case study, the experiences of Puerto Rican cosmetology and barber vocational high school students regarding mandated standardized tests were examined. The conceptual framework was based on Dewey's theory of experience regarding the influence of continuity and interaction on students' career paths. The sample was 20 vocational students from cosmetology and barber classes who participated in standardized tests. …

Struggling Adolescent Writers Describe Their Experiences, Teri A. Spargur

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Writing continues to be difficult for adolescents throughout the United States. There is little known about writing from the adolescent's perspective. This case study describes six 8th graders' thoughts and motivations on writing. The purpose of the current study was to examine the perceptions and experiences of struggling adolescent writers by taped participant interviews of six students, three male and three female, which scored below proficient on their state writing assessment. The conceptual theoretical framework for the current study is Bandura's social cognitive theory. The central research question of this study focused on the experiences of adolescents who struggle …

Ninth Grade Student And Teacher Perceptions Of Teacher-Student Relationship, Lynda Rose Huggins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The challenge of transitioning into high school is associated with social anxiety, decreased grades, increased absences, and overall motivation to learn. Based on anecdotal evidence from 9th grade teachers in the Ohio School District, teachers had poor rapport with some of their students, and 9th graders were being retained more often than were students in any other grade. Grounded in Noddings's care theory, the purpose of this mixed methods sequential case study was to explore perceptions of rapport between 9th graders and their teachers. Guiding research questions were used to discover student and teacher perceptions about their relationship as it …

The Relationship Between Stress, Coping Strategies, And Social Support Among Single Mothers, Nikitra Yvette Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have neglected to focus on understanding the relationships between stress, coping, and social support among single mothers versus mothers who are not single. Knowledge regarding how single mothers' lives are affected by stress, social support, and coping is important, and such information can help readers better understand how effectively single mothers raise children compared with mothers who are not single. A convenience sample of 173 mothers completed this study. Participants in this study consisted of mothers who were (a) raising at least one child ages 18 and under who lives in the home and (b) who were between the …

Standardized Assessment Results As A Predictor Of Student Reading Success In New Brunswick, Canada, Gregory David Paterson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many Canadian school districts use standardized reading achievement data to support reading instruction. Over 30% of 9th-grade students in the Anglophone School District-South (ASD-S) have not met targets for the English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA), a graduation requirement in New Brunswick, Canada. This study compared archival reading scores of 6th-grade students from 2009-2012 with the same students' scores in 9th-grade from 2012-2015, to determine if 6th-grade scores were a predictor of 9th-grade results. Rendering the impact illiteracy plays on society, this study applied the theoretical framework of social theory from Bourdieu's (1977, 1984, 1986) view of social mobility and Turner's …

Relationship Of Institutional Characteristics To Cacrep Accreditation Of Doctoral Counselor Education Programs, Ronnie Louis Pace Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a lack of accredited doctoral-level counselor education and supervision (CES) programs available to meet the documented and growing need for more qualified and competent professional counselors. The problem addressed via this study is the shortage of trained doctoral-level counselors and counselor faculty to train other counselors due to the lack of accredited doctoral-level CES programs. The purpose of this study was to better understand the factors that may influence or predict an institution's decision to pursue Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accreditation in order to increase the number of programs that pursue specialized …

The Ultimate Irony: An Information Age Without Librarians, Dawn S. Ady

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, the continuing relevance of the profession of librarianship in the digital age is explored and assessed. After defining the library as information itself, the thesis establishes that electronic formats replacing printed matter is not an indication of libraries becoming extinct. Further, various aspects of the profession of librarianship—including library ethics, information extraction skills, and information literacy instruction—are discussed. Additionally, the potential for librarians to play an important role in a largely “jobless” society (as forecast by some experts and scholars as well as in a recent Oxford University study) is evaluated. Finally, a proposal is made for …

Unearthing The Seeds Of Oppression And Injustice Within Education: Using Intuition, Care, And Virtue To Guide The Educative Process And Cultivate Morality., Lucas Worsham

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The emphasis of the inquiry is on the domain of education and the relationship present between the teacher and student more specifically. Essentially, the first part of the thesis outlines how the larger social-political system impacts the domain of public education, with the predominant issues of adversity becoming manifest at the level of the relationship that exists between teacher and student. The second part of the work utilizes the problems discovered and their impact on human experience to propose a virtue/care based method for approaching the relationship with the student in a way that both aligns more closely with the …

The International Community's Response To The Hypothetical Emergence Of Superheroes, Brittany Nicole Woods

CMC Senior Theses

In a golden era for comic based media, this paper uses the hypothetical emergence of superheroes to analyze the assumptions and predictions of three international relations theories: realism, liberalism, and constructivism. Comics consistently reflect the real world, paralleling events and concepts discussed in foreign affairs dialogues. The thought experiment, and the comic genre itself, provides a vehicle for thinking broadly about the political and social ramifications of successful or failed problem solving, state interaction, and scientific advances.