Educational Methods Commons^™

Communities Of Practice In Academic Administration: An Example From Managing Undergraduate Research At A Research-Intensive University, Sophie Pierszalowski, Gabs James, Grace Fetherstonhaugh, Itchung Cheung, Patrick Chappell, Jennifer Engels, Dwaine Plaza, Stephanie Ramos, Daniel López-Cevallos

Experiential Learning & Teaching in Higher Education

Inspired by the need to connect virtually during COVID-19 operations, a community of practice for facilitators of undergraduate research experiences was initiated at our university. Weekly virtual meetings quickly expanded to fill an unmet need for cross-campus support of research experiences more generally, including clarification of liability concerns, best practices for crafting inclusive application materials, culturally competent mentorship, and the abrupt transition to online research experiences. The resulting synergy of ideas also yielded significant new initiatives including an anti-racist research curriculum, federal grant proposals, and campus-wide outreach activities. The community of practice has continued to evolve with a sustainability focus, …

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Experiential Learning & Teaching in Higher Education

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Building Cultural Competency Among Emerging Public Health Professionals: Student Experiences In Panama, Matthew Fifolt, Meena Nabavi, Erika L. Austin, Lisa C. Mccormick

Experiential Learning & Teaching in Higher Education

One of the prerequisite skills of effective public health and health practitioners is cultural competency. Cultural competency, however, requires a deep and profound understanding of individuals who are shaped by different life experiences than one’s own. Previous authors have described study abroad and service-learning as established strategies for enhancing cultural competency among emerging health professionals. This article describes how students made meaning of an international study abroad experience in Panama through analysis of student-produced work including reflective journal entries, blog posts, and photo journaling.

In summer 2019, 13 undergraduate and graduate students participated in a four-week travel course to explore …

Third Grade Writing Skills And Project Based Learning, Julie M. Martin

Master of Education Graduate Projects

The project was designed to utilize project based learning to help improve the informational and opinion writing skills of third grade students. A unit was created that used the PBL Works project based learning Essential Design Elements and Teaching Practices along with a modified version of the Lake Washington School District Writing Units. The goal was to combine the proven benefits of project based learning with the required informational and opinion writing skills mandated by the Common Core State Standards. The unit consists of 25 lessons with roughly 30 total hours of combined teacher instruction and student worktime over a …

Executive Function: Instructional And Intervention Strategies To Close Achievement Gaps: A School Improvement Plan, Holly Bjorge

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Strong Professional Learning Communities that provide students with inclusive instructional strategies and tiered interventions for executive functioning skills positively affects student learning and achievement. This school improvement plan establishes a school wide outline for staff development regarding executive functioning and implementation of instructional and Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions through professional development, self-assessment and coaching. The plan addresses the need for professional development, inclusive and universal instructional strategies, intervention supports and resources and supports for classroom teachers. A review of literature was conducted to support the plan and examines how student executive functioning affects student achievement and learning, recognizes …

The Impact Of Cooperative Learning, Bethany Reinhard

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Cooperative learning has been around for decades. It can be highly effective in increasing students' academic achievement, motivation, engagement, positive attitudes, social and emotional aspects, and much more if implemented correctly. It can be difficult for educators to jump right in on using a new teaching strategy. Years of research has provided us with different perspectives and input of cooperative learning's effects and implementation strategies. This literature review contains information from peer reviewed, scholarly journals researching the history of cooperative learning, multiple different grouping techniques, aftermaths in both academic and social effects, the teacher's role, and the importance of collaboration. …

Academic Advantages Of Increased Classroom Movement In Kindergarten, Elizabeth Hill

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Modern kindergarten classrooms are academically rigorous learning environments with high expectations placed on young learners. Oftentimes, these students still receive an education based on traditional instructional strategies that no longer benefit and challenge young learners appropriately. This literature review examines the academic benefits of intentional classroom movement, kinesthetic learning, brain breaks and the impact they have on learning in the kindergarten setting. This literature review presents peer reviewed research studies conducted within the last ten years that investigate the most advantageous methods of movement incorporation in the classroom. The findings of this literature review conclude that, by increasing classroom movement, …

Covid-19 Impact On Radiology Students’ Distance Learning (Summer 2021), Mary Lee, Jason Chan, Cheryann Jackson-Holmes, Renzo Marmolejo, Zoya Vinokur

Publications and Research

The Radiological Technology students have adjusted from the urgent distance learning that was enacted in the Spring of 2020, to the hybrid distance learning that is currently in place. This hybrid distance learning is the same way the incoming class of radiological technology students were taught. Both cohorts of students were tracked over the year by online anonymous surveys. We wanted to know how students were adapting to distance learning, if their focus and motivation varied over the course of the year due to changing pandemic conditions. For the students that were working, what impact did it have on their …

A Case Study Of English As Foreign Language Chinese Teachers' Use Of Computer-Based Technology, Lingao Li

Doctor of Education (EdD)

The purpose of this research was to explore the experiences of four Chinese university teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) on the effectiveness of implementing computer-based technologies in their classes. Specifically, this case study sought to document the participants’ views on 1) the types of computer-based technology used in their classes; 2) the role of computer-based educational technology in teaching EFL pedagogy; 3) the potential benefits in using computer-based instructional technologies in EFL; 4) the challenges and/or barriers to the effective use of computer-based instructional technologies in EFL instruction. Using both within case and cross-case analyses, the findings …

A Multi-Case Study Examining The Practices Of Fourth-And Fifth-Grade Teachers In Title 1 Schools Who Use Specific Reading Strategies To Teach The Comprehension Of Informational Text, Candice Maureen Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multi-case study was to examine the practices of fourth- and fifth-grade teachers in Title 1 schools who use specific reading strategies to teach the comprehension of informational text. One theory that guided this study was Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory focusing on the zone of proximal development as it applies to what a learner can do with and without help, and his concept of learning and development, whereby a child does not develop independently of his or her environment. In addition, Bandura’s social cognitive theory served as a guiding theory for this study. The design was a multiple …

Culturally Responsive Language Arts Teaching: Refiguring Curriculum With Counternarratives, Claire A. Breiholz, Rebecca Smith

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

This paper offers culturally responsive teaching methods for secondary English Language Arts educators to reform curriculum to honor and integrate counternarratives. We provide a sample Herstory unit plan framework for teachers to use as a model for revisioning curriculum to better meet the needs of all students. We offer examples of both traditional canonical and contemporary texts teachers can use to teach counternarratives.

The Public-School Environment And Day Treatment Programming Perceived Positive Environmental Supports As Antecedent Stimuli In A Public-School Day Treatment Classroom, Jessica Ann Clark

All Theses And Dissertations

The physical environment of a classroom can serve to meet the unique needs of students, but the focus on the specific tangible elements of the classroom is limited. There are minimal guidelines that inform teachers as to how to use these elements of the environment in teaching practices. The decision-making process for these situations is often left to inexperienced teachers and is not fully utilized as a resource within the classroom. The purpose of this qualitative research is to examine the environmental factors that contribute to a positive learning environment for public school students who exhibit challenging behavior. Based on …

Impacts Of Unplugged Activities In Computer Science, Chad Bergmeier

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Computer Science is a fast-growing subject amongst schools. Inside of the program, Computer Science, programming or coding is generally taught. Students will typically learn to code by first using a computer and following instructions. The purpose of this literature review is to research different ideas about unplugged activities used while teaching coding in Computer Science. Unplugged activities are projects that are conducted in hands-on activities instructing students how to code before using a computer. The question that this paper is looking to answer is “What impacts do unplugged activities have on students learning to code?” The research conducted will give …

Using Physical Activity To Improve Reading Comprehension, Jensen Flanigan

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Student reading proficiency lags grade-level expectations in the majority of the United States. Much research has demonstrated the moderating impact of student motivation on reading scores. The purpose of this action research was to study the effects of physical activity on reading motivation and reading comprehension, with a special focus on readers at risk for reading deficiencies as identified by FAST testing. The research was carried out on eighteen third grade students in rural Iowa, seven of whom were at risk for reading deficiency. The use of physical activity had a positive effect on both reading motivation and reading comprehension, …

Project-Based Learning And Student Engagement, Jennifer Dreyer

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Project-based learning (PBL) is a practice underutilized in many school districts despite having many studies demonstrate how project-based learning can positively affect student engagement. The purpose of this review is to improve educational implementation of project-based learning in the classroom setting which will allow for increases in student engagement. This literature review examines research on project-based learning to determine where successful implementation of project-based learning has taken place across various content areas and grade levels. Data was collected from Google Scholar and the DeWitt Library. The research reveals the importance of implementation of project-based learning as a tool to increase …

The Use Of A Token Economy To Help Motivate Students, Shelley Hudachek

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research was to determine if a token economy would help motivate students to show appropriate behaviors. This action research was motivated by the researcher's own classroom observations of student behaviors and how students are motivated to show appropriate behaviors. The researcher is a special education teacher in her seventh year of teaching. Her own students participated in the implementation of a token economy intervention to help motivate them to show fewer disruptive and noncompliant behaviors. This study took place over a seven-week period where a token economy was introduced and implemented daily. The data reflects …

Behavior As A Part Of Child Development: Changing The Response To Challenging Behavior In Young Children, Kelly Femi-Grand

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Challenging behavior among young children has gained more and more attention as early childhood programs look to address the issue of the high incidence rate of suspensions and expulsions among the youngest learners. In an effort to decrease the number of suspensions and expulsions in early childhood settings, there has been a shift from reacting to the challenging behaviors being exhibited to teaching children social-emotional skills in order to appropriately react to new or overwhelming experiences. This literature review focuses on research that examines how to best support young children as they develop social-emotional skills and how to best support …

Collective Efficacy Across Multiple Elementary Schools, Nicole Farrington

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This school improvement project explored the effect that shared leadership and collective efficacy have on student achievement. Participants include 47 staff members from six different elementary schools in the Ottumwa Community School District. Participants spent the 2020-2021 school year attending monthly meetings and professional development sessions creating common assessments, rubrics, and curriculum. FAST data was collected to determine if the new committee of staff members influenced student scores in grades 2-5. It was determined that there was no positive or negative impact on student achievement based on the implementation of the Curriculum Council.

Phonological Awareness And Phonics, Michelle Erbs

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Research shows that a student's phonics and phonemic awareness skills are learned and practiced through direct instruction with follow up activities. This literature review shows some of the many ways in which teachers could help grow their students' knowledge and deeper understanding of phonics and phonemic awareness. This literature review will spotlight peer reviewed, scholarly journals that were used in order to inform the reader. The results of the many journal findings show that frequent practice of learned phonetic skills will encourage growth of the child’s mind. Direct, explicit instruction followed by activities that include abundant teaching strategies have been …

Collaboration During Writing In A First Grade Classroom, Kathryn Av Schafer

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to discover if providing students with a collaboration intervention would increase the times they chose to work with a peer and if they found the collaboration beneficial. The participants were sixteen students from one first grade classroom in a midwestern city. This study included quantitative data to determine the impact of the intervention. The researcher tallied if students chose to ask a teacher for help or collaborate with a peer. Students completed reflection forms stating if the help was beneficial. The results do not reveal a significant difference between whom the students ask for …