Educational Methods Commons^™

Early Explorations Of The Reggio Emilia Approach In The United States: An Interview With Karen Haigh, Karen Haigh, Juana Reyes, Gigi Yu

Education Department Faculty Articles

In 1991, after attending a study week visiting the schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy, the child development director of Chicago Commons, Karen Haigh, shared information about her trip with program staff. After learning about the schools in Reggio Emilia through Karen, and after some teachers participated in a regional seminar about the Reggio approach, staff were inspired enough to ask if it was possible to explore this philosophy within the Commons programs. And so, it began, with just a handful of classrooms in a multisite agency. Karen created a structure of professional development for teachers to begin to explore this …

Voices Of Mixed-Race Asian Students On College Campuses, Amy Sara Lim

Honors Papers and Posters

Research suggests that there are a growing number of people who identify as mixed-race Asian Americans, and thus there is a growing need to understand and document their experiences (Literte,2009; Sims 2010; Tamai, Nakashima, Williams, 2017). The central question of this study is: how do mixed-race Asian students’ racial identities affect their identities as learners within social, emotional, academic and physical contexts? The goal of this research project is to explore the educational experiences of mixed-race Asian students at a Southern California university with the intention of developing a critical mixed-race pedagogy for educators and scholars. Through mixed methodologies involving …

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Role Of Teacher-Parent Partnerships That Best Benefit Students In A Parochial College Preparatory High School, Sarah H. Gates

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Current research on teacher–parent partnerships has increasingly focused on early childhood education. This transcendental phenomenological study expanded and extended the understanding of effective teacher–parent partnerships in secondary education at a parochial college preparatory high school. According to Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory (BST), academic growth and development in late adolescents are impacted by the overlapping systems of influence: the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify secondary educators’ perceptions of teacher–parent partnerships that best benefit students. Faculty at a parochial college preparatory high school were asked about their perceptions of parental involvement …

The Drive To Advise: A Study Of Law Students At A Pro Bono Brief Advice Project, Linda F. Smith

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract forthcoming.

Building Student Confidence And Performance Through Emphasis On Academic Language, Christopher Irick

Honors Projects

The purpose of this action research study was to observe the effects of vocabulary learning tools and reflective journaling on student confidence. Participants were from three classes of 15-20 students who attend math class for 45-90 minutes each weekday in a suburban high school setting. They were assigned Frayer Model vocabulary learning tables, as well as three journal prompts a week regarding either mathematics content or personal thoughts on classroom activities. These were completed across two units in the course. Several classroom benefits were observed over the course of the study, including but not limited to higher student confidence and …

The Inclusive Educational Role Of School Librarians: Supporting Safe Online Behaviors Through A Community Of Peers, Abigail Phillips, Amelia Anderson

STEMPS Faculty Publications

o develop and encourage information literacy skills needed to prevent cyberbullying, online aggression, and other forms of online victimization, teens are in need of digital citizenship instruction and similar digital literacy education in an inclusive environment. This paper is supported by findings from two unique studies conducted by the researchers as well as a rigorous review of relevant scholarship of teacher education and disability studies. First, semi-structured interviews with librarians working with youth (ages 12-18) were conducted and second, an online survey of youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on the digital environment, experiences from engaging online, views of the …

The Effectiveness Of Read 180 At A Cooperative High School In New England (Chsne), Michael E. Daboul

All Theses And Dissertations

Over the last decade, schools have employed a variety of intervention plans to assist below grade-level achieving students to quickly gain missing skills with the ultimate goal of allowing these students access to proper grade level curriculum. These intervention plans have been directly aligned with educational laws in the US such as the No Child Left Behind Act and the Every Student Achieves Act with very little success. There has been a great deal of research conducted on the most effective and efficient ways to properly diagnose, address, and implement these intervention plans; however there is a lack of literature …

Brain-Targeted Teaching As A Tool To Facilitate Implementing Mind Brain And Education Science Into Community College Pedagogy, Adrienne Seegers

All Theses And Dissertations

Applying findings from mind, brain, and education science (MBES) could improve teaching and learning yet, MBES is not consistently applied in higher education pedagogy. This qualitative study examined the perceptions of community college faculty of the Brain-Targeted Teaching (BTT) framework as a tool to facilitate implementing MBES into pedagogy. Two research questions guided the study: (1) How did community college faculty describe changes to their pedagogy after participating in professional development that presented and modeled the BTT framework? and (2) What was the perception of participants of the value of the BTT framework as a tool to facilitate implementing MBES …

An Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of The Higher Education Anatomy Educational Software Mastering Anatomy & Physiology, Jason L. Moir

All Theses And Dissertations

Higher education in the 21st century contends with a greater variety of conditions than ever before. Classes can operate in a full-time, part-time, hybrid, seated, or online format. This diversity in modality can lead to inconsistent curricula with inconsistent rigor. Instructors are challenged with designing a curriculum they believe to be rigorous but at the same time engaging to their students. This research focused on the evaluation of the higher education software program Mastering Anatomy & Physiology (MAP) from Pearson Education. The research included an analysis of student scores who had repeated an identical introductory anatomy course in a strictly …

The Importance Of Creating Curriculum And Practices For The 21st Century Master Of Arts In Communication: A Program Evaluation, Michelle Grace

Dissertations

In 2018, a Master of Arts in Communication program was reviewed for relevance, academic rigor, and satisfaction of program stakeholders. Qualitative and quantitative research was conducted with current and former program participants and community business leaders to answer these questions. While program satisfaction was high, the results suggested the need for revised curriculum to align with the 21^st century workplace and to better meet the needs of adult learners. The results of this research will be implemented by introducing new courses or modifying existing ones, maintaining relationships with industry partners, and changing the format of classes to provide adult …

Experiences And Perceptions Of Rural Junior High Teachers Participating In A Professional Learning Community, Pamela Ann Mills Gambrel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this qualitative descriptive case study, the researcher investigated how junior high school teachers’ perceptions of the role of how professional learning communities (PLCs) shaped their instructional practices in a rural Title I school in Texas. Exploring and understanding the experiences and perceptions of the teachers and administrators that participated in an English, language arts, and reading PLC provided valuable data that helped the administration determine professional development opportunities that could improve the instructional strategies of the teachers. By collaborating, analyzing student data, and sharing teaching strategies, the teachers were empowered to take ownership and improve their instructional practices. Examining …

Saudi Arabian Science Teachers And Formative Assessment In The Gender Segregated Male School System, Khalid Abdullah Kariri

Dissertations

Formative assessment is a key pedagogical tool that allows teachers to make instructional assessments in real time for the improvement of student learning. It gives students the opportunity to provide evidence of their learning thus giving teachers assurances that their hard work is not in vain. Formative assessment is commonly practiced in Western schools, while most Saudi science classroom teachers rely on end-of-unit summative assessment. A review of the literature reveals that very little research has been done related to Saudi teachers’ use of formative assessment in science classrooms. The goal of this dissertation was to address this absence of …

Adopting Educational Technology: A Study Of Dominican Republic Higher Education Faculty Related To Their Classroom Usage, Attitudes, Barriers, And Motivations, Leipzig Elizabeth Guzmán Mena

Dissertations

Previous research has revealed that the integration of technology in education produces an improvement in the traditional teaching and learning process, but that there is a disconnect between faculty adoption of educational technology and the requirements of our current generation of students (Rhema & Miliszewska, 2014; Selwyn, 2009). While students are now fully immersed in technology, some faculty still do not give adequate significance to its adoption in their classes. This disconnect represents a problem for these students’ learning experiences.

The purpose of this study was to explore faculty experiences regarding the adoption of educational technology within a private HEI …

Causal-Comparative Study Of The Effects Of Classworks As A Tier Ii Intervention On Middle School Struggling Readers, Tammy Kamerik Small

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to investigate the effects of ClassworksTM as a Tier II intervention on middle school struggling readers as part of a Response to Intervention system. This study sought to determine whether the ClassworksTM intervention administered in a small group twice per week during a supplemental reading class would improve reading skills as measured by the MAP Growth Test after 12 weeks. Two groups of students (Grades 6–8) from four middle schools in a suburban, South Carolina school district were used in the study. Archival data were analyzed with a Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) …

How Much Difference Can We Make? Assessing The Change In Students’ Critical Thinking In A Private Political Science Program In Egypt, Yasmin Khodary

Political Science

The purpose of this study is to determine the change in students’ levels of critical thinking (CT) through comparing the results of second- and fourth-year students. The study also investigates the factors that are statistically significant in explaining the change, if any, in students’ CT. In doing that, the study determines whether or not the use of assessment criteria that encourage CT influences or triggers any change in students’ CT. The study employs mixed methods, combining quantitative methods with qualitative ones. Quantitative data were collected using the California CT Skills Test in order to investigate the change in students’ levels …

How We Got Here: Testimonios Of Secondary Latina Educators, Leila Little

Education Doctorate Dissertations

In Pennsylvania, the disparity of Teachers of Color in relation to Students of Color is three times higher than the national disproportionality rate (Stohr, Fontana, Lapp, 2018). Fontana and Lapp (2018) suggest this makes Pennsylvania “one of the most disparate states in the country” (p. 2). Specifically, for the Latinx community, the disparity is even greater. In the context of this study, the percentage of Latinx students is more than 70%, while the percentage of Latinx educators is less than one percent. This context provided an opportunity to gain knowledge from educators who learned and worked in spaces where they …

Making The Journey Personal: A Self-Study Of The Intersections Of Curriculum, Practice, And Identity, Patricia J. Tinsman-Schaffer

Education Doctorate Dissertations

The Obama's unveiled their official portraits for the National Portrait Gallery in 2018, forever changing the presidential tone by being the first portraits of Black Americans in these roles but also because they selected two Black artists to depict them, Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald. As a White woman, secondary school art educator of diverse students, I witnessed this event as a significant moment in time. Discussing what was immediately visible: portraiture, compositional formats, and use of pattern, but I was unsure how to connect the layered meanings of each portrait. As a veteran teacher, I had implemented different curricula …

The Theoretical Framework And Scientific Approaches To The Study Of Islamic Religious Education, Zilola Khalilova

The Light of Islam

This article illuminates the theory of pedagogy of Islamic education, scientific approaches and the history of teaching Islamic education in the territory of Central Asia. Furthermore, on the example of the state of Islamic educational institutions, the paper highlights the ideological directions of various concepts of the theory of education, which developed in the pedagogy of Islamic education. Along with this, the paper describes important aspects of three models of education in the system of Islamic spiritual education that are identified and characterized.

Analyzing the reforms in the field of education of the Islamic world and their directions, representatives of …

Increasing Inclusive Education Through A Learning Center Model: A California Approach, Aja Mckee, Audri Sandoval Gomez

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Learning center models offer students with disabilities learning experiences in general education classrooms, while retaining support and services from special education personnel. The learning center approach examines existing educational perspectives, practices and structures, surrounding access to general education for students with disabilities. This study used a document analysis, a qualitative data method, to examine how two California school districts developed a learning center model to transform special education programming from segregated special education classrooms and practices to placement and access to general education. The findings inform educational programming for students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment, to comply with …

Book Groups And The Relational Engagement Of Sixth-Grade Readers, Kathryn Contini

Educational Studies Dissertations

The purpose of this mini-ethnographic case study is to determine the factors that impact the relational engagement of middle-school readers in a student-facilitated book group. This is achieved by considering how students relationally engaged with texts, peers, and a teacher while participating in a student-facilitated book group for three months. As the understanding of academic engagement has broadened to include relational engagement, it is necessary to examine how this theoretical construct impacts reading instruction. While educators have long known learning is social, classroom success is most often measured by independent achievement rather than by social engagement. For these reasons, it …