Educational Methods Commons^™

Pre-Service Elementary School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Mathematics Education Experiences: A Phenomenological Study, Christine Mcelhaney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the perceptions about mathematics of pre-service elementary school teachers at a small private university in the Midwestern United States. The theoretical framework used for this research study came from Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, including the component of teacher efficacy. Because mathematics is a fundamental subject for students to develop skills necessary for various 21st century careers, this qualitative phenomenological study sought to examine how pre-service teachers perceived their ability and confidence to teach mathematics. I limited the choice of participants to elementary pre-service teachers who had not yet completed any mathematics …

Linguistics As The Basis For Phonological Instruction, Christen Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this research study is to determine if teachers of emergent literate students have been trained in linguistics—the anatomy, air flow, and voice of phonology—as part of their literacy instruction and to what extent those strategies are employed while teaching. The basis for this inquiry lies in the understanding that phonology is a science conceived from linguistics which illustrates and explains how sounds are created and produced within the oral structure. This body of information lends itself to an extremely developmental and authentic scope and sequence for teaching phonetics to students. These teachers must be aware of and …

Computational Modeling Intervention: Using Dynamical Models To Teach Complex Biological Processes, Audrey J. Crowther, Tomáš Helikar, Nicholas Galt, Joseph Dauer, Heather Berganr, Bryan Kowal

UCARE: Research Products

The Unites States, while being one of the richest countries in the world, ranks 17th in science proficiency out of 31 countries. New techniques for teaching are needed if the US wants to keep up with increasing global competition. Often the problem with traditional methods for teaching biological processes is that they present the material as linear or causal, when in fact there is a much wider network at play. For example, cellular respiration is often represented as a linear process that always starts with glucose and always ends with ATP and water. However, there are several entry and exit …

D.R.I.V.E.N. School System: A Reformed Education Model, Shelby Click

Undergraduate Research Conference

We believe there is a lack of an individualized and effective learning experience in the majority of education systems in the status quo. This leads to a disdain for everyday school life, indecisiveness in selecting a field of study post-high school, and the absence of passion for attaining knowledge that extends throughout a lifetime. After conducting research regarding alternative teaching methods and school structures through this joint project, we have developed D.R.I.V.E.N. School System. In 5th grade, we will test students for emerging qualities that indicate they will excel in a certain area. Their education in our schooling system will …

D.R.I.V.E.N. School System: A Reformed Education Model, Dannika Blackhurst

Undergraduate Research Conference

We believe there is a lack of individualized and effective learning experience in the majority of education systems in the status quo. This leads to a disdain for everyday school life, indecisiveness in selecting a field of study post-high school, and the absence of passion for attaining knowledge that extends throughout a lifetime. After conducting research regarding alternative teaching methods and school structures through this joint project, we have developed D.R.I.V.E.N. School System in order to satisfy this need. In 5th grade, we will test students for emerging qualities that indicate they will excel in a certain area. Their education …

Using Janus Vr With Oculus Rift To Enhance Second Language Learning: Analyze The Correlation Between The Sense Of Immersion And Learning Second Languages, Yoshinobu Nakada

Undergraduate Research Conference

I created a Virtual Reality (VR) website in Janus VR, a VR web browser, to enhance second language learnings. By using Skype and this VR website in Janus VR, it is possible to create a business to teach second languages, by which students do not need to make an appointment to meet up with teachers, and while students taking a lesson they can see teacher’s avatars. This research is to find the correlation between the sense of immersion and learning second languages. In order to analyze the actual effect of learning second languages in a virtual reality setting, specifically Janus …

The Military Learner: The Acceptance Of New Training Technology For C-130 Aircrews, Michael Hathaway, David Cross

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The problem in this qualitative embedded single-case study was that business and military organizations have shrinking budgets, which has caused conflicting priorities for training funds. This has forced training managers to develop alternative instructional programs to reduce costs, which sometimes means replacing people with technology. To be useful, the new technology must be accepted and used by learners. During military training, certain programs require learners to use a new technology despite the possible lack of acceptance of that technology. Researchers do not know how military learners accept new technology that is mandatory to use. The purpose of this case study …

Habits Of Mind In The Classroom: Threshold Concepts, Instructional Philosophy, And Sotl, Alicia S. Hansen, Brad Petitfils Ph.D.

Staff publications

Students performing research in higher education, especially at the undergraduate level, is a progressively dazzling task in the universe of digital and print resources. Using sound pedagogy to create student confidence in approaching research, hand in hand with creating scholarship, is a challenge tackled well by librarians and teaching faculty together.

We will discuss three theories and their place in research methods, using ACRL’sFramework for Information Literacy as context. First, Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory. Second, Perry’s Epistemology of Learning: moving a student’s absolute belief in all things defined by authority toward a belief in his own values and …

Games And Simulations In Soft Skills Training, Deanna L. Proctor

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 DeAnna L. Proctor on March 29, 2016.

Creating A Learning Continuum: A Critical Look At The Intersection Of Prior Knowledge, Outdoor Education, And Next Generation Science Standards Disciplinary Core Ideas And Practices, Trisha Leigh Schlobohm

Dissertations and Theses

Outdoor School is a cherished educational tradition in the Portland, OR region. This program's success is attributed to its presumed ability to positively impact affective and cognitive student outcomes. Residential programs such as Outdoor School are considered to be an important supplement to the classroom model of learning because they offer an authentic, contextually rich learning environment. References to relevant literature support the idea that student gains in affective and cognitive domains occur as a result of the multi-sensory, enjoyable, hands-on nature of outdoor learning. The sample population for this study was 115 sixth graders from a demographically diverse Portland, …

Implementation Of Coaching Models At Elementary Levels, Cassandra H. Webb

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 Cassandra H. Webb on March 22, 2016.

Conceptual Understanding: A Concept Analysis, Susan Mills

The Qualitative Report

The term conceptual understanding was analyzed to determine how educators can help students attain understanding in a concept based curriculum. The investigator sought to establish what salient dimensions and conditions supported conceptual understanding. A dimensional analysis of the term conceptual understanding was employed through a review of the literature in mathematics, science, psychology, and nursing education. The salient dimensions of conceptual understanding were identified as: factual and procedural knowledge, connections, transfer, and metacognition. The supporting properties included: meaningful learning activities, memorization, and misconceptions. The results substantiate conceptual understanding as a process. When this process is utilized by nurse educators, students …

Literacy Achievement In Nongraded Classrooms, Anita Therese Kreide

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This longitudinal quantitative study compared literacy achievement of students from second through sixth grade based on two organizational systems: graded (traditional) and nongraded (multiage) classrooms. The California Standards Test (CST) scaled and proficiency scores for English-Language Arts (ELA) were used as the study’s independent variable to measure student performance. A matched control was utilized in which nongraded students were compared with graded students based on gender, ethnicity, and date of birth. Data analysis included independent samples t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and effect size. Results showed that nongraded students had a significant advantage over their graded counterparts in literacy achievement …

Collaborative Strategic Planning: A Mixed Methods Study Of Models And Superintendents’ Perspectives, William Robert Espinosa

LMU Theses and Dissertations

School district leaders use strategic planning as a tool for leading their complex education systems. They may be mandated to prepare a strategic plan or they may elect to use the strategic planning process to adapt, focus, and align their education system to improve student achievement. The challenge comes in the confusion around what constitutes an effective strategic planning model. Using models from other sectors such as business are often unsuccessful when they are modified to deal with the diversity of stakeholders, multi-discipline systems, and complexity unique to school district systems. The purpose of this study was to research the …

A Retrospective On Student Learning And Acceptance Of Evolutionary Science, Lawrence C. Scharmann

Discipline-Based Education Research Group Speaker Series

In this presentation, I provide an analysis of my work (1985-present) with non-major biology students and science teacher candidates in developing strategies for teaching and enhancing learning with respect to Evolutionary Science.

Creating Core Memories In The Classroom, Lori Desautels

Scholarship and Professional Work – Education

We all create core memories. When we encounter an experience with heightened emotion, our memory systems remember the experiences because of the intense emotions associated with the event. We know that memories can become diluted or distorted with time and distance. When we remember an event from our past, our brains secrete the same chemicals from the same neurotransmitters called forth when the experience happened, creating the same feelings.

Pax Populi: Utilizing Technology And Education As A Means To Achieve Peace, Anand Balar

Engagement & Service-Learning Summit

This project of Pax Populi was presented to the students in the Honors course called Beyond Afghanistan taught by Dr. Brite as an opportunity to do service learning. The goal of Pax Populi as taken from their mission statement is to “put the tools of peacemaking into the hands of ordinary people through initiatives that advance peace through education and economic development within a framework of human rights.”

The tool we used in this case was Skype web conferencing to communicate with an Afghan tutee the students were individually partnered up with to teach English skills to whether they be …

A Teacher-Friendly Mentoring System, Hsiao-Ling Chen

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 Hsiao-Ling Chen on March 11, 2016.

Tryon Trekkers: An Evaluation Of A Stem Based Afterschool Program For At-Risk Youth, Chessa Eckels Anderson

Dissertations and Theses

This study contributed to the body of research that supports a holistic model of afterschool learning through the design of an afterschool intervention that benefits elementary school students of low socioeconomic status. This qualitative study evaluated a science focused afterschool curriculum that was designed using principles from Risk and Resiliency Theory, academic motivation theories, science core ideas from the Next Generation Science Standards, and used environmental education philosophy. The research question of this study is: how does an outdoor and STEM based afterschool program impact at-risk students' self-efficacy, belonging and engagement and ability to apply conceptual knowledge of environmental science …

Growing Stem Education On The Playground: A Case Study Of The Factors That Influence Teachers’ Use Of School Gardens, Megan Poole

Dissertations and Theses

School gardens can have a profound, positive influence on a student's academic achievement, social skills, and attitudinal orientation. Despite these clear benefits, the use of school gardens as an instructional medium is not as prevalent as would be expected. There are several types of obstacles that can prevent teachers from using school gardens, including facets of time, support, and knowledge-based challenges. This multiple case study employs a mixed methods design to uncover factors that influence primary school teachers' decisions to utilize a school garden in their STEM curriculum. The goals of this study were to determine the types of benefits …