Elementary Education Commons^™

Utilizing Classroom Meetings To Understand Student Values And Perceptions, Stacy Spink

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

This study addressed classroom meetings in order to teach social skills and address specific behavior issues. The author was completing a yearlong clinical teaching placement in a kindergarten classroom. The goal of her study was to observe what happens when class meetings are implemented to teach specific problem-areas in the classroom. In the study data was gathered through observations, student surveys, sociograms, and student interviews. The students participated in a class meeting twice a week for about thirty minutes. During the class meetings needed social skills were taught through play and role-playing activities and discussions were had to cooperatively solve …

Whole Brain Teaching In A Second Grade Classroom, Shelby Bridges

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

This study addresses the topic of whole brain teaching (WBT). The researcher sought to understand if WBT changed student achievement or student attitudes about math. The researcher also sought to understand students’ perceptions of WBT. The main purpose of this study was for the author to understand if WBT would help students better engage in and understand mathematics. The author collected data through student surveys, teacher and student interviews, personal research journals, and math assessment scores. The researcher used the constant comparative method to analyze the participants’ perceptions of WBT during mathematics instruction. Descriptive statistics were used to understand if …

Barriers To Bilingual: How Students Participate In Spanish And English Classes, Bailey Strahan

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

While participation has been linked to achievement in the classroom, various external factors can change students’ willingness to participate. In this study the researcher sought to discover what participation looks like in regards to one of these factors, language. Additionally the researcher wanted to discover what students and teachers in a bilingual program thought of their own participation in regards to language. Through the use of surveys, interviews, and observations over the course of several weeks, the researcher was able to determine that many factors including student motivation, preferences, resources available, and misunderstanding all contribute to their willingness to participate …

Digital Portfolio Use In The First-Grade Classroom: Perceptions Of Seesaw, Rachel L. Drennan

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

In this study, the researcher discusses the use of a digital portfolio application, Seesaw, that is used in her first-grade classroom. During her clinical teaching year, her cooperating teacher was using Seesaw as a digital portfolio. She formed a question that focused on student and teacher perceptions. When building her study, she began by conducting a survey to understand initial feelings towards Seesaw. After this, the researcher conducted two focus groups, three student interviews and one interview with the classroom teacher. The researcher kept a teacher journal to keep a daily reflection. Additionally, screenshots were taken of submissions …

House System: Increasing Community, Motivation, And Student Ownership, Bridget Glass

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

This study looked at the house system in an elementary setting to discover the students’, teachers’, and administrators’ perceptions of how it influences motivation and the community of the school. The researcher’s purpose was to understand if the participants felt that the elements of the house system motivated students to make positive choices and to see if the participants believed the house system influenced the community across campus. The data was collected through a student survey, observations, interviews with students, teacher, and the principal. The data was analyzed through the constant comparative method. The participants perceived that the house system …

Creating Real-World Readers: Literacy Circles In Third Grade, Dejanee Gregory

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

This study addresses the topic of literature circles in an elementary classroom and their implications on students’ attitudes toward reading and their self-perceptions as readers. The author was a preservice teacher placed in a yearlong clinical teaching internship in a third-grade English Language Arts departmentalized classroom. The goal of the study was to implement literature circles in hopes to better understand students’ attitudes and self-perceptions as readers. For this study, the author collected data in the form of student interviews, survey data, a personal reflective journal, observations, and students’ reflections. Utilizing the constant comparative method, the author analyzed data for …

The Effect Of Music And Movement Interventions On Elementary Students’ Classroom Transition Times And Engagement, Bryanna Susann Hall

Honors Theses

In recent years, educational mandates such as those established by the No Child Left Behind Act have placed increased pressure on school administrators and faculty to focus a large portion of their resources on improving students’ standardized test scores. As a result, many teachers are searching for ways to increase instructional time, yet during an already chaotic school day, that is not such an easy task (Heafner, Lipscomb, & Rock, 2006). Therefore, this study examined possible solutions to this issue that would benefit both students and teachers through the implementation of various music and movement interventions. The research occurred over …

Kasserian Injera: And How Are The Children? The Lived Experiences And Perceptions Of Participants, Black And White, Who Attended Both Segregated And Desegregated Schools, Sherman Whitfield

Theses and Dissertations from 2019

This study was guided by the following research question: What are the perceptions and experiences of participants, Black and White, who attended both segregated and desegregated schools? This phenomenological research study was conducted using two focus groups divided homogeneously into one Black focus group and one White focus group. The Black focus group consisted of three Black females and two Black males. The White focus group consisted of six White females. The findings related to the research revealed that the Black focus group and the White focus group looked at this phenomenon differently along racial lines. These former students actually …

The Effects Of "Capturing Kids' Hearts" And Building Student-Teacher Relationships In An Arkansas Suburban Elementary School Setting, Karla Lee Ann Neathery

Theses and Dissertations from 2019

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the Capturing Kids’ Hearts professional development process as it relates to student-teacher relationships. This study sought to determine teachers’ perceptions regarding student-teacher relationships. The study was to ascertain the effect of the Capturing Kids’ Hearts professional development process on: (a) student attendance, (b) student achievement, and (c) student discipline. This qualitative study used the results of surveys, discipline, attendance, and student achievement data to address two suburban elementary schools’ problem of students not reaching their highest academic and social potential due to the absence of establishing relationships at schools. …

Imagine: A Picture Book About Imaginary Play In New York City, Natasha Peña

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This paper describes the process of researching, creating, sharing, and reflecting on a picture book that features two New York City siblings engaging in imaginary play at the playground.

Advances In Global Education And Research: Volume 3, Waynne B. James, Cihan Cobanoglu

University of South Florida (USF) - M3 Publishing

This is the third volume of the Advances in Global Education and Research Book Series. This volume has the following parts:

• Part 1: Adult Education
• Part 2: Curriculum and Instruction Development
• Part 3: Education in Other Specialties
• Part 4: Educational Technology
• Part 5: Global Competence
• Part 6: Higher Education and Educational Leadership
• Part 7: Human Resource Development
• Part 8: Inclusive Education
• Part 9: International Education
• Part 10: Pre K-12
• Part 11: Research Methods in Education

ISBN: 978-1-7321275-4-8

The Microsociety® Model: An Assessment Of Civic Engagement Outcomes Amongst Fourth And Fifth Grade Students, Jewel Hurt

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Despite existing as a democratic country, America has wavered in prioritizing civics education in schools. This thesis analyzes the work of MicroSociety® as one program that helps students ‘learn by doing’ in the enactment of a school-wide community simulation. To test the program outcomes, a reliable survey was administered to fourth and fifth grade students at two different MicroSociety schools. The results showed that MicroSociety students reported higher average levels of civic engagement when compared to a national sample. The positive results were also consistent across both MicroSociety samples despite stark differences in the demographic profiles of each school. …

Bringing Science To Life In The Fifth-Grade Classroom Through Hands-On Learning, Kelly Gately

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Science helps provide insight into the unknown and provides an outlet for exploration of living things. Children are innately curious about how thing work, and they are eager to ask questions. Science is the perfect outlook for students to fully engage in their inquisitiveness, but yet, many classrooms are skipping over science lessons or choosing to heavily focus on other subjects, such as reading and writing. Science is often taught as an elective, integrated with other subjects or it is only focused on for a short period of time. Unfortunately, when this subject does receive attention, lessons are heavily text-book …

An Initial Development Of A Hardiness Scale For Elementary School Students, Stephen Ferrara

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

There are limited studies that have investigated levels of hardiness in children. There is even less information on finding hardiness scales that have been normed on children in elementary school. The purpose of this study was to test the validity and reliability of the Hardiness Scale for Children (HSC), which assesses the three subscales of hardiness: Challenge, Control, and Commitment. 121 elementary school students (2^nd-5^th grade) were selected to complete the HSC. Their parents were also asked to complete a three-item scale to measure their child’s hardiness. The results indicated that older children tended to give themselves …

A Comparison Between The Effect Of National Board Certified Teachers And Non-National Board Certified Teachers On Student Performance Of Third Graders In The Pulaski County Special School District, Sonya Whitfield

Theses and Dissertations from 2019

Of the many studies related to the effectiveness of National Board Certified teachers, there were none found that related to Arkansas teachers. This research study investigated the impact that Nationally Board Certified teachers (NBCTs) had on the achievement of third graders in the Pulaski County Special District (PCSSD). Achievement was operationally defined as scores in the content areas of reading and mathematics as measured by the ACT Aspire standardized test. This study was designed to generate data related to the effectiveness of NBCTs in meeting the academic needs of all students. In addition, the purpose of this study was to …

The Effects Of A Literacy-Based Mentoring Program On Empowering Preadolescent Girls In Their Development Of Confidence, Self-Concept, And Leadership Skillset, Sophia Vincent

Curriculum and Instruction Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study focuses on empowering preadolescent girls to develop confidence and move from a fixed to growth mindset, take responsibility for their actions, turn failures into learning opportunities, and cultivate a love for self. GIRLS: Leaders on the Rise is a literacy-based mentoring program for preadolescent girls designed to improve confidence, positive self-concept, and develop a leadership skillset through five targeted aspects of leadership: growth mindset, integrity, resilience, love and loyalty, and strengths. Adolescence is a time when students are discovering who they are and shaping their identities. Girls decline in their self-confidence during adolescence due to fear of failure, …

Light And Shadow Lab: Interest, Experimentation, Collaboration, & Wonder, Mollie Peoples

General Human Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

This creative project focuses on the experimentation and exploration of light and shadows with the children at the Jean Tyson Child Development Study Center (JTCDSC). The creation, development, and implementation of the light studio was influenced by many approaches and concepts that surround early childhood development. It incorporated inspiration from my travels to Italy, where I studied the Reggio Emilia approach in context. In Reggio Emilia, I had the opportunity to visit the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre, local schools that implement distinct child guidance approaches, and The Creative Recycling Centre Remida. The light studio at the JTCDSC incorporates both …

Social Emotional Learning: Presence And Prevalence In Early Care And Education Programs And Effects On Teacher Self-Efficacy, Gabrielle Humble

Undergraduate Honors Theses

A large pool of reviewed literature and studies suggest that Social Emotional Learning (SEL) provides a multitude of developmental benefits to early childhood-aged children. The focus of this study was to assess whether SEL techniques were utilized within early care and education programs throughout the East Tennessee region and to investigate the relationship between SEL techniques and teacher self-efficacy. Sixteen early childhood teachers in the East Tennessee region completed a survey that gauged both their exposure and usage of SEL techniques in the classroom and their teacher self-efficacy. Findings showed that teachers primarily implemented self-studied SEL techniques in the classroom …

Cultural Representation In The Classroom, Priscilla R. Rodriguez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The purpose of this paper is to establish the importance of cultural-representation in schools where the majority of the students identify as Latino. The participants for the Capstone Project included a classroom of third-grade students in a public elementary school located on California’s Central Coast. The supporting literature provides additional information on why incorporating culturally-relevant literature is needed. The issue is what books are available to the students that talk about their culture. By providing culturally-relevant books to students in the classroom in hopes to promote a more positive relationship with reading and a personal relationship with attending school. For …

Choice, Voice, And Agency : A Photovoice Study Exploring Multiple Means Of Expression As Inclusive Pedagogy, Francesca M. Ciotoli

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Pedagogy that centers primarily on oral and written language significantly limits the educational progress of students with disabilities because it may not regularly afford them opportunities to express what they have learned. It stands to reason that increased opportunities for expression through multiple ways or modes of meaning-making will lead to greater expressivity for all students. This research study documents, examines, and helps support five general and special education teachers’ learning of pedagogical practices that foster increased opportunities for expression of learning with respect to students with disabilities in elementary and middle school (grades 3-7) classrooms. I use photovoice research …