Elementary Education Commons^™

An Examination Of Relational Bullying In Award Winning Newbery Books, 1996-2016, Kaysey N. Wann

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Relational bullying, although covert in nature and difficult for adults to notice and identify, is becoming increasingly prevalent among young children and teens. The success of bibliotherapy as preventative and intervention practices for bullying shows that portrayals of relational bullying in quality children’s literature would be effective in reducing and preventing it. However, relational bullying is rarely portrayed in children’s literature. My goal was to find quality children’s realistic fiction literature that portrays relational bullying in Newbery award-winning books, and to bring them to the attention of teachers.

After creating a table to determine what types of bullying, if any, …

Children's Literature As A Tool To Teach Mathematics, Kara Weinstein

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Common Core State Standards have changed the way that we teach math concepts in elementary schools. These new educational standards promote teaching math for understanding instead of teaching the standard algorithms that have been traditionally taught. Children's literature is an alternative teaching method. The aim of this project is to examine children's literature with the purpose of teaching mathematic concepts. This project models the components of quality children's literature to create an original book that teaches students grades 3-5 about fractions. 2

Technology And Student Achievement In Stem Subjects: Perspectives From Teachers In Grades 3rd-5th, Kayleigh D. Hunter

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this study is to research teachers’ perspectives of their role and responsibilities of integrating technology in the classroom and the influence of technology on student achievement. The participants involved in the qualitative research process included seven in-service professional public school teachers. The thirty minute to an hour interviews were piloted using researcher created interview question constructed from previous research on teachers’ perceptions of technology. The questions used were created to specifically answer the researcher’s topic of study; some questions are regarding whether teachers believe success is technology driven and what benefits they think technology brings. The teachers …

Historical Representation Of Jackie Robinson Within Primary And Intermediate Level Children's Literature, Amy Minor

Masters Theses

Educators today meet national and state initiatives by spending approximately half their time on non-fiction literature. Starting as early as primary grades students are to analyze multiple texts on the same historical topic. Student's reading levels vary; consequently, trade books can be used to reach each individual child. Due to this, trade book usage has increased. Research indicates trade books can contain possible historical misrepresentations. Few studies have been completed, therefore more research is necessary. My research examined the historical representation of Jackie Robinson within trade books for primary and intermediate grades. After determining events in reading the historical research …

An Analysis Of General Education Teachers' Use Of Diverse Praise, Shelby L. Beschta

Masters Theses

Teacher praise is a strategy that effectively reduces student disruptive and off-task behavior. Although teacher praise has been studied for more than five decades, most research has looked at general and behavior specific praise. There may be other aspects of praise, beyond specificity, that could inform consultation. Examining teachers' diverse use of praise may inform how to maximize this strategy and improve upon teacher training. The purpose of this study was to determine whether teachers' diverse use of praise could be measured. Once it was determined, the data were analyzed to determine how many diverse praise categories teachers used on …

Examining Elementary Teachers' Implementation Of Culturally Responsive Teaching, Katherine A. Silva

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research is to examine if elementary teachers in Central Illinois are implementing culturally responsive teaching (CRT) practices, since the United States and Central Illinois are becoming more diverse. Central Illinois is characterized by primarily White, rural communities and schools. Thus, some teachers may not have the theoretical or practical skills to meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. A quantitative study utilizing a survey-questionnaire method was designed to examine if kindergarten through fifth grade teachers are implementing CRT in Central Illinois. The researcher examined which CRT practices teachers are doing the most and …

The Perceptions Of Elementary School Teachers Regarding Their Efforts To Help Students Utilize Student-To-Student Discourse In Science, Jennifer Lovejoy Craddock

Educational Studies Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the perceptions of elementary teachers who teach science as opposed to science teacher specialists regarding their efforts to help students use student-to-student discourse for improving science learning. A growing body of research confirms the importance of a) student-to-student discourse for making meaning of science ideas and b) moving students’ conceptual development towards a more scientific understanding of the natural world. Based on those foundations, the three research questions that guided this study examined the value elementary teachers place on student-to-student discourse, the various approaches teachers employ to promote the use of …

Therapeutic Breathing Techniques And Disparity Across Student Performance In English And Mathematics, Abha Gupta, Shana Pribesh, Norou Diawara

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This paper explores possible correlation between Therapeutic Breathing Techniques (TBT) and improved academic performance of low achieving students in elementary school. The intervention consisted of daily breathing exercises combining two forms of TBT, namely, deep breathing and alternate nostril breathing. A semester-long quantitative study with 85 second graders was conducted to investigate the impact of above intervention on English and mathematics scores. Following one semester of intervention, the gaps between the low and high achievers had narrowed and small but significant gain-scores were found for the low achievers who had practiced TBT. In contrast, in first and third grades, where …

Augmented Reality In K-12 Education, Lisabeth J. Leighton, Helen Crompton

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Today the world revolves around technology in daily tasks. Society uses technology to communicate, trade, for business, politics, and to education. Through education, Augmented Reality (AR) takes on a new purpose. AR enables students to reach a higher level of education, and teachers to efficiently engage students to see real-world situations. The use of technology in classrooms is currently on the rise; but how are teachers using AR within their classrooms to engage and education children? This chapter discusses literature and research supporting the AR affordances in K-12 Education.

Science Education For The Future: Five Recommendations A Policy Brief For Pakistan, Nelofer Halai

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

High quality education and particularly in the area of what is generally called STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is the greatest indicator of quality of life. Sustainable human development, eradication of poverty and removing unequal distribution of resources all depend on high quality education. High quality education in the area of science has been defined as far back as 1962 by Schwab and Brandwein as teaching through inquiry-based methods. Continuing to teach science content through rote memorization produces teachers who know of no better method to teach other than memorization. These teachers themselves lack conceptual understanding of science content …

Navigating The Complex Practices Of Specialized Literacy Professionals In Formalized Teacher Leadership Positions, Thea Anne Yurkewecz

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This dissertation reports on how one school community engaged in a professional development grant initiative that incorporated teacher leadership. Teacher leaders may have numerous roles and responsibilities that support the professional learning and instructional practices of school communities. This study examined the experiences of three specialized literacy professionals as teacher leaders and professional development facilitators. Case study methodology (Merriam, 1998; Stake, 2005; Yin, 2009) and the six principles of adult learning (Knowles, Holton, & Swanson, 2005) provided a framework to capture the contextual and descriptive practices of how these teacher leaders navigated their roles and responsibilities. Three important findings emerged …

Philippine Classroom Teachers As Researchers: Teachers’ Perceptions, Motivations, And Challenges, Mark B. Ulla, Kenneth Ian B. Barrera, Meller M. Acompanado

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study explores teachers’ perceptions and motivations, challenges, and needs of 50 teachers in Agusan del Norte, Philippines with regards to doing research. Methodologies used were survey questionnaire, and group and individual interviews. Findings revealed that teacher-respondents had a positive perceptions towards doing research and its benefits to their teaching practice and students’ learning process. Thus, job promotion is the motivating factor why teachers did research. However, reported challenges such as lack of research knowledge and skills, heavy teaching loads, and lack of financial support from the schools obstructed them from doing it. Attending and participating to research trainings, receiving …

สภาพและแนวทางแก้ไขปัญหาการอ่านสะกดคำและเขียนสะกดคำของนักเรียนชั้นประถมศึกษาในโรงเรียนสังกัดสำนักการศึกษากรุงเทพมหานคร, ณัฐพงศ์ เชื้อเพชร

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การวิจัยครั้งนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อศึกษาสภาพและแนวทางแก้ไขปัญหาเรื่องการอ่านสะกดคำและเขียนสะกดคำของนักเรียนระดับชั้นประถมศึกษาโรงเรียนสังกัดสำนักการศึกษากรุงเทพมหานคร เก็บรวบรวมข้อมูลโดยการสังเกตแบบไม่มีส่วนร่วม การสัมภาษณ์และการทำแบบสอบถาม วิเคราะห์ข้อมูลโดยการวิเคราะห์เนื้อหา ผลการวิจัยพบว่า 1.สภาพปัญหาเรื่องการสอนอ่านสะกดคำและเขียนสะกดคำของนักเรียนชั้นประถมศึกษาในโรงเรียนสังกัดสำนักการศึกษากรุงเทพมหานคร สรุปได้ว่า 1) ครูที่สอนวิชาภาษาไทยในระดับชั้นประถมต้น (ป.1-3) ไม่ได้สอนในวิชาภาษาไทยแต่ได้รับมอบหมายให้ปฏิบัติหน้าที่อย่างอื่นในโรงเรียน 2) ครูที่สอนวิชาภาษาไทยในระดับชั้นประถมต้น (ป.1-3) ไม่ได้จบเอกภาษาไทย จึงไม่รู้หลักในการสอนวิชาภาษาไทย 3) นักเรียนที่โรงเรียนรับเข้ามามีหลากหลายปัญหา ได้แก่ เป็นบุตรของแรงงานต่างด้าว มีสภาวะเรียนรู้ช้า เป็นเด็กพิเศษทั้งที่มีใบรับรองแพทย์และไม่มี 4) เวลาที่ครูจะได้ใช้ในการซ่อมเสริมเด็กที่อ่านสะกดคำและเขียนสะกดคำไม่ได้ มีจำกัด เพราะมีภาระงานทั้งภายในและภายนอกหน่วยงานมากมาย 5) ขาดกิจกรรมส่งเสริมการอ่านสะกดคำและเขียนสะกดคำในโรงเรียนเนื่องจากข้อจำกัดเรื่องงบประมาณ บุคลากรและเวลา รวมถึงความตระหนักในปัญหาที่เป็นอยู่ 2.แนวทางในการแก้ไขปัญหาการสอนอ่านสะกดคำและเขียนสะกดคำของนักเรียนชั้นประถมศึกษาในโรงเรียนสังกัดสำนักการศึกษากรุงเทพมหานคร สรุปได้ว่า 1) ครูที่สอนวิชาภาษาไทยในระดับชั้นประถมต้น (ป.1-3) ควรเป็นครูที่จบเอกภาษาไทยซึ่งรู้หลักในการสอนวิชาภาษาไทยโดยเฉพาะเรื่องการอ่านสะกดคำและเขียนสะกดคำ 2) การสอนอ่านสะกดคำและเขียนสะกดคำต้องอาศัยการฝึกฝนบ่อยๆ วันละ 5-10 นาที และควรทำต่อเนื่อง 3) ครูผู้สอนวิชาภาษาไทยควรได้รับการอบรมเรื่องเทคนิคการสอนและการสร้างนวัตกรรมที่ส่งเสริมการอ่านสะกดคำและเขียนสะกดคำอย่างต่อเนื่อง 4) ผู้เกี่ยวข้องทุกคนไม่ว่าจะเป็นครูท่านอื่น ผู้ปกครอง ชุมชนควรร่วมมือกันในการส่งเสริมความสามารถในการอ่านสะกดคำและเขียนสะกดคำของเด็กจนกว่าจะสามารถอ่านออกและเขียนได้เพื่อต่อยอดการเรียนรู้ในระดับที่สูงขึ้น 5) ฝ่ายบริหารควรมีนโยบายในการลดภาระงานที่ไม่จำเป็นของครูลงแต่เพิ่มประสิทธิภาพเชิงวิชาการด้วยการให้ครูได้มีเวลาในการพัฒนาและแก้ปัญหาเด็กอ่านไม่ออกและเขียนไม่ได้ 6) ควรมีการส่งเสริมให้มีการผลิตสื่อการสอนและนวัตกรรมที่ช่วยให้นักเรียนสามารถอ่านสะกดคำและเขียนสะกดคำได้ในรูปแบบที่ทำให้นักเรียนเกิดความสนุกสนานและเพลิดเพลินแต่ได้รับความรู้โดยไม่รู้สึกว่าเป็นการเรียน 7) วิธีการสอนอ่านสะกดคำและเขียนสะกดคำที่ได้ผลมากที่สุดคือการสอนแบบแจกลูกสะกดคำ

The Impact Literacy Coaches Have On Mississippi's Lower-Performing Schools, Barbara Ann Trivelli-Bowen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact literacy coaches had on Mississippi’s lower-performing schools. To guide the study, the researcher developed four research questions and four null hypotheses. The population of this study was derived from a sample of Mississippi students in Grades K-3 who were administered the Early Literacy STAR assessment for kindergartners and the STAR assessment for first through third-graders. This assessment was administered twice during the 2015-2016 school year. The pretest was given in August; the posttest was given in April/May. These students came from four different schools; two schools had literacy coaches and …

The Impact Of Word-Study Intervention Strategies On Students' Measures Of Reading Comprehension And Fluency, Trenisha Weekley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the existing research regarding effective word-study interventions for struggling adolescent readers, various researchers propose a need for additional research on effective reading interventions to confirm and extend existing knowledge. The current study specifically investigates the impact of the overt/covert and outside-in word-study instructional intervention strategies on struggling adolescent readers’ fluency and comprehension measures. Paired samples t-tests revealed a significant difference in the pretest and posttest fluency scores of participants receiving either overt/covert or outside-in word-study strategy instruction. However, no significant difference occurred between participants’ pretest and posttest comprehension scores. Additionally, ANCOVA statistical analyses revealed no significant differences between the …

Voices Across Generations. Volume One : A Collaboration Between Black Elk Elementary Third Grade, Uno Educational Leadership Graduate Program., University Of Nebraska At Omaha, Service Learning Academy, Black Elk Elementary School, Royale Oaks Assisted Living

Voices Across Generations

In Spring 2018, Omaha, Nebraska, third grade students from Black Elk Elementary School met with senior residents of Royale Oaks Assisted Living to learn about school life, past and present. Graduate students from the Educational Leadership program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha helped facilitate these meetings. The resulting book compiles essays written by the third graders about their "senior buddies," color artwork featuring hands and hearts, and quotes from the university students.

Effects Of Using An Ipad App With Embedded Models To Teach Sight Words To Elementary Students With Developmental Disabilities, Meghan A. Traynor

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of teaching sight words using an iPad app with embedded models to students with developmental disabilities. The experimental design used was multiple probe (conditions) across behaviors replicated across students. All sessions occurred in a one-to-one format. The results showed the iPad app with embedded models were effective in teaching sight words to students with developmental disabilities.

The Integration Of Music In An Ela Classroom: Creating Pedagogical Parodies For Elementary Education, Doranna Smith

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis is to capitalize the effects of using music as a tool in tandem with English language arts in order for students to improve their ELA skills. Songs are already flooding the Internet and social media; such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Vine, echoing in the background of television broadcasts and commercials, and blasting across radio stations and in public areas like restaurants and malls, classroom lessons tied to current songs, are more apt to resonate with students in this era. In lieu of subconsciously humming a song by popular artist such as Beyoncé, Kanye West, …

Unplugging: A Parent's Handbook For Children's Technology Use, Victoria R. Taylor

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis is to explore children’s technology usage, technology’s effects, and what can be done to regulate technology use for children and families. The overuse of technology by children has been proven to be detrimental to a child’s emotions and health and wellness. Children need rules and regulations for proper use of technology as well as instruction on how to positively use technology. In a world of growing technologies and the creation of new digital devices, research is needed for assist parents and guardians of children of all ages. This thesis focuses on the negative effects of …

Enhancing Imagination And Creativity In The Elementary Classroom Through 11 Impossible Children's Books And Related Lesson Plans, Karlee L. Rankine

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Not too long ago we believed that it was impossible to send men outside our planets gravitational force, let alone send them to the moon. As adults, we live in a world that believes in two possibilities, those goals that are possible as long as they believe in themselves and find new ways to accomplish each goal they are given. Slowly this thought process is leaving the students minds to make room for the latest information for best practices in formal test taking. There has been a huge decline in our imaginative and creative thinkers due to this overwhelming need …