Elementary Education Commons^™

Rising From The Ashes: Reading Impacts And The Effects Of Recovery Educational Services Following A Major Natural Disaster, Tiffanie Lousia Lambert

Educational Leadership Professional Doctorate Dissertations

This Improvement Science Dissertation examined solutions to improving literacy outcomes for students in an elementary school that experienced a wildfire during the pandemic. School data revealed lagging reading growth among students displaced by the wildfire despite educational recovery efforts. A root cause analysis to understand students' limited reading recovery led to more global concerns about school-wide literacy programming and the limited use of evidence- based approaches. School-wide data revealed that fewer than 30% of students in the school met literacy benchmarks since the wildfire. Though the fires disproportionally impacted low-income neighborhoods with higher representation of English Learners and students receiving …

Transitive Pedagogy In Creative Teaching: The Lived Experiences Of K–6 Teachers Who Intentionally Adapt For Creativity, Rebekah Marie Andersen

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

Creative pedagogy in the K–6 classroom is being increasingly recognized as an essential tool for increasing student engagement, practicing critical thinking, and fostering higher-order learning. However, research gaps in creative pedagogy are contextualized accounts of teacher thinking, planning, and enactment of strategies for student creativity. This study explored the lived experiences of teachers as they constructed and enacted creative lesson adaptations and how they identified and supported creative behaviors in students. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed, involving semi-structured think-aloud and stimulated recall interviews with five K–6 teachers who consistently adapt instruction to promote student creativity. Findings revealed that; (a) …

“Change Is Inevitable”: How The First Amendment Safety-Valve Theory Can Expand Protections For Student Expression, Leslie Klein, Jonathan Peters

Indiana Journal of Law and Social Equality

This article challenges the traditional notion that the regulation and protection of student expression in public schools should be based primarily or exclusively on the marketplace theory, which often reinforces the status quo. The safety valve theory is more appropriate and should be applied, especially in the current political and social climate, to inspire an expansion of student speech and press rights that would support expressive activities seeking to change the public discourse around important issues. Students who can speak freely will be more willing to accept decisions that go against them, and a school environment in which passionate or …

Informal Mentoring In A Community Of Practice: Viewing Beginning Teacher Needs Through The Eyes Of Experienced Educators, Caroline Corell Murray

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This qualitative study examined the informal mentoring of beginning elementary teachers through the lenses of experienced teachers and principals. Current research and statistics indicate that teacher shortages and difficulties retaining new teachers in the profession are ongoing concerns for U.S. schools. Induction support for beginning teachers, and particularly formal mentoring, has been found to promote teacher retention. However, little research has focused on the informal mentoring provided to beginning teachers by their more experienced counterparts, or the role school leaders play in facilitating informal mentoring. The purpose of this study therefore was twofold: first, to gain the perspective of experienced …

Exploring Winnie-The-Pooh For Florida's Resiliency Standards And Social-Emotional Learning Dimensions To Create Literature-Based Activities For The Primary Classroom, Madison R. Simonds

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis is to examine the intersections between the Florida Resiliency Standards and the social-emotional dimensions established by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), as reflected in A. A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh. Through an analysis of key traits within the text, this study explores how children’s literature can serve as an effective tool for fostering social-emotional learning in the primary classroom. By integrating SEL principles with literary instruction, educators can strengthen students’ emotional awareness, interpersonal skills, and resilience. Additionally, this thesis presents a series of instructional activities designed to support teachers in incorporating Winnie …

Who's Down With Dap? The Relationship Between Teacher Preparation And The Use Of Developmentally Appropriate Practices During Kindergarten Mathematics Instruction, Megan G. Mccarver

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Children’s experiences in kindergarten classrooms occur during a critical period in their development and can have a long-term impact on not only academic abilities but other areas as well, such as social emotional development and socioeconomic status in adulthood. Kindergarten in America has undergone many changes over time, leading teachers to feel torn between meeting rigorous academic standards and addressing young children’s developmental needs. This mixed methods study investigated North Carolina kindergarten teachers’ understanding of child development and developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) and identified both the types of practices they use during mathematics instruction and whether the use of those …

Teacher Perceptions Of Social-Emotional Learning In A Covid-Impacted Environment, Gina Gold

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Social-emotional learning (SEL) builds students’ resilience skills, which impact the biology of the brain connected to emotional regulation, safe behaviors, and positive learning outcomes. Diminished resilience is typically the result of childhood trauma, which affects physical and emotional health into adulthood. Teachers’ capacity, implementation, and data analysis practices for SEL are important to support building resilience skills in our students to help them grow to be emotionally and physically healthy citizens. The purpose of this research study was to investigate the perspectives of elementary school teachers from four elementary schools in the same school district in rural, southwestern North Carolina …

The Impact Of High-Stakes Summative Reading Outcome Measures On Student Self-Efficacy, Hayley M. Johnson

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore the influence of high-stakes reading tests on student self-efficacy, or confidence, as readers. The study focused on sixth-grade students who had taken the reading end-of-grade (EOG) test in Grades 3, 4, and 5. I analyzed their third-grade reading EOG scores to determine if that score was predictive of the fourth-grade reading EOG score and repeated the same analysis to see if fourth-grade reading EOG scores were predictive of fifth-grade scores. Then, those sixth-grade students' reading self-efficacies, as measured by the Butz and Usher (2015) Self-Efficacy Survey, were compared to their …

Perceptions, Limitations, And Impacts Of An Outdoor Learning Garden On Elementary-Age Students In A Rural North Carolina District, Kimberly M. Smith

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Outdoor learning gardens are environments where science meets the wonder of a child as they cultivate crops within the boundaries of their schoolyard. When students have opportunities to leave the four walls of their classroom and move outdoors, their minds are awakened and they can explore, analyze, and synthesize information. This mixed methods research investigation took place in a rural North Carolina district on an elementary school campus. The study sought to consider the perceptions of teachers and parents of outdoor learning and the limitations that prevent teachers from including experiential learning opportunities for students. The methodology for the research …

The Influence Of Letrs Volume 1 On Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions And Practices Around Systematic Phonics Instruction In A Rural School In North Carolina, Katherine P. Wise

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This dissertation is a mixed methods study that examined the influence Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) Volume 1 had on elementary educators’ perceptions and practices around systematic phonics instruction in a rural, Title I elementary school in North Carolina. Adult learning theory was the theoretical framework used to ground this study. A sequential explanatory design was used: Quantitative data were collected through surveys, and qualitative data gathered through interviews were used to help frame and explain the quantitative data. Both data sources overwhelmingly supported that the completion of this professional learning positively influenced teachers’ perceptions of …

A Program Evaluation Of Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports In A Rural Title I Elementary School, Thomasina L. Curenton

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study evaluated the implementation and effectiveness of a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in a rural Title I elementary school. PBIS, multi-tiered framework, uses proactive strategies to enhance academic and behavioral outcomes. While effective in fostering positive school climates and reducing exclusionary discipline, implementation fidelity remains challenging, particularly in resource-constrained school settings. Teachers often face barriers like insufficient training and resources. Using a mixed methods approach, this study analyzed PBIS’s impact on student behavior, teacher preparedness, and school climate. Quantitative data included office discipline referrals and teacher surveys, while qualitative data were gathered through interviews and focus groups. …

A Catalyst For Change: A Program Evaluation Of Professional Learning Communities At Title I Elementary Schools, Sheila R. Wright

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This mixed methods program evaluation analyzed the implementation of professional learning communities (PLCs) in four Title I elementary schools within a North Carolina district. This study examined stakeholders' perceptions regarding the impact of the PLC framework on instructional practices, the significance of collective efficacy within the framework, and the characteristics that define an effective PLC, as defined by Hord's (1997) five dimensions. The North Carolina Educator Effectiveness System (NCEES) requires educators in North Carolina to implement PLCs to promote collaboration and improve student achievement (North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, 2018). The study's results were utilized to assess stakeholders' perceptions …

Exploring Commonalities Of Effective Elementary Teachers, Doneen Johnson

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Low performing schools have consistently faced challenges in narrowing the achievement gap and meeting the needs of diverse learners, especially those living in high poverty situations. Effective teaching can significantly influence student outcomes and positively shape students’ academic trajectories through the use of high-impact strategies and relationship-centered instruction. This convergent mixed-methods study aimed to define and understand the characteristics of effective teachers, investigate the perceptions of effective teachers about the reasons for their success, and identify the strategies effective teachers use to support students in low performing elementary schools in a North Carolina school district. Quantitative data sources included a …

Through Their Own Eyes: A Mixed Methods Study On Perceptions And Reflections Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Self-Efficacy Of North Carolina Elementary School Teachers, Bria C. Wright

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Historical inequities disproportionately impacting historically marginalized communities continue to persist in classrooms today. Culturally responsive teaching plays an important role in addressing these inequities by recognizing and affirming diverse cultural identities. The purpose of this study was to explore elementary school teachers’ culturally responsive teaching self-efficacy (CRTSE) perceptions. This mixed methods convergent parallel study examined CRTSE across five domains: culturally congruent instruction, cross-cultural communication, culturally relevant curricula, cultural diversity knowledge, and cultural caring learning communities. Quantitative data were collected from 147 North Carolina elementary teachers using the CRTSE Scale, and qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 16 participants. …

Impact Of Web-Based Activity Breaks On Child Physical Activity And Time Off-Task: A Pilot Study, Holly R. Huddleston, Vaughn W. Barry, Dana K. Fuller, Sarah J. Adams, Jennifer L. Caputo

Funded Scholarship

Objective: Classroom activity breaks (ABs) have physical and cognitive benefits, although effectiveness of Web-based ABs remains unexplored. The purpose of this study was to assess impacts of three-minute Web-based AB on physical activity (PA) and time off-task in second graders (N = 38).

Methods: This quasi-experimental design was implemented in a primary school setting. The SenseWear Armband assessed PA and a modified Behavioral Observation System in Schools assessed time off-task. Children participated twice in four conditions: control (CON), non-active breaks (NAB), one active break (1AB), and two active breaks (2ABs). Breaks entailed physically active or meditation GoNoodle videos.

Results: Number …

อนาคตภาพของหลักสูตรและการจัดการเรียนรู้ฐานสมรรถนะ กรณีศึกษาโรงเรียนประถมศึกษาขนาดเล็ก, อิทธิกร บุนนาค

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การวิจัยครั้งนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อ 1. ศึกษาสภาพปัจจุบันของการใช้หลักสูตรและการจัดการเรียนรู้ฐานสมรรถนะในโรงเรียนประถมศึกษาขนาดเล็กในสังกัดสำนักงานคณะกรรมการการศึกษาขั้นพื้นฐาน และ 2. สังเคราะห์อนาคตภาพของการใช้หลักสูตรสถานศึกษาฐานสมรรถนะในโรงเรียนประถมศึกษาขนาดเล็กในสังกัดสำนักงานคณะกรรมการการศึกษาขั้นพื้นฐาน การวิจัยใช้ระเบียบวิธีวิจัยแบบผสมผสาน ภายใต้กรอบการวิจัยเชิงอนาคต กลุ่มตัวอย่างเป็นครูผู้สอนในโรงเรียนประถมศึกษาขนาดเล็ก จำนวน 420 คน ซึ่งได้จากการสุ่มแบบแบ่งชั้นตามภูมิภาค เครื่องมือที่ใช้ในการวิจัยคือแบบสอบถามเกี่ยวกับการจัดหลักสูตรและการจัดการเรียนรู้ฐานสมรรถนะ ซึ่งผ่านการตรวจสอบความตรงเชิงเนื้อหาและมีค่าความเชื่อมั่นในระดับสูง การวิเคราะห์ข้อมูลเชิงปริมาณใช้สถิติเชิงพรรณนา ขณะที่ข้อมูลเชิงคุณภาพได้จากผู้บริหารและครูผู้สอนในโรงเรียนประถมศึกษาขนาดเล็ก จำนวน 9 คน นำมาวิเคราะห์และสังเคราะห์เพื่อใช้เป็นฐานข้อมูลในการสร้างฉากทัศน์อนาคต การสังเคราะห์ภาพอนาคตของการใช้หลักสูตรสถานศึกษาฐานสมรรถนะในโรงเรียนประถมศึกษาขนาดเล็กสามารถจำแนกออกเป็น 3 ฉากทัศน์ ได้แก่ (1) ฉากทัศน์ของการเปลี่ยนผ่านแบบค่อยเป็นค่อยไป (incremental change scenario) ซึ่งสะท้อนการปรับการดำเนินงานภายใต้ข้อจำกัดเชิงโครงสร้างและเชิงระบบ (2) ฉากทัศน์ของโรงเรียนที่สามารถพัฒนาได้อย่างเป็นรูปธรรม (transformative scenario) ซึ่งโรงเรียนสามารถขับเคลื่อนการใช้หลักสูตรฐานสมรรถนะได้อย่างชัดเจนเมื่อได้รับการสนับสนุนที่เหมาะสม และ (3) ฉากทัศน์ของโรงเรียนที่ยังคงรูปแบบเดิมเป็นหลัก (business as usual scenario) ซึ่งการดำเนินงานด้านหลักสูตรและการจัดการเรียนรู้มีการเปลี่ยนแปลงอย่างจำกัด ผลการวิจัยชี้ให้เห็นความจำเป็นของการพัฒนากลไกสนับสนุนที่สอดคล้องกับบริบทของโรงเรียนประถมศึกษาขนาดเล็ก เพื่อให้เอื้อต่อการขับเคลื่อนหลักสูตรฐานสมรรถนะในระยะยาว

Beyond The Bin: Transforming Relationships With Waste Through A Collaborative Inquiry-Based Environmental Education Curriculum, Kaylee V. Morris

Pitzer Senior Theses

This thesis presents Beyond the Bin, a collaborative inquiry-based environmental education curriculum designed to transform how young learners understand and interact with waste. Motivated by the limitations of current downstream waste education—focused primarily on consumer behavior and individual disposal practices—this project argues for an upstream approach that identifies the underlying cause of these prevalent systems of disposability. Grounded in environmental education theory, affective learning, and ecological literacy, the curriculum encourages students to rethink waste as a material with creative potential rather than something to discard. Through creative engagement, experiential learning, and community-based initiatives, the curriculum fosters collaboration between students, teachers, …

Improving Student Behavior And Safety On Bus Route 40 Through A Team-Based Climate Intervention, Kathleen M. Lopez Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

Student transportation is a daily yet often overlooked component of school climate, safety, and equity. This Dissertation in Practice (DiP), aligned with Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) principles of inquiry, collaboration, and continuous improvement, examined how a structured, team-based intervention could improve student behavior and bus climate on Bus Route 40 at Pinecrest Primary School. Guided by improvement science principles and grounded in a commitment to equity, the study applied a 90-day Plan–Do–Study–Act (PDSA) cycle to test and refine strategies aimed at fostering safety, belonging, and accountability among students. The intervention organized students into color-coded teams that earned …

Building Student-Teacher Relational Trust Through The Promotion Of Student Voice Initiatives, Scott Scherquist

Theses and Dissertations

This Dissertation in Practice investigated how student voice initiatives can strengthen student–teacher relational trust within an urban Pre-kindergarten through eighth grade (PreK-8) school serving a predominantly Black student population. Grounded in Khalifa’s (2018) Culturally Responsive School Leadership framework, the study implemented a 90-day cycle of inquiry focused on a three-part pathway intervention: the establishment of a Student Voice Committee, professional development on culturally responsive practices, and Student Consultation for School Change. A convergent mixed methods design was employed, combining two administrations of the 5Essentials Survey with pre- and post-intervention interviews of students and teachers. Findings revealed disparities between student and …

Turning The Page On Toxic Friendships: How Stories Can Transform Female Friendships, Ericka Renee Bush

Theses and Dissertations

Relational aggression, subtle behaviors such as gossip, exclusion, and social manipulation, can significantly undermine female students’ sense of belonging, peer relationships, and engagement in school. At Sinclair Intermediate School, Illinois 5Essentials Survey data revealed a sharp decline in peer relationship scores among female students, along with evidence gathered through student interviews, analysis of bullying report forms, and observation from an SEL lesson. This Dissertation in Practice investigates how a targeted intervention, Turning the Page on Toxic Friendships: How Stories Can Transform Female Friendships, can strengthen female peer relationships through bibliotherapy. Grounded in Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate principles and …