Elementary Education Commons^™

Students Obtaining Tools To Achieve Regulation (Soar), Lacey D. Sanguinito

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2025

Students Obtaining Tools to Achieve Regulation (SOAR) is a doctoral capstone project that addressed the need for integrated social emotional learning (SEL) in elementary education. SEL is an evidence-based approach shown to improve academic outcomes, behavior, and long-term life success, yet implementation barriers remain in school settings. This project aimed to enhance student regulation, classroom engagement, and teacher confidence in SEL techniques through a multi-tiered approach. A scoping review of SEL literature identified the implementation methods and barriers to SEL curricula in elementary education, which informed the development of SOAR. SOAR consisted of (a) a 20-session, movement-based SEL curriculum targeting …

Curriculum Vitae Of Philip C. Guin (1931-2007), Philip C. Guin

Collected Papers of Philip C. Guin

No abstract provided.

Addressing Fine Motor Skills In Kindergarten Through Embedding Occupational Fine Motor Skills In Classrooms, Mary L. Hesterwerth

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Fine motor and visual–motor delays are becoming more common among young children, driven by the shift from traditional physical play to screen time and worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. These issues are particularly concerning for kindergarten students, whose academic demands for handwriting and classroom participation are increasing despite their limited prior school experience.

Purpose: This Capstone project aimed to evaluate the effects of an occupational therapist-led training workshop for kindergarten teachers, focusing on how it helps integrate fine motor activities into daily bellwork routines. The main research question was whether this Tier 1, classroom-based strategy could enhance students’ fine …

Low Caregiver Engagement In Elementary Education: Exploring The Barriers And Importance Of Meaningful Engagement, Brooke A. Millevoi

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Low caregiver engagement in elementary education endures as a significant challenge, with substantial implications for students’ academic achievement, social-emotional development, and overall well-being. Despite decades of research affirming the importance of strong home-school partnerships, systemic inequities, rooted in historical, structural, and policy-based barriers, continue to limit meaningful collaboration between educators and caregivers, particularly in underserved communities. This thesis examines the disconnect between caregivers and key aspects of students’ educational experiences, including academic progress, classroom behavior, and school participation. In response, this work presents the design and implementation of a targeted caregiver engagement program that seeks to dismantle these barriers, foster …

Afghan Students Are More Than Just English Learners, Farilla Saboor

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This thesis examines the strengths that Afghan students and their families bring to U.S. schools and how these strengths are often overlooked. Drawing on my experience as an Afghan immigrant, math teacher, and bilingual instructional aide, I explore how Afghan students, parents, and teachers describe these cultural, linguistic, and relational assets that shape students’ learning and sense of belonging. I use the Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) and Funds of Knowledge (FoK) as guiding frameworks to understand the aspirational, linguistic, familial, social, navigational, and resistant capital present in participants’ experiences (Moll et al., 1992; Yosso, 2005).

I conducted qualitative interviews with …

Understanding Self-Efficacy And Motivation In Elementary Teachers: The Influence And Support Of School Administrators, Maria Vigil

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Teachers’ attrition is commonly seen within the first five years in the profession. Various reasons exist as the cause for this decision including: low pay rates, lack of support and stress. With the important role educators hold, a clear understanding of their specific needs can help strengthen their abilities while remaining in the field. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to understand teachers’ perspectives of what influences their self-efficacy and motivation in order to promote strong work performance, effectiveness, increase teacher satisfaction and retention rates while highlighting the impact of support provided by school administrators. The research questions …

“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 …

The Impact Of Using Practicum Portfolio On Early Childhood Student Teachers' Reflective Practice, Buad Khales, Afif Zaidan, Fathi Ihmeideh

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

: This study aimed to investigate how the use of practicum portfolios impacts early childhood student teachers' reflective practice in Palestine. The study utilized qualitative and quantitative methods to gather and analyze student teachers' perspectives on using practicum portfolios for their professional development. The main focus was to understand the student teachers' stance on reflective teaching and their engagement in different stages of the reflective practice cycle. The study involved 16 student teachers at Al-Quds University in Palestine. Data were collected through a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Results indicated that the portfolio helped student teachers assess their work and improved …

Understanding Implementation Of Engineering Practices In Primary Grades Through Practitioner Literature, Marcie L. Raol

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This document analysis of elementary science education practitioner literature, namely Science Activities and Science and Children, between the years of 2009-2022 was completed to gain an understanding of the ways in which engineering practices have been implemented in primary grade classrooms over time. The Next Generation of Science Standards (NGSS) were released in 2013 and provided national standards that integrated engineering into the structure of science education. One justification for this inclusion was to help students solve major societal and environmental challenges of the future. The research divided the years into three time periods in order to provide a …

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) …

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 …

Influence Of Naturalistic Language Intervention On Child Communication And Engagement, Olivia R. Abate

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

The purpose of this study is to parallel naturalistic instructional contexts that often occur during caregiver-child interactions (e.g., one-to-one arrangement during play) to learn more about how children respond when prompting is introduced compared to responsive interaction strategies alone or with environmental arrangement strategies. This exploratory study was designed to evaluate the potential differential effects within an ATD, comparing RI alone, RI + EA, and RI + MP on joint engagement, communication acts, and interfering behaviors. This study is ongoing and lacks results for communication acts. Preliminary results supported and contradicted aspects of the hypothesis: joint engagement would occur at …

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

Modern Classical Christian Education?, Donna Lybarger

Master of Arts in Classical Studies

This thesis asks if the ancient tradition of classical education is an education method for the modern world. More specifically, this thesis questions, how might classical education methods be implemented for the acquisition of wisdom in the modern world? The literature review gives a brief history of classical education from the Greeks, and a history of why classical education is again a topic of conversation in the modern world. The three stages of classical education, the trivium, is explained. Classical Christian education is defined noting the method remains the same, but the difference is the nuances of the virtues of …

Exercise As An Antecedent Intervention, Alexis M. Estephan

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

Special education classroom teachers often experience students demonstrating challenging behaviors causing themselves and their peers to fall off task. This study examined the effect of antecedent exercise on on-task behaviors. This exercise included modeling a dance video to assess increasing levels of duration of on-task behaviors.

Exploring Factors Influencing Student Growth In Mathematics: Elementary Teacher Instructional Practices, Beliefs, And Professional Development Experiences, Marni E. Driessen

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

High-quality student learning experiences in mathematics rely on effective teaching. This mixed methods study investigates how elementary teachers’ instructional practices, beliefs about mathematics teaching and learning, and professional development experiences relate to student mathematics growth in a large urban district. Quantitative survey data were analyzed to examine relationships among these factors and student growth outcomes, while qualitative data complemented and deepened the measurable findings. This study builds on prior research on instructional practices and professional development effectiveness by integrating constructs typically examined separately and identifying multiple teacher-related factors that distinguish classrooms with high student growth from those with low growth. …

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, …

Holding Space For Two Truths: Thematic Analysis Of Speech Language Pathologists’ And Teachers’ Philosophies And Practices In Reading Comprehension, Ryan Foote

Theses and Dissertations--Communication Sciences and Disorders

Introduction: Reading is a doorway to life participation. Only about one-third of fourth graders have read at grade level for the last three decades. Multiple views on what constitutes skilled reading emphasize decoding and greater variability among comprehension-related skills. Scarborough’s Reading Rope is the most specific in defining discrete skills necessary for adequate reading comprehension. This study aims to understand how elementary-level general education teachers and speech-language pathologists define “reading comprehension” and describe their practices in assessing and developing these skills. Methodology: Elementary school speech-language pathologists and teachers were interviewed about their conceptualizations and applications of the discrete skills in …

Innovative Teaching Strategies And Lesson Plans To Support Students With Adhd, Celeste Grantham

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores how creativity, imagination, and problem-solving can be harnessed to improve student outcomes – specifically engagement, motivation, and academic achievement – for students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in elementary classrooms. Rather than conducting a data-driven study, this project draws upon interdisciplinary research from educational psychology, cognitive science, and pedagogy to design inclusive research-informed teaching strategies. The cognitive processes underpinning creativity and imagination – such as divergent thinking, mind-wandering, and creative incubation – are examined as potential strengths often underutilized in traditional classrooms. A comprehensive literature review establishes how these variables interact and influence the learning experiences of students …

Exploring The Benefits, Barriers, And Sustainability Of Community Stem Partnerships: A Qualitative Case Study On Stem Collaboration In Elementary Education, Katherine M. Blagden

Open Access Dissertations

In an era of increasing emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, elementary schools often face significant challenges in implementing high-quality, integrated STEM instruction. These challenges include limited resources, inconsistent professional development, and a lack of access to real-world, community-based learning experiences (Dorph et al., 2018; National Science Board, 2024). This dissertation explores how collaborative partnerships among elementary schools, community organizations, and industry professionals can overcome these barriers and foster meaningful, sustainable STEM learning opportunities for young students. Drawing on the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) model (Kretzmann & McKnight, 1993) and informed by a constructivist theoretical framework (Vygotsky, …