Elementary Education Commons^™

A Qualitative Study For Parental Involvement In Middle School: Perspectives Of Parents And Teachers, Twana Ivory

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to examine the barriers contributing to low parental involvement in a selected middle school. Parental engagement has been widely linked to student academic success and positive behavior outcomes; however, involvement tends to decline as students enter middle school. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of educators and parents regarding parental involvement, identify the challenges families face, and discover opportunities to strengthen school-family collaboration.

The researcher employed a qualitative research design using a phenomenological approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven participants, including six middle school teachers and five parents. …

Using The Foundational Numeracy Transformation Cycle To Gain Insights And Perspectives On Teaching And Learning, Brooke Custis

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The Foundational Numeracy Transformation Cycle (FNTC) was created in part to increase the percentage of students with disabilities performing at or above grade level in middle school mathematics. Through professional development and support, the FNTC worked within regional co-ops to increase math proficiency at all grade levels by building instructional capacity in primary educators. In addition to increasing student proficiency, the FNTC also aimed to enhance educator confidence in implementing Mathematical Teaching Practice (MTP) #2. This study used quantitative analysis to determine that participation in the FNTC had no statistically significant effect on student achievement. This study also explored the …

Cultivating Counter-Stories To Deficit Narrative Of Students: A Literacy Problem Of Practice, Amanda Brown

Theses and Dissertations

In urban schools across the United States, literacy outcomes remain inequitable, especially for BIPOC students and those living in poverty. In District 17, the mandate to rigidly implement a purchased curriculum resource reinforces deficit-oriented views of student ability and limits teachers’ professional agency to adjust instruction based on formative data. As a result, instruction becomes disconnected from student needs and identities, further exacerbating literacy inequities.

Guided by Mintrop’s cycle of inquiry, this qualitative study examined how participation in a 90-day inquiry cycle influenced the narratives teachers constructed about their students’ literacy abilities. Kindergarten through third grade teachers collaboratively planned and …

The Impact Of Bilingual Teacher License, And Years Of Experience On Bilingual Student Reading Achievement Across Multiple-Grade Levels, Cuauhtemoc D. Reyes

Theses and Dissertations

The body of literature had an ongoing debate of which certification or license type had a greater impact on student achievement. Nevertheless, there were insufficient studies that focused on the impact of certification type and years of experience in the Bilingual camp. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was to explore the findings of the various impact Bilingual teacher license, years of experience, and both Bilingual license and years of experience had on Bilingual student reading achievement. Hence, the dissertation used a quantitative causal-comparative design and explored the research questions. The findings varied from grade levels, school years, and languages. …

From Unprepared To On Track: Closing The Kindergarten Readiness Gap By Using A Team-Based Approach To Implement A Multi-Tiered System Of Supports (Mtss) Framework With Fidelity, Erica Filipiak

Theses and Dissertations

We live in a world where preschool and even kindergarten are optional years in schooling, only perpetuating the problem of incoming kindergartener students systemically lacking foundational skills necessary to successfully begin their academic careers. Access to quality preschool is an equity problem that needs to be discussed and researched. Preparing a student to enter kindergarten with the appropriate foundational academic skills does not just set them up for kindergarten success, but also for success in future grade levels. Therefore, a co-design team focused a problem of practice at an elementary school to provide the kindergarten teacher with additional support by …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Harmony Or Discord? A Study On The Alignment Between National Objectives And Reformed Social Studies Textbooks In Egypt, Lina Yehia

Theses and Dissertations

Education systems, in many parts of the world, have served as a channel for communicating national goals to students, and Egypt has not been an exception. This study examines how public textbooks effectively align with equipping future generations of Egyptians to fulfill the nation’s development policy goals set for 2030. Utilizing a qualitative research design, this study employed textbook and document analyses of the published national policy goals of the current administration, along with the most recently reformed social studies textbooks of Grades 4, 5, and 6, a product of EDU 2.0. Based on an analysis of national documents, the …

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

Transforming Transitions Ii: Building Children's Engagement In Learning At School, Lennie Barblett, Fiona Boylan, Amelia Ruscoe

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Building on the success of the Transforming Transitions project conducted with ten Western Australian Independent Schools (Barblett et al., 2023), this study extended the inquiry into school engagement and the transition process. The project was reimagined to deepen collaboration with schools, focusing on two key areas: first, fostering meaningful engagement with young learners and their families during the transition to school by drawing on their funds of knowledge; and second, centering the perspectives of children as active participants in their transition, acknowledging their experiences and the role of family-school engagement in shaping their sense of belonging.

Some Comply While Some Defy: Elementary Teachers’ Responses To Leadership Mandates On Reading Comprehension Instruction, Reid J. Smith, Pamela C. Snow, Tanya A. Serry, Lorraine S. Hammond

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: We report the qualitative findings from a survey of elementary teachers regarding reading instruction. The purpose is to extend on quantitative findings in a previously described survey to gain a more in-depth understanding of Australian elementary teachers’ approaches to the literacy block in their schools: how this is used, who makes instructional decisions, and how teachers respond to these. Method: A web-based survey was used to collect data from Australian elementary teachers about their perspectives regarding reading comprehension instruction. Of the 284 respondents, 182 (64.1%) provided free-text comments in response to open-ended questions. Responses were coded and analyzed for …

Co-Designing A Children's Transition Charter For The Transition To School: Opening Participatory Spaces To Hear Children's Voices, Lennie Barblett, Leanne Lavina, Fiona Boylan, Amelia Ruscoe

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This project sought to gather the voices of young children to investigate whether a co-development process could be used to develop a transition to school charter with children and their teachers. Children's experiences of the transition to school can have far-reaching effects on their continuing educational journey. Seven teachers from the early years of school and 52 children (3–5 years) participated in the project over a school year. Participatory action research framed the study, which utilised child-centred methods for children to describe their dreams, hopes and aspirations of what school would be like and how their transition could be improved. …

The Absence Of Disability Representation: A Critical Gap In Children's Picture Books, Helen Adam, Sally Murphy, Yvonne Urquhart, Katira Ahmed

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In a recent study, we examined the diversity of main characters and family structures in 90 award listed Australian children's picture books from 2019 and 2020. We found some progress compared to past research (Adam and Barratt-Pugh, 2020; Adam et al., 2021) in terms of culturally diverse representation, though still with predominantly white main protagonists (Adam and Urquhart, 2023). Similarly, we found some increased representation of diverse family structures, albeit with notable absences of LGBTQIA+, step, foster and blended families (Adam et al., 2024). However, a glaring omission caught our attention - the almost complete absence of disability representation among …

Playgrounds On Paper: Children’S Drawings As A Window Into Outdoor Play Preferences, Sebnem Cetken-Aktas, Serap Sevimli-Celik

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Children’s creativity in expressing themselves through traditional media, such as drawing, remains strong and reflects their keen awareness of their surroundings. Involving children in the design process provides a valuable opportunity to understand their perspectives. This study engaged 47 five-year-old children to explore their preferences for outdoor play environments through their drawings. The methodology involved analysing these drawings to gain insights into the children’s understanding and desires related to playground experiences. Conducted in multiple stages, the study revealed significant aspects of children’s preferences. The findings highlighted the children’s interest in imaginative features that extend beyond traditional playground structures, as well …

The Perceptions Of Australian Identity By Year 5 And Year 6 Students In An Australian Independent School, Renae Nahajski, Dianne Chambers, Shane Lavery

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The study described here explored the perceptions of eight Year 5 and Year 6 students of their Australian identity in an independent Western Australian metropolitan school. The epistemological approach for this research was constructivism with an interpretivist theoretical perspective. We aimed to understand the perspectives of the eight student participants by use of a phenomenological methodology. Semi-structured interviews and student drawn pictures provided the data. Results revealed common values, citizenship, and a strong sense of belonging as important attributes of the participants’ perceptions of their own Australian national identity. The results provide insights into how students perceive their sense of …

Taiwanese Elementary School Teachers’ Mindset Of Content And Language Integrated Learning (Clil) Instruction, Chin-Wen Chien

Journal of English Learner Education

Teachers need to undergo a mindset shift in language learning and teaching. This study used both qualitative and quantitative data to explore seven Taiwanese Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) teachers’ mindsets and led to the following major findings. First, the CLIL teachers had a stronger mindset regarding their instructional strategies, lesson preparations, and efficacy, compared to their more moderate mindset regarding their CLIL training and preparation. Secondly, the CLIL teachers had a different mindset regarding language use in their CLIL instruction due to their learners’ English proficiency levels. Finally, their lesson designs were lacking a 4Cs culture. Based on …

Digital Stories Of Resilience: A Case Study Of Urban Community College English Learners, Patricia George Hunter

Journal of English Learner Education

This study utilizes a qualitative case study approach to learn how project-based, digital storytelling (DST) voices the resilience of post-secondary English language learners (ELLs) attending a minority-serving, open-access, community college in New York City. Along with many studies that have examined the usefulness of DST in oral production, this research investigates whether project-based digital storytelling enhances students’ understanding of academic content related to resilience and conventional composition. Narrative inquiry (NI) research technique is the basis of the digital story project in an English as a Second Language (ESL) course. In this case, the study relies on observations and artifacts to …