Elementary Education Commons^™

Children As Design Visionaries, Learners, And Socio-Political Wayfinders: Mapping The Layers, Hierarchies, And Rhythms Of A School Community, Natalie R. Davis, Roni Barsoum

Occasional Paper Series

Despite the seemingly intractable problems of public schooling, we (as researchers and dreamers) remain encouraged by the persistent efforts to reconfigure and reimagine the sociopolitical landscape of schools. We begin this essay by recognizing the work of individuals bravely and imperfectly expanding notions of what schools could and should be. We stand in solidarity with the innovators sowing, designing, and reaching toward more just social futures, dreaming of schools for children that are not so distant from the paradise Butler (2001) describes (Figure 1). This liberatory dreamwork coincides with long histories of communal ingenuity (Vossoughi et al., 2016), resistance against …

Why Arts Education, At All?: An A/R/Tographic Inquiry, Darshana Devarajan, Brittany M. Brewer, Karenanna Boyle Creps, Reyila Hadeer

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

In the wake of curricular epistemicide, the authors draw your attention towards the theoretical and practical constraints created around arts education. As a/r/tographers (artists, researchers, and teachers), we argue that our ways of knowing and creating in the space of curriculum and instruction are dynamic ways to think about and through curricular epistemicide. In foregrounding our own experiences of “(un)becoming through the cracks”, when we are faced with restrictive ways of knowing in a Department of Teacher Education, we put forth a question through our arts-based practices of knowing: why arts education, at all?

Book Censorship And Its Threat To Critical Inquiry In Social Studies Education, Donald R. Mcclure

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

This article argues that recent advances in book censorship in the United States point to a threat to critical inquiry pedagogy in social studies education— a content area aiming to prepare learners for active and engaged citizenship in a pluralistic, democratic society. To support this argument, the article offers a description of critical inquiry pedagogy and explains how critical inquiry is connected to social studies education. It provides examples of two recently censored children’s literature books listed on Pen America’s (2022) Index of School Book Bans and it explains what these books may offer social studies education. It then suggests …

Green Genius, Zoe Zingler

Honors Program: Expanded Learning Clubs

No abstract provided.

Elementary Teachers' Self-Perceptions Of Teaching Team Effectiveness, Kelly Hank Denny

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, predictive correlational research study is to determine if there is a relationship between individual teachers’ self-perceptions of their grade level teaching team’s effectiveness and their teaching experiences. Research related to the development of effective teaching teams to positively influence academic progress is synthesized. Theoretical frameworks include Bandura’s (1986) social cognitive theory, Senge’s (1990) learning organization model, and Tuckman’s (1965) model of group development. Convenience sampling was utilized to gather data from 77 elementary teachers working in the same southeastern school district. The Tuckman Team Maturity Questionnaire (TTMQ) was the instrument used to determine teachers’ self-perceptions …

High-Growth Elementary Schools In Arkansas Based On Performance On The Act Aspire Examinations, Sarah C. Mckenzie

Arkansas Education Reports

This section highlights elementary schools across the state whose students demonstrated high growth on the Arkansas ACT Aspire exams. The ACT Aspire was administered to students in grades 3 through 10 in April 2022 in Math and ELA courses which include English, Writing, and Reading.

Each table in this section presents the Top 20 schools for the noted subject area and school level. In addition, these tables include the region in which the schools are located, the grades served at the school, the weighted achievement score, and the content growth score in that particular subject.

The level of the schools, …

Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics (Stem) Project-Based Learning (Pbl) Education: A New Mexico Case Study For Equity And Inclusion, Kimberly A. Scheerer

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

This research addresses how student participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) project-based learning (PBL) education activities encourages underrepresented minority student achievement in STEM career field trajectories. Seven New Mexico high school counselors and 12 STEM organization personnel were interviewed during this study. Their responses represent the nuanced professional voices where New Mexico public education intersects with STEM student interest and cultural influence.

For students, STEM PBL can foster deep integration across educational disciplines and enhance STEM career trajectory interest and readiness. STEM education converged with PBL methodologies has the ability to leverage community support while broadening student networks. …

Historical Inquiry: Who Has The Power? Using Film To Introduce Students To Medieval Social Class Structures, Megan Todd, Janie Hubbard

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Using film in the classroom to teach history has long been endorsed as an effective pedagogical method when the lessons’ purposes and goals are clearly supported with facts. This article, which includes a National Council for the Social Studies C3 inquiry-based lesson plan, is targeted for educators who aspire to help students understand basic European Medieval history and engage in critical thinking. Medieval history is listed in many U.S. state curriculum standards and international teaching benchmarks; thus, this lesson contributes a teaching-ready source, particularly to introduce students to historical concepts, geographies, and politics (i.e., power structures). Clips from A Knight’s …

Computational Thinking And Coding For Young Children: A Hybrid Approach To Link Unplugged And Plugged Activities, Daisuke Akiba

Publications and Research

In our increasingly technology-dependent society, the importance of promoting digital literacy (e.g., computational thinking, coding, and programming) has become a critical focus in the field of childhood education. While young children these days are routinely and extensively exposed to digital devices and tools, the efficacy of the methods for fostering digital skills in the early childhood classroom has not always been closely considered. This is particularly true in settings where early childhood educators are not digital experts. Currently, most of the efforts in standard early childhood settings, taught by teachers who are not digital experts, appear to revolve around “unplugged” …

Working Conditions Of Indonesian Remote Elementary School Teachers: A Qualitative Case Study In Southern Papua, Basilius R. Werang, Donatus Wea, Agustinus Kia Wolomasi

The Qualitative Report

The quality of the teaching-learning process is determined not only by the qualifications and competence of teachers, but also by the school conditions in which they work. Teachers are clear about the working conditions that they need for them to be successful with students. A better working condition improves mood and concentration and provides an excellent working approach for teachers. This case study was intended to learn what working conditions teachers note as challenging while teaching in the remote elementary schools of Southern Papua. Seventeen teachers were willing to be interviewed to assist in answering the main inquiry question: “What …

Disability Awareness Program For Young Children: A Community Service-Learning Program At Preschool And Elementary School, Jingyuan Zhang, David Ray Miranda, Yan Ping Xin

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Individuals with disabilities account for 26% of Americans and 14% of public education students. This minority group may not only deal with physical and/or mental impairments but also negative societal misunderstandings and attitudes that may lead to decreased friendships and increased social exclusion. Awareness and knowledge about disabilities can play a role in changing people’s attitudes towards disabilities and aid in creating a more positive and inclusive environment. Researchers have found that disability awareness programs in schools can positively teach young children to build positive attitudes about disabilities. In our program, a group of doctoral students helped young children in …

The Casnr L.I.N.K.S. Newsletter: Learning Innovation Network For K-12 Schools, Edition 10, November 2022, Bailey Feit, Tammy Mittelstet

CASNR L.I.N.K.S. Newsletter

The purpose of this L.I.N.K.S. newsletter is to provide a monthly update of opportunities and resources for K-12 schools to connect with the University of Nebraska's CASNR Food, Energy, Water, and Societal Systems (FEWS²) programs and partners.

Included in this edition:

Curriculum and classroom resources for all levels

K-12 Partners website is live

Eye on curriculum and resources

Teacher opportunities

Link to list of new partnerships

Ask an expert

Eye on CASNR research: Yu Feng Ge

Student experiences

Send your students to campus: Husker weekday visit

Success stories: Art, science, and ag combine in a mural and Lincoln Northeast High …

It’S All Relative: Changes In Teachers’ Knowledge And Instruction During Covid-19, Daniel Mourlam, Daniel Decino, Steven R. Chesnut, Gabrielle Strouse, Ryan Los, Lisa Newland

School of Education Faculty Publications

In this convergent-parallel mixed-methods study, we explored the effect that teaching remotely during the first months of the pandemic had on teachers’ TPACK and how teachers leveraged their new and existing knowledge to facilitate remote instruction. Survey results indicated that teachers’ self-reported knowledge decreased across multiple TPACK subdomains, which is likely an indicator of teachers’ recalibration of their knowledge as they experienced a new instructional context. Findings from semi-structured interviews indicated that although instruction narrowed at times when teachers struggled to enact their knowledge in less-than-ideal circumstances, teachers were often able to successfully facilitate remote instruction.

All-Day Prekindergarten: Closing The Achievement Gap In Literacy, Theodore Clevenger Iv

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative research study was to compare the impact that half-day and full-day prekindergarten had on economically disadvantaged students on Grade 3 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) Reading test results. Data from students who previously attended a half-day and full-day prekindergarten program were analyzed to see which program had a greater impact on STAAR reading scores at the conclusion of third grade. The comparison included two urban school districts with an economically disadvantaged threshold of 70% or greater. Descriptive statistics to obtain frequencies were used to create data that showed how students performed …

Investigating The Relational Element Of Trust In Teacher-Principal Relationships: An Autoethnographic Case Study, Angela Bradley

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This autoethnographic case study was designed to investigate the relational aspect of trust, a characteristic of servant leadership, in the teacher-principal relationship. This trusting bond is an often overlooked, foundational element of a school’s success. I examined the role that trust plays in enhancing a school’s culture and how trust is established and maintained among one principal and teachers under my supervision. In addition, as researcher, I sought to uncover specific indicators that trust was present on a school campus. Finally, I sought to examine trust’s effects on collaboration and organizational commitment.

Through weekly reflections, I sought to examine my …

The Level Of Teachers' Readiness To Implement The Multi-Tiered System Of Support In Inclusive Schools, Doaa M. Alshaddadi, Abdulkarim H. Alhossein Prof.

International Journal for Research in Education

The aim of the study was to identify the extent of teachers’ readiness to implement the multi-tiered system of support in inclusive schools in Riyadh, and its relationship to gender, majors, years of teaching experience, and training workshops, and to identify whether the study variables can predict teachers’ readiness to implement multi-tiered system of support. A descriptive approach was used, and the researchers developed a survey which was distributed to a sample consisting of 167 male and female teachers. The results of the study indicated that most of the teachers were highly prepared to implement the multi-tiered system of support …

Diversity In Children's Books, Hala Qarini

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Abstract

This project aimed to determine whether Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) curriculum represents diversity in the books in a way that reflects the diversity of students in Fargo Public Schools (FPS). I used the green system in LLI curriculum level B-level I, which represents first grade. For this study, I analyzed eighty books total (lesson 21-lesson 100) based on the Fargo Public Schools definition of diversity. This method was a good match for my research question because it included gender/age, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic, religion, disability, and culture which Fargo Public School includes in its description.

After reviewing and completing a content …

Best Practices And Biblical Worldview For Technology Integration, Randall J. King, Carleigh Schoenleber, Deana Mack

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

This research focused on a study conducted across three different teacher education programs, focusing on equipping teacher candidates with strategies for technology integration while encouraging them to examine how to best glorify God with appropriate technology use in the classroom. Students were instructed using common research-based practices and assignments. These included instruction on the SAMR model, exploration of a variety of technology tools, and a reflection on what it means to glorify God through teaching with technology. Pre- and post-survey data was collected to measure the effectiveness of both the instruction and changes in students' attitudes and perceptions of technology …

Do Bullying Interventions Work? The Educators’ Perspective, James P. Kalis Edd, Karen H. Larwin Phd

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

This research examined the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) through the perspective of teachers located in a northeast Ohio county who received a grant to implement the program over a period of several years. The current investigation involved a Likert-style questions which were developed using the general implementation requirements of the OBPP. Teacher perception data were collected regarding implementation level, sustainability, support from other stakeholders, strengths, and weaknesses of the program, and whether they perceive it to reduce instances of bullying. Other moderators affecting perceptions were examined. These moderators include time, training, gender of teacher, years of experience, age of …

Organizational Original Design: Parental Responsibility For Christian Education And Faith Development In The Home, Brandi L. Ginty

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

This study will focus on biblical texts and Hebrew cultural evidence to assert that Christian education in the home was mandated by God as a function of parental leadership (Anthony, 2006; Birch, 1983; Bunge, 2008; Cox, 2006; French, 2013; Hall, 1981; Van Niekerk & Breed, 2018). An examination of the biblical text will support the claim that faith development was intended to begin with the relationship between parents and their children (Gaebelein, 1976; Walton, 2001; Knight, 2006). By considering the role of the parents and the educational environment of the home as the original organizational design for equipping the next …