Secondary Education Commons^™

From Theory To Practice: Establishing The Classroom As The Setting For Race Talk Through The Intentional Analysis And Discussion Of Poems By Authors Of Color, Cree Taylor

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Modern-day racism exists in mostly subtle ways and is often felt most keenly in the classroom. When schools began the legal integration process in 1954, Black teachers were fired, all-Black schools were closed, and Black students were bused to the formerly all-White schools. In this new environment, Black students and all Students of color were forced to accept and adapt to an educational system that favored Whites over all other racial groups. Today, White Supremacy in education affects the establishment of state and national standards, school and district boundaries, and the un-fair disciplinary action taken against Students of Color. In …

College Students And Their Political Participation, Emily Williams

Honors Projects

Historically, college students have had a low voter turnout despite having particularly high political engagement. This is a problem because it is instilling a bad habit of not politically engaging to the extent that a productive United States citizen should. By not voting, Americans are losing their rights to representation that reflects their views and beliefs. In this paper I discuss why this low voter turnout is negative and what the United States can do, via the government and educational institutions, to increase voter turnout. In this research, the reader will discover the reasons for low voting rates among college …

A Place Of Yes? Experiences Of Educators Participating In Site-Based Teacher-Led Reform, Elizabeth Hind

Education (PhD) Dissertations

This study examined the experiences of four teachers who participated as mentors in a teacher-designed and -implemented creative community at a middle school in southern California. Using the arts-based research methodologies of poetic inquiry, narrative inquiry, and painting, the researcher explored how teachers experience teaching and learning when they deconstruct structures that perpetuate standardization and choose to approach education as a place of yes, freed from the parameters of mandated curriculum, the idea of education as product, and high- stakes accountability measures. The study revealed that the qualities of the creative community had a humanizing effect on its participants, allowing …

Faith And Experience In Education: Essays From Quaker Perspectives (Book Review), Linda Samek

Faculty Publications - College of Education

"In Faith and Experience in Education: Essays from Quaker Perspectives, we find essays emerging from conversations conducted by the Quaker Values in Education Group in Britain."

How Do Student And Secondary School Characteristics Explain College English I Completion In A Rural Arkansas Community College?, Jessica Rohlman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Community colleges serve diverse populations that may not be as academically prepared as at four-year institutions. Accountability of higher education institutions is ever-increasing in importance, so understanding the contributing factors to student success is critical. Students bring a unique set of characteristics to the community college, including individual traits and secondary school experiences. Many studies have examined these characteristics at large urban or mid-western institutions, but few in rural settings. Rural areas of the United States have lower rates of educational attainment than other areas, which often translates to lower incomes. It is the mission of community colleges to train …

Central Coast High School Student Scholarship Fundraiser, Alex Beamer

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Central Coast Continuation High School (CCCHS or CCHS) is designed around the philosophy of giving students in danger of not graduating a second chance at a diploma with alternative education strategies. The problem this Capstone aims to remedy is that many of these students cannot access college for a variety of reasons after graduating high school. These students are stigmatized for attending a continuation school, are in low socio-economic (SES) brackets, and lack scholarship access - these issues prevent college access. Consequences of this problem include future lack of access to higher paying jobs, loss of societal potential, and continuing …

Effects Of Block Scheduling Vs Traditional Period Scheduling On The Academic Achievement Of Middle School Students, Katelyn Olsen

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The way school is structured plays a major role in the academic achievement of middle school students. Scheduling systems like block scheduling and traditional period scheduling have played major roles on how students throughout the world are making the transition from elementary school to high school. While the academic achievement of middle school students is based on a collection of things, this senior capstone research project will explore how block scheduling vs traditional period scheduling affect the academic achievement of middle school students. The purpose of this project is to see the answer to the best scheduling system for middle …

Queering The Curriculum: Establishing Equity For Lgbtqia Students And Educators In Michigan, Miranda Findlay

All NMU Master's Theses

This project examines the state of Michigan’s efforts in creating an equitable learning and working environment for LGBTQIA K-12 students and educators, explicitly focusing on 11^th and 12^th grade English Language Arts (ELA) standards. In the first chapter, I evaluate the relationship between queer theory and pedagogy and illuminate the need to implement queer pedagogy in teaching K-12 ELA classes. The following chapter reviews the progressive state of California for its promotion of culturally responsive pedagogy and its inclusion of LGBTQIA topics in its K-12 curriculum. The third chapter analyzes Michigan legislature and policies to highlight gaps that …

The Haves And The Have Nots: How Disparities In Social Capital Impact The Postsecondary Decision Processes Of Seniors At A Midwestern High School, Patricia M. Closson

Dissertations

High school is the time when final preparations are made prior to embarking on postsecondary opportunities—enrollment in two or four-year colleges/ universities or vocational training programs, enlistment in the military, or employment. These decisions become based on resources, information, and networks—forms of social capital. By conceptualizing within-school differences among the student population, the experiences of the haves and have nots are shared to highlight the impact of social capital disparities on the postsecondary decision-making process. Through qualitative research, the researcher analyzed data culled from interviews with both student and parent participants in a medium-sized Midwestern high school by examining postsecondary …

Effects Of Chair Testing In Orchestra On Student Motivation: Student Perspectives And Applications From Motivational Theories, Rosanna Christine Honeycutt

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine how string students perceive achievement on chair testing through the lens of attribution and achievement goal motivational self-theories. A teacher survey was administered to identify the goals of chair testing in two high school and seven middle school orchestra classrooms. A student survey was used to collect data in those same classrooms on (a) the reasons why students do and do not do well on chair tests, (b) the perceived goals of chair testing and (c) the ratings of motivation and self-achievement. Qualitative techniques were used to analyze attributions within both …

From Start To Finish: Predicting Enrollment And Attainment In Arkansas Postsecondary Education, Katherine Kopotic

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Postsecondary education has become a popular option for students, as evidenced by increases in enrollment over the last two decades. However, while enrollment has increased, completion has not. It is therefore important to investigate the factors that could lead to students’ enrollment, persistence, and completion of college. This dissertation examines two broad topics over three chapters. Chapters 1 and 2 focus examine the impact of a policy change that resulted in backloading the award disbursement of a state-wide merit-based scholarship program in Arkansas on college enrollment and success. Chapter 3 examines factors that influence the predictive nature of high school …

How To Create A Radically Inclusive Math Classroom With Regards To Gender And Sexual Orientation, Alexa Devore

Honors Program Theses

An extensive literature review was conducted to analyze how a secondary mathematics teacher can best support female and LGBTQ students. While extensive research has been conducted about the gender gap in STEM, concerning female students, little research has been done that includes LGBTQ students. While female students have made great improvements in mathematics participation and achievement, there is still work to be done. LGBTQ students face similar difficulties as female students but have not received the same attention and research as female students. This research indicates there are more things teachers should be doing to support students who have been …

"Untrain Their Brains For Creativity To Feel Normal": A Case Study Of Four Early Career Secondary English Teachers' Perceptions And Practices For Cultivating Creativity, Jennifer A. Jennings

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Creativity in the context of teaching and learning has renewed its popularity in today’s social discourse. Journalists, business leaders, economists, government officials, entrepreneurs, and lay people are calling for those in P-20 education to produce workers and citizens with skills that allow them to be flexible and critical thinkers, as well as innovative problem-solvers. This qualitative, multiple case study examined early-career English teachers’ conceptual understanding of and classroom practices related to cultivating creativity skills among students. Data were gathered through opening interviews, classroom teaching observations, closing interviews.

This study culminated in four major findings. The first was that the teachers …

Mindfulness And Testing: An Exploration Of The Benefits Of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Meditation Practice On Test Anxiety, Anastasia Quirk

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Test anxiety is a growing concern for students as it can negatively impact student performance. Mindfulness is a practice of focused breathing meditation intended to increase awareness of oneself and the present moment and decrease anxiety. With the recent increase in mindfulness practices in schools, this research examines the potential impact of mindfulness-based cognitive practice on anxiety levels, test anxiety, and standardized test scores through the use of the ACT standardized placement test, the TAI-G, a self-administered Test Anxiety Inventory, and the Biodot, a device measuring physiological indications of anxiety. Using analysis of variance and paired samples t-tests, a significant …

Shifts In Federal Educational Policies And The Effect On Middle Tennessee Band Programs, Vivienne Emde

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

The objectives of this thesis are to examine how federal legislation for education has impacted music education and to identify trends that may shape the future funding and operation of band programs in Middle Tennessee.

Evaluating Online Information: Attitudes And Practices Of Secondary English Language Arts Teachers, Matthew Korona

Journal of Media Literacy Education

As an increasing number of teens are engaging in digital environments, they are becoming open to online misinformation often designed to further a variety of agendas. Online misinformation, or “fake news” as it is often referred to in popular culture, permeates all Web 2.0 technologies. Since English Language Arts curriculums often focus on topics related to critical media literacy, English Language Arts teachers have a unique opportunity to integrate strategies to evaluate online information. This survey design study explored the attitudes and practices of secondary English Language Arts teachers regarding teaching students strategies to detect online misinformation. Teachers working within …

Emotional Intelligence: An Essential Ingredient For Principals To Successfully Implement The Big Picture Learning 10 Distinguishers, Amos Nugent Iii

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this mixed methods descriptive case study was to explore and describe the importance of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management EI characteristics as perceived by principals when implementing the 10 learning distinguishers of Big Picture Learning (BPL) schools’ conceptual framework in order to support the academic success of ninth- to 12th-grade students attending BPL alternative education schools in the Southwestern United States.

Methodology. This mixed methods research design used qualitative and quantitative data to analyze the research questions regarding the importance of EI characteristics when supporting student academic success according to alternative education principals. The …

The World "The Way We Saw It", Katia Karadjova, Kyle Morgan

Journal, Arcata High School, The World "The way we saw it" (2019-2020)

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Small-Group Collaboration On Student Attitudes Towards Mathematics, Philip Golden

Undergraduate Theses

Collaborative group work has become a prevalent teaching strategy in high school mathematics classrooms, and for good reason. When implemented effectively, studies show that collaboration improves student learning outcomes. However, there are other factors to consider when deciding on best practices for teaching, one being student attitudes towards the content. In particular student attitudes towards mathematics (which are not generally positive) are important to consider. In this study, students in a high school mathematics classroom took a survey before and after a unit that implemented collaborative strategies. Results of the study indicate that student attitudes towards math improved after working …

Text Messaging Between School Counselors And Students: An Exploratory Study, Nicholas R. Gilly

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

This exploratory case study examines the impact of text messaging on mentoring relationships when used as an outreach between school counselors and high school students, where established relationships are lacking. An SMS gateway was used to mediate communication between school counselors (N=2) and students (N=5) over a three-month timeframe. The SMS gateway converted email, sent from counselors, to text messages, which were received on mobile devices of students and allowed students to respond back to counselors. Findings indicate that the use of text messaging may ease scheduling of face-to-face meetings between counselors and students, but evidence does not support any …