Developing Mathematical Content Knowledge For Teaching Elementary School Mathematics,
2010
Portland State University
Developing Mathematical Content Knowledge For Teaching Elementary School Mathematics, Eva Thanheiser, Christine A. Browning, Meg Moss, Tad Watanabe, Gina Garza-Kling
Faculty Articles
In this paper the authors present three design principles they use to develop preservice teachers' mathematical content knowledge for teaching in their mathematics content and/or methods courses: (1) building on currently held conceptions, (2) modeling teaching for understanding, (3) focusing on connections between content knowledge and other types of knowledge. The authors share results of individual research projects and teaching approaches focusing on helping preservice elementary teachers develop such knowledge. Specific examples from different content areas (whole number, fractions, angle, and area) are discussed.
Effects Of Comprehensive Education On Elementary School Student Performance On Standardized Exams,
2010
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Effects Of Comprehensive Education On Elementary School Student Performance On Standardized Exams, Kenneth Vaughn Higbee
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The purpose if this study was to compare math and reading Criterion Reference Test (CRT) scores of 3rd and 5th grade students using two distinct educational models: a comprehensive educational curriculum (CEC) model and a No Child Left Behind (NCLB) curricular model. While the CEC curricular model focuses on a combination of core and non-core curriculum, the NCLB curricular model focused on a combination of intense core remediation and the reduction of some non-core curriculum. Students were from two demographically similar frontier Nevada elementary schools. Test scores were compared in 2004 when both schools used identical curricular approaches, and then …
“You Can Pick Really Good Literature That Will Lead Them There”: Investigating The Instructional Roles Teachers Utilize When Conducting Literature Discussions,
2010
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
“You Can Pick Really Good Literature That Will Lead Them There”: Investigating The Instructional Roles Teachers Utilize When Conducting Literature Discussions, Sophie M. Ladd
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The purpose of this multi-case study was to investigate the instructional roles teachers utilize in whole group and small group discussion. This study highlights the questioning and response strategies two elementary teachers used during read alouds and literature discussions. Data sources included whole group and small group discussions, interviews, teachers' reflection journals, classroom observations, researcher field notes, and Informal correspondence. Data were analyzed using Merriam's (1998) analytic framework for case study. A within-case analysis was conducted for each case, followed by a cross-case analysis. Through with-in case analysis questioning and response categories were developed. These categories included: appealing, prompting, examination, …
Educators' Attitudes Toward Outdoor Classrooms And The Cognitive Benefits In Children,
2010
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Educators' Attitudes Toward Outdoor Classrooms And The Cognitive Benefits In Children, Carlie Speedlin
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
A case study was organized at a K-5 elementary school in Lincoln, Nebraksa. This school is Saratoga Elementary School and is a United States Title I Distinguished School1 under No Child Left Behind. It has a population of 266 students, with 47% being minority, 1% gifted, and 28% special education (LPS School Profile Brochure). 80% of the student population is eligible for free/reduced meals, implying that it’s a school with a lower socioeconomic status. At this school a garden space was constructed and an after school garden club was implemented for this case study. The club had been running since …
A Dire Need,
2010
Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development, Karachi
A Dire Need, Mohammad Ali
Institute for Educational Development, Karachi
No abstract provided.
Magic, Monsters, And Merlin: An Exploration Of The Fantasy Genre In A Fifth Grade Setting,
2010
Rowan University
Magic, Monsters, And Merlin: An Exploration Of The Fantasy Genre In A Fifth Grade Setting, Traci Bowles
Theses and Dissertations
The purposes of this exploratory investigation were to determine how fantasy literature helps children explore, process, and discuss real world issues and topics and what other applications the genre had in the classroom. This study was conducted by implementing a genre study in a fifth grade classroom. Seventeen students participated in the research model. Data collected included audiotaped discussions, student projects and artifacts, and my personal teacher research journal. The data was analyzed recursively across all data sets to determine patterns and themes. Data was coded according to the four main patterns and counted across data sets. If the pattern …
The Relationship Of Personality Traits To Satisfaction With The Team: A Study Of Interdisciplinary Teacher Teams In Rhode Island Middle Schools,
2010
Johnson & Wales University - Providence
The Relationship Of Personality Traits To Satisfaction With The Team: A Study Of Interdisciplinary Teacher Teams In Rhode Island Middle Schools, Michele D. Humbyrd, Robert K. Gable
Teacher Education
Shared practice in schools has emerged; teachers are moving from isolation to team collaboration where personality traits could be related to quality interactions. Team personality traits and team satisfaction were examined. A survey and interview approach was used for N = 244 full-time teachers from N = 49 interdisciplinary teams at N = 7 middle schools. Descriptive, correlational, multiple regression analyses and coded themes about team members’ personalities and interactions were employed. No significant relationships were found between the BFI traits and Satisfaction with the Team. Team-level analysis indicated a significant negative correlation between Satisfaction with theTeam and Extraversion and …
How Do First Graders Define A Family?,
2010
Rowan University
How Do First Graders Define A Family?, Kelly Ann Mcgrail
Theses and Dissertations
The goal of this study was to determine how first grade students define a family. Qualitative research was used as the methodology for this inquiry. The participants were thirteen first grade inclusion students in a school that is located in Southern New Jersey. An instructional unit depicting various family constellations was implemented along with authentic discussions, a student survey, an interactive bulletin board, a classroom library containing family books, and writing prompts contained in My Family Journal. The data collected and analyzed was from student discussion, the subjects' work, direct observation of pupils, the instructional unit, and a teacher research …
Student Motivation: The Impact Intrinsic Motivation And Extrinsic Rewards Have On Elementary Students,
2010
Rowan University
Student Motivation: The Impact Intrinsic Motivation And Extrinsic Rewards Have On Elementary Students, Renee Tybus
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this research study was to determine what happens when intrinsically motivating strategies and an extrinsic reward program are implemented in a fifth-grade inclusion classroom. The intrinsic strategies of enthusiasm, incorporating student choice into the lessons, and cooperative learning groups were used to help teach students during their literacy block. Additionally, an extrinsic reward program was put into effect once the three strategies had already been conducted. Qualitative inquiry strategies such as student motivation surveys, teacher observation checklists, focus group discussions, student written feedback, and observations recorded in my own teacher research journal, were all used to facilitate …
Culturally Relevant Texts And Reading Assessment For English Language Learners,
2010
Hunter College, City University of New York
Culturally Relevant Texts And Reading Assessment For English Language Learners, Ann E. Ebe
Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts
This article reports on a study that explored the relationship between reading proficiency and cultural relevance of text for third-grade English Language Learners (ELLs). The author presents the Cultural Relevance Rubric that helps define and determine cultural relevance of texts. Participants used the rubric to rate the cultural relevance of two stories from a standardized assessment. While the two stories were identified as being the same reading level, the participants differed in their reading of each story. Reading accuracy scores for both stories suggest that the participants were within their instructional or independent reading levels. However, miscue analysis and retelling …
The Effect Of Props On Story Retells In The Classroom,
2010
University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire
The Effect Of Props On Story Retells In The Classroom, Marie A. Stadler, Gay Cuming Ward
Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts
The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of props on children’s narrative retells. Forty-two children in two comparable K/1 classrooms heard and practiced the same stories over eight weeks. This study found that the props had a positive effect on the children’s use of descriptive language, but there was no effect on the number of story grammar elements or cohesive devices used, nor for the length and complexity of the stories. Results support a balanced literacy program where children practice retelling stories with and without props.
Educating Children About Global Issues,
2010
Aga Khan University
Educating Children About Global Issues, Ali Nawab
Professional Development Centre, Chitral
No abstract provided.
Using Insects To Promote Science Inquiry In Elementary Classrooms,
2010
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Using Insects To Promote Science Inquiry In Elementary Classrooms, Douglas A. Golick, Tiffany M. Heng-Moss, Marion D. Ellis
Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Nebraska public schools created Bugs in the Classroom, a professional development initiative with the goal of empowering teachers to use insects in science inquiry instruction in elementary classrooms. The initiative included workshops for elementary educators on science inquiry and teaching with insects. This paper includes a description of the workshop as well as an evaluation of the impact of the workshop on participating teachers' knowledge of scientific inquiry, entomology knowledge, and inquiry practice. Also included are recommendations for similar professional development activities.
What Happens When Writing Notebooks Are Used In A First Grade Classroom?,
2010
Rowan University
What Happens When Writing Notebooks Are Used In A First Grade Classroom?, Shelley Kole
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this research study was to investigate what happened when writing notebooks are implemented in a first-grade regular education classroom. Writing notebooks were used along with the Writer's Workshop curriculum in which students learned how to revise, edit, and use professional literature as examples for writing techniques. Qualitative inquiry strategies such as student surveys, student written work, and observations were used to collect data. The data revealed that the students gained an ownership of their writing notebooks which enabled students to take risks in their writing and led to an increased motivation and interest among students to write. …
Early Intervention In Conflict Resolution For Lower Elementary Students In A Self-Contained Classroom,
2010
Rowan University
Early Intervention In Conflict Resolution For Lower Elementary Students In A Self-Contained Classroom, Colleen Roughgarden
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this qualitative research study was to investigate the effects of teaching conflict-resolution strategies to lower elementary students in a self-contained classroom. The students received conflict-resolution strategies and social skill development through an instructional unit involving children's literature along with student self-evaluations, appropriate outlets for tattletales, and the formation of a classroom club against bullying. This qualitative research study was conducted in a kindergarten and first grade self-contained classroom located in southern New Jersey. In order to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of the students, all names have been altered. There were seven students in the class who …
A Nonverbal Signal System: Minimizing The Effects Of Student Interruptions, Maximizing Instructional Time, And Sustaining Momentum While Teaching,
2010
Rowan University
A Nonverbal Signal System: Minimizing The Effects Of Student Interruptions, Maximizing Instructional Time, And Sustaining Momentum While Teaching, Mallory Heimlich
Theses and Dissertations
With instructional time being interrupted by both in and out-of-class disturbances, research shows that approximately 30% of instructional day is wasted. Students are more likely to be unengaged and off-task when the teacher is interrupted than at other times and most classroom interruptions are initiated by the students themselves. The goal of this study was to decrease student interruptions and transition time by implementing a nonverbal signal system as a component of the classroom management plan. Student interruptions were tallied and student transitions were timed during social studies and science in a fourth grade classroom. Reflections of the study were …
An Exploratory Investigation On How Authentic Writing Affects Students' Attitudes Towards Writing,
2010
Rowan University
An Exploratory Investigation On How Authentic Writing Affects Students' Attitudes Towards Writing, Kerri Colletto
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this research study was to determine how students' attitudes towards writing are affected when authentic writing activities are implemented into the traditional writing curriculum. The students kept Lifebooks for a period of three weeks and there was an emphasis placed on writing that was personal and meaningful. Qualitative inquiry strategies such as my teacher research journal, student surveys, individual interviews, discussion groups and student work were used to collect data. Sorting and categorizing data within and between data sources revealed that the freedom to choose a topic affects what is written, that having a personal connection affects …
Administrators' Perspectives Of Parent Involvement In South Carolina Elementary Schools,
2010
Clemson University
Administrators' Perspectives Of Parent Involvement In South Carolina Elementary Schools, Paula Schubert
All Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to examine administrators' perspectives regarding parent involvement within the context of six typologies of parent involvement. A survey was sent to elementary principals in the state of South Carolina, which resulted in an overall response rate of 210 respondents. This study, which was exploratory in nature, utilized a logistic regression model with quantitative descriptive statistical analysis to understand the perceptions of administrators. The three research questions examined were: (A) what do South Carolina principals report are the parent involvement activities they implement in public elementary schools? (B) to what extent do these parent involvement …
How Do Intrinsic Motivational Strategies Impact Student's Engagement In Learning?,
2010
Rowan University
How Do Intrinsic Motivational Strategies Impact Student's Engagement In Learning?, Kaitlyn Howarth
Theses and Dissertations
Intrinsic motivation is one of the key factors in student's academic performance in the classroom. Thus, my research question becomes "how do intrinsic motivational strategies impact student's engagement in learning?" Researchers believe there are three common factors that are thought to promote intrinsic motivation: teacher enthusiasm, student choice and cooperative learning. These factors are three techniques believed to help foster intrinsic motivation in students and were implemented in the classroom. After five weeks of implementation, research found that students were making positive changes in the classroom by reading for pleasure, challenging themselves more, and participating more in class. More importantly, …
Improving Math Fact Acquisition Of Students With Learning Disabilities Using The "Touch Math" Method,
2010
Rowan University
Improving Math Fact Acquisition Of Students With Learning Disabilities Using The "Touch Math" Method, Carol Dombrowski
Theses and Dissertations
This study examined the effects of "Touch Math" compared with a number grid for computation. The study also considered the effects of these interventions on the self-efficacy of students with learning disabilities towards mathematics. Computation probes and math self-efficacy surveys were administered to the students prior to, and at the end of the intervention sessions. A quasi experimental alternating treatment design was utilized for interventions which lasted for ten days each. Probe and intervention practice sessions presented addition first then subtraction on separate worksheets. Seven elementary students with learning disabilities receiving specialized instruction through a pull-out program participated. Significant difference …
