Digital Commons Network^™

Using Bicycles As A Theme For A Cross-Curricular Literacy Program In A Secondary Alternative Setting, Synthia Parish-Duehn

All Graduate Projects

Practices in constructivist techniques in education and the application of thematic models were researched; the effect of motivation on learning was researched the connection between reading and writing was investigated, the link between vocabulary and reading ability was explored as well as the importance of schema and metacognition. A curriculum was designed using a theme, bicycles, based upon student interests. The curriculum implementation employed a cross-curricular, constructivist model. Research indicated that when reading instruction is delivered via a topic that the students have interest in and ownership of, the students become engaged in the instructional practice. Implications for curriculum design …

A Survival Skills Handbook For Columbia Basin Alternative High School Students, James L. Yonko

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a survival skills handbook to benefit students at Columbia Basin Alternative High School, Moses Lake, Washington. To accomplish this purpose, a review of current related research and literature was conducted. Additionally, related information obtained from selected schools/districts and from a survey of participating students was also analyzed.

Wolves And Bears: An Interdisciplinary Activity Guide For Grades 3-5, Susan L. Thomas

All Graduate Projects

A popular set of "Discovery Boxes" are used by educators across North Central Washington. These boxes are administered by the U.S. Forest Service and focus on such themes as wolves, bears, fire, plants and forests. These boxes are available to be checked out to educators for two-week periods, and reach approximately 9,000 students annually. Each box contains "hands-on" props which enhance the learning of each theme. Some of the boxes have activity guides in them to assist the educator in teaching the theme and thus using the box to its full potential. Two of the most popular boxes, the wolf …

Will The Real Adam Smith Please Stand Up?: Teaching Social Economics In The Principles Course, Jonathan B. Wight

Economics Faculty Publications

Part of the difficulty of introducing social economics into the principles course is the perception that social economics is anathema to mainstream economics. As noted by Warren Samuels, however, "neoclassical economics is already a form of social economics" despite its "pretensions of methodological individualism and value-neutrality". Heilbroner also makes the case that the " ... the preponderance of great economists were aware of economics as explanation systems of particular socio-economic formations." Like it or not, economists err in omitting from their models what McCloskey calls "S" variables--variables representing the "social embeddedness" of values which direct human choices.

The Professional Beliefs And The Conditions That Support Integrated Curriculum In A New England Middle School, Cheryl Lynn Davis

Educational Studies Dissertations

Research on the best practices at the middle school level suggests that early adolescent students need an educational environment that is unlike elementary or high school. Young people between the ages of 10 and 14 are experiencing rapid changes in their cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. In order to meet these needs, middle school curriculum must provide opportunities for students to broaden their knowledge base, explore areas of interest, and acquire a sense of self as they seek to understand their place within the larger society. An effective way to reach such goals, at the middle level, is through …

Nsu M.S. And Ed.D. Programs In Child, Youth, And Family Studies Fgsehs Catalog 1999- 2001, Nova Southeastern University

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice College Archive

No abstract provided.

Nsu M.S. And Ed.S. Programs In Education - Fgsehs Catalog 1999–2001, Nova Southeastern University

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice College Archive

No abstract provided.

Nsu Programs In Communication Sciences And Disorders Fgsehs Catalog 1999-2001, Nova Southeastern University

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice College Archive

No abstract provided.

Nsu Graduate Teacher Education Program (Gtep) Master's Degrees, Educational Specialist Degrees, Certification Programs 1999 Program Brochure, Nova Southeastern University

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice College Archive

No abstract provided.

Outdoor Play, Carolyn E. Althaus

Graduate Research Papers

This paper is a review of the literature relative to outdoor play practices in education. Benefits, as well as problems, associated with outdoor play practices were discussed. Guidelines for planning and implementing successful outdoor play practices were outlined and conclusions were drawn from the literature. Recommendations were made for future outdoor play programs.

School-To-Work : What Does This Mean For Our Schools?, Amy K. Leonhart

Graduate Research Papers

Over the course of fifty years the academic content of schools has changed dramatically. Today, employers are looking for different skills from their employees than they were in the 1950s. Therefore, schools have been given the assignment to teach young adults about surviving in the work force.

Where do these skills fit into the schools' curriculum? Is this just another item that is added to the plate of teachers? What time is the "right" time to start teaching these critical skills to youngsters? This paper examines those questions. It also focuses on the different aspects of the school-to-work initiative.

Integrated Science Unit : Ponds And Water, Evelyn K. Oliver

Graduate Research Papers

This instructional development project integrated the language arts and the science areas. The science content was ponds and water from the second grade curriculum. A rich learning environment was provided through a literature base, representing the different genres and related expressive activity. The unit was presented through teacher-directed activity and learning centers that offered many options from which children could select experiences.

The goals of the program were to give children more control over their learning and to extend children's thinking-language abilities by capitalizing on the common processes of the language arts and science areas and offering many opportunities to …

Reading In The Kindergarten, Christine E. Resch

Graduate Research Papers

This study examines the effectiveness of implementing a formal reading program in the Kindergarten. Past and present reading instruction methods were reviewed. Benefits, as well as problems, associated with such implementation and instruction were discussed and conclusions were drawn from the literature. Guidelines and recommendations for implementing various approaches to the teaching of reading in the Kindergarten were outlined.

Perspectives On Early Literacy : The Monroe School, Mona S. Rosdail

Graduate Research Papers

This article is based on two days of observations and interviews in an all- kindergarten school in a small midwest city. The purpose of my research was to look at how the steps taken by this school correlate with the steps of Erickson's Dance in addressing the needs and development of the school when becoming an all-kindergarten literacy center. I feel that the information in this article would benefit educators who would like to implement changes in their schools.

Two Current Approaches To Science In Early Education : The Physical-Knowledge Approach By Kamii And Devries And The Science Education Approach By Diane Dodge, Seon Chun

Graduate Research Papers

The primary focus of this paper is to review the characteristics of two science approaches to teaching science to children: the physical-knowledge approach by Kamii and De Vries, and the science education approach by Diane Dodge. Similarities and differences between the two approaches are analyzed. The conclusion of this study found that both approaches emphasize children's active role in learning. However, Kamii and DeVries's physical-knowledge approach emphasizes children's logical reasoning development, while Dodge's science education approach places greater emphasis on content and scientific knowledge.

Integrating Technology Into The Science Curriculum : Environmental Studies Grade 5, Lois Diane Enger

Graduate Research Papers

The project was developed to illustrate a process for including hands-on use of technology in an environmental education activity. The requirements for an integrated curriculum identified by McRel are incorporated: science, technology, language arts, math, and life skills. Activities included are discussion of the topic, writing and editing a script, digital photography, computer usage including scanning, on-site visiting, and teacher and student evaluation. The on-site visit was conducted at a nature center.

Classroom activities involved planning, research, storyboarding, organizing visual materials, script writing, and creating a computer-generated presentation using mPOWER, a presentation software program. The completed computer presentation was converted …

Literature-Based Language Arts Extended To Mathematics, Carrie L. Johnson

Graduate Research Papers

A literature-based language arts program provides opportunities for children to create meaning through quality literature experiences. Children's learning is integrated, and connections are made across the curriculum. The mathematics and language process are related and can be integrated into units of study through the genres of literature.

A unit of study on circles provided kindergarten children with quality literature and related expressive activities that facilitated the understanding of the concept of circle. As a result of this literature-based language arts program extended to mathematics, children's knowledge was integrated, peer interaction increased, and the reading-writing processes were connected. Children's enthusiasm for …

Home Schooling, Julie L. Lange

Graduate Research Papers

This study addresses the issue of home schooling in our state and our nation. Benefits and disadvantages associated with home schooling are discussed. Guidelines for planning a successful home schooling program are outlined for parents. Conclusions were drawn from the literature review, and recommendations were made for the future of home schooling.

Integration Of Faith And Learning In Christian Higher Education : Professional Development Of Teachers And Classroom Implementation, Constance Chibuzo Nwosu

Dissertations

Problem. Few studies have focused on effective professional development programs that enhance faith-learning implementation in the Christian higher education classroom, and little has been documented about what integration of faith and learning actually looks or sounds like in Christian higher education classrooms.

Purpose. This study had four purposes:

1. To describe the training processes used for preparing teachers in Christian higher education for implementing EFL in the classroom.
2. To compare these methodologies with Jesus’ training methodologies and research-based professional development programs.
3. To understand how teachers in Christian higher education classrooms defined IFL.
4. To identify and document some exemplary practices of faith …

Technology Partnership Curriculum Initiative: A Descriptive Case Study Of Its History, Development, And Implementation, Ingrid Wright-Jones

Dissertations

Problem

Curricular reform has a pathetic history. Curriculum documents, some of the major tools of reformers, have had a minor effect on transforming education because the power of pedagogy has been ignored (Cuban, 1993). Teachers in the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) system voiced similar concerns about curriculum documents. Additionally, they felt that their 2-4-day in-service training did not adequately prepare them to implement curricular changes. This initiative, aimed at restructuring both the content and process of teaching, was to be implemented in a distance-learning pilot project in eight one-teacher schools.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to: (1) define the …

Predictable Text With Primary Age Children In A Title One Reading Program, Joanne H. Dearment

Graduate Research Papers

Readers create meaning in print through the process of prediction. Prediction and comprehension are intricately tied together. Reading predictable books helps young readers comprehend text because their expectations are repeatedly confirmed. Predictable text brings children naturally into the reading process and allows them to process print much as mature readers.

When predictable text is implemented into a Title One reading program, students can more successfully interact with text. This sense of achievement motivates them to become actively engaged in reading experiences. As a result, students became better readers because they are reading more. Also, they became improved writers because the …

A Study Of Elementary Teachers' Attitudes Toward Mathematics Instruction And Mathematics Teaching Methods Used In The Elementary Classroom, William Otis Lacefield Iii

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations (1964–2006)

This study involved an investigation of elementary (grades K-4) teachers' attitudes toward mathematics instruction and the mathematics teaching methods elementary teachers plan and implement in the classroom setting. The population consisted of 492 elementary teachers (grades K-4) currently teaching in the Bibb County, Georgia, Public School System. The sample represented a cluster sampling of the population and consisted of 90 elementary teachers currently teaching in six public elementary schools. One inner city school, four suburban schools, and one rural/semirural school were randomly selected. The research design used was a correlational design. The sets of data considered were elementary teachers' self-expressed …

Integrating Technology Into A 1st Grade Classroom, Kimberly Swartz

Graduate Research Papers

America's public schools are in the middle of one of the most exciting periods in history. Changes in society, technology, and the economy are creating a demand for well-educated people. Vice President Al Gore has estimated that by the year 2000, sixty percent of new jobs in the United States will require advanced technological skills (Clinton & Gore, 1998). Burness et al. (1997) maintain "Hundreds of reports and articles have detailed the shortcomings of our school system as well. The gap between what people need to know to thrive in today's world and what they learn in school is very …

Delaying Kindergarten Entrance, Nancy Hayes

Graduate Research Papers

This study addresses the issue of delayed kindergarten entry of children five years of age. Benefits as well as problems were discussed. Guidelines for implementing a developmentally appropriate kindergarten program were outlined and conclusions were drawn from the literature. Recommendations were made for future kindergarten programs.

Integrating Literature-Based Language Arts And Mathematics, Lora L. Irvine

Graduate Research Papers

The National Counsel of Teachers in Mathematics in 1989 developed a list of 13 mathematical standards that would lead to a more effective way to teach mathematics. Before they began their list of standards, they made a list of goals. These goals stressed the importance of making learning relevant to the learner.

The goals that the NCTM developed are similar to the theoretical formulations that support instruction in the language arts. Many leading authorities in language arts advocate an instructional program that extends literature-based language arts across the curriculum. The content areas provide content and experiences with the functions of …

Literature-Based Language Arts Extended To The Science Area : Backyard Unit, Grade 2, Suzanne Jensen

Graduate Research Papers

This paper explores the process of integrating second grade language arts into a science unit through a literature base representative of the different genres. This experience will provide students with the opportunities to connect the content of a backyard theme with quality literature and related expressive activities. From the supporting professional references cited, it becomes clear that students' positive interactions with literature develop self-motivated learners.

Math Wars: The Politics Of Curriculum, Raymond Johnson

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

There is an ongoing battle in mathematics education, a battle sometimes so fierce that some people call it the "math wars". Americans have seen many changes and proposed changes in their educational system in the last fifty years, but few have stirred such debate, publicity, and criticism as have the changes in mathematics education. We will first look at the history of the math wars and take time to examine previous attempts to change mathematics education in America. Second, we will assess the more recent efforts in mathematics education reform. Lastly, we will make some predictions for the future of …

De-Emphasizing Grade-Level Identities: A Case Study Of Mathematics Instruction In An Intermediate Elementary Multiage Classroom, Kevin Oconnor

Dissertations

This is an interpretive study that investigates the nature of the issues, dilemmas, and successes of planning and implementing a mathematics program with minimal reference to grade-level designations in a multiage classroom setting of fourth—and fifth-grade students.

The study focused on how one teacher conceptualized, designed, and structured a mathematics curriculum. An analysis of over 60 hours of interviews conducted over six months revealed a teacher who integrated her knowledge of elementary mathematics with her knowledge and practice of teaching and learning theories, mathematical understanding, curriculum perspectives, and classroom management. This integration is explained through a conceptual framework of the …

Broadly Speaking - October 16, 1998, Nova Southeastern University

Broadly Speaking

No abstract provided.

Catalog, 1998-1999, Anderson University - South Carolina

Catalogs

The 1998-1999 academic catalog and introduction to the college.