Digital Commons Network^™

Elevating The Voices For All Learners Through Shared Stories Of Science Learning, Lauren Madden, Stuart Z. Carroll, Amy K. Schuler

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This study examines the science learning experiences across the lifespan of two groups of college students: adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in a post-secondary inclusive program, and adults in a preservice secondary education teacher candidate program. Data, in the form of personal narrative science stories were collected using a paired-interview approach in which students from each group interviewed one another about their science learning across their lifespans, and recorded responses using an online form. Across the stories, several clear themes emerged. Similarities and differences were found across and within the groups and are shared in a narrative format. Trends …

Science And Writing And Apes, Oh My! An Iterative Interdisciplinary Approach To Argumentative Writing And Forensic Science In The Secondary English Classroom, Lexi Cox

Undergraduate Theses

This hybrid thesis consists of a research base that informs the creation of an interdisciplinary English Language Arts and forensic science unit for tenth grade students. Using “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” by Edgar Allan Poe as an anchor text, students explore argumentative writing, the nature of science, and various technologies as they construct their own experiments and write an argument identifying the criminal of the story. This unit went through three iterations in its evolution, receiving feedback from university professors and high school English teachers. Emerging themes from this feedback included modeling expectations, emphasizing interdisciplinarity, and alternative schedules …

Montessori Education: Teaching Self-Regulation Through Virtual Instruction, Brooke M. Myers, Catherine Scott

Honors Theses

One of the hallmarks of a Montessori education is the development of children’s social and emotional regulation skills. However, what happens when the Montessori curriculum is interrupted due to the onset of COVID-19? Does the transition to online learning impact student opportunities for social and emotional self-regulation? This case study attempts to examine the ways in which a school’s four lower and upper elementary Montessori teachers adjust their instruction to meet student needs online, and the benefits and challenges they experienced as a result. Findings are shared, as well as implications for those engaged in virtual instruction of K-6 students.

"We Can Write, Too!" A Developmentally Appropriate Writing Curriculum For Grades K-1, Danielle Pierce

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The Common Core State Standards initiative was created to unify current learning standards and ensure that all students were prepared for graduation across the United States (Common Core State Standards Initiative, 2021). Despite this initiative, national assessment data has shown that most students do not perform to grade level expectations in writing (Costa et al., 2020; NAEP, 2011). Scholarship has demonstrated that there is a deficit of research in primary grade writing instruction, and a lack of universal direction in how to teach students to meet writing standards (Graham & Harris, 2005; Korth et al., 2017). While it has been …

Implementing Digital Portfolios To Document The Writing Process, Patricia George

Open Educational Resources

Implementing digital portfolios to document the writing process offers students a way to curate an exhibit of their work. The Google Sites application provides online spaces for students to upload permanent artifacts. It is user friendly and provides a visual document of student growth over the course of a semester. By publishing drafts and revisions, students are reminded of the progress they have made as writers. In addition, using visual approaches to organizing work also assists students with time management.

Enlaces In Reflections And (Re)Memberings As Latina Border-Crossers: Journeys Of Childhood And Professional Un/Welcomings, Ana Carolina Díaz Beltrán, Paty Abril-Gonzalez, Cinthya Saavedra, Michelle Salazar Pérez

Occasional Paper Series

We are humbled to be part of this special issue honoring the life work of Jonathan Silin. His scholarship and activism have opened spaces for future generations, like our own, to share our testimonios. We are straddling between being former early childhood teachers and current teacher educators—between our profe lives and our everyday lived experiences as Latina border crossers. Testimonios, which we engage in for this piece, have herstorically captured intimate tellings that connect individual struggles and strengths to the larger collective (Delgado Bernal, Burciaga, & Flores Carmona, 2012; Latina Feminist Group, 2001). It is in these testimonios that women …

Welcoming Play In Times Of Trauma: A Response To Cassie Brownell, Karen Wohlwend

Occasional Paper Series

I’m honored and delighted to welcome Cassie Brownell to a growing community of early childhood play researchers. In one sense, welcoming implies an unequal power relation where an established member of a community introduces an unknown newcomer. This feels a bit disingenuous. Cassie is already a rising star in our field and really needs no introduction! Her work is part of an exciting new trend in literacy research that blends play with social activism and community building.

Playing Through Tragedy: A Critical Approach To Welcoming Children’S Social Worlds And Play As Pedagogy, Cassie Brownell

Occasional Paper Series

Children’s play frequently reflects the ways they understand and cope with personal life experiences and those in the wider world. Drawing connections to many of the tenants of Jonathan Silin’s lifelong work, the author offers illustrative examples of why play and children's social worlds matter as well as why adults should pay attention to what children do and say in their play. Through personal stories, the author shows how integrating play(full) experiences into the daily life of a classroom can foster children's understanding of seemingly "difficult" or "adult" ideas and events that may be confusing, fear-inducing or represent significant loss. …

What Can We Not Leave Behind? Storying Family Photographs, Unlocking Emotional Memories, And Welcoming Complex Conversations On Being Human, Esther Ohito

Occasional Paper Series

Everyone was startled by the flood that burst forth from my previously dry tear ducts, even me. What was supposed to be an ordinary oral presentation of a culminating assignment for Wendy Luttrell’s popular graduate school course on visual methodologies, Doing Visual Research with Children and Youth, had morphed into a strange waterworks festival starring me as the headlining performer. In addition to Wendy, a professor at the City University of New York’s Graduate Center, the audience included Tran Templeton and several other peers who were also my fellow doctoral students at Teachers College, Columbia University.1 The course drew on …

What Grown-Ups Aren’T Thinking About: A Response To Tran Nguyen Templeton, Wendy Luttrell

Occasional Paper Series

Tran Templeton opens her article “Whose Story Is It?: Thinking Through Early Childhood with Young Children’s Photographs” with a compelling adult-child encounter. Tran and 6-year-old Saloma are viewing photographs taken of Saloma by early childhood teachers in the preschool classroom where Tran taught and conducted her research. Saloma offers a piercing analysis of “grown-ups” who neglect to consider children’s own wishes. “Maybe the people [children] don’t want you to take a picture of them when they’re like that,” Saloma cautions. But it isn’t just that adults are taking pictures that may be unwanted; what bothers Saloma is how we as …

Whose Story Is It? Thinking Through Early Childhood With Young Children’S Photographs, Tran Nguyen Templeton

Occasional Paper Series

Child-centered practices and pedagogies of listening to children are part and parcel of progressive early childhood education. As critical early childhood teachers and researchers, we demonstrate that we value the voices and narratives of children by placing them at the center of our classroom and research agendas. Simultaneously, however, young children’s social position can put them at the mercy of adults’ (teachers’ and researchers’) whims, and their stories may easily be consumed in the name of provocative classroom displays or academic articles. This work explores the potential for visual participatory research, guided by critical childhood studies, to grasp the stories …

Motivational Interviewing Training: Improving Subject Matter Expert And Instructional Designer Relationships Through Consultation, Hannah Digges Elliott

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University by Hannah E. Digges Elliott on April 14, 2021.

Strengthening And Supporting Photography Education Using An Online Multi-Faceted Approach, Isidro Pentzke, Andrea Suhajcik, Melissa Glynn

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The purpose of this study is to fill the void in arts education specifically photography to high school students who cannot take electives during the regular school day. There is a need for free creative online support and education within public high school curriculum. By identifying curriculum gaps in the arts, this study may support high school students with the needed twenty first century skills, such as the 4 C’s to be competitive in the job market after graduation. These critical skills are known as the 4 C’s, and focus on Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, and Critical Thinking (Stauffer, 2020).

Participants …

Poetry Beyond The Page: A Case For Spoken Word Poetry In Florida's Secondary Classrooms, Sarah Matherly

Senior Honors Theses

Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards, Florida’s most recent K-12 educational standards to promote literacy, lack the rising art of Spoken Word Poetry. However, Florida’s Department of Education should integrate Spoken Word into Florida’s Secondary curriculum. Spoken Word Poetry, by its definition, holds researched benefits that align with the B.E.S.T. Standard’s poetry recommendations and literacy-centered goals. In light of such benefits, Florida’s Department of Education should consider various Spoken Word poets and poems to include in Florida’s Secondary Curriculum, as well as explore the resources and integration methods included in this thesis for both teachers and students.

Examining K-12 Principals' Leadership Role And Their Beliefs Toward Technology Integration In The 21st Century Classroom, Rhonda Michelle Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

Educational experts have evolved substantially over the past several decades in their thinking about educational leadership and the critical role that principals play in supporting the teaching and learning environment within schools through their leadership behaviors. Although educational leaders have had a significant impact on the field of education to integrate technology effectively with the goal of increasing student achievement and overall school performance, most of the research on technology integration has been teacher-focused, rather than on principals’ preparation, skill, knowledge, and related leadership. Continuation of teacher-focused research, though beneficial, has left a research gap concerning the skills and preparation …

Leveraging Technology To Implement Curriculum: An Innovative Approach To Community Outreach In Cooperative Extension Programming, Danielle N. Barrett

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University by Danielle N. Barrett on April 12, 2021.

A Phenomenological Study Of The Language Ideology, Language Management, And Language Practice In English-Medium Universities In Bangladesh: Lecturers’ And Students’ Voices, John Paul Shimanto Sarkar, Abdul Karim, Muhammad Kamarul Kabilan, Shahin Sultana

The Qualitative Report

English Medium Instruction (EMI) is a commonly observed phenomenon in higher education (HE) in the countries where English is mandated as a second or foreign language. The globally conducted studies reported the prospect, practice, problems, and eventualities of EMI in HE. Numbering around 105, private universities in Bangladesh also adopted EMI. Being guided by Cooper (1989) and Spolsky (2009), this phenomenological study explored the language ideology of lecturers and students regarding the benefits of EMI, their remarks about the language management to achieve compatibility for adopting EMI, and their opinion concerning the implementation (language practice) of EMI in the classrooms …

Letter From The Co-Editors, Todd Pagano, Sami Kahn

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

You Want Me To Teach Engineering? Impacts Of Recurring Experiences On K-12 Teachers’ Engineering Design Self-Efficacy, Familiarity With Engineering, And Confidence To Teach With Design-Based Learning Pedagogy, Shaunna Smith, Kimberly Talley, Araceli Ortiz, Vedaraman Sriraman

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

This paper reports on findings from a group of ten teachers who were enrolled in a semester-long, graduate-level educational technology course that used design-based learning to explore the integration of making and the engineering design process into a variety of K-12 educational contexts. Using convergent mixed methods, this study examines how the course impacted teachers’ familiarity and confidence in teaching the engineering design process, as viewed through their pre- and post-semester engineering design self-efficacy scores and their weekly reflective journal entries. These measures are important factors for developing teacher experience and confidence in integrating engineering and design-based learning strategies within …

Making American Art An Engaging General Education Course, Anne Verplanck

Art History Pedagogy & Practice

Humanities courses are often populated with students who primarily take these offerings to meet General Education requirements. American art classes can provide opportunities for students to think analytically and consider what is included as well as what is omitted in visual and textual formats. This article provides examples and the pedagogical rationales for a range of in-class and out-of-class activities that enable active learning, critical thinking, creativity, and kinesthetic engagement. Creating on-line resources to replace a textbook, taking field trips on or adjacent to campus, and exhibition critique and label-writing activities can be easily adapted to campus- and online-learning settings …

Guest Editor Introduction: Cultivating Our Field Through Sotl Practice: Teaching And Learning The Art History Of The United States, Julia A. Sienkewicz

Art History Pedagogy & Practice

No abstract provided.

How Teachers Identify Characteristics Of The Reggio Emilia Philosophy In Practice: A Case Study, Autumn E. Smith

LSU Master's Theses

The Reggio Emilia philosophy has been guiding early childhood practices since its development by Loris Malaguzzi in 1963. Originating in Reggio Emilia, Italy, this approach to early childhood education emphasizes building and nurturing relationships between the adult and child. This philosophy is guided by eight core tenets – The Environment as the Third Teacher, 100 Languages of Children, Long-Term Projects, Teacher-Researcher, Image of the Child, Negotiated Learning, Documentation, and Social Relations. Research shows that young children’s engagement with the Reggio Emilia approach benefits their academic, cognitive, and social-emotional development. However, there is currently no school accreditation or teacher certification …

A Curriculum Creation For Revolutionary Change: Using Diverse Mentor Text To Teach Literary Elements Through A Social Justice Lens, Sara Barkley

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study is to present a literacy curriculum designed specifically for fifth grade students. The curriculum utilizes Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (1995) and Learning for Justice (2018) social justice standards and domains, in order to provide best practices for all students to achieve academic success, celebrate diversity, and take action against injustices in the world. The following question framed the literature research that was conducted to develop this curriculum: How can we create a literacy based curriculum through a social justice lens that utilizes diverse children’s mentor text in order to create equitable school experiences? The question was …

Crisis Communication During Covid-19, Jonathan C. Cruz

Research Days

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Kankakee County and surrounding schools since March 2020. This crisis has had an educational impact for the Kankakee Area Career Center. Primarily focused on hands on learning in various trades, the transition towards remote learning lasted throughout the 2019-2020 school year, and has continued periodically in the Fall 2020 semester. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the actions and outcomes on the Kankakee Area Career Center’s COVID-19 response when it comes to remote learning, communications for its stakeholders, and potential recommendations to streamline this process during times of crisis.

08. Prototype And Mvp Finalization, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy

SocEnt

No abstract provided.

13. Slx Next, Illinois Mathematics Anacademyd Science

EnACT

No abstract provided.

07. Surveys!, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy

IMPACT

No abstract provided.

Erasing Student Debt: Slowly But Surely, Roberta Harris

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Furthering your education intends to be the golden ticket when forming the basis of a successful life. Investing in college can have both positive and negative effects regarding where it leads a student in life. Positive aspects include increased job opportunities, higher salaries and wages, as well as a better quality of living. However, rising college costs bring debatable questions as to how students can become better equipped to face this path in life. In order to resolve the student debt crisis, there is need for educators to develop a better system in communicating financial literacy and life skills their …

Shaping Cultural Understanding Through Pre-Columbian Artistic Heritage And Modeling Techniques Learning Module, Mallory Crook

Primary Source Instructional Materials

No abstract provided.

Incorporating Environmental Justice Into Youth Education, Morgan F. Prittie

Community Engagement Student Work

Social Justice is a concept which is often glossed over or excluded from student education, particularly the issues associated with Environmental Justice. Discrimination, oppression, and poor environmental practices all coalesce into dangerously impactful issues, which can be combated by further education and exposure. This project seeks to spread awareness of Environmental Justice issues, provide educators with the tools to implement social justice education, and express the importance of such exposure to students. This interdisciplinary project utilizes the facilitation of a workshop with lessons, activities, and opportunities for participants to engage in discussions. The goal of the workshop was to describe …