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Syllabus For Social Foundations Of Education, Laura Kates

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Chatgpt Can Write My Class Assignments, Right?: A Guided Classroom Activity For Teaching The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Generative-Ai Tools, Dr. Peter J. Kalenda Assistant Professor, Elementary Science & Math, School Of Education

Artificial Intelligence, 2024-25

This module is designed to support your undergraduate or graduate students with developing an understanding of:

• How to use generative-AI tools, like ChatGPT,
• The strengths and weaknesses of generative-AI tools for completing different tasks,
• How to design and revise a classroom presentation that is aligned with course topics and objectives by using generative-AI tools as a resource, and
• How to engage in prompt engineering and prompt revision for generative-AI tools.

Your students are being tasked with creating an engaging presentation they will deliver to their peers that aligns with the topics and learning objectives of your course. However, they will …

Teacher Implementation Profiles: A Response To Top-Down Mandate Of Movement Integration, Zack Beddoes, Jeanne Barcelona, Darla Castelli

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

This study examined teacher implementation practices to meet a state mandate requiring 135 minutes of student physical activity (PA) weekly. Teachers were required to implement a video-based movement integration (MI) program. Using an embedded mixed-methods design, provider characteristics of 42 teachers and the organizational capacity of six schools were developed from interviews, surveys, observations, and artifacts. Data analysis revealed three teacher profiles (a) Dynamic Experientialists, (b) Coachable Constructivists, and (c) Cautious Behaviorists, and three school profiles (a) Whole Child Approach, (b) Grade Level Champions, and (c) Back to Basics. Findings suggest that school, teacher, …

The Effect Of An Instructional Strategy Based On The Writing Processes On Improving Some Writing Skills Of Ninth Grade Students فاعليّة إّستراتيجيةّ تّدريسيّة مّستندة إّلىّ عمليّات اّلتّعبير اّلكتابيّ فّي تّحسين بّعضّّ المهارت اّلكتابيّة لدى طلبة الصّف اّلتاسع اّلأساسيّّّ, عبد الكريم سليم الحداد

Association of Arab Universities Journal for Education and Psychology

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of using the writing processes on improving the performance of ninth grade students in some writing skills. To answer the questions of the study, a 175 ninth grade students was selected, A strategy based on writing processes approach, and a writing test were implemented. The results of the study indicated that, there was a significant difference in writing skills (p≤ 0.05) that can be attributed to the strategy based the writing process approach, and to the male students, no significant differences attributed to the interaction between the strategy used and …

The Effect Of Deep Learning Strategies On Strategic Thinking And Life Efficiency Skills, And The Desire To Learn Among Students Of The Fifth Scientific Students In Mathematic أثر استراتيجيات التعلم العميق في التفكير الاستراتيجي ومهارت فعالية الحياة والرغبة في التعلم عند طلاب الخامس العلمي في مادة الرياضيات, Salwa Mohsen Hamad

Association of Arab Universities Journal for Education and Psychology

The aim of the research is to know the effect of deep learning strategies on strategic thinking, life-effectiveness skills and the desire to learn among students of the fifth science in the subject of mathematics. To verify the goal of the research, three hypotheses were formulated. The research sample consisted of (64) students, randomly selected, and distributed to two groups (31) control students, (33) experimental groups, and equivalence between them was performed with a number of variables. The researcher prepared a strategic thinking test, a measure of life effectiveness skills, and the psychometric characteristics of the research tools were verified. …

An Examination Of The Influences Of Critical Thinking Tasks On Mathematics Instruction: A Qualitative Study, Glen E. Miller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study will be to understand the mathematics critical thinking process for teachers in primary education in northern Virginia. The theory guiding this study is Kolb’s experiential learning theory, which applies to critical thinking processes. The central research question will be: What are the experiences of primary mathematics teachers implementing critical thinking? This qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study aims to determine the influences of critical thinking tasks on planning and instruction. Using qualified participants from northern Virginia, this study will collect data through interviews, a focus group, and document analysis. After data collection, the data will be …

Developing Literacy Through Play, Molli Vanderjagt

Culminating Experience Projects

The loss of play in the classroom has had a significant impact on children’s foundational literacy skills. It has hindered children’s language development by reducing their verbal skills and language comprehension and decreasing vocabulary. Child development has not changed, and yet we continue to put more academic pressure on our youngest students. This project addresses the need for play in early education classrooms. It then provides research why play is important in developing foundational literacy skills, such as oral language and vocabulary, comprehension and recall and higher-level thinking, and possible classroom applications. The project concludes with a presentation for administrators, …

Coaching And Developing Non-Certified Instructional Staff In Key Literacy Practices, Holly Nicole Bigos

Culminating Experience Projects

Paraprofessionals are vital staff members of elementary schools that often provide small group instruction for struggling students to develop key literacy skills. Despite the critical contribution paraprofessionals can provide, schools often neglect to adequately train and develop these staff members to support students’ instructional literacy needs. This project explores the relevant history of paraprofessional staff in schools and the current need for increased development and support of these staff members. Additionally, modern sustainable solutions are explored to develop paraprofessional literacy knowledge and instructional skills for these vital staff members. Programming recommendations are grounded in adult learning theory, feedback and coaching, …

An Examination Of Positive Impacts On Students' Math Success, Lauren E. Bisher

Culminating Experience Projects

In today’s classrooms, some students struggle to achieve at high levels in math. Yet, recent research describing the neuroplasticity of the brain means that, with a mathematical mindset, all students can achieve in math at the highest levels in school. Unfortunately, some capable students disengage from the subject due to a fixed mindset or holding beliefs in math myths, such as only some people are born with a math brain or math is about speed. Achievement in math can open more opportunities in a student’s future. Entrance into college and various careers that require mathematical skills become possible when students …

Effective Reading Intervention In The Intermediate Grades, Cassandra Baas

Culminating Experience Projects

Reading proficiency among intermediate-grade students remains below expected grade level, necessitating a comprehensive approach to teaching reading intervention. Research indicates that students struggling with reading often exhibit difficulties in both foundational skills and comprehension. To address these challenges, a multicomponent intervention combining explicit skill instruction with engaging comprehension practice is needed. A cognitive science framework, emphasizing active learning, metacognition, and the role of automatic decoding in freeing working memory for comprehension, is essential. Additionally, a reader-response perspective is beneficial, as it encourages deep engagement and critical thinking, helping to foster a lifelong love of reading.

Effective intervention requires a deep …

Token Economies And Implementation In General Education Classrooms, Ana Kesler

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Previous studies have shown the positive effects token economies can have on student behavior. The current project examined the implementation and effects on student behavior of creating a tier two behavior intervention system based on student preferences for reinforcers and using token economies in a general education first grade classroom. Based on the Assessment portion of the project, five students would benefit from a token economy behavior intervention system. The author collaborated with general education school personnel to design and implement a token economy for each of the students. Using the token economy with preferred reinforcers positively impacted four of …

Teaching To The Heart: A Grounded Theory Exploration Of Elementary Educators’ Journey Toward Teaching Mathematics For Social Justice, Breána Victoria-Delgado

Education (PhD) Dissertations

The current sociopolitical context of the United States has created a divide among the nation which has transpired into Kindergarten-12th grade public school settings. Throughout the United States school boards of education have banned books and Critical Race Theory while attacking social justice teaching pedagogies. Presently, there is growing empirical research on teaching mathematics for social justice in public elementary schools. This study explored the ways in which public elementary educators experience teaching mathematics for social justice in their classrooms across Southern California. Through qualitative research, this study utilized constructivist grounded theory methodology and methods to gain insight of the …

Elementary Science Teacher Self-Efficacy In The Context Of Ngss-Aligned Curriculum Enactment: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Study, Wesley P. Sliger

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

A confluence of circumstances in educational policy and teacher preparation have placed a low priority on elementary science teacher preparation. Historically, a lack of elementary science teachers’ subject matter knowledge and pedagogical knowledge has negatively impacted science teaching self-efficacy, which is linked to many teacher and student outcomes. Meanwhile, the past decade has ushered in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the modern era of reform-based science teaching. The emergence of self-proclaimed NGSS-aligned resources has outpaced academic examination regarding professional development (PD), curriculum implementation, and curriculum enactment. The purpose of this study was to use social cognitive theory to …

Improving Academic Attitudes And Motivation Using Literacy Learning In A Rural Literacy Intervention Classroom, Dannie Wilson

All Dissertations

This qualitative study focuses on the importance of reading picture books aloud to improve students' social skills capacity by utilizing literacy and social skills in a rural setting. It is designed to address a problem of practice: the need for striving third, fourth, and fifth-grade students to gain and maintain motivation and positive attitudes toward learning. An overarching research question guided this study: “How does teaching interpersonal skills affect literacy learning attitudes and motivation in a rural fringe school?” The goal was to investigate strategies through improvement science. A short Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle was used as the structure for the research …

Effective Vocabulary Instructions In Kindergarten Through Third Grade, Allison Ericksen

Culminating Experience Projects

This project proposal explains the lack of research and emphasis put on vocabulary instruction in kindergarten through third grade. There is a vocabulary gap between students who come from low SES and high SES that puts students at a disadvantage when it comes to reading, since 60% of comprehension is tied to vocabulary (Stahl and Nagy, 2005). However, the gap is often not addressed until later grades when it starts to be more necessary to comprehend what they read in order to learn. Teaching vocabulary in the younger grades will help prevent the gap from growing too large for those …

Indigenous Curricula And Teachers’ Preparedness, Caitlin M. Benson

Culminating Experience Projects

Indigenous curriculum in elementary school does not adequately describe the relationship between Indigenous people and the European colonizers. This inadequate representation leads to harm towards people of color and limits the understanding of U.S. history for all students. TribalCrit and other theories seek to offer ways to remediate this lack of Indigenous representation in U.S. culture and education. Using TribalCrit and Indigenous Studies Frameworks before teaching social studies curricula can help to prepare teachers to present the material to students in an equitable manner. The quick guides and resources located in the appendices of this project will give elementary educators …

What Kinds Of Personal Data Do Primary School Pupils Share With Whom? Children’S View Of Personal Data And Its Implications For Teaching About Privacy, Martin Hermida, Raffael Meier, Iwan Schrackmann, Nina Imlig-Iten, Eva Marinus

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Safeguarding personal digital data is crucial and requires appropriate training. However, privacy remains a novel topic, leaving teachers with limited guidance. This study investigates how elementary school students perceive personal data and assesses pre-service teachers’ accuracy in predicting children’s responses. Employing Nissenbaum’s contextual integrity framework, the outcomes of this research offer a nuanced perspective on privacy, considering different recipients and data types. The study surveyed 94 Grade 3 and Grade 5 students, asking them to indicate with which recipients (no one, parents, best friends, class, all other people) they would share specific information. In addition, 75 pre-service teachers were asked …

Engaging Home Literacy Environments: Building A Partnership Between School And Home, Robert E. Samuels Iii

Culminating Experience Projects

The reading proficiency levels of fourth grade students in the United States has been stagnant or declining for nearly two decades, an issue only amplified by school closures during the pandemic. Struggling third graders, including those at Fennville Elementary School, are beginning fourth grade without a solid grasp of their foundational reading skills These skills are necessary for accessing complex text in fourth grade and later. A lack of parental involvement and absence of an engaging home literacy environment has added to these reading deficits. This project analyzes educational theories and research to determine the importance of parent and family …

Expansive Framing Of Mathematics And Computer Science: Supporting Educators In Cross-Curricular Teaching, Kimberly Evagelatos Beck, Jessica F. Shumway, Patrick Ocran, Jody Clarke-Midura, Mimi Recker

Publications

Expansive Framing (EF) is a theory to explain transfer of learning and an instructional technique to facilitate transfer. We employed EF as an approach to create a series of integrated mathematics-computer science (CS) lesson plans and studied their implementation by teachers in two fifth-grade classrooms and a paraprofessional in one Computer Lab classroom. We used deductive theoretical qualitative analysis of transcripts of classroom implementations to investigate how educators used EF in their lessons. Findings suggested that educators most effectively engaged in EF principles when they were present in curricular materials. We recommend that mathematics-CS integrated curricular materials include framing language …

Improving Reading Outcomes Through Blended Learning, Jennifer Rasberry

Education Theses and Dissertations

This paper was framed and studied using Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice. Using a framework grounded in improvement science allows the research practitioner to participate in Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) cycles. Iterative mini-experiments known as the "Plan-Do-Study-Act" (PDSA) cycle allow educators to discuss potential changes, put them into action, evaluate the outcomes, and then make a final decision on how to proceed (e.g., whether to adopt, modify, or scrap the change entirely). Bryk et al., (2017) state that PDSA cycles during research educators learn quickly and affordably which treatments work and, afterward, how to integrate them to achieve excellent …

Makengineering Kits: Design Principles For Family Engineering Experiences, Amber Simpson, Jing Yang, Adam Maltese

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

Research has consistently highlighted the importance of promoting child-parent interactions. In this essay, we describe the development of MAKEngineering kits that provide collaborative learning experiences for children in Grades 2–6 to engage in engineering design tasks with members of their families in their home environment. First, we present five design principles that emerged through a design-based research approach. Second, we used data from our research project to examine the impact of the MAKEngineering kits, guided by each design principle, on children’s and parents’ experiences as engineering learners and/or educators. In attending to both of these purposes, we argue for the …

Twice-Exceptional Black Girls: A Case Study In Early Childhood, Krystal L. Clemons, Renae D. Mayes

Perspectives on Early Childhood Psychology and Education

Twice-exceptional (2e) refers to children who are gifted or talented in one or more areas and also have a disability or learning difference. Despite the increasing awareness of 2e learners in recent years, many still lack recognition and support, particularly those from marginalized communities. Black girls are among the groups that are least likely to receive accurate identification and appropriate services for their 2e needs. This case study aims to shed light on the experiences of a 2E Black girl in early childhood and offer recommendations for school counselors to better support them.

Critical Scoping Review Of Critical Consciousness As A Framework For Precollege Engineering Education, Devon Riter, James Holly Jr.

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

Engineering’s promise to build a better world has been realized differently across the United States, often with lines of social identity determining who becomes an engineer, who benefits from engineering innovations, and who suffers devastating consequences. Many educational scholars have argued that engineering inequities are in part due to deep inequities in precollege engineering education, including the failure to enact pedagogies in which engineering educational spaces can help students recognize oppression and act toward liberation. In this critical scoping review we searched five databases to identify 72 relevant peer-reviewed articles for review. Our findings indicate that research on critical consciousness …

Putting Together The Pieces Of Effective Instruction: The Role Of Structured Literacy, Carrie Tholstrup

Advanced Education Programs Faculty Publications

Following the instructional methods of structured literacy is not entirely different from jigsaw puzzle assembly. The author reflects on similarities between effective literacy instruction and experiences assembling jigsaw puzzles. Both involve sequential, cumulative instruction; varying levels of explicitinstruction; and assessment. Motivation, engagement, executive function skills, and strategy use play important parts as well.

Analysis Of Policy Implementation: Improving Reading Proficiency Outcomes For All Students, Mariela Magro-Malo

Education Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the implementation and impact of reading improvement initiatives mandated by Texas House Bill 3 (2019) within a Texas school district. By applying improvement science principles, the study employs a mixed-methods embedded research design to evaluate the alignment of district practices with the Science of Reading and assess the effectiveness of systemic approaches in enhancing student reading outcomes. The research identifies statistically significant improvements in reading achievement, particularly in kindergarten, following the adoption of a phonics curriculum and mandated reading assessment tools. However, the findings also reveal challenges, notably the disconnect between policy understanding and practical implementation among …

Teacher Candidates’ Service-Learning With English Learners, Hsiaoping Wu

Journal of English Learner Education

This study explores the impact of a service-learning project with English Learners (ELs) on the instructional, conceptual, and emotional development of teacher candidates. Participants are pre-service teachers who work with ELs enrolled in elementary schools in Texas through a partnership with the Community in Schools (CIS) organization. The participants’ reflective journals provided qualitative evidence of the field experience and the students’ in-class discussions and projects. A qualitative analysis indicated four themes related to instruction techniques and emotional development from these field experiences: (1) the modified strategies can facilitate students’ comprehension, (2) the domains of languages, (3) increased confidence and empathy, …

Addressing Language And Content In Civics Through A Language-Based Approach To Content Instruction For Multilingual Learners, Jia Gui, Luciana C. De Oliveira

Journal of English Learner Education

This study explores the integration of a language-based approach to content instruction’s (LACI) six Cs of support into an existing civics lesson plan to improve content and language learning for multilingual learners. We used the Civics for All curriculum from the New York City Department of Education to identify lesson plans that could be enhanced for teaching multilingual learners. The findings of integrating the LACI framework indicated that the existing lesson plans could be enhanced by adding all the Cs to ensure full support for multilingual learners. We conclude with strategies for integrating the LACI framework into existing civics lesson …

Benefits Of Coding In The Elementary Classroom, Samantha Panek

Graduate Teacher Education

This capstone project focused on the potential benefits of coding, specifically for elementary-aged children. The literature review analyzed fifteen studies from around the world about benefits that could be gained from coding. Students coded with unplugged methods, block-based programs, and robots. Problem-solving was a common benefit found in research about elementary coding. Research also supported that specific content areas could be positively impacted through coding such as computational thinking and mathematical reasoning. Coding encouraged transferable life skills such as planning, collaboration, and creativity. (Arslan & Çelik, 2022; Murcia et al., 2020; O’Grady-Jones & Grant,2023;Wilson, 2020). Additionally, exposure to coding at …

Teacher Candidate Learning Of Interdisciplinary Controversial Issues: Linking Social Studies And Science In The Elementary School Curriculum, Brandon M. Butler, Stephen R. Burgin, Mark Diacopoulos, William Mcconnell

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

Teaching controversial issues poses challenges for teacher candidates, stemming from apprehensions about potential backlash and gaps in content and pedagogical knowledge. The prevailing emphasis on tested subjects such as mathematics and reading/writing in elementary school education often sidelines social studies and science, limiting opportunities for candidates to engage with these disciplines and their associated instructional strategies, including addressing controversial topics. Integrating social studies and science with other subject areas emerges as a viable approach to ensure comprehensive education. Teacher education coursework serves as a vital platform for exposing educators to interdisciplinary curriculum design and implementation. Such exposure prompts teacher candidates …

Culturally Responsive Leadership For Newcomer Students: A Case Study Of An Elementary Newcomer Program School Leadership Team, Ahmad Fayaz Amiri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study focuses on the pivotal role of an urban elementary school leadership team with a newcomer program. It aims to uncover how school leadership decisions, practices, and policies address the diverse needs of newcomer students. Challenges faced by newcomers, including economic and social needs, cultural adjustments, and potential feelings of alienation despite academic success, are explored. The tension between preserving home culture and adapting to a new one adds complexity to newcomer students’ identity formation.

This study examines the practices of a newcomer school leader who addresses the diverse needs of vulnerable newcomer students. With schools being …