Digital Commons Network^™

What Are Rural Minnesota Elementary Teachers’ Views Regarding Their Preparedness To Teach Environmental Education, Benjamin Odegaard

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Odegaard, B. (2024). What are rural Minnesota elementary teachers’ views regarding their preparedness to teach environmental education. Research has been done on how environmental education (EE) is a positive for students, but not a lot of research has been done on how well the teachers understand EE. Specifically there has been little to no research on rural Minnesota elementary teachers. This thesis takes a look at how well prepared these teachers think they are when it comes to teaching EE in their classrooms. A survey was made using a mixed methods approach. Most of the questions in the survey consisted …

Elementary Educators’ Beliefs And Practices Regarding Explicit Math Vocabulary And Language Instruction, Katherine Lee Berlin

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

For the last couple decades, math achievement scores in the United States have remained stagnant or declined. Teachers are searching for ways to improve these scores. Much work has been done on number sense and math talks. But, are these the only tools to consider? What if the very language used to express mathematical knowledge is a key factor in how students gain their learning and ultimately express their thinking? Research has emerged that draws a relationship between explicit math vocabulary instruction and math achievement. While this is well documented, the practice is not commonly seen. Thus, I asked, “What …

The Influence Of The Student-Teacher Relationship On The Mathematics Confidence Of Students, Mary Tracey Plante

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The student-teacher relationship impacts student confidence and achievement. Many factors such as race, gender, language learning, and special education were researched as they influence this relationship. This research focused on using a correlational case study to determine how the student-teacher relationship influences the mathematics confidence of students when social-emotional supports and learning are implemented. Data collection methods involved using a Likert scale and interviews with the teacher. For the students, data collection was a Likert scale, number sense assessment, interviews, and anecdotal notes. The participants were a kindergarten teacher and 18 of her students from a diverse, midwestern suburban school …

Challenges And Opportunities For The Third-Generation Hmong Adolescents In Public Schools: Preparing For The Future, Changying Lawton

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

To my dearest husband and son, Andrew and Joseph, my mother-in-law, Pauline, and the rest of my family, thank you for all of your love and support, and for instilling a drive and work ethic in me as I would not be where I am today with you.

To Hamline University’s EDD Cohort 12, the systems thinkers and creators of social capital and community in education, you are my people and in my heart forever.

To my professors, especially Dr. Harvey, thank you for being the best leader and inspiring and encouraging me to persevere as a leader in education. …

Teachers’ Perspectives On The Transition Of Dual Language Spanish Immersion Students To Middle School, Myriam Castro-Franco

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

How do Dual Language Immersion (DLI) educators envision a well-implemented program that supports their students’ transition from elementary DLI to middle school? This research is intended to amplify teachers’ voices in shaping elementary students’ transition to middle school. Results are focused on aligning teachers’ perspectives with the Guided Principles for Dual Language Instruction (Howard et al., 2018). Educators’ visions for a well-implemented immersion program can provide insight into the best ways to support students transitioning from elementary to middle school. This study intends to provide perspective into developing the program for a successful transition. This understanding can help inform policy, …

The Potential Impact Of Creating A Justice And Equity Credential On Student Achievement And A&I Retention & Persistence, Jeremy Rupp

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This research paper explores the potential impact of introducing a Justice & Equity Credential and an Achievement and Integration (A&I) License on educational equity in Minnesota. Drawing on a comprehensive literature review and original empirical data collected through surveys and interviews, the study investigates the efficacy of credentialing and licensing frameworks in addressing systemic disparities in educational systems pointed at both students and practitioners of A&I. The findings underscore the critical need for targeted interventions to promote equity in A&I programming, highlighting the role of professional development, cultural responsiveness, and accountability in supporting staff retention and fostering equitable outcomes for …

Factors Influencing Multilingual Families’ Decisions To Accept Or Waive English Language Services, Emily Mattson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the factors influencing multilingual families’ decisions to accept or waive English language (EL) services. The number of multilingual learners in the United States has increased by half a million over the past ten years (National Center for Education Statistics, 2021). This growing population of students requires teachers with specialized knowledge and training in specific areas of second language acquisition, culturally relevant teaching practices, and targeted language instruction to participate fully in classroom content (Cadiero-Kaplan, 2010; Olsen, 2010). However, not all multilingual families choose for their children to receive targeted language instruction and decide to waive English language …

Examining Elementary English Language Teachers’ Professional Development Of Dispositions, Knowledge, And Skills, Jessica Reese

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine how professional development contributed to the dispositions, knowledge, and skills of elementary English language (EL) teachers. Historically, EL teachers received little professional development and ongoing support within their discipline of English as a Second Language, which led to inconsistencies with how EL teachers perceived their role as a language development expert. Although the literature review identified the necessary dispositions, knowledge, and skills of EL teachers, there was little research about how EL teachers accessed professional development to engage in continuous growth in their field. As part of the study, professional …

Multicultural Picture Books And The Hard Conversations They Invite: Do Minnesota’S Early Childhood Educators Feel Prepared To Talk About Race During Shared Reading Experiences?, Julie Rech

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Influenced by the researcher’s own experiences being confronted with young children’s curiosities about race during storytimes, this work investigates educator attitudes, approaches, and abilities as they pertain to broaching race topics in early childhood classrooms. Specifically this work seeks to understand To what degree do early childhood educators in Minnesota feel prepared to engage in discussions of race during shared reading experiences with their students? It reviews existing literature on bias and attitudes towards race topics within early childhood education, multicultural picture books and critical literacy, and anti-bias and anti-racist education. Employing constructivist and transformative paradigms and grounded in the …

Career Influences Of Environmental Education Field Experiences, Lacey Day

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

As an environmental educator who got her start exploring the various flora and fauna around me, it has always interested me to know whether the same experiences that got me to where I am today have also influenced others to pursue similar careers. This study, because of that initial interest, set out to determine How do environmental education field experiences influence college major and/or career choice in high school students? Through a 21 question, cross-sectional survey, high school students in Allegany County Public Schools were asked a series of questions pertaining to their environmental educational field experiences, their values and …

Striving To Increase Bipoc Family Participation In Early Childhood Family Education, Ayuko Boomer

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Boomer, A. U. (2023). Striving to Increase BIPOC Family Participation in Early Childhood Family Education. Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) is a public education program designed and available for all parents and families in Minnesota. Despite these intentions, many Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) families remain unaware of ECFE's existence and its significance. The purpose of this study is to understand the current methodologies of parent education outreach and collaboration with other programs, in particular, BIPOC communities, and explore and process what efforts have been made to increase BIPOC participation in traditional ECFE parent education group classes (non-affinity …

How Equitable Teaching Practices Impact The Mathematical Identity Of English Language Learners From Teachers’ Perspectives, Xiaomei Segelstrom

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This mixed method research study examined the teacher’s perspectives on how equitable teaching practices impact the math identity of English language learners. A quantitative research survey instrument including five major themes that was generated from the frameworks in the literature review was used, and then followed by semi-structured interviews to address the research question. The data collected from the survey indicated that participants do believe that equitable teaching practices would impact the math identity of ELLs via: conveying high expectations, language support, modifying lessons, mathematical tasks and mathematical tools. Building on the survey results, interviewees furthermore informed that all these …

To What Extent Do 3- To -6-Year-Olds Demonstrate Connection To Nature At A Montessori School In The Upper Midwest, Natasha Yates

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Yates, N. (2023). To What Extent Do 3- to -6-Year-Olds Demonstrate Connection to Nature at a Montessori School in the Upper Midwest.

Young children are born into a world today with a drastically changing environmental climate. When young people develop an emotional attachment and sense of identity with nature, they may be more likely to behave in less destructive ways towards the planet and possibly live with a sense of responsibility and respect for nature. This mixed method study aimed to measure to what extent 3- to 6-year-olds demonstrated environmental sensitivity, awareness, and preferences at a nature-based Montessori school in …

Becoming A Badass: Developing Positive Embodiment In Women, Nicole O'Connor

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Becoming a Badass: Developing Positive in Embodiment in Women Nicole O’Connor Abstract Almost everyone hates their bodies (normative discontent), but women and girls are most likely to engage in extreme behaviors to adjust their appearance. The United States’ history as a heteronormative, white supremacist, patriarchal, capitalist society contributes to myths about weight and health leading to anti-fat bias and harm on fat bodies. A focus on body image has limited the scope of research and Niva Piran’s Developmental Theory of Embodiment offers an alternative framework for healing normative discontent. As a woman living in a large body, the author interviewed …

Using Written Self-Assessment To Improve Student Motivation In The Social Studies Classroom, Zachary Robbins

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The main research question addressed in this study was: How do written self-assessment reflections affect student motivation in a social studies classroom? To answer this question, this study reviewed the student motivation literature to explore the causes of intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and amotivation. Based on the existing research, this study then examined the self-assessment literature as one way to improve student motivation in linguistically diverse classrooms. To test the impact of short self-assessment writing prompts at the end of each class on student motivation, a pre-experimental design of eight students (four English learners (ELs) and four non-ELs) in three …

Early Career Language Educators Experience Joy And Purpose In The Creation Of Multilingual Classroom Ecologies, Jonell Pacyga

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this phenomenological study was to intensely analyze and interpret the experiences of a select sample of early career language teachers as they reflected on their languaging interactions with their learners. To answer the research question: How do early career language teachers experience the creation of multilingual classroom ecologies?, four individuals participated by collectively providing 14 interviews, submitting 13 bi-weekly journals, and sharing 17 self-selected semiotic images over a two month time period. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, 1996) was then employed using a double hermeneutic to uncover themes in each case by elucidating descriptions and then cohesively analyzing …

Exploring Perspectives On Nature-Based Early Childhood Education: A Comparative Analysis Of Educators And Families, Rachel Schaller

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Schaller, R. (2023). Exploring Perspectives on Nature-Based Early Childhood Education: A Comparative Analysis of Educators and Families. Nature-based early childhood education programs have become an innovative approach to comprehensive child development. This research investigates the development of curricula and policy in nature-based programs, focusing on aligning educators' and families' needs and preferences. The primary objective is to explore the attitudes and opinions of families enrolling their children in environmental education early childhood programs, comparing these perspectives with those of the educators and administrators responsible for program design. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, utilizing survey research with a combination of …

Exploring How School Choice Affects The Distribution Of Educational Resources In Ramsey County Minnesota, Craig Wiltzius

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated how school choice affects resource distributions, mainly the socio-economic status of students, and the potential impact this has on equity in Minnesota’s education system. The literature review outlines the origins and history of school choice and discusses court cases related to school choice in Minnesota. The literature review explores the benefits of competition in an educational marketplace and also examines how school choice sorts students. Additionally, the literature review considers the importance of socio-economic status to educational outcomes. The research methodology was quantitative and involved graphing the distribution of socio-economic status as measured by the percentage of …

Teacher-Student Relationships And Student Behavior, Cassandra Ostergard

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study addresses the question to what degree do students believe they change their classroom behavior based on teacher-student relationship? This topic is important because it delves into the motivations behind student behavior. This question is tied to past research regarding student-centered learning, teacher-student relationships, and student outcomes related to different classroom factors. The primary method of data collection in this study was a twenty question survey given to four classes of 7th grade students. One student from each class was also interviewed about this same topic. Overall, it was found that teacher-student relationships have an impact on student behavior, …

Increasing Engagement And Effectiveness Of Independent Reading In The Kindergarten Classroom, Sarah Swanson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this study was: What are the most effective and engaging methods for independent reading in the kindergarten classroom? Additionally, this study addressed the subquestion of: What are the benefits and disadvantages of reading traditional books and books on a digital device for young readers? The literature topics that were researched and reviewed included history and current trends in independent reading, academic success, motivation and engagement, technology, and effective independent reading strategies. For this study, a mixed methods approach was used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data within the kindergarten classroom. At the beginning of …

Improving Science Literacy Using Photographic Documentation Of Laboratory Activities, Mary Radus

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Digital photography is a valuable educational tool which has been shown to improve language acquisition and vocabulary usage. Photography can also be used to enhance hands-on laboratory activities in high school science classes. This study examined the impact of photographic documentation of lab activities on students’ literacy in science. In this convergent, mixed methods investigation, 9th grade biology students took photographs during a lab activity, which they used to create collaborative photo projects based on the activity. Changes in literacy were measured by assessing the students’ usage of scientific vocabulary terms before and after the photo project, and assessing the …

English Learner Families, Rural County Public Libraries, And Rural Public Elementary Schools, Carmel Murphy

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

English Learner families in rural areas have unique experiences in accessing bilingual materials in home languages for literacy learning. This research focused on gathering the perceptions of parents of elementary school ELs regarding the barriers that impede collaboration between public elementary schools and county public libraries for improving the literacy of ELs in rural communities. This qualitative research followed a grounded theory process and community-based research from data collection via interviews with parents of ELs, rural public elementary school educators, and rural county public librarians. Seven participants from Central Minnesota included two bilingual parents of ELs, three educators, and two …

Food Justice And Urban Agriculture: Using City Spaces To Foster Equity, Jessica Giese

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

In an increasingly urban society, urban agriculture creates opportunities to address inequalities in access to healthy foods and bridge gaps in our food systems. While solving the problems of food and environmental injustice demands large-scale changes at a systemic level, urban agriculture can promote community engagement, education, and sovereignty, empowering city residents to gain control over their resources and access to nutritious foods. This research seeks to explain how two very different urban agricultural projects are impacting their communities through access, engagement, and education. Intersections Food Forest is a neighborhood project that utilizes an empty city lot to cultivate perennial …

Classroom Questions: How Mainstream Elementary Teachers Use Questions To Support Achievement For English Language Learners, Holly Wandersee

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This small-scale study of an elementary classroom was designed to better understand the research question How do mainstream elementary teachers use questions in their instruction of ELLs? The goal of this study was to explore how one elementary teacher used questions in the classroom, how her class responded to the questions, and how she supported her learners along the way. A detailed literature review explored research that has already been conducted related to teacher questions and ELLs, and it included information about the following topics: second language acquisition, classroom questions in both the ESL/EFL classroom and the mainstream classroom, and …

Observing The Impact Of Environmental Science Exploration And Discovery On The Social-Emotional Learning Of 2nd Grade Students, Laura Sammis

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The guiding question in this study was, how do outdoor science exploration and discovery impact the social-emotional learning of 2nd grade students. This study documents the author’s development, facilitation and analysis of a 3-week science unit that included an increase of time spent outdoors. This study was conducted in an observational and descriptive qualitative manner that used the researcher’s real-time observations, reflections and student surveys. The author utilized research literature to develop meaning and understanding of the concepts to support the importance of the study. The author describes the study in terms of successes and limitations. The study concludes that …

The Impact Of Language Attitudes On The Bilingual And Bicultural Self-Perceptions Of Fifth-Grade Latino Students, Abigail Winnes

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the impact of language attitudes on the bilingual and bicultural self-perceptions of fifth-grade Latino students. The research questions posed in this study included: 1) What are the language attitudes (specifically toward English, Spanish, and Spanish-English bilingualism) held by Spanish-speaking English learners in Fifth Grade? and 2) How do these attitudes interact with students’ developing bilingual and bicultural self-perceptions? The literature review includes research related to heritage language maintenance; societal attitudes toward minority languages and their speakers; Latino language attitudes; language attitudes in multilingual educational settings; and the development of bilingual and bicultural self-perceptions. Participants in this study …

Factors Of Persistence In Multilingual Abe Secondary Credential Participants, Sherry Smith

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this study is What factors contribute to multilinguals’ persistence in adult secondary credential programs? ABE participants in general have a high rate of stopping out of programs. For those trying to earn a secondary credential in a second language, the goal of earning a secondary credential may be more complex. There was little research focusing on this population of ABE participants with this goal. This mixed methods retrospective case study examines which factors supported the persistence of three multilingual participants in Adult Basic Education (ABE) who earned their GED®. The supports are categorized into individual, …

No “Pobrecito Student”: Translanguaging High-School Science For Academic Language Development, Agustina Borré

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Borré, A. (2022). No “Pobrecito Student”: Translanguaging High-School Science for Academic Language Development. The research questions addressed in this study were: what are the impacts of translanguaging on academic language development? And what are the challenges and successes in implementing translanguaging in highly culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms? Thus, the topics explored in the literature review range from research on academic language development and the teaching and learning of science in high school and the struggles and challenges English Language Learners (ELLs) face when learning then different content areas. The literature review also reveals some of the findings emerging from …

Effects Of A Nontraditional Multi-Age Learning Environment On Academic And Social-Emotional Learning: A Case Study, Nicole Black

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this study was: how are struggling, elementary-aged students’ academic and social-emotional learning impacted by a nontraditional, multi-age learning environment? Topics explored in the review of the literature include struggling learners, academic performance, social-emotional learning, and learning environments. The case study was based on a pilot program, in which 22 students with academic and social-emotional needs were co-taught by three teachers in a multi-age, grades 2-4 environment. To answer the research question, qualitative and quantitative academic and social-emotional data was collected over a nine-week period. Individual goals were set for and with students in the areas …

Teachers Describe Their Confidence In Teaching Secondary Students With Low Literacy Skills, Tamara Polzin

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

For some students, grasping the concept of literacy is completed with ease. For others, the challenges of developing literacy skills to aid in their ability to move from learning to read to reading to learn proves challenging. These challenges cause a gap in literacy growth and have shown to increase as students get older preventing them from fully accessing the concepts found in the secondary setting. As such, secondary educators are being called upon with the assumption that all teachers are teachers of reading. With this in mind, this qualitative research study aimed to uncover secondary social studies teachers’ understanding …