Digital Commons Network^™

Networked Learning In An Educational Environment, Garey Gill

Graduate Research Papers

Yesterday's methods of instruction are no longer sufficient for today's global world or today's learners. Networked learning provides the capability of making connections with people and information for lifelong learning. This literature review seeks to define Networked Learning and Personal Learning Networks and their implications for education. Networked learning and Personal Learning Networks in relationship to motivation theory is also explored. Recommendations for future use include using social networking as an educational strategy for student learning and instructor professional development. Another recommendation and strategy discussed includes student-centered learning to improve student learning in an educational environment through networked learning. Technology …

Distance Education : Is The Classroom Becoming Obsolete?, Randall M. Gilbert

Graduate Research Papers

The future of education seems to be moving rapidly towards distance education. Society is moving faster as people are trying to coordinate work, family, and school. Due to the increasing pressure of time and distance constraints, today's learners are sometimes choosing to get their educations online, or through a school with distance education technologies and capabilities. This literature review describes distance education, instructor and student attitudes towards distance education, benefits and disadvantages of distance education, the past and the future of distance education, and how and why it should be used in training and education.

Strategies To Improve The Comprehension Of Struggling Readers And The Elementary Level, Melissa Mueller

Graduate Research Papers

Comprehension occurs when a reader constructs meaning from the text. Each reader must use a strategy to best suit their interaction with the text. By internalizing reading strategies, students will become successful readers. Education is part of a research based instructional practice movement. This paper describes five instructional methods used to teach comprehension strategies to elementary students and the research that supports them. The paper closes with conclusions and recommendations for teaching comprehension strategies.

Preschool Spanish Speakers Who Are Learning English : Factors Related To Later Reading Success, Debra S. Negley

Graduate Research Papers

The rapid rate of increasing numbers of Hispanics in the United States, along with the reading achievement gap between Whites and Hispanics, highlights the need to examine the factors that affect young Hispanics' literacy success. This literature review examined the specific factors that might predict Spanish-speaking Hispanic preschoolers' later reading accomplishments. Studies were categorized by child, family, and school factors that are related to prediction of future literacy attainment.

Analysis of the assorted papers and articles demonstrated that a combination of the following factors would most affect Hispanic preschoolers' future reading abilities in English: high quality early childhood education programs …

Accountability And Collaborative Inquiry In A School-Based Early Childhood Program, Sherri Peterson

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to examine the development of a professional learning community and the way in which an early childhood team can follow the developmentally appropriate practice guidelines and early learning standards to improve student outcomes.

Not Enough Non-Fiction Literacy Material In Early Childhood, Melani L. Piscitelli

Graduate Research Papers

In the body of this paper, educators will find answers to some questions that they have concerning non-fiction literature. These questions include: What does research say about incorporating non-fiction material into the classroom: how much non-fiction material should I have in my classroom; and how do I pick out quality non-fiction material?

Educators will also be able to look at three different non-fiction lesson plans. Each lesson plan will use a different type of non-fiction literature to give educators a well rounded view of non-fiction literature. There will also be a section about locating nonfiction books, to give educators a …

Evaluating The Influence Of Educational Videos And Printed Materials On Office Of Family Support Clients' Intentions To Select, Purchase, Prepare, And Consume Healthier Foods, Natasha Dee Pittman

LSU Master's Theses

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) is essential in providing eligible households with the right tools to adopt healthy eating and active lifestyle practices which are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPyramid. Education in the OFS, where SNAP eligibility is assessed, is one means to preventing adversities which those in poverty often face. Out of concern for the lack of nutrition education being conducted in the OFS, along with the many distractions limiting clients’ ability to absorb and retain educational messages, the Food Stamp Office Resource Kit (FSORK) was developed. The FSORK includes a 20 minute video …

Exploring The Motivational Climate In The Rehabilitation Setting, Rachel Elizabeth Brinkman

Graduate Research Papers

The motivational climate is the environment that is created by teachers, coaches, and in this case, athletic trainers. In both education and sport, two different types of motivational climate (mastery and performance) have emerged. Previous research revealed that perceptions of a mastery climate were positively related to higher enjoyment, task-goal orientation, and the belief that effort leads to success. In contrast, higher perceptions of a performance climate have been related to lower enjoyment, an ego-goal orientation, and concerns with failing. The purpose of this study was to determine if differences in personal characteristics, as well as goal orientation differences were …

Program Design Consideration For A 8-Week Ymca Youth Fitness Program, Cody Bisher

Graduate Research Papers

It is known that obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown that the amount of physical activity (PA) from adolescence to adulthood does impact adult obesity (Laitinen et. al., 2004). Laitinen found that low levels of physical activity in adolescence increased the prevalence of obesity in adulthood. Therefore it is critical that youths are active in early childhood through adulthood. Barbeau et al (2004) reviewed interventions designed to prevent obesity in youths. Their review found that physical training, with no dietary aide, has positive effects on total body mass fat and visceral fat, …

Bullying Prevention In Secondary Schools, John William Augustine

Graduate Research Papers

Many secondary students are negatively impacted from being bullied at school. Being bullied can impact a student's focus and cause psychological problems, along with many other negative consequences. Every school is impacted by bullying to some point and most schools have taken some type of intervention in order to prevent or address bullying. Teachers, administrators, counselors, parents, and students all have some impact on the school environment. Students impacted at school are the bullies, those bullied, and those that are bystanders. Some prevention strategies have tried to reduce bullying by focusing on a certain group. Bullying is a complex problem …

Teacher Collaboration : Why Isn't It Working?, Jill Suzanne Schnathorst

Graduate Research Papers

Professional learning communities have started to develop in schools as an approach to look closely at student needs and implement changes in instructional practices. When teachers come together in professional learning communities they are ultimately collaborating. Through collaborative sessions teachers determine strengths and weaknesses of students and then work together to decide instructional strategies that will potentially lead to an increase in student achievement. The focus of this paper is to examine the benefits and barriers of successful teacher collaboration and also suggest an action plan to address barriers of collaboration for a team of 1st grade teachers.

Implementation Of Early Reading Interventions To Increase Student Achievement, Julie Schmitz

Graduate Research Papers

How to close the achievement gap amongst students has been a hot topic for educators. Many educators are studying a variety of educational programs and theories which would lead to the educational success of all students. Dr. Walter Cunningham School for Excellence has a history of students who are not meeting the new standards set by No Child Left Behind. As the administrators and teachers discuss and analyze the data of the students we teach we are looking for upward or downward trends. Discussions are a large part of data analysis. As we look at the trends we ask ourselves …

Year-Round Education : A Continuing Debate, Heather D. Schultz

Graduate Research Papers

Year-round education has been a common debate in recent decades. The studies and analyses that are discussed in this paper will give insight to what is being debated surrounding year-round schooling. While many studies have shown a positive relationship between a year-round calendar and academic achievement, others have shown no relationship between the two. This paper sets out to answer several questions regarding year-round calendars and academic achievement. Besides academic achievement, there are several other factors and steps to consider before a district and/or school decides to modify their calendar(s). In order for districts/schools to make a just decision involving …

The Impact Of Oral Language Activities In Preschool On Reading Competence In Kindergarten And Beyond, Melissa Sifert

Graduate Research Papers

The following literature review examined the impact of oral language activities in preschool concerning literacy competence in kindergarten and beyond. Four questions were addressed: (1) What is the role of oral language on reading achievement? (2) What instructional activities are important in promoting oral language skills crucial for later reading development? (3) What challenges do educators face when incorporating oral language activities in the preschool classroom? and (4) What are guidelines for integrating oral language activities in preschool? Recommendations for the advancement of oral language instruction in the education system were presented.

Co-Teaching And Inclusion: A Model For Effective Implementation, Sara A. Straw

Graduate Research Papers

Teachers with training in special education are found in most schools. Why are some special education teachers teaching students in a 'pull-out'. model while others are teaching in a 'push-in' model? For those students who are "pushed in", are they supported in the classroom? And if so, how? If it is by a co-teaching model, what is the most beneficial way of teaching special education students in a general education classroom? What are some of the attitudes of special education students who are pushed into a co-teaching classroom?

Problem-Based Learning In The Middle School Science Classroom, Lesley Taylorson

Graduate Research Papers

In 1995, US 12th graders performed below the international average for 21 countries on a test of general knowledge in mathematics and science. (National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 1998). In 2000, 93% of students in grades '5-9 were taught physical science by a teacher lacking a major or certification in the physical sciences (National Center for Education Statistics, 2002). U.S. 15-year-olds ranked 24th out of 40 countries that participated in a 2003 administration of the Program for International Student assessment (PISA) examination, which assessed students' ability to apply mathematical concepts to real world problems (National Center for Education Statistics, …

The Impact Of Instructional Materials On The Motivational Of Struggling Readers, Kimberly Weeks

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review examined the impact that instructional materials have on the motivation and literacy engagement of struggling readers. Its purpose was to determine the influence instructional materials have on struggling readers' engagement with text, which instructional materials have a positive effect on struggling readers, the influence that informational text has on students' reading motivation, the impact of gender on the selection of effective instructional materials, and what instructional materials have a positive impact on struggling male readers. Through this review, instructional materials were found to have a positive effect on literacy engagement when they are at an appropriate level, …

Shooting Under Pressure: How Pressure Affects The Shooting Percentage Of Men’S College Basketball Players, Brooks Joseph Mckowen

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this purposed study is to examine the effects of pressure on the shooting percentages of men's college basketball players in the Missouri Valley Conference. The correlation between the teams shooting percentage ( field goal percentage, three point percentage, and free throw percentage) and the following will be investigated: the score and time of game, game site (whether a team is home, away, or neutral), attendance, point in the season (first or second half of conference play), and conference standings (how far off the lead or close to the play in game in the conference tournament a team …

Are Paralympics Athletes Experiencing Serious Leisure?, Janet Thi Ho

Graduate Research Papers

According to Stebbins (2008), Serious leisure is the systematic pursuit of an amateur, hobbyist, or volunteer core activity that people find so substantial, interesting, and fulfilling that, in the typical case, they launch themselves on a (leisure) career centered on acquiring and expression a combination of its special skills, knowledge, and experience (p.5). Stebbins notes, serious leisure involves pursuing an amateur activity.

Amateurism involving sports is defined by Allison (2001), as "doing things for the love of them, doing them without reward or material gain or doing them unprofessionally" (p. 3). Allison also states "a human activity is amateur in …

Utility Of A Non-Exercise Method Of Estimating Aerobic Capacity, Meghan Phillips

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Benefits Of Soccer Within Diverse Soccer Programs And Their Cultural Differences, Aldin Muhamedagic

Graduate Research Papers

Physical inactivity is one of the leading concerns in today's society. Current research shows that today's children are most definitely less fit than children 20 years ago. According to the research, today's children seem to be heavier and over weight. Plus there is more overall health concern for the children then ever before. The focus of this study is to examine the benefits of soccer in diverse soccer programs and their cultural differences and to examine how soccer can help the youth to live better and healthier lives.

In this study we examined a different aspect of youth development and …

The Effects Of Exercise-Induced Amenorrhea On The Fertility Of Female Athletes, Kara Johnson

Graduate Research Papers

It is well documented that a high number of female athletes experience detrimental health effects as a result of the "female athlete triad"-a set of conditions including osteoporosis, disordered eating, and amenorrhea. While the health effects of disordered eating and osteoporosis are heavily studied and well-known, even to the general population, the long-term consequences of amenorrhea are relatively unknown.

There is much evidence and documentation that women who engage in exercise and sport are likely to experience amenorrhea. Research has also shown that exerciseinduced amenorrhea can lead to a host of reproductive problems, including luteal phase defects, hormonal disruptions, and …

Postpartum Depression And Universal Screening: Consequences, Benefits, And Barriers, Jennifer Setzer Trumbull

Graduate Research Papers

In the United States our society has a perception that after a mother has given birth she should be overjoyed and the happiest she has ever been in her life as well as in love with her baby the instant the first breath is taken. As all parents know, having a child is a stressful, life-changing event (Brewer, 2001). No one wants to believe a mother is not happy or may be unable to care for the new baby much, less that she might be able to harm the child (Brewer, 2001). Unfortunately, the reality is many women suffer from …

Differentiated Instruction In The Secondary Social Studies Classroom, Chad A. Christopher

Graduate Research Papers

As an educator with fifteen years of experience, this author has experienced the frustrations of having to teach a wide range of student abilities at the secondary social studies level. There is a lot of support for differentiated instruction for special education, TAG, and elementary students, but there seems to be questions about the practicality and effectiveness of it in a secondary classroom.

The issues discussed in this paper will focus on the following questions: 1) Does Differentiated Instruction affect student learning? 2) Can Differentiated Instruction be implemented with secondary teachers in a practical way to help student learning and …

Phonemic Awareness : One Piece Of The "Learning To Read" Puzzle, Michelle S. Carradus

Graduate Research Papers

This research paper focuses on a review of current literature regarding the role of phonemic awareness within reading instruction for elementary students. Phonemic awareness studies and results will be shared. This paper will define phonemic awareness and relative terms, and contrast it with phonics instruction. Phonemic awareness instruction and intervention strategies will be discussed, including supplemental and intense instruction for at-risk readers. A possible sequence for teaching phonemic awareness, teaching applications, and professional book titles are offered as resources for educators of early elementary children.

Autism Spectrum Disorder : Characteristics Seen With Asd And Interventions Used In And Outside The Inclusion Classroom, Monica K. Dircks

Graduate Research Papers

The number of children in our country diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is sharply increasing and does not seem to be slowing down in the near future. It is becoming increasingly more common to see schools implementing inclusion classrooms. These programs range from partial inclusion, where children with special needs spend various numbers of hours in a general education classroom each day, to full-inclusion classrooms. Still others use reverse inclusion, which entails general education students coming into a more self-contained special education classroom for part of the school day.

It is critical that general education teachers learn how …

Graphic Practice : A Strategy For Developing Fine Motor Skills In The Early Childhood Setting, Kathleen A. Eichelberger

Graduate Research Papers

Graphic practice provides children with an opportunity to develop, not only fine motor skills, but also self-regulatory and alphabet knowledge skills. Research has indicated that a child's fine motor development can predict his or her educational achievement, specifically in the areas of reading, math, and attention. The purpose of this project is to organize thirty weekly lessons that will familiarize teachers with the components necessary to introduce, integrate, and extend graphic practice strategies within their early childhood classrooms. These lessons will be compiled into a step-by-step guide for teachers. An outline for professional development is included.

Approaches To Differentiated Instruction That Serve The Needs Of Struggling Readers, Dawn Even

Graduate Research Papers

Educators have long grappled with the dilemma of how to deal effectively with students who are not performing successfully in classrooms, in particular with students having difficulty learning to read. In elementary classrooms we group students according to their reading ability. We put low performing students together, thereby slowing down the pace of instruction; which in the long run pulls the students even further behind. We need to discover ways to meet the needs of all of our students without leaving behind or "boring" them.

Listening To Learn : The Academic Achievement Of Auditory Learners, Rae Ann Mclean-Dickinson

Graduate Research Papers

Teachers present lessons in a variety of modalities to engage students with different strengths in processing within the classroom. Using literature from a variety of educational specialists focused on how the brain processes oral and auditory information, this paper reviews how students translate learning while engaging in reading and writing tasks. It explores the different learning problems some children face, and gives suggestions about how teachers may recognize them and offer an environment where all learners become successful.

The Portrayal Of Teenage Sexuality In Young Adult Literature, Carolyn Marie Carr

Graduate Research Papers

The focus of this study was an investigation in to how teenage sexuality is portrayed in young adult literature. The purpose of this research was to investigate the portrayal of teenage sexuality within young adult literature in the United States. The methodology of this study was a quantitative content analysis of literature intended for young adult readers. Twenty young-adult books with teenage sexuality as a theme and a publication date within the last ten years were randomly selected from the following lists: 2009 Young Adult Library Services Association (Y ALSA): Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers, Best Books for Young Adults, …