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American Indian Ethnic Studies: A Culturally And Linguistically Responsive Approach To Teaching An American Indian Ethnic Studies Unit, Bryan K. Deiman

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Ethnic studies courses are designed to tell the stories of ethnic groups who have historically been marginalized in all or many aspects of society in the United States. The purpose of this study was to create a unit for an ethnic studies high school course centered on the American Indian experience. Adhering to the theory of culturally sustaining pedagogy, or culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy, the unit for this course was designed to decentralize whiteness and focus solely on the American Indian perspective. This unit was created with a strong emphasis on community outreach, seeking input on content for lessons …

"When Do We Play?": Administrator, Teacher, And Parent Perceptions Of Play In A Catholic Kindergarten Classroom, Aimée Eva Ramirez

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Educational reforms have created a climate of accountability and high academic pressure that has resulted in a pushing down of the curriculum into early childhood education. Once a prominent pedagogical feature, play is disappearing from kindergarten. The following is a doctoral dissertation that studied administrator, teacher, and parent perceptions of play and its role within the kindergarten curriculum at a Catholic elementary school in the Los Angeles Archdiocese. Using a qualitative case study method, the study noted how play was utilized in transitional kindergarten and traditional kindergarten classrooms at the school site. Interviews, classroom observations, and document review of school …

Improving Language Proficiency Through Effective Use Of Authentic Assessments In High School Spanish Courses, Jeffrey Wheeler

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed is: How can high school Spanish students improve language proficiency through the use of authentic assessments? This capstone documents the research and design of a high school Spanish language curriculum. The capstone explores methods and strategies used to teach world languages throughout the twentieth century to American students and provides analysis of the popular trends in foreign language instruction over the years. The author illustrates the curriculum model and identifies the performance-based assessments used to evaluate student’s proficiency in Spanish. The capstone goes on to highlight the limitations and challenges of creating a performance-based, proficiencycentered curriculum …

Effective Strategies For Students To Become More Successful Math Word Problem Solvers, Nissa Benedict

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, what effect do different strategies have on middle and high school student comprehension and success in solving math word problems? It details one teacher’s creation of a unit that focuses on three specific word problem solving strategies for high school students. The unit implements the problem solving process, schemabroadening problem solving, and using diagrams, based on various scholars’ research into each strategy. The author details the goals of the unit and uses related research literature to validate the study. She reflects on possible struggles while implementing the unit and the possibilities the …

Texts In Reading Intervention Programs: Are They Culturally Representative Of English Learner Populations?, Lisa N. Marquardt

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

In this study, a total of 52 reading intervention texts were examined for cultural representation and authenticity; the texts under analysis were from Fountas and Pinnell’s Leveled Literacy Intervention and Hasselbring’s Read 180. There were four major, interrelated research questions addressed by this work, two of which dealt with cultural representation in the texts and the extent to which they aligned to the regional population and national publishing statistics. The second set of research questions addressed the level of cultural authenticity through a comparative analysis of each program’s texts. The author concludes that, in this sample of texts, Read 180 …

Factors That Influence Motivation To Read With African American Middle School Males, Brandon Tuttle

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, what factors influence motivation to read with African American middle school males? Current research suggests that many African American males are performing poorly nationwide in reading. As the author researched the topic, four recurring categories emerged in searching for factors that would influence motivation in reading with African American middle school males. These categories included culturally relevant instruction, choice with literacy, building relationships and parental involvement. These four categories helped build the framework for a strategy guide that educators could use in reading intervention classes to help build proficiency in reading with …

How Can The Orton-Gillingham Approach Be Used As An Effective Tool To Receive A Deeper Understanding Of Syllables And Word Spelling For Students Who Are Hard Of Hearing?, James D. Grota

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Students who are deaf or hard of hearing come to school with limitations to learning that the average student does not have. Being able to hear words and sounds is an important part of learning to spell those words. This paper will identify some characteristics in the development of learning word syllable recognition and phonics, as well as, strategies to help improve learning for students who are deaf and hard of hearing by using the Orton-Gillingham Approach. The OrtonGillingham Approach uses a multisensory strategy that includes audio, visual, and feeling to help solidify word recognition and spelling. Although the approach …

Teaching Animal Ethics In Culturally Diverse Settings, Julie Knopp

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project explores the research question “How can we teach compassion for animals in a culturally responsive manner?” The premise stems from the contrast of the narrow range of values taught in public schools and the growing cultural diversity of our students. Literature in moral development theory, culturally responsive pedagogy, and humane education suggested that the most effective values education invites students to think critically. By providing information, modeling, and supports for ethical decision-making, students develop a greater sense of moral integrity, while simultaneously developing essential academic skills. The result of this project is a unit promoting critical thinking about …

Pedagogy-Minded Use Of Web-Based Technology In The Classroom, Jeff Mcgie

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this project was: How can teachers use web-based technology in the curriculum to increase student engagement and enrich learning? It documents a teacher’s creation of a technology-infused curriculum that uses valid research and pedagogically-minded practices as its foundation. In addition to the curriculum, the author created a web technology toolbox that assists teachers in effectively and strategically implementing the technology into their classroom. The author describes the project’s challenges as well as the implications for students and teachers. He concludes that: 1) technology enhances learning only when used in alignment with pedagogy and instructional strategies; …

Sing If You Know It: Songs With Gestures Used To Reinforce Tier-2 And Tier-3 Content Vocabulary To Early Elementary English Learners, Catherine C. Ragsdale

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

In Minnesota, the state standards require that all students, including English learners of all proficiencies, demonstrate knowledge of complex academic and content vocabulary. This can pose obvious problems for students with limited English proficiency. Research has shown that music and gestures can play an integral part in the retention of difficult vocabulary. It can also increase a student’s motivation, while building their confidence and minimizing their anxiety. Furthermore, music can create solidarity in the classroom. Many teachers, though at times intimidated by its implementation, agree that using music in the classroom can enhance learning and increase retention. That being said, …

Curriculum For Teaching Relative Constructions To Somali-Speaking Learners Of English, Kelly M. Rynda

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this project was, how do relative constructions in Somali compare to relative constructions in English, what difficulties do Englishlanguage learners have acquiring relatives, and what teaching strategies are most appropriate for these learners? It documents one teacher’s creation of a unit focused entirely around the acquisition of relative constructions, using strategies that have been identified as most effective, such as learning subject relatives and object relatives in sequence and utilizing repeated timed reading. The author provides lesson plans and activities that align with the best practices outlined in the research, with particular consideration given to …

Creating A Social Studies Curriculum For Second Grade, Julie A. Cronin

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question discussed in this project was: how can an unbiased social studies curriculum for second grade be developed that is aligned with the MN State Social Studies Standards? It chronicles one educator’s creation of a social studies curriculum unit plan based on citizen and government as its area of focus. It is aligned with the MN State Standards for Social Studies for Second Grade. The author cites the details of the unit and uses research that is pertinent to the creation and development of the unit. This unit includes a scope and sequence, and includes a variety of …

Intercultural Communication Training And Law Enforcement Officers: A Career-Span Analysis And Education Agenda, Amanda M. Franco

Communication & Theatre Arts Theses

This thesis examines intercultural communication training and law enforcement education at the local level by means of a qualitative case study. Emphasis is given to the role of perceptions in law enforcement/community interactions as a means of understanding current relations between groups, as well as the role that cultural understanding of this should play in the creation of training curricula. There is a greater societal issue relative to interactions between minorities and law enforcement, and this research seeks to highlight how training, specifically training related to intercultural communication, can be impactful toward increasing understanding and mending group relations.

For this …

Developing Academic Language In The Context Of A Fourth Grade Mathematics Geometry Curriculum Unit, Rachel J. Pazandak

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this capstone project was: How can a mathematics geometry curriculum unit be organized to support and develop academic language for fourth grade students through meaningful engagement strategies? The author reviewed literature in the areas of English as a Second Language and mathematics and synthesized best practice methods for teaching common to the two disciplines. The author found that explicit teaching, practice, and support of academic language is vital and beneficial for linguistically diverse learners, with attention to word, sentence, and discourse dimensions. Mathematics is rich in language, particularly when lessons are structured to allow students …

Modifying Curriculum For Enriched And Gifted Students, Jason Tornell

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, “How can I take an English curriculum and enrich it to better challenge gifted 8th grade students?” It documents the process one teacher went through to create a curriculum for a class of enriched and gifted students, that was to be based on the curriculum already being used. The modification of the curriculum was based on best practices for gifted students based on research done by Renzuli, Guthrie and Dalzell, among others, and focuses on not just academic needs but affective needs as well. The author offers ways to modify existing curricula …

Escribiendo Para Desahogarme: Release And Resistance In A Middle School Bilingual Writing Workshop, Carla Espana

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation examines a teacher’s language ideologies, their impact on curriculum modifications and bilingual Latinx middle schoolers’ storytelling, to understand how a bilingual pedagogy builds on their cultural and linguistic resources. This qualitative study was conducted in a sixth grade writing workshop class in New York City as the focus teacher taught the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project Personal Narrative Unit of Study. The first two findings center on the factors that influence a teacher’s stance on language practices and bilingual pedagogy, and how these contributed to curriculum modifications that included using students’ full linguistic and cultural repertoires, integrating …

Cultivating Student Voice: Writing As A Tool For Multilingual And Multicultural Students To Develop Language, Identity, And Cultural Competence, Gaeun Lee

Master's Projects and Capstones

The importance of using writing as an educational tool to English learners cannot be understated. It is critical for youth learning English as their second language to be encouraged to value their first language, culture, and identity by writing. Unfortunately, many teachers overlook the significance of the writing activity, which can be greatly helpful to develop the English learners’ language and cultural competence and their identity, specifically for multilingual and multicultural youth.

This project is developed with the purpose of cultivating student voice by using writing as a tool. The project is based on the two theories: the affective filter …

Curriculum Minutes 04/17/2017, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Minutes

In these minutes: Global Village Task Force Update; and Spanish Program Review

Social Justice Driven Stem Learning (Stemj): A Curricular Framework For Teaching Stem In A Social Justice Driven, Urban, College Access Program., Paul E. Madden, Catherine Wong, Anne C. Vera Cruz, Chad Olle, Mike Barnett

Catalyst: A Social Justice Forum

This article presents the curricular framework for a social justice driven STEM curriculum (i.e., S_TEMJ) within an out-of-school time program for Boston Public high school students (i.e., College Bound) at Boston College. Starting with a discussion of the authors’ ideological positionality within critical social justice discourses, the authors share how Bronfenbrenner’s (1994) General Ecological Model provides a conceptual framework for operationalizing social justice inquiry with and through STEM. Positioning this curriculum within the College Bound program’s overall design gives readers a sense of how the program’s College and Career, Identity and Society, and S_TEMJ curriculums work …

Incorporating Information Literacy Into Anthropology 210 (Final Report), Erin Eldridge

Chesnutt Fellows Information Literacy Projects

No abstract provided.

Mathematics Vocabulary: Teaching Tier 3 Language Of Math Fractions To English Learners, Emily Grove

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This capstone sought to research vocabulary instruction techniques and strategies in the upper elementary classroom. The need for specific instruction and activities was identified and described. Several relevant sources were cited including August, Calderòn and Beck, resources and techniques used traditionally in the language arts classroom were also applied to the mathematics classroom. A curriculum addendum was created and described in detail. This curriculum and approach to teaching mathematical vocabulary terms in the 4th grade fractions unit can be altered to different vocabulary terms for other units of instruction outside of the mathematics classroom. Strategies and techniques described include interactive …

An Integrated Social Studies And Writing Curriculum Guide For Primary Grade English Language Learners, Gayle E. Hammer

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Two guiding questions are addressed in this project. The first is: How can primary teachers of English Language Learners (ELLs) use a Comprehensive Curriculum Integration Guide (CCIG) to integrate the teaching of social studies content and standards with ELD? The second questions: How can using Student Learning Experiences for Engagement (SLEE) provide support for English Language Development (ELD) in the domains of speaking and writing for ELLs in the primary grades? It provides the research and rationale for creating a guide, which includes instructions, templates and resources for unit planning, weekly lesson planning, SLEE and suggested scaffolds and supports for …

Integrating Cultural Studies Into The Social Studies Curriculum In A First-Grade Chinese Immersion Classroom, Qiong Qin

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The capstone explores the question: “How can first-grade teachers integrate cultural studies into the Social Studies curriculum in a Chinese immersion classroom?” The author frames her study by first sharing her personal experience learning English as a foreign language. Until her American ESL teacher gave her the encouragement and passion to learn a new language in authentic and engaging ways, the author did not enjoy learning the English language. In chapter two, the author draws on research to explain how learning a new language and associated culture helps second-language students grow as learners, as well as increases their overall academic …

The Use Of Graphic Organizers When Writing With Dual Identified El And Ld Students, Katherine Corrigan

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study will focus on the growth and student attitudes and their perceptions of their own ability regarding argumentative and expository writing tasks, specifically in the area of organization and development for dual identified EL and LD Hispanic, middle school students. This study seeks to answer the following guiding questions: Can a graphic organizer help improve organization and development in an argumentative or expository writing task? and How does the explicit instruction and use of an intentionally designed graphic organizer improve student perception of their own abilities and attitudes towards completing an argumentative or expository writing task? The quantitative data …

Defining The Correlation Between Multicultural Training For Pre-Service Teachers And Their Effectiveness In Implementing A Multicultural Curriculum In The Classroom, Lynne Chung

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

As educators, we must hold each other accountable. It begins with how we are initially trained and the ideas we foster into actions that transcend textbooks and ultimately put into effective lessons. More often times than now, pre-service training reflects the values of the dominant society that may lead to perpetuating the status quo. This study aims to define the correlation between multicultural training for pre-service teachers and their

effectiveness in implementing a multicultural curriculum in the classroom. Through in- depth interviews with five practicing teachers in their first- through third-year of

teaching, the study documents their personal experiences with …

Teaching Vocabulary To Ninth Grade Students From Context, Ned Nelson Jr

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Learning new words from context is a skill that many ninth-grade students lack. Although there are many methods to teaching vocabulary, many of the methods are outdated or riddled with issues. The methods help students, but no method is well rounded, leaving students with a skill set that is not completely developed. The integrated vocabulary curriculum that is proposed in this capstone explored the variety of methods and best practices to create a hybrid version to fully support students in learning vocabulary from context. Overall, the capstone addressed the need for a vocabulary curriculum that is flexible and can support …

From Mathmagicians To Mathematicians: Constructing Cognitive Understanding Over Trusting The Algorithm, Kathryn A. Gould

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This capstone posed the question: what theoretical basis and best practices should be used to guide instruction that develops fluency in conceptualizing and executing multiplication strategies over the arc of third grade? With its foundation in constructivist learning theory and steeped in the research of Thomas Carpenter et al.’s Cognitively Guided Instruction this curriculum design project guides educators towards instruction that puts the students’ experience with multiplication in the forefront. Leaving behind the method of direct instruction of multiplication facts and algorithms. Research presented will show the dangers of leaning too heavily on procedural fluency and will focus on what …

A Phenomenological Study Of Graduate Chinese Students’ English Writing Challenges, Papia Bawa, Sunnie Lee Watson

The Qualitative Report

More students from China are looking to the United States for learning opportunities. However, such students have serious English writing deficiencies. This is due to significant differences between the two languages. This phenomenological study of five Chinese, graduate level students in the United States, informs us of these issues and provides a basis upon which we can explore viable instructional strategies to deal with such issues. The key findings suggest that the participants feel marginalized due to English language deficiencies, which is complicated by a deficiently structured English language instructional system. Based on these findings, several themes are presented that …

Teachers' Experiences With Integrating Play-Based Learning Into Standards-Driven Curriculum: A Phenomenological Study, Mary Nugent

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe kindergarten teachers’ experiences with integrating play-based learning into standards-based academic curriculum in a school district in South Carolina. Play–based learning experiences were defined as instances which allow children to engage in active, social learning experiences in classrooms. This study explored the question of how kindergarten teachers describe their experiences with integrating play-based learning experiences in their classrooms, the value of play in their classrooms, their role as the adult during play experiences, and the difficulties that they face in making instructional decisions. The theories guiding this study were Froebel’s early childhood …

Internationalizing Community Colleges To Inspire Globally Competent Leaders, Miranda Morgan

MA IDS Thesis Projects

All industries are becoming ever more intertwined with the global market, which means that the need for workers with a more globalized mental framework has become much more important. Unfortunately, in higher education institutions, there is a gap between students who have the ability to be in a school with comprehensive internationalized programs (internationalized curriculum, established international partnerships between schools, mission statement with internationalization emphasis, professor exchanges, and study abroad programs) and students who do not. Students who have limited access to internationalized programs are often low-income, first-generation, or returning community college students. This study proposes a comprehensive internationalized program …