Digital Commons Network^™

Challenges In Stem Learning In Australian Schools, Michael J. Timms, Kathryn Moyle, Paul R. Weldon, Pru Mitchell

Policy Insights

Australian STEM education seems caught in a whirlpool of problems that are contributing to one another. Student engagement and performance in STEM are declining, but we do not have the supply of qualified teachers we need to improve learning. The STEM curriculum is unbalanced and fragmented, leading to less interest among students. It is not possible to break out of the downward cycle from within the current system and it requires policy changes that address the issues raised in this report. This means developing well-considered, systemic and joined-up policies that address the following challenges: Improving student outcomes, building the STEM …

Critique Of The Owl Curriculum, Judi Guisti, Kathryn Hinkle, Gretchen Oldenburg, Heidi Paul, Jessica Vlasie, Beth Lincoln, Cindy Moulton

University of Montana Journal of Early Childhood Scholarship and Innovative Practice

No abstract provided.

Critique Of The Creative Curriculum For Preschool, Hannah Gullickson, Raelynn Cameron, Lucy Marose, Irene Tiefenthaler, Tasha Van Nice

University of Montana Journal of Early Childhood Scholarship and Innovative Practice

No abstract provided.

How Cultural Responsiveness Informs The Development Of And Decision-Making About K-12 Ela Curricula: A Mixed Methods Approach, Christa Tamanas Wade

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore how cultural responsiveness informed the development of and decision-making about K-12 English Language Arts curricula in New Jersey. Through the use of a survey and interviews, twelve curriculum supervisors offered an array of insight regarding their professional agency, curriculum processes, and factors that influence the areas associated with the program of study. Findings revealed that although supervisors do not have autonomy in the curriculum development process, they do have greater agency when it comes to selecting supplemental instructional resources and classroom supports. Another key theme was how a district's demographics …

Exploring Multi-Sensory Curriculum Development: Grades 3-5 Science In A Virtual Environment, Terilynn Stackhouse

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The capstone thesis uses a qualitative research approach to explore the question: What are virtual tools and multi-sensory strategies that can be integrated into curriculum development to support the engagement of learners in science in grades 3-5 in virtual learning environments? The author chose this topic to find and to apply multi-sensory strategies, including technology-rich approaches, in virtual education, and developed a new curriculum unit using current sensory-rich technologies. The goal is to enhance and enrich curriculum, and thereby to increase student engagement in the sciences. Applying these tools in virtual education and using multi-sensory approaches can lead to new …

Creating A Fresh Start For The Gv Honors Experience, Logan Wiber, Adam Anderson, Riese Bierlein, Jinah Bak, Tessa Martin, Katarina Zomer

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Research

Dear Reader,

Thank you for your interest in our team, The ASAP, and our work with the Grand Valley State University Frederik Meijer Honors College. At the time of undertaking the task of reimagining the current Honors College curriculum, we explored the current sentiments of stakeholders, unfulfilled needs, and how other colleges have provided solutions to these needs. Our hope is that you, whoever you may be, become inspired and that ideas from our final prototype become a reality in the Honors College curriculum.

The team working on this project consisted of 6 members, all introduced on the page prior. …

Building Comprehension Skills With Cognitive Training, Mindy Oakley

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this project was how does explicit instruction in executive functioning skills impact students’ ability to read and comprehend text at a deeper level? The continued rise in difficulties with reading comprehension and executive dysfunction among students was the focus of the author’s capstone question. The capstone paper focused on the topic of executive function in education and documents the author’s creation of a five-week curriculum that focuses on the use of cognitive training strategies. Executive functioning skills are defined, their presence in reading skills is described, and the possible ways to teach executive function skills …

Increasing Target Language Input For L2 Students: Strategies For Success In Classroom-Based Language Acquisition, Katie Schmidt

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question investigated in this project was, in what ways can teachers enhance language input for L2 students in classroom-based language acquisition? Generally, students do not get sufficient exposure to the target language in the average classroom setting. This project explores the role of input/exposure on language acquisition and success. The research in this capstone provides evidence for the importance of strong language input as well as other factors that attribute to language acquisition. By closely analyzing the studies completed in the classroom, a clear connection was found between language input and interaction. The curriculum created for this project …

Mentor Texts To Teach Grammar And Mechanics: A Curriculum, Beth Hillerns

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Mentor texts are texts that teachers can use with students to model author’s craft - how a text is written. This project addresses the research question, how can mentor texts be used to effectively teach grammar and mechanics in an elementary classroom? The literature review explores the history of grammar instruction, mentor texts in the context of writing workshop, and rubrics for writing assessment. Then the author outlines the development of a curriculum project that utilizes mentor texts to address several third and fourth grade standards from the Language strand of the Common Core State Standards. The paper concludes with …

Improving Engagement Of High School Students In United States History Through Collaborative Learning, Michael Evans

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project is to improve student engagement by focusing on collaborative learning as the primary method of pedagogy. Included within the project is a detailed unit outline, with learning objectives, activities, and assessments included. The lessons include a variety of activities such as group discussions and debates, examining primary sources, group projects, and analyzing political cartoon. All the activities have been modified in order to promote the importance of the collaborative process. A goal of the project is to show how individual activities can be modified to incorporate methodical collaborative learning techniques. The research and literature reviewed …

What Is The Rational For Opening Elementary School In Somalia?, Abdikarim Mohamed

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project explores the research question “What is the rational for opening an Elementary school in Somalia” It creates and builds a new private school for the children in Somalia that will focus on increasing achievement standards to the highest possible levels, by utilizing the STEM curriculum and a comprehensive college preparation with emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics — while ensuring that quality character education is taught through every opportunity, and that all learn responsibility, respect, honesty, and the skills of analysis. The project then narrows down to the focus of planning and outline. This explains different models-finance, …

The Benefits And Challenges Of Integrating Self-Assessed Grading Into A 7th Grade Math Classroom, Michael Schramm

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project documents one teacher’s exploration of self-assessment as a strategy for teaching and learning in middle school math, addressing the research question, “What are the benefits and challenges of integrating self-assessed grading into a 7th grade pre-algebra curriculum?” It explores research relevant to the idea of self-assessment in middle school, focusing on constructivism, self-regulated learning and self-efficacy. It also includes a review of research about the implementation of self-assessment strategies. The author concludes with a curriculum aimed at helping teachers implement self-assessment in their own classrooms. The centerpiece of the curriculum is an outline of a structure and materials …

How Social Studies Curriculum Can Help Spanish Immersion Students To Develop And Improve Their Grammar And Language Skills, Juan Perona

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The purpose of the project is to develop examples of activities and lessons within the regular social studies curriculum of Spanish immersion students in middle school that reinforce Spanish language skills that most of these students seen to struggle to master. The rationale of the project came from the observations of the author of the language skills of Spanish immersion students in middle school, in which he notice that, although their communication and understanding skills were very advanced, the students have gaps in language areas like specific grammar concepts, and develop academic Spanish language. The literature review major studies on …

Promoting Effective Language Development In English Language Learners Through A School Garden-Based Curriculum, Krista Steffen

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question for this project was, how does interacting with a school garden-based curriculum promote more effective language development for English Language Learner (ELL) students? The goal of this project was to design a language-focused curriculum for ELL students to be delivered through the hands-on learning that happens in a school garden. Bringing research from experts in ELL together with studies focused on science and outdoor education, eight best practices were unearthed from the research that guided the development of the project. The best practices included: using additional instructional supports, combining strategies for maximum impact, embedding language instruction and …

Umm Curriculum Program Changes 03/21/18, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Reports

No abstract provided.

Curriculum Minutes 03/19/2018, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

Changes In Teacher Thinking And Action In Response To The Next Generation Science Standards, Angela R. Bowden

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the role of K-12 science teachers’ understandings and perceptions of the Next Generation Science Standards, implementation of the new standards in the classroom, and potential barriers to implementation as reform stakeholders had envisioned. Grounded in the relevant literature and working from the Teacher-Centered System Reform framework, this study employed a quantitative approach to data collection. The TCSR Model framed this study by linking teachers’ demographic and professional profile, teaching experience, professional development, district-level, school-level, and classroom-level contexts and illuminates the dynamic effect the factors have on teachers’ thinking and their practice. The study recognizes teachers’ knowledge and …

The Role Of Ehealth In Disasters: A Strategy For Education, Training And Integration In Disaster Medicine, Anthony C. Norris, Jose J. Gonzalez, David T. Parry, Richard E. Scott, Julie Dugdale, Deepak Khazanchi

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Faculty Publications

This paper describes the origins and progress of an international project to advance disaster eHealth (DEH) – the application of eHealth technologies to enhance the delivery of healthcare in disasters. The study to date has focused on two major themes; the role of DEH in facilitating inter-agency communication in disaster situations, and the fundamental need to promote awareness of DEH in the education of disaster managers and health professionals. The paper deals mainly with on-going research on the second of these themes, surveying the current provision of disaster medicine education, the design considerations for a DEH programme for health professionals, …

Cybersecurity In The Classroom: Bridging The Gap Between Computer Access And Online Safety, Andrew Malecki

Cyber Security Capstone Research Project Reports

According to ISACA, there will be a global shortage of 2 million cybersecurity professionals worldwide by 2019. Additionally, according to Experian Data Breach Resolution, as much as 80% of all network breaches can be traced to employee negligence. These problems will not solve themselves, and they likewise won’t improve without drastic action. An effort needs to be made to help direct interested and qualified individuals to the field of cybersecurity to move toward closing this gap. Moreover, steps need to be made to better inform the public of general safety measures while online, including the safeguarding of sensitive information.

A …

"Content Without Context Is Noise": Looking For Curriculum Harmony In Primary Arts Education In Western Australia, Sian Chapman, Peter Wright, Robin Pascoe

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Arts education in Western Australian primary schools consist of learning opportunities outlined by mandated curriculum. However, assumptions underlying this curriculum involving access, resources and support impact schools’ capacity to implement the curriculum without them being adequately addressed by the written curriculum. Drawing on the policy enactment theory of Ball, Maguire, and Braun (2012), four contextual variables (situated contexts, professional cultures, material contexts and external factors) are used to highlight the differences between the written published curriculum and the implemented, practised curriculum. Drawing on interviews with 24 participants across four schools issues of geographic location, use of arts specialists, appropriate learning …

The Curriculum Of Cultural Reconciliation At West Virginia State University And The General Education Curriculum, Michael Carpenter Harris Ii

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This qualitative study examined the perceptions and experiences of the faculty and students involved in the creation and administration of the General Education program at WVSU. This study focused on the themes of the creation of the original General Education curriculum that included the Origins and Race, Gender, and Human Identity classes, the redesign of the curriculum due to the state mandate, and how the new version of the General Education curriculum compares to the original. The findings provide insight into strengths and weaknesses of the program, faculty and student perceptions, government policy affecting education, and possible pathways forward to …

Nsu Florida Abraham S. Fischler College Of Education Graduate Catalog And Student Handbook 2018-2019, Nova Southeastern University

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice College Archive

No abstract provided.

Fostering Giftedness And Creativity: Implementing Engineering By Design In Kuwait, Nathan Mentzer, Philip A. Reed, Meshari Alnouri, Mohammad Barbarji

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The article offers information on a partnership between the International Technology & Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) and the Sabah Al Ahmad Center for Giftedness and Creativity (SACGC) to support innovation and design education. The partnership is aimed towards the implementation of the Engineering byDesign (EbD) curriculum and contribute towards building a Kuwaiti society that fosters giftedness and creativity.

Re-Theorising Inclusion And Reframing Inclusive Practice In Physical Education, Dawn Penney, Ruth Jeanes, Justen O'Connor, Laura Alfrey

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Inclusion remains a key political agenda for education internationally and is a matter that teachers across subject communities and phases of education are challenged to respond to. In physical education specifically, research continues to highlight that current practice often reaffirms rather than challenges established inequities. This paper critically explores the understandings of inclusion that contribute to this situation and addresses the challenge of advancing inclusion in physical education from conceptual and pedagogical viewpoints. DeLuca’s [(2013). “Toward an Interdisciplinary Framework for Educational Inclusivity.” Canadian Journal of Education 36 (1): 305–348] conceptualisation of normative, integrative, dialogical and transgressive approaches to inclusion is …

Homeschooling Parents' Perceptions Of Resources For Curriculu Development, Vance Tasker Bradford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Homeschooling families in the state of Texas face challenges when developing their children's learning curriculum as they attempt to address state mandates with only limited guidelines for developing effective curricula and evaluation strategies to measure student learning. The resulting problem is that homeschooling parents are left to develop their curricula with little guidance. The absence of such guidance may create undue pressure for both the homeschooling parent and their child, while simultaneously creating the possibility of limiting student achievement. The purpose of the project study was to explore the challenges parents face in developing their homeschool curriculum in the state …

Global Climate Change In U.S. High School Curricula: Portrayals Of The Causes, Consequences, And Potential Responses, Casey R. Meehan, Brett L.M. Levy, Lauren Collet-Gildard

Educational Theory and Practice Faculty Scholarship

Broad misconceptions about global climate change (GCC) could hinder efforts to address this large-scale problem, and curricular materials can play a substantial role in what students learn about GCC. This study examines how U.S. high school textbooks and supplemental curricular materials published between 2007 and 2012 portray the causes, consequences, and potential responses to GCC. Our data included text segments related to these topics in five science textbooks, four social studies textbooks, and eight sets of GCC supplemental materials. To analyze these text segments, we conducted several rounds of coding, first categorizing curricula by their acceptance of the human causes …

Cultivating Perspective: A Qualitative Inquiry Examining School History Textbooks For Microaggressions Against Native Americans, Olivia G. Holter

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Native American youth face a number of challenges that affect their academic success and mental health (Center for Native American Youth, 2016). One way in which Native American youth currently face prejudice within the school system is through curriculum (Yosso, 2002). More specifically, Native American youth are often presented with textbooks that include stereotyped and distorted information about their peoples’ history (Loewen, 1995; Sanchez, 2007). However, there is currently a gap in the literature showing whether or not these textbooks also contain microaggressive statements towards Native Americans. The current study looked at 5 Eighth Grade level Montana history texts from …

Cyaf374: Purposeful Planning—Reflection And Practice In Enriching Students’ Lesson Design, Kelley Buchheister

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This portfolio documents my process of embracing, modeling, and implementing reflective teaching practices to enhance the lesson designs of my prospective early childhood professionals in CYAF374: Curriculum Planning in Early Childhood. Throughout this project I attended to and applied five critical components emphasized in the peer review of teaching project and integrated these ideas within the foundational elements of Japanese lesson study in order to implement instructional practices that would benefit my students. These five elements are extensively discussed throughout the portfolio on multiple levels: (a) understanding the role of reflective practice, (b) identifying goals through backward design, (c) outlining …

Introduction To Jesuit Pedagogy In Colonial Brazil. Humanist Education And The Ratio Studiorum, Karl M. Lorenz

Education Faculty Publications

In 1599 the Society of Jesus approved the Ratio atque Institutio Studiorum Societatis lesu (Method and System of the Studies of the Society of Jesus). The document outlined policies and procedures on the administration, curriculum and teaching practices in its educational institutions in Europe and abroad. Part of the Ratio detailed a secondary program of studies in classical languages and literature. The subject of this study is the program of humane letters and the focus of the analysis is the professional behavior of the Jesuit teacher responsible for its implementation. This paper identifies the actions that a Brazilian Jesuit would …

Domes Curriculum Description, Karleen West, Suann Yang

About the Sustainability Curriculum

No abstract provided.