Education Commons^™

A Scientific Approach To Sight Word Acquisition In Early Childhood, Emma J. Powers

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Teachers have commonly taught sight words through viewing the word as a whole unit and committing it to memory through repetition, but this practice bears little connection to phonics. While this method may work for some, for many students, especially those with specific learning disabilities (SLDs), it is not enough. Through this honors project, the teacher candidate will research new instructional methods based in the Science of Reading, which utilize orthographic mapping, or letter-sound connections, to chunk sight words into recognizable and phonetically regular spelling patterns (Ehri, 2014). To do so, she will investigate a body of evidence from relevant …

Technology’S Impact On Students In A Virtual Environment, Leah S. Sorensen

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In 2020, a worldwide pandemic ensued as the coronavirus spread throughout the United States. This caused a nationwide shutdown, closing schools. All forms of education went to a virtual learning setting, where all students were expected to learn outside of a classroom. This also meant that there became a heavy reliance on technology. This setting and use of technology began to affect students’ learning and development. Through conducted research, three domains of child development are evaluated to determine the effects of this form of learning. The cognitive, physical, and social-emotional domains will be considered.

Developing Self-Efficacy In Mathematics Through Visual Art: An Observational Research Report On A Preschool Child With Exceptionalities, Ever Daw-Powers

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Self-efficacy is a skill that can inspire problem solving, high confidence, and critical thinking skills. As educators seek to create an enriching, inclusive, and engaging academic environment for students with disabilities, it is important to incorporate strategies for building self-efficacy throughout learning. I pose a potential solution to integrate self-efficacy building into mathematical concepts through visual art. The participant in this study is a four-year-old child diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), sensory input issues, and a developmental delay. Over a four-week period, I performed a pre-assessment, four lesson plans, and a post-assessment. I created the assessment to measure …

Social Studies In The Primary Classroom: Why They Are Important, Katie Simkanin

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this study is to focus on the importance of social studies topics taught in the primary classroom. I will examine the main social studies and historical topics teachers focus on under the framework of the Ohio Common Core State Standards (OCCSS). I will also examine a local school district’s primary social studies curriculum and interview a primary and high school teacher for their thoughts on the benefits of teaching social studies in the classroom, and what topics they think are the most important to cover for their students’ education and success in the higher grades and in …

The Assessment And Evaluation Process In Third Grade, Cassandra Amato

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

For my honors research project, I will be focusing on the process of Early Childhood Education assessment and evaluation. To so, I will conduct a series of literacy-based assessments to 3^rdgrade students at Woodridge Elementary School. In a group of three to four students, I will assess various literacy skills such as fluency, comprehension, word recognition, sight words, letter recognition, phonics, vocabulary, and affective surveys. I will present each student with the varying assessments, recording anecdotal notes as they complete the assessments. Will gather the data found in each assessment and use it to find each student’s instructional …

Cyberbullying In Education: A Literature Review, Harvey Kenworthy

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project will analyze different pieces of literature on the topic of Cyberbullying and how it affects education. The project will outline the differences between traditional bullying and cyberbullying. The various psychological, social, and academic outcomes of cyberbullying. Some of the current intervention strategies used in schools to combat cyberbullying. This project will also include interviews from administrators and educators from Summit County Schools about anti-cyberbullying programs that are implemented in their schools and analyze whether or not these programs are consistent with what the literature suggests.

The Effectiveness Of Word Walls On Various Groups Of Students, Taylor Kish

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper discusses what word walls are and how they are used in a classroom. The various types of word walls are introduced, as well as their uses for spelling and vocabulary. It looks at the impact that word walls have on the following groups of students in a classroom: students at grade level, students above grade level, students below grade level, and students with disabilities. It was discovered that students above grade level receive the least benefits from word walls and that word walls are the most effective when accompanied with activities and explicit instruction. This paper also details …

Campus Child Care In Ohio: An Assessment Of Characteristics, Quality, And Challenges, Cassandra Milham

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This research is an analysis of campus child care centers in Ohio. In order to assess the quality and status of these centers, phone screenings with centers and a questionnaire completed by directors were utilized to learn of the characteristics of campus child care in Ohio.

Results of the questionnaire were separated into individual sections for quality, academic mission, support for student parents, and challenges. Through analysis of the results, campus child care centers provided quality programs. They assist in the needs of student parents and promote the academic mission of higher education institutions. Some areas where quality was found …

The Socioeconomic Effect Of The Third Grade Reading Guarantee, Savannah R. Shoaff

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In the state of Ohio, the Ohio Department of Education issues a requirement to all third grade classrooms in the state that they must administer a reading diagnostic to every third grade student; they have entitled this movement as the “Third Grade Reading Guarantee”. This style of testing requires every third grader in the state of Ohio to achieve a “Promotion Score” in order to then progress to their next grade the following year. If students fail to pass their reading diagnostic, they are not considered nor labeled “On Track”, and, thus, cannot move on to the fourth grade. This …

Foundation For Analysis Of Early Childhood Intervention For Hearing Loss: Birth To Three, Katherine E. Fike

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this study is to create a foundation for the analysis of early intervention programs for children ages birth to three, with hearing loss. By providing a guide into intervention currently available in the state of Ohio following the public law requirements, parents of children with hearing loss will be better informed and more capable of providing tools to help their children excel. This paper will simplify the language of Ohio public laws regarding services for hearing impaired individuals, explain the benefits of early intervention, and present information on how to locate resources in each county. The paper …