Education Commons^™

The Impact Of The Master Schedule On Student Perception Of Teacher-Student Relationships In Minnesota Middle Schools, Jonathon Graff

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Teacher-student relationships have been shown to have a marked decline at the transition to middle school (Hughes & Cao, 2018). The decline has been linked to a potential mismatch between middle school structure and the unique needs of the young adolescents that they serve (Eccles et al., 1993). This quantitative, correlational study explored the impact of school master schedules (i.e., school structure) on teacher-student relationships (i.e., TSRs) in Minnesota middle schools. The study searched for potential associations between student perceived teacher care and master scheduling type with the intent to fill a gap in literature and to help inform district …

Comparing Online And Traditional Assessment Practices In Middle School Mathematics, Maxwell Krueger, Kathy Enger

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers across the world have been forced to explore different modalities of assessment, many of them virtual. Now that many of the most restricting policies for schools due to pandemic have been lifted, the use of these virtual assessments remain. Due to the recent nature of their use though means that not many studies have looked into the implications of these assessments on students let alone middle school students. This study aims to help fill in some of the gaps in this research. In this study, students will take one of two assessments …

Getting Real: Examining The Effectiveness Of Authentic Learning In The English/ Language Arts Classroom, Tanya Miller

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

To prepare students for the challenges of the future that cannot even be imagined, a paradigm shift is needed to change the focus of classroom to a more organic, learner-centered approach. The purpose of this study was to understand the heightened level of engagement with an authentic learning experience that goes beyond the walls of the classroom. It answers one question: Why does authentic learning affect students’ engagement and motivation to learn in English/ language arts (ELA) classes? This qualitative, instrumental case study used an interpretivist paradigm with a combination of emic and etic lenses. The participants were mostly White …

How Doctoral Students In A Formal Leadership Program Conceptualize Followership: A Mixed-Methods Study, Katy J. Johnson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this exploratory mixed-methods study was to determine how doctoral students in a formal leadership program conceptualize followership. The methods used to conduct this analysis included distributing a Qualtrics (released in August 2022) survey and conducting one-on-one interviews with a sample of degree-seeking doctoral students within a formal leadership program. The researcher collected quantitative and qualitative data addressing students’ followership style, leadership attitudes and beliefs, and perceptions of followership. These data were analyzed concurrently using a triangulation design. A total of 67 students completed the survey, and seven students were interviewed. The findings revealed that the participants employ …

The Impact Of Paired-Partner Reading On Star Reading Scores, Brianna Byer

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine how effective paired-partner reading is when used in the classroom with curriculum. Within a 7th grade language arts classroom, this reading strategy focuses on student collaboration, reading comprehension, and providing the opportunity to read aloud on a regular basis. Researchers Stahl, Heubach, and Cramond (1997) stated, “Partner reading provides an opportunity for students to read connected text within a socially supportive context. This context should both motivate children to read well and provide a supportive environment to aid the development of reading skill” (p. 13). The overall goal of this study …

A Program Evaluation Of The Multi-Tiered System Of Supports (Mtss) And Its Role In Supporting Students’ Reading And Math Performance During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sonia Nistler

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to employ a quantitative research study to measure the degree of impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on students’ academic performance and determine the extent to which the MTSS program served to counter the impact of the pandemic on students’ reading and math performance. This study analyzed pre-existing STAR Reading and STAR Math data collected from 7^th-grade students at one Midwest public middle utilizing the September (Fall) and December (Winter) scores. The data sets were compared to determine the students’ reading and math performance trends in the three years preceding the COVID-19 …

Influencing Well-Being: A Study Of Childhood Risk Factors As Predictive Indicators For Future Mental Health Difficulties, Jennifer Sahr

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Previous literature demonstrates common childhood characteristics of adults with mental health problems and children with internalizing and externalizing behavior challenges (Fatori et al., 2013; Jaffee et al., 2002; Koegel et al., 1995; Morrissey et al., 2014). Still, little research exists having associated school-based internalizing and externalizing behavior screening scores with the risk factors described in the literature (i.e., low socioeconomic status, office discipline referrals, homelessness, low academic achievement, low attendance rates, and ethnicity- and gender-based issues). This quantitative correlational study aimed to estimate the predictive value the childhood risk factors had on the results of the Student Risk Screening Scale …

Career, Academics, Exploration, Shadowing, Application, And Reality Store: Caesars, Brooke Hunstad

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Society’s expectation is that once a student graduates from high school, they will do one of two things; enter the workforce or continue their education. The flaw within this expectation is that rarely do high school students experience what their futures may look like depending on their career path. The focus of this curriculum is to provide knowledge and experiences that can help students reach society’s expectation. The population of focus is middle to high school students, preferably juniors and seniors. Research was collected and a literature review was prepared to support the demand of the curriculum in education and …

The Effect Of Homework Completion On Students’ Academic Performance, Morgan Gustafson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

With education continuously changing, including the shift to standard-based grading, educators need to continue to study the effects homework completion has on academic achievement. In this study, students’ homework completion score for each unit was recorded along with their assessment score. The relationship between the homework completion rate and assessment score was analyzed. The purpose of this research study was to study the effects homework completion has on students’ achievement on summative assessments.

The Effects Not Grading Formative Assessments Has On Summative Assessments, Luke Saunders

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This 2021 study focused on the relationship between not grading formative assessments and summative assessments. The focus was on whether students will do their formative assessments if they know they would not be graded. Furthermore, if they decided to complete or not complete their formative assessments, this study would show the effects on their summative scores. The study lasted for one chapter in their curriculum. The research took place in a North Dakota school, specifically 52 geometry students. Data showed that majority of students will not do their homework if not held accountable. The data also suggests that not grading …

The Use Of Phoneme-Grapheme Mapping Practice To Improve Foundational Reading Skills In A First Grade Student, Annah Scherling

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Literacy is widely accepted as a critical life skill in the United States, but many students struggle to acquire the necessary foundational skills. The National Reading Panel of the National Institute of Child Health and Development established The Big Five which identified five critical areas for effective reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. There are 26 letters or graphemes represented in the English language and 44 sounds or phonemes. The connection between grapheme and phoneme is referred to as correspondences. A first-grade student, from a Midwest elementary school, was given a phoneme-grapheme mapping intervention to assist in …

Flipped Classroom Effects On Upper Elementary And Middle School Student Motivation Inside And Outside The Classroom, Katarina Kuhlmann

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This action research study focuses on the effects the Flipped Classroom Model has on student motivation in the classroom, as well as at home. Two research questions are utilized in this study and the two research questions are the following: How does the Flipped Classroom Model (FCM) enhance student motivation at home, as well as in the classroom? What obstacles can educators and students face pertaining towards motivation with the Flipped Classroom Model (FCM) and how can they overcome those challenges? The study on the Flipped Classroom and student motivation took place in a 5^th grade classroom consisting of …

Feelings Forward: A Trauma Group For Adolescents, Lindsay Thronson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Within the United States, research has shown that roughly 14% to 43% of children and teens go through at least one traumatic event and of those children 3% to 15% develop PTSD (VA.gov: Veterans Affairs, 2018). The current research has indicated that children who have endured a traumatic event can suffer from lifelong determinantal effects such as emotional, physical, and psychological issues. With these statistics in mind, this group manual has been created for adolescents who are presenting with PTSD symptomology. Among the literature regarding the detrimental impact that trauma has on adolescents development, there will be a focus …

Lack Of Motivation In High School Students: Reach Curriculum, Alexandra L. Nickolauson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The lack of motivation in high schoolers has increased in the last ten years. This literature review will explore the reasons for lack of motivation in high school students, and if school belonging, teacher enthusiasm, parent involvement, and holding students accountable contribute to motivation or if lack of those factors leads to more dropouts. The purpose of this literature review is to show why high school students have a lack of motivation and what can be done. The articles researched were focused on qualitative research. There were six major finds for lack of motivation: fear of failure, incuriosity, lack of …

Standard Specific Student Achievement Scores And The Impact On Teacher Incorporation Of Standards, Knowledge Of Standards, And Student Achievement, Jeffrey Burgess

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

There has been a steady focus in education on standards, assessment, and accountability. The purpose of this quantitative study was to find if research based PLCs focusing on standard specific student achievement data impacted teacher knowledge of standards, incorporation of standards, and student achievement. The research was guided by two research questions. Within the context of PLCs (data-based teams) utilizing standard specific student achievement data: 1) What impact, if any, was the use of PLCs on the teachers’ knowledge and incorporation of standards into the classroom setting? 2) Did student achievement on standardized tests improve as the result of the …

Short-Term Direct Reading Instruction For 2nd Grade Students Using Horizons Fast Track A-B, Emily Dempster

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Children who read proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to graduate from high school (Hernandez, 2011). This school-based project explored the effects of Horizons Fast Track A-B phonics intervention on oral reading fluency (ORF) progress of three second grade students. Students received 40-minute lessons, twice a week for three weeks. Lesson activities ranged from identifying letter sounds to story comprehension. Students were progress monitored weekly at the second- grade level using one-minute ORF probes. It appeared that the intervention was not beneficial for these students. Discussion includes possible changes that could have been made to make the …

Student Success In Virtual Versus In-Person Learning During A Direct Instruction Math Intervention Course, Christina Lindmeier

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Public education has always been thought of as being completed in a brick and mortar setting with students in desks and teachers at the front of the classroom. Students interact with their peers and learn through lecture and hands-on activities. This general understanding was quickly changed in the spring of 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Schools had to shift from in person learning to online learning with little to no planning time. As schools began to transition back in the fall of 2020, school boards had to make the choice of continuing all virtual learning, creating a hybrid learning …

Predicting And Perceiving Teacher Effectiveness Of Novice Teachers, Kristen Carlson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

“What makes a good teacher” is a question that many people interested in education try to answer, whether they are school administrators, education faculty, parents of a K-12 student, or politicians. For several decades, policy makers have been searching for ways to measure teacher effectiveness, primarily through student standardized assessments. Recently, there has been a resurgence of interested educators and education researchers who are working to find alternative ways to measure teacher effectiveness instead of relying solely on the individual students’ standardized assessment scores. This study sought to predict novice teacher effectiveness through performance assessment and to determine how novice …

How Teachers Of Different Content Areas Use And Define Rubrics, Abigail Bremer

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This study serves to fill a gap in the research with regard to what we know about the actual implementation of rubrics in secondary classrooms. By discovering the connections between a secondary teacher’s content area and the ways they use and identify rubrics, this study begins the work of clarifying academic language and implementing practices that will be significant to the growth and development of all students. A qualitative case study, this research began with a survey that included responses from teachers in each core content area: mathematics, science, social studies, and language arts. Three hundred thirty-seven secondary teachers from …

Summer Literacy Academy: Evaluating The Impact Of Supports, Book Choice, Incentives, And A Focused, Literacy-Based Summer Learning Program On Reading Outcomes For Rural, Middle School Students, Kathrina Oconnell

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This research explores the effect of the equitable provision of resources and a literacy-focused curriculum on summer learning loss for middle-school students. Using the faucet theory, this mixed methods sequential exploratory study was designed to provide school-year resources during the summer months, for students in grades five through eight, in a rural, socioeconomically disadvantaged school district. Transportation, breakfast, lunch, books, and a literacy-focused enrichment program were provided for all students, and book choice and attendance prizes were used to increase student motivation. The pragmatic approach of the study incorporated both quantitative (e.g., literacy outputs, registration, attendance data, reading observations, and …

The Effectiveness Of Token Economy Interventions On High School Students With Emotional/Behavioral Disorders, Jordan R. Welle

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

With the advances in knowledge that we have had available to us as educators, we have shown that we are capable of making powerful differences in the lives of students. A major topic that has risen in education is the emotional and behavioral needs that some students bring to the school buildings across America. Our ability to recognize, be proactive, and address emotional and behavioral needs has shown great progress. The purpose of this research study was intended to investigate an intervention in particular. The intervention of a Token Economy System is the focus of this study. A token economy …

The Relationship Between Parental Involvement And Reading Achievement, Erin M. Schnell

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This five week investigation determined a relationship exists between parental involvement and reading achievement. Students were separated into two groups, Group A and Group B. Group A contained students who received below the average amount of parental involvement points obtained and Group B contained students who received above the average amount of parental involvement points obtained. Students in Group B made a 1.14 text level gain above students in Group A. Group B also made a 6.34 sight word gain over Group A as well as a 5.57 oral reading fluency gain over students in Group A. The study included …

The Effect Of Feedback Given On Informal Assessments And Its Continued Effect On Formal Assessments, Britta Teeples, Britta Teeples

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This quantitative study investigates the use of immediate and delayed answer corrective feedback provided on informal assessments, with the use of technological tools, and its impact on formal assessments on senior level, high school students from a rural Minnesota high school. Specifically, this study investigated the impact of both immediate and delayed answer corrective feedback to determine if both/either are effective in helping improve students formally. Students participated in an eight-week study in which two smaller sections were provided immediate answer corrective feedback informally, with the use of Kahoot. An additional (one) section was provided delayed answer corrective feedback with …