Digital Game-Based Learning Activities In Primary Grade Mathematics Achievement, Chris Anderson

Graduate Teacher Education

The research paper has gathered and analyzed research from online databases to find how digital game-based learning activities were used in mathematics and how it influences the affective domains of academic engagement, motivation, and academic self-perception. The paper aims to inform primary educators of the benefits and limitations of digital game-based activities in primary mathematics. Digital game-based learning has positively influenced students' academic engagement through interaction, play, and effort, which had a positive effect on their mathematical achievement. Increased motivation felt by students when doing digital game-based activities resulted in higher mathematical achievement and an increase in learning more mathematics …

Analyzing Motivation And Sense Of Belonging Belonging In Cs1 Review Sessions, Cory Longenecker

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

The Computer Science Department at James Madison University has a Teaching Assistant program which aims to help students succeed in early-level Computer Science courses. Part of this program is a review session, the Fourth Hour, which provides students extra help on the concepts taught each week in class. Historically, attendance at this review session has been low. Because of this, the study aimed to increase attendance by motivating students through interventions, primarily offering quiz retakes to students who attended. Additionally, this study looked at the reported sense of belonging for participants who attended.

We made three conclusions from survey data …

Using Student Goal Setting And Individual Student Conferences To Increase Academic Achievement In Mathematics, Amanda R. Mcnamee

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

ABSTRACT

This study focuses on an elementary school in the Midwest region of the United States; this community serves as a regional center of education, commerce, and health care. Participants in this study are a classroom of 17 fifth grade students; 35% girls and 65% boys. The school district in this study recently adopted a new mathematics curriculum, Bridges. In using this new mathematics curriculum, the teachers have noticed that many of the fifth-grade students are consistently scoring in the red on the assessments. This research study will investigate whether implementing goal setting and individual student conference sessions will …

Autonomy And Self-Motivation Among K-12 Learners: An Examination Of Best Practice Research, Current Classroom Practices, And Teacher & Administrator Perspectives, Meghan Scales

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Are our schools doing enough to create environments where learners are motivated to learn, and can problem solve and be autonomous in their learning? The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine a sample of schools in Indiana and determine to what extent they are utilizing research-based methods to ensure an environment where learners are motivated and autonomous. Additionally, in school where these methods were identified as lacking, I investigated some of the reasons teachers struggle to implement these practices. Data was collected using classroom observations and teacher focus groups from four participating schools. The results were then …

Overcoming Gifted Student Underachievement Through Teacher Best Practices, Samantha Simmons Webre

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The goal of this study is to collect the best practices being utilized by gifted teachers affecting change amongst their gifted underachieving students. Data collected will explore trends deemed significant among the successful best practices being utilized by academically gifted certified teachers.

The researcher will administer surveys, conduct interviews, and classroom observations to collect data from a sample of participants who are currently employed as academically gifted certified teachers. This study will focus on these academically gifted certified teacher’s definitions and recognition of underachievement, identified causes for underachievement, best practices employed to re-engage underachieving students, as well as perceptions of …

“Even The Little Things Matter:” A Phenomenological Study On Factors Impacting Student Motivation During And After Covid-Related Disruptions In Education, Jennifer Ferris-Crisafulli

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about unprecedented disruptions in education, as schools were forced to make a rapid transition to virtual learning in March 2020. Students’ motivation seemed to decline significantly during and after this virtual learning period, which ranged from months to over a year in various areas of the United States. This study seeks to understand the factors impacting student motivation during and after this virtual learning period.

This action research study was conducted using a qualitative, phenomenological approach. Data was collected from open-ended surveys and semi-structured interviews during Spring 2021 and Spring 2022. Data was analyzed through the …

Virtual Instruction During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Katie B. Kelley

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Student motivation and the impacts of the school environment on it have been heavily researched. However, motivation during the COVID-19 pandemic has not been studied in detail due to the recency of events. To understand how the pandemic impacted student motivation, this study applied the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) in understanding how motivation functions through three pieces: autonomy, competence, and relatedness (Deci & Ryan, 1985). This current study examines students’ perceived motivation in virtual and hybrid instruction during a pandemic from students’ perspectives. It used surveys from a similar study with the addition of qualitative questions about instructional strategies (Edwards, 2009). …

Quickwrites And The Quest To Reverse Writing Reluctance, Jenna Dunn

Honors Projects

Current research suggests that students’ enjoyment of writing will positively impact their writing achievement (Graham, 2007; Bulut, 2017). Given this trend, the following study explores the extent to which quickwriting, a teaching strategy developed extensively by Linda Rief (2003, 2018) as well as Donald Graves & Penny Kittle (2005), impacts the attitudes of reluctant writers. A total of nineteen eleventh-grade students were interviewed in three focus groups. All of the students within the study experienced three weeks of regular classroom quickwriting along with one week of a quickwriting extension workshop prior to participation in the focus groups. Students were asked …

The Effect Of Separating Grades From Feedback On Student Motivation, Nora Rogers

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

There is often a disconnect around instructional feedback between how the instructor intends the feedback to be used and how students actually use it. Research shows that students tend to view feedback as a means to achieve a higher grade, not as a tool for learning. Frequently, this means that feedback is ignored. Students tend to be motivated by performance goals as opposed to mastery goals thereby focusing on point acquisition above all. Therefore, this study explores the question: What is the effect of separating grades from feedback on the motivation of secondary honors students? Learners in this research study …

How Does Different Level Of Questioning Impact Student Performance, Engagement, And Motivation In A 6th Grade Science Classroom?, Mia Bruesewitz

Education Masters Papers

This study was designed to determine how different level of questioning in a 6th grade science classroom can impact student performance, engagement, and motivation. During the study, students were taught three different lessons, balance and unbalanced forces, friction, and mass versus weight. Data was collected in a 6th grade science class of 25 participants and focused on surveys, pretests, exit slips, at-task checklist, and a final summative assessment. The results of the data showed that there was no significant difference in performance, engagement, or motivation in relation to different level of questioning. The data also showed that activities that students …

Impact Of Brain Breaks On Student Engagement, Motivation, And Achievement In A Third-Grade Classroom, Adrianna Gernes

Education Masters Papers

In a third-grade classroom in a highly populated city, a researcher was concerned about her students’ focus level in the afternoon. Students have a long day at school, their brains get exposed to so much information on a typical day, and it is hard to retain the knowledge as well as being able to stay focused and motivated throughout each and every day. This study investigated how brain breaks affect student engagement, achievement, and motivation. For the entirety of a math unit, math instruction was taught incorporating planned brain breaks throughout each lesson. Data was collected from pre-and post- assessment …

Teacher Led Tier Two Intervention To Increase Student Academic Achievement, Cynthia Shepherd

Education Masters Papers

The purpose of this action research was to determine if the implementation of a tier two teacher led intervention would increase student academic achievement. A small group of ten students in a ninth-grade physical science class participated in the study. Data was collected over a period of three weeks using pre- and post- intervention surveys, an exit slip for self-assessment, researcher observations, comparisons of work completion and grades from previous grading periods, participant performance self-assessment, and a goal setting activity. Results show an inconclusive connection between the tier two teacher led intervention and student academic achievement. This is possibly due …

The Motivation And Attitude Of Arab Heritage Children And Their Parents’ Perspectives Toward Learning Arabic, Nada Naji

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the unstable circumstances in the Middle East in the last decade, a large number of immigrants from Arab origins immigrated to non-Arab countries. This immigration created a new generation of Arab heritage learners who want to learn the Arabic language as a heritage language for different reasons. This study investigates the motivation and attitude of Arab heritage children between 10 and 16 years of age and their parents’ perspectives toward learning Arabic as a heritage language in host countries. 143 participants (92 parents, 51 children) living in 17 different non-Arab countries have participated in this study. The method …

Gradeless Learning: The Effect Of Eliminating Traditional Grading Practices On Student Engagement And Learning, Eric Sanders

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

In order for students to learn at high levels, there must be high expectations and strong feedback. Although traditional grading seems to be an inherent part of the educational system, there are multiple purposes for grades which often causes frustrations for both teachers and students. There is a need to expand the research on grading and its effect on both student learning and motivation. This action research study centered on three research questions: 1) What effect does the elimination of traditional grading practices have on student engagement in learning? 2) What impact does the removal of traditional grading practices and …

Community College Student Success: Connections To Student Perceptions Of Faculty Behaviors, And Classroom Motivators, Victor A. Henry Ubiera

Dissertations

This study explored how community college students perceive certain faculty behaviors, its relationship with students’ classroom motivators and how the perception of those behaviors and motivators predicts students’ persistence and academic success. The statistics about the low rates of completion in higher education institutions is an issue that researchers and educational organizations are concerned about (Apolinar, 2013; Kolodner, 2015). Addressing this issue, a body of inquiring is focusing on the student-faculty relationship (Kezar & Maxey, 2014) revealing that faculty behaviors and student motivation are related to several students’ outcomes (Lancaster & Lundberg, 2019; Wilson & Ryan, 2013). However, less is …

Using Sitcoms In Esl/Efl: A Handbook For Using Friends In The Classroom, Elif Konus

Master's Projects and Capstones

English learning has become the most significant objective throughout the world for learners of English as a second language (ESL) and foreign language (EFL). Unfortunately, most learners do not have a chance to learn the language in English-speaking countries. In most ESL and EFL classrooms, teachers have solely adapted their teaching method through textbooks even though there are numerous teaching techniques to support learners’ language process. Considering the fact that we live in an age of constant change of technology in which students’ attention spans have been shortened, students might lack engagement and motivation in learning English through solely textbook-adapted …

Effects Of Chair Testing In Orchestra On Student Motivation: Student Perspectives And Applications From Motivational Theories, Rosanna Christine Honeycutt

MSU Graduate Theses

The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine how string students perceive achievement on chair testing through the lens of attribution and achievement goal motivational self-theories. A teacher survey was administered to identify the goals of chair testing in two high school and seven middle school orchestra classrooms. A student survey was used to collect data in those same classrooms on (a) the reasons why students do and do not do well on chair tests, (b) the perceived goals of chair testing and (c) the ratings of motivation and self-achievement. Qualitative techniques were used to analyze attributions within both …

The Relationship Between Academic Advising And Student Motivation On The Persistence Of Freshman Exploratory Studies Students, Marlene N. Fares

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Academic advising is associated with increased student retention and academic success. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate a relationship with the student-advisor relationship and locus of control as an essential variable to understand Exploratory Studies students’ success. This study investigated the influence of the advising relationship with Exploratory Studies students and their locus of control as it impacts their overall retention and persistence. Based on Kutztown University (KU) institutional data sources, over 9 percent of freshmen Exploratory Studies students fail at least one course in their first semester at KU. In addition to satisfaction with advising and …

"What Are The Effects Of Goal-Setting On Motivation And Academic Achievement In A Fourth Grade Classroom?", Danielle Mcmillan

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research was to study the effects of goal-setting as a strategy on student motivation and academic achievement in a fourth-grade classroom. The study was performed at a rural public elementary school in South Carolina, consisting of eighteen students in a general education classroom. This study used a preassessment/post-assessment set-up in order to collect data for math achievement and reading comprehension. An attitude survey was used to collect data on student’s motivation towards academic work. The data shows that the goal-setting strategy had a positive effect on math achievement and motivation towards academic work and may …

Explicit Inclusion Of Fun In Instruction As A Catalyst For Academic Success, Kimberly Tyskiewicz

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Low graduation rates, rising drop-out rates, and increasing apathy and disengagement in learning has prompted the need for new strategies and interventions in education. This case study provides an analysis of the perceptions of high school teachers related to the impact of the explicit, intentional inclusion of fun in direct instruction. The participants included approximately 20% of the faculty in a semirural high school of approximately 1,325 students. The case study involved individual interviews with half of the participants and the other half participating in a focus group conversation. Six participants in each group were observed. All comments and concepts …

Increasing Motivation Toward Math In A Montessori Lower Elementary Classroom, Caitlin Sweeney

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This study investigated how the introduction of math-based games influences children’s motivation to practice math. It was conducted in a Lower Elementary Montessori classroom, serving first through third grade and twenty-one students participated. The students played one of three games every day throughout the study. Their motivation toward math was tracked through observational data and their daily work journals. Additionally, each participant answered pre and post intervention questions to ascertain their mindset toward math. The data shows that the intervention had minimal impact on the students’ motivation toward math, although some students did increase the frequency of their math practice. …

Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Integration Of Technology Into Pedagogy, Joe George Gerez

All Theses And Dissertations

The aim of this qualitative exploratory case study was to examine middle school teachers’ perceptions of the integration of technology into pedagogy. Data collection occurred from analyzing middle school teacher’s experiences, observations, and motivation following a technological implementation initiative into pedagogy. The evaluation of the study data included the analysis of surveys and interpretation of in-depth interviews of teachers. A pedagogical focus on teacher integration of technology supported by the self-determination theory as the research study’s theoretical framework examining human motivation was appropriated to the case study. As educational leaders face significant challenges in understanding the impact of teachers’ perceptions …

Teacher Influence On Motivation Of Korean Efl University Learners, Marie Willyard

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Abstract

This study took place in South Korea over a four-week period in the first semester of the academic school year and focused on how professors influence the motivation of Korean EFL university students. Through faculty meetings, participants were able to share their ideas, trials and tribulations, and learn more about how teaching style and motivational techniques can be utilized to create or maintain the motivation level of their students. Participants noted that a more fluid teaching style, and techniques that create a fun and exciting environment are instrumental in motivating students. However, there is a fine line between motivating …

Motivation In Male Adolescent Readers, Rachel Dockter

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if weekly one on one conferring with male students was effective in increasing motivation in adolescent male readers. The study began by collecting data on individual reading habits by having students complete a comprehensive questionnaire on their habits and attitudes towards reading. Male students then meet with their instructor on a weekly basis to orally outline their past reading habits, discuss current reading habits, and make goals for future reading habits. The study concluded by having students take the questionnaire a second time to determine if conferring had any impact on their …

A Mixed Method Study: Assessing Critical Thinking, Metacognition, And Motivation In A Flipped Classroom Instructional Model, Phyllis Brown

Dissertations

Technology has changed pedagogical methods in higher education. Educators are using technology more and integrating more active learning techniques. One pedagogical method, the flipped classroom, is suitable for integrating technology and active learning techniques. The pedagogical efficacy of the flipped classroom has not been determined despite being a potential solution for technology savvy millennial students. This mixed method study assessed critical thinking, metacognition, and motivation in higher education flipped classrooms in the United States. Human Anatomy and Physiology Society (HAPS) members teaching traditional and flipped format science courses were purposefully selected to participate in the study. A sample of 14 …

Engaging Adolescent Boys In Classroom Learning: What Teachers Need To Know About Adolescents And The First Years Of Teaching An Elective In A Secondary School, Tiffany Patrice Cook

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

What are the predominant factors that contribute to adolescent boys’ lack of classroom engagement, and what can teachers do to engage them in the classroom content? This literature review examines motivating and engaging boys in a secondary content area classroom. Itc focus is on several ways in which teachers can make adjustments to increase engagement based on changes that take place in adolescent boys and how these changes affect their classroom engagement. These are broken into six categories: Classroom Management, Students Disposition Toward School, Academic Performance and Expectations, Engagement, Professional Studies, and Motivation.

The Use Of 1:1 Technology To Motivate And Engage Students, Adam Huppert

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Growth of technology in the past decade has changed the educational system forever. Technology has been integrated into education to incorporate new tools for students to connect with the outside world. Students now have the opportunity to learn content in any way, anywhere, and anyhow they feel comfortable. In recent years, many school districts have rewritten their goals to include 1:1 device implementation and student-centered, personalized learning models. This thesis serves as a practical guide for implementation and pedagogy to maximize 1:1 technology implementation. The 21st century will boast jobs that can’t even be imagined currently. Preparing students with soft …

El Cuento Como Estrategia Didáctica En El Aprendizaje Del Inglés En Los Estudiantes De Primero De Primaria Del Colegio Liceo El Rinconcito Del Saber, Luis Felipe Ríos Carvajal

Licenciatura en Español y Lenguas Extranjeras

El presente trabajo de grado tiene como fin determinar, ¿Cómo el cuento puede ser una estrategia didáctica en el aprendizaje del inglés en los estudiantes de primero de primaria del colegio Liceo el Rinconcito del Saber?. Por lo cual, el objeto de estudio es describir el cuento como estrategia didáctica en el aprendizaje del inglés, definiendo los elementos teóricos con el fin de establecer el uso del cuento como estrategia de aprendizaje del idioma extranjero, en donde se determine el uso del cuento como herramienta práctica, desarrollando en los estudiantes habilidades en la adquisición de un segundo idioma. Esta investigación …

Inner Drive And Disposition As The Fuel To Develop English Language Classroom Activities: A Self-Determination Study, Yendli Soranny Molina Leal, Paola Lizeth Peña Ceròn

Licenciatura en Español y Lenguas Extranjeras

Este estudio evalúa los niveles de actitud y motivación que manifiestan los grados décimos durante las actividades de clase en Inglés. El estudio sigue la teoría de autodeterminación para analizar estos niveles de actitud y motivación de los estudiantes en las actividades de clase propuestas por un profesor de inglés en un colegio público ubicado en Bogotá. Los hallazgos muestran que hay cuatro tipos diferentes de actividades de clase presentadas y desarrolladas por el profesor participante. Los estudiantes expresan sus niveles de motivación con un porcentaje alto en "competencia percibida" y los niveles de una actitud negativa con un bajo …

Utilisation De La Peinture, De La Musique Et Du Théâtre Pour Favoriser La Motivation Dans L’Apprentissage De Fle, Laura Gabriella Lopez Muñoz, Yenny Carolina Gonzalez Rueda

Licenciatura en Español y Lenguas Extranjeras

Este artículo, resultado de la investigación, reside sobre la línea del saber educativo, pedagógico y didáctico de la facultad de ciencias de la educación de la Universidad de La Salle. El objetivo de este trabajo de investigación consiste en introducir una dimensión afectiva en el curso de FLE mediante varias actividades artísticas como el teatro, la pintura y la música. Con una metodología cualitativa y un enfoque comunicativo se propuso a los estudiantes del Colegio Menorah -padres al mismo tiempo de las niñas que estudian ahí- un ambiente ideal lleno de aspectos afectivos, implantados por este tipo de actividades, que …