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Educational Methods

Minnesota State University, Mankato

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Full-Text Articles in Education

Attitudes Toward Co-Teaching In Higher Education: An Exploration Of The Circular Model Of Collegiate Co-Teaching, Alyssa Harter, Laura Jacobi Jan 2021

Attitudes Toward Co-Teaching In Higher Education: An Exploration Of The Circular Model Of Collegiate Co-Teaching, Alyssa Harter, Laura Jacobi

Communication Studies Department Publications

The Circular Model of Collegiate Co-Teaching (Morelock et al., 2017) examines power and authority structures, dynamics of co-teaching relationships, and co-teachers’ perceptions of co-teaching. The model does not include student perceptions, however, and it has not been applied to veteran-novice instructor pairs. The authors conducted a case study to explore the utility of the model with a veteran-novice instructor pair and to consider student perceptions. Twelve undergraduates in a communication course completed surveys, and the instructors kept reflexive journals. Findings confirm the utility of the model. Student perceptions of the benefits and drawbacks of co-teaching suggest that a fourth model …


The Effect Of Drama Based Instruction On Reading Comprehension, Janee Udalla Dec 2020

The Effect Of Drama Based Instruction On Reading Comprehension, Janee Udalla

Innovations and Critical Issues in Teaching and Learning

Educators might believe that classroom drama is comparable to putting on a theatrical production and might avoid it because they fear it will involve time-consuming planning, use of props, and expensive scripts (McMaster, 1998). Unfortunately, this view can discourage educators from using an important teaching tool that can improve students’ reading comprehension skills. However, educators should explore the use of drama-based instruction and the benefits it may provide to their students. The methods teachers implement in the classroom greatly affect the attitudes and learning of their students (Author, 2008). Therefore, the purpose of this article is to identify the benefits …


Creating Authentic Literacy Tasks Influences Children's Engagement And Motivation, Carly Rothfusz Dec 2020

Creating Authentic Literacy Tasks Influences Children's Engagement And Motivation, Carly Rothfusz

Innovations and Critical Issues in Teaching and Learning

The academic task assigned to students often dictates what the student will learn, and it plays a vital role of student’s motivation and engagement of learning (Turner & Paris, 1995). Thus, the creation and usage of authentic literacy tasks is critical for students’ learning (Parsons, Malloy, Parsons, & Burrowbridge, 2015). There are three types of motivation to consider: intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and autonomous motivation. The use of authenticity, student choice, collaboration, and challenge are all components within a task that can promote student engagement and motivation. Project-Based Learning (PBL) is another way to bring in authenticity. Project-based instruction allows …


Planning For Learning: Limitations Of Teaching Algorithms, Andrew P. Johnson Jan 2020

Planning For Learning: Limitations Of Teaching Algorithms, Andrew P. Johnson

Elementary and Literacy Education Department Publications

This chapter describes lesson planning from two different perspectives: algorithmic and heuristic.

This is an except from the author's 2019 book, Essential Learning Theories and Their Applications (Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield).


The Hunter Lesson Plan Format And Other Teaching Recipes, Andrew P. Johnson Jan 2020

The Hunter Lesson Plan Format And Other Teaching Recipes, Andrew P. Johnson

Elementary and Literacy Education Department Publications

The Madeline Hunter lesson plan format was popular in the late 1970's and 1980's and is still being used today (Hunter, 1982; Hunter, 2004). Hunter's original purpose here was to provide a platform that would enable educators to have conversations about effective teaching. However, it quickly moved away from being a conversational platform to becoming a teaching recipe. Schools and teacher preparation programs began to use the seven elements described in Hunter’s model of instruction to observe and evaluate teachers.

This is an except from the author's 2019 book, Essential Learning Theories and Their Applications (Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield).


Alignment Or Detachment: College Educators’ Perceptions Of Experiential Learning Pedagogy, Wayne D. Finseth Jan 2020

Alignment Or Detachment: College Educators’ Perceptions Of Experiential Learning Pedagogy, Wayne D. Finseth

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The main purpose of this study was to investigate how college educators’ perceptions of experiential learning influence the design, implementation, and assessment of their courses. A second purpose of this study was to examine the way’s college educators use experiential learning in their classes. A final purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between a college educators’ prior experience with experiential learning and how they utilize that prior experiences to design, instruct, and assess their courses. A descriptive research design was used in this study. A randomized and anonymous survey containing 29 items was emailed out through Qualtrics …


Student Retention In An Introductory Stem Course: A Mixed Methods Study Of Student Motivation And Teaching Approaches, Lina Wang Jan 2020

Student Retention In An Introductory Stem Course: A Mixed Methods Study Of Student Motivation And Teaching Approaches, Lina Wang

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is vital to all students. Student motivation, both intrinsic and extrinsic, have been found to be very influential in how successful a student is in a STEM classroom (Krapp, 2007; Lamb, Annetta, Meldrum, & Vallett, 2012; Schoon, Ross, & Martin, 2007; Skinner, Saxton, Currie, & Shuststerman, 2017). The current study examined what correlations, if any, we present between teaching approaches, intrinsic motivation, and extrinsic motivation of students in an undergraduate, non-major, introductory chemistry course at a mid-sized, four-year university in the Midwestern United States. In the focus groups, students were highly motivated by …


Effect Of Process-Oriented Guided-Inquiry Learning (Pogil) On Preservice Elementary Teachers' Understanding Of Biological Classification, Mackenzie Volz Jan 2019

Effect Of Process-Oriented Guided-Inquiry Learning (Pogil) On Preservice Elementary Teachers' Understanding Of Biological Classification, Mackenzie Volz

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study examined preservice elementary teachers’ biological classification conceptions and whether process-oriented guided-inquiry learning (POGIL) or traditional pedagogies affect preservice elementary teachers’ understanding of biological classification conceptions. A literature review was completed to determine common biological classification conceptions that exist among all researched populations, what misconceptions are present regarding biological classification, and whether POGIL was an appropriate pedagogy to use in the experimental study. The findings from the literature review were used to develop a mixed-method research study. Both quantitative and qualitative data was gathered through the use of pre- and posttests and post-instruction clinical interviews. Participants (n = 47) …


Revoicing In Undergraduate Physics Education: A Case Study, Elizabeth Noël Olson Jan 2019

Revoicing In Undergraduate Physics Education: A Case Study, Elizabeth Noël Olson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

When an instructor repeats or "revoices" the words or ideas that a student has just said, what is the instructor's goal? What results can this tactic bring? In order to lay the groundwork for a broader investigation of these questions, video recordings were viewed of one-on-one interviews of students populating a discussion-based modern physics-like course taken by non-physics science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors at a medium-sized public university. This work focuses on a one particular interview which reveals several functions of this revoicing technique. For the interview in question, revoicing instances were identified and put into three inflection …


A Phenomenological Study Of The Implementation Of Developmentally Appropriate Practices Of Highly-Skilled Teachers In School-Based, Early Education Settings, Julie R. Ritter Jan 2019

A Phenomenological Study Of The Implementation Of Developmentally Appropriate Practices Of Highly-Skilled Teachers In School-Based, Early Education Settings, Julie R. Ritter

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

High-quality instruction, especially for at-risk children, is what matters in early education (Brown, 2010; Chien et al., 2010; Goldstein et al, 2013; Howes et al., 2008; Reynolds et al., 2014). Developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) is identified in research as a feature of high-quality instruction and best practice in early education (Squires, Pribble, Chen, & Pomés, 2013). Using transcendental phenomenology, this study identified the beliefs and practices of early education teachers in Minnesota school-based PreK-4 programs and their alignment to DAP principles, guidelines, and teaching strategies as defined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (2009). By investigating …


Improving Mathematical Skill: The Perceptions Of Rural Minnesota Mathematics Educators, Michael Haskins Jan 2018

Improving Mathematical Skill: The Perceptions Of Rural Minnesota Mathematics Educators, Michael Haskins

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study is focused on the perceptions of mathematics educators on how to improve mathematical skill in high school students. The main purpose was to describe, recognize, and interpret the lived experience that have allowed educators to achieve the best results for their students. The population for the current study was mathematics educators that were located in a rural Southwest Minnesota city with medium population. These educators were either college educators or middle and high school teachers. The measures that were used to select the participants for the study were that they must hold at least a bachelor's …


Six Lesson Plan Formats, Andrew P. Johnson Jan 2017

Six Lesson Plan Formats, Andrew P. Johnson

Elementary and Literacy Education Department Publications

Good lessons and effective learning experiences do not magically appear. They must be planned. This chapter describes how to design and plan six different types of lessons: basic lesson plan, concept lesson plan, skills lesson plan, writing lesson plan, reading lesson plan, and discovery learning lesson plan.


Perceptions Of Students With And Without Limited Formal Schooling, Sarah Schmidt De Carranza Jan 2017

Perceptions Of Students With And Without Limited Formal Schooling, Sarah Schmidt De Carranza

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the perceptions that refugee and non-refugee English language learners hold of their academic performance and their perceived sense of membership in a school community. Students currently served in EL programs in grades 9-12 in a large urban school district were invited to participate in the study. Student perceptions were measured using the Morgan Jinks Student Efficacy Scale (MJSES) and Goodenow Pyschological Sense of School Membership (PSSM) scale.

Unexpectedly, the results indicated that differences of perceptions of student efficacy and school membership between the two groups of students were not statistically …


Adhd In Elementary School Students: Impact Of Physical Activity On Adhd Symptoms, Jenny Wilcox Jan 2017

Adhd In Elementary School Students: Impact Of Physical Activity On Adhd Symptoms, Jenny Wilcox

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore alternative treatment options to stimulant medication in reducing symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in elementary aged children. The goal was to understand whether implementing physical activity programs into elementary schools reduces characteristic symptoms of ADHD including, but not limited to hyperactivity, inattentiveness and impulsivity. Secondary data was used in this research to analyze the symptoms of ADHD and the benefits of physical activity as a behavior modification intervention for this disorder with children. The study addressed the research question, what are the most effective types of physical activity for children …


Front Matter, Julie A. Carlson Jan 2016

Front Matter, Julie A. Carlson

The Collective Works of Lloyd Burgess Sharp: Pioneer of the Outdoor Education Movement in the United States

Cover and dedication for the book The Collective Works of Lloyd Burgess Sharp: Pioneer of the Outdoor Education Movement in the United States.


Chapter 1 - Introduction, Julie A. Carlson Jan 2016

Chapter 1 - Introduction, Julie A. Carlson

The Collective Works of Lloyd Burgess Sharp: Pioneer of the Outdoor Education Movement in the United States

Chapter 1 of the book The Collective Works of Lloyd Burgess Sharp: Pioneer of the Outdoor Education Movement contains introductory materials on L.B. Sharp.


Chapter 3 - Extending Education (Newsletter Of Life Camps), Julie A. Carlson Jan 2016

Chapter 3 - Extending Education (Newsletter Of Life Camps), Julie A. Carlson

The Collective Works of Lloyd Burgess Sharp: Pioneer of the Outdoor Education Movement in the United States

Chapter 3 of the book The Collective Works of Lloyd Burgess Sharp: Pioneer of the Outdoor Education Movement contains information on Extending Education, the newsletter of Life Camps.


Chapter 4 - Broadcasts And Interviews, Julie A. Carlson Jan 2016

Chapter 4 - Broadcasts And Interviews, Julie A. Carlson

The Collective Works of Lloyd Burgess Sharp: Pioneer of the Outdoor Education Movement in the United States

Chapter 4 of the book The Collective Works of Lloyd Burgess Sharp: Pioneer of the Outdoor Education Movement contains broadcasts and interviews of L.B. Sharp.


Chapter 5 - Speeches And Lectures, Julie A. Carlson Jan 2016

Chapter 5 - Speeches And Lectures, Julie A. Carlson

The Collective Works of Lloyd Burgess Sharp: Pioneer of the Outdoor Education Movement in the United States

Chapter 5 of the book The Collective Works of Lloyd Burgess Sharp: Pioneer of the Outdoor Education Movement contains speeches and lectures by L.B. Sharp.


The Schema-Building Lesson Plan, Andrew P. Johnson Jan 2016

The Schema-Building Lesson Plan, Andrew P. Johnson

Elementary and Literacy Education Department Publications

There are a variety of lesson plan forms. Different kinds of lessons call for different kinds of lesson plan formats. This article describes what I believed to be the basic elements necessary to effectively teach a schema-building lesson. A schema (plural is schemata) is an organized body of knowledge in our head. If long term memory were a file cabinet, schemata would be the individual file folders.


Chapter 6 - Films, Julie A. Carlson Jan 2016

Chapter 6 - Films, Julie A. Carlson

The Collective Works of Lloyd Burgess Sharp: Pioneer of the Outdoor Education Movement in the United States

Chapter 6 of the book The Collective Works of Lloyd Burgess Sharp: Pioneer of the Outdoor Education Movement contains films on L.B. Sharp.


Chapter 8 - Epilogue, Julie A. Carlson Jan 2016

Chapter 8 - Epilogue, Julie A. Carlson

The Collective Works of Lloyd Burgess Sharp: Pioneer of the Outdoor Education Movement in the United States

Chapter 8 of the book The Collective Works of Lloyd Burgess Sharp: Pioneer of the Outdoor Education Movement contains the epilogue.


Chapter 7 - Poems And Prayers, Julie A. Carlson Jan 2016

Chapter 7 - Poems And Prayers, Julie A. Carlson

The Collective Works of Lloyd Burgess Sharp: Pioneer of the Outdoor Education Movement in the United States

Chapter 7 of the book The Collective Works of Lloyd Burgess Sharp: Pioneer of the Outdoor Education Movement contains the poems and prayers of L.B. Sharp.


Chapter 2 - Publications In Journals, Books, Reports, Julie A. Carlson Jan 2016

Chapter 2 - Publications In Journals, Books, Reports, Julie A. Carlson

The Collective Works of Lloyd Burgess Sharp: Pioneer of the Outdoor Education Movement in the United States

Chapter 2 of the book The Collective Works of Lloyd Burgess Sharp: Pioneer of the Outdoor Education Movement contains publications of L.B. Sharp found in journals, books, and reports.


Developing An Early-Alert System To Promote Student Visits To Tutor Center, Qijie (Vicky) Cai, Carrie Lewis Miller, Jude Higdon Apr 2015

Developing An Early-Alert System To Promote Student Visits To Tutor Center, Qijie (Vicky) Cai, Carrie Lewis Miller, Jude Higdon

iSALT Outcomes: Publications, Presentations, and Other Scholarly Works

An early-alert system (MavCLASS) was developed and piloted in a large gateway math class with 611 freshman students to identify academically at-risk students and provide alert messages. It was found that there was significant association between the alert messages students received and their visits to the university’s tutor center. Further, the achievement of students who visited the tutor center was improving over the semester. Evidence from the study suggests that an early-alert system focused on personalized feedback from instructional staff correlates with the help-seeking behaviors of at-risk students in large gateway classes.


Investigating Stability Balls In The Classroom: Effects On Student Behavior And Academic Productivity, Natasha A. Olson Jan 2015

Investigating Stability Balls In The Classroom: Effects On Student Behavior And Academic Productivity, Natasha A. Olson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

A classroom intervention increasing in popularity is the use of stability balls in lieu of traditional classroom seating. Stability balls are promoted as an effective alternative to chairs at a classwide level, yet there are no published studies documenting classwide outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate classwide effects of stability balls and attempt to provide empirical support for their use. Using an A-B-A-B reversal design, this study examined the effectiveness of stability balls in comparison to classroom chairs in a second grade classroom. Student on-task and out-of-seat behavior was measured using direct observation and teacher direct …


Literacy Strategies Successfully Implemented By Secondary Social Studies Teachers, Kelly Killorn Jan 2015

Literacy Strategies Successfully Implemented By Secondary Social Studies Teachers, Kelly Killorn

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine which literacy strategies were used by secondary social studies teachers who were identified by their principals as having strong literacy integration skills. In addition, teachers' beliefs and purposes for utilizing said literacy strategies were examined. It was hypothesized that participants would incorporate literacy strategies into their instruction, and would utilize explicit vocabulary instructional methods and graphic organizers most frequently. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from five participants through three 50-minute behavioral observations apiece, followed by a 45-minute focus group discussion. Results indicated that these participants overwhelmingly utilized literacy strategies regularly …


Perceptions Of Failure In Education: Changing The Fear Of Failure Through Gamification, Kathie Anne Kallevig Jan 2015

Perceptions Of Failure In Education: Changing The Fear Of Failure Through Gamification, Kathie Anne Kallevig

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of was study is to examine the perceptions in higher education of failure and the use of gamification to address the fear of failure. The perceptions of students about failures and successes in learning through gamification were explored. The research design for the proposed study was a survey comprised of qualitative and quantitative questions. The survey explored how students in formal education view failure in games and in learning, how failure strategies are viewed in higher education lesson plans and if failure strategies can be used to promote learning in games. During the summer of 2014 and during …


Evaluation Of A Home Visiting Program Aimed At Facilitating Refugee And Immigrant Children's Acclimation And Development, Laurie Lynn Grad Jan 2015

Evaluation Of A Home Visiting Program Aimed At Facilitating Refugee And Immigrant Children's Acclimation And Development, Laurie Lynn Grad

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Ready To Learn is a home visiting program that uses the Growing Great Kids curriculum to improve child development and parent education of immigrant and refugee families. This study completed a program evaluation to determine the effectiveness of Ready To Learn using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ). Five areas of development were assessed using this evaluation: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving and personal/social. Results found that 36% of children improved from their first ASQ to their most recent ASQ. All together, 78% of children were ready for kindergarten after graduating from the program, which decreases their chance …


The Impact Of Formative Feedback On Student Motivation To Write In Eighth Grade English Courses, Dayna Nielsen Jan 2015

The Impact Of Formative Feedback On Student Motivation To Write In Eighth Grade English Courses, Dayna Nielsen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study examined the impact of feedback on student motivation to write in eighth grade English courses, specifically during a persuasive essay unit. A literature review was conducted to determine the characteristics of effective feedback and when it should be delivered to students. The findings from the literature review were used to develop the experimental context for the study to find out how feedback can impact motivation. A mixed-method approach was used to gather both quantitative and qualitative data through the use of a survey administered after varying types and levels of feedback were provided to participating students. The study …