Education Commons^™

The Effectiveness Of Drawing As A Study Tool For Success In Human Anatomy And Physiology, Gracie C. Willis

Honors Theses

Human Anatomy and Physiology courses are packed with substantial information to obtain and retain over a semester. Study techniques students integrate into their studies are indispensable in affecting their success or failure in Human Anatomy and Physiology courses. This study aimed to determine if using drawing as a study technique would positively or negatively impact students' success or failure rate in Human Anatomy and Physiology I (A&P I) at the University of Mississippi. Participants were divided into three groups based on the degree of participation. Group A students chose only to release their unidentified test scores. Group B students released …

Alphabet Books Aren't For Babies: The Use Of The Alphabet Book In The Secondary Classroom, Chloe Skye Crane

Honors Theses

The goal of this thesis is to examine the role of alphabet books within the secondary classroom through the lens of research potential, development of cultural awareness, and the educational benefits for the secondary learner as well as three different types of alphabet books varying from least to most complex. The literature review supporting this thesis is broken into five sections: what are alphabet books, a closer look at three examples, the research potential in alphabet books, developing cultural awareness and empathy, and educational benefits (which includes subsections for skills developed). Following the literature review is the text of an …

Indirectly And Directly Involved Students' Perspectives On Multi-Modal Communication Treatment In Persons With Aphasia, Emily Lewis

Honors Theses

Our study investigated the perspectives of students who were either directly or indirectly involved in the Multi-modal communication treatment (MCT) sessions for persons with aphasia. Two undergraduate and two graduate students were recruited from the University of Mississippi who participated in the MCT sessions. We collected their perspectives through semi-structured interviews and used thematic qualitative analysis to analyze our data. We reported themes from the indirectly involved students and the directly involved students and compared how the themes were similar and different between the indirectly and directly involved students. We discussed that both direct and indirect experience for clinical therapy …

Exploring The Impact Of A Brief Counseling Intervention For Improving Mental Health Factors And Learning Strategies Among College Students At An Hsi, James Ikonomopoulos, Kristopher Garza, Javier Cavazos Vela

Journal of Academic Underperformance

Abstract

This study evaluated a counseling intervention called the University Turn Around Program (U-Turn) for college students experiencing mental health issues and low academic performance. Social Anxiety, Hostility, and Alcohol Use were measured on the CCAPS-34, and Attitude, Information Processing, Selecting Main Ideas, Test Strategies, and Using Academic Resources were measured on the LASSI-3. Paired samples t-tests revealed improvement for each measure (d = 0.45 to 1.09) supporting the U-Turn program’s inclusion in university counseling centers.

Keywords: College Students, Quasi-Experimental, University Counseling Center

The Effectiveness Of Developmental Academic Advising As A Retention Intervention For First-Generation Community College Students, Valarie A. Morgan, Mary Bess Pannel

Journal of Academic Underperformance

Student retention is a primary concern for community colleges since retention rates at the community college are unquestionably lower than retention rates at four-year institutions. First-generation college students are a high-risk student group of particular concern, because they make up over thirty percent of the undergraduate population and are two times more likely to exit college at the end of the first year of enrollment when compared to students whose parent or parents have a bachelor’s degree. The results of this study indicate that neither prescriptive advising nor developmental advising made a significant difference in student retention or graduation rates …

Letter From The Editor, Rebekah Reysen

Journal of Academic Underperformance

No abstract provided.

The Mind Matters: Yoga And Mindfulness In Preschool And K-12 Schools, Anna E. Hall

Honors Theses

This study uses a systematic literature review to examine the efficacy of preschool and K-12 school based yoga and mindfulness programs. A collection of 47 sources were examined to compare and contrast results and determine best practices. The results of the literature review are divided into three primary categories: implementation methods, student outcomes, and teacher and student opinion. The results suggest that individual and whole school implementation methods are the most effective. The results also suggest that there are positive student outcomes in regards to classroom behavior, child executive functioning, and anxiety. Teacher and student opinion on these programs are …

The Ceibalitas In Uruguay: How Digital Educational Technology Affects Social Cohesion, William Bradford

Honors Theses

Digital Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have become a focal point in improving worldwide education. There have been many studies on the effects of ICT in schools on grades and careers after graduation, but not many have studied the social impact. This study focuses on the Plan Ceibal in Uruguay to see the impact of ICT in schools on social cohesion. The Plan Ceibal was the first Nation-wide one-laptop-per-child (OLPC) program in the world. For this reason, Uruguay can provide a look into the future for other nations as they implement OLPC programs of their own. This study uses data …

Impact Of Schema On Students' Writing, Hali-Ana Harvey

Honors Theses

All too often, students perform poorly on their writing assignments, and it seems that teachers have difficulty understanding where the problem comes from. This study seeks to prove that the issue begins with the students’ lack of background knowledge that students possess about the topics they are being asked to write about. To begin, the author emphasizes the importance of background knowledge in students. The study also describes ways in which teachers can check for background knowledge before assigning writing, and explores how teachers can build background knowledge in students. To improve students’ overall writing, teachers need to first recognize …

How Does This Benefit Me?: A Case Study Of The Impact Of Long Term Circle Of Friends Participation, Casey Webb

Honors Theses

This thesis examines Circle of Friends and the impacts of long term participation (greater than 2 years) in the program. Participants were selected from a Circle of Friends group that met weekly from 2012-2017 in the lower Midwest. There were 5 white female participants ranging in ages of 21-22 at the time of the interviews. Participants completed interview questions focusing on friendship, the COF program, and the impacts it had on them. Interviews were then transcribed and coded. Many of the participants discussed what it means to be a friend, including the specific activities of friendship, such as eating meals …

Use Of Embark Database And An Active Learning Protocol In A High School Classroom, Landon Goodreau

Honors Theses

With advances in technology, personal genome sequencing has become more affordable than ever before. With this wealth of genetic information come new individualized approaches to medicine and pharmacology, along with moral, legal, and ethical issues to carefully consider. Yet studies suggest that most members of the general public do not have the genetic literacy required to understand the implications of genomic data. It is important that today’s students are able to grasp concepts relating to their own genome to make informed medical decisions in the future. Here I describe an active learning-based activity designed to enhance high school students’ understanding …

Integrating Google Forms As A Means Of Formative Assessment In The Elementary Math Classroom, Morgan Douell

Honors Theses

This study provides a case study in the use of Google Forms as a formative assessment tool. Literature regarding formative assessment is included and models are applied in lesson plan development and implementation. However, no research has been found linking the implementation of formative assessment along with Google Forms. Formative assessment and Google Forms both provide feedback to learners, which is a critical component of formative assessment. This study reported the use of formative assessment in conjunction with Google Forms and the impact it has on the lesson planning process. The researcher designed a lesson plan using the principles of …

Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports, Meredith George

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the history, characteristics, and efficacy of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) as a substitution for traditional exclusionary discipline practices in response to negative and disruptive behavior in schools. Disruptive behavior is a significant concern for classroom teachers; effective solutions for minimizing disruptions are necessary to curb teacher burnout and improve attrition rates. PBIS relates to an implementation framework as opposed to a singular behavior program, therefore schools have a multitude of intervention options when adopting a PBIS approach to behavior. Three PBIS strategies (restorative circles, token economy, self-monitoring of performance) are …

Strengthening The Farm To School Movement In Mississippi: Strategies And Policy Goals, Harvard Law School Mississippi Delta Project

Delta Directions: Publications

In recent years, Mississippi has seen increasing demand for locally grown food. Many consumers, policymakers, and advocates now see locally grown food as bringing health, economic, and environmental benefits to the local community. “Farm to school,” a means of building relationships between local farms and schools, has become increasingly popular, increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among students and strengthening the local economy. In the last decade, farm to school in Mississippi has gone from a little-known concept to a state-supported approach adopted by school districts across the state. For example, through the Mississippi Department of Defense Farm to School Program, …

Preservice Teachers’ “Revelations And Connections”: Fostering Deep Conversations While Reading Multicultural Literature, Annmarie Alberton Gunn, Susan V. Bennett, Cynthia B. Leung

Journal of Contemporary Research in Education

We investigated strategies that a literacy teacher educator used to develop preservice teachers’ culturally responsive pedagogy. This study focused on (a) implementation of literature circles, (b) preservice teachers’ (n= 29) reading and analysis of multicultural children’s literature, (c) preservice teachers’ reader response reflective journals (RRRJ), and (d) reading comprehension strategies. We analyzed interviews with the professor and RRRJ (87 responses) as well as the course syllabus, reader response guidelines, and course evaluations to understand the lived experiences of the participants. We found preservice teachers recognize the benefits of literature circles and the utilization of RRRJ to develop an understanding of …

Supplemental Educational Services (Ses): Effects Of Ses Tutoring On Student Achievement, Jennifer Misewicz, Douglas E. Carothers

Journal of Contemporary Research in Education

This study examined the effectiveness of Supplemental Educational Services (SES) tutoring in increasing the reading and mathematics achievement of Title I students in a Florida elementary school. Kindergarten through fifth grade students who had been matched on their previous performance on the Florida Assessment in Reading (FAIR) or the District Baseline Math test were grouped based on voluntary participation or non-participation in SES tutoring. Scores on the same tests were then compared after the conclusion of SES tutoring. Results showed no gains in improvement for students who received SES tutoring relative to students who did not participate in SES tutoring. …

Changing Our Perceptions And Pedagogical Practices With Respect To Language Diversity, Evan Ortlieb, Yusuke Sasaki

Journal of Contemporary Research in Education

Guest column

Student Insubordination, Discipline And Safety Initiatives In Urban Schools, Seunghee Han

Journal of Contemporary Research in Education

This study examines school factors associated with student insubordination in urban schools. Using data from 1,493 public schools (School Survey on Crime and Safety 2007-2008), multivariate regression analyses show that schools with more disadvantaged students (e.g., ethnic minority students, underachievers, and special education students) tend to have more insubordination incidents after controlling for violence incidents and school safety initiatives. Among school factors, perceived school value and parental involvement are consistently and negatively associated with both the actual number of incidents and principals’ perception of insubordination. Teacher training programs and student-oriented crime prevention programs are associated differently with each type of …

Ears: A Strategy For Enhancing Content Mastery Through Effective Listening Skills, Conn Thomas

Journal of Contemporary Research in Education

This article outlines a metacognitive strategy that can be employed as either a Tier I or Tier II instructional practice. The strategy is designed to enhance learning skills in public school students who are included in the general education classroom. The strategy is reflective of the ongoing research agenda related to improving the academic performance of both at risk and inclusion students who make up a major portion of today’s academically diverse classrooms. A research foundation for the strategy, an outline of the strategy’s components, and suggestions for implementation are provided.

Educating For Virtue Across Multiple Cultural And Religious Contexts: On The Problem Of Commensurability, Mark Ortwein

Journal of Contemporary Research in Education

This aim of this paper is to explore the concept of intellectual and moral virtue across cultural, religious, and philosophical points of view—with special attention to the role of education in the formation of virtue. The central ambition of this paper is to determine if virtue is a concept that transcends cultural contexts and, should it do so, to what extent? It is shown that certain ubiquitous virtuous character traits are valued across cultural lines, and that similar understandings of virtue emerge in almost all cultural and religious contexts. Despite this, it also clear that virtue functions differently across cultural …

Structural Integrity: A Paradigm Of Systemic Engineering And Organization, Conn Thomas, Dennish Bunch, Joe Blackbourn, Jennifer Fillingim

Journal of Contemporary Research in Education

This article addresses the nature of educational organizations for an engineering perspective. Principles of structural engineering are employed as a means of examining and addressing problems within educational organizations. Both current and future issues are addressed in relation to the redesign of educational organizations in relation to function, flexibility, and efficacy. Suggestions and recommendations are provided.

A Truly Radical Idea In Social Studies Education: Teach The State Standards, Richard Gardiner

Journal of Contemporary Research in Education

State social studies standards are reflective of the concepts of Bloom’s taxonomy, emphasizing the development of higher order thinking skills. Standardized social studies tests, on the other hand, are not reflective of Bloom’s taxonomy and almost exclusively test for memorization and identification. In other words, the standards target very different objectives than the standardized tests are designed to assess. If, then, the central objective is to achieve adequate or higher standardized test scores, we must admit that it is not “standards-based” education that is desired, but rather test-focused instruction.

Farm To School In Mississippi: A Brief Guide To Purchasing Mississippi Products, Harvard Law School Mississippi Delta Project

Delta Directions: Publications

Farm to School encompasses a broad range of programs in which schools are connected with local farms. Some examples of Farm to School programs include a school inviting a local farmer to present to students on small-scale food production; a school making a one-time purchase of locally grown vegetables to feature at lunch or snack during Farm to School Week; or a school making recurring weekly or monthly purchases from a local farmer and developing a relationship where the farmer plans his growing season to produce the type and quantity of produce requested by the food service director.

Farm To School In Mississippi: A Step-By-Step Guide To Purchasing Mississippi Products, Harvard Law School Food Law And Policy Clinic, Harvard Law School Mississippi Delta Project

Delta Directions: Publications

In a state with rich agricultural resources, lasting traditions of family farming, and a climate conducive to year-long growing seasons, why are Mississippi’s school children eating fruits and vegetables predominantly shipped from other states and countries? Farm to school programs that connect Mississippi farmers with schools offer a promising way to increase fruit and vegetable consumption for students while improving the economic viability of local farms. This step-by-step purchasing guide aims to help school food service directors in Mississippi start to purchase locally grown foods to be served in school meals.

Legislative Recommendations For A Statewide Farm-To-School Bill In Mississippi, Harvard Law School Health Law And Policy Clinic, Harvard Law School Mississippi Delta Project

Delta Directions: Publications

As states and school districts around the country consider strategies to address childhood obesity, programs that connect schools with local farmers selling fresh fruits and vegetables have emerged as effective means of improving fruit and vegetable consumption. Equally important, these programs spur economic development by creating a market for the sale of produce grown by local farmers, in which individual and governmental “food dollars” can be increasingly spent within the state. In 2010, over 2000 farm-to-school programs were in operation and 25 states had state-level farm-to-school policies.

Expanding Farm To School In Mississippi: Analysis And Recommendations, Harvard Law School Health Law And Policy Clinic, Harvard Law School Mississippi Delta Project

Delta Directions: Publications

“Farm to school” refers to any program that connects K-12 schools with local farmers. “Farm to cafeteria” and “farm to institution” are terms sometimes used for programs that include farm to school components, but might also focus on bringing local produce to other local institutions. Most farm to school efforts concentrate on what is called “farm direct” purchasing, where schools buy products directly from local farmers to serve in the school cafeteria. The business partnerships that develop through farm direct programs often lead to educational activities, with farmers and schools working together to teach students about nutrition, agriculture, the environment, …

Minutes Of A Meeting Of The Mississippi State Textbook Purchasing Board (Series 6), Mississippi State Textbook Purchasing Board, Mississippi State Textbook Procurement Commission

Minutes of the Mississippi State Textbook Purchasing Board

No abstract provided.

Minutes Of A Meeting Of The Mississippi State Textbook Purchasing Board (Series 5), Mississippi State Textbook Purchasing Board, Mississippi State Textbook Procurement Commission

Minutes of the Mississippi State Textbook Purchasing Board

No abstract provided.

Minutes Of A Meeting Of The Mississippi State Textbook Purchasing Board (Series 4), Mississippi State Textbook Purchasing Board, Mississippi State Textbook Procurement Commission

Minutes of the Mississippi State Textbook Purchasing Board

No abstract provided.

Minutes Of A Meeting Of The Mississippi State Textbook Purchasing Board (Series 3), Mississippi State Textbook Purchasing Board, Mississippi State Textbook Procurement Commission

Minutes of the Mississippi State Textbook Purchasing Board

No abstract provided.