Education Commons^™

Teacher Candidates’ Emerging Perceptions Of Reader Response Theory, Khaled Alazzi

Essays in Education

What are the possibilities when teacher candidates participate in focused instruction in reader response theory and connected opportunities to experience response to literature, then design and implement response experiences with their elementary students? Consideration of this question led to this study that describes teacher candidates’ knowledge about reader response theory and their perceptions of the value and usefulness of reader response theory throughout a semester of focused experiences in university and elementary classrooms. Through qualitative analysis, four distinct, but related themes emerged. These themes describe teacher candidates who: 1) are at differing stages of understanding, 2) find that responding to …

Factors Affecting The Enrollment And The Retention Of Students At Primary Education In Andhra Pradesh - A Village Level Study, Ravinder Rena

Essays in Education

There is an imperative need to change the education pattern to achieve universal primary education in India. Even after 60 years of Independence, India faces obstacles in providing Education For All. This study was conducted in a primary school of Errabelly village of Karimnager district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The study revealed that children dropped out of school so as to assist in household and agricultural activities. It also reveals that the dropout rate of girls is more than that of boys. The study recommended that budgetary allocations should be increased so as to encourage the primary school participation and …

Handwriting: Should Formal Instruction In Handwriting Be Taught To Elementary Students?, Cathleen Rutter

Education 589 Projects

Having taught students Language Arts from 2nd grade through sophomore year of high school, I have encountered numerous samples of handwriting, with great variance in their legibility. It has caused me frustration as a beginning teacher trying to decipher what has actually been written and just what the student was trying to convey to myself, as their teacher. In some cases I have graded a spelling test, marked words incorrect because I could not read the letters in the word. But then, because I felt that the student has mastered the spelling of a given word, I had the student …

The Influence Of Color On The Teaching Of Juggling To Elementary School Children, Anne C. Mccoy

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Learning to juggle is difficult for elementary school students; it involves eye-hand coordination and complex movement patterns. Recognizing and using color for figure- and-ground visual perception is a necessary skill for tracking moving objects to catch them effectively. Can juggling instruction be influenced by the color of the juggling object used? Is one color more effective than another or does a combination of three different colors provide the most effective equipment choice?

Children in third, fourth, and fifth grade physical education classes were randomly assigned to color choices for juggling objects in a month-long unit of juggling instruction. The choices, …

Teaching And Learning Argumentation, Alina Reznitskaya, Richard C. Anderson, Li Jen Kuo

Department of Educational Foundations Scholarship and Creative Works

This study systematically analyzed social and cognitive processes that underlie the development of argumentative knowledge. Group discussions of controversial issues and explicit instruction in argumentation were expected to help students acquire a sense of the overall structure of an argument, or an argument schema. In a quasi-experiment, 128 fourth- and fifth-grade students from 2 schools completed the same argument-related tasks, after receiving different instructional treatments. In the first treatment condition, students engaged in group discussions of moral and social issues raised in their readings. In the second treatment condition, we supported group discussions with explicit instruction in abstract principles of …

Teacher Perceptions Of Bullying Prevention: A Comparative Analysis Of Teacher Perceptions Of Bullying Prevention Programs, Diana Howell

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

School bullying has often been tacitly minimalized as a rite of passage—an unfortunate but common experience among children. In the past few years there has been an increasing awareness of school bullying as a catalyst of school violence. Parents, school boards, and administrators are understanding and taking more seriously the negative impact that bullying has on victimized students and are actively looking for ways to reduce incidents of such violence. This research provides a discussion of bullying behavior and an examination of teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of bullying prevention programs in their schools. If teachers do not feel that …

Recreational Technology And Its Impact On The Learning Development Of Children Ages 4-8: A Meta-Analysis For The 21st Century Cl, Joey Templeton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research focuses on technology (specifically video games and interactive software games) and their effects on the cognitive development of children ages 4-8. The research will be conducted as a meta-analysis combining research and theory in order to determine if the educational approach to this age group needs to change/adapt to learners who have been affected by this technology. I will focus upon both the physical and mental aspects of their development and present a comprehensive review of current educational theory and practice. By examining current curriculum goals and cross-referencing them to research conducted in fields other than education (i.e. …

The Right Of Way: Ethical Decision Making Of Selected Elementary School Principals: A Dissertation, Jennifer Dechiara

Educational Studies Dissertations

One of the central goals of current education reform in this country has been to equalize learning opportunities and outcomes for all groups of children, including and especially those groups previously marginalized. With federal education reform mandates of the early twenty-first century, the work of schools is rigidly evaluated on evidence of achievement - not simply evidence of good processes and intentions. This high-stakes demand for universal achievement has brought several ethical aspects of school leadership, including distribution of resources and equality of educational opportunity, sharply into focus. The subject of ethics in school administration has only recently been attended …

Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival, Karen Rowell, The University Of Southern Mississippi, The University Of Southern Mississippi's School Of Library And Information Science

Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival Programs

The program for the fortieth annual Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival held on the campus of The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi in 2007.

Evaluating Classroom Dialogue Reconciling Internal And External Accountability, Megan Laverty, Maughn Gregory

Department of Educational Foundations Scholarship and Creative Works

In this article we present an instrument to be used by students and professors to evaluate classroom dialogue. We begin with an explanation of the classroom community of inquiry and why we value it as a pedagogical approach. We then describe our different reasons for evaluating classroom dialogue — including institutional, professional and pedagogical accountability — and describe the inherent conflicts among these reasons. We explain how our evaluation instrument was designed to ameliorate these conflicts. We recount a number of theoretical and practical problems we encountered in designing and implementing the instrument and explain how we attempted to overcome …

Teachers' Perceptions About Instructional Coaches, Laura Mason

The Corinthian

Many states and school districts are using federal funds to hire instructional coaches to provide quality professional development for teachers. These instructional coaches provide on-site, on-going support for teachers. This study inquired into about teachers' perceptions of instructional coaches, both positive and negative. A survey was given to 52 teachers from four elementary schools that have had a coach for the past few years. The results indicated that 97% of the teachers who have been coached perceived the experience as beneficial and would choose to be coached again in the future. When asked about the benefits of being coached, the …

A Research Into The Problems Of Students Not Completing Homework Assignments In The Middle School: The Case Of Weaver Middle School In Bibb County, Georgia, Ty Treadwell

The Corinthian

I have been teaching middle school students for three years and one of the most discouraging problems I face is that my students do not consistently complete homework assignments. In this Action Research report, I am attempting to uncover reasons why my students do not complete homework regularly. I also look at ways to motivate them to do their homework, and possible teaching strategies to implement that will encourage more consistent completion of homework. I conclude that students do not do or complete their homework for the most part because they are not organized due to lack of motivation. I …

2007 Everything You Never Expected: Price Lab/Northern University Middle & Elementary School Yearbook, Malcolm Price Laboratory School

Malcolm Price Laboratory School Yearbooks

The 2007 student yearbook of the middle & elementary schools of the Malcolm Price Laboratory School of the University of Northern Iowa.

Family Literacy Nights : Factors For Success, Crystal Betts

Graduate Research Papers

Family Literacy Nights were developed and held at a K-4 elementary building in a medium-sized town in eastern Iowa, demonstrating an example of part of a family literacy program. Family Literacy Nights involved parents and students from the two first grade classrooms at this elementary school. Parents completed surveys and participated in interviews to share their reactions and feelings towards family literacy programs.

The included literature review explores parental involvement and family literacy programs. It looks at the effects of parent involvement on student achievement. The difference between parent involvement programs and family literacy programs is explored. Family literacy programs …

Investigating The Impact Of Data-Driven Decision Making On Elementary Curriculum And Its Implications For Teaching And Learning, Sara A. Hofer

Graduate Research Papers

Accountability is the new word of importance in the field of education. National attention to schools has caused states and districts to re-evaluate the business of educating children. This review will investigate the many facets that support data-driven decision making in current educational practices. The research will describe the relatively short history of nationally mandated legislation for the use of data to drive instruction and entitlement of services. Then, this paper will report the implications of implementing data collecting and synthesis systems in individual buildings to maintain both student successes in the classroom while fulfilling demands of national reporting requirements. …

Effects Of The Jacob's Ladder Reading Comprehension Program On Reading Comprehension And Critical Thinking Skills Of Third, Fourth, And Fifth Grade Students In Rural, Title I Schools, Tamra Stambaugh

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Academics And Outdoor Skills: Integrating Outdoor Skills And Academic Content In Classroom And Small Group Settings, Melissa Boyer

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

There are many concepts that tie outdoor skills with education (see Appendix A). To model the idea, I picked one main concept (heat) and three outdoor skills topics attached to that concept. The three skill areas are wood fires, cooking with charcoal, and clothing and hypothermia. There is a focus on safety in the outdoors in all three areas.

The three areas follow the same format. At the beginning of the section are several charts outlining key ideas, prerequisites, and possible extensions. This is followed by information providing a background in both outdoor skills and academics for the instructor. Finally …

Teacher Self -Efficacy Beliefs And Their Impact On Recommendations For Student Retention At Grades K--2, Nicole Pearce Rummel

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a statistically significant relationship between teacher self-efficacy beliefs and teacher recommendations for student retention. An online survey served as the data source for this study. The survey link was emailed to 236 kindergarten, first, and second grade teachers in an urban Virginia school district. Teachers were asked to report the number of students recommended for retention over a two year period as well as information regarding the characteristics of the children actually retained (e.g., race, gender, SES status, etc.) over that same two year period. In addition to providing …

An Exploratory Study Of Teachers' Critical Thinking In Elementary Language Arts Classrooms, Susan Mcgowan

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

This exploratory study examined how well elementary language arts teachers participating in a federal project to raise students' critical thinking abilities scored on tests of critical and creative thinking. Furthermore, it investigated the ways in which these teachers of the language arts have developed their understanding of critical thinking skills, what types of training they bring to the classroom which might enhance the teaching of critical thinking skills, and the methods by which they foster critical thinking in the classroom. Finally, this study examined the relationship among teacher scores on critical and creative thinking tests, their professional development hours, and …

Preservice Elementary Teachers Increase Descriptive Science Vocabulary By Making Descriptive Adjective Object Boxes, Audrey C. Rule, S. Crisafulli, H. Decare, T. Deleo, K. Eastman, E. Farrell, J. Geblein, C. Gioia, A. Joyce, Kaylea M. Killian, K. Knoop, A. Larocca, K. Meyer, J. Miller, V. Roth, J. Throo, J. Van Arsdale, M. Walker

Open Educational Resources

Descriptive vocabulary is needed for communication and mental processing of science observations. Elementary preservice teachers in a science methods class at a mid-sized public college in central New York State increased their descriptive vocabularies through a course assignment of making a descriptive adjective object box. This teaching material consists of a set of theme-related objects with corresponding cards housed in a box. The front of each card lists four descriptive adjectives that describe physical observations of one of the objects, with an image of the object on the reverse for self-checking. The student reads these descriptive words and attempts to …

The Effects Of Service Learning On Children, Cedilia R. Corken

Graduate Research Papers

Service learning is a teaching strategy used to connect classroom curriculum with service projects in the community (Skinner & Chapman, 1999). These opportunities enrich educational goals and enable students to apply what is learned in the classroom to meaningful service opportunities in their communities (National Commission on Service Learning, 2007). Service learning opportunities require a specific process in which students prepare and participate in the service opportunity as well as reflect and connect what was learned to classroom content (Eyler & Giles, 1999).

Education is changing and evolving. Educators are responsible for meeting the needs of all students, with various …

Using Guided Reading To Improve Reading Achievement, Julie W. Ross

The Corinthian

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of guided reading on the reading achievement and growth of third grade students. The hypothesis was that students (n = 12) would achieve at greater levels with a guided reading curriculum than a control group using a traditional basal reading curriculum (n = 15). The instrument used to test achievement was the 2005 Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). The students' results were compared using the 2004 Georgia CRCT results as a pretest. The research showed that students who were taught reading using the guided reading format were more likely …

The Effects Of Student Mobility On Student Achievement, Gail Gallaher

The Corinthian

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between student mobility and student reading achievement in a small middle Georgia elementary School. Data obtained from student records revealed only a weak, negative relationship which was stronger for girls and students in fourth and fifth grades. The failure of this study to find a strong negative correlation with the number of moves from school to school in this set of students may be evidence of the effectiveness of multiple interventions by a strong leader, a responsive school system, and concerned teachers in a small school. Students …

Meeting The Needs Of Gifted Students At Quail Run Elementary School: An Action Research Report, Shannon L. Bryant

The Corinthian

Appropriately differentiating for gifted students can be a daunting task. There are many issues to consider when individualizing instruction for the gifted and talented student population. I teach gifted students in an elementary resource setting. This Action Research paper identifies a number of the issues I discovered when conducting my action research project-meeting the needs of my gifted students. I also offer recommendations on how I plan to improve my teaching in particular and gifted education at Quail Run Elementary in general.

Same-Sex Marriage And Public School Curricula: Preserving Parental Rights To Direct The Education Of Their Children, Charles J. Russo

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Full Inclusion And Collaborative Teaching : The New Wave In Education, Mindy Underwood

Graduate Research Papers

Throughout the history of education, the pendulum of best practice continuously swings. In the beginning, special education programs were practically nonexistent in schools, whereas now full inclusion and collaborative teaching are the new wave. This paper will explore the history of special education, full inclusion, collaborative teaching, and what it means for the regular education teacher in the general education classroom.

The Benefits Of Collaboration And Co-Teaching In The Elementary Grades, Katherine Kelley Hoover

Graduate Research Papers

Collaboration between educators is an older concept that has become popular again in recent years. Due to the recent federal and state mandates, schools are implementing new teaching methods to raise school achievement and benefit all students. When collaborating, special education students are generally included in the general education classroom with two teachers co-teaching to meet the needs of the students. This paper will explore the importance of collaboration between general education and special education teachers and the benefits to all learners in the classroom.

A Study Of Elementary Instructors' Teaching Of Forearm Passing As A Part Of Volleyball Instruction, Tsui-Feng Tiffany Yeh

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate the teaching of forearm passing as a key component of volleyball game performance. More specifically, this study investigated teachers' content knowledge and teaching knowledge (pedagogical content knowledge) related to forearm passing as described by the teachers and manifested in teaching practices in the teaching environment.

Six elementary physical education instructors participated in this study. Several methods were used for gathering different information about forearm passing research including systematic observation, videotaping, field notes, and formal and informal interviews.

The findings revealed that (a) teachers' teaching philosophy significantly influenced their teaching and designing volleyball …