Education Commons^™

When Unit Blocks Came To Gardaborg, Kristín Einarsdóttir

Occasional Paper Series

Unit blocks have probably been used in some Icelandic preschools since 1950 or 1960, but a turning point occurred when one of the author's teachers from the Iceland University of Education (Fosturskoli Islands), Jonina Tryggvadottir, returned from studying with Harriet Cuffaro at Bank Street College in New York City.

New Jersey Anti-Bullying Bill Of Rights Act: Perceptions Of High School Administrators On Implementing The Law, Christopher C. Irving

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to examine the 2011 New Jersey Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act (NJAB) and its perceived impact on urban school districts. Through a series of interviews with 16 participants from three urban school districts in New Jersey, the researcher sought to examine if those charged with implementing the NJAB have deemed the law and its requirements effective. The interviews were conducted with NJAB- mandated Anti-Bullying Specialists for each of the schools that participated in the study. The Anti-Bullying Specialists are the staff members in each school who are responsible for the implementation of the NJAB, …

Student Success Skills: An Evidenced-Based Program To Impact Student Outcomes, Nick R. Abel

Scholarship and Professional Work – Education

No abstract provided.

The Great White Gazette Issue 31: Summer 2016, University Lower School

University School Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Improving Reading: A Case Study Of The Accelerated Reader Program, Tammy K. Waters

Education Dissertations and Projects

Fidelity of program implementation of the Accelerated Reader (AR) program in relation to fourth-grade students’ achievement in reading was investigated. The relationship among students’ motivation to read, the role of parental support, and the reading success of students as measured by the fourth-grade end-of-grade reading test was also examined. Implementation fidelity of the AR program was determined through researcher observations and completion of an AR Implementation Checklist by participating teachers. Motivation to read was determined by administration of the ERAS to fourth-grade students. Parental support was measured through use of a parent survey and a teacher perceptions survey. Principals and …

Response To Intervention: A Program Evaluation Of Implementation In A Rural School District, Angela Garrison Rodgers

Education Dissertations and Projects

The acquisition of reading skills is a key component to a student’s academic progress and success in life. Effectively implemented early intervention programs have been shown to improve reading performance of struggling readers. The purpose of this study was to conduct a CIPP program evaluation of the implementation of a Response to Intervention (RTI) Program in a rural school district. The focus of this study was an RTI program in its second year of full implementation in kindergarten and first grade in 15 elementary schools. This mixed-method study utilized data gathered from reading achievement and special education referral data, district-level …

All The World's A Stage...The Effect Of Reader's Theater On The Reading Fluency Rates, Comprehension Levels And Attitudes Of Second Graders, Cheryl Lynn Parker

Education Dissertations and Projects

Second-grade students of the targeted school were performing below a level of proficiency in reading fluency and comprehension. Many students were reluctant to read. This dissertation is designed to study the effects of Reader’s Theater on the reading fluency rates, comprehension scores, and attitudes of second-grade readers. The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent using Reader’s Theater affects the reading fluency rates, comprehension levels, and attitudes of second-grade readers, thus answering the question, “To what extent does the use of Reader’s Theater affect the fluency rates, comprehension levels, and attitudes towards reading of second-grade readers?”

The …

The Effects Of Academic Redshirting Among Third-Grade Students In A Rural Southeastern School District, Christin Smith

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there was a significant difference in scores on the third-grade South Carolina Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS) in reading and math between students who were academically redshirted and students who were not academically redshirted. This study also investigated whether gender has an impact on academic success between students within these two groups.

This research took place in a small, rural school district in the upstate region of South Carolina. There are approximately 2,900 students in the district. The participants in this study included students who participated in the South …

A Study Of Home Emergent Literacy Experiences Of Young Latino English Learners, Guy Trainin, Stephanie Wessels, J. Ron Nelson, Patricia Vadasy

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

This empirical study explored the home environment literacy practices of young Latino English learners and their families. The participants were 217 incoming Kindergarten Latino EL students and parents. The data collection included a completed HLEQ by the parents. In addition, children were administered the PPVT, the pre- LAS, the PALS-K screening, the Woodcock Reading Mastery assessment, and the Wide Range Achievement test. All of the literacy assessments given to the children provided the researchers with comprehensive look at their literacy knowledge base. The results of this study indicate that there were two significant paths for students’ achievement: availability of books …

Children's Perceptions Of Bullying Situations: Factors Influencing Peer Interventions, Allison Minchoff

Honors Theses

Previous research is inconclusive as to whether racial biases are prominent in elementary school children and whether gender influences the children’s perceptions of a bullying situation. Since both bullying and racial discrimination are of increased concern, I investigated how children perceive ambiguous situations that could be considered deliberate bullying or an accident, as a function of the gender, race, and reputation of the potential bully. Participants were asked to read three brief scenarios, each accompanied by a picture of the potential bully, and completed a questionnaire regarding how positive they would rate the actor, how negative they would rate the …

From Silence To Collaboration: Supporting Children With Incarcerated Parents In The Classroom, Lily Cavanagh

Graduate Student Independent Studies

To better support children with incarcerated parents in the classroom, teachers must first know themselves and their biases. Teachers and schools must work to train staff and create a school environment that supports families to form a collaborative relationship with teachers in order to provide the best care for the child. Through the creation of a handbook for teachers and a three-part professional development workshop, this thesis aims to fill this gap in teacher education and proposes some concrete examples for ways teachers can support children with incarcerated parents in the classroom.

Anti-Bias Pedagogy And The Progressive Legacy, Chiara Di Lello

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This study uses qualitative data to investigate factors that support or hinder progressive teachers and school leaders in the implementation of anti-bias pedagogy in a variety of New York City elementary schools

Jobs In Our School, Jobs In Community : An Emergent Second Grade Study Of Work, Justice And Interdependence, Chris Black

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This project documents a twelve-week study of jobs that the author undertook with his class of twenty second graders at an independent school in Brooklyn in the spring of 2015.

Exploring Undocumented Immigration From Central America Through Art And Activism: A Fourth Grade Social Studies Curriculum, Carmen Romero

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This social studies curriculum strives to teach fourth grade students about undocumented immigration from Central America through the lens of art and activism.

An Examination Of Elementary Preservice Teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs For Teaching Reading, Michele Miller Schaich

Education Dissertations and Projects

In the United States, an alarming number of students cannot read proficiently, though there is best-practice research on how to effectively teach readers at all levels. This study examined the impact teacher preparation courses as well as the student teaching experience had on preservice teachers’ self-efficacy for literacy instruction. An extensive review of the literature revealed there is not a large body of research that is literacy content-specific and focused on the preservice teacher efficacy. This study is significant in that the process of teacher preparation in universities is one of continuous improvement. Professors of teacher preparation courses must rely …

Dig Into Learning: A Program Evaluation Of An Agricultural Literacy Innovation, Erica Brown Edwards

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study is a mixed-methods program evaluation of an agricultural literacy innovation in a local school district in rural eastern North Carolina.

This evaluation describes the use of a theory-based framework, the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM), in accordance with Stufflebeam’s Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) model by evaluating the implementation and use of Dig into learning: An agricultural Literacy Innovation. This study evaluated teacher perceptions and use of agriculture as a context for teaching and learning in Grades K-5 by utilizing Stages of Concern (SoC) and Levels of Use (LoU) components of CBAM in relation to the CIPP model for …

On The Move: A Mixed-Methods Study To Examine The Impact Of Kinesthetic Learning Tables On Student On-Task Behavior And Academic Growth, Natalie Boone

Education Dissertations and Projects

Kinesthetic learning tables, which incorporate movement, are innovative alternatives to traditional desks. The tables provide movement with bicycle pedals, balance seats, ski swings, cross lateralization, and elliptical, all while students are seated or standing. It is time to investigate whether incorporating movement within the classroom could impact student behavior and academic performance.

The goal of this study was to examine the impact kinesthetic learning tables on student on-task behavior and academic growth with an emphasis on reading skills. The study considered the effectiveness of interventions implemented in one first-grade and one fourth-grade classroom based on current research on brain-based learning …

Program Evaluation Of The Direct Instruction Reading Interventions: Reading Mastery And Corrective Reading, Nita M. Jarvis

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this program evaluation was to evaluate the Direct Instruction programs, Reading Mastery and Corrective Reading, from SRA McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, which were being used as a school-wide reading intervention. These programs were implemented at a small elementary school in the piedmont area of North Carolina beginning in the 2012–2013 school year. This elementary school had not been able to meet state-mandated reading proficiency requirements for more than 10 years and hoped the Direct Instruction reading program intervention would improve student reading proficiency scores as evidenced by end-of-grade test scores in reading and Diagnostic Reading Assessments.

The CIPP …

The Effect Of A Self-Regulated Vocabulary Intervention On Word Knowledge, Reading Comprehension, And Self-Regulated Learning For Elementary English Language Learners, Qizhen Deng

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

English language learners (ELLs) represent an increasing population in U.S. public schools. Research reports from the past two decades suggest a persistent reading underachievement for ELLs. Academic vocabulary knowledge, due to its frequent use in academic texts, contributes significantly to ELL children’s English language development, reading comprehension, and general academic achievement. However, a gap of vocabulary knowledge exists between ELLs and their mainstream peers. One potential approach to address this issue is to help ELLs become mastery independent and proactive word learners. This study examined the effect of a researcher-led self-regulated vocabulary intervention on word knowledge, reading comprehension, and self-regulated …

Analyzing Student Opt-Out Of Standardized Testing In Maine, Maude Meeker

Honors College

Under current educational policy in the United States, standardized assessment is (and has been) a required element of K-12 education in order for schools to receive federal funding, most often through Title I programs. However, in 2015, many families began opting their students out of these standardized tests in several states, including Maine. This study aims to identify any possible trends associated with opting out, such as socioeconomic status or student achievement levels, and also determine the potential impact of certain subgroups of students opting out of standardized tests, such as misrepresentation of a school’s results because of skewed test …

The Effects Of Emotional And Instrumental Support On Students’ Mathematical Attitudes, Victoria M. Calabrese

Honors College

This study tests to see if a correlation exists between students’ attitudes towards mathematics and teacher pedagogy through emotional and instrumental support. Emotional support is defined as an individual’s perception of a mathematics teacher as being warm, friendly, caring, and empathic (Katz & Gueta, 2010). Instrumental support is defined by an individual’s perception of a mathematics teacher’s instruction, whether the teacher is considered to be helpful, and if the teacher provides guidance when needed (Spielberger, 1979). Two surveys were administered and three interviews were conducted to investigate this hypothesis. The first survey consisted of 12 Likert scale items, 5 open-ended …

Preservice Teacher Self-Efficacy For Teaching Mathematics, Jade Mcguire

Honors College

Self-efficacy for teaching mathematics has an effect on students’ math achievement (Bandura, 1997; Stipek, Givvin, Salmon, & MacGyvers, 2001). It is therefore important that teachers have high self-efficacy for teaching mathematics. The purpose of this study was to discover if the University of Maine’s College of Education and Human Development’s teacher education program is doing enough to help elementary education majors feel confident in their ability to teach mathematics at the kindergarten through eighth grade levels. A modified version of the “Self-Efficacy for Teaching Mathematics Instrument”, or SETMI (McGee &Wang) was administered to one hundred and eleven elementary education majors …

Movement In The Classroom To Practice Sight Words, Galina Vander Meer

Honors Theses

This project encompassed the development and implementation of a unit plan that proved beneficial for first grade students in learning and practicing their sight words. Sight words are words that students are expected to read and write by the end of the school year. Every student learns differently, and using movement to enhance students’ learning can give kinesthetic learners a chance to grow. There were four lessons in the unit plan that incorporated different modes of learning, including movement and technology, and correlated to the first grade curriculum. By the end of the four lessons, the students collaboratively created a …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Mandated Curriculum: Common Core State Standards, Ruth Hirsch

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to describe and analyze the perceptions of intermediate, middle, and high school teachers regarding the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). A triangulation method was used to collect data and analyze from interviews, observations, and artifacts from the three districts in the study. Teachers’ perspectives, personal views, and receptiveness as they related to the implementation of the CCSS within their districts were investigated. The interviews, observations, and artifacts were coded and analyzed for common themes and patterns. The findings revealed that although the teachers were hopeful that future students would be more comfortable …

Building Bridges: Opportunities Abound For P-20 Collaborations, Jennifer S. Jones, Wesley D. Hickey

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

PK-12 leaders value opportunities to collaborate with outside entities to improve student achievement and career-readiness. With increasing federal and state student-performance expectations for more than 1.4 million students enrolled in Texas public schools, collaborating with a public or private university, a community college, or a technical or health institute can provide important mutual benefits.

A Little Change Can Make A Big Difference, Kelley E. Buchheister

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

The opportunity to teach mathematics through service learning projects provides a relevant and connected experience that encourages concept development and problem solving proficiency while also developing students’ feelings of generosity and altruism. In this article I describe a prior project that helped my students, many of whom struggled with mathematics, become engaged in mathematical thinking and reasoning. Additional specific connections are made toward extended projects surrounding current events, as well as state and national standards.

Art Aids America: Expressions From An Epidemic, Rebecca Holbrook, Lu Freitas, April Lammers, Rebecca Acree, Jamie Hollis, Holly Martin

P-12 Lesson Plans

This series of lessons for K-12 Art classrooms emerged from the spring 2016 ZMA exhibition, Art AIDS America. This groundbreaking exhibition underscored the deep and unforgettable presence of HIV in American art. It introduced and explored a wide spectrum of artistic responses to AIDS, from the politically outspoken to the quietly mournful, surveying works from the early 1980s to the present. Art AIDS America was organized by Tacoma Art Museum in partnership with The Bronx Museum of the Arts, and co-curated by Dr. Jonathan D. Katz, Director, Visual Studies Doctoral Program at the University at Buffalo (The State University of …

Consequences Of Beauty: Effects Of Rater Sex And Sexual Orientation On The Visual Exploration And Evaluation Of Attractiveness In Real World Scenes, Aleksandra Mitrovic, Pablo Tinio, Helmut Leder

Department of Educational Foundations Scholarship and Creative Works

One of the key behavioral effects of attractiveness is increased visual attention to attractive people. This effect is often explained in terms of evolutionary adaptations, such as attractiveness being an indicator of good health. Other factors could influence this effect. In the present study, we explored the modulating role of sexual orientation on the effects of attractiveness on exploratory visual behavior. Heterosexual and homosexual men and women viewed natural-looking scenes that depicted either two women or two men who varied systematically in levels of attractiveness (based on a pre¬study). Participants' eye movements and attractiveness ratings toward the faces of the …

Cooperating Teacher Compensation And Benefits: Comparing 1957-1958 And 2012-2013, Helenrose Fives, Tammy M. Mills, Charity M. Dacey

Department of Educational Foundations Scholarship and Creative Works

We offer a comparative investigation of the compensation and benefits afforded to cooperating teachers (CTs) by teacher education programs (TEPs) in 1957-1958 and 2012-2013. This investigation replicates and extends a description of the compensation practices of 20 U.S. TEPs published by VanWinkle in 1959. Data for the present investigation came from 18 of those TEPs. Descriptive statistics and qualitative analyses were used to identify trends and make comparisons across the two time periods. Findings indicate that compensation for CTs continues to fall into five categories: (a) monetary compensation, (b) professional learning opportunities, (c) CT role-focused resources, (d) engaging CTs in …

Solomon Islands Standardised Tests Of Achievement (Sista). English And Mathematics. Year 4 And Year 6. Report 1 Main Study 2015, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Assessment and Reporting

The SISTA program is a key monitoring tool of the Solomon Islands Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development and has the capacity to serve multiple functions to a wide range of educational stakeholders. This report provides analysis of year 4 and year 6 Literacy and Numeracy of SISTA 2015. It is both a technical report for NEAD that includes descriptions of the processes followed in data analysis and reporting and the theoretical underpinnings of the analysis, a summary of the findings of the analysis and the implications for further analysis; and a report for the wider MEHRD staff that …