Education Commons^™

Reflection On Use Of The "Reacting To The Past" Pedagogy In A History Of Mathematics Course, Davida Fischman

Q2S Enhancing Pedagogy

This brief report provides a reflection on the use of the "Reacting to the Past" (RTTP) pedagogy in a History of Mathematics classroom. The conclusion is drawn that the RTTP pedagogy is very successful in engaging students in active learning, and appropriate games may be utilized to help students learn about the role of mathematics in historical developments as well as in society today.

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 …

Gamification Of The Classroom: Seeking To Improve Student Learning And Engagement, Kyle Iverson

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find how gamification of the classroom would affect middle school students in a northern suburban school district in Minnesota. This work was designed to find if student proficiency would increase because of gamification and if students would become engaged with the classroom material due to its implementation. Using three classes taught in this new setting and two classes taught in the standard of past years, test scores were measured and studied to find significant changes along with a survey to the gamified classes about their experience regarding engagement. The study found that …

Barriers To Student Connectedness And Engagement: How Socioeconomic Status Affects Student Involvement, Dominic M. Manola

Dissertations

Today, as students prepare for post-secondary opportunities, a greater and greater emphasis is placed on the importance of engaging learners both in and out of the classroom. While many students are inclined to get involved, there is a growing number of young people who face barriers that prevent them from connecting and engaging in the high school experience. Importantly, socioeconomic status plays a key role in determining how engaged a student may be, as well as serving as a key identifier in what must be addressed to ensure more young people get involved in their academic and co-curricular learning. This …

Male Educators Implementing Instructional Practices That Academically Engage Students, Kenneth B. Beneby

Theses and Dissertations

Male Educators Implementing Instructional Practices That Academically Engage Students. Kenneth Bernard Beneby, 2019. Applied Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. Keywords: teacher, African American male teachers, academic engagement, secondary teaching profession, pedagogies, African American male students

This phenomenological research explored how a selected group of African American male educators understood their own experiences while implementing strategies to academically engage African American male students. The research explored the public secondary education experiences of African American male educators to better understand their occupational understandings; how having more African American educators were helpful in …

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 …

Fragile Strength: Math Self-Efficacy Of High Achieving Girls, Tristan Tang

Education | Master's Theses

Math gender gap research shows girls’ math self-efficacy to be correlated with their interest in pursuing higher levels of math education and STEM career opportunities. Most math gender gap studies have used only quantitative approaches, thereby missing the opportunity to gain deeper perspectives directly from girls who are steadfastly facing the math gender gap. This study centered around two small focus groups of girls attending a unique secondary school where every afternoon is fully dedicated to deep engagement with higher-level mathematics. Additionally, parents of girls at the school were surveyed to provide further insight into possible sources of their daughter’s …

The Effects Of Coding Integration On Student Engagement And Academic Achievement In A 5th Grade Mathematics Class, Sinead Meehan

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research project investigated the effect coding integration had on student engagement and academic achievement in a fifth-grade mathematics class. Research was conducted on a group of 20 fifth grade students performing on grade level, in a suburban school outside of Philadelphia. Four data collection tools were used: A student survey, teacher observations and reflections, pre and post-test data, and a tally chart. Data was categorized into two domains: student engagement and academic achievement. Coding follow-up works using Scratch, Wonder Workshop, and Turtle Academy were provided to students over the course of two mathematical topics created by Pearson Education, …

Perspectives Of Student Dis/Engagement In Youth Attending An Alternative School As Viewed Through A Lens Of Respect And Relationships, Daniel Vallee

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study enlists the voices of youth attending an Alternative School in a small town in Western Canada to further theorize what it means to be dis/engaged with/from school. Findings suggest that school relationships with both staff and peers are key to understanding student dis/engagement, and that relationships are understood in terms of their degree of respect or un/fairness.

Investigating The Influence Of The Level Of Inquiry On Student Engagement, Emily K. Faulconer

Emily Faulconer

Previous studies investigating student-generated questions in a laboratory class compared inquiry to a traditional approach without characterizing the inquiry level. This study investigated the influence of inquiry level on the quantity and quality of student-generated questions over one semester in a General Chemistry course with 356 participants. The researchers studied two types of inquiry in labs: structured inquiry and open inquiry. Quantity and quality of student-generated questions were analyzed and student attitudes were measured using a LIKERT survey while content knowledge was assessed via post-test. A close relationship was not found between the level of inquiry and the quantity or …

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 …

The Impact Project-Based Learning Has On Student Motivation And Academics, Haley Larson

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In an effort to find new ways of motivating and engaging students this literature review aims to understand the main concepts of Project-Based Learning (PBL), what motivation is, and how it affects student academics. PBL is a teaching method that uses inquiry, collaboration, real-world scenarios, and community involvement through the use of projects. PBL is a student-driven method in which teachers help facilitate discussion while students create and drive the projects. Teachers assist and guide students in the right direction as they ask questions and find solutions. Many researchers found higher levels of student motivation with PBL classroom environments based …

The Flipped Classroom And Its Impact On Student Engagement And Academic Performance In A Culinary Arts, Career And Technical Education Program, Michael Holik

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

The purpose of this study was to gather evidence from a CTE culinary arts program to determine if students perform better academically and are more engaged in the flipped classroom using digital technology, than the traditional classroom. The study included 24 participants in a post-secondary, CTE culinary arts program who were divided into two groups of 12: a traditional, teacher-centered group and a flipped, student-centered group. Utilizing action-based research, surveys, journals, and an engagement matrix were created and used. Although not statistically significant, student grades in the flipped classroom were nearly 4% higher than those in the traditional classroom and …