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Full-Text Articles in Education
Effectively Teaching Metacognitive Strategies Across Content Areas To Enhance Comprehension, Jessica F. Johnson
Effectively Teaching Metacognitive Strategies Across Content Areas To Enhance Comprehension, Jessica F. Johnson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question answered in this project is: “Does the use of metacognitive strategies contribute to increased reading comprehension?” Although often comprehension strategies are the focus of reading instruction, there is an ongoing need, based on research, to explicitly teach and model metacognitive strategies in the classroom setting, leading to independent student use. The benefits of teaching metacognition across grade levels, specific strategies and teaching structures to use, as well as crosscurricular connections and integration are included in this project. The Metacognitive Teaching Framework (MTF) (Kelley & ClausenGrace, 2007) serves as a basis for the interdisciplinary sixweek curriculum unit, which …
Movement Activities For Classroom Teachers, David Fischlowitz
Movement Activities For Classroom Teachers, David Fischlowitz
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This Capstone Project examines the connections between students’ use of various digital media, accompanying sedentary behavior, and the associated detrimental effects. Research has shown that excessive screen time and sedentary behavior can have a range of negative impacts on student development and progress. In a qualitative research method, the literature review shows physical activity as a mitigating factor to the negative effects of excessive screen time. This project grew from the research question: how can teachers use part of their instructional time in movement activities in order to improve student performance? Based on research that is beginning to suggest learning-skill …
Steam Design Thinking And Innovation: A Collaborative, Interdisciplinary, Authentic Approach To Problem Solving In Mathematics, Liesa Klyn
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
How might we design an interdisciplinary curriculum which incorporates collaboration and design-thinking to equip all students to tackle authentic, complex problems of critical relevance? This capstone project is an attempt to answer this question with an innovative mathematics curriculum that incorporates science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics into problem solving experiences that foster critical thinking, collaboration across networks, leading by influence, agility and adaptability, initiative and entrepreneurship, oral and written communication, accessing and analyzing information, curiosity and imagination and resourcefulness. This curriculum seeks to make six major shifts in student learning;from product to process, from consumption to production, from adult …
How To Create A High School Personalized Learning System To Re-Engage And Extend Deeper Learning Of Opportunity Youth Students, Joseph Cienian
How To Create A High School Personalized Learning System To Re-Engage And Extend Deeper Learning Of Opportunity Youth Students, Joseph Cienian
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project was, how can a high school set up a personalized learning system to re-engage and extend deeper learning opportunities for students? It documents one teacher’s creation of a holistic validation portfolio system that serves as a key vehicle for re-engagement and deeper learning for students who have become disengaged from school. It integrated Stanford’s Design Thinking process to work with a local school community to create a relevant and comprehensive system. The author documents research literature on a variety of pedagogical strategies used to carry-out a comprehensive plan of attack to build learning …
Walking Field Trips: Mapping Outdoor Instruction Opportunities, Anna Cochran
Walking Field Trips: Mapping Outdoor Instruction Opportunities, Anna Cochran
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project was the following: How can upper elementary educators in a rural school district utilize walking field trips and outdoor instruction to support achievement of state academic content areas and to integrate principles of environmental education? The project extends upper elementary school instructional settings to public lands, open spaces, parks, trails, river access points, and beyond in order to enhance the academic experience. It is informed by Sobel’s place-based education theory and Lieberman and Hoody’s proposal of using outdoor settings to connect multidisciplinary content areas. A walking field trip map was produced for a …
Framework For Purposeful Technology Integration In Environmental Education Using Inquiry Based Learning, Jonathan Massung
Framework For Purposeful Technology Integration In Environmental Education Using Inquiry Based Learning, Jonathan Massung
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project was, how do you incorporate technology to facilitate raw exploration of the natural world that reinforces inquiry-based learning in Environmental Education? The concept of the project was to create a framing guide to allow traditional and non-traditional educators to purposefully incorporate technology into a program with emphasis on environmental education standards. The primary focus of the format of the program is intended for K-12 lessons. The idea behind creating the program is to not simply add technology to a program, but to include the technology tool as a central piece with standards that …
How Can A 9th Grade Math And Science Curriculum Become Integrated As Part Of A Project-Based Academy?, Evan Pierson
How Can A 9th Grade Math And Science Curriculum Become Integrated As Part Of A Project-Based Academy?, Evan Pierson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research shows that project-based learning and integrated curriculums in many cases have a positive impact on student engagement, attitudes, and academic achievement. This project takes units from a general science and math curriculum at the ninth grade level and blends them to create an integrated unit relating to motion. The unit contains a wide array of math and science activities and labs that encourage students to think critically but also allows them to easily see the similarities between the two content areas. Teachers are encouraged to adapt the unit to meet their individual needs or attempt a similar endeavor with …
Integrating Interprofessional Education Curriculum Into A Vascular Sonography Course, Tammi Wiesner
Integrating Interprofessional Education Curriculum Into A Vascular Sonography Course, Tammi Wiesner
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This capstone addresses interprofessional and collaborative learning and aids in answering the following question: What are the benefits and challenges of integrating Interprofessional Education into vascular sonography coursework? Teaching team-based care can be accomplished by integrating Interprofessional Education (IPE), a complementary curriculum that teaches students to collaborate with other health science students, into an already existing health science specific curriculum. The author addresses the need for finding new ways to teach IPE. IPE is typically taught in a half-day or full- day event with students from multiple health disciplines working together in one large room. The author weaves Interprofessional Education …
The Impact Of Newsela On Disciplinary Content Area Literacy To Improve Vocabulary Instruction, Nicole Anderson
The Impact Of Newsela On Disciplinary Content Area Literacy To Improve Vocabulary Instruction, Nicole Anderson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project was, what is the impact of Newsela on developing disciplinary content area literacies to improve vocabulary instruction? The author describes the process of researching and creating a literacy action plan developed for the purpose of providing secondary schools with the timeline and implementation tasks for engaging students in authentic literacy experiences in all content areas. Research around effective literacy plans, specifically by Irvin, Meltzer, and Dukes assisted in development of goals, implementation tasks, and criteria for success. The author defines the key components of this plan, detailing new learnings and struggles throughout the …
Curriculum Design Through Authentic Learning Projects In An International Baccalaureate Middle School Technology Design Classroom, Kari R. Greenfield
Curriculum Design Through Authentic Learning Projects In An International Baccalaureate Middle School Technology Design Classroom, Kari R. Greenfield
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This project explores the research question “ How can creating a curriculum that fosters student creativity through authentic learning projects enhance instruction in the digital age?” The idea for this research started when the author was teaching in public school and it became more about the test and less about the students. Research about brain development, choice theory, constructivism and project based learning has lead to the development and creation of a student centered, authentic learning curriculum. The curriculum created is focused on an 8th grade technology design class that is at an International Baccalaureate private school in California. The …
Teaching Animal Ethics In Culturally Diverse Settings, Julie Knopp
Teaching Animal Ethics In Culturally Diverse Settings, Julie Knopp
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This project explores the research question “How can we teach compassion for animals in a culturally responsive manner?” The premise stems from the contrast of the narrow range of values taught in public schools and the growing cultural diversity of our students. Literature in moral development theory, culturally responsive pedagogy, and humane education suggested that the most effective values education invites students to think critically. By providing information, modeling, and supports for ethical decision-making, students develop a greater sense of moral integrity, while simultaneously developing essential academic skills. The result of this project is a unit promoting critical thinking about …
Learning Through Student Driven Inquiry In A Spanish Immersion Fourth Grade Classroom, Anne Mcginn
Learning Through Student Driven Inquiry In A Spanish Immersion Fourth Grade Classroom, Anne Mcginn
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The driving question in this capstone is, how can I design a Spanish immersion social studies unit to bring student driven inquiry to a suburban elementary school while still meeting state and district requirements? This capstone describes one teacher’s exploration of models and elements of Student Driven Inquiry and the creation of a Spanish Immersion Social Studies unit that guides students to learn through their own inquiry and the model of Project Based Learning. This capstone project documents the process and justification for creating the unit and includes all necessary lessons and resources for implementing the unit itself.
Expeditionary Learning Curriculum For The Seventh Grade Classroom, Nora Denise Krings
Expeditionary Learning Curriculum For The Seventh Grade Classroom, Nora Denise Krings
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this project was, how are the components of Expeditionary Learning used to design an interdisciplinary, project-based expedition at a middle school grade level? It documents the creation of an interdisciplinary unit for a seventh grade classroom using components from Expeditionary Learning. The author uses research on Expeditionary Learning and related educational philosophies to incorporate different structures and components into the design of the curriculum. The unit includes such components as community connections, fieldwork and case studies. It also outlines different classroom structures and protocols that can be used to deliver instruction. The capstone documents some …
Thematic Learning And English Learners: Integrating Authentic Literacy In An Experience-Based Summer Program For English Learners, Miranda Michelle Gamayunov
Thematic Learning And English Learners: Integrating Authentic Literacy In An Experience-Based Summer Program For English Learners, Miranda Michelle Gamayunov
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
Research indicates that the most successful summer programs and after school experiences do not simply mimic the school year but rather complement it. The purpose of this capstone was to create a stronger connection between the district’s school year literacy curriculum and its summer program for English Learners while maintaining the experience-based nature of the program. The research question explored: How can I best integrate authentic reading and writing into a hands-on, experience-based summer program for English Learners resulted in a series of six lessons complementing the program’s varied experiences and the district’s units of study thereby allowing for an …
Exploring The Implementation Of Project-Based Learning At An Alternative High School, Mairead Kathleen Beane
Exploring The Implementation Of Project-Based Learning At An Alternative High School, Mairead Kathleen Beane
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research questions addressed in this project were: What are teachers’ and administrators’ experiences with implementing a project-based learning curriculum in their high school? And, what are students’ experiences of participating in a project-based learning curriculum in their high school? The author documents the necessity and rational of using a project-based learning approach in secondary schools. She documents one specific school’s early implementation of project-based learning pedagogy: its perceived successes and failures from teachers and students. In a time of high stakes testing and school accountability, the author concludes that project-based learning is a viable and valuable option for secondary …
The Confluence Of Stem Education And Language Learning: Curriculum Integration To Benefit Language Learners, Christian Joseph Engelbret
The Confluence Of Stem Education And Language Learning: Curriculum Integration To Benefit Language Learners, Christian Joseph Engelbret
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The number of elementary STEM schools has risen dramatically in the last decade. The national government has identified goals for preparing learners for the workforce in the STEM areas, while also decreasing the achievement gap between white students and their non-white peers. This research paper seeks to answer three central questions: 1) How can these various STEM disciplines be integrated in an effective and meaningful manner to improve both academic language and content area knowledge of English Learners? 2) What lesson design format best prepares teachers to implement a project-based or integrated curriculum? 3) How can partnerships between higher education …
Implementation Of Wida Standards: A Cross-Case Analysis Of Twelve Public School Districts In Minnesota, Ashley Elizabeth Karlsson
Implementation Of Wida Standards: A Cross-Case Analysis Of Twelve Public School Districts In Minnesota, Ashley Elizabeth Karlsson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
Implementation of new educational initiatives is never without challenges, and the implementation of WIDA’s English Language Development (ELD) Standards is no exception. As a transformative framework aligning content standards with indicators of language proficiency growth, WIDA Standards have the potential to support and enhance differentiation efforts for English learners. Drawing on the work of implementation science, this research analyzes qualitative interview data from twelve public school districts in Minnesota to determine what is being done to put WIDA Standards into practice. Semi-structured interviewing techniques and cross-case data coding form the basis of the research methodology. The study examines the relationship …
Teaching Health Literacy To Underrepresented Adolescents: A Curriculum For High School Advisory Teachers, Anya Dmytrenko
Teaching Health Literacy To Underrepresented Adolescents: A Curriculum For High School Advisory Teachers, Anya Dmytrenko
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This curriculum-based capstone provides high school teachers with a curriculum guide for teaching health literacy to underrepresented adolescents. The secondary knowledge research examines the effectiveness of advisory programs and current trends in health literacy, and the healthcare needs of diverse youth in urban populations. Earlier public health efforts, such as establishment of school nurses and development of school-based health clinics, are also introduced. The UbD framework and principles (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005) used to design these curricula are discussed in detail. Unit and lesson plans on various topics related to health literacy were developed with appropriate assessment tools. Vital components …
Integrating Human Culture, Community, And Sense Of Place Into An Existing High School Environmental Studies Curriculum, Kathy Allen Kline
Integrating Human Culture, Community, And Sense Of Place Into An Existing High School Environmental Studies Curriculum, Kathy Allen Kline
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This capstone addresses challenges faced by a first year high school teacher on an interdisciplinary team integrating social studies into an environmental studies curriculum. After exploring literature in biodiversity, biocultural diversity, and place-based education, the author determines that the existing curriculum can be enhanced to make stronger connections between people and the places already being studied, including the local community. To that end, this paper presents a sub-unit, developed using the Understanding by Design ® model, that seeks to integrate human culture, community, and sense of place into an environmental studies curriculum. The sub-unit includes six weeks of lessons to …
The Integration Of Social And Emotional Learning And Literacy, Sarah Marie Kennon Hippert
The Integration Of Social And Emotional Learning And Literacy, Sarah Marie Kennon Hippert
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
A curriculum development project exploring the integration of Social and Emotional Learning skills into the mini-lesson portion of Reader’s Workshop. Included is a definition of Social and Emotional Learning, an exploration of existing Social and Emotional curricula and state standards, a discussion of the effects of Social and Emotional Learning on both students and teachers, and an examination of impacts of Social and Emotional Learning on future success of students. The curriculum developed herein relies on picture books as a framework for enhancing both existing literacy and Social and Emotional curricula. It is organized around the five Social and Emotional …