Education Commons^™

What Is Critical Thinking And How Critical Thinking Improves Student Learning, Madalina F. Tincu

Graduate Research Papers

This research paper reviews the historical perspective on critical thinking, explains the need for critical thinking instruction 'and examines the literature on the impact that critical thinking has on students' learning. However, this paper will not focus on issues related to how critical thinking might be included in the curriculum, how critical thinking can be taught effectively, or how educators can implement various critical thinking programs in their classes.

A Preferred Vision For Administering Secondary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Elizabeth A. Wagner

Graduate Research Papers

The principalship is a collection of contradictory roles and responsibilities that requires knowledge and skills in many diverse areas. Paul Houston's (2001) description of society's expectations for a superintendent applies to the expectations for a principal as well: "The job is impossible because the expectations are unrealistic. We want one individual to be all and know all in a complex system" (p. 432). Today's principal is expected to effectively assume the roles of leader, educator, and manager (Speck, 1999), while creating "conditions that elicit the best from most students, teachers, and parents most of the time" (Barth, 1990, p. 64).

An Instructional Project Using Physical Knowledge Activities As A Catalyst To Develop Children's Literacy Skills In A Constructivist Preschool Classroom, Patricia A. Wehr

Graduate Research Papers

This instructional project planned and integrated literacy within physical knowledge activities for young children based on International Reading Association, National Research Council and National Association for the Education of Young Children guidelines. The project presented children with a variety of ramps and other physical knowledge activities. Children's engagement was preserved through digital pictures. The children utilized these pictures to individually construct stories orally and in script. Instruction for three dimensions of emergent literacy was provided: concepts about print, phonemic awareness, and reproduction of the child's correctly printed signature. As the project progressed, the activities and the stories grew in complexity. …

Group Contingencies And Classroom Applications, Eric Weichers

Graduate Research Papers

Group contingency is a method of behavior control which is usually used unknowingly on a daily basis in the classroom. And more than likely, its result was success. So why is it that so few teachers use group contingencies as a formal intervention? One possibility is a lack of understanding concerning the principles involved. Another possibility is an erroneous belief that it is a difficult intervention. It may be the lack of knowledge concerning the power of a group contingency. Whatever the reason, group contingencies are not often employed by teachers as formal interventions.

The Effects Of Full Implementation Vs Partial Implementation Utilizing The Accelerated Reading Program In The Reading Classroom, Tamara Wilson-Saisa

Graduate Research Papers

Developing a full implementation program while staying within the guidelines of the Accelerated Reader program was the prime motivation for paper. Preparing our students to actively engage with the texts that they read daily, would provide motivation, and assist our students in their relationship with literature. Full implementation of the program in the classroom provides sixty minutes of accelerated reading time along with mini lessons provided to develop reading strategies, along with peer talks to provide resources and different literature available. Goal setting and individual conferences were also viewed as an essential tool for monitoring the students' progress. Students were …

Extending The Dimensions Of Science Through Poetry, Tracey L. Jones

Graduate Research Papers

The primary function of poetry is to bring enjoyment, but poetry can also foster concept development in an instructional program that extends literature across the curriculum. Because of its intense emotional quality and sharp images, it can assist in connecting children's prior knowledge with new concepts.

One of the goals of an integrated program for fifth grade was to integrate literature-based language arts with science. The connection of the language arts and science areas offered children opportunities to engage in the language processes within the functions of language offered in the science area. Through reading and writing poetry and conducting …

Optimum Time To Teach Beginning Reading, Lisa A. Ludwig

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to review and analyze the literature concerning the optimum time to begin teaching reading. Four questions were answered, addressing the optimum time to begin teaching reading; advantages of early reading; problems with early reading; and guidelines for developing an effective reading program.

Early readers were found to have better grades, a higher self-esteem, and continued to be better readers throughout the secondary school years. However, some early readers also experienced difficulties because of the pressure and high expectations put on them at an early age.

It was concluded that there is no magical age …

Non-Technical Issues Involved In Moving A College Course From The Traditional Classroom To Cyberspace, Dixie L. Mercer

Graduate Research Papers

Advances in communication technologies have rapidly led to interest in the development of online learning programs. The value of these programs is beginning to be accepted as a way of providing an alternative delivery system to students in higher education whose work schedules, family issues, or geographical location make it impractical to attend regularly scheduled classes on a college campus.

Despite the potential of online learning, online instruction is not simply a traditional class gone digital. The teaching and learning processes of traditional classes needs to be reexamined for online classes, as the technology becomes more widespread. Educators need to …

Integrating Literature-Based Language Arts And Science : A Unit On Frogs For Kindergarten, Ruth Rysta

Graduate Research Papers

Classrooms providing a literature-base program allow children to engage in the language processes and present opportunities for children to create meaning by surrounding them with high-quality literature representative of different genres. Many of the language arts and science processes are related and can be integrated in themes or units to connect children's learning.

A unit on the life cycle of frogs offered kindergarten children a rich learning environment through quality literature and related expressive activities. The literature-base extended to science developed a sense of community, increased science knowledge and connected reading and writing to the science study.

Alternate Curriculum In Reading For Grade Four, Julie A. Schmit

Graduate Research Papers

Julie A. Schmit, a fourth grade teacher, specifically designed the two reading alternate units. These units were designed to provide challenging reading and learning experiences for talented and gifted students in grade four. These units provide challenging, above grade level materials and activities for the students whose reading, vocabulary, and language skills are advanced to such a degree that they would derive greater educational benefit from working with alternate materials.

An Investigation Of Cooperative Consciousness-Raising As An Innovative Teaching Practice, And Of Reactions To Its Introduction Into A High School, Sahoby Solo Raharinirina

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The language pedagogy literature stresses the importance of the quality of second/foreign language teaching/learning in learners' acquisition, development of communicative competence, or both. The change literature equally emphasizes the importance of the quality of innovation in change audience’s resolution to reconceptualize current practices and espouse the new practice being advocated. Both literatures underline the need to use multiple research strategies in order to depict the product and process of learning and/or shifting experiences. To contribute to the educational literature in these areas, the present research incorporated two different but interrelated studies.

Study One utilized both between- and within-method approaches (Denzin, …

Multidisciplinary Team Decision-Making Practices In Iowa Schools, Debra S. Meyer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The historical legislation mandating multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) in schools is well known. Relatively little attention has been directed toward either evaluating systematic processes that would lead to the desired outcome ,of better services to all students or educating team members in problem solving content and process. The purpose of the study was to examine the factors that influence problem solving outcomes and other aspects of service delivery in MDT settings. Team members' roles, problem solving steps, family involvement, and team building activities were measured by mailing a confidential Decision-Making Practices in Iowa Schools questionnaire to elementary principals (n = 114), …

2001 Break Through, Northern University High School

Malcolm Price Laboratory School Yearbooks

The student yearbook of the Northern University High School, part of the Malcolm Price Laboratory School of the University of Northern Iowa.