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Teaching The Cultures Of Minnesota Native American Tribes: Reported Comfort Level Of Teachers In Meeting Minnesota English Language Arts Standards, James D. Autio
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The issue of how to teach about Minnesota Native American tribes in elementary school intrigues me because of my personal experiences growing up as an Ojibwe/Finnish person. As an adult, I became an educator and wanted to improve my craft while also helping other teachers to feel better about working with this topic. The Minnesota English Language Arts standards specify a need for second- and fourth-grade teachers to teach about Dakota and Ojibwe people, but teachers report varying levels of comfort. This paper examines similar state-mandated situations in Montana and Alaska, and different ways in which the schools tried to …
How International Graduate Students Whose First Language Is Not English Describe The Impact Of Speaking With An Accent In Their Learning, Guadalupe Bañuls
How International Graduate Students Whose First Language Is Not English Describe The Impact Of Speaking With An Accent In Their Learning, Guadalupe Bañuls
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
Every year thousands of international students come to the United States to study. Many who pursue advanced degrees are adults whose first language is not English, and they most likely speak English with an accent. Since social interactions are fundamental for learning, speaking English with an accent can be a barrier in communicating with others and impact their learning. This study had two foci: How speaking with an accent impacts the learning of international graduate students whose first language is not English and the impact of speaking English with an accent in their professional and academic environments. The study was …
Student Engagement And Project-Based Learning In The Social Studies Classroom, Noelle J. Nelson
Student Engagement And Project-Based Learning In The Social Studies Classroom, Noelle J. Nelson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this project was, how is student engagement affected through Project-Based Learning in an eleventh grade social studies classroom? It documents one teacher’s ability to incorporate Project-Based Learning in an urban high school social studies classroom. It will show that with the use of Project-Based Learning student engagement does increase. Students are pushed to critically think, problem solve, investigate, and collaborate. The author documents the details of a World War II Project-Based Learning unit and uses related research literature to construct meaning and validate the study. She looks into the different teaching strategies and scaffolding to …
Educator Perceptions Of The Disproportionate Experience Of African Americans In Special Education, John Palen Geske
Educator Perceptions Of The Disproportionate Experience Of African Americans In Special Education, John Palen Geske
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this capstone is, what are educators’ perceptions of the causes of the disproportionate experience of African Americans in special education? In this study, the author examines educators’ beliefs about two existing racial trends in special education. The first is the over-identification of African American students as candidates in need of special education. The second part of the disproportionate experience is that African American students tend to make less growth than their White peers once receiving services. In this research, the author provides a historical synthesis of the extensive record of disproportionality literature. The capstone includes …
Effects Of Incorporating Multiculturalism In A High School Civics Classroom For Increased Student Interest And Engagement, Alison Beatt Ellertson
Effects Of Incorporating Multiculturalism In A High School Civics Classroom For Increased Student Interest And Engagement, Alison Beatt Ellertson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this study is, what are the effects of incorporating multiculturalism in a high school civics classroom for increased student interest and engagement? This action research study was conducted in a ninth grade civics classroom over the course of three weeks and in three separate class periods. There were 85 students included in the research. Students were observed, interviewed and participated in a survey. The research compared a unit that had limited multicultural elements to a unit that fit a multicultural framework and curriculum. Findings suggest that relevancy is key to keeping students interest and introducing …
How Does Culturally Responsive Curriculum Impact African American Student’S Literacy Development In The Primary Grades?, Kaylan Louise Carlson
How Does Culturally Responsive Curriculum Impact African American Student’S Literacy Development In The Primary Grades?, Kaylan Louise Carlson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this capstone was: How does culturally responsive curriculum impact African American student’s literacy development in the primary grades? The work explores common classroom practice, culturally responsive teaching, multicultural education and the implications for a literacy curriculum that is culturally responsive. It documents an educator’s creation of a unit using the tenets of Understanding by Design (Wiggins & McTighe, 1998) and involving elements of culturally responsive teaching through multicultural education, in addition to resources and text sets. The lesson plans and resources were created for use in the primary level but may be altered for use …
An Analysis Of English Language Learning Needs For Latino Adults Associated With A Church Outreach Program, Ellen Elizabeth Keesling
An Analysis Of English Language Learning Needs For Latino Adults Associated With A Church Outreach Program, Ellen Elizabeth Keesling
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study is to examine the English language learning needs of Latino adults in a rural suburb of a large metropolitan area in the Midwest United States. Participants in the research are primarily of Mexican heritage, ranging in age from 20 to 62. The target population for this study is Latino adults associated with a local church outreach program who are not currently attending ESL classes. Barriers to attending existing ESL classes are identified and hypothetical scenarios for community-based, family-oriented programs are investigated. Data were collected primarily from personal interviews with seven Latino adults who act as …
Factors Influencing The Persistence Of Ged Students, David Foster Wilson
Factors Influencing The Persistence Of Ged Students, David Foster Wilson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this study was, What factors influence the persistence of GED students? The motivation for this project was the author’s involvement as a teacher in an Adult Education Program. Eighteen students were briefly surveyed and 3 students were interviewed at length to find out more about positive and negative factors that influenced their academic path. The results, particularly from the interviews, provided the key findings that students benefit from a strong team of support, a positive, determined attitude and mindset, and the motivation of working toward a better future.
Using Critical Literacy To Build Community Among Minority Adolescents, Julia Quinn Moe
Using Critical Literacy To Build Community Among Minority Adolescents, Julia Quinn Moe
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
Studies continue to show the alarming achievement gap between white and minority students throughout the United States. The purpose of this capstone was to explore how critical literacy can be used to build classroom community among minority adolescents, with the intention of helping diverse learners feel successful in school. Included is research on the effectiveness of and how to use critical literacy practices, the importance of building community in the secondary classroom, and the state of minority education as a whole, encompassing the unique difficulties encountered by minority students in a primarily white school. Three major themes emerged from the …
Benefits Provided To American Indian Youth Through Gidaakiimanaaniwigamig Stem Camps, Kyra Jo Paitrick
Benefits Provided To American Indian Youth Through Gidaakiimanaaniwigamig Stem Camps, Kyra Jo Paitrick
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
American Indian youth face many adversities. Suicide rates are among the highest in the country. High school graduation rates are the lowest in the country. Many American Indian youth grow up in foster care and some find themselves in juvenile detention centers or gangs. Furthermore, tribal communities are experiencing a shortage of American Indians in the workforce who are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to fill essential positions that sustain the natural resources that are important to the tribe. There are many efforts in Indian Country to be proactive with American Indian youth, providing them with supports …
Professionals Reflect On The Under Representation Of Visitors Of Color In Wilderness Areas, Jessica Iris Ostrov
Professionals Reflect On The Under Representation Of Visitors Of Color In Wilderness Areas, Jessica Iris Ostrov
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to capture the perspectives of five wilderness area staff as they reflect on the scarcity of visitors of color to their places of employment. Qualitative interviews were conducted to learn the viewpoints of the participants. Findings suggest that the racialized history of the United States and the framework of inequity in the formation of park systems encouraged the subsequent development of urban identities that have resulted in cultural traits separating many people of color from all peoples' roots in nature. In addition, contemporary barriers due to the opportunity gap for communities of color create …
Improving Cultural Competence And Ell Writing Through Culturally Relevant Digital Storytelling, Julie Robeck Harrell
Improving Cultural Competence And Ell Writing Through Culturally Relevant Digital Storytelling, Julie Robeck Harrell
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether ELL student writing would improve when students engaged in constructivist storytelling, that is, were allowed to tell their own immigration stories in a digital storytelling platform. The study also sought to ascertain whether the cultural competence of the school as a whole, including staff, students, and families, would be improved by sharing these stories at an allschool International Day
Can’T I Speak Japanese? The Use Of Students’ L1 As A Cognitive Tool For Collaborative Writing Tasks In A Japanese Efl Context, Brian Steven Berning
Can’T I Speak Japanese? The Use Of Students’ L1 As A Cognitive Tool For Collaborative Writing Tasks In A Japanese Efl Context, Brian Steven Berning
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
Many English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers believe that their students should be speaking only English in the classroom; that this will enhance and better their language learning. This study explores the differences in students’ writing between two groups: one that uses only the L2 (English) to collaborate during a pre-writing task, and the second that uses the L2 along with L1 support (English with Japanese support). The question of the study is this: How does the use of L1 as a cognitive tool effect the written L2 output of students working collaboratively compared to the exclusive use of …
A Study Of Effective Teaching Strategies In A Kindergarten Chinese Immersion Class, Shengjia Ni
A Study Of Effective Teaching Strategies In A Kindergarten Chinese Immersion Class, Shengjia Ni
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this capstone is, what teaching methods or strategies are effective in terms of teaching the target language, Chinese, as well as teaching other content areas through the target language for kindergarten students in a Chinese immersion program. The motivating factor for this capstone is the scarcity of existing research about specific teaching methods in this type of schools in the United States. The author looks for the effectiveness of Units of Inquiry learning model by documenting students’ response and reaction for multiple activities or projects. She tries to find out whether such learning model generates …
Assessing The Impact Of Public Secondary School On The Cultural Identities Of Native American Students, Joseph Vincent Hobot
Assessing The Impact Of Public Secondary School On The Cultural Identities Of Native American Students, Joseph Vincent Hobot
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to investigate the ways in which public secondary education has impacted the cultural identities of Native American students who were at one time enrolled therein, or regarding their current perspectives on how the cultural identities of youth within their families currently attending a public secondary school are being impacted. The study began with an autoethnographic submission whereby the researcher’s own experience as both a Native American student and educator was also included as a part of the research. From there, additional data was sought and collected through the use of intensive interviews with subjects …
Using Critical-Thinking Strategies To Develop Academic Reading Skills Among Saudi Iep Students, Betsy Lindeman Wong
Using Critical-Thinking Strategies To Develop Academic Reading Skills Among Saudi Iep Students, Betsy Lindeman Wong
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This capstone project researches the question, What should be included in a criticalthinking curricular resource guide to address Saudi IEP students’ difficulties with academic reading skills? The author reviews literature documenting the mismatch between the way reading is perceived and taught in Saudi Arabia versus the United States and describes the resulting challenges for Saudi IEP learners seeking to transition to American degree programs. These findings, along with researchers’ recommendations for incorporating critical-thinking strategies into academic reading and writing instruction, inform the design of the author’s curricular resource guide. The guide supports teachers by mapping out specific critical-thinking and reading …