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School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

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Representation Of Cultures And Languages In Children’S Picture Books, Kristen Neff Jul 2022

Representation Of Cultures And Languages In Children’S Picture Books, Kristen Neff

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated cultural representation in children’s picture books located in classroom libraries. The literature review explored what is culture, the history of children’s books, what past studies have found on representation in books, and why this topic is important. The research methodology was a qualitative study that involved inventorying classroom teachers’ libraries, as well as interviews with teachers about diversity and their libraries. The results included each of the individual teachers’ libraries as well as all the libraries’ data together; data revealed that the majority of characters were animal or non-human characters. Additionally, most of the books in these …

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Observing The Impact Of Environmental Science Exploration And Discovery On The Social-Emotional Learning Of 2nd Grade Students, Laura Sammis Apr 2022

Observing The Impact Of Environmental Science Exploration And Discovery On The Social-Emotional Learning Of 2nd Grade Students, Laura Sammis

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The guiding question in this study was, how do outdoor science exploration and discovery impact the social-emotional learning of 2nd grade students. This study documents the author’s development, facilitation and analysis of a 3-week science unit that included an increase of time spent outdoors. This study was conducted in an observational and descriptive qualitative manner that used the researcher’s real-time observations, reflections and student surveys. The author utilized research literature to develop meaning and understanding of the concepts to support the importance of the study. The author describes the study in terms of successes and limitations. The study concludes that …

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The Impact Of Language Attitudes On The Bilingual And Bicultural Self-Perceptions Of Fifth-Grade Latino Students, Abigail Winnes Apr 2022

The Impact Of Language Attitudes On The Bilingual And Bicultural Self-Perceptions Of Fifth-Grade Latino Students, Abigail Winnes

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the impact of language attitudes on the bilingual and bicultural self-perceptions of fifth-grade Latino students. The research questions posed in this study included: 1) What are the language attitudes (specifically toward English, Spanish, and Spanish-English bilingualism) held by Spanish-speaking English learners in Fifth Grade? and 2) How do these attitudes interact with students’ developing bilingual and bicultural self-perceptions? The literature review includes research related to heritage language maintenance; societal attitudes toward minority languages and their speakers; Latino language attitudes; language attitudes in multilingual educational settings; and the development of bilingual and bicultural self-perceptions. Participants in this study …

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Factors Of Persistence In Multilingual Abe Secondary Credential Participants, Sherry Smith Apr 2022

Factors Of Persistence In Multilingual Abe Secondary Credential Participants, Sherry Smith

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this study is What factors contribute to multilinguals’ persistence in adult secondary credential programs? ABE participants in general have a high rate of stopping out of programs. For those trying to earn a secondary credential in a second language, the goal of earning a secondary credential may be more complex. There was little research focusing on this population of ABE participants with this goal. This mixed methods retrospective case study examines which factors supported the persistence of three multilingual participants in Adult Basic Education (ABE) who earned their GED®. The supports are categorized into individual, …

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Effects Of A Nontraditional Multi-Age Learning Environment On Academic And Social-Emotional Learning: A Case Study, Nicole Black Apr 2022

Effects Of A Nontraditional Multi-Age Learning Environment On Academic And Social-Emotional Learning: A Case Study, Nicole Black

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this study was: how are struggling, elementary-aged students’ academic and social-emotional learning impacted by a nontraditional, multi-age learning environment? Topics explored in the review of the literature include struggling learners, academic performance, social-emotional learning, and learning environments. The case study was based on a pilot program, in which 22 students with academic and social-emotional needs were co-taught by three teachers in a multi-age, grades 2-4 environment. To answer the research question, qualitative and quantitative academic and social-emotional data was collected over a nine-week period. Individual goals were set for and with students in the areas …

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No “Pobrecito Student”: Translanguaging High-School Science For Academic Language Development, Agustina Borré Apr 2022

No “Pobrecito Student”: Translanguaging High-School Science For Academic Language Development, Agustina Borré

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Borré, A. (2022). No “Pobrecito Student”: Translanguaging High-School Science for Academic Language Development. The research questions addressed in this study were: what are the impacts of translanguaging on academic language development? And what are the challenges and successes in implementing translanguaging in highly culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms? Thus, the topics explored in the literature review range from research on academic language development and the teaching and learning of science in high school and the struggles and challenges English Language Learners (ELLs) face when learning then different content areas. The literature review also reveals some of the findings emerging from …

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Teachers Describe Their Confidence In Teaching Secondary Students With Low Literacy Skills, Tamara Polzin Feb 2022

Teachers Describe Their Confidence In Teaching Secondary Students With Low Literacy Skills, Tamara Polzin

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

For some students, grasping the concept of literacy is completed with ease. For others, the challenges of developing literacy skills to aid in their ability to move from learning to read to reading to learn proves challenging. These challenges cause a gap in literacy growth and have shown to increase as students get older preventing them from fully accessing the concepts found in the secondary setting. As such, secondary educators are being called upon with the assumption that all teachers are teachers of reading. With this in mind, this qualitative research study aimed to uncover secondary social studies teachers’ understanding …

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Scouts Bsa Wood Badge Through The Lens Of Senge’S Disciplines Of A Learning Organization, Wendy Marik Jan 2022

Scouts Bsa Wood Badge Through The Lens Of Senge’S Disciplines Of A Learning Organization, Wendy Marik

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study used researcher participation, participant surveys and participant interviews to explore the presence of the five disciplines of Senge’s learning organization in the training of adult volunteer leaders in Scouts BSA’s Wood Badge in 2021. It also examined how the prevalence of Senge’s five disciplines affected Scouters’ perceptions of Wood Badge training.The study included survey results from 30 participants and interviews with four participants at Northern Star Council’s Wood Badge course in 2021. Findings indicated that all five of Senge’s disciplines were present in Scouts BSA’s Wood Badge course. The study confirmed that Scouts BSA is a …

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Investigating The L2 Motivational Self System Of Mauritanian Efl Learners: A Unique L2 Learning Experience, Casey Hatlevoll Oct 2021

Investigating The L2 Motivational Self System Of Mauritanian Efl Learners: A Unique L2 Learning Experience, Casey Hatlevoll

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated Mauritanian EFL learner motivation through the lens of Dörnyei’s (2009) L2 Motivational Self System. The research question was: Within a private English center context, how is the motivation of Mauritanian EFL learners impacted by their L2 selves and the L2 Learning Experience? Specifically, two sub-questions were addressed: (1) Within learners’ L2 Motivational Self Systems, how does the impact of the L2 Self compare with the impact of the L2 Learning Experience? and (2) Which aspects of the L2 Learning Experience within the English center’s learning environment foster learner motivation?. A mixed-methods design was utilized, including a motivation …

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Environmental Education During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Margaret Janz Jul 2021

Environmental Education During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Margaret Janz

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic that hit the United States in March 2020 quickly caused the entire nation to rethink how we work and how we approach education. Informal environmental education in particular faced unique challenges during this time yet found ways to adapt their educational programming. This thesis will explore the questions: How did organizations alter and adapt their programming to meet public health guidelines during the pandemic? and What successes and challenges did organizations face in offering these programs? To answer these questions, a survey was distributed to organizations that offer environmental education programs. Results echo and expand on the …

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Social Presence Theory: Creating Engaging And Strong Online Learning Communities At The K-12 Level, Abigail Amundson Jul 2021

Social Presence Theory: Creating Engaging And Strong Online Learning Communities At The K-12 Level, Abigail Amundson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Social presence theory is “the degree to which a person is perceived as a real person in mediated communication” (Gunawardena, 1995). Enhancing student’s perception of social presence increases instructional effectiveness and learning in an online learning environment. To increase perceived social presence, teachers must use techniques and interaction skills to build an online classroom community. There is not a lot of research on social presence theory in K-12 online learning environments so the purpose of this study was to find tools and strategies that create a strong online learning environments and to find if there is a relation between social …

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Finding Fit In The Science Classroom: Applying Self-Determination Theory To Twice-Exceptional Students, John Burrell Jul 2021

Finding Fit In The Science Classroom: Applying Self-Determination Theory To Twice-Exceptional Students, John Burrell

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

In line with self-determination theory (Deci and Ryan, 2000; Ryan and Deci, 2017), this thesis explored how practices employed in a classroom between November 2020 through January 2021 affected satisfaction of students’ basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Thirteen twice-exceptional students (gifted and learning disabled) between grades 4-10 participated in this mixed-methods study at an independent school in the upper midwest. Additionally, four of the thirteen students were selected as case studies to be interviewed and observed throughout the study period. This study explored how the implementation of needs-supportive practices, along with COVID-19 mitigation strategies (including distance-learning), affected …

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My Labor Of Love, Deanna Chiodo Jul 2021

My Labor Of Love, Deanna Chiodo

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research explored how three administrators and four teachers with seven or more years of experience at the same State Approved Alternative Program (SAAP) explained their decision to stay with that program and their level of professional fulfillment. Additionally, this research was designed to deepen the understanding of the path that leads individuals to teach at a SAAP, and whether the participants' understanding of how their pre-service program and on-board training prepared them to work with an at-risk population. The research design included having participants complete a researcher-created electronic survey and a 45-min semi-structured interview. The interview transcripts created …

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School Recess: Benefits, Obstacles, And Policy, Amy Mcmullan Jul 2021

School Recess: Benefits, Obstacles, And Policy, Amy Mcmullan

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The practice of school recess is explored including its benefits, obstacles, and policies. Academic literature provided research indicating a myriad of benefits including academic or cognitive, behavioral, health, and social emotional development, while challenges with implementing school recess are described as allocation of time as well as supervision, safety, and bullying. Current policies regarding recess are divided into two categories: requiring students be given a recess period and the issue of withholding recess. Original research was conducted with a mixed methods design by an electronic survey, where Minnesota elementary school principals were surveyed regarding recess in their schools. The data …

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The Texts Matter: Essential Text Characteristics For Comprehension Intervention In The Intermediate Grades, Tia Clasen Jul 2021

The Texts Matter: Essential Text Characteristics For Comprehension Intervention In The Intermediate Grades, Tia Clasen

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Results on state and national reading assessments indicate that students in the U.S. overall, and in Minnesota specifically, continue to struggle to comprehend expository texts; only one-third of fourth graders meeting grade level proficiency on state assessments designed to analyze reading achievement. Further, a significant gap persists for fourth grade students based on race, language, and socioeconomic status. Contemporaneously, technology continues to advance rapidly, demanding increased literacy skills and a better understanding of comprehension intervention. This research study aims to identify essential text characteristics of expository texts that will eventually be included in an online, automated reading strategy tutor providing …

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Minnesota School Forest Program: An Evaluation And Exploration Of Implementations, Madisson Weier Jul 2021

Minnesota School Forest Program: An Evaluation And Exploration Of Implementations, Madisson Weier

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources School Forest Program through answering the following questions: what are the strengths and limitations of the School Forest Program; What are the impacts of individual teacher objectives on the utilization and implementation of the School Forest Program? These questions were investigated using data collected from a survey sent to School Forest Coordinators as well as a data request to the Department of Natural Resources. This study found that participants in the School Forest Program feel that their School Forests add many positive benefits to their classrooms …

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The Impact Of Home Language Maintenance And Acculturation Gaps Amongst Somali-American Families, Morgyn Wade Jul 2021

The Impact Of Home Language Maintenance And Acculturation Gaps Amongst Somali-American Families, Morgyn Wade

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this thesis was: What impact does home language maintenance and acculturation gaps have on Somali-American families? The purpose was to understand the impact of language loss and acculturation gaps and to see what teachers and others could do to help encourage home language maintenance amongst Somali-American families. It discusses previous research in the field; such as Brown and Carpenter’s (2018) study of a community of Somali-Americans in Barron, Wisconsin, and Gonzalez and Mendez-Pounds’(2018) study on Mexican-American families and parents’ approaches to home language maintenance. In addition, this thesis explores the various connections between language, culture, …

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Critical Race Theory: Measuring Anti-Black Sentiment In South Korean English Education, Kenya Nelson Jul 2021

Critical Race Theory: Measuring Anti-Black Sentiment In South Korean English Education, Kenya Nelson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This research study examines how anti-Black sentiment influences Black teachers’ experiences in South Korea, using the critical race theory (CRT) framework to analyze various forms of anti-Black sentiment (ABS) and explore correlations between major tenets of CRT and types of ABS. Previous research has concluded that Black teachers continue to face overt racism in South Korea. Also, there continues to be a lack of empathy or disinterest in discussing racism in Korea. Unfortunately, the amount of research that focuses on the experiences of Black teachers teaching English in East Asia, primarily South Korea, is scarce. This study will add to …

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Bridging The Gap Between Language Learning, Technology & Community: The Importance And Viability Of A Language Learning Mobile Application That Will Connect Users To Each Other Based On Location To The English As A Second Language Community, Parinaz Kassemi Jul 2021

Bridging The Gap Between Language Learning, Technology & Community: The Importance And Viability Of A Language Learning Mobile Application That Will Connect Users To Each Other Based On Location To The English As A Second Language Community, Parinaz Kassemi

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this study was: what is the importance and viability of a language-learning mobile application that will connect users to each other based on location to the English as a Second Language Community. The topics explored in the review of the literature include what a mobile application is, the current language learning applications that are available, the openness to technology in education, and the future of mobile apps. Six different adults who spoke more than one language took a short survey in which I collected some feedback on the perceived usefulness of having a language learning …

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Yo Soy Mi Idioma: Latinx Bilinguals’ Journeys To Two-Way Immersion Education, José Becerra-Cárdenas Apr 2021

Yo Soy Mi Idioma: Latinx Bilinguals’ Journeys To Two-Way Immersion Education, José Becerra-Cárdenas

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how the lived experiences of Latinx bilingual teachers influenced their path toward two-way immersion (TWI) programs and informed the development of their beliefs about education. This research was designed as a qualitative multiple case study, with triangulated data points including surveys, dialogues, and journals. The results were analyzed using pattern matching and cross-case analysis. Underpinned by Critical Race Theory (CRT), both LatCrit and Counter-Storytelling were utilized to add dimension to the Latinx experience, which not only takes into consideration experiences of migration, immigration status, language, and ethnic identities, but also rejects the notion that there is a …

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How Do Teachers Make Decisions Around Union Membership And Engagement In My Middle School Setting?, Natalie Sasseville-Praska Apr 2021

How Do Teachers Make Decisions Around Union Membership And Engagement In My Middle School Setting?, Natalie Sasseville-Praska

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gather middle school teachers’ beliefs, perceptions, opinions, and experiences around teachers union membership and engagement. The topic became a focus within union circles in advance of the 2018 United States Supreme Court Ruling, Janus vs. AFSCME Council 31, which halted the collection of agency fees, or fees paying for the cost of union representation during collective bargaining, among public employees. This study draws on the work of several other researchers studying educators’ varying beliefs and experiences around teachers unions, including Popiel (2013), Chapman (2013), Pogodzinski & Jones (2014), and Swenson Chipman (2014). It …

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The Work-Life Balance Of A Single Mother And Secondary School Principal, Amy Cochran Apr 2021

The Work-Life Balance Of A Single Mother And Secondary School Principal, Amy Cochran

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

As more women enter the workforce and move into leadership positions, understanding the conflicts between balancing work and family life is essential. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenology study was to focus on the lived experiences of single mother, secondary school principals and how they face the challenges of balancing work and family. Through semi-structured interviews, the study focused on four single mother secondary school principals. It aimed to answer the research question: What are the internal and external drivers of effective single-parent female secondary school principals that allow them to face the challenges of balancing work and family? The …

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Preventing Teacher Stress And Burnout In An Urban Arts Secondary School Context, Kara Noble Apr 2021

Preventing Teacher Stress And Burnout In An Urban Arts Secondary School Context, Kara Noble

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Stress and burnout pervade among public school teachers and are heightened in urban schools, where job demands are often high and resources low. Teacher stress and burnout, leading to turnover, is known to be especially high for early career teachers. Many studies have been done that isolate possible contributing factors such as: supervisory support, the classroom emotional climate, student behavior, pupil teacher ratio, access to resources, teacher temporal intelligence, district budgets, job demands and effective classroom practices. Oftentimes, there are multiple contributing factors over periods of time leading to teachers experiencing burnout and consequently leaving the field. In this study, …

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The Case For Culturally Affirming Systems Of Education: Exploring How Professional Development Impacts Culturally Relevant And Critical Literacy Teaching Practices, Carey Seeley Dzierzak Apr 2021

The Case For Culturally Affirming Systems Of Education: Exploring How Professional Development Impacts Culturally Relevant And Critical Literacy Teaching Practices, Carey Seeley Dzierzak

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This case study based on a qualitative paradigm utilized grounded theory to analyze teacher interviews, focus groups and elite interviews focused on culturally relevant and critical literacy practices. This case study focuses on a small group of teachers and facilitators in a large urban school district in Minnesota. This dissertation focused on the impact of culturally relevant and critical literacy professional development on teachers' mindsets and practices. The theoretical concepts that emerged from this case study are the importance of culturally affirming systems. The data collected from this project support the need for creating culturally affirming classrooms, diverse literature, and …

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Mitigating Climate Change: Understanding How Teachers Integrate Social Justice Themes In Environmental Education, Gregory Simons, Apr 2021

Mitigating Climate Change: Understanding How Teachers Integrate Social Justice Themes In Environmental Education, Gregory Simons,

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Climate change is an increasingly severe global issue with devastating repercussions for marginalized, poor, and vulnerable people. As a result, environmental education has evolved over the years to build upon outdoor nature study and ecological concepts to incorporate fundamental principles of social and environmental justices while addressing climate change. This qualitative research study employed both an online survey and semi-structured interviews to address two research questions grounded in the environmental justice movement to determine how social justice intersects with pressing global issues commonly found in environmental science curriculum. First, how do environmental science educators integrate social justice themes in their …

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Digital Device Use In Urban Elementary Physical Education Classrooms: Viewpoints, Eric Kaluza Apr 2021

Digital Device Use In Urban Elementary Physical Education Classrooms: Viewpoints, Eric Kaluza

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Elementary physical education teachers and the use of digital devices in their classrooms are evolving. From simple step counters to Apple Watches to track the movement and skills of students, the digital tools available for physical education teachers are more prominent than ever before. This case study looked at how urban elementary physical education teachers use digital devices in their classroom, pre-covid-19, and during covid 19. In an upper-Midwestern setting, this research used a qualitative case study to find examples of digital device usage by urban elementary physical educators from one school district. Data collection methods included an online survey, …

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Need Not Apply: A Systematic Literature Review Re-Evaluating English Prestige And Its Retribution On Foreign English Language Leaders And Their Learners’ Identity, Jessica Ibarra-Gambrill Apr 2021

Need Not Apply: A Systematic Literature Review Re-Evaluating English Prestige And Its Retribution On Foreign English Language Leaders And Their Learners’ Identity, Jessica Ibarra-Gambrill

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This comprehensive literature review aims to progress the dialogue on the influence of English prestige in the ESL field related to hiring practices, pedagogical practices, and consideration for how it impacts learner success. Traditional interpretations of cultural capital from Bourdieuean theory form a deficit view of Communities of Color with an extension to immigrant families and those for whom English is not the first language. Further to that, Bourdieu's concept of linguistic capital measures against the knowledge of the ability to speak the official language. The English language has served as a gatekeeper worldwide as the demand for English language …

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Analyzing Perspectives With Relevant Grade-Level Texts To Improve Engagement In A Rural Fifth-Grade Classroom, Micah Peters Apr 2021

Analyzing Perspectives With Relevant Grade-Level Texts To Improve Engagement In A Rural Fifth-Grade Classroom, Micah Peters

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to improve engagement in a rural classroom by analyzing perspectives in relevant texts using a literature circle format. The literature reviewed in this study was centered on adolescent literacy, engagement, critical literacy, relevant texts, and literature circles.The study was conducted over an eight-week period with a small group of fifth-grade students; they selected their own text and read it together while utilizing a traditional literature circle format. The unique literature circle roles were designed to promote analysis of perspectives, critical literacy practices, and basic comprehension strategies. This mixed-methods case study utilized primary data from …

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Evaluating The Cultural Responsiveness Of Language, Strategies And Visuals In Social Emotional Curriculum, Julia Pedersen Apr 2021

Evaluating The Cultural Responsiveness Of Language, Strategies And Visuals In Social Emotional Curriculum, Julia Pedersen

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This content analysis examines two kindergarten-sixth grade Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Curriculums; Second Step and Caring School Community through a Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) framework. SEL and CRT are often thought of as two distinct domains in education, however this analysis explores their interdependence on one another. Grounded in research on social emotional intelligence, curricular design and culturally sustaining pedagogy, this study developed an evaluation framework that the researcher used to systematically review the curricular activities, strategies, language and visuals. Findings include multiple culturally responsive trends within each curriculum, as well as shortcomings which include a lack of representation of …

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Connecting At-Risk Youth To Place: Using Restorative Practices To Improve Learner Awareness Of Local Climate Change, Ariel Johnson Apr 2021

Connecting At-Risk Youth To Place: Using Restorative Practices To Improve Learner Awareness Of Local Climate Change, Ariel Johnson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Educational practices of restorative practices and outdoor education have often been implemented as two separate entities despite both having similar goals of building relationships while providing a sense of belonging and empowerment for the individual. Restorative practices originated in the justice system and are being increasingly used with at-risk youth in an effort to help the individual heal and rebuild relationships with community and self as a preventative approach to addressing the school-to-prison pipeline. Outdoor education is often conducted through place-based and inquiry-based learning, which uses hands-on experiences to promote increased learner awareness of environmental concerns, such as climate change …

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