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Full-Text Articles in Education
Implementing Equitable And Effective Practices For Dual-Identified Learners, Annelise Walsh
Implementing Equitable And Effective Practices For Dual-Identified Learners, Annelise Walsh
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Walsh, A. (2023). Implementing Equitable and Effective Practices for Dual-Identified Learners English learners in special education make up approximately 1% of students in the United States. As the overall population of English learners rapidly increases, so does this population of dual-identified learners. Educators often do not receive adequate preparation to support dual-identified learners, and misconceptions that these students do not require services in both areas still persist in American public schools. Additionally, disproportionality of English learners in special education remains an ongoing issue. As a result, dual-identified learners are a misunderstood and underserved population. This capstone seeks to answer the …
Effects Of Teaching Collaborative Learning Strategies To Teachers On Student Transferable Skills And Adaptability Development In The High School Stem Classroom, Isaiah Ripley
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Every student’s understanding of the world is formed from the interactions they experience and observe of which the relationships they build with their peers affect both. The guide created in this project serves as an answer to the question: What are the effects of teaching collaborative learning strategies to teachers in the high school STEM classroom on student adaptability and transferable skills development? The guide itself is oriented towards STEM teachers but includes activities and advice that can be transferred across disciplines. Furthermore, the guide is written informally which allows for the information and activities presented to feel more relatable …
Project-Based Learning And Student Engagement In The Interdisciplinary Secondary Classroom, James Carlson
Project-Based Learning And Student Engagement In The Interdisciplinary Secondary Classroom, James Carlson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research shows that Project-Based Learning has an impact on student engagement in a variety of ways. This capstone project is a unit plan designed to utilize Project-Based Learning as the foundation for a College and Career Readiness course. The main Project-Based Learning system utilized is the GOLD Standard PBL by the Buck Institute which attempts to maintain student engagement through complex tasks on a topic of the student’s choice. The focal point for students centers around STEAM careers in particular, but can be adjusted for use in other classes. The overall goal of this project is to allow secondary students …
The Impact Of Universal Learning Strategies On Teacher Burnout In A Project-Based-Learning Secondary School, Benjamin Tuthill
The Impact Of Universal Learning Strategies On Teacher Burnout In A Project-Based-Learning Secondary School, Benjamin Tuthill
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This study addresses the question: how do universal learning strategies impact teacher burnout at a project-based-learning secondary school? Interventions against teacher burnout frequently emphasize psychological strategies such as mindfulness exercises and cognitive-behavioral therapy despite inconsistent evidence that these practices have a significant impact on measurable burnout. This study presents an alternative and explores the impact of pedagogical practice on teacher burnout. Recent studies suggest that decreased workload and increased teacher/student autonomy lead to decreased levels of burnout; as a result, this study measures the impact of universal learning, a low-workload, high-autonomy pedagogy most prominently studied in the work of political …
Using An Ecojustice Education Framework To Address Conservation In The Upstate, Rebecca Bolich-Wade
Using An Ecojustice Education Framework To Address Conservation In The Upstate, Rebecca Bolich-Wade
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
In an era of complex and overlapping issues, it is critical to evaluate the effectiveness of alternative interdisciplinary methodology within the fields of justice and environmental conservation. One such method is encapsulated in an ecojustice education framework. This capstone project sought to analyze the effectiveness of an ecojustice education framework to address conservation in the Upstate of South Carolina. In the process of this study’s literature review, it is evident that isolating social justice from environmental conservation is ineffective and unresponsive to the needs that historically underserved communities today face in terms of the mitigation of environmental burdens and enhancement …
How Music Can Be Integrated Into Life Science Teaching In A Way That Enhances Scientific And Musical Learning In Middle School, Erin Hustad
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research has shown that students who learn interdisciplinary content lessons in school have a better understanding of the interconnectedness of the world they are entering. This paper, and the resultant project, focus on the interconnectedness of science and the arts, eventually ecology and music, in order to teach students both scientific and musical concepts. The project was created using backwards design, in order to ensure students have long term learning outcomes that center both science and music. Students first experience the scientific process and reflect on the similarities between scientific inquiry and artistic processes. Students then explore ecosystems and music …
History As A Catalyst For Effective Activism: A Project Based Curriculum, Seth Bobrow
History As A Catalyst For Effective Activism: A Project Based Curriculum, Seth Bobrow
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Many history classes lack ways to link content to actions or skills that students can use. At the same time research suggests that activist practices are skills that are underutilized in classrooms because teachers don’t have the resources or time to teach them. Therefore this project demonstrates how history can be used to teach effective activist practices. It identifies four elements of activism that improve efficacy. They include: selecting the government as a target, strategic use of framing, utilizing physical space in addition to digital space and participating in organizations characterized by strong structures. By combining the Case Study, Texts …
A Sense Of Place In Environmental Education: A Forest Ecology Curriculum, Samantha Selter
A Sense Of Place In Environmental Education: A Forest Ecology Curriculum, Samantha Selter
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This project discusses the definition of a sense of place as it pertains to environmental education to present the influence of people-to-place relationships in developing environmental stewardship and pro-environmental behavior. Researchers across the fields of geography, environmentalism, and psychology have long identified places as being important to how people see the world and how they act in different places. Fostering place attachment and place meaning within environmental curricula can advance environmental understanding and responsibility through the use of local ecology and problem solving of environmental issues. The curriculum unit within this project focuses on invasive species and uses this environmental …
The Benefits Of Incorporating Comprehensive Sex Education Into A Curriculum As Early As Kindergarten, Emma Laughlin
The Benefits Of Incorporating Comprehensive Sex Education Into A Curriculum As Early As Kindergarten, Emma Laughlin
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research has demonstrated that there are a variety of benefits that students, schools, and communities experience when comprehensive sex education is implemented. These benefits include positive changes in student mental and sexual health, positive changes in violence reduction amongst students, and positive changes in community norms. The capstone project created as a result of this research is a website that advocates for comprehensive sex education in the state of Minnesota. The website is meant to be a resource for both parents and educators to learn about comprehensive curriculum, the current sex education standards and where they are lacking, and to …
Relevant History: Using Historical Fiction To Make History Engaging, Kayleigh Maloney
Relevant History: Using Historical Fiction To Make History Engaging, Kayleigh Maloney
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This project sought to research effective ways in which secondary school teachers can use historical fiction in a history setting in order to better engage their students. Works of historical fiction were found to be a useful tool for engagement and relevance to the class, as long as they are used in the proper context, with special attention given to reading strategies, accuracy of information within the texts, and the allowance of student choice throughout the class. The curriculum itself gives a pattern, or template, that teachers can use to fit their classroom needs. Students rotate between reading historical fiction, …
Death Education In Environmental Education: Making Meaning From Children's Eco-Grief, Gabrielle Loisel
Death Education In Environmental Education: Making Meaning From Children's Eco-Grief, Gabrielle Loisel
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Eco-grief, the feeling of sadness, loss, or bereavement caused by environmental degradation and destruction, is an increasingly widespread phenomenon as ecological issues such as climate change are widely acknowledged. Children, with their limited agency, are vulnerable to feelings of helplessness and may develop maladaptive coping mechanisms, while educators often struggle to discuss environmental topics that prompt negative emotions. Drawing on best practices from the field of death education, this project examines ways of making meaning and outlines a new set of best practices for environmental educators to assuage students' eco-grief as well as their own, answering the question of: How …
Sustainable Agriculture Curriculum For 9th-12th Graders, Michaela Gallup
Sustainable Agriculture Curriculum For 9th-12th Graders, Michaela Gallup
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
According to the research conducted by Ziska, L. H. climate change and the agricultural industry’s fates are tightly tied. As the effects of climate change continue to worsen, food production will become more challenging. Inorder to help address these issues, this curriculum will introduce student to the causes of climate change, how climate change and agriculture impact each other, evaluate agricultural technologies that could help diminish the effects of climate change, and finally have students propose solutions to agricultural and climate related issues in their communities. The pedagogical practices used in this curriculum is a combination of traditional teaching styles, …
Culturally Sustaining Social Studies: Practical Applications To A High School Elective Course, Emily Thomas
Culturally Sustaining Social Studies: Practical Applications To A High School Elective Course, Emily Thomas
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Scholars including Delpit, Ladson-Billings, Chandler, Paris and Alim remind us that schools must be a place where students’ cultures are validated, centered, and sustained. Social studies classrooms are optimally positioned to allow students to explore issues around race, class, gender, and other forms of (in)justice. Yet while many social studies teachers wish to teach in alignment with the theory of culturally sustaining pedagogy, powerful factors make its tenets difficult to enact in the classroom. This project embedded culturally sustaining pedagogy into curriculum design for a high school Environmental History elective. Using Tomlinson and McTighe’s (2006) Understanding by Design + Differentiated …
Media Literacy For Political Engagement: A Curricular Unit Design, Adam Bolling
Media Literacy For Political Engagement: A Curricular Unit Design, Adam Bolling
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The question that guided this research was: How can critical media literacy skill development increase students’ ability and willingness to politically engage? Research shows that despite the fact that most Americans view social media use as just a distraction, young people are using the participatory tools and technologies found on social media platforms to engage with political ideas online. Media literacy education frequently focuses on teaching and learning consumption-centered skills like analysis and evaluation; but a media literacy curricular unit that encourages meaningful political engagement would acknowledge the new, production-centered reality that students inhabit. This curricular unit design for a …
Figuring-It-Out: Fostering Independence Through Transferable Problem-Solving Competence, Maya Kruger-Steinrueck
Figuring-It-Out: Fostering Independence Through Transferable Problem-Solving Competence, Maya Kruger-Steinrueck
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
When faced with unknowns, there are those who wait and those who figure-it-out. For middle school students to be happy, healthy, and successful, they need to be able to independently navigate the unknown—to figure-it-out, no matter what it is. Figuring-it-out refers to a person’s ability to independently solve problems or determine a workable solution through their capacity to regulate, cope, apply strategies, and take action. This capstone project uses a five-part professional development series for educators to answer the question, how might the explicit teaching of figuring-it-out combined with sustained practice help students to become more independent? The series emboldens …
Teaching The Art Of Writing As An Artist, Yarrow Mead
Teaching The Art Of Writing As An Artist, Yarrow Mead
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
and almost never given the skills they need to do so. Research shows this discouragement is often tied in with race and class issues in our schools and society. This capstone project sets out to answer the question: How specifically can we teach high school students interested in the arts important skills such as grant writing, and artist biography and statement writing, and why should we be teaching those skills? The project set out to create an accessible website for both instructors and students to help them teach and learn the skills of grant, artist biography, and artist statement writing. …
Implementing Phenomenon Based Learning Into English Language Development Curriculum, Makenzie Johnson
Implementing Phenomenon Based Learning Into English Language Development Curriculum, Makenzie Johnson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Finland has one of the most successful education systems in the world, and a significant reason behind that is their utilization of Phenomenon-Based Learning. Students work together to solve real-world problems in project-based learning units, while using language to problem solve alongside their peers. This capstone answers the question, How can a professional development workshop be created that teaches educators in the United States how to build an English Language Development curriculum that is centered around PhenoBL and language domain incorporation while being as culturally inclusive and responsive as possible? Collectively, these pillars of instruction promote a learning environment that …
Does The Mathematics Level Affect Student Success In High School Physics?, Kassandra Surma
Does The Mathematics Level Affect Student Success In High School Physics?, Kassandra Surma
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this study was: does the mathematics class level affect student success in high school physics? Topics explored in the literature review include the context of science course sequencing, the history of physics education in the United States, the disconnect between mathematics and physics in education, the mindsets of parents, students, and teachers about mathematics and science curriculum, and educational policies that affect state standards for curriculum, and graduation. Participants’ previous mathematics class level and success in their high school physics course were studied to find any correlation. To accomplish this, participants’ previous mathematics course and …
Climate Literacy: Designing A Syllabus For A Graduate Level Climate Literacy Foundations Course, Jana Graczyk
Climate Literacy: Designing A Syllabus For A Graduate Level Climate Literacy Foundations Course, Jana Graczyk
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Climate change is a large and multifaceted topic, connected to science, social studies, economics, politics, and more. It cannot simply be approached through one single lens. Climate literacy acknowledges the interdisciplinary nature of climate change by addressing the scientific process of climate change, the human influence on climate, and the influence of climate on society as well as helping develop pro-environmental behaviors. The syllabus designed for this project focuses on teaching climate literacy to graduate-level students. The approach is based on research about general academic motivation, as well as motivation for pro-environmental behavior. The course involves building strong relationships, creating …
Teaching Social Emotional Skills Through Literacy, Melody Sandell
Teaching Social Emotional Skills Through Literacy, Melody Sandell
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Social and emotional skills are critical to students’ success in school and it is imperative that educators have effective tools and strategies to teach these skills. Social and emotional skills can be taught through an integrated interdisciplinary curriculum where students’ needs are met academically, emotionally, and socially – teaching the whole child. This capstone project creates an integrated social emotional learning curriculum with English language arts curriculum where learning targets encompass both areas of focus thus answering the research question, How can teachers effectively teach Social Emotional Learning skills through literacy in the primary grades ? Research concludes that combining …
Finding A Place In Learning: Facilitating Place-Based Writing In The Secondary Classroom, Ella Rausch
Finding A Place In Learning: Facilitating Place-Based Writing In The Secondary Classroom, Ella Rausch
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
How can teachers facilitate place-based writing that improves the writing and research skills of high school students? This project contains a facilitation guide for an expeditionary experience that utilizes place-based writing for secondary students. Research has shown the significant benefits of this learning model for high school students and its far reaching effects beyond writing skills. Project-based learning is used as the foundation for the guide, emphasizing cross-curricular learning experiences and student voice and choice to provide authentic learning experiences. The guide is designed to support teachers as they lead students through individual projects related to a place they visit …
Effective And Engaging Ways Of Teaching The Civil Rights Movement To K-2 Students By Sarah Westad, Sarah Westad
Effective And Engaging Ways Of Teaching The Civil Rights Movement To K-2 Students By Sarah Westad, Sarah Westad
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project is, what are the most effective and engaging ways to teach K-2 students about the Civil Rights Movement while fostering meaningful connections to history? It documents the research and creation of a curriculum unit discussing the Civil Rights Movement as it existed in the past as well as in the 21st century. The curriculum unit developed in this capstone covers eleven instructional days beginning with slavery and ending with current events discussions. The capstone chapters address issues like master narrative myths, incorporating student experiences and interest, and research based practices. It looks at …
Knowledge And Skill: Integrating Social Studies And Writing Content For Third-Grade Students, Heather Eikenbary
Knowledge And Skill: Integrating Social Studies And Writing Content For Third-Grade Students, Heather Eikenbary
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The Achievement Gap has plagued school districts across the country. Why are students from lower-income families underperforming academically when compared to their more affluent peers? This capstone addresses the Achievement Gap, the Opportunity Gap, and the Knowledge Gap with the intention of answering the question: How does integrating social studies content into third-grade writing improve historical knowledge, student writing, and vocabulary for the purpose of closing the Knowledge Gap? This capstone analyzes and discusses research on the Knowledge Gap and the need for elementary instruction in social studies, vocabulary, and writing. Additionally, research on the best practices for elementary instruction …
Three-Dimensional Learning And The Phenomena Based Learning Approach With A Stem Curriculum, Shana Hoglund
Three-Dimensional Learning And The Phenomena Based Learning Approach With A Stem Curriculum, Shana Hoglund
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this capstone project is: How do three-dimensional learning and phenomenon-based learning approaches increase the authentic learning experience for students in elementary STEM classes? The focus of this project was to research the new learning approaches being proposed by the Next Generation Science Standards. Three-dimensional and phenomenon-based learning are utilized in the goal to better understand how these new approaches will be best used in an elementary STEM classroom. The research focuses on the importance and need of STEM education in an elementary setting. The project is a nine-lesson STEM unit on energy conservation for first …
The Role Of Environmental Education In Steam Education, Elise Malecha
The Role Of Environmental Education In Steam Education, Elise Malecha
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research has shown that both STEAM education and environmental education have similar goals: equipping students with 21st-century skills such as communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. These skills are essential for students to know in order to be successful in their future careers. However, while both STEAM education and environmental education have similar goals, they are often not taught together. This project takes time to answer the question: How can incorporating more environmental education into STEAM help create students that are equipped with skills needed for future careers? The supplemental curriculum designed for this project is intended to be woven into …
Implementing Project-Based Learning Within A Standards-Based Grading System, Hannah Yokom
Implementing Project-Based Learning Within A Standards-Based Grading System, Hannah Yokom
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project was, how can teachers implement interdisciplinary, project-based learning to teach and assess multiple standards in a standards-based grading system? Teachers need to shift their role from being the keeper of information for students to being a guide that helps as they ask questions, lead their own learning, and carry the cognitive load. Standards-based grading is a research-based best practice, but it requires that each standard be taught and assessed individually. This project integrates research in the areas of developing and implementing project-based learning in the classroom, and standards-based grading. It presents a fully-developed, …
Creating A Nature-Based Environmental Connection To At-Risk Ebd Students In A Self-Contained Classroom, Timothy L. Thayer
Creating A Nature-Based Environmental Connection To At-Risk Ebd Students In A Self-Contained Classroom, Timothy L. Thayer
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research has shown that most students in conventional classrooms lack exposure to the natural world in the midst of the complete school day. Looking more specifically at students who have Emotional Behavior Disorders and being in a self-contained classroom can prevent ideal opportunities for the therapeutic benefits of exposure to what the outside environment can provide. The driving focus for this project is creating a nature-based environmental connection to at-risk EBD students in a self-contained classroom. Relying on the influence of biophilic design, this project utilizes many aspects of how natural features can benefit the students both emotionally and educationally. …
Using System Thinking Protocols To Improve Student Analytical Thinking And Foster Engagement In Rural Commons, Kristin Guin-Grosse
Using System Thinking Protocols To Improve Student Analytical Thinking And Foster Engagement In Rural Commons, Kristin Guin-Grosse
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
In an effort to remain rooted in the intersection of rural education and community engagement, this study endeavors to answer the question, how can systems thinking be applied through community engagement pedagogy to improve student higher-order thinking and foster student self-efficacy in their contribution to rural commons? Systems thinking strategies can contribute to student self-efficacy and improve analytical thinking. Engagement education draws upon disparate instructional methodologies and offers an integrated perspective for curriculum development that is place-based, project-focused, civic-minded, and service-oriented. Systems thinking is a tool for developing higher-order thinking that can enhance the rigor of student learning. During the …
Integration Of Social Studies And/Or Science Within Your Literacy Workshop Model: A Professional Development Presentation, Karry Helgestad
Integration Of Social Studies And/Or Science Within Your Literacy Workshop Model: A Professional Development Presentation, Karry Helgestad
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question examined for this capstone was “How does the integration of science and/or social studies standards with language arts standards impact the reading comprehension of upper elementary students? Topics explored in the literature review were different models of integration, such as CORI - Concept of Oriented Reading Instruction; Science IDEAs - In-Depth Expanded Application of Science; Dr. Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences; and project-based learning. Additional literature was examined on how background knowledge and vocabulary impact reading comprehension. A teacher professional development workshop was developed as the project to educate teachers about the benefits of integrated instruction. …
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 …