Education Commons^™

Evaluating The Intersection Of Continuous Growth And Assessment In The Field Of English As A Second Language, Madison Johnson

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This teaching portfolio contains a compilation of the author’s personal teaching experiences and research interests while in the Master of Second Language Teaching (MSLT) program at Utah State University (USU). The sections of this portfolio highlight collaboration with current USU professors in the field of teaching English as a second language and the author’s personal experiences working in a second-grade elementary school classroom as well as teaching English in a community education setting. Much of the mentioned research focuses on the subfield of second language assessment. This is an area of interest to the author as an area for personal …

Incorporating Sustainability Into Utah High School's Textiles And Apparel Curriculum, Michelle Clouse

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The purpose of this study was to propose sustainability-based curriculum changes to Utah's textiles and apparel (TA) curriculum. This study's specific curriculum change proposals are limited to Sewing Construction and Textiles (SCT) 1 and Sports and Outdoor Design (SOD) 1 courses. The proposed changes were made with the input of 24 Utah FCS TA educators via a research-developed survey on Qualtrics. FCS TA educators were asked to give their input on sustainability topics already taught in their classroom, teaching methods of sustainable topics, potential barriers to incorporating sustainability into the curriculum, and their receptiveness to curriculum change.

The Teacher Attitudes …

Route-Finding: Developing Curricular Knowledge And Impacting Practice Through A Collaborative Curriculum Mapping Process, Laura J. Reina

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Research indicates curriculum mapping is beneficial for teachers and students. However, it is not effectively implemented because there are barriers in time, support, and knowledge. This research sought to remove those barriers and study the impact on teachers’ practice when they were able to work together to develop a curriculum map. The focus of the teachers’ map was the Kindergarten through third grade English Language Arts curriculum.

This work included a series of professional development sessions where teachers worked collaboratively to gain a greater understanding of the curriculum and develop a sequence from kindergarten through third grade. Teachers’ worked collaboratively …

Report Detailing The Development Of University Articulation Agreements And Course Syllabi Revisions For The Engineering Drafting & Design Technology Program At Salt Lake Community College, Michael Stenquist

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This project is an attempt to close the gap between local industry, higher education, and the Engineering Drafting and Design Technology (EDDT) department at Salt Lake Community College (SLCC). As a longtime drafting instructor in the EDDT department at SLCC, a need for change in industry from board drafting, to 2-D CAD, and now to 3-D CAD has occurred. Because of these changes, the program has continually been updated to meet the needs of the students and local industries. The purpose of this project detailed in this report was first, to explore the drafting needs of professionals working in the …

The Importance Of Developmentally Appropriate Practice In Early Childhood Education, Jeneille Larsen

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

It is important for educators, parents and families to know how children learn and what options of early education and curriculum are available. Three theorists and their theories on how children learn and obtain information, the NAEYC's statement on Developmentally Appropriate Practice and various preschool's throughout the world and their methods and curriculum is discussed. A "perfect" preschool method is then proposed using all the previous information to formulate the ideal preschool and curriculum.

Integrating Technology, Curriculum, And Online Resources: A Multilevel Model Study Of Impacts On Science Teachers And Students, Lei Ye

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This scale-up study investigated the impact of a teacher technology tool (Curriculum Customization Service, CCS), curriculum, and online resources on earth science teachers’ attitudes, beliefs, and practices and on students’ achievement and engagement with science learning. Participants included 73 teachers and over 2,000 ninth grade students within five public school districts in the western U.S.

To assess the impact on teachers, changes between pre- and postsurveys were examined. Results suggest that the CCS tool appeared to significantly increase both
teachers’ awareness of other earth science teachers’ practices and teachers’ frequency of using interactive resources in their lesson planning and classroom …

Fluency Instruction In Contemporary Core Reading Programs, Brady E. Donaldson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Core reading programs (CRPs) provide the curriculum and guide reading instruction for many classroom teachers. The purpose of this study was to conduct a content analysis of reading fluency instruction in current (2008-2011 copyright) grade 2 and 3 top-selling core reading program lessons to answer the following two research questions: (1) How do core reading programs recommend that fluency skills be taught? (2) How do reading fluency instructional practices in core programs compare to evidence-based reading fluency instructional practices defined in current research? The results of the analysis revealed that fluency instruction is more prevalent in current core reading programs …

"A Lean Accounting Curriculum", Jake Lewis

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This paper is written as a part of my honors thesis. My objective for my thesis was to develop a curriculum to be used in the classroom here at Utah State University, on the subject of lean accounting. This curriculum includes a set of lecture slides, selection of an assigned textbook, a case study assignment, and a DVD. Also compiled were several other optional materials that may be used as supplements to the aforementioned set of materials or as a means to briefly cover lean accounting in another course if so desired. This paper contains a brief summary of lean …

Teaching History Through Children's Literature: An Integrated Approach For The Fifth Grade Classroom, Tamara Gayle Crook

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

During my teacher education training I have become fascinated with the idea of teaching social studies through historical novels. As a result of this fascination, I chose curriculum development pertaining to this idea as the subject of my honors project. The purpose of this project was for me to develop, teach, and evaluate an integrated unit using historical novels to teach social studies and a variety of other subjects. I selected the American Revolution as the theme of my unit.

In this paper I have included a brief overview of my review of the literature on this topic, the procedures …

The Curriculum For The Lab Portion Of A Training For Day Care Providers In Developmentally Appropriate Practices, Celeste Anderson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Along with many areas in the United States of America, Carbon County, Utah is considered economically depressed. With the unemployment rate at nearly 14%, spouses have entered the work force. In addition there are many single parents.This has left a high rate of children at risk and increased the demand for home day care providers, Although twelve hours of training per year are mandated by state law, very few providers have had any formal or professional training beyond an occasional evening workshop . What training has been offered has generally been along the lines of managerial, business and physical environment …

Integration Of Precision Teaching Instructional Materials For Levels K-6 State Of Utah Core Curriculum Standards And Objectives In Math: A Directory For Computer Managed Instruction/Decision Making, Nancy Joanne Christner Williams

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The State of Utah's Department of Education has developed an objective/outcome based education model, K-12 grade levels, based upon effective teaching research. The model components are 1) a core curriculum consisting of the basic elements essential for every student's educational program; 2) curriculum instruction based upon the mastery of educational outcomes at an appropriate level in accuracy and fluency, with a variety of options for learning; and 3) management systems which eliminate redundancy in the educational process. Two technological systems which have been piloted with some implementation through collaborations are the MID--Project developed at Utah State University and the CORVUS--Project …

An Evaluation By Former Students Of The Manpower Office Training Program Curriculum At Southern Utah State College, Constance W. Nyman

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

A follow-up study of those students who exited the Manpower Office Training Program at Southern Utah State College, Cedar City, Utah, during the period from September l, 1974, through August 31, 1976, was conducted. Of the 49 students contacted, 48 responded to the questionnaire.

The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which the curriculum of the Manpower Office Training Program at Southern Utah State College, Cedar City, Utah, met the needs of the students. The majority of the Manpower Office Training Program students obtained employment in the related clerical/secretarial field upon completion of the program.

Personal …

A Follow-Up Study To Determine The Employment Status Of Utah State University Distributive Education Graduate, 1969-1973, Robert K. Shaw

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Those persons involved with the curriculum in the Business Education Department at Utah State University need to be kept informed of the current location and employment status of graduates from the distributive education program at that institution. This will enable them to keep abreast of the needs of the program for training teacher-coordinators and others to be employed in the field of distribution. If the graduates are employed in distributive education positions, a knowledge of their attitudes toward the curriculum they followed at the university will help in evaluating and upgrading to meet the needs of a changing world. Only …

A Curriculum For The Manpower Stenographic Training Program At Utah State University, Karen Olsen Holman

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Substantial numbers of the workers potential to the labor force-- especially those in the disadvantaged sector of the population--will require remedial and/or refresher job training in a wide range of occupations.¹

The Manpower Stenographic Training Program is a secretarial training course designed to enable female unemployed primary wage earners and heads of households to obtain this remedial and/or refresher job training necessary for entry-level positions in office occupations. Similar programs have operated at Utah State University since 1967 under the Manpower Development Training Act of 1962. The act was signed into law when Congress officially recognized the problem of …

A Study Of The Relevancy Of The Curriculum In Architectural Drafting Technology Offered At Utah Technical College At Salt Lake, James R. Schnirel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objectives of this study were to determine if the present curriculum in Architectural Drafting Technology presently offered at Utah Technical College at Salt Lake is meeting the needs of the architectural, engineering, and construction fields in Utah; additionally, if students are prepared to enter the architectural and related fields with job entry skills and, after employment, if students have sufficient skills to broaden experience on the job; additionally, are students prepared to continue their education, if desired.

Literature reviewed included masters' theses, a doctoral dissertation, periodicals, brochures, and professional publications. A survey instrument was developed and sent to 85 …

Teaching Style And Student Use Of Analytic Concepts In Discussions Of Controversial Issues, R. Doyle Slater

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study, investigating teaching style, was conducted as part of a curriculum development and research effort aimed at teaching students conceptualized skills considered useful in the analysis of public controversial issues.

Approximately 220 junior students entering into an American history-problems of democracy two-year course sequence were taught the conceptualized analytic skills. Four teachers learned three teaching styles; namely, recitation, seminar, and socratic, The teachers used the three styles with small groups of students in discussions of case studies involving public controversial issues. In the discussions students were expected to use the analytic skills taught to them.

This study investigated whether …

The Effect Of An Extended Music Curriculum On The Behavior Of Nursery School Children, Dorothy Ann Miller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The free play behavior of two of the Utah State University nursery school groups was observed and recorded according to the time sampling instrument devised to assess the musical activity of children. Twelve group music experiences, in addition to those of the regular curriculum, were presented to the experimental group while the control group received two such experiences.

Sex was found not to be a significant factor in the amount of musical activity; however, girls were slightly more active rhythmically than the boys. The children between 3 years 10 months and 4 years 4 months were the most active musically …

A Study Of Aptitudes And Achievement Of Students Confined At The Utah State Industrial School For The Purpose Of Determining Occupational Aptitude Patterns To Be Used As Guidelines For Formulating A Vocational Education Curriculum, James R. Heggen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Aptitude and achievement data of students detained at the Utah State Industrial School were studied in order to establish occupational aptitude patterns to serve as guidelines in the formation of a vocational educational curriculum at the institution.

Based on scores attained on the California Achievement test, the total group sample was found to be retarded 3.7 years in achievement level, compared to norms established by this instrument. Based on the scores attained on the General Aptitude Test Battery, the total group sample was found to be significantly below the norms established by this instrument in aptitudes relating to intelligence, verbal, …

A Suggested Mathematics Curriculum For Preparation Of Teachers Of Modern Secondary School Mathematics In Utah, Harold Nolan Philips

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

"New math" has drastically changed secondary mathematics and the demands on the secondary mathematics teacher. The changes and effects of changes were studied with emphasis on suggested programs in teacher preparation.

Questionnaires were given to one hundred four secondary mathematics teachers in Utah. Fifty-eight were returned, of which fifty were usable. The questionnaire contained twenty-six mathematics courses offered to mathematics education majors in Utah universities. The teachers indicated which courses were valuable to them in teaching secondary school mathematics. Rank order correlation coefficients were calculated among subgroups of the questionnaire to determine internal consistency. All coefficients were above the 1 …

The Place Of The General Shop In The Industrial Arts Curriculum In The Secondary Schools Of Utah, Max E. Mckinnon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The primary purpose of education is to develop happy and successful citizens. Industrial arts, being a phase of general education, should in every way possible contribute toward achieving this primary purpose. Because of the rapidly changing methods of industrial production and the increasing areas of industry, it is therefore necessary, that to keep abreast of this industrial advancement, industrial education must employ every possible means to justifiably incorporate these new industrial methods and products into the industrial education program.

It is the intention of the writer that this study will bring forth evidence of the practical usability of the general …

Relative Curricular Emphasis In Some Utah High Schools During The 1941-1951 Years, Edward W. Payne

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

To have a sound and complete philosophy of education is a relative must for all people concerned with the teaching of children. Fortunate is the school whose administration and faculty have in common a functional definition of the term "curriculum" and its place in their total philosophy of education. The school program of only a few decades ago consisted of the strict disciplinary type of teaching, with only a few available subjects which were intended to develop the total capacities of the student. The new philosophy recognizes the variation in students as individuals. One must not assume that there is …