Education Commons^™

Moving And Learning: A Curriculum Designed To Reduce Stress In High School Physical Education Students, Anthony J. Bizal

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The Moving and Learning curriculum was designed to help physical education students learn skills that will help them reduce stress by using yoga, mindfulness, and breathing techniques. Methods from all three areas were used to create a three week curriculum that would allow teachers in physical education, and other content areas, to get kids moving while they are learning. The three week curriculum is accompanied by a full appendix to the all of the yoga, breathing, and mindfulness tools and is presented in a scope and sequence that lets the students build on new and prior knowledge. The results are …

Transitioning From Teachers' Words To Students' Words: Strategies To Promote Comprehension During Literature Circles, Tiffany Tozke Brian

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Literature circles can be a powerful tool for motivating students to take part in discussions around text. The power of these literature circles lies in the success of the conversations students have. Those conversations are shaped by the words the teacher uses to facilitate them, and by the words students use within them. This capstone addresses how teachers can focus on words in a student-focused manner that supports students in having in conversations that deepen their understanding and connection to novels.

American Indian Ethnic Studies: A Culturally And Linguistically Responsive Approach To Teaching An American Indian Ethnic Studies Unit, Bryan K. Deiman

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Ethnic studies courses are designed to tell the stories of ethnic groups who have historically been marginalized in all or many aspects of society in the United States. The purpose of this study was to create a unit for an ethnic studies high school course centered on the American Indian experience. Adhering to the theory of culturally sustaining pedagogy, or culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy, the unit for this course was designed to decentralize whiteness and focus solely on the American Indian perspective. This unit was created with a strong emphasis on community outreach, seeking input on content for lessons …

Educator Reaction To Secondary Students Having Leadership Roles, Noel R. Cronin

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, how do a diverse group of educators react to the idea of assigning secondary students leadership roles in teaching their peers and communicating information in the classroom environment? This capstone used a qualitative research design. An anonymous electronic survey was sent out via Survey Monkey to eighty participants. A total of forty were included in the analyses. The survey gathered information from five groups of educators. These included secondary teachers, military officers, flight instructors, coaches, and corporate trainers. Data analyses calculated the mean, median, and mode for each survey question. The mean …

How Can Education Improve The Recycling Behaviors And Attitudes Of Middle School Students, Sara Flanagan

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This research project adapted and implemented curriculum into a middle school science classroom to gauge the effect of the curriculum on the students’ behaviors and attitudes. The focus of the curriculum was on waste management and recycling. Students participated in surveys both before and after the curriculum. Their responses were compared to others in the school who did not go through the curriculum. There are not many updated curriculums available however, through this study it was concluded that education can impact the recycling behaviors and attitudes through curriculum in a positive way that makes students connect their actions to the …

Teachers’ Descriptions Of The Impact Of False Accusations By Students And Parents, Elizabeth De Leon

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This mixed method study utilized grounded theory analysis through the use of survey and interview to research how teachers describe the impact of false accusations by students and parents. The study focused on survey results as well as interviews of a selection of teachers and administrators from various levels, rural, suburban, urban areas and disciplines of education. The concepts that emerged from the data illustrated the impact of false accusations on teachers with regard to their emotional and physical health, teaching practice, relationship with administrator(s), and relationships with students and parents. The data also indicate the need for increased training …

How Does An Environmental Based Service-Learning Project In An Non-Science Classroom Affect Student’S Values And Motivate Them To Be Better Stewards?, Nathan Fritz

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study addressed the question: how does an environmental based servicelearning project in an non-science classroom affect student's values and motivate them to be better stewards? The participants of this study were tenth grade AVID students in a suburban high school setting. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected, analyzed and compared to accurately measure student’s attitudes towards the environment. The quantitative data was collected using the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) Likert Scale Survey. The students were surveyed prior to their service-learning project and then again after the project's completion. Qualitative data was obtained through one-on-one interviews and a short writing …

Grammatical Acquisition Of Present And Past Tense Verb Forms In A Communicative Setting, Katherine N. Nelson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, “Does the communicative approach to teaching language increase 5th grade English Learners’ proficiency in their grammar acquisition of present and past tense verb conjugation?” This study looked at ELs’ challenge in conjugating present to past tense verbs and the subsequent effect on their ability to comprehend age-level literature, to create comprehensible original written works, and to perform well on high stakes testing. Research is reviewed in the areas of communicative language teaching (CLT), fifth grade grammar proficiency, grammar acquisition, and correct verb tense conjugation. Communicative language teaching is hallmarked by the understanding …

What Are Teacher Perceptions Of An Equity Committee?, Isabel Rowles

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study takes a constructionist approach to answer the research question: What are teacher perceptions of an equity committee? This research study was done using a combination of direct observation, field notes, a survey and interviews. The data from these instruments was analyzed by broadly identifying three common themes that emerged through each data collection method. Limitations, implications and recommendations are made for future research.

Can Frequent Use Of Number Talks Increase The Comprehension, Understanding, And Fluency Of Fractions, Decimals, And Percentages In Alternative High School Students?, Mark Duffy

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Following a nine-week math talk intervention across three classes and two alternative high school sites, an analysis is made of the effectiveness of number talks on building basic skills in understanding fractions, decimals, and percentages amongst alternative high school students. This intervention was embedded within a probability and statistics course. This intervention used a combination of qualitative and quantitative data to determine how large an impact these talks had on the students. While the sample size involved was small, increased understanding of these core skills was evident.

Sense Of Belonging And Community In An Alternative Education Program: Perceptions Of Former Graduates And Teachers, Elizabeth A. Janey

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative research design was used to inform the question: How do graduates and educators in a former alternative education program describe their sense of community and how did it inform their experiences? Four graduates and four educators, as members of an alternative education program, participated in semi-structured interviews. All participants were White. This study used the central concepts of two motivational theories: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory and self-determination theory as analytical frameworks. Six themes emerged from these eight interviews. These themes identify the importance of meeting students’ basic needs, especially their need for community and belonging. Results of …

How Can Teachers Enhance The Acquisition And Retention Of Vocabulary In Their Urban Learner?, Sarah K. Norenberg

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to identify high impact vocabulary strategies for urban learners and create professional development for the staff at my elementary school. I determined what would be high-impact by looking at my students three different ways. First, I examined students who are English language learners, second, students who live in poverty, and third, standard English learners. Next, I read research about the best practices for teaching vocabulary in all three categories. Finally, I looked for similarities, ultimately identifying and synthesizing what works best for all three types of students, keeping in mind that the urban classrooms …

Valuing Multilingualism: Differences In Perceptions Of Students In World Language Classes Versus Students In Esl, Kazusa Yamashita

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

With globalization, the need and benefits of multilingualism become increasingly clear (Diamond, 2010). This study aims to identify how multilingualism is valued in a school by comparing the teachers’ perceptions of students taking world language classes versus those taking ESL classes. By understanding the perceptions of teachers towards students engaged in becoming multilingual, the study provides information on how multilingualism is perceived by the school community. Students taking world language classes are praised for their language acquisition but ELs are viewed with a deficit perspective, their potentials overshadowed. Even though the school overtly promotes multilingualism, ELs may be marginalized due …

Self-Efficacy And The Transfer Of Collabortive [Sic] Learning To Independent Assessments In The Mathematics Classroom, Ashley K. Andrews

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This capstone investigates the research question: What instructional strategies best allow middle school students to develop self-efficacy as they transfer collaborative learning to individual assessments in the mathematics classroom? The author conducted action research in urban schools with an at-risk student population. Within the action research framework, the author applies a qualitative approach to examine instructional strategies that encourage all students to become flexible learners. This capstone ultimately argues that clear expectations and mindset largely impact student success, regardless of the task. It discusses the influence of mindset on student engagement during both collaborative and independent tasks.

What Is The Impact Of Effective Questioning And Critical, Relevant Conversations On Sixth Grade Science Students’ Agentic Engagement?, Corrie L. Christensen

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question in this project was, “What is the impact of effective questioning and critical, relevant conversations on sixth grade science students’ agentic engagement?” It documents a teacher’s investigation into the impact of two isolated components, effective questioning and relevant conversations, on the agentic engagement of a group of sixth grade students. The author describes the outcomes of data collection using randomized student agentic engagement surveys. She outlines the successes and struggles that were realized during the process as well as the realization that an isolated component or two does not make a significant change in agentic engagement.

Science Interactive Notebooks: A Case Study On Learning In High School Students, Autumn A. Mollet

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

I conducted a qualitative case study using classroom observations, written documentation, and experience to answer the research question, what is the effect of science interactive notebooks on high school biology students learning? One class of tenth grade biology students was observed and asked writing prompts in order to determine how interactive notebooks influenced learning. Several key themes emerged within the data collected including; organization, note taking, creativity, variation, reference, student engagement, and student affinity towards the interactive notebooks. Findings suggest that students are more engaged in class and are able to identify key ways in which the science interactive notebooks …

English Learners’ Oral Production Of Math Vocabulary In A Play-Infused Kindergarten Classroom, Meagan Reissy

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that ELs’ vocabulary knowledge is an important basis for building communication skills in a second language, as well as a strong predictor of later academic skills. High quality vocabulary instruction is crucial and the literature emphasizes direct instruction techniques with words that are intentionally selected (Anderson & Nagy, 1993; Christ, 2007; Silverman & Crandell, 2010). However, little research has been done in kindergarten classrooms that teach through a play-based curriculum which avoids extensive amounts of direct instruction. This qualitative casestudy of two ELs in a kindergarten classroom using the Angry Birds Playground (ABP) framework to guide curriculum and …

Supporting Students With Gifted-Talented Potential In High Need Schools: A Portraiture Study, Anna Zillnger Shepard

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project is – how are students with Gifted-Talented potential supported in the inclusive classroom model when it is implemented in high need

public schools? The research was conducted and organized utilizing Sarah Lawrence- Lightfoot’s Portraiture qualitative research method, which includes the components of

Voice, Context, Emergent Themes, and Aesthetic Whole. Five teachers who served in high need K-6 public schools provided the data through semi-structured interviews. The interviews were transcribed and read multiple times to determine five Emergent Themes in accordance with the research method. Those themes were: Identification, Testing/Evaluation, Support, Failure, and Success. …

The Impact Of Informal Education On Formal Education In Science A Symbiotic Relationship, Colin Johnson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Classroom science teachers face many obstacles, from standardized exams to including real world concepts in their science units. Informal science educators are looking for ways to expand their mission into school curricula in the form of activities and project-based learning. Incorporating real-world experiences from informal science institutions can supplement and enrich the formal science educator’s classroom learning units. The research in question in this Capstone was to address how formal and informal science educators can work together to increase students’ participation in science and the environment. I interviewed science professionals about why they pursued a career in science and I …

Student Engagement With Nature When Using Nature Journals And Ipads, Xeng Jasiczek

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This capstone is a collection of lessons to teach nature journals while using iPads in the

elementary classroom from first grade through fifth grade. This curriculum is cross- curricular and includes teaching lessons in art and science, and work on students being

reflective of their work either verbally or written. This curriculum is supported by research done about outdoor learning, the use of modern technology and free play. All these things contribute to a better mental and physical health of children into adulthood. The use of technology in the classroom is changing how teachers teach and how students learn. This …

Sfl In The Secondary Classroom: Writing Procedural Recounts To Describe Thinking When Solving Algebraic Equations, Theresa Brunker

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research questions addressed in this classroom study were, after explicit instruction, do students choose language structures inherent to procedural recounts, such as technical verb processes, precise nouns, sequence words and causal phrases to describe their mathematical thinking? Additionally, do student self-perceptions of their mathematical abilities change after learning to write procedural recounts to describe their thinking processes? This study examined the use of these language structures prior to explicit instruction in writing procedural recounts and compared it to post-intervention writing samples. The author documents the use of these writing structures by participants before and after intervention and finds relational …

Student Reactions To Culturally Relevant Pedagogy Designed To Build Trust And Mutual Respect, Karrah O’Daniel

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

In a qualitative study of an inner-city, diverse classroom, this Capstone looks at the question: How do students describe their reaction to culturally relevant pedagogical strategies designed to build engagement, trust, and mutual respect in a culturally diverse classroom managed by their Caucasian teacher? The Capstone shares some personal stories of the researcher and looks at the existing research about the importance of relationship building, particularly within the realms of trust and mutual respect between students and teachers. This particular Capstone focuses deeply through the eyes of race and culture in the classroom, especially examining the realities of lack of …

Discovering Conceptual Metaphors In High School Biology To Instruct English Language Learners, Nancy R. Mccurdy

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

An investigation was completed to identify and define abstraction that occurs within abstract nouns in biology terminology in the Mississippi high school biology subject area practice test in order to determine conceptual language patterns in biology terms to teach to high school English Learners. The conceptual metaphors that dominate biology concepts in major scientific theories of the text exemplar examined are ORGANISMS ARE MACHINES, ECOSYSTEMS ARE COMMUNITIES, DNA IS A TEMPLATE, and DESIRED TRAITS ARE VALUABLE. The most prevalent common conceptual metaphors found within abstract nouns in biology of the text examined are MATTER IS A STRUCTURE, PROCESS IS A …

From Mathmagicians To Mathematicians: Constructing Cognitive Understanding Over Trusting The Algorithm, Kathryn A. Gould

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This capstone posed the question: what theoretical basis and best practices should be used to guide instruction that develops fluency in conceptualizing and executing multiplication strategies over the arc of third grade? With its foundation in constructivist learning theory and steeped in the research of Thomas Carpenter et al.’s Cognitively Guided Instruction this curriculum design project guides educators towards instruction that puts the students’ experience with multiplication in the forefront. Leaving behind the method of direct instruction of multiplication facts and algorithms. Research presented will show the dangers of leaning too heavily on procedural fluency and will focus on what …

Student-­Led Farmers Market: Engaging, Real-­World Experience And Nutrition Education That Prepares Students For A Successful Professional Life After High School, Rebecca A. Hennessey

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

School gardens are becoming an increasingly popular tool for environmental education. Learning in a school garden offers many benefits, from first­hand experience in applying information learned in school, to nutrition education, to growing in character. School garden curriculum is readily available for students at the elementary level, but is difficult to find at the high school level. This capstone includes curriculum that is easily adaptable and supports a student­led farmers market program, providing garden and nutrition education to students at the high school level through the context of a fully­functioning farmers market that is completely run by students.

Connecting Environmental Stewardship, Youth Development, And Community Engagement, Through A Student-Centered Pollinator Curriculum, Elizabeth Huerta Ortiz

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this capstone was to find the means to engage inner city youth in outdoor experiences that would help them form a deep connection to nature. The research question that I focused on was: how can national parks, native plant nurseries, and school districts work together to inspire inner city youth to become active stewards of the natural world? The analysis of the literature review guided me to find one possible answer, which is to develop and implement a student-centered pollinator curriculum in partnership with the national parks, native plant nurseries, and school districts. The pollinator curriculum is …

The Impact Of Independent Investigations On The Engagement Of Elementary Spanish Immersion Students Who Are Gifted, Carolyn Suarez

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, What is the impact of independent investigations on the engagement of students labeled as gifted in the elementary immersion setting? It documents the implementation of a Renzulli Type III intervention, independent investigations, and students’ levels of engagement before, during and after implementation. Data was gathered from student questionnaires, translated style inventories, translated interest surveys, individual student reflections and group exit interviews. Results indicated that during the study, students demonstrated levels of engagement similar to or higher than other gifted education strategies already in place. Students who utilized engagement and research tools provided …

How Can An Individual’S Growth Mindset Be Improved By Using Self-Assessment Techniques?, Elizabeth A. Ryan

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Carol Dweck’s idea of fixed versus growth mindset is becoming a more important concept in the educational world because educators are striving to create lifelong learners inside and outside of the the classroom. In order to do this, educators need to promote the growth mindset through clear instruction. The research question highlights a review of current literature on fixed versus growth mindset; Danielson’s Framework for Teaching; total participation techniques, such as cold calling; and student self-assessment that was used to drive the capstone project. The Danielson’s Framework for Teaching assisted in creating an instructional design that would meet the needs …

The Effects Of The Press Intervention On Kindergarteners With Limited Early Literacy Skills, Lindsey Peterson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this Capstone is: What impact does the PRESS intervention have on Kindergarteners with limited early literacy skills? Many students enter Kindergarten with limited literacy skills and are in need of learning the basic skills of reading before they can learn to read.The action research that was conducted involved seven students and an intervention focused on phoneme segmenting. The students were given a phoneme segmenting pre assessment before the ten day intervention. A post assessment was administered after each ten day intervention. The data revealed that after two, ten day interventions that 100 percent of the …

Preparing White Teachers To Teach In Racially Diverse Schools, Cristina Benz

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

My personal experience as a White educator in racially diverse classrooms led me to choose my capstone topic and develop my research question: “What core knowledge, essential skills, and experiences do White teachers believe have effectively prepared them to teach racially diverse students?” Based on my literature review, I chose five concepts and theories that I considered connected to my research capstone. Critical Race Theory was the overarching theory that provided related concepts of Racial Realism, Critical White Studies, and Colorblindness. A newer concept that I included, Equity Literacy, provided tools for teachers to consider and use. I used a …