Education Commons^™

See And Be Seen: Young Adult Refugee Literature In The High School Curriculum, Patrice Splan

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, there are more than 25 million refugees in the world today, over half of whom are under the age of 18. As these young people adapt to new schools and communities, it is essential that all students have opportunities to see themselves represented in literature and to develop understandings of the experiences of others. This project provides an analysis of young adult refugee literature with a unit plan for application of texts in a ninth-grade Virginia English classroom, stressing the importance of education as a tool for awareness, reflection, and empathy.

Failure To Launch?: Advancing The Case For Financial Literacy Interventions In Postsecondary Education, Cathleen Snyder

Dissertations, 2014-2019

For college undergraduates, the thought of managing money is often new, exciting, and terrifying in the same breath. Some students have learned well from their parental and prior academic influences, and yet others may be overwhelmed by a lack of those same resources. As postsecondary institutions endeavor to level the proverbial playing field, helping college graduates launch into meaningful, financially independent lives, it begs additional consideration on the intervention methods that might be most impactful.

This study examined a for-credit, curriculum-based intervention specific to personal finance topics. It attempted to answer several key questions: How knowledgeable are students relative to …

Implementing Social Activism Into An Elementary Classroom, Chelsea Riotutar

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Social Activism is a key aspect to educating and being educated. For this Capstone, the researcher discusses on the outcomes to implementing a social activism curriculum into an elementary classroom. The participants for the Capstone Project included fifth-grade students in a public elementary school located in a small agricultural city. Through a literature review and detailed lesson plan, the researcher has further discussed and described implementations through multiple subjects which serve and acknowledge all students in the classroom. As a result, the researcher has found a need for a social activism curriculum in this problem-solving elementary school. With an arrangement …

Importance Of Combining Physical Activity And Health And Wellness In To Physical Education Within Schools., Chandler Mckean

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This senior capstone project brings to light the importance of physical activity and health and wellness education in connecting a child’s mind and internal body, to their physical outer body. This project examines the physical education curriculum in its entirety and displays the current pros and shortcomings in physical education within schools. Today, the education system strives to educate its students to the best of their abilities. This focus has begun to push away non-academic classes, such as physical education, to devote more time and resources in other areas, e.g. math, sciences, and language arts. Through the use of literature …

A Comparison Of The Curricula Of The Top-Ranked Prelicensure Baccalaureate Nursing Programs In The United States, Silvia Imanda

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

What constitutes an ideal prelicensure nursing curriculum is not well understood. Specifically, what are the strategic curricular sequencing and curricular themes or focus might be included to contribute to producing high quality graduates? The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study investigation was to look at successful programs and identify effective curricular sequencing and curricular themes or focus that might be inferred to have contributed to producing high quality graduates. Seven top-ranked prelicensure baccalaureate nursing programs were selected based on three national college rankings services. Based on data from interviews and publicly accessible documents, seven case studies were compared and …

Curriculum Change: A Study On Teacher Perceptions Of Curriculum Change On Content Standards, Tiffany Kessler-Hopek

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, curriculum has encountered frequent changes throughout years. The main initiative of educational change has three main components, and they are to increase the quality and rigor of the curriculum, have a common curriculum, and prepare students for secondary education. The standards in the state of Georgia have changed from Georgia Performance Standards and Common Core State Standards to the more recent Georgia Standards of Excellence. By the school year 2018-2019, the Georgia Standards of Excellence should be fully adopted. An explanatory sequential mixed methods study was conducted to examine the perceptions of teachers on curriculum change …

Disability Awareness In Young Children, Guadalupe Y. Espinoza

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Young children who attend schools nowadays are likely exposed to many more types of diversity ranging from race, ethnicity, religion, and social class to name a few in comparison to the past. One area of diversity in specific is the inclusion of individuals with disabilities, and because children are so young in age, they may not be aware of disabilities or even identify when a peer or a surrounding adult has a disability. In schools the idea of raising disability awareness to an extent where students not only understand but recognize disabilities, perhaps, is one of the most challenging aspects …

A Curriculum Design For Emergent English Language Learners In Middle School Science, Allison Simpson

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

The purpose of this Capstone project is to design a curriculum for emergent English Language Learners (ELLs). This subgroup of students typically comes from a different educational background and speaks a different native language than native English-speaking students. This presents a challenge for educators to include modifications to their current curriculum. While most curricula include modifications for educators to use, they are usually not at the level Emergent ELLs need to be successful in the classroom. This curriculum focuses on emergent level students in the middle school science classroom. The research question is How do we meet emergent ELL students …

Behavior Coaching; A Curriculum Design To Help Coach Today’S Teachers On How To Deal With Student Behavior In The Classroom, Maggie Swanson

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

The purpose of this curriculum design project was to create a curriculum modeled after practices of literacy coaching, to help coach teachers on effective and inclusive methods and practices to offset disruptive, student behavior in their classroom. Using research from literacy coaching a curriculum was created into a handbook for behavior coaches to follow when coaching teachers in their building. The idea is to provide support and guidance to teachers that allow them to have a plan to address their specific student’s behavior within their own classroom. A test trial was implemented to test the coaching handbooks effectiveness and gain …

The Efficacy Of Postsecondary Vocational Curriculum In Preparing Students To Transition From School To Work, Peter Brown

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Postsecondary vocational education in the United States has become an important part of training in the current knowledge-based economy. In this present economy, jobs that require this type of technical training seem to be some of the highest paying (Mupinga & Livesay, 2004). One such program of study is Natural Gas Compression. This industry requires highly trained individuals who maintain and repair the natural gas engines and compressors that gather, process, and distribute natural gas throughout the United States. This qualitative case study addressed two questions. First, how do graduates of a career and technical education (CTE) program perceive and …

Medicare-Centered Curriculum For Limited English Proficient Beneficiaries, Jenny L. Chalupnik

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Medicare is the primary health insurance for retirees and those with disabilities in U.S. Currently there are tens of millions who access Medicare and its rate is projected to increase in the future. Medicare is composed of different Parts and there are rules for eligibility. Within the respective Parts a retiree needs to choose various options and as an additional layer, those Parts are offered by different insurers. Further, Medicare beneficiaries need to understand how the different Parts of Medicare work together and are financed, and who is responsible for paying for the different components and Parts. Retirees also need …

Roots And S.T.E.M.: A Greenhouse Science Curriculum, Jaclyne Jandro

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project addressed the question, how do I design a winter greenhouse curriculum for our high-school aged after-school internship program at Urban Roots that will be highly engaging, increase scientific understanding, and make our interns better farmers? With an exploration into the state of science education in the U.S., available greenhouse curriculum, the benefits of agricultural education, and greenhouse growing practices, and major influences from Larson, Bellevue, and Coleman, a sixteen week greenhouse and science curriculum for high-school aged youth was created. Each week consists of a three-hour, hands-on, inquiry-based lesson with focus on the scientific method and creating a …

Authentic Science Curriculum In An Alternative High School Setting, Julia Brunner

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Research has shown that when students are exposed to authentic inquiry-based curriculum they are more motivated and engaged in the content they are learning. The curriculum designed for this project utilizes Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe’s theory of the need to integrate differentiation and the curriculum model of Understanding by Design. Students in Alternative Learning Programs (AEPs), often have negative experiences within education. Apathy and learning gaps are huge obstacles that need to be overcome in this setting. The project involved creating a curriculum that allowed for individualized learning and more student autonomy in their learning. Using the MN …

Greek Mythology Vocabulary Building, Samantha Levinson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The guiding question addressed in this Capstone is: How will the use of task-based vocabulary activities to support literacy development affect the vocabulary acquisition of elementary Korean English language learners? It documents one teacher’s curriculum development of two units that offer a new perspective to ELL vocabulary acquisition by building vocabulary using morphological training then access and build on background knowledge through practical applications which lead to higher comprehension. This project explores a) the role that task-based curriculum plays on literacy development focused on the development activities that supports the vocabulary development of elementary Korean English language learners using Greek …

How To Make A Read-Aloud Engaging To Students In A Multi-Age Setting, Katie Cates

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Children’s literature as a read-aloud is a purposeful way for children to engage with books. This capstone explores the question: How can teachers make read-alouds engaging to students in a multi-age setting? While the story is being read, students actively listen and visualize the story by using their imagination. Teachers also ask a wide variety of questions to allow students to share their prior knowledge, ask questions, and support each others’ learning. By listening to and discussing multiple perspectives, students are able to critically think about the text. Engagement in this way can also help students better connect on an …

Seeing Through The Racist Smog: With A Reading Curriculum Based On Culturally Responsive Teaching And Warm Demander Pedagogy, Maren Swann

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

There are countless articles about the Achievement Gap, but few offer concrete solutions. While the teaching force is “whitening,” the percentage of students of color is increasing. A small group of researchers have offered two new pedagogies as a way to help students of color and low-income students succeed: culturally responsive teaching and warm demander pedagogy. While there is literature on these two theories of pedagogy, there are few unit plans. This author created a 3rd grade reading unit entitled Readers Workshop Activist Book Review Unit using culturally responsive teaching, warm demander pedagogy and Wiggin’s and McTighe’s “backwards design” curriculum …

Utilizing Culturally Relevant, Multimodal Text Sets In Older Adolescent And Adult Learner Classrooms, Tamara Twiggs

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

There are negative consequences for older adolescents and adults who lack a high school diploma. Statistically, in families with low literacy rates, there is a direct correlation to poverty rates, incarceration, and a negative impact on the children of those without a high school credential. Building a classroom curriculum utilizing culturally responsive, multimodal, thematic text sets, incorporating Critical Literacy via a social justice lens, and integrating an inquiry-based learning model increases learner engagement and motivation in the classroom, leading to the likelihood that students will achieve their high school credential. Since much of Andragogy theory is highly applicable to both …

The Selfie Phenomenon: Exploring The Evolution Of The Self-Portrait In The Photography Classroom, Sarah J. Bentley

Masters Theses

This is a qualitative research project exploring the role of the selfie as a form of cultural expression in the twenty-first century and uncovering the meaningful connections students may discover between selfies and traditional self-portraits, whether modern or historic. Reflections through books, articles, and blogs will be explored. Topics such as the effects of social media on student identity and interactions, purposes of the selfie in youth culture, and current topics and trends of selfie-taking will be examined. A photography curriculum overview is included to facilitate this theme.

Inquiry-Based Learning Science Curriculum For Kindergarteners, Meghan Brady

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project answers the question: How can teachers utilize inquiry-based learning while assessing success in kindergarten science education? The focus of this project was to explore inquiry to aide students in developing a deep understanding of science standards. Many different research studies were reviewed to explore the importance of science education in early elementary school. The research focuses on the areas of Next Generation Science Standards, inquiry-based learnings, and assessments. The project is a two-week unit designed to instruct kindergarten students in the Next Generation Science Standards of weather, engineering, and Earth systems. The major learnings, limitations, and benefits to …

Analysis Of Textbooks For Beginning English Learners In Middle School, Tristan N. Weinmaster

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Research shows that it takes an average of 5-7 years for English learners to achieve academic English proficiency (Demie, 2013). Students who begin learning English in middle school have exactly 5-7 years remaining in school to achieve proficiency. This project analyzes three textbooks intended for beginning English learners in middle school in order to answer the question: Which textbook or textbooks can be recommended as a solid textbook for grammar instruction for beginning English learners in a middle school? The three textbooks were systematically analyzed for explicit instruction, samples of language, and activity types included, as well as the adherence …

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 …

Beyond Standardized Test Scores: The Use Of Culturally And Linguistically Responsive Pedagogy To Improve Access To Gifted Programming For Hispanic Students, Virginia G. Pratt

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods action research study was to explore how expanding curriculum in a gifted and talented English/ Language Arts (ELA) class to include a culturally and linguistically responsive strategy might broaden access to gifted programming for high-achieving children of Hispanic descent. The identified problem of practice is that the population of students from Hispanic families at Little Tree Elementary School (a pseudonym) continues to rise, yet Hispanic students are largely underrepresented in the school’s gifted program. This action research was carried out with a fourth-grade gifted ELA class in a Title I South Carolina elementary school. The …

English Learners And Academic Speaking, Pamela Magistad

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project sought to answer the guiding question; what educational strategies develop elementary EL students’ academic English speaking skills? The project documents the creation of a curricular unit designed to provide EL students with ample opportunity to speak academically. The guiding question originated from the author’s observation that her EL students were speaking infrequently within their mainstream classrooms, and also further musings regarding the prevalence of this infrequency along with the importance of and best practices for academic speaking. From the project, the author concluded that 1) EL students in both mainstream and EL classrooms often are not given opportunities …

Creating Intrinsic Motivation To Read In Middle School Students, Steven Jeffery Schaeppi, Jr.

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Research has shown that there is a decline in intrinsic motivation to read as students transition from elementary school to secondary school. As students make this transition their reasons for reading change from enjoyment-based to academic. This leads to the question: What are effective strategies for building middle school students’ intrinsic desire to read? Based on Wiggins and McTighe’s (2011) The Understanding by Design - Module: D, the curriculum designed in this project is focused on returning the reason for reading to enjoyment so middle school students can once again become intrinsically motivated to read, and to also realize the …

Substituting Traditional Homework With Outdoor Experiences, David Czepa

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Research has expressed that traditional homework has more negative effects associated with it than positive ones. Scholars have also concluded that frequent exposure to the outdoors greatly helps in the social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and educational development of students of all ages, especially younger ones. This project takes time to answer the question: How can creating and substituting outdoor experiences for traditional homework increase the time students choose to spend outside when not in school? The curriculum designed for this project focuses on utilizing academic instruction during school hours to expose and educate children on the wonders and sophistication of …

How Can Effective Curriculum Be Developed For Elementary English Language Students?, Lauren Lau

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question that this capstone addresses is, how can an effective curriculum be created for elementary English language learners, with the project emphasizing on creating a writing curriculum for third grade English language students. This capstone looks at effective teaching strategies and the four content areas that need to be developed for language proficiency for English language learners. This capstone also discusses the struggles that some school districts with finding an appropriate curriculum and the funding to purchase one. The writing curriculum that is developed for the project uses the information from the research to form a strong basis …

Nature Journal Activity Guide - Grades 3-5, Jennifer Ann Hengel

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

If we want adults that are stewards for the environment, we need to include nature in education when they are younger so they can understand and appreciate the natural world. This need prompted the question, How do we utilize nature journals for school-age children to increase students’ understanding and appreciation of the natural world? Prior research has pointed to the benefits of teaching nature to youth, as well as the benefits of journaling in education. Nature journaling covers both sides of this equation, and helps foster sense of place and experiential learning. This capstone project was an activity guide similar …

Using Novels In The Science Classroom To Increase Literacy In Middle School Students, Elizabeth Mae Das

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Literacy in science is an important aspect of a student’s education. However, it is often not explicitly taught by teachers. The material chosen for reading is typically from a textbook, boring, and difficult to comprehend for most students due to the large number of low occurrence vocabulary words and sentence complexity. This is especially true of ELL students who are still developing their general vocabulary. This project was chosen after working in a school with a student population of over 90% ELL students who are mostly below grade level in reading. The research question for this project was how does …

Reconnecting Young Children With Nature For Healthy Growth And Development, Suzanne Schiffman

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project seeks to answer the question of how early childhood educators can help their young students build connections with nature. The literature review for this study focused on educators’ knowledge of child development as it relates to environmental education and outdoor play; curriculum planning, implementing and assessment using Minnesota state standards and developmentally appropriate practices; availability and accessibility of natural play spaces; and environmental literacy of educators. The project is divided into two parts consisting of three interactive slideshow presentations for professional development and three sets of educational support materials. This capstone is relevant for administrators and early childhood …

Social Emotional Learning Curriculum And Manipulatives Designed For Deaf Hard Of Hearing Students From Diverse Home Languages, Meghan O'Donnell

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The population of students that are hard of hearing that come from multilingual homes is a distinct population that has specific needs. The purpose of this Capstone project is on how to better instruct students that are Deaf and Hard of Hearing that come from multilingual homes. After researching and discussing the difficulties and needs of this specific population, including Deaf and Hard of Hearing and English language learner definitions, environmental factors, teacher education, and best practices, the author determined that a way to support this population could be through communication tools for families and others for Deaf and Hard …