Education Commons^™

Effectiveness Of Corrective Feedback During Repeated Readings, Lanae N. Nienhuis

Master of Education Program Theses

Reading fluency is a critical component to the overall success of students’ ability to read. Repeated readings has been the most researched and successful approach to improving reading fluency. In this study, the role of corrective feedback during repeated readings was evaluated. All participants completed repeated readings three days a week. One group received corrective feedback during their readings and one group did not. Both groups showed improvement in their reading fluency and accuracy. However, the group that received corrective feedback showed greater gains in both fluency and accuracy from their pretest to their posttest.

Formative Assessment In The Christian Classroom, Kevin Schenk

Master of Education Program Theses

When student learning is defined solely by the results of a summative test, the nature of the student is devalued and the process of learning is minimized. Currently, the educational quality of schools is often judged by performance on standardized tests. This has put strain on teachers to measure up to government-set standards and has left students struggling to perform on high-pressure tests. An alternative to such testing exists in formative assessment. When one looks closely at formative assessment and its use within a Christian classroom, one begins to see the value this method of assessment has: individualized attention is …

Differentiated Physical Learning Environment, Alisha Thiessen

Master of Education Program Theses

This research study examines the correlation between student academic growth in mathematics in a differentiated physical learning environment and whether or not a differentiated physical environment affects students’ attitudes in mathematics. Previous studies have shown that students gain a deeper connection to the curriculum and have a greater enjoyment of the subject matter when a subject is differentiated (Sondergeld &Schultz, 2008). This study looks specifically at differentiating only the physical learning environment and how this affects student academic growth and attitude towards in mathematics. This study found no statistical evidence of greater academic achievement for those students who were part …

Christian Approach To Secondary Classroom Management, Alysia A. Haveman

Master of Education Program Theses

Teachers at all levels of experience and education find that classroom management is one of the most difficult aspects of the job. This seems especially true for teachers in the secondary classroom where the student’s physical and psychological development seems to be mismatched, and where an attitude of student disillusionment prevails. Since all educators manage their classrooms with some sort of belief system motivating their actions and decisions, it is important for the Christian classroom teacher to closely examine the belief systems which influence current classroom management theories to determine if these belief systems are congruent with a Biblical view …

Developing An Independent Reading Program Within The Framework Of A Biblical Worldview, Kristin M. Contant

Master of Education Program Theses

Students today, especially middle and high school students, are reading less for pleasure than they used to. Research studies have proven that reading helps students grow academically and encourages them to see the world differently. So, to encourage students to read, some schools are giving students time to read in independent programs such as Silent Sustained Reading (SSR), Accelerated Reader Program (ARP), or even implementing reward programs to improve students’ reading ability. Many researchers have described what aspects of independent reading programs work and what aspects do not. Their conclusions show that there are aspects within the programs that motivate …

Mathematics: Giving Classical, Christian Education Its Voice, James W. Seidel

Master of Education Program Theses

Classical, Christian education developed in the late twentieth century as the result of the influence of authors and educators such as Dorothy Sayers, Douglas Wilson, and Mortimer Adler. Building upon the educational approach taken in the Middle Ages and earlier, the classical, Christian approach has slowly grown in popularity over the past thirty years. As classical, Christian education has matured, however, some areas of its educational philosophy have developed more slowly than others. In particular, mathematics education within the classical, Christian model has received minimal treatment. This thesis attempts to initiate a more intentional educational philosophy for mathematics in a …

Effect Of Geometer’S Sketchpad On Student Knowledge And Attitude, David J. Dekker

Master of Education Program Theses

This study examines the effects of Geometer’s Sketchpad on student achievement and attitudes in algebra classrooms. It has a quasi-experimental design. The sample included 93 students enrolled in Advanced Algebra courses at Calvin Christian High School in Grandville, MI. Four classes participated in a five-day unit that explored graphs of equalities and inequalities. Two classes used traditional graphing calculators and two classes used Geometer’s Sketchpad. One class of each type took a pretest to measure prior knowledge. All classes took a posttest and attitude survey at the end of the study. A t-test was used to compare class averages. There …

Gifted Students: What Motivates Them, Sharon Reitsma Zonnefeld

Master of Education Program Theses

This paper explores the implications of a Biblical worldview on gifted students' motivation and uses this Biblical worldview as a framework to evaluate classroom constructs, such as high level questions, promotion of learning as hard work, cooperative learning, Theory of Multiple Intelligences, RtI (Response to Intervention), and student choice, that are known to influence gifted students' motivation. Teacher personalities and tendencies, as well as students' family relationships, early learning and stimulation, personal characteristics, and emotional state are also discussed in relation to gifted students' motivation and achievement. A review of the relevant literature was conducted to ascertain the relationship of …

Educators Learning Together: Promoting Meaningful And Motivating Professional Development In Christian Schools, Joshua E. Bowar

Master of Education Program Theses

Each year, nearly all teachers in the United States participate in some form of professional development (Andree, Chung Wei, & Darling-Hammond, 2009). Much research is available outlining best practices related to professional development in an effort to provide teachers with a positive learning experience so that they can use their expertise and acquired knowledge and skills to ensure that students learn. Schools are not implementing these best practices. As a result, many teachers express a sense of dread when they think about entering a professional development session. There are several reasons for this sense of dread, but there are also …

Literacy And Lenses: Can The New Michigan Merit Curriculum Support The Mission Of Covenant Christian High School‘S English Department?, Suzanne R. Looyenga

Master of Education Program Theses

The need for curriculum restructuring as a solution for addressing the changing needs in Michigan‘s public schools has led to the creation and implementation of a new Michigan Merit Curriculum (MMC) based on the latest educational research into the needs of 21st century students. Covenant Christian High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a private, parental school that is evaluating and revising its curriculum in anticipation of adding the ninth grade to the school next year. The question has been raised in the English department whether the MMC could be used to support the Reformed, biblical mission of the school, …

Correlations Between High School Athletic Participation And Academic Performance, Tim Klein

Master of Education Program Theses

This research study examines the correlation between high school students‘ school-sponsored athletic participation and their academic performance. Previous studies show students who participate in school-sponsored athletic activities will have an academic advantage (Eccles, Barber, Stone, & Hunt, 2003; Hartmann, 2008). This study expands previous studies by examining whether the amount of participation has an impact on students‘ academic achievement. The research study included a sample of students from a small midwestern Christian school in the ninth and eleventh grades. This study found a negative correlation between school-sponsored athletic participation and students‘ academic performance. This study concludes that as students‘ school-sponsored …

Sifting Through The Cultural Dust: A Pre-Transformational Activity, Robert Duiker

Master of Education Program Theses

Technologically mediated communication which has flooded the worlds of North American people with information brings with it an increasing uncertainty about the reliability of this information. This flood of information delivers worldview and culture, completely unsorted, in very small increments to the hearts and minds of young people who are students in Christian schools. These small increments we call cultural dust. This study identifies technology, and specifically mass media and computer mediated communication, as a factor that has contributed to accelerated cultural change in the lives of students who attend Christian schools. Data collected through this action research project provides …

Literacy, Technology And Discernment: Investigating The Role Of Information Technology In Literacy Education, Alisa Siebenga-Weening

Master of Education Program Theses

Regardless of geography, segments of the population struggle to read and write. This struggle is so pronounced that literacy has become an issue for many governments, and policies have been set in place to help ensure a literate society. Educators, in their struggle to respond to the problem, have looked to a variety of methods to help children become literate. One prominent means is the use of information technology and computer-assisted instruction. Because of its significant role, it is necessary for the Christian educator to examine the impact of computer technology, to investigate the role and extent of use of …

Strategies To Encourage And Support The Reluctant Middle School Male Reader, Wendy L. Poppema

Master of Education Program Theses

Studies (Lee, Grigg, & Donahue, 2007) show that girls outperform boys on reading tests and that boys, especially older boys, are less likely to read for enjoyment in and out of school (Scholastic, 2008). Societal pressure, lack of literacy skills, and lack of motivation are all obstacles that contribute to these findings. In order to raise test scores and the level of reading engagement, teachers, parents, and librarians need to connect these reluctant male readers with books and other reading material that they want to read. Boys prefer non-traditional texts, and though fiction is not a preference, boys crave certain …

Toward A Vision For Distinctively Christian Educational Leadership, Sean-Jason Schat

Master of Education Program Theses

Educational leaders set the tone for their institutions. Their leadership embodies their vision for and valuing of the people they work with, as well as their actual understanding of the mission and vision of their organization. Research into the nature of leadership and followership demonstrates the importance of both leading from a vision and leading people, building a culture of respect and trust in order to establish a community committed to a shared task. Leaders in Christian schools are called by God to the office of leadership in order to be used by Him to continue His self-revelation and to …

Enhancing Homework’S Effectiveness Through Student Motivation And Parental Involvement, Jonathan T. Beutlich

Master of Education Program Theses

Homework has varying degrees of effectiveness; therefore, it is important for teachers to know what elements aid in making homework assignments more effective to learners. There are outside factors that contribute to homework’s effectiveness as well as types of homework assignments that will increase students’ success. Two of the factors contributing to homework’s level of benefits are student motivation and parental involvement. There are three types of homework assignments that increase the positive aspects of student motivation and parental involvement include interspersal assignments, interactive homework assignments, and project-based assignments. Improved homework benefits education, specifically Christian education, by enabling a tightly …

Reaching Children Communally: School Improvement Through Teacher Collaboration, Peter H. Roukema

Master of Education Program Theses

From a Christian understanding of both learning and community, this research examines the impact of teacher collaboration on student achievement and school culture in North American schools. Particularly in high schools, due to structural chal1enges, lack of administrative support and teacher satisfaction with the status quo, peer collaboration is not common. Five cases are examined. The first three demonstrate a positive connection between teacher collaboration and school improvement. The fourth demonstrates that teacher evaluation can also benefit from a much more participatory role for the teacher. The last case examines some of the challenges of centering col1aboration in high school …

Model For Teaching Musical Discernment In The Christian Secondary School, Zachary J. Vreeman

Master of Education Program Theses

Recent technological advances in recording and reproducing music have greatly changed the way that members of this culture interact with music. With an ever-expanding wealth of recordings, students in Christian secondary schools are faced with an increasing number of musical choices and must be equipped to discern musical activity in a God-glorifying way. This study researches the factors influencing students' musical attitudes over which schools have the most control, describes a biblically-based Christian attitude towards music, and finally proposes a model based on that research for teaching musical discernment from a distinctly Christian standpoint. The proposed model includes the establishment …

Integrative Approach: A Teacher Evaluation Process To Improve Practice At Fraser Valley Christian High School, N. Matthew Beimers

Master of Education Program Theses

This qualitative case study examines if the teacher evaluation process at Fraser Valley Christian High School (FVC) leads to improved teacher practices. In this case study, the author examines three current teachers at FVC who have gone through the evaluation process in the last twelve months and the impact the evaluation process had on their practice. FVC takes an integrated approach to its evaluation, combining both summative and formative evaluations with a focus on teacher participation in all facets of the process. Teachers at FVC are invited to consider how the domains of Planning and Preparation, Classroom Instruction, Classroom Community, …

Standards-Based Assessment System In A Christian Middle School Science Classroom, David J. Mulder

Master of Education Program Theses

Teachers in all sorts of educational settings have a common difficulty: accurately reporting what their students know, understand, and are able to do. Reporting the measurement of these assessments has traditionally been done through the assignment of letter grades. There is a fairly comprehensive and growing body of literature indicating the weakness of traditional letter grades for authentically assessing student understanding. This study examines an alternative to traditional grading practices. After reviewing relevant literature, I designed a standards-based assessment and evaluation system and put it into place in my 8th grade science classroom at a mid-sized Christian school in northwestern …

Creating Community Among Colleagues: A Call To Collaboration, Thomas J. Knapper

Master of Education Program Theses

Teaching has traditionally been a lonely enterprise. Working in isolation is commonplace. Collaboration among teachers is rare, particularly at the high school level. How can Christian high schools be more purposeful in developing an ethos in which collaboration among faculty is encouraged and expected? Teachers will need to be taught how to collaborate. Teachers will have to develop attitudes of openness and trust. Administrative leadership will need to implement structures and strategies that promote a collaborative environment. Christians are called to live in community with each other. To that end much can and should be done to promote collaboration among …

Gradual Release Of Responsibility Approach In Developing Synthesis In Primary-Aged Children, Michelle Te Grootenhuis

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research explored the effects of using the gradual release of responsibility instructional method (Harvey and Goudvis, 2000) to improve the synthesis abilities of fourteen second grade students who attend a small rural school. The specific treatment involved the students in modeled, shared, guided, and independent practice of the synthesis strategy using authentic children's literature. The DRA2 interpretation scores of the students were compared before and after the treatment. The results showed that twelve of the students scored within the independent or advanced level, one student improved from frustration to instructional level, and one student remained at the frustration …

Character Of Christ: A Proposal For Excellence In Christian Character Education, Lorraine A. Potter

Master of Education Program Theses

Moral teaching programs, such as character education, have been implemented nationwide in order to curb the growing trend of violence, abuse, and moral relativism within schools, both public and private. These programs represent a variety of moral training philosophies, and current research is revealing some "best practices" within the field. However, these programs do little to address the needs of distinctively Christian educators who seek to train their students toward the character of Jesus Christ. The research in this study promotes the development of a curriculum to meet this need. The following research indicates that character education's premise and many …

Are Teens Able To Articulate A Biblical Understanding Of Christianity?, Sheila L. Bruns

Master of Education Program Theses

The following study uses previous research about the religious and spiritual lives of American adolescents and their beliefs about the Christian faith to survey teenagers at a mid-western, Christian high school. The survey is given to find out what our young people know to be true about Christianity and if they can accurately articulate their beliefs based on Scripture and reinforced in the Heidelberg Catechism.

According to the research, the students surveyed are receiving the information they need to articulate a biblical definition of Christianity. They do, however, have their strengths and weaknesses. The weakest areas would be in the …

Teacher-To-Parent Communication: What Parents Want From Alternative Educators, Shelley A. Hoogers

Master of Education Program Theses

This study was conducted to determine teacher-to-parent communication preferences among parents of students, grades 9-12, attending a rural Iowa alternative education program. Thirty-seven parents were chosen to participate in the study. Twenty volunteered to complete the Parent Communication Survey (PCS). Data analysis of the PCS indicated most parents preferred regular progress updates to be sent bi-weekly via U.S. mail. Parents preferred that teachers contact them about more specific issues via phone call home. Over half of parents surveyed said they would read a classroom newsletter and website. An analysis of parent comments yielded four themes: honesty, timeliness, sensitivity, and partnership. …

Evaluating Thematic Units To Build Reformed Worldview, James M. Schuller

Master of Education Program Theses

This descriptive study researched the benefits of implementing thematic units as an effective curricular approach to aid in developing and opening the minds of students, parents, teachers, and administration to the possibilities of kingdom transformation and kingdom discipleship. More importantly, this paper focused on the creation of evaluation rubrics in aiding schools in fulfilling their mission statements.

The literature review examined three things: research on the benefits of using an integrated curriculum, background information on Reformed thinking on education, and information on the use of rubrics and school accountability concerning worldview development.

The results found that thematic units are a …

Home Education: Declaring His Power To The Next Generation, Sandra Anderson

Master of Education Program Theses

Home education researchers have studied many facets of home schooling in America. They have studied the academic progress, the social interactions, the college acceptance and the characteristics of adults who were home schooled. But in spite of the fact that many home educators consistently claim they home school because they want to pass on their faith, there are no major studies and few research questions that link the method to religious values acquisition. This action research report discusses the results of an online survey of 1693 home-educated adults and parents of home-educated adults who were asked questions about whether home …

Students With Disabilities: Fundamentals To Determine The Best Academic Environment, Marlys Hickox

Master of Education Program Theses

Since the inception of Public Law 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975), students with disabilities have gained access to regular education classrooms. Educating students with disabilities has changed significantly. Much discussion continues to find the basic fundamentals necessary to determine the best learning environment for students with disabilities. This descriptive paper identifies and examines the four fundamentals within the academic community that are responsible for determining and maintaining the best educational environments for students with disabilities: the parental role, the administrators’ support, the teachers’ attitude and aptitude, and the students’ evaluations. Past research studies are synthesized …

Encouraging Reflective Thinking In The High School Classroom: Effective Use Of Questioning And Wait Time Strategies, Jolyn M. Van Es

Master of Education Program Theses

Effective questioning techniques and the use of effective wait time can create a learning environment where all students are encouraged to process information and feel comfortable sharing their opinion. The root of reflective thinking lies in asking good questions and knowing how to ask them and when to ask them. Good questions create classroom interaction which has been found to promote student achievement. However, in our fast-paced classrooms, teachers tend to dominate discussions and often answer their own questions. This is where the effective use of wait time can be so crucial in establishing an atmosphere of inquiry – not …

Integration Of Faith And Learning In Christian School Art Education, Ron D. Van Der Pol

Master of Education Program Theses

A Christian philosophy of art education begins with an understanding that God is sovereign and that his word is infallible truth. It is not always is the case that Christian school art educators have dedicated themselves to the integration of faith and learning in the art curriculum. In the art classroom the educator should promote scriptural truths, the work and importance of the Holy Spirit in the art process, and the exciting calling that God has for the Christian artist. By teaching these fundamentals to students, the classroom atmosphere will be more conducive to productive learning and response by students, …