Education Commons^™

The Shifting Landscape Of Adolescent Wellness In Boarding Schools: Can Time Spent Off Screens And Outdoors Improve Adolescent Wellbeing?, Kristen H. Peterson

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

For nearly twenty years I have worked directly with adolescents as an independent school educator. Whether in the classroom, on the field, or in the dorm, I have observed and supported students through their middle and high school experiences. During this time, I have witnessed an alarming shift in adolescent physical, emotional, and social wellbeing. Concurrently, I have observed a dramatic increase in the amount of time students spend using screen-based devices, and a decrease in their time spent outdoors.

Using research to ground my anecdotal accounts in empirical understanding, my thesis examines whether or not screen use might help …

A Case Study Of Technology Integration At A Community College During A Disruption Of Learning Due To A Global Pandemic, Cara Suzanne Barth-Fagan

Dissertations

This paper discusses the challenges and opportunities of remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights the financial stress, digital divide, and inequalities in educational opportunities that arose during this period. However, it also acknowledges the advantages of remote learning, such as flexible scheduling, individualized learning, and global collaboration. The study design used was qualitative, aiming to identify the perceived levels of student engagement and support between faculty and students, and the perceived levels of success of completing a blended learning course in an online, hybrid, or hyflex format during a global pandemic. The paper concludes by emphasizing the importance …

Investigating Prodigy Math Program To Improve Students' Success In Mathematics, Justin A. Bledsaw

Masters Theses

This study investigates whether Prodigy improves student achievement in mathematics; whether Prodigy improves, specifically, math achievement of special education students, students of different ethnicities, and students of different genders. Further, the study wanted to explore student perceptions of Prodigy. The study was conducted in two fifth grade classrooms with a total of 31 participants. Two mathematics units were utilized to compare; one on multiplying whole numbers and the other on dividing whole numbers. In addition, participants completed a survey and a focus group interview to find out participant perceptions of Prodigy. Results reveal that the whole group scored higher in …

8th Grade Students’ Perceptions Of 1:1 Laptops In Algebra 1, Richard Wilford

Doctor of Education in Secondary and Middle Grades Education Dissertations

One-to-one (1:1) initiatives in education refer to the practice in which schools provide each student with a personal computing device, such as a laptop or tablet, for students to have access to the internet to complete coursework and access digital course materials. One-to-one initiatives are becoming more popular as more school districts are investing in them as there is an increased emphasis on technology use to support students’ technological skills. This qualitative case study informed by phenomenography aimed to investigate how eighth-grade Algebra 1 students at a school district implementing a one-to-one laptop initiative perceived their learning and engagement in …

Educational Robotics And Computational Thinking In Elementary School Students, Sonia D. Jordan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the role of educational robotics in fostering computational thinking in elementary settings, both in classrooms and extracurricular programs. Among growing concerns over K–12 students’ computational thinking deficits, the research evaluated the impact of Lego EV3 and VEX IQ platforms. Data was sourced from lesson plans, student work surveys, and teacher interviews and then subjected to thematic analysis using a qualitative approach. The participants were Texas educators engaged in robotics instruction, even though specific robotics statistics are absent in the Texas Education Agency. Instructional strategies varied from hands-on experiences to translating mathematical concepts into robotic actions. A key …

A Comparative Analysis Of Models Of Cybersecurity In Louisiana Public School Systems, Bonnie B. Chelette

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

K-12 schools in Louisiana face unique cybersecurity challenges due to the state's high poverty rate, resource constraints, infrastructure weaknesses, and vulnerability to natural disasters. Public school systems in Louisiana have been particularly vulnerable to these attacks, with incidents of cyberattacks tripling in 2020 alone. The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) has implemented several cybersecurity initiatives, including the Louisiana Cybersecurity Commission and the Louisiana Cybersecurity Information Sharing and Analysis Organization (LaCISO). However, there is limited research on the effectiveness of these initiatives and cybersecurity models in Louisiana public schools. This study aims to address this gap in understanding by conducting a …

Place-Based Environmental Education Towards Collective Environmental Literacy, Nicole Stubbs

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

As environmental issues and environmental injustices persist, it is even more important for environmental educators to foster in individuals and groups the skills, knowledge, and natural appreciation needed to timely address these issues. Place-focused environmental education that seeks to address an individual’s sense of place can deepen an individual's connection with their local environment and community. A developed sense of place within a group can also pave the way for collective environmental literacy, the literacy held by a community and defined by the characteristics of collective action, collaboration, shared knowledge, and diverse perspectives. This capstone seeks to answer the question: …

Using L1 Student Narratives And Peer Teaching To Increase Secondary Education Mathematical Understanding, Marco Antonio Martinez Leandro

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

This phenomenological study research presents an option to use both discourse in the native language and technology as an alternative to improve the understanding of mathematics in secondary education. 13 students whose native language is Spanish attended a high school in a large urban school district in the Southwest of the United States, participated in this study.

The study's main objective was to observe the effects of using students' discourse in their language and the support of technology to increase their academic literacy in mathematics. Solution-based pedagogy was central to helping students achieve the Development of Academic Literacy in Mathematics …

The Impact Of A Technology-Based Intervention On Phonemic Awareness Skills In First Graders, Ashley M. Christenson

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research study aimed to determine the impact of the use of a technology-based intervention, specifically with the use of an iPad application, on students' phonemic awareness skills. The intervention took place over six weeks using the Teach Your Monster to Read iPad application to practice skills. Sixteen first-grade students from a rural elementary school were the subjects of this study. Half the participants played the game twice weekly for 15-20 minutes for six weeks. Data was collected before, after, and during the intervention using multiple summative assessments and weekly progress monitoring. The data analysis suggests that there isn’t …

Electronic Books: Educational Enhancement Or Novelty?, Felipe O. Reyes

Theses and Dissertations

The study’s purpose was to explore if there was a statistically significant difference in reading comprehension of non-Limited English Proficient students when reading eBooks compared to printed books. Second, it explored if there was a statistically significant difference in Limited English Proficient students. Third, it explored if there was a statistically significant difference between non-Limited English Proficient and Limited English Proficient students while reading in neither format. The research sample of the study drew from the population (N=8,100) of students at the middle school level within a district in south Texas who participated in the Accelerated Reader program during …

Strategies To Increase Engagement In K-12 Stem Programs Among Bipoc Students Grades 3rd – 8th, Denisha C. Griffey

Dissertations

The WIRE Youth Development Programs, housed within the Lewis Walker Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnic Relations at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI foster two enrichment programs geared towards strengthening the gap in academic knowledge through STEM/STEAM activities. Since its inception, WIRE has impacted over 1,000 youth grades 3-8 among the BIPOC population through its programs, most notably the WIRE Math and Science Summer Camp and Saturday Academy. In 2020, during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, many K-12 education school systems switched to remote learning. As a result of this transition, there was a decrease in access …

Digitally Rural: Identifying How Technological Inequity Impacts Rural Students In First-Year Writing Courses, Jo Anna M. Nevada

English Language and Literature ETDs

To teach composition in this era means to engage students with technology; it is all but an unspoken requirement at the majority of universities. This dissertation theorizes, however, that the imbricated use of technology in first-year writing (FYW) classrooms places rural students at an inherent disadvantage, with issues of inadequate technological proficiency and inconsistent access causing a substantial learning disparity between this student population and their urban peers. Through mixed-methods data analysis of student survey responses and final FYW course portfolios, this study reveals that the expectation of technological access and presumption of digital literacy is detrimental to rural student …

Shakespeare In Virtual Reality: Social Presence Of Students In A Virtual Reality Book Club, John Funchess Ott Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to implement and evaluate the impact of a virtual reality book club on the social presence of students. This research examined participants using virtual reality headsets to study the works of William Shakespeare. This study examined two research questions: 1) How does the implementation of a virtual reality technological innovation affect students’ knowledge of Shakespearean works? 2) How does the implementation of a virtual reality technological innovation affect social presence in students? Participants interacted within virtual worlds with one another and the researcher. Data was collected using a pre-post assessment test, writing …

Social And Emotional Learning Resource To Reinforce Skills For 1st Grade Families And Caregivers, Jemmy Vasquez Sermeno

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Social and Emotional Learning continues to grow and take part at all times in schools. This capstone project extends social and emotional learning (SEL) to time outside of school. The project discusses the relationship between schools and families/caregivers with the common goal of extending learning outside of school. This project creates a website as a resource to aid families/caregivers in reinforcing social and emotional skills outside of school. The following question is proposed: How can we make Social and Emotional Learning more accessible for 1st grade families and caregivers in order to reinforce social and emotional skills outside of school? …

Effectiveness Of Integrating Technology For Improving The Post-Secondary Skills Of Students With A Graphic Novel Based Curriculum, Dana Rosbacka

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this study was: how can high school teachers design a unit plan, centered around a graphic novel that effectively integrates the teaching of technology skills which students can apply in their post-secondary experiences? Topics explored in the literature review include what student burnout is, in addition to student attention spans. Alongside those, it looks into the best practices of utilizing technology, teaching technology as a skill, and teaching graphic novels. The curriculum designed for this project focuses on the Understanding by Design (Ubd) framework from Wiggins and McTighe (2011) and uses backward design to craft …

The Effective Use Of Technology In Faith Formation Programs, Lindsey Bernardy

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Technology has been underutilized in nontraditional academic settings like faith formation programs, but there is a place for it if implemented appropriately. While traditions of the Catholic Church uphold certain aesthetic standards and ways of participating in Mass, nothing says the ways in which children are taught about the Mass have to remain stagnant. This research revolves around the evolution of formal faith formation in church settings and how technology can play a role in its growth to engage youth in churches. The findings indicate a need for further change in faith formation in order to fully connect with the …

Prospective Mathematics Teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge In Pieces, Nicholas Eric Witt

Dissertations

Productively integrating technology is a vitally important part of teachers’ practice (Barlow, 2021; Bezuk et al., 2017; NCTM, 2018). To adequately prepare Prospective Mathematics Teachers (PMTs) for the demands of teaching professionally, we need to understand more about how teachers and PMTs learn to integrate technology into their classroom. Some models exist related to teachers’ knowledge of integrating technology (e.g., Mishra & Koehler, 2006; Rocha, 2020). However, these models do little to conceptualize the knowledge resources that are activated in the moment of designing technologically-enhanced, conceptually-oriented mathematics tasks. This dissertation draws on ideas from the Knowledge in Pieces (KiP) (diSessa, …

Beyond The Clinic: Modified Internet-Delivered Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, Terreca Cato

Master's Theses

Children who attend Head Start children are at increased risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. A variety of systemic factors contribute to their increased risk for problematic developmental outcomes. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an evidence-based intervention for improving positive parenting skills and children’s outcomes. This study included a multiple baseline design across participants and tested the effects of Internet-Delivered Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (I-PCIT) on improving Head Start mothers’ use of the Effective Commands that are part of the Parent Directed Interaction component of PCIT. Seven total mothers were recruited to participate in this study. Four mothers did not complete …

Utilizing New Technologies To Measure Therapy Effectiveness For Mental And Physical Health, Jonathan Ossie

Dissertations

Mental health is quickly becoming a major policy concern, with recent data reporting increasing and disproportionately worse mental health outcomes, including anxiety, depression, increased substance abuse, and elevated suicidal ideation. One specific population that is especially high risk for these issues is the military community because military conflict, deployment stressors, and combat exposure contribute to the risk of mental health problems.

Although several pharmacological approaches have been employed to combat this epidemic, their efficacy is mixed at best, which has led to novel nonpharmacological approaches. One such approach is Operation Surf, a nonprofit that provides nature-based programs advocating the restorative …

Exploring The Impact Of Social Networking Sites On Adult Education, Bhumika Suresh Upadhyay

Major Papers

Social Networking Sites (SNS) are rapidly taking over people’s personal as well as professional lives, globally. It has not only changed the way masses communicate and express but is also transforming the way learning is looked at. Though considered as inherently personal spaces, these sites are now proving to be professional spaces to learn; used by millions of consumers and validated by field experts and mentors. Although there is some amount of research done on the effects social network platforms have on school education, the way it is moulding adult education is yet to be fully investigated. Adult education is …

Perceptions Of Nature-Based Educators: A Phenomenological Study, Jessica D. Mashburn

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of practicing nature-based educators and to find how classroom educators can become skilled in providing students with opportunities to learn in nature. In the study, there were 13 participants who represented a variety of individuals, with impressive educational credentials, who are currently employed or volunteering with a nature-based education organization. The data were collected through an intensive literature review, participant interviews, and field observations within two nature-based education organizations. The major findings include the overall difference between nature-based education and the typical classroom setting, as well as the …

Enhancing Stem Education For East Tennessee In A Post-Covid World, Jennifer L. Lauer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I have identified a need for an analysis of the middle and high school STEM education curricula in the East Tennessee Region which does not effectively integrate technology into their current instruction, which results in low student engagement, motivation, and achievement in the instruction and learning of algebra and geometry. I propose a program to identify specific applications and methods to be integrated into these programs which will improve the abilities of teachers to positively impact their students' understanding and mastery of algebra and geometry. Using emerging and novel STEM subject instruction, teaching, and engagement methods, and focusing on the …

Increasing College Students Awareness Of Technologies Impacts In Their Daily Lives, Melissa Gutierrez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many college students today may spend an excessive amount of time on technology. Excessive technology may leave an impact on their mental and physical health leading to poor eating habits or obesity, anxiety and can even have an impact on their academics. When college students learn about how to manage their technology use, it is likely they will focus more on the negative impacts to benefit their health and wellbeing. To address the overuse of technology, I created a one-day workshop for Theta Alpha Sigma sorority college students at Cal State Monterey Bay.

Impacts Of Using The Reggio Emilia Approach To Technology On Social Skills In An Early Learning Classroom, Nancy L. Nakaoka

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research was to study the impact of using technology (i.e.: iPad tablets and a media projector) on student’s social skills in an inspired Reggio Emilia Approach (REA) classroom. The setting was a class of four and five-year-old students in an urban early learning school in Minnesota. The study produced three data sources: 1) Data was collected by choosing three students at random, videotaping them each Wednesday for eight weeks and coding their interactions, 2) a teacher and students’ caregivers completed with questionnaires and 3) a journal with notes and other observations by myself. The study had a four-week …

The Influence Of Campus Facilities On The Satisfaction And Retention Of Students In A Higher Education Setting, Tim Norton

Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration

The goal of this quantitative study was to provide insight into the influence of facilities on satisfaction and retention of students in a single higher education setting, St. Cloud State University (SCSU). I used a survey research design with current undergraduate and graduate students to examine relationships among various aspects of facility design, student satisfaction, and student intention to persist to graduation. The survey was used to explore (a) the influence of specific campus facilities on students’ current level of satisfaction and intention to continue enrollment; (b) specific types of facilities most affecting student choice and satisfaction; and (c) how …

Student Perceptions Of Male And Female Instructors In A Post-Secondary Welding Course, S. Kjersti R. Decker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Agricultural mechanics and welding have traditionally been perceived to be careers reserved for males, yet more females have entered professions using welding such as agricultural education. This research was developed because of the lack of gender research in welding. The purpose of this study was to examine students’ perceptions of learning from a male instructor versus a female instructor in a post-secondary welding course. We examined associations and differences between students’ preference of a male and a female welding instructor as well as individual self-efficacy and perceptions towards using welding technology. The population for this study was undergraduate students and …

Improving Science Literacy Using Photographic Documentation Of Laboratory Activities, Mary Radus

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Digital photography is a valuable educational tool which has been shown to improve language acquisition and vocabulary usage. Photography can also be used to enhance hands-on laboratory activities in high school science classes. This study examined the impact of photographic documentation of lab activities on students’ literacy in science. In this convergent, mixed methods investigation, 9th grade biology students took photographs during a lab activity, which they used to create collaborative photo projects based on the activity. Changes in literacy were measured by assessing the students’ usage of scientific vocabulary terms before and after the photo project, and assessing the …

How Adult Efl Teachers Can Effectively Utilize Duolingo In Their Curriculum, Rebecca Nelson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The proliferation of cell phones and application technology has changed the way individuals access learning. It’s also opened up a space for profit-driven companies to be included in educational options. This project focuses on Mobile-Assisted Language Learning applications, in particular Duolingo, and how they can best be used by Language teachers, especially English teachers of adults in non-immersive environments, to use Duolingo as a supplement to their teaching. The literature shows that these applications can be helpful, but need traditional support to be most effective. The question the literature brings to mind is how teachers can best use these apps. …

How Does The Concept Of The Digital Native Affect The Early Years Of Learning?, Mei Wang

Honours Bachelor of Early Childhood Leadership (HBECL)

No abstract provided.

A Phenomenological Study Of Flexible Blended Learning In A Fourth Grade Classroom, Betsy Kim Henn

Dissertations and Theses

This phenomenological study explored fourth-grade students' perspectives on the barriers and successes they experienced in flexible blended learning. Focus group interviews were conducted to gain insight into the students' motivation, perceived barriers, possible changes, and their own skills and characteristics for success. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes that addressed the research questions. Students identified several barriers to participation in flexible blended learning. Internal distractions, such as losing focus, and external distractions caused by disruptive behavior by classmates were barriers. Students found video lessons to be passive learning experiences that lacked flexibility. Technology problems and glitches were also identified …