Education Commons^™

Accessibility And Technology: Remote Access To Art Through Telepresence Robotics, Jenna M. Hebert

Master's Projects and Capstones

This capstone project details a proposal for a remote tour pilot program and community partnership written for the Art Institute of Chicago, Snow City Arts and the John H Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County. The proposal seeks to provide a model for remote accessibility to art museums for visitors with mobility disabilities. The pilot program utilizes telepresence technology as a tool for providing remote tours and for emulating the social benefits of a museum visit. Within the program, telepresence technology becomes a mechanism for communication and collaboration between the museum and members of the community, allowing individuals previously unable …

Jiji Can Talk! An Oral Language Strategy Guide For Blended Learning Math Classrooms Using St Math, William Menz

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, how can an oral language strategy guide be created to support ELs language development in the elementary math classroom that uses ST Math. The capstone outlines strategies that can be paired with online content from ST Math to help ELs and native speakers develop oral language around the math puzzles presented in the standards based curriculum. By simultaneously addressing conceptual understanding of math content and English language development, the strategy guide works to meet the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and the Principles of Math Instruction for ELs using ST Math, …

Up In Smoke: Using In-School Tobacco Education And Media Literacy To Reduce Smoking Initation Among 7th Grade Students In A Suburban Setting, Cynthia Ford Pulley

Dissertations

ABSTRACT Purpose The uptake of smoking by youth under the age of 18 increases the likelihood that they will become lifetime smokers. The CDC recommends best practices regarding tobacco prevention. Among them are Community Policies for tobacco-free zones, community initiatives, anti-tobacco media campaigns, and access to quit-smoking resources. The last of these best practices is a recommendation to provide education in the schools. The subject of this research was the implementation of an in-school tobacco curriculum based on Media Literacy, which provides youth the ability to critically evaluate media messages that equate the “cool” smoking habit with beauty, confidence and …

Active Learning Tour Route: Engagement In An Unconventional Environment, Hattie Molina

Honors Projects

When guest attend Bowling Green State University for a campus visit, a majority of their experience is comprised of tour guides talking “at” them. The campus tour is made up of a lot of facts and stories provided by the tour guide, but few questions by guests or based on comments from guests. One way to solve this is to create an Active Learning Tour route where guest are the center of their own campus learning experience. According to the research, the components of Active Learning have many facets that branch into other aspects including technology and humor. The aim …

Using Minecraft To Integrate Common Core Activities Across Elementary School Curriculum, William A J Couling

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Minecraft, an open world sandbox game rich with educational possibility, has been a growing sensation among elementary age children across the US. Though there has been some experimentation in a number of schools across the United States, there has been no mass movement to embracing Minecraft as a virtual learning environment. With advances in the fields of Virtual Learning Environments and the new wave of educational thinking known as the “Maker Movement,” the modern educational field has an opportunity for radical new ways of teaching. Using an elementary school as a model in the Monterey Bay area, I surveyed a …

The Effects Of A One-To-One Ipad Initiative: A Case Study, Michael Flanagan

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explored the ways that teachers in a single private middle school integrated one-to-one tablet use in to their classroom practice. The case study also explored how and in what ways the students and teachers perceived that school-provided one-to-one student access to tablets affected student learning. The review of relevant literature included the use of technology in instruction, external factors affecting teachers, and the perception of the effect of technology on student learning.

Over the last thirty years, there has been an increase of computer and tablet use in the classroom (Harold, 2016; Reidel, 2014; Smerdon, Cronen, …

Connections With The Current Generation Of College Students Using Digital Marketing Practices, Michael Galindo

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Higher education professionals in college and university admissions utilize various forms of communication in enrolling their fall class. The problem with the digital generation, also known as the Millennials, is that students have disconnected from the personal touch - the connection that is established between the student, their admissions counselor and the institution. Often it is found that this connection helps prospective students find that perfect fit in selecting a college.

This study identifies several technological approaches and evaluates their effectiveness in undergraduate admissions recruitment. A review of the literature revealed that recent technological advances such as social media, personal …

The Effects Of Technology On Students’ Retention Of Letters And Sounds, Amanda Garcia

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research was conducted to determine if the use of technology, specifically the interactive SMART board, would lead to higher student assessment scores on the district tests for letter identification and letter sound recognition. The research was completed in a full-day traditional public school transitional kindergarten (TK) class. Data was collected using district-wide alphabet assessments, teacher observation journals, student conferences, and student checklists used by a classroom instructional assistant. Letters of the alphabet were divided into two equal groups based on letter formation and level of difficulty identified through research. One group of letters and sounds was taught using …

Meaning In Motion, Kara Hendrickson

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis essay and accompanying exhibition examine the capacity of interactive art to stage situations for participants to explore embodiment. In presenting the four-part interactive suite "Body Language" by Nathaniel Stern, the exhibition invites viewers to engage with digital projections that track and respond to movement by producing animated text and spoken utterances. Through the juxtaposition of motion performed by the viewer’s physical body with computer-generated words and speech, "Body Language" explores the complex ways in which the body and language depend upon each other to create and communicate meaning. This essay also proposes that the gallery uses its power …

An Analysis Of Secondary Integrated Stem Lesson Plans: Common Characteristics, Learning Expectations And The Impact From The Teacher's Definition Of I-Stem, Jacob Hayward

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study investigated teachers’ understanding of their definition of I-STEM (Integrated STEM education), how those understandings manifested into lessons and associated lesson artifacts, how they assessed students in such lessons, and what factors or rationales supported their ability to conduct or not conduct I-STEM lessons. A survey was sent to the members of four professional organizations representing I-STEM disciplines to solicit their participation in this project. Ten teachers ranging from grades 9-12 participated in this study. Of those who responded, six teachers identified with National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), three teachers selected International Technology and Engineering Education Association (ITEEA), …

Digital Video As A Summative Assessment Tool, Meghann Peterson

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research study examined the effects of video production on student engagement and learning in a tenth grade English classroom. The study participants totaled 76 students in a large suburban Midwest high school. Over a period of five weeks, students worked in groups to read, analyze and make a video about a book of their choosing. The standards based project assessed their understanding of theme, characterization, and the cultural significance of their choice novel. Students worked collaboratively to answer questions about these aspects of the book and then complete storyboards and scripts for their videos. Throughout the study, the …

Choice-Based Assessments And Their Use With 1:1 Technology Devices, Joshua Ottow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Choice-based assessments are classroom activities in which students are given some element of choice in how they meet defined learning objectives. As educators seek to adequately prepare students for the rapidly changing world that they will enter after high school, they have placed a greater focus on the types of assessment practices used in the classroom. Choice-based assessments, particularly when used with a 1:1 technology device, may have the impact of increasing student motivation to learn and enhancing the development of skills that they may need after high school (Schwartz & Arena, 2013; Tapscott, 2008). To date, there has been …

Managing One-To-One Initiatives: Implementation Analysis Through Expert Elicitation, Jordan R. Selvidge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to identify and analyze issues in the implementation of one-to-one computing initiatives and provide solutions for improvement. An understanding of the implementation process was developed through the analysis of data collected through 27 interviews with teacher experts in the field who have worked with the implementation of one-to-one programs. Teachers were purposely selected from the following groups: those who were completing their first year of teaching, those who had between two and ten years of teaching experience, and those who had eleven plus years of total teaching experience. This study distinctly addresses one-to-one initiatives …

Learner Agency And Responsibility In Educational Technology, Michael Thomas Matthews

Theses and Dissertations

Though the topic of learner agency has received relatively little discussion in the literature of educational technology, it is nevertheless a significant and actually omnipresent concern of both scholars and practitioners. Through the journal-ready articles contained herein, I show how theories of learning and certain practices of instructional designers reflect implicit positions on the agency of learners. I also discuss agency in more concrete terms as the responsibility for learning that is shared with learners in instructional design contexts. In addition, I provide practical suggestions to help designers keep the learner at the forefront of their design thinking. Through this …

Differentiation For All Learners: Applying Theory And Practice So All Children Reach Their Potential, Kathryn Elizabeth Kreitzer

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Teachers in classrooms today are challenged with students with a ride range of abilities necessitating differentiation in the classroom. Faced with increasingly heterogeneous populations of students, including the mainstreaming of special education students, teachers are challenged to develop curricula that is matched to students’ abilities. This project focused on how to adapt state mandated grade level content to multiple instructional levels. Included in this project is a differentiated unit on the American Revolution based on Minnesota fifth grade standards. The unit is differentiated to first grade, third grade and fifth grade reading and writing levels. This project demonstrates how teachers …

The Intersection Of Collaboration, Critical Thinking And Technology: Implications For Adult Esl Learners Using An Inquiry Approach, Mary Elizabeth Zamacona

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the types and critical thinking skills used by adult ESL students as they learned technology skills through an inquiry approach. The results are based on the types of critical thinking skills that were utilized by adult students working collaboratively on an Excel computer project. Critical thinking was measured by coding audio recordings using the Transitions Integration Framework’s critical thinking skills category. Data were quantified by frequency of occurrence for each sub skill of critical thinking. Results show the most prominent critical thinking skills used by students in this study are problem-solving …

How Can Obstacles To Adult English Language Learners With Low Levels Of English Proficiency Participating In Distance Learning Be Reduced?, Anne Elizabeth Fern Ryan

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was: How can obstacles to adult ELLs with low levels of English language proficiency participating in distance learning be reduced? Focus groups were conducted with Vietnamese and Somali students to examine their experiences with distance learning. Students spoke of issues of access, difficulty of navigation, and literacy level of online learning content as major frustrations. Translation of computer instruction and increased opportunities to receive computer instruction were among the suggestions students offered for improving distance learning. The student suggestions would be costly for ABE programs to fully implement. Possible avenues for future study …

From Mechanic To Designer: Evolving Perceptions Of Elementary Students Over Three Years Of Engineering Instruction, Anastasia M. Rynearson

Open Access Dissertations

Due in part to increasing state standards that require engineering in K-12 curricula and the Next Generation Science Standards’ incorporation of engineering outcomes, inclusion of engineering into elementary classrooms is on the rise. Teacher development and experiences in learning about and implementing engineering have been studied, but elementary students’ experiences when learning about engineering have not been explored.

The purpose of this study is to address the question: How do elementary students’ knowledge of, attitudes toward, and overall conceptions of engineering evolve over three years of engineering instruction?

This study follows seven elementary school students through three years of engineering …

An Analysis Of The Current Strength Of The Academic Relationship With The Aerospace Industry, James A. Stratton

Open Access Dissertations

The objective of this research was to discover which methods of technology transfer were most commonly accessed within the Indiana manufacturing sector in an effort to best serve companies in the Hoosier State. Previous work has explored the perceived importance of various academic sources, but there has not been an investigation to identify the specific preferences of industry professionals. If these preferences can be identified, university assistance programs and other academic engagement programs will be able to predict, and hopefully influence how to grow and develop the domestic manufacturing sector, ultimately strengthening the channels of knowledge transfer between academia and …

The Role Of Technology In Personalized Learning And The Effect On Student Achievement, Allison Jean Pilley

Dissertations

Personalized learning is not a new concept and can be traced back to the 1700s, but it has become increasingly popular in today’s schools (Bray & McClaskey, 2015). With the high rate of technology introduction into classrooms, the implementation of personalized learning has become easier as instruction shifts from teacher-led to student-centered (Grant & Bayse, 2014). The purpose of this study was to identify the role of technology in personalized learning and to determine if the implementation of the pedagogy had an effect on student achievement scores. Elementary classroom teachers and elementary principals served as the participants for this study, …

The Potential For Using Adaptive And Assignable Instructional Technology To Increase Student Agency And Achievement, Blair Allen Mishleau

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question in this capstone was: How might teachers’ use of personalized learning in elementary reading through adaptive and assignable instructional technology programs lead to accelerated student achievement and agency? This curriculum development capstone started with researching the current literature on blended learning, instructional technology and student agency/achievement. From there, a survey for teachers was created to probe their mindset on technology’s place in the classroom. Using the Design Thinking Process, a curriculum was then developed that leveraged both the literature review done along with the teacher survey. This curriculum, a prototype, will be tested after the capstone and …

Student Use Of Cell/Smartphones Integrated In A Field-Based Science Curriculum, Cynthia Ann Hougo

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Cellphones are a growing concern for teachers in schools across the country. Should we ban them or use them as a technological aid in the classroom. This research explores the results of integrating cell/smartphones in a field-based curriculum in a alternative high school science class. The research focused on the question, “How many functions and/or applications do students use on their cell/smartphones when it is integrated in a field-based curriculum?” Students used their cell/smartphones to document, take pictures, research and send assignments during the course of one quarter. The study used a qualitative action research design. Data was collected using …

Representation Of Adolescent Identity Status Through Facebook Use: A Qualitative Multicase Study Of Adolescent Digital Behaviors, David Valdez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The expanding landscape of social media offers users several platforms to introduce into their lifestyle choices. Facebook continues to be one of the most ubiquitous social media platforms in the United States (Pew Research Center, 2015), and its use in educational contexts has become an area of inquiry. This study examines how a sample of high school seniors in an IB psychology class use social media, specifically, Facebook by inquiring into the interrelationship between social media use, identity formation, and personal teacher pedagogy as part of instruction. The research questions for this study were: Question 1- How are students using …

Urban English Language Arts Teachers’ Stories Of Technology Use: A Narrative Inquiry, Bridget Abbas

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Technology use in high-minority, low-income middle school ELA classrooms is defined by traditional instructional practices (Applebee & Langer, 2013; Attewell, 2001; Boser, 2013; Cuban, 2001; Lankshear & Knobel, 2008), barriers to access (O’Dwyer et al., 2005; Purcell et al., 2013; Warschauer & Matuchniak, 2010), and inequalities in use (Banister & Reinhart, 2011; Beers, 2004; Gorski, 2009; Makinen, 2006; Powell, 2007; Reinhart et al., 2011; Dijk, 2003, 2006; Warschauer et al., 2004). This characterization, or grand narrative, of technology use is echoed and challenged by this narrative inquiry. Here the stories of two ELA teachers frequently using technology in instruction and …

Centralized, Decentralized, Distributed: Disruptive Technology In Distance Education From "Sunrise Semester" To Present-Day Moocs, Rosanna Flouty

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Lessons from early academic television courses from the 1950s guide an assessment of current disruptive technologies that shape Massive Open Online Courses (known as MOOCs) and other informal online learning opportunities today. This dissertation explores some of the unique contributing factors that led to the creation of Sunrise Semester (1957-1982), a popular network television program co-produced by New York University and CBS that offered college credit to viewers. Despite the fact that the show aired at dawn and rarely included one-on-one interactions with professors, Sunrise Semester aired for nearly twenty-five years and attracted a devoted viewership of over two million …

The Effects Of Cognitive Strategies Paired With Hands-On Or Virtual Manipulatives On Math Instruction For Students With Mathematical Learning Disabilities To Learn Word Problem Solving Skills, Kimberly Plute

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of using cognitive strategies with hands-on manipulatives, and cognitive strategies with virtual manipulatives to enhance problem solving skills of students with Mathematical Learning Disabilities (MLD), as well as their satisfaction with those strategies. Five, 5th graders with MLD participated in the study to learn word problem solving skills in a math class for 80 minutes, 5 days a week for 10 weeks. A single subject research design with ABC phases was used in the study. Results showed each student gained from 3.6 to 5.2 mean points of the weekly quizzes …

Bridging The Digital Divide Were Any Divides Bridged, Andrew Gibbs

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

The K-12 schools offer professional development (PD) and technology resources for teachers every year that cost schools billions of dollars. The tools provided in the PD to teachers are typically quickly forgotten, and the schools administration moves forward with other pressing issues. What if we were to look at schools several years after a PD program was implemented and the technology resources were provided to teachers, would we see any effect? This study looks at three schools that participated in a PD program that had an influx of technology resources placed in the school in 2002. The data collected demonstrates …

Creating An Equitable Educational Technology Plan For Elementary Hispanic English Language Learners In Rural California Communities, Lisa M. Ortman

Master's Projects and Capstones

English language learners (ELLs) comprise a large percentage of California’s

public school enrollment and are rapidly changing the cultural diversity landscape

within schools and communities. In rural California school districts where access to

funding and technology is severely lacking compared to larger districts, ELLs face

additional barriers to second language acquisition (SLA) and educational

attainment.

This paper provides insight to educators on the socioeconomic status of Hispanic

ELL students in rural California and how this status affects their SLA and digital

literacy learning. Additionally, this paper provides a presentation for educators on

the steps they can take to establish an …

The Effects Of Using The Gomath Program On Teaching Computation Skills For Students With Learning Disabilities, Patricia Virginia Giordano

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects on teaching math computation skills to students with learning disabilities (LD) using the GoMath program and to examine the teachers’ and students’ satisfaction with this program in their teaching and learning. Four, 3rd and 4th graders with LD were taught by one special education teacher in a resource room and participated in learning computation skills for 60 minutes, 5 days per week for 12 weeks, using the Go Math program. A multiple baseline research design with A B phases across students was used to evaluate their performance. The findings indicated …

How Digital Formative Assessment Increases Student Achievement And Motivation, Jillian G. Morreim

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Technology in the classroom has changed the way teachers teach and students learn. In this ever­changing field, a continual examination of the most effective methods to use technology to benefit student learning is essential. The research question addressed in this project was: what is the impact of formative assessment using iPads on student achievement and motivation? The review of the literature explored formative assessment, motivation, and technology in the classroom. In this study, qualitative and quantitative data was collected using pre­ and posttests, student surveys, and field notes over two curriculum units; in one unit, exclusively traditional formative assessment was …