Engaging Drama: Does Drama Increase Student Engagement In A Second-Grade History Class?, Jasmine Villanueva

Student Research Submissions

This research investigated how drama integration benefitted students’ academic achievement and their engagement in history. This study integrated drama and history in a second-grade class, by allowing students to create tableaus to present and share information. The study used pre and post assessments, an attitudes survey to measure students’ attitudes towards history before and after integration, and the researcher also recorded student engagement at the beginning and end of drama integration. This study showed significant improvement in student content knowledge through the use of tableaus, and inconclusive results as far as engagement and student attitudes were concerned.

Math Engagement In Middle School Students, Elizabeth M. Rieman

Culminating Experience Projects

Student engagement is something with which teachers around the world struggle. There is an enormous amount of literature available with various ideas, tips, tricks, and suggestions for teachers to help engage their students in learning the required content. The techniques chosen, are specifically used to help middle school math teachers engage their students in the required content. From there, it offers a way to implement those strategies in a middle school math class.

Let's Talk: Csuglobal Conversations, Maria Ortuoste

csuglobalaction

No abstract provided.

Unlocking The Doors To Engagement And Accessibility: A Curriculum Development For Second Grade Learners In Social Studies, Jeanette Mcnair

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

The goal of this project is to create a second-grade Social Studies curriculum that increases engagement and provides accessibility to all students. The intent is to pull from the instructional frameworks of Universal Design for Learning developed by CAST, Project-Based Learning by The Buck Institute and differentiation by Carol Ann Tomlinson. The following research question was used to propel forward the goal of this project: How can a second grade Social Studies unit unlock student engagement and universal accessibility by applying three educational frameworks? This question was answered by literature research on the topics of engagement and accessibility followed by …

Secondary Teaching Thriving: Investigating Secondary Teacher Well-Being And Contributing Factors To Thriving, Ryan H. Nichols

PhD in Education

The purpose of this study was to examine secondary teacher thriving using the PERMA well-being model. This non-experimental, quantitative survey aimed to discover secondary teachers’ well-being and how the dimensions of well-being are predictive of thriving among secondary teachers in the United States. Using a comprehensive researcher-created instrument assessing participants’ sense of thriving and PERMA well-being, the study resulted in statistically significant findings with 55 secondary teachers participating in the survey. Both sense of thriving and the dimensions of thriving were statistically significant in a one sample ttest. Demographics, such as school classifications, years of experience, and geographic locations, were …

Subjective Well-Being Of Teachers In K-12 Christian Schools, Julianne Rettig

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

This non-experimental, quantitative study aimed to examine the factors that influence the self-perceived well-being of teachers in K-12 Christian schools. The sample for this study was convenient, non-probable, and purposive and comprised of 81 teachers from one Christian school system in Florida. The measurement tool used in this study is based on Seligman’s (2011) work on well-being. The Workplace PERMAH Profiler is a valid and reliable (α = .94) instrument that measures flourishing in terms of six domains: positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, accomplishment, and health. The internal reliability of study participant responses to survey items associated with the construct …

The Impact Of Pear Deck On Student Achievement And Perceptions, Eric Gross

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This research determined the impact of the interactive technology Pear Deck on student achievement and perceptions of learning. Existing peer-reviewed research on the topic is limited. In this action research, the researcher had one 10th grade Global Studies class learn the subject matter from a traditional teacher-led lecture, while the other class learned the same content using a student-paced Pear Deck. The next class day, both groups took the same assessment to measure their achievement levels. The Pear Deck group also completed a brief survey on their perceptions of learning with Pear Deck. The results of the research revealed the …

The Impact Of Notetaking In A Middle School History Class, Marybeth Flietstra

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research project was to determine the impact of notetaking in a 7th grade World History classroom on learning and engagement. A mixed-methods study of 36 7th grade students was used to determine significant differences between notetaking styles, student performance, and engagement during short class lectures. Post-lecture assessments, Likert-style surveys, and student notes were assessed and triangulated, while interviews and survey questions were evaluated to illustrate common themes and perceptions of notetaking. Data analysis revealed that notetaking does have some impact on both academics and engagement, however, the style of notetaking made a significant difference. Additionally, …

Student Engagement Action Research A Focus On Culturally Relevant Instructional Methods, Amia Dixon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action study was to determine the impact the use of culturally relevant instructional methods (researcher created term) would have on student achievement and student motivation. The use of culturally relevant teaching methods is rooted in culturally relevant pedagogy first introduced by Gloria Ladson-Billings and culturally responsive teaching practices first introduced by Geneva Gay. The study implemented an intervention cycle that modified the fourth-grade curriculum by differentiating lessons based on learning style, incorporating an “activator” that connects to the students’ culture and builds background knowledge, allowing student choice for instructional text, increasing the use of culturally relevant …

Building Student Engagement With Google Spaces, Peg Hohensee

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Google Spaces is an easy to setup group chat that could help with community building and communication. The presenter will demonstrate creating a Google Space. The presenter will also discuss the results of having used a Google Space with a class and brainstorm with participants uses for future classes.

How To Retain Your Best Faculty Members, Jeff Buller

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

As department chairs, we devote a great deal of time and energy to recruiting excellent faculty members, but we spend far less time and energy trying to retain them. Superb college professors are vital to a department’s success, but they are also highly competitive in the marketplace. They have options and, if they begin to think that they can do better (financially or otherwise) elsewhere or even outside of academia, they’ll start looking elsewhere. In this best practices workshop, we’ll explore how to apply certain strategies to our work at the departmental level so as to increase the likelihood that …

Increasing Collaboration Between Extension And University Faculty: The Value Of A Dedicated Faculty Liaison, Heidi L. Radunovich, Nick T. Place

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This paper describes the development of a faculty liaison position created to increase collaboration between Extension and other university units and provides original research assessing the programmatic outcome. An assessment of initial collaborations was done, and a survey was given to university faculty to assess their impressions of Extension at the start of the position and after four years. The position provided a significant increase in collaborative projects and reported collaboration, and reported perceptions of Extension improved, while the ability to define the terms Extension and land-grant did not change. Suggestions for improving upon such a position are made.

Literacy Stars In The Making: Reading & Writing Fluency Idol, Kristine Calo, Ellen Koitz, Jennifer Dinterman, Cassidy O'Neill

Literacy Practice and Research

This article describes an intervention project with 20 K-5 students who were receiving remedial reading support during a summer reading clinic. Reading & Writing Fluency Idol capitalizes on the power of poetry, scaffolding, and explicit feedback to motivate and engage students while building a wide range of literacy skills. The K-5 students read mentor poems and texts using a variety of evidence-based fluency practices, and then used the texts as models for their own writing. The article explains how the authors implemented the intervention culminating in a Fluency Idol event to showcase and celebrate the children as readers and writers.

Effects Of Performance Feedback On High School Teachers’ Use Of Opportunities To Respond And Positive Feedback: Considering Efficiency In High Need Schools, Nathan Meyer, Amy Stevens, Terrance M. Scott, Marlene Parish

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

The transition into high school presents new challenges for adolescents and performance in ninth grade is highly predictive of success throughout the remainder of high school. However, focus on teacher performance has great promise for increasing student engagement in the classroom and raising student achievement. Unfortunately, many of these practices typically are not implemented within classrooms where students are at highest risk for failure. Two studies were implemented to examine the effect of simple performance feedback strategies as a means of increasing teachers’ provision of opportunities for student responses and positive feedback during instruction. Results showed no effect in teacher …

An Examination Of Response Requirements Associated With Teachers' Use Of Different Opportunities For Student Response During Instruction, Todd Whitney, Terrance M. Scott, Justin T. Cooper

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

Providing effective instruction that increases the degree to which students are engaged with the instructional content has been identified as a research-based practice in that it is associated with positive academic and behavioral outcomes. One high-leverage practice for engaging students is the provision of opportunities to respond (OTR) during instruction. However, previous research has shown that teachers at every level typically use OTRs at rates far below research-based recommendations. This study adds to the literature by breaking OTRs into verbal, non-verbal, and partner categories to further examine how teachers typically foster student engagement. Across 1095 total observations, OTR rates were …

Examining Faculty’S Transition To 100% Online Learning During A Pandemic: A Narrative Inquiry, Christa Ann Banton, Jose Garza

The Qualitative Report

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) quickly emerged as an unprecedented pandemic that has impacted communities at every level. Although online teaching is not a new concept, many faculty entered new territory as they transitioned into the online learning environment at the onset of the pandemic. This qualitative, narrative inquiry sought to capture the unique experiences of on-ground faculty during the rapid transition into online learning. Through these twenty interviews, some emerging themes included the instability and usage of technology, changes in engagement and participation, and the need for additional student and faculty support. Emerging themes provide insight to future implications related …

Students’ Perceptions Of The Effects Of Internships On Confidence And Post-Graduation Outcomes In Higher Education, Jaime L. Grillo

Theses and Dissertations

Internships as a form of experiential learning have been consistently considered a “high impact educational experience” because of the value that it provides students during their college careers (O’Neill, 2010, p. 7). Administrators and faculty professionals in colleges and universities are in positions to encourage student engagement by creating experiential learning opportunities for students that will aid them in navigating their academic major and intended career trajectory. This study focused on how a stronger emphasis on internships could influence confidence among college students, as well as play a part in their decision-making process when considering post-graduation plans. The researcher explored …

A Phenomenological Case Study Of Teacher Perceptions On The Effectiveness Of Project-Based Learning, Dawn Bartz

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological case study explored the experiences of three middle school social studies teachers as they implemented a unit of instruction using project-based learning (PBL) in their eighth grade, social studies classrooms. Middle school is often where we see student engagement significantly diminishing and national scores on reading, writing and mathematics declining; the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this. PBL, as an instructional methodology that promotes hands-on learning and a strong connection between the classroom and the outside world, and first introduced in the early 1900s by John Dewey and William Kilpatrick, may help to stem the pandemic’s effects that …

A Teaching Professor Attending A Conference Called The Teaching Professor, Kurt Debord

Title III Professional Development Reports

The Teaching Professor was a conference held in New Orleans, LA in June 2023. I attended sessions and became more informed about how to better engage my students in the classroom by using group-oriented techniques that demonstrably increased participant conversation during the conference. Using rubrics to improve student performance and speed grading time was discussed at length. Useful resources were provided in all sessions.

Applying Universal Design For Learning (Udl) Principles For Building Intentional Student-Faculty Relationships In An Online Graduate Program, Robert Legary Jr.

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

Student engagement in learning and relationship building among faculty and students can be challenging in an online learning environment. Relatedness and positive engagement with other students and faculty foster positive learning outcomes. The intentional application of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) engagement guidelines and checkpoints (CAST, 2018) with Chickering and Gamson’s (1999) Seven Principles for Good Practice accommodates learner variability and promotes relationship-building experiences. In an online M.Ed. program, key elements and strategies of the UDL engagement guidelines and the Seven Principles are integrated in curriculum, teaching methods, and learning activities. Implications for practice related to the application of …

Scope Of Open Education: A New Framework For Research, Virginia Elizabeth Clinton-Lisell, Jasmine Roberts-Crews, Lindsey Gwozdz

Library Faculty Publications

The field of open education and research on the topic has notably expanded since the introduction of the term 20 years ago. Given these developments, a framework to structure research inquiry is necessary to ground and organize findings in open education. We propose the SCOPE framework for open education research: social justice, cost, outcomes, perceptions, and engagement. In this article, we explain how this framework emphasizes the need for social justice at the forefront of open education research. In addition, we incorporate existing theories in social justice, motivation, cognition, pedagogy, and engagement into each of the components to propose theoretical …

Recent Community College Alumni: Increasing Donors Through Communication And Engagement, Beverly Loraine Rufty

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Due to ongoing financial cuts and budget restraints, community colleges have turned to alumni association fundraising to support their mission and advance their institution. Fundraising for any organization is challenging, but community college alumni institutions have a more difficult time than their university counterparts in recruiting alumni donor support. Community college alumni associations must maintain effective communication to successfully engage recent alumni and build relationships with potential donors. The purpose of this study was to analyze the literature and data collection using a convergent mixed methods design to address the lack of financial support from recent community college alumni. This …

Social Media And The Learning And Engagement Experiences Of Minority Doctoral Students, Denzil O. Barnett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSocial media as a medium to facilitate and foster learning and engagement in education has received increased attention in recent years. Researchers have highlighted the affordances and drawbacks of social media use in educational contexts. There is a gap in the relevant literature on the social media learning and engagement experiences of doctoral students from underrepresented communities. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand minority doctoral students’ experiences and perceptions of social media use in learning and engagement during the doctoral process. To ground this study, the connect learn and engagement (CoLeEn) conceptual framework, based on Siemens’s connectivism …

Small And Medium-Sized Enterprise Beauty Salon Employer Strategies Used To Improve Employee Retention, Angela Lynette Loyd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Retention strategies are important to beauty salon leaders as they directly affect retaining a reliable workforce. Grounded in self-determination theory, the purpose of this generic qualitative case study was to explore retention strategies used by some SME beauty salon leaders in the United States to improve employee retention. The participants were five SME beauty salon leaders who retained at least two employees for 2 consecutive years. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and company documents. The four themes from the thematic analysis were leadership, psychological needs satisfaction, motivation, and engagement. A key recommendation is to have SME beauty salon leaders …

Time To Escape! Using Escape Rooms In The Middle Grades Classroom, Rebecca Harper

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

Motivation and student engagement are at the forefront of quality instructional design and implementation. While traditional teaching methods may have been effective in the past, today’s diverse student body, with their rich literacy experiences in both print and digital worlds, demand unique classroom engagements. Because problem solving and critical thinking skills are ones that are required for student success both in and out of school, instructional opportunities should be designed with this in mind. One way to address the diverse skills and needs of today’s students, along with the instruction of academic skills needed for success, is through the implementation …

More Than Academic: Texts For Teens, Casey Belli, Rebecca Harper

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

Middle and high school students are dealing with many heavy issues and topics daily – and we’re noticing the strain this is putting on their mental health -- yet there are several texts that can be used to help middle grades students develop decision making skills and coping strategies. Teaching reading and writing with books like these in classrooms can help students build a sense of empathy and compassion for others, along with offering them opportunities for contemplation and reflection. Plus, these experiences can also allow students a safe space to invite dialogue and discussion about topics that are part …

A Lifelong Network: Perceptions And Experiences Of First-Generation Alums After Graduation, Allison Toney

Theses and Dissertations

As first-generation students transition to college graduates, the question lies in whether institutions of higher education are continuing to provide opportunities for them as alums. As a result of first-generation college students being the first in their family to attend college, students may enter college not knowing what to expect. But institutions have evolved to provide services, resources and opportunities that support their success while enrolled. Upon graduation, the process of transitioning out of college can be a challenging time for students as they seek post-graduation success. Some institutions offer support and resources tailored specifically to first-generation graduates or graduates …

Social Media And The Learning And Engagement Experiences Of Minority Doctoral Students, Denzil O. Barnett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSocial media as a medium to facilitate and foster learning and engagement in education has received increased attention in recent years. Researchers have highlighted the affordances and drawbacks of social media use in educational contexts. There is a gap in the relevant literature on the social media learning and engagement experiences of doctoral students from underrepresented communities. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand minority doctoral students’ experiences and perceptions of social media use in learning and engagement during the doctoral process. To ground this study, the connect learn and engagement (CoLeEn) conceptual framework, based on Siemens’s connectivism …

Faculty-Student And Student-Student Connections Amidst The Covid-19 Pandemic, Fatma Ouled Salem

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic expedited the shift toward distance education by forcing institutions to adapt to the limitations of social distancing mandates. This resulted in a general sense of disconnection and isolation, compounding the other adverse effects of the pandemic. Since faculty-student and student-student connections are consistently identified as best practices in distance counselor education, the aim of this descriptive phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of counselor educators during the COVID-19 pandemic relating to faculty-student and student-student connections. A phenomenological framework was used to suspend presuppositions of the phenomenon and to describe the lived experiences of participants. In-depth …

The Communications Process For On-Track Mentoring Programs At The High School Level, Kayla M. Barbare

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Comparable to other schools in the local education agency, this mid-sized rural high school’s On-Track program utilized early warning indicators to track the well-being of students and to determine what actions needed to occur to promote student success. Through various meetings, the mid-sized rural high school’s On-Track stakeholders indicated areas for improvement, specifically in the area of communications. The On-Track program stakeholders expressed how they desired to improve stakeholder involvement and collaboration and enhance how program information is shared. The purpose of this study was to analyze the literature, theoretical frameworks, and data utilizing a mixed methodology approach in order …