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Full-Text Articles in Education

A Research Based Approach To Implementing And Sustaining School-Wide Or District Wide Restorative Practices, Brandon M. Lane Aug 2022

A Research Based Approach To Implementing And Sustaining School-Wide Or District Wide Restorative Practices, Brandon M. Lane

Masters Projects

Restorative practices implementation fails for four reasons. First, districts omit or inadequately engage in a readiness to change assessment to initiate the process for RP implementation. Districts fail to identify if it is worth investing, they fail to analyze their school data in conjunction with identifying areas of school improvement to truly determine how RP can positively impact their school community. This is significant because it directly impacts districts ability to secure and sustain administrative support and teacher buy-in. Secondly, districts erroneously introduce RP as a classroom management system rather than a relational quality initiative (Vaandering, 2014; Short, Case and …

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Making Earth Science More Relevant To The Lives Of High School Students, Nick Vlietstra Aug 2022

Making Earth Science More Relevant To The Lives Of High School Students, Nick Vlietstra

Masters Projects

Many high school students are disengaged with science curriculum. This continues to be a major need across the STEM subjects as there is a lack of students who are interested in higher level STEM and in STEM careers, which comes at a time when the need is increasing. Earth Science remains a subject that is not heavily emphasized in school curriculum but plays an important role in the current and future lives of students as it covers content such as sustainability, recycling, being responsible with resources and climate change. In order for engagement to increase in STEM learning, a more …

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Culturally Responsive Teaching In The Art Room, Katherine Starr Dana Aug 2022

Culturally Responsive Teaching In The Art Room, Katherine Starr Dana

Masters Projects

This project examines culturally responsive teaching in the art education classroom. As diversity in student populations increase in art rooms all across the United States, there is a lack of diversity in the teaching workforce-which remains predominately White and female (Lee, 2012). In order to bridge the overwhelming demographic divide to meet the needs of all students, art teachers must become better positioned to work in increasingly diverse school populations and create meaningful connections to student’s experiences. In order to achieve this goal, art teachers must become culturally competent through the use of culturally responsive teaching. The project is a …

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Retention Of Novice Teachers, Renna Varano Aug 2022

Retention Of Novice Teachers, Renna Varano

Masters Projects

The field of education is a constantly unsettled field with new pedagogical trends, new policies and immense attrition rates at every turn. Upon attempting to study the causes and effects of teacher attrition, it can be deduced that there is no one cause yet one major effect: student achievement. Schools that have lower rates of student achievement typically have difficulty maintaining a highly effective teaching staff. This issue affects any and all types of schools, some more than others. In order to guarantee students a right to an equitable education, school leaders must create supportive mentoring and induction programs for …

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Secondary Science Classrooms Are Not Engaging Enough To Draw Marginalized Students Into Stem Courses., Derek Ottenbaker Aug 2022

Secondary Science Classrooms Are Not Engaging Enough To Draw Marginalized Students Into Stem Courses., Derek Ottenbaker

Masters Projects

The problem being addressed in this project is that science classrooms are not engaging enough to hold students' attention and this is lowering the number of students in STEM majors and careers, especially marginalized groups. Data and research show that the world has an increasing need for people in STEM fields and the current data suggest that there are not enough qualified people in these fields or studying to enter these fields in the future. Research has also shown that there are ways to increase the amount of interest in STEM courses and most teachers will be able to tweak …

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The Development Of The Soft Skills Within Social Studies Curriculum, Bradley G. Boven Aug 2022

The Development Of The Soft Skills Within Social Studies Curriculum, Bradley G. Boven

Masters Projects

The project being done has the objective to bring attention to teachers of the lack of soft skills being taught within the social studies curriculum. This project's end goal is to use research that covers the importance of soft skills for students to develop as well as project based learning to implement it. The key findings are that project based learning when being used within the classroom can develop soft skills for students to critically think, collaborate with others, and problem solve while developing intrinsic motivators for their own work. The project that had been instituted was for a professional …

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Diversity In Educational Resources, Samantha Mae Howe Aug 2022

Diversity In Educational Resources, Samantha Mae Howe

Masters Projects

Educational resources need to be more diverse to better reflect the populations of classroom communities. Students identifying as Lesbian Gay Bisexual and/or Transgender (LGBT), girls and women, and students from ethnically and/or racially marginalized communities are affected by the classroom content they consume and are taught. This project focuses on the impacts of diversity in educational resources and how intersectional Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) can alleviate the harmful impacts of a one-sided narrative in curriculum. The unit plan included at the end of the project details how teachers can embed diversity into content curriculum and include diverse perspectives while effectively …

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Supporting Early Childhood Educators, Lindsey Selby Aug 2022

Supporting Early Childhood Educators, Lindsey Selby

Masters Projects

This is an exploration into the causes for increasingly high turnover and burnout rates in staffing Early Childhood Educators. Current teachers are leaving the field for numerous reasons; mainly low compensation, lack of supports, and stress in the workplace. The project itself seeks to find alternative solutions to increasing retention rates for ECE teachers when there is not an option for higher compensation packages in the budget. This is a compilation of what the research has shown to be successful retention tools for educators, providing resources for those in leadership positions within an early learning program. An introductory document provided …

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A Framework For Interdisciplinary Read Aloud Lessons, Lyndsey M. Bensel Aug 2022

A Framework For Interdisciplinary Read Aloud Lessons, Lyndsey M. Bensel

Masters Projects

Science and social studies instruction at the elementary level has diminished in quantity and quality as a result of increasing pressure to maximize English language arts achievement. This approach exchanges short term gains in reading proficiency for long term deficits across many disciplines. Research establishes a strong connection between background knowledge gained through content area learning and the ability to comprehend expository texts. Moreover, deprioritizing science and social studies instruction limits opportunities to explore disciplinary literacy practices which serve as the foundation for acquiring knowledge in different disciplines. The framework for interdisciplinary read aloud lessons developed through this project, will …

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Promoting Trauma Informed Professional Learning And Practices For Staff And Student Success, Rachel E. Anderson Aug 2022

Promoting Trauma Informed Professional Learning And Practices For Staff And Student Success, Rachel E. Anderson

Masters Projects

Educating students is incredibly important life’s work. When done successfully, it requires teachers and staff members to not only find independently successful strategies for each student to learn academics at their own personal highest caliber, but it also requires us to form authentic and caring relationships with each and every student inside our building. Offering students an emotionally safe environment where they know they are valued and supported is oftentimes undervalued in this nation of high stakes testing as the determinant of sole success. However, in order to “get to” the academics, we need to begin by pouring into our …

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Developing Teacher Knowledge Of The Science Of Reading: Phonemic Awareness & Phonics, Megan Erin Dziedzic Aug 2022

Developing Teacher Knowledge Of The Science Of Reading: Phonemic Awareness & Phonics, Megan Erin Dziedzic

Masters Projects

In 2000 the National Reading Panel addressed the low reading proficiency of students in the United States with a report detailing the result of many meta-analysis studies regarding five key areas of literacy: literacy, phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension (Report of the National Reading Panel, 2000). Through compiling research regarding literacy teaching practices, the panel concluded that to improve literacy scores, we need to focus on research-based, systematic, and explicit instruction, especially in the foundational years of lower elementary (Report of the National Reading Panel, 2000). The science of reading is a broad heading that incorporates neuroscience research …

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Small Group Interventions For Students From Single Parent Households, Gerrit Immink Aug 2022

Small Group Interventions For Students From Single Parent Households, Gerrit Immink

Masters Projects

Research shows that children raised by a single parent often exhibit increased behavioral problems, anxiety, loneliness, stress, and aggressiveness. Divorce, the death of a parent, and parental incarceration are all prominent factors that can lead to children being raised in single parent homes. Small group counseling interventions that focus on these unique situations have been shown to increase self-concept and self-esteem, as well as self-confidence. These interventions have also shown to increase students positive coping skills and decrease feelings of depression and anxiety. This project is a guide to be used by school counselors to build and facilitate counseling small …

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Every Good Thing: Promoting Culturally Relevant Education And Early Literacy Skills Of Young African American Boys Living In Poverty, Laura Thormann Aug 2022

Every Good Thing: Promoting Culturally Relevant Education And Early Literacy Skills Of Young African American Boys Living In Poverty, Laura Thormann

Masters Projects

Research has shown a persistent literacy achievement gap between African American males and their peers. This problem has its roots in historical inequity within urban schools serving students living in poverty, as well as gaps in school readiness and learning related skills among many young Black boys. This project seeks to understand the various components affecting emergent literacy within these communities and seeks to better understand how teachers and schools can form meaningful and productive partnerships with families. For too long these children and families have been viewed through a deficit model and have struggled to form positive self-identities as …

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Improving Writing Instruction Through Professional Development, Katherine Irene Miller Aug 2022

Improving Writing Instruction Through Professional Development, Katherine Irene Miller

Masters Projects

Educators have many demands placed on them that influences classroom instruction and the amount of time spent on each subject area. Teachers typically spend a large part of the day focusing on reading. However, they are less likely to spend the same amount of time on writing instruction. This project states the importance of writing instruction having an equal amount of time devoted to it as reading and should be taught in coordination with reading. It is important for students to receive quality writing instruction because it is a skill they will need to develop to become successful in post …

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Phonological Awareness Activities For Students With Reading Challenges, Kelsey Dewitt Aug 2022

Phonological Awareness Activities For Students With Reading Challenges, Kelsey Dewitt

Masters Projects

Phonological awareness has become more prevalent in schools over the years, but students with dyslexia and other forms of reading challenges tend to still struggle. One out of three fourth graders struggle with reading, and instruction is usually done orally and in a whole group setting. There is also a lack of visuals and manipulatives. Phonological awareness is the ability to work with letter sounds and manipulate them in words. A few examples include blending sounds together, taking one sound out to replace with another, and identifying the first sound in a word. These skills equip students for reading and …

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Increasing Diverse Literature In Early Elementary Classrooms Through Professional Learning Communities, Abigail Marie Williamson Aug 2022

Increasing Diverse Literature In Early Elementary Classrooms Through Professional Learning Communities, Abigail Marie Williamson

Masters Projects

There is a need for teachers to include high quality diverse texts into their classrooms, especially in the classroom library. The purpose of this project is to provide Kindergarten through Second Grade teachers with access to diverse literature that can be utilized in classroom read alouds as well as added to classroom libraries to help young students establish their identity as readers. Participating in a year long Professional Learning Community about diverse texts will help teachers develop the necessary knowledge and skills to begin to build their foundation for utilizing and including diverse texts in their classrooms through discussion and …

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Developing Coping Strategies For Early Elementary Students In Relation To Anxiety, Kayle M. Ogrodzinski Aug 2022

Developing Coping Strategies For Early Elementary Students In Relation To Anxiety, Kayle M. Ogrodzinski

Masters Theses

There has been a growing concern about the number of students exhibiting anxiety in schools. Research shows that implementing interventions can help reduce the amount anxiety in students. School counselors can implement small group lessons with a focus on a theoretical approach using cognitive behavioral therapy to help address this concern. This method allows the student to be in control of their feeling and learn to cope with what is making them anxious. This project acts as a guide for school counselors to implement small group lessons. It provides an outline of seven weekly sessions for students in early elementary …

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New Literacies In The Classroom: An Exploration Of The Differences In Reading Comprehension Between New And Traditional Literacies, Brenna A. Holsclaw Aug 2022

New Literacies In The Classroom: An Exploration Of The Differences In Reading Comprehension Between New And Traditional Literacies, Brenna A. Holsclaw

Masters Projects

The use of New Literacies within the classroom has become commonplace over the last few years, as educators work to stay engaging and meet the needs of students in our rapidly changing world. While there are many potential benefits in using these technologies, this project asserts the importance of explicit instruction in the realm of new literacy mediums, as research indicates that reading and writing practices face different struggles between traditional mediums and digital mediums. In spite of this, most educators are unaware that new literacies need to be addressed in a different manner than traditional literacies and continue to …

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An Examination Of Reading Interventions At The Upper Elementary Level, Bethany Vangessel Aug 2022

An Examination Of Reading Interventions At The Upper Elementary Level, Bethany Vangessel

Masters Projects

Students of all ages face challenges in their reading and while some challenges begin early in learning to read, other challenges develop as students begin reading more complex texts. However, research into the most effective forms of intervention for students who struggle with reading have focused more on beginning readers in the lower elementary grades. As students enter the upper elementary grades, there are increased demands on foundational reading skills with multisyllabic words, comprehension, and the added pressure of standardized testing. Changing demands on reading skills result in a more diverse need to intervention as students may struggle with foundational …

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Professional Learning Communities: A Way To Provide General Education Teachers With Strategies To Support Fluency, Meredith Skorupski Aug 2022

Professional Learning Communities: A Way To Provide General Education Teachers With Strategies To Support Fluency, Meredith Skorupski

Masters Projects

General education teachers are tasked with the important and challenging job of teaching a diverse group of students each school year. Students’ struggles range and are influenced by environmental and social factors. To meet the needs of their students, teachers must be provided with instructional guidance for using research-based strategies to combat areas of concern. Professional learning communities on the topic of fluency provide a space for these conversations to happen within schools. Fluency is an overlooked aspect of reading, but it vital for a student’s reading growth. This project will provide the framework needed for professional learning communities on …

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Increasing Access To Early College Programs At The Beginning Of High School, Jennifer Schmotzer Aug 2022

Increasing Access To Early College Programs At The Beginning Of High School, Jennifer Schmotzer

Masters Projects

Early College Programs (ECP) seek to increase the college pipeline for traditionally underrepresented students in a postsecondary environment: first-generation college students, minorities, and low-income families. While these programs have seen significant success and grown rapidly across the United States, some students are still not accessing an ECP due to real or perceived barriers. Some of these barriers include stereotype threat, academic resiliency, knowledge about higher education, academic achievement, and navigating the transition from a K12 environment to a postsecondary environment. This proposed project seeks to design a coaching curriculum similar to the success of a summer bridge program (Duncheon, 2020) …

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An Instructional Framework To Building Comprehension And Engagement Through Dialogic And Metacognitive Inquiry, Alicia Eileen Wells Aug 2022

An Instructional Framework To Building Comprehension And Engagement Through Dialogic And Metacognitive Inquiry, Alicia Eileen Wells

Masters Projects

The highly Anglicized cannon of literature found in American high schools, combined with an antiquated and oversimplified literacy pedagogy, is leaving students disengaged and lacking a nuanced understanding of the literature. Consequently, intermediate and novice learners fail to develop proficient comprehension of assigned materials. This is due to two significant problems: (1) a lack of culturally relevant pedagogy and cultural responsiveness, and (2) a lack of historical, social, and cultural schema. By examining and connecting sociocultural theory, reader response theory, and schema theory, this project will create an instructional framework to facilitate student engagement within an English language arts classroom. …

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The American Dream In Crisis: How Student Debt Impacts The Educational Experiences Of Black Students, Jessie N. Webb Aug 2022

The American Dream In Crisis: How Student Debt Impacts The Educational Experiences Of Black Students, Jessie N. Webb

McNair Scholars Manuscripts

In a society riddled with inequities, student debt can be viewed as a crisis for which long term solutions are a necessity. For Black students, student debt has detrimental effects on their overall college experience, including negative implications on their economic status, academic performance, emotional/mental well-being, as well as inhibiting social/civic engagement. This research will highlight the financial disadvantages that Black students undergo, which leads to an oppressive cycle of student debt and limits social mobility. With the stressors of student debt, Black students lose out on engaging socially with peers, as well as having enough time to focus on …

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Investigating Best Practices For Engaging Chemistry Students In Online Learning, Megan Smith Aug 2022

Investigating Best Practices For Engaging Chemistry Students In Online Learning, Megan Smith

Student Summer Scholars Manuscripts

This project investigated two online delivery methods to identify how to best support student learning. Students were grouped based on chemistry background and took part in one of two content lessons appropriate to their experience. These two content groups were then divided based on delivery method: asynchronous or synchronous. Participants completed a pre- and post-test around the lesson, with only content delivery method differing within groups; asynchronous students watched a video lecture, while synchronous students participated in a real-time lecture online. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. While student test scores improved pre-post, no statistical significance was seen in …

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Financial Literacy: A Case Study On Current Practices, Briana Lee Hammontree Aug 2022

Financial Literacy: A Case Study On Current Practices, Briana Lee Hammontree

Masters Theses

In the last few years, the concern for financial illiteracy among teenagers has only grown as the economy has shifted. Many teenagers feel unprepared and unsecured moving forward with their finances as adults. This issue is intensified further among low-income and marginalized youths who deal with additional hardship in their lives. Accessibility is a huge issue among teenagers and the role of financial literacy of their lives in education is often predetermined by government officials and policies they can only really advocate for change for but cannot vote on. In this research I explore the concept of utilizing social innovation …

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Impactful Digital Technology: Connecting With Nature In Early Childhood, Kathleen A. White Aug 2022

Impactful Digital Technology: Connecting With Nature In Early Childhood, Kathleen A. White

Masters Projects

Young children are increasingly found to be spending their free time passively engaging with various types of digital technology. This has become one of the primary reasons why children’s time spent outdoors is diminishing. It has also led to an increase in negative health and developmental concerns. Children suffer from what has been deemed Nature Deficit Disorder, first coined by Richard Louv. Their lack of feeling connected with the natural world early on decreases the chances of them becoming a steward of that same world later in life. The studies have shown that although many believe young children should be …

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Lanthorn, Vol. 57, No. 01, August 1, 2022, Grand Valley State University Aug 2022

Lanthorn, Vol. 57, No. 01, August 1, 2022, Grand Valley State University

Volume 57, August 1, 2022 - April 10, 2023

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

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Curriculum Is A Map, Not A Gps: Culturally Responsive Reading Instruction In Urban Schools, Danielle Hay Jul 2022

Curriculum Is A Map, Not A Gps: Culturally Responsive Reading Instruction In Urban Schools, Danielle Hay

Masters Projects

With the literacy achievement gap growing, particularly in urban schools, many teachers are missing the training, tools, and support necessary to best meet the needs of their students beyond the curriculum given. This project argues the importance of sustainable teacher improvement through reflective, collaborative professional development and the support of a literacy coach. To attain the highest impact on student achievement, teachers must have a deep understanding of their students as well as evaluate their current teaching practices to identify where students may need additional support and what classroom practices may need to be adjusted. By providing students with a …

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Public School Absenteeism And The Impact Of Covid-19, Melanie M. Griffore Jul 2022

Public School Absenteeism And The Impact Of Covid-19, Melanie M. Griffore

Masters Projects

The impact of regular school attendance is invaluable for students, especially at-risk children. COVID 19 has presented many challenges for students, including absenteeism. Today, many public schools ask that students stay home when ill or test positive for COVID 19. Although this is important for the health and safety of students, it has also sent mixed messages to some families, especially those that previously struggled to attend school regularly. Absenteeism is rising; research has shown it negatively impacts academic success. More than ever, schools need to take steps to combat absenteeism and help students and their families see education in …

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The Spirit Murdering Of Black Kindergarteners By The Lock And Load Literacy Routine, Amber Lawson Jul 2022

The Spirit Murdering Of Black Kindergarteners By The Lock And Load Literacy Routine, Amber Lawson

Michigan Reading Journal

No abstract provided.

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