Education Commons^™

Effects Of Nature Play In Early Childhood Education, Alicia Joy Chaney

Masters Projects

There has been much research conducted recently on outdoor education as it gains popularity. Nature play and the construction of playscapes instead of playgrounds has become focal at the early childhood level. This project examines the research on the benefits that nature-based outdoor play provides to children and the outcomes of play space makeovers. The research also examines the role that teachers have in providing children with nature play. Western Michigan is lacking in nature-based early childhood education programs. This project focuses on providing professional development to licensed childcare programs in Michigan, specifically family and group home daycares. The professional …

Lanthorn, Vol. 56, No. 15, November 29, 2021, Grand Valley State University

Volume 56, August 2, 2021 - April 18, 2022

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

University Libraries Faculty Assembly - Racism Impact Statement & Dean's Response, Annie Bélanger, University Libraries Faculty Assembly

Library Reports and Communication

Racism and white supremacy culture have a profound impact on nonwhite faculty in higher education and throughout the tenure and promotion process. This document is intended to acknowledge the impact of racism on the tenure and promotion process in general as well as in our specific context of Grand Valley State University (GVSU) Libraries. It is not intended to be comprehensive of everyone’s lived experiences or of the effects of racism on all.

Lanthorn, Vol. 56, No. 14, November 22, 2021, Grand Valley State University

Volume 56, August 2, 2021 - April 18, 2022

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

English-For-Teaching In Higher Education: Discourse Functions And Language Exemplars, Eun-Young Julia Kim

MITESOL Journal: An Online Publication of MITESOL

Increasingly more colleges and universities in non-English speaking countries are requiring instructors to teach in English. Although existing research addresses various issues related to using English as a medium of instruction in higher education, few studies have specifically addressed how to provide language scaffolding to college instructors who are asked to teach their subjects in English for the first time. The study builds on Freeman et al.’s (2015) discourse functions for English-for-teaching and presents a refined functional framework to suit college-level classes. It provides authentic language samples to help instructors prepare to teach in English based on the analysis of …

Lanthorn, Vol. 56, No. 13, November 15, 2021, Grand Valley State University

Volume 56, August 2, 2021 - April 18, 2022

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

Lanthorn, Vol. 56, No. 12, November 8, 2021, Grand Valley State University

Volume 56, August 2, 2021 - April 18, 2022

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

Lanthorn, Vol. 56, No. 11, November 1, 2021, Grand Valley State University

Volume 56, August 2, 2021 - April 18, 2022

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

Wrt 150: Strategies In Writing Oer Curation, Chealsye Bowley

Curated OER Collections

This OER curation is an annotated bibliography of potential OER for the high-enrollment Strategies in Writing course at GVSU, and is based on a sample of syllabi rather than for a specific instructor.

Lanthorn, Vol. 56, No. 10, October 25, 2021, Grand Valley State University

Volume 56, August 2, 2021 - April 18, 2022

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

Lanthorn, Vol. 56, No. 09, October 18, 2021, Grand Valley State University

Volume 56, August 2, 2021 - April 18, 2022

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

Lanthorn, Vol. 56, No. 08, October 11, 2021, Grand Valley State University

Volume 56, August 2, 2021 - April 18, 2022

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

Lanthorn, Vol. 56, No. 07, October 4, 2021, Grand Valley State University

Volume 56, August 2, 2021 - April 18, 2022

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

Grand Valley Magazine, Vol. 21, No. 2, Fall 2021, Grand Valley State University

Grand Valley Magazine

Grand Valley Magazine is a quarterly publication about Grand Valley State University produced by University Communications since 2001.

Ithaka S+R: Teaching With Data In The Social Sciences, Gayle Schaub, Samantha Minnis

Scholarly Papers and Articles

In the Winter of 2021, Grand Valley State University (GVSU) joined 20 other institutions to participate in an Ithaka S+R study to understand the instructional and technical support needs of social science faculty using data in their courses. Each participating institution served as a research site with a local team of researchers. This report outlines the methodology, findings, and recommendations for instructional faculty, librarians, and administrators.

Lanthorn, Vol. 56, No. 06, September 27, 2021, Grand Valley State University

Volume 56, August 2, 2021 - April 18, 2022

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

Lanthorn, Vol. 56, No. 05, September 20, 2021, Grand Valley State University

Volume 56, August 2, 2021 - April 18, 2022

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

Lanthorn, Vol. 56, No. 04, September 13, 2021, Grand Valley State University

Volume 56, August 2, 2021 - April 18, 2022

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

Lanthorn, Vol. 56, No. 03, September 7, 2021, Grand Valley State University

Volume 56, August 2, 2021 - April 18, 2022

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

Lanthorn, Vol. 56, No. 02, August 30, 2021, Grand Valley State University

Volume 56, August 2, 2021 - April 18, 2022

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

Trauma-Informed Care: An Elementary Perspective, Alexandria Hutchison

Masters Projects

Trauma affects a significant portion of the elementary student population and hinders students' academic achievement, social wellbeing, and emotional health. In fact, almost forty percent of students in the United States have been exposed to a traumatic stressor in their lives (Brunzell et al., 2016). There are numerous effects associated with trauma. Teachers serve as the first line of mental health professionals to support these children; therefore, it is essential that they receive proper preparation in trauma-informed care and classroom sup- ports. This project includes an in-service training program for elementary teachers and a set of classroom lessons that support …

Strategies For Raising Low Test Scores Of Minority Students, Shanika Y. Mcclendon

Masters Theses

Abstract

This project is an in-service professional development to prepare teachers for implementing effective strategies for raising minority test scores on standardized tests. These strategies focus on the development of vocabulary and on students’ self-efficacy. The literature shows that the failure for African American and minority students to be successful on standardized test is likely due to lack of support, resources, and adequate preparation. Furthermore, the literature reveals that most of these tests are probably biased toward these students’ cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Studies also show other factors such as stress, stereotyping, depression, and anxiety. Taking into consideration these factors, …

Gender Bias In The Classroom: An In-Service To Create Change, David Schmidt

Masters Projects

Female students are not often treated the same way as male students in the elementary classroom. Teachers bring their gender bias into their daily practices and unknowingly encourage male student towards STEM subjects and female students away from STEM subjects. This results in a gender gap in STEM careers. This project aims to combat gender bias by holding an in-service. Research supports the idea that once bias has been addressed in individuals, they are less likely to hold on to their bias. Participants will take a test to discover their bias, be presented with relevant research, read an article on …

The Effects Of Bullying And Solutions To Bullying Of Lgbtq+ Students In Schools, Mandy K. Wallstead

Masters Projects

Research has revealed the effects that peer bullying has on LGBTQ+ students in public schools. This project focuses on the prevention of LGBTQ+ student bullying. This is done by teaching school policy makers and educators in understanding LGBTQ+ issues for the development of a positive school climate where everyone should thrive. The incorporation of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Minority Stress theory created a method for understanding and interpreting the research compiled. The research has shown that professional developments for educators, adding curriculum into classrooms, and utilizing LGBTQ+ anti-bullying policies can diminish the effects of bullying against LGBTQ+ students. To …

Lanthorn, Vol. 56, No. 01, August 2, 2021, Grand Valley State University

Volume 56, August 2, 2021 - April 18, 2022

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

Improving Literacy Homework In The Primary Grades Through Interactive Family Reading, Lisa Mulder

Masters Projects

Homework is common practice in most elementary school classrooms as teachers try to reinforce material learned in class through the help of parents and families at home. However, research has shown homework to have little impact on students’ academic achievement in the elementary grades. Homework can even cause an increased stress level in young students, a negative impact on motivation, and friction with family members. Elementary parents and teachers need to reevaluate homework’s effectiveness and its impact on today’s busy families.

This project proposes reframing traditional paper-pencil review homework in favor of family-centered reading time. When students are given too …

Standardized Testing And The Call For Alternative Assessment Methods, Rebekah Weiss

Masters Projects

Standardized testing has become the primary means of measuring success of students, educational stakeholders, and educational entities themselves, in turn permeating a practice of subsidiarity while further segregating educational opportunities for the American public. The research suggests this gap in practice is due to federal mandates enforcing standardized testing policies that hinder educational leaders from assessing students in more reliable ways. The experimental qualities of the research also contribute to this gap because the educational research holds a lack of generalizability and weak external validity due to subject and researcher bias’. This practice in subsidiarity could be addressed by taking …

Incorporating Systematic Phonics Instruction Into Daily Reading Curriculum, Rachel Pennock

Masters Projects

Research reiterates how instilling a strong reading foundation in young students is vital to their growth in the future. Today, students in early elementary need continuous support in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. In order to meet the needs of students, teachers must incorporate a systematic phonics program into their daily reading instruction.

A systematic phonics program uses a scope and sequence to teach reading skills to students. It begins with phonemic awareness and evolves into basic decoding skills, as well as word recognition. Teachers teach new skills through whole group instruction, and alongside students through intentional small …

Modern Languages, Modern Learning: Tandem Language Programs In K-12 Education, Sarah Cremin

Honors Projects

The following essay will discuss research on the benefits and drawbacks of implementing intercultural exchange by means of Tandem language learning programs in K-12 Schools. One promising outlet to foster global communication and internationalization of learning is Tandem language learning. Authors María Vassallo and João A. Telles share the following definition: "Foreign language learning in-tandem involves pairs of (native or competent) speakers whose aim is to learn each other's language by means of bilingual conversation sessions." The focus of this research is to evaluate the appeal, effectiveness, utility, and reliability of these online programs in the context of today's classrooms.

Home Literacy As A Way To Improve Students’ Academic Achievement And Motivation, Foster Strong Familial Relationships, And Bridge The Gap Between Home And School: A Framework For Custom Family Literacy Programs, Julia Marie Brown

Masters Projects

A child’s home environment is one of the greatest contributors to their social and cultural background, as it innately impacts their educational experiences and attitudes towards learning. Similarly, language development and literacy are deeply rooted in social, cultural, and historical experiences. Thus, the integration of literacy within home environments can strengthen families, contribute to overall academic success, and increase motivation and engagement amongst learners. While researchers and educators alike agree that fostering strong home literacy environments is beneficial for families as a whole and children as learners, many family literacy programs fail to bridge the gap between home and school …