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Investigating The L2 Motivational Self System Of Mauritanian Efl Learners: A Unique L2 Learning Experience, Casey Hatlevoll
Investigating The L2 Motivational Self System Of Mauritanian Efl Learners: A Unique L2 Learning Experience, Casey Hatlevoll
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This study investigated Mauritanian EFL learner motivation through the lens of Dörnyei’s (2009) L2 Motivational Self System. The research question was: Within a private English center context, how is the motivation of Mauritanian EFL learners impacted by their L2 selves and the L2 Learning Experience? Specifically, two sub-questions were addressed: (1) Within learners’ L2 Motivational Self Systems, how does the impact of the L2 Self compare with the impact of the L2 Learning Experience? and (2) Which aspects of the L2 Learning Experience within the English center’s learning environment foster learner motivation?. A mixed-methods design was utilized, including a motivation …
Increasing Student Motivation In English Language Arts Through Student Choice, Jennifer Baker
Increasing Student Motivation In English Language Arts Through Student Choice, Jennifer Baker
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The purpose of this capstone project was to design and implement a digital website where resources are readily available for teachers and students in order to increase motivation in reading. This project sought to answer the question Can providing student choice improve student motivation in a middle school English Language Arts class? My love of reading happened early in my life and it has made me a lifelong reader, and this inspired me to instill that love in middle school students. The research conducted in this capstone indicates that increasing student engagement in reading is highly dependent upon building student …
Project Based Learning As A Teaching And Learning Method For Middle School Ells, Chandreyee Basu Thakur
Project Based Learning As A Teaching And Learning Method For Middle School Ells, Chandreyee Basu Thakur
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The rise in immigration to the United States in recent years has led to an increase in linguistic and racial diversity in schools. As a result, students with lower levels of English proficiency are often neglected in the classroom. I learned in my studies at Hamline University that the result of this is what Gloria Ladson-Billings (2006) calls the “opportunity gap.” Teaching in India for many years, I incorporated various projects to make content comprehensible. Project based learning increases participation and understanding. Through my capstone project, I wanted to create the possibility of a more active learning environment for my …
Finding Fit In The Science Classroom: Applying Self-Determination Theory To Twice-Exceptional Students, John Burrell
Finding Fit In The Science Classroom: Applying Self-Determination Theory To Twice-Exceptional Students, John Burrell
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
In line with self-determination theory (Deci and Ryan, 2000; Ryan and Deci, 2017), this thesis explored how practices employed in a classroom between November 2020 through January 2021 affected satisfaction of students’ basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Thirteen twice-exceptional students (gifted and learning disabled) between grades 4-10 participated in this mixed-methods study at an independent school in the upper midwest. Additionally, four of the thirteen students were selected as case studies to be interviewed and observed throughout the study period. This study explored how the implementation of needs-supportive practices, along with COVID-19 mitigation strategies (including distance-learning), affected …
Minnesota School Forest Program: An Evaluation And Exploration Of Implementations, Madisson Weier
Minnesota School Forest Program: An Evaluation And Exploration Of Implementations, Madisson Weier
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to examine the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources School Forest Program through answering the following questions: what are the strengths and limitations of the School Forest Program; What are the impacts of individual teacher objectives on the utilization and implementation of the School Forest Program? These questions were investigated using data collected from a survey sent to School Forest Coordinators as well as a data request to the Department of Natural Resources. This study found that participants in the School Forest Program feel that their School Forests add many positive benefits to their classrooms …
How Can Music Most Effectively Be Used In The English Learner Classroom, Robert Ryden
How Can Music Most Effectively Be Used In The English Learner Classroom, Robert Ryden
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Music is an omnipresent part of everyday life. Whether it’s in the background or the foreground, music is everywhere. This capstone project aims to deliver the best answer to the question: How can music most effectively be used in the EL classroom? Effectively using music in the EL classroom involves understanding how to thoughtfully select the right music for the right situation, how to use music to build community and social skills among students, and how music can be used to positively impact the language learning process. Through this project, educators are also given the opportunity to participate in a …
Helping Primary School Students Exposed To Stress Or Trauma To Learn In The Language Classroom, Ekaterina Shamaeva
Helping Primary School Students Exposed To Stress Or Trauma To Learn In The Language Classroom, Ekaterina Shamaeva
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Perhaps, every teacher would like to see their students thrive academically and succeed in their future careers. However, some learners face challenges which are not related neither to their individual characteristics, nor to aptitude, but to stressful and traumatic experiences in their lives, which represent huge barriers on the way to success. Therefore, the question addressed in this project was how can English as foreign language teachers in Russia mitigate the impact of stress and trauma on primary school learners to facilitate learning in the language classroom? Extensive literature review concludes that the effects of stress and trauma at a …
Improving Engagement And Literacy Skills With Choice Literacy Centers, Katelin Laugen
Improving Engagement And Literacy Skills With Choice Literacy Centers, Katelin Laugen
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
As students transition to middle and high school, opportunities for student choice within curriculum become limited, and there is a need for students to have authentic literacy and decision-making opportunities. Key influences during research of this project include Kelly Gallagher, Gail Boushey and Joan Moser, and Linda Gambrell and Lesley Mandel Morrow’s Best Practices in Literacy Instruction. Research indicates that benefits of literacy centers include fostering engagement, literacy skill growth, opportunities for small-group instruction, and developing student autonomy. The curriculum designed for this project took the form of student choice literacy centers. The purpose of this project was to design …
Service-Learning And Language Acquisition In Secondary English Language Learners, Martha Schultz
Service-Learning And Language Acquisition In Secondary English Language Learners, Martha Schultz
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The driving question in this capstone is, how does service-learning promote academic success and language acquisition in secondary English language learners (ELLs)? Research shows service-learning makes learning more meaningful and increases student motivation across disciplines. While a growing number of studies have documented the benefits of using service-learning in the language classroom at the post-secondary level to aid in language acquisition, this pedagogy is not commonly used in the English Language (EL) classroom at the elementary and secondary level. Yet, ELLs across the United States are struggling both academically and socially. The goal of this project is to illustrate how …
Growing Mindset And Goals: A Blog Designed To Lead Intrinsic Motivation In Students, Alison Prahl
Growing Mindset And Goals: A Blog Designed To Lead Intrinsic Motivation In Students, Alison Prahl
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research conducted by Dr. Carol Dweck clearly demonstrates the importance of building a foundation of growth mindset in order to build resiliency in students. Not only does this resiliency help students overcome challenges but also supports students in building lifelong skills, such as: forming and carrying out goals, receiving and utilizing feedback, and increasing intrinsic motivation in a variety of settings. The educational blog designed for this project focuses on sharing research relating to mindset theory, gifted students, goal setting, feedback, intrinsic motivation in adolescents, and curriculum materials. It also provides educators with free resources to begin implementing a combination …
Engaging Secondary School Students In The Process Of Writing With Expressivist Pedagogy, Alla Boulos
Engaging Secondary School Students In The Process Of Writing With Expressivist Pedagogy, Alla Boulos
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The composition pedagogy of expressivism, which grew out of process theory in the 1960s has been influencing academia’s approach to teaching writing for several decades. The major characteristics of this pedagogy first outlined by its most prominent champion Peter Elbow include the focus on the process rather than the product of writing, the personalization of academic writing with inclusion of personal experiences and pronouns, the lack of textbooks and prescriptive atmosphere, the use of low stakes writing assignments like freewriting and journaling, and the prevalent use of formative assessment techniques such as writing workshops, peer responses, and portfolios. Although expressivism …
Choice Based Directing: Promoting Inclusivity In Middle School Theatre Programs, Brooklyn Riggs
Choice Based Directing: Promoting Inclusivity In Middle School Theatre Programs, Brooklyn Riggs
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Riggs, B. Choice-Based Directing: Promoting Inclusivity in Middle School Theatre Programs (2021) The research question addressed in this capstone project was, how can implementing Choice-Based Directing promote inclusivity in a middle school theatre program? The capstone documents one theatre teacher/director’s self-created process of directing and teaching middle school theatre students. Choice-Based Directing integrates student voice and choice into learning on stage. The author presents research, personal experience, and the program results of implementing Choice-Based Directing. As an aspect of this work, a professional development for middle school theatre educators was created with the goal of helping teachers and directors learn …