Education Commons^™

Holistically Discouraging School Aged Students And Youth From Joining And/Or Becoming Affiliated With Gangs And Gang Violence, Megan Steinhoff

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Currently there is varying research on gang affiliation and how it impacts various communities. Schools are one place where we see gang affiliation and violence affecting a large community. The present Capstone project attempts to look at how school communities can holistically discourage young students from joining a gang or being involved in gang violence. Most importantly, how can educators create a plan to systemically change the way students, especially Black students and students of color, move within the space of education and a school community. Research from Hagadorn (1998) was highly influential in the project. His gang research conducted …

Implementing Cultural Sustaining Literacy: Curriculum Unit Plans, Adewale Adenodi

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Abstract

The research question that is being addressed in this capstone project is: How can we create curriculums and environments that integrate equitably and culturally sustaining literacy practices in high school Social Studies settings that intentionally consider all learners? This paper discusses the creation of curriculums rooted in the approaches of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy and Equitable Literacy Practices. Additionally, this document discusses the creation of a 12th Grade US Government curriculum that seeks to respond to the work of Muhammed (2020), Hammond (2015) and Paris & Alim (2014). Historically Responsive Literacy Framework from the book Cultivating Genius is one of …

The Power Of Language And Its Integral Role In Lgbtq+ Inclusion In Education, Jay Carr

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Abstract

Carr, J. (2021). The Power of Language and Its Integral Role in LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Education Language plays a central role in our daily lives; it is through language that we name, identify, and differentiate everyone and everything in our world. It is through language that dominant, heteronormative discourses have been established surrounding gender and sexuality. Heteronormativity positions heterosexual and cisgender (identifying with the sex / gender assigned at birth) identities as normal and natural, while excluding and oppressing LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer / questioning, + other non-conforming identities) individuals. Despite a heavy push for ‘diversity’ and …

Songs And Salamanders: Investigating The Relationship Between Music And Environmental Education, Walker Nyenhuis

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Environmental education and creative arts such as music have complemented each other for many years. This capstone project investigates the relationship between the two disciplines by asking the question: How can environmental educators use music to increase students’ understanding of the natural world? Focusing on the professional development of environmental educators and other informal educators is important because these individuals will have many opportunities to promote connection between students and the natural world throughout their careers. Musicians and songwriters such as the Banana Slug String Band and Joe Reilly provide invaluable examples of musical experiences that both inform and entertain …

Muslim Parents’ Expectations In The Public High School Education System, Tamer Hamid

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this capstone project is, what are the expectations of some Muslim parents of high-school-age students. These expectations include prayer, Ramadan, observation of Islamic holidays, school schedule, school meals, school curriculum, gender separation in physical education classes, and teacher insensitivity. In a humble effort to set my fellow educators up for success and expand their knowledge base, a professional development plan is designed as a source that would mainly include high school administrators, teachers, staff members, community members, and anyone invested in the welfare and success of a school with any number of high school Muslim …

Instructional Support For Vocational Esl Teachers, Amy Zoerb

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Workplace/Occupational/Vocational ESL (VESL) is a growing approach within English for Specific Purposes (ESP), fueled by national initiatives such as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and Integrated Education and Training (IET) among others. However, teacher training and support is often lacking for ESL teachers within these areas. This led to the research question, how can instructional support be provided to teachers of adult learners in Vocational ESL (VESL) programs? The creation of a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) for VESL instructors was developed in response to this question, which is collected into a facilitator guide. The Faculty Learning Community is …

Tprs In Esl Programs: A Storytelling Approach, Karl Schaumann

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project is an effort to incorporate TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling) into a middle-school sheltered ESL curriculum. TPRS is a promising methodology that has been used in foreign language acquisition classes for decades, but has not yet had a significant impact on ESL education in the United States. The accompanying paper examines the process of adapting this methodology to best serve the needs of English learners, which are distinct from foreign-language learners in critical ways. Relevant topics in the literature review include an overview of ESL in the United States today, the principles of language acquisition, …

Culturally Relevant Pedagogy In The Online Elementary Classroom, Kelsey Iverson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) is a critical component of ensuring equity and contributes to creating a safe, nurturing, and supportive learning environment for all students (Ladson-Billings, 1995). With the increase of students of color entering the online learning sphere (U.S. Department of Education, 2021), it is critical that teachers are equipped with knowledge of best practices in CRP practices. Additionally, with the increase in creation of elementary online learning programs throughout the country, it is important that teachers are equipped with knowledge of best practices for online teaching and learning. The research question addressed in this capstone project is: How …

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 …

Environmental Education During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Margaret Janz

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic that hit the United States in March 2020 quickly caused the entire nation to rethink how we work and how we approach education. Informal environmental education in particular faced unique challenges during this time yet found ways to adapt their educational programming. This thesis will explore the questions: How did organizations alter and adapt their programming to meet public health guidelines during the pandemic? and What successes and challenges did organizations face in offering these programs? To answer these questions, a survey was distributed to organizations that offer environmental education programs. Results echo and expand on the …

Social Presence Theory: Creating Engaging And Strong Online Learning Communities At The K-12 Level, Abigail Amundson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Social presence theory is “the degree to which a person is perceived as a real person in mediated communication” (Gunawardena, 1995). Enhancing student’s perception of social presence increases instructional effectiveness and learning in an online learning environment. To increase perceived social presence, teachers must use techniques and interaction skills to build an online classroom community. There is not a lot of research on social presence theory in K-12 online learning environments so the purpose of this study was to find tools and strategies that create a strong online learning environments and to find if there is a relation between social …

School Recess: Benefits, Obstacles, And Policy, Amy Mcmullan

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The practice of school recess is explored including its benefits, obstacles, and policies. Academic literature provided research indicating a myriad of benefits including academic or cognitive, behavioral, health, and social emotional development, while challenges with implementing school recess are described as allocation of time as well as supervision, safety, and bullying. Current policies regarding recess are divided into two categories: requiring students be given a recess period and the issue of withholding recess. Original research was conducted with a mixed methods design by an electronic survey, where Minnesota elementary school principals were surveyed regarding recess in their schools. The data …

My Labor Of Love, Deanna Chiodo

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research explored how three administrators and four teachers with seven or more years of experience at the same State Approved Alternative Program (SAAP) explained their decision to stay with that program and their level of professional fulfillment. Additionally, this research was designed to deepen the understanding of the path that leads individuals to teach at a SAAP, and whether the participants' understanding of how their pre-service program and on-board training prepared them to work with an at-risk population. The research design included having participants complete a researcher-created electronic survey and a 45-min semi-structured interview. The interview transcripts created …

The Texts Matter: Essential Text Characteristics For Comprehension Intervention In The Intermediate Grades, Tia Clasen

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Results on state and national reading assessments indicate that students in the U.S. overall, and in Minnesota specifically, continue to struggle to comprehend expository texts; only one-third of fourth graders meeting grade level proficiency on state assessments designed to analyze reading achievement. Further, a significant gap persists for fourth grade students based on race, language, and socioeconomic status. Contemporaneously, technology continues to advance rapidly, demanding increased literacy skills and a better understanding of comprehension intervention. This research study aims to identify essential text characteristics of expository texts that will eventually be included in an online, automated reading strategy tutor providing …

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 …

Trauma In The Elementary Classroom, Leah Seal-Gray

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Trauma is endemic to American society, with one in six people undergoing multiple adverse childhood experiences in their lifetime. These experiences leave children vulnerable to a host of debilitating neurological, cognitive and emotional changes, which in turn may produce explosive, unpredictable and/or violent behaviors. These behaviors are detrimental to their learning environment. Teachers are often unprepared to meet traumatized students’ unique needs, but refusing to address trauma within the classroom is impossible. This project is a professional development curriculum meant to support teachers in meeting the needs of their current classroom. It includes a literature review on multiple aspects of …

How Does The Use Of Annotation Affect Reading Comprehension In The Primary Grades Of Immersion Education?, Erin O’Flaherty

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project is developed to support students’ reading ability and comprehension. I want to improve my students' interaction with texts. I hope for students to not just passively read but to actively engage in their reading which will lead to a deeper understanding and better comprehension. The purpose of this capstone project is to address the following research question: How does the use of annotation affect reading comprehension in the primary grades of immersion education? Through my research and literature review I found that annotation of text has a positive effect on promoting students’ reading ability including improving reading …

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 …

Promoting Student To Student Discourse In Mathematics Classrooms, Kayla Kraska

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Within mathematics education, teachers are constantly looking for ways to better support and engage their students. Secondary mathematics teachers can do a lot of different things to promote engagement and achievement. One idea that is often overlooked in traditional classroom settings is the power of discourse. Giving students the opportunity to talk to one another about their mathematical ideas and engage in conversations with their classmates can have a lasting impact on, not only their achievement in mathematics, but also their mindset. Chapter one of this Capstone gives background information about the author and why this topic is so important …

The Benefits Of Advancing The Next Generation Science Standards In The Elementary Grades, Matthew Millslagle

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Throughout the twentieth century and into the new millennium, the public and private sectors within the United States have attempted to buttress its economic, defense and educational achievement postures by implementing several educational initiatives and curricular changes. Around 2010 the National Resource Council began to initiate the latest science curriculum titled The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). A redesign in curricular approach, focused on student-centered inquiry and its foundations in cross-cutting concepts, science and engineering practices and disciplinary core ideas. This curriculum is in the process of adoption and adaptation by the states. Additional initiatives in the form of modifying …

Digital Wellbeing In The Classroom: Choosing Technology That Supports The Whole Child, Madeline Myers

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Technology is rapidly acquiring a new centerstage role in classrooms. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic ushered in an unmatched era of technology use as teachers and students had to rely on laptops and tablets for many months in order to continue learning. With children’s and adolescents’ daily screen time increasing both at school and at home, educators and parents must acknowledge and grapple with the wide-ranging effects that these new habits can have on wellbeing. This capstone project sought to answer the question: How might a professional development series support teachers as they consider the impacts of screen time on …

Adaptation Of English Standards For The Learning Of A Diverse Population Of Students, Lexie Read

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

As the demographics of our nation’s schools change dramatically, the issue of the achievement gap within our schools becomes more pronounced. Our students are more diverse in race, ability, language and sexual orientation than ever before. Along with these changes, come changes in the needs and learning styles of our students. It is critical for academic success that students are engaged in material that is relevant to their own lives and reflects their lived experiences. However, in secondary English departments across the country, teachers are being asked to teach the same texts and use the same materials that have been …

How Can Using Culturally Responsive Instruction In A Social Studies Classroom Contribute To Student Success?, Jake Ruppert

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this study was, How can Using Culturally Responsive Instruction in a Social Studies Classroom Contribute to Student Success? Topics explored in this Capstone included using Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP), teaching a student centered class, being aware of the economic and social inequalities some of your students may face, and utilizing other effective teaching practices. Part of the project consists of a two week unit on the American Civil War that is infused with Culturally Responsive teaching practices that the author learned about from an extensive literature review. The author was influenced by teaching experiences in …

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 …

How Can Teachers Increase Student-Student Discourse In Math Classrooms?, Alex Vang

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone aims to answer the question, How can teachers increase student-student discourse in math classrooms? It is answered through the creation process of a curriculum heavily based on students learning through discourse with their peers. This curriculum developed by the author aims to create unique learning experiences for students. Opportunities to struggle and learn through conversations in a safe environment is the basis of the curriculum. There is also a strong emphasis on high levels facilitating learning through student-student discourse which is typically uncommon in a traditional mathematics classroom and curriculum. Lastly there is a reflection on the creation …

Antiracism And Culturally Responsive Teaching: Elevating Student Voice To Lead Critical Dialogue On Race, Lars Ericson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Schools in America today operate to assimilate and oppress students of color, continuing to uphold systems of white supremacy that specifically harm Black and Indigenous students (Paris & Alim, 2014, 2017). Given this climate of systematic violence pervasive in schools, it is of paramount importance that all educators commit to unfaltering antiracism. This Capstone Project sets out to answer the research question: How can the implementation of culturally and linguistically responsive discussion protocols elevate students to lead critical conversations about race and identity in an English classroom? Through this inquiry, this study designs curriculum for a high school, English elective …

How Can Restorative Justice Practices Be Utilized To Create A Positive Classroom Climate In A K-2 Setting?, Ella Brown

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Students have the right to feel safe, loved, and valued in every school. Schools worldwide are shifting their approaches to discipline and classroom management by forgoing zero-tolerance policies and exclusionary practices. Restorative Justice in Education (RJE) is a growing movement taking the place of traditional forms of discipline. Restorative justice is more than just a buzzword. It is a way to transform learning communities, relationships, and classrooms. From personal experiences in the classroom and throughout my research, the author was encouraged to provide more teachers with resources to implement restorative justice practices into their classrooms. The question, How can Restorative …

The Benefits Of Utilizing Technology In The Physical Education Classroom, Brooke Benecke

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

As a first-year teacher in a school with a high English learner population, I struggled to communicate with my students. As I began creating visuals and short videos for them, I saw both their confidence and their skills improve. This experience led me to my research question: How can technology enhance learning in a physical education classroom? In what ways can it be implemented? Thus, I created a website full of technology tools that will benefit the physical education classroom. During the research process, a lot of valuable information was found about the current trends of technology and how important …

A Middle School Professional Development That Uses Reading Comprehension Strategies To Create Engagement And Comprehension In Middle School Classrooms, Madison Gallagher

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Many elementary students enter middle school disengaged with reading and lack literacy comprehension skills. All middle school teachers can make reading fun in their content classrooms to help students comprehend and engage with classroom content. This capstone project introduces a year-long, seven-session reading comprehension strategies professional development plan. This professional development plan motivates middle school teachers to use reading comprehension strategies to engage and help students understand their classroom content. This reading comprehension strategies professional development plan explains that each middle school teacher has their teaching style, and each student learns in their unique way. This capstone professional development plan …

Using A Text Set Of Diverse Media To Teach Alternative Perspectives To Third Grade Students, Christina Benson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project is centered on the question, how can a text set made of diverse books be used to teach alternative perspectives to third grade students? The author documents their experience both personally and professionally as well as their research that led them to create a fifteen lesson third grade literacy unit that teaches the critical literacy skill of alternative perspectives. This literacy unit focuses on students being able to distinguish their perspective from that of an author or character. Through the creation of this project, the author discovered important things about the topics of critical literacy, diverse books, …