Education Commons^™

The Use Of Diverse Young Adult Literature In High School Classrooms, Lauren Mohler

Student Scholarship – English

This departmental honors project outlined research that has been completed on the benefits of incorporating young adult literature in the secondary English Language Arts classroom and discussed the benefits of using young adult literature as a means of introducing students to various aspects of diversity. While young adult literature continues to grow in popularity among teen readers, there are many negative connotations associated with texts falling under this label and their merit within the classroom. Similarly, classroom dynamics are becoming more diverse each year through the number of students representing different races, ethnicities, ability levels, interests, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, and …

The Use Of Diverse Young Adult Literature In High School Classrooms, Lauren Mohler

Scholar Week 2016 - present

Although young adult literature (abbreviated YAL) is increasing in popularity, its benefits in the classroom are lacking in research, particularly in large-scale studies featuring both qualitative and quantitative data. Furthermore, as our world continues to become more diverse, students can not only connect with characters like themselves but also learn to appreciate others from diverse backgrounds through reading YAL texts, which are proven to increase students’ engagement with texts. To better analyze if young adult literature is being used in secondary English Language Arts classrooms and how frequently the various facets of diversity are being considered when choosing texts for …

Smaller Learning Communities As Comprehensive School Reform: A Quantitative Analysis Of Implementation, Jerry Doss

Ed.D. Dissertations

In recent years, smaller learning communities (SLCs) have emerged as a strategy to address the social problems and poor academic performance of students in large high schools. Smaller learning communities are structures such as schools-within-schools and academies that offer smaller settings and more personal environments and instructional opportunities for students in large high schools. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship between student achievement and SLCs in a medium sized suburban high school district in order to determine whether SLCs accomplished the goals of school reform. The school district under investigation received a Smaller Learning Communities …

The Relationship Between Mobility And Student Achievement, Scott R. Buchanan

Ed.D. Dissertations

Mobility, at least sometime before a student graduates from high school, has become the norm rather than the exception in the United States today. The current study represented one high school administrator’s effort to examine mobile students’ academic performance. A quantitative, quasi-experimental design was utilized to examine the relationship between student mobility and academic achievement as measured by semester grades in mathematics and English classes, and raw scores on the state high school achievement examination. The results indicated that a statistically significant difference existed between the semester one grades in mathematics and English. However, the results further indicated that there …

The Impact The Amount Of High School Physical Education Has On The Physical Activity Habits Of Traditional College Freshmen, Aaron Thompson

Faculty Scholarship – Exercise and Sports Science

Many states have reduced or eliminated high school physical education classes due to budget cuts and the passage of No Child Left Behind. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between the number of years of physical education students received in high school and the traditional college freshmen’s current level of physical activities. The short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and additional demographic questions were used electronically to collect cross-sectional PA data from traditional college freshmen at a private Christian liberal arts university in the Midwest. After cleaning and processing the collected data, the …

Implementing Common Core State Standards For Mathematics Through Lesson Study, John Thomas Hall

Honors Program Projects

The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) represent the beginning of a new era in American education. For the first time, a majority of states are sharing expectations for student knowledge in mathematics. While standards cannot change education, the means by which these standards are implemented contribute to the mathematical achievement of students. For instance, the CCSSM incorporate separate content and practice standards for students. Content standards are familiar to most educators, but the expectation of developing mathematical skills highlighted in the practice standards will require changes to lesson preparation and teaching.

In an effort to provide pre-service and …

School Facility Design: Are We Asking The Right People?, Dale C. Jerome

Ed.D. Dissertations

Realizing the need for changes in the design of new school facilities, architects and educators must reach beyond the norms of past designs. This mixed-methods study was conducted at four recently completed high schools. Questionnaires were utilized in the initial phase of research to identify statistically significant differences between the perceptions of teachers and students regarding the physical design characteristics of their learning environment. Structured interview sessions were then conducted with teachers, principals, and architects, to understand their perceptions regarding the involvement of students in the design and planning process of school facilities, and indicated the importance of providing a …