Education Commons^™

The Impact Of Mathematics, Science And Language Arts Writing To Learn Strategies On The Culture Of Learning In Primary And Secondary Students, Ronnie Tarchichi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to institute student growth and achievement in standardized test scores in the district with the use of writing to learn strategies. The objective of the study was to ensure growth and comfort for students with standardized testing and to train teachers to implement an approach to pedagogy (writing to learn strategies) centered on skills needed to increase standardized test scores. Using experimental research embodied in an action research design, five teachers were asked to take on different experimental and control groups of students in remediation periods known as either the twilight period (after …

Background Knowledge: A Study Of The Effects Background Knowledge Has On Comprehension, Jacqueline Murtha

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers can never assume student come to their classrooms with background knowledge needed to contextually understand a book read in class. Students in low socioeconomic areas often do not have the experiences to build schema about certain topics. Field trips are one way to build students background and schema, however, they can be expensive. Teachers need to find multiple ways to build background knowledge prior to reading a book. This thesis explores the impact background knowledge has on students' reading comprehension.

Using The Four Agreements To Reduce Student Stress In A Zero Tolerance School, William Suarez

Theses and Dissertations

As the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 increased academic pressure on students, the Guns Free Schools Act of 1994 required school districts to implement zero tolerance discipline policies that called for expulsion of students who bring weapons to school or commit drug offenses on school property. The zero tolerance policy forced students to deal with punishments and requirements that many educators feel are unevenly meted out (National Association of School Psychologists, 2008). This resulted is a stressful climate for students.

The Four Agreements are part of an esoteric Toltec philosophy that emphasizes stress-free interpersonal interactions (Ruiz, 1997). By …

Using Extensive Feedback To Improve Writing Skills Within A Social Studies Context, Christopher Hahn

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine what kind of impact extensive feedback had on eighth grade students within a social studies context. The researcher used best practice feedback techniques gleaned from research to assist all his students in improving content knowledge, mechanics and rhetorical skills. From the body of all student work, the writing of five students of varying abilities was examined in detail to determine the effect of feedback on student writing skills. Examination of subsequent student drafts and assignments from these five students and questionnaires from all students revealed that while feedback did play a role …

An Examination Of The Effect Of Constructivist And Cooperative Learning Teaching Techniques On Student Engagement In Social Studies, Dana Olivieri

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to see if teaching students through constructivist and cooperative learning teaching techniques increases student engagement in social studies. Thirteen sixth grade students participated in the investigation. They completed surveys before and after a curricular intervention that consisted of social studies instruction based on constructivist and cooperative learning techniques. During the intervention, the students' engagement was observed by the researcher. The students demonstrated that constructivist and cooperative learning teaching techniques led to an increase in engagement in social studies. Implications for future research and implications for teaching are discussed.

An Investigation Of An After-School Science Enrichment Program, Jennifer Lyn Jamison

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate an after-school science enrichment program and its components. The study was conducted in a middle school in the Evesham Township School District located in the Burlington County region of South Jersey. The participants included sixty-one students taken from the four sessions of the science program, three teachers of the program, twenty parents of the students, and the program director. Data sources included interviews held with each of the participants, anecdotal notes recorded in a teacher research journal, and student artifacts. I found positive results in the operation of the program, because of …

Computer Use And Integration Of Middle School Teachers, Susan Panco Medio

Theses and Dissertations

The problem in this study asks: Could it be that teachers who have high integration of computer use have different identifiable characteristics than teachers that have a low integration of computer use?

A data collection instrument was developed and distributed to 56 teachers at Landis Intermediate School in Vineland, New Jersey. The 20 questions on the survey that pertained to computer use and integration were assessed and a score was given to each subject. These scores were used to run independent sample t tests.

As a result of this study it was found that teachers that have a high computer …

Process-Writing Instruction In One Teacher's Classes And Its Impact On The Writing Of Her Seventh Grade Students, Christine M. Dicicco

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the project was to determine whether process-writing instruction in the classroom was improving one group of seventh grade language arts students' writing. Students in three classes with the same language arts teacher were involved in the study. Over the course of the first three marking periods, writing samples were collected from each of the students involved. Each student's writing was assessed according to criteria on both the NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards and the New Jersey Registered Holistic Scoring Rubric. The teacher was also both observed and interviewed in order to determine what process-writing techniques she implemented …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Let Me Learn And Process Writing: A Qualitative Analysis, Grace D. Hagan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research project was to examine the relationship between Let Me Learn and process writing. Christine A. Johnston's Let Me Learn Inventory was administered to a middle school class of 27 students, and 8 students were selected with use-first learning patterns in each of the four learning pattern categories. Once the 8 students were selected, the students participated in interviews with questions regarding their learning patterns and writing process style. The researcher then collected three writing samples from each student as well as a novel project. Upon completion of the data collection, the writing samples were analyzed …

The Perceptions Of School Safety And Discipline And How These Perceptions Affect Teaching Methods And Strategies, James J. Lapsley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions teachers have concerning safety and discipline within their school and how these perceptions affect teaching methods and strategies. The study took place in a large rural area high school with a diverse multi-cultural background of students. This particular school has increasingly been scrutinized for the disruptive behavior of the students and the ability of the administration to handle these problems among the majority of teachers in the school. This study focused on the perceptions the teachers have about their school policies and procedures and the ability the school has in …

A Study Examining The Effects Of Athletics On Females' Mathematical Achievement, Genevieve M. Bieg

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the possibility of a correlation between females who actively participated in athletics and a high achievement in mathematics. A comparison of females who actively participated in athletics and females who did not actively participate in athletics was made using an independent samples t-test.

The design for this study was the use of a survey, data collection and an independent samples t-test. This study used the sample of forty-one sixth grade females. Each female attended the same middle school and had the same math teacher. Each participant filled out a survey that determined …

A Study To Determine If Multimedia Technologies In A Regular Classroom Enhance Learning And Motivation, Carol Murphy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of infusing multimedia technologies in a regular classroom. The purpose of this study was also to demonstrate that with the use of technology, the students would better understand the important concepts covered in the social studies unit, as well as be motivated to learn.

Thirty sixth grade students conducted research using wireless laptops to find information about a prominent African-American who has made a positive contribution to our society. The control group created an oral presentation and constructed a replica in the form of a doll to represent their person. …

An Exploratory Study On The Impact Of Alternative Approaches To The Treatment Of Bullying At The Middle/High School Level In A Southern New Jersey Public School District, Lynda L. Hinkle

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this paper is to explore, in two separate studies, the impact of one comprehensive treatment and one curricular treatment on bullying behaviors within the context of a southern New Jersey school district. In the first study, 1280 middle school students were surveyed in the beginning of the school year and again at the end, after comprehensive treatment methods were applied. In the second study, a single high school writing class was observed both before and after the teaching of an anti-bullying curriculum. The first study showed an increase of students reporting that they were victims of bullying …

The Association Between Learning Processes And Formal Music Electives Among Sixth Grade Music Students, Anthony C. Varga

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the association of learning process frequencies among sixth grade music students who elect to participate in musical ensembles. Is there an association between the student's choice of elective music ensemble and their learning process?

Forty-five sixth grade music students participated in the study with their parents' permission. Subjects were administered the Learning Combination Inventory during their scheduled music class. They were asked to first respond to 28 Likert-type statements rating their answers as best fitting their own individual learning. The second part of the instrument required the subjects to respond to three …

The Relationship Between Gender, Grade Level, And Attitude Toward Reading For First Through Fourth Grade Students, Meghan T. Hayes

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between gender and attitude toward reading and grade level and attitude toward reading. This correlational study used a non-random, convenience sample population that was derived from an elementary school that houses one transitional-first grade, and five classes each of first, second, third, and fourth grades. The sample consisted of 153 first through fourth grade students. Forty-three students were in the first grade, thirty-four students were in the second grade, forty-three students were in the third grade, and the remaining thirty-three participants were in the fourth grade.

The Elementary Reading Attitude …

The Relationship Between Learning Process And Students Who Play A Band Instrument, Tinamarie C. Stanfa

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the learning processes of students who play a band instrument. The problem was to see if all band students process learning in the same manner.

Prior to the study, the researcher sent a letter to the building Principal and Board Of Education to get permission to conduct the research. Next, the researcher sent a permission slip-letter home to all band parents explaining the purpose of the study and what the results of the study would be, if they chose to know.

Once all the responses were received, the researcher administered the Learning …

The Effect Of Parental Monitored Practice On The Musical Achievement Of Sixth Grade Instrumental Music Students, Deborah A. Baldasarre

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of parental involvement on the musical achievement of middle school band students. The problem of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a parental monitored practice program on sixth grade instrumental band students' music achievement.

All sixth grade band students were given a letter the first day of school which explained the investigation and asked the parents if they would be part of the study. The parents' participation involved attending an informational meeting, monitoring their students' practice, and commenting where appropriate. Students recorded their weekly practice, obtained their parents' …