Education Commons^™

Small Group Math Instruction : Is It Beneficial In A Seventh Grade Classroom?, Joellen A. Schwab

Graduate Research Papers

Is small group math instruction a beneficial practice in a regular seventh grade classroom? Two teachers and approximately 500 students were involved in a study to address that question. The study occurred from the fall of 2002 through the fall of 2004 at Hoover Middle School in Waterloo, Iowa. Before small group math instruction was implemented, students averaged approximately 61 % on chapter tests, while after its implementation students were scoring an average of 76%. Procedures included both pre and post test data analysis.

Small groups were created based on student achievement. There were three main groups: low, middle, and …

Utilizing Geographic Education Research To Increase Learning In A Seventh Grade Geography Course, Eric Uwe Schulz

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to review the current condition of geography education, to examine current research in geographic education, and to create a plan to improve student learning in my classroom. It outlines the re-emergence of geography education in the secondary setting and considers the quality of the national geography standards. A descriptive narrative of current geographic education research is used to determine best instructional practice and is aligned with Colorado's Model Geography Standards to link the current research with curriculum. The results of the research are then used to evaluate and improve the curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment …

Peer Tutoring And Technology Integration : You Too Can Make It Happen!, Brandy Smith

Graduate Research Papers

Technology is motivating to students and brings with it a sense of empowerment. This article looks at a successful model of technology integration. This model comes in the form of an after-school club called the "Tech Club" built upon a peer tutoring model. A lead teacher trained third grade student leaders, or the "Tech Kids" to facilitate technology "how-to" sessions in their classrooms. After learning technology basics, this core group of Tech Kids visited different third grade classrooms to teach their peers this magic. This article explains how this peer tutoring model greatly empowered these third grade students and allowed …

Implementing Distributed Practice, Christi Sires

Graduate Research Papers

Distributed practice is a daily routine where students are exposed to a math problem, asked to solve it, and then explain how they solved it. The idea of short intervals of instruction over a period of time can have remarkable results. This instructional strategy has been cited in numerous research studies, an indication that it may be successful in helping students better understand how they can solve mathematical problems.

This study will try to determine the growth of Jewett Elementary's first grade students as they were exposed to distributed practice over a period of time from first to second quarter …

Using Technology In A Social Studies Classroom, Cari R. Teske

Graduate Research Papers

Technology in education is nothing new. The quality of the type of instruction involving technology is worth analyzing. This review provides insight into implementation strategies and the 'best practices' of the integration of technology. It defines the roles teachers and administrators must play in order to have high-quality instruction. Throughout this review emphasis will be put on the strength that technology can bring to the social studies curriculum. And, how together social studies and technology can bring education to a more balanced approach to instruction. To create a type of instruction that emphasizes the equal support of all areas of …

Elements Of Leadership In Education : A Reflective Essay, James D. Walser

Graduate Research Papers

As I grew up, my interest in various academic subject areas and my enjoyment of school caused me to become interested in education as a career. I felt that I could make a contribution to the lives of my students. My specific interest in mathematics and my personality lent themselves to classroom instruction. Although I have experienced some discouraging days, I still remain confident concerning a career in education.

An Introduction To Asperger Syndrome For Helping Professionals, Bethea E. Woodsmall

Graduate Research Papers

This paper provides a brief history and overview of Asperger Syndrome (AS) for counselors and other helping professionals. It describes the general characteristics of AS including social behaviors, emotional characteristics, theory of mind deficits, language, interests/routine, motor clumsiness, and sensory sensitivity. This paper also addresses the diagnosis and assessment of AS. Interventions for AS including psychotropic medications, social interventions, behavioral interventions, psychotherapy, and sensory integration is addressed as well.

A Preferred Vision For Leading Elementary Schools : A Reflective Essay, John Zimmerman

Graduate Research Papers

When I first made the decision to change the way I serve students by pursuing an educational leadership degree in hopes to one day become a principal, I was filled with excitement and apprehension. Accomplishing a life-long goal was actually foreseeable. Becoming a principal is something I have always wanted to accomplish, however, I was uncertain of many aspects of the master's program including the coursework, the professional requirements, and I questioned my ability to serve and lead people. With the assistance and guidance of the many people I've worked with, I am confident in my ability to provide equal …

The Impact Of Parental Involvement On Children's Literacy Development, Annette L. Wohlers

Graduate Research Papers

Reading is a growing concern in the United States. Many students are leaving the educational system not ready to deal with the literary demands of everyday life and/or higher education. Factors that support students' growth in reading were reviewed. One specific factor that has a significant impact on literacy, which was a focus, was involvement of parents. What parents can do to assist their children's literacy development and attainment were also reviewed. A parent pamphlet design on reading at home came about from obtained information from the reviews.

Using Reflection To Guide Literacy Instruction In The "Multi-Level" Classroom, Lori L. Weber

Graduate Research Papers

The article describes a teacher's use of reflective practice to guide the implementation of the literacy block in her "multi-level" classroom, which included instruction by grade level and by performance level. A reflective journal proved to be a valuable tool as the author struggled with planning for action, problem-solving, decision making, and confronting "living contradictions" (Whitehead, 2000) between theoretical beliefs and instructional practice. The personal reflection process included daily and weekly written reflection and collaborative reflection. Collaborative reflection occurred with colleagues, a mentor, and a university advisor. Schon's (1989, 1995) concepts of reflection-onaction, reflection-in-action and reflection-for-action were incorporated. The use …

English Language Learners In The Integrated Middle School Science Classroom, Julie A. Fee

Graduate Research Papers

This paper will answer three questions relating to limited English-proficiency students. First, what historical changes have occurred to improve education for the LEP student? Second, what information do teachers with adolescent LEP students, especially students who have recently immigrated, need in order to run a happy and successful class? Last, what strategies and philosophies should be used to help ESL students compete academically with their American born classmates?

Using Web-Based Material To Support Secondary Science Curriculum, Ghadeer Filimban

Graduate Research Papers

Web-based materials have introduced a new way of supporting students' learning and teachers' knowledge of the secondary science curriculum. However it is difficult to know which materials to use and how to use them. This review discussed some of the methods for teaching science, web-based materials that support these methods, how the Internet can add to teachers' knowledge, and some negative effects of using this technology. This review shows how teachers can integrate web-based materials into their teaching strategies, and can help teachers who have integrated them to be aware of the negatives of using the Internet in the classroom. …

What Do Board Members Think School Librarians Do? Perceptions Of School Librarians By Iowa School Board Members, Lori R. Minnard

Graduate Research Papers

School board members may make personnel and other budging decisions without being aware of the roles and contributions of school library media programs to student learning. This study demonstrated the levels of knowledge school board members in a small K-12 school in Northwest Iowa have about their school library programs. The board members in this study are the five members of a small school in Northwest Iowa with a student population of approximately 600.

The survey was given in two parts. For the first part of the survey, the participants were instructed to write down the top five professional tasks …

Cognitive, Emotive, And Behavioral Techniques For Depressed Children And Adolescents, Brianna G. Wilcox

Graduate Research Papers

Cognitive, emotive, and behavioral techniques for treating depression in children and adolescents are outlined. The importance of prevention and early intervention is stressed, with an emphasis on application to the school setting. Cognitive contributors to depression, disputation strategies, and behavioral interventions are explicated within the framework of Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT). The efficacy of REBT is cited in reference to numerous research studies.

Vocabulary Instruction Correlation To Reading Comprehension, Kelly M. Vaughn

Graduate Research Papers

There is a direct relationship between word knowledge and comprehension-messages are composed of ideas, and ideas are expressed in words. Decades of research have resulted in significant best practices to support students' vocabulary development, yet very little has actually been implemented in the classroom. Teachers frequently rely on increasing student vocabulary through the incidental word-learning that results from sheer volume of reading. Research in this review will prove that incidental word acquisition is seriously inadequate. Effective vocabulary strategies include: hands-on activities or visuals, capitalizing on background knowledge or prior experiences, repeated exposure in meaningful contexts, and use of graphic organizers. …

The Many Faces Of Distance Education, Albert Dantoni Wiggins Iii

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review discusses the educational applications of distance education by examining its historical foundations, its presence and effects on educational curriculums, and its future. The purpose of this literature review is examines research on the topics of how distance education operates and what role distance education plays in the field of education. The conclusions formed within this document are based upon literature reviewed about the topic of distance education and a personal interview. This review has led to a conclusion that distance education offers non-traditional students opportunities to educate and re-educate themselves while simultaneously allowing traditional students a chance …

A Preferred Vision For Leading Schools : A Reflective Essay, Deanne E.H. Lewis

Graduate Research Papers

"A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by ensuring management of the organization, operations, and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment" (Wilmore, 2002, p. 52). All children should be given equal opportunity for advancement and growth. What is challenging for one child may be boring and repetitive for another. Placing students in appropriate settings that will allow the appropriate level of challenge and pace of learning for each child is the goal for the creation of the differentiating classroom.

Study Of Reciprocal Teaching And Peer Coaching At Central Middle School, Rebecca Mohorne

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of Reciprocal Teaching is to improve reading comprehension through the use of cognitive strategies. The strategies teach students to think about what they are reading and learning. It also promotes collaboration between the student and teacher in the learning process.

This study was designed to evaluate the implementation of Reciprocal Teaching at Central Middle School. If the initiative is to be successful, implementation should result in higher test scores in reading comprehension. The data from this study will tell us what we are doing well and what we can prove regarding the implementation of Reciprocal Teaching. As other …

Strategies To Improve Reading Fluency In The Elementary Classroom, Jill Marie Vorwald Sampson

Graduate Research Papers

This paper examines the importance of instructing students in strategies to improve reading fluency. Research shows that very little class time is currently spent on teaching reading fluency and this paper provides instructional strategies that teachers can employ in their classrooms. The strategies discussed are Reader's Theater, paired reading, buddy reading, modeling, repeated reading, and Read Naturally.

Research has proven all of these strategies to be effective, and this literature review describes the usefulness of these strategies. The importance of reading fluency instruction and technology integration has also become a key issue as new technologies are regularly introduced. The use …

Integrating Technology And Education, Jori L. Showalter

Graduate Research Papers

The following literature review challenges the idea of integrating technology into the educational curriculum. It will reveal the value of integrating technology into the curriculum, along with possible problems that might occur. Some of the problems examined in the review relate to the overwhelming amount of information found on the Internet, problems with the Internet trying to replace the current curriculum, safety issues involved with Internet use, and staff development concerns. The review also identifies what a model school integrating technology might look like and the influence it plays in the core subject areas.

Effect Of Hardiness On Mental And Physical Health, Angela J. Ziesman

Graduate Research Papers

The impact hardiness had on mental and physical health was examined. Hardiness, a stress resistant personality construct, consists of three interrelated components: commitment, control, and challenge. Numerous studies revealed that hardiness significantly decreased one's disposition toward mental and physical illness. In addition, results indicated that hardy persons are more inclined to utilize transformational coping strategies. Some researchers argued that the hardiness-illness relationship may be confounded by one's level of neuroticism as well as by hardy individuals maintaining better health practices than their non-hardy counterparts. Overall, hardiness was found to serve as a buffer in the face of stressful circumstances, more …

The Success Of Early Reading Interventions, Tammy A. Theroith

Graduate Research Papers

Learning to read means developing decoding skills in order to make meaning out of printed words. To make meaning, the reader uses a number of sources of information that are sometimes called cues. These cues include phonics, syntax (how language is put together), semantics (meaning), schema (background), sight words and others. In order for these words or information to be processed two events must occur. First, the learner must use learned reading strategies, and second he/she has to self-monitor.

Reading Motivation In The Elementary Classroom, Maria E. Youngblut

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review offers suggestions on how to increase reading motivation in the elementary classroom. This review will look at ways to influence students to read. Reading motivation can affect a students' ability to learn how to read. Also, it will examine different aspects and techniques, and discuss how these components affect reading motivation in the elementary classroom setting. Overall, examples of ways to increase reading motivation will be investigated.

Reciprocal Teaching As An Instructional Strategy To Increase Reading Comprehension, Paula Thome

Graduate Research Papers

The primary focus of this study has been to evaluate the implementation of a new instructional strategy called Reciprocal Teaching. Reciprocal Teaching was designed to improve reading comprehension by teaching students strategies needed to monitor comprehension and construct meaning (Palincsar, 1986). Central Middle School was identified as a School In Need of Assistance (SINA) in 2002 after failing to meet proficiency guidelines established by No Child Left Behind (NCLB) regulations. After being identified as a School in Need of Assistance, Central was required to develop a plan to address curricular areas in which students were not proficient. One area Central …

Why People Self-Injure And What School Counselors Can Do To Help, Emily M. Thole

Graduate Research Papers

Today school counselors are working more with students who choose self-injury. In order to do so effectively, it is important that counselors understand the nature of self-injury and effective ways to treat it. This paper looks at reasons behind self-injuring and explores the difference between self-injury and suicide attempts as well as the different classifications of self-injury. Knowing the risk factors such as loss, childhood illness, physical and sexual abuse, familial violence, familial self-injury, peer conflict, and impulse control problems will aid counselors in targeting at-risk students. Once risk factors were targeted, it was found that behavioral treatments that address …

Effective Thinking Strategies, Wendy Trainer

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine if teaching efficient thinking strategies would increase students learning of basic addition math facts as measured by timed tests, student interviews, interviews with teachers, and the districts basic facts data. Basic addition facts are facts that are a single digit plus a single digit. The efficient thinking strategies include "count on to add," use "doubles to add," and "make ten." The research suggests that basic facts need to be improved. Students should be reasoning, problem solving, communicating, and making connections in math to learn the basics. These strategies will .help students understand …

What I Believe About Leadership And Education : A Reflective Essay, Kathleen M. Walech

Graduate Research Papers

What do I believe about leadership and education? In order to answer that question, I must delve into my past experience with education, examine why I became an educator, and what I have come to believe about educational leadership. When I ask myself when it was that I knew I wanted to be an educator, I do not believe I can pinpoint an exact moment. In fact, I do not believe I ever gave any real consideration to any other career. For as long as I can remember, teachers were people I admired and education was something I valued. I …

Bullying In Elementary Schools, Jessica J. Wass

Graduate Research Papers

Bullying is a serious problem in today's schools. The history of bullying goes back as far as humans have been living and will continue if schools do not take action. Parents, teachers, administrators, counselors, and school staff are all involved in preventing bullying and intervening when necessary. This paper will define bullying, risk factors, and the effects of bullying on the bully, the victim, and the bystander. Interventions as well as how to prevent bullying will be addressed with emphasis on a whole school approach.

Inside The Stress Of A Police Officer's Job : What Mental Health Counselors Should Know, Molly J. Wertz

Graduate Research Papers

Police officers have a unique responsibility within the job. They must learn to cope with stress, adrenaline, and fear during working hours while protecting themselves as they are protecting society. Becoming burdened and overwhelmed by the stress of the job can have many consequences, including suicide attempts and the development of post-traumatic stress disorder. This paper will examine primary stressors a police officer encounters on and off the job, suicide, posttraumatic stress disorder, peer support, as well as implications for counselors.

Effectiveness Of Wilderness Therapy, Cody A. Williams

Graduate Research Papers

This paper examines the literature in the field of Wilderness Therapy in order to evaluate the current state of research, and the basic format of how Wilderness Therapy works. The theoretical base of Wilderness Therapy is discussed to provide conceptual framework and describe how the therapy could be launched into mainstream therapy. The techniques of Wilderness Therapy are explained for better understanding of how the therapy works. In conclusion, Wilderness Therapy appears to be a viable alternative for the treatment of emotional and behavioral problems amongst adolescents and adults. Recommendations for the future are for more research and better understanding …