Education Commons^™

The Effect Of Classroom Environment On Student Learning, Ryan Hannah

Honors Theses

There are three main components that create a classroom. There are the students who are learning, the content that is being taught, and the environment in which all of this is happening. Many people focus on studying how students learn and how to make the curriculum exciting, but many teachers overlook how they can adapt their classroom environment to achieve greater focus and learning from their students. This paper aims to look at the various modifications a teacher can use in their classroom to help students stay engaged and gain higher critical thinking.

When analyzing the environment of a classroom …

Assessing Competing Demands And Charting A Course: A Phenomenological Study Of Advanced Placement U.S. History Teachers' Decision Making And Course Planning, Kerry Dean Poole

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Florida has experienced some of the greatest growth of Advanced Placement (AP) programs in recent years and student scores on the AP exams have evolved into a highly significant metric in evaluating student proficiency and teacher and school effectiveness. Despite this growth, it is not well known how AP teachers make decisions about the content they teach, what learning activities they select, how much the AP exam influences their decision making, how they modify learning opportunities for diverse learners, and how they prepare their students for the College Board AP exam. This interpretive, phenomenological study examines the lived experiences of …

Girl Talk, Carey Delauder Bledsoe

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

This dissertation is a qualitative study of an all-girls’ advisory in a coeducational,

urban middle school located in a mid-sized city in the northeast.

The advisory group met daily over the course of the 2010-2011 academic year.

Drawing from data collected over one year of fieldwork--including participant

observation, analysis of discourse, dynamic interviews, and the analysis of

social constructs --this study explores how a group of mostly African

American and Latina students created a caring community in order to increase

their academic and social success.

Common Core 4th Grade Environmental Science Lesson Plans For California Teachers, Gillian Schoenfeld

Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences

This project and its analyses were conducted to assist California fourth grade elementary school teachers in adjusting to teaching Common Core standards and science curriculum in their classrooms. The project included the creation of lesson plans, which could be utilized throughout the state of California.

As the Common Core standards, California’s Next Generation Science Standards for K- 12, were just proposed in June of 2013, these lesson plans would help teachers update their lessons and provide them materials and concepts of how to do so. These lessons provide higher-order thinking for students, which is the whole concept of the new …

Museum And P-12 School Collaborations And The Role Of A Third-Party Facilitator, Katherine Somerville

Museum Studies Theses

This paper will trace a brief history of museum and P-12 school collaborations in the United States including recent reforms in formal education and the marketization of museums. It will explore different models of collaboration exemplified by national and local programming in a variety of school and museum settings. Details about collaborations between Western New York museums and schools were gleaned through personal interviews with museum personnel, mainly museum educators. This paper will also include criteria for successful collaborations and challenges to overcome in creating and sustaining collaborations between two structurally different organizations.

Finally, this paper will explore the role …

Creative Classrooms To Teach And Learn Grammar Lessons For Middle School Students With The Design Of Tim, Christina M. Belesovski (Demarco)

Master's Projects

Project Abstract

Creative Classrooms to Teach and Learn Grammar Lessons for Middle School Students with the Design of TIM

This project focuses on creating a classroom as a learning environment to help to teach Middle school students at the level of 8^th grade lessons on grammar. Also incorporated in this project will be the emphasis on the Torrance Incubation Model of Teaching and Learning (TIM).

E. Paul Torrance, better known as “the father of creativity” was quoted once saying, “tomorrow’s world will be vastly different for today’s children. They will do kinds of work that do not exist now. …

How Social Emotional Development Skills Gained In High Quality Public School Prekindergarten Impact Kindergarten Academic Readiness, Gale A. Collett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Longitudinal research has demonstrated that children’s emotional and social skills are linked to their early academic achievement (Wentzel & Asher, 1995). Children who have difficulty paying attention, following directions, getting along with others, and controlling negative emotions like anger and distress do not do as well in school (Arnokl et al., 1999; McClelland et al., 2000). Academic achievement in the early years of schooling appears to be built on a firm foundation of children’s social emotional skills (Ladd, Kochenderfer, & Coleman, 1997; O’Neil et al., 1997). Higher quality prekindergarten programs are associated with the early years of schooling and more …

Effects On Volunteer Peer Leaders Participating In A Health Promotion Program For U.S. Veterans, Leslie A. Patterson

Theses and Dissertations

Health-focused peer-led interventions demonstrate success in reducing risk-related behaviors among participants with chronic illnesses, yet few researchers have explored the effects of such interventions on the health of volunteer peer leaders who participate in the interventions. Using data from the project entitled, An RCT of a Peer Support Intervention to Improve Hypertension, this study explored volunteer peer leaders' self-care behaviors that contribute to blood pressure control in two hypertension interventions for U.S. veterans. Inspection of the study's findings demonstrated that volunteer peer leaders improved their health habits and hypertension knowledge significantly more than the peer groups they served. Findings revealed …

Introduction To Creativity: A Lecture And Curriculum Framework For Students Who Identify Themselves As Creative, Miriam Kelley

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

This project focuses on the creative person, process, product and press- the 4Ps of creativity as articulated by Rhodes (1961). A curricular framework was developed with an emphasis on enhancing the abilities of those who already identify themselves as creative, specifically undergraduate Freshmen and Sophomores looking to study various fields of Design at the university level. The objective of the framework is to not only identify the innate processes that may have led these students to identify themselves as creative- thereby choosing their major- but also to allow them to recognize, improve and be deliberate in those processes, to enhance …

Literacy In Kindergarten: Using The Montessori Method In Combination With The Daily 5 Method, Andrea Nydegger

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Abstract

This action research project was conducted to investigate the impact of merging the literacy program The Daily 5 with the Montessori Method of reading instruction. This project was intended to study the independent reading stamina of the students. It was conducted in a public Montessori School with kindergarten aged students from an early childhood classroom. There were 13 students participating, six girls and seven boys. Pre-assessment data was gathered in the forms of a parent survey and a baseline student reading assessment. Student stamina was recorded on a daily log and student reflections were recorded once a week. After …

Freshman Academy At One School In East Tennessee: A Mixed Method Study, Yvonne L. Robinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the student achievement prior to and after the implementation of a freshman academy at one school in East Tennessee. The researcher used student data from the end of course exam scores for Algebra I and English I. The failure rate of freshman prior to and after the implementation of the Freshman Academy was examined. The data were analyzed using a chi square statistical analysis. A significant difference was observed in the end of course exam scores for Algebra I and English I after the implementation of the Freshman Academy. Qualitative data examined …

Gender-Twisting And Bros Talking, Odile Mattiauda

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

In American Schools, students are rarely offered educational experiences about gender and sexuality. Programs that do address sexuality are rarely based on moral beliefs and democratic values of tolerance and inclusivity. Sexuality education is predominantly taught by health teachers, rather than human sexuality educators, and their focus is on facts, statistics, and controversial issues such as the prevention of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. This limited perspective on sexuality neglects the important role of gender identity and sexual orientation (Donovan, 1989; Haffner & De Mauro, 1991; Nelson Trudell, 1993)

Using teacher-researcher-participant-observer qualitative methodology, I examined the discourse …

Illinois Secondary Agriculture Teachers' Perception Of Critical Development Of Undergraduate Experiences, Alicia Jo Gullidge

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study is to provide the leadership of Illinois Agricultural Education with an understanding of what practicing teachers feel were the most important experiences in their pre-service teacher education program that ensured they were prepared for the classroom. This information can be used to streamline the teacher education programs and eliminate experiences that are perceived to be less relevant to preparing teachers. It is believed that this will assist with ongoing efforts dealing with recruitment and retention.

The area's that will be addressed in this survey will be demographics and pre-service events that future agriculture teachers are …

With Green In Mind: Formative Influences On Ecological Mindedness, Shannon Burgert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the formative experiences that nurture ecological habits of mind in youth. The study builds on the ecological habits of mind defined by Moroye and Ingman: caring, a sense of interconnectedness, and ecological integrity. A combination of methods was used in this study: in-depth phenomenologically based interviewing, and educational criticism and connoisseurship. Data collection included two interviews each with five teenagers, one interview each with the teens' mothers, photographing of artifacts, and a focus group with six additional teenagers. Observations and interpretations were filtered through ecological and aesthetic lenses.

Several key findings emerged. First, it is proposed that …

Perceptions Of Educational Administration Pre-Service Training By Former Illinois Superintendents Currently Serving As University Professors, Douglas Raymond Kaufman

Theses and Dissertations

PERCEPTIONS OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION PRE-SERVICE TRAINING BY FORMER ILLINOIS SUPERINTENDENTS

CURRENTLY SERVING AS UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS

Douglas R. Kaufman

179 pages December 2009

The 1983 publication of A Nation at Riskwas the start of the latest chapter in the long history and development of the public school superintendent. A Nation at Riskbrought new pressure and awareness on university programs that train school administrators coupled with suggestions on how to improve their effectiveness. This study describes many of these suggested reforms and investigates their effectiveness and rate of implementation.

This qualitative study describes the experiences and perceptions of pre-service learning …

Archidiocese Of Milwaukee Teacher In-Service Safety Training, Paul A. Mascari

Professional Projects

Recent active shooter events in our nation highlight the need for organizations to have comprehensive violence prevention/intervention plans in place. While much has been done to address violence in the workplace and on college campuses, K-12 schools have been slow to develop a comprehensive violence prevention/intervention curriculum for faculty, staff and students. This project was completed to meet the needs of the Catholic Schools within the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Research was conducted to determine the effectiveness of applying safety best practices from higher education and the workplace to the elementary, middle, and secondary education settings. The outcome of this project …

Understanding Teacher/Coach Role Stressors And Burnout, Kevin Andrew Richards

Open Access Dissertations

Teaching has long been considered a stressful profession and is becoming even more stressful because of recent changes in state- and national-level educational policies that govern K-12 education. Teachers who take on additional, extracurricular roles, such as athletic coaching, may be even more prone to stress and burnout. Using occupational socialization theory and role theory, the purpose of this dissertation was to develop a more comprehensive understanding of role stressors, burnout, and resilience among teacher/coaches and non-coaching teachers. The study was divided into two phases. In phase one, 415 teachers (209 teacher/coaches, 206 non-coaching teachers) across a variety of academic …

The Use Of An Industrial By-Product As A Soil Amendment And Its Effects On Soil Physical/Chemical Characteristics And Nutrient Retention, Dawn R. Hawkins

Culminating Projects in Environmental and Technological Studies

Soil physical/chemical characteristics are important in regards to the productivity of the soil. These characteristics can determine the rate at which water drains through soil, how much water is available to plants for uptake, and the speed at which organic matter breaks down within the soil. These attributes also play an important role in cation exchange capacity, pH buffering capacity, and nutrient availability; all important factors in plant/crop growth and protecting environmental quality. The purpose of this experiment is to determine the effects of mixing an industrial by-product on soil physical/chemical characteristics and soil nutrient retention, and to determine the …

State Need-Based Aid And Four-Year College Student Retention: A Statewide Study, Kara Lynn Mcfall

Dissertations and Theses

Every college age student should have the opportunity to attend college and earn a degree, but the fiscal realities for lower income students prevent the majority from attending and the vast majority from completing college, thus perpetuating an intergenerational trend of limited postsecondary education and a likelihood of marginal income and status. Past research studies have shown that, among lower income students, those who receive higher levels of grant funding to offset college expenses are more likely to persist toward completing their educations than those who do not receive the same level of grant funding and thus are forced to …

Effects Of Check In/Checkout With A Fading Procedure On The Academic Engagement And Problem Behavior Of Elementary School Students, Leila Mullooly Miller

Dissertations

Though preliminary research indicates Check-In/Check-Out (CICO) is an effective intervention for improving problematic behavior in a variety of populations, the literature is limited in several ways. Several studies have relied on indirect measures of behavior, such as office discipline referrals (ODRs) and teacher ratings, to determine the effectiveness of CICO. However, indirect measures are not always reliable indicators of student behavior change, whereas direct observation is known to be an accurate tool for behavioral measurement. Therefore, the current study evaluated the effects of CICO on levels of problem behavior and academic engagement for a group of four elementary school students …

Impact Of The Arthritis Foundation's Walk With Ease Program On Self-Efficacy, Quality Of Life And Pain Reduction In A Group Format, Kelly Nicole Reese

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Arthritis Foundation's Walk With Ease Program for individuals with self- or medically-diagnosed arthritis within a group format. The study also investigates the individuals' perceptions on self-efficacy, quality of life and pain reduction pre- and post- intervention.

Background: The prevalence of arthritis is increasing and this places a major burden on individuals, health systems and social care systems globally. Osteoarthritis, the most common arthritis condition, is a major cause of impaired mobility and disability for aging populations. Osteoarthritis affects millions of people around the world. Self-management programs like the Walk With Ease Program have …

Profiles And Giving Patterns Of Donors To An Urban Southeastern Community College, John Allen Gyllin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on fundraising in higher education, and specifically community college fundraising. Having transitioned from a traditional four year university setting to a community college, the author found this research helpful, not only for this institution, but for knowledge of community college donors and why they give. By working with data from this institution over the last ten years, and the research on the topic of fundraising for community colleges, donor trends were developed and needed improvements identified to raise significantly more dollars for the college. It is the outcome of this research that will hopefully assist this institution …

Defining Characteristics Of An Integrated Stem Curriculum In K-12 Education, Vinson Robert Carter

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to obtain consensus concerning the defining characteristics of integrated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) curriculum. This study utilized a three round modified Delphi study to solicit recommendations from experts of STEM education in order to: 1) create a set of categorical and defining curricular components needed to develop and implement appropriate integrated STEM curriculum; 2) identify the characteristics that set integrated STEM education curriculum apart from single-discipline curricula; 3) discuss the components necessary to gauge whether an initiative, project, or curriculum should be referred to as integrated STEM education; and 4) examine whether …

Two Historiographical Studies In Musicology: Josquin Des Prez, A History Of Western Music, And The Norton Anthology Of Western Music: A Case Study; & In Search Of Medieval Irish Chant And Liturgy: A Chronological Overview Of The Secondary Literature, Marianne Yvette Kordas

Theses and Dissertations

STUDY ONE: This study examines the changes made to the biography and works of the Renaissance composer Josquin des Prez (c.1450-1521) through the eight editions of A History of Western Music and its associated score anthologies from 1960 to 2010. It is hypothesized that there are significant correlations between the changes made to Josquin's biography in musicological scholarship at large during the 1990s and the changes to his life and works made in the textbook.

STUDY TWO: The study of liturgy and chant in medieval Ireland not only informs our understanding of insular Christianity, but also illuminates the broader practices …

Investigating The Impact Of Formal Reflective Activities On Skill Adaptation In A Work-Related Instrumental Learning Setting, Kevin M. Roessger

Theses and Dissertations

In work-related, instrumental learning contexts the role of reflective activities is unclear. Kolb's (1985) experiential learning theory and Mezirow's transformative learning theory (2000) predict skill-adaptation as a possible outcome. This prediction was experimentally explored by manipulating reflective activities and assessing participants' response and error rates when an instrumentally learned skill is applied in a novel way (skill-adaptation). Participants were randomly assigned to three conditions (interference, reflection, or critical reflection) using three blocking variables: (a) gender, (b) age, and (c) reflective propensity. Participants then completed a behavioral skills training program with embedded reflective activities. Afterwards, participants were asked to complete a …

A Comparison Of The Perceptions Of Music Educators And School Administrators Regarding Trends In Secondary Curricular Offerings And Implications On Student Body Participation, Leigh Falconer

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to understand the perceptions of music educators and school administrators regarding current practices in curricular offerings as they pertain to music education. These included experienced and anticipated changes to the music curriculum, music education participation rates, barriers to music participation, and school and music course ethnic composition. From a regional perspective, music teachers and administrators were surveyed to determine if perceptions regarding any of the above items varied significantly between the groups. Total potential subjects were selected through random stratified sampling (in Washington) or all music educators (Oregon and Idaho) (n = 922). …

The Impact Of School Board Governance On Academic Achievement In Diverse States, Michael Ford

Theses and Dissertations

The overwhelming majority of students receiving a publicly funded education in the United States attend a public school in a district overseen by a democratically elected school board. Despite the dominant market share of democratically elected school boards, academic scholarship is increasingly focused on alternative governance structures such as mayoral control, charter schools, and school vouchers. Much research on traditional school boards is in fact skeptical of the capacity for such boards to positively impact academic performance. This dissertation shifts focus back to the almost 14,000 elected school boards in the United States, using original survey data from six strategically …

The Necessity Of A Revolution: The 21st Century Battle For Equality In The Classroom: An Examination Of The History, Critiques And Effectiveness Of Teach For America, Wyatt D. Oroke

History

This paper sets out to explore the controversy surrounding the program Teach For America. The paper sets out to argue whether or not Teach For America has been effective, in terms of its alignment with its goals and mission statement. I conclude that while TFA has been successful in some individual cases, the program as a collective has so far failed to make advancements within the opportunity gap experienced between low-income and high-income students within the American school system. The paper concludes by making several recommendations for the TFA program about how it can alter itself in hopes of being …

Electrospun Plant Protein Scaffolds With Fibers Oriented Randomly And Evenly In Three-Dimensions For Soft Tissue Engineering Applications, Shaobo Cai

Department of Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In this work, electrospinnable and water stable soyprotein was extracted by using a reducing agent in mild alkaline condition, and novel 3D zein and 3D pure soyprotein electrospun scaffolds with three-dimensionally and randomly oriented fibers and large interconnected pores were successfully fabricated by reducing surface resistivity of materials. This unique structure is different from most electrospun scaffolds with fibers oriented mainly in one direction. The structure of novel 3D scaffolds could more closely mimic the 3D randomly oriented fibrous architectures in many native extracellular matrixes (ECM). Confocal laser scanning microscope shows that instead of becoming flattened cells when cultured in …

A Playground Plan For South Shore Prek-8 School, Barbara J. Mann

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to create a comprehensive playground safety manual of procedures for South Shore PreK-8 School, that can possibly be implemented at other K-5 schools. The manual will make it clear to both students and staff playground safety procedures for students and instructions for staff in supervision. The information gathered finds that when students play in safe manners with specific rules and expectations, that the number of incidents from injury and conflict are reduced. Children need to be taught rules for games, instead of expected to figure out rules for games they do not know how …