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An Analysis Of Critical Thinking And Motivation In A Korean University Efl Classroom, Andrew Steven Parker
An Analysis Of Critical Thinking And Motivation In A Korean University Efl Classroom, Andrew Steven Parker
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This study was designed to determine what kinds of motivation students at a Korean university had for learning English, how the students would respond to intervention lessons with strong critical thinking components, and to what extent, if any, did those students feel that critical thinking would be advantageous to the study of English. It utilized a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data was collected in the form of Likert questionnaire items and analyzed in terms of Dörnyei’s L2 Motivational Self System. Qualitative data was collected using open-ended questionnaire items. The findings were that the students’ strongest source of motivation was their Ideal …
How Can Science And Literacy Be Integrated In A Fifth Grade Cirriculum [Sic]?, Kathryn J. Hellen
How Can Science And Literacy Be Integrated In A Fifth Grade Cirriculum [Sic]?, Kathryn J. Hellen
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this capstone was, How can science and literacy be integrated in a fifth grade curriculum? This capstone describes current research in science education, reading motivation and engagement, and the science and literacy connection. The goal of this capstone was to create a unit that would captivate students’ interests in science and use that interest as a catalyst to grow their literacy skills. This unit is designed to be used in a 5th grade Spanish immersion classroom centered on the themes of life science and non-fiction reading. The accompanying curriculum utilizes the Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction (CORI) …
How Can Teachers Motivate Struggling Middle School Readers In An Intervention Classroom?, Heather Young
How Can Teachers Motivate Struggling Middle School Readers In An Intervention Classroom?, Heather Young
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this curriculum was: how can teachers motivate struggling middle school readers in an intervention classroom? The author focused her research in the areas of struggling readers, middle school intervention classrooms, and motivation. The research was expanded to include influences on motivation, authentic instruction, and the role of relationships. The goal was to create a curriculum that could be easily implemented and adapted to fit the needs of teachers. A curriculum was created surrounding three main subjects: student choice, building relationships and sustained student reading.
Increasing Joy And Motivation Through Experiential Art Curriculum, Rachel Mejdrich Edstrom
Increasing Joy And Motivation Through Experiential Art Curriculum, Rachel Mejdrich Edstrom
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This Capstone is a collection of visual art lessons for elementary students aged kindergarten through 5th grade. These lessons explore the question, In what ways can experiential learning methods increase joy and motivation in art education? This curriculum provides students the opportunity to explore the human experience through art with joy. By utilizing experiential techniques, these lessons focus on increasing motivation and joy in students. The curriculum is supported by research which draws on theories in art education, motivation, and experiential learning, along with brainbased research on the correlation between happiness and success. Additional ideas explored include the connections between …
The Effects Of Individualized Teacher Meetings On Struggling High School Students, Travis Woulfe Macleod
The Effects Of Individualized Teacher Meetings On Struggling High School Students, Travis Woulfe Macleod
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this project was, how does having regularly scheduled one on one meetings between an academically struggling student and one of their teachers effect their success in school? It used a mixed-methods approach to gather data that included interviews, surveys, and academic data collected from students, their teachers, and their parents. The author documents the details of the meetings with the five selected students and uses related research literature to add meaning to and to validate the study. He describes both the successes and weaknesses of the meetings and the study. Conclusions include that these meetings …
Effects Of Incorporating Multiculturalism In A High School Civics Classroom For Increased Student Interest And Engagement, Alison Beatt Ellertson
Effects Of Incorporating Multiculturalism In A High School Civics Classroom For Increased Student Interest And Engagement, Alison Beatt Ellertson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this study is, what are the effects of incorporating multiculturalism in a high school civics classroom for increased student interest and engagement? This action research study was conducted in a ninth grade civics classroom over the course of three weeks and in three separate class periods. There were 85 students included in the research. Students were observed, interviewed and participated in a survey. The research compared a unit that had limited multicultural elements to a unit that fit a multicultural framework and curriculum. Findings suggest that relevancy is key to keeping students interest and introducing …
The Impact Of Environmental Education On Environmental Literacy And Motivation In Urban Communities, Amber Huston
The Impact Of Environmental Education On Environmental Literacy And Motivation In Urban Communities, Amber Huston
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed is does environmental education increase environmental literacy and motivation in urban communities in the United States? The motivating factor for this capstone was from evidence that environmental education can not only improve motivation and literacy, but also help improve academic achievement. This capstone details both historical and current data to support full integration of structured environmental education programs into urban academics. The author documents the results of a survey based on observations made by various academic instructors of both their personal experiences, as well as their view of their students’ experiences, both inside and outside the …
The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy And Reading Test Score Improvement In Elementary English Learners, Daniel Patrick Sefkow
The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy And Reading Test Score Improvement In Elementary English Learners, Daniel Patrick Sefkow
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
Despite funding from multiple sources, many upper elementary English Learners (ELs) in Minnesota struggle to reach grade level reading proficiency. This study examined the relationship between academic reading self-efficacy and improvement on two reading standardized tests taken annually at the school. Participants were 21 fourth and fifth grade intermediate or advanced ELs in a Midwestern town. Participants’ responses to a sixquestion Likert-style self-efficacy and reading survey were compared to two years’ worth of WIDA ACCESS and NWEA MAP reading data. Results indicated that students with lower reading proficiency had a greater standard deviation between their reading test score improvement and …
How Does Learning About Affixes (Prefixes And Suffixes) Help English Language Learners (Ells) Understand The Meaning And Use Of Affixes?, Melissa Jean Cook
How Does Learning About Affixes (Prefixes And Suffixes) Help English Language Learners (Ells) Understand The Meaning And Use Of Affixes?, Melissa Jean Cook
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this paper is: How does learning about affixes (prefixes and suffixes) through games and songs help English Language Learners (ELLs) understand the meaning and function of affixes? It documents one teacher’s teaching of common prefixes and suffixes to 3rd grade ELLs with the use of games and songs in the classroom to increase student learning and engagement. The data includes pretests, posttests and a survey. The findings of this study include, 1) some students were secure before the lessons in their knowledge of prefixes re- and mis- and suffix -er ; 2) the data was …
Factors Influencing The Persistence Of Ged Students, David Foster Wilson
Factors Influencing The Persistence Of Ged Students, David Foster Wilson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this study was, What factors influence the persistence of GED students? The motivation for this project was the author’s involvement as a teacher in an Adult Education Program. Eighteen students were briefly surveyed and 3 students were interviewed at length to find out more about positive and negative factors that influenced their academic path. The results, particularly from the interviews, provided the key findings that students benefit from a strong team of support, a positive, determined attitude and mindset, and the motivation of working toward a better future.
How Digital Formative Assessment Increases Student Achievement And Motivation, Jillian G. Morreim
How Digital Formative Assessment Increases Student Achievement And Motivation, Jillian G. Morreim
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
Technology in the classroom has changed the way teachers teach and students learn. In this everchanging field, a continual examination of the most effective methods to use technology to benefit student learning is essential. The research question addressed in this project was: what is the impact of formative assessment using iPads on student achievement and motivation? The review of the literature explored formative assessment, motivation, and technology in the classroom. In this study, qualitative and quantitative data was collected using pre and posttests, student surveys, and field notes over two curriculum units; in one unit, exclusively traditional formative assessment was …
What Makes An Effective Bullying Prevention Program In Urban Middle Schools?, Diane Louise Durnick
What Makes An Effective Bullying Prevention Program In Urban Middle Schools?, Diane Louise Durnick
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to investigate anti-bullying curriculums and programs available for middle schools to reduce bullying behaviors among students. Research involved identifying what has been proven to reduce bullying behaviors in schools, as well as, what students say best reduces bully behaviors at school. The curriculums were then evaluated against proven best practices, and a whole-school plan was created to apply at an urban middle school incorporating the best strategies to be most effective in reducing bullying behaviors.
How Student-Led Goal Setting And Self-Monitoring Of Progress Impacts Self-Efficacy Among Third Graders At An International School In Eastern Europe, Jessica Rose Stoll
How Student-Led Goal Setting And Self-Monitoring Of Progress Impacts Self-Efficacy Among Third Graders At An International School In Eastern Europe, Jessica Rose Stoll
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
This capstone explored how student goal setting and self-monitoring of progress impacted the self-efficacy of twenty third-grade students at an international school in Eastern Europe. Pre- and post-study data included an attitudinal survey to document levels of self-efficacy, student-created goals, and one-on-one interviews with six students. For a ten-week period, the participants monitored their academic progress towards meeting their goals on a biweekly basis. The findings suggested that student-led goal setting improved students’ overall levels of self-efficacy, as the students were better able to identify positive academic behaviors, address academic concerns, create plans to resolve specific challenges, and identify new …
Motivating First Grade Struggling Readers Through Comprehension Strategy Instruction, Jessica Annmarie Nivala
Motivating First Grade Struggling Readers Through Comprehension Strategy Instruction, Jessica Annmarie Nivala
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this capstone was, how does the explicit teaching of comprehension strategies to first grade struggling readers increase their motivation to read? It documents one teacher’s experience of implementing explicit comprehension strategy instruction during reading workshop through the use of the gradual release of responsibility model and examines its effect on motivation of struggling readers. The project integrates whole group and small group instruction and motivational practices for three first grade struggling readers. The author details the comprehension lessons that were taught, and documents observations of the participants’ engagement. She describes her successes and concludes that …
Increasing Autonomous Academic Motivation In Intermediate Elementary Students By Reducing Fear Of Failure, Whitney Schill Ramirez
Increasing Autonomous Academic Motivation In Intermediate Elementary Students By Reducing Fear Of Failure, Whitney Schill Ramirez
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations
The research question addressed in this project was, how does a combined approach of attribution retraining and incremental theory of intelligence intervention affect levels of autonomous academic motivation in intermediate elementary students? It documents the effects on autonomous academic motivation of an adapted intervention that taught fifth graders in an inner city, dual immersion program about making controllable attributions and having an incremental theory of intelligence. The intervention was part of a preexperiment that was based on the attribution retraining work of Haynes, Ruthig, Perry, Stupnisky, and Hall (2006), as well as the incremental theory of intelligence work of Blackwell, …
Motivational Effects Of Non-Contingent Reinforcement In Children, Alexandra S. Leaskas
Motivational Effects Of Non-Contingent Reinforcement In Children, Alexandra S. Leaskas
Departmental Honors Projects
Non-contingent reinforcement is random and non-informative feedback. Berglas and Jones (1978) first reported that non-contingent reinforcement leads to self-handicapping in adult males. Self-handicapping can be described as a premeditated adaptive behavior that protects against negative attributions to the self after failure. The purpose of this study is to explore whether or not the same effect will be found in children of both sexes. Participants (children in first and second grade) received contingent (informative) or non-contingent (non-informative) reinforcement while playing the children’s game “I Never Forget a Face.” Children were given the opportunity to self-handicap immediately after reinforcement. After the opportunity …