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2017

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Full-Text Articles in Education

Local Implementation Effectiveness Of A Multi-Tier System Of Support In Elementary School Settings, Terry P. Houlton Oct 2017

Local Implementation Effectiveness Of A Multi-Tier System Of Support In Elementary School Settings, Terry P. Houlton

Student Work

Ensuring all students learn at high levels is demanding. Multi-tier systems of supports (MTSS) has shown promise as a way to promote high levels of learning for all students while catching students who are struggling to learn. However, implementing MTSS models in school districts and schools has seen its challenges. The context of an individual school impacts efforts related to implementation especially related to implementing a system such as MTSS. During the 2016-2017 school year, using program theory-driven evaluation methods a program theory for MTSS was developed with input from members of the research school district. Then a questionnaire was …

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Andragogy And Workplace Relationships: A Mixed-Methods Study Exploring Employees’ Perceptions Of Their Relationships With Their Supervisors, Erin Klepper Oct 2017

Andragogy And Workplace Relationships: A Mixed-Methods Study Exploring Employees’ Perceptions Of Their Relationships With Their Supervisors, Erin Klepper

Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-method study was to explore employees’ perceptions of their relationships with their direct supervisor, and to determine why employees chose to remain at SSM Health. This study used a three-part research design comprised of quantitative Likert scale rating statements, Henschke’s (2016) Modified Instructional Perspectives Inventory — Employees and Direct Supervisor (MIPI-EDS), and a qualitative open-ended survey-questionnaire to also explore how managers were perceived by their employees. By using Henschke’s measurement tool in alignment with questions/statements from Parts I and II of the survey-questionnaire, relationships between the andragogical principles as measured by the MIPI-EDS and other components, …

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Perceptions Of School Leaders Regarding The Benefits Of Leadership Dashboards, Chance A. Wistrom Oct 2017

Perceptions Of School Leaders Regarding The Benefits Of Leadership Dashboards, Chance A. Wistrom

Dissertations

Implementation of continuous improvement structures in education continues to expand as demands for accountability increase in response to ongoing educational reform (Frickx, 2015). Park, Hironaka, Carver, and Nordstrum (2013) found the systemic nature of educational organizations often inhibits these organizations from successfully implementing continuous improvement structures characteristic of high-reliability organizations. Specifically, system leaders in educational entities are ill-equipped to lead system improvement due to poor preparation and lack of focus on specific implementation drivers (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2014). This has resulted in a need for educational system leaders to develop a leadership dashboard similar to dashboards created by Jack Stack …

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How Demographic And Professional Characteristics Affect Faculty Attitudes Regarding Assessment Of Student Learning, Angela Erickson-Grussing Oct 2017

How Demographic And Professional Characteristics Affect Faculty Attitudes Regarding Assessment Of Student Learning, Angela Erickson-Grussing

Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration

The attitudes of faculty members regarding the assessment of student learning is a topic that has garnered much attention in recent years, predominantly since the ‘assessment movement’ (Walvoord, 2004) gained strength in the 1990s. While much research has been conducted to investigate attitudinal trends, relatively little investigation has uncovered what factors contribute to varying attitudes among faculty members, especially when it comes to assessment. This study investigated the relationship between personal, demographic, and professional characteristics of individual faculty members and their attitudes regarding student assessment. Specifically, teaching faculty members at a private, undergraduate, liberal arts institution in the Midwestern United …

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A Case Study: What Are The Social Experiences Of An International Minority Male At A Pwi Really Like?, Victoria Evans Oct 2017

A Case Study: What Are The Social Experiences Of An International Minority Male At A Pwi Really Like?, Victoria Evans

Honors Program Contracts

International students of color often have trouble integrating socially into a Predominantly White Institution (PWI). The purpose of this study is to explore the social experiences of an international student of color at a Predominantly White Institution. My research methodology was a case study. The methodology and methods consisted of a study of a single international student of color at Merrimack College this fall semester. The data collection techniques included an in-depth interview, participant observation, and a journal written by the participant. After gathering my data, I used the coding method to analyze my data and find common themes throughout …

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A Study Of The Effectiveness Of Alternative Schools Through An Examination Of Graduation Rates, School Climate, Student Motivation, And Academic Rigor, Mark Harris Piper Oct 2017

A Study Of The Effectiveness Of Alternative Schools Through An Examination Of Graduation Rates, School Climate, Student Motivation, And Academic Rigor, Mark Harris Piper

Dissertations

This study was guided by Deci and Ryan’s (2015) self-determination theory, which focuses on meeting three specific psychological needs: autonomy, relatedness, and competence. The literature review for this study included topics relating to alternative education such as educational reform, school improvement, school climate, student discipline, intervention strategies, at-risk students, and the achievement gap. This study involved determining the effectiveness of alternative schools through a mixed-methods examination of graduation rates, school climate, student motivation, and academic rigor in high schools from the southwest Missouri region. Graduation rate data were compared from school districts without alternative schools and those with alternative schools …

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Online Vs. Blended Learning: Differences In Instructional Outcomes And Student Satisfaction, Genoa Occhipinti Oct 2017

Online Vs. Blended Learning: Differences In Instructional Outcomes And Student Satisfaction, Genoa Occhipinti

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Satisfaction of delivery models between online and blended doctor of education courses were examined. Graduate students were generally satisfied in online and blended courses in relation to the instructor and the course, but the blended model was preferred and statistically significant compared to the fully online model. No relationship was found between cumulative grade point average and student satisfaction with the instructor, the course, and delivery models; however, cumulative grade point averages (CGPAs) were found to be high for both delivery models. When overall student satisfaction and instructor ratings were compared from blended and online courses, significant differences were found …

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An Evaluation Study Of Fifth-Grade Independent Reading And Reading Achievement, Kari Allen Oct 2017

An Evaluation Study Of Fifth-Grade Independent Reading And Reading Achievement, Kari Allen

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Independent reading has been implemented in elementary classrooms for decades. However, what independent reading looks like, teacher expectations related to it, and student attitudes toward it differ greatly depending on the individual classroom. Increasing demands on teachers to improve student achievement has resulted in more time spent in teacher-directed instruction and teacher-selected text, and less time for students to read self-selected, engaging text, resulting in lack of interest and purpose for reading (Gran & DeVoogd, 2008). Effective implementation of independent reading is necessary to improve student achievement, increase reader stamina, and build positive attitudes toward reading in general (Lee, 2011). …

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A Study Of The Impact Of Small-Group And Whole-Group Discussion On The Critical Thinking Dispositions Of Community College English Composition Ii Students, Mechel M. Albano Oct 2017

A Study Of The Impact Of Small-Group And Whole-Group Discussion On The Critical Thinking Dispositions Of Community College English Composition Ii Students, Mechel M. Albano

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The area of critical thinking skills has been one of concern for many professionals working in the field of higher education (Nicholas & Raider-Roth, 2016; Shim & Walczak, 2012). The purpose of this study was to provide these professionals with sound pedagogical tools that can be used to assist college students in developing their critical thinking skills and dispositions. Using a sample of 34 English Composition II students from a community college in the Southeast, the researcher employed a pre-test/post-test comparison group design to compare the effects of small-group discussion of higher-order questions to the effects of whole-group discussion on …

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A Correlational Study: Personality Types And Foreign Language Acquisition In Undergraduate Students, Frank Capellan Oct 2017

A Correlational Study: Personality Types And Foreign Language Acquisition In Undergraduate Students, Frank Capellan

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between personality types and second language acquisition. The study addressed a problem that is inadequately investigated in foreign language acquisition research; specifically, personality traits as predictors of language learning in college students studying Spanish as a foreign language. The researcher conducted one sample t-tests to assess statistically significant differences between mean personality type score and the test value, as well as, a multiple linear regression analysis. A convenient sample of college students (n=52) completed the Neris Personality Type Indicator at the beginning of the course, and took several examinations throughout …

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A Comparative Study Of Sat® Scores Of Students From High Schools Of The Arts And Non-Arts High Schools, Debra R. Cahl Oct 2017

A Comparative Study Of Sat® Scores Of Students From High Schools Of The Arts And Non-Arts High Schools, Debra R. Cahl

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

In 21st Century public schools today, many rapid changes in college and career readiness play havoc among teachers and administrators who are attempting to keep up within a fast-paced, global economy. Preparing students to be successful upon graduation from public schools is a prime responsibility of the educational system in America. A tremendous amount of effort has been employed within the last two decades to close student achievement gaps and to improve teaching effectiveness, curricula, and standards in public schools. Due to concerns for failing students, shrinking budgets, and insufficient rigor to compete in a global economy, the arts were …

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Bilingual Tutoring: Its Impact Upon The Reading Comprehension Achievement Of Bilingual Hispanic Children, Rachel Mcgee Oct 2017

Bilingual Tutoring: Its Impact Upon The Reading Comprehension Achievement Of Bilingual Hispanic Children, Rachel Mcgee

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The case study of bilingual tutors and their impact on the reading comprehension of children whose primary language is not English is fundamental to this dissertation. Recent research has indicated that there is a positive correlation between a tutor having knowledge of the parent language of bilingual children and the children’s improvements in reading comprehension through tutoring. The bilingual tutor’s communication with the children and the families was documented as to the potential for the child to have more significant comprehension when reading English language passages. In an education system that demands accountability and improvements, bilingual children are often left …

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How Interacting With Teacher Feedback Impacts Students’ Writing, Kristen Bankers Saxhaug Oct 2017

How Interacting With Teacher Feedback Impacts Students’ Writing, Kristen Bankers Saxhaug

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The following research question is investigated in this paper: How does purposeful interaction with teacher feedback impact the writing outcomes of high school students? The literature review explored the topics of writing development, feedback, and motivation and self-efficacy in writing. A mixed methods approach was used to investigate whether purposeful, directed interaction with teacher feedback led to improved outcomes in students’ writing. Participants were a cohort of 36 racially diverse, at-risk students who were behind their grade-level peers in the development of age-appropriate literacy skills in a co-taught intervention English class. The data revealed that teaching students how to interpret …

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Meeting The Needs Of Teachers As Whole Learners, Amanda Lea Britt Oct 2017

Meeting The Needs Of Teachers As Whole Learners, Amanda Lea Britt

Theses and Dissertations from 2017

This exploratory study investigated the applicability of the Whole Child/Whole Learner concept to the teaching profession. Utilizing open-ended questions on a web-based questionnaire that was completed by secondary-level teachers throughout Arkansas, this pragmatic qualitative inquiry obtained information about teachers’ experiences in, and attitudes toward, the teaching profession. The constant comparative method was used to analyze participants’ responses to open-ended questions; patterns and themes that emerged through the data were then examined through the lenses of the five tenets of the Whole Child/Whole Learner approach. Of the five, ‘safe’ was the tenet that arose least frequently in participants’ responses. ‘Healthy,’ ‘engaged,’ …

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Moments, Tiffany Bouchard Oct 2017

Moments, Tiffany Bouchard

Theses and Dissertations from 2017

Moments is a series of creative nonfiction essays depicting life with a child who is severely autistic. I compare events from my life prior to having children with life events after I became a mother. My goal is to present a side of autism that is not always seen – the meltdowns, the aggression, the injurious behavior. My desire is to show that, despite the obstacles this life has presented us with, I have been able to experience life with a beautiful, misunderstood human who has changed my life for the better.

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Effective Early Literacy Interventions, Strategies, And Supplemental Programs For Primary Students, Anna Anderson Oct 2017

Effective Early Literacy Interventions, Strategies, And Supplemental Programs For Primary Students, Anna Anderson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

In education today, more and more children are being identified to have reading difficulties in classroom. This is one of the main reasons that wanted to obtain my Master of Arts in Literacy Education, and ultimately lead to the development of my research focus question: What interventions, strategies, or supplemental programs are available to address and aid, primary students who struggle in reading? While seeking the answer to this research question, I learned a lot about the development of literacy itself. I discovered how literacy has changed throughout time, and the major theorists who contributed to these changes. I also …

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Advancing Communication And Collaboration Between Multilingual And Special Education Departments: A Web-Based Model To Serve Dual Eligible Students, Stacy Severson Oct 2017

Advancing Communication And Collaboration Between Multilingual And Special Education Departments: A Web-Based Model To Serve Dual Eligible Students, Stacy Severson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

There was at the time the project commenced, an unmistakable chasm not only between the two departments within the author’s school district, but also in literature in general, and the author’s goal was to create a living document where the two areas of expertise converged. The research question asked in this project was, how can communication between ESL (English as a second language) teachers and special education staff be improved to better serve dual eligible students? It documents one teacher’s creation of a website designed to assist ESL teachers who work with students who qualify for both ESL and special …

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From Small Talk To Academic Dialogue: An Online Professional Development Course For The English Language Proficiency Standards For Adult Education, Debra H. Cargill Oct 2017

From Small Talk To Academic Dialogue: An Online Professional Development Course For The English Language Proficiency Standards For Adult Education, Debra H. Cargill

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone project was to explore the English Literacy Proficiency (ELP) Standards for Adult Education (AE) (AIR, 2016). I studied the ELP Standards for AE in order to understand how to integrate academic language learning into instruction in order to support adult English language learners in transitioning to careers and postsecondary education. This knowledge was used to design an online professional development course that supported the use and implementation of the standards. The four-week online course engaged participants in course content through integrated discussions, assignments, and materials that utilized a constructivist approach to learning.

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Political Speech, Doublespeak, And Critical-Thinking Skills In American Education, Doris Minin-White Oct 2017

Political Speech, Doublespeak, And Critical-Thinking Skills In American Education, Doris Minin-White

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The idea for this project was born during the 2016 US presidential election campaign, after noticing that my students did not seem to find anything questionable about statements of politicians, while at the same time it seemed apparent to me that not all the candidates spoke in a straightforward fashion. This disparity led to my research question: What patterns of doublespeak characterize selected discourse samples of the two most recent US presidents? In this project, I presented the analysis of the candidates’ styles of doublespeak based on the number of occurrences and a technique that I called “The Beguilement and …

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L1 Literacy And Its Implications For Leslla Immigrant Women In Canada, Theresa Wall Oct 2017

L1 Literacy And Its Implications For Leslla Immigrant Women In Canada, Theresa Wall

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study addresses two questions related to access to social services for adult newcomers with limited L1 print literacy skills: First, what barriers do LESLLA clients experience to accessing social services and to settlement? Second, what resources are they employing in order to access these services? Five LESLLA learners, a LESLLA instructor and a settlement counselor were interviewed about barriers and enablers to accessing social services where a disconnect between assumed and actual print-literacy skills exists. Participants also discussed work-arounds for accessing those services. While LESLLA participants reporting greater length of residency also described increased cultural capital, all LESLLA …

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How To Integrate Vocabulary In A Fourth Grade Classroom Of English Language Learners To Accelerate Reading Achievement, Randi Kay Weiland Oct 2017

How To Integrate Vocabulary In A Fourth Grade Classroom Of English Language Learners To Accelerate Reading Achievement, Randi Kay Weiland

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

English language learners are prevalent in modern American schools, yet educators are often still grappling with how to best teach these unique students. Unsurprisingly, vocabulary plays a fundamental role in reading comprehension. This capstone presents the existing research on the foundational relationship between vocabulary and reading comprehension as well as effective vocabulary instruction for English language learners. The research was then used to design a vocabulary curriculum for a fourth grade thematic literacy unit on Mexican Heritage. The curriculum focuses on four major aspects of vocabulary instruction: 1) the direct instruction of Tier II words, as defined by Isabel Beck; …

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Barriers To Individuals Of Entering The Field Of Education, Jamie Williford Oct 2017

Barriers To Individuals Of Entering The Field Of Education, Jamie Williford

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Institutional racism is prevalent in our society. It is the researcher’s belief that we must acknowledge the effects of racism in order to address the needs of individuals of color. The schools in our nation are an important place to start. The goal of this research is to create a list of barriers to individuals of color entering the field of education. Mixed methods research data collection and literature review aid in solving the research question: What are the barriers to individuals of color entering the field of education? A significant race gap has been noted by the researcher and …

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Developing Appropriate Challenge And Rigor In The Classroom: Perceptions Of Gifted Middle Schoolers, Noelle Regan Oct 2017

Developing Appropriate Challenge And Rigor In The Classroom: Perceptions Of Gifted Middle Schoolers, Noelle Regan

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Gifted education is often overlooked in schools. Reasons for the lack of programming include standardized testing causing teachers to teach to the middle, untrained and underprepared teachers, mistaken ideas of equality, and a lack of funding. Even in schools which offer gifted programming, the education offered gifted students often does not meet the educational needs of the gifted student. Although much literature exists regarding the lack of rigor afforded gifted students, the students themselves are often left out of the reporting of results. This is especially true at the middle school level. Utilizing the perceptions of students, this study examined …

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Effects Of Dual Language Protocol On Literacy Development Of Yup'ik Language Students, Kristin Sattler Henke Oct 2017

Effects Of Dual Language Protocol On Literacy Development Of Yup'ik Language Students, Kristin Sattler Henke

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This dissertation in teacher leadership represents original, independent research that investigated bilingual language instruction of an indigenous Alaskan group of students. Ethnographic research using qualitative and quantitative data was applied to develop an understanding of correlations between the value of English and Yup’ik language and dual language classroom protocol and pedagogy. This research included cultural insight into the history of language transition, influence of Westernized educational system, and teachers’ and community members’ attitudes toward bilingual instruction. Dual language enrichment model instruction and teacher efficacy in dual language pedagogy were assessed based upon 3rd grade student reading proficiency outcomes. Observational …

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Bridging The Gap: A Phenomenological Study Of Interpersonal Relationships To Foster Campus Community Among Nontraditional College Students, Ashvindar K. Singh Oct 2017

Bridging The Gap: A Phenomenological Study Of Interpersonal Relationships To Foster Campus Community Among Nontraditional College Students, Ashvindar K. Singh

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate if the interpersonal relationships among nontraditional college students with each other, faculty, and staff play a role in fostering a sense of campus community at a private career and technical education junior college. Furthermore, the connection between a sense of campus community and students feeling a sense of belonging, increase their self-esteem, and achieving self-actualization as Maslow defined it was explored. In addition, the students reporting feeling a sense of community at a private career and technical education junior college and its relationship to motivating students to attend classes and complete …

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A Comparative Analysis Of Missouri Elementary School Arts Curriculums, Shenicquel Larene Spotts Oct 2017

A Comparative Analysis Of Missouri Elementary School Arts Curriculums, Shenicquel Larene Spotts

Dissertations

Since the beginning of recorded history, artists of distinction have contributed to society’s aesthetic sensibilities through their media of choice. The lives of these artists continue through their visually recorded work. We see their best products featured in history books and films, thus generally contributing to our day-to-day lives. Despite the influence of art on society, this deep and multi-faceted subject is often among the first to be cut during periods of economic instability or budget constraints. While funding may reflect the impact of arts programs on the educational experience, the true value of arts programs emerges when their usefulness …

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Embedding Self-Regulation Strategy Instruction Into The Genre-Based Writing Curriculum, Peter Hagenson Oct 2017

Embedding Self-Regulation Strategy Instruction Into The Genre-Based Writing Curriculum, Peter Hagenson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed by this project is: how can teachers embed self-regulation strategies into their writing curriculum for students who struggle to write independently? This project documents the author’s attempt at merging genre-based pedagogy borrowed from Systemic Functional Linguistics with Rebeca Oxford’s Strategic Self-Regulation (S2R) model of learning. The resulting instructional unit, developed with the guidance of Wiggin’s and McTighe’s Understanding by Design framework, teaches secondary students how to write in the genre of persuasion. Additionally, it systematically engages students with opportunities to practice cognitive, affective, and sociocultural-interactive strategies that researchers have found to be characteristic behaviors of effective …

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Website​ ​Resource​ ​For​ ​Strengthening​ ​The​ ​Relationships​ ​Of​ ​Fathers And​ ​Their​ ​Children​ ​To​ ​Increase​ ​Academic​ ​Achievement, Adam Barlow Oct 2017

Website​ ​Resource​ ​For​ ​Strengthening​ ​The​ ​Relationships​ ​Of​ ​Fathers And​ ​Their​ ​Children​ ​To​ ​Increase​ ​Academic​ ​Achievement, Adam Barlow

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this project is, how can empowering fathers in their child’s life increase student academic achievement? The Capstone provides literature supporting the value of father in the lives of their children, providing them with optimal success in academics and beyond the classroom. It brings together characteristics and statistics of fatherhood, detailing how a father impacts: family roles, child’s behavior, child’s needs, learning tasks, daughters, a child with special needs, mother and father differences, and early child development. The author brings forth research to support fathers staying engaged with their child, from before birth to adolescence, providing …

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Training Adult Esl Volunteers In College And Career Readiness Standards, Cara Berger Oct 2017

Training Adult Esl Volunteers In College And Career Readiness Standards, Cara Berger

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

A significant number of instructors in adult education programs are volunteer, and the volunteer-led classrooms in which these volunteers serve face difficulties and challenges that staff-led classrooms do not (Belzer, 2006; Gomez, 2012). This project sought to answer the question: how can College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) be incorporated into lesson plans for an adult ESL intermediate volunteer-led class so that students may benefit from the same standards of instruction that staff-led classes follow? Research on the CCRS and various volunteer training methods was addressed to develop a project artifact intended to aid volunteers in their lesson planning. The …

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Lead Like A Pirate: Fostering Leadership Development In Kindergarten Through Third Grade Girls, Jennifer Endres Oct 2017

Lead Like A Pirate: Fostering Leadership Development In Kindergarten Through Third Grade Girls, Jennifer Endres

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this project was, how can a summer day camp foster leadership development in kindergarten through third grade girls? It documents the author’s creation of a two­week summer day camp as an innovative and fun way to begin leadership development in young girls. The “Lead like a Pirate” camp includes a variety of activities to expose young girls to skills that most highly resonate with leadership and overall future success, including: self­esteem and confidence, grit and growth mindset, communication, vulnerability, self­reflection and creativity. The girls will be encouraged to take risks and step out of their …

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