Education Commons^™

World Changers: Social Justice At The Heart Of Middle School Language Arts Curriculum, Mackenzie Mcclain

Honors Theses

English classrooms, at their best, are safe places for adolescents to critically engage with difficult issues presented in novels and the real world. One such issue is human trafficking, which is expected to soon become the world’s most profitable criminal industry (Knudsen, 2015). Incorporating values and instructional approaches from social justice pedagogy, I have designed a sixth-grade language arts unit plan about human trafficking based upon Francesco D’Adamo’s novel, Iqbal (2003). My purpose was to create resources, such as standards-based learning objectives, text sets, lesson plans, and student projects to use in my own classroom, as well as for teachers …

Hbo’S "The Wire" And Its Portrayal Of Baltimore Politics, Schools, And The Judicial System In Season 4: Was It Accurate Then And Does It Stand The Test Of Time?, Josephine Klingeman

Honors Theses

This thesis is a content analysis of HBO’s fourth season of The Wire. After conducting an in-depth analysis of the content in the thirteen episodes of season four, I then assessed the level of accuracy in the show’s portrayal of two major topics discussed throughout the season: Witness protection and police informant harassment. I did so by conducting several interviews with professionals who have several decades of experience working in the criminal justice system. I compared their personal experience with witness protection programs, witness harassment, and police informant harassment with the content presented in The Wire on these topics. …

Discovering The Formation Of Sound, Michelle L. Andrus, Catherine Scott

Honors Theses

Sound is a part of everyday life. We use it when talking to others, listening to music, and even to know when food is ready in the microwave. Therefore, it is critical that students learn about sound and how it functions. In this lesson, a first-grade students explore sound through a variety of make-shift instruments and are introduced to the different elements of sound.

The Correlation Between Student Self-Advocacy And Postsecondary Success, Kaleigh Tarabek

Honors Theses

This project incorporated ideas of a previous study that examined the effects of self-advocacy and conflict resolution training modules on the ability of four high school seniors with mild disabilities to ask for their accommodations (Holzberg, et al.,. 2019). The survey I will be using: Self-Determination/Self-Advocacy Checklist, from the transition planning inventory, will be used for the pre and post assessment in order to measure the increase from student indicated don’t knows to yes. I will be compiling student data using student surveys. I will reflect and analyze survey responses as my sample size and student demographics will be different. …

Using Creative Writing And Literacy To Dismantle The School To Prison Pipeline, Tyler N. Gross

Honors Theses

The primary purpose of this research was to elevate the voices of minoritized girls of color (those with intersecting identities such as being Black, Brown and/or gender nonconforming, and/or having a disability) through creative writing and literacy, by engaging them in a process of inquiry that allowed them to creatively express themselves and to share their experiences within the school-to-prison pipeline. Using creative writing and a curriculum that the researcher created, the young women participating in various activities that helped them share their experiences and allowed them to think about countering the narrative about young girls of color and with …

The Case For The Moral Rationale Of Diversity, Will Walker Jr.

Honors Theses

Although there is much literature highlighting the instrumental benefits of diversity (Gurin et al., 2002; Gurin et al., 2004; Hurtado,2006; Jayakumar,2008), little research focuses on the effects of diversity that arise because of moral rationales for diversity. Expanding into the question of diversity rationale’s effect, we in this study measured the relationship between institutional rationales for diversity and undergraduate students’ perceived feelings of belonging. Using one-tailed multivariate analysis of variance (N=257), our results show that the moral rationale for diversity has more beneficial outcomes for undergraduate students, regardless of their race or ethnicity. More specifically, our analyses show that undergraduate …

The Relationship Between Classroom Distractions And Off-Task Students, Michelle L. Andrus, Ashton K. Harrison, Kathryn E. Wojnar

Honors Theses

This study focuses on the prevalence of classroom distractions in elementary education candidates’ field experiences. Classroom disturbances challenge students’ ability to focus on, and process the information that is being taught (Frisby, et al. 2018). Disturbances can occur for a variety of reasons. Intentional distractions, or anti-citizenship behaviors are classroom disturbances that are created by students with the goal of distracting others (Myers, et al. 2015). Classroom disturbances can also be unintentional, yet still equally distracting.

Throughout the duration of this research, the candidates have conducted observations and research in a variety of grade levels. In this paper, the candidates …

Evolution And Impact Of English Language Policy In Taiwan, Kaitlin Ashleigh Rigby

Honors Theses

This thesis takes a look at how English language policy (ELP) in Taiwan has changed over time and how it has affected the education system. This thesis also investigates the different attitudes directed toward ELP, some areas of concern, and problems that have occurred as a result of Taiwan’s approach toward ELP. Understanding why Taiwan supports the English language as much as it does while also considering its approach to implementing policy will provide insight on how Taiwan believes that ELP is a necessary part of globalization.

Early Intervention Service Delivery Models In Mississippi: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis, Claire Harper

Honors Theses

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to compare two models of service delivery for early intervention in Mississippi from a health care sector perspective: (1) face-to-face therapy in the home environment and (2) a hybrid model (i.e., telepractice and face-to-face therapy in the home environment), in order to compare costs and determine the most cost-effective service delivery of early intervention.

Methods: Children (n = 10) were recruited and determined to qualify for early intervention services through the Mississippi First Steps Early Intervention program. One early intervention provider, a certified SLP, from the northern health region provided early intervention …

An Analysis Of The Effects Of Covid-19 On Students At The University Of Mississippi: Family, Careers, Mental Health, Hannah Newbold

Honors Theses

This study analyzes the effects of COVID-19 on students at the University of Mississippi. For students, COVID-19 changed the landscape of education, with classes and jobs going online. Students who graduated in May 2020 entered a poor job market and many ended up going to graduate school instead of finding a job. Access to medical and professional help was limited at the very beginning, with offices not taking patients or moving appointments to virtual only. This would require that each student needing help had to have access to quality internet service, which wasn’t always guaranteed, thus producing additional challenges.

These …

Mental Health And Its Impact On The School-To-Prison Pipeline: A Look At Tennessee Schools, Briana Brady

Honors Theses

This project sought to examine if and how school-based mental health service accessibility affected long-term student interactions with the criminal justice system. The study is both quantitative and qualitative; it researched existing literature and theories on the subject matter and also sourced over 750 data points published by varying organizations and agencies. By using proxy data including school guidance counselor-to-student ratios, out of school suspension rates, and juvenile court referrals, this research tested whether or not a direct relationship existed between the number of school counselors and both out of school suspensions as well as juvenile court referrals. The findings …

Central Appalachia Severance Taxation And Policies For Future Economic Growth, Nathan Frisbie

Honors Theses

Central Appalachia is a region in the United States that has been referred to as a paradox by researchers who have studied it. The area is rich with natural resources, yet the region lacks economic development. The mineral extraction industry has been the center of the economy for over a hundred years. The reliance on the industry has caused Central Appalachia to fall behind in several categories. The region has unusually high concentrations of poverty and low high school graduation rates. The revenue from the taxation of coal is the primary source of income for many of the rural counties. …

Engaged Pedagogy And Teacher Discourse: A Critical Examination Of Public Education In Mississippi, Kelsi Ford

Honors Theses

This thesis explores Mississippi K-12 public education in terms of inequality and critical pedagogy with a focus on historical factors, state testing, and personal accounts of current teachers. The research is based on ten in-depth interviews with current schoolteachers regarding their perspectives on education and personal experiences and draws from previous scholarship, notably bell hook’s concept of engaged pedagogy. Critical pedagogy offers a model for transformative education for resisting social inequity and promoting democracy and citizenship, but teacher interviews suggest that the structure and culture of classrooms are contradictory to adopting critical pedagogy. Specifically, the research finds that both standardized …

Exploring How Popular Media Affects The Motivations And Hesitations Of Women Who Go Through Sorority Recruitment At The University Of Southern Mississippi, Whitley W. Howell

Honors Theses

Fraternity and sorority life is an important part of many college students’ experiences. Sororities provide college women with many opportunities for leadership, service, academics, and growth. Even though sororities have many benefits, they often have negative connotations in popular and social media. Often, these negative stereotypes affect people’s perception of sororities, and many women have hesitations about joining a sorority because of the way sororities are portrayed.

Sorority women express concern with the media’s negative representation of Greek life. The negative connotations affect how people see the sororities. Recruitment of new women into the chapters is an important part of …

It Crits Different: Analysis Of Dungeons & Dragons And Tabletop Roleplaying Games As An Oral, Collaborative, And Immersive Genre Of Literacy, Olivia Haslett

Honors Theses

With the introduction of multimodality enhancements to literature, such as e-books and audiobooks, alongside the resurgence of Tabletop Roleplaying Games such as Dungeons & Dragons, there has been little consideration for how these two seemingly unrelated fields marry into a new opportunity for literary development. These games often have a fundamental purpose: storytelling. Storytelling has long since been an oral tradition which has been converted into its literary form: books. Books tell us their story without the need of company and are often written by a sole author. However, with more and more Tabletop RPGs coming into popularity, storytelling is …

Making Parents Experts: Parents For Public Schools At The Turn Of The 21st Century, Mikayla Jordan

Honors Theses

There has been a long history of debate in the United States about whether centralized or decentralized control of schools is better or more desirable for the education of the nation’s children. This conversation has been shaped heavily by changes in federal education policy since the mid 20th century such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, the Improving America’s Schools Act of 1994, No Child Left Behind in 2001, and the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015. The voices of parents have always been a prominent part of this dialogue as local citizens and as experts on …

The Mind Matters: Yoga And Mindfulness In Preschool And K-12 Schools, Anna E. Hall

Honors Theses

This study uses a systematic literature review to examine the efficacy of preschool and K-12 school based yoga and mindfulness programs. A collection of 47 sources were examined to compare and contrast results and determine best practices. The results of the literature review are divided into three primary categories: implementation methods, student outcomes, and teacher and student opinion. The results suggest that individual and whole school implementation methods are the most effective. The results also suggest that there are positive student outcomes in regards to classroom behavior, child executive functioning, and anxiety. Teacher and student opinion on these programs are …

Examining Construction And Reproduction Of The Educational Opportunity Gap: The Nation’S School Board Members Respond, Hallet Demouy

Honors Theses

This thesis explores opportunity gaps, often related to achievement gaps, in education via the analysis of school board members’ responses regarding challenges that face future education, students, and the public school system. The perceptions of these school board members serve to address the sources, prevalence, and effects of inequities that exist in widening (perpetuating) this gap between students. After discussing and elaborating upon the perceived challenges and barriers located in the institution of education, school board member responses will again be used to present potential ways and opportunities through which the achievement gaps, relating to the success rates and testing …

The Ceibalitas In Uruguay: How Digital Educational Technology Affects Social Cohesion, William Bradford

Honors Theses

Digital Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have become a focal point in improving worldwide education. There have been many studies on the effects of ICT in schools on grades and careers after graduation, but not many have studied the social impact. This study focuses on the Plan Ceibal in Uruguay to see the impact of ICT in schools on social cohesion. The Plan Ceibal was the first Nation-wide one-laptop-per-child (OLPC) program in the world. For this reason, Uruguay can provide a look into the future for other nations as they implement OLPC programs of their own. This study uses data …

The Changing Classroom: A Thematic Analysis On The Impacts Of The Coronavirus Pandemic On Children And Educators Of A Montessori School, Briley Holbrook

Honors Theses

The Coronavirus pandemic of 2020 has drastically changed day-to-day functioning in American culture and the outlook of many essential institutions, specifically the education system. A halt in learning for most American school children in the spring semester of 2020, as well as necessary adaptation of the day-to-day functions of educational facilities in the fall has altered the learning environment for children and educators like never before. Research on historical disruptions in education, such as natural disasters and public health crises, provide a partial framework for federal approaches to the modern-day pandemic and their potential consequences. Modern technology has provided an …

Impact Of Schema On Students' Writing, Hali-Ana Harvey

Honors Theses

All too often, students perform poorly on their writing assignments, and it seems that teachers have difficulty understanding where the problem comes from. This study seeks to prove that the issue begins with the students’ lack of background knowledge that students possess about the topics they are being asked to write about. To begin, the author emphasizes the importance of background knowledge in students. The study also describes ways in which teachers can check for background knowledge before assigning writing, and explores how teachers can build background knowledge in students. To improve students’ overall writing, teachers need to first recognize …

How Does This Benefit Me?: A Case Study Of The Impact Of Long Term Circle Of Friends Participation, Casey Webb

Honors Theses

This thesis examines Circle of Friends and the impacts of long term participation (greater than 2 years) in the program. Participants were selected from a Circle of Friends group that met weekly from 2012-2017 in the lower Midwest. There were 5 white female participants ranging in ages of 21-22 at the time of the interviews. Participants completed interview questions focusing on friendship, the COF program, and the impacts it had on them. Interviews were then transcribed and coded. Many of the participants discussed what it means to be a friend, including the specific activities of friendship, such as eating meals …

The Effects Of Fictional Literature On Real-World Perceptions Of Students, Dylan Dowty

Honors Theses

The ways in which fiction affect the perceptions of high school students’ realities are many, and they vary widely depending on the book read. While lessons can be learned from every fictional book, certain types of books are more beneficial and relevant for students. Young adult literature, while often overlooked, is a significant source of students’ perspective shifts and metacognition. Every book has a lesson that it can teach students, but contemporary young adult literature deserves to be taught in schools alongside the classics in order for students to make personal connections with the texts they read and take an …

Montessori Education: Teaching Self-Regulation Through Virtual Instruction, Brooke M. Myers, Catherine Scott

Honors Theses

One of the hallmarks of a Montessori education is the development of children’s social and emotional regulation skills. However, what happens when the Montessori curriculum is interrupted due to the onset of COVID-19? Does the transition to online learning impact student opportunities for social and emotional self-regulation? This case study attempts to examine the ways in which a school’s four lower and upper elementary Montessori teachers adjust their instruction to meet student needs online, and the benefits and challenges they experienced as a result. Findings are shared, as well as implications for those engaged in virtual instruction of K-6 students.

Racial Representation For Faculty In Higher Education, Joo Ning Lim

Honors Theses

Diversity and representation for faculty in higher education are crucial to cater to the needs of diverse student populations in the 21st century. A significant factor that contributes to faculty diversity is the retention and recruitment of underrepresented minority faculty members. This study aims to provide valuable insights into the current state of racial representation of faculty in higher education institutions and identify solutions to improve the retention of underrepresented faculty. Specifically, this study investigates faculty retention and welfare by comparing data across five public, research institutions in the Midwest. Findings revealed that the racial representation of faculty within the …

Equitable Education For Haiti, Breanna Parker

Honors Theses

This thesis delves into the country of Haiti's educational system to discover equitable ways to introduce new ideas into its system.

What Animals Teach Us, Christina Beger

Honors Theses

This thesis explored folktales from different cultures and compared and contrasted how those cultures viewed certain animals. From this research, I created and taught applicable fifth-grade English Language Arts lesson plans.

20 Things, Reann Parker

Honors Theses

20 Things is a short young adult novel that explores a variety of topics and themes, from mental health, recovery, and self discovery to race, love, and friendship. Beginning with a high school girl named Halle waking up in a hospital after a suicide attempt, the novel is a coming of age story about the help Halle receives and what she goes through in trying to find reasons to keep living. The novel is divided into ten chapters: “Waking Up,” “Going Home,” “Arriving,” “Being Honest,” “Keeping the Faith,” “Soul Searching,” “Willingness,” “Maintaining,” “Checking In,” and “Living.” Each chapter represents the …

Math Anxiety From All Angles, Katie Harmon

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to display the causes and impacts of math anxiety for students, especially in secondary education, and how to prevent math anxiety or help students with math anxiety. Three main groups, teachers, parents, and students, are discussed in this thesis. Overall, research is used to emphasize the significance and relevance of math anxiety and the ability of teachers and parents to help prevent the development or increased intensity of math anxiety for individual students.

Utilizing Technology As A Means Of Teacher Professionalism, Jordan Ford

Honors Theses

A key component of professionalism in education lies in each teacher’s personal commitment to professional development. Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching acts as a guide for novice and seasoned teachers alike in this endeavor. A common theme seen throughout the framework is the need for teachers to meet students where they are. Today’s children are growing up in a technology-driven world, and they need educators to rise to the challenge of integrating technology into the classroom in order to equip them for adulthood.