Education Commons^™

A Qualitative Exploratory Case Study Of Middle School Administrators’, Counselors’, And School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports Team Leaders’ Perceptions Of School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports, Ginette E. Bartlett

Theses and Dissertations

Students' disruptive behavior has become more customary over the last several years. Many school systems have implemented a Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) approach to deal with these behaviors proactively. This particular study is focused on behaviorism and operant conditioning. A qualitative exploratory case study design was chosen as the most effective method to understand perceptions of the implementation of the SWPBIS framework in a middle school setting. The three data sources include structured focus groups with school administration, counselors, and SWPBIS team members. Additionally, school climate surveys from 2016-2021 and school discipline referrals from 2016-2021 were evaluated. During …

The Best Way To Utilize Makerspace In A 6th Grade Science Classroom, Amanda Mahlstedt

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this capstone project is: “How can the MakerSpace model be implemented in a sixth grade science classroom successfully?” This paper follows a sixth grade science teacher's journey into learning more about MakerSpace and how to implement the MakerSpace model in a science classroom. This paper also follows how this learning influenced the creation of a MakerSpace guide intended for educators that are interested in implementing a MakerSpace in their classroom, specifically a sixth grade science classroom. The topics of focus are: what is MakerSpace, what makes it different from other science programs, research behind MakerSpace, …

Perceptions Of Out-Of-School Reading Motivation For Female Middle School Students, Danielle Porch

Dissertations

Literacy engagement and motivation to read is lacking in middle school reading classrooms. Educators struggle with the challenge of motivating students to read and actively engage with text both inside and outside of school. Research indicates that female and male middle school students have unique characteristics and habits as readers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perspectives of female middle school students regarding their out-of-school recreational reading time, their attitudes towards reading, and their reading habits. The themes derived from this study indicated the students’ desires to have their reading instruction personalized and have their reading …

Gauging The Utility Of A Learning Target Theory Of Action To Address Perceived Obstacles To Teaching And Learning During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Brian J. Pohland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study was guided by the following research questions: What instructional challenges did teachers face related to designing and delivering lessons remotely during COVID-19? How did those challenges impact teacher perceptions of self-efficacy for providing meaningful lessons for their students? What is the utility of a learning target theory of action for addressing teachers instructional practice challenges and perceptions of self-efficacy?

Six participants were selected from a convenience sample and asked to complete a survey with ten open-ended prompts. Their responses were analyzed by individual participant and also across participants through close reading strategies. The analyses revealed six common …

The Impact Of Video Modeling On Middle School Students With Autism, Lisa Dudley

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to show how video modeling can be used with middle school students on the autism spectrum. According to Gardner and Wolf (2018) video modeling is growing as a practice in the special education field and has been used to teach a wide variety of skills. The theoretical framework of positivism was used to collect data on how video modeling can be an effective intervention for teaching students daily routines. The program Links was used to help set up the routines and collect data during this study. The study was conducted with two students in …

Literature Review: Trauma-Informed Classrooms For Middle School Students, Halea Picha

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Abstract

Trauma-informed classrooms refer to implementation of trauma-informed strategies in classrooms such that the learning environment is cognizant of the effects of trauma on the social and educational life of a child (McInerney & McKlindon, 2014). In trauma-informed classrooms, teachers do not assume the presence of trauma among the pupils; rather, the teachers utilize additional classroom resources so as to provide a welcoming and stable environment for all students.

About one half to two-thirds of children experience trauma (McInerney & McKlindon, 2014). Yet, neglecting this problem has detrimental effects on the ability of children to cope and learn in school. …

The Flipped Model Classroom Experience For 8th Grade Students Enrolled In Algebra 1: A Case Study, Mary Colclasure

Doctor of Education in Secondary and Middle Grades Education Dissertations

Finding time to teach, assess, and reteach all required standards in an Algebra 1 course made it challenging for me to incorporate student-driven activities designed to engage students in learning mathematics. To address this problem, I changed to a flipped model classroom defined as the switching of the primary place where direct instruction took place from during class to homework. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to reach a deep understanding of my teaching using the flipped model classroom through the lens of student experiences and researcher reflection. This case study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with students, …

Parental Involvement - Investigating The Roles, Barriers, And Strategies Of Effective Parent-Teacher Relationships In Middle School Math, Praise-El K. Pelemo

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this single-instrument qualitative case study was to investigate the roles, barriers, and strategies for effective parent-teacher relationships in middle school mathematics. The focus of this study was the accounts of three parents of middle school mathematics students in independent schools and three middle school math teachers in independent schools on their perception of roles, barriers, and strategies that increase or reduce building effective partnerships. Audio recorded semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather details about participants' lived experiences. The goal of the research was to gain knowledge on current parent, teacher, and school practices on parental involvement and …

Why Ask Questions? How Phenomena-Based Inquiry Affects Student Engagement In A Middle School Science Classroom, Laura Nix

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of phenomena-based inquiry on students’ engagement levels in my science classroom. This action research study took place in the fall of 2021 with six student participants. Participants were enrolled in an eighth-grade honors science course in a middle school in South Carolina. The research was predominantly qualitative, and data was collected from participant pre- and poststudy surveys and interviews, anticipation guides, exit tickets, online discussion forums, and teacher field notes. The data revealed that phenomena-based inquiry encouraged students to participate and engage in their own learning, as indicated by post …

The Effects And Impact Of Interdisciplinary Teaming On Teacher Practices And Efficacy, Lisa Depaola

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects and impact of interdisciplinary teaming on teacher practices and efficacy. This study revealed the perspectives of eight 7th and 8th grade teachers, who teach one of the core disciplines (English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies) and the school principal by interviewing them for this case study in an Essential Elements School-to-Watch in Nassau County, New York. It included perceptions from the other 7th and 8th grade teachers on interdisciplinary teams through focus groups and observations during team meetings. Document analysis was performed on artifacts that were collected during …

The Importance Of Self-Regulatory Learning Skills And Collaboration In 7th - 12th Grade Online Classes, Tonja Detwiler

Theses and Dissertations

Research at the college and graduate levels indicates that the use of self-regulatory learning skills (such as time management, asking for help and setting goals) and collaboration with teachers and peers to be vital components of online learning. Little research in online learning has been done at the 7th - 12th grade levels (Barbour, 2019). Through the theoretical frameworks of Zimmerman & Moylan (2009) and Garrison et al. (2000), this non-experimental study examined the correlation of grade level, gender, and modality of instruction to students’ scores on the Online Self-Regulated Learning Questionnaire and their end of year grade point averages. …

The Relationship Between The Implementation Of Response To Intervention And Students’ Achievement On Eighth Grade Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments, Ann Marie Rooney

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to determine if there is a relationship between the implementation phase of Response to Intervention (RTI), an academic multi-tiered system of support, and eighth grade students’ mathematics, reading, and science Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) proficiency achievement. Data for this study were collected using a RTI phase survey sent via Qualtrics to Minnesota middle school principals and publicly accessible MCA proficiency data via the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) website. The researcher analyzed data using the Statistical Package of the Social Sciences (SPSS). Each principal’s survey response was aligned with the school’s eighth grade …

Current School District Administrators’ And Math Teachers’ Perspectives Of Teacher Buy-In For Problem-Based Learning In Middle School Math, Kelly Riley Hastings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Project-Based Learning (PBL) in middle school math classrooms is a topic that has not been well-researched, even though math scores in the United States have been declining. In a school district in the Southcentral United States, the local problem was that teacher buy-in for PBL in middle school math classes was unknown, as current literature regarding administrator and teacher perspectives on teacher buy-in is limited. The purpose of the study was to explore current school district administrators’ and math teachers’ perspectives of teacher buy-in for PBL in middle school math in a Southcentral U.S. state. Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory contributes …

Investigating Boredom Within The Context Of Sixth-Grade Mathematics Classes, Tammy S. Judkins

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examined how the perception of the achievement-emotion of boredom impacted the academic agency of sixth-grade mathematics students. The study for this dissertation was completed during the Covid 19 pandemic. Through an explanatory sequential mixed methods study, sixth-grade mathematics student volunteers from a Midwest middle school responded to survey items on achievement-emotions as well as shared their perspectives about their perception of boredom in three mathematics settings: classroom, studying and/or independent learning, and testing. Eleven of the 69 sixth-grade mathematic students participated in three rounds of data collection: the AEQ-M Survey, homogenous focus group discussions, and individual interviews. A …

Analyzing Mental Health Curriculums: Recommendations For The Implementation Of A Mental Health Curriculum For Middle Grade Students, Lauren A. Bendheim

Honors Theses

Adolescent mental health has been an increasingly important topic of conversation in education policy as the American Academy of Pediatrics declared a national state of emergency for child and adolescent mental health in 2021. In this two phase study I work to understand the landscape of what mental health education looks like in the United States through interviews with policymakers, curriculum developers, and classroom instructors as well as literature research. I investigated what mental health education looks like in practice and how it is experienced by middle school students through classroom observation, student surveys, and curriculum analysis. In my research …

Core Subject Area Vocabulary Instructional Strategies For Middle School English Language Learners, Tiffany N. Waller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Academic vocabulary is one of the most important skills needed in language learning, but it may be difficult for students whose native language is not English. The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate how classroom core subject teachers at Middle School 55 (pseudonym) perceive their ability to implement specific instructional model strategies to support explicit academic vocabulary building for ELL students. This study was grounded in Becker and Engelmann’s direct instruction framework for effective and efficient teaching and involved providing research-based principles for teachers supporting ELLs in middle school who are developing academic vocabulary skills. Open-ended semistructured interviews …