Education Commons^™

In-School Suspension: A Qualitative Study Of High School Programs, Joseph M. Boone

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

In-School Suspension (ISS) is the temporary placement of a student experiencing behavior problems in an alternative location within the school or school district. ISS is designed to offset the negative effects of exclusion and external suspension from school. In the ideal situation students assigned to ISS are under school supervision with an academic component provided (Stiefer, 2003).

There are various forms of ISS including: the punitive format which employs strict rule enforcement, the discussion format which includes activities designed to improve self-esteem, communication, and problem solving skills, and the academic model, which focuses on improving skills required to improve academic …

A Laptop-Learning Initiative: Relationships With Student Achievement, Technology Proficiency, And Attitude Towards Technology, Kevin Scott Nicholas

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between a laptop learning initiative, student achievement, technology proficiency, and attitude towards technology. The initiative, Project One-on-One, was designed to provide teachers with the ability to teach technology integrated lessons in classrooms with a student-to computer ratio of 1:1. This was accomplished by utilizing two mobile laptop labs that were financed through a national grant competition. The variables that were examined in the study were three years of eighth-grade student achievement scores from the criterion-referenced Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) test and the Louisiana Center for Educational Technology’s Technology Proficiency …

Factors Which Impact The Conduct Of Fifth Grade African-American Males, Derricka Bashetta Thomas

Dissertations

This study examines the factors that impact the conduct of fifth grade African- American male students who participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten (ECLS-K). The participants in this study are located throughout the United States of America. These students attend private and public schools. The data for this study were provided by the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES), a division of the U.S. Department of Education. The researcher utilized ECLS-K’s Public Use Data File and Electronic Codebook to create an SPSS syntax file in order to measure the factors that impact the conduct of fifth grade African- American …

Stop “Going Over” Exams!: The Multiple Benefits Of Team Exams, Gary Stark

Journal Articles

This article describes the use of team exams as a means of postexam feedback and explains the benefits of their use. Team exams are a simple procedure for those who use exams in their classrooms. Team exams can be a valuable experiential exercise in management classes but offer educational benefits in any class. Among the benefits of team exams are accurate feedback and active engagement of students in postexam review. Team exams can also serve to check the validity of exam questions and reduce the angst often associated with “going over” exams.

The Effectiveness Of Problem-Based Instruction: A Comparative Study Of Instructional Methods And Student Characteristics, John R. Mergendoller, Nan L. Maxwell, Yolanda Bellisimo

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

This study compared the effectiveness of problem-based learning (PBL) and traditional instructional approaches in developing high-school students’ macroeconomics knowledge and examined whether PBL was differentially effective with students demonstrating different levels of four aptitudes: verbal ability, interest in economics, preference for group work, and problem-solving efficacy. Over all, PBL was found to be a more effective instructional approach for teaching macroeconomics than traditional lecture–discussion (p = .05). Additional analyses provided evidence that PBL was more effective than traditional instruction with students of average verbal ability and below, students who were more interested in learning economics, and students who were most …

English Language Learners And Technology: Applying Universal Design For Learning And The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol In The Evaluation Of Literacy Support Software, Susan M. Connolly

All Graduate Projects

The population of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students in U.S. schools has been steadily increasing. These students do not experience equal educational opportunity in U.S. secondary schools. CLD students need to develop English literacy as well as content knowledge to attain equal educational opportunity. Teachers of CLD students need techniques and tools which support CLD students in mastering the content expected of secondary school students while acquiring English literacy. The criteria for effective lesson design and delivery inherent in the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) and the criteria for designing curriculum without barriers to access inherent in Universal Design …

Implementing Reading Response Logs In An Intermediate Classroom To Increase Student Interest And Comprehension, Carrie Winegar Risley

All Graduate Projects

This study includes a brief explanation of the history of reader response and the purpose behind the theory as well as how to apply the theory to classroom practices when teaching literature and reading. Reader response is the reader's reaction to what he/she has read. This can include making connections, asking questions, clarifying information, evaluating the author's craft and making predictions. The reader's response can be oral or in written form. The study includes examples of the application of reader response in classrooms ranging from the primary level through the high school level and an explanation of why it can …

Environmental Education And A Proposal For Its Implementation In Public Schools, Casey Putnam

MALS Final Projects, 1995-2019

Human impact on nature has led to global environmental destruction and degradation. Young people are not environmentally knowledgeable, and they are not receiving the type of instruction they need in order to be environmentally literate citizens. In order to repair some of the damage that has been done and to diminish future impact, environmental education must be thoroughly and thoughtfully incorporated into people's lives.

Environmental education has existed, in various forms, for nearly a century as, at best, a supplement to "real education." Rather than being a fringe subject, environmental education warrants attention in American education that is equal to …

An Overview Of Gerald R. Prescott’S 1935 “The Prescott Technic System” With Recommendations For A Contemporary Edition, Carson Lee Vermillion

Dissertations

Gerald R. Prescott (1902-2005) served as the Director of Bands at Mason City (Iowa) High School from 1927-31. During his tenure, Prescott established himself as an outstanding band director and music educator. While serving as the Director of Bands at the University of Minnesota, Prescott published The Prescott Technic System; a band curriculum employing excerpts from conservatory methods to develop individual technique. The system encompassed fourteen years of study, from beginning band through graduate school.

Due to the performance expectations placed on today’s instrumental music programs, little time remains for a sequenced individual course of study that adequately develops a …

Malcolm S. Knowles: Four Major Historical Social Movements That Influencd Him And He Influenced As He Became An Adult Educator, John A. Henschke Edd

IACE Hall of Fame Repository

Using a qualitative approach, this research provided thematic analysis and description of the context of Knowles' autobiography. The Making of an Adult Educator. The research questions included: What took place when Knowles and Savicevic met in 1966? How did Knowles decide to make use of the term andragogy to name his theory of adult learning in 1967 and 1968? What discourse followed Knowles' introduction of his theory? What social movements in the U.S. occurred during Knowles' times? Denzin's (1989) model of a fully triangulated biographical investigation, consisting of a case history, a case study, a life story, a personal experience …

The Effectiveness Of Student Led Conferencing In An Intermediate Setting, Mindy Fitterer

All Graduate Projects

The studied focused on the communication between parents, teachers and students and the student self-reflection of strengths, weaknesses, and goals during Student Led Conferencing. Twenty-five students in a sixth grade classroom created student led conference portfolios and participated in fall and spring conferences with their teacher and parents. The specific parts of each of the pieces of the portfolio and conferences are examined. The results showed a highly effective rate in the desired areas.

A Choice-Based Art Curriculum For Eighth Graders At A Public Charter School, Elisa Hirvonen

Graduate Student Independent Studies

In a choice-based art curriculum students select units of study, explore ideas, and choose specific elements of their projects to develop, e.g., media. The goal is to provide a more authentic artistic experience. Surveys conducted at the beginning and end of the year-long program indicate that students are enthusiastic about choice, and that attitudes towards art improved.

An Inquiry Into Retention And Achievement Differences In Campus Based And Web Based Ap Classes, Michael Barbour, Dennis Mulcahy

Education Faculty Publications

A decade ago the Advanced Placement (AP) program was introduced into the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Initially, schools embraced this opportunity to provide their students with opportunities that were previously unavailable. However, within a few years the AP program was relegated to urban and large regional high schools. Few smaller, and particularly rural schools, were able to offer AP courses only to the brightest one or two students taking it as an independent study. In 1997-98, schools began to delivery AP courses in a web-based method. The purpose of the study is to examine the retention rates and …

Effective Letter Identification Activities For K-1 Children: A Handbook For Teachers, Luann Nicole Jensen

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project is to provide K-1 teachers with a handbook of effective letter identification activities. Letter identification is a pre-requisite reading skill that students must have in order to be successful readers and to prevent reading difficulties later on. This handbook can be implemented by teachers of kindergarten or first grade children who need a letter identification intervention. The lessons in this project were developed to be paired with explicit, intensive teaching during the intervention to help remediate a child's weakness in identifying letters.

The 3c3r Model: A Conceptual Framework For Designing Problems In Pbl, Woei Hung

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

Well-designed problems are crucial for the success of problem-based learning (PBL). Previous discussions about designing problems for PBL have been rather general and inadequate in guiding educators and practitioners to design effective PBL problems. This paper introduces the 3C3R PBL problem design model as a conceptual framework for systematically designing optimal PBL problems. The 3C3R model comprises two classes of components: core components and processing components. Core components—including content, context, and connection—support content and conceptual learning, while processing components—consisting of researching, reasoning, and reflecting—concern students’ cognitive processes and problem-solving skills. This paper discusses the model in terms of its theoretical …

Jumping The Pbl Implementation Hurdle: Supporting The Efforts Of K–12 Teachers, Peggy A. Ertmer, Krista D. Simons

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

While problem-based learning (PBL) has a relatively long history of successful use in medical and pre-professional schools, it has yet to be widely adopted by K–12 teachers. This may be due, in part, to the numerous challenges teachers experience when implementing PBL. In this paper, we describe specific hurdles that teachers are likely to encounter during the implementation process and provide specific suggestions for supporting teachers’ classroom efforts. Implementation challenges relate to 1) creating a culture of collaboration and interdependence, 2) adjusting to changing roles, and 3) scaffolding student learning and performance. By supporting teachers’ initial and ongoing efforts, we …

Overview Of Problem-Based Learning: Definitions And Distinctions, John R. Savery

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional approach that has been used successfully for over 30 years and continues to gain acceptance in multiple disciplines. It is an instructional (and curricular) learner-centered approach that empowers learners to conduct research, integrate theory and practice, and apply knowledge and skills to develop a viable solution to a defined problem. This overview presents a brief history, followed by a discussion of the similarities and differences between PBL and other experiential approaches to teaching, and identifies some of the challenges that lie ahead for PBL.

Benefits Of Storytelling Methodologies In 4th And 5th Grade Historical Instruction., Julia E. Watts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the benefits of using stories to teach history to 4^th and 5^th grade students. In order to determine student attitude toward history, students completed a History Affinity scale prior to and after being exposed to one of 2 teaching methods. Students in the experimental group listened to and participated in oral narratives during their history lesson while students in the control group received conventional lecture and note-taking instruction. After collecting and analyzing the data, results indicate a significant increase in history affinity in the positive direction for the experimental group with no change in history …

Domestic Life In Dutch New Amsterdam A Social Studies Curriculum For Third And Fourth Grade Children, Michael W. Parrish

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This thesis presents a social studies curriculum for third and fourth grade students on the domestic life of New Amsterdam. Beginning with the geography of the region, the study focuses on the role that the environment has on meeting basic human needs of shelter, food and clothing. Based on a framework of objectives and ideas, the study is divided into three major units: shelter, food and clothing. Meeting each basic need required of New Amsterdam residents a vast amount of time and dedication. As children experience this curriculum, they can begin to understand the effort and many layered processes the …

Incorporating Nonfiction Into The Primary Grades: A Handbook For K-2 Teachers, Mandee D. Burton

All Graduate Projects

The majority of reading done outside the school setting is primarily nonfiction in nature; however primary teachers continue to emphasize fictional texts in the classroom. Therefore, many students are unprepared for the increase in the use of nonfiction text which begins in the intermediate grades and continues on up through the college years. Students as young as kindergarten benefit from the early exposure to nonfiction in numerous ways including increased background knowledge, vocabulary, and comprehension. A handbook was created to assist teachers (K-2) in incorporating nonfiction into the primary grades. Eight strategies effective in improving students' comprehension of nonfiction as …

Technological Literacy – Not Just You And Your Computer, Joseph Scarcella, Susan Daniels

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

One might argue that the word technology is one of the most misunderstood and misused terms in common usage today. Many believe technology to be synonymous with computers, the internet and other high-tech media. This is limited and short sighted view indeed! Technology encompasses both simple and complex artifacts used daily. Pencils, toothbrushes, zippers and toothpicks – not to mention Velcro (!) – for instance, are all examples of what might be considered relatively modern examples of technology. Often, the wonder of “everyday” invention is lost in our current notions of technology. Yet, it is an investigative inquiry into the …

Five Approaches To Literacy In Correctional Education, Thom Gehring, Gary H. Sherwin

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

This article introduces literacy from a few “big picture” perspectives, and then reviews five paradigms that have shaped the teaching and learning of literacy in residential confinement institutions for juveniles and adults. The paradigms are specific to correctional education, but they will be familiar to all alternative teachers and advocates of literacy instruction.

The Power Of Visuals: Picture Books As Invitations To Literacy, Mary Jo Skillings

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

When young children are exposed to picture books, they are building important bridges to literacy. Picture books are sometimes defined as a storybook with a dual narrative. That is, the illustrations and text work interdependently, the integration of the visual and the verbal tell the story. The illustrations add a new dimension that extends beyond the words on the page; together, the text and pictures make the story stronger. A well crafted picture book is a feast for the eyes of a young child. The illustrations awaken and develop the child’s visual, mental, and verbal imagination.

In Our Own Backyard: Critical Theory And The Development Of The San Jacinto Center For Environmental Education, Susanna Hamilton, Darleen Stoner, Randall Wright

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

This research addresses the topic of nature centers from a critical theory perspective. This research assumed in part, the question: what are the characteristics of a functional and successful nature center that includes environmental education goals and programs? Nature center administrators from across the United States were surveyed and asked to share their opinions on this topic. Six overall characteristics pertaining to management and vision were identified through an exploratory mixed‑method design. Other components of these characteristics were discovered during the analysis of the data, and include factors such as approaches to education. Recommendations for improving nature centers and their …

Schism: When Research And Practice Fail To Meet, Camille M. Mayers, Donna L. Schnorr

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

The authors explore the hypothesis generation, intervention formation and operationalization of PL 107-110, as a cautionary example of the social cost of failure to effectively integrate empirical research to professional practice. They suggest a reexamination of traditional dichotomous University identification as "Research versus Practitioner" and present a case for a stronger emphasis upon the integration of research and practice through applied experiential activity during the period of University education.

A Curriculum Unit For 8th Grade Students Of Spanish: ¿CóMo Eras Tú De NiñO? (What Were You Like As A Child?), Cheyenne A. Jones

Graduate Student Independent Studies

The following Independent Study, written in partial fulfillment for a Master of Science degree in Middle-Level Education from Bank Street College, is a nine-lesson curriculum unit on the study of imperfect tense verbs in Spanish. The unit, titled ¿Cómo eras tú de niño? (What Were You Like As a Child?) was designed for 8th grade English-speaking students of Spanish.

Supplemental Education Services In Arkansas, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

The federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 gives eligible students who attend Title I schools not making adequate yearly progress (AYP) for at least three consecutive years the right to receive free supplemental education services, such as after-school tutoring. Under NCLB, states must provide a list of approved supplemental services providers to districts, who then, theoretically, provide the list to parents of eligible students prior to the start of the school year, so that they can choose the best provider for their children (U. S. Department of Education, 2005).

Alternative Learning Environments In Arkansas, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

One intervention that has been shown to be successful in helping students who have not done well in traditional school settings is alternative learning environments (ALE), or alternative schools (Lehr, Lanners, & Lange, 2003). The U.S. Department of Education (2002) defines an alternative school as “a public elementary/secondary school that addresses the needs of students that typically cannot be met in a regular school, provides nontraditional education, serves as an adjunct to a regular school, or falls outside the categories for regular, special education or vocational education.”

The Use Of Personal Digital Assistants In The K-8 Classrooms, Tracy A. Brosovich

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) are being used in the K-8 classrooms and if so to what extent. By way of a stratified random sample, four counties in central and southern New Jersey were selected. A survey was developed and sent to the participating districts. Two hundred seventy-five surveys were mailed to eight districts, with a return rate of sixty-eight percent (68%).

Data was collected from the surveys and calculated into percentages. Although seventy-two percent (72%) of the respondents report using some form of technology on a daily basis, only three percent …

Return To The Past:, Teaching Cooperation Through Play And Games Of The Past, Kathie C. Morgan

Faculty Publications and Presentations

In the past play has prepared children for life by teaching: fair play, cooperation, compromising skills, mediation skills, and responsibility. Character skills learned through play promote community and are universally accepted. The games of the past teach students today those exact same skills.