Education Commons^™

Advisory Programs : Organization And Implementation, Angela Ruth Black

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review examined how to implement an advisory program into middle schools. This review looked at the pros and cons of advisory programs, and what needed to be considered before implementing an advisory program.

The topic of advisory programs was chosen after having discussions during my graduate program, as well as with work colleagues. During class discussions, advisory programs sounded like a wonderful concept. But when I went to work, my coworkers made advisory programs sound like a waste of time. I decided I needed to learn more about advisory programs, so I could make my own decision about …

Marvin S. Pittman: A Historical Inquiry Of His Life, Legacy And Leadership, Pamela Frost Altman

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation is an inquiry into the educational leadership style of Marvin Summers Pittman, April 12, 1882-February 27, 1954. Pittman was a transformational leader with a vision to set goals that sometimes appeared to be outside the box during his time as an educational leader. Pittman introduced new and innovative programs in education, including his zone plan for teacher training, and theories for the consolidation of schools. Pittman understood that education was the tool needed to give power back to the people, and to enable them to be productive citizens. Education was Pittman's tool to bring the poor farm boy …

School Psychology Shortage And Urban/Rural Differences, Melissa Marie Hickman

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

There is a documented shortage of school psychologists. Various factors contribute to this shortage including: (a) attrition, (b) the public's lack of knowledge about the profession, and ( c) stressors on the job. A continued shortage could have negative implications for the profession as well as students and schools by lowering standards for credentialing school psychologists. This paper will review literature on several factors that may influence the shortage. Historical trends and demographics of school psychologists will also be addressed. In particular, research and speculations concerning differences between the practice of rural and urban school psychologists will be discussed.

Balch Internet Research And Analysis Tool Development Case Study, Charles V. Balch

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The Internet has become increasing popular as a vehicle to deliver surveys. An essential objective of research is to collect accurate data and there has been little work to insure that Internet survey systems are employing best practices as defined by academic and professional research to collect data. My dissertation reviews the current literature relating to best practices in Internet survey design and best practices in software design and development. I then document the development and deployment of an Open Source and publicly licensed Internet survey system that allows researchers to easily create, deploy, and analyze the results of Internet …

Using Time-Lapse And Stroboscopic Photography To Enhance Student Understanding Of Plant Growth, Structure, And Pollination: An Inquiry-Based Study, Louis John Schultz

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of allowing students to generate their own images in a science class as opposed to using pre-existing images. The participants in the study were 7th grade science students enrolled in a small, rural, Louisiana school. A mixed methods design was used so that call available data was collected and analyzed. The lessons used in the study were based on plant structure, growth, and propagation which fit into the mandated 7th grade science curriculum. The students were involved in the taking of still, time-lapse, and stroboscopic images throughout the study. Although an analysis …

Perceptions Of Traditional And Non-Traditional Students Enrolled In A Developmental Reading Course In A Community College Setting, Carolyn Elise Hitchens-Smith

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of developmental students enrolled in a developmental reading course in a community college setting. A reading course questionnaire and interest/attitude inventory was completed by the students. In addition, individual interview were conducted. Eight students participated in the study that addressed more fully the impact of the developmental reading course on their achievement. Research questions sought to explore developmental students’ past reading experiences, past reading experiences, and perceptions of the developmental reading course. Results of the study suggest that classroom instruction focusing on comprehension and vocabulary activities presented in a developmental …

"Feelin' Blue, Oh What To Do?": Coping With Negative Emotions, Jana L. Brinkman

Graduate Research Papers

Over the past five years I have had the opportunity to work with children and youth, ages birth to eighteen, in a variety of environments. The settings in which I have interacted with children include nonprofit agency environments, after school programs, church environments, parks and recreation programs, individual and small group counseling sessions, classroom guidance settings, and home environments. My own observations and experiences along with those of parents, school staff, university faculty, fellow undergraduate and graduate students, and co-workers have supported my conclusion that children from early childhood to high school youth struggle with knowing how to appropriately respond …

Reading Strategies For Struggling Readers In The Middle School, Kathleen Claeys

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review focuses on several strategies good readers use to understand and interpret different types of text, such as fiction, non-fiction, and expository. These strategies are ones that struggling readers are not aware of, or these readers do not have the knowledge and experience to utilize the strategies. Teachers need to provide direct instruction of these strategies, generate models of what they look like, demonstrate what the thought process is behind the strategies, and offer students practice in using them with the idea that students will add them to their repertoire of strategies and use them throughout the learning …

From Isolation To Integration : An In-Class Writing Model For Literacy Specialists, Sarah Nadine Dorsey

Graduate Research Papers

The article describes descriptive research about one Reading Recovery teacher's design and implementation of a nine week in-class writing model in a first grade classroom. The instructional model was implemented for 45 minutes daily for nine weeks and included mini-lessons, shared writing, writing about a read-aloud, independent writing, and opportunities for students to share their writing. Discussed are the theory and rationale, design, implementation, and findings resulting from the additional instruction.

The benefits of the short-term model include improvements in all students' writing, stronger connections between pull-out and in-class writing for Reading Recovery students, improved self-perceptions of writers, increased collaboration …

The What, The Why, And The How Of Using Repeated Readings Of Poetry To Increase Reading Fluency, Melissa Feldmann

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review concludes that repeated readings of poetry will increase student reading fluency. The use of repeated readings to increase fluency is a common classroom practice; its effectiveness has been firmly established. The daily use of poems for rereading purposes can enhance several literacy skills including fluent reading. Although there are limitations of the study, it can be concluded that when poems are read repeatedly in a variety of ways, students are able to read fluently while comprehending the text. The research that does exist clearly suggests that classroom teachers might use repeated readings of poetry to help students …

Using A Balanced Literacy Approach In Elementary Schools, Jennifer Lynn Freeman

Graduate Research Papers

One of the most significant educational topics currently facing teachers and administrators is literacy education. Teaching children to read and write is fundamental to a student's success in school: School districts, administrators, and teachers are faced with a tough challenge when developing a literacy curriculum. What will their method of instruction be? The great debate among literacy scholars and professionals is whether to teach using a phonics approach, whole language, or balanced literacy. This paper will explore the concept and benefits of using a balanced approach in literacy education.

Effects Of Digital Storytelling In A Language Arts Classroom, Joseph J. Hegland

Graduate Research Papers

Digital storytelling is a process of writing a story using technology to create a movie of a personal story. The purpose of the review is to explore whether or not digital storytelling is an effective way for students in the language arts classroom to connect their writing with technology. The review begins with how technology is used with writing in the classroom·. Then the process of digital storytelling is reviewed to understand the multiple steps: (a) pre-production, (b) production, (c) post-production and (d) distribution. The use of digital storytelling in the classroom and how teachers have used digital storytelling is …

Meeting The Needs Of The Adult Learner In The Instructional Design Environment, Takeisha Henfield

Graduate Research Papers

There are an increasing number of adults who are seeking further education and training for various purposes, ranging from English as a Second Language to doctoral degrees. These adults possess different characteristics and require different conditions than traditional younger learners. In an effort to design effective instruction for adults as learners, the basic instructional design process should be understood. Through that understanding, a taxonomy of instructional design models as well as specific models can be discussed. The knowledge of adults' learning needs, plus an understanding of instructional design and its models, can help instructional designers produce more effective instruction for …

Investigating The Impact Of Data-Driven Decision Making On Elementary Curriculum And Its Implications For Teaching And Learning, Sara A. Hofer

Graduate Research Papers

Accountability is the new word of importance in the field of education. National attention to schools has caused states and districts to re-evaluate the business of educating children. This review will investigate the many facets that support data-driven decision making in current educational practices. The research will describe the relatively short history of nationally mandated legislation for the use of data to drive instruction and entitlement of services. Then, this paper will report the implications of implementing data collecting and synthesis systems in individual buildings to maintain both student successes in the classroom while fulfilling demands of national reporting requirements. …

Tree Identification And Age Project, Mark Jensen

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of the Tree Identification and Age Project is to use authentic learning activities to extend the current curriculum to include learning that takes place at high levels of cognition. The methods employed integrate higher-order thinking into learning through a hands-on, problem-based approach to authentic scientific investigation. Using a problem-based approach, the learners apply knowledge and skills to solve real problems. The process involves focusing on the problem, identifying relative information, categorizing, critically analyzing, synthesizing that information and effectively communicating the results.

The Impact Of Grouping For Reading Instruction On Student Attitude And Self-Concept, Michelle Renee Keegan

Graduate Research Papers

Researchers have found a parallel between types of grouping and attitudes of students regarding reading. The majority of students placed in the "lower" reading group in their classrooms have had negative perceptions and overall attitudes about reading. Research has indicated that the curriculum taught in these lower reading groups has differed from those in medium and higher groups due to different skills and practice that teachers have felt were required for students to succeed. Teachers' overall expectations have been found to be lower for those in lower academic groups in school. Students who have had motivation, self-efficacy, self worth, competence, …

Communication Between Classroom Teachers And Reading Recovery Teachers : A Study Of Teacher Perceptions, Erika Northey Lentz

Graduate Research Papers

This research project investigates teacher communication between first grade teachers and Reading Recovery teachers who are jointly responsible for providing literacy education to students. This study compared the effects of regularly scheduled meetings between Reading Recovery (RR) teachers and classroom teachers relative to achievement.

Additional issues examined included classroom teacher and RR teacher perceptions of student performance at the beginning, middle, and end of the scheduled RR program.This paper also describes recommendations for further research on teacher communication between classroom teachers and Reading Recovery teachers.

Think-Alouds : Thinking Beyond The Text To Increase Reading Comprehension, Jennifer Marie Lee

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review focuses on how the Think-Aloud strategy can be implemented in order to help readers comprehend text. This strategy is one that will allow all readers to visualize and verbalize what is taking place during the decoding of the text. Teachers need to provide direct instruction in forms of modeling and scaffolding when implementing the Think-Aloud strategy. This helps to aid in the students' ability to effectively gain a full understanding of what the strategy looks like. In the end, it is expected that the students will begin to utilize the Think-Aloud strategy automatically when comprehending any type …

Why Students In The Hispanic Culture Dropout Of School?, Lori A. Schoenauer

Graduate Research Papers

Many Hispanic students, almost 1/3, dropout of high school, and it is important to understand the factors leading to this extremely high dropout rate (Munk, 2004). While only 9% of white and 12% of black students dropout of high school, the number of Hispanic dropouts is on the rise. The increase in Hispanic dropouts is not fully understood; however, research has shown that factors such as the parent's education, involvement, low expectations, school attitude, limited English skills, limited school funding, and cultural differences contribute to Hispanic dropout.

The paper is organized into five different chapters. The first chapter discussed the …

Full Inclusion And Collaborative Teaching : The New Wave In Education, Mindy Underwood

Graduate Research Papers

Throughout the history of education, the pendulum of best practice continuously swings. In the beginning, special education programs were practically nonexistent in schools, whereas now full inclusion and collaborative teaching are the new wave. This paper will explore the history of special education, full inclusion, collaborative teaching, and what it means for the regular education teacher in the general education classroom.

Counseling Children Of Alcoholics In Schools, Melinda Voss

Graduate Research Papers

Children of alcoholics (CO As) make up a large population of students in the school system. These youth are at high risk for behavioral, emotional, social, safety, and academic problems due to the dysfunction within their homes. This paper will identify (a) the definition and prevalence of children of alcoholics, (b) the effects of parental alcohol abuse on children, (c) possible signs and symptoms displayed by COAs, and (d) implications for school counselors to best meet the needs of these students. School counselors can assist this population by providing the skills and support needed to cope effectively with parental alcoholism …

Effective Technology Integration Strategies In An Elementary Classroom, Karen M. Worden

Graduate Research Papers

It is important for teachers to use technology to enrich and enhance their curriculums and to adequately prepare their students for the world of tomorrow. There are many factors that inhibit this use, but these factors can be reduced or eliminated by providing resources, such as computers and software, technical and administrative support and professional development opportunities. Action research was conducted to investigate using the computer as a learning station and an assessment tool in a classroom with limited resources and a teacher with limited experiences. The participants in the study were nine students in a combined third and fourth …

Spelling Instruction In The Primary Grades, Kathleen Ziegler

Graduate Research Papers

This paper chronicles a multi-year effort to study best practices according to spelling research and the implementation of these practices into a primary classroom. This effort occurred in a school situated in the inner city of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The school consists of approximately 330 students grades one through five and serves a diverse population of students. Over the years of this work, approximately fifty percent of students at the school were African American with the remaining students primarily Caucasian. Sixty-nine percent of students are considered low SES ( socioeconomic status) as they qualified for the free and reduced meal …

Mathematics And Spanish: A Comparative Approach Of Teaching Methods, Emily R. Borcherding

Honors Program Theses

Teaching methods in various academic disciplines are all connected. Whether one looks at various content areas, grade levels, or ability levels, teaching methods all share important similarities, as well as sharp contrasts. The meta-analysis and case study address the comparisons between teaching mathematics and Spanish at the secondary education level. In the study, a review of literature is conducted and case studies are analyzed in order to see the role of written and oral communication in mathematics and Spanish education. Throughout the study, written and oral communication, through teacher-student and student-student communication methods, show a strong overlap and supporting role …

Interior Design For The Classroom, Jessica Hellmann

Honors Program Theses

For my honors thesis, I chose to investigate the topic of classroom design. 1 specifically focused on classroom layout and seating arrangement, color schemes, visual displays (student work compared to commercially prepared products), and accommodations that could be made in the physical environment for students with special needs. All of these components of the interior design of the classroom greatly impact student learning and should be carefully analyzed and evaluated before setting up one's classroom.

Academic Advising: Differences Between Freshmen And Sophomores, Abby L. Cochren

Honors Program Theses

Freshman and sophomore years in college are a transitional period in a student's academic life, both externally and internally. Initially, one sees more external transitions such as . going from high school to colle.ge and going to class fifteen hours a week. However, alongside those external transitions, and eventually superseding them, the internal transitions begin to strongly influence the student's life: defining their identity; determining the best academic route; and questioning former beliefs about their interests and future. These internal transitions start a four-year journey of shifting needs and outlook. This journey determines how the student develops, what kind of …

Mathematics Education: An International Perspective, Lisa Roose

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of my thesis/project is to research mathematics education in the United States, Japan, and South Africa. Japan and South Africa were chosen as countries ranking significantly above and below the United States respectively on the Third International Mathematics and Science Study in recent years. The roles and value of education of each country's culture throughout history will be investigated. After gaining a historical perspective of each country, the current education systems, including the school organization, equity, curriculum, students, staff, and reasons for recent reform, will be explored. Finally, mathematics education will be studied along with each country's strengths …

Academic And Social Self-Efficacy In Honors And Non-Honors University Students, Carmen Marie Krapfl

Honors Program Theses

Self-efficacy research has shown that successful past experiences have an influential impact on self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977). The purpose of this study was to compare academic and social self-efficacy between university honors and non-honors students. It was hypothesized that honors students would score higher on academic self-efficacy, but would have lower social self efficacy than their non-honors peers. Participants were invited to complete questionnaires on self-efficacy and background information. Results show that honors and non-honors students do not differ significantly in their general or social self-efficacy, but honors students had significantly higher academic self-efficacy. Further research is needed into the cause …

The Private Rates Of Return To Undergraduate Education By Major, Nick Johnson

Honors Program Theses

The private returns to undergraduate education are important to understand for high school graduates trying to decide between the work force and college. The IRR method is the best measure of the private returns to education because it allows for important variables to be accounted for and includes the time value of money. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of 1972, there are large differences in the returns to college by major. This model allows the returns to college to vary by college selectivity and, through ability, within an individual major.

Meeting The Interests Of Adolescent Females In Physical Education, Sarah Marie Huffer

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to compare the activities of interest of adolescent females in physical education with the types of activities that are provided in their present physical education curriculum at the representative high school. Creating a parallel between activities of interest and activities within physical education curriculums will provide females with more motivation to be physically active while in high school and after they graduate.