Education Commons^™

Struggling Student Teachers: Interventions For Support And Success, Sheree Moser

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Teacher shortages in K-12 schools have created unique challenges for teacher preparation programs. University instructors face the task requirements of supporting candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds at the undergraduate and graduate level. While some of these candidates enter higher education programs skilled, eager, and committed, others are less prepared, requiring significant attention to make it through the program. Exams required by state departments of education and minimum grade point averages influence each candidate’s ability to move forward within the program, causing some students to experience additional struggles related to mental health and financial burdens.

The problem of practice …

Struggling Student Teachers: Interventions For Support And Success, Sheree Moser

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Teacher shortages in K-12 schools have created unique challenges for teacher preparation programs. University instructors face the task requirements of supporting candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds at the undergraduate and graduate level. While some of these candidates enter higher education programs skilled, eager, and committed, others are less prepared, requiring significant attention to make it through the program. Exams required by state departments of education and minimum grade point averages influence each candidate’s ability to move forward within the program, causing some students to experience additional struggles related to mental health and financial burdens.

The problem of practice …

Partners, Not Adversaries: Higher Education And Diverse Schools, Edmund T. Hamann

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

Often education researchers enter schools only to depict inequity and weak practice, but the same empirical skills that illuminate challenges can, under a different premise, illuminate excellence. This chapter describes how graduate students enrolled in an “Effecting High School Improvement” course helped a diverse public high school document its excellence and win National Education Policy Center (NEPC) recognition as a 'School of Opportunity'. Although this case is unique in specific detail, other school/higher education partnerships could clearly function like this one did. Good schools may not have staff to document their multifaceted responsiveness to diverse enrollments, but, with university assistance, …

Motivation In The Mathematics Classroom, Evan Thornton-Kolbe

Honors Theses

Mathematics has always seemed to be an unpopular subject amongst primary and secondary students in the United States. This project seeks to identify the roots of these attitudes and examine them in ways that allow for personal reflection, community building, and student advocacy. An individual’s access to educational resources and equitable treatment play a large role in shaping their mathematics learning identity. This topic was examined via traditional research methods for the written paper portion and also includes a set of lesson plans for teachers to use. These lesson plans utilize the ideas discussed in the paper portion to provide …

Addressing The Need For An Alternative Education Collaborative In Nonmetropolitan School Districts, Trina Pettit

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Through both federal and state educational legislation, there have been efforts to increase the accountability of schools in meeting the educational needs of all students and increasing the nation's graduation rates. States and districts across the nation have responded differently to these laws. As one pattern, there has been a rise in alternative schools and programs developed to address the educational needs of students who have not been having success with the traditional school model. Even as alternative schooling becomes more common, there is limited guidance in establishing these programs and limited professional development designed specifically for those teaching or …

Lego Robotics Club, Keith Tran

Honors Expanded Learning Clubs

An after school club focused on problem solving and computational thinking using LEGO Mindstorm EV3.

The Equity And Engagement Challenges Of Teaching Reading In Middle School, Edmund T. Hamann, Stephanie Malone

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

The point is to look at midlevel and high school students—those often encapsulated by the term ‘adolescent literacy’—and to ask what it is that makes those students less likely to engage in productive reading practice. That may at first look like a psychological question about motivation, which makes the challenge seem like it is something inside the student that needs attention or ‘fixing’. But the orientation here is instead more sociological. If we talk about instruction, in this case reading instruction, it is intrinsically interactive, between teacher and student most obviously, but also interactive between students and their peers (e.g. …

Secondary Mathematics Teachers' And Students' Approaches To Engagement And Motivation For Mathematics Learning In The Classroom, Leenah Bouzid

Honors Theses

Engagement and motivation in a mathematics classroom is an issue that educators and researchers continually examine and analyze to understand and develop ways to maintain or increase. The main goal of this thesis research project is to gain insight and understand what engagement and motivation means in a mathematics classroom by examining secondary mathematics teachers and students. The literature from researchers and educators describe components that contribute to engagement and motivation such as mathematical disposition, which is the attitudes and beliefs towards the subject and learning the subject, self-efficacy, which is about the student’s belief in one’s own capabilities, intrinsic …

Critical Factors For Effective And Equitable Ngss Science Teaching Practices, Elizabeth B. Lewis, Lyrica L. Lucas, Amy Tankersley, Elizabeth Hasseler, Brandon Helding

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Posters and Presentations

With the widespread adoption and adaption of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and its implicit focus on inquiry-based instruction, reformed science teaching practices are critically important to meeting the U.S. vision of scientific literacy for all students. Thus, the role of teacher learning through both teacher preparation and professional development must be well understood and informed through empirical findings. Accordingly, the theme of this NARST conference paper set is to identify effective science teaching practices using the lens of the NGSS science and engineering practices (SEPs), science subject matter knowledge, and equitable teaching practices. We found that inquiry-based instruction …

11th–12th Grade: English Level 2, Learning Packet #1 • Theme: U. S. Bill Of Rights, Trevin Wurm, Aaron P. Johnson, Alexa Yunes

ICMEE Learning Packets: Level 2 of English Proficiency (K-12)

Day 1 • What is the Constitution?, Your rights in the United States, Science: water cycle

Day 2 • Your rights in the United States: journal, What is the Bill of Rights?, Bill of Rights chart, Condensation and precipitation

Day 3 • Your rights in the United States: protest, Using your vocabulary, Opinion writing, Clouds

Day 4 • Your rights in the United States: journal, Vocabulary review, States of water

Day 5 • Your rights in the United States: draw a picture, How does your picture show equality?, Solids, liquids, and gas examples

My Packet Journal

Reference Sheet

Answer Keys

11th–12th Grade: English Level 2, Learning Packet #2 • Theme: Frederick Douglass, Trevin Wurm, Aaron P. Johnson, Alexa Yunes

ICMEE Learning Packets: Level 2 of English Proficiency (K-12)

Day 1 • Frederick Douglass: journal, Who was Frederick Douglass?, Math: story problems

Day 2 • What is something you had to work hard for?: journal, What is a quote?, Math: story problems

Day 3 • Tell me a story of a time when you helped someone: journal, Draw a picture, Using "a" and "an," Math: story problems

Day 4 • Contribute/contributed/contribution, Math: story problems

Day 5 • What can you contribute to your school?: journal, Math: story problems

My Packet Journal

Reference Sheet

11th–12th Grade: English Level 2, Learning Packet #3 • Theme: Susan B. Anthony, Trevin Wurm, Aaron P. Johnson, Alexa Yunes

ICMEE Learning Packets: Level 2 of English Proficiency (K-12)

Day 1 • Journal: in your opinion, why is it important to vote?, Who was Susan B. Anthony?, Science: climate and biome where you're from

Day 2 • Journal: what are some things you are good at?, Past and present tense, Past and present tense: play, Science: weather near the equator, Biomes

Day 3 • Journal: what was your favorite day of school?, Picture analysis, Science: climate far from the equator, Forests, Draw a picture

Day 4 • Journal: what is a time you convinced someone to do something?, The 19th Amendment, Science: clothes near the equator, Grasslands, Deserts

Day …

11th–12th Grade: English Level 2, Learning Packet #4 • Theme: Martin Luther King, Jr., Trevin Wurm, Aaron P. Johnson, Alexa Yunes

ICMEE Learning Packets: Level 2 of English Proficiency (K-12)

Day 1 • Journal: who is an important person from your country's history?, Who was Martin Luther King, Jr.?, Science: Draw a picture of your favorite animal, Animal adaptations

Day 2 • Journal: who inspires you in your life?, Compound sentences, Science: Physical adaptations: camouflage

Day 3 • Journal: what is a dream you have for your life?, Analyzing a quote, Science: Butterflies from Wappingers Schools

Day 4 • Looking at a protest, The March on Washington, Science: Great white shark, elephants

Day 5 • Journal: what is an important event in the history of your country?, Drawing a protest, …

11th–12th Grade: English Level 2, Learning Packet #5 • Theme: Dolores Huerta, Trevin Wurm, Aaron P. Johnson, Alexa Yunes

ICMEE Learning Packets: Level 2 of English Proficiency (K-12)

Day 1 • Journal: think about a job you have or want to have, Who was Dolores Huerta?, Science: What are landforms?

Day 2 • Journal: what are some ways you can help the students in your school?. Strikes and boycotts, Compare and contrast, Science: Landforms, adjectives

Day 3 • Journal: how is Dolores Huerta similar and different from Susan B. Anthony?, Strike or boycott?, Is and are, Science: Landforms, adjectives

Day 4 • Journal: what is an example of a job many people have?, Strike and boycott: draw a picture, Science: identifying and describing landforms

Day 5 • Journal: …

Homeschooling, Mercedes Palos

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

Without knowledge how would our brains be able to grasp the meaning of any given concept? Education is a very powerful tool that a child needs to know in order to succeed in life. Knowledge can be developed through different processes whether it be home based or in a public school setting. My research focuses on the pros and cons of both sides, and looks into what parents consider when deciding how their child is being taught. Parents should take into account their child's personal qualities, psychological and physical abilities, and their behavioral patterns to understand what would best fit …

The Failure Of The Foster Care System, Victor Machado Berrios

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

On paper, the foster care system is a very noble concept. It is a place where unlucky children can lead better lives than what they had before being taken in. Too bad that is not the case. Involvement in the foster care system often results in children with mental health issues, trauma from abusive foster placements, and no support system in place once they age out of the system. For the sake of these kids, it is important that the government increases its funding for foster care as soon as possible.

Same Sex Classes, Carlos Diaz

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

Same sex classes has been a topic argued by researchers for generations. Developed in the 18th century, this trend began gaining popularity in private schools since the late 1990s.In the current generation same sex classes are mostly only in private schools. Research shows, while there are some benefits, implementing same sex education in public schools would be expensive, timely and a risk to the system.

Mass Incarceration In America, Angelica Aranda Fregoso

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

Mass incarceration is describing how the U.S. continues to incarcerate parts of its population into jails and federal prisons. This is important because it not only affects one person, but it could and will eventually affect a whole community as a whole. It has been found that single parent households, families living in poverty, and minorities have a higher possibility of being victims to mass incarceration.

Psychology In Gothic Literature, Alan Acosta Copas

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights and Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca feature abusive tactics such as belittlement, control, and gaslighting which ultimately takes a mental toll toward the main characters which is noted by using the environment to express their mental thoughts. Although many people are able to overcome the abuse and start off on a clean slate similarly to Wuthering Heights, abuse can also be traumatizing and can linger in a person’s thoughts for an eternity like in Rebecca. In the end, more research on the ways men cope with abuse in comparison to women, as some of the male characters …

Struggles Of Female Immigrants, Karina Pedroza Sotelo

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath and T.C. Boyle’s The Tortilla Curtain both that immigrating women face gender oppression, poverty, and historical problems in the hopes of a better life. Being at the bottom of the social hierarchy, immigrant women know more than anyone else the desire for the American Dream and the hope of a prosperous family. Though sticking out until the very end for some immigrant women, thanks to social prejudice, the American Dream will stay out of reach. Further research should be done to analyze the consequences of hindering women and their children from the American Dream

Christian Connections, Adrian Melgoza

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

This project explored the many different ways Christianity connects to various topics and how Christianity is doing in the modern times. The main topics included how Christianity connects to science, America, and the modern day. Research has shown that Christianity had significant impact on the early days of modern science, with many great scientists being Christian themselves. America’s foundation was heavily based on Christianity, such as laws and the society at the time. But, now that Christian influence that once was, has decreased a considerable amount and worldwide Christian persecution is at an all time high.

Child Reinforcement, Duncan Howser

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

Children are positively and negatively affected by their peers and adults. From both being able to reinforce positive stimulus making the children be more open, to the the negative stimulus causing the children to become anxious.

Schizophrenia, Malaki Mileg

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project was to explore the in and outs of a mental disorder known as Schizophrenia, its effects on the mind, relationship with people, and possible treatments to lessen symptoms. Schizophrenia is a mental illness that causes people to not understand the difference between reality and delusion.

Effects Of Athletics On Youth Development, Kevin Fierro-Chavez

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

Many new parents can be indecisive when it comes to allowing their kids to participate in sports. Allowing kids to take part in athletics can be very beneficial to their childhood but also as they grow and become young adults. But, youth sports can also have some negative effects.

Stress Among Teens, Raul Ramirez-Galindo

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

Stress is something a majority of people go through. Teens however have to deal with finding their “identity” and struggling to prove to themselves that they are good enough. Teens don’t have much of a clue on how to “fix” or manage their stress which can be changed. The stress teens experience can impact them emotionally, mentally and socially, leading to greater effects in their lives.

Intelligent Design And Darwinian Evolution, Raul Sanchez

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

Darwinian Evolution has many fundamental flaws that are only being discussed in the technical papers and yet it’s portrayed as an unequivocal theory. Intelligent Design is being censored In Academia and represented poorly in public media. Even with leading scientists at the forefront of discovery and logical reasoning Intelligent Design is portrayed as a religious way of infiltrating the science classroom but in reality its far from it. Ultimately it comes down to what the evidence points to and if it points to God then let it be so.

The Failure Of The Foster Care System, Victor Machado Berrios

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

On paper, the foster care system is a very noble concept. It is a place where unlucky children can lead better lives than what they had before being taken in. Too bad that is not the case. Involvement in the foster care system often results in children with mental health issues, trauma from abusive foster placements, and no support system in place once they age out of the system. For the sake of these kids, it is important that the government increases its funding for foster care as soon as possible.

Societal Disadvantages Of The Lgbtq Community, Mia Kennedy

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

In the United States, homosexual students face an increased rate of hardships that contribute to becoming homeless more often than their heterosexual counterparts which starts their disadvantages in society. These disadvantages include the lack of access to education, counseling, and of course a set home. LGBTQ students are at higher suicide rates, dropout rates, and less successful compared to heterosexuals which is all compared with the fact that they were homeless at one point in their life. The best way to battle this stigma against homosexuals would be to help spread awareness of the situation and from there begin to …

Journalism: Developing Students Into Global Citizens, Caitlin Pieters

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

This research project discusses high school journalism classes and the long-lasting effects those classes have on students. Journalism class can provide a student with helpful skills that are useful throughout their careers and lives. It also offers real life examples from students who have taken these journalism classes. Research done for this project illustrates how journalism can impact the information literacy skills of students when searching for and evaluating information. Overall, findings of this research shows significant evidence that completing a journalism class can positively effect students and should be a mandatory class or at least be a highly suggested …

Child Abuse Doesn't Just Affect Them Now, Christopher Nguyen

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

Child abuse has lasting effects that can lead up and into adulthood, leaving scars mentally and physically on their bodies and mind. More than six- hundred thousand cases are reported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and people need to know what abuse can affect and alter a person for the rest of their life. According to McQueen multiple forms of child abuse can lead to many behavioral issues such as depression, anxiety, and disassociation in both childhood and adulthood. I believe that it is important for people to know that abuse isn't some type of punishment, …