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Articles 1 - 30 of 146
Full-Text Articles in Education
The Importance Of Social And Emotional Learning In The Classroom, Kayla Bilotta
The Importance Of Social And Emotional Learning In The Classroom, Kayla Bilotta
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Life changes on a daily basis and that includes the lives of students in the classrooms. Many students seem to be struggling with social and emotional skills that help them be successful in learning and in life. I created this capstone with the purpose of learning how the implementation of social and emotional learning (SEL) can benefit and impact students, with an end focus on students at the elementary school level. I created a professional development presentation for elementary educators that provided the same information I collected during my research stage. My project also includes an example of ten free-standing …
Writing In The Math Classroom In Order To Increase The Academic Proficiency In English Language Learners, Daniel Bahnaman
Writing In The Math Classroom In Order To Increase The Academic Proficiency In English Language Learners, Daniel Bahnaman
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
learners. These students specifically struggle with mathematics, as it relies heavily on specific academic language that is constantly being scaffolded. Research has shown that writing in the mathematics classroom can assist English language learners develop academic vocabulary and therefore increase proficiency. This capstone project focuses on the research question: How can writing in the math classroom increase the academic language and proficiency in a classroom of 80% English language learners? The project gives an introduction into implementing writing in the middle school math classroom by providing a one-week introduction to journaling, a two-week eighth-grade curriculum with added writing pieces, and …
Easing The Transition From Middle School To High School For Long-Term English Learners, Lindsay Luczkowiak
Easing The Transition From Middle School To High School For Long-Term English Learners, Lindsay Luczkowiak
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this project was, how do educational stakeholders help to create a successful transition from middle school to high school for our long-term English learners? The author of this capstone documented her personal experience as a middle school teacher of long-term English learners who inspired her to research strategies and methods to help support students in their transition from middle school to high school. The available research on transitioning students from middle school to high school merged with English learner theories and research created a framework for a curriculum unit for eighth grade long-term English learners. …
How Can Educators Use Multicultural Materials To Create A More Inclusive Classroom Community?, Jenna Urick
How Can Educators Use Multicultural Materials To Create A More Inclusive Classroom Community?, Jenna Urick
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
A common goal among educators is to create a classroom environment where students feel welcomed, seen, and heard. This Capstone Project provides a resource guide of multicultural materials that teachers can use in order to create a more inclusive learning environment. The resource guide includes literature, games, technology, and community resources. The project and review of literature helped to answer the research question: How can educators use multicultural materials to create a more inclusive classroom community? Research concludes that students are more engaged and more likely to be successful at school if they feel they are represented in their curriculum.
How Can I Inform Colleagues About The Trauma Of English Learner Scholars And Create A Trauma-Sensitive Classroom For Multilingual Scholars In An Education Setting?, Kwenen Nelson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this study was: How can I inform colleagues about the trauma of English Learners and create a trauma-sensitive classroom for multilingual scholars in an educational setting? In order to attempt to understand the complex traumas experienced by first generation immigrants, immigrants, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color populations, much research on topics such as: types of trauma, how trauma manifests in classrooms, and finding peaceful resolutions must be reviewed. The overwhelming lack of support multilingual learners receive in school settings in regard to their trauma experiences, indicates a clear need for teachers to have …
Linguistic Identity Construction And Cultural Inclusivity, Jessica Quiñonez
Linguistic Identity Construction And Cultural Inclusivity, Jessica Quiñonez
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
With a growingly diverse population of non-white and immigrant students and a great disparity in demographics in school staff in rural southern Minnesota, there is an increasing need for a school environment that is inclusive of all students, their experiences, and their identities. This capstone project addresses many important factors that impact adolescent non-white and immigrant students in southern Minnesota schools and answers the question: How can I help high school staff in an increasingly diverse rural community foster a more culturally inclusive learning environment for racially, culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse students? In answering this question, this capstone delves …
What Effect Does Social And Emotional Learning Have On Elementary Students Using The Second Step Curriculum?, Britteny Wolterstorff
What Effect Does Social And Emotional Learning Have On Elementary Students Using The Second Step Curriculum?, Britteny Wolterstorff
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
“Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions” (The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, 2020). This capstone was developed around the guiding question: W hat effect does social and emotional learning have on elementary students using the Second Step Curriculum? D ue to the lack of teaching SEL in our district even though they purchased Second Step curricula in 2017 for kindergarten through fourth grade students; I wanted to know more …
Number Talks For Multilingual Learners, Catherine Neuner
Number Talks For Multilingual Learners, Catherine Neuner
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Educators know that profound learning occurs when students are able to make meaningful connections and engage in academic discourse with their teachers and peers (Kazemi & Hintz, 2014; Moschkovich, 1999; Zwiers, 2008). We know that success in mathematics depends upon a strong foundation of number sense (Boaler, 2015). An interest in synthesising the most promising practices for language acquisition and the most promising practices for mathematics instruction led to the research question: How can Number Talks affect academic achievement and language development of fourth grade multilingual learners? The purpose of this project was to incorporate Number Talks into the fourth …
Embedding Phenomena-Based Learning Practices Into A Middle School Science Curriculum, Allison Kubat
Embedding Phenomena-Based Learning Practices Into A Middle School Science Curriculum, Allison Kubat
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The history of science education has seen dramatic changes since its formal introduction to school curriculum in the last half of the 1800s. Science has moved from a passive learning experience to much more active and student-driven pedagogy. In 2014, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were introduced and states have been adopting these since then. As a way to meet the demands of the NGSS, inquiry-based science lessons have been created. One branch of inquiry-based learning is using phenomena as a way to introduce new content and having students use prior knowledge and models to explain the science behind …
Integrating Marie Clay’S Theory Of Literacy Processing And Reading Recovery Into Small Group Reading Instruction, Katherine Ronning
Integrating Marie Clay’S Theory Of Literacy Processing And Reading Recovery Into Small Group Reading Instruction, Katherine Ronning
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question in this project was, how can teachers use Clay’s theory of literacy processing and adapt Reading Recovery procedures to deliver effective small group reading instruction? This project documents the incorporation of Clay’s theory and Reading Recovery procedures into small group reading instruction. The literature found focuses on understanding the current literacy competencies of a student and developing a hypothesis regarding what is on the cusp of the student’s learning. The literature review helped to develop a lesson plan format that includes anecdotal record-keeping to track change over time in a student’s learning. The literature recommended that when …
Best Practices For English Learners In Distance Learning, Kylie Pieczonka
Best Practices For English Learners In Distance Learning, Kylie Pieczonka
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
As the COVID-19 pandemic led to school closures across the United States,, education continued at a distance, often through an online platform. The motivation driving this project was concern regarding the disproportionate ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic affected English learners and their families. English learners often belong to populations more likely to live in poverty and the CDC discusses how these groups have challenges accessing quality healthcare ( COVID-19 in Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups , 2020) . In addition, UNESCO reports that school closures negatively affected the experiences of students worldwide (2020). As English learner students make up …
Reading Strategies In A Second Language Spanish Classroom, Wendy Gorman
Reading Strategies In A Second Language Spanish Classroom, Wendy Gorman
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Reading in a second language can be a challenge for many students. This project seeks to answer the question ““ What are the most effective reading strategies to use in a middle school comprehensible input Spanish classroom? The project is a website designed to show teachers of Spanish ways to implement reading strategies that word in Spanish in their classrooms. Grounded in research on both language acquisition and reading strategies, this project keeps the basis of several key components in mind at all times- the specific needs of middle school students, how to teach language, how students acquire language skills, …
Virtual Distance Learning: How Teachers And Parents/Guardians Can Help Increase Elementary School Students’ Engagement, Joceline Rita
Virtual Distance Learning: How Teachers And Parents/Guardians Can Help Increase Elementary School Students’ Engagement, Joceline Rita
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Although distance learning has existed since the 1700s, it was not until the COVID-19 pandemic that the general public was introduced to it. UNESCO (2020) estimated that there are 290.5 million elementary and secondary students in 184 countries whose education was derailed as a result of school closures caused by the pandemic. Due to the suddenness of the situation, teachers along with parents/guardians had to find tools and resources in order to make sure that students could get a high-quality education during virtual distance learning. The key to achieving that is student engagement. Now that the general public has been …
Creating A Nonprofit Organization To Reduce And Eliminate Disparate Access To Quality Environmental Education To Students That Are Black, Indigenous, And People Of Color And To Increase Overall Access To Education On Environmental Justice, Nicholas Leonard
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) have a disparate access to quality environmental education (EE) in proportion to their white peers. (Bell, 2016; Taylor, 2014). Furthermore, BIPOC also experienced a disproportionate share of the effects of environmental degradation and destruction. (NEEF, 2015). This capstone addresses the following question: How can a nonprofit organization reduce and eliminate disparate access to quality EE to students who are BIPOC and increase overall access to education on environmental justice? The capstone proposes an organizational plan to specifically address this question. The organization will create programming and curriculum of high-quality EE designed to engage …
Using Student-Generated Questions To Promote Curiosity And Student Learning, Todd Larsen
Using Student-Generated Questions To Promote Curiosity And Student Learning, Todd Larsen
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research has shown the power of curiosity in learning. Research has also shown how rare it is for students to ask their own questions. The gap between theory and practice prompted the research question addressed in this project: how might student-generated questions through the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) be used to boost student learning by promoting curiosity? The result of the question is a curriculum unit for an Advanced Placement Human Geography course that uses QFT to support students in creating essential questions, tracking their responses and creating a visual response to their own questions as a summative assessment. Additionally, …
What Methods And Models Can Be Used To Translate Science To Levels Developmentally Appropriate To Be Taught In Preschool In The State Of Massachusetts?, Donna Phillips
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This capstone project examines the changes in curriculum for early childhood education, specifically preschool aged children. In reviewing and learning about the history of preschool education and how its curriculum has evolved over time, this capstone project was developed to understand the question of, what are methods and models that can be used to translate science to levels developmentally appropriate to be taught in preschool in the state of Massachusetts? While preschool's curriculum main focus was in teaching fine and gross motor skills, research has shown that children as young as 3 years old are able to learn basic science, …
Using Informational Websites To Foster A Connection Between Outdoor Education And State Park Preservation, Amanda Eckart
Using Informational Websites To Foster A Connection Between Outdoor Education And State Park Preservation, Amanda Eckart
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
There is no shortage in research depicting the physical, mental and social benefits that students receive when they participate in outdoor learning. However, there were many barriers preventing classroom educators from taking their lessons into local nature areas. Two of these barriers being educator’s lack of confidence teaching outside and their unfamiliarity with local state parks. This led to the creation of the research question: How can websites and blogs help educators foster a connection between outdoor education and state parks? How can this connection benefit students and state parks? The research used in an attempt to answer this question …
Climate Literacy: Designing A Syllabus For A Graduate Level Climate Literacy Foundations Course, Jana Graczyk
Climate Literacy: Designing A Syllabus For A Graduate Level Climate Literacy Foundations Course, Jana Graczyk
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Climate change is a large and multifaceted topic, connected to science, social studies, economics, politics, and more. It cannot simply be approached through one single lens. Climate literacy acknowledges the interdisciplinary nature of climate change by addressing the scientific process of climate change, the human influence on climate, and the influence of climate on society as well as helping develop pro-environmental behaviors. The syllabus designed for this project focuses on teaching climate literacy to graduate-level students. The approach is based on research about general academic motivation, as well as motivation for pro-environmental behavior. The course involves building strong relationships, creating …
Designing A Discussion-Based Social Studies Curriculum, Sara Schmidt-Kost
Designing A Discussion-Based Social Studies Curriculum, Sara Schmidt-Kost
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Implementing classroom discussions in social studies can be a valuable tool for teachers to increase student engagement, critical thinking skills, and writing skills. Classroom discussions in social studies also help students with historical thinking skills, selecting and evaluating evidence, and crafting arguments. Discussion can be in the form of partner, small group, or whole class discussions. This capstone is a discussion-based curriculum that utilizes many modes of discussion in a five-unit human geography curriculum with the goal to answer the question, How can various forms of student discussion before a writing assignment impact the quality of students’ written work in …
Impact Of Implementing Differentiated Spelling Curriculum On Student Spelling Ability Using Words Their Way (2012), Kaleigh Fuchs
Impact Of Implementing Differentiated Spelling Curriculum On Student Spelling Ability Using Words Their Way (2012), Kaleigh Fuchs
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Spelling is an area that can be overlooked within the subject of English Language Arts, and deemed unnecessary by some due to modern technology. When spelling is taught, it is often taught traditionally using rote memorization with the whole class working on the same word list. These words are considered difficult for some students and simple for others. This capstone looks at the concepts of differentiation and developmental spelling word study through the spelling program Words Their Way (2012). This capstone project uses literature as well as action research results to provide insight on the focus of the capstone, differentiated …
Designing Curriculum For Emerging English Learners: Using Science Themes To Teach Productive Academic Language In A High School El Classroom, Cassandra Chandler
Designing Curriculum For Emerging English Learners: Using Science Themes To Teach Productive Academic Language In A High School El Classroom, Cassandra Chandler
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
English Language (EL) teachers often do not have a rigorous curriculum for Emerging students that uses grade-level themes to teach English language acquisition. Additionally, many of the commercially-available English language instructional materials do not have a strong focus on teaching academic speaking. At the same time, writing also continues to be an area of challenge for many ELs. This capstone project addressed the question: How can a science-themed curriculum be designed for Emerging-level high school English learners that focuses on teaching productive academic language? The literature reviewed showed that instruction in academic speaking and writing is incredibly important for ELs. …
How Can Content Teachers And Educational Staff Better Support English Language Learners In The Classroom?, Heidi Brouse
How Can Content Teachers And Educational Staff Better Support English Language Learners In The Classroom?, Heidi Brouse
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this capstone project is: ”H ow can content teachers and educational staff better support English Language Learners in the classroom? This paper documents one teacher’s search for foundational, yet essential, information regarding the educational experience of English Learner students which will most benefit general education staff. This document also follows the creation of a professional development presentation intended for general education staff members, including content teachers, which will help them to better understand the second language learning acquisition process and meet the needs of linguistically diverse learners. The topics of focus are: the second language …
Increasing Diversity Exposure In Rural, Homogeneous Elementary Classrooms Through Picture Books, Meghan Flanary
Increasing Diversity Exposure In Rural, Homogeneous Elementary Classrooms Through Picture Books, Meghan Flanary
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
This Capstone Project examined the question: How can educators increase diversity exposure in rural, homogeneous elementary classrooms using picture books? Text sets with nine different categories of diversity were created and thirty-nine books were included for educators to use within classrooms. Using the theory of mirrors, windows, and doors for examining diversity in books guided the books to include within the text sets so that all students can see themselves represented or learn about others that are different from them. Key influences included Larrick for one of the first studies on diversity within children’s books, the Cooperative Children’s Book Center …
Creating Environmental Education Programming And Access To Diverse Students, Heidi Hanson
Creating Environmental Education Programming And Access To Diverse Students, Heidi Hanson
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The racial diversity of students in environmental education (EE) is minimal for a myriad of reasons. Factors that environmental educators can control in welcoming students to programming is content and teaching. Research on racial diversity, past and present environmental education, students’ land histories and different pedagogies that incorporate culture and address discrimination and justice inform educators how what and how to optimally teach racially diverse students to maintain engagement. Research finds that incorporating students’ cultures into teaching, representing diverse people in lessons, understanding systems of racism, how that impacts people’s actions along with finding ways to change and or confront …
Shifting Literacy Methods And Teaching Practices To Improve Equity In Schools For Black Girls, Danae Ross
Shifting Literacy Methods And Teaching Practices To Improve Equity In Schools For Black Girls, Danae Ross
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Throughout the United States’ history, Black girls and women have found themselves as one of America’s most oppressed groups due to the systemic discrimination of both their race and gender. This problem still persists today and has made schools a place for oppression against Black girls from the time they enter the school system in kindergarten, creating low self-esteem, a feeling of alienation, and a disdain for the school system. Using an intersectional lens, this capstone explores the oppression of Black girls from the past to the present, beginning with slavery and ending with criminalization and the school-to-prison pipeline. This …
Identifying Reading Interventions Appropriate For Middle School Students With Learning Disabilities In Inclusive Classroom Settings, Mary Douthitt
Identifying Reading Interventions Appropriate For Middle School Students With Learning Disabilities In Inclusive Classroom Settings, Mary Douthitt
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question addressed in this Capstone project was, what are effective reading interventions for middle school students with learning disabilities that will enable them to achieve academic progress in an inclusive classroom? Including students with learning disabilities in the general education setting can improve outcomes in self-perception, social relationships, and academic achievement, but providing effective instruction in an inclusive setting is complex. At the secondary level, inclusive, co-taught classrooms include a special education teacher who typically has training in differentiation strategies but not core content, and a general educator who is a content expert but has not had preparation …
The School To Prison Pipeline And The Importance Of Its Recognition And Understanding By Professional Educators, Ericka Yang
The School To Prison Pipeline And The Importance Of Its Recognition And Understanding By Professional Educators, Ericka Yang
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The school to prison pipeline is an important topic in the field of education and has been an up and coming topic for discussion. A problem that the school to prison pipeline has created is the influx of students being funneled into the mass incarceration system. Researchers have found that students with certain demographic characteristics, such as race, disability, socio-economic status, may pose a greater risk for becoming victims to the school to prison pipeline. There has not been as much effort into understanding how educators can mitigate the issue of the school to prison pipeline. The purpose of this …
Inquiry-Based Learning And Growth Mindset In Third Grade Mathematics, Katherine Klein
Inquiry-Based Learning And Growth Mindset In Third Grade Mathematics, Katherine Klein
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
The research question investigated in this project was: How can inquiry-based learning in Elementary mathematics help create a growth mindset? The negative experiences with learning and teaching mathematics led her to research teaching strategies to help students and teachers have a growth mindset in the math classroom. The research showed how inquiry-based learning can be successful in math classrooms, and have an impact on student’s math mindsets. It also showed that teachers have an impact on students' growth versus fixed mindsets, therefore it is important to teach in ways that help students have a positive relationship with math. The author …
Assessing The Limitations Of Interventions-Focused Case Studies In Influencing Positive Outcomes For Students With Ebd, Stephen Watkins
Assessing The Limitations Of Interventions-Focused Case Studies In Influencing Positive Outcomes For Students With Ebd, Stephen Watkins
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Research has demonstrated that the population of students diagnosed with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders (EBD) has not demonstrated noticeably improved long-term academic and social outcomes in at least the last 20 years. The research questions that are addressed in this capstone project are: What are the limitations of interventions-focused case studies in the practical increase of positive outcomes for students at risk for or diagnosed with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders at the secondary level? What are best practices in the classroom for students with EBD that compensate for these study limitations? The research begins with the establishment of the author’s …
Teaching Social Emotional Skills Through Literacy, Melody Sandell
Teaching Social Emotional Skills Through Literacy, Melody Sandell
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Social and emotional skills are critical to students’ success in school and it is imperative that educators have effective tools and strategies to teach these skills. Social and emotional skills can be taught through an integrated interdisciplinary curriculum where students’ needs are met academically, emotionally, and socially – teaching the whole child. This capstone project creates an integrated social emotional learning curriculum with English language arts curriculum where learning targets encompass both areas of focus thus answering the research question, How can teachers effectively teach Social Emotional Learning skills through literacy in the primary grades ? Research concludes that combining …