Education Commons^™

What Are Teacher Perceptions Of An Equity Committee?, Isabel Rowles

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study takes a constructionist approach to answer the research question: What are teacher perceptions of an equity committee? This research study was done using a combination of direct observation, field notes, a survey and interviews. The data from these instruments was analyzed by broadly identifying three common themes that emerged through each data collection method. Limitations, implications and recommendations are made for future research.

How Reading Through Literary Lenses Impacts The Quality Of High School Students’ Arguments, Craig D. Zimanske

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this study was: how does teaching high school students to analyze text through literary lenses impact the quality of students’ arguments? Topics explored in the review of the literature include the context of struggling readers, literary theory and literary lenses, teaching literary theory to secondary students, and argument writing. A cohort of 18 struggling readers in a co-taught high school English class were instructed to shift their reading focus from finding meaning to constructing meaning. To accomplish this, students were familiarized with the tenets of three literary lenses (social-class, gender/feminist, and psychological) and guided through …

Developing Academic Language In The Context Of A Fourth Grade Mathematics Geometry Curriculum Unit, Rachel J. Pazandak

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this capstone project was: How can a mathematics geometry curriculum unit be organized to support and develop academic language for fourth grade students through meaningful engagement strategies? The author reviewed literature in the areas of English as a Second Language and mathematics and synthesized best practice methods for teaching common to the two disciplines. The author found that explicit teaching, practice, and support of academic language is vital and beneficial for linguistically diverse learners, with attention to word, sentence, and discourse dimensions. Mathematics is rich in language, particularly when lessons are structured to allow students …

Self-Efficacy And The Transfer Of Collabortive [Sic] Learning To Independent Assessments In The Mathematics Classroom, Ashley K. Andrews

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This capstone investigates the research question: What instructional strategies best allow middle school students to develop self-efficacy as they transfer collaborative learning to individual assessments in the mathematics classroom? The author conducted action research in urban schools with an at-risk student population. Within the action research framework, the author applies a qualitative approach to examine instructional strategies that encourage all students to become flexible learners. This capstone ultimately argues that clear expectations and mindset largely impact student success, regardless of the task. It discusses the influence of mindset on student engagement during both collaborative and independent tasks.

Fourth Grade Curriculum To Increase Literacy Achievement In Ell Students, Shannon Baker

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This curriculum project answered the question: How can I make the Units of Study more accessible to English Language Learners by incorporating balanced literacy techniques? The author incorporated ideas from best practices in literacy, and combined them with best practices for ELL students to create a curriculum unit. The unit is comprised of ten lessons. It includes graphic organizers and best practice ideas for ELL students. In this paper the author describes the research involved in creating this unit. She also discusses limitations, implications, and ideas for future research.

World History Lesson Module Design: Promoting Civic Responsibility Through Engagement, Relevancy, And Global Understanding, Jacalyn R. Polloway

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

A goal with this capstone was to create a classroom that advocates civic responsibility through the use of understanding, engagement, application, compassion, and skills to succeed in the future. If lessons are geared around critical thinking, engagement, and creativity while in a world history class that also reminds students of empathy and relevancy to their lives, then students may begin to think about civic responsibility and social justice not only throughout history but also in their lives. Whether it’s the topic of warfare, genocide, the Syrian refugee crisis, discrimination, or other societally relevant topic, teachers need to inspire strategies to …

Exploring Floating Substitutes: Perceptions Of Their Jobs, Kristi Armstrong

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the research question how does a small group of floating substitute teachers describe their sense of belonging to the district? Floating substitutes are full-time, contracted teachers for the district in which they work, receive benefits and are assigned a computer. Each floating substitute is assigned a “home school,” meets with this school for staff development and spends unassigned days there. Floating substitutes are assigned jobs each morning within the district. This topic was important to the author because at the time it was the author’s profession.

The review of the literature indicated that although substitute teachers …

How Integrating Digital Formative Assessment Impacts The Learning Of Sixth-Grade Science Students, Sara E. Potter

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in the project was, How integrating digital formative assessment impacts the learning of sixth-grade science students? The motivating factor for this capstone was the increased use of electronic devices in the classroom. In this study, qualitative and quantitative data was collected using student surveys and summative assessment results of a science unit after using either traditional or traditional and digital formative assessments. In one year, exclusively traditional formative assessment was implemented, and in the other, both traditional and digital formative assessments were used. It was found that whether traditional formative assessment or a combination of traditional …

How An English Teacher May Draw From The Socratic Seminar Method In Order To Further Engage Tenth Grade Students During Discussion, Rebekah Margaret Vincent Hogshead

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This paper explores how the Socratic seminar method, in its fullest form, increases student participation and engagement in the areas of higher order thinking, text dependence, and listening and responding skills. Using classroom observations and student feedback from my 10th grade English class, I describe the various transformations that have occurred as a result of implementing research-based best practices around the Socratic seminar method, and consider their broader implications for teachers teaching this method. Findings show the value of gathering student feedback, utilizing peer critique, implicitly teaching and practicing desired competencies, and incorporating the learning of lifelong skills into curriculum.

Effective And Engaging Online Learning A Research Based Blended Curriculum In The Middle School Language Arts Classroom, Emily Eggers

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

As technology becomes more prominent in today’s society, teachers need to be prepared to integrate technology into their classrooms. This capstone was made to answer the question “What is the best method to facilitate student learning in the online environment?” It documents one teacher’s creation of an all encompassing unit of study that incorporates many online learning strategies. Based on the Understanding by Design method of curriculum development, the unit includes learning outcomes, forms of assessment, and daily activities to help deepen students’ understanding of the material with the integrated use of technology. The methods of technological instruction are selected …

Using Repeated Oral Assisted Reading To Improve The Fluency Of Students With Learning Disabilities, Angela J. Leyk

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the research question: How much does repeated reading improve the reading rate, accuracy, and prosody of students with learning disabilities in fifth grade? Three key topics: learning disabilities, fluency, and repeated reading are discussed. The author was greatly influenced by Timothy Rasinski and his work in the area of fluency. Repeated Oral Assisted Reading was administered to monitor and document accuracy, rate, and prosody utilizing both daily instructional-level reading probes and monthly grade-level reading probes as well as prosodic reading rubrics and a daily journal. The improvement in rate was compared to scores on nationally normed fluency …

Incorporating Effective Practices Into An Intermediate Classroom To Improve Student Writing, Heidi M. Shannon

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, How can the teaching of effective writing practices support struggling intermediate students? This study documented the experience of an intervention coach working with fifth grade teachers to improve writing instruction using research based practices. The motivating factor for this capstone was to improve student writing. The study documented lessons and resources that were implemented during the teaching of three fifth grade writing standards and how students improved in their writing. Data was collected through the use of proficiency scales, spreadsheets, reflections and surveys. Results of the study showed student growth in writing. …

Factors Contributing To An Elite High School Football Program, Richard Fryklund

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, what factors contribute to an elite high school football program. The motivating factor for this capstone was one teacher-coach’s desire to understand what differentiates lasting levels of on-the-field success for high school football programs. This capstone was designed to ask high school football coaches their perspectives and methods in their respective high school football program. Previous studies on the definition of elite, organizational culture and support, coaches, and athletes aided the researcher in obtaining background information of successful organizations in various domains. Five high school football coaches, who met the criteria of …

Relationships Between Comprehension And Fluency Levels Within Reading At A Second Grade Level, Erika Gregor

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research is to investigate the relationship between comprehension and fluency levels in a Spanish Immersion second grade setting and answer the question of: What is the effect of daily use of comprehension strategies, including inferencing, summarizing and visualizing, on fluency within a Spanish Immersion program? The literature review served the purpose to explore and deliver vital components in understanding the process of reading and how comprehension and fluency are achieved. I used a quantitative approach and utilized assessments throughout the school year to observe fluency levels when implementing comprehension strategies and assessments. The data revealed …

A Case Study Of A Charter School That Is Beating The Odds Of The Achievement Gap, David Green

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, what one charter school was doing to excel at narrowing the achievement gap. In this study, the author examines the systems in place at a charter school that enrolls predominantly, low-income, African-American students. The surrounding district where this charter school is located shares similar student demographics, however, based on the state’s standardized test scores and proficiency and growth scores, the district is struggling to narrow the achievement gap. This study shows that this charter school is beating the odds, and showing significant gains in narrowing the achievement gap. A thorough review of …

What Can One Learn By Measuring Assessments Two Ways: Traditional Grading Scale Versus Standards-Based Grading Method?, Lynn Suzanne Gay

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project is, what can one learn by measuring assessments two ways: traditional grading scale versus standards-based grading method? The author was greatly influenced by her use of the two different grading methods at two different schools. She documents her experiences with both and then compares the outcomes of grading the same assessments using the two methods. Guskey’s extensive research on the subject and Douglas Reeve’s book Ahead of the Curve: The Power of Assessment to Transform Teaching and Learning (2001) guided the author’s creation of a standards-based rubric with which she graded tests that …

Cultural Hybridity: A Case Study On Hmong Teen Identity, Kao Moua Her

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research design attempted to examine racial and ethnic identities’ construction in adolescent Hmong girls by addressing two critical questions: (1) How do adolescent Hmong girls construct their own racial and ethnic identities within the Hmong and dominant White cultures? and (2) How does exposure to Hmong women of influence impact their racial and ethnic identities? In order to gain a comprehensive perspective of how adolescent Hmong girls construct their identities, multiple assessment tools such as the Multidimensional Inventory of Hmong Identity and pre- and post interviews were implemented to collect reliable and valid information so that answers to the …

Modifying Curriculum For Enriched And Gifted Students, Jason Tornell

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, “How can I take an English curriculum and enrich it to better challenge gifted 8th grade students?” It documents the process one teacher went through to create a curriculum for a class of enriched and gifted students, that was to be based on the curriculum already being used. The modification of the curriculum was based on best practices for gifted students based on research done by Renzuli, Guthrie and Dalzell, among others, and focuses on not just academic needs but affective needs as well. The author offers ways to modify existing curricula …

Guided Reading For Beginning English Learners In The First Grade Classroom, Alexis L. Lundberg

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine how guided reading can support beginning English learners (ELs) in the first grade classroom. Three first grade English learners were observed in twelve guided reading sessions and their observation survey results were analyzed. This is a mixed methods study conducted in a mainstream classroom. Data collected for this study consisted of observation survey results from the fall, winter, and spring, three video recorded guided reading lessons which were assessed using a rubric, and an electronic teacher observation journal. The primary finding of this study is that when guided reading is modified to …

Valuing Multilingualism: Differences In Perceptions Of Students In World Language Classes Versus Students In Esl, Kazusa Yamashita

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

With globalization, the need and benefits of multilingualism become increasingly clear (Diamond, 2010). This study aims to identify how multilingualism is valued in a school by comparing the teachers’ perceptions of students taking world language classes versus those taking ESL classes. By understanding the perceptions of teachers towards students engaged in becoming multilingual, the study provides information on how multilingualism is perceived by the school community. Students taking world language classes are praised for their language acquisition but ELs are viewed with a deficit perspective, their potentials overshadowed. Even though the school overtly promotes multilingualism, ELs may be marginalized due …

Science Interactive Notebooks: A Case Study On Learning In High School Students, Autumn A. Mollet

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

I conducted a qualitative case study using classroom observations, written documentation, and experience to answer the research question, what is the effect of science interactive notebooks on high school biology students learning? One class of tenth grade biology students was observed and asked writing prompts in order to determine how interactive notebooks influenced learning. Several key themes emerged within the data collected including; organization, note taking, creativity, variation, reference, student engagement, and student affinity towards the interactive notebooks. Findings suggest that students are more engaged in class and are able to identify key ways in which the science interactive notebooks …

Eportolios And Self-Reflection: Equity, Race, And Social Justice, Oscar Fernandez

University Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

In this presentation, attendance members learn how ePortfolios--and eWorkbooks--help students recognize their sense of belonging on a college campus. By asking a series of equity-minded, student-centered questions, the CEWE eWorkbook is a toolkit for assessing whether or not resources on campus are diverse and equitable for a variety of learners.

The Sharing Campus Equity Walkthrough Evaluation (CEWE) eWorkbook is available online: https://pebblepad.com/spa/#/public/GctzZ7RbZczmzs3q4q4jp3zRWy?historyId=Rsz4bQlCTk

Development Of Kinematic Templates For Automatic Pronunciation Assessment Using Acoustic-To-Articulatory Inversion, Deriq K. Jones

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Computer-aided pronunciation training (CAPT) is a subcategory of computer-aided language learning (CALL) that deals with the correction of mispronunciation during language learning. For a CAPT system to be effective, it must provide useful and informative feedback that is comprehensive, qualitative, quantitative, and corrective. While the majority of modern systems address the first 3 aspects of feedback, most of these systems do not provide corrective feedback. As part of the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded study “RI: Small: Speaker Independent Acoustic-Articulator Inversion for Pronunciation Assessment”, the Marquette Speech and Swallowing Lab and Marquette Speech and Signal Processing Lab are conducting a …

Achievement Goal Task Framing And Fit With Personal Goals Modulate The Neurocognitive Response To Corrective Feedback, Jennifer A. Mangels, Sylvia Rodriguez, Yuliya Ochakovskaya, Belén Guerra-Carrillo

Publications and Research

Past studies have demonstrated the educational impact of achievement goals, but have not yet captured their effects at a critical learning moment—students’ response to negative feedback and their subsequent engagement with error remediation opportunities. We used event-related potentials to investigate how neural substrates of feedback processing were influenced by a within subjects manipulation of mastery and performance goals. Task goal framing did not affect event-related potentials to performance feedback, but did modulate neural activity predicting successful learning. Under a mastery frame, successful learning modulated fronto-temporal activity linked with semantic processing; under a performance frame, it modulated parieto-occipital activity linked with …

Strategies For Environmental Education For Youths And Adults, Chumbe Island Coral Park, Zanzibar, Samantha Pfeffer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Chumbe Island Coral Park (CHICOP) is a privately-owned business that strives to follow the best principles of ecotourism, conservation, and environmental education. Their environmental education initiative is award-winning and has affected thousands of students and community members in Zanzibar. This study looked at the environmental education techniques that CHICOP already has in place by observing two pre-visits, three island-visits and one-post visit, and determined where there was a need for enhanced and new techniques for teaching about the environment. Evidence of climate change on Chumbe Island was also recorded to aid in the educational tools and to create a database …

The Impact Of A Community-Based College Access Program At A Midwestern Institution, Ryan Ronald Gonzaga Reed

Dissertations

Low-income, first-generation, urban students are typically underprepared academically for college-level course work and lack knowledge, which most non-first-generation students possess (Ward, Siegel, & Davenport, 2012). Success in higher education depends on students effectively navigating and transitioning into an institution (Pike & Kuh, 2005). Community-based nonprofit organizations support first-generation, low income, urban students as they navigate through the provision of college access/readiness programs (Smith, Benitez, Carter, & Melnick, 2012). The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of one community-based college access program on the persistence, retention, and matriculation of its participants. Quantitative data included retention rates and grade …

Sacred Heart University Security Protocol Plan: Shu Ready Planning 2017, Department Of Public Safety & Emergency Management

News, Magazines and Reports

The information in this publication has been compiled and presented in compliance with the requirements of Connecticut General Statute 10a-156a Security Protocol Plan. The purpose of this report is to provide a valuable resource to the University Community with regards to campus crimes and security policies. Additionally, the report is in compliance with the “Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act” and Federal Public Law 101-542, 110-315. (See separate SHU Public Safety Clery Annual Crime Statistical Report for details.)

A Case Study On The Facilitation Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports In A Public Elementary School, John T. Shumway

Theses and Dissertations

Disruptive behaviors in elementary schools are a serious concern for teachers. With mounting pressure from school district administrations, state and federal government agencies, and the communities in which these schools reside, teachers often struggle to determine the best path to achieve consistent student engagement. When inappropriate behaviors are not managed effectively, academics suffer. Positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) have been shown to be effective in reducing such behaviors. Professional Learning Communities (PLC) have also become very common in schools as teachers are organized into teams to collaborate and plan learning opportunities and methods for the instruction and assessment of …

2016-2017 Profile, Morehead State University. Institutional Research & Analysis.

Office of Institutional Research & Analysis Publication Archive

2016-2017 issue of Profile Magazine.

Exploring Bilingual Teachers' Beliefs About Academic Language Development In Mathematics Teaching: Implications For Bilingual Teachers' Professional Development, Viola Canales-Vela

Theses and Dissertations

The achievement of mathematics within Hispanic youth is of great concern across the nation. In order to improve student achievement in mathematics, the nature of a mathematics teacher’s complex belief system must be understood (McGee &Wang, 2014). The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study is to investigate the K-5 bilingual teachers’ beliefs about how to develop the academic language of mathematics in Spanish and English in the context of dual language programs at the elementary school level and bilingual teachers’ perceptions on the impact of professional development design for bilingual teachers to meet the needs of their students’ academic language …