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Uni Grad Student News, V15n6, May 2017, University Of Northern Iowa. Graduate College.

UNI Grad Student News

Inside this issue:

-- Message from the Dean
-- Graduate College Awards
-- 10th Annual Graduate Student Symposium Winners
-- Library Studies Alumnae: Iowa Association of School Librarians Conference
-- Cassidy Receives Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching
-- UNI Graduate College: First Annual Campus Visit Day for Accepted Students
-- Department of Social Work Scholarship and Awards Ceremony
-- Women's and Gender Studies 40th Anniversary Celebration
-- Elementary Education Students and Professors, Research Studies Published
-- 10th Annual Graduate Student Symposium Recap
-- 2016-2017 Graduate Conference Presentations
-- What's Happening in Cedar Falls-Waterloo Summer 2017 Edition
-- Graduate College …

“Cultures As Toolboxes”: An Introduction To The Special Issue Focused On Stem, Anita L. Bright

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

The Journal of Multicultural Affairs welcomes Dr. Anita Bright as a guest editor to lead a special issue on Science, Engineering, Technology, and Mathematics (STEM). Dr. Bright centers this special issue around one particularly simple, yet complex question, Is the teaching of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics multicultural?

When Teachers Get It Right: Voices Of Black Girls’ Informal Stem Learning Experiences, Natalie S. King

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

This paper is a part of a larger research study exploring the STEM learning experiences of Black girls who participated in an informal STEM program – I AM STEM. Through the process of reflection and co-construction of counterstories, Black girls reclaimed authorship of their lives. They identified three major attributes of teachers who promoted their academic success and engagement in STEM learning as ones who (a) responded to their needs and built a community of learners, (b) interacted with their parents in a professional manner, and (c) encouraged them to think critically and creatively during the lessons. Excerpts of their …

University Of Southern Maine Commencement Program 2017, University Of Southern Maine

Commencement Programs

University of Southern Maine Commencement Program 2017

Persistence Factors Revealed: Students’ Reflections On Completing A Fully Online Program, Dazhi Yang, Sally Baldwin, Chareen Snelson

Educational Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Despite the rapid growth in online programs, online programs routinely face student attrition. How to retain students and help students successfully complete an online program is usually a top priority for online programs. This study investigated persistence factors that contributed to students’ successful completion from one of the largest and most successful online programs in the United States. Results show that both personal and program attributes contributed to students’ successful completion of a fully online program. Main individual attributes include interest in or career goals related to technology, time and effort invested, and perceived utility of learning. Main program attributes …

Commencement 2017, Sacred Heart University

Commencement Programs

Program for the Graduate and Undergraduate ceremonies held May 13-14 2017.

Impacts Of Mtss On The Performance Of Struggling Students, Timothy J. Vermeer

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this paper is to share the impact and results of implementing multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) in Oskaloosa High School. The high school was showing an increase in struggling students, which led to an increasing proportion of the student population failing courses. The study is an overview of the changes over the past three years, evaluating how struggling students were supported prior to and after the implementation of a robust MTSS program. Specific data on the number of students receiving a failing grade at the end of each trimester was collected and analyzed. Results show a positive …

Personalized Learning: Utilizing Canvas Technology For Ell Success, Rebekah A. Struble

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This action research project was put in place in order to identify the possible benefits of utilizing a flipped classroom technology program called Canvas in the sixth grade mathematics class. This implementation was meant as a means to enhance the academic success of the ELL students through a more individualized instruction plan with the aid of a technology program. Video-audios, peer discussion boards, and independent student research in conjunction with teacher guidance, redirection, and classroom group activities were utilized throughout a statistics unit over a one-month period. To properly compare the benefits of the technology program implementation there was also …

Using Technology And Collaboration To Support Reading Comprehension, Jenna R. Helmers

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research study was to determine if there is a connection between using technology and collaboration to help increase reading comprehension skills. A combination of research-based instructional strategies infused with technology was used over a ten-week period. Quantitative data was collected through weekly assessment scores. Analysis of the data concluded that students who were involved in an intervention program infused with technology and collaboration would have better knowledge of the story. After further analysis of the data it is concluded that students who were involved in this action research study improved their academic scores.

The Impact Of Make-A-Ten Strategy On Student Addition Fact Fluency, Jennifer Van Wyk

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research project is to determine if the Make-a-Ten strategy has a correlation to increased addition fact fluency. With small group interventions, which included subitizing and number decomposition, students were exposed to various models that showed how to make a ten with multiple numbers when adding them together. Data was collected through pre and post assessments and measured quantitatively to compare fluency scores. Student fluency interviews were also given to mark what level of fact understanding they had. Analysis of the data collected suggests that making tens increases student fluency and allows for more flexibility when …

May 1, 2017 Minutes, Swosu Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Minutes

SWOSU Faculty Senate May 1, 2017 Approved Minutes.

The Impact Of A Science Field Camp Experience On Students' Learning Of Environmental Concepts, Madison E. Brown

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Environmental education has garnered progressively more attention in recent years as global concerns of climate issues and conservation become increasingly prevalent. Educating young students is essential to developing a generation of stewards that are knowledgeable of their environmental impact and motivated to incite positive change in their surroundings. Using a mixed-methods study, a quantitative and qualitative analysis was conducted to evaluate the Creek Critters class as part of the residential program at the Ozark Natural Science Center. Students attending the program were given pre-and post-assessments that evaluated their knowledge of the concepts of water quality and benthic macroinvertebrates discussed at …

May 2017, Marci Grant

The CETL Correspondent

No abstract provided.

The Phenomenon Of Teacher Burnout: Mitigating Its Influence On New Teachers, Kaila Sanford

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Burnout is a psychological condition with physical, emotional, and mental dimensions. Burnout often includes feelings of exhaustion, long-term fatigue, negative self-concept, despair or hopelessness, frustration, and a lack of productivity at work.

Teacher burnout is a well-known and researched field. It has been documented in the literature that teachers experience high levels of stress and emotional exhaustion, which leads to high levels of burnout and professional attrition. This study examined the incidence of burnout in new elementary school teachers and offered recommendations for changes to organizational structure that may reduce professional burnout.

For the purpose of this study five new …

Literacy Revolution: How The New Tools Of Communication Change The Stories We Tell, Molly Gamble

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

The transmission of culture depends upon every generation reconsidering what it means to be literate. The way we consider ourselves to be a literate species is changing, which puts us at a unique turning point in human history. Verbal literacy, or the ability to read and write, is slowly being replaced by visual literacy as a primary tool for human communication. As a culture, we tend to underestimate the creative ferment of our increasingly visual world. The linear, structured pathways of traditional literacy are shifting towards a creative and participatory pursuit of unstructured information that emphasize dimensional thinking. The acceleration …

Best Practice For Developmentally Appropriate Kindergarten Handwriting Instruction, Debra Wittrock

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Handwriting is a significant component of literacy development in young children. It is a foundational skill that will influence students’ reading, writing, language use, and critical thinking. A review of the literature finds the following themes of high importance when presenting writing instruction in an early childhood classroom: automaticity of transcription skills through repeated practice, letter writing fluency before compositional fluency, writing as a critical step in overall literacy development, the role of explicit instruction as intervention for writing difficulties, and the lack of proper preservice training or professional development for teachers to integrate appropriate early writing practices into kindergarten …

Authentic Intellectual Work And Student Achievement, Allison Robbins

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Finding an instructional practice that works for most students in a classroom can be difficult. With so many different styles of learners, outside influences, and students coming in with different background knowledge, it can be hard to know where to start with some units. The purpose of this research was to use the framework of Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) to test if this would improve student performance. Two kindergarten classrooms were used—a traditional classroom, and a classroom that implemented Authentic Intellectual Work. Both classrooms consisted of 21 students. The students were assessed using state certified screeners in January and again …

The Link, May 2017, University Of Northern Iowa. Division Of School Library Studies.

The Link: A School Library Studies Alumni Newsletter

Inside this issue:

-- Media center magic
-- A listening pleasure
-- Three ways to grow readers
-- A borrower and a lender be
-- Reaching out as a teacher leader
-- Looking for alumni

Infant Cpr Kits Save Lives Through Training And Confidence, Staff

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

Cto Updates - 05/2017, Office Of Information Technology

Tech Talk

• Ransomware
• Bronco Fixit
• FREE Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus
• Windows 10
• Lynda.com
• InCommon Research and Scholarship
• Retirements

Using World Of Warcraft To Teach Research Methods In Online Doctoral Education: A Student-Instructor Duoethnography, Chareen Snelson, Christopher I. Wertz, Kimberly Onstott, Jason Bader

Educational Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The educational potential of games has captured the ongoing interest of scholars and educators who have sought to understand when, how, and under what conditions games support the teaching and learning process. General knowledge of how games support literacy, scientific thinking, or social learning has been theorized and researched, but some applications of game-based learning remain unexplored. One area where much remains to be learned is within online doctoral education and particularly in the poorly understood area of research methods education. In this study, three doctoral students and an instructor collaboratively fieldtested a set of instructional activities within World of …

Science Teachers’ Views About Incorporating Socioscientific Issues In The Curriculum And Teaching In Al Ain Schools, Sara Samir El Arbid

Curriculum and Instruction Theses

The main aim of this thesis is to study the views of High School Science Teachers in Al Ain about the inclusion of Socio-Scientific Issues (SSIs) in the curriculum. The problem statement relies on addressing the gap in the literature when addressing the inclusion of SSIs especially in the UAE context. To address this gap, a survey was conducted amongst High School Science Teachers for a better understanding of their views. The study showed that Science Teachers (from the sample) agreed with the inclusion of SSIs into the curriculum. They also identified resources, teaching strategies and knowledge as the top …

Spring 2017 General Education Assessment Report, Lindenwood University

General Education Assessment

Spring 2017 General Education Assessment Report

How To Boost Literacy In Ages Birth To Three, Brianna Johnson

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This literature review explores the history, viewpoints, theoretical frameworks, and themes in literature of early literacy in the United States. It also discusses legislation on this topic, such as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Literacy in ages birth to three has been a long time educational issue. The ‘pendulum’ has swung between different approaches to literacy instruction. It is important for every person to be informed on this subject because early literacy affects each life. What one learns or fails to learn in the first three years of life affects the rest of …

Integrating Technology Into Morning Meeting In Early Childhood, Micaela Borer

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

In early childhood education (ECE), there are many interpretations of the morning meeting. This meeting can encompass learning in several areas of early childhood namely mathematics, literacy, and social skill building. Many activities within morning meeting help with classroom management and can be beneficial to children with special needs as well including morning message, visual schedules, and calendar time. Some ECE professionals are beginning to note that technology can also be included in this crucial part of the school day. Incorporating technology not only will encourage young children to learn, but will prepare them for their future. Technology use is …

Inclusion In The Early Childhood Classroom: What Should This Look Like?, Naomi Sharp

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Inclusion is a topic that affects both general education and special education teachers, all students, all schools and all districts. Inclusive education has been done many ways. This history of inclusion has been a long and ever changing. This article will look at what has studied thus far about inclusion along with research done surrounding inclusion in the early childhood setting. After looking at many options, this article will pinpoint what ways inclusion can be used to support students with disabilities.

Impact Of Student Learning Communities On Student Achievement In The Classroom, Sarah B. Nelson

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study is to show a correlation between student learning communities and success on academic standards. When students understand the process of learning, identify their goal and work to achieve this goal, they are more likely to succeed. Collaboration allows all members to be active participants for their learning and solve problems together. This skill is critical in school as well as in all aspects of life. In this study, students were placed into student learning communities based on their multiplication fact fluency. Students in each group determined their intervention, learned how to interpret data, participated in …

Becoming Co-Witnesses To The Fukushima Disaster In An Elementary Literacy Classroom, Kaoru Miyazawa

Education Faculty Publications

This study explores what challenges fifth and sixth graders in Pennsylvania encountered as they exchanged letters with children in Fukushima and read a testimony of the Fukushima disaster written by a child there. Trauma theory and seikatsu tsuzurikata, a Japanese traditional critical literacy approach, were used in designing the project and in interpreting children’s engagement with the project. The children demonstrated signs of emerging empathy for children in Fukushima. However, the unspeakable nature of the trauma experience, students’ discomfort, and a pressure to read and write in a structured manner to prepare for the statewide exam posed obstacles for their …

Crowdsourcing Cognitive Presence: A Quantitative Content Analysis Of A K12 Educator Mooc Discussion Forum, Kathryn Dawson Shields

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs) offer participants opportunities to engage with content and discussion forums similar to other online courses. Pedagogical components of MOOCs and the nature of learning are worth of examining due to issues involving scale, interaction and the role of the instructor (Ross, Sinclair, Know, Bayne & McLeod, 2014). The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework provides a basis for measuring cognitive presence in online discussion forums. As voluntary point of entry to a community of learners, it is important to consider the nature of participant contributions in terms of cognitive presence. This study focused on an educator …

Everyday Criticality : Questioning, Expertise, And The Embodiment Of Critical Judgment, Daniel Fisherman

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The development of critical disposition, and particularly the disposition to question assertions, has long been viewed as an essential goal of education. Its importance is expressed not only in numerous normative educational visions, but by contemporary policy documents, studies of teacher attitudes, and even popular educational literature. Indeed, the movement to educate for higher-order, critical thinking that has developed over the past four decades views questioning as perhaps the central activity of skilled cognition. As such, the disposition to question assertions – or what I have come to call “criticality” - transcends both the classroom and any specific academic or …