Education Commons^™

A Menace To Math: When Numbers Attack And Anxiety Strikes Back, Celycia Rogers

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

In this Capstone Project, the researcher examined educators' perspectives on math anxiety and investigated their personal experiences with math to identify effective approaches for reducing math anxiety. Addressing math anxiety is essential to reduce the tension and fear individuals experience in math-related situations due to environmental factors and teaching methods. The primary stakeholder perspective obtained for this study was that of educators, as they have the most significant influence on student's math comprehension and emotional associations with the subject. Following interviews with participating educators and a review of relevant literature, three emergent themes were identified: making math fun, phasing out …

Principal Perceptions Of District Supported Job-Embedded Professional Development, Kelly Ledet Burlette

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In a 2021 Wallace Foundation study, researchers concluded that effective school leaders may have a greater impact on student achievement than any single classroom teacher, primarily because of the principal’s scope of influence. Therefore, district leaders may consider how to support school leaders and build their capacity to effectively lead schools and school improvement initiatives. Job-embedded professional development has demonstrated promise in providing principals with opportunities to deepen their instructional leadership practice within an authentic school setting. Even though the current research on job-embedded support for school leaders is limited, this study builds on existing research to focus on the …

Muslim International Students’ Perception Of Islamophobia In Their Immigration Journey To The U.S.: A Case Study, Sheri Beyer

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This study serves as an impetus for universities to address improving pre-arrival services and procedures for Muslim international students and a resource for practitioners and lawmakers to examine current policies specifically through the lens of Critical Race and Critical Muslim Theory. Policymakers can examine the effects of Islamophobia on international students and how it affects higher education, communities, and the economies.

Community Benefits Awareness Presentations, Marlene Ramirez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Socioeconomic disadvantage significantly impacts educational outcomes, with 81% of Monterey County Office of Education (MCOE) Alternative Education program students facing economic hardships. Serving youth in grades 9-12 and adults in Monterey County, including those within the county jail and juvenile facilities, the MCOE Alternative Education program strives to facilitate high school diploma attainment. This project sought to bridge the knowledge gap surrounding the Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and CalWORKs benefit programs through presentations shared within the MCOE community and partner agencies. A partnership between MCOE and the Monterey County Department of Social Services (MCDSS) was established to further this goal. The anticipated …

Benefits Of Alternative Assessment For College Students’ Academic Success And Mental Well-Being, Calista Gabriel

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Assessments play an imperative role in evaluating a student’s knowledge within the classroom. Traditionally, educators have relied on traditional assessments to measure students’ comprehension of course material. However, in contemporary education, there has been a shift towards alternative assessments for a variety of reasons. This senior capstone research project examines students’ and professors’ perspectives and how alternative assessments could affect them. Through the use of literature review, surveys with professors and students, and interviews, the findings underscore the importance of integrating alternative assessments in educational practices, not only for enhancing students’ academic success, but also for nurturing their mental well-being.

Food Literacy And Applying Learnings Towards English Literacy, Andrew Wirtz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Food Literacy promotes the way people should consciously think about the food we ingest on a day-to-day basis. This paper explores how teachers can positively teach students how to be literate when it comes to food and how students can apply these learnings towards their English subject matter skills. This paper also explores how children from all economic backgrounds seek out highly processed foods (such as fast food) which are filled with various chemicals and additives, which in turn, can affect students' performance within the classroom in an negative manner.

Voices From The Inside: Enhancing Co-Teaching Experiences Through Student Perspectives At 'Small University', Hope Brightman

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

For this capstone project, the researchers investigated how students in the credential program at ‘Small University’ on the coast of California viewed their co- teaching credential experience and what they think could be done to improve it. An evidence based argument is offered that co-teaching be improved to be more equitable for students. Considerations of the issue should include the perspectives of credential program students. Expected benefits included an opportunity for participants to reflect on the co-teaching credential program at “Small University” and provide concrete suggestions for improvement that may be translated into action. Three themes emerged from an analysis …

Music Isn’T Just A Special: Amplifying Music's Power In Fostering Social-Emotional Skills In Students, Angelina Davis

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

For this Capstone Project, the researcher investigated how Dream Academy and Little Foot Elementary educators view music's impacts on social-emotional learning and what they thought could be done to improve it. Based on an analysis of the data and the relevant research literature, the researcher used what they have learned to formulate an action that responds to the impact of music on social-emotional learning in a way that inspires, informs, or involves a particular audience. This is an important issue for students and teachers because music education allows educators to teach social-emotional skills. It is argued that music fosters social-emotional …

Benefits Of Early Childhood Education On Later Adult Life, Chelsie N. Jones

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

It has been proven that the first five years of a child’s life are a critical development period, but there are currently no federal mandates requiring families to enroll their children in an Early Childhood Education program before entering kindergarten. There are many benefits for children attending a head start, preschool, or transitional kindergarten program, such as developing social skills and emotional competence, closing academic achievement gaps, and ensuring children are exposed to proper environmental enrichment that supports a range of early skills such as social, cognitive, and executive function skills. But how does early childhood education impact later adult …

Self-Care Techniques To Decrease Special Education Teacher Burnout, Carrie Frost

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focal topic of my capstone project is special education teacher burnout and how self-care techniques can reduce the likelihood of chronic stress and burnout. The challenges of being a special education teacher include but are not limited to, various disabilities and behaviors, lack of classroom and administration support, and overall management. Research conducted by Emery and Vandenberg (2010) stated that special education teachers often experience burnout, which commonly leads to employee attrition. Burnout and the personal stress that comes with it are the biggest contributors to the shortage of qualified special educators throughout the United States. Their challenges involve …

The Good, The Bad, And The In Between: The Effects Of Covid-19 And Remote Learning, Samantha Anastasio

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This Capstone Project delves into the perspectives of Bay High School teachers regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and remote learning on students' education. Through a thorough analysis of interviews and relevant research, the study aims to address and mitigate the learning setbacks experienced by students during this challenging period. With a focus on the two-year learning gap caused by remote learning and school closures, the researchers highlight the significance of understanding teachers' firsthand experiences and insights. They argue that the implementation of effective tutoring programs emerges as the most promising approach to bridge the education gap and support …

From Form Crisis To Come Back: Reviving Education In The Era Of Covid-19, Ericka Millar

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 had an unprecedented impact on education worldwide. The researcher will use what they have learned to find ways in which we can help students who are falling behind in their education. Learning loss caused by COVID-19 is crucial because it has real, lasting consequences for students, and it's essential to address these issues to ensure their continued success in education. Based on a comprehensive analysis of diverse data sources, including academic literature and interviews, three potential action options emerged to address the ongoing negative repercussions of COVID-19 on upper elementary school students. Based on …

The Forgotten Subject: Pe And The Power Of People, Shea Franklin

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This project focused on student engagement in PE at the middle school level. Student engagement is so meaningful because even though physical education is supposed to educate kids to be physically active while being active in practice, quite the opposite is happening. Middle school is the point at which students begin to lose interest in PE, viewing it as repetitive and pointless, which is why it is so essential to make this forgotten subject fun again. After survey and interviewing students and staff members participating in physical education at a local middle school in Marina, three themes emerged from the …

Benefits Of Environmental Education For Low-Income Elementary School Students, Victoria Denoyer

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This study analyzes the benefits of environmental education for low-income elementary school students. As the world is seeing a turbulent downfall in the state of the environment, fostering a healthy and eager generation to find solutions to this crisis is essential. Through analysis using a literature review and qualitative interviews and surveys with in-service teachers and outreach educators, the results determine there are benefits to implementing environmental education for low-income elementary school students. These benefits extend beyond environmental agency and profoundly impact the cognitive, mental, and physical development of low-income students.

Beyond The Field: Exploring Identity, Spiritual Growth, And Community Through The Fellowship Of Christian Athletes, Kyle Barileau

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

For this Capstone Project, the researchers investigated Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) representatives’ views on bringing student-athletes to have a relationship with Christ and why they think it is important. Based on an analysis of the data and the relevant research literature, the researchers used what they have learned to formulate an action that responds to improving FCA in a way that inspires, informs, or involves a particular audience. This is important because student-athletes need a sense of community and safe space to express their relationship with God. It is argued that having a relationship with Christ is important, especially …

Nuestro Futuro: Exploring Perspectives About Cultivating Bilingual & Bicultural Latinx Educators In California, Jaime Garcia Ramirez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

In response to the nationwide effort to cultivate, recruit, and retain qualified bilingual and bicultural Latinx teachers and the growing demand for bilingual education in California, this qualitative study explores the perceptions of teacher educators at University X. The research considers the significant presence of emergent bilingual learners (EBLs), the increasing Latinx population, teacher shortages, and high attrition rates. The study aims to investigate how University X educators and teachers perceive initiatives designed to increase the number of bilingual and bicultural Latinx educators and their suggestions for improvement. Through a comprehensive analysis of collected data and an extensive review of …

Increasing Preschool Children’S Scientific Inquiry, Dianna Leon

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focused on increasing scientific inquiry in young children. The problem that exists is that there is not enough focus on scientific learning in preschool settings compared to school settings with older age groups. According to Dejarnette (2018), young children can learn about science and are naturally curious, making them natural scientists. Science curriculum has many benefits for children, such as the development of observation, documentation, investigation, communication, and literacy skills. Science curriculum can create curiosity and enjoyment in young children while they learn about the world around them, creating a lifelong interest in learning (Larimore, 2020). Exciting …

Informing Adolescents About Potential Internet Risks And Tools For Safely Navigating Online Spaces, Rhiannon Jean Elliot

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focuses on digital safety for adolescents who have already been or are accessing online spaces for the first time. Adolescents today have been growing up in the age of technology and are likely to have had access to digital devices, such as smartphones, tablets, computers, and gaming consoles, from a much younger age than previous generations. Today, 96% of teens in the U.S. say they use the internet daily, with about 95% of teens reporting having a smartphone (Faverio & Sidoti, 2024). With adolescents accessing the internet more often, they must understand the risks they may encounter …

Food For Thought: Addressing Food Insecurity In Public Schools For Optimal Student Success, Emma Stillwagon

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus issue addressed in this Capstone Project is the presence of food insecurity throughout a county on the coast of California and what can be done to improve it. This issue is important because of the negative impact that food insecurity has on students' health, development, and academics. An evidence-based argument is offered that public education has a responsibility to address food insecurity through its institutions as a means of supporting students' academic and developmental success. The stakeholder perspectives chosen were of 1 individual working as a Community Partnership Coordinator for a local food aid organization, one individual who …

The Vital Role Of School Bus Drivers In Supporting Students With Special Needs, Georgina Solano Zepeda

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project addressed the challenges faced by new and experienced bilingual school bus drivers who transport special education students. According to the California Department of Education, transportation must be provided at no cost to those special education students ages 3-21 who are eligible as part of related services. The training for school bus drivers typically covers safe driving, vehicle operation, and basic student management. However, they often receive minimal or no specialized training to work with students with special needs. California had an estimated 38,000 school bus drivers in 2020, making it one of the states with the highest …

Increasing Social-Emotional Development In Early Childhood, Brianna Navarro

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focuses on increasing social-emotional development of 5- to 7-year-old children. Social-emotional learning (SEL) is a methodology that helps students of all ages better comprehend their emotions, feel emotions to the fullest extent, and demonstrate empathy for others. These learned behaviors are then used to help students make positive, responsible decisions, create frameworks to achieve their goals and build positive relationships with others. Researchers indicate that social-emotional learning promotes scholastic achievement, well-being, and positive life outcomes and can be a powerful tool for prevention and resilience when embedded with intentionality in curriculum, instruction, and school climate (Durlak et …

The Need For Mental Health Resources In Migrant Farm Working Families, Juliana Cecilia Garcia

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of my capstone project is on providing mental health resources for migrant workers and their families. Language barriers and cultural differences are a big obstacle for these parents. Because of this, it is hard for parents to seek help. Language barriers can make communicating one’s struggles with healthcare providers difficult. These topics can be difficult for anyone to put into words, but it’s especially challenging for those who may not speak the same language as the healthcare professional. Per my experience cultural and language barriers are a big obstacle these families face. This could be because they can …

Emotional Self-Regulation In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Evan Moring

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this project is teaching 2nd and 3rd-grade children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) how to develop emotional regulation skills. Emotion regulation is the ability to evaluate and change one’s emotional state in the moment. The problem is that these students have difficulty with emotion regulation and frequently experience emotional outbursts. An emotional outburst could be a child throwing a toy across the classroom because the teacher asked them to stay seated at their desk over three times. The child does not realize they cannot throw toys across the classroom. This happens because children with ASD cannot always …

Mental Health And The Well-Being Of Adolescents, Janeice Pamuspusan

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focuses on adolescents’ mental health and well-being. Before the age of twenty-five 70% of mental health disorders start to develop which is why it’s important to teach adolescents ways to improve their mental well-being along with the signs of mental disorders (Kutcher et al., 2008). According to the World Health Organization, many of those adolescents' mental health conditions go unrecognized or untreated. Those illnesses often go unrecognized and untreated because of the stigma that follows mental health including cultural differences. Because of those differences, many adolescents will go into adulthood still struggling with their mental well-being and …

Developing Communication Skills In Preschool Children, Michelle Ayala

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The language and communication development of a preschooler was the main topic of this capstone project. To help and get children ready for kindergarten, these abilities are necessary. It has been shown that preschoolers who have difficulty developing their communication skills will probably face difficulties as they move through their education.

The Influence Of Informal Economy On Voluntary Contributions To Informal Social Organisations, Nyagwegwe Wango

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

This study explores the dynamics of the informal economy and the voluntary contributions made to groups, associations, and memberships within this sector. It provides an overview of the background information on these organizations, their operations, and the issues surrounding protection and risk mitigation. Additionally, the study delves into the practices of voluntary contributions within the informal economy. Qualitative research methods, including interviews and focus group discussions, were employed to gather data from informal economy actors participating in informal social organizations such as the bodaboda association, food vending networks, and beach groups. The findings suggest that informal workers often pool money …

Positive Psychology In The Ncaa: Amplifying The Power And Uplifting The Voices Of Student Athletes In Multiple Mental Health Studies, Ashley C. Green

Dissertations

Mental health resources and programming in the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) continues to expand in research and implementation in collegiate athletic departments of all institutions. This study sought to respond to and expand on dissertation research conducted by Dr. Heather Ryan (2021), an administrator in the athletic department at Duke University, and Dr. Chelsi Day (2011) previously the sport psychologist from Ohio State University athletics, and currently for the National Basketball Association (NBA) team, the Memphis Grizzlies. Both are identified as experts regarding student-athlete research regarding mental health needs and accessibility within the NCAA. Topics of research evaluated for …

Burnout And Work Fatigue In Contingent Faculty During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gina Dimartino

Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic and immediate shift to remote learning had a major impact on faculty and students in higher education institutions (HEIs). As a result of the pandemic, many stakeholders in HEIs have experienced burnout and work fatigue, specifically, contingent/adjunct faculty. Contingent/adjunct faculty comprise a majority of faculty who serve students in colleges and universities across the country.

As the needs of students increased during the pandemic, contingent/adjunct faculty experienced increased workloads due to the additional support needed by diverse and challenged students. This further intensified the unique challenges faced by contingent faculty that existed prior to the pandemic in …

A Historical Analysis Of Bilingual Program Implementation, Jessica Gonzalez Perez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to uncover opportunities for reimagining the dual language program. Furthermore, it aims to provide valuable insights to district leaders contemplating initiating such programs. Through an examination of the program's inception and subsequent evolution, the research will offer a comprehensive understanding of its background and development. Integral to this exploration are district leaders' and campus administrators' perspectives and viewpoints directly involved in implementing the program. Their insights will shed light on the program's journey and inform potential improvements or adaptations. Ultimately, this study endeavors to serve as a roadmap for district leaders navigating the …

Ecologies Of Teaching With Bilingual Students: Connecting Identity, Agency, And Assessment In First-Year Writing Class, Sumantha Nikole Zapata

Theses and Dissertations

As many students who graduate from high school transition into applying for college or university, they are not aware of the drastic changes that come with it. For bilingual students, this transition can be much more challenging due to their language barrier and the lack of support they may receive. The intersection of demographics, pedagogy, and linguistic agency led to the research question for this study: how can pedagogies in first-year writing classes be adjusted or developed to justly educate and assess bilingual students who are still working toward competence in English? The history of bilingual education …