Education Commons^™

The Lead, July 2021, Lindenwood University

The Lead

The Lead is an electronic newsletter produced by the Lindenwood College of Education & Human Services.

Enrollment Report - Summer 2021, Uno Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Enrollment Reports

This Enrollment Statistical Summary provides delivery-site information. Administrative-site headcounts, since they are most closely related to the budgetary authority exercised by the campus, are officially reported to the Board of Regents. Delivery site reporting counts all students, including those in UNL programs delivered at UNO, but excludes UNO programs delivered in Lincoln (CPACS programs). Administrative-site reporting counts students enrolled in UNO programs only (including the CPACS programs delivered in Lincoln). The Office of Institutional Effectiveness has found delivery-site counts to be the most frequently requested figured by campus units for academic and administrative planning purposes. The purpose of this summary …

¿Qué Es Un Código?: Supporting Emerging Multilingual Learners In Digital Literacy, Ellen Barnett, Karina Mèndez Pèrez, Rocìo Delgado

Education Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

Crosssections, Summer 2021, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Physics.

CrossSections

Contents:

A Message from the Department Head, Dr. Paul Shand --- 1
Faculty Profile: Dr. Paul Shand --- 3
Department Happenings --- 4
Student Focus --- 6
Student Research --- 8
Alumni Profile --- 9
Alumni News --- 10
Science Education --- 11
In Memoriam --- 12
New Physics --- 15

Promoting Early Literacy Learning, Margaret Baird

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone addresses the importance of early literacy exposure for later literacy development and academic achievement. Literacy levels when students enter school have been shown to be related to later reading achievement and academic success. Caregiver involvement is a significant part of early literacy development. The influence of caregiver involvement is the primary focus of the project. The website created for this project provides caregivers of children birth to age 5 with activities to facilitate the development of early literacy, and community resources dedicated to promoting early literacy. The project is intended for anyone who spends an extended amount of …

A Capstone Project Concerning Social Justice In Secondary Science Education, Jacob Skerletts

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Minnesota began collecting and analyzing the graduation rates of different student demographics starting in 2012. This has led to the exposure of the Achievement Gap, in which students of color graduate from high school at an alarmingly low rate compared to white students. Minnesota ranks nationally at the bottom for the graduation rates of students of color. This Capstone Project had the driving question of, How can secondary science teachers bring Social Justice into the classroom in order to help close the Achievement Gap? The literature reviewed showed that effectively using Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Disaggregate Pedagogy can increase intellectual …

How Does The Use Of Annotation Affect Reading Comprehension In The Primary Grades Of Immersion Education?, Erin O’Flaherty

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project is developed to support students’ reading ability and comprehension. I want to improve my students' interaction with texts. I hope for students to not just passively read but to actively engage in their reading which will lead to a deeper understanding and better comprehension. The purpose of this capstone project is to address the following research question: How does the use of annotation affect reading comprehension in the primary grades of immersion education? Through my research and literature review I found that annotation of text has a positive effect on promoting students’ reading ability including improving reading …

Poverty In Education: The Impact On Academic Vocabulary And Need For Early Interventions, Carly Spillner

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The research question addressed in this extended literature review was: How does poverty impact academic vocabulary skills and how can early vocabulary interventions be used effectively in order to strengthen the academic vocabulary skills of students living in poverty? To determine effective interventions to use with low-income students, an extended literature review was conducted that analyzed research studies that implemented academic vocabulary interventions including explicit instruction of phonics and vocabulary, embedded instruction, class discussions, shared book reading, and guided reading. Ten research studies were reviewed with intervention lengths varying from five weeks to two school years. These studies measured improvements …

Effective Social Skills Curriculum For Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders That Focuses On Skill Generalization Across Settings, Jessica Waterstreet

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Finding creative and engaging ways to effectively teach social skills to students with emotional and behavioral disorders is a common goal for many special education teachers. Additionally, finding ways to increase the generalization of these skills across setting and post-high school, is another important goal area that student teams work to address as they develop meaningful transition plans. This capstone project answers the question, what specific research based practices can be used in the development of a curriculum that focuses on both social skill acquisition and generalization across settings? This capstone project includes a six week unit that focuses on …

Engaging Middle Schoolers: Teaching Strategies For Boosting Independent Reading Motivation In Middle School, Hannah Schrempp

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone investigates and describes the factors that impact adolescent reading motivation. With access to modern technology, limited resources at home, and a shift in teaching practices, adolescent readers do not find value in reading. Many guardians struggle with supporting their middle school readers at home due to social and economic factors. A combination of articles, studies, and assessments, help answer the question, What factors impact reading motivation in middle school students to help them identify as readers? Research concludes that creating a print-rich environment, giving access to high-interest books, building a positive relationship with family members, and giving students …

How Can Primary Teachers Use Digital Resources To Enhance Reading Instruction?, Gabrielle Harteneck

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This Capstone project answers the question: how can primary teachers use digital resources to enhance reading instruction? Research has demonstrated that students need exposure to both print and digital literacies. This paper reviews effective reading instruction and highlights the importance of integrating digital technologies in primary classrooms, focusing on kindergarten, first, and second grades. The project involved identifying quality digital resources that support literacy development in elementary grade levels. A website was developed to combine the findings based on research with digital resources that support targeted learning objectives. Specific digital resources are analyzed using both the Common Core State Standards …

Enhancing Communicative Competence Of Adult Korean Efls, Ikran Ali

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The objective of this extended literature review was to answer the questions: What obstacles may hinder adult Korean English as a foreign language (EFL) students from improving their communicative competence? and What are strategies to enhance English communicative competence of adult Korean EFLs? This study provides an in-depth look into research on the topic of Korean adults learning English as a foreign language. Many adult Korean EFL students have studied English from a young age but still face many difficulties when attempting to communicate with native English speakers. The literature suggests three major strategies teachers can use to assist students …

A Toolkit For Mainstream Teachers Of Multilingual Learners In International Schools, Elizabeth Butterfield

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

International schools date back to the early 20th century, just after the end of World War II. Today, they can still act as a kind of “island of English” in countries where English is not the language spoken by the majority of residents. English learner programs in international schools tend to reflect an English-advantaged mindset which can be detrimental to multilingual learners. This is especially problematic in the international school setting, where English learners are not immigrants, but rather are in the school for a short time (2-4 years), and will likely return to their home countries and home languages. …

Multi-Tiered Support Systems For Multilingual Learners: Structures That Inform Reading Instruction And Intervention, Elisabeth Riley

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Multilingual learners (MLLs also known as English Language Learners or ELLs) are a growing population in United States schools. The literature reviewed in this capstone explored the question: How does the research recommend designing a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) for Multilingual Learners (MLLs) to inform reading instruction? This capstone used the literature reviewed to create a series of three professional development sessions for adult staff in this midwest school to navigate the implementation of a system of support beginning with how data is used. The professional development sessions provided an overview of MTSS, explored culturally responsive teaching methods, investigated …

Finding A Balanced Blend: Designing And Supporting Engaging And Effective Integrated Skills Materials For Adult Esl Blended Learning Classrooms, Marlee Dorendorf

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

As technology plays an increasingly critical role in society, responsive classrooms are pushed to innovate in new ways in order to equip students with the skills they need for daily life. Blended learning classes, combining in-person and virtual instruction, went from being a helpful model to a critical need in light of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Many Adult Basic Education (ABE) English as a Second Language (ESL) programs had not developed robust blended learning programs prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to emergency models that, while innovative, were not sustainable. As the field of education moves forward we can consider …

Informing Educators On Effective Strategies For Ltels, Maria Soto

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Research has demonstrated that students who speak languages other than English are a growing presence in U.S schools. The presentation designed for this project focuses on strategies to help and support ESL students known as long-term ELs. LTELs are typically found in grades 6–12. LTELs mainly go unnoticed in schools ,or worse yet, are misunderstood, perceived as failures. This is why this LTELs research is important to me. Many practices have been implemented in the ESL classroom settings, but research on how to scaffold and use effective instruction with these LTEL students is limited. The project involved creating a presentation …

Facilitating Awareness Of Trauma For All Staff In An Educational Environment, Kelly Rygh

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

It is important to address the effects of trauma in the K-12 education system because those effects can have crippling effects on how students succeed academically and in life. The research uncovered in this review of literature pointed to the fact that there are inconsistencies in even defining trauma. There are multiple versions of how to categorize trauma and various ways they manifest, with only some of them being observable. The methods used for addressing trauma have their positives and negatives, however, those methods are inconsistent. This makes it confusing and difficult to evaluate their effectiveness. The capstone project sought …

Multilingualism And Translanguaging In General Education Classrooms: How Educators Can Support The Complex Linguistic Repertoires Of Multilingual Learners In Elementary School, Jenna Healy

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project is a culmination of research, professional experience and educational growth. Through these lived experiences I studied what many sociolinguists have determined; the population of multilingual learners in the United States continues to increase. According to the Minnesota Education Equity Partnership (MnEEP, 2020), multilingual students are the fastest-growing student group in Minnesota, totaling 73,919 in the 2018-19 school year. Therefore, linguistic pedagogies such as multilingualism need to come to the forefront of professional development to educate and support non-ELL teachers to address the complex linguistic needs of multilingual learners. The paper begins with an introduction of why I …

Implementing Translanguaging Pedagogies To Promote Academic Success Of English Learners In An Eighth Grade English Language Arts Classroom, Jenna Kotula

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Many mainstream educators in the United States are under the impression that immersing students in English is the best practice in helping students excel academically. Monoglossic ideologies, which only place prominence on one language in the classroom, can send English Learners (ELs) the message that their cultural and linguistic funds of knowledge are not accepted or valued in the school community. As educators, it must be our mission to create a safe space where learners feel tolerated and eager to share about their unique backgrounds and experiences. Translanguaging practices compete with the common misconception that only the target language should …

Shifting Voices: Facilitating The Ideal L2 Self Through The Development Of Imagined Communities In The Language Classroom, Kyle Undem

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Much can be learned about second language (L2) learner identities by understanding imagined communities which learners create to imagine participation in a target community. As L2 learners’ identities are varied, vast and imagined, it is important to line our pedagogical practices to help learners connect to and explore their various imagined communities and ideal L2 selves. Transformative pedagogy views language not simply as a set of governing rules, but more importantly from a social perspective, taking into account learner identities as they shift in accordance with the social world. The classroom is viewed as a place where learner investment in …

Helping Primary School Students Exposed To Stress Or Trauma To Learn In The Language Classroom, Ekaterina Shamaeva

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Perhaps, every teacher would like to see their students thrive academically and succeed in their future careers. However, some learners face challenges which are not related neither to their individual characteristics, nor to aptitude, but to stressful and traumatic experiences in their lives, which represent huge barriers on the way to success. Therefore, the question addressed in this project was how can English as foreign language teachers in Russia mitigate the impact of stress and trauma on primary school learners to facilitate learning in the language classroom? Extensive literature review concludes that the effects of stress and trauma at a …

A Parent Focused Bilingual Literacy Program, Jordan Perkins

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

While theories and methods surrounding English language teaching are continually evolving, the goal is almost always the same: help students acquire the English they need to be successful in their communication at work and the community. Adult ESL programs are often focused on work and community but leave family communication out of the curriculum. Inclusion of the first language (L1) in adult-focused curricula can help improve the language acquisition of the second language (L2) and improve the overall literacy of the learners. Although many family literacy programs are being created or researched to improve child literacy in the home, and …

Social Emotional Learning In Elementary Schools: A Professional Development Series, Brianna Strandberg

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this capstone project is to evaluate the impact social emotional learning has in elementary schools. There are several aspects that play key roles in social emotional learning, such as, Trauma Informed Instruction, the effectiveness of social emotional learning, and the teachers mental health. Each one of these key aspects are carefully reviewed and analyzed through an extensive literature review, to answer the capstone question, How can social emotional learning be implemented in elementary schools? This capstone project is a professional development series that dives into the effectiveness of social emotional learning. It is a series that …

Rewilding Students To Establish A Slow Pedagogy In Short Term Environmental Education Settings, Mason Keel

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

of connecting individuals with nature: what does it mean for students to actually connect with nature? Many organizations strive to connect their users with nature using “fast pedagogy” that usually takes the form of adventurous outdoor activities, such as canoeing, rock climbing, and going through high ropes courses. However, these activities allow little time for users to dwell in their natural surroundings, preventing them from learning via “slow pedagogy,” which involves making novel observations about nature and connecting to their surroundings through these observations. The same issue rings true for residential environmental learning centers that host grade school students for …

Culturally Responsive Teaching In Science Classrooms, Julia Bender

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Our educational system is producing a generation of dependent learners. Whether because of a lack of confidence or a lack of skills, these scholars often don’t know where to start when tackling complex problems. Inequitable educational experiences have caused these challenges to disproportionately impact students of color. Education scholars, including Geneva Gay, Gloria Ladson-Billings, and Zaretta Hammond, have completed extensive research on how culturally responsive teaching can be used as a strategy to address these inequities. This project takes on a specific focus and works to address the following question: How can science teachers use culturally responsive teaching to help …

Developing A Science Curriculum With The Focus On Belonging, Megan Custer

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Custer, M. (2021). Developing a Science Curriculum with the Focus on Belonging The development of the year-long curriculum in this project is centered around the need for students to feel a true sense of belonging within their school and classroom. The project was developed using the learnings and literature of Gloria Ladson-Billings, Carol Goodenow, Nira Yuval-Davis, and many others who speak to the needs of students in having space and time for self-discovery within learning, and also feeling like an integral part of their own learning within the classroom. The specification to science curriculum within this project comes from the …

Embedding Scientific Literacy In The Intermediate Elementary Classroom In Schools With High Underperforming Groups, Mia Clark

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Clark, M. How can educators embed scientific literacy into the intermediate classroom of disadvantaged groups? (2021) The achievement gap has been a widespread problem amongst minority groups, specifically African American students. The data reflects a continuous trend of underachievement caused by environmental factors at home and in school. As the state transitions to the 2019 Minnesota Science standards, teachers must learn to develop scientific literacy into the intermediate classroom and attempt to close the achievement gap amongst minority students. The capstone project uses the Sheltered Intervention Observation model, Marzano Framework, and A Framework for K-12 Science Education to answer the …

Implementing Inquiry-Based Learning Into A High School Science Classroom To Improve Student Engagement And Learning Outcomes, Brianna Gasterland

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Inquiry-based learning is the practice of teaching and learning through asking questions and discovering answers through scientific processes. Rooted in progressive education, inquiry-based learning focuses on giving students the opportunity to actively engage in their learning, and improve learning outcomes. Inquiry-based learning has been met with skepticism due to the required resources and training to prepare educators to effectively implement inquiry lessons.The Next Generation Science Standards were written to implement inquiry-based learning methods in science curriculums across the United States. Due to the Minnesota Department of Education’s decision to draft the 2019 science standards using the Next Generation Science Standards, …

Identity Placement In Social Justice Issues Through A Creative Writing Curriculum, Tamara Johnson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

In our current society, there is a growing need for educators to approach curriculum with the knowledge and awareness of the inequities that affect our students based on how they identify. The exploration of student identity in the classroom not only encourages reflection on how students are placed in the context of social justice issues but also promotes the reflection of educators who teach through a social justice lens. This capstone project focuses on the research question: How can curriculum be designed to place student identity in the context of social justice issues through creative writing and reading in an …

Promoting Student To Student Discourse In Mathematics Classrooms, Kayla Kraska

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Within mathematics education, teachers are constantly looking for ways to better support and engage their students. Secondary mathematics teachers can do a lot of different things to promote engagement and achievement. One idea that is often overlooked in traditional classroom settings is the power of discourse. Giving students the opportunity to talk to one another about their mathematical ideas and engage in conversations with their classmates can have a lasting impact on, not only their achievement in mathematics, but also their mindset. Chapter one of this Capstone gives background information about the author and why this topic is so important …