Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Movement In Learning: Revitalizing The Classroom, Marcus Van

MA TESOL Collection

Movement is a vital part of our every day lives, and it is also important for a healthy brain. The following paper examines the shift from movement based learning to a more restrictive rote format, which often has adverse effects on learning. This work discusses the ways in which teachers are under pressure to “teach to the test” instead of creating student-centered classrooms. Some of the side effects of a test-centered approach are low self-esteem (from not meeting strict academic requirements) and behavioral problems in students.

Adding more movement to lessons can provide variation and relief from the rote-only system. …

Characteristics Of At-Risk Students, Michael Sollitto, Robert K. Gable

K-12 Education

This study focused on a major problem facing today’s educators: high school dropouts. Research questions addressed differences in teacher perspectives of the characteristics of struggling students. Differences in teachers’ perspectives based on teaching level (elementary & secondary) were examined. The researcher conducted focus groups with a total of 12 teachers. The research was conducted in two suburban districts. Focus group questions were designed following a survey administered to 108 suburban public school teachers. The survey responses reported previously identified four dimensions of characteristics of at-risk students: behavior, achievement, family involvement, and family background. The data from the focus groups can …

Former Juvenile Offenders Re-Enrolling Into Mainstream Public Schools, Thomas Richardson, Thomas Dipaola, Robert K. Gable

K-12 Education

This study examined school re-enrollment procedures employed by two school systems for N=578 former juvenile offenders re-enrolling from secured supervised settings to urban mainstream secondary public schools and alternative schools and programs in New England. Quantitative data regarding student demographics and qualitative data from interviews with 19 support personnel and selected documents were used to evaluate which program elements enhanced or disengaged former offenders from secondary urban schools. The characteristics of former juvenile offenders’ lack of school involvement with respect to truancy, school suspension and expulsion, learning, behavior, and emotional disabilities, as well as family, economic, and social disadvantages were …

A Phenomenological Investigation Of Male At-Risk Sixth, Seventh And Eighth Grade Students' Perceptions Toward Reading, Jason Douma

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the perceptions that male at-risk sixth, seventh and eighth grade students' possess toward reading at a small rural public school district in Michigan. Male at-risk students was generally defined as students below grade level in reading based on their STAR reading assessment. Male students may have developed certain perceptions toward reading based their continual struggle with reading and teacher practices, such as grouping strategies, throughout their academic lifetime. To discover the essence of male at-risk sixth, seventh and eighth grade students' perceptions data collection was gathered through surveys, interviews and explanations …

An Experimental Design: Examining The Effectiveness Of The Virginia Career View Program On Creating 7th Grade Student Career Self-Efficacy, Shanna Mccomb-Beverage

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Across the country students are graduating from high school without the career knowledge and skills they need to be successful in today's global economy. In response, school officials are considering career development as an essential component for adolescent education. In the state of Virginia, the Virginia Career View program has been designed to assist school personnel with the career education of middle school students. This quantitative research study measured the effectiveness of the Virginia Career View program on 7th grade students' career pathway identification and career self-efficacy. Upon completion of the program, students in the experimental group and control group …

The Relationship Between The Level Of Special Education Instructional Support Segments And The Academic Achievement Of Students With Emotional Behavior Disorders, Marykay Berry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Researchers have extensively studied the effects of placement on academic and behavioral interventions for students with disabilities and have found varying results. A correlational research design was used to determine if there was a relationship between the level of special education support (amount of time spent with special education support) for students with emotional behavior disorders (EBD) and student achievement in reading and math as measured by performance on the Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). The study included 81 students with EBD in a small rural school district in Georgia in grades six through eight over the 2007-2008, 2008-2009, …

Gender Differences In Written Expression At The Elementary Level, Ashley D. Melloy

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The use of Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) in schools is increasing, as it is a useful indicator of students’ basic academic skills. CBM measures are often used for identifying students at-risk, monitoring their progress during interventions, and even making special education eligibility determinations. Much of the research has focused on CBM in the area of reading. Relatively few studies have examined the area of CBM-Written Expression. A couple of studies indicated there are gender differences on CBM-Written Expression measures. This study sought to determine if gender differences exist at the elementary level and, if so, at what grade level such differences …

Facilitating Active Learning Through Classroom Assessment Techniques, Course Preparation Assignments And Out-Of-Class Assignments, Chu Hing Chiu

Practical Social and Industrial Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

The Positive Impact Of An Integrated Assignment Scheme For An Outcome-Based Higher Curriculum, Yu Fai, Will Li, Siu Woo, Kenneth Lee

Practical Social and Industrial Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Perceived Efficacy Of Beginning Teachers To Differentiate Instruction, Michelle K. Casey, Robert K. Gable

Teacher Education

A two-phase, sequential mixed-methods design was used to assess perceptions of teacher efficacy (10 item survey, alpha = .90) to differentiate instruction for N = 36 graduates from one MAT teacher preparation program. Research questions addressed levels of self-efficacy, perceptions of preparedness, teaching tenure, and number of certifications held. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA and t-test procedures. A focus group with N = 10 purposively selected 2010 graduates and interviews with N = 2 graduates each from the 2008 and 2009 classes, and N = 2 faculty were conducted. No significant relationships were found for tenure and …

Learning To Teach Argumentative Historical Writing By Analyzing Student Work, Chauncey Monte-Sano, Susan De La Paz, Mark Felton, Roderick Carey, Kelly Worland, Laura Yee

Faculty Publications

History education researchers have called for an emphasis on historical thinking in K-12 classrooms, for its authenticity in representing the discipline, for its potential to cultivate the critical thinking necessary to an informed citizenry, and for its relationship to advanced adolescent reading and writing skills (Barton & Levstik, 2004; Moje, 2008; Wineburg, 2001). Yet, such an emphasis requires that teachers understand the discipline and its structure, as well as the ways of thinking, reading, and writing that are its foundation. Although many regard history as the study of fixed information (VanSledright, 2008), teaching historical thinking emphasizes constructing arguments about the …

A Comparative Study Of The Teaching Methods Of Christian And Secular Preschools, Lloyd Mcdaniel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation is a comparative study of the teaching methods of Christian preschools and secular preschool. I used two Christian and two secular preschools for the study. The study included interviews of the teachers and preschool directors and observations of actions in the classroom. Many children enter kindergarten not fully prepared for a classroom environment. Some of these children have never been outside the home without a parent and to be placed in a strange setting with strange people and answering to adults that are not parents, can be quite stressful. They are expected to become adjusted and start learning …

Preparing Students For Careers That Do Not Yet Exist, Glenn W. "Max" Mcgee

Publications & Research

The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA), as a self-described "teaching and learning laboratory for imagination and inquiry," has a history of pursuing innovations closely aligned with the vision and framework of the National Science Education Standards. Innovations include both methods and materials for inquiry-based student instruction as well as for delivering professional development for pre-service and practicing teachers. Instructional innovations described include yearlong student inquiry and research projects (SIR), self-paced physics instruction, student-driven energy and engineering projects, instruction in innovation and entrepreneurialism, and a host of student-led outreach activities to "ignite and nurture creative, ethical, scientific minds of students …

Writing Yogis: Breathing Our Way To Mindfulness And Balance In Embodied Writing Pedagogy, Christy I. Wenger

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Breathing exercises constitute a method for helping students to attain a state of mindfulness in their writing—and their lives.

Connecting, Helen Walker, Carl Vandermeulen, Louise Morgan, Jill Moyer Sunday, Tony Mayo

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Connecting

Helen Walker - Trust, and Gaps

Carl Vandermeulen - Proverbs for Poetry Class

Louise Morgan - TJ, Whom I Like Very Much

Jill Moyer Sunday - History Lesson 101

Tony Mayo - Shawn

Outside The Box And Onto A Dusty Trail, Richard Leo Enos

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Archeological exploration has redefined research since this scholar became the Indiana Jones of rhetorical studies.

Book Reviews, Judy Halden-Sullivan, Lauren Dipaula, William Archibald, Noam Scheindlin, Martin Cockroft

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Book Reviews

Judy Halden-Sullivan - Paradigm Shifts

Lauren DiPaula - Price, Margaret. Mad At School: Rhetorics of Mental Disability and Academic Life. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2011.

William Archibald - Thomas, Douglas and John Seely Brown. A New Culture of Learning: Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Constant Change. Charleston, SC: CreateSpace, 2011.

Noam Scheindlin - Vandermeulen, Carl. Negotiating the Personal in Creative Writing. Bristol: Multilingual Matters, 2011.

Martin Cockroft - Wilhelm, Jeffrey D. and Bruce Novak. Teaching Literacy for Love and Wisdom: Being the Book and Being the Change. NY: Teachers College Press, 2011.

Reflections On Accidental Testimonies And Spectacular Witnesses, Lavinia Hirsu

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

When unplanned-for testimonies occur in class, how do instructors turn a disruptive moment into a teachable one?

Gatekept: Inviting Creative Community Literacy, Shelly Sanders, B. Cole Bennett

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Creative writing becomes a vehicle for community outreach in a Writing Center setting, bringing together town and gown.

The Communally Focused Writing Center, Tom Truesdell

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Can writing center administrators prepare student tutors to help transform faculty-student relations? Should they?

Renovating My Academic Administration, Elizabeth Vander Lei

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

A department chair dons a hard hat and begins to see her position through the lens of spiritual rebirth and figured worlds—as a portrait of Calvin looks on.

The Rainbow Connection: Theorizing The Efficacy Of Private Texts, Liz Rohan

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Texts written privately often find new contexts, new uses, if writers become mindful of Bakhtin’s notion of “great time.”

Jaepl, Vol. 18, Winter 2012-2013, Joonna Smitherman Trapp, Brad Peters

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Essays

Douglas Hesse - Writing and Time, Time and the Essay

Liz Rohan - The Rainbow Connection: Theorizing the Efficacy of Private Texts

Christy I. Wenger - Writing Yogis: Breathing Our Way to Mindfulness and Balance in Embodied Writing Pedagogy

Lavinia Hirsu - Reflections on Accidental Testimonies and Spectacular Witnesses

Heather Trahan - Queers, Cupid's Arrow, and Contradictions in the Classroom: An Activity Theory Analysis

Shelly Sanders & B. Cole Bennett - Gatekept: Inviting Creative Community Literacy

Out of the Box

Richard Leo Enos - Outside the Box and onto a Dusty Trail

SPECIAL SECTION: Administration, Ethics, and Spirituality

Paul …

Queers, Cupid’S Arrow, And Contradictions In The Classroom: An Activity Theory Analysis, Heather Trahan

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

“Third generation” activity theory can help instructors support and also deal with gay romance in the classroom.

Even Administrators Have Souls, Paul Puccio

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Faculty have a critical role to play if they want administrators to be more than unilateral decision-makers.

Investigating Young Children's Music-Making Behavior: A Developmental Theory, Paul G. Morehouse

CGU Theses & Dissertations

We have many developmental theories contributing to our understanding of children as they meander steadfastly toward maturation. Yet, none have reported on how young children interpret the qualitative meaning and importance of their own music-making experiences. Music created by average, not prodigious, young children is perceived by adults as “play” music rather than “real” music. But do young children take the same view as adults? When Piaget speaks of the young child’s qualitatively unique view and experience of the world (Ginsberg & Opper, 1988), can we assume that his statement encompasses young children’s predispositions related to music-making?

Music is understood …

Telling The Truth As Wpa, Beth Daniell

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

After reflecting upon students, a writing program administrator looks hard at two other challenging situations and questions the truthfulness of her approaches to each.

Back Matter

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

No abstract provided.

Change Is Learning: Metacognition To Resolve Concerns During The Third Year Of The Implementation Of A Technological Innovation, Nola Allen-Raffail

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

"We are living in a time of change. Rather than viewing change as a painful course of action, let's develop an understanding of how it works, how to facilitate the process, and how to learn from our experiences" (Hall & Hord, 2011, p. 18).

This study used a snapshot of a private Kindergarten-12^th grade school during the third year of the implementation of a technological innovation (RenWeb) to investigate teacher concerns during the process of change and gain insights into individuals' use of metacognition to resolve those concerns. Two primary research instruments were used, the Stages of Concern Questionnaire …

Being Outside Learning About Science Is Amazing: A Mixed Methods Study, Michelle L. Weibel

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study used a convergent parallel mixed methods design to examine teachers' environmental attitudes and concerns about an outdoor educational field trip. Converging both quantitative data (Environmental Attitudes Scale and teacher demographics) and qualitative data (Open-Ended Statements of Concern and interviews) facilitated interpretation. Research has shown that adults' attitudes toward the environment strongly influence children's attitudes regarding the environment. Science teachers' attitudes toward nature and attitudes toward children's field experiences influence the number and types of field trips teachers take. Measuring teacher attitudes is a way to assess teacher beliefs.

The one day outdoor field trip had significant outcomes for …