Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

The Impact Of Interactive Journaling On Seventh-Grade Students’ Writing Self-Efficacy, Writing Performance, And Attitudes Towards Writing, Nicholle Morgan Arman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study was to evaluate the impact of interactive journaling on the writing self-efficacy, writing performance, and attitudes towards writing of seventh-grade students. According to the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Writing Test, only one-fourth of 8th and 12th graders are proficient at writing. This means thousands of people are entering the job market with inadequate writing skills (U.S. Department of Education, 2014). Research suggests that if people feel more confident in their writing abilities, writing performance will improve. This study was guided by several research questions. First, the study aimed to reveal …

Thinking Like An Historian: Improving Engagement Through Project-Based Learning In A United States History Classroom, George Gray

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study is to determine the efficacy of project-based learning activities for improving students’ critical thinking skills and engagement in the classroom. South Carolina’s creation of the United States History end-of-course assessment has led many social studies teachers to design ‘teach to the test’ lesson plans, which this researcher’s students seem to find mundane and uninspiring. Although these teaching methods have helped some students perform well on the end-of-course test, these tactics have sapped their interest in social studies and have not prepared them to be responsible citizens in an active democracy. The social studies …

When The Learning Environment Becomes E-Learning: A Narrative Inquiry Into High School Honors Students’ Motivation, Tyesha L. Deas

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 forever changed the landscape of the world, especially education. Due to the guidelines the pandemic caused, education abruptly moved the e-learning setting in the Spring of 2020, when students and teachers had to quickly adjust to new methods of teaching and learning. As a result, students were bearing the responsibility for their own motivation for learning as they took on the of learning from home (Rake & Dunn, 2010, p. 79). Therefore, this study seeks to better understand four high school honors students changes in motivation as the school environment changed to e-learning, determine what …

Let’S Talk About It: Bridging The Gap Between Diverse Students And Their White Teachers, Beth Dean Boring Shoff

Theses and Dissertations

The achievement gap is a notorious construct of 21st-century schools and refers to the achievement of marginalized groups as compared to their White counterparts. This qualitative action research studied this phenomenon in a small, suburban school district experiencing shifting demographics by analyzing educators’ perceptions and attitudes for multicultural education and culture-centered themes. Survey responses and interview data were coded using Banks’s five dimensions of multicultural education (content integration, knowledge construction, equity pedagogy, prejudice reduction, and empowering school culture) to frame professional learning opportunities for White, middle-class educators. Additionally, emergent themes were identified that impact the achievement gap in this setting: …

Benefits Of Video Feedback On Low Performing Female Cadets In Physical Education: An Action Research Study, John Borman

Theses and Dissertations

Learning novel physical motor skills can be frustrating for some students. A lack of clear feedback further exacerbates the problem for students’ skill development. This study examined the benefits of using video recording as augmented feedback to inform motor skill development in an applied gymnastics course at a service academy. The primary aim was to identify the effects of video feedback on the instructor/student process for skill evaluation and skill improvement. The secondary aim was to examine at what degree does giving video feedback promote female student motivation to learn, use of deliberate practice, autonomy, and competence. This action research …

The Motivational Impact Of A Digital Student Response Tool During Text-Dependent Writing Instruction In A Concurrent Middle School Classroom, Lisa Marie Cobb

Theses and Dissertations

While the Common Core State Standards initiated the instructional shift that promoted technology to achieve a student-centered, process-oriented blended reading and writing classroom, the COVID 19 pandemic demanded innovative technology applications in K-12 public schools. This qualitative, phenomenological action research study explored the motivational effects of a digital student response system tool used to facilitate reading and writing instruction in a seventh-grade ELA concurrent classroom. Overall, using a student response tool to facilitate the text-dependent writing process positively impacted students’ self-determination.

Incorporating a digital student response tool as a facet of a formative assessment system promoted the efficient use of …

Destabilizing The Ivory Tower: An Autoethnography, Chelsea Mcfadden

Theses and Dissertations

The education system of the western world is a tool of hegemony used to command replication of an ontology rooted in oppression. Teachers interested in combating oppression must work toward decolonizing their praxis, a nuanced task accomplished with the help of critical inquiry done through autoethnography. I seek to synthesize literature that validates and confirms autoethnography as a mechanism of critical inquiry. I will explore the following research questions: How does autoethnography function as a tool of decolonization? Are there ways in which it reifies colonizing practices? How might autoethnography be used in the classroom to encourage nontraditional discourse? Themes …

Virtual Interactive Notebooking With Gifted Learners In An Inquiry-Based Social Studies Classroom: A Mixed-Methods Action Research Study On Higher-Order Thinking And Student Motivation, Brandy Cooper Meyers

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods action research was to implement and evaluate the use of virtual interactive notebooks with gifted students in a 4th-grade social studies classroom. Specifically, this study focused on two overarching research questions: (a) how does the implementation of virtual interactive notebooks in an inquiry-based, constructivist learning environment impact the use of higher-order thinking skills (according to Webb’s Depth of Knowledge) of gifted learners in a fourth-grade social studies classroom and (b) how does the implementation of virtual interactive notebooks in an inquiry-based, constructivist learning environment impact motivation of gifted learners in a fourth-grade social studies …

The Impact Of Plcs On Teacher Self-Efficacy, Paula Lynn Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the impact of a professional learning community on teacher self-efficacy at Elm Primary School in rural South Carolina. The literature suggests that PLCs are an amenable approach to improving individual teacher efficacy beliefs and classroom practices (Corcoran, 2007; Guskey, 2003). For this study, self-and collective efficacy were measured using Likert-scale surveys, semi-open ended interviews, participant journals, observation and field notes, and artifacts. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected, making this a mixed-methods study.

The results confirmed and expanded understandings about PLCs' impact on efficacy. Participants recognized goal setting, actions, and results as important qualities of collaboration …

Teachers’ Beliefs, Barriers, And Classroom Practices: A Mixed Methods Study Of Technology Integration At A School For Students With Dyslexia, Holli Bice

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research was to describe teachers’ beliefs about technology in the classroom and identify the barriers they faced when integrating technology at a small, private school for students with dyslexia. The amount of technology available in schools has increased steadily over the past two decades. Additionally, online learning has become a viable option for K-12 students, and the novel Coronavirus forced many teachers and students into this environment during the 2020 school year. Despite increased access to technology, higher-level uses have not followed, and many teachers at the school continue to struggle integrating technology in their …

Practitioner Inquiry: Supporting Teachers During A National Pandemic, Carol Brooke Scott

Theses and Dissertations

During this practitioner inquiry, action research study, teachers from a suburban elementary school in the southeastern part of the United States were purposefully sampled to investigate their overall successes and challenges as they were forced to abruptly change their instruction during the global COVID-19 pandemic to engage students in various learning environments such as face-to-face instruction, hybrid instruction, and virtual instruction. A collaborative practitioner inquiry group intentionally designed professional development based on the successes and challenges indicated by teachers through the use of the Atlas: Looking at Data protocol. Data collection methods consisted of a reflective survey, extensive memoing, and …

“Hey, I’Ve Got This Kid”: A Study Of Multimodal Semiotics In Adapted Physical Education Strategies, Nancy Morrow Crowe

Theses and Dissertations

General education physical education (GPE) teachers currently face difficulties in providing for the special needs of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in inclusion GPE classes. In addition, there is currently no best practice in how to present information on adapted physical education (APE ) strategies to GPE teachers effectively. This study aims to address the problem of practice through a multimodal semiotic approach in offering GPE teachers APE strategies to implement in their inclusion classes. Specially, the study investigates three GPE teachers as they participate in multimodal semiotics and employ APE strategies in inclusion classes. Three GPE teachers were …

Formation Of A Professional Learning Community To Promote Metacognitive Teaching: An Action Research Study, Margaret Gregg Long

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods action research study examined how implementing a Professional Learning Community (PLC) supports the development of metacognitive teaching. Participants were ten technical college science instructors. While PLCs are common in K-12 education, they are less employed at the postsecondary level. There is a gap in the literature regarding PLCs in the context of postsecondary education, and the metacognition of postsecondary level educators. A PLC was used as an intervention over a 15-week semester to aid in the development of metacognitive teaching. Instructor use of metacognition was assessed using pre- and post-surveys, questionnaires, and interviews. The study's results supported literature …

The Impact Of Prioritization Of Independent Reading On Male, Struggling Adolescent Readers’ Engagement, Motivation, And Achievement, Meagan Wagner

Theses and Dissertations

To become better readers, students must read more and more, increasing the volume, complexity, and variety of books chosen. While independent reading is the best avenue by which to do this, many teachers still struggle to devote their limited instructional time to independent reading. Specifically addressing the context of my school, there was a clear distinction in gender and reading: boys were falling behind, less engaged, less motivated to read than girls. This research aimed to address the gender gap in reading by making independent reading a priority in the classroom. As a case study, five male eighth graders were …

Digging Into Digital Citizenship: Describing The Co-Creation Of An Implementation Plan With Fifth- And Sixth-Grade Intermediate School Teachers, Cheryl Tice

Theses and Dissertations

The study’s purpose was to describe the processes, experiences, and beliefs of individuals involved in a collaborative action research project to develop a digital citizenship curriculum in Upstate Intermediate School. Teachers there did not systematically teach digital citizenship skills at the fifth- and sixth-grade levels. Facilitating the development of responsible online behaviors is vital. The study examined three research questions: (a) fifth- and sixth-grade teachers’ perceptions of barriers to integrating digital citizenship skills in their instruction; (b) their perceptions of the essential components of a digital citizenship curriculum in the context; and (c) their perceptions of being involved in co-creating …

Carolina Consulting Scholars Cohort: Enabling Students To Be Stronger Analytical Thinkers And Problem Solvers, Alexis Mcconomy, Justin Farley

Senior Theses

Undergraduate students at the Moore School currently have limited avenues to pursue management consulting upon graduating from the University of South Carolina. The Darla Moore School of Business has academic excellence initiatives that have led to great success from certain programs and centers; however, there lacks a formalized support system to help students looking for internships or full-time roles in consulting. Our proposed Consulting Scholars cohort seeks to gather top students from all majors and offer them a cohort that will educate and prepare them for success as future consultants. By leveraging existing classes within the Management department and the …

Legal Research & Writing: An Undergraduate Pre-Law Course Design, Rachel Kathleen Strieber

Senior Theses

The purpose of this project-based thesis is to develop an undergraduate pre-law course that teaches legal research and writing (LRW) and to design its respective description, topics, reading materials, sample syllabus document, and a sample lesson plan. The research portion of this thesis will study the pedagogy of LRW and the connection between LRW skills and the students’ success in law school and careers in law. Preparing students to excel in LRW skills prior to law school through the proposed undergraduate pre-law LRW course will yield a stronger performance in a first-year law LRW course to follow and amplify students’ …

The Pósa Method: Students' Perceptions Of Hungarian Mathematics Pedagogy, Lauren Seidl

Senior Theses

This study examines the reactions and experiences of students who are educated under the Pósa method, a Hungarian mathematics pedagogy previously employed in mathematics camps designed for gifted students. The focus of this research was to analyze the experiences of students in a Pósa method class in Budapest, Hungary. The holistic approach of gathering historical, qualitative, and analytical data pursued answers to the subsequent three research questions that guided the study: What do the students at Petrik School think about the Pósa method? What do the students in the Pósa method class think about math? What do the students’ and …

Stemming The Tide Of Teacher Turnover: Supporting New Teachers Through A Comprehensive Cohort Model Induction Program, Shannon Bagwell Holmes

Theses and Dissertations

The problem of practice addressed in this mixed methods, action research study was how to provide better support to beginning teachers. The main objectives were to provide more emotional and instructional support for teachers in years one through three. This additional support was provided using cohort group mentoring as an alternative to the traditional one-on-one mentoring model and extending the mentoring program to provide teachers on an annual and first-year continuing contract with a mentor.

Six themes emerged from the qualitative data gathered from observations and responses to interview and survey questions. The six themes discovered were (1) being involved …

Evaluating The Use Of Writing Prompts & Graphic Organizers In Middle School Mathematics: Action Research To Improve Mathematical Achievement And Students’ Attitudes With Authentic Assessments, Kyla Candee Steppler

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research was to evaluate the impact of writing prompts and graphic organizers on Mona school’s 7th and 8th grade students’ mathematical academic achievement and their attitudes towards the authentic application of mathematics. Two research questions guided the study: (1) How and to what extent, do writing prompts and graphic organizers impact 7th and 8th grade students’ mathematical achievement and attitudes towards mathematics? (2) What were the 7th and 8th grade students’ perceptions about the implementation of authentic writing prompts and graphic organizers in a mathematics course at Mona school? This action research followed a convergent …

The Future Is Female: Steam Education Analysis, Diana Krajewski Lockwood

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods action research study was to explore the impact of an online STEAM Program for young girls ages 7-10. The researcher sought to understand how girls this age internalize the stereotype “boys are better than girls.” Especially this idea that boys are better in school when it comes to subjects in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). This study aimed to understand if increasing girls’ access to STEAM education made an impact on gender stereotypes and mindsets.

This study could be used as a resource for schools using virtual learning methodologies to deliver instructional content. The …

Exploring The Impact Of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy On African American Students’ Attitudes Toward Reading In A Pre-Kindergarten Classroom: An Action Research Study, Janet Brantley

Theses and Dissertations

In U.S. schools, the academic needs of many African American students are not being adequately met. This alarming trend has prompted many educators to recognize the need to make changes in their knowledge base and instructional practices in order to better serve African American students. Culturally relevant pedagogy--a multifaceted approach to teaching that utilizes students’ cultural experiences to facilitate cultural competence, social justice, and student learning-has been identified as a method that may create more positive learning outcomes among African American students and diverse learners.

This study investigated the impact of culturally relevant pedagogy on African American students’ attitudes towards …

Learning Programming Through Robots: A Mixed-Methods Study On The Effects Of Educational Robotics On Programming Comprehension And Motivation Of Preservice Teachers, Alex Geoffrey Fegely

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research was to evaluate the effect educational robotics have on the programming comprehension and motivation of preservice teachers. Computer science is increasingly being integrated into K-8 curricula across the country. However, there are few teachers trained to teach basic computer science concepts. Core subject teachers are being asked to shoulder the load of integrating computer science concepts into their instruction. Educational robotics have gained attention for their potential to aid users with comprehension and motivation while learning to program. This convergent parallel mixed methods research thus investigated (1) the effect of educational robotics on preservice …

Investigating The Flipped Classroom Model In A High School Writing Course: Action Research To Impact Student Writing Skills And Engagement, Elizabeth Ann Florence

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research was to evaluate the implementation of the flipped classroom model in a high school English classroom. Students are entering college and the workforce lacking the minimum writing skills needed, which may be the result of a lack of engagement throughout school. The flipped classroom model is one teaching and learning strategy that has been shown to increase student achievement, close the achievement gap, and increase student engagement and critical thinking. This study focused on three research questions: (1) How and in what ways does implementing a flipped classroom model in a high school writing …

Implementation And Evaluation Of Computer-Assisted Science Vocabulary Modules With Students With An Intellectual Disability And Autism: An Action Research Study, Jamie Lee Taber

Theses and Dissertations

Students with disabilities are struggling to meet expectations in science at the national and local level. Many studies have linked difficulties with science content to difficult and technical vocabulary, and this has been evident at the local level, too. To try to improve science instruction for students with disabilities, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation of computer-assisted science vocabulary modules with students with an intellectual disability and autism in an adapted environmental science class. This study aimed to answer how the implementation of computer-assisted vocabulary modules, which adhere to evidence-based practices of special education vocabulary instruction, …

The Effects Of Project-Based Learning In The Intermediate World Language Classroom, Steven Tanner Tucker

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this action research study was to further examine the reluctance of intermediate language learners in speaking production in their second language. Additionally, with emerging strategies such as project-based learning, the study explored the efficacy of this strategy, specifically in terms of the students’ volition and motivation to produce the spoken language during classroom activities. The goal was to assist educators in discovering new social and constructivist techniques that could potentially foster student engagement and language acquisition, especially in regard to speaking competencies in the foreign language. Undoubtedly, action research was the appropriate method for the current …

Addressing Unconscious Bias, Power, And Privilege To Increase Cultural Competence Skills In Healthcare Faculty: Intersecting Critical Race Theory And The Pyramid Model For Intercultural Competence, Christina B. Gunther

Theses and Dissertations

Inequity in healthcare has long been understood to be caused by individual and structural racism in the health system. Little progress has been made in diminishing the disparities that exist between Black and African American minoritized populations and the White majority. Cultural competence training in healthcare has focused on surface level differences in ethnicities, including language and religious practices, while ignoring difficult to address topics such as race and racism. This action research study, using a convergent mixed-methods design, attempted to address the gap in knowledge of race and racial structures in healthcare for the faculty in the college of …

Measuring The Ability Of A Readiness Course To Improve Online Student Success At A Two-Year Technical College, James Devin Henson

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the continued growth of online enrollments nationwide, students consistently are not as successful in online courses as traditional face-to-face courses. The challenges are magnified in the two-year college environment, which has a disproportionately high percentage of low-income or minority students compared to four-year universities. This action research study uses a convergent parallel mixed methods design to study the effectiveness of a mandatory readiness course for online students at a two-year college in South Carolina to increase student success. Specifically, this study examined how and to what extent taking an online readiness course impacted online student success, students’ perceptions of …

Recognizing Art As A Semiotic Mode: Revelations Of An Adolescent Mind, Catherine Elizabeth Deaton

Theses and Dissertations

The following gallery is predicated on the belief that a complete high school curriculum must be responsive to the needs of students as they navigate the stresses of living in isolation during a pandemic and always. High school students with minimal directions or guidance were charged with submitting a photo of a piece of art they had constructed to capture their perceptions of living through the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. The results give a candid view of how these students give purpose to the process of creating art as they construct and convey a sense of “being in the world.” …

On Matters Of Feedback: Supporting The Online Grading Feedback Process With Web-Based, Collaborative Comment Banks, Jennifer Schneider

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study describes how a web-based, feedback comment bank impacts online instructor efficacy as well as attitudes and perceptions associated with the online grading feedback process. Bandura’s work on individual self-efficacy, Tschannen-Moran and Hoy’s work on instructor efficacy, and Hattie’s work on collective efficacy, along with Wiggins and Hattie and Clarke’s work on grading feedback represent the core of the study’s theoretical framework. The study adopted a mixed-methods action research design to examine three research questions: “How does the use of a web-based grading feedback comment bank impact online instructor’s teaching efficacy?,” “How does the use of a …