Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Teaching Goal Setting Strategies In A Title I Elementary School; An Action Research Study, Susan Ridgeway Nunamaker

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative action research study is to explore the impact of goal setting on the learning process of fifth-grade students in a Title I school. The subjects of this research study are 17 fifth-grade student-participants along with their homeroom teacher-participant. A goal setting unit was designed specifically for this action research study to enable student-participants to experience setting mastery goals and to develop an academic engagement practice through goal setting; thus empowering them for future learning. Semi-structured student interviews, student data journals in the form of goal setting forms, and an open-ended interview with the teacher-participant provide …

To What Extent Does Instructor Interaction Impact Adult Learner Satisfaction In An Online Environment, Sarah G. Brinson

Theses and Dissertations

Distance and online learning has rapidly becoming the wave of the future in the present educational environment (Herbold, 2012). Advancements in technology have created more opportunities for instructors and educators in higher education to expand the educational process. This expansion has pushed education out of the traditional classroom and into cyberspace where audiences locally, nationally and even internationally can be reached (Herbold, 2012). In this changing environment, instructors and their interaction, continue to be the key element in the teaching and learning process of the adult learner. For the purpose of this study, the researcher proposed to examine the influence …

Course Quality And Hosting Platforms: Implications For Massively Open Online Course (Mooc) Design And Delivery, Rita Diane Schmallegger

Theses and Dissertations

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) began as an experiment in connectivist learning in 2008 (Downes, 2012). While the number of MOOCs offered has risen, as has the number of universities offering MOOCs (Brown, Costello, Donkon, & Giolla-Mhichill, 2015), perceptions of the quality of MOOCs have been mixed (Bali, 2014; Peterson, 2014). From a perspective of Merrill’s first principles of instruction (2013), this qualitative study examined MOOC delivery platforms to determine what learning platforms and what specific characteristics may best promote and sustain MOOC quality. MOOCs selected for this study include those offered in English, open to anyone with Internet access, …

Studying Jazz In The Concert Band Setting And Its Effects On Perceptions Of Jazz Performance, Joseph Ryan Westberry

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present Action Research study was to describe a class of southern, suburban, high school band student-participants’ perceptions of a jazz performance of an arrangement by the researcher that is a Duke Ellington adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite. Student-participants’ perceptions were gathered using a modified Fennema-Sherman Attitude Scale in the form of a pre-test and a post-test to determine any changes in attitudes towards jazz performance. Data were analyzed and reflected upon with the collaborating band director and administrators at Cane Bay High School and an action plan was designed to improve student-participants’ attitudes toward jazz …

The Effects Of Student Involvement In Writing Topic Selection On Achievement And Motivation, Henry D. Tindal

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study examined 18 high school student-participants’ perceptions of essay writing both with teacher-generated standardized prompts and prompts where students were included in the development of the writing assignment. The students consisted of 12 white females, 2 Asian females, and 4 white males enrolled in an Advanced Placement English Language and Composition class from a rural, southern school located in South Carolina. Quantitative methods were used to determine the impact of the prompts on the students’ motivations for writing essays. Writing samples, surveys and observations comprised the data. Teacher-participants and instructional leaders reflected on the data with the …

Ninth-Grade Students’ Perceptions Of Social Media Responsibility & Cyberbullying, Geoffrey A. Wagner

Theses and Dissertations

At Upstate High School (pseudonym) in South Carolina, incidences of cyberbullying are on the rise. This explanatory action research study was implemented with the purpose of raising awareness of social media responsibility among ninth-grade high school students along with determining what these students’ perceptions of social media responsibility and cyberbullying. The study was conducted during the Fall semester of 2016 with a single group of 105 9th grade students at a high school in the upstate of South Carolina. Students who participated in the study completed an 85-item questionnaire to provide such quantitative information as their demographics, social media usage, …

Determining Worth: Cell Phones And Their Perceived Place In Secondary Education Classrooms, Alex J. Hollis

Theses and Dissertations

Determining Worth: Cell Phones and their Perceived Place in Secondary Education Classrooms is an action research study that describes and evaluates educators’ perceptions of Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs), primarily smartphones, in secondary education classrooms at Jackson High School in Upstate South Carolina. The identified problem of practice that undergirds the present study involves a lack of consistency among secondary educators at this school as to how, when, and why PEDs are allowed for classroom use. The study explores these teacher-participants’ interests in and aversions to using PEDs as instructional tools and communication devices, and concurrently examines current instructional practices, school-level …

Exploring An Organization Skills Intervention For Improving Executive Functioning Skills Within A Gifted Population: An Action Research Study, Lynn Gee

Theses and Dissertations

Exploring an Organization Skills Intervention for Improving Executive Functioning Skills within a Gifted Population: An Action Research Study examines the impact of providing gifted and talented (GT) middle level students at Ford Middle Academy (FMA), with an instructional program called Homework, Organization, and Planning Skills (HOPS) that was designed as an intervention to teach organizational, planning, and time management skills. The identified problem of practice at this school involved the lack of an instructional program to enhance organizational and study skills at the middle school level. The participant-researcher wondered if the HOPS program would be an effective program to use …

Challenging Standard Grading Practices: A Qualitative Action Research Study, Brian Andrew Timmons

Theses and Dissertations

The present qualitative Action Research study was conducted to determine students’ perceptions of current teacher grading practices and how a standards-based grading (SBG) report card affected secondary students’ perceptions and understanding of grade fairness and accuracy compared to a standard report card, which reports a single grade that often combines academic achievement with behaviors, attendance, homework completion, deadlines and the like. At the end of the first four-and-a-half week grading period of the fall 2016 semester, a group of tenth-grade English II Honors students were presented with two different report cards, one that utilized a single numerical average and one …

Effects Of The Mindplay Computer Program On Student Reading Achievement: An Action Research Study, Kara Mann

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative Action Research study examined how a computer-assisted reading program, called MindPlay, affected reading achievement in four second-grade classrooms within a Title I School. The identified problem of practice at Amazing Elementary School (AES) involved numerous years of underachieving reading results for underprivileged, racially diverse children. The majority of primary school students at AES are considered “at-risk” given their reading performance. The study explored whether a different intervention technique would increase student reading achievement, specifically in fluency, phonics, and comprehension, within a Title I context. Therefore, the research question that guided this study was as follows: “What is the …

A Professional Learning Community For Novice Teachers At A Title I Elementary School: An Action Research Study, Marie Putnam Havran

Theses and Dissertations

The present study describes the effect of a professional learning community (PLC) for novice teachers at Greenville Elementary, a Title I elementary school in the southern United States. The identified problem of practice at this school involves novice teachers who are required to participate in a district-approved Assisting, Developing, and Evaluating Professional Teachers (ADEPT) model as the teacher evaluation program in addition to maintaining a portfolio of their work experiences. The participant-researcher wondered if this affected novice teacher’s self-efficacy in the classroom with children of working-class poor, and if a PLC aimed at increasing their feelings of self-efficacy would be …

The Impact Of Project-Based Learning On Critical Thinking In A United States History Classroom, Craig E. Cash

Theses and Dissertations

This present quantitative action research study compared the test scores of one group of students who experienced a project-based instruction United States history unit with one group of students who experienced a traditional lecture style United States history unit at a suburban high school in South Carolina. The problem of practice that guided this study arose from the lack of critical thinking that the essentialist curriculum and teach-to-the-test instructional strategy foster in this school and the social studies classroom. The identification of the problem of practice led to the development of a research focus examining the impact of project-based instruction …

Formative Assessment Strategies For Mathematical Thinking: A Qualitative Action Research Study, Benjamin J. Sinwell

Theses and Dissertations

Developing Formative Assessment Strategies for Mathematical Thinking is a qualitative action research study that investigates how one mathematics teacher implements formative assessment strategies aimed at impacting students’ mathematical thinking in two geometry classes a southern Title I public high school. This study is predicated on the notion that when students share their mathematical thinking in class, it stimulates classroom discussion and discourse and provides evidence vis-à-vis formative assessments that the teacher can use to improve mathematics curriculum and instruction. The study is theoretically grounded in Wiliam and Thompson’s (2007) Five Key Formative Assessment Strategies that include: 1. Clarifying and Sharing; …

The Role Of Oral Language In Kindergarten Students Comprehension, Rebecca Kathleen Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

The present quantitative action research study examined two classes of Southern kindergarten students in a Title I school and their oral language and comprehension abilities as measured by standardized tests. The identified problem of practice involved incoming kindergarteners’ lack of preparedness for reading. The research question that guided this quantitative study was: How does a kindergarten student’s oral language ability relate to his or her ability to comprehend a wordless picture book and a text read to them? Assessments of overall oral language, wordless picture book comprehension, and listening comprehension comprise the data set. Data were collected at the beginning …

Effects Of Reading Eggs On Reading Proficiency Levels, Latisha D. Lowery

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present action research study is to examine the effects of a technology based reading intervention program titled Reading Eggs on a small rural Title I elementary school. The identified problem of practice involves students reading below grade level by third grade, which is an indicator of future academic problems for students. To address this problem, Fairfield Magnet School for Math and Science (FMSMS) has implemented the use of Reading Eggs to supplement instruction. Reading Eggs is a web based literacy program in which modules and automated videos teach students skills to build reading comprehension, fluency, spelling, …

Pedagogical Practices In Homogeneous And Heterogeneous Ability Grouped Classrooms, Theresa Marie Kinsey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to describe one sixth grade English Language Arts (ELA) teacher’s pedagogical practices in her heterogeneous grouped classroom and her homogeneous grouped classroom. The focus of this study was on instructional practices in two classes, one homogeneously grouped based on high English Language Arts ability; the other heterogeneously grouped. Through the data generated, the participant-researcher reflected upon the English Language Arts instruction in both classes and described the teacher’s instructional practices in this middle school. Semi-structured interviews, a questionnaire, field observations, videotapes and lesson plans provided the qualitative research data for this …

Medical Homebound Services: Assisting Students With Chronic Illnesses, Melissa Johnson Allgood

Theses and Dissertations

The present action research study examined a group of chronically ill students approved for medical homebound services at a suburban high school located in the southwestern part of South Carolina. Students who have received or are currently receiving homebound services ranging from ninth through twelfth grade along with their teachers and parents/guardians were the subjects of the research. Semi-structured interviews and existing documents provided the data for this research.

The study explored how chronic illnesses affected a group of high school students when they were absent from school as well as ways to improve assisting them through medical homebound services. …

Impact Of Standards-Based Instruction On Achievement Levels Of Students With Moderate To Severe Intellectual Disabilities: An Action Research Study, Amy White Condon

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this qualitative research study was to describe the perceptions of middle school special education teachers in regards to the implementation of Unique Learning Systems (ULS) curriculum, a standards-based curriculum and assessment system designed to be used with students with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. The secondary purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions of the special needs students’ parents. The tertiary purpose was to design an action plan that will enable Ocean Front School District (OFSD) special education administrators and teachers to better determine if ULS’ content, instructional strategies, accommodations and modifications are effective. …

The Effects Of Arts Integration On Literacy Comprehension Achievement, Sara D. Tucker

Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on the effects of arts-based instruction on student literacy achievement. The study sought to identify how incorporating arts into the reading classroom through arts-based interventions affected the literacy achievement of fifth-grade students who attended a school for science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) located in South Carolina. One group of fifth-grade student-participants, consisting of 10 students, received arts-based interventions, focusing on literacy skills. Students met with the researcher three times a week to receive arts-based literacy interventions. Data collection included a pre assessment and post assessment of literacy skills, along with surveys of student-participants’ attitudes about …

Promoting A Culture Of Collaboration And Reflection Through A Professional Learning Community, Erica Charlanda Russell Murdaugh

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative Action Research Study was to describe eight elementary English Language Arts (ELA) teachers’ perceptions of a Professional Learning Community (PLC). The teacher-participants’ opinions about the PLC were used to improve the existing PLC to promote a more reflective and collaborative environment where ELA teachers could be supportive of each other in their endeavors to improve curriculum and pedagogy and students’ scholarly activity at Next Generation Elementary School (NGES). Data collection strategies included semi-structured interviews conducted with the eight teacher-participants as well as a focus group with the eight teacher-participants to debrief the data collected from …

The Impact Of Capturing Kids' Hearts On New Teachers’ Perceptions Of Classroom Management, Stephanie L. Burgess

Theses and Dissertations

The present action research study explored how incorporating the classroom management model of Capturing Kids’ Hearts (CKH) impacted first year teachers’ perceptions of classroom management. The problem of practice indicated first year teachers historically had large numbers of discipline referrals. The guiding questions were 1) What is the impact of Capturing Kids’ Hearts on first-year teachers’ perceptions of classroom management? And 2) How can participant feedback after CKH preparation be used to improve current classroom management policy at BHS? The primary purpose of this action research was to determine the impact of CKH professional development on four first-year teachers’ perceptions …

Detracking High School Physical Science Classes Through Teacher Efficacy: An Action Research Study, Vincent Scott Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

This study uses the action research method to determine whether students enrolled in a basic science course (Physical Science College Prep) can be successful learning more advanced material (Physical Science Advanced) by increasing teacher efficacy. Currently, there are three levels of Physical Science courses taught at the study school, a high school in South Carolina, USA. The most basic course, Physical Science College Prep, is comprised of 76% minority students, and 56% who receive a free or reduced-cost lunch. In the spring semester of 2017, a group of students (n = 14) completed two units of study: Unit One - …

The Impact Of Repeated Reading On The Comprehension Level Of Eight Eighth Grade Students At The Middle School Level, Elizabeth C. Dotson-Shupe

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of repeated reading on the comprehension level of eight 8th grade students. Incorporating an action research design, data was collected through utilizing a pretest and posttest, timed repeated readings, a reading semi-open ended questionnaire, a Likert-scale questionnaire, observation and the taking of field notes, and weekly assessments. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected for a total of eight weeks for a period of 20 minutes two times per week, each Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Participants were a combination of eighth-grade regular education and special education students, with the majority …

Implementing The Constructed Scaffold Model: Hands-On Activity Units For Advanced Placement Calculus, Susan Scott

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present action research study is to describe a hands-on activity model, named the Constructed Scaffold Model (CSM), used in an Advanced Placement Calculus class in a southeastern United States suburban high school. Data were collected over an 8-week period during the spring 2017 semester. The teacher-researcher developed a pretest and posttest to describe the CSM’s impact on 10 student-participants in her Advanced Placement classroom. Repeated measures t-tests were used to determine the effect of the CSM on the student-participants’ test scores. Additional qualitative data were collected from field notes, student surveys, a focus group, and student …

The Impact Of Journal Writing On Students’ Understanding Of Rational Number Operations Of Eight Seventh Grade Students At Jackson Middle School, Amanda Marie Smoak

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of journal writing on eight seventh grade math students’ understanding of rational numbers in a public school in South Carolina. The literature on mathematical understanding and achievement suggests that students should be taught to write about their mathematical thinking to learn the concepts or reasons behind the procedure to consistently and accurately perform operations with rational numbers (Countryman, 1992; Anderson & Little, 2004; Borasi & Rose, 1989; Ganguli, 1989; Johanning, 2000; Lim & Pugalee, 2004; McCormick, 2010; McIntosh & Draper, 2001; Miller, 1991).

During the course of the study, participants …

The Impact Of Self-Regulating Practice Strategies On The Achievement Perceptions Of Sixth-Grade String Orchestra Students, Anne Poe Matthews

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of self-regulating strategies on the musical achievement perceptions of 8 6th-grade students in a beginning orchestra class. For the purposes of the study, musical achievement was measured using two parameters: (a) student self-reports of improvement and ability to effectively use self-regulating strategies and (b) teacher observations ascertaining improved class performance and student use of self-regulating strategies. During the Fall 2016 semester, students received instruction during class on goal setting, monitoring, and evaluating strategies that they were to incorporate during self-directed practice. Data were collected during pre- and postinterviews conducted in …

The Perceptions Of Students On A Cooperative, Gamebased Learning Latin Curriculum: An Action Research Study, Jason Dean Blackburn

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study describes the impact of Operation LAPIS, a cooperative gamebased Latin 1 curriculum, upon student perceptions in a large suburban high school in South Carolina. The game served as an introduction to Latin grammar, vocabulary, and the daily life of a Roman teenager for 15 Latin 1 students who participated in the study. Syntax, vocabulary acquisition, and cultural studies are essential standards-based elements of learning Latin. Students were surveyed regarding their opinions on the game’s approach to grammar, vocabulary, Roman daily life, and game-based learning in general. These surveys produced a quantitative data set that allowed the …

A Dialogue Of Learning: The Exploration Of A Service-Learning Practicum And The Development Of Democratic Educational Values, Margaret P. Pienkowski

Theses and Dissertations

Using a hybrid portraiture interpretivist case study methodology, this study explores the development of democratic educational values of pre-service teachers who participated in a “nested” service-learning practicum during their first semester in a secondary teacher preparation program. In this nested model, both the pre-service teachers and the middle school students with whom they worked participated in service-learning. The study is in response to the findings of previous researchers that democratic educational values have, in many classrooms, been pushed aside by the pressures of the standardization and accountability movement and by the belief that democratic educational values are critical to a …

Modeling Instruction In Ap Physics C: Mechanics And Electricity And Magnetism, Nathan Tillman Belcher

Theses and Dissertations

his action research study used data from multiple assessments in Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism to determine the viability of Modeling Instruction as a pedagogy for students in AP Physics C: Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism. Modeling Instruction is a guided-inquiry approach to teaching science in which students progress through the Modeling Cycle to develop a fully-constructed model for a scientific concept. AP Physics C: Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism are calculus-based physics courses, approximately equivalent to first-year calculus-based physics courses at the collegiate level. Using a one-group pretest-posttest design, students were assessed in Mechanics using the Force Concept Inventory, …

Flipped Classroom Pedagogical Model And Middle-Level Mathematics Achievment: An Action Research Study, Cassondra Leo

Theses and Dissertations

Flipped Classroom Pedagogical Model and Middle-Level Mathematics Achievement: An Action Research Study describes an integers and rational numbers unit (TIRN) over a sixweek period in a seventh-grade flipped mathematics classroom. The identified problem of practice centers on these twenty-three student participants’ low achievement on math tests. The purpose of the study is to determine the relationship between a flipped classroom pedagogy and student achievement. The participant-researcher aimed to differentiate instruction for these seventh-grade student-participants using a flipped model that included videos. This flipped classroom pedagogical model allowed for additional time for the participant-researcher to assist struggling student-participants and to foster …