Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Service Learning Training & Curriculum Guide, Wayne-Westland Community Schools

Curriculum

Service-learning is a powerful teaching methodology wherein students perform service in the community to meet real needs as means of learning important subject matter. Service-learning is being widely practiced throughout the United States and internationally in K-12 schools. Having students learn important curricular objectives by providing service yields benefits for all involved.

4 Practical Resources For Linking Service Learning And The Florida Sunshine State Standards, Florida Learn & Serve

Curriculum

In the 1990s, the Florida Department of Education (FLDoE) and other state education agencies established and adopted education standards to cover major curricular areas in K-12 public education. Florida's standards are linked with statewide assessments in reading, writing, mathematics, and science. The statewide assessment, termed the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test, or FCAT, is a primary tool used to evaluate student and school performance. Student promotion and graduation are based partly on FCAT scores. In addition, schools receive a grade each year, from A-F, based on their students' FCA T performance and other weighted factors.

Service-Learning Designation: A Faculty Handbook, Deanna Anderson, Marlene Bacon, Josh Gold, Marianne Mcknight, Gail Jessen

Curriculum

Service-learning is a progressive and innovative pedagogy. It is both a creative and a diverse tool for teaching and learning. Service-learning is not merely community service and when structured correctly, service-learning will greatly impact student learning and enhance the typical classroom experience. It is also entirely up to the discretion of individual faculty members as to which pedagogies they will employ within their classroom. So why make the effort to formally designate your intentions to utilize service-learning?

Curricular Development For A Desert Learning Center, Angie Lara, Michael Reiland

Curriculum materials (RRLC)

The Red Rock Desert Learning Center, formerly known as Oliver Ranch, is a 300-acre parcel acquired by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in 1993 and incorporated into the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The Desert Learning Center is being designed to teach participants about the natural world through inquiry-based experiential and interdisciplinary methods in a residential outdoor setting in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, located outside metropolitan Las Vegas, Nevada. The intent is for students, teachers, and researchers to gain an appreciation of desert ecosystems and to begin to apply and connect their knowledge to world ecological …

Nsu Fischler School Of Education And Human Services (Fsehs) Catalog And Student Handbook 2006–2007, Nova Southeastern University

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice College Archive

No abstract provided.

The Americans With Disabilities Act And How It Affects Post-Secondary Education, Annette Louise Beck

Graduate Research Papers

The Americans with Disabilities Act and how it affects post-secondary education is what this literature review addresses. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits discrimination against someone with a disability in places of employment and public places. In 1973, the United States Congress passed Section 504 and The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was passed in 1990. Both helped solidify regulations regarding discrimination by any entity that receives federal funding including educational institutions. The law requires employers or schools to make a change or adjustment in a work or educational setting, program, or job that makes it …

Emergent Literacy Learning, Tera Bockenstedt

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this review of literature was to look at research in the area of early literacy acquisition. A brief background on emergent literacy and how emergent literacy has impacted educational reform was discussed. The review of literature discussed research on emergent literacy development, in particular the skills that are appropriate for young children to acquire in preparation for entrance into formal schooling. A look at research about the influences on emergent literacy learning and the conditions that foster early literacy development was also discussed. The home factors influencing emergent literacy development and the conditions that foster early literacy …

The Corporate University : Effective Strategies Used To Create A Productive Corporate Training Program, Eduardo Calderon

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review describes the strategies utilized in creating a successful corporate training program. There has been an evolution in the corporate training sector within the past decade that has encouraged the development of the corporate university. Many of our world's top companies are teaching content that is used to motivate employees to ensure a higher level of corporate success. This review suggests that by following the components established by effective training and instructional design, other entities can produce the same prosperous outcomes.

Vocabulary Development Through Math Journaling Using Technology Resources In An Elementary Math Classroom, Debbie Hansel

Graduate Research Papers

An action research study was conducted in a second grade classroom in a nonpublic elementary school with student seven-to-eight years of age. The purpose of the research was to determine if the use of computer-based content journaling leads to a better understanding of the mathematical vocabulary being focused on and to establish if the use of computer-based reflective journal entries has a positive impact on the students' attitude toward mathematics.

The comparison of scores from the pre-assessment and post-assessment of vocabulary knowledge demonstrated an increase in accuracy. Journaling helped students arrive at the generalization relating the size of what is …

Developing A Web-Based Video Tutorial On Using Hyperstudio, Sangsun Kim

Graduate Research Papers

The goal of this project was to provide an effective way for students to learn how to use an authoring language, HyperStudio, through an efficient interactive on-line environment. The author begins by identifying the necessary components for effective web-based tutorials and exploring video's impact on delivering web-based tutorials. The process used to plan, design, develop and implement this project was explained. This project demonstrates how a web-based tutorial can be created to assist the traditional classroom as a supplementary medium.

Best Practices In Middle Level Mathematics Teaching And Learning, Wendy Sue Korte

Graduate Research Papers

The added pressure on students and teachers to do well in mathematics has placed a new emphasis on how best to teach math. This paper discusses the standards developed by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and how those standards can be implemented into classrooms in order to help students to increase their mathematical power. Although teaching to the standards would be a drastic change for many teachers with the proper professional development, standards-based math classes could be a reality that will help our students' mathematical understanding.

What Are Appropriate Interventions And Treatment Programs For Children With Severe Autism In An Educational Setting?, Michelle Leicht

Graduate Research Papers

This project describes professional development sessions to assist educators in implementing interventions and treatment programs for children with severe autism in an educational setting.

The questions this project will address include: (1) What interventions and treatment program for children with severe autism are available to use in an educational setting, (2) What research supports interventions and treatment programs for children with severe autism, (3) How can they be implemented into the classroom, and (4) How can professional development sessions be implemented to assist teachers?

The professional development sessions described in this project include four two-hour sessions. The purpose of these …

Providing Appropriate Social Interventions For Preschool-Age Children With Mild Autism Spectrum Disorders, Angela M. Riesberg

Graduate Research Papers

This paper provides a variety of appropriate social interventions to use with preschool-age children with mild Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Regardless of his or her diagnostic label, each individual child requires an individualized approach to treatment. Typically, multiple interventions are necessary for a successful program.

The questions this project will address include: (a) What are some possible social interventions to use with preschool-age children who have mild autism spectrum disorders, (b) what research supports current successful social interventions, ( c) which social interventions could provide the most benefits and success, and (d) how can inclusion and interacting with typically developing …

Sign To Learn : Sign Language As A Teaching Tool In Hearing Classrooms, Angela M. Schneden

Graduate Research Papers

This project examines using sign language as a multisensory learning tool in hearing classrooms. Included is a brief history of sign language in the United States as well as a review of different types of sign language. This project provides a rationale for incorporating sign language into the hearing classroom by examining the relationship between sign and gains in literacy achievement. The primary goal of using sign language in the classroom is for students to become better readers, writers, and spellers. This will be accomplished by teaching students to fingerspell and sign sight words. Research detailing use of sign in …

Constructivist Education : Exploring The Constructivist Theory And No Child Left Behind To Develop An Effective Kindergarten Program, Leigh M. Siegert

Graduate Research Papers

This paper is a literature review of Constructivist Education Theories and how they can be incorporated into a No Child Left Behind (NCLB) classroom. The focal point of this paper will be the theories of Constructivist Education. In addition, will be discussed, the benefits of and problems concerning Constructivist Education. Also, guidelines for incorporating Constructivist Education into a NCLB classroom will be established. The conclusion of this paper will share which theories work and which do not. Also, recommendations for additional research are included.

The Effects Of Dietary Intervention, Specifically The Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet, On The Behavior And The Learning Abilities Of Children Who Have Been Diagnosed With Autism., Amy Wallace

Graduate Research Papers

This study examined the effects of dietary intervention, specifically the Gluten-Free, Casein-Free diet, on the behavior and the learning abilities of children who have been diagnosed with autism. The benefits and limitations of this study were discussed as to how dietary interventions affect the behavior of children with autism. Guidelines were presented on how to implement a Gluten-Free, Casein-Free diet. Also, conclusions were drawn from the study and literature, and recommendations were made on how to select a dietary intervention.

The Importance Of Ehealth In The Education Of Underserved Populations, Shanel L. Winfield

Graduate Research Papers

The use of the Internet or the World Wide Web for educational purposes is widespread and rapidly growing. It is only natural that, in response to this rapid growth, its usage expands into the field of medicine, particularly eHealth. But as the nature of how the Internet is being used in health and medicine increases, there is a large segment of the population being left behind because of lack of access. This lack of access is in response to economic barriers, political barriers, social-cultural barriers and social-economic barriers. Issues of literacy, content, and language also play a role in the …

Uncovering Perspectives And Attitudes Toward Inclusion : A Study Of Parents, Students And Teachers, Rea-Eleene Woolley

Graduate Research Papers

This study was done in an effort to identify hidden perspectives and attitudes held by parents, students, and teachers that may create a barrier to successful inclusion of students with special needs into education programs at one middle school. Surveys were distributed to randomly selected parents of special education students, parents of regular education students, special education students, regular education students, special education teachers, and regular education teachers at an intermediate school in Iowa. Results of the surveys were used to determine each group's positive and negative attitudes toward inclusion. The results of this study indicate that overall perspectives and …

Effects Of External Rewards On Elementary Students' Motivation To Read Independently, Benjamin David Olsen

Graduate Research Papers

In an age of increased accountability, even down to how well, and how much, students read independently, teachers are looking for ways to motivate students to read. One popular way schools and teachers have looked to increase motivation is with reading incentive programs. Despite this widespread enthusiasm for such programs there has not been solid, replicable research that has supported the continued use of incentive programs to increase students' future motivation to read. This study examined how a reading incentive program affected students' motivation and attitudes toward reading and the time they spent reading. Research was guided by the following …

Revision Of The Carlisle Elementary Preschool Standards Based On The Iowa Early Learning Standards, Marne M. Sievers

Graduate Research Papers

This paper describes the process of evaluating current standards and benchmarks for the Carlisle Elementary Preschool, revising them using the Iowa Early Learning Standards, which were completed in May 2005, revising a teacher-created assessment tool and progress report, and investigating the curriculum that is used and how it aligns with the newly created standards and benchmarks. Standards and benchmarks have been a focus in the educational field due to the implementation of the Federal "No Child Left Behind" Act.

Many standards and benchmarks have been created for kindergarten through twelfth grade but few programs have adopted standards and benchmarks prior …

Key Components In An Online Class, Renae Darlene Farrell

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review focuses on what needs to be in place to have an effective online class. Instructional design models, interactive learning communities, learning theories, and instructional/student technology training are some of the issues that the literature review documents. The purpose of this literature review is to examine research on the topics of the instructional design process and the transformation of a traditional classroom to an online classroom. The conclusions formed within this document are based upon literature reviews about the topics of effective online classes. This review has led to a conclusion that online education can be an effective …

Strategies For Bridging The Gender Gap In Technology Use : From Education To The Workplace, Martha Frazier

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review is about strategies for bridging the gender gap in technology use in the classroom and the workplace. The research done on the subject indicates that a gender gap does exist in the classroom and the workplace. Women and girls have not been encouraged to participate in classes or training that will prepare them to make the transition from the classroom to the workplace. The conclusion of this review suggests several methods to aid instructors and employers in bringing about equity in the classroom and the workforce. The implementation of diversity training, mentoring, and role modeling are just …

Professional Portfolios : Creating A Framework For Teacher Accountability Portfolios, Stephany K. Messer

Graduate Research Papers

Educators are being held accountable for their actions in the classroom by their states and local districts. In Iowa teachers are required to demonstrate competency for eight different standards that include 42 criteria. One form of meeting this requirement is by creating a professional portfolio. A problem that many educators face is the lack of direction provided to create this portfolio.

The purpose of this project was to design a framework for creating a professional portfolio. Instruction on this framework will be provided through seven professional development sessions targeted for novice teachers. At the completion of the professional development sessions …

Face-To-Face Training Versus Web-Based Training : Which Instructional Approach Is Better?, Nichola J. Lewis

Graduate Research Papers

Training skilled employees is essential in determining the success of an organization. Determining which type of training, whether face-to-face or web-based, will best serve the needs of an organization remains an issue. This literature review will attempt to answer the questions, "How do adults learn; what is web-based training; what is face-to-face training; is web-based training more effective than face-to-face training; and can web-based training and face-to-face training be combined?"

Reading Comprehension Strategies For Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Susan Reese

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper was to describe Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), its possible causes, characteristics, treatment options, and instructional strategies used for teaching reading comprehension to people with this disorder. ADHD is characterized by inattentiveness, hyperactivity, or impulsiveness to a degree beyond what is considered normal for the person's age.

While the exact causes are unknown, research is beginning to reveal that the disorder is brain based and genetic in disposition. Presently there is no cure for ADHD, but treatment options are available which include medications and/or therapies. Reading comprehension strategies to assist people with ADHD include chunking, …

The Importance Of Vocabulary In The Classroom, Sherri Neofotist

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this review of the literature focused on two primary areas: (a) to examine the research findings as they related to vocabulary acquisition and instruction and (b) to determine the importance of the research findings regarding students' reading comprehension.This study also sought to provide educators with information as to what a comprehensive program of vocabulary instruction consists of as well as research-based vocabulary teaching strategies to use in the classroom to help students recognize and know words and word meanings and to improve students' comprehension.

The review examines the following three questions: (a) What is the relationship between …

Incorporating Interactive Writing Throughout The Day In A Kindergarten Classroom, Amy Sobaski

Graduate Research Papers

This study examined the use of interactive writing in a kindergarten classroom. Interactive writing and related terms were explained, and connections were made between interactive writing and learning standards. Possible problems and solutions were discussed, and a case study was conducted in a kindergarten classroom. Guidelines were presented for successful integration of interactive writing into a balanced literacy program. Also, conclusions were drawn from the case study and reviewed literature, and recommendations were made for the use of interactive writing in the classroom and for future research in this area.

Gender Differences In American Children's Oral Narratives, Nadezda M. Zernova

Graduate Research Papers

Gender differences exist among different aspects of children's development (such as social, cognitive, and emotional). Children's narratives have been used as a common assessment tool (Libby & Aries, 1989; Wang & Leichtman, 2000) to learn more about gender differences. Knowledge of existing differences enables educators to individualize their teaching for boys and girls in order to benefit their development. The present study focused on gender differences in the following areas of American children's oral narratives: characters, emotional tone, structure, content, and language. The participants of the study were 14 kindergarteners and first-graders (7 boys and 7 girls) between ages 6 …

Building Empowered Students: The Perennial Challenge For University Teachers, Patsy Paxton

EDU-COM International Conference

This paper contends that if higher education is to be relevant, then the curriculum must incorporate generic, transferable lifeskills (also referred to as ‗generic graduate attributes‘) in addition to the regular subject content of their specific discipline or programme. There is a general consensus among educationists and business people alike that much of what students learn today won't be true five years from now. However, if they are taught how to take responsibility for their own ideas, how to think and communicate a problem through and how to have a positive can-do attitude, then no matter what subject matter is …

Fundamentals For Student Success In The Middle Grades, Mike Muir, Vincent A. Anfara Jr., P. Gayle Andrews, Micki M. Caskey, Steven B. Mertens, David Hough

Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Publications and Presentations

Determining how to provide the best education possible for young adolescents begins with the answers to three essential questions: Who are young adolescents? What do we know about them, their abilities, interests and strengths? Based on what we know about young adolescents, what should schools do to provide a quality education for each and every student? And finally, is there evidence that these recommended practices improve student achievement? How do we know programs and practices designed specifically with young adolescents in mind make a difference? To answer these questions, we will first outline some of the developmental characteristics of young …