Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Roles And Reflections : Using Team Teaching To Improve Literacy Teaching, Jennifer L. Frett

Graduate Research Papers

This article describes the development of a team teaching model by a first grade team consisting of classroom and Title 1 teachers. This project grew out of a study group designed to look at best practice in literacy education and evolved in response to student achievement data. Four factors influenced the progress of the project including peer collaboration and demonstration, professional reading, reflection by teachers and the facilitator, and leadership roles. The role of the facilitator receives special attention, as – unlike most efforts at classroom change involving a grade level team – this effort began within the team, and …

Using A Balanced Literacy Approach In Elementary Schools, Jennifer Lynn Freeman

Graduate Research Papers

One of the most significant educational topics currently facing teachers and administrators is literacy education. Teaching children to read and write is fundamental to a student's success in school: School districts, administrators, and teachers are faced with a tough challenge when developing a literacy curriculum. What will their method of instruction be? The great debate among literacy scholars and professionals is whether to teach using a phonics approach, whole language, or balanced literacy. This paper will explore the concept and benefits of using a balanced approach in literacy education.

Reading Strategies For Struggling Readers In The Middle School, Kathleen Claeys

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review focuses on several strategies good readers use to understand and interpret different types of text, such as fiction, non-fiction, and expository. These strategies are ones that struggling readers are not aware of, or these readers do not have the knowledge and experience to utilize the strategies. Teachers need to provide direct instruction of these strategies, generate models of what they look like, demonstrate what the thought process is behind the strategies, and offer students practice in using them with the idea that students will add them to their repertoire of strategies and use them throughout the learning …

Guided Reading In Early Childhood Classrooms, Shyla Dawn Crosser

Graduate Research Papers

Guided Reading is a topic that has been discussed in great detail over the last few years. It has been discussed as "best practice" by Zemelman, Daniels, and Hyde (p.70) and is gaining popularity in classrooms across the nation. In teaching kindergarten during the last seven years, I have seen an enormous change in the curriculum at this level. I want my children to learn to read and want to keep up with the best practice in order to best fit the needs of my children; however, I do not want kindergarten to become first grade. This paper will explore …

The Importance Of Mentoring First Year Teachers, Julia Lynn Doyle

Graduate Research Papers

The importance of mentoring first year teachers is a subject that waxes and wanes according to the popularity of the subject at any given time. As a former teacher who was formally mentored, having a veteran teacher as a friend and confidant was the best experience a first year teacher could have. Not every teacher in every school district in every state is given the opportunity to have a mentor to assist him/her during the critical first year. With many differing opinions on the subject, not all states require first year teachers to be mentored as a condition of continued …

Fathers As Readers : A Program For African American Fathers And Their Children, Amber Nicole Boyd

Graduate Research Papers

The achievement of African American literacy learners has become a significant topic in education. How to best meet the needs of these learners through the study of the African American family will be the focus of this project. This project will consider, specifically, the father's momentous role in the literacy learning of the African American child. Trends in research will be identified in this paper, an overview of significant literature published on the subject of African American family literacy will be discussed, and findings that support the father's significant impact on learning in the African American family will be presented. …

Family Literacy Nights : Factors For Success, Crystal Betts

Graduate Research Papers

Family Literacy Nights were developed and held at a K-4 elementary building in a medium-sized town in eastern Iowa, demonstrating an example of part of a family literacy program. Family Literacy Nights involved parents and students from the two first grade classrooms at this elementary school. Parents completed surveys and participated in interviews to share their reactions and feelings towards family literacy programs.

The included literature review explores parental involvement and family literacy programs. It looks at the effects of parent involvement on student achievement. The difference between parent involvement programs and family literacy programs is explored. Family literacy programs …

Use Of Learning Styles In The Selection Of Instructional Strategies : Does Pedagogy Lead To Practice?, Roger E. Baker

Graduate Research Papers

Much has been written about the importance of learning styles in instructional design. Learning styles can be measured by the use of personality profiles such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Learning styles can also be measured by Learning Style Inventories and defined by cognitive theory such as Gardner's multiple intelligences. This literature review explores the different approaches to the study of learning styles and the practical use of learning style indicators as a tool for selecting instructional strategies.

Many challenges exist in designing instruction to the personal level including costs, time, and instructor limits. Philosophical questions on the benefits …

Role Of Classroom Questioning Strategies As They Relate To Reading Comprehension, Catherine M. Metz

Graduate Research Papers

Instruction using comprehension strategies is important as students begin to construct meaning from text through a transactional process. This instruction can help prepare students to become better readers, as well as provide benefits for teachers and school-wide instruction. Questioning is important to comprehension for a variety of reasons and is used across all grade levels and throughout curricular areas.

Through the teaching of questioning, students are able to build backgrounds which they can utilize during their taking of high-stakes assessments, as well as school or district assessments. Questioning strategies, such as Question Answer Relationships, Questioning the Author, and Reciprocal Teaching, …

Understanding Children's Thinking At The Moment Of Writing, Steve Peterson

Graduate Research Papers

This action research project describes the thinking of five third grade students of varied writing achievement at the moment of writing. Using a theoretical model of writing (Sharples; 1999), student interviews, work samples, and a teacher journal, this study suggests that young writers' primary concern is getting new ideas for their text, whether while just beginning to draft, or after running out of ideas before the writing is completed. This study offers suggestions about how teachers can address this concern, and how teachers might extend the thinking of young writers in order to help scaffold more complex thinking about writing …

The Impact Of Readers' Workshop In A First Grade Classroom, Tara Lynn Seery

Graduate Research Papers

In this research I describe the Readers' Workshop approach, the impact that it has on a first graders' motivation, self-selection, and comprehension. This study was implemented during the 2006-2007 school year over a six week period. The observations at the beginning of the study indicated that the three focus students in this study lacked motivation, struggled with self-selection, and were in need of assistance to develop their comprehension skills. However, as Readers' Workshop was implemented, the students began to develop motivation to read on their own. They developed interests in books, and their comprehension strategies improved.

The Advantages And Challenge Of Fluency Instruction, Jennifer Schroeder-Van Cleve

Graduate Research Papers

This review examined the topic of fluency instruction as part of quality literacy instruction for children. Fluency is one of the five components of reading instruction recognized by the National Reading Panel, (2000). Fluency methods in reading curriculum should be given thoughtful attention. As the movement in education focuses on student assessment, meaningful literacy instruction is crucial to student success. This literature study focused on the benefits, and the challenges, associated with fluency instruction. Lastly, conclusions and recommendations were made for the implementation of fluency instruction in our schools.

Using Technology To Assist In The Teaching Of Reading Instruction, Hallie M. Wyatt

Graduate Research Papers

A professional literature review was conducted on the use of technology in assisting teaching of reading instruction. Technology reviewed was categorized according to the essential elements of reading as defined by the No Child Left Behind Act (i.e., phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension). Vygotskian and Piagetian theories were used to evaluate the technology reviewed. The review ends with a series of recommendations for teachers who may consider integrating technology into their curriculum.

Integrating The Humanities And Sciences: The Human Journey: Sacred Heart University's Common Core, Michelle Loris Ph.D., Nicole Cauvin, Kathryn Lafontana

English Faculty Publications

One way to respond to the crisis in the humanities is to integrate learning for our students. In fact one of higher education's greatest challenges today is for faculty to develop ways to integrate knowledge and learning across the disiciplines. This essay describes a common core curriculum, THE HUMAN JOURNEY, which engages students in an integrated, common, and coherent understanding of the humanities,arts, and sciences, and the Catholic intellectual tradition framed by four enduring questions of human meaning and value. THE HUMAN JOURNEY is a five course sequence including literature, history, the social and natural sciences, and religious studies and …

Understanding Multiple Intelligences: Best Practice: Effective Programs Meet The Needs Of People With Diverse Intelligences, Sky Mcclain, Allison Brody

Education about the Environment

Have you ever wondered why someone who is very smart has trouble using a map? Why one person can follow a map, but is confused by written instructions? Howard Gardner devised an explanation with the theory of multiple intelligences, presented in his 1983 book Frames of Mind.

Gardner questioned the idea that intelligence is a single entity and that it can be measured simply using IQ tests. Rather, he argued that each of us perceives and processes information in multiple ways. And our learning styles reflect these multiple intelligences, with some of us learning more easily by seeing, others by …

Differentiated Instruction: Flexibility Without Breaking, Shellie Hipsky

Essays in Education

Teachers are often challenged by the wide variety of student’s ability levels and backgrounds. This essay reflects on the practical strategies for classroom teachers to differentiate lessons to meet the needs of all students. Suggestions and approaches include: tiered instruction, flexible grouping, anchor activities, and learning contracts.

Generating A Gender Balance: Making Introductory Information Systems Courses A Positive Experience, Rosemary Stockdale, Susan Stoney

Research outputs pre 2011

There is a growing shortfall of graduates entering the IT profession. The situation is exacerbated by the continuing decline in the number of women undertaking IT related degrees. However, there are an increasing number of students taking business degrees that have a small information systems component, although few students choose to major in IS. Using a qualitative reflective approach we identify the perceptions and experiences of female undergraduates taking introductory IS courses in two universities, one in Australia and one in New Zealand. We discuss ways of improving the delivery of introductory IS courses in order to make information systems …

Enhancing Comprehension Competencies Through Questioning, Edward J. Dwyer

ETSU Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Year 12 Curriculum Content And Achievement Standards, Gabrielle Matters, Geoff N. Masters

Assessment and Reporting

This study provides the first Australia-wide picture of what is expected of students taking five subjects—English (including Literature), Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and Australian History—in the final years of secondary school. The study addresses three broad questions: What is currently taught in these five subjects across Australia? This question is addressed through an analysis of the content of senior school curricula in the five subjects in all Australian states and territories. The study documents similarities and differences in approaches and in the content (subject matter and skills/understandings) emphasised in state and territory curriculum documents. What is the 'essential' content (subject matter …

Research On The Progressive Achievement Tests And Academic Achievement In Schools, Gerard Fogarty

Assessment and Reporting

This report presents three studies examining research conducted in Queensland on Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT) published by Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). In study 1 ‘Predictive Validity of the Progressive Achievement Tests for Boys’, a battery of tests was used to assess vocabulary, comprehension, and numeracy skill levels of students commencing study at a regional high school. The tests were used as a screening tool to identify students who might benefit from additional instruction and also to select high achieving students for participation in extension work, maths competitions, and the like. Test results were later correlated with performance in …

Research Summary: Characteristics Of Exemplary Schools For Young Adolescents, P. Gayle Andrews, Micki M. Caskey, Vincent A. Anfara Jr.

Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Publications and Presentations

Two dangers are associated with any list purporting to include the characteristics of exemplary schools for young adolescents. One danger is a perception that the list is exhaustive—that it includes everything that needs to be considered. In reality, a list cannot capture the subtleties and complexities of schooling. A second danger is that each component will be seen as somehow self-contained, something that can be addressed in isolation. Instead, research demonstrates that the characteristics listed above are “an interacting and interdependent group of practices that form a unified whole… [that] must be dealt with holistically, systemically, to ensure success” (Jackson …

Research Summary: Young Adolescents’ Developmental Characteristics, Micki M. Caskey, Vincent A. Anfara Jr.

Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Publications and Presentations

Early adolescence is a distinct period of human growth and development situated between childhood and adolescence. During this remarkable stage of the life cycle, young adolescents (10- to 15-year-olds) experience rapid and significant developmental change. Recognizing and understanding the unique developmental characteristics (traits associated with human growth) of early adolescence and their relationship to the educational program (i.e., curriculum, instruction, and assessment) and to the structure of the middle school (e.g., fl exible block scheduling, advisory programs, and team teaching) are central tenets of middle grades education.

Comparing The Performance And Satisfaction Of Face-To-Face And Virtual Teams In A Learning Enviroment, Ying-Chieh A. Liu

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The main purpose of this study is to find whether virtual teams perform as effectively as face-to-face teams and if not, whether solutions can be derived to improve the levels of performance. To this end, the study compares the performance and satisfaction perception levels of virtual teams with face-to-face teams in a learning environment. In order to develop a sound framework for the research, a detailed literature review of prior research encompassing team satisfaction and performance in face-to-face and CMC (Computer Mediated Communication) supported environments was undertaken. Additionally the researcher performed a meta-analysis of previous research studies and from these …

The Case For Including Study Of Arts In Management Development Curricula, Humayun S. Ansari

Business Review

Proliferation of business schools and institutes providing business education have resulted in the creation of a vast pool of trained manpower which has little avenues to explore for getting gainful employment. Therefore, we have to discover new avenues, which do not require direct foreign investment for creating employment and adding value to our indigenous intellectual property owners. The thesis of this paper is that the induction of the study of fine arts in business education curricula can help forge a common ground between the two cultures (Arts and Business) and to develop projects that are cooperative and mutually beneficial. This …

Meeting The Interests Of Adolescent Females In Physical Education, Sarah Marie Huffer

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to compare the activities of interest of adolescent females in physical education with the types of activities that are provided in their present physical education curriculum at the representative high school. Creating a parallel between activities of interest and activities within physical education curriculums will provide females with more motivation to be physically active while in high school and after they graduate.

We're Becoming Bilingual And Biliterate! An Ethnographic Study On How A Dual-Language Program In Florida Contributes To The Literacy Development Of English-Language Learners, Diane Black

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine whether participation in a dual-language program by English-language learners (ELLs) contributed to the literacy development of this student population. This qualitative research spanned 5 months and was conducted within an elementary school located in central Florida. It is important to note that the researcher was also a teacher within the dual-language program under study, hence possessed an inside perspective of the program and the progression of several participating students. The study was guided by the following research questions: 1. What factors contribute to the improved literacy development for ELLs through participation in …

A Relationship Between Career Decision And Motivation To Persist, Patricia Ann Ferguson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During the past few decades, research on student retention has been primarily focused on the constructs of social integration, lack of financial support and academic under-preparedness (Astin, 1975; Bean & Metzner, 1985; Cabrera, 1993; Pascarella,1982; Tinto, 1975). This study examined the phenomenal occurrence of low retention due to "lack of major and career direction." The Career Decision Scale and the Achievement Motivation Profile assessments were administered to 105 students at a comprehensive community college. Six linear regressions were conducted to determine if there were statistical relationships between:(a) career decision and the motivation to persist and; (b) career indecision and the …

Historical Comparison Of Florida And National Title Ix Compliance Trends In High School Sports From 1985-2005, Coury Matthew Knowles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the Title IX compliance trends of high school sports in Florida over the past two decades (1985-2005) against national trends. The literature review discusses: the historical events leading to Title IX, the administrative implementation of Title IX, the legal perspective of Title IX, and the impact of Title IX on gender equity in sports. The study was conducted between January and June, 2007. The data focused on: male and female participants in high school sports in Florida, the numbers of male and female participants in high school sports across the nation, and …

Direct And Indirect Effects Of Selected Factors On School Grades In Public High Schools In The State Of Florida, Joseph Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the direct and indirect effects of selected factors on school grades in public high schools in the state of Florida. A sample of 316 public high schools was created using data obtained from the Florida Education and the Florida High School Athletic Association. The selected factors that were chosen to be measured in the study were: minority percentage as measured by the proportion of minority students in relation to the total student body at a given school, socio economic status percentage (SES) as measured by the proportion of students participating in the …

Limited English Proficient Students And Their Teachers Attitudes Of The Learning Environment In Mathematics Classes, Michelle C. Snider

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study described the attitudes of students who are limited English proficient (LEP) and their teachers toward the learning environment within their mathematics classes. Data collected via a student survey, student and teacher interviews, and classroom observations were analyzed in this mixed-method study to investigate these attitudes. Accuracy of the findings was confirmed via triangulation. A population of 79 students was chosen through purposive sampling methods that included LEP and non-LEP students in algebra and geometry classes. Students were administered a 30-item questionnaire using the What is Happening in This Class? survey. Scores provided from the survey's six scales were …