Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Learning Transfer Of Geospatial Technologies In Secondary Science And Mathematics Core Areas, Curtis P. Nielsen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate the transfer of geospatial technology knowledge and skill presented in a social sciences course context to other core areas of the curriculum. Specifically, this study explored the transfer of geospatial technology knowledge and skill to the STEM-related core areas of science and mathematics among ninth-grade students. Haskell's (2001) research on "levels of transfer" provided the theoretical framework for this study, which sought to demonstrate the experimental group's higher ability to transfer geospatial skills, higher mean assignment scores, higher post-test scores, higher geospatial skill application and deeper levels of transfer application than the …

The Orientation Curriculum In A Community College: An Interpretive Approach, Patricia Anne Gutierrez-Hartell

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study focused on curriculum used in a community college orientation program classroom where most of the students were Hispanic. Curriculum for the purpose of student orientation has become an essential tool for increasing student retention rates at institutions of higher education (Hendel, 2007; National Research Council Publications, 2009). While the objectives of orientation courses and their curricula have been documented, not much is known about how these objectives unfold in classrooms, particularly in classrooms serving Hispanic students.

Qualitative inquiry was the basis for my study. I relied on an ethnographic approach to conduct research that involved gathering data by …

Changing The Way We Build Games: A Design-Based Research Study Examining The Implementation Of Homemade Powerpoint Games In The Classroom, Jason Paul Siko

Wayne State University Dissertations

This design-based research study examined the effects of a game design project on student test performance, with refinements made to the implementation after each of the three iterations of the study. The changes to the implementation over the three iterations were based on the literature for the three justifications for the use of homemade PowerPoint games in the classroom: constructionism, microthemes, and question writing. A review of the literature for the justifications found that the game project, as implemented in previous studies using homemade PowerPoint games, did not align well with the justifications. After three iterations of the study, students …

Get In The Game: Developing An Information Literacy Classroom Game, Maura A. Smale

Publications and Research

Much current research in the field of games-based learning demonstrates that games can be successfully incorporated into educational contexts to increase student engage-ment, motivation, and learning. Academic librarians are also using games as an innova-tive instructional strategy to strengthen students’ research skills and their understanding of information literacy concepts. This article discusses the development and implemen-tation of Quality Counts, a classroom information literacy game designed to teach un-dergraduate students how to evaluate Internet sources. After a brief overview of the game’s development and rules, the article describes the process of playing Quality Counts in several classes and presents the results …

Integrating Literacy Into The Math Classroom : A Staff Development For Innovative Educators, Kathryn Pollina

Graduate Research Papers

With the collaboration and advice of several mentors and practicing teachers, I found using strategies proven to help students during literacy instruction also had the same effect during mathematics instruction. I took various instructional activities, focused around using reading and writing skills in math, and was able to effectively instruct this group of students. This experience piqued my interest in the connection between literacy and mathematics. As a result, I decided to continue my research into how to effectively integrate these two core subject areas, investigating the efficacy of combining mathematics with literacy instruction.

Enhancing Classroom Learning Experience By Providing Structures To Microblogging-Based Activities, Tian Luo, Fei Gao

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Microblogging tools such as Twitter have been frequently adopted in educational settings to facilitate learning in recent years. Although the original purpose of microblogging tools is to connect with others in a wide network and instantly share what is happening to them with the rest of the world, educators have vigorously attempted to repurpose the utilization of the tool and integrate it into various educational settings to promote student learning.

The purpose of this study is to examine student learning experience under a set of structured microblogging-based activities and to identify the affordances and constraints of the technology. Students participated …

Research Needs For Technology Education: A U.S. Perspective, Gene Martin, John Ritz

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This study was conducted for the purpose of identifying research needs for technology education by generating a rank-ordered list of research topics that the profession's members might wish to explore individually or in collaboration with colleagues and students. The researchers' goal was to provide a concise list of topics that could be used by the profession to better position itself within the greater educational community, not to provide a call for action. The anticipated beneficiaries of this study are researchers who identify themselves as furthering the development of the technology education school subject. Professionals may use the list found in …

Serious Gaming Learning: Supply Chain Multi-Agent Web-Based Simulation Game, Ayman Tobail, John Crowe, Amr Arisha

Conference Papers

High levels of complexity and uncertainty, and various sources of risks, create challenges for supply chain networks in achieving satisfactory performance, but advances in Information Technology can help supply chain decision makers predict the magnitude and impact of the risks related to their decisions. The framework proposed in this paper offers a solution that integrates intelligent-agents, simulation modelling, and optimisation. Its friendly, animated, interactive web-based interface is especially designed to engage the user in a ‘serious game’ environment. Each user plays a specific role in the supply chain network, and encounters the consequences of their decisions. The optimisation engine embedded …

Is The Loop Really Closed?: The Assessment And Reassessment Of Communications 101 Learning Outcomes, Carrie A. Gaxiola

Library Faculty Presentations

Conclusion: The students received good grades from Phase I library instruction, however did they really learn what we targeted? We could not really say for sure. This case study reveals that an appropriate method and instruments are imperative for retrieving valid data. This case also displays the importance of collaboration and teamwork. Communication was always open between all members of the team as well as with the library instruction department. We were able to forge a great relationship with the Communication Studies Director– the libraries’ liaison and the Communication Studies Director authored a textbook chapter together about the library for …

Hitch Your Wagon To Institutional Goals, Anne E. Zald, Michelle Millet

Library Faculty Research

The landscape of accreditation and accountability in higher education is in a period of rapid change, coalescing around issues identified in the 2006 report of the Spellings Commission, “A Test of Leadership: Charting the Future of U.S. Higher Education.” Information literacy librarians need to connect their instructional efforts to the institutional strategies and initiatives that address continuous improvement whatever their source, e.g. accreditation agencies, funding bodies such as state legislatures, institutional participation in the Voluntary System of Accountability (VSA), University & College Accountability Network (U-CAN), or internal initiatives of the institution’s administration. The challenge for instruction librarians is great, requiring …

Notes From The Field: 10 Short Lessons On One-Shot Instruction, Megan Oakleaf, Steven Hoover, Beth S. Woodard, Jennifer Corbin, Randy Hensley, Diana K. Wakimoto, Christopher V, Hollister, Debra Gilchrist, Michelle Millet, Patricia A. Iannuzzi

Library Faculty Research

Librarians teach. It might not be what we planned to do when we entered the profession, or it may have been our secret hope all along. Either way, we teach. We teach users of all types, including students, faculty, and our co-workers. We teach in multiple venues including classrooms, reference desks, face-to-face, and online. While the variety of teaching audiences and environments are endless, one teaching scenario remains quintessential: the one-shot library instruction session. No one knows better than librarians the limitations of this format, yet it remains central to our teaching efforts.

My Sister, Our Stories: Exploring The Lived Experience Of School Leavers Through Narrative And Poetics, C. Amelia Davis, Jennifer L. Pepperell

Curriculum, Foundations & Reading: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to explore the educational experiences of two adult female siblings who are both school leavers. Through the use of thematic narrative analysis, sibling narratives and poetic re-presentations, their stories were developed. These stories represent the participants’ experiences of prior schooling and their current commitments to education. While each story conveyed a profound similarity in terms of prior schooling, contrasting narratives were illustrated through description of transitional moments and sibling relationship. The analysis also explored the intersections of race, gender,and social class within educative moments of the life experiences of the participants.

Online Remedial Writing Classes: A Sense Of Presence, Pedagogy, And Digital Divide, Barbara Lorraine Stoutamore

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Remedial math and writing courses have become commonplace on two and four year college campuses. As many as 42 percent of incoming freshman enroll in some type of remedial class whether it be reading, writing, or math (Brock, 2010). More and more students are entering these institutions underprepared for college level work and must take remedial courses to increase their skills to college equivalency. Face to Face (FtF) courses have been developed to meet the needs of remedial students, but recently online courses have begun to be offered as well. Research shows that students who take online courses are less …

Intercultural Virtual Communications: A New Course Proposal, Haléakala

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Technological advancements have introduced computer mediated communication (CMC) which has come to permeate our lives from the way we work, to the way we learn, to the way we teach. Current studies of CMC tend to ignore the importance of the intercultural factors that affect it. Additionally, CMC studies focus on the technology aspects of communication instead of focusing on the human aspect of CMC. This project puts together CMC research, community need, and business acumen, relates it to human theories of communication, and creates a usable course for teaching intercultural virtual communications in the undergraduate classroom. The findings from …

An Interdisciplinary Intervention : The Potential Of The Orff-Schulwerk Approach As A Pedagogical Tool For The Effective Teaching Of Italian To Upper Primary Students In Western Australia, Annamaria Paolino

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Since the second half of the twentieth century, Italian has been the second language spoken in Western Australia. In the primary school sector, there are over two hundred Italian teachers engaged with primary students. Many Italian teachers also use music/song as a pedagogical tool. The first part of the research examines the extent that music/song is used in primary Italian classes, as well as how and why they are used. The second part of the research centres on the use of the Orff-Schulwerk approach as an integrated music approach to teaching Italian. The research examines the success of a trialled …

Implementing A Family Involvement Project In Early Childhood Classrooms, Elizabeth Barrett

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this family involvement project is to provide professional development to preschool teachers in the Sioux City Community School District. Through professional development, the teachers will design and implement family involvement activities in their classrooms to achieve the three goals of this project. The research reviewed focused on the benefits of family involvement and why it is important in preschool. Research studies indicated that preschool aged children do benefit from having their families involved in their education.

Infant Literacy, Tera Weber

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this project is to share the importance of reading to infants with their caregivers and teachers. This project will highlight what the research says regarding reading, what the infants gain from reading, and ideas on how to incorporate reading into group settings with infants through a professional development project. Participants in this professional development opportunity will be able to see recorded examples of teachers reading to infants, infants interacting with text, and materials that teachers may take back to their classrooms.

2012-2013 Graduate Catalog, Morehead State University

Morehead State Catalog Archive

2012-2013 graduate catalog for Morehead State University.

2012-2013 Undergraduate Catalog, Morehead State University

Morehead State Catalog Archive

2012-2013 undergraduate catalog for Morehead State University.

The Impact Of Socioscientific Issues Based Curriculum Involving Environmental Outdoor Education For Fourth Grade Students, Karey Burek

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is a divide between what students are being taught within the science classroom and what they experience out in the real world. This study sought to explore possible relationships between a socioscientific issues embedded curriculum and outcome variables addressing environmental attitude and knowledge, oral and written argumentation and critical thinking skills. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to examine both within and between class differences as well as individual differences between the beginning and end of a semester of elementary school. Results indicated that socioscientific issues assist students in developing their critical thinking skills while also providing students …

The Effects New Literacy And Digital Learning Have On Our Youth, Joshua L. Mitchell Sr.

Graduate Research Papers

This review explores the effects new literacy and digital learning has on our youth. It is empowering to students to be able to create while learning in the 21st century. One of the purposes of this review was to discover the greatest minds trying to understand the changing role of new media in education. A major resource used for this review was the Digital Media and Learning Research Hub supported by the MacArthur Foundation. This resource contained many articles that pertained to new literacy and digital learning. The articles led the reviewer to believe that a growing field of academics …

Equal Or Not? An Exploration Of Eighth-Grade Students' Experience Of Algebra, Janice L. Reyes

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Over the past two decades, a considerable amount of algebra instruction nationwide has shifted from high school to middle school. In Georgia, all eighth-grade students have been required to take a course that is equivalent to about 80 percent of a traditional Algebra 1 course. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how a selected group of eighth-grade students in a suburban Georgia middle school experience algebra within the eighth grade mathematics curriculum. A qualitative research design was used to investigate students’ perceptions of algebra, the strategies employed by teachers to teach algebra, students’ difficulties with algebra, and …

Understanding And Meeting The Needs Of The Millennials In The Classroom: A Literature Review, Amanda Alexander

Graduate Research Papers

Due to unique pressure to improve student engagement and academic achievement, integrating technology has become the focus of much analysis. This paper reviews thirty peer-reviewed journal articles, which discuss the effects of integrating technology into K- 12 classrooms. This review examines the traits of Millennial students, which social media technology have an impact on student achievement and engagement, and what problems might occur with this integration of the technologies. Final discussions indicate that various technology initiatives have great potential to engage students. However, further research is needed to determine if using certain social media technology will improve student academic achievement.

Building 21st Century Business Skills In High School Business Classrooms Using Digital Games And Simulations, Stacy Marcus

Graduate Research Papers

Digital games and simulations are often seen as fun activities to reward students but their potential is much greater. This literature review examined how integrating digital games and simulations into secondary business curriculum can help students build the skills needed for the 21st century workplace in an environment that is conducive to how they learn best. The effects of digital games and simulations on student motivation are also examined as well as how to assess student learning while using these tools. The information found came from peer-reviewed journals, books, and studies from the Web. Digital games and simulations have proven …

Observation As A Formal Assessment Tool In Early Childhood Classrooms: A Professional Development Module, Kathleen M. Thornton-Lang

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this professional development module to is to explore various purposes and methods of implementing observational techniques in assessment tools in early childhood classrooms. The research reviewed focused on early childhood assessment types, including a brief review of six specific instruments, and implementation methods available to infant and toddler through preschool-aged teachers. This professional development module's base is a resource support system to help advance the observational skills of current and future teachers in the early childhood field.

Spanish Through Music: A Model For The Content-Based Classroom, Anna Gansen

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to identify reasons for Spanish teachers to implement content-based instruction and provide resources that support appropriate integration of musical content into foreign language classrooms while simultaneously upholding the priorities of the national standards for foreign language learning. I have combined research on content-based instructional methods with research on the relationship between language and music to determine common strategies foreign language teachers should remember when implementing music-based instruction. In addition, descriptions are included of a variety of music-centered activities that address national foreign language standards for learning and enhance both normal and content-based classrooms. Finally, …

Using Social Technology In Professional Development: A Literature Review, Catherine M. Olson

Graduate Research Papers

Due to unprecedented pressure to improve teaching practices and student achievement, professional development has become the focus of much scrutiny. This paper reviews twenty-six peer-reviewed journal articles that discuss the effects of integrating social technologies in professional development activities. The review examines the traits of effective professional development, the ways social technologies are being incorporated into professional development, the impact of this integration, and what problems may arise using social technology. Final discussions indicate that social technologies have great potential to encourage collaboration and professional growth. Further research is needed, however, to determine if using social technologies in professional development …

Multiple Intelligences In The Text: Examining The Presence Of Mi Tasks In The Annotated Teacher's Editions Of Four High School United States History Textbooks, Carey Mullican

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The current state of the social studies classroom comprises one of uninspired students using unexciting textbooks as their guide for learning U.S. history (Hope, 1996; NCES, 1993; Banks, 1990; Wakefield, 2006). With multiple intelligences gaining popularity in education, renewed hope exists for social studies to produce quality textbooks with differentiated instruction to reach all learners. The purpose was to design a rubric for measuring the presence of multiple intelligences structured tasks in teacher's editions of four 11th grade U.S. history textbooks. Using 1995 to 2007 as a purposeful sample of consistent authorships and similar publications, the study looked at teacher's …

Impact Of School Counselors' Use Of Deliberate Practice And Accountability Measures On Perceived Levels Of Self-Efficacy And Student Academic Success, Allison Paolini

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the degree and frequency to which school counselors' utilized accountability measures and deliberate practice and their impact on perceived levels of counselor self-efficacy, as well as, perceived levels of student academic success. This study attempted to answer several critical questions regarding school counselor accountability and deliberate practice. It assessed the relationship between receipt of formal training in the American School Counseling Association Model (ASCA) or another counseling model and likelihood of using ASCA principles, the relationship between years of work experience and use of accountability measures and deliberate practice, the relationship between use of accountability measures and …

Emancipation From Affluenza: Leading Social Change In The Classroom, Merri Mattison

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine if one's level of affluenza could be reduced through education and awareness. In particular, this study measured whether or not exposure to the benefits of community involvement, and the harm of overconsumption could alter the intentions that college students have regarding their behavior, as it pertains to materialism, consumption, and civic responsibility. The data were collected from college students in the form of pre-tests and post-tests utilizing an affluenza scale created for this research. Over the course of a semester, information and activities that elucidated the benefits of community involvement and …