Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Rhetoric As Inquiry: Personal Writing And Academic Success In The English Classroom, Erica E. Rogers

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Holistic and critical pedagogy, an approach to learning and teaching, integrates the everyday realities students live, with the systemic and institutional objectives of education itself. Working with theories from composition, rhetoric, feminist studies, and cognitive psychology from a teacher-researcher perspective, this dissertation explores and theorizes holistic, critical pedagogy within the composition classroom while outlining the use of personal writing as a means to develop critical consciousness. Student study participants kept “Inquiry Notebooks,” semester-long personal writing projects that served as receptacles for practical and theoretical engagement with a variety of texts and ideas, then interviewed after the course to discuss their …

The Development And Evaluation Of A Lean Six Sigma Advanced Manufacturing Methodologies Course For Aeronautical Engineering Technology Curriculum, John Michael Davis

Open Access Dissertations

Successful completion of the Lean Six Sigma advanced manufacturing methodologies practicum course provides undergraduate Aeronautical Engineering Technology (AET) students with the experience and knowledge appropriate to perform successfully in an advanced manufacturing environment. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine (a) Did the knowledge level of AET students increase following exposure to Lean Six Sigma and completion of the advanced manufacturing methodologies course? and (b) Did the course meet the AET students’ expectations following participation in the Lean Six Sigma advanced manufacturing course? The expected outcomes of the course included:

1. AET students will have the competencies to …

An Analysis Of Reflective Thinking In Teacher Candidates' Eportfolios, Cristina Salinas-Grandy

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Preparing the next generation of teachers to prepare students for the 21st Century is a challenging endeavor. Teacher candidates need to possess critical thinking and evidence-based pedagogical skills. It is believed that teacher reflection is the cornerstone to making informed decisions and timely modifications to daily instruction (Cochran-Smith, & Zeichner, K. 2005, Darling-Hammond, L. & Bransford, J., 2005 NBPTS, 2014; Schon, 1987;). What has been less examined is how an ePortfolio can be utilized as a tool to aid in the development of reflection among teacher candidates. This case study significantly contributes to our understanding of how to develop reflective …

"Let Me Tell You What I See" Creating A Culturally Relevant Arts Based Education Through The Use Of Photography And Storytelling, William Tran

Master's Projects and Capstones

There are many constructs that can hinder the ability of students of color to succeed in a classroom environment. Factors such as the construct of whiteness, microaggressions, the banking method, as well as cuts in arts based classes create a learning environment where oppression occurs on multiple levels. The construct of whiteness creates an environment in which only the ideas, values, lived experiences, and knowledge of whites are considered valid. Microaggressions uphold the construct of whiteness by insulting and invalidating any ideas, values, lived experiences, languages, and knowledge that are outside the construct of whiteness. The constructs of whiteness as …

Lotuses Rising: Fostering Southeast Asian Community Cultural Wealth Through Arts Based Culturally Specific Programming, Rhummanee Hang

Master's Projects and Capstones

This project explores how Banteay Srei, a community organization in Oakland, California, works with young Southeast Asian American women using arts based and culturally specific programming to make visible the community cultural wealth that exists in this community. Through cooking and telling stories about their elders' refuge and resettlement experiences, the young women gain a better sense of their own history, culture, and identity. This intergenerational project allows participants to learn, feel empowered, and begin to heal. The result is a cookbook for the young women of the organization. While this project and program is not meant to be replicated …

The Development Of An E-Learning Usability Scale For Higher Education, Zoroayka V. Sandoval

Theses and Dissertations

In order to measure usability in higher education online courses, the E-Learning Usability Scale for Higher Education was developed in this study. After an extensive review of literature, the E-Learning Usability Evaluation Questionnaire developed by Zaharias (2009) was the closest instrument found to be free and available. However, this instrument was designed to measure usability for corporate settings and an adaptation of the items was required for online courses in higher education. The purpose of this study was to design a usability instrument for online courses in higher education from an original instrument designed for corporate settings, and to determine …

The Perceptions Of Northeast Tennessee Educators Regarding Arts Integration, Philip A. Wright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the perceptions of Northeast Tennessee Educators regarding arts integration. Specifically this study was an examination of the perceptions of district and K-8 school level administrators, K-8 general classroom teachers of math, science, social studies, or literacy, and K-8 arts specialists of dance, drama, music, or visual arts. Nine school districts in Northeast Tennessee agreed to participate in the study. Data were collected through an online survey system, SurveyMonkey.com. Data from 179 participants were used in the study. Seventeen items from the survey were measured on a 5-point Likert scale. Those items …

Advanced Placement And Dual Enrollment As Related To College Readiness And Retention At A Tennessee University, Diana E. Bowers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant relationship between students who entered a Tennessee university for the first time in the fall of 2014 who had earned either Advanced Placement (AP) or dual enrollment credit regarding their college readiness and 1-year college retention. College readiness was defined by students’ American College Testing (ACT) sub scores in English, reading, and mathematics. The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) regulates the minimum sub score for each sub section that a student must obtain to be deemed college ready. College retention was defined by students who enrolled at …

Developmental Assets Supporting High School Graduation Among African American Students, Randall J. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study was individual and community assets and barriers that African American students living in disadvantaged low income communities encounter in their efforts to complete high school. The research questions were focused on understanding the high school experiences of students who graduated and of students who dropped out. The study was a comparison of the data collected from interviews of former students to the 15 interventions identified as most effective by the National Dropout Prevention Network (http://dropoutprevention.org/effective-strategies/).

Findings suggested that 6 of the 15 developmental assets were effective for enabling African American students to graduate …

Evaluating Intercultural Communicative Competence Using Mediated Self-Reflection In Teaching English To Speakers Of Other Languages, Hessah Khaled Alzimami

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In a globalized world, teaching English as a second language (ESL) or English as a foreign language (EFL) requires mastery of intercultural communicative competence (ICC). Deploying ICC has many benefits, especially with teaching and learning English, because it is a preeminent necessity for intercultural communication today. In ESL and EFL contexts at college and university levels, learners and instructors interface with other learners and instructors who have various languages and cultures, so there is a need for implementing ICC, because it encourages instructors and learners to communicate effectively with others using both their native and target languages, as well as …

An Investigation Of Perceived Principal Stress And Its Impact On Principals In Southwest Georgia, Dorothy Young Ingram

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine to what extent southwest Georgia principals perceive they are stressed, identify principal stressors and how the stressors impact the principals’ work. Principals are leaders of school building who are experiencing increased stress. Therefore; it is important to understand what causes principal stress as well as how the stressors impact principal work. Principals are expected to maintain building safety, student safety, student achievement, retention of quality teachers, as well as act as instructional leaders. The mixed method study of public elementary school principals was conducted in four southwest Georgia school districts. The researcher …

Making Sense Of Sound: Fourth Graders Use Physical And Technological Models To Illustrate And Explain The Nature And Characteristics Of Sound, Deepika Menon, Deanna Lankford

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

From the earliest days of their lives, children are exposed to all kinds of sound, from soft, comforting voices to the frightening rumble of thunder. Consequently, children develop their own naïve explanations largely based upon their experiences with phenomena encountered every day (Driver et al. 1994). When new information does not support existing conceptions, explanations are refashioned to agree with prior experiences, often resulting in misconceptions (Wesson 2001). Science education literature identifies multiple misconceptions related to sound commonly held by elementary students, including: Sound can only travel through air and not through solids and liquids; sound can travel through a …

Report Detailing The Development Of University Articulation Agreements And Course Syllabi Revisions For The Engineering Drafting & Design Technology Program At Salt Lake Community College, Michael Stenquist

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This project is an attempt to close the gap between local industry, higher education, and the Engineering Drafting and Design Technology (EDDT) department at Salt Lake Community College (SLCC). As a longtime drafting instructor in the EDDT department at SLCC, a need for change in industry from board drafting, to 2-D CAD, and now to 3-D CAD has occurred. Because of these changes, the program has continually been updated to meet the needs of the students and local industries. The purpose of this project detailed in this report was first, to explore the drafting needs of professionals working in the …

Efficient Strategies For Playing The Horn, Jon Allan Holloway

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In their pursuit of becoming accomplished performers, horn players spend a great deal of time studying proper brass playing techniques from the great pedagogues. The modern horn is a fairly young instrument (less than two hundred years old) and the most efficient pedagogical approach is still evolving. Because of this, horn players spend a great deal of time studying proper brass playing techniques from the great pedagogues. Books by Philip Farkas, Arnold Jacobs, Raphael Mendez, and more have many theories and exercises on how to breathe, the best way to perfect embouchure development, performance techniques, and more.

Modern pedagogues have …

The Effect Of Blackboard Tools On The Community Of Inquiry And Learner Satisfaction With Learning Management System-Enabled Courses, Alice Swift

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Online education has increased in popularity throughout higher education in recent decades, with learning management systems (LMSs) now being used by the majority of higher education institutions throughout the United States (Allen, Seaman, Poulin, & Straut, 2016). The Community of Inquiry (CoI) theoretical framework is composed of interrelated cognitive, teaching, and social presences, which make up a deeper learning experience (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2010). This study sought to further the theoretical and practical application of the CoI by evaluating learner satisfaction with LMS-enabled courses in vocational areas of study and additional course delivery formats (online, hybrid, and web-enhanced). Results …

Interview With Bettina Love: Creating Spaces That Matter, Meca Williams-Johnson

Curriculum, Foundations & Reading: Faculty Publications

This is an interview with Dr. Bettina Love on her work with the Kindezi Schools, a small, high-performing charter group in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Love’s thought provoking responses provide insight into the dynamics that make Kindezi Schools successful at reaching their students. Additionally, she shares concerns about the dilemma of Opportunity School Districts (OSD) and the schism OSD’s create in minority communities. Lastly, she shares how Kindezi became an opportunity school for Atlanta youth. This interview will be beneficial for parents, principals, teachers, and stakeholders who are interested in understanding how and why creating spaces to nurture student learning matters.

Benefits Of Implementing Journaling Activities In Physical Education At The Elementary School Level, Ivy Ottmar

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Physical Education (P.E.) is at a risk of becoming obsolete at the elementary school level. This is an important problem that needs to be addressed because children need a daily physical outlet. But, it goes beyond just getting outside and moving. If journaling is integrated into the physical education curriculum, students can use this tool to reinforce what they are learning when they are exercising as well as communicate their feelings about physical education. After conducting literature reviews, interviewing elementary school staff, and implementing a journaling activity, the researcher found that journaling about P.E. was positive and beneficial for the …

Benefits Of Incorporating Health And Wellness Education Into The Fifth Grade Curriculum, Allison Brown

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This senior capstone examines the benefits of incorporating health and wellness education for 100 fifth graders from three different classrooms in a local Monterey County elementary school to gain their perspectives about the different aspects of health and wellness. Through the use of literature review, anonymous surveys with students and three fifth grader teachers, the result findings indicate that incorporating health and wellness education into fifth grade curriculum would benefit students to have a better health and wellness.

An Exploration Of Student Views On Grading And Learning In An Alternative School Setting, Lisa Heipp

Dissertations

Reducing barriers to learning is vital. High school teachers focus tirelessly on how best to engage students in learning; however, grading, which is a fundamental aspect of a teacher’s responsibilities, may be a significant barrier to learning. This dissertation examines students’ views on grading and learning in an alternative high school setting. The twelve students who are the focus of this research have experienced traditional school settings and an alternative charter school setting, thus they offer a perspective on grading and learning that is more widely informed than the majority of students in schools. This study is motivated by three …

The Effects Of Implementing Close Reading In A Third, Fourth, And Fifth Grade Public School Setting To Improve Student Achievement, Cory Valentine

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this ex-post facto, causal-comparative study is to determine the effects of close reading on student achievement. Close reading is a strategy developed through literary criticism and the influences of I. A. Richards and the New Critics. This study analyzes close reading to determine the most efficient practice to help students develop critical reading, thinking, and written communication skills. The researcher examined 2013 to 2015 New York State English Language Arts Exam data from 10 school districts located in the Broome-Tioga BOCES Region. For the study, 6,040 student exams in Grades 3, 4, and 5 were analyzed. Using …

Gifted With Asperger's Syndrome (Twice-Exceptional): The Difference Post-Graduate Certifications Held Make On Early Childhood Teachers' Knowledge, Terry Wright

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Twice-exceptional students (Gifted with Asperger’s Syndrome) can be difficult for even the experienced teacher. Robust knowledge of Asperger’s Syndrome and Giftedness prepares teachers to meet the needs of these often-unidentified students. The purpose of this cross sectional survey design research was to study how post-graduate certifications held (dependent variable) affected early childhood teacher knowledge (independent variable) of Asperger’s Syndrome and Gifted/talented learner characteristics. From two large suburban school districts and small, private schools in Central Texas, 242 early childhood teachers (pre-k-second grade) participated in three online researcher created instruments entitled Teacher Knowledge of Asperger Characteristics, Teacher Knowledge of Gifted and …

Perceptions Of The Role Physical Activity Plays In Early Childhood Education, Martha Swirzinski

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to describe the perceptions early childhood educators who intentionally implement physical activity into their class day in Eastern Virginia have with regards to using physical activity with preschoolers ages three to five. The theory guiding this study was the social constructivist theory by Lev Vygotsky (1978) which maintains that each individual has a different perspective about any given experience based on their prior experiences and all experiences build upon themselves to create knowledge. The constructivist theory suggests learners must interact with their environments to gain new knowledge (Ogunnaike, 2015). The basic …

Physical Education, Art, And Music Teachers' Lived Experiences With Students Who Have Adhd Or Adhd Symptoms, Kellie Henry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to discover the lived experiences of teaching students with ADHD for art, music, and physical education teachers at elementary schools. The theories guiding this study are Zentall’s (1975) Optimal Stimulation Theory and Ajzen’s (1991) Theory of Planned Behavior as they explain how teachers’ attitudes and use of stimulation in the classroom affects the central phenomenon. This transcendental phenomenological study was based on actual descriptions of elementary special area teachers’ lived experiences with students who have ADHD. The design included a review of the literature, epoche, phenomenological reduction, imaginative variation, and synthesis of …

The Effect Of Group Counseling Intervention On The Performance Of Rural Students On The Georgia High School Graduation Tests, Donna Caudel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With an increase in high-stakes testing, educators continue to search for the best methodologies for assisting students in maximizing academic achievement and successful completion of graduation requirements including mandatory tests for high school graduation. At the time of this study, students graduating from Georgia high schools were required to pass five academic subject area tests in order to receive a high school diploma. Psychometric theory, social cognitive theory, and cognitive behavioral theory provided the theoretical framework for this study. Students from a rural high school in Georgia comprised the sample. This quantitative study employed a posttest-only control group design with …

An Examination Of Motivational Levels Of Non-Traditional Undergraduate Business And Education Majors, Kristopher Bradshaw

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research dissertation was developed for the purpose of advancing the literature in the realm of student motivation. Previous research in the field has placed little emphasis on the adult, non-traditional student population. Adult, non-traditional students represents an important part of the higher education climate in the United States and the unique motivators of this population needs further examination in order to more closely align academic programs and services with motives and goals. The research questions seek to answer if a significant difference exists between the intrinsic and extrinsic motivational levels of business majors compared to education majors in the …

How Select Groups Of Preservice Science Teachers With Inquiry Orientations View Teaching And Learning Science Through Inquiry, Peggy Diana Ward

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although hailed as a powerful form of instruction, in most teaching and learning contexts, inquiry-based instruction is fraught with ambiguous and conflicting definitions and descriptions. Yet little has been written about the experiences preservice science teacher have regarding their learning to teach science through inquiry. This project sought to understand how select preservice secondary science teachers enrolled in three UTeach programs in Arkansas conceptualize inquiry instruction and how they rationalize its value in a teaching and learning context. The three teacher education programs investigated in this study are adoption sites aligned with the UTeach Program in Austin, TX that distinguishes …

Introduction To New Work On Immigration And Identity In Contemporary France, Québec, And Ireland, Dervila Cooke

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

No abstract provided for the introduction.

Infusing The Arts Into Science And The Sciences Into The Arts: An Argument For Interdisciplinary Steam In Higher Education Pathways, Christopher W. Thurley

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

This article presents an argument for the integration of science into English courses in order to emphasize the usefulness of a Science, Technology, Education, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) education. The idea for this approach arose after the implementation of a divisional initiative to create learning communities with a STEM cohort of students called Student Persistence and Retention via Curricula, Cohorts, and Centralization (SPARC³). The author’s involvement in teaching a science-infused English course for this program inspired the argument that follows, which outlines why/how the sciences should learn from the humanities and why/how the humanities should learn from the sciences. The …

Developing Confidence In Steam: Exploring The Challenges That Novice Elementary Teachers Face, Aaron S. Zimmerman

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

This essay explores the challenges that novice elementary teachers may face as they attempt to enact the practices of STEAM education. Specifically, I will explore research that suggests that novice elementary teachers lack confidence in their ability to lead lessons rooted in either scientific inquiry or arts-integration. This has, I argue, clear implications for the development of STEAM education. Advocates of STEAM education must ensure that novice elementary teachers are provided with the necessary scaffolds and supports that will empower them to engage in authentic and ambitious STEAM practices.

From Stem To Steam: Students’ Beliefs About The Use Of Their Creativity, Ayse Tugba Oner, Sandra Bonorden Nite, Robert M. Capraro, Mary Margaret Capraro

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

To be successful in a STEM career, not only STEM knowledge and skills but also creativity is required. Therefore, the arts have been integrated into STEM disciplines and subsequently designated as STEAM education (Sousa & Pilecki, 2013). One example of informal learning environments that STEAM education provided is a summer camp. In this study, middle and highs school students’ use of their creativity in the Project-based Learning (PBL) courses was examined to determine students’ belief about the use of the arts in STEM activities. The results showed that students believed that they used their creativity in eight of the nine …