Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Cross-Curricular Teaching And Children's Literature: Dixie And Burt Hear A "Quack!", Brittany Skiba

Honors Projects

Motivated by research in the field and subject of elementary education, children’s literature, and cross-curricular teaching with the use of children’s literature, this project involved creating a children’s book with interrelated lesson plans in order to encourage teachers to use lessons that are more meaningful, to enhance learning experiences, and also to provide a quick-and-ready resource tool for teachers to use when preparing lessons. I conducted my research on elements that comprise a good children’s book, creating effective lesson plans, and the benefits of cross-curricular learning. According to an article, “Integrated Learning: Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts,” by …

The Redesign Of School Discipline: One School’S Approach To Rethink And Redesign Discipline Practices Through The Restorative Justice Model, Heath J. Mcfaul

Theses and Dissertations

An over reliance on punitive discipline methods for addressing wrongdoing in schools has caused educational leaders to pause, and consider their alternatives. The enforcement of zero-tolerance policies and the use of corresponding strategies like detentions, suspensions and expulsions, are no longer proving effective. These antiquated efforts focus only on the rules that were broken and the deserved punishment, failing to actually repair relationships and recognize root causes.

In 2014, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan stated, “The need to rethink and redesign school discipline practices is long overdue.” Restorative discipline has emerged as an effective tool that responds to …

Bloom - Youth Empowerment And Development Through A Practice Of Emotional Leadership, Andrea Andrade

M.A. in Leadership Studies: Capstone Project Papers

As we continue to develop ourselves in this multifaceted dependency with technology, I believe we shy away from the essence of what makes us human in the first place. As emotional and sentient beings, we tend to take for granted the use of our emotions to empower ourselves and others through real life experiences, and shared-challenges.As adults, educators, mentors, parents, we must recognize the importance of becoming positive and effective role models for younger generations in order for them to become successful in their future lives. Yet somehow we continue to see patterns of disconnection caused by either the demands …

Cultivate Conscious Kids: Unique Youth Leadership Development Programming, Ashley Adams

M.A. in Leadership Studies: Capstone Project Papers

Regardless of what divides us as a global community, whether it be location, religion, ethnicity, politics, etc., it is generally agreed upon that the future of our increasingly complex world lies in the hands of our youth. As we, the current decision makers in society, continue to add to the complexities of this world, we also have the responsibility to empower the youth of today with the proper tools to navigate not only their current realities but also the complex local, national, and global concerns they will quickly inherit as they grow into adulthood. Developing young people’s ability to tap …

Perspectives Of Saudi Special Education Teachers Towards Secondary And Post-Secondary Transition Services For Youth With Multiple Disabilities, Nabil Almalki

International Journal for Research in Education

Abstract:

The purpose of the study was to examine the secondary and post-secondary transition services for youth with Multiple Disabilities (MD) and know how these transition services were provided for this population in order to help them live independently throughout their lifespans. The researcher implemented the quantitative design, and the participants of the study comprised of 106 special education teachers of students with MD. The results showed that all domains of this study indicated agreement to somewhat agree in providing transition services for youth with MD, which meant that the total mean for all domains were from 3.40 to …

Pre-Service Teachers’ Perception Of Their Educational Preparation, Ahmed Khalid, Samir J. Dukmak, Fawzi - Fayez Ishtaiwa Dweikat

International Journal for Research in Education

Abstract:

This study aimed at investigating pre-service teachers’ views of their educational preparation taking into consideration six study domains, namely: planning and preparation for instruction, classroom environment, professional responsibility, teaching skills, time allotted for learning different subjects, and time allotted for learning certain skills in the program. The differences among the six domains and pre-service teachers’ demographic information such as gender, pre-service teachers’ study majors, and the school level they were prepared to teach (Basic vs. Secondary) were investigated. Additionally, the study examined the extent to which the six study domains predicted the pre-service teachers’ teaching skills. Findings of …

Factors That Lead Handicapped People In Jordanian Rehabilitation And Correction Centers To Commit Their Criminal Behaviors As Perceived By Them In The Light Of Some Variables., Heyam Mosa Al-Taj

International Journal for Research in Education

ABSTACT:

The purpose of the study is to investigate the factors that lead handicapped people in Jordanian rehabilitation and correction centers to commit their criminal behaviors as perceived by them in light of some variables. The sample of the study consisted of (33) handicapped prisoners in Jordanian rehabilitation and correction centers. To achieve the aim of the study a scale was developed to measure those factors within (39) items, after checking validity and reliability. The findings of the study showed that the criminal behaviors of handicapped people are the ones committed on other people with a rate of (48.48%) followed …

Role Of Female Teachers In Formation Of Wrong Perceptions Within Female Students Of Intermediate Schools In Riyadh, Nora Abdullah Aljebreen

International Journal for Research in Education

Abstract:

The research purpose is to acknowledge the role of female teachers in forming wrong perception about conceptions of heredity in minds of female students of intermediate schools, in Riyadh. The Research sample formed of (69) female teachers within the Riyadh North Education Office in 1436-1437H "2015/2016". A questionnaire form was prepared to determine the wrong perceptions about conception of heredity in minds of science female teachers. It included (10) multiple choice questions, each with (4) choices, followed by (4) different explanations to chose from, after being reviewed by a group of arbitrators. The stability account was equal to (0.73) …

The Practicing Degree Of Leadership Skills By School Principals In The Green Line In Palestine In Light Of Learning Organization And Organizational Culture, Ali Mohammad Jubran

International Journal for Research in Education

Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to reveal the elementary teachers' practicing degree of leadership skills from the perspectives of teachers themselves within the green line in Palestine, in light of learning organization and organizational culture. To achieve this aim, the researchers prepared two instruments; the first is a questionnaire composed of (52) items to find out the practicing degree of leadership skills from the perspectives of teachers themselves. It consisted of four domains. The second is a questionnaire including (34) items to find out the learning organization and organizational culture’s degree of implementation from the perspectives of teachers. …

Brain Dominance And The Correlation With Learning Styles, Choosing Specialization And Academic Level Among University Students, Afaf Salim Al-Mohammadi

International Journal for Research in Education

Abstract:

The study aimed to explore the correlation between brain dominance and learning styles when choosing specialization and academic level of university students. the study sample consisted of (397) female students from King Saud University, (204) students from humanity colleges, while (193) represent the scientific colleges The results found that there were statistically significant differences in learning styles (tactile and individual) for left hemisphere, there were no differences in the type of the brain dominance attributed to the academic specialization variant. There were statistically significant differences in learning style (tactile style) for Humanity Colleges. There were no statistically significant differences …

Motivations And Constraints Of E-Learning From The Viewpoint Of Faculty Members Of The College Of Education, King Saud University, Abdulrahman A. Alothman, أحمد زيد آل مسعد

International Journal for Research in Education

Abstract:

This study aims to identify the motivations and obstacles to the use of E-Learning systems and techniques available at King Saud university, and they include: (the learning management system - the virtual classroom system – the technical support system – the techniques of smart classrooms), from the viewpoint of faculty members within the College of Education. The sample was selected randomly as the questionnaire was sent electronically to (430) of the faculty members, and (82) returned, (40) of them were from males and (41) were from females. The study used the descriptive analytical approach and the questionnaire as the …

The Degree Of Parental Awareness Of Their Children's Language-Building Readiness Strategies And The Degree Of Practicing Them And Its Relationship With So Variables, Sami Mohammad Hazaimeh

International Journal for Research in Education

Abstract:

This study aimed to detect the degree of awareness of parents in the United Arab Emirates of their children's language-building readiness strategies and the degree of practicing them from their perspectives and its relationship with the parents' educational qualification and economic situation. The researcher prepared a measure consisted of (51) items and distributed it to the study sample which consisted of (115) parents who were chosen by using simple random sampling technique and distributed according to the study’s variables. After the implementation of the study and the analysis of its data, the results showed that the degree of …

Relationship Between Reflective Thinking And Teaching Performance Of Student Teachers Specialized In, Khalid Ahmad Buqhoos

International Journal for Research in Education

This study aimed at identifying the level of reflective thinking reached by student teachers majoring in mathematics and science who are enrolled in practice teaching. In addition, it aimed at determining the relationship between reflective thinking and each of: teaching performance, student’s GPA, university level and teaching competencies. The descriptive analytical approach was followed for achieving the aims of this study and answering its research questions. Two instruments were used for collecting the needed data. The Arabic translated version of Eysenk and Wilson’s test for reflective thinking after being validated for application on Bahraini students; and the Performance Assessment Instrument …

Claim, Evidence, And Reasoning: Evaluation Of The Use Of Scientific Inquiry To Support Argumentative Writing In The Middle School Science Classroom, Gabriela Mastro

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

In light of the essential science and engineering practices identified by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), this study focuses on the specific science and engineering practice, "engage in argument from evidence," and how classroom practices can serve to strengthen this skill (National Research Council, 2012, p. 71). The NGSS focus on inquiry necessitates students’ use of argument, particularly in writing, to communicate their knowledge and scientific findings and to develop an understanding of scientific practice. The purpose of this teacher action research study is to evaluate the influence of inquiry-based argumentative writing exercises, based on the Argument Driven Inquiry …

Reading Workshop Conferences: Effect On First Grade Student Word Attack Skills, Samantha Everbeck

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

Reading workshop is a way to structure a literacy block during the school day that allows for differentiation and a high level of student engagement. During reading workshop, students read independently and with partners at their independent reading levels while the teacher confers with students and leads small groups. During conferences, the teacher differentiates instruction and tailors lessons to individual student needs.

The purpose of this study is to examine the result of individualized lessons on word attack strategies on first grade students’ reading ability. Word attack strategies, i.e. strategies for decoding unfamiliar words, are a crucial component of learning …

Differentiated Instruction For 1st Grade Advanced Learners In Mathematics, Patricia Cawley

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

Differentiated instruction is student-aware teaching, in which the students not only develop content mastery, but also take ownership of their learning. When teachers help students take charge of their own learning, they are maximizing their potential. A review of the literature reveals that young children seek out tasks that are challenging to them, ones that may a bit beyond their ability. These studies further state that “moderately difficult” tasks are a prerequisite for maximizing intellectual development and increases performance, persistence, perceived competence, self-knowledge, pride and satisfaction (Deci & Porac, 1978).

This study examined strategies that teachers can use to differentiate …

Cultivating Engagement Through Student-Centered Learning In A High School Media Art Class, Dyane Goldman

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

Student-centered-learning is a broad term for an approach to education where students are independent, self-directed learners (Krueger, 2014). This active environment is invigorating, energizing and filled with students deeply engaged in the work at hand. Educators are leaning towards embracing methods that foster independence in their students and in turn, these methods are proving to be effective in cultivating an atmosphere of engagement in all types of learners.

This study assessed implementation of opportunities for self-directed learning, and evaluated student interest and engagement in classroom activities. A review of the literature indicates that adapting this approach can be effective in …

Sixth Graders Investigate Models And Designs Through Teacher-Directed And Student-Centered Inquiry Lessons: Effects On Performance And Attitudes, Benjamin D. Olsen, Audrey C. Rule

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

Science inquiry has been found to be effective with students from diverse backgrounds and varied academic abilities. This study compared student learning, enjoyment, motivation, perceived understanding, and creativity during a science unit on Models and Designs for 38 sixth grade students (20 male, 18 female; 1 Black, 1 Hispanic and 36 White). The unit began with a very teacher-centered approach, then became increasingly student-centered, employing more inquiry with each lesson set to determine the effects of student-centered instruction on performance and attitudes. Pretest-posttest data with specific questions tied to each lesson set were collected, as well as repeated measures attitude …

Eighth Graders Explore Form And Function Of Modern And Fossil Organisms, Jolene K. Teske, Phoebe J. Z. Pittman

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

Arts integration into science has been shown to motivate students and promote long-term retention of content. To add to the literature addressing arts integration, an experiment was conducted with middle school students studying the anatomical similarities and differences between modern and fossil marine invertebrates and different types of extant insects. Eighth grade students participated in a counterbalanced-design, quasi-experimental study to determine if the integration of art into the science curriculum would influence student retention of content, enjoyment, motivation, and perceived learning toward learning science concepts supporting the Next Generation Science Standards including engineering-related concepts. The lessons addressed Life Science standard …

Teaching Kindergarten Students About The Water Cycle Through Arts And Invention, Latisha L. Smith, Deepanee Samarakoon

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

Research evidence for the benefits of arts integration is mounting. The purpose of this study was to determine if integration of the arts was an effective strategy for teaching the water cycle to kindergarten students. The study included lessons that supported both a science and an engineering standard of the Next Generation Science Standards and national arts standards. The phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of children as they learned and demonstrated understanding through drawings, watercolor paintings, dramatization of a water cycle poem, and the invention and testing of a waterproof boot. Participants were 12 kindergarten students (7 male, 5 …

Students Explore Fossil Creatures Of The Cambrian Period Burgess Shale Through Model-Making, Andrea Anderson, Ksenia Zhbanova, Phyllis Gray, Jolene K. Teske, Audrey C. Rule

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

This practical article features an arts-integrated science unit on fossils of the Burgess Shale for fourteen elementary/ middle school students at a weeklong summer day camp. The day camp had a theme of recycling, reduction and reuse; all of the fossil models had substantial recycled components to support this theme. Next Generation Science Standards were supported by the course activities in which students examined fossil specimens, images, and comparative modern relatives to determine the anatomy and lifestyles of Burgess Shale Cambrian Period fossil animals (e.g., Olenoides trilobites, Anomalocaris, Canadaspis, Opabinia, Wiwaxia, Hallucigenia) through making scientific …

Ecosystem Food Web Lift-The-Flap Pages, Dana L. Atwood-Blaine, Audrey C. Rule, Hannah Morgan

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

In the lesson on which this practical article is based, third grade students constructed a “lift-the-flap” page to explore food webs on the prairie. The moveable papercraft focused student attention on prairie animals’ external structures and how the inferred functions of those structures could support further inferences about the animals’ diets. In general, most students made simple causal connections between an animal’s observable characteristics and the food it would probably eat. Some students were also able to make multi-agent connections to develop a more complex mental model of a food web. Ultimately, the lift-the flap project was engaging to students …

Flipping About The Sun And Its Pattern Of Apparent Motion, Crystal Betts, Allison Pattee

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

Arts integration has shown to enhance student comprehension, retention, and engagement, while connecting to rich science content. The integration of the Next Generation Science Standards and the National Arts Standards into a first grade lesson illustrated how the arts enhanced the students’ understandings of the sun’s apparent motion during the day, an idea that is difficult for many young children to grasp. In this project students explored the sun outdoors throughout the school day to document changes by tracing their shadows in chalk and by making a shadow clock. Students also applied the information they learned to the creation of …

Editorial: The Journal Of Stem Arts, Crafts, And Constructions As An Ideal Venue For Showcasing Application Of The Next Generation Science Standards, Dana L. Atwood-Blaine

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

The Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions is an ideal venue for disseminating new ideas, lessons, and research developed in response to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). This editorial explains how arts integration is well-suited to addressing the Science and Engineering Practices and the Cross-cutting Concepts. The research articles in this issue provide evidence that arts integration is also effective at improving student retention of disciplinary content over time. Using specific examples from the articles in this issue, this editorial elaborates on the three-dimensional nature of NGSS and how the integration of arts, crafts, and constructions into science …

An Evaluation Of The Relationships Between Collegiate Aviation Safety Management System Initiative, Self-Efficacy, Transformational Safety Leadership And Safety Behavior Mediated By Safety Motivation, Daniel Kwasi Adjekum

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The study conceptualized Safety Management System (SMS) initiative, self-efficacy, and transformational safety leadership as constructs that relates to safety behavior (measured by safety compliance and safety participation) when mediated by safety motivation using a quantitative approach. Structural equation modeling techniques was used to derive a final measurement model that fit the empirical data and was used to test the study hypotheses. Utilizing a sample of 282 collegiate flight students and instructors from a large public university in the US, a 46-item survey was used to measure respondent’s perceptions on the study variables. The results indicate that perceptions of SMS policy …

Design Of A Robust Undergraduate Biochemistry Laboratory Course Based On A Modified And Expanded Bovine Serum Albumin Purification Scheme, Odutayo O. Odunuge, Nicholas Cheatwood, John Mullins, Michele Harris

Symposium on Arts and Research

The ASBMB curriculum for an undergraduate degree recommends a set of skills that can be acquired only through laboratory courses and research experience. Based on a previously reported purification scheme for BSA (Odunuga and Shazhko, 2013), we designed a robust, reproducible, cost-effective, safe and enquiry-based undergraduate biochemistry laboratory course that encompasses many of the skill-sets recommend-ed in the ASBMB curriculum. Our work not only modi-fied certain steps in the scheme, it also included addi-tional steps to enhance student learning and skill ac-quisition. Salt precipitation, ion exchange and size ex-clusion chromatography were employed by students to purify BSA from cow plasma. …

Stem, Steam, And German Language Acquisition: Modified Project-Based Learning In A German Conversation Course, Louise Stoehr

Symposium on Arts and Research

This project describes an investigation into the efficacy of employing a modified project-based learning model to enhance the presentation and conversation skills of students in German 235: Intermediate German Conversation. Unlike usual language conversation courses that rely on expensive textbooks and focus on reading selections followed by discussion questions, GER 235 sought to engage students in a journey of discovery as they explored topics typically more at home in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses (STEM) and that were supplemented by the arts: STEAM. The impetus for this course developed out of a teaching unit that I created on the …

Mathematics Career Carnival: Integration Of Content, Pedagogy, & Authentic Learning, Mark S. Montgomery, Paula Griffin

Symposium on Arts and Research

This project is the result of the integration of online methods and field experience to give students a unique opportunity in field experience that we can control and assess rather than “assume” that mentors and placements around the state are modeling the way we believe mathematics should be taught and assessed.

Inside The Va: How Workplace Training Evaluation Impacts Employee Performance, Timica Emerson

Dissertations

Employee performance and patient satisfaction are strong indicators of the current state of a healthcare organization. Workplace training programs are used to teach employees the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively perform on the job. Instructor-led, online, blended and independent learning events are produced to address learning needs and to improve staff performance. These training programs are necessary for preparing staff to meet the demands of daily work expectations. The learning approaches should encourage trainees to apply what they learn to their work assignments.

When programs are not evaluated consistently and methodically by the participating employees, their sustainability is uncertain. …

The Missouri Student Transfer Program, Howard E. Fields Iii

Dissertations

In 1993, the state of Missouri passed the Outstanding Schools Act. This law was created as a means to ensure that “all children will have quality educational opportunities, regardless of where in Missouri they live.” Section 167.131 of this law states that an unaccredited district must pay the tuition and transportation cost for students who attend an accredited school in the same or adjoining district. This portion of the law became known as the Student Transfer Program.

The Riverview Gardens School District (RGSD) was one of three unaccredited school districts in the state of Missouri in 2013. With close to …