Early Childhood Education Commons^™

Parent Choice: Learning Pods Or Public Education During Covid-19 Pandemic, Shari Kinney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine the decision-making process of K-12 parents living in the Appalachian Highlands who chose to remove their children from traditional public schools to join learning pods (sometimes referred to as pandemic pods) during the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to answer this overarching question, the researcher focused her study on two areas: first, what were the possible push factors that influenced parents to remove their children from public schools, and secondly, what were the pull factors that lead parents to choose learning pods over other school choice options. Through the data collected …

The Effects Of Isolated Affordances On Preschool Counting Improvement When Using A Digital Coloring App, Katherine Papazian

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Counting is an important preschool math skill that is necessary for building a strong foundation in mathematics. Previous research has demonstrated that guided counting activities can improve counting ability in preschoolers and that drawing on paper while learning can deepen processing, but research has not included digital drawing as a potential means of deepening processing while children count. This study developed a novel touch-screen app, which used a guided coloring activity to encourage effective counting skills and serve as a home numeracy tool that could be employed by all parents, including those with math anxiety. To evaluate the benefits of …

Mathematical Identities And Tracking: An Exploration Of Efficacy In Children And Women, Emma Hagan

Education | Master's Theses

This study seeks to understand the impact of elementary school mathematical identities and mathematics tracking on the identities of women and girls. “Tracking” is an institutionalized education method developed in the 1960s and 1970s in which schools sort their students into smaller class-sized groups based on their observed achievement (Domina et al., 2016). Too often, when students test onto the lower track, they are confronted with a sense of futility and a lack of self-efficacy (Domina, Hanselman, Hwang & McEachin, 2016; Houtte & Stevens, 2015). Further, in STEM disciplines, students who identify as female report lower self-efficacy rates than those …

Increasing Science Curriculum In Preschool, Sandra Rogel

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Early preschool curriculum often needs more attention to science. When the science curriculum is missing from the preschool curriculum, children may not recognize early science concepts, develop little interest in scientific concepts, and lack sufficient skills for kindergarten readiness. When preschool children are exposed to a science curriculum, they begin to apply scientific concepts, acquire scientific language, and develop scientific thinking. Therefore, to address the insufficiency of science in the preschool curriculum, I developed a three-day lesson for 3 to 5-year-olds at MCOE Early Learning Program at Creekside in Salinas, California.

Elementary Teachers’ Experiences And Responses To Student Engagement While Teaching Eureka Math Virtually During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jamika D. Hill

Theses and Dissertations

The Covid-19 Pandemic shifted the structure of public education by forcing public schools in Georgia and across the world to shift from a traditional, face-to-face model to a virtual model. This study was conducted to explore elementary teachers’ experiences and responses to issues with student engagement in their virtual Eureka Math classrooms during the Covid-19 Pandemic. A qualitative research design was used to conduct a hermeneutic, phenomenological study that included a document analysis, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews using six elementary school teachers as participants. The resulting data was coded and triangulated using the thematic analysis of overarching themes, which …

The Role Of Science In Elementary Education, Emily Moran

Education | Master's Theses

The role of Science in education has evolved over the years. Although it is currently considered an important subject, there is a gap in knowledge involving the level at which Science is incorporated in elementary education and how teachers view the subject. Since the introduction of the Next Generation Science Standards, there has been a shift towards creating more equitable learning opportunities that include inquiry based and three-dimensional instruction (Britton, Iveland, Schneider, Tyler, & Valcarcel, 2016). Recent studies show that many teachers struggle to incorporate science standards and concepts and lack confidence in cohesively integrating science into their lessons (Nadelson …

The Corridor Of Shame: An Immersed Analysis Of South Carolina Schools, Darren R. Burton

Senior Theses

This research project discusses school funding instruments of rural and urban schools in South Carolina and uncovers its effect on student academic achievement. Educational achievement is assessed based on report card datasets between 2018 and 2019, containing South Carolina Assessment of State Standards (SCPASS) score data and South Carolina College and Career Ready Assessment (SCREADY) score data. This research project uses a comparative analysis to evaluate each group’s performance in the subjects of English Language Arts and science. The statistical analysis tools that this research project uses include analysis of variance (ANOVA), linear regression analysis, and Microsoft Power BI. The …

Measuring Preschool Parents’ Attitudes Towards Science: Development And Psychometric Evaluation Of A Parent Version Of The Dimension Of Attitudes Towards Science Instrument., Alexandra E. Adair

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Presently, no measure or theoretical framework exists for preschool parents’ attitudes towards science. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a measure of preschool parents’ attitudes towards science with a corresponding theoretical framework, as well as explore related constructs. To develop the measure, I adapted Wendt and Rockinson-Szapkiw’s (2017) English translation of van Aalderen-Smeets & Walma van der Molen’s (2013) Dimensions of Science (DAS) scale by making it appropriate for use with preschool parents.

The Preschool Parents Dimensions of Science Scale (PP-DAS) was pilot tested and revised before being administered to 330 preschool parents in the United …

Math Talks: Focusing On Student Thought In A Second-Grade Classroom, Jessica Parsons

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

Math metacognition is on the rise. There is an increase in focusing student thought on the process of computation and problem solving. This study examined what happened when math talks were conducted in a general education second-grade classroom and if students’ perceptions of math changed after they participated in math talks. The researcher’s purpose was to more fully understand students’ thoughts related to math. The data was collected through student interviews, student surveys, and researcher observational field notes. Then, the data was analyzed through coding using the constant comparative method and frequency counts. The main themes to emerge from the …

Introducing Science Education In Early Childhood, Marissa M. Arciniega

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The increasing focus on literacy development and kindergarten readiness in preschool has created a lack of science education in early childhood education. In recent research, Head Start found that of the four academic readiness domains for preschoolers (i.e., language, literacy, math, and science), science is the lowest-performing area amongst students in their program (Bustamante, White, & Greenfield, 2018). Research is showing that declining performance in science is partly due to the lack of science education in classrooms. Lack of science is not only affecting school performance down the road, but it also limits children in receiving the benefits of early …

A Case Study Exploring The Nature Of How Prekindergarten Teachers’ Mathematics Instruction Decisions Relate To Their Mathematics Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Raleta Summers Dawkins

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

The mathematics knowledge students develop in prekindergarten is key to their ability to make sense of more complex mathematics in the future (C. T. Cross, Woods, & Schweingruber, 2009; Ginsburg, Lee, & Boyd, 2008). Research continues to present evidence that there is a mathematics achievement gap between minoritized students living in lower socioeconomic communities compared to their peers before entering kindergarten (Arnold, Fisher, Doctroff, & Dobbs, 2002; Duncan et al., 2007; Sonnenschein & Galindo, 2015; Wang, 2010). The joint position statement issued by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics …

Teacher Perception Of Inquiry-Based Teaching In Mathematics In Early Childhood, Nadim Farooqi

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Inquiry-based instruction has been pivotal in transforming classrooms into engaging student-centered learning environments. Utilizing inquiry-based instruction in mathematics in early childhood can help build a strong foundation in mathematics. This qualitative study examined the perceptions of teachers and administrators on inquiry-based instruction in early childhood mathematics. This study was guided by three research questions. This study took place at two public schools in NYC. Data was collected through a preinterview survey and interviews. The participants included nine teachers and three administrators. During the analysis process five themes were revealed: professional development, planning and preparation, student engagement, building foundational skills, and …

Fragile Strength: Math Self-Efficacy Of High Achieving Girls, Tristan Tang

Education | Master's Theses

Math gender gap research shows girls’ math self-efficacy to be correlated with their interest in pursuing higher levels of math education and STEM career opportunities. Most math gender gap studies have used only quantitative approaches, thereby missing the opportunity to gain deeper perspectives directly from girls who are steadfastly facing the math gender gap. This study centered around two small focus groups of girls attending a unique secondary school where every afternoon is fully dedicated to deep engagement with higher-level mathematics. Additionally, parents of girls at the school were surveyed to provide further insight into possible sources of their daughter’s …

Seeing The World Differently. An Exploration Of A Professional Development Model Bridging Science And Lay Cultures, Michael D. Garrett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the rationale, efficacy, and social validity of a professional development model designed to move elementary school science activities closer to the practices of working scientists as required by the United States’ “Next Generation Science Standards.” The model is culturally sensitive and aims to create experiences with high subjective task value. The formal theory of change uses scaffolding, Piagetian agency, and Vygotskian learning opportunities to argue that culturally familiar representational tasks in culturally natural intersubjective contexts can lead to work prototypical of scientific modeling under particular facilitation conditions: when participants (a) are allowed free use of their cognitive …

Does Waldorf Education Offer A Well-Rounded And Integrated Experience That Prepares Students For Higher Grades And Life In General?, Jacqueline A. Stratton

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This thesis research focuses on the study of Waldorf education and how it benefits the whole child. It begins by looking at Rudolf Steiner’s Waldorf educational program and its foundational history and then takes an in depth look at the key elements of its rich philosophy and pedagogy. The literature review focuses on the key question, ‘Does this 100 year-old teaching philosophy encourage a more well-rounded and integrated educational experience than traditional public schools?’ The review highlights four broad topics in relationship to Waldorf education. These include: Educating the Whole Child; Education for the Three Stages of Childhood; Early Childhood …

Putting Educational Reform Into Practice: The Impact Of The No Child Left Behind Act On Students, Teachers, And Schools, Timothy Song

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis seeks to investigate the effects of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) on U.S. student achievement and teacher effectiveness. By combining the results from various data sources, I am able to indicate the levels of student preparedness, school spending, and specific classroom practices. After an analysis of my results, I suggest that NCLB has found moderate success in increasing the level of math preparedness for younger students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds. On the other hand, the data also suggests that there have been no statistically significant gains in reading achievement after the implementation of NCLB. Additionally, spending …

Self-Efficacy Of Early Childhood Teachers In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics, Ariella Rachel Donnelley Smith

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to identify the self-efficacy of early childhood teachers toward STEM subjects as measured on the Teacher Efficacy and Attitudes toward STEM Survey (T-STEM) and to explore factors that influence this confidence.

Methodology. A quantitative approach with two open-ended items was selected for this study, seeking to elicit both quantitative and qualitative data from participants. This approach allowed for multiple viewpoints to be expressed, with the qualitative data collected simultaneously with the quantitative data, and the former designed to illuminate reasons influencing the latter in a complimentary approach. The population for the study included …

La Estrategia De Enseñanza Resolución De Problemas Para El Desarrollo Del Pensamiento Numérico. Una Experiencia Realizada Con Estudiantes De Grado Tercero De La Institución Educativa Megacolegio El Progreso De La Comuna V De Yopal Casanare, Carlos Eduardo Ramírez Duarte, Ana Elsa Sepúlveda Caro

Maestría en Docencia (Yopal)

La investigación en curso titulada “La estrategia de enseñanza resolución de problemas para el desarrollo del pensamiento numérico. Una experiencia realizada con estudiantes de grado tercero de la Institución Educativa Megacolegio el progreso de la comuna V de Yopal – Casanare, realizada por Carlos Eduardo Ramírez Duarte y Ana Elsa Sepúlveda Caro. Se inscribe en el macroproyecto: “Estrategias para la Comprensión Lectora en Ciencias Naturales, Matemáticas, Ciencias Sociales y Lenguaje” que corresponde a la línea de investigación Educación, Lenguaje y Comunicación de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación en la Universidad de La Salle la cual se desarrolló entre …

La Pregunta Constructiva Como Técnica De Comprensión Lectora Para Resolver Situaciones Problémicas De Carácter Matemático Con Estudiantes De Grado Tercero De La Institución Educativa Divino Salvador, Freddy Nelson Mateus Chacón, Luz Dary Martínez Garavito, Martha Cecilia Parada Vargas

Maestría en Docencia (Yopal)

En este trabajo se analizó la pregunta constructiva como técnica de comprensión lectora para resolver situaciones problémicas de carácter matemático con estudiantes de grado tercero de la Institución Educativa Divino Salvador Sede la Niata, por ello, se encaminó a procesar información respecto a las prácticas de enseñanza de la comprensión lectora en el quehacer pedagógico del aula. El material empírico recolectado bajo el enfoque de investigación cualitativa con un nivel de conocimiento descriptivo e interpretativo se hizo a través de encuestas, entrevista semi-estructurada, aplicación de la técnica y plantillas de observación. A través del método análisis de contenido (Bardín, 2002) …

Representaciones Gráficas Del Conocimiento Como Estrategia De Comprensión Lectora Para La Resolución De Problemas Matemáticos Con Estudiantes De Grado Quinto De La Institución Educativa Braulio González, Sandra Leonor Ibarra Angarita, Juan Carlos Pérez Rozo, Javier Rojas Figueredo

Maestría en Docencia (Yopal)

Esta investigación de enfoque cualitativo y de tipo descriptivo - interpretativo surge como respuesta a las necesidades y debilidades de las prácticas pedagógicas sobre compresión lectora en los estudiantes de grado quinto de la I.E. Braulio González en el área de matemáticas. Se fundamenta teóricamente en categorías como prácticas pedagógicas, comprensión lectora, estrategias, representaciones gráficas y problemas matemáticos. Se enfoca en construir y analizar una estrategia basada en la adaptación de representaciones gráficas del conocimiento (mapa semántico, mapa mental, plano de tensiones y esquema escalonado) en sincronía con los pasos del heurístico de Polya (1990) para mejorar procesos de comprensión …

Teaching Place-Based Science In Kindergarten, Lucy Atkins

Capstones, Research Projects, and Curricula

This action research explores how kindergarten students learn about forces and motion through inquiry-based, place-based methods. The learning took place as part of an existing day spent learning outdoors, known as Forest Monday, that includes extended time for free play. The three sub-questions addressed 1) science content learning, 2) science practice application, and 3) the incorporation of science content and practices into free play time outdoors. It was a mixed-methods study, with science assessment data supporting observations and interviews. The participants were 12 kindergarten students in a rural elementary school. All students were assessed and interviewed but observations were focused …

The Importance Of Teaching Young Children Academics Through Multi-Sensory Activities, Tiffany Schardt

Senior Theses

In this project, one will find information regarding the benefits of multi-sensory learning. Multi-sensory learning is a hands-on form of learning. One will find information on how technology is causing children to spend less time learning through their senses. The project is accompanied by information for parents and what they can do to promote multi-sensory learning at home. Along with this information, parents will find a guidebook that incorporates academic concepts with multi-sensory lessons. The project is organized so that one can find information on technology, importance of multi-sensory learning, proof, and guidebook contents. The project is easily laid out …

Impacts Of Representation On Increasing Flexibility In Understanding Number Composition, Abigail Carr

Honors Theses

Place value is a mathematical concept that young children struggle to understand. A common misconception for children is that the digits that make up multi-digit numbers represent the quantity of that number itself, instead of the number according to its place value (i.e. the 1 in 18 represents 1, instead of 10). The base-ten representation is an efficient way to represent numbers and quantities, but it is not easily learned. One reason children may struggle to fully understand place value is the English language does not make the value of the number known and has hidden base-ten meanings. To contrast, …

Can A Three-Day Training Focusing On The Nature Of Science And Science Practices As They Relate To Mind In The Making Make A Difference In Preschool Teachers' Self-Efficacy Engaging In Science Education?, Colleen Meacham

Dissertations and Theses

As technology and our world understanding develop, we will need citizens who are able to ask and answer questions that have not been thought of yet. Currently, high school and college graduates entering the workforce demonstrate a gap in their ability to develop unique solutions and fill the current technology-driven jobs. To address this gap, science needs to be prioritized early in children's lives. The focus of this research was to analyze a science training program that would help pre-school teachers better understand Mind in the Making life skills, the nature of science, science practices, and improve their self-efficacy integrating …

Caracterización De Las Estrategias Didácticas Que Promueven El Desarrollo De Las Competencias En Pensamiento Matemático En Los Niños De Básica Primaria De La Escuela Normal Superior De Monterrey Casanare, Jesús Olivo Flórez Suárez, Víctor Manuel Hurtado Cruz, Carlos Arturo Rodiño Hoyos

Maestría en Docencia (Yopal)

El presente trabajo se encuentra enmarcado en la línea de investigación: “Saber educativo, pedagógico y didáctico”; está adscrito al Macroproyecto “Competencias, Evaluación Auténtica y Didáctica del Lenguaje y Matemáticas”. La investigación centra su atención en estudiar las dificultades que tienen los docentes de básica primaria para la enseñanza de las matemáticas desde la perspectiva de la integración del pensamiento matemático, desde el uso de estrategias didácticas adecuadas que faciliten el desarrollo de estas competencias y la pertinencia de la planeación y evaluación de los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje. La investigación está orientada desde el paradigma socio-crítico con enfoque cualitativo; tipo exploratoria-descriptiva. …

Análisis De Las Estrategias Didácticas Utilizadas Por Los Docentes Para El Desarrollo Del Razonamiento Matemático En Estudiantes De Grado Tercero Del Colegio Antonio Nariño - La Yopalosa, Municipio De Nunchía – Casanare, Yolanda Alfonso Gutierrez, Luis Alberto Niño Gonzalez

Maestría en Docencia (Yopal)

Este proyecto centra su atención en el análisis de las estrategias didácticas utilizadas por los docentes para desarrollar el razonamiento matemático de los estudiantes de grado tercero de la Institución Educativa Antonio Nariño La Yopalosa, a fin de posibilitar en los estudiantes mejores niveles de aprendizaje y fortalecer el pensamiento crítico, reflexivo y creativo, implicando que sean más competentes académicamente y en la vida cotidiana. En tal sentido, la investigación de enfoque Cualitativo y de tipo descriptivo, se desarrolló a través del método Investigación-Acción. La recolección de la información se llevó a cabo mediante la técnica principal de la Observación, …

An Exploration Of The Math Names For Numbers: An Early Childhood Mathematics Intervention, Suzanne Magargee

Theses & Dissertations

A longitudinal study of the effects of an early childhood mathematics intervention was conducted in 2 private elementary schools in a large city in central Texas. The study included 377 participants in prekindergarten through fifth grades. Explicit non-inverted number names were taught in English and Spanish to prekindergarten and kindergarten students, with formative assessments conducted during this timeframe. Summative assessment results from standardized achievement tests were collected in grades 1 through 5 from 341 of the participants. Normal curve equivalent scores of total mathematics achievement, problem solving, and mathematics procedures were compared among groups of children with no or up …

21st Century Education: The Importance Of The Humanities In Primary Education In The Age Of Stem, Christine M. Reiter

Senior Theses

Taking into consideration the global shift towards innovation and technological development, the rapid changes in the global economy, and the United States Department of Education’s attempts to find a one-size-fits-all solution for America's education woes, our national focus has shifted towards the STEM subjects—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This shift to STEM-focused education has challenged the role of the Humanities in American education, introducing concerns that the overwhelming emphasis on STEM disciplines has pushed the arts, Humanities and human sciences off to the side or even completely out of the picture in American classrooms. In our everchanging technology-focused world, …

Desarrollo De La Competencia De Indagación En La Enseñanza De Las Ciencias Naturales En Básica Primaria Del Instituto Técnico Ambiental San Mateo De Yopal Casanare, Lixa Milena Rojas Arenas, Johan Javier Rosas Granados, Yenny Rocio Sanabria

Maestría en Docencia (Yopal)

Este trabajo de grado da cuenta de la investigación titulada “Desarrollo de la competencia de indagación en la enseñanza de la ciencias naturales en básica primaria del Instituto Técnico Ambiental San Mateo de Yopal-Casanare” desarrollada en los años 2015 y 2016. Emerge de una preocupación por los bajos resultados de la competencia de indagación en las Pruebas SABER 5º en el área de ciencias naturales. Se partió del interés explícito por investigar una situación social con aras de iniciar el ejercicio de la práctica reflexiva de los profesores de ciencias naturales para caracterizar y favorecer el desarrollo de la competencia …

Mom, Dad, Help Please: The Home Environment’S Influences On A Child’S Math Ability, Nicole Kerkhof

CMC Senior Theses

Recently, there has been a big surge of research and public interest in increasing the math capabilities and skills of American children. This paper serves as a literature review examining how the home environment, specifically parents, can help with that. This meta-analysis delves into the factors of maternal math talk, a parent’s own math anxiety, and the relationship between a parent and child in the context of a parent’s gender stereotypes and a parent’s perception on his or her child’s math abilities. Interventions, suggestions, and future implications are also discussed. This paper will hopefully bring needed awareness to parents about …