Educational Methods Commons^™

The Effectiveness Of Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies For Teaching English Reading Skills To Hispanic English Language Learners, Michelle Watson

Masters Theses

The present study was designed to assess the effectiveness of the Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) for teaching English reading skills to Hispanic English language learners (ELL) in the third grade. The current literature shows a rapid increase of Hispanic students in the U.S., however, due to a lack of exposure to the English language at an early age, many ELL students are behind their non-ELL peers in academic achievement, especially in reading. The PALS program was designed as an alternative approach to teacher-led instruction to help ameliorate reading difficulties, and although its effectiveness has been demonstrated with a variety …

Revitalizing Grammar Instruction For High School Juniors: Toward A Contextual, Student-Driven, And Minimalistic Method, Heather L. Lindenmeyer

Masters Theses

In this thesis, I explore best practices in grammar instruction for high school juniors. Practicing English teachers have been engaging in the great grammar debate for years, essentially arguing if and how grammar is best taught. Thoughts on teaching grammar greatly differ in the professional community, but most scholars call for a middle ground to be sought in the great grammar debate. In other words, very few scholars think traditional methods that isolate grammar instruction from the writing process are best, but even fewer scholars call for teachers to entirely rid their curriculum of all grammar instruction. I conclude that …

Examining Historical (Mis)Representations Of Christopher Columbus Within Children’S Literature, John H. Bickford

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

Effective teaching, while supplemented by best practice methods and assessments, is rooted in accurate, age-appropriate, and engaging content. As a foundation for history content, elementary educators rely strongly on textbooks and children’s literature, both fiction and non-fiction. While many researchers have examined the historical accuracy of textbook content, few have rigorously scrutinized the historical accuracy of children’s literature. Those projects that carried out such examination were more descriptive than comprehensive due to significantly smaller data pools. I investigate how children’s non-fiction and fiction books depict and historicize a meaningful and frequently taught history topic: Christopher Columbus’s accomplishments and misdeeds. Results …

Involve Me: Using The Orff Approach Within The Elementary Classroom, Amanda Long

2013 Awards for Excellence in Student Research & Creative Activity - Documents

Musical independence, improvisation, and composition are important skills that teachers should include within an elementary music curriculum. The musical concepts that accompany these skills can be difficult for teachers to convey and for students to understand due to the difficulty and complexity of teaching musical independence. This study consists of a literature review pertaining to the history and development of the Orff Approach, application of Orff concepts to the creation of lesson plans and classroom activities, action research with elementary students, and conclusions. Three different lesson plans were created implementing Orff techniques specific to the following grade ranges: two-four, four-six, …

Examining Historical (Mis)Representations Of Christopher Columbus Within Children’S Literature, John Bickford

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

Effective teaching, while supplemented by best practice methods and assessments, is rooted in accurate, age-appropriate, and engaging content. As a foundation for history content, elementary educators rely strongly on textbooks and children’s literature, both fiction and non-fiction. While many researchers have examined the historical accuracy of textbook content, few have rigorously scrutinized the historical accuracy of children’s literature. Those projects that carried out such examination were more descriptive than comprehensive due to significantly smaller data pools. I investigate how children’s non-fiction and fiction books depict and historicize a meaningful and frequently taught history topic: Christopher Columbus’s accomplishments and misdeeds. Results …

Using Field Studies To Meet The Next Generation Science Standards, Amy Brown

Masters Theses

New science standards, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), recently have been released which require students to use modeling and other process skills and cross-cutting concepts to show understanding of core concepts. Understanding by design approach was used to develop an ecology curriculum in line with the NGSS framework, using field studies to involve students in real science. A schoolyard habitat area on Neoga School District property was used for the field studies. Students were assessed with pre- and post-tests, traditional classroom grades on labs and projects and the Modified ATSI and Children's Science Curiosity Scale. All students showed significant …

Systems Simulation Using Promodel: An Online Teaching Method, Gustavo Sioni Bosoli

Masters Theses

This study was designed with the purpose to create an online method to deploy the concepts and practical knowledge necessary for the course System Simulation {TEC 5523) offered by Eastern Illinois University. The course is currently offered on a hybrid format, with part of it being ministered in the classroom and the remaining on the online environment. This research focused on creating a set of multimedia and step-by-step lessons aimed to substitute the part of the course that demands the students to be present in the classroom. These lessons were developed based on exercises from the textbook currently used for …

Involve Me: Using The Orff Approach Within The Elementary Classroom, Amanda Long

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Musical independence, improvisation, and composition are important skills that teachers should include within an elementary music curriculum. The musical concepts that accompany these skills can be difficult for teachers to convey and for students to understand due to the difficulty and complexity of teaching musical independence. This study consists of a literature review pertaining to the history and development of the Orff Approach, application of Orff concepts to the creation of lesson plans and classroom activities, action research with elementary students, and conclusions. Three different lesson plans were created implementing Orff techniques specific to the following grade ranges: two-four, four-six, …

English Pedagogy At Eastern Illinois State Normal School: The Unique Evolution And Effect Of An Adapted Composition Course, Jacob Smith

2011 Awards for Excellence in Student Research & Creative Activity - Documents

In his book, Professing Literature, Gerald Graff discusses that from 1890-1915 there was disagreement between generalists, who, as Graff states, "tended to dispense with elaborate pedagogical theories and ... let the great masterpieces of literature teach themselves" (Graff 86), and scholars, who were primarily philologists. While the generalists believed the study of literature should result in appreciation and a more cultured student, the scholars were primarily researchers. Graff goes on to describe the additional conflict between critics and scholars that grew out of the development of criticism between 1915-1930. Within the group of critics, Graff identifies humanists, who supported a …

Creativity & Inspiration: An Interdisciplinary Approach To Engaging Pre Service Teachers, Mildred M. Pearson Dr., Krishna Thomas, Beverly J. Cruse

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

The instructor's focus in the class, Social and Emotional Development in Middle Level Curriculum, was to provide the instructional foundation and foster planning for social, emotional, intellectual, and physical growth in middle level adolescents, providing classroom management strategies appropriate for this age-group. Practicum block experience was taken along with this class. This course was designed to provide a psychological basis for working with middle level studenrs.

Creativity & Inspiration: An Interdisciplinary Approach To Engaging Pre Service Teachers, Mildred Pearson, Krishna Thomas, Beverly Cruse

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

The instructor's focus in the class, Social and Emotional Development in Middle Level Curriculum, was to provide the instructional foundation and foster planning for social, emotional, intellectual, and physical growth in middle level adolescents, providing classroom management strategies appropriate for this age-group. Practicum block experience was taken along with this class. This course was designed to provide a psychological basis for working with middle level studenrs.

Using Dragonflies As Common, Flexible, And Charismatic Subjects For Teaching The Scientific Process, Paul Switzer

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Connecting White Noise To Critical Whiteness Studies, Tim Engles

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Connecting White Noise To Critical Whiteness Studies, Tim Engles

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Childcare Practices In Three Asian Countries, Shamah Md-Yunus

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

Childcare practices such as feeding, toilet training, sleeping arrangement and discipline in three Asian countries (Chinese, Japan, and India) are compared. These countries differ from each other in culture, religion, language and ethnic makeup from Euro-American culture. The differences in childcare practices are broadly related to the differences in family values, traditions, and religions among these countries. Educational implications of sensitivity to cultural differences are also discussed.

Childcare Practices In Three Asian Countries, Shamah Md-Yunus

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

Childcare practices such as feeding, toilet training, sleeping arrangement and discipline in three Asian countries (Chinese, Japan, and India) are compared. These countries differ from each other in culture, religion, language and ethnic makeup from Euro-American culture. The differences in childcare practices are broadly related to the differences in family values, traditions, and religions among these countries. Educational implications of sensitivity to cultural differences are also discussed.

Brown-Bagging It: Engaging Students In Lecture, Paul Switzer

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Brown-Bagging It: Engaging Students In Lecture, Paul V. Switzer

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Off To The (Earthworm) Races: A Quick And Flexible Laboratory Experiment For Introductory Zoology Courses., Paul Switzer, Ann Fritz

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Phonemic Awareness: One Approach To Individualized Instruction, Kimberly M. Ochs

Masters Theses

This study examined the effectiveness of a recently developed set of individualized lessons for kindergarten children at-risk for reading problems because of limited phonemic awareness skills. Four participants were selected via teacher referral and a score below the 25^th percentile on the Test of Phonological Awareness. Sixteen lessons (focusing on six phonemes) and weekly assessments followed the selection of the participants. Each child was individually instructed in two 10-15 minute sessions each week for eight weeks and then given an assessment at the end of each week. Single case design was utilized to document the effectiveness of the …

Effectiveness Of The "Baby Think It Over" Program On Adolescents' Contraceptive And Child-Rearing Attitudes, Stephanie Ann Johnson

Masters Theses

An increasing number of high schools in the United States have begun to use the "Baby Think It Over" doll as part of their curriculum in certain classes. This study examined the effectiveness of this doll on influencing 46 male and female adolescents' attitudes and behaviors regarding pregnancy, sexual activity, and contraceptives. Five specific subscales were developed to measure the teens' contraceptive attitudes and behaviors before and after using the doll regarding their feelings about becoming pregnant, understanding/comprehension of the responsibilities of child-rearing, appreciation of the impact of child-bearing on their lives/future, and attitudes toward premarital sex. Also, a qualitative …

Campus Field Trips: An Effective Supplement To Classroom Instruction, Paul V. Switzer

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Campus Field Trips: An Effective Supplement To Classroom Instruction, Paul Switzer

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Children Learning To Write: A Progression Through Predictable Stages, Shirley D. Vestal

Masters Theses

A first-grade teacher documents her students' progression through predictable stages as they learn to write: distinct units of scribbling and/or ground line and profile in drawing, letters, words, sentences, story structure (character, setting, problem, solving the problem, and ending the story/telling how the characters felt), and conventions (capital letters, punctuation, and conventional spelling).

Criteria based on readability at each stage by a knowledgeable and sensitive reader are an important aspect of this study.

The class writes every day using a five-day story format:

Day One: Character Pink paper

Day Two: Setting Blue paper

Day Three: Problem Yellow paper

Day Four: …

Beginning Reading Instruction: Issues In Phonics And Modality Preferences, Debra A. Kelley

Masters Theses

This thesis reviews the major trends regarding the place of phonics in reading instruction since the 1950's and attempts to integrate current perspectives on phonics in regard to both classroom and individualized instruction. In the 1950's, instruction in the regular classroom tended to emphasize sight-words at the expense of word analysis or phonic skills. The mid-1960's classic study by Chall, Learning to Read: The Great Debate, documented the value of phonic instruction in beginning reading and led to later refinements regarding the place of phonics in beginning reading instruction.

The attempt to match individual children's preferred modality for learning …

Selective Methods Of Teaching Secondary English: The Scarlet Letter: A Study And Application Of The Collaborative And Mastery Learning Methods, Janine M. Kardas

Masters Theses

This study is about the relationship of content in teaching to the process in teaching for the purpose of helping students to become better readers of literature. This study investigates two selected teaching strategies supported by research to be effective, and applies them to the teaching of a canonical piece of literature, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This study employs literary theory in the development of the objectives and applies both cooperative learning and mastery learning methods to the teaching of this novel. Two sets of lesson plans are developed from the objectives and subsequently analyzed for their effectiveness …

Mastery Learning In The Secondary Schools, Eddie Joe Steffey

Masters Theses

The purpose of this field study was to develop and implement a model for the introduction of mastery learning at Chester High School in Chester, Illinois. In 1984-85 this researcher was named principal at Chester High School, which is located in a small, blue-collar community. Academic achievement was not perceived to be at an acceptable level. The researcher felt that the introduction of the mastery learning techniques suggested by Bloom and others combined with other pertinent research on effective schools could have a positive effect on academic achievement.

Although this field study was designed for Chester High School, it may …

Effects Of Instructional Television In Math, Science And Language Arts In Two Small Elementary Schools, Delbert Maroon

Masters Theses

This field experience investigated the effects of instructional television on academic achievement of fifth and sixth grade students in two small elementary schools in Bond County. A two tailed t-test for the difference of means at the .05 level of significance was used to analyze the data collected. A self assessment survey collected from nine teachers determined that no significant differences in opinion existed between members of the teaching staff regarding instructional television usage. An analysis of student grades determined that no significant increase in student grades was found in the comparisons made. Results of this study indicate that the …

Integration Of Visual Art With Other Subjects In The Illinois High Schools, Laura Lynn Pottala-Irle

Masters Theses

The true nature of this work is to show that integration of visual art is taking place in the Illinois High Schools. This conclusion is the result of a survey sent out to a group of Illinois High Schools. The results show that the Central and Southern Illinois High Schools have more integration of academic subjects incorporated in their curriculum compared to Northern Illinois High Schools. Yet integration of other art subjects are taught more in the Northern Illinois High Schools then the Central or Southern Illinois High Schools. Physical Education proved to be the subject least likely to be …

The Evaluation And Selection Process Of Instructional Games And Toys, Linda Kay Young

Masters Theses

Games and toys used in the classroom have been determined to be an effective means of instruction. The more teachers know about the games and toys being used in their classrooms, the more valuable these games and toys will be to their teaching and their students' learning. The main focus of this study was to gain understanding of the qualities and characteristics of instructional games and toys that will affect the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains of the student at the elementary level. This study examined the criteria that was considered important by "experts in the field" and validated those …