Elementary Education Commons^™

Soybean Oil-Derived Acrylate/Methacrylate Ether For High Resolution Additive Manufacturing (3d Printing) Technology, Tanuj Patel

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Additive Manufacturing is one of the rapidly developing techniques, as industries continue to explore new ways to create prototypes and end-use parts, one of the significant challenges that remains is the reliance on petroleum-based plastics for 3D printing, especially in the production of photocurable resins. that may be used to prototype complex structures and sophisticated geometries that are typically challenging to produce with conventional methods. Thus, replacing petroleum-based plastics with renewable resources is increasingly important for additive manufacturing (3D printing) of photocurable resins. The use of bio-based renewable resources in AM is a feasible alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastics. Henceforth, …

Joy In Lifelong Learning: An Introduction To Planning For Learning Disabilities In Museum Education, Elaine L. Davis

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

For over a century, the role of museums as learning institutions has been considered alongside that of schools. However, special education practices are rarely adapted for museum education, requiring educators in museum contexts to undertake extra work to accommodate those with learning disabilities. This thesis used Qualitative Comparative Analysis and Textual Analysis to review pedagogical white papers and academic research on museum programs aimed at neurodivergent audiences. The findings were used to create a professional development guide for museum educators at a range of different types of museums.

Navigating Structural Behaviors To Education: A Qualitative Analysis Of Attendance, Behavior, And Academic Outcomes Among African American Scholars In Grades K-5, Tony E. Howard

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

This qualitative study explores the structural behaviors within public K-5 education that affect African American students' attendance, behavior, and academic outcomes. With a persistent achievement gap disproportionately affecting African American learners, the research investigates how systemic inequities and institutional practices hinder equitable access to quality education. Using a phenomenological approach, the study draws on the lived experiences of educators, administrators, and support staff across several school districts to understand the nuanced challenges African American students face.

Data collection involved semi-structured interviews and document analysis, yielding rich insights into how disciplinary policies, culturally unresponsive teaching practices, and inadequate support services contribute …

Everyone Drums: A Music And Social Studies Homeschool Curriculum, Emma Zemancik

Honors Projects

Everyone Drums: A Music and Social Studies Homeschool Curriculum aims to fill a gap in music education homeschool curricula. The workbook, parent guide, and paper work together to highlight percussion traditions from around the world as means to teach geography, history, culture, and of course music.

The Gaps Between The Stories: Motherteachers And The Impact Of The Patriarchy In Prek-12 Education, Tara S. Dimattia

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

As a secondary–level English teacher and the mother of three school-age children, I have learned that women’s knowledge and their ways of knowing (Belenky et al., 1986), specifically in relation to their roles as mothers, is marginalized in the world of PreK–12 schooling. In this qualitative study, through use of co/autoethnography (Coia & Taylor, 2013) and by way of group meetings, written reflections, and participatory arts–based data collection, I examined and documented how women’s roles as mothers impact their teaching in the patriarchal field of education, and worked to determine the ways in which women navigate this dialectical relationship in …

Toujours Beaucoup: Representations Of Childhood And Education In 20th Century French Literature And Cinema, Delaney Drury

Honors Theses

The Third Republic’s reforms established France’s public education system on several foundational ideals: upholding republican values, resisting autocratic authorities, promoting critical thinking, and promoting personal liberty and freedom of thought. This project explores French literature and cinema with significant representations of education for the purpose of examining to what extent such ideals are upheld or undermined in their portrayals of education. Such an examination of French education and its underlying values is significant in such a time in history when France is experiencing a “contemporary crisis of republican schooling” (Sachs 179). Alongside the historical significance of such studies, the more …

Enhancing Social Emotional And Language Development For Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Elementary Students, Nataly Pacas-Rodriguez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Social-emotional and language development are often absent in the curriculum for students in elementary school programs who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing(DHH). When social-emotional and language development are missing, Deaf and Hard of Hearing elementary students may have trouble with communicating with others, understanding social cues, and language comprehension. Deaf and Hard of Hearing students who learn about social-emotional and language development may be more likely to communicate, express their feelings, understand grammar and vocabulary. In order to address this issue, I have created a workshop for 2nd and 3rd grade students at Toro School for the Deaf in …

Efficiency Versus Quality: A Reflection On Making A Children’S Book, Elizabeth Diehl

Honors Projects

When first looking at a children’s book, it appears to be a simple creative project. However, when one finds out the components that go into making one, it becomes clear that simplicity is deceiving. Research, ideation, rough drafts, and scripts are just a few of the necessary components for the finished product, and each one of these components can take multiple days or weeks to complete. This essay is a reflection on my experience of creating a picture book in one semester as I attempt to answer the questions “What if the most efficient process for creating a children's picture …

Using Trade Books To Thematically Teach Civil Rights Issues, Alyssa Whitford, Timothy Lintner, Caroline Sheffield

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This semester-long project examined the use of social studies trade books to thematically teach the civic contributions of three individuals who served as change agents in the United States during the late 19^th and early 20^th century. Two were African American men, Robert Smalls and Frederick Douglass, who took civic action to address racial discrimination faced by the Black community following the U.S. Civil War. The other was Ida B. Wells who challenged social inequities and injustices within her community. Throughout this project, sixth-grade students read selected trade books, examined primary sources, completed graphic organizers, and crafted writing …

Artifact Investigation As An Access Point To Doing Social Studies, Jacquelyn R. Benchik-Osborne, Susan Mcdonough

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Social studies methods coursework at two Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) emphasizes providing access to rigorous social science education for all. Teacher candidates (TCs) learn to design equitable opportunities for students in the elementary and middle level classrooms to engage in inquiry–to do social studies. One tool social scientists use to “do” their work is artifact investigation. Artifacts, such as historical photographs and primary sources, help students connect with cultural and historical contexts. Using digital artifacts from the Library of Congress (LOC), TCs create opportunities for students to explore social dynamics, identity formation, power structures, and community development through cultural realia. …

The Real History: A Freedom School Curriculum

The Civil Rights Movement (HIS/BLS 347) Zine Project

No abstract provided.

1st Place Contest Entry: "The Chip Off The Block": The 21st-Century Legacy Of Schoolhouse Rock!, Megan Lewandowski

Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize

This is Megan Lewandowski's submission for the 2025 Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize, which won first place. It contains their essay on using library resources, their bibliography, and a summary of their research project on the legacy of Schoolhouse Rock! in the 21st century.

Megan is a fourth-year student at Chapman University, majoring in Music and Psychology. Their faculty mentor is Dr. Carrie Dike.

Literacy Warriors: Engaging Our Community In The Fight For Literacy, Monica Rene Manns, Diane Saunders

Virginia English Journal

The Literacy Warriors initiative is designed to address the pervasive issue of illiteracy in underserved communities through innovative, community-driven strategies. Rooted in the evidence-based methodologies of Marva Collins and Orton-Gillingham, the program equips community members—referred to as Literacy Warriors—with the skills to teach foundational literacy, including phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Recognizing literacy as a tool for equity, empowerment, and social justice, this initiative emphasizes culturally affirming practices that resonate with the lived experiences of Black and marginalized students. The program also addresses a critical gap: many Literacy Warriors themselves were not taught phonics due to past whole-language initiatives, which …

The Effectiveness Of Using Al Hodhud Application To Teach Reading Skills In Arabic As A Second Language In The International Baccalaureate System For Kindergarten Students, Samaa Bassem Haroun, Mohammad M. T. Habib Samkari

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية للبحوث في التعليم العالي

هدفت الدراسة التعرف إلى فاعلية تطبيق "الهدهد" في تنمية مهارات القراءة باللغة العربية كلغة ثانية لدى طلبة رياض الأطفال في برنامج البكالوريا الدولية، وقد أجريت الدراسة في مدرسة المواهب الإنجليزية في محافظة العاصمة عمان في الأردن خلال الفصل الدراسي الثاني من العام الدراسي 2022-2023. ولتحقيق أهداف الدراسة تم استخدام المنهج شبه التجريبي، وتم اختيار مجموعة الدراسة عمدياً، وتألفت المجموعة من (40) طفلاً من مرحلة رياض الأطفال، وتألفت العينة من مجموعة واحدة درست استخدام تطبيق الهدهد، وتم تطبيق الاختبار القبلي والبعدي، وبعد تطبيق الدراسة وإجراء التحليل الإحصائي أظهرت نتائج فاعلية تطبيق الهدهد في تنمية مهارات القراءة باللغة العربية كلغة ثانية، وأظهرت …

Los Beneficios De La Enseñanza De Lenguas Extranjeras Con Cuentos Bilingües En Escuelas Rurales, Morgan Gosdin

World Languages and Cultures Senior Capstones

This action research explores and reflects on the use of bilingual storytelling as a model for foreign language education in third-grade classrooms. Previous research indicates that familiar stories foster an ideal environment for young learners, shifting the focus to language rather than content (Kirsch, 2008). Stories invoke curiosity in students and allow learners to view a foreign language as comparable to their own rather than simply a list of rules and vocabulary words. The action research, conducted in rural Middle Georgia third-grade classrooms, incorporates cultural and linguistic education. A class of undergraduate language students conducted biweekly lessons reading Spanish stories, …

Curriculum Vitae Of Philip C. Guin (1931-2007), Philip C. Guin

Collected Papers of Philip C. Guin

No abstract provided.

Harmony Or Discord? A Study On The Alignment Between National Objectives And Reformed Social Studies Textbooks In Egypt, Lina Yehia

Theses and Dissertations

Education systems, in many parts of the world, have served as a channel for communicating national goals to students, and Egypt has not been an exception. This study examines how public textbooks effectively align with equipping future generations of Egyptians to fulfill the nation’s development policy goals set for 2030. Utilizing a qualitative research design, this study employed textbook and document analyses of the published national policy goals of the current administration, along with the most recently reformed social studies textbooks of Grades 4, 5, and 6, a product of EDU 2.0. Based on an analysis of national documents, the …

Cultivating Empathy: A Content Analysis Of Empathic Themes In Best-Selling Children's Books, Elnaz J. Afousi

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examines the presence and nature of empathic content in best-selling children’s picture books, with a focus on developmental relevance for preschool-aged readers. Using a modified version of the iEPIC empathy coding system, 10 titles from the New York Times best-seller list were analyzed to assess the frequency and complexity of three empathy-related constructs: Emotion or State Description (ESD), Exploring Emotion or State (EES), and Empathic Understanding or Concern (EUC). Results indicate that while all books contained some empathy-related content, ESD3 (self-reflective emotional descriptions) and EUC2/EUC4 (understanding and helping others) were most prevalent, suggesting an emphasis on both intrapersonal …

Lend Me Your Hands: Engaging Waldorf Teachers In Pedagogical Puppetry For Student Growth, Corinna Rezzelle-Pennypacker

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Although puppetry has a long history as a holistic teaching tool, it remains an underutilized arts integration technique in elementary and secondary schools. To better understand Waldorf teachers’ perspectives on pedagogical puppetry and the necessary training to effectively implement the work, this explanatory mixed-methods dissertation sought to fill the gap in research on teachers’ views of puppetry and what training they believe is important to feel comfortable doing the work. Committed to using an action research approach, a professional development workshop and lesson plans were created for 1st-8th grade Waldorf teachers based on the feedback from this dissertation’s explanatory interviews …

Exploring Audience Perceptions Of Elementary School Dance Curriculum: Utilizing Informance To Investigate Beliefs Regarding The Presentation Of Student Learning In Dance, Michaela Summers

Master's Theses

The goal of this thesis was to gain insight into the perceptions and expectations of audiences in relation to elementary school dance education curriculum and its representation through showcases or displays, particularly within the context of viewing an informance. The researcher developed three research questions to guide the study:

Q1 What are audience perceptions of elementary school dance education pedagogy and curriculum?

Q2 What methods do audiences expect to be implemented in an elementary school dance performance?

Q3 Can utilizing informances affect audience perceptions of elementary school dance education, thus changing their expectations for dance performance methods?

Thirty-eight audience members …

Exploring The Impact Of Dance Arts Integration On General Education Teaching Practices: Insights Into Classroom Environment, Planning, Instruction, And Assessment, Sara Kessler-Kennon

Master's Theses

The purpose of this research study was to explore the impact of dance arts integration facilitation on teaching practices by emphasizing classroom environment, planning, instruction, and assessment. The researcher created the following four essential questions to guide the study:

Q1 How does incorporating movement-based arts integration alter classroom environment, student behavior, student engagement, and inclusivity of students with various abilities and diverse backgrounds?

Q2 How does incorporating movement-based arts integration impact the general educators' planning time, process, style, and understanding? Does the general educator feel as though they can effectively incorporate movement-based arts integration without collaborating with a dance educator? …

Leveraging Ai Tools In University Writing Instruction: Enhancing Student Success While Upholding Academic Integrity, Daisuke Akiba, Rebecca Garte

Publications and Research

The emergence of AI-powered Large Language Models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini, presents both opportunities and challenges for higher education, particularly regarding academic integrity in writing instruction. This exploratory study examines a novel pedagogical approach that integrates LLMs as required feedback tools in a university-level psychology writing assignment. The exclusive online approach emphasizes improvement through revision, requiring students to obtain AI-generated feedback on ungraded initial drafts based on an instructor-provided rubric, with final assessment focused on the quality of subsequent revisions. Analysis of survey data from 39 undergraduate students, incorporating both quantitative measures and qualitative responses, revealed several …

A Qualitative Study Of Iranian Efl Teachers’ Perceptions Of A Digital Diversified Education, Seyed Mohammad Reza Marvasti Zadeh, Azizollah Dabaghi Varnosfadrani Advarnosfadrani, Mohammad Amiryousefi

The Qualitative Report

Because Iran is a country of learners of diverse languages, socio-economic classes, genders, and ages, digital diversified education seems appropriate to address needs in English language education. However, there is a notable gap in research on teachers’ perceptions about this type of education. To fill this gap, this study aimed to investigate the perspectives of Iranian teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) regarding a diverse digital education. Data were collected via an open-ended survey with 30 EFL teachers, both male and female, who were selected through convenience sampling. Analysis revealed several key themes, including the utilization of diverse …

“It’S Not My Immediate Instinct”: Perceptions Of Preservice Teachers On The Integration Of Popular Culture, Melinda S. Butler, Eva S. Arbor, Nadine Bravo

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

Popular culture curricula integration provides educational benefits for students (Morrell, 2002; Petrone, 2013); bridging students’ out-of-school popular culture knowledge with their in-school literacies promotes learning, engages students, and values students’ background knowledge (Dyson, 1993, 2021; Marsh, 2006; Morrell, 2002; Petrone, 2013). Therefore, teacher educators may consider the addition of popular culture education into preservice teacher’s preparation for teaching (Petrone, 2013). In this qualitative study, researchers were interested in asking the following questions: What popular culture texts did preservice teachers consume as children and adults? and How does preservice teachers’ previous popular culture text consumption factor into decisions to include or …

Collaborative Professional Development Featuring Innovative Curriculum Materials, Cory Callahan

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Here I synthesize two research investigations (Callahan, 2018, 2019) that comprise a continuing line of inquiry into the potential of innovative curriculum materials and sustained collaboration as a professional development program to help in-service teachers understand and implement a complex model of social studies instruction. This article features an original innovative curriculum material and specifically explores the question: To what degree can a collaborative professional development program featuring innovative curriculum materials help social studies teachers understand and implement a powerful social studies approach? Findings suggest the professional development program and its innovative curriculum materials helped teachers promote substantive pedagogical thinking …

Patterns Of Pride Lesson Plan, Elizabeth Thomas

P-12 Lesson Plans

In this art lesson for upper elementary students, we study the art of Jeffrey Gibson from the Zuckerman Museum of Art exhibition Jeffrey Gibson: They Teach Love, from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundations and analyze his contemporary post-modern artistic contributions alongside contemporary traditional Native American bead weaving and historical Native American bead weaving. We consider how to make visual patterns from aspects of our cultural identity and how how to make a bead weaving art project in the elementary art classroom. This lesson plan pairs Georgia Visual Art standards with third grade Social Studies standards.

Public History In The Middle School Classroom, Victoria L. Sanchez

Capstone Projects

This project was inspired by my own experience as a middle school classroom teacher and seeks to highlight the crossover between public history pedagogies and middle school social studies instruction. The project’s main focus lies on providing social studies educators with resources to learn about, teach, and integrate classroom projects that draw on public history pedagogies and methods. I created the public PHxMS website to achieve this goal. The intended impact of this site, upon being shared with educators, is to increase awareness about and interest in the field of public history, provide a resource for educators who might be …

What Kinds Of Personal Data Do Primary School Pupils Share With Whom? Children’S View Of Personal Data And Its Implications For Teaching About Privacy, Martin Hermida, Raffael Meier, Iwan Schrackmann, Nina Imlig-Iten, Eva Marinus

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Safeguarding personal digital data is crucial and requires appropriate training. However, privacy remains a novel topic, leaving teachers with limited guidance. This study investigates how elementary school students perceive personal data and assesses pre-service teachers’ accuracy in predicting children’s responses. Employing Nissenbaum’s contextual integrity framework, the outcomes of this research offer a nuanced perspective on privacy, considering different recipients and data types. The study surveyed 94 Grade 3 and Grade 5 students, asking them to indicate with which recipients (no one, parents, best friends, class, all other people) they would share specific information. In addition, 75 pre-service teachers were asked …

Compassionate Care In Elementary General Music Teaching And Learning As A Way To Respond To The World: A Narrative Inquiry, Julia K. Church Hoffman

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

In this narrative inquiry, where stories were the data, three experienced music teachers from one public school district in the southwestern United States shared stories about their experiences as elementary general music teachers. The stories were told through the lens of compassionate care, a perspective that implies a shared experience between teacher and learners (Hendricks, 2018, 2023). The stories, and my interpretation of them, revealed an understanding of elementary general music, a multimodal, fun, school subject, as a vehicle for teaching children how to be kind and respectful humans. Threads that emerged from the stories linked connections between compassionate care, …

Culturally Responsive Coaching: Supervision With A Cultural Lens, Jouanna Crossland-Wells

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Culturally Responsive Practices (CRP) are a focal point for many districts across the country. The emphasis of CRP is on how the institution enacts policies and practices for the benefit of the students they serve. This study views CRP from a different lens. The focus of this study is to 1.) center the voice of Black teachers and 2.) explore culturally responsive practices for the support and edification of the teacher from their coach/supervisor. The eight Black teacher participants and their instructional coaches engaged in interviews discussing current coaching models and the dynamics of their coaching relationships.

The relevant findings …