Elementary Education Commons^™

Creative Product Problem-Solving Game, Audrey C. Rule, K. Zhbanova, A. Hileman Webb, Jordan P. Evans, J. S. Schneider, Harun Parpucu, S. Logan, B. Van Meeteren, Z. Alkouri, Blake S. Ruane

Open Educational Resources

Creativity is a talent that undergirds invention and innovation, making it an important skill in today’s society. Although students are often told to “be creative,” they many times do not know how and have little practice in this skill. This document presents an analysis of 33 creative products made by adult participants at a state conference for educators working with preK-12 gifted students or their teachers as a model for what teachers can do in their classrooms to allow students to practice creative thinking. During the conference presentation, Torrance’s creative strengths were reviewed with photographic examples, definitions, and suggestions printed …

Leading Learning In Education And Philanthrophy : 2011 Survey Report, Michelle Anderson, Emma Curtin

Leading Learning in Education and Philanthropy (LLEAP)

The findings of the first national survey on philanthropy in education have confirmed that when it comes to grant seeking, those least equipped can often be the ones most in need, with nine out of ten Australian schools surveyed considering themselves novices at philanthropic grant seeking. The three-year Leading Learning in Education and Philanthropy (LLEAP) project seeks to explore whether the full potential of funding and partnerships across the philanthropic and education sectors is being achieved. The 2011 Survey Report, released in November, uses the responses of 302 schools, not-for-profits, philanthropic foundations and trusts to help form a clearer picture …

The Impact Of Singapore Math On Student Knowledge And Enjoyment In Mathematics, Jenny Taliaferro Blalock

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the Singapore Math curriculum and approach to teaching on enjoyment and knowledge in mathematics in one rural school district in north Louisiana. The quantitative data used were collected from a Math Enjoyment Inventory and a mixed skills pre and posttest. Additional supplemental data were collected from a Teacher Response Form. All data were gathered in the 2010–2011 school year, and an intact population was utilized. Participants were categorized into two groups, the Singapore Math group and the traditional math group. The participating district implemented Singapore Math in the fall …

Technology Use In The Middle School Mathematics Classroom, Heather Prestegord

Mathematics Graduate Theses

This paper will examine the outcomes of using technology in middle school mathematics. The author will find research on how implementing technology affects students’ ability to learn mathematics. The author will also analyze if teachers are incorporating technology effectively and how teachers can be better equipped to successfully use technology in the middle school mathematics classroom.

He Knows..., Toni Crumley

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

Understanding Fourth Graders' Decline In Reading Motivation From Students' And Teachers' Perspectives, Christine A. Hebert

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

Previous research by Chall and Jacobs (2003) documented the phenomena of the fourth grade slump, a period in which students switch from learning to read to reading to learn and the subsequent loss of motivation to read. The purpose of this research is to present a phenomenological qualitative study of whether a sample of fourth grade students, low-achieving readers and average achieving readers, exhibited a loss in their motivation to read. Students' responses to a standardized conversational survey and questionnaire, the Motivation to Read Profile (Gambrell, Palmer, Codling & Mazzoni, 2007) and teachers' responses to a researcher-developed questionnaire were examined …

Developing And Assessing Stem Curriculum With The Intent Of Promoting Technological Literacy, Scott Bartholomew, Geoff Wright, Ron Terry

Faculty Publications

Developing and Assessing STEM Curriculum with the Intent of Promoting Technological Literacy Technological literacy is a key component of President Barack Obama’s $260 Million STEM educational initiative (Office of the Press Secretary, 2009). Central to his plan is STEM teacher training and curriculum development. Both of these issues were addressed and are currently being measured by the research outlined in this paper. Spring2010 a collection of technology and engineering education graduate students developed with mentoring from two technology and engineering education professors 20 lesson unit and lesson plans promoting technological literacy. The lesson plans are currently being used and assessed …

The Social Context Of Urban School Reform: Collective Efficacy And Student Achievement, Carla E. Ellis

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this correlational study was to determine if between-school variance in school-level student achievement is related to collective teacher efficacy in 10 urban elementary schools in Chicago. It also examined the effects of teacher leaders’ implementation of a School-University partnership and the leadership characteristics of principals on school collective efficacy. Collective teacher efficacy was measured using Goddard’s (1998) 6-point 21-item Likert Collective Teacher Efficacy scale. There were 280 teachers and 53 teacher leaders who completed the scale. The Collective Teacher Efficacy scale results were analyzed and examined in relationship to school-level Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) test …

The Impact Of Manipulatives On Learning In The Elementary And Middle School Mathematics Classroom, Laura Dahl

Mathematics Graduate Theses

This paper is a review of research pertaining to the use of manipulatives in the elementary and middle school mathematics classrooms. It embodies the logic behind using manipulative materials in the classroom setting and the impact their use will have on student understanding and enjoyment for learning mathematical concepts. This research paper will identify the struggles and concerns of manipulative use along with the need of increased professional development and training for teachers to be better prepared for the daunting, yet rewarding challenges of successfully teaching mathematics.

Where The Wild Things Are And Why They Will Endure: An Analysis Of The Longevity Of Maurice Sendak's Work, Ana Appel

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This study looks to explain why Maurice Sendak's works have achieved a place in the classic cannon of children's literature. It starts by discussing children's literary theory and looks at the era of children's literature within which Sendak wrote, his illustrations, and his writing. The study then looks at psychoanalytic themes in his work. It analyzes the use of the conscious, unconscious, id, and ego. It further describes the use of archetypes of the collective unconscious in Sendak's work and why this connects to many readers. Then, the study describes bibliotherapy, books as therapeutic aids, and discusses how Sendak's books …

Making Connections Between Science And Equity: A Motivation To Teach Science In Elementary Grades, Grinell Smith, Colette Rabin

Faculty Publications

Teacher quality is among the strongest correlates of student outcomes. However, only about a quarter of the nation’s elementary teachers consider themselves qualified to teach science. In this descriptive and exploratory study, we investigated whether helping pre-service teacher candidates explore connections between science and issues of equity, particularly around sustainability issues, could help them see the importance of teaching science to their students more often. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from 59 students enrolled in revised science methods courses at a large public university. Our findings suggest that positioning science instruction thusly was perceived as a strong motivator to …

Character Education Seeking The Best Of Both Worlds: A Study Of Cultural Identity And Leadership In Egypt., Rania M Rafik Khalil, Nevien Mattar

English Language and Literature

No abstract provided.

Test Score Differentials And Returns To Literacy Across Race/Gender Groups, Kevin Hollenbeck

Presentations

No abstract provided.

Student Achievement And Cte, Kevin Hollenbeck

Presentations

No abstract provided.

Choice Theory: An Effective Approach To Classroom Discipline And Management, Elvin Gabriel, Lionel Matthews

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Raising Academic Achievement In Michigan's K-12 Schools, Kevin Hollenbeck

Presentations

No abstract provided.

Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival, Karen Rowell, The University Of Southern Mississippi, The University Of Southern Mississippi's School Of Library And Information Science

Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival Programs

The program for the forty-fourth annual Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival held on the campus of The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi in 2011.

The Shining Sun Issue 23: Winter 2011, University Lower School

University School Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Lleap 2011 Overview For Schools, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Leading Learning in Education and Philanthropy (LLEAP)

This brief document provides an overview specifically for schools of findings from the Leading Learning in Education and Philanthropy (LLEAP) 2011 survey. LLEAP is a three-year national project that explores the impact of philanthropy in education in Australia. The survey findings cover what philanthropic foundations and trusts offer, the extent of school knowledge about the work of philanthropic foundations and trusts and how philanthropic foundations and trusts perceive how grant seeking applications can improve.

Lleap 2011 Overview For Philanthropic Foundations And Trusts, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Leading Learning in Education and Philanthropy (LLEAP)

Leading Learning in Education and Philanthropy (LLEAP) is a three-year national project that explores the impact of philanthropy in education in Australia. A survey was conducted of schools, philanthropic organisations and not for profits. This brief report provides a brief overview of the survey in relation to what philanthropic foundations and trusts reported were their key priority areas and target audiences.

Evaluation Of The Effectiveneess Of Social Work Intervention In The "Making Attendance A Priority Program", Justine Beatriz Rangel

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to address the problem of truancy by looking at what types of effective interventions helped to decrease truancy within the preadolescent population. This study looks at the correlation between a social work intervention and attendence with 27 fifth grade students who were in the MAPP program (Making Attendance a Priority Program). An evaluation of the effectiveness of a social work intervention on truancy rates for students in the MAPP program.

Case 4: Padbury School Community Links Project, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Tender Bridge

Padbury Primary School have found several funds and potential partners through Tender Bridge to assist them in developing a key school-community initiative: Padbury School Community Links Project. In this Tender Bridge Case, Aaron Young (Principal of Padbury Primary School) explains where the idea for the Padbury School Community Links Project came from, and how they are going about growing their great educational project to improve outcomes for the children at Padbury.

Lleap 2011 Overview For Not-For-Profits, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Leading Learning in Education and Philanthropy (LLEAP)

LLEAP is a three-year national project that explores the impact of philanthropy in education in Australia. A survey was conducted in 2011 by LLEAP of schools, philanthropics and not-for-profits. This brief overview reports on the survey findings in relation to not-for-profit organisations.

Student Perceptions Of Responsive Classroom In An Urban Setting, Jeremy Lee Jones

Theses and Graduate Projects

Responsive Classroom is an approach to elementary teaching that focuses on the social, emotional, and academic needs of children by creating a warrn classroom environment. Responsive Classroom incorporates ten classroom practices into its educational framework. These classroom practices consist of: morning meeting, rule creation, interactive modeling, positive teacher language, logical consequences, guided discovery, academic choice, classroom organization, working with families, and collaborative problem solving. Through the use of in- depth interviews, this study seeks to explore student perceptions of Responsive Classroom based on a specific population of urban students. Themes that emerged from the interviews were: (l) Responsive Classroom establishes …

Reading Comprehension Strategy Handbook For Third, Fourth, And Fifth Grade Reluctant Readers, Cheryl Jordan

All Graduate Projects

The focus of this project is to provide a variety ofreading comprehension strategies for reluctant readers at Adams Elementary and also to demonstrate the need for a supplemental handbook that addresses the "gaps" with the Walk to Read program (spiral curriculum). This research will reveal that teacher guidance facilitates student learning, motivates students, and provides opportunities to dialog with classmates in a context of creating connections. The project includes a discussion related to the rationale supporting this project, along with a review of related literature. The repertoire of reading strategies in this project is designed to encourage the student to …

Elementary Teachers' Views Of Environmental Education, Rose M. Hotchkiss

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to examine teachers' views of environmental education (EE) at the elementary level. The study addresses teachers' attitudes toward the EE at the elementary school level and their self-efficacy in teaching EE.

The study's sample consisted of 201 randomly selected kindergarten through fifth grade United States public school teachers. The participants completed an on-line survey with eight percent of the respondents participating in follow up interviews. The questionnaire measured two constructs; Teachers Attitudes Toward EE and Teacher Efficacy in EE. Teachers Attitudes Toward EE had 3 subscales; Advocacy for EE, Stewardship in EE, …

The Quest For A Meaningful “Special Education”: The Educational Journeys Of Nine Students With Learning Disabilities From An Inaccessible Learning Environment To One That Enabled Them To Learn, Amy E. Ballin

Educational Studies Dissertations

This ethnographic case study follows the educational journeys of nine students with learning disabilities who with luck and parental advocacy attend a school designed to address their disability. The researcher explores the role of cultures, both within and outside the school, and examines some of the effects of the social construction of special education on student learning.

This study draws no conclusions regarding the connections between the cultures at the school and the student’s success. However it does highlight the perspective of students, parents, and teachers, noting the ways in which they describe how and why this school environment allowed …

The Migration Of People: A Model Application Exploring Washington State History, Jamie Nicole Hartman

All Graduate Projects

One of the things that makes Washington State a culturally competent and perceptive place to live is its deep history and appreciation of the migration of its' people. This project is designed to serve as a model and resource for upper elementary school teachers that are seeking to integrate the migration of people into their Washington State History curriculum. A sample inquiry-based curriculum for upper elementary school students "The Migration of People" is offered as a depiction of exceptional classroom practice. Student roles, activities, and assessment methods are portrayed, along with thier connection to core curriculum content and the Washington …

Strategies To Improve Math Fact Fluency In Elementary School Students, Jennifer Whealy

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project is to develop a guide that contains strategies to improve math fact fluency in elementary school students. The guide is developed to be used by elementary school teachers in Washington State to show them how to incorporate strategies for math fact fluency into their math curriculum. The math fact fluency strategies ca:n be used to help teachers support students in their understanding of their basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts. This guide will contain research based strategies to improve math fact fluency for kindergarten through fifth grade students. The guide will include research based …

The Effects Of Learning Groups On Student Achievement And Attitude In A Sixth Grade Mathematics Class, Jay Randall Mcguffin

All Graduate Projects

A handbook for implementing "Student Team Learning" as an alternative teaching strategy for middle level math teachers was developed after conducting extensive action research project within a sixth grade math classroom. A literature review on barriers to learning mathematics in middle schools and Student Team Learning as a teaching strategy was conducted. An action research project was conducted and from the pre to post-test data and best practices implementation regarding student team learning methods the handbook project was constructed. The handbook includes an introduction to Student Team Learning; guidelines for implementation; a student attitude survey; lesson practice questions, review sheets, …