Strawberry Exploration: Using Our Senses, Ava Bauch, Michaela Barthel, Cacee Danielson, Brooke Kraft

OER Materials

This lesson plan provides an engaging inquiry-based science experience for second-grade students by using strawberries as a hands-on tool for exploring the five senses and developing observation skills. The lesson aligns with science standards focused on planning and conducting investigations based on observable properties. Students learn how scientists use their senses to gather information while also building communication and collaboration skills. The central focus is for students to investigate strawberries through sight, touch, smell, and taste, then record and compare their findings with classmates. The lesson begins with an introduction to the five senses through visuals and guided discussion. Students …

Case Study Of The Loch Ness Monster, Ava Bauch, Cami Mayo, Sean Savage

OER Materials

This lesson plan presents an engaging interdisciplinary learning experience for fourth-grade students that integrates social studies and language arts through the mystery of the Loch Ness Monster. Using the 5E instructional model, students investigate the legend while developing literacy and geographic reasoning skills. The lesson aligns with standards requiring students to make inferences using text evidence and use geographic tools to gather and report information. Students begin by examining a map of Scotland through See-Think-Wonder and Think-Pair-Share strategies, using observation and discussion to identify locations and making predictions about where the Loch Ness Monster story takes place. This opening activity …

Ecosystem Of The Loch Ness Monster, Ava Bauch, Cami Mayo, Sean Savage

OER Materials

This lesson plan provides an engaging interdisciplinary learning experience for fourth-grade students by combining language arts and science through the theme of the Loch Ness ecosystem. Using the 5E instructional model students build understanding of ecosystems, food webs, and informational text comprehension. The lesson aligns with standards focused on making inferences with text evidence and constructing arguments about how plants and animals use structures for survival, growth, and reproduction. Students begin by analyzing an image of the Loch Ness Monster and discussing what they see, think, and wonder. This introductory activity activates prior knowledge from earlier lessons while encouraging curiosity …

The Relationship Between Participants In The Certificate Of Educational Technology And Information Literacy (Coetail) Program And Professional Capital, Benjamin J. Sheridan

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

This study aimed to explore how educators involved in the Certificate of Educational Technology and Information Literacy (COETAIL) program perceived the development of their professional capital within an online, cohort-based professional learning community. Based on Hargreaves and Fullan’s (2012) concept of professional capital, which includes human, social, and decisional capital, and guided by social learning theories, the study examined participants’ perceptions of professional capital development, the program features related to that development, and how participation influenced their professional paths. The research focused on international school settings, where educators often rely on networked professional learning because of geographic mobility and limited …

Supporting K-5 Computer Science Integration Through High-Quality Teacher Professional Development, Shanan Chappell Moots, Joanna K. Garner, Joseph A. Brobst, Melani Loney, Lisa Steffian, Jennifer Maeng

Center for Educational Partnerships Publications

Workforce development and education leaders have increasingly emphasized the need for high-quality computer science (CS) instruction for K-12 students. Though states have created and mandated the implementation of CS curriculum standards, few in-service teachers have been provided sufficient opportunities to develop CS pedagogical content knowledge and self-efficacy. This study evaluated the effect of a CS integration professional development (PD) program on K-5 teachers' perceptions of their capacity to teach CS and their implementation of CS-integrated lessons using a randomized controlled trial design. Treatment included an intensive online summer institute with school year follow-up. Results indicate statistically significant effects of the …

A Descriptive Study Of Culturally Responsive Practices In Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports (Pbis) In West Virginia Elementary Schools, Janna Rae Coleman

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This descriptive mixed-methods study examined elementary teachers’ implementation and perceived effectiveness of culturally responsive practices within existing Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) systems in a West Virginia school district. Guided by Leverson et al.’s (2021) Culturally Responsive PBIS (CRPBIS) framework, the study explored five components of culturally responsive practice: identity, voice, supportive environment, situational appropriateness, and data for equity. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 86 elementary teachers using the researcher-developed Culturally Responsive Practices in Existing PBIS Survey. Findings indicated that teachers reported frequent implementation and perceived effectiveness across all five components, with the supportive environment receiving …

Engaging Elementary Music Students Through Multisensory Teaching In A Kodály-Inspired Classroom, Chelsea Taylor

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Multisensory teaching is an instructional approach that is increasingly implemented in general education classrooms. Although it has been widely studied in special education settings and in the teaching of reading skills, it has not been extensively examined within music education. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of multisensory instruction on student engagement, comprehension, and retention of concepts in my elementary music classroom. Through Kodály-inspired lessons that challenged students to audiate pitches while kinesthetically building a pentatonic scale, notate music on textured surfaces, and play games that incorporated simultaneous sensory input, these lessons intentionally integrated visual, auditory, …

The Acquisition Of English Proficiency By English Language Learners In The Elementary Grades: An Event History Analysis, Elisabete Sousa

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

It is important that educators develop a deeper understanding of the process by which English Language Learners (ELL) acquire English proficiency. This hypothesis-generating event history study followed 285 Grade K-5 ELLs in a suburban public school district in New York State. Its longitudinal component used Kaplan-Meier techniques to provide a descriptive foundation and then conducted discrete-time event history analyses using binary logistic regression to create parametric life tables, analyze the effects of dual-language instruction and other factors, and estimate transition times between proficiency categories and overall. The cross-sectional component employed ordered logistic regression to analyze selected effects on classification into …

Perception Matters: A Case Study Exploring How Belief Systems Affect Family-School Partnerships And Family Literacy Initiatives In A Title I School, Kwtay Calvin

Dissertations

Family-school partnerships have been shown to have positive effects on students’ overall performance in school. However, in many instances schools have not used partnerships effectively to support literacy learning, particularly for Black families. Teacher bias, negative perceptions, and lack of cultural responsiveness hinder teachers’ effort to build meaningful relationships with Black families to best support family literacy. This qualitative study aimed to examine family-school partnerships through the experiences of school principals, teachers, and Black families to gain insight into the factors that impact collaborative relationships and family literacy support. This study is framed in critical race theory, the theory of …

A Systematic Literature Review Of The Possible Negative Impacts Of Overconsumption Of Mass Media And Technology On Elementary-Aged Members Of Generation Z (1997–2012) And Generation Alpha (2013–2024), Ashya Y. Warren

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis explores the possible negative impacts of overconsumption of mass media and technology on the elementary-aged members of Generation Z (1997-2012) and Generation Alpha (2013-2024). This research is aimed at establishing the relationship between excessive and uncontrolled exposure to digital media and cognitive, emotional, social, behavioral, and academic difficulties at a critical period of child growth. The purpose of this systematic literature review can be explained by the author's experience with technology overuse and professional interests as a future teacher, who should be prepared to help promote healthy childhood and development. The systematic literature review was based on peer-reviewed …

Stuck In The Middle?: A Design Project To Support Do Not Qualify (Dnq) And Other Struggling Students At The Elementary Level, Steven T. Hartnett, Kevin M. Parkinson, Whitney M. Wayman

Doctor of Education Capstones

This dissertation in practice is designed to support New Kent County Public Schools, which noticed an increase in students being referred for special education services without a concomitant increase in students being found eligible for such services. Systems mapping revealed a root cause of this discrepancy is that the division lacked a comprehensive intervention plan consistently implemented, and - as a result - some students were referred for special education services not due to the presence of a potential learning disability, but merely for lack of other available options. Using tenets from design thinking and design-based research, the project co-created …

Operationalizing Mtss: A Case Study Of Principal Leadership Practices In Guiding School-Based Leadership Teams Through Inquiry And Improvement Science, Heather M. Teto

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic widened academic achievement gaps, creating an urgent mandate for school leaders to implement systemic, data-driven frameworks to support student academic recovery. While the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a widely adopted framework for addressing these disparities, its success is dependent on the strategic involvement and instructional leadership of the school principal. This qualitative case study explores the lived experiences and leadership characteristics of elementary school principals as they lead School-Based Leadership Teams in implementing a district-developed MTSS framework.

Guided by the principles of Improvement Science and the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) inquiry cycle, this research examines the specific …

Preparing Elementary Teachers Through Targeted Science Content And Hands-On Learning, Manar Yamany, Jeffrey Carver, Susie Huggins, Arooj Justin, Yuanhua Wang

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Concurrent Session Papers

This session presents an instructional approach implemented in the undergraduate course Science for Elementary Educators, designed to intentionally align science content instruction with the specific learning needs of future elementary teachers. The course focuses on developing conceptual understanding in core elementary science domains, physical science, life science, and earth and space science, while modeling developmentally appropriate instructional practices suitable for elementary classrooms.

The teaching practice emphasizes hands-on, inquiry-based science experiences that reflect the types of learning activities preservice teachers are expected to facilitate with their own students, while engaging with the content at a deeper conceptual level appropriate for …

Elementary Teachers’ Perspectives On Science Of Reading Mandates: A Q Methodology Study Of Autonomy And Cultural Responsiveness, Gui Ying Annie Yang-Heim

Faculty Publications - College of Education

This study examines elementary teachers’ perspectives on Science of Reading (SoR) mandates, with particular attention to tensions between instructional autonomy and cultural responsiveness. Using Q methodology, 26 elementary literacy teachers sorted 48 statements reflecting beliefs about literacy instruction, assessment, and equity. Factor analysis with varimax rotation yielded 3 distinct factors, with significant loading set at ± 0.37 (p <  .01). The resulting factor structures reveal differentiated viewpoints regarding the perceived benefits and constraints of SoR-aligned policies. While some teachers emphasized the value of structured, skills-based instruction for supporting early reading development, others foregrounded concerns about reduced professional autonomy and the marginalization of culturally responsive and contextually grounded practices. Post-sort interviews were analyzed alongside factor arrays to support interpretation and to clarify how teachers articulated the reasoning underlying their rankings. The findings indicate that teachers’ responses to SoR mandates are not uniformly oppositional or compliant but reflect nuanced negotiations among policy expectations, professional judgment, and commitments to equity. By integrating quantitative patterning with qualitative interpretation, this study contributes methodologically to Q research in education and substantively to ongoing debates about prescriptive literacy reforms and culturally responsive teaching.

Framing The Gray: A Photovoice Study Of Parents’ Experiences Supporting Elementary Mathematics Learning At Home, Rebekah Ulmer

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This narrative photovoice study explored how elementary parents understand their role in supporting mathematics at home. The research asked three foundational questions: How do parents of elementary students describe their personal experiences with learning mathematics? How do parents of elementary students describe their experiences with supporting mathematics at home with their children? What factors influence parents' experiences with mathematics? Fourteen parents, eight with experience as educators and six without, participated by sharing photographs in response to five prompts and discussing what those images meant to them. Their stories revealed that, for these families, mathematics isn't neatly divided into “school math” …

Effective Practices In A School-Based Mentorship Program: Insights From An Elementary School Setting, Kimberly Noele Steger

Dissertations and Theses

(School-based mentoring programs) SBMPs have demonstrated beneficial outcomes for mentees, mentors, and overall school culture; however, their effectiveness was highly dependent on intentional implementation and the educators who facilitated them. Limited research exists on how SBMPs were practically introduced, structured, and sustained; thus underscoring the need for deeper examination of successful implementation practices. Therefore, this case study explored the implementation of SBMPs within a specific elementary school, focusing on mentors’ perceptions and experiences. The researcher sought to understand mentors’ roles within the program, including their successes and challenges, the training and support they received, and how implementation conditions influenced their …

What Do They Expect? Understanding Preservice Teachers' Views On A Social Studies Teaching Methodology Course, Jeanine A. Clark Bremer

Dissertations of Practice

This dissertation examined preservice teachers’ expectations of their social studies methods course. Methods courses serve as a transition point helping preservice teachers to take content knowledge and learn how to use it as an educator. Social studies methods was selected due to its unique position in elementary education. It is a subject area that is no longer a core subject. Despite that, teachers are still expected to provide students with the content knowledge. The expectations matter because of how they influence preservice teachers’ approaches to the course.

As a phenomenological case study, qualitative methods were employed to better understand how …

Ai Policy In Virginia Public Schools: A Comparative Analysis, Jesse Senechal, Jamelle Simmons, Jonathan D. Becker, Melissa Ware, Michael Broda, Kindy Anderson, Eric Byers, Kiana Bradford, Thea Racelis, Meleah Ellison

MERC Publications

This MERC research and policy review explores policy implications of artificial intelligence (AI) in Virginia public schools. It is part of a two part series with a companion report focused on AI implications for PK-12 teaching and learning. The report has two parts:

1. A review of the AI policy landscape around PK-12 education
2. Virginia AI policy analysis

It concludes with a series of key takeaways and recommendations for PK-12 policy and practice.

Ai In Pk-12 Education: Implications For Teaching And Learning, David Naff, Meleah Ellison, Casey Bailey, Tzu-Wei Wang, Kiana Bradford

MERC Publications

This research and policy review from the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) explores the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) for teaching and learning in public PK-12 education. It is part of a two part series with a companion report focused on AI implications for PK-12 policy. The report explores two questions:

1. How is AI shaping teaching and instructional practice?
2. How is AI shaping student learning and development?

It concludes with a series of key takeaways and recommendations for PK-12 policy and practice.

Exploring Phonics Intervention For Elementary Students, Hallee Thomas

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Teacher Shortage Crisis: How Workplace Relationships Influence Retention, Attrition, And The Education Labor Market, Jeremy Brooks

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study took a closer look at how high school teachers perceive the ongoing teacher shortage, with particular attention to how workplace conditions and the broader school climate impact whether they choose to stay in the profession. Special focus was given to teachers in their first five years, a group especially vulnerable to early attrition. As the conversation around teacher turnover grows louder, this research seeks to better understand what’s driving teachers’ decisions from their own perspectives, not just policy data or administrative assumptions.

The study used a basic qualitative research design, relying on one-on-one, in-depth interviews to gather insights …

Exploring Teacher Perceptions: A Comparative Analysis Of Departmentalized And Self-Contained Instructional Models In First And Second Grades, Jason R. Trotter

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative multiple-case study examined the perceptions of first- and second-grade teachers who have taught in both the departmentalized and traditional self-contained instructional models. The study explored teachers’ perceived advantages and disadvantages of each model, examined how their experiences within each model influenced instructional strategies and classroom management approaches, and assessed their perceived impacts on student engagement and learning outcomes. Each grade level was a bounded case. This study was conducted at a Title I elementary school in Southeast Georgia, where both models were implemented.

Guided by social constructivism, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven teachers (four first-grade and three …

Another Day's Journey: Birthing Brilliance Through Culturally Relevant/Responsive/Sustaining Pedagogies, Letitice Johnson

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examines the implementation of culturally relevant/responsive/sustaining mathematics using hip-hop pedagogy with special education students. The theoretical frameworks for this include with Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 1995), Culturally Responsive Teaching (Gay, 2018), and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (Paris & Alim, 2014). Utilizing an autobiographical case study methodology, I examined the use of culturally relevant math tasks and hip-hop pedagogy with 3^rd grade students with disabilities. From this study, the following findings emerged: (1). Learning environments characterized by hope, empathy, and critical agency can be cultivated through the use of community resources and structured classroom norms that promote support, collaboration, …

Because It's Family: A Generic Qualitative Study Of The Implementation Of Restorative Practices In A Urban Middle School Classroom, Anthony Rodriguez

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Restorative Circles provide an answer to creating engaging, creative and positive elementary classroom environments. There is currently limited research of the practice’s efficacy in K-12 classrooms and even more so from the point of view of the student’s experience. This General Research study explored the co-creation of a trusting classroom environment through the structural implementation of Restorative Practice Circles. The responses collected provided an opportunity for the participants to provide insight on their experiences and perceptions of the classroom engagement approach and express their thoughts on its weekly implementation over the course of one academic school year. Utilizing Restorative Justice …

Examining The Association Between Educational Spending In Well-Resourced School Districts And The Academic Performance Of Hispanic Students In Low Socioeconomic Communities, Alicia Cieszykowski

Dissertations of Practice

ABSTRACT

EXAMINING THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN EDUCATIONAL SPENDING IN WELL-RESOURCED SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF HISPANIC STUDENTS IN LOW SOCIOECONOMIC COMMUNITIES

Alicia Cieszykowski

Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations

Northern Illinois University, 2026

Benjamin Creed, Director

This study examined the relationship between school district expenditure patterns and academic performance for Hispanic students in adequately funded Illinois school districts. Using a quantitative correlational design, the study explored whether overall spending levels and the allocation of financial resources were associated with Hispanic student achievement and Hispanic–White academic disparities in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. The sample included Illinois Tier …

Implementing Restorative Practices For Girls In Elementary School Classrooms: A Participatory Action Research Approach, Mellissa Douglas

Dissertations of Practice

This participatory action research study examined how varying approaches to implementing restorative practices, together with teacher collaboration and influence, support resilience, enhance communication, establish healthy boundaries, encourage accountability, and build confidence among elementary school girls ages 8–10. Two third-grade teachers, three fourth-grade teachers, and three fifth-grade teachers in a midwestern elementary school implemented restorative practices through proactive circles or conferences over the course of forty school days. The eight teacher participants recorded the implementation of restorative practices in an action research journal, field notes, and photographs, and they collaborated to discuss strengths, areas in need of support, and next steps. …

The Impact Of High-Quality Phonological Awareness Professional Learning On In-Service Teachers' Content Knowledge And Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Roberta S. Thomas

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This convergent mixed-method study examined the impact of high-quality phonological awareness professional learning on Montessori primary lead, associate, and team associate teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge of phonological awareness. Eleven teachers (4 lead, 4 associates, and 2 team associates) from a private school in northeast Florida participated in four professional sessions with a content focus on the levels of phonological awareness, including word, syllable, onset and rime, and phoneme awareness. In contrast to previous studies that reported low levels of teacher content knowledge prior to professional learning, participants in this study demonstrated relatively high levels of content knowledge. …

Music And Language Arts Integration And Its Impact On Reading Comprehension: A Social Action Research Study, Felisha L. Coady

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This action research study examines the interconnectedness of music and language arts, specifically focusing on reading comprehension. In this study, a program called Music Connections was developed and used as a pilot to improve reading comprehension skills in primary education. The targeted population of the Music Connections program was 30 third-grade students in an inner-city school in Ohio. After six weeks of reteaching concepts through the Music Connections program, students were given a second interim with these concepts to show results and mastery. Data from this study showed that students who participated in the Music Connections program (Group A) grew …

Research Brief: Developing Confident Professionals: Exploring Preservice Teachers’ Self-Efficacy After Attending Their First Professional Conference, David Wolff, Scott Klimek

OER Materials

This study focused on a convergent parallel mixed-methods study which explored how undergraduate preservice teachers perceived professional self-efficacy during their first conference, the Minnesota Rural Education Association’s (MREA) Greater Minnesota Education Summit. The Greater Minnesota Education Summit highlights successful programs and practices in rural education across Minnesota. The Future Educator Workshop (FEW) was a subcomponent during the summit which gave aspiring teachers opportunities to build resumes, practice interviewing, network with school leaders, and engage in conference sessions, helping them prepare for the teaching profession.

Pre- and post-conference surveys measured changes in self-efficacy. Autophotography paired with photo elicitation allowed participants to …

Teacher Judgment In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence: Collaborative Inquiry Into Generative Ai For Udl-Aligned Instructional Planning In Elementary English Language Arts, Melissa G. Metz

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This action research study explores how teacher-facing generative artificial intelligence (GAI), specifically Google Gemini, can support educators in UDL-aligned instructional planning within a Title I elementary school. Although AI is often discussed in terms of student-facing applications, less is known about how GAI can assist teachers with lesson planning, differentiation, and the demands of sustaining inclusive Tier I instruction. Guided by a conceptual framework integrating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and technology integration perspectives, the study engaged four educators in collaborative inquiry through AI Visioning Workshops, reflections, interviews, and planning artifacts.

Data were analyzed through iterative coding, analytic memoing, and …