Recentering Family-Teacher Partnerships Through The Lens Of Unconditional Positive Regard, Lindsay Stoetzel, Jennifer Vanderground, Karen Abraham

Michigan Reading Journal

This paper examines the complexities of building family-teacher partnerships in the literacy classroom. While research continues to support the need for family engagement in literacy learning, a number of contextual factors pose barriers to building such relationships, negatively impacting children, families, and teachers alike. While organizational approaches are needed to fully address this long-standing issue, we offer the lens of unconditional positive regard as an approach individual teachers might adopt in their own work. Unconditional positive regard supports educators to partner with families by focusing on emotional regulation, acknowledging agency over ideologies, and prioritizing shared goal setting. Recommendations illustrate how …

A Broken Glass And Its Pieces: The Psychological Impact On Children In Gaza, Qamar Bazar

Publications and Research

This review article is on the psychological effects of ongoing violence on children living in Gaza through a trauma-informed approach to bring together research from academic articles, clinical studies, and journalistic reports published between 2023 and 2025. Based on the sources selected, their focus is on children’s mental health and whether they came from trusted and credible platforms. Rather than just summarizing the research, the paper uses relevant sources to understand how distress shows up in children with mental health struggles such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dissociative amnesia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Questions like how they are related to …

The Role Of A Lower Elementary Principal In Championing Co-Teaching As A Strategy To Promote Inclusive Education, Lauren Pigue Keen

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative autoethnographic study explores the role of a lower elementary principal in leading a co-teaching initiative to create a more inclusive educational environment for students with disabilities. Rooted in Lewin’s Change Theory, the study examines how personal experience, professional vision, and intentional leadership contributed to the implementation and expansion of co-teaching practices within an early childhood setting. The research focuses on the principal’s dual role as both a systems-level change agent and an insider experiencing the transformation firsthand. Data were collected through reflective narrative, stakeholder interviews, and document analysis to provide a comprehensive view of the leadership decisions, cultural …

Exploring Teacher Perception Of Student Engagement Within The Online Learning Environment: A Transcendental Phenomenology Study, Donia Frances Rinaldi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the shared experiences of elementary teachers who foster engagement through social presence in virtual classrooms. The theory guiding this study is Whiteside’s social presence model as it relates to engaging students in their online studies. The central research question is, “What are the shared experiences of elementary teachers who use social presence to foster engagement in their virtual classrooms?” In this qualitative study, data was collected through individual interviews, focus groups, and letter-writing with 10 online teachers chosen from a purposeful sample in an online program. The analysis of data …

Exploring Elementary Mathematics Teachers’ Use Of Learning Analytics For Educating Black And Hispanic Students In Low Socioeconomic Schools: A Multiple-Case Study, Eboni Nichols

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to understand the role of learning analytics with teachers who develop the mathematics skills of Black and Hispanic elementary students in Title I schools. The theory that guided this study was Mezirow’s transformative learning theory, as it provides a framework for how new information can transform adults' thinking and actions. The central research question that guided the study was: How do elementary teachers in Title I schools use learning analytics to develop the mathematics skills of Black and Hispanic students? The study was conducted using a multiple-case study design. Purposive sampling and snowball …

A Seat At The Schoolhouse Table: Reimagining Education Through Afrofuturist And Womanist Theory, Natasha M. Capers

Student Theses

“A Seat at the Schoolhouse Table: Reimagining Education Through Afrofuturist and Womanist Theory” critically examines how curriculum, even when well-intentioned, can perpetuate harm by excluding the lived experiences of marginalized communities—especially Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQIA+ students. Using a real middle school immigration assignment given to the author's son as a case study, this capstone deconstructs the structural biases embedded in curriculum design and proposes a radical reimagining through the liberatory lenses of Afrofuturism and Womanism. Blending scholarly inquiry, personal narrative, and community-based interviews, this project offers a restructured assignment that centers joy, identity, and speculative storytelling as tools for educational …

Challenging Dominant Mindset Ideologies: Transforming Teaching And Learning That Impact Latinx Students, Francisco Lopez

Dissertations

Teacher identity poses a central connection to social justice education as researchers call for studies to pay attention to the cultural identities of those teaching in our schools when practices like color blindness are a common practice amongst teachers that keeps racial and social power intact. Despite the overwhelming presence of White teachers nationwide, we must pay attention to the specific needs of Teachers of Color in our classrooms. The assumption is often made that teachers of Color already have the knowledge on how to enact culturally responsive pedagogy. This study investigates the relationship between Critical Race Theory (CRT) and …

Maybe It Really Is Those Damn Phones, Sarah F. Garvin

Honors Projects

Technology is an integral part of modern life and has extended into elementary classrooms where one-to-one device programs have become the norm. While technology can increase accessibility to education, its widespread integration in learning environments raises concerns about its long-term impact on students and teachers. This research critically examines gamified learning applications and technology use in elementary education, questioning whether they enhance learning, curiosity, and problem-solving skills. A qualitative methods approach was employed, using surveys and interviews conducted with educators in Seattle Public Schools to assess the effects of technology-driven instruction. The resulting data were analyzed through thematic analysis to …

Implementing A Schematic Word Problem Process In A Fourth-Grade Classroom, Anna R. Vidlak

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

Abstract Word problems represent a culmination of mathematical skills which often pose significant challenges for students who struggle with logical reasoning. The purpose of my study was to determine if implementing a word problem process in my math whole group would increase students’ ability to solve multistep math word problems. The word problem process implemented in this study was a schematic process called FOPS. In this process, students learned to identify three word problem types and their respective schematic diagrams in order to organize and solve word problems. This action research took place in a 4th-grade classroom. Students underwent a …

Small-Groups To Enhance Student Achievement And Confidence In Mathematics, Catie Tangeman

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

The purpose of this study was to focus on enhancing math instruction for a group of second-grade students. I saw a large gap in students’ skills at the beginning of the year and wanted to identify a way to strengthen instruction for their success. This study specifically focused on implementing differentiated small groups in math instruction to see if student achievement and confidence would increase. Data was collected in these small-groups through a pre/post-test, exit tickets, and surveys. The surveys helped measure confidence. All three methods helped progress monitor and track the effectiveness of small-group instruction for students. When the …

Building Early Phonemic Awareness, Tessa K. Sutfin

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

Alphabet knowledge and phonemic awareness skills are strong predictors of later reading ability (Stanley and Finch, 2018). Therefore, phonemic awareness and letter-sound relationships are skills that Kindergarteners have a limited amount of time to master. As a result, educators must think critically about the strategies and forms of assessment implemented to ensure they are setting young readers up for lifelong success in reading. The purpose of my study was to determine if explicit instruction in phonemic awareness and letter-sound correspondence would increase student ability to isolate, segment, blend, and decode grade-level text. Strategies included kinesthetic movements of the hands and …

Implementation Of Social-Emotional Learning, Jordyn Rippe

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

Social-emotional learning has shown distinction as strengthening students' social and emotional competencies, as well as enhancing the academic experience. The purpose of this study was to determine if the implementation of a social-emotional curriculum would improve competencies in social-emotional development and self-regulation skills. Students need adequate social and emotional instruction that will assist in being able to manage relationships, identify emotions, as well as regulate them. The focus of social-emotional learning is to create a fair learning environment for all students (Cipriano et al., 2022). Lack of social and emotional skills instruction in the classroom can severely impact the development …

A Phenomenological Study Of Factors That Impact Math Achievement In A Rural Midwestern Elementary School, Calina K. Krogen

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Abstract

Educational leaders are under pressure to improve student performance in the content area of math after the greatest decline since the National Assessment of Academic Performance began in 1969 (The Nation's Report Card, 2022). Educational leaders are aware of the increasing gap in student performance in mathematics. While teachers recognize the importance of developing math instruction based on student centered needs and differentiated instruction.

The purpose of this research was to conduct a phenomenological study based on the lived experience of rural elementary math teacher’s confidence in instructional practices and the factors that impact their efforts to …

A Qualitative Look At Relationships From A Teacher’S Perspective, Shayna Vastila

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study examines the role of teacher-student relationships grounded in the Social Learning Theory, Social Support Theory, as well as the Attachment Theory. The research explored how teachers perceive, establish, and maintain supportive relationships with their students, and how these relationships contribute to student engagement and academic motivation. Fifteen first-grade teachers from elementary schools participated in semi-structured interviews, sharing personal insights and practices around relationship building. Using key factors that foster positive relationships, including empathy, active listening, individualized support, and culturally responsive communication. Findings also highlight systemic barriers such as large class sizes, behavioral challenges, and the emotional …

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, …

Bio-Based Composites With Enhanced Mechanical Strength And Flame Retardancy, Riya Patel

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Composites are versatile and useful in many fields, including aerospace, automotive, construction, and healthcare, due to their high mechanical strength. It is common practice to synthesize these materials using petroleum-based chemicals. Nonetheless, in the twenty-first century, scientists are more interested in using renewable resources to create composites. The greatest substitute for petroleum-based chemicals is vegetable oil. It has unsaturated double bonds that are modifiable chemically. In the present study, bio-polyol was synthesized using castor oil, an inedible vegetable oil. A ring-opening process was used to modify it and produce castor oil-based polyol. The synthesized castor oil-based polyol was characterized by …

Mechanically Robust, Self-Healable, And Reprocessable Geraniol Based Epoxy Vitrimer By Boronic Ester Dynamic Cross-Links, Dharmikkumar Patel

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Covalent Adaptable Networks (CANs) are a pioneering family of polymers that have garnered significant attention in recent years and are characterized by covalent crosslinks that exhibit reversible dynamic alterations by external stimuli. Additionally, unlike traditional thermosets, CAN’s especially vitrimers, offer a range of properties such as self-healing, reprocessability, shape-memory, and recycling capabilities due to the dynamic feature of covalent crosslinks. Recently, an increasing trend in the global production of thermosets involves rapid consumption of petroleum-based resources, which has become a growing environmental concern. From this perspective, the development of eco-friendly thermosets from bio-based feedstocks is a possible way to overcome …

Empowering Paraprofessionals Through Behavioral Skills Training: Abc Data Recording, Addison Raso

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This study investigates the efficacy of the behavior skills training (BST) framework in enhancing data collection procedures for paraprofessionals. An add-in component analysis was used to evaluate the effectiveness of individual BST components. Three participants (i.e., Nathan, Molly, Bailey) were assessed across baseline, instruction, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback phases. Nathan showed little improvement, with low and variable performance across phases. Molly demonstrated gradual improvement, achieving high accuracy in the final phase with feedback. Bailey exhibited an initial decline, followed by a steady increase, reaching near-perfect accuracy in the final phase. Data analysis revealed an additive effect with feedback having the …

Expanding Anatomy Academy In The Las Vegas Metropolitan Area: A Service Learning Project To Improve Childhood Health Through Supplemental Educational Sessions, Alekzander Hall, Brandon Paige, Marlee Parkin, David Sanchez

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States, with approximately 18.5% of US children presenting with obesity. High levels of obesity are less common in higher income communities, but increasingly more prevalent in lower income communities. Currently in Clark County, Nevada, more specifically in lower socioeconomic communities and Title I schools within the Las Vegas area, there is an opportunity to educate students about the components of a healthier lifestyle to provide children with the tools to improve their health. Anatomy Academy (AA) is an eight-week health education program that was created to teach fourth and fifth grade …

Being In Community With Children And Engaging Their Full Range Of Civic Capabilities. A Response To "Learning To Talk And Listen In Elementary Social Studies: Exploring A Third-Grade Teacher’S Decision To Use Classroom Talk For Community Building", Katherina A. Payne

Democracy & Education

Early childhood social studies should open opportunities for children to make sense of their social world; the civic question of how we live together is central to the social world. Elementary classrooms are uniquely positioned to support democratic civic education given the amount of time children and adults spend together, the emphasis placed on cultivating a positive classroom community, and children’s capabilities to cultivate relationships full of care and concern for people from outside their close familial relations. In response to Lo’s (2025) examination of a third-grade teacher’s use of discussion to engage in contentious topics while cultivating a sense …

Learning To Talk And Listen In Elementary Social Studies: Exploring A Third-Grade Teacher’S Decision To Use Classroom Talk For Community Building, Jane C. Lo

Democracy & Education

With mounting polarization in the political arena and media sources, trust of one’s neighbors and of teachers are facing increasing strain in the United States. Furthermore, teachers continue to struggle with how to teach high-quality, nuanced, social studies, especially in the elementary setting, where time and resources for social studies has been depleting for decades (e.g., Fitchett et al., 2014; Heafner, 2018). Within this context, this study presents a case of a third-grade teacher who chooses to use discursive talk as a way to support high-quality social studies and to build community in her classroom. Findings suggest that classroom talk …

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 …

From Fables To Facts: Discovering The World Through Stories And Science, Lucille Helen Vanek

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

From Fables to Facts: Discovering the World Through Stories and Science examines the integration of narrative storytelling and hands-on scientific exploration as a means of cultivating environmental literacy, ethical reflection, and sustained engagement with the natural world. Grounded in environmental philosophy, aesthetics, and ethics, the project draws on theoretical insights from Holmes Rolston III, Marcia Muelder Eaton, Allen Carlson, Arnold Berleant, and C. Thi Nguyen to develop a multidimensional model of education that unites imagination, cognition, and participatory experience. Implemented in diverse Montana community settings—including libraries, early learning centers, science museums, and faith-based organizations—the program paired fables, parables, and literary …

Forging Freedom: Black Male Teachers, Their Maroon Communities, And Their Decision To Remain In The Elementary Classroom, Brandon Graves

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

America’s lack of Black male teachers continues to be an astonishing problem. This study explores Black male educators who have chosen to remain elementary school teachers in the southern region of America. Moreover, this dissertation examines how Black male elementary teachers create or engage in maroon communities. Through qualitative case study methods including a focus group, interviews, artifacts, and journal entries, the following questions were explored:

1. How do Black male teachers describe the lived experiences that contribute to their retention in elementary classrooms in urban areas in the South?
2. How do Black male teachers participate in or create maroon communities …

Student And Teacher Perceptions Regarding Incentives In The Classroom, Kaylee Darby

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

Incentives, which are a behavior management tool, have long existed in education as a way to motivate students to display targeted behaviors and achieve academic goals. This action research study, which was conducted in a first-grade classroom, had the purpose of understanding students’ and the teacher’s perceptions of incentives in the classroom. Through collecting surveys, interviewing the students and the classroom teacher, taking field notes, and collecting artifacts, qualitative data was analyzed to find common themes that emerged, while quantitative data from the surveys was calculated to find the mean. The researcher found that the students and classroom teacher had …

The Role Of Spirituality In A Rural Second-Grade Science And Social Studies Classroom, Elizabeth C. Pitcock

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

Children’s spirituality unequivocally connects to student experiences in schools due to their relationships with themselves, others, nature, and transcendence. These pillars allow students to enhance their awareness, value, and mystery in relationship with curricular content to become more spiritually sensitive citizens. This action research sought to understand the role of spirituality in a rural second-grade science and social studies classroom. Qualitative and quantitative survey, interview, observation, and artifact data were collected. The data was analyzed through the constant comparative method and descriptive statistics. Themes emerged to produce three primary codes and 18 secondary codes for findings. The study found that …

Learning Contracts In A Fourth-Grade Math Classroom, Kaylyn M. Hays

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

This study explored fourth-grade students’ and their teacher’s perceptions of learning contracts in a math classroom, as well as their potential impact on assessment scores. Over four weeks, students alternated between using and not using contracts. During week three, participants completed a survey of Likert scale and open-ended questions; select students and the teacher were then interviewed. Field notes were taken weekly. Initial data was coded with level 1 codes, followed by level 2 codes derived from the first round. Themes were developed through indexing and analytical memos. Findings showed that students’ opinions of learning contracts were mixed: roughly equal …

A Study Of Social And Emotional Learning Provision To Kindergarten Students In A Rural School Through The Lens Of Whole Child Development, Shirley Spiegel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this Improvement Science Project was to take appraisal of a rural school district’s current approach for developing the whole child in kindergarten. Three prominent context-based child development theories serve as the framework for this study in determining if there is evidence in practice for support of whole child development, or if those practices or components of the current practices do not demonstrate clear evidence for whole child development, according to the theoretical framework. Conducted through the lens of these whole child development theories, this study centered on the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) provision to kindergarten students …

‘I Don’T Know Which Fire To Put Out’: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of First Year Teachers In Title I Schools, Crystal P. Glover, Erin Hamel, Koti Hubbard

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

For many early childhood and elementary educators, the early years of their professional career can prove to be the most challenging. Not surprisingly, approximately 30% of teachers leave the classroom within the first five years (Sutcher, Darling-Hammond & Carver-Thomas, 2019). That rate is even higher (~50%) for teachers in Title I schools (Miller, 2018). Despite a plethora of research regarding the causes of teacher attrition, very little has been done to specifically investigate the experiences of beginning teachers in Title I schools. This study seeks to identify and document the factors that positively and negatively affect those experiences.