Secondary Education Commons^™

Reading For Deep Understanding : Knowledge Building And Conceptual Artifacts In Secondary English, Marc Nachowitz

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The purpose of this design-based experiment is two-fold: to see if classroom pedagogies can be developed to improve student achievement in English literature as well as prepare them for 21st Century literacies. Applying Bereiter and Scardamalia's theory of Knowledge Building to English curricula, this experiment tracked the progress of a sixth grade Language Arts class as they engaged in creating theories of literary interpretation supported by Knowledge Forum, a computer-supported, on-line learning environment. The study revealed several key findings concerning how knowledge-building can support student's attainment of "high literacy" in the reading of literature, including maintaining idea diversity, the importance …

Joining The Academic Chorus: The Success Of First-Generation Female Students At Private Four-Year Institutions Of Higher Education, Sally A. Buckley

Educational Studies Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the experiences of first-generation female students at four-year private institutions of higher education. Improving student retention and degree-completion rates has been a long-standing goal of the higher education community. Despite the attention devoted to student retention since the 1970's, only half of the students who enroll in institutions of higher education obtain a degree within six years of initial enrollment. This study considers the experience of college success, interpreted as degree completion, at four-year private institutions of higher education of nine first-generation female students. The results of nine in-depth interviews illuminate …

Process Writing Instruction In Practice; When Revising Looks Like Editing, Emily Isaacs

Department of Writing Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

To better understand the short-term effectiveness of process-writing methodologies, a three-week qualitative study of a ninth grade integrated, untracked English class in an economically and racially diverse suburban-urban community in New Jersey was conducted. During the three week period of study focused on studying and writing a paper related to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, students were engaged in drafting, peer and expert reader review, as well as instructor feedback and guided revision practices. After blind review of first and last drafts by three independent readers, revised student drafts were deemed either "somewhat stronger" or "stronger than first drafts. Evidence …

Building 21st Century Business Skills In High School Business Classrooms Using Digital Games And Simulations, Stacy Marcus

Graduate Research Papers

Digital games and simulations are often seen as fun activities to reward students but their potential is much greater. This literature review examined how integrating digital games and simulations into secondary business curriculum can help students build the skills needed for the 21st century workplace in an environment that is conducive to how they learn best. The effects of digital games and simulations on student motivation are also examined as well as how to assess student learning while using these tools. The information found came from peer-reviewed journals, books, and studies from the Web. Digital games and simulations have proven …

Boy's Recreational Reading In A One-To-One Computer School, Michaela Seeman

Graduate Research Papers

High school boys are often not motivated to read when required, let alone read for enjoyment. With the use of advanced technology provided through a one-to-one computer educational setting and resources, high school boys may have a different approach and attitude to reading for enjoyment.

The purpose of this study was to examine what high school boys chose to read, print and electronic, for enjoyment in an Iowa one-to-one computer educational setting. The questions asked in this research study included:

1. What topics do high school boys spend time investigating? What resources do they use?

2. How do high school …