Secondary Education Commons^™

Teaching The New Deal: 1932-1941 – Review And Analysis, Susan M. Foster, Brian Walker Johnson

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Teaching the New Deal: 1932-1941 is a text of crucial and timely importance for students and teachers of middle and high school social studies. Through the lenses of four major themes, authors demonstrate inquiry-based pedagogy to intentionally provoke students to consider non-binary conclusions that closely examine the purported heroes, villains, and martyrs of traditional historical narratives. Rather than presenting a factual or ideological approach to teaching disciplinary standards, this text depicts the New Deal Era as a period in history that can be used to critically and creatively discuss the politics of personal identity and to explore the legacies of …

Exploration Of Teachers’ Opinions Regarding The Instructional And Extracurricular Activities To Develop Transformational Leadership Qualities In Middle And Secondary School Students In Saudi Arabia, Mona Alkathiri

Theses & Dissertations

Research Focus. The purpose of the current study was to examine the opinions of KSA teachers regarding the appropriate instructional, extra-curricular, and understanding activities that pertain to the development of leadership, social skills, and personal traits of KSA secondary school students.

Research Methods. This study employed a qualitative, case study research design as an exploratory method of analyzing how transformational leadership principles could be the central organizing principle reorganizing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) public school system by 2030. A purposive sample of 18 active secondary school participants were recruited from a population of teachers in middle and secondary …

Graphic Novels As Learning Tools, Leesha Coleman

CoTL 2024 Research Talks

Graphic novels are not just for kids! Graphic novels can be used in nearly every aspect of teaching and learning. This presentation focuses on providing attendees with research on using graphic medicine in the classroom for retention. While the presentation focuses on Graphic Medicine, the principles can be applied to other disciplines.

Improving Standardized Test Scores, Spatial Ability, And Interest In Math With The Introduction Of 3d Printers Into High School Math Classes, Charles Moore

Dissertations

Mathematics education faces significant challenges with declining ACT scores, national math proficiency rates, and a prevalent dislike for the subject among high school students. Spatial thinking ability, crucial for success in STEM fields, intersects with mathematical comprehension, suggesting a potential avenue for improvement. This study addresses these challenges by integrating 3D printing technology into secondary mathematics instruction. Employing a quasi-experimental quantitative research design, the study evaluates the impact of 3D printers on ACT math scores, spatial abilities, and attitudes toward mathematics. Results from ANOVA tests indicate marginal increases in spatial test scores and positive shifts in students' interest, self-confidence, and …

Subjective Experiences From The College Remedial Student, Deborah A. Quinones

Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to write individual narrative stories about the subjective experiences of six students who entered college and had to take at least one remedial course their first semester. A subjective experience refers to the emotional and cognitive impact of the personal account of an experience (Subjective Experience, n.d.). The participants, including the researcher, were students who entered college for the first time without the minimum requirements for college enrollment; therefore, each was considered a remedial college student. The students were required to take remedial courses in math, writing, and /or reading before taking any credit …

The Impact Of Play-Based Learning On Early Childhood Development, Aubry Mauro

Master's Theses

This action research project emphasizes the recognized influence of play on children’s social, emotional, and cognitive growth. The researcher explored how play-based learning strategies contribute to students’ development, drawing insights from existing literature. The research used mixed methods to analyze the impact of play-based learning on social, emotional, and cognitive development in a sixth-grade classroom. The researcher collected data over six weeks. Initial findings showed the effect of play-based learning on students' development. The baseline data in this action research project showed that this group of students enjoys playing inside, outside, independently, or in a group. The researcher found that …

The Casnr L.I.N.K.S. Newsletter: Learning Innovation Network For K-12 Schools, Volume 3, Edition 5, May 2024, Bailey Feit, Tammy Mittelstet

CASNR L.I.N.K.S. Newsletter

The purpose of this L.I.N.K.S. newsletter is to provide a monthly update of opportunities and resources for K-12 schools to connect with the University of Nebraska's CASNR Food, Energy, Water, and Societal Systems (FEWS²) programs and partners.

Included in this edition:

Upcoming events

2024 Discovery Days + Farmers Market

Summer Discovery Day camp, Morrill Hall

June 9-14 Big Red Camps-East Campus

June 13-Wheat Variety Field Day-High Plains Lab-Sydney, NE

July 8-12 NAYI Conference-East Campus

July 16-18-SSI-Lincoln/North Platte

August 6-Forage Field Day-Haskell Ag Lab- Concord, NE

August 7-Family Field Day-Haskell Ab Lab- Concord, NE

August 13 - Building Connections Among Nitrogen …

Tasks For Learning Trigonometry, Sydnee Andreasen

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Many studies have been done using task-based learning within different mathematics courses. Within the field of trigonometry, task-based learning is lacking. The following research aimed to create engaging, mathematically rich tasks that meet the standards for the current trigonometry course at Utah State University and align with the State of Utah Core Standards for 7th through 12th grades. Four lessons were selected and developed based on the alignment of standards, the relevance to the remainder of the trigonometry course, and the relevance to courses beyond trigonometry. The four lessons that were chosen and developed were related to trigonometric ratios, graphing …

Aged 539 Graduate Internship Report - Clovis East High School, Kaylee C. Santos

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This internship/project report includes documentation required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The documents are concurrently used for the Agriculture Incentive Grant review process at Clovis East High School conducted by representatives of the California Department of Education. The supporting material includes information to receive state and local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of Clovis East High School, the agriculture program and the community. The project includes the revision of the Agrisciene Pathway Capstone Course Curriculum and Pacing Guide. This pacing guide will allow educators to …

Experiences Of Latine Lgbtq+ High School Students In California, Michael Gorse

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Throughout history, Latine LGBTQ+ students have experienced discrimination, bullying, a lack of safety, and a lack of support in United States schools. In the unique political and social climate of California, the Latine LGBTQ+ student population have encountered a variety of supports (e.g., FAIR Act), successes (e.g., increased graduation rates), and challenges (e.g., Proposition 227, tracking) to their existence in schools. The limited prior research on Latine LGBTQ+ students has demonstrated that Latine LGBTQ+ students in positive school climates earn higher grades, attend school regularly, experience positive mental health outcomes, and feel a sense of connectedness to their schools. However, …

“I Don’T Mind This Actually. It’S Kind Of Fun To Work On”: Project Based Assessment Following An Inquiry Based Unit In A Modern Middle School Classroom, Alexis J. Mctigue

English Education Theses

This paper focuses on one teacher’s action-research project examining inquiry-based teaching and project-based assessment in the middle school English classroom. The study focused on the inquiry-based instructional strategies used during a Young Adult Literature unit for seventh grade English Language Arts. The unit concluded with project-based assessments for all students. Results showed that levels of engagement rose with instructional strategies focused on inquiry and project-based assessments. Implications for middle school ELA teachers show that while project-based assessments and inquiry-based learning are effective for engagement, they are not without their challenges. Navigating department culture, limited resources, and other challenges are discussed.

Creative Writing Pedagogy: Building Curriculum For High School Students, Elizabeth Lengel

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis serves as a rationale for the creative writing pedagogy I use and how it serves my high school creative writing class. As my school district made the decision to overhaul our English curriculum, the English department decided to add Creative Writing as an English class elective.

The work for planning these new classes was spread around the English Department, and I was assigned to design the curriculum for the new Creative Writing class. Designing an entire class from scratch leaves a lot of room for creativity and innovation. However, as excited for this new course as I was, …

Development Of A Solution Concept Inventory For The High School Chemistry Classroom, Grace Tetschner

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Many high school chemistry students struggle to learn the chemistry of solutions because they hold alternate conceptions—beliefs that differ from scientifically accepted ideas—related to the topics covered in a traditional solution unit. For this reason, high school chemistry teachers would benefit from the development of a Solution Concept Inventory (SCI)—a multiple-choice assessment that could be used in the high school classroom to identify student alternate conceptions on the concept of solutions. In this study, common solution-related alternate conceptions were identified, items for an SCI were developed, an analysis was performed to determine the quality of the items, and validity evidence …

Verbs In Context: Project Based Learning As Intrinsic Motivation, Trinity Weers

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This capstone project studied the effects of teaching grammar in context and allowing students to engage in content through project-based learning. Data shows that teaching grammar in context through project-based learning and a broader plan of study effectively gives weight to the study of grammar, and helps students gain current mastery while preparing for future learning. This unit started with a pretest, had seven days of instruction and formative assessment, and ended with a summative project that students had three days to complete. Students designed verb posters as their summative assessment and these posters were saved for future seventh graders …

Implementing Instructional And Assessment Strategies To Improve Student Success In Art, Hayden Thomaier

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

For my honors capstone project, I taught a 3-week unit to my Art III class at a suburban high school in Nebraska. This unit covered concepts such as color theory, composition, and how to create the illusion of depth within a piece of art. This unit ended with the students creating a 24x30 in. painting of a space that was personal to them. The instructional strategies that I used throughout the unit included learning objectives, providing feedback, and nonlinguistic forms of representation. The assessment strategies I used included a pre and post-assessment at the beginning and end of the unit, …

Perceptions Of Teachers And Administrators On Inclusive Practices For Students With Special Needs, Jury Segers

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative case study explores the intricate dynamics between regular education teachers, special education teachers, and administrators within the context of inclusive education and was guided by three research questions: (1) What is the existing relationship between regular education and special education teachers? (2) What role do administrators play in fostering collaborative relationships between co-teachers? (3) How does this relationship impact inclusive practices for students with special needs? Data were collected through a survey, one-on-one interviews, and focus group discussions, revealing three primary themes: leadership and direction, training, and challenges.

The findings highlight the critical role of leadership in shaping …

Reconnecting With Nature One Classroom At A Time, Bianca Apuzzo

Senior Honors Projects

Environmental science is more important to today’s society than it has ever been, and developing basic ecoliteracy is the easiest way we can work towards a more sustainable future. Ecoliteracy allows us to connect deeper to nature and provides us with the information needed to protect and restore our beautiful planet. We are rolling downhill, picking up speed as we go, through a silent mass extinction. The scariest part of it all: nobody seems to care.

In response to the lack of environmental education provided to today’s students, I have created a syllabus for a high school level science course …

From Classroom To Cell: A Call To Action For Educational Reform, Draylen Akers

University Honors College

The “school-to-prison pipeline” (SPP) refers to the policies, practices, and attitudes that push the United States’ most vulnerable schoolchildren out of the classroom and into the criminal justice system. This correlation shows a disturbing trend of incarceration CLASSROOM TO CELL: CALL FOR REFORM AKERS 3 instead of education (ACLU, 2008). The link between school and incarceration is present in most physical and social institutions, creating a widespread and intersectional injustice. To create more targeted and holistic reform, this paper will concentrate on the education institution and crucial social structures like socioeconomic status (SES), family stability, and community support. Additionally, reviewing …

Data Driven Instruction In Teaching Poetry Analysis To Advanced Placement Literature And Composition Seniors, Andrea Reyes

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The goal of the poetry unit was to enhance students’ written ability by analyzing a variety of poetic literature to answer advanced placements practice prompts. I used the following research-based instructional strategies: homework and practice, nonlinguistic representations, and cooperative learning. I used the following research-based assessment strategies: essay writing, Quizizz, exit ticket, and topic, evidence, and analysis responses. The standards that the unit addressed are: LA.12.RP.2 Analyze the development and interaction of literary elements such as characterization, setting, and plot, and how they contribute to the meaning of the work as a whole, LA.12.V.2 Interpret an author’s use of figurative, …

Navigating New Frontiers: A Narrative Of Cte Administrators Leading Rural Innovation, Claire Bass

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Public school districts play a pivotal role in the well-being of rural communities. To help mitigate the impact of labor market trends, societal shifts, and the skilled labor shortage, rural schools are in the initial stages of expanding innovative career pathways. As such, career and technical education (CTE) administrators serve their rural communities by facilitating robust career pathways to support local labor markets. Due to a skilled labor shortage, a declining labor force participation rate, and a rapidly evolving labor market, there is a lack of qualified and certified personnel to fill industry jobs (Davis et al., 2022). School districts …

The Effects Of Text-Based Gaming On Reading Comprehension For Students With Intellectual Disability, Faith Ihrig

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the COVID-19 Pandemic, reading comprehension and reading engagement have decreased in the United States. Our world is also becoming increasingly technological, and a large percentage of individuals in the United States, specifically children, are playing video games. There are increasing amounts of video games that target educational skills, such as reading and math, and video games that have been created strictly for entertainment. This study examined the potential effects of playing text-based video games on the comprehension and engagement of 6-8 grade students with intellectual disabilities. A Multiple Baseline Across Participants single case design was used to measure the …

A Bright Point In A Dull Day: A Qualitative Exploration Of Middle School Students’ Perceptions Of Music Ensemble Participation, Kailee Amburgey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Music participation, specifically in an ensemble setting, is known to promote learning and social skills and to contribute to a well-rounded overall education. With this in mind, this qualitative, constructivist grounded theory study explored the impacts that participating in chorus, band, or orchestra has on students’ overall experience in middle school, with a focus on joy and identity development. The researcher interviewed fifteen students about their personal experiences and feelings about their lives as middle schoolers and musicians. The findings, shared in six theoretical concepts tied to the research question, reveal important facets of these students’ experiences that shed light …

Exploring The Experiences Of Chinese Heritage Language Learners In California Public High Schools: A Mixed Methods Study, Min Chuan Jasmine Wang

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to comprehend the motivations and learning experiences of Chinese Heritage Language Learners (CHLLs) who study in Chinese programs in California public high schools where Chinese American students are under-studied and their voices are not heard. The study used Gardner’s Socio-educational Model, Fishman’s Reversing Language Shift (RLS), and Asian Critical Theory (AsianCrit) as the theoretical frameworks for the investigation. The methodology of this study applied the mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, starting with an online survey data collection and following up with interviews with CHLLs and language teachers. The researcher then conducted classroom observations to support …

Factors Affecting Teacher Retention In A Selected South Carolina School District: Perspectives Of Administrators And Teachers, Alvilda Graham

All Dissertations

In this qualitative descriptive case study, I explored the issue of teacher retention, a growing concern within public K-12 education systems in the United States, particularly in South Carolina. I aimed to understand the unique organizational factors within individual school districts that influence retention decisions from the perspectives of teachers and administrators at the middle school level. I focused on a selected South Carolina school district (SSD) and explored the viewpoints of teachers and administrators regarding teacher retention. To better understand their lived experiences, I conducted semi-structured interviews and surveys with middle school teachers and administrators. Using an improvement science …

Collaboratively Constructing Quality Teaching: Involving School Stakeholders In Defining The Possibilities Of Schooling, Susan Chenelle

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Drawing upon principles of participatory action research, this study collected input from secondary school stakeholders (teachers, students, caregivers, alumni, staff, and administrators) to create a local definition of quality teaching for students at an urban charter school in the northeastern United States. Analysis of stakeholder input produced four themes, reflecting participants’ views of quality teaching: support for students’ individual differences, flexible learning structures, development of knowledge about students to engage and build relationships, and development and use of professional knowledge. The resulting definition of quality teaching partially overlaps with the principles of culturally sustaining pedagogy (Paris, 2012) with shortcomings that …

Assessing Teachers’ Dispositions Towards Culturally Responsive Pedagogy In Northwest Arkansas High Schools, Rylie Ford

Curriculum and Instruction Undergraduate Honors Theses

Culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) entails the use of cultural knowledge, prior experiences, and learning styles of ethnically and culturally diverse students to make instruction more relevant and effective for them. Furthermore, practices within this pedagogy are validating, inclusive, emancipatory, and ethical, and help diverse students succeed academically while maintaining their cultural identity. Numerous studies have indicated that using culturally responsive pedagogy increases student academic achievement, sense of self, and emotional well-being (Ladson, 1995; Gay, 2018). Considering the varying degrees of cultural and linguistic diversity in Northwest Arkansas (NWA) schools and the lack of reported professional development relating to CRP, this …

Through Undertale To Interactive Storytelling: The Effect Of Game Design On Secondary Students’ Perceptions Of Creative Writing, Terrell Page Jr.

Curriculum and Instruction Undergraduate Honors Theses

Videogames have emerged as a globally influential storytelling medium, as evinced by the success of story-driven games like Undertale, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and The Last of Us II. This medium needs creative writers who can learn to think like game designers. But, recognizing that not all creative writers will pursue a career in game design, this project studied the impact of thinking like a game designer on the way creative writing students approach their craft. Drawing on a variety of videogames and genres, this project focused on the potential of world-building and player choice to …

College And Career Readiness Effects On Minority Male College Retention, Naquiyah Lashawn Hodges

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The continuously low college retention and low degree attainment of African American and Hispanic men is a generational and decades-long hindrance to the elevation of these marginalized communities in the United States and the state of Texas. In Texas, the last 3 years’ worth of data has proven college-readiness rates of African American and Hispanic college students were significantly lower by large margins than White students in English language arts, math, and both subjects by large margins. Consistent low college retention rates of minority men produce a need to conduct further research of how this phenomenon affects minority men …

Intersections Between Science And Social Justice: A Conversation With Liza Finkel, Liza Finkel, Maika Yeigh

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

In preparation for the special issue: Cascading Crises: Power, Equity and Liberation, the Editors of NWJTE sat down for a conversation with Dr. Liza Finkel, a Science Teacher Educator in the Graduate School of Education and Counseling at Lewis & Clark College. Dr. Finkel’s passions include science (especially geology), finding intersections between science and social justice and helping new teachers learn to include those connections in their teaching, knitting, cooking, birding, and reading mystery novels with women protagonists.

Preservice Teachers Learning To Teach In An Anti-Racist/Climate-Justice Program: Challenges And Promises, Richard Sawyer

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

The global climate crisis represents the most urgent problem facing the planet, impacting social, cultural, political, economic, and environmental dimensions of life. Alarmingly, it has impacted communities of color in disproportionate ways (Goddell, 2023; Pellow, 2013). The climate crisis, along with the intertwined context of racism, places a profound responsibility on social justice teacher educators to prioritize addressing these issues in teacher preparation. The intent of the following two case studies is to explore the impact of a project based teacher preparation program focused on cultural and environmental justice on the pedagogical knowledge and practice of teaching interns at the …