Secondary Education Commons^™

The Importance Of Interdisciplinary Education, Jennifer Liegeot

West Chester University Master’s Theses

This thesis work explores the concept of Interdisciplinary Education and how it can improve the educational experience for students while also creating citizens more capable of participating in a democratic society. In order to create more well-rounded citizens, schools should provide an interdisciplinary approach to education that centers the perspectives of the those who are traditionally excluded. Much of the education curriculum today is based on a system that favors the majority leaving out entire groups of students from minority populations. As a result, schooling overwhelmingly does not help oppressed students become critically conscious citizens who are equipped to participate …

Surprises! Time-Tested & Easy-To-Follow Tips To Take The Mystery Out Of Success For Middle And High School Readers, Morose Leonard

Theses and Dissertations

Surprises! encapsulates my education at Lehman College. During my three years of studies, I have developed a greater appreciation for science (both natural and social), and I understand science's fundamental philosophy, which at its core denotes humanity’s effort to demystify the workings of the universe, of which we are a part. If we allow it, science can dispel our misconceptions and prejudices about ourselves and our place in the universe.

Through Surprises!, I have sought to apply that understanding to help promote our human aspirations without disrupting the delicate balance of life as we know it. For better or …

Why Is This First? Understanding And Analyzing Internet Search Results, Chris D. Ham

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Primarily due to their convenience, online search engines such as Google and Bing are becoming a central location for obtaining information. As a result, societies give search engines tremendous control over the spread of information to the public. Through a high-school-level sample lesson plan, the article was written to promote dialogue with teachers on the importance of teaching the intricacies of search engines. The sample lesson plan begins with fundamental knowledge on the functionality of search engines with emphasis on algorithms. With this instruction, students can understand not only search engines, but also their manipulation potential, which leads to ramifications. …

Building An Empathetic Society: The Hidden Curriculum Of Art, Katherine Randall

Education | Master's Theses

Previous research on the benefits of art classes beyond being a creative outlet show that art classes can be a good place for students to practice being a better citizen. However, in the research there is a lack of the student view on completing a socially engaged art (SEA) project and what they learned from it. The purpose of my research was to understand student perception of socially engaged art, as well as to explore the skills learned from art that can help students be socially active in their communities. More specifically, this research shows that art classes teach skills …

The Writing Process Revisted, Amanda Shurtliff

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The writing process is an instructional method that teachers have been using for decades, and it has proven to be successful in many classrooms. When teaching in a secondary classroom, I noticed my students were not mindfully going through each step of the process. Their writing was lacking clear ideas and skilled synthesis of their research. Additionally, the students often skipped revision altogether. In order to re-teach the writing process, I designed specific activities that engaged students with the various steps of the writing process. After the sequence of lessons, the students scores improved in all sections of the rubric, …

La Universidad Unit In A Comprehensible Input Classroom, Bailey Morley

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This capstone project looks at a specific unit taught in a Spanish classroom through the use of comprehensible input and the types of activities that were used in order to support comprehensible input in the classroom. It provides a collection of comprehensible input activities that may be used in the foreign language classroom along with providing rationale for the activities, research-supported assessment and instructional strategies, and examples of differentiation and assessment for the unit. A variety of activities were used including class story creation, running dictation, and nonverbal representation. Ways of assessment also varied throughout the unit, incorporating both formative …

Youth Empowerment Programs In Jordan: Access And Equality, Mingyang (Linda) Zhang

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The research question for this study is to investigate the role of youth empowerment programs in providing equitable access for students at public and private schools in Jordan. Given the differences in education cost, quality, and outcomes between public and private schools; students are exposed to different levels of engagement opportunities within school systems. At the same time, the youth population is the engine of Jordan’s future growth. Understanding the role of external youth empowerment program providers is important to further education quality and equity.

The research includes six interviews with program providers and survey results from University of Jordan. …

An Application Of Systems Science For The Usage Of Web–Tools In Environmental Education: The Case Of Western Attica, Greece, Anastasios Mavrakis, Evangelos C. Papakitsos, Christina Papapanousi, Christina Papavasileiou

Journal of Research Initiatives

Geography plays a leading role in developing the objectives of Environmental Education. Through Geography lessons, applications and tools, pupils should learn about the major environmental and developmental problems through issue-based learning. They must be given opportunities to explore how these issues relate to their everyday lives and what is the impact on the quality of the natural and social environment. Teachers can promote a holistic outlook, through promoting a multidimensional study of environmental problems on a variety of scales, e.g., through historical maps, which are of significant value, because through them students gain perspective on the living environment and the …

The Sons Of Emmett Till: Addressing Black Male Masculinity In Urban High Schools In New Orleans, Michael J. Seaberry

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explores how Black boys in New Orleans’ urban high schools develop, define, and do masculinity. Beginning with a narrative literature review, this study provides themes common among the six peer-reviewed articles that are specifically written on the subject of Black boys’ masculinity in urban high schools in the United States. Analyzed using Critical Race Theory, the themes discussed in these six articles were used to formulate interview questions for 10 Black male students in New Orleans high schools. The empirical portion of this study found that Black boys in New Orleans urban high schools develop masculinity at birth, …

In And Out Of School Literacies: Adolescents Negotiating And Navigating Identities Through Social Media, Brooke Elizabeth Simon

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Through the theoretical lens of connected learning and a pedagogy of multiliteracies, this

embedded case study provides an intimate portrait of two adolescents (ages 14-15), Rehema and

Luis. The focus of the study is their uses of social media both in and out of the classroom, their

purposes, practices, and perspectives surrounding this use, and the tensions that exist between

building and maintaining their identities within social networking sites (SNS) and the crossover

of their teachers and school utilizing these same SNS for learning purposes. The findings reveal

that for these particular focal participants, the use of SNS, both in …

It’S Kind Of A Curious Incident In The Bell Jar: Using Literature And Discussion To Advocate For Mental Health Education In The High School English Classroom, Margaret Keefe

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Literature has served as an outlet for those who have both written and read it, powerfully describing all aspects of the human condition—even the mental disorders we suffer from. Language Arts classrooms provide students with the ability to access and critically analyze this unique outlet for expression and understanding. Given the high rate of mental disorders among young adults and students, this often stigmatized issue cannot be ignored inside or outside the classroom. The purpose of this project is to analyze how texts which discuss mental disorders might be taught in the high school English classroom. This will include not …

Developing Serious Games In Engineering Education: Innovation At The Nexus Of Food, Energy, And Water Systems, Nathan Rice

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

At a time when food, energy, and water (FEW) are of the utmost concern to the security and health of the world, an initiative has begun to understand the interactions between these systems. The goal of Innovation at the Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water Systems (INFEWS) is to bring together research fields that typically work in their own silos to solve complex problems increasing the resiliency and sustainability of the FEW system. Stemming from this initiative was a project to produce an educational immersive simulation game to teach youth about how their food is produced, systems thinking, and sustainable …

“Higher” School: Nineteenth-Century High Schools And The Secondary-College Divide, Amy J. Lueck

English

This article traces the emergence of nineteenth-century U.S. high schools in the landscape of higher education, attending to the gendered, raced, and classed distinctions at play in this development. Exploring differences in the conceptualization and status of high schools in Louisville, Kentucky, for white male, white female, and mixed-gender African American students, this article reminds us of how these institutional types have been situated, socially inflected, and structured in relation to broader political and power structures that transcend explicit pedagogical considerations. As a result, I argue for the recognition of high schools as historically significant sites in the history of …

Motivation: Why Are Students Taking Dual-Credit Courses, Chyenne Haden

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

With a growing number of high school students taking advantage of dual-credit courses, the need to understand what motivating factors are at play is more important than ever. This study was conducted within an 11^th grade dual-credit history class for the purpose of discovering what motivated those students to enroll in a college level course while still in high school. Participants in the study were given the opportunity to reflect on their decision to enroll in dual-credit through a focus group and individual interviews as well as a survey. The data collected through these methods was analyzed using the …

Research Based Co-Teaching Practices And Their Realization In The New Jersey High School Classroom, Thomas K. Donovan

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research study reviews co-teaching practices suggested to high school educators by their professional literature. Through a systematic analysis of published studies on the topic, a comprehensive list of suggested co-teaching practices from the past ten years was created. The study then explored the realization of these practices in the high school co-teaching classroom through surveys of 61 high school co-teachers in New Jersey. Both phases of this study assisted with the identification of opportunities for improving co-teaching practices, professional development on co-teaching, and instructional pedagogy.

Preservice Agricultural Education Teachers And Secondary Education Teachers’ Self-Efficacy And Professional Identity, Hailey Gates

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

During the nineteenth century, a decision was made to separate the preparation of agricultural education teachers from their elementary and secondary counterparts (Hearings, 1908; Heren & Hillison, 1996; Hillison, 1986). The majority of land-grant universities and colleges have continued to prepare agricultural education preservice teachers within the college of agriculture, separate from other secondary education preservice teachers in the college of education (Myers & Dyer, 2004). Despite the differences among content disciplines, teachers who possess a strong sense of self-efficacy and professional identity have higher success rates in the classroom when it comes to collaboration, involvement, and student achievement (Ashton …

A Blend Of Absurdism And Humanism: Defending Kurt Vonnegut’S Place In The Secondary Setting, Krisandra R. Johnson

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

This essay argues that Kurt Vonnegut blends a unique humanist stance into his absurdist plots and characters, ultimately urging readers to confront the absurd with a kindness and human decency his protagonists often find rare. As a result of this absurd and humanist synthesis, I defend and promote Vonnegut’s place in the secondary English curriculum, despite his rank on many banned books lists, since his characters’ journeys correlate thematically with the growth and process of postmodern adolescents and encourage moral responsibility without sentimental manipulation.

Focusing on Cat’s Cradle, God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, and Slaughterhouse-Five as primary sources, specifically …

The Impact Of Tracking Students In Mathematics On Middle School Student Achievement Outcomes, David P. Glasner

ETD Archive

The purpose of this study was to explore whether and how tracking structures in mathematics courses at the middle school level relate to differences in achievement between white and black students. This study used propensity score matching to compare the achievement outcomes of students enrolled in advanced mathematics classes, with students of comparable ability and background enrolled in grade-level math classes. The study sample was comprised of 1,510 students. Results from the study show that enrollment in an advanced-math course was associated with statistically significant improvement in math achievement for average-ability students. In addition, study results show that increases in …

Lessons From Alternative Grading: Essential Qualities Of Teacher Feedback, Jay C. Percell

Faculty Publications - College of Education

One critically important step in the instructional process is providing feedback to students, and yet, providing timely and thorough feedback is often lacking due attention. Reasons for this oversight could range from several factors including increased class sizes, vast content coverage requirements, extracurricular responsibilities, and the generally hectic daily schedules of teachers. This article synthesizes the findings from a year-long qualitative study investigating the alternative grading practices of five high school teachers and gives particular attention to the nature of the feedback these teachers provided to their students. Teachers’ feedback is pared down to its essential qualities in order to …

Ignatian Pedagogy Certificate Final Written Project: The Five Domains In Epistolary Form, Alyson Paige Warren

Ignatian Pedagogy Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

The Perceptions Of College Foreign Language Students Concerning Their High School Foreign Language Preparation, Bryan M. Pickens

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of college students studying a foreign language concerning their high school foreign language study experience. In particular, the study examined students’ beliefs about factors that may have contributed to a successful transition into the study of foreign languages in college. The population consisted of college students from post-secondary schools in West Virginia who took a foreign language class. Students completed a survey designed to obtain grade point average data, language course completion history, type of language studied, in addition to subjective perceptions about effects of academic preparation, motivation, and overall …

One Purpose, Multiple Realities: A Qualitative Study On Parental Involvement In Two Malawian Private Secondary Schools, Josephine Katenga

Dissertations

Problem

Studies of Parental Involvement at the secondary school level have consistently shown to improve student-learning outcomes. Parents who invest money in children’s education want to see their children matriculate to higher education. Unfortunately, many private schools offer poor quality education. Students’ achievement in Malawi secondary schools requires the participation of each stakeholder. The purpose of this study therefore was threefold: to explore the nature of Parental Involvement in children’s education, to determine types of involvement, and to examine parents’ and educators’ attitudes towards Parental Involvement. The study participants came from two Malawian private secondary schools in Africa.

Method

This …

Knowledge, Perceptions, And Outcomes Of Agricultural Communications Curriculum In Arkansas Secondary Agricultural Classrooms, Carley Payne Calico

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed method study was to assess the effectiveness of agricultural communications curriculum developed and incorporated into a semester-long agricultural leadership and communications course for secondary agricultural education programs in Arkansas. This study was comprised of three parts including a pilot test, teacher training assessment, and a descriptive field test over a two-year period. For the pilot test portion of the study, students (N = 297) participated in newly developed instructional modules (careers, writing, design, and multimedia) predetermined by a committee of agricultural education and communications faculty at the University of Arkansas. The pilot test indicated students' …

Art Therapy For Enhancing Academic Experience Of Male High School Freshmen, Kelvin Antonio Ramirez

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of group art therapy interventions in improving social and emotional issues for male high school freshmen. The Behavioral Assessment System for Children Second Edition (BASC-2) was used to measure academically tracked high school freshman (n = 80) receiving the 12 week intervention in a group setting in comparison to an academically matched control group (n=76). Independent sample t-tests compared participants in the Honor, Average and At Risk Tracks who received art therapy versus participants who did not. The findings indicate that for participants in the honors track, those receiving art …

The Effects Of Procedural Choice As An Instructional Strategy On Locus Of Control: A Practical Curriculum, Seth Duane Baun

Theses and Graduate Projects

To investigate the existence of effective instructional strategies that would meet the learning needs of individual students as well as influence existing perceptions of locus of control, a research review and discussion are presented which discuss the potential benefits and drawbacks of the methodology known as procedural choice. Inconclusive data and no readily identifiable examples of application resulted in the utilization of current research findings to develop a curriculum containing procedural choice based instructional strategies, designed to serve as both a potential measurement tool for future research as well as a practical, readily applicable curriculum for classroom use. Results from …

Understanding Secondary Students' Reading And Writing Records: A Study Of Curricula In Literacy Achievement, Kathleen M. Kinney

Theses and Graduate Projects

In accordance with the new federally mandated No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, states, districts, schools, and educators must set and implement a plan that ensures all students are academically proficient in the areas of reading, math and science by the year 2014. According to The National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), the "national average reading scores of 4th and 8th graders have varied little over time, though both were 2 points higher in 2005 than in 1992. However, the scores of 12th graders declined 6 points during this period" (Livingston, 2007, p.6). As part of this research, I …

Teacher Perceptions Of Their Effectiveness In Supporting Reading Strategies As A Result Of Collaboration With A Literacy Coach, Sharon S. Miller

Dissertations

Problem

The poor reading and comprehension skills of many secondary-school students present a challenge for secondary teachers, the majority of whom have no training in the teaching of reading. The increasing expectations of the No Child Left Behind legislature add to the pressures on public educators. Is coaching an effective way to support and encourage secondary content-area teachers to include reading strategies in their daily work with students?

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to examine the literacy coach initiative in two small junior-senior high schools. A further purpose was to closely study the coach and two of the …

Motivation In Language Learning: A Comparative Study Of Motivation In The Learning Of Irish And German Among Leaving Certificate Students, Seosamh Ó Cuinneagáin

Theses

This study investigates Leaving Certificate students’ attitudes to and motivation in the learning of Irish and German in 25-selected second level schools, of which five are Irish-medium schools, in Munster and Leinster. A historical overview of the two languages is presented to contextualise the study, as well as to provide a broad framework for the subsequent literature review, in which government policies towards the teaching and learning of Irish and German are examined. A twelve-scale questionnaire, consisting of 228 items, is employed as a data collection instrument to measure language attitudes and motivation. A modified version of the international quantitative …

Motivating The Reluctant 9th Grade Reader In The English Classroom: An Educator's Guide, Christine Murphy

All Graduate Projects

Reluctant readers need support from all levels of government as well as from the community, parents and educators. Motivating reluctant readers and changing their attitude toward reading in order for students to be successful requires educators to discover the interests, dreams, and goals, of their students. Educators must invest the time and energy needed to view students as whole individuals in order to understand their reading needs, and to utilize best practices in an effort to improve student reading ability. ll1

Multicultural Novels And Activities: An English And Language Arts Curriculum For Middle And High School Students In The Yakima Valley, Karen A. Jenner Gemeinhart

All Graduate Projects

Research in the area of education concludes that both white and underserved populations benefit from the use of multicultural education. The curriculum provided in this project is founded on the research findings of educational specialists who outline these benefits. The use of multicultural education as a way to connect students to the curriculum is crucial in providing all students with an equal opportunity to learn. The Yakima Valley in Washington State is home to a number of Hispanic and Native American students who reflect a lack of academic achievement on standardized tests that assess literacy. Theories and strategies for teaching …