Secondary Education Commons^™

Why Not The School-To-Scholar Pipeline? Changing The Narrative Through School Leadership, Marne Renee Foster

Dissertations

The overrepresentation of Black students in exclusionary practices in public K–12 education, such as detention, suspension, expulsion, and misplacement into special education, contributes to the school-to-prison pipeline (STPP). This phenomenon leads to truancy, academic failure, and involvement in the juvenile justice system. In contrast, the school-to-scholar pipeline (STSP) has an inverse relationship with the STPP and views students as scholars in training, ultimately linking them to careers or college. Research has indicated that school administrators’ mindsets, along with teacher bias, play a significant role in perpetuating exclusionary practices and racial disparities (Gullo & Beechum, 2020; Skiba, Chung et al., 2014). …

Reconstruction Retold: Perspectives From 20th Century Us Secondary History Textbooks, Lyric Church

Honors Theses

Since the creation of the American public school system, the use of the textbook has been vital to history education. It has been the primary tool used by educators to teach children about the past to help them understand the present and shape the future. To this day, in the modern technological age, they are, still, used in classrooms across the country. This thesis investigates the effects of changing societal thought on United States history textbooks used in the secondary classroom, using the Reconstruction Era as the area of study. Analyzing multiple textbooks from each decade of the twentieth century, …

Around The World In 80 Days: Navigating Culturally Diverse Texts In Secondary English Education, Abby Boyer

Honors Theses

In the secondary English classroom, the inclusion of diverse texts holds importance in fostering a rich and inclusive learning environment that reflects the realities and complexities of our diverse world. Diverse texts encompass a wide range of voices, perspectives, and experiences that represent various cultures, races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. By incorporating such texts into the curriculum, educators not only honor the diversity of their students but also provide them with opportunities to engage critically with different narratives, develop empathy, and cultivate a deeper understanding of the complexities of the human experience.
Moreover, diverse texts offer …

A Classic Problem: Engaging Secondary Students In Reading The Canon, Marika Hall

Honors Theses

Secondary English students often demonstrate difficulty in comprehending and finding relevancy in reading works of classic literature when the canon is taught in a prescriptive fashion, often further widening the gap between students who are considered smart enough to read classic literature and those deemed incapable. My hypothesis is that when used in a dialogic classroom, teaching challenging, classic texts in a facilitative manner can help bridge this classic literature gap while also encouraging diversity and supporting student learning. Under my clinical instructor’s recommendations and requirements in my student teaching, I designed a unit lesson plan focusing on Roald Dahl’s …

Preparing Students For Adulthood: Comparing The Experiences Of Degree And Non-Degree Seeking Graduates, Lacee R. Boschetto, Brian K. Warnick

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

The role of secondary education is critical to preparing graduates for adulthood. This study explored the transition experiences of high school graduates and factors that impacted their preparation for adulthood. This descriptive study focused on the experiences of degree and non-degree-seeking graduates. Surveys were distributed to students enrolled in a general education course at a state university and marketing research participants not enrolled in post-secondary programs. The survey sought to identify overall preparedness, responsibilities deemed necessary to teach in high school, and influence factors that prepared them for adulthood. The overall findings displayed that graduates seeking degrees felt more prepared …

Unlocking Ai's Potential, Upholding Our Principles: An Equitable Approach For Social Studies, Micah Miner

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds transformative potential in social studies education, but its integration is fraught with challenges that must be navigated with care. This article delves into strategies for leveraging AI's capabilities in social studies classrooms, upholding principles of academic integrity, digital citizenship, and equitable access. Our analysis of recent national assessment results highlights a decline in civics and history proficiency, underscoring an urgent need to reimagine social studies pedagogy through AI literacy. The study explores how AI can make learning more engaging and personalized, while emphasizing the necessity of developing critical perspectives on issues such as privacy, bias, and …

Automobile Resources: Car Culture Through Teacher In-Service, Ronald V. Morris, Denise Shockley

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Teachers learned about the automobile industry and car culture in a half day professional development meeting. Teachers had a guest content expert, teachers who constructed materials presented their materials. The website parts including primary sources, lesson plans, podcasts, virtual field trip, readings, videos, and interactive maps were reviewed. Lesson plans supported the C3 framework and the materials examined controversial issues in the auto industry. Teachers examined the website where the materials where housed and examined resources for classroom use. Teachers learned more about the automobile industry, car culture, and historic preservation.

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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.

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, …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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, …

College And Career Readiness Effects On Minority Male College Retention, Naquiyah 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 …