Handwriting/fine motor difficulties are well documented as serious hindrances to academic learning for kindergarten and elementary school children. Intervention techniques to remediate these problems have been researched by educators and occupational . . .

With the rising demands for improvement and accountability required under the No Child Left Behind Act, schools are beginning to see the value of making data-based decisions to dramatically increase student achievement on high-stakes tests. Unfortunat . . .

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) encompasses the skills, attitudes, and values that enable children to navigate through the intrapersonal and interpersonal realms of their lives. Research has shown that developing appropriate SEL skills is essentia . . .

Having a child on the Autism spectrum can present a variety of challenges for parents. Many children diagnosed on the Autism spectrum experience communication and social struggles; as well as sensory related difficulties. Some children’s inappropriate . . .

Only 28% of California students score proficient or higher on their Algebra I STAR test (CDE, 2009). The standards-based movement and the emphasis on enabling all students to score proficient or advanced on the California STAR test have created a high . . .

A combination of a reversal and multi-element design was used to examine the impact of stimuli that produces sensory consequences that are similar (matched) and dissimilar (unmatched) to those produced by visual stereotypy in three children with autis . . .

Due to the sometimes contentious nature of church and state relations in the United States of America, teachers often hesitate to address the subject in the public school classroom. Yet, the relationship between religion and government is an important . . .

Today, students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder are often included in general education settings; however, it is difficult for teachers to support them best when they lack an understanding of successful interventions that they can use. This pr . . .

In order to develop curiosity about the world around them, children need to be frequently and actively involved in exploring the environment when learning science. This kindergarten science curriculum incorporates experiential opportunities in a scien . . .

This qualitative research study examines similar traits and characteristics found among academically successful at-risk elementary students in a rural elementary school setting. A sample population of fourteen 4th grade students who are all considered . . .

A point or percentage based system of grading that is reported in standard letter scores has traditionally been used by most middle and high school teachers to report student achievement to students, their families, and administration. Despite large v . . .

The purpose of this investigation was to compare guided oral reading and paired reading outcomes on both fluency and reading comprehension in a group of learning disabled high school students attending a Humboldt County Community School. An alternatin . . .

This research project was designed to gain the perspectives of Native American Tribal mothers of the Fit-Teen Diabetes Prevention Program initiated in 2007 in a rural Northern California reservation community. The Fit-Teen Program classroom curriculum . . .

Because the construct of critical thinking in education is so highly valued, substantial resources are invested into critical thinking development, yet no agreed upon general theory or pedagogical approach currently exists. Because critical thinking k . . .

Although aural learning and improvisation of music have been fundamental components of music learning theories for at least two hundred years, published resources for beginning instrumentalists usually take a notation-first approach. An analysis of po . . .

The first part of this thesis is a literature review that focuses on Kohlberg's theory of moral reasoning and the relationship between emotions and moral reasoning. The second part is a work of literature whose characters go through emotional moral di . . .

Although most studies show a correlation between a prison inmate’s participation in post-secondary education and a reduced tendency to recidivate, or reoffend once he is released, little evidence exists to show a causal link between the two. Yet, corr . . .

Youth development and community development are intrinsically related; this project serves to enhance those connections by stimulating and facilitating environmental literacy projects. Project RELAY is a website that provides resources and skills for . . .

This thesis seeks to gain insight into Jewish high school students’ experiences in a small rural community. Specifically, it aims to explore their experiences with personal identities as Jewish people. I was particularly interested in investigating wh . . .

The project addresses the need for a creativity curriculum in Chinese education that provides a creativity development module designed to work effectively in the Chinese culture and educational environment. Drawing on an extensive cross-domain literat . . .

This project provides eighth grade students an opportunity to see another perspective from the era of American Westward Expansion. Students learn about Modoc culture from anthropological records, Modoc stories, and investing their own time in a constr . . .

This study examines how administrators and teachers in a diverse California school district evaluate and determine the effectiveness of their programs/strategies for English Learners (EL) in relation to the statewide English language proficiency asses . . .

Current trends in education seek to put learners at the center of their educational experiences in order to develop skills deemed necessary to succeed in the 21st century; however, the effectiveness of this goal is hindered due to the perpetuation of . . .

In the era of globalization, U.S. higher education institutions have been making efforts to attract international students for various reasons. Humboldt State University has seen a steady increase in the enrollment of international students as the emp . . .

This study examines the impact of theatrically based improvisation training on teachers’ sense of self efficacy. Teaching has often been described as a type of performance whereby teachers are expected to present information to an audience of observer . . .

The goal of this project is to gain an understanding of how the presentation, preparation and performance of radically different improvisational musics affect the creative processes of classically and jazz trained student musicians in a rural state un . . .

Itinerant special education teachers provide direct instruction and consultation services to students of all ages in a variety of community and school settings. Just like classroom teachers, their workload can be very stressful and challenging. Itiner . . .

This qualitative research study sought to evaluate the merger of two schools in terms of the staff members’ pre-merger and post-merger perceptions in an effort to identity best mechanisms in which two schools can successfully merge and create a positi . . .

The Common Core State Standards have been adopted by the state of California and the majority of the other states, so now what? This qualitative study examines the implementation process of the new standards by looking at how principals are leading th . . .

With schools under increasing public scrutiny and political pressure to show evidence of improved student achievement, leadership must emerge to sustain healthy school environments for teachers and students. The drive for school reforms should not ove . . .

Automotive technology is a subject that encompasses eight different educational areas. Many students interested in automotive have no prior background when it comes to the subject, and they need foundational knowledge in order to ensure success in the . . .

Four reading intervention strategies that are research validated and have demonstrated the likelihood to improve students’ oral reading fluency and comprehension are: repeated readings, phonics instruction, vocabulary preview/review, and guided readin . . .

The Implementation of Social Emotional Learning Curriculum Project is designed to support schools interested in the adoption of a new school- wide philosophy and Program. Many schools face similar Issues when implementing new programs. Common problems . . .

This project focused on planning, organizing, and facilitating a professional development workshop for teachers from Northwest California who are responsible for administering the California state-mandated physical fitness tests to students in grades . . .

The communication relationship between infants and their caregivers is full of complexities built on a highly dependent social and emotional dyadic experience. Infant massage is thought to be a method of intervention that enhances relationship by regu . . .

Previous studies have shown the efficacy of music in the classroom for teaching and reviewing skills, setting a positive tone for the learning environment and for augmenting language development. Students who receive special education services often s . . .

The standards-based movement and the movement toward inclusion for students with learning disabilities have created a need for teachers to reform their teaching practices. Lesson Study, inspired from the Japanese Lesson Study model, is a professional . . .

This study examines the impact of prior peer abuse on pre-service teachers in a secondary education teacher credentialing program. Peer abuse, also known as bullying, can have profound and long-lasting effects on victims. During adolescence in particu . . .

This thesis examines the informal learning experiences of proficient graffiti writers living in a rural northern California community. It examines the learning pathways graffiti writers follow as they progress from a basic understanding of graffiti pr . . .

This qualitative research study sought understanding about how former foster youth overcame the odds and completed their educational goals in higher education. More specifically, what personal characteristics and support services assist former foster . . .

The literature states that most elementary science education in the United States takes place in the classroom in a highly abstract format. Science is usually taught to elementary students using textbooks and worksheets, with some generalized and cont . . .

This study examines the value of iPad and iPod technology and their applications as used by special education teachers and their staff, in working with students on the autism spectrum. Questions that are examined: What are the best practices in aligni . . .

Two-minute television food demonstrations emphasizing quick, tasty, easy-to-prepare, economical foods were video taped bi-monthly and shown five times daily, seven days a week on a commercial television station. A survey was conducted with a voluntary . . .

Short-term study abroad programs are becoming a more popular option for students of all ages who have varying educational needs. This multidisciplinary curriculum helps students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder develop their cognitive, in . . .

In this study, Erik Erikson’s concept of identity formation is taken up and examined in five young men and women of the California Conservation Corps (CCC), at a small, rural, CCC residential center in northern California. The process of how the five . . .

This study examines students’ perceptions of the impact of a wilderness education program on their resilience, personal growth, and sense of community. Wilderness education is a hands-on style of teaching and learning that is set in an immersion envir . . .

Teachers practicing Lesson Study often anecdotally report a positive impact on their teaching practices and as a result students' learning from participation in the Lesson Study process. This study examines the ways in which K-12 teachers perceive tha . . .

This project will include content for a district-wide Physical Education program that will assist students in achieving healthy fitness zone standards set by the California State required fitness test the FITNESSGRAM. The focus will be on how to use f . . .

The Outward Bound mission to achieve a "deeper intensity of commitment in the rite of passage from youth to adult life" is combined with the academic mission of schooling to create Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound (ELOB). This Master's project foc . . .