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- Creator:
- Antaran, Xy-Za
- Description:
- The guiding question for this project was, What is a user-friendly self-management intervention handbook for teachers that can impact student motivation and self efficacy in order to increase academic achievement and promote independence for students with identified special needs and/or behavioral challenges? The methodology for creating this project involved extensive research and direct experience of using self-management interventions that support students with identified special needs in accessing their learning. The author examined empirical studies, curriculum resources, and various self-management behavior interventions with the purpose of determining ways in which self-management interventions can impact and develop motivation and self-efficacy for students who are introduced to the self-management tools included in the product of this project, a handbook for teachers entitled, The Leader in Me Self-Management System Handbook for Elementary Educators. Included in the handbook are chapters on the seven habits of happy students, sample self and match tools for motivating students using the 7 habits, and how to customize and use the Self and Match for a particular student.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Burke, Annamaria
- Description:
- With an increased emphasis to include special needs students within the general education classroom to learn and participate alongside their peers, there is a growing demand to not only explore best inclusion strategies but to find practical ways to implement them at diverse school sites. Yet there is more to inclusion for students with disabilities than just their physical presence in the classroom. They must be taught and nurtured alongside their general education peers while being provided with a balanced and appropriate curriculum. The challenge for schools is to find ways to accommodate all learners and their individual needs, while addressing distinctive site traits. At one Northern San Diego County school site located on a military base, different methods were explored to develop consistent strategies that benefited not only students with mild and moderate disabilities, but for all students in the classroom. This case study chronicles a school’s three-year journey exploring and developing various inclusion programs and best practices strategies that were implemented as creative classroom practices to service students with special education needs. This program effectively bridged strategies that worked for one grade level into another grade level with respect to different teaching teams and philosophies, while addressing the real-life stressors for students with one or parent who (a) is active military and often deployed for long-periods of time, (b) live with Post-Traumatic Syndrome Disorder (PTSD), (c) have been wounded, or (d) have perished in service to the country.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Chu, Danica
- Description:
- This study analyzes how Students with Learning Differences (SLD) socially interact with each other during structured activity times (e.g., classroom discussion and teacher-facilitated) and if these interactions generalize to unstructured activity times (e.g., lunch, break, before and/or after school). Research shows that SLD do not have many opportunities to interact with peers during the school day in a structured setting, which leads to social difficulties in an unstructured setting. Lacking social skills will have long-term effects in their post-secondary careers. Ten students, grades 7th through 12th, were randomly selected to be observed in both structured and unstructured settings at one non-public school that serves students with mild to moderate learning disabilities. Based on these findings, it is recommended that schools should continue to provide opportunities for SLD to interact with peers and develop the social skills necessary for these interactions to occur.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Valle, Darcy
- Description:
- The author of this study designed the manual, “Managing Anxiety,” to guide educators in addressing the needs of students with high-functioning autism and comorbid anxiety, through the implementation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). According to recent research data, students with high-functioning autism are often found to have comorbid anxiety (Simonoff, Charman, Chandler, Loucas & Baird, 2008). The range of incidence of anxiety disorders found in children who have autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is between 11% and 84% (White, Oswald, Ollendick, & Scahill, 2009). Students with autism, as well as students in general education settings, report a decrease in anxious thoughts and actions following implementation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy in their lives (Barrett, Duffy, Dadds, & Rapee, 2001; Bodden, Bogles, Nauta, Haan, Rigrose, Appelboom, Brinkman, Appelboom-Geerts, 2008; Kendall, Hudson, Gosch, Flannery-Schroeder, & Suveg, 2008; Ost, 2014; Neacsiu, Eberle, Kramer, Wiesmann, & Linehan, 2014; Ritschel, Cheavens, & Nelson, 2012; Swain, Hancock, Hainsworth, & Bowman, 2013). The development of this project focused on four concepts within the realm of CBT, ACT, and DBT: recognizing anxiety symptoms, acceptance, coping strategies, and exposure exercises. This manual contains several lessons that incorporate collaborative activities such as role-play and visualization exercises. Homework and assessments were also embedded within the lessons in order to provide reinforcement. This manual gives students the tools needed to cope with the anxiety that results from the struggles that come with having autism. Throughout the design of this project, the author obtained thorough evidence on the impact of CBT, ACT, and DBT strategies when used with students who have autism and comorbid anxiety. By using these evidence-based strategies with the guidance of an educator, students develop practical skills to manage their anxiety in and outside of the classroom.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
1605. Are Predominantly White Teachers Prepared to Teach Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students?
- Creator:
- Abarca, Juanita
- Description:
- Research has shown that some White teachers are not fully prepared to teach culturally and linguistically diverse students. This is concerning, particularly because the majority (84%) of the teacher work force across the United States is White and the number of diverse students is growing rapidly. Because of the scant research on the preparedness of White in-service teachers, this research study focused on predominantly White in-service teachers in a largely White populated school, to determine if they feel prepared to teach to culturally and linguistically diverse students. The data analysis, of both qualitative and quantitative data, showed that the predominantly White participants (n=26) (73% self-identified as White) stated not being fully prepared to teach diverse students. Adding that their school/district was not providing the necessary professional development opportunities to assist in their progress to becoming prepared to teach to culturally and linguistically diverse students. To add, participants stated not being prepared in asking their school/district or allotting time for multicultural education/diversity training. Furthermore, the data showed a gap in the participants’ feelings of preparedness in teaching linguistically diverse students compared to culturally diverse students, demonstrating a bigger need for second-language development training for in-service teachers.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Nevares, Michele
- Description:
- Paraprofessionals in an inclusive middle school classroom fulfill a fundamental need to successfully support students with special needs. The difficulty with utilizing these essential members of the special education staff is that they are often not given the training to effectively support the students they service. It is essential that these vital staff members are given the tools and support that they require. Paraprofessionals often do not possess the necessary understanding of special educations operational procedures and learning strategies to support the students they service. Based on the common themes presented in the literature review and relevant teaching experiences from a resource center classroom, a paraprofessional handbook was developed as an effective option to alleviate the above-mentioned need. Ultimately, the project was designed to be a resource handbook to help guide and develop professional development training's for paraprofessionals led by an education specialist. This handbook directly provides special education paraprofessionals with not only operational procedures but also the teaching and learning strategies for two disabilities Dyslexia and ADHD.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Lumsden, Gregory
- Description:
- The present study investigated the relationship of student, parent, and household math anxiety and attitudes on a student’s math progress on two assessments, the Houghton Mifflin Math Inventory (MI) which gives a quantile score letting the instructor know what a child is ready to learn, and the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), at one elementary school. A student survey was given to 71 fifth-grade students, 57 of whom had a parent also participate in the parent survey. From the survey a score was given with higher scores indicating higher levels of math anxiety. Once the survey was taken and scored students were placed in groups by survey score, parent survey score, student and parent or household survey score, and finally by quantile proficiency level. The results showed that when anxiety levels were raised whether it was the student’s, parent’s, or household anxiety, the mean scores on the MI and CAASPP decreased as survey scores increased. When students were grouped by quantile proficiency levels there was higher levels of anxiety as well. The study also looked at how often parents help with math finding that as anxiety levels rose, parents helped more often and student progress and performance decreased. Finally, it was discovered some of the lowest performing students had parents with a negative attitude toward the Common Core math standards and overwhelmingly the parents of the school believe there are people who are naturally good at math.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Cochran, Stephanie
- Description:
- In light of the research findings on gender differences in education, the purpose of this project is to develop curriculum for a professional development course for teachers on how to examine and enhance the way they differentiate their approach to boys and girls in their classrooms. It will look at how teachers react to students of different genders in the areas of math, science, and language arts as well as how teachers approach resolution with regard to behavior problems in their classrooms. This professional development will include strategies that teachers might use when planning instruction based on what they know about the development of boys and girls in various subject areas. It will also promote reflection on how they approach behavior of boys and girls in their classroom to build a classroom community that addresses the needs of both male and female students based on the way current research shows how each group learns.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- McAvoy, Elizabeth
- Description:
- This project considers the influence a classroom-based mindfulness practice has on teacher resilience, along with teacher and student stress levels and productivity. In the United States and abroad, mindfulness is increasingly gaining support and popularity as a way to build what Patricia Jennings (2015) refers to as “cognitive and emotional skills that cultivate inner strength, resilience, a sense of purpose, and the capacity for continuous learning and flexible adaptation in the face of change and life’s challenges” (p. 4). The use of mindful techniques in the classroom can lead to increased teacher resilience and has a positive effect on the overall classroom climate as indicated by teacher and student reports. Given this context, the product of this project, the Mindfulness for Teachers and Students 6-page laminated trifold, was created as an easily accessible resource to guide teachers and students through mindfulness activities for use in the classroom as well as in their personal lives.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Gee, Alicia
- Description:
- School districts around the United States have been purchasing an abundance of electronic devices with Internet access for students with the hopes that teacher will create engaging lessons to support their learning and make them career ready for the competitive global society. Students are often instructed on how the device works, but do not see the ramifications of poor digital citizenship until it is too late. Unfortunately, these devices are placed into teachers’ classrooms without proper training and support on how to integrate such tools in the classroom. This study utilized action researcher based design to understand how classroom instruction improve students’ digital citizenship skills in a second and third grade classroom with one-to-one access. To determine the needs of the participants’ instruction, a pre/posttest model was used. Following the pretest, there were six lessons taught systematically and then a posttest was administered. Based on the data, the researcher could show growth of understating of its participants. This study suggested that with instruction on digital citizenship, students have the ability to gain insightful knowledge on how one’s digital presence is maintained. The educational implications and future directions are discussed.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Kearney, Katie
- Description:
- This project explores the importance of differentiating instruction to enable all students to access and succeed the general education curriculum within inclusive classrooms. The United States has a highly diverse school-age student population, whose rights to equal access is protected by federal laws such as the 2001 No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA). IDEIA identifies the general education environment as the placement of first choice for students with identified disabilities. With mandates come the need for the development of teacher skills so that they are better equipped to differentiate instruction, co-teach, and use emerging technologies to effectively educate and include all children. Given this context, this project is a six-session professional development series for general educators consisting of a book study of the Thousand, Villa, and Nevin 2015 Differentiating Instruction: Planning for universal designed design and teaching for college and career readiness (2nd ed.) text. Participants examine retrofit and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approaches to lesson planning and four approaches for co-teaching. Over the course of the sessions, participants assemble a handbook of reading, tools, and exercises to which they can refer as they design instruction for their diverse student body.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Mote, Danielle
- Description:
- This project addresses the issue of improving assessment practices and procedures used to correctly identify and provide English language learners with appropriate educational supports. The focus of this project was the development of a parent handbook entitled Handbook for Parents of English Learners: Support and Intervention Processes Available in Public School designed to help prevent the over representation of English learners for special education services and provide English learners with proper educational supports including academic interventions, as needed, and English language acquisition supports. The content of the handbook is most relevant to parents of English learner, but also can be useful for school administrators, teachers, and the general public.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Butler, Kelly
- Description:
- Current educational practice, such as focusing on high-stakes testing and a narrowing of the curriculum, have not been successful. To be successful in the future, students need to be lifelong learners who can think critically and creatively to adapt and solve problems. Curriculum integration, through programs such as the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program (PYP), can facilitate the development of students with these skills. With the expansion of public IB schools in the United States, IB teachers must carry out the IB program and curriculum as they teach according to national, state, and district standards. The ultimate goal for public school IB educators is to develop engaging, meaningful, student-driven units of inquiry as they meet standards. The question that leads this project is: What strategies for IB unit design does an IB PYP educator utilize when local or federal standards change? The purpose of this project is to develop a how-to guide for educators that outlines the steps to take when designing new standards-aligned IB units. The project contains five sections that cover unpacking and mapping the standards; creating a unit’s central idea, lines of inquiry, and essential questions; authentic assessments; daily instruction and inquiry-based instructional strategies; and project tuning sessions and collaborative planning. This project also provides teachers with a model for the how-to guide and a sample unit aligned with kindergarten Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core State Standards for math and language arts.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Eshelman, Robyn
- Description:
- The purpose of this project was to create a professional development series for paraprofessionals that includes teaching strategies and instructional techniques paraprofessionals can implement to educate students with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities. Paraprofessionals are essential to the instruction of students with disabilities, yet these staff members are not required to take education-related or college-leveled courses that focus on specific teaching methods. The presentation is intended to provide these staff members with a fundamental understanding of lesson progression, task analysis, and prompting levels. Participants will not only receive introductory information on these topics, but will also experience working with each topic through group and individual activities that allow them to immediately demonstrate the new skills. By the end of the professional development series, participants should be able to independently create simple lessons, use a task analysis procedure to break academic tasks into specific learning opportunities, and incorporate appropriate prompting techniques.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Ferns, Kelly
- Description:
- General education teachers are faced with educating a diverse student population. In California, teachers are supporting students who are learning English, who have disabilities, who are gifted and talented, and who have an array of learning styles. California's uniquely diverse student population requires teachers to have access to multi-tiered supports specifically designed to address the impediment to learning that any student may experience. In an effort to support teachers to be as effective as possible in teaching a diverse student population with unique learning needs, this researcher developed a professional development experience that could increase general educators’ capacity to effectively meet the needs of their students. The profession development inservice that is the product of this project is entitled Effective Implementation of Multi-Tiered System of Support: A Professional Development for Teachers. The inservice is intended to orient K-12 public school general educators to the best educational practice of a School-wide Multi-Tiered System of Supports, (MTSS) structure and processes, so they may use the process within their schools.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Murphy, Jenna
- Description:
- This thesis study used mixed-methods research design to study the application of manipulatives as a writing tool for middle school students. The manipulatives used in this study were plastic. colorful linking cubes. The research question for this study was: “How do manipulatives impact middle school students in revising argumentative writing?” To analyze how manipulatives impact special populations, this study also examined the following sub-groups: females, males, special education students (SPED), and English Learners (EL). This study also specifically analyzed student growth in organizing writing in addition to overall growth as measured by a general rubric. The findings revealed that the participants thought the manipulatives were more helpful as a revision tool in the first trial than in the second trial. More males thought they were helpful in both trials than females. SPED and EL participants both thought they were most helpful during the first trial. The results showed that the population experienced steady growth in both overall rubric scores and in organization. Males grew more in these areas than females. SPED participants grew more than EL participants in organization, but EL participants grew more than SPED participants in overall rubric scores. Ultimately, this research demonstrated that hands-on, kinesthetic methods can be valuable in writing classes, but that students should have a choice regarding the strategies they use to improve their writing.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Moreno, Antonina M.
- Description:
- Homework practices and policies vary widely throughout education. The research on homework varies just as widely without conclusive findings regarding which homework practices are effective or inclusive for student learning. This case study explored two teachers who employed different homework practices and policies and what effect these homework implementations had on student motivation and participation when completing assignments. Both teachers were first interviewed to find what their practices, policies, and expectations were when it came to homework in their respective classes. Students’ grades were then collected to determine whether each homework implementation was effective and inclusive. Finally, student interviews were conducted to find what students’ expectations were of homework and what they found to be motivating when completing assignments. The data reported that a no homework policy wherein students are given time in class to complete assignments, but have the option to complete or refine these assignments at home was more effective for all students and inclusive for most social groups. Furthermore, student interviews revealed that they preferred the extrinsic motivation of completion grades and teacher feedback when completing assignments. Teachers need to keep in mind their students’ expectations and needs when implementing assignments to ensure successful learning and participation of all students.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Abramowitz, Beth
- Description:
- To date, there is no curriculum that aims to align the English Language Development standards within the International Baccalaureate framework. Without English Language Development standards written explicitly into lessons to support the English language learners, it is nearly impossible to monitor the English proficiency of these students. This project integrates the necessary English Language Development standards within a scientific unit in which students study the world’s predictable patterns. The curriculum taps into students’ personal funds of knowledge which brings their own personal relevance to the classroom. Through this curriculum, students develop necessary, foundational English language skills while still being presented the rigorous curriculum they are so capable of. The ultimate goal of the project is to narrow the achievement gap for English language learners so they avoid the stigmatizing label of a Long Term English Learner. This is done by providing differentiation and access points as well as removing the language barriers for both Emerging and Bridging English language learners. By removing these language barriers, English language learners have equal access to the International Baccalaureate Framework like their monolingual peers.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Dorn, Candice
- Description:
- The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate students’ perceptions of the relationship between their middle level social studies teacher and their attitudes toward the teacher, learning, and school. The data was collected in two phases. The first phase collected quantitative data through a whole class survey and informed the selection of the interviewees in phase two. The second phase collected qualitative data through one on one interviews with the participating students. The research question used to guide to study was, “How do middle school students’ perceptions of the teacher student relationship affect their attitudes toward the teacher learning and school?” The findings revealed a positive connection between strong teacher student relationships and students’ attitudes towards the teacher, learning, and school. The students’ perceived the teacher’s positive approach to be both personally and academically supportive, which motivated them to engage on a deeper level. The personal and academic support transferred into a willingness to engage in the curriculum, increasing academic rigor, and led to higher levels of academic success in their Social Studies class.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Takhar, Rochelle
- Description:
- This project explores the benefits of incorporating more movement in the classroom and the effects it has on students’ academic achievement, cognitive function, and behavior. Being physically fit has numerous positive effects on the body, but little has been researched in terms of students’ education. In reviewing the literature, research revealed that students who were more physically fit scored higher on standardized tests indicating that there is a relationship between fitness and academics. The use of physical fitness as an antecedent was found to have a positive correlation to less disruptive behaviors from students in both general and special education settings. Research supports that students are not getting enough access to movement, and this project provides a solution. A guidebook has been created that consists of movements that teachers and students can perform inside the classroom with no need of additional equipment, technology, or preparation time. By implementing this project in classrooms, teachers will find the benefits movement has on student’s academics, cognitive function, and behavior. It is the hope that positive feedback from teachers will allow school administration and districts to feel more confident about dedicating more time during the school day for physical activity and movement.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Sullins, Sean
- Description:
- International Mindedness is a developing theme in International Baccalaureate education that has evolved in the 21st century to include sustainability of the planet among other themes. This project has been created to develop International Mindedness (IM) using sustainable food choices in a Project Based Learning environment. The guiding question for this project is: How can teachers develop IM among students using project based learning through sustainable food choices? International Mindedness is evolving and schools are in need of resources to develop International Mindedness in students. Curriculum has been developed in this project which contains lesson plans, slide shows, a project description, grading rubric and graphic organizer. The curriculum guides students’ research about how sustainable their eating habits are and helps them design a more sustainable lifestyle that takes into account global implications of personal choices. The project has been assessed by three educators at an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program in a Southern Californian school who found it useful for developing international mindedness but also found it difficult to address standards with the curriculum in isolation. It is recommended that additional curriculum is created and shared that addresses the need for International Mindedness in students.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Gustafson, Amber
- Description:
- Music education may hold the key to improving the self-efficacy of students classified as socioeconomically disadvantaged. Increasing self-efficacy for these students also potentially improves their chances of academic success. This study investigated the ways in which an El Sistema-inspired after-school orchestra program impacts socioeconomically disadvantaged students’ self-efficacy as well as the correlations that exist between students’ participation in the music program and their self-esteem, perseverance, motivation, and outlook on their personal future. Participants included fourth and fifth grade students enrolled in an orchestra program at a public elementary school in Southern California as well as their parents, teachers, and the school administration. The study was carried out through a mixed-methods approach, which consisted of student surveys, observations, and interviews with parents and school staff. Results revealed participation in the music program provided students with access to several sources of self-efficacy and produced strong correlations to measures of self-esteem and perseverance. Relationships between participation in the after-school orchestra and levels of motivation and outlook on personal future were also indicated but to a lesser degree. This study provides evidence music programs are valuable and can provide the right type of environment to reach children who are at-risk and give them the opportunities they need to succeed.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Eyerly, Michael
- Description:
- Emotional Disturbance negatively affects educational, social, and employment outcomes. The purpose of this project is to offer the needed supports and education for general education teachers to implement inclusion successfully, meet the unique learning needs of students with Emotional Disturbance, and positively influence social and academic outcomes. The research questions presented include 1) How can general education teachers be better supported to positively affect learning and outcomes for students with Emotional Disturbance in an inclusive setting? 2) What do general education teachers need to better support students with Emotional Disturbance in an inclusive setting? Currently, students with Emotional Disturbance experience more negative outcomes than other students with and without disabilities. This project was designed to introduce various supports to meet the needs of students with Emotional Disturbance. The instructional and behavioral interventions offer the needed assistance to teachers working with students with Emotional Disturbance, increasing students’ potential for positive outcomes. Research illustrates the need for additional resources for teachers working with students with and without Emotional Disturbance, and the consequences for not offering this additional support, such as increased dropout rates, relationship difficulties, and increased unemployment. Further research will help provide adequate support for students with Emotional Disturbance. Improving assistance teachers receive increases the supports students receive and their overall positive outcomes in inclusion settings. Offering these supports can create more effective educational settings and increases the overall positive outcomes for students with Emotional Disturbance. Keywords: Emotional Disturbance, inclusion, instructional, strategies, behavioral, interventions.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Owen, Marie
- Description:
- The purpose of this study was to determine teachers’ perspective on the potential effectively a commercial language arts curriculum supports students with mild and moderate disabilities. The following research questions guided this study: What is the perspective of educators on the adoption committee for the language arts program? What are the most beneficial components of the program in supporting learners with mild and moderate disabilities? How accessible program component to educators? The researcher used a mixed methods approach that included an online survey and personal interviews. The participants in this study included middle –level general educators who teach in classrooms that include students with mild and moderate disabilities. The results suggest that participants felt that the program had embedded differentiated components that utilized some universal design for learning principles. The content videos and interactive whiteboard lessons were considered engaging and scaffolded instruction. However, the writing component of the program was less favored by the participants. Needed is further research on the relevance and effectiveness of commercial programs to the education of students with disabilities in general education classrooms
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Lukic, Ana
- Description:
- It being the 21st century, it is important for educators to adapt to the technological way of teaching, and implement Google Documents into the writing curricula. Google Docs have become an important instructional, and technological Web 2.0 that are being implemented into classrooms around the world today. Further research was needed to hear the voices of students and their honest opinions of utilizing Google Docs throughout their writing process. This qualitative research design focused on six 4th grade students, who were interviewed, observed, and who’s writing pieces were analyzed for background knowledge of Google Documents, time efficiency, collaboration, and motivation throughout the process. Research has proven that the inclusion of Google Docs impacts student writing in a positive, engaging, and entertaining manner, and it motivates students to write.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Jacoby, April
- Description:
- Though research has shown mastery-based education (MBE) to be an effective approach to improving student achievement and motivation, it is still an innovation that few institutions have successfully implemented. By identifying common elements encountered by early implementers of MBE, this project was designed to provide a guide for the successful implementations of a Mastery Based Education system. Research and analysis of past and current efforts to implement mastery-based programs allowed for the identification of areas of success as well as areas of need. To verify the findings of the review of literature, an anonymous online survey was conducted of faculty at a newly launched MBE program. Studies concluded the three most significant areas of need were program alignment, preparation, and the instructional cycle. This project then drew from the tenets of organizational change theory and applied them to issues confronting innovative educational leaders when attempting educational reform. The resulting Guide for the Implementation a Mastery Based Education Program provides strategies for addressing (a) program alignment with a school’s mission and vision, state standards, and all instructional components; (b) preparation, including creating buy-in, initial development and training, and continuous support; and (c) the instructional cycle, including formative assessments, feedback, and interventions or enrichment. The guide concludes with a list of guiding questions educational leaders can use to evaluate their implementation plan. This project provides a valuable tool that institutions can use when considering the major shift to Mastery Based Education.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Lowe, Taylor
- Description:
- Many arguments circle the debate on the role cell phones play in today’s digital age classroom. The common held belief that cell phones are distractions to a student’s learning and only serve to disrupt their learning and understanding is being shaken by the arising belief that cell phones can actually serve to compliment one’s learning. Survey and action research has found that cell phones do not diminish or take away from a student’s learning of material but rather increase student engagement in lessons as seen through fewer prompts to stay on task and decreased observations of off task behavior. When cell phones are utilized in the classroom in a positive manner, they serve to cultivate a set of skills within the students that will allow them to be successful contributors to their future marketplace.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Blaha, Michelle
- Description:
- Middle school is an age where students are really finding themselves. By becoming more involved in campus activities and leadership roles, at-risk students would be given the guidance needed in order to become successful. The purpose of this study is to explore what impact a positive experience such as a leadership class might have on our students who struggle academically, socially, or emotionally. The research method used to analyze the data is a mixed methods design. Teachers will be filling out a survey in regards to their students’ academic, social, and emotional well being in their class. This data will be analyzed quantitatively. Qualitatively, teachers will have the ability to fill in any comments they would like to share. The comment section on their semester report cards will also be analyzed.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Scheidler, Alexa
- Description:
- The adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) has created quite a bit of media attention offering opinions from parents, teachers and administrators about the new standards and the resulting changes to curriculum. There is limited research on the student perspective. The research question used to guide this study is: What instructional strategies and supports do students perceive are effective in motivating them to succeed in high school Integrated Math classes based on the CCSS? The research defines motivating factors that affect student success such as connecting content to real world situations, student-centered classrooms, group collaboration and frequent formative, process-oriented feedback. The current study uses a survey of students in Integrated Math classes (n=132) including statements with responses on a Likert scale and additional open ended questions. The data was disaggregated by program, Special Education (n=12) and English Language Learners (ELL) (n=11), separating the students who are not receiving services for those programs (n=109) and also by gender, males (n=64) and females (n=68). A t-test for statistical significance was used with a significance level p<.05. The initial findings of the survey indicate that teacher-directed instruction, technology use, elements of student-centered learning, and group collaboration all contribute to the success and motivation of students in Integrated Math classes. ELL students indicate that they want more tools that other populations, females indicate they prefer note-taking more than males, and males are more likely to agree that they would like to start a problem before being told how to do it. Further research is needed to gather information linked to student achievement and gather more data from Special Education and ELL populations.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Sovgir, Nazanine
- Description:
- Inclusive practices have been introduced in educational settings during recent years. According to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) of 2004, schools are required to provide students with identified special education needs access to a free and appropriate education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). The presumption of the law is that the placement of first choice is the general education classroom and that a student is only to be removed from that setting when education needs cannot be met with personalized supports and services. In other words, it is imperative that schools teach students with identified special educational needs in the general education classroom as much as possible. Elementary, middle, and high schools have strived over the past several decades to structure and support an inclusive environment for all students to have access to and success in grade level curriculum in the general educational setting. The product of this project is a six-page trifold guide for general education teachers, paraprofessionals and others interested in quality inclusive education that contains basic information about inclusion and strategies that work to support the learning of students with special needs. The trifold is significant to education in that teachers who read and use it acquire knowledge regarding inclusive practices that can help alleviate their concerns about not being fully prepared to structure learning experiences so that all students regardless of their learning styles learn in the general education classroom. Keywords: Inclusion, inclusive schooling, inclusive education, instructional strategies
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Lea, Olivia
- Description:
- While the number of students with special educational needs continues to increase, educators are finding themselves faced with the challenges of implementing effective teaching strategies that meet the needs of all students. Co-teaching has become an increasingly popular differentiated teaching strategy to meet these unique needs of all learners at the secondary education level. The methodology that was used for creating this project included extensive research on co-teaching strategies as well as the author’s direct experience with co-teaching in an inclusive classroom at the secondary education level. The product of this project is an in-service module for secondary educators on co-teaching in inclusive classroom environments. In the professional development module is included a comprehensive definition of co-teaching and the various co-teaching approaches recommendations for use of each approach, challenges associated with co-teaching, and a sample lesson of each co-teaching approach, as well as tips and resources for a smooth transition into implementing co-teaching within a school and district.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Han, Melissa
- Description:
- Young elementary students know what they want as learners, and they are fully capable and able to lead in contexts where adults are typically the leader – in classrooms and in research. The purpose of this case study was to explore whether and how providing authentic leadership opportunities for elementary students in two democratically oriented classrooms created feelings of connectedness and belonging. Both third grade classrooms could be defined as democratic: learning was student-centered, and student voice was heard and implemented throughout the day. Focus group students selected for this study were from two third grade classrooms that each operationalized democratic learning and distributed leadership practices where student voice was both solicited and valued. I asked very young people to explain what helps them feel listened to and understood in classrooms - to say what helps them be seen and understood and to define that for adults. Prior researchers have not asked young people to lead us in this. This case study research informs educators of how to listen and respond to young elementary students so their voices lead their learning and thereby create feelings of connectedness. Data analysis showed classroom moments of inviting student voice, providing leadership opportunity, and creating feelings of connected. Teachers were intentional in positioning themselves as facilitators of learning and modeled genuine questioning of student thinking. This study revealed that sharing authority and acting with humility created a reciprocal relationship between teachers and students. Students then used talk to deepen each other’s thinking, to advocate for each other, and to lead as co-teachers, but this only happened when they were in an environment that prioritized student voice. Students felt connected to their class community because they came to rely on and trust each other as resources.
- Resource Type:
- Dissertation
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Hazen, Amanda
- Description:
- Co-teaching provides the opportunity for students with special needs to be included in the same general education classes as their typical peers. At the high school level, inclusive classrooms often require a special education teacher to co-teach with a general education teacher in core academic content classrooms, such as mathematics and science. High school mathematics classes are challenging courses for students with special education needs and ones in which the special education teacher, who is co-teaching to support student learning lacks mathematical background knowledge to better assist students with and without disabilities within the inclusive general education mathematics classroom. The purpose of this project was to address the need for special education teachers who are co-teaching with mathematics content teachers to acquire adequate math conceptual understanding to better instruct and assist all students within an inclusive high school mathematics class. The product of this project is a professional development series on ninth grade Common Core State Standard math material to support special education teachers co-teaching in ninth-grade mathematics classes. Keywords: Co-teaching, high school math content, inclusive classrooms, professional development, special education, support teacher
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Desmond, Carolyn
- Description:
- The research took place in a unique Dual Language setting where students were mostly separated by primary language from kindergarten to second grade through a two-teacher language model. For the study, students in one class were integrated during their writing block, so that native English and native Spanish speaking students could work together in both languages for the first time. The researcher measured the effect of this integration in student writing outcomes in their second language and their personal investments in Spanish. Tools included a writing rubric, pre and post surveys, and four student interviews. Findings indicated that student academic achievement and Spanish investment both increased for both groups of students following four weeks of integrated instruction.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Chamow, Emily
- Description:
- School districts need to provide teachers with professional development they find useful in helping to change their practices, especially during times of significant educational reform. This study aims to answer the question, “What characteristics of professional development lead to change in teacher practices?” Research based features of effective professional development along with identified barriers to change are used as the foundation for this mixed methods study. Results from a cluster sample of TK-fifth grade teachers from one elementary school were analyzed using a Likert Scale and coding analysis. The results of this study suggest that significant time for collaboration, a longer duration of PL experiences, and supportive environments for implementing new strategies will improve the usefulness of PL offered to teachers. Results from this study can be used by educational leaders to help design more effective PL opportunities and ultimately increase student achievement. Keywords: barriers, change, characteristics, collaboration, duration, effective, professional development, educational reform, supportive environments, strategies, student achievement
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Paredes, Maria
- Description:
- This action research study examines the effects of the Paideia Seminar, a discussion strategy, on the writing attitudes and performances of the researcher’s current fourth grade Dual Immersion classroom located in southern California. The study used a triangulation of mixed-methods that included Likert Scale surveys, writing rubric scores and open-ended questions. The Paideia Seminar consists of two main components: a democratic learning philosophy and three levels of learning that include didactic, coaching and Socratic Seminar learning. The researcher chose the Paideia Seminar for this study because it provides access to all the students who have varying language abilities in this Dual Immersion classroom. Overall, the research findings suggest that the Paideia Seminar improved student attitudes, but not significantly. Writing skills and the process of drawing conclusions were not improved either, but both English Only and English Learners favored this strategy because it allowed them to orally express themselves.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Stone, Brooke
- Description:
- A school is a complex environment in which school staff has an immense responsibility to meet the needs of all students. Students come to school with a variety of strengths, backgrounds, and level of readiness for meeting behavior and academic expectations. In order to ensure that all students are “ready to learn” both academic content and how to be a kind, safe, and productive citizens, a School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS) system is necessary. This product that is the product of this project, an informational resource entitled School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports, was designed to provide general education teachers, paraeducators, and administrators with an overview of SWPBS and specific strategies for implementing a SWPBS system. The six-paged resource includes information on whole-school behavior expectations, proactive strategies and interventions for general education personnel to use every day, particular strategies such as the Check In, Check Out procedure and the Stop, Think, Plan, Make it Right reflective student accountability script for following up with behaviors in a consistent, positive manner. The researcher’s goal is to make this resource available to personnel within and outside of her school district in order to empower educators to create safe and nurturing classroom climates, increase student self-control, and reduce student referral out of the general education classroom due to disruptive behavior.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Mueller, Charles
- Description:
- Many high school graduates are ill-equipped to write in a professional capacity or at a college level. While high school graduates are better equipped in reading, many struggle with the texts they will encounter in the workforce or attending college. This project was created to answer the question: How can a high school teacher use a writing workshop model including mentor texts in conjunction with free, independent reading to improve student writing? The project is a 3-week series of lesson plans that utilizes mentor texts and independent reading for students to create their own narrative writing. The project used research to establish the systematic problem of limited writing and reading skills of high school graduates. Furthermore, the research suggested the use of mentor texts, offered grouping strategies, and encouraged the use of free, independent reading. Upon completion of the unit, students will have created their own narrative writing and be equipped to begin writing longer narrative pieces such as a personal narrative..
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Katz, Solomon
- Description:
- According to Wynn (2012), students in the US are falling behind in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). These vital disciplines have always been important in academia, but currently there is a global shift from specialization, a linear and logical approach, to “...an economy and a society built on the inventive, empathic, big-picture capabilities of...the Conceptual Age” (Pink, 2008). In this way, integration of the arts is an essential component of the strategy to improve education as a whole and solidify the arts as an essential component of the academic experience in the US. In order to help our students to compete for jobs in the 21st Century marketplace, policymakers and educators should take a second look at integrating the arts into STEM instruction (STEAM). Proven to boost academic achievement and support Common Core principles, STEAM expands innovation and creative thinking in STEM fields. In the study the researcher asks, “In what ways do K-5 teachers effectively integrate the arts into STEAM instruction?” To answer this question the researcher designed a research study using an online survey to gather data on K-5 teachers in schools with STEAM programs. Findings showed that educators chose STEM and arts disciplines to integrate based primarily on accessibility to teaching tools and materials and not always on what was best for students and learning. Other student-related factors included students’ understanding of the arts discipline and student motivation.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Montferret, Ashlee
- Description:
- Due to recent federal legislation, students with disabilities are now able to participate in rigorous academic and general education curriculum and assessment with their non-disabled peers in a common learning environment. In inclusive classrooms, all students are taught together, including students with disabilities. Among the collaborative strategies that satisfy legislative expectations and provide students with services and supports within the general education classroom is the instructional practice of co-teaching. General education teachers, special education teachers, paraprofessionals, and related service providers are expected to collaborate and teach together an even more diverse group of students with a larger range of needs. However, teachers report receiving very little to no training to prepare them to for co-teaching. The lack of training causes many challenges for co-teachers, which include knowing how to effectively plan, teach, and assess collaboratively for the diverse needs of their students. This project offers a co-teaching professional development to help schools effectively implement this inclusive practice, based upon findings from a literature review. It outlines the key elements to successfully implement co-teaching in inclusive classrooms and provides a foundation of knowledge for educators on historical context of inclusion, current laws, the four co-teaching models, and co-teacher roles and responsibilities.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- McCullough, Sarah England
- Description:
- A strong volunteer program can be a valuable resource to every school. If a school is not utilizing such a program, the students, as well as their families, are under a great disadvantage. This project answers the question of how schools can advance their volunteer programs in order to utilize volunteers effectively. It also looks at the value in volunteering and what constitutes volunteering. To answer these questions, the author decided to investigate current volunteering trends in schools. The main theoretical foundations of this project come from Funds of Knowledge as well as School, Family, Community Partnerships. The author created a volunteer handbook that combines the best practices of these two concepts to create a complete volunteer program for kindergarten through fifth grade schools in the United States. Volunteering has positive impacts on not only student’s academic progress, but also their behavior. In implementing a volunteer program where families and community members use their valuable skills and talents to enhance student learning, volunteers also feel positive toward the school and education. This affirmative response is of increasing importance in today’s changing political climate.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Maurer, Chelsea
- Description:
- With inclusion becoming more popular among school districts for students with disabilities, these students are often not included in extracurricular competitive sports. Many physical education (PE) coaches report not feeling adequately prepared to coach a student with a disability in their program. There are also many coaches that have less than favorable attitudes towards inclusion because of a negative past experience. Education specialists are also included in this training to learn what role they should take in including a student with a disability in an extracurricular competitive sport. Students with disabilities miss out on the experiences that typical students benefit from because of adult attitudes and limitations put upon this population. The purpose of this project is to train coaches of competitive sports on how to include these students and how to work with the education specialist on site to provide equitable experiences for all students and reduce the negative experiences that lead to teachers and coaches to have unfavorable attitudes towards inclusion practices.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Safaralian, Leila
- Description:
- Many students aspire to continue their educational journey, but far too many enter college without the basic content knowledge, skills, or habits of mind needed to succeed. Research on college readiness indicates the significant role mathematics achievement plays in attaining a college degree and advancing professionally. This dissertation study provides a broad examination of college readiness in mathematics among entering college students. Specifically, in an effort to improve access to college-level mathematics courses for underrepresented students, it examines the meaning and significance of an existing program to help students transition to college. The Mathematics Success program at Oceanview Community College provides enrichment instruction in mathematics for the purpose of improving placement test scores and enabling students to take a shorter path to transfer-level mathematics courses. This qualitative study utilized design-based case study methodology to investigate whether the Mathematics Success program was effective in helping students improve their mathematics placement scores and, if so, why this might occur. The researcher found that classroom tutors, tutoring services, supplemental practices, and the Math Anxiety workshop were the most valuable aspects of the program to help students succeed in the mathematics placement test. The quantitative results of this study showed that there is no relation between the time since the last mathematics class and students’ scores on the post-test. Also, there was a strong positive relationship between the post-assessment scores and pre-assessment results. Implications for social justice and leadership in higher education institutions are also discussed.
- Resource Type:
- Dissertation
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- O'Reilly, Katie
- Description:
- Parents’ engagement within their child’s education is an important factor for student success. Actively participating within the school and home increases student achievement. Primarily focusing on an elementary level school, this study analyzed parent engagement and participation within their child’s school and how it correlates to student achievement and success. This study utilized a quantitative research approach to understand parent engagement within schools and the home. The purpose of this study was to analyze parent engagement within their child’s education, specifically in the school while also looking at the amount of engagement within the home and if it correlates to student achievement. Findings collected from a survey were broken down and displayed using statistical data. This data illustrated and emphasized the amount of engagement and participation that was taking place within the school and the home. Findings suggest that parents are actively participating when they can but are often limited due to working or having other children within the home. The overall implications of this study point towards more effective communication and a more flexible volunteer schedule for utilization of parents at events and in the classrooms.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Daley, Ben
- Description:
- Preparing more students for success in college, career, and civic life is of critical importance, particularly for traditionally underserved students. Improvement science represents promising ideas and practices for how to achieve greater outcomes for students, particularly at scale. In this dissertation, two projects were undertaken related to college, career, and civic readiness, one to reduce chronic absenteeism and the other to increase Cal Grant award rates. Using improvement science methodology, chronic absenteeism was reduced by up to 85% across three schools and Cal Grant award rates increased from 35% to 46% across five high schools. These projects were written up according to guidelines for reporting on improvement projects taken from healthcare.
- Resource Type:
- Dissertation
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Banks, Leticia
- Description:
- Current English language teaching research in Mexico has shown that junior high school students are not learning English and that English teachers lack linguistic and pedagogical skills to teach the language. Research has evidenced system-wide factors contributing to low learning outcomes such as teacher shortage, poor working conditions, limited teaching resources, inadequate school support, and misaligned professional development. However, little has been said about initial teacher preparation. Therefore, this research sought to understand how English teachers in junior high schools in Mexico viewed their initial preparation program and whether the realities of practice in their specific teaching context match that preparation. The study drew on questionnaire data of junior high school English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in three different regions of Mexico—northern, central, and southern states, from urban, suburban, and rural classrooms, including three different junior high school modalities. The aim was to understand how initial teacher preparation equipped teachers with language knowledge, teaching knowledge, and contextual knowledge for their practice. This study argues that initial teacher preparation, although a critical component for success in the classroom, has been largely treated in the periphery. This treatment may have resulted in weak initial preparation of English teachers. This study presented both qualitative and quantitative evidence about the realities English teachers faced in their current practice as they attempted to implement the new National English Program in basic education. Some realities seemed to have been ignored and/or inadequately addressed during initial teacher preparation. Therefore, the evidence presented sought to inform English teachers, school administrators, and policy makers about the situation in the trenches. The study also sought to contribute to the current conversation about the direction and content of initial English teacher preparation programs in view of the diverse teaching contexts in the country.
- Resource Type:
- Dissertation
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Ocampo, Roxanne
- Description:
- Undermatching refers to college ready students who select and enroll in colleges with selectivity levels significantly lower than their academic profile, resulting in attending a non-competitive college, a two-year college, or foregoing applying to college altogether. The current research trend examining the topic of Undermatching focuses on studies of low-income students in aggregate, ignoring the fastest growing racial/ethnic student demographic: Latinxs. Latinx students, as a subgroup, undermatch at the highest rate compared to all subgroups within the demographic of low-income, first generation students. While the majority of high-performing, low-income, Latinx students Undermatch, there is a small percentage of students from this demographic who avert undermatching and in fact properly match to selective colleges. This phenomenological study explored the behaviors, practices, and experiences, of 30 Mexican-American college sophomores (15 females and 15 males) whose demographic consisted of first-generation status, low-income, immigrant parents, English Learners, who earned admission to a highly selective college. This research study draws upon several theoretical frameworks to guide understanding of the ways in which this targeted demographic has the greatest potential to undermatch including Critical Race Theory, Cultural & Social Capital Theory, and Academic Invulnerability Theory. The study explores various environmental, psychological, and institutional factors, with emphasis on digital technology resources that impacted or influenced the college choice process of this target demographic. This study contributes to our understanding of the challenges, successful practices, and interventions that influenced and impacted participant’s pathway to a selective college. The purposeful sample was comprised of students who recently graduated from public high school in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas. The qualitative methodology consisted of individual, semi-structured interviews, and a Qualtrics Survey.
- Resource Type:
- Dissertation
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Le, Loc-Ha
- Description:
- Inspired by numerous studies of advantages on piano interventional education, the purpose of this study is to investigate the benefits of piano interventional education with support of the research on neuroplasticity. Using personal interviews, surveys, and Certificate of Merit evaluation conducted by Music Teachers’ Association of California, this study investigated the impact of a piano intervention on students’ cognition, self-regulation, and problem solving. It seems that the piano interventional education serves as play. Equally, play has a power to transform the joy of recreational activity into self-regulated behavior. Moreover, the joyful environment of the interventional piano learning serves as a stimulating environment. Piano Sight-Reading (PSR) or Piano Repertoire-Implementing (PRI) practice could impact the visualization and enhances the spatial thinking related to problem-solving skill for a piano student. Self-regulation, cognitive performance, and problem-solving mindset may offer a promising tool for a piano student to also be successful in other academic disciplines.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Escobar-Molina, Juana
- Description:
- As educational technology advances, primary grade teachers are now implementing various mediums of technology to support their curriculum and instruction. In this study, an elementary school has designed a Weebly math website to use as an online learning community to support their common core math planning and curriculum. The website is meant to be used as a living document and providing coaching tools for new teachers. This website narrates teachers’ collaboration as they plan, share, design and implement their lessons within the classrooms. The process, lessons, materials, differentiations, photos and videos are posted for each lesson. Teachers can modify, change and add information as they move along the placing plans. Teachers can provide reflective notes on their lessons. This project analyses and reflects on how this platform meets the professional needs of learning community of teachers at an elementary school. The goals of the project is to support day-to-day planning with pre-planned paced units and support classroom instruction by sharing best practices as teachers deliver the math lessons. Ultimately, the goal is to improve students’ learning and classroom teaching practices. The future goals is to effectively maintain the math website and add more technology support for teachers and students.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Downing, Brienne
- Description:
- Special education teachers are in high demand and greatly needed to meet the needs of the growing population of students qualified for special education services under the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004. The increasing attrition rates of special education teachers are a social justice issue that needs attention. The demands and pressures that special education teachers face need to be closely examined and addressed to ensure equal access to education for the population of students receiving special education services. The literature review analyzes and discusses the need to identify the severity and impact of special education teacher attrition rates and the use of a resilience construct to help increase the retention of teachers. This phenomenological research study examines the research and findings of implemented and needed interventions to help mitigate the issue. This study examines a conceptual framework of special education teacher resiliency by look at four major areas: (1) why special education teachers enter the field, (2) non-workplace contexts, (3) workplace contexts (e.g. collegial support, administrative support, other supports), and (4) personal resiliency attributes. This study posits these four elements influence teacher resiliency and satisfaction/intention to stay or leave the field of special education. A resilience scale to pre-screen participants and a semi-structured interview was employed to gather data. Participants guided the findings of this study and inform educational leaders and policy makers on special education teacher resiliency factors that promote retention. These findings included being able to experience and learn of student growth and accomplishments, having a personal connection to special education and individuals with disabilities, a sense of fulfillment, and relationships with parents, colleagues, and students; balance and boundaries participants sought personal self-care through individual exercise and travel, and social networking through team exercise and sports, community service and involvement, and connecting with family and friends; administrative support through emotional, instrumental, appraisal, and informational supports; staying student centered and focused upon student potential, the verbal and physical actions of administrators, and collegial relationships; and having a sense of purpose.
- Resource Type:
- Dissertation
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Frierson, Jocelyn
- Description:
- Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience difficulties in social interactions, communication, and engage in restricted, repetitive behaviors or interest (Harstad et al., 2014; Neal & Hattier, 2012). These symptoms may hinder a child’s ability to develop and maintain quality friendships. Children with ASD have a harder time making friends compared to their, neurotypical peers. These hindrances may be stemming from core social-cognitive difficulties and ASD symptoms (De Boer, Pijl, Post, & Minnaert, 2013). Recreational activities may provide an important social context for children to develop these social skills and friendships. Current research has found that recreational activities have influenced neurotypical children's personal and social skills, including self-perceptions, positive social behaviors, feelings and attitudes (Durlak et al., 2010). Neurotypical peers may find it difficult to interact with and include peers with ASD due to many of the symptoms of ASD. Research has found that various peer-training programs can create more inclusive environments and promote more social initiation from children with ASD (Owen-DeSchryver et al., 2008). As these programs are not readily available for all, many parents seek out additional social opportunities, in the form of peer supported recreational activities, that might facilitate connections. Many neurotypical peers do not have access to or would not be interested in peer training programs, however may be drawn to participating in a less structured recreational activities environment where peer acceptance can also be developed. The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of participation in peer supported recreational activities on individuals with ASD’s friendship quality and social skills, and their neurotypical peers’ peer acceptance.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Housein, Angela
- Description:
- Literacy is a complex and vital part of modern day life. Individuals need an array of literacy skills in order to successfully access their environments (social, technological, academic, etc.) Students with disabilities tend to demonstrate lower levels of literacy performance when compared to the population in general. A lack of access to authentic texts, social learning opportunities, and appropriate pedagogy contribute to the growing literacy achievement gap among students with and without disabilities. Using classic texts and the most current best practices, this education researcher designed a unit of instruction using a particular classic text, Animal Farm by George Orwell. The unit employs a Universal Lesson Design approached to demonstrate for teachers how to differentiate instruction in order to create an engaging, relevant and worthwhile learning experience for students with and without disabilities.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Poulson, Tayla
- Description:
- This project is a classroom-level implementation guide that aims to identify the problems of traditional discipline and offer guidance for reshaping public education discipline to become more restorative. Problems of traditional discipline include disproportionate office discipline referrals, suspensions and expulsions based on race and disability, in addition to a lack of social and emotional support following behavioral incidents. The author first brings awareness to the current state of research on traditional discipline and then offers restorative discipline as an alternative approach to increase positive school climate, including equitable discipline trends and greater social emotional support and relationships. Through a three-month pilot period in an inclusive classroom, the author was able to gain data and feedback to revise and increase effectiveness of the classroom-level implementation guide. As a result, the implementation guide pilot, along with additional literature in the field, supports the increase of equitable and positive outcomes upon implementation of restorative practices on a classroom-, school-wide, or district-wide level.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Dotson, Lauren
- Description:
- In the field of special education, students are referred, assessed and receive multiple interventions in order to be placed in settings, programs, and learning experiences intended to best fulfill their academic and social needs, which further advance their progress as students and individuals in our society. In order to best support and accommodate students with exceptionalities who are found to be eligible for these services, an Individualized Educational Program is developed by a team of specially trained professionals. An IEP requires lengthy procedures and sometimes delicate terms, and is often conducted without the students themselves present or aware of the process that is intended to legally support them in their educational journey. This study promotes the involvement of students as the key component of facilitating the IEP process, promoting movement toward success academically, socially and emotionally. Through the implementation of this purposeful curriculum program, students are provided an opportunity for involvement and ownership of their learning through the development of a greater understanding of themselves and the details of their Individual Education Program (IEP). With the structures of the curriculum found in this project manual, students gain an in-depth insight, awareness, and future action plan to enhance their learning capabilities and self-advocacy and determination practices.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Ruth, Brent
- Description:
- Currently, many students with disabilities are being observed playing by themselves on the playground. Some educators believe the reasoning behind this behavior is students with disabilities prefer to play by themselves. However, often it is due to the student’s lack of social skills and knowledge of how to play the recess games with their typical peers (De Bildt, Serra, Luteijin, Sytema, & Minderra, 2005; Hinkle, 2016; Myles & Simpson, 2001). It is common for students with disabilities to have trouble learning social skills in a typical way. However, simply teaching the social skill in a special education setting is not best practice. Students with disabilities should be given an opportunity to practice these skills in context with their typical peers (Kunc, 2013). This project is an eight-week social skills curriculum that explicitly teaches students with disabilities a target social skill and the rules of a common recess game. The students are then given an opportunity to practice the target social skill and the recess game with their typical peers during recess. The goal of this project is to help give students with disabilities and their typical peers the exposure, confidence, and skills needed to create and maintain a fully inclusive playground setting.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Ednalino, Kiarlo
- Description:
- The numbers of children who receive special education services are on the rise; current reports reflect that 13% of all children and youth, aged 3 – 21, currently receive special education academic or related services – equating to 6.5 million students nationwide. Within this population, the United States Census in 2010 approximated that 38% of school-aged children who receive special education services come from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) families. With this substantial population in mind, there is a pressing need to appropriately address the unique needs of these diverse families. Individualized areas of need for CLD families include understanding the affects of culture, increasing levels of collaboration and involvement in their child’s education, and becoming informed decision makers. Review of literature indicates that appropriate components to increased understanding of informational resources for these families include improving readability of parent resources and the ongoing use of culturally relevant and culturally sensitive practices. A trifold, entitled Special Education at a Glance: What Do I Need to Know?, has been created to address the aforementioned issues.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Hammack, Angelique
- Description:
- The purpose of this project was to create a handbook, Zumba-Brain-Breaks: A Guide for Teachers, which explains how to include Zumba dance moves and brain breaks into a daily classroom schedule, in ways that help minimize student inattention, hyperactivity, and behavior problems, while maximizing learning, student readiness, and achievement. The handbook builds upon the previous research that evidences the positive effects of exercise on students with and without ADHD, during and outside of academic instruction. Although previous studies and movement and sensory regulation programs have used some form of aerobic exercises like jumping, jogging, and hopping to facilitate student readiness to learn, none could be found that introduce a dance program like Zumba into classroom routines. This handbook was designed with students with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) in mind. However, it can be used to benefit all students with diverse learning abilities.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Mandell, Jeanne-Marie
- Description:
- This project examines the benefits of a classroom pet, specifically a leopard gecko, for middle school students with developmental disabilities, and provides a teacher manual for the implementation of a classroom pet program. Animals have long been used for the benefit of humans, and research supports the position that animals have a positive effect on children, especially when they can be used as instructional tools in the classroom. Children thrive when given the opportunity to learn about the world through animals, and by including animals in the classroom, students are more interested, engaged, and curious. Not all animals are suitable to be classroom pets, but the leopard gecko possesses a number of qualities which make it an ideal candidate, including hardiness, longevity, ease of care, and being hypoallergenic. The project “Teacher Handbook for Classroom Pets: Leopard Geckos” was designed to educate teachers, staff, administrators, parents, and students about the benefits that a leopard gecko can have on the classroom environment. This handbook contains eight Common Core-aligned lessons designed to help teachers utilize the leopard gecko as a vehicle for engaging middle school students living with special learning needs, and as teaching tool and a complement for social and affective development.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Alcantara, Silvia
- Description:
- This project promotes equity amongst all students through the use of Culturally Proficient Teaching practices. This project consists of a Community Helpers thematic unit; the Spanish written lessons will allow the teacher to analyze and reflect upon his/her practices in the classroom. The lessons ensure that the teacher is constantly self-reflecting on the lessons to ensure that Culturally Relevant Teaching goals are being met. The curriculum also aims to mirror students’ culture, race, gender, and heritage not only to engage them in the lessons but also to validate their values, identity, and history. This project stems from a desire to become a Culturally Relevant Teacher and create equitably and socially just lessons using Culturally Relevant Pedagogy that will empower all students.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Lynch, Valerie Ann
- Description:
- In 2008-2009, nearly one million children experiencing homelessness were enrolled in school. In 2012, over 1.5 million children were identified as homeless. In a 2013 U. S. Census report, 2.5 million children were identified as homeless in America. The number of homeless children in America continues to increase every year. Homeless students are among the most marginalized and vulnerable populations in schools. They experience daily trauma and encounter more risks than their non-homeless peers. Unfortunately, there is a dearth in educational research regarding how teachers work with homeless students and what they do to meet the children’s educational needs. There is even less research on homeless school-age children. Through the lens of two theoretical frameworks of care theory and attachment theory, this inquiry explored what relationship building practices teachers engage in and how elementary teachers build relationships and interact with their homeless students to meet the children’s educational needs. By examining how homeless students’ educational needs are currently being met, this study contributes to a better understanding of the challenges homeless students face, the types of support they need to be successful, and the support needed to provide elementary school teachers with the tools and knowledge to help them meet the unique needs of homeless students.
- Resource Type:
- Dissertation
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
1661. Evidence-Based Interventions for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Handbook for Educators
- Creator:
- Barraza, Laina
- Description:
- Today’s educators are faced with challenges when teaching students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Many educators report feeling unprepared and unsure of what interventions are effective for students diagnosed with ASD. Educators are mandated to use Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs) for all students. The fundamental procedures of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) have met the criteria to be determined as EBPs. Some EBPs are reinforcement, extinction, prompting, functional behavioral assessment, task analysis, functional communication training, and pivotal response training. The purpose of this project is to create a handbook to help introduce educators to evidence-based practices for students with ASD in school settings. The handbook will be utilized by teachers, paraprofessionals, principals, school advisors, and parents. The handbook will inform the reader of the fundamental evidence-based procedures of ABA.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- McCrady, Taylor
- Description:
- Writing is intertwined throughout all content areas, making it an essential skill for student success across disciplines. However, writing instruction is not always engaging for students. A thorough review of the literature about the most effective and engaging practices for writing instruction is presented. The strategies discussed throughout the literature review are; Making Content Accessible For All Students, Effective Strategies for Writing Instruction, The Process Writing Approach and Writer’s Workshop, Self-Regulated Strategy Instruction, The Case for Collaboration, PIGS FACE: Positive Interdependence, Individual Accountability, Group Processing, Social Skills, and Face-to-Face interaction, and finally, Publishing Student Writing Pieces. The researcher used the information retrieved when reviewing the literature, as well as essential elements of curriculum in existing curriculum to create this writing and digital publishing program. This program provides general educators with lesson plans and resources that can facilitate the writing and publishing of a classroom book in an inclusive setting. Each portion of curriculum is housed in the appendices as follows: Writing Skills Curriculum (Appendix A), Social Skills Curriculum (Appendix B), and Publishing with Technology Curriculum (Appendix C). Although this program is comprehensive, it does contain limitations and recommendations from the researcher.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Jimenez, Rosa
- Description:
- This paper seeks to shed a light on the post-secondary supports available to individuals with developmental disabilities in the domains of conservatorship, healthcare, education, housing, and employment for post-secondary life. Adulthood is a transition that many people may face with glee, apprehension or outright fear. For people or family members with one or more developmental disabilities, the structured support and IEP team of professionals assembled that have guided many people and families since infancy falls away and no longer applies once a person with a developmental disability exists the K-12 school system. There are many different procedures and supports that have been set in place to provide help at this crucial time that are not readily or widely understood. This project’s aim is to create material through the use of brochures, to explain the options and supports available in the aforementioned categories in the hopes that it will give students with a developmental disability, their family members, and teachers a strong platform on which to envision, discuss, and secure post-secondary supports and resources in all areas of a person with a developmental disabilities life. This paper goes into a brief description of the information relevant to gaining a basic understanding of conservatorship, post-secondary education, housing, and employment. The hope is that it will be used as a means to briefly educate and direct individuals to resources to better understand the types of supports available of a specific category as mentioned above
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Barto, Brooke
- Description:
- The study evaluated the preexisting collaborative climate at a public elementary school that implemented inclusive education by integrating students with exceptionality in general education classrooms. Qualitative data collected through in person interviews of IEP staff members at the school site were analyzed to identify a baseline of need prior to the development of a collaborative digital platform. Based upon the identified baseline of need, a website was created with the purpose of increasing collaborative efforts, enriching philosophical understanding and acceptance of inclusion, and promoting the use of resources that incorporate elements of universal design. The websites key function was to provide a platform for IEP staff to accurately and consistently monitor student IEP goal progress across settings, and to increase the quality and quantity of team communicational efforts. The website was piloted for a total of five weeks wherein IEP goal progress was digitally managed by the general education teacher, education specialist, and the paraprofessional that worked with the three student participants. Effectiveness of the website was measured by post-launch staff participant interview data and analysis of student progress data logged during the pilot period. Results indicated that the website was effective in addressing the gap that was identified between administrative expectations relating to inclusion and the collaborative efforts required to ensure successful implementation. The purpose of this study was to produce a tool that educators can use to increase collaboration between IEP team members. Keywords: educational collaboration, IEP goal progress, inclusion, universal design
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Bartolome, Kathleen Anne
- Description:
- Inclusion is forefront of the agendas in many schools. However, there are educators who are resisting the change. This project provides schools with a professional development that addresses the resistance towards inclusion and provides the site with recommended programs and strategies to help foster inclusion on a campus.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
1666. The Administrative Team’s Role in One Elementary School in Implementing Response to Intervention
- Creator:
- Rose, Rebecca
- Description:
- Implementing an effective Response to Intervention (RTI) program at a school site requires school leaders to be active participants. A school administration team must be able to properly equip its staff with the tools necessary to offer high-quality, targeted instruction to all students. A review of research literature reveals that in order to effectively implement the RTI process at a school site, a school administration team must foster collaboration at the school site, have a professional development plan that is ongoing, and develop a relationship with parents and the community so they are involved in the process. While the literature offers clear examples of what administrators can do at their school sites to make RTI implementation a positive experience, the studies also reveal that without strong leadership involvement, teacher frustration can be high, and legal challenges can arise. A qualitative analysis was conducted, to learn more about administrator and teacher perceptions in regards to the RTI process to ultimately determine what administrators can do to better support teachers. A study was conducted at one school site where 2 administrators and 7 teachers were interviewed. Findings suggest that at this particular school site, administrators and teachers were divided on their perceptions. Overall, both administrators did not see a problem with the current RTI program, while several teachers expressed frustration with the lack of collaboration and professional development at the school. It is important for this research to be looked at closely by administrative teams at other school sites, so school leaders can get further guidance on how to best support their staff through RTI implementation, which can ultimately lead to student growth. Keywords: RTI, Response to Intervention
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Martot, Kelly
- Description:
- Since the passage of Title IX in 1972, girls have made momentous strides in education, athletics, and career. However, boys continue to dominate the landscape in advanced math and science classes and in STEM professions. Gender stereotypes and gender bias in academics, notably STEM, continue to hinder girls from pursuing advanced coursework in math and science. Existing literature supports this notion. In addition, the literature conveys that girls with a strong sense of self-efficacy have better outcomes in STEM. Furthermore, it suggests that classroom teachers play an important role in fostering self-efficacy in students. This mixed-methods research study analyzed five years of California’s annual summative assessments in Science through the lens of gender equity. Quantitative data culled from teachers in grades three through eight using two instruments – the Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (STEBI) and Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (MTEBI) were also analyzed. Qualitative data consisted of classroom observations and a teacher survey. The results of the study confirm – albeit narrowly – the widely accepted bias that boys perform better than girls in STEM subjects. It also confirms that teachers can nurture self-efficacy in students during classroom learning. Based on the research findings, this study recommends that school leadership lead Professional Development around increasing self-efficacy in students for better academic outcomes. Through this research, it has become apparent that self-efficacy plays a powerful role in predicting academic outcomes and it would be wise for educators to be deliberate about fostering it in their students. In addition, cultural beliefs and gender stereotypes continue to influence female students about a woman’s place in STEM. This research will contribute to the field of education by proposing concise ways that teachers and education leaders can nurture self-efficacy in female students for better outcomes in STEM. Keywords: gender, mixed-methods, self-efficacy, STEM, stereotype
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Hailemariam, Yosan
- Description:
- The purpose of this study was to explore the disproportionate representation of school discipline and the effects on academic achievement for African American students. The study examined the suspension and referrals for African American students, the identified behavior, and the location of the incidents. The study also examined the academic achievement of the African American students to understand the relationship between discipline and student achievement. The study was conducted in a middle school in San Bernardino, California with a student population of 818 students. The ethnicities of the students were African American, Latino, Asian, and White. The researcher used quantitative research with descriptive statistics by analyzing academic data and disciplinary data. Based on the data, the researcher found although African American students accounted for slightly more than 9% of the student population, they represented approximately 20% of the total suspensions. Recommendations for the school include incorporating programs such Restorative Justice and Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBiS) with a focus on teacher training to build cultural competency.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
1669. The Contributors to Quality Integrated ELD Instruction for First Graders in One Elementary School
- Creator:
- Espinoza, Sandra
- Description:
- This research study explores the contributors to quality integrated English Language Development (ELD) in two first grade classrooms in a small Los Angeles County elementary school. The purpose of the study is to examine how language objectives, along with collaboration and engagement techniques, contribute to quality integrated ELD instruction. The research within the literature review shows that the main goal of ELD is academic language proficiency. Academic language should be taught in integration with content instruction throughout the day so that English learners will comprehend and express the academic language of the content. This research is conducted through the qualitative method, using surveys, observations, and interviews. The two first grade teachers in the study had different perspectives as to the benefit of language objectives and therefore, applied them differently. At the same time, because they had the same professional development and training, their lesson observations showed that they implement language objectives and collaboration techniques similarly. The teachers interviewed four of their English learners, and the results demonstrate that the students could communicate using most of the academic vocabulary that was taught from the objectives. One significant implication in this study is that the use of language objectives with frequent collaboration and engagement experiences helps to contribute to the oral academic language development of English learners.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Maino, Edmund
- Description:
- Senior project programs are an important component to the student, school, and community. How does a school that has no history of a senior project program build an effective program? This case study of best-practices methodology is based on the qualitative analysis of online material provided by Poway High School and Helix Charter High School coupled with educational literature on the subject. Recommendations in the structure, timeline, and community involvement aspects of a senior project program are presented with the intent that they will help guide the creation of a pilot senior project program for Tehachapi High School. The case study itself is limited in scope and purpose, but could be used by other schools as a resource, who do not have a senior project program but are looking to implement one.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Bailey, Kendra
- Description:
- The purpose of this study was to determine if relationships exist between a particular mindset and student success. The participants were middle school teachers, parents, and students from a virtual independent study charter school in California who were a part of a hybrid program of virtual and in-person instruction called Community Day. Seven teachers completed a questionnaire that asked general information about their teaching background and asked them to rate their agreeance with statements related to intelligence and various methods to teach and learn mathematics. Thirty-seven parents and 45 students responded to survey questions that asked general student information and asked them to rate their agreeance with statements related to intelligence and various methods to learn mathematics. The statements were scored using a point system for each response and analyzed to determine which mindset each participant demonstrated: fixed, growth, or cannot be categorized. The mindset of participants was then cross-referenced with students’ math grade to determine if relationships exist between mindset of the participants and student achievement. After these data were analyzed and compared, findings indicated that students with a growth mindset do demonstrate higher achievement scores in math. However, some adventitious findings revealed results that did not correlate with the reviewed literature. Overall, there is a need for more research to be done using alternative models of schools to determine if the results from this study are consistent with other independent study schools. Keywords: fixed mindset, growth mindset, math, mathematics, middle school, mindset, independent study school
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Luckow, Ashley
- Description:
- The research in this study found that primary teachers with 5 years of experience of more contribute to the gender-math achievement gap more than their less experienced colleagues.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Norton, Philip
- Description:
- Research indicates that many students suffer from achievement loss when they transition to high school. This loss can lead to decreased success within GPAs, test scores, attendance, or behavioral records. Upon experiencing this loss, students are more likely to suffer further academic and social consequences that limit their ability to be successful in the future. This study seeks to analyze the impact of transition programs on student achievement during the transition to high school. The Academic Seminar program at Sunnyside High School aims to prevent students from experiencing achievement loss. This study will analyze the impact of Academic Seminar on student performance during the transition to high school by collecting data from three years of enrollment. This study used a quantitative analysis of GPA shifts over time and a categorization based on demographics to determine any trends present in the data. Participants in this study were broken into two groups for each of the years, including the experiment group, those students enrolled in Academic Seminar, and the control group, students who were not enrolled in the transition program and did not receive any other support from another school program. Results indicate a connection between students enrolling in Academic Seminar and a decrease in achievement loss overall. To better interpret the role of Academic Seminar on these positive shifts in academic achievement, further research must be conducted in multiple school settings. The findings of this study may help direct future research toward a possible solution to the issue of achievement loss in high schools.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Keeton, Amanda
- Description:
- Thesis Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore evidence-based strategies to promote efficacy of implementation of Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) at a local elementary school. This study sought to determine best practices for implementation through the examination of scholarly journals and longitudinal studies. Additionally, it sought to explore staff attitudes and perceptions regarding the baseline PBIS program currently in place. The study took place during the 2016-2017 school year in a suburban school in Southern California. This public elementary school serves a general and special education population from Transitional Kindergarten through Fifth Grade. Typically, the school serves anywhere from 750-1,100 students annually and has been considered at “full capacity” each year since its doors first opened in 1997. The researcher used a mixed methods approach in this study in order to gain a holistic viewpoint of school and staff needs. Through the evaluation of scholarly journals and longitudinal studies, the researcher determined that best practices with PBIS implementation involved a) establishing a collaborative team, b) encouraging staff buy-in, c) communicating the vision and need for change, d) ongoing professional development, and e) involving parents and the community in the process. Survey results showed that, even though a majority of participants were unsure of the program tenets, 70% of participants still believed that our elementary site should pursue Phase 1 of PBIS. Additionally, through the survey, participants revealed their need for ongoing coaching and professional development as well as clarity on procedures for handling behavior concerns and opportunities for collaboration. Recommendations include clear teaching and articulation of program goals, ongoing modeling of expectations by school leaders, acknowledgement of teacher attitudes and perceptions through frequent check-in’s and coaching, and creating opportunities to build capacity among staff members.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Meyerott, Theresa
- Description:
- Since California’s adoption of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) and Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) in 2013, K–12 school districts have been given more autonomy in setting funding priorities and enacting policies through actions and services for students. The state supplies unrestricted funding to K–12 districts in return for an accountability document, the LCAP, which sets goals for the district in spending those funds. The LCFF supplies districts with additional funding based on its population of (a) English Language Learner (EL) students, (b) free/reduced lunch students, and (c) homeless or foster students. The funds are intended to provide equitable funding for these students, but since the districts are able to set their own priorities for spending those funds, the state does not compel the districts to spend them in a targeted fashion. Education researchers have often studied the effect that funding models and education finance policy can have on student outcomes with little consensus on the effects of targeted funding. Under the LCFF, funding is more directly related to student outcomes because decisions about actions and services are set at the district level, and not at the state level. This provides an opportunity for districts to create and implement programs and services that directly reflect their particular challenges and the strengths of their communities. This study attempted to establish a correlation between district policy, as set in districts’ LCAP documents, and EL student achievement in four districts by using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods analysis to show that districts with specific, active, and detailed policies for increasing EL student achievement are more likely to achieve that goal. The four districts were selected via a quantitative analysis of all California school districts, identifying the two that increased EL student achievement—in two state reported metrics, “Percentage Redesignated Fluent English Proficient” (RFEP) and “Percentage Making English Growth Target” (EGT)—the most after implementation of the LCFF and LCAP funding paradigm (years 2011–2013 versus 2013–2016), and the two with the greatest decrease in EL student achievement for the same years. A qualitative analysis of the LCAP documents for these four districts show that the visibility of actions and services that support EL students in a targeted manner is correlated with an increase in EL student achievement. These results are further illuminated with interviews, conducted with district personnel from the two districts with the highest increased EL achievement in the LCFF era, which show greater involvement with families and the community in creating a more equitable environment in which their EL students succeed. These results are contextualized in the ongoing policy and education research discussions of new local accountability systems in California, equitable funding for EL students, and the effect of unrestricted funds on student outcomes.
- Resource Type:
- Dissertation
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Blake, Anthony
- Description:
- This study examines perceptual impediments that lead teachers at a single middle school campus (School Site A) in Riverside County, California to resist the implementation of a disciplinary framework called Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS). A follow-up question asks how that resistance might be overcome. PBIS has been shown to improve student school-wide student discipline, improve academic success of students, and has been shown to help teachers avoid burn-out. Despite this, many teachers resist faithful implementation of the PBIS framework. This study utilized a mixed-method approach using a teacher survey, a student survey, and interviews of teachers and a counselor to explore the perceptual impediments that lead teachers to resist the PBIS framework. Chief amongst these is a perception that there is a lack of training in the model, a perceived feeling amongst teachers that PBIS is too burdensome in terms of time, and the perception that administrative support needs to be more visible. If PBIS is to be implemented with fidelity, teachers should be better trained so that PBIS is not perceived to be but one more task amongst many, and administrators need to be more visible in the implementation process. This research contributes a valuable, but rarely touched upon perspective on PBIS: resistance to implementation at the secondary level. Keywords: PBIS; SWPBIS; IPBIS
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Strickland, Trevor
- Description:
- This study addresses the enrollment and achievement gender gap in high school science education. The research of this study focuses on whether or not there is a gender gap in enrollment and achievement and the factors that relate to whether or not a female student decides to continue in science. This study employs a mixed method of data collection. Enrollment and achievement data were collected in this study from 907 male and 641 female high school science students. Survey data was collected from 15 females spread across high school and college who were previously enrolled in high school Advanced Placement science courses. Results of this data show a gender gap in enrollment in favor of males in AP Physics and AP Chemistry and in favor of females in AP Biology. There was no clear gender gap in achievement, save for some advantage by females in AP Physics. Females largely indicated high self-efficacy, positive attitude toward science, and high value of science. It is likely that more factors exist and that these factors are co-dependent and complex. In order to provide gender equity in education and avoid a continued loss of scientific ingenuity, it is critical that we continue to uncover and address gender gaps in the sciences.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Evans, Courtney Bowen
- Description:
- This quantitative study considers how the presence of student engagement opportunities relates to student achievement within a hybrid independent study program. Until recently, the online and hybrid aspect of education has been growing, but with little research in the K-12 sector. Participants, attending the same hybrid independent study program from Fall of 2016 to Spring of 2017, completed pre-intervention and post-intervention standardized assessments over the 2017 school year and data was collected for multivariate comparison. The data analysis is reflective of a positive relationship between the presence of the intervention (the presence of student engagement opportunities via multi-tiered supports and active learning opportunities) and student achievement. However, this nature of this relationship is limited due to a number of factors, and there is a clear indication that more research is needed concerning the identification of and method in which to most effectively utilize specific best practices for engaging online learners in the K-12 setting.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Quan, Isela Orozco
- Description:
- This paper explores the overrepresentation of English language learners (ELLs) referred to the Student Study Team (SST) process and identified as needing special education support. A number of articles discussed in the paper remark on the striking similarities in the characteristics of language acquisition delays and those that indicate a possible learning disability, resulting in a large percentage of school-aged ELLs being overrepresented in special education. This paper explores the effectiveness of the Early Reading Intervention (ERI) program in supporting struggling first-grade ELLs while also investigating whether changes in a student’s California English Language Development Test (CELDT) can be used as an early indicator of whether a student will be able to exit the ERI program during first-grade or need additional intervention and instructional support. The researcher surveys teachers and special education staff to determine what types of data they use to inform their instructional decision-making when it comes to ELLs. Using a mixed-methodology, the researcher concludes that the ERI program has been increasing ELLs reading fluency in English and benefitting from the early and intense intervention. Meanwhile, the CELDT shows a weak, positive correlation with students’ ability to successfully exit the ERI program. In addition, the teacher surveys reveal that teachers utilize district adopted curriculum, district benchmarks, and various informal teacher assessments as data to guide their instructional decision-making and planning for ELLs. Further research needs to be conducted to better equip educators in supporting the language development and acquisition process of ELLs.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Diaz-Arroyo, Patricia
- Description:
- Reading at the middle school level can be a barrier to progress in all content areas because reading is a requirement for learning. This leads to students failing to maintain levels of achievement as other subgroups. The Purpose of this study is to identify if using a specialized self-directed reading instructional program, READ 180, can ensure the reading success and improvement of English Language Learners. The study was conducted in an English learner intervention class, Language Development Through the Use of Technology (LD Tech), that was created to reduce the achievement gap of students who were either newcomers to the United States, Long-Term English Learners who were still reading two to three levels below their grade, students who have limited support in their primary language and limited proficiency in English, and Newcomers to the United States who have a very strong support in their primary language. The results suggest that English Learners who participate in the use of the self-directed software as a reading intervention starting in sixth grade, could be reading at grade level and can reclassify as Fluent English Proficient by the time they promote to high school. The results suggest that READ 180 promoted an increase in lexile level and reading performance with a gain. The data reflect that there were three students who grew more than 300 lexile points. The majority of students made gains that were significantly more than expected for growth in one year with a strong positive correlation r=.87, p<.04.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Dunn Gammarano, Wendy Lee
- Description:
- The purpose of this study is to determine essential best practices for administrators to use when supporting co-teaching. The participants were five assistant principals in a large public comprehensive high school in southern California. All five assistant principals participated in a survey that asked about their experiences and knowledge of supervisory practices for administrators in the areas of observation and evaluation, placement of students with disabilities, and the pairing process for the co-teachers. The data were analyzed and compared to data found in the literature to determine the need for targeted support for special populations and the professional development needed to maintain the highest quality instruction within the district. Ultimately, this study provides a record of best practices for assistant principals who supervise co-teaching. These best practices include: (1) administrator professional development on how to support co-teaching through standardized observation and evaluation expectations, similar to the general education teacher observation and evaluation, but including the unique aspects of co-teaching, (2) allow teachers be a part of the process with whom they are co-teaching, and (3) attend and be actively involved in IEP meetings and share in the placement process of students with disabilities. In addition to the assistant principals providing professional development to the co-teachers for a new observation and evaluation protocol and student placement collaboration, I believe administrators would also benefit from professional learning in the form of their role in the IEP and student services and educational setting process.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Davis, John
- Description:
- This study seeks to determine through quantitative analysis if an income achievement gap is present at Catholic School A, and, if so, to what extent? Catholic School A is a relatively small private Roman Catholic school located in a rural town in Northern California. In line with the traditions of the school’s founding religious order, the school will not turn students away based upon their ability to pay tuition. As a result, the school has a mixed socioeconomic demographic. The effects of socioeconomic inequality in relation to the academic achievement of the school’s students has not, until this study, been formally addressed. To address this and find an answer to these inquiries, data were collected and analyzed that focused on five tuition payment levels at the school as an indication of socioeconomic status. The academic achievement of these five groups were analyzed utilizing student GPA and combined PSAT and SAT scores as academic markers to determine if, and to what extent, socioeconomics affected student achievement at the school.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Kuhny, Thomas
- Description:
- Initially, this paper explores fifteen published articles that report on the disproportionate amount of disciplinary actions handed out along racial lines in U.S. public schools. Additionally, this paper examines the relationship between the number of students affected by said disciplinary actions and the loss of what is called “seat time” within certain minority groups. Finally, it considers the reasons for disproportionate disciplinary actions and how those reasons impact minority ethnicities throughout our education system. Complicating the exploration and explanation of the relationship between disproportionate disciplinary actions and minorities is the fact that the articles consulted in the research vary in their definitions and uses of the term cultural mismatch. Staats (2014) suggested that cultural mismatch between teachers and students can activate implicit racial bias and limits what constitutes a true definition. DeMatthews (2016), on the other hand, referred to this same topic as critical race theory (CRT), broadening the definition of the term by implying that the nature of white dominance generally in U.S. education is responsible for the unseen, covert, and less obvious acts of racism that are present and persistent in U.S. schools. Gregory, Skiba and Noguera (2010) used two different terms to describe this phenomenon. The first term is differentiated selection, which refers to the “selection at the classroom level that contributes in some way to racial/ethnic disproportionality in school discipline outcomes” (p. 62). The second term is differential processing, which refers to a hypothesis that “discrimination occurs in courts and correctional systems, which leads to a disproportionate arrest and incarceration rate of minorities” (p. 63). The authors expanded this notion to include the school setting and its racial/ethnic disproportionality in application of disciplinary procedures.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- D'Leon, Claudia
- Description:
- The purpose of this study was to determine if there are academic benefits, specifically on reading levels, for Hispanic students from literacy based Project Based Learning (PBL) units. Project Based Learning is a student-centered instructional practice that includes elements such as; a driving question, student voice and choice, opportunities to develop 21st Century skills, inquiry, innovation, a public product and standards-based content. The research used in this study supports that, through Project Based Learning, students are engaged, are able to develop 21st Century skills, and are able to access cross-curricular content through exposure to content rich literacy experiences, which can in turn lead to academic growth. 66 Hispanic students, 36 “Other Ethnicity” students, and two teachers were the participants in this study. A mixed methods approach was used in this study. The study monitored the effect of literacy based PBL units on the STAR Reading Grade Equivalent (GE) levels, of the 5th grade Hispanic student population, at one TK-5 elementary school in North San Diego County. After the culmination of each PBL unit, the grade equivalent level data was collected. Likewise, two teachers completed a qualitative survey to answer questions about the effect PBL had on their students, in particular on the Hispanic students. The data collected in this study shows that the Hispanic students made reading level growth after completing two literacy based PBL units. The study supports that further research on Project Based Learning is necessary to determine the effect it has on academic growth, not only in reading but also in other academic areas.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Leslie, Lori
- Description:
- School districts across the country have invested money into 1:1 devices to support student learning and provide students access to technology. However, do teachers and students feel 1:1 devices improve student achievement, engagement, and are worth their cost? In addition, a concern is whether schools without access to this technology will fall behind. The purpose of this study is to gain insight into teacher and student perspectives of 1:1 devices and the perceived impact 1:1 devices have on student engagement and achievement. The questions the researcher seeks to answer include: What perceptions/beliefs do students and teachers hold concerning the use of 1:1 devices and their impact on student engagement and achievement? How do teacher and student perceptions differ? How are they similar? In what ways do perceptions differ across various student sub groups and grade levels? Why do teachers and students feel 1:1 devices are or are not a worthwhile investment for school districts? Participants in this quantitative survey study include 49 teachers and 208 students from three 1:1 school districts in Southern California. Findings revealed that both teachers and students of all subgroups, grade levels, and class levels surveyed feel 1:1 devices improve student achievement and engagement, but feelings are more positive toward achievement than engagement. Moreover, 5th-8th graders, grade level students, English language learners, socioeconomically disadvantaged students, and foster youth responded the most positively to statements about 1:1 devices improving their achievement and engagement compared to high school and advanced placement students.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Mably, Jennifer
- Description:
- Teacher induction programs are implemented to assist and support first and second year teachers. With many schools experiencing teacher shortages as well as high attrition rates of teachers, the induction programs are designed to retain and prepare more highly qualified teachers. BTSA, Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment is a popular induction program used by many school districts. BTSA provides a mentor, as well as curriculum for the support of their new teacher. Although BTSA and other induction programs are in place for support, often these induction programs place an undue burden on the new teacher along with the required demands of a teaching career. When examined in context of a new teacher’s education, the induction program lacks innovative information and often repeats information recently learned from the teaching credentialing program. BTSA assignments are required to receive a clear teaching credential. Assignments for the first and second year teachers revolve around a yearlong case study of chosen students in their classroom. The TPE’s, Teacher Performance Expectations that have been satisfied through the credentialing program are once again requested by BTSA to be revisited. Through Professional Learning Communities as well as feedback from Induction Participants, this study reviews mandated work in the BTSA program at a suburban Los Angeles County School District. The outcome of this comparison varies by district. Many induction programs are redundant and do require the first or second year teacher to complete many tasks that may or may not be beneficial. The consequence of redundant induction programs along with other factors contribute to new teacher burnout. This study captures possible factors that contribute to teacher attrition due to redundant requirements that some induction programs contain. Mentor support as well as professional development implementation are also included as a solution to retain first and second year teachers. Through careful examination of BTSA Support Provider requirements by the District and through feedback during the Professional Learning Community, mentor support in relation to BTSA Beginning Teacher anxiety, administrator observations, and return rate are studied. Through this focus, results centered and revolved around district responsibility to implement and enforce BTSA Support Provider requirements. Districts that do not have enough support providers often turn to retired teachers in order to fill the role of support provider. This proved troublesome when BTSA Participants required classroom management strategies as well as curriculum assistance. The lack of support, often unnoticed by the district or school site, increase anxiety in the first and second year teachers. This correlates to teacher attrition and burnout. This study hopes to provide a lens into the BTSA teacher perspective as well as offer suggestions for improvement in the BTSA teacher induction program with regard to these issues.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Hoch, Andrew
- Description:
- Over the past decade, the number of Advanced Placement exams and test takers has doubled (College Board, 2017b.). Reasoning for the increase in participation of AP exams is due to AP student participation now being factored into each school’s Accountability Report Card, and many schools offering open enrollment (no prerequisites required) for AP courses to increase participation. However, with this increase in participation, data show that the percentage of students passing AP exams is declining. Literature findings show that first-generation college students (students that will be the first in their family to attend college) struggle academically when compare to non-first-generation college students. Because AP courses are equivalent in content and rigor of the college course equivalent, this study explores whether a similar achievement gap exists among first-generation college students in an AP biology class at a Southern California high school. The study used a quantitative research design, utilizing Pearson’s correlation coefficient, in addition to a chi-squared test. The findings of both tests showed an underperformance in AP biology from first-generation college students, and that an achievement gap was present. Recommendations for future research include researching if a similar achievement gap exists in other AP subject areas, and implement best practices that have proven to increase academic achievement among first-generation college students in AP classes.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Gilmore, Sarah
- Description:
- Many schools have implemented Response to Intervention programs successfully. This study specifically at what strategies are most effective in middle school mathematics Response to Intervention. A review of literature shows that it is imperative to provide Response to Intervention intensively and school wide. Additionally, effective strategies must be used, so that the time when instruction is being provided is maximized. Lastly, if done correctly, Response to Intervention can have lasting effects on meeting student needs and cutting down on special education identification for many students. A mixed methods approach was used to examine data collected on students who were part of a middle school math Response to Intervention program, as well speaking with them about their experiences. Combining data with the thoughts of the students who Response to Intervention directly affected brought deeper understanding into what works for students in a setting such as this.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Gallardo-Barrett, Christina
- Description:
- Within today’s classroom, teachers not only teach academics but also social and behavioral skills. Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) has been used as a school-wide intervention in order to provide students a framework for behavioral expectations (Baker & Ryan, 2014). Certain factors within the school site can enable the implementation of PBIS. This research study investigates the elements that enable the implementation of PBIS and the role of the education leader in its implementation and sustainability. The focus of research is at the high school level and involves the administrators, PBIS team, and students’ behavioral data. The research uses the mixed methods approach in order to gather and analyze interviews, behavioral data, and inventories. From the research, it can be concluded that staff buy-in, administrative support, and training are primary enablers for the implementation of PBIS.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Osborn, Kimberly
- Description:
- Research has shown that parental involvement is a great resource and benefit for students as they go through their school career; however, we see both a parental involvement drop off and a student academic and behavioral drop off as students transition into the middle school years. The purpose of this study was to see if our current scheduling structure in middle school, which is vastly different from what students and parents are used to at the elementary level, inhibits or promotes frequency in parent-teacher communication between different populations on a middle school campus. The results of the study were that teacher-parent communication increased in frequency when general education or SAI students had more teachers and communication decreased for parents of ELL students. Additionally, when teachers were interviewed about their perception of communication, teachers who only taught single subjects were more likely to call out communication as a partnership between parents and teachers.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- White, Tiffany
- Description:
- The number of ethnically diverse students is growing rapidly in the United States while the majority of the teacher force is White. This is significant because research has shown that student achievement is linked to teacher diversity especially among minority students. The purpose of this research study is to determine the factors that impact teachers of color as they pursue careers in education. The data analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data showed that for minority participants the potential impact on student success was the driving force behind their decision to teach, particularly in a high-minority school. Additionally, the data indicated that focusing recruitment on high-minority areas and careers, like the military, could improve minority teacher recruitment efforts. Furthermore, participants had differing opinions about the effectiveness of the recruitment practice used by their school to recruit and retain teachers of color. The differing opinions held by minority participants and non-minority participants emphasizes the need for schools to highlight their commitment to diversity by making sure all stakeholders aware of recruitment and retention efforts.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Backes, Vicky
- Description:
- Abstract A common trend throughout schools across the United States is the high rate of absences occurring in the early grades. The biggest offenders of excessive absences are kindergarten students, followed by first and second grade. This pattern of absenteeism is then repeated in the following years, including high school students. In the past, unexcused absences were those that got the attention. However, students who are chronically absent (missing 10% or more days of school in each year) have not received the attention needed because schools were meeting their projected average daily attendance goal. Persistent years of chronic absence may contribute to widening the achievement gap leading to an early drop out rate prior to high school graduation. There are a variety of factors contributing to attendance issues including parental negligence, family instability, health issues, lack of motivation to assure regular attendance, poverty and ethnic and cultural morass, only to name a few. One elementary school in Riverside County, California known to have excessive absences is the setting for this research project. Comparisons were made between students with chronic absence and reading skills with those students with regular attendance. This data was analyzed to evaluate the question: How do students who have a history of frequent absences during kindergarten, first, and second grades perform in reading when compared to their counterparts with regular attendance?
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Derner, Diana
- Description:
- This study examines the social, cultural, and linguistic barriers that Spanish speaking parents face. It also examines effective types of parent involvement. This study consisted of a mixed-methods approach to answer the following research questions regarding parent involvement of Spanish speaking parents in a rural school with a high EL and Hispanic population: How has my school promoted the participation of Spanish-speaking parents? Has my school been able to promote participation of Spanish-speaking parents successfully? Are there areas my school could improve on to promote parent involvement of Spanish speaking parents? If so, what are the areas? In order to answer these research questions, pre-existing attendance records for ELAC meetings and English classes were collected. Teacher surveys, staff member interviews, and a parent survey of 103 participants were conducted. The data was analyzed strategically for statistics, correlations, and themes. This research study resulted in the following key findings: teachers and school events need to be provided with translators; consistency in translating information and ensuring it gets out to parents is significant; staff members should be aware of and promote meetings and workshops for Spanish speaking parents; meetings and workshops need to be scheduled appropriately and provide childcare; leaders should create a sense of urgency to promote and provide meaningful opportunities for Spanish speaking parents to become involved; Spanish speaking parents are involved from home, but need to be provided with proper resources. This research study provided feedback on what the school is doing and not doing well to promote parent-involvement for Spanish speaking parents. This study also gave insight into what areas these parents may need more support in, and what areas the school could improve on to get these parents involved. The results correlated to the body of literature on this topic. The long-term benefit of this study is to increase parent involvement of Spanish-speaking parents, which could potentially improve academic achievement of students, in particular English language learners.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Comaianni, Kimberly
- Description:
- This study is a qualitative study of flexible seating in a first grade classroom and its effectiveness in helping students to learn. Parent and student interviews were conducted along with learning style quizzes. Students were able to set learning goals for themselves and learn more about their learning style throughout the study. Based on data collected, it was obvious that students in grade one need more area for movement and more learning opportunities that vary based on their learning styles and goals. Students perform better when given choice and the freedom to move around in a classroom that is set up for their various needs.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Andre, Shameka
- Description:
- As we delve into an increasingly technologically advanced society, it has become evident that the future will be drastically shaped with the integration of technology being woven into the fabric of everyday life. Although it is difficult and premature to predict exactly what this future will look like, what we can predict with some degree of accuracy is what will be left behind. Many low skill jobs of the 20th century are being replaced with automation, which makes it increasingly difficult to predict what jobs will be available when students entering kindergarten today graduate high school in the year 2030. What we do know is this age of technology demands that the students of today are prepared to enter the workforce with the type of critical thinking, communication and problem-solving skills garnered from high level mathematics instruction. A conceptual approach to mathematics in the early elementary years builds a strong foundation in mathematics concepts, which serves as the gate- keeper to college level mathematics courses. Unfortunately, many schools struggle to implement instruction that builds a strong foundation in core mathematics concepts and are serendipitously contributing to the widening achievement gap in mathematics. This study conducted a qualitative analysis to find how a conceptual approach to mathematics could be employed to increase student achievement. The study was conducted in a charter school with a first grade class of 25 students and the classroom teacher. A small group of students in the class received additional mathematics instruction using Montessori materials while the whole group received general mathematics instructions. Compared to the whole group, data from the study showed that students in the small group lesson made larger gains in mathematics during the school year. Findings from the study suggest that under the right conditions, a hands-on approach to mathematics could increase student achievement and assist in closing the achievement gap in mathematics with African American students. This study has implications for educators seeking to increase student achievement in mathematics. A hands-on conceptual approach to mathematics can be employed in a manner that builds conceptualization of core mathematics concepts and lays the foundation for students to be successful with more complex mathematics in the future.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Zepeda, Lucette
- Description:
- This study intends to find ways for educators to begin to make gains towards closing the achievement gap for English language learners. Through analysis of qualitative data collected, I hope to initiate the implementation of the most effective classroom strategies to support ELLs in the classroom for a charter elementary school located in a suburban community in Central California. In addition, I used qualitative data to determine if teachers are equipped to teach ELLs. Examining teacher and student data from Oasis Charter Public Elementary School was a critical part of my study due to the fact that OCPS has a growing number of English learners. Throughout the years, the demographics at OCPS have drastically changed. Students across school at OCPS have made significant gains in the state tests. Nonetheless, there seems to be a discrepancy with the gains the ELLs have made in the recent years. ELLs at OCPS are not having the same gains that the rest of the student population is. In my research, I closely examine if OCPS is using the most effective strategies to support ELLs in the classroom and if so, how. This will in turn, be the first attempt to begin to support ELLs in their academic success throughout their educational journey.
- Resource Type:
- Thesis
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
1697. Overcoming Barriers to Advanced Placement: Bolstering the Self-Efficacy of Underserved Students
- Creator:
- Goode, Courtney
- Description:
- The College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) courses are among the most academically demanding classes available to secondary school students. There exists a strong correlation between AP access and success in high school and college completion. However, predominately first generation, minority, and/or low-income students (underserved students) remain largely absent or grossly underrepresented in AP courses when compared with their more affluent, non-minority peers. This study presents a theoretical framework for self-efficacy, the aspects that contribute to the development of self-efficacy, and demonstrates the positive relationship between academic achievement and self-efficacy in a variety of academic domains. Finally, this proposed mixed-methods case study seeks to explore and understand the role a socially supportive co-curricular school club designed to invite underserved students into AP has on those same students’ sense of self-efficacy toward AP coursework. By investigating the specific words and actions that teachers, school staff, and peers use to help underserved students persevere through the challenges of AP, the study will contribute to a stronger understanding of how AP self-efficacy can be purposefully developed for underserved students, develop research-based interventions and supports designed to help underserved students access and ultimately succeed in rigorous AP coursework.
- Resource Type:
- Dissertation
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Schwartz, Jonathan
- Description:
- Well over 40 years of budget pressures and a focus on reading and math have results in the arts – music, art, dance - largely beening squeezed out of the school curriculum. Numerous authors describe how arts-poor classrooms translate into missed educational opportunities for students, particularly those students who need it the most. The purpose of this project was to describe and share the process and selected products (i.e., elements of the first grade Big Dogs Beg multi-media learning package) of the Rockin’ Teacher Curriculum that this teacher researcher created over the course of several years in order to provide elementary teachers and students with instruction materials and a multi-media system that uses the visual and performing arts to enhance student engagement and achievement in the curriculum. The Big Dogs Beg materials and the entire curriculum enable teachers to integrate the visual and performing arts into their classrooms and use it as a tool to teach academic standards rather than treating the arts as a separate discipline. The Big Dogs Beg materials and Rockin’ Teacher Curriculum can be seen at www.rockingteacher.com.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
1699. Integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Upper Elementary Level Curriculum
- Creator:
- Keramati, Khatereh
- Description:
- The author of the following work was inspired to create an integrated STEM curriculum that can be easily implemented within an elementary class setting that is engaging and aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in addition to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). There is a current lack in the education for an integrated STEM curriculum that is standard aligned for the upper elementary level. The following chapters will describe a created curriculum that is standard aligned and integrated among math and science domains for the elementary level. This project encompasses research along with a series of created mini units developed in order to adhere to the learning objectives present in an upper elementary STEM classroom.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education
- Creator:
- Silverwood, Julie
- Description:
- As teachers and educators focus on success in their classrooms, bringing in technology is another layer of complexity added to their lesson plans and can cause additional work with limited resources. This means that teachers need to be supported through the implementation of new technology in their classrooms, which can take place in the form of professional development. In this project, math teachers had the opportunity to learn new technology methods on Chromebooks through a professional development session. The professional development session aimed to assist math teachers new to teaching with Chromebooks with the Math Vision Project (MVP) curriculum in the high school and middle school settings. The project materials include a professional development schedule, presentation slides, a list and description of software programs, behavioral expectations of students, and a letter to go home to families. The materials were created from four teachers’ experiences through a small pilot program teaching with Chromebooks, as well as using theories of andragogy to help teachers learn best. This project helps support teachers in a way that allows them to learn through the student experience as well as learn from the experiences of other teachers who have used the same technology. After doing the professional development with teachers, I found that many teachers needed additional support as some of the information was initially overwhelming, and some teachers wanted more discussion about when to use paper versus technology.
- Resource Type:
- Project
- Campus Tesim:
- San Marcos
- Department:
- Education