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Impacts of Project-based Learning on Secondary Education
No full textThis literature review examined the impacts that Project-based learning (PBL) can have on secondary education. The research parameters for this study were such that the studies included in the thesis were from research that was published between the years of 2018 and 2023. The studies used in this literature review were from many diverse secondary classrooms throughout the world with varied amounts of both teacher and student participants. The studies cited within this review included research that was qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. The data collected throughout this review strongly indicates that PBL has a positive impact on teacher practice, as well as student engagement, motivation and creative thinking in many varied disciplines and courses
Digital Archives as Socially and Civically Just Public Resources
Get PDFHow can the digital humanities community ensure that its digital archives are public resources that live up to the best potential of digital humanities without repeating or perpetuating power imbalances, silences, or injustice? A framework for anti-racist action, the “ARC of racial justice,” developed by historian Jemar Tisby in his study of the complicity of the Christian church in perpetuating racism in the United States, is one way that this goal can be accomplished. The ARC is an acronym for three kinds of interrelated and interdependent kinds of actions one can take to fight racism and work for change: Awareness (building knowledge), Relationships (building connections in community), and Commitment (systemic change and a way of life) (2019, 194–7). This chapter applies Tisby’s ARC framework to the context of publicly available digital archives and how they can become more socially and civically just by making sure the “silences in the archive” are identified, the variety of stories are told, and injustices are addressed (Thomas, Fowler, and Johnson 2017). The interaction between digital humanities scholars, community members, and cultural heritage professionals, such as librarians, archivists, and museum curators, is an important dynamic for digital archives that serve as public resources. When digital humanities projects result in digital archives they are often the result of collaboration and conversations between digital humanities scholars and cultural heritage professionals because of shared core values of these professions and their institutions to provide wide and equitable access, as well as to “advance knowledge, foster innovation, and serve the public” (Spiro 2012; Vandegrift and Varner 2013; Gerber 2017). The public-facing function of these collections and projects is also deepened by the engagement with the public humanities and public history communities (Brennan 2016, “Public History Roots”)
Importance of Eye Exams as a Secondary Preventative Measure for Diabetic Retinopathy: Winning the War on Blindness
Get PDFDespite current efforts by medical professionals to reduce the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR), a microvascular complication of uncontrolled diabetes, this noncommunicable disease remains the leading cause of preventable vision loss worldwide (Cheloni et al., 2019). Research estimates 90% of DR cases could be prevented if detected early through routine eye exams, yet certain social determinants of health still remain a significant barrier for many individuals to receive this care. According to Wong & Sabanayagam (2020), only 25% of DM patients in developing countries receive routine care with adequate eye screenings. The goal of this community service project was to identify these barriers and to create a sustainable way for overcoming these barriers in hopes of reducing the progression of DR into blindness. The researchers partnered with Medical Missions Outreach to publicize information on DR by creating an educational poster and implementing a new fundoscopic eye screening station at their pop-up clinic. This community service project was implemented on a five day trip to Trinidad and Tobago in August 2022 where knowledge regarding the importance of adhering to routine eye examinations and close management of diabetes was successfully portrayed to an estimated fifty community members diagnosed with diabetes, temporarily eliminating certain barriers to healthcare. Researchers concluded that by addressing social determinants of health through educational discussion and routine eye screenings, attitudes and behaviors may be modified. This article discusses the growing concern of DR, social determinants of health affecting developing countries from receiving routine care, research methods for intervention, execution of the chosen educational model, and how the sustainability of this community service project would continue to reduce disease burden
How Does a Four Day Work Week Affect Students\u27 Achievement, Attendance, and Behavior
Get PDFThis thesis focuses on a four-day school week and the benefits of this approach as it relates to student achievement, attendance and behavior. Over the past two decades, the popularity of a four-day school week has grown, most notably in rural, western states. There are several reasons why school districts adopt the four-day school week. Most notably, it helps them financially. It also can be more attractive to retaining and hiring staff. There is one more reason why schools may be transitioning to the four-day school week: to close the achievement gap. Over the past 10 years, there have been increasingly more studies and data to support this new school schedule. Covid-19 also interrupted the entire school system for two-plus years, which forced schools to reevaluate how to ‘do’ school. This Literature Review takes an in-depth look at both the positive effects and negative effects a four-day school week may have on student achievement, attendance, and behaviors
“IB for All” from Idea to Implementation: A Literature Review of Participation, Perception, and Student Support in the IB Diploma Programme
Get PDFThe International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme’s (IBDP) expansion over the last two decades demonstrates its potential in US schools; however, it is important to analyze the implications of programme implementation. The following literature review aims to answer the question: What efforts have been made within US schools to ensure the IBDP is more equitably accessible by diverse groups of students and that its support of those students’ academic and social-emotional needs is likewise expanded? Relevant recent studies focused on who participates in the IBDP shed light on enrollment and access gaps related to ethnicity, gender, and school location. An analysis of recorded perceptions of the programme from a variety of stakeholders, including students and teachers, is also included to reveal the benefits and limitations of the programme. In light of the academic rigor associated with the IBDP balanced with calls to expand “IB for All”, specific strategies are considered for de-tracking as well as identifying and supporting the unique social-emotional needs of IB students. A particular emphasis in research includes the importance of an equity-focused growth mindset and a shared vision to move “IB for All” from merely an idea to its full potential in implementation
Facilitators and Barriers to Seeking and Complying to Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy: An Integrative Review
Get PDFIntroduction: The prevalence of pelvic floor disorders (PFD) continues to rise in conjunction with life expectancy. Despite professional recommendations, pelvic floor physical therapy (PFPT) remains an underutilized resource for PFD. Research Aim: To identify barriers and facilitators to improve seeking and complying with pelvic floor physical therapy as a treatment for pelvic floor disorders. Methods: This literature review utilized Whittemore and Kanfl’s (2005) search methodology as a guiding framework. A systematic search of peer-reviewed articles from 2017-2022 was conducted using CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The initial search yielded 5,333 results, with 103 duplicates removed, leaving 5,230 articles. Eighty-four articles were reviewed for full text review, of which 11 met inclusion criteria. A strategic hand search yielded an additional seven articles through citation searching and relevant journals, producing a total of 18 articles in this review. Relevant study demographics and findings were extracted and organized according to the designated levels of the socio-ecological model. Results: In total, 2,602 women described the themes of time constraints, self-discipline, lack of information, societal/cultural influences, insurance status, and co-existing medical conditions as significant barriers to seeking or complying to prescribed PFPT. On the other hand, fear of surgery, more severe PFD symptoms, influence of peers and family members, eHealth or apps, increased knowledge, and driving shorter distances all contributed to women seeking or complying to PFPT. Discussion: This review found that the barriers and facilitators to seeking and/or complying to PFPT focused mainly on the individual and interpersonal levels. There is a great demand for additional research regarding the impact at the community, organizational, and especially the public policy level. Identifying and evaluating specific cultural and political implications in the United States will be key to eliminating the barriers to seeking and complying with PFPT and thus creating facilitators to care
How Does the Relationship Between Charter Schools and Resident Districts Affect Student Achievement?
Get PDFSchool choice creates competition for students and resources. This competition can have different results in rural and urban settings. The experience is different in both the charter school and resident district, or traditional public school setting. On the other hand, at its core, education is also similar in both settings. This literature review examines the experience in both settings and its most important result, student achievement. By highlighting competition, achievement, enrollment, educator satisfaction, rural/urban issues, and resource allocation, the author finds that students achieve best in the setting that best suits their own needs. Students need small class sizes, with an appropriate student teacher ratio, satisfied well prepared teachers and a good school environment. The building students attend, and the mission of the building are not the essential components to achievement and future success, but rather meeting the needs of students. Policy makers need to build a greater understanding of the results of their choices, continued advocacy for our children is necessary
Beyond Resilience: Arming Special Education Teachers With “Hope Theory” in the Fight Against Burnout
Get PDFTeachers have been forced to face many new workplace challenges since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in March 2020; this has resulted in increased job-related stress. Pre-pandemic, teacher stress levels were already much higher than other occupations and strongly linked to teacher attrition. The majority of research in the field of special education, identifies “burnout” as the leading predictor of teacher attrition. Indeed, burnout has been dubbed the “reward for overwork” and the end result is exhaustion, depersonalization, a sense of inefficacy and often a departure from the field of education. The following research explores the destructive nature and scope of teacher burnout, existing intervention and prevention strategies, and the complementary role Hope Theory may play in adding to the psychological armor of special education teachers in their fight against burnout
Gamified Learning in Math Education
Get PDFEducators are always looking for ways to improve engagement in the classroom. Traditional approaches to math education are being phased out, amid declining student achievement in mathematics, and replaced with innovations like gamified learning. Gamified learning supplements instruction and curriculum by providing a fun environment, ensconced in virtual and augmented reality, for students to interact with the content. The guiding research question of this thesis is focused on the efficacy of gamified learning in mathematics with respect to motivation and student achievement. Studies in which researchers created and tested new math games have been evaluated to answer the guiding research question. Self-determination Theory, a theory about human motivation, is unpacked and used as a framework that helps educators generalize the conclusions to the classroom. The results showed gamified learning to be a competent tool for increasing motivation and student achievement in the short term, but more longitudinal studies are needed to verify such gains can be sustained over the span of a course
Differences in Black and White Students’ Achievement Gap between Public Charter Schools and Traditional Schools in Minnesota
Get PDFThe purpose of this research is to determine whether the achievement gap between Black and White students differs significantly between Minnesota public charter schools and traditional Minnesota public schools. The reading and math proficiency gaps between Black and White students in Minnesota are among the largest in the nation. Despite the fact that public charter schools have been around since 1991, it has not been determined whether or not they may have an impact on Minnesota’s achievement gap. Long-standing disparities in socioeconomic status, mental health, and college enrollment may be addressed through closing the achievement gap between Black and White children. The study examined whether there are statistically significant differences in the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) reading and math proficiency achievement gap between Black and White students based upon whether they attend Minnesota public charter schools or Minnesota traditional public schools. The researcher used t-tests to analyze the statistically significant differences in the achievement gap using data from the 2021-2022 MCA assessments. The results suggest that public charter schools in Minnesota had a significantly lower achievement gap between Black and White students in reading and math MCA proficiency scores compared to traditional public schools in Minnesota. Additionally, Black students tended to have the higher proficiency rates for reading and math at public charter schools compared to traditional public schools and White students tended to have higher rates of proficiency than Black students regardless of whether they attended public charter schools or traditional public schools