4811 research outputs found
Sort by
More Time to Play? A Study on Free-Play and its Effects on Behavior and Academics in School
Get PDFOver the two-week study, the researcher collected data on how students’ academic growth and social-emotional behaviors were affected between having free-play and academic work during independent time. To study two dependent variables, the researcher asked two research questions: Research Question 1: How does free play and/or recess in schools affect students’ capacity to learn (how do test scores change when students engage in free play versus independent academic work)? Research Question 2: What effect does the amount of free play/recess have on students’ social/emotional skills and behaviors during academic lessons? The participants of the study were 5- and 6-year-olds in the researcher’s kindergarten class. An AB model was used to alter the independent variable week to week. During the A week, the students would have academic work to complete during independent time; during the B week, the students had free-play time. The participants were tested on their letters/sounds at the beginning and end of each week, and the number of times the researcher had to stop teaching to redirect a student or students was tally-marked on a table. The results of the study concluded that without social-emotional skills, students were not ready and able to learn
Effects of Phonemic Awareness and Oral Reading Fluency
Get PDFTeaching students to read is a task that teachers are assigned to every school year. Many theories and theorists have given their take on the best way to teach students to read. Phonemic awareness has been in the forefront of reading instruction and currently is becoming a staple in many classrooms. This research study took a look at the correlation between phonemic awareness growth and oral reading fluency growth in a first-grade classroom working with mid-level students in a small group setting. The researcher used Path to Reading Excellence in School Sites (PRESS) phonemic intervention and curriculum-based measurement (CBM) for oral reading fluency. The PRESS progress monitoring and the CBM gave the researcher qualitative information about student growth in phonemic awareness and their oral reading fluency growth. The researcher’s data showed that with four weeks of small group intervention, the students\u27 average growth of words per minute in oral reading fluency grew nineteen words per minute. The researcher was delighted in seeing that the growth from phonemic awareness helped students with their oral reading fluency
A Group Counseling Manual on Grief for High School Students
Get PDFThis paper examines the research literature surrounding high school aged adolescents (ages 14-18) and their experience with grief. It was found during this review that 4% of adolescents, living in western countries, lose a parent before the age of 18 years old (Andriessen, Mowll et al., 2018). This paper looks into the measurement process for grief and how it can be used in teen assessments. Most reports state self-surveys as the main type of assessment used. The treatment process of grief was also reviewed, and it was found that group counseling is favored when working with adolescents. Interventions and processes were found to be effective in most cases of group counseling (Grassetti et al., 2018). However, some models and treatments were deemed controversial because of the lack of mixing of genders and nationalities. Most self-referrals and surveys came from females and the studies often favored the United States of America (Andriessen et al., 2018). This report also takes initiative to develop a group manual for use with high school students who are experiencing grief due to the loss of a loved one. This has been done in an effort to provide school counselors with an easy to follow, effective group plan, to better the lives of those affected with grief and to help adolescent high schools come to terms with death, grief and their own emotion
Body Image and Relationship Satisfaction in Middle-Aged Women
Get PDFThe purpose of this study is to examine the connection between positive body image and relationship satisfaction with middle-aged women. Current research (Ambwani & Strauss, 2007) suggests body image and relationship satisfaction has a bidirectional influence. However, much of the current research focuses on a younger demographic, and middle-aged women are often a neglected population. This study seeks to better understand the interpersonal nature of healthy development in body image and relationships in middle-aged women. A phenomenological approach is utilized to observe the lived experiences of middle-aged women in committed relationships with positive body image. Six participants, between the ages of 36-65, were interviewed regarding positive body image and relationship satisfaction. Themes were identified within the three foci: positive body image, relationship satisfaction, and influence. The identified themes for positive body image include critical thinking, spiritual beliefs, positive relationships, function-focused, and acceptance. The identified themes for relationship satisfaction include commitment, supportive communication, enjoyment, and shared beliefs. The identified themes for influence include positive body image influences romantic relationship satisfaction and romantic relationship satisfaction influences positive body image. Findings suggest that the relationship between body image and relationship satisfaction is indeed cyclical. Most middle-aged women in this study saw the connection between positive body image and relationship satisfaction as integrated
Communicating change during a college merger process: A grounded theory approach
Get PDFMerger is rapidly becoming an approach to addressing the enrollment and financial challenges posed to higher education in the wake of recent demographic shifts and funding changes in the United States. This study focuses on a district of rural community colleges in a Midwest, unionized state college system that is in the process of merging into a single institution. The main locus of the study is on the communication perspectives of leaders during this merger and the changes that it engendered. Eight leaders were interviewed to examine the following questions: Q1) Which communication strategies do leaders at five different public institutions utilize in an attempt to create the most faculty and staff buy-in during the process of college consolidation?; and Q2) How do these strategies align with Bolman and Deal’s Four Frames of Leadership: structural, human resource, political, and symbolic? A grounded theory approach was utilized to construct a process by which these leaders communicated through change. Ultimately, five themes arose as aspects of the communication approach during merger: 1) Coaching and Guiding, 2)Timeliness, 3) Tailored Messaging, 4) Acknowledgement of Messiness and Imperfection, and 5) Trust in the Process to form the Theory of Dynamic Interactionism. The themes within the theory align with the need to balance a large-scale structural change with the other areas of Bolman and Deal’s framework: human resource, political, and symbolic, with the emphasis on human resources and political frames of change. Although this work is focused on a single system, this process could be utilized to guide merger work in other fields, outside of education, as well as other college systems
SCIENCE TEACHER ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS OF DISCIPLINARY LITERACY AND THINK-ALOUD EFFECTIVENESS – A CASE STUDY
Get PDFThe ability to read is the most important skill in a person’s life. Learning to read is emphasized in elementary school with the belief that mastering this skill early will result in the ability to read most texts in secondary school. As a student matriculates through school, secondary teachers are focused on teaching their content while integrating literacy skills when necessary or maybe not ever. This research focuses on science teachers and their attitudes about literacy integration, specifically using the think-aloud reading strategy to teach disciplinary literacy. It builds upon the work of Shanahan and Shanahan (2008, 2010, 2011), Ness (2009/2016), McCoss-Yergian and Krepps (2010), Moje (1992, 2008, 2008), and Rainey, Maher, and Moje (2020). The researcher conducted a case study involving two science teachers in a rural Minnesota school from October to November 2021. During the two-month investigation, the researcher interviewed the teachers about their attitudes and perceptions about literacy integration. After the initial interview, the researcher observed the participating teachers multiple times including observing the teachers attempting to utilize the think-aloud reading strategy in their classrooms. After observations, the researcher interviewed the teachers again to discover if their attitudes around literacy and the think-aloud reading strategy had changed. Following the analysis protocols from qualitative experts, the researcher memoed all data and created codes. From those codes, the researcher produced three main concluding statements: science is experience; to read like a scientist, one must think like a scientist; and experiences influence literacy integration. These conclusions revealed why these science teachers hesitated to integrate literacy and the various challenges they had when including literacy strategies.
This research seemed to affirm the researcher’s research question and could have implications for teacher professional development and teacher preparation courses. Research should also continue to explore how to integrate the think-aloud reading method in non-traditional ways in various content classroomsThis research seemed to affirm the researcher’s research question and could have implications for teacher professional development and teacher preparation courses. Research should also continue to explore how to integrate the think-aloud reading method in non-traditional ways in various content classrooms
MasTec, Inc. - A Financial Analysis and Valuation Report
No full textMasTec, Inc was founded in 1994 and is one of the leaders in the market of specialty trade contracts. They are headquartered in Coral Gables, FL, and currently are servicing projects in the United States and Canada. The company consists of many segments for its daily operations. These segments include power generation, power delivery, oil and gas, water and sewer, communications, civil and industrial, and technology deployment services. Operating with many segments could cause MasTec, Inc. to spread its resources thin and fall behind its competitors in the specialty trade industry. By relying on innovation and marketing strategic bids for profitable projects, they can expand their market footprint and acquire new subsidiaries to support its needs. Their core values include safety, customer service, tradition and legacy, ethics, teamwork, respect, recognition and celebration, and excellence.
This report summarizes results of the financial analysis of MasTec from 2016 to 2020 and current valuation of the firm. A financial comparison is included with a leading competitive firm in the same industry. From 2016 to 2020 the company had experienced explosive growth early and has leveled off or slightly declined in 2020. Reviewing the SEC 10-K annual reports, there were no material deficiencies or weaknesses for company’s internal controls, and external auditors concluded an unqualified opinion on all financial statements.
Concluding the analysis is a recommendation on MasTec’s stock. I believe the stock is slightly undervalued and purchasing this stock would be beneficial given the seasonal aspect of the industry currently and future projections
Statutory Provisions Governing Special Education: A Guide for Beginning Special Education Teachers
Get PDFSpecial education law is complex and ever-changing. Despite receiving a formal education, beginning special education teachers often lack the knowledge of these policies and procedures, as well as any updated provisions relating to these laws (Brookshire & Klotz, 2002). In order to provide a legally compliant education to all students, teachers must be held accountable for the proper implementation of these laws (Sanders, 2011). Current research suggests that a large majority of teachers overestimate their knowledge of special education law, when in reality, a significant knowledge gap exists (Sanders, 2011 & Horner, Mrachko, O’Connor & Yasik, 2020). It is imperative that related legal education information is readily available to teachers and administrators, both in general and special education (Couvilon, Yell, & Katsiyannis, 2018, & Brown, 2009). The proposed handbook will benefit beginning Special Education teachers by providing a greater insight into the current statutory provisions governing special education in the United States
The Role of L1 Literacy in L2 Reading Development
Get PDFAbstract
The purpose of this project was to discover what the research says about the role a student’s first language (L1) plays in their second language (L2) literacy development. As immigrant populations increase across the United States, some districts are perpetuating or implementing programs with little knowledge of best practices. Many districts fail to realize the value of a student’s L1 in their ability to acquire another language and be successful in an academic situation. This situation is perpetuated by district policy, teachers, and families themselves, and the results hinder the educational system’s actual goal of helping students from immigrant communities achieve proficiency in reading and writing in English, their second language
The Impact of Extracurricular Activity Participation on Student Academics and Connectedness
No full textAbstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, education was pushed in multiple directions resulting in varied levels of student learning and forced isolation. This took its toll on school staff, parents, and students. In the aftermath, schools have tried to reclaim what was lost and urgency was placed on the emotional well-being and connectedness of students across America. Educators’ ability to build relationships and recognize student needs is important to help them be successful in school and this process can be facilitated through extracurricular activities. The purpose of this study was intended to explore the connection between participation in extracurricular activities, feelings of school connectedness, and academic success. In previous studies, extracurricular activities have been shown to increase student achievement, but the researchers wondered if they also promote a greater feeling of connectedness to school.
Keywords: school connectedness, academic achievement, extracurricular activities, sense of belonging, extracurricular participatio