Educational Studies Poster Session Copyright (c) 2013 Illinois Wesleyan University All rights reserved. http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters Recent Events in Educational Studies Poster Session en-us Wed, 15 May 2013 17:21:18 PDT 3600 Including the Interactive White Board in a Classroom http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/39 http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/39 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT In the last decade, a new technology has started to make its way into countless classrooms around the world. This technology is the Interactive White Board (IWB) system. This self study project shows ways a teacher can integrate the IWB technology in an elementary school classroom. This study was conducted in a first grade classroom in an urban area through analyzing lessons, student work, and teacher journals. The lessons that were taught all included the use of an IWB in different ways, including viewing of online sources, accessing curriculum materials, providing interactive materials, documenting student or teacher work, modeling, and creating opportunities for students to be active learners. I found that the IWB is an effective tool in both delivery of materials during lessons and assessment.

]]> Andrew Werkema '12 et al. Teaching With Technology in a 2<sup>nd</sup> Grade Classroom http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/38 http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/38 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT Today technology is becoming increasingly common in educational environments. In the past decade, integrating SmartBoards into classrooms all over the world and incorporating SmartBoards into the daily curriculum has become a focus of many educators. The purpose of this research is to determine how technology aids students to learn concepts and skills.

This self-study was conducted in a second grade classroom in an urban, low-income elementary school. Student work, teacher journals, and recent literature served as data for this study. Mishra and Koehler’s (2006) TPACK (Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge) Framework was used in analyzing these qualitative data.. Data showed that technology integration facilitated students’ learning of concepts and skills. This research provides educators with an overview of how SmartBoards can be integrated in an elementary classroom.

]]> Karin Unruh '12 et al. What We See and Why it Matters: How Competency in Visual Literacy Can Enhance Student Learning http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/37 http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/37 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT In today's world, we use more visuals than ever before. Research suggests that the balance between words and images has shifted considerably calling for new forms of literacy (as cited in Brumberger, 2011). Visual literacy goes above and beyond the traditional concepts of reading and writing, expanding literacy to include visuals. The analysis and reveiw of current visual literacy research suggests teaching visual literacy is necessary for students to become capable of navigating the visually driven world we live in today. The research highlights the importance of present day society. Findings suggest that the ability to create images will help students better learn to decipher, understand and communicate with images. If there is a better understanding of how and why visuals are developed, then the use of visuals can become more ffective, ergo enhancing student learning.

]]> Anneliese Tillmann '12 et al. Activities in the Mathematics Classroom that Promote Mathematical Fluency http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/36 http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/36 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT Mathematics, in and of itself, is a language— reading notations, writing solutions, and communicating explanations. The importance of developing mathematical fluency is frequently overshadowed by an emphasis on implementation of memorized formulas in mathematics classrooms. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) has recognized the relevance of using mathematics as a language as early as 1989 and promotes learning to communicate mathematically as a major goal for students. Hufferd-Ackles, Fuson, and Sherin (2004) recognize the importance of a math-talk community in the classrooms to encourage students’ understanding of mathematics. This self-study focuses on the advantages of writing, reading, and speaking mathematics in students’ learning. It is conducted the study in two Algebra II classes at a rural high school in Central Illinois. Different activities, students’ work, and analyzed personal reflective journals are content analyzed to draw conclusions on the ways these instructional activities promote mathematical fluency and mathematical understanding.

]]> Sevasti Tagaris '12 et al. Integration of Fine Arts into a Writer's Workshop http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/35 http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/35 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT Amanda Stoeke '12 et al. Global Education Through Children's Literature http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/34 http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/34 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT In this study I examined multicultural education and global education. Today, children live in a global society, thus it is necessary to provide them with meaningful learning experiences that familiarize the belief systems, values, and history of cultures and countries from around the world. A review of literature explores implications and effects that the curriculum had on students and its practical uses in everyday instruction. My focus of the study evolved to encompass the use of children’s literature as an instructional tool for global education. I discovered the crucial role that children’s literature plays in a student’s emotional, social and academic development. This genre of Children’s literature helps students make tangible sense of unfamiliar global concepts through stories and illustrations that generate classroom discussion, serve as a safe setting for the exploration of social and moral issues, and allow students to picture the world from the perspective of another.

]]> Emily Schmidt '12 et al. Calculating an Approach to Differentiation in Math http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/33 http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/33 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT Upon determining the needs of the students in a second grade classroom during my student teaching, I embarked upon a self-study about how I could differentiate my instruction in elementary mathematics. I set out to discover which instructional strategies I could implement in the classroom to ensure that every student felt appropriately challenged, motivated, and interested in mathematics. I incorporated a variety of manipulatives, math games, and group activities, among other methods, to engage students in mathematics. The photographs and field notes I took during daily activities- along with student work and test data- indicated that students enjoyed mathematics when concepts were presented in a variety of manners. This often led to noticeable improvements in students’ math skills. This study expanded my understanding of the instructional methods that enhance student enjoyment and comprehension in mathematics.

]]> Emily Schimick '12 et al. The Untold History in Textbooks: The Bias and Absence of History in U.S. History Textbooks and the Impact on Black Students http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/32 http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/32 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT The purpose of this literature review is to recognize the shortcomings of history textbooks in secondary education and discover how to bring change to history classrooms. The main problem with history textbooks is the amount of pertinent information that is simply not included within the text. In today’s society, a lot of African American history is left out of textbooks and this makes it difficult for black students to make meaningful connections to the material, while also decreasing their interest in learning about history. The findings show how alternative teaching methods can effectively include more African American history which, and as a result these efforts can increase African American students’ interest in history overall. This research is important because teachers, administrators, and parents can see how controlling history affects students in today’s classrooms and how it can impact students in future classrooms as well.

]]> Stephen Rudnicki '12 et al. Differentiating Reading: One Teacher's Journey Implementing Literature Circles http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/31 http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/31 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT Jenifer Rank '12 et al. Addressing Students' Anxiety Levels in a High School Mathematics Classroom http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/30 http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/jwprc/2012/ESposters/30 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 09:00:00 PDT In our ever-changing world, the use of technology is at all-time high. With the advent of our new technologies come new jobs and opportunities based on an education in mathematics and science. Now, more than ever we should be seeing an increase of students who enter college with a degree focused in these areas. Instead we are seeing little growth in these fields and anxiety is to blame.

This self-study was conducted to understand the ways in which: assessment, goal setting, teaching style, and technology affect student’s anxiety levels in mathematics. The study was conducted in an urban high school. Questionnaires, teacher journals, and lesson plans were analyzed. Students were asked to rate their anxiety levels during different classroom activities. Students were also asked what type of teaching styles, goals, technology use and assessments raised or lowered their anxiety levels. Several of these items were found to affect students anxiety levels in varying ways.

]]> Robert Rachford '12 et al.