The purposes of this study were to explain the development and validation of a new instrument for assessing elementary students&rsquo / views of the Nature of Science (NOS) and to investigate student and school level factors that help to explain the difference in NOS views. The sample included 3,062 elementary students elementary schools located in &Ccedil / ankaya. Different from these students, 782 elementary students were the sample for the first focus of this study. The Nature of Science Instrument, Learning Approach Questionnaire and Achievement Motivation Questionnaire were administered to the students. Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) was selected as a modeling technique because of the nested structure of the data sets. This study provides an instrument for measuring elementary student views of the NOS regarding four dimensions. In this study, students had different views regarding each dimensions, therefore, many variables have been shown to relate to different dimensions of NOS. This study has established the importance of student socio-economic background with varying learning approaches, self-efficacy, and motivational goals in forming their NOS views. Findings revealed that quality of the physical infrastructure of schools and quality of educational resources in school, parent educational levels, student achievement, self efficacy, experience with meaningful learning, and learning goal orientation are positively related to student NOS views in many different dimensions. Additionally, performance goal orientation and rote learning approaches have negative relationship with different dimensions of student NOS views.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the views of upper elementary mathematics teachers and students about the use of manipulatives in teaching and learning mathematics. This study is a qualitative case study. The participants of this study were four elementary mathematics teachers in a private school and their 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. The data were collected through one-to-one interviews, observations and analyzing documents consisting of annual plan, daily plan, notebooks of students, and the field note that the researcher kept throughout the study. This study revealed that although all the teachers advocate the use of manipulatives in teaching mathematics, they use traditional teaching techniques in their classes. They mentioned different factors affecting their use of manipulatives in teaching mathematics such as not knowing how to use them, grade level, availability of materials, time constraints, students&rsquo / reactions (seeing them as a toy or not being accustomed to them), school administration, classroom management, not finding materials appropriate for the subject being taught and classroom size. In fact, these are the factors that are seen on the surface level. This study indicated that even when teachers are provided with training about the use of manipulatives, supported by the school administration, and provided with manipulatives, the use of manipulatives is largely determined by their views / beliefs about the nature of mathematics, how students can learn mathematics, the effect of manipulatives and their knowledge in using them. Students seemed to like learning by using manipulatives. When conditions were arranged for learning, they were willing to learn through manipulatives.

abstract: There is a demanding need to empower students from kindergarten through high school to learn computer science and be equipped with the computational thinking skills that they need in today's technology driven world. However, introducing computer programming to students can be challenging, especially for those who aren't familiar with the nuances of code. Several popular tools are used in curriculum for K-12 students which utilize interactive and visualization approaches to engage young kids in learning computational concepts. Possibilities of using Augmented Reality (AR) in teaching programming to novices are explored in this work. In this thesis Ogmented, an AR application is designed which includes interactive learning material that covers a range of fundamental Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) concepts. This work aims to exploit the idea to learn abstract concepts via AR by capitalizing the strength of visual-aided and interactive elements. A user study with a group of elementary school students is conducted. It explored how students operated the AR application with the interactive elements and how they wrote codes to solve programming problems. It was observed that students who followed instructions while taking tutorials were successfully able to write fragments of codes in exercise modules. Irrespective of their knowledge about programming, majority of students were able to write executable code snippets for concepts they were taught with use of Ogmented. This shares an initial insight on using AR in classroom to teach abstract programming concepts. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Computer Science 2017

abstract: With Common Core State Standards (CCSS), all students are held to the same high expectations, including students learning English and other learners who may have academic difficulties. Many students learning English have trouble writing and need effective writing strategies to meet the demands the standards present. Ten fourth and fifth grade students learning English (6 girls and 4 boys), whose home language was Spanish, participated in a multiple baseline design across three small groups of participants with multiple probes during baseline. In this study, self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) for opinion writing using students’ own ideas was evaluated. Students who participated in this study demonstrated an increase in: the number of persuasive elements (e.g. premise, reasons, elaborations, and conclusion) included in their essays, overall essay quality, and the number of linking words used when writing opinion essays using their own ideas. Additionally, students’ knowledge of the writing process and opinion-writing genre improved. Students found the instruction to be socially acceptable. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Learning, Literacies and Technologies 2018

nÃo hà / A presente pesquisa objetivou compreender o ambiente escolar e a relaÃÃo com o saber dos alunos numa turma de 9 ano do ensino fundamental regular da Escola de Ensino Fundamental Raimundo Sotero de Moura, no municÃpio de Pacajus, no CearÃ, à luz de suas narrativas. As narrativas trazidas pelos estudantes foram analisadas como instrumento histÃrico importante para o entendimento da representaÃÃo acerca da sala de aula, na medida em que se situaram como sujeitos pertencentes a tal espaÃo. Eis o critÃrio de entendimento da relaÃÃo que eles fazem com o saber e a sala de aula. A proposta de construÃÃo do significado do ambiente escolar demonstrou a elevaÃÃo do sentimento de pertencimento dos alunos à escola, na medida em que colaborou com o desenvolvimento da autoestima, por destacar sua condiÃÃo de protagonistas no processo de ensino-aprendizagem. Ao serem envolvidos numa atividade que propÃs a elaboraÃÃo de narrativas histÃricas de vida e de memÃria de tais discentes como parte integrante do processo escolar, foi possÃvel, por meio de tal procedimento, construir a representaÃÃo que fazem da escola. Admite-se que tal estudo seja oportuno para facilitar o processo de ensino-aprendizagem, na medida em que envolveu discentes e professores da escola como sujeitos participantes da investigaÃÃo ao ser narrada a histÃria de vida dos educandos, evidenciando-se o significado que elaboram da sala de aula, bem como a relaÃÃo com o saber.

This research investigates the effects of a planned program of computer assisted instruction on reading and language development of fourth grade students. The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of microcomputer usage in supplemental reading and language instruction. Fifty-one matched pairs of fourth graders completed the one school year study. A t test for related samples was used to analyze the data. Multiple linear regression was used to allow a more detailed review of the basic data, including gender and entering ability. The findings include the following. 1. Post test scores for total reading or total language on the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills of the experimental group did not differ significantly from the scores of the control group. 2. The incremental differences in the post test scores for the boys or the girls in the experimental group did not differ significantly from those of the boys or the girls in the control group in either reading or language. 3. For students starting lower, toward the middle or higher on the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills total reading or total language, the relative progress of the experimental group of any of the three groups did not differ significantly from those of the control groups. The general conclusion to be drawn from this study is that using prescribed software for thirty minutes a week did not significantly improve total reading or total language scores on the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills. This study also indicates no significant differential effects on entering ability or gender. These recommendations were made. 1. More weekly computer time be utilized in further research. 2. Further evaluation of software as it relates to basic classroom curriculum for all levels of achievement should be studied. 3. Further study should be conducted on gender as it relates to C.A.I. in learning, including the possibility of using different software programs to reinforce the same skills for boys and girls.

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Doctor of Philosophy / Curriculum and Instruction Programs / Marjorie R. Hancock / This qualitative case study sought to gain deeper understanding of the role the writing process approach played in developing the writing ability of five fifth grade Saudi Arabian students when writing in English as a second language. The study extended for five months in a Midwest elementary school serving a large ESL population. Participants of this study included four ESL teachers and five Saudi ESL students, four females and one male. Two main queries guided this study: 1) the roles of ESL teachers when using the writing process approach in teaching writing in English as a second language to five fifth grade Saudi Arabian ESL students; and 2) the role of the writing process approach in the writing development of five fifth grade Saudi Arabian ESL students. The researcher documented data through four sources: classroom observation, interviews with ESL teacher and ESL students, student think-aloud protocols, and student writing samples. The data analysis of the ESL teachers revealed strong advocacy of utilizing the writing process as an effective method to improve ESL Saudi Arabian students’ writing ability. They were successful in employing the writing process approach regardless of their students’ English language proficiency level, using numerous writing strategies including collaborative writing activities, games, varying speed and voice tone, interest in students’ cultures and languages, and social interaction with the students. The data analysis of the study’s student focus revealed that students writing was not a one step process, yet an ongoing cycle in which they prewrite, plan, draft, pause, read, revise, edit, and publish. Students demonstrated different attitudes and behaviors toward writing throughout this study. Four of the students valued their second language (L2); one, however, found English difficult and confusing. Some of the students’ writing sample scores, determined by the Six Traits Writing Rubric, differed by the end of the study while others’ remained the same. This study provided rich data to better understand the importance of teachers utilizing effective writing process techniques and the impact of the writing process approach on Saudi Arabian students learning to write in English in an American school setting.

Students' critical thinking in mathematics was a concern for grade 5 through 8 teachers at a Title 1 public school in the northeastern United States because of the students' poor performance on constructed response questions on the state's mathematics exam. In this exam, students were required to justify their answers in writing. When teachers recognize the connection between writing and critical thinking, they can devise strategies to help students develop mathematical literacy. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how 5th through 8th grade mathematics teachers use the GoMath mathematics literacy program to teach the critical thinking skills students need to justify an answer in writing. The conceptual framework of critical thinking theory drove this study examining critical thinking pedagogy in general and special education mathematics classrooms. Qualitative data were collected from pre- and post-observation interviews and classroom observations from 4 purposefully selected mathematics teachers in grades 5 through 8 who taught GoMath. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Teachers reported that oral communication among students before writing justifications and students' critical thinking skills were integral components in solving mathematics problems. Based on the findings, it is recommended that ongoing professional development be adopted to assist teachers in developing strategies for teaching critical thinking skills to help students justify answers in writing when solving mathematics problems. This endeavor may contribute to positive social change by providing teachers with the necessary skills and strategies to enhance students' communication and critical thinking, thus, increasing their academic performance in mathematics.