Culminating Experience Action Research Projects, Volume 14, Spring 2009
Author: McAllister, Deborah A., Ed.
Date: 2010-09-00
Type: Collected Works - General
Subjects: Student Teaching,Multiple Intelligences,Physical Education,Research Projects,Action Research,Student Participation,Student Interests,Standardized Tests,Teaching Methods,Social Studies,Scores,Correlation,Classroom Techniques,Peer Teaching,Cooperative Learning,Language Arts,Literacy,Questioning Techniques,Test Anxiety,Writing Instruction,Science Careers,Hands on Science,Biology,Science Instruction,Educational Technology,Online Courses,Management Systems,Program Descriptions

As a part of the teacher licensure program at the graduate level at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), the M.Ed. Licensure candidate is required to complete an action research project during a 3-semester-hour course that coincides with the 9-semester-hour student teaching experience. This course, Education 590 Culminating Experience, requires the student to implement an action research plan designed through (a) the Education 500 Introduction to Inquiry course, (b) one of the two learning assessments required during student teaching, or (c) a newly-designed project not used as one of the learning assessments. With funding through a UTC Teaching, Learning, and Technology Faculty Fellows award, the Education 590 course is conducted through the use of an online, course management system (Blackboard), allowing for asynchronous discussion and use of the digital drop box feature for submitting required papers. The action research projects from, spring semester 2009, are presented here. Papers include: (1) The Impact of Seating Arrangement Upon a Discussion-based, Secondary Social Studies Classroom (Douglas Adams); (2) Determining Effective Strategies in Dealing with Off-Task Students: A Study of Elementary Physical Education Classes (Amy L. Baird); (3) Better Learning Through Classroom Communities (Isaac B. Blevins); (4) The Effects of Integrating Hands-on Learning Activities to Develop a Better Comprehension of Curriculum in High School Biology Classes (Christy Bryant); (5) Do Retention Exercises Aid in Increasing Standardized Test Scores? (Lisa Childress); (6) Let's Get Physical: Movement Breaks in the Classroom (Courtney Hudson); (7) What Teaching Strategies Positively Impact Student Learning in a Large Classroom Setting? (Amy Suits Land); (8) Correlations Between Student Interest and Student Performance (Raymond T. Lee); (9) Peer Tutoring Upon Cooperative Learning Experiences in Basic Mathematics Skills (Jamie McCurry); (10) Using Technology in Literate and Language Arts Instruction (Rebecca Middleton); (11) Enhancing American Government through Multiple Intelligences (Amy Miller); (12) An Examination of the Incorporation of Literacy Strategies as an Essential Element in Middle School Instruction (Christopher Reeves); (13) The Importance of Process: Using Socratic Seminar in the Classroom (Ginger Thomas); (14) Test Anxiety (Alison Wehunt); (15) Exploring Success on Multiple Learning Levels (Tina M. Whaley); (16) Effects of a Real-world Writing Curriculum on Student Participation and Performance (Sally White); (17) Assessing Assessment: Comparing the Effects of Criterion-Referenced Testing and Performance-Based Assessment on Sustained Content Retention (Shannon Williams); and (18) Wired for Science: Sparking an Interest in Science and Careers in Science in Elementary School Students (Deb Wimberley). (Individual papers contain references.) [For "Culminating Experience Action Research Projects, Volume 13, Fall 2008," see ED511591.]