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Students, teachers learn about learning

Dr. Heather Biola

Local college students and public school teachers presented their findings about teaching and learning at the Seventh Annual Kump Education Research Seminar Wednesday, at the Randolph County Community Arts Center.

Samantha Hornish of Davis & Elkins College did her teacher work sample with first graders using an analog clock to tell and write time. At the outset most of her students were accustomed to using digital clocks and did not understand the purpose of the two hands on a clock face. After a few “hands-on lessons” 80 percent of her students could use the hour hand and minute hand to tell time to the half-hour.

Elijah Matlick from Alderson Broadus University completed his action research study in a second-grade classroom. His strategy was to increase reading comprehension through instruction on fluency and vocabulary. He focused most on content based vocabulary. All six students who were tested increased their comprehension by increasing their vocabulary and fluency.

Madison Johnson from ABU focused her action research on the ability of students in a third/fourth grade class to form expanded sentences (longer than five words). She concluded that her question-based interventions did not have a positive effect on student writing, and she suggested that reading fluency and vocabulary may have more impact on sentence length.

Tori Louk from D&E Completed her Teacher Work with five fifth grade students. On the pre-assessment, the students scored below mastery in determining the main idea and supporting details. During the instructional phase of the project, each lesson focused on finding the main idea and details, and included interactive activities that involved sorting, matching, and movement.

Nicola Merriman from D&E found that students who had no art teachers in elementary grades did not understand basic visual concepts. “Schools have been forced to cut programs due to financial issues, but this study looks at how that (choice) has affected developmental stages.”

Emma Godfrey from ABU presented research findings for her elementary work sample. Using four classes of fourth graders as subjects, she conducted a pretest, course instruction, and a posttest for a unit on musical instrument families and found that most of her students made progress

Two public school teachers, Beth Cooper and Chris Gear, from Midland Elementary School presented a report on their innovative project to help first graders learn more effectively. They have used the book “Minds in Motion” by Candace Meyer to plan activities based on a research validated program designed to stimulate each child’s visual and auditory processing as well as motor skills. Their first graders have devoted 15 minutes to daily exercises for improving sensory and motor functions of the brain. This intervention can be used for Attention Deficit Disorder and other behavioral and social disorders.

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