This collection includes Capstone Theses and Dissertations submitted by Hamline School of Education and Leadership master’s and doctoral students, respectively. Capstones are the culminating degree work and include research that draws from the student’s formal study as well as professional and personal development.
This is an online listing of the scholarly works of HSEL graduate program students. Works prior to 2015 are available in print in the Bush Memorial Library. Full text, online, prior to 2015, may be restricted to current Hamline students, faculty and staff.
See also: School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects
Browse Theses and Dissertations by Degree:Theses/Dissertations from 2008
A write start: investigating a same gender classroom, Nicole K. Courneya
How can licensed school nurses increase teacher understanding of students diagnosed with a chronic illness?, Traci K. Cruikshank
The effect of research-based instruction on sixth-grade student spelling growth, Karen A. Dahl
Promoting and sustaining physical activity on a regular basis in elementary schools, Lance Dahl
How authentic assessment can be used effectively in a high school language arts classroom, Jennifer K. Davis
Using AlphaSmarts to improve the quantity and quality of writing of fifth grade English language learners, Patricia Gail Matthias Davis
A journey into the culture of differentiation: encouraging change through a reflective model of staff development, Sigrid Dorholt
How can explicit instruction foster growth in low socioeconomic fourth grade students' vocabularies, Amber R. Drotts
How can I increase the knowledge and awareness of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders among elementary staff?, Teresa Ann Drotts
Changing the teacher mentor program model, Shawn Dylla
Characteristics of a GLBT respect curriculum appropriate for middle grades advisories, Alexsandra Eckroth
The effects of using individual and group management techniques to increase responsibility and accountability in my students, Rachel Elizabeth Erpenbach
Onset and rime instruction in a low level ABE ESOL reading classroom, Erin G Evans
Increasing ninth grade achievement in an elective class, Patricia M. Fair
Comprehension of aspect in English by Spanish-speaking students in an adult basic education program, Andrea Feshbach
Starting the year off right: building strong teacher-student relationships in the kindergarten immersion classroom, Amy J. Filo
Facing the biological imperative in the gifted classroom: the implications of attachment theory upon teacher/student relationships and learning, Richard Allen Fletcher
Tackling: a study of one of the most important skills in American football, Robin E. Fondow
What are the elements of effective teaching and learning that successfully introduces weblogs into a classroom setting, John A. Franke
Introducing stability balls into a kindergarten classroom to determine on-task behavior and student perceptions, Mary M. Frank
Family literacy intervention program, Jeanne Marie Frederick
Levels of influence on teachers' feelings of empowerment, Tina E. Fritz
How does research into the effects of physical activity on brain function support a regimen of physical activity in the mainstream academic classroom?, Christine Marie Hodroff Gagnon
The role of motivation in the application and transfer of comprehension strategies, Rachel Ruth Gens
What are research supported classroom management strategies used with intermediate age students that counter the impact of the cultural influence of overindulgence and entitlement, Christopher Parker Getchell
After school clubs and ELLs self-esteem, Marilyn Gleason
Organizational tools for teachers, Jane Brilley Gossard
Journaling through the challenge of change, Dereck L Grosskurth
An exploratory study: phonological awareness instruction in early reading first classrooms, Lisa Gruenewald
How can middle school advanced reading students use multiple lenses to deepen their critical literacy skills?, Tammy J. Gruenwald
How can sensory techniques designed for children with autism benefit all kindergarten students?, Margaret Hejny Guptill
The effects of fluency instruction on the reading pace, accuracy, and expression of 6th grade English language learners, Colin Haakenson
Increasing oral reading fluency with elementary English language learners, Judith A Hacker
The impact of the enrichment triad model and type III activities on gifted middle school students, Patricia Ann Fladeboe Hamann
Cultural understandings and how they affect teaching strategies with Hmong middle school students, Shanda Hannan
Beyond Webster: explicit vocabulary strategies to improve the reading of English language learners, Rachel L. B. Harder
Grade two ESL writers: teacher-modeled writing and oral rehearsal, Kristine B Heim
Restoring the nature-child connection, Marc T. Henderson
What are some effective strategies to encourage parent involvement in a fourth grade classroom with diverse populations, Heather Henricksen
Active learning in a middle school mathematics classroom, Kristin Holmes
List-group-label as a reading comprehension strategy to help students see that there may be more than one way to look at the world, Matthew H. C. Horstman
Individualized training for new special education teachers, Corliss Carter Hoyt
Voluntary teacher mobility: why teachers choose to leave, Kathryn Corinne Huebsch
How does mentoring, incorporating cognitive coaching, affect the efficacy of selected young music educators?, Adam Frederick Tervola Hultberg
School culture in a diverse urban junior high school, Nicole M. Infinity
Cooperative learning and music education: application in a middle school band music theory curriculum, Mary Jane James
Adult Sudanese students in transitional English classes: factors that may contribute to academic writing readiness, Kathleen Ann Jensen
The write work: how can modeling best practice writing strategies improve the quality of student writing in a second grade classroom?, Pamela G. Johnson
A solo vocal literature guide, Diane Krenik Jordan
In what ways might I differentiate literacy instruction for fourth grade students in a mixed ability classroom through the use of learning centers with tiered activities?, Genesee L. Kaiser
Writers teach writing: lessons from authors of creative writing, Daniel M. Kantar
One smart capstone: a resource guide for smart board users, Douglas M. Keddie
The history of teaching the future: the future of teaching history, Molly Megan Keenan
Aligning the learning: successful strategies for writing in the world language classroom, Katherine H. Keller
In their own voices: African American students talk about rigorous course work with a focus on science, Rebecca J. L. Keller
Designing an effective inquiry-based forensic science unit for use in urban classrooms, Mary Elizabeth Kent
What are the essential elements of an effective literacy portfolio for kindergartners?, Michelle L. Kiesel
Cultivating nature: environmental gardening identity and home gardening practices, Frances M. Kiesling
Strategies to build community and motivate struggling readers, LouAnn Kittelson
My child's teacher doesn't know our history: relearning Native American education from the insight and experiences of families, David Kloker
Improving targeted instruction through professional learning communities, Kristan L. Kohls
Introducing stability balls into a kindergarten classroom to determine on-task behavior and student perceptions, Kristen Kay Kokal
Examining the qualities of published memoir in modeling traits of writing in a fourth grade writer's workshop, Trena Kolstad
Knowledge building in a culinary classroom environment using team-based learning strategy, Byron J. Korus
Motivation from within: using poetry to create success, Kelly M. Kudla
Using science notebooks to improve student's writing ability, Lance C. Kuehn
A curriculum designed to foster self-regulation in students with neurobiological impairments, Leah M. Kuypers
Does gender effect motivation in the high school education classroom?, Hayley E. Lang
Designing a high school physical education curriculum to increase student interest in lifetime fitness and health, Cristina V. Larson
Reluctant readers within a school-wide read, T Brent Larson
Does the use of student journals foster learning in an environmental biology class?, Erin Lauinger
In what ways does mandated testing drive a school's approach to teaching 9-12th grade students?, Diane LeBlanc
Why cultural competency?, Robert O. Lehmann
Teaching writing skills to struggling writers at the high school level, Heather M. S. Leier
Utilizing the sketchbook to support metacognition in the secondary level art student, Diane J. Levar
African American boys and reading comprehension, Courtney Ligon
Effective nonfiction reading strategies for third graders, Diane E. Lindo
Does using SIOP (sheltered instruction observation protocol) help high school ELL students learn elementary mathematics?, Monique Marie Lindquist
Supervisor perceptions of workplace ESL instruction, Laura Lund
How can incorporating multiple learning modalities into a second grade classroom enhance students' abilities to reach the goals of the trivium in second grade?, Rebecca Ann Lund
How does emotion and pattern chunking help fourth grade students retain Spanish travel phrases?, Amy Luoma
Constructivism: an approach to change, David C. Madson
Maestra, ¿qué es un alfabeto? = Teacher what is an alphabet? : teaching Spanish literacy as a tool for ESL literacy, Katharine Málaga
Ideal conditions for successful adult second language learning, Hannah Malone
The positive effects of community building and character education on 5th grade students' attitudes, Diane Louise Master
The development of map-reading skills in the adult English as a second language classroom, Lisa McCallum
What are the research supported guidelines I can share with parents when deciding between half-day and full-day everyday kindergarten?, Kirby McDonald
Noticing and grammatical aspect in ESL, Jonna Meidal
Classroom management strategies for middle school math teachers, Enock Obuba Meshack
How animal assisted therapy can be used to motivate children in special education, Colleen Miller
How the use of memoirs and autobiographies impacts the self-efficacy of secondary Hispanic girls, Kayls A. Miltich
How positive discipline and class meetings can positively affect the classroom learning environment, Dana Sue Moffett
Using the sheltered instruction observation protocol (SIOP) in the ESL classroom, Erin Mohr
Do Minnesota immersion schools follow the national trend of higher academic achievement than their non-immersion counterparts?, Naomi S. Mueller
Reducing math anxiety, Patrick J. Mueller
The effect of physical activity on academic performance, Kris Faye Nelson