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
Building fluency through repeated readings, Mary Lee Wilson
Student families: building community and making connections, Laurie Jean Wofford
Effective modeling and teaching of reading strategies to secondary content area teachers, Stacey Wollschlager
Effectively engaging selective mute ELL students in learning, Allison Ann Wood
Twenty-first century learning for first graders, Anne M. Young
The academic and financial gains of the four-day school week, Terri Zondervan
Theses/Dissertations from 2007
Creating an engaging curriculum that cultivates critical thinking on the elements and principles of art, Katie Abbring
Engaging curriculum in a non-ensemble music class in grade seven, Lon E. Anderson
Kindergarten teachers and Asperger syndrome: what do teachers know?, Sara L. Anderson
Enriching or entangling?: ELL vocabulary mapping strategies in the intermediate ESL classroom, Shery Anderson
A comparison of 5th grade standardized reading test scores following implementation of a reading workshop, Nicholas Ardito
How does using picture books to teach punctuation impact fourth grade students' writing?, Jaron S. Aune
Teacher and student perceptions of learner engagement after exposure to research based teaching strategies during fifth grade mathematics instruction, Angela Bailey-Aldrich
Dialogue journals and second grade English language learners: how does providing additional scaffolding through dialogue journals affect student writing success?, Jennifer Barrett
Using teacher peer observation sessions as a tool for building collegiality and improving teaching, Mike Bast
Never again: voices of remembrance a theatrical production about the holocaust, Susan Jane Beaubaire
Students, parents, and calculators, Asia Bednar
The effects of teaching cognitive reading comprehension strategies to sixth grade English language learner (ELL) students, Robin Corton Bellamy
How Colombian low-income public college senior students describe their policy experiences regarding gaining access to higher education, Hader A. Guana Benitez
Techniques to improve reading fluency in the elementary classroom, Matthew G. Biever
The impact of restorative justice circles used during experiential outdoor education on alternative students' feelings of connectedness, Amy Vatne Bintliff
Creating an equitable climate in the science classroom with a focus on gender differences, Sandra Bird
Voices of TRIO students: promoting equity and social justice through the federal TRIO programs, Joel R. Bisser
Literacy in kindergarten, Megan Blake
Can't we just have study hall?: motivating adolescent boys identified with emotional/behavioral disorders to read for pleasure, Staci Elizabeth Blix
Genre studies and the reading-writing connection: creating a coherent sixth grade language arts program, Emily Bloomquist
Meeting the academic needs of kinesthetic learners in the reading classroom, Bernadette J. Bowden
Integration: using inclusionary practices with all types of students, Bryan Scott Boysen
What are the essential elements of effective intervention programs for very young learners with autism spectrum disorder?, Patty Brehmer
Designing a parenting center based on a needs assessment of Saint Paul parents, Allison S. Breininger
Helping parents to determine kindergarten readiness, Janie Briggs
Identity negotiation and construction: a case study of two Costa Rican women learning English, Jessica J Buch
The effects of citizen science projects on students environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, Eric Burfeind
Contextual learning in career and technical education, Gregory C. Campbell
Parent involvement: attributes that contribute to why parents are frequently involved in school related activities, Lisa Luther Carlson
Investigating the need for community support: parents of middle school students with an emotional and/or behavioral disorder describe their needs, Debra J. Castner
Using active learning strategies to engage students in non-fiction texts, Cristin Marie Clark
Building relationships with at-risk fifth grade students, Jessica J. Colberg
Team-building and non-traditional activities to increase enjoyment for players on a high school basketball team, David J. Conzemius
The affects of art and science integration, Michelle L. Cordes
Using a variety of teaching strategies in the high school math class, Keith D. Cornell
Energy conservation awareness: an examination of two school districts, Colleen J. Crossley
Childhood lead poisoning: how can lead awareness be raised in an urban community?, JoAnn Cudo
Using the language experience approach as a part of differentiated literacy instruction, Shannon E Curran
Does fluency affect reading achievement?, Sallie Czaplewski
How does participation in service learning projects impact students' attitudes toward Spanish?, Anne Terese Dahl
How does incorporating a social justice curriculum in a language arts classroom affect upper elementary students' attitudes toward social justice?, Tania A. Dantas
Motivating struggling high school readers to change their attitudes toward reading, Mary L. Decker
Recommended strategies for promoting a learner-centered, junior high language arts classroom, Beth I. C. Demarest
The hundred languages of learning: the role of teacher questions in a reggio-inspired preschool setting, Kristin Dykstra
What are effective activities for differentiated learning centers to help first graders learn and improve sight words and phonetics, Nicole Ehrich
The view from midwinter: mature, experienced elementary teachers share their wisdom-in-practice, Karen L. Eichman
Personality, coping, and teacher stress: predisposition factors for educators, Joshua T. Eidem
Implementing the rich and intensive method of vocabulary instruction for English language learners, Mary Ellen Elliott
Balancing Hmong culture and public education, Mandy Erlandson
Five young Liberians describe their experience of education, Ann Ertl
Application of the differentiation of instruction academic model to faith-based environmental education, Heidi Smith Ferris
Optimizing student learning opportunities in elementary school field trips, Cheryl Finnegan
Strategies for teaching gifted students in the inclusive classroom, Kimberly T. Frantz
Inquiry based science and the use of living organisms in a second grade classroom, Mary Jill. Freshwaters
Action Research Study of a Child From a Chinese Cultural Background, Tatyana Fridman
How does physical exercise improve the focus and learning of first grade students?, Diane E. Fritcher
Integrating science and literacy instruction for English language learners, Nicole Frost
How do graphic organizers improve the reading comprehension, specifically retelling, of English language learners?, April D. Fuller
Alternatives in grammar instruction for novice foreign language students, Nathan Gauslin
A curriculum resource for teaching poetry in an urban middle school, Karla J. Gergen
In the eye of the beholder: differences in perception between white teachers and African American students with regard to reasons for the racial achievement gap, Patricia Sloane Gillam
How African American parents' perspectives improve our schools for African American children, Roxanne D. Glawe
Give it all you've got: a differentiated literacy unit with a character education focus, Linda Dibos Graslewicz
What are the essential elements and design of an effective white privilege professional development curriculum for urban, elementary teachers?, Jane Gravender
How do staff in a charter school view site-based management, including shared administrative duties, as a management system?, Patrick Jay Guerin
Reading C.L.I.C.K.S.: a teacher's guidebook for creating a motivating classroom where reading 'clicks' for all students, Kristin A. Gustafson
How can teachers support parents at home to make reading a priority?, Mary Helen Haarklau
Character education: the integration into physical education, Gabriel D. Hackett
How traveling basketball is affecting the high school basketball player in a Minnesota school district, Mitchell T. Harmoning
Boys and girls are different: practical applications in developing a fourth grade social studies unit, Vicki A. Headley
A perfect fit: enhancing writing curriculum portfolio entries in a first grade classroom, Stacey Jo Helders-Pevan
Five Minnesota districts' perceptions of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 English language learner tests and their implications for program, instruction, and climate, Julie Marie Henderson
Exploring the elements of a successful community-based transition program, Theresa M. Henehan
What are effective teaching and parent training strategies for home based education of children with autism spectrum disorder?, Terran Henke
How can thinking maps be used to strengthen the skills of primary writers?, Michelle Hetland
The impacts of homerooms on student connectedness and academic success, Barry J. Hohlen
When the question is the answer: teaching students to ask questions independently, Sarah Huffman
The case for intrinsic motivation, Jessica Ihrke
Visual perception and the emergent reader: dancing with print, Jill Elizabeth Johnson
Cooperative learning and the affect on retention in middle school science, Melissa M. Johnson
Promoting self-advocacy and disability awareness in secondary students with disabilities, Sarah Johnson
The constitutionality and effectiveness of vouchers and school choice systems, Pamela M. Johnstone
Math parent guides: parent resources for the connected mathematics project curriculum, Elizabeth Julien
Physics lecture notes for the international baccalaureate program, Mark Kanner
Factors contributing to the transformation toward progressive social justice consciousness among evangelical christians, Melanie Keillor
Changing student attitude toward ability to read content area text by incorporating explicitly-taught reading strategies into an ALC setting, Kristine R. Kelly
Just-right books: helping upper elementary readers develop successful book-selection strategies, Tim Ketel