Kaelin – Academic Creativity and Excellence Day

Leah Agost & Trey Crabb

Seating For Success

Students in elementary school classrooms benefit from specific seating arrangements that are based on student needs and the goals of the lesson. The research question for this poster presentation is “How does classroom seating arrangement impact student participation and behavior in an elementary classroom?” We are studying what seating arrangements and patterns are used in elementary school classrooms, and which arrangements produce the most success from students. The research shows that there is not one specific seating arrangement that is superior to the rest. Different seating arrangements support different needs in the classroom, depending on the teaching style, the characteristics of the students from class to class, and the classroom size. Studies show that row seating arrangement is best for independent work, and it helps reduce disruptive behavior because they are looking forward and are not grouped together. Cluster seating arrangement is beneficial for group work and projects, but not for talkative students or lectures. The double E seating arrangement supports the zones of proximity, because the teacher is able to move around the classroom easily. The negative aspect of Double E seating is that half of the students will be facing a different direction than the front board or the screen. This can cause disruptive behavior. The U-Shape seating arrangement is great for teachers to be able to walk around the middle of the room while also seeing all students fairly equally. The students feel that they are less isolated, and that they feel more disciplined in a positive way. The downside to this seating arrangement is that group work is difficult and that some students are not facing the front board or screen easily. For classrooms that are based off of group work and interactive activities, teachers should use the Cluster seating or the Double E seating. For classrooms that are based off of lectures or having poor behavior from students, teachers should use the Row seating or the U-Shape seating. From the data provided, there is not one seating arrangement that is considered “better”. Each seating arrangement will be different for each teacher and classroom.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

Womack Lobby and Room 100

10 AM – Noon

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Maxwell Al-Rubaie & Caleb Richter

How Brain Breaks Affect Student Behavior.

This poster presentation examines how brain breaks affect student engagement at the elementary and secondary level. Our findings come from both peer-reviewed research and first hand accounts of being in the classroom at the third grade level at Adams Elementary and Lowell High School. What we were able to learn from this project is that brain breaks do work and help students stay focused and on task. However, not all brain breaks will help students. The effectiveness of brain breaks is reliant upon the type of students in the classroom, what kind of break the students are given, how long the breaks are for, and how the teacher implements the breaks into the classroom. At the elementary level, the students tended to respond better to shorter, more active brain breaks, which got them out of their seats and moving around the classroom. Secondary classrooms however tended to benefit from longer breaks and more reflection based breaks instead of getting out of their seats and moving around. This is extremely important to us being future educators due to the fact that giving our students the most optimal learning environment that we can is our number one priority.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

Womack Lobby and Room 100

10 AM – Noon

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Marques Brown

What practices can educators utilize to better connect with reluctant readers at the secondary level?

Connecting to reluctant readers in a secondary setting can be a difficult undertaking for educators. The goal of this research was to find strategies that will increase reading engagement. These strategies include increasing textual relevance, utilizing electronic tools, and allowing for student text choice. This research is not designed to be a definitive guide to “solve” the reluctant reader challenge, but rather, to provide strategies for educators to explore and adapt to their own practice.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

Womack Lobby and Room 100

10 AM – Noon

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Isaiah Campbell-Wallace

Pets in the Elementary Classroom

My research project has studied the presence of animals in the elementary school classroom.The research question I answered is “What are the benefits in student behavior with pets in the classroom”. I researched peer reviewed studies of animals in the classroom and their results. I addressed the what, why, and how.The what examines the most common pets.The why explains the positive impacts.The how discusses decisions and implementation required by the teacher. Overall classroom pets were shown to provide positive influences on children’s academics as well as emotional and social health.There were some minor negatives that will be addressed. Studies have been shown that pets in the classroom can clearly provide benefits to students in many areas like social interactions, attendance, sense of community, responsibility, and empowerment. Ultimately the decision to have and support classroom pets comes from the teacher. A classroom teacher is the decision maker (with school administration approval) in whether to have a pet and how students will interact with it. As a teacher implementing animals in my classroom and observing the results with my students.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

Womack Lobby and Room 100

10 AM – Noon

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Emma Hitt & Josie Hitt

How do the zones of regulation help elementary students identify their emotions and give them tools to regulate them?

For this poster presentation, we will be exploring the topic of how zones of regulation help elementary students identify their emotions and give them tools to regulate them. For this presentation we have gathered research both online and have also observed it being used through our placements for student teaching. In this presentation we will be combining the research and experience to explain the effectiveness of the zones of regulation. Currently in the classroom we have seen students who are only reactive and have a hard time expressing emotions in a calm manner. In these cases students are given a paper that has all 4 zones of regulation listed out with pictures. In the presentation we dive into the zones of regulation and what they are. When given the paper students are able to point at what they are feeling and we can give them tools to help manage their emotions. When looking at research done online there are very mixed reports. Some teachers have said that they have seen a change in students being able to regulate their emotions while some have seen no change at all. Since the data collection is inconclusive we will compare it to the data we have collected throughout our placements.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

Womack Lobby and Room 100

10 AM – Noon

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Gavyn Laing

Sleep and Student Success: How Rest Impacts Academic and Cognitive Performance

Sleep plays a critical role in the cognitive and academic development of secondary education students. This study explores how both the amount and quality of sleep influence students’ academic performance and cognitive functioning. Research indicates that inadequate or poor-quality sleep is linked to decreased attention, memory consolidation, problem-solving skills, and overall academic achievement. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to sleep deficits due to biological changes in circadian rhythms, increased academic pressures, and lifestyle habits, including screen time and extracurricular activities. These factors often lead to chronic sleep deprivation, which can impair executive functions such as decision-making, emotional regulation, and the ability to retain and process new information. Conversely, students who consistently receive sufficient, high-quality sleep tend to perform better on standardized tests, maintain higher grade point averages, and exhibit improved classroom engagement and behavior. This abstract summarizes findings from a range of scientific studies to highlight the significant connection between sleep and school performance. The research underscores the importance of promoting healthy sleep habits among adolescents through school policies, parental involvement, and public health initiatives. By understanding and addressing sleep-related challenges, educators and policymakers can help optimize student outcomes and long-term cognitive health.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

Womack Lobby and Room 100

10 AM – Noon

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Tracy Magill

Motivating Minds: Effective and Ineffective Incentives in Secondary Education

In the presentation I will be presenting about the effective and ineffective incentives in a secondary classroom. Unlike in elemaentary school, secondary educators use incentives to encourage academic success and to reward positive voluntary behaviors. Research shows that using incentives works well with elementary-aged students. Why wouldnt incentives work for secondary aged students? There are many different incentives that are effective and ineffective at the secondary level. Going deeper into the research on why different incentives work and don’t work is my main goal for this presentation.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

Womack Lobby and Room 100

10 AM – Noon

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Abigail Mikulich

How do the colors in an elementary classroom affect student behavior?

This poster presentation explores how colors used in elementary school classrooms can influence student behavior, emotions, and focus. Studies in color psychology and classroom design show that different colors can affect how students feel and act throughout the school day. Cool colors like blue and green are linked to calmness, focus, and reduced anxiety, making them helpful in creating a peaceful learning space (Engelbrecht, 2003). In contrast, warm colors like red and yellow may increase energy levels and excitement but can also lead to restlessness or distraction if overused (Kwallek et al., 1996). The brightness and lighting of a classroom also play a role in how students respond to color (Dunn et al., 1985). Research suggests that using the right color combinations can help improve students’ ability to concentrate, manage their emotions, and stay engaged in class (Sherman, 2019). This study highlights the importance of classroom design and encourages teachers and school leaders to use color thoughtfully to support positive student behavior and better learning outcomes.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

Womack Lobby and Room 100

10 AM – Noon

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Caleb Premo

Effective Nonverbal Communicators in the Classroom

It is understood that for every component of intentional spoken communication, there are a plethora of unconscious, yet fundamental, aspects of nonverbal communication. While an aspect of life that is present in all interactions, the impact of nonverbal communicators on teaching is particularly relevant for student success. It is understood that good teachers have certain traits, both conscious and unconscious, that make them effective in their roles. Nonverbal immediacy, powerful presenter traits, and meaningful relationship builders are all tools in the successful teacher’s toolbox. Classrooms built on meaningful student outcomes need to have a teacher who understands what nonverbal cues look like, the strengths of each one they use, and the appropriate time to use them.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

Womack Lobby and Room 100

10 AM – Noon

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Emma Reposa

Performance Anxiety in Secondary Education

This poster presentation examines performance anxiety for musicians at the secondary level of education and techniques to combat it. Key findings from research include cognitive processes, somatic resources, grounding, and music preparation. Cognitive processes include positive self-talk, reframing your mindset, and recognizing your feelings of nervousness. Somatic resources address the body and how your body is supporting you and responding to the nervousness. Grounding techniques including yoga, body mapping, deep breathing, and having a positive outlook on the result. Musical preparation includes muscle memory, audiation, understanding the framework, visualization, and practicing in the way you will perform it. The significance of these techniques is to lower anxiety and nervousness surrounding having to perform a task in front of people. Following these techniques will improve overall performance and lead to more positive outcomes surrounding performing.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

Womack Lobby and Room 100

10 AM – Noon

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Leah Schiewe

Routines and Expectations

This research poster will address “How can clear routines and expectations help improve student engagement and reduce disruptive behavior in middle school PE classes?” Middle school students do their best in environments that are structured, predictable, and supportive, especially in classes such as physical education. Classes like P.E are high energy and are social settings that have an increased risk of off-task behavior. The methods used for my research will include research studies, case studies, and educational TED Talks that focus on classroom management, student engagement, and behavior in physical education. I will also use my own experience of being a middle school P.E teacher, where I was able to experience and observe the implementation of consistent routines. Some examples of this would be structured warm-ups, clear behavior expectations, and simple transition signals, mainly to improve student focus and participation. By the end of my analysis I will recommend that PE teachers prioritize clear communication, consistent procedures, and positive reinforcement strategies from the beginning until the end of the school year. These routines help build a safe and respectful learning environment as well as help students be more confident, accountable and prepared to engage in physical activity with little to no behavioral issues.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

Womack Lobby and Room 100

10 AM – Noon

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Brenna Wilson

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Active involvement by parents is linked to improved academic and personal outcomes across grade levels. Studies have shown that students from elementary to high school age demonstrate that school based engagement, high parental expectations, academic socialization, and open parent child communication are there to enhance achievement measures such as reading scores and overall academic performance while boosting motivation. “Fan and Williams (2010)” demonstrate that increased parental support significantly enhances students’ self-beliefs and engagement, promoting deeper motivation to learn. “El Nokali et al. (2010)” establish that early parental involvement correlates with both academic and social development in elementary school children. “Froiland, Peterson, and Davison (2013)” highlight the long-term benefits of early parental expectations and involvement, particularly in sustaining academic achievement. “Hill and Tyson (2009)”, through meta-analytic review, identify effective middle school strategies, emphasizing the shift from direct homework help to academic socialization. “Jaiswal and Choudhuri (2017)” reinforce the consistent positive relationship between parental involvement and academic performance across contexts. “Weldon (2011)” further supports these claims through a critical review of existing parental engagement frameworks. “Kovács et al. (2024)” extends the discussion to extracurricular domains, showing that parental support also contributes to athletic achievement. “Nye, Turner, and Schwartz (2006)” present empirical evidence for the effectiveness of structured involvement programs in improving elementary students’ performance. All of these studies show us the enduring and diverse role of parental involvement in shaping students’ academics.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

Womack Lobby and Room 100

10 AM – Noon

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Abby Askew & Ben VanderWeyst

Increasing Verbal Participation in High School Social Studies Classrooms

Our research aimed to answer the question “How can we encourage verbal participation in high school social studies classrooms?” by proposing strategies to combat disengagement. The goal of our research was to target the issue of disengagement among high school students in our practicum placements during whole-class discussions. Our research included several studies of factors that impact student engagement and willingness to participate in whole-class discussions. The findings of our research concluded that student preparedness, classroom culture, teacher intentionality, and connection to students’ lives were the most influential factors in students’ willingness to participate in class discussions. Based on these factors, we are proposing six strategies for increasing verbal participation in secondary social studies classrooms.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations & Management

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Katie Blackhart

How Does Cellphone Use Impact Middle and High School Student’s Learning?

For my classroom management education class, I conducted research on cellphones in educational settings. The research question I aim to answer is, How Does Cellphone Use Impact Middle and High School Student’s Learning? In order to answer this question, I conducted research that covered several peer reviewed articles, different documentaries, and teacher interviews as well. Evidence has shown that cellphones are distracting to students and decrease their attention span. Students have lower levels of cognitive thinking and decreased classroom engagement. In addition, student’s are off task, no longer academically honest, and suffering from intense mental health issues all due to excessive phone use. While there are potential benefits to allowing students to use phones and other technology in class from time to time, teachers are struggling to increase student achievement in their classrooms because student’s are addicted to their cellphones.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations & Management

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Sadie Chase

Incorporating Movement in the Elementary Classroom

For my classroom management presentation, I researched the benefits of incorporating movement (or educational brain breaks) in the classroom at an elementary level (K-2). My “problem” I’m looking to “solve” is restless behavior during instruction. A number of students struggle with staying engaged during a lesson, and often lose focus after an amount of time. The studies that I’ve found have discussed different strategies to reduce this behavior and to increase attention. I’m currently working in a Kindergarten classroom and have first hand experience with squirrely behavior and have witnessed numerous activities my cooperating teacher has implemented into her everyday routine. In my presentation I will talk about how often students should be taking active breaks and how long these breaks should last. One of the most common examples is recess; why is this time important for a students education?

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations & Management

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Brooklynn Dechent

Case study: When to Respond to Negative Behavior in the Classrsoom

Over the past few months, I have been student teaching in a 3rd grade class and observing a female student. I have noticed that she has struggled with misbehavior and a lack of respect for her teacher and authority. She is not a struggling student in her academics but struggles with starting and staying on task. However, when she is given directions or corrected in her behavior, she seems to take it as a challenge. My proposed question is; When should you respond to negative behavior in the classroom and when should you not in the classroom? I have found that students who are struggling with only the behavior piece in school, more often than not, are struggling with another determining factor. In this case, through intensive research and time spent with the student, I have found there her behavior inside the classroom is linked to how parental figures are teaching at home, and what they are tolerating. These strategies are important for all teachers because, every teacher works with students who struggle with misbehavior i.e. blurting out, sarcasm, talking back, lack of respect, etc. I have found that not directly engaging with her on all fronts but requiring a consequence for rules being broken, shows her that rules are still rules and she has a choice to make. This case is contextually different for each student, but through research have found multiple strategies to help teachers work alongside students, not tower over them in authority.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations & Management

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Gracelyn Johnson

Transitions in Elementary Schools

What are the positive and negative aspects of accelerating and maximizing elementary school core instruction transitions? We will investigate the advantages of swift transitions in the classroom as well as techniques that teachers can employ when their elementary school curriculum shifts from core to elective instruction. Research on tactics that can work well or poorly in the classroom has been found.Providing students the opportunity to attend to their own social and emotional needs during transitions can help them do so without causing disruptions. Teachers who have used brain breaks during the transitions between core instruction have been interviewed by us. The purpose of brain breaks is to provide learners with a mental break that will aid in maintaining focus. Students are encouraged to move during breaks in order to refocus their energy and deliver blood and oxygen to the brain. However there are some negatives that teachers implement in their classrooms, one being timed tradition games. Giving students timed games during transitions wouldn’t be the most beneficial strategy. With the use of these games, students can time how quickly they can get their materials and return to their seats. Since not every student will benefit from this, there could potentially be problems. Timed activities can be difficult for students because they place needless additional pressure and stress on them, which can and will impair performance. A student’s difficulties during a transition may have an unintended impact on the lesson that follows. Gonoodle is a useful website that teachers can use for brain breaks. With the aid of quick interactive exercises like brain breaks, the free online resource movement tool assists teachers in getting students moving. There are other video selections available on the website, including ones tailored to a certain grade level, curriculum, and activity kinds.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations & Management

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Bella Parque & Ella Schauer

A 1st Year Teacher’s Survival Guide

This ACE Day presentation serves to answer the research question of: “How can first year teachers raise classroom expectations to encourage student engagement?” In essence, this ACE Day presentation serves as a means to better equip first year teachers with the skills of positive classroom management and well developed relationships with students. These skills will promote a positive learning environment to encourage student engagement. This culture adds a rigorous curriculum for students that challenges their thinking at the high school level. This presentation also provides incentives for keeping students on their toes and not giving them too much leeway on the CCSS curriculum.

The presentation starts from the teachers perspective about how classroom management is a key element in controlling the outcome of student engagement and respect. It transitions into how that positive environment impacts student engagement and assignment products. The research that will be presented from the teacher side of our product will include struggles that first year teachers experience when creating positive classroom management and how they can develop skills to improve this area. It then goes into detail of providing the means for encouraging high expectations and a reactive response from students who are actively pursuing academic achievement. The goal of this presentation is to present multiple proposed solutions for both first year teachers who are creating positive classroom engagement as well as students who are being encouraged to achieve more in the classroom. The results we anticipate to present is that when a first year teacher raises classroom expectations students are able to perform at a higher academic level.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations & Management

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Bethany Smith

Addressing Math Anxiety in Elementary Students

Math anxiety in students can lead to behavioral changes and adversely impact their achievement in math. This presentation will explore research surrounding strategies to support students with math anxiety at the elementary level. This presentation was largely based on a specific 3rd grade student who was exhibiting negative behaviors at the start of math. This student is testing between the 15th and 30th percentile in math and has expressed that they feel like they are bad at math. Although I am limited in my ability to implement strategies, I have proposed several research-based strategies to support this student and others who are struggling with similar math related anxiety.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations & Management

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Bethany Struthers

Trauma-Informed Strategies for Building Resilience

The research question of this presentation is: “How do ACEs and explicit instruction of resilience methods affect education?” where I will be exploring what ACEs are, how they affect those who have experienced them, and what kinds of resilience techniques can be helpful to them. I will also be researching what the explicit instruction of resilience affects education in the traditional public education classroom. After noticing the behavior of several of my students in my kindergarten practicum placement with known ACEs, I wanted to know more about how I can help them, and if the explicit instruction of resilience methods is helpful for them to learn how to self-regulate and continue to participate in classroom activities. The proposed strategies include creating and sticking to a consistent schedule, creating proper physical boundaries, providing exit strategies as needed such as placing students near the edge of the classroom, and teaching self-regulation and mindfulness strategies.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations & Management

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Faith Burgardt

Inattention in the classroom

Inattention in the classroom My presentation follows a first grade student at crew lane elementary. The student has trouble staying on task during independent work times. I looked at research related to this issue, which proposed multiple solutions to try. The research looked at check in check out systems, rewards systems, parent communication, and white noise. I was able to implement the check in check out and award systems, and proposed future research and implementation related to all areas the research suggested for solutions.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Zach Fuller

Combatting Technology in the Classroom

What are some concrete strategies to help alleviate technology use in the classroom? I looked at this because in my practicum placement, I noticed a lot of students distracted on technology. I wanted to research techniques and strategies that helped alleviate any sort of distraction. I found two concrete strategies that can work. One is a prevention and the other a during strategy. I know this is a constant problem in our world, especially as we become technology reliant.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Grace Larkin

Strategies to reduce off-task behavior

When a student(s) is constantly moving around in their seat due to not being able to sit down for long periods of time, and can only sit still for about five to ten minutes before switching into a new seating position. As a teacher, you would want to be able to find effective tools/strategies that can reduce off-task distractions. As I was in my practicum I observed one student that would be constantly moving after five to ten minutes. This not only caused a distraction to their learning as well as for the students around them. As I gathered all the information that I needed, I decided to research what are some effective tools/strategies that could help reduce these off-task distractions. As for my presentation, I will be incldiung the following: the problem statement, research, the proposed strategies, the results, and how I would implement them in my future classroom. I will also be including a little background information as well.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Hannah Lemly

Chronic Absence in Oregons Secondary Education Classrooms

How can we decrease chronic absences in Secondary education classrooms? I was in South Eugene High School this last term for my practicum. During this time, many students were absent most of the time, and this was a reoccurring issue in the whole school. In all of our classes. The question I asked myself is why are these chronic absences happening? I found that this has been a long-standing issue with Oregon. The research shows us most of the time this is due to systemic oppression issues. Some ways to decrease this issue are resource referrals for state services and trauma-informed teaching.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Taylor Matychuck

How can schools support ELL students in the general education classroom

My research question is how can schools help ELL students in their general classroom. I focused mainly on the math subject and explained how students are disengaged in their learning and are struggling more their the other peers. I did some research to find how we can support those students. That includes developing and accomindating our lessons to better the students. I found solutions, but I was not able to implement my solutions because the school already had them in place!

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Emily McDonald

Inattention In The Classroom

In this presentation, I will be discussing the research and implementation behind assisting students who display off task and inattentive behavior during class time. I will focus specifically on a student that I observed who struggled mostly during independent work time. With the research, I view the topics of positive reinforcement, implementation of token economy, utilizing more active learning and creating a sense of pet therapy. Each of these solutions worked well with the student and improved their attention to their work in a positive way. The results from the research are something that I will use in my future classroom as well.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Rebecca Potts

What Do You Do When a Student Wants to be Your Best Friend?

What Do You Do When a Student Wants to be Your Best Friend? In this research project, I will explain specific strategies on how to eliminate the behavior of one student who is perpetually chatty and asking questions that have nothing to do with instruction. This student has also faced trauma, so the aim is to find strategies that are trauma-informed and based on research. Strategies that will be included are effective classroom management, one-on-one conversations to eliminate problem behaviors, and the use of check-in check-out systems.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Aspen Slifka

How Can Teachers Reduce Hallway Distractions in Elementary School?

This project introduces the problem behavior that takes place in hallways in elementary schools. I will discuss possible solutions to reduce noise levels and unwanted behaviors while walking through hallways. My focus is in second grade while opening up solutions to elementary grades grades through a Timely Transition Game, guided practice, and reteaching methods.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Harmony Stevens

Limiting Browser Distractions

This research project looks at the study of a student who was consistently off task with their computer when they were supposed to be on academic sites. This project looked at ways to prevent behaviors like this from happening and how I went about solving this problem in my own classroom. The research consisted of many peer reviewed strategies and evidence to back up my thinking.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Jenae Usselman

How does a teacher engage secondary education students in the classroom that don’t want to participate?

During student teaching I have addressed a classroom management problem that has been occurring. In the high school class that I observed there was a massive engagement issue. I observed the antecedent of the lack of engagement and the consequence of the behavior. I took this data and did research on how to engage students in the classroom. My presentation will follow what the problem is, proposed strategies and the implementation of those strategies.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Kaleb Anundi & Alex Locati

Positive Reinforcement using Token Economies

Token economies are a useful classroom tool to help shape student behavior with positive reinforcement. They allow for instant feedback on whether behavior is acceptable or not and can teach responsibility. There are both benefits and disadvantages to this type of classroom management strategy and in exploring the two sides, we will determine the effectiveness of this strategy. In a token economy, a teacher will incentivize students with a token, something not of value by itself, when they do something that is desired. Every time a student does something good, they get another token, and keep collecting them until they have enough to trade in for a prize or something that has value to them. This can provide a visual reminder of how well a student is behaving in class that day. Token economies have also been shown to teach responsibility because they are in charge of keeping track of their points or tokens. This type of conditioning could also do the opposite and reinforce behaviors like external motivation for rewards or students comparing themselves with their peers. Overall, when thoughtfully done, token economies can lead to students working and behaving intrinsically and not for the additional resources of rewards.

EDUC 330, Child Development

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Carli Brousseau & Joseph Washburn

Improving Mental Health in Secondary Education

This project evaluates the current mental health situation for secondary students in the U.S. We analyzed vital factors contributing to high school students’ growing mental health issues. Based on our research, we present several options for improving the mental health of secondary students. The interventions and action items are broken into student-led and organizational initiatives.

EDUC 330/370, Child Development/Adolescent Learners.

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Zach Fuller

Helping Students With Autism Succeed in the Classroom.

For my poster presentation, I will be asking the question: What are strategies to help students with autism succeed in the classroom? I will be looking at and discussing what is autism, 504 and IEP plans in our modern day school system, how autism can affect the learner, and what are viable learning and teaching strategies that can be implemented to help students succeed.

EDUC 330, Child Development

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Grace Larkin & Harmony Stevens

Extracurricular activities in academic success

In this project we looked at how extracurricular activities benefit academic success in elementary school kids. The research concluded that extracurricular activities have many benefits to academic success such as building teamwork, balance, and self esteem skills that transfer over to the classroom, which is significant because as educators, our main goal is for our students to succeed. Knowing the benefits of extracurricular activities in academic success helps us to provide students with opportunities to participate in out of school activities. Though there are limitations and considerations to take with every thing you do, the evidence still proves that it is important for young students to participate in extracurricular activities.

EDUC 330, Child Development

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Taylor Matychuck & Aspen Slifka

The Benefits of Physical Education on Academic Performance

This research project studies the benefits of physical education on academic performance in elementary school students. Many schools have decreased physical education time or eliminated it altogether due to budget cuts and emphasis on common core state standard subjects. We used data from several sources, including the American Health Association, to determine the importance of physical education class in elementary schools. Studies show the slight positive benefit of physical education on academic performance in elementary age students in terms of memory and focus in the classroom. Although not every source can prove correlation equals causation, studies reveal the effects of physical activity during the school day is beneficial to overall academic achievement.

EDUC 330, Child Development

Brian Kaelin

10 AM – Noon

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Awbrie Ammons-Jackson

Addressing Emotional Overload in Elementary Classrooms

This research explores how to address students’ emotional overload while in the classroom. In my research, I found multiple research-based strategies on how to teach students emotional regulation and coping skills that will prevent them from having to be removed from the learning environment and missing valuable instructional time. This research focuses primarily on teaching in a traditional, face-to-face classroom but could also be applied to working in a virtual classroom or distance learning models.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations & Management

Click here to view the presentation

Brian Kaelin

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Caitlin Bowen

Engagement Levels of Children and Online Schooling

For this presentation, I looked into what the research says about the correlation between online learning and student participation and engagement, and how to increase the level of student participation and engagement in an online format within the elementary school classroom.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations & Management

Click here to view the presentation

Brian Kaelin

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Carli Brousseau

Managing Talkative Students: Strategies for the Classroom

This presentation researches students who talk too much in class. I have included reasons this may happen, strategies for success, and research that backs up these strategies.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations & Management

Click here to view the presentation

Brian Kaelin

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Katelynn Caulley & Miranda Jensen

Supporting Students Online

Our research question is: “What are tools that we can use to help support students online?”. Through research, we found that implementing a goal-oriented classroom, mandatory check-ins, a positive learning environment, family engagement, and more would all help to improve student engagement in the online classroom.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations & Management

Click here to view the presentation

Brian Kaelin

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Tyler Chase

Promoting Student Motivation with Goal Setting and the Growth Mindset

This project discusses a problem presented in the classroom and the research associated with potential solutions to the problem. The goal of this project is to promote student motivation in the classroom and the avenue I have chosen to accomplish that with is through goal setting and promoting a healthy growth mindset in the classroom. This project discusses how these two concepts work in tangent with each other in the classroom and how one cannot exist effectively without the other.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations & Management

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Brian Kaelin

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Georgia Cook

Student Motivation and Engagement in the Classroom and Online

My presentation is regarding a first grade student who struggled with engagement throughout distance learning, and once we began to do school in a hybrid format, those same struggles manifested in the classroom as well. My research examined strategies to increase student motivation and engagement, both online and in-person. In the research, I found that using Tier 2 strategies, helping the student create academic and behavioral goals for himself, and giving specific feedback, among other strategies, were helpful in increasing student engagement.

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations & Management

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Brian Kaelin

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Jordyn Edewards

How do we as educators get our middle school students to turn on their cameras and be engaged in a zoom format of class?

10 out of 15 students per zoom call (with my cooperating teacher at Agnes Stewart middle school) will never turn their cameras on during their classes. During a span of 1 month of research I observed as students came into class and automatically turned off their cameras and mics to do other things that were not related to class or homework assignments. The research found, over this span of time, allowed me to find six different strategies that can help students to turn on their cameras and be engaged in class. The strategies I was able to implement during this time were……

1.) Admitting students into the classroom one by one five minutes before the start of class. (Checking with them on their camera use and how they are feeling today).

2.) Zoom polls, zoom annotation tools, zoom breakout rooms

3.) Have weekly 5–10-minute check ins with students about their work environment and how they are doing.

4.) Making sure resources are available to students and that they know how to access and use them. (Implementation Plan)

EDUC 321, Classroom Relations & Management

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Brian Kaelin

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