Faculty of Education Projects (Master's)

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    Towards better writing assessment in early years: Aligning purpose and practise
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education, 2024-11-05) Shostak, Cassidy; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Education; Slomp, David; Fowler, Leah
    In early childhood education, writing assessments are typically structured to gather information about students' writing skills to evaluate if they are progressing toward the grade-level outcomes established by the curriculum. However, using the curriculum as the sole framework for defining these constructs can contribute to a limited understanding among teachers regarding student development and learning. This approach may also hinder their ability to effectively use assessment tools with validity, reliability, and fairness. This project was influenced by my reflection on my own assessment experiences and my engagement with research in the field to develop a writing ability construct. This construct serves as a framework to identify the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that young students need to successfully engage in writing tasks, ultimately facilitating the creation of a writing assessment based on scenario-based tasks. I sought to answer the question: how do I assess the choices made by first-grade students during the writing process to provide more targeted instruction? Based on my experience and research, I built a useful writing evaluation construct for early grades which focusses on contextual impact, cognitive resources and process, text resources and process, language resources, multimodal resources, personal resources, and developmental variation. These resources were then utilized to build assessment tasks aimed to immerse students in authentic writing experiences that align with real-world communication needs.
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    Heart Lock-In: self-inducing feelings of love and compassion to decrease perfectionistic thinking in elementary school aged children
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education, 2024) Causey, Mckenna; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Education; Brenner, Charlotte; Gunn, Thelma
    The purpose of this project is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current research on perfectionism, with a particular focus on elementary students. This study develops and proposes a detailed research design aimed at providing a class activity that reduces perfectionistic thinking through the use of regulation strategies, including emotional regulation, compassion, and self-compassion. The Heart Lock-In initiative by HeartMath shows promise in reducing perfectionism among students and is well-suited for classroom application. Classroom initiatives offer universal support to children who might otherwise lack access to necessary assistance. This project demonstrates the importance of preventative measures in addressing the increasing prevalence of perfectionism and offers a targeted approach to managing perfectionistic thoughts in educational settings.
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    Incorporating mental health support in the treatment and management of individuals with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): Counsellor and physician manuals
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education, 2024) Godin, Emma; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Education; Brenner, Charlotte
    The current approach to treating and managing Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) focuses on physical symptom management, with little attention to the psychological implications of PCOS. This is problematic given that individuals with PCOS are known to experience higher rates of psychological distress, depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicidal behaviour. In this project, an interdisciplinary approach is proposed to adequately manage and treat PCOS. This manuscript presents a review of current literature regarding the psychological and physical symptoms of PCOS, the diagnostic process, the current treatment approach, patient healthcare experiences, and emerging interdisciplinary approaches for the treatment of PCOS. This information is then synthesized into two digital manuals for physicians and counsellors, respectfully. The manuals encapsulate information, resources, and recommendations to aid physicians and counsellors in taking an interdisciplinary approach to treating and managing PCOS.
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    Burnout in immigrant early childhood educators
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education, 2024) Varma, Pragya; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Education; Luft, Toupey M.
    This project aims to provide further insight into burnout experiences in immigrant early childhood educators. The immense physical, emotional, and cognitive demands of early childhood caregiving and a lack of appropriate rewards, such as benefits and pay, make workers in this field highly susceptible to burnout. While studies exist on this phenomenon across the early childhood workforce, there is a dearth of literature that examines burnout as it specifically presents in immigrant early childhood educators. Beyond workplace stressors, immigrant workers may simultaneously experience socio-economic and cultural challenges such as racism and discrimination, acculturative stress, and economic difficulties, to name a few. By providing an extensive literature review, this project elucidates how various stressors for immigrant early childhood educators may intersect to increase the likelihood of developing workplace burnout. Additionally, recommendations are provided for healthcare practitioners and employers on how to address and prevent burnout and how to support immigrant early childhood educators.
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    From red to green: a mixed method study on perceptual and practical changes related to removing fear-based punishment in Ugandan schools
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education, 2024) Bennett, Katherine; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Education; Ogilvie, Greg; Gunn, Thelma
    Child maltreatment in the form of physical and emotional abuse or neglect remains a common occurrence globally, notably as a form of disciplinary action (Butchart & Mikton, 2014; WHO, 2019). However, research demonstrates negative effects on children when exposure to practices that eliminate emotionally and physically safe environments (Leeb, Lewis, & Zolotor, 2011; Vachon et al., 2015), notably in the context of schools (Gershoff et al., 2019; Orgando & Pells, 2015; Talwar et al., 2011). With this theory as an influential construct, the current study sought to explore the impact on teachers’ beliefs and practices when learning a safe approach to education, relative to their use of corporal punishment as one of other fear-based tactics. Ugandan schools culturally accept corporal punishment as a disciplinary method, and therefore became the platform for this study to occur. The Stoplight Approach was selected as the intervention because of its holistic approach, aligning with the strategic criteria for change proposed by WHO (2019). Additionally, it acknowledges the inadequacy of corporal punishment and other fear-based strategies, promoting safer methods. As the focus of this study was to investigate potential changes of teacher’s educational beliefs and practices when introduced to the SA, and understand why they may or may not have occurred, a mixed method approach was utilized. Data was collected in the form of surveys across three separate data points (Surveys A, B, and C) and concluded with selective participants undergoing semi structured interviews. The analysis of these findings was regarded as vital to the guidance of interventions to promote safe school environments. Though the quantitative data analysis showed no statistical significance due to limited data as a result of participant drop out, the exploration of the data through descriptive and statistical analysis revealed common themes in beliefs and practices of teachers following the intervention training and implementation that were not expressed prior to the study. Neuro-informed philosophies were articulated, and practices reportedly employed. Teachers claimed to be utilising safe practices in the classroom while also minimizing unsafe ones. The student-teacher relationship was described to be mutually respectful, involving shared conversations, encouragement, and explanations. Teachers also portrayed modified educational philosophies towards student learning that involved differentiated learning in the classroom, thus prioritizing student needs over lesson completion. To manage student behaviours, teachers identified the importance of developing connections with students while simultaneously removing the focus of invoking fear in students. Additionally, the elements that teachers believed to be effective and ineffective in promoting change in their understanding and implementation of the Stoplight Approach was explored through open-ended survey questions and the interview. It was discovered that aspects which were deemed motivational for change also were recognized as drawbacks. Elements including the innovativeness of the philosophy, the multi-stakeholder collaboration, and the personal applicability of the approach for both teachers and students that was provided by the Stoplight Approach were acknowledged by participants as having both pros and cons.