The Effects of Educational Philosophy on Federal Legislation Regarding Students with Disabilities  

Presented at The Catholic University of America University Research Day 2021 

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Abstract: Throughout the twentieth century interlocking social and educational philosophies affected the education of students with disabilities through the creation of federal legislative policy. The philosophies behind these policies shaped schools and institutions for the entire country through legislation, court mandates, and ordinances and had a complex impact lasting beyond the legislature. Three major social and educational philosophies dominated the disability education sphere from 1852 through the early 2000’s: Eugenics, as seen through Henry H. Goddard; Progressivism, as argued by John Dewey; and Essentialism, as represented by Edward Thorndike. By tracking these philosophies through the twentieth century, we can see how policies rooted in the eugenics movement still directly impact the education of students with disabilities today.  

 

Benefits of Arts Integration: Rationale and Recommendation for Arts Integration in Academic Coursework ​

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Abstract: An education in the arts (dance, media arts, music, theater, and/or visual arts) provides students with quantifiable social, emotional, and academic benefits. Through arts integration, teachers of academic subjects such as Math, History, Science, and English can incorporate elements of the arts into their classrooms as strategies to teach their discipline content. This literature review synthesizes research on the social, emotional, and academic benefits of arts integration and provides recommendations for implementing arts integration practices in the classroom. As schools consider expanding learning options for students, and teachers seek out opportunities to incorporate social and emotional learning into their classrooms, arts integration practices provide a way to integrate these experiences into the classroom while also providing additional academic resources.  

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Action Research: Increasing Reading Comprehension and Student Engagement in Hybrid Learning Environments

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Abstract: The purpose of this action research was to improve reading comprehension and student engagement in a hybrid learning environment as measured by performance on reading comprehension assessments and student self-reporting surveys. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, [School] conducted classes for the 2020-2021 school year in a hybrid model. In my ninth grade English class, I noticed that while lack of engagement was initially correlated with difficulty of text, once we spent a class or two discussing and analyzing these complex stories as a group the students were quicker to respond and engage. In this manner, lack of comprehension presented as a lack of student engagement. Through a review of literature on reading comprehension strategies, three strategies were identified as potential ways to increase both reading comprehension and student engagement. Implementation of these strategies and data analysis of student self-reported surveys and classroom engagement demonstrated that increased reading comprehension positively correlated to increased student engagement as measured both through data collection and teacher observation and maintained short-term gains regardless of modality of instruction.

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National Core Arts Standards: History, Development, and Thoughts on Implementation  

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Abstract:  In order to properly understand the place of the National Core Arts Standards in the context of the educational policy landscape, this paper reviews of the creation of the first National Standards for the Arts and the revision process for the National Core Arts Standards while looking at major influencing factors and desired outcomes, including increased student achievement in disciplines other than the arts. Increased education in the arts - broadly defined as visual art, music, theater, dance, and media art - has repeatedly shown a significant positive impact on student engagement and achievement. This paper looks at the ways arts education increases student achievement and discusses suggestions for increasing arts education through implementation of the National Core Arts Standard at both the district and school level.

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