Guidelines for
Culminating Experiences in Curriculum and Instruction
A Thesis in Curriculum must follow all guidelines outlined by the graduate school in the most current version of the Thesis Manual. According to that document, “The thesis is designed to afford a culminating experience to students on a degree program by providing an opportunity to demonstrate individual initiative and creativity. It requires original research and competent reporting on a problem pertinent to the student’s major area of study.” Most theses in Curriculum will fall into two general categories.
1.
Students may conduct a
research/evaluation study in an area of interest in middle grades
education. Studies may be descriptive,
historical, or experimental in nature but must include primary source data
collection and analysis. Data collection
may be qualitative and/or quantitative.
It is expected that many studies of this kind will be classroom based.
Examples:
•A comparison of
students’ choices of library books and attitude toward school before and after
a unit which particularly emphasized multicultural literature in addition to
the regular emphasis placed on multiculturalism throughout the school year
•An historical study
of an influential local middle grades educator
•A qualitative study
of students’ interactions during after-school special programs
•An evaluation of a
new literature-based reading program appropriate for middle grades
2. A thesis may be a conceptual analysis of middle grades curriculum from any or all of the following perspectives: historical, philosophical, sociological, economic. Again, this is not to be a summary of secondary sources but an original analysis/synthesis of primary source materials.
Examples:
•An analysis of developmentally appropriate science curriculum for middle grades students
•An examination of the sociological impact of gender equity and pre-adolescent females and science achievement
•The project impact on middle
grades curriculum of the changes in
Chronology for
Thesis
Regardless of the type of thesis selected, each student engaged in a thesis will follow the same major steps.
1. During the first year of graduate study, attend one session of the Graduate Orientation (held each semester) during which Curriculum and Instruction faculty share their areas of research expertise and interest. Also during the Orientation, newly-graduated students share their experiences with both the program and with the culminating experience. Each type of culminating experience will be represented and examples of work shared. Following this Orientation, each student with meet with an advisor to discuss possible culminating experience topics and ideas.
2. Throughout the Middle Level Masters degree students are encouraged to continue to consider areas of interest that may augment or change initial ideas. Initial inquiry into the proposed area is useful. At the conclusion of Curr 618, Middle Level Theory and Practice, the masters student declares the culminating experience topic and begins to shape the direction of the study, in consultation with the Middle Level advisor.
3. Enroll in CURR 694 Seminar: Middle Level Curriculum as required.
4. As part of CURR 694, declare your thesis question. Review literature and gather information relevant to the study. Write a thesis proposal. The proposal must include the following components:
•Title page Statement of need/rationale
•Statement of the problem/question
•Review of related literature
•Description of proposed methodology
•Timeline for completion
5. Select a committee chair and two additional committee members. Obtain written agreement from each member to serve on the committee. At least two committee members, including the chair, must be graduate faculty in Curriculum and Instruction. The Chair must be grounded in middle level theory and in practice.
6. Receive approval for the proposal from the committee.
7. Committee chair submits proposal to Graduate Dean
8. Enroll in Thesis course Curr 691 for 2 hours credit
9. Conduct thesis research. Meet with committee chair as necessary. Keep chair updated on progress at least once each month.
10. Prepare thesis document which must include:
I. Preliminary Pages
•Blank Page
•Title Page
•Approval Page
•Abstract
•Table of Contents
•List of Tables (where/if appropriate)
•List of Figures (where/if
appropriate)
II. Text
•Statement of problem/question
•Relationship of the research to published or recognized work on the problem
•Specifics of the research methods used. This may include:
≠Description of subject/source selection (if appropriate)
≠Description of research design
≠Description of instruments (if appropriate)
≠Data/information analysis techniques
•A discussion of the results in an objective and critical manner and, where appropriate, a relation of current findings to those of other investigators
•Presentation of conclusions, implications and possibilities for further research. This may include:
≠Sources of error, questions remaining, additional information needed
≠Recommendations for further action and/or general implications for middle schools and middle grades curriculum
III. Supplementary Pages: bibliography, literature cited or references; Appendices (if any), Index, Vita, Blank Page
**Note: Detailed
descriptions of each section and further requirements for uniformity of type,
format, etc. are found in the
Guidelines for A
Project in Middle Grades Curriculum
There are two major types of curriculum projects. In each case, the student is involved in planning curriculum to meet a particular need.
1. A Curriculum Action project involves working toward the identification and implementation of a solution (at least partial) to a social/educational middle grades problem. In this case, the student’s key role is that of change agent.
Examples:
•Organize a tutoring program in a homeless shelter
•Organize a community-wide middle grades mentor program
•Produce a videotape for teachers on an important middle grades curricular issue
2. A Curriculum Development Project entails the development of original curriculum materials appropriate for school or district use. A curriculum development project is not the planning of a single-classroom unit, but the development of a curriculum package that could be used to organize learning experiences for middle grades students in a building or a district over a minimum of 10 weeks.
Examples:
•Plan and develop a one-semester exploratory program which is cross-disciplinary
•Plan and develop an integrated math/science middle grades curriculum that is differentiated
•Plan and develop an advisory program that is curriculum based and which fosters advocacy
Chronology for A Curriculum Project
1. During the first year of graduate study, attend one session of the Graduate Orientation (held each semester) during which Curriculum and Instruction faculty share their areas of research expertise and interest. Also during the Orientation, newly-graduated students share their experiences with both the program and with the culminating experience. Each type of culminating experience will be represented and examples of work shared. Following this Orientation, each student with meet with an advisor to discuss possible culminating experience topics and ideas.
2. Throughout the Middle Level Masters degree students are encouraged to continue to consider areas of interest that may augment or change initial ideas. Initial inquiry into the proposed area is useful. At the conclusion of Curr 618, Middle Level Theory and Practice, the masters student declares the culminating experience topic and begins to shape the direction of the study, in consultation with the Middle Level advisor.
3. Upon completion of all foundations and middle level cohort courses, enroll in CURR 694 Seminar: Middle Level Curriculum as required.
4.As part of CURR 694, select an area of interest for your project. Review literature and gather information relevant to the project. Write project proposal. The proposal must include the following components:
•Title page
•Statement of need/rationale
•Review of related literature
•Description of proposed project
•Timeline for completion
•Number of hours of thesis credit requested
5. Select a committee chair that is grounded in middle level theory and in practice, and two additional committee members. Obtain written agreement from each member to serve on the committee. At least two members including the chair must be graduate faculty in Curriculum and Instruction
6. Receive approval for the proposal from the committee
7. Enroll in Thesis course CURR 691 (two hours)
8. Complete project activities
9. Prepare project documentation. Documentation will vary for action projects and curriculum development
For an Action Project, documentation
must include:
1. Preliminary Pages
•Blank Page
•Title Page
•Approval Page
•Abstract
•Table of Contents
•List of Figures (where/if appropriate)
•List of Tables (where/if appropriate)
II. Statement of the Problem/Question Nature and significance of the problem/issue
III. Review of the Literature for each major issue important to the project
IV. Methodology
•Description of project development
•Description of product produced
V. Recommendations and Discussion
•Discuss results of project
•Discuss recommenations for further action and/or research based on this project
•Discuss general implications of project for schools and curriculum
VI. Reference List
VII. Appendices
•Materials developed for project
•Additional materials necessary to understand the project
•Vita
•Blank Page
Documentation
for a Curriculum Development Project should include:
I. . Preliminary Pages
•Blank Page
•Title Page
•Approval Page
•Abstract
•Table of Contents
•List of Tables (where/if appropriate)
ªList of Figures (where/if appropriate)
II. Rationale and Purpose for the Project
•Need for the Curriculum Project- Relationship of the project to general middle level goals
•Relationship of the project to the context for which it was developed
III. Review of Literature
•Review of literature relevant to developmental characteristics and needs of young adolescents
•Review of literature relevant to responsive teaching methodology
IV. Expected Objectives/Outcomes
•Content-based (single or multiple integrated disciplines, use content in complex ways)
•Process-based (thinking skills, habits of mind, research processes, methodologies of the discipline, product development, differentiated instruction or varied instructional strategies)
V. Assessment Plan
VI. Lesson Plans/Learning Activities
•Lesson plans should include
appropriate developmental student characteristics,
VII. Variation for Learners with Special Needs
•Examples of how all lessons are differentiated: readiness, interest, learning profiiles and how pre-assessment data support this differentiation
VIII. References
IX. Appendices
•These may include teacher
background reading, information on particular strategies, appropriate
technological information, and a copy of the
••Note: All thesis/project documentation should follow APA format
Grading the
Thesis/Project
Thesis/projects will be graded with a letter grade in accordance with policies outlined in the Graduate Catalog. Academic performance of the completed thesis project must be at the level of B or better. Incomplete grades are awarded only due to illness or circumstances beyond the control of the student, which prevent the completion of thesis/project requirements. It is the student’s responsibility to provide written documentation for any extenuating circumstances that would justify an incomplete grade. All committee members must approve the awarding of an incomplete.