Outstanding Master's Thesis Award

Jescia Hopper, a middle school art teacher at DGF schools recently finished her Master’s degree and Thesis from Maryland Institute College of Art. Her graduate supervisor nominated her for the inaugural “Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award,” initiated by the United States Society for Education through Art (USSEA). This award recognizes exceptional master’s work that promotes “pluralistic perspectives, deepens human and cultural understanding, and/or builds respect for diverse learners.” It is a very high honor to receive this award recognizing outstanding research and writing.

The award is based on Jescia’s research report, “Learning At My Own Pace: A Qualitative Investigation on the Impact of Tutorial Videos on Student Learning in an Eighth Grade Art Classroom,” and the extensive interdisciplinary literature review that supported that study – all of which she accomplished, it should be noted, while sustaining her full-time position as a visual arts educator at Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton Middle School.

Jescia received this award at the National Art Education Association convention in Chicago on March 18, 2016.