Sample records for advanced level students

  1. Use of CAS in secondary school: a factor influencing the transition to university-level mathematics?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Varsavsky, Cristina

    2012-01-01

    Australian secondary school systems offer three levels of senior (year 12) mathematics studies, none of them compulsory: elementary, intermediate and advanced. The intermediate and advanced studies prepare students for further mathematics studies at university level. In the state of Victoria, there are two versions of intermediate mathematics: one where students learn and are examined with a computer algebra system (CAS) and another where students can only use scientific calculators. This study compares the performance of 1240 students as they transitioned to traditional university-level mathematics and according to whether they learned intermediate mathematics with or without the assistance of a CAS. This study concludes that students without CAS show a slight advantage, but the most important factor affecting student performance is the uptake of advanced-level mathematics studies in secondary school.

  2. Assessment and comparison of student engagement in a variety of physiology courses.

    PubMed

    Hopper, Mari K

    2016-03-01

    Calls for reform in science education have promoted active learning as a means to improve student engagement (SENG). SENG is generally acknowledged to have a positive effect on student learning, satisfaction, and retention. A validated 14-question survey was used to assess SENG in a variety of upper- and lower-level physiology courses, including 100-level Anatomy and Physiology 1, 300-level Animal Physiology, 400-level Advanced Physiology, and 500-level Medical Physiology courses. The results indicated that SENG did not vary consistently by course level, format, or curriculum. The highest levels of SENG were found in the Advanced Physiology course, which included SENG as a primary objective of the course. Physiology student SENG scores were compared with National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) scores. The results demonstrated that physiology students enrolled in the Anatomy and Physiology 1 course reported lower levels of SENG than first-year students that completed the NSSE. Students enrolled in the Advanced Physiology course reported higher levels of SENG than fourth-year students that completed the NSSE. Assessment of SENG offers insights as to how engaged students are, identifies where efforts may best be applied to enhance SENG, and provides a baseline measure for future comparisons after targeted course modifications. Copyright © 2016 The American Physiological Society.

  3. The relationship of certified flight instructors' emotional intelligence levels on flight student advancement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hokeness, Mark Merrill

    Aviation researchers estimate airline companies will require nearly 500,000 pilots in the next 20 years. The role of a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) is to move student pilots to professional pilots with training typically conducted in one-on-one student and instructor sessions. The knowledge of aviation, professionalism as a teacher, and the CFI’s interpersonal skills can directly affect the successes and advancement of a student pilot. A new and emerging assessment of people skills is known as emotional intelligence (EI). The EI of the CFI can and will affect a flight students’ learning experiences. With knowledge of emotional intelligence and its effect on flight training, student pilot dropouts from aviation may be reduced, thus helping to ensure an adequate supply of pilots. Without pilots, the growth of the commercial aviation industry will be restricted. This mixed method research study established the correlation between a CFI’s measured EI levels and the advancement of flight students. The elements contributing to a CFI’s EI level were not found to be teaching or flight-related experiences, suggesting other life factors are drawn upon by the CFI and are reflected in their emotional intelligence levels presented to flight students. Students respond positively to CFIs with higher levels of emotional intelligence. Awareness of EI skills by both the CFI and flight student contribute to flight student successes and advancement.

  4. Exploring Zimbabwean Advanced Level Chemistry Students' Approaches to Investigations from a Learning Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chirikure, Tamirirofa; Hobden, Paul; Hobden, Sally

    2018-01-01

    In this paper we report on the findings of a study on Advanced Level Chemistry students' approaches to investigations from a learning perspective in the Zimbabwean educational context. Students' approaches to investigations are inextricably linked to the quality of learning and performances in these practical activities. An explanatory…

  5. Online Options for Math-Advanced Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wessling, Suki

    2012-01-01

    Once upon a time, a student well advanced past grade level in math would have had few choices. Advanced students would invariably outpace the skills of their elementary teachers, and due to age wouldn't have options such as going to the middle school or community college for classes. Soon thereafter, students would enter middle school only to find…

  6. What's Working: Program Factors Influencing California Community College Basic Skills Mathematics Students' Advancement to Transfer Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fiero, Diane M.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine which basic skills program factors were exhibited by successful basic skills programs that helped students advance to transfer-level mathematics. This study specifically examined California community college basic skills programs that assist students who place in mathematics courses 2 levels…

  7. The Effects of Using Concept Mapping for Improving Advanced Level Biology Students' Lower- and Higher-Order Cognitive Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bramwell-Lalor, Sharon; Rainford, Marcia

    2014-01-01

    This paper reports on teachers' use of concept mapping as an alternative assessment strategy in advanced level biology classes and its effects on students' cognitive skills on selected biology concepts. Using a mixed methods approach, the study employed a pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental design involving 156 students and 8 teachers from…

  8. The impact of attaining the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma on academic performance in bioscience higher education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yhnell, Emma; Wood, Heather; Baker, Mathew; Amici-Dargan, Sheila; Taylor, Chris; Randerson, Peter; Shore, Andrew

    2016-01-01

    Since the introduction of the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma Qualification (WBQ) in 2003, an increasing number of students are applying to higher education institutions (HEIs) with this qualification. The advanced-level WBQ is regarded as equivalent to one General Certificate of Education A-Level (GCE A-Level). This study assesses the impact of attaining the WBQ in addition to three GCE A-Levels on overall university degree performance in comparison to attaining four GCE A-Levels, in three cohorts of undergraduate students (Year 1 = 318, Year 2 = 280, Year 3 = 236) studying Biosciences from 2005 to 2011 at a UK HEI. Binary logistic regression was used to compare the academic attainment of students who had achieved four GCE A-Levels to those who had achieved three GCE A-Levels in addition to the WBQ. Comparisons were also made between students who had achieved three GCE A-Levels and those who had achieved three GCE A-Levels in addition to the WBQ. The results suggest that students who achieved the WBQ qualification in its current form, in addition to three GCE A-Levels, performed less well academically in undergraduate studies than those who achieved four GCE A-Levels. Furthermore, this effect was still present when the balance between coursework and examination was considered, and when students who had achieved the WBQ in addition to three GCE A-Levels were compared to students who had achieved three GCE A-Levels.

  9. The Extraction and Partial Purification of Bacterial DNA as a Practical Exercise for GCE Advanced Level Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Falconer, A. C.; Hayes, L. J.

    1986-01-01

    Describes a relatively simple method of extraction and purification of bacterial DNA. This technique permits advanced secondary-level science students to obtain adequate amounts of DNA from very small pellets of bacteria and to observe some of its polymer properties. (ML)

  10. Stereotype Threat? Male and Female Students in Advanced High School Courses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Corra, Mamadi

    Propositions of stereotype threat theory imply that the social consequences of academic distinction in advanced quantitative areas (such as math and the physical sciences) for women may promote the under representation of female students in advanced quantitative academic courses. The hypothesis that female students will be underrepresented in advanced quantitative (honors and advanced placement math and physical science) courses is tested using academic performance and enrollment data for high school students in a "Student/Parent Informed Choice" (open registration) school district in North Carolina. Results show female students to be overrepresented in both advanced verbal/writing intensive (honors and advanced placement English, foreign language, and social science) and advanced quantitative (honors and advanced placement math and physical science) courses compared to their proportion of the student body. More surprisingly, results also indicate female students (compared to male students) to be overrepresented in advanced courses compared to their proportion of high-performing students. Furthermore, as with patterns observed at the district level, additional analysis of enrollment data for the entire state reveals similar results. Taken together, the findings call into question the prevailing presumption that female students continue to be underrepresented in math and physical science courses. Instead, the changing social context within which females and males experience schooling may provide an explanation for the findings.

  11. Barriers to Advanced Placement for Latino Students at the High-School Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walker, Susan A.; Pearsall, Laura D.

    2012-01-01

    In order to gain a better understanding about Latino student underrepresentation in advanced placement (AP) coursework, this investigation explored the factors that inhibit and/or encourage Latino student enrollment in AP coursework at one suburban public high school in the Western United States. Latino high-school students and their parents…

  12. The efficacy of self-directed modules for clinical learning: advanced competencies in entry-level physical therapy education.

    PubMed

    Peck, Kirk; Paschal, Karen; Black, Lisa; Nelson, Kelly

    2014-01-01

    Prior to graduation, students often express an interest to advance clinical and professional skills in teaching, research, administration, and various niche practice areas. The acquisition of advanced education in selected areas of practice is believed to improve employment opportunities, accelerate career advancement including eligibility for professional certifications, and contribute to personal satisfaction in the profession. The purpose of this paper is to (1) describe an innovative model of education, the Directed Practice Experience (DPE) elective, that incorporates a student-initiated learning process designed to achieve student-identified professional goals, and (2) report the outcomes for graduates who have completed the DPE in an entry-level program in physical therapy education. Students who met select criteria were eligible to complete a DPE. Applicants designed a 4- to 6-week clinical education experience consisting of stated rationale for personal and professional growth, examples of leadership and service, and self-directed objectives that are beyond entry-level expectations as measured by the revised Physical Therapist Clinical Performance Instrument, version 2006. Twenty-six students have completed DPEs since 2005. Fifty percent resulted in new academic partnerships. At least 25% of graduates now serve as clinical instructors for the entry-level program. Those who participated in DPEs have also completed post-graduate residencies, attained ABPTS Board certifications, authored peer-reviewed publications, and taught in both PT and residency programs. The DPE model allows qualified students to acquire advanced personal skills and knowledge prior to graduation in areas of professional practice that exceed entry-level expectations. The model is applicable to all CAPTE accredited physical therapy education programs and is especially beneficial for academic programs desiring to form new community partnerships for student clinical education.

  13. The management of advanced practitioner preparation: a work-based challenge.

    PubMed

    Livesley, Joan; Waters, Karen; Tarbuck, Paul

    2009-07-01

    This paper explores the collaborative development of a Master's level advanced practice programme in the context of the radical reform and remodelling of the UK's National Health Service. Some of the educational, managerial and practice challenges are discussed. Changes to education and training in response to key strategic reviews undertaken by the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority (North West of England) established a need to develop nurses and allied health care practitioners to advanced practitioner level. This paper considers how employers, commissioners and educationalists worked together to produce a Master's level programme to prepare nurses and other health care practitioners for sustainable advanced practice roles. Developing innovative and effective curricula to meet the needs of post graduate students from varied backgrounds preparing to practice in different contexts with different client groups is challenging. However, the development of individual learning pathways and work-based learning ensures that the student's work and intended advanced practice role remains at the centre of their learning. Analysis of each student's knowledge and skill deficits alongside an analysis of the organization's readiness to support them as qualified advanced practitioners (APs) is instrumental in ensuring that organizations are ready to support practitioners in new roles. Work-based learning and collaboration between students, employers and higher education institutions can be used to enable managers and students to unravel the network of factors which affect advanced practice in health and social care. Additionally, collaborative working can help to create opportunities to develop strategies that will facilitate change. Implications for nursing management Sustainable change concerned with the introduction of advanced practitioner roles present a real challenge for managers at a strategic and operational level. Commissioning flexible, collaborative and service-led educational programmes can assist in ensuring that change is sustainable and produce practitioners who are fit for practice, purpose and award.

  14. Gender Differences and Styles in the Use of Digital Games

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bonanno, Philip; Kommers, P. A. M.

    2005-01-01

    This paper reports work in progress investigating gender differences and styles in the use of digital games amongst advanced level biology students. It is an elaboration on previous work exploring the relationship between cognitive style and academic performance in Maltese students taking biology at advanced level. In this previous work the…

  15. Some Misconceptions in Meiosis Shown by Students Responding to an Advanced Level Practical Examination Question in Biology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, C. R.

    1990-01-01

    Discussed are problems revealed in student responses to a practical task which formed part of an advanced level examination. The frequencies with which some misconceptions about cell reproduction and genetics occurred are presented. The nature of these misconceptions is analyzed and their implications discussed. (CW)

  16. An Investigation of the Relationship between Performance Appraisal and Career Development and Advancement of Mid-Level Women in Student Affairs Administration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Corral, Christine R.

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the performance appraisal experience of 14 mid-level women in student affairs administration at four-year colleges and universities in Northern Illinois using a qualitative research approach involving personal interviews. Previous research on career development and advancement of mid-level women in student…

  17. Virtual Learning Environment for Interactive Engagement with Advanced Quantum Mechanics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pedersen, Mads Kock; Skyum, Birk; Heck, Robert; Müller, Romain; Bason, Mark; Lieberoth, Andreas; Sherson, Jacob F.

    2016-06-01

    A virtual learning environment can engage university students in the learning process in ways that the traditional lectures and lab formats cannot. We present our virtual learning environment StudentResearcher, which incorporates simulations, multiple-choice quizzes, video lectures, and gamification into a learning path for quantum mechanics at the advanced university level. StudentResearcher is built upon the experiences gathered from workshops with the citizen science game Quantum Moves at the high-school and university level, where the games were used extensively to illustrate the basic concepts of quantum mechanics. The first test of this new virtual learning environment was a 2014 course in advanced quantum mechanics at Aarhus University with 47 enrolled students. We found increased learning for the students who were more active on the platform independent of their previous performances.

  18. Advanced GIS Exercise: Predicting Rainfall Erosivity Index Using Regression Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Post, Christopher J.; Goddard, Megan A.; Mikhailova, Elena A.; Hall, Steven T.

    2006-01-01

    Graduate students from a variety of agricultural and natural resource fields are incorporating geographic information systems (GIS) analysis into their graduate research, creating a need for teaching methodologies that help students understand advanced GIS topics for use in their own research. Graduate-level GIS exercises help students understand…

  19. Introduction to Natural Resources: Advanced Applications.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crummett, Dan

    This guide, which is designed for use with student and teacher guides to a 10-unit secondary-level course in natural resources, contains a series of student supplements and advanced assignment and job sheets that provide students with additional opportunities to explore the following areas of natural resources and conservation education: outdoor…

  20. The Effects of Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Programs on Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Luo, Samia Merza

    2013-01-01

    This study compared student academic achievement in two college readiness programs, Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) and attempted to determine how well program participation predict student performance compared to variables such as SES, parent education level, GPA, gender, and SAT II scores. Finally, the research…

  1. To Fly or Not to Fly: Teaching Advanced Secondary School Students about Principles of Flight in Biological Systems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pietsch, Renée B.; Bohland, Cynthia L.; Schmale, David G., III.

    2015-01-01

    Biological flight mechanics is typically taught in graduate level college classes rather than in secondary school classes. We developed an interdisciplinary unit for advanced upper-level secondary school students (ages 15-18) to teach the principles of flight and applications to biological systems. This unit capitalised on the tremendous…

  2. A Cornerstone Course in Sociology: Providing Students with Theory, Methods, and Career Preparation Early in the Major

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holtzman, Mellisa

    2018-01-01

    Cornerstone courses bridge introductory content from lower-level survey courses with the more advanced theoretical and methodological content of upper-level, major-only courses. Cornerstones are implemented with the goal of better preparing students for advanced coursework and/or assisting them with understanding their major and its associated…

  3. Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Examination Results in Texas, 2009-10. Document No. GE11 601 07

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Texas Education Agency, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This report reviews Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) examination participation and performance in Texas during the 2009-10 school year. Campus-, district-, and state-level examination results for students in Texas public schools are presented, as well as state-level examination results for students in Texas public and…

  4. Problem-Based Approach to Teaching Advanced Chemistry Laboratories and Developing Students' Critical Thinking Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Quattrucci, Joseph G.

    2018-01-01

    A new method for teaching advanced laboratories at the undergraduate level is presented. The intent of this approach is to get students more engaged in the lab experience and apply critical thinking skills to solve problems. The structure of the lab is problem-based and provides students with a research-like experience. Students read the current…

  5. Experiences of Advanced High School Students in Synchronous Online Recitations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mayer, Greg; Lingle, Jeremy; Usselman, Marion

    2017-01-01

    The question of how to best design an online course that promotes student-centred learning is an area of ongoing research. This mixed-methods study focused on a section of advanced high school students, in college-level mathematics courses, that used a synchronous online environment mediated over web-conferencing software, and whether the…

  6. Variation in Content Coverage by Classroom Composition: An Analysis of Advanced Math Course Content

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Covay, Elizabeth

    2011-01-01

    Everyone knows that there is racial inequality in achievement returns from advanced math; however, they do not know why black students and white students taking the same level of math courses are not leaving with the same or comparable skill levels. To find out, the author examines variation in course coverage by the racial composition of the…

  7. Undergraduate nursing students' level of assertiveness in Greece: a questionnaire survey.

    PubMed

    Deltsidou, Anna

    2009-09-01

    A number of studies of nursing and midwifery have found stress and bullying to be frequent problems. Those suffering from bullying and stress need to have high levels of assertiveness to resist and to cope successfully. Hence, it was considered vital to assess the assertiveness level of nursing students throughout their training curriculum. The study population was composed of nursing students in different semesters at one school in Central Greece (n=298) who agreed to complete a questionnaire on assertiveness level assessment, which had been translated into Greek and adapted to this population. All students present in class completed the questionnaire, representing 80% of the total population of active students. Mean assertiveness scores between semesters were compared by ANOVA and comparisons between the responses of the first semester students and responses of advanced semester students were done by Pearson's chi square. The main finding of this study was that the assertiveness levels displayed by students increase slightly in advanced semesters by comparison to those displayed by first-semester students. Assertive behavior should be encouraged through learning methods. Nurses should preferably obtain this training throughout their studies. Instructors have an essential role in the improvement and achievement of assertiveness training curriculums for undergraduate nursing students.

  8. Investigation Of Student Learning In Thermodynamics And Implications For Instruction In Chemistry And Engineering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meltzer, David E.

    2007-01-01

    As part of an investigation into student learning of thermodynamics, we have probed the reasoning of students enrolled in introductory and advanced courses in both physics and chemistry. A particular focus of this work has been put on the learning difficulties encountered by physics, chemistry, and engineering students enrolled in an upper-level thermal physics course that included many topics also covered in physical chemistry courses. We have explored the evolution of students' understanding as they progressed from the introductory course through more advanced courses. Through this investigation we have gained insights into students' learning difficulties in thermodynamics at various levels. Our experience in addressing these learning difficulties may provide insights into analogous pedagogical issues in upper-level courses in both engineering and chemistry which focus on the theory and applications of thermodynamics.

  9. An der Schwelle zur Zweisprachigkeit: Fremdsprachenunterricht fur Fortgeschrittene (On the Threshold of Bilingualism: Foreign Language Learning for Advanced Students).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kubler, Silvia, Ed.; Portmann, Paul R., Ed.

    1994-01-01

    This collection of articles on Bilingualism includes: "Fremdsprachenunterricht fur Fortgeschrittene: ein Uberblick" (Foreign Language Learning for Advanced Students: An Overview) (Paul R. Portmann); "Never Mind the Width, Feel the Quality: From Quantity to Quality in Language Teaching at Advanced Levels" (Mike Makosch); "Irren ist menschlich: Ein…

  10. An Examination of Perceptions Associated with Enrollment Procedures and Students Placement in Advanced Placement Courses in Northeast Louisiana

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vidrine, Brent

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to investigate participation rates of minorities and economically disadvantaged students in Advanced Placement programs in selected high schools in Northeast Louisiana. Advanced Placement programs in high schools generally promote higher level education courses. The focus of the investigation was perceptions held by…

  11. The Use of Textbooks for Advanced-Level GCE Courses in Physics, Chemistry and Biology by Sixth-Form Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newton, D. P.

    1984-01-01

    A survey of sixth-form students to determine the level of A-level textbook use in physics, chemistry, and biology in English schools found that texts are used primarily after the lesson, at the student's discretion, and with great variations between students. Biology texts were used most, and physics texts used least. (MBR)

  12. Strategies for Balancing Learning and Earning: Student, Teacher and Employer Perspectives in the Context of Curriculum, 2000.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fowler, Zoe; Hodgson, Ann; Spours, Ken

    A study examined the role and significance of part-time (PT) work for 16-19-year-olds in advanced level, full-time education (FT) in South Gloucestershire in the context of the Curriculum 2000 advanced level qualification reforms. Data were from 466 completed student questionnaires, 6 in-depth face-to-face interviews with major local employers of…

  13. Designing and Implementing a New Advanced Level Biology Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hall, Angela; Reiss, Michael J.; Rowell, Cathy; Scott, Anne

    2003-01-01

    Salters-Nuffield Advanced Biology is a new advanced level biology course, piloted from September 2002 in England with around 1200 students. This paper discusses the reasons for developing a new advanced biology course at this time, the philosophy of the project and how the materials are being written and the specification devised. The aim of the…

  14. Typewriting Instruction for Diverse Preparation Levels

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crowell, Mary Alice; Young, Marlin

    1976-01-01

    The advanced typewriting course (for college students) effectively provided for individual differences through the use of proficiency tests, pretests, learning assignment units at three student-selected levels, timed tests, and individual pacing. (MS)

  15. Advanced CNC and CAM Series. Educational Resources for the Machine Tool Industry. Course Syllabi, Instructor's Handbook [and] Student Laboratory Manual.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Texas State Technical Coll. System, Waco.

    This package consists of course syllabi, an instructor's handbook, and student laboratory manual for a 1-year vocational training program to prepare students for entry-level positions as advanced computer numerical control (CNC) and computer-assisted manufacturing (CAM) technicians.. The program was developed through a modification of the DACUM…

  16. The Impact of Attaining the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma on Academic Performance in Bioscience Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yhnell, Emma; Wood, Heather; Baker, Mathew; Amici-Dargan, Sheila; Taylor, Chris; Randerson, Peter; Shore, Andrew

    2016-01-01

    Since the introduction of the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma Qualification (WBQ) in 2003, an increasing number of students are applying to higher education institutions (HEIs) with this qualification. The advanced-level WBQ is regarded as equivalent to one General Certificate of Education A-Level (GCE A-Level). This study assesses the impact…

  17. Going beyond the Syllabus: A Study of a Level Mathematics Teachers and Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suto, Irenka; Elliott, Gill; Rushton, Nicky; Mehta, Sanjana

    2012-01-01

    We explored teachers' views and students' experiences of going beyond the syllabus in Advanced (A) level Mathematics. Questionnaires were sent to teachers and students in a sample of 200 schools and colleges. Teachers were asked about the necessity, importance and benefits of additional teaching. Students were asked about the extra activities they…

  18. Utilizing Computer and Multimedia Technology in Generating Choreography for the Advanced Dance Student at the High School Level.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Griffin, Irma Amado

    This study describes a pilot program utilizing various multimedia computer programs on a MacQuadra 840 AV. The target group consisted of six advanced dance students who participated in the pilot program within the dance curriculum by creating a database of dance movement using video and still photography. The students combined desktop publishing,…

  19. How Do We Play the Genre Game in Preparing Students at the Advanced Undergraduate Level for Research Writing?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paxton, Moragh

    2011-01-01

    The study described in this article sets out to understand the barriers and affordances to successful completion of the short research thesis required in many advanced undergraduate courses or Honours programmes. In the study, the genre features of students' research projects and the criteria used to assess them were analysed and both students and…

  20. The Relationship between Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) and Middle School Student Academic Achievement and Stakeholders' Perceptions: A Southern California Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dean, Jonathan C.

    2009-01-01

    Advancement via Determination (AVID) is an innovative educational program designed to enhance student eligibility for 4-year college admissions. While much research has been done at the high school level, little is known about AVID's effect on the academic success of middle school students and how teachers, AVID participants, and parents of AVID…

  1. Advanced Placement Course Description: Government and Politics, American Comparative: May 1987-May 1988.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    College Entrance Examination Board, Princeton, NJ.

    The Advanced Placement Program is based on the premise that young people can complete college-level studies while in secondary schools. It is an instrument of cooperation that extends the educational opportunities available to students by giving secondary school college-level courses appropriate college credit and placement. Advanced Placement…

  2. TIMMS Advanced 2015 Assessment Frameworks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mullis, Ina V. S., Ed.; Martin, Michael O., Ed.

    2014-01-01

    It is critical for countries to ensure that capable secondary school students receive further preparation in advanced mathematics and science, so that they are ready to enter challenging university-level studies that prepare them for careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This group of students will become the…

  3. Strategic Development for Middle School Students Struggling With Fractions: Assessment and Intervention.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Dake; Stecker, Pamela; Huckabee, Sloan; Miller, Rhonda

    2016-09-01

    Research has suggested that different strategies used when solving fraction problems are highly correlated with students' problem-solving accuracy. This study (a) utilized latent profile modeling to classify students into three different strategic developmental levels in solving fraction comparison problems and (b) accordingly provided differentiated strategic training for students starting from two different strategic developmental levels. In Study 1 we assessed 49 middle school students' performance on fraction comparison problems and categorized students into three clusters of strategic developmental clusters: a cross-multiplication cluster with the highest accuracy, a representation strategy cluster with medium accuracy, and a whole-number strategy cluster with the lowest accuracy. Based on the strategic developmental levels identified in Study 1, in Study 2 we selected three students from the whole-number strategy cluster and another three students from the representation strategy cluster and implemented a differentiated strategic training intervention within a multiple-baseline design. Results showed that both groups of students transitioned from less advanced to more advanced strategies and improved their problem-solving accuracy during the posttest, the maintenance test, and the generalization test. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2014.

  4. Who Studies Religion at Advanced Level: Why and to What Effect?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Francis, Leslie J.; Astley, Jeff; Parker, Stephen G.

    2016-01-01

    This study was established to profile students currently studying religion at Advanced level (A level) in terms of their demography, motivation, experience and attitudes. Eight specific areas were identified for examination: their personal motivation to study religion at A level, the personal challenges posed by the subject, their personal…

  5. Factors Associated With Reflection Among Students After an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) in Sweden

    PubMed Central

    Lindblad, Åsa Kettis; Gustavsson, Maria; Ring, Lena

    2009-01-01

    Objective To identify individual and social factors associated with pharmacy students' level of reflection in an advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE). Methods A postal questionnaire, including a reflective assignment, was sent to all pharmacy interns (n=262) at Uppsala University, Sweden, for 4 semesters in 2005-2007. Results In a univariate analysis, 7 factors were found to be associated with students' level of reflection. After controlling for covariates, 3 social factors were found to be independently associated with reflection: having a formal preceptor (OR=5.3), being at a small pharmacy (OR=19.8), and students' perception of the importance of discussing critical thinking with the preceptor (OR=1.2). No correlation could be observed between level of reflection and critical thinking, nor learning style. Conclusion Social components seem to be of higher importance than individual components in students' reflective levels after pharmacy internship experience. Trained preceptors are important to foster reflection skills. PMID:19885076

  6. From "AICE-ing" the Test to Earning the Degree: Enrollment and Graduation Patterns among Students with the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Diploma

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rodeiro, Carmen Vidal; Crawford, Cara; Shaw, Stuart

    2017-01-01

    A key issue for admissions teams is to distinguish which students of those who apply are truly able and sufficiently committed to complete a degree. One signal of a student's ability to achieve college-level academic requirements is participation in high school acceleration programs such as Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or…

  7. L'Humanite n'en Sortira pas...Vivante (Humanity Will Not Get Out Alive). French Ecology Packet: Resource Materials and Readings for French Classes at Advanced Levels.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jorstad, Helen

    This packet of instructional materials, intended for advanced French students, contains a guide for teachers as well as a section of student materials focusing on ecology in France. The teacher's guide outlines the educational objectives and course components, and provides sample evaluation materials. Students are required to read several articles…

  8. The Effects of Using Concept Mapping for Improving Advanced Level Biology Students' Lower- and Higher-Order Cognitive Skills

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bramwell-Lalor, Sharon; Rainford, Marcia

    2014-03-01

    This paper reports on teachers' use of concept mapping as an alternative assessment strategy in advanced level biology classes and its effects on students' cognitive skills on selected biology concepts. Using a mixed methods approach, the study employed a pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental design involving 156 students and 8 teachers from intact classes. A researcher-constructed Biology Cognitive Skills Test was used to collect the quantitative data. Qualitative data were collected through interviews and students' personal documents. The data showed that the participants utilized concept mapping in various ways and they described positive experiences while being engaged in its use. The main challenge cited by teachers was the limited time available for more consistent use. The results showed that the use of concept mapping in advanced level biology can lead to learning gains that exceed those achieved in classes where mainly traditional methods are used. The students in the concept mapping experimental groups performed significantly better than their peers in the control group on both the lower-order (F(1) = 21.508; p < .001) and higher-order (F(1) = 42.842, p < .001) cognitive items of the biology test. A mean effect size of .56 was calculated representing the contribution of treatment to the students' performance on the test items.

  9. Goal Orientations in an EFL Advanced Academic Writing Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dehghan, Farzaneh; Razmjoo, Seyyed Ayatollah

    2015-01-01

    Academic writing at advanced levels is the most important way of demonstrating one's expertise in a discipline. Developing this kind of competence is especially a challenging effort for students in foreign language contexts. Many factors may be involved in determining why some students are more and some are less motivated in writing successful,…

  10. Development of Research Professionalism in Advanced Undergraduate and Beginning Graduate Students. Working Papers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mitchell, John J.

    The paper describes an individualized approach to teaching social science research methodology. The approach is intended to make psychology research in college level courses an exciting and rewarding experience for advanced undergraduate and graduate students. Advantages of this approach over more traditional approaches include that it requires…

  11. Raising Rigor, Getting Results: Lessons Learned from AP Expansion

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wakelyn, David

    2009-01-01

    Advanced Placement (AP), which enables high school students to take introductory college-level courses, is the nation's oldest example of a rigorous, common curriculum. Students who score well on AP exams are more likely to persist in college and earn a degree. The Advanced Placement Expansion project of the National Governors Association Center…

  12. Incentivizing advanced mathematics study at upper secondary level: the case of bonus points in Ireland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Treacy, Páraic Thomas

    2018-04-01

    Secondary level mathematics education in Ireland has recently experienced a period of significant change with the introduction of new curricula and the addition of an incentive to study upper secondary mathematics at the most advanced level (Higher Level). This incentive, typically referred to as 'bonus points', appears to have aided a significant increase in the number of students studying upper secondary mathematics at Higher Level. However, thematic analysis of interviews with experienced upper secondary mathematics examiners and exploration of mathematics diagnostic test data outlined in this paper suggest that the difficulty of the Higher Level upper secondary mathematics final examination in Ireland has reduced since the introduction of the bonus points initiative. The sharp increase in students attempting this examination coupled with a policy of maintaining a consistent proportion of students achieving passing grades was identified as a key reason for this possible reduction in standards.

  13. Use of CAS in Secondary School: A Factor Influencing the Transition to University-Level Mathematics?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Varsavsky, Cristina

    2012-01-01

    Australian secondary school systems offer three levels of senior (year 12) mathematics studies, none of them compulsory: elementary, intermediate and advanced. The intermediate and advanced studies prepare students for further mathematics studies at university level. In the state of Victoria, there are two versions of intermediate mathematics: one…

  14. Establishment and Implementation of a Required Medication Therapy Management Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience

    PubMed Central

    Gilliam, Eric; Thompson, Megan; Vande Griend, Joseph

    2017-01-01

    Objective. To develop a community pharmacy-based medication therapy management (MTM) advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) that provides students with skills and knowledge to deliver entry-level pharmacy MTM services. Design. The University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences (SSPPS) partnered with three community pharmacy chains to establish this three-week, required MTM APPE. Students completed the American Pharmacists Association MTM Certificate Course prior to entering the APPE. Students were expected to spend 90% or more of their time at this experience working on MTM interventions, using store MTM platforms. Assessment. All 151 students successfully completed this MTM APPE, and each received a passing evaluation from their preceptor. Preceptor evaluations of students averaged above four (entry-level practice) on a five-point Likert scale. The majority of students reported engagement in MTM services for more than 80% of the time on site. Students’ self-reporting of their ability to perform MTM interventions improved after participation in the APPE. Conclusion. The SSPPS successfully implemented a required MTM APPE, preparing students for entry-level delivery of MTM services. PMID:28381896

  15. Validation of Subject Areas of CAS Professional Studies Standards for Master's Level Student Affairs Professional Preparation Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Young, Dallin George; Dean, Laura A.

    2015-01-01

    The standards for Master's Level Student Affairs Professional Preparation Programs, first published in 1986, were among the first standards published by the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS; Ebbers & Kruempel, 1992). With the latest revision in 2012, the CAS standards for preparation of student affairs…

  16. Self-Directed Student Research through Analysis of Microarray Datasets: A Computer-Based Functional Genomics Practical Class for Masters-Level Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grenville-Briggs, Laura J.; Stansfield, Ian

    2011-01-01

    This report describes a linked series of Masters-level computer practical workshops. They comprise an advanced functional genomics investigation, based upon analysis of a microarray dataset probing yeast DNA damage responses. The workshops require the students to analyse highly complex transcriptomics datasets, and were designed to stimulate…

  17. High School Chemistry Students' Scientific Epistemologies and Perceptions of the Nature of Laboratory Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vhurumuku, Elaosi

    2011-01-01

    This quantitative study investigated the relationship between Chemistry students' scientific epistemologies and their perceptions of the nature of laboratory inquiry. Seventy-two Advanced Level Chemistry students were surveyed. The students were sampled from twelve schools in three of Zimbabwe's nine administrative provinces. Students' scientific…

  18. Assessment of oral health attitudes and behavior among students of Kuwait University Health Sciences Center.

    PubMed

    Ali, Dena A

    2016-01-01

    The aims of this study were to assess attitudes and behavior of oral health maintenance among students in four faculties (Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, and Allied Health) and to compare oral health attitudes and behavior of all students at Kuwait University Health Sciences Center (KUHSC) based on their academic level. Students enrolled in the Faculties of Dentistry, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Allied Health at KUHSC were evaluated regarding their oral health attitudes and behavior by an e-mail invitation with a link to the Hiroshima University Dental Behavior Inventory survey that was sent to all 1802 students with Kuwait University Health Sciences Center e-mail addresses. The data were analyzed for frequency distributions, and differences among the groups were assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-square test, and Kruskal-Wallis test. P values less than 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant ( P < 0.05). The results of this study indicated that dental students achieved better oral health attitudes and behavior than that of their nondental professional fellow students ( P < 0.05). Students in advanced academic levels and female students demonstrated better oral health attitudes and behavior. Dental students and students who were in advanced levels of their training along with female students demonstrated better oral health practices and perceptions than students in lower academic levels and male students, respectively. Additional studies for investigating the effectiveness and identifying areas requiring modification within the dental curriculum at KUHSC may be warranted.

  19. The impact of problem-based learning on students' perceptions of preparedness for advanced pharmacy practice experiences.

    PubMed

    Hogan, Shirley; Lundquist, Lisa M

    2006-08-15

    To evaluate graduating pharmacy students' perceptions of their preparedness for advanced pharmacy practice experiences and the effectiveness of problem-based learning in their preparation. A survey instrument was administered anonymously in May 2004 and May 2005 to graduating pharmacy students of the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy. Students reported that the areas in which problem-based learning prepared them most effectively for advanced pharmacy practice experiences were retrieval of medical information (80%), discussion of disease states and drug therapies at the basic science level (56%), and evaluation of the appropriateness of a medication regimen based on patient specific information (50%). Areas in which students reported being inadequately prepared included identifying and utilizing drug assistance programs (42%) and processing prescriptions/hospital orders (40%). Data from 2 consecutive graduating classes supports that problem-based learning is an effective format for preparing pharmacy students for advanced pharmacy practice experiences in a variety of areas.

  20. Advanced ESL Students' Prior EFL Education and Their Perceptions of Oral Corrective Feedback

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Eun Jeong

    2016-01-01

    The author in this study examines how advanced-level adult English as a Second Language (ESL) students' previous English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom experiences influence their perceptions of their teachers' oral corrective feedback (CF). It uses in-depth qualitative data to characterize the participants' prior English learning, and to…

  1. The Science Advancement through Group Engagement Program: Leveling the Playing Field and Increasing Retention in Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hall, Donna M.; Curtin-Soydan, Amanda J.; Canelas, Dorian A.

    2014-01-01

    How can colleges and universities keep an open gateway to the science disciplines for the least experienced first-year science students while also maintaining high standards that challenge the students with the strongest possible high school backgrounds? The Science Advancement through Group Engagement (SAGE) project targets cohorts of less…

  2. Evaluation of the National Science Foundation Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12) Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mitchell, Julia; Levine, Roger; Gonzalez, Raquel; Bitter, Catherine; Webb, Norman; White, Paul

    The GK-12 program of the National Science Foundation is an innovative program for enriching the value of graduate and advanced undergraduate students' education while simultaneously enriching science and mathematics teaching at the K-12 level. GK-12 is a fellowship program that offers graduate students and advanced undergraduates the opportunity…

  3. The effect of teacher education level, teaching experience, and teaching behaviors on student science achievement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Danhui

    Previous literature leaves us unanswered questions about whether teaching behaviors mediate the relationship between teacher education level and experience with student science achievement. This study examined this question with 655 students from sixth to eighth grade and their 12 science teachers. Student science achievements were measured at the beginning and end of 2006-2007 school year. Given the cluster sampling of students nested in classrooms, which are nested in teachers, a two-level multilevel model was employed to disentangle the effects from teacher-level and student-level factors. Several findings were discovered in this study. Science teachers possessing of advanced degrees in science or education significantly and positively influenced student science achievement. However, years of teaching experience in science did not directly influence student science achievement. A significant interaction was detected between teachers possessing an advanced degree in science or education and years of teaching science, which was inversely associated to student science achievement. Better teaching behaviors were also positively related to student achievement in science directly, as well as mediated the relationship between student science achievement and both teacher education and experience. Additionally, when examined separately, each teaching behavior variable (teacher engagement, classroom management, and teaching strategies) served as a significant intermediary between both teacher education and experience and student science achievement. The findings of this study are intended to provide insights into the importance of hiring and developing qualified teachers who are better able to help students achieve in science, as well as to direct the emphases of ongoing teacher inservice training.

  4. Prevalence and correlates of street racing among Ontario high school students.

    PubMed

    Vingilis, Evelyn; Smart, Reginald G; Mann, Robert E; Paglia-Boak, Angela; Stoduto, Gina; Adlaf, Edward M

    2011-10-01

    This study examined the prevalence and correlates of street racing among adolescents derived from the 2009 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS), an epidemiological survey of students in Ontario, Canada. The key response variable, self-reported street racing in past year, was examined in relation to grade level, rural/urban, school marks, cannabis use, drinking and driving, cannabis use and driving, and property, physical, drugs, and weapons delinquencies. All survey estimates were weighted, and variance and statistical tests were corrected for the complex sampling design. Of the 3053 9th- to 12th-graders (66% response rate), 5.6 percent of high-schoolers (an estimated 42,000 in the province) and (20.4% of grade 11 and 12 students with an advanced-level or full license) reported driving a car, truck, or sport utility vehicle (SUV) in a street race in the 12 months before the survey. Logistic regression analysis of the advanced-level or fully licensed students in grades 11 and 12 found that males compared to females and students in grade 11 compared to students in grade 12 had significantly higher adjusted odds of street racing. Supportive of problem behavior theory, students who reported property and drug delinquencies compared to students not engaging in these delinquencies also had significantly higher adjusted odds of street racing. This first population-based study in North America suggested that the prevalence of street racing at 1 in 5 of advanced or fully licensed high-schoolers in grades 11 and 12 poses significant public health concerns, especially related to the potential for unintentional injury.

  5. Increase in counselling communication skills after basic and advanced microskills training.

    PubMed

    Kuntze, Jeroen; van der Molen, Henk T; Born, Marise P

    2009-03-01

    Mastering counselling communication skills is one of the requirements that lead to the diploma of a registered European psychologist. The microcounseling method proves to be effective in training these skills. Research into the effectiveness of the microcounseling method often reports overall effect sizes only. The aim of this study was to investigate the adequate use of separate counselling communication skills (seven basic skills: minimal encouragements; asking questions; paraphrasing; reflection of feeling; concreteness; summarizing; and situation clarification and five advanced skills: advanced accurate empathy; confrontation; positive relabelling; examples of one's own; and directness) after respectively a basic and an advanced training in these skills. Participants were 583 first year or second year bachelor students in psychology who took the counselling communication skills progress test (CSPT). The participants are divided in a group of freshmen, who had not received any training in counselling communication skills; first year students, who had received a training in basic skills; second year students who had followed a training in advanced skills and a control group. A between-subject design, a within-subject design and a pre-test-post-test-control group design were used to examine the scores on these skills. Seven basic skills and four advanced skills had large effect sizes. One advanced skill had a moderate effect size. The microcounseling method is very effective on the level of separate microskills. However, students perform better on the basic skills than on the advanced skills. More training seems to be needed in the latter to achieve the same level of mastery.

  6. Example-based learning: effects of model expertise in relation to student expertise.

    PubMed

    Boekhout, Paul; van Gog, Tamara; van de Wiel, Margje W J; Gerards-Last, Dorien; Geraets, Jacques

    2010-12-01

    Worked examples are very effective for novice learners. They typically present a written-out ideal (didactical) solution for learners to study. This study used worked examples of patient history taking in physiotherapy that presented a non-didactical solution (i.e., based on actual performance). The effects of model expertise (i.e., worked example based on advanced, third-year student model or expert physiotherapist model) in relation to students' expertise (i.e., first- or second-year) were investigated. One hundred and thirty-four physiotherapy students (61 first-year and 73 second-year). Design was 2 × 2 factorial with factors 'Student Expertise' (first-year vs. second-year) and 'Model Expertise' (expert vs. advanced student). Within expertise levels, students were randomly assigned to the Expert Example or the Advanced Student Example condition. All students studied two examples (content depending on their assigned condition) and then completed a retention and test task. They rated their invested mental effort after each example and test task. Second-year students invested less mental effort in studying the examples, and in performing the retention and transfer tasks than first-year students. They also performed better on the retention test, but not on the transfer test. In contrast to our hypothesis, there was no interaction between student expertise and model expertise: all students who had studied the Expert examples performed better on the transfer test than students who had studied Advanced Student Examples. This study suggests that when worked examples are based on actual performance, rather than an ideal procedure, expert models are to be preferred over advanced student models.

  7. Should Millions of Students Take a Gap Year? Large Numbers of Students Start the School Year above Grade Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peters, Scott J.; Rambo-Hernandez, Karen; Makel, Matthew C.; Matthews, Michael S.; Plucker, Jonathan A.

    2017-01-01

    Few topics have garnered more attention in preservice teacher training and educational reform than student diversity and its influence on learning. However, the actual degree of cognitive diversity has yet to be considered regarding instructional implications for advanced learners. We used four data sets (three state-level and one national) from…

  8. STEM Excellence and Leadership Program: Increasing the Level of STEM Challenge and Engagement for High-Achieving Students in Economically Disadvantaged Rural Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ihrig, Lori M.; Lane, Erin; Mahatmya, Duhita; Assouline, Susan G.

    2018-01-01

    High-achieving students in economically disadvantaged, rural schools lack access to advanced coursework necessary to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational and employment goals at the highest levels, contributing to the excellence gap. Out-of-school STEM programming offers one pathway to students' talent…

  9. Does Feeling Part of a Learning Community Help Students to Do Well in Their A-Levels? Exploring Teacher-Student Relationships

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dziubinski, Julian P.

    2014-01-01

    Each year, around 250,000 16-year-olds in the United Kingdom finish their GCSEs and begin studying for their Advanced (A-) levels, many of them at further education (FE) college. Students study their A-level courses at FE college for a number of reasons, including a more mature relationship with teachers. As we approach the 64th anniversary of…

  10. Transforming RN education: clinical learning and clinical knowledge development.

    PubMed

    Benner, P

    1993-04-01

    Transforming RN education has the potential for transforming clinical teaching and learning for all students. The returning RN student offers possibilities for clinical learning that the generic student does not have, but this should not cause us to limit the returning RN student to the generic level. Where possible innovative programs should be developed to move the RN student from baccalaureate level to the Master's level. As educators, we should take the opportunity to increase the numbers of nurses who are educationally prepared to move into advanced levels of practice. The returning RN student offers a rich human resource for the profession, and a rich resource for improving our clinical teaching as well as our practice.

  11. Synthesis of Di- and Trisubstituted Azulenes Using a Danheiser Annulation as the Key Step: An Advanced Organic Laboratory Experiment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, Rebecca M.; Shea, Kevin M.

    2013-01-01

    This three-week advanced-level organic experiment provides students with an inquiry-based approach focused on learning traditional skills such as primary literature interpretation, reaction design, flash column chromatography, and NMR analysis. Additionally, students address higher-order concepts such as the origin of azulene's blue color,…

  12. Independent Learning Project for Advanced Chemistry (ILPAC). Teachers' and Technicians' Notes for First Year Units.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Inner London Education Authority (England).

    The Independent Learning Project for Advanced Chemistry (ILPAC) has produced units of study for students in A-level chemistry. Students completing ILPAC units assume a greater responsibility for their own learning and can work, to some extent, at their own pace. By providing guidance, and detailed solutions to exercises in the units, supported by…

  13. Training Student Organizers Curriculum.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zamm, Michael; Hurtado, Denise

    The purpose of this curriculum is to help teachers and field supervisors at the college, high school, and advanced junior high school level train students to organize environmental improvement projects. It can also be used by graduate/undergraduate students who are supervising secondary school students. The curriculum may be started at any point…

  14. Students' Understanding of Advanced Properties of Java Exceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rashkovits, Rami; Lavy, Ilana

    2012-01-01

    This study examines how Information Systems Engineering School students on the verge of their graduation understand the mechanism of exception handling. The main contributions of this paper are as follows: we construct a questionnaire aimed at examining students' level of understanding concerning exceptions; we classify and analyse the students'…

  15. Student Perception of Traditional versus Alternative Textbook Value

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kuzma, Ann; Kuzma, John; Thiewes, Harold

    2013-01-01

    In today's environment of rising tuition and textbook costs, we surveyed business majors concerning their preferences regarding various text options that are available for their academic studies. Specifically, we surveyed 329 students enrolled in upper-level business courses at a mid-level Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business…

  16. College Student Ratings of Student Academic Support: Frequency, Importance, and Modes of Communication

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thompson, Blair; Mazer, Joseph P.

    2009-01-01

    Research suggests that student academic support plays a vital role at the college level as students often view communication with peers as their primary source of academic support (Thompson, 2008). This research advances the Student Academic Support Scale (SASS) as a method of assessing the frequency, importance, and mode of communicating academic…

  17. Knowledge and Interaction in On-Line Discussions in Spanish by Advanced Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCabe, Anne

    2017-01-01

    This article provides results of analysis of data collected from online Spanish-medium subject courses taught in Spanish by the same teacher to students whose first language is English. The students are at a high-intermediate to advanced level (B2-C1), and are enrolled at an American university in Madrid in courses centring on topics of Spanish…

  18. An Empirical Investigation of Differences between Mathematics Specialists and Non-Specialists at the High School Level in Cyprus: A Logistic Regression Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Papanastasiou, Elena C.; Zembylas, Michalinos

    2006-01-01

    The data obtained from high-school seniors for the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) for the country of Cyprus appear to be contradictory. Although Cypriot students did not perform well in mathematics in elementary school, middle school, and in the non-advanced sectors of high school, students in advanced mathematics…

  19. Advanced Academic Performance: Exploring Country-Level Differences in the Pursuit of Educational Excellence. Policy Brief No. 7

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Plucker, Jonathan A.

    2015-01-01

    Every country strives for its students to have advanced achievement in some way, shape, or form. But too often, competence is a higher policy priority than excellence, and shrinking minimum competency gaps is a higher priority than closing excellence gaps. In this brief, educational excellence is defined as the percent of students who meet or…

  20. The Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Advanced-Level General Paper Examination

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hassan, Nurul Huda; Shih, Chih-Min

    2013-01-01

    This article describes and reviews the Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Advanced Level General Paper (GP) examination. As a written test that is administered to preuniversity students, the GP examination is internationally recognised and accepted by universities and employers as proof of English competence. In this article, the…

  1. Promoting Student Progressions in Science Classrooms: A Video Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jin, Hui; Johnson, Michele E.; Shin, Hyo Jeong; Anderson, Charles W.

    2017-01-01

    This study was conducted in a large-scale environmental literacy project. In the project, we developed a Learning Progression Framework (LPF) for matter and energy in social-ecological systems; the LPF contains four achievement levels. Based on the LPF, we designed a Plant Unit to help Levels 2 and 3 students advance to Level 4 of the LPF. In the…

  2. Differences in Performance Anxiety Levels among Advanced Conservatory Students in Spain, According to Type of Instrument and Academic Year of Enrolment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Casanova, Oscar; Zarza, Francisco Javier; Orejudo, Santos

    2018-01-01

    This study aims to analyse differences in MPA (Musical Performance Anxiety) in students in five Spanish university-level music conservatories according to instrument type (solo or orchestra) and their academic year of enrolment (AYE). A sample of 476 students with a mean age of 22.59, enrolled in different specialties, responded to the K-MPAI…

  3. Mentors Are from Venus and Mars: Exploring the Benefits of Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Gender Pairings in the Mentoring Relationships of Female Senior Student Affairs Officers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jarnagin, Lea Marie

    2010-01-01

    While the number of women entering the student affairs profession has increased, gender equity at the senior level of leadership remains elusive in the student affairs profession. In comparison to their presence in graduate preparation programs and lower levels of administration women continue to lag behind men in their rate of advancement to the…

  4. Why Aren't More Minorities Taking Advanced Math?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walker, Erica N.

    2007-01-01

    Black and Latino students are still underepresented in upper-level math classes in the United States, a fact which has serious implications for their academic achievement and futures. Walker provides six suggestions for how educators can encourage more black and Latino students to successfully take higher level math courses: (1) Expand our…

  5. Collaborative Writing to Enhance Academic Writing Development through Project Work

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robayo Lun, Alma Milena; Hernandez Ortiz, Luz Stella

    2013-01-01

    Advanced students at university level struggle with many aspects of academic writing in English as a foreign language. The purpose of this article is to report on an investigation aimed at analyzing what collaborative writing through project work tells us about students' academic writing development at the tertiary level. The compositions written…

  6. Zimbabwean Female Participation in Physics: The Influence of Identity Formation on Perception and Participation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gudyanga, Anna; Kurup, Raj

    2017-01-01

    The study investigated the influence of identity formation on the perceptions and participation of Zimbabwean Advanced Level (A' Level) female adolescent students in physics. Nine female adolescent students eighteen years and above: three doing mathematics and physics, one doing physics without mathematics and five doing mathematics without…

  7. The effects of a test-taking strategy intervention for high school students with test anxiety in advanced placement science courses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Markus, Doron J.

    Test anxiety is one of the most debilitating and disruptive factors associated with underachievement and failure in schools (Birenbaum, Menucha, Nasser, & Fadia, 1994; Tobias, 1985). Researchers have suggested that interventions that combine multiple test-anxiety reduction techniques are most effective at reducing test anxiety levels (Ergene, 2003). For the current study, involving 62 public high school students enrolled in advanced placement science courses, the researcher designed a multimodal intervention designed to reduce test anxiety. Analyses were conducted to assess the relationships among test anxiety levels, unit examination scores, and irregular multiple-choice error patterns (error clumping), as well as changes in these measures after the intervention. Results indicate significant, positive relationships between some measures of test anxiety and error clumping, as well as significant, negative relationships between test anxiety levels and student achievement. In addition, results show significant decreases in holistic measures of test anxiety among students with low anxiety levels, as well as decreases in Emotionality subscores of test anxiety among students with high levels of test anxiety. There were no significant changes over time in the Worry subscores of test anxiety. Suggestions for further research include further confirmation of the existence of error clumping, and its causal relationship with test anxiety.

  8. Students' satisfaction to hybrid problem-based learning format for basic life support/advanced cardiac life support teaching.

    PubMed

    Chilkoti, Geetanjali; Mohta, Medha; Wadhwa, Rachna; Saxena, Ashok Kumar; Sharma, Chhavi Sarabpreet; Shankar, Neelima

    2016-11-01

    Students are exposed to basic life support (BLS) and advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) training in the first semester in some medical colleges. The aim of this study was to compare students' satisfaction between lecture-based traditional method and hybrid problem-based learning (PBL) in BLS/ACLS teaching to undergraduate medical students. We conducted a questionnaire-based, cross-sectional survey among 118 1 st -year medical students from a university medical college in the city of New Delhi, India. We aimed to assess the students' satisfaction between lecture-based and hybrid-PBL method in BLS/ACLS teaching. Likert 5-point scale was used to assess students' satisfaction levels between the two teaching methods. Data were collected and scores regarding the students' satisfaction levels between these two teaching methods were analysed using a two-sided paired t -test. Most students preferred hybrid-PBL format over traditional lecture-based method in the following four aspects; learning and understanding, interest and motivation, training of personal abilities and being confident and satisfied with the teaching method ( P < 0.05). Implementation of hybrid-PBL format along with the lecture-based method in BLS/ACLS teaching provided high satisfaction among undergraduate medical students.

  9. Simulated Group Counseling: An Experiential Training Model for Group Work.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Romano, John L.

    1998-01-01

    Describes an experiential group training model designed for prepracticum-level counseling graduate students. Simulated Group Counseling (SCG) offers students an opportunity to experience being group members; facilitating a group; and processing the group with peers, an advanced graduate student observer, and the instructor. SGC reduces…

  10. Advanced Math Equals Career Readiness. Math Works

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Achieve, Inc., 2013

    2013-01-01

    The equation is simple: No matter their background, students who take challenging math courses in high school get better jobs and earn more money throughout their entire lives. This paper stresses that: (1) Higher-level math opens doors for any and all postsecondary programs and keeps it open for advancement beyond entry-level jobs; and (2)…

  11. Teaching Groups as Foci for Evaluating Performance in Cost-Effectiveness of GCE Advanced Level Provision: Some Practical Methodological Innovations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fielding, Antony

    2002-01-01

    Analyzes subject teaching-group effectiveness in English and Welsh General Certification of Education (GCE) Advanced Level prior to a linking to resources; suggests cross-classified multilevel models with weighted random effects for disentangling student, group, and teacher effects; finds that teacher effects are considerable, but cannot find…

  12. Students in Rural Schools Have Limited Access to Advanced Mathematics Courses. Issue Brief No. 7

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Graham, Suzanne E.

    2009-01-01

    This Carsey brief reveals that students in rural areas and small towns have less access to higher-level mathematics courses than students in urban settings, which results in serious educational consequences, including lower scores on assessment tests and fewer qualified students entering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) job…

  13. College Choices of Academically Talented Secondary Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilson, Hope E.; Adelson, Jill L.

    2012-01-01

    The decision-making process of academically talented students when making the transition to college is complex. This study investigates the factors that contribute to the selectivity of the colleges by Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate students for application. A multilevel model was created to find which college-level and…

  14. Class and Home Problems: Optimization Problems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Brian J.; Hissam, Robin S.; Shaeiwitz, Joseph A.; Turton, Richard

    2011-01-01

    Optimization problems suitable for all levels of chemical engineering students are available. These problems do not require advanced mathematical techniques, since they can be solved using typical software used by students and practitioners. The method used to solve these problems forces students to understand the trends for the different terms…

  15. Singapore Math: Challenging and Relevant Curriculum for the Gifted Learner

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hazelton, Melody; Brearley, Donna

    2008-01-01

    Teachers know their students must struggle and grapple with authentic tasks in order to grow stronger. Classroom teachers of the gifted know that their students cannot advance cognitively without facing relevant and challenging material that demands higher level thinking and reasoning. Therefore, the teacher of gifted mathematics students must…

  16. Cultivating Leadership Development: A Comprehensive Program for Undergraduates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenleaf, Justin P.; Klaus, Kaley; Arensdorf, Jill

    2017-01-01

    The Voss Advanced Undergraduate Leadership Experience (VALUE), is a student cohort program with a competitive application process. Students must have a prerequisite level of leadership education and self-select into one of three designated tracks. Students are paired with faculty and community mentors to learn about operations and collaboration in…

  17. Supporting High School Students in Accelerated Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suldo, Shannon M.; O'Brennan, Lindsey; Storey, Elizabeth D.; Shaunessy-Dedrick, Elizabeth

    2018-01-01

    Although Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate (AP/IB) students may not be the most obvious group of adolescents in need of extra supports, this population has salient and unique risk factors in need of specialized services, such as elevated perceived stress levels. The heightened academic demands placed on these students is an…

  18. Teacher Questioning and Invitations to Participate in Advanced Mathematics Lectures

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paoletti, Teo; Krupnik, Victoria; Papadopoulos, Dimitrios; Olsen, Joseph; Fukawa-Connelly, Tim; Weber, Keith

    2018-01-01

    We were interested in exploring the extent to which advanced mathematics lecturers provide students with opportunities to play a role in considering or generating course content. To do this, we examined the questioning practices of 11 lecturers who taught advanced mathematics courses at the university level. Because we are unaware of other studies…

  19. Advanced Math: Closing the Equity Gap. Math Works

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Achieve, Inc., 2013

    2013-01-01

    Minority and low-income students are less likely to have access to, enroll in and succeed in higher-level math courses in high school than their more advantaged peers. Under these circumstances, higher-level math courses function not as the intellectual and practical boost they should be, but as a filter that screens students out of the pathway to…

  20. An Evaluation of the Use of Case Studies in Economics at Advanced Level in Schools. Research Papers in Economics Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carr, N. J.

    It is hypothesized that, in comparison to the traditional approach, the case studies approach is a more effective way to teach the concept of elasticity of demand. The sample consisted of 26 students, with an average age of 16 years, 9.3 months, who were enrolled in an advanced economics course in an English boy's school. The students were divided…

  1. Tagging and purifying proteins to teach molecular biology and advanced biochemistry.

    PubMed

    Roecklein-Canfield, Jennifer A; Lopilato, Jane

    2004-11-01

    Two distinct courses, "Molecular Biology" taught by the Biology Department and "Advanced Biochemistry" taught by the Chemistry Department, complement each other and, when taught in a coordinated and integrated way, can enhance student learning and understanding of complex material. "Molecular Biology" is a comprehensive lecture-based course with a 3-h laboratory once a week, while "Advanced Biochemistry" is a completely laboratory-based course with lecture fully integrated around independent student projects. Both courses emphasize and utilize cutting-edge technology. Teaching across departmental boundaries allows students access to faculty expertise and techniques rarely used at the undergraduate level, namely the tagging of proteins and their use in protein purification. Copyright © 2004 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  2. An Examination of the Quality of Literacy Skill Assessments across Levels of Second-Grade, Spanish-Speaking, English-Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gutierrez, Gabriel

    2010-01-01

    The current study examined the quality of the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) across a sample of second-grade English Language (EL) learners with varying degrees of English proficiency (e.g., students with beginning, early intermediate, intermediate, early advanced, and advanced levels). DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency…

  3. All Above-Board: A Comparativist Looks at the Advanced Level French Syllabuses of the Nine GCE Boards.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weil, Robert

    1978-01-01

    Advanced level French syllabuses of the nine GCE Boards in the United Kingdom are examined. The Southern Universities Joint Board has recently introduced the most radical innovations. As an alternative to its traditional examination it offers Syllabus "B" which dispenses with prescribed tests, but where each student must produce for the…

  4. The Chosen Tokens: Exploring the Work Experiences and Career Aspirations of Latina Midlevel Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pertuz, Sofia Bautista

    2017-01-01

    Student Affairs serves as a viable career option for professionals working in higher education, including Latinas, who have increasingly entered as undergraduate students and found careers in student affairs. Latinas seem to be bottlenecked at midlevel, with few advancing to senior level leadership positions. According to the literature, negative…

  5. Defining a Technology Research Agenda for Elementary and Secondary Students with Learning and Other High-Incidence Disabilities in Inclusive Science Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marino, Matthew T.

    2010-01-01

    Increased numbers of elementary and secondary students with learning and other disabilities are participating in inclusive science classrooms. Unfortunately, many of these students struggle to achieve at a level commensurate with their peers. As a result, few students with disabilities pursue advanced scientific coursework or enter science,…

  6. Advanced Organic Chemistry: Reactions and Mechanisms (by Bernard Miller)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berger, Daniel

    1998-12-01

    Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River, NJ, 1998. 338 pp, index. ISBN 0-13-373275-4. $59.00. Recently several short texts on intermediate organic chemistry have been published, intended for use in one-term courses for advanced undergraduates and for graduate students who need more background before taking a graduate-level course. These books fill a need not fully met by graduate-level texts such as Lowry and Richardson's Mechanism and Theory in Organic Chemistry or Carey and Sundberg's Advanced Organic Chemistry.

  7. How Do Business and Government Interact? Combining Perspectives from Economics, Political Science, Public Administration, and Practitioners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Neill, Patrick B.; Harsell, Dana Michael

    2015-01-01

    The authors describe the theoretical preparation provided to students in advance of a limited-duration experiential learning experience in Washington DC in a Master's level course for students in Business or Public Administration. The students consider theoretical perspectives from economics, political science, and public administration with…

  8. Photochemistry of Naphthopyrans and Derivatives: A Computational Experiment for Upper-Level Undergraduates or Graduate Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Castet, Frédéric; Méreau, Raphaël; Liotard, Daniel

    2014-01-01

    In this computational experiment, students use advanced quantum chemistry tools to simulate the photochromic reaction mechanism in naphthopyran derivatives. The first part aims to make students familiar with excited-state reaction mechanisms and addresses the photoisomerization of the benzopyran molecule by means of semiempirical quantum chemical…

  9. Developing a Learning Progression of Buoyancy to Model Conceptual Change: A Latent Class and Rule Space Model Analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Yizhu; Zhai, Xiaoming; Andersson, Björn; Zeng, Pingfei; Xin, Tao

    2018-06-01

    We applied latent class analysis and the rule space model to verify the cumulative characteristic of conceptual change by developing a learning progression for buoyancy. For this study, we first abstracted seven attributes of buoyancy and then developed a hypothesized learning progression for buoyancy. A 14-item buoyancy instrument was administered to 1089 8th grade students to verify and refine the learning progression. The results suggest four levels of progression during conceptual change when 8th grade students understand buoyancy. Students at level 0 can only master Density. When students progress to level 1, they can grasp Direction, Identification, Submerged volume, and Relative density on the basis of the prior level. Then, students gradually master Archimedes' theory as they reach level 2. The most advanced students can further grasp Relation with motion and arrive at level 3. In addition, this four-level learning progression can be accounted for by the Qualitative-Quantitative-Integrative explanatory model.

  10. Spectroscopic and Physical Characterization of Functionalized Au Nanoparticles: A Multiweek Experimental Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Masson, Jean-Francois; Yockell-Lelièvre, Hélène

    2014-01-01

    A term project was introduced in teaching advanced spectroscopy and notions of nanotechnology to chemistry students at the graduate level (M.Sc. and Ph.D.). This project could also be suited for an honor's thesis at the undergraduate level. Students were assigned a unique combination of nanoparticle synthesis (13 nm Au nanospheres, ~100 nm…

  11. Validating the Use of AP® Exam Scores for College Course Placement. Research Report 2013-2

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Patterson, Brian F.; Ewing, Maureen

    2013-01-01

    The Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) was created to provide access to rigorous, college-level curricula to motivated and prepared high school students. This study evaluated whether the AP Exam scores from the summative exams associated with 10 courses were valid for the placement of students into higher-level college courses in the subject area…

  12. Effective Professional Development Strategies to Support the Advancement of Women into Senior Student Affairs Officer Positions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aala, Myhraliza Guerra

    2012-01-01

    The lack of women represented in high level student affairs positions has been documented in the literature (Ting & Watt, 1999). The literature suggest that an existing pool of qualified, experienced women is present on university campuses, but has yet to be tapped to enhance the gender diversity at senior administrative level positions (King…

  13. Student perceptions about the mission of dental schools to advance global dentistry and philanthropy.

    PubMed

    Ivanoff, Chris S; Ivanoff, Athena E; Yaneva, Krassimira; Hottel, Timothy L; Proctor, Hannah L

    2013-10-01

    In this study, 491 dental students at one dental school in the United States and one in Bulgaria were surveyed to assess their perceptions about the mission of dental schools to advance global dentistry and philanthropy. The study included questions about prior involvement in charitable dental missions. Many respondents felt that their dental school does not advance global dentistry nor adequately teaches students the virtues of philanthropy and volunteerism. The majority agreed, however, that dental schools have a moral obligation to raise the level of oral health care worldwide and help underserved communities access basic dental care. They reported that an opportunity to spend a semester at a foreign dental school would enhance their dental education in ways that are not presently fulfilled; help them better understand cultural diversity; and teach them about philanthropy and volunteerism. In their opinion, international exchange programs that provide clinical rotations and field experiences in economically challenged and underserved areas of the world would a) foster the global advancement of dentistry; b) promote an appreciation for cultural diversity and socioeconomic disparity in the communities that graduates will be serving; and c) teach students the virtues of philanthropy and volunteerism. This study may contribute to understanding factors affecting student involvement in programs to advance global dentistry.

  14. An empirical investigation of differences between mathematics specialists and non-specialists at the high school level in Cyprus: A Logistic regression Approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Papanastasiou, Elena C.; Zembylas, Michalinos

    2006-12-01

    AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MATHEMATICS SPECIALISTS AND NON-SPECIALISTS AT THE HIGH-SCHOOL LEVEL in Cyprus - The data obtained from high-school seniors for the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) for the country of Cyprus appear to be contradictory. Although Cypriot students did not perform well in mathematics in elementary school, middle school, and in the non-advanced sectors of high school, students in advanced mathematics courses in high school managed to perform exceptionally well. In seeking to account for this apparent disparity, the present study examines the differences between mathematics specialists and non-specialists at the high-school level and discusses the implications that these have for teaching practice. It shows how students educated in an environment that might not be optimal for producing high-achieving students in mathematics and science in elementary and middle school (according to the TIMSS) might nonetheless manage to excel in these fields at the end of their schooling. In conclusion, the authors address the implications of their study for similar educational systems in other developing countries.

  15. Teaching advanced science concepts through Freshman Research Immersion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wahila, M. J.; Amey-Proper, J.; Jones, W. E.; Stamp, N.; Piper, L. F. J.

    2017-03-01

    We have developed a new introductory physics/chemistry programme that teaches advanced science topics and practical laboratory skills to freshmen undergraduate students through the use of student-led, bona fide research activities. While many recent attempts to improve college-level physics education have focused on integrating interactive demonstrations and activities into traditional passive lectures, we have taken the idea of active-learning several steps further. Working in conjunction with several research faculty at Binghamton University, we have created a programme that puts undergraduate students on an accelerated path towards working in real research laboratories performing publishable research. Herein, we describe in detail the programme goals, structure, and educational content, and report on our promising initial student outcomes.

  16. Developing information fluency in introductory biology students in the context of an investigative laboratory.

    PubMed

    Lindquester, Gary J; Burks, Romi L; Jaslow, Carolyn R

    2005-01-01

    Students of biology must learn the scientific method for generating information in the field. Concurrently, they should learn how information is reported and accessed. We developed a progressive set of exercises for the undergraduate introductory biology laboratory that combine these objectives. Pre- and postassessments of approximately 100 students suggest that increases occurred, some statistically significant, in the number of students using various library-related resources, in the numbers and confidence level of students using various technologies, and in the numbers and confidence levels of students involved in various activities related to the scientific method. Following this course, students should be better prepared for more advanced and independent study.

  17. Developing Information Fluency in Introductory Biology Students in the Context of an Investigative Laboratory

    PubMed Central

    2005-01-01

    Students of biology must learn the scientific method for generating information in the field. Concurrently, they should learn how information is reported and accessed. We developed a progressive set of exercises for the undergraduate introductory biology laboratory that combine these objectives. Pre- and postassessments of approximately 100 students suggest that increases occurred, some statistically significant, in the number of students using various library-related resources, in the numbers and confidence level of students using various technologies, and in the numbers and confidence levels of students involved in various activities related to the scientific method. Following this course, students should be better prepared for more advanced and independent study. PMID:15746979

  18. Improving medical students' knowledge of genetic disease: a review of current and emerging pedagogical practices.

    PubMed

    Wolyniak, Michael J; Bemis, Lynne T; Prunuske, Amy J

    2015-01-01

    Genetics is an essential subject to be mastered by health professional students of all types. However, technological advances in genomics and recent pedagogical research have changed the way in which many medical training programs teach genetics to their students. These advances favor a more experience-based education focused primarily on developing student's critical thinking skills. In this review, we examine the current state of genetics education at both the preclinical and clinical levels and the ways in which medical and pedagogical research have guided reforms to current and emerging teaching practices in genetics. We discover exciting trends taking place in which genetics is integrated with other scientific disciplines both horizontally and vertically across medical curricula to emphasize training in scientific critical thinking skills among students via the evaluation of clinical evidence and consultation of online databases. These trends will produce future health professionals with the skills and confidence necessary to embrace the new tools of medical practice that have emerged from scientific advances in genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics.

  19. The Mole. Independent Learning Project for Advanced Chemistry (ILPAC). Unit S1.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Inner London Education Authority (England).

    This unit on the mole is one of 10 first year units produced by the Independent Learning Project for Advanced Chemistry (ILPAC). The unit, designed to help students consolidate some of the ideas about the mole learned in previous courses, consists of two levels. The first level focuses on: (1) relative mass; (2) the concept of the mole as the unit…

  20. Mathematics Readiness of First-Year University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Atuahene, Francis; Russell, Tammy A.

    2016-01-01

    The majority of high school students, particularly underrepresented minorities (URMs) from low socioeconomic backgrounds are graduating from high school less prepared academically for advanced-level college mathematics. Using 2009 and 2010 course enrollment data, several statistical analyses (multiple linear regression, Cochran Mantel Haenszel…

  1. Steps for arm and trunk actions of overhead forehand stroke used in badminton games across skill levels.

    PubMed

    Wang, Jianyu; Liu, Wenhao; Moffit, Jeffrey

    2009-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine arm and trunk actions in overhead forehand strokes used in badminton games across skill levels. The participants were 80 students (40 boys, 40 girls) who were randomly selected from video recordings of 300 students ages 16 to 19 years. The videotaped performances of overhead forehand strokes were coded based on three steps of arm action (elbow flexion, elbow and humeral flexion, and upward backswing) and three steps of trunk action (no trunk action, forward-backward movement, and trunk rotation). Students across the four skill levels exhibited different patterns of arm and trunk actions. Students at advanced levels used more mature arm and trunk actions.

  2. An Exploration of the Gap between Highest and Lowest Ability Readers across 20 Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alivernini, Fabio

    2013-01-01

    The aim of the present study, based on data from 20 countries, is to identify the pattern of variables (at country, school and student levels), which are typical of students performing below the low international benchmark compared to students performing at the advanced performance benchmark, in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study…

  3. TALENT-ed and TYPE III: An Effective Learning Strategy for Gifted Students Who Are Learning Disabled

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newman, Jane L.; Zupko, Sue

    2006-01-01

    Educators agree that a student can display gifted behavior and learning disabilities (GLD) simultaneously. Some of these students thrive when exploring advanced level investigative projects which require higher order thinking skills (HOTS) and creation of an original product. This article presents a GLD case story as an example of successful…

  4. Analyzing Inquiry Questions of High-School Students in a Gas Chromatography Open-Ended Laboratory Experiment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blonder, Ron; Mamlock-Naaman, Rachel; Hofstein, Avi

    2008-01-01

    This paper describes the implementation of an open-ended inquiry experiment for high-school students, based on gas chromatography (GC). The research focuses on identifying the level of questions that students ask during the GC open inquiry laboratory, and it examines whether implementing the advanced inquiry laboratory opens up new directions for…

  5. Fostering Middle School Students' Relational Thinking of the Equal Sign Using GeoGebra

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ko, Yi-Yin; Karadag, Zekeriya

    2013-01-01

    Current reforms in mathematics education have called for a stronger emphasis on the teaching and learning of algebra for all students at all grade levels. Succeeding in algebra can prepare students to learn and understand more advanced mathematics in the future. One topic in algebra--the equal sign--has received considerable attention in middle…

  6. Language and Play in Students with Multiple Disabilities and Visual Impairments or Deaf-Blindness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pizzo, Lianna; Bruce, Susan M.

    2010-01-01

    This article investigates the relationships between play and language development in students with multiple disabilities and visual impairments or deaf-blindness. The findings indicate that students with higher levels of communication demonstrate more advanced play skills and that the use of play-based assessment and exposure to symbolic play are…

  7. The Impact of Mentoring on the Ascension of Senior Student Affairs Officers to the College Presidency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hamluk, Brian Frederick

    2014-01-01

    In comparison to other backgrounds of college and university presidents (e.g., chief academic officers, finance, institutional advancement, etc.) few presidents in American higher education achieve the presidency from a senior-level position within student affairs, and mentoring of senior student affairs officers may play a role in assisting them…

  8. Subgroup Achievement and Gap Trends: Idaho, 2010

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Center on Education Policy, 2010

    2010-01-01

    This paper profiles the student subgroup achievement and gap trends in Idaho for 2010. Idaho showed improvement in reading and math in grade 8 at the basic, proficient, and advanced levels for Latino and white students, low income students, and boys and girls. The state has also made progress in narrowing achievement gaps between Latino and white…

  9. An Electromagnetic Spectrum for Millennial Students: Teaching Light, Color, Energy, and Frequency Using the Electronic Devices of Our Time

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murphy, Maureen Kendrick

    2010-01-01

    In this article, a comparison of student learning outcomes is made in sophomore-level physical science classes using a "traditional" pedagogical approach versus a "modern" approach. Specifically, when students were taught the electromagnetic spectrum using diagrams and examples that incorporate technological advances and electronic devices of our…

  10. Who Succeeds in STEM Studies? An Analysis of Binghamton University Undergraduate Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kokkelenberg, Edward C.; Sinha, Esha

    2010-01-01

    Using student level data, the characteristics of STEM and Non-STEM students are examined for attributes associated with academic success. We use fixed effects models to analyze the variables' role in attaining graduation and college GPA and find preparation and ability, as evidenced by Advanced Placement course work, mathematical ability, gender,…

  11. A qualitative study of motivation in Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) precollege students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yatchmeneff, Michele

    The dramatic underrepresentation of Alaska Natives in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees and professions calls for rigorous research in how students access these fields. Research has shown that students who complete advanced mathematics and science courses while in high school are more academically prepared to pursue and succeed in STEM degree programs and professions. There is limited research on what motivates precollege students to become more academically prepared before they graduate from high school. In Alaska, Alaska Native precollege students regularly underperform on required State of Alaska mathematics and science exams when compared to non-Alaska Native students. Research also suggests that different things may motivate Alaska Native students than racial majority students. Therefore there is a need to better understand what motivates Alaska Native students to take and successfully complete advanced mathematics and science courses while in high school so that they are academically prepared to pursue and succeed in STEM degrees and professions. The Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program (ANSEP) is a longitudinal STEM educational enrichment program that works with Alaska Native students starting in middle school through doctoral degrees and further professional endeavors. Research suggests that Alaska Native students participating in ANSEP are completing STEM degrees at higher rates than before the program was available. ANSEP appears to be unique due to its longitudinal approach and the large numbers of Alaska Native precollege, university, and graduate students it supports. ANSEP provides precollege students with opportunities to take advanced high school and college-level mathematics and science courses and complete STEM related projects. Students work and live together on campus during the program components. Student outcome data suggests that ANSEP has been successful at motivating precollege participants to successfully complete advanced high school and college-level mathematics and science courses prior to high school graduation. This study was designed to examine the motivations of Alaska Native high school students who participated in the ANSEP Precollege components to take advanced mathematics and science courses in high school or before college. Participants were 30 high school or college students, 25 of whom were Alaska Native, who were currently attending or had attended Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program (ANSEP) Precollege components in high school. Self-determination theory was used as this study's theoretical framework to develop the semi-structured interview questions and also analyze the interviews. A thematic approach was used to analyze the interviews. The results of this study indicated that ANSEP helped the Alaska Native high school students gain a sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in order to be motivated to take advanced mathematics and science courses in high school or before college. In particular, Alaska Native high school students described that relatedness was an important element to them being motivated to take advanced mathematics and science courses. More specifically, participants reported that the Alaska Native community developed at the ANSEP Building and the relationships they developed with their Alaska Native high school peers and staff played an influential role in the motivation of these students. These findings are important because research suggests that autonomy and competence are more important elements than relatedness because they generate or maintain intrinsic motivation. Alaska Native high school students reported that ANSEP was more successful in helping them gain a sense of competence and relatedness than at helping them gain a sense of autonomy. More specifically, the reason the participants did not feel ANSEP developed their sense of autonomy was because ANSEP restricted their actions during the ANSEP Precollege study sessions. My study implies that Alaska Native students need to feel like they belong in order to be motivated to take and succeed at taking advanced mathematics and science courses. Educators and STEM program leaders should incorporate elements of belonging into the educational environments they develop for their Alaska Native students. Future research should be conducted to determine if other racial minority students need to feel like they belong in order to be motivated to take and succeed at taking advanced mathematics and science courses. My study also indicated that Alaska Native students were motivated to take advanced mathematics and science courses by knowing ANSEP would support them in future programming because of its longitudinal approach. Funding agencies of STEM programs should consider funding programs that provide a longitudinal approach to help Alaska Native students' sense of competence grow. Future research should include studying other STEM programs to determine if they are motivating their students to take and succeed in advanced mathematics and science courses.

  12. The Effects of Race and Gender on the Satisfaction Levels of Entering and Advanced Level Doctoral Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Labon, Tiffany Nicole

    2013-01-01

    Doctoral education is an aspect of higher education that can be both rewarding and challenging for anyone who attempts the journey. Thelin (2004) stated many graduate students obtain the necessary skills that their individual fields of study require in their master's and doctoral programs of study. Levine (2005), however, has found that the…

  13. Teaching Thermodynamics and Kinetics to Advanced General Chemistry Students and to Upper-Level Undergraduate Students Using PV Diagrams

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iyengar, Srinivasan S.; deSouza, Romualdo T.

    2014-01-01

    We describe how complex concepts in macroscopic chemistry, namely, thermodynamics and kinetics, can be taught at considerable depth both at the first-year undergraduate as well as upper levels. We begin with a careful treatment of PV diagrams, and by pictorially integrating the appropriate area in a PV diagram, we introduce work. This starting…

  14. New optical engineering and instrument design programs at the University of California, Irvine Extension

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Silberman, Donn M.; Doushkina, Valentina V.

    2010-08-01

    Three years ago we reported on a new optics education program established at the Irvine Center for Applied Competitive Technologies (CACT) at the Advanced Technology and Education Park (ATEP) operated by the South Orange County Community College District (SOCCCD). This paper reports on new Optical Engineering and Instrument Design Programs now being offered through the University of California, Irvine Extension. While there are some similarities between the two programs, the differences are mainly the students' level. The community college level programs were targeted primarily at technicians and junior level engineers. The university level programs are targeted at senior level engineering and physical sciences university students, graduate and post graduate students and designers in industry. This paper reviews the reasons for establishing these certificate programs and their content, the students' motivations for taking them and their employers' incentives for encouraging the students.

  15. Current Advances and Future Directions in Behavior Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riley-Tillman, T. Chris; Johnson, Austin H.

    2017-01-01

    Multi-tiered problem-solving models that focus on promoting positive outcomes for student behavior continue to be emphasized within educational research. Although substantial work has been conducted to support systems-level implementation and intervention for behavior, concomitant advances in behavior assessment have been limited. This is despite…

  16. Clustered for Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brulles, Dina; Winebrenner, Susan

    2012-01-01

    Schools need to address the needs of their students with high ability. Not only does this raise achievement levels schoolwide, it also attracts students from surrounding districts and recaptures advanced learners who left the school because their needs weren't being met. One practical intervention--cluster grouping--provides an inclusive…

  17. Recreating History with Archimedes and Pi

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Santucci, Lora C.

    2011-01-01

    Using modern technology to examine classical mathematics problems at the high school level can reduce difficult computations and encourage generalizations. When teachers combine historical context with access to technology, they challenge advanced students to think deeply, spark interest in students whose primary interest is not mathematics, and…

  18. Conceptual Inventory of Natural Selection as a Tool for Measuring Greek University Students' Evolution Knowledge: Differences between Novice and Advanced Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Athanasiou, Kyriacos; Mavrikaki, Evangelia

    2014-01-01

    The primary objective of this research was to compare various groups of Greek university students for their level of knowledge of Evolution by means of Natural Selection (ENS). For the purpose of the study, we used a well known questionnaire the Conceptual Inventory of Natural Selection (CINS) and 352 biology majors and non-majors students from…

  19. Survey of Pharmacy Preceptors’ Expectations and Experiences with Students on Rotations in an Inaugural Combined BScPhm/PharmD Class

    PubMed Central

    Diamantouros, Artemis; Marchesano, Romina; Rzyczniak, Grace; Hardy, Brian

    2015-01-01

    Background: In September 2011, the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, began offering a combined BScPhm/PharmD program to third-year students and postbaccalaureate graduates. Learning consisted of in-class teaching and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) rotations. Objective: To explore preceptors’ expectations and perceptions of student performance in the APPE rotations of the new combined degree program. Methods: A survey was distributed via email to 132 pharmacists from the Toronto Academic Health Science Network who had acted as preceptors for the combined degree program in academic year 2011/2012. The 17 questions were designed to gather information on preceptors’ demographic characteristics and their expectations and evaluations of the combined-program students. Responses were analyzed qualitatively for common themes and quantitatively using sums and means. Survey responses were compared to identify alignment and discrepancies between preceptors’ expectations and evaluations of students. Results: The survey response rate was 48% (63/132). Most respondents (46 [73%]) were from a teaching hospital, and the same proportion (46 [73%]) reported being preceptors for a direct patient care rotation. Forty-four (70%) of the respondents expected students to be at the level of traditional PharmD students, hospital residents, or advanced-level Structured Practical Experience Program students, and 35 (80%) of these 44 respondents reported that their students met or exceeded expectations. According to survey responses, 31% of respondents (18/58) ranked students at the corresponding level of performance on the faculty’s assessment form, while 62% (36/58) ranked students at a higher level (5 respondents did not complete the question). Only one-third of respondents felt that they personally had received adequate training before taking on preceptor duties for combined-program students. Conclusions: Preceptors’ perceptions of the rotation and their expectations of students varied widely and were influenced by prior teaching and learning experiences. There was a disconnect between preceptor-specific expectations and preceptors’ final evaluations of students. Training to standardize the expected level of performance and additional training for preceptors would further enhance the APPE rotations of the combined degree program. PMID:26715781

  20. Critical Thinking Skills of U.S. Air Force Senior and Intermediate Developmental Education Students

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-02-16

    SAASS), and Air War College (AWC). T-tests indicated no statistically significant difference in the CT skills of the sample of ACSC and AWC students...hypothesis that there was no statistically significant difference in the CT skills of IDE and SDE students. SAASS, as a more selective advanced studies...potential to develop CT skills, concluding, “students in the experimental group performed at a statistically significantly higher level than students in

  1. Equal Talents, Unequal Opportunities: A Report Card on State Support for Academically Talented Low-Income Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Plucker, Jonathan; Giancola, Jennifer; Healey, Grace; Arndt, Daniel; Wang, Chen

    2015-01-01

    Year after year, in every state and community in our nation, students from low-income families are less likely than other students to reach advanced levels of academic performance, even when demonstrating the potential to do so. These income-based "excellence gaps" appear in elementary school and continue through high school. It is a…

  2. A Competency Based, Individualized Course Design for ENG [English] 101.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ramsden, Patricia; Watkins, Clyde

    A competency-based, individualized, English course was designed so that, at any one time, students would be working toward a grade of C, B, or A. While some students, based on a pre-course writing evaluation, might begin work at an advanced level, other students might spend the whole semester attempting to achieve the skills required for a C.…

  3. The Impact of Motivation on Student's Academic Achievement and Learning Outcomes in Mathematics among Secondary School Students in Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tella, Adedeji

    2007-01-01

    In our match towards scientific and technological advancement, we need nothing short of good performance in mathematics at all levels of schooling. In an effort to achieve this, this study investigated the impact of motivation on students' school academic achievement in mathematics in secondary schools using motivation for academic preference…

  4. The Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of AWE Feedback on ESL Students' Development of Grammatical Accuracy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Zhi; Feng, Hui-Hsien; Saricaoglu, Aysel

    2017-01-01

    This classroom-based study employs a mixed-methods approach to exploring both short-term and long-term effects of Criterion feedback on ESL students' development of grammatical accuracy. The results of multilevel growth modeling indicate that Criterion feedback helps students in both intermediate-high and advanced-low levels reduce errors in eight…

  5. Using Virtual Manipulative Instruction to Teach the Concepts of Area and Perimeter to Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Satsangi, Rajiv; Bouck, Emily C.

    2015-01-01

    Secondary students with a learning disability in mathematics often struggle with the academic demands presented in advanced mathematics courses, such as algebra and geometry. With greater emphasis placed on problem solving and higher level thinking skills in these subject areas, students with a learning disability in mathematics often fail to keep…

  6. The Effectiveness of the National Board Certification as It Relates to the Advanced Placement Calculus AB Exam

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Antunez, Fernando

    2015-01-01

    This study compared data related to National Board Certification (NBC) of mathematics teachers in a South Florida school district. Data included 1,162 student scores on the 2014 AP Calculus AB exam, student gender, student grade level, and eligibility for free or reduced price lunch (FRL) status. Teachers completed the Standards' Beliefs…

  7. A Bag Full of Newspaper Clippings and Other Tricks of the ESL Trade. TECHNIQUES.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Minicz, Elizabeth Watson

    1985-01-01

    English as a second language (ESL) teachers find the newspaper a terrific source for easy-to-prepare reusable materials. Travel ads with coupons from the travel section can be cut out for beginning level students to complete and mail in envelopes they address. Students can find places on maps. In addition, intermediate and advanced students can…

  8. Separate But Equal? A Levels and GNVQs. Further Education Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edwards, Tony; Fitz-Gibbon, Carol Taylor; Hardman, Frank; Haywood, Roy; Meagher, Nick

    This book contrasts British programs for vocationally and academically minded students and looks at differences and similarities in practice in General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQs) and Advanced level (A level) courses. "Contrasts in Learning?" (Tony Edwards) provides background. "Educating Leaders and Training…

  9. Biotechnology Apprenticeship for Secondary-Level Students: Teaching Advanced Cell Culture Techniques for Research.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lewis, Jennifer R.; Kotur, Mark S.; Butt, Omar; Kulcarni, Sumant; Riley, Alyssa A.; Ferrell, Nick; Sullivan, Kathryn D.; Ferrari, Mauro

    2002-01-01

    Discusses small-group apprenticeships (SGAs) as a method for introducing cell culture techniques to high school participants. Teaches cell culture practices and introduces advance imaging techniques to solve various biomedical engineering problems. Clarifies and illuminates the value of small-group laboratory apprenticeships. (Author/KHR)

  10. Finding the Optimal Scaffoldings for Learners' Epistemological Beliefs during Ill-Structured Problem Solving

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shin, Suhkyung; Song, Hae-Deok

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates how scaffolding type and learners' epistemological beliefs influence ill-structured problem solving. The independent variables in this study include the type of scaffolding (task-supported, self-monitoring) and the student's epistemological belief level (more advanced, less advanced). The dependent variables include three…

  11. Directors, Deans, Doctors, Divergers: The Four Career Paths of SSAOs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Biddix, J. Patrick

    2013-01-01

    Career paths in student affairs generally follow a conventional course: graduate degree to entry-level position, progressive responsibility until middle management, and then a decision to remain, work to advance, or change fields. Studies on factors influencing career advancement have enlightened qualitative considerations individuals face when…

  12. Connecting the Dots: Rediscovering Continuity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Camenga, Kristin A.; Yates, Rebekah B. Johnson

    2014-01-01

    The topic of continuity is typically not introduced until calculus and then reexamined in real analysis. Recognizing the connections between secondary school mathematics and the advanced mathematics studied at the college level allows teachers to better identify mathematical concepts in student ideas, motivate students by piquing their curiosity,…

  13. Rigorous Courses, Fresh Enrollment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McNeil, Michele

    2007-01-01

    School leaders have joined a six-state effort by the National Governors Association (NGA) aimed at making Advanced Placement (AP) classes more widely available, recruiting nontraditional students to enroll, and working to make sure those students succeed in the college-level courses. Participants say the NGA initiative is showing impressive early…

  14. Advanced Integration Matrix Education Outreach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Paul Heather L.

    2004-01-01

    The Advanced Integration Matrix (AIM) will design a ground-based test facility for developing revolutionary integrated systems for joint human-robotic missions in order to study and solve systems-level integration issues for exploration missions beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This paper describes development plans for educational outreach activities related to technological and operational integration scenarios similar to the challenges that will be encountered through this project. The education outreach activities will provide hands-on, interactive exercises to allow students of all levels to experience design and operational challenges similar to what NASA deals with everyday in performing the integration of complex missions. These experiences will relate to and impact students everyday lives by demonstrating how their interests in science and engineering can develop into future careers, and reinforcing the concepts of teamwork and conflict resolution. Allowing students to experience and contribute to real-world development, research, and scientific studies of ground-based simulations for complex exploration missions will stimulate interest in the space program, and bring NASA's challenges to the student level. By enhancing existing educational programs and developing innovative activities and presentations, AIM will support NASA s endeavor to "inspire the next generation of explorers.. .as only NASA can."

  15. The Generalizability of Students' Interests in Biology Across Gender, Country and Religion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hagay, G.; Baram-Tsabari, A.; Ametller, J.; Cakmakci, G.; Lopes, B.; Moreira, A.; Pedrosa-de-Jesus, H.

    2013-06-01

    In order to bridge the existing gap between biology curricula and students' interests in biology, a strategy for identifying students' interest based on their questions and integrating them into the curriculum was developed. To characterize the level of generalizability of students' science interests over 600 high school students from Portugal, Turkey, England and Israel, who chose biology as an advanced subject, their interest level was ranked in 36 questions that were originally raised by Israeli students. Results indicate that students from four different countries show interest in similar science questions. The most intriguing questions were the ones that dealt with human health and new developments in reproduction and genetics. Religious affiliation had the strongest effect on students' interest level, followed by national affiliation and gender. The findings suggest that students' interest in one context is relevant to the development of interest-based learning materials in a different context. However, despite these similarities, cultural and sociological differences need to be taken into account.

  16. [Silver Hills Junior High School Talent Pool].

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wallace School District 393, ID.

    The paper describes the Silver Hills (Idaho) Junior High School Talent Pool, a program designed to advance thinking skills through enrichment activities. The Talent Pool concept was established as an alternate means of identifying students eligible for gifted/talented services and programs. Students participate in three levels of enrichment…

  17. Teachers' Questioning Techniques in Advanced Level Chemistry Lessons: A Tanzanian Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kira, Ernest; Komba, Sotco; Kafanabo, Eugenia; Tilya, Frank

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated the extent to which teachers' questioning techniques and the way teachers handled students' responses facilitated students' learning and promoted their thinking skills. The study focused on three secondary schools in Dar es Salaam. The data collection process involved classroom observations during chemistry lessons and…

  18. AP: Not a Replacement for Challenging College Coursework

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walsh, Margaret

    2016-01-01

    College affordability is weighing heavily this year on the minds of students, parents, faculty, and the U.S. electorate. Intent on saving money on college tuition as well as impressing college admissions committees, high-achieving students frequently start college-level work early through Advanced Placement courses. However, these courses do not…

  19. Automotive Technology Skill Standards

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garrett, Tom; Asay, Don; Evans, Richard; Barbie, Bill; Herdener, John; Teague, Todd; Allen, Scott; Benshoof, James

    2009-01-01

    The standards in this document are for Automotive Technology programs and are designed to clearly state what the student should know and be able to do upon completion of an advanced high-school automotive program. Minimally, the student will complete a three-year program to achieve all standards. Although these exit-level standards are designed…

  20. Becoming a Specialist Nurse in Psychiatric Mental Health Care

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Södergren, Ulrika; Benjaminson, Carin; Mattsson, Janet

    2017-01-01

    Background: Specialist nurse students are upon graduation certified to have increased their professional competence to an advanced level. But how do specialist nurse students themselves experience and understand their professional competence and its development upon graduation? This is what this study aims at describing. Method: This study has a…

  1. Advanced Level Physics Students' Conceptions of Quantum Physics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mashhadi, Azam

    This study addresses questions about particle physics that focus on the nature of electrons. Speculations as to whether they are more like particles or waves or like neither illustrate the difficulties with which students are confronted when trying to incorporate the concepts of quantum physics into their overall conceptual framework. Such…

  2. An Affirmative Approach to Vocabulary Development.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shioji, Jean

    Methods for second language vocabulary development in the intermediate and advanced level English classroom are described. Rather than require students to memorize lists of words, the teacher should give students a better understanding of the process of vocabulary development by showing them how to refine their use of new lexical items and implant…

  3. Cognitive Profile in Low, Medium and High Creative Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ferrando, Mercedes; Bermejo, Rosario; Sainz, Marta; Ferrandiz, Carmen; Prieto, Maria Dolores; Soto, Gloria

    2012-01-01

    Introduction: The aim of the present work is to advance in the study of creativity-intelligence relationship looking into the students' cognitive profiles. It is hypothesized that, if creative ideas emerge as result of connecting distant concepts, and a balanced cognitive profile (without significant differences between ability levels) can…

  4. Strategies to Advance College-Ready Writing Competencies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Manhui Amy

    2013-01-01

    While many college students at two-year public colleges need Basic Writing classes before entering college-level writing courses, only 34% have successfully passed their Basic Writing classes (Ternes, 2008). Troyo (2000) maintained that the reason students failed in Basic Writing classes was that more research-based effective teaching strategies…

  5. The Chortling Bard: Caught'ya Grammar with a Giggle for High School Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kiester, Jane Bell

    This book transforms William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night,""A Midsummer Night's Dream," and "Much Ado about Nothing" into adaptable "Caught'ya" sentences that appeal to high school students at any level--from basic skills and dropout prevention through high honors and advanced placement. The book makes…

  6. A Mohawk Vision of Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henderson, Mary

    1996-01-01

    Discusses the Ahkwesahsne Science and Math Project, a holistic bioregional curriculum designed to help students of the Mohawk culture in Canada. The program aimed to stress the local ecosystem and develop a curriculum based in Mohawk culture while encouraging the students to also pursue the advanced levels of math and science. (AIM)

  7. Considerations and Strategies for Teaching Online Counseling Skills: Establishing Relationships in Cyberspace

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trepal, Heather; Haberstroh, Shane; Duffey, Thelma; Evans, Marcheta

    2007-01-01

    As technology advances and the use of online counseling becomes more routine, attention must be paid to instruction regarding online counseling skills. The authors present considerations for teaching basic online counseling skills to master's-level counseling students. Recommendations are made for helping students to establish and maintain…

  8. Designs for Collective Cognitive Responsibility in Knowledge-Building Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Jianwei; Scardamalia, Marlene; Reeve, Richard; Messina, Richard

    2009-01-01

    This article reports a design experiment conducted over three successive school years, with the teacher's goal of having his Grade 4 students assume increasing levels of collective responsibility for advancing their knowledge of optics. Classroom practices conducive to sustained knowledge building were co-constructed by the teacher and students,…

  9. Developing models to predict 8th grade students' achievement levels on timss science based on opportunity-to-learn variables

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Whitford, Melinda M.

    Science educational reforms have placed major emphasis on improving science classroom instruction and it is therefore vital to study opportunity-to-learn (OTL) variables related to student science learning experiences and teacher teaching practices. This study will identify relationships between OTL and student science achievement and will identify OTL predictors of students' attainment at various distinct achievement levels (low/intermediate/high/advanced). Specifically, the study (a) address limitations of previous studies by examining a large number of independent and control variables that may impact students' science achievement and (b) it will test hypotheses of structural relations to how the identified predictors and mediating factors impact on student achievement levels. The study will follow a multi-stage and integrated bottom-up and top-down approach to identify predictors of students' achievement levels on standardized tests using TIMSS 2011 dataset. Data mining or pattern recognition, a bottom-up approach will identify the most prevalent association patterns between different student achievement levels and variables related to student science learning experiences, teacher teaching practices and home and school environments. The second stage is a top-down approach, testing structural equation models of relations between the significant predictors and students' achievement levels according.

  10. Factors related to student performance in statistics courses in Lebanon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Naccache, Hiba Salim

    The purpose of the present study was to identify factors that may contribute to business students in Lebanese universities having difficulty in introductory and advanced statistics courses. Two statistics courses are required for business majors at Lebanese universities. Students are not obliged to be enrolled in any math courses prior to taking statistics courses. Drawing on recent educational research, this dissertation attempted to identify the relationship between (1) students’ scores on Lebanese university math admissions tests; (2) students’ scores on a test of very basic mathematical concepts; (3) students’ scores on the survey of attitude toward statistics (SATS); (4) course performance as measured by students’ final scores in the course; and (5) their scores on the final exam. Data were collected from 561 students enrolled in multiple sections of two courses: 307 students in the introductory statistics course and 260 in the advanced statistics course in seven campuses across Lebanon over one semester. The multiple regressions results revealed four significant relationships at the introductory level: between students’ scores on the math quiz with their (1) final exam scores; (2) their final averages; (3) the Cognitive subscale of the SATS with their final exam scores; and (4) their final averages. These four significant relationships were also found at the advanced level. In addition, two more significant relationships were found between students’ final average and the two subscales of Effort (5) and Affect (6). No relationship was found between students’ scores on the admission math tests and both their final exam scores and their final averages in both the introductory and advanced level courses. On the other hand, there was no relationship between students’ scores on Lebanese admissions tests and their final achievement. Although these results were consistent across course formats and instructors, they may encourage Lebanese universities to assess the effectiveness of prerequisite math courses. Moreover, these findings may lead the Lebanese Ministry of Education to make changes to the admissions exams, course prerequisites, and course content. Finally, to enhance the attitude of students, new learning techniques, such as group work during class meetings can be helpful, and future research should aim to test the effectiveness of these pedagogical techniques on students’ attitudes toward statistics.

  11. Where Should We Go With Advanced Placement?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lichten, William

    2001-04-01

    This is a review of the Advanced Placement (AP)Program. In disagreement with claims of the College Board, there is firm evidence that the average test performance level has dropped. The College Board's scale and claims for AP qualification disagree seriously with college standards. A majority of tests taken do not qualify. It appears that "advanced placement" is coming closer to "placement." This paper recommends that the College Board's policy, which previously has concentrated on the numbers of participants, should include an emphasis on student performance and program quality. AP could accomplish its goal of reaching a wider range of students by changing along the lines followed in college introductory physics courses: multiple tracks.

  12. Introduction of optical tweezers in advanced physics laboratory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Gang

    2017-08-01

    Laboratories are an essential part of undergraduate optoelectronics and photonics education. Of particular interest are the sequence of laboratories which offer students meaningful research experience within a reasonable time-frame limited by regular laboratory hours. We will present our introduction of optical tweezers into the upper-level physics laboratory. We developed the sequence of experiments in the Advanced Lab to offer students sufficient freedom to explore, rather than simply setting up a demonstration following certain recipes. We will also present its impact on our current curriculum of optoelectronics concentration within the physics program.

  13. Perceptions of Declining Classmate and Teacher Support Following the Transition to High School: Potential Correlates of Increasing Student Mental Health Difficulties

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    De Wit, David J.; Karioja, Kim; Rye, B. J.; Shain, Martin

    2011-01-01

    Emotional support from classmates and teachers is a powerful protective factor in averting or reducing student mental health problems. Yet, longitudinal evidence indicates that there is decreased support from these groups as students advance to higher grade levels, a change that may be linked to diminishing mental health. This study followed 2,616…

  14. Out-of-School Experience Categories Influencing Interest in Science of Upper Primary Students by Gender and Locale: Exploration on an Indian Sample

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gafoor, K. Abdul; Narayan, Smitha

    2012-01-01

    In view of student shift away from science at advanced levels, and gender and locale based divergence in interest in studying physics, chemistry and biology, this study explores experience categories that significantly contribute to interest in science on a sample of upper primary school students from Kerala, India. A series of multiple regression…

  15. TLC for Growing Minds. Microcomputer Projects. Advanced Projects for Adults.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taitt, Henry A.

    Designed to improve students' thinking, learning, and creative skills while they learn to program a microcomputer in BASIC programing language, this book for advanced learners at the high school/adult level provides a variety of microcomputer activities designed to extend the concepts learned in the accompanying instructional manuals (volumes 3…

  16. Travel and Tourism Module. An Advanced-Level Option For Distribution and Marketing.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    New York State Education Dept., Albany. Bureau of Occupational Education Curriculum Development.

    Intended as an advanced option for distributive education students in the twelfth grade, this travel and tourism module is designed to cover a minimum of ten weeks or a maximum of twenty weeks. Introductory material includes information on employment demands, administrative considerations, course format, teaching suggestions, expected outcomes,…

  17. Fostering Reflective Writing and Interactive Exchange through Blogging in an Advanced Language Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Lina

    2010-01-01

    Blog technology is a potential medium for encouraging reflective writing through self-expression and interactive exchange through social networking. This paper reports on a study using blogs as out-of-class assignments for the development of learners' language competence. The study involved seventeen university students at advanced level who kept…

  18. Advanced Placement U.S. History and the Application of Social Justice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Curry, Katherine A.; Sabina, Lou L.; Loffi, Jon

    2016-01-01

    Recent changes to Advanced Placement U.S. History have sparked a national debate concerning goals and purposes of college level history courses. Critics suggest that the revisions result in a national curriculum that promotes a revisionist history perspective. Defenders claim that revisions are an important step in preparing students for 21st…

  19. TLC for Growing Minds. Microcomputer Projects. Advanced Projects for Junior High.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taitt, Henry A.

    Designed to improve students' thinking, learning, and creative skills while they learn to program a microcomputer in BASIC programing language, this book for advanced learners at the junior high level provides a variety of microcomputer activities designed to extend the concepts learned in the accompanying instructional manuals (volumes 5 and 6).…

  20. Biotechnology Apprenticeship for Secondary-Level Students: Teaching Advanced Cell Culture Techniques for Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lewis, Jennifer R.; Kotur, Mark S.; Butt, Omar; Kulcarni, Sumant; Riley, Alyssa A.; Ferrell, Nick; Sullivan, Kathryn D.; Ferrari, Mauro

    2002-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to discuss "small-group apprenticeships (SGAs)" as a method to instruct cell culture techniques to high school participants. The study aimed to teach cell culture practices and to introduce advanced imaging techniques to solve various biomedical engineering problems. Participants designed and completed experiments…

  1. Just-in-Time Teaching: A Tool for Enhancing Student Engagement in Advanced Foreign Language Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abreu, Laurel; Knouse, Stephanie

    2014-01-01

    Scholars have indicated a need for further research on effective pedagogical strategies designed for advanced foreign language courses in the postsecondary setting, especially in light of decreased enrollments at this level and the elimination of foreign language programs altogether in some institutions (Paesani & Allen, 2012). This article…

  2. Improving students' understanding of quantum mechanics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Guangtian

    2011-12-01

    Learning physics is challenging at all levels. Students' difficulties in the introductory level physics courses have been widely studied and many instructional strategies have been developed to help students learn introductory physics. However, research shows that there is a large diversity in students' preparation and skills in the upper-level physics courses and it is necessary to provide scaffolding support to help students learn advanced physics. This thesis explores issues related to students' common difficulties in learning upper-level undergraduate quantum mechanics and how these difficulties can be reduced by research-based learning tutorials and peer instruction tools. We investigated students' difficulties in learning quantum mechanics by administering written tests and surveys to many classes and conducting individual interviews with a subset of students. Based on these investigations, we developed Quantum Interactive Learning Tutorials (QuILTs) and peer instruction tools to help students build a hierarchical knowledge structure of quantum mechanics through a guided approach. Preliminary assessments indicate that students' understanding of quantum mechanics is improved after using the research-based learning tools in the junior-senior level quantum mechanics courses. We also designed a standardized conceptual survey that can help instructors better probe students' understanding of quantum mechanics concepts in one spatial dimension. The validity and reliability of this quantum mechanics survey is discussed.

  3. Communicating with patients who have advanced dementia: training nurse aide students.

    PubMed

    Beer, Laura E; Hutchinson, Susan R; Skala-Cordes, Kristine K

    2012-01-01

    The increase of dementia in older adults is changing how medical care is delivered. Recognizing symptoms of pain, managing behaviors, and providing quality of life for people who have advanced dementia requires a new skill set for caregivers. Researchers in this study targeted nurse aide students to test an educational module's effect on students' perceptions of dementia and their ability to care for patients with dementia. The results indicated the training was effective regarding nurse aides' understanding of residual cognitive abilities and need for meaningful contact among patients with advanced dementia; however, the training was not successful in terms of nurse aides' comfort level or perceived skills in working with this population of patients. The findings suggest a need to transform how caregivers are trained in communication techniques. Incorporating this training into nurse aide education has the potential to increase quality of life for people with dementia.

  4. Combining Content and Elements of Communication into an Upper-Level Biochemistry Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whittington, Carli P.; Pellock, Samuel J.; Cunningham, Rebecca L.; Cox, James R.

    2014-01-01

    This report describes how a science communication module was incorporated into an advanced biochemistry course. Elements of communication were taught synergistically with biochemistry content in this course in an effort to expose students to a variety of effective oral communication strategies. Students were trained to use these established…

  5. Practice What You Teach: Connecting Curriculum & Professional Learning in Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wiener, Ross; Pimentel, Susan

    2017-01-01

    To improve teaching and advance student learning requires weaving together the curriculum that students engage with every day with the professional learning of teachers. This paper is designed as a resource for system leaders at the district, state, and charter-management organization (CMO) levels looking to improve instructional outcomes for…

  6. Editing in Technical Communication: Theory and Practice in Editing Processes at the Graduate Level.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Masse, Roger E.

    At New Mexico State University, technical communication teachers have developed a course to teach editing processes to graduate students who take the advanced workshop in technical and professional communication. In this seminar group, students work on writing processes; editing processes; written, edited, and tested products; and oral processes…

  7. Moderating Influences of Student-Faculty Interactions on Students' Graduate and Professional School Aspirations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trolian, Teniell L.; Parker, Eugene T., III.

    2017-01-01

    There is an inverse relationship between lifetime unemployment rates and attainment of advanced college degrees, as well as a positive relationship between levels of human capital and graduate degree attainment (Carnevale, Cheah, & Strohl, 2012). This suggests that there is a need to better understand college experiences that may promote…

  8. Effectiveness of Multimedia Elements in Computer Supported Instruction: Analysis of Personalization Effects, Students' Performances and Costs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zaidel, Mark; Luo, XiaoHui

    2010-01-01

    This study investigates the efficiency of multimedia instruction at the college level by comparing the effectiveness of multimedia elements used in the computer supported learning with the cost of their preparation. Among the various technologies that advance learning, instructors and students generally identify interactive multimedia elements as…

  9. Gapminder: An AP Human Geography Lab Assignment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keller, Kenneth H.

    2012-01-01

    This lesson is designed as a lab assignment for Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography students wherein they use the popular Gapminder web site to compare levels of development in countries from different world regions. For this lesson, it is important for the teacher to practice with Gapminder before giving the assignment to students. (Contains…

  10. Impact of an Oncology Course on the Attitudes of Freshman Medical Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Appel, Marilyn H.; And Others

    Previous attempts to change the prevailing negative attitudes of health professionals toward cancer and cancer patients have consisted mainly of elective courses for small groups of students at advanced levels of medical training. In order to develop more positive attitudes, the Cancer Coordinating Committee at the Medical College of Pennsylvania…

  11. The Reduction of a Nitrile (CN) Group by Sodium Borohydride. The Preparation of Phosphine--Amine and Phosphine--Iimidate Complesex of Tungsten Carbonyl.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Faust, Kristen E.; Storhoff, Bruce N.

    1989-01-01

    Describes an experiment for advanced-level undergraduate students for extending student experiences involving recording and interpreting infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra from reactions of organometallic compounds. Experimental procedures, analyses and structural assignments, and suggestions for extension and modification…

  12. Vocabulary Materials and Study Strategies at Advanced Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pauwels, Paul

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports on a quasi-experimental study of the effect of different vocabulary study materials and strategies used by upper-intermediate English as a foreign language students in higher education. Students were assigned a selection of 163 words from the Academic Word List and were provided with different types of study materials. They were…

  13. Student Participation in Shared Governance: A Means of Advancing Democratic Values?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boland, Josephine A.

    2005-01-01

    Student participation in shared governance of higher education institutions is considered in the context of a civic role for higher education in a democracy. Statutory provisions for the governance of Irish higher education institutions are reviewed by reference to models of shared governance. Findings from a survey of actual levels of student…

  14. A Fusion of Horizons: Students' Encounters with "Will and Wave"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Myers, James L.

    2006-01-01

    In a case study, I applied philosophical hermeneutic principles in an advanced level EFL writing class in Taiwan. A "fusion of horizons" occurs at the junction of two intertwined interpretations: one from our socio-historical tradition and the other from our experience of novel phenomena. I explored students' hermeneutic horizons in…

  15. Enhancing Discussion through Short Stories.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marcus, Sybil

    A teacher of English in a college-level intensive English language program describes a method for stimulating speech in high-intermediate and advanced students, using short stories. It is argued that in short stories, the themes are universal, and even shy students are willing to discuss this form of literature in class. Criteria for selecting…

  16. Lakota Undergraduates as Partners in Aging Research in American Indian Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anagnopoulos, Cheryl

    2006-01-01

    Studies have established the beneficial role of engaging students in research at both the graduate and undergraduate level. Authentic research experiences serve as a tool for instruction where students are actively involved in the process of discovery, the scientific method, and advancing existing fields with scientific data. Further, students…

  17. Issue-Oriented Science: Using Socioscientific Issues to Engage Biology Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lenz, Laura; Willcox, Maia K.

    2012-01-01

    In today's global society, with science and technology advancing at a rapid pace, issues about biological topics are common. A typical standards-based high school or general college-level biology classroom naturally lends itself to teaching issue-oriented science. In an issue-oriented classroom, students analyze and discuss personal, societal, and…

  18. Graduate Students' Research Interest in Business Ethics: A Study of Dissertations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Piotrowski, Chris; Guyette, Roger W.

    2014-01-01

    Research on the nature of business ethics education during graduate-level training is somewhat limited. One approach in determining advanced students' research interest in the area is to examine the selection of "business ethics" topics for dissertation research. The current study addressed this issue by conducting a topical…

  19. From a Semiotic Perspective: Inference Formation and the Critical Comprehension of Television Advertising.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Langrehr, Don

    2003-01-01

    Outlines a study in which television advertising supplied the text that college students were challenged to interpret. Explains that the language and images of this advertising posed a complex, cognitive challenge--even to these students at advanced levels of education. Concludes that information processing of television advertising presents a…

  20. Chansons et Chansonniers (Songs and Songsters). Teacher's Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ullmann, Rebecca

    A resource kit for French instruction at the advanced secondary level is represented by a teacher's guide. A specific area of French-Canadian "pop" music is introduced to students of French as a second language. In order to acquaint students with aspects of this type of music, four French-Canadian "chansonniers" are discussed:…

  1. Distance Education and Plagiarism Prevention at the University of South Carolina Upstate

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kirsch, Breanne A.; Bradley, Lola

    2012-01-01

    At the University of South Carolina Upstate, two librarians created a series of workshops to proactively prevent plagiarism. To reach distance education students, online workshops were developed in Blackboard including basic and advanced workshops for lower and upper-level courses. The workshops are intended to introduce students to the concepts…

  2. The Challenge of the Internet: Practical Applications in Your 7-12 Classroom.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bertsche, Harriet; Silvestri, Holly

    A series of both daily classroom activities and a long-term assignment in which secondary school language students actively use the Internet and the World Wide Web are described. Class activities target each of three proficiency levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced). They include having students check the weather, check out major…

  3. Audiovisual Physics Reports: Students' Video Production as a Strategy for the Didactic Laboratory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pereira, Marcus Vinicius; de Souza Barros, Susana; de Rezende Filho, Luiz Augusto C.; de A. Fauth, Leduc Hermeto

    2012-01-01

    Constant technological advancement has facilitated access to digital cameras and cell phones. Involving students in a video production project can work as a motivating aspect to make them active and reflective in their learning, intellectually engaged in a recursive process. This project was implemented in high school level physics laboratory…

  4. An Analysis of Testing Time within a Mastery-Based Medical School Course.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wade, David R.; Williams, Reed G.

    1979-01-01

    Southern Illinois University School of Medicine's personalized teaching system has the following features: students are provided with behavioral objectives prior to instruction; passing levels for tests are set in advance and are independent of class performance; and the program is divided into small units and students are tested frequently. (LBH)

  5. A Quantitative Study of the Use of "DreamBox Learning" and Its Effectiveness in Improving Math Achievement of Elementary Students with Math Difficulties

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grams, Devonee

    2018-01-01

    Math underachievement is of grave concern with 42% of 4th grade and 36% of 8th grade students achieving at a proficient or advanced level in mathematics, and schools are continually searching for interventions to implement with struggling students. The problem addressed in this study is recently an elementary school purchased access to…

  6. Effect of the Jigsaw-Based Cooperative Learning Method on Student Performance in the General Certificate of Education Advanced-Level Psychology: An Exploratory Brunei Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Azmin, Nur Hafizah

    2016-01-01

    The mixed-methods study investigated the effect of the jigsaw cooperative learning method on student performance in psychology and their views towards it. Experimental data were obtained via pre-and-post tests and an open-ended questionnaire from 16 conveniently selected students at one Sixth Form College in Brunei. Moreover, the participants…

  7. Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Students with Learning Disabilities at the Intermediate and Advanced Levels: A Multiple-Strategies Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    El-Koumy, Abdel Salam A.

    2016-01-01

    The idea of this book arose out of an awareness that students with language learning disabilities are completely ignored in the Egyptian school system and there are no special programs that cater to these students. They are placed in normal schools that are not prepared to deal with their unique difficulties. This book, therefore, is an attempt to…

  8. A Descriptive Case Study of the Ethics of Care Fostered by a Statewide Blended Teaching Model in Support of Site-Based Exceptional Children Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cadran, Amanda

    2016-01-01

    The term Exceptional Children refers to both the highest performing students in the most advanced classes as well as those with the most severe intellectual challenges and every level of functioning in between. In one southeastern state, Exceptional Children teachers work with high school Occupational Course of Study students. These students, who…

  9. Effectiveness of UK and International A-Level Assessment in Predicting Performance in Engineering

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Birch, David M.; Rienties, Bart

    2014-01-01

    In many universities, admissions decisions are made based upon the advanced-level (A-Level) results. The purpose of this study was to assess the value of A-level and international equivalents as a predictor of early achievement in higher education. About 135 UK and 92 international undergraduate engineering students from 35 countries were assessed…

  10. TECFORS, A Newsletter for Instructors of Writing and Reading to ESL and Bi-Lingual Adult Students. Volume 4, 1981.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    TECFORS, 1981

    1981-01-01

    Numbers 3 through 5 of the 1981 TECFORS newsletter include these articles: "Pre-Writing Activities" (Sandra L. McKay); "Errors in Advanced-Level Discourse" (Robert B. Kaplan); "Sensory Imagery" (Elizabeth Jamison Hodges); "Introducing Advanced Concepts of Reading and Writing in the Beginning ESL Class"…

  11. Why Go Modular? A Review of Modular A-Level Mathematics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taverner, Sally; Wright, Martin

    1997-01-01

    Attitudes, academic intentions, and attainment of students gaining a grade in A-level (Advanced level) mathematics were compared for those who followed a modular course and those assessed at the end of two years of study. Overall, the final grades of those assessed modularly were half a grade higher. (JOW)

  12. Enhancing GCE A-Level Programmes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holding, Gordon

    This document, which is based on the findings of a study of 10 further education (FE) colleges throughout the United Kingdom, is intended to help FE colleges review and enhance their curriculum for 16- to 19-year-old students in General Certificate of Education (GCE) A-level (Advanced Level) courses. Discussed first are the following reasons for…

  13. Retail Merchandising. An Advanced Level Option for Marketing and Distribution.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dailey, Ross; And Others

    This curriculum guide is designed to prepare secondary school students for entry-level and career-level positions in the largest area of employment in distribution and marketing--retail merchandising. Developed for use in the twelfth grade competency cluster phase of New York State secondary marketing and distributive education program, this…

  14. GNVQ science at advanced level: motivation and self-esteem

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Solomon, J.

    1995-07-01

    An interview study carried out in the pilot year of the new GNVQ in science at A-level has shown that the use of grading criteria, which require independent learning, as a method of assessment is better for students' motivation and self-esteem.

  15. An Investigation of Students' Personality Traits and Attitudes toward Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hong, Zuway-R.; Lin, Huann-shyang

    2011-05-01

    The purposes of this study were to validate an instrument of attitudes toward science and to investigate grade level, type of school, and gender differences in Taiwan's students' personality traits and attitudes toward science as well as predictors of attitudes toward science. Nine hundred and twenty-two elementary students and 1,954 secondary students completed the School Student Questionnaire in 2008. Factor analyses, correlation analyses, ANOVAs, and regressions were used to compare the similarities and differences among male and female students in different grade levels. The findings were as follows: female students had higher interest in science and made more contributions in teams than their male counterparts across all grade levels. As students advanced through school, student scores on the personality trait scales of Conscientiousness and Openness sharply declined; students' scores on Neuroticism dramatically increased. Elementary school and academic high school students had significantly higher total scores on interest in science than those of vocational high and junior high school students. Scores on the scales measuring the traits of Agreeableness, Extraversion, and Conscientiousness were the most significant predictors of students' attitudes toward science. Implications of these findings for classroom instruction are discussed.

  16. Photonics education development for electrical engineering students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cao, Yang; Luo, Yuan; Liu, Yu; Hu, ZhangFang; Cai, Xuemei

    2017-08-01

    We describe the contents of an advanced undergraduate course on photonics at School of Electrical Engineering, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications. The main goal of the course is to equip the student with the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge to participate in photonics-related industry and further graduate level study and research if they choose. The prerequisites include college-level physics and higher mathematics which a general engineering student has already had in his/her first and second year college study. Although applications of photonics are ubiquitous such as telecommunications, photonic computing, spectroscopy, military technology, and biophotonics etc. Telecommunication information system application is more emphasized in our course considering about the potential job chances for our students.

  17. Learning to attain an advanced level of professional responsibility.

    PubMed

    Ter Maten-Speksnijder, Ada; Grypdonck, Mieke; Pool, Aart; Meurs, Pauline; Van Staa, AnneLoes

    2015-08-01

    After graduation, nurse practitioner students are expected to be capable of providing complex, evidence-based nursing care independently, combined with standardized medical care. The students who follow work-study programs have to develop their competencies in a healthcare environment dominated by efficiency policies. This study aims to explore nurse practitioner students' perceptions of their professional responsibility for patient care. This qualitative interpretative study entails a content analysis of 46 reflective case studies written by nurse practitioner students. The students felt responsible for the monitoring of patients' health status, attending to psychosocial problems, emphasizing compliance, and optimizing the family's role as informal caregivers. At the same time, students struggled to understand the complexities of their patients' needs, and they had difficulty applying their knowledge and skills to complex medical, psychological, and social problems. The students' perceptions of their new responsibility were characterized by a strong focus on curative care, while psychosocial components of health and illness concerns were often overlooked. The students experienced difficulties in meeting the criteria of advanced practice nursing described in the Dutch competency framework. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. The Challenge of Learning Physics Before Mathematics: A Case Study of Curriculum Change in Taiwan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chiu, Mei-Shiu

    2016-12-01

    The aim of this study was to identify challenges in implementing a physics-before- 10 mathematics curriculum. Obviously, students need to learn necessary mathematics skills in order to develop advanced physics knowledge. In the 2010 high school curriculum in Taiwan, however, grade 11 science students study two-dimensional motion in physics without prior learning experiences of trigonometry in mathematics. The perspectives of three curriculum developers, 22 mathematics and physics teachers, two principals, and 45 science students were obtained by interview. The results of qualitative data analysis revealed six challenges and suggested likely solutions. The national level includes political and social challenges, resolved by respecting teachers as professionals; the teacher level includes knowledge and teaching challenges, resolved by increasing teacher trans-literal capacities; and the student level includes learning and justice challenges, resolved by focusing on students' diverse developments in cross-domain learning.

  19. The virtue of culture in understanding motivation at school: Commentary on the special issue on culture and motivation.

    PubMed

    Guay, Frédéric

    2016-03-01

    Students' higher level of motivation is not based solely on intrapersonal factors as innate characteristics, but also on contexts in which students are supposed to develop their competencies. Thus, the cultural context is expected to shape motivation. Values and beliefs shared by a cultural group will affect students' motivation to learn and educational outcomes. This special issue on culture and motivation presents a collection of ground-breaking research ideas that advance our knowledge on how motivation is shaped by the cultural context and how motivation processes are affected by the cultural milieu. Hopefully, this special issue will stimulate new research that will advance our understanding of motivation at school. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

  20. Promoting medical students' reflection on competencies to advance a global health equities curriculum.

    PubMed

    Mullan, Patricia B; Williams, Joy; Malani, Preeti N; Riba, Michelle; Haig, Andrew; Perry, Julie; Kolars, Joseph C; Mangrulkar, Rajesh; Williams, Brent

    2014-05-03

    The move to frame medical education in terms of competencies - the extent to which trainees "can do" a professional responsibility - is congruent with calls for accountability in medical education. However, the focus on competencies might be a poor fit with curricula intended to prepare students for responsibilities not emphasized in traditional medical education. This study examines an innovative approach to the use of potential competency expectations related to advancing global health equity to promote students' reflections and to inform curriculum development. In 2012, 32 medical students were admitted into a newly developed Global Health and Disparities (GHD) Path of Excellence. The GHD program takes the form of mentored co-curricular activities built around defined competencies related to professional development and leadership skills intended to ameliorate health disparities in medically underserved settings, both domestically and globally. Students reviewed the GHD competencies from two perspectives: a) their ability to perform the identified competencies that they perceived themselves as holding as they began the GHD program and b) the extent to which they perceived that their future career would require these responsibilities. For both sets of assessments the response scale ranged from "Strongly Disagree" to "Strongly Agree." Wilcoxon's paired T-tests compared individual students' ordinal rating of their current level of ability to their perceived need for competence that they anticipated their careers would require. Statistical significance was set at p < .01. Students' ratings ranged from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree" that they could perform the defined GHD-related competencies. However, on most competencies, at least 50 % of students indicated that the stated competencies were beyond their present ability level. For each competency, the results of Wilcoxon paired T-tests indicate - at statistically significant levels - that students perceive more need in their careers for GHD-program defined competencies than they currently possess. This study suggests congruence between student and program perceptions of the scope of practice required for GHD. Students report the need for enhanced skill levels in the careers they anticipate. This approach to formulating and reflecting on competencies will guide the program's design of learning experiences aligned with students' career goals.

  1. Moving to higher ground: Closing the high school science achievement gap

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mebane, Joyce Graham

    The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of West High School constituents (students, parents, teachers, administrators, and guidance counselors) about the readiness and interest of African American students at West High School to take Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) science courses as a strategy for closing the achievement gap. This case study utilized individual interviews and questionnaires for data collection. The participants were selected biology students and their parents, teachers, administrators, and guidance counselors at West High School. The results of the study indicated that just over half the students and teachers, most parents, and all guidance counselors thought African American students were prepared to take AP science courses. Only one of the three administrators thought the students were prepared to take AP science courses. Between one-half and two-thirds of the students, parents, teachers, and administrators thought students were interested in taking an AP science course. Only two of the guidance counselors thought there was interest among the African American students in taking AP science courses. The general consensus among the constituents about the readiness and interest of African American students at West High School to take IB science courses was that it is too early in the process to really make definitive statements. West is a prospective IB school and the program is new and not yet in place. Educators at the West High School community must find reasons to expect each student to succeed. Lower expectations often translate into lower academic demands and less rigor in courses. Lower academic demands and less rigor in courses translate into less than adequate performance by students. When teachers and administrators maintain high expectations, they encourage students to aim high rather than slide by with mediocre effort (Lumsden, 1997). As a result of the study, the following suggestions should be implemented at West High School: (1) Have high expectations for all students. (2) Encourage students to take advanced science courses and help them succeed in these advanced science courses. (3) Improve communications among students, parents, teachers, administrators, and guidance counselors regarding procedures, policies, programs, and goals at the school. (4) Assign guidance counselors per grade level rather than across grade levels. (5) Have procedures in place so information from guidance counselors is consistent. (6) Increase parental involvement in the school. Simply increasing the number of and variety of AP science and IB science courses will not result in closing the achievement gap. All constituents must be positive about both preparation and interest of African American students in completing advanced science courses if these courses are indeed to narrow the achievement gap.

  2. An analysis of high-performing science students' preparation for collegiate science courses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Walter, Karen

    This mixed-method study surveyed first year high-performing science students who participated in high-level courses such as International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced Placement (AP), and honors science courses in high school to determine their perception of preparation for academic success at the collegiate level. The study used 52 students from an honors college campus and surveyed the students and their professors. The students reported that they felt better prepared for academic success at the collegiate level by taking these courses in high school (p<.001). There was a significant negative correlation between perception of preparation and student GPA with honors science courses (n=55 and Pearson's r=-0.336), while AP courses (n=47 and Pearson's r=0.0016) and IB courses (n=17 and Pearson's r=-0.2716) demonstrated no correlation between perception of preparation and GPA. Students reported various themes that helped or hindered their perception of academic success once at the collegiate level. Those themes that reportedly helped students were preparedness, different types of learning, and teacher qualities. Students reported in a post-hoc experience that more lab time, rigorous coursework, better teachers, and better study techniques helped prepare them for academic success at the collegiate level. Students further reported on qualities of teachers and teaching that helped foster their academic abilities at the collegiate level, including teacher knowledge, caring, teaching style, and expectations. Some reasons for taking high-level science courses in high school include boosting GPA, college credit, challenge, and getting into better colleges.

  3. Implementing Peer Assessment in a Post-Secondary (16-18) Physics Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chetcuti, Deborah; Cutajar, Catherine

    2014-01-01

    This study explores the implementation of peer assessment with a group of students studying physics at Advanced level in a post-secondary school in Malta. The study that draws on action research methodology looks at how the views of students regarding peer assessment evolve as they engage with peer assessment. The research involved the actual…

  4. Beginning Korean. Yale Linguistic Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Samuel E.; Lee, Young-Sook C.

    A "model of structural linguistic analysis as well as a teaching tool," this text is designed to give the student a comprehensive grasp of the essentials of modern Korean in 25 lessons, with 5 review lessons, leading to advanced levels of proficiency. It is intended to be used by adult students working either in classes or by themselves,…

  5. TOEFL and IELTS as Measures of Academic Reading Ability: An Exploratory Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Buell, James G.

    This paper discusses research conducted in the spring of 1991 that measured the relationship of reading subtest scores to teacher ratings of students' reading abilities. Sixty-eight advanced-level students in an intensive English program took an institutional version of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and a specimen reading…

  6. Developing a Learning Progression for Curriculum, Instruction, and Student Learning: An Example from Mathematics Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fonger, Nicole L.; Stephens, Ana; Blanton, Maria; Isler, Isil; Knuth, Eric; Gardiner, Angela Murphy

    2018-01-01

    Learning progressions have been demarcated by some for science education, or only concerned with levels of sophistication in student thinking as determined by logical analyses of the discipline. We take the stance that learning progressions can be leveraged in mathematics education as a form of curriculum research that advances a linked…

  7. Linguistic Markers of Stance in Early and Advanced Academic Writing: A Corpus-Based Comparison

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aull, Laura L.; Lancaster, Zak

    2014-01-01

    This article uses corpus methods to examine linguistic expressions of stance in over 4,000 argumentative essays written by incoming first-year university students in comparison with the writing of upper-level undergraduate students and published academics. The findings reveal linguistic stance markers shared across the first-year essays despite…

  8. An Analysis of Diagram Modification and Construction in Students' Solutions to Applied Calculus Problems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bremigan, Elizabeth George

    2005-01-01

    In the study reported here, I examined the diagrams that mathematically capable high school students produced in solving applied calculus problems in which a diagram was provided in the problem statement. Analyses of the diagrams contained in written solutions to selected free-response problems from the 1996 BC level Advanced Placement Calculus…

  9. Advanced Career (AC) Curricula: Teachers and Students Enthusiastic about Challenging, Project-Based Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), 2013

    2013-01-01

    To keep pace with accelerating technology and workplace expectations, high school and technology center students need access to high-level programs and courses that open the doors to further education and careers. The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and nine states have launched a far-reaching program to provide rigorous and relevant…

  10. Heat Mining or Replenishable Geothermal Energy? A Project for Advanced-Level Physics Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dugdale, Pam

    2014-01-01

    There is growing interest in the use of low enthalpy geothermal (LEG) energy schemes, whereby heated water is extracted from sandstone aquifers for civic heating projects. While prevalent in countries with volcanic activity, a recently proposed scheme for Manchester offered the perfect opportunity to engage students in the viability of this form…

  11. Using Support Mechanisms to Balance Work and Family Life: How Mid and Senior Level Student Affairs Administrators Overcome Challenges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cassell, Aba DeLynda

    2012-01-01

    Female student affairs leaders who also have family responsibilities find that a primary challenge they encounter is society's expectations concerning their roles and responsibilities in both realms. Research discovers that women experience internal and external barriers that hinder their advancement opportunities however; women's…

  12. Subgroup Achievement and Gap Trends: Hawaii

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Center on Education Policy, 2010

    2010-01-01

    Hawaii showed improvement in reading and math in grade 8 at the basic, proficient, and advanced levels for Asian and white students, low income students, and boys and girls. Gains in math tended to be larger than in reading. Trends in closing achievement gaps were mixed. Comparable data were available from 2007 through 2009. (Contains 9 tables.)…

  13. Cooperative Learning in the Advanced Algebra and Trigonometry Mathematics High School Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jozsa, Alison

    2017-01-01

    Over the past three decades, researchers have found cooperative learning to have positive effects on student achievement in various subject areas and levels in education. However, there are limited studies on the impact of cooperative learning on student achievement in the area of high school mathematics. This study examined the impact of…

  14. Learning Strategies: Secondary LD Students in the Mainstream.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    D'Antoni, Alice; And Others

    The paper presents four learning strategy techniques--the SQ3R method of study, the Multipass Strategy, the Advanced Study Guide Technique, and Cognitive Mapping--for use with secondary level learning disabled students. The SQ3R method involves the five steps of survey, question, read, recite, and review. An adaption of the SQ3R method, the…

  15. The reported preparedness and disposition by students in a Nigerian university towards the use of information technology for medical education.

    PubMed

    Fadeyi, A; Desalu, O O; Ameen, A; Adeboye, A N Muhammed

    2010-01-01

    The computer and information technology (IT) revolution have transformed modern health care systems in the areas of communication, storage, retrieval of medical information and teaching, but little is known about IT skill and use in most developing nations. The aim of this study has been to evaluate the reported preparedness and disposition by medical students in a Nigerian university toward the use of IT for medical education. A self-administered structured questionnaire containing 24 items was used to obtain information from medical students in the University of Ilorin, Nigeria on their level of computer usage, knowledge of computer software and hardware, availability and access to computer, possession of personal computer and e-mail address, preferred method of medical education and the use of computer as a supplement to medical education. Out of 479 medical students, 179 (37.4%) had basic computer skills, 209 (43.6%) had intermediate skills and 58(12.1%) had advanced computer skills. Three hundred and thirty (68.9%) have access to computer and 451(94.2%) have e-mail addresses. For medical teaching, majority (83.09%), preferred live lecture, 56.78% lecture videos, 35.1% lecture handout on web site and 410 (85.6%) wants computer as a supplement to live lectures. Less than half (39.5%) wants laptop acquisition to be mandatory. Students with advanced computer skills were well prepared and disposed to IT than those with basic computer skill. The findings revealed that the medical students with advanced computer skills were well prepared and disposed to IT based medical education. Therefore, high level of computer skill is required for them to be prepared and favorably disposed to IT based medical education.

  16. Comparing self-guided learning and educator-guided learning formats for simulation-based clinical training.

    PubMed

    Brydges, Ryan; Carnahan, Heather; Rose, Don; Dubrowski, Adam

    2010-08-01

    In this paper, we tested the over-arching hypothesis that progressive self-guided learning offers equivalent learning benefit vs. proficiency-based training while limiting the need to set proficiency standards. We have shown that self-guided learning is enhanced when students learn on simulators that progressively increase in fidelity during practice. Proficiency-based training, a current gold-standard training approach, requires achievement of a criterion score before students advance to the next learning level. Baccalaureate nursing students (n = 15/group) practised intravenous catheterization using simulators that differed in fidelity (i.e. students' perceived realism). Data were collected in 2008. Proficiency-based students advanced from low- to mid- to high-fidelity after achieving a proficiency criterion at each level. Progressive students self-guided their progression from low- to mid- to high-fidelity. Yoked control students followed an experimenter-defined progressive practice schedule. Open-ended students moved freely between the simulators. One week after practice, blinded experts evaluated students' skill transfer on a standardized patient simulation. Group differences were examined using analyses of variance. Proficiency-based students scored highest on the high-fidelity post-test (effect size = 1.22). An interaction effect showed that the Progressive and Open-ended groups maintained their performance from post-test to transfer test, whereas the Proficiency-based and Yoked control groups experienced a significant decrease (P < 0.05). Surprisingly, most Open-ended students (73%) chose the progressive practice schedule. Progressive training and proficiency-based training resulted in equivalent transfer test performance, suggesting that progressive students effectively self-guided when to transition between simulators. Students' preference for the progressive practice schedule indicates that educators should consider this sequence for simulation-based training.

  17. Science dual enrollment: An examination of high school students' post-secondary aspirations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berry, Chelsia

    The purpose of this study was to determine if participation in science dual enrollment courses influenced African American high school students' post-secondary aspirations that will lead to college attendance. The investigation examined the relationship between African American students' learning experiences and how their self-efficacy and outcome expectations impact their goal setting. The goal was to determine the impact of the following variables on African American students' plan to pursue a bachelor's or advanced degree: (a) STEM exposure, (b) Algebra 1 achievement, (c) level of science class, and (d) receiving science college credit for dual enrollment course. The social cognitive career theory framed this body of research to explore how career and academic interests mature, are developed, and are translated into action. Science dual enrollment participation is a strategy for addressing the lack of African American presence in the STEM fields. The causal comparative ex post facto research design was used in this quantitative study. The researcher performed the Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric analysis of variance and Pearson's chi-square tests to analyze secondary data from the High School Longitudinal Study first follow-up student questionnaire. The results indicate that STEM exposure and early success in Algebra 1 have a statistically significant impact on African American students' ambition to pursue a bachelor's or advanced degree. According to the Pearson's chi-square and independent sample Kruskal-Wallis analyses, level of students' science class and receiving college credit for dual enrollment do not significantly influence African American students' postsecondary aspirations.

  18. Developing a Geoscience Literacy Exam: Pushing Geoscience Literacy Assessment to New Levels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iverson, E. A.; Steer, D. N.; Manduca, C. A.

    2012-12-01

    InTeGrate is a community effort aimed at improving geoscience literacy and building a workforce that can use geoscience to solve societal issues. As part of this work we have developed a geoscience literacy assessment instrument to measure students' higher order thinking. This assessment is an important part of the development of curricula designed to increase geoscience literacy for all undergraduate students. To this end, we developed the Geoscience Literacy Exam (GLE) as one of the tools to quantify the effectiveness of these materials on students' understandings of geoscience literacy. The InTeGrate project is a 5-year, NSF-funded STEP Center grant in its first year of funding. Details concerning the project are found at http://serc.carleton.edu/integrate/index.html. The GLE instrument addresses content and concepts in the Earth, Climate, and Ocean Science literacy documents. The testing schema is organized into three levels of increasing complexity. Level 1 questions are single answer, understanding- or application-level multiple choice questions. For example, selecting which type of energy transfer is most responsible for the movement of tectonic plates. They are designed such that most introductory level students should be able to correctly answer after taking an introductory geoscience course. Level 2 questions are more advanced multiple answer/matching questions, at the understanding- through analysis-level. Students might be asked to determine the types of earth-atmosphere interactions that could result in changes to global temperatures in the event of a major volcanic eruption. Because the answers are more complicated, some introductory students and most advanced students should be able to respond correctly. Level 3 questions are analyzing- to evaluating-level short essays, such as describe the ways in which the atmosphere sustains life on Earth. These questions are designed such that introductory students could probably formulate a rudimentary response. We anticipate the detail and sophistication of the response will increase as students progress through the InTeGrate curriculum. A team of 14 community members and assessment experts were assembled to develop the questions and complete validity and reliability testing. An initial set of questions was vetted, revised by the assessment team, and sent for external review. Students can score one point for correct Level 1 answers. For Level 2 questions, students can score from zero to two points, depending on the number of correct answers selected. Rubrics are under development for Level 3 essay questions using a 3 point scale that assigns points based both on the accuracy of the response and the quality of the written response. The final instrument will be used to measure geoscience literacy from introductory, non-science students to upper-level geoscience majors. In addition to covering geoscience content knowledge and understanding, GLE+ is also intended to probe InTeGrate students' ability and motivation to use their geoscience expertise to address problems of environmental sustainability. This final instrument will be made available to the geoscience education community as an assessment to be used in conjunction with InTeGrate teaching materials or as a stand-alone tool for departments to measure student learning gains across the major.

  19. Problems with the rush toward advanced physics in high schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gollub, Jerry

    2003-04-01

    The Advanced Placement (AP) Program has a major impact on the physics experience of many high school students. It affects admission to college, course choices and performance in college, and subsequent career decisions. A study committee of the National Research Council published a review of these programs in 2002, and concluded that while the program has many positive features, important problems need to be addressed. [1] The programs are not currently consistent with what we have learned about student learning from cognitive research. Students are often poorly prepared for AP courses, because of lack of coordination within schools. The Physics AP-B (non-calculus) program is too broad to allow most high school students to achieve an adequate level of conceptual understanding. Participation by minority students in these programs is far below that of other students. The AP exams need to be re-evaluated to insure that they actually measure conceptual understanding and complex reasoning. The AP exams are sometimes used inappropriately to rate teachers or schools. College and high school courses are poorly coordinated, with the result that students often take an introductory physics survey as many as three times. Policies on college credit for AP courses differ widely. These problems cannot be fixed by the College Board alone. [1] Jerry P. Gollub and Robin Spital, "Advanced Physics in the High Schools", Physics Today, May 2002.

  20. The Development of Advanced Learner Oral Proficiency Using iPads

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lys, Franziska

    2013-01-01

    In this study, I investigate the use and integration of iPads in an advanced German conversation class. In particular, I am interested in analyzing how students learn with this new technology and how it affects the development of their oral proficiency level. Overall, my results suggest that iPads are well suited to practice listening and speaking…

  1. Are They Listening Better? Supporting EFL College Students' DVD Video Comprehension with Advance Organizers in a Multimedia English Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Chen-Hong

    2012-01-01

    As technology continues to evolve, authentic multimedia-based teaching materials are widely used in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. However, they may lie beyond most language learners' proficiency level. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of advance organizers in conjunction with the cognitive theory of…

  2. Reader for Advanced Spoken Tamil, Parts 1 and 2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schiffman, Harold F.

    Part 1 of this reader consists of transcriptions of five Tamil radio plays, with exercises, notes, and discussion. Part 2 is a synopsis grammar and a glossary. Both are intended for advanced students of Tamil who have had at least two years of instruction in the spoken language at the college level. The materials have been tested in classroom use…

  3. Development of a Renewable Hydrogen Production and Fuel Cell Education Program

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mann, Michael D.

    2011-11-20

    This report presents the results of a program designed to develop an education program to 1) Provide exposure to the basics of hydrogen-based technologies to a large number of students. This exposure will provide a level of training that will allow students to converse and work with other scientists and engineers in this field. It will also serve to spark a level of interest in a subset of students who will then continue with more advanced coursework and/or research; 2) Provide a “mid-level” training to a moderate level of students. More detailed and directed education will provide students with themore » ability to work to support industry and government development of hydrogen technologies. This level of training would be sufficient to work in the industry, but not be a leader in research and development; and 3) Provide detailed training to a smaller subset of students with a strong interest and propensity to make significant contributions to the technology development. These individuals will have extensive hands-on experience through internships that will play a major role in industry, government, and academia.« less

  4. Mapping students' ideas about chemical reactions at different educational levels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, Fan

    Understanding chemical reactions is crucial in learning chemistry at all educational levels. Nevertheless, research in science education has revealed that many students struggle to understand chemical processes. Improving teaching and learning about chemical reactions demands that we develop a clearer understanding of student reasoning in this area and of how this reasoning evolves with training in the discipline. Thus, we have carried out a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews as the main data collection tool to explore students reasoning about reaction mechanism and causality. The participants of this study included students at different levels of training in chemistry: general chemistry students (n=22), organic chemistry students (n=16), first year graduate students (n=13) and Ph.D. candidates (n=14). We identified major conceptual modes along critical dimensions of analysis, and illustrated common ways of reasoning using typical cases. Main findings indicate that although significant progress is observed in student reasoning in some areas, major conceptual difficulties seem to persist even at the more advanced educational levels. In addition, our findings suggest that students struggle to integrate important concepts when thinking about mechanism and causality in chemical reactions. The results of our study are relevant to chemistry educators interested in learning progressions, assessment, and conceptual development.

  5. A Work Specific Curriculum Project. Special 353 Demonstration Project in Adult Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Auburn Univ., AL. Dept. of Vocational and Adult Education.

    This document contains samples of work specific curricula for the basic level (I) and advanced level (II) of the safety section of the Auburn University (Alabama) Demonstration project in adult education. The samples consist of instructor manuals and student books. Content of each instructor manual--one for level I and another for level…

  6. Advancing the Physical Activity Curriculum at the Collegiate Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Warren, Bradley; Odenheimer Brin, Eleanor

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assess college students' pre- and post- health-related, fitness levels, as determined by the American College of Sports Medicine's (ACSM) five components of fitness, in a one-credit, graded college course and to objectively measure any differences between those pre- and post- health-related fitness levels.…

  7. An Investigation of Tertiary-Level Learning in Some Practical Physics Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Weili; Coll, Richard K.

    2005-01-01

    Experimental physics is seen as an essential part of tertiary physics education. Students are supposed to develop practical skills and advance from closed "cookbook" experiments to open experiment and design experiment procedures independently. As a consequence tertiary practical physics courses increase in the level of challenge…

  8. Chemistry, College Level. Annotated Bibliography of Tests.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ. Test Collection.

    Most of the 30 tests cited in this bibliography are those of the American Chemical Society. Subjects covered include physical chemistry, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and other specialized areas. The tests are designed only for advanced high school, and both bachelor/graduate degree levels of college students. This…

  9. Adolescent Literacy. Fact Sheet

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alliance for Excellent Education, 2011

    2011-01-01

    The nation's workforce is demanding ever more literate workers and citizens. As technology advances and the American economy grows increasingly knowledge based, individuals must be able to read, write, and communicate at higher levels in order to remain economic and social contributors. A student's level of literacy is a critical determinant of…

  10. Review of Student Difficulties in Upper-Level Quantum Mechanics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singh, Chandralekha; Marshman, Emily

    2015-01-01

    Learning advanced physics, in general, is challenging not only due to the increased mathematical sophistication but also because one must continue to build on all of the prior knowledge acquired at the introductory and intermediate levels. In addition, learning quantum mechanics can be especially challenging because the paradigms of classical…

  11. A Course in Conversation as Cultural Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Knutson, Elizabeth M.

    2010-01-01

    This paper describes an upper level foreign language course designed to enable students to "learn about conversation" as both a universal and culture-specific form of talk, and to "learn to converse" at an advanced level and in culturally appropriate ways with speakers of French from France and Francophone countries. Students…

  12. Latin Curriculum Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    North Carolina State Dept. of Public Instruction, Raleigh. Instructional Services.

    North Carolina's Latin curriculum guide describes the overarching concepts for Latin study, particularly at the secondary level, and outlines what students should know and be able to do at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. It is designed to provide directions to school districts as they plan and/or continue to improve their Latin…

  13. A Graphical Approach to Teaching Amplifier Design at the Undergraduate Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Assaad, R. S.; Silva-Martinez, J.

    2009-01-01

    Current methods of teaching basic amplifier design at the undergraduate level need further development to match today's technological advances. The general class approach to amplifier design is analytical and heavily based on mathematical manipulations. However, the students mathematical abilities are generally modest, creating a void in which…

  14. Racial Differences in Mathematics Test Scores for Advanced Mathematics Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Minor, Elizabeth Covay

    2016-01-01

    Research on achievement gaps has found that achievement gaps are larger for students who take advanced mathematics courses compared to students who do not. Focusing on the advanced mathematics student achievement gap, this study found that African American advanced mathematics students have significantly lower test scores and are less likely to be…

  15. Tetrahymena in the classroom.

    PubMed

    Smith, Joshua J; Wiley, Emily A; Cassidy-Hanley, Donna M

    2012-01-01

    Tetrahymena has been a useful model in basic research in part due to the fact it is easy to grow in culture and exhibits a range of complex processes, all within a single cell. For these same reasons Tetrahymena has shown enormous potential as a teaching tool for fundamental principles of biology at multiple science education levels that can be integrated into K-12 classrooms and undergraduate and graduate college laboratory courses. These Tetrahymena-based teaching modules are inquiry-based experiences that are also effective at teaching scientific concepts, retaining students in science, and exciting students about the scientific process. Two learning communities have been developed that utilize Tetrahymena-based teaching modules. Advancing Secondary Science Education with Tetrahymena (ASSET) and the Ciliate Genomics Consortium (CGC) have developed modules for K-12 students and college-level curriculums, respectively. These modules range from addressing topics in ecology, taxonomy, and environmental toxicity to more advanced concepts in biochemistry, proteomics, bioinformatics, cell biology, and molecular biology. An overview of the current modules and their learning outcomes are discussed, as are assessment, dissemination, and sustainability strategies for K-12 and college-level curriculum. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Improving K-2 Reading Instruction through the Use of a Coaching Model with Onsite Professional Development: An Action Research Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harms, Paula J.

    2013-01-01

    Reading instruction at the K-2 grade levels is of utmost importance for a student's education. The foundational skills acquired during this time period will serve a student throughout their life. Elementary teachers often feel unprepared for the demands of the struggling, proficient and advanced readers within their classrooms. The professional…

  17. Success in Introductory Calculus: The Role of High School and Pre-Calculus Preparation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ayebo, Abraham; Ukkelberg, Sarah; Assuah, Charles

    2017-01-01

    Calculus at the college level has significant potential to serve as a pump for increasing the number of students majoring in STEM fields. It is a foundation course for all STEM majors and, if mastered well, should provide students with a positive and successful first-year experience and gateway into more advanced courses. Studies have shown that a…

  18. When Traditional Won't Do: Experiences from a "Lower-Level" Mathematics Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hill, Crystal

    2010-01-01

    As the last bell rings, students scurry to their respective classrooms, doors begin to close, and the class period begins. Imagine that you are in the hallway of the school and you look into an advanced mathematics class, into an Algebra I, Part I, mathematics class (a course designed for students who have not found success in mathematics). What…

  19. A Phenomenological Study of the Persistence of Unsuccessful Students in Developmental Mathematics at a Community College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Canfield, Barbara

    2013-01-01

    There are a large number of students entering college underprepared for college-level mathematics (Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, 2011). While this problem is not new, it has become the focus of national attention because of the impact it has on college completion and workforce development. There is much written in the…

  20. Using sentence combining in technical writing classes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rosner, M.; Paul, T.

    1981-01-01

    Sentence combining exercises are advanced as a way to teach technical writing style without reliance upon abstractions, from which students do not learn. Such exercises: (1) give students regular writing practice; (2) teach the logic of sentence structure, sentence editing, and punctuation; (3) paragraph development and organization; and (4) rhetorical stance. Typical sentence, paragraph, and discourse level sentence combining exercises are described.

  1. Teaching and Using Audiation in Classroom Instruction and Applied Lessons with Advanced Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hiatt, James S.; Cross, Sam

    2006-01-01

    A musical ear is widely accepted as an essential ingredient in the education of successful music students. Most music educators believe that without a well-developed ear, it's impossible for a musician to function on a professional level as a teacher, conductor, performer, or composer. The purpose of this article is to introduce the concept of…

  2. Faculty Sensemaking and Transformative Learning: Working to Advance Community College Student Learning through the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burns, Kimberly A.

    2012-01-01

    Community colleges are continually faced with questions of how to best meet the learning needs of their diverse students, many of who are "nontraditional" and are often ill-prepared for college level work. These institutions are respected for furthering democracy through their commitment to educational access and criticized for falling…

  3. Co-Designing and Co-Teaching Graduate Qualitative Methods: An Innovative Ethnographic Workshop Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cordner, Alissa; Klein, Peter T.; Baiocchi, Gianpaolo

    2012-01-01

    This article describes an innovative collaboration between graduate students and a faculty member to co-design and co-teach a graduate-level workshop-style qualitative methods course. The goal of co-designing and co-teaching the course was to involve advanced graduate students in all aspects of designing a syllabus and leading class discussions in…

  4. Atoms, Strings, Apples, and Gravity: What the Average American Science Teacher Does Not Teach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berube, Clair

    2008-01-01

    American science teachers in elementary and middle school face a dilemma as they prepare students for high school physics and advanced placement classes. The dilemma lies in ensuring that these students are equipped with the high-level science content they need to thrive in such classes. Aside from life sciences and chemistry sciences, how are our…

  5. Exercises for Bringing the Hypothetico-Deductive Method to Life

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Romesburg, H. Charles

    2014-01-01

    This article explains four kinds of inquiry exercises, different in purpose, for teaching advanced-level high school and college students the hypothetico-deductive (H-D) method. The first uses a picture of a river system to convey the H-D method's logic. The second has teams of students use the H-D method: their teacher poses a hypothesis…

  6. Perceptions of basic, advanced, and pediatric life support training in a United States medical school.

    PubMed

    Pillow, Malford Tyson; Stader, Donald; Nguyen, Matthew; Cao, Dazhe; McArthur, Robert; Hoxhaj, Shkelzen

    2014-05-01

    Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) are integral parts of emergency resuscitative care. Although this training is usually reserved for residents, introducing the training in the medical student curriculum may enhance acquisition and retention of these skills. We developed a survey to characterize the perceptions and needs of graduating medical students regarding BLS, ACLS, and PALS training. This was a study of graduating 4th-year medical students at a U.S. medical school. The students were surveyed prior to participating in an ACLS course in March of their final year. Of 152 students, 109 (71.7%) completed the survey; 48.6% of students entered medical school without any prior training and 47.7% started clinics without training; 83.4% of students reported witnessing an average of 3.0 in-hospital cardiac arrests during training (range of 0-20). Overall, students rated their preparedness 2.0 (SD 1.0) for adult resuscitations and 1.7 (SD 0.9) for pediatric resuscitations on a 1-5 Likert scale, with 1 being unprepared. A total of 36.8% of students avoided participating in resuscitations due to lack of training; 98.2%, 91.7%, and 64.2% of students believe that BLS, ACLS, and PALS, respectively, should be included in the medical student curriculum. As per previous studies that have examined this topic, students feel unprepared to respond to cardiac arrests and resuscitations. They feel that training is needed in their curriculum and would possibly enhance perceived comfort levels and willingness to participate in resuscitations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Evaluation of mobile phone addiction level and sleep quality in university students.

    PubMed

    Sahin, Sevil; Ozdemir, Kevser; Unsal, Alaattin; Temiz, Nazen

    2013-07-01

    To determine the mobile phone addiction level in university students, to examine several associated factors and to evaluate the relation between the addiction level and sleep quality. The study is a cross-sectional research conducted on the students of the Sakarya University between 01 November 2012 and 01 February 2013. The study group included 576 students. The Problematic Mobile Phone Use Scale was used for evaluating the mobile phone addiction level and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index for assessing the sleep quality. Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman's Correlation Analysis were used for analyzing the data. The study group consisted of 296 (51.4%) females and 208 (48.6%) males. The mean age was 20.83 ± 1.90 years (min:17, max:28). The addiction level was determined to be higher in the second-year students, those with poor family income, those with type A personality, those whose age for first mobile phone is 13 and below and those whose duration of daily mobile phone use is above 5 hours (p < 0.05 for each). The sleep quality worsens with increasing mobile phone addiction level (p < 0.05). The sleep quality worsens with increasing addiction level. It was concluded that referring the students with suspected addiction to advanced healthcare facilities, performing occasional scans for early diagnosis and informing the students about controlled mobile phone use would be useful.

  8. Mapping student thinking in chemical synthesis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weinrich, Melissa

    In order to support the development of learning progressions about central ideas and practices in different disciplines, we need detailed analyses of the implicit assumptions and reasoning strategies that guide students' thinking at different educational levels. In the particular case of chemistry, understanding how new chemical substances are produced (chemical synthesis) is of critical importance. Thus, we have used a qualitative research approach based on individual interviews with first semester general chemistry students (n = 16), second semester organic chemistry students (n = 15), advanced undergraduates (n = 9), first year graduate students (n = 15), and PhD candidates (n = 16) to better characterize diverse students' underlying cognitive elements (conceptual modes and modes of reasoning) when thinking about chemical synthesis. Our results reveal a great variability in the cognitive resources and strategies used by students with different levels of training in the discipline to make decisions, particularly at intermediate levels of expertise. The specific nature of the task had a strong influence on the conceptual sophistication and mode of reasoning that students exhibited. Nevertheless, our data analysis has allowed us to identify common modes of reasoning and assumptions that seem to guide students' thinking at different educational levels. Our results should facilitate the development of learning progressions that help improve chemistry instruction, curriculum, and assessment.

  9. Using near-real-time monitoring data from Pu'u 'Ō'ō vent at Kīlauea Volcano for training and educational purposes

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Teasdale, Rachel; Kraft, Katrien van der Hoeven; Poland, Michael P.

    2015-01-01

    Training non-scientists in the use of volcano-monitoring data is critical preparation in advance of a volcanic crisis, but it is currently unclear which methods are most effective for improving the content-knowledge of non-scientists to help bridge communications between volcano experts and non-experts. We measured knowledge gains for beginning-(introductory-level students) and novice-level learners (students with a basic understanding of geologic concepts) engaged in the Volcanoes Exploration Program: Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō (VEPP) “Monday Morning Meeting at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory” classroom activity that incorporates authentic Global Positioning System (GPS), tilt, seismic, and webcam data from the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō eruptive vent on Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i (NAGT website, 2010), as a means of exploring methods for effectively advancing non-expert understanding of volcano monitoring. Learner groups consisted of students in introductory and upper-division college geology courses at two different institutions. Changes in their content knowledge and confidence in the use of data were assessed before and after the activity using multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Learning assessments demonstrated that students who took part in the exercise increased their understanding of volcano-monitoring practices and implications, with beginners reaching a novice stage, and novices reaching an advanced level (akin to students who have completed an upper-division university volcanology class). Additionally, participants gained stronger confidence in their ability to understand the data. These findings indicate that training modules like the VEPP: Monday Morning Meeting classroom activity that are designed to prepare non-experts for responding to volcanic activity and interacting with volcano scientists should introduce real monitoring data prior to proceeding with role-paying scenarios that are commonly used in such courses. The learning gains from the combined approach will help improve effective communications between volcano experts and non-experts during times of crisis, thereby reducing the potential for confusion and misinterpretation of data.

  10. Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour to Understand Students' Subject Choices in Post-Compulsory Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Rachel Charlotte

    2015-01-01

    In recent years, there have been concerns in the UK regarding the uptake of particular subjects in post-compulsory education. Whilst entries for Advanced level (A-level) subjects such as media studies have experienced considerable growth, entries for A-level physics have, until recently, been declining, prompting fears of a skills crisis in future…

  11. Sex, grade, and course differences in attitudes that are related to cognitive performance in secondary science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Levin, James; Seymour Fowler, H.

    The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze data on sexual differences in secondary school students' attitudes towards science. Attitudinal differences were also analyzed for the independent variables of science programs and grade levels. Data were collected from 988 students using a modified version of the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitude Scales to represent attitudes toward science. Reliabilities of the modified science subscales were all high ( > 0.83). Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to analyze the data for the main and interaction effects of the independent variables of sex (male, female), grade level (10th, 11th, 12th), and science program (advanced placement, academic, general, terminal). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were indicated for all main effects (sex, grade, science program). Interaction effects were not found. Mean separations for the various levels of sex, grade, and science program were performed for all attitudinal subscales. Females evidenced a significantly more positive attitude (p 0.01) than males on three subscales: Attitude Toward Success in Science Scale, Science as a Male Domain Scale, and Teacher Scale. Although not significant, males evidenced more positive attitudes on all the remaining five subscales. Eleventh graders evidenced significantly more positive attitudes than tenth graders on all but the Effectance Motivation Scale. Students in 11th grade had more positive attitudes than 12th-grade students on all scales but Science as a Male Domain Scale; however, these differences were not significant. Tenth graders differed significantly from 12th graders on three subscales; Science Usefulness Scale, Confidence in Learning Science Scale, and Teacher Scale. Positive attitudes decreased from advanced placement to terminal programs. Academic students did not differ significantly from general students except on the Father Scale; however, they were significantly different (more positive) from the terminal students for all subscales. General students were also significantly different from terminal students except on the three subscales of Attitudes Toward Success in Science, Science as a Male Domain, and Effectance Motivation.

  12. Estimating the Reliability of Dichotomous or Trichotomous Scores

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feldt, Leonard S.

    2005-01-01

    To meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, school districts and states must compile summary reports of the levels of student achievement in reading and mathematics. The levels are to be described in broad categories: "basic and below," "proficient," or "advanced." Educational units are given considerable latitude in defining the…

  13. Cultivating Advanced Technical Writing Skills through a Graduate-Level Course on Writing Research Proposals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCarthy, Brian D.; Dempsey, Jillian L.

    2017-01-01

    A graduate-level course focused on original research proposals is introduced to address the uneven preparation in technical writing of new chemistry graduate students. This course focuses on writing original research proposals. The general course structure features extensive group discussions, small-group activities, and regular in-class…

  14. 34 CFR 657.33 - What are the limitations on the use of funds for overseas fellowships?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Education (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOREIGN LANGUAGE AND AREA... foreign language program approved by the institution at which the student is enrolled in the United States for study at an intermediate or advanced level or at the beginning level if appropriate equivalent...

  15. Up Close and Personal: A Case Study of Three University-Level Second Language Learners' Vocabulary Learning Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cornell, Rebecca; Dean, Julie; Tomaš, Zuzana

    2016-01-01

    This study examines vocabulary-learning experiences of three advanced-level, university English as a second language (ESL) students. Through a case study approach, the researchers explore these second language learners' experiences with completing vocabulary-specific requirements for their ESL courses, focusing on their independent study outside…

  16. The Relative Pronouns in French, II: A Pedagogical Norm.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walz, Joel

    1981-01-01

    Discusses problems encountered in teaching French relative pronouns and proposes norms for grammatical presentations at three levels of learning: elementary, intermediate, and advanced. Selection of the relative pronouns to be taught at each level is based on an analysis of frequency lists, on students' age and aptitude, and course goals. (MES)

  17. TEACHING PHYSICS: The quantum understanding of pre-university physics students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ireson, Gren

    2000-01-01

    Students in England and Wales wishing to read for a physics-based degree will, in all but the more exceptional situations, be required to follow the two-year GCE Advanced-level physics course. This course includes, in its mandatory core, material that addresses the topic of `quantum phenomena'. Over the years journals such as this have published teaching strategies, for example Lawrence (1996), but few studies addressing what students understand of quantum phenomena can be found. This paper aims to address just this problem.

  18. Tsikavytys' neznanym: uchnivs'kyi zoshyt (Fascination with the Unknown: Student Activity Book) [and] Tsikavytys' neznanym: vidpovidi do uchnivs'koho zoshyta (Fascination with the Unknown: Answer Key to Student Activity Book). Collage 2: A Ukrainian Language Development Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boruszczak, Bohdan, Comp.; Wozniak, Odarka, Comp.

    One of four intermediate- to advanced-level activity books in a series, this student workbook offers a selection of exercises, vocabulary builders, dialogs, and writing exercises for language skill development. It is intended for use in the instruction of native speakers, heritage language learners, or second language learners of Ukrainian. Also…

  19. Academic-practice collaboration in nursing education: service-learning for injury prevention.

    PubMed

    Alexander, Gina K; Canclini, Sharon B; Krauser, Debbie L

    2014-01-01

    Teams of senior-level baccalaureate nursing students at a private, urban university complete a population-focused public health nursing practicum through service-learning partnerships. Recently, students collaborated with local service agencies for Safe Communities America, a program of the National Safety Council in affiliation with the World Health Organization. This article describes the student-led process of community assessment, followed by systematic planning, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based interventions to advance prescription drug overdose/poisoning prevention efforts in the community.

  20. Characterising the development of the understanding of human body systems in high-school biology students - a longitudinal study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Snapir, Zohar; Eberbach, Catherine; Ben-Zvi-Assaraf, Orit; Hmelo-Silver, Cindy; Tripto, Jaklin

    2017-10-01

    Science education today has become increasingly focused on research into complex natural, social and technological systems. In this study, we examined the development of high-school biology students' systems understanding of the human body, in a three-year longitudinal study. The development of the students' system understanding was evaluated using the Components Mechanisms Phenomena (CMP) framework for conceptual representation. We coded and analysed the repertory grid personal constructs of 67 high-school biology students at 4 points throughout the study. Our data analysis builds on the assumption that systems understanding entails a perception of all the system categories, including structures within the system (its Components), specific processes and interactions at the macro and micro levels (Mechanisms), and the Phenomena that present the macro scale of processes and patterns within a system. Our findings suggest that as the learning process progressed, the systems understanding of our students became more advanced, moving forward within each of the major CMP categories. Moreover, there was an increase in the mechanism complexity presented by the students, manifested by more students describing mechanisms at the molecular level. Thus, the 'mechanism' category and the micro level are critical components that enable students to understand system-level phenomena such as homeostasis.

  1. Open-Ended Laboratory Investigations in a High School Physics Course: The Difficulties and Rewards of Implementing Inquiry-Based Learning in a Physics Lab

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Szott, Aaron

    2014-01-01

    Traditional physics labs at the high school level are often closed-ended. The outcomes are known in advance and students replicate procedures recommended by the teacher. Over the years, I have come to appreciate the great opportunities created by allowing students investigative freedom in physics laboratories. I have realized that a laboratory…

  2. Trends of Science Ability in the National Assessment of Educational Achievement (NAEA) of Korean Ninth Graders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Hyun-Kyung; Lee, Dong-Heon; Kim, Soojin

    2016-01-01

    The results of the National Assessment of Educational Achievement from 2010 to 2013 have shown a downward trend in ninth graders' science average achievement scores from 2011 to 2013. The percentage of students in the Advanced level decreased dramatically from 19.95% in 2010 to 11.48% in 2013, while the percentage of students in the Basic level…

  3. Rhetorical and Lexico-Grammatical Features of Argumentative Writing in Spanish as a Heritage Language and as a Second Language

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paredes, Sofia M.

    2011-01-01

    Student academic writing in higher education is a central component of language programs whose purpose is to promote advanced literacy in the target language. At this level, students are required to produce texts that are analytical-argumentative in nature. This type of genre requires writers to formulate an interpretative statement or thesis and…

  4. We the People...The Citizen and the Constitution: Knowledge of and Support for Democratic Institutions and Processes by Participating Students. National Finals, 2000.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Soule, Suzanne

    The "We the People...The Citizen and the Constitution" program is an instructional program on the history and principles of U.S. constitutional democracy for elementary, middle school, and high school students. At the high school level, classes may choose to enter a formal competition, advancing from congressional district and state…

  5. Closing the Excellence Gap: Investigation of an Expanded Talent Search Model for Student Selection into an Extracurricular STEM Program in Rural Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Assouline, Susan G.; Ihrig, Lori M.; Mahatmya, Duhita

    2017-01-01

    High-potential students from underresourced rural schools face barriers that reduce options for academic advancement, which widens the excellence gap between them and their more affluent, but similar ability peers. The goal of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of an expanded above-level testing model to identify high-potential rural…

  6. Why Do Students Drop Advanced Mathematics?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Horn, Ilana

    2004-01-01

    Students, especially black, Latino and Native American youth and students of low socio-economic status drop out of advanced mathematics. Teachers must coordinate their expectations, their knowledge of students and their teaching practices in order to stop struggling students from dropping out of advanced math classes.

  7. Graduate admissions in clinical neuropsychology: the importance of undergraduate training.

    PubMed

    Karazsia, Bryan T; Stavnezer, Amy Jo; Reeves, Jonathan W

    2013-11-01

    Discussions of and recommendations for the training of clinical neuropsychologists exist at the doctoral, internship, and post-doctoral level. With few exceptions, the literature on undergraduate preparations in clinical neuropsychology is sparse and lacks empirical evidence. In the present study, graduate-level faculty and current trainees completed surveys about graduate school preparations. Faculty expectations of minimum and ideal undergraduate training were highest for research methods, statistics, and assessment. Preferences for "goodness of fit" also emerged as important admissions factors. These results offer evidence for desirable undergraduate preparations for advanced study in clinical neuropsychology. Although undergraduate training in psychology is intentionally broad, results from this study suggest that students who desire advanced study in clinical neuropsychology need to tailor their experiences to be competitive in the application process. The findings have implications for prospective graduate students, faculty who train and mentor undergraduates, and faculty who serve on admissions committees.

  8. Integrated schools, segregated curriculum: effects of within-school segregation on adolescent health behaviors and educational aspirations.

    PubMed

    Walsemann, Katrina M; Bell, Bethany A

    2010-09-01

    We examined the extent to which within-school segregation, as measured by unevenness in the distribution of Black and White adolescents across levels of the English curriculum (advanced placement-international baccalaureate-honors, general, remedial, or no English), was associated with smoking, drinking, and educational aspirations, which previous studies found are related to school racial/ethnic composition. We analyzed data from wave 1 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, restricting our sample to non-Hispanic Blacks (n=2731) and Whites (n=4158) who from 1994 to 1995 attended high schools that enrolled Black and White students. White female students had higher predicted probabilities of smoking or drinking than did Black female students; the largest differences were in schools with high levels of within-school segregation. Black male students had higher predicted probabilities of high educational aspirations than did White male students in schools with low levels of within-school segregation; this association was attenuated for Black males attending schools with moderate or high levels of within-school segregation. Our results provide evidence that within-school segregation may influence both students' aspirations and their behaviors.

  9. Compendium: Graduate student papers on advanced surface transportation systems, 1998

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1998-08-01

    This document is the culmination of the eighth offering of an innovative transportation engineering graduate course at Texas A and M University entitled, Advanced Surface Transportation Systems. The eighth offering of the course was presented during the summer 1998 term. As part of the course, a mentors program provides students with unique learning experiences. Six top-level transportation professionals from private enterprise and departments of transportation, who are leaders in their field and who have extensive experience with intelligent transportation systems, were invited to Texas A and M University to present a 1 1/2-day symposium on advanced surface transportation systems atmore » the beginning of the summer term. Immediately following the symposium, the students enrolled in the course participated in a forum and a workshop with the transportation professionals and course instructor. Each students had discussions with the transportation professionals and the course instructor to identify a topic area for a term paper. Based on mutual interests, each student was assigned to one of the professionals who served as a mentor (along with the course instructor) for the remainder of the summer term. Each student worked with his/her mentor and course instructor to identify a topic area and objectives for a term paper. In addition to discussions with the course instructor, the students (communicating via telephone, fax, e-mail, and mail) worked directly with the mentors throughout the term while preparing their term papers. The mentors returned to the Texas A and M University campus near the end of the summer term to hear and critique the students` presentations.« less

  10. Revisiting the silence of Asian immigrant students: The negotiation of Korean immigrant students' identities in science classrooms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ryu, Minjung

    This dissertation is a study about Korean immigrant students' identities, including academic identities related to science learning and identities along various social dimensions. I explore how Korean immigrant students participate in science classrooms and how they enact and negotiate their identities in their classroom discursive participation. My dissertation is motivated by the increasing attention in educational research to the intersectionality between science learning and various dimensions of identities (e.g., gender, race, ethnicity, social networks) and a dearth of such research addressing Asian immigrant students. Asian immigrant students are stereotyped as quiet and successful learners, particularly in science and mathematics classes, and their success is often explained by cultural differences. I confront this static and oversimplified notion of cultural differences and Asians' academic success and examine the intersectionality between science learning and identities of Asian immigrant students, with the specific case of Korean immigrants. Drawing upon cultural historical and sociolinguistic perspectives of identity, I propose a theoretical framework that underscores multiple levels of contexts (macro level, meso level, personal, and micro level contexts) in understanding and analyzing students' identities. Based on a year-long ethnographic study in two high school Advanced Placement Biology classes in a public high school, I present the meso level contexts of the focal school and biology classes, and in-depth analyses of three focal students. The findings illustrate: (1) how meso level contexts play a critical role in these students' identities and science classroom participation, (2) how the meso level contexts are reinterpreted and have different meanings to different students depending on their personal contexts, and (3) how students negotiated their positions to achieve certain identity goals. I discuss the implications of the findings for the science education of racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse students, particularly given the increasing number of immigrant students in U.S. classrooms, and for the education of Asian immigrant students.

  11. Eating behaviour and eating disorders in students of nutrition sciences.

    PubMed

    Korinth, Anne; Schiess, Sonja; Westenhoefer, Joachim

    2010-01-01

    Sometimes the suspicion is put forward that nutrition students show more disordered eating patterns, which may be among the motivating factors to study nutrition. At the same time, it is not clear whether the students' increasing knowledge about diet and nutrition is associated with a more healthy eating behaviour or with an unhealthy obsession with food choices. Cross-sectional comparison of nutrition students from German universities during the first year of their studies (n 123) and during higher semesters (n 96), with a control group from other study programmes (n 68 and n 46, respectively). Dietary restraint, disinhibition, the tendency towards orthorexia nervosa and healthy food choices were assessed using a questionnaire. Nutrition students showed higher levels of dietary restraint than the control group. Disinhibition and orthorexia nervosa did not differ between nutrition students and controls. Orthorexic tendencies were lower in the more advanced nutrition students. Healthy food choices did not differ among students in the first year. More advanced nutrition students showed healthier food choices, whereas the corresponding controls showed slightly more unhealthy food choices. Nutrition students, more than other students, tend to restrict their food intake in order to control their weight, but they do not have more disturbed or disordered eating patterns than other students. Moreover, during the course of their studies, they adopt slightly more healthy food choices and decrease their tendency to be obsessive in their eating behaviour.

  12. Evaluation of mobile phone addiction level and sleep quality in university students

    PubMed Central

    Sahin, Sevil; Ozdemir, Kevser; Unsal, Alaattin; Temiz, Nazen

    2013-01-01

    Objective: To determine the mobile phone addiction level in university students, to examine several associated factors and to evaluate the relation between the addiction level and sleep quality. Methods: The study is a cross-sectional research conducted on the students of the Sakarya University between 01 November 2012 and 01 February 2013. The study group included 576 students. The Problematic Mobile Phone Use Scale was used for evaluating the mobile phone addiction level and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index for assessing the sleep quality. Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman’s Correlation Analysis were used for analyzing the data. Results: The study group consisted of 296 (51.4%) females and 208 (48.6%) males. The mean age was 20.83 ± 1.90 years (min:17, max:28). The addiction level was determined to be higher in the second-year students, those with poor family income, those with type A personality, those whose age for first mobile phone is 13 and below and those whose duration of daily mobile phone use is above 5 hours (p < 0.05 for each). The sleep quality worsens with increasing mobile phone addiction level (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The sleep quality worsens with increasing addiction level. It was concluded that referring the students with suspected addiction to advanced healthcare facilities, performing occasional scans for early diagnosis and informing the students about controlled mobile phone use would be useful. PMID:24353658

  13. Mineral Physics Educational Modules for Advanced Undergraduates and Graduate Students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burnley, P. C.; Thomas, S.; Honn, D. K.

    2011-12-01

    We are assembling a group of web-based educational modules for a course entitled "Introduction to Mineral Physics". Although the modules are designed to function as part of a full semester course, each module will also be able to stand alone. The modules are targeted at entry level graduate students and advanced undergraduate students. Learning outcomes for the course are being developed in consultation with educators throughout the mineral physics community. Potential users include mineral physicists teaching "bricks and mortar" graduate classes at their own institutions, mineral physicists teaching graduate classes in a distance education setting, mineralogy teachers interested in including supplementary material in their undergraduate mineralogy class, undergraduates doing independent study projects and graduate students and colleagues in other subdisciplines who wish to brush up on mineral physics topics. The modules reside on the Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College web site in the On the Cutting Edge - Teaching Mineralogy collection. Links to the materials will be posted on the Consortium for Materials Properties Research in Earth Sciences website. The modules will be piloted in a graduate level distance education course in mineral physics taught from UNLV during the spring 2012 semester. This course and others like it can address the current problems faced by faculty in state universities where rising minimum enrollments are making it difficult to teach a suitable graduate course to incoming students.

  14. High school and college biology: A multi-level model of the effects of high school biology courses on student academic performance in introductory college biology courses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Loehr, John Francis

    The issue of student preparation for college study in science has been an ongoing concern for both college-bound students and educators of various levels. This study uses a national sample of college students enrolled in introductory biology courses to address the relationship between high school biology preparation and subsequent introductory college biology performance. Multi-Level Modeling was used to investigate the relationship between students' high school science and mathematics experiences and college biology performance. This analysis controls for student demographic and educational background factors along with factors associated with the college or university attended. The results indicated that high school course-taking and science instructional experiences have the largest impact on student achievement in the first introductory college biology course. In particular, enrollment in courses, such as high school Calculus and Advanced Placement (AP) Biology, along with biology course content that focuses on developing a deep understanding of the topics is found to be positively associated with student achievement in introductory college biology. On the other hand, experiencing high numbers of laboratory activities, demonstrations, and independent projects along with higher levels of laboratory freedom are associated with negative achievement. These findings are relevant to high school biology teachers, college students, their parents, and educators looking beyond the goal of high school graduation.

  15. You can exercise your way out of HIV and other stories: The role of biological knowledge in adolescents' evaluation of myths

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Keselman, Alla; Kaufman, David R.; Patel, Vimla L.

    2004-07-01

    A primary objective for science education is to impart robust knowledge that has applicability to real-world problems. This article presents research investigating the relationship between adolescents' conceptual understanding of the biological basis of HIV and critical reasoning. Middle and high school students were interviewed about their understanding of HIV and were subsequently asked to evaluate scenarios that contained myths about HIV. On the basis of their responses to the interview questions, students' understanding of HIV was categorized into three models, naïve, intermediate, and advanced. The results indicate that knowledge mediated students' responses in specific ways. Students at different levels of HIV knowledge reasoned in qualitatively different ways about the myths. A significant relationship was found between students' understanding of HIV biology and the level of biological reasoning. We found that students who employed cellular-level biological reasoning were more likely to reject the myths than students who employed just system-level reasoning or nonspecific biological reasoning. The findings emphasize the importance of conceptual understanding in the critical evaluation of information that may serve as a basis for making decisions about HIV. We conclude with discussing the implications of the findings for science and health education.

  16. History through First-Year Secondary School Spanish Textbooks: A Content Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holley-Kline, Sam

    2013-01-01

    Although enrollments in secondary school Spanish have risen over the past few decades, the Spanish-speaking world (Latin America, in particular) tends to be underrepresented or absent in history textbooks. Given that not all students who take entry-level Spanish classes will continue to more advanced levels, the first-year Spanish textbook may be…

  17. Algebra: Level II, Unit 8, Lesson 1; Powers and Roots: Lesson 2; Geometry: Lesson 3; Number Series: Lesson 4. Advanced General Education Program. A High School Self-Study Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manpower Administration (DOL), Washington, DC. Job Corps.

    This self-study program for high-school level contains lessons on: Algebra, Powers and Roots, Geometry, and Number Series. Each of the lessons concludes with a Mastery Test to be completed by the student. (DB)

  18. A Study of the Rapid Growth of "O" and "A" Levels of Education in Pakistan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ishfaq, Umbreen

    2009-01-01

    The major purpose of this study was to investigate the views of students, parents and teachers regarding the rapid growth of ordinary "O" and advanced "A" level education systems and its implications for Pakistan. The main objective of study was to identify the importance of and social acceptance of "O" and…

  19. Investigating Participation in Advanced Level Mathematics: A Study of Student Drop-Out

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Noyes, Andrew; Sealey, Paula

    2012-01-01

    There has, for some years, been a growing concern about participation in university-entrance level mathematics in England and across the developed world. Extensive statistical analyses present the decline but offer little to help us understand the causes. In this paper we explore a concern which cannot be explored through national data-sets,…

  20. Improving medical students’ knowledge of genetic disease: a review of current and emerging pedagogical practices

    PubMed Central

    Wolyniak, Michael J; Bemis, Lynne T; Prunuske, Amy J

    2015-01-01

    Genetics is an essential subject to be mastered by health professional students of all types. However, technological advances in genomics and recent pedagogical research have changed the way in which many medical training programs teach genetics to their students. These advances favor a more experience-based education focused primarily on developing student’s critical thinking skills. In this review, we examine the current state of genetics education at both the preclinical and clinical levels and the ways in which medical and pedagogical research have guided reforms to current and emerging teaching practices in genetics. We discover exciting trends taking place in which genetics is integrated with other scientific disciplines both horizontally and vertically across medical curricula to emphasize training in scientific critical thinking skills among students via the evaluation of clinical evidence and consultation of online databases. These trends will produce future health professionals with the skills and confidence necessary to embrace the new tools of medical practice that have emerged from scientific advances in genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics. PMID:26604852

  1. Description and evaluation of an initiative to develop advanced practice nurses in mainland China.

    PubMed

    Wong, Frances Kam Yuet; Peng, Gangyi; Kan, Eva C; Li, Yajie; Lau, Ada T; Zhang, Liying; Leung, Annie F; Liu, Xueqin; Leung, Vilna O; Chen, Weiju; Li, Ming

    2010-05-01

    This paper describes an initiative to develop Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) in mainland China and evaluation of the outcomes of the described programme. The pioneer project was an APN postgraduate programme involving 38 students conducted in Guangzhou, China during 2004-2005. Data related to curriculum content and process, student performance, self-reported competence and programme effects were collected. Quantitative data such as demographic data, student performance were analysed using descriptive statistics and the pre and post self-reported practice of competence was compared using chi-square test. Qualitative data such as case reports and interviews were examined using thematic analyses. Reflective journals and case studies revealed the attributes of APNs in managing clinical cases at advanced level, applying theory into practice and exercising evidence-based practice. The relatively modest self-reported practice of competence suggested that the graduates were novice APNs and needed continued development after the completion of the programme. This study reports the experience of an initiative in China and suggests a useful curriculum framework for educating APNs. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Play to Learn: Great Projects to Try, Websites to Bookmark, and a World of Learning to Share with Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adams, Caralee

    2011-01-01

    When kids play video games, they want to perfect their skills, advance to the next level, and become a master. It is the kind of focus that many teachers would love to see in their classrooms. From elementary through high school, computer games are being woven into the curriculum to engage students in new ways. However, many schools lack the…

  3. An Integrated Loop Model of Corrective Feedback and Oral English Learning: A Case of International Students in the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Eun Jeong

    2017-01-01

    The author in this study introduces an integrated corrective feedback (CF) loop to schematize the interplay between CF and independent practice in L2 oral English learning among advanced-level adult ESL students. The CF loop integrates insights from the Interaction, Output, and Noticing Hypotheses to show how CF can help or harm L2 learners'…

  4. The effectiveness of advance organiser model on students' academic achievement in learning work and energy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gidena, Asay; Gebeyehu, Desta

    2017-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the advance organiser model (AOM) on students' academic achievement in learning work and energy. The design of the study was quasi-experimental pretest-posttest nonequivalent control groups. The total population of the study was 139 students of three sections in Endabaguna preparatory school in Tigray Region, Ethiopia. Two sections with equivalent means on the pretest were taken to participate in the study purposely and one section assigned as the experimental group and the other section assigned as the control group randomly. The experimental group was taught using the lesson plan based on the AOM, and the control group was taught using the lesson plan based on the conventional teaching method. Pretest and posttest were administered before and after the treatment, respectively. Independent sample t-test was used to analyse the data at the probability level of 0.05. The findings of the study showed that the AOM was more effective than the conventional teaching method with effect size of 0.49. This model was also effective to teach male and female students and objectives namely understanding and application. However, both methods were equally important to teach work and energy under the objective knowledge level.

  5. Advancing Space Sciences through Undergraduate Research Experiences at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory - a novel approach to undergraduate internships for first generation community college students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Raftery, C. L.; Davis, H. B.; Peticolas, L. M.; Paglierani, R.

    2015-12-01

    The Space Sciences Laboratory at UC Berkeley launched an NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in the summer of 2015. The "Advancing Space Sciences through Undergraduate Research Experiences" (ASSURE) program recruited heavily from local community colleges and universities, and provided a multi-tiered mentorship program for students in the fields of space science and engineering. The program was focussed on providing a supportive environment for 2nd and 3rd year undergraduates, many of whom were first generation and underrepresented students. This model provides three levels of mentorship support for the participating interns: 1) the primary research advisor provides academic and professional support. 2) The program coordinator, who meets with the interns multiple times per week, provides personal support and helps the interns to assimilate into the highly competitive environment of the research laboratory. 3) Returning undergraduate interns provided peer support and guidance to the new cohort of students. The impacts of this program on the first generation students and the research mentors, as well as the lessons learned will be discussed.

  6. Research in Undergraduate Instruction: A Biotech Lab Project for Recombinant DNA Protein Expression in Bacteria

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brockman, Mark; Ordman, Alfred B.; Campbell, A. Malcolm

    1996-06-01

    In the sophomore-level Molecular Biology and Biotechnology course at Beloit College, students learn basic methods in molecular biology in the context of pursuing a semester-long original research project. We are exploring how DNA sequence affects expression levels of proteins. A DNA fragment encoding all or part of the guanylate monokinase (gmk) sequence is cloned into pSP73 and expressed in E. coli. A monoclonal antibody is made to gmk. The expression level of gmk is determined by SDS gel elctrophoresis, a Western blot, and an ELISA assay. Over four years, an increase in enrollment in the course from 9 to 34 students, the 85% of majors pursuing advanced degrees, and course evaluations all support the conclusion that involving students in research during undergraduate courses encourages them to pursue careers in science.

  7. NASA-UVA Light Aerospace Alloy and Structures Technology Program (LA2ST)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Scully, John R.; Shiflet, Gary J.; Stoner, Glenn E.; Wert, John A.

    1996-01-01

    The NASA-UVA Light Aerospace Alloy and Structures Technology (LA2ST) Program was initiated in 1986 and continues with a high level of activity. The objective of the LA2ST Program is to conduct interdisciplinary graduate student research on the performance of next generation, light-weight aerospace alloys, composites and thermal gradient structures in collaboration with NASA-Langley researchers. Specific technical objectives are presented for each research project. We generally aim to produce relevant data and basic understanding of material mechanical response, environmental/corrosion behavior, and microstructure; new monolithic and composite alloys; advanced processing methods; new solid and fluid mechanics analyses; measurement and modeling advances; and a pool of educated graduate students for aerospace technologies. Three research areas are being actively investigated, including: (1) Mechanical and environmental degradation mechanisms in advanced light metals, (2) Aerospace materials science, and (3) Mechanics of materials for light aerospace structures.

  8. Advanced Industrial Materials (AIM) fellowship program

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    McCleary, D.D.

    1997-04-01

    The Advanced Industrial Materials (AIM) Program administers a Graduate Fellowship Program focused toward helping students who are currently under represented in the nation`s pool of scientists and engineers, enter and complete advanced degree programs. The objectives of the program are to: (1) establish and maintain cooperative linkages between DOE and professors at universities with graduate programs leading toward degrees or with degree options in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, and Ceramic Engineering, the disciplines most closely related to the AIM Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL); (2) strengthen the capabilities and increase the level of participation of currentlymore » under represented groups in master`s degree programs, and (3) offer graduate students an opportunity for practical research experience related to their thesis topic through the three-month research assignment or practicum at ORNL. The program is administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE).« less

  9. The Under-Utilization and Problems Associated with the Advanced Placement Program of Adult High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barham, Mary Ann

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the low participation rate among high school students 18 years of age or older in Advanced Placement courses. The subjects in this study were 129 Advanced Placement Students and 129 non-Advanced Placement high school students 18 years of age or older in five high schools in two Louisiana parishes.…

  10. Using the learning management evaluation model for advancing to life skills of lower secondary students in the 21st century

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kansaart, Preecha; Suikraduang, Arun; Panya, Piyatida

    2018-01-01

    The aims of this research study were to develop the Learning Management Evaluation Model (LMEM) for advancing to lower secondary students of their life skills in the 21st century with the Research & Development process technique. The research procedures were administered of four steps that composed of analyze, the synthetic indicator to assess learning to advance to their life skills in the 21st century by the 4-educational experts were interviewed. The LMEM model was developed by the information from the first draft format and the educational experts to check a suitability and feasibility of the draft assessment form with a technical symposium multipath characteristics to find consensus dimensional (Multi-Attribute Consensus Reaching: MACR) by 12 specialists who provided the instruction in the form of Assessment and Evaluation Guide (AEG) was brought to five the number of professionals who ensure the proper coverage, a clear assessment of the manual before using the AEG. The LMEM model was to trial at an experiment with different schools in the Secondary Educational Office Area 26 (Maha Sarakham) whereas taught at the upper secondary educational school with the sample consisted of 7 schools with the purposive sampling was selected. Assessing the LMEM model was evaluated the based on the evaluation criteria of the educational development. The assessor was related to the trial consisted of 35 evaluators. Using the interview form with the rubric score and a five rating scale level was analyzed; the qualitative and quantitative data were used. It has found that: The LMEM evaluation model of learning to advance to life skills of students in the 21st century was a chart structure that ties together of 6 relevant components of the evaluation such as; the purpose of the assessment, the evaluation focused assessment methods, the evaluator, the evaluation technique, and the evaluation criteria. The evaluation targets were to assess the management of learning, the factors contributing to learning, feature teacher management learning, and the learning outcomes. Evaluating methods included with the evaluation process, the tool used to evaluate, and duration to assess. Assessing the LMEM model of learning to advance to students of their life skills in the 21st century were appropriated ability. Students' responses of their opportune, practicability, reasonableness, and respectability in terms of overall benefit at a high level are provided.

  11. Moving an Evidence-Based Policy Agenda Forward: Leadership Tips From the Field.

    PubMed

    Garrett, Teresa

    2018-05-01

    Advancing evidence-based policy change is a leadership challenge that nurses should embrace. Key tips to ensure that evidence-based policy changes are successful at the individual, community, and population levels are offered to help nurses through the change process. The public trust in the nursing profession is a leverage point that should be used to advance the use of evidence, expedite change, and improve health for students and across communities.

  12. Engagement and Institutional Advancement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weerts, David; Hudson, Elizabeth

    2009-01-01

    Research suggests that institutional commitment to community engagement can be understood by examining levels of student, faculty, and community involvement in engagement; organizational structure, rewards, and campus publications supporting engagement; and compatibility of an institution's mission with this work (Holland, 1997). Underlying all of…

  13. Advanced Tagalog Reader.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ramos, Teresita V.

    A Tagalog reader designed for adult students beyond the intermediate level contains 30 lessons in agriculture, art, economics, education, history, language, literature, medicine, music, political science, religion, and sociology. Each unit contains four sections: (1) a reading passage with numbered paragraphs and underlined vocabulary words, for…

  14. Transforming a Curriculum to Progress the Associate Degree Nurse to Advanced Practice.

    PubMed

    Fogel, Sarah; Hande, Karen; Kennedy, Betsy

    2015-01-01

    The educational preparation of associate degree nurses to the master's level requires attainment of baccalaureate-level content. This preparation involves specialized curriculum and varied teaching techniques. Using adult learning theory and aspects of competency-based learning, students and faculty may participate in a gratifying and successful educational experience. The revision of an ongoing associate degree to baccalaureate-level curriculum is presented in this article.

  15. Advancing women and closing the leadership gap: the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) program experience.

    PubMed

    Richman, R C; Morahan, P S; Cohen, D W; McDade, S A

    2001-04-01

    Women are persistently underrepresented in the higher levels of academic administration despite the fact that they have been entering the medical profession in increasing numbers for at least 20 years and now make up a large proportion of the medical student body and fill a similar proportion of entry level positions in medical schools. Although there are no easy remedies for gender inequities in medical schools, strategies have been proposed and implemented both within academic institutions and more broadly to achieve and sustain the advancement of women faculty to senior level positions. Substantial, sustained efforts to increase programs and activities addressing the major obstacles to advancement of women must be put in place so that the contributions of women can be fully realized and their skills fittingly applied in meeting the medical education and healthcare needs of all people in the 21st century.

  16. Mobile game development: improving student engagement and motivation in introductory computing courses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kurkovsky, Stan

    2013-06-01

    Computer games have been accepted as an engaging and motivating tool in the computer science (CS) curriculum. However, designing and implementing a playable game is challenging, and is best done in advanced courses. Games for mobile devices, on the other hand, offer the advantage of being simpler and, thus, easier to program for lower level students. Learning context of mobile game development can be used to reinforce many core programming topics, such as loops, classes, and arrays. Furthermore, it can also be used to expose students in introductory computing courses to a wide range of advanced topics in order to illustrate that CS can be much more than coding. This paper describes the author's experience with using mobile game development projects in CS I and II, how these projects were integrated into existing courses at several universities, and the lessons learned from this experience.

  17. An investigation of Taiwanese graduate students' level of civic scientific literacy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Yu-Mei

    2003-07-01

    Professionals in a variety of disciplines have stressed the importance of advancing the scientific literacy of all citizens in a democratic and science- and technology-based society. Taiwan has been striving hard to advance its democracy and heavily relies on a knowledge-based economy. The high rank Taiwan receives in international comparisons demonstrates Taiwan's high achievement in science at the middle school level. However, no empirical evidence has been collected to examine whether this high achievement at the middle school level promises a high level of scientific literacy in adults. This study investigated the level of scientific literacy of Taiwanese graduate students using Miller's framework of three dimensions of civic scientific literacy, including: (1) a vocabulary of basic scientific constructs, (2) an understanding of the process of scientific inquiry, and (3) some level of understanding of the impact of science and technology on individuals and on society. A web-based questionnaire was employed to survey Taiwanese graduate students studying in three different types of graduate schools and eleven academic fields. A total of 525 responses were collected. In addition, following the survey, eight participants were purposefully selected for individual interviews in order to obtain additional information on participants' scientific literacy. Descriptive statistical analyses were computed to summarize the participants' overall responses to each of the survey sections. Regression models using dummy coding of categorical variables (i.e., gender, school type, and academic areas) were performed to examine whether significant differences exist among different groups. The major findings suggest that: (1) Taiwanese graduate students' civic scientific literacy is not at a satisfactory level; (2) the participants carry mixed attitudes toward science and technology, (3) Taiwanese graduate students are not very attentive to new information of science and technology; (4) all three categorical variables had an impact on the participants' understanding of basic scientific constructs, while only school type had an effect on the participants' understanding of the scientific inquiry process; and (5) the interview results did not support the survey results. The researcher suggests that further studies are required to determine the reasons behind these findings.

  18. Awakening interest in the natural sciences - BASF's Kids' Labs.

    PubMed

    Lang, Cinthia

    2012-01-01

    At BASF's Ludwigshafen headquarters, kids and young adults in grades 1-13 can learn about chemistry in the Kids' Labs. Different programs exist for different levels of knowledge. In the two 'Hands-on Lab H(2)O & Co.' Kids' Labs, students from grades 1-6 explore the secrets of chemistry. BASF Kids' Labs have now been set up in over 30 countries. In Switzerland alone, almost 2,000 students have taken part in the 'Water Loves Chemistry' Kids' Lab since it was started in 2011. In Alsace, 600 students have participated to date. In the Teens' Lab 'Xplore Middle School', middle school students explore five different programs with the themes 'substance labyrinth', 'nutrition', 'coffee, caffeine & co.', 'cosmetics' and 'energy'. Biotechnological methods are the focus of the Teens' Lab 'Xplore Biotech' for students taking basic and advanced biology courses. In the 'Xplore High School' Teens' Lab, chemistry teachers present their own experimental lab instruction for students in basic and advanced chemistry courses. The Virtual Lab has been expanding the offerings of the BASF Kids' Labs since 2011. The online lab was developed by the company for the International Year Of Chemistry and gives kids and young adults the opportunity to do interactive experiments outside of the lab.

  19. Advanced Course Enrollment and Performance in Washington State: Comparing Spanish-Speaking Students with Other Language Minority Students and English-Only Speakers. REL 2017-220

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanson, Havala; Bisht, Biraj; Motamedi, Jason Greenberg

    2017-01-01

    Students who take advanced courses in high school are more likely to enroll and persist in college. This report describes patterns in advanced coursetaking among three groups of students in Washington state: Spanish-speaking students, other language minority students whose primary or home language is not Spanish, and English-only speakers. This…

  20. Teaching Advance Care Planning to Medical Students with a Computer-Based Decision Aid

    PubMed Central

    Levi, Benjamin H.

    2013-01-01

    Discussing end-of-life decisions with cancer patients is a crucial skill for physicians. This article reports findings from a pilot study evaluating the effectiveness of a computer-based decision aid for teaching medical students about advance care planning. Second-year medical students at a single medical school were randomized to use a standard advance directive or a computer-based decision aid to help patients with advance care planning. Students' knowledge, skills, and satisfaction were measured by self-report; their performance was rated by patients. 121/133 (91%) of students participated. The Decision-Aid Group (n=60) outperformed the Standard Group (n=61) in terms of students´ knowledge (p<0.01), confidence in helping patients with advance care planning (p<0.01), knowledge of what matters to patients (p=0.05), and satisfaction with their learning experience (p<0.01). Likewise, patients in the Decision Aid Group were more satisfied with the advance care planning method (p<0.01) and with several aspects of student performance. Use of a computer-based decision aid may be an effective way to teach medical students how to discuss advance care planning with cancer patients. PMID:20632222

  1. Financing the Business. PACE Revised. Level 2. Unit 8. Research & Development Series No. 240BB8.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ashmore, M. Catherine; Pritz, Sandra G.

    This unit on financing a small business, the eighth in a series of 18 modules, is on the second level of the revised PACE (Program for Acquiring Competence in Entrepreneurship) comprehensive curriculum. Geared to advanced secondary and beginning postsecondary or adult students, the modules provide an opportunity to learn about and try out…

  2. Planning the Marketing Strategy. PACE Revised. Level 2. Unit 6. Research & Development Series No. 240BB6.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ashmore, M. Catherine; Pritz, Sandra G.

    This unit on planning marketing strategy for a small business, the sixth in a series of 18 modules, is on the second level of the revised PACE (Program for Acquiring Competence in Entrepreneurship) comprehensive curriculum. Geared to advanced secondary and beginning postsecondary or adult students, the modules provide an opportunity to learn about…

  3. CNC Skills Help Carpentry Students Snare High-Paying Jobs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Panella, John

    2007-01-01

    Wages of entry-level carpenters have been driven down along with those of many other non-professional occupations in recent years. If carpenters stay in the field, they typically advance slowly over the years until they reach the level of master craftsman, perhaps by the time they reach the age of 40. However, technology is having a major impact…

  4. Free Trade and Tariffs: Level III, Unit 2, Lesson 1; Capitalism, Communism, Socialism: Lesson 2; Nationalism vs. Internationalism: Lesson 3. Advanced General Education Program. A High School Self-Study Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manpower Administration (DOL), Washington, DC. Job Corps.

    This self-study program for high-school level contains lessons on: Free Trade and Tariffs; Capitalism, Communism, Socialism; and Nationalism vs. Internationalism. Each of the lessons concludes with a Mastery Test to be completed by the student. (DB)

  5. Promoting the Business. PACE Revised. Level 2. Unit 13. Research & Development Series No. 240BB13.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ashmore, M. Catherine; Pritz, Sandra G.

    This unit on promoting a small business, the 13th in a series of 18 modules, is on the second level of the revised PACE (Program for Acquiring Competence in Entrepreneurship) comprehensive curriculum. Geared to advanced secondary and beginning postsecondary or adult students, the modules provide an opportunity to learn about and try out…

  6. Managing Sales Efforts. PACE Revised. Level 2. Unit 14. Research & Development Series No. 240BB14.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ashmore, M. Catherine; Pritz, Sandra G.

    This unit on managing sales efforts in a small business, the 14th in a series of 18 modules, is on the second level of the revised PACE (Program for Acquiring Competence in Entrepreneurship) comprehensive curriculum. Geared to advanced secondary and beginning postsecondary or adult students, the modules provide an opportunity to learn about and…

  7. Obtaining Technical Assistance. PACE Revised. Level 2. Unit 4. Research & Development Series No. 240BB4.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ashmore, M. Catherine; Pritz, Sandra G.

    This unit on obtaining technical assistance in a small business, the fourth in a series of 18 modules, is on the second level of the revised PACE (Program for Acquiring Competence in Entrepreneurship) comprehensive curriculum. Geared to advanced secondary and beginning postsecondary or adult students, the modules provide an opportunity to learn…

  8. Dealing with Legal Issues. PACE Revised. Level 2. Unit 9. Research & Development Series No. 240BB9.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ashmore, M. Catherine; Pritz, Sandra G.

    This unit on dealing with legal issues in a small business, the ninth in a series of 18 modules, is on the second level of the revised PACE (Program for Acquiring Competence in Entrepreneurship) comprehensive curriculum. Geared to advanced secondary and beginning postsecondary or adult students, the modules provide an opportunity to learn about…

  9. Locating the Business. PACE Revised. Level 2. Unit 7. Research & Development Series No. 240BB7.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ashmore, M. Catherine; Pritz, Sandra G.

    This unit on selecting a site for a small business, the seventh in a series of 18 modules, is on the second level of the revised PACE (Program for Acquiring Competence in Entrepreneurship) comprehensive curriculum. Geared to advanced secondary and beginning postsecondary or adult students, the modules provide an opportunity to learn about and try…

  10. Determining Your Potential as an Entrepreneur. PACE Revised. Level 2. Unit 2. Research & Development Series No. 240BB2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ashmore, M. Catherine; Pritz, Sandra G.

    This unit on determining one's potential as an entrepreneur, the second in a series of 18 modules, is on the second level of the revised PACE (Program for Acquiring Competence in Entrepreneurship) comprehensive curriculum. Geared to advanced secondary and beginning postsecondary or adult students, the modules provide an opportunity to learn about…

  11. Chances of success in and engagement with mathematics for students who enter university with a weak mathematics background

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Varsavsky, Cristina

    2010-12-01

    An increasing number of Australian students elect not to undertake studies in mathematical methods in the final years of their secondary schooling. Some higher education providers now offer pathways for these students to pursue mathematics studies up to a major specialization within the bachelor of science programme. This article analyses the performance in and engagement with mathematics of the students who elect to take up this option. Findings indicate that these are not very different when compared to students who enter university with an intermediate mathematics preparation. The biggest contrast in performance and engagement is with those students who have studied mathematics in senior secondary school to an advanced level.

  12. Learning to think like a nurse: the development of clinical judgment in nursing students.

    PubMed

    Ashley, Jane; Stamp, Kelly

    2014-09-01

    The purpose of this project was to examine the clinical judgment and reasoning skills of nursing students in high-fidelity simulation. Two levels of students (N = 104), novices and those who are slightly more advanced, participated in individual videotaped simulations. Afterward, interviews were conducted to explore what the student was thinking and feeling during simulation. Five themes emerged from the interviews: thinking like a nurse, assessment, looking for answers, communication, and magical or reflective thinking. There was a clear distinction in the reasoning skills of the novice students compared with students with more clinical experience. Tanner's model of clinical judgment in nursing is used to understand the findings of the study. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

  13. Facilitating Research in Physician Assistant Programs: Creating a Student-Level Longitudinal Database.

    PubMed

    Morgan, Perri; Humeniuk, Katherine M; Everett, Christine M

    2015-09-01

    As physician assistant (PA) roles expand and diversify in the United States and around the world, there is a pressing need for research that illuminates how PAs may best be selected, educated, and used in health systems to maximize their potential contributions to health. Physician assistant education programs are well positioned to advance this research by collecting and organizing data on applicants, students, and graduates. Our PA program is creating a permanent longitudinal education database for research that contains extensive student-level data. This database will allow us to conduct research on all phases of PA education, from admission processes through the professional practice of our graduates. In this article, we describe our approach to constructing a longitudinal student-level research database and discuss the strengths and limitations of longitudinal databases for research on education and the practice of PAs. We hope to encourage other PA programs to initiate similar projects so that, in the future, data can be combined for use in multi-institutional research that can contribute to improved education for PA students across programs.

  14. The Worm's Turn.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, John C., Jr.

    1983-01-01

    Discusses experiments involving classical conditioning of planarians. Suitable for advanced high school students or college-level independent study, flatworms are trained to curl up under a bright light. Then the planarians to are subjected to controlled reproduction experiments to determine whether the learned behavior is inherited by their…

  15. German 1990: Intensive and Diverse.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kempf, Franz R.

    1990-01-01

    Suggests the following methods for improving university-level German language education curricula: reduce skill-development time through immersion programs, adopt Zertifikat Deutsch als Fremdsprache as the proficiency standard for advanced students, and include literature from a variety of liberal arts disciplines in the reading materials for…

  16. P-Value Club: Teaching Significance Level on the Dance Floor

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gray, Jennifer

    2010-01-01

    Courses: Beginning research methods and statistics courses, as well as advanced communication courses that require reading research articles and completing research projects involving statistics. Objective: Students will understand the difference between significant and nonsignificant statistical results based on p-value.

  17. Horticulture.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aitken, James

    This curriculum guide is intended to assist vocational instructors in preparing students for entry-level employment in the field of horticulture and getting them ready for advanced training in the workplace. The package contains a validated competency/skill and task list, an instructor's guide, and an annotated bibliography. The following…

  18. Interdisciplinary education - a predator-prey model for developing a skill set in mathematics, biology and technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van der Hoff, Quay

    2017-08-01

    The science of biology has been transforming dramatically and so the need for a stronger mathematical background for biology students has increased. Biological students reaching the senior or post-graduate level often come to realize that their mathematical background is insufficient. Similarly, students in a mathematics programme, interested in biological phenomena, find it difficult to master the complex systems encountered in biology. In short, the biologists do not have enough mathematics and the mathematicians are not being taught enough biology. The need for interdisciplinary curricula that includes disciplines such as biology, physical science, and mathematics is widely recognized, but has not been widely implemented. In this paper, it is suggested that students develop a skill set of ecology, mathematics and technology to encourage working across disciplinary boundaries. To illustrate such a skill set, a predator-prey model that contains self-limiting factors for both predator and prey is suggested. The general idea of dynamics, is introduced and students are encouraged to discover the applicability of this approach to more complex biological systems. The level of mathematics and technology required is not advanced; therefore, it is ideal for inclusion in a senior-level or introductory graduate-level course for students interested in mathematical biology.

  19. Advancing the Relationship between Business School Ranking and Student Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elbeck, Matt

    2009-01-01

    This commentary advances a positive relationship between a business school's ranking in the popular press and student learning by advocating market-oriented measures of student learning. A framework for student learning is based on the Assurance of Learning mandated by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International,…

  20. Preparing and Supporting Black Students to Enroll and Achieve in Advanced Mathematics Classes in Middle School: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cobbs, Joyce Bernice

    2014-01-01

    The literature on minority student achievement indicates that Black students are underrepresented in advanced mathematics courses. Advanced mathematics courses offer students the opportunity to engage with challenging curricula, experience rigorous instruction, and interact with quality teachers. The middle school years are particularly…

  1. Preparing Students for Advanced Placement: An Evaluation of the Academic Contributions of Enrollment in Pre-AP Middle School Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Benvenuto, Charles M.

    2017-01-01

    Over the past 20 years, the College Board has expanded its Advanced Placement program to consist of over 30 courses offered to millions of students throughout the United States. While more students are enrolling in AP courses, the percentage of students passing the exams has declined. With students enrolling in the Advanced Placement courses as…

  2. Advanced practice psychiatric mental health nursing, finding our core: the therapeutic relationship in 21st century.

    PubMed

    Perraud, Suzanne; Delaney, Kathleen R; Carlson-Sabelli, Linnea; Johnson, Mary E; Shephard, Rebekah; Paun, Olimpia

    2006-11-01

    Increasingly, students from various professional backgrounds are enrolling in Psychiatric Mental Health (PMH) Nursing graduate programs, especially at the post-master's level. Faculty must educate these students to provide increasingly complex care while socializing them as PMH advanced practitioners. To present how one online program is addressing these issues by reasserting the centrality of the relationship and by assuring it has at least equal footing with the application of a burgeoning knowledge base of neurobiology of mental illness. Published literature from nursing and psychology. The PMH graduate faculty believes that they have developed strategies to meet this challenge and to help build a PMH workforce that will maintain the centrality of the relationship in PMH practice.

  3. Positions Toward Science Studies in Medicine Among University Graduates of Medicine and the Teenaged Participants of the "Medical Systems" Study Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ben-Zvi-Assaraf, Orit; Even-Israel, Chava

    2011-08-01

    The "Medical Systems" program was designed to introduce high school students to the world of advanced medicine. Its premise was to use an applied scientific discipline like medicine to encourage high-school students' interest in basic science. This study compares the teen-aged graduates of "Medical Systems" with fourth and fifth-year medical students. It aims to identify the attitudes of these two groups towards medical science and basic sciences in medicine. The population included 94 graduates of "Medical Systems" from schools throughout Israel, who had also completed an advanced-level course in a basic science (biology, chemistry or physics), and 96 medical students from different Israeli universities. The students' attitudes were measured using West et al.'s questionnaire (Med Educ 16(4):188-191, 1982), which assesses both the attitude of the participants towards basic science knowledge, and their attitude towards their learning experience in medical school. Nine participants from each group were also interviewed using a semi-structured interview protocol. The results showed essential differences in the attitudes of the two groups. The high school students consider scientific knowledge far more essential for a physician than do the medical students, who also showed a far lower estimation of the effectiveness of their science studies.

  4. Past, present, and future trends of master's education in nursing.

    PubMed

    Gerard, Sally O; Kazer, Meredith W; Babington, Lynn; Quell, Theresa T

    2014-01-01

    Nurses interested in pursuing careers in advanced practice are now being educated at the doctoral level through new doctorate of nursing practice degree programs. In light of this shift, master's programs for advanced practice nurses are in a tenuous position, and it is questionable whether the remaining master's level educational programs are meeting the needs of consumers, health care institutions, and students. Given the great need for clinical leadership in health care, it is essential to reexamine master's nursing education to ensure that educational institutions are meeting the needs of graduate nursing students, consumers, and health care systems. Research supports that the master's-prepared nurse of the future must be proficient in the development and management of accountable care systems using state-of-the-art technology. In addition, interprofessional models show improvement in health care delivery and health outcomes. The current demands in health care that impact nursing education will be discussed, including the movement toward interprofessional education and the broadened expertise, required of master's-prepared nurses working in an era of health care reform. While academic medical centers are actively advancing toward an interprofessional model, the majority of nurses in this country are educated in private and community settings. This article will examine the move toward interprofessional education at a private university, utilizing clinical partnerships to revise the master's program. The goal of this revision is to empower students with the expertise required in today's health care environment to improve the delivery of care. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Payment of Advanced Placement Exam Fees by Virginia Public School Divisions and Its Impact on Advanced Placement Enrollment and Scores

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cirillo, Mary Grupe

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of Virginia school divisions' policy of paying the fee for students to take Advanced Placement exams on Advanced Placement course enrollment, the number of Advanced Placement exams taken by students, the average scores earned and the percent of students earning qualifying scores of 3, 4, or 5…

  6. Using Microsoft Excel to teach statistics in a graduate advanced practice nursing program.

    PubMed

    DiMaria-Ghalili, Rose Ann; Ostrow, C Lynne

    2009-02-01

    This article describes the authors' experiences during 3 years of using Microsoft Excel to teach graduate-level statistics, as part of the research core required by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing for all professional graduate nursing programs. The advantages to using this program instead of specialized statistical programs are ease of accessibility, increased transferability of skills, and reduced cost for students. The authors share their insight about realistic goals for teaching statistics to master's-level students and the resources that are available to faculty to help them to learn and use Excel in their courses. Several online sites that are excellent resources for both faculty and students are discussed. Detailed attention is given to an online course (Carnegie-Mellon University Open Learning Initiative, n.d.), which the authors have incorporated into their graduate-level research methods course.

  7. Advanced Course Enrollment and Performance among English Learner Students in Washington State. REL 2017-187

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanson, Havala; Bisht, Biraj; Motamedi, Jason Greenberg

    2016-01-01

    Taking advanced high school courses (for example, honors, Advanced Placement, and dual-credit courses that offer college credits in high school) can help prepare students for postsecondary education and careers. English learner students, however, face unique obstacles to taking advanced courses because they must divide their time between acquiring…

  8. Welding.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baldwin, Harold; Whitney, Gregory

    This curriculum guide is intended to assist vocational instructors in preparing students for entry-level employment as welders and preparing them for advanced training in the workplace. The package contains an overview of new and emerging welding technologies, a competency/skill and task list, an instructor's guide, and an annotated bibliography.…

  9. Envisioning the Educational Possibilities of User-Created Virtual Worlds

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Antonacci, David M.; Modaress, Nellie

    2008-01-01

    Educational games and simulations can engage students in higher-level cognitive thinking, such as interpreting, analyzing, discovering, evaluating, acting, and problem solving. Recent technical advances in multiplayer, user-created virtual worlds have significantly expanded the capabilities of user interaction and development within these…

  10. Machinist.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Osbon, Michael A.

    This curriculum guide is intended to assist vocational instructors in preparing students for entry-level employment as machinists and preparing them for advanced training in the workplace. The package contains an overview of new and emerging technologies likely to affect machinists, a competency/skill and task list, an instructor's guide, and an…

  11. High-Stakes Cheating

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dessoff, Alan

    2011-01-01

    Administrators and teachers in several large districts nationwide have cheated on standardized tests to make achievement levels look better than they actually were. The offenses range from giving students advance answers to questions on standardized tests, to erasing and changing unsatisfactory answers. As a result of district and state…

  12. Hispanic Student Performance on Advanced Placement Exams: A Multiyear, National Investigation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jara, Teresa Dianne

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the Advanced Placement exams that Hispanic students complete and to compare their overall performance with the performance of White students from 2000 to 2012. A second purpose was to determine which Advanced Placement exams were the most difficult exams for Hispanic students and which Advanced…

  13. Reaching the Next Stephen Hawking: Five Ways to Help Students with Disabilities in Advanced Placement Science Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howard, Lori A.; Potts, Elizabeth A.; Linz, Ed

    2013-01-01

    As the federal government encourages all students to attempt advanced math and science courses, more students with disabilities are enrolling in Advanced Placement (AP) science classes. AP science teachers can better serve these students by understanding the various types of disabilities (whether physical, learning, emotional, or behavioral),…

  14. Atomic Structure and Valence: Level II, Unit 10, Lesson 1; Chemical Bonding: Lesson 2; The Table of Elements: Lesson 3; Electrolysis: Lesson 4. Advanced General Education Program. A High School Self-Study Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manpower Administration (DOL), Washington, DC. Job Corps.

    This self-study program for high-school level contains lessons on: Atomic Structure and Valence, Chemical Bonding, The Table of Elements, and Electrolysis. Each of the lessons concludes with a Mastery Test to be completed by the student. (DB)

  15. Genomics and Bioinformatics in Undergraduate Curricula: Contexts for Hybrid Laboratory/Lecture Courses for Entering and Advanced Science Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Temple, Louise; Cresawn, Steven G.; Monroe, Jonathan D.

    2010-01-01

    Emerging interest in genomics in the scientific community prompted biologists at James Madison University to create two courses at different levels to modernize the biology curriculum. The courses are hybrids of classroom and laboratory experiences. An upper level class uses raw sequence of a genome (plasmid or virus) as the subject on which to…

  16. Managing Customer Credit and Collections. PACE Revised. Level 2. Unit 17. Research & Development Series No. 240BB17.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ashmore, M. Catherine; Pritz, Sandra G.

    This unit on managing customer credit and collections in a small business, the 17th in a series of 18 modules, is on the second level of the revised PACE (Program for Acquiring Competence in Entrepreneurship) comprehensive curriculum. Geared to advanced secondary and beginning postsecondary or adult students, the modules provide an opportunity to…

  17. Managing the Finances. PACE Revised. Level 2. Unit 16. Research & Development Series No. 240BB16.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ashmore, M. Catherine; Pritz, Sandra G.

    This unit on managing the finances of a small business, the 16th in a series of 18 modules, is on the second level of the revised PACE (Program for Acquiring Competence in Entrepreneurship) comprehensive curriculum. Geared to advanced secondary and beginning postsecondary or adult students, the modules provide an opportunity to learn about and try…

  18. Fashion Merchandising Module. An Advanced-Level Option for Distribution and Marketing. For the U.S.O.E. Occupational Cluster of 04.02 Apparel and Accessories Marketing.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clis, Pat; And Others

    This instructional module on fashion merchandising is designed as a guide for secondary education teachers who are helping twelfth grade students develop occupational competency for entry-level positions in fashion-related jobs. An introductory section covers module goals, career opportunities and employment demands, administrative considerations,…

  19. Choosing the Type of Ownership. PACE Revised. Level 2. Unit 5. Research & Development Series No. 240BB5.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ashmore, M. Catherine; Pritz, Sandra G.

    This unit on choosing the type of ownership of a small business, the fifth in a series of 18 modules, is on the second level of the revised PACE (Program for Acquiring Competence in Entrepreneurship) comprehensive curriculum. Geared to advanced secondary and beginning postsecondary or adult students, the modules provide an opportunity to learn…

  20. Clinical Preceptors' Perceptions of Empathy: The Empathy in Osteopathic Training and Education (EMOTE) Study.

    PubMed

    Davis, Glenn Elbert; Hartwig, Walter Carl; McTighe, Adam J

    2017-08-01

    Physician empathy influences rapport with patients and improves outcomes, but it is not well understood as an outcome of osteopathic medical education. To determine how clerkship preceptors at Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine-CA (TUCOM) in Vallejo define empathy and how they compare observed empathetic behavior of TUCOM students with that of other medical students. Cross-sectional data were obtained from a survey of TUCOM clinical preceptors comparing TUCOM students with other medical students on 10 behaviors. Results were analyzed with a 2-tailed z test of proportional difference at the 95% confidence level. Of 650 preceptors contacted, 177 responded and were included in the final analysis (27%). Survey item reliability was high (Cronbach α=0.96). A majority of preceptors (59% to 71%) considered TUCOM students "similar" to other medical students for each behavior. A majority of preceptors (107 [60%]) shared a definition of empathy with one another and with the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine. Approximately 39% of preceptors rated TUCOM students "better" or "advanced" for "displays of empathy" compared with approximately 30% of preceptors who rated students as better or advanced across all 10 behaviors. Preceptors who shared a definition of empathy rated TUCOM students as better or advanced at a significantly higher rate for "displays of empathy" (z=1.982, P<.05) compared with preceptors who did not share a definition (n=70). Osteopathic preceptors (n=67) rated TUCOM students significantly higher on "displays of empathy" (z=2.82, P<.05) and "clear and effective communication to patients, families and co-workers" (z=2.83, P<.01) than did allopathic preceptors. No significant differences were found based on number of years as a preceptor or on the combination of types of students the preceptor taught. Most clinical preceptors shared a definition of empathy, and they were able to observe and rate displays of it in clerkship students. Preceptors rated TUCOM students more favorably than other students they taught for displays of empathy.

  1. Teaching Plasmonics, Scanning Probe Microscopy and Other Useful Experiments at the Upper Level

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sanchez, Erik

    2012-10-01

    It is important to teach students concepts and experimental skills relating to modern research being performed today. Experiments that help educate students about the latest research helps them get jobs and into the doors at many great academic institutions. PSU's Advanced Experimental Class for physics undergraduates offers many novel experiments to help the students accomplish this task. Labs involving Plasmonics, thin film deposition, scanning probe microscopy (SPM) and more will be discussed. In addition, a new NSF funded project involving the building of a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) SPM will be discussed.

  2. Biotechnology Apprenticeship for Secondary-Level Students: Teaching Advanced Cell Culture Techniques for Research

    PubMed Central

    Lewis, Jennifer R.; Kotur, Mark S.; Butt, Omar; Kulcarni, Sumant; Riley, Alyssa A.; Ferrell, Nick; Sullivan, Kathryn D.; Ferrari, Mauro

    2002-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to discuss small-group apprenticeships (SGAs) as a method to instruct cell culture techniques to high school participants. The study aimed to teach cell culture practices and to introduce advanced imaging techniques to solve various biomedical engineering problems. Participants designed and completed experiments using both flow cytometry and laser scanning cytometry during the 1-month summer apprenticeship. In addition to effectively and efficiently teaching cell biology laboratory techniques, this course design provided an opportunity for research training, career exploration, and mentoring. Students participated in active research projects, working with a skilled interdisciplinary team of researchers in a large research institution with access to state-of-the-art instrumentation. The instructors, composed of graduate students, laboratory managers, and principal investigators, worked well together to present a real and worthwhile research experience. The students enjoyed learning cell culture techniques while contributing to active research projects. The institution's researchers were equally enthusiastic to instruct and serve as mentors. In this article, we clarify and illuminate the value of small-group laboratory apprenticeships to the institution and the students by presenting the results and experiences of seven middle and high school participants and their instructors. PMID:12587031

  3. Biotechnology apprenticeship for secondary-level students: teaching advanced cell culture techniques for research.

    PubMed

    Lewis, Jennifer R; Kotur, Mark S; Butt, Omar; Kulcarni, Sumant; Riley, Alyssa A; Ferrell, Nick; Sullivan, Kathryn D; Ferrari, Mauro

    2002-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to discuss small-group apprenticeships (SGAs) as a method to instruct cell culture techniques to high school participants. The study aimed to teach cell culture practices and to introduce advanced imaging techniques to solve various biomedical engineering problems. Participants designed and completed experiments using both flow cytometry and laser scanning cytometry during the 1-month summer apprenticeship. In addition to effectively and efficiently teaching cell biology laboratory techniques, this course design provided an opportunity for research training, career exploration, and mentoring. Students participated in active research projects, working with a skilled interdisciplinary team of researchers in a large research institution with access to state-of-the-art instrumentation. The instructors, composed of graduate students, laboratory managers, and principal investigators, worked well together to present a real and worthwhile research experience. The students enjoyed learning cell culture techniques while contributing to active research projects. The institution's researchers were equally enthusiastic to instruct and serve as mentors. In this article, we clarify and illuminate the value of small-group laboratory apprenticeships to the institution and the students by presenting the results and experiences of seven middle and high school participants and their instructors.

  4. A social justice epistemology and pedagogy for Latina/o students: Transforming public education with participatory action research.

    PubMed

    Cammarota, Julio; Romero, Augustine F

    2009-01-01

    The article reports on Latina/o high school students who conducted participatory action research (PAR) on problems that circumscribe their possibilities for self-determination. The intention is to legitimize student knowledge to develop effective educational policies and practices for young Latinas/os. PAR is engaged through the Social Justice Education Project, which provides students with all social science requirements for their junior and senior years. The mandated curriculum is supplemented with advanced-level readings from Chicana/o studies, critical race theory, critical pedagogy, and, most important, PAR. The intention is for students to meet the requirements for graduation and to develop sophisticated critical analyses to address problems in their own social contexts.

  5. Teaching complex trauma care in a curriculum challenges critical thinking and clinical judgment--how nurses can help.

    PubMed

    West, Margaret Mary; Bross, Gina; Snyder, Melissa

    2007-01-01

    Incorporating complex content into a nursing curriculum presents students with the knowledge and thinking skills necessary to enter a career in nursing. A level 1 trauma center is a prefect environment to advance these thinking skills. Nurses act as professional role models and teachers as they clarify and explain their thinking to a student. When experienced nurses show invitational behaviors to students and share their knowledge with them, they ignite a strong desire within the student to progress. Caring, communication, and inclusion are key components that synergize the teaching/learning experience. The development of critical thinking is a continuous process that is best achieved through collaboration between the student, faculty, and professional, experienced nurses.

  6. Heroes for Our Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brandriss, Tobie

    1999-01-01

    Describes six books appropriate for use with high school advanced or honors biology classes. The stories describe scientists who persevered against existing preconceptions in science or society at three levels: (1) prevailing mainstream scientific ideas; (2) gender; and (3) nationality or race. Presents ideas for using biographies as part of a…

  7. Physics in advanced GNVQ Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sang, D.

    1995-07-01

    GNVQ Science is a vocational qualification for students in England, with a demand equivalent to traditional GCE A-levels. This article looks at the approach adopted by GNVQ to physics, and discusses the way in which appropriate teaching resources have been developed by the Nuffield Science in Practice project.

  8. A Transformation Called "Twist"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hwang, Daniel

    2010-01-01

    The transformations found in secondary mathematics curriculum are typically limited to stretches and translations (e.g., ACARA, 2010). Advanced students may find the transformation, twist, to be of further interest. As most available resources are written for professional-level readers, this article is intended to be an introduction accessible to…

  9. Materials and Processes Technology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ritz, John M.; And Others

    This instructional resource guide is intended to assist the industrial arts (IA) teacher in implementing a comprehensive materials and Processes Technology program at the technical level in Virginia high schools. The course is designed to help students make informed educational and occupational choices and prepare them for advanced technical or…

  10. Competency Testing. An Annotated Bibliography.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jackson, Michael; Battiste, Barbara

    Competency testing for either graduation from high school, or as a method for assessing whether a student should advance to a higher grade level, is the focus of this annotated bibliography. Included are annotations that relate to accountability, competency testing, program descriptions where competency testing is utilized, general testing…

  11. Using a schoolyard garden to increase language acquisition and conceptual understanding of science in elementary ELL students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stewart, Morgan

    This action research study examined a small cross-section of a Texas public school population. Participants were kindergarten through third grade students enrolled in the English as a Second Language (ESL) Program who were pulled out of their general classroom to receive English support within the content area of science. This study looked at how effective a hands-on learning experience using a schoolyard garden enhanced the academic language and science content of the participants. The study began in mid-March and concluded at the end of April with each group receiving 40 minutes of instruction five days a week. Each group consisted of a Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced/Advanced High student for a total of 12 participants. Four forms of data were used in this study: archival, pre-test, post-test, and journal. Rubrics were used to analyze individual students' level of academic language before and after the study. The results illustrate that the younger students (kindergarten and first grade) descriptions were very basic and concrete while the older students had more accurate and descriptive responses. Upon completion of this research, it was determined that the usage of a schoolyard garden compliments both the acquisition of academic language and the increase in science content knowledge.

  12. Productive and ineffective efforts: how student effort in high school mathematics relates to college calculus success

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barnett, M. D.; Sonnert, G.; Sadler, P. M.

    2014-10-01

    Relativizing the popular belief that student effort is the key to success, this article finds that effort in the most advanced mathematics course in US high schools is not consistently associated with college calculus performance. We distinguish two types of student effort: productive and ineffective efforts. Whereas the former carries the commonly expected benefits, the latter is associated with negative consequences. Time spent reading the course text in US high schools was negatively related to college calculus performance. Daily study time, however, was found to be either a productive or an ineffective effort, depending on the level of high school mathematics course and the student's performance in it.

  13. Pharmacy Student Learning During Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences in Relation to the CAPE 2013 Outcomes

    PubMed Central

    May, Dianne W.; Kanmaz, Tina J.; Reidt, Shannon L.; Serres, Michelle L.; Edwards, Heather D.

    2016-01-01

    Outcomes from The Center for Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) are intended to represent the terminal knowledge, skills, and attitudes pharmacy students should possess and have guided delivery of pharmacy education for more than two decades. Advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) are the endpoint of pharmacy curricula where demonstration and assessment of terminal learning occurs. This review examines published literature in relation to the most recent CAPE outcomes to determine the extent to which they have been addressed during APPEs since 1996. Details related to the APPE focus, intervention(s)/learning setting(s), and assessments are summarized according to the 15 CAPE outcomes. Further, the assessments are categorized according to the level of learning achieved using an available method. Common CAPE outcomes are highlighted, as well as those for which published reports are lacking for APPEs. The range and quality of assessments are discussed and emphasize the need for continuous improvement of scholarly design and assessment. PMID:27756935

  14. NASA-UVA Light Aerospace Alloy and Structures Technology Program (LA2ST)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gangloff, Richard P.; Starke, Edgar A., Jr.; Kelly, Robert G.; Scully, John R.; Shiflet, Gary J.; Stoner, Glenn E.; Wert, John A.

    1997-01-01

    The NASA-UVA Light Aerospace Alloy and Structures Technology (LA2ST) Program was initiated in 1986 and continues with a high level of activity. Here, we report on progress achieved between July I and December 31, 1996. The objective of the LA2ST Program is to conduct interdisciplinary graduate student research on the performance of next generation, light-weight aerospace alloys, composites and thermal gradient structures in collaboration with NASA-Langley researchers. Specific technical objectives are presented for each research project. We generally aim to produce relevant data and basic understanding of material mechanical response, environmental/corrosion behavior, and microstructure; new monolithic and composite alloys; advanced processing methods; new solid and fluid mechanics analyses; measurement and modeling advances; and a pool of educated graduate students for aerospace technologies. The accomplishments presented in this report are summarized as follows. Three research areas are being actively investigated, including: (1) Mechanical and Environmental Degradation Mechanisms in Advanced Light Metals, (2) Aerospace Materials Science, and (3) Mechanics of Materials for Light Aerospace Structures.

  15. Using a Concept Inventory to Assess the Reasoning Component of Citizen-Level Science Literacy: Results from a 17,000-Student Study.

    PubMed

    Nuhfer, Edward B; Cogan, Christopher B; Kloock, Carl; Wood, Gregory G; Goodman, Anya; Delgado, Natalie Zayas; Wheeler, Christopher W

    2016-03-01

    After articulating 12 concepts for the reasoning component of citizen-level science literacy and restating these as assessable student learning outcomes (SLOs), we developed a valid and reliable assessment instrument for addressing the outcomes with a brief 25-item science literacy concept inventory (SLCI). In this paper, we report the results that we obtained from assessing the citizen-level science literacy of 17,382 undergraduate students, 149 graduate students, and 181 professors. We address only findings at or above the 99.9% confidence level. We found that general education (GE) science courses do not significantly advance understanding of science as a way of knowing. However, the understanding of science's way of knowing does increase through academic ranks, indicating that the extended overall academic experience better accounts for increasing such thinking capacity than do science courses alone. Higher mean institutional SLCI scores correlate closely with increased institutional selectivity, as measured by the institutions' higher mean SAT and ACT scores. Socioeconomic factors of a) first-generation student, b) English as a native language, and c) interest in commitment to a science major are unequally distributed across ethnic groups. These factors proved powerful in accounting for the variations in SLCI scores across ethnicities and genders.

  16. Using a Concept Inventory to Assess the Reasoning Component of Citizen-Level Science Literacy: Results from a 17,000-Student Study†

    PubMed Central

    Nuhfer, Edward B.; Cogan, Christopher B.; Kloock, Carl; Wood, Gregory G.; Goodman, Anya; Delgado, Natalie Zayas; Wheeler, Christopher W.

    2016-01-01

    After articulating 12 concepts for the reasoning component of citizen-level science literacy and restating these as assessable student learning outcomes (SLOs), we developed a valid and reliable assessment instrument for addressing the outcomes with a brief 25-item science literacy concept inventory (SLCI). In this paper, we report the results that we obtained from assessing the citizen-level science literacy of 17,382 undergraduate students, 149 graduate students, and 181 professors. We address only findings at or above the 99.9% confidence level. We found that general education (GE) science courses do not significantly advance understanding of science as a way of knowing. However, the understanding of science’s way of knowing does increase through academic ranks, indicating that the extended overall academic experience better accounts for increasing such thinking capacity than do science courses alone. Higher mean institutional SLCI scores correlate closely with increased institutional selectivity, as measured by the institutions’ higher mean SAT and ACT scores. Socioeconomic factors of a) first-generation student, b) English as a native language, and c) interest in commitment to a science major are unequally distributed across ethnic groups. These factors proved powerful in accounting for the variations in SLCI scores across ethnicities and genders. PMID:27047612

  17. Development and evaluation of a new occupational medicine teaching module to advance self-efficacy and knowledge among medical students.

    PubMed

    Braeckman, Lutgart; De Clercq, Bart; Janssens, Heidi; Gehanno, Jean-François; Bulat, Petar; Pauncu, Elena-Ana; Smits, Paul; van Dijk, Frank; Vanderlinde, Ruben; Valcke, Martin

    2013-11-01

    Self-efficacy is defined as a person's beliefs in his or her abilities to successfully complete a task, and has been shown to influence student motivation and academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a new European teaching module in occupational medicine on undergraduate students' self-efficacy and knowledge in the subject matter. Pre-, in-between, and posttraining tests were used to assess self-efficacy and knowledge building of 261 third-year medical students on occupational health issues. Determinants of self-efficacy and knowledge were also identified. Repeated measurement data were analyzed with multilevel statistical procedures. The level of self-efficacy and knowledge in occupational medicine increased after the training. Students who frequently attended the lectures scored significantly higher than sporadic attendees. There was no relation between the level of self-efficacy and the final knowledge score. Teaching with the new occupational medicine module was effective. Lecture attendance is an important determinant of self-efficacy and performance. Self-efficacy was not associated with knowledge score. Encouraging classroom participation may enhance student achievement.

  18. Stressing Escherichia coli to educate students about research: A CURE to investigate multiple levels of gene regulation.

    PubMed

    McDonough, Janet; Goudsouzian, Lara K; Papaj, Agllai; Maceli, Ashley R; Klepac-Ceraj, Vanja; Peterson, Celeste N

    2017-09-01

    Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have been shown to increase student retention and learning in the biological sciences. Most CURES cover only one aspect of gene regulation, such as transcriptional control. Here we present a new inquiry-based lab that engages understanding of gene expression from multiple perspectives. Students carry out a forward genetic screen to identify regulators of the stationary phase master regulator RpoS in the model organism Escherichia coli and then use a series of reporter fusions to determine if the regulation is at the level of transcription or the post-transcription level. This easy-to-implement course has been run both as a 9-week long project and a condensed 5-6 week version in three different schools and types of courses. A majority of the genes found in the screen are novel, thus giving students the opportunity to contribute to original findings to the field. Assessments of this CURE show student gains in learning in many knowledge areas. In addition, attitudinal surveys suggest the students are enthusiastic about the screen and their learning about gene regulation. In summary, this lab would be an appropriate addition to an intermediate or advanced level Molecular Biology, Genetics, or Microbiology curriculum. © 2017 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(5):449-458, 2017. © 2017 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

  19. In Respect to the Cognitive Load Theory: Adjusting Instructional Guidance with Student Expertise.

    PubMed

    Schilling, Jim

    2017-01-01

    The amount of guidance supplied by educators to students in allied health programs is a factor in student learning. According to the cognitive load theory of learning, without adequate instructional support, novice learners will be overwhelmed and unable to store information, while unnecessary guidance supplied to advanced students will cause extraneous cognitive load on the working memory system. Adjusting instructional guidance for students according to their level of expertise to minimize extraneous cognitive load and optimize working memory storage capacity will enhance learning effectiveness. Novice students presented with complex subject matter require significant guidance during the initial stages, using strategies such as worked examples. As students comprehend information, instructional guidance needs to gradually fade to avoid elevated extraneous cognitive load from the expertise reversal effect. An instructional strategy that utilizes a systemic (fixed) or adjustable (adaptive) tapering of guidance to students in allied health programs depending on their expertise will optimize learning capability.

  20. Communicating Science through Editorial Cartoons in Microbiology Classrooms †

    PubMed Central

    dela Cruz, Thomas Edison E.; Aril-dela Cruz, Jeane V.

    2018-01-01

    The use of graphical illustration in lecture presentations can make a seemingly boring lesson more attractive and enticing to students. Creating science-themed illustrations and science-based narratives can also lead to creative and critical thinking among students. We used writing editorials and creating editorial cartoons as a learning activity to promote critical thinking and creative skills that are essential in communicating scientific information. This activity can be used with a range of audiences, at various educational levels and in basic to advanced courses. PMID:29904513

  1. Preparation Strategies of Osteopathic Medical Students for the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE.

    PubMed

    Sandella, Jeanne M; Peters, Alex; Smith, Larissa L; Gimpel, John R

    2016-04-01

    Since 2002, osteopathic medical schools have made curricular changes to further enhance the clinical skills of their students, to prepare them for residency training, and to pass the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination-USA Level 2-Performance Evaluation (COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE). To report how students at osteopathic medical schools prepare for the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE, and to investigate the effect of these techniques on examination performance. A standardized survey was given to students before the beginning of their examination to assess the preparation of osteopathic medical students for the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE, such as coursework, orientation materials, and standardized patient (SP) encounters. Surveys that were completed by first-time test takers during the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 test cycles were included in this study. Of 9120 surveys administered, 8733 were completed, achieving a response rate of 95.8%. Of those 8733 respondents, 8706 students (99.7%) reported having SP encounters during the first and second year of medical school, and 7379 (84%) reported having at least 1 SP encounter in years 3 and 4. Of 8733 students, 6079 (70%) reported receiving feedback from an osteopathic physician on their SP encounters, and 6049 (69%) and 6253 (72%) reported having viewed the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE orientation video online and having read the examination's orientation guide, respectively. The largest difference in preparation between students who passed the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE and students who did not was a prerequisite SP examination at their school, with 5574 students (68.9%) who passed reporting having participated compared with 364 students (56.5%) who failed. None of the differences in clinical skills training and test preparation was associated with statistically significant differences in pass or fail status. Osteopathic medical students use a variety of methods to enhance their clinical skills in preparation for the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE, with universal use of SP programs since the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE was implemented in 2004. Educators should continue to foster ways to develop students' clinical skills that reflect new advances in education and assessment to ensure that future osteopathic physicians can demonstrate competency in fundamental clinical skills before beginning postgraduate training.

  2. Nursery Production, A Teacher's Manual.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Buckey, Sylvia; And Others

    Developed by a group of university faculty members and graduate assistants, this planning guide is designed for teachers' use in high school, technical school, and associate degree agriculture programs in teaching nursery production with the focus on entry and advanced level occupations. This manual consists of the text of the student handbook…

  3. Business Education: Learning Activities Packet for Office Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hawaii State Dept. of Education, Honolulu. Office of Instructional Services.

    These seventeen individualized learning activities packets (LAPs) are intended to relate essential competencies needed for entry or advancement in office occupations to the secondary level office education program and to assist students in achieving occupational proficiency in business careers. Each LAP contains some or all of the following…

  4. English 3135: Visual Rhetoric

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gatta, Oriana

    2013-01-01

    As an advanced rhetoric and composition doctoral student, I taught Engl 3135: Visual Rhetoric, a three-credit upper-level course offered by the Department of English at Georgia State University. Mary E. Hocks originally designed this course in 2000 to, in her words, "introduce visual information design theories and practices for writers [and]…

  5. Technology's Potential, Promise for Enhancing Student Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Golden, Michael

    2004-01-01

    Technology is a tool that has the potential to empower educational leaders at all levels--whether they are superintendents, principals, teachers, board members or state officials--as well as to redefine what education means in the 21st century. Technology provides more accurate information and advanced communication capabilities. Technology can be…

  6. The Effectiveness of Technology Integration in a Metropolitan Elementary Mathematics Program: Mad Dog Math

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cohen, Miriam

    2012-01-01

    The outcome of American students' performances during international comparisons consistently scoring inadequately in mathematics exposes the crisis of deficient mathematics achievement thus causing deep concerns. Learners who acquire a strong theoretical foundation in mathematics at the primary level thrived later in more advanced level…

  7. Advanced Trickling Filters. Training Module 2.112.4.77.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Layton, Ronald F.

    This document is an instructional module package prepared in objective form for use by an instructor familiar with operation and maintenance of a trickling filter wastewater treatment plant. Included are objectives, instructor guides, student handouts and transparency masters. This is the third level of a three module series and considers…

  8. Techniques for Presenting the Short Story in the Advanced ESL Classroom.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williamson, Julia

    1989-01-01

    Suggestions are made for introducing students, especially those at the college level, to American short stories. An anthology of stories, chronologically presented, is noted as a useful text. Three approaches for presentation include historical sequencing, grouping according to salient elements of fiction, and grouping by theme. Pre-reading…

  9. Introduction to Surgical Technology. Teacher Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bushey, Vicki; And Others

    This instructor's manual contains 14 units of instruction for a course on surgical technology designed to include the entry-level competencies students need to enter any of the more advanced surgical technology courses. Each unit includes some or all of the following basic components of a unit of instruction: objective sheet, suggested activities…

  10. ATP: A Coherent View for School Advanced Level Studies in Biology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gayford, Chris

    1986-01-01

    Discusses how instruction of biological concepts as ATP cellular energetics is related to fundamental physical science understandings. Reviews areas of common misconceptions and confusions. Summarizes results of a study which investigated students' knowledge and perception of difficulty associated with the topic of energy and ATP. (ML)

  11. Improving Science Education and Understanding through Editing Wikipedia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moy, Cheryl L.; Locke, Jonas R.; Coppola, Brian P.; McNeil, Anne J.

    2010-01-01

    This paper describes a graduate-level class project centered on editing chemistry-related entries in Wikipedia. This project enables students to work collaboratively, explore advanced concepts in chemistry, and learn how to communicate science to a diverse audience, including the general public. The format and structure of the project is outlined…

  12. Classroom Activities for Introducing Equivalence Relations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brandt, Jim

    2013-01-01

    Equivalence relations and partitions are two interconnected ideas that play important roles in advanced mathematics. While students encounter the informal notion of equivalence in many courses, the formal definition of an equivalence relation is typically introduced in a junior level transition-to-proof course. This paper reports the results of a…

  13. Modeling and MBL: Software Tools for Science.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tinker, Robert F.

    Recent technological advances and new software packages put unprecedented power for experimenting and theory-building in the hands of students at all levels. Microcomputer-based laboratory (MBL) and model-solving tools illustrate the educational potential of the technology. These tools include modeling software and three MBL packages (which are…

  14. Technology in Education: Its Prospects and Its Promises.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Senese, Donald J.

    The impact of advanced technology has increased computer usage at all levels as evidenced by the popularity of video games, increased interest on the part of students using computers to enhance learning, and business/school partnerships forming with such companies as Digital Equipment Corporation, International Business Machines, and Tandy/Radio…

  15. Negotiated Course Design: Hybrid Applications of Pedagogy in Writing Courses.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mayo, Wendell; Holt, Mara

    Two instructors with different approaches to writing collaborated in the preparation of a junior-level advanced college composition course. Both instructors were concerned about the applicability of the "workshop" in teaching composition, and about the question of how to address authority in the workshops. Students were asked to respond…

  16. Teachable Anthologies of Short Fiction for Developmental Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ngovo, Bernard L.

    2002-01-01

    Explains the rationale for including short fiction in the curricula for two college developmental reading classes and describes the features of the anthologies used. Suggests the use of the middle and the advanced levels of "Best Short Stories" published by Jamestown Publishers. Notes that these anthologies contain features that make…

  17. The Real World French Cassette Program. Script Book.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sternburg, Sheldon G.; Sammarco, Anthony M., Jr.

    This dual cassette package, accompanied by a script book, is designed to give students listening practice in French, particularly for regional differences of pronunciation and for variety in idiomatic constructions. The program may be integrated with texts used in intermediate and advanced levels of instruction. The announcements, jingles, and…

  18. The Real World Spanish Cassette Program. Script Book.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sternburg, Sheldon G.

    This dual cassette program, accompanied by a script book, is designed to give students listening practice in Spanish, particularly for regional differences of pronunciation and for variety in idiomatic construction. The program may be integrated with texts used in intermediate and advanced levels of instruction. The announcements, jingles, and…

  19. National Assessment Technical Quality.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chelimsky, Eleanor

    In 1991 the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) released a report interpreting the achievement of U.S. students in mathematics on the 1990 National Assessment of Educational Progress in terms of a set of performance standards. The NAGB had been designing and implementing an approach to defining basic, proficient, and advanced levels of…

  20. Illustrated French Idioms.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ainsa, Serge M.

    Designed to promote an awareness of the everyday French language, this supplementary textbook was developed to enable students of French to use idiomatic expressions from the early learning stages to the more advanced levels. The units are arranged as follows according to the verb component of the expression: "avoir,""etre,""faire," the three…

  1. Historians/Artifacts/Learners: Working Papers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nichols, Susan K., Ed.

    This publication, an outcome of a 2-day colloquium in 1981, contains information about using artifacts (material culture evidence) as a primary source for teaching history at the graduate or advanced student seminar level. A purpose of the colloquium was to gather and disseminate this information for the Historians/Artifacts/Learners (HAL)…

  2. Why Are Some Reactions Slower at Higher Temperatures?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Revell, Laura E.; Williamson, Bryce E.

    2013-01-01

    It is well understood by most chemistry students at advanced undergraduate levels that chemical reactions generally follow the Arrhenius law of temperature dependence with positive activation energies, proceeding faster at elevated temperatures. It is much less widely known that the rates of some Arrhenius-compliant reactions are retarded by…

  3. Business Financial Applications. Curriculum Guide. Simulations. Test Bank.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Massey, Ray Nell; Patton, Jan

    This business financial applications document combines the curriculum guide, simulations, and the test bank for the 1-semester course. The guide provides students with an overview of the banking industry used for entry-level positions or advancement into an occupationally specific course. It begins with a course description, suggested scope and…

  4. Simulation and Advanced Practice Nursing Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blue, Dawn I.

    2016-01-01

    This quantitative study compared changes in level of confidence resulting from participation in simulation or traditional instructional methods for BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) to DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) students in a nurse practitioner course when they entered the clinical practicum. Simulation has been used in many disciplines…

  5. Teaching Ethics to Undergraduates: An Examination of Contextual Approaches

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bush, H. Francis; Gutermuth, Karen; West, Clifford

    2009-01-01

    Our purpose was to advance the current academic discussion on how to most effectively teach managerial ethics at the undergraduate level. We argued that undergraduate ethics education should be comprehensive, multi-dimensional and woven into the fabric of each student's experience. In particular, we hypothesized that the inclusion of…

  6. Moment of Inertia by Differentiation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rizcallah, Joseph A.

    2015-01-01

    The calculation of the moment of inertia of an extended body, as presented in standard introductory-level textbooks, involves the evaluation of a definite integral--an operation often not fully mastered by beginners, let alone the conceptual difficulties it presents, even to the advanced student, in understanding and setting up the integral in the…

  7. Highlights of American Literature.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bode, Carl

    Intended for high-intermediate/advanced level students of English as a foreign language, this book contains selections from the wide range of American literature, from its beginnings to the modern period. Each section begins with a general introduction to the literary period, and then presents essays about individual authors, selections from the…

  8. Investigating Connections among Reading, Writing, and Language Development: A Multiliteracies Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paesani, Kate

    2016-01-01

    This study explores relationships among reading literature, creative writing, and language development in a university-level advanced French grammar course through the theoretical lens of the multiliteracies framework. The goal is to investigate reading-writing connections and whether these literacy practices facilitate students' understanding and…

  9. Air Pollution. Resource Paper No. 2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bryson, Reid A.; Kutzbach, John E.

    These Resource Papers have been developed as expository documents for the use of both the student and the instructor in undergraduate college geography courses at the introductory and advanced level. They are designed to supplement existing texts and to fill a gap between significant research in American geography and readily accessible materials.…

  10. Global Education at Streetsville Secondary School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, Paul F.

    In 1973 an innovative, interdisciplinary global studies course was instituted at a secondary school in Ontario. Designed for advanced students at the grade 13 level, the course emphasized science, language arts, and mathematics issues in terms of the world's environmental and social problems. Rationale for the course included an awareness of the…

  11. The Request Speech Act in Emails by Arab University Students in the UAE

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Deveci, Tanju; Hmida, Ikhlas Ben

    2017-01-01

    Advanced computer technology has transformed the way instruction is designed and delivered at all education levels including college. However, today's younger "digital-native" generation may often take their computer skills for granted, which impacts their interaction patterns with university professors who often encourage electronic…

  12. Vocational Education Tool and Equipment Inventory.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lewis, James P.; Burrows, Robert T.

    This study was conducted to provide information on equipment needs, the extent of planning to upgrade equipment, and technological advancements necessary to continue providing quality training to entry-level students and incumbent workers. The results were based on a 98 percent return from 72 area vocational-technical school directors, 17…

  13. Decisions and Tensions: Summative Assessments in PBL Advanced Placement Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cooper, Susan Elizabeth

    2017-01-01

    This study examines how teachers navigate tensions between communicating expectations for college level work and student motivation as they determined summative grades in an AP Environmental Science course. Semi-structured interviews and a think-aloud protocol were conducted while teachers in poverty-impacted urban high schools determined final…

  14. Life Functions and Cells: Level II, Unit 7, Lesson 1; Cell Structure: Lesson 2; Tissues, Organs, Systems: Lesson 3; Growth and Nutrition: Lesson 4; Metabolism: Lesson 5. Advanced General Education Program. A High School Self-Study Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manpower Administration (DOL), Washington, DC. Job Corps.

    This self-study program for high-school level contains lessons on: Life Functions and Cells; Cell Structure; Tissues, Organs, Systems; Growth and Nutrition; and Metabolism. Each of the lessons concludes with a Mastery Test to be completed by the student. (DB)

  15. Exploring When and Why to Use Arabic in the Saudi Arabian EFL Classroom: Viewing L1 Use as Eclectic Technique

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khresheh, Asim

    2012-01-01

    This study aims to investigate when and why to use Arabic as L1 in the Saudi Arabian EFL classroom. For this purpose, 45 classroom observations were performed for beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of students. 5 classes were chosen randomly for each level and each class was observed three times. Based on the classroom observations,…

  16. The Perceived Value and Efficacy of Traditional Face-to-Face versus Hybrid Methods of Clinical Instruction among Physical Therapy Educators and Students in Doctoral Level Programs: A Qualitative Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eddow, Christine

    2017-01-01

    Physical therapy is a branch of healthcare that has advanced from an ancillary support role to an autonomous doctoral level profession in only two decades. Enrollment in physical therapy programs is increasing while resources and program length remain limited, leaving academic leaders challenged to identify instructional methods to manage…

  17. Relating Gestures and Speech: An analysis of students' conceptions about geological sedimentary processes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herrera, Juan Sebastian; Riggs, Eric M.

    2013-08-01

    Advances in cognitive science and educational research indicate that a significant part of spatial cognition is facilitated by gesture (e.g. giving directions, or describing objects or landscape features). We aligned the analysis of gestures with conceptual metaphor theory to probe the use of mental image schemas as a source of concept representations for students' learning of sedimentary processes. A hermeneutical approach enabled us to access student meaning-making from students' verbal reports and gestures about four core geological ideas that involve sea-level change and sediment deposition. The study included 25 students from three US universities. Participants were enrolled in upper-level undergraduate courses on sedimentology and stratigraphy. We used semi-structured interviews for data collection. Our gesture coding focused on three types of gestures: deictic, iconic, and metaphoric. From analysis of video recorded interviews, we interpreted image schemas in gestures and verbal reports. Results suggested that students attempted to make more iconic and metaphoric gestures when dealing with abstract concepts, such as relative sea level, base level, and unconformities. Based on the analysis of gestures that recreated certain patterns including time, strata, and sea-level fluctuations, we reasoned that proper representational gestures may indicate completeness in conceptual understanding. We concluded that students rely on image schemas to develop ideas about complex sedimentary systems. Our research also supports the hypothesis that gestures provide an independent and non-linguistic indicator of image schemas that shape conceptual development, and also play a role in the construction and communication of complex spatial and temporal concepts in the geosciences.

  18. NASA-UVA light aerospace alloy and structures technology program (LA2ST)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Starke, Edgar A., Jr.; Gangloff, Richard P.; Herakovich, Carl T.; Scully, John R.; Shiflet, Gary J.; Stoner, Glenn E.; Wert, John A.

    1995-01-01

    The NASA-UVa Light Aerospace Alloy and Structures Technology (LA2ST) Program was initiated in 1986 and continues with a high level of activity. Projects are being conducted by graduate students and faculty advisors in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, as well as in the Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics, at the University of Virginia. Here, we report on progress achieved between July 1 and December 31, 1994. The objective of the LA2ST Program is to conduct interdisciplinary graduate student research on the performance of next generation, light-weight aerospace alloys, composites and thermal gradient structures in collaboration with NASA-Langley researchers. Specific technical objectives are presented for each research project. We generally aim to produce relevant data and basic understanding of material mechanical response, environmental/corrosion behavior, and microstructure; new monolithic and composite alloys; advanced processing methods; new solid and fluid mechanics analyses; measurement and modeling advances; and a pool of educated graduate students for aerospace technologies.

  19. NASA-UVA Light Aerospace Alloy and Structures Technology Program: LA(2)ST

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gangloff, Richard P.; Haviland, John K.; Herakovich, Carl T.; Pilkey, Walter D.; Pindera, Marek-Jerzy; Scully, John R.; Stoner, Glenn E.; Thornton, Earl A.; Wawner, Franklin E., Jr.; Wert, John A.

    1993-01-01

    The NASA-UVA Light Aerospace Alloy and Structures Technology (LA(2)ST) Program continues a high level of activity, with projects being conducted by graduate students and faculty advisors in the Departments of Materials Science and Engineering, Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Virginia. This work is funded by the NASA-Langley Research Center under Grant NAG-1-745. We report on progress achieved between July 1 and December 31, 1992. The objective of the LA(2)ST Program is to conduct interdisciplinary graduate student research on the performance of next generation, light weight aerospace alloys, composites and thermal gradient structures in collaboration with NASA-Langley researchers. Specific technical objectives are presented for each research project. We generally aim to produce relevant data and basic understanding of material mechanical response, corrosion behavior, and microstructure; new monolithic and composite alloys; advanced processing methods; new solid and fluid mechanics analyses; measurement advances; and critically, a pool of educated graduate students for aerospace technologies.

  20. Construction of a model demonstrating neural pathways and reflex arcs.

    PubMed

    Chan, V; Pisegna, J M; Rosian, R L; DiCarlo, S E

    1996-12-01

    Employment opportunities in the future will require higher skills and an understanding of mathematics and science. As a result of the growing number of careers that require solid science and mathematics training, the methods of science education are undergoing major reform. To adequately equip students for technologically advanced positions, new teaching methods must be developed that prepare tomorrow's workforce for the challenges of the 21st century. One such method is the use of models. By actively building and manipulating concrete models that represent scientific concepts, students are involved in the most basic level of Piaget's learning scheme: the sensorimotor stage. Models are useful in reaching all students at the foundational levels of learning, and further learning experiences are rapidly moved through higher learning levels. This success ensures greater comprehension and understanding compared with the traditional methods of rote memorization. We developed an exercise for the construction of an inexpensive, easy-to-build model demonstrating neural pathways and reflex arcs. Our exercise also includes many supplemental teaching tools. The exercise is designed to fulfill the need of sound physiological teaching materials for high school students.

  1. Content analysis of medical students' seminars: a unique method of analyzing clinical thinking.

    PubMed

    Takata, Yukari; Stein, Gerald H; Endo, Kuniyuki; Arai, Akiko; Kohsaka, Shun; Kitano, Yuka; Honda, Hitoshi; Kitazono, Hidetaka; Tokunaga, Hironobu; Tokuda, Yasuharu; Obika, Mikako; Miyoshi, Tomoko; Kataoka, Hitomi; Terasawa, Hidekazu

    2013-12-01

    The study of communication skills of Asian medical students during structured Problem-based Learning (PBL) seminars represented a unique opportunity to assess their critical thinking development. This study reports the first application of the health education technology, content analysis (CA), to a Japanese web-based seminar (webinar). The authors assigned twelve randomly selected medical students from two universities and two clinical instructors to two virtual classrooms for four PBL structured tutoring sessions that were audio-video captured for CA. Both of the instructors were US-trained physicians. This analysis consisted of coding the students' verbal comments into seven types, ranging from trivial to advanced knowledge integration comments that served as a proxy for clinical thinking. The most basic level of verbal simple responses accounted for a majority (85%) of the total students' verbal comments. Only 15% of the students' comments represented more advanced types of critical thinking. The male students responded more than the female students; male students attending University 2 responded more than male students from University 1. The total mean students' verbal response time for the four sessions with the male instructor was 6.9%; total mean students' verbal response time for the four sessions with the female instructor was 19% (p < 0.05). This report is the first to describe the application of CA to a multi-university real time audio and video PBL medical student clinical training webinar in two Japanese medical schools. These results are preliminary, mostly limited by a small sample size (n = 12) and limited time frame (four sessions). CA technology has the potential to improve clinical thinking for medical students. This report may stimulate improvements for implementation.

  2. Project-based fieldwork: perspectives of graduate entry students and project sponsors.

    PubMed

    Fortune, Tracy; McKinstry, Carol

    2012-08-01

    This article builds on an earlier viewpoint regarding the need for project-focussed fieldwork. It presents the findings of an evaluative study into the value of project placements undertaken by final year graduate entry master's students as part of a capstone subject. The authors argue that provision of project placements enable impending graduates to develop and implement macro level strategies to develop prevention, resource and service development skills often required of contemporary occupational therapy practitioners. A qualitative approach is adopted. Student cohorts from 2005 and 2006 completed open-ended, written questionnaires, and agency project sponsors were interviewed to obtain their perspectives of the project placement experience. Despite some concern that project placements might be undertaken at the expense of 'clinical' placements these findings reveal that projects managed by students were perceived by services to add great value enabling them to advance important priorities. Students and sponsors highlighted a range of positive learning outcomes, including the ability to work collaboratively with supervisors and develop advanced communication skills and political acumen. The success of such placements depends on supportive supervision from academic staff. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: The findings promote project placements as a highly authentic aspect of work integrated learning enabling learners to draw together a range of attributes that support the ability to manage complex issues that have occupational relevance at a macro level. In addition, such experiences help learners to develop agency and political acumen both increasingly important capabilities for the contemporary workplace. © 2012 The Authors Australian Occupational Therapy Journal © 2012 Occupational Therapy Australia.

  3. High Gradient Accelerator Research

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Temkin, Richard

    The goal of the MIT program of research on high gradient acceleration is the development of advanced acceleration concepts that lead to a practical and affordable next generation linear collider at the TeV energy level. Other applications, which are more near-term, include accelerators for materials processing; medicine; defense; mining; security; and inspection. The specific goals of the MIT program are: • Pioneering theoretical research on advanced structures for high gradient acceleration, including photonic structures and metamaterial structures; evaluation of the wakefields in these advanced structures • Experimental research to demonstrate the properties of advanced structures both in low-power microwave coldmore » test and high-power, high-gradient test at megawatt power levels • Experimental research on microwave breakdown at high gradient including studies of breakdown phenomena induced by RF electric fields and RF magnetic fields; development of new diagnostics of the breakdown process • Theoretical research on the physics and engineering features of RF vacuum breakdown • Maintaining and improving the Haimson / MIT 17 GHz accelerator, the highest frequency operational accelerator in the world, a unique facility for accelerator research • Providing the Haimson / MIT 17 GHz accelerator facility as a facility for outside users • Active participation in the US DOE program of High Gradient Collaboration, including joint work with SLAC and with Los Alamos National Laboratory; participation of MIT students in research at the national laboratories • Training the next generation of Ph. D. students in the field of accelerator physics.« less

  4. Advanced Academic Participation: A Longitudinal Analysis of Ethnicity Gaps in Suburban Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kettler, Todd; Hurst, Luke T.

    2017-01-01

    Participation in advanced academic programs such as Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) has been associated with higher student achievement and college readiness. In addition, AP and IB are widely recommended and implemented as services for gifted and talented students. Students who participate in these programs tend to be…

  5. All Students Need Advanced Mathematics. Math Works

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Achieve, Inc., 2013

    2013-01-01

    This fact sheet explains that to thrive in today's world, all students will need to graduate with very strong math skills. That can only mean one thing: advanced math courses are now essential math courses. Highlights of this paper include: (1) Advanced math equals college success; (2) Advanced math equals career opportunity; and (3) Advanced math…

  6. Instructional strategies in science classrooms of specialized secondary schools for the gifted

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Poland, Donna Lorraine

    This study examined the extent to which science teachers in Academic Year Governor's Schools were adhering to the national standards for suggested science instruction and providing an appropriate learning environment for gifted learners. The study asked 13 directors, 54 instructors of advanced science courses, and 1190 students of advanced science courses in 13 Academic Year Governor's Schools in Virginia to respond to researcher-developed surveys and to participate in classroom observations. The surveys and classroom observations collected demographic data as well as instructors' and students' perceptions of the use of various instructional strategies related to national science reform and gifted education recommendations. Chi-square analyses were used to ascertain significant differences between instructors' and students' perceptions. Findings indicated that instructors of advanced science classes in secondary schools for the gifted are implementing nationally recognized gifted education and science education instructional strategies with less frequency than desired. Both students and instructors concur that these strategies are being implemented in the classroom setting, and both concur as to the frequency with which the implementation occurs. There was no significant difference between instructors' and students' perceptions of the frequency of implementation of instructional strategies. Unfortunately, there was not a single strategy that students and teachers felt was being implemented on a weekly or daily basis across 90% of the sampled classrooms. Staff development in gifted education was found to be minimal as an ongoing practice. While this study offers some insights into the frequency of strategy usage, the study needs more classroom observations to support findings; an area of needed future research. While this study was conducted at the secondary level, research into instructional practices at the middle school and elementary school gifted science classroom settings would be appropriate and warranted.

  7. Construct and face validity of a virtual reality-based camera navigation curriculum.

    PubMed

    Shetty, Shohan; Panait, Lucian; Baranoski, Jacob; Dudrick, Stanley J; Bell, Robert L; Roberts, Kurt E; Duffy, Andrew J

    2012-10-01

    Camera handling and navigation are essential skills in laparoscopic surgery. Surgeons rely on camera operators, usually the least experienced members of the team, for visualization of the operative field. Essential skills for camera operators include maintaining orientation, an effective horizon, appropriate zoom control, and a clean lens. Virtual reality (VR) simulation may be a useful adjunct to developing camera skills in a novice population. No standardized VR-based camera navigation curriculum is currently available. We developed and implemented a novel curriculum on the LapSim VR simulator platform for our residents and students. We hypothesize that our curriculum will demonstrate construct and face validity in our trainee population, distinguishing levels of laparoscopic experience as part of a realistic training curriculum. Overall, 41 participants with various levels of laparoscopic training completed the curriculum. Participants included medical students, surgical residents (Postgraduate Years 1-5), fellows, and attendings. We stratified subjects into three groups (novice, intermediate, and advanced) based on previous laparoscopic experience. We assessed face validity with a questionnaire. The proficiency-based curriculum consists of three modules: camera navigation, coordination, and target visualization using 0° and 30° laparoscopes. Metrics include time, target misses, drift, path length, and tissue contact. We analyzed data using analysis of variance and Student's t-test. We noted significant differences in repetitions required to complete the curriculum: 41.8 for novices, 21.2 for intermediates, and 11.7 for the advanced group (P < 0.05). In the individual modules, coordination required 13.3 attempts for novices, 4.2 for intermediates, and 1.7 for the advanced group (P < 0.05). Target visualization required 19.3 attempts for novices, 13.2 for intermediates, and 8.2 for the advanced group (P < 0.05). Participants believe that training improves camera handling skills (95%), is relevant to surgery (95%), and is a valid training tool (93%). Graphics (98%) and realism (93%) were highly regarded. The VR-based camera navigation curriculum demonstrates construct and face validity for our training population. Camera navigation simulation may be a valuable tool that can be integrated into training protocols for residents and medical students during their surgery rotations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Empathic orientation among medical students from three universities in Barranquilla, Colombia and one university in the Dominican Republic.

    PubMed

    Díaz Narváez, Víctor Patricio; Alonso Palacio, Luz Marina; Caro, Sara Elvira; Silva, María Guadalupe; Castillo, Joel Arboleda; Bilbao, Jorge Luis; Acosta, Jesús Iglesias

    2014-02-01

    To compare empathic orientation among medical students from three schools of medicine in Colombia and one in the Dominican Republic. Empathic orientation of medical students was measured using the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE), Spanish version for students (the "S" version) validated in Mexico and Chile, and culturally adapted to Colombia and the Dominican Republic. Data were compared using a three-factor analysis of variance (model III) and a discriminant analysis. No differences in empathic orientation were observed among courses and between sexes, but differences were found in schools of medicine considered as a unit in each studied country. Empathic orientation levels tend to reduce as courses advance. This was observed in both male and female students and in all schools analyzed.

  9. Peer Mentoring to Facilitate Original Scientific Research by Students With Special Needs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Danch, J. M.

    2007-12-01

    Developed to allow high school students with special needs to participate in original scientific research, the Peer Mentoring Program was a supplement to existing science instruction for students in a self-contained classroom. Peer mentors were high school seniors at the end of a three-year advanced science research course who used their experience to create and develop inquiry-based research activities appropriate for students in the self- contained classroom. Peer mentors then assisted cooperative learning groups of special education students to facilitate the implementation of the research activities. Students with special needs successfully carried out an original research project and developed critical thinking and laboratory skills. Prior to embarking on their undergraduate course of study in the sciences, peer mentors developed an appreciation for the need to bring original scientific research to students of all levels. The program will be expanded and continued during the 2007-2008 school year.

  10. Selling students short: Racial differences in teachers’ evaluations of high, average, and low performing students

    PubMed Central

    Irizarry, Yasmiyn

    2015-01-01

    Education scholars document notable racial differences in teachers’ perceptions of students’ academic skills. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort, this study advances research on teacher perceptions by investigating whether racial differences in teachers’ evaluations of first grade students’ overall literacy skills vary for high, average, and low performing students. Results highlight both the overall accuracy of teachers’ perceptions, and the extent and nature of possible inaccuracies, as demonstrated by remaining racial gaps net literacy test performance. Racial differences in teachers’ perceptions of Black, non-White Latino, and Asian students (compared to White students) exist net teacher and school characteristics and vary considerably across literacy skill levels. Skill specific literacy assessments appear to explain the remaining racial gap for Asian students, but not for Black and non-White Latino students. Implications of these findings for education scholarship, gifted education, and the achievement gap are discussed. PMID:26004478

  11. Students' Ideas about How and Why Chemical Reactions Happen: Mapping the conceptual landscape

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, Fan; Talanquer, Vicente

    2015-12-01

    Research in science education has revealed that many students struggle to understand chemical reactions. Improving teaching and learning about chemical processes demands that we develop a clearer understanding of student reasoning in this area and of how this reasoning evolves with training in the domain. Thus, we have carried out a qualitative study to explore students reasoning about chemical causality and mechanism. Study participants included individuals at different educational levels, from college to graduate school. We identified diverse conceptual modes expressed by students when engaged in the analysis of different types of reactions. Main findings indicate that student reasoning about chemical reactions is influenced by the nature of the process. More advanced students tended to express conceptual modes that were more normative and had more explanatory power, but major conceptual difficulties persisted in their reasoning. The results of our study are relevant to educators interested in conceptual development, learning progressions, and assessment.

  12. Self-directed student research through analysis of microarray datasets: a computer-based functional genomics practical class for masters-level students.

    PubMed

    Grenville-Briggs, Laura J; Stansfield, Ian

    2011-01-01

    This report describes a linked series of Masters-level computer practical workshops. They comprise an advanced functional genomics investigation, based upon analysis of a microarray dataset probing yeast DNA damage responses. The workshops require the students to analyse highly complex transcriptomics datasets, and were designed to stimulate active learning through experience of current research methods in bioinformatics and functional genomics. They seek to closely mimic a realistic research environment, and require the students first to propose research hypotheses, then test those hypotheses using specific sections of the microarray dataset. The complexity of the microarray data provides students with the freedom to propose their own unique hypotheses, tested using appropriate sections of the microarray data. This research latitude was highly regarded by students and is a strength of this practical. In addition, the focus on DNA damage by radiation and mutagenic chemicals allows them to place their results in a human medical context, and successfully sparks broad interest in the subject material. In evaluation, 79% of students scored the practical workshops on a five-point scale as 4 or 5 (totally effective) for student learning. More broadly, the general use of microarray data as a "student research playground" is also discussed. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Promoting medical students’ reflection on competencies to advance a global health equities curriculum

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background The move to frame medical education in terms of competencies – the extent to which trainees “can do” a professional responsibility - is congruent with calls for accountability in medical education. However, the focus on competencies might be a poor fit with curricula intended to prepare students for responsibilities not emphasized in traditional medical education. This study examines an innovative approach to the use of potential competency expectations related to advancing global health equity to promote students’ reflections and to inform curriculum development. Methods In 2012, 32 medical students were admitted into a newly developed Global Health and Disparities (GHD) Path of Excellence. The GHD program takes the form of mentored co-curricular activities built around defined competencies related to professional development and leadership skills intended to ameliorate health disparities in medically underserved settings, both domestically and globally. Students reviewed the GHD competencies from two perspectives: a) their ability to perform the identified competencies that they perceived themselves as holding as they began the GHD program and b) the extent to which they perceived that their future career would require these responsibilities. For both sets of assessments the response scale ranged from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree.” Wilcoxon’s paired T-tests compared individual students’ ordinal rating of their current level of ability to their perceived need for competence that they anticipated their careers would require. Statistical significance was set at p < .01. Results Students’ ratings ranged from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree” that they could perform the defined GHD-related competencies. However, on most competencies, at least 50 % of students indicated that the stated competencies were beyond their present ability level. For each competency, the results of Wilcoxon paired T-tests indicate – at statistically significant levels - that students perceive more need in their careers for GHD-program defined competencies than they currently possess. Conclusion This study suggests congruence between student and program perceptions of the scope of practice required for GHD. Students report the need for enhanced skill levels in the careers they anticipate. This approach to formulating and reflecting on competencies will guide the program’s design of learning experiences aligned with students’ career goals. PMID:24886229

  14. Academic Self-Perceptions of Ability and Course Planning among Academically Advanced Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rudasill, Kathleen Moritz; Callahan, Carolyn M.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine the contribution of gender to the academic self-perceptions of ability and related coursework plans for high school and college across academically advanced students. Participants were academically advanced students (N = 447) from grades 5 to 12. Findings revealed that (a) girls' self-perceptions of ability…

  15. Advancing leadership capacity in nursing.

    PubMed

    Scott, Elaine S; Miles, Jane

    2013-01-01

    To address the potential shortage of nurse leaders, the profession must evaluate current strategies in both education and practice. While many new graduates dream of becoming a nurse practitioner or nurse anesthetist, few transition into practice with the goal of becoming a nurse leader. To increase the number of nurses capable of leadership, the profession must address 2 critical issues. First, effort must be made to augment faculty and students' conceptualization of nursing such that leadership is seen as a dimension of practice for all nurses, not just those in formal leadership roles. In so doing, leadership identity development would be seen as a part of becoming an expert nurse. Second, a comprehensive conceptual framework for lifelong leadership development of nurses needs to be designed. This framework should allow for baseline leadership capacity building in all nurses and advanced leadership development for those in formal administrative and advanced practice roles. The knowledge and skill requirements for quality improvement and patient safety have been explored and recommendations made for Quality and Safety Education for Nurses, but parallel work needs to be done to outline educational content, objectives, and effective pedagogy for advancing leadership development in nursing students at all levels.

  16. English Language Support for Engineering Students and Professors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Teshigawara, Mihoko

    The University of Tokushima Graduate School of Advanced Technology and Science has launched the International Affiliated Double-Degree Program. In this program students pursue double degrees in engineering at the graduate level organized between the Graduate School and one of its 11 overseas partner institutions. Since the Graduate School is committed to offering content lectures in English, the faculty members involved need a good command of English. Future outgoing students also have to improve their English (and the local language spoken at the partner institution) to conduct academic activities at the partner institution successfully. This paper describes the author‧s continuing efforts toward the provision and improvement of English language support for engineering students and instructors, touching on similar activities elsewhere.

  17. NASA-UVA light aerospace alloy and structures technology program (LA2ST)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gangloff, Richard P.

    1992-01-01

    The NASA-UVa Light Aerospace Alloy and Structure Technology (LAST) Program continues to maintain a high level of activity, with projects being conducted by graduate students and faculty advisors in the Departments of Materials Science and Engineering, Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Virginia. This work is funded by the NASA-Langley Research Center under Grant NAG-1-745. Here, we report on progress achieved between January 1 and June 30, 1992. The objectives of the LA2ST Program is to conduct interdisciplinary graduate student research on the performance of the next generation, light weight aerospace alloys, composites and thermal gradient structures in collaboration with Langley researchers. Technical objectives are established for each research project. We aim to produce relevant data and basic understanding of material mechanical response, corrosion behavior, and microstructure; new monolithic and composite alloys; advanced processing methods; new solid and fluid mechanics analyses; measurement advances; and critically, a pool of educated graduate students for aerospace technologies. The accomplishments presented in this report cover topics including: (1) Mechanical and Environmental Degradation Mechanisms in Advance Light Metals and Composites; (2) Aerospace Materials Science; (3) Mechanics of Materials and Composites for Aerospace Structures; and (4) Thermal Gradient Structures.

  18. SMS-Based Learning in Tertiary Education: Achievement and Attitudinal Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Katz, Yaacov J.

    2013-01-01

    SMS delivery platforms are being increasingly used at the university level to enhance student achievement as well as traits and attitudes related to the learning process. SMS delivery provides access to learning materials without being limited by space or time and sophisticated technological advances in SMS delivery have led to enhanced learner…

  19. Inquiry-Based Experiments for Large-Scale Introduction to PCR and Restriction Enzyme Digests

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johanson, Kelly E.; Watt, Terry J.

    2015-01-01

    Polymerase chain reaction and restriction endonuclease digest are important techniques that should be included in all Biochemistry and Molecular Biology laboratory curriculums. These techniques are frequently taught at an advanced level, requiring many hours of student and faculty time. Here we present two inquiry-based experiments that are…

  20. Landslides: A Question of Balance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Devitt, John; Loader, Pete

    2008-01-01

    The impression given in some textbooks is that a landslide can be generated by increasing the weight of an unstable block or adding water to a potential slip plane. This demonstration, which might easily be adapted as a student investigation in physics at advanced level, was an attempt to rectify such oversimplifications and explain to students…

  1. Advanced Chemical Precipitation Softening. Training Module 2.217.4.77.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McMullen, L. D.

    This document is an instructional module package prepared in objective form for use by an instructor familiar with the operation and maintenance of a chemical precipitation softening system. Included are objectives, instructor guides, student handouts and transparency masters. This is the third level of a three module series. This module considers…

  2. A Current Events Approach to Academic Reading.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hirsch, Sharon F.; Gabbay, Anita

    1995-01-01

    Presents a current events course designed to teach students in Israel both English language skills as well as the advanced reading and study skills they need to comprehend university level texts and journal articles. A current events approach to academic reading enlivens the foreign language classroom and motivates and broadens the horizons of…

  3. Using Essential Oils to Teach Advanced-Level Organic Chemistry Separation Techniques and Spectroscopy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bott, Tina M.; Wan, Hayley

    2013-01-01

    Students sometimes have difficulty grasping the importance of when and how basic distillation techniques, column chromatography, TLC, and basic spectroscopy (IR and NMR) can be used to identify unknown compounds within a mixture. This two-part experiment uses mixtures of pleasant-smelling, readily available terpenoid compounds as unknowns to…

  4. Island of the Sharks Activity Guide To Accompany the Large-Format Film.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gowell, Elizabeth Tayntor

    This document targets upper elementary and middle school students and provides activities to understand what the ocean floor looks like, the interactions of ocean communities, and the true nature of sharks. The activities are developed at three levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. The twelve activities include: (1) "Ocean…

  5. Current Activities of the Joint Council on Economic Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Highsmith, Robert J.

    1987-01-01

    Reviews current activities of the Joint Council, among them, a researcher training institute, a new K-12 economic education scope and sequence document, a junior high level test of economic knowledge, an instructional package for advanced placement classes, a textbook conference, a project to help teachers of students who work with at-risk…

  6. Assessment in Immersive Virtual Environments: Cases for Learning, of Learning, and as Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Code, Jillianne; Zap, Nick

    2017-01-01

    The key to education reform lies in exploring alternative forms of assessment. Alternative performance assessments provide a more valid measure than multiple-choice tests of students' conceptual understanding and higher-level skills such as problem solving and inquiry. Advances in game-based and virtual environment technologies are creating new…

  7. Factors that Influence College Choice and Pathways among Vietnamese American High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tran, Huy

    2012-01-01

    Asian Americans are often depicted as a highly successful group, attaining advanced levels of education and upward mobility. However, research indicates Southeast Asian Americans are underrepresented in higher education and earn less bachelor degrees than East Asian Americans. To explore the phenomenon of unequal representation between Southeast…

  8. Teaching New Tendencies in Gender Usage in Modern English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sudo, Julia

    2007-01-01

    Many fluent EFL speakers experience psychological problems after discovering gender-inclusive English during their first stay abroad, due to the unforeseen nature of this discovery. For example, most EFL students in Russia seem to be unaware of this linguistic phenomenon, even at upper-intermediate and advanced levels. They use and expect others…

  9. Advanced Stabilization. Training Module 2.226.3.77.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paulson, W. L.

    This document is an instructional module package prepared in objective form for use by an instructor knowledgeable in the chemistry of water stabilization and familiar with control of deposition and corrosion in a water supply system. This is the second level of a two module series. Included are objectives, instructor guides, student handouts and…

  10. Implementing Enrichment Clusters in Elementary Schools: Lessons Learned

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fiddyment, Gail E.

    2014-01-01

    Enrichment clusters offer a way for schools to encourage a high level of learning as students and adults work together to develop a product, service, or performance by applying advanced knowledge and authentic processes to real-world problems. This study utilized a qualitative research design to examine the perceptions and experiences of two…

  11. 34 CFR 426.4 - What activities does the Secretary fund under the Demonstration Projects?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... institutions; and (6) Men and women seeking to enter nontraditional occupations. (b)(1) Projects that are... can work together effectively to assist vocational education students to attain the advanced level of skills needed to make the transition from school to productive employment, including— (i) Work experience...

  12. Subgroup Achievement and Gap Trends: New Hampshire

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Center on Education Policy, 2009

    2009-01-01

    This year the Center on Education Policy analyzed data on the achievement of different groups of students in two distinct ways. First, it looked at grade 4 test results to determine whether the performance of various groups improved at three achievement levels--basic and above, proficient and above, and advanced. Second, it looked at gaps between…

  13. Video Dubbing Projects in the Foreign Language Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burston, Jack

    2005-01-01

    The dubbing of muted video clips offers an excellent opportunity to develop the skills of foreign language learners at all linguistic levels. In addition to its motivational value, soundtrack dubbing provides a rich source of activities in all language skill areas: listening, reading, writing, speaking. With advanced students, it also lends itself…

  14. English Linguistics, An Introductory Reader.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hungerford, Harold, Ed.; And Others

    The readings in this volume have been selected for college level and graduate students in English who need an introduction to English linguistics which is neither too advanced or specialized, but has a broad range of interests. The editors (Harold Hungerford, Jay Robinson, and James Sledd) have prepared this anthology to use in their own teaching,…

  15. Early College Entrance: How Will My Child Do?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chung, Rachel U.; Hertzog, Nancy B.

    2014-01-01

    Early college entrance is a form of acceleration, or the process of advancing students in academic programs faster than their same-aged peers. Many early entrants have demonstrated academic ability to achieve at high levels but they exhibit tremendous variety in their age, specific abilities, social and emotional maturity, family support, and…

  16. Mathematics in Chemistry: Indeterminate Forms and Their Meaning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Segurado, Manuel A. P.; Silva, Margarida F. B.; Castro, Rita

    2011-01-01

    The mathematical language and its tools are complementary to the formalism in chemistry, in particular at an advanced level. It is thus crucial, for its understanding, that students acquire a solid knowledge in Calculus and that they know how to apply it. The frequent occurrence of indeterminate forms in multiple areas, particularly in Physical…

  17. [East Syracuse-Minoa Schools Environmental Education Materials, High School Package.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    East Syracuse - Minoa Central Schools, East Syracuse, NY.

    This series of four environmental education units is designed for use at the high school level. The first unit, an advanced science and independent study, includes such topics as student requirements, advisor responsibilities, evaluation forms, research report format, a guide to Syracuse University libraries, and research ideas. The second unit,…

  18. Fostering Students' Participation in Online Environments: Focus on Interaction, Communication and Problem Solving

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zacharis, Nick Z.

    2009-01-01

    Rapid technological advances in the areas of telecommunications, computer technology and the Internet have made available to tutors and learners in the domain of online learning, a broad array of tools that provide the possibility to facilitate and enhance learning to higher levels of critical reflective thinking. Computer mediated communication…

  19. CURRICULUM GUIDES IN BIOLOGY--LIFE SCIENCE, BIOLOGY--GENERAL, AND BIOLOGY--ADVANCED PLACEMENT.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    WESNER, GORDON E.; AND OTHERS

    "BIOLOGY--LIFE SCIENCE" IS GEARED TO STUDENTS OF AVERAGE ABILITY, "BIOLOGY--GENERAL" IS OFFERED FOR THOSE WHO HAVE COMPLETED "BIOLOGY--GENERAL" IN GRADES 10 OR 11 AND WHO WISH TO PURSUE COLLEGE LEVEL STUDY WHILE IN GRADE 12. THE NONTECHNICAL "BIOLOGY--LIFE SCIENCE" HAS OUTLINED UNITS IN ORGANIZING FOOD,…

  20. Supporting Success: Why and How to Improve Quality in After-School Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sheldon, Jessica; Hopkins, Leigh

    2008-01-01

    This report examines the program improvement strategies, step-by-step, that allowed The James Irvine Foundation's Communities Organizing to Advance Learning (CORAL) initiative to achieve the levels of quality needed to boost the academic success of participating students, and makes policy and funding suggestions for improving program performance.…

  1. Contingent Repayment Education Loans Related to Income.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brannon, Gerard M.

    This paper explores some questions about the use of income for determining repayment of educational loans. The plans generally call for a level of repayment to cover the initial advances, plus interest for a college graduate with average income, but would require less than full repayment for the students with low income, and over full repayment…

  2. Developing Historical Reading and Writing with Adolescent Readers: Effects on Student Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    De La Paz, Susan; Felton, Mark; Monte-Sano, Chauncey; Croninger, Robert; Jackson, Cara; Deogracias, Jeehye Shim; Hoffman, Benjamin Polk

    2014-01-01

    In this study, the effects of a disciplinary reading and writing curriculum intervention with professional development are shared. We share our instructional approach and provide writing outcomes for struggling adolescent readers who read at or below basic proficiency levels, as well as writing outcomes for proficient and advanced readers.…

  3. Advances in Special Education: Volume I. Basic Constructs and Theoretical Orientations. A Research Annual.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keogh, Barbara K., Ed.

    Intended for graduate students in special education, the text presents seven author contributed papers dealing with theoretical issues in the field. M. Faust and W. Faust ("Cognitive Constructing: Levels of Processing and Developmental Change") consider cognitive processing from a developmental perspective. In "Memory Processes in Exceptional…

  4. Grading A-Level Double Subject Mathematicians and the Implications for Selection.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newbould, Charles A.

    1981-01-01

    Test data were used to compare the grading of two forms of double mathematics: pure and applied math, and regular and advanced math. Results confirm expectations that in the former system, the grading is comparable, and in the latter, it is not necessarily comparable. Implications for student admission are discussed. (MSE)

  5. Synthesis and Small Molecule Exchange Studies of a Magnesium Bisformate Metal-Organic Framework: An Experiment in Host-Guest Chemistry for the Undergraduate Laboratory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rood, Jeffrey A.; Henderson, Kenneth W.

    2013-01-01

    concepts of host-guest chemistry and size exclusion in porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The experiment has been successfully carried out in both introductory and advanced-level inorganic chemistry laboratories. Students synthesized the porous MOF, alpha-Mg[subscript…

  6. Advanced Linear Algebra: A Call for the Early Introduction of Complex Numbers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garcia, Stephan Ramon

    2017-01-01

    A second course in linear algebra that goes beyond the traditional lower-level curriculum is increasingly important for students of the mathematical sciences. Although many applications involve only real numbers, a solid understanding of complex arithmetic often sheds significant light. Many instructors are unaware of the opportunities afforded by…

  7. A Dozen Economic Facts about K-12 Education. Policy Memo

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenstone, Michael; Harris, Max; Li, Karen; Looney, Adam; Patashnik, Jeremy

    2012-01-01

    The Hamilton Project's mission is advancing opportunity, prosperity, and growth. On both the individual and society-wide levels, a strong public education system enables Americans to achieve those objectives. Indeed, education has historically been the great equalizer and offered students of all backgrounds not the promise of equal outcomes but…

  8. A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Anxiety among College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baloglu, Mustafa; Abbasi, Amir; Masten, William G.

    2007-01-01

    A number of studies have continued to investigate cross-cultural differences in anxiety. However, the cross-national research on anxiety is still far less advanced than other psychological constructs such as schizophrenia or depression. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to compare and contrast the levels of anxiety experienced by …

  9. Making It Real: Using a Collaborative Simulation to Teach Crisis Communications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olson, K. S.

    2012-01-01

    Even seasoned public relations (PR) practitioners can find it difficult to handle communications during a crisis situation when the consequences of making poor decisions may seem overwhelming. This article shares results from using a collaborative simulation to teach college students about crisis communications in an advanced-level PR course.…

  10. Vocal Sight-Reading Assessment: Technological Advances, Student Perceptions, and Instructional Implications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henry, Michele

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated choral singers' comfort level using computer technology for vocal sight-reading assessment. High school choral singers (N = 138) attending a summer music camp completed a computer-based sight-reading assessment and accompanying pre- and posttest surveys on their musical backgrounds and perceptions about technology. A large…

  11. A Framework for Mathematical Thinking: The Case of Linear Algebra

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stewart, Sepideh; Thomas, Michael O. J.

    2009-01-01

    Linear algebra is one of the unavoidable advanced courses that many mathematics students encounter at university level. The research reported here was part of the first author's recent PhD study, where she created and applied a theoretical framework combining the strengths of two major mathematics education theories in order to investigate the…

  12. Perceived Caring of Instructors among Online Doctoral Nursing Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walters, Gwendolyn M.

    2013-01-01

    The concept of caring has been integral to the practice of nursing and nursing education since the early teachings of Florence Nightingale. Significant changes in both the practice and the need for educating increasing numbers of advanced-degree nurses have resulted in an increase in online doctoral-level nursing programs. This internet-based…

  13. Advanced Mathematics. Training Module 1.303.3.77.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kirkwood Community Coll., Cedar Rapids, IA.

    This document is an instructional module prepared in objective form for use by an instructor familiar with mathematics as applied to water and wastewater treatment plant operation. Included are objectives, instructor guides and student handouts. This is the third level of a three module series and is concerned with statistics, total head, steady…

  14. Teaching Economics to Business Students through the Lens of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maxfield, Sylvia

    2011-01-01

    Corporate "social-issues management" courses are often taught without in-depth reference to economics, but they afford an opportunity both to review ground-level microeconomics issues including pricing and profit maximization under different market structures and to introduce more advanced topics such as externalities, introductory game theory,…

  15. Fostering Connections between Graduate Students and Strengthening Professional Identity through Co-Mentoring

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murdock, Jennifer L.; Stipanovic, Natalie; Lucas, Kyle

    2013-01-01

    For counsellors and counsellor educators, developing a sound sense of professional identity is a necessity in preserving and advancing the counselling field. In an effort to promote professional identity development in a group of counsellors in training, a co-mentoring programme was developed that paired master's level and doctoral level…

  16. "I Take Engineering with Me": Epistemological Transitions across an Engineering Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Winberg, Christine; Winberg, Simon; Jacobs, Cecilia; Garraway, James; Engel-Hills, Penelope

    2016-01-01

    In this paper we study epistemological transitions across an intended engineering curriculum and recommend strategies to assist students in attaining the increasingly complex concepts and insights that are necessary for transition to advanced levels of study. We draw on Legitimation Code Theory [Maton, Karl. 2014, "Knowledge and Knowers:…

  17. What Can Be Learnt from Teaching Children?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Machura, Ludmila

    While it is commonly assumed that teaching children is unrelated to teaching at the advanced level, the two kinds of teaching are closely related and mutually effective. The experience of teaching young learners can benefit the instruction of college students of English as a second language. In both cases, providing motivation is a challenge.…

  18. Teaching Front Handsprings from a Developmental Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stork, Steve

    2006-01-01

    The front handspring is an important gymnastics skill that serves as a transition from beginner-level rolling and static balances to more advanced tumbling. It is, therefore, a skill highly desired by beginners. Early learning requires a great deal of effort during which students experience many failed attempts. Unless they are highly motivated,…

  19. Enterprise Education: A Deweyan Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pepin, Matthias

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework of reflection that opens the way to a fuller understanding of what is meant by learning to be enterprising in schools, particularly during the basic schooling of students (at both the primary and secondary levels). Working from Dewey's philosophy of experience, the paper advances a new…

  20. Internships: The Key to Career Preparation, Professional Development, and Career Advancement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hurst, Jessica L.; Thye, Ann; Wise, Chris Leiran

    2014-01-01

    In today's competitive job market, students who lack real-world experience face major obstacles. Many professional positions require previous experience; therefore, relevant work experience is a key attribute that any entry-level family and consumer Sciences (FCS) professional can offer a potential employer. Internships provide one of the…

  1. Advanced Rotating Biological Surface Operation. Training Module 2.122.4.77.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paulson, W. L.

    This document is an instructional module package prepared in objective form for use by an instructor familiar with operation and maintenance of a rotating biological surface (RBS) wastewater treatment system. Included are objectives, instructor guides, student handouts, and transparency masters. This is the third level of a three module series and…

  2. Results of a near-peer musculoskeletal medicine curriculum for senior medical students interested in orthopedic surgery.

    PubMed

    Schiff, Adam; Salazar, Dane; Vetter, Christopher; Andre, John; Pinzur, Michael

    2014-01-01

    It has been previously demonstrated that medical students do not achieve an adequate musculoskeletal knowledge base on graduation from American medical schools. Several curriculums have been developed to address this measured deficit. Students entering orthopedic surgery residencies have a better musculoskeletal knowledge foundation than their peers but still fail to achieve an acceptable level of proficiency on graduation from medical school. Fourth-year medical students participating in senior elective rotations in orthopedic surgery over a 2-year period were given a series of lectures developed and presented by post graduate year 3 orthopedic surgery residents. Students completed a validated musculoskeletal competency examination and a survey following the conclusion of their experience, evaluating the effect of this curriculum. A total of 71 students over 2 years participated in the near-peer curriculum, with all students completing the validated test. The mean score for the students was 83.6%. Of the 71 students, 60 (84.5%) scored more than the previously published passing rate of 73.1%. There was no correlation identified with the mean test scores and the number of previous orthopedic surgery rotations. From the survey, 96% of the students rated the near-peer curriculum as appropriate for their level, whereas 75% noted that their own medical school's musculoskeletal curriculum was too advanced for their level of training. A series of lectures was developed by midlevel orthopedic residents for students interested in pursuing a career in orthopedic surgery. After participation in the curriculum, students scored 30-percentage points higher than a previously published test. This study demonstrates that a resident-initiated, near-peer curriculum increases the fundamental knowledge level of students entering orthopedic surgery. An added benefit appeared to be the skills obtained by the residents who created and delivered the lecture series. Copyright © 2014 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. High intensity scenario training of military medical students to increase learning capacity and management of stress response.

    PubMed

    Mueller, Genevieve R; Moloff, Alan L; Wedmore, Ian S; Schoeff, Jonathan E; Laporta, Anthony J

    2012-01-01

    A delicate balance exists between a beneficial stress response that enhances memory and recall performance and a detrimental high stress response that impairs memory and learning. Repetitive training in stressful situations enables people to lower their stress levels from the detrimental range to a more beneficial one.1 This is particularly true for physicians in training as they seek to achieve advanced skills and knowledge in the fields of triage, emergency medicine, and surgery prior to graduation. This need is significant for medical students entering military service after graduation. We theorize that military medical students can advance their proficiencies through an Intensive Skills Week (ISW) prior to entering their third and forth year rotations. To test this theory, Rocky Vista University will hold a week long high-intensity first-responder, emergency medicine and surgical training course, facilitated by military medical physicians, to further students? skills and maximize training using the Human Worn Partial Surgical Task Simulator (Cut Suit). We also see the possible benefit to physician and non-physician military personnel, especially Special Operations Forces (SOF) medical personnel, from developing and implementing similar training programs when live tissue or cadaver models are unavailable or not feasible. Stress, cortisol, medical student, enhanced learning, scenario, high intensity. 2012.

  4. Physics Problems Based on Up-to-Date Science and Technology.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Folan, Lorcan M.; Tsifrinovich, Vladimir I.

    2007-03-01

    We observe a huge chasm between up-to-date science and undergraduate education. The result of this chasm is that current student interest in undergraduate science is low. Consequently, students who are graduating from college are often unable to take advantage of the many opportunities offered by science and technology. Cutting edge science and technology frequently use the methods learned in undergraduate courses, but up-to-date applications are not normally used as examples or for problems in undergraduate courses. There are many physics problems which contain information about the latest achievements in science and technology. But typically, the level of these problems is too advanced for undergraduates. We created physics problems for undergraduate science and engineering students, which are based on the latest achievements in science and technology. These problems have been successfully used in our courses at the Polytechnic University in New York. We believe that university faculty may suggest such problems in order to provide information about the frontiers of science and technological, demonstrate the importance of undergraduate physics in solving contemporary problems and raise the interest of talented students in science. From the other side, our approach may be considered an indirect way for advertising advanced technologies, which undergraduate students and, even more important, future college graduates could use in their working lives.

  5. Educating for health service reform: clinical learning, governance and capability - a case study protocol.

    PubMed

    Gardner, Anne; Gardner, Glenn; Coyer, Fiona; Gosby, Helen

    2016-01-01

    The nurse practitioner is a growing clinical role in Australia and internationally, with an expanded scope of practice including prescribing, referring and diagnosing. However, key gaps exist in nurse practitioner education regarding governance of specialty clinical learning and teaching. Specifically, there is no internationally accepted framework against which to measure the quality of clinical learning and teaching for advanced specialty practice. A case study design will be used to investigate educational governance and capability theory in nurse practitioner education. Nurse practitioner students, their clinical mentors and university academic staff, from an Australian university that offers an accredited nurse practitioner Master's degree, will be invited to participate in the study. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with students and their respective clinical mentors and university academic staff to investigate learning objectives related to educational governance and attributes of capability learning. Limited demographic data on age, gender, specialty, education level and nature of the clinical healthcare learning site will also be collected. Episodes of nurse practitioner student specialty clinical learning will be observed and documentation from the students' healthcare learning sites will be collected. Descriptive statistics will be used to report age groups, areas of specialty and types of facilities where clinical learning and teaching is observed. Qualitative data from interviews, observations and student documents will be coded, aggregated and explored to inform a framework of educational governance, to confirm the existing capability framework and describe any additional characteristics of capability and capability learning. This research has widespread significance and will contribute to ongoing development of the Australian health workforce. Stakeholders from industry and academic bodies will be involved in shaping the framework that guides the quality and governance of clinical learning and teaching in specialty nurse practitioner practice. Through developing standards for advanced clinical learning and teaching, and furthering understanding of capability theory for advanced healthcare practitioners, this research will contribute to evidence-based models of advanced specialty postgraduate education.

  6. Quality assessment of medical education and use of information technology.

    PubMed

    Masic, Izet; Ciric, Damir; Pulja, Artan; Kulasin, Igor; Pandza, Haris

    2009-01-01

    Extensive and fast advancements in biomedical sciences created a significant delay in receiving relevant and updated information in medical practice - physicians use old techniques and treat patients incorrectly. Bosnia and Herzegovina signed the Bologna Declaration on 18 September 2003, and in the light of this new approach to university education, and the process of joining The European Union, the authors set the following aims: to determine the current level of knowledge among medical students at the Medical Faculty of the University of Sarajevo, to determine the level of knowledge among medical students before their enrolment at the faculty, and to find out students opinion on their needs for further education. Students also left their suggestions on what should be changed in the curriculum. 203 students were included in the survey and results show that they demand more practical work, direct contact with patients and presentation of interesting clinical cases. Many of them use the internet as professional education means. Professional papers are rarely used. At present, the availability of learning material is insufficient at the faculty library.

  7. Going deeper: teaching more than the mechanics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bruck, R. A.

    2013-02-01

    What follows is a description of an introductory holography course titled "Lasers and Holography," taught by the author at Columbia College Chicago since 1997. Because this is a science class at an arts college with an open admissions policy, these students have many different levels of education, dissimilar backgrounds, and varied fields of interest. There are few science majors. Therefore, specific learning objectives are developed. The author contends that for many of these students it is not enough to teach the physics of making holograms. To inspire and instill a lifelong appreciation for science and physics, one must go still deeper. Students need to be touched on more than just an intellectual level. Consequently, a broader approach is used. Ultimately, it may stir students to want to learn more, and to be confident they can. The paper addresses: 1) Becoming aware of one's individual state of seeing 2) Perceptual illusions: their impact on the advancement of science 3) Promoting artistic applications and exposing students to fine art holography 4) Teaching holography as an information processing, as well as an image-making technology 5) Introducing and exploring philosophical implications of holographic principles.

  8. Awareness about basic life support and emergency medical services and its associated factors among students in a tertiary care hospital in South India.

    PubMed

    Aroor, Akshatha Rao; Saya, Rama Prakash; Attar, Nazir Rahim; Saya, Ganesh Kumar; Ravinanthanan, Manikandan

    2014-07-01

    The knowledge and skills about the basic life support (BLS) and the advanced life support are the most important determining factors of the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) success rates. To determine the level of awareness on BLS and skills among undergraduate and postgraduate students of medical and dental profession, as well as nursing students and interns in a tertiary care hospital. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in South India. The awareness level on BLS and factors associated which include age, sex, level of training (undergraduate, internship, and postgraduate groups), course of study (nursing, dental, and medical groups), and previous exposure to BLS were assessed by using a structured questionnaire. The association of these variables with awareness level was assessed by independent t test, analysis of variance, and linear regression analysis. Among 520 study subjects, 229 were students, 171 were interns, and 120 were postgraduate students. The overall mean score of awareness was 4.16 ± 1.40 (score range: 0-10). Age, sex, level of training, course of study, and previous exposure to BLS were significantly associated with awareness level in univariate analysis (P < 0.05). Linear regression model also showed that all the above variables were significantly associated with awareness level (P < 0.05). About 322 (61.9%) subjects attributed lack of awareness about BLS to lack of available professional training. About 479 (92.1%) responded that BLS training should be a part of medical curriculum. Awareness level on BLS is below average indicating the importance of professional training at all levels in a tertiary care health institution.

  9. Apoc Social: A Mobile Interactive and Social Learning Platform for Collaborative Solving of Advanced Problems in Organic Chemistry.

    PubMed

    Sievertsen, Niels; Carreira, Erick M

    2018-02-01

    Mobile devices such as smartphones are carried in the pockets of university students around the globe and are increasingly cheap to come by. These portable devices have evolved into powerful and interconnected handheld computers, which, among other applications, can be used as advanced learning tools and providers of targeted, curated content. Herein, we describe Apoc Social (Advanced Problems in Organic Chemistry Social), a mobile application that assists both learning and teaching college-level organic chemistry both in the classroom and on the go. With more than 750 chemistry exercises available, Apoc Social facilitates collaborative learning through discussion boards and fosters enthusiasm for complex organic chemistry.

  10. The Effect of Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate Exam Scores upon College GPA and College Choice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farmer, Daniel Raymond

    2017-01-01

    This quantitative, causal-comparative and correlational study analyzed students' academic performance in college based on whether the student was classified as an International Baccalaureate student, an Advanced Placement student, or a non-accelerated student (those who did not participate in IB or AP) and how that choice of academic program…

  11. Selling students short: Racial differences in teachers' evaluations of high, average, and low performing students.

    PubMed

    Irizarry, Yasmiyn

    2015-07-01

    Education scholars document notable racial differences in teachers' perceptions of students' academic skills. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort, this study advances research on teacher perceptions by investigating whether racial differences in teachers' evaluations of first grade students' overall literacy skills vary for high, average, and low performing students. Results highlight both the overall accuracy of teachers' perceptions, and the extent and nature of possible inaccuracies, as demonstrated by remaining racial gaps net literacy test performance. Racial differences in teachers' perceptions of Black, non-White Latino, and Asian students (compared to White students) exist net teacher and school characteristics and vary considerably across literacy skill levels. Skill specific literacy assessments appear to explain the remaining racial gap for Asian students, but not for Black and non-White Latino students. Implications of these findings for education scholarship, gifted education, and the achievement gap are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Team-Based Development of Medical Devices: An Engineering–Business Collaborative

    PubMed Central

    Eberhardt, Alan W.; Johnson, Ophelia L.; Kirkland, William B.; Dobbs, Joel H.; Moradi, Lee G.

    2016-01-01

    There is a global shift in the teaching methodology of science and engineering toward multidisciplinary, team-based processes. To meet the demands of an evolving technical industry and lead the way in engineering education, innovative curricula are essential. This paper describes the development of multidisciplinary, team-based learning environments in undergraduate and graduate engineering curricula focused on medical device design. In these programs, students actively collaborate with clinicians, professional engineers, business professionals, and their peers to develop innovative solutions to real-world problems. In the undergraduate senior capstone courses, teams of biomedical engineering (BME) and business students have produced and delivered numerous functional prototypes to satisfied clients. Pursuit of commercialization of devices has led to intellectual property (IP) disclosures and patents. Assessments have indicated high levels of success in attainment of student learning outcomes and student satisfaction with their undergraduate design experience. To advance these projects toward commercialization and further promote innovative team-based learning, a Master of Engineering (MEng) in Design and Commercialization was recently launched. The MEng facilitates teams of graduate students in engineering, life sciences, and business who engage in innovation-commercialization (IC) projects and coursework that take innovative ideas through research and development (R&D) to create marketable devices. The activities are structured with students working together as a “virtual company,” with targeted outcomes of commercialization (license agreements and new start-ups), competitive job placement, and/or career advancement. PMID:26902869

  13. Team-Based Development of Medical Devices: An Engineering-Business Collaborative.

    PubMed

    Eberhardt, Alan W; Johnson, Ophelia L; Kirkland, William B; Dobbs, Joel H; Moradi, Lee G

    2016-07-01

    There is a global shift in the teaching methodology of science and engineering toward multidisciplinary, team-based processes. To meet the demands of an evolving technical industry and lead the way in engineering education, innovative curricula are essential. This paper describes the development of multidisciplinary, team-based learning environments in undergraduate and graduate engineering curricula focused on medical device design. In these programs, students actively collaborate with clinicians, professional engineers, business professionals, and their peers to develop innovative solutions to real-world problems. In the undergraduate senior capstone courses, teams of biomedical engineering (BME) and business students have produced and delivered numerous functional prototypes to satisfied clients. Pursuit of commercialization of devices has led to intellectual property (IP) disclosures and patents. Assessments have indicated high levels of success in attainment of student learning outcomes and student satisfaction with their undergraduate design experience. To advance these projects toward commercialization and further promote innovative team-based learning, a Master of Engineering (MEng) in Design and Commercialization was recently launched. The MEng facilitates teams of graduate students in engineering, life sciences, and business who engage in innovation-commercialization (IC) projects and coursework that take innovative ideas through research and development (R&D) to create marketable devices. The activities are structured with students working together as a "virtual company," with targeted outcomes of commercialization (license agreements and new start-ups), competitive job placement, and/or career advancement.

  14. Integration of Ethics across the Curriculum: From First Year through Senior Seminar†

    PubMed Central

    Gasparich, Gail E.; Wimmers, Larry

    2014-01-01

    The Fisher College of Science and Mathematics (FCSM) at Towson University (TU) has integrated authentic research experiences throughout the curriculum from first year STEM courses through advanced upper-level classes and independent research. Our observation is that training in both responsible conduct of research (RCR) and bioethics throughout the curriculum was an effective strategy to advance the cognitive and psychosocial development of the students. As students enter TU they generally lack the experience and tools to assess their own competence, to apply ethical debates, to investigate scientific topics from an ethical perspective, or to integrate ethics into final conclusions. Student behavior and development follow cognitive models such as described in the theories put forth by Piaget, Kohlberg, and Erikson, both for initial learning and for how concepts are understood and adopted. Three examples of this ethics training integration are described, including a cohort-based course for first year students in the STEM Residential Learning Community, a cohort-based course for community college students that are involved in an NIH-funded Bridges to the Baccalaureate program, and a senior seminar in Bioethics in the Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics Program. All three focus on different aspects of RCR and bioethics training, providing opportunities for students to learn about the principles of effective decision-making, critical and analytical thinking, problem solving, and communication with increasing degrees of complexity as they move through the curriculum. PMID:25574282

  15. Integration of Ethics across the Curriculum: From First Year through Senior Seminar.

    PubMed

    Gasparich, Gail E; Wimmers, Larry

    2014-12-01

    The Fisher College of Science and Mathematics (FCSM) at Towson University (TU) has integrated authentic research experiences throughout the curriculum from first year STEM courses through advanced upper-level classes and independent research. Our observation is that training in both responsible conduct of research (RCR) and bioethics throughout the curriculum was an effective strategy to advance the cognitive and psychosocial development of the students. As students enter TU they generally lack the experience and tools to assess their own competence, to apply ethical debates, to investigate scientific topics from an ethical perspective, or to integrate ethics into final conclusions. Student behavior and development follow cognitive models such as described in the theories put forth by Piaget, Kohlberg, and Erikson, both for initial learning and for how concepts are understood and adopted. Three examples of this ethics training integration are described, including a cohort-based course for first year students in the STEM Residential Learning Community, a cohort-based course for community college students that are involved in an NIH-funded Bridges to the Baccalaureate program, and a senior seminar in Bioethics in the Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics Program. All three focus on different aspects of RCR and bioethics training, providing opportunities for students to learn about the principles of effective decision-making, critical and analytical thinking, problem solving, and communication with increasing degrees of complexity as they move through the curriculum.

  16. Identifying and addressing specific student difficulties in advanced thermal physics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, Trevor I.

    As part of an ongoing multi-university research study on student understanding of concepts in thermal physics at the upper division, I identified several student difficulties with topics related to heat engines (especially the Carnot cycle), as well as difficulties related to the Boltzmann factor. In an effort to address these difficulties, I developed two guided-inquiry worksheet activities (a.k.a. tutorials) for use in advanced undergraduate thermal physics courses. Both tutorials seek to improve student understanding of the utility and physical background of a particular mathematical expression. One tutorial focuses on a derivation of Carnot's theorem regarding the limit on thermodynamic efficiency, starting from the Second Law of Thermodynamics. The other tutorial helps students gain an appreciation for the origin of the Boltzmann factor and when it is applicable; focusing on the physical justification of its mathematical derivation, with emphasis on the connections between probability, multiplicity, entropy, and energy. Student understanding of the use and physical implications of Carnot's theorem and the Boltzmann factor was assessed using written surveys both before and after tutorial instruction within the advanced thermal physics courses at the University of Maine and at other institutions. Classroom tutorial sessions at the University of Maine were videotaped to allow in-depth scrutiny of student successes and failures following tutorial prompts. I also interviewed students on various topics related to the Boltzmann factor to gain a more complete picture of their understanding and inform tutorial revisions. Results from several implementations of my tutorials at the University of Maine indicate that students did not have a robust understanding of these physical principles after lectures alone, and that they gain a better understanding of relevant topics after tutorial instruction; Fisher's exact tests yield statistically significant improvement at the alpha = 0.05 level. Results from other schools indicate that difficulties observed before tutorial instruction in our classes (for both tutorials) are not unique, and that the Boltzmann factor tutorial can be an effective replacement for lecture instruction. Additional research is suggested that would further examine these difficulties and inform instructional strategies to help students overcome them.

  17. Physics of the Earth

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stacey, Frank D.; Davis, Paul M.

    he fourth edition of Physics of the Earth maintains the original philosophy of this classic graduate textbook on fundamental solid earth geophysics, while being completely revised, updated, and restructured into a more modular format to make individual topics even more accessible. Building on the success of previous editions, which have served generations of students and researchers for nearly forty years, this new edition will be an invaluable resource for graduate students looking for the necessary physical and mathematical foundations to embark on their own research careers in geophysics. Several completely new chapters have been added and a series of appendices, presenting fundamental data and advanced mathematical concepts, and an extensive reference list, are provided as tools to aid readers wishing to pursue topics beyond the level of the book. Over 140 student exercises of varying levels of difficulty are also included, and full solutions are available online at www.cambridge.org/9780521873628.

  18. Advancing institutional anomie theory: a microlevel examination connecting culture, institutions, and deviance.

    PubMed

    Muftić, Lisa R

    2006-12-01

    Institutional anomie theory (IAT) contends that crime can be explained by an examination of American society, particularly the exaggerated emphasis on economic success inherent in American culture, which has created a "cheating orientation" that permeates structural institutions, including academia. Consistent with its macrosocial perspective, previous tests of IAT have examined IAT variables at the structural level only. The current study tests the robustness of IAT by operationalizing IAT variables at the individual level and looking at a minor form of deviance, student cheating. The author also examines the role statistical modeling has in testing the theory at the microlevel. Undergraduates, 122 American born and 48 international, were surveyed about their cheating behaviors and adherence to economic goal orientations. Results related to the hypothesis that American students, relative to foreign-born students, will have an increased adherence to economic goal orientations that increase cheating behaviors are presented, as are suggestions for future studies.

  19. The notion of motion: covariational reasoning and the limit concept

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nagle, Courtney; Tracy, Tyler; Adams, Gregory; Scutella, Daniel

    2017-05-01

    This paper investigates outcomes of building students' intuitive understanding of a limit as a function's predicted value by examining introductory calculus students' conceptions of limit both before and after instruction. Students' responses suggest that while this approach is successful at reducing the common limit equals function value misconception of a limit, new misconceptions emerged in students' responses. Analysis of students' reasoning indicates a lack of covariational reasoning that coordinates changes in both x and y may be at the root of the emerging limit reached near x = c misconception. These results suggest that although dynamic interpretations of limit may be intuitive for many students, care must be taken to foster a dynamic conception that is both useful at the introductory calculus level and is in line with the formal notion of limit learned in advanced mathematics. In light of the findings, suggestions for adapting the pedagogical approach used in this study are provided.

  20. Reflections on Descriptive Psychology: NASA, Media and Technology, Observation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Aucoin, Paschal J., Jr.

    1999-01-01

    At NASA, we have used methods of Descriptive Psychology (DP) to solve problems in several areas: Simulation of proposed Lunar/Mars missions at high level to assess feasibility and needs in the robotics and automation areas. How we would go about making a "person-like" robot. Design and implementation of Systems Engineering practices on behalf of future projects with emphasis on interoperability. Design of a Question and Answer dialog system to handle student questions about Advanced Life Support (ALS) systems - students learn biology by applying it to ALS projects.

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